Episodes
Wednesday Aug 27, 2014
Episode 31: Trust- The Key to Team Building
Wednesday Aug 27, 2014
Wednesday Aug 27, 2014
When a leader is assigned to an organization…success or stumbling is determined by the individual's plans for making change.
Is it... I am here to save the day and we will proceed according to my plans or is there an attempt at creating a team mentality which means that the leader is working to create trust?
Leadership requires more than a plan but time spent purposefully building trust.
As Seth Godin, in Tribes, comments... “Leadership is not management.”
This means that you have to get others on board…you have to spend time building a team…and creating a trusting organization…avoiding…It’s my way or the highway…Not just thinking that I only have to tell people what to do and they will do it.
Throughout this episode I reflect on comments from the works of Dan Pink, P. Lencioni, and J. Maxwell.
After listening, I hope that you will spend some time evaluating your team direction and decide whether you have created real trust. Ask yourself…Do your members really interact with each other or are they simply complying for fear of retribution or being wrong?
Enjoy!
Listed below are the links to books that I mentioned as well as the opening YouTube clip. I hope that you will take time to explore these wonderful tools for developing your teams.
Patrick Lencioni YouTube Clip from Opening
Winning With People by John Maxwell
The 17 Indisputable laws of Team Work by John Maxwell
To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
Length 28:30
Monday Jul 14, 2014
Episode 27: Teaching Tip/ Learning the Kids' Names
Monday Jul 14, 2014
Monday Jul 14, 2014
It is extremely important that the classroom teacher get to know and use the names of the kids.
The children need to know that you know who they are.
The better teacher has strategies for doing this as soon as possible. Whether it is the beginning of a new semester or school year, the better teacher takes time to learn and use the names of the kids.
Today, instead of an interview...it’s just me talking about getting to know and use the names of the kids.
What ways do you have for learning and using the names of the kids?
Please share them with me. I would love to hear your ideas about this.
Take care.
Enjoy!
Here are the links to the works by Deborah Meier.
The Power of Their Ideas by Deborah Meier
In Schools We Trust by Deborah Meier
Length 22:53
Wednesday Jul 02, 2014
Episode 26: Mike Buck and Public Education in Georgia
Wednesday Jul 02, 2014
Wednesday Jul 02, 2014
Join us as Mike talks with me about education in Georgia and tells us some things about what makes Mike…Mike.
Mike has served the families of Georgia through public education over 31 years.
He has been a teacher, administrator, high school principal, assistant superintendent and now the Chief Academic Officer for the State of Georgia.
We talked about the responsibilities of the Chief Academic Officer (basically, I asked him what he does…)
Listen to hear Mike explain that his greatest lesson learned as the Chief Academic Officer was... “I didn’t know... what I didn’t know.”
Mike reflected on the initiative called Career Pathways and the positive role it will play for the children of Georgia in their future planning.
I asked Mike what challenges he thought teachers faced today that are different than from when he was a high school principal…
One of his comments was …Time. Check out where we go with this topic.
Mike is the child of a soldier who moved with his career. This meant that Mike had to learn to make friends and to get along with others who were different than him. Mike talks about his love for diversity.
Mike is running for the State Superintendent of Schools of Georgia. He shared his thoughts about the race and what he would bring to the role if he was elected.
Mike is a fan of Jim Collins and John Maxwell as leadership writers and the lessons of life found in the Bible. Currently, he is reading a book called Praying Circles around Your Children by Mark Batterson. He says that he sees the greatest leadership challenge as that of being a parent and raising children. He reflected on a couple of thoughts from the book that have had a huge impact on his interactions with his children and how he lives his life:
· Teaching your own kids how to say and mean…please, thank you, and I’m sorry.
· I try to live my life in such a way that those who know me best respect me the most.
You can find out more about Mike at his website www.buckforsuperintendent.com
Thanks for listening. Please share with your friends, family, and colleagues!
Enjoy!
Length: 26:29
Friday Jun 20, 2014
Episode 25: Do You Have a Teacher You Would Like to Thank?
Friday Jun 20, 2014
Friday Jun 20, 2014
This episode is quite a bit different than our others. This time you will hear many different people share their thoughts about a teacher who made a difference in their lives. You will hear recollections of good deeds, of persistence, of faith, of inspiration, and of encouragement. You will hear commonalities in most cases. You will hear sincerity and even though you can't see those telling their stories you will feel their tears and sense their smiles.
What about you? Do you have a teacher from your days in K-12, that if you could, you would say thank you? If so, what would you say?
If its not too late...why not reach out and take the time to say thank you...you made a difference in my life!
I hope that this episode ignites memories and that it entices you to go find that special teacher and say...Thank You!
Enjoy!
Wednesday Jun 11, 2014
Episode 24: Teaching First Grade with Tonya Hair
Wednesday Jun 11, 2014
Wednesday Jun 11, 2014
Mrs. Tonya Hair teaches first grade at Pulaski County Elementary School located in Hawkinsville, Georgia. This is her 11th year of teaching. Mrs. Hair grew up in Hawkinsville and is now a teacher at Pulaski County Elementary School where she attended as a child. She is working with some colleagues who were teachers when she was a student. How cool is that?!
Mrs. Hair has some amazing routines and practices. Her kids know them and it is obvious. They transition between activities and different locations in the classroom with no down time or disruption to the learning. I asked Mrs. Hair to explain how she is able to accomplish this. She commented, “Practicing routines. If you set it up in the beginning then it is not that hard as the year goes on.” Tonya also noted, “Organization and planning are keys to being successful, as well as learning from your mistakes.”
Tonya uses groups quite successfully. She says that she is looking to find the best fit for the child. She uses these groups to help her address the individual needs of her students.
As you listen to us talk teaching and learning you will hear us touch on…
· reading and math stations
· problem solving
· showing numbers in different ways
· starting class with an activity
· formative assessments
· charts that she uses to make notes on student progress (she uses this information to adjust her instruction)
· using mini-white boards
· engaging kids
· organizational skills
Her favorite resource for her classes is her SMART board and if she could have anything for her classroom where money wasn't an option it would be a parapro and a set of laptops.
If she had a chance to give advice to 30 brand new elementary teachers she would tell them, “Always be prepared and forward thinking. Be flexible.”
At the very end you will hear Tonya express her thoughts about a teacher who made a difference in her life… She says that she was like… Wonder Woman.
Mrs. Hair has much to share!
Enjoy!
Length 31:24