Episode 58: iPrincipal update with Mark Wilson

June 12, 2015

This is my third of an on-going conversation with Dr. Mark Wilson about his book in the works called iPrincipal.

Check out our earlier talks at Episode 48 (The Introduction), and Episode 53 (Intentional).

Also, you can find out more about Mark and his focus on leadership at Episode 8 as well as his website.

The iPrincipal...today's fully prepared and highly effective principal is inspirational.

While the iPrincipal is expected to be an instructional leader (to be discussed in another episode), to lead effective schools, principals also need to be inspirational leaders.

Inspirational Principals excel in:

1. Seeing Connections

2. Sharing Ideas Clearly

3. Seeking Opportunities

I think that you will find Mark's thoughts engaging and thought provoking.

Enjoy!

Length: 18:00

Episode 57: Team Building Tips with Steve

June 3, 2015

This month I am introducing a new addition to the Teaching Learning Leading K12 library:

Team Building Tips with Steve.

These episodes will be monthly and run between 5 and 10 minutes.

I will be talking about ways to get your team to be a team.

Each episode will feature a resource that you can use to help you focus on the growth and health of your team.

On today’s show I ask the question “Is your team a team?”

So is it?

Here is a list of the resources that I mention:

The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell

This is Your Life with Michael Hyatt (A Podcast)

Episode 163 of Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn (A podcast) where the host interviews Michael about Team Building and Leadership

Also, Don’t forget to stop by my blog article called Principals: 5 Things to do Before Next School Year

Additionally, I did a few full podcast episodes about Team Building. Check out Episode 35: The Law of the Inner Circle and Team Building

Episode 31: Trust-The Key to Team Building

I hope that you enjoy this new segment and will follow the links to the awesome resources that can help you become more team oriented.

Best wishes!

Have fun!

Go Team!

Length 6:30

Episode 56: Snipping Tool with David Rogers

May 28, 2015

Snipping Tool is a software app that allows you to take a snapshot of your desktop screen, a window on your desktop or the contents of your entire desktop.

Snipping tool is a free utility application that comes with standard installations of Windows 7 and Windows 8. In Windows 7 click: Start > All Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool.

(With Windows 8, press the Win Key and type Snipping Tool)

What is so great about Snipping Tool? Many people have a need for taking a “snapshot” of any number of things on their computer. Especially if you are creating a “howto” document.

Windows Snipping Tool has the following options:

Free Form snip
Rectangular snip (default)
Window snip
Full-Screen snip

If you are going to use snipping tool a lot, I suggest you pin it to the Windows Taskbar, that way it is always available and a one click execute.

When you get ready to take a screenshot, just click on Snipping Tool. The snipping tool window will pop up and your cursor will become an active selection cursor depending on which mode you are in. You then select or choose the portion of the screen you would like to capture.

Once you have snipped all or a portion of your screen (or Window), the Snipping Tool Window opens. In the snipping tool window, you have a pen, a highlighter and an eraser to use to edit the image. The pen is a free form drawing tool as is the highlighter. These tools, although simple, allow you to circle, underline, highlight & markup the file as you see fit. You do not have a lot of editing features. Snipping Tool is a simple tool, but it is very effective.

After you have edited the file, you have the option of saving it. The file can be saved in three popular graphic file formats:

PNG (Portable Network Graphic)
GIF (Graphic Interchange Format)
JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

Or as a single HTML file (MHT file to be opened in a web browser) (This is not an easily edited format. Used mostly for archive purposes).

After you save the file, it is ready to be used as is any graphic file.

Review:

Snipping Tool is a free, quick and easy tool for Microsoft OS users to create graphic images of anything on their desktop.
It comes as a standard installed utility in Windows 7 and later OSs.
It is found in the Accessories menu under the Start Menu.
It saves “snips” in three popular graphic file formats (& MHT format).
It has a pen and highlighter for basic editing (highlighting).

Target audience: Anyone that creates “howto” documents, technical documents or reference material.

Follow David on his Technology Blog

Length: 10:29

Episode 54: The 50 States Album and Engaging Kids with Dr. Lodge McCammon

May 7, 2015

Dr. Lodge McCammon is focused on improving teacher quality and helping teachers create learning environments that are highly collaborative, differentiated, and engaging.

Lodge is a professional musician who plays numerous instruments and creates educational songs for each of the academic core areas. Recently, he has been working on his 50 States Album as well as teaching teachers and kids how to use paper slide videos. He is an expert at flipping the classroom, a concept that he sees as making the teacher more efficient at using time. Lodge shows teachers how to flip so that more classroom time can be spent on learning instead of listening. (Check out Lodge’s original talk with me on Episode 10 and Episode 11)

If anyone has ever visited with Lodge they would probably talk about his creativity, his sense of humor, and his ability to make learning fun and engaging! You will hear all of this loud and clear throughout the interview…

lodge_mcammon_illinois_paperslide_music2

By the way…my favorite state songs are Illinois and Colorado… Find out which ones you like the best…

lodge_mccammon_paperslide2_resized400.jp

He is a former public high school teacher (Civics and AP Economics) who earned his PhD at NC State and has worked with that same university to emphasize efficiency and engagement in the classroom with new and veteran teachers.

Lodge is an amazing keynote speaker, consultant, musician, and educator. In today’s interview I get him to talk about everything from what music he likes to his latest on using time more efficiently…Flip the Phone Meetings… and Walk and Talks.