Teaching Learning Leading K-12

Every organization should have a way to support new staff members.

Induction programs are great but they are just one part of supporting new staff.

Everyone needs a coach.

It can’t be left to chance.

In this podcast I talk about the #1 reason for having a coaching program and the 5 components the coaching program should address.

I discuss why most coaching programs in schools fail and what can be done to make them work.

I hope that you will listen and take a look at your school. Do you have a program for coaching your new teachers or other staff? How about at the system level? Do you have a program in place where coaches work with your principals and others throughout the district? If not, why not? If not then get started! A good coaching program will help you keep good…no... great staff members!!!

As always, I hope that you will share with family, friends, and colleagues.

Here are links to articles that I talked about in the show.

Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership by Terrence E. Deal and Kent Petterson

Making Sense of Social Networks in Schools by Terrence E. Deal

Get the Most Out of Executive Coaching by Steven Berglas

So What is Executive Coaching by Dr. Woody

The Coaching of Teaching by Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers

Teaching How to Teach: Coaching Tips from a Former Principal by Shane Safir

In Search of a Metaphor for Coaching by Elena Aguilar

Enjoy!

Length 36:30

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

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

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!

Mrs. Tonya Hair teaches first grade at Pulaski County Elementary School located in Hawkinsville, Georgia. This is her 11^th 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