Teaching Learning Leading K-12

Dr. Tommy Welch is the 2016 Georgia Principal of the Year and in 2017 was a finalist for National Principal of the Year. Tommy has amazing ideas and has been successful changing the culture of his school. You will hear us talk about Peter F. Drucker and his book Managing Knowledge Means Managing Oneself as well as what can be learned from Demming and others. Dr. Welch explains what he has gleaned from becoming connected with businesses locally and nationally. He shares his thoughts about why a school leader needs to reach out and develop lines of communication with businesses. He also outlines how a leader can learn to talk with business leaders. Additionally, we discuss what it takes to change a school culture especially his thoughts about getting the staff members to be vested in change. There is so much to learn from Tommy. Thanks for listening. I guarantee that he will get you thinking....  Contact Tommy: @principalwelch on Twitter. Other resources that Tommy mentioned: Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol Manny Scott on YouTube Peter Drucker Managing Knowledge Means Managing Oneself Length - 51:04

Today, I am talking parents, community members, and school with John Williams. John and I first met when I became the principal of his daughter's high school. He was focused on helping the school recruit parents. He was an incredible help in understanding the needs of the community as well as that of the families and the students. John has always been one to speak his mind, but I learned quickly that he was always about helping kids achieve their dreams.  Join us as we talk about the importance of getting parents and community members involved in their school. John shares his thoughts about how to open the doors as well as several ideas about why it is necessary. Lots to learn. Thanks for listening. Steve Length - 51:33

  Today, I'm talking about 4 thoughts or misconceptions about involving parents or community members in schools and then I shift to my 3 ways that parents and community members can be helpful in our schools. This is a lead in to my next episode where I'm talking with a parent who has been very helpful in helping school administration in working with the students and the community.  4 Thoughts or Misconceptions about involving parents or community members in schools: 1. Hidden agendas 2. Only want to write a check (Not really interested in helping.) 3. School leader doesn't want outside input (loss of control) 4. Need direction/Guidance (A how to guide.)   3 ways parents or community members can be of assistance: 1. Ideas for solving problems 2. Connections in the community 3. Help with addressing major challenges   Parents and community members can help. Involve them. Length- 13:36

Karen Gross is the author of Breakaway Learners: Strategies for Post-Secondary Success with At-Risk Students. (2017; Teachers College Press -www.tcpress..com) Karen is a higher education consultant based in Washington, DC.  She was the president of Southern Vermont College for 8 years and a tenured law professor for 20+ years. Today, we talk about what it is like to be a college president, what she liked about teaching law, and of course our main topic - Breakaway Learners. Karen explains what a Breakaway Learner is and shares her thoughts about a term she created: "lasticity." We take a look at a few of my favorite chapters especially Chapter 7 - The Untapped Power of Plasticity. Lots of food for thought. Enjoy.   Contact Karen and learn more about Breakaway Learners Breakaway Learners website http://breakawaylearners.com/contact/ https://twitter.com/karengrossedu https://www.northshire.com/ https://vialogues.com/vialogues/play/40859 Karen also is the author of a children's book called Lady Lucy's Quest Length - 33:33

  This is the conclusion of my interview of Katie Garner. If you didn't listen to the first part check it out at episode 178. Katie Garner is the author of Secret Stories. She is an internationally known educational speaker, author, speaker, and literacy consultant. This episode picks up where we left off last time - superhero vowels. Great information! Katie also shares all of the resources she makes available for her subscribers. Thanks for listening! Enjoy!   Learn more and contact Katie: https://www.katiegarner.com/ https://www.katiegarner.com/let-s-connect  https://www.instagram.com/thesecretstories/ https://twitter.com/KatieGarnerREAD https://www.facebook.com/TheSecretStories/ http://thesecretstories.com/ Katie’s YouTube Channel Length- 59:05

    Katie Garner is the author of Secret Stories - Cracking the Reading Code with the Brain in Mind. She is an internationally known educational speaker, author, and literacy consultant with 25 years of elementary classroom experience. Katie has a passion for infusing neuroscience into literacy and learning. She shares brain-changing strategies for boosting existing reading curriculum and phonics instruction with the latest neural research showing how our brains learn best. This is part one of my interview with Katie. Today we talk about Katie as a teacher, kids and their behaviors, brain research, how the brain likes to learn and you get introduced to her Secret Stories.  In the next episode we will start where we leave off - the Superhero Vowels.  Thanks for listening! Enjoy! Learn more and contact Katie: https://www.katiegarner.com/ https://www.katiegarner.com/let-s-connect  https://www.instagram.com/thesecretstories/ https://twitter.com/KatieGarnerREAD https://www.facebook.com/TheSecretStories/ http://thesecretstories.com/ Katie’s YouTube Channel Length- 39:23

On today's episode, I am talking with Patty Alper the author of Teach to Work: How a Mentor, a Mentee, and a Project Can Close the Skills Gap in America. Our discussion focuses on the concepts within her book - Teach to Work. She shares who the target audience is and then we dig into several chapters of the book. My favorite being Chapter 10 - The Art of Presenting: Turning Students into Teachers. The book is divided into two main sections: Why Mentor and How to Mentor. Patty explains why business mentorships are needed and how they can help to address skills gaps. She also describes how the program works. There is a lot to learn here and ultimately you can use Teach to Work to help you create a mentor/project program in your school to help your students.  In addition to learning more about Teach to Work you will also hear us discuss the lessons she learned while working with Iowa's youth detention system as well as Patty explains NFTE - the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Learn more and connect: www.teachtowork.com http://teachtowork.com/contact/ https://www.facebook.com/teachtowork/ https://www.instagram.com/alperpatty/ https://twitter.com/TeachToWork http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/2017/07/bringing-your-corporations-soul-to-the-classroom/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/articles/leadership/5-hidden-gems-employees-bring-back-to-the-workplace-by-mentoring/ https://www.thriveglobal.com/stories/17274-the-old-made-new-again www.bibliomotion.com www.taylorandfrancis.com   Length - 1:03

In this episode, I am talking with Ellen Bernstein about the national TURN report. TURN stands for Teacher Union Reform Network and its stated purpose is "to promote progressive reforms in education and in teacher unions." TURN was founded 20 years ago and is composed of leaders from AFT and NEA union locals. Ellen began her career in public education as a sign language interpreter and taught in Albuquerque, NM schools for 17 years. She is currently the president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation. We talk about teaching, working with kids and the challenges that teachers face. The main focus of our talk is the four tenets of the TURN report: 1. Schools are learner-centered. 2. Teaching is a profession. 3. Equity is honored in pursuing excellence. 4. Collective bargaining promotes school quality.   Learn more or contact Ellen: TURN Ellen's contact info   Length - 37:30

  Today, I'm talking with Darya Yegorina. She has developed an app that makes learning fun through books and AR (augmented reality). Not only is it cool to use it's also free. Yep. That's right free. Its all about promoting equality in education. Something neat that you couldn't script - she was in Dublin, Ireland and I was in Dublin, Georgia-US.  You'll hear us talk about: AR - augmented reality, why you will want to know more, how it works, who the primary audience is, and the future of CleverBooks. By the way, listen for Darya to share with you that the kids who used the app said that they wanted to hear kid's voices. So guess what? There are kids' voices. Are you ready to discover why you will want to use CleverBooks? Thanks for listening.   Check out the links below to find out more:  https://www.cleverbooks.eu/ https://www.cleverbooks.eu/press/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=xUOdTY_FE9c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6Aq_IJUbQI https://www.thebookseller.com/futurebook/cleverbooks-offers-free-ar-learning-worlds-schools-631306 https://www.facebook.com/CleverBooksPage/ https://twitter.com/cleverbooksEU     Length- 38:21

Marching Off the Map and the Travel Guide   Andrew McPeak   Today, I am talking with Andrew McPeak who co-wrote Marching Off the Map with Dr. Tim Elmore. Marching Off the Map takes a peek at the "world's newest generation of students (Generation Z) and helps educators understand how to best connect with and lead them in the classroom." Listen for Andrew to talk about the idea and formatting of the book, Pioneers and Settlers, and connections to sailing. Additionally, you'll hear Andrew share his thoughts about the Travel Guide - its purpose and why you should make sure that you get it. As a note, check out Andrew's explanation of a few new words that explain something just right. I think that you will find Andrew's passion for the concepts discussed in Marching Off the Map addictive. Thanks for listening. Check out the links below for connecting with Andrew and getting your own copy of Marching off the Map as well as the Travel Guide.   Find out more - Marching Off The Map Marching Off the Map link at Growing Leaders Growing Leaders Growing Leaders/Habitudes   Connect with Andrew-  Andrew@growingleaders.com Twitter Instagram   Length- 41:38

In this episode I draw to a close the series that began with Episode 165 concerning Primary and Secondary sources of information. I share three reasons why primary sources are important in the classroom, I explain three ways to use primary sources in the classroom, and I share my thoughts about lessons gleaned from Jim Spradley's comments over episodes 166, 168, 170, & 172.   3 Reasons Primary Sources Are Important In The Classroom 1. First Hand Knowledge 2. Paint Pictures 3. Make the Listener Want to Know More   3 Ways to Use Primary Sources in the Classroom 1. Use as a Hook 2. Stepping Stones to Better Understanding 3. Discussion About Bias    10 Lessons From Jim 1. Sharecropping 2. Where did he grow up and where did he go? 3. Education 4. Importance of reading. 5. Did you spot his sense of humor? 6. WWII 7. "If you are going to make money you have to work for yourself." 8. Determination 9. Borrowing Money 10. Business Success At the conclusion I challenge the listener to start using primary sources in the coming weeks. Thanks for listening. Please share and don't forget to use primary sources of information. Length - 18:02

Jim was born in Dooley County, Georgia in 1923. This is the part 4 of 4. This episode focuses on his early business ventures following WWII and into the 1960's. In this segment listen for Jim to talk about working while at Princeton and graduating with honors. He recollects how he took a job after graduating but eventually realized that the only way to make real money was to own his own business. He then partnered with a friend in the baking business in Atlanta and this eventually lead to being bought out by a large player in the industry - PET. Jim discusses the ups and downs of staying with PET and his success leads him to purchase Standard Candy in 1980. As you listen think about what drive and push Jim had to have to build the small fudge bakery into a successful business that attracted the larger company. Next week I will revisit the whole interview - parts 1-4- and conclude with some thoughts about the use of primary sources in your classrooms. Many thanks to Mr. Spradley for spending time with me.   Length - 27:47

Last week you heard Jim talk about the importance of education in his life. This week Jim talks about his experience in the Navy and his role in World War II. Remember that Jim is a primary source. He is recalling his experience. How could you use his thoughts and comments about his service time to draw kids into wanting to more about those times? Think about the journey that he went on from south Georgia to finally join the war. How could you make this into an activity that would hook the kids and make them want to know more? There were many words and phrases that you would need to explain like "being drafted" or "shopkeeper" or "mutton" or "PT-Boat". What about him eventually achieving a degree in economics from Princeton University?  Think about his comments related to the ending of the war with Germany and its allies and then the surrender of Japan. What did he think? Hope that this episode gave you great information for creating an awesome classroom experience. Thanks for listening. Next week is part 4 of this 4 part series with Mr. Jim Spradley. Take care.   Length - 12:25

This is part 3 of my interview of Jim Spradley. Today we are talking about his military experience in World War II. Here are some samples from our discussion: How Jim ended up in the Navy. What he was trained to do and where he was eventually dropped in the Pacific theater of the War. Nobody wanted to volunteer for submarines. What they ate and why the Army soldiers really liked getting mutton. What it was like when the announcement came that Germany had surrendered. His transition from war to college. The college he attended after the war was Princeton where he eventually completed his degree in Economics. One of the biggest moments in his service was the day that he heard____________ . What was expected if the war carried itself to the Japanese mainland. What happened when Japan surrendered. This talk is filled with potential for engaging activities. What do you think? Here are some words/phrases that the kids would need to understand when you discuss Jim's comments: draft, Navy, storekeeper as a military position, PT boats, torpedo boats, mutton, equator, c-rations, and celebration mode. Also, how about helping the kids look at where he was when he was drafted in Dooly County, Georgia. Think about where his travels took him next: Macon and Rhode Island to California to the Pacific which included New Guinea, the Phillipines, and Japan. Thanks for listening. Enjoy.   Length - 36:25

This is my reflection on part 2 of my interview with Jim Spradley. If you haven't listened to Part 1, it is episode 166. His focus during this segment of the interview is the importance of school. He wanted to go to school. He talks about the desire to hear his teacher read the chapters from Black Beauty. So the point of my reflection is to help you revisit what Jim said. I especially want to plant seeds for creating engaging activities for the classroom. Check out my thoughts. How could you use what Jim talks about to help your kids better understand what was going on in south Georgia in the 1920s and 1930s. By the way, one of my favorite comments has to do with Jim explaining to his dad that he has a test and must go to school. Thanks for listening. Next week will be part 3 of my interview with Jim. Take care.   Length- 8:46