Teaching Learning Leading K-12

  Jeremy S. Adams is a teacher, author, speaker, and family man. He is the author of two books: The Secrets of Timeless Teachers: Instruction that Works in Every Generation published by Rowman & Littlefield, 2016 (Check out my interview with Jeremy about Secrets of Timeless Teachers) and  Full Classrooms, Empty Selves: Reflections on a Decade of Teaching in an American High School published by Middleman Books 2012.       Full Classrooms, Empty Selves is Jeremy's memoir. He wrote it as a teacher after 10 years in the classroom. Instead of waiting until thinking about retirement or upon retirement Jeremy wrote this in the early part of his career. (By the way, he is still a high school teacher as well as a college level instructor.)       He will make you think. He will inspire you. His passion for the classroom and working with kids will set your brain on fire!  I encourage you to read Full Classrooms, Empty Selves. You will not be disapointed. Thanks for listening. Check out the links below to find Jeremy's books as well as the two books he believes all teachers should read.     Here are links to purchasing Full Classrooms, Empty Selves: Amazon and Barnes & Noble Here are links to the two books Jeremy mentioned: The Apology by Plato and Teacher by Mark Edmundson   You can connect with Jeremy on Twitter. (jeremyadams6) Length: 54:32

Today I am talking with Dr. Sherry MacBury from www.betterlesson.com.    Sherry is the Director of Partnerships in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, DC for Better Lesson. She was a turnaround principal of two different high schools among other educational positions. I recently had a chance to hear her speak at a symposium about educational innovations and thought that I would share BetterLesson.com with you.  BetterLesson is a personalized professional development program for teachers. The teacher talks twice monthly with a live, experienced teacher coach. The sessions last 30-45 minutes and the teacher creates a digital portfolio as a result of their talks. The coaching sessions are held virtually. When you get a chance take a look at the page of betterlesson.com where you are introduced to the coaches and you will see the vast number of years that each coach has had in the classroom as well as get to know each of them a little bit.   Thanks for listening! Enjoy!   Find out more about BetterLesson.com and connect with Sherry: http://betterlesson.com/ sherry.macbury@betterlesson.com https://twitter.com/MacBury_Sherry   Length: 30:16

    Do you have a sub folder? If not-time to get one. If you do-have you updated it recently?   Ok, so at some point you are going to be absent. Really! Whether you are sick, you have a sick child who needs you, or you are sent somewhere, you will need a substitute teacher. And this means that you will need a substitute folder. Yes, it can be a folder, box, bin, or notebook. It can also be electronic. The point is that you need information for your substitute teacher and it needs to be readily available and up-to-date. In today's podcast, I am focused on what you should keep in that folder.  Here are my 7 Items that You Should Have in Your Subsitute Folder: 1. Seating Chart 2. Bell Schedule 3. Emergency Procedures 4. How to Take Attendance 5. How to Operate Equipment 6. Special Notes 7. Work Assignments (Updated Regularly)     Now don't mistreat your substitutes. Having had the experience of dealing with no assignments and assignments that took all of 5 minutes (if the kids made it take that long), I know what it is like to have to be creative and feel like a stand-up comedian in front of a crowd without a script. Create meaningful activities and update the folder weekly. By the way, make sure that someone knows where you keep that folder, notebook, box or whatever you use. Mark it clearly...You know like on the 60's Batman Television Show-The Sub Folder, My Sub Folder, Substitute Cave, Substitute Info, etc. Hopefully you get the picture. Make sure that it is easily found. By the way, you can have much more in your folder, just make sure that these 7 items are in your folder, at the very least.   1. Seating Chart 2. Bell Schedule 3. Emergency Procedures 4. How to Take Attendance 5. How to Operate Equipment 6. Special Notes 7. Work Assignments (Updated Regularly)   Go create or update that folder. You will be glad that you did and your sub will thank you.    Length: 16:53

Del Johnson is the Director of Business Development with Infinity Systems Inc. Del successfully ran the college and career center for Minneapolis Public Schools, leading to the implementation of district-wide Career Centers. He also has an extensive background in sales, real estate and success working with school administration teams. Art Johnson is the CEO of Infinity Systems. Check out these articles by Art - Aligning an Organization Requires an Effective Leader and How to Get Employees to Align with the Company's Mission Today, I am talking with Del about what Infinity Systems is all about and how it helps organizations become aligned. At the end of the shownotes check out a series of links to several YouTube videos which highlight a school system superintendent who explains what it was like working with Infinity Systems and what the team does. Infinity Systems is a management consulting firm. They have been working with organizations for over 20 years. They help identify misalignment and give leaders actionable insights. Listen to a School System Superintendent talk about Infinity Systems. Why is Alignment important in Education? Why do we measure Leadership? What critical questions does Orgametrics™ answer in Education? Does Orgametrics™ work? How does Orgametrics™ empower your employees to carry out the mission?   To learn more contact Del: deljohnson@isimetrics.com or call him at 612-819-3940 You can find out more about Infinity Systems at the website: Infinity Systems Also, go to their YouTube Channel: Infinity Systems on YouTube     Length: 27:56

 Ok, so this was the year that you were going to get everything together. You were going to overcome your problems of not keeping up. You were going to be better organized.   Do you create piles for your piles? You know what I am talking about...don't you? You have to emake yourself feel better so you spilt the pile up to make it look smaller. Yeah. This was the year that you were going to stop that. Are you a perpetual pile producer? Hmmm?     To stay on top of what you do in the classroom, you need to have procedural systems in place that will help you make your teaching easier. Here are 6 systems that you need to have in place in your classroom. They will make your life easier and the kids will know how you want them to do things. 6 Organizational Procedures You Need to Have in Place Today. Collecting work Handing work back Welcome back to class (The kid has been absent) Accounting for all netbooks or laptops or tablets Keeping track of class supplies Substitute folder   So, ask yourself, "Do I have these procedures in place and have they become routine? Here are some additional resources that will help you with getting organized. Take care. By the way, there is no better time to start than now and today. Don't put it off. You will thank you for getting these 6 Systems in Place.   Additional Resources How to use Running Records 5 More Habits of an Organized Teacher Core Inspiration Classroom Classroom Organization: Tips and Tricks Organizing a Substitute Binder Avoid Stacks of Paper:Organize Using Color to Organize the Secondary Classroom

David Voss is the president of Voss and Associates.  They specialize in Communications Consulting, Media Campaigns and Training. Voss and Associates has been communicating education since 1999. They represent school districts, education associations, non-profit organizations and for profit companies. David has been the Director for Communications for three large agencies of the Florida state government. He was the press secretary for Governor and Senator Bob Graham and for the Florida Commissioner of Education and University of South Florida President Betty Castor. David also was a marketing executive for Apple Computers in education. David and his team assist educators and many others with their training, in person consulting and on-line classes. As he explains their many services, David talks about specific skills that his students develop. From bridging to thinking like a journalist, he describes training that anyone who talks in public needs to have now. He mentions that probably one of the biggest mistakes that educators make is that they don't take time to personally connect with the news media.   I so wish that I had had David's training back when I was first a principal it would have saved me from myself and many major headaches. Do you have a need to better learn these skills? Learn more at: http://vossandassociates.net/ http://www.communicatingeducation.net/  Remember that you can also call David at 941-650-4614. Enjoy! Length: 26:15

Casey M. Bethel is a science teacher in Douglasville, Georgia at New Manchester High School.  He is also the 2017 Georgia Teacher of the Year!!!!  Wait until you hear his passion for teaching and working with kids! You will be inspired. Casey loves teaching! He enjoys working with kids!  He didn't start out to be a teacher.  He was always told that he should be a doctor and he focused on that career field first.  It didn't keep his attention.  The medical pathway didn't seem to be fulfilling. His search led him to science which led him to teach science in a high school. Mr. Bethel loves learning. He is a role model for constantly seeking to understand and know more. During the summer he works in the Georgia Tech GIFT program.  You will love listening to him describe his experiences! Casey is an amazing educator who will win you over with his passion and his warm and caring heart! I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Mr. Bethel and I know you will be inspired by his thoughts and words. Enjoy! Stay in touch with Casey: Twitter @2017GATOTY and Instagram @2017GATOTY Facebook- GATeacher Email Casey at 2017GATOTY@gmail.com Call Casey at (404)-697-5417 Check out more information about the GIFT program at Georgia Tech. https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/gift Here is Casey's school. New Manchester HS http://www.newmanchesterhigh.ga.dch.schoolinsites.com/ Length: 34:16

You don’t understand. You don’t have kids! I will never forget these words. A frustrated parent who was angry at a member of our team of teachers. She blasted me with these words. Even though I have forgotten the reasons for the meeting and its outcome, I have never forgotten these words. It is now more than 20 years ago. I have had kids now. And now I do understand. What I have learned the most is that you want someone to care enough about your child that they reach out and connect with you, the parent. The older the kids get the more distance that starts developing. It is easy for a teacher to put off or not contact a parent. But...don’t listen to that voice. It is important that you contact as soon as possible. Not only that, be proactive. Call for good, not just bad. Call because you want to inform. Send home information just because you thought it was a great idea. The more contact the better. Today’s show is focused on the 3 Reasons Why You Should Contact As Soon As Possible and the 3 Reasons to Call and Not Use Email. Thoughts from someone who has been there and made the mistakes. So what are you waiting for...contact ...contact...contact. Length: 18:02

Kids want and need to know how you do things. You. The classroom teacher. That is just one of the reasons why you should have procedures ready to explain to your kids on the first day of class. That way they know how you do things and what you expect. Today I am talking about - The Top 5 Procedures You Need to Have in Place in Your Classroom Now. 1. How you start and end class 2. How to transition between activities 3. If they need to use the restroom while in class what do they do? 4. If I am absent how do I know what I missed? 5. How do I turn in classwork or homework? Often when a teacher struggles with classroom management it is actually a lack of procedures that stops the teacher from being successful. As Harry Wong says, "The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines." When you have determined your procedures you have just begun because now you have to: Tell the kids your procedures. Practice the procedures. Review the Procedures. Practice Again. It is tempting when creating procedures to confuse them with rules. Procedures are how you do things. Here are some additional thoughts about creating your classroom procedures- Keep them short. Do not have too many. Consistently observe your procedures. It is a two way street. You must also follow your procedures. Post the procedures where the kids can see them. There are always other procedures that you may need to add, but determine what the most necessary ones that are needed in the beginning and put them in action. Here are five procedures that I believe you need to put into action first: How you start and end class. How to transition between activities. How to get permission to go to the restroom during class. If I am absent how do I know what I missed? How do I turn in classwork and homework?  Take a look today and put them in action this coming Monday...Make Monday your do-over day! Length: 18:18

One of the greatest favors you can do for yourself as a classroom teacher is to learn to get the kids’ attention. Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Most definitely. Unfortunately, it is not that easy and too often this is where the adult takes a short cut. You risk being run over by a freight train. Quite simply once many kids realize that you don’t have a real way of starting class...your honeymoon is over. Once they realize that you don’t have a way of getting their attention...you are soon going to find yourself talking over or above the kids' voices when you shouldn’t. You have to have a way to start class and getting the kids’ attention. This is not a time to reason, plead or wish they would do what you say. You have to make getting their attention something that you always do. In today’s episode, I am focused on the importance of getting the kids’ attention. Here are my 5 Steps to Starting Class Right Know what you are going to do. Explain it to them Practice it Do it again Revisit Here is an example of what that special piece of carpeting might look like. Listen to Episode 42 and my talk with first-year teacher Melanie Knight to hear her talk about the carpet and other things. (She is now a 3rd-year teacher) Enjoy working with the kids. Thanks for listening. Check out my interview with Ms Hair an elementary teacher who talks about deer antlers. Episode 24: Teaching First Grade with Tonya Hair. Check out info from Dr. Harry Wong on Gimme Five and other ways of getting the attention of your class. http://blog.maketaketeach.com/the-importance-of-teaching-procedures-in-the-classroom/ Here is a Gimme Five Poster https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Whole-Body-Listening-Give-Me-Five-Posters-Back-to-School-Beginning-of-the-Year-1282549 Here are some thoughts about Call Backs http://herdingkats.blogspot.com/2015/03/using-call-backs-after-spring-break.html Also...Call Backs here. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Whole-Brain-Teaching-Attention-Please-Attention-Getters-FREE-1779054 Length - 17:24