Summary: <br> This week I’m honored to talk to Jethro Jones about his new book, <a href="How%20principals%20can%20design%20a%20transformative%20school%20experience%20for%20students,%20teachers,%20parents%20-%20and%20themselves" title="https://www.amazon.com/SchoolX-principals-transformative-experience-themselves/dp/1913622118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves</a>. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Five years ago, I had the privilege to talk to Jethro Jones, host of the <a href="https://www.jethrojones.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Transformative Principal Podcast</a>, about my first book. That conversation began a friendship that we have enjoyed since then. Jethro has been a guest on my podcast, including Episode 74, on July 26, 2017, as well as episode 163 on September 5, 2019. What a joy to catch up with him this week and share takeaways from his new work and new book!<br> <br> <br> <br> Meet Jethro Jones<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Jethro Jones is an education leader and consultant who helps schools and districts to find simple solutions to complex problems. Named a Digital Principal of the Year in 2017 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, he has served students as a teacher, district coach, media and distance learning specialist, and principal, with experience at every level of public education. He has been hosting the Transformative Principal podcast since 2013 and is the founder of the Transformative Leadership Summit. Jethro is married and has four children. <br> <br> <br> <br> As always, listen to the podcast episode for our full conversation. But here are several takeaways:<br> <br> <br> <br> How Leaders Facilitate Change<br> <br> <br> <br> WDP: Welcome back to the show! Congratulations on your new book. What is one tool or strategy you find yourself using the most when helping principals facilitate change in their schools?<br> <br> <br> <br> Jethro: The first area I would focus on is gaining empathy. Understand what others are experiencing so you have a better position for facilitating change. Here’s a quick tip: Walk up the front of a school and ask yourself how you feel when you walk into the school. Do you see threatening or intimidating signage? Do you feel welcomed?<br> <br> <br> <br> WDP: You’re so right. That’s where leadership helps others move from understanding to change. As leaders are seeing these needed changes, how do they help others move forward to change?<br> <br> <br> <br> Jethro: Normally, when something is negative, no one will complain when it is gone. Take down those negative signs in your school entrance and see what happens. This same rule applies in other ways. What if your district has a policy for turning in lesson plans if there is no purpose in the accountability? If you trust your teachers are doing good work, stop collecting their plans. See what happens when you stop doing things that don’t seem to have a positive purpose or meaning for your school. Ask the question: If we didn’t do X anymore, what would happen?<br> <br> <br> <br> WDP: That makes me think about encouraging listeners to do an action audit. <br> <br> <br> <br> Jethro: Yes, but sometimes simple changes don’t require a lot of consensus. Think about the small changes that move you closer to the desired result, and do that.<br> <br> <br> <br> Lessons from the Pandemic<br> <br> <br> <br> WDP: Now that we are heading into the end of the first semester, what are some lessons or takeaways you are seeing as principals manage so many different scenarios connected to educating during a pandemic?<br> <br> <br> <br> Jethro: This may seem controversial but I’m convinced that learning loss is not a reality for our students.
