The Assistant Principal Podcast

Power Quote: “Uncover the rock”Description:If you haven't begun reflecting on the year yet, today's episode will get you in the mood. I encourage you to pause today's show frequently – there are a number of moments that deserve some contemplation and pausing to think about what something looks or feels like in your context could be very beneficial. This is such a thoughtful conversation – I found myself feeling both reflective and uplifted by the end. I hope you experience the same feelings.Sponsor Spot 1:Before we dive in, I'd like to thank DigiCoach for sponsoring today's show. As a loyal listener to this show, you know I am a big advocate for short, targeted observations, so I'm excited to have DigiCoach as one of our sponsors. DigiCoach makes it easier to follow up on observations with meaningful feedback. I love that you can focus on specific elements and that there is a ready-made bank of items to use for telling teachers what they are doing well! You can learn more about DigiCoach at digicoach.com or click the link in the show notes.Show IntroGuest Bio:Will Lepech has worked in various roles within a K-12 system level. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Group Science, a Master of Arts (MA) in Educational Leadership K-12, has a Michigan Elementary Teaching Certificate with additional endorsements in Music Education and Science along with a Michigan School Administrator Certificate. Prior to becoming the Continuous Improvement Consultant at Montcalm Area ISD, he taught in self-contained elementary classrooms at multiple levels, and was an elementary assistant principal at Kent City Community Schools in Kent City, Michigan. In addition, Will served as the Kent City Community Schools Director of Multi-Lingual and Migrant Education Programs and held multiple roles in the MTSS/PBIS process. Will is a member of the Michigan Continuous Improvement Facilitators Network (MCIFN), as well as the Michigan Association of State and Federal Program Specialists (MASFPS)Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsWhen you and I first talked, you shared some things you wish you had known while you were a building administrator. I'd like to have conversations around three of them, with you describing the “thing” and then the two of us digging into why understanding the “thing” is so challenging when you are in the midst of it:The power of influencing at the granular (individual) levelChange processNot having to have the answersIf there is time, we can dive a bit more into the change processes.Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 3:Before we wrap, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Summary/wrap upIndividual versus systems focus (ultimately, does change happen at the individual level?)People are the purposeUncover the rock = what's the problem?Resistance is feedback – misalignment in the system and M=v/eSystems and structures support sustainability – good summer investmentStrengthen what is, this is not the time for new stuffCloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/DigiCOACH: digiCOACH.comGuest links:Email: wlepech@maisd.comLinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/will-lepech-4a05b3342 Frederick's Links:Email:

Power Quote: “If we want better outcomes for students, we have to create better outcomes for teachers.”Description:I hope this doesn't sound too egotistical but I LOVE it when a guest echoes my own preaching, especially when that guest is a current school leader. This episode is full of foundational ideas as well as some simple actionable strategies. It's the kind of show I love to do where two friends dive deep into a central theme of school – growing teachers.Sponsor Spot 1:Before we begin, I'd liketo thank digiCOACH for sponsoring today's show. As a loyal listener to this show, you know I am a big advocate for short, targeted observations, so I'm excited about DigiCoach sponsoring this podcast. DigiCoach makes it easier to follow up on observations with meaningful feedback. I love that you can focus on specific elements and that there is a ready-made bank of items to use for telling teachers what they are doing well! You can learn more about DigiCoach at digicoach.com or click the link in the show notes.Show IntroGuest Bio:Cathy Lacey is a Curriculum Resource Teacher and professional learning leader in South Carolina. A Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, Fellow, Certified Coach, and South Carolina ASCD Emerging Leader, she creates practical, teacher-driven professional learning rooted in evidence-based strategies. She's a national presenter and founder of Blazers, LLC, where she supports educators through coaching, training, and microlearning.  Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/Prompts1. What does teacher-centric professional learning look like in action—and how is it different from traditional PD? What small shifts build real momentum for teacher growth?2. What are some of the most common barriers schools face when implementing meaningful professional learning—and what are realistic ways to overcome them?3. How can leaders personalize professional learning without creating more work—for themselves or their teachers?4. In what ways can assistant principals evaluate whether their PD is making a lasting impact—and what tools or strategies can help with that?Sponsor Spot 3:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 4:Before we wrap, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Summary/wrap upBig theme: The Flywheel (Links to episodes 75 and 76: part 1 and part 2)Teachers choose and get quality actionable pdLeaders follow up with targeted observation and supportObservation data and teacher inform next PDConsistent cyclesSupporting and growingWork with the few and the willing (episode 8 link about how to choose)Evaluating PD: Guskey or something (NN activity)“If we want better outcomes for students, we have to create better outcomes for teachers.”Ask!!!!Thank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Guest links:Website: https://blazersinnovation.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathleenlacey/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/CathleenLaceyFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Two for the Price of One (!) with Frederick and Darrin Link to the NCMLE Leadership Excellence Network: https://ncmle.org/cohort-home Description:Today's show is actually two shows in one. I recorded it with my good friend Darrin Peppard at Road to Awesome and we are releasing this episode on his show, Lean Into Leadership, in addition to releasing it here on The Assistant Principal Podcast. Darrin and I are collaborating on a project we reference in the show and thought this would be a fun way to let people know what's going on. That doesn't mean the show is an infomercial. We really want you to think about the coming year and how your strategic plan can be as meaningful in March as it was in August. Sponsor Spot 1:As a loyal listener to this show, you know I am a big advocate for short, targeted observations, so I'm excited about DigiCoach sponsoring this podcast. DigiCoach makes it easier to follow up on observations with meaningful feedback. I love that you can focus on specific elements and that there is a ready-made bank of items to use for telling teachers what they are doing well! You can learn more about DigiCoach at digicoach.com or click the link in the show notes.  Guest Bio:Darrin Peppard is an author, publisher, speaker, and consultant focused on what matters most in leadership. Darrin's an expert in school culture and climate as well as coaching and growing emerging leaders. He is known for his keen insight, culture-first leadership style, and dynamic personality.In 2016, Darrin was named Wyoming Secondary School Principal of the Year by WASSP/NASSP and was the 2015 Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year. In 2017, Darrin earned his Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Wyoming. This past summer, Darrin was inducted into the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame. Darrin shares his experiences from over 25 years in education, specifically those learned as an education leader during the past 13 years. As a ‘recovering' high school principal, Darrin talks about lessons learned and effective strategies to help leaders of all experience levels become more effective at their craft.  Key points: Middle school focus, frame the work from the startShare the NCMLE work, focus on middle but applicable to allElem want and need youHS don't want and don't needMS: don't want but needPurposeful planning that brings you back to the plan throughout the yearElements of the cycle of the workPrepareClarity - DPStrategies - FBWhat can we do each day?Can't be once a week or once a monthExample - Speaking/presentingInstructional leaderRelationships - DPPerform Manage priorities - FBBlock (schedule) your prioritiesLeverage help (ref SAM)Create focus timePeople are our priority! Take advantage of opportunitiesLeading for instruction - DPCulture building - DPRefineBarriers - FBAsk why?Look at systems, not effortWhat can only you do? (support and grow teachers)Reflection - DPCheck in with stakeholders - FBOur super power should be asking questions, not developing answersRenewEvaluation - FB (swot)Reorienting the plan - DP (start, stop, etc) Maintaining the plan, keeping the focusUse NCMLE work as an example Be intentional with this work  Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Sponsor Spot 3:Before we wrap, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes. Summary/wrap up·      There's one thing that ties everything in this podcast together. We mentioned it a couple times, but probably not enough: collaboration.·      Your likely an AP, but maybe you're a principal, IC, or district leader, regardless of the position you hold, leading schools is a collaborative endeavor.·      When we lose sight of that, we forfeit our greatest strengths and misplace our purpose.·      That's what I love about what we are doing with MS leaders in NC: we're magnifying the collaboration. If you are in NC and would like to join us, please go to https://ncmle.org/cohort-home·      If you are super interested but don't live in NC, drop me a line and we'll figure out a way to support you.    Thank you to our sponsors!·      IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant·      Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/·      digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Darrin's links:website: https://roadtoawesome.net/Linktree:

Description:“Sam I am, I do not like green eggs and ham!” Our guest today is not Dr. Seuss, but he does talk a lot about SAM, not the peddler of a strange breakfast, but rather a process for helping instructional leaders reclaim their purpose.  Sponsor Spot 1:As a loyal listener to this show, you know I am a big advocate for short, targeted observations, so I'm excited about digiCOACH sponsoring this podcast. digiCOACH makes it easier to follow up on observations with meaningful feedback. I love that you can focus on specific elements and that there is a ready-made bank of items to use for telling teachers what they are doing well! You can learn more about digiCOACH at digiCOACH.com or click the link in the show notes.Show IntroGuest Bio:Mark created the SAM Process for school leaders with help from his wife, Carol, and colleagues and mentors from across the US. Research and development was funded by the Wallace Foundation for eight years. The National SAM Innovation Project was incorporated in 2010 and now serves over 1,200 schools in twenty-four states employing 56 coaches, techs and support staff members. External research confirms SAM principals spend more time on instructional work, are happier, work a shorter day, are better liked by staff and see improved learning results. Mark was a classroom teacher for seven years, principal for ten and a superintendent for ten years. Mark and his wife, Carol, live in Louisville, Kentucky during the school year and return home to Alaska for the summers. They have one daughter, Jessica, son-in-law, Gino and granddaughter, Aurora.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsI teach assistant principals to stop managing time and start managing priorities. You shared with me your thoughts about reclaiming purpose and managing time being two sides of the same coin. What do you mean by that?What is the SAM process?What are the fundamental issues of school leadership that SAM addresses?I tend to talk about reclaiming purpose as an individual process, but you approach it as a team effort. Every leader's context is different. How do the people you work with choose who they will go on the journey with? For leaders who want to learn more about the process, what should they do?Sponsor Spot 3:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 3:Before we wrap, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Summary/wrap upExpressing instructional leadership as a value but not acting in it (see epiphany 3) leads us to be real with ourselvesMy ALT education experiencePause (be present, be intentional)Teacher evaluation is broken – episode 218If you are interested in SAMAs a PAs an APThank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Mark's links:www.SamProcess.comFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

SWOT ***Free SWOT and STCC tools available for download here: https://adept-experimenter-3588.kit.com/0cd1576fe5 Teaser:We are half-way through May and hopefully you have begun thinking about next year. A couple weeks ago I took several district leadership teams through a simple process to facilitate conversations around next year. We did two activities – the SWOT analysis and the Stop-Start-Continue-Consider process. These are meant to be high level starters for discussion of priorities. I think the two activities work well together as the SWOT identifies the what and the SSCC focuses on the how. In today's show, I'll walk you through the process we went through and I'll try to be explicit enough that you'll be able to facilitate the activity with your team if you so desire. This also might be a show you want to pause or save for a time when you can think and write, but of course that is up to you and your individual context. Sponsor Spot 1:Before we get to the meat of the show, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. In your leadership role, you're responsible for the thousands of details it takes to make your school function like a well-oiled machine!  So when it's time for the school trip, let someone else do the heavy lifting!   Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning exceptional travel experiences for more than 30 years. They handle ALL the details from start to finish so that you don't have to worry about a thing.  Online registration and payments, convenient crowdfunding options, impeccable customer care, and an expert team make planning your school's student trip so easy!  Get in touch with the pros at Kaleidoscope Adventures at the link down in the show notes and cross one more thing off your never-ending to-do list!   Show Intro Celebrations: Pam retired! Key Points Part 1 Way to supercharge this: engage stakeholders! SWOT●      Overview of quadrants●      What it's good for:o   Remembering what's going wello   Confronting gapso   Thinking about external resourceso   Being mindful of what could go wrong●      How to:o   Do individually and then discusso   Discuss through as a team●      Three reflection questions●      Can also be used as an individual planning tool  Sponsor Spot 3:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started. Key Points Part 2 SSCC●      Overview●      Considerations:o   Do less (more stops than starts)o   Consider ways to improve current things rather than beginning new oneso   Strategic abandonmento   Pay special attention to processeso   Addition by subtractiono   Leverage strengthso   Mind the threats●      Probably do this as a team●      Can also be used by individuals ●      Can be done for each other (e.g. Will and I) Following up●      Stakeholder participation●      Facilitated discussion●      Strategic action cycles – root cause, incremental change SponsorAdministrators, you walk through classrooms, take notes, and you plan to follow up… but how much of that feedback actually reaches teachers in a meaningful way?With digiCOACH, you don't just observe—you coach in the moment. Provide clear, specific feedback instantly and track progress over time. No more forgotten notes or lost opportunities—just real conversations that drive real change.With digiCOACH, you're not just giving feedback—you're building a system for growth. Track trends, measure progress, and give teachers the real-time feedback they love. Ready to make coaching more impactful? Start today at digiCOACH.com. Summarizing (The big takeaway)●      Less is more●      Stakeholders (they should drive change)●      Process over product●      Where do we need more data?●      Strategic daily action  Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistantKaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/DigiCOACH: digiCOACH.com  Close●     Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.●     You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/●     I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.●     If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html●     Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.●     Remember the secret to good leadership...

Power Quote: “Somebody has to be able to say “pause!”Description:Have you ever listened to one of those podcasts where the host asks a question, the guest gives an answer and it goes back and forth in a way that feels more like a school lecture than a discussion? This Is not that episode! It's almost the opposite. It took me 10 minutes to get to the first question. This interview went in directions I hadn't expected, but each time I began to wonder if we were going down a rabbit hole, I would find us back at base camp. Listen carefully – there is a lot of wisdom in today's show and it all leads back to the same place, a place I'll try and explore a bit more in the wrap up.Sponsor Spot 1:As we get started, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Show IntroGuest Bio:Charles Williams is an educator, speaker, and consultant with nearly 20 years of experience. As a Chicago school leader and founder of CW Consulting, he specializes in culturally responsive practices, equity, and mental health. Through keynotes and workshops, Charles empowers educators and leaders to "Learn, Grow, Lead," driving innovation, inclusion, and resilience in schools and communities.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsIn helping leaders move from being urgent to being strategic, I share three Epiphany's. The first epiphany is that we can't get everything done. The second Epiphany is if we can't do everything then we choose what does and doesn't get done. You talk about this a lot in your book, Learn, Grow, Lead. Why is the idea the we can choose so difficult to embrace?Every yes is a no to something else. It seems like if we could just remember this, it would go a long way in helping us to make better decisions about where to invest our time. Thoughts?Are there techniques or considerations for saying no?The third Epiphany is that our choices reflect our values, so if I'm not making decisions based on my values how can I get back on track?Sponsor Spot 3:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 4:Before we wrap, As a loyal listener to this show, you know I am a big advocate for short, targeted observations, so I'm excited about DigiCoach sponsoring this podcast. DigiCoach makes it easier to follow up on observations with meaningful feedback. I love that you can focus on specific elements and that there is a ready-made bank of items to use for telling teachers what they are doing well! You can learn more about DigiCoach at digicoach.com or click the link in the show notes.Summary/wrap upWe don't have to have all the answers!Adults work to solve problems they face – PD implicationsTask versus person focusSaying no to bad processesIgnore bad role models (set the vision, all the answers, do everything)If I wasn't already doing it, would I start today?“Somebody has to be able to say “pause!”IntentionThank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant SummerPops: https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/sample-request-page/ Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Charles' links:Book - Amazon Podcast - Spotify / AppleWebsiteFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Power Quote: “If I make them better, that makes me better”Description:Today's guest is the 2025 NASSP National High School Assistant Principal of the year – how cool is that! This was such a fun interview. You are going to hear Saani talk about a number of things he's done as an AP and I want you to pay attention to how each thing is interconnected with each other thing. I'll say more about that in the show summary, but listen for the connections. Sponsor Spot 1:Administrators, you walk through classrooms, take notes, and you plan to follow up… but how much of that feedback actually reaches teachers in a meaningful way?With digiCOACH, you don't just observe—you coach in the moment. Provide clear, specific feedback instantly and track progress over time. No more forgotten notes or lost opportunities—just real conversations that drive real change.With digiCOACH, you're not just giving feedback—you're building a system for growth. Track trends, measure progress, and give teachers the real-time feedback they love. Ready to make coaching more impactful? Start today at digiCOACH.com.Guest Bio:Saani Perry, from South Carolina, serves as Assistant Principal at West Florence High School. A visionary and servant leader, he champions academic growth, student wellness, and mentorship. Known for impactful initiatives and community engagement, Perry is dedicated to creating inclusive, success-driven school cultures. He proudly represents Phi Beta Sigma.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsThink about who you were in your first year as an AP and who you are today. What are biggest differences? What has not changed?We are in the people business, but the assistant principalship is a task-driven job. How do you keep people first?You've been innovative and led several key initiatives at West Florence. Can you talk about the implementation process, especially how you worked with teachers and the community? (May need to tweak this question – I'm basing it off what I read)The last few years have seen a lot of political turmoil, which has only accelerated in 2025. Every community, and therefore every school, is impacted differently, but between the “otherizing” of specific groups of people (young and old), rhetoric around DEI, and unpredictable federal funding how is your school impacted? At the close of the school year, what will you do to 1) recharge yourself and 2) plan for your own growth?Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 3:In your leadership role, you're responsible for the thousands of details it takes for your school to function like a well-oiled machine! So, when it's time for the school trip, let someone else do the heavy lifting!  Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning exceptional travel experiences for more than 30 years. They handle ALL the details from start to finish so that you don't have to worry about a thing. Online registration and payments, convenient crowdfunding options, impeccable customer care, and an expert team make planning your school's student trip so easy! Get in touch with the pros at Kaleidoscope Adventures at the link down in the show notes and cross one more thing off your never-ending to-do list! Summary/wrap upTrust – presence (visible and listening)One piece at a time, but each piece is relatedIntention“If I make them better, they make me better.”We are on the same teamThank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Sanni's links:Email: saaninperry@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahsaan-perry-ba6381317/ Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Power Quote: We are wired to belongDescription:You'll hear me compliment today's guest on his affirmative presence. He's the kind of person you want to be around. It was only at the end of the show that I was able to pinpoint why and it is this: he makes me feel seen, valued, and heard. Stay tuned and you'll find out why this was an “aha” for me.Sponsor Spot 1: I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Show IntroGuest Bio:Dr. Christopher Culver is a highly sought-after, dynamic, and engaging speaker. He is a proud product of Oklahoma public education. Raised in a divorced family, he split his time between Tulsa during the week, a 300-acre farm in Wyandotte, OK, and several times throughout the year in Fayetteville, NC. For more than a decade, Dr. Culver has served educational communities as a classroom teacher, secondary principal, and, most recently, as a cabinet-level administrator. He is the former President of the Oklahoma Association for Bilingual Education and the current Vice President of the Oklahoma Citizens for Education non-profit. Today, he serves as a speaker and consultant with expertise in kindness, culture, and understanding Gen Z/Gen A, and as an part-time professor at Oklahoma City University, where he teaches future teachers and leaders. Earning an EdD through research on culture and the collective impact on motivation, Dr. Culver is dedicated to spreading kindness, improving mindsets, cultivating culture, and educating about Gen Z/A. He believes that if you cannot find the light, be the light!Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsLet's start at 20,000 feet. Are there sweeping generalities that can shed some light on the differing strength needs and expectations of educators and leaders from the different generations?For 30+ year old leaders working with new 22-year-old teachers, what should they be most mindful of?For Young (26- to 35-year-old) APs or principals, what should they be mindful of when working with 25+ year veteran teachers?In developing trust between any combinations of generations, are there any universal elements?Is there anything so drastically different in developing trust that we need to remember?Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 3:As a loyal listener to this show, you know I am a big advocate for short, targeted observations, so I'm excited about DigiCoach sponsoring this podcast. DigiCoach makes it easier to follow up on observations with meaningful feedback. I love that you can focus on specific elements and that there is a ready-made bank of items to use for telling teachers what they are doing well! You can learn more about DigiCoach at digicoach.com or click the link in the show notes.Summary/wrap upThe moral of the story – listenSeen valued heardSimple does not mean easyBuilding trust may take longer (based on me and you)My ACE is 9/10 – we only know people's stories if we see, value and listenThank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Chris' links:All social media is @DrChrisCulver Website: www.orangesparrow.orgFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Power Quote: “I'm still learning, but we will figure it out together.”Description:You are going to LOVE today's show! As with last week, you may want to take notes. Today's guest, a practicing principal, shared with me that he has been a listener of the show for several years, and you will hear how many of this show's core themes he echoes and has internalized. This is going to be fun and real! Sponsor Spot 1:Before we get into the main show, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Guest Bio:Todd Shadley is in his 17th year in education, serving mostly at the middle school level. Todd was a classroom teacher for 13 years, primarily in the 6th grade with short stints in 7th and 8th grades. About 3 years ago, he stepped into his first administrative role as a MS/HS assistant principal and then MS principal in a different district before coming back to the district he taught in as the MS principal this year. Todd has coached basketball and soccer. He's been married for 10 years and has 3 children who are 17, 8, &7. Todd's wife Megan was also an educator for 9 years before staying home to raise and educate their two younger children.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsFive-minute coaching session for first-year principal How you are working with your leadership team.Part two: I describe culture as the intersection between people-purpose-structures-resources. Can we reflect on your school's culture using this framework?If we have time, in part three we'll dig into the specific issue of kids being mean to each other. Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 3:Before I summarize some of the key points from today's interview with Todd, I want to thank our sponsor digiCOACH. Administrators, you walk through classrooms, take notes, and you plan to follow up… but how much of that feedback actually reaches teachers in a meaningful way?With digiCOACH, you don't just observe—you coach in the moment. Provide clear, specific feedback instantly and track progress over time. No more forgotten notes or lost opportunities—just real conversations that drive real change.With digiCOACH, you're not just giving feedback—you're building a system for growth. Track trends, measure progress, and give teachers the real-time feedback they love. Ready to make coaching more impactful? Start today at digiCOACH.com.Summary/wrap upThey just want to be heard!Listen (not do) to build trustThey will tell you what they need, but you must be patientBeing present (can't grow a school from your desk)Modeling vulnerabilityModeling and establishing boundaries (we, not me)The power of one person's belief in another!!!Sponsor Spot 4:Thank you to Summer Pops Math Workbooks for sponsoring this episode.When students practice math over the summer, students learn and math scores go up. Join the growing list of schools offering at-home summer math enrichment.  If you are curious about what a research-based summer-math program looks like. Check out Summer Pops for free. Get your FREE workbook samples today at https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/sample-request-page/ Todd's links:InstagramLinkedIn Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Power Quote: You are who you eat lunch withDescription:Today's show is so packed with gold nuggets, you might want to take notes or listen twice. You will hear many of my core themes filtered through a slightly different lens. Our guests are accessible and real, so perk up and hold on! (and ignore the leaf blowers outside my window)Show IntroSponsor Spot 1:Before we get into the main show, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Guest Bio:Erika Bare has been an educator for over 20 years, currently serving as the Superintendent in the South Umpqua School District in Oregon. A special education teacher by training, she is passionate about supporting all students through individual supports to reach their limitless potential. Tiffany Burns loves working with kids. In her two decades in education, she taught elementary, middle, and high school students. Tiffany has been an administrator since 2012 and an elementary school principal for the past nine years. This year, she is on a professional sabbatical, teaching university pre-service teachers, while also connecting with educators across the nation, helping to grow the Connected Communicator Movement. Together they wrote Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsHow to build strong connections with the educators you supportHow to de-escalate frustrated adultsHow to understand and navigate the contagion of emotions How to apply specific communication techniques (acknowledge, validate, coach and compassionate communication) How to plan for a difficult conversationSponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsor Spot 4:Before I summarize some of the key points from today's interview with Erika and Tiffany, I want to thank our sponsor digiCOACH. Administrators, you walk through classrooms, take notes, and you plan to follow up… but how much of that feedback actually reaches teachers in a meaningful way?With digiCOACH, you don't just observe—you coach in the moment. Provide clear, specific feedback instantly and track progress over time. No more forgotten notes or lost opportunities—just real conversations that drive real change.With digiCOACH, you're not just giving feedback—you're building a system for growth. Track trends, measure progress, and give teachers the real-time feedback they love. Ready to make coaching more impactful? Start today at digiCOACH.com.Summary/wrap up“I'm telling myself this story…”Relationships is an investment, not an expenditure (proactive v. reactive)Be curious – problems aren't our purpose, people are our purposeBeing realistically positive (not toxic) = helping others address their problemsYou are who you eat lunch withWait time (11 seconds)Four questions (What's going well, what is one thing we could do differently, what do I need to know to be successful, what are you really good at)More of that in episode 177 (link) where AP Alex Auriemma actually asked these questions of her staff and shares her experiences.Like I said at the top of the show – so much gold!Thank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant SummerPops: https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/sample-request-page/ Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Tiffany and Erika's links:www.connectingthroughconversation.comOnline course discount for listeners: ctcpodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090370647418&mibextid=LQQJ4dInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/connectingthroughconversation/Linked In Erika Bare http://linkedin.com/in/erika-bare-6a72a6215Linkedin Tiffany Burns http://linkedin.com/in/tiffany-burns-90a50a274Twitter https://twitter.com/CTCPlaybook.comYoutube

Description:How are you? I confess to having mixed emotions about how to respond to this question. On the one hand, I'm having fun in my business and everyone around me is healthy. On the other hand, I have a lot of friends worried about losing their jobs to anti-DEI policies, my favorite national forests are less safe because of ranger firings, and there are people in my community worried about being deported. I felt this similar mix of emotions during COVID. Today, my guest and I will dig into how to lead yourself and others in this fragmented and disconcerting time.Sponsor Spot 1:Before we get started, I would like to thank Summer Pops Math Workbooks for sponsoring today's show. The team at Summer Pops are educators with a passion for preventing the backwards summer slide in math, and Summer Pops is a unique and engaging approach to summer enrichment. I encourage you to connect with Summer Pops for free workbook samples. Go to https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/sample-request-page/ to get your free copy and of course, the link is in the show notes.Guest Bio:Dr. Alford-Keith is a central services leader at one of the nation's largest school districts. Her areas of expertise are in strategic planning, innovation, equity, and family engagement. She's joining me today to talk about what it's like right now to be navigating our latest round of "uncertain" times as public schools leaders.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?How are you?Questions/Topics/PromptsPre-question: What's the range of impact on leaders' emotional states based on the uncertainties out there?It's a wild time to be an educational leader. We preach about self-care, now more than ever, but it is easy for those suggestions to ring hollow. I'd like to talk about the ways we nurture our own resilience. I want to break this down into a couple areas:What we do for ourselves outside of the work.How we build intellectual and technical resilienceHow we nurture our own resilience in collaboration with others.Sponsor Spot 4:Before we wrap, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Closing thoughts:Connection and community sustain resilienceFocus on what you control and ignore the noiseYou can't do everything – take time to invest in your well-beingThe mode of your response dictates the mode of accessSponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.Thank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant SummerPops: https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/sample-request-page/ Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Leigh Ann's LinkedIn Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Show title and release date: The Motivation EquationNote on Sponsorships:Help cover the cost of producing the podcastMotivate me to produce a better productGive you access to some beneficial servicesI will work to keep sponsorship ads under 3 minutes totalIf you are interested, using the affiliate links in the show notes helps the showTeaser:Are students really lazy and unmotivated?When teachers resist implementation of a new initiative, what are they telling you?Any time people aren't doing what we want them to do, we tend to see them as lazy, unmotivated, cantankerous, or “not a team player.”But there is another explanation, and it is, at its essence, an issue of economics. Today, we dive into the motivation equation.Sponsor Spot 1:Before we get started, I would like to thank Summer Pops Math Workbooks for sponsoring today's show. The team at Summer Pops are educators with a passion for preventing the backwards summer slide in math, and Summer Pops is a unique and engaging approach to summer enrichment. I encourage you to connect with Summer Pops for free workbook samples. Go to https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/sample-request-page/ to get your free copy and of course, the link is in the show notes.Show IntroCelebrations: 4 days, 60 miles, 12,000 feet of elevation gainSponsor Spot 2:As a loyal listener to this show, you know I am a big advocate for short, targeted observations, so I'm excited about digiCOACH sponsoring this podcast. digiCOACH makes it easier to follow up on observations with meaningful feedback. I love that you can focus on specific elements and that there is a ready-made bank of items to use for telling teachers what they are doing well! You can learn more about digiCOACH at https://digicoach.com/ or click the link in the show notes.Key Points Part 1Thank you Cathy Lacey, Professional Learning Leader at Richland 1 in SC and founder of Blazers, LLC.Defining the formulaThe verbiageExample: $$$Real versus perceivedEach individual's unique contextShifting the perspective from blame to challengeWays to increase valueImmediacy of benefitRelevance: solving their problemPriority of need (think Maslow)Ways to decrease effortSmaller chunks (A-B)Skill developmentSafety (to take risks)Community and collaborationStreamliningScaffolding (SOP)Differentiating (leveraging others' expertise)Sponsor Spot 3:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.Key Points Part 2Example 1: Student and tardiness to math classExample 2: Teacher not implementing classroom proceduresExample 3: Change initiative - resisting new computer-based assessment programSponsor Spot 4:Before we wrap, I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.The Big IdeaEmpowers leadershipGet's us out of the judgement gameLet's us view resistance through a positive lensHelp's remind us to ask “why?”Thank you to our sponsors!IXL: https://www.ixl.com/assistant SummerPops: https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/sample-request-page/ Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/digiCOACH: https://digicoach.com/ Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

(Teacher) Team Leadership with Dr. Chad Dumas  Description:If you've been listening to me or following my daily email, you've heard me talk about 5-minute coaching, the series of three questions we can ask teachers to help them become more reflective practitioners. The value leaders provide during the process is I creating space by NOT talking. Today's guest helped me learn how to make 5-minute coaching even more powerful. But that's not all. Today's show is packed with practical tips to help you immediately become a better communicator – without saying a word! Before we get started, I would like to thank Summer Pops Math Workbooks for sponsoring today's show. The team at Summer Pops are educators with a passion for preventing the backwards summer slide in math, and Summer Pops is a unique and engaging approach to summer enrichment. I encourage you to connect with Summer Pops for free workbook samples. Go to summerpopsworkbooks.com to get your free copy and of course, the link is in the show notes. Guest Bio:Dr. Chad Dumas is a Solution Tree PLC at Work, Assessment, and Priority Schools associate and international consultant, presenter, and award-winning researcher. His primary focus is collaborating to develop capacity for continuous improvement. With a quarter century of successful leadership experience, Chad has led significant improvements for both students and staff. He shares his research and knowledge in his three books on PLCs, and his upcoming Teacher Team Leader Handbook, Chad's consulting and training includes research, stories, hands-on tools, useful knowledge, and practical skills. He most recently was the executive director of elementary education in the Ames Community School District, a preschool thru grade 12 district of 5,000 students in central Iowa. Before this he was the director of learning for Hastings Public Schools in south-central Nebraska for nine years. Dr. Dumas' new book, The Teacher Team Leader Handbook has just been released!  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·       Let's celebrate your new book!·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?·      What's the story behind the book?  Questions/Topics/Prompts·      Who did you write the book for?·      What problem were you trying to solve?·      What should the reader know and be able to do after reading the book? Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started. I hope you got as much out of today's show as I did. If we were together right now, I would pause there to let you reflect… Remember, in addition to the three magic moves (pause, paraphrase, 3rd point) you can get seven sweet strategies by clicking on the “3 and 7” link in the show notes. Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Chad's links:Website: www.NextLearningSolutions.com3 and 7: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1liaCOU9bE28ubqPGjdnviozQ0dIa1a3U/viewPurchase the book from Solution Tree: https://www.solutiontree.com/teacher-team-leader-handbook.html?utm_source=ST&utm_campaign=1261110&utm_medium=onlinePurchase the book from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Teacher-Team-Leader-Handbook-Collaboration/dp/1960574981 Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

Today I'm digging into some questions I received from participants in my recent GAMSP training on moving from Fires to Fulfillment.  Podcast episode 242, released two weeks ago, is an edited audio of the presentation and you can find the full presentation on a hidden website page at frederickbuskey.com/gamsp25. The themes I address in today's show should be familiar to you, but I think the value add comes from the context. I think by the end you will have more insight into how 5-mc fits into different aspects of your leadership. Okay, let's go!Before we get started, I would like to thank Summer Pops Math Workbooks for sponsoring today's show. The team at Summer Pops are educators with a passion for preventing the backwards summer slide in math, and Summer Pops is a unique and engaging approach to summer enrichment. I encourage you to connect with Summer Pops for free workbook samples. Go to summerpopsworkbooks.com to get your free copy and of course, the link is in the show notes.Celebration: The luxury of timeQuestions:How would the 5 min coaching strategy work from adult to student How this extends to the central office levelHow to pivot/Leadership time managementOther ways to grow teachers/More coaching tipsHow to delegateMore info on how to dig out negatives when asking what went well and it goes dark.Effective Assistant Principalship mindsetHow to balance tasks and people/ How to decide what does get doneSponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Today's show is high energy with lots of thoughts and concepts that will grab your attention and your intention. My guest and I talk a lot about the power you have as a leader to transform your reality, and I want to be clear – it's tough out there right now, some of us are working in more challenging situations than others, and some of us have fewer opportunities than others. I say that to temper the sense that maybe today's discussion is a bit too optimistic. I don't think it is, but I recognize our context vary and those contexts matter. I will do a wrap up with some additional thoughts after the interview, so keep listening to the end. Let's go!Guest Bio:Please welcome a true pioneer in leadership development and emotional intelligence, Joe Pettit. With over two decades of hands-on leadership experience, Joe has not only authored the impactful book 'Seeds to Success,' which has sold thousands of copies, but he has also personally impacted the lives of over 10,000 leaders in the past four years. His unique approach is grounded in real-world application, and his sessions are renowned for their activity-based, tangible takeaways.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsShow 1:We were discussing relationships on a previous call. Frequent listeners to this show know I view relationships as having four phases: learn, empower, support, and grow. You shared that you begin from a very different space and it has caused me to reflect critically on my own model. I'd like for us to dig into your thoughts about relationships, where we begin, and where we go.First (or most important) step in relationships (self)Closing:Relationships begin with the inner workUnderstanding how your lived experience colors your assumptions and judgementUnderstanding what you feel, and why you feel that wayBeing curious – seeking to understand more than to be understoodBeing vulnerable – share your feelings and the why – I wonder, maybe, one of the strongest connection points is around our common fears and challengesSponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Joe's links:Website: https://joepettitinspires.com/event-planners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoePettitInspiresWW/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjvOK6r5RPbbAr6VNGo65A/featuredLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-pettit-9592b917b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joepettitinspires/?hl=enFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

#243: Final Questions First with Joe PettitDescription:This is just a short tease for the full interview coming out on March 11th, 2025. I had forgotten to ask Joe the four closing questions, and when I shared that with him, he was kind enough to answer the questions and send me an audio file. I found it so inspiring, I decided to make it a standalone mini-episode. Enjoy!Guest Bio:Please welcome a true pioneer in leadership development and emotional intelligence, Joe Pettit. With over two decades of hands-on leadership experience, Joe has not only authored the impactful book 'Seeds to Success,' which has sold thousands of copies, but he has also personally impacted the lives of over 10,000 leaders in the past four years. His unique approach is grounded in real-world application, and his sessions are renowned for their activity-based, tangible takeaways.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Joe's links:Website: https://joepettitinspires.com/event-planners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoePettitInspiresWW/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjvOK6r5RPbbAr6VNGo65A/featuredLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-pettit-9592b917b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joepettitinspires/?hl=enFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

If you read my daily email, you likely know that my big goal for 2025 is to give 25 keynotes and presentations. On Monday, February 24, I gave my first ever keynote at the Georgia Middle School Principals' conference – big shoutout to Cheryl Riddle who organized the conference and was so wonderful to work with. I organized this as more of a working session than a straight speech so participants could leave the session with concrete skills and a plan to reclaim their purpose.Today's episode is a condensed version of the session that includes all of the content. At the end of today's show, I'll share the link to a hidden webpage where you can watch the speech and grab copies of the materials.Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Today's episode is inspired by a book study I did last week with 25 building and district school leaders. The focus of the book study was stage 5 of A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, which is all about 5-minute coaching. We began with celebrationWe did 5-minute coachingWe reflected in small groupsWe recapped in a large groupWe took 15 minutes (!) for our closing circleParticipants left feeling grounded, connected, and hopeful. I left wanting to dig more deeply into what happened, and to identify some important things we can consistently do as leaders to help those around us. To help me do that, I've asked Mara Buskey to come onto the show. It's been a while since Mara was on – she is now 26 (off my health insurance) and has her own business helping entrepreneurs move from chaos to clarity. Mara's undergraduate degrees are in women and gender studies, global studies, and Spanish language. Those educational experiences and her own empathetic disposition give her a unique ability to understand how our emotions and work inform each other, and I think that makes her a perfect guest for today's show on 8 actions we can take to lift people up.Celebrations:The Big IdeaTurbulence exacerbates urgent leadership (tasks) but requires greater degree of strategic leadership (people)People are impacted by turbulence to the whole organization, parts of the organization, and their own livesRoles of leadership in turbulent times:Provide stability (the rock in the storm)Realistic optimism: drawing on our values, faith, trust, and determinationConfronting the brutal reality: defining and naming the problem, not just the symptomsExpressing our values, even as they are under attack8 Simple things to do:Create an internal mantra that puts people firstSurvival first, growth secondCommunityCelebrate (together) everything, no matter how smallTake time for the close (and for community)Primary function of meetings during turbulence is building communityOpenings and closings are opportunitiesMeaningful discussion, sense-making, and comradery are requirementsCheck in frequently to communicate value and provide supportSend a text or email5-minute coachingTell me one good thingHow are you? (x2)I'm so glad you are hereI care about you, I value you, I believe in you.Use value-laden language and don't censor yourselfIf you value working with the diverse communities that make up your school, then say itIf you believe in providing opportunities to people who haven't had them, say itIf you believe every student should have access to the general curriculum, say itChoose to show upBe intentionalBe a lighthouseTake care of yourselfPeer supportMorning time: move, ground, check in and set intentionsReflectPut a box around working from homeCreate healthy transitions (especially work to home)Be realistic and determinedAcknowledge real challengesIdentify real strengthsTalk about what you can do, not about what you can't doSummarizing (The big takeaway)Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Mara's Links:Email: mara@frederickbuskey.comHomepage: https://marabuskey.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mara-buskey-98321218b/ Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

We are in a moment of significant change. There's a lot of instability and unpredictability and people don't know what's going to happen – good, bad, or indifferent. We don't know what all of the announced or teased policy changes mean or if they are going to take effect.  This environment creates a situation where we have lots of turbulence in schools, so today we're going to unpack what turbulence is, how it fits with the six dimensions model, and start to think a little bit about how as leaders we respond to keep everybody safe and create better outcomes for kids.Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Description:Today's guest is Tequila Lamar. The name should be familiar to you because I just featured my first interview with Tequila as the “Greatest Episode of All Time.” And now she's back and now this episode may be my new favorite of all time. We will of course build on our previous discussion of imposter syndrome, but there is so much more in this episode. It is packed with wisdom, humanity, joy, and love. Today's show will leave you feeling inspired and optimistic.Guest Bio:Tequila Lamar is the NYC Partnerships & Outreach Lead at Google.org, and is a driving force behind New York City's social impact initiatives related to knowledge, skills, and learning. A passionate advocate for excellence and equity in tech education, Tequila actively addresses disparities in AI, computer science, and digital skills education. With a focus on improving access and fostering a sense of belonging in computer science, she designs and executes programs that aim to amplify the representation of underrepresented groups in the tech industry. Known for her exceptional communication skills and ability to build strong relationships, Tequila is not only a mentor and coach but also a sought-after speaker and panelist on education, technology, and leadership topics. Tequila holds a Master's degree in Education and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Florida A&M University. Her well-rounded approach and unwavering passion for education make her an invaluable asset in advancing social impact.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?What have you learned at Google (or new job) that you wish you had known as a principal?Questions/Topics/Promptshow we fill in the blanks of why something happened or why somebody did something, or ignored us, or whatever. Digging into how destructive it can be when our imposter begins creating stories to explain things that we simply don't have all tho info on.Supporting others with imposter syndromeClosing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Tequila's links: Helpful resources for combatting imposter syndromeThe Imposter Cure: Beat insecurities and gain self-belief by Dr. Jessamy HibberdOwn Your Greatness: Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life by Dr. Lisa Orbé-AustinImpostor Syndrome InstituteFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

 | A couple weeks ago in one of my daily emails I asked for people's experiences, perspectives, and questions about culture. A reader responded:  As far as culture, my main frustration is a lack of initiative I notice in some of our adult, professional faculty members...  Behaviors like not arriving on time for a duty, being unwilling to contact parents (or reply to parent contacts), and walking past litter on the hallway floor are my frustration.  My question is how to make it the norm in our school to be proactive and to take initiative?  So, what does this mean when the adults aren't behaving like… well, adults?  The question to begin with is not “what can we do?” The question to start with is “Why is this happening?”Celebration: Weather over 60 degrees and sunny enough to make hiking a joy!Prelude: Who is a leaderOne challenge many leaders and potential leaders face is they don't “seem” or “feel” like leaders. This comes from a relatively narrow conception in our culture about what makes a leader. An overreliance on decision-making and charisma, as well as our culturally engrained images of the leader archetype, hamper our ability to encourage and develop leaders with a diverse set of skills. A participant in one of my recent trainings shared a 2020 article from Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. (link in show notes). The authors (Mueller, Jennifer S., Goncalo, Jack and Kamdar, Dishan) stated in their abstract:Study 1shows creative idea expression is negatively related to perceptions of leadership potential in a sample of employees working in jobs that required creative problem solving. Study 2 shows that participants randomly instructed to express creative solutions during an interaction are viewed as having lower leadership potential. A third scenario study replicated this finding showing that participants attributed less leadership potential to targets expressing creative ideas, except when the “charismatic” leader prototype was activated. In sum, we show that the negative association between expressing creative ideas and leadership potential is robust and underscores an important but previously unidentified bias against selecting effective leaders.Simple translation: Creative people aren't perceived as leaders unless they have high charisma…Full disclosure: I did not read and evaluate the entire article but their thesis is consistent with other research and my own observations and experiences.Stepping back, I wonder, in what context would creative problem solving not be a big advantage? And yet, the research suggests we are not inclined to view creative problem-solving as a desirable leadership characteristic. Maybe it is the same for people who are really good at asking questions?Or for people who are great at helping people collaborate with each other?Or maybe people who are great at helping others learn to lead?The challenge we face is that we have a narrow set of criteria we use, at a cultural level, to determine what leaders should be like. We have been conditioned to think about leaders in terms of a few specific characteristics like vision and decisiveness.In pre-defining what constitutes leadership, we limit the possibilities for nurturing leadership in the majority of people around us. The point I'm trying to make is that if we can look at people's strengths and seek to put people in position to leverage those strengths, we all win. I hope this all makes sense – it did to me when I write it but now, I'm not so sure

In May, on episode 199, I had Jamie Brown on the show and he took us through a very simple but effective script for having a restorative conversation with a student. That show was re-aired at the end of December as my favorite show of 2024. After the show, Jamie and I discussed how APs can help new teachers become better at conversation – not just with students, but also with parents. We decided to dedicate an episode to helping you to help your teachers by modeling how to teach your early career teachers to make a positive call home.  You will here some repetition throughout the show as we have the same basic discussion in three different relationships: Administrator to student Teacher to student Teacher to parent By the end of today's show, you will have a script to share with your teachers and the main points you will need to model and teach the technique to your teachers. Guest Bio: | Jamie is a champion of Student Leadership and Character Education. His passion for promoting student-driven leadership led to the development of the 1st District-Wide PEER Leadership program in NJ Public School education. Jamie earned a National Promising Practice from Character.org for ACCEPT University, a three-tiered Character Education assembly series promoting inclusion, acceptance, empathy and citizenship in schools. Jamie's career includes working at a State and National School and District of Character, where he earned Teacher of the Year. He has served as both a building and District-Level Administrator, collaborating with the New Jersey Department of Education. Jamie is a proud author for Road to Awesome Publishing & Assistant Principal at Bluffton High School, SC.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsMaking a positive contact homeScriptModelSupports for getting it done Choose - who/how to identify How APs can help The final layer – debriefing with the teacherClosing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.Cheers!Guest links:www.JamieBrownLeadership.comLinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: (@JamieBrownLeadership) Twitter: @leadership_jbFrederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

236: Culture Questions From Claude Part IIShow Description: | Last week I asked Claude AI to give me 12 questions I could answer that would help elaborate on school culture. We answered the first six questions last week and will do the second batch of six this week.  I have to say, I was quite impressed by the quality of the questions. As was the case last week, I have not read or prepped for the questions, so we will see if Claude can continue to impress.  As a reminder, here was my prompt…  …I'd like to do this show as a Q and A. I would like you, Claude, to represent my assistant principal (AP) listeners. Pretend you are a panel of several APs and you are interviewing me. Please come up with 12 questions related to school culture. Please include some questions that make it easy for me to give examples, and make suggestions for remedying common issues in a school's culture.  Okay, let's go! Celebrations:My Ohio State Buckeyes: From fear to funThe Big IdeaI am answering these questions cold, because I wanted to feel like I was being interviewed."Dr. Buskey, we hear a lot about 'culture' but it seems really abstract. How do you define school culture in a way that actually helps us understand what we're dealing with?" "I'm seeing low morale among our teachers, especially the veterans. What are some warning signs of culture issues that we should be looking out for?" "Can you give us a specific example of how misalignment between different parts of a school system creates culture problems? Maybe something you've seen in your work with schools?" "As a new AP, I feel like I have very limited authority to make changes. What are some small but meaningful ways we can start influencing culture from our position?" "We're dealing with a lot of new teachers who came through alternative certification. How does this impact school culture, and what can we do to support them while maintaining high expectations?" "I've noticed that different grade levels or departments in our school seem to have their own micro-cultures. Should we try to create one unified culture, or is some variation okay?" "When you talk about aligning resources, what does that actually look like in practice? Can you walk us through an example?" "We implemented several new initiatives this year, and teachers are overwhelmed. How can we tell if we're asking too much of our teachers?" "What role do you think physical spaces play in school culture? Our building is old and not very inspiring - how much does that matter?" "Can you share a success story of a school that significantly improved its culture? What were the key steps they took?" "Sometimes it feels like external pressures - testing mandates, parent complaints, district initiatives - really damage our culture. How can we protect our teachers while still meeting these demands?" "How do you balance being supportive of teachers with maintaining high expectations? Sometimes it feels like focusing too much on teacher well-being means accepting lower standards."Summarizing (The big takeaway)How I think Claude did with these questions…If there is a question you have about school culture, that you think maybe Claude missed, I would love to hear it. If you think I got something wrong, please let me know. I appreciate you investing your valuable time with me, on our journey together. I have written the introduction to A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Culture and I've posted it on a hidden page on my website. If you are interested, you can go to https://www.frederickbuskey.com/culture and read it. It's just the intro, so nothing earth shattering, but it is a way I can say thank you for listening.Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership: Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for others Be fully present Ask reflective questions And then just listen Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening. Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0...

235: Culture Questions From Claude Part IShow Description:Two weeks ago, I did a show that described how school culture is a byproduct of the degree of alignment between people, purpose, structures, and resources. High alignment – good culture. Low alignment – poor culture. I also shared in that episode that I have begun working on my next book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Culture, so you are going to be getting a heavy dose of podcasts related to building a strong school culture. I think that is a good thing.I had originally planned to do a more detailed podcast focused on the six dimensions of organizations, but I haven't been able to get excited about that. So instead, I turned to my friend, Claude AI, with the following prompt:Claude, I host a podcast for assistant principals. Many of my listeners are in years 1-3, so they are still inexperienced leaders. I want to do a show about how to influence school culture. I will be using the framework I've developed called the Six Dimensions or Organizations, which says that inner forces result from the alignment or misalignment of people, purpose, structures, and resources.Instead of just laying out the frameworks, as I did in the Building Culture Whole Show Transcript (in the project knowledge), I'd like to do this show as a Q and A. I would like you, Claude, to represent my assistant principal (AP) listeners. Pretend you are a panel of several APs and you are interviewing me. Please come up with 12 questions related to school culture. Please include some questions that make it easy for me to give examples, and make suggestions for remedying common issues in a school's culture.What questions do think Claude will ask on your behalf? Stay tuned.Celebrations:Snow days and giving ourselves permission to breathe and Gwen editing the pod.The Big IdeaI am answering these questions cold, because I wanted to feel like I was being interviewed."Dr. Buskey, we hear a lot about 'culture' but it seems really abstract. How do you define school culture in a way that actually helps us understand what we're dealing with?" "I'm seeing low morale among our teachers, especially the veterans. What are some warning signs of culture issues that we should be looking out for?" "Can you give us a specific example of how misalignment between different parts of a school system creates culture problems? Maybe something you've seen in your work with schools?" "As a new AP, I feel like I have very limited authority to make changes. What are some small but meaningful ways we can start influencing culture from our position?" "We're dealing with a lot of new teachers who came through alternative certification. How does this impact school culture, and what can we do to support them while maintaining high expectations?" "I've noticed that different grade levels or departments in our school seem to have their own micro-cultures. Should we try to create one unified culture, or is some variation okay?" Summarizing (The big takeaway)How I think Claude did with these questions…If there is a question you have about school culture, that you think maybe Claude missed, I would love to hear it. If you think I got something wrong, please let me know. I appreciate you investing your valuable time with me, on our journey together. I have written the introduction to A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Culture and I've posted it on a hidden page on my website. If you are interested, you can go to https://www.frederickbuskey.com/culture and read it. It's just the intro, so nothing earth shattering, but it is a way I can say thank you for listening.Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

#234: Leading an Ethical School with Dr. Nason Lollar Description:Today's guest has developed a framework and language around professional conduct, which he defines as “my contribution to our culture of learning.” Cool. And what else is cool, is that you will hear, in slightly different terms, some of my core talking points around supporting and growing teachers, being present and listening, and, of course, working in quadrant 2 by managing your priorities, not your time. Guest Bio:Having served twenty-four years in the field of education, Dr. Nason Lollar has leveraged those experiences into his first book, The Five Principles of Educator Professionalism. Nason began his career in the classroom, serving as a high school math and social studies teacher and as a baseball coach for fourteen years. He then transitioned to administration, serving as a high school assistant principal for nine years. He currently serves as a principal of the Madison Career & Technical Center in Madison County, Mississippi. His journey as a student of Educational Leadership began with graduate work at Mississippi College, and culminated with a Doctorate of Education from William Carey University in 2018. In 2023, Nason was honored by the Mississippi Association of Secondary School Principals as state Assistant Principal of the Year.  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/PromptsBrief overview and discussion around each principleo   Teaching and learning always come first.o   Remain vigilant to safety concerns.o   Understand the power of communication.o   Seek balance.o   Take ownership of your morale. Discussion on how administrators help teachers follow the principles  Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers! Guest links:https://nasonlollar.wordpress.com/ On X: @nasonlollar  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

#233: Imposter Syndrome (Greatest Episode of All Time) There is a very brief intro to this, my favorite episode of all time! Originally released in May, 2023…  Let's face it, you aren't cut out for this job. You are in over your head, and soon everyone will discover it! What were you even thinking? You can't help your teachers grow. You should never have done this, and you will certainly never make it to the next level. Ouch – such terrible thoughts! There is a diagnosis for this kind of negative thinking and it is called imposter syndrome – the feeling that, despite everything you have achieved, you are somehow not fit to do the job you are doing. If you, like me, are one of those afflicted souls, stay tuned. We are going to turn imposter syndrome on its head! If you have never suffered from imposter syndrome, you need to listen to this episode because many of your colleagues do suffer from it.  Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers! Guest links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tequilalamar/   Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

#232: 2024's BEST Podcast! Power Quote: “Every kid has a story” Jamie's Student Debrief Protocol:1.     Are you okay?2.     What was the trigger?3.     How did the behavior impact others?4.     What could you have done differently? Description:This is a replay of my favorite interview form 2024, PLUS a few new minutes at the beginning with more wisdom from Jamie Brown. Guest Bio:Jamie is a champion of Student Leadership and Character Education. His passion for promoting student-driven leadership led to the development of the 1st District-Wide PEER Leadership program in NJ Public School education. Jamie earned a National Promising Practice from Character.org for ACCEPT University, a three-tiered Character Education assembly series promoting inclusion, acceptance, empathy and citizenship in schools. Jamie's career includes working at a State and National School and District of Character, where he earned Teacher of the Year. He has served as both a building and District-Level Administrator, collaborating with the New Jersey Department of Education. Jamie is a proud author for Road Awesome Publishing & Assistant Principal at Bluffton High School, SC.  Questions/Topics/Prompts·      In moving from a “traditional” approach to discipline to a more restorative approach, how has that impacted students, teachers, and you?·      You have a wonderful protocol for having a conversation with a student who is “in trouble.” Could you take us through the basics and explain your rationale behind each step?·      I think teachers could also use this protocol. How might you adapt it for them and how would you teach them how to use it? Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… I'll include the student interview questions in the show notes. Copy, print, and try them out. If you try nothing else, begin your next discipline conversation by asking, “Are you okay?” Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started. Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers!  Guest links:www.JamieBrownLeadership.comLinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: (@JamieBrownLeadership) Twitter: @leadership_jb   Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

A School Leader's Guide to Building Culture  Show Description:“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” -Peter Drucker, Author “Culture is like the wind. It is invisible; yet its effect can be seen and felt.” -Bryan Walker, Partner and Managing Director, Ideo “Corporate culture is really hard to define; it's the side effects of working for your organization.” -Jacob Morgan, Author, The Future of Work How can you build a great culture if we can't see or define it? It requires hard work, but it is not as complicated as it seems. Today, I will demystify organizational culture by helping you define it, understand the components, and learn the process for improving it. If you are a regular listener, and/or read my daily email, and/or have read my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, then you will hear several of my most common themes and ideas woven together in a way that I have not really articulated previously. The Big Idea How do we build a better culture?·      Why is culture important?o   Easier to do great work in a great cultureo   Culture is the rising tide that lifts all boatso   Recruitment, development, and retention·      What is culture?o   A reflection of the degree of alignment within an organization; a sum of the inner forceso   The six dimensions of organizations·      MVP path to growing your culture: Align the purpose, structures, and resources to make it easier for people to do the work AND help people develop the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and health they need to be good at what they do.·      What do we mean by alignment?o   Clarity and consistency of purpose, driven by the peopleo   Structures make focusing on core work easier§  Teacher lesson plan example§  ILT example§  Flow of information (district example)o   Resources are invested in the core work, distractions are eliminated, attention is protectedo   People receive training in the areas they need (KSDH)·      How do we get there?o   Relationships (four phases)§  Learn: Purpose, aspirations, strengths, barriers, pain points§  Support·      Align to decrease barriers and ease pain points§  Empower·      Provide opportunities to use strengths·      Empower decision-making·      Help them identify and focus on their growth goals·      Trust them§  Grow·      They lead·      We support·      KSDH·      What we get:o   People know why they do what they doo   Policies, rules, schedules, make it easier to do the work and o   Most time and attention is focused on the most meaningful worko   People consistently get better at their craft and experience successo   People feel valued and trusted   Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers!   Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

#330: Email Sucks Show Description:Last week, Darrin Peppard and I went over some of our favorite time hacks. Towards the end of the show, we talked about email. Today, I'm devoting a whole show to email. I'll share some tips and tricks, but how we manage email is as much about our mindset as it is the clock. As we get going, I want you to seriously play with an idea: what if email went away? What would your leadership and life be like? Celebrations:Recognizing the fragility and impermanence of this life The Big IdeaMy history with email:·      1988: no such thing·      1993: first “real” computer in my room·      1999: Few emails each day as district EC Coordinator·      2006: PC for online program·      2018: HE exit leads to lack of email·      2025: the slow creep Take what you want from today's show…·      Be serious in playing with the ideas·      Consider what is realistic·      Push the boundary What if the principal did not respond to email? Priority management versus time management: 1.     Turn off alerts; email is not an instant communication tool! If email is being used for time-sensitive communications, then it is being misused. 2.     Don't respond to “urgent” emails via email. Pick up the phone. At the end of the call, tell the person to call you next time it is urgent.3.     Teach and condition others regarding reasonable response times.4.     Do not answer email outside of business hours! If you need to work on email at off times, use an autoresponder to send out replies during working hours. This is critical for conditioning and teaching people to use email wisely.5.     Don't look at email after work hours. If you must, then adhere to the following:a.     Only specific timesb.     Only when you are in a specific location (like a desk, not your couch)c.     Only from certain people6.     Stop caring about your inbox. Everyone gets too much email. Many people just don't respond to 90% of what they get and they don't care anymore. You can join them.7.     Post in a prominent area where you do your email, a note that says “If I spent 10 minutes less on email each day, I would invest that time doing…” and fill in the blank. Read it every day, multiple times. Was going to call this show “Email Time Hacks” but… Summarizing (The big takeaway)Email isn't as important as you think it is. Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers!  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 Email tips: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/email.html

#229 Outline and Show Notes Show Title: 10 Awesome Time Hacks with Darrin Peppard Power Quote: Description:Time. The most limited resource (along with attention). Many leaders feel if they can better manage their time, they can become better leaders. Yes… and no. The big secret to time management isn't actually about time. In today's episode, my good friend Darrin Peppard and I discuss about 10 different tips for managing your time. We lead with the previously mentioned “big secret” so you don't need to wait long for that. Also, near the end of this episode, Darrin is going to share a couple of complimentary resources that I think you are going to want to have. Okay, let's go! Guest Bio:Dr. Darrin Peppard is a dynamic keynote speaker, leadership expert, and consultant with a passion for transforming organizational culture and developing the next generation of leaders. As a former high school principal turned leadership coach, Darrin draws from nearly 30 years of experience in education to inspire leaders to embrace clarity, purpose, and joy in their work. He is the best-selling author of Road to Awesome and hosts the popular Leaning Into Leadership podcast, where he shares actionable insights on leadership, team development, and creating thriving, purpose-driven cultures. With his engaging and authentic approach, Darrin helps organizations reimagine their culture, cultivate strong leadership, and foster environments where people and teams can truly excel. Note: Darrin appeared previously on Ep 139, July 4, 2023 Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/Prompts·      Our favorite time hacks:·      Fredericko   Manage your priorities before managing your time§  Every yes is a no to something else§  Priority list versus to-do list§  Time block your calendar§  Three essential priorities (safety, legal, grow people)§  The only way to create a great school is to grow your teachers (priorities)o   Be fully present§  Allows you to be proactive§  Builds relationships§  Improves cultureo   End the day right§  Reflect on today (celebrate)§  Plan for tomorrowo   Begin the day right§  Move§  Ground§  Set an intentiono   Develop your SOPs to offload/improve common tasks (especially discipline)o   Email:§  Archive (don't file) your email§  Block time to check (attention cost)  Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers! Darrin's links:Principal Academy Link: https://www.theprincipalacademy.com/     **Discount Code for $100 off APPODCAST Principal Planner link: https://mailchi.mp/roadtoawesome.net/principalplannerOur website: roadtoawesome.netSocial Media: Facebook X TikTok Instagram LinkedIn ...

228: The Blueprint with Todd Bloomer Power Quote: The further you are from classrooms… the easier it is to become jaded.  Description:If I said I knew a principal who was in classrooms all day Monday, would you believe me? I hope so, because you are about to know him too. Guest Bio:Todd Bloomer was born & raised in New York, He got to Texas as fast as he could. This is his 29th year in education and he has served as a building principal of a middle and a high school. Todd is Passionate about student voice, hiring, & advocacy at the state level. He has a wonderful wife and five incredible children.  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/Prompts·      An underappreciated cornerstone of administrative success is systems.·      What are the various systems that assistant principals should pay close attention to?·      How can APs reflect on their systems – as they now exist – and leverage the reflection into improving their systems?·      You've developed a blue print for school administrators. As they head towards winter break, what elements of the blueprint should APs be thinking a lot about?·      For leaders who want the blueprint, how can they best use your book for continued growth and success? Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers!  Guest links:https://toddmbloomer.com/@bloomer_sa (X)@toddbloomer (link)The Blueprint on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blueprint-Survive-Thrive-School-Administrator/dp/B0DCJLG7LS Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

Should We Give Teachers Matches? With Alex Auriemma  Description:Back in September I released episode 218 titled “Teacher Evaluation is Broken.” Before I recorded that episode I had been thinking about the topic, and today's guest and I actually recorded the conversation you are about to listen to prior to me recording number 218. I'm not sure why I decided to hold onto this episode so long, but it is time for it to see daylight. This episode is a discussion, not an interview. I hope you will feel like you are a part of this discussion. Hearing to leaders tear into the teacher evaluation and teacher growth processes should be healthy for you. By the end of the discussion, my hope is you have increased clarity on how you support and grow your teachers. Guest Bio:Alexandra Auriemma is a New York based educator and leader with over 10 years of experience working in the NYC public school system.  Formerly an English Language Arts teacher, Department Chair, and Instructional Coach, she now works as a Co-Principal at 6-12 school in Queens.  In addition to her service to New York City, she also has written and implemented curriculum for a private tutoring company in Shanghai, China.  She is passionate about curriculum and instruction, empowering educators within their classroom domain, and investing capital in human relationships.   Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do? Questions/Topics/Prompts·      In our pre-conversation, we each came at the issue of teacher growth from opposite sides. You took the role of the AP who just wants to help her teachers get better. I took the role of the teacher who is resistant.·      Let's each share our own starting point, the assumptions we made about why we were there, and about the other person.·      Before we begin working towards the middle, let's define where it is and why it is important. What does the middle look and sound like?·      What are the barriers for each of us in getting to the middle space?·      What do I, as the teacher, need to know and be able to do to get to the middle?·      What do you as the leader need to know and be able to do?·      What processes and frameworks can help us continue this journey? Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Guest links: LinkedIn: Alexandra Loredo Auriemma Email: Alexl.Auriemma@gmail.com  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

Win the Morning, Win the Day with Johnathan Cranford  Description:If your ISS program runs like clockwork and results in increased academic achievement and fewer misbehaviors, then feel free to skip today's episode. If you attend one of the 99% of schools that struggle to fully leverage ISS, you will profit from investing some time in today's show. Guest Bio:Johnathan has seven years of experience as a special education teacher at a therapeutic campus for students with severe emotional disturbance and five more years as an in-school suspension teacher at two middle schools. After discovering how in-school suspension programs are failing to meet the needs of our most at-risk students, Johnathan created a trauma informed in-school suspension program to address the current disciplinary, academic, and SEL requirements of our student populations. After successfully establishing ISS programs on multiple campuses, he created a roadmap for others to follow in his book The Art of In-School Suspension, and recently released a digital training to help schools transform their in-school suspension programs from a holding tank to an intervention for both behavior and academics. Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do? Questions/Topics/Prompts·      ISS is great in theory but often not in practice. Before we dive into the elements of making ISS a positive thing, what is the mindset shift that school leaders and teachers need to make?·      Run through the list of ten elements·      We can hone in on some of them·      Explicit “next steps” for school leaders (fine to promo your course and book) Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Guest links: If you have any links you would like us to share, please add them below.Website: www.theartofiss.comTraining LinkBook on Amazon  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

Silence is Golden Show Description:I teased this show on this morning's daily email message, in which I suggested I might release a podcast episode that was all silence, to drive home the message that when it comes to helping people reflect, our silence is golden. Of course, the point would be lost if it was only silence as many listeners may not make the connection. That said, be forewarned, there are several chunks of silence in this episode. You see, I wanted to give plenty of time for today's special guest to reflect. And that special guest, is you! Are you ready to be coached? Let's go. Celebrations: Crickets. Seriously. I've included their subtle chirps into today's episode so you know we are still rolling

#224: The Power of Reflection Show Description:We are over half-way through the Good Enough October Challenge. Remember, the big idea here is that you don't have to be a great leader, you just need to be good enough. Specifically, good enough leaders consistently help the people around them grow by doing four simple things:·      Intentionally choosing to show up·      Being fully present·      Asking reflective questions·      Listening to the answers. Choose, Be, Ask, Listen. If you do those things consistently, you will help the people around you grow, and that is leadership that is good enough, because better teachers = better outcomes for kids. Today we'll recap where we've been and dive into my favorite part of the process – asking reflective questions!  Celebrations: SCATA  Recapping where we are in the Good Enough October Challenge The Big IdeaBegan with three perspective shifts:·      Perspective shift #1: They know more than you·      Perspective shift #2: You aren't very good at coaching people·      Perspective shift #3: Reflection is enough Choosing to show up·      We can choose to show up as our best self·      We can “not choose” how we show up, with varying results·      We all face barriers that can make it difficult to be intentional·      The choice we make is not as important as making the choice. (example)·      It is good enough that you make the choice.Being fully present·      Say their name·      Look at them·      And think, “this is the most important person in the world at this moment.” New Content Asking reflective questions·      The role of reflection in growth (the cube of development)·      The three 5-minute coaching questions·      5-mc demoo   You can hear her voice brighten when she reflects on what's going wello   Hear the pause and then puzzling out the possible explanation for a student's hesitancy to dig more deeplyo   Differently: “I need to give them more time to find their voice… have I cut too much out of their time?” – this is something worth coming back to or at least listening for in the future. There might be a worthwhile discussion to be had about the value of content versus the value of voice. Also, I hope you could hear that this awareness was unfolding as we did the session. o   I don't give much reaction, I could be more affirming, but there is a danger as too much affirmation can feel like we are approving and approving means we are judging, I usually err on the side of “nod and smile” and go light on affirmations.o   This five minutes created space for her to reflect when she otherwise might not have. The actual coaching session lasted 4:30.o   Note what Pam says about hew new colleague who had never been asked to reflect on a lesson!o   **After describe how she paused on surprise and though about different, even though she knew we were going to do this.·       ·      Check APP for additional demoso   Examples of Five-Minute Coaching #109o   Can Frederick Hike and Coach at the Same Time? #201o     If you want to go deeper, you can ask these questions:·      Can you say more about that?·      What would that look and sound like?·      Why do you think that is? Five-minute coaching is great for debriefing a teaching lesson. It can also be used for:·      Doing a culture check (extending “how are things going?”)·      Building trusto   Lean in and Listen with Alex Auriemma #177§  What is your teaching super-power?§  What's the biggest difference between who you are now as a teacher, and who you were when you began?§  If you could get students to do one thing differently, what would it be?·      Debriefing a meeting·      Or a presentation·      Reviewing a difficult conversation·      Asking your spouse of significant other about their day  Summarizing (The big takeaway) Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   A...

Presence Shouldn't Wait for Christmas Power Quote: Once you embrace how valuable your full presence is, you will be more motivated to share it with others. Description:This week we continue looking at what it takes to be a good enough leader. Last week we established that being able to consistently observe and work with your teachers to grow their craft is great leadership, but so many of you listening do not have the luxury of observing, post-conferencing, and doing coaching cycles with your teachers. You wind up spending your time on tasks instead of investing time growing your teachers, and we know that not growing your teachers isn't good enough.  So, if we can't be great, and we don't want to be not good enough, that leaves us with one option – to be just good enough. The wonderful thing about being good enough is that it is incredibly simple and takes very little time! Being good enough requires three perspective shifts, and four commitments: ·      Actively choose how you will show up for people·      Be fully present·      Ask reflective questions·      Honor the answers Today I'll recap the perspectives and the choice we face in every interaction. Then we will dive into what it means to be fully present. Let's go! Celebrations:I'm presenting at SCATA on Wednesday and Thursday (October 23 and 24, 2024). I'm super excited and want to thank my colleague Dr. Anna Brink of Greenville County Schools for providing the opportunity. If you are heading to SCATA, please reach out to me on LinkedIn or show up to my sessions. I'll be sharing how to build a turnover-proof ILT at 10:30 on both Wednesday and Thursday, and we'll get some practice with 5-minute coaching on Wednesday at 2:45. Please do connect if you are going to be there! The Big IdeaRecapping last week:This is perspective shift #1: They know more than youPerspective shift #2: You aren't very good at coaching peoplePerspective shift #3: Reflection is enough Choosing to show up·      We can choose to show up as our best self·      We can “not choose” how we show up, with varying results·      We all face barriers that can make it difficult to be intentional·      The choice we make is not as important as making the choice. (example)·      It is good enough that you make the choice. Choosing to show up consistently takes us to the second step in being good enough: being fully present. Consistently being fully present unlocks the door to being good enough. What does full presence look like? One: Time. It doesn't need to be long·      My friend Bill Newsted… Two: Attention·      Dr. Jacobs·      Maggie·      Natalia Meija: I'm so glad you are here! (episode 147) Remember the Six Dimensions… time and attention are the most precious resources. ***Insert sponsor*** It's easy to fake presence by showing up physically, but not being fully focused. Let's be real though – the only person we are fooling is ourselves! Think about the last time you needed to have an important conversation with someone and they were only halfway paying attention. We all know what that looks like. We all know what that feels like. And it isn't a good feeling. Once you embrace how valuable your full presence is, you will be more motivated to share it with others. Establishing full presence is simple. Say their name. Look at them, and think, “this is THE most important person in my world right now.” It isn't always easy, but it is simple. Every interaction, you have the opportunity. Whether you were fully present in your last interaction has no bearing on whether you will be fully present for the next one. Every interaction is a new beginning. How beautiful is that? Summarizing (The big takeaway) Three perspectives:1.     They know more than you2.     You aren't very good at coaching people3.     Reflection is enough Four steps·      Choose to show up·      Be fully present·      Ask reflective questions·      Honor the answers Three parts to being present:·      Say their name·      Smile·      Think “this is THE most important person in my world right now.” Next week we will dig into asking reflective questions. If you listen regularly or subscribe to my daily email, you already know the three most common questions I like to ask, but I'll include a few others as well.  And a BIG shout out to Ranford Almond. Our theme music is his amazing song “Old Soul.” To me, the song captures what being a leader is all about. You can find Ranford on Spotify and the link is in the show notes. If you enjoy this show, consider checking Ranford Almond out and following him. Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers!   ...

222: How will you show up?  The Big IdeaWhat if the person you are trying to grow knows more about what they need than you do? This is perspective shift #1: They know more than you●      Stop trying to diagnose what's wrong●      Assume people want to be really good at what they do●      Ask them what outcomes they want to see improve●      Help them develop the knowledge and skills to get those outcomes Perspective shift #2: You aren't very good at coaching people●      You probably have not had in-depth training on how to coach●      You probably don't have a process for coaching●      You probably don't have the time and attention needed to consistently follow up on coaching Perspective shift #3: Reflection is enough When we think about professional growth, we tend to think of training, but the best way for people to grow is through reflection. If you can become good at helping people to reflect, you will be a good enough leader. Choosing to show up·      We can choose to show up as our best self·      We can “not choose” how we show up, with varying results·      We all face barriers that can make it difficult to be intentional·      The choice we make is not as important as making the choice.·      It is good enough that you make the choice. Summarizing (The big takeaway) Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.·      If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Remember the secret to good leadership:o   Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso   Be fully presento   Ask reflective questionso   And then just listeno   Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.·      Have a great rest of the week!·      Cheers!  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Show Title: What is Leadership? with Mara and Frederick  Helene Rebuild Collaborative link: https://hurricanehelenewnc.com/gallery  Description:Leadership takes many forms. In this episode we discuss some of these different forms. We've tried to highlight a variety of ways people lead, especially those leadership forms that aren't always recognized or valued. Guest Bio:Mara Buskey is the Inclusion Strategist at Strategic Leadership Consulting, as well as being Frederick's daughter and a genuinely bright soul.  Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.  Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Reach mara at: mara@frederickbuskey.com Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

#219 Good Enough October ChallengeIf you'd like to donate to Helene relief, here is the link to Lance's team: https://hurricanehelenewnc.com/Facebook page to learn more: https://www.facebook.com/lance.buskeyShow Description:The difference between great, good enough, and not good enoughUpdate from AppalachiaMVP show – we'll see how deep we go!The Big IdeaLeaders three responsibilitiesThe Six Dimensions of organizations: support and growUrgent versus strategic leadershipLimited time in quadrant2Great leaders build systems or supportInadequate leaders are too busy to grow their peopleJust growing your people is good enoughBetter people = better schoolGood is the foundation of greatGrowing using an MVPThere are four keys to being a good enough leader:Autonomy: make intentional choices about how you show up for peopleConsistency: be fully present with peopleSimplicity: ask simple questions that help people reflectFidelity: be true to the process by listening, not talkingThis culminates in five-minute coachingSponsorship…Good enough October Challenge: Coach every day!Simple, right?Choose to show up.Be fully present.Ask a good question.Listen.Are you good enough to do that?I think you are!Summarizing (The big takeaway)Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.Cheers!Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

WNC Links:Accurate Local News (radio): https://www.bpr.org/ Local donation options: https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2024-09-28/list-ways-to-donate-and-help-flood-victims-in-western-north-carolina-after-hurricane-heleneLance Buskey Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lance.buskeyLance's Venmo: Lance-buskeyFrederick's links:frederick@frederickbuskey.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting/ 

Teacher Evaluation is Broken Show Description:Assuming you were a teacher, and assuming you were evaluated from time to time:·      Did your evaluations ever result in termination?·      Did the ever result in you getting a big raise or promotion?·      Were they part of a process that helped you grow into a better teacher?For me, the answers are no, no, and no. If your experience is similar, then we need to ask ourselves, “what's the point of the teacher evaluation process?”   The Big Idea·      My experience·      Teacher evaluation is a broken waste of time·      Two options:o   Go through the motions, wasting as little time as possible and doing as little as possible to frustrate teacherso   Leverage an irrelevant proves by creating some relevancy:§  Let teachers set a teaching goal before the observation§  Collaboratively identify the elements of the observation that provide important data related to the goal§  Focus you observation on the agreed upon elements to the greatest extent possible§  In a post conference, collaboratively debrief the relevant data and help the teacher develop some strategies and a path for meeting their goal·      Caveats:o   If you don't trust your teachers' professionalism, there is nothing you can do to help them grow. Except to begin believing your teachers want to enjoy teaching and treating them as if they did.o   You don't know as much about your teachers' teaching as they know about their own teaching.o   Critical feedback, unasked for, and with a lack of consistent support, is counterproductive. (o   Acknowledge that past observations may (probably?) have ben traumatic for teachers.·      Closing thought: Would you leave a job where your principal trusted you, where they helped you continually grow as a leader, and where you increasingly experienced making a positive impact on the people around you? Summarizing (The big takeaway) Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!   Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Show Title: O Captain, My Captain with Michael Miller Power Quote: “Let there be joy!”  Description:Today's show is like a voyage. We'll begin in one port, set a course, examine the voyage, and anchor at our destination. This episode is expansive and there are lots of wonderful insights into leadership. We use the metaphor of being a ship captain, so without further introductions, let's set sail! Guest Bio:Mike (or Michael) Miller has been an educator since 1996 and has held positions in schools from classroom assistant to PE teacher, and from bus driver to principal. He taught second grade and fifth grade students in the classroom as well as elementary PE. He's been an assistant principal in an elementary and intermediate school, and principal in a PK-8th grade school. He's a graduate of UNC and Western Carolina University and is a Tarheel through and through. He is married to his wonderful wife, Kathy and between them they have four children and seven grandchildren. He is now working as an assistant superintendent and cannot wait to support schools from this level.  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/Prompts·      In a previous conversation, you used the analogy of the harbor captain. I've structured our discussion around the idea of the principal as a boat captain, but before we dig in, can you explain the analogy and why it resonates with you?·      One paradigm we can use for thinking about leading a school is as a sea voyage. o   Leaving port and taking stock of your ship – checking what's “ship-shape” and where the problems might be.o   Sailing into stormy weather (or perhaps transitioning form first mate to captain in the midst of a storm). What does leadership need to focus on in rough times, and how do you do that?o   After the storm, transitioning to high speed and making progress.o   The next transition – knowing when it is time to head to port and turn the ship over to a new captain. Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work…   Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Guest links:Mike Miller's email: mdmiller@rcdoc.org  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Show Title: The Principal's GREAT Assistant Principal with John Hinds Power Quote: “There's a system for that”  Description:You'll hear the word “systems” quite a bit in today's show. Today's guest will paraphrase a quote attributed to Edwards Deming, one of the titans of process improvement from the 20th Century. The quote goes "Every system is perfectly designed to get the result that it does." Today's show isn't about systems, but the things we discuss can't be achieved without systems. I'll be back at the end of the show to hit some key takeaways, but as you listen today, I would like you to think what systems need to be in place related to the different aspects of leadership we will talk about. SO, enjoy the discussion, but be mindful – what systems make it all possible? Guest Bio:John Hinds is a recently retired principal of 17 years. He was principal of three totally different types of schools and has mentored scores of assistant principals over his career. He now owns his own leadership consulting company where he works with campus leaders to implement systems, analyze data, and focuses on positive climate for the employees and students.  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/Prompts·      Is there a difference between being a ‘great AP' and a ‘great AP for your principal?'·      How does an AP take care of the managerial and disciplinary responsibilities but not lose sight of helping grow teachers?·      If being a great AP is, in part, about managing priorities, not managing time, what are some of the best strategies you've seen?·      How does an AP balance “staying in their lane” and be a force for a positive school culture? Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started. Highlights:·      It really is about fit·      Establish a system for learning from each other·      You don't manage buses, you help students achieve more by making sure the bus system works well. Every system is an opportunity to make teaching and learning more or less problematic.·      You need a mentor. Actually, you need four things…·      How manage priorities instead of time – that's a system.·      Every day you have the opportunity to make a positive impact. Even on crappy days, you have an opportunity. Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Guest links:Website: https://www.jlhindsconsulting.comEmail: jlhindsconsulting@gmail.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jlhindsconsulting/?viewAsMember=trueYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4CaU3hZgvP7JIAHJAzvbiwResources: https://www.jlhindsconsulting.com/freeresources Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

 10 Ways in 10 Days Part 2 Grab the PDF guide of all 10 Ways: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/d58fd6430f Show Description:According to a recent ASCD article synthesizing the recent research on early career teacher retention, 29% of first year teachers will leave the school they are in, to either exit the profession or go to another school. Three common challenges emerged from the research:·      Classroom management·      Insufficient curriculum guidance·      Unsupportive environment Quoting: “More than anything else, novice teachers often appear to yearn for, yet seldom receive, meaningful feedback on their teaching from experienced colleagues and administrators.”   The ten strategic behaviors in this guide are designed to:·      Build trust·      Support teachers' classroom management·      Provide curricular guidance These strategies can be completed in less than 10 minutes a day! Jen Manly's website: https://learningandteachingblog.com  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520  Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.  

10 Ways in 10 Days: Easy Activities for Supporting New Teachers, Part 1 Grab the PDF guide of all 10 Ways: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/d58fd6430f Show Description:According to a recent ASCD article synthesizing the recent research on early career teacher retention, 29% of first year teachers will leave the school they are in, to either exit the profession or go to another school. Three common challenges emerged from the research:·      Classroom management·      Insufficient curriculum guidance·      Unsupportive environment Quoting: “More than anything else, novice teachers often appear to yearn for, yet seldom receive, meaningful feedback on their teaching from experienced colleagues and administrators.”   The ten strategic behaviors in this guide are designed to:·      Build trust·      Support teachers' classroom management·      Provide curricular guidance These strategies can be completed in less than 10 minutes a day! Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.  

Seven Favorite ThingsToday's show covers seven favorite of my favorite parts of the book! One for the introduction and one for each of the six stages. The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 Monthly nudges: A single email each month to highlight a single stage (link) Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.  

Assistant Principal Podcast Content Episode Outline  Show Description:In 2007 I lead a group of six professors at Western Carolina University in a total redesign of our masters of school administration principal licensure program. I was the coordinator of a program that had jest become fully online, our admissions were skyrocketing and our students were becoming much more diverse. The old program just didn't work, so we collectively decided to trash it and begin anew. It was a long process, building a program from the ground up – exhilarating, motivating, but also, at times, grueling. Once we had agreed to scrap the old program, our first step was to go offsite for a day and a half and develop a vision and core goals. What we came up with was this: Live your leadership journey courageously. I share all this as an introduction to an episode focused on vision, and when it comes to vision, I think many of use get it wrong.   Celebrations:Ranford Almond is my future son-in-law. He's a talented musician and has a remarkable gift to write songs that tap into our inner most being. Ranford had a big show at Floyd Fest this weekend and then traveled four hours to share a couple days with Pam and I, and his fiancé – my daughter Mara. I'm celebrating family, and the addition of a special person. I should mention that Ranford wrote and played the music for our show, and today I'll close the show with a full version of Old Soul. I encourage you to listen. The Big Idea I'm building this episode off a series of daily emails I wrote back in October and November 2021. I'll likely resurrect them as part of this show and send them out to my readers in a week or so, so if you are into daily leadership emails and don't already subscribe, head to https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ and hit a sign-up link.  Summarizing (The big takeaway)  You see things; and you say “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say “Why not?”-George Bernard Shaw, 1949 I have a love/hate relationship with vision. I used to be in love with the idea of creating a great vision. Then one day, a “leader” came into the organization I worked in and imposed his vision on all of the people and programs that had been there before him. Three years later, the “leader” was gone, but most (not all) of the people were still there. Those people were left to pick up the pieces of a painful and contentious series of changes. Vision is a double-edged sword. “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”-Proverbs 29:18, King James Bible Vision can be a powerful tool for good. Here is the challenge as I see it… The vision must be a shared vision. Leaders are servants first, and part of their job is to articulate the goals, dreams, and aspirations of the people within the organization. Where things are unclear, limited, or confused, leaders work to educate, clarify, and build consensus. Every organization should have a vision, but the genesis of that vision should lay at the intersection of the purpose of the organization and the people within it. So how do you sell a vision? You don't! People shouldn't have to buy someone else's vision. Instead, they should be investing in the collective vision – in the creation and implementation. Instead of selling, what if we focused on serving? Bring people together and help them clarify their values, aspirations, and beliefs.  Then help them identify the common pieces and articulate a vision – the impact that they want to have on the world. This is a shared vision. It is what we agreed to. There is no selling. And because we agreed to it, we hold each other accountable for pursuing it.  Yes, it takes more time to create a shared vision. It also takes more skill. However, in the end, a shared vision is so much more powerful.  The final kicker is that even after you leave, the people will still share the vision. How cool is that?    Creating a shared vision is not always simple. A vision really begins with dreams, and a group of people need four conditions to be able to dream:1.     Safety. This is best achieved by creating a community in which people can:a.     take risksb.     share divergent thinkingc.     trust each other2.     Space.a.     A physical space to gather togetherb.     Mental space to think and reflectc.     Emotional space to be authentic3.     Permission to dream without the limitations of current realities4.     Perspectives. Shared knowledge, experiences, and values need to be identified. Alternative experiences and views need to be embraced and included. Meeting these conditions lays the ground for developing a shared vision that works for the organization and its people.  Leaders don't create visions. They help people to clarify and articulate a shared vision. Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.  Let's walk through an example of what a collective vision-defining workshop might look like. I am the board chair of a local non-profit focusing on meeting the most urgent needs of our most vulnerable and highly stressed youth. We've experienced a lot of growth coming out od the pandemic and the future looks unpredictable. We've stepped in to fill lots of gaps in supporting kids, which has brought in new people, new priorities, new opportunities, and new directions.  We decided we needed to g...

 Show Title: Presence and Passion for Living with Lindsay Titus Power Quote: “Emotions are energy in motion”  Description:How do you take care of yourself when you are so busy taking care of others? How can you be present when there is so much to do? What's the meaning of life? Okay, we won't go quite that deep in today's show, but we will explore ideas around being authentic and loving your life, and we will give you six techniques for practicing being present. Guest Bio:Lindsay Titus is a passionate, inspirational educator specializing in behavior change and teacher wellness. She is driven every single day to teach other educators how to transform connections and relationships with all students. Over the past 18 years, Lindsay has worked in many different educational settings, all helping her realize one foundational truth to behavior - that behavior change is an inside job! As a speaker, coach, podcaster, and directly working as a behavior specialist today, Lindsay helps educators to define who they are and bring their authentic purpose and passion inside and outside of the classroom!  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/Prompts·      I invited you on because I enjoy your weekly email, especially its emphasis on presence, reflection, and self-care. We will dive into these, but first I want to ask about something I read on your website. When you say “fall back in love with your life”, what do you mean?·      What are the major factors in falling “out” of love with ourselves?·      Let's talk about presence, what is it, what forms does it take, why is it so essential?·      What is the role of reflection in loving your life?·      It's easy to say “take care of yourself” but how do people make the mindset shift to actually prioritizing it?·        Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.  Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Lindsay's links:Website: www.defineyouniversity.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lindsaytitusedu/  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting

The Three Epiphanies  Maybe you are a new admin this fall. Maybe you are headed to a new school. Maybe you are staying where you are, but new people are coming to you. In today's abbreviated episode, we'll play with this idea of newness.   The Big Idea·      What this podcast was going to be….·      BB King·      3 epiphanies·      Can't do everything on the front end of new…·      What are your values?·      Mayeroff On Caring (help them grow in their direction)·      Trainwreck lesson by Mr. Jones·      Ad·      Find out his pain point…·      Coaching requires trust·      Build trust by leanring, empowering, supporting…   Summarizing (The big takeaway) Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.   Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!   Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Show Title: 42 and Stuff with Dr. Steve Miletto Description:Today's conversation is like a meandering stream that is destined to end in a specific place. What are the meanders, and where do they lead? Stay tuned! Guest Bio:Dr. Steven Miletto has been an educator in Georgia(US) for 37 years. He has served public school families as a history teacher, assistant principal, high school principal, and as a Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) Executive Director. In 2009, he was the Georgia Principal of the Year and a finalist for NASSP/MetLife National Principal of the Year in 2010. As a teacher he taught US and world history, was a yearbook sponsor, theater sponsor and soccer goalie coach. Additionally, he was the teacher of the year at Southwest DeKalb High School in 1989. His focus in education is to help kids achieve their dreams.  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/Prompts·       What you are hearing are the biggest challenges for school admins right now and some suggestions for handling them?·      What should returning admins be doing to prepare for next school year?·      What should new admins be doing?·      Three pieces of advice for brand new APs Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Sponsorship:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.  And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.  Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers!  Guest links:https://stevenmiletto.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenmiletto/https://twitter.com/SRMiletto https://www.instagram.com/srmiletto/https://www.pinterest.com/smiletto/ @smiletto on YouTube   Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520 

Show Title: Authentic Parent Partnerships with Ari Gerzon-Kessler Power Quote:  Description:Imagine that we have some time scheduled to meet together. What would you want to talk about? And how would I know what you wanted to talk about? You would either have had to tell me, or I would have had to ask. And if neither of those things happened before the meeting, we might both be a bit disappointed after the meeting. Now think about the classic parent-teacher conference:·      Do all families want to know the same thing?·      How do teachers know what families want to know?·      If we get it right, what are the implication?·      If we get it wrong, what are the implications? We talk about presence a lot on this show, and today, we are focusing our presence on families. Guest Bio:Ari Gerzon-Kessler is author of On The Same Team: Bringing Educators & Underrepresented Families Together, which won the Independent Publishers Book Awards 2024 IPPY Gold Medal for outstanding education book. He is a speaker, trainer, and coach working with schools and districts committed to forging stronger school-family partnerships. Ari also leads the Family Partnerships department for the Boulder Valley School District (CO). Ari has been an educator since 2000, having served as a principal and bilingual teacher. His leadership efforts to strengthen partnerships with underrepresented families and dismantle unjust practices was featured in Education Week in 2015. Ari regularly presents at national and international conferences on Families and Educators Together (FET) teams and other innovative family partnership best practices. He received his bachelor's in African American Studies from Wesleyan University and a master's in instruction and curriculum from the University of Colorado.  Warmup questions:·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?  Questions/Topics/Prompts Big picture paradigm shift of what family partnerships actually meanSystems requirements for making the shift (FET)“The” first step an AP can make in this direction - could be internal or external, but I like for people to have one or two things they can take away from the episode and apply immediately. Closing questions:·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?·      Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?·      Where can people learn more about you and your work… Close·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connecting with me on LinkedIn.·      My new book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, is now available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.·      Cheers! Thanks again to our show's sponsor, IXL: http://ixl.com/assitant Ari's links:Website: https://www.mediatorsfoundation.org/current-projects/families-and-educators-together-projectLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/arigerzon-kessler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ari.gerzonkessler/ Book link and free reproducibles: https://www.solutiontree.com/on-the-same-team.html Solution Tree link for professional development requests: https://www.solutiontree.com/ariAri's Edutopia article: https://www.edutopia.org/article/positive-family-communication-schools ***School-family partnership resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RtdfOGJkHBR6mQj9ak-PKIf6gbfQQtFS_eUZrvOZcZ4/edit?pli=1  Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520