We were fortunate to get to talk to the renowned Todd Whitaker in today's podcast. He is one of the most influential thought leaders in educational leadership and has written 65 books on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness!

Today Whitaker talks about the latest edition of his classic book, What Great Principals Do Differently: Twenty Things That Matter Most.

Todd shares 8 of the 20 things he has found (through research AND personal experience as a principal) the BEST principals do that the average ones don't.

He was quite a hoot to talk to and you'll love his anecdotes. But most of all he helps school leaders with what may be the most important task, (and he says all of his books are about this important task) HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO.

To learn more about him, go to http://toddwhitaker.com/ or follow him on Twitter at @ToddWhitaker.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

Teachers spend a lot of time making sure students know what they’re supposed to do, and many students struggle to understand expectations and translate them into action. The results are less time for teaching and less capacity for learning. 

Schools need to teach executive functions to all students in the context of the learning they are already doing to boost learning and engagement today and equip them for the future. In his book, Executive Functions for Every Classroom, author Mitch Weathers offers a beginning routine and a concluding routine any teacher can adopt to teach executive functions. You can learn more about Mitch and his work at organizedbinder.com or send him an email at  Mitch@organizedbinder.com. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

Everyone has hidden potential for growth and achievement, but standard approaches to studying, practicing, coaching, and organizing education often leave this potential untapped. The practices of high-achieving individuals (and a high-achieving school system) reveal the surprising skills, scaffolds,and systems that unlock potential. Even better, anyone can learn them, and anyone can teach them, too.

In this episode we have a great conversation about Adam Grant’s book Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things and how to apply his insights to our own lives as busy educators.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas  to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this conversation between Dr. Andrea Terrero Gabbadon and Jenn, we talked about the reasons educators of color are leaving: working conditions and leadership behaviors. The good news is that school and district leaders can actually do something about this, and Dr. Gabbadon walks you through how. She shares 6 principles, backed by research, that will help you create the types of inclusive schools where educators of color will want to work and will thrive. Educators of color benefit all students in our schools and it's time to look at the changes we can make in the culture, school practices, and frankly our own leadership behaviors that can make a real difference now in supporting and retaining teachers of color.

To learn more about Dr. Andrea Gabbadon Terrero and her work, take a look here: https://www.ilmconsultinggroup.com/.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas  to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, I talk with Becky Gerdes and Ryan Siegle about their book Six Steps Toward Teacher Retention and a Long-Lasting Legacy. We focus mainly on their Six Steps to Maximize Your Leadership Impact and Improve Teacher Retention:

• Step One: Lead Authentically

• Step Two: Build Teacher Self-Efficacy

• Step Three: Foster Collective Efficacy Among Your Staff

• Step Four: Cultivate a Culture of Trust

• Step Five: Listen to Your Staff with Empathy

• Step Six: Unite Around a Shared Vision

This was a great conversation with a ton of practical steps that school leaders can use to help build an environment where teachers want to stay, which we all know translates into better experiences for students.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn and I talk about Sharone Bar-David’s book Trust Your Canary: Every Leader's Guide to Taming Workplace Incivility. Bar-David provides some simple strategies for helping leaders see incivility (even when it’s hard to recognize) plus a whole toolkit of easy-to-implement ways to address it (so you can stop doubting yourself when it’s time to intervene). These skills are critically important for school leaders because two of the drivers of incivility are organizational change and high stress levels – both of which are rampant in schools right now. 

As we mentioned during the show, Jenn created this 8 Ways Leaders Fail to Address Incivility at Work (click on the title) document based on the concepts in the book.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

Sometimes in education it helps to hear from our end users. In this episode I interview fellow Coke Scholar Raleigh Dewan (‘19). Raleigh is a 23-year-old entrepreneur and business owner (https://steadispoon.com/ and https://sistershaq.com/) from Austin, Texas. Raleigh and I talk about his experiences in K-12 and higher ed. and the advice that he has for aspiring and practicing school leaders.

Raleigh has offered a discount at Sister Shaq tea for listeners of the show. Use promo code schoolleadership for 20% off your first order or follow this link: https://sistershaq.com/discount/schoolleadership 

Raleigh also helps me brainstorm ideas for the name of a newsletter that I am planning on starting. It’s pretty funny listening to him hammer on my suggestions, but we may have gotten there by the end of the conversation. If you have suggestions on a name for the newsletter and/or content ideas, please email me: mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com. Don't forget to rate the podcast in iTunes and leave a comment. And please pass the show along to your colleagues. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

 

More than anything, organizations should strive for organizational health. In this episode, Jenn David-Lang and I talk about Patrick Lencioni’s 2012 book  The Advantage Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business. This book clearly and powerfully explains what your organization needs to do to become healthy:

1) Build a cohesive leadership team,

2) Create clarity,

3) Overcommunicate clarity, and

4) Reinforce clarity.

Check out this great two minute video of Lencioni describing the 5 dysfunctions of a team: https://www.tablegroup.com/topics-and-resources/teamwork-5-dysfunctions/

And here is the self assessment to see which of the 5 behaviors your team is strong in and needs to improve: https://alonso-cadenas.github.io/team-dysfunctions-assessment/assessment

 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In the field of education, we have no choice, AI is here to stay. So, listen to this whimsical conversation with Technology Coach, Jason Strzalkowski, whose enthusiasm for all-things-AI-in-schools is infectious!

Yes, we share ideas to spice up teaching to make learning more engaging, accessible, and equitable. But we know our listeners are busy educational leaders so you will be excited to hear ways to save principals and district leaders TIME with some AI efficiency hacks specifically for our field.

And Jason was kind enough to compile a list of AI Tools for Educators: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1WbVM1pubX5FP4m9zcGyvQ07guJz7lFHbl-ilvdTPw/edit 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn and I interview Peter Liljedahl, the author of Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning. As former math teachers, Jenn and I had a great time talking with Peter about concrete and actionable ways teachers can improve math instruction. The practices are simple, high impact, and are easy and cheap to implement. Given what we know now, not implementing these 14 practices borders on educational malpractice.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

The research is clear: to provide equitable learning opportunities for all, schools must actively include students with disabilities alongside their peers in general education settings.School leaders don’t need a degree in special education to lead their school toward more equitable and inclusive education for all, but they do need to watch, listen, ask questions, and learn all they can about the law and research-backed practices.

In this episode, Jenn and I interview Belinda Karge, the author of Watch, Listen, Ask, Learn How School Leaders Can Create an Inclusive Environment for Students with Disabilities. Belinda shares practical strategies for school leaders to support all teachers in helping to create an inclusive environment for all students, and for students with disabilities in particular.

If you're up for a classic episode about special education. Check out this one from September 2015 where I interviewed two special education attorneys - one who represents students and families, the other represents school districts: Stay Out of Trouble with Special Education Law. It’s a lively conversation.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

Are you the type of leader who gets up at 4:00 AM to exercise before work? Then this episode is for you. Are you the type of leader who NEVER gets up at 4:00 AM to exercise before work? Then this episode is for you, too.

Kelly and Juliet Starrett are highly regarded exercise and health gurus (they mention working with Barack Obama in the podcast!) and they believe that MOVEMENT throughout the day has a much more profound impact on the body (and mind!) than just doing an hour at the gym each day. Plus, they say you can weave it into your already insanely busy day.  

Why a podcast about physical health for the busy educational leader? We want you to be healthier, feel better, and have fewer aches and pains so you can stay in school leadership longer. Your school and your district are counting on you, and these practical ideas can help. 

Listen as Kelly and Juliet share some super practical ideas for your own health and longevity, and a few great ideas for your school, too (listen to learn about the StandUpKids nonprofit and the idea of encouraging a WALKING BUS at your school!)

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

 

Students today are suffering from an epidemic of disconnection. School leaders I work with see it in students’ disengagement from learning and in their mental health. While there are many factors at play here, there’s no doubt that belonging is something that kids (and grown-ups too) desperately need. 

In this episode, Jenn and I interview Dominique Smith, who along with his co-authors Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Vincent Pompei, and Rachael Stewart, wrote Belonging in School Creating a Place Where Kids Want to Learn and Teachers Want to Stay.

Belonging in School is an actionable and illustrated playbook that will have you excited to take immediate steps and try out some new strategies today for making your school a place where everyone feels that they belong.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn interviews Mike about what new principals need to think about as they begin the new school year. Here is Mike's top ten list:

1. Listen and Learn
2. Communicate Effectively
3. Lead by Example
4. Stay Visible
5. Manage Your Time
6. Empower Your Teams
7. Build Relationships
8. Set Clear Goals
9. Embrace Conflict
10. Prioritize Self-Care

If you would like us to go deeper on any of these individual topics, let us know.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn has a lively conversation with Ann Mausbach and Kimberly Morrison about their book Differentiated Supervision: Growing Teachers and Getting Results and how much of an impact you can have as a school leader by EXPANDING your supervisory practices beyond the typical individual observation and feedback we all do.   Instead, they suggest we include other practices such as observing teacher teams and giving feedback to the whole school. And observing for themes throughout the school and giving whole-school feedback. There's a lot to their DIFFERENTIATED SUPERVISION model so listen in to learn more.    This process is so effective that Kim Morrison (a current principal) has seen a 40% improvement in student achievement in 4 years using this differentiated supervision model.   To find the authors, you can email them at anntmausbach@gmail.com (Ann) and kkazmierczak@cbcsd.org (Kim) or on X (formerly Twitter) @amausbach and @kkimor or they can be found on Corwin's website https://us.corwin.com/books/diff-supervision-278182?id=616349

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea, and I interview Berit Gordon about her book The Joyful Teacher: Strategies for Becoming the Teacher Every Student Deserves. This was a fantastic conversation about teaching and learning and what leaders can do to support teachers. Learn more about Berit and her work at her website.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this fourth special episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea, and I talk about resources to help school leaders with teacher supervision and evaluation. To support this work, Jenn has gathered her summaries three must-read books:

• Now We're Talking! 21 Days to High-Performance Instructional Leadership by Justin Baeder

• Rethinking Teacher Supervision and Evaluation: How to Work Smart, Build Collaboration, and Close the Achievement Gap by Kim Marshall

• Leverage Leadership 2.0: A Practical Guide to Building Exceptional Schools by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

These three books are a great place to start if you are looking to work on your knowledge and skills related to teacher supervision and evaluation. If you head to The Main Idea website, you can see this and other lists of Jenn’s Must-Read Books for School Leaders.

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes, including great non-education books with lessons for school leaders you can email me at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

I would really appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It helps a lot. And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with your colleagues.

If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, feel free to contact me directly at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

Stay connected with me here:

• Official Website: theschoolleadershipshow.org
• YouTube: youtube.com/@theschoolleadershipshow
• Facebook: facebook.com/theschoolleadershipshow
• Instagram: instagram.com/theschoolleadershipshow

 

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea, interviews Adam Drummond about his book The Instructional Change Agent: Instructional Change Agent: 48 Ways to Be the Leader Your School Needs. Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and you can subscribe to The Main Idea at this link: https://www.themainidea.net/subscribe/

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this third special episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about resources to help school leaders be more organized, productive, and effective. To support this work, Jenn has gathered her summaries four must-read books:

• The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg

• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear

• Getting Things Done, by David Allen

• The Together Leader: Get Organized for Your Success - and Sanity!, by Maia Heyck-Merlin

These four books are a great place to start if you are looking to work on improving your organization and productivity.

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes, including great non-education books with lessons for school leaders you can email me at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

I would really appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It helps a lot. And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with your colleagues.

If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, feel free to contact me directly at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

Stay connected with me here:

• Official Website: theschoolleadershipshow.org
• YouTube: youtube.com/@theschoolleadershipshow
• Facebook: facebook.com/theschoolleadershipshow
• Instagram: instagram.com/theschoolleadershipshow

 

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea, and I interview Jim Knight about his book Better Conversations: Coaching Ourselves and Each Other to Be More Credible, Caring, and Connected. While our conversation was mainly about conversations, we did head off on some great tangents. Learn more about the Jim and his work at his website.

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Jane A. G. Kise and Ann Holm about their book Educator Bandwidth: How to Reclaim Your Energy, Passion, and Time. This was a compelling conversation with implications for professionals across our systems. To learn more about the authors and their work, please visit their page at ASCD.org. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Michael Hass and Amy Ardell about their book Supporting Student Mental Health: Essentials for Teachers. Specifically, we talked about the authors’ 4R framework of helpful skills to develop: relate, recognize, respond, and refer. Michael mentioned the suicide prevention resources at The Lighthouse Project aat Columbia University. Here is the link to the website: https://cssrs.columbia.edu/. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Bill Sommers about his book Responding to Resistance: Thirty Strategies to Manage Conflict in Your School (An educational leadership guide to conflict management in the school community). Bill is a seasoned leader with a ton of experience and the sense of humor to match. This conversation could easily have lasted hours. His no-nonsense, straightforward approach to conflict is something we can all learn from. To learn more about Bill and his work visit his website: http://learningomnivores.com/. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn had the privilege of speaking to three rising juniors in college, all of whom want to become teachers. While we've spent so much time fearing the loss of teachers from our field, it was so inspiring to remember that some energetic young people are going to bring so much to our schools, too. Exciting!

The passion of these three young women — Annie Morrison, Audrey Garfinkel, and Isabella Argote — was palpable! First of all, they KNOW kids — from teaching swimming and ballet to being camp counselors to starting an innovative virtual book club for young people during Covid — and will bring these rich experiences to our schools.

Whether you want ideas for how to work with our youngest teachers or you just want to be inspired, you should listen to this episode! You may end up wanting their resumes in a couple years...

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

 

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I discuss Dan Pink’s book The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. Dan Pink is one of my favorite authors, and I never miss an opportunity to talk about his work. This was a fantastic conversation on a topic that is so important to  everyone’s mental health and well-being. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Joe Feldman, the author of Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms. This was an amazing conversation on a topic that is so central to our work as educators. It’s amazing that we are still so tied to a system that was designed for the Industrial Revolution. You can learn more about Joe and his great work at the website for the Crescendo Education Group, where Joe is the CEO. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Elena Aguilar about her new book with co-author Lori Cohen The PD Book: 7 Habits That Transform Professional Development. To learn more about Elena and her great work visit her website: https://brightmorningteam.com/. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea flies solo to interview John Heller and Tom Hierck the authors of Trauma-Sensitive Leadership: Creating a Safe and Predictable School Environment. It was a great conversation, and I’m sad to have missed it live, but Jenn did a great job. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I have a conversation about The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker. While not written explicitly for an education audience, the author lays  out a fantastic framework for orchestrating any type of gathering. And we have lots of gatherings in education - everything from open houses to faculty meetings. 

Jenn has done a brief (two-page) Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I have a conversation with Tom Bennett about his book Running the Room: The Teacher's Guide to Behaviour. This discussion was a blast; I haven’t laughed that hard in a while. We get into all things behavior - philosophy and practice. Definitely check out Tom’s website to learn more about his work.

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I discuss the book Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation by Shane Safir  and Jamila Dugan. We talk about what street data is and why we should care about it, equity traps and tropes, a new framework for approaching school improvement, changing pedagogy, and changing adult culture all to support improving teaching and learning.

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this second special and short episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I discuss interpersonal skills for school leaders, the things they don’t teach you principal school,  in the context of four must-read books that Jenn has summarized:

• The Listening Leader: Creating the Conditions for Equitable School Transformation by Shane Safir
• Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen
• Working With Difficult and Resistant Staff by John F. Eller and Sheila A. Eller
• Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools by Megan Tschannen-Moran

These four books are a great place to start if you are looking to work on your interpersonal skills to improve your leadership and support the people you work with.

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes, including great non-education books with lessons for school leaders you can email me at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

I would really appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It helps a lot. And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with your colleagues.

If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, feel free to contact me directly at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

Stay connected with me here:

• Official Website: theschoolleadershipshow.org
• YouTube: youtube.com/@theschoolleadershipshow
• Facebook: facebook.com/theschoolleadershipshow
• Instagram: instagram.com/theschoolleadershipshow

 

In this special and short episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I discuss leadership resilience in the context of three must-read books that Jenn has summarized and that we recorded podcasts about:

• From Burnt Out to Fired Up: Reigniting Your Passion for Teaching by Morgane Michael
• Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators by Elena Aguilar
• The Mindful School Leader: Practices to Transform Your Leadership and School by Valerie Brown and Kirsten Olson

These three books are a great place to start if you want to dig more deeply into the idea of leadership resilience.

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes, including great non-education books with lessons for school leaders you can email me at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

I would really appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It helps a lot. And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with your colleagues.

If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, feel free to contact me directly at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com.

Stay connected with me here:

• Official Website: theschoolleadershipshow.org
• YouTube: youtube.com/@theschoolleadershipshow
• Facebook: facebook.com/theschoolleadershipshow
• Instagram: instagram.com/theschoolleadershipshow

 

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk with Jeff Zwiers about his book Next Steps with Academic Conversations: New Ideas for Improving Learning Through Classroom Talk. We talked about the importance of teaching and supporting students to have better academic conversations with one another. We also get into strategies that teachers can use to support students and how school leaders might approach helping teachers and students with this important work. To learn more about Jeff and his work, please visit his website: https://jeffzwiers.org/. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of Jeff’s book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

According to Beverly Cleary (yes, that Beverly Cleary), “Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school.” Jenn and I couldn't agree more, and that’s why in this episode we talk about the book The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri S. Lesesne (Heinemann, 2022). Here’s more of what we know:

• Decades of over-testing and standardized learning has crowded out students’ joy in reading. When it comes to reading, students report they are bored and uninterested. Research tells us that this undermines reading achievement.

• Fortunately, educators at every level can cultivate reading joy by supporting students’ reading independence and reading community. And it can be done without abandoning evidence-based instruction.

Enjoy the second part of this lively conversation about this critically important topic.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk with Morgane Michael about her new book From Burnt Out to Fired Up: Reigniting Your Passion for Teaching. This was another one of those conversations that flew by. I feel like we could have talked for hours. We get into Morgane’s research-based approach to this important topic. She shares real and effective strategies for educators to manage their own self care in a way that makes sense. Morgane also has a podcast that I encourage you to check out, KindSight 101, where she interviews “world renowned educational leaders about the mobilizing power of kindness.”

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of Morgane’s book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. Additionally, Solution Tree Press, the publisher of Morgane’s book, has compiled and curated a set of Wellness Solutions for Educators that is definitely worth a look.

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I have a conversation with Joe Jones and T.J. Vari about their book Candid and Compassionate Feedback: Transforming Everyday Practice in Schools. We talk about how leaders can empower teachers and change culture with an approach to feedback that can be challenging for many leaders who have developed ineffective habits over time. We could have gone on for hours. These gentlemen bring a level of experience and insight to school leadership that is both refreshing and instructive. You can learn more about their work at their website: TheSchoolHouse302.com.

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, I interview Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and Kim Marshall of The Marshall Memo about their recent collaboration on The Best of the Marshall Memo website. This curated and expertly-organized collection of resources is a treasure trove of awesomeness for all educators. In addition to the best of the best Marshall Memo summaries of articles in 22 categories, there are actionable professional learning activities for leaders to implement today related to those topics. We had a great conversation, and it will be clear to you how these free resources can improve your practice. And if you haven’t already, it’s time to subscribe to The Main Idea and The Marshall Memo.

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, semi-regular co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Candace Raskin and Melissa Krull, who, along with Antonia J. Felix, are the authors of Principal Leadership for Racial Equity: A Field Guide for Developing Race Consciousness. These seasoned school leaders are phenomenal thinkers and are at the forefront of this important work. I can’t believe how fast this conversation went; it was amazing.  Here’s the link to the authors’ website, which also includes a link to the book and all of the chapter resources: https://www.racialequityleadership.com/. The publisher’s website has  additional information as well. 

Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, regular co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Craig Randall, author of Trust-Based Observations: Maximizing Teaching and Learning Growth. This was a great conversation and made me want to get back into classrooms and work directly with teachers again. Craig mentioned the Trust-Based Observation/Reflection form that he developed. The most recent version of the form can be found here. 

Jenn David-Lang has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, I interview Joanne Quinn, coauthor of the books Deep Learning: Engage the World Change the World and Dive Into Deep Learning: Tools for Engagement. This was one of the fastest 30 minutes of conversation I have experienced in a while. Joanne was amazing! You can access many of the authors’ materials about deep learning at their website: https://deep-learning.global/. You can also learn more about their upcoming Global Deep Learning Lab at https://deep-learning.global/dll21/. 

 

Jenn David-Lang has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, frequent co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Kate Barker, Kourtney Ferrua, and Rachael George about their book Principaled: Navigating the Leadership Learning Curve. This wildly practical text provided us with tremendous fodder for a wonderful and honest conversation about all things principal. Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, frequent co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Danny Bauer who produces the wildly popular school leadership podcast Better Leaders Better Schools. We had a great and wide-ranging conversation about Danny’s new book Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader and how Danny approaches his masterminds groups. Here is a link to a free chapter of the book.

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, I interview Doug Fisher and Dominique Smith who, along with Nancy Frey and John Hattie, co-authored the book Leading the Rebound: 20+ Must-Dos to Restart Teaching and Learning. This was a great conversation about what school leaders and all educators need to be thinking about as they plan for a post-pandemic school year. Jenn David Lang has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and If you would like a copy, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I interview Cornelius Minor about his book We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be. This was a fun and wide-ranging conversation about all things equity and how teachers and school leaders can work in the system and on the system to improve school for all kids. If you would like a copy of Jenn’s summary of Cornelius’s book, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Also, Cornelius and his publisher graciously gave me a few books to give away. Email me at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com if you would like a copy - while supplies last.

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

“If you’re not reading by the end of third grade, there’s a 70% chance you won’t become a proficient reader.” That’s what author Karen Gazith told us as we talked with her about her most recent book, The Power of Effective Reading Instruction: How Neuroscience Informs Instruction Across All Grades and Disciplines. Here’s more of what we know:

• Neuroscience and decades of research have provided a clear understanding of how children learn to read and how teachers can help them when they struggle with reading.

• Teachers in every grade level and content area need to provide their students with evidence-based instruction, strategies, and interventions that will support their reading development and empower them to succeed in school and life.

Enjoy this lively conversation about a controversial but important topic.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

 

Co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about her recent foray into the world of masterminds groups for school leaders as a tool for professional learning. It was a great conversation, and I learned a ton. If you would like to know more about the groups that Jenn is running, you can email her at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

Co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about her summary of The Influential School Leader: Inspiring Teachers, Students, and Families Through Social and Organizational Psuchology by Craig Murphy and John D’Auria. If you would like a copy of this summary, you can email Jenn at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net. 

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

Co-host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about her summary of The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make by Ron Lieber. Jenn and I roped Jenn’s husband Tim into the conversation. Tim has many years of experience as a guidance counselor and college counselor. If you would like a copy of this summary, you can email Jenn at Jenn@TheMainIdea.net

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

Part 2 of 2. Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about her summary of The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12: Teaching for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie. If you would like a copy of this summary, you can email Jenn at J.David-Lang@TheMainIdea.net.

Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.