Have a Good Life: August 2017

Three Tips to Overcome the Savior Complex Transformative Principal 1036

Wednesday, August 30, 2017 by jethrojones

Jethro goes solo and talks about the Savior complex that many have in education and gives three tips on how to overcome it:

1. Don't judge parents

2. Lead with positive intentions

3. Recognize the good that people are doing

The truth is, our parents are awesome, and they are doing the best they can.

New Episode of @TrnFrmPrincipal

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You Get what You Expect with Nicholas Fischer Transformative Principal 189

Sunday, August 27, 2017 by jethrojones

You Get what You Expect

Nicholas A. Fischer is a school-management consultant and coach. He was the superintendent of the New London, Conn., school district from 2009 to 2014. Previously, he was the superintendent of schools in Fall River, Mass., and the Christina School District in Newark, Del.; the assistant superintendent in Fairfax County, Va.; and the associate commissioner for finance and accountability in the Massachusetts Department of Education.

Leading a District Can Be Controversial, Embrace it
Be clear to yourself about what your values are.
Working in public schools is very important.
Started working Florida as a principal when corporal punishment was still allowed.
Telling kids what we wanted them to do instead of what we don’t want them to do.
Problems in American Public education: Our expectations are too low.
All of us have special abilities
Every child can be expected to be out a maximum effort.
What we expect in engagement is different than what kids are taught growing up.
What are the ramifications of doing the right thing?
What are the right questions to ask a supervisor?
Are you mobile enough to find the right places to work?
Know what you believe, and talk to your supervisor, let your spouse know the ups and downs you will face.
That’s one way of doing it, but here’s a better way.
You have to know what the stakes are going in, and be willing to live with them.
Average tenure of Superintendent is 2-3 years. Average tenure of principals is a little longer.
Reasons for moving vary.
In some situations, leaving a situation can be a badge of honor.
Why are you staying if you’re struggling?
Get candid feedback about how you’re portraying yourself.
Much better off being honest with those we are talking with.
Don’t use the statement, “Don’t take this personally.”
I’d like to hear your version of what you see yourself doing.
Set up an active listening conversation.
We too often end a statement with “You know what I mean?”
Distinguish between what a person is doing and what you would like to see them doing.
Tell me what you think I’m asking you to do.
Sit down a couple weeks later and talking about what they have changed.
I don’t assume anything.
How to be a transformative principal? Transformative to do what? If you were to describe what you are trying to accomplish, define what is happening right now in your school. Think through how you frame things. Define what you perceive happening. Start to talk about what the difference is between what people are doing what you want them to do.
If you’re going to have a safe school, everyone needs to be involved.

Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life!

Join my group coaching program

Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.

Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.

Buy Communication Cards

Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com

Download Paperless Principal.

Web Site

Transformative Principal on Stitcher

Refer A Principal

Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

New Episode of @TrnFrmPrincipal

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Enjoy the Journey with Jethro Jones Transformative Principal 1035

Wednesday, August 23, 2017 by jethrojones

This is my "practice" of my opening day remarks to my staff. I practiced it as though I was going to give it to the staff, so I didn't record when I was giving it to the staff. Here is the Powerpoint to go along with it if you are interested.

The actual meeting with staff took an hour, so this is an abbreviated version.

New Episode of @TrnFrmPrincipal

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Dont try to change people try to change behavior 188

Sunday, August 20, 2017 by jethrojones

We make time for what we really believe. Good collaboration takes time, but bad collaboration takes even more time.

Tom Hierck can be found at his web site.

superintendent department of ed, 34 years in education.
Great educators all over the place.
Seven Keys to a Positive Learning Environment in Your Classroom
I have yet to meet a kid who is connected who disappoints.
If you build them, they will learn.
Learn every kid’s DNA, Dreams, Needs, Abilities
Start with something simple.
Every kid wants adult time and we should make that positive.
Focus on the kids
Kids don’t get consequenced to better behavior.
Don’t try to change people, try to change behavior.
Have adult conversations about what we are going to do with kids.
You can’t manage every classroom from your office.
Be the “Judicious Parent”
What is managed within and what is managed without the classroom.
The difference between rules and expectations.
What it looks like, feels, like, sounds like.
If we don’t model what we expect, then we should expect what we model.
How to work with challenging team members?
If everyone is nodding their head in agreement, you know somebody is leaving in disagreement.
Sometimes, we just follow someone and deal with what they left behind.
Leadership Rule #1, whether you create it or condone it, you own it.
How to deal with the comfortable, but not good.
Get clarity on our purpose.
Knowing the skills you have, how do you see that aligning with our purpose.
When it gets tough, we will turn to each other when we have clarity of purpose.
We do construction work in times of calm.
Ineffective practices = easy.
We have to get to the hard stuff and be willing to get messy to service 100 % of our kids.
How to find time. We make time for what we really believe.
Good collaboration takes time, but Bad collaborations takes even more time.
Chase time doesn’t work
How to be a transformative principal? Ensure that relationships are healthy and positive. Being positive doesn’t guarantee a good outcome, but being negative does guarantee a negative outcome.

Join my group coaching program

Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.

Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.

Buy Communication Cards

Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com

Download Paperless Principal.

Web Site

Transformative Principal on Stitcher

Refer A Principal

Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

New Episode of @TrnFrmPrincipal

Posted in: podcast | 0 comments | |

Rules turn students into classroom lawyers with Tom Hierck Transformative Principal 187

Sunday, August 13, 2017 by jethrojones

Don’t try to change people, try to change behavior.

Tom Hierck can be found at his web site.

superintendent department of ed, 34 years in education.
Great educators all over the place.
Seven Keys to a Positive Learning Environment in Your Classroom
I have yet to meet a kid who is connected who disappoints.
If you build them, they will learn.
Learn every kid’s DNA, Dreams, Needs, Abilities
Start with something simple.
Every kid wants adult time and we should make that positive.
Focus on the kids
Kids don’t get consequenced to better behavior.
Don’t try to change people, try to change behavior.
Have adult conversations about what we are going to do with kids.
You can’t manage every classroom from your office.
Be the “Judicious Parent”
What is managed within and what is managed without the classroom.
The difference between rules and expectations.
What it looks like, feels, like, sounds like.
If we don’t model what we expect, then we should expect what we model.
How to work with challenging team members?
If everyone is nodding their head in agreement, you know somebody is leaving in disagreement.
Sometimes, we just follow someone and deal with what they left behind.
Leadership Rule #1, whether you create it or condone it, you own it.
How to deal with the comfortable, but not good.
Get clarity on our purpose.
Knowing the skills you have, how do you see that aligning with our purpose.
When it gets tough, we will turn to each other when we have clarity of purpose.
We do construction work in times of calm.
Ineffective practices = easy.
We have to get to the hard stuff and be willing to get messy to service 100 % of our kids.
How to find time. We make time for what we really believe.
Good collaboration takes time, but Bad collaborations takes even more time.
Chase time doesn’t work
How to be a transformative principal? Ensure that relationships are healthy and positive. Being positive doesn’t guarantee a good outcome, but being negative does guarantee a negative outcome.