This is a continuation of our coaching calls with Eric Makelky. Please check our previous episodes 532, 527, 523 519 514, 510, 506, and 501

In this episode, we talk about onboarding new staff.

• What Eric has done that has been helpful.
• District duties and Principal duties.
• How do we make people stick around?
• New Teacher Academy - in-house teachers come in and model, share, and showcase practices from their classroom.
• In-house people leading these things.
• Half-day around the building - basic information.
• Make a list, and trickle in during the summer.
• And what do they really need to be ready for the first day of school?
• Resources, curriculum, plan, classroom management.
• Big Picture vs. Details.
• How do you do that?
• Trello Board about onboarding
• How do you avoid overwhelming them?
• Identify what is really valuable and what is extra
• Mentoring new teachers
• How do you not force mentoring on teachers?
• Collaborative teams within PLCs.
  1. Solid mentor
  2. Mentorship is done according to the needs of the mentee
  3. It’s about mentoring culture not just pedagogy.
• Have retired teachers come and be mentors when appropriate.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year.

Do you ever doubt your decisions as a principal. As a principal myself, I understand the constant second-guessing and the toll it can take on confidence.

Discover the symptoms of self-doubt, from questioning every decision to hesitancy in sharing innovative ideas. Understand the root cause of self-doubt and why it can hinder leadership effectiveness.

Learn what doesn't work when trying to combat self-doubt and uncover practical strategies to stop it in its tracks. From remembering your value to setting realistic expectations and developing a support system, we've got you covered.

Enhance your job satisfaction and stop doubting your decisions by tuning in and taking action. If you're ready to take the next step, check out the free workshop on How to Stop Doubting Your Decisions as a School Leader. Click HERE to take the workshop.

After you finish listening, I would love to hear your most significant takeaway from today's episode. Take a screenshot of yourself listening on your device, share it on your Instagram stories, and tag me, @BarbFlowersCoaching.

While you're there, please ensure you follow me on Instagram so you can get a behind-the-scenes look at how I assist educators in reducing stress, preventing burnout, and how you can benefit as well.

Connect with Barb:
Website

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year.

In this episode of Transformative Principal, Jethro Jones engages in a profound discussion with Sean Slade, co-head of North America at BTS Spark, about reevaluating traditional perceptions of leadership, particularly around the management of emotions. Sean challenges the archetype of the stoic, emotionless leader, suggesting that vulnerability, emotion, and personal connection are crucial elements for effective leadership, especially highlighted by observations from the first year of the pandemic. The conversation delves into how leaders who embraced their humanity, admitting uncertainty and fostering relationships, tended to succeed more. Drawing on a study and the insights from the book Embracing MESSY Leadership, Sean emphasizes the critical role of emotions in building trust, cultivating teamwork, and enhancing problem-solving capacities. He argues for a shift from controlling to exercising and utilizing emotions as strategic tools in leadership. The podcast also touches on the practical aspects of having difficult conversations and the importance of authenticity, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness in leadership roles. Sean concludes by underscoring the evolving understanding of leadership as beyond a series of tasks, advocating for emotional adeptness as a key leadership skill.

• Maybe the emotionless leader is not quite correct.
• MESSY Leadership came out of the pandemic
• The leaders who were able to make personal connections, build relationships and show vulnerability did quite well.
• Exercise your emotion rather than controlling your emotions.
• Admit uncertainty
• Pose questions back to team
• High level of self-awareness and self-confidence
• Everyone wants to feel like they matter and they want to belong.
• You are part of this community.
• Don’t we want to be authentic ourselves?
• Get communication cards.
• Leadership as a series of tasks and duties.
• Making people feel happy on a surface level.
• What’s putting you in the box? And how do you get out of it?
• Leadership is not a series of checklists.

Links:

• Sean Slade's website: https://www.seanslade.com/
• MESSY Leadership
• Jethro’s Communication Cards: https://www.jethrojones.com/communication-cards

About Sean Slade

Sean is the Co-Head of North America at BTS Spark. He is an education leader, speaker and author, with nearly three decades of experience in education, both in the US and globally. With a strong background in education reform and wellbeing, he has driven policy change, implemented initiatives, and developed educational leaders, to enhance the social impact of education. As Senior Director of Global Outreach at ASCD, Sean launched and grew the ASCD Whole Child Network to 1,800 members, 350 school districts and 56 countries. He is a Social & Emotional Learning expert for NBC Today, advisory member for OECD’s Future of Education & Skills 2030, a founding member of the UNESCO Chair on Global Health & Education. He has written for the Washington Post, Huffington Post, EdWeek, and is a frequent keynote speaker.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year.