The School Leadership Show

In this episode of The School Leadership Show, I sit down with Dr. L. Oliver Robinson to discuss his two decades of leadership at Shenendehowa. Dr. Robinson shares his unique path from economics into the superintendency, explaining why he remains a lifelong learner within the craft of school administration. We get… Read more

What if the best self-care strategy for school leaders isn't another wellness activity, but learning how to lead from a more regulated place? In this episode of The School Leadership Show, I sit down with Erica Ebert to move beyond the "yoga your way out of it" clichés and talk about what real self-care and regulated… Read more

In this episode of The School Leadership Show, I interview acclaimed author and reading expert Timothy Shanahan. We delve into Timothy's new book, 'Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives' discussing the troubling stagnation in U.S. reading levels and how traditional approaches to reading instruction have failed over the… Read more

In this episode of the School Leadership Show, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amanda Bickerstaff, co-founder and CEO of AI for Education . We delved into Amanda's rich background in education and her pioneering work with AI. Amanda shared her journey from teaching high school biology in New York City to founding… Read more

In this episode, I, Mike Doughty facilitates a conversation with cabinet level leaders sponsored by the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS). The group talked about strategies for finding the joy in work, cultivating positive culture in the workplace, and striving for work-life balance. If you're… Read more

In this special episode from the NYSCATE Conference, I, Mike Doughty, and Christy Bezrutczyk discuss the influence of technology and AI on the developing student brain. We examine recent findings in neuroscience, the impact of screen time and blue light on learning and behavior, and the evolving role of AI in… Read more

I am excited to share a conversation I had recently with the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) on The President's Gavel podcast. This episode, based on a popular session from this year's Leadership in Education Event, explores media literacy and why it is arguably the most crucial skill set we need to… Read more

How important is it to stay in touch with pop culture as a school leader? In this episode, I chat with Brooke Hammerling, the host of "Pop Culture Mondays… on Thursdays" podcast and the author of the widely read Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter. We dive into Brooke's unique journey from PR and communications to becoming… Read more

How does one navigate the journey from English teacher to Superintendent? In this episode, I sit down with the recently retired Marie Wiles in a unique in-person interview. We dive deep into her 36-year-long career, from early teaching days and curriculum development to her tenure in various leadership roles,… Read more

Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of leadership today? Tune in to learn how building your self-regulation can help you navigate dysregulated times and have more effective conversations. In this episode, my co-host Jenn David-Lang and I had the pleasure of speaking with the amazing Jennifer Abrams, whom I see as… Read more

In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Howie Schneider, the executive director of the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University's School of Communication and Journalism. Howie shared his fascinating journey from a 35-year career in journalism, including being the editor of Newsday, to leading… Read more

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang interviews Jenice Pizzuto and Steven Carney about their book Implement with IMPACT: A Strategic Framework for Leading School and District Initiatives. The discussion focuses on their strategic framework for effectively implementing school and district initiatives using research-based… Read more

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang sits down with renowned educator and turnaround Principal Kafele to discuss his latest—and most personally significant—book: "What Is My Value Instructionally to the Teachers I Supervise?" This conversation zeroes in on the principal's role as an instructional leader. Principal Kafele… Read more

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang took the reins and had a fascinating conversation with Michael McDowell, author of Rigor Redefined: 10 Teaching Habits for Surface, Deep, and Transfer Learning. Listen to the podcast to hear how Michael challenges our traditional understanding of rigor. Apparently, rigor isn't just… Read more

In this episode, I'm incredibly excited to be joined by two amazing people: my fantastic co-host, Jenn David-Lang, who's also stepping in as a guest today, and the one and only Kim Marshall! We're diving into a topic that feels more important than ever right now: supporting new teachers. It's something I'm seeing… Read more

In this episode, Jenn and I are thrilled to welcome William Parker! A longtime educator from Oklahoma who transitioned into full-time consulting, speaking, and writing, Will is the author of "Messaging Matters" and his new book, "Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: An Educator's Guide to Doing What You Love" Will… Read more

In this episode, Jenn has a conversation with one of the educators who was featured prominently in Harry and Rosemary Wong's latest book, THE New Teacher Induction Book: How to Recruit, Train, and Retain New Teachers . Tara Link is a leader who started an induction program 18 years ago in Moberly, Missouri. She joined… Read more

March is Women's History Month! This episode features a conversation with LaVonna Roth, an inspirational speaker and consultant whose work has inspired women leaders everywhere. Jenn introduced LaVonna, highlighting her impactful speaking on leadership. LaVonna shared her "S.H.I.N.E." framework, initially for students… Read more

Responding to emergencies takes two things: leadership and communication. Are you prepared? Mike and Jenn had a truly productive conversation with school preparedness expert, Chris Joffe. He talked about everything from why leaders need to start with themselves and understand how THEY respond to emergencies. He also… Read more

Khalid Oluewu, principal of Webster Elementary School in Chicago, has done what many principals would love to do: He has created structures and practices at his school to ACCELERATE learning for all, and in particular for Black males. Wow. The idea started when he was a teacher and taught middle school math and had… Read more

After 30 years in the field Elena Aguilar gathered all of her experience and learning and put together the most powerful book on coaching we've seen -- Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching . Elena sees coaching as the way -- one conversation at a time -- that we transform our schools. In this deeply insightful… Read more

Mike returns to the podcast! Jenn and Mike had a great conversation with Coach Carlos about his book Power Engage: Seven Power Moves for Building Strong Relationships to Increase Engagement with Students. No, he's not a coach of a sports team, but a former school leader who has successfully turned around three failing… Read more

Megan Tshannen-Moran and Jenn had a delightful conversation about the power of trust in schools. It is one of three factors that is so powerful that it oustrips SES in predicting student achievement. Far from being a "soft skill," building trust has become a must-have skill for educational leaders. In this… Read more

What a great conversation about the new book, The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers that Make Learning More Engaging! Jenn got to talk to all three of the authors: Meghan Hargrave, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey and learned so much. We discussed everything from what AI is and isn't, to… Read more

You probably know Charles Duhigg from his book, The Power of Habit. Or maybe Smarter Faster Better. Now he has a newer book out that is another great resource for school leaders — Supercommunnicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Charles shares with Jenn how people mess up communication and how to… Read more

Jenn had an outstanding conversation with Robert Feirsen, one of the two authors of From Conflict to Collaboration , along with author Seth Weitzman. They chatted about the tough stuff – like how prevalent conflict is in schools and a number of the sources of that conflict. But then Robert shared the positive way he… Read more

Jenn made me do this episode. I really didn't wat to, but I'm glad we did. As we approach the upcoming presidential election, you may remember the fallout from the last two elections. Some school communities experienced heightened divisions, increased bullying, more tension in classrooms, and a general sense of… Read more

Kim Marshall needs no introduction. He is the most recognized name in the field of educational leadership because he is the person behind the weekly Marshall Memo -- a subscription service that provides curated summaries of the most important articles in education each week. In this podcast Kim provides an overview of… Read more

In this episode, Jenn and I interview Dave Blanchard, a seasoned superintendent from a school district in Upstate New York. Three years ago Dave's district implemented a distraction-free environment, which included no cell phones during the school day. We talk about this leadership challenge in the context of Jonathan… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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,… Read more

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.… Read more

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,… Read more

"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 .… Read more

In this fifth special episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about resources to help school leaders with building better teams. To support this work, Jenn has gathered her summaries of three must-read books: Learning by Doing by Richard DuFour et al. - This book shows how to effectively implement PLCs so… Read more

In this episode, we're shining a light on a pressing issue in the educational landscape: teacher burnout and attrition. With schools across the nation feeling the impact, we turn to expert Chase Mielke, author of Illuminate the Way: The School Leader's Guide to Addressing and Preventing Teacher Burnout (ASCD, 2023),… Read more

DEI feels like it's becoming the (a) third rail in K-12 education. The quote in the title is from Verna Myers, VP of inclusion strategy at Netflix, and is included in Ruchika Tulshyan's book Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work . In this episode, Jenn and I have a… Read more

Many of us as educators have assumed that the kids with strong grades and strong test scores were set up for success. Isn't that what we were supposed to work toward in schools? Dr. Borba has interviewed scores of students and has found that these 2 areas – grades and test scores – are not the markers of success today… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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:… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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,… Read more

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… Read more

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: Listen and Learn Communicate Effectively Lead by Example Stay Visible Manage Your Time Empower Your Teams Build Relationships Set Clear Goals Embrace Conflict Prioritize… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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:… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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,… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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 .… Read more

Part 1 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… Read more

Welcome to Season 3 of The School Leadership Show. In this episode Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about a new set of resources that she has developed to help school leaders through these challenging times. This series of one-pagers titled Leading in Disruptive Times each address an important topic in a… Read more

In this episode Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk with Will Parker about his new book Messaging Matters: How School Leaders Can Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities , which Jenn has summarized in The Main Idea. You can learn more about Will and his work at his website:… Read more

In this episode Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about student engagement. Our conversation is based on the book Engagement by Design: Creating Learning Environments Where Students Thrive by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Russell Quaglia, Dominique Smith, and Lisa Lande, which Jenn has recently summarized in… Read more

Teru Clavel is a comparative international education specialist, speaker, and author. Her book World Class: One Mother's Journey Halfway Around the Globe in Search of the Best Education for Her Children , is a must-read for anyone interested in improving our education systems in the United States. Teru and I have a… Read more

Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about critical feedback and difficult conversations. Our conversation is based on a chapter in a new book by Jenn David-Lang and Kim Marshall - The Best of the Marshall Memo Book One: Ideas and Action Steps to Energize Leadership, Teaching, and Learning . This is a… Read more

In this episode educator and author Kim Marshall ( www.marshallmemo.com ) and I talk about his new book co-authored with Jenn David Lang ( www.themainidea.net ) - The Best of the Marshall Memo Book One: Ideas and Action Steps to Energize Leadership, Teaching, and Learning . We talk about the structure of the book and… Read more

Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about interviewing and hiring teachers. Our conversation is based on a chapter in a new book by Jenn David-Lang and Kim Marshall - The Best of the Marshall Memo Book One: Ideas and Action Steps to Energize Leadership, Teaching, and Learning . Specifically we discuss… Read more

Guest host Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea interviews author and consultant Elena Aguilar. Elena's books - The Art of Coaching , The Art of Coaching Teams , and Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators - are must-reads for all school leaders. Jenn and Elena focus their deep and wide-ranging conversation… Read more

Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea returns to the show, and we talk with Grant Lichtman about his new book Moving the Rock: Seven Levers WE Can Press to Transform Education . This is an amazingly thought-provoking conversation about where we ought to be heading in education. The best way to reach Grant is at his… Read more

Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea returns to the show and we nerd out on the book Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had: Ideas and Strategies for Vibrant Classrooms by Tracy Johnston Zager. As two former math teachers this conversation is wide ranging and fun. Here's a link to the companion website to the book… Read more

In this episode I sit down with Nicola Giardina, a museum educator, consultant, and founder of Inspiring Learners through Art. She has also recently published The More We Look, the Deeper it Gets: Transforming the Curriculum Through Art . Nicola and I talk about her approach to engaging students in higher level… Read more

In this episode I sit down with Mike Petrilli, the president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute , and wildly prolific writer about education and education policy. We also talk about how policy can and and ought to policy into practice at the local level. I wanted to share a little more about Mike's background from the… Read more

This episode is a departure from our usual fare on the School Leadership Show. Today I sit down with Jack, a high school junior with an uncanny knowledge of film and pop culture. Jack is the co-host of The Everything Geek podcast (available in iTunes and @EveryGeekPod on Twitter), and he and I argue about the best… Read more

I found Dan Rockwell's blog Leadership Freak ( www.leadershipfreak.blog ) through The Marshall Memo. And now I'm hooked. His short but powerful blog posts have become part of my daily routine. During this conversation, Dan and I talk about the origin of the blog and his ongoing work with leaders through workshops,… Read more

In this episode sometimes co-host Dan White and I get into all things teams - how to build them, how to think about the larger context, and much more. 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… Read more

In this episode occasional co-host Dan White and I interview, Noah, a recent high school graduate about his experiences in a typical Upstate New York High School. Noah's candid assessment of what works and what doesn't in our classrooms is refreshing and compelling. And it's certainly not all rainbows and unicorns.… Read more

Dr. Barbara Oakley is an educator, writer, and engineer with one of the coolest backstories I've ever heard. She has become an expert on learning and her most recent book Learning How to Learn: A Guide for Kids and Teens is spectacular - so spectacular that my 16-year-old daughter was impressed. Barb and I have a… Read more

In this episode I interview former Phi Delta Kappan Editor-in-Chief Joan Richardson. Joan is now in charge of polling for PDK and she has written an article on the 50-year history of the annual Kappan poll of U.S. attitudes toward public schools ( http://pdkpoll.org/history ). There is also a cool timeline compiling… Read more

A conversation with The Main Idea's Jenn David-Lang and Justin Baeder, the author of Now We're Talking! 21 Days to High-Performance Instructional Leadership Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea returns to the show and we talk with Justin Baeder, the author of Now We're Talking! 21 Days to High-Performance Instructional… Read more

Dr. Stephanie Evergreen's books, Presenting Data Effectively and Effective Data Visualization, are must-haves for any leader who uses data (and what leader doesn't use data?). Stephanie and I talk about trends she's seeing in the world of presentations and data visualization. We also get into her 1-3-25 report format,… Read more

During this conversation, Jenn and I talk about Shane Safir's 2017 book Listening Leader: Creating the Conditions for Equitable School Transformation. At the intersection of neuroscience, mindfulness, and equity is the need to be a listening leader. Safir creates a framework and makes a case for the transformative… Read more

During this conversation, Jenn and I talk with teacher and author Jessica Lahey about her 2016 book The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So their Children Can Succeed. This is a wide-ranging discussion where we talk about so many topics like motivation and executive functioning, the critical time… Read more

A conversation with Jenn David-Lang about The Art of Coaching Teams: Building Resilient Communities That Transform Schools , a book by Elena Aguilar. During this conversation, Jenn and I talk about her summary of the book The Art of Coaching Teams: Building Resilient Communities That Transform Schools , a book by… Read more

During this conversation, Jenn and I talk about her summary of the book The Mindful School Leader: Practices to Transform Your Leadership and School , a book by Valerie Brown and Kirsten Olson. We both make a case for the need for school administrators to develop their own mindfulness practices. Science, stories, and… Read more

In this episode veteran superintendent Dan White and I have a wide-ranging conversation about context-based leadership. Much of what we talk about is drawn from our many years of working with school leaders on the state, regional, and national levels. This is the first in a series of episodes with Dan related to the… Read more

Jenn David-Lang makes her fifth appearance on the show. She still holds the record. And there's a reason I keep talking to Jenn - I always learn so much. Jenn produces The Main Idea ( http://www.themainidea.net/ ), a monthly summary of a current education book. Jenn has over 30,000 subscribers and has an incredible… Read more

Jenn David-Lang makes her fourth appearance on the show. She now holds the record. And there's a reason I keep talking to Jenn - I always learn so much. Jenn produces The Main Idea ( http://www.themainidea.net/ ), a monthly summary of a current education book. Jenn has over 30,000 subscribers and has an incredible… Read more

My favorite Professional Office Organizer, Kacy Paide, and I go a second round on getting and staying organized. Kacy shares many strategies and tips to help us all get our acts together. From the perils of too many systems to the power of structures, we get into lots of areas of organization and productivity. Kacy… Read more

Parenting and educating teenagers can be challenging. Teenage girls can take that challenge to a whole new level. In this episode Jenn David-Lang and her Husband Tim David-Lang and I discuss Lisa Damour's 2016 book Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood . Not many books have had… Read more

In this episode I interview Brad and Genevieve Ermeling, two experienced educators who have collaborated on the bestselling book Teaching Better: Igniting and Sustaining Instructional Improvement . I loved talking with this husband and wife team about everything from what works in changing practice to mistakes and… Read more

In this episode I interview Dr. Maurice Elias, an accomplished author and professor of clinical psychology and clinical health at Rutgers University. He is also the director of the Rutgers Social-Emotional Learning Lab, and Academic Director of The Collaborative, Rutgers' Center for Community-Based Research and… Read more

Dr. Rebecca Stobaugh is an experienced teacher and principal who is now an author, consultant, and college professor. Early in her career as a middle school principal, Beckie saw the need to improve the critical thinking skills of her students. We talk about what she learned during that process including the five… Read more

Mike Vardy is the host of the wildly popular Productivityist Podcast ( http://productivityist.com/ ). He is also a writer, speaker, and productivity strategist. He's also great to talk to. Mike and I have a lively discussion about all things productivity. What's cool is that we start with the big picture: task centric… Read more

In this episode I interview Erika Andersen, an author, trainer, consultant, and executive coach. The time flew by. Erika shares her recent work on how to become a better learner (from her new book Be Bad First - Get Good at Things FAST to Stay Ready for the Future ) . This might sound simple, but it's hard work. Her… Read more

In this episode I interview Tim Bowman, a teacher, author, and entrepreneur from Australia. In addition to having the best accent of anyone I've interviewed yet, Tim has a great deal to share from a teacher's perspective. His book Forget Being the Favourite: 88 Ideas on Teaching Differently is destined to become one… Read more

In this episode I interview Doug Stone, one of the authors (along with Sheila Heen) of the book Thanks for the Feedback and Jenn David-Lang who summarized the book for her Main Idea publication. We have a spirited discussion about the different types of feedback, why giving and receiving feedback can be so difficult,… Read more

In this episode I interview Andrew Sykes of Habits at Work ( www.habitsatwork.com and www.bratlab.com ). His company helps organizations of all kinds tap their greatest source of competitive advantage - their people. Andrew and I talk about the pivotal habits that are essential for helping companies (and schools)… Read more

If you're a school administrator, you probably spend more time than you would like in meetings of all kinds. In this episode Jeff Cimmerer and I talk about all things meetings - things that bug us, strategies to improve their effectiveness, and ways to avoid scheduling them in the first place. It is possible to reduce… Read more

Ever since I read her book Every Patient Tells a Story , I have wanted to talk to Dr. Lisa Sanders. Dr. Sanders is a physician, author, and teacher of physicians. Her speciality is what works and what doesn't work in the process of diagnosis. We talk about everything from how the process of diagnosis is like a… Read more

If you're like me, you probably get a lot of email, and it's one of the worst parts of your job. If email is the best part of your job, then you need a new job. In this episode Dr. Jeff Cimmerer and I talk about all things email - its history, how people use and misuse it, strategies for managing it, and much more.… Read more

In this episode I interview author, coach, triathlete, and competitive mountain bike rider Selene Yeager. Bicycling Magazine calls her the Fit Chick, and she was a lot of fun to talk to. Selene is a regular contributor to many different fitness magazines on training, nutrition, and injury prevention. I became a big… Read more

In this episode I sit down with friend and colleague, Dr. Jeff Cimmerer. Jeff is the Chief Information Officer for a large suburban school district in Upstate New York. He and I have a lively discussion about the horrible presentations we have seen during our time as school leaders. We share a bunch of dos and don'ts… Read more

In this episode I interview political reporter, television pundit, and author Eleanor Clift. Eleanor is a regular contributor to The Daily Beast and has a long history covering national politics - every presidential election since 1976. Many people know Eleanor as a perennial panelist on the syndicated talk show, "… Read more

In this episode I interview writer, speaker, and broadcaster Merlin Mann. We talk about managing all of the inputs that come your way. We go into great depth on managing email and working toward what Merlin has coined "inbox zero." We also talk about strategies for managing your time and attention in order to set… Read more

In this episode I interview two fantastic attorneys whom I've known for several years about special education law. Joyce Berkowitz has a practice representing parents, and Dave Oakes works for the Harris Beach Law Firm and represents school districts. Our lively discussion centers on what school administrators need to… Read more

We all know how to implement, right? It's not as easy as it sounds. In this episode I interview Caryn Ward. Caryn works with the National Implementation Research Network or NIRN ( http://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/ ). She is an expert on implementation science the research that supports it. We talk about the Five Implementation… Read more

In this episode I interview Professional Office Organizing Consultant Kacy Paide. We talk about how much more productive and focused you can be when your environment is organized. It sounds so simple. Why aren't more of us there already? We get into practical tips, where to start, and mistakes to avoid. Kacy mentioned… Read more

In this episode I interview Jenn David-Lang. Jenn produces The Main Idea ( http://www.themainidea.net/ ), a monthly summary of a current education book. Jenn has over 30,000 subscribers and has an incredible perspective on where we've been, where we are, and where we're headed in education. We talk about the… Read more

In this episode I go another round with educator and author Kim Marshall. This time we talk in detail about teacher observation and evaluation and ways to make the process meaningful and doable for everyone involved. Kim shares several resources including a tool that districts might consider using to help streamline… Read more

In this episode I interview Justin Murphy. Justin is a seasoned journalist who reports on education both in print and online. We talk about how school administrators can build positive relationships with the media, mistakes to avoid when working with the press, and how to figure out the real story when you have… Read more

In this episode I interview Dan White. Dan has been a school counselor, a high school principal, and a school district superintendent. He is currently the superintendent of a large educational service agency. We talk mainly about decision making, specifically how not to let another person's crisis become your crisis,… Read more

In this episode I interview Dr. Stephanie Evergreen, author of the book Presenting Data Effectively. She has worked across all sectors, including education, teaching and coaching people about how to communicate using data. We talk about what great presenters do, tips on creating good slides, how your visuals should… Read more

In this episode I interview productivity expert Erik Fisher. His podcast, Beyond the To-Do List, is essential listening for anyone looking to increase their personal productivity and improve their work-life balance. We talk about priorities, rituals, multi-tasking, getting control of your email, tools to help you stay… Read more

In this episode I interview Jill Pancoast from The Breakthrough Coach. The training that she describes in the interview has helped tens of thousands of school administrators all over the world get out of their offices and spend more time in classrooms where the real work of school is going on. We talk about the… Read more

In this episode I interview productivity author and podcaster Jeff Sanders. His wildly popular podcast The 5 AM Miracle changed my life, and I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation with Jeff. We talk about the idea of intentionality when it comes to scheduling your day, the importance of developing anchor habits, what… Read more

In this episode I interview author and communications coach Dr. Nick Morgan. Dr. Morgan is the author of many books about public speaking and communications. We talk about what makes great communicators stand out, rookie mistakes to avoid, how to communicate effectively with social media, what to do when you have to… Read more

In this episode I interview Dr. Charlie Shaw, a chiropractor and wellness expert, about what school administrators can do to increase their energy and improve their overall health. Charlie and I get into the impact of movement, hydration, and nutrition on productivity and wellness. While you may have heard some of the… Read more

In this episode I interview educator and author Kim Marshall. You can access much of Kim Marshall's work for free at www.marshallmemo.com . His weekly Marshall Memo helps countless educators stay current on what's happening in K-12 education. We talk about how he creates and publishes the Marshall Memo, where… Read more

In this interview with veteran technology director and CIO Dr. Jeff Cimmerer, we explore the past, present, and future of instructional technology. We also get into the traps and mistakes that school leaders can avoid to maximize the impact of technology and data in improving teaching and learning. Contact Dr. Jeff… Read more

In this interview with educator and author Cheryl Dobbertin, we talk about how school leaders can support teaching and learning in their buildings. With public debate over standards, curriculum, and assessment at an unprecedented and fevered pitch, we get into how administrators can manage all of the competing… Read more

In this first episode I lay out the purpose for the show - to fill a void. There are no podcasts out there dedicated to helping practicing and aspiring school leaders improve their craft.