Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud

Pushing Through: Embracing Growth Through Discomfort

"I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” (Marissa Mayer)

How do administrators, instructional coaches, and teacher leaders foster such a mindset?

Research on psychological safety underscores the importance of creating an environment where individuals feel secure enough to take risks, make mistakes, and reflect without fear of judgment or blame. In education, this principle is vital for fostering teacher growth and innovation. Instructional coaches can play a pivotal role in establishing this safety by encouraging teachers to experiment with new practices and reframing missteps as valuable learning opportunities.

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Creating Joyful Transformational Experiences

For young children, curiosity and questions abound. Adults are often interested in learning connected to their lives, jobs, and hobbies. Somehow though in between those times the joy of learning may be lost as curiosity is replaced with isolation. Dr. Jennifer Gallagher, superintendent of Long Beach School District, NY, explores how to focus on nurturing more joy in learning in our schools. What is the necessary core knowledge for students and how quickly is it changing? How do we bring relevance to required curricula? What should we be exploring and creating as post-secondary options?

Email Jennifer: jgallagher@lbeach.org

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Teachers Building Purposeful Connections

The author of "Purposeful Educator Connections," Marcela Andrés, explores strategies to deepen relationships with students, stay connected to your educator purpose, and improve classroom culture. She provides 5 Key Principles that empower teachers to build trust, inspire learning, and transform classroom environments.

Find Marcela's book, "Purposeful Educator Connection" here.

Visit the designEDegagement website here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Listening: The Power of Understanding to Connect, Influence, and Solve

Christine Miles, the author of, "What’s it Costing You to Not Listen," shares insights on how as coaches and school leaders we need to move beyond active listening. Listening to understand is critical in building relationships and trust with those we coach. Christine identifies how our listening and questions assist a coachee in telling their story which increases our understanding.

Connect with Christine and visit her website here.

Find Christine's book, "What Is It Costing You Not to Listen: The Power of Understanding to Connect, Influence, Solve & Sell" here.

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

While Coaching Others, We Learn

"Managers who coach their employees report that they grow personally by becoming more vulnerable, self-aware, and empathetic. They learn to trust their employees, solicit feedback to improve their management, and in doing so improve job satisfaction and joy in their work."

Dr. Nina Morel, Executive Director of Coaching and Leadership Development at Lipscomb University explores how leaders grow from coaching. She illustrates the necessary mindset and skills for effective coaching.

Visit & Connect with Dr. Morel on her website.  

Read "Six principles of Leadership Coaching" (Center for Creative Leadership) here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

 

Strategic Steps to Accelerate Student Learning

"The field of education has more research than ever before, yet teachers do not have the time to filter through that research to determine which strategies have the greatest impact,” - Sherry St. Claire.

That thought initiated St. Claire’s work featured in Intentional Instructional Moves: Strategic Steps to Accelerate Student Learning. She sifted through the research to uncover the most impactful classroom strategies and broke them into intentional steps so teachers can move efficiently from theory to practice. She and Steve explore three of many areas addressed in the book: classroom management, differentiation, and assessment.

Visit Sherry's website here.  

Email Sherry: Sherry@reflecttolearn.com

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

 

Should I Make a Suggestion?

Deciding if or when to make a suggestion to a teacher during coaching conferences is a question that as coaches we continually ponder. I consider it a question to be answered during the coaching conference. The key is TIMING. Is the teacher ready (interested in) considering a suggestion. How can a coach read timing and increase the likelihood of the right timing?

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

AI for Student-Centered Learning: Customizing Learning Pathways For Every Student

Josh Ecker and Erin Cummings, from the Ed Tech and Learning Design Team at Chester County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania, explore AI’s current and future potential for the personalization of students pathways to success. They explore ways that school leaders and instructional coaches support teachers’ AI learning through PD, modeling, and policy.  Student AI Literacy is all discussed.

Visit Chester County’s AI Support site here.

Email Josh Ecker: joshe@cciu.org

Email Erin Cummings: erinc@cciu.org

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Schools That Build Relationships

Marcela Andres, the CEO of designEDegagement and author of a post titled, "Moving Beyond Compliance: Building Relationships in Education," joined the podcast to share her experiences and recommendations for building connections with students. "Educators need to see students as individuals with unique backgrounds, dreams, and potential- despite challenges they may be facing. When we know students that way they can amaze us by starting to take charge of their own education.” Marcela explores her work generating relationships within the school, with parents, and among the greater school community.

Visit the designEDegagement website here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Coaching With Intention for Instructional Growth

Sherry St. Clair, the author of Intentional Instructional Moves: Strategic Steps to Accelerate Student Learning, shares her work identifying the research behind instructional strategies with the potential to elevate student learning and save teachers time. Sherry breaks the strategies into intentional steps so teachers can move efficiently from theory to practice. Instructional coaches and school leaders will find her work helpful in supporting the educators that you coach.

Visit Sherry's website here.  

Email Sherry: Sherry@reflecttolearn.com

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!