Aspire: The Leadership Development Podcast

Aspire to Lead with Empathy, Creativity, and Passion With the launch of my new book, Aspire to Lead, Evan Robb joins me to share about his author contribution. In this Episode, we also discuss: Activating and Taking Initiative The 10 Pillars of Leadership Delegation for Leadership Development About Evan Robb: Evan Robb is presently Principal of Johnson-Williams Middle School in Berryville, Virginia. He has over twenty years of experience serving as a building level principal. Prior to being a school principal, he was an English teacher, department chair, and Assistant Principal. Evan is a recipient of the Horace Mann Educator of the Year Award. In addition, the NCTE Commission on Reading selected him to serve on its national board. A TEDx Speaker, Evan offers inspirational keynotes, workshops, and on-going professional learning opportunities across the country on leadership, mindset, culture, impactful change and how to improve literacy in schools. Evan has shared his ideas with thousands of educ

How do you define student engagement in your classroom? This week’s guest, Heather Lyon, shares a common understanding of what engagement looks and sounds like so that anyone can design and gauge instruction using this understanding. More importantly, with this knowledge, educators can make changes to instruction to truly increase student engagement.  In this episode, we also discuss: Grading practices that need to be assessed The teacher and resource shortage in education  And her books, Engagement in Not a Unicorn (It’s a Narwhal) and The Big Book of Engagement Strategies About Heather Lyon: Heather Lyon is author of https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HLB6SJJ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 (Engagement is not a Unicorn (It’s a Narwhal)) and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09DTQRJP9/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 (The BIG Book of Engagement Strategies.)  Heather is a former English teacher and has a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and an Ed.M. in Reading from the University at Buffalo. Sh

Aspire Mailbag: New School Year ProblemsIn this 23rd Aspire Mailbag episode, Jeff Gargas and I answer questions on different leadership topics provided by the listeners. Please join us for this episode as we answer questions on how to shift the mindset of educators on social emotional learning, how to lead when there are positions not hired, professional learning days, and the latest news with the Teach Better Team! Featuring Jeff Gargas and Joshua StamperFollow Jeff Gargas:Twitter:https://twitter.com/jeffgargas ( https://twitter.com/jeffgargas) Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/_jeffgargas/ ( https://www.instagram.com/_jeffgargas/) Follow Joshua Stamper:Contact:https://joshstamper.com/contact/ ( https://joshstamper.com/contact/) Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/Joshua__Stamper ( www.twitter.com/Joshua__Stamper) Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/joshua__stamper ( www.instagram.com/joshua__stamper) Linkedin:http://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper/ ( www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper) Facebook:https://www.f

Aspire to Lead with Empathy, Creativity, and Passion With the upcoming launch of my new book, Aspire to Lead, Allyson Apsey joins me to share about her author contribution. In this Episode, we also discuss: Creativity in Leadership 3 tools to use to enhance your creative ideas Confidence in leadership to be innovative https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1953852386/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1953852386&linkCode=as2&tag=aspirewebsite-20&linkId=e8d9d99a618db4fe94fa92873d5f7723 () About Allyson Apsey: Allyson Apsey has been an educator for more than twenty years; a school leader for sixteen of those years. She is passionate about having a serendipity mindset, looking for the beautiful lessons that every experience holds. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable and supportive, and she doesn't ask questions unless she wants the answers. Despite the fact that she never wanted to set foot in a school again after high school graduation, there is nowhere

EduMatch Celebration for Aspire to Lead On the day my new book, Aspire to Lead, launched, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Mandy Froehlick and Todd Nesloney about the different aspects of this educational leadership resource. Join us as we share some strategies, insights on leadership, and funny stories about the process.  In this Episode, we also discuss: The A.S.P.I.R.E. Model  Why I wrote this book and how it will help current and aspiring leaders Stories with Todd Nesloney about his foreword https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1953852386/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1953852386&linkCode=as2&tag=aspirewebsite-20&linkId=37fc099b08ff439ddab453d9a993a9e7 About Mandy Froehloch:Mandy Froehlich passionately encourages educators to create innovative change in their classrooms. A former Director of Innovation and Technology, technology integrator, and teacher, she has experience at many levels of the organizational structure. Her interes

Aspire to Lead with Empathy, Creativity, and PassionWith the launch of my new book, Aspire to Lead, Jill Siler joins me to share about her author contribution on executing as a leader. In this Episode, we also discuss: The top ways we can execute in an interview Examples of what districts are looking for in a candidate Mistakes in the interview process About Jill Siler:Dr. Jill Siler has been serving as the Superintendent of Gunter ISD, a growing school district an hour north of Dallas, since 2012. Jill grew up in Rochester & Buffalo, NY and completed her undergraduate work at the University of Pittsburgh where she was a collegiate swimmer. She moved to Austin in 1996 and began serving as a high school World Geography teacher and swim coach at John B. Connally High School in Pflugerville ISD. Jill earned her Masters from Texas State University and began her administrative career in Marble Falls ISD where she served as the Assistant Principal for Instruction. In 2004, Jill went to Lake Travis ISD where she

In this week’s episode, classroom teacher and edtech expert Jake Miller equips us to overcome the paradox of choice and select the right edtech tools for your classroom so you can start using them tomorrow. Jake offers anecdote-induced stories and explanations that actually make sense for all educators. In addition, we discuss comparisons of tools for formative assessment, student self-assessment, student blogging, audio projects, video creation, student-paced coursework, and lesson delivery, and more! In this episode, we also discuss: Additional video resources Leaders as tech specialists And his books, Educational Duct Tape: An EdTech Integration Mindset About Jake Miller:Jake Miller is an edtech and learning enthusiast who hosts the Educational Duct Tape podcast and shares #EduGIFs at @JakeMillerTech and on JakeMiller.net. He works as a science teacher for the Orange City School District in Ohio and previously spent 5 years as a technology integration specialist and an additional 12 years in the classroom

Aspire to Lead with Empathy, Creativity, and PassionWith the upcoming launch of my new book, Aspire to Lead, Sarah Thomas joins me to share about her author contribution. In this Episode, we also discuss: Reflection as a Leadership Tool Blogging to gather feedback New projects by EduMatch About Sarah Thomas: I am a Regional Technology Coordinator in Prince Georges County, MD, and Affiliate Faculty at Loyola University. While I am still passionate about best practices, such as flipped/blended learning and gamification, my passion has also expanded to helping educators connect globally. This is the rationale behind the EduMatch project, which I founded in September 2014. The project belongs to all EduMatchers, and together we have grown it to include publishing, Voxer, guest blogging, and a weekly Twitter chat/podcast. Follow Sarah Thomas:Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahdateechur (https://twitter.com/sarahdateechur) Follow EduMatch:Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdumatchBooks (https://twitter.com/Edum

A fast-track colleague is elbowing their way up the professional ladder in your organization by faking reports. Your boss asks you to lie to a stakeholder. The team leader is a serial sexual harasser. What should you do? Nobody prepared you for this part of professional life. You face a gut-wrenching choice: "go along to get along" or risk negatively impacting your career by speaking up for what you know is right. In this week’s episode, Richard Shell shares his value model and how this structure has helped so many people find solutions to extremely difficult experiences.  In this episode, we also discuss: Leading From Any Position The Role of a Professor  And his books, The Conscience Code: Lead with Your Values. Advance Your Career  About G. Richard Shell:Richard Shell is Professor of Legal Studies, Business Ethics, and Management – and former Chair of its Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department -- at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Over his 30-year career, he

Aspire to Lead with Empathy, Creativity, and PassionWith the upcoming launch of my new book, Aspire to Lead, Sarah Johnson joins me to share about her author contribution on leadership identity. In this Episode, we discuss: Finding Your Identity in Your Leadership Role Rediscovering and Refining Who We Are as a Leader  Focusing on Our Strengths https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09D4NR5MV/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B09D4NR5MV&linkCode=as2&tag=aspirewebsite-20&linkId=60ce6e83608b2d2bd59e959614ef7f38 About Sarah Johnson:Sarah Johnson is a former teacher and school principal, turned author, speaker, and podcaster. She is passionate about assisting others in seeking greater satisfaction in all areas of their full lives by helping them go beyond work-life balance as well as develop strong leadership foundations. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education, Master of Science in Educational Administration, and a Certificate for Women in Leadership

Lack of mentorship and coaching is a leading reason for leader attrition in education, but it doesn’t have to be this way. If it’s true that "Everyone wins when the leader gets better," then your community is counting on you to prioritize your own professional growth. In this week’s episode, Danny Bauer shares the Mastermind model and how this structure has created extensive growth in each participant.  In this episode, we also discuss: School District Lack of Development Fish Bowl Structure Community Building as a Support And his books, Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader About Danny Bauer:Daniel Bauer is an unorthodox Ruckus Maker who has mentored thousands of school leaders through his Better Leaders Better Schools blog, books, podcasts, and powerful coaching experiences.  https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/mastermind/book275490#description (Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader) is a book that reimagines what professional development for school administrators l

Aspire to Lead with Empathy, Creativity, and PassionWith an exciting announcement coming September 7th, Nathan Maynard joins me to share about his author contribution in my upcoming book, Aspire to Lead. In this Episode, we discuss: Empathy as a Leadership Strength Acknowledging and Owning Mistakes  The Restorative Discipline Group About Nathan Maynard:Nathan is a youth advocate, educational leader, and change maker. He is the co-author of Washington Post bestselling and award-winning Hacking School Discipline: 9 Ways to Create a Culture of Empathy and Responsibility Using Restorative Justice. Nathan also is the co-founder of BehaviorFlip, the first restorative behavior management software. Nathan studied Behavioral Neuroscience at Purdue University and has been facilitating restorative practices since 2008 in juvenile justice and educational settings.  He was awarded “Youth Worker of the Year” through dedicating his time with youth involved with the juvenile justice system in Indiana. He was instru

The world has and continues to change in ways that are difficult to predict. Regardless of the forces at hand, educators and leaders play a pivotal role in preparing students for success now and in the future. In this week’s episode, Eric Sheninger makes the compelling case that the best way to do this is to create a disruptive thinking culture in the classroom and beyond. In this episode, we also discuss: Characteristics of a Disruptive Leader Future Ready Skills for Students Classroom Practices that need to Change And his books, Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms About Eric Sheninger:Eric is an Associate Partner with the http://www.leadered.com/services/digital-leadership.php (International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE)). Prior to this, he was the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership, his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically tra

Aspire to Lead with Empathy, Creativity, and PassionWith an exciting announcement coming September 7th, Latrese Younger joins me to share about her author contribution in my upcoming book, Aspire to Lead. In this Episode, we discuss: Finding your voice as a new leader Being authentic Understanding your values About Latrese Younger:Latrese D. Younger has over thirteen years of education experience across several different school districts. She began her journey as an English Language Arts teacher in Dinwiddie County, VA, which she credits with firming her foundation in education excellence. Throughout her career, she has taught ELA for grades 6-12. She possesses a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Virginia State University and a Master of Educational Leadership with a concentration in Technology Education from Strayer University Henrico Campus. She is a writer, a web curator for thehttp://vate.org/about-us/officers-and-board/ ( Virginia Teachers of English (VATE)) social media sites, and founder of th

What leadership qualities are the most important qualities to possess? This week’s guest, Kelly Croy, shares his six primary elements of leadership to guide you to personal and professional leadership.  In this episode, we also discuss: Anxiety as a superpower Attitude is everything Creating vs Consuming The Wired Educator Podcast And his books, Unthink Before Bed and Along Came a Leader About Kelly Croy:Kelly Croy is the author of Along Came a Leader, and host of The Wired Educator Podcast. He is a teacher, artist, writer, and speaker. Unthink Before Bed is Kelly’s second book. He wrote and illustrated it to help people deal with their anxiety.  Kelly taught seventh grade English for 26 years at Oak Harbor Middle School and has served the last four years as the Director of Innovation and Instruction for Port Clinton City Schools. Kelly travels the world as a speaker, educational consultant, and leadership coach.  Kelly is married to his best friend, Lorrain. They are the proud parents of four

What is the best way to prepare our students for future ready careers and enhance their essential skills? This week’s guests, Zach Rondot and Grayson McKinney, share the importance of providing students with real world problems, providing outside experts, and letting them explore unique and creative solutions.  In this episode, we also discuss: Misconceptions of Project Based Learning Gathering experts outside of the school Assessing projects and providing feedback And their new book, The Expert Effect About Zach Rondot and Grayson McKinney:Zach Rondot is a passionate fourth-grade teacher in Troy, Michigan. His mission is to teach students the 21st-century skills, mindsets, and attributes that will help them succeed long after they leave his classroom. In 2019, Zach was named the Troy School District Elementary Teacher of the Year and the Oakland County Elementary Teacher of the Year. Zach is an instructor in the Master's program of Learning, Design, and Technology at Central Michigan University. He util

In this 22nd Aspire Mailbag episode, Jeff Gargas and I answer questions on different leadership topics provided by the listeners. Please join us for this episode as we answer questions on how to support new teachers at the beginning of the school year, measuring your influence, the knowledge needed to be a leader, and the latest news with the Teach Better Team!

Why is it important for schools to develop many leaders? This week’s guest, Chris Legleiter, shares how he continues to build leadership capacity in his staff and build up their strengths.   In this episode, we also discuss: The main focus of the upcoming school year Prioritizing areas we can control Increasing Student leadership Mentorship Practices About Chris Legleiter:Chris currently serves as a Middle School Principal at Leawood Middle School of the Blue Valley School District. The district is a suburban district in the Kansas City area. He has been in education for 25 years and started as a high school science teacher for 11 years. This experience was in 3 different school districts, both suburban and rural areas, and also Chris was a coach and sponsor of many student activities. For the past 14 years Chris’ role has been as an administrator. This administrative experience includes time as an assistant principal at both the middle school and high school levels prior to his current ro

What does it mean to be equitable or inclusive in your school? This week’s guest, Traci Browder, shares powerful stories, actionable steps, and practices to ensure students have the same resources to be successful.   In this episode, we also discuss: Why “just a teacher” is a lie Influence outside of the classroom INTELLIGOGY the Podcast And Traci’s new book from DBC inc.! About Traci Browder:Traci Browder is a trailblazer in education inspiring & mentoring teachers & changing the lives of children for more than 17 years. Traci is known best for her innovative, out of the box teaching style with a mixture of Montessori, gifted/talented, & special services all rolled into one classroom environment. Her classroom is a live learning lab in which teachers and administrators both in and out of her district routinely visit.  Traci is a champion for equity and is working on her first book with DBC on the same topic. She partners with the authors of Lead Like a Pirate, Beth Houf & Shell

In your lesson plans, outside of the content in the curriculum, what skills do you teach your students? This week’s guest, Dennis Mathew, shares how he goes beyond the curriculum to share essential life skills, such as conflict resolution simulations and social skills practice activities.  In this episode, we also discuss: Leading with the “1” Social emotional learning tactics Equity in public schools And his new book, “How Grizzly Found Gratitude”! About Dennis Mathew:Dennis is an elementary school speech pathologist going into my 15th year working in the public schools. Since 2019 I have also been a children's author and songwriter. I have three books and one music album published. My content is all integrated with SEL, the 7 mindsets, the growth mindset, trauma informed care, language enrichment, social skills topics etc. To date I have sold around 15K copies of my books (90% of which has been distributed to public schools nationwide), presented to around 120 schools and reached 70K+ students with my