About this episode
In this bonus episode, originally recorded for Transformative Principal, Jethro Jones speaks with Eric Sheninger and Nicki Slaugh about their book Personalize: Meeting the Needs of All Learners. Hear about:The power of Quest AcademyRetain teachers, retain students - how to keep kids there. Free public schoolTeenagers weren’t engaged. PD time every FridayMastery MinutesBeginning of day, tracker system. Choice, voice, tracker data. Curating evidence. Culture Self-pacing route vs. choice boards. Removed points, extra credit, percentages, Emerging, developing, mastering, extendingProve-its aligned to proficiency scales.Big shifts require big moves. At Quest, we want you to be proficientWhen you remove the traditional structures, you have to addThe right way is your way, there is no best practice. Performance reviews, students meet with teachers one-on-one. Impersonal approaches to focusing on the “who”How can we do it effectively, and what does it look like? Evidence of effective vs. ineffective practices. Practice, practice, practice, prove. Maximizing the time we have with our students.How to be a transformative principal? Eric: Show people the value of what you are doingNicki: Get rid of the energy vampires
Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
