This is the time of year when professional development starts coming up more and more. Teachers are rolling their eyes when they think about participating in PD because they typically experience the same thing year after year. So, in this episode, we’re discussing how you can approach PD in a way that gets your teachers hyped.

It’s common among teachers to think that professional development training is something they have to endure as part of returning for a new school year. But the truth is, it doesn’t have to be this way. Right now, they have a set of thoughts about PD, as does your district, and I’m sure you have some of your own thoughts about all of it. So, it’s time to try something new.

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Today’s episode is very special because we’re honoring and celebrating the end of the year. I’m joined by a few of my clients this week, and they’re here to celebrate everything they’ve accomplished over the past school year, acknowledging their successes big and small, and reflecting on how they got there.

Celebrating and honoring yourself is an incredibly valuable practice. Your job is not easy and nobody around you is going to appreciate exactly what you’ve been through, so it’s time to take the lead and celebrate everything you are, and Amy, Erika, Jena, and Wendy are here to show you how.

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This month, I’m taking some time to talk to you about coaching your teachers and coachability in general, and I want to set you up for success in creating your vision for the start of the next school year. So this week, I’m going to help you set the tone for the year by discussing the value of trust.

Having trust in your teachers is so important, and them trusting you is vital in creating the best environment for your students. Trust is an essential muscle that you as the leader of your school need to build up, both trusting others and trusting yourself. Believe me, when you do the work I’m sharing today, the impact it will have on your leadership and results will be truly mind-blowing.

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Today, I’m bringing you an interview with one of my amazing clients: first-year principal Amy. This podcast was recorded on the first anniversary of our first coaching session. So, we’re talking about her experience as a first-year school leader with a coach in her corner.

Amy has had the most successful first school year of any leader I’ve ever coached, and it’s a real tribute to her and her dedication to applying the coaching work to her everyday. We coached on even the smallest situations, and it’s transformed the trajectory of her school-leadership experience.

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Those of you who have been listening for a while will know all about the STEAR Cycle. However, we’ve had a huge influx of listeners over the past year, so I’m taking this opportunity to go over it again, this time with some things I’ve learned since I first covered the concept. The STEAR Cycle is my interpretation of the Self-Coaching Model, the idea that our thoughts create our results, not our circumstances or environments.

Some of the things I discussed in the early days of this podcast don’t stand up to the test of time. But the STEAR Cycle isn’t one of those concepts. The process I teach involves managing your time, your resources, and your emotional energy. The STEAR Cycle is going to help you master all of it and make the decisions that make your job easier, no matter the circumstances.

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