In addition to writing This is Momo, Daniel has written an ebook called The Blueprint for School Success that is currently available for free on his website betterleadersbetterschools.com, where he blogs regularly as well. Daniel is passionate about leadership development in schools and plans on releasing books on this topic in the near future.Daniel currently coaches three masterminds serving instructional coaches, superintendents, and APs.
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Daniel will be hosting a “Leadership Sprint” webinar on April 22 from 10:00 am to 12:30pm CST. This webinar is designed to help school leaders improve their personal leadership and influence through a 2.5 hour journey filled with fun, interactive, solo and group leadership activities. The first 10 listeners to visit betterleadersbetterschools.com/sprint and enter the code “educatorslead” will receive FREE ACCESS ($97 value) to this powerful leadership webinar. If you are not one of the first 10 listeners to register, enter the code “Jay” for $30 off.
Daniel explains that he got into teaching because when he was a kid in a low income household, he wanted to emulate the wealthy father of his best friend, who made his money working at the Chicago Stock Exchange. But his friend’s dad told him that making lots of money wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and if he could do it all over again, he would be a schoolteacher. (And he tells us what he has in common with Kermit the Frog and other amphibians!) (2:10)
How Daniel wound up teaching elementary ELA for a school in Marietta, Georgia, right after graduating from college in Illinois, before moving back to Chicago as an AVID coach and teacher, and eventually winding up as a school principal in Houston, Texas. (5:22)
What teaching at an AVID school is like (9:40)
Daniel wrote a short book, This is Momo: A Story About a Little Idea, to encourage one of his students who’d been accepted to New York University, and gave her all the proceeds (12:16)
How Daniel encourages his teachers to not give up on their dreams and ideas (14:43)
Helping disadvantaged students create the inner motivation to keep driving toward their goals when they’re the first ones in the family to exceed academically and they have no idea what the next step is, or how to keep going when they’re feeling overwhelmed (17:03)
Making the decision to move from teaching to school leadership (20:35)
Two of the biggest challenges for new admins will be figuring out how to manage your time and learning how to handle conflicts between other people (23:45)
One of Daniel’s favorite experiences in his school leadership career, and why almost everything in leadership boils down to relationships (28:52)
What Daniel learned by leading a group of educators on 10 day visits to South Africa (38:55)
You have to carve out time in your schedule for personal time and growth (46:02)
Two of Daniel’s favorite books for school leaders (47:53)
You’ve to be accessible if you want your students to succeed (50:05)
A humorous parable about why you shouldn’t ever take yourself too seriously (21:15)
How and why you should “pilot” change before going school-wide with it (53:45)
If Daniel had a time machine, here’s the advice he would go back and give his younger self when he was just starting out in administration (56:05)
Books mentioned in this episode
This is Momo: A Story About a Little Idea by Daniel Bauer
The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
Connect with Daniel Bauer
Better Leaders, Better Schools
About EducatorsLead:
Educators Lead is a podcast created to help launch educators into the next level of leadership. This show is for you if you are interested in educational leadership as an assistant principal, principal, superintendent, teacher or someone who hopes to be a school leader one day. Educators Lead offers inspiration and practical advice to help you lead more effectively. Jay Willis interviews school leaders weekly to discuss why and when these educators made the decision to move into school leadership, challenges along the journey, and stories that made it all worthwhile. Educators Lead is a great resource for any educator looking to make a greater impact.
Educate. Inspire. Lead.
