Jennifer Kloczko is an elementary school principal at Natomas Charter School in Sacramento, California who has spent the last 21 years teaching and learning with amazing students and teachers! She is an Area 3 Writing Project Teacher Consultant and CUE Rockstar Faculty, leading K-12 professional development in literacy, technology and the Common Core.

 

Jennifer shares some interesting tidbits – her husband and daughter are also teachers, and her great-grandfather was Helen Keller’s dentist (1:50)

Jennifer learned how to teach by the sink or swim technique – she began teaching a classroom on an emergency credential, without a single day of being a student teacher (3:38)

Getting that first admin job when you don’t have any administration experience – sometimes it helps if you’re not looking! (9:36)

The huge importance of managing your work/life balance, and Jennifer’s advice on how to do it

Your excuses for not managing your work/life balance are just that – excuses.  You have to make it work, and you can make it work (22:13)

Jennifer shares some amazing student leadership stories – the time a 2^nd grader volunteered to run an after school enrichment club, and created his own six week plan for it | a 3^rd grader led a math club | several 5^th graders led small groups and gave official presentations to government officials (28:27)

Helping young students develop their leadership skills is easier than you’d think (32:34)

The principles of good teaching are the same, no matter which grade you teach (35:15)

“Raise your game, and bring people with you.” – Jon Corippo (37:42)

Change isn’t something you require – it’s something you inspire (38:13)

The one book Jennifer believes every educator should read (39:22)

You should base every decision you make on the impact it will have on students (40:54)

Always strive to be the school leader you would’ve wanted when you were a teacher (41:50)

If Jennifer had a time machine, here’s the advice she would go back and give her younger self when she was just starting out in administration (46:40)

 

Hackschooling Makes Me Happy | Logan LaPlante

 

Books mentioned in this episode

The Mindful School Leader: Practices to Transform Your Leadership and School by Valerie Brown and Kirsten Olson

Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning That Teachers, Students, and Parents Love by Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis

The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller

 

Connect with Jennifer Kloczko

@jkloczko

Learn. Lead. Sparkle.

 

 

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 three days a week 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.

http://www.educatorslead.com