Change your Mind, Change your Approach with Samantha Opperman Transformative Principal 577

In this episode, we talk about self-identifying the challenges we face and asking for help when we need it. We also talk about Jethro's six-week coaching program which is incredibly powerful. Sam shares the 1-session experience that made her want to do the six weeks. If you want a free coaching session like that for yourself, schedule a time here.

• Why Sam was interested in Coaching with Jethro
• Identity tied up in a certain position in a school.
• Struggles: ability to relate to other people following a difficult day. 
• Felt alone as a middle school principal
• Difficult days are especially challenging
• People don’t bring positives to you, they bring problems to you. 
• Don’t have the same opportunities to get support and positive feedback from others. 
• The negative stands out more than the positive. 
• People asking “Are you ok?”
• People were willing to say, “Yes, let’s talk” but she also needed someone outside to say
• The advantage of having a neutral party. 
• Spinning tires on a problem, look at the problem from a human side of it. 
• The outcome was the same, but how she approached it was so much different. 
• Teacher not meeting my expectations - needed to see this person as a human being who was also frustrated and annoyed. 
• How can I help you? What do you need?
• The feedback I’m getting from those being led: more positive things to say, people noticing it. 
• Appreciate how my demeanor has changed in the past few days.
• Internalized a lot of how people perceive me and my school. 
• Just because I was an effective teacher doesn’t mean my way was the best way for this group at this school. 
• How to be a transformative principal? Having a winning mentality that you’re going to win every day, regardless. Allow yourself to have a positive outlook

About Samantha Opperman

Samantha Opperman has 11 years of experience in education. She has served as an English teacher at the secondary and post-secondary level for nine years, an instructional coach at a middle school for one year, and is currently the building principal at Bradshaw Mountain Middle School in Dewey, Arizona.

Opperman is originally from California and moved to Arizona in 2019. She is married to her husband, Daryl, and they have two sons, Luke (5) and Reed (2). Opperman is also in her first year of an educational doctorate program for Leadership and Innovation at Arizona State University.

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

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. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.