Jonathan Alsheimer: Don’t Leave Supporting Your Teachers to Chance

TheSchoolHouse302 One Thing Series School Leadership Podcast

About Jonathan Alsheimer Jonathan Alsheimer is the unorthodox, energetic, and entertaining middle school teacher who refuses to live a life of limitations. Jonathan is often referred to as "my favorite teacher" by his students, and he’s the author of NEXT LEVEL TEACHING. As a passionate educator and National Keynote Speaker, Jonathan Alsheimer presents about limitless possibilities for teachers and the impact of an infectious classroom and school culture. NEXT LEVEL TEACHING is about every teacher bringing their unique flair to better their school every single day, always reaching for the NEXT LEVEL. Jonathan, taught at the world-renowned Fred Lynn Middle School, which was featured in two documentaries "Relentless" and "Relentless: Chasing Accreditation." He has been featured as the teacher who forged a partnership with UFC Fighter and light-weight contender Paul Felder to bring the message that students should never give up, fighting for their education, and empowering them to believe in themselves, all principles that Jonathan promotes in his classroom. As Jonathan always says, "Game-changing is not a cliche motto; it is a way of life...some talk about it while others live by it!” What You’ll Find in this Podcast Episode with Jonathan Alsheimer Jonathan starts out of the gate on fire! His energy is almost a superpower. Listen to him dispel the misunderstanding about what it means to be a “next level teacher.” It’s not about perfection. Jonathan opened up about the stress that teachers feel and what school leaders can do about it. These are things leaders can do right away. When asked about protecting teachers from minutiae, Alsheimer talked about meaningless meetings that “kill the heart of the staff.” Don’t miss what Jonathan says about teachers’ time and what it takes to plan an awesome lesson. Jonathan talks about working together so that we don’t all have to work harder. Let’s pool our resources and share more. Think about what this would mean for new teachers! Jonathan gives administrators advice: Develop “lesson plans” for staff meetings. Reflect on the agenda items--are they critical? Does the meeting focus on learning, teacher development, and relationships? Jonathan throws out a number of ideas to gamify the classroom and make it more fun for students. How can you use this in your classroom? Alsheimer mentions Dave Burgess (@burgessdave), Jimmy Casas (@casas_jimmy), Hamish Brewer (@brewerhm). Bottom line, go on Twitter. Teachers and leaders should see us smiling and having fun. If we want kids to be motivated to learn, we have to be motivated to teach and lead. You have to hear what Jonathan says about turning a worksheet into an activity. He literally cut it up and put it into paper bags to make it more fun and exciting for kids. Oh, Boy! Wait till you hear what he says about diving with sharks and our response as Delaware beach-goers. Jonathan talks about being tough on himself in a competitive way to get 1% better each day. He reflects on his “why” often, and that reflection makes a difference for his growth and perseverance. He thinks about what kids deserve, including his own, and that fuels his drive each day. He used to think that test grades matter; now he thinks that growth is the bigger deal. Let us know if there’s a guest who you want us to have on the show by leaving a comment below or by contacting us at [e-mail]. And don’t miss our leadership content updates every week by subscribing on the site. We can’t wait to hear from you. Joe & T.J.