Jim Mercer
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 12/5/22 - Try Three Research Based Leadership Strategies
Today’s Tip: Try Three Research Based Leadership Strategies Hold Very Few Meetings A recent meta-analysis of more than a decade of...
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Jim Mercer
- Nov 28
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 11/28/22 - What Can You Do in 17 Days?
Today’s Tip: What Can You Do in 17 Days? I bet you are in the GREEN this morning as you planned your day before you left for the...
Jim Mercer
- Nov 21
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 11/21/22 - Think About Gratitude
Today’s Tip: Think about gratitude. With the Thanksgiving holiday this week many SAM teams focus on what, and who, they appreciate....
Jim Mercer
- Nov 15
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 11/15/22 - Group Meetings
Today’s Tip: Group Meetings Most school leaders spend more time each week/year in meetings than any other activity. There are three...
Jim Mercer
- Nov 7
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 11/7/22 - Time To Check Your Focus
Today’s Tip: Time To Check Your Focus At the start of the year, most SAM teams pick five or six teachers, or other educators, as their...
Jim Mercer
- Oct 30
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 10/31/22 - Be in the Green for Halloween and November First
Today’s Tip: Be in the Green for Halloween and November First. Most SAM teams pick an instructional time goal for their first month that...
Jim Mercer
- Oct 23
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 10/24/22 - Connect Your Work
Today’s Tip: Connect Your Work Your TimeTrack is your story. It shows your work and the direction you are going. Take a look at last...
Jim Mercer
- Oct 17
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 10/17/22 - Focus on Your Own Professional Development.
Today’s Tip: Focus on your own professional development. Your SAM Daily Meeting is professional development and significantly improves...
Jim Mercer
- Oct 10
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 10/10/22 - Know the Non-Negotiables
Today’s Tip: Know the Non-Negotiables Doing the SAM process require each of the four elements. Why? The research is crystal clear...
Jim Mercer
- Oct 5
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 10/3/22 - Focus
When you started the school year you likely had goals in mind—a teacher, or two… or six, or a dozen you hoped to make a positive...
Jim Mercer
- Sep 25
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 9/26/22 - Be Thoughtful.
Today’s Tip: Be Thoughtful Every principal has the same complaint. A district level leader demands the principal drop everything and...
Jim Mercer
- Sep 18
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 9/19/22 - Get the RED out.
Today’s Tip: Get the RED out. TimeTrack turns an event RED if it conflicts with another. When you remove the conflict the event may stay...
Jim Mercer
- Sep 11
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 9/12/22 - Increase the Number of Interactions You Have with Each Teacher
Today's tip: Increase the number of interactions you have with each teacher. A teacher knows that more time needs be spent with students...
Jim Mercer
- Sep 5
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 9/6/22 - Invest in Your Own Professional Development
Today’s Tip: Invest in Your Own Professional Development The annual National SAM Conference is unlike any other professional...
Jim Mercer
- Aug 30
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 8/29/22 - Be Ready Labor Day
Today’s Tip: Be Ready Labor Day Online registration opens at 12:01 AM, Eastern, Labor Day for the 16th Annual National SAM Conference,...
Jim Mercer
- Aug 23
SamTastic Weekly Tip - 8/22/22: Be in the GREEN today!
Today’s Tip: Be in the Green Today! Are you in the GREEN today? Some SAM teams put off the first few weeks of school two SAM process...
Jim Mercer
- Aug 15
SamTastic Weekly Tip: 8/15/22 - Connect each Student with a Trusted Adult
Today’s Tip: Connect each Student with a Trusted Adult Several years ago an Illinois SAM high school principal began systematically...
Jim Mercer
- Aug 8
SamTastic Weekly Tip - 8/8/22: Make It Real
Today’s Tip: Make it Real “I hate being observed,” says elementary teacher Justin Minkel (who was the 2007 Arkansas Teacher of the Year)...
Jim Mercer
- Aug 1
SamTastic Weekly Tip - August 1, 2022: Be Attentive
Today’s Tip: Be Attentive Two words are often used to describe successful SAM teams: Intentionality and Attentiveness SAM leaders are...
Jim Mercer
- Jul 25
SamTastic Weekly Tip - 7/25/22: Set Goals Now for the new School Year
Today’s Tip: Set Goals Now for the new School Year Most SAM teams are surprised in July when TimeTrack resets for the new school year. ...
Jim Mercer
- Jul 17
SamTastic Weekly Tip - 7/18/22: Disconnect
Today’s Tip: Disconnect Most SAM teams are on vacation in July. Some SAM teams have already started their new school year. Taking a...
Jim Mercer
- Jul 10
SamTastic Weekly Tip - 7/11/22: What Not to Say
Today’s Tip: What Not to Say (Borrowed from The Marshall Memo) Therapist Anthony Smith suggests avoiding three phrases when working with...
Jim Mercer
- Jul 4
SamTastic Weekly Tip - 7/5/22: Advice from Ted Lasso
Today’s Tip: Advice from Ted Lasso: “I was driving my little boy to school, and I saw this quote by Walt Whitman, and it was painted on...
Jim Mercer
- Jun 27
SamTastic Weekly Tip - 6-27-22: Select the best teachers by adding a few new interview questions.
As June ends and July begins, most school and district leaders are spending a lot of time interviewing candidates for teaching positions....