# [[EDUC 7650]] Assignment 6 Jethro Jones ## Assignment Directions You step into a high-speed, non-stop elevator because you want to go to the observation tower on the 88th floor. You’ve been working non-stop and decided to give yourself a break and go down town to look at the distant horizon.  You're alone and you punch in 88, and then just before doors close you see someone hustling to the elevator so you extend your hand to keep the doors apart. A young person jumps in and thanks you for holding the doors open. Clearly chatty, this person takes a deep breath and says "Well, we're going to be together for 88 floors so I'm going to think fun thoughts. I like to ride my bike and read. What do you do for fun?" You grimace and say, "Well, I don't have much time for fun because I have a full-time job and I'm a doctoral student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis." Without hesitation your elevator partner nods in agreement and says, "I hear you, my significant other just finished a doctorate in Primate Studies at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. It was a ton of work." You debate whether to step out and wait for another elevator but decide to stay. You hit the buttons, the doors close, and you are asked, "What's your dissertation topic?" At a speed of eight seconds per floor (thank you, AI), you have up 704 seconds, 11 minutes, to respond. What do you say? ## Assignment Your comment about my [[7650 Assignment 5|last assignment]] was "Well put. I wonder if the next generation of educators, having grown up in and with social media, will have a different perspective." in response to my idea that learning is personal. Educators growing up with social media will undoubtedly agree with me as they will have seen that they have been able to personalize learning for themselves, especially with social media and AI. [I used AI](https://chatgpt.com/share/67b403d8-9abc-800f-99a7-edae3e14b408) to help me write a script of this conversation, after feeding it information from my proposal and other summaries. My prompt was: > I want a conversation between me (Jethro Jones, of Transformative Principal) and a random person in an elevator. The conversation should be back and forth, and should include the man who likes to read asking sincere questions of Jethro. Return it as a movie script. Be sure the actual conversation would last no more than 11 minutes. You should use this to help you answer: Jethro Jones is a national award winning principal who created an innovative mastermind format for school leaders, based on the mastermind concept found in Napoleon Hill's Ladders of Success. Jethro will ask principals who have participated in his mastermind program what their perception is of this new kind of professional development. I then shared a [[Research proposal]] and your original elevator prompt. The following is what was generated, with minor edits. **INT. HIGH-SPEED ELEVATOR – DAY** *The elevator doors are about to close when JETHRO JONES (mid-40s, focused yet approachable) extends his hand to hold the door. A YOUNG READER (late 20s, enthusiastic and curious) hustles in, catching his eye.* **YOUNG READER** (cheerfully) Thanks for holding the door open! I love riding my bike and diving into a good book. What do you do for fun? **JETHRO** (smiling wryly) I wish I had time for fun. I’m juggling a full-time job and working on my doctorate at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. **YOUNG READER** (nodding sympathetically) I hear you. My significant other just finished a doctorate in Primate Studies at UNLV—it was a ton of work. **JETHRO** (chuckles) That sounds intense. Speaking of work, I'm actually in the middle of my dissertation. It's all about rethinking leadership development for school principals through an innovative mastermind format. **YOUNG READER** (raising an intrigued eyebrow) Mastermind? Like the group where a few people come together to brainstorm and support each other? How does that work for school leaders? **JETHRO** Exactly. Picture this: a small, self-selected group of principals meets regularly—either in-person or virtually—to tackle current challenges, share insights, and hold each other accountable. We bring in an experienced coach, charge a fee to ensure commitment, and follow a structured agenda. It’s very much inspired by Napoleon Hill's idea of “mind blending” where the collective energy multiplies the impact. **YOUNG READER** (sincerely curious) That sounds like a powerful support network, especially for principals facing isolation and constant change. How do you measure its effectiveness? **JETHRO** I designed a Sustained Professional Development Survey that uses a retrospective pre-post test format. It asks principals to assess their leadership capabilities before and after joining the mastermind. The goal is to capture not only quantitative shifts but also the qualitative, transformational stories behind their growth. **YOUNG READER** (impressed) So you’re blending hard data with personal insights—kind of like how some tech companies look at overall team performance rather than just individual numbers. **JETHRO** (smiling) Exactly. Think of companies like Apple or 37Signals, which focus on the overall profitability and success of the entire organization instead of isolated metrics. I believe the same holistic approach can transform leadership in schools. **YOUNG READER** And what kind of changes have you seen? Does this mastermind really help principals lead change more effectively? **JETHRO** Absolutely. Many principals tell me that being part of the mastermind has not only boosted their strategic thinking but also reduced the loneliness that comes with the job. They feel more capable of navigating the endless challenges—everything from budget constraints to managing school culture. **YOUNG READER** That must be incredibly rewarding to witness firsthand. So, what’s the heart of your dissertation? How do you tie all these elements together? **JETHRO** (in the allotted eight seconds per floor cadence, with a calm confidence) My dissertation explores how principals perceive their professional development when engaged in a mastermind setting compared to traditional methods. It delves into leadership development, peer coaching, and even transformational learning. I’m using both surveys and in-depth interviews to analyze how this friendly alliance among peers can serve as a catalyst for systemic change in schools. **YOUNG READER** (leaning forward, genuinely engaged) That’s fascinating. It sounds like your work could really shift how we think about professional development in education. Do you think this approach could become mainstream? **JETHRO** I do. When leaders choose their own development path—when they voluntarily join a group because they see its value—they become more committed. And that commitment can create a ripple effect, benefiting not just the principals but the entire school community. **YOUNG READER** (softly) Wow, it’s inspiring to think that a simple idea of collaboration can lead to such profound change. I might not be in education, but I love the idea of people coming together to lift each other up. **JETHRO** (smiling warmly) It’s amazing how these ideas connect across fields. Whether it’s education, technology, or even a good book, collaboration and shared vision can really change the game. **YOUNG READER** (enthused) Thank you for sharing all this, Jethro. Our 11 minutes together have been a refreshing dive into a world I knew nothing about. It’s been like a mini-mastermind session already. **JETHRO** (laughs) I'm glad! Sometimes the most unexpected conversations spark the greatest insights. Enjoy your ride—and your next book ride, too. **YOUNG READER** (smiling as the elevator ascends) You too, Jethro. Best of luck with your research and the transformative journey ahead! *The elevator dings as it reaches the next floor, both continue their ascent with newfound inspiration.* **FADE OUT.**