Books for Teachers – Page 3 – TheSchoolHouse302

Season 5, Episode 20 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Emily Affolter

by Joe & T.J. | Nov 6, 2024 | #FocusED, Action, Communication, Core Values, Culture, Daily Habits, Decision-Making, Education, Energy, Engagement, Excellence, Focus, Fulfillment, Goal Setting, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Mental Mapping, Motivation, Motivation & Retention, Organizational Leadership, Passion, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Principals, Professional Dialogue, Relationships, Resilience, Results, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Teamwork

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Equity and School Culture with Emily Affolter

This is Season 5, Episode 20 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Emily Affolter; in this episode, we’re focused on what school leaders need to do to create a culture of equity.

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Emily Affolter Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Dr. Emily Alicia Affolter is the director of and faculty for Prescott College’s Sustainability Education Ph.D. Program.

Prior to serving in this role, she worked as a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Washington’s Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity (CERSE).

Emily earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Multicultural Education from the University of Washington working alongside Dr. Geneva Gay, founder of culturally responsive teaching.

Emily’s current scholarship, dissemination, and facilitation revolve around culturally responsive pedagogy for teachers and leaders in K-12 settings and STEM higher education, and harnessing equity literacy in teaching methods, content, policy, and leadership.

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Emily Affolter

Was I silent during a time when I had the currency to speak up and disrupt something? ~ Dr. Emily Affolter

Emily starts with a quote from a book called Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity.

We quickly dig into some of the indicators associated with inclusivity, including problems that stem from exclusivity.

Don’t miss what she says about the need for transparent communication as well as formal feedback mechanisms. Feedback can be anonymous, but leaders need to hear as many voices as possible.

Huge Question: Are leaders in the organization committed to humility in the way that they engage with systems of power?

Emily starts from a point of curiosity regarding the content that is being taught in the classroom. She hopes to see at least 50% of the people being portrayed in the curriculum as being BIPOC and coming from the LGBTQ+ community.

You want to hear what she says about “grit” as a core value.

You don’t have to be the school leader who knows things, but you do have to be curious and ask questions. ~ Dr. Emily Affolter

Emily teaches us to ask this about our schools: What are our unquestioned assumptions about our organizational culture?

There’s a really metacognitive-style reflective practice that she describes for teachers and leaders regarding being critical about our own understanding of power (what we have inherently and what we’ve accrued in our lifetime).

We gravitated toward what she says about teachers’ use of asset versus deficit thinking when it comes to what students know and don’t know.

Joe asks about how our profession can catch newer teachers up to speed faster regarding some of the things that master teachers have learned over time within their careers.

There’s no single teacher or classroom that is truly culturally responsive, period. Instead, we’re always learning and evolving. Any increment matters.

Find out about her 7 aspects of culturally responsive teaching.

Don’t miss what she says about “teacher transformative self-study.”

Check out Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI)

Emily talks about the concept of “reflexivity” as a personal growth strategy.

Emily and her colleagues are working on a book about regeneration from trauma in education. In other words, we’ve all experienced trauma in education or as learners, and how can we come.

Check out: A Decolonial Framework for Pedagogy & Practice

Books We Recommend Based on this Podcast with Emily Affolter

Emergent Strategy by Adreinne Brown

We Will Not Cancel Us by Adreinne Brown

Season 5, Episode 19 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Amy Anderson

by Joe & T.J. | Oct 30, 2024 | #FocusED, Action, Communication, Core Values, Culture, Daily Habits, Decision-Making, Education, Energy, Engagement, Excellence, Focus, Fulfillment, Goal Setting, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Mental Mapping, Motivation, Motivation & Retention, Organizational Leadership, Passion, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Principals, Professional Dialogue, Relationships, Resilience, Results, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Teamwork

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Disrupting the Status Quo of School Leadership with Amy Anderson

This is Season 5, Episode 19 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Amy Anderson; in this episode, we’re focused on what it means to rethink how we educate students in school systems around the world.

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Amy Anderson Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Amy Anderson co-founded RESCHOOL Colorado in 2013 and became the Executive Director in 2018.

Amy Anderson co-founded RESCHOOL Colorado in 2013 and became the Executive Director in 2018. Her life’s work has been to ensure that our systems of learning offer options that are responsive to the interests and needs of the families they serve, with a particular focus on families who face greater barriers to accessing opportunities.

Before that, Amy served as Associate Commissioner at the Colorado Department of Education, leading the Division of Innovation, Choice, and Engagement where she was instrumental in creating a statewide vision for personalized learning and expanded learning opportunities.

Earlier in her career, Amy led groundbreaking work in a variety of education-focused organizations, including online and blended learning initiatives at the DK Foundation, state and national education policy and school finance projects with APA Consulting, new school development for the Colorado League of Charter Schools, and working with educators to launch the nation’s first charter schools in the early ‘90s at Designs for Learning in St. Paul, MN.

Amy holds a Ph.D. and M.Ed. from the University of Colorado and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin.

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Amy Anderson

Amy starts the conversation with the fact that we need outside partners to do the best work we can on the inside. Don’t miss what she says about the time that students spend beyond the school walls and the need to engage the community to support all learners.

Dr. Anderson’s work is primarily with students who are typically marginalized by the system.

Joe asks Amy to go into more detail about building the ecosystem of partnerships versus the competitiveness that can ensue when resources are scarce.

She talks about a funding source called “LearningDollars,” which is an innovative approach for families to access money for learning providers that exist outside of the school system.

We love the concept of “MoonShot” that she mentions–curating ideas to support learners in new and different ways.

Amy believes that there are amazing educators who have the capacity to codesign new projects to do better for all students. She mentions a learning lab that’s doing some of that work now.

All we need is to give our educators the time and space to innovate and they will. ~ Amy Anderson

We talked a lot about how the education systems are not currently designed to support all learners so the need to go outside of the traditional spaces is critical.

Joe mentions a project in his own district where students are working to rebuild their own community through the use of their trade knowledge and credentials that they earned in school.

Amy explains some of her background during the onset of the charter school movement, which started with her involvement with housing efforts for refugee students.

We don’t have to accept the system the way it is. ~ Amy Anderson

Amy talks about what she reads and the people she follows to continue her own development. One book in particular is Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux.

She follows Clay Christensen’s work regarding disruptive leadership.

She mentions the work of Big Picture Learning. Check it out.

Amy ends the conversation with work that’s needed at the policy level in states around the country. She talked about getting a nugget of an idea on a ballot but that this type of thing is a learning experience and that power can come from a small group of people.

Call to Action: Look to adjacent organizations to be able to take the load off of schools and expand opportunities for all students.

Check out resources on the RESchool website.

Season 5, Episode 18 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Minette Norman

by Joe & T.J. | Oct 23, 2024 | #FocusED, Action, Communication, Core Values, Culture, Daily Habits, Decision-Making, Education, Energy, Engagement, Excellence, Focus, Fulfillment, Goal Setting, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Mental Mapping, Motivation, Motivation & Retention, Organizational Leadership, Passion, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Principals, Professional Dialogue, Relationships, Resilience, Results, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Teamwork

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Becoming an Inclusive Leader with Minette Norman

This is Season 5, Episode 18 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Minette Norman; in this episode, we’re focused on what it means to be an inclusive leader and how leaders can learn to create psychological safety for the people they seek to serve.

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Minette Norman Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Minette Norman is an award-winning author, speaker, leadership consultant, and former Silicon Valley software executive who spent decades leading global teams.

Minette knows that when groups embrace diversity in all its forms, breakthroughs emerge, and innovation accelerates. Her most recent position before starting her consultancy was as Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk. Responsible for influencing more than 3,500 engineers around the globe, she focused on state-of-the-art engineering practices while nurturing a collaborative and inclusive culture.

As the author of The Boldly Inclusive Leader and the co-author of The Psychological Safety Playbook, Minette is committed to helping leaders unleash the full potential of the people in their organizations.

Named in 2017 as one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the San Francisco Business Times and as “Business Role Model of the Year” in the 2018 Women in IT/Silicon Valley Awards, Minette is a recognized leader with a unique perspective.

Minette holds degrees in Drama and French from Tufts University and studied at the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Minette Norman

When you retreat from discomfort, your learning stops. ~ Minette Norman

Minette starts by defining psychological safety. One key aspect is the ability to ask poignant questions and make critical comments without fear.

She mentioned the work of Amy Edmonson. When people feel psychological safety, they perform better at work.

Minette tells us that people do their best work when they feel that their voice is heard.

She tells us that leaders have to start with their own behaviors.

No matter how high up you are in the organization, a question that anyone can ask is “what am I missing?” We can’t assume that people will tell us what’s wrong or what we don’t see.

When people start telling us their perspective, we have to deliberately listen to understand versus listening to respond.

We’re cautioned not to be defensive as leaders because it diminishes psychological safety and, therefore, an open culture.

Minette tells us about a research study that reveals that employees want leaders who are empathetic.

We talked about empathy as a skill and the need to connect with people who aren’t like us.

Minette says that “the only way to grow as a leader is to become uncomfortable.” We have to be learners first. She tells us about times where she worked in cultures where she didn’t really understand the environment…yet.

Minette tells us a great story about leading engineers, all men, and not having been trained as an engineer.

We talked about daily habits, and Minette talked about doing something physical every day, even when she’s busy. She also describes the power of not getting backlogged and overwhelmed.

Minette ended with the power of self-awareness. Even if you’re not a leader, you still have an impact on the people around you.

Books/Resources We Recommend Based on this Podcast with Minette Norman

The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson

The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

Tell Me More About That by Rob Volpe

Radical Collaboration by James Tamm and Ronald Luyet

Lean In Report on Women in the Workplace

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Season 5, Episode 17 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Peter Rios

by Joe & T.J. | Oct 13, 2024 | #FocusED, Action, Communication, Core Values, Culture, Daily Habits, Decision-Making, Education, Energy, Engagement, Excellence, Focus, Fulfillment, Goal Setting, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Mental Mapping, Motivation, Motivation & Retention, Organizational Leadership, Passion, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Principals, Professional Dialogue, Relationships, Resilience, Results, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Teamwork

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Unlock Your Greatest Potential with Peter Rios

This is Season 5, Episode 17 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Peter Rios; in this episode, we’re focused on what it takes to unlock your greatest potential as a leader…and so much more.

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Peter Rios Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Peter has consulted at institutions such as Harvard University, the Lilly Endowment, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

He has been a lecturer at Penn State, Colorado State, and the Pacific School of Religion at Berkeley. His passion for leadership and personal development, and organizational change stems from his own transformational experience after overcoming trauma at an early age and embarking on an unprecedented journey of healing, self-discovery, and professional development.

Peter is on a mission along with his spouse, Dr. Ruby Gonzalez-Rios, to build and develop people so they can maximize their potential and live healthy, fulfilled lives.

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Peter Rios

Peter talks about how his book, Maximize, was written based on his past, growing up in the projects and ending up with two PhDs.

For aspiring writers, don’t miss what he says about “writing everywhere.”

Nothing grows in a comfort zone. ~ Dr. Peter Rios

The book helps people take intentional steps in a way that helps with personal and professional growth.

Joe asks about specific steps that leaders can make to get from where they are to where they want to go. How do we move forward when we’re overwhelmed with fear?

Dr. Rios encourages leaders to take the first step of a self-assessment.

He talks about the difference between dreams and goals. Dreams don’t come with benchmarks; goals require targets.

Don’t miss what he says about accountability partners.

Peter unpacks the sacrifice of a goal, breaking down your dreams into building blocks.

Peter talks about using data from 360 reviews and other tools to draw an honest picture of your strengths and weaknesses.

Peter mentions the use of a life wheel. Here’s a free example.

Something important for all leaders to take away is that maximizing your potential is simple work, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy.

Peter tells us that his own story of failure is what separates his books from others.

The book has a chapter on the power of creativity and curiosity. He reminds us of some of our own work around having a beginner’s mind.

Peter follows Ed Mylett on YouTube.

Peter is intentionally exposing himself to people who are not like him.

Peter reads and writes every single day. He also prays and meditates each day.

Dr. Rios spends some time at the end of the show talking about learning to lead in the context of your situation. There are certain aspects of leadership that everyone can adopt, but there’s also an aspect of leadership that requires adaptation.

Plausible preferred future. Find out what that means.

Peter ends with the need for everyone to be kind to themselves and each other.

Go to PeterRiosConsulting.com for free chapters.

Season 5, Episode 16 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Alyssa Gallagher

by Joe & T.J. | Aug 28, 2024 | #FocusED, Action, Communication, Core Values, Culture, Daily Habits, Decision-Making, Education, Energy, Engagement, Excellence, Focus, Fulfillment, Goal Setting, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Mental Mapping, Motivation, Motivation & Retention, Organizational Leadership, Passion, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Principals, Professional Dialogue, Relationships, Resilience, Results, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Teamwork

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SoundCloud Podcast

MESSY Leadership with Alyssa Gallagher

This is Season 5, Episode 16 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Alyssa Gallagher; we discuss the meaning of MESSY leadership, myths about readiness for a role, the need for coaching for all leaders…and so much more.

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Alyssa Gallagher Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Alyssa Gallagher is the Head of BTS Spark. America, an education author, leader, and speaker. She has twenty years of experience in the public education sector, serving as a teacher, principal, and, most recently, an assistant superintendent.

In addition to co-authoring MESSY Leadership for School Leaders, Alyssa has also co-authored two books on Design Thinking for leaders. Alyssa enjoys working with leaders to design strategies that leverage the capability, creativity and intelligence of everyone on their team.

FocusED Show Notes with Alyssa Gallagher

Leadership isn’t about showing up to feel good. ~ Alyssa Gallagher

Alyssa tells us that MESSY is an acronym that comes from more than 20 thousand experiences coaching school leaders to uncover and unpack their biggest troubles.

The book not only discusses the concept of “messy” school leadership but also provides leaders with tools on how to deal with an ever-changing environment.

Each letter in the MESSY acronym represents a shift in the way that school leaders need to think. We loved that part of the conversation given our book 7 Mindshifts for School Leaders.

Don’t miss what Alyssa says about what leaders are doing that used to work but don’t anymore.

She talks about underlying beliefs that are false about leadership, including the notion that we should just work harder…showing up first and leaving last.

She’s insightful about the strategic planning process being a “straight-jacket.” Leaders need to be much more nimble than a 3-5 year plan.

Joe asks Alyssa about how she coaches school leaders to work within uncertainty. Her company has certified coaches who do this work.

Key takeaway: The truth about uncertainty is that when there are times of stability, we can be clear that uncertainty is on its way.

One thing that she talked about that matters for all school leaders is planning for multiple scenarios and all possible outcomes.

We asked Alyssa to talk more about coaching structures and normalizing leadership coaching. We agreed that all school leaders need an affordable and accessible coach. Pay attention to her flexible one-on-one coaching process, which starts with a match-making procedure.

She mentions personalized coaching as well as small group coaching for like-minded leaders.

We talked about demystifying the “job-ready” leader philosophy that’s impractical and basically untrue. We need to do more to ensure that school leaders have growth opportunities on day one of the job.

Don’t miss what Alyssa says about her love of learning, her own coach, her mastermind group, and seeking out new ways to grow.

Alyssa mentions her relationship with books. She looks for inspiration in authors, including Liz Wiseman and Jane McGonigal.

Season 5, Episode 20 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Emily Affolter

Equity and School Culture with Emily Affolter

Emily Affolter Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Emily Affolter

Books We Recommend Based on this Podcast with Emily Affolter

Related Content from TheSchoolHouse302

Season 5, Episode 19 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Amy Anderson

Disrupting the Status Quo of School Leadership with Amy Anderson

Amy Anderson Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Amy Anderson

Related Content from TheSchoolHouse302

Season 5, Episode 18 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Minette Norman

Becoming an Inclusive Leader with Minette Norman

Minette Norman Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Minette Norman

Books/Resources We Recommend Based on this Podcast with Minette Norman

Related Content from TheSchoolHouse302

Season 5, Episode 17 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Peter Rios

Unlock Your Greatest Potential with Peter Rios

Peter Rios Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Peter Rios

Related Content from TheSchoolHouse302

Season 5, Episode 16 of the FocusED School Leadership Podcast with Guest Alyssa Gallagher

MESSY Leadership with Alyssa Gallagher

Alyssa Gallagher Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

FocusED Show Notes with Alyssa Gallagher

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