FocusED: An educational leadership podcast that uncovers what is working in our schools.

This is Season 6, Episode 5 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Kate Koch; we discuss women in leadership positions, mentorship, balance at work…and so much more. Kate Koch Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Kate Koch is the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Lemont-Bromberek SD113a. She has served as an elementary principal, an assistant principal, and a middle school history teacher. She is also the co-host of the Unsupervised Leadership Podcast and the author of Unsupervised Leadership: Celebrating and Elevating Fun, Fab, and Fierce Females. FocusED Show Notes with Guest Kate Koch “Unsupervised leadership” is about being in a space where you can lead authentically. In these cases, the leader can be themselves without fear of making mistakes. Kate talks about women in leadership, specifically in education where the balance is off between the number of women in the profession versus the number of administrators who are men. Kate has been getting feedback from listeners that her message about women in leadership is giving them the confidence to apply for jobs and ask for the highest salary possible. Dr. Koch tells us a few stories about her experience with leadership roles and what she faced in interviews and other spaces as a female. Kate talks about the differences between the way women lead and the way that men lead and the need for both perspectives. TJ brings up the Jane Goodall episode with Tim Ferriss where Goodall says that women should not try to lead like men because we need female leaders, not just more males. She tells us about what “balance” means for her. Two strategies: turn it off and have an accountability partner. Kate shares a story about how much time she was putting into her work and the feeling that she might need to walk away; we need to create conditions where people have balance or we will continue to lose educators. Joe asks Kate who inspires her and she told us about her mentor, Kate Chambers, and her podcast co-host, Courtney Orzel. She calls out several other peers and mentors who guide and support her work. Kate talked about listening to books, and her current favorite read is Anxious Generation. Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you’ll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district. Let us know who you would like to hear from next.

Ben starts off by telling us about a committee that he has going to help unpack “emerging technology,” and things are literally changing overnight. For us to lead in a tech-driven environment, Ben says that we have to be willing to say “I don’t know what that means, yet.” He tells us about the human-centered design process that they use at his schools--building something for empathy for the end-user of whatever we’re building. Joe asks Ben to talk about anything traditional that they’re abandoning in the curriculum to be able to spend the time they do on future-driven learning. Don’t miss what he says about grading. They figured out how to create a competency-based system that spits out a letter grade at the end. Ben talks about the influences of his background: Beijing, Montessori, Thacher, Bowdoin, and more. All of this feeds his ideas about schools teaching more of an entrepreneur thought process. He shares about the competitive nature of the marketplace for schools in Beijing. Students literally need to have an international passport. This means that the schools are all working to differentiate themselves from others like them. We discuss what it looks like to prepare students to do jobs that don’t exist yet. Ben talks about the fact that one important thing we can do, even though we don’t know what the jobs are, is to help students learn how to navigate competition within a start-up environment. It's awesome to hear how he elevates student voice by asking them to tell him what the future of schooling, including the use of AI, should look like. Joe reminds listeners of our podcast with Don Wettrick. Ben recognizes that many parents are still a bit leery about system changes, and he comes back to what students are going to need for the rest of their lives, including the moral responsibility to use these new tools ethically. Philosophically, he wants his students to explore their passions in the evening versus doing more school work. All 9th graders at NEIH take Foundations of Entrepreneurship. Ben invites our listeners to reach out to him at NEIH. He calls it the gift of time to just sit and talk. Ben tells us about an experience he had in Rwanda that showed him that if they could overcome what they needed to overcome, we can do anything.

This is Season 6, Episode of FocusED, and it features our guest, Nathan Tanner; we discuss what it means to be an unconquerable leader…and so much more. Nathan Tanner Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Nathan Tanner is an executive coach who helps CEOs, founders, and high impact leaders scale themselves and their companies. He has coached leaders at high growth startups and bellwether companies including DoorDash, Google, Autodesk, Electronic Arts, LinkedIn, Procter & Gamble, and Lyft. Prior to becoming a full-time coach, Nathan was the vice president of people at Neighbor. Prior to Neighbor, Nathan spent half a decade at DoorDash where he was hired as the head of HR and scaled the company from 250 to more than 5,000 employees. There he built the company’s first leadership development program and coached more than half of the executive team. Prior to DoorDash, Nathan held several roles on the HR team at LinkedIn. He started his career on Wall Street at Lehman Brothers where he had a front-row seat to the largest bankruptcy in history. Nathan is the author of two books, Not Your Parents' Workplace and his new book, The Unconquerable Leader. Nathan has been an advisor at Y Combinator and has written for Forbes, Inc., Fast Company and other publications. He's an IRONMAN triathlete, holds an MBA from BYU, and was trained as an executive coach at the Co-Active Training Institute. Nathan lives with his wife and their four children in southern Utah. FocusED Show Notes with Guest Nathan Tanner Run an experiment; it may not work, but you’ll learn something from it. ~ Nathan Tanner Nathan starts by telling us that too much of our leadership training is focused on the “external” work, such as technical skills for hiring, training, and supporting others, versus the “internal” work, including mental and emotional resilience. Nathan tells us a story about being stretched thin at work and how he responded. Too often, we don’t even check ourselves when the warning signs are clear. Nathan says that the leadership burnout can happen to anyone, especially people with the best of intentions. Nathan dives into the strategies for managing our emotions. He mentions four. The first is the “unsent angry letter.” He tells us about the “power of walking,” including the science behind it. Nathan does an exercise of deep breathing with all of his clients. This slows our heart rate and helps with a number of physiological benefits. You’ll want to hear what he says about practicing gratitude. Character creation: 1. Identify 2-3 characters who you play in your life (husband, father, leader, brother, etc.), 2. Define how you need to show up in each of these characters, 3. Pick the times that you need to be any of these characters. One major challenge to the character creation strategy is shifting between them. We have to pause and intentionally make the change. Joe asks Nathan about how new leaders can avoid mistakes. Nathan responds by saying that consistency is the most important strategy. He told the story of the 49ers and how staying the course is critical, especially when you have clear principles. Nathan tells us about how he continues to learn and grow, including his reading strategy, which is 30 books a year for the last 10 years. He has a “daily practice,” and he knows that when he does these practices consistently, he shows up at his best. In life the challenge is not to figure how best to play the game but rather to figure out what game you’re playing. ~ Nathan Tanner

Lauren tells that she was inspired to write the book, The Leader Inside, because of her journey and the people who mentored her along the way, including her parents who were teachers and a special teacher who she names on the show. She told us a story about how George Couros challenged her to blog and then eventually write a book. She writes to reflect on her learning, and the pieces about coaching and mentoring resonated most, which led her to the content and the title of her book. She hopes that the book will help people to recognize their gifts and amplify them for themselves and others. She tells us a story about her own growth and the realization that it's special to be able to collaborate with people and learn through interactions with others. Lauren calls out the importance and nobility in having a career in education. Don’t miss what she says about intentionally identifying your personal core values and then connecting them to the vision and mission of your school or district. Joe asked about the power of mentorship. Lauren dives into her former role as a mentor coordinator and the need for a great mentor match, especially in early-career educators. She reminds us about mentoring standards and professional learning networks that can both guide and support our work. In the mentor-mentee relationship, the mentee has a ton of value and the framing should be that both people are learning with and from one another. She talks about her reading habits, reading more than one book at a time, and what she calls “slow reading.” Lauren says that it’s the leader’s job to create structure and processes for others to lead.

Jason Kennedy Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Jason Kennedy is a 24 year educator, author, school administrator, district curriculum and professional learning director, instructional coach, and presenter. He has tons of experience at all levels of education, elementary through college. He has been a part of Cognia review teams, statewide professional learning, and local curriculum design teams, making the intentional designing of instruction for learning his main goal. FocusED Show Notes with Jason Kennedy Jason tells us that the original book title was “let’s quit teaching,” which the publisher was a bit squeamish about and so they changed it to “let’s ‘stop’ teaching.” The point is that the focus should be on learning, not just teaching. He explains that shifting from teaching to learning is a bigger mindset move than one may realize because many of us, as educators, have been trained to teach…include content delivery. Jason says that we’re always chasing programs versus creating better designs. He explains the difference between planning and designing. Kennedy reminds school leaders that Tier I should be based on standards and curriculum resources, not a program. Don’t miss what he says about combining the what, the who, and how to make the best designs possible. School leaders will gravitate toward what he says about making a daily commitment as educators. We were thrilled to discuss effect sizes and highly impactful teaching strategies, including success criteria. Kids who don’t like their teachers, and, worse yet, kids who don’t feel like their teacher likes them, will struggle to learn. ~ Jason Kennedy He covers the concept of a learning design framework, which is what teachers and students should be doing throughout the instructional period. All teachers should work within a framework to incorporate high impact strategies with flexibility to make decisions. Don’t miss what he says about using AI to build lesson plans. Jason talks about what gets him excited, including working with teachers and collaborative teams. We loved the team names that his teachers use when the collaborate, ELA teachers calling themselves “get lit.” He tells us to go to Corwin for other authors, and mentions John Hattie and VisibleLearning. We loved what he said about “intentional design choices” and what happens when kids come to school and already know the material. Jason ends with “learning is the job.” “The second that the adults stop learning, the kids stop as well. Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you’ll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district. Let us know who you would like to hear from next.

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

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.

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. 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 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 the 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 to not 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 in 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 Related Content from TheSchoolHouse302 Our FocusED Interview with Todd Kashdan

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. _________________________________________ 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 to take intention 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 Mullet on YouTube. Peter is intentional about 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 certainly 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.

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. _________________________________________ 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 doesn’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.

This is Season 5, Episode 15 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Patrice Bain; we discuss powerful teaching techniques, brain science, action research, classroom instruction, school leadership…and much more. _________________________________________ Patrice Bain Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Patrice M. Bain, Ed.S., is a veteran K–12 and university educator, speaker and author. As a finalist for Illinois Teacher of the Year and a Fulbright Scholar in Europe, she has been featured in national and international podcasts, webinars, presentations and popular press, including NOVA and Scientific American. In addition to Powerful Teaching, she also co-authored an essential practice guide for educators: Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning, in collaboration with the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Bain’s latest book A Parent’s Guide to Powerful Teaching reinforces the “Teaching Triangle'' of student, parent, and teacher collaboration. Patrice was one of two U.S. teachers on the working task group: Neuromyths vs. Neurotruths, sponsored by (IES) and the National Commission of Educational Research (NCER). In addition, she was a contributor to the United Nations UNESCO ISEE (International Science and Evidence-based Education) Assessment, outlining the vision for world education by 2030. _________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Patrice Bain Patrice started with the fact that it’s an exciting time in education because we know more now than ever before the science of teaching, including the best ways for students to learn. The four practices that Patrice brings forward from the research are as follows: retrieval practice, spacing, interleaving, and feedback-driven meta-cognition. Don’t miss what she says about cognitive load—we can only absorb 4 to 7 pieces of information at a time. She talks about high-stakes tests, the forgetting curve, and what we should do now that we’re armed with the science of teaching and learning. Retrieval practice should be low-stakes or no-stakes, asking students to simply remember what they learned yesterday, for example. Patrice says that we learn in three steps: encoding, storage, and retrieval. We miss the third step. Too often we focus on getting information to our students versus pulling information from them. Don’t miss what she says about action research.

Be the Flame with Shane Saeed This is Season 5, Episode 14 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Shane Saeed. In our wide ranging conversation, we discuss community building, setting norms, the science of learning, coaching teachers…and much more. _________________________________________ Shane Saeed Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Shane Saeed is a district instructional coach in Colorado working with educators K-12. Prior to coaching, Shane was an elementary teacher. Shane has earned a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in literacy, a second master’s degree in School Leadership and is currently a doctoral candidate working on her degree in Executive Leadership with a focus on Educational Equity and will defend her research this spring. Shane’s passion is sharing instructional practices with educators near and far. She is a keynote speaker and facilitates professional development nationally on topics such as the science of learning, the science of reading, and on relationship building using content from her book, Be the Flame, which outlines high-yield tangible strategies to cultivate strong positive relationships with all stakeholders. Shane was named one of 20 Emerging Leaders for ASCD in 2022. Shane continues to work in public education in her Colorado school district and collaborates with teachers across the globe via social media. Follow Shane on X: @saeed_shane. _________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Shane Saeed It takes a community to create a safe space for students to air their grievances. Only then can teachers change behaviors, working toward an even stronger community. ~ Shane Saeed Shane talked about connecting with acclaimed author Jimmy Casas, our friend and author of Culturize. Jimmy encouraged Shane to write her book, and Be the Flame was born. Shane says that we often think of community building as a beginning of the year activity, but the truth is that community building should be ongoing. Dr. Saeed talked about modeling activity for team building at a staff meeting so that teachers know how to use that same strategy with students. The difference is that the staff should also discuss the benefits and outcomes of the strategy so that they understand the WHY. Don’t miss what she says about team building and “first drafts” that can reinforce learning foundations and mindsets for both students and staff. Shane emphasizes the use of community meetings. Here’s a stem to try with students: “This week I did well at…and next week I would like to do a better job with…” Shane talked about setting norms (for classrooms and adult meetings); she referenced Learning By Doing by the DuFours. We asked Shane to talk about the structure of her book, which is focused on takeaways. The book includes stories, reflection questions, and things to use for immediate implementation. As always, we geeked about a bit on the science of learning, including Shane’s description of prior knowledge. Joe asks Shane to talk about how she organizes her learning. Don’t miss what she says about going deep into multiple authors and works. She calls these “suites” for her learning intentions. Shane calls for more belonging in schools; one way to do this is to ensure a knowledgeable teacher versus one who can implement a program. This reminded us of a Delaware professional learning experience called DTI. Check it out. Dr. Saeed uses cognitive coaching as an instructional coach. The thinking has to be the responsibility of the educator, not just a coach or administrator dictating what to do in every case. She talks about how exhausted teachers are, and the fact that they make more decisions than a brain surgeon, which means we need to streamline and structure.

Kim Strobel Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Kim Strobel is a renowned motivational speaker and author of the forthcoming Teach Happy: Small Steps to Big Joy, sought after by schools, businesses, and organizations worldwide. With her powerful message about the impact of happiness on well-being and the pursuit of fulfillment, she traverses the globe, sharing her insights. Kim specializes in empowering educators and professionals, equipping them with the necessary tools and strategies to shift their mindsets, reclaim their happiness, reignite their passion, and lead with purpose. Drawing from her extensive background as a teacher and curriculum director, Kim’s ultimate aim is to inspire her audience. Through her engaging talks, she presents captivating research, heartwarming anecdotes, and practical steps for achieving life-altering results. In addition to her professional pursuits, Kim is a devoted animal rescuer, having rescued 187 dogs. She is also an avid runner and has an unwavering love for life. _________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Guest Kim Strobel A positive brain is 30% more productive than a brain that is neutral or stressed. ~ Kim Strobel Kim starts with the fact that happiness is scientifically based, regardless of what some people may think about the skill of developing happiness. She takes a step back and says that there are heavy feelings. She doesn’t promote toxic positivity, but we ought not get stuck in the gutter either. Don’t miss what she says about the power of happiness in helping us to become more engaged and creative. Kim isn’t shy about what we’re typically taught--put your head down and work hard, more hours, etc. That just doesn’t work if we want to be effective. Joe is candid about how stress can create rumination and then we enter autopilot. He asks Kim to help with the mindset shift that many of us need. Kim describes parts of the brain, how they work, and the subconscious mind that’s driving thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. She tells us that too many people are on cognitive overload. We have 70,000 thoughts a day and 60% are negative. Our negative brains are what kept us safe as humans, but that’s mostly not necessary anymore. Kim reminds us that our mind and our thoughts are within our control. The number one strategy to rewire our neurofeedback is to use gratitude. Writing down 3 thoughts of gratitude per day can literally change your mind about yourself and the world. In our gratitude practice, which is a happiness habit, we must be specific--not just that we’re able to exercise but that we can run 30 miles per week. Be specific! Don’t miss what she says about habit stacking. She gives granular advice to teachers about how to build happiness habits with students in the classroom. Joe asks Kim to dive deeper into her meditation chair. The need for tradition and habit is critical to build success and mitigate decision-fatigue. Kim opens up about her own trials with panic disorder and suffering that she went through as she helped herself out of a dark state. We can blame anyone for anything, but at the end of the day our happiness is our own responsibility. Kim describes the work ethic that many of us have as being gratifying because we’re drained after giving our all to something but that’s not the best strategy for real happiness. She tells us that 50 hours of work leads to about 37 hours of productive time; and, 55 hours leads to 35 hours of productive time. Five more hours and we lose 3 that were potentially productive. Don’t miss what she says about putting our energy into the things that fuel us rather than the things that deplete us. Check out the gratitude tracker that Kim mentions during the show. Find Kim at https://kimstrobel.com/.

This is Season 5, Episode 12 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Wendy Turner. Wendy talks to us about adult burn-out, SEL strategies to use on yourself, what leaders can do differently to support teachers…and much more. _________________________________________ Wendy Turner Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Wendy Turner is an educator, author, and teacher leader who is passionate about social emotional learning. Wendy currently teaches third grade in Wilmington, DE and works to build capacity in others around social emotional learning practices in schools. She was the 2017 Delaware Teacher of the Year, a Presidential Excellence in Teaching Science awardee, an NEA Global Learning Fellow, an Outstanding STEM Educator in Delaware, a Delaware Compassion Champion, and served as the teacher leader on the Delaware State Board of Education for two years. Wendy now facilitates professional learning on social emotional learning both locally and nationally and regularly contributes to education blogs, articles, and podcasts. She is the author of Embracing Adult SEL, published by Routledge in 2023. You can follow Wendy on X: @mrswendymturner. _________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Wendy Turner Judgment is an insufficient use of resources for living your life. ~ Wendy Turner Wendy talks about her time in the classroom and how she needed a break before coming back to the classroom. When she left, she felt burnt out, which led her to write her book about adult SEL. One thing that matters about this book is that it’s a self-help book for us to implement SEL for ourselves as well as others. She tells us that she shares a lot of her personal life in the book to relate to readers who want to learn more about implementing SEL for themselves. Joe asks Wendy if she thinks she could have not burnt out so fast if she had SEL when she left education before coming back to her current position. Don’t miss what she says about having some pieces of the practices but not all. Don’t miss what Wendy says about having a “box of energy.” Wendy talks about using empathy to take action--she calls this Curious, Connected, and Active. You have to check this framework out in the book. T.J. points out Chapter 3 from the book and the foundation of SEL being self-awareness. You have to hear how Wendy responds to this using information from that chapter on page 49. Wendy addresses the shame that we often feel and how to let it go, including our own pessimism about things that we can’t control. Don’t miss what she says about her core values and how she uses them to make quality decisions. Joe asks about barriers, roadblocks, etc to doing this work well. Wendy advises that it takes time--1 to 3 months. Try five new things in that time period. Wendy talks about positively present as a place that she goes for inspiration. She mentions a case study on SEL that she finds fascinating because it says that we need to start with adult SEL if we’re going to implement it successfully with our students. Explicit, sustained, and embedded--these are the principles of implementing any professional learning that we want to stick, including SEL. Wendy calls for SEL coaches in every school. Joe asks Wendy to unpack SEL circles, which she does using CASEL practices. Wendy says that teachers need practical, useful strategies that they can use right away. She talks about her next book, which is going to be an SEL playbook. Teachers know the what, but they need help with the how.

This is Season 5, Episode 11 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Mitch Weathers. Mitch defines executive functioning skills, why they are so important to teach students in school, and how to do it in every classroom…and much more. _________________________________________ Mitch Weathers Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Mitch Weathers became a gifted teacher because he was a mediocre student. Despite taking seven years to graduate college, he navigated the classroom with discomfort. This unique perspective fueled Mitch's teaching approach. Recognizing the importance of laying a foundation for learning, he created Organized Binder. This research-backed strategy empowers teachers to impart executive functioning skills efficiently, preserving valuable instructional time. By establishing a predictable routine, Organized Binder fosters safer learning spaces, shaping Mitch's journey from a struggling student to an innovative educator. Mitch’s book helps educators understand and implement executive functioning skills in the classroom. It’s called Executive Functions for Every Classroom, Grades 3-12: Creating Safe and Predictable Learning Environments. You can find Mitch on X @organizedbinder. _________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Mitch Weathers Mitch talks about writing the book because not all teachers can access his company’s resources, Organized Binder, but they can design lessons that help students gain executive functioning skills. The book helps with that. Mitch says that we can’t hope that students will pick up executive functions (EF) skills by chance. Joe reminds listeners that we interviewed Curtiss Murphy and we must assume confusion. With that in mind, Joe asks Mitch to define EF. Mitch said that one of the schools he works with calls EF skills “studentness.” The reason for this is that not all kids know how to “do school.” EF teaches how to do school well, and they translate to life skills. Don’t miss the 6 skills that Mitch says matter for all other skills to fall in place. We discuss predictable learning spaces and the need for the environment to be safe for risk-taking and other factors required for learning to take place. Mitch calls for more routines so that kids aren’t spending their cognitive load on processing the demands of the classroom and the teacher so that they can place that demand on the learning intentions. Don’t miss what he says about “shared routines” in schools and collective teacher efficacy. When we build shared routines, we’re also collectively rallying around something that we all care to deliver for kids. EF skills are not necessarily something that should just be taught in isolation, but rather they should be used in the context of all learning scenarios. Joe asks about the trouble with collective efficacy and why we don’t share practices for predictable learning environments. Mitch has a simple answer: too much isolation. The rhythm and routine of the day shouldn’t change. ~ Mitch Weathers Several times, Mitch mentions Visible Learning MetaX. All instructional leaders should know about this and how some strategies have higher effect sizes than others. You want to listen to how Mitch describes the need for continuity in schools. Mitch says that when you pick a routine to implement, you should explore why. The rationale is as important as the strategy itself. Resources that Mitch mentions: Organized Binder and Teach Better’s Grid Method. Mitch talks about CTE being the future of secondary education. He tells us that too much of school is focused on content and teaching and not enough on the environment.