The Open System Podcast

Happy Holidays to everyone in The Open System universe. This month, I’m bringing you a special podcast on a critical and essential topic of interrupting bias and racism in our schools through restoring dignity to students. Our guest this month is Dr. Blake Noel, who recently completed his doctorate at the University of Michigan. We work in similar circles and we’ve spoken at length about the subject of his dissertation and how it connects to the open system concept. I asked Blake to sit down and walk us through his argument and contribution to the field, which I think is extensive. This podcast is a great opportunity to reconsider some prime and fundamental issues at play in our schools. It’s an exploration of the link between race, teacher moves and student dignity. And most consequentially, he offers a powerful way to adjust these dynamics and restore dignity and respect to students. Enjoy!

In our current education discourse, there is major debate and challenges around the ideas of “choice” and “access.” I’m very interested in the intersection between school systems that embark on choice and access initiatives and the relationship they have to creating an open system. I invited my former colleague at Denver Public Schools, Brian Eschbacher, to join the September podcast for a conversation on these ideas: * What is a public space in education? What obligation do we have to meet unique needs? * How does the market analogy apply in education? How does it not? * How does planning and choice walk hand in hand in an open system? * We discuss how a choice and access system create opportunities for Exit, Voice and Loyalty - actions families can take to have power and agency in an open system. * What is the work of family engagement and open systems in creating real choices? * How does choice challenge old notions of community and create the potential for new forms of community?  * What is the future of choice systems?

Hey everyone. I hope you had an amazing summer and are getting ready for a great school year.   While I recorded this podcast before the end of the school year, life events conspired to get in the way. But that's how things work and I'm super excited for it to come out now in August.  Wisdom is a great leader in the space. Since our podcast was recorded, his school was approved.  He is an incredible speaker and thinker in working with families and bringing new people into new visions for education.

Happy April!  I'm excited for our April Open System podcast starring two great leaders from Massachusetts: Glennys Sanchez and Ann Walsh. 1647 is a leading family engagement organization in MA, focused on ensuring that schools have the tools and resources they need to be working with parents and families.  In the podcast, we hear from Glennys and Anne about how the organization got it's name, the origins of why this work matters to them and how they are pivoting to ensure greater buy-in from schools.  This podcast is a must listen if you're interested in the efforts of leaders who are thinking about identity and organizational impact as they pursue open systems.  Enjoy!

A discussion with Reilly Pharo Carter, an amazing ed leader in Colorado who leads from an open system mentality and practice.

Welcome to the second Open System podcast! Thanks everyone for your great feedback and comments on the first podcast.   For the second podcast, I had the chance to sit down with a longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Ivan Duran.  Dr. Duran is the Superintendent of Bellevue Public Schools in Washington state.  I've know Dr. Duran from our time together in Denver Public Schools, where I knew him as a champion of family engagement as a major priority while he was in charge of all elementary schools in the district.   In the podcast, we discuss why he got involved in education, why he cares about family engagement, the outcomes of best practice open system work and how he thinks about ensuring the entire system prioritizes the work.

A podcast interview with powerhouse and Kansas City School Board member, Natalie Lewis.