In this episode, I chat with two phenomenal leaders: Meg Kenny, Associate Head of School, and Jen Hyatt, Academic Dean, from a unique town academy in Vermont. We hear about their journeys to senior administration, daily challenges, and the fine balance between accountability and human connection. Listen for a real conversation about how to build thriving school cultures.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We discuss

* Cultivating a culture of belonging, care, and trust

* Gender dynamics in schools

* The power of giving honest negative feedback

* The roles of courage, presence, and love in administration

For my non-teachers out there, you can hear two good humans talk about having difficult conversations in effective, honest, caring ways.

I know there is a lot of conflict-avoidance out there! Holding anyone accountable, holding the line, can be scary because we fear the consequences. People will consider us rude or bossy or controlling or mean. We won’t be liked. If you’ve had a negative experience with holding someone at your school (or any other place) accountable, leave us a message about it. 413.239.4158. Or share a positive experience you’ve had. We can play it on the air and maybe add a comment or two that might be helpful.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It really helps.

External links

Bennington College

Join me on Substack: Teaching Through Emotions.

Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Producer: Jullian Androkae

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

Get full access to Teaching through Emotions at www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe