Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

Today we welcome someone working on the frontline of education. Elementary school principal, JoAnne Duncan , is a big-hearted, inspirational leader – just what her staff, kids, and parents need as they labor under the cloud of COVID-19. Before she became a principal, JoAnne served as a first grade teacher, kindergarten teacher, and reading specialist. She believes in the brilliance of each child a...

This week we talked with Dr. Deb Gustafson on how she is again applying Jim Collins ' flywheel principle, this time as an Assistant Superintendent, to develop a district office staff that relentlessly focuses on supporting its teachers so that they can in turn relentlessly focus on supporting their kids. We extended that idea of having a disciplined mindset through Essentialism author, Greg McKeow...

We first spoke with Dr. Deborah Gustafson in December 2019 about how she had applied Jim Collins' principle of the flywheel to her work as an elementary school principal. She wanted to focus on those practices that would move the dial for her kids. Academically, yes, but even more important was the need for her kids to believe in themselves. Therefore, hiring people who were instinctively wired to...

One of the problems that plague most organizations is when and how to change. For many, the process looks like fruit-of-the-month club: they try "this" until a new "this" comes along. Jim Collins wrote about this behavior in Good to Great . To avoid this phenomenon, great organizations employ something Collins called "the flywheel" process – a process involving 4-6 elements with each element impac...

This week we talked with three guests on the idea of unstructured play for children. One of our guests, Hannah Beach , describes "unstructured play" as invented activities from the mind of a child. Unlike adult-organized activities or technology-driven entertainment, unstructured play gives kids the opportunity to digest and make sense of their world and ultimately to grow as humans. If opportunit...

When COVID first impacted education over a year ago, one of the messages we heard from educators is that "we need to address the social and emotional needs of our students." That message was driven by the concern that kids were increasingly isolated. Strong relationships that had existed began to fray. COVID also uncovered disparities in access to instruction, and so student performance suffered....

Innovating in education can be challenging because of red tape, limitations, and a constant lack of funds. But this week's guest, George Couros , cautions that constraints shouldn't stop innovation. We can choose to look at a problem and the constraints that surround it, and be frustrated, or we can work with what we have to find a solution. One of the principles of innovation science is that the...

A recent guest on our show remarked that "The discussion in education has moved beyond the question of 'Do we need to transform education to make it more responsive to the needs of students in the 21st century?' That train has left the station. The debate now is over how." Today's guest, educator George Couros , answers that question in part by pointing to purposeful innovation. Not just innovatio...

In this week's episode of "Getting Unstuck", we talked with Dr. Deborah MacNamara , a school counseling psychologist on why it's important for leaders to establish a healthy culture based on relationships. Interpersonal relationships are critical, but their success may be dependent on the relationship we have with ourselves. Those relationships can suffer do to what psychologists call the "empathy...

Given what school leaders may face this fall — > lingering exhaustion brought on by managing the last year and a half under the cloud of COVID, and > the relentless academic push which manifests itself in the fear of students' loss of learning — how can they help teachers nurture a culture of collective strength, of sustaining relationship-based rituals? Counselor and educator, Dr. Deborah MacNama...

This week we reintroduced you to Jamahl Hines , an Assistant Principal and the founder of the Future Educators of Diversity, a program that creates a pipeline for developing teachers of color. Jamahl's story inspired us to look for other educators who are trying to reshape schools. Here we found Emily Pilloton-Lam , the Executive Director of the nonprofit Girls Garage where she teaches young girls...

We first aired this interview with Jamahl Hines last November. His story continues to inspire us as an example of an effective change catalyst. It starts with him realizing a need – in this case that students of color need to see someone like themselves standing in front of the classroom – and then by taking action to develop future educators of diversity. A lot has happened since, so we decided t...

Sometimes circumstances are the catalyst for driving a change that you never anticipated. Assistant Principal, Jamahl Hines relates his experience in this story of transformation.

In this week's "Worth a Listen, Look or Read, " we enrich the theme of external partnerships through a story that recently aired on NPR's "Morning Edition." The story details how five school districts on Long Island, New York confronted a growing mental health problem among their students. The solution that the district leaders and parents came up with relied on an external partnership and the inn...

What can we learn about leading transformational changes from someone outside of K12 education? In this episode we talk with Rich Razgaitis , co-founder and CEO of FloWater to learn: • the importance of having a succinct mission statement. • how to change behavior by first understanding human behavior. • why you should look outside of your space for inspiration. • the importance of agreeing on wha...

In this weekly mini-feature of Getting Unstuck , we provide you with a new way of thinking, some unique content, or a critical skill that speaks to our mission of helping leaders wherever they are get unstuck and achieve their desired outcomes. I this week's episode, we introduce the concept of "resistance" as it potentially relates to students developing their agency — their choice and voice in w...

One of the most fundamental shifts we're seeing is a move toward greater student agency. When educators and educational systems focus on students as active navigators of their own learning and development, great things happen. And while we want to support student agency, we may not have a clear picture of how to develop it, or have the day-to-day habits and structure in place to make it happen in...

We know that writing as a life skill is made even more necessary as the business world increasingly demands workers who are critical thinkers who can articulate points of view and make persuasive arguments. As we think about the deeper purpose of school, we'll also discuss how writing can engage kids and help them develop agency. Aaron Pribble , a high school social studies teacher and author of W...

When is the right time to make changes to K-12 education? Now? Later? Today's guest, Dr. Kim Fleming , President of Core Education, a consulting firm specializing in teacher effectiveness initiatives argues that the best time is now. Kim then reviews changes that are already taking place in four critical areas of schooling: professional development, social and emotional learning, teacher roles, an...

In this episode, Jeff takes a nostalgic trip, and social studies educators Larry Cuban and Phil Roden discuss the state of social studies education today, wrestling with both the purpose of social studies education: Is it to develop patriotism, citizenship, or critical thinking? And the best instructional method: Chronological? Thematic? Skills? Experiential?

"How do we create and spread better models of learning for young people, so that they can truly thrive in the world? asks Jenee Henry Wood , Head of Organizational Learning with Transcend Education , a not-for-profit organization that supports school communities to create and spread extraordinary, equitable learning environments. And when we say models, we mean the experiences that students are ha...

"How do we create and spread better models of learning for young people, so that they can truly thrive in the world? asks Jenee Henry Wood , Head of Organizational Learning with Transcend Education , a not-for-profit organization that supports school communities to create and spread extraordinary, equitable learning environments. And when we say models, we mean the experiences that students are ha...

What's considered when creating a school experience for today's students facing tomorrow's world? A unique combination of design principles and ethos explains Tom Woelper , the founding head of the New England Innovation Academy. "The founders really thought that our educational system needed to evolve and change. It was not preparing students for our rapidly changing world where we're looking at...

As a former teacher turned speaker and happiness coach, Kim Strobel helps schools, businesses, and organizations prioritize their happiness and well-being so they can overcome their fears, discover their joy, activate their limitless potential, and boldly pursue their dreams.

Students must be able to drive their own learning to fully reap its benefits explains teacher Ben Pendarvis. If we want active citizens, reflective thinkers, and confident leaders to compete globally, we must give students more experiences to inhabit these roles. The results of these experiences empowers students to remember what they learn and take on the kind of skills we want to see in our loca...