Leaders Coaching Leaders

In this episode of Leaders Coaching Leaders, Sylvie Arseneau turns the tables and hosts a rich conversation with Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson about their upcoming book, Lead Collectively: From Belief to Action to Impact. Drawing on 15 months of collaborative work with over 50 school leaders in New Brunswick, the discussion explores how collective leader efficacy can be broken down into shared u...

What happens when schools focus on the right kind of data? Elaine Allensworth joins the Leaders Coaching Leaders podcast to discuss the transformative power of meaningful metrics in education. Drawing from her groundbreaking work in Chicago Public Schools, Elaine shares how identifying critical data points, like ninth-grade course failures, can create a ripple effect of dramatic improvements in st...

What does it take to turn classrooms into spaces of healing, empowerment, and belonging? What if education prioritized love, courage, and community over compliance? Educators and authors Shane Safir and Sawsan Jaber join Leaders Coaching Leaders to explore these questions in an eye-opening discussion about dismantling inequities and championing radical love in education. Drawing from their collabo...

What does it truly mean to build resilience in education? Lindsay Prendergast and Piper Lee share insights from their groundbreaking book Habits of Resilient Educators and offer a passionate look into how habits can transform the personal and professional lives of educators. Having observed thousands of instructional rounds and professional learning sessions, they’ve identified key practices that...

Leadership isn’t just about guiding others; it’s about growing yourself. On this episode of the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast, cohosts Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson talk with Jennifer Abrams, renowned educator and author of Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing Up at Work. Jennifer dives into the essential skills leaders need to succeed, including building resilience, managing challenging c...

In this impactful episode of the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast, Dr. Latish Reed, a trailblazing equity specialist and author of the upcoming book, The Complexities of Equity: Navigating Shades of Gray in Schools and Organizations, shares her unique and deeply personal insights on equity in education, drawing from her tenure as Milwaukee Public Schools' first equity administrator. Through h...

Step into the inspiring world of Jennifer Gonzalez, the creative force behind the Cult of Pedagogy, with this episode of the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast. Our co-hosts Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson sit down with Jennifer to explore her groundbreaking ideas on empowering educators and fostering growth in schools. From the inspiring story behind the Cult of Pedagogy’s name to actionable strate...

Jim Knight delves into the remarkable success of his latest book, The IC Toolkit , which became a bestseller within two weeks of its release. This comprehensive toolkit is designed for instructional coaches and those who support them, o organized around seven critical success factors for coaching, encompassing personal attributes, professional practices, and systemic support. Knight emphasizes the...

Disability rights activist Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics, editor of The Call to Unite and author of Fully Alive, delves into the profound impact of unity and dignity in education and beyond. Shriver eloquently discusses the transformative power of inclusion, recounting personal anecdotes and professional experiences that highlight how bringing people together fosters empathy, resilienc...

Zaretta Hammond draws on her book Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain , her upcoming new title Teaching for Instructional Equity and Cognitive Justice , and her decades of experience to discuss what impacts equity, from challenges to supports. In this eye-opening conversation, she encourages school leaders to find new framings and perspectives that create conscious intentions around equit...

Co-hosts Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson delve into the transformative power of collective leader efficacy for this premiere episode of the Leaders Coaching Leaders podcast’s 9th season. Sharing insights from their extensive collaboration with New Brunswick schools, they discuss the critical role of trust, clarity, and coherence in developing shared understanding among leaders, and how these eleme...

Dive into the heart of educational leadership with this dynamic podcast compilation featuring Peter DeWitt, Michael Nelson, Tiffany Anderson, Sonja Hollins-Alexander, Nicole Law, and Thomas Guskey. Tiffany Anderson shares a poignant story about a student that underscores the critical role of community in education. Sonja Hollins-Alexander and Nicole Law discuss the essence of equity, emphasizing t...

The bonus podcast of the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast features a compilation of insightful excerpts from previous interviews with educational leaders John Hattie, Viviane Robinson, and Marc Brackett. John Hattie emphasizes the importance of educators developing a theory of learning that aligns with their teaching methods, highlighting the need for teachers to focus on learning strategies. Vivi...

In a fascinating interview on the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast, Marc Brackett, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of the bestselling book Permission to Feel, delves into the profound importance of emotional intelligence and self-regulation in both personal and professional realms. In this conversation with co-hosts Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson, Br...

In this compelling interview on the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast, David Sousa, a respected educational neuroscience consultant and author, delves into the profound impact of technology on the developing brain. Sousa, known for his groundbreaking work on brain plasticity and the rewired brain, highlights the alarming increase in technology use among preteens and teenagers over the past decade....

Join hosts Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson on the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast as they engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Dr. Kate Anderson Foley about her latest book, Radically Excellent School Improvement. In this episode, Dr. Foley draws from her extensive background in educational leadership to highlight the critical importance of strategic planning and maintaining a student-ce...

In this interview, Keziah Featherstone, an executive head teacher in the West Midlands of England, discusses her leadership philosophy and experiences. She emphasizes the importance of authentic leadership, challenging the homogenized model of leadership that often excludes women and people of color. Featherstone advocates for “punk leadership,” which encourages leaders to stay true to their value...

In this episode of Leaders Coaching Leaders, Principal of the Year honoree Washington Collado shares his personal and professional leadership journey. He underscores the significance of leading with intention and creating a safe environment for open communication among students, staff, and families, discussing how to achieve the respect and trust that are foundational to effective leadership. Refl...

Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson interview Michael Hinojosa, a seasoned superintendent with 27 years of experience in large school districts. ​ Hinojosa shares his insights on maintaining a long-term superintendency, emphasizing the importance of building relationships with the school board, staff, and community to navigate the often complex politics of school districts and the larger education com...

In this episode of the Leaders Coaching Leaders Podcast, Viviane Robinson delves into the theme of Leading with Intention to discuss the core purposes of educational institutions, emphasizing the importance of serving students and the student-centered impact of strong instructional leadership. Robinson–a researcher who has studied educational leadership for years and shaped ed policy around the wo...

As co-host Peter DeWitt says, a talk with Tom Guskey always feels like a master class. Legendary education leader Thomas R. “Tom” Guskey has written twenty-seven books, all widely used and acclaimed in his field. In this conversation, he discussed his newest one, Grading With Integrity . He’ll clarify pervasive mistaken assumptions about grading, what frustrates parents most, challenges teachers a...

What can a world-renowned children's book author and illustrator teach us about leadership? Loren Long is a New Tork Times bestselling picture book author and illustrator. In this episode,  he reveals the creative thought process behind his emotionally resonant illustrations for Amanda Gorman’s Change Sings and how he learned from Matt de la Pena, whose book Love he illustrated, that he was a...

In this special-format episode, our co-hosts Peter DeWitt and Michael Nelson explain and set the theme for the exciting new season of the Leaders Coaching Leaders podcast with a lively discussion and interview of each other! Hear their deeply personal stories about what set them on the path to education leadership and to leading with intention. They’ll reveal their approach to their mission and th...

Get to know the person behind the research in this thoughtful conversation with acclaimed education researcher John Hattie. Join host Peter DeWitt and cohost Mike Nelson as they chat with John Hattie about his journey as a lifelong learner, how his Visible Learning research has resonated globally, and his goal for every educator to have a theory of learning. And, learn about John Hattie's hig...

Join host Peter DeWitt and Mike Nelson as they interview Dr. Susan Enfield, an alumna of Harvard's urban superintendent program. In this episode, we delve into the importance of mentorship, helping students feel seen and heard, and the need for self-reflection. We also discuss the necessity of taking calculated risks in addressing prominent issues within our educational organizations and solv...