Dr. Todd Kashdan Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Dr. Todd B. Kashdan Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at George Mason University, a leading authority on well-being, psychological flexibility, curiosity, courage, and resilience. 

He has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles, and his work has been cited over 45,000 times. He received the Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year Award from George Mason University and Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contributions from the American Psychological Association. 

He is the author of Curious? and The Upside of Your Dark Side, and his latest book is The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively. 

His writing has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, National Geographic, Fast Company, among other publications, and his research is featured regularly in media outlets such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, NPR and Time Magazine. 
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FocusED Show Notes with Dr. Todd Kashdan

The reason that Todd wrote the book is because of the negative connotation that comes with speaking up at work. 

The reason that we want dissension is to make superior decisions. It might be slower and more uncomfortable, but it makes for a better outcome. 

As we open up to dissension, we’re asking people to challenge the status quo. 

Don’t miss what Todd says about conformist thinking and what happens when we don’t provide a platform for diverse thinking. 

Todd brings up the mixed research on diversity and the fact that diverse thinking works better for decision-making but most organizations don’t have a good way to ensure diversity. 

Listen to what he says about creating meeting and classroom norms to encourage independent thinking. “It takes a modification of the group norms.” 

We were reminded of Liz City’s advice when he talks about collecting information before meetings as a new norm. 


You want to hear what he says about how we have to treat “minorities of one” to make sure that they feel comfortable sharing. “I brought you into this organization because of your unique background.” 

Make sure people know that you respect their views even though you might disagree on everything. 

We want disagreement about topics and issues, not relationships. 

Todd talks about learning to be clear with ourselves and transforming our thinking. What he says about “conviction bias” is fascinating. 

Todd opened up with his background and how all of our backgrounds lend to our biases. “To what degree do you represent the subculture in which you live?” 

The more ways that we can view diversity, the more likely we can bring divergent thinking into the decision-making without thinking of people as “representative” of their group. 

Todd reminds us as educators that one of the ways to deal with misconduct from students is to bring them into the forefront as leaders. The same is true for adults and co-facilitation. 

We have to tell people why we’re amplifying ideas that deserve consideration, especially when they’re divergent. 

Todd wants to improve the student experience in schools by improving their sense of belonging. Don’t miss what he says about distinctiveness. 

Subscribe to Todd’s newsletter. At the end of his newsletter, he posts resources, books, people to follow, and more. 

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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.

Using the Art of Insubordination as a School Leader with Guest Todd Kashdan

This is Season 5, Episode 3 of FocusED, and it features our guest, William Parker. It was originally recorded in front of a live audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Education, Wilmington University, and The School House 302. Don’t miss what Will Parker says about effective school leadership, motivation in schools, taking action as a school leader, and so much more.

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William Parker Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners
William D. Parker is the Founder of Principal Matters. He’s an educator, author, speaker, and executive coach who uses his expertise in school culture, leadership, and communication to equip educators with solutions and strategies for motivating students, inspiring teachers, and reaching communities. 

An Oklahoma educator since 1993, he was named Broken Arrow Public School’s South Intermediate High School Teacher of the Year in 1998. He became an assistant principal in 2004 and was named the Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary Principals in 2012. 

As principal of a Title I school, his school’s innovative approaches to collaboration, remediation, and mentoring resulted in marked improvements in student performance. 

For six years, he served as the executive director of Oklahoma’s Association of Secondary Principals and the Oklahoma Middle-Level Education Association. As founder of Principal Matters, he provides virtual leadership academies, masterminds, executive coaching, and keynote presentations to equip and inspire educators. 

His podcast, Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast, has more than 1 million downloads with more than 360 episodes available. He’s the author of Principal Matters, Messaging Matters, and Pause. Breathe. Flourish.  
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FocusED Show Notes with William Parker
Will starts with a vulnerable story about his second year as a school leader and almost not making it because of the practically impossible nature of it. Don’t miss the part about the letter that he wrote to himself. 

Will dives into the importance of self-care. If the leader runs out of energy, there’s no capacity to continue. 

We talk about habits, and lowering the bars of resistance. TJ asks about decision-making fatigue. 

Don’t miss what Will says about asking for help and networking (borrowing ideas). 

You’ll love the story about the composer, and his response to preparing for a season of hard work. 

His insight about “the capacity to sustain” is important for new leaders. 

Joe asks about mindset and perspective, and Will responds with the dynamics of overcoming skill and will problems. 

“Who else can I reach out to for help in this area.” This is a prompt that Will uses when he’s reaching his limit. 

“One rake at a time.” This is a saying that Will uses to ensure that he’s taking small steps forward. 

Will brings up Harry Wongs’ First Days of School as a go-to for every teacher every year. 

Will tells us that he takes a ton of leadership lessons from The Lord of the Rings. 

Joe digs deeper into instructional leadership books, and Will calls to attention Transforming School Culture by Anthony Muhammad. He also talks about Jimmy Casas’ book Culturize. 

Will mentions Hidden Brain and Guy Kawasaki’s podcasts as important to him for learning. 

Don’t miss Will’s reflection questions for when he reads and learns. 

Will ends with two contradictory statements that are both true. You are less important than you think you are. You matter more than you think. You want to hear what he means by this. 

Books that William Parker Mentions on FocusED 

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg 

Atomic Habits by James Clear 

Think Again by Adam Grant 

You’re the Principal Now What by Jen Schwanke 

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt

Motivation, Action, Courage, and Teamwork for School Leaders with William Parker

About Donya Ball
Dr. Donya Ball is a leader, author, and national keynote speaker. She currently serves as a superintendent of schools in California and, for over two decades, has been a change-maker in public education. 

Dr. Ball is a professor of both educational administration and teacher education. She is passionate about studying, writing, and speaking on overcoming leadership hardships. 

Her first book of the leadership series, Adjusting the Sails: Weathering the Storms of Administrative Leadership, was published in 2022. Her second book, Against the Wind: Leadership at 36,000 Feet will be released this January.

What You’ll Find in this Episode with Donya Ball

Donya starts with a story about her experiences working through various positions and the fact that we tend to talk a lot about “the stuff,” but there isn’t enough “real talk” in books. She wanted her work to get to the real talk. We call that “real talk for real leaders.” 

Listen to Donya’s thoughts on why we’re so reactionary in educational leadership.

She has unique ideas about writing and conveying her message, particularly how she combines her love for reality TV and what needs to be in books for school leaders. 

One “sail” we talked about adjusting is the negative reviews in books. 

Joe tells the story of how TheSchoolHouse302 was born because it relates to Donya’s take about the need for “real talk.”  

One inspiration for her book is the need to discuss career rejection; it happens, but not enough of us are actually talking about it. 

Don’t miss her story about her dad who was born in Iran and how he had to establish a new life. We all need to become fighters! 

Donya talks about the need for branding…our perception of ourselves is not always in alignment with the public perception of us. 

Listen to her describe how branding is an obstacle and how we need to do an assessment of our social media accounts. What message are we sending to our school community? 

Donya says that we need to embrace the crises when they occur, not shield ourselves and others from them. 

Don’t miss her analogy for the three types of leadership strategies with social media. 
Dismissive
Passive 
Engaged  

Donya tells us to follow Roni Habib at eqschools.com for inspiration and aspiration in the space of leadership and personal well-being. 

Great leaders ask this question daily: “Are my people taken care of?” This transcends resources, facilities, pay, etc. She wants to know if those she leads truly feel taken care of.

Don’t miss what she says about “raw, authentic, heartfelt conversations.” 

Donya wants to master the art of patience. Joe says that TJ is not a person to ask for help in this area. 

She talked about growing as a leader and why it’s imperative to surround yourself with people who are different from you--political leaders, community leaders, thought leaders in various fields. 

She delivered a great call-to-action: We need to get outside of our comfort zones when it comes to bringing people into our circle. 

She recommends Blindspots: Hidden Biases of Good People for school leaders who want to uncover their own biases and move past them. 

Donya admits that she used to think about short-term results and getting quick wins on accountability metrics, but she’s shifting her thinking to more long-term approaches to teaching, learning, and leading that have a lasting impact on the world. 

Let us know if there’s a guest who you want us to have on the show by leaving a comment below or by contacting us at contact@theschoolhouse302.com. And don’t miss our leadership content updates every week by subscribing on the site. 

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

Guest Donya Ball Talks about How Administrators Can Adjust Their Sails to Weather Any Storm

This is Season 5, Episode 4 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Sam Crome. It was originally recorded in front of a live audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Education, Wilmington University, and The School House 302. Don’t miss what Sam Crome says about the power of teams, creating and leading thriving school cultures, and so much more.
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Sam Crome Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Sam Crome is a school leader, currently a Deputy Headteacher and Director of Education for a Multi Academy Trust in Surrey. 
He has been a Head of Year, Head of Department, Head of Sixth Form, lead Teaching and Learning, and most recently lead pastoral teams across a secondary school. 

For the last few years, Sam has studied high-performing teams, trying to better understand how teams can become more than the sum of their parts. He regularly blogs, speaks, and works with schools regarding their teams, helping educators to maximize their effectiveness. 

He remains convinced that this is an area that needs more attention and exploration. Sam is an accredited coach and loves working with coaches to help them realize their potential and make strides towards their career goals.

He’s the author of The Power of Teams: How to create and lead thriving school teams.
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FocusED Show Notes with Sam Crome

Sam saw a lot of competition in the world of education, not necessarily using teamwork, which is why he wrote the book.

Here’s what Sam wants to know: how do a group of people come together to seamlessly strive toward a common goal? 

Sam talks about learning to coach and the impact that the process had on his work with leaders. The form of coaching that he mentions is “non-directive.”

Don’t miss what he says about his former self in terms of his past perspective on teams and what he believes now. 

We ask Sam about what makes for a great team and how to lead a team. You’ll want to hear this. 

He describes a “team debrief” as a critical aspect of teamwork. We discussed the need for Before Action Reviews and After Action Reviews. 

Sam talked about the reasons why teams aren’t effective. 

He mentions a simple remedy to team meetings: planning. We talked about this with Dr. Liz City. 

Don’t miss him describe his BIG secret--start every meeting with a short burst of learning. Plus, this should be enjoyable and not too sensitive. 

Teams have to believe that what they say they’re going to do at the meeting is what they actually do after the meetings. This means that the leader has to start meetings with an update about what has happened since the last meeting. 

Sam talks about accountability from the leader for the people who attend meetings. 

The survey data that he talks about is incredible.

Sam talks about the ResearchED Network and getting so much value from that group. 

We asked Sam about what he would do to support the student experience, and he talked about a disruptive-free learning zone. Students need safety and belonging for learning to take place
Related School Leadership Content Based on This Show 

We wrote about teams in an early blog. Check it out and comment on the site. 

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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.

The Power of Teams with Sam Crome

Unlocking Excellence: Read to Lead Better, Learn to Grow Faster

These are two powerhouse books that capture the journey of leadership. These two books are distinctly different, but both reflect our focus on school leaders' need to Navigate the Seas of School Leadership. 

Joe recommends, Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations, which is an autobiographical book by Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired Navy SEAL and former commander of the United States Special Operations Command. The book is a firsthand account of Admiral McRaven's remarkable military career, spanning from his childhood, the early days in training, to his experiences leading special operations missions.

The narrative is filled with anecdotes and insights into the world of special operations, offering readers a glimpse into the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned in high-stakes environments. 

It's an amazing exploration of leadership, resilience, and the values that underpin success in the most demanding situations. The book not only shares the author's personal journey but also imparts valuable leadership lessons that can be applied in various contexts, making it a great recommendation for school leaders who are navigating their own challenges.

T.J. recommends, Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon, a book written by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr, former executives at Amazon. The book provides a unique insider's perspective on Amazon's culture, leadership principles, and business strategies.

In "Working Backwards," the authors share anecdotes and insights based on their experiences working with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The book covers Amazon's customer-centric approach, decision-making processes, and the principles that have contributed to the company's success. It also offers valuable lessons for leaders and businesses seeking to adopt Amazon's innovative practices.

What You’ll Learn in this Episode with Joe & T.J. 

Joe reveals that his mentor and friend, Dr. Steven Godowsky, originally shared this book with him knowing his interest in leadership perspectives from the military. 

Listen to Joe describe how Admiral McRaven structures the book to capture the intention of the reader.

Joe also emphasizes how Sea Stories covers McRaven’s career. Too often leadership books don’t chronicle the journey of a leader and the many different leadership positions that an individual may hold. This book does!

Who doesn’t want a look inside Amazon? Listen to T.J. describe why he likes this book and why he recommends it to school leaders.

T.J. describes how these gentlemen detail their work within Amazon and the lessons that can be learned for leaders. You don’t want to miss how the authors describe working for Jeff Bezos.

Let us know what you’re reading by contacting us at contact@theschoolhouse302.com. And don’t miss our leadership newsletter every week by subscribing on the site. 

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

Two Must Reads for School Leaders Who Want to Navigate the Leadership Waters

This is Season 5, Episode 5 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Sam Crome. It was originally recorded in front of a live audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Education, Wilmington University, and The School House 302. Don’t miss what Don Parker says about being the driving force in your school, and so much more.
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Don Parker Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Dr. Don Parker is a transformational keynote speaker and professional development provider. He specializes in SEL, supporting teachers to build trusting relationships with students, restorative practices, trauma-informed practices, and improving the culture and climate of schools to enhance students’ and teachers’ feeling of belonging.

Dr. Parker is a former principal and served at Posen School in Posen, IL where he improved the school climate, staff collaboration, parent engagement, and student achievement. 
Before that he was the principal of Lincoln Avenue School, a K-8 school in Dolton, IL, where he improved the culture, implemented a resilience program, managed the implementation of restorative justice, and increased attendance and student achievement. 

Dr. Parker is the author of the book Building Bridges: Engaging Students At-Risk Through the Power of Relationships and Be the Driving Force: Leading Your School on the Road to Equity. Follow Dr. Don Parker on Twitter: @DrDonParker1.
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FocusED Show Notes with Don Parker 
Don starts with the fact that equity issues aren’t new. The achievement gap has been static for too long. Don says that leaders are driving this work or pumping the brakes. 

Don says that equity work starts at the top. 

Don talks about the fact that people will follow a person before they follow a cause.  

Don’t miss what he says about sharing data to create a sense of urgency. We need to take an honest look at our practices and start the conversation with empathy. 

Don talked about the fact that 72% of students feel that they need social and emotional support but don’t get it. 

We need to take an inventory of our academic supports to ensure that we’re reaching all students. 

Don says that we often make assumptions about the community and what they need, but the better strategy is to ask them. Are our family engagement and education strategies targeting what the community needs? 

Dr. Parker says that we need to use surveys more often to gather information about what our families want from the school, maybe there’s something they think we should be providing that we’re (even though we can). 

His story about a family who had a food-deficit is inspirational. 

If Don could improve every school, he would make sure every student felt valued in the school environment. His water bottle analogy is incredible. 

Don talks about strategies to create belonging and says that it’s not rocket science. 

“99% of education is encouragement.” ~ Don Parker

Don tells our audience to listen to podcasts, go to conferences, and read books. He names Anthony Muhammad’s book, Transforming School Culture.  

Joe asked if anyone outside of education inspired Don, and he pointed to a touching story about his uncle. 

Don mentions the leadership of Barack Obama and overcoming seemingly impossible challenges. Find out what Don believes are the skills that Obama used to be successful. 

He wants to see more on the topic of educator empathy…how to be more empathetic for the sake of our students. We came up with this title for a future book, The Empathetic Educator. 

As final words, Don talked about the professional development that he’s doing around the country and how he helps educators to work better with students who have trauma in their lives.

Be The Driving Force in Your School with Don Parker

This is Season 5, Episode 6 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Lee Roland. It was originally recorded in front of a live audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Education, Wilmington University, and The School House 302. Don’t miss what Lee Roland says about his journey as a school leader and radical change in schools.
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Lee Roland Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners
Lee Roland has been a leader in education and the community for more than 35 years. He has served as a teacher, administrator, Board member, principal, Executive Director, and pastor. 

Lee is a passionate speaker, practical trainer and dedicated advocate for a better future for all. His book, Fantastic Voyage, chronicles his journey of leadership and radical change at Tulakes Elementary. 

Voyage Consulting was born out of a desire to inspire, equip, and empower others to believe, pursue, and achieve equity and success for all individuals, especially children, in our community.
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FocusED Show Notes with Lee Roland 

Lee wants readers to take his content and make it their own. “Take what he says, personalize it, put your name on it,” he says. We have to borrow from one another. 

Joe asks a direct question about imposter syndrome and Lee’s thoughts about writing and publishing a book. 

Lee talked about his early years and that failure was never an option. People always have looked to him for inspiration, and he has embraced the charge. 

He talks about how the staff and community are looking to school leaders for hope. 

Lee isn’t shy to point out that there’s often an elephant in the room…race and poverty are two that we have to face. 

Wearing uniforms made a difference in a school where many of the students didn’t have regular outfits. This created a team feel.

Lee addressed the thoughts and motivation that comes from fear…the fear of change. He encourages school leaders to work with “designated leaders” as well as “undesignated leaders.” 

Don’t miss what he says about building relationships. “We’ve heard it said, but we have to make deposits with people.” ~ Lee Roland 

One sentiment that we take away from his message is that we have to lead with our hearts. People can feel it, and it’s contagious. 

Joe underscores that fear presents itself but it’s often not real. 

Lee encourages the concept of “collaborative leadership.” What he says reminds of the “shirtless dancing guy video.” 

You’ll want to hear what he says about the fact that educators often return to schools to work in a scene of a “non-crime” but the community is often returning to school as a “scene of a crime” that they remember when they were in school.    

Listen to what Lee says about being intentional with every single event that the school hosts. 

Lee says that we make things too complicated. Just think about a student who doesn’t come to school regularly and what can happen if we get them to come to school 5 more days this year than last. 

Students at Lee’s school received an effort grade every day. This was born out of a desperate love for them and making sure that everyone worked toward excellence. 

Lee wants to see a whole-child approach to learning (some call it social and emotional learning), but Lee says that we need to address trauma. Plus, he wants the energy in a school to be about the students. Every Student: “I am the agenda.” 

He points to Ron Edmonds’ work.  

As a final point, he tells listeners to “lead with love.” No one can follow if you don’t lead first. 

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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.

Failure is Not an Option with Lee Roland

About Curtiss Murphy

Curtiss Murphy has spent 32 years as a software engineer (20 of those years in games and gaming and twelve years building educational games. He spent 3 summers hosting the NSF's Edugaming workshop and six years as a professor of game design at Laguna College of Art and Design (for their Game Design MFA program). 

He has a few dozen minor publications/chapters. He’s an award winning speaker, author, and game designer. He’s been on 21 episodes of the podcast Game Design Zen. And he’s currently the VP of Engineering at a Mobile Game Studio.

He is the recent author of What Makes Great Managers Great: How to Raise Engagement, Give Feedback, and Answer the Questions No One’s Asking.

What You’ll Find in this Episode with Curtiss Murphy 

Curtiss starts by flipping the show back to Joe and T.J. with a question about why they would want to have an “outsider” from education on the show. Listen to hear about comfort zones, learning from new people, and seeking alternative perspectives. That’s what Leading Better and Growing Faster with Joe and TJ is all about. 

Curtiss simply says it, many managers are doing it wrong. His story will resonate with you as he admits that he once was one as well. Don’t miss what he says about how it all changed for him.

You want to hear what he says about medical errors and deaths based on miscommunication. 

He talks about going from 5 people to 40 and what management practices have done to increase performance on his team. 

The number one premise to start with as a leader is that there’s confusion everywhere. ~ Curtiss Murphy 

Tune in to hear why we must always be clarifying expectations. 

Joe asks about “safety and making people feel safe at work.” 

Reminder for school leaders: Whatever we do impacts our employees. Don’t miss what Curtiss says about “not enough” in this category. 

Curtiss looks for inspiration from his wife (and he tells us that we can’t have her). 

He talks about being a nerd by trade and using the rules of improv (we wrote about this is 7 Mindshifts for School Leaders). Three rules (1) accept everything, (2) use yes, and, and (3) make your co-workers and partners look good. 

Curtiss wants to learn to be calm, be in the moment, and slow down his sense of urgency. 

He focuses on praising people to support the behaviors that he wants from them to repeat. 

Curtiss used to think that his job was just to empower people; he learned to empower the skill, not the person. 

His final thought: leadership = influencing others through trusting relationships.  

Let us know if there’s a guest who you want us to have on the show by leaving a comment below or by contacting us at contact@theschoolhouse302.com. And don’t miss our leadership content updates every week by subscribing on the site. 

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

Guest Curtiss Murphy Talks about What Makes Great Managers Great

Luke Roberts Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Dr. Luke Roberts has worked in education in the UK for over 20 years to address issues of conflict, bullying, and educational opportunities. He worked on the national evaluation of restorative justice in schools before becoming a practitioner and trainer. 

He became increasingly concerned that the whole school approach was not working and did an MBA, M.Ed., before completing his Ph.D. exploring schools as complex adaptive systems. This reframing of schools is central to his book and seeks to address the challenge of why innovation does not last in educational settings. 

He has also worked in communities and prison settings to promote conflict resolution. He joined Highfive in the USA to promote sustainable solutions to educational challenges as Chief Innovation Officer. 

He also advises government departments on system approaches and is a visiting lecturer at Cambridge University and the Royal College of Arts. His recent book is called Leading Schools and Sustaining Innovation. You can follow Dr. Luke Roberts on X: @LukeshRoberts.
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FocusED Show Notes with Luke Roberts 

Following his PhD, Luke wrote this book to make sure leaders can understand complexity without being too challenged by academic literature. 

Luke wants leaders to have a usable framework for sustaining innovation. 

Luke says schools are much more like beehives than machines. In machines, you can take parts out, but beehives are much more interconnected. 

He talked about the hub and spoke model of school leadership whereby all of the spokes are centered on the leader. Then, when the leader leaves, the innovations die. Dr. Roberts tells a real story about this happening. 

One problem that we discuss is that humans like power and actually like the fact that the system revolves around them. 

Listen to what he says about being in a production-mind versus being a gardener. This requires an identity shift for the school leader. 

The conversation about the network effect in schools is fascinating, especially since it deviates from the traditional hub and spoke model.

Joe asked about the next steps that leaders can make to work toward the networked model. 

No one perspective is going to solve the problem. 

Don’t miss what he says about zooming out and validating history before moving forward. 

Systems thinking is much different than change theory, which Luke says is part of the problem. Change theory is often linear and “beehives” are not linear organizations.    

Luke calls for a greater focus on young peoples’ futures and schools that spend time on students’ sense of identity and how they will interface with society in the future. 

Joe underscores the fact school is often something that is done to students rather than for them. 

Dr. Roberts talks about injecting creativity into the system so that more educators are working in a safe space where they can be creative in the way they think about changing their school. 

We need the ability to play with boundaries, including time and the way the day unfolds. The structures of the day can limit the ability for people to think creatively and change the future of the environment. 

Luke says that once you start to see systems, it’s so hard to unsee them. He references Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a systems thinker. 

Luke asks the audience to ponder how we think about change, not reduce but increase what we should do.

Systems Thinking for School Leadership and Educational Reform with Luke Roberts

This is Season 5, Episode 8 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Meghan Lawson. It was originally recorded in front of a live audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Education, Wilmington University, and The School House 302. Don’t miss what Meghan Lawson says about teaching for a lasting impact, creating a legacy of learning…and much more.
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Meghan Lawson Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Meghan Lawson is a thought leader who studies and implements the conditions and systems needed for transformational change. A lover of learning who believes in the goodness of people, Meghan works to cultivate spaces that honor the humanity of all people. 

She promotes storytelling, the exchange of ideas, and risk-taking. She is passionate about disrupting the status quo and creating kinder, forward-thinking communities of action. 

Meghan is also intensely curious about how to enhance the customer experience in schools. Meghan began her career in the English Language Arts classroom. So, inevitably, her mantra is “Words matter.” She has worked in all levels of K – 12 education as a teacher, school administrator, district administrator, and educational consultant. She’s the author of Legacy of Learning: Teaching for Lasting Impact, and you can follow her on X: @meghan_lawson. 
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FocusED Show Notes with Meghan Lawson

Meghan wrote her book because she’s finding educators all over the place who say things like, “I wish the work was fun again.” 

Meghan says that the stories in the book are authentic, real, and feel like “coffee conversations.” 

Joe asks what it means to “have fun at work.” Meghan talks about positive psychology research. 

Don’t miss what she says about what it means to talk to ourselves. 

When we can create environments where dopamine is high, we can be at our best. 

Meghan calls for teachers to do an inventory about what they can and cannot control and then focus on the controllable aspects of the work. 

She talks about the typical teacher’s perfectionistic personality and what to do about it. 

Small moves done consistently over time can leave to big impact. ~ Meghan Lawson 

If everyone contributes to growing by their 1% each day, imagine what can happen. ~ Meghan Lawson 

Joe brings up the pareto principle and the focus we need on the 20% of our work that leads to 80% of the results. 

Meghan says that one way to use the triangle in her book is to reflect on it in the aftermath of a mistake. 

She says that all students deserve hope and that hope is a stronger predictor of success than any other measure. Hope, belonging, and engagement work together; when one goes up, the other two do as well. 

Meghan calls out the fact that kids can go through the whole day at school (maybe weak) without anyone saying their name. 

She says that she wants to do work she enjoys with people she likes to be around. 

Meghan hopes that all of the unwritten books will get written. People need the confidence to write their stories. 

Life is too short to read books that you’re not getting much out of. ~ Meghan Lawson 

Don’t miss some of the strategies that she uses for reading. 

Meghan ends by genuinely thanking educators for what they do.

Teaching for a Lasting Impact with Meghan Lawson

Unlocking Excellence: Read to Lead Better, Learn to Grow Faster
In this episode, Joe and T.J. introduce two books that they know will make the difference in your life as a leader. Kotler’s book is about operating in a state of flow for improved focus and productivity. Who couldn’t benefit from learning more about flow and how we can get into a flow state?  

Murphy’s book is basically a “how-to” on management. Very practical with specific suggestions to improve your skills. There are also some ideas and thoughts that will challenge your current thinking about managing people. The author is clear that many management principles simply don’t work. 

Why Joe and T.J. Recommend The Art of Impossible by Steven Kotler and What Makes Great Managers Great by Curtiss Murphy 

T.J. kicks off by explaining that when we don’t believe something or can’t imagine accomplishing it, we are limiting ourselves. We can’t do what we don’t think is possible. 

He reminds us of Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute mile barrier, which seemed like an impossible feat. In fact, scientists deemed it physically impossible for humans to do. 

T.J. tells listeners how the book moves through the key concepts of peak performance: motivation, learning, creativity, and flow. 

One major feature that makes this book a critical read for leaders is that it has research and data, along with various stories, to back up the assertions that the author makes. 

T.J. calls The Art of Impossible his favorite book of 2023. Bold statement!

Joe starts by letting the audience know that What Makes Great Managers Great has stories that accompany the management principles being described. This is a great feature because too often when reading books that are designed to improve our skill set, we don’t necessarily understand the full context. 

This book’s table of contents is organized so that you understand precisely what management principle is going to be covered. One principle that really resonated and challenged Joe was to assume confusion is everywhere. Listen to Murphy describe that himself on our podcast episode with him. 

Another great facet of this book is the focus on the power of praise. Similar to what we’ve described in the past, this book emphasizes the need for the praise to be specific and focused.
 
T.J.’s Reading Tip: Set specific reading goals, which are essentially learning goals. Along with your goal, develop a list of books that you want to read. Don’t leave your reading habit and growth to chance. Too many of us finish books and don’t start another one right away. With your list in hand, that won’t ever happen again. 

Let us know what you’re reading by contacting us at contact@theschoolhouse302.com. And don’t miss our leadership newsletter every week by subscribing on the site. 

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

Mindset and Management: Two Must Reads for School Leaders

In this episode of Leading Better and Growing Faster for school leaders, Joe and T.J. discuss how school leaders must recognize how their decisions create undercurrents within the organization. 

Every decision you make at school, from offering certain foods in the cafeteria to the consequence a student receives for being late to school because they stopped for a chai latte, creates undercurrents that ripple throughout the school like a rogue dodgeball during PE class. 
These undercurrents can have a more dramatic impact than you might think, potentially causing serious disruption. This is why we tell leaders to remember that the next time you're faced with a school decision, tread mindfully and follow the suggestions in this episode. Your decisions can either steer the ship towards a calm and productive harbor of school pride and spirit or set sail for the unpredictable waters of confusion and disengagement.

Demystifying Decision-Making with Joe and T.J.

T.J. reminds that our decisions are either rippling toward success or triggering negative waves of dissent. Check the books that Joe and T.J. recently recommended to school leaders. 

This concept reminds leaders to maintain the Power of Perception and to be mindful and aware of the present versus constantly thinking about the past or the future.

Joe outlines several initiatives that could breathe new life into schools, but they also carry the potential to fall short and leave our good intentions floundering.

T.J. dives into the Initiative Implementation Chart and quickly goes through the 7 areas and their importance.

Last but not least, T.J. and Joe underscore the critical role of key decision-makers, including individual staff members in addition to school leadership, in making impactful choices for the success of the school and its students.

Let us know what you think by contacting us at contact@theschoolhouse302.com. And don’t miss our leadership newsletter every week by subscribing on the site. 

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

Demystifying Decision-Making: Exploring the Undercurrents Created By Our Choices

Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera has served as a teacher, principal of an international magnet school, director of curriculum, and director of equity and inclusion in her 17 years as an educator. 

She is currently a DEI project specialist and adjunct professor in the College of Education at Butler University and consults through her business, EBR Educational Consulting, LLC. 

Dr. Buchanan-Rivera’s research centers identity-affirming environments. She completed a doctoral degree from Indiana State University in 2017 where she developed an instrument to measure inclusivity in classroom environments. She has written award-winning publications, and her work has been featured in Education Week, Edutopia, Educational Leadership Magazine (ASCD), K-12 Dive, educational journals, and national podcasts. 

In April 2020, she was recognized as the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Education at Butler University due to her contributions to the field on a local and national level. Her first book, Identity Affirming Classrooms: Spaces that Center Humanity, has spread her reach and consulting work internationally. In 2023, she won the Arnold Mickens Black Excellence in Leadership Award, and we invite you to follow her on X @ericabrivera.
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FocusED Show Notes with Erica Buchanan-Rivera

Erica started the conversation about her own experiences in school where the educators had good intentions, but those intentions didn’t result in an inclusive environment. In fact, none of her teachers or school leaders were people of color. 

She aims to amplify student voice, which she does throughout her text. Students don’t just talk about their trauma, but they identify opportunities to support all students in schools. In many cases, all we need to do is to listen to the students. 

Dr. Buchanan-Rivera breaks down what it means to talk about “culture” in schools. We’re talking about “the ways of being” in schools, which includes the roles of power and inequities that exist within schools. 

She says that there’s no real right or wrong way to amplify student voices but that the key is to ask students about their experiences in schools and the ways that we can improve the environment. Listen to what she says about her own listening tours. 

Once we listen to our students, we should build what they say into our strategic plans for school improvement. ~ Erica Buchanan-Rivera 

Joe asks about general threads in what Erica finds when she talks to students about their experiences in school. One common thread is that students want to know how they’re doing in school--they are curious to receive more feedback. 

Just like adults, kids want to know about their strengths and areas for improvement, and they often don’t get that from school. ~ Erica Buchanan-Rivera 

Erica tells us that we can drive change to a more joyous environment by unpacking our own belief systems. Do we truly embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in action? Do we believe that all students can learn? Are we treating students like humans? 

She calls for equity audits as a fresh set of eyes on what teaching and learning really feels like in our schools--tools that assess systems. 

As administrators, we often learn to manage dysfunction rather than learning to clean-house. ~ Erica Buchanan-Rivera 

Don’t miss what she says about outcomes that indicate that our effort in this space is working. 

Erica says we need more support for administrators on leading change, having critical conversations, and growing as equity warriors. A needed book title: Navigating the DEI Space for School Leaders. 

Accountability should be seen as an act of love. ~ Erica Buchanan-Rivera  

Erica ended by talking about the areas in which she would like to grow as a school leader--helping principals navigate DEI successfully.

Creating a Culture of Equity in Schools with Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera

This is Season 5, Episode 10 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Suzanne Dailey. Don’t miss what Suzanne has to say about teaching happier, gratitude, the brain, tons of book recommendations…and much more.
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Suzanne Dailey Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners
Suzanne Dailey has been a teacher for 22 years. She is currently an instructional coach in the Central Bucks School District, where she has the honor and joy of working with over 500 elementary teachers and 8,000 students. 

She teaches model lessons, facilitates professional development sessions, and mentors teachers to be the best for the students in front of them. Suzanne is Nationally Board Certified teacher, a fellow of the National Writing Project, and has a Masters Degree in Reading. 

She is dedicated to nurturing and developing the whole child and teacher and presents these topics at the local, state, and national level. Suzanne is the author of Teach Happier this School Year: 40 Weeks of Inspiration & Reflection and the host of the popular weekly podcast, Teach Happier. You can follow Suzanne Dailey on X: @DaileySuzanne.
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FocusED Show Notes with Suzanne Dailey

Suzanne starts off by defining that teaching happier is also coaching happier and leading happier. Happier is not about toxic positivity but rather contentment and alignment. 

When we feel happier as a person, we’re better coworkers, teachers, friends, etc. 

Suzanne talks about the research--behavioral psychology and neuroscience--and that there are very specific strategies that we can use to be happier. 

Two practices she mentions early in the podcast--getting moving and practicing gratitude. 

Every good teacher sees the person behind the student. ~ Suzanne Dailey 

Don’t miss what Suzanne says about a leader’s ability to discern how each person is motivated. We were thrilled to hear her mention energy as something we need to manage. 

Suzanne talks about her work in the 4th largest school district in Pennsylvania, and a document that the superintendent uses to celebrate staff. This is practical and can be used by anyone. 

She describes the book as broken into 40 small parts to be able to read a quick 2-3 pages per day and set goals. What are your weekly wins? Based on your reading, what will be your next right thing--2 degree shift in your thoughts, language, or actions? 

Teach Happier This School Year is now an ASCD bestseller. 

If you want to take care of the students, take care of the teachers. ~ Suzanne Dailey 

Because Suzanne mentions so many books and research, Joe asks about how she digests books to become practical in her life. Listen to her strategies. 

Suzanne calls for more books about people who work in spaces that care for others. She calls them “caregiving professions.” We can learn so much from people in these callings, and she says that the only way forward is to learn from them. 

Joe catches a nuance that Suzanne is an instructional coach, but she also works at the cabinet level in her district. 

Suzanne ends with her favorite impact, which is working with new teachers.

Teach Happier this School Year with Suzanne Dailey

About Glenn Robbins

Glenn Robbins is the proud Superintendent of the Brigantine Public School District in Brigantine, New Jersey. He has served as a public school superintendent in New Jersey since 2016. Prior to becoming a superintendent, he was a middle school principal, a high school assistant principal, a high school social studies teacher, and a varsity coach. He is a best selling author of Calm In The Chaos: Ancient Stoic Wisdom for Successful School Leadership and a sought after speaker.

Glenn has been awarded numerous administrative national and state recognitions, including the National Exemplar of Education Award, Northeast Innovative Superintendent Award, NJ Visionary Superintendent Award, Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools Member, NASSP Digital Principal of the Year, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Winner, and SETDA Student Voice Award Winner. 

He has been invited to the White House and the US Department of Education several times. He is also the proud recipient of a National Superintendent Certification, and serves as an AASA National Governing Board Member, AASA Aspiring Superintendent Mentor, and Chair of NJASA Technology Committee.

Glenn has been recognized across the globe for his innovative school and district improvement methods and has been featured in numerous conferences, books, podcasts, and other publications. Glenn is passionate about helping school leaders create schools where every student and educator can have the opportunity to succeed to their utmost potential in a VUCA world.

What You’ll Find in this Episode with Glenn Robbins

Glenn starts with the connection between stoicism and school leadership. He takes us back to ancient philosophy, including Epectitus. 

The book is short and powerful. A practical read and guide for school leaders. 

Glenn talks about how the world is so chaotic and how the wisdom in his book is a friend to new and inspiring leaders.

Listen to what Glenn says about being a Superintendent in a shore community and what he takes from the waves.

Glenn poses a great reflection question: How do we react when things hurt us? 

Expressing gratitude once again is a primary habit and mindset people must embrace. 

Don’t miss what Glenn says about the imposter syndrome. 

Glenn mentions following Robert Greene’s work, Damon West, Chris Singleton, Danny Bauer, and other friends that have supported his leadership. Check out Billy Oppenheimer’s Sunday Six.

Glenn talks about the future. Don’t miss what he’s done with the school furniture. 

Lastly, Glenn reminds us that running schools is not a zero-sum game; reach out to a leader on social media and connect about school leadership, personal growth, and human connection. 

Joe & T.J. Are Now Booking Summer and Fall Events!

Space is limited but dates are still available. If you’re ready to take your leadership skills to the next level or you want to build the capacity of the folks on your team, we have the solutions that you need. Our engaging keynotes and interactive leadership workshops are designed to equip you and your leaders with the tools and strategies you need to thrive in today's complex and ever-changing educational environment. Contact us to learn more about our offerings and book a session for your organization today! 

A few ideas: 

Join one of our Mastermind groups

Book us for a keynote to kick off the year with your teachers

Allow us to train your school leaders on any number of our proven models 

Have us join your retreat to kick things up a notch with practical takeaways 

Bring us in virtually or in-person to talk about one of our books
Call us for something unique

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

Stoic Leadership and Remaining Calm in Times of Chaos with Guest Glenn Robbins

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.
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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. 
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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.

Teaching Executive Functioning Skills to All Students with Mitch Weathers

Deborah Netolicky talks with Dr Simon Breakspear about implementing change in schools and education systems. Simon is a researcher, advisor and speaker on educational leadership, policy and change. He develops frameworks and tools that make evidence-based ideas actionable and easy to understand. Over the last decade his capability building work has given him the opportunity to work with over 100,000 educators across more than 10 countries. Simon is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at UNSW. He serves as an advisor to the NSW Department of Education and sits on an expert steering committee for the Australia Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). Simon began his work in education as a high school teacher.

Want to know more?
- simonbreakspear.com

Join the conversation on social media.
- Simon: @simonbreakspear on X and @simon.breakspear on Instagram.
- Deb: @debsnet on X and @theeeduflaneuse on Instagram.
- The Edu Salon: @theedusalon on X and Instagram.

Simon Breakspear on implementing change

In this episode the Leading Better and Growing Faster podcast for school leaders, Joe and T.J. discuss how school leaders can effectively manage the riptides found in everyday school leadership.
. 
Imagine a calm beach day, preferably Savage Ditch, Delaware, where you can drive onto the beach and enjoy an incredible experience of sun and sand. Imagine this, though, you're swimming close to shore in the refreshing water when suddenly, a powerful current pulls you out to sea. This is the unnerving reality of an ocean riptide, and you can’t see them coming and you can’t fight your way out of them. But did you know these hidden currents have a surprising parallel in the world of education? 

Educational leaders, much like beachgoers, can find themselves caught in unexpected challenges – swirling currents of change, budget constraints, or evolving student needs. Just like fighting a riptide is futile, these challenges demand a different strategy. 

In this podcast, you’ll learn about the following 3 Strategies to Navigate the Current: 

Develop a culture of open communication
Develop a culture of continuous improvement 
Develop a culture of self-development.

Don't get swept away! Tune in and learn the secrets to leading through educational riptides.

This podcast offers actionable strategies for:

Building trust and a unified school community

Moving beyond the common notion that  "we've always done it this way"

Creating systems that reinforce a culture of continuous learning and growth

Leading by example through self-development

Our goal is to be able to help school leaders discover how to effectively navigate the educational riptides and chart a course for success in your school.

Joe & T.J. Are Now Booking Summer and Fall Events!

Space is limited but dates are still available. If you’re ready to take your leadership skills to the next level or you want to build the capacity of the folks on your team, we have the solutions that you need. Our engaging keynotes and interactive leadership workshops are designed to equip you and your leaders with the tools and strategies you need to thrive in today's complex and ever-changing educational environment. Contact us to learn more about our offerings and book a session for your organization today! 

A few ideas: 

Join one of our Mastermind groups

Book us for a keynote to kick off the year with your teachers
Allow us to train your school leaders on any number of our proven models

Have us join your retreat to kick things up a notch with practical takeaways 

Bring us in virtually or in-person to talk about one of our books

Call us for something unique

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

Riptides and School Leadership: Parallels in Power and Peril

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.
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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.
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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.

Social and Emotional Learning for Adults with Wendy Turner

The Edu Salon podcast is a space for connection and conversation around education. Each episode, Dr Deborah Netolicky talks with a global education thought leader to provide insights into where education is now and where it might move next.

Like the French salons of the 18th century, this podcast is a place for a diverse range of voices to explore ideas and generate discussion in order to change the world for the better. It has at its heart a focus on humanity, equity and democracy.

Available on:
Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-edu-salon/id1606510793
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3DbqF7WZ6Xx81B1maC2H95
Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjIxNzE0NDIwOS9zb3VuZHMucnNz
Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com.au/podcasts/6b4ca0bb-1794-4945-ad0a-617937373367/the-edu-salon
Audible https://www.audible.com.au/pd/B09VZX636S?qid=1647734219&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=M29RTMY3G4A18E186BGW

Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram @theedusalon.

Helping Educators Lead Better and Grow Faster

FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular problem of practice and/or pinpoint a place of progress so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

New tracks tagged #Schoolleadership