# 59 - Learning to Unlearn and Relearn

Send us a text

How closely do you monitor your own mindset? To what degree are you self-aware in regards to your own tendencies to be either fixed or growth mindset in nature? How have you taken action to transform yourself both personally and professionally? In today’s episode, Eric Sheninger, a Senior Fellow at the International Center For Leadership in Education, opens up about the transformation of his own mindset a few years back when he was the principal at New Milford High School in New Jersey. As a result of this transformation, Eric and the great team that he surrounded himself with all played a pivotal part in re-creating the culture of the school by getting all stakeholders to embrace and embed the use of social media and technology as major tools in the learning process. One must wonder and be curious about the steps that Eric took in re-inventing the school and its’ culture.In our conversation, Eric deconstructs the success that he had by identifying specific strategies that he and his team put into action. It is these exact strategies that any educator can apply to their own work if they open themselves up to the possibilities that exist within their day-to-day teaching and leadership. Regardless of your role in education, there is no question you will leave this episode feeling inspired and motivated to be a change maker in your own work space.  Eric’s belief is that gratitude is about ‘paying it forward’. Everything that we do in education is about paying it forward in a way that honors the potential that we have to be genuine difference-makers in the world. When paying it forward, not only do we benefit both personally and professionally, but we also have the ability to change the lives of those who matter most — the students in our schools. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Eric Sheninger. About EricEric is a Senior Fellow and Thought Leader on Digital Leadership with the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE).  Prior to this, he was the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School.  Under his leadership, his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices.  Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement. His work focuses on leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework for all educators to initiate sustainable change to transform school cultures.  As a result, Eric has emerged as an innovative leader, best-selling author, and sought after speaker.  His main focus is purposeful integration of technology to facilitate student learning, improve communications with stakeholders, enhance public relations, create a positive brand presence, discover opportunity, transform learning spaces, and help educators grow professionally.Eric has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for his work. He is a CDE Top 30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award recipient, winner of Learning Forward's Excellence in Professional Practice Award, Google Certified Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar.  He has authored and co-authored the following:    BrandED: Tell Your Story, Build Relationships, and Empower Learning (coming soon)Uncommon Learning: Creating Schools That Work for KidsDigital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times Communicating and Connecting With Social Media: Essentials for PrincipalsWhat Principals Need to Know About Teaching and Learning ScienceConnect With Eric:Twitter: @E_Sheninger Website: http://ericsheninger.com/esheninger?sid=28Themes Discussed:Technology, Innovation, Teacher Empowerment, Student Agency, F