Leaders Coaching Leaders

COVID-19 was the disruption none of us wanted or expected - but it happened. Now school leaders have a choice: Will you contribute to the negative narratives surrounding it, or rebound better than before? In this informative and practical episode, Peter talks with Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey about shifting the narrative from "learning loss" to "learning leaps." There are several ways to accelerate learning as we rebound: teacher clarity collective student efficacy reciprocal teaching paying attention to feedback from kids and so much moreIt's time to celebrate all that we've learned and how far we've come as a community.Let us know what you think!

Grading in the U.S. is typically a hodge podge amalgamation of many measurements: homework, quizzes, tests, projects, participation, and many other factors. Grading often becomes a game for many students, and some students simply refuse to play. But author Tom Guskey is hoping we can change our grading practices so that we (and students) no longer see grading as an end in itself, but instead as just a reflection of a moment in time. In this episode filled with personal stories and examples, Peter and Tom will discuss:the downfalls of percentage gradinghow grading is sometimes used as a punishmentTom's recommendations for better grading practicesLet us know what you think!

Memorization is not enough; applying what you know to new and novel situations is a necessary skill for all students today. This skill is called learning transfer, and it's the topic of today's episode with author Julie Stern. Julie talks about the importance of how teaching conceptual understanding can be a powerful way to engage students not only in learning, but in processing their own experiences. Listen in to hear: practical examples of how to teach learning transferhow to transition from teaching to standards to teaching conceptshow teaching concepts helps you teach standards more easily and efficientlyLet us know what you think!

Collective efficacy has become a buzzword in recent years - with accompanying misunderstandings, misapplications, and criticisms. In this de-mystifying and debunking episode, Peter DeWitt talks with collective efficacy experts Megan Tschannen-Moran (author of Evocative Coaching) and Jenni Donohoo (author of Leading Collective Efficacy). The authors clarify that collective efficacy  is about our collective beliefs in our own power to positively influence student learning. If a teacher (or leader) team has collective efficacy, then setbacks, challenges, and failures don't derail them. COVID-19 has actually provided a lot of opportunities for leaders and teachers to build collective efficacy throughout the school community. In this episode, you'll learn:The benefits and criticisms of collective efficacyThe relationship between self-efficacy and collective efficacyThe building blocks of collective efficacyLet us know what you think!

John & Jessica Hannigan, authors of SEL From a Distance, speak from their own experience about how important social-emotional learning (SEL) is for students, teachers, and school leaders. SEL is not something that comes to any of us naturally; the skills to take care of ourselves must be taught explicitly. The authors share how to do that from a distance (i.e. online in virtual teaching), as well as in person. Full of personal stories, you will learn in this episode: how to teach kids SEL explicitlythe importance of taking care of ourselves as educatorshow to build clarity and a common understanding of SELLet us know what you think!

Michael Fullan, expert in school system reform, discusses the new right drivers of whole system success: wellbeing, social intelligence, equality investments, and systemness. They explore democratizing leadership post-COVID, the mindset of systemness, and the power of collective efficacy. They also reflect on shifting the mindset of learning loss and the importance of focusing on positivity and transformation.

After distance learning in 2020, schools have an opportunity to engage multilingual learners and their families in a whole new way - or maybe even for the first time. In this episode, Peter DeWitt talks with Debbie Zacarian, Margarita Calderon, and Margo Gottlieb, the authors of Beyond Crises, about how school leaders can reach this population of students and families. The authors share practical starting points and real stories from schools doing amazing work. You'll hear: why starting with a strengths-based approach, rather than a deficit lens, is so crucial; how district leaders can make supporting multilingual learners a priority; how to give multilingual students agency.Let us know what you think!

We live in an age of hyperchange - with disruptions piling on top of each other. In our first episode of Leaders Coaching Leaders, award-winning principal Dwight Carter shares how school leaders can maintain positivity in the midst of accelerating changes - and even learn to embrace them. Not all disruptions are negative - some are actually necessary for growth. In his new book, co-authored with Mark White, Leading Schools in Disruptive Times, 2nd edition, Dwight and Mark show leaders the Coping, Adjusting, Transforming (CAT) framework for responding to disruption. Let us know what you think!

We live in an age of hyperchange - with disruptions piling on top of each other. In our first episode of Leaders Coaching Leaders, award-winning principal Dwight Carter shares how school leaders can maintain positivity in the midst of accelerating changes - and even learn to embrace them. Not all disruptions are negative - some are actually necessary for growth. In his new book, co-authored with Mark White, Leading Schools in Disruptive Times, 2nd edition, Dwight and Mark show leaders the Coping, Adjusting, Transforming (CAT) framework for responding to disruption. Learn more at corwin.com/leaderscoachingleadersLet us know what you think!

In this episode, Peter talks with Candace Raskin and Melissa Krull, authors of Principal Leadership for Racial Equity: A Field Guide for Developing Racial Consciousness. They discuss why there is resistance to "doing what's right for students," and how school leaders can start to break down or go around that resistance. They stress the importance of developing our racial consciousness as leaders - especially as white leaders - before we can support teachers and students of color. Listen to learn: How we all are socialized to race, and how that socialization impacts our students What is the "white code"? How to navigate resistance to equity workLearn more at corwin.com/leaderscoachingleadersLet us know what you think!