The Counter Narrative: Changing the Way We Talk (and think) About Education

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. This is a special crossover episode with Dr. Sam Fecich, host of the EduMagic Podcast, and will be airing simultaneously on both of our shows. If you don’t know Sam, she is a professor of education at Grove City College where she teaches preservice teachers about educational technology or special education. During our conversation, we each shared 2 takeaways from the first half of a very interesting school year. Sam explored the very real fact that online teaching and traditional teaching are vastly different and that we need to be mindful of the unique needs of each as we launch into instruction. She also pointed out the need for ensuring accessibility, for both forms of teaching, if we expect students to succeed. Sam continued by challenging so called norms by encouraging teachers to set boundaries and focus on self-care. In fact, a potential 30-day challenge emerged from this idea on how we can commit to pushing back against toxic positivity. Of course I too shared my two ideas by reminding educators that they are not alone in the challenges they are facing as we are all navigating uncharted waters. And I continued to anchor my belief in the potentially cliched, but no less important, concept of Maslow over Bloom. We must take the time to build strong foundations, especially in a time of remoteness and often disconnectedness. We dropped so many names in this show including Chey and Pav of the Staffroom Podcast, Traci Browder of the Intelligogy Podcast, LaKeisha Carroll of the Kickin it With Kee Podcast, Michael McWilliams and Hamish Brewer, two amazing principals. Be sure to check out Edu Magic and all of the other amazing shows that we referenced and of course, if you have done so already, be sure to subscribe and rate this show on whatever platform you are using. I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. In this episode, I chat with Dawn Harris, a passionate and energetic educator who lives by the motto, “Relationships First.” In her roles as a secondary English Language Arts Educator, Gifted and Talented Teacher, and Associate Professor of Teacher Education, Dawn continually strives to bring authentic and engaging learning experiences to students of all ages. Throughout her career as an educator, Dawn has taught in urban, rural, and suburban districts meeting the needs of children from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. In addition to general ELA coursework, Dawn’s classroom teaching experience also includes teaching English as a second language, creative writing, film studies, and response to intervention instruction. Dawn’s professional teaching experiences have been showcased in scholarly journals and at local, regional, national, and international conferences. Dawn’s first book, Plan Like a Pirate, is set to release in 2021. During our conversation, we discussed the power of creating equity committees as we attempt to give students a full educational experience. To do this, however, we must question how racism affects those around us by attempting to understand their perspectives. It’s important to note that this takes work and that mistakes will happen along the way. Dawn recommends several ways to move forward including hosting watch parties to discuss the plethora of virtual professional development now readily available. I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. The show can also be found on CodeBreakerEdu.com, a site dedicated to disrupting the status, challenging social norms, and having critical conversations.  Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Take care.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. This episode is a pause to ponder segment. These biweekly sessions will allow me to share with you my personal thoughts and reflections on a wide spectrum of topics as they relate to education. It is my hope that you will be able to take something from these segments and apply it in a meaningful way as you continue to do amazing work. Remember, while we all have different roles, we all have a single job, educating our students. In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, this episode examines some of his quotes in the context of America today. Join me as I reflect on recent events and what they revealed about the truth of our current society and what this means for us as educators. What can we do to ensure that Dr. King's dream moves closer to reality? How do we remain encouraged during these challenging times?  I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Take care.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. In this episode, I chat with Dustin Pearson, a 7 year educator in suburban Kansas City, Missouri who teaches high school special education. He is a devout believer and practitioner of relationship building with all stakeholders and uses differentiated instruction, PBL, Inquiry, and career based practices to prepare his students for post-secondary success. Dustin is also a leader, writer, learner, and implements a holistic child approach that is based on reflection, mindfulness, and compassion. He is happy to share that he will begin his doctoral program in Educational Leadership this summer. During our conversation, we talk about the importance of providing students with the opportunity to develop self-advocacy so that they can navigate society, build relationships, and work as a team regardless of where their journey goes beyond high school. We also explore various options beyond the traditional approach of attending a 4-year college as we recognize the diverse talents that our students possess and finding the destinations that best fit their needs. Equity enters the conversation as we discuss how student success can, and should, be defined according to individual student desires and not applying a single approach to all students. I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Take care.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. This episode is a pause to ponder segment. These biweekly sessions will allow me to share with you my personal thoughts and reflections on a wide spectrum of topics as they relate to education. It is my hope that you will be able to take something from these segments and apply it in a meaningful way as you continue to do amazing work. Remember, while we all have different roles, we all have a single job, educating our students. So before we jump into this episode, I wanted to share a special holiday promotion that my friends over at Kick It Apparel are currently running. For a limited time, you can get customized gear at some amazing prices. I’m talking $25 hoodies, $15 tees, and $10 masks. These are the same people who hooked me up with my awesome Counter Narrative hoodie. Check them out at kickit.store and tell them that Charles sent you. This episode is dedicated to the upcoming year. We probably all agree that 2020 was pretty bad, but if we think back I'm sure that we could identify opportunities that we may have missed because we were dealing with the chaos that surrounded us. It is my hope that all of you take two simple steps to ensure that you can capitalize on the opportunities that will undoubtedly be present during the upcoming year. First, be as specific as possible when creating your goals. A measurable goal is much more likely to be met than some generic statement. After all, how will you know if you actually succeed? Second, find someone who will help to hold you accountable. It is easy to convince ourselves to give up but that becomes much more challenging when trying to persuade a trusted colleague, friend, or relative.  Because I believe in practicing what I preach, I conclude the episode by sharing my three goals and inviting all of you to help hold me accountable. That's it. It's out in the world so I either have the choice of meeting these goals or not ... all while knowing that I have shared this publicly. Yikes! What have I done? Oh well... I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. I'm also happy to announce that the podcast can now be found on CodeBreakerEdu.com so go check out the amazing work as they continue to amplify the voices of educators.  Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Take care.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. This is a special episode for a special day. See, I don’t know when you’re actually listening to this episode but I can tell you that today, well the original air date, is December 25th, Christmas Day. And for that reason, I wanted to do a little something different. Now, and I feel that I need to say this before someone attempts to get politically correct, my original intention was to showcase various holidays and their respective traditions. However, when called upon for support, these individuals graciously stepped forward and offered to lend their voices to this special episode. It just so happened that each of them celebrated Christmas. This episode features some of my friends as we reflect on what Christmas means to us, recall some our fondest Christmas memories, and share how we carry on traditions today. I can honestly say that I had a great time recording this session as we laughed, and cried while not only growing closer together but realizing those innate connections that exist within all of humankind. Whether it was the receiving of deodorant, the baking of cookies, the creation of new experiences, or simply spending time with loved ones, Christmas, whether you celebrate it or not transcends its religious foundation and instead embraces a single concept - love. Well, you’re not here to listen to the intro. No … you came for the episode. Before I transition you over, I would like to wish all of my listeners a very Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or whatever holiday you celebrate. May you all find yourselves in the comfort of your loved ones, whether in person or virtually. I look forward to connecting with all of you in the new year. I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Take care.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. This episode is a pause to ponder segment. These biweekly sessions will allow me to share with you my personal thoughts and reflections on a wide spectrum of topics as they relate to education. It is my hope that you will be able to take something from these segments and apply it in a meaningful way as you continue to do amazing work. Remember, while we all have different roles, we all have a single job, educating our students. In this episode, I adopt a common social media practice and offer my "Wrapped 2020." Sharing my top 3 highlights of the year, I attempt to find meaning in each and encourage my listeners to do the same.  1. Don't allow the competition with others minimize your accomplishments. 2. Always help others become better versions of themselves. 3. Cherish your time with loved ones but do not become so busy that you forget the others.  I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. In this episode, I chat with Craig Randall who has had an eclectic educational career. He started as an elementary school counselor then worked a year in the classroom with students who had severe behavior issues, before taking a major detour into small college basketball coaching for a number of years. Taking another significant detour, Craig and his wife Michele decided to fulfill a dream by working at international schools. Craig taught in Warsaw, Poland while also pursuing his principal certification. He moved into school administration, first as an assistant principal and then principal as they worked their way around the globe. Along the way, not terribly aware of it at the time, he was developing what became Trust-Based Observations. He and his family returned to the US after a decade overseas and he wrote Trust-Based Observations, which came out in September, and now he is busy striving to change the world of teacher observations to a model of support that fosters risk taking and growth. During our conversation, we talk about the dreaded teacher observations. To be honest, this is one of those things that neither teachers nor administrators enjoy. And that is precisely why Craig set out to do them differently. He points out that teaching is an art and should be treated as such. Traditional observational approaches place pressure on accountability and leads to teachers playing it safe instead of being innovative and creative. Instruction becomes more about checking off boxes than authentic learning opportunities. Listen as Craig shares some practical tips and suggestions for revamping this outdated and ineffective approach to improving teacher practices. I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Take care.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. This episode is a pause to ponder segment. These biweekly sessions will allow me to share with you my personal thoughts and reflections on a wide spectrum of topics as they relate to education. It is my hope that you will be able to take something from these segments and apply it in a meaningful way as you continue to do amazing work. Remember, while we all have different roles, we all have a single job, educating our students. ** The world of social media education is often filled with grandiose ideas. Of educators of all statuses, from educelebrities to those fresh to the space, spreading the most recent and trending concepts. These topics typically push back against traditional approaches and thus usually result in impassioned conversations and debates. As one of these educators, I delight in knowing that there exists such a space to have these much needed conversations. However, it is also important to note that there are plenty of individuals who speak these bold ideas while in these space yet fail to abide by their own recommendations. Those who preach but don't practice. Those who don't walk their talk. During this reflection, I share my thoughts on this phrase and how I have used to it to develop the foundational of my administrative ideology. I also spend time examining areas that administrators often fail to act on their own suggestions and the impact that this can have on their school communities. ** I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Until next time.

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant. Let’s get started. In this episode, I chat with Andre Daughty’s who’s educational journey truly began after hearing Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu state, “If you observe children, they will teach you how to teach them.” That phrase shifted Andre’s philosophy of education. By observing the students in his own classroom at the elementary, secondary, and postgraduate levels, he differentiated curriculum and projects based on his students’ interests. His workshops and professional development seminars involve high energy, practical ways to use today’s strategies, collaboration, and fun stories to help connect the content to the attendee’s lives. He enjoys inspiring all through workshops, speaking engagements, seminars, and embedded coaching experiences. During our conversation, we reflect on the impact that the pandemic is having on education by exploring several questions. Why would we compare this year to others? What is it, exactly, that we are pushing? Why are we trying to normalize this? While we do not propose to have answers to these divisive ponderings, we do our best to offer our own insights to develop appropriate responses. We also address, head on, the very heart of this podcast by challenging common notions about our urban students. Andre insists that we look beyond the deficiencies and instead explore the roots reasons that so many of our students are behind. Only when we acknowledge and accept the historical inequities can we begin to see the current reality. I hope that you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it. I want to thank you for listening to The Counter Narrative Podcast. If you like what you are hearing, please be sure to like and subscribe. The show can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and several of your other favorite platforms. This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe. Be sure to connect with the host and other listeners by following the show on Twitter at @theCNpodcast and joining the show’s Facebook Group. Take care. Connect with Andre Twitter - @andredaughty YouTube LinkedIn