Many people who are involved in K-12 education want to be “student-centered”, but what if that’s not the most effective place for leaders to put their efforts? I wanted to discuss this topic with Dr. Chris Jones, who shares why school leaders can create a bigger impact by supporting teachers and those working directly with…
Category: School Leadership
EP 118: Coaching aspiring leaders in school turn-around and community outreach (with Edward Gordon II)
Evidence-based practices and high-quality curriculum are important, but they aren’t the ONLY things school leaders need to think about. We can’t effectively serve students unless we understand their community, which means we have to think beyond the classroom or therapy room. That’s why I invited Edward Gordon, II, former principal and CEO of Gordon Leadership…
EP 114: Do school leaders need coaching? (with Dan Kelley)
A lot of professional development is still delivered in the lecture or workshop format, even though there’s evidence that this model doesn’t have a significant impact on student outcomes. So what do people working in K-12 education need to support students and have fulfilling careers? I started asking myself that question when I was working…
EP 113: Making literacy accessible and equitable (with Cassandra Williams)
Supporting language and decoding are important pieces of helping kids grow up to be successful readers. But making it happen is way more complex than that. What happens when a child in 5th grade is reading at a first grade reading level? What if there are other barriers BESIDES just reading getting in the way;…
EP 112: How to “lead up” to your school administrator (with Jethro Jones)
What do you do if your school administrator doesn’t fully understand your role and your expertise? What if you have the information and knowledge they need to drive important decisions for your school? How can you get them to listen to your input? If you’re a therapist, educator, or aspiring school leader, these questions may…
EP 111: Supporting self-regulation in K-12 kids (with Lisa Navarra)
“Behavior problems” are an external sign of what’s going on internally. In order to support kids who are being referred for behavioral concerns, we need to address these internal skills proactively. That’s why I invited consultant and educator Lisa Navarra to episode 111 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about self-regulation. Lisa M….
EP 109: Can my principal evaluate me if they’ve never done my job? (with Eric Makelky)
If you’re a therapist or educator working in the schools, there’s a high probability that the administrator who does your employee evaluation isn’t a subject-matter expert in your discipline. If they are, you’re certainly in the minority. This is because it’s impossible to find a school administrator who’s held every single job in the school…
EP 104: Unions, collective bargaining, and getting your voice heard (with Michael Campbell)
Many people in education and healthcare know that lobbying and advocacy needs to happen; but many people don’t know whose responsibility it is or how to do it. That’s why I invited Michael Campbell, published author, blogger, and licensed bilingual speech-language pathologist to the show to dive into this topic. Michael has spent time as…
EP 103: Self-care cabaret for teachers, therapists, and school leaders (with Dr. Theresa-Melito Conners)
We’ve all sat through some boring professional development before; but there’s nothing boring about the training you’ll get from Dr. MC, the guest on episode 103 of the De Facto Leaders podcast. Many people in “helping professions” like education and healthcare focus more on taking care of others instead of taking care of themselves; which…
EP 102: The science of reading: A team approach (with Brett Stevens)
There are a lot of approaches to teaching kids to read; but not all of them are effective. This is especially important for kids with disabilities who need explicit instruction. That’s why in episode 102, I had special education consultant and host of the Science of Special Education podcast, Brett Stevens, on the show to…