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Curiosity is something we’re born with—it’s innate to who we are as human beings. And when we look at children, we see that curiosity and wonder show up every day as they interact with and experience the world around them. But, as they move through the school system, that curiosity is often stamped out through rules, standardized testing, and prescribed learning outcomes. Gail Swift, guest on a Time for Teachership podcast episode, shared that her biggest motivator is to reclaim that sense of curiosity in education. Her primary way of doing this is by helping students and educators learn about their aptitudes—innate gifts and skills they have that helps motivate them and inspire action. Embracing Your Theme There are a lot of things that are out of the control of educators. But there’s also a lot that is within our control, primarily what goes on in the classroom. Gail recommends that teachers identify a theme for their class or department that helps focus and guide decision-making. For example, Gail’s main theme is to raise up contributors—students who are active participants in their learning, education, and society. To be an active contributor, they need to be curious, creative, and empowered to make decisions. Once you have a clear theme, you use it as a benchmark for all daily decisions. If you are raising active contributors, ask: does sitting for hours at a time support the theme? Does clothing choice support the theme? Do my curriculum choices fit the theme? Centering decision making on themes can help educators establish what is important and what’s not. This also helps them focus on what’s within their locus of control versus what’s not. Student Aptitudes and Decision-Making Gail’s primary tool for raising up active participators is by teaching students and teachers about their aptitudes. Aptitudes are innate skills, abilities, and gifts—it’s how each person uniquely views the world and takes action. With the Student Aptitude Quiz, participants learn about how they make decisions. There are four main needs people have to make decisions:
This is equally important for educators to know about. Gail pointed out that most teachers are similar in the way they teach. Typically, teachers have a high need for information and organization and a lower need for risk and hands-on experiences. So, if you have a student in your class who learns differently than you teach, there’s going to be frustration. But if both teachers and students learn more about their aptitudes, they can find the way that works best for them. Teachers can learn how to teach diverse students and students can learn their strengths and capitalize on them. Educators strive to empower their students. Two ways to do this is to get clear on your theme—what’s the driving goal of your work?—and to learn about each student’s unique aptitudes and skills to help them learn better. To learn more about Gail’s work, check out Plans to Prosper Coaching. And if you want to hear her full interview, check it out on the Time for Teachership podcast along with other interviews and content.
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Ask someone what the purpose of school and the educational system is, and they’ll say: to help students learn and prepare them for the future. But what kind of future are we preparing them for? Ideally to live as happy, healthy, whole members of a democratic society. Does the current education system really do that? Collin Jewett was a recent guest on the Time for Teachership podcast. From his perspective as an accelerated learning and memory coach, schools are authoritarian in structure and operate on top-down decision-making. Is that the best way to prepare them to live in a democratic society? From radical systemic overhaul to practical next steps, Collin shared his ideas on how we can get back to what learning is all about: helping students find their own personal journey of discovery. The Purpose of Education The education system as it currently exists is a product of the industrial system. As Collin described, our society needs people to fill certain roles and education helps shape them into that. The result of this is the commodification of students and learning, focused on outcomes and specific data points. But we know that the education system is broken and not serving all students. So, it’s time to think critically and ask some questions:
Learning as a Personal Journey of Discovery Collin defines learning as a personal journey of discovery. To make this a reality, we need to democratize education. Students need more say than they have on the student leadership committee, just making decisions about prom or other events. For them to learn they need to go on a personal journey, which requires a choice and autonomy. An example of this in practice is Sudbury Valley School, where Collin has visited and researched. They have a radical—though we can question if it should be deemed such!—model of learning that includes democratic decision making, no formalized classrooms, and complete freedom for students to do what they want. And here’s the thing--it works. Follow up studies on Sudbury Valley’s graduates show that they’ve gone on to ivy league schools, successful jobs, and entrepreneurship. Practical Steps for Educators Until there is a massive systemic overhaul, we need think about the practical next step. What can we do in our classrooms to encourage learning as a personal journey of discovery? Collin had a few ideas:
It’s time to re-think learning. The current top-down authoritarian model is not preparing students to live and thrive in a democratic society. Instead, we need to introduce choice and autonomy, letting our students create and explore their own personal journey of discovery. If you want to keep up with Collin, check out his course, Discover Your Inner SuperLearner. Also make sure to catch his full interview, along with other amazing guests, on the Time for Teachership podcast.
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Reading, Writing, and ‘Rithmetic—the three Rs of learning. They’re still fundamental in all classrooms because they’re the foundation for future learning. Reading is a particularly important skill that Danny Brassell, guest on the Time for Teachership podcast, has devoted his life to. Danny’s goal is to make people love reading. Not to read because they have to, but to read because they want to. But schools are often oriented at teaching students how to read, rather than on why they should and how to love it. Reading cultivates curiosity, which enables learning. The question for educators is this: how do we encourage and promote this in the classroom? Fairness, not Equality Danny’s big dream for the field of education is to make it a fair place. Fairness is different from equality—in fact, it’s actually unfair to treat everyone the exact same because we all come from somewhere different. One of the benefits of the pandemic is how many things moved to online platforms. Today, you just need an internet connection and a laptop to access the same training, education, and knowledge as anyone else in the world. This is a step closer to making education fairer and will open opportunities for people who have been underserved and underprivileged in the past. Curiosity and Learning To reach our goals in education, such as making it fairer and more equitable, there needs to be constant growth and learning. This happens through curiosity. Danny spoke about how children are born curious—there’s no fear asking questions and no shame not knowing the answers. And in this way, we can learn a lot from children. Danny shared a story of a child in his elementary classroom who asked, “Where does it say that Humpty Dumpty was an egg?” Newsflash—it doesn’t! We adults think we know best and try to force that on children, but they are often more observant and more curious than we can ever be. How to Help Students Read Unfortunately, the education system often knocks that curiosity right out of students. So, we need to have a mindset shift towards cultivating and encouraging curiosity. One of the best ways to do this is through reading. Research shows that it doesn’t matter what you read, just that you read! In fact, the top percentile of students was shown to read just 20 minutes on average outside of school—the type of book didn’t matter. And, having someone read to you or listening to an audiobook has the same positive impact. Danny works with families and educators to promote the love of reading in children and students. He has a few tips on how to do it:
Reading cultivates a curious mindset, which helps students learn and grow. If you are looking to boost reading in your classroom or home, check out Danny’s free reading resource. Make sure to also catch his full episode on the Time for Teachership podcast, along with other great guests!
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Statistics can help us understand a situation, but they can also be discouraging. Take this one, for example: one in four American students will grow up not being able to read. It’s a devastating reality that leaves many educators sad and frustrated. And for Lauren Jackson, recent guest on the Time for Teachership podcast, it’s led her to pursue literacy coaching and support educators in this area. With everything going on in the country and environment, teachers need to focus in on what’s in their locus of control, which is their classroom and their students. By recognizing that they’re not alone and can reach out for help, they can boost literacy and meet other education goals in their teaching practice. It Starts with Mindset Lauren’s passion for literacy was born out of her first teaching job. She worked in a low-income neighborhood where many of the students were not reading at their grade level. This prompted her to ask why and investigate the factors impacting literacy at her school. She realized that there was a one-size-fits-all solution that just wasn’t working for all students. So, she started to work on strategies to support students where they’re at and make sure she was addressing their unique challenges. To do this, Lauren shifted her mindset. Instead of getting frustrated and discouraged by student’s who weren’t improving, she put on the mindset that all students can be successful. She just needed to figure out how to do it. And this goes for every educator—if we keep the mindset that we’ll be able to find a solution to the problem, then it’ll be possible! Action Steps for Change To address problems and find solutions, educators need to first look at their data. It’s important to collect information about why something is happening before trying to solve it. From there, educators should can take a few action steps:
Sometimes teachers feel alone, like they’re the only one dealing with a specific issue or problem. But we’re not! There are so many people available to help you when you need it. We just need to be humble, admit that we need help, and then tap into available resources. One excellent resource for teachers are coaches. Lauren is a literacy coach, for example, and helps teachers and educators reach literacy and reading goals for their classroom. Here are some features of coaching relationships:
We all need help sometimes. And the quicker we can admit it, the quicker we can find those people who are able to help us out. Teachers and educators do their best work when they lean into their support system and work to find solutions together. One of the best ways to connect with Lauren and learn more about her work as a literacy coach is to listen to her podcast, the Lauren-Sophia Show. Also make sure to catch her full interview on the Time for Teachership podcast!
What does the experience of inclusion feel like? Have you ever stopped to think about it? Our conversation with Kevin Shafer on an episode of Time for Teachership is about how diversity and inclusion is not just checking some boxes, but it’s a process that results in students—all students—experiencing inclusion. But to get there, educators and administrators need to overhaul the system. Instead of trying to fit diverse students into specific types of environments, we need to re-evaluate if the current system is even working at all. Kevin discusses an important mindset shift, how to build an inclusive system, and resources to explore. Changing Mindsets from Deficit to Asset In many schools, students with dis/abilities are often excluded. The common mainstream special education system is not built to overcome this and can widen the gap between students of different abilities. Kevin Schafer’s dream is to see special education used as a tool for social justice and equity while still providing a high-quality education to all students. But to get there, educators and administrators need to shift their mindset. Instead of viewing students with dis/abilities through a deficit mindset, it needs to shift to an asset mindset—that the diversity of abilities in a classroom is a major and important asset to everyone’s education. Building a System for Inclusion This mindset shift from deficit to asset is the beginning, but it’s not the only thing that needs to change. Kevin believes there needs to be a system overhaul—a process of building inclusive, diverse systems that help all students achieve a high-quality education. It starts with leadership and the administration team. They need to dedicate time to getting on the same page and building a vision for their school. The vision needs to be a school where all students can learn. It presumes competence, that no matter their abilities, they can learn. Leadership needs to seek input from other stakeholders, especially students and families with diverse abilities. Then, with this input, they can build a plan through a logic model, which includes:
Resources and First Steps Most educators are already on board with creating more diverse, inclusive classrooms—it’s the how that often feels overwhelming. Kevin recommends starting from a point of education and knowledge. He recommends the books “Equity by Design” by Katie Novak and Mirko Chardin and “Anti-Racism and the Universal Design for Learning” by Andratesha Fitzgerald as two places to start. As educators continue to grow in knowledge, they can also address their implicit biases—how do they see students with dis/abilities? Are they in that deficit mindset? Once the system as a whole and adult implicit biases are addressed, then things can truly start to change. Conclusion The “mythical average”—the idea that there are average students in all environments—needs to become outdated. Everyone has growth areas, areas they excel, or areas then need help in. The problem with identifying students by their dis/ability is it makes them a one-dimensional person, instead of the diverse human they are. It’s time to go broader than just the label of dis/ability but see all students as diverse. Then we can build systems that serve each of them. If you want to keep up with what Kevin is doing, make sure to visit www.sipinclusion.org. There are many resources and webinars about inclusion that walk educators through everything step by step. And, if you want to keep up with us at the Time for Teachership podcast, check out more episodes here.
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It’s uncomfortable to talk about taking accountability. It’s uncomfortable talking about putting your job on the line. It’s uncomfortable to become self-aware. And yet, dreams have to be uncomfortable. If you want to change but aren’t willing to be uncomfortable, then it’s not real change. Dr. Kimya Nuru Dennis spoke with us on an episode of the Time for Teachership podcast, where she shared what this kind of uncomfortable change might look like in education. And it goes far beyond social media and tokenism but gets to the heart of being self-aware and honest enough to recognize where you’ve gone wrong. Dreams for Education Dr. Dennis’s dream for the field of education is simple: that we would stop being stuck in concepts, theories, and repeated readings. And that people would wake up and realize that despite a cultural narrative of change, we are clinging to the white-cisgender-heteronormative histories and curriculum that have been in place for centuries. It’s not just an American problem, but a global one. In recent years—particularly during the “awakening” period of 2016-2022—many people express a desire or interest to change. They might attempt to increase diversity by including new materials. And yet those new materials are still what passes white standards or what ended up on the bestseller’s list. Dr. Dennis wants to see us break away from this—finally. To do the work, take responsibility for what should change and what hasn’t changed, and be okay with discomfort through the process. Taking Responsibility as Educators The biggest step towards increased diversity and equity (and real change, not just lip-service), is for educators to take responsibility—not just over our own classes, but over the system we are part of. Most educators went through a very rigid teaching training model. And so, even if we acknowledge that there is a need for change, we may put the blame on someone else—our training or the board. We often just accept the curriculum given to us rather than developing something ourselves. But Dr. Dennis urges us to take responsibility for what role we are playing and not downplay the impact we have to change the system. Challenging Yourself and Others There’s a mistaken belief amongst educators that we are only responsible for what happens in the four walls of our classrooms. But the reality is that we are part of a broader community that we can influence. And if teachers are not holding each other accountable, there’s no real way to make sustainable changes. It’s important that teachers step away from social media and the “adult popularity contest,” as Dr. Dennis puts it. Instead, it’s time to be self-reflective in a few areas:
Conclusion Equity and diversity in our schools and school system will not happen with social media performances or lip-service to change. It will come when we are committed to doing our own personal inner work and then holding others around us accountable to this work as well. The work is not easy, but it is important. Dr. Dennis had so much more to share about her thoughts on the state of education, teachers’ responsibility, and how we need system-wide change. Make sure to check out her full interview on the Time for Teachership podcast. You can also follow along with her work at 365 Diversity.
 Listen to the episode by clicking the link to your preferred podcast platform below: There’s a saying that goes: “To make an omelette, you need to crack a few eggs.” Essentially, to do something good, you might have to break something. And that can be hard—even painful. But it’s a philosophy that Abbie Korman, guest on a recent episode of the Time for Teachership podcast, is passionate about. Abbie returned to her teaching profession during the pandemic after an 11-year hiatus. And she’s returned with a purpose: to become the best teacher she can be to her students while impacting structural change for the good. To reach this goal, Abbie has found a community of like-minded educators through Teachers for Good Trouble, who have a common interest in making an omelette (structural change) through their good trouble—advocacy efforts, professional development, and systemic transformation. Freedom Dreams: Goals for the Field of Education Abbie shared many “freedom dreams” she has for the field of education. Many of them relate to the systemic change that she desires to see. Instead of following the status quo, Abbie believes that many areas of education are broken and need a major overhaul. Together with her community and support system, Abbie identified just some of these goals that she’s fighting to change:
All these goals hinge on an important question: are we satisfied with the status quo or are we willing to take steps to change things for the better? Changing Personal and Structural Mindsets Looking at this list of freedom dreams might seem daunting, especially for teachers and educators who maybe haven’t thought through some of these areas yet. But change always starts with you. It starts with us. Each of us is responsible for our own mindset and growth. So, that’s why Abbie recommends starting with personal reflection. If there is something going on in your class, what can you do to change it? Where is your locus of control as a teacher? What responsibility do you have to make a difference? This kind of personal reflection is the start of any impactful mindset shift and action. From there, teachers need to tap into a mindset of larger structural changes. For example, Abbie talked about the fact that 80% of teachers are white women—why? It’s not because they make the best teachers, but because the current educational system is made for them. So to make it more inclusive and more diverse, massive structural changes need to take place. How to Take Brave Actions So how do we change things? There are many brave actions that teachers can take today. But to take brave action, it’s important to have a community of support around you. So as a step #1, Abbie recommends getting online and joining “teachergram,” or the teacher side of Instagram. This is a way to access free professional development and a community of like-minded educators. She recommends @teachersforgoodtrouble, @callmeshivy, @liberation.lab, and @kwame_the_identity_shaper as a place to start. From there, here are some brave actions that can make a big impact:
These brave actions might feel overwhelming to teachers who feel alone. But you’re not alone! As Abbie shared, there are so many teachers who are changing the field and making it a more inclusive and diverse space… you just need to find and connect with them! Let’s continue to be inspired by each other. That’s a big part of what Time for Teachership podcast is about! Make sure to listen to Abbie’s interview as well as other episodes of the podcast here.
 Listen to the episode by clicking the link to your preferred podcast platform below: It’s been said many times that your budget reflects your values—how you prioritize money speaks to what you care about. And this applies on a personal level, but also in an educational setting. But it’s more than just how you spend your money as a school or administrator, but how you spend your time. Dr. Kevin Ahern’s priority as a principal is to invest time into relationships with his colleagues, teachers, students, and parents. That time translates to a deeper understanding of the community, how to build a more equitable educational environment, and evaluating what changes need to be made to maximize the learning experience. To talk more about his leadership philosophy, we invited Dr. Kevin Ahern onto an episode of the Time for Teachership podcast. He had so much wisdom to share, so make sure you catch his episode to hear the full conversation! From Community to Society Dr. Ahern has worked in education for 26 years, half as a teacher and half as an administrator, both in small and large schools. And over his career, he’s developed a big dream for the field of education: that we would focus on the micro, community level to impact change and improve the lives of the students. Then, how can that translate into the broader society? Too often we think about the high-level societal impacts of education or other facets of life. But what Dr. Ahern reminds us of is that as administrators and educators, we’re collaborating with individuals. It’s our responsibility, then, to focus on our immediate community of students and do everything we can to ensure they are empowered and inspired to learn and grow. Mindset Shifts for Growth To achieve this big dream for education, there needs to be a mindset shift. Instead of coming from a place of lack or not being good enough, administrators and educators should start with what we have. What are the assets already in the school? What’s great about this place? And why is it great? From there, administrators can either “keep watering the green grass,”—i.e., keep up the good work in areas that are excelling—or devote extra attention to the places that still need work. For Dr. Ahern, this hinges on collecting feedback from all the school’s stakeholders—students, parents, and teachers. From this, you can learn:
It’s important to always be willing to gather feedback and make those changes. And yet, change can be hard for many people, so it’s wise to approach it slowly and thoughtfully. Take stock of the situation, and then use creative problem-solving to optimize your school. Increasing Equity through Relationships Building an equitable school starts with understanding the operational definition of equity. How does the school administrators and staff define it? For Dr. Ahern, it’s simple. Equity is when every student gets what they need to experience success. And it’s built on relationships with all stakeholders:
Relationships are Dr. Ahern’s priority because he knows how they have the power to transform. Through conversation and open dialogue, the school can be part of the larger community conversations that matter for diversity and equity. Dr. Ahern’s advice to administrators is this: be present, build relationships, and start with what’s already working at your school. Instead of operating from a place of lack, start with the assets, resources, and great results you already have! This positive mindset will help you be open to growth and lead your school well. We talked about so much more in the Time for Teachership podcast, so make sure you go listen to it! If you want to keep up with Dr. Ahern, feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn.
8/1/2022 The Work Less, Teach More Planner: How to Plan Your Day, Week, Month and Year for Maximum ImpactRead Now
Do you ever feel like you’re working to your max—maybe even more than that!—and still don’t get through your list of to-dos? Or despite all that work, you’re not seeing any tangible impact in your classroom and student outcomes? Most educators will feel this way at some point.
Enter: Work Less, Teach More. It’s our signature course and a philosophy discussed many times on the Time for Teachership podcast. In this episode, I break down how to use the Work Less, Teach More planner to maximize your planning time, protect your mental health, and reach your goals. The Work Less Teach More planner is available for purchase, but you can also work on these exercises independently and use a notebook or your computer to keep track of things. Each section of the planner addresses daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly goals and priorities. Let’s look at the highlights for each. Yearly Planning We’re starting with the yearly planning because there is some big-picture goal-setting activities to do at the beginning of each school year: Clarify Your Vision: Before the school year starts, get clear on your vision and goals for the year. Do this by asking the following questions:
Take Stock of Your Health: At the root of almost any conflict are unmet needs. We have needs in four areas, which you can remember with the BASE acronym: Belonging, Autonomy, Survival, and Enjoyment. Within each category, reflect on three questions:
Monthly Planning Each month, you’ll set priorities and goals. For example, in September your first and only goal might be for everyone to feel welcomed and included in the class. For January, it might be to re-focus on establishing a routine after a holiday break. Each month you can also:
Weekly Planning Weekly planning and reflection are essential to managing your time and reaching goals. There are a few key areas in which you’ll do this: 50-40-10 Planning: You have limited planning time each week, so focus on what is proven to make the most impact on your students. This includes:
Clear Your Plate: Each week, eliminate eight unnecessary tasks from your to-do list. This can be in both your personal and work life. Be specific about what it is and how you’ll pass it off to someone else. This is part of self-care, which is preventative—you must plan ahead to protect your time and mental energy. Daily Planning Your daily responsibility is simple. Ask yourself these two questions:
There it is—the Work Less Teach More planner in a nutshell! But there is so much more to the approach. Work Less Teach More is backed by research and has helped so many educators claim back their time while making maximum impact. You can learn more about Work Less Teach More here and follow along with the Time for Teachership podcast as part of your commitment to professional learning.
Listen to the episode using the above player or by clicking the link to your preferred podcast platform below: Make it simple with a unit arc During my third year of teaching, I remember first hearing about unit arcs while sitting with my curriculum coach at the time. I was amazed at the possibility of using a handful of protocols again and again to save me so much time and energy as a teacher. As you’ll see, making your own unit arc doesn’t have to be scary. But it is a critical part of creating your own curriculum plans for your class. If you’re wondering what a unit arc is, it’s the pattern of purposeful learning experiences in which students engage throughout a unit. Establishing a pattern makes it predictable and simple for you to do each year. For a successful learning experience, make sure it is student-centered. The teacher should minimize their involvement while giving students the reins in solving challenges. Purposeful Protocols So what are the protocols that make up a unit arc? Behind each protocol should be a purpose. The four protocol purposes that I thought of after reading El Education’s protocols are as follows:
You definitely don’t have to come up with a hundred protocols. I recommend that you choose between 3 to 5 protocols using these 4 purposes. “Once I developed my own unit arc for my courses, I no longer spent hours determining which activity to prepare for each lesson.” Unit arc examples Unit arcs will vary from subject to subject, grade to grade, and teacher to teacher. Here’s one example of a unit arc used for a social studies class: First lesson—hook, Second lesson—establishing prior knowledge of students, Third lesson—broad overview, Fourth lesson—primary sources, Fifth—discussion, case studies, and so on. The type of unit arcs I create and help others make, focus on creating interest and engagement from students. These types of unit arcs provide students the chance to create meaningful work that tackles current issues in the present. I also believe that part of connecting students with these projects comes from allowing students to talk about these projects with an authentic audience. A great way to finish off a unit arc is with time for reflection. Students have the opportunity to consider what went well and get some helpful feedback on their work. Rarely do I find a bored student when using these unit arcs. The reason is that engaging content combats boredom. When students are engaged, they are building relationships with other students, staff, and faculty. They also take more ownership and improve communication skills and confidence. Battling boredom with engaging content is particularly if your classes are still being taught virtually. Trying to keep a student engaged while they’re watching you through a screen is challenging, and these unit arcs will make a world of difference. My suggestion for you now is to take the protocols that your students have already been loving and start building out that arc. To dive deeper into learning how to engage students, I have great news! You can register for my free 1 hour masterclass HERE or below. For more, check out my Curriculum Boot Camp course or the “Just the Protocols” module now so you can create your own project-based units grounded in justice in no time at all! Continue the conversation below in the comment section and join our community of educational visionaries on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Until next time leaders, continue to think big, act brave, and be your best self.
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AuthorLindsay Lyons (she/her) is an educational justice coach who works with teachers and school leaders to inspire educational innovation for racial and gender justice, design curricula grounded in student voice, and build capacity for shared leadership. Lindsay taught in NYC public schools, holds a PhD in Leadership and Change, and is the founder of the educational blog and podcast, Time for Teachership. Archives
September 2022
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