Today, Tom talks with Pam Moran, who just wrapped up 32 years with Albemarle County Public Schools as she transitions into a leadership role at the Virginia School Consortium for Learning.

 

Starting as a science teacher and concluding with a dozen years as superintendent, Pam has quietly become one of America’s leading educators because the work she leads is so compelling. With two of her Albemarle colleagues, Moran just published a book of lessons learned called, Timeless Learning: How Imagination, Observation, and Zero-based Thinking Change Schools.

 

In this interview, Tom talks to Pam about the process of writing her book with her co-authors Ira and Chad, their collective philosophy on education, and the contents of the book. Pam also talks about why she originally wanted to become a teacher, some of her key focuses in education, and her thoughts on multi-age spaces and the ways in which schools can help ready students for adulthood.

 

Key Takeaways:

[:15] About the guest today, Pam Moran.

[:52] Tom welcomes Pam to the podcast and she describes her passion for her career.

[3:40] When did Pam decide she wanted to be a teacher?

[5:55] When and why Pam decided to write her book, Timeless Learning with co-authors.

[15:00] Pam talks about one of her key focuses: seeing children more clearly.

[17:28] About Pam’s and her co-authors’ collective philosophy.

[25:20] Pam talks about multi-age spaces and the benefits of children learning in these spaces.

[31:10] About an initiative Pam is working on, and one of the major ways schools can help ready students for college and career.

[36:06] If Pam were going to write a headline for each of her co-authors, what would they be?

[38:23] How did Pam and her co-authors write the book?

[41:59] Why Pam and co-authors decided to include the “take action” section at the end of each chapter.

[45:03] Pam reflects on and gives her thoughts on Better Together.

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Albemarle County Public Schools

Timeless Learning: How Imagination, Observation, and Zero-based Thinking Change Schools,

by Ira David Socol, Pam Moran, and Chad Ratliff

Virginia School Consortium for Learning

MakerEd.org

Better Together: How to Leverage School Networks For Smarter Personalized and Project Based Learning, by Tom Vander Ark and Lydia Dobyns

Wiley Publications

 

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