Inspiration, Influence and Impact

Our guest this episode, Ryan Persaud, shares his passion for diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice and how as a leader his goal is to collaboratively create a school community where all belong. He talks about his experiences in international schools and how he hopes to inspire others to be change makers, and to support those who don't have a voice to find theirs. 

Ryan's inspirational, influential and impactful recommendations:

People - Alysa Perreras - DEIJ Consultant; Darnell Fine - DEIJ Consultant; Jennifer Abrams Coaching, Mindset, Hard Conversations; Tonya Gilchrist/Erin Kent - RWW Workshop/Literacy; Dr Derrick Gay - Intercultural Competency; Dr Doug Fisher - Science of Learning; Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning

Books - Neuroteach (Whitman), The Motive (Lencioni), Dare to Lead (Brown), Me and White Supremacy (Saad)

Podcasts - Cult of Pedagogy (Jennifer Gonzalez), Ignite Edtech Podcast (Craig Kemp), At the Table (Lencioni)

Cause - Ukraine; Nyaka Aids Orphan Project - Uganda

Dream Travel Destination - Home (Canada)

Connect with Ryan:

Twitter - @ryanpersaud23

LinkedIn - https://br.linkedin.com/in/ryan-persaud

Ryan is an experienced educational leader with a demonstrated history of working in the education sector (20 years).  He is skilled in K-12 Educational Leadership, DEIJ, Systems Thinking, Curriculum Design, Educational Business and Finance, and Innovation. Ryan is a strong leadership professional with a Master’s Degree focused in Education from the University of Toronto and currently working on an Educational Doctorate from the University of Western Ontario.

Our guest this episode, Roman Nowak, shares his broad educational journey to his mission to centre teaching around diversity, equity and social justice. He has connected with many educators around the world through passion for kindness and gratitude. Roman's vision to foster a sense of collective hope drives his choices around pedagogy, connection and meaningful work, and his desire to inspire others.

Roman's inspirational, influential and impactful recommendations: 

Person - Tyler Arnold

Book - 'Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity' by Justin Baldoni

Podcast - Man Enough with Justin Baldoni, Liz Plank and Jamey Heath; Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead with Brene Brown; Super Soul with Oprah Winfrey; A Slight Change of Plans

Cause - Support your local community

Dream Travel Destination - Hawaii; Australia; Paris; Poland

Connect with Roman:

Twitter - @NowakRo

Instagram - @roman.nowak 

Blog - mrromannowak.wordpress.com 

A teacher for the past 18 years, Roman has taught varying subjects from grades 7 to grade 12. A passionate ELA teacher, department chair, and leader for several years, Roman has transitioned to various roles from the classroom, to student success coach and leader, to a specialist in the integration of technology in the classroom and a coach to develop 21st-century skills. He has also completed a 3-year secondment with the Ministry of Education of Ontario to lead and champion the Student Success and Learning Until 18 Strategy. A father of two, he is passionate about pedagogy and researches strategies to increase student engagement and motivation. In the last few years, he has done meaningful work, research, and led movements to include more diversity and center teaching around equity and social justice. Presenter and speaker at various conferences in Canada and the United States, guest on various podcasts, Roman loves to collaborate with educators across the globe on various projects. An active member on Twitter and founder of the #BuildHOPEedu chat, his objective is to participate in the active changes in the education system through equity, HOPE, and student engagement. His first book, Build H.O.P.E.: the Courage to Change, to Teach, and to Lead is due out later this year.

Our guest this episode, Rachael McPhail, shares how her passion for social justice inspired the 'Place Names in Addresses' campaign to include traditional place names in addressing information in Australia. She discusses her mission to show that you don't need to be someone famous to start a social justice campaign, every single person has the ability to make changes that will help the world be a better, more inclusive place. Rachael hopes to inspire others to tune in to the voices of First Nations people who are making waves in their patch, so our minds will be constantly decolonising, or unlearning and relearning.

Rachael's Inspirational, Influential and Impactful recommendations:

People - Kirli Saunders; Teela Reid; Common Ground; Clothing the Gaps; Joe Williams

Books - Dark Emu - Uncle Bruce Pascoe; Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams) - Anita Heiss; The White Girl - Tony Birch; Bindi - Kirli Saunders; Loving Country - Uncle Bruce Pascoe

Podcasts - Blacademia - Amy Thunig; Sobah Podcasts - Dr Clinton Schultz; Frontier War Stories - Boe Spearim; Dreamy - Common Ground; Bring Back the Warrior - Dwayne Bannon Harrison

Movies - Incarceration Nation; The Bowraville Murders; In My Blood It Runs; Will Australia Ever have a Black Prime Minister; High Ground; Servant or Slave

Causes - #Boots4Community, by Blackfit Fitness; #FreeHer campaign, by Sisters Inside/Debbie Kilroy; #WearItBlakWednesday, by Trading Blak; #NotADateToCelebrate - Abolishing Australia Day; #RaiseTheAge of criminal responsibility; Seed Mob

Dream Travel Destination - To 4WD through the top end, Darwin, Kakadu, Katharine, Fitzroy Crossing, over to Broome, and to also visit the Torres Strait islands.

Connect with Rachael:

Instagram - @place_names_in_addresses

Website - www.change.org/traditionalplacenames

Facebook Page - @place_names_in_addresses

Rachael McPhail is a proud Gomeroi woman, who lives on Wiradjuri Country in Coolamon, and has just completed her Bachelor of Social Work through Charles Sturt University. Rachael works for the Disability Trust as Project Manager – Reconciliation Action Plan, supporting the organisation in the development of their Reflect RAP, and working to inspire cultural change and embedding a First Nations perspective in all areas of practice. Rachael was successful in her campaign to ask Australia Post to include traditional place names in addresses. She is now campaigning for the creation of a database of traditional place names that has been verified by Elders and community leaders.

Our guest this episode, Kath Murdoch, shares her educator journey and the many experiences that led to her passion for inquiry-based learning. She talks about her joy of, and commitment to, classroom teaching, which drive her dedication to regular and ongoing work with students. Kath discusses her hope that her curiosity and hunger for learning are contagious, and that she inspires educators to discover the delight of sharing the learning journey with their students. 

Kath's Inspirational, Influential and Impactful recommendations:

People - Kimberly Mitchell; Trevor MacKenzie; Judy Halbert and Linda Kaser; Yong Zhao; James Mannion

Books - 'Atlas of the Heart' by Brene Brown; 'Choice Words' by Peter Johnson

Podcast - James Mannion’s ‘Rethinking Education’ and Levi Allison’s ‘Recess Duty'

Cause - Any cause contributes to the protection of wilderness and of course dealing with climate change - Bob Brown Foundation

Dream Travel Destination - Spain

Connect with Kath:

Twitter - @kjinqiiry

Instagram - @kjinquiry

Website or Blog - www.kathmurdoch.com.au

Facebook Page - Kath Murdoch Consulting

Kath Murdoch is an experienced teacher, author, university lecturer and popular consultant. She is highly regarded for her work in the field of inquiry-based learning in which she has taught, written and researched for over 35 years. Kath began her professional life as a primary classroom teacher before taking up an academic position in the Education Faculty at the University of Melbourne where she worked for a decade, Since that time, Kath has worked as an independent consultant to schools and education organisations around the world  Kath is the author of over 15 books for teachers including the best-selling ‘Power of Inquiry’ and the exquisite set of inquiry coaching cards ‘The Art of Inquiry Teaching’. Kath has recently published her first children’s book, ‘The Wonder of Winsome,’ a story about curiosity and is soon to release her new book 'Getting Personal with Inquiry Learning’

Our guest this episode, Tonya Gilchrist, shares her passion for working with schools to facilitate personalised professional learning that encompasses what we know about lasting learning for not only students, but also adult learners. She also talks about how the skill of translanguaging is a foundation of working in international schools, in addition to being a world skill. Tonya's mission is to provide opportunities for all teachers to connect and collaborate, and experience those joyful, energising opportunities. 

Tonya's Inspirational, Influential and Impactful recommendations.

People - Laura Robb and Evan Robb; Cornelius Minor; Nawal Casiano; Adam Grant; Inspire Citizens; Globally Reconnect

Books - Choice Words by Peter Johnston and Think Again by Adam Grant

Podcast - Recess Duty with Levi Allison

Cause - Direct Relief

Dream Travel Destination - Maldives

Connect with Tonya.

Twitter - @Mrs_Gilchrist

Instagram - @tonyagilchrist

Website / Blog - tonyagilchrist.com

Facebook Page - Tonya Gilchrist

Facebook Group - Tonya Gilchrist

LinkedIn - Tonya Gilchrist

Tonya Gilchrist is an international learning strategist who specializes in helping schools around the world amplify inquiry and honor agency for deep learning and transfer across languages, literacies, and disciplines. From Readers'/Writers' Workshop to Reggio to UDL to IB, Tonya works with schools to tailor professional learning just for their specific contexts and their unique needs. Previously, she enjoyed many years as an educator, instructional coach, and curriculum specialist.

Our guest this episode, Beck Keough, shares her passion for making learning stick, through designing and delivering authentic learning experiences that motivate learners and permit them to make connections with real life context/experiences, and that also honour their voice. Beck's mission to find a balance between instructional models that meet the needs of all learners, drives her thirst for knowledge and desire to connect with, and learn from, others. 

Beck's Inspirational, Influential and Impactful recommendations: 

People - Jane Hunter; Kath Murdoch; Trevor MacKenzie; Rebecca Bushby (Bathurst-Hunt); Kimberly Mitchell; The ACARA Team

Book - Inquiry Mindset: Assessment Edition by Trevor MacKenzie

Podcast - STEM Ed; Ten Minute Teacher Podcast; The Dave Burgess Show; History Detective; Edulatte 

Cause - Ronald McDonald House

Dream Travel Destination - England

Connect with Beck:

Twitter - @beckkeough1

Instagram - @incuriatedbeck

Beck Keogh is an experienced educator who is engaging students in authentic learning experiences that motivate and allow them to connect with real life. She’s the founder of Edulatte - a virtual coffee lounge where educators can share, collaborate and create, and creator of the inCURiATE pedagogical model.

Our guest this episode, Tara Martin, shares how her life journey's experiences have inspired her to embrace a beginner's mindset, find her courage and challenge herself to grow. We explore how her passion for encouraging others to embrace their authentic selves, cannonball in and fulfill their true potential drives her mission to innovate, share ideas, influences and lessons learned and to inspire us to keep social-emotional learning at the heart of our work. Tara hopes to have an impact on the world by championing others and amplifying their achievements.

Tara's Inspirational, Influential and Impactful recommendations:

Person - Dave Burgess

Book - Teach Like a PIRATE by Dave Burgess; How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 

Podcast - Unlocking Us by Brene Brown 

Cause - Anything that supports children

Dream Travel Destination - Greece

Connect with Tara: 

Twitter - @TaraMartinEDU 

Instagram - @tarammartin.real 

Website or Blog - tarammartin.com 

Facebook Page - Tara M Martin 

Podcast - The REAL Journey Show

Tara Martin is an enthusiastic educator, national speaker, and author who thrives on change and refuses to settle for the status quo. She has served as a classroom teacher, an instructional coach for several years, and most recently, a district administrator. Tara is the author of the inspirational book, Be REAL: Educate from the Heart and Cannonball In, a motivating children's book illustrated by Genesis Kohler. Tara firmly believes machines and artificial intelligence will never replicate an individual’s REAL identity–the unique strengths, talents, and life experiences of every human. Tara's passion for education and love of writing led her to a new role where she coaches and serves educational authors as the Director of Public Relations and Communication for DBC, Inc. Tara’s ambition is to lead a culture of innovative change, keep  social-emotional learning at the heart of our work, and encourage others  to Cannonball In and fulfill their true potential!

Our guest this episode, Lisa Currie, shares how she found inspiration through tragedy, and that carrying out intentional acts of kindness brought light back into her life, which led to a calling to serve and connect with others. She discusses her passion and mission to improve the lives of children in some way, and how creating kindness ripples has impacted her life, and how she hopes to positively impact the lives of others.

Lisa's Inspirational, Influential and Impactful recommendations:

Person - Barbara Gruener

Book - 'How Full Is Your Bucket?' by Tom Rath and Donald Clifton

Podcast - Functional Medicine podcasts

Cause - Royal Children's Hospital

Dream Travel Destination - Australia

Connect with Lisa:

Instagram - ripplekindness4schools

Website - ripplekindness.org

Facebook - Ripple Kindness Project

Lisa has served education and the community through a wide range of roles including volunteering in schools, establishing an outreach program for disadvantaged families, and advocating for well-being and social emotional learning. Her current role as the founder of Ripple Kindness Project is creating social emotional resources to support teachers and students.

Our guest this episode, Jessica Vance, shares her passion for student centered learning, collaboration, and coaching, which stems from the students themselves, as she finds inspiration in their natural curiosity as they authentically engage in learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Due to her strong belief in leading with a lens of inquiry, and through her open sharing, Jessica provides space for educators to collaborate and reflect, while supporting their professional growth as inquiry practitioners, as well as ways leaders need to support teachers. 

Jessica's Inspirational, Influential and Impactful recommendations:

Person - Michael Stone

Book - Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

Podcast - Terrible, Thanks for Asking 

Dream Travel Destination - someplace tropical to practise yoga

Connect with Jessica: 

Twitter - @jess_vanceedu

Instagram - @jess_vanceedu

Website or Blog - www.leadingwithinquiry.com

With a professional teaching and leadership background in both the private and public international schools (IB PYP Educator & PYP Coordinator), Jessica brings a unique perspective to her role as Enrichment & Environment Coordinator in Austin, Texas. Her journey and experience as an inquiry educator in IB schools and Place Based Education fuels her passion and global work in coaching both teachers and leaders in their roles, as well as supporting schools in implementing inquiry based learning. Jessica understands the power of curiosity to guide next steps, creating the space we all need as learners as we actively engage in a reflective practice. In her first book, Leading with a Lens of Inquiry, which is scheduled for release this year, she outlines the ways in which we, as leaders, need to support and facilitate our teachers in the same ways in which we want our teachers to engage with their students.

Our guest this episode, Dan Jackson, shares his mission to enable teachers become more effective so that they can focus on preparing students for their future, and discusses his goal of shifting the mindset that busy equals effective, by helping to create a culture focusing on what is important and not just on being busy. 

Dan's Inspirational, Influential or Impactful recommendations:

People - Educating Laura, Trevor MacKenzie, Holly Clark, Kasey Bell

Books - Dive into Inquiry by Trevor MacKenzie, Understanding by Design by Grant P. Wiggins and Jay McTighe, Work Less, Teach More by Dan Jackson

Podcast - The Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez, After the Bell with Educating Laura, The Shake up Learning Show with Kasey Bell.

Cause - Support yourself. Teachers are a cause worth supporting.

Travel Destination - Norway.

Connect with Dan:

Twitter - @DanJacksonTPD

Instagram - @DanJacksonTPD

Website - Teacherspd.net

Facebook Page - TeachersPD

Podcast - Effective Teaching

Book - Work Less, Teach More

Dan has been teaching since 2006 in Sydney. He has had many different roles including: classroom teacher, stage advisor, headteacher, deputy principal, and acting principal. He is currently an education consultant and presenter. Dan is the founder of TeachersPD, host of the Effective Teaching podcast, author of the Number 1 best seller on Amazon Work Less Teach More, a husband, and the father of two children.