Lead. Learn. Change.

Simon Ratcliffe asks a question

Levity during times full of heavy hearts

Life check

Decision prep

Relationships

Meaningful work

Don’t take it for granted

Educators never stop serving

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

Characteristics of a good teacher (2:15)

Students who love the teachers who love their students (3:05)

Knowing one’s students (3:45)

STAR program (5:45)

Hope for the future - great teachers and great students (7:45)

The filter for decision making that will lead to engagement and learning (12:15)

Targets for student engagement (16:00)

Authenticity as a key characteristic of work (16:30)

Listening to the students (17:00)

Who is it for? (18:00)

Responding to criticism that schools may not be preparing students properly (21:00)

Poor learners? (24:35)

Lessons learned during a career in education (28:30)

Common to all educators’ experiences (33:15)

Thank a teacher today (34:15)

MCG link: https://www.augusta.edu/mcg/

Borborygmi: Food for Thought podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borborygmi-food-for-thought/id1507529435

Professional Association of Georgia Educators:  www.pageinc.org

PAGE One magazine – The Promise of a Rising Generation: How Young Georgia Scholars are Impacting the World – see pages 10-16: https://issuu.com/pagemagazines/docs/page_one_jan_feb_2020_high_res

Engagement resources: www.schlechtycenter.org

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

How has coronavirus affected education? (3:17)

A shift to virtual learning platforms (4:00)

Teachers are still approaching their work with professionalism and a focus on student learning (6:00)

A potential new understanding of, and appreciation for, what teachers do (6:55)

Will higher ed make adjustments in learning as a result of COVID-19? (8:40)

Immersion in content alongside practitioners (11:05) 

Technology is more than digital (12:00)

Communicate to learn (13:00)

Technology based decisions must be made in service of who is being served and what needs to be accomplished (13:30)

I quit teaching after one year in the classroom (15:10)

Connections between education and work in other sectors (16:35)

Learning opportunities exist in virtually every situation (17:30)

Each student’s potential to learn is not determined by what they know now (18:30)

How has the U.S. educational model changed since the 1980s? Many options for one’s education (19:10) 

Jamie Vollmer - Schools Cannot Do It Alone (20:30)

The increasing scope of responsibilities connected to public schools (21:20)

The chalkboard. A relic? (21:30)

Notes to students - before texting, email and access to photocopiers (23:10)

Public schools or private schools - which is best? (24:45)

Public school - opportunity, authenticity, and diversity (25:30)

Teachers as the heart of the school (27:00)

Preparing for students for whatever next is the key to gauging school effectiveness (27:45)

Public schools as a foundation of our nation’s government and culture (28:30)

Innovation, creativity, and ingenuity (29:15)

Predictive tests (standardized tests) and their inappropriate place of prominence as evaluative tools (30:00)

The sum total of one’s learning (30:50)

What you know, understand, and are able to do (32:00)

Kindergarten as an example of the need for a more authentic process to gauge student progress (33:00)

Test scores or recommendations about work ethic, understanding, initiative, as components of admission requirements (35:30)

SAT and/or ACT - vital? (37:00)

Indicators of a great school (37:30)

Standardized testing and “the practice of”  - finding the balance (38:00)

The inadequacies of a limited bank of test items (41:00)

Engaging with a true practitioner and with emerging mentors (42:45)

Relationships must be a big part of doing one’s work well (45:15)

MCG link: https://www.augusta.edu/mcg/

Borborygmi: Food for Thought podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/borborygmi-food-for-thought/id1507529435

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

Where are you from? 

Picture yourself at a gathering, or perhaps you are attending a virtual gathering, on a video call with five, ten, twenty, or even a hundred others. Regardless, you are with other people. Everywhere you turn, there are lots of faces looking at you (or not). The initial silence is beginning to be punctuated by small talk, verbal icebreakers and stereotypical opening lines are exchanged, and maybe a few people are still “on the edges,” not yet fully immersed in conversation. 

This is not an unfamiliar scenario. How many times have you found yourself in this type of setting? Within minutes you meet another person and the “Hi, I’m So-and-so. Nice to meet you…” introduction is made. This is inevitably followed by “What do you do?” And, sometimes, “Where are you from?” is asked.

How do you answer those questions? Do you parrot the greeting in your response? “Nice to meet you, I’m David, and I work for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.  What do you do?” 

I think it’s time that these situations are viewed as the tremendous opportunities that they actually are, versus being relegated to a rote set of statements that are as benign and memorable as “How are you?” and the “Fine, thanks” expected response.

Where are you from?

Would you be willing to say that you are from a place of many blessings, or maybe a place of great contentment or even struggle, or perhaps a spot low on many learning curves (but headed up!), or somewhere else? 

In what other ways could you answer this question? What creative responses could you share that might spark a meaningful conversation? 

What about the other questions? 

What do you do? That is a very common one!

Should our replies be restricted to official titles and organizations, or would the discussion immediately take on new depth if we conveyed the impact of our work, and what we really want to lead, learn, change, or accomplish next?

Don’t misunderstand – there’s nothing inherently wrong, at all, with common courtesy, expected niceties, and polite banter. Most of us would readily argue, and correctly, that we need to encourage pleasant discourse today, maybe more so now than at any other time. So, by all means, keep that concept alive! 

If, though, you are fully invested in an effort to make better things, or make things better, view these moments as opportunities 

to lead people to think, 

to learn something new yourself, and 

to start pondering what might change as a result. 

And, even better than an insightful response might be posing different questions altogether. 

Think about that for a moment. 

What questions could you ask that would provide a welcome springboard for others to talk about their work, their hopes and dreams, their ideas, and their “what next?” (“What next?,” by the way, is another very good way to plant a thought about the scope and reach of one’s future efforts.)

My friend Maria Xenidou, host of the Impact Learning podcast, likes to ask, “What’s your story?” 

That’s so simple and straightforward, it’s answerable by anyone, and it opens doors to all sorts of conversation possibilities, and who knows what after that?! 

Are you a teacher? A principal? Or do you support colleagues or learners in some other way, or in some other sector?

What could you ask in order to learn more about those you seek to serve? 

What would help you truly get to know your customers, co-workers, students (or their parents), so that you could design experiences for them that will have the most value? 

Questions truly matter. 

Take some time to think about the questions. Time spent on questions may indeed be a better investment than hours expended crafting wonderful answers.

I once had the privilege of working with one the best first-year teachers I have ever met. 

Her name is Juli, and she took the time, along with HJ, the paraprofessional in the classroom they led, to pen a short note to each student’s parent, every week or two, in a little stapled, paper booklet. 

The kindergartners they taught carried these low-tech (but immensely effective) tools of correspondence from school to home, and back again, all year. 

The written communication embedded in these bits of daily highlights, family insights, humor, and sometimes heartache, were brimming with content that added a rich level of understanding, in all directions, for everyone involved, and the trust that was developed as a result of this generous exercise truly benefited the children in that class.  Sometimes, often times, it’s the simple act of expressing genuine interest that makes the biggest difference in someone’s life.

The great thing is, we are all presented with chances to make that difference, quite often, if not every single day.

What would you like to see and hear asked at your next interaction with new friends, colleagues, or students? Make it happen!

Where are you from?

How about, “Where are you headed?”

Capitalize on these moments. Learn from them. Lead the change.

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

• 1:00 – “Am I your favorite son named David?” • 

1:25 – Episode timed with Geneva’s 86th birthday; a family reflection through generations • 

2:10 – Biggest life changes – conduct, civility, technology, and culture • 

3:05 – Violence and pace of life – contrasting past and present • 

4:15 – Daily gratitude – viewing life’s challenges through optimism • 

5:10 – How personal faith and shared humor anchor a marriage • 

6:30 – Lessons from raising four sons; teamwork through hardship • 

8:05 – Parenting as full-time teaching – modeling patience, respect, and consistency • 

10:00 – Geneva – “We were both teachers; we just didn’t call ourselves that.” • 

11:15 – Paul _ life teaches best – people learn by watching how you act • 

13:00 – Library trips every Wednesday; love of learning modeled quietly • 

14:20 – Teaching moments in small gestures – gratitude long delayed but heartfelt • 

15:35 – Marriage as a classroom – adaptation and grace over decades • 

17:05 – Love deepens with years; small courtesies build resilience • 

18:40 – Night-shift sacrifices – working so others could rest and grow • 

22:15 – 

Joy in family milestones – seeing adult children reflect early lessons • 

25:45 – Humility – acknowledging mistakes without regret • 

29:30 – Faith and perseverance through health and history • 

34:10 – Letters that connected hearts across distance – saved and reread • 

38:20 – Reflections on community, church, and service • 

41:55 – “Everything that happens should make you a better person.” • 

45:40 – Geneva – gratitude for simple things, lifelong learning through living • 

49:20 – Raising children as legacy and reward • 

51:20 – Mutual love, laughter, and the humility of shared life.  

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

Full transcript

In a Moment - Collaboration. Optimism. Vision. Inspiration. Dedication.

Recent events have upended daily routines, financial markets, and life in general. 

Changes of great magnitude occur from time to time. When there is no hint that a significant problem is imminent, and when the specifics of one’s circumstances are being experienced for the very first time, the lack of preparation-especially in a world where instant feedback and resolutions are sometimes viewed as the norm-can be disconcerting or even frightening.

How should we respond to such change?

What should we learn from what is going on around us?

How do we lead in the face of uncertainty?

Not by creating Confusion.

Not through Overreaction.

Not via Vague messages.

Not as Irrational decision makers.

And certainly not by Division.

Instead, we Collaborate to make the best of a situation.

We adopt and act on an Optimistic outlook.

We share our Vision about a positive tomorrow. 

We Inspire by unleashing the creativity of others. 

We remain Dedicated to our mission. 

The organization in which I work, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE), is viewing the current events swirling around us through a lens of opportunity. While we are taking seriously the threats posed to various aspects of life as we currently know it, we also believe that this season will pass. And, we believe that great educators will mitigate the difficult aspects of this unprecedented change, and that they will continue to demonstrate leadership, via their ongoing commitment to teaching and learning.

Toward that end, it is a privilege to share with you a brief overview of a decision that PAGE made in the past few days. It serves as a solid example of how a future-oriented approach can make a difference for many people.With schools closed, and with some of our organization’s work impacted by these closures, the flexible use of resources has emerged as one means of leveraging current events in a positive way. We should all be asking ourselves right now, “What resources might I use–in a way not previously considered–that might help someone else?”

PAGE moved swiftly and crafted an opportunity for PAGE members to apply for grants to support teaching and learning. During the current and immediate shift towards virtual platforms, educators are seeking out ways to enhance their skill set and are looking for resources that can directly benefit students. PAGE’s educator grants were developed to reinforce these needs.

In the first 60 minutes after the grant application notification was distributed to our educator members, over 200 applications were received. That’s an application every eighteen seconds! Eighty-two percent of the applicants were classroom teachers and the overwhelming majority of the grant requests will directly benefit students!

Clearly, Georgia’s great educators are not resting. They are eager to provide learning experiences for their students. In the last two weeks, I have had the privilege of engaging in conversations with some Georgia educators as well, via video conferencing tools. Those discussions reinforced the notion that great teachers are viewing this time as a learning opportunity. Teachers are exploring ways to make online interactions­–with people and with content–as meaningful as possible.

I am proud to work with an organization that stays true to its purpose, taking full advantage of every opportunity to support educators, all in the service of learning. I am also honored to be acquainted with many dedicated professionals who commit their careers and their lives to making sure that young people have every chance possible to be successful, and to be prepared for whatever is next.

It is important to view every moment as an opportunity to make a difference.

Change happens in a moment. 

Learning can happen in the moment.

Leadership can make or break the moment.

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

• Does the world need changing?
• What is meant by “world?”
• The value of roles and relationships
• Leaders, followers, and influencers
• Collective and individual impact

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

Learning impacts life (4:20)

No space in pre-school (5:15)

Mom leading the reading and learning (5:30)

Learn, early on (6:30)

Obstacles serve as a catalyst for moving forward (6:45)

Different pathways to learning (7:40)

Self-directed learning (8:00)

Intentional learning (8:30)

Learning from others (9:00)

Learning from those who have experience (10:00)

Learning via interest and opportunity (12:15)

Create space and opportunity for learning (12:55)

What to teach directly and what to allow to unfold (14:20)

The most important conditions for learning (15:35)

Access to resources is vital (15:40)

Cultivating an environment that cultivates curiosity and exploration (16:40)

Independent learners and thinkers are problem solvers (17:15)

Learning by doing (17:30)

Put your learning into practice (18:40)

Focus on the most difficult parts (18:55)

Difficulty as an indicator of a potential learning moment (19:10)

Share as you learn, not only later (21:20)

“Teacher” means someone with more experience (22:25)

Sharing as teaching (23:25)

Maria’s elevator question (24:15)

Leveraging knowledge and skills to help others (24:30)

Helping others moves your own work forward (24:50)

Finding and solving problems as a key to learning (25:55)

Resources can become distracting (27:00)

Remove what you don’t need to learn, and learn only what you need (27:15)

What kind of work do you want to do? (27:55)

A teacher goes above and beyond (29:55)

Handwritten lessons and problems for Maria and her sister (31:00)

Figure out a way to get resources to people (32:20)

A teacher’s amazing insight, confidence, coaching, and mentoring (33:05)

Public schools, working class, low income family receiving great support (34:40)

The Impact Learning Fund (35:25)

Commitment – a year’s salary as a VP (35:55)

Fifty dollars or one hundred dollars can provide education for a child without access to resources  (37:00)

Learning to reach out to “community” to make progress (38:00)

Connections help with decision making, especially in a world of abundance (38:50)

Content creation – podcast interviews and written resources (39:40)

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION FOR LISTENERS

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaxenidou/

Podcast - https://impactlearning.simplecast.com

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

Recycling center

New yesterday, old today, gone tomorrow?

Will Esters' approach

Dr. Allene Magill - relationships and building bridges (see link below for information about the "PAGE Dr. Allene Magill Scholarship" for support personnel)

The challenge

Implications for one's own work

https://www.pageinc.org/scholarships-offered/

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change

Show Notes

From one career intention to another (3:50)

The pervasive but poorly supported failure narrative (4:00)

Working in the standardized testing world and a shift in thinking (4:30)

Who is at fault? (4:50)

What? No ideas for an alternative? (6:00)

Testing and accountability as commensurate with one another (6:35)

Test-based accountability is not the source of the problem (6:50)

Schools deserve an appropriate accountability system (7:30)

Effective organizations use forward-facing accountability mechanisms (8:30)

Forward-facing issues fail to be emphasized in schools (9:20)

Is backward-facing accountability beneficial? (9:40)

Is backward-facing accountability even possible? (10:45)

Destined or expected to repeat the past, year after year (11:40)

Are schools’ accountability practices truly backward-facing? (12:30)

The pitfalls of backward-facing accountability (13:20)

The positives embedded in accountability (13:55)

Imposed accountability (14:35)

Operating in, and ignoring, a context of ongoing change (16:40)

Identifying effectiveness as a prerequisite for accountability (17:25)

Research and logic do not support A-F grading of schools (18:30)

Both effective and ineffective schools do exist (19:30)

Student benefit at the center of school practices (21:30)

Accomplishment vs. measurement (22:20)

Hopes and dreams (23:20)

Hopes and dreams and the level of “mission” (24:00)

Hopes and dreams for a higher test score? (25:20)

Higher test scores or “getting ready for life?” (26:20)

Parents need to have meaningful conversations about their children (31:25)

Mission vs. mission statement (32:20)

For-profits and non-profits have a handful of missions (33:30)

Public schools tend have more than two dozen missions (33:55)

The biggest issue facing public schools today (35:20)

Next steps for TestSense (37:05)

True accountability’s potential as a national movement (37:35)

Legislative solution or legislative support? (38:00)

Mrs. Carlisle – a great teacher (40:25)

Growing up with a disability and Mrs. Carlisle’s wisdom (40:35)

Accountability processes and frameworks do not need to be unwieldy (42:20)

Episode-specific Links:

www.brave-ed.com

www.testsense.com

Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats

Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators

David’s LinkedIn page

Lead. Learn. Change. the book

Instagram - lead.learn.change