Small Fires

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Carolyn Roberts, an award-winning author, Indigenous academic, and educator whose work invites us to think more deeply about what it means to decolonize education.

Carolyn is St̓át̓imc and Stó:lō from the Thevarge family of N'Quatqua and the Kelly family from Ch'iyáqtel, and is also a member of the Squamish Nation. She is the author of Re-Storying Education and Tess's Red Dress: Honouring Love & Family and currently teaches in UBC's Teacher Education and NITEP programs. She also is writing another book which she talks about near the end of the episode.

Our conversation explores what decolonizing education can look like in practice, whose stories and worldviews are represented, how we develop a more critical lens, and how the ways we teach can create greater belonging, agency, relationship, and participation in learning.

Carolyn also talks about the importance of moving beyond talking about this work to actually doing it, even when we are worried about getting it wrong. We explore listening, relationship, Indigenous brilliance, and her hopes for future generations of Indigenous students.

Near the end of our conversation, Carolyn brings us back to a powerful question about education and leadership: how do we learn to be human and see the humanity in one another?

I am deeply grateful to Carolyn for sharing her knowledge, stories, and perspective in this episode of Small Fires.

Carolyn Roberts- Indigenous Education Consultant - www.carolynroberts.net

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jane Ellison, a long-time leader with Thinking Collaborative whose work has had a significant influence on Cognitive Coaching and Adaptive Schools.

Jane has spent decades supporting educational leaders at all levels in developing their capacity to think, learn, collaborate, and lead. In this episode, she shares reflections from her extensive experience with Cognitive Coaching and Adaptive Schools, including some of the early development of this work and the people and ideas that have influenced her along the way.

Our conversation explores listening, identity, the importance of developing groups, and what it means to create the conditions for others to think and grow. Jane also reflects on how her own thinking and leadership have evolved over time.

I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from Jane and to share some of her wisdom and reflections through this episode of Small Fires.

Mentioned in this episode: Priya Parker: My First Substack Live

For more information about Adaptive Schools and Cognitive Coaching Seminars:

Thinking Collaborative

Note Lucinda Wolters can be reached through LinkedIn: Lucinda Wolters, Ed.D.

In episode 20 of Small Fires, Lucinda has the honour of interviewing Kevin Reimer, a mentor, former colleague, and friend. They explore the evolution of Kevin's leadership identity over a lifetime in education. Kevin, a former principal as well as a former President and Executive Director of the BC Principals' and Vice-Principals' Association, reflects on how mentorship, lived experience, and curiosity shaped his journey. They discuss the power of relationships, the importance of navigating complexity with ongoing openness, and why seasoned leadership shifts from having all the answers to asking better questions.

Kevin's new book is also discussed in this interview, which is called "A Year of Leading: A 40-Week Leadership Compass for Principals and Vice-Principals." It is certainly a practical and reflective guide designed to support school leaders at every stage of their careers. Blending research, metaphor, and real-world experience, the book offers thoughtful encouragement and steady guidance for those leading schools today. It is a very supportive and relevant book for today's principal as well as anyone aspiring to become one.

Check out his website here: https://howtoprincipal.com/

Such a pleasure to interview Kendall Zoller, EdD.

Kendall is an author, educator, researcher, and global consultant. His work in communicative intelligence, presentation and facilitation skills, storytelling, leadership, coaching, and adaptive schools has taken him to 25 countries in person and 80 countries virtually, and hundreds of schools and districts globally. He is the author of The Choreography of Presenting: The 7 Essential Abilities of Effective Presenters (2024) co-author of Culture KLSS (2024), HeartSpace (2021), and Voices Leading From the Ecotone (2019). Kendall is president of Sierra Training Associates and an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He has authored over four dozen reviewed book chapters and journal articles on topics of communication, community, and leadership for educators and corporations. Kendall has a doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Masters in Educational Management.

In this episode, I interview ƛ̓akʷapiqa, Lelaina Jules, District Principal, Indigenous Education for Comox Valley Schools.

Lelaina carries the ancestral name ƛ̓akʷapiqa, loosely translated to "copper on top," and also goes by Lelaina Jules. She is a proud Nuu-chah-nulth woman (she/her) from the Hesquiaht First Nation, one of the fourteen Nuu-chah-nulth Nations located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Her father, Steve, is Hesquiaht through his father Stephen Sr., and Ahousaht through his mother Jean. On her mother Karen's side, Lelaina carries Danish and Estonian ancestry.

Raised in Hot Springs Cove on the Hesquiaht Indian Reserve, Lelaina's early experiences continue to shape her values, worldview, and commitment to upholding Indigenous knowledge systems. She currently lives and works in the unceded territories of the Pentlatch, E'ikʷsən, Sahtloot, and Sasitla Peoples, and offers her deep gratitude—ƛ̓eekoo ƛ̓eekoo.

Lelaina holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership, a Bachelor of Education, and a Bachelor of Arts with minors in Indigenous Studies and Anthropology. These academic pathways have strengthened her dedication to Indigenous education, leadership, and the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge systems.

As a mother, sister, daughter, auntie, cousin, friend, learner, and teacher, Lelaina brings a relational and holistic approach to her work. Grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being, she strives to nurture spaces of belonging, uphold cultural integrity, and walk alongside communities of teachers and learners in the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and resurgence.

It was an honour to interview her for Small Fires.

As we transition a return to school, I offer you an interview with Riley McMitchell, a Vancouver, BC elementary school principal. We share a passion for Adaptive Schools work and Cognitive Coaching as part of our leadership identity and it was certainly a pleasure interviewing him.

Before his formal role in leadership, Riley has been a curriculum coordinator, mentor teacher, and elementary teacher. Riley has presented across Canada and the United States on both instructional leadership and equity for LGBTQ2+ communities. He is a former board member of BC Learning Forward and a recent graduate of the Transformative Education Leadership Program at UBC. He is currently serving as the Director of Leadership and Learning for the Vancouver Elementary Principals and Vice-Principal's Association. Prior to becoming an educator, Riley sang opera professionally and still performs occasionally in his spare time. Currently in his role as school principal, Riley nurtures caring communities through creativity and collaboration.

While my episodes have not been as consistent as I hoped, I continue to endeavour to highlight the importance of one's leadership identity to be effective in today's complex educational systems. I also continue to promote the work of Adaptive Schools and am a Training Associate for Thinking Collaborative: https://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/aboutas

You can connect with me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/drlucindawolters/

or through LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lucinda-wolters-04155833/

"We have a responsibility to learn and grow and to be aware of our privileges…and how we might use those for people who may not have the same access and opportunities that were afforded to us."

With pleasure, I bring you an interview with Dr. Phil Echols. We share a passion for Adaptive Schools approaches for effective collaborative groups and Cognitive Coaching through the organization Thinking Collaborative. https://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/

Dr. Phil Echols has been a former teacher, school counselor, and administrator of professional learning. He is currently a Diversity Specialist for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in North Carolina. He's also a Global Consultant for Public, Private, and International Schools. His expertise includes effective collaboration, coaching, diversity, and inclusion for education and healthcare. He has over two decades of experience in education, public speaking, facilitation, and international training and development.

In this episode, Dr. Echols talks about his career journey and the connections between his work in education and now in healthcare. He highlights the influence of a personal mission statement that guides his choices, informed by his identity. Phil articulates the necessity of having courageous conversations about diversity, race and ethnicity and shares that the more we can elevate traditionally marginalized voices and experiences in our system the better off we'll be.

Instagram: @philechols

This episonde is long overdue since John Clarke has been such a significant influence on me and on many others.

John Clarke has been my mentor, coach and friend for nearly ten years. While John presents the Adaptive Schools Seminars, he also provides Cognitive Coaching seminars as well. I have benefitted from being on the receiving end of his cognitive coaching, leading me to sign up for the Cognitive Coaching training that John will be facilitating for BC principals starting in August 2023: (https://www.bcpvpa.org/professional-learning/workshops/cognitive-coaching

John Clarke is a Training Associate for Thinking Collaborative (Maximizing Capacity in Individuals and Organizations). He has provided Cognitive Coaching and Adaptive Schools Foundation and Advanced Seminars in Canada, the United States, Australia and South Korea. He works with Corporate and Health Care Organizations, and School Districts in the areas of Leadership Development, Change Management, Communication Skills and the creation and sustainability of effective professional communities. John has delivered keynote and motivational presentations at conferences and conventions across Canada and the United States for over 30 years.

https://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/ta-info-bio/john-m.-clarke

https://www.thoughtarchitects.ca/copy-of-who-we-are

I continue to work on my developing podcasting skills and am seeking some encouraging reviews. If you would be inclined, I would be so grateful.

With pleasure, I bring you another Small Fires episode, highlighting a conversation with a cherished Thinking Collaborative leader, Carolyn McKanders.

Carolyn's background includes 28 years of experience in Detroit Public Schools as a teacher, counsellor and staff development specialist. Currently she presents seminars internationally on developing Adaptive Schools and organizations, and Cognitive Coaching℠. She also provides polarity management training, which supports organizations in identifying and managing competing tensions inherent in social systems. Carolyn McKanders is the former Co-Director for Thinking Collaborative. With intention, Carolyn shares with us how she sees her leadership identity and her mission with both kids and adults. She shares the empowering mindsets for teachers, from the new book she coauthored with Robert Garmston.

For further information about the book, "It's Your Turn: Teachers as Facilitators - A Handbook," please refer to these websites:

https://teachersasfacilitators.com/

https://www.miravia.education/products/

A truly powerful interview to inspire increased consciousness for school and system leadership.

Carolee Hayes has had a long career as an educational leader in both Cognitive Coaching and Adaptive Schools. She has also been a Co-Director for Thinking Collaborative. In this interview, Carolee shares her career journey and how when she was asked by Art Costa and Robert Garmston to lead the Cognitive Coaching work in its early years with Jane Ellison, it was the greatest honour of her career.

Carolee brings her graciousness, vision, and hopefulness to this episode, as she describes what she has learned about leadership, what has influenced her thinking, the importance of a non-evaluative approach in coaching, and her hopes for the on-going work of Thinking Collaborative.