In this episode of The Best of Us, Superintendent of Lancaster ISD Dr. AK Perera shares her journey to educational leadership and the differences between male and female superintendents’ experience. Women make up nearly 75% of the country’s classroom teachers, but only 14% of superintendents. Dr. Perera leveraged her experience into the creation of the Sister Supes Network, an affinity group of female superintendents that aims to provide support with a culture of trust and confidentiality.

As we delve into the specific challenges women face in educational leadership, Dr. Perera also digs deep on empowering women into leadership roles, introvert/extrovert challenges, and the surprising ways superintendency is like a gumbo.

In this episode of The Best of Us, Jennifer Ahn of Lead By Learning delves into collaborative inquiry and professional learning as a critical tool for improving educational outcomes in marginalized populations. The conversation focuses on equity-centered teacher evaluation, which assesses the impact of classroom practices on vulnerable students, and the four “equity traps” Ahn identifies as common organizational pitfalls.

We also talk over the case of Bayview High, exploring specific challenges that one campus faced when it came to tackling disproportionate outcomes. Other key topics include overcoming equity traps, fostering a culture of reflection, and engaging BIPOC students and families to create a more equitable educational environment.

In this episode of The Best of Us, we’re proud to host researcher and educator Dr. Danica Brown to discuss the "hidden half" of educators—non-teaching staff like counselors, instructional coaches, and paraprofessionals. Dr. Brown shares insights from her research on college-going culture in New Orleans high schools, emphasizing the crucial role of collaboration among all school staff to support students' higher education pursuits.

We also talk over addressing the unique challenges faced by counselors, building organizational structures to support whole-building growth, and professional development for non-teaching staff to foster equitable educational opportunities.

System-level leaders are charged with evaluating instructional quality and nurturing an environment where teachers can flourish in their careers. But those skills don’t come intuitively: they must be learned.

In this episode of The Best of Us, Jeremy and Jen Cheatham delve into Jen's course "Leaders of Learning" at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Cheatham is an expert on fostering adult learning and mindset change in educational settings, and shares a wealth of practical tips for education leaders seeking to transform their practice.

Join us as we navigate the ins and outs of helping educators see themselves as change agents. We also explore avenues of growth, personal reflection techniques, specific practices for creating adult learning conditions, and much more.

In this episode of "The Best of Us," we talk with National Teacher of the Year Missy Testerman, a master educator who gives us a look at teacher professional learning from the classroom perspective.

Missy gives us a ground-level look at what makes for excellent teacher PD, sharing insights and telling stories of how school leadership can become courageous leaders for continuous improvement. We go also go through the art of DIY professional learning, why two weeks is too darn long for lesson planning, and ways to save educators that most precious resource: time.

Her story is also a testament to the power of educator voice, with examples and tips for successful advocacy from the principal’s office to the Senate. (Step 1: Always come with a solution.)

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On this episode of The Best of Us, we’re honored to talk with Dr. Thomas Guskey, author of Instructional Feedback: The Power, the Promise, the Practice and nationally-renowned expert on education measurement and evaluation.

Dr. Guskey’s evaluation framework is an adapted version of the Kirkpatrick four-level model of evaluation used in business fields. Early attempts to apply this model to teacher PD were unsuccessful, leading him to create a model specifically for education settings that considers systemic support and change.

Dr. Guskey takes us through the why’s and how’s of his five-level model for professional learning evaluation, plus what the research says on PD’s impact on students. We also talk about managing learning versus managing learners, overcoming organizational barriers to PD success, and the surprising lessons Pac-Man can bring to the classroom.

In this episode of The Best of Us, we’re joined by Paola Deliz Felix Encarnación, Vice President of the National Network for School Improvement at City Year and author of “The Six Principles to Foster Voice and Belonging.” Paola walks us through the ins and outs of City Year’s partnership program, which works with schools on challenges to student success through continuous improvement principles.

Paola also covers how to co-create curriculum materials with educators, why intentional reflection is crucial for sustained progress, the unlikely connection of Swedish Fish to school improvement, and much more.

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In this episode of The Best of Us, we discuss transformational coaching as a key lever for momentum with all-star coach Elena Aguilar. Elena coaches us through exploring beliefs and strategies, connecting with the purpose of the work, and considering perspectives of those across your school district or organization.

She also provides practical guidance on applying curiosity and listening skills to education teams, enhancing leaders’ ability to understand motivations and gather their feedback.

Looking for more resources on transformational coaching strategies for systemic change? Check out Elena's book "Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching,” out in July.

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In this episode of The Best of Us, principals Jennifer Martin and Jamie Jordan share how they’ve supported teacher professional learning through their roles as building leaders. They discuss practical strategies for empowering teachers through alignment and autonomy, the importance of differentiating professional learning for teacher needs, and providing voice and choice throughout the PL process.

Jen and Jamie also talk through the nitty-gritty of strategically aligning professional learning with school improvement plans, creating space for brainstorming, and the four standard questions for any PLC.

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We discuss "An Effective Workforce is a Diverse Workforce" with co-authors Sharif El-Mekki and Lisa Lachlan. These two scholars’ work centers on the critical need for diversity in K-12 and practical ways for education leaders to tackle the systemic issues impacting it. 

The conversation covers the historical context of DEI, the impact of educator shortages on students of color, and the proven benefits of a racially diverse teaching staff. Sharif and Lisa strategize on integrated approaches to recruitment, retention, and professional development, highlighting successful ways to attract teachers of color by respecting their lived experiences and reducing barriers to entry. 

We also cover multi-level systemic change, DEI-focused professional learning, and everyday ways to create a more equitable school environment through diverse leadership.