FocusED: An educational leadership podcast that uncovers what is working in our schools.
TheSchoolHouse302
78 episodes
6 months ago
FocusED Show Notes with Guest Vicky Essebag
Vicky starts by defining “relationspaces” as the way that we bring ourselves to the spaces where we develop relationships.
Vicky tells us that we have preconceived notions about how we’re communicating and sometimes it’s effective and other times it’s not.
Vicky gives us an example of where our communication as teachers to students might be landing wrong in a way that only supports more misbehavior.
It’s better to minimize our noticing of the behaviors that are not desirable and maximize our noticing of the desired behaviors.
Solution-Focused is a strength-based approach. And, the future aspect of it asks the question, what does the person want?
Vicky says that success happens in small increments. Change happens gradually. Her advice is to take a few steps back when things aren’t going the way we want them to and then to become more inclusive.
She tells us that relationships have to be the foundation of everything we do and have to be prioritized as important in the minds of every leader.
Vicky explains that Solution-Focused has a premise that “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it; if it’s working, don’t change it; and if something is wrong, do something about it.”
Don’t miss what she says about future-oriented types of questions.
Vicky talked about a scenario and exercise that she did with students who were refusing to come to school, and they built hypothetical machines to help bring them back to school.
She talks about her own growth and a program she’s in right now to gain a certification that she wants for more international credibility.
Vicky says that the most important part about commuting with others is our presence.
We asked Vicky to give us some techniques for asking questions. She says that the best questions are open-ended and up to the person being asked to provide their answer versus searching for the right ones.
If we can inspire people with hope, why not. ~ Vicky Essebag
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FocusED Show Notes with Guest Vicky Essebag
Vicky starts by defining “relationspaces” as the way that we bring ourselves to the spaces where we develop relationships.
Vicky tells us that we have preconceived notions about how we’re communicating and sometimes it’s effective and other times it’s not.
Vicky gives us an example of where our communication as teachers to students might be landing wrong in a way that only supports more misbehavior.
It’s better to minimize our noticing of the behaviors that are not desirable and maximize our noticing of the desired behaviors.
Solution-Focused is a strength-based approach. And, the future aspect of it asks the question, what does the person want?
Vicky says that success happens in small increments. Change happens gradually. Her advice is to take a few steps back when things aren’t going the way we want them to and then to become more inclusive.
She tells us that relationships have to be the foundation of everything we do and have to be prioritized as important in the minds of every leader.
Vicky explains that Solution-Focused has a premise that “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it; if it’s working, don’t change it; and if something is wrong, do something about it.”
Don’t miss what she says about future-oriented types of questions.
Vicky talked about a scenario and exercise that she did with students who were refusing to come to school, and they built hypothetical machines to help bring them back to school.
She talks about her own growth and a program she’s in right now to gain a certification that she wants for more international credibility.
Vicky says that the most important part about commuting with others is our presence.
We asked Vicky to give us some techniques for asking questions. She says that the best questions are open-ended and up to the person being asked to provide their answer versus searching for the right ones.
If we can inspire people with hope, why not. ~ Vicky Essebag
Educating for Our Students’ Futures with Ben Farrell
FocusED: An educational leadership podcast that uncovers what is working in our schools.
33 minutes 41 seconds
10 months ago
Educating for Our Students’ Futures with Ben Farrell
Ben starts off by telling us about a committee that he has going to help unpack “emerging technology,” and things are literally changing overnight.
For us to lead in a tech-driven environment, Ben says that we have to be willing to say “I don’t know what that means, yet.”
He tells us about the human-centered design process that they use at his schools--building something for empathy for the end-user of whatever we’re building.
Joe asks Ben to talk about anything traditional that they’re abandoning in the curriculum to be able to spend the time they do on future-driven learning.
Don’t miss what he says about grading. They figured out how to create a competency-based system that spits out a letter grade at the end.
Ben talks about the influences of his background: Beijing, Montessori, Thacher, Bowdoin, and more. All of this feeds his ideas about schools teaching more of an entrepreneur thought process.
He shares about the competitive nature of the marketplace for schools in Beijing. Students literally need to have an international passport. This means that the schools are all working to differentiate themselves from others like them.
We discuss what it looks like to prepare students to do jobs that don’t exist yet. Ben talks about the fact that one important thing we can do, even though we don’t know what the jobs are, is to help students learn how to navigate competition within a start-up environment.
It's awesome to hear how he elevates student voice by asking them to tell him what the future of schooling, including the use of AI, should look like.
Joe reminds listeners of our podcast with Don Wettrick.
Ben recognizes that many parents are still a bit leery about system changes, and he comes back to what students are going to need for the rest of their lives, including the moral responsibility to use these new tools ethically.
Philosophically, he wants his students to explore their passions in the evening versus doing more school work.
All 9th graders at NEIH take Foundations of Entrepreneurship.
Ben invites our listeners to reach out to him at NEIH. He calls it the gift of time to just sit and talk.
Ben tells us about an experience he had in Rwanda that showed him that if they could overcome what they needed to overcome, we can do anything.
FocusED: An educational leadership podcast that uncovers what is working in our schools.
FocusED Show Notes with Guest Vicky Essebag
Vicky starts by defining “relationspaces” as the way that we bring ourselves to the spaces where we develop relationships.
Vicky tells us that we have preconceived notions about how we’re communicating and sometimes it’s effective and other times it’s not.
Vicky gives us an example of where our communication as teachers to students might be landing wrong in a way that only supports more misbehavior.
It’s better to minimize our noticing of the behaviors that are not desirable and maximize our noticing of the desired behaviors.
Solution-Focused is a strength-based approach. And, the future aspect of it asks the question, what does the person want?
Vicky says that success happens in small increments. Change happens gradually. Her advice is to take a few steps back when things aren’t going the way we want them to and then to become more inclusive.
She tells us that relationships have to be the foundation of everything we do and have to be prioritized as important in the minds of every leader.
Vicky explains that Solution-Focused has a premise that “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it; if it’s working, don’t change it; and if something is wrong, do something about it.”
Don’t miss what she says about future-oriented types of questions.
Vicky talked about a scenario and exercise that she did with students who were refusing to come to school, and they built hypothetical machines to help bring them back to school.
She talks about her own growth and a program she’s in right now to gain a certification that she wants for more international credibility.
Vicky says that the most important part about commuting with others is our presence.
We asked Vicky to give us some techniques for asking questions. She says that the best questions are open-ended and up to the person being asked to provide their answer versus searching for the right ones.
If we can inspire people with hope, why not. ~ Vicky Essebag
