How can we better support students who struggle? We know that addressing the needs of struggling students strengthens our schools, creates stronger communities, brighter futures and a more equitable world. The average student who starts below grade level has just a 1 in 4 chance of catching up. This means a tremendous number of students are struggling nationwide. Through interviews with students, teachers, administrators, technologists and education influencers, we want to understand what’s working in our schools today, what’s not and how we can impact positive, lasting change.
Radical Transparency, Compassionate Leadership, and Embracing Failure: An Interview with Superintendent Dr. Quintin Shepherd
In this episode of Opportunity Thrives, Jason Mitchell sits down with Dr. Quintin Shepherd, a true visionary for the future of education, and the Superintendent at Victoria Independent School District in Victoria, Texas.
Throughout this fascinating conversation, Dr. Shepherd shares his views on education and the new approach that he's bringing to his district, including what he calls radical transparency and putting the public back in public education. He describes radical transparency as the direct connection between the communities we serve and providing unprecedented levels of accessibility to information and people - being transparent with absolutely everything.
But Dr. Shepherd's primary focus stems from his practice of compassionate leadership and expressing vulnerability, and he believes that's why radical transparency works. It's built on the foundation of compassion. He also shares his perspective of the terms complicated vs. complex and how his district is using crowdsourcing to foster open communication and identifying whether a challenge is complicated or complex.
He has also shares how he believes it's important to create a culture of innovation. One of the first steps he took to achieve this is by reducing the cost of failure to increase value. He believes that in too many education systems, failure is equated with blame. Innovation cannot or will not happen within in a culture of blame. He believes in embracing failure to foster a culture of innovation.
This is episode is filled with inspiration, hope and valuable insights about how we can transform the way we lead school districts by modifying our approach to some of the most basic leadership practices.
3 Mar 2021
Tapping into Teacher Expertise to Inform the Future of Education
Jean Sharp had another opportunity to speak with John Watson, the founder of Evergreen Education Group and the Digital Learning Annual Conference in this episode. They discuss the role of the Digital Learning Collaborative had in contributing to the Biden/Harris leadership transition, the role schools play in supporting students - beyond just academics, and the silver linings the pandemic has created for new learning options.
We discuss the Digital Learning Annual Conference: https://www.deelac.com/
Digital Learning Collaborative: https://www.digitallearningcollab.com/
22 Feb 2021
How Districts are Supporting SEL Needs Right Now
In this episode, we reconnect with Debra Giacolone, the Director of Student Services for Sarasota County School District in Sarasota, Florida, and Dr. Crystal Ladwig the Director of Research and Development for Suite360, a social-emotional learning provider that partners with districts across the country.
When Jean Sharp, Chief Academic Officer at Apex Learning, last spoke with Debra and Crystal in an Opportunity Thrives episode (https://opportunitythrives.com/social-emotional-learning-in-practice-what-really-works/) last fall, they raised concerns about the health and well-being of our students, particularly in these times of lockdowns and school closure. We revisit this conversation and they share the unfortunate reality that there has been a significant rise in mental health concerns as students grapple with isolation, anxiety, depression, and trauma.
We discuss opportunities to support students despite these challenges, how Sarasota County is addressing student and educator wellbeing, and what Crystal is seeing with other districts across the country. Regardless of the challenges, they share a message of hope for the future and practical guidance other district leaders should consider as they navigate how to best support the social and emotional needs of our students and educators.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Contact Opportunity Thrives
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Opportunity Thrives?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
