Dr. Mag Gardner,Senior Global Capacity Building Facilitator for New Pedagogies of Deep Learning, discusses "how four elements of learning design foster the development of six global competencies, creating deep learning for all students. "By inviting student voice and agency, teachers create a listening and coaching culture 'defronting their classrooms'. Deep learning is about drawing connections with what we learn, with whom we learn, and how we learn. It builds a sense of individual and collective efficacy, and changes students’ trajectories. Deep learning authentically supports equity and well-being." https://deep-learning.global/
Dr. Robert Maxfield and Dr. Suzanne Klein welcome their guest Dr. Mag Gardner, Senior Global Capacity Building Facilitator for New Pedagogies for Deep Learning and the featured speaker at the fall EdCON22, hosted by the Galileo Institute. Her background experience includes: secondary school teacher, principal, superintendent, and work at the Ministry in different settings around Ontario, and a little bit of work in England. Dr. Gardner noted, “Probably the most profound experience I had was leading deep learning in one of the districts in Ontario. It was such a magical experience that I've been able to join the global team of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (N.P.D.L.) and help to generate the enthusiasm and the work around the world.”
Reflecting upon the impact of the pandemic, Dr. Klein referenced one of the N.P.D.L. papers entitled, “Defying Pandemic Gravity”. Dr. Gardner explained, “The pandemic presented some daunting complexities that are still constraining our schools and the pandemic made it really difficult to build capacity and advance learning for both kids and for staff…we asked ourselves, how can we support staff, so they can refocus that precious energy on student learning, and what was it that educators needed to jump start deep learning. So, our suggestion was really simple: to focus on the needs of staff, to build learning, capacity and culture in small deliberate moves.”
“The key words in that paper were all verbs like: dignify, gratify, simplify, clarify, amplify, and it just speaks to our own bias at N.P.D.L. (New Pedagogies for Deep Learning) where we have a bias towards action. So, for us, doing nothing was not an option. We advocated for just inching forward and investing in relationships and looking for the good that was all around us, knowing that change happens in those small micro moments. You know those little gestures, the small tweaks, the tiny moves like the moments of courage and love that snowball into life informing significance. And so really, that's what that paper was all about.”
Dr. Gardner encourages educators "to think six and four, which partners the six global competencies: character, citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking, with the four elements of learning design: learning partnerships, pedagogical practices, learning environment and leveraging digital. The four elements provide a simple framework, where teachers can return to designing learning that's responsive to the students’ strengths and their needs and their interests, and that stimulates students, minds and their hearts. So when we look at the four elements: learning partnerships, learning environments, leveraging digital, pedagogical practices, we're talking about well-known strategies that engage learners and also stimulate thinking.”
Learning partnerships
“How we create partnerships between and among students, relationships with teachers, with families and with the wider community. There's so much knowledge that a teacher can't be expected to know everything, but should be invited to draw in lots of expertise within the classroom, inviting student voice and their perspective. Students’ rich and robust experiences can contribute to the whole learning opportunity. This is really about relationships, relationships, relationships when we're talking about learning partnerships.”
Learning environments
“We're talking about the third teacher (the physical environment) and creating lots of flexible, inviting, welcoming spaces, but what do we do with the culture, that invisible environment? How does it foster that sense of safety and the sense of belonging? Do students feel as though they are significant, that their presence and their involvement in the class matters? What we're talking about is the learning environment, the physical space; it’s that learning community, that climate and culture that enables students to flourish.”
Leveraging digital
“How do we leverage digital so it accelerates our knowledge and our understanding? Is there a way of using digital to go beyond those classroom walls and cultivate opportunities for collaboration and for creativity? Digital needs to be an accelerator, generating something new in the classroom; learning that couldn't be created without it.”
Pedagogical practices
“Teachers have well proven pedagogical practices to engage students, to really tap those six global competencies. It's important to acknowledge that there is good work happening everywhere. We're not asking teachers to throw all those good practices away, but rather think about how those other three elements can be incorporated into pedagogical practices to amplify innovation and to bring learning to a whole new level, and think about what's one next thing that they could do to move towards a much more fulfilling deep learning framework."
Dr. Gardner emphasized that “it is critical that teachers really understand who the students in front of them are, not the ones they taught five years ago, but the ones right now. What do they care about? What peaks their curiosity? We're talking taking the first step inviting authentic student voice, and actualizing the belief that students can contribute as change makers. And that's the way to begin to move and shift from a talking culture to a listening and coaching culture, enabling teachers to ‘defront their classroom' giving students navigational control.”
“We’re suggesting that deep learning is as important for the adult as it is for the students. Actually, the adults need to be able to exercise those six global competencies. The adults need to be able to pursue what interests them. They need to be able to exercise their strengths, and they need to be able to come together collaboratively to problem solve.”
When asked how teacher leaders and administrators start this journey, Dr. Gardner advised, “We always say begin with the coalition of the eager. Who are the teachers in your schools, who already are showing passion for this kind of work? They are courageous; they're willing to take a few risks. They want to work with each other. They want to build those connections with a global community. Start with them because they are going to learn so much together, and they will teach the school a lot about what is possible.”
Addressing concerns about low enrollment in teacher preparation programs, Dr. Gardner proposed that “we need to do a much better global marketing job. This is the best profession in the world, and it is a profession that prepares all professions, making an incredible impact on today’s society and also tomorrow’s society. There is no such thing as ‘just a teacher’; you change the world. We need to move to a space where we regenerate a real pride in the profession. We provide opportunities for professional rigor with each other, that important validation of our profession, so that people feel as though they can make a difference, that they can problem solve, that they can be creative, that they can again exert all those six competencies.We have to be optimistic about the future and we have to create conditions where teachers can thrive again. And so that's up to us.”
Dr. Gardner concluded the podcast speaking about two huge challenges: equity and well-being, which are priorities within our schools right now. “We need to create some deliberate opportunities and conditions for not only healing but for flourishing for every student. I would suggest that some initiatives such as school-wide assemblies on anti-racism, while checking a box on a school improvement plan, may not have an impact on all students. A yoga class addressing well-being may not respond to students’ needs, nor equip students with the meta-condition to manage their well-being independently. While they have good intentions, they may inadvertently work against the efforts to improve well-being and equity.”
“We can no longer tinker our way toward transformation. It's up to us as leaderful educators to intentionally create spaces where students can thrive, where equity and well-being are embedded, where equity and well-being are baked into our classroom communities and normalized in our day-to-day practice. What we're learning in our deep learning work from our knowledge building partnership from around the world is that when classes are engaged in deep learning, it serves all of our kids, and especially those kids who are traditionally under served. It has a way of leveling the playing field and inviting all students to demonstrate their abilities in a range of ways. Students who struggled with well-being issues begin to feel empowered. Students who didn’t have a voice are now feeling as though they can exert themselves within the classroom. We know that deep learning is not only about drawing connections with what we learn, but it's about making connections with whom we learn, and making connections about how we learn, and all these connections open up hope for students. It builds a sense of individual and collective efficacy, and it changes their trajectories. We need to get at equity and well-being and deep learning is a great way to authentically get there.”
Gardner, Mag, et.al. “Defying Pandemic Gravity: How to Jumpstart Deep Learning in your School”, New Pedagogies for Deep Learning, Deep Learning in Action Series, Issue 04, March 2022.
https://bit.ly/DefGravNP22
Also, here is a link to our Deep Learning Lab brochure. I forgot to mention that this is a great way for people to dip their toe into Deep Learning.
Bob Maxfield:
Welcome to Podcast for Leaderful Schools coming to you almost live from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, actually coming to you from Pawley Hall at Oakland University, and more specifically from the Galileo Institute at Oakland University. This is Bob Maxfield, and I am joined by my most spectacular host, Dr. Suzanne Klein, and also making sure this all works is Dr. Elaine Middlekauff who is our producer, director, former principal and educational leader in our area as well.
So we're delighted that you could join us but it's been a little awhile since we've posted a podcast, and we're glad to be bringing this back to you as we continue this important dialogue about teaching and learning post pandemic. Our guest today is Mag Gardner, one of the principal leaders of the Deep Learning Global Partnership, in Ontario, Canada. Recently Mag was the keynote speaker at the Galileo Institute EdCONOU program that Suzanne and Elaine coordinated. And you'll hear more about the topics that were discussed there.
But let's begin with a brief overview, Mag, of your professional background, and how it is that you became involved with the Deep Learning Global Partnership and welcome to you by the way. I should have said that right at the beginning.
01:06 --> 02:04
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
Thank you, Bob and thanks for that warm introduction. So I've been so privileged to have such a range of experiences as a secondary teacher, principal, a superintendent having worked at the Ministry in different settings around Ontario and done a little bit of work in England, but probably the most profound experience I had was leading deep learning in one of the districts in Ontario, way back in two thousand and fourteen. It's such a magical experience that I've been able to join the global team of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning and help to generate the enthusiasm and the work around the world.
02:05 -->:02:13
Bob Maxfield:
Are you now involved with the entire province of Ontario, or has this become nationwide?
02:13 --> 03:11
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
Well, the scope of this within Canada has certainly grown to other provinces including: Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan, parts of Alberta and British Columbia in small ways. In the province of Newfoundland two hundred and fifty schools have embraced it, so it's really gone province-wide in Newfoundland. I'm also very privileged to be able to work around the world. And so this partnership is really gaining momentum. We've got more than twenty countries involved. And so working with, you know, the U.K. and Chile and Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan. There are countries showing interest in this work all over the world. So we just keep gaining momentum. It's pretty thrilling.
03:12 --> 03:19
Bob Maxfield:
Oh, congratulations for that. Suzanne, let me kick it over to you because I know that we're going to spend some time exploring what was discussed at the EdCON Conference.
03:21 --> 04:00
Suzanne Klein:
Exactly. Mag again, thank you for being our guest today. I know that you, as a leader as well as a learner, are reflecting on the lessons learned from the pandemic, and how we can grow from that experience, particularly as you turn to the questions, what's worth teaching and learning, as well as how we can best support that learning, both for the students in our care in our schools, as well as for the professionals who are there to serve and educate them. With that, one of the papers that we found very interesting is titled, “Defying Pandemic Gravity”, and I wonder if you could start with elaborating a little bit about what that means and how you see it going forward.
04:02 --> 06:56
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
Yes, thanks, Suzanne. And certainly we can provide a link to that “Defying Pandemic Gravity” paper, if any of your listeners haven't had a chance to read it, because it's just a short thought piece that folks can gather around and read quickly together, and then lunge into their own conversations about how their context may apply to some of the thoughts in this paper. But you know when I think about and we think about the pandemic, you know it presented some daunting complexities that are still constraining our schools and the pandemic made it really difficult to build capacity and advance learning for both kids and for staff.And we know that during those times there were many teachers who found themselves feeling quite demoralized; they were overwhelmed, and they even questioned whether they were having any impact at all on students. So at the time what we did was we asked ourselves, How can we support staff, so they can refocus that precious energy on student learning, and what was it that educators needed to jump start deep learning? So our suggestion in that paper was really simple: to focus on the needs of staff, to build learning capacity and culture in small deliberate moves.
And so, if you look through the paper the key words in that paper were all verbs like: dignify, gratify, simplify, clarify, amplify. And you know it just speaks to our own bias at NPDL, New Pedagogies for Deep Learning, where we have a bias towards action. So for us, doing nothing was not an option. We advocated for just inching forward and investing in relationships and looking for the good that was all around us. Knowing that change happens in those small micro moments. You know those little gestures, the small tweaks, the tiny moves like the moments of courage and love that snowball into life informing significance. And so really that's what that paper was all about. It was like Mother Teresa says, you know, ‘Do small things with great love’.
06:57 -->07:23
Bob Maxfield: When I read that paper I was immediately reminded of course that initially, for many schools the first response after the pandemic was making up for learning loss,which really meant diving into all kinds of remediation, and kind of cramming it down kids’ throats hoping to make up for what had happened during the last several months. And what you're describing, of course, is the diametrical opposite of that.
07204 --> 08:36
Suzanne Klein:
…and that notion then of evaluating and considering carefully, and being curious about what's worth, teaching and learning, and then what are the instructional moves that are going to be the best routes or the better routes to ensure that happens. With that said, Mag, you encourage educators to think six and four, and that's an interesting tagline then, that pulls up that notion of the six global competencies as well as the elements of learning design.
Many of our listeners are no doubt familiar with the six global competencies which include character,citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. What may be new to them are the elements of learning design that you've added in your writings and in the work of the partnership to think about what are those key elements around learning partnerships, pedagogical practices, learning environment, and leveraging digital. Let's take a few moments and if you could, do a bit of a dive for us into what those are, why they are important. That would be a wonderful next part of this conversation.
08:37 --> 13:00
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
Okay. Well, I'm glad Bob mentioned learning loss too, because I think you know the existing complexities of the pandemic, together with the learning loss messaging, and the pressures that teachers have around large scale testing or feeling as though they have to check off every specific curriculum expectation in it. It makes the teaching and learning so difficult and so what the four elements is, is we've created this lens. That is a very simple framework where teachers can return to designing learning that's responsive to the students’ strengths and their needs and their interests, and that stimulates students, minds and their hearts. And perhaps most importantly, these four elements when they're used in combination, they foster the development of the six global competencies that you mentioned Suzanne. So when we look at the four elements: learning partnerships, learning environments, leveraging digital, pedagogical practices, we're talking about well known strategies that engage learners and also stimulate thinking. So let's look at each one real quickly:
Learning Partnerships So when we're talking about that, we're talking about how do we create partnerships between and among students, relationships with teachers, with families and with the wider community. There's so much knowledge that a teacher can't be expected to know everything, but should be invited to draw in lots of expertise within the classroom, inviting student voice, and their perspectives. Their rich and robust experiences can contribute to the whole learning opportunity. This is really about relationships, relationships, relationships when we're talking about learning partnerships.
And then when we're talking about learning environments. Yeah, yeah, we're talking about the third teacher and certainly the physical environment, creating lots of flexible, inviting, welcoming spaces. But what do we do with the culture, that invisible environment? And how does it foster that sense of safety? And you know the sense of belonging. How do students feel as though they are significant, that their presence and their involvement in the class matters. And how do they feel significant? So, this is really what we're talking about when we're talking about the learning environment, the physical space. Yes, but also that learning community, that climate and culture that enable students to flourish.
When we're talking about leveraging digital, this is really when we're saying, Yeah, yeah, digital. There's no escaping it now, folks, especially after the pandemic. But how do we leverage digital, so it accelerates our knowledge and our understanding? Is there a way of using digital to go beyond those classroom walls and cultivate opportunities for collaboration and for creativity? So digital should not necessarily just replace a worksheet. We're not talking about it that way. It needs to be an accelerator. Generate something new in the classroom. Learning that couldn't be created without it.
And then, lastly, when we're talking about pedagogical practices, we know that teachers have well proven pedagogical practices to engage students to really tap those six global competencies. And so we're not asking teachers to throw all those good practices away, but rather think about how can those other three elements be incorporated into pedagogical practices to amplify innovation and to bring learning to a whole new level. So it's these four elements in combination which really stir up opportunities for those global competencies to be developed.
13:01 -->14:05
Suzanne Klein:
What you're describing using your words is giving teachers, schools, districts, a lens for viewing teaching and learning, and what's most important and what's going to be effective. I loved the list of verbs that you talked about: dignifying, gratifying, simplifying, clarifying, amplifying, very active kind of words
And how do you approach teachers, and I'm going to separate this question into two parts:veteran teachers as well as newbie teachers, folks that are just a year or two into the enterprise. One, How do you, starting with the veterans, get them to use that lens for viewing when the lenses they have in their spectacles, glasses, whatever, at this point have given them feedback, ‘This works pretty darn well, I'm satisfied.’? How do you help cultivate that curiosity for teachers, bring that student voice forward, so that they change that lens for viewing to consider other ways of seeing this work around the four elements and the six competencies?
14:06 -->15:42
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
I do think that whether we're talking about veterans, or whether we're talking about the newbies, I think, what we've certainly learned through the pandemic as well, is that we need to reach teachers and generate again their sense of confidence, their sense of self, and help them to remember and see for themselves what they're good at. So they need to be able to locate again their assets, all the great things they're currently doing within the classroom, and we really take a strong asset based approach in this deep learning work. It's important to acknowledge that there is good work happening everywhere, and so how can we help them to see that in themselves, and then think about what's one next thing that they could do to move towards a much more fulfilling deep learning framework, if you will.
So you know, we find that there are rich examples of deep learning from some of the teachers who have been serving for, you know, thirty plus years, and we find there are. There's deep learning electricity from some of our newbies as well. Really what it is is about helping the teacher understand what it is they're contributing and helping them to understand the framework and think about what next steps are appropriate for their own growth, because everybody is so different.
15:43 -->15:45
Bob Maxfield:
Appreciate that. Oh, go ahead Sue.
15:46-->17:21
Suzanne Klein:
I was just gonna say, and that's such an interesting bridge to the next piece I was going to ask you to speak a little bit more about. You started down that road in terms of what are some of the first steps for administrators or teacher leaders who are interested in deep learning to start with the implementation. You just spoke about, you know, finding ‘one next thing’. Where do I begin? It's with ‘one next thing’, and this is who I'm going to bring along and this is how we're going to get started. I'm curious about getting by that ‘one next thing’ stage as we know that early adopter curve and those that are willing to jump in.
I want to go back for a moment to something you talked about earlier that piqued my interest; that creation of a learning environment for both the adults in the building as well as the children and amplifying student voice, and that teachers’ confidence, sense of significance or whatever matters. What advice would you offer as teachers, leaders, or administrators start on this journey and find that first foothold to help create a culture of teaching and learning; an inquiry into what's worth teaching and learning, and how can we do it best?
Because you've watched schools and districts all over the world take this journey. How might you encourage them to build that culture around it so it becomes not just a pocket of excellence in one classroom, which would be a wonderful next step, but not the significance that you're talking about as school wide and district wide people take the journey together?
17:22 -->21:09
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
Right? So a couple of things there that we've talked about: first, when we're talking about how do we, how do we support all teachers as they move toward inviting student voice? And we're talking about authentic student voice, we're not talking about tokenism here. We're talking about really actualizing the belief that students can contribute as change makers. That's sort of the ultimate in student voice and agency, right? And so that is actually quite scary for a lot of teachers, because their initial response is sometimes, ‘Oh, gosh! You want me to create chaos in the classroom and let go of the control? I need to maintain control or they'll just go wild.’ And so how do we get teachers to "defront the classroom", if you will, and give those students that navigational control? And so, and that is a huge step for so many teachers. But what we know works for that, is when teachers start by getting to know their students, really listening. So moving from a talking culture to a listening and coaching culture. So what is it that interests those students? Where are their strengths, that every student brings strength, and what are some of their needs? And where can we really help students make connections with the learning and what they're interested in; what they care about? And so that that really is getting into that inquiry-based learning that we know is so, so powerful for students because it taps their curiosity. Before long they are exercising ideas about how to make a problem real, and how can they find solutions for that problem. And before you know it they are change makers. So that's really critical that teachers take that first step in really inviting student voice and really understanding who are the students in front of them, not the ones they taught five years ago, but the ones right now. What do they care about? What peaks their curiosity? And that's the way to begin to move and shift that culture. When we're talking about school wide learning, you know, we suggest that everybody needs deep learning, that deep learning is as important for the adult as it is for the students. That actually the adults need to be able to exercise those six global competencies. The adults need to be able to pursue what interests them. They need to be able to exercise their strengths, and they need to be able to come together collaboratively to problem solve.
So what we have found with many leaders who come to us and say, Where do I? What do I start? We always say, begin with the coalition of the eager. Who are the teachers in your schools, who already are showing passion for this kind of work? They are courageous, they're willing to take a few risks. They want to work with each other. They want to build those connections with a global community. Start with them because they are going to learn so much together, and they will teach the school a lot about what is possible.
21:10--> 22:18
Bob Maxfield:
Arguably, and you’ve just said it, if we don't start with the adults, it'll never happen with the kids. If the adults aren't able to behave in a deep learning mode, then you certainly can't expect because… although I have decided I want to order a “defront the classroom” bumper sticker from you. I think that's a pretty terrific notion. Before we run out of time Mag, and this is a question that we didn't send you in advance but it's not going to throw you too far. We've asked each of our guests to talk about the future of education, the future of recruiting people for the classroom.
Our University has seen a significant drop off in the number of applicants for teacher preparation, and most, almost every other university has. We hear over and over again people saying, ‘I don't want my kid to be a teacher. I don’t want my students to be a teacher.’ And so,you know, I think in many ways you've already answered that by saying the vision of education ought to be much more exciting than it's been in the past, and that will encourage more people. But weigh in on that issue, how do we? How do we reach that next generation of folks who ought to be “defronting the classroom"?
22:19 --> 24:13
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
So, Bob. I think in some ways you folks have already answered this in your Leaderful title, because I think that we need to signal to everyone, we need to do a much better global marketing job that actually, this is the best profession in the world, and it is a profession that prepares all professions. And you know, if you become a teacher, You are a leader making incredible impact on today's society, but also tomorrow's society. So too frequently you run into a teacher, and they will say, you say, “Oh, what do you do for a living?” And they'll say, “Oh, I'm just a teacher”, and you want to give them a hug, and then you want to slot them in the head and say, “Oh, there's no such thing as just, you change the world.” So it is this. We need to move to a space where we regenerate a real pride in the profession. We provide opportunities for professional rigor with each other, that important validation of our profession, so that people feel as though they can make a difference, that they can problem solve, that they can be creative, that they can again exert all those six competencies. It's as though we need to um, you know we need to come together again and really understand the impact we have on our youth, and that there are many, many youth out there who have never had the opportunity to go back to their teachers and say thank you, and let them know what the impact they had. We have to believe that the work that we do impacts lives.
24:14 --> 24:17
Bob Maxfield: That is a perfect message.
24:18--> 24:32
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
And I also..thank you, Bob. I just think we have to. We have to be optimistic about the future and we have to create conditions where teachers can thrive again. And so that's up to us.
24:36 --> 24:54
Bob Maxfield:
So as we, as we near the end of our time together. Is there anything else we haven't talked about today that you'd like our listeners to think about? And then how can they learn more about your important work, and you already talked about having us share the links with the various papers. But, um, what else should we be thinking about?
24:56 --> 28:14
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
You know I think we haven't touched on two huge challenges that we have right now in our schools, definitely in North America, but I would suggest around the world, and we know that equity and well-being are priorities within our schools right now and rightly so. We need to create some deliberate opportunities for healing. But we can't stop at healing, we need to create conditions for flourishing for every student. And so I would, you know, and this might be a little provocative; but I would suggest that some of the initiatives that are attempting to address equity and well-being are a little concerning. For example, when we lead Yoga at two o'clock on Tuesdays as a way of addressing well-being, while it might fit into the teacher's schedule it doesn't necessarily respond to the student needs, nor does it necessarily equip students with the meta-condition they need to be able to manage their well-being independently. And when we hold school-wide assemblies on anti-racism, while it may check off a box on that school improvement plan, and it may reach a few students, how do we really know that it has an impact on all of our students? So these initiatives, they live along the margins of school life, and they do have good intentions, but they may inadvertently work against the efforts to improve well-being and equity.
And so I think that we can no longer tinker our way toward transformation. It's up to us as leaderful educators to intentionally create spaces where students can thrive, where equity and well-being are embedded, where equity and well being are baked into our classroom communities and normalized in our day-to-day practice.
And so what we're learning in our deep learning work from our knowledge building partnership from around the world is that when classes are engaged in deep learning, it serves all of our kids, and especially those kids who are traditionally underserved. And it it has a way of um has a way of leveling the playing field and inviting all students to demonstrate their abilities in a range of ways. It brings out the best in every kiddo. So we're seeing that students who have struggled with well-being issues begin to feel empowered. We feel that students who perhaps didn't have a voice are now feeling as though they can exert themselves within the classroom. And so I think that when struggling students have hope and they have solid relationships with adults, we know this is a protective factor, and we know that deep learning is not only about drawing connections with what we learn, but it's about making connections with whom we learn, and making connections about how we learn, and all these connections open up hope for students. It builds a sense of individual and collective efficacy, and it changes their trajectories so can't say enough that we need to get at equity and well-being and deep learning is a great way to authentically get there.
28:16 -->28:51
Bob Maxfield:
I think that is. I'm so glad that we took the time for you to share that, because that whole notion that we, if equity and well being isn't at the heart of everything that happens from the moment the kid walks into the school, til the moment he or she leaves, it doesn't matter. And I think we've all been part of those sort of quick fix assemblies or staff meetings where we say it’s time to talk about what, mental health or it's time to talk about anti-racism, and in fact, it just has to be demonstrated every day.
So, Mag Gardner, thank you. Thank you very, very much for being part of this. Sue from your perspective, did we miss anything?
28:52 -->29:48
Suzanne Klein:
I think we've given our listeners a lot to chew on as they think about six plus four, but I'm also thinking about your concluding comments Mag, and the two words that are lingering in my mind that you've spoken about several times is this notion of a sense of efficacy, “I can”, both for teachers and students, but coupled with that and importantly needing to be connected is the sense of agency, ”I will. We will. Here we go”. And with those two pieces in mind not only “How can I? How can we?”, but then “What will we be doing next? Here's our first steps. What are our next steps after that?” It increases the likelihood that the things we've talked about are going to become reality for the students for whom we are responsible and making those important choices about what's worth teaching and learning. So thank you so much for laying that out so clearly and inspiring those who are going to be listening to this conversation to learn more.
29:49--> 29:51
Mag Gardner, NPDL Global (she/her):
Thank you. It's been a it's been a pleasure
29:52 -->30:16
Bob Maxfield:
It has been for us as well. So to our listeners, thank you for being part of this installment of Podcast for Leaderful Schools. Stay tuned as we continue these important dialogues, and as we indicated during the conversation, a link to this podcast will be made available, and as well as links to some of the resources that Mag discussed So again, well thank you to everybody for being part of it, and stay tuned for continued conversations.