Charting a Human-Centered Future for Education
The Season 11 Finale of The Wheelhouse delves into the imperative of a radical humanization of educational institutions, asserting that the future of education hinges upon creating environments that cultivate hope, foster innovation, and prioritize the humanity of every individual within the educational ecosystem. As we reflect on the season's discussions, we engage with esteemed guests Chiara Latimer, Neal Currie, and Jim Van Nada, who provide insights into the pressing need for education to evolve in response to the realities faced by contemporary students. This episode serves not merely as a recap but as a profound reckoning, challenging us to confront the successes and failures of our current educational practices and to envision a future where every student feels valued and empowered. We emphasize the importance of listening to students and adapting our approaches to meet their needs, thereby ensuring that our educational spaces are not only inclusive but also reflective of the diverse identities of our learners. As we conclude this season, we invite our listeners to consider the kind of adults our students require us to be in this ever-evolving landscape of education.
Additional Notes
The Season 11 Finale of The Wheelhouse podcast commences with a profound reflection on the truths uncovered during the season regarding the future of education. In this pivotal episode, the dialogue centers around the urgent need for schools to embrace a radical humanization, where hope is nurtured, opportunities are presented, and innovation is utilized for the betterment of humanity. The esteemed guests, Chiara Latimer, Neal Curry, and Jim Van Nada, contribute their insights on how educational environments can evolve to become more inclusive and supportive of all students, particularly those who feel marginalized. Through a series of engaging discussions, the panel highlights the significance of fostering relationships, respect, and relevance in the learning process, ultimately advocating for a shift away from transactional educational models towards a more empathetic and human-centered approach.
Takeaways:
- The future of education necessitates a profound humanization of schools, fostering environments where hope flourishes and innovation is employed to serve humanity.
- Students today possess a heightened awareness of their rights and will not tolerate disrespect or disregard from educational institutions, demanding a sense of agency and belonging.
- The conversation emphasizes that true educational progress is rooted in understanding what students value, thereby requiring educators to engage deeply with their learners' perspectives.
- Efforts to create human-centered educational spaces must prioritize empathy and relationships, not merely academic performance, to cultivate trust and engagement among students.
- Representation within educational institutions is crucial; it enables students to see themselves reflected in their educators, which is essential for creating inclusive environments.
- The call to action for educators is to start with small, impactful changes that enhance student well-being and foster meaningful connections in the learning environment.
Find out more about The Fundisha Center and Teach Brother Teach.
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Until Next Time Remember: Keep your doors open and your hearts even wider.
Transcript
Welcome back to the Wheelhouse, a Students Matter podcast.
Speaker A:After a season of hard truths, bold ideas and human centered challenge, what do we now see more clearly about the future our students are already living in?
Speaker A:There's so much to talk about in our season 11 finale, a new episode of the Wheelhouse begins.
Speaker A:Right now, The future of education depends on a radical humanization of schools.
Speaker A:Places where hope is cultivated, opportunities are opened, and innovation is harnessed to serve humanity.
Speaker A:Only then can we create futures worthy of each student's dreams.
Speaker A:We begin by cultivating hope.
Speaker A:We ensure possibilities are real and accessible.
Speaker A:We design futures rooted in humanity.
Speaker A:But the future is already here, and it must be deeply human centered.
Speaker A:The Wheelhouse exists to create an inclusive community of empowered educators who believe that together we can disrupt that future transactional nature of schooling and reimagine what it means to learn, lead and belong.
Speaker A:We envision districts, schools and classrooms where every student feels confident, capable, optimistic, well supported and emboldened to be and to become who they're meant to be.
Speaker A:Welcome to the season 11 finale of the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:This season, we've asked hard questions about leadership, learning and what it really means to prepare students for a future that is already unfolding around them.
Speaker A:We've talked about innovation, but we've been even more honest about the cost of innovation when humanity is missing together.
Speaker A:Today, this conversation brings that work together.
Speaker A:We're joined by members of the Wheelhouse team and three voices who've helped shape this season.
Speaker A:Jim Vaneda, Chiara Latimer, and Neal Curry.
Speaker A:To reflect, challenge, and ultimately point us forward.
Speaker A:This is not a recap episode.
Speaker A:It's a reckoning.
Speaker A:A reckoning with what schools are getting right and what they're getting wrong and what we can no longer afford to ignore if we're serious about future Ready Schools.
Speaker A:Schools where innovation is rooted in humanity, not detached from it.
Speaker A:So as we close this season, we're not asking what comes next for education.
Speaker A:We're asking what kind of adults our students need us to be right now.
Speaker A:Let's step into it.
Speaker A:Good morning and welcome to the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:This is the finale of season 11, Future Ready Schools.
Speaker A:Innovation rooted in humanity.
Speaker A:I'm super excited to welcome back some of our amazing guests, but before I do that, let me welcome the Wheelhouse team today consisting of Kathy, Moni and Michael Piper.
Speaker A:Hello.
Speaker B:Good morning.
Speaker C:Good morning.
Speaker C:It's just.
Speaker C:It's just us today, Michael.
Speaker C:We're going to have to carry this for Alicia.
Speaker B:Like, yeah, there's no replacing our.
Speaker C:No Dr. Mike.
Speaker A:A huge shout out for Dr. Monroe.
Speaker A:She will be joining us later in this episode, but she is not with us right now.
Speaker A:And we have three amazing guests who are returning to the Wheelhouse for the finale of this season.
Speaker A:Kiera Latimer, Neal Curry and Jim Veneta.
Speaker A:So welcome my new friends to the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:Thanks for having us.
Speaker A:We're super excited to have you join us again and we look forward to this conversation where we've had such amazing conversations about joy filled learning and what is innovation and what does future ready mean.
Speaker A:And then Janice Gobert joined us to talk about her work with Ink its and AI and the Human in the Loop.
Speaker A:And we had conversations with Chiara Latimer about students who identify as neurodivergent and what does that mean for the educational landscape.
Speaker A:And then we had Neal Curry, who's doing amazing work in the state of New York with a lot of things, but particularly we talked about his amazing program, Teach Brother Teach.
Speaker A:And Franklin Campbell Jones was here, the author of the Cultural Proficient Journey talks a lot about what will happen if we really, really and truly reimagine learning and the panic.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:He called it a good panic that'll happen if we do that.
Speaker A:And of course, most recently, our dear friend Jim Venator returned to talk about what he expects students will want to talk to us about when we engage with them directly in season 12.
Speaker A:So welcome, welcome.
Speaker A:And let's just kind of start with that question about students and then we'll see where this conversation takes us.
Speaker A:We say that future ready schools, there's that whole idea that that's tomorrow.
Speaker A:Well, future ready schools and preparing children for life in the 21st century is here, right?
Speaker A:It's here.
Speaker A:And our children are dramatically different than when we were young people.
Speaker A:So for the entire panel, because we all work with students every single day, some more than others, one of the questions that we have on our list here is, you know, what's one thing that students today will no longer tolerate from their schools?
Speaker A:And do they have the right not to tolerate it?
Speaker A:Let's talk about that.
Speaker A:What will they not tolerate?
Speaker D:I'll dive in because this came up in our season.
Speaker D:Surprise, surprise.
Speaker D:We talked a lot about the future being so uncertain for a lot of students and they're very focused on the now.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker D:I think developmentally, but I think especially in our current context, they have a lot of concerns about what's going on in the world and what's going on in their lives.
Speaker D:They are not going to tolerate any sense of disrespect.
Speaker D:They, they don't respect authority automatically.
Speaker D:And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Speaker D:If, if they're not in an environment where they feel they belong, where they feel they have some agency, they have the respect that they know they deserve, they're out.
Speaker D:They don't want to be part of that.
Speaker D:And that's a unique challenge for adults who are used to, I'm the authority figure.
Speaker D:When I tell you to do something, you do it.
Speaker D:And we can help shape that, shape that into some activism.
Speaker D:But we need to understand that to keep students engaged in our schools, they need to be respected and have a sense of worth.
Speaker F:I think related to that too is I think students want to know why they're being asked to do certain things.
Speaker F:So we have to be clear about giving them rationales for what they're being asked to do.
Speaker F:And they're less likely to do things just because that's the way that they've always been done and it's conventional.
Speaker F:So what is the real utility of what we're asking them to do and why?
Speaker F:And I think schools have to do a better job of having rationales for what.
Speaker F:Why are we doing these things?
Speaker F:And to get students to buy in because they're willing to do it if it has value.
Speaker F:But we have to be honest, a lot of things that we're asking them to do doesn't have a lot of value or utility.
Speaker D:Were any of you told, well, you won't have a calculator in your pocket.
Speaker D:Yes, all the time.
Speaker D:You're going to have to know how to do this because you won't have a calculator.
Speaker D:Well, we do.
Speaker D:And we have Google and we have ChatGPT.
Speaker D:We need to dig deeper in explaining the why.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker F:We literally have computers in our pockets now, not just calculators, unless they're wrapped.
Speaker A:Up in some little plastic bag that we're not allowed to touch them.
Speaker A:But that's for another conversation, right?
Speaker C:That's so interesting that you say that, Jim, because I, I literally just recently I had the opportunity to engage with one of my former students.
Speaker C:You know, so when I, a fourth grade teacher, many, many moons ago, I said that very thing because it was, it wasn't the now at that point, you know, and it was, you know, your calculator is right here.
Speaker C:It's your head.
Speaker C:And she, she brought that up.
Speaker C:So that was something that stuck with her.
Speaker C:And she, you know, we laughed about it and thinking that's what she was told by me and many other teachers.
Speaker C:And that is not the reality.
Speaker C:And thinking about how quickly technology is moving.
Speaker C:I mean, Janice Gobert, when she was talking about just the world of AI, you know, but the significance of having that human in the loop.
Speaker C:And that's what, to me, connects with what both you and Neil are saying around, okay, why are we doing it?
Speaker C:What's the relevance of that?
Speaker C:And the respect that comes along with that in that conversation, in that connection, which we talked about most recently with the episode with Jim.
Speaker B:I hope it's okay if I throw in just a little bit of a historical take that was inspired by both comments.
Speaker B:First Neil's and then yours, Kathy.
Speaker B:I was watching, in a sense, watched, all of the material in the Ken Burns documentary on the Revolutionary War.
Speaker B:And there's this one little moment where a Prussian commander, I think it's von Steuben, is lamenting what it's like to try to train these American colonists in this army.
Speaker B:And he says to a colleague, they are not our soldiers.
Speaker B:When you train our soldiers and you tell them to do something, they do it.
Speaker B:When you tell these soldiers to do something, their first response is, why?
Speaker B:Why would I do that?
Speaker B:But then he says, after I finish yelling at them and I explain why they do it assiduously, and I think about the character of individuals who comprised those first military forces.
Speaker B:They were the poorest of the population.
Speaker B:They had nothing to lose, and they ended up losing everything.
Speaker B:They fought.
Speaker B:They were not paid.
Speaker B:They died of disease.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So what on earth would make them commit to war?
Speaker B:And I think it comes down to a lack of being seen, being heard, and being represented.
Speaker B:And they had lived the truth that an authority that will not respect us does not deserve our respect.
Speaker B:And we will ask why every time.
Speaker B:And it makes me think that perhaps this is part of the sacred American character, and always has been, that when we don't feel well represented, we make our respect conditional, appropriately, as a means of taking back power that is deservedly ours.
Speaker B:I don't know if that holds true in your thinking, but I was inspired to kind of maybe make that link.
Speaker F:Yeah, no, I think that's a great connection because I think it speaks to us, really, looking at students as full human beings.
Speaker F:Right.
Speaker F:And so oftentimes, you know, as the adults, when we see these behaviors, we immediately identify them as problems.
Speaker F:Right.
Speaker F:Because it's interfering with our agenda, you know, as opposed to looking at them as full human beings.
Speaker F:And when they're full human beings, then they have the full range of emotions and thoughts and attitudes.
Speaker F:And you're allowed to.
Speaker F:When you get to be an adult, you're allowed to kind of think these things a certain extent.
Speaker F:And I think we could train our students better by having them question more, you know, force them to understand more, and then they'll be better, they'll be better citizens, you know, in the long run.
Speaker F:But if you're in an authoritative system, you know, all the way till adulthood, and then we expect you to know how to act in a democracy, they haven't had much practice at it.
Speaker A:So there's a fundamental shift in the role of the educator.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Which has always been there, but we're highlighting it, right?
Speaker A:Because in order to teach your content, whatever your content is, it doesn't matter.
Speaker A:Whatever your content is, you have to know your students well, you have to respect the identity of each of them and you have to figure out what the connection is as to why a student, whoever they are and however they identify, would find value in what you're asking them to learn and what you're asking them to do.
Speaker A:And we call that joy filled learning.
Speaker A:But it requires.
Speaker A:There's more to the equation, right?
Speaker A:There's more to the equation than simply your content.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You're not just teaching solving quadratic equations, but you're teaching solving quadratic equations to young people, to a human.
Speaker A:To a human.
Speaker C:To humans.
Speaker C:The humanization of education.
Speaker A:I remember having to teach my son, my oldest son algebra because he was really struggling with algebra.
Speaker A:And then of course, algebra, too, became a nightmare.
Speaker A:And one one night we were, you know, and I was having to dig up my algebra skills from many years ago.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So I was having to like, study it the night before.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And he looked at me one day, he goes, he goes, you don't add letters.
Speaker A:Letters make words.
Speaker A:Why are you trying to teach me how to add letters?
Speaker A:A plus A.
Speaker A:He goes, no, no, what are you doing?
Speaker A:And I was like, oh, my gosh, I'm not trained how to do this right area.
Speaker A:Absolutely no sense to him whatsoever.
Speaker D:I, I think we're used to the question, what, what's the point of this?
Speaker D:Or when am I ever going to use this?
Speaker D:And so often the answer from educators has been, well, if you get a good education, you can get a better job and you'll make more money.
Speaker D:That is ringing less and less true.
Speaker D:And we as educators have to dig deeper into the why and connect to, okay, so maybe this is not going to make that much of a difference in your earning power.
Speaker D:Maybe this education is not going to be the magic wand that gets you out of poverty, the, that frees you from oppression.
Speaker D:But I can teach you to challenge the systems, think critically, and push back in ways that may make more of.
Speaker C:A difference over time so that you have opportunities.
Speaker C:I mean, that's the big thing.
Speaker C:So it's, what are those opportunities?
Speaker C:How does it open doors for you by having that education?
Speaker B:And how does literacy and numeracy contribute to a facile mind that is highly responsive and becomes really adept at identifying valuable and questionable information?
Speaker F:No, I was thinking about the conversation that you all had with Dr. Campbell Jones about, you know, identity and belief.
Speaker F:So besides.
Speaker F:So I've been thinking a lot about that in terms of the educators having to really go through the exercise of knowing who they are first at a deep level before they enter the classroom, and then also knowing and then the process of getting to know who your students are beyond their categories or demographics in order to be able to make a deeper connection.
Speaker F:To be able to do what, Grant, what you were talking about.
Speaker F:And I think that that is.
Speaker F:Has to be a bigger part of the process.
Speaker F:So we talk about humanizing education.
Speaker F:That's really what it's about.
Speaker F:We're talking about human to human context.
Speaker F:So we don't spend a lot of actually allowing for that.
Speaker F:And so you're expected, the teachers are expected to do that in a very, very short amount of time and they feel overburdened with the amount of content that they have to cover.
Speaker F:So that part gets skipped over a little bit.
Speaker F:But I was really, I really was.
Speaker F:His conversation really resonate with me in terms of reflecting on how your identity impacts your approach and then how your beliefs impact that.
Speaker F:So we all go in with certain biases and certain thoughts and feelings.
Speaker F:But you have to interrogate that individually to know where did those ideas come from and how does that impact your approach.
Speaker F:And I see that so often with teachers.
Speaker F:And really in any system, you know, we went through this system, so now everybody behind us has to go through the same pain that we went through.
Speaker F:Right.
Speaker F:It's like a hazing thing because.
Speaker A:Amazing.
Speaker F:Yes, that's just how it goes.
Speaker F:Right.
Speaker F:As opposed to being agents of change, you know, like we should be saying, I'm not going to make you go through what I had to go through to make it better.
Speaker F:But we don't often do that.
Speaker A:And in interrogating our mental models, sometimes we realize that our mental, or hopefully we realize that our mental models are sometimes maybe often based on inaccurate information.
Speaker F:Or limited or very.
Speaker F:Just very limited information or very limited.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Otherwise it's not productive adversity that we're Providing our learners.
Speaker A:And what Jim is telling us, right.
Speaker A:And what Neil is reinforcing is they're not going to do it that way.
Speaker A:That's not what they expect.
Speaker A:That's not what they will tolerate.
Speaker A:And I think that's a really important.
Speaker A:I love how I worded that question, right, Because I think it's really important for us to think about this for, from the viewpoint of the student because we, you know, I don't remember.
Speaker A:I mean, it's been a little while since I've been a classroom teacher and it's been a little bit longer since I was trained to be a classroom teacher.
Speaker A:But nowhere in that conversation did the idea of what a student would tolerate ever come into the conversation.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:It was all about, you know, moves that I would make as an instructor, as a teacher.
Speaker A:But it wasn't about looking at it from the other side of the conversation, which was what will they tolerate and what will they not tolerate?
Speaker A:Tolerate.
Speaker A:That's a very interesting, I think a very provocative innovation rooted in humanity kind of question to say, hey, wait a minute, let's think about this from the standpoint of students.
Speaker A:And what are they willing to tolerate from us and what are they not willing to tolerate from us?
Speaker C:What's that power over versus power with that we've talked about throughout the season and you know, when in the educational, in the higher educational system, if it's about creating classroom management plans and doing all of these things that it's, are we truly having conversations with new educators and current educators about that interrogation of am I of self?
Speaker C:Am I focused on power over or power with?
Speaker C:And each one of those then leads to very different behaviors of how I'm choosing to interact with these humans that I'm entrusted with.
Speaker A:And I think this whole idea of co creating with is really important to the conversation.
Speaker A:I remember, you know, what that requires, right.
Speaker A:If I'm going to co teach with somebody, then there's a lot of questioning going back and forth.
Speaker A:There's a lot of questions about how we're going to do so if I'm co creating with students, there should be a lot of questions I'm asking to students, right.
Speaker A:As we co create whatever that experience that we are co creating, I'm going to ask you all to think about, you know, one aspect of that.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:If, if we were to walk into a school that was truly human centered, what would we see?
Speaker D:The short answer, if a school is human centered, a lot more empathy.
Speaker A:That's all right.
Speaker D:That's the, the broad short answer.
Speaker A:But so if it's human centered, Neil, what would you see if you walked into a school and you go, this school or this classroom is truly human centered?
Speaker F:I think there would be a lot more emphasis on relationships, teacher to student and student to student.
Speaker F:So the idea about having cooperation happening where how other people are treated would be at the center and the forefront of that.
Speaker F:And so I think relationships would be really, really important.
Speaker F:So it would be evident.
Speaker F:So there's lots of ways that I think schools can do that.
Speaker F:One simple way is like, how often are, are we checking in to see how people are, are feeling, you know, before we jump into what our agenda is, you know, how are you feeling?
Speaker F:How, how are things going for you?
Speaker F:And so I think schools could, should be more, very much more intentional about doing that.
Speaker F:I think good teachers do that.
Speaker F:You know, they figure out ways to do that in their classrooms.
Speaker F:But in terms of it being a school wide practice, there needs to be much more of that.
Speaker A:Kiara, what would you see if you went into a school or a classroom and you went, wow, this space is truly human centered?
Speaker G:Well, for me, it's always thinking about the actual physical space as well, right?
Speaker G:Like what type of things are the students going to see and get to experience?
Speaker G:I'll give an example.
Speaker G:We have these beautiful, like cloud light covers and people always comment on seeing just the cloud light covers, right.
Speaker G:While it seems like something small, it's there for us for sensory needs, right?
Speaker G:But it allows people to feel as though like this place could be somewhere that's bright, that's welcoming, somewhere that could remind me, right.
Speaker G:Of whatever I might need can be present here.
Speaker G:And I think that that's something.
Speaker G:When we think about the physical space, right.
Speaker G:What type of things can we incorporate?
Speaker G:Whether that's representation and images of various types of individuals that reflect the human diversity that exists in the world.
Speaker G:So that then students and educators can really have a space where they not only feel seen, but also can create feelings of belonging.
Speaker G:And just by what we're doing with our physical spaces and what we choose to have as representative of various identities.
Speaker A:It seems like something really, really simple, but yet it's so profound that we spend so much time in these spaces and does the space.
Speaker A:Because if we build on that, we can't really forge these relationships that Neil's talking about.
Speaker A:If we bring students into spaces where they don't feel right, where they don't see themselves, where they don't see that this space is a space for them, then how do you engage them in a relationship and in a conversation that's going to do what Neil was talking about.
Speaker A:So those are huge.
Speaker A:And then remembering Jim's comment about empathy, Kathy, what would you add?
Speaker A:What would you see in a human centered space?
Speaker C:I would see.
Speaker C:It's hard to see, like the seeing.
Speaker C:It's the feeling.
Speaker C:It's what you feel when you walk in.
Speaker C:So as Kira said, it's that environment, so those physical pieces that you can see, but that empathy and nurturing and true care between the adult and the students and the students to students and all of those pieces that are being fostered in.
Speaker C:I value you.
Speaker C:I. I believe that you are distinctive and irreplaceable.
Speaker C:They believe that of themselves, of each other, it's all of those things that are fostered in that human to human connection, in understanding and respecting and valuing every person in their uniqueness.
Speaker C:Whatever that looks like sounds like it just is you.
Speaker C:You feel it.
Speaker C:So how do you, how do you describe what that looks like?
Speaker A:It's hard to do, right?
Speaker C:It is hard to do because it's, you know that when you meet a person.
Speaker C:I do.
Speaker C:I mean, you get that you feel.
Speaker C:And I, you know, I work really hard to not just, okay, I need to dig a little deeper, I need to get to know.
Speaker C:Because maybe, you know, maybe I didn't, didn't feel it, see it at first blush, but that sense of caring about humans, people exude that.
Speaker C:I feel that I've never been in the same physical space with Neil or Kiara or Michael for that, for that matter.
Speaker C:But I know that about all of you as humans.
Speaker A:I feel it radiates off of you.
Speaker A:It's kind of hard not to feel it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because you simply exude that.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's in your very existence.
Speaker F:And those are the spaces that people want to come back to.
Speaker F:So I think that's enough.
Speaker F:You talk about, you know, places that have joy.
Speaker F:Students will want to come to those spaces when they feel a sense of belonging, when they feel seen and heard, when the space reflects who they are.
Speaker F:Those are the places that you want to go into.
Speaker F:It feels like home.
Speaker F:And so that's what you, that's what you want to create.
Speaker C:Hence the big discussion across the nation about chronic absenteeism.
Speaker C:You know, we can continue to say that, you know, we, you know, this carrot and stick approach, but it is.
Speaker C:Kids want to show up, the adults want to show up when that's the feeling, that's the acceptance, and they don't want to show up when it's not.
Speaker A:So Maybe what they're telling us is when they're chronically absent is they're not tolerating the experience that they have currently.
Speaker A:They're like, this is not in my.
Speaker A:This is not something I value.
Speaker A:I'm not tolerating this experience.
Speaker A:I'm out of here.
Speaker A:And families feel that as well.
Speaker A:I'm sorry, Neil.
Speaker F:No, no, no.
Speaker F:I was just agreeing with you.
Speaker F:I think that's, again, of seeing students as full human beings, because as adults, we never keep ourselves in situations where we are uncomfortable, you know, that we don't think is beneficial to us.
Speaker F:We.
Speaker F:We will remove ourselves or we'll stop going to those spaces.
Speaker F:Kids oftentimes don't have that power or authority, so they do it.
Speaker F:You know, they.
Speaker F:They'll rebel sometimes in the space.
Speaker F:They'll rebel by cutting class.
Speaker F:They'll rebel by disrupting.
Speaker F:But they're saying the same thing that adults say, like, hey, I don't.
Speaker F:This is not a beneficial space for me.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker F:And I think we.
Speaker F:We need to hear that message and figure out what it is that we can do, do differently.
Speaker F:And it go.
Speaker F:It reminds me again of Campbell Jones's thing about identity and belief.
Speaker F:Like, we don't often ask what do the students believe about what this process is and why do they believe that?
Speaker F:You know, so they're coming from a.
Speaker F:An experience.
Speaker F:So when they don't value school, it's not, you know, it's not just something that they're placing a judgment on that's coming from lived experience.
Speaker F:Maybe they don't have anybody in their.
Speaker F:In their.
Speaker F:Their lives that has benefited from this process that we call schooling.
Speaker F:You know, I won't even say education, because I think all human beings want to learn stuff.
Speaker F:They don't necessarily want to do it through school.
Speaker E:Right?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And not even, I mean, to add to that, Neil, about not only not finding value, but they go into these spaces of oppression, you know, and they.
Speaker C:I don't.
Speaker C:Why would I want to be there when I don't see me?
Speaker C:It's all that work and those conversations we've had with you, Neil, that representation isn't there, that this isn't a space, that it.
Speaker C:It really connects with who I am and when I'm here, it's oppressive.
Speaker C:And why.
Speaker C:I'm going to say, absolutely not.
Speaker C:I'm not going to tolerate that.
Speaker C:Back to what Jim started the conversation.
Speaker C:I am not going to be disrespected.
Speaker C:I'm not coming.
Speaker C:And why should they?
Speaker C:You know, that's terrible to say as an Educator.
Speaker C:But it's how, you know, I've used this phrase before, but shame on us that this is the space that we're creating and we have a choice in that it's the piece that costs no money, just to be honest.
Speaker C:Creating a space that people, that these young people feel that they belong, that they know that they're distinctive and irreplaceable.
Speaker B:It goes back to your comment, Neil, that, you know, educators by and large feel the pressure of the content expectation.
Speaker B:And so where do they shave time?
Speaker B:Where do they begin to feel?
Speaker B:If only the coverage and the assessment is valued and not the investment in relationships, in environment, in the welcome and the invitation and the sense of belonging, then, you know, I'm going to give you what you're asking for, what you evaluate me on, and I agree totally, Cass, that all of us know when we're in a classroom where those investments are made moment to moment, we all feel it.
Speaker B:What it looks like to me is I think and listen for who's doing most of the questioning and talking, who's carrying most of the cognitive load, and is it well supported so that the handoff doesn't allow for thought to hit the floor, but to be received and then carried forward?
Speaker B:And the temperature of the room, I know when it's warm and I know when it's not.
Speaker B:And I look for and listen for the moves that all people in the room are making to create warmth and connection and belonging.
Speaker B:And it really is everybody.
Speaker B:The lead learner may be the person who initiates, but our job isn't done until we've handed off that mantle.
Speaker B:And we know that others in the room can take care of us.
Speaker A:So let's cause a little bit of a panic, right?
Speaker A:It's our show.
Speaker A:We can do that.
Speaker A:We can do that.
Speaker A:So we're talking about human centered.
Speaker A:And what is incompatible with human centered is transactional hurting.
Speaker A:We know that if we only focus on pacing guides and end of course assessments and state accountability, right?
Speaker A:Because if that's what's important, right, Then we shave off.
Speaker A:We disregard some of these other things because there's no time.
Speaker A:So let's just be honest.
Speaker A:Let's look at how that's working for us.
Speaker A:Not scores are going down.
Speaker A:Children are becoming, by that measure, by that measure, they're less and less successful, right?
Speaker A:We can blame Covid all we want, but it was the same before, right?
Speaker A:So we have to stop the transactional hurting.
Speaker A:We gotta create spaces that are human centered.
Speaker A:That means we have to rethink all of this.
Speaker A:Because hey, you know what, co creating with someone takes longer.
Speaker A:Takes longer.
Speaker A:There's more of an investment, right?
Speaker A:There's more of an investment.
Speaker A:And there are other key aspects to that as well.
Speaker A:Representation is really important to human centered experiences, is it not?
Speaker A:And we're not just talking about racial representation.
Speaker A:We're talking about folks from all walks of life, lots of different identities.
Speaker A:Neil, how important is representation to this equation?
Speaker F:It's extremely important.
Speaker F:I mean, if you are trying to create spaces that are where the students feel a sense of belonging, then you need staff that reflect, that reflect them in order to help to support that.
Speaker F:So representation is extremely important.
Speaker F:I mean, you want to, I think everyone needs to see themselves as being a part of the process.
Speaker F:And it's hard to do that when none of the authority figures look like you will reflect your experience.
Speaker F:And so, and I think it's a, it's a starting point, that's where you would see equity and diversity.
Speaker F:These things that, these buzzwords that, that are out there, why they're important and is because everyone needs to see themselves reflected, reflected in the process.
Speaker F:And so I think it's extremely important.
Speaker F:But it's not enough though.
Speaker F:I want to make, I want to just be clear that it's not enough that we can still replicate these existing systems.
Speaker F:You know, we're not just going to take a, you know, a crayon and color it in not, you know, that.
Speaker F:Well, individuals need to represent something different to create different outcomes.
Speaker F:And they, so they have to be, have the freedom to bring the, the diversity of perspectives in the process.
Speaker F:And so sometimes you'll see that's not always the case.
Speaker F:I mean, if folks are, are forced to conform in order to be able to fit in, then you're not gonna get the benefit of the so called diversity.
Speaker A:From the perspective, Kiara, of students and educators who are neurodivergent or who identify as neurodivergent, how important is this conversation that we're having right now?
Speaker G:I think it's so important.
Speaker G:I think going back to Neil's point, when you create a space and then ask everyone to conform to whatever standard of normal.
Speaker G:Right.
Speaker G:That you're trying to set now, you're also limiting the ability for people to engage in that learning environment.
Speaker G:Because now the only way I can do that is if I do it based on the expectations of everyone else and not allowing me to bring my authentic self into the classroom setting or into this environment.
Speaker G:Right.
Speaker G:And so now I'm limiting not only my experience in terms of learning, but also My interactions with other people the entire time.
Speaker G:Because every interaction I have has to now go through a calculated system of am I doing this in the manner that's expected?
Speaker G:And if it's not, what does that mean?
Speaker G:And now, you know, we engage in this entire process where some people don't even consider this, but we know that so many different cultural identities do go through this experience, right?
Speaker G:Of thinking through.
Speaker G:If I say this, will that be understood?
Speaker G:If I do this, how will I be perceived?
Speaker G:Why don't I seem to have friends?
Speaker G:Why don't people seem to understand that I'm just enthusiastic about this material?
Speaker G:And that's why I keep raising my hand, right?
Speaker G:Whatever it could be, I do believe that when we're considering that experience also, like you said, this is also for our educators because we ask educators to do something as well, and then they translate that into their interactions with students.
Speaker G:So we want you to teach the curriculum, stick to this, don't do anything else, don't deviate, but we want you to be innovative.
Speaker G:Don't forget that.
Speaker G:And so the reality is that we end up boxing people right into a course, the expectation, and therefore we limit the experience that could be had.
Speaker G:And I think that we've been talking about is how we're creating a culture in these environments and how is that done?
Speaker G:We know that creating culture takes time, right?
Speaker G:But if we're really looking to start a movement of change and a paradigm shift, then we're going to have to be intentional about our practices.
Speaker G:And we can't just come in and say, well, you know, we know that all these things are barriers, we know all these things are a problem, but we're not going to do anything different.
Speaker G:We have to look at really, what does it take to bring that shift not only for our educators, but also so that it can translate and trickle down to our students.
Speaker G:So that, that way when we're talking about issues like chronic absenteeism, right, we're not just looking at this, that someone doesn't come because they don't care.
Speaker G:We're looking at this through another cultural view of asking a curiosity based question of why don't you want to be here?
Speaker G:What can I do to keep you here longer?
Speaker G:Right?
Speaker G:And maybe we can't solve all those problems at once.
Speaker G:I had a student who was hilarious because she was like, I can't explain it, but the smell in the room is like completely distracting me the entire time.
Speaker G:And so I'm like, what does it smell like?
Speaker G:Right?
Speaker G:So I'm asking all these questions Because I'm trying to figure out, like, is there a gas leak?
Speaker G:Is there something everyone else is, like, totally oblivious to that you just happen to have a heightened sensory awareness to.
Speaker G:Right.
Speaker G:And it came down to it, and honestly, she just said, you know, I think I'm just gonna wear a mask when I'm in the room.
Speaker G:And she's like, it won't be that strange to everyone else.
Speaker G:They might just think I'm concerned about my health.
Speaker G:She's like, I'm not really concerned, but I'll wear a mask and it'll help with the smell.
Speaker G:And that was like, a solution.
Speaker G:However, if we had said to the instructor, right, hey, there's a smell in the room.
Speaker G:They're like, okay.
Speaker G:And so thinking through, like, how do we create this shift, right.
Speaker G:Where instructors can be engaged in these conversations with students and their support people are welcome.
Speaker G:Right.
Speaker G:To be part of those discussions as well, and so that we can start to problem solve together and not just say, oh, well, you know, I guess you'll just have to deal with whatever's limiting you in the classroom, make it through somehow.
Speaker G:Right.
Speaker G:We don't want that to be what's expressed to the students.
Speaker G:And it's also not what we want to express to our educators who are trying to create these spaces.
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because that message is very clear to a student that, okay, you don't care.
Speaker C:I'm telling you, I'm being honest in this conversation when asked, and you.
Speaker C:You just, you're, you know, you dismiss it.
Speaker C:So why would I ever tell an adult in this space what I need?
Speaker A:Because if we ask, we better listen.
Speaker A:And if we listen something, you better do something about it.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker F:I think, too, the question of representation also is.
Speaker F:Is a measure of the success of the system.
Speaker F:The fact that we can't find people that represent our students to be.
Speaker A:To.
Speaker F:To be educators is a reflection of how poorly we are educating our populace.
Speaker F:Because there should.
Speaker A:Oh, Neil, could you say that again one more time?
Speaker A:I just think sometimes we have to.
Speaker C:Back in the room.
Speaker A:If I miss that, if I miss that one more time, we can't find.
Speaker F:Folks that represent our students is a reflection of how poorly we're educating our populace.
Speaker F:And.
Speaker F:And that's for all identities.
Speaker F:So even if it's a neurodivergent student who had a terrible time going through school, why would they want to return to the classroom or to education to help other students?
Speaker F:And so when they do want to return, it's because they had a positive experience or somebody.
Speaker F:Somebody was able to help them, and they want to give that back to, you know, to other students.
Speaker F:So I think that's another way of looking at it, that we should have too many people that want to be in the field rather than so few.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:I'm hearing an undercurrent in both Neil's and Chiara's comments that are making me feel the obligations of leadership.
Speaker B:You know, there has been a successful narrowing of what is considered valuable learning, and it's supported by a deep and broad array of policies.
Speaker B:And if we're feeling the bankrupt nature of that myopic kind of focus, then the answer is to identify what we truly believe is essential to learning and then to figure out ways to elevate measurements and produce those things that represent valuable learning.
Speaker B:As committed educators have come to understand, as long as policies tend to narrow and focus on the smallest slices of what it means to be intelligent, we will keep producing the same kinds of experiences for our learners.
Speaker B:And our learners may not be showing up because they're spiritually exhausted, but so are our educators.
Speaker B:And that just makes me feel the important burden and obligation of school leadership that if these things are true, we have to start doing things differently.
Speaker B:We have to identify the beliefs that actually matter most and create ways to elevate, measure, and produce those.
Speaker B:Those experiences for learners.
Speaker A:And just to.
Speaker A:Just to channel.
Speaker A:Channel my inner.
Speaker A:Dr. Alicia Monroe.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Not only.
Speaker A:Not only are those ideas narrowing.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:As you think about, they're also oppressive.
Speaker A:Those policies are narrowing and they're oppressive.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And they are guaranteed.
Speaker A:They're there to guarantee that a certain type of person remains in power and a certain type of person remains out of power as we get ready to wrap up this season.
Speaker A:And I just am so thankful for this conversation.
Speaker A:And Neil and Kara, thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker A:And Jim, thank you for joining us as well.
Speaker A:He had to leave early.
Speaker A:I want to go back to Franklin's comment that revisioning this work will cause panic because we're gonna rip away everything that we come to know and that we were trained for.
Speaker A:And so my last question for you is really just to speak directly to people who are listening.
Speaker A:So, yes, I would love to cause panic.
Speaker A:And I'm good with that.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I'm totally good with that.
Speaker A:I think that would be fantastic.
Speaker A:And I'll lead the panic if given the opportunity.
Speaker A:But I know that panic people.
Speaker A:People tend to shy away from things that cause them panic.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So, okay, so if you're a listener and you're like, oh, my gosh, you're hearing this coming maybe season 11, the finale is the first conversation you're hearing and you're like, oh my gosh, what's one thing you would suggest to your educator listeners to consider doing as we try to become more human centered in our educational approach?
Speaker A:So without causing a panic, what's one thing you might suggest to our listeners who are hearing this conversation today going, oh my gosh, I don't know where to start.
Speaker A:What do I do?
Speaker A:Chiara, what is one thing you might suggest?
Speaker G:Yeah, I think I would suggest to do the one thing right.
Speaker G:Oftentimes we have a list of things that we would love to do.
Speaker G:I don't believe that everyone is in a position where they're completely oblivious to what we're talking about.
Speaker G:I do believe that many individuals want to do something, but it all just feels overwhelming when they look at it in its totality.
Speaker G:But there's always the one thing that you can do starting small, right?
Speaker G:I don't care if it's switching out one poster that's up in the classroom to increase representation, if that's the one thing, start with the one thing.
Speaker G:If the one thing is doing some more of these check ins and building relationship with your students, then let's do that one thing.
Speaker G:Let's block out the five minutes that you're going to use to do a well being check, right?
Speaker G:Like, we know there are so many wonderful educators who are thinking through what they would love to implement.
Speaker G:However, again that so many barriers that feel like they are up against and so they don't make any progress because you're just paralyzed, just like our students, right?
Speaker G:Paralyzed to start because it all seems just like too much.
Speaker G:But if we can start with just one simple, one simple step, that one idea that you've always wanted to implement, taking the time and saying this is it, this is maybe it's not.
Speaker G:Right now we're going to enter our winter break, right?
Speaker G:When I come back from break, I'm going to just do that one thing I've always wanted to do or I always want to try.
Speaker G:I'm going to put in that one statement that says that, you know, diverse minds are welcome here, whatever it is.
Speaker G:And I think that if we can get people to implement the first thing, that one thing, then we'll start to see that they can do that consistently and they'll begin to see some of the changes that they would like to implement begin to form.
Speaker A:Neil?
Speaker F:Yeah, just to add on to that, I think, I guess if I were to think about one Thing, I think we should just listen to the people that's in our buildings currently.
Speaker F:So I think the answers are not out there somewhere.
Speaker F:They're often just within.
Speaker F:If we would listen, talk to the people and then really listen to what they have to say about what we can do to improve what's actually existed.
Speaker F:And I think if we're guided by this question of what is the most beneficial to the student.
Speaker F:So that's regardless of all the other mandates that we have, but what's going to be most beneficial to the student?
Speaker F:And oftentimes that answer might contradict what it is that we're most focused on, and it will help us to make the proper adjustment.
Speaker F:But I would say listen to the people that's in the building.
Speaker F:So the question of representation, you try to figure out how to get more black male teachers.
Speaker F:Talk to the few black men that are in your building and about their experience and what has made them successful.
Speaker F:That will help you.
Speaker F:And I think that type of inquiry on whatever the problem is will help you get to a solution.
Speaker A:And that brings us to the end of season 11, right?
Speaker A:Innovation rooted in humanity.
Speaker A: th in: Speaker A:So, hey, I am back in the Wheelhouse today, finishing up the rest of the season 11 finale.
Speaker A:And as you recall in the episode, Dr. Monroe wasn't able to join us in the actual recording.
Speaker A:So she has listened to this amazing conversation that we had with the Wheelhouse team and with Jim Vaneda, Neil Curry and Kiara Latimer.
Speaker A:So we're going to talk about that as we wrap up season 11.
Speaker A:But first, let me say welcome to the Wheelhouse space.
Speaker A:My dear friend and colleague, Dr. Alicia Munro.
Speaker E:Dr. Grand Chandler, it is always a pleasure.
Speaker E:Thank you for including me.
Speaker E:So sorry I wasn't in the space, but as I mentioned to you, it is really nice to be.
Speaker E:And I always think about Heifetz and Lipski's work right when we're leading on the line and have the opportunity to look at the dance from the balcony.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:So it is.
Speaker E:It was a really well thought out, insightful, robust, rigorous, deep conversation with a charge and a call to action at the end.
Speaker E:It was well done.
Speaker E:And as you know, I love words, so I actually looked and heard and felt words.
Speaker E:Of course, I know the individuals by face.
Speaker E:We've shared time online together.
Speaker E:But the words really mattered for me.
Speaker E:And there are a couple of quotes I think that really stuck out.
Speaker E:Surface popped for me and I'd like to start our conversation where I.
Speaker E:This quote kind of captures it all after I explain why they do it assiduously.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And why does that one stand out so much for you?
Speaker E:Because I think it brings together everything that we've discussed.
Speaker E:Dignity, being irreplaceable, mattering, being human, respecting the fact that I need to know why, why it matters to me, how it shows up in my lived experience, why should it be part of my life context?
Speaker E:And then I will do it assiduously.
Speaker E:That was really powerful because if I if as, as, as Michael shared that from a documentary that he viewed, then Neil started to talk about and with an exchange with you around respect and how respect has to be earned and it's not guaranteed.
Speaker E:So as educators, we have to work at this thing and then we place it historically in the education of yesteryear where that wasn't necessarily the case.
Speaker E:But however, when we respect the fact and we do these well being checks, and I know Kiara talked about well being checks later on in the conversation and Kathy talked about humanity and her repeating theme of it's just being human.
Speaker A:You know, that's such an interesting.
Speaker A:It's such an interesting statement, right?
Speaker A:It's so simple.
Speaker A:It's just being human.
Speaker A:It's just being human.
Speaker A:It doesn't cost anything.
Speaker A:It doesn't require a grant, it doesn't require resources.
Speaker A:It doesn't require all of those things that we get ourselves all hot and bothered about in education.
Speaker A:It just.
Speaker A:But it does.
Speaker A:There is a cost, right?
Speaker A:There is a cost of being human.
Speaker E:And there is a purpose.
Speaker E:Right?
Speaker E:There's that why that Neil talks about because he did a.
Speaker E:He dropped the mic on me at the end because he said when we can't find folks to educate our students, that reflects on how poorly we educate our populace.
Speaker E:I said, well, Neil took that from me.
Speaker E:I'm usually the one that drops the mic.
Speaker E:But that was so right on and targeted and eloquently said and dynamic.
Speaker E:If we can't find folks to educate our populace, we have to own that thing.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Why is it that we are struggling to find, you know, people of color to be educators and of course, male men who are people of color.
Speaker A:Well, let's think about that, right?
Speaker A:Let's think about what the experiences are for a lot of boys who become men who are of color in our educational spaces.
Speaker A:Why would they want to return and spend their lives in a place that they never felt like they belonged in the first place?
Speaker E:That damage them.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker E:That caused them trauma.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:That oppress them.
Speaker E:That oppress them.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:So it's about, do you want a sadistic experience?
Speaker E:Go into the place where I'm persecuted.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker E:That didn't welcome me before and then expect that I'd be welcome now.
Speaker A:And if you're, you know, going back to, you know, going back, you know, this is.
Speaker A:There's so many different layers because I'm thinking about, thinking about what Dr. Keisha Chandler offered back and when she was, you know, so, you know, you've got to support them through, you know, what is it they want and what kind of environment, when you bring a new staff person on, what kind of environment are you bringing them into?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Is it a safe space for a brand new teacher?
Speaker A:Is it, you know, Neil's program is doing beautiful things to prepare men of color to be educators.
Speaker A:And he has even said it in, I think, the episode that was just for him where he was the main focus.
Speaker A:But it's like, you've also got to create spaces.
Speaker A:It's not just about preparing men of color to enter the profession.
Speaker A:You have to prepare the profession for the men of color to be there and to be respected and to be cherished and to matter and to be cared for.
Speaker A:Otherwise, all of that hard work is for naught because they'll leave.
Speaker E:And then Michael introduced a term which I so loved, productive adversity.
Speaker E:And I said, as Neil referenced Dr. Franklin Campbell Jones's episode and we talked about culturally proficient and interrogating our own mental model, are we really willing to have that level of panic ripple through our own selves in order to ripple through the system that.
Speaker A:That just so rings true on so many different levels.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:That this, this work that we're doing, innovation rooted in humanity, future ready schools, cultivating hope versus killing dreams, open doors, open possibilities.
Speaker A:It all requires a dramatic interrogation of our mental models.
Speaker A:And there's a.
Speaker A:We know that there are people who are comfortable doing that, and we know that there are people who aren't.
Speaker A:You know, there's also the research around how important urgency is to the work, that we aren't likely to want to change something.
Speaker A:You know, I'm preaching to the choir here, my dear friend.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because if you don't see that the situation, yes, there are lots of great things going on in education, right?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:And there are a lot of great people who are doing work in education.
Speaker A:But to change the experiences for each and every student is a matter of urgency.
Speaker A:And we can have that urgency without saying we're doing bad work.
Speaker A:We can have that agency without saying we're bad people.
Speaker A:But Having that level of urgency to need and want to do the work is foundational.
Speaker E:Indeed it is.
Speaker E:And it starts with us.
Speaker E:It starts with us when we talk about respect.
Speaker E:And you cascaded, right?
Speaker E:We cascaded from respect.
Speaker E:The conversation went from respect to relevance.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:The why and the conversation around the calculator.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:To connection.
Speaker E:And how could we connect with others when we don't know ourselves?
Speaker E:Who are we bringing in the space?
Speaker E:We want our students to step up.
Speaker E:We're also holding them accountable for stuff they're not even responsible for.
Speaker E:So there is a level of responsibility that we have to check ourselves.
Speaker E:To thine own selves be true.
Speaker E:And this work, this interrogation, this examination, this surgery.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:This forensic stuff starts with us.
Speaker E:And we owe it to humanity to do that.
Speaker A:And we think about.
Speaker A:I mean, words matter, right?
Speaker A:I mean, you know, in your work, you land on some keywords.
Speaker A:I've landed on keywords in my work.
Speaker A:They converge and do beautiful things together.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Because that's really, really important.
Speaker A:And what we want our children to experience deep in profound learning, deep and profound belonging and mattering requires that level of urgency.
Speaker A:I mean, I think it's all about every leader or every guest who came to the wheelhouse this season.
Speaker A:And even in previous seasons, it was, how badly do you want certain conditions, whatever your focus is, whatever that is, how badly do you want that focus to happen, and what are you willing to do in order to get there?
Speaker E:So we talk about the ultimate goal on moving the needle, student success through metrics and measurements and assessments, high stakes tests.
Speaker E:And I could go on and on.
Speaker E:My work focuses around wholeness.
Speaker E:And I think the conversation really spoke to wholeness and what is powerful student care.
Speaker E:We look at the wholeness of the student and how we dignify and how we continue to convey that they are irreplaceable.
Speaker E:But I also focus on the whole educator and.
Speaker E:And are they whole and what are they carrying in their backpacks?
Speaker E:And we talk about that.
Speaker E:So when you ask the question, what do you see in a human centered space?
Speaker E:I added also what Cath added.
Speaker E:And she said, what do we hear?
Speaker E:What do we feel?
Speaker E:You know, Kiara mentioned, you know, she looked at physical, Cath looked at feelings.
Speaker E:We all looked at, and what do we hear?
Speaker E:Right?
Speaker E:But then there's that one thing that charge, okay, so now that we had this conversation, what's that thing you're going to do?
Speaker E:And Kiara said, just take it one step at a time.
Speaker E:Neil said to listen.
Speaker E:You want more black male educators?
Speaker E:Ask what?
Speaker E:Ask the black Educators that are in the space, that are men, ask them what their experience is.
Speaker E:Kiara talked about you want to really be, embrace each and every student and be dynamic with the teaching and learning process.
Speaker E:Ask the students.
Speaker E:You know, one of her students didn't like the smell in the classroom.
Speaker E:So, so what are we going to do to assist that student so that student can feel more comfortable?
Speaker E:And it all comes around to respect.
Speaker E:I mean, the whole thing comes around.
Speaker E:It was like, it was a full cigarette moment for me.
Speaker E:Because where you landed in the conversation is exactly where you began.
Speaker E:It's about respect and knowing who's in the space and honoring and dignifying it.
Speaker A:And so when we think about that word, we chose that word.
Speaker A:We chose that word on purpose, right?
Speaker A:To be innovative, to have innovation rooted in humanity, is simply to add this element of respect either back into the mix or into the mix for the very first time.
Speaker A:Because as you and I know, this work is just getting started.
Speaker A:And as we look forward to season 12 and beyond, this whole idea of future ready schools, innovation rooted in humanity is a movement.
Speaker A:It is a movement.
Speaker A:This podcast, this team, we are trying to start a movement and we're just getting started.
Speaker A:So, My dear friend, Dr. Alicia Monroe, thank you so much for joining me in this special part of the episode.
Speaker A:And for all of you who are listening, this brings us to the end of a really exciting season 11 more to come when we come back again on February 24th for season 12.
Speaker A:Happy Holidays.
Speaker A:And that's a wrap of season 11 of the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:A special thank you to our amazing guests today, Kiera Latimer, Neil Curry and Jim Veneta, as well as our other guests in season 11, Dr. Janice Gobert and Dr. Franklin Campbell Jones, along with the Wheelhouse team of Kathy Mone, Michael Pipa and Dr. Alicia Munro for navigating this season's journey toward future ready innovation rooted in humanity.
Speaker A:If you're a like minded educator who believes the future of learning must stay human centered, we'd love for you to stay connected.
Speaker A:Follow Students Matter LLC on Instagram or LinkedIn or find any of us there at LinkedIn.
Speaker A:Cathy Mone, Michael Pipa, Dr. Alicia Monroe and me, Dr. Grant Chandler.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:Until next time, remember, keep your doors open, keep your and your heart's even wider.
