What Do Students Truly Seek from Educators?
The main thrust of our discussion today centers around an imperative inquiry: what do students genuinely desire from the adults who serve them? We are joined by James Van Nada, a distinguished leader in Student Support Services, who possesses a profound understanding of the multifaceted realities and nuanced needs that students express, often in subtle yet poignant ways. This episode serves as a precursor to a forthcoming dialogue where we aim to amplify student voices directly, allowing them to articulate their aspirations and expectations. As we delve into this exploration, we invite reflection on the pressing question of whether we, as educators, are adequately prepared to respond to these desires. Our discourse is not merely an academic exercise; it is an essential examination of our commitment to fostering environments where each student feels valued, understood, and empowered to realize their potential.
Additional Notes
The latest installment of The Wheelhouse, a Students Matter podcast, embarks on a critical examination of the evolving landscape of education through the lens of student experience. In a compelling discussion led by the esteemed James Van Nada, the episode poses a fundamental question: what do students truly desire from the adults who guide their educational journeys? This inquiry serves as a catalyst for a broader exploration of the educational ecosystem, challenging the prevailing notions of academic success and innovation. Van Nada articulates the pressing need for educators to foster genuine connections with students, asserting that education must earn its place in a student's priorities amidst the myriad of challenges they face.
Throughout the episode, the dialogue underscores the importance of centering humanity in educational practices, advocating for a paradigm shift that prioritizes the lived experiences of students. The discussion builds upon insights from previous episodes, where themes of equity and representation were explored, moving towards a more nuanced understanding of how these issues manifest in students' daily lives. The emphasis on active listening and responsive engagement highlights the necessity for educators to recognize the individuality of each student, thus creating an environment where they feel valued and empowered. Furthermore, the conversation addresses the complexities of engagement, exploring how educators can better connect with students by acknowledging their interests and aspirations, thereby fostering a sense of belonging that is critical for student success.
As the episode unfolds, it becomes evident that the path towards a more inclusive educational landscape is fraught with challenges, yet the potential for transformation is immense. The hosts encourage educators to reflect on their practices and to actively seek out ways to connect with students on a deeper level. This commitment to building authentic relationships is positioned as essential for cultivating an educational environment that not only prioritizes academic achievement but also nurtures the holistic development of each student. Ultimately, the conversation invites listeners to consider how we can collectively reshape the educational narrative to align more closely with the needs and aspirations of students, thereby paving the way for a future where learning is not only innovative but profoundly human-centered. This episode stands as a powerful reminder of the vital role educators play in shaping the educational experiences of students, urging us to embrace the responsibility of fostering meaningful connections that empower the next generation.
Takeaways:
- The future of education necessitates a profound humanization of schools to foster student engagement.
- Students today desire authentic connections with educators that transcend mere academic instruction.
- Education must earn its place in students' priorities by demonstrating genuine relevance to their lives.
- Listening to students' voices is crucial for educators aiming to create inclusive and supportive environments.
- Students seek not only knowledge but also meaningful relationships with their teachers and peers.
- The process of learning should be reciprocal, allowing for mutual growth and understanding between students and educators.
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Inside Below Deck, you’ll find our special segment: The Wheelhouse: All Hands on Deck, extended content from today’s episode —where purpose meets possibility and learning stays joyful, collaborative, and deeply human.
Join us at LearnHarbor.thinkific.com and become part of this growing movement to build Future Ready Schools — where innovation is always rooted in humanity.
Until Next Time Remember: Keep your doors open and your hearts even wider.
Transcript
Welcome back to the Wheelhouse of Students Matter podcast.
Speaker A:What do students today really want from the adults who serve them?
Speaker A:There's so much to talk about.
Speaker A:A new episode of the Wheelhouse begins right now.
Speaker A: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: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 the 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:In today's episode of the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:This season, we've been exploring what it truly means to build future ready schools.
Speaker A:Systems where innovation isn't just about technology or new initiatives, but it's about centering humanity in every decision we make.
Speaker A:Over the last episodes, our guests have pushed us to look deeper.
Speaker A:Dr. Janice Gobert reminded us that data can illuminate inequities we often miss.
Speaker A:Chiara Latimer challenged us to design environments where belonging isn't a bonus, but a baseline.
Speaker A:Neal Curry pushed our thinking about representation, systems and coherence.
Speaker A:Dr. Franklin Campbell Jones urged us to confront the human stories beneath our structures.
Speaker A:Today, we shift from these big ideas to the people at the heart of this work, our students.
Speaker A:We're joined by James Vaneda, a leader in Student Support Services who spends his days navigating the realities students face and the needs they voice, sometimes subtly, sometimes loudly, always honestly.
Speaker A:This episode is a preview of what we expect to hear directly from students in a future episode.
Speaker A:Think of it as a forecast from someone who listens to them every day.
Speaker A:Together, we'll explore a simple but pressing what do students actually want from the adults who serve them?
Speaker A:And more importantly, are we prepared to respond?
Speaker A:Let's dive in.
Speaker A:Good morning and welcome back to the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:It's Tuesday morning and I am back with the Wheelhouse team.
Speaker A:So first, good morning to Kathy Mone, Michael Pipa and Dr. Alicia Munro.
Speaker A:Good morning.
Speaker B:Good morning.
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker C:Is that Dr. Alicia Monroe or Mrs. Claus joining us today?
Speaker B:Happy holidays.
Speaker B:Happy holidays.
Speaker C:She came in in the studio in disguise this morning.
Speaker A:Yes, it's a good thing that bring in the cheer, even her name says Mrs. Claus.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:I am super confused today with who's here in the wheelhouse.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But I'm not confused because we're welcoming back one of our guests who has been in the wheelhouse several times.
Speaker A:And we're really, really excited to be talking today about students and really thinking about this from their lens.
Speaker A:So first we're just going to say, welcome back to the wheelhouse.
Speaker A:Jim Vanada.
Speaker A:Good morning, sir.
Speaker D:Good morning.
Speaker D:It's good to be back.
Speaker A:We've missed you.
Speaker A:It's been a whole season without you and we are thrilled that you're back.
Speaker D:Yeah, I miss you, too.
Speaker A:We have been talking in this season about future ready schools and innovation rooted in humanity.
Speaker A:We've been looking at it from several different lenses.
Speaker A:And next week in our season finale, we'll wrap all that up.
Speaker A:We had a great conversation just amongst the team in last week's episode to say, hey, what are we hearing?
Speaker A:What are those big ideas that we are hearing?
Speaker A:But all of that comes from the adult lens, right?
Speaker A:That comes from the adult lens.
Speaker A:And we think about, we often think about this idea of future ready schools, innovation in humanity.
Speaker A:And we talk a lot about students.
Speaker A:But it's time to really put our money where our mouth is and to start to think about, what would students tell us?
Speaker A:What do they want from us?
Speaker A:And so we're gonna kind of do this in two parts because Jim spends his ent every day in his entire career listening to students from the K12 to the higher ed.
Speaker A:He's been all over the place.
Speaker A:He's listened to students.
Speaker A:He's spent his career there.
Speaker A:So we're going to talk to him today about what it is that he thinks and all of us think.
Speaker A:What are we going to hear when we ask students?
Speaker A:And then when we come back in season 12, we're going to hear directly from students themselves.
Speaker A:We're going to have a panel of students come in and tell us if we forecasted correctly or if we need an attitude adjustment ourselves to think about what it is that they really want.
Speaker A:So that's kind of where we are today.
Speaker A:Let's get started.
Speaker D:They are so rooted in the now.
Speaker D:Right now is what matters.
Speaker D:And it is not that we shouldn't be helping them plan for the future, but what they care about right now is what they're doing right now.
Speaker D:I think of my niece as an example.
Speaker D:I'm hoping she comes on to the student panel.
Speaker D:She wants to be an artist.
Speaker D:She has always wanted to be an artist.
Speaker D:She is going to an art preparation high school.
Speaker D:If you talk to her about her interests, she is very interested in what is right now.
Speaker D:She's had so many ideas about what she wants to do in the future, but it's the current moment that is taking up the majority of her brain.
Speaker D:And so future readiness, yeah, she wants to be prepared, but she's just excited about her current project and she'll tell you all about that.
Speaker A:If we were to say to students, hey, you could talk to all the educators in America, right?
Speaker A:What do you want them to hear?
Speaker A:What do you want from all these adults who spend their day with you day after day, year after year?
Speaker A:What do you want them to know?
Speaker A:What do you want from them?
Speaker D:Yes, a really small question there.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker D:I think we talk a lot about care, right.
Speaker D:And empathy, but they also want to be interested.
Speaker D:They want the adults to tell them something interesting.
Speaker D:And that's obviously different for every kid.
Speaker D:But why, why do I care?
Speaker D:That's the question we get all the time.
Speaker D:Why should I care about this?
Speaker D:I.
Speaker D:Tell me something interesting to me in this moment.
Speaker A:And in order to do that, in order to tell some student something interesting to them, what do we have to know about them?
Speaker D:First might have to know what they're interested in.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:Need to know a little bit about them and what sparks that interest and what, what brings that light to their eyes?
Speaker D:Um, and I think a lot of kids don't know what that is yet.
Speaker D:They haven't found that.
Speaker D:They, they, they haven't found that passion.
Speaker D:And sometimes they need to see that reflected as they're talking and have an educator say, wow, did you know that when we were talking about cell biology, your eyes lit up?
Speaker D:You, you seem really interested in this.
Speaker D:They might not have been able to identify that for themselves.
Speaker C:And that to me shouts connection.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker C:So how, how are we connecting?
Speaker C:And I think that students want that.
Speaker C:They crave that.
Speaker C:I had the privilege of being at a conference last week and listened in on a student panel.
Speaker C:And these three beautiful young men who are now, you know, in college, when they were asked, you know, you're.
Speaker C:You're sitting in a room full of educators.
Speaker C:What do you.
Speaker C:What do you want to say to them?
Speaker C:What do you, what do you.
Speaker C:What would.
Speaker C:What should they know as they go back into their districts?
Speaker C:What do you wish they would have known for you?
Speaker C:And the very first word was connection.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker C:Students need to feel connected, authentically connected.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Not as a student sitting in a row in an Algebra 1 class, just picking on algebra for A minute, right.
Speaker A:But a deep human connection.
Speaker B:So it's interesting that you.
Speaker B:We're all talking about that and we're sitting in this space where, you know, one of my hashtags is it's all about the students.
Speaker B:And that's.
Speaker B:So that's what we do, right?
Speaker B:That's our enterprise.
Speaker B:But as, as we think about that, it seems like innovation rooted in humanity shouldn't be innovative, right?
Speaker B:It should be something that is authentically done.
Speaker B:It should be, just like Jim said, our driving force.
Speaker B:It should be more of the status quo than what we have now.
Speaker B:Because if we are focused on humanity and we're in the human resource business, I always say that it's, it's an enterprise of a human based system.
Speaker B:You know, why is it such a conundrum?
Speaker A:Because we have.
Speaker A:It's because what we're used to, what, what seems to matter with the people in charge is that this is just really about herding kids to a finish line, right?
Speaker A:That we are herding kids toward accountability assessments so that we can cast judgment on schools.
Speaker A:It's the only way that legislators have figured out how to determine, right, Whether a school is a good school or a bad school is to force all of this accountability assessment on students and then to herd them toward that finish line.
Speaker A:And don't be confused.
Speaker A:I absolutely believe it is a travesty if we are not teaching our children to read, if we are not teaching our children to do math.
Speaker A:But what we're saying is, isn't this supposed to be a humanizing enterprise?
Speaker B:As I conduct learning walks at schools all around the country and I establish a built capacity in teachers and educational administrators, I always look for the student voice.
Speaker B:And how many students have you interviewed in that classroom that really reflects what that common learning experience is?
Speaker B:And there are three simple questions.
Speaker B:What am I learning today?
Speaker B:Why does it matter to me?
Speaker B:And how does it relate to my lived experience?
Speaker B:That's what students want, right?
Speaker B:So let's elevate and uplift some of the questions, right, that we started to explore at the beginning of the recording, right?
Speaker B:Why I think about Jim's niece, right?
Speaker B:She's in the now, right?
Speaker B:That, that, that art goal is in the now.
Speaker B:So, so why does algebra matter to her and how does that relate to her lived experience?
Speaker B:I am a proponent of high quality education.
Speaker B:Yes, Johnny has to read and Sally has to do math and we have to go on and on and on and.
Speaker B:But Kathy, where is that connection?
Speaker B:How are we relating this to what means the most to the students?
Speaker B:That we serve.
Speaker A:Jim, when a student feels connected, what do they say to you?
Speaker A:When you hear about a student who feels.
Speaker A:You're talking to a student who feels genuinely connected to the experiences that they have every day, what do they.
Speaker A:How do they talk about that?
Speaker D:There's.
Speaker D:There's a bit of un.
Speaker D:Uninhibited.
Speaker D:It's uninhibited speech, right?
Speaker B:They.
Speaker D:They just talk.
Speaker D:It.
Speaker D:It doesn't actually matter what they're talking about because they open up and they talk about what they want to talk about.
Speaker D:You know, sometimes I'm trying to steer someone back in.
Speaker D:I'm like, all right.
Speaker D:But letting them have that moment to just open up and talk about what they need to talk about, what's exciting in the moment.
Speaker D:I think about a lot of our students who are neurodivergent and have a special interest, and that's actually all they want to talk about.
Speaker D:They don't want to talk about school.
Speaker D:They don't want to talk about other things.
Speaker D:They want to talk about trains or maps or birds.
Speaker D:And they are so often told, stop.
Speaker D:That's not appropriate.
Speaker D:Don't.
Speaker D:And whether a student is neurodivergent or not, many of them have been told, bottle that up.
Speaker D:That's not appropriate for right now.
Speaker D:And so it might not be conversation about school, but whatever is exciting will bubble out when a student feels connection and has that trust, because they know that it's okay to sort of let.
Speaker D:Let that cork off that bottle, let it come out.
Speaker D:And we might contain it a little bit, we might shift focus, but only after they know that they're safe to just be themselves in whatever way that is.
Speaker D:Whether I'm interested or not.
Speaker D:I'm excited to see a student get excited.
Speaker C:We have this constant conversation around chronic absenteeism, right?
Speaker C:And it's a chicken or the egg.
Speaker C:Is it engagement?
Speaker C:Is it academics?
Speaker C:You know, we just back forth, back and forth.
Speaker C:And while we.
Speaker C:We don't know whether our students, you know, academically.
Speaker C:Struggling academically because they're not engaging.
Speaker C:So you can't do anything until they engage.
Speaker C:Well, why.
Speaker C:And we're not talking about why aren't they engaged?
Speaker C:What are those reasons?
Speaker C:And, and what do.
Speaker C:What do we think students would say in regards to why I'm choosing not to show up?
Speaker C:You know, because our, especially our secondary students, you know, as they.
Speaker C:They get older and they have, you know, more of that, say, in getting themselves up and ready for school and to school and all of those things, why are.
Speaker C:What would they say about why they're choosing to not engage, therefore not attend.
Speaker C:What do you think other things are.
Speaker D:More important to them.
Speaker D:And, and that's not to say that's not a negative necessarily, right?
Speaker D:From a, from an educator who needs a kid to attend.
Speaker D:Yes, that's a negative, but without the connection or the relationship to connect to the why or the, the, the person or the people who are present in the school that make it feel worth it.
Speaker D:Of course, my, my games are more important.
Speaker D:Of course, full time job I'm working is more important that the kid I'm parenting is more important.
Speaker D:And those are huge priorities.
Speaker D:Right?
Speaker D:It's not always, oh, I'm choosing to slack off.
Speaker D:It's.
Speaker D:I have other things that are important.
Speaker D:So this needs to earn.
Speaker D:Education needs to earn a place in my list of top priorities.
Speaker D:And for education to do that, someone at the school needs to make me feel like it is worth being here and that I'm valued.
Speaker A:So I want you to say that again because I think that's a huge shift for educators.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:The comment you made about earned.
Speaker A:Say that again loudly.
Speaker D:No.
Speaker D:Education needs to earn its place in a student's list of priorities.
Speaker A:That's huge.
Speaker A:Education needs to earn its place in a student's list of priorities.
Speaker B:So we're dealing with students, and Grant and I are, are working together on developing my series around the invisible backpack.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So we have families that are dealing with issues around ice.
Speaker B:And there's fear.
Speaker B:I mean, it is what it is, okay?
Speaker B:Unhoused, it's cold.
Speaker B:All right?
Speaker B:Food, insecurity, mental health, trauma, the weight of all these burdens, addiction.
Speaker B:All right, we just came out of a period of time where some of our families did not have SNAP benefits.
Speaker B:The funding for ECDC and Early Childhood Education has been stopped for any newcomers to the system.
Speaker B:I mean, our families are being traumatized over and over again where it seems like they're hiding under the floorboards.
Speaker B:And I am not being figurative, I'm being literal.
Speaker B:Okay?
Speaker B:And now you have to really prove to me that education, Jim, is a priority on the list of competing imperatives in my life circumstances.
Speaker B:This is huge.
Speaker B:That means that when we sit in the seats that I can learn outside of ChatGPT, Google, Bing and Safari, right?
Speaker B:That you're going to engage me differently than me doing a point and click.
Speaker B:What educators have to realize is that the teaching and learning process is even more reciprocal now than ever before.
Speaker D:You bring up a really good point.
Speaker D:And I think this may be a little controversial, but I also think that most educators understand Are you going to be the educator who is seen as an arm of the state, a tool of a fascist system, or are you going to be the educator who is the balm to that?
Speaker D:And often when we're talking about compliance and we get caught up in compliance, all that they see is someone else who's trying to tell me what to do and how to do it.
Speaker D:And that's oppressive.
Speaker D:No matter where our heart is, no matter what we're intending, that can only be seen as oppressive until you've built that trust authentically and mean it.
Speaker A:Oh, my.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker D:I don't know.
Speaker E:It's a little bit of beautiful honesty.
Speaker C:That's why Jim keeps being invited to come back.
Speaker C:You know, I mean, when we're advocating for children for their lives, you know, there's nothing but honesty that we.
Speaker C:We crave, that we need to just be brave enough to say, bravo.
Speaker A:Yeah, bravo.
Speaker A:I'm working.
Speaker A:I was working, having a conversation with a leader in a district somewhere in this country that is close to a border that has almost 100% Latin A students.
Speaker A:And I said in one of the conversations that we were having, I was like, so how are you responding?
Speaker A:How are you responding to the fact that your students must be traumatized?
Speaker A:You have high school students who are keenly aware of what's going on in the world.
Speaker A:I was speaking to a Latin A administrator, and they hadn't thought about it.
Speaker A:I'm like, how do you not think about that?
Speaker A:I'm thinking about it, right?
Speaker A:I'm thinking about it.
Speaker A:How do you not think about that?
Speaker A:How do you not think about the trauma, right, of what they see and hear on social media every day?
Speaker A:If they turn on the tv, if they.
Speaker A:Wherever they.
Speaker A:Wherever they hear anything?
Speaker A:There's a lot of stuff that's going on, especially for our Latin A students, right, and families.
Speaker A:And I'm like, you're not talking about that?
Speaker A:You're not like, wow, I was shocked.
Speaker A:I was absolutely shocked.
Speaker A:So, you know, I mean, so then if we don't talk about it, Jim, are we part of the oppression if we don't give students an opportunity or to be heard, to share their fears?
Speaker A:I mean, if I were a high school student who happened to be Brown, and it would be very.
Speaker A:I would be very uncomfortable walking to school just to get there would be a big deal for me, right?
Speaker A:It'd be a whole lot easier to stay hidden at home.
Speaker D:And it.
Speaker D:It is not a new idea that education can be seen as a form of power and control.
Speaker D:Right?
Speaker D:Ever since Pink Floyd and even before, right.
Speaker D:That's been out there.
Speaker D:And there is an element of state education.
Speaker D:Educators are participating in some element of that.
Speaker D:And, you know, whether you can change a system from within or not, if we're taking a step down from the system and thinking about the people, we can make change at that level, we can create spaces of safety.
Speaker D:And that doesn't mean that something won't happen that's outside of our control.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:Our sphere of influence is the kids.
Speaker D:Maybe administrators, your sphere of influence is a little, a little broader, but maybe you're not a superintendent or on the board of education.
Speaker D:And so whatever your sphere of influence is, making it a safe and kind space to the best of your ability is the most you can do.
Speaker D:We, we can't change all of the policy easily.
Speaker D:We can advocate.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:But I think that is just going to be part of it when we have state funded education.
Speaker D:And there will always be students and families that have a perception that education is about control and they don't really want me to learn.
Speaker D:So it's a matter of helping them see us rather than them.
Speaker D:I'm not one of them that is trying to get you.
Speaker A:And there are a lot of families, a lot of parents who perceive us as the enemy because of their own experiences in school.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:When we do this to students and they grow up to be parents, they don't see us as the advocate.
Speaker A:They see us as part of the problem and the enemy.
Speaker E:I hear just in all of our comments in this conversation, a couple of tensions from the outset.
Speaker E:Jim, as you always do, you are so immediately thoughtful about the first opening question that it's intoxicating then to just live in that, that take that you gave us.
Speaker E:You weren't being difficult, you were being really opening.
Speaker E:And the opening that I felt was simply this idea that, that if we're going to talk with students, let's keep in mind that our students by and large are appreciating the now in their lives and that's where they need to be.
Speaker E:And so this idea of future thinking is maybe an adult thing.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:The more we talked and the more I listened, it seems like the entry to envisioning a future is by engaging in what's happening now.
Speaker E:How does schooling succeed and fail in connecting with you as a learner?
Speaker E:And when we talk about that, it feels like all sorts of doors and windows open about what a future might look like.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:And then the comments around how simply revolutionary the idea of centering humanity is when you participate in a system which likes to do all kinds of shorthand thinking.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker E:And it feels like the tension has always been compulsion, compulsory approaches versus connection and earnings, enough trust so that you feel welcomed, invited, and a sense of authentic belonging wherever the learning is happening.
Speaker E:Am I right in thinking that?
Speaker E:I don't want to be too reductive, but it feels like those tensions continue to emerge.
Speaker E:And, you know, at the heart of all fascist thought is the elimination of a humane approach to things because the efficacies are infinite.
Speaker E:If you can do that now, we can accomplish whatever we need to to centralize control.
Speaker E:Right.
Speaker E:So I don't know, I feel, you know, when we start to ask these questions and think about these things, and the whole prospect of getting to listen to students is so exciting, but it really, it feels like if we do and act in accordance with connection and appreciating all that we can learn from students in their current orientation as humans and how they engage with learning, change is inevitable.
Speaker E:It is inevitable.
Speaker E:Am I being a Pollyanna?
Speaker C:And I think that, I mean, if you're going to open the doors to ask the questions, to listen, then you've got to be prepared to respond, you know, otherwise you just become yet another adult that acts as if you care and that you want to.
Speaker C:But how do you say, I want to listen to you.
Speaker C:I'm here.
Speaker C:I want to hear what you have to say and then continue operating within this system that is oppressive.
Speaker B:So to be complicit, I hear, is to acquiesce in the status quo.
Speaker B:So there has to be a heart and spirit for some level of activism.
Speaker B:And the activism starts with ourselves.
Speaker B:And how are we really sitting in our own mental models and through the lens of critical reflection, not looking outside or outward, but really taking an introspective view on what our inward beliefs, actions and practices are.
Speaker B:Which really maps back to a lot of the conversation we had with Dr. Campbell Jones.
Speaker B:And once we start to have those conversations and everyone really has that real talk, and we're authentic in our thinking and are authentic in the fact that we want to build this trusting environment where each and every student, all students, belong and matter, that's transformative.
Speaker B:And therefore it will cause a quote, unquote panic.
Speaker B:So what are your thoughts?
Speaker D:I have a lot of thoughts.
Speaker D:So along the lines of our intentions and motivations.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:It is okay if students know that we have priorities.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:I have a priority that I need you to do your schoolwork so you can get your degree.
Speaker D:I need you to be coming to school, but it's it's the intentions behind those priorities.
Speaker D:Am.
Speaker D:Am I coming through as someone who's telling you what to do because it's my job because someone told me to and someone told them to tell me to tell you, or do I understand and can I convey that I'm pushing you to succeed in academics because this will be good for you?
Speaker D:Because, yes, there's the side that, you know, power and oppression and systems, but the other side is education can be freedom is freedom, enables others to push back against that system.
Speaker D:We can raise a new generation of activists if they understand the system that they're working in.
Speaker D:And so.
Speaker D:And kids can tell.
Speaker D:Kids can tell when we're trying to check a box and say, okay, do this, do that, do the other thing.
Speaker D:And it's not always nice to push a student.
Speaker D:I supervise success coaches who work with our students who are disengaged.
Speaker D:And I would say the nicest people on my team have the hardest time motivating students who don't want to do what they need to do.
Speaker D:Some of the less nice but incredibly kind people, I love that description.
Speaker D:Have a harsh approach.
Speaker D:Maybe harsh is the wrong word, but a firm approach, right?
Speaker D:They hold students to standards, but that is tied to the potential they see in that student.
Speaker D:That is tied to a vision of where this education can take you.
Speaker D:They're not afraid to say, well, do you want to keep working at Wendy's after this?
Speaker D:If you do, that's okay.
Speaker D:No judgment, right?
Speaker D:It's a non judgmental approach.
Speaker D:But if that is your aspiration, think about now, where you are, is that where you want to be?
Speaker D:And if the answer is yes, great.
Speaker D:If the answer is no, maybe there are some things about this that you're not in love with.
Speaker D:Let's start that future thinking.
Speaker D:And I'm thinking about high schoolers, right?
Speaker D:High schoolers are on the precipice of they need to be thinking future in more concrete ways.
Speaker D:Younger students, they're dreaming.
Speaker D:We're inspiring some imagination about what could be.
Speaker D:But yeah, with kindness, show our intentions about why we're pushing you.
Speaker E:Would it be fair to say, Jim, that those educators who are incredibly kind but less nice, if that's a good capture of what your description was, that they've managed to create for themselves a pretty clear idea of what's worth fighting for on behalf of their kids?
Speaker D:I would say yes.
Speaker D:And those tend to be the people who maybe themselves struggled.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:They.
Speaker D:They get it, quote unquote, a little bit more.
Speaker A:One of the best teachers I ever hired.
Speaker A:Was an English teacher who had been a high school dropout, right, who then figured out life, figured out what he wanted to do, finished high school in a non traditional way, went to become an English teacher in college.
Speaker A:I mean he really understood the whole idea of motivation and connection.
Speaker A:So we're going to of course leave this conversation here.
Speaker A:Before we go below deck, there's two things I want to wrap this up.
Speaker A:I think Jim's comment about education has to earn its place is really, really profound.
Speaker A:And the other thing that I want to just leave you with before we jump in below deck.
Speaker A:And I want to say this to teachers.
Speaker A:A teaching credential doesn't give you the right to teach.
Speaker A:It says that you it says that you have done what the state tells you you need to do to be able to be in a classroom.
Speaker A:It is students who give you the right to teach.
Speaker A:And we'll see you next week in the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:And that's a wrap on season 11, episode nine of the Wheelhouse.
Speaker A:A special thank you to our amazing guest Jim Vaneda and the Wheelhouse team of Kathy Mone, Michael Pipa and Dr. Alicia Munro for navigating this season's journey to toward future ready schools.
Speaker A: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 on LinkedIn.
Speaker A:Cathy Mone, Michael Pipa, Dr. Alicia Munro and yours truly, Dr. Grant Chandler.
Speaker A:We're also thrilled to invite you to step inside the Wheelhouse Below Deck at Lern harbor, our new online space where these conversations come to life.
Speaker A:It's more than a platform, it's a community.
Speaker A:A free, curated, safe space for educators, leaders and thinkers who want to reflect, connect and take action together.
Speaker A:Inside Below Deck you'll find our special segment the All Hands on Deck extended content from today's episode where purpose meets possibility and learning stays joyful, collaborative and deeply human.
Speaker A:Join us at learnharbor.thinkific.com and become part of this growing movement to build future ready schools where innovation is always rooted in humanity.
Speaker A:Until next time.
Speaker A:Remember, keep your doors open and your hearts even wider.
Speaker A:Sa.
