110. School Leaders & Lessons from the Pandemic with Doug Roberts

We’ve all learned so much from the pandemic, and school leaders and superintendents are no exception. In addition, things that we knew from being inside the schools have been spotlighted to the public, thanks to social media and the news media.

 

While that might be good for conversations around change, there’s still a lot to unpack and many hurdles and red tape to get around.

 

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Doug Roberts, an educational consultant who works with education entrepreneurs and district superintendents. He’s recognized the importance of connecting leaders across state lines to help bridge the gaps that are all too evident now.

 

We’re talking about changes on the horizon thanks to 1:1 models that were realized during the pandemic, why leaders are hitting their limit of what they can give, and the hardest part of being an educational leader.

 

We need to continue having conversations like this as we strive to give leaders the tools and support they need to continue the impact they desire.

About Doug Roberts:

Doug has worked with leading ed-tech entrepreneurs and district administrators for almost 20 years, developing partnerships that improve outcomes for students and help nascent organizations get their "sea legs."

 

As Founder and President of Educational Solutions Consulting, Doug found that there was a piece of the puzzle missing, a barrier between those who run school districts and those who start companies to help school districts. He partnered with some of the nation's most innovative educational leaders to form IEI to bridge that gap.

 

A Princeton graduate, Doug is a former public high school social studies teacher and ed-tech business development executive who earned his Ed.M. in Teaching and Curriculum from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

Jump in the Conversation: [1:48] - What if there were a different way for district leaders to interact and grow as leaders [4:07] - We have to have time together to percolate [4:28] - Biggest roadblocks for district leaders [6:07] - The hardest part of the job is the importance of it [7:59] - Our most important capital for educators [9:21] - Key lessons superintendents are learning  [12:01] - We don’t all have to have a traditional school schedule [12:35] - Leaders are hitting the limit of their ability to give [13:45] - Great resignation in schools [14:50] - People aren’t leaving the profession; they’re leaving the traditional public system [17:07] - Superintendents are thinking about educational competition [19:06] - Finland’s educational model  [21:50] - We’re asking schools to take  whole child approach but we haven’t added to the funding [24:11] - Create learning that works for all  [27:30] - Doug’s Magic Wand [30:16] - Maureen’s Takeaways  Links & Resources Institution for Education Innovation Education Thought Leaders podcast Email Maureen Maureen’s TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools The Education Evolution Facebook: Follow Education Evolution Twitter: Follow Education Evolution LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution EdActive Collective Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids Micro-school feature on Good Morning America The Micro-School Coalition Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition LEADPrep