Impact of Educational Leadership Episode 214

Hosted by: I. D. III for Dr. Isaiah Drone III

|Joe McQueen | Ja’Ken Caston |Richard H Trotta |BuddyThornton

Supporting Student Growth

Schools should prioritize academicsuccess by providing high-quality teaching, challenging coursework, and a curriculum that prepares students for future careers or higher education. Students who excel academically are more likely to have opportunities for success later in life. Given the limited time in a school day, it’s more effective to focus on academic growth. While extracurriculars and emotional support are valuable, schools might not have the resources to provide both equally, and academic growth should take precedence. While academic growth is important, it cannot be separated from emotional and social growth. Students who struggle with mental health or lack confidence will not perform well academically. A school that nurtures all aspects of a student’s life creates better learners and citizens. Student growth is best supported by a balanced approach that nurtures emotional, social, and academic development. Schools should offer mental health resources, extracurricular activities, and a positive environment to ensure all-around growth for students.

Buddy Thornton: How and why is it true that student who excel academically are more likely to have opportunities for success later in life?

Joe McQueen: What are some strategies we can use to create an environment where people feel comfortable working with you and within a group?

Ja’Ken Caston: What is your greatest challenge when it comes to building strong relationships today?

Impact of Educational Leadership Episode 213Hosted by: I. D. III for Dr. Isaiah Drone IIIDallas ISD Trustee Camile White | Karl Berry | Buddy Thornton |Jerry Green |Building Lasting Community RelationshipsBuilding lasting community relationships requires time, patience, and effort, butthe benefits—such as increased social support, a sense of belonging, and collectivegrowth—are well worth it. How do you think you can start fostering relationshipsin your community? Developing strong community relationships is key to buildinga connected, supportive environment, whether in a neighborhood, workplace, orlarger society. Try to listen to what others are saying without judgment orinterruption. When people feel heard and understood, they are more likely to feelconnected and valued. Create an environment where people feel comfortablesharing their thoughts, ideas, and feedback. When people think they have a voice,they are more likely to engage and contribute positively to the community.

Impact of Educational Leadership Episode 210
Hosted by: I. D. III for Dr. Isaiah Drone III
Radio Personality Nina Taylor | Buddy Thornton |Jerry Green |
Stewardship of Educational Leaders

Stewardship is a word as old as dust, not a new concept. Historically, stewardship has been the act of caring for God's creation, including the land, animals, people, and other resources. Likewise, in the educational platform, stewards have endeavored to extend what is healthy and humane, while working with equal vigor to resist and remove what is toxic and cruel. The past few decades in educational leadership have seen an increase in recognition of stewards’ importance and critical role in creating positive social change. But, there are steps to change and the process requires consistency and respect before, during, and after the changes have occurred. There are innumerable examples of stewardship on different levels. Any person or organization can be a steward of well-being as long as they are willing to share responsibility for working together with others to change the system and expand opportunities for all people to thrive in the future.

Buddy Thornton: What are some of the challenges with dealing with barriers to the Stewardship of Educational Leaders today?

Jerry Green: Why don’t parents and students trust the educational process today? Dr. Isaiah Drone III Closing Remarks

Impact of Educational Leadership Episode 209

Hosted by: I. D. III for Isaiah Drone III

AJ Crabill | Buddy Thornton | Jerry Green Black Student Advocate

Rebuilding Student Connections

Building relationships with students is one of the most critical aspects of teaching. Everything flows from this relationship. The trust and cooperation earned from positive connection with your students will play out in every aspect of your school day. This connection can lead to efficient classroom routines, greater student confidence, and increased academic achievement. Though a series of small, thoughtful, intentional gestures, you can build positive relationships with your students. For some, this may be the only positive interaction they have with adults each day. Your students want to know that you care for them – building relationships with students will help them to know that you do!

Buddy Thornton: What are the steps to rebuilding students connections in today’s educational landscape?

Jerry Green: Do students trust the educational process today?

AJ Crabill: What are the three strategies in making connections? Why are public schools underfunded in the U.S., mainly affecting Black/Brown and poor White demographics?

Isaiah Drone III Closing Remarks

I.E.L. Podcast Episode 207

Hosted by: Dr. I. D. III for Dr. Isaiah Drone III

Dr. Isaac Carrier| Jerry Green |Brian Roberson| Buddy Thornton |

High-Quality Instruction in Public Schools

An estimated 50,000 students are still missing from U.S. schools since the pandemic began. Some reasons students are missing include homelessness, mental health issues, and needing to work or take on adult responsibilities. All told an estimated 6.5 million additional students became chronically absent, according to the data compiled by Stanford University in partnership with The Associated Press. Which makes the jobs of high expectation and high-quality instruction teaching more difficult. School leaders should always advocate for high-quality education that is rooted in research-based best practices. Ensure both curriculum and lesson styles are developmentally appropriate for the age/grade level. For example, early elementary students may be working with basic ideas but should be hands-on and active in the classroom. Ensure the curriculum has been backward designed (start with objectives) and assessments are aligned. Keep all student domains in mind (academic, development, social, cultural responsiveness) to meet their needs. Ensure differentiation (a variety of strategies and practices that address all students' learning styles, learning levels, and interests) occurs Support time for staff to conduct reading and research. Offer ongoing training, especially when changing instructional strategies or for issues made aware during classroom observations while infusing 21st-century skills into the curriculum to build transferable skills among students.

Buddy Thornton: What are some ways you can identify the failure and solutions of high-quality instruction in public schools?

Jerry Green: What training type of training is lacking for teachers, students, and parents when it comes to providing high-quality instruction?

Dr. Isaac Carrier: What are the myths and realities about student-centered learning being only for the gifted?

Brian Roberson: How can public school leaders radically transform facets of school life—from curriculum to instruction to culture?

I.E.L. Podcast Episode 206

Hosted by: Dr. I. D. III for Isaiah Drone III

Nina Taylor| Jerry Green |Patricia Seidler| Buddy Thornton | Dr. Eric Davis

REIMAGINING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

Among adults aged 18 or older in 2023, 22.8% (or 58.7 million people) had any mental illness (AMI) in the past year. 4.5 million youth (ages 12 to 17) had a major depressive episode in the past year, of which nearly 1 in 5 also had a substance use disorder.

Buddy Thornton: What are some ways you can identify goals for achieving mental wellness? Also, tell us to specify what you can do to reach those goals.

Jerry Green: Why are children from low socioeconomically disadvantaged communities lacking in positive role models unlike in the past?

Patricia Seidler: What are the myths and realities about perception and miscommunication relating to expressing the importance of student and teacher mental health in schools?

Nina Taylor: How can public school leaders meet teachers where they are instead of giving expectations far from their reach?

Dr. Isaiah Drone III Closing Remarks

Impact of Educational Leadership Episode 202 Hosted by: I. D. III for Isaiah Drone III

John Verrico | Buddy Thornton | Randy “Boom Boom” Blake | Eric Ranks

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND SUICIDE PREVENTION Co-Create Your World

Withdrawal is an emotion one feels because of a negative experience. People today ignore real talk, real life, and their personal stories. If not presented entertainingly, it can be highly overlooked. Suppose you would just dial back in your memory Rolodex to a point in your life where you experienced trauma. These thoughts are not prejudice to any particular race when expressing thoughts or considering using violence to address an actual or perceived challenge, threat, or provocation. Many people have occasional or fleeting thoughts of violence in response to perceived grievances. Most do not act on those thoughts or move forward along the pathway. Therefore, the knowledge that someone is thinking about suicide does not confirm that a danger exists, but it should alert us to the possibility and may indicate that the person may be struggling with mental fatigue of some sort or otherwise considering violence to solve a problem. Can factors like military service, domestic violence, and poor nutrition be attached to suicide? While there is ample discussion on achievement gaps in our communities, there is less dialogue on opportunity and belief gaps, which often contribute to various internal perceptions. Building mentors internally and externally to serve this population in schools, career fields, or even prison is crucial for moving forward.

Buddy Thornton: How can co-creating your world with positive role models influence factors like instability at home, abuse, and poor nutrition?

John Verrico: What are the benefits of teaching people to identify the mood swings in other people?

Eric Ranks: How can we bring Mental Awareness and Therapeutic resources together to create solutions to these types of challenges?

Randy “Boom Boom” Blake: What is your why, and what are the top challenges that you had to overcome to achieve your mission in life?

Impact of Educational Leadership Episode 200

Hosted by: I. D. III for Isaiah Drone III

Jerry Green | Buddy Thornton | Larry Davis |Karl Berry

Equality of Educational Opportunity

The interactions between different levels of development are influenced by environmental settings and practices in which children interact, which are intricate and bidirectional. The changes in one level can have a resounding impact on the other levels. By recognizing the importance of interrelated systems and contextual factors, educators can design more effective interventions and curricula that address the diverse needs of their students. This may be the thought as the education system is shifting to include more compliance policies, procedures, and practices to ensure organizations adhere to relevant laws, regulations, and standards. However, stakeholders are becoming more concerned about potential gaps in student knowledge and skills because new rules are being passed that may add rigor and hurdles for instruction and Nationwide school improvement plans. But, in the first nine weeks of this school year, teachers' lesson plans and administration walk-throughs will become more stressful in complying with these new policies.

Larry Davis: How will instructional leaders and teachers view their jobs this 2024-2025 school year while providing daily instruction with increased policy mandates, rigor, and high expectations?

Jerry Green: What are the most common challenges when advocating for students?

Buddy Thornton: How can school leadership and administration handling stakeholders’ complaints be a positive experience? Karl Berry: Why are Educational Gifts the Best Gifts for students?