Getting Unstuck: Changing Schools to Better Support Students – a Conversation with Steven Miletto
“What schools should be about is helping expose kids to ideas about what they might be interested in and to build upon that interest by giving them experiences.”
Today on Getting Unstuck
Today we’re joined by Steven Miletto. Steve is currently the Regional Director of the Heart of Georgia Regional Education Services Agency, which provides professional development services and support for 10 school systems in South Central Georgia. He is also a professional leadership coach, a former classroom teacher, a mentor, a speaker on better instructional leadership and social media practices, and the host of the very popular “Teaching Learning Leading K12” podcast. He is also a multiple award-winning teacher and principal.
Steve spoke of the Buzz Lightyear clip from “Toy Story” that he utilizes to make a point:
To teaches and parents, Steve says “We have to let go of our excuses and assumptions for why we can’t help all kids achieve their dreams.”
To students, he says “You have to let go of your excuses / reasons for why you think you can’t do well in a certain subject or in school in general.”
The Essential Point
During the interview, we spoke with Steve about three types of changes schools and their administrators could consider to better support today’s students:
Continue to increase the personalization of learning to help students define their interests and their own pathway. “We need to let kids experiment.”
Provide prospective teachers with more school and classroom face time for so that they get as complete a picture as they can of the school environment and the whole child.
If you’re an administrator considering a change, cast as wide a net as you can in terms of those who might want to have input.
Underscoring all of these shifts is the need to determine a school or a school district “why” – a fundamental understanding among all staff as to what the school or system is attempting to accomplish on behalf of the students it serves. That “why” can then serve as a filter when considering changes.
For More Information
We’re pleased to announce …
…that our book Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change is now available for pre-order from Corwin Press or Amazon. Order before April 7 for a 20% discount. If you purchase from Amazon, please consider leaving us a rating and review. Thank you!
From our publisher:
In Shifting, educators and leadership experts Kirsten Richert, Jeff Ikler and Margaret Zacchei empower educational change leaders to proactively and coherently navigate complex change in schools to achieve the desired outcomes. Using a three-part framework—Assess, Ready, Change—this book leads educators to examine a school’s imperatives and readiness for change, identity the tools and abilities required to manifest change, and take action by defining the roles and processes necessary to effectively implement both sweeping change and smaller day-to-day adjustments. Change leaders learn to
• Shift the emphasis in the change process from procedure to the people implementing change
• Move from an environment of “command and control” to one of leaders creating other leaders
• Reframe change as an essential shift in school culture rather than a series of episodic event
Rich with leadership insights, stories, podcasts, and hands-on activities, Shifting offers an integrated tapestry of wisdom and support for change-makers intent on meaningful collaboration in a positive, engaged workplace.