DisruptED Podcast

Rebecca Longawa joined our CEO class to share her story of perseverance and innovation. I KNOW you will love this one because she may have the coolest job(s) EVER while also being a wonderful person. Also, stay tuned to the end to catch the student discussion afterwards. It is always insightful to hear how our teenagers interpret the world and the people in it.

Jordan Paris, author of The Podcast Playbook and host of the The Growth Mindset University Podcast, joined my class Zoom discussion to share his story. If you're interested in learning how to education yourself and grow your skillset, you need to take notes during this episode.

Students / Teachers / Everyone You now have time. It's not about what you know. Internet. It's about what you can do and what you have done. It's cool, you can binge whatever you want over the next month, but I implore you to take a few breaks and watch some YouTube videos on the following skills business are looking to hire in 2020 and beyond. The fake world - invest in your resume. The real world - invest in the future. 1. Blockchain 2. Cloud Computing 3. Analytical Reasoning 4. Artificial Intelligence 5. UX Design 6. Business Analysis 7. Affiliate Marketing 8. Sales - https://amzn.to/33Q3kV9 9. Scientific Computing 10. Video Production 1. Creativity 2. Persuasion 3. Collaboration 4. Adaptability 5. Emotional Intelligence

Imagine that all of the variables controlled by school have been wiped clean. For example. There's no way to stop students from using the internet on work. There's no way to stop students from working with others on work. Well, that's what COVID-19 did to education. That's a lot of pressure and it's starting to reveal the cracks.

How did we get here? I'm now the teacher of an entrepreneurship class that is supposed to tour 80 businesses a year and shake the hands of up to 300 different community leaders. Enter COVID-19. Yeah that class is not going to work. In this episode I chronicle the last two and half weeks from the perspective of a teacher. It's been crazy...

Well, I'm back. This is episode one of season two and before we get into it I need to clear up a few things.

I have strong opinions on things that I know well, or that I THINK I know well. Standardized testing is polarizing, but I think the good guys/gals are starting to make progress. What do you think?

Two of my current students talk about leadership, ownership, and the first month of KCEO. If you want some hope for the future just listen to this.

Nothing is more frustrating than working with people that are 'EXCUSE FINDERS'! In this short talk I share what's happening with my students as they transition from Finding Excuses to Finding Solutions.

Establishing the right culture in your classroom or amongst your team is CRUCIAL! Here's what I focus on when establishing our KCEO culture: 1. You need to move everyone outside of their collective comfort zones. 2. You need to be 110% in as the leader. Participate and be almost over-the-top positive! 3. Build in time for reflection. Yes, teachers you need to teach students how to reflect.

I have three awesome classes and I get to completely renovate my room! What sort of creative technology equipment should I get???

So I'm not really an explicit goal setter, but with two weeks of summer freedom left I decided to reflect on what I hope my students accomplish this year. I hope my students... 1. learn about themselves. 2. learn about the world. 3. learn how to communicate with the world effectively. 4. tell me to get the HELL out of the way. Imagine what would happen if every high school student left with those four things??? My guess is that there would be a lot more happiness and a lot less anxiety. Could anything else be important enough to get in the way???

David Marquet is an inspiring guy. He developed his Intent-Based Leadership structure in the most top-down system I can think of...the military. I am so thankful he took some time to share his story and give us some behind-the-scenes information on his leadership philosophy. Do yourself a favor and buy his book, Turn The Ship Around, TODAY! http://davidmarquet-com.3dcartstores.com Also check out the following video resources: Leadership Nudges: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM6PvFiH_weNCMCnFynTNdg What is Leadership? https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=pYKH2uSax8U

Riley Graham once got a phone call from the folks at LinkedIn and they told him he may be the most connected person on the platform. Riley joins me today to talk about building your personal or company brand specifically on LinkedIn. I know you'll really get value out of this. Listen until the end when he tears apart my LinkedIn profile and gives me a laundry list of things to improve! Take care and leave us a review on iTunes if you have the chance! Thank you so much for listening.

Skills + Confidence = Agency Agency is everything. I cannot think of a more important thing for schools and organizations to develop in their students/employees. Real translatable skills can be learned even if the larger task is unsuccessful. Don't worry about your small failures as long as you're acquiring more skills. Once you understand that you are, in fact, capable of acquiring and applying new skills you will build your confidence. Now you're capable of anything.

I REALLY struggle with this sometimes.... Who is going to say bad things about me? What will they say? Who am I to do anything? STOP! To let people that you don't even know or care about dictate YOUR happiness or future is insane.......but I still struggle with it. It gets easier though.

As we are starting to prepare for our FIFTH CEO class this September I wanted to share with you what we are working on. I am going to be documenting our entire CEO journey this year on this podcast and I would LOVE to know how you feel about it!

These are the three things that excite me most about education today: 1. The hardware is in place. Smart devices are everywhere. These tools, if we start to shift our thinking in education, can be used to create amazing things. Now that the hardware is in place...we need to work on the software or the operating system of education. 2. Communication Platforms. Social media is a lot of things. Some are good and some are bad. If we use it as an audience for students to showcase what they've created it can be a powerful tool. It also allows them to learn about themselves by consuming the content of others. 3. Everyone is ready and waiting. Private industry, non-profits, and everyone in between is aware that education needs to adapt. Guess what. They all want to help in a positive way. Reach out to local business and non-profit organizations and ask for help building a plan to make your school/classroom better. *Hint - I'd start with the Chamber of Commerce or EDC. They will know who from the local community would welcome you with open arms.

Let's all be honest with ourselves. Edtech conferences are largely BS. 1. Most people are their to further their careers. Just admit it and I'm cool with it. You have every right to do this. 2. The "revolutionary tools" are all just window dressings. Good teaching has never changed. The motivation of the new tool is directly related to it's novelty. That's it. Care about people and your students. See them as individuals and allow them to explore the world, themselves, and others. That's it.

I always hear people in schools and larger companies refer to some ambiguous yet omnipresent 'they'. Who are these people? Who is 'they'? Hint: Look in the mirror. If you're using THEM as an excuse, 'they' is actually referring to the system of which YOU are a part. If doing the right thing means being juxtaposed to the system...then do it. What if great teachers weren't anomalies? What if the system actually helped MAKE great teachers? Wow what a world that would be.

Turns out reading is an important skill. Obvious, right? Well, did you know that the best student readers only read, or are read to, about 20 minutes a day?! Seems like a smart investment. In this episode Dr. Danny Brassell (dannybrassell.com / https://twitter.com/DannyBrassell) and I chat about how you can get your child to truly love reading. Did I mention he's giving away a free book to all of our listeners???? YES, FREE. Head to readleadandsucceed.com to download your free copy. It's easy to see why Danny is a world renowned speaker. This interview was amazingly entertaining AND I learned a lot. Ya know, fun and learning go together pretty well...hmmmm.

Ted Dintersmith is an inspiring guy to say the least. Venture Capitalist, Philanthropist, Film Producer, and probably a scratch golfer...ok I made that last one up. Ted understands that we desperately need to reimagine education and believes we are at an inflection point. What we do over the next 5-10 years will dictate the long term future of this country. This interview was so much fun and I know you'll all love this one! Below are the links to Ted's books and documentary. If you're a reader, buy the books. If you're a watcher, watch the documentary. You will be happy you did.

As a leader (formal or otherwise) you CANNOT make change happen. You can only create the right conditions for it to occur. Real change is internal at the individual level. When enough individuals change internally the culture will change. Create a safe place for learning where the APPLICATION of what is learned is valued. Then step back and watch it happen.

When is EQUAL FAIR? When is FAIR EQUAL? These words are NOT synonymous and it's our fault that young people don't understand this. Generally speaking, and over the long haul, the world gives you what you put into it. Even if it doesn't what are you going to do? Quit? No. Stop complaining about and blaming others. You're robbing yourself of learning and fuel.

Entrepreneurs see problems as opportunities to build solutions. Temanté Leary and Richart Ruddie, co-founders of Class Updates, joined me to share the story of their new startup. Lessons from this episode: 1. Keep learning and adapting or you'll fall behind...immediately. 2. Clear communication is a sign of respect and required for relationship building. 3. There are problem finders and problem fixers. Be the latter. People doing the right thing for the right reasons are always fun to talk to and I know you'll all enjoy this one. Head over to the website to learn about the Class Updates App: https://classupdatesapp.com or Download it: iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/class-updates/id629918338?mt=8 Google Play: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/class-updates/id629918338?mt=8 Temanté Leary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/temanté-leary-j-d-m-b-a-3a340611 Richart Ruddie: info@classupdatesapp.com

Our students only measure of "success" is a grade or, even worse, disappointment in others. This results in the adults employers complain about: -lacking initiative -requires 'hand-holding' -needs constant praise/reinforcement Education needs to allow students to develop their own determination of a 'job well done'. To do this you need to let them go, fail, help them reflect and then try again. No grade measures THAT kind of learning...ya know, the real kind.

Instagram makes me hate myself. At least it may have when I was 16. At 34 I'm comfortable enough in my own skin that my two-week Insta dive didn't really have any negative effects. I did lose 10 lbs. though....hmmmm. Here's what I learned: 1. Everything is fake as h3ll. Well most of it is anyway. Those that are Insta-faking it are really only fooling themselves...but then, maybe that's the point. 2. People only share 5% of their lives and it happens to all be awesome or beautiful. Think scrolling through a never ending beauty magazine. If you're a 15 year old girl...that cannot be good for your self image. 3. I LOVE real people. Authenticity requires confidence and confidence is the most attractive characteristic in my opinion. 4. Kids have "Finsta" accounts. It stands for 'fun Instagram' accounts where kids are actually real, silly, or inappropriate. The learning continues... What is YOUR favorite platform and why?

This is the central problem in secondary education today. We need to let go of our "need to get through everything" and allow for some real depth. Yes, it will mean not every student learns the same thing, the same way, over the same time period, or at the same level. We are humans, not robots.

This is something I struggle with sometimes, but my high school students are crippled by it. The need to be perfect or seem 100% prepared is actually counterproductive. Once students connect with enough successful people they start to see them as just people. People who are simply trying to figure it out on the fly. Do your thing. Mess up. Try to understand why. Adjust. Repeat.

This is the question every school has to answer: So, what are you going to do? A. Be ignorant and pretend the real world isn't real. B. Be humble and ask ourselves "Given our current reality, what can we do to increase the chances students are successful when they leave us?"

How do you make a positive impact? First, you have to be doing things for the right reasons. Second, you need find out what you're good at. Third, go. I LOVED this interview. Mostly because Dr. Alice, as I call her, is just freakin cool...but don't let me be the judge, check this out: -she helps make shows like Tumble Leaf, Blues Clues, Stinky and Dirty -she loves understanding how to help people learn -she sits on the floor to talk with AND LISTEN to kids "There's the mail it never fails it makes me want to wag my tail. When it comes I want to wail 'MAIL'!" -Blues Clues

As soon as there is no one to impress, you're left to decide for yourself what's right and how hard to work. That's REALLY hard for our kids today. We need to help them with that. I think we need to find a way to model this behavior, perhaps through mentorship, and then we must give them the freedom to make mistakes and learn.

Be happy for people. This is MUCH harder than it seems...especially for high school students that have been in a system that pits them against each other. Someone else's success RARELY cuts you down. Usually you're just mad that you haven't accomplished what you set out to do. Use that truth and start being positive.

So, what do you do when public school isn't what you want for your children? What if you could start school over? Philip Mott and his wife are in the beginning stages of starting their own school. I think you'll enjoy hearing about a bad student that became an unhappy teacher that now wants to start his own school. Twitter: @philipmott1 Instagram: @kristen.m.mott

Having an idea is cool, but it's worth nothing until you start sharing it. This can be scary and confusing. My students REALLY struggle navigating this stage and I suspect adults do as well. In this podcast I share the tactics that help my students make the most out of feedback from others. I hope you enjoy it!

How do I stay motivated? Two answers: 1. Inspiration (easy) 2. Discipline / Addiction To Progress (hard) This podcast is simply documentation of my learning. I keep doing it because these are my goals: 1. Maintain family balance. 2. I'm learning cool skills. 3. I'm meeting cool people. 4. There's a chance I could help others.

For organizations to innovate and progress there needs to be a culture of honesty, self reflection, and support. Keisha Rivers Ed.M. helped her students do this as an elementary school teacher and she now helps organizations, both public and private, do this on a large scale. She is simply a fun and positive person to talk with. I sought her out because of her background in elementary education...an area I know very little about. I really enjoyed this conversation and I know you will as well! Keisha Rivers Ed.M. http://www.karsgroup.com @karsgroupltd info@karsgroup.com

The most powerful thing your smart phone can do is connect you with PEOPLE. Use whatever platform you are most active on and reach out to leaders in the areas you care about. Document your learning on whatever platform you are most comfortable with. You will learn more, you will gain confidence, you will be contributing. Or, I guess you could do NOTHING.

I had a two week relationship with an addictive mistress and her name is Fortnite. In an effort to build better relationships with my male students (and because I'm a closet gamer)I started playing the most popular game in the world. In short, the game is a blast, but it absolutely had a negative effect on other aspects of my life like sleep, family, work, etc. I now know what it's like and can use this to help me understand and develop relationships with my male students. What are YOU doing to get to know your students better???

Steve Babcock grew up in a "one-stoplight town" in a rural community and is now the Chief Creative Officer at VaynerMedia in New York City. The mastermind behind the Domino's Pizza Tracker (thanks for the freshman fifteen Steve) just about made it as a rockstar before finding another creative outlet: Marketing. Small town values with big time talent. Steve's story is a very interesting one and this is a chat I know you'll all love. Instagram: @stevehappens Twitter: @stevehappens LinkedIn: duh.. Steve Babcock

What should you do if school isn't really your thing? Celebrate. There has never been a better time to try every trade. Carpentry, plumbing, electrical, construction, welding, mechanical, etc. Try them all. If you fall in love with one and you can show up on time, you're golden.

"Don't let the fear of failure stop you from starting something you love." We've all heard and/or read this somewhere. It's easy to say and to write on a pretty Instagram pic. It's MUCH more difficult to follow in real life. Dave Baker is now a State Representative, entrepreneur, and award-winning philanthropist. None of that would be possible without a mixture of bravery and work ethic. If you want to understand how far you can go with those two characteristics sit down and listen to this one. Thanks Dave.

First, I want to thank Seth Godin for this one. THE DIP is the point where my students are right now. They sure love telling people how they're "starting their own business." Yeah, turns out that's really hard when you've never had to be your own boss. In school we need to help students experience this more so they can recognize it. Thank you Seth. Check out his podcast here:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/12-the-dip/id566985370?i=1000136135408&mt=2

Remember, everyone can smell BS. Some people are just too nice to say anything. STOP being 'too nice' and start helping people. They not respond well at first, but if you create the right environment, they will thank you later. My students continually fall into this seductive trap of making excuses and I am often just as guilty. Let's help each other out and start calling BS.

Professional networking is massively important and this morning my students and I had the opportunity to connect with Don Wettrick and his Innovations students. FutureReadyU.com is Don's new platform for revolutionizing education and the mindsets of our students. If you know a student or child that just thinks differently get them signed up today! Find Don on Twitter: @DonWettrick

Many students are simply not built to succeed in high school. (they lack a strong rote memory, they don't like conforming, and/or they aren't strong test takers) Here are some tips for 'hacking' your way through HS when HS is not your thing: 1. Learn how to form long lasting relationships. -listen -do not participate in dragging others down -be positive, people like positivity in the long run 2. Be a good teammate and/or group member. -give credit, don't claim credit -learn how to be a champion for the strengths/talents of others -observe...you can learn from good role models and from bad ones 3. Focus on skills instead of content and try as many things as possible. -pictures, video, speaking, audio, art, writing -take welding, vehicle maintenance, and woodworking...trust me 4. Learn what you like and what you're good at. 5. Showcase your skills. -use social media to build a portfolio of positivity and value

Many organizations, both public and private, see the need and therefore talk about integrating innovation and new ideas. When an organization changes there WILL (and SHOULD) be casualties. You will need to make PEOPLE and POLICY changes. It might be painful, but change almost always is...at least in the short term.

Real world learning, project based learning, and community engagement should be the top priorities for all schools right now. In this episode I meet with some amazing educators that are seeking to do just that. Belgrade-Brooten-El Rosa is a rural school district in Minnesota. They may be small, but their school culture is amazing, their staff are innovative, and they are a testament to what can happen when a district has great leadership. Reach out to these people. You won't regret it: Matt Goodwin: mgoodwin@bbejaguars.org Josie Dingmann: jdingmann@bbejaguars.org Laura Spanier: lspanier@bbejaguars.org Janelle Field: jfield@bbejaguars.org

In my humble opinion these are the three things every student needs before they leave education: 1. They need to learn about themselves. They need to find their sweet spot (what they enjoy and what they're good at.) 2. They need to be shown the world so they can find where they can add the most value. 3. They need to be shown how to communicate with people so they can listen and share effectively. I don't care what content knowledge students have if they can do these three things.

Entrepreneurship, social or otherwise, can and should be integrated into every discipline. Why? Entrepreneurial Thinking: 1. Focuses on adding value. 2. Requires people to learn about themselves. 3. Allows them to see where they can add the most value in the real world. 4. Helps people understand how much control they have over their own lives by simply using the tools they already own.

Why is it that the most inspiring entrepreneurial stories almost always involve people breaking the norms of education? Danny and Kenny King exemplify this truth and I know you'll love listening to this one. News Flash! Focus on finding your sweet spot. The sweet spot is where what you're good at intersects with what you enjoy doing. I hope education starts to help students find and leverage their sweet spots.