Podcast appearances and mentions of libby woodfin

Today on the podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined by Ron Berger. Ron has been teaching for 40 years and is currently the Chief Academic Officer at EL Education. He’s also the author of some popular books you may have heard of! One of which, Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment, is one of Getting Smart’s favorites. Last year, Ron joined the Getting Smart podcast to discuss a companion piece to Leaders of Their Own Learning. (If you missed it, be sure to check out episode 222, linked below!) In this episode, Ron is joining the podcast once again to discuss his newest book, We Are Crew: A Teamwork Approach to School Culture, that he wrote in collaboration with Anne Vilen and Libby Woodfin. At EL Education, ‘crew’ is the culture and the advisory structure. We Are Crew details secrets to create secondary schools that promote academics and character development. Listen in to hear about how crew as a culture and structure is transforming schools!   Key Takeaways: [:10] About today’s episode with Ron Berger. [1:00] Tom welcomes Ron back to the podcast. [1:07] Ron speaks about the impact his previously published book, Leaders of Their Own Learning, has had on schools, educators, and students. [2:17] How the timing of Ron’s new book, We Are Crew, came out at an opportune time with the current global pandemic. [3:42] What is ‘crew’ as culture? How is it different from traditional public schools? [8:41] What is the structure of crew? [9:43] How the crew model varies between elementary and secondary schools. [11:20] The role that crew fulfills in a high school. [13:29] About crew’s post-secondary planning and goal-setting. [14:42] Why is it hard for homeroom advisories in high school to be done well? And how can they be improved? [17:38] What makes crew particularly successful? [19:45] Chapters 4-7 in We Are Crew cover the specific jobs that crew does for EL Schools. In Chapter 4, the book details how to help young people become effective learners. Ron further elaborates on this and details how crew helps them understand themselves as a learner. [22:15] Chapter 5 in We Are Crew is about becoming ethical people. Ron shares how crew aids in that. [24:55] Chapter 6 is on contributions. Ron elaborates on how crew helps young people understand contributions and begin to make their own, unique contributions. [26:51] Chapter 7 talks about post-secondary. Ron adds his thoughts on how educators can help young people imagine possible futures. [30:04] Tom and Ron reflect on the timeliness of We Are Crew. [31:13] Where to find Ron and access free EL Education resources online.   Mentioned in This Episode: Ron Berger EL Education Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment, by Ron Berger, Leah Rugen, Libby Woodfin, and EL Education Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 222: “Ron Berger on Helping Students Become Leaders of Their Own Learning” We Are Crew: A Teamwork Approach to School Culture, by Ron Berger, Anne Vilen, and Libby Woodfin   Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review and subscribe.   Is There Somebody You’ve Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You’d Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include ‘Podcast’ in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

This week, Tom is speaking with Ron Berger, the Chief Academic Officer at EL Education. Ron has been with EL Education since 2003 and is responsible for leading EL Education's vision of teaching and learning. Bringing with him 40 years of experience as a teacher and professional development designer, with 28 of those years teaching public school, Ron is highly regarded in the education space.   Going back to the beginning of Ron’s journey, he began teaching in a little town in Western Massachusetts. Just about everyone under the age of 50 in Shutesbury, MA, was one of Ron Berger’s students. The fact that his nurse, plumber, and accountant had all been in his class helped him understand the bigger picture. It made him ask himself, ‘Do they understand high-quality work? Do they have courage? Do they have quality values? And do they use critical thinking? Would I trust my life to that person?’ These became Ron’s principles in what he hopes for his students to achieve. When he went on to develop the Expeditionary Learning School model — a project-based community-connected approach focused on doing authentic, quality work — these principles remained at the forefront. Now, EL Education is helping more than 50,000 students become great scholars and active, ethical citizens with the capacity to build a better world.   Listen in to Tom’s and Ron’s conversation about the incredible impact EL Education is having on students, teachers, and schools; Ron’s journey in education and how it has impacted his life personally and professionally; about his upcoming book, a sequel to his 2014 release, Leaders of Their Own Learning; and some incredible examples of how students are building quality character through the framework Ron has helped build through EL Education.   Key Takeaways: [:14] About this week’s episode. [1:19] Tom welcomes Ron Berger to the podcast! [1:33] Why and how did Ron become a teacher in Shutesbury, Massachusetts? [5:04] How did Ron build his own house in Shutesbury, MA? [6:16] Ron expresses his appreciation of craftsmanship and why it is so important in education. [9:04] Along with his passion for craftsmanship, is it true that Ron also has a passion for disco? [10:48] Is it true that Ron also remains a student of popular culture? [11:38] When did Ron discover Expeditionary Learning (EL Education)? [13:28] Ron speaks about his contribution to some of the early design principles at EL Education. [15:15] Would Ron agree that around 2010 EL Education shifted to focus more on curriculum than developing a school network? [18:55] Around 2011, Ron started a project with Harvard called ‘Models of Excellence.’ Ron explains the thought process behind it and what it means to him. [21:22] Under what conditions do students do world-class work? [25:02] Why does Ron’s character framework put the idea of contributing to a better world at the center? [28:40] How Ron defines ‘character.’ [29:15] Ron gives an incredible example of students with character and breaking out of the standard curriculum. [31:06] In 2014, Ron authored Leaders of Their Own Learning along with several other authors. He explains the impetus of that book and what it means to him. [32:50] Why has Ron decide to write a sequel to Leaders of Their Own Learning? What does he hope to accomplish with it and how is it going to help teachers? [34:37] Ron shares some of the ways he hopes to see people use his book. [36:43] Where to find Ron online and learn more about EL Education. [37:30] Tom thanks Ron for joining the Getting Smart Podcast!   Mentioned in This Episode: Ron Berger (LinkedIn) EL Education Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment, by Ron Berger, Leah Rugen, Libby Woodfin, and EL Education Revisionist History Podcast, by Malcolm Gladwell Project Zero Outward Bound Gates Foundation EL Education’s Models of Excellence For More on Provoking Deeper Learning, Listen to: Episode 203: “Jal Mehta on Provoking Deeper Learning in High School”   Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review and subscribe.   Is There Somebody You’ve Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You’d Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include ‘Podcast’ in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!  

We've all made mistakes in our teaching practice and most of us are eager to learn from them and move on. We know school administrators also miss the mark at times. In this episode, we look at leadership mistakes and how to avoid them. Anne Vilen is Senior Writer and Project Manager for EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning) and co-author (with Ron Berger & Libby Woodfin) of Learning that Lasts: Challenging, Engaging, and Empowering Students with Deeper Instruction. Previously, she served as Associate Director of an EL Education mentor school in Asheville, North Carolina. Marcy Webb is a Spanish teacher, middle and high school, at an independent day school in CT. Dr. Jason Kotch is the Principal of Garnet Valley Elementary School in Glen Mills, PA. Jason is the co-author of the Routledge Eye on Education series book 7 Steps to Sharing Your School's Story on Social Media.

The school structures we present to teachers can sometimes resemble two extremes. In the first set of circumstances, teachers have enormous autonomy over what they teach, when they teach it, and how they teach it. In the second, they have almost no choices whatsoever. The texts are all provided, along with the objectives, the script, and the pacing guide. I am not sure that either of these working conditions are sustainable longterm. Obviously, no one enjoys being told exactly what to do. It conveys a lack of trust and respect. But it is an awesome responsibility to be told that everything is up to you. When we live in a culture that continually reinforces the idea that the longterm success of every student is tied to a single teacher’s priorities, words, and actions, this is a recipe for burnout. Are there practices that provide room for creativity without placing an unreasonable burden on individual teachers? How might teachers’ aims inform their choices? How can all teachers facilitate deeper learning in a sustainable way? In Learning That Lasts: Challenging, Engaging, and Empowering Students with Deeper Instruction (Jossey-Bass, 2016) Ron Berger and co-authors, Libby Woodfin and Anne Vilen, outline instructional moves, lesson structures, and discussion protocols that ask more from students and work in a variety of teaching contexts. Woodfin joins New Books in Education for the interview. You can find more information about her work with Expeditionary Learning on its website. Trevor Mattea is an educational consultant and speaker. His areas of expertise include deeper learning, parent involvement, project-based learning, and technology integration. He can be reached by email at info@trevormattea.com or on Twitter @tsmattea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The school structures we present to teachers can sometimes resemble two extremes. In the first set of circumstances, teachers have enormous autonomy over what they teach, when they teach it, and how they teach it. In the second, they have almost no choices whatsoever. The texts are all provided, along with the objectives, the script, and the pacing guide. I am not sure that either of these working conditions are sustainable longterm. Obviously, no one enjoys being told exactly what to do. It conveys a lack of trust and respect. But it is an awesome responsibility to be told that everything is up to you. When we live in a culture that continually reinforces the idea that the longterm success of every student is tied to a single teacher’s priorities, words, and actions, this is a recipe for burnout. Are there practices that provide room for creativity without placing an unreasonable burden on individual teachers? How might teachers’ aims inform their choices? How can all teachers facilitate deeper learning in a sustainable way? In Learning That Lasts: Challenging, Engaging, and Empowering Students with Deeper Instruction (Jossey-Bass, 2016) Ron Berger and co-authors, Libby Woodfin and Anne Vilen, outline instructional moves, lesson structures, and discussion protocols that ask more from students and work in a variety of teaching contexts. Woodfin joins New Books in Education for the interview. You can find more information about her work with Expeditionary Learning on its website. Trevor Mattea is an educational consultant and speaker. His areas of expertise include deeper learning, parent involvement, project-based learning, and technology integration. He can be reached by email at info@trevormattea.com or on Twitter @tsmattea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The school structures we present to teachers can sometimes resemble two extremes. In the first set of circumstances, teachers have enormous autonomy over what they teach, when they teach it, and how they teach it. In the second, they have almost no choices whatsoever. The texts are all provided, along with the objectives, the script, and the pacing guide. I am not sure that either of these working conditions are sustainable longterm. Obviously, no one enjoys being told exactly what to do. It conveys a lack of trust and respect. But it is an awesome responsibility to be told that everything is up to you. When we live in a culture that continually reinforces the idea that the longterm success of every student is tied to a single teacher’s priorities, words, and actions, this is a recipe for burnout. Are there practices that provide room for creativity without placing an unreasonable burden on individual teachers? How might teachers’ aims inform their choices? How can all teachers facilitate deeper learning in a sustainable way? In Learning That Lasts: Challenging, Engaging, and Empowering Students with Deeper Instruction (Jossey-Bass, 2016) Ron Berger and co-authors, Libby Woodfin and Anne Vilen, outline instructional moves, lesson structures, and discussion protocols that ask more from students and work in a variety of teaching contexts. Woodfin joins New Books in Education for the interview. You can find more information about her work with Expeditionary Learning on its website. Trevor Mattea is an educational consultant and speaker. His areas of expertise include deeper learning, parent involvement, project-based learning, and technology integration. He can be reached by email at info@trevormattea.com or on Twitter @tsmattea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us went through school not fully knowing what we were supposed to be learning or how our teachers were measuring our progress. These priorities and processes were largely hidden to us as students because they were assumed to be irrelevant or uninteresting. How much learning can happen under these conditions? What if teachers translated standards into student-friendly language and worked with students to develop personalized goals? What if teachers asked students to examine their work and articulate their growth to their parents and classmates? How might increasing ownership and changing accountability allow for greater learning? In Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment(Jossey-Bass, 2014), Ron Berger and co-authors, Leah Rugen and Libby Woodfin, outline a series of practices designed to make students more active participants in their school experience, including student-led conferences, celebrations of learning, and passage presentations. Berger joins New Books in Education for the interview. You can find more information about his work with Expeditionary Learning on its website. To share your thoughts on the podcast, you can connect with him on Twitter at @RonBergerEL. You can reach the host on Twitter at @tsmattea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us went through school not fully knowing what we were supposed to be learning or how our teachers were measuring our progress. These priorities and processes were largely hidden to us as students because they were assumed to be irrelevant or uninteresting. How much learning can happen under these conditions? What if teachers translated standards into student-friendly language and worked with students to develop personalized goals? What if teachers asked students to examine their work and articulate their growth to their parents and classmates? How might increasing ownership and changing accountability allow for greater learning? In Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment(Jossey-Bass, 2014), Ron Berger and co-authors, Leah Rugen and Libby Woodfin, outline a series of practices designed to make students more active participants in their school experience, including student-led conferences, celebrations of learning, and passage presentations. Berger joins New Books in Education for the interview. You can find more information about his work with Expeditionary Learning on its website. To share your thoughts on the podcast, you can connect with him on Twitter at @RonBergerEL. You can reach the host on Twitter at @tsmattea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us went through school not fully knowing what we were supposed to be learning or how our teachers were measuring our progress. These priorities and processes were largely hidden to us as students because they were assumed to be irrelevant or uninteresting. How much learning can happen under these conditions? What if teachers translated standards into student-friendly language and worked with students to develop personalized goals? What if teachers asked students to examine their work and articulate their growth to their parents and classmates? How might increasing ownership and changing accountability allow for greater learning? In Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment(Jossey-Bass, 2014), Ron Berger and co-authors, Leah Rugen and Libby Woodfin, outline a series of practices designed to make students more active participants in their school experience, including student-led conferences, celebrations of learning, and passage presentations. Berger joins New Books in Education for the interview. You can find more information about his work with Expeditionary Learning on its website. To share your thoughts on the podcast, you can connect with him on Twitter at @RonBergerEL. You can reach the host on Twitter at @tsmattea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us went through school not fully knowing what we were supposed to be learning or how our teachers were measuring our progress. These priorities and processes were largely hidden to us as students because they were assumed to be irrelevant or uninteresting. How much learning can happen under these conditions? What if teachers translated standards into student-friendly language and worked with students to develop personalized goals? What if teachers asked students to examine their work and articulate their growth to their parents and classmates? How might increasing ownership and changing accountability allow for greater learning? In Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment(Jossey-Bass, 2014), Ron Berger and co-authors, Leah Rugen and Libby Woodfin, outline a series of practices designed to make students more active participants in their school experience, including student-led conferences, celebrations of learning, and passage presentations. Berger joins New Books in Education for the interview. You can find more information about his work with Expeditionary Learning on its website. To share your thoughts on the podcast, you can connect with him on Twitter at @RonBergerEL. You can reach the host on Twitter at @tsmattea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices