Just Schools

Accidents, Acid Wash, and Learning Spaces: Danish Kurani

Designing learning spaces with the end users -- teachers, students, custodians -- can make a huge difference in people’s lives.Today Danish Kurani, the founder of Kurani, an architectural firm, joins host Jon Eckert. Kurani specializes in designing education spaces with empathy and prioritizing the end user. Danish discusses an embarrassing moment in kindergarten that later inspired him to begin creating intentional learning spaces.To learn more, order Jon's book, Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-Being for Each Student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[2:19] - Danish introduces himself.[5:13] - Looking beyond the most economical solutions, Danish designs intentional learning spaces.[7:00] - Danish discusses what inspired him to design learning spaces.[11:23] - Involving the students, teachers and custodians when designing spaces is essential to Danish.[16:00] - It's important to study data to know if the designs have an impact. [21:00] - Danish is most excited about his current projects that help equip students with relevant skills. [25:37] - Jon puts Danish through a lightning round of questions.Find Kurani online: Website - Kurani Connect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Lessons from Kindergarten for Higher Ed: Sahira Kodra

Being hit with the unexpected can be jarring. But sometimes it's necessary to help you grow.At the start of the year, Sahira Kodra unexpectedly became a kindergarten teacher. Now she is transitioning to work full-time for the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Today she joins host Jon Eckert to discuss how she's been humbled by kindergartners this year and the transformation that she hopes for because of that. To learn more, order Jon's book, Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-Being for Each Student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[1:30] - Sahira Kodra discusses the shock of becoming a kindergarten teacher.[3:30] - Being hit with the unexpected teaches you how to rely on other people.[7:40] - A master's program helps you build a robust network of supportive people.[10:03] - Holding on to hope that something bigger is coming helps teachers push forward.[13:14] - Sahira is most looking forward to making connections with a new cohort and building a network.[16:42] - Being vulnerable is a huge challenge for education leaders.[17:30] - Helping people who are struggling is life-giving for Sahira.[18:40] - Jon puts Sahira through a lightning round of questions.Connect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Is Your Child Eating Alone? Serving Each Child.

Leading with love and compassion can change the people you lead forever.Today, Herb Cox, Clinical Assistant Professor at Baylor University, joins host Jon Eckert to discuss his calling to become an educator. He details how, through the years, he led his schools with compassion and love and the impact that had on his students and their parents.To learn more, order Jon's book, Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-Being for Each Student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[1:45] - Herb introduces himself.[4:00] - After talking to God, Herb followed his calling.[6:30] - Ensuring students had someone to eat lunch with was essential to Herb.[10:00] - Prospective leaders are energized to do the work.[13:30] - Teachers and parents are partners.[17:00] - The work he does is what gives Herb the most hope.[18:10] - Jon puts Herb through a lightning round of questions.Connect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Crazy, conceited, or called? Anika Prather

Cognitive endurance is built through struggle and engagement. That is a key part of classical education.Today, Anika Prather, the founder of The Living Water School, joins host Jon Eckert to discuss her journey from a career in public school to creating her own school dedicated to classical learning for students of color. She tells stories about how her school has helped equip kids with real-world skills.To learn more, order Jon's book, Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-Being for Each Student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[1:50]: Anika introduces herself.[7:15] - Reminiscing on her past, Anika marvels at how her parents were able to make classical studies relevant to the Black community.[10:00] - Not being able to find a school for her son, Anika started one of her own.[14:30] - Anika strives to provide content-rich, equitable curricula for students.[17:30] - Students are learning skills on how to navigate life.[20:52] - Being consistent with a process will help students grow academically.[24:05] - Is learning happening when its only focus is a test?[26:00] - Jon puts Anika through a lightning round of questions. Connect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

”I’m telling Santa on you:” Building culture with Laura Barringer

Putting people first is a big part of living tov. Today, Laura Barringer, author and kindergarten teacher, joins Jon Eckert to discuss her 20-plus year teaching career and her unexpected journey to writing her book, A Church Called Tov. She details how living tov has enabled her to see each student as individuals and create respectful, safe spaces for them.To learn more, order Jon's book, Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-Being for Each Student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[1:44] - Jon introduces Laura.[3:10] - Laura discusses her unexpected journey to writing her book.[5:24] - There are a lot of lessons about living Tov that can be applied to teaching.[8:13] - Kindergarten is hope.[12:35] - Laura shares a life-giving moment she recently experienced.[16:06] - Having open communication with colleges is important.[19:00] - Creating respectful spaces helps students talk about things that don't feel safe.[21:50] - Laura strives to resist toxicity within her classroom.[23:00] - Jon puts Laura through a lightning round of questions.Books:A Chuch Called Tov by Laura BarringerConnect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Is that cheating?

Cheating seems to be on the rise, especially post-COVID. It seems some students are even confused about what's actually considered cheating.Today, Alyssa Carl, a math teacher from Illinois joins host Jon Eckert to talk about cheating among students. The two have an in-depth conversation on the definition of cheating, the causes and the possible long-term consequences. To learn more, order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[1:30] - Jon introduces Alyssa Carl.[2:15] - Alyssa shares an egregious story about a student cheating with the help of his parent.[6:00] - Cheating is hard to define; Alyssa gives her definition.[9:17] - You can't learn things without learning things.[10:40] - Some students have a very narrow definition of cheating.[14:00] - Students sometimes think they don't need to use a certain skill so they might as well cheat.[16:45] - Could cheating be the symptom of something bigger? [19:10] - Students need to learn how to think critically to build cognitive endurance.[21:21] - Doing something that is meaningful for both students and teachers is important.[24:10] - Jon puts Alyssa through a lightning round of questions.Books:Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon EckertNever Work Harder Than Your Students and Other Principles of Great Teaching by Robyn R. JacksonConnect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Deep Engagement: Lessons from Canada

When people take care of people it fills them up. Those people then are able to take care of others. That's what King's Christian Collegiate did to create a culture centered around caring for their faculty and students.Their culture of care was born out of the reputation that they had developed over the years. Today, Lisa Conlin and Vicky Nolan of King's Christian Collegiate join host Jon Eckert to talk about how they used improvement science to deepen the culture of care. They also discuss the differences between schools in Canada and schools in the United States. To learn more, order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[2:00] - Vicky and Lisa introduce themselves.[3:22] - Lisa explains how the term "culture of care" came about.[5:40] - When cultivating their school's culture they asked their students "what's going on" with them right now?[8:40] - Staff members caring for other staff members has a ripple effect.[11:30] - Allowing space for students to give honest feedback is the key to creating a culture of care.[13:40] - Lisa and Vicky talk about a leadership seminar they held for students.[18:00] - As faculty, asking students to let you know what you do that bothers them is important.[18:40] - Lisa and Vicky go through a lightning round of questions.Websites:King's Christian Collegiate Books:Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon EckertConnect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Leading for Belonging: Lessons from Australia

No leader is an island. It's important to take other leaders on your leadership journey. That's called collective leadership.Daniel Pamuch is the CEO of Christian Schools Australia (CSA) and Darren Iselin is the director of Research and Innovation. The two join Jon Eckert to discuss how CSA uses a unique architecture framework to conceptualize the essential elements that make a Christian school distinct from non-Christian schools. Through encouraging collective leadership they help leaders of Christian schools create excellent, life-giving experiences where staff and students can feel like they belong.To learn more, order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.Be encouraged.Timestamps:[3:19] - Daniel and Darren introduce themselves.[5:32] - Having an open door mentality, teachers were able to improve student outcomes.[9:35] - Sometimes it's challenging for leaders to be evaluated.[12:10] - The Christian Schools Australia tries to take focus off performance and put it on improvement.[15:23] - There are two types of leadership: onboard leadership and biblical leadership.[19:05] - In collaborative leadership, it's important to make sure everyone has the power they're told they have.[23:30] - When asking people to be vulnerable, you need to create respectful spaces.[25:00] - It's important to ensure the education we're providing is God honoring.[27:40] - Jon puts Daniel and Darren through a lightning round.  Websites:Christian Schools Australia Books:Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon EckertConnect on Social Media:Baylor MA in School LeadershipBaylor Doctorate in EducationJon Eckert: @eckertjonCenter for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl