[00:00:00] Olivia: Welcome to Schoolutions®, where listening will leave you inspired by solutions to issues you or others you know may be struggling with in the public education system today. I am Olivia Wahl, and it is absolutely crazy to me that this is the Season 3 finale. I am excited to release Season 4 coming in the fall. And I wanted to take a moment just to share something that's been on my mind, especially over this past year, that school districts and systems that I have the privilege of serving; they focus a lot of time on crafting vision statements and mission statements and making those public with their communities.
[00:00:45] Olivia: I feel like what's missing, though, is the why. And so what I mean by that is the vision and mission statements often speak to what they want to accomplish and where that will be seen. What isn't focused on enough is why are we showing up for kids. You know, what collection of ideas do we all share or do we each have that help guide our behaviors and practices in the classroom?
[00:01:12] Olivia: And most importantly, where's the research to support those practices and have our back? So, I thought it would be important that you know my why, um, why do I show up in schools to support teachers and their students and the leadership, um, and something that a phrase that means the world to me and is really important is parallel practice.
[00:01:34] Olivia: What I mean by that is, I would never expect children, students to try something or learn with a particular method if the teachers were not trying and learning in those structures as well and being supported to take risks. I also think it's critical that leadership experiences those same parallel practices. So everyone in the system is living and breathing this way of teaching. So with that said, my belief statements are pretty much the same when it comes to teachers and students and how they learn and what I believe to be true. So I thought I'd share the basics of those and then those are on my website as well if you want to see and I have the research linked and embedded within.
[00:02:22] Olivia: So one of the things I believe to be true is that teachers and students deserve to be their authentic selves, and that means the text they're choosing; that means that the tasks they're embarking upon, they need choice. Um, it means that they need lots of time in order to practice and learn and take risks together. Um, and It means that they also should have choice in how they're coached, how they're taught, how they're supported. I also believe that relationships are really important, and I don't think there's enough time in the day for students to talk to each other, um, and play around with, you know, their thinking and stretch each other.
[00:03:05] Olivia: I also don't think there's enough time built into school days for teachers to collaborate. And, um, if I could have my dreams come true, it would be, you know, how are we taking on lesson studies with teachers and letting them practice and play around with things they're struggling with and plan together more than that one period a day of grade level collab time.
[00:03:28] Olivia: Learning should be driven by curiosity, and that is one of the most engaging ways to learn as a grown-up and learn as a student. And the way we learn through curiosity is through play and inquiry. So how are we taking the strand of inquiry throughout everything we're doing, um, and making it safe to try new things and to fall flat on our face and then pick ourselves up and try again? I think we need lots of practice and what that means is that teachers get time to practice their craft and be coached and that students get a minimum of 67 minutes a day to read, stretched out across the day. Um, that's based on Guthrie's research, 60 minutes a day, minimum of math instruction to practice - time themselves and also 60 minutes, um, to write. And again, it's not all at once. It can be stretched out throughout a day, but we need lots and lots of time to practice our learning to get better. I think students need systemic direct phonics instruction, but it's all to serve them reading and writing independently.
[00:04:42] Olivia: So what does that look and feel like in school districts? It's kind of a mess these days. Um, and I think that we need clarity around that still. I worry a lot about the curricula programs that are being adopted nationwide and that it's forcing teachers in a lot of ways to feel like they have to go day-by-day and follow what a program is telling them their students need. And instead, I think we can be much more efficient and effective and plan long-term. As a teacher now, I probably wouldn't have my day-to-day mapped out because the students are going to guide that. I would prioritize standards. I would think, you know, what topics are relevant and happening right now that I could connect standards and texts to, um, so that idea of ensuring my day-to-day connects with my long term plan, but it's driven by student evidence of learning.
[00:05:38] Olivia: That would be a huge shift. And that student evidence of learning has to come in writing, in a written form. How are the kids showing us what they know to be true and transferring that learning into their everyday experience? I also think kids and teachers deserve regular feedback. There's got to be a feedback loop. Um, it needs to be goal setting in place. There needs to be descriptive feedback, and feedback doesn't need to all be positive, but it needs to be constantly noticing where the teacher and the students are as learners and then pushing them or helping them move forward slowly but surely based on where they are as the next step.
[00:06:25] Olivia: I believe in collective advocacy and that we all get smarter when we have others to learn and grow with. I also have been studying Michael Fullen's research too around how we get smarter by studying with people outside of our organizations. And I think that we can lean on that; like, partner up with someone outside of your school district in a job-alike role and have them be your person. Talk about what's working well in your system, what's not working well, and troubleshoot together that way. I think that one of the most important beliefs I have is that listening to each other's stories and learning from each other - um, that can change everything and that connecting with each other; teaching’s really lonely. I think students feel really alone these days. They can look down at their device and hide behind that. And my hope for school is that we build again, lots of time for our teachers and students to connect with each other, to plan, to have conversation, um, to be reflective and not hide so much behind our phones or technology and, um, just grow together.
[00:07:36] Olivia: So, I am grateful that you have tuned in for three seasons. Um, I would be so appreciative if you would share the podcast. There's quite a variety of episodes that I've tried to curate. Those are all on YouTube. They're on - also, you can listen wherever you get your podcasts, but if you like to watch, you can check out and learn from such a beautiful variety of changemakers and guests. Topics from supporting our homeless population to making sure that students have access to beautiful books and literature. Um, also thinking about how do we engage students in general? So, um, keep tuning in, keep listening. I appreciate you. Leave a review if you are so willing, um, the more reviews help the podcast move onto people's radar a little bit more efficiently. So thank you. Take care. I hope you have a wonderful summer.
[00:08:32] Olivia: Teachers rest up, rejuvenate, uh, you've earned it. You deserve it. And, um, get ready for a great next school year in the fall. Take care. Schoolutions® is a podcast created, produced, and edited by me, Olivia Wahl. This is a wrap for Season 3 of Schoolutions®. Again, I'm excited to release Season 4, coming fall of 2024 (in September).
[00:09:00] Olivia: Um, a big thank you always to my older son, Benjamin, who created the music that's playing in the background. I would love for you to share the podcast far and wide. Leave a review. It really does matter. Um, and follow the podcast on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, and Facebook @schoolutionspodcast. Uh, if you'd like to become a Schoolutions® sponsor or share episode ideas for the upcoming season, leave me a SpeakPipe voice memo at my website, www.oliviawahl.com/podcast, or feel free to connect via email at @schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for joining our conversations. Please keep listening and let's continue finding inspiration together.