Embark on a transformative adventure with Edward DeShazer and Dr. Sean Woodly, as we uncover the essential ingredients for success in urban and culturally diverse classrooms. This episode is a compelling tapestry, weaving Dr. Woodly's journey from the DJ booth to the classroom with robust discussions on student engagement and classroom management. Discover the Teach, Hustle, Inspire movement and how Dr. Woodley's bestselling books provide a roadmap for educators to unlock the true potential in every student.
The art of DJing and teaching may seem worlds apart, but they share a rhythm that resonates with those willing to listen. This chat brings to light the critical importance of knowing your audience and the power of connection, whether commanding a classroom or controlling the decks. We delve into authentic leadership and the profound impact of relationship-building in education, challenging listeners to reflect on their approach to teaching and leadership. The stories shared serve as a beacon for educators and school leaders, inspiring them to lead with authenticity and foster a nurturing, communicative environment.
Our conversation is a tribute to educators' resilience and a call to arms for greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence in the teaching profession. We dissect the solitude often found within the K-12 structure and its clash with human needs, shining a light on the importance of consistent classroom management and support for teachers. Offering practical advice for career switchers and veterans alike, we emphasize the power of self-reflection and the selection of a positive community to thrive in education. Tune in for an episode that's as informative as it is inspirational, equipping educators with the tools for a more impactful and fulfilling teaching journey with Dr. Sean Woodly by our side.
More information about Dr. Woodly can be found here: https://www.teachhustleinspire.com/
www.EdwardDeShazer.org
Embark on a transformative adventure with Edward DeShazer and Dr. Sean Woodly, as we uncover the essential ingredients for success in urban and culturally diverse classrooms. This episode is a compelling tapestry, weaving Dr. Woodly's journey from the DJ booth to the classroom with robust discussions on student engagement and classroom management. Discover the Teach, Hustle, Inspire movement and how Dr. Woodley's bestselling books provide a roadmap for educators to unlock the true potential in every student.
The art of DJing and teaching may seem worlds apart, but they share a rhythm that resonates with those willing to listen. This chat brings to light the critical importance of knowing your audience and the power of connection, whether commanding a classroom or controlling the decks. We delve into authentic leadership and the profound impact of relationship-building in education, challenging listeners to reflect on their approach to teaching and leadership. The stories shared serve as a beacon for educators and school leaders, inspiring them to lead with authenticity and foster a nurturing, communicative environment.
Our conversation is a tribute to educators' resilience and a call to arms for greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence in the teaching profession. We dissect the solitude often found within the K-12 structure and its clash with human needs, shining a light on the importance of consistent classroom management and support for teachers. Offering practical advice for career switchers and veterans alike, we emphasize the power of self-reflection and the selection of a positive community to thrive in education. Tune in for an episode that's as informative as it is inspirational, equipping educators with the tools for a more impactful and fulfilling teaching journey with Dr. Sean Woodly by our side.
More information about Dr. Woodly can be found here: https://www.teachhustleinspire.com/
www.EdwardDeShazer.org
Welcome to the Teachers Ed podcast. I'm your host, edward DeShazer. Teachers Ed podcast was created to be a thought space for the best I almost said the best the best and brightest in education to come to learn, to connect, to inspire and to grow. Today's guest today. I am honored. Let me read his bio. Today's guest today is Dr Sean Woodley. He is charged with an unstoppable passion for education.
Speaker 1:Dr Sean Woodley, a Hampton University alum, has left marks on every rung of the academic ladder, from a dedicated K-12 teacher to an inspiring university professor. His journey is fueled by a commitment to transform education. Celebrated as Teacher of the Year and the recipient of several awards for his exceptional teaching, dr Woodley's accolades are a testament to his remarkable influence, pioneering new paths to the highest levels of achievement in urban and culturally diverse schools. Dr Woodley is the visionary architect of the transformative movement Teach, hustle, inspire. For those looking at YouTube, I am repping his hoodie. It's one of the dopest hoodies out there. I'll give you an opportunity to find out where you can get that later. He is also a two-time bestselling author of MC Means Move the Class how to Spark Engagement and Motivation in Urban and Culturally Diverse Classrooms, as well as the League of Extraordinary Educators the Secret Strategies of Transformational Teachers. Dr Woodley strives to redefine teaching and learning experience in urban and culturally diverse schools so that the extraordinary gift that educators unlocks the potential of every student in every classroom, regardless of the circumstances.
Speaker 1:I have had the privilege to hear Dr Woodley speak several times. If you are not in education, you will understand after this conversation why you need to be following him. Why you need to be following him, why you need to hear him speak, why you need to get in touch with him. He is incredible, dr Woodley. I appreciate you jumping on man.
Speaker 2:Oh man, I don't even know what to say after that, brother. Thank you very, very much, my good man Edward. It's an absolute pleasure to join you. I appreciate the invitation Always. I could talk about this stuff forward and backwards all day, so you just let me know I'm ready to do it. Let's go.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So where the space I want us to kind of really, you know I've heard you speak classroom management, student engagement are two of those spaces where I've just I know, and the thing is they're both kind of hand in hand, Like if you get students engaged your management becomes a little easier. So really, I guess the start I gave an introduction Can you just kind of let people know, if you can, the story that I want you to share is the just basically how you, the story that you share when you speak to educators the version I know I've heard it where you talk about how you were a DJ and how you got in the classroom and had those challenges. Can you just share that story? Because every time I hear that I think that is the story that can help shift the mindset of an educator or a school leader that's listening today. So if you can just share a little bit about yourself and how you ended up where you are with this incredible brand of Teach, Hustle, Inspire, Absolutely so.
Speaker 2:My path to education. I started teaching not immediately out of college. I did a five-year program when I was at Hampton, and so I came out with my master's fully certified, but I didn't get into teaching right away. I took a year before I started teaching, but when I did get into the classroom, it was almost like what took you so long? You should have been here Like this is where you belong, felt like I was supposed to be there. So I get in there, though, and the school at which I teach it's about 30 minutes away from where I was living, so I'm not familiar with this area. I'm still living. I went to Hampton, which is in Virginia, so I'm still living in the Hampton Roads area, but I had to go across the water, as they say, across the bridge, teaching at a school I'm not familiar with. So I get into the school, do the interview, get offered a position, and I'm stepping into my calling Again. What took you so long Before I start teaching, though? I get offered their position in October, which number one is not hiring season. You as a building leader, you know good and well, right, you already already know. So I get offered the position in october.
Speaker 2:October 6th was my first day teaching, which, for those that did not catch that, that means that somebody was there at the beginning of the year and quit. So here I come. Now also, when I tell people, hey, I'm getting ready to start teaching. They're asking me first question oh great, where are you going to teach? Tell them the name of the school. And then I'm getting ready to start teaching, they're asking me first question oh great, where are you going to teach? Tell them the name of the school. And then I'm getting all these eyebrows like, oh, be careful, like those types of responses because of the neighborhood where the school is. So now I'm taking all of this in.
Speaker 2:I go into that classroom. In my mind there's only one thing that I need to do, because they just ran that teacher out of the building. And I'm talking about these people are like this school is just be careful in their middle school. So I go in there with the mentality of shutting everything down and that is exactly what I did. Like I've been told that new teacher mantra where you don't smile to November. Just just know, I took it entirely too far. I did not smile privately for my first two years of teaching, just went in there and was just iron fist. This is my way or the highway to get relationships? None of that. And I taught that way. And from the outside it looked good, because my classroom was always one that was very quiet. For the most part, my classroom was one that seemed very compliant. And again, on the outside it looked good. It was something that I held in high regard and I wore it honestly, as a badge of honor.
Speaker 2:Until one day I'm sitting in my office and one of the parents of my sixth grade students, she calls me. She says hello, how you doing? I said good, how can I help you? She's told me plain and simple, very directly. She said my daughter is scared in your classroom and I will never, ever forget that moment for me because it just hit me as I walked into that classroom every day.
Speaker 2:I knew exactly what I was doing, but at the same time I didn't realize the damage that it was causing For a parent to say that to me, that I'm literally using fear as a teaching mechanism for someone's child. It just mind you, at that age I didn't have children yet. Yeah, literally the student-to-prison pipeline. I'm fitting right into the system the way that it wants me to.
Speaker 2:So what that caused me to do was to step back and make some very serious changes very, very soon, and I didn't know exactly what needed to be done. But I went back to the drawing board and I started from the bottom, like literally from day one, and worked my way back into what I felt like a teacher should be for students that look like us. And what I also did at that time was it forced me to go back and figure out okay, hey, clearly this is not the right way, but what is the right way? And gradually my students start to have greater levels of success. I earned teacher of the year my students in the state of Virginia when you get a blue ribbon recognition, that's like state level. We did the doggone thing and so that, in a nutshell, really just showed me what could be done for quote, unquote those kids because they have been written off and still are in a lot of cases in other neighborhoods and schools written off. But that potential is there. It just is lying a lot of times, dormant and untapped.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know hearing what you're saying. There was something I heard an educator say that you know you were talking about compliance and there's this big misconception in education that compliance is learning. A compliant classroom is just at a stalemate. Me as a teacher, if you just sit and be quiet and don't give me problems, I'm not going to make you do nothing, you just we will both exist while we're in here and I've seen that in classrooms and that's such a big misconception. When you tour around buildings and you think of classroom management, to me classroom management isn't always the quietest classroom.
Speaker 1:Like I'm worried when the classroom is quiet, unless there's like reading or studying like a quiet classroom isn't good, like there should be talking, there should be connecting, there should be stuff going on. But I think from our generation is you know me being 41, our generation like a compliant classroom was considered the most of the best classroom. They're all in the straight line, they're all listening. So I think that, from what I'm, what I hear a lot of times is that mentality that we got to get out of an education, that compliance doesn't mean learning. And that's why I've always gravitated to listening to your presentations because there's life in it and there's energy. And I think what you do is so valuable for educators because you model it versus the people I've seen present that get up there and it's like bullet point one this is what you do. Bullet point two I think that is one of the most valuable things from my opinion of what I have seen you do is how you model that the classrooms can be fun.
Speaker 1:And I know there's something you talked about and, if you could go into a little bit, you talked about your experience as a DJ and how that ties to classroom and student engagement, which ultimately works along with management. Can you kind of talk about that a little bit, because I think what's stopping and this is just my opinion what is stopping some educators from being dynamic, is just a small mindset shift. We've seen and operated in the same space of like straight rows, compliance, and once an educator's mindset shifts, I think there's a lot of growth that'll take place. So can you kind of talk about your experience as a DJ and also how that ties to your philosophy in education?
Speaker 2:Absolutely so. Essentially, while I was teaching at that particular, I taught at the K-12 level before I started teaching college. I taught for 10 years and simultaneously I'm teaching my students during the day, but also I'm now venturing into my craft of becoming a DJ. This served a couple of different purposes. Number one it's something that I've wanted to do since high school and so now, having graduated college with a little bit of regular income, I could invest. I was like a legit, real DJ. I had records and technique 1200s. It wasn't like one of those virtual DJs pushing, no, we're like scratching and mixing real stuff. And on top of that, of course, there was an income component to it. So I'm supplementing my income a little bit. It had its advantages, but there was a steep learning curve.
Speaker 2:Paul like seriously, for anybody who just thinks that you can just get in front of a crowd and just play anything you are, I learned the hard way more than once that what it takes to literally like Eric B and Rakim, move the crowd is not as easy as it looks. So I'm learning and growing each and every day. In Rakim I used their Duke that they were like a dynamic early duo in hip hop because one was the DJ, one was the emcee, but for me I was both. So I'm doing the music and I'm on the mic. So I had to learn how to control crowds. That I did not know. I had to get up there and learn and get comfortable very fast with creating an environment up there and learn and get comfortable very fast with creating an environment. And so, as I'm discovering this, I'm growing and learning in this profession. But I'm like hold on, I have to do the same thing in the classroom. But I said I have advantage in the classroom, At least when I'm DJing, like I'm at a club or a bar mitzvah, a retirement party, whatever it may be. I don't know those people. So I have to do a lot of in that classroom. I know them, I know, or at least I should. That's a different story, but I have an advantage.
Speaker 2:But even without that, just thinking at the surface level, I started to understand that when I'm in the classroom or when I'm in the club, I'm trying to do the same exact thing. I'm operating as a source of motivation. I'm making real time decisions. I'm also in a one to many environment. I'm also curating specific content. I'm using creativity because I'm breathing life into those lessons. I'm breathing life into those songs, I'm blending, I'm literally creating an experience for my kids and for those people that are in that club. And that epiphany, if you will, started to resonate with me and I started to think of my role and responsibility in the learning environment.
Speaker 2:A lot, a lot different and again, the advantage that I had in the classroom was that I knew them.
Speaker 2:I knew them, they knew me. So, like some of the best experiences at the club, it's like you know you're going to a club in, like Cape Capri, so I'm just using somebody randomly, you know what he's going to do, because you understand a little bit about his style. Like I grew up in New York, so there's certain DJs that you hear regularly Funkmaster, flex, all of these on the radio. You kind of have an understanding of what it is, so there's a certain level of anticipation. But me I'm just like a local DJ, so I don't know these people within that classroom. I know them, they know me, I know what I'm going to get from them and they know what they're going to get from me. So I just sprinkled that in every single learning experience that I could with that mentality and, as you said, made that shift to kind of think of the learning environment as a place where I can create that experience and blend those things for my students.
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Speaker 1:Now back to the episode, and I you know the part that hit home the most for me was knowing your students. I think that's an honest question that teachers have to ask themselves, not even just teachers, principals Like let's even take it a step further. Do teachers you know a teacher that's listening? The question I would ask you to pause this podcast listen to is that you're listening at. Do you know your students To take it one step further to the school leaders that are listening? Do you know your students to take it one step further to the school leaders that are listening? Do you know your staff, like how can I curate a playlist in my classroom or a playlist in my school. It would be like me walking into a room as a hip hop DJ, but my whole audience is country fans. Like, do you know what connects with your students? Because if you do or if you don't, you're going to be playing music that they don't want to listen to. You know? Do you know, as a school leader, what connects with your staff? Like, do we actually know who we are serving on a day to day basis?
Speaker 1:And I think that is the aspect that I find often gets missed because we're busy as educators. Anyone listening knows that you're busy. Like we don't have a lot of time, but are we just learning about the people around us on the surface level? Are you and our Dr Woodley and I in the same building and we're just doing those drive-bys like hey, how you doing Good, nice to see you, and we just blow past each other and we don't know anything? Or are we like man, what did you do this weekend?
Speaker 1:Like I try to make a point in our school when I see kids in the morning and I'm talking to them, not just say, hey, how are you doing? That's the standard and everyone always says good. Even if they're doing bad, they say, good, that's just how we are as a society right now. But I try to ask them what did you do over the weekend? What did you do last night? How does your mornings look?
Speaker 1:Because you can learn a lot when you find out like some kids are like oh, I didn't get to do anything. So you're like, okay, maybe something's going on at home, maybe their parents aren't around, maybe they don't have as many friends as I thought. So I think some of it is really getting to know the people that we not only serve as a teacher but serve as leadership or work side by side teachers and teachers. Like are we actually asking questions to find out who the people are so we can really gear whatever our quote unquote playlist is for them? You know, to make sure that we're connecting with them. You're not going to play country in a club. They're going to be looking at you like what's going on? Like like you clearly don't know what class you walked into. So you know.
Speaker 2:That's the part that I was hearing and and and you're spot on, and what that also makes me think of is just like, even like our interactions, like what you're saying.
Speaker 2:I saw that when I first met you the first time that we had the opportunity to meet at that conference in person, and then we stayed in touch and every time, like you, make it a point to go out of your way hey, how you doing what's going on, like it's beyond the surface and it's not hard to tell the type of leader that you are for those educators that you serve, and so it is very abundant educators that you serve, and so it is very abundant.
Speaker 2:Like, without having ever stepped foot in your building, I can make a pretty educated guess as to what the environment and what it feels like in there for those educators. Going a step further, going back to what I mentioned before one of the things that I don't really get to mention this often but what that experience allowed me to do and this kind of speaks to something that you mentioned before that is that me treating the classroom in that way, but that analogy of, like the teaching and the DJing, what that ultimately allowed me to do was for lack of a better phrase, in a moment I gave myself permission to be just Sean and teach, and me not having to fit inside that mold of what I thought teaching should look like, especially in an urban school, giving myself like it's stressful and it's energy draining, trying to be somebody else. And I was doing that every day, because me laying the iron, like me teaching with an iron fist, is not who I am as a person.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but yeah, it shocked me when you said that bro yeah I was like you like that. That's not the energy I get from you yeah, yeah, now, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 2:When I need to, I can turn it on, but I turned it on and did not turn it off. That was the problem, because that is who I was supposed to. That's who I thought I was supposed to be and you're exactly right, it was. I'm leaving there tired every day because I'm putting so much energy into trying to be somebody who I'm not. And when I had that experience with that student's parent who called me, on top of understanding my just personal and professional growth in both of those roles, it was liberating to go into the classroom and be me. I'm still growing, don't get me wrong. I'm still advancing in my field, in my practice as an educator, but I'm doing it on my terms and now I can do it without basically draining myself every single opportunity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think there's this huge I don't think I know there's this huge misconception, especially when you're dealing with black and brown students in schools. What?
Speaker 1:you were sharing is we have this perception that we have to be tough on them. What you're, what you were sharing is, you know, we have this perception that we have to be tough on them, especially black and Brown males, Like we have to be so hard and tough on them. And what I learned and I also was a leader that has made that mistake I was like do as I say, not as I do. Like I have this titles executive director. Everyone should be listening to me. I'm the teacher in this class. You all should be listening to me. And it's like when I started to approach our students with love and our staff members with love, it changed how I was received as a leader. Like I had a lot of growing to do as a leader, and some of it again is just a mindset shift. There's this, there's this moment that I really felt myself growing. There was a staff member in our building this was some years back and one of the other teachers was like yeah, they have something that they want to share, they have a good idea, and my response to that staff member is like why won't they share it with me? Instead of that response, it was like well, why won't they just come and talk to me Instead of thinking like, what have I done to make them not feel comfortable bringing this to me? So I was putting all of it on them, Like you have something to say and a great idea, bring it to me. But I had not created a welcoming space. I was not a welcoming leader. We're bringing bringing a great idea. Like someone was scared to bring me a great idea. Like I hear that now and that's crazy and I'm still not perfect. To bring me a great idea. I hear that now and that's crazy, and I'm still not perfect. But the mentality shift for me was what have I done for that staff member to not feel safe bringing a great idea to me? It's not like they're bringing a hey, this is a problem, this was a great idea and they didn't feel safe. So I think that for me as a leader, was a big shift, and I think that's a shift that some teachers can make.
Speaker 1:We get offended when a student has a concern. What I've learned is I ask them is there something going on? They'll be like yeah, and I'll ask them do you want to talk to me about it? And they may say no, and I used to always get offended. But then once you understand a student may not always feel safe, no matter how hard I've tried. But then my, you understand like a student may not always feel safe, no matter how hard I've tried. But then my next question is is there someone that you do want to talk to? Who would you like to share that with Versus?
Speaker 1:Originally, when I got into leadership, I would almost get offended if I was like Sean, what's going on? You're like it's a rough day, you want to talk? No, what do you mean? You don't want to talk, Like, come on, want to talk, Come on, and you force them to talk. That's not a safe learning environment for any student. And that was a growth for me of what can I control? What type of spaces have I created for our students, for our staff? And if they are not comfortable coming to me, what can I do better? Not, what should they do. What can I do better to create that space for them to feel comfortable sharing? And I think that's one of the biggest downfalls that I've heard in leadership. When I talk to teachers and I'm like what are some of the things going on in your school? It's they don't feel heard by their leadership, and that's a problem.
Speaker 2:And what you're saying. That level of self-awareness, under that umbrella of emotional intelligence is so big. And one of the things that I wholeheartedly believe is criminal is that there isn't enough emphasis for us as educators period, regardless of whether you're building leader, district leader, classroom leader there isn't enough emphasis put on that, the art of what it means to be self-aware, to manage your emotions, to manage relationships with others. There's an art to that and a science too, but that and the influence that that has on not just student engagement but managing the learning environment and proactively preventing situations that could go wrong, because inherently, school system gets very isolated. We are relational beings, we're not meant to be alone.
Speaker 2:But if you look at the construction of the schools like not the physical construction but the structure that is the institution of K-12 learning and you already mentioned this Straight rows, we sit by ourselves, we test by ourselves, we learn by ourselves. I might be sitting physically next to someone, but the expectation, in the general scheme of things it's very isolated and the psychological impact of that does not fit into how human beings grow and just human behavior basics. And this is we wonder why we have so many classroom management issues is because so much of what is the fabric of K-12 education triggers human resistance because it goes against survival instincts for us to be together, for us, like there are so many, there are just so many issues and it, if we just allow teachers the opportunity and that's one of the things that I really take, I really make sure that I put a good amount of effort into helping teachers understand is to go beyond the lesson plan. What is it on an emotional level? What is it on an emotional level? What is it on a cognitive level?
Speaker 2:What about the behavior science? What about the sociology of it? What about the communication aspects of it? What about even the like? There are so many different layers that so many of us are not taught and or educated with and we wonder why. You look at the data and it's like we're not excelling and achieving. Well, yeah, we have a job where our role is to put information in students brains, but we're not taught how our brains work.
Speaker 1:Like, think about that that is absolutely criminal to me and I also feel that, more so in the last however many years I don't even know how many, but I feel like society, slowly and slowly, is putting more and more on the educators, like they want us to be the teacher, they want us to be the psychologist, they want us to be the parent, they want us to be the doctor, they want us to be the social worker and then we're wondering why our educators are burning out.
Speaker 1:It's like we're asking and demanding more and more and more of the educators but like, when do we get an opportunity to actually teach? You know, and I think a lot of that has been such a big challenge for educators. And I see this, just you, this, just when I post stuff on TikTok or on Instagram and you hear teachers responding. I see the videos that teachers are responding to and the one that gets the most comments is the ones where teachers are just like I've been doing this forever and I am spent. I saw a comment the other day and it was like I've been doing this for 20 years and I don't know if I can do it another day.
Speaker 1:Like that is where we have allowed our staff and our adults to get to, because we're not equipping them, and that's kind of what I'm hearing you say. It's like we're asking them to do things that they're not fully equipped to do, and whether that's something that needs to be an adjustment in the college space. We're like are there other things that, as we're training teachers, like classroom management? There's never classes on stuff like that. We just expect people to walk in and know how to teach and know how to manage people.
Speaker 1:So it's like how do we solve this problem now, Because we're going to continue to lose teachers. But I've also seen teachers that you know a pair that has a high school degree that can manage a classroom better than someone that has a doctorate degree.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's all like there's just some natural skills that some people have, but I also think there's some skills that people can learn, but instead of learning by fire, like how do we proactively the same thing you're saying with the students, how do we proactively prepare our teachers to manage students where they are not, trying to make students meet the adults where they are? What would you suggest would be a solution? And I know I'm sure this is a 20-hour conversation of how we can make these changes, but what is something that you think is something that we can start doing in the educational space to help our teachers?
Speaker 2:So you speak to a couple of things directly and you are correct. This is a conversation that could go in a number of different directions for a number of hours, but at its foundation, we have to help people unlearn what it is that we've come to know as teaching, because that has been proven not to work, but yet we still, because for most of us it is all that we know we continue to do it and so unlearning what we've come to understand as teaching, and then going beyond with explicit and detailed instruction and learning on the different functions of how the brain works, the different functions of our emotional intelligence and how that relates to instruction, the different functions of various aspects of psychology and communication, the different functions of what it takes to even you can have all of those advanced things, but even the basics start with the basics. Help someone to understand and don't assume that they know how to create rules, how to create procedures, and that procedures need to be taught. They need to be practiced, they need to be practiced. We're talking about practice. Yes, we're talking about practice. They need to be practiced. You know what I'm saying and sometimes I just did some walkthroughs at a school just last week and we have a lot of.
Speaker 2:In that particular school, you had educators about a dozen of them who were career switchers, who wanted to get into teaching and, for lack of a better term, just thrown into the classroom and currently going through their coursework but were not taught the basics of classroom management.
Speaker 2:Being like that can be demoralizing to somebody who is coming into something where your heart and soul is in it but you're failing out the gate. These are people who who may not have had some people have that natural instinct, like you mentioned, but some they can be taught. Some have that natural instinct, but the rest can be taught, because these things are skills. They're not inherent traits that you just have or you don't. They're skills that can be learned. And so I wholeheartedly believe, going back to your original question, that if we were explicitly taught these things, then we can transform what teaching and learning looks like, so that this extraordinary gift that we've come to know as education can literally take each and every child and unlock their intellectual treasure and expose them to great potential that they probably don't even realize that they have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love it, so we're going to get. I want to ask one more question as we get ready to land this plane. I want one piece of advice that you would give to an educator that may be struggling with classroom management or classroom engagement. What is?
Speaker 2:one and again.
Speaker 1:I like that you said the basics, because I'm the same way when I work with educators. It's like if we can't do the basic things right, we can't do the advanced stuff. It's like trying to do long division but you don't even know how to add and subtract. So what is just one basic thing that an educator can do, starting now, if they're having some challenges with classroom management in their school or maybe it's a school leader that's struggling what's one basic piece of advice that you would give that educator that's listening to this?
Speaker 2:There are a couple of different things. You said one. All right, let me narrow it down to one.
Speaker 1:Listen, we'll give them a bonus. Give us two, give us a bonus today.
Speaker 2:All right, I'll give you two. I'll challenge them to think about it in these terms. Number one, from a self-reflective aspect what is it that you are doing to grow? I ask that question, although it seems simple at its surface. So many of us go into teaching with the assumption that growth is automatic and you have to be intentional about how you grow. You know when you go into that classroom what it is that you're struggling with. Example, if you know that you're having a difficult time getting your students' attention, that's a very easy indicator of something that you can focus on.
Speaker 2:So what is it that you can read? What is it that? Who is? Who is someone that you can ask? And then that goes into my second one, the who, the bonus one we are a product of. Basically, I'll say it this way, and you've probably heard this before you show me the five people you hang around most. I can show you your future. We all have that teacher click that we hang around, but what many of us do not realize is that those people influence you a lot more than you think you do. And so if those people that are around you, if there are people that constantly talk about this group of students and this group of parents and how just the complaining corner? And yeah, we all need to air our grievances every while.
Speaker 2:But every conversation, every conversation is something bad Really Like. That is a good indication of where you are going and how it's going to shape your worldview, whether you realize it or not. Making a switch there and making sure you are being influenced by someone with strong instruction, strong relationship skills with strong, by someone with strong instruction, strong in relationship skills with strong. I mean just you can, whatever it is, and put those five people around you and be intentional with that and watch how you soar.
Speaker 1:And I would even challenge them to take a step further. Not even just the people you hang out with at school. The people you hang out with you're not at school Because when you're not at work and you want to recharge your battery are you around negative people?
Speaker 1:That is just a life. I don't care if you're listening and you're not a teacher. Whatever you do for a living, if you are spending time around people that are constantly negative, it's going to drain you. Life is going to drain you enough. Make sure that you are picking people Like you said. I'm not complaining, I'm explaining. 'm explaining sometimes. Yes, we got to get some things off our chest, but if everything is drag, dragging you down, it's like having an eeyore. You know you can either have an eeyore or a piglet. Piglet was positive. He was like we can do this. Poo eeyore. Like come on, poo, we're back at work again. Standardized testing here it comes. Like what type of energy and what type of folks you keep around you. I think that's a lesson in the building and out of the building one.
Speaker 2:So what I want to do?
Speaker 1:to close, I got some. I got some, uh, some quick fire questions for you, so I hope you're ready. We are going to do these music themed, so the quick fire questions as we get ready to close. You can only listen to one music artist ever again. Who is that artist?
Speaker 2:Oh man, in the spirit of musicianship, I'm going to go. Bruno Mars.
Speaker 1:Bruno Mars. I like it. Okay, yeah, the second question the best music themed movie ever Any. It doesn't have to be like a musical, but the best music themed movie ever any, it doesn't have to be like a musical, but the best music themed movie ever. I know what my answer is and I'll share mine when you're done off the top.
Speaker 2:I'm just thinking of the, the artistry, the talent and just the overall impact. I probably have to say Ray.
Speaker 1:Ooh, that is a good one. That was a very good movie. So my answer was Sister Act 2. I just love Sister Mary Clarence, like she just has that, that energy that. I agree that was the movie that changed not changed Jamie Foxx's career, but it allowed you to see that he's not just some goofball. Yes, and I was like, wow, talent he killed that Pure talent, top to bottom.
Speaker 1:Love it. I was not even thinking that, so that was a good one. The last question I have this one's going to be a little tougher, okay, a little tougher, okay, if you could. So I want an album title that would describe your educational career. So any, it doesn't have to be album, just the album title that would describe your educational career life after death life after death that experience that I had, the old me.
Speaker 2:I laid him to rest and move forward with the new Sean and a new dawn of education. Let's go ahead and stop it right there. Life after death, that's it.
Speaker 1:That's it. That's it, dr Woolley man. I appreciate so much for jumping on. I want to give you an opportunity for those that are listening and wondering where you can connect. If you are listening and watching this on YouTube, all of this information will be in the description. Please go check them out. But can you just let everyone know it's listening, where they can find you, where they can get these hoodies, bro? I'll be honest with you, I get more compliments when I wear this hoodie than when I wear anything else. I'm not even kidding you, bro. This hoodie, not only does it look good, bro, it's comfortable. I'm a hoodies guy. Oh man, I appreciate that You've done it. I wish I had a piece of the brand. I'll be honest with you as a businessman. I wish it was mine. But I love that rep because it's yours. But yeah, let everyone know where they can find you, where they can follow you on social media, your website, all of that information.
Speaker 2:I want to give you the opportunity to do that right now. Yes, sir, before I do that, I want to thank you again for the opportunity to have this conversation, what you are doing and the work that you are putting out there and the impact that you are having. Chef's kiss to you, brother. Thank you, real talk. I appreciate you, but you can find me at all things Teach Hustle Inspire teachhustleinspirecom Instagram. Teach Hustle Inspire teachhustleinspirecom Instagram threads. At teachhustleinspire Facebook. At teachhustleinspire Twitter or X, if you want to call it that. It's at Sean Woodley, my first and last name, and anywhere, usually most education conferences. I go to a lot of education conferences, but I work with a lot of schools in various parts of the country, so I'm on the road a lot, but I'm on social media pretty much every single day in some way, shape or form, and I'd love to connect with you. Holler, at me, I'm here.
Speaker 1:Man. If you are listening, I cannot encourage you enough to find a conference that he is at, reach out to him, bring him in front of your educators. The hour I have seen him present can change the culture in your school. I would encourage you to connect with them, follow them on social media. And as I get ready to close, I want to make sure I take a second to thank our sponsor, be Well Teacher Box, a gift box made for teachers by teachers to help them focus on their self-care. Wwwbewellteachercom. Use code TEACHERSED to save $7. Dr Woodley, I appreciate you jumping on. I appreciate you all for listening. Make sure you like, make sure you subscribe, make sure you leave us a review, make sure you go, follow Dr Woodley, make sure you buy one of these hoodies so you can wrap it alongside of us. Um, and until next sunday, make sure you guys take care of yourselves and have an incredible week.