COLLAR®’s Post

"That kid deserves better. That family deserves better. That teacher deserves better. We all deserve better than this. So, what are we going to do about it?" Elizabeth Hickey Orme asked these questions as a Special Education Director and it led her to build Creatively Focused. She is on a mission to make it better, and to empower educators with the time and resources they need for a fulfilling lifelong career. 💓 Learn more about Elizabeth's journey and how Creatively Focused can support your special education team: https://lnkd.in/geBrEQm8 #SpecialEducation #SpecialEducationLeadership #SpecialEducationAdministrators #SpecialEducationTeachers #InnovateEducation

At Tees Valley Education we regularly use the phrase that 'expertise does not grow in silos' This is especially true when it comes to understanding tackling educational inequality through policy, partnerships and place. So, a particular thank you to a number of organisations that have worked with us this week (and beyond). We value your collaboration! Cramlington Village Primary School - we look forward to supporting your thinking and work on poverty-informed practice in due course. Evidence Based Education - for sharpening our curiosity and for digging deep into the complexity of poverty-informed practice with us. More collaboration on the way! Chartered College of Teaching - for continuing to strengthen our teams and help us to grow our partnerships. We are especially thankful to Dame Alison Peacock DL, DLitt for her personal contributions this week. Royal Grammar School Newcastle John Smith for working closely with us and preparing the place-based collective for next week. We are genuinely excited about the next phase of this work with you. Fair Education Alliance for preparing us ready for the #FEASummit in a couple of weeks. The largest gathering of educators and thinkers on this very agenda in the UK. Thanks for the opportunities. ITV Sarah Corker for working closely with us on shining a light on the complex and demanding challenges facing our communities. Your due diligence and care with this has been greatly appreciated. SHINE Trust for supporting our professional development through SSE Action Learning. A genuine opportunity for us to step back from the demands of day-to-day challenges and think strategically about some tough challenges in the education landscape. #Partnership #Practice #People #Policy #Place

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Brilliant day discussing diversity in the curriculum and the power of stories with the staff at St Paul’s Juniors today. It struck me that all that needs to happen for the curriculum to be consciously crafted and equitable is for staff to care about knowledge, how it is constructed and how we choose to present it to students. By asking questions about our own education, we can start to unpick the exclusion, the power systems, and the bias that becomes ingrained. This is a crucial step in creating a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. Kudos to the staff at St Paul's Juniors for taking this important step towards a more equitable curriculum. Let's keep the conversation going and continue to work towards a more just and inclusive future for all learners. #diversityandinclusion #educationequity #inclusivitymatters

This week has been particularly busy Tees Valley Education in our #research and #development teams. Busy is fine, especially if it enables us to continue to grow and be curious as an organisation. When I was mainly classroom based as an educator I used to have a habit of phoning three families each week. This would be to call out pupils that had done something which positively stood out; 'catching them getting it right' (rather than calling home with a negative...) So, this week I'm using my #FridayThree to call out three individuals in the sector that enabled me and my teams to grow and develop this week. (1) John Smith Royal Grammar School Newcastle for their constant collaboration and ability to be gracious disruptors alongside us. The #NorthEast education sector is richer for them. Thanks John! (2) Stuart Kime FCCT for enabling me and my team to be more curious! Stuart and the Evidence Based Education team have a real talent for helping teams to continue to grow and think beyond the immediacy of day-to-day fire fighting in education. Thanks Stuart! (and Robert Coe of course!) (3) SHINE Trust for various sessions of late, but especially the #ActionLearning sessions this week and the other colleagues that contributed to it. SHINE enables leaders like me to take a step back from the 'doing' and to consider the 'thinking'. The collaboration with them is brilliant. It's far more than a funding stream for our research projects! #Partnership #PLACE #Practice #CPD #Refreshed #Collaboration #EvidenceBasedEducation #ItsTheClassroomStupid #Curiosity

PPI 65: Community Leadership & Community Outreach My name is Zora Williams. I'm a high school #student at Oakland School for the Arts. I'm from #California in the U.S. And I'm currently studying classical piano, but I want to go to #college for international relations. So what does living a good life mean to you?  To me, as a student and someone who's still pretty young (and thank goodness doesn't have too many responsibilities!), just having a healthy #balance of the responsibilities I do have and the things I enjoy. So, those are like quality time with my #friends, going to the movies, being able to make the most of my youth and freedom while I still can. And what intentional activity has had the greatest impact in your life?  Off the top of my head (and only because this is based on recent news I just got, this might seem a little trivial), I would say running for student government, and I'll explain - since I was in kindergarten (in #kindergarten I was #homeschooled) my biggest #dream was, “I want to be student #president when I'm in 12th grade”. But my family has moved around a lot, so I've had to restart, it's about how many friends you have. So you have to restart that whole process of befriending the whole school and over the course of the six years, I guess, that I've been doing that, it has kind of forced me to make more friends and be more active in the various communities that I've been a part of. And I think that even though the end goal was student #government, I have achieved a lot more along the way. And what about the community? So what intentional activity do you think is the biggest difference in your community?  In the same vein, I guess, hopefully student government. I just got news that I won the #election so I reached out just yesterday. So my first grade dream is completed! I'm hoping to use that influence to do something with that and reach out to my broader community and my #school community and my classmates. So a one-line message of hope for the world.  You can do it! If you want to be in student government, if you're a first grader watching this and you dream of being student president, you can do it. You totally can! https://lnkd.in/eHAaGEr5 #PPK2K #positivepsychology #RTW #Motorcycle #mission Kali Fields Williams, NBC-HWC, BCC

Our friends and colleagues at the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) are putting on a great session on Jan 25 - "Engaging in Anti-bias, Culturally Sustaining Family Partnership With Learning Differences" An excerpt from the description: "Participants will examine how they can activate the 4Es of Exploration, Expectation, Education, and Empowerment as they transform the early care and education system to ensure justice for families and communities who have been historically marginalized, sidelined, and silenced." Read more and register at the link: https://buff.ly/48JCZYY

We must empower teachers and students to become changemakers that value and honor the interconnectedness of our way of life and life on this planet. Compass Education offers a broad selection of professional development opportunities that are crafted to meet your needs: compasseducation.org #SustainabilityEducation #SystemsThinking #EducationMatters #SystemChange #SustainableSchools #StudentAgency #YouthAgency #TransformingEducation

🎙My Candidate Interview Is Live I would love to hear your thoughts and input! As a passionate advocate for our schools and a candidate for the Pembroke School Committee, I recently had the opportunity to share my vision and priorities for the future of Pembroke's education with The Local Seen Government Services Here are some highlights! Budget Priorities and Constraints: I firmly believe that budget discussions should begin with the insights of our school building principals. Their direct experience with the needs of our students and teachers is invaluable. I am dedicated to finding creative solutions for funding gaps and prioritize the wellness and safety of our students and staff in all budget decisions. Impact of Decreasing Enrollment: Even as we face declining enrollment, it's crucial to recognize the significant increase in per-pupil funding rates. This underscores the continuous need for increased funding, particularly to support the growing mental health needs of our students. Vocational Schooling and Local Revenue: I propose innovative ideas, such as kayak and canoe rentals and food truck internships, to enhance vocational training opportunities. It's important to me that we seek community feedback on these initiatives. Special Education: With my strong background in special education, I understand the importance of individualized education plans based on comprehensive evaluations. I acknowledge the increasing demand for special education services and am committed to meeting these needs. General Philosophy on Education and Community Involvement: I am a proponent of data-informed decision-making and actively seek community input to ensure our educational priorities meet the evolving needs of our students. My dedication to our community, innovative approach to addressing challenges, and commitment to putting students first make me a strong candidate for the Pembroke School Committee. I believe in supporting a future where every child in Pembroke has the opportunity to thrive. I encourage you to make your voice heard in the upcoming elections. Together, we can make a difference for the future of our children and our community. https://lnkd.in/eyz326pe #KatrinaDelaney #PembrokeSchoolCommittee #EducationForAll #CommunityFirst #PembrokePride

Our mission is to empower teachers and students to embrace their roles as changemakers, valuing and recognizing the intricate connections between our way of life and the life on this planet. Compass Education provides an extensive range of professional development opportunities tailored to your requirements: compasseducation.org #SustainabilityEducation #SystemsThinking #EducationMatters #SystemChange #SustainableSchools #StudentAgency #YouthAgency #TransformingEducation