The podcast by education leaders for education leaders

Courageous Leadership

Guest(s): Michael Fullan, Mark Edwards and Joris Ray
Date: 05/02/2022
Run time: 28:20
Season 3, Episode 1

Covid. Book bans. Polarizing legislation. The last few years have been relentless in their efforts to pull district leaders’ attentions away from the normal business of running schools. But some leaders have remained a true beacon of light, keeping everyone’s eye on what is best for students. They remind educators that it is not SEL, or academics, or inclusion, but all of the above if we want an effective response to current challenges. That courage is the trait that precedes all others when deciding how to respond in a crisis. Listen as four leaders from all over the country show how they use their “spirit” to stay focused, build belonging, and successfully lead their schools.

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Michael Fullan

Michael Fullan served as Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Special Policy Adviser in Ontario from 2003-2013. He received the Order of Canada (OC) in December 2012 and holds five honorary doctorates from universities around the world. His ‘interim autobiography’, Surreal Change, covers his work to 2018. Michael and his colleagues are now working diligently on field-based comprehensive system change in several countries. This work operates under the umbrella of what they call the ‘shared humanity paradigm’ —Equity, Engagement, Excellence--Deep change that integrates local (school and community), middle (district/regional), and state (policy) entities.

Fullan’s favorite method of learning is to partner with groups that are engaged with change; and to learn together with them. (And then to write another book about the experiences, and what was learned).

Michael Fullan’s latest books are: Nuance (2019), Spirit Work and the Science of Collaboration (with Mark Edwards, 2022), The Principal 2.0 (2023), and The Drivers (with Joanne Quinn, 2023).

For more information on books, articles, videos, podcasts please go to: www.michaelfullan.ca

Mark Edwards

Mark Edwards previously served as school superintendent in Danville, Virginia, and in Henrico County, Virginia, where he was named
the Virginia Superintendent of the Year in 2001 and received the Harold McGraw Prize in Education in 2003. He later served as superintendent
of the Mooresville Graded School District in North Carolina. Edwards was named the North Carolina Superintendent of the Year as well as the AASA National Superintendent of the Year in 2013. He received North Carolina’s prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award in 2013 and the Public School Forum of North Carolina Jay Robinson Education Leadership Award in 2014. He has been recognized as a pioneer in one-to-one computing and as a collaborative leader in public education. Edwards has published three books, Every Child Every Day: A Digital Conversion Model for Student Achievement, Thank You for Your Leadership: The Power of Distributed Leadership in a Digital Conversion Model, and co-authored The Power of Unstoppable Momentum with Michael Fullan.

Joris Ray

Dr. Joris M. Ray has served Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) during one of the most challenging times in the history of education. As the largest school district in Tennessee and the 23rd largest in the county serving over 110,000 students, Dr. Ray’s innovative leadership has catapulted MSCS into the national spotlight as a district breaking barriers inside the classroom and the community. Dr. Ray continues to place a laser-like focus on removing all barriers that hinder student success.

Peter M. DeWitt

Peter DeWitt (Ed.D) is the founder and CEO of the Instructional Leadership Collective, and approaches everything with a learner's mindset. He was a K-5 teacher for 11 years and a principal for 8 years. For over 12 years, he has been facilitating professional learning nationally, and internationally, based on the content of many of his best-selling educational books.

DeWitt's professional learning relationships are a monthly hybrid approach that includes both coaching and the facilitating workshops on instructional leadership and collective efficacy. His work has been adopted at the state level, university level, and he works with numerous school districts, school boards, regional networks, ministries of education around North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the U.K.

Peter writes the Finding Common Ground column for Education Week with Michael Nelson and they host Corwin’s Leaders Coaching Leaders podcast. In 2020 DeWitt co-created Education Week's A Seat At the Table where he moderates conversations with experts around the topics of race, gender, research, trauma and many other educational topics.

Peter is the author, co-author or contributor of numerous books and his articles have appeared in educational research journals at the state, national and international level. His books have been translated into numerous languages.

Michael Nelson

There is no more noble profession than that of an educator was what Michael Nelson’s mom said almost every day while he was growing up. For almost 40 years, Michael has been an educator. His mom would be pleased.

Even though Michael still considers “teacher” as his primary title, he has served in roles of principal, district instructional leader, superintendent, assistant executive director developing professional development for the state of Washington, and currently as the Thought Partner for the Instructional Leadership Collective.

Michael has received many state and national awards during his time as a principal and superintendent. As principal, his school received the National Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education. As a superintendent, he was named Washington state’s 2019 Superintendent of the Year. During his tenure as superintendent, Michael was elected President of the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) by his peers.

Michael Nelson co-facilitates coaching, keynotes, and workshops with Peter DeWitt. Their first book “Leading with Intention” was released in May 2024.