Leadership Talks
Education & Explainer
About
This podcast engages school leaders across Ontario in authentic conversations about their passion and expertise within K-12 education. We hope listeners will gain practical insights and strategies from each other to enhance learning and strengthen their school communities. Most importantly, this podcast will highlight excellence in practice and the joy of school leadership! HOSTS Lawrence DeMaeyer – Professional Learning Advisor, Ontario Principals’ Council Susie Lee-Fernandes – Director of Professional Learning, Ontario Principals’ Council
Episodes
- S2 EP14 - The Power of Distributed Leadership and Fostering Team Culture
Julia Hayes, a principal in the Grand Erie District School Board, discusses the power of distributed leadership and its role in building a strong school culture. She shares lessons on shifting away from leading alone towards creating condi…
- S2 EP13 - The Power of Belonging When Leading a Unique Population
Amy Crummer discusses serving unique populations within a public system, emphasizing intentionality, listening, and creating a sense of belonging. The conversation covers including diverse voices in decision-making and challenging systemic…
- S2 EP12 - Bring a Critical Friend on Your Leadership Journey
Gillian Kajganich and Krista Tucker Petrick discuss the importance of having critical friends in educational leadership. They share their experiences and insights on how these relationships foster professional and personal growth.
- S2 EP11 - Equity & Anti-Racism Leadership: Moving Theory into Practice. A Critical Discussion on Race and Education
This episode of Leadership Talks features Nicole Aloise from the Toronto District School Board discussing equity and anti-racism leadership. The discussion centers on moving theory into practice within a Scarborough high school through a f…
- S2 EP10 - Creating Collaborative Learning Communities Through Lesson Study
France Thibault, former Superintendent with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, shares her experience leading teachers through "Lesson Study." She discusses its impact on professional practice, interdepartmental collaboration, diffe…
- S2 EP09 - Challenges and Rewards of Earning a Doctorate While Leading Schools
Dr. Emily Caruso Parnell shares her experiences earning a doctorate while leading schools. She discusses practical information regarding time management, the dissertation process, and choosing a supervisor, as well as personal challenges a…
- S2 EP08 - Leveraging Community Connections
Lesley Kennedy discusses leveraging community connections in schools. She explains how community partnerships can offer financial help, in-kind donations, and volunteer opportunities. Kennedy emphasizes that community engagement is built o…
- S2 EP07 - Strengths Based Leadership
Michael Blackburn of Limestone District School Board discusses strengths-based leadership. He focuses on understanding team profiles, maximizing potential, and fostering collaboration and trust within school teams.
- S2 EP06 - Meaningful Connections with Local Communities
In this episode of Leadership Talks, Aamer Zuberi explores the power of building meaningful connections with local communities. He emphasizes fostering a reciprocal relationship where school leaders listen to community voices and collabora…
- S2 EP05 - Embracing Global Perspectives: Insights from international partnerships and facilitation
Nina Jaiswal joins Leadership Talks to share insights from her experiences delivering professional learning to educational leaders in international settings. She discusses strategies for elevating student wellness and understanding cultura…
- S2 EP04 - The Sciences and Successes in School Improvement Planning
Sara D’Angelo shares her approach to school improvement planning, emphasizing social justice, anti-oppression, and trauma-informed practices. She discusses building relational trust and creating an environment focused on collective care, c…
- S2 EP03 - Understanding Trauma-informed Practice
This episode of Leadership Talks features Dr. Jackie Eldridge discussing trauma-informed practice in classrooms. The conversation covers how educators can create supportive environments for students who have experienced trauma.
- S2 EP02 - Leading with Confidence: Empowering Women in Leadership Roles
Sheena Yap Chan discusses confidence-building strategies for women in leadership roles, especially in education. The conversation explores challenges women face in leadership, steps to build self-belief, and how authenticity can empower te…
- S2 EP01 - OPC International Exchanges Program
This episode of Leadership Talks features Lisa Piquette and Ana Mena discussing the OPC International Exchanges Program. This initiative allows administrators to shadow school leaders in other countries, offering a personal and professiona…
- S1 EP24 - CALMfident Leadership: Nurturing principal well being
Vinita Mongia, a retired principal and leadership consultant, introduces her CALM Resilience through Self-Care Framework for principals. She shares actionable self-care strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness and reduce stress, alon…
- S1 EP23 - Equity and Mathematics
Nicole Andrée Vernon discusses the "Teaching Equity and Mathematics (T.E.A.M.) Leadership" initiative. This program, developed in 2022, focuses on supporting student success and equity in mathematics education by considering institutional…
- S1 EP22 - Cell Phone Use in Schools
This episode of Leadership Talks features Josh Windsor and Dr. Alison Yeung discussing cell phone use in schools. They share their work on educating parents about social media's impact on teen mental health and implementing flexible school…
- S1 EP21 - Community Circles
This episode discusses integrating community circles in schools to positively impact individuals. It covers how circles can be implemented to build community, promote active listening, and create safe learning environments.
- S1 EP20 - Self-regulation
This episode discusses self-regulation, its impact on student achievement and social relationships, and its importance from kindergarten through adulthood. It also examines factors affecting self-regulation in both children and the adults…
- S1 EP19 - Project Based Learning and Student Engagement
Andrea Gill joins the podcast to discuss project-based learning and student engagement. She shares how student-led projects and fostering student voice can center student interest and goals in their learning.
- S1 EP18 - Affirming & Centering Two-spirit, Indigiqueer Black, Racialized 2SLGBTQQIA+ Persons with Multiple Intersecting Identities in K-12
This episode features Robert Durocher and Jordan Applebaum discussing the importance of Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) in K-12 schools. They focus on supporting Two-spirit, Indigiqueer, Black, and racialized 2SLGBTQQIA+ students and…
- S1 EP17 - Is It Healthy High Achievement or Perfectionism?
This episode explores the distinction between healthy high achievement and perfectionism in school leadership. Guest Lorraine LaPointe shares insights on developing healthier habits for achievement, self-esteem, and self-acceptance, drawin…
- S1 EP16 - Working on a Mentally Healthy You: Some actionable steps
Michelle Sigmann, a principal and wellness coach, discusses actionable steps for mental well-being. She shares her personal story and provides strategies for managing stress and prioritizing self-care for school leaders, including a time a…
- S1 EP15 - Special Education 6-week Co-learning and Instructional Cycle
Dinusha Gunasingham and Samantha Stephen of the Transformational Administrators' Network discuss their 6-week Co-learning and Instructional Cycle from the Transformative Administrators' Toolkit. They explain how this tool is used to addres…
- S1 EP14 - Debunking the Myths Around Virtual Learning
Raquel Cariati-Cardoso and Sumeeta Merwar discuss virtual learning. They share insights and examples of how virtual learning can positively impact students and provide comprehensive support in an inclusive environment.
- S1 EP13 - Equity and Mental Health: Strategies for Navigating Challenges
Anjali Bajaj discusses how leading for equity affects the mental health of school administrators. The episode explores strategies for navigating challenges and supporting student and staff well-being in a post-pandemic educational environm…
- S1 EP12 - STEM Education Leadership through Inclusive Design
Lisa Cole discusses inclusive design approaches in STEM education. She highlights the k2i academy's work in creating opportunities for underrepresented students in STEM, reaching over 27,000 students and generating almost $6M in funding.
- S1 EP11 - Leading Through Challenging Situations
This episode of Leadership Talks features Steve Oliver, who discusses leading through challenging situations. He shares his experiences and insights on how to navigate difficult circumstances while prioritizing the well-being of students a…
- S1 EP10 - Personal Leadership Journey as an Arab Woman
Diane Merhi discusses her leadership journey as an Arab woman, her experiences as a first-generation immigrant, and her approach to leadership. She emphasizes representation, inclusive spaces, and continuous questioning of practices for po…
- S1 EP09 - Neuroaffirmative Human Rights Informed Practice
This episode of Leadership Talks features Karen Timm discussing neuroaffirmative human rights informed practice. The conversation highlights how embracing neurodifferences fosters anti-oppressive thinking and contributes to inclusive learn…
- S1 EP08 - Leveraging Student Voice through Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy
Andrea Carnegie shares how to leverage student voices, particularly those of Black, Indigenous, and historically marginalized students, through Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy. She also discusses the impact of centering student…
- S1 EP07 - Supporting Technological Education
Brent Coakwell joins Leadership Talks to discuss supporting technological education for K-12. He shares insights on student empowerment, planning, budgeting, safety, and mentoring new tech staff.
- S1 EP06 - Teaching Learning Walks and Rolls: Co-creating Learning
This episode explores the Teaching Learning Walks and Rolls (TLWR) framework, which offers a structured approach to observing and analyzing teaching and learning across various classrooms. The discussion includes how observational data can…
- S1 EP05 - School / Community Read Alouds
In this episode of Leadership Talks, Gurmeet Gill discusses using school and community read alouds to foster community and support equity goals. She highlights the intentional selection of books to celebrate Black Excellence, learn about C…
- S1 EP04 - Supporting 2SLGBTQQIA+ Staff and Students
In this episode of Leadership Talks, Barry Bedford discusses the experiences of 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals in schools. The conversation focuses on challenging homophobia and heterosexism to foster more inclusive environments for staff and stu…
- S1 EP03 - Leading Innovation, Finding and Activating School Leaders
Jennifer Shortreed shares her experience as a System Principal on leading innovation in education, including design thinking, student success, and online learning. The episode covers leadership strategies and tools for successful implement…
- S1 EP01 - Support to Thrive: Bolstering Resilience and Mental Health in Schools
This episode of Leadership Talks features Dr. Kingsley Hurlington discussing resilience and mental health in schools. The conversation covers how principles of resilience can be applied by teachers to support students, classrooms, and scho…
- S1 EP02 - Principalship at High Priority / High Need Elementary Schools
This episode features Umar Qureshi discussing his research on leadership competencies for principals in Ontario's high-need elementary schools. The conversation explores the importance of a structured leadership framework to support studen…
- EP 0: Leadership Talks—Getting Started
Susie Lee-Fernandes and Lawrence DeMaeyer introduce the podcast "Leadership Talks." They discuss the podcast's focus on conversations with education leaders about their experiences and leadership journeys.