In this episode, one of our Best of 2024, internationally known authority on educational leadership Michael Fullan joins the show.

Michael’s work has influenced countless education leaders at all levels. The former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto, he is co-leader of the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning global initiative, served as Premier Dalton’s Special Policy Adviser in Ontario from 2003-2013, and received the Order of Canada (OC) in December 2012.

Michael is the author of numerous books, including The Principal 2.0: Three Keys to Maximizing Impact (Jossey-Bass).

We talked about the following and more:

• The Principal 2.0 (2023) is 90% new material from The Principal (2014). We cover the events that caused Michael to undertake such a significant revisitation.
• The disruptions of the past few years are forcing change in schools – which can turn out for better or worse depending on the evolving role of the principal.
• What forces have traditionally boxed principals into a narrower role?
• Spirit Work
• Global evidence for these principles
• Systemness in Action
• Connected Autonomy
• The Drivers – system change from the bottom up
• Reasons for optimism about the future

Find The Principal 2.0 here: https://bit.ly/3TYJZx4

About today’s guest

Michael Fullan is an internationally known authority on educational leadership. Professor emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, Fullan is Global Co-Director of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning. He is an adviser and consultant on major education reform initiatives around the world. His previous books include Change Leader, The Six Secrets of Change, and Leading in a Culture of Change. Learn more: https://michaelfullan.ca/

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Blueskyand LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

My guests today are Dr. Kathy Perez and Dr. Margaret Coughlan.

Kathy is a professor emerita at Saint Mary’s College of California. She has extensive teaching experience as a general and special educator, literacy and ESL coach, administrator, and curriculum- and staff-development coordinator. Margaret is a classroom teacher, district leader, researcher, and adjunct faculty at Saint Mary’s College of California. Her professional work includes teaching elementary students, teachers, and graduate school master level candidates.

We discuss their book The Emerging Teacher Leader: Six Dynamic Practices to Nurture Professional Growth and cover:

• What is a teacher leader — and what should it be? (positional/formal)
• Who initiates teacher leadership?
• The practices of a teacher leader
• Focusing on your purpose
• Growing as a teacher and leader
• Effecting change through collaboration
• Building and sustaining healthy relationships
• Taking care of yourself
• Cultivating a growth mindset

Find The Emerging Teacher Leader from Solution Tree or wherever you get your books.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky and LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

I still can't believe it's the year 2025. Can you? But since it is, we can enjoy revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. Today, I'm sharing my conversation with Lacey Robinson.

Lacey is president and CEO of UnboundEd. A former teacher, principal, and professional development specialist who has focused on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than 25 years, her life’s work aims to enable educators to disrupt systemic inequities in their school districts and classrooms. We talked about her book Justice Seekers: Pursuing Equity in the Details of Teaching and Learning.

The conversation includes:

• GLEAM — Grade-Level, Engaging, Affirming, Meaningful instruction
• The relationship between justice and equity
• Justice is found in the details of teaching and learning
• What’s hard about being a truth-teller?
• What can a teacher do in an environment that discourages or prohibits explicit discussion of race?
• How does administration create a supportive environment for this approach?

Learn more about Justice Seekers at www.unbounded.org or find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, bookshop.org or wherever you get your books.

About today’s guest

Lacey Robinson is the president and CEO of UnboundEd, and the chair of the Board of CORE Learning. As CEO, Robinson sets the organization’s vision for transforming instruction for students at the margins. She is a former teacher, principal, and professional development specialist who has focused on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than 25 years. Her life’s work aims to enable educators to disrupt systemic inequities in their school districts and classrooms. She led the merger of UnboundEd, Pivot Learning, and CORE Learning under the UnboundEd banner — creating the nation’s largest K–12 educator development organization focused on improving teaching and learning for underserved students.

Robinson is a leading national voice on disrupting the predictability of students’ educational outcomes, and was named to 2023’s Forbes 50 Over 50 list in recognition of her innovative leadership. She frequently serves as a keynote speaker and is featured on Emily Hanford’s 2022 “Sold a Story” podcast.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano and LinkedIn