May 14, 2021
Today the Getting Smart team is sitting down with Mark White, an award-winning teacher, Principal, and Superintendent, as well as Dwight Carter, a nationally recognized school leader and Director of Student Support Services at Eastland-Fairfield Career Center in Groveport, Ohio.
Recently, Mark and Dwight published the second edition of their book, Leading Schools in Disruptive Times: How To Survive Hyper-Change. With school leaders facing unprecedented disruption, Mark and Dwight draw the blueprint in their book for adapting schools to ever-changing times. They provide practical strategies for identifying and responding to disruptions; an overview of the CAT framework; real-life stories from exceptional educational leaders; tips on guiding teachers, staff, and students through the many lessons learned during the pandemic; and a grounded examination of radical disruptions schools will face in the years to come.
Together, Tom, Mark, and Dwight discuss the new edition of their book, what they’ve learned in writing it, key lessons throughout their careers, and how educators can prepare students for a globalized world when many institutions are not ready for the constantly changing 21st century.
Key Takeaways:
[:08] About today’s episode with Mark White and Dwight Carter.
[:45] Tom welcomes Mark and Dwight to the podcast!
[:55] Did Mark and Dwight both grow up in Groveport, Ohio? How did they first meet?
[2:34] Mark speaks about the challenges he faced becoming a Superintendent during a recession in 2009.
[3:52] As a school leader for more than 18 years, Dwight shares his key takeaways for success as a high school leader.
[5:41] What Dwight does as a school leader to set the tone in his building.
[7:24] Dwight shares a story about hiring a live DJ to kick off the school year right!
[8:07] Mark shares what he believes makes Dwight so successful as a school leader.
[8:48] Tom congratulates Mark and Dwight on the second edition of their book, Leading Schools in Disruptive Times.
[9:02] How did they come up with the idea to write a book on this topic?
[11:00] When did Mark and Dwight begin to work on the updated edition?
[12:53] Why the testing model in schools may be the one thing that is holding schools back the most.
[15:15] How the pandemic pushed agility forward with schools and what that looks like today.
[17:38] Mark elaborates on the factors that are shaping the schools of tomorrow.
[18:44] Dwight’s hopes for how the pandemic will impact schools going forward.
[19:25] In Chapter 1 of Leading Schools in Disruptive Times, it says, “If leaders are going to thrive, they have to use disruption to their advantage.” How can teachers do this?
[22:14] Mark speaks about what it means to be globally ready and a post-pandemic world through transparency.
[24:18] Dwight’s tips for school leaders on how to stay in closer touch with their communities.
[26:56] Mark applauds American teachers on their rapid adaptation to change and shares his take on the importance of technology in education.
[29:02] Dwight shares his thoughts on updating your technology so that it supports your learning agenda.
[30:44] How does Dwight flip a bad situation into a positive one as a school administrator?
[33:06] Mark’s advice for school and system heads leading in disruptive times.
[34:17] Tom congratulates Mark and Dwight once again on the second edition of their book and thanks them for joining this week’s episode.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Eastland-Fairfield Career Center
Leading Schools in Disruptive Times: How To Survive Hyper-Change (Second Edition), by Mark White and Dwight Carter
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