Challenges help us to grow. As in baseball, we have to keep “getting in the box” and taking that swing. Let’s ensure that when we do, we “swing like we mean it”. Purposefully, with focus, intention, hope, confidence, and resolute commitment. There’s nothing wrong with a swing and a miss, as long as you keep swinging.

In this episode of the Educators Among Us podcast, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, talks baseball as he discusses the evolving landscape of education and the importance of commitment, focus, and trust in building a positive school culture.

Using baseball as a metaphor, he emphasizes the need for educators to “swing like they mean it”, fully committing to their roles and responsibilities. The conversation highlights the significance of reflection and personal growth in the educational journey.

Takeaways

-Baseball people see life through the lens of baseball

-Baseball lessons can also be lessons for life and for educators

-Keep your eye on the ball, with focus on the important task at hand

-You have to swing the bat with certainty and purpose

-Swing like you mean it to make the most of every attempt to overcome a challenge

-Resolute commitment galvanizes the will and activates abilities

-Building a vibrant school culture is the ultimate strategy

-Be sure to “step into the batter's box” to help your team win the important game at hand

Chapters

00:42 Introduction

03:17 The Cleanup Hitter

04:58 Seeing Life Through a Baseball Lens

06:36 Baseball Advice for Life

10:37 Swing like you mean it

16:25 Coaching Question

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Educators Fellowship is a non-profit organization that encourages educators in their calling and in their faith.

www.educatorsamonguspodcast.com

www.educatorsamongus.com

https://www.edfellowship.org/

Sign up for weekly encouragement messages here:

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Schools are a culture and a community. Families are coming together in pursuit of excellence in education. The buildings are a function of that work. How can we create buildings that inspire each other? How can we make our buildings more a part of our plan, and less about walls and square footage and classrooms?

In this episode of the Educators Among Us podcast, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, engages in a deep conversation with architect Alan Metcalfe, founder of Metcalfe Architecture and Design in Philadelphia, about the intersection of education and building design.

They explore the impact educators have on students, the importance of creating joyful and functional learning environments, and the challenges facing education today, particularly in fostering community and well-being.

Alan shares insights from his architectural practice, emphasizing the need for spaces that reflect the ethos of the schools they serve. They also touch on the role of music in fostering collaboration and creativity in design, and the importance of asking the right questions to truly understand community needs.

Takeaways

-Designing schools should reflect the community's ethos and pedagogy.

-Outdoor spaces enhance the learning experience and promote physical activity.

-Community well-being is crucial for a successful educational environment.

-Listening to the needs of staff and students is essential in school design.

-Beauty in school design can create memorable experiences for students.

-Music can teach valuable lessons about cooperation and listening.

-Schools should be designed as containers for human experiences, not just curriculum delivery.

-Asking the right questions is key to understanding community needs.

-Creating joyful learning environments requires thoughtful design and planning.

Chapters

00:41 Introduction

03:12 An Impactful Teacher

06:20 Favorite Projects

10:50 Building a Sense of Community and Well Being

14:20 Musicianship and the Art of Design

20:06 School Buildings and Culture

24:04 Understanding Your Community

_______

Educators Fellowship is a non-profit organization that encourages educators in their calling and in their faith.

www.educatorsamonguspodcast.com

www.educatorsamongus.com

https://www.edfellowship.org/

Sign up for weekly encouragement messages here:

Buy the book, Love’em and Lead’em, here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottebarron/

https://www.facebook.com/SchoolGrowth/

https://twitter.com/schoolgrowth

https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-growth

If you’ve ever found yourself lost, then you know how it feels to be found. To realize that you are loved and welcome to come inside. That’s the power of an unlocked door. It helps others to know that you care about them and want to welcome them in. Often, especially as educators, we are mandated to lock our doors. But leaving them unlocked can give hope, especially to the lost.

In this episode of the Educators Among Us podcast, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, emphasizes the vital role educators play in providing hope and guidance to those who may feel lost.

He recounts a recent story of survival and the importance of being “found”, drawing parallels to the educational journey that students, as well as educators, often find. The conversation highlights the dual responsibility of educators to both lock doors for safety and to unlock doors for opportunity, encouraging listeners to serve others with compassion and intentionality.

Takeaways

-Educators provide hope and pathways for those who are lost.

-Being lost can be a lonely and scary experience.

-The purpose of life is to be useful and compassionate.

-Unlocking doors in education allows for new opportunities.

-Generosity in education can lead to profound impacts.

-Anticipating the needs of others is crucial in education.

-Leaving doors unlocked symbolizes openness and support.

-Emotional exhaustion is common, but renewal is a choice.

-Serving others is a privilege and a calling for educators.

-Daily reflection on our impact can guide our actions.

Chapters

00:41 Introduction

01:34 Being Lost

02:56 The Search for Tiffany Slaton

04:26 Unlocking Locked Doors

05:50 Handfuls of Purpose

08:43 Coaching Question

_______

Educators Fellowship is a non-profit organization that encourages educators in their calling and in their faith.

www.educatorsamonguspodcast.com

www.educatorsamongus.com

https://www.edfellowship.org/

Sign up for weekly encouragement messages here

Buy the book, Love’em and Lead’em, here

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottebarron/

https://www.facebook.com/SchoolGrowth/

https://twitter.com/schoolgrowth

https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-growth