Episode Summary: This episode features Jon Schwabish, an economist and data visualization expert, who discusses how school administrators can use data visualization to better understand and communicate data to improve their schools.

Key Takeaways:

• Data visualization can help school administrators quickly understand their data and make better decisions. Visualizing data can reveal trends and patterns that might not be apparent from looking at raw data in spreadsheets.
• School administrators should use a variety of graph types to communicate data effectively. Different graphs are better suited for different types of data and audiences.
• Qualitative data, such as student stories and experiences, is just as important as quantitative data. Qualitative data can provide context and insights that numbers alone cannot.
• School administrators should have a clear goal in mind when visualizing data. What do they want their audience to learn or do with the information?

Actionable Steps:

• Start by identifying your audience and what they need from the data.
• Consider the platform where the data will be presented.
• Use clear and concise language to explain the data.
• Walk people through the data step by step, especially if they are not familiar with the graph type.
• Use visual elements, such as color, size, and position, to highlight important information.

Resources:

• Jon Schwabish's website: policyviz.com
• Jon Schwabish on social media: @JSchwabish
• Qualitative data analysis tools: Envivo, Dedoose, Atlas.ti

Call to Action:

• Take the time to create effective data visualizations.
• Use data to identify problems and solutions in your school.
• Communicate data clearly and effectively to all stakeholders.

In this episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast, host Ryan Steuer discusses the transformative power of Project Based Learning (PBL) in schools. He shares insights on how educators can empower themselves and their teams to create thriving educational environments. Through the success story of principal Cynthia Bruno, listeners learn about the impact of PBL on student engagement and achievement. Ryan emphasizes the importance of connecting with one's purpose, empowering teachers, and creating a positive school culture. He provides practical tips for job satisfaction and highlights the significance of daily practices and delegation in leadership.

Takeaways

• Transforming schools through project-based learning is possible.
  
  
• Leadership teams can create effective three-year plans for PBL.
  
  
• Cynthia Bruno's school improved from a D to an A in two years.
  
  
• Connecting with your purpose is essential for effective leadership.
  
  
• Empowering teachers fosters a positive PBL environment.
  
  
• Celebrating small wins increases job satisfaction.
  
  
• Creating moments of joy enhances the school culture.
  
  
• Daily practices can lead to greater fulfillment in your role.
  
  
• Delegation allows leaders to focus on strategic initiatives.
  
  
• Finding joy in learning is crucial for educators.

This episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast features guest Matt Taylor, who leads the Noble Story Group, a consulting firm that focuses on emotional intelligence-based leadership development in education and nonprofits.

Matt’s “Why”

He had an epiphany while observing both urban district schools and charter schools that they either had teachers with great technical and instructional skills, but unhappy students and teachers or they were happy places where students weren’t being challenged. He believes the “sweet spot” is a place where adults and kids feel connected and challenged. His executive coaching training grounded in emotional intelligence changed his life and gave him a framework to address his observations. He seeks to create the conditions for learning and thriving for individuals, teams, and learning communities.

The Value of Executive Coaching

• Executive coaching helps build competencies, not skills.
• It focuses on the “below the surface” aspects, like beliefs and mindsets, that affect competency.
• Coaching helps identify roadblocks that training alone can’t address, like being conflict-averse.
• Coaching helps leaders shift deep-seated habits based on core values.
• It empowers individuals to find their own solutions.
• It creates a ripple effect, enabling leaders to coach their teams.

Success Story: The Second-Year Principal

• A high-achieving assistant principal, promoted to principal, struggled with delegation.
• Coaching revealed her underlying beliefs: She felt the need to prove herself, to be liked, to not overburden others, and that this was what leadership entailed.
• This led to her disempowering her team and hindering their growth.
• By connecting her actions to her core value of developing people, she found the motivation to change.
• She learned to self-coach, interrupting her old patterns and reminding herself of her true goal.

The Five Square Method

• This coaching process is based on the four dimensions of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.
• It emphasizes that 75% of leadership happens internally.
• Leaders must understand their own values, mindsets, and potential obstacles before engaging others.
• Social awareness, particularly empathy, is key to understanding others’ perspectives and choosing effective engagement strategies.
• A fifth square, “core values,” was added to highlight their importance in guiding leadership decisions.

The Importance of Listening

• Executive coaching involves the coach listening 70% of the time.
• This allows the person being coached to process information and find their own insights.

Expertise for School Leaders

• The most important expertise for school leaders is being the “learning leader.”
• This means embodying a growth mindset, fostering relational trust and belonging, and balancing challenge and care for adults as well as students.

Launching a Vision

• Connect the vision to your core values.
• Make it a shared vision by listening to and incorporating your team’s aspirations.
• View implementing the vision as adaptive change, involving the people affected in the solution.
• Focus on the common ground of shared values and goals.

Opportunities in the Future of Education

• Shift from short-term fixes to long-term strategies that address teacher and leader retention.
• Prioritize creating a supportive and challenging learning community for adults.
• Recognize the contagious nature of emotions: Adults’ engagement in learning will inspire students.

Parting Advice

• This work is a marathon, not a sprint: Take care of yourselves and each other.
• Build a strong team that provides both support and challenge.
• Maintain hope and belief in your collective ability to overcome challenges.

Call to Action

• Don’t go it alone. Seek support through coaching or masterminds.

Resources

• Website: NobleStoryGroup.com
• LinkedIn: Matt Taylor, Noble Story Group
• Free Resource: EI Mindset Self Assessment
• Book: The Noble School Leader