I am a Teacher, School Leader, and Facilitator + a Game Designer, Developer, and Sound Designer.
Throw in some animal behavior field research, work in a VA hospital psychology lab, and a bi-cultural background, and you should have an idea why I look at the education system a little differently from more "traditional" educators. I have been involved with a number of great organizations that have pushed educational thinking forward, and I think we can do even better.
So welcome - come on in and read about some of the work I have done, and don't hesitate to contact me if you want to push my thinking further, or go to LinkedIn for my professional profile.
So welcome - come on in and read about some of the work I have done, and don't hesitate to contact me if you want to push my thinking further, or go to LinkedIn for my professional profile.
Continue reading for some of my thoughts on leadership and teaching . . .
I believe . . .
That strong, effective leadership and great teaching are the same thing. To help my teachers grow, and my students to learn, I adhere to the following ideals:
“Learning” and “play” are synonymous. We learn best by getting our hands dirty and pushing through valuable failures to success. Ideas and thoughts are meant to be held up to the light and tossed around like a ball before they become worn enough to feel like our own. Students should get to play with different, real-life work, so that they can better decide what fits them best. When I lead, I always look for the best questions to push thinking and allow someone to solve their own problems before I consider suggesting what somebody should do.
Consistency and structure beget freedom. When a student or staff member knows what their expectations are, that frees their minds from worries about “what happens next” and opens up mental space for exploration. I make clear what I expect and what I want to accomplish, so that my staff can spend as much time doing the fun part of exploring solutions.
Relationships are the foundation for growth. You cannot serve a student effectively if you do not who they are. And you cannot know who a student is without knowing where they are from, and who they come from. The same applies to leadership - to get the best out of my staff, I have to listen and show them that I care about who they are outside of the building, so that I can help them put their whole selves into their work.
Self-reflection is the most important skill of all. All the best teaching in the world does nothing for our students if they do not know who they are and where they stand. We must work to make sure every student has the skills to find their own areas for growth, so that their progress does not end when they leave our building. As a leader, I look to model this for my teachers, always working to get better and acknowledge my shortcomings - as well as looking for ways for the organization as a whole to do the same in the pursuit of doing the best work for our students and their families.
I believe . . .
That all of these principles, together, contribute to students of all backgrounds having the joy and freedom to develop deep skills and - more importantly - the independence and motivation to continue learning throughout their lives, and in whatever career they might want for themselves.
But beyond all that . . . (find out what else I believe in as a school leader)
That strong, effective leadership and great teaching are the same thing. To help my teachers grow, and my students to learn, I adhere to the following ideals:
“Learning” and “play” are synonymous. We learn best by getting our hands dirty and pushing through valuable failures to success. Ideas and thoughts are meant to be held up to the light and tossed around like a ball before they become worn enough to feel like our own. Students should get to play with different, real-life work, so that they can better decide what fits them best. When I lead, I always look for the best questions to push thinking and allow someone to solve their own problems before I consider suggesting what somebody should do.
Consistency and structure beget freedom. When a student or staff member knows what their expectations are, that frees their minds from worries about “what happens next” and opens up mental space for exploration. I make clear what I expect and what I want to accomplish, so that my staff can spend as much time doing the fun part of exploring solutions.
Relationships are the foundation for growth. You cannot serve a student effectively if you do not who they are. And you cannot know who a student is without knowing where they are from, and who they come from. The same applies to leadership - to get the best out of my staff, I have to listen and show them that I care about who they are outside of the building, so that I can help them put their whole selves into their work.
Self-reflection is the most important skill of all. All the best teaching in the world does nothing for our students if they do not know who they are and where they stand. We must work to make sure every student has the skills to find their own areas for growth, so that their progress does not end when they leave our building. As a leader, I look to model this for my teachers, always working to get better and acknowledge my shortcomings - as well as looking for ways for the organization as a whole to do the same in the pursuit of doing the best work for our students and their families.
I believe . . .
That all of these principles, together, contribute to students of all backgrounds having the joy and freedom to develop deep skills and - more importantly - the independence and motivation to continue learning throughout their lives, and in whatever career they might want for themselves.
But beyond all that . . . (find out what else I believe in as a school leader)
matt roche and jaime warren, co-directors of non-profit community arts program, whoop dee doo (kansas city, mo)
Greg Callaham is an inspiration to me both personally and professionally exactly because he seems to have been so successful in combining his personal passions and ideals with his work so seamlessly. His commitment to developing and refining his process of youth mentorship is obvious to anyone lucky enough to work with him. There is an inarguable logic and altruistic spirit in his work that is almost hidden as a result of the depth of creativity in his approach. All of this can be, at times, easy to miss because Greg has the ability - seemingly common to anyone truly gifted at what they do – to make the very difficult seem easy. |
Greg is assertive, genuine, consistent, creative and insanely energetic . . . and one of very few people with whom I’ve worked to show complete and total dedication to what he does. The way he works with kids (and staff) is inspiring and I’ll keep that with me throughout the challenges I face working with underserved youth . . . It’s a process I am grateful to have been able to watch and learn from . . . and I feel honored to have worked with such a dynamic and committed person. |