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Throwback Thursday! Teacher Internships How can we better prepare aspiring teachers for the realities of today's classrooms? This week, we're revisiting an important conversation with Jeff Davis, Director of Clinical Practice & Partnerships at the University of Virginia School of Education, as we explore the role of teacher internships and clinical experiences in preparing the next generation of educators. In this episode, Jeff shares valuable insights into the current teacher preparation landscape and how schools and universities can work together to strengthen the experiences of aspiring teachers. Key Takeaways: ✅ Jeff discusses the current teacher preparation environment and the opportunities to better support future educators. ✅ Strategies for enriching clinical experiences and ensuring aspiring teachers gain meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities. ✅ The importance of strengthening partnerships between school divisions and educator preparation programs.As we continue conversations around teacher recruitment and retention, we must also consider how we're preparing educators before they enter the profession. 🌲 Preparing great teachers doesn't begin on their first day in the classroom. It begins with the experiences and support we provide along the way.

🎙️ Episode #138 – Leading with Identity When the Path Isn't Clear What keeps you grounded as a leader when the path forward isn't always clear? I'm excited to welcome Dr. Amanda Austin, Director (Principal) of Iberville Math, Science, and Arts Academy East, to Leading Out The Woods for an insightful conversation about leading with purpose, staying true to your values, and navigating the challenges that come with school leadership. As educational leaders, we're constantly navigating competing priorities, difficult decisions, and external pressures. But how do we ensure that the decisions we make remain aligned with who we are and what we want our schools to become? In this episode, we explore: ✔️ Why establishing a clear school identity matters for culture, instruction, and decision-making ✔️ The difference between a school that simply looks successful and one that has a strong, purposeful culture ✔️ How leaders can remain grounded during staffing challenges, policy changes, and community pressures ✔️ Practical strategies for embedding a school's identity into everyday practices, from hiring to professional learning ✔️ The importance of staying true to your values when outside influences threaten to pull you off course This conversation serves as a reminder that effective leadership isn't always about having all the answers. Sometimes, it's about having a clear understanding of your purpose and allowing that to guide your next steps When the path isn't clear, your purpose and identity become your compass.

Throwback Thursday – Episode #17: Teacher Efficacy: Reaching All Learners This week, we're revisiting an insightful conversation with Dr. Katie Novak, internationally renowned education consultant, as we explore the importance of teacher efficacy, inclusive practices, and creating learning environments that meet the diverse needs of students. In this episode, Dr. Novak shares her experiences and practical insights on how educators can strengthen their instructional practices while building a collective commitment to student success. Key Takeaways: ✅ The importance of implementing inclusive instructional practices that support all learners. ✅ Strategies for building collective teacher efficacy and strengthening collaboration among educators. ✅ How creating supportive, inclusive learning environments can help educators better respond to students' individual needs. This conversation reminds us that reaching all learners isn't simply about individual teaching strategies. It's about building a shared belief that, together, we can make a meaningful difference in student learning. 🌲 When educators believe in their collective ability to make an impact, powerful things can happen for students.

Anchor Chat #34: Who Owns the Problem? In this episode of Anchor Chats, Dr. Woods reflects on Who Owns the Problem? and the tendency for leaders to take on every challenge brought their way. He explores the difference between supporting someone through a problem and assuming responsibility for solving it. Dr. Woods challenges leaders to pause, clarify ownership, ask the right questions, and empower others to develop solutions—because effective leadership isn’t about carrying every problem; it’s about building the capacity of others to solve them.

Throwback Thursday! Building Bridges: School Boards, Communities, and Administrators Unite Originally Released On: 11-15-24 This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode, Special Guest Ja'Quez D. Taylor, Former School Board Chair and active School Board Member in NC, joins Dr. Woods to discuss how effective collaboration among these key stakeholders can drive student success and strengthen school communities.

Throwback Thursday! Started from the Bottom, Now I'm Here Originally Released On: 6-18-21 This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode: ✅ Darrion discusses how he motivates and inspires his students and school community. ✅ Darrion shares advice with other educators trying to make a positive impact with students at-risk. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today. 🎧

🎙️ Episode #137 – Roaches in My Cereal: And the Moral Imperative to Reimagine School What if some of the things we've accepted as "just the way school works" are the very things we need to rethink? I'm excited to welcome Dr. Melvin J. Brown, Superintendent in Residence at Defined, LLC, longtime educational leader, and author of Roaches in My Cereal: And the Moral Imperative to Reimagine School, to Leading Out The Woods.In this episode, we challenge ourselves to think differently about the systems and structures we've inherited in education—and what it will take to create schools that better prepare EVERY student for lifelong success. Our conversation explores: ✔️ Why there is a moral imperative to reimagine school ✔️ Challenging long-standing assumptions about education ✔️ Moving beyond practices simply because "we've always done it that way" ✔️ Creating systems that better respond to the needs of today's students ✔️ The role educational leaders play in turning bold ideas into meaningful change Reimagining school isn't simply about introducing the next program or initiative. It's about having the courage to examine what we're doing, ask whether it's still serving students, and be willing to build something better. Sometimes transformation begins with the willingness to question what we've learned to accept.

Throwback Thursday! Is Financial Literacy Working? Originally Released On: 7-15-2022 This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode: ✅ Dr. Thomas shares how we should conceptualize financial literacy. ✅ Dr. Thomas discusses barriers students and families routinely encounter when learning about financial literacy. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today.

Anchor Chat #33: The Leadership Pause In this episode of Anchor Chats, Dr. Woods reflects on The Leadership Pause and the importance of creating space between a situation and our response. He explores how leaders can resist the pressure to react immediately, instead taking time to listen, gather context, and think intentionally before making decisions. Dr. Woods reminds leaders that being responsive doesn’t mean being reactive—and sometimes the most effective leadership move is simply knowing when to pause.

Episode #136 is live! Check it out! Special Guest Patty McGee, nationally recognized literacy consultant, author, and educator, joins Dr. Woods on episode #136 of Leading Out The Woods to discuss Giving Grammar Instruction a Glow Up. In this episode, they explore why grammar instruction matters, the limitations of traditional approaches, and the mindshifts educators can make to bring grammar learning to life. Patty also shares innovative strategies from her book Not Your Granny’s Grammar, including how grammar manipulatives can make learning more engaging and meaningful for students.

Throwback Thursday! Title: Episode #27_Staff Motivation & Morale featuring Dr. Todd Whitaker  Originally Released On: 2-26-21 This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode, we: ✅ discuss the importance of staff motivation and morale in school management, ✅ provide tips on what you can do to ensure this is happening in your school. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today. 🎧

Throwback Thursday! Inside the Schoolhouse: What Great Principals Know and Do featuring Dr. John Gratto Originally Released On: 8-13-2021 This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode: ✅ Dr. Gratto shares an overview of his book, “Inside the Schoolhouse: What Great Principals Know and Do.” ✅ Dr. Gratto discusses the key concepts that assistant principals and principals can take away from the book.Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today. Don’t forget to check back every Thursday for more Throwback episodes!

🎙️ #ThrowbackThursday – Episode #103: Win the Morning! How we start the day can shape everything that follows. For this week's Leading Out The Woods Throwback Thursday, we're revisiting my conversation with Ryan Stein, principal and author of Lifeline 65: How Small Connections and Big Enthusiasm Can Change Education.In this episode, Ryan shares his inspiring “Win the Morning” philosophy and how intentionally starting each day with energy, connection, and purpose can have a lasting impact on students, staff, and school culture. We discuss: ✅ The philosophy behind “Win the Morning” ✅ How small, intentional connections can make a BIG difference ✅ Strategies for cultivating a positive and engaging school culture ✅ Why enthusiasm and relationships remain powerful tools for school leadersSometimes transforming a school doesn't begin with a new program or initiative. It begins with how we show up each morning. 🎧 Available now on all podcast platforms! Take some time to revisit this conversation and ask yourself: How are you winning the morning? 🌲

☀️ Summer Leadership Recharge: Principal Edition 🌲🎙️ Leading Through Change: Managing Transitions & Challenges Leadership is tested most during seasons of change. This week, I'm joined by Dr. Shameka Gerald, Managing Director at 2Revolutions, to discuss how school leaders can successfully navigate transitions, overcome challenges, and build resilient school communities. Together, we discuss: ✔️ Leading with confidence during uncertainty ✔️ Supporting staff through periods of change ✔️ Avoiding burnout while sustaining momentum ✔️ Building a culture of resilience and continuous growth As another school year approaches, this conversation offers practical leadership strategies to help you navigate change with clarity, confidence, and purpose. 🎧 Available now on all podcast platforms!

Episode #135 is up!  Check it out!!! Special Guest Jeff McCoy, Chief Education Officer for the Education Research & Development Institute (ERDI), joins Dr. Woods on episode #135 of Leading Out The Woods to discuss AI in K–12. In this episode, they explore the growing impact of artificial intelligence on education, discussing how school leaders can embrace innovation, navigate emerging challenges, and responsibly prepare students and educators for the future.