In this engaging episode, Mike Palmer talks with Jean Desravines, CEO of New Leaders, about developing representative leadership in K12 schools. Jean shares his powerful origin story of how education and mentorship saved his life, allowing him to escape a dire path. We learn how New Leaders identifies and develops the next generation of transformative school leaders, with a focus on leaders of color.
Jean provides fascinating insights into what makes an effective school leader, likening the role to a CEO managing stakeholders, budgets, talent, instruction and culture. He emphasizes the critical importance of representation, explaining how teachers of color benefit all students and increase teacher retention. After a few riffs on Allen Iverson (AI), we hear about New Leaders’ innovative use of technology like video feedback (similar to sports) to hone leadership skills through deliberate practice. Jean discusses technology’s role in enabling personalized learning while underscoring education as an inherently human endeavor requiring social-emotional skills.
The conversation covers thought-provoking topics around preparing students for future careers, improving assessment, and leveraging partnerships with organizations in the community like the work New Leaders is doing with HBCUs and Boeing. Tune in for Jean’s inspiring perspective on driving impact and representation at scale through effective leadership development.
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