November 3, 2024 • 12 mins
What if the key to revolutionizing education lies in empowerment? Join me, Edward Eshazer, as we explore how teachers and administrators can unlock the full potential of their students and staff through strategic delegation and collaboration. This episode promises valuable insights into assigning meaningful responsibilities that transcend traditional roles, fostering an environment where leadership and confidence can thrive. By implementing specific leadership positions in group projects, educators not only instill independence but also prepare students for success in a team-oriented world. And for school administrators, find out how similar tactics can lead to a more engaged and committed staff.
Delve into the art of creating collaborative classroom environments where students learn from each other, enhance their critical thinking, and stay engaged. This episode goes beyond just individual empowerment, encouraging teachers to reflect on how structured lessons that promote peer-to-peer learning can invigorate the educational experience. For both educators and administrators, the conversation is a call to action to consider how delegating responsibilities fosters growth and empowerment. And, as always, we'll share essential well-being tips to ensure that taking care of yourself remains a priority, because being your best in the classroom starts with looking after yourself.
www.EdwardDeShazer.org
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers
Ed podcast, the place where thebest and brightest in education
come to be inspired to learn toconnect and grow.
I'm your host, edward Eshazer,and today we are diving into the
idea of empowerment and howteachers can empower their
students, their colleagues andeven themselves.
(00:26):
Empowerment in the classroomgoes beyond giving students
responsibility.
It's about giving the peoplethat we serve the confidence to
lead, to collaborate and to grow, and today we're going to talk
about practical ways that we canmake that happen.
We'll also take a second totalk about some school-wide
(00:47):
strategies that administratorswho want to create a more
empowered environment for theirstaff are able to use.
And always we'll end with somespecial well-being tips, because
we know that taking care ofyourself is key to you being the
best in your classroom.
So to get us going, the firsttip, tip number one, is to
(01:08):
delegate responsibilities toyour students.
One of the most effective waysto empower our students is by
giving them responsibility inyour classroom, and I don't mean
your typical classroom jobs.
We got those job boards by thedoorway where it's sweeping the
room and handing out the papersand the paper collectors and
(01:29):
those things are great, but I'mtalking about meaningful
relationship or meaningfulresponsibilities that really
engage your students and helpthem build leadership skills.
And an example is in groupprojects, giving them specific
leadership roles.
One student in that group youcan give them a role of being
the team leader, another may bethe researcher, another may be
(01:50):
in charge of presenting thefindings of the group.
And by giving these studentroles, you're showing them that
you trust their abilities tomanage part of the learning
process.
You're not just throwing themin and saying, hey, make this
happen.
You are helping them get theseroles and get some leadership
skills and helping them share inthe process and allowing them
(02:14):
to, and your students to,develop their confidence and
independence.
I am 41 years old and when wewere growing up, where I think
education is starting to thesociety has shifted is when I
was in school we were learninghow to go into a blue collar
world.
It was very straight line.
It was very factory mentality,and schools today cannot be
(02:36):
factories.
We need to teach and empowerour kids how to be successful in
the world that they are walkinginto, and more often than not,
they are walking into the worldof teams with different roles
and different expertise.
So now is the time to starttraining our kids for those
roles, and when we start to dothat type of delegation, it's
empowering because it makes ourstudents feel valued.
(02:59):
They see that you're givingthem ownership of what's going
on.
It motivates them to rise tothe occasion.
And guess what?
When students feel empowered,they're more likely to engage
deeply with the content thatthey are involved in and they're
more likely to engage with eachother.
For the administrators that arelistening, I want you to think
(03:22):
about how you can empower yourstaff in similar ways.
Maybe it's giving the teachersmore ownership over professional
development sessions, orletting them lead in initiative
in the school.
And, just like with thestudents, when your staff and
teachers feel trusted to lead,they become more engaged and
more committed.
They become more engaged andmore committed.
(03:42):
So I want us to take a secondand think about this what is one
responsibility you coulddelegate to your students?
For the teachers out there,what's one responsibility you
can delegate to your studentsthis week that would empower
them?
For the administrators, isthere a staff member that you
(04:03):
can think of in your school thatcould take on a leadership role
in a project or initiative thatwould help them grow themselves
?
So then, while we're thinkingabout that, I want us to start
thinking about after we delegateresponsibilities and help
empower the individual, inindividuals, in our school and
(04:24):
in our classroom.
Next, we have to create anenvironment where collaboration
thrives, because that intakescollaboration, takes empowerment
to the next level.
So our second tip is creatingopportunities for students to
collaborate.
Collaboration in the classroomis powerful because it allows
students to learn from eachother.
(04:45):
When they work together, theyshare ideas, challenging one
another, and it teaches ourstudents to think critically.
As teachers, we can createthese collaborative
opportunities by structuringlessons that require group work
or peer-to-peer learning.
No student wants to be in aclassroom where the teacher is
standing and talking for 45minutes.
(05:06):
And, let's be honest, asteachers, no teacher and I could
be wrong.
If someone's listening andthey're like I, love to stand
and teach for 45 minutes, youare a dying breed.
No teacher wants to stand andteach for 45 minutes.
You are a dying breed.
No teacher wants to stand andteach for 45 minutes.
So, by getting our students tocollaborate, instead of always
assigning individual work,creating these group challenges
(05:27):
or group projects where studentshave to solve problems together
Think about something like adebate, where students are
assigned different sides, orresearch project where they
split up roles and collaborateto complete the work.
When students work together,they don't just learn the
material, they learn how tocommunicate, compromise, support
(05:48):
each other.
These are skills that go farbeyond the classroom.
And remember collaboration isnot just for our students, it's
for us as teachers too.
Are there ways that you canwork more closely with your
colleagues?
Are there ways that you couldbe co-teaching a lesson or even
(06:09):
co-planning a unit?
These are great ways for us tobring new ideas and energy into
our classroom.
It's also a great way to modelthe power of collaboration for
your students.
Administrators.
Think about how you can createmore opportunities for your
teachers to collaborate, whetherit's through formal structures
(06:31):
like the professional learningor more informal team meetings.
Collaboration strengthensrelationships and strong
relationships create strongschool culture.
So I want us to pause for alittle reflection.
The question I want us to thinkis how can you create more
(06:52):
opportunities for collaborationin your classroom this week?
Maybe it is a peer learningactivity, or maybe you reach out
to a colleague down the hall orin another department and plan
something together.
Collaboration leads to strongerrelationships and better
learning outcomes.
It's that simple.
(07:12):
So the two things as far as theteaching aspect that I want us
to think about before wetransition into the wellness.
Number one, I want us to beginto delegate responsibility to
our students, and once we startdoing that, we have to start
creating more opportunities forour students to collaborate.
(07:33):
And before we move into today'swellness tip, I want to take a
moment to tell you about the BeWell Teacher Academy.
The Be Well Teacher Academy isan online community that is
designed specifically foreducators who want to prioritize
their well-being whilebalancing the many demands of
the classroom and the school.
Here's what we offer Monthlyself-care workshops led by
(07:54):
wellness professionals, guidedmeditation and reflection
sessions to help you reset.
We'll have journal prompts tohelp you reflect, reduce stress
and recharge.
And, most importantly, it is aprivate and supportive community
where you connect with othereducators who understand what
you are going through.
And here's the best part thefirst 250 members who join the
(08:16):
Academy will receive lifetimefree access to all of these
incredible resources.
That's right Lifetime freeaccess.
So head over towwwbewellteachercom to sign up
and secure your spot in thisamazing community.
And remember, taking care ofyourself is essential to being
the best teacher you can be.
(08:36):
Visit wwwbewellteachercom andbe one of the first 250 members
to get lifetime free access.
Now let's talk about ourwell-being tip.
This is something that issimple but often overlooked, and
that's movement.
As teachers, we spend so muchtime focusing on our students
(08:58):
that we often forget to focusabout our own physical
well-being.
Whether you are sitting behinda desk grading papers or
standing in front of theclassroom all day, it can be
easy to forget to move your body.
Sometimes we forget to even eatlunch.
Incorporating small moments ofmovement throughout our day can
make a huge difference.
Even a quick stretch betweenclasses or taking a short walk
(09:21):
during lunch can help you clearyour mind, boost your energy and
reduce stress.
Movement isn't just aboutphysical health.
It's about taking a mentalbreak and giving yourself a
chance to recharge.
Here's something to think aboutwhen was the last time you
really focused on yourwell-being?
(09:42):
We're always running aroundputting out fires, making sure
everything and everyone else istaken care of, but we forget
that we need care too.
Even just five minutes ofmoving, breathing, stretching
can completely reset your day.
You deserve those five minutes,you are worth it, and your
well-being is not a luxury, it'sa necessity.
(10:07):
Now here's your challenge forthe week.
First, I need you to delegate ameaningful responsibility to
your students.
It could be a classroom job, itcould be something bigger, like
leading part in a group project, but give them the chance to
take ownership and watch how itempowers your students in the
classroom.
Second, I need us to find a wayto foster collaboration in our
(10:30):
classroom, whether it's with agroup project, peer-to-peer
learning activity or even aco-teaching opportunity with a
colleague.
I want you to see howcollaboration can strengthen the
relationship and boost thelearning in your school.
And lastly, don't forget to takecare of yourself.
Try incorporating just a littlemore movement into your day,
(10:52):
whether it's stretching betweenclasses or taking a short walk
when you get home.
However, you can do it.
But when you take care ofyourself, you will be able to
take better care of yourstudents.
And remember, when you takecare of yourself and those
around you, you're building astronger, more connected school
community.
(11:12):
Keep believing in yourself,keep believing in your
colleagues and, most importantlyI said that backwards Keep
believing in your colleagues,keep believing in your students
and, most importantly, keepbelieving in yourself Until next
time.
I need you to stay inspired,stay connected and keep growing.
(11:37):
See you next week, if you havenot, please like, please
subscribe, please share thisepisode and don't forget to head
over to wwwbewellteachercom andjoin our community.
First 250 get lifetime freeaccess.
But let's keep going, let'skeep growing, let's stay
connected and I'll see you allnext week.
Thanks for tapping in.
Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers
Ed podcast, the place where thebest and brightest in education
come to be inspired to learn toconnect and grow.
I'm your host, edward Eshazer,and today we are diving into the
idea of empowerment and howteachers can empower their
students, their colleagues andeven themselves.
(00:26):
Empowerment in the classroomgoes beyond giving students
responsibility.
It's about giving the peoplethat we serve the confidence to
lead, to collaborate and to grow, and today we're going to talk
about practical ways that we canmake that happen.
We'll also take a second totalk about some school-wide
(00:47):
strategies that administratorswho want to create a more
empowered environment for theirstaff are able to use.
And always we'll end with somespecial well-being tips, because
we know that taking care ofyourself is key to you being the
best in your classroom.
So to get us going, the firsttip, tip number one, is to
(01:08):
delegate responsibilities toyour students.
One of the most effective waysto empower our students is by
giving them responsibility inyour classroom, and I don't mean
your typical classroom jobs.
We got those job boards by thedoorway where it's sweeping the
room and handing out the papersand the paper collectors and
(01:29):
those things are great, but I'mtalking about meaningful
relationship or meaningfulresponsibilities that really
engage your students and helpthem build leadership skills.
And an example is in groupprojects, giving them specific
leadership roles.
One student in that group youcan give them a role of being
the team leader, another may bethe researcher, another may be
(01:50):
in charge of presenting thefindings of the group.
And by giving these studentroles, you're showing them that
you trust their abilities tomanage part of the learning
process.
You're not just throwing themin and saying, hey, make this
happen.
You are helping them get theseroles and get some leadership
skills and helping them share inthe process and allowing them
(02:14):
to, and your students to,develop their confidence and
independence.
I am 41 years old and when wewere growing up, where I think
education is starting to thesociety has shifted is when I
was in school we were learninghow to go into a blue collar
world.
It was very straight line.
It was very factory mentality,and schools today cannot be
(02:36):
factories.
We need to teach and empowerour kids how to be successful in
the world that they are walkinginto, and more often than not,
they are walking into the worldof teams with different roles
and different expertise.
So now is the time to starttraining our kids for those
roles, and when we start to dothat type of delegation, it's
empowering because it makes ourstudents feel valued.
(02:59):
They see that you're givingthem ownership of what's going
on.
It motivates them to rise tothe occasion.
And guess what?
When students feel empowered,they're more likely to engage
deeply with the content thatthey are involved in and they're
more likely to engage with eachother.
For the administrators that arelistening, I want you to think
(03:22):
about how you can empower yourstaff in similar ways.
Maybe it's giving the teachersmore ownership over professional
development sessions, orletting them lead in initiative
in the school.
And, just like with thestudents, when your staff and
teachers feel trusted to lead,they become more engaged and
more committed.
They become more engaged andmore committed.
(03:42):
So I want us to take a secondand think about this what is one
responsibility you coulddelegate to your students?
For the teachers out there,what's one responsibility you
can delegate to your studentsthis week that would empower
them?
For the administrators, isthere a staff member that you
(04:03):
can think of in your school thatcould take on a leadership role
in a project or initiative thatwould help them grow themselves
?
So then, while we're thinkingabout that, I want us to start
thinking about after we delegateresponsibilities and help
empower the individual, inindividuals, in our school and
(04:24):
in our classroom.
Next, we have to create anenvironment where collaboration
thrives, because that intakescollaboration, takes empowerment
to the next level.
So our second tip is creatingopportunities for students to
collaborate.
Collaboration in the classroomis powerful because it allows
students to learn from eachother.
(04:45):
When they work together, theyshare ideas, challenging one
another, and it teaches ourstudents to think critically.
As teachers, we can createthese collaborative
opportunities by structuringlessons that require group work
or peer-to-peer learning.
No student wants to be in aclassroom where the teacher is
standing and talking for 45minutes.
(05:06):
And, let's be honest, asteachers, no teacher and I could
be wrong.
If someone's listening andthey're like I, love to stand
and teach for 45 minutes, youare a dying breed.
No teacher wants to stand andteach for 45 minutes.
You are a dying breed.
No teacher wants to stand andteach for 45 minutes.
So, by getting our students tocollaborate, instead of always
assigning individual work,creating these group challenges
(05:27):
or group projects where studentshave to solve problems together
Think about something like adebate, where students are
assigned different sides, orresearch project where they
split up roles and collaborateto complete the work.
When students work together,they don't just learn the
material, they learn how tocommunicate, compromise, support
(05:48):
each other.
These are skills that go farbeyond the classroom.
And remember collaboration isnot just for our students, it's
for us as teachers too.
Are there ways that you canwork more closely with your
colleagues?
Are there ways that you couldbe co-teaching a lesson or even
(06:09):
co-planning a unit?
These are great ways for us tobring new ideas and energy into
our classroom.
It's also a great way to modelthe power of collaboration for
your students.
Administrators.
Think about how you can createmore opportunities for your
teachers to collaborate, whetherit's through formal structures
(06:31):
like the professional learningor more informal team meetings.
Collaboration strengthensrelationships and strong
relationships create strongschool culture.
So I want us to pause for alittle reflection.
The question I want us to thinkis how can you create more
(06:52):
opportunities for collaborationin your classroom this week?
Maybe it is a peer learningactivity, or maybe you reach out
to a colleague down the hall orin another department and plan
something together.
Collaboration leads to strongerrelationships and better
learning outcomes.
It's that simple.
(07:12):
So the two things as far as theteaching aspect that I want us
to think about before wetransition into the wellness.
Number one, I want us to beginto delegate responsibility to
our students, and once we startdoing that, we have to start
creating more opportunities forour students to collaborate.
(07:33):
And before we move into today'swellness tip, I want to take a
moment to tell you about the BeWell Teacher Academy.
The Be Well Teacher Academy isan online community that is
designed specifically foreducators who want to prioritize
their well-being whilebalancing the many demands of
the classroom and the school.
Here's what we offer Monthlyself-care workshops led by
(07:54):
wellness professionals, guidedmeditation and reflection
sessions to help you reset.
We'll have journal prompts tohelp you reflect, reduce stress
and recharge.
And, most importantly, it is aprivate and supportive community
where you connect with othereducators who understand what
you are going through.
And here's the best part thefirst 250 members who join the
(08:16):
Academy will receive lifetimefree access to all of these
incredible resources.
That's right Lifetime freeaccess.
So head over towwwbewellteachercom to sign up
and secure your spot in thisamazing community.
And remember, taking care ofyourself is essential to being
the best teacher you can be.
(08:36):
Visit wwwbewellteachercom andbe one of the first 250 members
to get lifetime free access.
Now let's talk about ourwell-being tip.
This is something that issimple but often overlooked, and
that's movement.
As teachers, we spend so muchtime focusing on our students
(08:58):
that we often forget to focusabout our own physical
well-being.
Whether you are sitting behinda desk grading papers or
standing in front of theclassroom all day, it can be
easy to forget to move your body.
Sometimes we forget to even eatlunch.
Incorporating small moments ofmovement throughout our day can
make a huge difference.
Even a quick stretch betweenclasses or taking a short walk
(09:21):
during lunch can help you clearyour mind, boost your energy and
reduce stress.
Movement isn't just aboutphysical health.
It's about taking a mentalbreak and giving yourself a
chance to recharge.
Here's something to think aboutwhen was the last time you
really focused on yourwell-being?
(09:42):
We're always running aroundputting out fires, making sure
everything and everyone else istaken care of, but we forget
that we need care too.
Even just five minutes ofmoving, breathing, stretching
can completely reset your day.
You deserve those five minutes,you are worth it, and your
well-being is not a luxury, it'sa necessity.
(10:07):
Now here's your challenge forthe week.
First, I need you to delegate ameaningful responsibility to
your students.
It could be a classroom job, itcould be something bigger, like
leading part in a group project, but give them the chance to
take ownership and watch how itempowers your students in the
classroom.
Second, I need us to find a wayto foster collaboration in our
(10:30):
classroom, whether it's with agroup project, peer-to-peer
learning activity or even aco-teaching opportunity with a
colleague.
I want you to see howcollaboration can strengthen the
relationship and boost thelearning in your school.
And lastly, don't forget to takecare of yourself.
Try incorporating just a littlemore movement into your day,
(10:52):
whether it's stretching betweenclasses or taking a short walk
when you get home.
However, you can do it.
But when you take care ofyourself, you will be able to
take better care of yourstudents.
And remember, when you takecare of yourself and those
around you, you're building astronger, more connected school
community.
(11:12):
Keep believing in yourself,keep believing in your
colleagues and, most importantlyI said that backwards Keep
believing in your colleagues,keep believing in your students
and, most importantly, keepbelieving in yourself Until next
time.
I need you to stay inspired,stay connected and keep growing.
(11:37):
See you next week, if you havenot, please like, please
subscribe, please share thisepisode and don't forget to head
over to wwwbewellteachercom andjoin our community.
First 250 get lifetime freeaccess.
But let's keep going, let'skeep growing, let's stay
connected and I'll see you allnext week.
Thanks for tapping in.
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