Education’s Uncomfortable Truths: An Honest Conversation with Dr. Justin Baeder

Justin Baeder, PhD

Summary:

In this episode, Andy and Justin discuss their backgrounds and experiences in education, highlighting their interest in leadership, learning, and technology in education. They also discuss the challenges in education, such as discipline reform, special education, grading reform, and the mass exodus of teachers. They emphasize the importance of thoughtful use of technology in education and the need for parents and educators to make better decisions for students based on their own experiences with technology.

The episode also focuses on the need for a more scientific and student-centered approach to education reform, particularly in the area of discipline reform. They express concerns about the current trend of eliminating consequences for disruptive behavior and questioned the rationale behind this approach, emphasizing the need to prioritize the actual experiences of students over statistical outcomes. They also discuss the challenges and implications of 100% inclusion in education, particularly for students with special needs, and advocated for a balanced, student-centered model that prioritizes safety and personalized support for all students.

The conversation also touches on the challenges faced in ensuring teacher safety and meeting the needs of students in educational settings. They explore the financial and staffing factors that influence the placement of students, particularly those with special needs, and the impact on the safety and well-being of teachers and paras. Finally, they talk through the complexities of progressive discipline and the dearth of data on student behavior in schools, stressing the importance of better data collection to establish a fair and rational relationship between behavior and consequences.

The meeting also delved into the challenges and nuances of grading reform, particularly in the context of standards-based grading. They explored the potential pitfalls of removing traditional grading elements such as accountability for behavior and effort, highlighting the need for a balanced approach that considers both academic mastery and learning behavior. Additionally, they addressed the issue of grade inflation and the role of standardized testing as a metric for assessing academic abilities, emphasizing the need to maintain a focus on knowledge acquisition for all students, regardless of their performance on standardized tests.

Bio:

Justin Baeder, PhD is Director of The Principal Center, where he helps senior leaders in K-12 organizations build capacity for instructional leadership. A former principal in Seattle Public Schools, he is creator of the Instructional Leadership Challenge, which has helped more than 10,000 school leaders in 50 countries around the world:

• Confidently get into classrooms every day
• Have feedback conversations that change teacher practice
• Discover their best opportunities for school improvement

Dr. Baeder is the author of Now We're Talking! 21 Days to High-Performance Instructional Leadership, and the co-author, with Heather Bell-Williams, of Mapping Professional Practice: How to Develop Instructional Frameworks to Support Teacher Growth (Solution Tree).

He is the host of Principal Center Radio, a podcast featuring education thought leaders, and the founder of Repertoire, the professional writing app for instructional leaders.

He holds a PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from the University of Washington and an MEd in Curriculum & Instruction from Seattle University, and is a graduate of the Danforth Program for Educational Leadership at UW.

Links:

• The Principal Center: https://www.principalcenter.com/
• Principal Center Radio: https://www.youtube.com/@PrincipalCenterRadio
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbaeder/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eduleadership
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/principalcenter/