Working Well: A Leadership Coach’s Perspective on Well-Being.
In partnership with the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)
Posted June 24, 2024 by, Mindi Wisman
Today we highlight another recent interview in our Working Well podcast series, which is part of our work with NCCSLE. This series is the by-product of several roundtable discussions with a variety of researchers and educators to gain a better understanding of the well-being practices being implemented by educators across the country. The aim of the roundtables was to learn how expanding staff well-being practices could support the overall conditions for teaching. The aim of the podcasts is to better understand how an investment in educator well-being can improve student success.
Peter DeWitt
In this conversation, Melanie Goodman speaks with Peter DeWitt ED.D. He was an elementary school teacher for 11 years, a principal for 8 years, and the 2013 School Administrators Association of New York State's (SAANYS) Outstanding Educator of the Year. He is the author of several books and writes the Finding Common Ground blog published by Education Week. He also runs workshops, coaches school leaders, and provides keynotes focusing on collaborative leadership, fostering inclusive school climates, staff well-being, and connected learning. In this multi-faceted conversation, Peter, who is gay, shares how his desire to keep his gay identity separate from his professional identity evolved over time, and how he has inadvertently become a leader for other LGBTQI+ educators. He also talks about how he sees himself first and foremost as a learner and a communicator.
I never considered myself a role model. But, people said I was a role model because they got to know me first, and then they found out I was gay; and that changed their perception of what gay men looked like.
Hear our illuminating conversation with Peter here.
And below are two favorite books and one blog that Peter recommends as additional resources:
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by, Will Guidara.
“It’s about how you make people feel; we know people are anxious and that anxiety diminishes efficacy, and I care deeply about working on those things.“
Hidden Potential, by Adam Grant.
“I love this book, I wish it came out years ago; I wouldn’t have beaten myself up so much.”
‘We Should Be Concerned About the Mental Health of Principals.’ Peter DeWitt, Education Week’s Finding Common Ground.
“I was in a meeting coaching school leaders in the fall of 2020, and two assistant principals started crying because they were so overwhelmed; and it was only the 3rd week of school. Mental health, well-being, and academics are all part of the work.”
Reminder: Listen to Peter here.
To learn more, you can reach out to Peter at: pmdewitt@instructionalleadershipcollective.com
In Case You Missed It: Previous installments of this series can be found here: Working Well Podcasts
Also see the Working Well Resource Directory we created for administrators, teachers, and other staff.