This week's guest post is brought to you by Laura Robb and Evan Robb, an outstanding leadership duo of educational leaders and author of Team Makers. Prepare to be inspired! 

Laura and Evan wrote their guest post in the form of a conversation between about their new book! Ready to chat?

Conversation Between Laura Robb and Evan Robb

Laura: I so appreciate how conversations and sharing dreams took us to places that changed our thinking.

Evan: And by discussing and reflecting on our dreams and educational beliefs, the idea for TeamMakers emerged!

Laura: Our book is about daring to do things differently like district-wide collaboration and the impact it can have on teaching and learning.

Evan: And don’t forget district-wide sharing of dreams that become the maps for the changes we want to implement.

Laura: And it’s not just change that we imagined, but our dreams and conversations showed us that TeamMakers is much more than a book—it’s a movement.

Evan: Yes! It’s a call to action for all stakeholders in a district to become #teammakers dedicated to influencing their division’s culture and making learning relevant for today and the future.

Laura: Totally agree! #teammakers is a movement for sustainable change. At the core—the heart of the movement are students. I recall our long conversations about the skills today’s students will need to participate in a rapidly changing world.

Evan: We tossed out lots of ideas. But eventually, we agreed students needed to be able to: collaborate, communicate, analyze data, think creatively and critically, develop leadership capacity, and solve complex problems.

Laura: Today’s students will be the global citizens of tomorrow. They’ll also be #teammakers who solve problems that affect people throughout the world!

Evan: I see our book as the guide for creating district-wide change. TeamMakers points to the benefits of districts redefining school leadership roles and shines the spotlight on central office and school administrators who have integrated news ideas and actions into their daily lives.

Laura: Teacher and student advocacy and agency bring school leadership to a new level. Readers can explore leadership suggestions for both groups.

Evan: The “interludes”—short pieces by administrators—illustrate the actionable changes they’ve created and the impact taking risks has on teaching and learning.

Laura: We also include “interludes” by high school students and teachers to add their take on student advocacy, student-centered learning, relationship building, and the importance of coaching as an instrument of change.

Evan: And, our conversations on change led us to flipping faculty meetings and using them for staff to collaborate and learn in ways we want their students to learn.

Laura: I remember when you first did this, several years ago. It made a huge difference in teachers' professional knowledge because they used professional articles and chapters from professional books.

Evan: It was like a cold, and teachers caught it, and continued collaborating in groups during some of their team and department meetings. TeamMakers also provides the “how-to’s” of flipping faculty meetings.

Laura: We broaden the concept of community and show how an entire school district can become a community of learners and problem solvers.

Evan: Yes! And we offer tips and inspiring examples! We also point out the importance of taking risks and how, at the building level, the principal sets the tone and provides the safety net for staff to feel it’s okay to try something new and fail. We make it clear that failure is simply information to use and refine a lesson when you try again. Change takes time and change-makers require support!

Laura: Change can be scary! But with the support from #teammakers, it’s easier to take the plunge and start.

Evan: Embracing change is easier when districts support staff and provide avenues for ongoing professional learning.

Laura: TeamMakers shows how professional learning can change fixed mindsets into growth mindsets.

Evan: And don’t forget building collective efficacy and the effect it has on teaching, interventions, and how students learn.

Laura: When you discussed your memories of my father, Sidney Seidner, and pointed out how his life connected to becoming an evolving educator, we both agreed he had to be in our book.

Evan: His life showed me the importance of staying in touch with our creativity and being able to adapt to the world we live in as it changes. It’s a skill we need to model for our students!

Laura: In TeamMakers we include a list of ten ways to be an ever-evolving educator. We invite teachers and administrators to reflect on this list to tune into and develop the traits that allow them to tap into their creativity and adjust their teaching and leadership craft.

Evan: In our book, you have map for change with choices and examples. You can hear us discuss #teammakers in two podcasts—the first at the end of Part I and the second at the of Part V. They’re easy to access with the Q-R Code.

Laura: Part V of TeamMakers, explains how to tell your school’s story and the link between reflection and change for administrators, teachers, and students. TeamMakers also suggests a process for change that you can follow or adapt to your district’s needs.

Evan: We invite you to join our movement! Become a #teammaker and an ever-evolving educator who puts students at the center when making teaching and learning decisions!

Thank you, Laura and Evan​​​​​

Thank you, Laura and Evan! 

If you like what you've read, please follow Laura and Evan on Twitter @LRobbTeacher and @ERobbPrincipal. Also, check out their websites at LRobb.com and evan-robb.com.

Don't forget to click the "More Info" link below and learn more about TeamMakers. You can even read the first few chapters for FREE! *Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the word PREVIEW.