Written by What are the benefits of independent schools? Are they institutions set up to benefit their own families or could they also have a larger purpose in the greater educational landscape? This is just one of the questions Patti MacDonald and I pick apart in this episode.
Patti MacDonald was the first principal I ever worked under and I did not realize at the time how lucky I was to have her visionary leadership, deep understanding of equity and inclusion issues, and unique approach to education as a researcher. Since Patti has left The Bishop Strachan School to become the Executive Director of CAIS (Canadian Accredited Independent Schools), saying that she is missed at my school would be an understatement.
Even though we worked in the same building for many years, I don’t think I ever had the opportunity to just sit down and ask her whatever I wanted about education. As you will quickly find out from this conversation, Patti is a brilliant leader and we get right into what outstanding schools all have in common, how teachers can adopt her approach of teacher as researcher, and what role independent schools can play in the larger world of education. Also, Patti shares some of her advice for growing leadership and her answer both challenged and inspired me, so be sure to keep listening for that.
This show is a must for anyone who want to develop their leadership potential in education and really just have that kitchen conversation with a woman they admire. I am so excited for you to hear what we got into with our chat, so let’s jump right in! Click on the link and start listening.