Image of a male basketball player from the waist down. He is wearing red shorts with a brace on his right knee and black and white sneakers. He has his feet positioned as he is about to pivot with an unseen basketball on his left side.
Check-In:
I first heard the term ‘pivot’ in basketball practice. A pivot is a fundamental move for any basketball player: a movement in which the player holding the ball may move in any direction with one foot while keeping the other (the pivot foot) in contact with the floor. The primary purpose of pivoting in basketball is to give yourself space from your opponent to gain a better vision of the court.
The term has returned to my preview as we see the interests of philanthropists, technology, and state legislation pushing educators and organizations that support them to rethink their approaches.
Pivoting isn’t easy. Do you remember Portfolio cameras? Blockbuster video? Businesses that refuse to pivot because they believe their product will sustain innovation often end up out of business and/or filing for bankruptcy.
We also see this in education. Do you remember the resistance to the use of calculators, the internet, and cell phones in classrooms? Now we have AI. Some districts are looking for the best AI restriction policy versus looking for ways to integrate AI into its use in schools. (note: it’s mostly majority Black/Brown and low socioeconomic status schools where districts are looking for restriction)
Pivoting is often necessary just like in basketball. As a fan, seeing a basketball player with the ball in their hand in a pivoting stance, you are wondering- will they pass it? wait for someone to set a pick so they can dribble out of the situation? step back and shoot? There are many options to take when you are about to pivot and the result isn’t always the same or leading to a better shot.
What about the pivot that’s easy versus better? I had the privilege of hearing a conversation between Dr. Jonathon Cox and Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw at SXSW EDU last week. She spoke about the fact that too many schools, districts, foundations, and non-profits are pivoting away from topics such as systemic racism, bias, teaching true history, and culturally responsive teaching and instead taking the easier route and focusing on the more palatable topics such as AI and reading. Now don’t get me wrong- I DO think we need to ensure that every child knows how to read and write. I also think a child will not be able to achieve academically if they're not in a culturally responsive environment.
This is not an either/or conversation. Just as in basketball pivoting is a necessary part of being a leader; however, as we pivot, we must decide the purpose of our pivot and if we are doing it for a better shot for our students or to simply get ourselves out of an uncomfortable situation.
Why do you pivot?
#mondaymotivation: “In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow
Interview with a Leader of the Global Majority:
Dr. Carrie Young McWilliams is a senior associate at the Great Schools Partnership and has been in the role for over 5 years. These comments are the personal reflections of Carrie and her experiences, they do not reflect the opinions of her employer.
Mary: Tell me about your experiences before joining Great Schools Partnership?
Carrie: I was a building principal in Providence, Rhode Island. And then before then East Providence and I have been a district leader in Greenville, Mississippi. I was also a building administrator in New London, Connecticut, and also a classroom teacher.
Mary: I'm thinking about the difference between Mississippi and Rhode Island and so curious for us to keep talking to hear about what those experiences led to.
Carrie: I think in the educational system, what I have found through all of my experiences, mentorship is definitely something that has to happen. And I'm not talking about mentoring like when I was a teacher mentor in Connecticut where I had student teachers coming in and see how they are doing, I'm not talking about that.
Carrie: I'm talking about having these conversations like an affinity circle. It's places where people have to be so they can be themselves and they can ask those questions. How do I navigate these white spaces, stay sane, and still do the work that I thought I was going to do when I said I wanted to be a teacher?
Carrie: Also, we don't do enough work in the education system to teach up-and-coming educators about mental wellness. And I want to say mental wellness because you don't have to be sick, but you do need to know how to stay well and what do you do to stay in that space? Because oppression is big, it's big.
** **HELP! HELP! Please let me know if you would like to be interviewed and/or recommend someone to be profiled in this section. I need new interviews! ****
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To:
READING: Be a Revolution: How Everyday People Are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World--And How You Can, Too by
Ijeoma Oluo is an inspiring book profiling everyday activists and provides examples for those who do not believe their individual and collective actions will lead to any real change. You can find a full list of my book recommendations here. Please note that I am an affiliate with Bookshop.org and receive a small compensation for your purchase when you use the book links provided.
WATCHING: I missed Origin when it was in theatres but it is now streaming. The movie was written and directed by Ava DuVernay and chronicles the life of Isabel Wilkerson, as she writes the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Beautiful and moving. Must see!
LISTENING: Thank you Tina Muir for inviting me and 49 other amazing women to share some thoughts on #internationalwomensday. I hope you are as inspired as I am to grow and celebrate with us who find joy in running!
Upcoming Events:
March 26th at Deeper Learning Conference in San Diego, CA
How to Continue to Support Leading-Within:
Go to Amazon and rate or review the book there! Reviews are a great way for others to see that this book is worth the time to read.
Post about the book on social media using the hashtag #leadingwithin. Even better if it includes a picture of you WITH the book!
Host a book club with your affinity/ERG group. Two study guides are also available on the ASCD website - one for leaders of color and one for white co-conspirators that are perfect for starting a group conversation. For book clubs with participants who have purchased and committed to reading the book, please reach out to me so I can support your journey!
Connect with me to speak to your organization or group about topics covered in the book, like ‘practicing love and rage’, ‘building a coalition’, and ‘taking a stand’.
If this is your first time reading, please go back and read my Introductions post.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. If you like it, please share it with your network!