001: Creating a School Community of Joy with Craig Martin

EPISODE 001 TRANSCRIPT:

Krista:   Craig and we are so thrilled to be your hosts on this journey. I met Craig 10 years ago. 

Craig, it's been 10 years!

Craig:   I know. I know we're getting better, like a fine wine. Absolutely. 

Krista:   Absolutely. Yes. I love that analogy! So back in 2012, through ASCD Emerging Leaders,  I remember there were 26 of us that were selected for the program. And we were in Virginia and they were doing some meetings in this room… and I'm sitting in the room and I'm listening to everybody introduce themselves. I'm like, I think they made a mistake with me. <Laugh> I don't belong here. <Laugh> but I remember when we did these four small groups, you were in my first small group and I remember thinking, oh my gosh, he's incredible. All the stuff that he's doing with kids up in Boston. So what do you remember from that day…10 years ago?

Craig:   I remember feeling incredible, like on electric pulses because it's like, I didn't, I couldn't, believe that I was in the space with people like yourself who were shaking things up, you know. We’re perpetual fire starters because we're setting these really interesting fires in the minds and hearts of young people. And we all seem to be outliers because we are creative and innovative and you definitely you know trying to, you know, playing it down, but absolutely coming in, blowing us all away. I remember, I remember a few things but one of the things that I remember about you is just really making it incredibly tangible for us to think about differentiation, thinking about a variety of needs that aren't always spoken of in the classroom. And I appreciated how you always centered your heart, you know, on, you know, what's, you know, what is good for your boys is what is good for us in, in what we do in the classroom. And I know that they are now much older.

Krista:   They are <laugh> well, and thinking about that in terms of those 10 years, my oldest is 20 and a sophomore at a university. My biological younger one is going to be 17 and my bonus son is going to be 16. Yeah. So yeah, they were little ones. And those were the kids that you worked with. If I remember, I remember seeing videos of you as a building administrator dancing into the classrooms and getting the kids to dance with you. And there was just such joy that emanated from you and you could tell how much you loved what you were doing and you were there for the kids. There was no doubt about it. And that is what drew me to you as well because that's what I wanted to connect to because I think you're right. In the district I was at, I did feel like an outlier because I didn't feel that other people… loved it, but it was more of a job. And to me, it's who I am and what I do, it's my life. And I know that that seems awkward for people who have different types of jobs where there's a definite separation.

Craig:   Yeah. It's when it's, you know, when teaching is a passion because we'll sit at a table, I'm like, all you gotta do is give us like some markers, some post-it notes, and give us a little round table and, and some anchor charts, and we will change the world. We'll be like, you know what, hold up. We got it. <Laugh>, you know, we got it. We’re there figuring it out. And you know, I think that that's what this experience is about is when you have people who are passionate about what it is that we do, we may not all do the same things. We may not serve in the same roles, but we're all centered on the Whole Child -  that every young person we serve to come away better and stronger. And so I've always, you know, gravitated towards you because you, your heart is incredibly pure and it is always emanated something absolutely wonderful. That makes me feel inspired to be a better human being and a better educator just in being in your presence. And so I'm grateful that I continue to get this gift year after year being your friend and also joining your company.

Krista:   I want to be like, just, you know, I don't know how to say it any other way. But part of our work together is, and actually, I need to go back and I need to say that for a couple of years like we were connected on social media and on Facebook and we reached out and we touched in, but like I knew you were doing your thing and all of a sudden you pop up at a conference and like have all these amazing experiences. Yeah. And so please correct me, but Boston distinguished principal… Massachusetts distinguished principal of the year. You were doing all of this work, helping marginalized students, black and brown boys in education. And the boys part is what really hit my heart too, having three boys of my own. Yeah. And I was so excited to see you at that conference. I like ahh.

Craig:   Was that Chicago?

Krista:   I think it, yes. I think it was! And then, we just kind of kept getting connected and, and keeping. And so we do a lot of connected work, but when this opportunity came up for the podcast and we've been talking about SEL and EDU, and there are so many different offshoots that come from that yeah. That we can talk about. And there is nobody else that I wanted to be able to dig into those pieces with than you. Yes. And tell me it was Massachusetts distinguished principal of the year,  Right? And now you're an executive director.

Craig:   Oh, you're so kind. I am honored that Massachusetts, the wonderful educators, families, and students thought so highly of me that I was a Massachusetts Elementary Principal of the Year in 2018. Then subsequently became a Nationally Distinguished Principal which is humbling. I mean, there are so many wonderful, phenomenal, incredible school leaders who I follow and just to see the email that says you've been nominated. I'm like, whoa. Huh? Who knows what I'm doing?

Krista:   Everybody! <Laugh> They’ve been watching you. You're phenomenal.

Craig:   I've been bent on the fact that I wanted to make sure we created a school community of joy, respect, and regard that celebrates the many identities and diversities of young people and families. It's hard work. It's, it's tireless work. And it is one of my favorite jobs, but like my top job is teaching- love to teach, love to get in the classroom. You know, every blue moon I’ve got to get in there, teach something, or sit with a small group. Give me a class and we will be okay. But I think that it’s… I've arrived at this place because I've always felt like I could learn more. I'm continuing to learn my craft. And I'm opening myself up to my teachers who serve with me to come into the classroom, see me teach, give me feedback.

And I am teaching. And so now as an executive director for a K-8 community I now have like a little small math group that I get to do. And I walk in the classrooms and I've substituted. You know, taught in a class or two, to keep it sharp, and also to keep me grounded on what is the “why.” Every time I walk into a classroom, I want these kids to have a better learning experience. So they can be global citizens of the world. The teachers around them will be incredible, you know - champions and advocates for them. They’ll stand in a gap in these different ways, and there's so much more. And so I'm always honored and humbled that I can continue to do this.

Krista:   And one of the things that really resonates with me that you've just said is that as a leader, as a principal, as an executive director, your passion is teaching, and not only the people who serve with you. I love the way you said that because it wasn't, you don't have a, “I am this role or have this job.” You are down there in the trenches with the staff, working with them. And I love that you haven't ever lost perspective of what it's like to have boots on the ground. I think that so many leaders, before COVID maybe have lost that part, but because of COVID and because of staff needing to be out to take care of family members or themselves, when they're sick, the administrators are having to be back in front of the classroom again. So I'm wondering, could you talk about a big takeaway that you would give to either administrators or to staff around maintaining that connection to the kids? I know I'm kind of just throwing things out there at you that you probably weren't expecting here, but I'm really loving that direction. And I think that more people could benefit from some insights and that's what our show's about, right? We wanted to get together and bring amazing educators in to talk about their experiences and how they can help others see things from their perspective.

Craig:   These times that we're in are unparalleled for sure. You know, nationally, we're seeing educators step away; they're leaving the classroom in droves.  And you know, the pandemic, we're dealing with so much, the Great Resignation, that's in play. What we're seeing is that the adults who've been able to muscle so much emotionally are exhausted. It doesn't mean that their hearts aren't in the work. It doesn't mean that they don't love the kids. It doesn't mean that they don't want to partner with families or that they're scared to lesson plan and lead. Folks are exhausted. And it is so much on the body, and our body remembers everything. Right? It remembers everything. And so the stress and anxiety of waking up every day… going through your checklist of how am I going to keep myself physically safe? Because COVID is still real. And then you say, “All right, did I make sure I ate breakfast? Did I exercise or meditate? These are the self-care aspects that you’ve got to make sure you wake up every day, affirm who you are and your personal “why,” and that you also have people around you who can see something and say, “All right, something's different.” And check-in to make sure you're bolstered when you walk into that classroom space. And you are the incredible being for young people who are in your space - who now have a lot of needs that we've never seen in this way. And now teachers are having to figure out, well, how do I deal with the traumas - the invisible and visible? How am I going to support young people who are further behind than they've ever been?

Craig:   And we got parents who are stretched thin and they too are exhausted. And how do you do all of this work to actually minister to that person - to me as an educator? How do you help to keep us going? Some of the work, not to say that this is an all-perfect, is us starting the day in gratitude and affirmation. I know how important it is to just start the day and say, “Hey, I'm so glad that I had a warm car that got me here to school today. Or a warm ride on the bus or the train. Start with affirmation and remind yourself of what you need, but also know that you have leaders who also are doing that TLC and check-in. So, just kind of walking by, even if you're in the coffee room, or coming to the class and saying, “Hey, I'm just here to see you. Just checking in on you to make sure you're okay.”

Because I understand it's a lot. And sometimes say, “I know you’ve told me you're okay, but how are you really? How are you holding up, like doing it… just take a deeper dive. That creates this level of vulnerability for leaders, because “Oh my gosh! Well, what if they tell me something deeply personal? What am I supposed to do?” 

Listen, just listen. And if you can offer something - great. If you can't, maybe it's just you offering to listen. Because you might be the only person today who has listened to anything they said, right? And there are some other things we do in regards to just making time and space for teachers and educators, to be able to step away from the classroom, take a break, take a walk. Make sure you have some self-care days built in. Maybe your PD is around meditation or games or socials so people can just connect.

There are so many other things I could talk about, but at least what I'm seeing in my school community is constant conversations and a ton of compassion. Leaders need to show that, “Hey, I can step in and take over your classroom for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, an hour. I got this today. Why don’t you go get a cup of coffee? Go finish grading papers or whatever you need. I got you. And that's what teachers need today - to know that their administrator, their leader, has got their back if they need it.

Krista:   I had mentioned before we got on about a larger urban school district near me, and I've had the pleasure of working with the assistant superintendent for a long number of years. I've known her for like 15 years now. Her name is Dr. Yolanda Williams. She talks about being able to “heart see.” And I'm like, oh my gosh, that's empathy. And that's what you exude. I love the part where you said you're checking in to see how people are. And it's not like one of those in passing, you know, where people are like, “Oh, hey! How are you?” And they keep walking. And I'm like, you didn't really ask. Because if you did, you would've stopped, had eye contact. Or, I know eye contact is not what is necessary in every culture, but at least wait for a response. And the fact that you're doing that and you're being vulnerable because you might not get “Oh, everything's good.”

Krista: And what are you going to do with that information? And I think that's the empathy piece that we for so long say, well, we need our students to be more empathetic, but it starts with us as adults getting comfortable with that. I love how you said, I've got this, “Go get a cup of coffee, go grade some papers. I can take this class.” And it won't just be a study hall. Maybe it's not high-level math. But, we're going to connect and learn together and hear from one another.

So here's the hard question for you, because I've wondered this. You talked about your own self-care. But who in the educational community do you go to? Because you give so much to other people. I know other educators or administrators who are like you, and then I wonder… who's taking care of you? Your admin team? Across schools? Or in a program like the Emerging Leaders? So I'd love to know perhaps your perspective on administrators who give, and give, and give because they care so much. Who’s filling your bucket?

Craig:   I have an incredible gift in regards to a very nurturing circle. I have an “Avenger Squad.” We have been through it and we know it’s not ending anytime soon. We're okay with the nuttiness and chaotic-ness of things. And so we understand the ebbs and flows of how we have to step in for one another and be present. One of my first go-to's is my work wife, Leslie. She is a principal for a K-6 school in South Boston. We’ve been connected for a number of years. She has helped me to stay employed. <Laugh> Because there have been some times when I say I'm going to “Tell this one [person], This.” And she was like, “No, Craig, you're not. You're not going to say that because if you want to pay the bills, make sure the lights are on, you can't say that thing.”

Craig:   I'm like, “But I’m tired…” And she’s like, “I know, baby, but let me tell you how you’re going to say it so that all will be OK.” She checks in with me from time to time. She has definitely checked in with me and made sure I'm good. I have a number of colleagues who are also principals who still connect on a text stream. I have several text streams. I have Voxer groups - and I'm not always great with voxer, so I hope people don't think that I don't love Voxer. It's a thing I'm working through, but I also have a text family. I am in a cohort of executive directors from across the Commonwealth and we check in with each other.

Craig:    Sometimes it is about, “Hey, I'm on the wall or on the fence about a thing. Can you help me? Do you have this tool?” And everyone is like, “Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. What do you need?” And I am notorious for sending a good voice message to people because sometimes, I realize I haven't heard from you or seen you in a while, and I'll send a good voice message. Like I will do that. And sometimes you know, many times say, “Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. I miss you, just want you to know, I care about you. Hope you're okay. Let's connect at some point,” you know, and vice versa. So I do have some people who are in my community who absolutely I can lean on. And there are some people in my school community as well who say, “Hey, how are you? How are you really?” And they will block all the chairs and move them around. So I can't move and say, “No, no. How are you? All right, let's go take a walk “<laugh> and you know, it's… I'm grateful. It's a gift. It's a gift.

Krista:   And it's so important to have that network and the people who are going to not let you off the hook because they know you well enough to know that you're not truly telling me and I want to be here to support you. And that's part of, I think the vulnerability and the honesty. And who's in your circle that you can hear, honestly, from them… like, oh no, that's not the way you're going to do this. We know with emotions. And we know with the stressors of everything…that we're human, right? <Laugh> Our gut instinct is not always the one that we want to put out there. And so who is that person we can talk to and bounce things off of. I think Brene Brown calls it her Square Squad - who are the ones that we bounce it off of? You called it your Avengers Group, right? That you can bounce those ideas off of, and they can be like, “Oh no, this is what you need to do.” And you know, that they're coming from a caring perspective and want to help you. So you're more willing to listen to that.

Craig:   Yeah. And it's Brene Brown talks about the vulnerability armor. How do you get centered on understanding who you are? She says this in “Braving the Wilderness” - one of her talks, and I know it's in one of her books… where she says you develop this armor that when you understand who you are, there's less likely an opportunity for you to feel hurt or get hurt by people because you understand the nature of the people in your circle. And when you understand the nature of the people in your circle, you can impart some very trusted, very deep things with them and know that they're going to receive it with empathy and compassion, and truth. I know that it has taken a lot of work for me to understand myself as an individual human being in this work that we do.

Craig:   But I also know that it's reciprocal. I also have to take the time to lean in and learn and grow with so many of the people who are in my circle and in my life. And I have to give that back. That's why I say it's a gift because people don't have to open themselves up to you. They don't have to make time and space. They have to experience you in a way that they know they're going to be better human beings or safe emotionally in the space with you. But part of that is understanding who they are and also understanding how you show up in the work. And so that vulnerability armor is also like your “spidey sense” and saying, “Oh, I know I can say these things and I can communicate these parts of what I'm struggling with in this way to this group of people or this person.” But I'm also understanding that those things that are deepest to me, I may hold onto in a different way because I don't know how certain people are going to receive them. That can stymie your ability to be a great leader, to be an educator in the space that we are in. 

Krista:   Well, and I love what you've talked about. For me, how I envision it, it’s like an inside-out process, right? You know you best and you let different groups of people or different people come in close to you. A friend and mentor of mine, Thom Stecher, talks about levels of relationships. You have you, and then right outside of there, he calls them your Intimates, which are like your closest friends. Brene Brown says there's like only five of those people. Then you have Friend or friend-like. And then Acquaintances, and then Anyone. And I've even had these conversations with my own boys. Like not everybody deserves to come in [close to you] and that's okay. But everybody does deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. <Yes.> and so you can determine who comes in and when you find those people who come in, they help you learn more about you and help you be able to connect. The more you know about who you are, the better you can connect with other people.

I love how you said that you're on that journey because I'm also on that journey. And I think that that is what is really going to ground this podcast together. We want to invite other people who are on the same journey. And learn from them so we can grow and be able to help others grow - because ultimately that’s the work we do - and work with the capital “W.” It's for the kids, it's for students, and, you said, your “why.” We want them to be able to be who they truly authentically are, to show up, and feel physically and emotionally safe, to be able to connect with other people in a safe, respectful way, and to know perspective and empathy, to know that conflict is part of developing a relationship, but you can work through that. Then, how to make decisions that are aligned with who you are and what's best for other people. 

So when I think about where we want to go and our purpose, even for our podcast... We're on this journey and we want to invite other people on this journey with us.

Craig:   Absolutely. Absolutely. I can't wait. I really am just teeming with excitement because there are some people who we know and have watched from afar and I cannot wait to just kind of be in the same space with them. And there's an energy that comes with some of the people who are going to be joining us on this podcast journey. And I can't wait. I know I can't wait. <laugh>

Krista:   Well, I love how you said that energy because I feel that working with you and it, I have no “body sense.” <Laugh> I feel like moving, like doing a happy dance, when I get a chance to learn and talk from you with you.

Craig:   Well, you'll sometimes get the “church lady rock” and then <laugh>, you'll get the rock <laugh>. So, you know, you never know what you'll get when we go rocking.

Krista:   Well, and that is why we have decided to do a video podcast, like a podcast and audio. This is why we're recording ourselves live. So you get to see us - you get to see all the emotions, the energy. Because I have all sorts of facial expressions that I have a hard time controlling. You get to see the energy as well as feel it. So with our podcast, we're going to keep them between, you know, 12 to 15 minutes for those of you who want to just pop in and listen on a car ride. But we will have extended versions on YouTube where you can actually see us interact, talk, and hopefully, feel that energy as we have as we invite other guests on.

Craig:   Yeah. Now, this should be your number one podcast. Let's stop playing. Like, let's go, let's go!

Krista:   What he’s saying ! <It’s gonna be great> We will be releasing new podcasts every other week, starting in January. And this is number one. So we look forward to the journey and to having you all join in. Please like, and share us everywhere. Everywhere. Yes. Yep. Look, you can see it there. Look, I can't. I'm directionally challenged. 

Craig:    Like it's somewhere down there.

Krista:   It's there. It's down there. Yes - @ResonanceEd.com and @CraigCMartin12 on social media. We will be back for our second episode in two weeks.

Craig:   That's right. I get to interview Krista.

Krista:   Yes. Bring it on. I love questions. So thank you Craig for your time. Thank you, listeners. Also, we do need to say thank you to Pennsylvania ASCD! We are so thrilled to be working in partnership with them. They're just amazing and we’re thankful that they are willing to work with us! We look forward to being able to share more of their work in the future. Take care, Everyone. Take care, Craig.

Craig:   You, too. Y'all stay in the light.

Krista:   Love that ending. Stay in the light.