Small Fires

• EP18 An Interview with ƛ̓akʷapiqa, Lelaina Jules

   In this episode, I interview ƛ̓akʷapiqa, Lelaina Jules, District Principal, Indigenous Education for Comox Valley Schools.   Lelaina carries the ancestral name ƛ̓akʷapiqa, loosely translated to "copper on top," and also goes by Lelaina Jules. She is a proud Nuu-chah-nulth woman (she/her) from the Hesquiaht First Nation, one of the fourteen Nuu-chah-nulth Nations located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Her father, Steve, is Hesquiaht through his father Stephen Sr., and Ahousaht through his mother Jean. On her mother Karen's side, Lelaina carries Danish and Estonian ancestry.   Raised in Hot Springs Cove on the Hesquiaht Indian Reserve, Lelaina's early experiences continue to shape her values, worldview, and commitment to upholding Indigenous knowledge systems. She currently lives and works in the unceded territories of the Pentlatch, E'ikʷsən, Sahtloot, and Sasitla Peoples, and offers her deep gratitude—ƛ̓eekoo ƛ̓eekoo.   Lelaina holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership, a Bachelor of Education, and a Bachelor of Arts with minors in Indigenous Studies and Anthropology. These academic pathways have strengthened her dedication to Indigenous education, leadership, and the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge systems.   As a mother, sister, daughter, auntie, cousin, friend, learner, and teacher, Lelaina brings a relational and holistic approach to her work. Grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being, she strives to nurture spaces of belonging, uphold cultural integrity, and walk alongside communities of teachers and learners in the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and resurgence.   It was an honour to interview her for Small Fires.

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• EP17 An Interview with Riley McMitchell

  As we transition a return to school, I offer you an interview with Riley McMitchell, a Vancouver, BC elementary school principal. We share a passion for Adaptive Schools work and Cognitive Coaching as part of our leadership identity and it was certainly a pleasure interviewing him. Before his formal role in leadership, Riley has been a curriculum coordinator, mentor teacher, and elementary teacher.  Riley has presented across Canada and the United States on both instructional leadership and equity for LGBTQ2+ communities. He is a former board member of BC Learning Forward and a recent graduate of the Transformative Education Leadership Program at UBC. He is currently serving as the Director of Leadership and Learning for the Vancouver Elementary Principals and Vice-Principal's Association. Prior to becoming an educator, Riley sang opera professionally and still performs occasionally in his spare time. Currently in his role as school principal, Riley nurtures caring communities through creativity and collaboration.  While my episodes have not been as consistent as I hoped, I continue to endeavour to highlight the importance of one's leadership identity to be effective in today's complex educational systems. I also continue to promote the work of Adaptive Schools and am a Training Associate for Thinking Collaborative: https://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/aboutas  You can connect with me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/drlucindawolters/  or through LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lucinda-wolters-04155833/ 

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• EP16 An Interview with Dr. Phil Echols

  "We have a responsibility to learn and grow and to be aware of our privileges…and how we might use those for people who may not have the same access and opportunities that were afforded to us." With pleasure, I bring you an interview with Dr. Phil Echols. We share a passion for Adaptive Schools approaches for effective collaborative groups and Cognitive Coaching through the organization Thinking Collaborative. https://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/  Dr. Phil Echols has been a former teacher, school counselor, and administrator of professional learning.  He is currently a Diversity Specialist for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in North Carolina. He's also a Global Consultant for Public, Private, and International Schools.  His expertise includes effective collaboration, coaching, diversity, and inclusion for education and healthcare. He has over two decades of experience in education, public speaking, facilitation, and international training and development. In this episode, Dr. Echols talks about his career journey and the connections between his work in education and now in healthcare. He highlights the influence of a personal mission statement that guides his choices, informed by his identity. Phil articulates the necessity of having courageous conversations about diversity, race and ethnicity and shares that the more we can elevate traditionally marginalized voices and experiences in our system the better off we'll be.   Instagram: @philechols  

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• EP15 An Interview with John Clarke

  This episonde is long overdue since John Clarke has been such a significant influence on me and on many others. John Clarke has been my mentor, coach and friend for nearly ten years. While John presents the Adaptive Schools Seminars, he also provides Cognitive Coaching seminars as well. I have benefitted from being on the receiving end of his cognitive coaching, leading me to sign up for the Cognitive Coaching training that John will be facilitating for BC principals starting in August 2023: (https://www.bcpvpa.org/professional-learning/workshops/cognitive-coaching John Clarke is a Training Associate for Thinking Collaborative (Maximizing Capacity in Individuals and Organizations). He has provided Cognitive Coaching and Adaptive Schools Foundation and Advanced Seminars in Canada, the United States, Australia and South Korea. He works with Corporate and Health Care Organizations, and School Districts in the areas of Leadership Development, Change Management, Communication Skills and the creation and sustainability of effective professional communities. John has delivered keynote and motivational presentations at conferences and conventions across Canada and the United States for over 30 years. https://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/ta-info-bio/john-m.-clarke  https://www.thoughtarchitects.ca/copy-of-who-we-are  I continue to work on my developing podcasting skills and am seeking some encouraging reviews. If you would be inclined, I would be so grateful.

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• EP14 An Interview with Carolyn McKanders

  With pleasure, I bring you another Small Fires episode, highlighting a conversation with a cherished Thinking Collaborative leader, Carolyn McKanders. Carolyn's background includes 28 years of experience in Detroit Public Schools as a teacher, counsellor and staff development specialist. Currently she presents seminars internationally on developing Adaptive Schools and organizations, and Cognitive Coaching℠. She also provides polarity management training, which supports organizations in identifying and managing competing tensions inherent in social systems. Carolyn McKanders is the former Co-Director for Thinking Collaborative. With intention, Carolyn shares with us how she sees her leadership identity and her mission with both kids and adults. She shares the empowering mindsets for teachers, from the new book she coauthored with Robert Garmston.  For further information about the book, "It's Your Turn: Teachers as Facilitators - A Handbook," please refer to these websites: https://teachersasfacilitators.com/ https://www.miravia.education/products/  A truly powerful interview to inspire increased consciousness for school and system leadership.

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