An Opportunity to Radically Refine WHO WE REALLY ARE
We are boundary pushers by nature. We do most things intentionally, some things helter-skelter, and everything with the intention of elevating our profession. As educational leaders we are given the opportunity for a "do over" more than the average profession. Not only do we encounter a new school year every August, but we also gain the opportunity to reset every January during the new calendar year. A new year means new thinking, new perspectives, a new attitude, and new beginnings--a time of renewal, regeneration, and rebirth through reflection. It is the perfect time to radically refine ourselves to do things better than we did before...
When it comes to EdTech, Brian Golod offers Pushing Boundaries over two decades of experience in business analysis, product ownership, full stack mobile/web development, and UX design.
Brian was 12 years old when he learned that bringing software solutions to life was his passion, and he went on to pursue computer science from this young age at a world-renowned technical high school in Argentina, where he was born and raised.
In May 2014, Brian and his wife were taking a powerful six-week seminar called Realizing Your Potential. After their first class, Brian was filled with inspiration and wondered:
"If I were to leave this world tomorrow, what would I have done to leave it in a better...
The common thread that links all of the Pushing Boundaries team together is resilience through adversity and prevailing leadership. Justin Ashley had it all. He was named Teacher of the Year in North Carolina, he was married to his beautiful wife, and to the outside world appeared to be living the American dream. But like the some educators across the nation, he was unbalanced with life. Teaching isn't like it use to be. Now there are 504's to keep up with, Common Core standards, second language learner standards, Next Generation Science Standards, Computer Science standards, parent conferences, parent communication tools, online grading with live links for parents, STEM, one-to-on...
We all have a story. And chapters in my story are constant reminders that boundaries are meant to be tested, stretched, and pushed. I could have given up early in life. You could definitely have referred to me as a juvenile delinquent (cutting school, breaking laws, abusing alcohol) and I never graduated from high school. In fact, I dropped out of high school twice. During my repeat senior year of high school I got pregnant, found a “reputable” attorney in the yellow pages and relocated to New York, where I made the painful decision to put my child up for adoption. That moment in time launched my journey of pushing boundaries - I was bound to go from GED to Ph.D..
Erik M. Francis is an author, educator, and speaker who specializes in teaching and learning that promotes cognitive rigor and college and career readiness. He is the author of Now That’s a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor Through Classroom Questioning published by ASCD. He is also the owner of Maverik Education LLC, providing professional development and consultation on increasing student achievement, teacher effectiveness, program compliance, and overall school performance.
Erik works with K-12 schools nationwide on developing learning environments and delivering educational experiences that challenge students to demonstrate higher order thinking and communicate depth of...
Liliana Mora, master artist, graphic designer, and visual brand expert joined Pushing Boundaries because she offers a skill that many schools and school district have expressed an interest in: creating the lifeline and blood flow of an identity and presence that pushes boundaries beyond our own institutionally-focused landscapes.
Rick Jetter first met Liliana in Buffalo, NY when she was commissioned to design Rick's cover art for his first novel, The Isolate /n./. When he met her, he knew that she embodied an incredible talent beyond typical two-dimensional art and graphic design. "Liliana embodies a big picture intelligence of visual and branding brilliance beyond our imagination, especial...
"Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth, more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.” ~Bertrand Russell
For over twenty-five years, Dr. Amanda Shuford Mayeaux has worked in schools from pre-k through 12th grade in a variety of positions from teacher to district leadership. She is currently an assistant professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Educational Foundations and Leadership....
As Rebecca and I started working together on various book writing projects, speaking engagements, and other endeavors that we hope will help our entire educational community, we started meeting some amazing people along the way during our own collaborative journey. As a result of building an active social media and PLN, we realized that we gravitated towards those who "push boundaries" in every sense of the concept. As a result, we came across some incredible educational leaders, authors, and trainers who share a common set of characteristics and personality traits reflective of what "pushing boundaries" actually means to us:...
