NEWS

“You won’t find your way,” said Dr. Christopher Emdin, eyes blazing, “until you find your why.”  

His audience met this statement with sighs of recognition and calls of mm-hmm and yes! 

The author and educator addressed UCS school leaders at the Principal Institute, a professional development session which took place at UFT headquarters on Oct. 22. 

To be truly authentic educators, Dr. Emdin urged the school leaders in attendance to reflect on and share why they pursued this career. This exercise appealed to Robert Michelin, principal of Gotham Professional Arts Academy in Brooklyn. “We can’t navigate what students are living with, what students are processing and what motivates them if we can’t explore our own motivations,” he said.  

Dr. Emdin presented an educational model that cultivates authenticity and excellence in the classroom. He argued that all children, but especially Black children, thrive in environments that encourage authentic self-expression, celebrate culture and recognize each child’s unique gifts. He lays out this approach in his new book, Ratchetdemic, of which each attendee received a copy. 

Principal Michelin chose to attend this training partly for the chance to hear from Dr. Emdin in person. “He was phenomenal,” said Principal Michelin. “Such a great storyteller and orator and connector of ideas.”  He also appreciated that Dr. Emdin “spoke from a very interesting perspective as a Black male in education.”

“Reinvigorating,” said Principal Tina-Marie Cascone of Albany’s Sheraton Prep Academy, when asked to describe the training. She applauded Emdin’s focus on inexpensive strategies for social-emotional learning and trust-building. “So many things are attached to money,” she said. “But you know what doesn’t cost us anything?  The relationships we’re building with our students.”

Latoya Staley, principal of PS 399 in Brooklyn, was impressed by Metis Associates’ presentation on the findings of its three-year impact evaluation of UCS.  These findings include data about shifting UCS student demographics, attendance rates and test scores as compared to other student populations in New York City.  “They’re not just giving us the good information,” she said. “They evaluated the data and said, How can we make a change?”

“I get excited when there’s a UCS event coming up,” said Principal Cascone. Although she has been a community school principal for less than a year, she has already attended the Community Schools Fundamentals Conference, the inaugural UCS partner exposition in Albany and the Principal Institute. “Being a new principal, these professional development opportunities help me learn and grow.” 

“It is so important to train our UCS principals,” said Christine Schuch, UCS associate director. “If a school leader doesn’t understand the UCS pillars and approach, the school is rudderless.”

Although many Principal Institutes take place online, Principal Michelin liked that this one was in person. “When I’m at my desk, I’m at my desk,” he chuckled. “That means I’m working and available to my school. So, it was wonderful to engage in conversation outside my building.”

He also noted that the Principal Institute fills a gap in professional development and support for school leaders. “There’s no equivalent of Teachers Pay Teachers for school leaders, you know?” he said. “I can’t download a lesson plan. So, getting us together to plan and share and ask questions and present solutions is really valuable.”

How will attendees apply what they learned to their own community schools? 

“I plan to ask my teachers the very same question that Chris asked us,” said Principal Michelin. “What is your why? Sometimes, we get caught up in the 45-minute periods and the lesson plans, and we forget what brought us here.”