Dr. William Penuel is Distinguished Professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development in the Institute of Cognitive Science and School of Education at the University of Colorado Boulder.

He is co-author of Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities: Leading Together to Address Everyday Suffering in Schools. We talk about:

• Why does compassion matter for educators?
• How is compassion different from empathy, kindness, and relationship-building?
• How school leaders and educators can put compassion and dignity into action
• Everyday suffering in schools - how can and should educators work to reduce it?
• Fostering inclusiveness
• Relationships with families
• 4 steps to help develop a plan for a more compassionate school
• How can educators create self-compassion to move past burnout toward hope and positive action in their schools?

Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities is published by Wiley. Find it wherever you get your books.

About today’s guest

William R. Penuel, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development in the Institute of Cognitive Science and School of Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is also a Faculty Fellow at the Renée Crown Wellness Institute. He designs and studies curriculum materials, assessments, and professional learning experiences for teachers in STEM education. He also studies how contemplative practices and critical inquiry can support educators in cultivating more compassionate schools. A third line of his research focuses on how long-term research-practice partnerships can be organized to address systemic inequities in education. He is a co-developer of an approach to partnership research called Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) and is a co-author on the new book, Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt