Episode 149 - Grow in Season: Changing the Narrative to See the Blessings
Educators Among Us
Winter. It sometimes seems that it will never end. When everything feels cold and gray, it’s easy to assume nothing is growing. But what if the season that feels the hardest is actually the one building the strongest roots? In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, reflects on seasons, both literal and personal, and especially about Winter and how we must grow through them. Even the most committed educators find themselves walking through the hardest and longest “winters”. But it’s part of the journey, and there...
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Episode 148 - Findin’ More: Faith Reveals What Can’t Be Seen
Educators Among Us
We’re often told that seeing is believing. But faith asks us to reverse that equation. Faith calls us to believe first, so that we can truly see. Some of the most important truths in life aren’t revealed to the eyes at all, but to the heart, formed by belief and shaped by trust. And when you “see it” with your camera eye, you’ve got to get the shot! In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, talks about how true vision is cultivated through faith, discipline, and intentional observation. There is a difference...
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Episode 147 - Hold Fast: Tuning Our Souls to be Attentive
Educators Among Us
As the pace quickens and responsibilities pile up, it’s easy to confuse urgency with importance. When everything feels demanding and immediate, perspective can slip, anxiety can rise, and clarity can fade. In those moments, fasting may be the most disciplined and necessary response. There is strength not just in moving fast, but in knowing when to fast — to stop, reflect, and stay grounded in purpose. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, explores the layered meanings of the word fast, and fasting, and why educators must...
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Episode 146 - Crafted with Pride: Doing Our Best to Do Our Best
Educators Among Us
Great work can be overlooked. But it’s never taken for granted. When someone slows down, pays attention, and looks closely, true craftsmanship always reveals itself. The same is true in education. Excellence shows up in the details, the discipline, and the pride taken in doing the work well. People notice, and your best effort matters. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, challenges educators to rethink how they view value, mastery, and their role in the work of shaping lives. He encourages educators to always do...
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Episode 145 - Course Correction: Listening and Adjusting to the Warning Signs
Educators Among Us
We are often surprised by change. Perhaps we weren’t paying attention, or heeding the signs. Sometimes we handle change, and sometimes it’s too late. Real life rarely follows the map, or the strategic plan, or the schedule. The danger isn’t the change itself. The danger is in refusing to slow down long enough to recognize that the road ahead has shifted. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, reflects on the reality that education, both in educators and in leadership, demands constant...
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Episode 144 - Mastery of Me: The Decisions that Create the Future
Educators Among Us
Most of us want to grow. We want to get better at what we do, lead well, and make a difference. But growth doesn’t just show up on its own. It shows up when we’re willing to slow down, be honest with ourselves, and take responsibility for the things we can actually control. At the end of the day, real progress starts with one simple question: Am I willing to work on me? In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, highlights self-mastery and why the most effective educators don’t wait for someone else to push their growth...
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Episode 143 - School Bus Blues: Fix the Experience Gaps
Educators Among Us
Every organization, especially schools, has places where problems quietly live. Not because they’re invisible, but because addressing them feels uncomfortable, disruptive, or inconvenient. Like bad behavior on the school bus, right? Over time, those known gaps become normalized, and “less than” acceptable behavior is tolerated simply because it’s familiar. Just because it’s always been that way doesn’t mean it always has to be. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, challenges school leaders and educators...
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Episode 142 - Building Today’s One Room School House: A Conversation with Courtney Williams
Educators Among Us
Teaching is hard work, but it’s also deeply human work. Most educators are simply looking for practical support, thoughtful feedback, and tools that help them get a little better at what they do each day. That’s where coaching and professional learning can make a real difference when it’s done well. That’s what we’re talking about on this episode of the Educators Among Us Podcast. This is a special episode, as Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, is joined by Courtney Williams, CEO of TORSH, to talk about his path into education leadership and the work...
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Episode 141 -’Tis the Season
Educators Among Us
There is a season for everything. Christmas time can be frenzied, hurried and chaotic. But it can, and should, be a season of Reflection, Rest and Renewal. Especially at the end of a year, and at halftime of the school year, we need this season to prepare for what’s next, to pause, to breathe, and to take an honest look at where we’ve been and where we’re headed. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, is joined by his wife Tammy Barron, President at School Growth. They discuss why it...
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Episode 140 - Coulda Shoulda Woulda: Finishers Finish First
Educators Among Us
What are we working on? And what have we left behind? Plans that stalled, perhaps? Commitments that faded? Goals that started strong and slowly slipped into the background? When we look back, do we see those “Coulda Woulda Shoulda” moments? Credibility requires us to finish what we started, even if it’s not convenient. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, talks about the difference between those who struggle and those who make meaningful progress due to the habit of finishing. Scott explores how...
info_outlinePeople don’t always tell us where their limits are. You step forward with good intentions, trying to help or clarify, or lead, and somehow you still land on a sensitive spot. It’s a critical part of leadership. Doing the right thing can still create discomfort, even when it’s done with care. In fact, when done with tact, “Stepping on Toes” doesn’t have to hurt so much.
In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, explores what it means to lead with tact when difficult conversations or uncomfortable truths can’t, and should not be avoided.
“Step on Some Toes” centers around the idea of “invisible toes,” those unseen expectations and unspoken assumptions that quietly shape how people react. As leaders, we need to have the honest conversations with gentle firmness and the kind of leadership that risks discomfort for the sake of growth.
Takeaways
-Tact allows leaders to speak truth without causing unnecessary harm.
- “Invisible toes”, those unspoken expectations and assumptions, can create hidden conflict.
-Avoiding hard conversations promotes mediocrity and confusion.
-Love and accountability can coexist without diminishing either.
-Courageous leadership often means stepping forward even when it’s uncomfortable.
-Unexpressed expectations undermine trust and clarity.
-Educators lead best when they own the responsibility to address issues directly.
-Conflict handled with compassion can create long-term growth.
-Wise leadership doesn’t retreat from discomfort.
Chapters
00:43 Introduction
01:48 Leadership is Hard
02:46 A Good Pedicure
05:48 Stepping on Toes
08:27 Good Intentions and Hard Decisions
10:57 Coaching Question.
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