Today, Tom talks with Pam Moran, who just wrapped up 32 years with Albemarle County Public Schools as she transitions into a leadership role at the Virginia School Consortium for Learning.
Starting as a science teacher and concluding with a dozen years as superintendent, Pam has quietly become one of America’s leading educators because the work she leads is so compelling. With two of her Albemarle colleagues, Moran just published a book of lessons learned called, Timeless Learning: How Imagination, Observation, and Zero-based Thinking Change Schools.
In this interview, Tom talks to Pam about the process of writing her book with her co-authors Ira and Chad, their collective philosophy on education, and the contents of the book. Pam also talks about why she originally wanted to become a teacher, some of her key focuses in education, and her thoughts on multi-age spaces and the ways in which schools can help ready students for adulthood.
Key Takeaways:
[:15] About the guest today, Pam Moran.
[:52] Tom welcomes Pam to the podcast and she describes her passion for her career.
[3:40] When did Pam decide she wanted to be a teacher?
[5:55] When and why Pam decided to write her book, Timeless Learning with co-authors.
[15:00] Pam talks about one of her key focuses: seeing children more clearly.
[17:28] About Pam’s and her co-authors’ collective philosophy.
[25:20] Pam talks about multi-age spaces and the benefits of children learning in these spaces.
[31:10] About an initiative Pam is working on, and one of the major ways schools can help ready students for college and career.
[36:06] If Pam were going to write a headline for each of her co-authors, what would they be?
[38:23] How did Pam and her co-authors write the book?
[41:59] Why Pam and co-authors decided to include the “take action” section at the end of each chapter.
[45:03] Pam reflects on and gives her thoughts on Better Together.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Albemarle County Public Schools
Timeless Learning: How Imagination, Observation, and Zero-based Thinking Change Schools,
by Ira David Socol, Pam Moran, and Chad Ratliff
Virginia School Consortium for Learning
Better Together: How to Leverage School Networks For Smarter Personalized and Project Based Learning, by Tom Vander Ark and Lydia Dobyns
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