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 forward.

He invites educators to accept feedback without becoming defensive, to view instruction as an investment rather than a threat, and to recognize how mindset and attitude shape influence.

Educators are encouraged to confront blind spots, stay open to learning, and commit to becoming better for the sake of those they serve.

— Growth is a personal responsibility and not something to wait on

— Self-mastery strengthens leadership and influence

— Teachability matters more than titles or experience

— Feedback is meant to be given and accepted as helpful information instead of as an attack

— Confidence without self-awareness can become a barrier

— Mindset and attitude shape long-term effectiveness

— Educators lead best when they keep learning themselves

— Personal growth prepares leaders for what's next

Chapters

00:44 Introduction

02:36 Becoming the Best Version of Us

05:02 Life is About Choices

06:46 Learning to Accept

09:37 Using Sober Judgement

12:40 New and Improved

14:17 A Coaching Question

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Educators Fellowship is a non-profit organization that encourages educators in their calling and in their faith.

www.educatorsamonguspodcast.com

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https://www.edfellowship.org/

Sign up for weekly encouragement messages here:

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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 to confront the areas they know are broken. For too long, poor behavior has been expected, excused, or dismissed because change requires intentional discomfort.

Excellence begins when mediocrity stops being masked as "good enough." By naming issues, listening well, and committing to fix the experience gaps together, leaders can create safer, healthier environments where growth replaces avoidance, and those who were once negatively affected, now may shine.

– Known problem areas don't improve when they're ignored

– Tolerating "less than" behavior quietly shapes culture

– Leadership is revealed by what gets addressed, and by what doesn't

– Feedback is only valuable when people feel safe giving it

– Tradition should never excuse harmful patterns

– Uncomfortable conversations are often the most necessary ones

– Culture improves when issues are owned, not concealed

– Schools grow healthier when honesty replaces defensiveness

– Closing experience gaps requires collective responsibility

Chapters

00:47 Introduction
03:25 The School Bus Blues
04:49 The Back of the Bus
06:39 Taking the Feedback
09:04 Unmasking Mediocrity
12:08 A Fresh Start for a New Year
13:35 A Coaching Question

—-----------------------------

Educators Fellowship is a non-profit organization that encourages educators in their calling and in their faith.

www.educatorsamonguspodcast.com

www.educatorsamongus.com

https://www.edfellowship.org/

Sign up for weekly encouragement messages here:

Buy the book, Love'em and Lead'em, here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottebarron/

https://www.facebook.com/SchoolGrowth/

https://twitter.com/schoolgrowth

https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-growth

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 his team is doing to support teachers and school leaders.

They talk about how TORSH evolved from simple classroom video feedback into a broader coaching and professional learning platform. Why coaching in education has often been misunderstood. And why strong leadership matters when creating environments where teachers feel supported rather than evaluated.

Coaching helps develop and retain teachers, using technology and AI to support growth, without replacing human connection. It's how we invest in people to improve schools.

Takeaways

-Some of the most influential "educators" aren't in classrooms.

-TORSH stands for T O R S H ("Today's One Room Schoolhouse"). The name came from an early vision of tech helping teachers focus support where it's needed most.

-A key entrepreneurship lesson: solve the problem people are actually asking for, not just the one you're excited about.

-Coaching in education often carries a stigma ("you're struggling"), but strong leaders are reframing it as support, investment, and development.

-Teacher shortages are pushing systems to take coaching more seriously as a way to retain and grow educators.

-In other fields like sports and business, coaching is normal at the highest levels, while education sees coaching as there is something wrong.

-Accountability still matters: educators can't disconnect their work from whether students leave school with core skills.

-Schools are facing new challenges beyond academics. Students' social confidence and human interaction are changing fast.

-AI may make "a coach for every teacher" more realistic by supplementing human coaching with more frequent support and feedback.

Chapters:

00:28 Introduction

03:30 An Impactful teacher

05:36 About Courtney Williams

07:40 Achievements to be Proud of

08:28 About Torsh

12:58 Today's One Room Schoolhouse

19:28 Coaching Model

31:38 Advice for Entrepreneurs

36:00 Biggest Challenge for Education

49:58 Contact Torsch

_______

Educators Fellowship is a non-profit organization that encourages educators in their calling and in their faith.

www.educatorsamonguspodcast.com

www.educatorsamongus.com

https://www.edfellowship.org/

Sign up for weekly encouragement messages here:

Buy the book, Love'em and Lead'em, here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottebarron/

https://www.facebook.com/SchoolGrowth/

https://twitter.com/schoolgrowth

https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-growth