Episode Details

A Quick Note to Listeners:

—- The Question of the Week is supported by Summer Pops Math Workbooks.Principals, when students practice math over the summer, math scores go up. What’s your summer math plan this year? A great way to start is by ordering FREE summer workbook samples at Summer Pops Workbooks.com. —-

Before this week’s interview, Will Parker answers a question from a student in Jen Schwanke’s graduate class at OSU.

The question is: As a principal, how do you approach difficult conversations with under-performing staff while also maintaining dignity and fostering growth? (Question from Christina Mahan, Teacher, Student in Education Master’s program at the Ohio State University)

Listen in to hear his response and thank you for doing what matters!

Meet Daman Harris:

Daman Harris, Ph.D., is a trailblazing expert in educator retention and antiracist leadership. He is the co-founder and co-director of the Building Our Network of Diversity (BOND) Project, a nonprofit that supports the recruitment, development, retention, and empowerment of male educators of color. He is also the Senior Manager for Educator Advancement and Institutions of Higher Education Partnerships for a large Mid-Atlantic school district. During his 28 years as an educator, Dr. Harris has been a teacher, coach, principal, district administrator, adjunct professor, speaker, writer, and consultant. He is also the author of The Antiracist School Leader: What Know, Say, and Do, and he hosts the podcast BONDCast. I am honored to have him as a guest on Principal Matters Podcast. Below is a summary of our conversation.

BOND:

When asked about his work with BOND, Dr. Harris shared that he started BOND when he realized that Black and latino male educators need a support network. Upon creating the Building Our Network of Diversity (BOND) Project, Daman learned that male educators of color need an opportunity to write and share their content with the world, so they created a blog and a podcast. Another realization Daman shares is that male educators of color are consistently priced out of conferences, even ones targeted to their demographic. Therefore, BOND found it necessary to create their own annual conference and provide training for people to have their own presentations at conferences. All the work the BOND does has been a resounding success; the support and guidance they provide to male educators of color is unmatched.

The Antiracist School Leader:

Dr. Harris shares that he was inspired to write The Antiracist School Leader as a result of his involvement with the BOND project. When the BOND project created a writer’s room,