“(MƒA’s) biggest idea is maybe the simplest idea – we focus on excellence, we focus on what works, we focus on teachers – the best math and science teachers we can find.”

MƒA President John Ewing and MƒA Executive Director Megan Roberts joined hosts Randy Ziegenfuss and Lynn Fuini-Hetten on the latest episode of TLTalkRadio, a podcast that shares leadership stories in education and inspires listeners to lead for the change needed in our schools. Ewing and Roberts discussed the big ideas behind MƒA and how when we celebrate, recognize, and advocate for teachers, we elevate the profession overall.

Ewing shares: “We want to create an environment where very accomplished teachers can work as professionals and grow professionally… We’re cultivating a different kind of view of the profession, that is more active and is engaged in the subject."

As MƒA’s core beliefs and values were explored, both Ewing and Roberts highlighted some of the most important aspects of the fellowship: community and teacher-led learning opportunities.

Roberts shares: “Teachers really run the fellowship – we’re very intentional about community. This is a peer-to-peer, teacher-to-teacher community of both learning and leading.... It’s much more about them than what we think they need… it’s about collaboration and the deprivatization of practice.”

And what’s the key to empowering teachers to lead their own professional growth? The answer lies in truly trusting them as professionals.

Ewing adds: “Everyone wants to say they respect teachers and the teaching profession, but respect without trust doesn’t really mean anything at all. (At MƒA) when we say we trust teachers, we make that real. The teachers come in and decide what they’re going to do. We don’t tell anyone what to do.”

Listen to the full TLTalkRadio episode.

Find the episode on iTunes