George Philhower has been an administrator at Western Wayne Schools in East Central Indiana for 7 years. Prior to that he was a special education teacher. George is passionate about the need to create school environments that are flexible enough to adapt to and meet the unique needs of all learners, and he is excited about the steps being taken in his school district to accomplish this goal.

 

George always wanted to be a teacher, grew up in East Central Indiana, and came back to live there after his college. His wife is a middle school teacher, they have two young sons, he enjoys golfing (1:50)

All students can learn, and all students learn at different rates (4:24)

Achieving the balance between meeting each student where they are, while also making sure the class as a whole runs efficiently by being flexible and innovative (7:30)

George traces his education career path, from his first job was elementary teacher for special needs students to his current position as assistant superintendent (10:10)

Making the decision to move from teaching into administration because he was constantly noticing things he thought he would be able to address (12:53)

Time management and organization are two of the biggest challenges for new admins (14:10)

How George is able to be fully present, while maintaining a good work/life balance (18:40)

Using Evernote to capture thoughts while you’re driving or otherwise occupied (21:20)

As you gain experience, you’ll redefine what success as an administrator consists of (22:20)

Creating an alternative approach to education for struggling students was one of the defining experiences of George’s administration career (24:18)

It’s natural for a teacher to worry about losing that connection to students after becoming an administrator, but you shouldn’t worry too much about it, because you’ll still have strong connections (35:17)

Why ideally we should make decisions based on our best people (38:54)

How starting off in special education had a huge impact on George’s approach to education and school leadership (39:35)

Several books that George likes for school leaders (48:01)

If you want good relationships with students, treat them as if they’re your own kids (49:00)

Too many administrators get trapped in their office (50:52)

If George had a time machine, here’s the advice he would go back and give his younger self when he was just starting out in administration (53:28)

 

The Power of Yet by Carol Dweck

 

Books mentioned in this episode

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

 

Connect with George Philhower

@gphilhower

 

 

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