Road to Awesome

These are my notes from Darrin Peppard’s keynote at the March 24, 2025  NCMLE ‘Middle School Matters’ Conference.

MY THOUGHT AND REFLECTIONS ARE IN ALL CAPS.

Darrin’s books include:

“The Road to Awesome: The Journey of a Leader”: roadtoawesome.net and roadtoawesome.net/books

Darrin’s most recent book with Katie Kinder is “Culture First Classrooms: Leadership, Relationships, and Practices that Transform Schools”

Darren’s Podcast: “Leaning Into Leadership”

http://leaning-into-leadership.captivate.fm/ (PocketCasts link)

His home state is Wyoming!

Culture First Truth Bombs:

1- Culture is everyone’s responsibility

2- To be a better we, I have to be a better me

3- Every single one of us has the opportunity to leave a lasting impact

Great culture requires clarity and intentionality

“Punishment  to gain compliance” was a primary motivation in my initial years as a high school teacher and administrator (in charge of discipline and attendance)

• Culture was “I’m going to ‘ding’ that student”

Question from a teacher: “Why does it always have to be about what they [the students] do wrong?”

If you don’t like the culture in your classroom, consider changing the way you LEAD it

It is SO important we are crystal clear about what matters to us

John Hattie “Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta analyses relating to achievement” (389 pages, PDF)

Teacher Clarity as a HUGE effect size

4 key areas where teacher clarity matters:

1- organization

2- explanations

3- examples

4- assessments

I think this should also include ‘expectations” of our kids and ourselves

Talking about the LESSON vs the LEARNING by the students

“People will rise or fall to the level of expectation to which you are willing to hold them”

We often fall into this trap about accountability (Punishment  to gain compliance) but we don’t have to…

“The standard is the standard” by Pittsburg Steelers head coach

“What you don’t address becomes a mess” by Katie Kinder

“Clear is kind” by Brenee Brown

It’s so important that we see our students for who they are

“Accountability is love” by Charles Williams

When we are really intentional about teaching and reinforcing those expectations we have, amazing things happen

Powerful object lesson using “toothpaste” to highlight how we can’t put words back into our mouth

Why shouldn’t you be at the door to greet your students before class? At the front of the school as students come in…

We have options every single day about how we show up:

1- show up as a thermometer (thermometers “name the problem”)

2- show up as a thermostat (adjust the temperature, see the problem, name the problem, and help fix the problem)

Think about this: “What are you looking for?”

Focus on the great things happening in our schools

• It’s amazing what happens when we do

What are you looking for? You will see more of those things!

Levels of Engagement

• Disengaged
• Compliant
• Engaged

We shouldn’t allow computer screens to become ‘the new worksheet”

“Compliance is the enemy of innovation”

• We have to be willing to let students take risks

Story of working with Bradlee W Skinner, speech teacher

• Learning from community members about the importance public speaking and communication

“What are your time bandits?”

Where would rather spend that time? (Hint: It’s not answering email)

“Stop sacrificing the important on the altar of the urgent”

We have to focus on telling the GOOD stories of what is going on in our schools

Story about “The Defining Moment” and Thomas playing in the senior basketball game

Every day we have a choice! And we can leave a lasting impact

On behalf of parents: Thank you for what you do, for making a difference in the lives of kids

When two roads diverge: take the road to awesome and don’t look back!

#MSMATTERS2025