Welcome to The Liberation Lab©️ Podcast, insights and interviews for the disruptive educator. I’m your host, Bobby Morgan - speaker, principal, consultant, and lifelong disruptor committed to building schools that center justice, genius, and belonging.

🔗Connect with Bobby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hopp.bio/liberationlab⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🌐Learn More: Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.myliberationlab.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more resources, tools, and insights.

About This Episode:

In this episode of the Liberation Lab podcast, Joyce Abbott, a retired educator and combat veteran, shares her insights on the importance of authenticity, high expectations, and the impact of military discipline on her teaching career. She emphasizes the need for educators to focus on student success, address barriers to learning, and maintain a commitment to their profession without seeking constant validation. Abbott's experiences highlight the challenges and rewards of teaching in Title I schools, advocating for a supportive and high-expectation environment for all students. In this conversation, Ms. Abbott shares her journey as an educator, emphasizing the importance of resilience, connection with students, and the impact of a supportive learning environment. She reflects on her challenging first year of teaching, the lessons learned from her experiences, and the significance of maintaining passion and self-care in the teaching profession. Ms. Abbott also discusses her book, 'Teaching the Abbott Way,' highlighting key lessons on leadership and student engagement.

About My Guest: Joyce Abbott

JOYCE M. ABBOTT was born and raised in Philadelphia, and is a dynamic educator who has enthusiastically served the district since 1996. Ms. Abbott enjoys being part of positive and productive change, particularly as it relates to the students she serves. She has been nominated for several teaching awards due to her exemplary instructional practices and classroom management, recognized three times as a “Who’s Who Among America’s Finest Teachers”, and named an “Everyday Hero” by the Philadelphia Daily News. Ms. Abbott has served in many leadership capacities, including as a mentor for other teachers, and she retired as the Climate Manager at Andrew Hamilton School. In 2022, Joyce learned that she was the inspiration behind the name for the hit TV show Abbott Elementary, which was created by her former student, Quinta Brunson. A major street, 59th at Lancaster Avenue, where her alma mater – Overbrook High School – is located, was renamed “Joyce Abbott Way” in her honor, and she was recently inducted into the Overbrook High School Hall of Fame. Ms. Abbott came to teaching via the United States Army’s Troops to Teachers program, where she served as a soldier for ten years and earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. Joyce attributes her effective disciplinary practices to her military experience.

Connect with Ms. Abbott:

Website: Click here

Instagram: @therealmsabbott

Welcome to The Liberation Lab©️ Podcast, insights and interviews for the disruptive educator. I’m your host, Bobby Morgan - speaker, principal, consultant, and lifelong disruptor committed to building schools that center justice, genius, and belonging.

🔗Connect with Bobby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hopp.bio/liberationlab⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🌐Learn More: Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.myliberationlab.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more resources, tools, and insights.

About This Episode:

In this episode of the Liberation Lab podcast, Crystal M. Watson, a first-year principal in Cincinnati, shares her experiences and challenges in leading a school through a significant transition. The conversation explores the importance of community, the shift from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach, and the complexities of managing discipline and school culture. Crystal emphasizes the need for collaboration, strategic planning, and the redistribution of power within the school to better serve students and foster a positive learning environment. In this conversation, Bobby and Crystal M. Watson explore the complexities of education, focusing on respect, understanding student perspectives, the impact of technology, and the need for better preparation of future educational leaders. They discuss the importance of compassion in discipline, the challenges posed by modern technology, and the necessity for practical training in leadership roles. The dialogue emphasizes the balance between professional identity and personal life, advocating for a more empathetic approach to education.

About My Guest: Crystal Watson

Crystal Watson is an innovative, passionate educator and leader who always asks “What do the students think?” She is also one of the co-authors of Pedagogies of Voice: Street Data and the Path to Student Agency to be published via Corwin in July 2025.Crystal obtained a Masters of Education at Teachers College at Columbia University and is currently a doctoral candidate at Miami University, OH. Her work is centered around providing space for student voice and identity development in order for all to experience high quality, deep, and personal mathematics.

Connect with Crystal:

Social Media: @CrystalMWatson

Welcome to The Liberation Lab©️ Podcast, insights and interviews for the disruptive educator. I’m your host, Bobby Morgan - speaker, principal, consultant, and lifelong disruptor committed to building schools that center justice, genius, and belonging.

🔗Connect with Bobby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hopp.bio/liberationlab⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🌐Learn More: Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.myliberationlab.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more resources, tools, and insights.

About This Episode:

In this episode of the Liberation Lab podcast, Bobby and Daman Harris discuss the critical role of anti-racism in education, the mission of the Bond Project, and the importance of creating equitable learning environments. Daman shares insights from his book, 'The Anti-Racist School Leader,' emphasizing the need for educators to engage in dismantling systemic barriers and fostering inclusivity actively. The conversation highlights the power of language, the impact of representation in educational materials, and the necessity of accountability in addressing disparities in student outcomes.

About My Guest: Dr. Daman Harris

Dr. Daman Harris is the Senior Manager of Educator Advancement and Institutions of Higher Education Partnerships in a Mid-Atlantic school district. He is also 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. During his 29 years as an educator, Dr. Harris has had a wide range of experiences as a teacher, coach, principal, district administrator, adjunct professor, speaker, writer, and consultant. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland College Park, McDaniel College, and University of Maryland Global Campus, where he leads graduate courses relating to teaching strategies, research methods, and antiracist education. Dr. Harris’ first book, The Antiracist School Leader: What to Know, Say, and Do, is on sale now.

Connect with Dr. Harris:

LinkedIn: Daman Harris

www.damanharris.com