Resilient Schools Podcast

As an engaging and interactive keynote speaker, consultant, educator, and mom, LaVonna bridges her passion for how the brain learns with identifying how every individual S.H.I.N.E.s with their mindset and social-emotional well-being. She leads a small business where her and her team boost schools in embodying a Human-Focused Culture. A culture where we put those doing the work at the heart of the impact desired. How? By supporting schools in harnessing the S.H.I.N.E. framework, increasing psychological safety, & building a foundation based on the brain sciences. S.H.I.N.E. is the secret to a work environment where all want to be! LaVonna has 3 degrees, is the author of 8 books, and has worked with organizations in the U.S./Canada, Europe, South America, and the Middle East.  She is the creator and founder of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. framework and also Prime to S.H.I.N.E. where she coaches educators in how to make an impact through educational consulting – part-time or full-time. S.H.I.N.E. will leave you inspired. Help you find your power through ah-ha moments.  Ignite the fire within you to have the confidence in who YOU are and what you do, because YOU are the difference maker!

Creating a human-focused culture in schools is crucial for fostering a sense of inclusion and psychological safety among students and staff. This means putting people first and making sure that everyone feels valued and included.

According to LaVonna Roth, it’s important to start with small, low-risk activities, such as check-ins, to build trust and create a safe space for vulnerable conversations. Asking the right questions is also crucial; instead of asking “how do we solve this?”, try asking “how might we solve this?” to make it a group effort and encourage creativity.

In addition to creating a safe space for conversation, it’s important to evaluate and release stress in a proactive way. This means being open and honest about where we are at and whether we are living up to our ideals, and taking time to check in with each other before things get too overwhelming.

To help foster a human-focused culture, Roth created the SHINE Framework, which focuses on strengths and encourages individuals to be self-aware, have a heart for humanity, inspire others, navigate challenges, and be exceptional. By focusing on strengths and empathy, we can create a more resilient and inclusive learning environment for all.

• Human Focused Culture – how to create a place where people want to be.
• Putting people first makes a big impact.
• How does the brain thrive best in achievement
• It starts with everyone feeling valued
• When people feel included, they can ask vulnerable questions.
• Must go through different levels of psychological safety to get to the highest level.
• It’s difficult to ask harder questions if you’re afraid to ask even simpler questions.
• True empathetic listening ear.
• Do you have a Heart for humanity
• To help people feel really included, our actions and our verbiage need to be aligned.
• We’re used to having a hierarchy in our society – If we’re going to have everyone be included, we have to watch those walls of hierarchy.
• Knowing who makes the final call, but also recognizing that everyone can overrule the person in charge.
• As a group, deciding how we want to move forward.
• In a low-trust environment, start with a small-risk activity, like a check-in.
• Are we asking the right questions? Not How do we solve this but how might we solve this?
• Make it our idea, instead of my idea.
• The way we ask a question matters, too: Tell me when you have a staff thrive at their best.
• When things get stressful, prior to that break, ask for the voices about what is working and not working.
• Be open about where you are at and whether you are living up to your ideals?
• Evaluate and release stress when it is going to be challenging and you know it is.
• Tell me about the SHINE Framework and why you created it. Self, Heart, Inspire, Navigate, Exceptional
• Focused on strengths. Gallup says a strength will remain a strength and a weakness will never become a strength.
• Even really challenging situations can be positive and create strengths in us.
• the 1 thing to make our schools more resilient: Have empathy.