Save the Teacher! Podcast Phyllis Ferguson

Have you ever heard the story of the Monkey Experiment?
In this episode Phyllis discusses how our education system can feel like this experiment.

In the experiment a group of monkeys were placed in a room with a bunch of bananas on top a ladder. Whenever a monkey would go for the bananas they would get sprayed with cold water. After a while a new monkey was brought into the room. When he went for the bananas the other monkeys attacked him and pulled him down, protecting him from the cold water.

One by one, an old monkey was replaced with a new monkey, and one by one they attacked the new monkeys and pulled them down, until only new monkeys were in the room, none having been sprayed with cold water.

Then one more new monkey was added to the mix. As he enthusiastically went for the bananas all the other monkeys repeated what had been done to them, not knowing why they did but just that that’s what has always been done.

Do you ever feel like a monkey?

Phyllis also reflects on her experience in New Zealand when the Federal Government, on the original Goals 2000 Grant, sent her to investigate:
• Why New Zealand’s Literacy standards are so high?
• Why the US was borrowing from New Zealand’s literacy development?
• What was the education system that New Zealand teacher’s come from that make their literacy model a success?

Listen to what Phyllis found. Learn the 4 Steps to get the esteem we need and really turn education around, as Phyllis passionately proclaims, “the best is yet to come in education!”

Phyllis and Becky reflect on their experience at the 2008 Oregon Reading Association Conference. Phyllis notes how in education and as a society we honor teachers that take risks but we pressure teachers to fit in a box and play it safe.

Phyllis examines John Maxwell's book "Failing Forward," and how it applies to teachers, our classrooms and our future.

Become a phenomenal teacher by taking risks and changing your perception of failure.

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Phyllis answers a listener’s question, “Are heroic teachers fearless?” In doing so Phyllis gives an example of fears she has had to overcome daily in her life and classroom. She explains how her learning disabilities contribute to her greatest fear; a fear many of us face, the fear of failing.

In this episode, learn how Heroic Teachers respond to fear with the “4 Fs”. As well as how committed and not coerced, Professional Learning Communities, are an asset to create a support system of trust and to combat fear.