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Episode 32: Bridging Technology and Curriculum: Unlocking the Power of Aligned Learning Throughout a District with Dr. Lilia Náñez

Katie Martin
Talent Development and GrowthAligned Systems

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Episode Summary:

Dr. Lilia Náñez, Associate Superintendent of Ector County ISD in Odessa, Texas, shares her passion for equity and learner-centered leadership, drawing from her personal experience growing up as a Mexican-American student in a small town. Her journey in education is deeply rooted in the belief that every student deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued.

Lilia reflects on her leadership role in creating opportunities for teachers and students through innovative programs like Opportunity Culture and Teacher University. She emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with educators and fostering collaboration across departments to improve student outcomes.

Key topics covered include:

  • 👩‍🏫 Investing in teacher retention and support through coaching and leadership programs
  • 🎓 Providing personalized onboarding experiences for new teachers
  • 🤝 Strengthening collaboration between curriculum, instruction, and technology teams
  • 🌟 Reimagining teacher leadership through multi-classroom leaders and Opportunity Culture
  • 📊 Using data and feedback to drive instructional improvements and equitable outcomes

Related Resources:

  • Blog: Changing how students learn, starts with changing how educators learn
    Shifting professional learning from compliance to empowerment is a critical lever in meeting the needs of our diverse students. With a learner-centered approach, one that is authentic, personalized, competency-based, and inclusive & equitable, we can create meaningful, purposeful professional learning experiences for educators that inform and model the learning experiences we want for young learners.
  • Course: Learner-Centered Leadership for Meaningful Change
    Participants will define who they are as learner-centered leaders, explore ways to build relationships with their team by building relational trust and leverage a human-centered design process beginning with empathy to create a proposal for change.
  • Tool: Faculty Meeting Planning Template
    Modeling a learner-centered approach with faculty will provide clarity and inspiration for how learner-centered practices can be implemented with students.

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