Name: Debra E.S. Bogle

Title: Principal/Part Time Professor Rossier School of Education

Organisation: Academy of the Arts / USC Rossier School of Education

For over 35 years, I have been fortunate to encourage, challenge, inspire, and support learning for children from ages five through adulthood as a partner in learning. I am at heart a teacher and believe in building bridges to learning for everyone in any context (including myself) by intently listening, noticing, and believing in that each of us is uniquely gifted to learn in a community, with a community and for the betterment of our human family as valued members in our fragile and vibrant democracy.

I see education as a series of conversations and experiences we have together, and that discourse is vital to our values, discoveries, challenges, and learning. I have taught in three countries, and five U.S. states, and continue to teach as a principal and as a part time professor today. I see myself as a learner in the constant process of investigations, discovery, critical reflection, connection, and creativity in action. I see myself as a part of a community of learners.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Educational Leadership!

I hope Debra's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

Remembering that reflection on action is vital to understanding a situation, context, and the best step forward. Taking time to respond is a gift as much as responding with purpose.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Perhaps it happened over time and began in elementary school. I was always quiet, reflective, and happy. I did not seek out leadership; in fact, I probably did my best not to seek attention. When my teachers or principals, or later in life, people I worked for, asked me to step up. I did so, but was rather inwardly skeptical of the why. My journey has been to find the why and go forward with purpose and confidence.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I am an early riser. I exercise before I go to school. During the day, I am out with parents from the time students arrive and spend the first hour with parents and community members. In the daytime, I am in classrooms, with teachers coaching them, walking through classrooms, and sitting with students to listen and learn.

My teachers are quite well acquainted and ask me questions sometimes. The students find it fun, and I love to see the smiles as we share learning times. I spend a few hours going over Board Notes, new research, reading articles, and digging into the learning plans or lesson plans teachers share with me weekly.

I make notes, and we discuss weekly, sometimes more often. I visit with specialists who teach in our school, read reports of what is happening in educational practice, reach out to parents and schedule informal chats and reach out to my peers. At day's end, I try and walk again and breathe! I walk the beach or a trail near my home and eat well and speak with my husband, friends, my children and grandchildren. I read or watch a show in French or German when I feel like it.

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

Take time to be with community members daily. Be visible. Be available and be genuine. Teachers, parents, and students notice.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

Because we moved so much as a family- my husband was a career army officer and we were posted to Paris and Washington D.C. over and over again- we needed to think and be ready in a global world. My children needed to be fluent in languages and culture. So, when I read Empowering Students to Improve the World in Sixty Lessons by Dr. Fernando Reimers, from Harvard School of Education, it resonated with me and helped me empower the next generation of students in my space how to be a globally-minded citizen and to inspire that with a community focused commitment to do good in the world in our 21st Century.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

Be present and care deeply about who stands in front of you each and every moment, get to know them, what makes them happy, their passion and do all you can to empower confidence in them daily. Listen 80% and chat 20%. You learn when you listen- intentionally.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Educational Leader, so far?

A few years ago, a child asked me what it takes to be a doctor or a principal. Is it hard work? Did you have to do it? Who made you do it? Can you imagine this question from a 6-year-old? I said, " Love made me do what I could be be a student, then a teacher, then a doctor, and now your principal. How am I doing?" The child smiled and said," Pretty great!"