Cyndi Burnett:
Hello and welcome to the Fueling Creativity and Education podcast.

Matthew Worwood:
It’s summer break here in the US and that means it’s time for another Listen and Learn series.

Cyndi Burnett:
And this series features bite sized episodes designed to support some professional development during the holidays.

Matthew Worwood:
Now, as scholar practitioners, Cindy and I do see the summer as a chance to recharge and catch up on new ideas and research.

Principal El:
Dutch.

Cyndi Burnett:
So Matt and I put together a list and we reached out to some of our past guests who have recently published books and invited them back to talk briefly about their latest work.

Matthew Worwood:
And if you’re a regular listener to the show and listened to one of our Listen and Learn series before, you’ll know that these off season episodes are short and focused. We asked just three questions about their new book, providing a perfect way to stay inspired while still making time for that rest and family.

Cyndi Burnett:
So whether you’re a new or regular listener, be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast platform and enjoy this special summer edition of Fueling Creativity and Education.

Matthew Worwood:
So let’s begin today we welcome back to the show, Principal L. A teacher and principal since 1987, Principal Au joined us on season six of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast to discuss why teachers commit to their profession for the sake of their students, colleagues and community. And how nurturing creativity, resilience and persistence enable students to achieve great things. He has received the national acclaim as a teacher and chess coach at Box Middle School in Philadelphia where his students have gone on to win world record recognition as eight time national chess champions. We brought him back on the show today to talk about his latest book, Meet their needs and they’ll succeed. Principal Al, welcome back to the show.

Principal El:
Oh, it is an honor. Honor to be back. Thank you guys for having me. I’m so excited.

Cyndi Burnett:
Principal L, it’s great to have you back. So today we want to talk with you about your new book. And I saw it on LinkedIn and I said we have to bring Principal Ellen because we have to recommend his book for our summer Listen and Learn series. So the first thing we’d love for you to do today is give us a 60 second pitch of your book.

Principal El:
60 second pitch. Wow. That’s like giving a whale a Tic tac. But you know, I’m going to give it a shot, Cindy. But basically I wrote Meet Their Knees because I actually was fueled right to write this book because I’m on Father’s Day four years ago, I’m sitting in the emergency room, my appendix burst and I needed surgery and these nurses are taking care of me, and they care for me as if I was the only one who belonged in that hospital. And I said to myself, what if every child, every kid had someone like that, someone who was like a nurse that made them feel like nobody else mattered, you know, but them, that their creativity, their intelligence, their resilience, all of that could be promoted and supported just by those people. And that’s what really encouraged me to write this book. And it’s all about my four C’s of school success.

Principal El:
Crazy about kids curious about their lives outside of school, consistent adults who are able to help them with their confidence. And then a culture of love, support, resilience, creativity, critical thinking. All about helping every child meet the needs. Every child, Cindy and Matt, every child and educator should feel seen, heard, created, creative, celebrated. They all should feel like they belong. And how do we do that? Fuel the creativity, but also fuel lots of love and lots of joy in every classroom and every school every day.

Matthew Worwood:
Principal Allen, of course that’s what you’re bringing to the podcast. I mean, we talk a lot about passion and love and culture to action. And once again, it also sounds like we’re back to having this conversation about. It’s not about the content. It. It’s about how we are mentoring and parenting, in essence, future members of our community. I remember when Cindy and I worked with you, we spoke a lot about this idea of being a leader in the community. That is something that came specifically from your episode.

Matthew Worwood:
So thank you for sharing all of that. All right, our next question. What’s a misconception about the topic that your book breaks open?

Principal El:
There’s so many. But you talked about the whole idea of being a community leader in one chapter. I talk about community engagement. There are people who believe that we can’t create partnerships with those in our community, that we can’t create these avenues for people outside of our schools to find out what we need. And I believe we can. And I, you know, I talk about it, you know, often in the book, let’s make those connections. Let’s let the world know about the beauty, about the joy and love of what is happening in our schools and the potential for what can happen when we believe in those children until they believe in themselves. And that happens when we make those positive connections with our parents, with our community members, with our churches, with the businesses.

Principal El:
Build it and they will come. I truly believe it.

Matthew Worwood:
And just to build on that as well is big part. You’re the administrator, the leader. And when you’re talking about we, you’re Talking about your team, your family within the school as well, right?

Principal El:
Yes, sir. No doubt about it. We have to be a family. And I often tell the leaders out there that I talk to and train that as leaders, we bring the joy into our schools that the leader is the thermostat in the building, not the thermometer. You know, let me say that again. The leader is the thermostat, not the thermometer. We bring the joy. We create the love and excitement in the school.

Principal El:
So teachers and families are knocking the door down to get in instead of knocking the door down to get out.

Cyndi Burnett:
Man, I feel so much love just even listening to you.

Matthew Worwood:
So.

Cyndi Burnett:
So I can’t imagine what it’s like to be someone in your school.

Matthew Worwood:
Yeah. Can I just ask, Principal Au, are you. Are you. Do you practice these sound bites or they just come natural? It seems like every time we’re talking, you’ve got a sound bite for every single response. And we’re like, wow, I can’t do that. How do you do that?

Principal El:
They just come that. My students said, you know, Principal, you talk a lot, so we want to encourage you to talk more. But they said you should write a book just with your principal elisms, you know, because I, you know, I, you know, I’m famous for telling them every child deserves to have one person be crazy about them, and I am that person. I loved you before I ever met you. So there’s nothing you can do to me to change how I feel. Because before I’ve ever met, before you walked in that door, I knew I was going to love you. And so it really excites them, but it’s really part of my DNA, you know, Matt, it’s just my ability to be. I want to be able to make people laugh, but I also want to be able to help them to understand that these are very serious matters that we’re talking about and when you can bring joy along with those challenges.

Principal El:
You talk about a misconception. There are people who believe that joy and learning can’t exist in the same building. Yes, they can. As long as the adults there believe that every school, every classroom, every child should be challenged, should be joyful, should be happy, and also should love the people who are there for them.

Matthew Worwood:
And.

Principal El:
And they should look at us as if we’re their family. You talked about family earlier and family matters, for sure.

Cyndi Burnett:
So one more question. What is one concrete or practical thing your book can teach others?

Principal El:
I think one of the things that my book can and will teach others is that no matter what our students are facing, because there’s a chapter on being trauma informed and teachers and leaders, that no matter what those students are facing, the adults in the presence of those children can make a big difference. That there are people who are in our profession, no matter what role they have, who some do not believe that they truly can make an impact on those young, on the lives of the young people because of their backgrounds, because of the community or family they come from. But many children that I talk to, many children that you meet, they will tell you I am who I am because of some adult, you know, in my life. You know, there’s a young. One of our young chess players just graduated from Cornell University. This is a young lady from the inner city of Wilmington, Delaware, who overcame so much, who was told by a counselor that don’t apply there because that’s a reach. Apply somewhere where you know you’ll get in. She cried and she cried, and we told her you applied.

Principal El:
She not only applies, she got a full scholarship. She just graduated pre med. That every child needs a champion. Every child needs someone to believe in them. And I tell people, don’t pray for a lighter load. Pray for a stronger back. And the stronger back comes from the community that we have. Your podcast, this duo right here, Matt and Cindy, you inspire me to become greater and.

Principal El:
And not greater later. Greater. Now. There are many people who are tired, but they’re really uninspired. They need to tune into your podcast because then they’ll get the energy and the fuel that they need to keep helping others and choosing impact over compliance. I think that is something my book will teach them as well. Pick impact every day, and I guarantee you, you’ll go to bed every night with satisfaction and you wake up every morning with determination.

Matthew Worwood:
I. I have. I have nothing to say after that. I don’t know where to go. We’ve got rhyming couplets. We got rhyming couplets in that response. You know, I think we’re. Right now.

Matthew Worwood:
We spoke about giftedness. We’re seeing right now a natural talent that not everyone has that probably clearly plays into the community along with your. Your passion and energy and enthusiasm for every single thing that you do. And it’s why we’re huge fans of you and so happy that you’re on the show. And we encourage everyone to check out the book because it’s going to have as much passion and love that we’re seeing here. And I tell you what, in. In the world that we’re in at the moment, that love Family, community. And it sounds to me it’s unconditional in your school.

Matthew Worwood:
Principal Al it’s unconditional. You come into this family and we, we’ve got your back. You know, special.

Principal El:
I appreciate that that that meant that truly, truly, truly means that. 38 years, Matt. I had 38 years in this profession and I truly am continue to be inspired by the work of so many people like you and Cindy who are just out there getting the message out that our children can and will be successful as long as they’re adults who believe in them. And so I’m honored that we have and maintain our connection. I tell people relationships are powerful. My book is all about transforming students lives through positive relationships. But we need the ability to sustain those relationships. That’s what truly matters and make an impact.

Principal El:
And you are an example of that. Just having the kindness to invite me to come back and talk about my new book speaks volumes. And yes, you’re right, I do like to rhyme. My students say, principal, you rhyme too much. And as soon as I leave out the room, they say, come back. Hit one more of those rhymes for us.

Cyndi Burnett:
Principal Al, let us know when your next book out because we’ll have you come back again because this is just so energizing and I, I’ll tell you, when you were talking, I was getting goosebumps. So thank you and let me know.

Principal El:
And let me know when your new book comes out because I want to help promote that. I want to, I just want to go everywhere and talk about because I know it comes from the heart. It’s what you do. And, and my spirit will be there and I want to make sure I do everything I can to help that book get in the hands of so many people.

Cyndi Burnett:
Oh, thank you. Well, we hope you enjoyed this summer 2025 listen and learn episode. Please visit our website which provides a full list of all the books we’ve covered during this series with links to the author’s website and links to where you can purchase these books online. And I want to go buy like eight books and send them to all my favorite teachers right now of Principal L’s book. You can access this page at fuelingcreativitypodcast.com summerreading2025 and if you haven’t already done so, find us and subscribe on our YouTube station at Fueling Creativity in Education. My name is Dr. Cindy Burnett.

Matthew Worwood:
And my name is Dr. Matthew Werwood.

Cyndi Burnett:
This episode was made possible thanks to a our sponsor curiosity to create.