Episode 31 - Dr. Mark Edwards: Spirit Work & System Change

Podcast Episodes

Episode:

31

guest episode

May 20, 2025

Dr. Mark Edwards: Spirit Work & System Change

Leadership in Education

Equity in Schools

Education Reform

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In this podcast episode, Mark Edwards shares his extensive journey in education, influenced by his upbringing in a family of educators. He discusses the importance of recognizing and addressing institutional racism within educational systems, recounting personal experiences and transformative practices that led to significant improvements in student outcomes. Mark emphasizes the role of technology and innovative approaches in creating equitable learning environments for all students. In this conversation, Mark Edwards shares his extensive experience in educational leadership, focusing on the deployment of technology in schools, the importance of kindness and spirit in education, and the challenges posed by current education policies. He emphasizes the need for collaboration among educators and the impact of a supportive community on student success. Edwards also discusses his vision for a utopian education system centered around love and care, and he concludes with recommendations for music that inspires.

This episode is brought to you by Education Perfect, a complete teaching and learning toolkit built to support Canadian classrooms. Education Perfect empowers educators to track progress, personalize learning, and support purposeful practice. Its tools are flexible and designed to help Canadian teachers amplify their impact in the classroom. See for yourself and book a free demo today at educationperfect.com.

music recommendations

LANCO
- - A Nashville-based country band.
  - Their debut album went triple platinum in Canada.
  - Their first single, “Greatest Love Story,” hit number one for 17 weeks.
  - Dr. Edwards’ son-in-law, Jared Hampton, is a member of the band.
  - The band recently released a second album called “We’re Gonna Make It.”
High Valley
- A Canadian country band.
- Jared Hampton has written songs for them.
- One of those songs reached number one in Canada recently.

About The Guest

Dr. Mark Edwards

Dr. Edwards served as a school superintendent for 25 years and has been widely recognized as a leader in digital innovation. He has published four books; ‘Every Child Every Day ‘, ‘Thank You for Your Leadership ‘and most recently he co-authored “ Unstoppable Momentum “ and ‘Spirit Work and the Science of Collaboration’ with Michael Fullan.

Mark was named the AASA National Supt. of the Year and the North Carolina Supt. of the Year in 2013. He served as Supt. Of The Mooresville Graded School District for 9 years leading the district to national and international acclaim as a district of excellence. Previously he also served as the Supt. of Henrico Co. VA for ten years and was named the VA Supt. of the Year in 2001. In 2000 he led the first district wide one to one lap top program in the nation. He has received numerous awards including The Harold McGraw Prize in Education, E-School News Tech Savvy Supt. Award, Common Sense Media National Educator of the Year, National Educator by The Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 2017 he was named Top Thirty Transformational Leaders by the Center for Digital Learning. President Obama, Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. Rick Wise, Gov. Jim Hunt and Senator Mark Warner have all recognized Mark for his leadership during his career.

Dr. Edwards also served as Dean of the College of Education at the Univ. of North Alabama, Senior Vice President of Discovery Education and CEO of Challenge U. He and his wife have been married for 41 years and have 3 children.