Phaedra Roberts

Background

About Phaedra Roberts

As I reflect on 30 years of experience in public school education, I find that there are three major skills that served me well and will continue to serve me as I move into a new time of my life: facilitation, trust-building, and reflection. I implemented many faucets of group processes I learned in my experiences during Center for Courage and Renewal retreats to my leadership efforts such as exploring poetry as an introduction to the work of reflection, and using honest, open questions to prompt discussion and find common ground and understanding. Faculty meetings became fun meetings as I led my schools through active team building activities designed to help us all learn more about ourselves and each other. These "fun" meetings morphed into meetings that were planned and led by teachers. Guiding school leaders in engaging families in the work of the schooling during my last public school experience as a Federal Programs coordinator resulted in two schools becoming a part of the Academic Parent Teacher Team movement. I learned the value of working in community and solitude; the power of learning from and with others balanced with personal reflection and I see that continuing to carry over into my "post public school" life.