Show Notes:
P.J. shares the backstory of his name and how he became a high school principal. He studied simultaneously in law school for a JD and in the Philosophy department for a PhD at the University of Chicago. After realizing he didn't enjoy law or philosophy, he taught math at Phillips Andover and later in Chicago. He helped start a new public school, Walter Payton College Prep, and has been a principal at Lake View High School for the past 10 years.
Teaching Chaos Theory and Math
P.J. describes his experience teaching at Phillips Andover, including teaching chaos theory. He found the environment supportive and the students "good at doing school", which made his first year of teaching easier. He enjoyed working with the students, especially the boys in his dorm, and found teaching math more enjoyable than he expected. P.J. reflects on the differences between teaching at a private school and a public school.
Starting Walter Payton College Prep
P.J. discusses the creation of Walter Payton College Prep in Chicago. The school was designed to attract affluent and white families back to the city. P.J. and his partner, Doug O'Roark, started the math department and implemented common lessons and assessments. The school grew to become the most selective in Chicago, with a high percentage of students enrolling in college.
Challenges and Successes of a Principal
P.J. describes his current role as principal at Lake View High School and touches on what has made the school successful in addition to the challenges. The school serves a diverse population, with 85% low-income students, including refugees, and a high percentage of first-generation college-goers. P.J. emphasizes the importance of providing support and opportunities for all students. He shares the success of the school, with 75% of the class of 2024 enrolling in college, and explains what a principal does on a daily basis.
Leadership Evolution and Philosophy
P.J. reflects on his evolution as a leader, emphasizing the importance of believing in the potential of every individual. He shares his philosophy of focusing on what he can influence and being creative in his approach, and in how the school fosters growth in the students. P.J. discusses the importance of selecting teachers who love working with high school students and are committed to improving their practice, and the key factors he looks for when hiring teachers. He highlights the value of providing conditions for talent to thrive.
Math Circles of Chicago
P.J. explains the concept of the non-profit he started, Math Circles of Chicago, which provides math enrichment for students. The program offers one-day festivals, classes, and a math research symposium. P.J. emphasizes the importance of providing engaging and challenging math experiences for students. He explains the organization's creative approach to supporting both the teachers and students with curriculum development, lesson planning, and workshops. The program has grown to serve 5500 students annually, with many Chicago Public School teachers participating.
Harvard Reflections
P.J. discusses the impact of his education at Harvard, particularly the course "Justice". He mentions the influence of philosophy professors like Warren Goldfarb and the importance of skepticism towards big theories. P.J. reflects on the value of learning from roommates and classmates, which shaped his perspective and approach to life. He also mentions a class on 20th century classical music. He highlights the importance of community and collaboration in his educational journey. P.J. shares his final thoughts on the importance of providing opportunities for all students to succeed.
Timestamps:
03:18: Teaching at Phillips Andover
19:12: Starting Walter Payton College Prep
24:32: Leadership Evolution and Philosophy
36:19: Math Circles of Chicago
40:38: Impact of Harvard Education
51:17: Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Links:
Lake View High School https://www.lakeviewhs.com/
Math Circles of Chicago https://www.mathcirclesofchicago.org/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Dennis Murphy who reports:
" Hi. I'm Dennis Murphy, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is Glam Girl, the Global Local athletic movement. GLAM is a youth-led organization that empowers girls through sports by running service projects, advocacy projects, and sports and leadership camps in the US and around the world. Something as simple as not having a sports bra can keep female athletes from playing the sports they love. GLAM helps them stay in the game and partners with athletic directors to support entire teams. I'm so proud of my daughter Izzy for being one of the organization's founders. She currently runs a GLAM club at her high school. You can learn more about their work at GlamGirldotlife. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: https://www.glamgirl.life/
