Maya Woods-Cadiz is a Superintendent at American Indian Model Schools in Oakland, California. Maya is a Black American female leader with over twenty years of experience in education, as an Elementary Teacher, Principal and now Superintendent. She lives in Oakland with her husband and has two wonderful daughters. Maya’s educational background consists of a Masters of Education from UC Berkeley, a Superintendent Certificate from the Association of California Schools Administrators, an Administrator Credential, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a Bachelor of Arts from California State University at Hayward (East Bay) and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in the field of Transformational Leadership at UC Berkeley. Maya has taught Curriculum and Instruction at the graduate level for five years. She is very active in social services and volunteers regularly to support the improvement of society. Her life motto from her father is: “Everyone needs love”, and she works daily to keep this as the focus of all she does.

 

Maya talks about her background and philosophy, and her struggles with academics in elementary school (2:30)

Maya discusses why and when she decided on education as a career, and some of her achievements as a school leader (6:00)

Why and when she chose to make the move from teaching to administration (19:40)

Maya’s motto is “Remember your worth”, and she shares how it helped her overcome obstacles and challenges during her career, and a powerful lesson we can all learn from the late musician, Prince  (21:40)

Struggling to overcome obstacles and challenges is no fun, but it’s what makes us grow and what turns us into better people and better school leaders (30:08)

One of Maya’s favorite stories about the impact she has had on students in her career (33:37)

The best leadership advice Maya has ever received (36:48)

The ability to build great relationships is key to becoming an effective school leader (38:12)

Here are the books Maya thinks all school leaders should read (41:02)

Maya’s advice for school administrators on working with students (42:29)

Her advice for school administrators on working with the teachers in your building (43:29)

Always remember that stumbling is not falling (45:22)

If Maya had a time machine, here’s the advice she would go back and give her younger self when she was just starting out in school administration (46:47)

 

Books mentioned in this episode

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t

Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great

Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading

Ethics

If You Don’t Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students!

 

Connect with Maya Woods-Cadiz

AIM Schools

 

 

About EducatorsLead:

Educators Lead is a podcast created to help launch educators into the next level of leadership. This show is for you if you are interested in educational leadership as an assistant principal, principal, superintendent, teacher or someone who hopes to be a school leader one day. Educators Lead offers inspiration and practical advice to help you lead more effectively. Jay Willis interviews school leaders three days a week to discuss why and when these educators made the decision to move into school leadership, challenges along the journey, and stories that made it all worthwhile. Educators Lead is a great resource for any educator looking to make a greater impact.

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