# Courage as a Pre-Requisite: Empowerment & Collaboration in Middle Schools with Katie Powell - Ep 78 Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/building-a-culture-of-collaboration-6015835/courage-as-a-pre-requisite-empowerment-collaboration-in-middle-schools-with-katie-powell-ep-78 Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/building-a-culture-of-collaboration-6015835/courage-as-a-pre-requisite-empowerment-collaboration-in-middle-schools-with-katie-powell-ep-78.md Podcast: [Building a Culture of Collaboration](https://stenobird.com/podcast/building-a-culture-of-collaboration-6015835) Published: 2026-04-07T06:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/2cbdeda1 Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/2cbdeda1/11f830d1.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/building-a-culture-of-collaboration-6015835/episodes/courage-as-a-pre-requisite-empowerment-collaboration-in-middle-schools-with-katie-powell-ep-78 Duration seconds: 3160 ## Resource Access a workshop guide to help your teams craft effective goals to guide their collaborative work - https://bit.ly/jlgoals Access the FREE Guide for Leaders to Develop and Reinforce Team Norms - http://bit.ly/teamnormsguide How do we move from "working in silos" to a thriving, empowered school culture? In this episode, we engage with Katie Powell, Director for Middle Level Programs for AMLE and author of Boredom Busters and Frustration Busters. Katie shares fascinating insights from AMLE’s research-evidenced best practices, specifically focusing on why leadership requires a blend of courage and collaboration. In this episode, we discuss: The link between staff empowerment and student success. What "courageous leadership" looks like in a middle school setting. Practical ways to bust frustration through better team dynamics. Lessons learned from AMLE "Schools of Distinction." About Our Guest: Katie Powell works closely with schools and districts through book studies, assessments, and professional development. Her work is dedicated to helping middle-grade educators create environments where both teachers and students can thrive. Learn more about Katie Powell at http://teachbeyondthedesk.com --------- Connect with Katie Powell Email: kpowell@amle.org X: @beyond_the_desk LinkedIn: katiepowellbeyondthedesk/ Other: http://amle.org Connect with Kurtis Hewson Email: kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca X: @hewsonk27 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hewsonk27 LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson ______________________ #collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems Are you looking to further your growth as a collaborative leader? Access numerous FREE resources and webinars designed to help you build and sustain a strong culture of collaboration. https://www.j… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/building-a-culture-of-collaboration-6015835/episodes/courage-as-a-pre-requisite-empowerment-collaboration-in-middle-schools-with-katie-powell-ep-78/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/building-a-culture-of-collaboration-6015835/courage-as-a-pre-requisite-empowerment-collaboration-in-middle-schools-with-katie-powell-ep-78.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.