Evan Robb is Principal of Johnson-Williams Middle School in Berryville, Virginia, is a recipient of the Horace Mann Educator of the Year Award and served on the N.C.T.E. National Commission for Reading. He is an author of the Principal’s Leadership Sourcebook and a new book The Ten Minute Principal. He has his own podcast, The Robb Review Podcast, and a blog, The Robb Review Blog, with his mother, Laura Robb. In addition, Evan shares conversations with educators on DisruptED TV.

I have been following Evan on Twitter and been listening to his podcast for some time. Then I found out that Evan has been named one of the top 25 educational leaders to follow on Twitter and that he was one of the hosts on DisruptEd TV.  I decided it was way past time to have a conversation with him on my podcast so we did. I loved our conversation and hope you enjoy it also. Below are excerpts from the podcast along with some resources and links.
 
About you and who inspired you
When anyone finds any success in their life, it usually means they have really great people behind them to help them get to that place. I did not start on a path to be an educator. In fact, I tried to avoid that when I was younger since both my parents were educators. But through fate and interesting interventions, I ended up choosing a path in education and have been thrilled about that choice. I’m in my 28th year now as an educator and hope to do many more. One of the reasons that I ultimately decided on the pathway of education was my mother, Laura Robb, who remains a career educator and who has been a consistent source of inspiration for me.

This inspiration is in terms of leadership, my commitment to children, and teaching and learning. Laura has written over 30 books and does a lot more speaking than I do, but I am fortunate that my mother lives around the corner from me. We do podcasts together at my house on a Sunday afternoon where we love to share our thoughts about education.
 
About you as a student
My years as a student were not always positive, but they ultimately shaped the person who I am today. One of the experiences I talk about in our podcast is when I was in middle school, I never read a book. I didn’t have to because it was a very traditional school and our teachers would read out loud to us. I wasn’t required to do independent reading, and, now as I look back, it is not what I recommend for anyone to follow. 

The other thing that I’ll share is that I was a champion of extra credit when I was in middle school. I would take some tissues or paper towels from our house and bring them to class to make some extra points. It was the only way I could get a good grade. My mother would always wonder why she had to buy more paper towels and tissues. As I got older, I confessed to her what I did. I am not a big fan of extra credit and there is a lot of research that backs this up. But it was very much part of my class when I was a youngster in middle school. Paper towels became my math grade.
 
Background and role as an educator
I was born in Winchester, VA and went to school there and have been able to work in the general area. I’m lucky that my wife and I have a house right around the block where my mother lives and been able to have a career close to where I was born. I have been a principal since 1999.

I’ve been at Johnson-Williams Middle School where I am now since 2004. The usual stay for a principal at the same school is rather short, certainly not this long. I actually started my teaching career at this school and I’ve been here ever since. I am really into finding the happiness where I am, not thinking the grass is greener somewhere else. Day in and day out,