Episode #180: Will McDonough

Recently named one of the Global Forum on Education and Learning (GFEL) “Top 100 Visionaries in Education” for the year 2020, Will McDonough is an educator, author, diversity practitioner, speaker and thought leader who was raised in a one-room schoolhouse in the mountains of northern New Hampshire. As the child of a street performing juggler/storyteller and a teacher of the deaf and blind, Will combines stories and joy with the educational experiences of those around him. Educated at Middlebury College, Will focused his history and education studies on Black revolution, as well as the role of Puritan ministers in their racist vilification of native peoples.

Will earned his M.Ed from University of Illinois in Global Studies in Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership. His Master’s Thesis examined the post-Apartheid Citizenship-based education movement in South Africa. A longtime Program and Leadership Director at YMCA Camp Belknap (Wolfeboro, NH), Will founded and directed Standing Rock Camp, which provided a faith-based model of manhood for young men in need of mentorship. Focusing on the model of a “tender warrior,” Standing Rock Camp centered the importance of accepting responsibility, rejecting passivity, and leading courageously. Will is the author of four books, including "The Things We Shared in the Time We Had: A Letter to my Students", and "Pause Together: a Handbook for Humans". Currently, Will works at The Country School (Madison, CT) where he is Director of Community Engagement, as well as a 7th and 8th grade history teacher, advisor, and Cross-Country Coach. Will loves maps, running, and spending time outside with his family. He and his partner Nicole have three children and live in Guilford, CT.

Find Will on Twitter @mrmcdonough & IG @wsmcdonough and visit his website: www.will-mcdonough.com