Embracing Connections with 2023 Paula Jorde Bloom Scholarship Winner Mona Webber

Paula Jorde Bloom’s legacy brought 2023 Scholarship Winner Mona Webber to Leadership Connections; Mona then brought her newfound inspiration and ideas to her child care center.

Mona Webber

Leadership Connections introduced the 2023 Paula Jorde Bloom scholarship winner to Carla Sparks and Sarah Lukas, the authors of “Be the Manatee: Affirming Advice for Your Leadership Journey.” Webber found their workshop so inspiring she suggested that her school purchase the book for her center’s staff and coordinated a session with Sparks and Lukas.

According to Webber, the opportunity to connect with leaders across the country was a highlight of her Leadership Connections experience. 

  “I think it was great because we could connect and network with so many leaders within the field — Birth to Five, home child care, Headstart, quality specialists and coaches — and not just people from Chicago, but all over the country.”

 Webber emphasizes the importance of advocating for her staff. 

“The teacher’s voice is so critical,” she said. “It is critical to use our voice for teachers. A lot of the policymakers making decisions are not the ones in the classroom — we are.” 

Webber spent years in the classroom working as a teacher before becoming an assistant director and, last year, became a Director at the Goddard School in Darien, IL. She said her service as a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Illinois Early Childhood Policy Fellow motivated her to advocate more strongly for children and teachers. 

  Webber sees advocacy and professional development opportunities, such as the “Be the Manatee” session, as crucial to her role as a leader. But on a more individual level, she says, it’s important to encourage staff to take care of themselves. 

“Teachers right now, because of COVID, are dealing with a lot of different things we didn’t deal with years ago,” she said.

During COVID, she started selecting motivational quotes to hang in classrooms every Friday. Now, she said, a few of the classroom teachers at her school have started finding and posting their motivational quotes around the center. She even sees these in the employee bathroom these days. 

Mona believes that, as an educator, you always aspire to learn and grow. 

“You can just tell — with everyone at the McCormick Center and all of the presenters — how passionate everybody is,” Webber said. 

Paula Jorde Bloom, the McCormick Center founder, dedicated her career to bringing national attention to the role of leaders in early care and education and inspiring those leaders to learn more and improve the quality of their programs. The Paula Jorde Bloom Scholarship Fund was established by her family after her passing in 2018, allowing emerging and aspiring leaders like Webber to attend Leadership Connections. 

The Paula Jorde Bloom Scholarship will be awarded at the Leadership Connections 2024 National Conference to an early childhood education professional aspiring to learn and grow. Click here to learn more and apply for the 2024 Paula Jorde Bloom Scholarship to Leadership Connections. 

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My Bookshelf: Titles That Inspire, Inform, and Influence

By Barb Volpe • July 14, 2025
by barb volpe This summer, as I dove into Mindset : The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, I found myself reflecting on the books that have shaped how I think, lead, coach, and grow—not just as a professional, but as a person. These books have informed how I show up in my work: how I support others, design and facilitate professional learning, and continue to learn myself. So, I thought I’d share what’s on my shelf—the books I’ve read and returned to, and the ones I’m looking forward to next. Maybe one will speak to you, too. Books I’ve Read (or Reread) This Year (These have sparked recent insights or support current work.) The PD book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development by Elena Aguilar and Lori Cohen . I love a book that is a perfect blend of the “why” and “how to” for designing transformational professional development. I am a big fan of Elena Aguilar’s books, and this is one of my favorites. Lose the Lecture: Engaging Approaches to Early Childhood Professional Learning by Teresa A. Byington . Another great book with lots of tips and strategies to engage early childhood adult learners. This book is great for those who facilitate (coaches, mentors, early childhood directors, and trainers). It gave me new tools for designing interactive sessions. Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath . A go-to resource on leading change, packed with memorable stories and practical strategies. The ideas of “directing the rider, motivating the elephant, and shaping the path” stuck with me. The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier . This book is approachable, concise, and surprisingly powerful—it offers a way to ask key questions for coaching in your regular routine. Onward: Cultivating the Emotional Resilience in Educators by Elena Aguilar . I found myself returning to this throughout the year. It’s not just a book—it’s a companion through the ups and downs of working in education. Books I Return to Again and Again (These books live close by. They are grounding, uplifting, and continue to offer new insights no matter how many times I read them.) Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults by Jane Vella . Every time I revisit this book, I’m reminded of the power of listening and true dialogue in adult learning. A must-read for anyone who facilitates learning. Circle of the Nine Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers by David Hutchens . A playful and powerful guide to using storytelling in professional settings. I return to it when I want to bring more heart and creativity into facilitation. Inspiring Peak Performance: Competence, Commitment, and Collaboration by Paula Jorde Bloom, Ann Hentschel, and Jill Bella . An excellent guide for leaders aiming to build strong teams. It offers frameworks that feel grounded in real early childhood contexts. Reflecting in Communities of Practice: A Workbook for Early Childhood Educators by Deb Curtis, Debbie Lebo, Wendy C.M. Cividanes, Margie Carter . A hands-on, thoughtful workbook that helps teams go deeper together. The reflection prompts are gold for peer learning teams and coaching. The Art of Awareness: How Observation Can Transform Your Teaching by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter . Reading this feels like an invitation to slow down and truly see children. A beautiful reminder of why observation matters. Leading with Heart and Soul by Toni Christie . A heartfelt book on leadership that blends personal reflection with professional purpose. It speaks to the soul of early childhood leadership. I simply love this book; it brings me back to my “why”. Graceful Leadership in Early Childhood Education by Ann McClain Terrell . This book models leadership that is dignified, values-driven, and relationship-based. It’s like a wise mentor in book form. The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander . This book helps me reframe challenges and step into possibility. It’s equal parts philosophical and practical—a favorite when I need inspiration. Books Waiting for Me (On my “to-be-read” list, each is chosen with curiosity and intention. I’m looking forward to what they will teach me!) Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Dan Heath and Chip Heath Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love by Richard Sheridan Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James M. Lang Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor Respect: An Exploration by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot Exit: The Endings That Set Us Free by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot These books have informed how I lead, learn, and reflect. I share this list not as a prescription, but as an invitation. I’d love to hear what’s on your bookshelf! Here are a few questions to get you thinking: What is a book that shaped your thinking or affirmed your values? Which titles do you return to again and again—and why? What kind of learning or growth are you seeking right now? Is there a book that might support that journey? What book would you recommend to someone stepping into leadership for the first time? Is there a story or quote from a book that has stayed with you? Each time I finish a good book, I feel like something in me has shifted—even if just a little. The stories, ideas, and questions stay with me and often show up in unexpected ways in my work and life. As Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. said, “The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” I share this list not because I have all the answers, but because these books have helped stretch my thinking—and maybe one or two of them will do the same for you.
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