Genét Simone On The 5 Things You Need To Be A Successful Author or Writer – Medium

Report on the Career and Insights of Dr. Genét Simone: An Analysis Through the Lens of Sustainable Development Goals

This report outlines the professional journey, creative process, and educational philosophy of Dr. Genét Simone, a multi-award-winning author and educator. Her work provides significant insights into sustainable practices within the creative and educational sectors, aligning closely with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Professional Background and Foundational Experiences

Early Life and Education

Dr. Genét Simone’s career is marked by a consistent progression westward across the United States, culminating in a profound connection to education and social justice. Her academic path includes a degree in Education, a Master’s Degree in Women’s Studies, and a PhD in Education. This multidisciplinary foundation has informed her work, which consistently addresses themes of equity and empowerment, contributing to the discourse surrounding SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

Transformative Experience in Shishmaref, Alaska

A pivotal period in Dr. Simone’s career was her first teaching year in the remote Iñuit village of Shishmaref, Alaska. This experience, chronicled in her memoir “Teaching in the Dark,” was instrumental in shaping her professional trajectory.

• Community and Resilience: She learned about the strength of community, a core principle of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Social Justice Awareness: The experience exposed her to the inequalities inherent in the education system, fostering a commitment to social justice that aligns with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). She recognized her role in using her position to advocate for systemic change.
• Lifelong Learning: This period underscored the importance of cultural understanding and adaptability in education, reflecting the lifelong learning principles of SDG 4.

Contributions to Education and Authorial Success

The B.E.S.T. Formula and Educator Well-being

Dr. Simone is the founder of Genét Simone Educational Consulting and the creator of the B.E.S.T. Formula, a framework designed to empower teachers to be Brave, Effective, Self-Caring, and Transformative. This initiative directly addresses the critical need for educator resilience and self-care, which is essential for maintaining a high-quality teaching workforce and achieving SDG 4. By focusing on emotional well-being, her work also supports SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) within the teaching profession.

Key Principles for a Sustainable Writing Career

Based on her experience, Dr. Simone identifies five essential components for success as an author. These principles can be framed as a guide to achieving SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) for creative professionals by promoting sustainable and healthy work practices.

1. Establish a Collaborative Support System: Writing requires dedicated time and space. Dr. Simone emphasizes the necessity of creating mutual agreements with family and friends to protect this time. This collaborative approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to well-being (SDG 3) and productivity.
2. Prioritize Recreation and Rest: To maintain creativity and avoid burnout, it is crucial to engage in activities outside of writing. This practice of resting the brain and body is fundamental to ensuring long-term good health and well-being (SDG 3) for a sustainable career.
3. Implement Effective Management Systems: A successful writing process involves experimenting with systems for capturing ideas, organizing research, and maintaining focus. Efficient workflow management is a key component of productive employment and decent work (SDG 8).
4. Engage in Continuous Craft Study: Dr. Simone advocates for the deep study of other authors’ work to understand writer’s craft. This commitment to continuous learning and skill development is a cornerstone of SDG 4 (Quality Education) and its emphasis on lifelong learning opportunities.
5. Cultivate Self-Belief and Resilience: The creative process is often non-linear and challenging. Having faith in oneself and respecting one’s unique rhythm is vital. This focus on emotional resilience is crucial for personal well-being (SDG 3) and sustaining a long-term career.

Vision for Educational Reform and Future Work

Advocacy for Equitable and Modernized Education

Dr. Simone advocates for a fundamental shift in the educational system, arguing that the current model, based on an early 20th-century factory framework, is inequitable and fails to prepare students for the modern world. Her vision for reform aligns directly with the targets of SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Proposed Changes for a Sustainable Education System

• Move Beyond the Factory Model: Replace the rigid, time-based structure with a more flexible, student-centered approach that fosters critical 21st-century skills.
• Promote Competency-Based Learning: Shift the focus from “seat time” to the mastery of competencies, allowing students to learn at a pace that suits their individual needs and abilities. This ensures more inclusive and equitable education for all (SDG 4, SDG 10).
• Empower Educators: Provide teachers with the time, resources, and smaller class sizes necessary to deliver meaningful, personalized instruction. This elevates the teaching profession and ensures decent work conditions (SDG 8).
• Education as a Driving Force: Dr. Simone suggests that schools should not merely respond to global problems but should become a driving force for creating better stewards of the planet and its inhabitants, a vision that encompasses the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article is centered around the life and career of Dr. Genét Simone, an educator with over 30 years of experience. The core of the discussion revolves around the teaching profession, the challenges within the education system, and the need for reform. Dr. Simone explicitly states her desire to “change the way we ‘do school’,” arguing that the current system “has never been equitable” and is failing to prepare students adequately. Her work focuses on teacher resilience, self-care, and creating transformative educational experiences, all of which are central to achieving quality education.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article directly addresses inequalities within the education system. Dr. Simone recounts how her experience teaching in a remote Iñuit village made her “much more aware of social justice issues” and the “inequalities inherent in the education system.” She also mentions her role as a “white person to use my position of privilege to help ‘right’ things that are wrong.” Her proposal to reform the school system is rooted in the idea that it has never been equitable and has only worked for a “small percentage of children,” highlighting a commitment to reducing educational inequalities based on background or location.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  While not the main focus, this goal is relevant through Dr. Simone’s backstory and perspective. She mentions obtaining a Master’s Degree in Women’s Studies and her frustration with one-sided historical narratives in school. She recalls “constantly raising my hand. ‘Where are the women? Where are the children?'” This demonstrates an awareness of gender disparities in educational content and historical representation, which is a key aspect of promoting gender equality.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.

     This target is directly addressed through Dr. Simone’s experience teaching in the “remote Iñuit village of Shishmaref, Alaska.” Her realization about the “inequalities inherent in the education system” in such a community speaks to the need for equal access for indigenous peoples. Her call for a more equitable system for all children reinforces this commitment.

   • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development…

     Dr. Simone advocates for an education system that is a “driving force for being better stewards of the earth and its inhabitants.” She also mentions being pressed to teach “21st Century Skills, like critical thinking, compassion, communication,” which are essential skills for promoting sustainable development and global citizenship.

   • Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States.

     A significant part of Dr. Simone’s work is focused on teacher support and retention. She developed the “B.E.S.T. Formula, a groundbreaking framework that empowers teachers to be Brave, Effective, Self-Caring, and Transformative.” Her handbook aims to “help other teachers stay in the profession they love.” By addressing teacher burnout and promoting resilience, her work directly contributes to maintaining and increasing the supply of qualified, motivated teachers.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

     The article highlights Dr. Simone’s mission to reform an education system she describes as inequitable. Her desire to “work with others to change that” and create a system that serves all children, not just a “small percentage,” aligns with promoting the social and economic inclusion of all through education.

   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.

     Dr. Simone critiques the “early 1900s factory model” of schooling and proposes a new system where “graduation would be based on meeting competencies according to student needs and abilities, not seat time and credit hours.” This is a direct call to change existing educational policies and practices to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.

3. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in political, economic and public life.

     Dr. Simone’s story is an example of female leadership in the academic and public sphere. Her critique of historical texts that were “all men, usually white men” and her question, “Where are the women?” points to the need for equal representation in educational materials, which is a foundational step toward encouraging women’s full participation and leadership in public life.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Teacher Retention Rates

  This indicator is implied by Dr. Simone’s focus on preventing teacher burnout. She discusses her formula and handbook designed to “help other teachers stay in the profession they love.” An increase in teacher retention rates would be a direct measure of the success of such initiatives, contributing to Target 4.c.

• Educational Equity for Indigenous and Vulnerable Communities

  The article implies this indicator through the narrative of teaching in an Iñuit village and the subsequent awareness of “inequalities.” Progress could be measured by assessing the allocation of resources, teacher qualifications, and educational outcomes in such remote and indigenous communities compared to national averages, relating to Target 4.5.

• Proportion of Students Achieving Competency-Based Educational Standards

  This is implied in the proposal to shift from a system based on “seat time and credit hours” to one where “graduation would be based on meeting competencies.” Measuring the proportion of students, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, who meet these defined competencies would be an indicator of reduced inequalities of outcome (Target 10.3).

• Representation of Women and Minorities in Educational Curricula

  Dr. Simone’s questioning of male-dominated historical narratives implies the need for a more inclusive curriculum. An indicator for Target 5.5 could be the analysis of educational materials to measure the frequency and quality of representation of women and other marginalized groups in subjects like history.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: kristinmarquet.medium.com