BPN Mega Feed

Doan Winkel: Building Friction, Autonomy, and Design with AI

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 11:13:07 -0700

Building Friction, Autonomy, and Design with AI | Doan Winkel

What if the best thing AI can do for students is refuse to help them? Matt sits down with entrepreneur and educator Doan Winkel to dig into why "helpful AI" might be the worst thing to happen to learning and what to do instead.

In this episode:

The philosophy behind AI Friction Labs and why deliberately frustrating students might be the most effective teaching tool yet
Why Doan thinks the "easy button" problem isn't really an AI problem
The ungrading experiment that revealed something startling: students aren't cheating at teachers. Teachers never even cross their minds.
How one small prompt change turned a skeptical lawyer into an AI evangelist overnight
Why the most resistant person in the room might be exactly who you need on your AI committee
The inertia problem: education hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. Will AI finally be the thing that breaks it?
Doan's take on student autonomy, and the uncomfortable question he ends with that has no clean answer

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction & Guest Welcome
1:04 What Is AI Friction Labs?
5:01 The Sparring Partner Concept & Mike Kentz
5:43 Student Autonomy vs. the Easy Button
7:39 The Ungrading Experiment & AI Cheating Reality
14:54 Teacher Risk-Taking & Finding the Opening
15:56 AI in Rural Schools & Learning from Others' Mistakes
25:08 Designing Learning Experiences with AI
31:55 Bandwidth, Training & Building Champions
41:02 Curiosities: Breaking the Inertia of Education
44:33 Outro & Where to Find Doan

Find Doan:

LinkedIn
Newsletter: How to Teach AI on Substack (free, weekly, practical)
Website: doanwinkel.com

(00:00) - Introduction & Guest Welcome
(01:03) - What Is AI Friction Labs?
(05:01) - The Sparring Partner Concept & Mike Kentz
(05:43) - Student Autonomy vs. Easy Button AI
(07:39) - The Ungrading Experiment & AI Cheating Reality
(14:54) - Teacher Risk-Taking & Finding the Opening
(15:56) - AI in Rural Schools & Watching Others Learn from Mistakes
(25:08) - Designing Learning Experiences with AI
(31:55) - Bandwidth, Training & Building Champions
(41:02) - Curiosities: Breaking the Inertia of Education
(44:33) - Outro & Where to Find Doan

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

When the Community Becomes the Classroom with Dr. Carol Burks & Rebecca Bodnar

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Dr. Carol Burks, Superintendent of the Allentown School District, and Rebecca Bodnar, Principal of Central Elementary STREAM Academy, share how a partnership with the Da Vinci Science Center has transformed the learning experience for elementary students. By making the Science Center an official secondary campus, students regularly move beyond the classroom to apply their learning through hands-on investigations, engineering challenges, media production, and real-world exploration.

The conversation explores how interdisciplinary learning can help more students see themselves in science, why authentic application deepens understanding, and what happens when schools intentionally connect learning to careers, community, and student interests.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Let's Talk Books - The Dip by Seth Godin Conversation with Pete McPherson of PeteMcpherson.com

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0700

Let's Talk Books - The Dip by Seth Godin

Conversation with Pete McPherson of PeteMcpherson.com

What separates successful schools from those that struggle to gain momentum? Sometimes, it's knowing what to keep pursuing—and what to let go.

In this episode, Thomas is joined by entrepreneur Pete McPherson to discuss The Dip by Seth Godin and explore how its lessons apply to Catholic school leadership. Together, they unpack the difference between the temporary challenges that lead to growth and the dead-end initiatives that consume valuable time and resources.

The conversation explores:

How to recognize when perseverance is the right choice—and when it's time to quit
Why defining what your school does best is essential to long-term success
The danger of trying to be everything to everyone
How leaders can continually reassess priorities and focus on what matters most
Practical ways to build a school culture that is intentional, distinctive, and always improving

Whether you're evaluating a new initiative, refining your school's mission, or deciding where to invest your team's energy, this episode offers practical insights to help you focus on the work that truly moves your school forward.

Pete McPherson is an entrepreneur, app builder, podcaster, and content creator who helps people build meaningful businesses and creative projects. A former CPA, Pete left corporate accounting to pursue entrepreneurship and has since launched multiple apps, websites, and podcasts, including the award-winning Do You Even Blog. Today, he focuses on building useful tools, experimenting with new ideas, and helping others think differently about work, creativity, and business.

If you want to see how the lessons of this book can influence your school, please schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-Together

The In Search of Catholic School Excellence Podcast is brought to you by I Love My Tech Team.

When technology doesn’t work, Catholic school leaders lose time, trust, and momentum. We partner with schools to restore reliable systems, empower teachers, and create the foundation for innovative learning centered on students.

Lead Your School Into What’s Possible with I Love My Tech Team.

Restoring What’s Broken. Advancing What’s Possible.

Find out more at https://ilovemytechteam.com

23. The Valerian Gens Part 1

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:10:00 -0700

Continuing the Ancient City Series, Gregory examines House Valerius — Rome's oldest patrician family and the architects of Roman liberty. From the founding oath sworn over Lucretia's body to the Lex Valeria (Rome's first right of citizen appeal), the Valerii built their power by publicly surrendering it. Gregory profiles Publicola, who demolished his own house to prove he wasn't a tyrant, and Corvus, who ended a military mutiny through amnesty rather than punishment. The episode argues that the Valerian method — converting power into trust through visible self-restraint — is the root technology of classical liberalism, and explores both its remarkable 500-year run and the limits that ultimately made it obsolete.

INCH360 2025: Kayne McGladrey

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:36:00 +0000

This episode is a part of a special series of interviews conducted at the INCH360 Cybersecurity Conference in Spokane, Washington. Visit their website to learn more about INCH360 and their mission.

Host Jethro D. Jones interviews Kayne McGladrey, CSO in residence at Hyperproof, about effective risk management and communication in cybersecurity. Kayne shares insights on translating technical risks into business impacts, building strong relationships across leadership teams, and using key risk indicators to drive better decision-making. The conversation highlights the importance of bridging the gap between technical and business perspectives to improve organizational resilience.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and Renaissance.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Learn more about Renaissance:

Consulting and Career Updates - Thinking Out Loud #7

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:26:54 -0700

This is latest in our series of Thinking Out Loud. In this episode Zach Grosell and I talk about your year in consulting and a plethora of other topics.

Links:
Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching

Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here.

Still trying to do social skills intervention with a 20-minute social skills group? Do this instead.

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0700

You’ve been told that social skills interventions are ableist.

But you’ve also been told that we need to prepare students for real-world expectations. You have teachers and administrators coming to you with concerns about behavior, participation, and social interaction, and you’re expected to address it.

Then you’re told to make your intervention more “functional.” To collaborate more. To focus on generalization.

And somehow, all of that responsibility gets funneled into a 20-minute social skills group.

What are you supposed to do when you know that a short, isolated session isn’t going to result in meaningful carryover?

The issue isn’t that social skills intervention is a bad idea. The problem is we're using the wrong model to support them.

When we think of "social skills intervention" as beginning and ending within a siloed therapy session, we'll continue to see poor skill transfer.

A therapy session with students is ONE layer. We can keep that layer, but we need to add more layers to it to bridge the gap.

In this video, I walk through how to shift from relying on one intervention bucket (a.k.a. the isolated social skills group) to building a service delivery model that frames social skills as "executive functioning for human interactions".

This episode was created based on a video I previously published on YouTube. You can view the original video here: https://youtu.be/vdpzfG5l6wo

In this episode, I mentioned School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers design scalable executive functioning interventions to ensure students get the scaffolding they need across the school day.

You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership

The Hidden Cost of Imposter Syndrome: Why Great Leaders Still Feel Like Frauds

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:25:00 -0600

Are you successful on the outside—but secretly wondering if you're just one mistake away from being "found out"?

You're not alone.

In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest hidden struggles high performers face: imposter syndrome. Why do accomplished leaders still question whether they truly belong? And how does that quiet self-doubt affect the way they lead, make decisions, and build trust?

You'll discover:

Why imposter syndrome is so common among high achievers
How fear quietly shapes leadership behaviors
The connection between humility, emotional intelligence, and psychological safety
Practical strategies to replace self-protection with authentic confidence
How to uncover the "gold" that's already within you

Whether you're a healthcare leader, executive, entrepreneur, or someone striving to make a greater impact, this episode will challenge the story you've been telling yourself, and remind you that your greatest leadership strength isn't perfection.

It's authenticity.

🎙️ You are not a fraud. You are becoming.

Summer Replay #8 - Engaging as a Learning Organization Through Collaborative Response with Divine Mercy

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Join us for the online, on-demand workshop “Overview of Collaborative Response”, part of our Supporting Collaborative Response series. 👉 bit.ly/10refinecontinuum

Creating Focus for Collaborative Planning WITHOUT Micromanaging Your Teams
Access a workshop guide to help your team STOP focusing on things outside of our locus of control - https://bit.ly/JLlocus

In this episode of Leading Collaborative Response, Lorna and Kurtis are joined by Amy Cooper, principal of Divine Mercy Catholic Elementary School in Edmonton Catholic Schools. Amy brings a wide range of insights to the conversation about leading Collaborative Response in an elementary context and the importance of being a learning organization

In the episode, we mention a previous podcast with Darrin DeForge, principal of Joan Carr Catholic School - check out the episode at https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/publications/blog-posts/deepening-instructional-clarity-and-support-through-collabor

10 Considerations When Refining and Utilizing Your Continuums of Support
In this on-demand workshop, Lorna will reveal 5 strategies for refining your continuums of supports and 5 strategies for utilizing your continuums of supports
bit.ly/10refinecontinuum

Creating Focus for Collaborative Planning Without Micromanaging Your Teams
Why collaborative planning is an essential layer of a school’s Collaborative Response.
6 considerations for leaders trying to ensure alignment and focus, while avoiding the need to micromanage.
bit.ly/collabfocus

---------

Connect with Amy Cooper
Email: amy.cooper@ecsd.net

Connect with Kurtis Hewson
Email: kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @hewsonk27
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hewsonk27
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson

Connect with Lorna Hewson
Email: lorna.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @LornaHewson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-hewson-713a59104

---------

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article
https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE
https://bit.ly/CR-intro - if interested in ordering the book, use the code JLPodcast10 to receive 10% off!

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE three month trial
https://jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab.ca

Become a JL Insider to receive access to newly added resources and video content, advance notice for sessions/workshops, discounts for learning events and resources, plus so much more!
https://bit.ly/JLinsider

Join the Facebook Group “The Collaborative Leader”, to engage in further conversations and resource sharing with others dedicated to ensuring effective teams and collaborative structures - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecollaborativeleader

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Website https://jigsawlearning.ca
Email questions@jigsawlearning.ca
X https://www.twitter.com/Jigsaw_Learning
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JigsawLearningAB/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jigsawlearningab/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/jigsaw-learning-inc

Music: “Leading Collaborative Response” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Leading Collaborative Response.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

Ep 135 Tools not Rules Featuring Marlene Moyer & Claudia Bertolone-Smith

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:18:33 -0700

Visit us at https://www.thelearningnerds.com

Tools Not Rules: Transforming Classroom Behavior with Compassion and Clarity

Discover how shifting from traditional rules to empowering tools can revolutionize classroom behavior management. Find out how these strategies foster connection, trust, and student ownership in learning environments.

Main Topics:

The core concept of tools, not rules, in behavior management
The importance of language and semantics in student interactions
Practical strategies for implementing tools in classrooms of all ages
How connection and curiosity impact student behavior and learning
The role of positive reinforcement and community-building tools

In this episode:

How early childhood familiarity with tools sets the foundation for lifelong behavior habits
Using specific language, like “assertive” versus “passive,” to build awareness
Teachers’ experiences with implementing the “Tools Not Rules” framework in diverse settings
The significance of understanding students’ perspectives and underlying needs
Practical tools: posters, star charts, and shared language to reinforce positive behavior
The importance of consistency, connection, and giving students a sense of control
Insights from a year-long study on the impact of tools versus rules on student motivation

Resources & Links:

Tools Not Rules Website
Tools Not Rules Book
Posters and materials for classroom behavior management
Study reports and examples of implementation

Connect with Claudia & Marlene:

Final notes:

Consistent language and shared expectations foster ownership
Focusing on behaviors as actions, not identities, reduces shame
Early adoption and routine implementation build trust and success
Recognize the power of positivity and connection in transforming classrooms

The Secret to Better Leadership Isn't Doing More

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we explore why becoming a better leader isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing less with greater intention. You’ll learn how trying to tackle too many initiatives at once can create burnout, reduce momentum, and keep your building from making meaningful progress. The episode introduces the Leadership by Subtraction framework, helping you identify the one area that will have the biggest impact on your school through three simple reflection questions. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities, this conversation will help you lead with more focus, clarity, and confidence.

Join the Leadership by Subtraction Waitlist HERE.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

22. Mike Faulkner Talks Great Houses

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:23:00 -0700

In this episode, Greg sits down with Mike Faulkner — a British-born financier who built and took multiple companies public — to explore the intersection of faith, wealth, and kingdom-minded leadership. The conversation centers on Romans 12 giftings as the foundation of good business: the leader's primary job is placing people in roles that match how God designed them. From there they discuss covenant as a practical technology for protecting families and businesses, the importance of "getting clean" before covenanting, and why unequal measures and fools in the org chart are the two most common deal-killers Mike sees. The episode closes with a vision for a kingdom investment company — a holding structure that lets kingdom-minded businesses access capital, share equity with employees, pay dividends, and give Christians a way to go long on their community rather than short it.

Authentic Disability Representation in Children's Books with Jenna Elyse Johnson

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Reading Inspires, host Dr. Erin Bailey talks with author, educator, and bookseller Jenna Elyse Johnson about writing authentic disability representation for kids. Jenna shares her path from teacher to author, her personal experience with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and how her books Every Body Move and I Spark Like Lightning celebrate mobility tools and epilepsy with joy and honesty. The conversation covers common pitfalls in disability representation, the difference between "disability books" and authentic incidental representation, and practical advice for building inclusive classroom and home libraries year-round.

Summer Replay #8 - What Does the Kitchen Sink Tell Us About an Organization’s Collaborative Culture with New Myrnam School

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Building a Culture of Collaboration, Kurtis is joined by the leadership team from New Myrnam School — a small rural school with big ideas and a strong sense of community. Kurtis explores with the leadership team how they’re building and sustaining a truly collaborative culture within their school, taking a robust, project-based approach to learning

Check out the New Myrnam School projects: https://www.newmyrnamschool.ca/a-for-energy-grant-projects

https://www.newmyrnamschool.ca

Learn more about New Myrnam School at https://www.newmyrnamschool.ca/

Access the FREE Guide for Leaders to Develop and Reinforce Team Norms - http://bit.ly/teamnormsguide

Access a workshop guide to ensure you are truly engaging as a team - https://bit.ly/JLgroupteam
---------

Connect with Danielle Eriksen
Email: erikdani@sperd.ca

Connect with Robert Tymofichuk
Email: robert_tymofichuk@sperd.ca
X: @rtymofichuk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EK482zcGN/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Connect with Alyssa Kalynchuk
Email: kalyalys@sperd.ca

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
---------

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article
https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE
https://bit.ly/CR-intro - if interested in ordering the book, use the code JLPodcast10 to receive 10% off!

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial
https://jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab.ca

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Music: “Culture of Collaboration” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Building a Culture of Collaboration.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

AI in Education: There’s a Lot at Steak!

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:21:35 -0500

In this episode of the EduTech Guys, Jeff and David take a playful, thought-provoking swing at one of the biggest questions in education today: how should AI actually be used in the classroom?

Using A1 steak sauce as a surprisingly sharp metaphor, they explore how AI can enhance teaching without replacing the human side of learning. From differentiated instruction and faster feedback to administrative relief, personalized learning, multilingual support, academic integrity, equity, and data privacy, the conversation stays grounded in real classroom challenges while keeping the tone lively and approachable.

The heart of the episode is simple: AI should act like a helpful “sauce,” not the whole meal. When used thoughtfully, it can give teachers time back, help students get what they need sooner, and make instruction more responsive. But if schools lean too heavily on automation, they risk widening inequities, weakening trust, and shortcutting the thinking that education is meant to build.

Whether you’re an educator, school leader, or policymaker, this episode offers a practical framework for thinking about AI with curiosity, caution, and optimism.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

#87 Investing in Relentless Visionaries: How Venture Philanthropy Creates Global Impact with Brighter Children's Katie Wales

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth talks with Katie Hurley Wales — Executive Director of Brighter Children, an all-volunteer nonprofit that funds primary education across India, Colombia, Honduras, Kenya, and Guatemala — about what venture philanthropy actually looks like in practice, and what it takes to build schools that outlast the funders who supported them. Brighter Children doesn't bring educational models to the communities it works in; it identifies local leaders who already have the vision and the trust of their communities, and invests in their capacity to execute it.

Together, Seth and Katie explore what distinguishes a philanthropic investment from a transaction, why primary education is Brighter Children's specific lever for breaking generational poverty, and how a rigorous 46-factor due diligence process sits alongside gut instinct when finding school partners. They trace the arc of Brighter Children's work in Honduras, where Shin Fujiyama moved into a community with 65-70% out-of-school rates and gang violence severe enough that the school competed directly with MS-13 for recruits — and where this summer marks the fifth high school graduating class in an area that had a 0% graduation rate when they started. They also talk about what children in these communities understand about education that children in wealthier contexts often don't: not as an abstraction, but as a concrete pathway tied to health, economic mobility, and the stability of their family. The episode closes with a Kenyan student named Peter, a top-scoring secondary school student who wants to be an oncologist because his little sister died of cancer — and the question of what it means to invest in one child who might save hundreds.

Key topics:

Venture philanthropy vs. transactional charity in education funding
Trust-based philanthropy and local leadership
Due diligence for selecting school partners (46-factor framework)
Primary education as a lever for breaking generational poverty
Community-led school models across India, Honduras, Kenya, and Guatemala
Patient capital and long-term investment in schools
What families in under-resourced communities understand about education

Links & Resources:

Brighter Children: brighterchildren.org

Guest Bio: Katie Hurley Wales

Katie Hurley Wales is Executive Director of Brighter Children, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) venture philanthropy organization that funds primary education for children in marginalized communities across five countries. Brighter Children's model centers on identifying exceptional local leaders — people who already have the vision and trust of their communities — and providing long-term financial and advisory support to help them build sustainable school systems. Before Brighter Children, Katie served as Executive Director of Invest for Kids and Interim Executive Director of Luminarts Cultural Foundation, and has spent her career in the Chicago-area nonprofit sector.

About the Host:
Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and host of Make It Mindful: Insights for Global Learning. Through Banyan, he designs live virtual programs that connect K-12 classrooms to global peers and expert facilitators — building the kind of structured, human-centered learning the podcast explores. See https://banyangloballearning.com/

How To Develop Soft Skills: Teaching The Next Generation w/ John Kwon

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:05:00 -0400

How is the next generation supposed to learn soft skills?

Meet John Kwon!

John is a finance expert and investor currently based in South Korea. He has lived in 4 countries, mostly in the United States. During the course of his career, he managed a $23 billion equity fund, amongst other portfolios.

On this episode, John focuses on soft skills development, particularly examining why young people struggle with social skills and how cultural differences impact communication styles. He also narrated his experience managing funds and dealing with sales pitches from Wall Street fund managers, highlighting how effective social engineering and soft skills can be in sales.

Listen as John shares:
- how children's soft skills are developed at home
- cultural conditioning in how soft skills are perceived
- what is missing in the school curriculum
- technology and social media's impact on children's personal interaction
- the importance of teaching conflict resolution at a young age
- generational differences in work values and career aspirations
- how soft skills will never go out of style
- the "real" definition of soft skills
- how technology has changed the workplace learning hierachy

...and so much more!

Connect with John:
Email: jkwonwork10@gmail.com

Listen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-develop-soft-skills-teaching-the-next/id1614151066?i=1000776536485
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NkYjBmQaG5FvulCIgYUPk?si=d8c0a85a344648a3
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NkYjBmQaG5FvulCIgYUPk
YouTube: https://youtu.be/oaeqZSH63kY

Burn the Script with Jo Lein

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:27:00 -0700

In this episode, host Mike Caldwell sits down with Jo Lane, an educator support and instructional coach with 16 years of experience, who is currently a principal coach based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jo shares insights from her new book, Burn the Script: How Great Coaches Disrupt Thinking and Transform Practice, released May 19th.

The conversation dives deep into the concept of "mental fossils" — the ingrained beliefs and behavioral scripts educators develop from past professional experiences that often hold them back from growth. Jo breaks down how beliefs are anchored by three factors: skill, identity, and value, and explains why simply teaching a skill isn't enough to change behavior if underlying beliefs aren't addressed.

Show Notes:

Substack: EduCoach by Jo Lein

LinkedIn: Jo Lein

Book: Burn the Script: How Great Coaches Disrupt Mindsets and Transform Practice

Instagram/TikTok: @educoachbyjo

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Pathologically Uncurious About AI ft. Jake Rupp

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:00:42 -0700

Jake Rupp teaches AP Lang and public speaking, and he built his TikTok following by breaking down rhetoric in bite-sized lessons. In this episode we get into what voice actually means, why AI-written text is so easy to spot, and why Jake has decided AI has no place in his classroom at all.

Jake grades without points. He built a feedback and revision system years before AI showed up, and students are still using AI to write their own reflections on their own AI-generated work. That single fact reshapes the whole conversation. We talk about a student who told him flat out she wasn't thinking about getting caught; she just needed the assignment done. We talk about the curse of knowledge and why group work and presentations fail when we assign them without ever teaching them. And we talk about whether early AI exposure builds better judgment later or just moves the desensitization earlier.

This one gets a little heated, a lot honest, and ends with Jake handing me one of the best lines I've recorded on this show.

Find Jake on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and beyond!
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn!

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction

2:00 Jake's background teaching rhetoric and how his TikTok lessons grew out of the classroom

21:00 AI and student voice, the cognitive offload problem

24:00 The student who said "I wasn't thinking about you at all"

30:00 Jake's gradeless classroom and why it hasn't stopped AI misuse

36:00 The curse of knowledge and why we assign skills we never teach

41:00 Tech giants, AI in schools, and the shift from preference to reliance

50:00 The doctor question, and proving what you actually know

56:00 Gen Z, work ethic, and whether AI anxiety is about something else

1:01:00 Student disgust at AI generated feedback and Jake's non-negotiables

1:05:00 Being curious about the future, without AI

1:07:00 Wrap-up and where to find Jake

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Future 2: Building Human Advantage in an AI-Enabled World with Mike Miles

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Artificial intelligence is changing how we think about teaching, learning, and the future of work. As schools begin introducing AI literacy and new technologies, a deeper question is emerging: What human qualities become even more valuable in an AI-enabled world?

In this conversation, Mike Miles, Superintendent of Houston ISD, shares the thinking behind Future 2—an initiative that responds to AI not by centering technology, but by intentionally building the human competencies students will need to thrive alongside it.

Rather than focusing solely on AI tools, Future2 expands opportunities for critical thinking, communication, collaboration, design thinking, emotional intelligence, and real-world experiences, while continuing to strengthen core academics. Mike explains why these competencies are becoming central to the curriculum, how Houston is embedding them into the school day, and why he believes schools must prepare students not simply to use AI, but to work, create, and lead in a world where AI is everywhere.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Stop Talking, Start Telling: A Storyteller's Case for Catholic Schools

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:34:27 -0400

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Sloane Heffernan, Founder, Storymore

Your school has an incredible story happening inside its four walls every single day. So why does almost nobody outside those walls know about any of it?

Sloane Heffernan spent the majority of her career in broadcast news at NBC affiliates in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina before the weight of the stories she was covering started eating away at her. She left the newsroom and founded Storymore, where she now helps organizations, including Catholic schools across the country, find and share their stories through video and clear messaging. She's also sent all three of her own kids through Catholic school, so this conversation is personal for her too.

In this episode, Sloane and John dig into why so many Catholic schools are sitting on one of the best kept secrets in education, and what it actually takes to stop keeping it. They talk about the real difference between putting information out there and telling a story people feel, why the school leader usually isn't the right person to be the face of that story, and how any school, regardless of budget, can start capturing what is already happening in their classrooms today.

Here is some of what they get into:

Why storytelling beats "drill and kill" messaging, and the difference between noise and sound
How to find your one target person and talk directly to them instead of a crowd
Why parents and teachers make better storytellers than principals
The two most common excuses schools give for not telling their story, and how to move past them
Why you do not need a big budget or a film crew, just a phone and the willingness to hit record
How to "story mine" your own school to uncover what actually sets you apart
Why that old COVID era welcome video still sitting on your homepage might be quietly costing you trust
A two week summer challenge to keep your families connected before the fall

If you have ever looked around your school and thought, "we are doing amazing things and nobody knows it," this one is going to give you a lot to think about and a lot to go do.

Connect with John If you want to talk about your school's story, enrollment, or advancement strategy, head over to www.elementaryadvancement.com and let's set up a time to connect.

Learn more about Story-more here!

If this episode was helpful, subscribe and share it with another Catholic school leader who needs to hear this. Thank you for everything you do for your students, your families, and the mission of Catholic education.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

Let's Talk Books - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck - A Conversation with Erika Bryant of Piece of Cake Marketing

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:05:00 -0700

Let's Talk Books - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

Conversation with Erika Bryant of Piece of Cake Marketing

This is our summer series where we talk about a book that all teachers should know and use to shape their strategies for the coming year. Read, Re-read, Recharge and Recommit to your students.

This episode explores the ideas in the book Mindset and how adopting a growth mindset can transform the way educators, leaders, parents, and business owners approach challenges, learning, and success. Thomas is joined by Erika Bryant for a conversation about recognizing fixed mindset thinking, celebrating progress instead of outcomes, and creating environments where people feel safe to learn and grow.

They discuss practical strategies such as praising effort, embracing small experiments, replacing labels with curiosity, and viewing setbacks as opportunities to improve rather than signs of failure. The episode concludes with practical advice for school leaders on fostering a culture where students, teachers, and staff continually grow by focusing on the learning process rather than perfection.

Piece of Cake Marketing is your guide to marketing and business advisory services that turn great ideas into actionable steps. We help you find (and keep) your customers so you can get back to focusing on the parts of the business you love.

I’VE ALWAYS LOVED LEARNING AND HAVE A NATURAL KNACK FOR PROBLEM SOLVING.

That means I’ve spent the majority of my life consuming every strategic marketing resource out there, building a collection of tools and strategies I can leverage at any time. I’ve tried, failed, and succeeded countless times in the last 20 years – so I know exactly which resource to pull out to help you get unstuck… no matter the business challenge you’re facing.

I’ve spent the last five years specifically helping B2B service providers and other marketing experts reassess their businesses, create new revenue streams, and adjust their messaging and strategy to gain bigger market share – and now I want to help you too.

Here are a couple of links discussed by Erika.

If you want to see how the lessons of this book can influence your school, please schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-Together

The In Search of Catholic School Excellence Podcast is brought to you by I Love My Tech Team.

Lead Your School Into What’s Possible with I Love My Tech Team.

Restoring What’s Broken. Advancing What’s Possible.

Find out more at https://ilovemytechteam.com

21. Silas Mähner Talks Great Houses

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:21:00 -0700

In this episode, Greg Treat sits down with Silas Mähner, Catholic entrepreneur and founder of Catholic Founders, to discuss long-term employment relationships, corporate lifers, and what it takes to build institutions that compound over generations. Drawing on Japanese firm models, Dunbar's number, and the economics of defection, they explore why short-termism hollows out companies and communities alike — and what the covenant-based alternative looks like. The conversation covers the spiritual, legal, and economic pillars required to make lifer employment work; how AI is accelerating idiosyncratic corporate stacks that will demand deeper specialization; and why the coming economic order will likely resemble feudalism — with Christianity, Confucianism, or caste as the only real frameworks to choose from. The episode closes on how beauty, walkabout traditions, and keeping your own children are the real drivers of a lasting great house.

The Challenges of Maintaining a Quality Thematic School with Jane Wagner

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:29:00 -0700

Jane Wagner spent more than 30 years as a teacher and driving force of an award-winning K-8 Visual and Performing Arts magnet school. In this episode we discuss the challenges of maintaining a quality thematic school.

Gene's Books:
Teach Fast
Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles
Digital Captives

X: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / X

LinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedIn

www.tesscg.com

Substack: Gene Tavernetti | Substack

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here.

Summer Replay #9 - Establishing a Robust Collaborative Community through Collaborative Response with Mother Teresa School

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0400

STOP TIERING YOUR STUDENTS!! Transform your organization by tiering your supports, not your students. Learn how in a FREE webinar at https://bit.ly/stoptieringstudents

Planning for Fall Start Up! Create a foundation for your school’s Collaborative Response by reflecting on the past year and planning for the year to come. Learn how in this workshop. Part of our Supporting Collaborative Response workshop series! https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/publications/workshops

In this episode of Leading Collaborative Response, Lorna and Kurtis are joined by Cody Young, Vice Principal and Learning Support Teacher at Mother Teresa School. In this conversation, Cody shares how his educational community at Mother Teresa has grown and evolved through their focus on Collaborative Response.

---------

Connect with Cody Young
Email: cody.young@mhcbe.ab.ca

Connect with Kurtis Hewson
Email: kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @hewsonk27
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hewsonk27
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson

Connect with Lorna Hewson
Email: lorna.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @LornaHewson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-hewson-713a59104

---------

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article
https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE
https://bit.ly/CR-intro - if interested in ordering the book, use the code JLPodcast10 to receive 10% off!

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE three month trial
https://jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab.ca

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Music: “Leading Collaborative Response” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Leading Collaborative Response.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

From Self-Doubt to Confidence for Principals

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:01:12 -0400

Self-doubt is something every principal experiences, but it doesn't have to define your leadership. In this episode, I share my ACT Framework to help you recognize the thoughts fueling your self-doubt, uncover what's causing them, and replace them with confidence-building beliefs. You'll learn practical strategies to stop second-guessing your decisions, navigate difficult conversations with greater confidence, and trust yourself as a leader. If you're ready to lead with more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind, this episode is for you.

Get my free workshop: From Self-Doubt to Confidence HERE

Get The Confident Principal Reset: A 14-Day Action Plan and Mini-Course

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Do the Well WorkThe Danielle Nuhfer

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0700

In this enlightening episode of "Morning Motivation for Educators," host Danielle Neufer delves deeply into the challenges facing teachers today, emphasizing the critical importance of self-care and sustainability in the profession. Drawing upon her nearly 25 years of classroom experience and personal encounters with burnout, Danielle urges her listeners to shift their perspective on dedication. She passionately advocates for a teaching environment where being well is prioritized over mere exhaustion, reminding us that to effectively nurture the next generation, educators must first take care of themselves. As the school year progresses into the demanding and often overwhelming final stretch, Danielle addresses the common feelings of fatigue and pressure that both students and teachers experience. She prompts educators to reflect on their mindset during this period. Are they focusing on the aspects they cannot control, like standardized testing schedules and student behavior? Or are they actively seeking out the potential for growth and learning, even in the face of challenges? This intersection of mindset and resilience forms the cornerstone of her discussion. Danielle introduces the concept of "well work," an essential ingredient in the teaching equation that transcends traditional content and pedagogy. She explains that well work encompasses the ability to remain grounded and regulate oneself in high-pressure moments. It represents the emotional intelligence necessary to connect with students, particularly when they display resistance or disengagement. By fostering a learning environment where students feel safe, respected, and understood, teachers can create a more effective educational experience. In an era where students are becoming increasingly aware of their emotions, the need for this proactive approach to wellbeing is more pressing than ever. Throughout the episode, Danielle emphasizes that superficial self-care strategies, like bubble baths or surface-level relaxation techniques, are not sufficient. Educators require systemic support and structured environments that acknowledge their humanity and allow them to thrive both personally and professionally. She poignantly highlights the importance of effective leadership that sees teachers as vital contributors rather than mere cogs in the educational machine. The overarching message is that when teachers are cared for and supported, students ultimately reap the benefits. Listeners are encouraged to engage in self-reflection about their own educational environments and to voice their needs for systemic improvements. Danielle passionately believes that every educator’s voice matters, and she urges teachers to articulate their requirements to their school administration proactively. This call to action is not only about fostering dialogue but also about creating a culture where the wellbeing of educators is recognized as a pivotal factor in achieving school success. To further explore these themes, Danielle invites listeners to delve into additional resources available at her website, including links to her book, "The Path of the Mindful Teacher." The episode serves as a rallying call for educators to prioritize their health and wellbeing, reinforcing the crucial idea that a thriving teaching staff ultimately leads to better outcomes for students. In closing, she asserts that the greatest predictor of a school's success is the health and well-being of its teachers, a reminder that resonates deeply in today’s educational landscape.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

The Principal Reset Series: The Self-Doubting Principal

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook Summer Reset Series, we explore the patterns and habits of the self-doubting principal. Through the example of a principal who struggles with second-guessing decisions, seeking approval, and comparing herself to others, we uncover how self-doubt impacts leadership effectiveness. Using the TEA Cycle, we examine how thoughts create emotions and actions that either build or erode confidence. You'll learn practical strategies to strengthen self-trust, make decisions with greater confidence, and stop letting mistakes or feedback define your leadership. If you've ever questioned yourself as a leader, this episode will help you lead with more clarity, courage, and confidence.

Find out your confidence score with the FREE Confidence Scorecard for Principals.

Get The Confident Principal Reset: A 14 Day Action Plan for Principals

Get free resources at principalfreebies.com.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

20. The Architecture of Trust: Part 3

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:30:00 -0700

In this episode, Gregory Treat continues the "Architecture of Trust" series, exploring why modern communities trap themselves in poverty by boosting demand and restricting supply without capturing any of the upside. Greg walks through the Cantillon effect, three types of economic loops, and what it means to "short" your own family by betting on the system instead of your children. Drawing on Jewish, Amish, and Japanese corporate models, he argues that closing the loop requires mediators with skin in the game, internal stores of value, and pre-negotiated chains of mutual obligation — and challenges builders to create the infrastructure that makes betting on your family economically rational.

Artfully Teaching Reading with Project-based Learning with Dr. Chase Young, Dr. Seth Parsons & Dr. Allison Ward Parsons

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Dr. Erin Bailey is joined by three literacy educators and co-authors — Dr. Chase Young (Sam Houston State University), Dr. Seth Parsons, and Dr. Allison Ward Parsons (both from George Mason University) — to discuss their book Artfully Teaching Reading with Project-Based Learning and the Future of Engaging Literacy Instruction. Together, they make a passionate case for bringing creativity, joy, and synergy back into literacy classrooms. The group explores how evidence-based reading instruction doesn't have to mean boring instruction — and how project-based learning, student choice, collaboration, and authentic tasks can coexist with (and even strengthen) the science of reading. From tongue twister phonics lessons to word surgery morphology activities, they share practical, research-backed ideas that give teachers permission to be creative again. The episode also tackles the missing "pillar" of motivation and engagement in the science of reading conversation, the toll scripted curricula are taking on teachers, and why building lifelong readers matters just as much as teaching decoding skills.

About Dr. Chase Young:
Dr. Chase Young is a literacy researcher, professor, author, and educator known for making reading instruction practical, engaging, and research-driven. He is the author of several influential professional books, including Artfully Teaching the Science of Reading, Artfully Teaching Reading with Project-Based Learning, and Build Reading Fluency. His work focuses on reading fluency, literacy interventions, active learning, and effective classroom practices that bridge the science and art of teaching. In addition to his writing and research, Dr. Young serves as an editor for Reading Research Quarterly, one of the leading journals in literacy research. A sought-after speaker, he is known for energetic presentations that blend scholarly expertise with humor and practical classroom application.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chase-young-68586625/

X: https://x.com/ChaseJYoung1

About Dr. Seth Parsons:
Seth A. Parsons, PhD, is a professor in the Sturtevant Center for Literacy at George Mason University. He is the co-author and co-editor of several books, including Artfully Teaching Reading with Project-Based Learning (Routledge, 2026), Accelerating Learning Recovery for All Students (Guilford, 2023), and Principles of Effective Literacy Instruction, K–5 (Guilford, 2021). Dr. Parsons serves as co-editor of the Journal of Literacy Research, associate editor of Reading & Writing Quarterly, and executive editor of cognition and motivation for The Journal of Educational Research.

www.linkedin.com/in/prof-seth-parsons

https://www.facebook.com/seth.parsons.796/

Instagram: @sethaparsons

https://kappanonline.org/motivation-science-of-reading-parsons-erickson/

About Dr. Allison Ward Parsons:
Allison Ward Parsons is a Professor and Director of the Elizabeth G. Sturtevant Center for Literacy at George Mason University. She is former Title I kindergarten teacher who strives to support teachers’ literacy instruction as they build lifelong readers who love learning. Most recently she has been focused on building a statewide initiative to support literacy in Virginia with a grant from the US Department of Education (see leap.cehd.gmu.edu). Dr. Ward Parsons currently serves as Vice President of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers. She is a co-author of Artfully Teaching Reading with Project-Based Learning, and her award-winning research has been published in numerous outlets, including Literacy Research and Instruction, Reading Research Quarterly, The Elementary School Journal, The Reading Teacher, and Review of Educational Research.

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/allison-ward-parsons-ph-d-83664b7

Instagram: allisonwparsons

Summer Replay #9 - Connecting Parents for Aligned Collaborative Success with Christina Hidek

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Looking to learn more and get started with a powerful meeting structure that will transform your school’s MTSS efforts? Access the Collaborative Team Meeting Starter Kit at https://bit.ly/ctmstarter

Access a workshop guide to help your team unpack their norms and help them have a greater impact on your collaborative efforts - https://bit.ly/jlnorms

In this episode of Building a Culture of Collaboration, Lorna and Kurtis are joined by Christina Hidek, a former litigation attorney turned professional organizer and parent leader. Through her work with PTO Answers, she helps parent groups avoid overwhelm and focus on what truly matters: creating joyful, collaborative school communities.

Learn more about Christina Hidek at https://ptoanswers.com

Get the PTO Family Engagement Opportunity Assessment: https://ptoanswers.com/principals/

5 No Brainer Ways to Improve the Teacher/Parent Relationship: https://ptoanswers.com/teachers/

Super Star PTO Leaders Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/ptoleaders

The Principal’s Parent Group Playbook: https://ptoanswers.com/principals-parent-group-playbook/
---------

Connect with Christina Hidek
Email: christina@ptoanswers.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinahidek/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ptoanswers
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ptoanswers

Connect with Kurtis Hewson
Email: kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @hewsonk27
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hewsonk27
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson

Connect with Lorna Hewson
Email: lorna.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @LornaHewson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-hewson-713a59104

#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership
---------

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article
https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE
https://bit.ly/CR-intro - if interested in ordering the book, use the code JLPodcast10 to receive 10% off!

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial
https://jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab.ca

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Music: “Culture of Collaboration” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Building a Culture of Collaboration.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

The Quiest of Exhaustion of March Danielle

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0700

In this episode of *Morning Motivation for Educators*, host Danielle Neufer, an experienced educator and founder of TeachingWell, delves into the often-overlooked challenges that arise during the month of March in the school year. Drawing from her own experiences of burnout and recovery, Danielle emphasizes the importance of building personal capacity and resilience as educators. This podcast serves as a reminder that teaching is not just about enduring the tough days; it’s about cultivating a steady presence that significantly impacts students and the classroom environment. March is framed as a transformative period—not unlike the transition period in nature where winter gives way to spring. This analogy highlights the "quiet exhaustion" that educators commonly feel as the end of the year approaches. Danielle encourages listeners to recognize this state of emotional and physical fatigue, which is exacerbated by societal expectations to merely push through the difficult times. She contrasts the intense pressure to continue working at full capacity with the more natural rhythm of the seasons, calling for a conscious pause to regroup and reflect. Listeners are invited to engage in introspective questions that can help them reclaim their energy and vision for the remainder of the school year. Danielle prompts her audience to consider how they wish to feel on the last day of school, what burdens they may be carrying that do not belong to them, and what it truly means to finish strong. By examining these questions, educators can cultivate a more intentional approach to their remaining time in the classroom. The episode culminates with an exciting announcement about an upcoming guided spring regroup session, intended for March 26th. This session is designed to provide a supportive space for reflection and planning, creating an opportunity to approach the final 60 days of the school year with renewed clarity and purpose. Danielle reinforces that this isn't about increasing workload but about fostering a sense of completion and satisfaction as the school year wraps up. Listeners are reminded of the profound truth that the well-being of educators is a critical predictor of school success. With resources available at TeachingWell and insights from her book, *The Path of the Mindful Teacher*, Danielle equips educators with the tools to take charge of their well-being and positively influence their classroom environments. This episode serves as a powerful call to pause, reflect, and reclaim the joy and effectiveness in teaching.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Beyond the Code: Forrest Close on AI, Data Science, and Standing Out in a Changing Job Market

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0700

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Forrest Close, data scientist and recent University of New Hampshire graduate, to explore what it’s really like entering the workforce in the age of AI. From navigating college during the rise of generative AI to competing in today’s challenging job market, Forrest offers an honest perspective from the student side of this technological shift.

The conversation explores how AI has transformed learning, including the growing gap between homework performance and actual understanding. Forrest shares why students should use AI as a guide rather than an answer machine, allowing it to strengthen learning instead of replacing it.

The episode also highlights an important lesson for educators and employers alike: as AI makes technical work more accessible, the value of communication, collaboration, and translating complex ideas becomes even greater. Forrest reflects on discovering that his greatest contribution wasn't writing code—it was connecting technical solutions to real human needs.

For educators, students, and higher education leaders, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how AI is reshaping learning, hiring, and the skills that will matter most in the future.

#84 Why Is Teaching Online Still Not Part of Teacher Prep? with Michael Barbour

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Why Distance Learning, your hosts talk again with Michael Barbour — the most-cited researcher in K-12 online and distance learning — about what it would actually take to fix how teachers are prepared to teach online, and why thirty years of K-12 virtual learning hasn't produced that change yet. Drawing on his 2024 paper with Charles Hodges, Michael lays out six concrete steps — two focused on building the research base, four focused on teacher preparation programs — and explains why none of it happens without explicit mandates from states and accreditation bodies. The assumption under examination: that teacher prep programs will gradually incorporate online pedagogy on their own as demand grows. The evidence suggests they won't, for the same reason they never properly integrated technology in the first place.

Together, the hosts and Michael explore the structural reasons teacher preparation programs can't make room for online pedagogy without a mandate, even when they want to. They dig into a counterintuitive finding from Newfoundland and Labrador — where students with K-12 online learning experience actually performed worse in college online courses than their peers, not because online experience is harmful, but because of how that particular program's heavy synchronous structure coddled students in ways that didn't transfer. They examine what the research actually shows about online learning and mental health (short version: the modality isn't the problem, and during the pandemic, logging into school may have been the most normal part of a child's day). And they work through the affordances and tradeoffs of synchronous versus asynchronous instruction — a framework any practitioner can apply immediately. Michael closes with the two big questions currently driving his research: where is the field of K-12 online learning thirty years in, and how much of what gets regulated in the US is driven by ideology rather than evidence?

Key topics:

Six-step framework for reforming online teacher preparation (Barbour & Hodges, 2024)
Why teacher prep programs don't change without state or accreditation mandates
The Newfoundland counterintuitive finding: when prior online experience hurts
Site-based facilitators / e-deans and the role of on-site support in distance programs
Synchronous vs. asynchronous instruction: affordances, tradeoffs, and how to choose
Online learning and student mental health: what the research actually shows
Governance and regulation of K-12 online learning in the US vs. other jurisdictions

Links & Resources:

Michael Barbour's website: michaelbarbour.com
Barbour, M. K., & Hodges, C. B. (2024). Preparing teachers to teach online: Steps for teacher education. Open Praxis. https://openpraxis.org/articles/10.55982/openpraxis.16.4.727
Barbour, M. K., Moore, S., & Veletsianos, G. (2023). Online/remote learning and mental health. https://touroscholar.touro.edu/tucse-pubs/29/
Digital Learning Collaborative / Community for Advancing Digital Learning (DLAC): Research agenda report and special issue of the Journal of Online Learning Research https://www.deelac.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DLAC-Research-Agenda-Phase-2-Final-1052025.pdf

Guest Bio: Michael Barbour

Michael Barbour is widely cited as the most prolific researcher in K-12 online and distance learning. His work spans student success and persistence in virtual environments, teacher preparation for online instruction, and the governance and regulation of K-12 online programs across jurisdictions. He is currently focused on building a research agenda for the field and examining how political ideology shapes online learning policy in the United States compared to other countries. Barbour holds a faculty position and has previously held posts at Wayne State University, among others.

About the Hosts:
Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and host of Why Distance Learning. Through Banyan, he designs live virtual programs that connect K-12 classrooms to global peers and expert facilitators — building the kind of structured, human-centered distance learning the podcast explores. See https://banyangloballearning.com/programs/global-cohorts

Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell work with CILC, the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration, to help educators implement high-quality live virtual learning experiences across grade levels. Discover more at CILC.org.

How To Be A Presentation Rockstar w/ David Thomas

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Are your presentations inspiring your team, or are they putting them to sleep?

Create Authority! Control the Room! Be a Rockstar!

Meet David Thomas!

In this episode, international keynote speaker and elite presentation coach David Thomas shares his expert strategies on how corporate leaders, politicians, and public speakers can break out of the "vanilla" presentation trap and become communication rockstars.

From preparing clients for the intense environment of the UK Houses of Parliament to analyzing Barack Obama’s dramatic public speaking transformation, David breaks down the exact science of high-stakes communication. You'll learn how to master the first 60 seconds of any speech, inject humor without losing your professional edge, and use storytelling to drive emotional connection and real action.

📈 Key Takeaways & Timestamps
Presenting in the Halls of Power: Why do leaders consistently deliver boring presentations even when they want to be engaging?

Hooking Your Audience Emotionally: Facts tell, but emotions sell.

The Secret Weapon: Humor and Storytelling

The 60-Second Rule & The "Lightning Rod Theme": Minimalist slides that maximize visual impact.

The Barack Obama Transformation: Public speaking is a trained skill, not an innate talent.

Sir Ken Robinson's TED Talk: Used as a prime case study for embedding humor (roughly one-third of the presentation) into an educational speech.
Barack Obama’s Early Speeches: The "before-and-after" video footage David uses to inspire confidence in his coaching clients.
Toastmasters International: Recommended as an excellent baseline resource for developing public speaking habits.

Connect with David:
Website: https://www.creatingpresentationrockstars.com

Listen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-be-a-presentation-rockstar-w-david-thomas/id1614151066?i=1000775602140
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6qiGFJHTyMwUrIgxgdQOYd?si=ObD8saRoRXy1wHoag5KtRQ
YouTube: https://youtu.be/jtIOhGu4RGE

Being a Cautious Advocate with Dr. Alfonso Mendoza Jr.

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 11:32:24 -0700

What does it mean to be a "cautious advocate" in the age of AI?

In this episode of Artificial Intelligence Real Talk, host Matthew sits down with Dr. Alfonso Mendoza Jr. ("Dr. Fonz"), educator, ed-tech veteran, and host of the My EdTech Life podcast, for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about what it really means to bring technology into classrooms with intention.

Dr. Fonz brings over a decade of experience as a digital learning coordinator, a doctoral perspective on data and ed tech policy, and a refreshing willingness to pump the brakes when everyone else is flooring it. Together, Matt and Dr. Fonz dig into the lessons learned from the early days of generative AI hype, the growing tech backlash, and what cautious advocacy actually looks like in practice.

In this episode, you'll hear:

How a term coined by Dr. Nneka McGee ("cautious advocate") changed the way both hosts approach AI in education
Why the hype cycle of blockchain, NFTs, and Web3 shaped Dr. Mendoza's skepticism about generative AI
What "data rentiership" means and why it should make every educator pause before adopting a free tool
The difference between substitution and genuine transformation in classroom technology use
Why professional development for teachers is underfunded, rushed, and often set up to fail
How looking at teaching through a marketing lens can help educators actually reach every learner
Real strategies for bite-sized, flexible professional learning that actually works ("PD in Your PJs," choice boards, micro-modules)
Why students with IEPs, 504 plans, and multilingual learners are most at risk when schools cut their tech stacks
What the future of higher education might look like as generative AI challenges the value of a degree

What are you most curious about when it comes to AI and the future of education?

Connect with Dr. Fonz:
MyEdTechLife podcast
LinkedIn

Timestamps

0:00 — Introduction & Guest Welcome
0:59 — The "Cautious Advocate" — How Dr. Mendoza Approaches AI & EdTech Hype
11:14 — Tech Backlash, Screen Time & What We Owe Kids
21:45 — Student-Centered Learning & What Real EdTech Use Looks Like
24:43 — Teacher Training, Professional Development & the Time Problem
36:20 — AI Policy, Stakeholder Voice & the AI Readiness Audit
1:07:51 — What Are You Curious About? The Future of Higher Ed & AI

(00:00) - Introduction & Guest Welcome
(00:59) - The Cautious Advocate: Lessons from EdTech Hype
(08:01) - Tech Backlash & Screen Time
(17:19) - Student-Centered Learning & EdTech in Practice
(19:28) - Teacher Training & Professional Development
(49:35) - The Future: Higher Ed & AI Curiosity

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Rejection Proof Career with Jason Leshowitz

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:12:00 -0700

In this episode of the Transformative Principal podcast, host Mike Caldwell talks with Jason Leshowitz, a New Jersey arts administrator and founder of Rejection Proof Career, about his upcoming book The Rejection Proof Educator. Jason shares how educators and school leaders can translate their skills and experience into compelling resumes and interview answers, whether they're pivoting upward into leadership or transitioning into education-adjacent careers like ed tech and instructional design. The conversation covers reframing your professional story, building relevant experience before an opportunity arrives, using LinkedIn (and Facebook) to network effectively, and practical strategies for standing out in a competitive job market.

Show Notes:
Website: rejectionproofcareer.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jason-leshowitz
Instagram: @rejectionproofcareer
Book: The Rejection-Proof Educator: Translating Your Experience into Better Pay and Bigger Opportunities (coming soon)

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

BOOM! Goes the Podcast!

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 22:08:21 -0500

Jeff’s back from ISTE 2026, July 4th is just hours away, AND our country is 250 years young! These guys are probably gonna (and they do) talk a lot of smack (and Sugar Smacks), laugh, show their age, and put down everyone and everything. Then they’ll nicely apologize, gives some kudos to the Education Czars and wish every a Happy Independence Day!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Some Serenity with Your Stress Danielle Nuhfer

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0700

In this enlightening episode of "Morning Motivation for Educators," host Danielle Neufer draws on her extensive experience in the classroom to address a pressing and important issue in the field of education: the unsustainable expectation for teachers to operate on empty. With a career spanning nearly 25 years and two personal encounters with burnout, Danielle emphasizes that effective teaching begins with self-care and maintaining personal well-being. This podcast aims to guide educators toward a healthier, more balanced approach to their vocation, highlighting that true dedication does not equate to exhaustion. Through honest reflections and practical strategies, this episode delves into the common sentiments many educators share—feeling overwhelmed and stuck in a cycle of overdrive. Danielle acknowledges that there are systemic challenges within education that educators face daily, but she stresses the significance of recognizing where one allocates their energy. Rather than glossing over these real challenges, Danielle encourages listeners to confront them purposefully, offering a clear directive: we must acknowledge our limitations and focus our efforts on what truly matters. Drawing from a personal anecdote about a transformative moment during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Danielle shares how she learned that even in adversity, there are elements within her control—what she consumes, how she moves, and how she nurtures her mind. She introduces the Serenity Prayer as a framework for educators to distinguish between what they can influence and what lies beyond their grasp. This introspection invites educators to accept the reality of their profession while reclaiming the power they have to shape their immediate environment, from the tone they set in their classrooms to how they prioritize their own self-care throughout the day. Danielle’s discussion highlights that acceptance does not mean complacency; instead, it underscores the importance of discerning what workloads are sustainable and what burdens are not theirs to carry. She asserts that teaching does not require one to shoulder every challenge, but rather, it calls for wise moments of choosing where to invest one's emotional and physical energy. With thoughtful pauses for reflection, Danielle invites educators to consider how they can create spaces of impact within their classrooms, becoming beacons of positivity and strength for their students even amid systemic challenges. As the episode wraps up, listeners are encouraged to explore their own paths to mindfulness in teaching, recognizing that choice exists within their practice. Danielle emphasizes a profound truth: that while the educational landscape may be difficult, educators can still make deliberate choices that align with their values. Educators don’t have to succumb to the weight of everything on their shoulders; they can innovate and inspire by showing up grounded, steady, and empowered in their roles. For further exploration of these themes, resources are available through Danielle's platform, Teaching Well, and her book, "The Path of the Mindful Teacher." This episode serves not only as a source of motivation but as a powerful call to action for educators to prioritize their well-being for the benefit of their students and their profession.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

UDL: Accessibility by Design with CAST's Christine Fox & Niel Albero

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Every classroom is filled with learner variability, yet many educational systems are still designed around the idea of an "average" student. What if we approached learning differently? What if accessibility wasn't something we added after students struggled, but something we designed for from the very beginning?

In this episode, David sits down with Christine Fox, Chief Growth & Innovation Officer at CAST, and Niel Albero, Professional Learning Specialist at CAST, to explore Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—a framework that encourages educators to proactively design learning environments that embrace learner variability, reduce barriers, and build student agency.

Christine and Niel also share details about UDL-Con Live Online, taking place July 21–22, where educators, leaders, researchers, and innovators from around the world will come together to explore Universal Design for Learning in practice.

🎟️ Education Talk Radio listeners can save 10% on registration using promo code: PL10

Learn more and register at udlcon.cast.org.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

The Power of Story with Mary Pope Osborne

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:15:01 -0700

In this episode, Dr. Erin Bailey sits down with Mary Pope Osborne — author of the beloved Magic Tree House series — to explore how a life of adventure, imagination, and a love of words led to one of the most iconic children's book series of all time. Mary shares the origin of Jack and Annie's tree house, her dedication to literacy access through the Magic Tree House Classroom Adventures program and Gift of Books initiative, and why reading builds far more than academic skills — it builds resilience, empathy, and the imagination to envision a different life. She also previews her newest History Heroes series, featuring real-world figures like Mary Anning and Thomas Edison. A beautiful reminder that reading is a doorway to anywhere.

About Mary Pope Osborne:
Mary Pope Osborne is an ardent advocate and supporter of children’s literacy, and the award-winning author of more than 100 books for children and young adults, including novels, retellings of mythology and folklore, picture books, biographies, and mysteries. From 1993–1997, Mary served as president of the Authors Guild, the country’s leading organization for published authors. She has traveled extensively in the U.S. and abroad, visiting schools and speaking on issues related to children’s literacy.

Mary spoke at the UN regarding the importance of worldwide literacy and was profiled on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams for her continued efforts. Mary's personal contributions through her Gift of Books Program have placed over 1.2 million books in the hands of underserved children in Title 1 schools across the country.

The creator of the Magic Tree House series, Mary is also co-author of the companion Magic Tree House Fact Trackers series with her husband, WILL OSBORNE, and her sister, NATALIE POPE BOYCE. Mary is active on Instagram, YouTube, and X and loves to connect with readers, former readers, teachers, and parents. She resides in Great Barrington, Massachusetts with Will and their two rescue dogs, Captain Wilson and a Yorkie named Penny.

Classroom Adventures Program: Mary Pope Osborne's Classroom Adventures Program

Mary Pope Osborne (@mary_pope_osborne) • Instagram photos and videos

How I Write a Magic Tree House Book (Sea Otter Sunrise)

Mary Pope Osborne (@MaryPopeOsborne) / X

Magic Tree House | Facebook

19. The Architecture of Trust: Part 2

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:47:00 -0700

INCH360 2025: Kurtis Shelton

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:27:00 +0000

This episode is a part of a special series of interviews conducted at the INCH360 Cybersecurity Conference in Spokane, Washington. Visit their website to learn more about INCH360 and their mission.

Host Jethro D. Jones interviews AI researcher Kurtis Shelton. Kurtis shares insights on the offensive and defensive sides of AI in cybersecurity, discusses prompt injection and model vulnerabilities, and explains how machine learning is transforming security practices. The conversation highlights the importance of critical thinking, continuous learning, and the evolving landscape of AI-driven threats and defenses.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and Renaissance.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Learn more about Renaissance:

Do the Well WorkThe Danielle Nuhfer jethro jones

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:19:07 -0700

In this episode, Danielle Neufer introduces Morning Motivation for Educators and shares her perspective after many years in the classroom and two experiences with burnout. She explains that sustaining teaching is not about pushing through exhaustion, but about building capacity and staying well enough to keep doing the work. She reflects on the pressures of the school year, especially testing season and the end of the year, when teachers and students are tired and expectations remain high. She contrasts focusing on what cannot be controlled with looking for what is still possible, including student potential, the importance of relationships, and the idea that behavior is communication. The episode centers on what she calls “well work,” which she describes as the third ingredient alongside content and pedagogy. This includes regulating oneself in difficult moments, responding instead of reacting, staying grounded in chaos, holding boundaries, and creating a classroom environment where students feel safe enough to learn. She also argues that teachers need more than individual self-care advice. She says they need systems, structures, and leadership that recognize their humanity and support them through the hardest parts of the year. She ends by encouraging listeners to reflect on what their schools are missing, speak up about their needs, and remember that teacher well-being affects student success.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Have some true fun Danielle Nuhfer (1)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:57:02 -0700

In this episode of "Morning Motivation for Educators," host Danielle Neufer delves into essential practices that empower teachers to manage stress and rekindle their passion for teaching. Drawing from her extensive 20-year experience in the classroom, along with her personal journey through burnout, Danielle emphasizes the importance of self-care and provides actionable strategies for educators feeling overwhelmed. This episode serves as a gentle reminder that thriving educators contribute to a robust school community, and Danielle is dedicated to facilitating this positive cycle. As she celebrates her birthday month, Danielle reflects on the subtle personal shifts she's experiencing, despite the stillness of her external environment. She introduces the concept of “recharge rooms”—dedicated spaces designed for educators to engage in activities that foster genuine fun and connection. Through her insights, Danielle underscores how critical it is for teachers to step back from their busy schedules, advocate for their wellbeing, and prioritize moments of playfulness and shared experiences. She draws attention to the stark reality that today’s fast-paced world often necessitates intentionality in cultivating downtime, which once was a natural part of life. The discussion spotlights Catherine Price’s enlightening idea of “true fun,” which encompasses playfulness, connection, and flow. Danielle elaborates on the significance of pinpointing one’s personal sources of joy and making room for them amidst a busy life. By structuring recharge rooms that encapsulate these elements, teachers can embrace a healing environment that encourages spontaneity and community bonding—inviting them to discover new dimensions of engagement that don't solely revolve around instructional responsibilities. Danielle boldly advocates for educators to explore opportunities for enjoyment without the heavy burden of planning and organizing. She encourages teachers to seek out structured activities led by others, providing the essential space for relaxation and connection. Sharing her recent experiences of attending local art classes, she offers practical examples of how educators can embrace their own downtime while allowing qualified individuals to lead activities-encouraging the culture of fun and community. The recharge rooms Danielle creates are described as informal, inviting spaces filled with engaging activities grounded in positive psychology. Teachers are free to participate at their own pace, fostering a non-judgmental atmosphere rooted in shared experiences. Importantly, every activity is designed to reinforce well-being, without the pressure of being explicitly labeled as therapeutic, allowing participants to truly enjoy themselves and build meaningful connections with their colleagues. Listeners are invited to join this movement of self-care and community-building through practical resources shared in the show's shownotes, including insights on creating their own recharge rooms and discovering how to collaborate with peers to establish safe spaces for fun. Danielle inspires educators to prioritize their wellness as a means to best serve their students, reinforcing the adage that self-care translates to better care for others. Ultimately, this episode is a heartfelt call to educators everywhere to acknowledge their worth, embrace moments of joy, and cultivate environments where both they and their students can thrive. Danielle’s passion shines through as she invites listeners on a journey towards greater fulfillment in their teaching careers, ensuring that the ripple effects of individual wellness extend throughout the entire educational community.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

The Impact of Overaccommodation in K–12 on Independence in College and Beyond (with Jill Fahy)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0700

“Accommodation” is a loaded word. On one hand, we want to provide reasonable accommodations in K-12 so kids can access their education.

But determining what is “reasonable” accommodation or modification can be messy.

Both parents and educators can unintentionally “overaccommodate” in the moment without realizing it, which over time can impede a child’s ability to work through daily challenges and solve problems on their own.

This can be in the context of adding too many “cookie-cutter” accommodations on a 504 Plan or IEP, or it can be unofficial accommodations in the way we interact with kids.

My colleagues who work on college campuses are seeing the impact of this “overhelping” in K-12.
And it’s not just kids with neurodevelopmental disorders. It’s the neurotypical kids too.

That’s why I invited my colleague, Jill Fahy, back to De Facto Leaders to talk about the state of college readiness, the upstream impacts of what’s happening in K-12 on success both during and after college.

Jill Fahy, Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders & Sciences, serves as the Director of STEP, a transitional education program for EIU students with autism. STEP programming supports the development of executive functions, social communication, self-appraisal, and self-regulatory skills to facilitate students' management of their academic and university living demands. Ms. Fahy specializes in the assessment of executive dysfunction, particularly as it is associated with concomitant disorders of language, cognition, or social/pragmatics. She is a widely-known lecturer in the area of executive functions, speaking nationally and internationally on aspects of evaluation and treatment of executive dysfunction, and the role of language in executive functions. Ms. Fahy is co-author of The Source for Development of Executive Functions, 2nd edition, and various articles on self-talk and executive functions. Ms. Fahy teaches graduate courses in Aphasia/Right Hemisphere Dysfunction, Cognitive-Communication and Executive Function Disorders, and Medical Grand Rounds. She previously taught undergraduate courses in Neurology and Advanced Clinical Practicum and Diagnostics. Prior to teaching at EIU, Ms. Fahy worked for several years as a medical SLP providing services for patients with acquired neurological deficits resulting from stroke and TBI, including those in acute care, inpatient and day rehabilitation, and home health.

In this conversation, we discuss:

✅ The difference between accommodations and modifications, what “overhelping” looks like, and why it impedes development of important metacognitive skills.

✅ The state of college student mental health, and how it relates to the opportunities students have to practice self-regulation and experiencing failure.

✅ Skills many college students are lacking, including managing due dates, extended writing assignments, study skills, working through conflict, and managing their daily life.

✅ How and when to start fading supports, and how to recognize if you’ve been “overaccommodating” for a student

You can connect with Jill at jkfahy@eiu.edu or on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-fahy-250478b/

Learn more about the Students with Autism Transitional Education Program (STEP) Program at Eastern Illinois University here: https://www.eiu.edu/step/

Be sure to listen to my first interview with Jill on De Facto Leaders here: Executive Functioning for College Students: Beyond Checklists and Planners (with Jill Fahy)
Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-122-executive-functioning-for-college-students-beyond-checklists-and-planners-with-jill-fahy/

You can also listen to my commentary on her first interview in this episode: Balancing Language, Academic Content Areas, and Executive Functioning (featuring Jill Fahy)
Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-232-balancing-language-academic-content-areas-and-executive-functioning-featuring-jill-fahy/

In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a scalable framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy

I also mentioned School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers design scalable executive functioning interventions to ensure students get the scaffolding they need across the school day. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership

The Timing of Implementation

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode, I talk about what takes more time than we think when it comes to implementation, and what takes longer than we think.

Links:
Gene's Books:
Teach Fast
Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles
Digital Captives

X: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / X

LinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedIn

www.tesscg.com

Substack: Gene Tavernetti | Substack

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here.

Summer Replay #10 - Leadership Moves and Solution-Focused Conversations with Percy Baxter School

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Access the FREE Guide for Leaders to Develop and Reinforce Team Norms - http://bit.ly/teamnormsguide

Join US!! At the Annual Collaborative Response Retreat
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/events/retreat

How do the structures of Collaborative Response—the meetings, tiers, and data—actually "breathe" in a middle school? In this episode, Kurtis and Lorna Hewson are joined by Jennifer Ferguson (Principal) and Ashlee Jodry (Assistant Principal) of Percy Baxter Middle School.

The team discusses the leadership moves required to build trust, how to shift teacher conversations toward solutions, and what it looks like to lead implementation when you already have a deep background in the framework.

Learn more about Percy Baxter Middle School at https://www.percybaxter.ca/

---------

Connect with Jennifer Ferguson
Email: jennifer.ferguson@ngps.ca
X: https://x.com/_MrsFerguson_
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-dickson-ferguson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfer79

Connect with Ashlee Jodry
Email: ashlee.jodry@ngps.ca

Connect with Kurtis Hewson
Email: kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @hewsonk27
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hewsonk27
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson

Connect with Lorna Hewson
Email: lorna.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
X: @LornaHewson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-hewson-713a59104

#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems
---------
Access the FREE Guide for Leaders to Develop and Reinforce Team Norms - http://bit.ly/teamnormsguide

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article
https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE
https://bit.ly/CR-intro - if interested in ordering the book, use the code JLPodcast10 to receive 10% off!

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE three month trial
https://jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab.ca

Join for FREE!! Become a JL Insider to receive access to newly added resources and video content, advance notice for sessions/workshops, discounts for learning events and resources, plus so much more!
https://bit.ly/JLinsider

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Music: “Leading Collaborative Response” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Leading Collaborative Response.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

The Principal Reset Series: The Perfectionist

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook Summer Reset Series, we explore the mindset and habits of the perfectionist principal. You'll learn how perfectionism shows up in school leadership through overthinking decisions, constantly revising work, fear of mistakes, and spending too much time trying to get everything just right.

Using the TEA Cycle, we examine how perfectionistic thoughts create stress, anxiety, and delays that impact both leadership effectiveness and personal well-being. This episode offers practical strategies to help you let go of impossible standards, focus on what matters most, and take action with confidence. If you've ever felt like your work is never truly finished, this episode will help you reset your approach and lead more effectively.

Get free resources at PrincipalFreebies.com.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Building Young STEM Readers with Jay Flores

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Dr. Erin Bailey sits down with Jay Flores — engineer, author, and upcoming American Ninja Warrior competitor — to explore the powerful intersection of literacy, STEM, and representation. Jay shares how his lifelong curiosity, nurtured by a supportive family, led him from tinkering with pots and pans as a child to becoming an engineer and now a children's book author. His bilingual picture book Engineer Someday introduces 10 types of engineering through familiar childhood play, with rhymes that work in both English and Spanish — not as a translation, but as a true bilingual experience. The conversation covers why reading is one of the best tools for sparking STEM curiosity in young children, why representation in books and media matters, and how bilingualism is a cognitive superpower worth celebrating.

About Jay Flores:
Jay Flores is a Global STEM Ambassador, founder of Invent The Change, and author of the bilingual STEM children’s book series, Engineer Someday! He is a two-time semifinalist on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, recently starred on Amazon Prime Video’s Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? and has hosted PBS’s innovation show Make48. Jay also starred on Telemundo's Exatlon and competed on ESPN in primetime! With additional appearances on local news channels across the country, Jay has become a leading advocate for Hispanic representation in STEM, using his platform to inspire the next generation of innovators.

As one of the most influential voices in K-12 STEM education, Jay reaches millions of students each month. He serves as a Mystery Guide on Discovery Education’s Mystery Science, the most widely used K-5 science resource in the United States. Jay is also the creator and host of It's Not Magic, It's Science!, an innovative brand dedicated to providing equitable access to entertaining STEM experiences. His live science shows, which feature experiments disguised as magic tricks, continue to engage and inspire students in classrooms and communities nationwide.

Jay is launching an international book tour for his bilingual STEM children’s book series, designed to introduce engineering to kids ages 0-8 through playful rhymes, fun analogies, and engaging illustrations. By making engineering concepts accessible in both English and Spanish, Jay aims to inspire the next generation of innovators while supporting bilingual education. His goal is to place the Engineer Someday series in classrooms, libraries, science museums and homes across the country, ensuring young children see themselves in STEM from an early age.

Jay's work empowers students, educators, and industry leaders alike, solidifying his role as a pivotal figure in the global STEM landscape.

Jay Flores | LinkedIn

Jay Flores Santa (@jayfloresinspires) • Instagram photos and videos

Jay Flores - YouTube

Jay Flores (@jayfloresinspires) | TikTok

Summer Replay #10 Harnessing the Power of People with AI to Enhance Collaboration with Teacher Time Machine

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Access a workshop guide to ensure you are truly engaging as a team - https://bit.ly/JLgroupteam

Access a workshop guide to help your teams craft effective goals to guide their collaborative work - https://bit.ly/jlgoals

In this episode of Building a Culture of Collaboration, Kurtis and Lorna meet with two of the founders of Teacher Time Machine, an AI powered tool for teachers. Sharon and Richelle share how AI can enhance and build upon staff collaborative efforts and why teams are critical when maximizing AI to steal back time for teachers!

Learn more about Sharon Skretting, Dan Vanden Dungen, Richelle Marynowski and Teacher Time Machine at https://teachertimemachine.com/

---------

Connect with Teacher Time Machine
Email: sharon.skretting@teachertimemachine.com
Email: richelle.marynowski@teachertimemachine.com
Email: dan.vanden@teachertimemachine.com
X: https://twitter.com/TeacherTMachine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teacher_timemachine/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-skretting-4659129a/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551726065458
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNnLfnJqkD3lWT6x3wZmNxA

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
---------

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article
https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE
https://bit.ly/CR-intro - if interested in ordering the book, use the code JLPodcast10 to receive 10% off!

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial
https://jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab.ca

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Music: “Culture of Collaboration” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Building a Culture of Collaboration.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

#86 Pitchforks for Edtech: The Techlash with Tiger Team Edu

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 07:32:57 -0700

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth talks with Dr. Grant Atkins and Dr. Caroline Miller — a researcher who studies how educational technology gets implemented and whether it works, and a former high school teacher who left the classroom just as generative AI was beginning to reshape how students write — about the current backlash against ed tech and what's actually driving it. The conversation takes place inside Seth's long-running professional learning community, which gives it a candor that more formal interviews rarely allow.

Together, Seth, Grant, and Caroline explore what's getting lumped together under "ed tech backlash" — social media, pandemic-era screen fatigue, and generative AI — and why those distinctions matter for the decisions teachers and administrators actually have to make. Early in the conversation, a detail surfaces that reframes the whole discussion: a twelve-year-old who told Seth she could tell when her teachers were using AI to write her feedback, and that it bothered her because she felt it was their job to do it themselves. They look at the research on when technology supports learning and when it substitutes for the human relationship at the center of teaching, and at the SAMR framework as a lens for evaluating whether any given tool is doing something genuinely new or just digitizing what was already there. The conversation also turns to what parents should be asking schools about technology use, and why that gets harder when it requires parents to examine their own screen habits alongside their children's. It closes on something Grant says plainly and without hedging: he doesn't think anyone knows yet what acceptable AI use looks like, and the conversation schools and families need to be having is still largely unfinished.

Key topics

Ed tech backlash and what's behind it
Social media, classroom tools, and AI as separate conversations
SAMR framework for evaluating technology integration
Teacher burnout and technology as workload support
Parent-teacher communication about screen use
AI disclosure and student-teacher trust
Professional learning communities for educators

Links & Resources

Brookings Institution report on AI and education — Rebecca Winthrop, Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings, and co-author of a ~200-page report on AI risks and potential in education drawing on research from 50 countries. Note: Seth referred to her as "Rebecca Chapman" during the recording — her name is Rebecca Winthrop. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-new-direction-for-students-in-an-ai-world-prosper-prepare-protect/
Justin Reich, MIT Teaching Systems Lab — researcher on ed tech hype cycles and lateral reading as a source-evaluation strategy: https://tsl.mit.edu/
SAMR framework — Ruben Puentedura's model for technology integration in education (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition): https://www.3plearning.com/blog/connectingsamrmodel/
Banyan Global Learning — Seth's organization, connecting K-12 classrooms to global peers through live virtual exchange programs: https://banyangloballearning.com/
Equity Maps — participation-tracking tool for discussion-based classrooms: https://equitymaps.com/
NoRedInk — adaptive writing and grammar platform: https://www.noredink.com/

Guest Bio: Dr. Grant Atkins

Dr. Grant Atkins is a researcher who studies professional development and the effectiveness of educational technology in classrooms. His work examines how ed tech tools are implemented at the school and district level and whether they achieve the learning outcomes they promise. He and Seth have been colleagues since meeting at Princeton University.

Guest Bio: Dr. Caroline Miller

Dr. Caroline Miller spent nearly a decade teaching advanced high school students before leaving the classroom as generative AI was beginning to reshape how students approach writing. Her teaching experience spanned discussion-based and writing-intensive classrooms, where she worked closely with students on critical thinking, source evaluation, and independent inquiry. She and Seth have been colleagues since meeting at Princeton University.

About the Host

About the Host: Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and host of two podcasts: Make It Mindful: Insights for Global Learning and Why Distance Learning? Through Banyan, he designs live virtual programs that connect K-12 classrooms to global peers and expert facilitators — building the kind of structured, human-centered learning the podcast explores.

Health and Wellness For Professionals and Leaders w/ Dr Melanie Gray

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:16:07 -0400

How can leaders create healthier workplace cultures for their teams?

Meet Dr. Melanie Gray!

Dr. Gray is a Registered Nurse of over 25 years and trauma-informed leadership expert from Wisconsin. She shares her transition from nursing to helping leaders create healthier workplace cultures.

Dr. Gray's experience during COVID-19, particularly seeing the impact on younger nurses, led her to formalize her work supporting employees struggling with workplace trauma and burnout.

Dr. Gray emphasized the need for creating a human-centered workplace culture during challenging times. Strategies for leaders including encouraging PTO use without punishment, limiting meeting schedules, and implementing regular one-on-ones are all part of a bigger wellness program.

On this episode, Dr. Gray breaks down her "STOP" acronym for professionals experiencing burnout: Scan, Tell yourself the truth, Own your truth, and Prioritize yourself.

Listen as Dr. Gray shares:
- how leaders often miss recognizing introverted team members
- how leaders can be trauma-informed in their communication
- practical strategies for leaders to implement
- creating a supportive culture for employee well-being
- structuring boundaries around work hours and communication
- lessons from European work-life balance cultures
- advocating for workplace wellness
- burnout from excessive change and poor communication
- why wellness helps retain great talent

...and so much more!

Connect with Dr. Gray:
Website: https://drmelaniegray.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelaniegray/

Listen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-and-wellness-for-professionals-and-leaders-w/id1614151066?i=1000774703757
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3LkkDJ9YJQOWrr5ZU3w89F?si=qFfcUwXAQPG8V-3Hmjfnog
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3LkkDJ9YJQOWrr5ZU3w89F
YouTube: https://youtu.be/TdNAcn_-xDk?si=8wKpw24NutUKIHJQ

Preparing Students for What’s Next: Kevin Stump on Skills, AI, and the Future of Higher Education

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0700

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Kevin Stump, Chief Program Officer at the Education Design Lab, to explore how higher education can better prepare learners for a rapidly evolving workforce shaped by AI and emerging technologies.

Kevin shares why the conversation can no longer be limited to degrees alone. Instead, he advocates for a future built around stackable credentials, visible skills, and stronger partnerships between colleges and employers. By bringing educators, industry leaders, and learners into the same design process, institutions can create more flexible pathways that keep pace with workforce needs while expanding opportunities for students.

The conversation also examines the leadership challenges surrounding AI adoption. Kevin discusses why many institutions feel stuck between today's realities and tomorrow's uncertainty, and why empowering early adopters is often the fastest path toward meaningful change. Throughout the episode, he reminds listeners that while AI can accelerate planning and organization, the deeply human work of reflection, writing, and critical thinking remains essential.

For higher education leaders, this episode offers a thoughtful roadmap for building more responsive institutions while ensuring students graduate with both meaningful credentials and the ability to clearly communicate the value of their skills.

Life Ready Students with Glenn Robbins

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:01:00 -0700

In this vault episode of Transformative Principle, host Jethro Jones interviews Glenn Robbins, principal of Northfield Community School in New Jersey and NASSP Digital Principal of 2016. Glenn shares how he builds a culture of innovation by prioritizing autonomy, transparency, and authentic collaboration among staff, students, and community. He discusses meeting daily with his union president to take the pulse of the building, using design thinking charettes to co-create a school-wide "Life Ready Manifesto," encouraging staff and students to bring problems paired with two solutions, and how owning his own mistakes publicly broke down trust barriers early in his tenure. Glenn measures success not by test scores, but by the enthusiasm of kids who don't want to leave school.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

SUNDAY REWIND - Onboarding New Leaders to a District with a Culture of Collaboration

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Leading Collaborative Response, Jennifer, Lorna, and Kurtis explore the scenario of bringing new school leaders into a district where a culture of collaboration has been established within and between schools. Where these leaders may not have the lived experience of the journey of the district that has implemented Collaborative Response over time, there are steps that can be taken to bring them up to speed.

---------

Connect with Kurtis Hewson
Email kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
Twitter @hewsonk27
LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson

Connect with Lorna Hewson
Email lorna.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
Twitter @LornaHewson
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-hewson-713a59104

Connect with Jennifer Ferguson
Email jennifer.ferguson@jigsawlearning.ca
Twitter @_MrsFerguson_
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-dickson-ferguson/

---------

Related Resources

Collaborative Response Overview
https://youtu.be/6tbgetTdAiA

Collaborative Response from a Systems Perspective Part 1
https://youtu.be/YuWPIawWhjw

Collaborative Response from a Systems Perspective Part 2
https://youtu.be/zKySQHo3Gtw

Putting the Pieces Together with Jigsaw Learning Podcast
https://puttingthepiecestogether.transistor.fm/

A System Mindset for Collaboration: Successfully Addressing Division Priorities (Holy Spirit Team)
https://youtu.be/OOmLYPhaTJM

Team Meeting Overview Samples https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AYb-gavLnvVjqtCRz3oh0-WU2EeuVxeC?usp=sharing

Collaborative Response 101 Course https://jigsawlearningonline.ca/course/collaborativeresponse101

Collaborative Response Overview Sessions https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/collaborative-response-overview-sessions

_______________
#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Website https://jigsawlearning.ca
Email questions@jigsawlearning.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JigsawLearningAB/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/jigsaw-learning-inc
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jigsawlearningab/
Music: “Leading Collaborative Response” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Leading Collaborative Response.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

The $20,923-a-Day Problem (Real Life Case)

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 09:40:00 -0600

On this episode of The Humility Advantage, we talk with "Ray Coleman," a senior operations executive who oversees 25 long-term care communities. Ray opens up about a Workforce Capital Audit that flipped his thinking about turnover, leadership, and company culture on its head.

*We’ve changed the names to keep things confidential, but everything else (the organization, the audit, and all the financial details) is completely real.*

Ray walks us through his thought process before the audit, the surprises buried in the data, and the moment he saw more than $9.2 million in workforce costs spelled out right in front of him. That kind of number made him question the usual line that turnover is just “part of the business.”

We get into the real cost of preventable turnover, why exit interviews rarely get to the heart of why people quit, how procrastinating on these problems can get expensive fast, and why leadership (not just tough labor markets) shapes staff retention.

This isn’t a slick sales talk. Just a real, candid conversation with an executive about the moment data challenged his assumptions and pushed him to make measurable changes.

Less ego. More impact.

Chronic Absenteeism: The Relationship Behind the Absence with Jen Perry

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Chronic absenteeism is often treated as an attendance problem, but is often a signal of something deeper.

In this conversation, strategic learning and leadership advisor Jen Perry explores the relationship between student connection and attendance, why schools often miss the early warning signs of disengagement, and how relationship-centered approaches can help educators identify and support students before absence becomes chronic. Together, we examine what attendance data can—and cannot—tell us, and why improving attendance may begin with helping every student feel seen, known, and connected.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

FRIDAY FOCUS - A Simple Way to Increase Every Voice

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

______________________
#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.jigsawlearning.ca/free

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

FREE to join!! Become a JL Insider to receive access to newly added resources and video content, advance notice for sessions/workshops, discounts for learning events and resources, plus so much more!
https://bit.ly/JLinsider

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

18. The Architecture of Trust: Part 1

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

This episode explores trust through the lens of two Substack articles: one critiquing African funeral traditions for keeping people poor, and another on how to become trustworthy. Gregory Treat uses cryptocurrency concepts — proof of work and token burning — as an extended metaphor to argue that what looks like "wasted" wealth in kinship rituals is actually a conversion into social currency on a different ledger.

Central to the discussion is the distinction between traders' games (short-term, transactional, frictionless) and farmers' games (long-term, consistent, relationship-based). Gregory argues that modern financialism has tried to convert everything into traders' games, but many of life's most important things — parenting, marriage, elder care, community — only work as farmers' games, sustained by multi-generational family structures.

Strong Collaboration in Classroom Spaces! - Ep 101

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

In this weeks episode of Building a Culture of Collaboration, Kurtis and Lorna share considerations and ideas to ensure that classroom spaces are intentionally adjusted to support effective adult collaboration.

Resources:
Collaborative Meeting Spaces Guide - https://bit.ly/spacechecklist

Classroom Setup Checklist for Team Meetings - https://docs.google.com/document/d/11MXHJo0f0h4iOciAiNDu2Cvqtqa8BMnudQCYJ_PAxzE/edit?usp=sharing

______________________
#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Aaron Makelky on AI Scouts, Snow Globes, & Building vs. Consuming

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:00:31 -0700

Matt Karabinos sits down with Aaron Makelky—former history teacher turned Community & Developer Relations Manager at Descript—to explore the wild, humbling, and often hilarious journey of discovering AI. From a student showing Aaron ChatGPT after a Thanksgiving break to both men leaving the classroom within a month of each other, this episode is a real conversation between two educators who went all-in on AI before it was mainstream. They dig into the "tech lash" in schools, Aaron's powerful "snow globe" analogy for how schools operate, why every staff needs AI scouts, how they're raising AI-literate kids at home, and what vibe coding is really unlocking for everyday people. After this episode, you should be asking yourself, "are you consuming, or are you building?"

Timestamped Show Notes

0:00 — Intro: How Matt & Aaron Met — A LinkedIn DM friendship and parallel paths out of teaching
2:56 — Aaron's AI Origin Story — A student shows Aaron ChatGPT after Thanksgiving break; he's never the same
11:59 — From Classroom to Dev Relations — Aaron describes his new role teaching creators and developers instead of students
14:08 — The Snow Globe: Schools & AI — Aaron's analogy for how schools operate in isolation and why that's a problem
16:01 — AI, Cheating & Classroom Conversations — Why students are confused about AI cheating rules and what we should be teaching instead
16:22 — Raising AI-Literate Kids — Aaron's 8-year-old wants an AI agent; the Ozzy Osbourne AI fact-check lesson; his son as the classroom's AI scout
20:15 — Vibe Coding & Building Things — Aaron vibe codes a full summer routine tracking app from handwritten notes in one hour
23:58 — Consuming vs. Building: The Final Takeaway — AI puts everyone in one of two categories; which one do you want to be in?

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Helping Kids and the Adults Supporting Them Understand How the Brain Learns to Read (with Lori Josephson)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Are we really “overteaching” phonics, or should there be a hard stopping point where it’s not taught past a certain grade?

Are current stories trending on popular news outlets aligned with best practices for supporting dyslexic learners?

Is the public becoming more educated on how we learn to read, write, and spell?

I invited my colleague, Lori Josephson, an author, consultant, and former teacher to discuss these questions.

In this episode, we discuss:

✅ Common literacy “urban legends”, including “Dyslexia is seeing words backwards” and “look at the picture and guess the word”

✅ Why phonics gets a bad wrap and where the Science of Reading is often misunderstood

✅ Handwriting, keyboarding, and how they relate to neural connections

✅Making instruction more effective by integrating language, print, spelling, and executive functioning instead of siloing.

Lori Josephson is an Author, Dyslexia Specialist, and Educational Consultant who is a Fellow of the Orton-Gillingham Academy, a retired Wilson Language Trainer, and holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education-Learning Disabilities. She has had the privilege of teaching hundreds of struggling students how to make sense of print and text, as well as the honor of working with thousands of teachers training them how to teach and reach their students using methods based upon the complex brain processes involved in attaining literacy, the body of knowledge referred to as the Science of Reading. Her recently published book, “Calling All Neurons! How Reading and Spelling Happen”, explains how the human brain attains literacy in a fun, easy to understand manner where specialized neurons take the stage to provide this explanation. Lori serves as a Moderator of the wildly popular Facebook Group, Science of Reading-What I Should Have Learned in College, and is on the Advisory Council of The Northern Ohio Branch of The Dyslexia Association.

You can connect with Lori in the following places:
o Website: lorijosephson.com
o LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-josephson/
o X: @lorijosephson2
o Facebook: Lori Josephson
o Instagram: @calling_all_neurons
o Medium: https://lorijosephson.medium.com/
o Substack: @lorijosephson686067

We mentioned the following resources in this episode:
Lori’s book, “Calling All Neurons! How Reading and Spelling Happen”: https://lorijosephson.com/calling-all-neurons-how-reading-and-spelling-happen/

The Cost of Over-Teaching Phonics by “Liana Loewus”: http://bit.ly/4eIKJAQ

Has Technology “Broken” an Education System That was “Just Fine”? by Natalie Wexler: https://nataliewexler.substack.com/p/has-technology-broken-an-education

“Don’t Blame Technology” by Holly Korbeyhttps://hollykorbey.substack.com/p/dont-blame-technology

The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms our Kids’ Learning-And How to Help Them Thrive Again: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Delusion-Classroom-Technology-Learning/dp/B0G5622DQQ

Building a Apprenticeship Program That Keeps Great Teachers in the Classroom with Anthony Fitzpatrick

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode Dr. Anthony Fitzpatrick talks about a unique apprenticeship program designed to enhance skills of teachers and facilitate movement on the salary schedule all without intrusive amounts of time after regular school hours. Who benefits? Everyone!

Links:

LinkedIn: Anthony Fitzpatrick, Ed.D. | LinkedIn

Facebook: (1) anthony fitzpatrick - Search Results | Facebook

Instagram: antfitz55

Website: Anthony Fitzpatrick | Enhance Education Today – Get Inspired

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@antfitzy

Anthony's most recent book:

The Evolving Science of Reading: Building a Continuum from Foundations to Fluent Thinking

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here.

How to Prepare for Fall Now: Simple Steps for Success - Ep 114

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

In this weeks episode of the Leading Collaborative Response podcast, Kurtis and Lorna provide some ideas that leaders should be considering in June when planning for the fall start-up in relation to establishing, sustaining and deepening your Collaborative Response efforts.

Connected Resources:
Planning for Fall Start Up on-demand workshop - https://www.jigsawlearningonline.com/planning-for-fall-start-up

Planning for Fall Organizer - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YPwjJvc07Zri_jCHybwKDmLh_k3wh-euI-hX8cSnrUY/edit?usp=sharing

Year End Reflections - resource - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NBIua8ChSvVtOVgr2kXt-qX3rzhosTX55qKhuGDFi9g/edit?usp=sharing

Collaborative Team Meetings Participant Exit Slip - resource for feedback - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lx1FzdUeB7V6tR9HDZtkY02TegSgBkomxdQLtQo4uOk/edit?usp=sharing

Team Data Analysis - resource - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1djSb8gQrxwtCqdNLtSgXH7MGgKRwj-K38ahpP3efrLc/edit?usp=drive_link

______________________
#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

The Principal Reset Series: The People Pleaser

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we explore the challenges of being a people-pleasing principal and how the need for approval can impact leadership decisions. You'll learn how people-pleasing shows up through avoiding difficult conversations, watering down feedback, delaying decisions, and taking responsibility for other people's emotions. Through the TEA Cycle, we examine how thoughts about disappointing others create anxiety and lead to actions that weaken leadership effectiveness. The episode offers practical strategies for leading with clarity, confidence, and values instead of seeking approval. If you've ever worried about upsetting staff, parents, or teachers, this episode will help you lead with greater courage and authenticity.

Get free resources at PrincipalFreebies.com.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Live at NSTA: Inside the Hiller Aviation Museum with Tanya

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:22:00 -0700

In this episode live from NSTA, Tanya, a staff member at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, CA, shares what makes the museum special — from Wright Model B replicas and a real 747 cockpit to drones, simulators, and VR. She talks about their field trips and summer camps for kids K–8, the excitement around the Artemis launch, and the museum's popular "Biggest Little Air Show" featuring a drone show.

5 Books Every Leader Needs to Build a Culture of Collaboration - Ep 100

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Looking for the 102 books from Kurtis and Lorna’s bookshelf that will have a dramatic impact on your collaborative culture? Download the free 1012 Must-Reads for Educational Leaders at https://bit.ly/102reads

Welcome to the milestone 100th episode of the Building a Culture of Collaboration podcast!

In this special episode, Kurtis and Lorna are diving into their ultimate summer reading list for leaders: 5 essential books (plus one powerful bonus) designed to help you move your teams, break down organizational silos, and build high-functioning, sustainable cultures of collaboration.

Whether you're relaxing by the lake or prepping for the upcoming quarter or new school year, these masterclass texts provide the exact blueprints you need to transform how your team works together.

📚 The Summer Reading List & Key Takeaways:

1. Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg Discover why psychological safety is the true engine of collaboration and how managing intentional group norms can radically drive your team's collective intelligence.
2. Drive by Daniel Pink Learn why traditional "If-Then" incentives crush creative teamwork and how to leverage Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose to build resilient, self-organizing teams.
3. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni A classic pyramid framework flipped to the collaboration angle. Learn why vulnerability-based trust and productive conflict are required to achieve true commitment and shared goals.
4. Right Kind of Wrong by Amy Edmondson Shift your culture from blame to curiosity. Explore how to reframe failure into "intelligent failures" and create low-stakes laboratories for cross-departmental innovation.
5. Hidden Potential by Adam Grant Discover how to look beyond "superstars" by building structures of peer-to-peer scaffolding, shifting from brainstorming to brainwriting, and rewarding "givers."

🔥 BONUS: Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working by Dan Heath Get unstuck! Learn how to scale organic collaboration by finding internal "bright spots," focusing on the "goal of the goal," and going directly to where the work happens.
#Leadership #Collaboration #TeamCulture #SummerReading #BookRecommendations #PsychologicalSafety #BuildingACultureOfCollaboration

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Keep Shining: Nancy Richmond on AI, Human Connection, and the Future of Learning

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:36:20 -0700

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Dr. Nancy Richmond, professor at Florida International University, co-chair of the College of Business AI Teaching Forum, author, and speaker, for a conversation about one of the most important questions facing education today: how do we embrace AI while preserving what makes us human?

Drawing from her background in digital marketing, career development, and student wellbeing, Nancy explores how technology has transformed the way we learn, connect, and communicate. While AI offers remarkable opportunities for personalization and accessibility, she argues that the growing importance of human connection, empathy, and authenticity cannot be overlooked.

The conversation examines everything from AI influencers and digital companionship to personalized learning experiences that adapt to different student needs and learning styles. Throughout, Nancy emphasizes that experimentation—not perfection—is the path forward. By embracing curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to fail, educators can discover new ways to support students while maintaining the human relationships that sit at the heart of education.

For educators and leaders navigating rapid technological change, this episode is a thoughtful reminder that innovation and humanity are not competing priorities—they must advance together.

#83 Can Flexibility Hurt Online Learners? What Pacing Data Reveals with Kristen DeBruler

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Why Distance Learning, your hosts talk with Kristen DeBruler — Assistant Director of the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute — about what makes online learning work for K-12 students, and what quietly undermines it. Drawing on survey data from over a thousand virtual teachers and fresh findings on student and teacher AI perceptions, her work reveals where the conventional promises of online learning diverge from what the data actually shows. The episode centers on a tension that practitioners rarely name directly: the flexibility that makes online learning valuable for some students can work against those who are still developing the self-regulation skills to use it well.

Together, the hosts and Kristen explore how a researcher inside a state virtual learning organization sets and pursues a research agenda — including the unusual advantage of having direct access to student data. They examine common failure modes in classroom-level research, particularly how vague research questions leave teachers vulnerable to the biases they're trying to surface. Kristen walks through her team's findings on the gap between how students and teachers define acceptable AI use, and why that ambiguity is already showing up in the classroom. The conversation turns to teacher feedback as the connective tissue of asynchronous online learning — and what the data shows about what makes it work and what makes it hollow. And Kristen makes a pointed case about applying adult learning research to K-12 populations: the data doesn't transfer as cleanly as the field sometimes assumes, and the consequences land on students who are still building the executive functioning skills that adult learners already have. Her pacing research is illustrative: students who cross unit boundaries — not just move around within one — end up with final grades 9.5 points lower on average, a gap large enough that teachers should treat it as a warning signal, not background noise.

Key topics:

Researcher role inside a state virtual learning organization
Setting a research agenda: legislative directives vs. internal needs
Avoiding bias in classroom-level research
The AI acceptable-use gap between students and teachers
Teacher feedback as the primary relationship-building mechanism in async courses
What makes feedback substantive (personal, formative, actionable) vs. hollow
AI-generated feedback and trust erosion in online learning
Student pacing deviation and its effect on learning outcomes
Executive functioning support for K-12 online learners
Cautions in applying adult learning research to adolescents

Links & Resources

Michigan Virtual: https://michiganvirtual.org
Michigan Virtual Digital Backpack (blog): https://michiganvirtual.org/blog/
Michigan Virtual research publications: https://michiganvirtual.org/research/publications/
Cuccolo, K. & DeBruler, K. (2024). A Look Back At 3 Years of Michigan Virtual Research. Michigan Virtual. — Source of the AI policy gap data (30%/80%) and AI facilitator vs. task-completion findings. https://michiganvirtual.org/research/publications/a-look-back-at-3-years-of-michigan-virtual-research/
Cuccolo, K. & DeBruler, K. (2024). Out of Order, Out of Reach: Navigating Assignment Sequences for STEM Success. Michigan Virtual. — Source of the 9.5-point pacing deviation finding. https://michiganvirtual.org/research/publications/out-of-order-out-of-reach-navigating-assignment-sequences-for-stem-success/
DeBruler, K. & Harrington, C. (2024). Key Strategies for Supporting Disengaged and Struggling Students in Virtual Learning Environments. Michigan Virtual. https://michiganvirtual.org/research/publications/key-strategies-for-supporting-disengaged-and-struggling-students-in-virtual-learning-environments/
Harrington, C. & DeBruler, K. (2021). Key Strategies for Engaging Students in Virtual Learning Environments. Michigan Virtual. https://michiganvirtual.org/research/publications/key-strategies-for-engaging-students-in-virtual-learning-environments/
Michigan Virtual report on student and teacher AI perceptions (2026): [LINK — get from guest; published ~2 weeks before recording]
Jared Borup's ACE for Community Framework: https://edtechbooks.org/encyclopedia/academic_communities_of_engagement_ace_framework
Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance (VLLA): https://virtuallearningalliance.org/
Karle Delo, Michigan Virtual (AI policy): https://michiganvirtual.org (search staff directory)
Why Distance Learning Michigan Virtual Episodes: See list for episodes with Dr. Tovah Sheldon and two with MV alum Chris Harrington. https://www.cilc.org/News-(1)/Why-Distance-Learning-Podcast.aspx
Make It Mindful Michigan Virtual Episodes: See list from Seth's other podcast for episodes with Karle Delo and two with Aaron Baughman. https://mim.bepodcast.network/episodes

Guest Bio: Kristen DeBruler

Kristen DeBruler is the Assistant Director of the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute, where she has spent more than 14 years studying K-12 online learning — including student pacing, teacher communication, mentor support, special populations, and AI use in virtual environments. Her research is oriented toward practitioners: she publishes findings in formats designed for teachers, administrators, and program leaders to act on, not just cite. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology from Michigan State University.

About the Hosts

Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and host of Why Distance Learning. Through Banyan, he designs live virtual programs that connect K-12 classrooms to global peers and expert facilitators — building the kind of structured, human-centered distance learning the podcast explores. See https://banyangloballearning.com/

Best of The Authority: The 5 Types of Wealth with Sahil Bloom

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this "Best Of," we revisit my conversation with Sahil Bloom about his first book, The Five Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life, a New York Times bestseller.

We talk about:

What curiosity is and isn’t
Making the case that being curious about new ideas is an objective good
What’s impressive and disappointing when meeting a new person
Five types of wealth: Time, Social, Mental, Physical, Financial
Prioritizing when there’s a conflict
What 80 and 90 year olds say about their lives
The most compelling thing Sahil learned about learning

About today’s guest

Sahil Bloom is an inspirational writer and content creator, captivating millions of people every week through his insights and bi-weekly newsletter, “The Curiosity Chronicle.” Sahil is a successful entrepreneur, owner of SRB Holdings, and the managing partner of SRB Ventures, an early-stage investment fund. Sahil graduated from Stanford University with an MA in public policy and a BA in economics and sociology. He was a four-year member on the Stanford Baseball Team. Connect with Sahil:

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on LinkedIn or Bluesky.

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

How To Get What You Want: Persuasion 101 w. Joshua Bandoch

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

How do you get what you want?

Meet Joshua Bandoch!

Joshua is a persuasion expert and TEDx speaker, an internationally recognized persuasion expert and keynote speaker. He has spent two decades mastering the art and science of persuasion.

On this episode, he discusses his book "How to Get What You Want: Mastering the Art and Science of Persuasion."He shares insights on effective persuasion techniques, emphasizing the importance of adopting a "persuader's mindset".

Joshua has spent over a decade uncovering the secrets of persuasion. He’s mined psychology, neuroscience, economics, public policy, and history for cutting-edge techniques that actually work—and he’s used them in speeches written for senior government officials, national leaders, business executives, and dozens of his own talks to audiences around the world.

Josh shared that he works for a public policy think tank focusing on anti-poverty and pro-opportunity initiatives, working with various elected officials regardless of party affiliation. He touched on political polarization in America, with Josh explaining that people have forgotten how to engage in constructive dialogue with those who don't share their views.

Listen as Joshua shares:
- how to create win-win situations
- effective persuasion techniques
- how to adopt a "persuader's mindset"
- persuading through storytelling rather than data
- being "right" versus making a difference in negotiations
- how non-verbal elements impact persuasion outcomes
- the importance of listening and asking questions
- understanding the other person's priorities and goals
- identifying overlaps with one's own priorities
- how clarity can be a superpower

...and so much more!

Connect with Joshua:
Website: https://joshuabandoch.com/

Additional Resources:
"How To Get What You Want" by Joshua Bandoch

Listen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-get-what-you-want-persuasion-101-w-joshua-bandoch/id1614151066?i=1000773687193
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wzWP8Q7iLJRR672GToJF5?si=dBbnpeqvTIi0YwMQrANqhw
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wzWP8Q7iLJRR672GToJF5
YouTube: https://youtu.be/oj_-KxFhCmU?si=ODGX56ghrmJP0M9E

How to Change Careers w/ Ana Denis

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 08:01:47 -0400

How do you make a career transition?

Meet Ana Denis!

Ana Dennis is a storytelling and communications expert from The Hague, Netherlands.

On this episode, she narrates her career transitions and cross-cultural communication experiences. Ana shared her journey from starting as a translator in cybersecurity to moving through marketing and business development roles, eventually becoming an entrepreneur selling pre-loved designer handbags.

Listen as Ana shares:
- the importance of curiosity, self-awareness, and direct communication
- navigating cultural differences in the workplace
- adjustment challenges when moving countries and cultures
- communications and storytelling
- having a desire for growth
- reinventing your career and identity
- how to prevent the ego from decision-making
- how to proactively communicate their expectations
- clarification rather than making assumptions

...and so much more!

In her book, "Reinvento", she shares tools with anyone reinventing their career or searching for their next chapter. Through stories from women whose careers span more than 20 countries — women who rebuilt their work, their identity, and their sense of self far from home — it reveals the emotional architecture of starting over: the disorientation, the grief, the unexpected joy, and the quiet courage it takes to reinvent yourself in midlife.

Connect with Ana:
Website: https://anadenis.com/superpowers

Additional Resources:
"Reinvento" by Ana Denis

Listen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-careers-w-ana-denis/id1614151066?i=1000773601753
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LvoKgTLxZWeXz20gt5lMU?si=khc9T6txQKyRydStm9s-bw
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LvoKgTLxZWeXz20gt5lMU

Listening to Students to Transform School Culture with Amy Fast

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:08:00 -0700

In this vault episode of Transformative Principal, Jethro Jones revisits an interview with Amy Fast, then assistant principal at McMinnville High School in Oregon, originally recorded for the Transformative Leadership Summit. Amy shares how a tragic college shooting in nearby Roseburg prompted her and her principal to proactively survey all 2,100+ students about their wellbeing, connectedness, hopefulness, and sense of significance — rather than simply reacting with more security measures.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

SUNDAY REWIND - Onboarding New Staff to a School with a Culture of Collaboration

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Leading Collaborative Response, Jennifer, Lorna, and Kurtis discuss one of many scenarios around bringing new personnel into an established collaborative culture. This conversation focuses on how to bring in new staff to a school where Collaborative Response is already “the way things are done”.

---------

Connect with Kurtis Hewson
Email kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
Twitter @hewsonk27
LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson

Connect with Lorna Hewson
Email lorna.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca
Twitter @hewsonk27
LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson

Connect with Jennifer Ferguson
Email jennifer.ferguson@jigsawlearning.ca
Twitter @_MrsFerguson_
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-dickson-ferguson/

---------

Related Resources

Ten Considerations When Introducing Collaborative Response, FREE pdf: https://bit.ly/top10-cr

Establishing a School-Wide Data and Evidence Plan
Planning for the effective use of data with our teachers is hard…but it doesn’t have to be! When schools have a targeted plan for the collection and utilization of data, conversations become more focused and staff can see the impact their collective practices are having for students. 👉 bit.ly/dataevidenceplan

Getting Better Together (Putting the Pieces Together with Jigsaw Learning Episode with Principal Dave Fender) https://youtu.be/hMRUwDYRPWQ

Overview of Collaborative Response https://youtu.be/6tbgetTdAiA

Team Meeting Overview Samples https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AYb-gavLnvVjqtCRz3oh0-WU2EeuVxeC?usp=sharing

Collaborative Response 101 Course bit.ly/CR101course

Collaborative Response Overview Sessions https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/collaborative-response-overview-sessions
_______________
#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems

Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.

How to Build a School That Goes All In on Catholic Culture

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 09:19:00 -0400

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Deacon Dave Kerski, Former Catholic School Principal, Diocese of Raleigh

What does it actually mean to be a Catholic school — not just in name, but in everything you do, every single day?

Deacon Dave Kerski knows the difference. He spent ten years turning around a Catholic school in New Bern, North Carolina that was on the brink of closing. He earned his master's from Notre Dame's ACE program, served as a deacon, and built the kind of school culture that students, families, and teachers genuinely wanted to be a part of. Not by accident — by being relentlessly intentional about it.

In this episode, Deacon Dave and John have a real conversation about what authentic Catholic identity actually looks like in a school building. Not the surface stuff. The deep stuff. The kind of culture that changes how kids grow up, how teachers show up, and how families understand what they are signing up for.

Here is some of what they get into:

Why Catholic identity is an anthropological question, not just a checklist of Catholic stuff you do
How to build a school playbook that ties everything — from morning drop-off to the awards you give out — back to your root beliefs and core values
What to do when a fourth grader asks you something you have no idea how to answer
Why your eighth graders may have been at a Catholic school their whole life and still have a malformed conscience — and what to do about it The difference between Catholic culture and Catholic identity, and why getting that wrong will cost you
How to build teacher formation that actually prepares your staff for the hard conversations kids are already having
Why it is better to be a year too early than a minute too late when it comes to forming your students in the faith
What AI in the classroom has to do with Catholic pedagogy — and why Catholic schools may have the upper hand if they take it seriously
The one thing every Catholic school principal has to have in place before they can lead anyone else

If you are a principal, pastor, superintendent, or school leader who has ever looked around and wondered whether your school is actually Catholic or just kind of Catholic — this one is going to give you a lot to think about and a lot to go do.

Connect with John If you want to talk about your school — enrollment, advancement, culture, or whatever is keeping you up at night — head over to elementaryadvancement.com and let's set up a time to connect.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

Teaching What Matters Most in the Age of AI with Troy Jollimore

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we access information, complete tasks, and even create work. But what happens when the things technology can do begin to overlap with the things we once believed were essential to learning?

In this conversation, Professor Troy Jollimore explores the difference between knowing and understanding, how learning alongside other human beings shapes not only what students know but what they come to value, and why education may be about far more than acquiring information or producing outcomes. Together, we examine what becomes most important to teach—and most important to preserve—as education enters the age of AI.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

FRIDAY FOCUS - The Impact of Non-Verbals on Team Trust

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

______________________
#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

Ethical EdTech with Priten Soundar-Shah — How Educators Can Lead on AI and Digital Safety

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 05:15:00 -0400

Priten Soundar-Shah is CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud, which provides innovative technology solutions to help educators navigate global challenges in a rapidly evolving world, as well as founder of the civics education nonprofit United 4 Social Change. He also hosts the podcast Margin of Thought here on the Be Podcast Network.

In this episode, we discuss:

The guiding principles of engaging with AI. Why engage at all?
Risks if schools go all in on AI — or if they don’t
Other emerging technologies to look out for
What drives ethical decision-making
Do we have to compromise between innovation and responsibility or can we have it all?
Keys to making policies clear, consistent, and school-wide

Listen to Priten’s podcast, Margin of Thought, on the Be Podcast Network: https://listen.priten.org

Listen to my previous episode with Priten, on this book AI and the Future of Education.

About today’s guest

Priten Shah, M. ED and B.A, Harvard, is the CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud, which provides innovative technology solutions to help educators navigate global challenges in a rapidly evolving world. Priten is also the founder of United 4 Social Change, a civics education nonprofit that focuses on helping teachers integrate interdisciplinary education into their curricula through animated videos, lesson plans, and innovative classroom activities.

About the host

Implementation Series, Part 2: Why Good Ideas Fail Quietly in Schools with Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O'Bryon

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Today we're sharing part two of the implementation series from Family Engagement Lab. Co-founders Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O'Bryan join us to discuss:

When schools launch family engagement initiatives, what typically happens over time?
What does it mean to "fail quietly?"
What it typically looks like when a strong idea starts to lose momentum in a school system
The most common (and least visible) reasons these efforts break down
What do we miss when we treat this as a teacher or family problem instead of a systems problem?

Listen to Implementation Series, Part 1: The Missing Instructional Layer

Learn more about Family Engagement Lab: https://www.familyengagementlab.org

About the guests
Vidya Sundaram is co-founder and CEO of Family Engagement Lab. Over her nearly 20-year career in family engagement, Vidya has managed development, research, and strategy for digital resources used by more than half of US families with school-aged children. Before founding Family Engagement Lab, Vidya led research and insights at GreatSchools, championing a test and learn culture across the organization. Vidya also has an extensive background in software engineering and technology project management to engage diverse partners, and implement and study digital programs. She holds a degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, a Masters in Public Policy from UCLA and her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. Vidya is mom to two kids and proud to be part of a lively multigenerational household.

Elisabeth O'Bryon is co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of Family Engagement Lab. Elisabeth was previously the Director of Research and Evaluation at GreatSchools where she worked to design and implement evaluation projects, with a particular focus on rapid-cycle research approaches. Before GreatSchools, Elisabeth was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence where she contributed to the development and evaluation of school-based social and emotional learning programming for children, teachers, and families. Elisabeth has a doctorate in psychology and experience providing school psychological services to preschool through high school-age students in both English and Spanish. Elisabeth recently co-authored 45 Strategies that Support Young Dual Language Learners, a resource that provides practical, developmentally appropriate strategies for supporting children and families from diverse backgrounds and creating inclusive early childhood classrooms that foster the success of young DLLs. Elisabeth is enjoying the many adventures of parenthood with her husband and sons.

About the host
Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and host of The Authority Podcast.

Listen to The Authority at https://authoritypodcast.net
Learn about more shows at https://bepodcastnetwork.com

17. Colton Murray Talks Great Houses

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

This episode features a conversation with Colton Murray, a second-generation entrepreneur whose father built and sold major candy brands including Dynamic Confections and Tru Fru (acquired by Mars). Colton shares how his family's identity was shaped by ancestor stories, faith, and a deep sense of stewardship — and how he came to understand these as rare and intentional practices only by contrast when meeting other families.

Building Spaces That Foster Adult Collaboration in Schools - Ep 99

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

In this weeks episode of Building a Culture of Collaboration, Kurtis and Lorna share considerations when purposefully designing a space for teams to collaborate.

Connected Resources:

Collaborative Meeting Spaces Guide - https://bit.ly/spacechecklist
Five Mistakes Leaders Make When Organizing Data free webinar - https://bit.ly/5mistakesdata

______________________
#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

INCH360 2025: Benjamin Ross

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:32:00 +0000

This episode is a part of a special series of interviews conducted at the INCH360 Cybersecurity Conference in Spokane, Washington. Visit their website to learn more about INCH360 and their mission.

Host Jethro D. Jones talks with Benjamin Ross of Torchlight about bringing enterprise-level IT and cybersecurity to small and medium businesses. Benjamin shares insights on the importance of human connection, long-term relationships, and community in the tech industry, emphasizing that technology should serve people and foster positive impact beyond just business outcomes.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and Renaissance.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Learn more about Renaissance:

"I Walked Away" — Dr. Brandon Bentz on Burnout, Survival, and Starting Over

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:56:00 -0600

Dr. Brandon Bentz spent over two decades as a Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist — training at Northwestern, fellowshipping at Memorial Sloan Kettering, serving as a Naval officer on September 11th, and building a career that most physicians only dream of. Then, in his final year of practice, his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his father with Alzheimer's — and his hospital posted his job without a single conversation.

In this episode, we unpack Dr. Bentz's story: the residency nights, the moral injury, the emotional weight of cancer care, and the moment he made the hardest decision of his career. This is not a burnout statistic. This is what burnout actually looks like from the inside of a surgical career.

If you work in healthcare — or love someone who does — this one is not optional.

From the Archives: Teaching the Language of Math with Dr. Randy Palisoc

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:48:00 -0700

In this episode, Gene Tavernetti speaks with Dr. Randy Palisoc, a passionate educator known for his innovative approach to teaching math. Dr. Palisoc shares his experiences and strategies for making math easy for students, focusing on the importance of understanding math as a language. They discuss Dr. Palisoc's background, including his work at Synergy Academies, the development of the Core Advantage Math Fluency System, and his current role at James Jordan Middle School. The conversation also covers the challenges of teaching math, the significance of consistent language in math instruction, and the impact of professional development.

Get in touch with Randy:
randypalisoc@mathfluency.com or randypalisoc@gmail.com

MathFluency.com

linkedin.com/randypalisoc/

Math isn't hard, it's a language | Randy Palisoc | TEDxManhattanBeach (youtube.com)

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here.

The Best Collaborative Response Ideas We Saw This Year - Ep 113

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

In this week's episode of Leading Collaborative Response, Kurtis and Lorna share some of the most innovative and impactful ideas they've encountered after reviewing more than 85 school frameworks over the past year.

Drawing from 60 school reviews and 25 Collaborative Team Meeting (CTM) feedback sessions, they unpack a collection of practical strategies, creative adaptations, and powerful practices being used in schools to strengthen Collaborative Response. Rather than focusing on theory, this episode highlights real-world examples from educators and leadership teams who are finding new ways to improve collaboration, clarity, and student support.

From AI-enhanced meeting workflows and digital planning tools to visual data displays and innovative team structures, this fast-paced conversation is filled with ideas you can adapt and apply in your own context. If you're looking for fresh inspiration and actionable strategies to enhance your Collaborative Response efforts, this episode is packed with takeaways you won't want to miss.

Connected Resource:
See treasured template
Access the Collaborative Response Membership for one month free! Go to http://crmembership.ca

Rich Valley School Tier 2 Resource Bank - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UjBz8BsWxHmN_zEndRog0FgLb6dKR_o3JLB-ty89uVY/view

Clairmont School Behaviour Data Criteria - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h7nEYi4mVSTaCoNpj0bgZRT7hkfZCm86lRlVdQqjZ6U/view

CTM Agenda Poster - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J7sIEx1nMJuf02nzNa_-VmV7acE_Q9QmclGns5dvF1I/view

______________________
#collaboration #norms #teamspirit #leadership #systems

Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview

Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro

Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow

V-Lab-ulous: Learning Gets Immersive with Mercy Johnson

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:21:12 -0700

In this episode, Shannon sits down with Mercy Johnson, Marketing Director for VLab Education, to explore how virtual reality is transforming science education. Mercy shares how VLab offers immersive, entry-level chemistry labs — from safety training and glassware basics to flame tests, precipitation reactions, heat capacity experiments, and even an explosion lab — all designed to let students learn through trial and error without real-world risks. The conversation digs into the value of gamified, open-ended learning, the importance of staying an education-first company (not a tech company), and why human customer service still matters. Mercy also shares her unconventional path into the VR space, the exciting Next Generation Science Standards rollout driving demand, and why the team believes immersive learning is the classroom shift education has been waiting for.

Episode Links:
Website: VLab Education

Shannon's Links:
Putman XR
XReps

The Principal Reset Series: The Reactive Principal

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook Summer Reset Series, we explore the common patterns of the reactive principal and why so many school leaders feel stuck in a cycle of constant firefighting. Through the example of a reactive principal, you'll see how urgency, problem-solving, and interruptions can crowd out the leadership work that matters most. We also break down how thoughts influence emotions and actions through the TEA Cycle. Most importantly, you'll learn practical strategies to reset your leadership, protect your priorities, and become more proactive in your daily work.

Get The 8 to 4 Principal Blueprint Here.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

The 1% Kid with Channing Chasten

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:10:00 -0700

In this episode host Dr. Erin Bailey sits down with Channing Chasten — former Ohio State and professional soccer player, author of The 1% Kid, and founder of the 1% Kid Foundation. Channing shares how growing up with a teacher mom, a love of Percy Jackson, and a determination to get "1% better every day" shaped both his athletic and academic journey. He opens up about navigating the demands of Division I athletics, the power of saying no, and why third-grade reading proficiency is a statistic every parent and educator should know. Channing also dives into the work of his nonprofit, which combines soccer, literacy, and mindset workshops to inspire young people — especially reluctant readers — to discover the joy of books.

About Channing Chasten:
Channing Chasten, Executive Director, The 1% Kid Foundation Channing Chasten is a children’s author, speaker, and former professional soccer player dedicated to empowering the next generation. A graduate of The Ohio State University, where he played Division I soccer, Channing went on to play professionally for Phoenix Rising. He is the author of The 1% Kid and the founder of the 1% Kid Foundation, a student-centered, literacy-focused, and athletics-driven organization committed to helping young people build confidence, resilience, and a growth mindset both on and off the field.

Find him online:
@channingchasten @the1percentkidfoundation @the1percentkid

His book: The 1% Kid

Channing’s favorite books:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Captain Underpants
Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

How to Build a Connected K-12 Universe Through Impact Standards with Jeff Bradbury - Ep 98

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Wondering which leadership books help build strong, collaborative teams?
We’ve got you covered! Download the list! - https://bit.ly/102reads

Access a workshop guide to help your team unpack their norms and help them have a greater impact on your collaborative efforts - https://bit.ly/jlnorms

In this episode of the Building a Culture of Collaboration podcast, we sit down with digital learning strategist, TEDx speaker, and creator of TeacherCast, Jeff Bradbury. We dive deep into his brand-new book, "Impact Standards: Designing District Systems That Power K–12 Learning," to discuss how districts can build sustainable, time-saving professional learning structures.
Jeff shares how to break down the silos between curriculum and technology, how districts can use media and podcasting to amplify teacher collaboration, and why building a school culture is a lot like building a pop-culture universe (complete with a few Star Wars and He-Man analogies!).
…

Learn more about Jeff Bradbury at https://www.teachercast.net or at https://www.jeffreybradbury.com
---------

Connect with Jeff Bradbury
Email- jeff@teachercast.net
X - https://x.com/teachercast
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreydbradbury/