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Hey friends,Let's be honest, studying the Bible as a busy parent can feel overwhelming. We want to be in the Word, but sometimes we just don't know where to start. Today's episode is a lifeline if you've ever stared at your Bible and thought, “I want to read this… I just don't know how.”I'm so excited for you to hear from Faith Womack (aka Bible Nerd), who is on a mission to help people fall in love with scripture in a way that's approachable, meaningful, and, dare we say…fun. This conversation is the reminder we all need that Bible study isn't about performance; it's about presence. And it is possible to make time for God's Word in our full and fast-moving lives.Here are a few things Faith shared that really stuck with me:Bible study doesn't have to be intense or intimidating, it's an invitation, not a test.The Gospels make an incredible starting point when you need a reset or a place to re-engage with Jesus.We model a love of scripture to our kids not with perfection, but by simply showing up with curiosity and consistency.Worship can happen while we study, it's not just something we do after we understand everything.Whether you're brand new to Bible study or just need some fresh encouragement, this episode is going to feel like a deep breath of grace and motivation.Faith is the founder of Bible Nerd Ministries, where she equips Christians to understand and enjoy scripture. Her new book, No More Boring Bible Study, is a practical and inspiring guide for anyone who wants to connect with God's Word in a real and transformative way. Faith's mission is to help people study the Bible with joy, confidence, and depth, no seminary degree required. She lives with her husband and kids and is passionate about making the Bible accessible to everyone.Let's start where we are, open our Bibles, and remember that God delights in meeting us there.With love,Steph(00:00) Introduction to Bible Study Passion(03:04) The Journey of Understanding Scripture(06:02) Overcoming Intimidation in Bible Study(08:52) The Importance of a God-Centric Approach(12:07) Practical Steps to Engage with the Bible(14:55) Adapting Bible Study Habits as a Parent(17:57) Encouraging Kids in Their Faith Journey(21:03) Navigating Bible Study Resources(23:58) Conclusion and ResourcesConnect with FaithBible Nerd Ministries YouTubeInstagramHow to Faith a Life podcastResources MentionedNo More Boring Bible Study bookSign up for Morning MinuteChristian ParentingDwell Bible in a Year Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.orgOur Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CPPODCAST for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.comPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
In the latest episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark sits down with education leader Richard Carranza, Chief Strategy and Global Development Officer at IXL. Together, they explore transformative topics like the growing role of AI in education, the enduring importance of arts in identity development, and how personalized learning tools are shaping classrooms of the future. Carranza emphasizes that while AI offers powerful opportunities for efficiency and innovation, it will never replace the need for passionate, well-trained educators. The conversation delves into the challenges system leaders face, including budget constraints, changing learning environments, and preparing students for a future defined by tools and careers that have yet to emerge. Listen in to gain insights on how to lead with equity, embrace technology, and create transformative learning experiences. Outline (00:00) Introduction (03:30) The Importance of Arts in Education (05:50) AI in Education: Tools Not Replacements (08:10) Leading Systems in the Age of AI (14:10) IXL's Approach to AI and EdTech (27:32) Looking Forward: Advice for Education Leaders Links Read the full blog here Watch the full video here LinkedIn IXL Learning
Hey friends,You know those conversations that feel like sunshine and strong coffee at the same time? That's what today's episode is. I'm sitting down with the one and only Cynthia Yanof, OG host of the Pardon the Mess podcast and someone who knows how to bring laughter, truth, and grace into every room she walks into.We're talking about her brand new book, How'd I Miss That? and it's all about those holy “aha” moments, when something you've heard a million times in Scripture suddenly lands differently and stirs your heart in a new way. If you've been craving encouragement that's both lighthearted and deeply rooted, this episode is for you.Here's what we unpack:Why love is the Christian brand and how we often forget thatHow mustard seed moments can shape your legacy as a parentWhat it means to live your faith in ordinary, everyday waysHow to create a personal “Mount Rushmore” to guide your parenting and faithIt's hopeful. It's hilarious. And it will make you want to lean in just a little closer to Jesus today.Cynthia is a speaker, author, and podcast host passionate about encouraging parents to pursue Jesus in the middle of the mess. She's the original host of Pardon the Mess and now serves as a frequent voice in the Christian Parenting community. Her latest book, How'd I Miss That?, is all about rediscovering the simple but powerful truths of our faith that we often overlook. Cynthia lives in Texas with her husband and kids and brings wisdom wrapped in wit wherever she goes.Let's keep choosing the small things, because they're often the big things in disguise.With love,Steph(00:00) Welcome Back and Introduction(03:11) Navigating Parenting and Faith(05:45) How'd I Miss That? Moments in Faith(09:00) The Importance of Love in Our Lives(12:11) Parenting Perspectives: Lessons Learned(14:51) The Mustard Seed Mistake(18:03) Building a Personal Mount Rushmore(21:01) The Impact of Small Acts of Love(24:00) Conclusion and ResourcesConnect with Cynthia Websitehttps://www.instagram.com/cynthiayanof/MESSmerized podcastSidetracked podcastFeeding the Mouth that Bites You podcastResources MentionedHow'd I Miss That? bookSign up for Morning MinuteChristian ParentingDwell Bible in a Year Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.orgOur Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CPPODCAST for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.comPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Meet Dr. Mike Mortimer, SS teacher at Putnam County HS, GA. Mike is a history expert, a passionate teacher, and an author, and he showed great excitement about teaching, learning, students, and more at his school convocation in July, 2025. He also has family in Montague, NJ, Port Jervis's neighbor in NJ, and loves the area in and around my beloved Port Jervis. And here he is coming on the #ELB podcast, Tuesday afternoon, 1/13/26, @ 4:15 est. Join us!This podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Oh, They are Mad! with Darrin Peppard Power Quote: “Listen more, talk less.” Teaser:Here's the email I received that inspired this episode: I'm wondering if you have an episode of your podcast focusing on dealing with unreasonable parents. This year has been exceptionally difficult regarding the attacks I'm receiving from parents. Either they are offended when I discipline their child because their child is innocent, or they are offended that I disciplined their child without contacting them prior to the discipline so they can solve the problem for me. I understand that discipline should not be the focus of my day and it typically is not. I also try really hard to make sure 20% of the kids do not consume 80% of my time. But how do I not allow the parents to consume me? In each case, the student has owned it, accepted the consequence and moved on… while at school. Then they get home and tell a different story about a big bad AP who is targeting them.I have some knowledge in this area but wanted some additional expertise so I'm partnering with my friend and colleague Darrin Peppard of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast and we are recording our conversation to be simulcast on both shows. Before we get started… Sponsor Spot 1:I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes. Show Intro Guest Bio:As a 'recovering' high school principal and former school district superintendent, Darrin Peppard draws from over 25 years of experience in education, including 13 years in leadership roles. Darrin is renowned for his expertise in school culture and climate, coaching emerging leaders, and his culture-first approach that emphasizes keen insight and a dynamic personality. His accolades include being named the 2016 Wyoming Secondary School Principal of the Year by WASSP/NASSP, the 2015 Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year, and induction into the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame in 2019. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Wyoming (2017). Through his book "Road to Awesome: The Journey of a Leader," Darrin shares strategies for maintaining a positive attitude, elevating others, and finding joy in leadership. Co-authored with Katie Kinder, his latest work, "Culture First Classrooms: Leadership, Relationships, and Practices that Transform Schools," provides proven methods for building transformative educational environments. Darrin also hosts the "Leaning into Leadership" podcast, where he discusses decision-making, cognitive biases, and more with industry experts. Warmup questions:· We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today? Questions/Topics/PromptsWe could look at four phases:· Building capital in advance (deposits before withdraws)o Identify students and families who may need extra careo Parents want to be heardo Make early and positive contacts. Have the teacher do the same (teach them how)· The meeting with the studento Begin with care – Are you okay?o Separate the behavior from the studento Have them write their versiono Listen· The post-conversation/information for parento Can have the student (with you) call the parento Make sure parent knows exactly what to expecto End with optimism and affirm the value and dignity of the student· Problem discussionso Clarify what the problem iso Do not take it personally (may not be about you) – DPs basketball exampleo Remember parents may have prior negative experiences Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started. Closing questions:· What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?· If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?· Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?· Where can people learn more about you and your work… Summary/wrap up· Think three phases: before, during, after· Parents want to be heard· Know the story you are telling yourself about the parent Resources:· The Assistant Principal Podcast: #199 “Are You Okay?” with Jamie Brown and #237 Helping Teachers Call Home· Leaning Into Leadership: Episode 68: When Calling Parents isn't Your Calling with Crystal Frommert Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!
Read the Holyoke "Relay Leadership" Case Study About The Author John Travis is senior program officer for Education at The Barr Foundation where he focuses on teacher and school leadership pipelines to help recruit, develop, retain, and cultivate the talented, diverse educators needed for the schools of today and tomorrow. John came to Barr after nearly 15 years as a frontline educator, first as a high school mathematics teacher in New Jersey and then as a school and district leader in the Boston Public Schools (BPS). In his most recent role, he served as the principal of the Ohrenberger School in West Roxbury. Prior to leading at the Ohrenberger, he trained as a principal fellow at the Harvard-Kent Elementary School in Charlestown and worked as Director of Human Capital Strategy with the BPS central office, supporting school leadership pipeline development. This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data. Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.
Meet Dr. Robbie Koerperich, the longtime Superintendent of Holbrook Schools, Home of the RoadRunners, in beautiful Holbrook, AZ. Dr. K has been the Superintendent in Holbrook for 17 years, and a school administrator for 25. WOW! They just had one of their highest-performing years ever! We'll discuss leadership, win-win, Be the One Roadrunner, hope, Native American culture in Holbrook, and more. Join us, LIVE at 7 pm EST, 5 pm MT on the #ELB podcast.This podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Hey friends,You know those conversations you know are important, but they still feel a little intimidating to start? That's exactly what we're diving into today. In this episode, I'm joined by Erin Kerry who's bravely sharing her story and helping us hold space for the hard things, especially when it comes to mental health in our homes.As parents, we're often navigating silent battles, whether it's our own struggles or the ones our kids are facing. And while it might feel easier to push through or avoid the topic altogether, what if we could learn to meet it with grace, faith, and even some practical tools?Here are a few takeaways from today's conversation:The importance of naming emotions and removing the shame from mental health conversationsHow nutrition and nervous system regulation play a vital role in healing and well-beingWhy spiritual and emotional health can walk hand-in-handEncouragement for when you're in the thick of it faith, community, and rest are not optional luxuries, they're lifelinesI'm praying this episode feels like a warm cup of tea and a deep exhale. You're not alone, friend.Erin is a writer, speaker, certified integrative mental health coach, and the founder of Made Well, a ministry offering soul care for Christian women. Diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder as a young adult, Erin has spent years learning how to live with resilience, faith, and grace. She lives in Michigan with her husband and four kids and is passionate about bridging the gap between emotional wellness and spiritual formation.Here's to sparking healing and honest conversations in your family and beyond.With Love,Steph(06:01) The Role of Faith in Healing(11:55) Living Beyond Labels in Mental Health(17:51) Navigating Anxiety and Its Protective Nature(20:46) Nervous System Regulation and Co-Regulation(22:54) Understanding Anxiety and Its Physical Roots(25:51) Navigating Conversations on Mental Health(30:01) The Intersection of Nutrition and Mental Health(34:51) Practical Tools for Holistic Mental HealthConnect with ErinWebsiteSparking Wholeness podcastInstagramResources MentionedLive Beyond Your Label bookDwell Bible in a Year Sign up for Morning MinuteChristian ParentingPrefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.orgOur Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CPPODCAST for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.comPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Three Resolutions and One Word Teaser:The New Year is a great time to refocus and gain some clarity, but New Years' resolutions feels to me like something that sounds good in theory but doesn't work in practice. At least it hasn't for me. Instead of resolutions this year, I'm using one word to help me keep my priorities straight, and three intentions that, if I work them daily, will lead me to my major goal of 2026. I'll apologize on the front end if this episode comes off as narcissistic. I feel a bit awkward talking about myself and diving deep into how my brain works, but I'm doing it this way because I think if you can see what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, you will be able to take these practices and adapt them to your own lie and leadership. Notice the word “adapt.” Please don't copy. Rather, think about how your context and needs are different from mine and how you might tweak the core ideas to better align with how your brain works and what your schedule allows. Sponsor Spot 1:I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes. Show Intro Celebrations:· Caveat· I can walk without a limp! And Christmas and New Years (families both born into and chosen) Key Points Part 1· Two “secrets” to being a great leader:o Be presento Priority management· One word – overview· One word helps us be more intentional· Sharing previous one words· How this year's one word shapes my priorities and daily actions Sponsor Spot 2:● With IXL, you get a personalized online learning and teaching solution that helps you improve achievement, empower teachers, track progress, and more. This one platform for K to 12 helps teachers accomplish what normally would require dozens of other tools.● As students practice skills, IXL automatically adapts to ensure each learner is always supported and challenged at the right level. IXL also provides every student with a personalized learning plan to help them close knowledge gaps effectively. ● As a school leader, you're always looking for ways to make it easier for teachers to do great work. Why not take the load off your teachers so they can do their best work? IXL can help.It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started. Key Points Part 2 My three 2026 intentions are the daily actions that should help me achieve my goals. My goal is to remake my body to maximize the time I have left to hike. A key measurement for the goal is: Complete the 71-mile High Sierra Trail in August of 2026. The High Sierra is a stunning trail through the southeast Sierra Nevada range in California. It ends at the summit of Mt. Whitney (elevation 14,505), the highest peak in the continental United States. I am used to hiking mountains, but at 5,000 feet, not 10,000 feet. Half of the trail is at altitudes high enough to cause altitude sickness. Notice my goal is not to hike the High Sierra Trail. It is the measurement. Do not mistake your measurement for your goal! Three intentions I need to hold to achieve my goal:Build my days around movement. Movement is the most important thing.Move in different ways (resistance training, yoga, biking, hiking, water-aerobics) every dayConsume media that encourages me to move. Notice:● These intentions drive actions I can take every day● If I act on these intentions each day, there is a very high likelihood of meeting my goals● They keep me focused on movement and combat my own distractibility In goal setting and strategic planning, the biggest mistake I see people consistently making is they do not operationalize the goal. They develop plans and benchmarks, but fail to identify the daily practices and actions that will inevitably lead to success. Summarizing (The big takeaway) Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!· Ranford's homepage: https://ranfordalmond.com· Ranford's music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoul· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/ Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistantKaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/ Close· Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.· You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/· I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.· If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on ...
Teaser:At the end of each year, I re-air what I consider to be the best episode of the year, but my favorite episode for this year was released on Nov 11 (episode 279). Instead of re-airing something you've already heard, I decided to have my guest from that best episode, Darryall White, come back onto the show. I gave him some homework to complete the SWOT analysis and the Stop-Start-Continue-Consider process before we got together. In today's show, Darryall is going to share what he found and I'll serve as a reflective partner. As we work through the process, I'd like you to imagine being on both sides of the conversation. Imagine completing the reflections and sharing what you found. And then imagine being the reflective partner who can listen and ask clarifying questions. Before we get started…Sponsor Spot 1:Do you love to travel but are tired of the same old student trip? Check out Kaleidoscope Adventures, our preferred planning partner! Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning educational travel beyond expectations for more than 30 years. They know the best destinations for student groups – they might even surprise you with a few hidden gems you've never considered!Discover the Harry Potter connection in Portugal, plan an “epic” trip to Universal, or celebrate America's 250th on an American Adventure!Each experience is customized to fit your specific needs… never a “one-size-fits-all” cookie cutter trip! When you need a little inspiration, contact the experts at mykatrip.com for the freshest ideas for your next student trip!Show IntroGuest Bio:Today's guest is a respected leader in education, Coach Darryall White, assistant principal and athletic director at Indian Land Middle School in Lancaster County, South Carolina.A proud Clemson graduate, Coach White has spent more than 30 years serving students as a teacher, counselor, and now assistant principal. He's coached nearly every sport and recently made history as the first-ever Lancaster County School District Assistant Principal of the Year.Known for his energy, authenticity, and passion for developing champions from the inside out, Coach White helps students, teachers, and athletes strengthen the heart, the head, and the hustle.”Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsSponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Summary/wrap upMy desire coming out of this episode is for you to practice using both these tools and being on both sides of the conversationWith a colleague, friend, partner Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!Ranford's homepage: https://ranfordalmond.comRanford's music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoulInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Guest Links:Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
In this special "reverse interview" episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones is interviewed by Mike Caldwell. Jethro reflects on his journey as a podcaster, the evolution of his career, and his philosophy on education, innovation, and personal growth. The conversation covers the origins of the podcast, lessons learned from hundreds of interviews, the role of AI in education, and Jethro's next chapter with Life Lab. LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Get the book, The Scientific Principles of Reading and Writing Instruction Bridging the Divide Between Educational Practice and Research Visit Nate's Website www.PedagogyNonGrata.com Follow Nate on X @Natejoseph19 About The Author Nathaniel Hansford has taught every grade from preK to 12th, in places as diverse as South Korea, the United Kingdom, the subarctic of Quebec, and Ontario, Canada. In 2022, he won the Literacy Leader of the Year award from the Ontario International Dyslexia Association. Nathaniel has written hundreds of articles on the science of teaching. He is most interested in using meta-analysis research to help teachers implement methodologies that have been proven to work. He is the founder of SAGE Online Academy. To learn more about Nathaniel's work in education, visit teachingbyscience.com, or follow him @Natejoseph19 on X (formerly Twitter). He is the author of The Scientific Principles of Teaching: Bridging the Divide Between Educational Practice and Research. This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data. Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.
When you're teaching storytelling with students, do your lessons feel kind of…random?I used to feel like this a lot when I was a school SLP, so if you've ever had a “throw spaghetti at the wall” therapy session that felt all over the place, I get it.The truth is, repetition and drill is not the enemy. If you ONLY focus on unstructured activities, you're probably seeing students getting overwhelmed, not remembering to apply important language skills (like syntax, vocabulary words, etc). But if you ONLY stick with structured activities, kids never get the chance to apply and practice. That's why leveraging books and story grammar as part of your “therapy toolkit” can be such a powerful tool to bridge this gap…even though many storytelling activities look like simple “cutesy” activities on the surface.(and if you understand the “why” it's much easier to apply for older kids who are kind of over coming to therapy). In this second half of my interview with my colleague Jane Gebers, we talk about how to use tools like dynamic assessment and narrative intervention to make therapy structured, rigorous, and functional. Jane L. Gebers is the author of the popular resource, Books Are for Talking, Too!, first published in 1990, and now in its 4th edition as of March 2023. A practicing speech-language pathologist for over 40 years, she has worked in public school, hospital, private, and clinical settings. She has been an adjunct professor at St. Mary's College of California and other universities where she taught Language Development, Assessment, and Intervention courses to students pursuing special education credentials. She currently holds a private practice in Northern California.You can connect with Jane on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-l-gebers-53856119/Email her at jane@soundingyourbest.comLearn more about her book, Books Are For Talking, Too! here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2SG8J58?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_RR4P3SB19A92WD6FPD3RLearn more about her storytelling resources and speech therapy services on her website here: http://soundingyourbest.com/In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a 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/languagetherapyI also mentioned the Art and Science of Narrative Language, my program that gives speech pathologists and educational professionals a process for evaluating and supporting narrative language. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/art-science-narratives-blog-297/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Meet Rae Hughart, the CEO & Founder of Teachers Deserve It. Rae is an educator, author, and a leader who is dedicated to empowering teachers and growing educators to be their best, in and out of the classrooms. She is active on social media @ RaeHughart and continue to write, speaker, and lead in many spaces and places. Learn more here: https://teachersdeserveit.com/ & / rae-hughart Rae co-wrote two books that you can find on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3MGwfFHRae also gave a TEDx Talk in 2021, Better Than YouTube: You can watch it here: • Better Than YouTube | Rae Hughart | TEDxNo... She is also a member of the Illinois State University HOFJoin us LIVE on the #ELB podcast on Monday, 12/22 at 7 pm EST. Happy Holidays, friends!This podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Sponsor Spot 1:I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Show IntroCelebrations:Two weeks ago, I was at the North Carolina Principals & Assistant Principals' Association Fall Instructional Symposium and had the great pleasure of meeting and listening to Jimmy Casas, who owns the company (ConnectEDD) which published A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose.Key Points Part 1My core valuesTrade the to-do list for a to-be list (build this out: if I wanted to live my core values, what would that look like? Them either change behavior or change values to prevent inauthenticity)The solution to every problem is for me to work on me (growth begins with us and “I'm the leader, it's on me.”)“This job will mess with you…”You can change culture in 30-second momentsSLOW DownSponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.Key Points Part 2When identifying “look-fors” for observation, have teachers develop themDecision chart (1-I decide, 2-I decide you advise, 3-We decide, 4-You decide)Relationships are the first thing. Are they the most important thing?Our validation is an external reward/motivation (Lavonna Roth)Solving other people's problems creates dependency. Why do we do this? To feel needed?Summarizing (The big takeaway)Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!Ranford's homepage: https://ranfordalmond.comRanford's music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoulInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a The Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
In this episode, Jethro Jones sits down with Rich Czyz, principal of Yardville Elementary and author of "Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School Leaders." They dive into actionable strategies for school leaders to reclaim their time—starting with time audits, the art of elimination, and the power of delegation. Rich shares how empowering students with real leadership roles, like running morning announcements, not only automates tasks but also builds community. The conversation explores the evolving role of AI in education, the importance of maintaining energy and boundaries as a principal, and why sometimes closing your door is the key to effective leadership. Whether you're looking to do more with less or simply do less, this episode is packed with practical advice for every school leader.Find a way to run the school before the school runs youFinding a way to do more with lessSchool leaders struggle with eliminationWe've always been doing thisDo a time inventoryIdeal weekAutomation can happen by delegation (automating through other people)5th grade morning announcementsStudents writing resumes, volunteering for roles, and moreWhat AI can actually do for usTaking care of the minutiaeHuman in the loop has gone from human fixing AI mistakes to human leading AI workEnergy and burnout Open Door Policy often leads to people dumping problems on youGet his Book: Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School LeadersHow to be a transformative principal? See what you can eliminate this week! About Rich CzyzRich Czyz is the Principal at Yardville Elementary School and author of four books, his latest is Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School Leaders. He also runs the web site Four O'Clock Faculty. LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Why are we so obsessed with “storytelling”?In education, we talk about it when we're working on language and reading comprehension. It's also referred to in sales and copy writing as a tool for generating more leads and customers. And of course, people writing books or films think about it all the time. We all know storytelling is an important life skill. But do we remember HOW MUCH it can impact our ability to communicate and function? And do we know how to support students who don't have this skill?I invited my colleague Jane Gebers to the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss this topic. If you're helping students build skills for functional daily tasks, challenging academic work, or in social situations, you won't want to miss this conversation. In this first half of the interview, we talk about the “why” behind teaching narrative discourse, plus specific examples of how we've both used narrative structure to build our own comprehension.Jane L. Gebers is the author of the popular resource, Books Are for Talking, Too!, first published in 1990, and now in its 4th edition as of March 2023. A practicing speech-language pathologist for over 40 years, she has worked in public school, hospital, private, and clinical settings. She has been an adjunct professor at St. Mary's College of California and other universities where she taught Language Development, Assessment, and Intervention courses to students pursuing special education credentials. She currently holds a private practice in Northern California.You can connect with Jane on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-l-gebers-53856119/Email her at jane@soundingyourbest.comLearn more about her book, Books Are For Talking, Too! here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2SG8J58?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_RR4P3SB19A92WD6FPD3RLearn more about her storytelling resources and speech therapy services on her website here: http://soundingyourbest.com/ In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a 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/languagetherapyI also mentioned the Art and Science of Narrative Language, my program that gives speech pathologists and educational professionals a process for evaluating and supporting narrative language. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/art-science-narratives-blog-297/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Meet Will Parker, author, leader, speaker, and host of the Principal Matters podcast & blog. He was the Teacher of the Year in OK, AP Teacher of the Year, and served as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals for six years. Learn more at https://williamdparker.com/. and subscribe to the PMP & Monday Matters podcasts. His latest book was released in March 2025, Whose Permission are you Waiting For? with ConnectEDD: you can find it here: https://bit.ly/3Yty5vV. Join us LIVE on the #ELB Podcast today, Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, at 4:30 EST. Keep surviving & thriving!This podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Assistant Principal Podcast Content Episode Outline #284: 5-Minute Coaching Teaser:Today we are doing a deep dive into 5-minute coaching. This show is an adaptation of the 45-minute breakout training I frequently do at conferences, like NCPAPA earlier this month. I do have a handout that contains all of the information. If you'd like a PDF of the handout, just email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com and I'll get it out to you. In this era of marketing, it's fair to be suspicious and wonder, “Why not just put it on the website as a download and save everyone some time?” For this reason – knowing I am making a difference with people, and that I have connections with those people, fuels my work. Getting a message from you, and being able to respond and connect – for me, that's what it's all about. We'll begin the show with a couple soapbox moments, then listen to a demo of 5-minute coaching. From there, we Sponsor Spot 1:I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes. Show Intro Celebrations: Great conference! Organization:· Background knowledge· Sample session· Detailed breakdown· Conclusion Key Points Part 1 Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast… Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started. Key Points Part 2 Summarizing (The big takeaway) Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!· Ranford's homepage: https://ranfordalmond.com· Ranford's music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoul· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/ Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistantKaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/ Close· Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.· You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/· I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.· If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html· Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.· Remember the secret to good leadership:o Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for otherso Be fully presento Ask reflective questionso And then just listeno Don't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.· Have a great rest of the week!· Cheers! Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsultingDaily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3aThe Strategic Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
In this episode, Jethro Jones and Danny Bauer continue their "Reject the Premise" series, challenging common assumptions in education. They discuss the importance of schools partnering with parents, emphasizing that parents are the primary educators and schools should serve as supportive partners. The conversation also rejects the idea that test scores are the sole measure of success, advocating instead for focusing on meaningful inputs and student well-being. Finally, they encourage school leaders to break free from the status quo, embrace innovation, and model positive change, highlighting the value of creativity and adaptability in education.Links:Transformative Principal Episode 490 with Susie WiseMultiple Choice is more than a film- it's a movement LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Get the book, All About Dyslexia: A Practical Guide for Primary Teachers Get the book, All About Dyslexia: A Practical Guide for Secondary Teachers Visit Louise's website, LouiseSelbyDyslexia.com About The Author Louise Selby is a dyslexia specialist trainer, consultant, author, assessor and teacher. She has 25 years' experience of working with SEND within Hertfordshire local authority in teaching, special needs coordinator and advisory roles. She now works freelance, providing training and consultancy for schools as well as dyslexia assessment. Louise believes in partnership and collaboration and this is at the heart of all that she does. She is the author of Morph Mastery: Morphological Intervention for Reading, Spelling and Vocabulary and All About Dyslexia: A Practical Guide for Primary Teachers and All About Dyslexia: A Practical Guide for Secondary Teachers. This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data. Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.
If your therapy techniques only work when you're in the room, that's a problem.Many therapists unintentionally “gatekeep” their expertise and miss opportunities to boost carryover.It's the unexpected downside of being really good at direct clinical work. Don't get me wrong. Clinical judgment does matter. And some things can only be addressed by a trained clinician in a therapy room.But when every decision depends on your personal expertise and physical presence, you've made yourself the bottleneck.In this episode, I'll share how to make the shift towards clear, repeatable systems that others can follow. When you make your methods easier to teach, you make your work scalable, easier to delegate, and far more convincing to leadership.I'll tackle common misconceptions like:✅ “I can't delegate; I don't have direct reports.”✅ “I don't have time for consultation.”✅ “We never get enough time to work on skills.”Plus I share the three steps to making intervention “scalable” so your session plans can start doubling as consultation guides and training tools for others.In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a 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/languagetherapyI also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop scalable executive functioning strategies they can turn into schoolwide initiatives. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Excited to talk with Allyson Apsey on the #ELB Podcast. Allyson is the Director of Client Relations at Creative Leadership Solutions--She is a veteran school leader and author of 8 books & delivered an awesome TED talk. We will be LIVE together at 4:45 EST, tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 10th, 2025. We'll talk leadership, 2026, and a Serendipity Mindset. Keep surviving & thriving!Watch her TED Talk here: Serendipity is Everyone: • Serendipity is Everywhere | Allyson Apsey ... Learn more about Allyson at https://allysonapsey.com/Find her books here & on Amazon: https://allysonapsey.com/books/ Follow her @AllysonApsey on all platforms, & @AllysonApsey19 on TikTok This podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Power Quote: “How does this make learning better?”Teaser:A couple weeks ago I had Simone Lieschke on. Simone is co-principal at the American International School of Lusaka in Zambia. I appreciated her different perspectives and it was a conversation that made me, and I hope you, step back and reflect more deeply on our own contexts. Today's show is also with an international school leader, and, again, will offer some different (and not so different) perspectives to help us think.Sponsor Spot 1:I'd like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today's show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn't that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.Show IntroGuest Bio:Originally from London England, Chris Horton has worked since 2001 in International Schools. Starting in Washington DC and moving to Doha, Panama City and now Buenos Aires, he has worked in British and American international schools as a teacher and school administrator. Currently he is the assistant principal at Asociacion Escuelas Lincoln in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has completed his NPQH (National Professional Qualification of Headship) UK, and presented at several conferences in the AMISA region (American International School Association).Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsThe creative and problem-solving aspects of your work. We rarely talk about this on the pod and I think it would be great to do so.What strategies are you using in the face of student transience?What role does asset-based mindset play in meeting their needs? How do you do it?(If time) What are you doing around teacher retention?Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Summary/wrap upEverybody's assistant (including your own)Doing without doing (meta initiative) – Wu-weiListen more speak lessHelp people solve their problems (teacher growth and change initiatives)Remember the empty chairSpecial thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!Ranford's homepage: https://ranfordalmond.comRanford's music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoulInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for othersBe fully presentAsk reflective questionsAnd then just listenDon't overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.Have a great rest of the week!Cheers!Guest Links:LinkedIn profile: Link Frederick's Links:Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.comWebsite: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588...
Jethro Jones interviews Ben Downey, founder of Big Nest, about the vital role and challenges of parent teacher groups (PTAs/PTGs) in schools. They discuss how these groups are essential for building strong school communities but often face issues with organization, communication, and fundraising. Ben explains how his experience managing a local parent group inspired him to create Big Nest—a platform designed to simplify and modernize the management and fundraising efforts of parent teacher groups. The conversation highlights the unique needs of school-based nonprofits, the importance of preserving institutional knowledge, and how Big Nest streamlines processes like donations, record-keeping, and event organization to make parent involvement easier and more effective.How Big Nest got started. Parent teacher groups are chaotic by natureFundraising can and should be easier. Podcast about SoftwareCommunity to get people togetherSchool and parent groups are intertwinedNeed to have systems and methods to keep track of thingsAbout Ben DowneyBen Downey is the founder of Big Nest, a platform that helps parent-teacher groups build stronger, more connected school communities. He's been working with PTGs for the past six years, helping them modernize how they communicate, fundraise, and organize. Beyond the platform, Ben helps open lines of communication between parent groups so they can share best practices and avoid reinventing the wheel every year.Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Ben started his career in Chicago before settling in Spokane, Washington, where he lives with his wife and three kids. LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Meet Dr. Kevin McGowan, the Superintendent of Brighton Central School District in Rochester, NY, SINCE 2009! The average tenure of a Superintendent is 3-4 years, and Kevin has been leading and excelling in many ways at Brighton. We'll talk leadership, managing a team, strategic planning, problem solving, upstate NY, AASA '23 Sup of the year, and more LIVE on the #ELB podcast--This Saturday, 12/6/25 at 9 am EST. Join us! #SurviveThriveLearn more about Kevin here: https://bit.ly/KevinMSupSubscribe to the Super Sauce here: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSuperSauceThis podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Where did arbitrary cut scores for norm-referenced language assessments come from, and why do they feel “safer” than relying on clinical judgement?I discuss this question and more in this third part of a three-part series, bilingual SLPs Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz join me to continue our conversation about advocating for effective language evaluation practices in schools.Across these conversations, we explore:Sensitivity, specificity, reference standards, and diagnostic accuracyHow test development has evolved over time and why this matters Why the same cut-off score shouldn't apply across all testsThe math behind using two norm-referenced tests, and why it may complicate rather than clarify in some casesOther reasons we test beyond diagnosis (treatment planning, severity, monitoring progress)How do we do we to “sell” the concept of dynamic assessment to administratorsCase studies that show the pitfalls of over-reliance on standardized scoresMisconceptions clinicians often hold, and what they should know about assessmentDifferences in state eligibility standards, and what this means for service decisionsThis series is part myth-busting, part practical strategies, and part advocacy playbook—perfect for clinicians who want to move beyond compliance-driven evaluations toward assessments that truly reflect students' needs.Destiny Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist (English/Spanish) with a deep passion for culturally responsive assessment and treatment practices, as well as advocating for policy change. She has presented on dynamic assessment at the CSHA Convergence 2024, focusing on the importance of dynamic assessment in bilingual children. Destiny has experience working as a school-based SLP, in private practice, and in early intervention. She is also the founder and CEO of Multimodal Communication Speech Clinic P.C.Connect with Destiny on Instagram @destinyjohnsonslp, on her private practice website here, and on LinkedIn here.Listen to Destiny's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: EP 187: Dynamic Assessment: Evaluations are a process, not a test (with Destiny Johnson)Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz is a bilingual high school SLP from Southern California who has primarily worked in the school systems and has experience at both the elementary and secondary level. She's also a member of Language Therapy Advance Foundations, and is involved in state and local advocacy work relating to dynamic assessments and special education eligibility.Connect with Tiffany on Instagram @tiffany.shahoumianListen to Tiffany's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: High school language therapy: Do we still have time to make an impact? (with Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here.Additional Resources Mentioned in the episode:Daub, O., Cunningham, B. J., Bagatto, M. P., Johnson, A. M., Kwok, E. Y., Smyth, R. E., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Adopting a conceptual validity framework for testing in speech-language pathology. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(4), 1894–1908. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00032Spaulding, T. J., Plante, E., & Farinella, K. A. (2006). Eligibility criteria for language impairment: Is the low end of normal always appropriate? Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 37(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2006/007)DYMOND Norm-Referenced Dynamic AssessmentBilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA) We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Power Quote: “What's the point if I'm not willing to grow?”Teaser:As you will hear, I began my teaching career overseas through a serious of serendipitous events. For reasons I myself don't fully understand, I've been feeling the echoes of international education on my thoughts, so I decided to listen and invite on some international school leaders. We can certainly learn a lot from people who work in the same context as we do, and we can learn a lot from people work in very different contexts, who bring different perspectives. No matter what your leadership context is, there are some great takeaways from today's show. This is a lively and enjoyable conversation – I guarantee you will smile. So I invite you to sit back, listen, and laugh with me…Sponsor Spot 1:If you or your teachers have been thinking about planning a student trip, but don't really know where to start, Kaleidoscope Adventures has you covered!Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning exceptional educational travel for more than 30 years. They understand the unique needs of student groups and will handle all the details from start to finish – so you can enjoy the experience! If you still need some help getting the ball rolling, check out their great e-resources including The Ultimate Guide to Planning Student Travel, The Ultimate How-To Guide for International High School Travel, AND The Ultimate Financial Guide for Your Student Trip. These are all FREE and packed with helpful tips and advice like how to get your parents on board, funding your trip, picking chaperones, and more.Connect with Kaleidoscope Adventures at mykatrip.com for your free copy or to talk with a pro planner.Kaleidoscope Adventures is travel beyond expectations!Show IntroGuest Bio:Simone Lieschke is the Primary School Co-Principal at the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia. She is deeply committed to empathy-driven, student-centered leadership and to fostering a connected, caring school culture. Simone is also passionate about developing sustainable and reciprocal community partnerships that create meaningful service learning opportunities for students. Now in her twentieth year in international education, Simone's career has taken her and her family around the world, with previous leadership roles in Singapore, China, South Korea, and Australia.Warmup questions:We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?Questions/Topics/PromptsThere is a tremendous variety of international schools, but I'd like listeners to have more context about your specific school:What should listeners know about your school and students?What do you love most your schoolWhat are your biggest leadership challenges?I'm really excited at having you on partly because of your unique leadership situation. Can you talk about what you were doing last year, what you are doing this year, and how the transition came about?As a result of the change, how have your leadership behaviors changed? What areas have you had to grow?The structure of your leadership team is unique. How do you function together (thinking about strategies here)?If there were listeners playing with the idea of teaching and leading at an international school, how would they know if that kind of life was right for them?Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions. And IXL doesn't stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It's no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.Closing questions:What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?If listeners could take just one thing away from today's podcast, what would it be?Before we go, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners?Where can people learn more about you and your work…Summary/wrap upReframing to yourself (before reframing to others)Cultural expectations of leadersConnection before correction“What's the point if I'm not willing to grow?”Building leadership capacity also leads to more diverse perspectivesBeing presentSpecial thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!Ranford's homepage: https://ranfordalmond.comRanford's music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoulInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/Sponsor Links:IXL: http://ixl.com/assistant Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/CloseLeadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader's Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.Remember the secret to good leadership:...
Host Jethro Jones talks with Mike Caldwell, founder of LinkedLeaders, about building a platform that connects school leaders with mentors and peers for real-time support. They discuss the challenges of school leadership, the value of personalized coaching, and how technology and community can help educators grow. LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Get the book, Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students' Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It Visit Timothy's website, www.ShanahanOnLiteracy.com About The Author Timothy Shanahan is distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as the director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools, is the former president of the International Literacy Association, and served on the advisory board of the National Institute for Literacy under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. In 2007, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame. This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data. Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.
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 Aydan MacKay, an EWU computer science graduate, about his experiences at the Inch 360 cybersecurity conference, the importance of social skills in cybersecurity, and the evolving role of AI in software development. Aydan shares insights on job hunting, personal projects, and the challenges and opportunities facing new tech professionals. We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
When we choose evaluation tools for language, are we clear on WHY we're assessing? Most people think of diagnosis, but that's not the only reason we assess students. I discuss this question and more in this second part of a three-part series, bilingual SLPs Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz join me to continue our conversation about language evaluation practices in schools.Across these conversations, we explore:Sensitivity, specificity, reference standards, and diagnostic accuracyHow test development has evolved over time and why this matters Why the same cut-off score shouldn't apply across all testsThe math behind using two norm-referenced tests, and why it may complicate rather than clarify in some casesOther reasons we test beyond diagnosis (treatment planning, severity, monitoring progress)How do we do we to “sell” the concept of dynamic assessment to administratorsCase studies that show the pitfalls of over-reliance on standardized scoresMisconceptions clinicians often hold, and what they should know about assessmentDifferences in state eligibility standards, and what this means for service decisionsThis series is part myth-busting, part practical strategies, and part advocacy playbook—perfect for clinicians who want to move beyond compliance-driven evaluations toward assessments that truly reflect students' needs.Destiny Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist (English/Spanish) with a deep passion for culturally responsive assessment and treatment practices, as well as advocating for policy change. She has presented on dynamic assessment at the CSHA Convergence 2024, focusing on the importance of dynamic assessment in bilingual children. Destiny has experience working as a school-based SLP, in private practice, and in early intervention. She is also the founder and CEO of Multimodal Communication Speech Clinic P.C.Connect with Destiny on Instagram @destinyjohnsonslp, on her private practice website here, and on LinkedIn here.Listen to Destiny's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: EP 187: Dynamic Assessment: Evaluations are a process, not a test (with Destiny Johnson)Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz is a bilingual high school SLP from Southern California who has primarily worked in the school systems and has experience at both the elementary and secondary level. She's also a member of Language Therapy Advance Foundations, and is involved in state and local advocacy work relating to dynamic assessments and special education eligibility.Connect with Tiffany on Instagram @tiffany.shahoumianListen to Tiffany's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: High school language therapy: Do we still have time to make an impact? (with Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here.Additional Resources Mentioned in the episode:Daub, O., Cunningham, B. J., Bagatto, M. P., Johnson, A. M., Kwok, E. Y., Smyth, R. E., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Adopting a conceptual validity framework for testing in speech-language pathology. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(4), 1894–1908. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00032Spaulding, T. J., Plante, E., & Farinella, K. A. (2006). Eligibility criteria for language impairment: Is the low end of normal always appropriate? Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 37(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2006/007)DYMOND Norm-Referenced Dynamic AssessmentBilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA) We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Meet Casey Hagarth, the awesome Superintendent from Baker City Schools, OR--Home of the Bulldogs in Eastern Oregon. Casey is a husband, father, and now grandfather--leading in many ways in Baker and beyond. He is earning his doctorate, writing a book, and is active on social media--Follow him and look for his great, creative posts: The Superintendents' Sneak Peak. Join us for this "Thanksgiving Special" where we will take leadership, friendship, all things Baker, gratitude, and more--LIVE on the #ELB podcast, Monday, November 24th, at 7:30 EST, 4:30 PT--Join us!My newest book is HERE! The Magic Acronyms, Formulas, & Impactful Stories of Leadership. You can buy the book here: https://amzn.to/3Ljwrd5 Learn more here: https://andrewmarotta.com/book/IXL Personalized Learning sponsors this podcast. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Welcome to Transformative Principal! In this thought-provoking solo episode, host Jethro Jones explores how artificial intelligence has revealed the weaknesses in our current education system—and why it's time to refocus on real learning.Episode Highlights:Jethro shares candid reflections from his AI Leader Office Hours, challenging the status quo in education.He explains how schools have been designed for adult convenience, making them easy targets for AI automation, and why this approach fails students.The episode critiques formulaic assignments, standardized tests, and grading systems that prioritize efficiency over genuine learning.Jethro advocates for a shift toward student-centered learning, emphasizing the importance of real audiences, authentic work, and developing “organic skills” like critical thinking, collaboration, and relationship-building.He shares personal stories from his teaching career, illustrating the power of giving students agency and meaningful projects.The discussion covers the limitations of AI—what it can and can't do—and why human skills and empathy remain irreplaceable.Jethro calls for educators to rethink assignments, assessments, and the very purpose of school, urging a move away from compliance and toward relevance and flourishing for every student.Key Takeaways:Schools must prioritize learning and personal growth over convenience and test scores.Assignments should have real audiences and authentic purposes, not just serve as boxes to check.AI can handle repetitive, formulaic tasks, but human connection, empathy, and creativity are essential for true education.Educators should focus on helping students become flourishing human beings, not just good test-takers. LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Back with Darin Beckwith & Candiss Bennett from Dawson ESC in Arkansas in a joint podcast--#ELB podcast & Spillin the Tea in Studio D. Join us LIVE on the podcast on Thursday, Nov. 20th, 2025 at 4:30 EST on all socials! Fun, education, energy, and some laughs! #ELBThis podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL
Language assessments shape who gets services, how goals are written, and how progress is measured, but there are many misconceptions about how to follow best-practices when doing an evaluation. In this three-part series, bilingual SLPs Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz join me to dig into the science, the myths, and the policies that shape evaluation practices in schools.Across these conversations, we explore:Sensitivity, specificity, reference standards, and diagnostic accuracyHow test development has evolved over time and why this matters Why the same cut-off score shouldn't apply across all testsThe math behind using two norm-referenced tests, and why it may complicate rather than clarify in some casesOther reasons we test beyond diagnosis (treatment planning, severity, monitoring progress)How do we do we to “sell” the concept of dynamic assessment to administratorsCase studies that show the pitfalls of over-reliance on standardized scoresMisconceptions clinicians often hold, and what they should know about assessmentDifferences in state eligibility standards, and what this means for service decisionsThis series is part myth-busting, part practical strategies, and part advocacy playbook—perfect for clinicians who want to move beyond compliance-driven evaluations toward assessments that truly reflect students' needs.You can listen to Part 1 of the series here.Destiny Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist (English/Spanish) with a deep passion for culturally responsive assessment and treatment practices, as well as advocating for policy change. She has presented on dynamic assessment at the CSHA Convergence 2024, focusing on the importance of dynamic assessment in bilingual children. Destiny has experience working as a school-based SLP, in private practice, and in early intervention. She is also the founder and CEO of Multimodal Communication Speech Clinic P.C.Connect with Destiny on Instagram @destinyjohnsonslp, on her private practice website here, and on LinkedIn here.Listen to Destiny's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: EP 187: Dynamic Assessment: Evaluations are a process, not a test (with Destiny Johnson)Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz is a bilingual high school SLP from Southern California who has primarily worked in the school systems and has experience at both the elementary and secondary level. She's also a member of Language Therapy Advance Foundations, and is involved in state and local advocacy work relating to dynamic assessments and special education eligibility.Connect with Tiffany on Instagram @tiffany.shahoumianListen to Tiffany's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: High school language therapy: Do we still have time to make an impact? (with Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here.Additional Resources Mentioned in the episode:Daub, O., Cunningham, B. J., Bagatto, M. P., Johnson, A. M., Kwok, E. Y., Smyth, R. E., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Adopting a conceptual validity framework for testing in speech-language pathology. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(4), 1894–1908. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00032Spaulding, T. J., Plante, E., & Farinella, K. A. (2006). Eligibility criteria for language impairment: Is the low end of normal always appropriate? Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 37(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2006/007)DYMOND Norm-Referenced Dynamic AssessmentBilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA) We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
What if changing what kids eat at school could transform their behavior, boost learning, and even save lives? Studies show that when kids swap junk food for real, nourishing meals, behavior problems drop, focus improves, and learning soars—with one study finding a 100% reduction in suicides among youth simply by changing their diet. Across the country, schools are proving that scratch-cooked, colorful meals made from whole ingredients can fit tight budgets, reduce waste, and make kids excited to eat. By putting nutritious food at the center of education, we can help raise a generation that's healthier, happier, and ready to learn. In this episode, Jill Shah, Sam Kass, Kimbal Musk, and I talk about the powerful connection between nutrition and education, showing that healthy school meals can transform not just kids' diets but their futures. Jill Shah is the President of the Shah Family Foundation, which drives innovative work at the intersection of education, healthcare, and community in Boston. Her leadership focuses on improving access to healthy school food, supporting neighborhood food equity, and fostering collaboration between schools and healthcare to strengthen children's physical, emotional, and social well-being. Before launching the foundation, Jill was a successful entrepreneur involved in several internet startups, including iXL, RxCentric, and Mercator Software, and later founded Jill's List, which she sold to MINDBODY in 2013. A graduate of Providence College, she now serves on the boards of the Red Sox Foundation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Museum of Fine Arts, Belmont Hill School, and the Winsor School. Jill's commitment to community innovation has earned her honors such as the Boston Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Bostonian Award and the Playworks Game Changer Award. Sam Kass was senior policy advisor for nutrition policy in the Obama Administration and is currently an investor in several food technology start-ups. One of Michelle Obama's longest-serving advisors, Sam was the executive director of her Let's Move initiative and helped create the first major vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt's Victory Garden. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and was trained by one of Austria's greatest chefs, Christian Domschitz. Kimbal Musk is the co-founder of The Kitchen, an American bistro with restaurant locations in Boulder, Denver, Chicago, and soon Austin. Now marking its twentieth anniversary, The Kitchen serves thoughtfully sourced, Seasonal American Shared Plates with global influences. Musk is also the co-founder of Big Green, a philanthropic organization devoted to getting every American growing food. His personal mission is to empower and invest in the next generation who are building a healthier, happier future. The Wall Street Journal has called him a "cheerful crusader for real food," and The Guardian has lauded how he “takes the tech entrepreneur ethos and applies it to food.” Musk has been named a Global Social Entrepreneur by the World Economic Forum. Musk currently sits on the board of Tesla Inc. and formerly served on the board of Chipotle Mexican Grill and SpaceX. This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN to save 15%. Full-length episodes can be found here:How To Improve School Lunches, Grades, And Behavior At No Extra Cost Why Pizza And Fries Can Be Claimed As Vegetables Through School Lunch Programs How To Fix Nutrition In Schools
The great importance of redesigning Tier 1 instruction that ensures deeper learning for all students. The research shows huge benefits to students and their teachers including higher achievement, closure of gaps among all reporting categories of students, increased attendance, lower misbehavior, and increased teacher satisfaction and retention.Michael was last on the podcast with me in 2022, talking about student agency.Is education about teaching or developingDeveloping humans is much different than teaching studentsDevice centric development - similar to addictionEpidemic of anxiety because of screen timeBrain matter loss around the areas of the brain necessary for deep learning and deep readingLegacy system (our current system) - Around controlSomething happened at the pandemicWe put kids on computers constantlyMaldevelopment in the brain - device parentingSchool's optional is the other thing we taught with our response to the pandemicWhen you're on a device, all the human side is not developing. Most connected society ever and the most lonely society ever Teachers have been underinvested in and have a curriculum and type that is difficult to engage kidsHow to develop character, empathy, and relationships among students and their peers. How to do this at scale. You can't intervene your way to successTraditional classrooms remove autonomyUnstructured groups creates unstructured learningAbility-grouping is the worstDiscussion protocols, team members, etc. Productive Struggle - is a key element that leads to learning moving forwardToolbox of strategies given to students How to get kids unstuck without giving the answerPower of shared background knowledge Easy to conflate teaching with learningThe Baseball ExperimentBabies build brain cells fast, but they don't make neural connectionsWhat gets exercised in a brain gets developedOne factor and one factor only changes neocortex: wealth of the family. Needs productive struggle to growRigor walk on Instructional EmpowermentJust above ability levelTime is an issue - how do you teach in this way in a slower pathKids also test better if they can critically think about the informationThe more you use AI the hippocampus shrinksHow to be a transformative principal? Look at who's doing the work: teacher or student?Library for deeper learningAbout Michael Toth: Michael D. Toth (LinkedIn, X) is founder and CEO of Instructional Empowerment and leads IE's Applied Research Center. He is also the author of the multi-award-winning book The Power of Student Teams with David Sousa; author of Who Moved My Standards; and co-author with Robert Marzano of The Essentials of a Standards-Driven Classroom, School Leadership for Results, and Teacher Evaluation that Makes a Difference. Michael is a keynote speaker at conferences and coaches and mentors superintendents on creating a bold instructional vision, designing and launching a high-functioning cabinet team, transforming Tier 1 core instruction, and leading systems-based school advancement. Throughout Michael's career, he has been privileged to collaborate with some of the top researchers and thinkers in education. His past key roles include CEO of Learning Sciences International (LSI), President of the National Center for the Profession of Teaching, and University Faculty Grant Director for research and development grants. LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
In today's episode, Sarah interviews Jodi Wellman, author of You Only Die Once: How to Make it to the End with No Regrets. This is Jodi's second visit to the podcast, and this conversation is all about the planning rituals that Jodi herself uses to ensure the (finite) life she is living has all of the elements that make it feel truly well-lived. They get into the weeds about her monthly vision boards, planning brunch dates, and how one might actually PLAN IN some spontaneity (yes, such a thing is possible!). This episode will help you get excited and inspired to gear up to plan 2026.Jodi can be found at her website https://fourthousandmondays.com and on instagram at @fourthousandmondays -- her (free) newsletter comes out each Mondy and is a wonderful way to start the week.Sarah also mentions Best Laid Plans at Home: Planning 2026 in this episode; details can be found at theshubox.com/courses Sponsor Notes: IXL: Make an impact on your child's learning, get IXL now. Best Laid Plans listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at https://www.ixl.com/plans Green Chef: Make this fall your healthiest yet with Green Chef. Visit greenchef.com/50bestlaid and use code 50BESTLAID to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. Mint Mobile: Ready to save on your wireless? Make the switch at mintmobile.com/BLP. PrepDish: Meal plans ready to go, in your inbox each week. You can try 2 weeks free at prepdish.com/plans! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jen Ludwig loves holiday planning -specifically, she loves planning around her traditions of Christmas. However, this episode is for you no matter what you love to celebrate at the end of the year! In today's episode, Jen shares her tips for creating a celebratory season that is filled with fun and not overwhelm. She also has some fantastic gift tips + hacks!Find Jen's book, Embracing Advent: Rediscovering Christmas in the Chaos (A Daily Devotional) on amazon, and more from jen at @jenludwigwrites on IG or substack. Sponsor Notes: IXL: Make an impact on your child's learning, get IXL now. Best Laid Plans listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at https://www.ixl.com/plans Green Chef: Make this fall your healthiest yet with Green Chef. Visit greenchef.com/50bestlaid and use code 50BESTLAID to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. Mint Mobile: Ready to save on your wireless? Make the switch at mintmobile.com/BLP. PrepDish: Meal plans ready to go, in your inbox each week. You can try 2 weeks free at prepdish.com/plans! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices