Podcasts about schooling

Episode Summary In this episode of Business Coaching Secrets, hosts Karl Bryan and Rode Dog deliver a rapid-fire masterclass on wealth building, real estate investing, the changing landscape of AI and jobs, business valuation, and proven sales tactics for coaches. They break down critical frameworks, rules, and scripts—from cold calling motivation to legacy planning—with actionable insights designed to help business coaches and entrepreneurs drive real results. The show wraps with a signature "moment of Zen" on living and making decisions intentionally, drawing on lessons from legendary thinkers and practical experience. Key Topics Covered AI, Innovation, and the Future of Work Karl and Rode Dog examine the disruption, job loss, and eventual job creation AI consistently brings, outlining optimism as the most productive mindset for navigating change. The bell curve of innovation leading from disruption and layoffs, to new, more lucrative opportunities, is thoroughly unpacked. The Five Pillars of Wealth The hosts break down the essentials: income, taxes, savings, investing, and legacy. Tactical advice includes the critical importance of learning sales, mastering tax strategy, automating savings, setting investing rules, and passing on wisdom over just assets. Taxes and Relocation Decisions Insightful discussion about the pros and cons of moving states (e.g., from California to Florida) solely for tax reasons. Emphasizes the importance of family, environment, and purpose when making major life moves, not just financial considerations. Real Estate Principles That Build Wealth Golden rules: have rules before you buy, buy land not condos, avoid over-leverage, and—most powerfully—hold for the long-term to let compounding work. Advice includes "buy the smallest house on the biggest lot closest to downtown" and why the money is in waiting, not timing. Education, Schooling, and Real-World Business Success Debate on how the traditional school system often overlooks entrepreneurial skillsets like collaboration, risk-taking, critical thinking, and networking. Discussion on homeschooling and why it can be great for some but isn't a universal answer. Why Most Small Businesses Don't Sell The three key reasons: lack of profitability, systemization, and an owner-dependent business model. How to make your business a true asset and maximize its valuation using the five variables: sustainability, predictability, growth, threats, and scalability. In-House Marketing vs. Agency Use Critical look at entrepreneurs wanting to bring marketing in-house vs. sticking with a profitable agency. Strong recommendation to double down on strengths and let proven partners do their best work. Cold Calling and Sales Motivation Motivation mindset: focus on offering value, not just "getting a client." Step-by-step scripts, research tactics, and an activity framework (25 outreach messages, 3 meaningful convos daily) to secure real results. Mastering Communication as a Coach The 20/80 rule: the top communicators listen 80% of the time and direct with questions. Framework of 6 open-ended conversation starters that transform prospecting and client engagement. Moment of Zen: Decision-Making and Legacy The power of making big decisions only from a positive, optimistic state. Writing your own obituary as an exercise to define principles and guide intentional living and business-building. Notable Quotes "Message me because you have something to offer me, something to give me, something that's critical I know about, something to tell me… You're not fearful of cold calling, you're fearful of being judged." "If you can't make a hard decision quickly, you will struggle to help others make a hard decision quickly." "The money is not in the buying, the money is not in the selling, but the money is in the waiting." "When you are in a negative state, you see problems. When you're in a positive state, you see solutions." "Begin with the end in mind…That is a mental model and a very good one and powerful one, frankly." Actionable Takeaways Embrace an Optimistic Mindset: Choose the mental frame that lets you see opportunity and solutions during change or disruption. Implement the Five Pillars: Master sales, study tax law, automate saving, invest only by clear rules, and focus on passing wisdom—not just assets. Don't Move for Money Alone: Factor in environment, family, and happiness before making tax-driven relocations. Invest for the Long Run: Buy assets with potential and hold—compounding and patient "waiting" are the greatest wealth creators. Make Your Business Sellable: Build profitability, systematize, and reduce owner reliance—so it's a true asset, not just a job. Double Down on What Works: If your agency is delivering, don't self-sabotage by bringing everything in-house just to "save money." Be a Proactive, Assertive Connector: Consistent outreach (25 messages, 3 real convos daily) and leading with value make client acquisition inevitable. Master the Art of Asking: Use open-ended questions and listen more than you speak to stand out as a trusted advisor. Live and Decide with Intention: Write your own obituary—a clarifying exercise to set your compass for leadership, life, and legacy. Resources Mentioned Profit Acceleration Software 2.0 by Karl Bryan Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen Covey) The "20/80" Communication Rule & Six-Question Framework Real Estate Rules (Rule of 72, buy and hold, "smallest house, biggest lot, nearest downtown") Virtual Business Coaching Mastery Networking: BNI, Chamber of Commerce Daily coaching strategies and resources at Focused.com Get your free subscription to The Six-Figure Coach Magazine: https://thesixfigurecoach.com/get-it If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, share with a fellow coach, and leave a review. See you next week on Business Coaching Secrets! Ready to elevate your coaching business? Don't wait! Listen to this episode now and make strides towards your goals. Visit Focused.com for more information on Profit Acceleration Software™ and join our community of thriving coaches. Get a demo at https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration

What is thrift schooling? What about homesteading? Join Ro as she talks to Heather Vogler, a thrift schooling homesteading mom with a heart for sharing her experiences and teaching others to thrive. Whether you're a seasoned homeschooler or just starting to explore, this discussion is packed with real-life insights, practical ideas, and encouragement. We talk about how to create a rich learning environment without breaking the bank and about how homesteading can become both a classroom and a calling. Plus, we tackle ways to build income streams, create flexible work options, and support your family. If you're passionate about homeschooling on a budget or learning to intentionally steward your resources, this episode will inspire and energize you. You can learn more about Heather Vogler, including tips and resources for thrift schooling, at her blog: https://www.thriftschooling.com/For more information about the CHAP Convention and to register, go to https://conv.chaponline.com/Ro's Resource Room is a series of informational podcasts designed to equip and encourage families on their homeschooling journeys. CHAP is the Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania and has provided year-round support to homeschoolers since 1994. Find valuable resources at https://www.chaponline.comGot PA Homeschool law questions? Check out https://www.homeschoolpennsylvania.org Contact us at https://www.chaponline.com/contact-us with your questions or topics for discussion.Don't miss out on the latest in PA homeschool news! Subscribe to our eNews at https://chaponline.com/subscribe-to-enews/Donate to support CHAP in the endeavor to encourage, connect, equip, and protect homeschoolers at https://chaponline.com/donate/

Staci Miller, founder of Gen UX Consulting, shares her winding path from fashion design and psychology to human factors engineering in MedTech. Staci explains what human factors is—through stories from World War II aviation and modern healthcare—and why the FDA now mandates usability work to reduce catastrophic use errors. She breaks down formative versus summative/validation studies, the role of risk documentation (URRA/UFMEA), and why founders should think about usability as early as they think about risk. Staci also opens up about the challenge of starting a second business after losing her first in 2008, how she built Gen UX from $0, and the leadership lessons behind year-over-year growth.   Guest links: https://www.genuxconsulting.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/gen-ux-consulting/  Charity supported: Feeding America Interested in being a guest on the show or have feedback to share? Email us at theleadingdifference@velentium.com.  PRODUCTION CREDITS Host & Editor: Lindsey Dinneen Producer: Velentium Medical   EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Episode 081 - Staci Miller [00:00:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Hi, I'm Lindsey and I'm talking with MedTech industry leaders on how they change lives for a better world. [00:00:09] Diane Bouis: The inventions and technologies are fascinating and so are the people who work with them. [00:00:15] Frank Jaskulke: There was a period of time where I realized, fundamentally, my job was to go hang out with really smart people that are saving lives and then do work that would help them save more lives. [00:00:28] Diane Bouis: I got into the business to save lives and it is incredibly motivating to work with people who are in that same business, saving or improving lives. [00:00:38] Duane Mancini: What better industry than where I get to wake up every day and just save people's lives. [00:00:42] Lindsey Dinneen: These are extraordinary people doing extraordinary work, and this is The Leading Difference. Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Leading Difference podcast. I'm your host, Lindsey, and today I'm delighted to welcome as my guest, Staci Miller. Staci is the founder at Gen UX Consulting. Her expertise is in applying user-focused research to develop innovative solutions, and it's essential to the growth of any technology organization. As a detail-oriented and tenacious executive in human factors engineering and UX design, she has a proven record of elevating the end user experience and achieving targeted client outcomes. She has created innovative medtech and big tech solutions through a comprehensive user-centered development process, leveraging artificial intelligence and industry agnostic design tools to optimize products and services. In her current role with Gen UX, she's a key leader facilitating strategic company growth plans and service offerings while managing the capacity and workflow of the UX HF design team. Well, Staci, welcome to the show. I'm so excited to talk with you today. [00:01:49] Staci Miller: Me too. I've been looking forward to it all week, so I'm very excited to be here. And I don't know what the day has in store. I, I know that there was like a, a, a kit that you sent out and I didn't read it on purpose, so everything's gonna be organic. [00:02:03] Lindsey Dinneen: Perfect. Those are my favorite conversations anyway, so I'll take it and run. Some people I know really love to have the questions ahead of time, and others are just like, "Yeah, I don't want to know. I'm just gonna go off the cuff. Here we go." So, brilliant. All right, well, let's start, if you don't mind, by sharing a little bit about yourself, your background, and what led you to medtech. [00:02:24] Staci Miller: That is, those are my favorite questions. So, I have a background in fashion design, psychology. I spent most of my classes in cognitive psych, but it wasn't like a difference of degree, it was just psychology. And then I have a master's degree in human factors and ergonomics. So I went the psychology route and the design route. That's kind of my background. So when I graduated my master's degree, through my master's program, I was able to intern for both years and one was in tech, big tech. I interviewed and landed a, great one year long internship at Samsung, which was actually supposed to be just three months, and I stayed there for a full year. So they kept me through my whole, my whole semester, which is something they don't normally do, which was really fun. I mostly just said, "Hey, can I stay here for the year?" And they're like, "Great, no problem. Sure. We'll figure it out like that seems like a good option. We like you, you like us. Cool. We'll do that." And my second internship was in medical device at a company called Interface and Analysis. My, that was actually my internship. My second one was at Samsung, so I got to really look in like I, I guess you got the curtain. If you think about Wonderland and Oz and the curtain and being able to pull back the curtain between both industries, what did I like better? I ended up liking medical better, mostly because the research was more structured and not necessarily conversations about, "Yeah, so how do you feel about that? Did you like it?" Like to me, that's not really. What I would consider the best opportunity to gain data. Data to me, like there has to be like a clear objective as to what you're doing, the whys behind it, and what do you wanna learn. And I found that in, when I worked with engineers in medtech, they definitely had things that they wanted to learn, whereas in tech, they just had so much money. They were like, "Yeah, let's just see what people think about this." And I'm. Okay. And then when I would be really structured and I was working with people who didn't have backgrounds in research, had very strong, very good backgrounds in design, like legitimately awesome, they were leading the research and they were missing the boat. So the narratives started to be focused on the N of one. This one person said this really interesting thing, so let's base our whole design off of what they said. And I'm like, "Dude, wait a second. Wait a second. All of them said this thing about the design though, and like we have four or five data points about when you ask this question." They're like, "Yeah, but that's not interesting." And I was like, "Okay, keep my mouth shut. I got it. Move on." Like from that moment forward, I, it wasn't like "Staci, don't talk, it was more like this is how we design based on the narratives that we've learned how to, how to research on." And so it wasn't as I would say-- it wasn't considering the actual 360 view of the user. It was considering the really cool thing that happened this one time that was like totally an outlier. And it happened consistently when I was working in big tech. So I was like, uh, medtech, probably more my speed. And then my first job was at Abbott. [00:05:39] Lindsey Dinneen: Nice. [00:05:40] Staci Miller: And I ended up there. Yeah, [00:05:41] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay, great. Well. [00:05:42] Staci Miller: Cool. [00:05:43] Lindsey Dinneen: Lots of questions based on this incredible background. I want to go back a little bit. So fashion design, was this something that you grew up thinking, "Oh, this is what I wanna do and be okay?" Right. All right, so... [00:05:57] Staci Miller: it's all I ever wanted and I did that. So... [00:06:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:06:02] Staci Miller: That's a, that's a great question. I think that my interest in fashion peaked around when I was 12 years old and during the time, Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, and I was so fascinated by how beautiful these women were. And, and fashion was a thing in the nineties. There was like a lot of Dolce and Gabana around, and I loved it. And I couldn't wait to get my new print of Vogue every, every season. I loved Harper's Bizarre, and I would just pull pictures out of these models and what they were wearing. And then I would start you know, freehanding stuff and things like that. And I think a lot of people do that when they're really interested in clothing and things like that. And if you really think about it, fashion is art that people wear. So I was very attracted to that part of it. And it's all I wanted to do. So after high school, I went to FIDM and studied fashion design. And right outta FIDM, I started my first company in fashion design, and I was a clothing manufacturer, and we had 500 open doors in the United States and in Canada, and I was hoping to expand, but unfortunately 2008 hit and they hit it hard and fast and I lost most of my managing capital in the year that I think was my tipping point. So it was the, the year that I finally got a lot of traction and had a lot of repeat business and a lot of new business as well. And a lot of those new businesses just refused orders. Just from the east coast to the west, and it was just tons of money out that wasn't gonna come in. So there was really no way to, make that work after that, like I lost literally all the money I had in my business in like the span of, I would say three, four weeks. It was just mortifyingly scary. But I was young and people who are young are resilient and they move on and they find a new dream. And it took me a minute, like I didn't really know what the french toast I was gonna do. And I was like, well, I was still planning on staying in fashion and long, short, I was offered a job to do and run production for a one, a different company. So make sure that their goods were produced on time. Deal with the, the timing of all the orders, making sure the product line. So it was basically operations for manufacturing. And I was super excited about the job and I moved back to my parents' house at the time because things were just that tight financially for me. My parents were like, "Yeah, just, you know, come back, we'll figure it out." And I remember saying to my mom and dad, I'm like, "If this job falls through, do you mind if I just go back to school and stay here?" And they both started to laugh at me like, "Your job is fine, but if the sure why, why not?" And they, they thought it was crazy. And then I ended up back in school. So, they were like, "Whoa, that was really insane," 'cause that was in the end of 2008, starting 2009. And so the company rescinded their offer and they were really like, so sad about it, but they went to a market to sell their clothes and they got zero orders that year or something like close to that. So it was just, it was just a really intense time in the fashion industry and I was looking for jobs and I wasn't getting anywhere. So I only had an AA, and at the time that really didn't matter, but I went back to school and I'm like, "If I'm going back to school this late in age, I'm getting a master's degree." I had no idea what I was gonna get a master's degree in. I was like. I like clothes and design. We'll figure it out from there like that. And I was like, "Well, maybe I'll be..." this is crazy. But I was thinking about being a lawyer, like a property law lawyer. So, because when you are a designer in clothing, people can just knock you off. And you've seen that happen like pretty much everywhere. And people can just take advantage of your intellectual property and never pay you for it if they change enough of it. And so I was like, "You know, this would be something I'd probably be good at." So I went back to school thinking I was gonna go into that type of law. I took psychology courses and I took philosophy courses. And philosophy courses really do lean you, get you thinking very specifically about law. That's what philosophy was basically geared towards anyways. And you take these psychology courses and they're about people and how people process information, how people behave based on their behavior and things like that. So I thought the combination would be really good. Well, I ended up not liking, I did like philosophy, but philosophy's "let's think about thinking about it." And psychology is-- which is great. It's great, but psychology is like more applicable when you're interacting with others. And I found it super fascinating. And then I got really into like cognitive psychology and I'm like, "What the french toast am I gonna do with this? I can't do anything with cognitive psychology. Like I need to make money. I'm a grownup. This isn't ah, I'm gonna study underwater basket weaving and come out and go work in communications at Fox." Like I had to have an actual plan. So in my college at the time, there were these classes and they were like introductory to what you can do with your degrees. And that's literally where I found human factors. And there weren't very many schools that did it, but I was taking most of my classes at that point in cognitive psychology, which is how people process information, not their feeling based stuff. Like I didn't wanna have conversations with people about their feelings. Get that off of me. Like that's not, that's not my jam. I'm like, "Sorry, you're sad, but I'm not sad and I don't wanna be sad, so I'm gonna keep, keep going." And I'm like, "How am I gonna work this into my, you know, I love design, I wanna keep that in my background, and how am I gonna, what am I gonna do?" And so the study of human factors really is the intersection of design and research, and how people interact with said products based on the design. And you get to research that. And I'm like, "Sold. Good. I'm, I can do this. This is like this, I didn't even know this thing existed." This is crazy good. And I never looked back. [00:11:49] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:11:50] Staci Miller: I got into a master's program the next year. I, and because I was in that specific program in San Jose State, that's why it was so easy for me to work for Samsung because it was in my backyard. And that's why it was easy for me to work for Interface Analysis because Tony was the owner of that company. Tony, he was my professor. So he just was like hiring people and I, I answered his response and I was like, "Hey, I, I'm looking for something." Do you like, he didn't say it was his company. He said, "I have a friend looking" and I'm, you know, like when I know I need to make some money, I'm gonna try to hustle up and make some money. So I'm like, "Hey, I'm open to that." He's like, "Why don't you come by my office and we'll talk?" And I was like, "That's weird." He said It was for some other, I'm like, "Sure, no problem." So I go to his office and he offered me an internship right then and there 'cause it was for me. "I just wanted to see who would respond," 'cause you are the only person that responded. I'm like, "Guess you're gonna hire me then." [00:12:37] Lindsey Dinneen: Amazing. All right. That's great. Thank you so much for that background. And it is so interesting how sometimes our paths are very, very windy to get to where we end up being and we Yeah, exactly. What, what ends up being a really good fit. But, so can you explain a little bit more about human factors, especially, maybe to help folks who have maybe some misconceptions or don't fully understand what it is just in general, but then also relate it specifically to medtech and why it's so important within the medtech industry? [00:13:11] Staci Miller: I can give you a story that probably would do both. So human factors was, was actually founded pretty recently in our timeline of psychology and understanding people. In World War II, there were a whole bunch of fighter pilots ejecting themselves from planes that caused, even in World War II, millions of dollars to produce and nobody could figure out what the problem was. They checked the planes. The planes were operating correctly. They did psychology, like psychological backgrounds on the people who are fighter pilots. I mean, they have to, to get into the military and to fly those planes, you have to be pretty good under pressure. They interviewed them, they were fine. They didn't have any breakdown of stress, and it wasn't happening on a small scale. This was happening on quite a large scale. So they, again, they went, they're like, "Okay, okay." Well, the military went back and " Well, it has to be the plane." So they looked through the plane, wasn't the plane, talk to the people, wasn't the people. So then the psychologist started to ask questions. They're like, "Well, if you're saying that it's not the person's emotional state and you're saying it's not the plane, well then what happened? Something had to happen. Something changed. What changed?" It turned out that the engineers had moved the throttle button with the ejection button in the planes. [00:14:31] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh. [00:14:31] Staci Miller: So the pilots were originally trained to hit the throttle button on the certain side that the throttle button was in the cockpit. So instead of hitting the throttle, because that was their original training, they hit the ejection button. So they ejected themselves out of the planes, which is why human factors was born. Those little changes that people don't understand about human beings. So when we learn something for the first time, because like even if you think about being a kid or being a baby, or learning a really tough lesson, right? You remember that lesson. And so what happens is that's your default setting. "This is the lesson I've learned. This is how I react." Now for that lesson, it doesn't matter if it's like an emotional exchange or if it's a physical one. So because they were taught where the, the pilots were taught specifically where the throttle was in the first place when they were under attack and they were in a high cognitive loaded space, they went back to their original training. [00:15:30] Lindsey Dinneen: Mm-hmm. [00:15:32] Staci Miller: And then the engineers were like, "Well, we told them. We told them." So, so, because they didn't wanna take the blame, right? Nobody wanted to take the blame ruining millions of dollars of planes. So this same type of thing happens in the medical industry. I mean, you can see it pretty easily, right? So you're trained on System X. There's an update, a 510K release to it. The system works differently. Errors are made, people are hurt. [00:15:57] Lindsey Dinneen: Mm-hmm. [00:15:58] Staci Miller: That's how it translates to medical. So aviation was a really big part of human factors and it still is to this day. Like NASA used to hire quite a few of my classmates. And I know that Boeing and a lot of those other, even BMW hire people that do what I do for a living and test the responses during drive time. And if you think about it, if you look at a Tesla versus a BMW, those are very different driving experiences. Like I had to relearn how to drive a Tesla, right? And like it has a one pedal situation. So now when I get into regular cars, I'm like, "Wait, what? What am I doing? What? What kind of car is this? Like how do I drive this thing again?" I know that sounds silly, but it, it's true 'cause you kind of just get used to the thing that you have. And that's exactly why human factors is prevalent in medical device or in aviation or in, you know, like any kind of like navigation systems. The reason the FDA mandated it is because a lot of products were coming to market and there was a very large influx of critical catastrophic errors in hospitals. People were suffering consequences of bad interfaces or lack of instructions on products. I know that there were a lot of intravenous medications given that weren't supposed to be IV medications in like in certain-- yes, you're supposed to inject it, but not. Intravenously and those charged caused people to perish. So that's when the FDA stepped in and said, "Okay, we were asking you as a favor to do these usability studies, but now officially they're part of your risk requirements and they're part of your requirements to get to market." And I think that happened about the time I graduated grad school, around that time. So about 15, 16 years ago. [00:17:50] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay. Yeah. Well that's a fascinating story, and I'm sorry that that is the impetus for the results that we have today, but also how incredible that that is something that's being prioritized and mandated now. And I'm wondering too, when a startup company is developing their technology, how soon should they be thinking about human factors, usability, UX/UI. [00:18:17] Staci Miller: As fast as they're thinking about risk. if you're already thinking about risk at phase zero, that's when you should be thinking about usability and UI and interactions based on user processes, because that's when this kind of conversation really needs to start with regulatory, with your team, with the engineers. So even if you don't have a human factors engineer on staff, like you can find a company that can give you like some fractional support, just, you know, to talk to and to understand what their, what, what their responsibilities are, and what their requirements are to get to market. I have found that a lot of founders don't think that it's a requirement. And I, and I'm really not sure why, but that's been happening a lot lately. [00:18:59] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. So because it's a requirement, because you should be thinking about it from the get go, what are some things that you've seen work really well in terms of, putting together this kind of this testing and whatnot versus things that might seem like they could work. Like perhaps somebody feels that they could maybe do some of this testing themselves. You know, just, just things that maybe people who aren't really familiar with all the regulations would perhaps do, and that could cause problems down the road. [00:19:32] Staci Miller: So there's a, these are all really great questions and let's, let's unpack the idea of research, right? So some people think that research is finding out if somebody is happy about a product and would use it, like product market fit, right? Some people do marketing for that, and I can, that's the type of research that is not technically human factors, but it is something that Gen UX can do, right? So it's just research. I, I call it like insert white meat or insert protein. We can do the research, right? So when it comes down to it, there's, I would say that research is split into two buckets, which is UX/UI, which is very popular and people understand that, which is a formative in the FDA guidance and then validation slash summative. So the validation studies are very clean cut. So I'll explain those first. And they are to validate that the user can use the system in its environments safely. So the alpha for that is the user is successful at using this product and the uses, uses and use environments correctly and safely. And this is all based on your risk documentation from your URRA or your UFMEA. Some people use ADFMEA, which is based on design, and I suggest that they don't use that because that focuses more on the system than it does on the user. And the FDA has really cracked down on that. So if you are a founder and you think you can get just one system, ADFMEA, you are probably already starting off on the wrong foot. Make sure you have your own usability. Because human factors work really focuses on two things in the medical industry. One, it focuses on helping develop the device while breaking down risks. So if you have mitigations and your system's designed a certain way to avoid a risk, that's very important, and that's really also usability testing. And I can explain this in two ways. I've worked at Meta, I've worked at Samsung, I've worked at a lot of different big tech companies, and I've worked at a lot of medtech companies. So I think that people think that human factors is different than user research, and they're right. Human factors is much harder than user research. And you really actually need a background in research methods and an understanding of how the application of research works. Formatives can be used for two reasons. One, to support the need of the product in use and to check how people are actually using the system in real life. So sometimes people are really good at thinking-- so engineers are amazing at building systems, right? I can't do what they can do. I'm not gonna pretend like I can. What I can do is help them build it for their end user, because a lot of the times engineers think very differently than the average human being. They're much more educated. Schooling for engineering is extremely difficult. A lot of it's mathematical computations, understanding actual physical properties of things in their environments and how that they work, right? So those are the things that engineers think about all day long. That's fine. I think about the user all day long. So you can create a system that an engineer thinks that is fine, but then the user is " I don't really know how to use this. What are you talking about?" Right? And so that's what user research informatives avoid. They avoid, they break down risk and they are able to help form the product. So those, those user research studies, like before, let's say phase zero to phase four in a market cycle, if phase five is market release, are for those things. And then as you get later in the cycle, you wanna do more rigid research, that's really breaking down the risk and really focusing on the user interactions within the system and med device. And making sure that they're assessing the risk based on your user, but they're very specific to the user interactions that are critical tasks and higher. Or things that lead up to the critical test and come away. So like you have to be able to do the steps before, do the thing that's really hard to do, that could hurt somebody and then make sure coming away from them you don't cause any harm either. That's the best way to look at these types of tests. And we do the exact same thing in validation for systems. So, in software you test to see if the software can do the thing that it's supposed to do. When you check that box, the software does the thing and it did it, and we're good to go. You do the same thing with mechanical engineering. The system has this, this range of motion here and this range of motion here, and it doesn't deviate from plus X to plus Y and therefore the system does what it's supposed to say. So you're verifying and validating that the system does what the system is planned to do. It's really no different in users, it's just that you're dealing with human beings and it's not, it doesn't work the same way, right? Because like people are variables no matter what. And that was really long worded. So there's like tons of different research to do, but if you don't do your summative and you don't do your risk documentation, you're not getting to, you're not gonna get to market approval. Just, there's no way. [00:24:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, that is incredibly helpful insight. And you know, so I wanna go back to, you had this company before, right? So you had already built a business and it was thriving, and then unfortunately life intervened a little bit. When you went to start Gen UX, did you have moments... [00:24:57] Staci Miller: Of PTSD? [00:24:58] Lindsey Dinneen: Of, yeah. [00:25:01] Staci Miller: Yes. [00:25:01] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:25:02] Staci Miller: Yeah. I had major PTSD. Like I, so the concept of Gen UX was a play on words like, so I'm a Gen Xer, no biggie, but like I think that every Gen Xers, millennials, I feel like both of our generations very much identify with our generation. And I thought it would be kind of a fun play on words to identify to people that are also Gen Xers that, yeah, we do UX work and we're Gen UX, as a Generation X, like it was very important, right? So I kind of came up with that idea, thought it was cute. But at the time I was working for Meta, and Meta had been doing quite a bit of layoffs at the time. Nothing wrong with that, that happens with every company. But I have survived in Medtronic and Abbott and all these other companies. I had survived so many rounds of layoffs. I'm like, "One day my number is gonna be, it's just, it's just gonna happen." So, we started at Meta internally, really like they, they were very open and honest with people. They're like, "This is when this is gonna happen. We are gonna lay off more people. This is when this round is gonna happen. We're gonna lay off more people, and then this is the final round and this is when we're gonna lay off these people." So each of our groups of things like, so it was like engineers, lawyers, researchers. Like we, we had timelines that we knew if, if it was gonna happen, this is when it was gonna happen, this would be the day. [00:26:17] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:26:17] Staci Miller: So I started to really think about what that meant, and I'm like, "Okay, well I'm not gonna start looking for jobs right away because I want my severance package." I definitely wanted that 'cause I, and then I wanted a break if I could have it. So I was like, okay. I, in between working at I was working at EDA as a contractor and that was super fun. Like I had my own time kind of, and I enjoyed the work and I got put on other projects whenever they needed me. And it was like, but I was constantly on a project, so I'm like, "I, maybe I'll go into doing IC work by myself" and I'm like, "No, I can't make enough. If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna build something." And then I'm like, well, I started to talk to my friends every single one of my friends, including Interface Analysis' owner, Tony Andre was like, "Start your own business, Staci. Start your own consulting firm, just do it. Don't even look back. Just do it. People will end up coming to you because you know how to do this." He's like, he's it's, "You know, the first years they are what they are and everybody knows what that looks like. It's, it's rough. You have, it's like a mental game. You're like, I am gonna do this. And you just have to be consistent and can continue down your path. And more and more people will show up." And that's been true every year. But that's how GenX was started. And yes, there was this whole trepidation about, "Am I gonna make it? Am I gonna make it through this?" And I was like, "You know what, Stac, you're starting in a recession in your, in your industry. If you can get it done, if you can get two years in and be successful, you're fine." I'm in year three. [00:27:50] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah! [00:27:51] Staci Miller: Yeah, I mean, year three, woohoo. And we're increasing 50% year over year in year three, and I started it with $0. So, and I'm not, I'm not saying like a hundred to 50, like $50 to a hundred, we're, we're talking a couple hundred thousand dollars here, a couple hundred thousand there. But it's modest and I do expect that growth, and I do expect that to continue. And the other thing I think about is becoming very malleable in, in your spaces, like what's working for you and what doesn't work for you. But I feel like that's kind of off topic from what you asked. But yeah, I had PTSD gave myself at least two years and I'm like, "I can do anything for two years. If it doesn't work out, you know, like I have everything that I have and I can go back into corporate if I need to." And I really, I really was tripping, like just to be nineties about it, I was tripping. Like I was really like, "You know, I don't know." And my husband was like. He was my biggest cheerleader. He was like, "You've gotta do this. He's you're gonna, you're gonna be able to do this. You have something that I don't have. You're really great at networking people like you." I'm like, "Do they really like what?" And he's, " No, people like being around you. You make friends easy and people really do enjoy being around you and they like know that you're smart and you're gonna be able to do this." So, that's how this all started. And yes, I was really freaked out when I first started, but every day when I had bad days, I'm like, "Everything always works itself out." [00:29:14] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:29:14] Staci Miller: "Have you ever not been in a situation where everything works itself out?" "No. No." So I'm like, "Well, if I, if it doesn't, I'll get a new dream, but I don't-- once you hit this, this year, like year three and you know you're still growing, you don't have to get a new dream, you just keep going and you're like, this dream is happening. I'm gonna keep it going." [00:29:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. What was it like building a team? Did you start off as a one-woman show, or did you have support at the beginning? How did that work? [00:29:43] Staci Miller: So at first, actually my designer's father was working with me and he called me out of the blue and he's " Hey. I have this client, she doesn't have any human factors person working with her, but I know that she needs it and do you wanna talk to her? I know you're not working at Meta," because I put on my, oh. LinkedIn profile Open to Work. So he called me like within two days, like seriously, like people started to call me and that was when I was already like, "I'm gonna do my own thing. I'm just gonna do my own thing." So the universe just brought me a gift, right? And I met this first client and I started to work with her, and at first everything was super cool. The first year it was great, and I really liked working with her, but she also needed a couple of other things. She needed an IFU and she needed design quality assurance. I'm like, "Check, check. I can get both those things done." So I called my friend Maria, "Hey, do you wanna work with me? She's " Hey. Yeah, totally." Because we had already worked together and we knew each other pretty well. So it wasn't like it was difficult to make that connection. And, and she knows my personality. I know her personality, and I know we both work extremely hard and we have that in common. So I wasn't, never, would I be worried about Maria. And then I found I wasn't, I didn't even have a designer yet on staff. And I found someone who used to do instructions for use for a different company I worked for. I called him like, "Hey, can you do this?" He's " Yeah, yeah." So I got all that done for this other client. I'm like, "I can do this. I can do this. I can, I can find people." I know so many intelligent people who love what they do and have a fire for it every day. And then the evolution started to happen. And then I asked someone to work with me to do sales, and then they said, "Yes." And then we started to pitch people that I was friends with and knew, and sometimes they said yes, and sometimes they said no. I think the first year, I think I pitched over like $4 million in business and I got 20,000. No, I got, I got 80,000, something like that. Something, something small and I'm like, "Why am I pitching so much? This is like taking so much time outta my day," that I found someone to work with me. His name was Adam and I still actually work with Adam and he, but he's a big picture guy and he started to work with me a little bit and help me like navigate through some things. Even to this day, we talk and he's not fully, fully, fully on onboarded, but if, if some. Of the clients that he lands do come on board, he will be back on board and he will be working with me again. And then I had a salesperson this last year and I realized just I needed more of a hunter-gatherer. So like we're just going in a different direction, right? So I had that, and then last year my goal was to bring my designer Maddie on full-time. And I was able to do that too. So everything that I've kind of just said, "I'm gonna do this this year, I've been able to do this year." And I'm not taking this lightly. Like I have a board of directors, which are people who are, have different perspectives on finance because that's my weakest link, I would say. A professor at UCLA, his name's Sean Pat, also a good friend of mine. He's on my board. And my brother-in-law and my nephew, who is new in his life and on his journey, is on my board as well, and I kind of wanted him on my board so he can see what it looks like to be an entrepreneur and see what growth looks like year over year because he is already working for companies. He's, he's like 25, I think, and he's already being groomed to be in upper management. He's got upper management written all over him as like the, as like people would say in like cute little circles. And then my my brother-in-law, he is one of the CFOs at Mayo Clinic, so these are people who have some in medical, some in finance, some in finance, in medical, just helping me like grow. I throw things past them and they help, you know, make decisions for the year. And they tell me like, they give me feedback and, and work through things that I'm doing and what they think is right, what they don't think is right. And sometimes I listen, sometimes I don't. You know, like... [00:33:28] Lindsey Dinneen: Well, yeah. [00:33:29] Staci Miller: Just really depends like where I'm at and what I wanna do and where we wanna grow. [00:33:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Excellent. Okay. So I'm curious, especially within medtech specifically, are there moments that really stand out to you as just affirming, "Oh my goodness, I am in the right place at the right time." [00:33:49] Staci Miller: Things keep happening, so, every time I speak, like I, I spoke at Project Medtech, people bombarded me. They're like, "We wanna work with you. We wanna work with you. We should talk, we should talk." Anytime I go to a symposium I walk away with two or three leads. People coming up to me, "Oh, do you do this thing? We should really talk. We should really talk." So, just being in the situation like that kind of tells me that I'm in the right direction. And the other thing is we're growing year over year. If you take a 10,000 foot view of where I was year one versus year three now, very, very different. Extremely different. And like I said, I do have, I do have other consultants that work with me. I don't want you to think it's just like a two person shop. It's not, there's other consultants that work with me but they're as needed. They're not full employees, which I think is really helpful in a situation like this. If you're a founder starting up from scratch and you're not, you don't have, I'm not trying to get angel investors. I'm not trying to get people to push money into my company. I am building it literally from zero to whatever it is that I make. And so that, that's a, what I would call like a slow burn of, you have to build your foundation, you have to manage to the capital that you do have, and then you, then you go to the next level and you do the same thing and then you do the same thing. And there's a lot of consistency with the business now, and I see a lot of people targeting me for that consistency. And as, as we are growing, like people are engaging with us on a different level, which is exciting to see. That's always exciting. [00:35:20] Lindsey Dinneen: Yes. [00:35:20] Staci Miller: That's kind of how I know. Yeah. [00:35:23] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. Awesome. Okay, so pivoting the conversation a little bit just for fun. [00:35:28] Staci Miller: Cool. [00:35:30] Lindsey Dinneen: Imagine that you were to be offered a million dollars to teach a masterclass on anything you want. Could be within your industry, but it doesn't have to be. What would you choose to teach? [00:35:40] Staci Miller: That's a great question. I love, I think it's very important when you do what you do for a living to have something that isn't that for yourself. So I, there's very specific ways as to how I unwind at the end of the day. One of those things is cooking. I would totally do a masterclass in being a home chef. Like I'm, I'm not even a chef like that. I've never gone to culinary school, but I absolutely, I make my own breads. I make chutney sometimes when, when I want some. I would do a masterclass on-- I'm not Gordon Ramsey. I'm not Thomas Keller. Here's what it looks like to be a home cook. And here's the, the five things that you actually need. And this is what you should learn how to make first. Like I remember the first time I was trying to make pasta or something, I boiled the water to death. There was no water left in the pond. Like I didn't even know what I was doing. I, maybe I walked away from it, I don't know, but I destroyed the pot. My mom's " What were you doing?" I was like, "Making pasta." And she's " What, what, what happened? You ruined the pot." I'm like, "I'm not, I just did it wrong." So I would probably do a masterclass in how to just take that first step learning how to make your own food, right? And talk about food 'cause I like food. There you go. That's what I would do. [00:36:52] Lindsey Dinneen: Love it. I love food and I love talking about it. So, that sounds like a great class. [00:36:58] Staci Miller: I would do, I would totally do it. [00:36:59] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay, and then how do you wish to be remembered after you leave this world? [00:37:07] Staci Miller: This might be dating me, but Roy Orbison who wrote the song, "Pretty Woman" that was also in the movie, "Pretty Woman" wrote that he "just wanted to be remembered." And I thought that was really interesting. And I think that everybody knows that song knows that it's the guy like, I don't know if you know like the artist, but I think even to this day, that song, generationally, people know that song. I don't know how I wanna be remembered, but this is how I wanna impact the world. So it's kind of like that, but kind of not. I believe that knowledge transfer is the most powerful thing that we have amongst generations. And I want the next generation to be better than me, which is probably, in my opinion, I'm kind of kind of strict about this, probably a tall order, 'cause I'm like very picky. But, I have mentored and, and taught people my craft, and I want them to be better than me so they can mentor people and be better at this craft. So if I leave one mark on this world, it's that I have taught somebody what I know how to do and I expect them to do it better than me. And I don't mentor just anybody. So if I'm mentoring you is, and I'm putting all this energy into you, you better, you better bring it. And the people that I have worked with and have mentored are doing extremely well in their careers, and that's, that's kind of a thing that I like about, like what we do and how I do it. So I don't know if I would be specifically remembered for that, but I do know that it would move our industry forward and that makes me happy. [00:38:39] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. That's a beautiful legacy. All right, and then final question. What is one I know, what is one thing that makes you smile every time you see or think about it? [00:38:52] Staci Miller: When I see what I'm building or, or how I'm building it in the future and I really go deep within my, my consciousness about this is what I'm gonna do next. This is how I'm gonna do it. This is what makes me feel really alive. I get so excited. I get like goosebumps. I start smiling. I, I'm a big-- I don't know if you do this, Lindsey, but I do this-- I kind of dance around a little bit. Like I dance when I'm making food, I dance and most people dunno that about me. But I, but my closest friends I remember I was working with this one guy and he looks at me, he's " Do you ever stop dancing?" I'm like, "Nope. Nope, Nope. Gotta dance." So all that stuff like starts to happen. And I just get really excited about the things that I'm trying to build, what I'm trying to master in my own world, what I'm trying to create. And that's what gives me like so much excitement. And then a number two would be my cats, because they're ridiculous and I love them and they give me so much love and they make me smile all the time too. [00:39:52] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh yes, those are great answers. I love that so much. It is exciting to see. Dreams come true. I can totally understand that answer of getting the, the excitement, the tingles, and then yeah, I, yeah, I, I obviously relate to dancing around all the time, and especially like celebratory dances. They're, my celebratory dances are the goofiest, most ridiculous things you've ever seen, but I'm happy! So. [00:40:20] Staci Miller: As long as you're happy, that's all that really matters, right? Like that vibe that you're putting out there and the happiness and the giddiness, like the things that I'm building in my mind, like they haven't happened yet, but I'm dancing like they have, you know, because I hope that they do. Like there you go. And I think that's important. I love it. [00:40:35] Lindsey Dinneen: True embodiment of the vision. I love it. Well, well, Staci, this has been a great conversation. Thank you so much for your insights and your stories, and we are so honored to be making a donation on your behalf today to Feeding America, which works to end hunger in the United States by partnering with food banks, food pantries, and local food programs to bring food to people facing hunger, and also they advocate for policies that create long term solutions to hunger. So thank you so much for choosing that charity to support. And gosh, I just wish you the most continued success as you work to change lives for a better world. [00:41:15] Staci Miller: Thank you, thank you. It was so much fun being with you today. I appreciate this and it was so much fun to talk about. And yeah, I can't wait to see you in the next couple weeks too. So we'll see each other soon. [00:41:26] Lindsey Dinneen: Yay! Sounds good. Well, thanks again and have the best rest of your day. [00:41:32] Dan Purvis: The Leading Difference is brought to you by Velentium Medical. Velentium Medical is a full service CDMO, serving medtech clients worldwide to securely design, manufacture, and test class two and class three medical devices. Velentium Medical's four units include research and development-- pairing electronic and mechanical design, embedded firmware, mobile app development, and cloud systems with the human factor studies and systems engineering necessary to streamline medical device regulatory approval; contract manufacturing-- building medical products at the prototype, clinical, and commercial levels in the US, as well as in low cost regions in 1345 certified and FDA registered Class VII clean rooms; cybersecurity-- generating the 12 cybersecurity design artifacts required for FDA submission; and automated test systems, assuring that every device produced is exactly the same as the device that was approved. Visit VelentiumMedical.com to explore how we can work together to change lives for a better world.

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This week President Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have said negotiations with Iran are going well and suggested a deal could be days away. Iran has disputed this.Donald Trump says he wants “a great deal for all or no deal at all” but leaked details of a possible plan have some wondering if one side might be coming out on top.We speak to the BBC's International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, and ask if this might be the week Donald Trump loses the art of the deal – and the perhaps the whole war – with Iran.CREDITSProducers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy PawleDigital Producer: Matt PintusExecutive producer: James ShieldStudio Director: James PiperSound engineer: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: An Iranian woman walks next to an anti-US mural in Tehran, Iran. (Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock)

Joining Mark Taylor as part of this series with Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE is Rebecca Durose-Croft a Managing Director with over 20 years' experience in educational publishing and the evolving world of edtech.Rebecca has built a reputation for bringing together editorial expertise, strategic thinking and a deep understanding of how learners engage with content - leading teams to create high-quality publications and programmes that truly make a difference.With a strong commitment to inclusion and accessibility, and a track record of working closely with educators, policymakers and partners across the sector, Rebecca is a thoughtful and influential voice in how education continues to adapt and innovate.Takeaways:We discusses the evolving nature of educational content and its impact on schooling.Rebecca Durose-Croft emphasizes the importance of tailoring educational material to individual learners' needs.National curriculum reforms prompt a reevaluation of educational practices and content delivery methods.The conversation highlights the necessity of incorporating real-world applications into learning experiences.Technology plays a crucial role in modern education, but it must be integrated thoughtfully to enhance learning.Collaboration between educators and content creators is essential for producing effective educational resources.Chapters:00:15 - Introducing Rebecca Durose-Croft01:58 - Exploring New Educational Curriculums16:16 - The Importance of Context in Language Learning23:27 - The Role of Technology in Modern Education31:20 - The Evolution of Educational Technology45:06 - The Role of Educators in Curriculum Development51:49 - The Importance of Trusting Teachers in Educationhttps://www.besa.org.uk/https://www.gergraus.comGet the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education

Louise Pickering meets with Vivienne Porritt OBE to discuss: The concept of masculinity The impact of social media on boys and men The research/evidence behind the concerns How misogyny and sexism manifest in schools How schools can design effective systems and establish a healthy culture that safeguards girls and women

Click Here to learn how you can support High Tree's Primary » HOW TO HELP Marj Hartmann isn't anti-mainstream schooling. She thrived in it herself. But when she couldn't find an education option that honoured her son's natural curiosity and innate love of learning… she decided to build one. That was over two years ago. Since then, she's received federal government approval, state government approval, and majority community support for High Trees Primary, a revolutionary nature based school on the Gold Coast however the local council continues to knock back and refuse the entire project. In this episode, we dive deep into what's fragmented in traditional schooling, what a whole child approach looks like in practice, and what nature-based education actually offers children. It's a conversation about whether we're willing to evolve education beyond the outdated industrial-era model that prioritises compliance over curiosity and, it's about the cost of being a visionary in a system designed to maintain the status quo. This is the High Trees story and if you're a parent, you need to hear it. You'll learn: - The neuroscience of why stressed brains cannot learn - What nature-based, whole child education actually looks like - Why connection is always the answer when children are struggling - The correlation between early childhood intervention and our youth mental health crisis - How to support your child's big feelings when mainstream schooling isn't working - How $2 million has been spent on this project since 2022, with nothing to show for it (yet!) - The real reason council keeps rejecting this project - Why the power of the positive needs to be louder than the minority of negativity If you're a parent questioning whether there's a better way… this episode will give you hope, clarity, and a vision for what's possible. If this resonates with you, share this episode. Let people know what's happening. Be part of the movement for change. Click Here to learn how you can support High Tree's Primary » HOW TO HELP (https://www.hightreesprimary.com.au/how-to-help) - High Trees Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hightreesprimary.au/ - High Trees Website: https://www.hightreesprimary.com.au ——————

For many families of disabled and medically complex children, school is rarely a simple decision. It's a constant balancing act between medical needs, safety, transportation, therapies, staffing, inclusion, and what your child can realistically access.In this episode, Alyssa is joined by Rachel, a special education professional and fellow disability parent, to talk about the realities of navigating school options for medically complex kids. The types of schooling options available, the differences between these options, support shortages, IEPs, inclusion, and the emotional toll of having to constantly fight for the support your child is legally entitled to.If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to figure out the “right” educational setting for your child, this episode is here to offer you some hope and clarity!Links:Fill out our contact form to joinupcoming discussion groups!Join The Rare Life newsletter andnever miss an update!Listen to Ep. 222: Intellectual Disabilities!Follow us on Instagram @the_rare_life!Donate to the podcast or Contactme about sponsoring an episode.

Most people accept death as the ultimate loss—Ben Sasse embraces it with humor, hope, and a profound faith that changes how we see life, death, and education. In this deeply personal yet inspiring episode, one of America's most eloquent voices shares how a terminal diagnosis sharpened his moral clarity and deepened his understanding of what truly matters.Ben Sasse, a former senator, university president, and thoughtful advocate for classical Christian education, opens up about confronting mortality with a rare combination of honesty, humor, and faith. He recounts the moments that have shaped his view on life's purpose, from reading old books at Oxford to serving in the U.S. Senate. You'll discover how his fight with cancer has transformed his approach to education—focusing on cultivating virtue, love, and friendship rather than mere career success.Also joining Ben Sasse and Jeremy Tate in the conversation is Keith Nix, who has served as the Head of School at Veritas School in Richmond, VA, since 2010.We break down:The importance of reading the Great Books to gain perspective beyond our momentHow classical Christian education aims to reorder our affections and nurture true friendshipThe vital role of intergenerational engagement in building resilient communitiesThe radical significance of the Sabbath in cultivating gratitude and humilityBen shares moving stories about friendship, faith, and the hope that sustains him through suffering. His candid reflections on mortality challenge us to make what time we have count—by loving our neighbor, pursuing truth, and living with eternal hope.This episode is perfect for educators, parents, and anyone wrestling with life's biggest questions—especially in a culture fixated on outcomes and success. If you believe education is about forming humans who love goodness and beauty, you won't want to miss this powerful conversation.00:00 Intro 01:08 A Vision for Education  03:11 Oxford & the Power of Small Seminars  06:37 Friendship and the Good Life  08:57 Family, Education, and Moving for Values  13:15 From Public School to Classical Christian Education  16:19 The Art of Rhetoric & Great Speakers  20:12 Influences of Great Orators  23:14 A Father's Discipline & Coaching  24:42 Challenges in Classical Christian Education  25:57 Core Values & Future of the Tradition  28:39 The Telos Debate (How Do You Say It?)  34:37 Education Beyond Job Training  35:30 Rethinking the Factory Model of Schooling  37:45 Family & Intergenerational Life  38:21 Friendship, Community, and Education  40:00 Social Media & Peer Segregation  42:10 Hands-On & Artistic Learning  45:10 Maturation, Responsibility, and Service  46:18 Over-Consumption & the Search for Purpose  47:18 Music, Math, and the Language of Heaven  48:48 Seminar-Based Learning  49:25 Facing Death & Living Well  49:54 Suffering, Resurrection, and Hope  50:39 Faith in the Face of Illness  53:45 Shared Loves & Deep Friendship  55:29 Community Across Generations  56:10 Humor, Death, and the Christian Life  57:09 The Hope of Final Victory  58:10 Beauty, Identity, and Creation  59:41 Gratitude, Legacy, and a Life Well Lived  01:00:11 Final Reflections & Memorable Friendship

We're talking about how Oregon schools rank very low when it comes to hours of instruction time, what you need to know about the primary election and why it's important, and which summer music festivals should be on your radar. Joining City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza are KBOO news director Althea Billings and Portland Mercury music editor Nolan Parker. Discussed in today's episode: Enormous variation in school instructional time for Oregon students, according to new data tool [OPB] More than 1 million Oregonians won't get to vote in hot May primary races. Here's how you can [OPB] Breaking: Portland Mercury to Host “Party of the Year” May 14 [Portland Mercury] It's our spring membership drive! Get more from City Cast Portland when you become a City Cast Portland Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/portland. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 28th episode: League of Women's Voters Visit Central Oregon

S8 E2: Character Development w/Dr. Scott Seider and Dr. Shelby ClarkIn this episode, Gerald and Alexis spoke with Dr. Scott Seider and Dr. Shelby Clark on the topic of developing character, with a context of how to develop character within schools. We dive into the key insights and lessons from their research on the topic, found in their new book: Character Compass, Second Edition: Four Directions for Building Powerful School Culture and Student Success.In this episode we dive into some insightful discussions around how we can understand character development and how we support and expand these values to young people or within a community. Summary:How are character traits defined?How do schools prioritize certain character traits?How are character traits developed in schools?How do we engage young people in conversations about character?Scott Seider is an applied developmental psychologist studying how parents and educators support young people's identity and civic development. A professor at Boston College and former Boston Public Schools teacher, he is the author of several books, including Educating for Justice (2025) and Schooling for Critical Consciousness (2020).Shelby Clark, Ph.D. (she/her) is a Principal Investigator at Project Zero and Project Director with The Good Project. Her research focuses on developing intellectual, moral, and civic character in young people—especially curiosity, open-mindedness, and social responsibility. She holds a Ph.D. from Boston University and previously worked as a school counselor in St. Paul, MN.The ReidConnect-Ed Podcast is hosted by @AlexisAnnReid and Dr. Gerald Reid, produced by @CyberSoundRecordingStudios, and original music is written and recorded by Gerald Reid (www.Jerapy.com) @MusicJerapy.*Please note that different practitioners may have different opinions- this is our perspective and is intended to educate you on what may be possible.Show notes & Transcripts: https://reidconnect.com/reid-connect-ed-podcastBe Curious. Be Open. Be Well.#character #characterdevelopment #schools #teaching#leadership #education #youthdevelopment #positiveyouthdevelopment

As Silicon Valley's tentacles reach ever more deeply into the nation's public schools, a provocative new book sounds an emphatic “stop”! We talk to Tim Scott, author of Schooling for Silicon Valley, about big tech's dystopian vision for education, and what the sales pitch for personalized, adaptive and data-driven learning is really about. The financial support of listeners like you keeps this podcast going. Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HaveYouHeardPodcast

Today, did you exercise?  Did you explore nature?  If you are adventure schooling, you've done both and so much more!  What is "adventure schooling?"  In this week's episode, Carrie is talking with Nichole Holze, aka Lucky Wander and Coleyraeh. Nichole breaks down exactly what adventure schooling means and how to adventure responsibly.  She also shares practical insights on scouting out the perfect adventure destinations tailored to your family's current life stage—whether your kids are toddlers, school-aged, teens, or anywhere in between. This week's conversation will help you learn right alongside your kids as you build your adventure muscles and learn to see the wonder wherever you wander!  Get your hiking shoes on, fill up your travel mug, and join Carrie and Nichole for a little coffee and conversation about adventure schooling. Connect with Nichole at https://luckeywanderers.com/. Take Nichole's "Responsibly Brave" Course.  Use the code to get a discount:  COFFEE Register HERE.Follow Nichole on IG @coleyraeh Check out Nichole's other passions: #coleyraegardens#luckeywanderers#luckeymama#luckeyhomeschoolers Support the showSupport the ShowPurchase A Home Education Handbook: 9 Questions to Ask for Simple & Balanced Home-Based LearningPurchase Homeschool High School:  A Handbook for Christian EducationPurchase Just Breathe (and Take a Sip of Coffee):  Homeschool Simply & Enjoyably.  Schedule a Coffee Date (One-on-One Personalized Coaching Session:  Coffee With Carrie Subscribe to Coffee With Carrie email newsletter for FREE Morning Time Plans and monthly tips  https://coffeewithcarrie.org Follow on Instagram @coffeewithcarrieconsultant.

Listen to the full podcast: https://bit.ly/SKMPNELIASONWhat if school, work, and success are all being redefined right now and most people are completely missing it? In this episode of Sky King's Mental Playground, I sit down with entrepreneur and writer Nat Eliason to explore the future of education, AI, and opportunity, from launching a high school that aims to help students make $1M before graduation to building AI-powered systems that can replace entire workflows. They break down how Alpha School is compressing academics into just a few hours a day so students can focus on real-world skills like entrepreneurship, why AI-native kids will have a massive advantage, and how tools like Claude and autonomous agents are reshaping the way we learn, work, and create. If you've ever questioned traditional education, wondered how to stay ahead in the AI era, or want to understand where the future of money and skills is heading, this conversation will completely shift your perspective.Follow Nat:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nat_eliasonX: https://twitter.com/nateliasonSubstack: https://blog.nateliason.com01:06 Nat Is Going to Teach the Future05:00 Nat's AI Made $300K in 2 Months Autonomously15:45 Starting the Most Expensive High School in the World22:34 Is Alpha School the Future of Schooling?33:11 Alpha School Guarantees Your Child Will Make $1 Million42:55 What Happens to Teachers?48:35 How to Foster a Healthy Relationship Between Kids and Screens57:19 All Wealth Is Downstream of Energy Production01:01:43 Obsolete Things Humans Still Hold Onto01:10:40 Open Claude Is Revolutionizing AI01:15:00 Why Most People Are Using AI Wrong01:20:00 The Most Important Skill in the AI Era01:24:00 Thoughts on the Future of Work & EducationListen to the complete episodes of Sky King's Mental Playground, sign up at skmp.supercast.comFollow Sky on XSubscribe on YouTubeFollow Sky on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being a parent is hard.. Navigating school life as a parent is harder. Today we chat about the times we have had to deal with school issues with our kids and how we have delt with them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years Competition and School Choice were the "words we don't speak of" when it came to the education of our children. Now, with test scores in the public schools dropping off a cliff, parents are doing something about it. Let us look at what is being done to save our society from being uneducated.

In this episode, I review an interview between Brittney Serpell and Seth Dahl on separation anxiety and how to approach relationship coaching with your children. To access the sources for this episode, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3FQbBrpO7o&list=PLkhlpzDb67iC4eJUPlfmQB7qXF3xy9gFf&index=8To become a subscriber of this podcast, visit:⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/seth-hensley/subscribe⁠

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Show Notes:   Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling. In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.  In this episode, we break down an essay on… wait for it… baseball. Wait, what? But Ethan, I thought writing about a common topic was a fast track to blending in. And yes—in many cases, it can be. But this essay offers a great example of how a familiar topic can become something more layered, specific, and personal. To dig into how that happens, I'm joined by Kaila Barber: essay coach at CEG, Associate Director of 1-on-1 Coaching, and professional track star. Together, we explore how to stand out with a common topic, how to weave in challenge without letting it take over the story, and one specific technique for crafting a strong, memorable ending. If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you'll enjoy this one. Kaila Barber has been helping students prepare for college in various capacities since 2018. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a master's degree in Global Health, a bachelor's degree in PreProfessional Science, and a minor in Education, Schooling, and Society, Kaila decided to serve her local school district as an educational assistant. For two years, she worked closely with students who had learning differences, tailoring lesson plans and materials to better suit the needs of her students. Kaila enjoys walking side-by-side with students, guiding them through their memories and insights, while they discover new ways to make meaning from their lives that can be highlighted in creative and compelling essays.  We hope you enjoy.    Play-by-Play: 2:07 – Who is the student behind the essay, and what made his approach to a sports topic stand out? 4:44 – Kaila reads the essay we're calling, "The Stains on My Baseball Pants" 8:40 – What stands out about the essay's use of showing vs. telling? 10:27 – How did the essay evolve from a baseball topic into a montage centered on stains? 12:56 – How does the essay incorporate themes of identity and belonging without making them the central focus? 15:38 – How were the different "stains" chosen to represent key parts of the student's story? 19:52 – What does the kimbap stain reveal about family, culture, and leadership? 22:00 – What does the dirt stain reveal about growth, belonging, and identity? 26:57 – What new role or identity is revealed through the eye black blotch paragraph? 31:51 – What does the "parents' pilot" metaphor reveal about the student's role in his family? 36:20 – How does the ending bring the theme of "stains" back while highlighting community and belonging? 40:15 – What does Kaila hope students take away from the essay writing process? 41:31 – Closing thoughts    Resources: "The Stains on My Baseball Pants" Essay College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

Today Lisa and I begin a conversation on God's grace in the lives of Ruth and Naomi. I consider the blessing of persecution in light of Jaden Ivey's release by the Chicago Bulls. I remember weird curricula in schools in the 70s and explore the importance of Paul's epistolary introductions.

What happens when bored teenagers accidentally hack nuclear labs while looking for video games? In this LTS Out of Office Solo episode, host Marcos Lopez explores how Uncle Sam stopped arresting "Kinder-Hackers" and started paying them six figures to prevent total digital collapse. It's a heartwarming tale of how the kids we tried to throw in federal prison grew up to be the only reason your bank account isn't at zero—they lived legally ever after.#cybersecurity #hackinghistory #ethicalhacking Follow & Support:Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-tech-and-sundry/id1527317641Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0LufzYND0SqKOGyogIyutL?si=hmb3VXH2T-yZchJ8_-LF_QYouTube - Just search @LTSnco in any search bar or YouTube to find us.IG - https://bit.ly/IG-LTSLTS on X - https://bit.ly/LTSTweetsBuy Me Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LTS2020

Paid message: Sign up for the University of Zurich International Summer School: freshedpodcast.com/summerschool -- Today we explore keywords across two centuries of schooling. My guest is Johannes Westberg. Johannes Westberg is full professor of Theory and History of Education, and chair of the unit of Pedagogy at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. His new book is Conceptualizing Two Centuries of Schooling: Key Developments in the History of European Educational Systems, which will be published in May. freshedpodcast.com/westberg/ -- Get in touch! LinkedIn: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com

In this episode, I review an interview between Brittney Serpell and Seth Dahl on separation anxiety and how to approach relationship coaching with your children. To access the sources for this episode, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3FQbBrpO7o&list=PLkhlpzDb67iC4eJUPlfmQB7qXF3xy9gFf&index=8To become a subscriber of this podcast, visit:⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/seth-hensley/subscribe⁠

In this short solo episode, Debbie responds to a question she hears from many parents navigating unconventional education paths: looking back, what would youchange—and what wouldn't you—about your twice-exceptional young adult's schooling journey. Debbie will share why there's no perfect path, what she's glad she did (including embracing flexibility and a gap year), and how she's learned to let go of timelines and trust that our kids are on their own trajectory—even when it looks different from everyone else's. About Debbie Debbie Reber, MA is a parenting activist, bestselling author, speaker, and the CEO and founder of Tilt Parenting, a resource, top-performing podcast, consultancy, and community with a focus on shifting the paradigm for parents raising and embracing neurodivergent children. A regular contributor to Psychology Today and ADDitude Magazine, and the author of more than a dozen books for children and teens, Debbie's most recent book is Differently Wired: A Parent's Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope. Resources mentioned  Dr. Dan Peters Discusses the Teen Years & Preparing for Navigating Launch (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Best Gap Year Programs for Neurodivergent Students (Thrive Autism Coaching) Dr  Eric Endlich on Gap Programs for Neurodivergent Students (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Debbie Talks About Her Transition to Homeschooling (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if one of the most powerful things we can give our kids is freedom from pressure? In this episode, Wendy sits down with veteran educator and homeschool mentor Julie Ross to talk about how to opt out of pressure-filled schooling, whether your kids are in homeschool, public school, private school, or somewhere in between. Together, they explore how fear, performance, and constant pressure can steal the joy from learning, and what it looks like to create an educational life that feels more peaceful, connected, and developmentally aligned. Julie shares wisdom from more than 30 years in education, including her experience as a public school teacher, private school founder, homeschool hybrid leader, curriculum creator, and homeschool mom of five. Wendy also shares her own story of choosing a lower-pressure path inside the public school system and how that shift changed the trajectory of her daughter's school experience. Inside this conversation, you'll hear: Why slowness and unstructured play are essential for healthy development How parental pressure quietly shapes the emotional climate of learning Why resistance doesn't always mean something is wrong How to replace control with connection, creativity, and partnership What it looks like to trust your child's pace without becoming permissive How to think more wisely about screens, technology, and real learning If school has become a source of stress in your home, this episode will encourage you to step back, breathe deeper, and remember that education doesn't have to come at the expense of your child's joy, mental health, or connection with you. ➡️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/314⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more info and links.

With hidden school costs soaring, many Ugandan families are turning to vocational training, as this is cheaper, faster and more directly linked to jobs. But can this shift meet Uganda's Labor market needs — and what will it take to make education more affordable? We speak Jane Kengeya Kayondo, founder of Rounding Up the Edges International (ROUTE), and DW correspondent Frank Yiga in Kampala.

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Chad and Simon are Back to discuss all things life and disability.Hear about Chads experience in the 5th annual Blind Gamers JamBig conversation the starting of a discussion into can Schools become trully inclusive. What challenges will the new UK white paper and SEND reform bring to young people. How does this relate to the US system.Let us know your thoughts and comments of your experiences.What would be Simon's last meal and how would this compare to Chads US appetite?See details for Chad's teams game below. We proudly present: Delvers Folly: https://joozey.itch.io/delversfolly-wipPassword: manticoreDelve into a dungeon that is cursed by a strange creature. Each day, the rooms of this dungeon are never quite the same. Open doors, draft a room, and explore the dungeon. Can you solve the mystery of the Suspicious Alcove (the only puzzle we have so far)?Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. Mac has not been tested, anyone with a Mac that can try it out?Intended to be playable with keyboard or controller, screenreader or TTS.We would love to hear what did or did not work well for you regarding UX, controls, sounds and music, and the mechanics.Any feedback welcome! Thank you!!

Reflections from host Sarah Olivieri ... Learning Is Leadership There's a pattern I see in nonprofit organizations that stall. It's not a lack of commitment. It's not a lack of vision. It's not even usually a lack of funding. It's a lack of learning. We build strategic plans. We refine mission statements. We install tools. But if the organization itself is not functioning as a learning system, none of that holds up under pressure. Systems that don't adapt eventually calcify. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I recently had a conversation about exactly this with David Preston, who has spent decades helping organizations build what he calls high-performing learning networks. It sharpened something I've long believed: organizations are not machines. They are networks of people learning, leading, and achieving together. Schooling Is Not Learning One distinction that matters here is the difference between schooling and learning. Schooling is passive. Learning is active. Schooling is about compliance. Learning is about agency. When teams operate in "school mode," they wait to be told. They execute tasks. They follow instructions. They comply with board directives or funder requirements. These teams often look busy… But "busy" doesn't necessarily translate into results. Learning cultures, by contrast, invite people to think aloud. To test ideas. To refine. To argue constructively. To improve together. This leads to more accountability and better results. The Power of "With" One line from my conversation with David has stayed with me: "If you do something to people—or even for people—it has a low ceiling. If you do something with people, it sustains." — David Preston That's not just philosophical. It's operational. When leaders design strategy alone and then roll it out, ownership is thin. When leaders co-create—even if it's messier at first—agency increases. Agency increases performance. This is why I often say clarity beats control. Control looks efficient. Clarity scales. When people help build the strategy, they internalize it. When they internalize it, execution improves. When execution improves, results compound. Dunbar's Number and Real Relationships We also touched on Dunbar's number—the idea that humans can sustain roughly 150 meaningful relationships. That has direct implications for leadership. You cannot deeply engage everyone. High-touch relationships require energy. They require attention. They require boundaries. In an era where leaders can have thousands of online "connections," it's easy to confuse reach with relationship. They are not the same. If your fundraising strategy relies entirely on scaled communication, you will miss depth and leave a lot of money on the table. I believe we should only focus on scaled methods of communication and relationships once we have mastered building relationships 1-1, high touch, like humans have done for thousands of years. The Basics Are the Advanced Work One of my favorite stories David shared was about legendary UCLA coach John Wooden teaching players how to put on their socks correctly on the first day of practice. Why? Because blisters prevent performance. The more experts I meet, the more one message stands out… Experts aren't better at the complicated, they are better at the basics. The basics of human connection, like story-telling and authenticity. Better at defining goals. Better at being clear in their communication. What This Means for Nonprofit Leaders If you only take one thing away from this: Your organization is a learning network. If people feel safe thinking aloud, progress accelerates. If people feel silenced or over-managed, progress slows. If learning slows, adaptation slows. If adaptation slows, results suffer. You don't need a more complicated strategy. You need a culture where people can think together. That's harder. And it's worth it. About the Guest David Preston helps leaders and organizations build high-performing learning networks. Founder of Open-Source Learning, he draws on experience writing for the Los Angeles Times, teaching at UCLA and California high schools, and building a Los Angeles-based consulting practice. He is the author of the Academy of One. Learn more: https://davidpreston.net/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-preston-learning/ Short link: http://bit.ly/4aV47sp Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.

Where do Massachusetts students rank among the nation for proficiency in reading and math? In 2025, MA ranked #1 on the Nation’s Report Card receiving the highest numeric score of any state on all four assessments for fourth and eighth grade math and reading. However, when it comes to post pandemic educational recovery overall, especially for lower income children, Massachusetts is still lagging behind other states…The Nation’s Report Card found that low-income children are more likely to test proficient in reading in Mississippi or Louisiana than in Massachusetts or New York, with MA often thought to have the best public school system in the country (and one that spends twice as much per pupil). We took a look at the statistics and asked you what your educational experience has been with your children. Do you believe structural changes need to be made to keep up with other states?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tenpenny Files – The modern education system is not a historical accident but a deliberate redesign that transfers authority from families and faith to the state. I trace how compulsory schooling, altered literacy methods, and financial influence reshape belief, weaken parental control, and normalize failure, revealing a system built to mold ideology rather than cultivate independent thought...

In this special re-release, we're thrilled to bring back our 2021 conversation with Meredy Benson Rice, a life-long educator, school leader, and celebrated author whose work invites us to rethink what it means to grow, learn, and find wisdom along the way. Meredy is the author of The Wisdom Palace: A Young Girl's Journey, a tender, funny, and deeply reflective coming-of-age novel about Isabelle — a shy girl sent to spend the summer with her grandfather, only to discover that friendship, community, and unexpected adventure can open doors to self-discovery she never knew existed. It's a story about breaking out of shells, bridging generations, and finding wisdom in the most surprising places. Beyond The Wisdom Palace, Meredy's work as an educator and administrator has shaped countless young minds. As former Head of Oak Grove School in Ojai, California — a school grounded in inquiry, curiosity, and the principles of holistic education — she has spent decades asking big questions about how we teach, how we learn, and how education can foster not just intellect, but insight. In our conversation, Meredy shares:how her life in Canada, England, and Southern California influenced her writing and teaching; the inspiration behind The Wisdom Palace and its lessons for readers of all ages; what it really means to educate the whole child — not just the mind, but the heart and spirit; and why stories — both inside and outside the classroom — can shape our understanding of ourselves and each other. Whether you're a teacher, a parent, a lover of literature, or simply someone who believes in the transformative power of curiosity, this conversation will leave you with fresh insights and renewed wonder.Tune in as we revisit this uplifting talk with Meredy Benson Rice — a conversation about wisdom, storytelling, and the unexpected paths that help us grow.

In America, we tend to raise kids with a constant sense of striving. We measure success early, track milestones closely, and quietly worry about whether our children are doing enough, fast enough, and well enough.The Danish approach offers a striking contrast. Instead of pushing children to prove themselves, Danish parenting emphasizes something far more grounded: helping kids rest well within themselves.In this episode of the Healthy Parenting Handbook, I talk with Jessica Joelle Alexander about what that actually looks like in real life. We explore:why Danish children are often described as calm and serenehow play is treated as essential rather than optionaland why connection and trust matter more than control, especially in the digital age.This conversation is settling, perspective-shifting, and deeply reassuring for parents who feel the pressure to constantly measure and manage their kids' development! I couldn't stop talking with Jessica, so stay tuned for Part 2 of this interview. Resources We Mention for Danish ParentingJessica's books: The Danish Way of Parenting (Amazon/Bookshop.org) and The Danish Way Every Day (Amazon/Bookshop.org)3 Ways Parents Can Help Prevent Depression in Their KidsNurturing Young Skeptics: Essential Guide to Teaching Critical Thinking to Kids and Teens with Kathy GibbensMy TEDx talk on building critical thinking skills in kidsCheck out the Raising Digital Citizens conversation cards hereFind Jessica at her website Jessica Joelle Alexander or follow her on social: Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTubeGrab the four free life skills workshops right here. Start your kids making simple snacks now at kidscookrealfood.com/podcastsnacks. Kitchen Stewardship Raising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates YouTube shorts channel for HPH Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

In this episode we explore the critical distinction between schooling and education—and why it matters more than ever. Drawing from his book Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education, Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE challenges us to rethink how we prepare children not just for exams, but for lifelong learning.From conversations with Reggio Emilia's Carla Rinaldi to insights on India's National Education Plan, this episode examines how different systems approach the fundamental question: is schooling enabling education, or limiting it? Ger and Mark discuss the narrowing of curricula, the disconnect between political agendas and educational best practice, and the untapped potential of museums, libraries, and cultural institutions as essential learning partners.With passionate calls for cross-party consensus on children's wellbeing and a reimagining of what it means to truly educate rather than simply school, this conversation is a rallying cry for parents, educators, and policymakers to refocus on what children actually need to thrive in the modern world—not the industrial revolution.Key Quotes"The better schooled you are, the better educated you can be if you wish to be.""We don't talk about wellbeing, we talk about not wellbeing. The entire conversation is never about, oh my God, I feel so great. The entire conversation is, I feel so lousy.""If you are going to study Shakespeare with children and young people...... they should either get the chance to see the play or to be in it...... you could not be in an outstanding school if you don't adhere to those things.""The bar in England in that sense is set unbelievably low. Please do not look to England as an example of best practice."Key TakeawaysSchooling ≠ Education - Schooling is a 10-15 year period within a lifetime of education (ages 0-99). In an ideal system, schooling should be an enabler that equips people to become lifelong learners, not just to pass exams or accumulate credentials.The Dutch Advantage - The Dutch language uses the same word for teaching and learning, conceptually removing the artificial separation. This linguistic integration reflects a more holistic approach where teaching and learning are seen as complementary parts of the same process.Cultural Institutions Are Underutilized - Museums, libraries, galleries, theatres, and music venues are crying out for audiences while schools struggle within narrow curricula. There's enormous untapped potential in creating systematic partnerships between schools and these cultural institutions to enrich both education and teaching.We Need Cross-Party Consensus - Educational policy suffers from constant reinvention with each new government. Creating a consensus on core priorities (wellbeing, music, physical education, etc.) that transcends political cycles would provide stability and allow genuine progress rather than perpetual wheel-reinventing.Shift from "Not Wellbeing" to "Wellbeing" - Current conversations focus on problems (obesity, knife crime, mental health issues) rather than positive wellbeing. Education policy should reframe the dialogue to proactively build wellbeing through entitlements like music, arts, and cultural participation—things that make us feel good, not just prevent us from feeling bad.Join the conversation using #educationonfire and share your...

Josh Brake shares metaphors and other ethical considerations regarding AI on Episode 607 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast. Quotes from the episode “When you’re moving fast, it’s really easy to do things unreflectively and to make a poor decision without even realizing it.” -Josh Brake “The special thing about bicycles, at least in their non-electronic versions, is that they’re totally human-powered. So it’s all based on the energy that you put in, and it’s just transforming that energy, to make you more efficient and be able to move faster.” -Josh Brake “When you have something like an E bike, that augmentation can be used in a variety of different ways, so it can be used to actually extend your capacity.” -Josh Brake “It’s really this question about what’s the intention that you’re bringing to the technology when you come to the tool, what are the questions that you’re asking? And fundamentally, it’s a question of purpose and intention. Why are you using this?” -Josh Brake Resources An E-Bike for the Mind: E-Bikes and What They Can Teach Us About AI, by Josh Brake I Grew Up Oblivious About Grades. It Ruined Me. Now I'm on a Mission to Ruin You too, by Josh Brake The Moral Hazards of AI Are Closer Than You Realize, by Josh Brake We Are Teaching Humans: A 50,000-Foot View As We Enter a New Academic Year, by Josh Brake On Bandwidth and Bottlenecks: AI Tools Help Us Go Faster, But Speed is Not All You Need, by Josh Brake Technique's Deception: How Jacques Ellul Helps Us Understand the Difference Between Education and Schooling, by Josh Brake Clip – Final Advice from Suborno Isaac Bari The Real World of Technology, by Ursula Franklin Player Piano, by Kurt Vonnegut College Matters Podcast

These dark winter days make getting outside difficult, but with three quarters of children spending less time outside than prison inmates, one school in Wicklow is determined to do things differently...The Outdoor Primary School offers an unusual learning experience for students who primarily learn in the woods.Louise Nelson, Principal of Wicklow's Outdoor Primary School, joins Seán to discuss.

Christian schools promise safety, but safety is found only in obedience to God's design. When education separates knowledge from character and learning from obedience, it produces pride rather than wisdom. Scripture calls parents to teach diligently as they sit, walk, rise, and lie down. True education is not measured by information transferred, but by lives shaped in the fear of the Lord.

Coming soon.

"Joy to the world, the Lord has come!"  Christmas carols (or hymns for the Advent season) are full of biblical truths, Bible verses, and the gospel.  Why not use the sounds of the season for your family devotions or your "lessons" in the month of December?  In this week's episode, Carrie shares how you can do some Christmas schooling using only three things:  your favorite carols, a Bible, and the book, Then Sings My Soul (Special Edition) by Robert Morgan.   Carrie gives you simple, step-by-step directions as well as historical background, Bible passages to read, and even some trivia about four beloved Christmas carols.   Pour yourself a cup of peppermint latte, put up your feet, crank up the Christmas music, and take a little coffee break with Carrie.To read and print the activities shared in this episode, visit www.coffeewithcarrie.org.  Read the blog article, "Christmas Schooling With Christmas Caroling."Check out this month's sponsor and Carrie's favorite reading program:  https://www.playntalk.com/phonicsSupport the showPurchase Homeschooling High School: A Handbook for Christian Education.Purchase Just Breathe (and Take a Sip of Coffee): Homeschool Simply & Enjoyably. Schedule a Coffee Date (One-on-One Personalized Coaching Session: Coffee With Carrie Subscribe to Coffee With Carrie email newsletter and blog at https://coffeewithcarrie.org Follow on Instagram @coffeewithcarrieconsultant.

The amount of lying that is taking place in “alternative media” is astounding and I discuss that, along with other examples of the seasonal fraud that is taking place; A few university money fines have occurred and MSU is teaching their pre-service teachers to be activists, per usual; I also have a new segment called Vivek is an ass and I discuss why he is; and the COVID scam is making more waves and being discussed openly again.    Book Websites: https://www.moneytreepublishing.com/shop PROMO CODE: “AEFM” for 10% OFF, or https://armreg.co.uk PROMO CODE: "americaneducationfm" for 15% off all books and products. (I receive no kickbacks).  https://www.thriftbooks.com/ Q posts book: https://drive.proton.me/urls/JJ78RV1QP8#yCO0wENuJQPH

Newt talks with Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice about the 2025 edition of EdChoice's Schooling in America Survey. The survey examines trends in public opinion on K-12 education, parent experiences and school choice. This year, the survey reveals significant dissatisfaction with K-12 education in the United States, with over two-thirds of Americans believing it is on the wrong track. Now in its 13th year, the survey highlights concerns about school safety, bullying, and the effective use of educational funding. Despite these issues, there has been a notable increase in school choice options, with 19 states now offering universal choice programs. This shift is attributed to a growing demand for educational reform and parental choice, driven by dissatisfaction with traditional public schools. The report suggests that increased awareness and understanding of educational choice options, such as vouchers and education savings accounts, significantly boost public support for these initiatives. The findings indicate a potential renaissance in educational approaches, emphasizing customization and innovation, such as micro schools and competency-based learning, to better meet diverse student needs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk and other killings by young and seemingly well-educated but radicalized young people has led many to ask: Why does this keep happening? The problems begin not in college, but in the K-12 schooling that is infested with a mind-altering system of control. It is called “social emotional learning” (SEL), and a new book by Priscilla West warns that it will take decades to undo the damage it has done to childhood education.

Joel Hammon—former public school teacher, founder of Princeton Learning Cooperative, co-founder of Liberated Learners, and author of The Teacher Liberation Handbook—joins Kerry to explore the global rise of self-directed learning centers. These community-based programs, including the Princeton Learning Cooperative and many more within the Liberated Learners network, offer homeschooled tweens and teens a flexible alternative to conventional school: no forced curriculum and an individualized path guided by curiosity and purpose. Joel shares his transformation from classroom teacher to education entrepreneur, and how the North Star model inspired a movement of "learning cooperatives" that work like a YMCA for education—students choose when to attend, what to learn, and how to grow. We talk about college admissions for self-directed learners, how narrative transcripts help teens transition smoothly to their next step, and why demand for these centers continues to rise. If you're curious about self-directed education—or considering starting a center yourself—this conversation offers inspiration, practical guidance, and a look at the future of learner-driven freedom. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!

Welcome to Learn Polish Podcast. In this episode Ania and Roy share personal memories of school and discuss how education could be reformed — covering strict teaching methods, the focus on memorization and exams, the value of practical life skills, homeschooling, hybrid learning, and how AI might change the teacher's role. You can find all episodes at learnpolishpodcast.com and on Bitchute, YouTube and Rumble. Lessons with Ania are available in Polish or Spanish; links are in the show notes. Scan the QR code or visit roikon.com to see my six podcasts, podcast coaching and school group, and go to VA.world for virtual assistant services.   I have just launched my PodFather Podcast Coach Community https://www.skool.com/podfather/about   Start your own SKOOl Academy https://www.skool.com/signup?ref=c72a37fe832f49c584d7984db9e54b71   All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠   

Trump ally Charlie Kirk shot dead on a Utah campus, Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro gets 27 years for his coup dreams, and Utah makes headlines again with the launch of a new Black-owned bank. Kaya Henderson interviews Dr. John B. King, Jr., Chancellor of the State University of New York and former U.S. Secretary of Education (Obama Administration), about his new book Teacher by Teacher: The People Who Change Our Lives. NewsCharlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks' and ‘the great replacement strategy'In Utah, here's what a new Black-owned bank will offer customersBolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Plotting Coup in Brazil Follow @PodSaveThePeople on Instagram.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

PragerU's AI slop is the Trump administration's new favorite educational resource for a revisionist history. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Denise Guerra and Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who spoke at the White House launch of the PragerU "Road to Liberty" videos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices