Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.

What does it look like to lead with both ferocity and grace, and why do so many teachers forget that admitting your feelings isn't the same as admitting defeat?In Part 2 of my S5E43 Schoolutions conversation, I continue my conversation with Cornelius Minor⁩  (author of We Got This) and Dr. Kass Minor (author of Teaching Fiercely), co-founders of The Minor Collective. We discuss why grace and ferocity are twin concepts and how embracing emotional vulnerability is actually a mark of true strength. We also talk about what sustains teachers through hard times, what school leadership really looks like when it's built around empowered educators, and how marveling at the children right in front of you can change everything.You'll learn:→ Why grace is ferocity's twin and what "speculative grace" means for inclusive teaching→ How admitting your feelings builds real community (Cornelius's unforgettable skateboard story)→ What instructional leadership looks like when it centers authentic learning conversations→ Why every teacher, coach, and caregiver must claim the title of knower→ Cornelius's two-step summer practice: witness a young person, then marvelKass and Cornelius also share what it's like to co-found The Minor Collective while raising two daughters together, and what their marriage teaches them about community, humility, and beautiful chaos.💫Check out Part 1 & some resources mentioned:➡️ We Got This by Cornelius Minor➡️ Teaching Fiercely by Dr. Kass Minor➡️ The Minor Collective➡️ The Will to Change by bell hooks (on change)➡️ On Re-Finding Ferocity: When there are no more lines to hold➡️ Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire➡️ Emma Goldman➡️ Zaretta Hammond➡️ Sankofa (Akan concept)Chapters:0:00 Intro: Grace, ferocity, and keeping hope alive in hard times1:45 What does it mean to refind your ferocity?3:30 Sankofa: drawing fuel from ancestors and looking back to move forward5:30 Grace is ferocity's twin; rethinking what sustains teachers6:45 Cornelius's skateboard story: Joe, Malcolm, and admitting your feelings9:30 Vulnerability in instructional leadership: what it really looks like11:30 Curriculum inquiry conversations and the ecosystem of learning14:00 The Minor Collective at home; co-creating a life and a mission17:30 Beauty and chaos: what partnership and marriage teach about community20:00 Can you ever turn the work off? On the personal and professional being enmeshed22:00 Lessons from outside the US; listening to children and honoring what they bring24:30 Who gets to be a knower? Why teachers must claim their expertise28:00 The evolution of coaching: dialogic, facilitative, and side by side29:30 Where does hope live? The tweens, the teens, and thrifting32:00 Two steps for summer: witness a young person and marvel34:30 Wrap-up + what's coming in season sixSchoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE the episode!Next Week:  I'm doing something a little different. I'm sitting with the big ideas from this season; the threads that have run through every conversation, and I'm thinking out loud with you about what's coming. About a vision I am so passionate about, one that is at the heart of what Season 6 will be: For Teachers, By Teachers, and Forever Getting Better. That theme is close to my heart for many reasons, including a book I've been pouring myself into that's coming your way in spring 2027. I cannot wait to share more.#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #education #teachers #schoolculture #teachercoaching #instructionalcoaching #inclusiveteaching #culturallyresponsiveteaching #equityineducation #teachingfiercely #minorcollective #professionaldevelopment #schoolleadership #studentengagement #wholechild #grace #ferocity #marvel When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

At the heart of the refreshed Minor Collective site is one belief: people come before ideas, ideology, or frameworks. As conversations about student growth and teacher effectiveness quietly shift toward kid obedience and teacher compliance, going it alone can feel scary. In this short but powerful clip from my S5E43 Schoolutions conversation with Cornelius and Dr. Kass Minor, The  Minor Collective's message is simple: you're not alone, and we're meant to go together...moving where teachers, children, and families are already headed. The team shares why their approach to education is relational, critical, adaptive, and responsive, and why that matters more than ever right now. If you care about people-first education, teacher support, and what schools are becoming, this one's for you. 💛⏱️ Chapters0:00 People over ideologies0:18 Relational, critical, adaptive, responsive0:36 Where education is really headed0:52 Why it can feel scary right now1:08 We're not alone...we go togetherWatch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E43 interview. 🌿Would you like to work together to create an environment where we center people-first education and collective wisdom? Book a coaching session with me here. #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies  #MinorCollective #PeopleFirstEducation #TeacherSupport #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #InclusiveClassrooms #EducationTransformation #EmpoweredEducators #SchoolCulture #InstructionalLeadership #TeacherImpact #MentorTeachers #NewTeachers #FamilyPartnerships #TeacherLife #Edu #Teachers #SchoolLeadership #TeachersOfYouTubeWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What does it look like when education is built around the full humanity of every child and every teacher?In Part 1 of my S5E43 Schoolutions conversation, I sit down with Cornelius Minor⁩  (author of We Got This) and Dr. Kass Minor (author of Teaching Fiercely), co-founders of The Minor Collective. Together, they unpack what it really means to build a pro-kid mindset, reclaim teacher personhood, and find beauty in the mess of modern schooling.You'll learn:→ How curriculum audits center the human, not the framework→ Why community is the one thing that's truly unshakable→ What student engagement and student motivation really look like when teachers do the work alongside students→ How active learning and inclusive teaching shift school culture→ Why whole child thinking transforms everything from lesson planning to school leadershipCornelius and Kass also share how The Minor Collective approaches teacher coaching, professional learning, and instructional leadership with a fiercely humanistic lens: relational, critical, adaptive, and responsive.Some resources mentioned:➡️ We Got This by Cornelius Minor➡️ Teaching Fiercely by Dr. Kass Minor➡️ The Minor Collective➡️ Maxine Greene / aesthetic education➡️ Nothing Personal by James Baldwin (on personhood)➡️ The Will to Change by bell hooks (on change)➡️Minor, K. (2025, December 1). Illuminating the call: Thought sanctuary as a framework for teacher flourishing: Cultivating imagination and inquiry within the parameters of school. Voices in the Middle, 33(2)➡️Minor, K. (2025, September 1). Illuminating the Call: Fierce pedagogy: blueprints for a better future. Voices in the Middle, 33(1)Chapters: 0:00 Intro: What does education built around full humanity look like?2:15 Researcher inspirations: Maxine Greene, James Baldwin, bell hooks3:45 Reclaiming your personhood as a teacher5:10 Community is what's unshakable; lessons from those who've surfed the shifts6:15 Curriculum audits that center the human; The Minor Collective approach9:00 Teachers doing the student work themselves; street credit and trust10:15 The new Minor Collective site; going far together13:00 Lightning round: books, metaphors, and what teachers need right now15:20 One word for teachers + finishing the sentence on centering children16:00 Small things giving hope; joy at the school dance17:10 Wrap-up + Olivia's son and the joy of readingSchoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE the episode! #education #teachers #schoolculture #teachercoaching #instructionalcoaching #inclusiveteaching #culturallyresponsiveteaching #equityineducation #teachingfiercely #minorcollective #professionaldevelopment #schoolleadership #newteachers #studentengagement #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategiesWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What if rebuilding your child's math confidence this summer started not with worksheets, but with a mirror?In Part 2 of my S5E42 Schoolutions conversation, Wendy Ward Hoffer (All Minds on Mathematics: Math Workshop for Every Learner) gets practical and personal. If your child had a hard year in math, this is your playbook. Wendy walks families and educators through exactly what to do and what to stop saying so that children walk into September with agency, curiosity, and the belief that they belong in mathematics.In this episode you'll learn:• Why rebuilding a child's math identity often starts with the adults first• How to let your child be the expert when homework looks unfamiliar• What "humble math" looks like — and why it's the most powerful teaching stance there is• The one thing to say instead of "I didn't learn it this way."• What a child who has had a great summer mathematically looks like when walking into a September classroomWendy's vision for classroom belonging, pro-kid mindset, and whole-child education shines throughout, and her Wonder Woman analogy for what student confidence looks like might be the most memorable moment in the series.💫Check out Part 1 & the linked resources for Part 2 here: 📚 Book: All Minds on Mathematics: Math Workshop for Every Learner🌐 Organization: Public Education Business Coalition (PEBC)💫Blog Post: "Math: Why Doesn't Yours Look Like Mine?"💫Upcoming Professional Development: Minds on Math Institute💫Study Guide for All Minds on MathChapters:0:00 Welcome back & what Part 2 covers1:30 If your child had a hard year in math — start here2:00 Look in the mirror first: modeling a healthy math identity2:45 Re-engaging a struggling learner without using the word "math"3:30 Creating safety at home for risk-taking and vulnerability4:30 Teaching kids it's okay to disagree with themselves5:30 The dinner table as a math and thinking workshop6:45 What September looks like for a teacher who has read All Minds on Mathematics8:00 How Wendy envisions readers engaging with the book9:20 "I didn't learn it this way" — what to say instead10:00 Let your child be the expert: questions that work11:30 When you still don't understand after asking all the right questions12:20 How modern math curricula differ from what we were taught13:40 The egg carton fraction story — and "Mama, I hate your math"15:30 It's not about the curriculum — it's about the child16:10 What a child looks like after a great math summer (the Wonder Woman moment)17:40 Reading from All Minds on Mathematics: humble math, pages 38–3918:45 Olivia's 3 key takeaways21:00 Next week on Schoolutions + closingSchoolutions⁩ is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🎙️ New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE the episode! Next Week: Cornelius⁩ and Dr. Kass Minor, co-founders of The Minor Collective, have spent years building education around a radical premise: that kids deserve to be truly centered. In a moment when teaching feels surveilled, exhausted, and politically complicated, this conversation is a fierce, tender reminder of why the work still matters and how to keep going.#MathIdentity #HumbleMath #StudentSuccess #FamilyPartnerships #InclusiveTeaching #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #SummerLearning #ClassroomBelonging #InstructionalCoaching #EquityInEducation #EmpoweredEducators #MathWorkshop #ParentInvolvement #AllMindsOnMath #Schoolutions #InspiringStudents #TeacherSupport #EducationTransformation #studentengagement  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategiesWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What does it really mean to be "good at math"? In this short but powerful clip from my S5E42 Schoolutions conversation with Wendy Ward Hoffer, of PEBC, we challenge the old myth that math identity is built on speed and being right and explore how families and teachers can work together to nurture every child's confidence and curiosity in math.True mathematical thinking isn't about quick answers. It's about dwelling with ideas, pondering, and reflecting deeply. These are qualities shared by history's greatest mathematical minds. For teachers and parents alike, this means rethinking the instructional strategies and education strategies we use to support kids who think differently or move at their own pace.✅ What you'll learn:• Why honoring student ideas, instead of rushing to the "right" answer, builds real student engagement, student motivation, and student participation. • How simple prompts like "How might we think about this?" or "How can we model this?" spark active learning, hold attention in class, and turn low engagement into genuine curiosity, especially for students who've struggled with classroom behavior or confidence in math.Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E42 interview. 🌿Would you like to work together to create an environment where your students dwell with ideas, ponder, and reflect deeply? Book a coaching session with me here. I'd love to be a thought partner for you.🕐 Chapters:0:00 – The Big Question: Setting Kids Up for Math Success0:08 – The Myth: "Good at Math" Means Fast and Right0:20 – What Real Mathematical Thinkers Actually Do0:32 – Reframing What "Good at Math" Means0:42 – Honoring Student Thinking: Practical Prompts1:00 – Building Confidence Through Meaning-Making#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #classroomreadystrategies  #MathIdentity #MathMindset #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #StudentMotivation #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #EffectiveTeaching #TeachingTips #InclusiveTeaching #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #NewTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #SchoolCulture #ParentInvolvement #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyPartnerships #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpactWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What if the most powerful thing you could do for your child's math future this summer had nothing to do with worksheets or tutoring?In Part 1 of this week's S5E42 Schoolutions conversation, Wendy Ward Hoffer, author of All Minds on Mathematics: Math Workshop for Every Learner, shares a simple but radical idea: math identity is built in the everyday moments most of us are already living.In this episode you'll learn:• Why being good at math is not about speed or correct answers• What a child who says "I hate math" is really saying• How to find math everywhere this summer, at no costWendy believes math education is a powerful lever for equity in education and inclusive teaching. Her work spans classroom belonging, culturally responsive teaching, and building a pro-kid mindset that honors every learner's thinking, not just the fast or the "correct" ones. Our conversation continues with Part 2 on Friday, where Wendy offers a full summer playbook for families and educators. Don't miss it!Some resources mentioned:📚 Book: All Minds on Mathematics: Math Workshop for Every Learner 🌐 Organization: Public Education Business Coalition (PEBC)💫Blog Post: "Math: Why Doesn't Yours Look Like Mine?"💫Upcoming Professional Development: Minds on Math Institute💫Study Guide for All Minds on Math Chapters:0:00 Introduction & what you'll learn1:40 About Wendy Ward Hoffer & All Minds on Mathematics2:45 Researcher inspiration: John Holt & trusting children3:45 Why summer is an underutilized math opportunity5:20 Reframing what it means to be good at math6:50 Math workshop & student math identity8:00 What teachers & families should listen for (signs of negative math identity)9:30 Coaching kids to help each other without doing the work for them11:00 Sending kids off as mathematicians — what teachers can say12:40 Math detectives: finding math everywhere this summer13:10 Lightning round — best road trip math game14:00 "I hate math" really means...14:15 The kitchen as a math workshop14:55 Most underestimated free summer math activity15:35 One word for every student entering September16:20 Olivia's 3 big takeaways17:50 Preview of Part 2Schoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🎙️ New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE the episode! #MathIdentity #StudentEngagement #InclusiveTeaching #MathWorkshop #SummerLearning #TeachingTips #EquityInEducation #ProKidMindset #StudentMotivation #ClassroomBelonging #ActiveLearning #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolCulture #FamilyPartnerships #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EducationLeadership #AllMindsOnMath #Schoolutions #MathForKids #empowerededucators #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategiesWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

🏃 What if the secret to student engagement this summer was free, fun, and made by a P.E. teacher with nearly 15 million views?In Part 2 of my Schoolutions conversation with @CoachGelardi⁩ (The PhysEdZone), we get completely practical. Tom gives age-by-age movement tips for summer, shares exactly which videos to start with, and explains why co-creating movement WITH kids, not just directing them, is the real driver of student motivation and active learning.🎯 You'll Learn:• How the PhysEdZone YouTube channel was born on a rainy day and a bake sale• Why Tom's videos work as mentor texts for new teachers and instructional coaching• Age-based tips: Pre-K–3rd (dance fitness workouts) vs. upper elementary–high school (70 at-home PE activities)• The sock ball basketball game that teaches abdominal strength AND accuracy• How student participation in choosing songs and moves is the co-creation model that keeps kids coming back• Why giving kids a score to beat is one of the most powerful tools for inspiring students💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & check out some of the resources mentioned:➡️The PhysEdZone (Tom's YouTube channel)⭐Witch Doctor workout (dance fitness)⭐Dance Monkey workout (dance fitness)⭐At-Home P.E. series with 70 videos made during the COVID lockdown➡️Coach Gelardi's TikTok➡️Coach Gelardi's Instagram⏱️ Chapters:0:00 Welcome back — Part 2 intro1:00 Recap: what we covered in Part 12:00 How the PhysEdZone YouTube channel began3:30 The rainy-day bake sale origin story5:00 Using Tom's videos as mentor texts for new teachers7:00 Why Tom started his TikTok for P.E. tips8:00 Inspiring future P.E. teachers through social media9:00 Co-creation and why creativity follows mastery10:30 Building a library of movement content11:30 Best videos to start with this summer12:00 Age-based tips: Pre-K through 3rd grade12:45 Age-based tips: Upper elementary through high school13:00 The at-home P.E. series with 70 household-item activities13:30 Sock ball basketball breakdown14:00 Why competition keeps kids coming back for more15:00 Closing thoughts and thank-you16:00 Outro: Movement is joy16:30 Coming up next: Wendy Ward Hoffer on summer mathJoin our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!Next week's episode: Wendy Ward Hoffer, author of All Minds on Mathematics, makes the case that summer is the most underused math classroom we have. The kitchen, the car, and the dinner table are all you need.#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #PhysEdZone #CoachGilardi #Schoolutions #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #NewTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyPartnerships #EducationAtHome #WholeChild #ThrivingStudents #EmpoweredEducators #TeacherImpact #SchoolCulture #InclusiveTeaching #StudentMotivation #StudentParticipation #ClassroomBelonging #EffectiveTeaching #EducationStrategies #PhysicalEducation #SummerActivities #KidsMovement #DanceFitness #AtHomePE #EducationPodcast #TeacherTips #ParentInvolvement #ProKidMindset #SchoolImprovement #InstructionalLeadershipWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What if the most powerful thing you could do for student engagement wasn't a new lesson plan, but making sure every kid feels safe enough to try?In this clip from my S5E41 Schoolutions conversation, I sit down with @CoachGelardi where he emphasizes the critical role of physical safety in the P.E. classroom, but also highlights that an emotional connection with students encourages them to try new things without fear of making mistakes. It underscores how acknowledging the uniqueness of each student is vital for effective physical education and teaching. By prioritizing both safety and emotional well-being, educators can help all students thrive.This is what inclusive teaching, classroom belonging, and pro-kid mindset look like in action. Whether you're navigating low engagement, mixed-ability groups, or just trying to inspire students who've checked out, this one's for you.✅ What you'll learn:• Why emotional safety is the foundation of active learning• How to channel naturally talented students into peer mentors• A simple reframe that boosts student motivation AND classroom culture• Real talk on differentiated instruction from a PE classroom lensWatch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our  ⁨@schoolutionspodcast⁩ S5E42 interview. Would you like to work together to create an emotionally safe environment for your students? Book a coaching session with me here. I'd love to be a thought partner for you.🕐 Chapters:0:00 – Physical vs. emotional safety in the classroom0:22 – Every kid is unique: handling mixed ability levels0:45 – What to do with naturally gifted students1:05 – Going from good to great by helping others#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #classroomreadystrategies #PhysEd #ElementaryPE #MovementMatters #SHAPEAmerica #KidsAndMovement #TeacherOfTheYear #BrainBreaks #PhysEdZone #ChildDevelopment #ElementaryEducation #TeacherLife #MovementIsLearning When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What does it really take to teach 28 kindergartners (alone) in a gym every single day? In Part 1 of my S5E41 Schoolutions conversation with @CoachGelardi,  the 2025 SHAPE America National Elementary P.E. Teacher of the Year and New York State Teacher of the Year, we talk about what world-class physical education and fitness actually look like and why every educator, parent, and school leader needs to pay attention. Tom is the creator of the PhysEdZone YouTube channel, which is closing in on 15 million views, and he's built one of the most powerful P.E. programs in New York City.In this episode, you'll learn:Why student engagement and active learning start with emotional safety, not rulesHow Tom uses co-created classroom expectations to build genuine classroom belonging and reduce classroom behavior issuesThe science behind movement and student success, and why movement breaks are non-negotiable for attention in classHow specific feedback (not praise) drives real student motivation and student participationWhy inclusive teaching means beginning with every kid where they are: athletically, emotionally, and sociallyTom's approach to inspiring students who struggle and those who excelWhat parents and caregivers can do at home to keep kids moving and support a home-school connectionThe biggest mistake adults make that kills kids' love of movement (hint: it's the iPad)What pro-kid mindset, whole child development, and equity in education actually look like inside a gymCoach Tom Gelardi in the News: Chalkbeat NYC ArticleCBS News FeatureNBC Today Show 3rd HourFeatureChapters:0:00 – Introduction: 28 Kids, One Gym, Zero Assistants1:45 – Meet Tom Gelardi: Awards, YouTube & Origin Story3:00 – Tom's Education Background & Early Mentors4:30 – What It Means to Be a "Pied Piper" for Kids5:45 – A Day in the Life: Elementary P.E. Across 20 Years7:00 – From Good to Great: Using Talent to Lift Others8:00 – Why P.E. Teachers Are Masterful Responsive Educators8:45 – Managing Safety with 60+ Kids in One Space10:00 – Co-Creating Classroom Expectations (Not Just Rules)12:00 – Large Class Sizes: What City Schools Look Like13:00 – Wild Midday Story: Fifth Graders + First Graders, No Equipment14:30 – Turning Chaos Into Opportunity: Teacher Growth15:15 – How Movement Impacts the Brain & Focus17:30 – Brain Breaks: The Research Behind Movement & Learning19:00 – The Long-Term Relationship Between P.E. Teachers & Kids20:30 – Making Impact Beyond the 45-Minute Class21:30 – Lightning Round: Rainy Day Movement Ideas22:30 – What Adults Do That Kills Kids' Love of Movement23:30 – Put the Phone Down: Being Fully Present24:30 – Worst Equipment Story (The Flat Basketball)25:30 – Biggest Misconception About P.E. Teachers26:30 – The Power of One-on-One Feedback in P.E.28:00 – Specific Feedback in Action: The Beanbag Example30:00 – Learning From Your Students as a Teacher31:00 – Wrap-Up & Key Takeaways🎧 Part 2 drops Friday, where @CoachGelardi⁩ shares his best summer movement tips for families, broken down by age group, plus his favorite PhysEdZone videos to use right now.Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #PhysicalEducation #PETeacher #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #ClassroomBelonging #TeacherTips #InspiringStudents #WholeChild #InclusiveTeaching #StudentSuccess #MovementBreaks #BrainBreaks #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #SchoolCulture #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #ProKidMindset #ParentInvolvement #HomeSchoolConnection #EquityInEducation #NewTeachers #SchoolLeadership #TeacherImpact #PhysEdZone #TomGelardi #Schoolutions #OliviaWahl #SHAPEAmerica #ElementaryEducation #ChildDevelopment #MovementIsLearningWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In Part 2 of my S5E40 Schoolutions conversation with Dr. Kay Stahl, we explore practical tips for families to keep reading alive over the summer. This episode provides valuable educational strategies to enhance reading comprehension and foster essential reading skills, especially for children who say they are not readers. Dr. Stahl shares the latest research on comprehension (from the National Academy of Education's free report, Reaping the Rewards of the Reading Initiative), which shows that active learning matters more than passive reading: children need to MAKE something (a map, a book, a podcast) to demonstrate true understanding.We also cover:→ Why everything counts as reading (menus, stats, movie discussions) and how low-engagement readers can find their entry point→ The social side of reading: how family partnerships and shared books drive student participation and inspire students to read more→ Why there's no age limit for read-alouds and the connection to parent involvement, home-school connection, and inclusive teaching→ What reading struggle looks like at home and education strategies caregivers can use to support striving readers→ How to use "pulse points" to identify roadblocks to comprehension and apply instructional strategies that work💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & the linked resources mentioned:Assessment for Reading Instruction (5th edition) Reaping the Rewards of the Reading Initiative — a free report from the National Academy of Education, summarizing 250 studies across five research groups on comprehensionNational Academy of Education website Chapters:0:00 Introduction & episode overview1:45 What "I'm not a reader" really signals3:30 The four traits of reading motivation4:45 What counts as summer reading (everything!)6:15 Should you ever stop reading aloud?7:30 Books being banned — and why families should read them at home9:00 Family book clubs & social reading experiences10:30 Building vocabulary and knowledge over summer11:15 The comprehension research that changes everything: make a product12:30 Maps, books, recordings — authentic learning in action13:00 What reading struggle looks like at home15:00 How context, support, and interest affect comprehension16:30 Modeling reading as a caregiver17:00 Reaping the Rewards of the Reading Initiative (free report)18:00 Key takeaways & wrap-up🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!Next week's episode:  @CoachGelardi ,  New York State Teacher of the Year and the force behind 15 million YouTube views, pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to keep kids moving, focused, and thriving. From keeping 64 kids in one gym safely engaged to building a viral at-home fitness empire during COVID, this conversation will completely change how you think about physical education.#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #SummerReading #ReadingInstruction #StudentMotivation #ParentInvolvement #LiteracyTips #TeachingTips #EducationPodcast #SummerReading #ReadingInstruction #StudentMotivation #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #ParentInvolvement #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyPartnerships #CaregiverSupport #TeachingTips #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #LiteracyTips #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #SchoolCulture #InclusiveTeaching #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #InspiredTeaching #EducationTransformation #Schoolutions #KayStahl #OliviaWall #EducationPodcast #NewTeachers #TeacherMentors #SchoolAdministrators #Homeschoolers #ReadingComprehension #VocabularyBuilding #ReadAloud #LiteracyResearchWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Are all reading skills taught the same way? Not according to researcher Scott Paris and understanding the difference could transform how you teach literacy.In this short from my S5E40 Schoolutions conversation, I sit down with Dr. Kay Stahl as she explains how Scott Paris introduced a powerful framework that every educator needs to know: the Constrained vs. Unconstrained Skills Continuum. On one end, you have constrained skills like phonics and letter names: sequential, isolated, and learned over a short period of time. On the other end are unconstrained skills like comprehension and vocabulary: lifelong learning journeys that grow incrementally and can never truly be "finished."This distinction is a game-changer for instructional strategies and lesson planning, because it means we can't use a one-size-fits-all approach to effective teaching. When we understand that phonics has a finish line but comprehension does not, we become better equipped to support the whole child and build a path toward true student success.Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E40 interview. 📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.📚 CHAPTERS0:00 – Introduction: Not All Skills Are Equal0:08 – What Are Constrained Skills? (Phonics & Letter Names)0:20 – The Skill Continuum Explained0:32 – What Are Unconstrained Skills? (Comprehension & Vocabulary)0:45 – Why This Framework Changes How We Teach#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #effectiveteaching #instructionalstrategies #teachingtips #studentengagement #activeLearning #inclusiveclassrooms #culturallyresponsiveteaching #professionaldevelopment #instructionalcoaching #teachercoaching #schoolleadership #schoolimprovement #educationleadership #newteachers #mentorteachers #lessonplanning #wholesomechild #studentsuccess #empowerededucators #educationtransformation #literacydevelopment #readinginstruction #phonics #comprehension #constrainedskills #unconstrainedskills #scottparis #teacherimpact #schoolculture #equityineducationWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What if the biggest obstacle to student success isn't summer, it's what teachers stop doing after the standardized test? In Part 1 of my S5E40 Schoolutions conversation with Dr. Katherine (Kay) Stahl, literacy consultant, clinician, and former director of the NYU Literacy Clinic, she shares what 25+ years in classrooms taught her about reading, assessment, and what actually works. Learn about effective methods for teaching reading and supporting learning to read, ensuring summer reading is a time of continued progress. This conversation offers practical education tips for teachers, emphasizing the importance of phonics and ongoing teaching, especially after standardized testing concludes.🎯 In this episode, you'll also learn about:• The constrained vs. unconstrained skills framework every teacher needs to understand• Why diagnostic assessment has fallen by the wayside and how to bring it back• What fluency really means beyond reading speed (hint: it's about comprehension)• The case for morphology instruction in 3rd grade and beyond• How to turn end-of-year data into something useful for families and next year's teacher• Paired reading: the research-backed strategy parents can use at home this summerSome resources mentioned:Assessment for Reading InstructionParis, S. (2005). "Reinterpreting the Development of Reading Skills." Reading Research QuarterlyStahl, K. (2011). "Applying New Visions of Reading Development in Today's Classroom." The Reading TeacherKeith Topping, paired reading research and methodologyKay's website — specifically a parent-facing section on diagnostic assessment with 12 questions parents should ask their child's teacherKay's five co-authored books Chapters:0:00 Introduction ➡️Dr. Kay Stahl1:45 Who is Kay? Background & NYU Literacy Clinic2:45 Constrained vs. unconstrained skills (Scott Paris research)5:30 The biggest mistake teachers make at year-end8:30 Turning data into action ➡️ end-of-year assessment tables11:00 Why diagnostic assessment has fallen by the wayside13:00 Science of reading & Assessment for Reading Instruction13:45 Morphology ➡️what it is and why it matters15:40 Fluency beyond reading speed ➡️accuracy, prosody & comprehension18:00 The speedometer➡️teaching kids to match reading rate to purpose20:30 Paired reading ➡️ the research-backed family strategy22:30 Lightning round ➡️summer tips, myths & quick wins25:30 Wrap-up & what's coming in Part 2Part 2 drops Friday: covering summer reading plans, what counts as reading, and a comprehension finding that changes everything.Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter  #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #ScienceOfReading #LiteracyInstruction #ReadingFluency #TeachingTips #InstructionalCoaching #StudentEngagement #StudentMotivation #EffectiveTeaching #SummerReading #ParentInvolvement #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyLiteracy #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #EmpoweredEducators #Morphology #DiagnosticAssessment #ProfessionalLearning #TeacherLifeWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

This June, Schoolutions is setting teachers, families, and students up for success in September all summer long. Five conversations. One month of inspiring students, empowered educators, and real education transformation. This Month's Conversations: 📖 S5 E40: Dr. Kay Stahl | June 1 & 5Dr. Kay Stahl brings 25+ years of classroom and clinic experience to a conversation about the 5th edition of Assessment for Reading Instruction. A must-listen for anyone who cares about student success and keeping reading alive all summer. Kay's insights on paired bedtime reading and dinner-table reading talk make the home-school connection feel completely doable and prove that summer slide is totally avoidable.🏃 S5 E41:  @CoachGelardi | June 8 & 12Coach Tom Gelardi, New York State's P.E. Teacher of the Year, pulls back the curtain on what really happens in a gym class: managing 64 kids in a space meant for 30, and building a YouTube channel closing in on 15 million views. This conversation transforms how you see student engagement, whole child development, and the power of movement as an instructional strategy.➗ S5 E42: Wendy Ward Hoffer | June 15 & 19Author of All Minds on Mathematics, Wendy makes the case that summer is the most underused math classroom we have. The kitchen, the car, and the dinner table are all you need. A practical, joyful playbook for any adult who wants to grow a curious mathematician, no worksheets required.  @PEBC 💛 S5 E43: Dr. Kass & Cornelius Minor | June 22 & 26Co-founders of The Minor Collective, Cornelius and Dr. Kass Minor, have spent years building education around one radical premise: kids deserve to be truly centered. In a moment when teaching feels surveilled, exhausted, and politically complicated, this conversation is a fierce, tender reminder of why the work still matters.🎙️ S5 E44: Season 5 Closing Reflection | June 29I (Olivia Wahl) reflect on the big ideas from Season 5, preview what's coming this summer, and share what Season 6 is all about — for teachers, by teachers — leading up to my book release in spring 2027.📬 Stay Connected & Subscribe👍 Like if you're ready for education transformation💬 Comment: Which guest are you most excited to hear?🔔 Subscribe for weekly teaching tips and instructional strategies https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/📱 Share Wednesday reels with colleagues, friends, and familiesChapters:0:00–0:10: Intro 0:10–0:20 Dr. Kay Stahl 0:20–0:30 Coach Tom Gelardi 0:30–0:40Wendy Ward Hoffer 0:40–0:48 Kass & Cornelius Minor 0:48–0:59 Season 5 Reflection#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter  #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #TeacherPodcast #EducationPodcast #StudentEngagement #ClassroomBelonging #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #TeachingTips #InnovativeTeaching #InclusiveTeaching #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherSupport #MentorTeachers #CoachingStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #SchoolImprovement #InstructionalLeadership #EducationLeadership #SchoolCulture #PrincipalStrategies #ParentInvolvement #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyPartnerships #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #AntiBiasTeaching #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #ThrivingStudents #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #SummerLearning #NewTeachersWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What does it actually take to build student engagement and student participation for experienced multilinguals — not just in theory, but in every lesson, every day?In Part 2 of my S5E39 Schoolutions conversation, literacy experts Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh break down the integrated literacy framework at the heart of their new book, Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals. This episode is packed with education strategies and instructional strategies you can use tomorrow.You’ll learn about:🔄 THE INPUT-OUTPUT LOOP: The single most powerful shift for active learning and attention in class. Stop delivering 40-minute lectures. Give students a small chunk of content, then ask for output immediately. Rinse and repeat. Beth and Tan show exactly how this works in a grade 7 science lesson on plate tectonics; a masterclass in effective teaching and lesson planning.📝 THE STRUCTURED QUICK WRITE: A practical instructional routine that integrates reading, writing, speaking, and listening in one short activity. Tan walks us through building academic sentences using "comma-but" contrast structures; the kind of innovative teaching that produces real academic language, not just correct answers.⚖️ EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION AS AN EQUITY ISSUE: This is where the conversation gets real. Beth shares a story about a professional multilingual woman whose career advancement is being capped, not because of her ability, but because no one ever taught her the academic language structures she needed. This is the cost of low engagement with explicit instruction. Equity in education and inclusive teaching aren't just values; they're instructional choices. An annotated mentor text, a sentence frame, a structured quick write: these aren't optional scaffolds. They're a right for every student.💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & check out resources mentioned:➡️Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals by Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh (their first book)➡️Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals by  Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh  (the new book)➡️Talk. Read. Talk. Write. by Nancy Motley - credited by Tan as the inspiration for the input-output loop sequencing➡️Previous Schoolutions episode with Beth and Tan: an earlier, separate episode (distinct from this two-part series) where scaffolding is discussed in depthChapters:0:00 Intro — integrated literacy framework overview1:45 Why the four language domains can't be siloed5:30 The badminton metaphor for language integration8:00 What is the input-output loop?10:00 Plate tectonics classroom example13:00 Beth on shortening the loop for academic language14:30 Using "while" and "comma-but" as contrast structures17:30 The equity argument — explicit instruction is a right20:30 What is an annotated mentor text?22:30 The structured quick write in action25:30 Stories of student and teacher breakthroughs29:30 Key takeaways + outro🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! Next week's episode: I am sitting down with literacy expert Dr. Kay Stahl to unpack something so many students carry quietly: "I'm not a reader." We're talking about what that statement actually signals, why diagnostic assessment matters so much more than a standardized test score, and how families can build confident readers this summer without it ever feeling like school. You don't want to miss it. I'll see you then.#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #MultilingualLearners #ELLStrategies #IntegratedLiteracy #StudentEngagement #EquityInEducation #ExplicitInstruction #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherTips #ActiveLearning #InclusiveClassrooms #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #ProKidMindset #Schoolutions #EducationPodcast #TeacherCoaching #LessonPlanning #AcademicLanguage #ProfessionalDevelopment #StudentSuccess #EffectiveTeachingWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What does it cost us when experienced multilinguals never receive the explicit academic language instruction they need, not just to pass a class, but to fully participate in school, in careers, and in life?In this short from my S5E39 Schoolutions conversation, I sit down with authors Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh to unpack their newest book, Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals. Together they challenge the deficit-laden label "long-term English learner" and replace it with something far more accurate and empowering: experienced multilingual.What does "stuck" actually look like in a classroom? It looks like a ninth-grader saying, "It gets bigger when it gets closer," and a well-meaning teacher accepting that answer and moving on. It looks like assuming students should already know academic language simply because they've been in the system for years. It looks like protection masquerading as support, and acceptance masquerading as high expectations.Tan and Beth argue that every content teacher (science, math, social studies) is also a language teacher, whether they know it or not. The language of geology is not the same as the language of literary analysis. The language of a lab report is not the language of a hallway conversation. And when we stop assuming and start teaching explicitly, we close gaps and open futures. As Tan says it best: "An experienced multilingual is not a struggling student. They are students in need of academic instruction."Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E39 interview. 📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. Chapters:0:00 – The Cost of Silence: What Society Loses0:08 – The Danger of Assumptions in Schools0:18 – What Could Students Do If We Just Taught Them?0:28 – Reframing the Label: Not Struggling, Just Under-Taught#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #ExperiencedMultilinguals #ELDTeaching #AcademicLanguage #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #InclusiveClassrooms #StudentEngagement #StudentSuccess #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #InstructionalStrategies #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #EmpoweredEducators #TeacherImpact #EducationTransformation #MultilingualLearners #WIDAFramework #IntegratedLiteracy #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #SchoolCulture #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #FamilyPartnerships #HomeSchoolConnectionWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What does "stuck" actually look like in a classroom and whose job is it to fix it?In this S5E39 Part 1 episode of Schoolutions, I sit down again with Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh to discuss their newest collaboration, Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals. They talk about why the phrase "long-term English learner" needs to go, and what "stuck" looks like in a classroom. This episode is a must-listen for any teacher looking to improve their English language instruction and support every student.Beth shares a powerful classroom story about a ninth grader who could explain physics perfectly in social language but needed explicit support to reach academic language. Tan shares what it felt like to arrive in the U.S. as a five-year-old Vietnamese refugee and later be told his "creative" science writing wasn't science writing at all.Some episode mentions👇💫The Writing Revolution by Natalie Wexler and Judith Hochman💫Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals by Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh (their first book)💫Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals by  Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh  (the new book)💫The 2020 WIDA framework💫The original WIDA "Can Do" philosophy💫Ruslana Westerlund — contributor to the 2020 WIDA frameworkPublications💫Scientific American — mentioned as an example of science writing for non-scientists🔑 Topics discussed:➡️ Why "experienced multilingual" replaces deficit language around student engagement and student motivation➡️ What stuck looks like and how it starts as early as 4th grade (classroom behavior vs. academic language)➡️ Social language vs. academic language: the continuum and why it matters for active learning➡️Why every content teacher is responsible for the language of their discipline and how that supports inclusive teaching➡️Good-intentioned practices that actually increase the gap (a must-hear for instructional coaching and teacher support)➡️ The equity argument for explicit instruction as the most generous form of culturally responsive teachingMore resources from Tan & Beth:Huynh, T. & Skelton, B. (2026).A Scaffolding Strategy to Help Experienced ELLs Express Complex Ideas. EdutopiaHuynh, T., & Skelton, B. (2025).Sentence-Level Scaffolds That Foster English Learners' Independence and Growth. EdutopiaHuynh, T., & Skelton, B. (2025).Adapting Gradual Release of Responsibility for English Language Learners. EdutopiaHuynh, T., & Skelton, B. (2025).Using an Input-Output Loop to Help Newcomer Students Learn Class Content. EdutopiaChapters:0:00 Welcome & guest introductions1:45 Research nugget: The Writing Revolution (Tan)2:55 Research nugget: WIDA 2020 framework (Beth)3:50 Why this book? Origin of Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals5:40 Why "long-term English learner" needs to go (asset vs. deficit language)7:50 What "stuck" looks like: the convex lens classroom story11:00 Social language vs. academic language explained13:00 Every content teacher IS a language teacher14:40 Beth's husband's geology thesis (and why science writes in passive voice)16:50 Tan's "sandwiched" rock layers story (two Englishes)18:45 Lightning round: Q&A with Beth and Tan22:00 Preview of Part 2 with the input-output loop & language domainsJoin our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #MultilingualLearners #ELLTeachers #AcademicLanguage #ExperiencedMultilinguals #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherCoaching #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #StudentEngagement #StudentMotivation #ActiveLearning #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EducationLeadership #SchoolCulture #TeacherSupport #MentorTeachers #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #SchoolChange #ClassroomBelonging #AntibiasTeachingWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What happens when the students whom everyone overlooks become the ones who change everything? In Part 2 of this must-hear S5E38 Schoolutions conversation, Rachael Thrash shares the inspiring story about Angolan students in Portland, Maine, who turned their isolation into a school-wide soccer tournament, walks through her Actionable Participatory Model step by step, and gives you the one move you can make this Monday to start co-creation in your classroom today.Rachael unpacks why shy students, multilingual learners, and kids who learn differently are the most silenced voices in schools, and exactly how strategic facilitation and inclusive teaching can change that. This is equity in education and school culture work at its most practical and most human.💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & check out some of the resources mentioned:Rachael Thrash's websiteLet the Learners Lead: Empowering Student Voice to Co-Create School Culture by Rachael ThrashBaxter Academy for Science and Technology, Portland, MaineInternational School of HelsinkiNext Week: Tan Huynh and Beth Skelton are on a mission to reach the students everyone assumes are fine — experienced multilinguals who can chat in the hallway but still can't write a formal essay with ease. Tune in to learn about their new book, Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals, and for the personal stories, the framework, and the moves that offer these students the instruction they've always deserved. Chapters:0:00 — Hook: Angolan Students Who Changed Their Whole School 1:00 — Welcome Back & Part 2 Overview 1:30 — Case Study: Baxter Academy for Science and Technology, Portland, Maine 3:00 — How Isolation Became the Catalyst for Change 4:00 — From Problem to Proposal: The Soccer League Story 5:30 — The Confidence Ripple Effect — What the Biology Teacher Noticed 6:30 — Whose Voices Get Overlooked Most Often 7:30 — The Story of Risa: From Silent to Leading 9:00 — How a Student Leadership Retreat Changed Everything 10:00 — Introducing the Actionable Participatory Model 10:30 — Step 1: Relationship Building and Connection 11:30 — Step 2: Exploring What's Working and What Isn't 12:30 — Step 3: Imagining a Better School 13:00 — Step 4: Breaking Ideas Into Actionable Projects 14:00 — Step 5: Real Audience, Real Stakes 14:45 — Step 6: Reflection and Redefining Together 16:00 — Why This Book Is a Mentor Text for Teachers 16:30 — What the World Is Demanding of Kids Right Now 17:30 — Why Co-Creation Defies AI 19:00 — Regenerative Education and Hattie's Research 20:30 — Page 143: The Co-Create Framework Quote 22:00 — The One Move to Start This Work on Monday 24:00 — Key Takeaways and Call to Action 25:00 — Next Week Preview: Tan Huynh and Beth Skelton 26:00 — Outro and How to Work With Olivia Wahl📧 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! Next week's conversation: Tan Huynh and Beth Skelton are on a mission to reach the students everyone assumes are fine — experienced multilinguals who can chat in the hallway but still can't write a formal essay with ease. Tune in to learn about their new book, Integrated Literacy for Experienced Multilinguals, and for the personal stories, the framework, and the moves that offer these students the instruction they've always deserved. #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #StudentVoice #CoCreation #LetTheLearnersLead #RachaelThrash #Schoolutions #OliviaWahl #ActionableParticipatoryModel #StudentLeadership #InclusiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #Multilingual #ELLStudents #ShyStudents #OverlookedStudents #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #EffectiveTeaching #ActiveLearning #EmpoweredEducators #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #AIinEducation #HumanCenteredLearning #PortraitOfAGraduate #EducationTransformation #RegenerativeEducation #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolCulture #InspiringStudents #TeacherImpactWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Is your student council secretly reinforcing the status quo? In this short from my S5E38 Schoolutions conversation, Rachael Thrash, author of Let the Learners Lead and Senior Director of Education & Innovation at Big Bad Boo Studios, breaks down why traditional student leadership models are built on barriers that silence the very students whose voices matter most.When school leadership becomes a privilege for the already-confident, already-popular, already-successful kids, we send a quiet but powerful message: this space isn't for you. Real school culture change starts when we treat every student as a leader in the making.Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E38 interview. 📧 Book a coaching session with me here: https://www.oliviawahl.com/printable-resources/p/professional-mentorship-expert-networking, if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 📘 Grab Rachael's book: Let the Learners Lead🌐 Learn more: https://cocreateschools.com/Chapters0:00 Why Traditional Student Leadership Fails0:20 The Status Quo Problem in Student Councils0:45 School as a Laboratory — For Every Student1:10 What Exclusive Leadership Models Really Teach Kids1:35 How We Repeat Society's Inequities in Schools#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #StudentLeadership #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #EquityInEducation #InclusiveTeaching #SchoolCulture #StudentVoice #ProKidMindset #LetTheLearnersLead #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #EmpoweredEducators #TeacherCoaching #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #EducationTransformation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #WholeChild #SchoolChange #TeacherImpact #AntiTeaching #NewTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #SchoolutionsWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Is your student council accidentally silencing the students who need a voice most? In Part 1 of this two-part S5E38 Schoolutions conversation, Rachael Thrash, Senior Director of Education and Innovation at Big Bad Boo Studios and author of Let the Learners Lead: Empowering Student Voice to Co-Create School Culture, breaks down why traditional student leadership models are quietly reinforcing the status quo, and what co-creation actually looks and feels like in schools.Rachael walks us through David Yeager's research and the student voice continuum, unpacks why a student survey is NOT the same as student voice, and shares two unforgettable stories about what happens when teachers trust kids enough to let things get messy. This is instructional leadership and school culture work at its most human.Some episode mentions: Rachael Thrash's website10 to 25 by David Yeager, PhDDesigning Group Work by Cohen and LawtonStudent Voice Continuum — Teschales and Nykula, University of PennsylvaniaInternational School of HelsinkiTricia Friedman🎧 Part 2 drops Friday, where Rachael walks us through a school case study, whose voices get overlooked most, and the one move you can make on Monday morning to get this work started. CHAPTERS0:00 — Hook: Is Your Student Council Doing More Harm Than Good? 1:00 — Welcome & Introduction: Who Is Rachael Thrash? 2:00 — Research Spotlight: David Yeager & Designing Group Work 3:30 — What Traditional Student Leadership Gets Wrong 5:00 — The Student Council Constitution That Excludes Most Kids 6:00 — The Moment Rachael Knew We Had to Do This Differently 7:30 — Student Voice vs. Student Survey: There's a Huge Difference 9:00 — The Student Voice Continuum Explained 10:30 — Co-Creation: What It Actually Means for Students & Adults 11:30 — What Happens When Teachers Let Go of Control 12:30 — The Resistance Art Gallery Story 14:30 — The Helsinki Interview That Changed Everything 16:00 — Life Is Messy — and That's the Point 16:45 — Lightning Round With Rachael Thrash 19:00 — Key Takeaways & Call to Action 19:45 — Come Back for Part 2 — PreviewJoin our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 📧 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #StudentVoice #SchoolCulture #StudentLeadership #CoCreation #LetTheLearnersLead #RachaelThrash #Schoolutions #OliviaWahl #InclusiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #EffectiveTeaching #ActiveLearning #EmpoweredEducators #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #AntiBiasTeaching #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #ProfessionalDevelopment #NewTeachers #SchoolLeadership #FamilyPartnerships #inspiringstudentsWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What if the secret to student engagement, student motivation, and inspiring students wasn't a new app or a new behavior system, but storytelling? In Part 2 of my S5E37 Schoolutions conversation, Xochitl Bentley (author of Helping Students Become Climate Stewards) walks us through what climate stewardship projects look and feel like in real classrooms: from a Green Ambassador Grant field trip to TreePeople Eco Park in LA to a student-led postcard campaign to city representatives. These aren't assigned projects. They're sparked by genuine encounters with stewardship, and they ripple outward into the community.You’ll learn:✦ How to make the case for environmental justice education in any classroom ✦ The "read with the grain / read against the grain" strategy for counter-storytelling✦ Flash fiction + news stories = student agency in climate narratives✦ What a real climate stewardship project looks like, start to finish✦ The 3 questions every student should carry with them for life💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & check out some resources mentioned:➡️Flash fiction technique borrowed from writer Kathy Fish: thinking like a mosaicist➡️The Great Pacific Garbage Patch as a springboard for student flash fiction writing ➡️Louisiana's Cancer Alley as a case study for rhetorical strategies in ELA ➡️Field trip to TreePeople eco park in Los Angeles Chapters:0:00 – Introduction & Part 1 Recap1:45 – The "Read With / Against the Grain" Strategy4:00 – Banking Student Questions as Visible Inquiry5:30 – Flash Fiction + News Stories = Student Agency8:00 – Making the Case for Environmental Justice in Any Classroom10:30 – Environmental Hazards as Public Health Emergencies11:30 – The Green Ambassador Grant Project12:30 – TreePeople Eco Park Field Trip14:30 – Student-Led Community Showcase & Postcard Campaign15:45 – Defining "Climate Steward"17:00 – The Three Questions for Future Ancestors18:00 – Reading from the Book's Preface19:30 – Olivia's 3 Big Takeaways21:00 – Next Episode Preview📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Next Week: International educator and author Rachael Thrash is about to challenge everything you think you know about what student leadership looks like. She makes a compelling case in her new book, Let the Learners Lead, for why handing real power to students doesn't just change schools, it changes the world. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

When students shut down during climate conversations, the answer isn't more data; it's better storytelling. In this short from my S5E37 Schoolutions conversation, climate educator and author Xochitl Bentley explains why wrapping difficult facts in stories is the key to unlocking student engagement, authentic voice, and real civic action in your classroom.Whether you're focused on inspiring students, improving student participation, or building a pro-kid mindset across your school, Xochitl's approach to environmental storytelling offers a whole child framework that works across ELA, science, social studies, and beyond.Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E37 interview. 📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. Schoolutions is for teachers, education coaches, instructional leaders, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, teacher mentors, school counselors, and anyone committed to empowered educators and thriving students. Tune in every Monday and Friday for evidence-based, classroom-ready strategies you can apply right away.📚 CHAPTERS0:00 Why students shut down during climate conversations0:22 The problem with facts and statistics alone0:38 Why storytelling unlocks student engagement0:52 The power of community-rooted stories1:05 Authentic voice, honest call to action #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #StudentEngagement #ClassroomBelonging #InspiringStudents #ActiveLearning #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #StudentMotivation #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #InclusiveClassrooms #AntiBiasTeaching #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #ClimateEducation #EnvironmentalStorytelling #StudentVoice #Schoolutions #ClimateStorytelling #ClimateStewards #XochitlBentleyWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What if the most powerful climate tool we have isn't a statistic, it's a story?In Part 1 of my S5E37 Schoolutions conversation, I sit down with teacher Xochitl Bentley to unpack how using six specific storytelling stances can effectively engage students with climate change issues. Xochitl emphasizes that stories can be a more powerful tool than statistics in fostering environmental education and stewardship, highlighting their role in the broader education for sustainability movement.Some resources mentioned:📚 Helping Students Become Climate Stewards: Storytelling for Environmental Advocacy and Problem Solving by Xochitl Bentley📚 Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor by Rob Nixon📚The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer📚Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler➡️Fukushima Daiichi Accident CHAPTERS:0:00 – Introduction & Who Is Xochitl Bentley1:45 – The Research: Rob Nixon & Slow Violence3:30 – What Sparked Xochitl's Passion for Climate Stewardship5:00 – The Food Story That Hooked Students (Heather's Classroom)6:10 – Lessons from Japan: Foresight, Islands & Sustainability8:30 – Why Facts Alone Don't Drive Action9:30 – Wrapping Data in Stories: The Core Argument10:30 – The Six Storytelling Stances (Overview)11:00 – Stance 1: Storytelling for Systemic Responsiveness12:10 – Stance 2: Storytelling About Root Causes13:10 – Stance 3: Storytelling Beyond Either/Or14:10 – Stance 4: Storytelling for Kinship & Reciprocity15:20 – Stance 5: Storytelling for Intergenerational Awareness16:30 – The Seventh Generation Principle Connection17:10 – Stance 6: Storytelling for Collective Mobilization18:10 – Lightning Round Begins18:45 – Book Rec: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer19:40 – One Word Students Feel: Overwhelmed20:10 – Most Underrated Genre: Ghost Stories21:00 – Biggest Myth in Environmental Education21:30 – A Student Becomes a Climate Steward When…22:00 – Wrap Up & What's Coming in Part 2🎧 Part 2 drops Friday, where Xochitl walks through the full storytelling flow and real climate stewardship projects from her classroom.Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 📧 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #StudentEngagement #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalStrategies #ClimateEducation #EffectiveTeaching #ClassroomBelonging #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part 2 of my S5E36 ⁨Schoolutions conversation with Sabina Sethi Unni from @openplansnyc⁩ breaks down how urban redevelopment can truly impact a school community. Sabina shares specific strategies for urban design, like a co-created toolkit and a relational outreach approach, showing a before and after in community engagement. This architecture video highlights the Clarkson Street project, proposing new installations to foster a better environment.💫Make sure to watch Part 1  and learn more about applying by reaching out to Sabina at [email protected]📚 Some Episode Mentions:School Streets program with Open PlansClarkson School Street Project New York EdgeThe Project for Public Spaces Transportation AlternativesParis School Streets program Pratt Institute / International Placemaking Week CHAPTERS0:00 — Introduction: Streets as the Most Joyful Place in the Neighborhood1:30 — What Is a School Street? Definition & What It Looks Like4:00 — How Schools Apply & Eligibility Requirements6:30 — Equity First: Why Low-Income Communities Are Prioritized9:00 — The Biggest Barriers: Staffing, Admin Burden & Leadership Turnover11:30 — Co-Creating the Toolkit with Transportation Alternatives14:00 — From Cold Outreach to Relational Organizing16:30 — The Clarkson Street Story: A National Model in the Making20:00 — NYC's First-Ever Permanent Swing Gate on a Public Street23:00 — Mayor Mamdani's Opt-Out Proposal & What It Could Mean26:00 — If Every Street Became a School Street: Where to Start29:00 — The Vision for Scale & What Paris Can Teach NYC31:00 — How to Get Involved, Apply, or Support the Movement🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! Next week's episode: Xochitl Bentley teaches us about different storytelling stances and how they connect to climate stewardship. Xochitl offers a masterclass in culturally responsive teaching, inclusive classrooms, and sparking student motivation through narrative and identity. #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #SchoolStreets #UrbanPlanning #EquityInEducation #StudentSuccess #WholeChild #SchoolCulture #InstructionalLeadership #TeacherCoaching #ActiveLearning #OutdoorLearning #FamilyPartnerships #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #ProKidMindset #SchoolImprovement #EmpoweredEducators #InclusiveClassrooms #SchoolusionsPodcast #TeacherSupport #PrincipalStrategies #CommunitySchoolsWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In this clip (watch here), Sabina Sethi Unni from Open Plans defines a school street as a DOT program enabling schools to close adjacent streets to car traffic during school hours, enhancing school safety. This initiative, rooted in urban planning, can range from simple pick-up and drop-off closures to creating spaces for recess and gym. The aim is to improve road safety and overall student safety by managing traffic around schools.This is the kind of innovative teaching environment and instructional leadership thinking that drives real school improvement, strengthens family partnerships, and builds school culture from the ground up. Whether you're a principal, teacher, instructional coach, or caregiver, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about the spaces where students learn, move, and thrive.📩 Want to bring a School Street to your school? Contact Sabina at [email protected] to unlock more innovative teaching strategies that empower educators and drive real school change? Subscribe and explore the full channel.Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E36 interview. CHAPTERS:0:00 What is a School Street?0:12 Pick-Up & Drop-Off Safety0:22 Recess & Gym on the Street0:35 Outdoor Learning & Science Fairs0:48 Community Programming & Halloween Parades1:02 School Streets as a Hub for Student & Family Life📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl📌 Subscribe for more tools for empowered educators, teacher mentors, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone committed to thriving students and school change. #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #SchoolStreets #OpenPlans #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #EquityInEducation #SchoolCulture #InnovativeTeaching #WholeChild #OutdoorLearning #FamilyPartnerships #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #EmpoweredEducators #ProKidMindset #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #InclusiveClassrooms #TeacherCoaching #EducationTransformation #ThrivingStudents #SchoolLeadership #ParentInvolvement #InspiringStudents #TeacherImpact #ProfessionalDevelopment #NYCSchools #UrbanEducation When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In Part 1 of this S5E36 two-part Schoolutions conversation, urban planner and organizer Sabina Sethi Unni from @openplansnyc breaks down New York City's School Streets program. It's a DOT initiative that closes car traffic in front of schools during school hours to create outdoor space for kids who need it most. Consider the possibilities...what if the street outside your school could become a gym, a science fair, or a Halloween parade all before 3 PM?We discuss:- What School Streets actually looks like (hint: it's active learning in action)- How schools apply and who is eligible- Why student engagement and classroom behavior improve when kids have space to move- The #1 barrier for under-resourced schools and how Open Plans removes it- Why equity in education and culturally responsive teaching are baked into their outreach model- How parent involvement and family partnerships make or break the program- What school leadership and principal strategies can do to champion this today- Why community engagement is non-negotiable in education transformation📩 Want to bring a School Street to your school? Reach out to Sabina directly: [email protected] Some resources mentioned:School Streets program with Open PlansHackney, UK (suburb of London): Open streets research program Paris School Streets program School Streets reportCHAPTERS:0:00 — Introduction & Sabina's Background1:45 — Research That Drives the Work (Hackney, UK)3:00 — How Street Design Became a Lever of Power5:00 — From Intern to Full-Time: The Equity Research That Started It All7:15 — How Schools Apply & Who Is Eligible8:45 — Prioritizing Low-Income Communities of Color9:45 — The Real Barriers: Staffing, PTAs & Stretched Schools10:55 — How Open Plans Removes Barriers for Schools12:30 — What a School Street Actually Looks & Feels Like13:45 — Flexible Hours: Schools Choose What Works for Them14:30 — How Involved Is Open Plans After Approval?15:30 — Leadership Turnover as a Hidden Barrier16:30 — Lightning Round: Best Quotes, Myths & Big Dreams18:30 — The Danger of Skipping Community Engagement19:30 — Key Takeaways & Part 2 PreviewJoin our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 📧 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies#SchoolStreets #EquityInEducation #StudentEngagement When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

This May, Schoolutions is putting student voices front and center because real student success starts with listening. We spotlight how teachers can tune in to children's voices and experiences, including their streets, stories, leadership, and language.👟 Sabina Sethi Unni opens the month with her powerful work through Open Plans NYC and the School Streets program. She is transforming unsafe streets in front of New York City schools into open play spaces that honor the whole child.📖 Xochitl Bentley dives into different storytelling stances and how they connect to climate stewardship. Xochitl offers a masterclass in culturally responsive teaching, inclusive classrooms, and sparking student motivation through narrative and identity.🌱 Rachael Thrash talks about co-creating schools with students and developing student leaders. This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about active learning, student participation, and equity in education.📚 Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh close out the month with their new book on working with experienced multilinguals and their integrated literacy framework.  Beth and Tan offer essentials for anyone committed to anti-bias teaching, inclusivity, and thriving students who are also language learners.These conversations are rooted in inspiring students and educators, and in the belief that educational transformation happens when we center student voice, build family partnerships, and support teachers.Join us this May. We can't wait to see you. 💙CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:👍 Like if you're ready for education transformation💬 Comment: Which guest are you most excited to hear?🔔 Subscribe for weekly teaching tips and instructional strategies 📱 Share Wednesday reels with your teaching teamCHAPTERS0:00 Intro: May's theme: centering children's voices0:12 Sabina Sethi Unni: School Streets & safe play spaces0:25 Xochitl Bentley: storytelling stances & climate stewardship0:36 Rachael Thrash: co-creating schools & student leadership0:47 Beth Skelton & Tan Huynh: experienced multilinguals & integrated literacy0:58 Join us this May!#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter  #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #StudentMotivation #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #SchoolCulture #FamilyPartnerships #HomeSchoolConnection #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #AntiBiasTeaching #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #NewTeachers #StudentVoice #StudentLeadership #MultilingualLearners #TeachersOfYouTube #EducationPodcast #ProKidMindset #SchoolImprovementWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part two of my S5E35 ⁨Schoolutions conversation, science busker and communicator David Price with @ScienceMadeSimpleUK⁩ joins me to unpack what happens when you take STEM education to the streets. From crossing language barriers without a single word to designing classroom belonging through hands-on phenomena to building STEM kits for classrooms where balloons are a luxury, this episode is packed with practical insights for anyone who cares about inspiring students and transforming how we teach.In this episode:➡️Why student participation skyrockets when you lead with play, not lecture➡️How mimicry and observation are the original instructional strategies — and why schools train it out of kids➡️The "Odd One Out" technique for sparking student engagement and scientific thinking from minute one➡️How to design for inclusive classrooms where language, cost, and jargon aren't barriers➡️What the Singapore National Science Busking Championship reveals about empowered educators and student success➡️Why effective teaching starts with you, not a script, not a lab, not a budget💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & here are some episode Mentions:Lightyear Foundation British Interactive Group (BIG)  Singapore National Science Busking Championships Chapters:0:00 — Welcome Back & Part 1 Recap1:45 — Going Global: Language & Cultural Barriers in Science Busking3:30 — Why Wordless Performance Works: The Power of Observation & Mimicry5:00 — Learning-Doing: The Inseparable Pair6:30 — Can Visualize Come Back? A Call to Funders7:00 — Holding the Mission Sacred While Running a Real Business8:30 — Meet the Science Made Simple Team9:30 — STEM Education in Ghana: Designing Kits for Equity11:30 — Building Science Busking Kits for Any Context13:00 — Teaching the Scientific Method as a Phenomenon14:00 — Connecting Science to Real-Life Phenomena in the Classroom16:00 — Thinking, Doing, Talking Science: The Odd One Out Technique17:30 — Building Student Confidence to Question & Explore18:30 — Advice for Aspiring Science Communicators20:00 — The Most Effective Communicator Is YOU21:00 — Find Your Community: British Interactive Group & Science Communication Masters22:30 — What Still Feels Unfinished: Singapore Busking Championships & a Dream for Europe24:00 — Closing Reflections & Three Takeaways26:00 — Next Week: Urban Planner Sabina Unni on School Streets🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlNext week: I am so excited to introduce you to urban planner Sabina Sethi Unni, who is on a mission to transform the clogged streets in front of New York City schools into outdoor classrooms, block parties, and safe spaces for kids to actually breathe. She is going to break down exactly how the School Streets program with Open Plans works and what it would take to bring it to every school in the city.When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In this short (watch here), David Price of @ScienceMadeSimpleUK and I explore science busking: a joyful, hands-on approach to inspiring students through playful phenomena in education. Watch as proprioception (your brain's ability to sense where your body parts are in space) becomes an unforgettable lesson hook.This is what effective teaching looks like: low-prep, high-impact, and rooted in curiosity. Whether you're a classroom teacher, instructional coach, school leader, or parent supporting education at home, this kind of whole-child, pro-kid mindset is exactly what drives student motivation, classroom belonging, and thriving students.Science busking isn't a trick; it's a teaching strategy that sparks attention in class, deepens student participation, and makes abstract concepts stick through inclusive, culturally responsive teaching.Ready to unlock more innovative teaching strategies that empower educators and drive real school change? Subscribe and explore the full channel.Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E35 interview. CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction to science busking0:06 The demo begins — can you catch all three?0:28 Nailing it — student success moment0:45 What just happened? Introducing proprioception1:05 Why this is powerful for teaching and learningWhen coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl📌 Subscribe for more tools for empowered educators, teacher mentors, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone committed to thriving students and school change. #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #ScienceBusking #ActiveLearning #StudentEngagement #TeachingTips #InstructionalCoaching #ClassroomBelonging #EffectiveTeaching #ProKidMindset #EducationTransformation #InspiringStudents #WholeChild #SchoolLeadership #NewTeachers #InnovativeTeaching #TeacherImpact #ProfessionalDevelopment #InclusiveClassrooms #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #StudentMotivation #LessonPlanning #SchoolCulture #ParentInvolvement #EmpoweredEducators #EquityInEducation #HomeschoolParentsWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part 1 of my S5E35 Schoolutions conversation, science busker and LAMDA-trained communicator, David Price of @ScienceMadeSimpleUK, takes us inside a live street performance, and YOU get to participate. We explore proprioception, the body science behind the busk you'll try in this episode, as a metaphor for how hands-on, student participation, and whole-child learning can transform classroom behavior, student motivation, and attention.David shares how he trains researchers, new teachers, and school leaders in the art of captivating strangers and why those same skills are transformative for inspiring students and building student success in any setting.In Part 1, you'll discover:→ What science busking is and why it works for low engagement audiences→ The "golden volunteer" principle and how it applies to classroom belonging→ Why students at Rael Gate School started designing their own busks→ How street performer techniques translate into effective teaching→ The proprioception experiment you can try right nowResources from David:Jimmy Talksalot: To Lure- Sales PagePaul McCrory: books, biography, latest updateDavid Price: Street science for all | TED TalkSome episode mentions:Dr. Stefania Soldini & NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) Science Made Simple NorthLAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts)Croucher Science Week in Hong Kong 2009 World Street Performance ChampionshipThe Josh Award for Outstanding Innovation in Science Communication Singapore National Science Busking Championships Chapters0:00 Intro — science on a street corner1:30 Meet David Price: LAMDA science communicator & busker3:00 Stefia Sini: the interplanetary engineer4:00 How David found science communication (not planned!)5:30 LIVE BUSK — try the proprioception experiment now8:10 What science busking actually is10:00 Busking in schools — the Rael Gate story13:00 Materials: what's in a busking kit?14:20 Capturing a transient audience — the ball trick16:30 Lessons from the 2009 World Street Performance Championships19:00 The "golden volunteer" and inclusive classroom strategies20:45 Lightning round — David's hot takes📧 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part two of my S5E34 Schoolutions conversation, Muriel Summers of Leader in Me explores the balance in education and parenting between fostering student independence and providing necessary guidance, drawing from Muriel's extensive teaching experience. Discover practical classroom strategies and teaching tips for educators aiming to cultivate confident, self-directed learners.What does it truly mean to empower a student, and where exactly is the line between stepping back and disappearing? In Part 2 of this conversation, educator and author Muriel Summers (co-author of Teacher Believed in Me with Dr. David K. Hatch) shares the wisdom of four decades in classrooms around the world.Whether you're a classroom teacher, instructional coach, school administrator, or caregiver, this episode delivers practical, try-it-tomorrow strategies around:✦ Building student confidence through authentic success✦ Scaffolding: when to add support and when to pull back✦ Why growth lives inside discomfort (and what our job really is)✦ Global patterns in student engagement and student participation✦ How school culture and school leadership shape whether children feel heard💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & check out some of the resources mentioned:Teacher Believed in MeThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Leader in Me & movementChapters:0:00  Introduction & recap of Part 11:45  What "empower" really means — Dr. Stephen Covey's definition3:30  Letting children taste success & leadership6:00  Empowering vs. fading into the background — where's the line?7:00  The swimming lesson story — confidence in action9:00  Art shows, systems & messages that build or break confidence10:00 Scaffolding: when to put it up & when to take it down11:20 Public speaking, podiums & never letting kids leave the stage feeling unsuccessful14:30 Training wheels, discomfort & the dip where growth lives15:20 Middle school, homework & handing off responsibility17:00 Why discomfort is non-negotiable for growth18:30 Fertilizing the soil — the parent & educator's true role19:30 Global trends in student responsibility & voice22:00 What Muriel witnessed in India, Romania & around the world25:00 Heart prints — Muriel's legacy message26:30 Three key takeaways from Part 2🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlNext week's episode takes things somewhere unexpected. David Price with @ScienceMadeSimpleUK has taken science busking to 26 countries, and in this conversation, he proves exactly why it works. From street corners to Singapore championships, this episode illuminates why STEM is irresistible to any audience, anywhere in the world. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In this short, Muriel Summers and I explore the concept of empowerment, drawing insights from Stephen Covey's 7 Habits and the Leader in Me framework. We discuss how true leadership involves recognizing and unleashing the inherent greatness within individuals, fostering significant personal growth. This perspective highlights the importance of cultivating success habits and continuous self-improvement for effective leadership development.Drawing from the collaborative work of Dr. Hatch, we revisit one of the most profound definitions of leadership: "Communicating someone's worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves."This isn't just a quote, it's a philosophy for empowered educators, instructional leaders, and anyone who believes in the whole child.Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E34 interview. 🔑 In this video:- Why the word empower was intentionally chosen- How Stephen Covey's 7 Habits connects to student motivation and school culture- What it looks like to see and communicate student greatness- How this mindset shapes effective teaching, instructional coaching, and school leadership📌 CHAPTERS:- 0:00 – Why the Word "Empower?"- 0:20 – Stephen Covey's 7 Habits & Unleashing Greatness- 0:40 – Covey's Definition of Leadership- 1:00 – Communicating Worth & Potential- 1:20 – What Empowerment Looks Like in SchoolsWhen coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl📌 Subscribe for more tools for empowered educators, teacher mentors, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone committed to thriving students and school change. #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #evidencebasedmedicaleducation #empowerededucators #studentsuccess #inspiredteaching #instructionalcoaching #schoolleadership #teachercoaching #wholchild #educationtransformation #stephencovey #7habits #unleashgreatness #classroombelonging #studentengagement #schoolculture #teachingtiips #inclusiveteaching #proKidMindset #thrivingstudents #newteachers #mentorteachers #parentinvolvement #equityineducation #culturallyresponsiveteaching #schoolimprovement #instructionalleadership #educationleadership #activelearning #studentmotivation #familypartnerships #homeschoolconnectionWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part one of my S5E34 Schoolutions conversation, Muriel Summers of Leader in Me offers life advice and highlights the significant impact of entrusting children with real responsibility. This practice is a powerful, yet often underestimated, tool in child development. Summers, with extensive experience, offers valuable teaching and parenting tips, encouraging a positive parenting approach that fosters growth and confidence in children.Muriel shares the story of how Oprah Winfrey's third-grade teacher changed her trajectory with a single, small act of trust. She breaks down the difference between handing a child a task versus genuinely entrusting them with responsibility and why that distinction is everything when it comes to student motivation, classroom belonging, and school culture.We also dig into equity in education because when there's no system in place, the same children keep getting chosen. Muriel explains how instructional leadership and intentional classroom structures ensure every child, not just the confident or compliant ones, gets to feel what it's like to be believed in.🎧 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:- Why entrusting kids with responsibility is different from assigning tasks — and why students feel the difference- How low expectations are the most dangerous thing in a classroom (and what to do instead)- Why equity in the classroom requires a deliberate system, not good intentions- How school culture shifts when every child gets a meaningful role- What Leader in Me schools are doing globally to build inclusive classrooms and family partnerships- Why discomfort is actually the whole point of empowered learning (preview for Part 2!)Some Episode Mentions:➡️Leader in Me ➡️A.B. Combs Magnet Elementary➡️Teacher Believed in Me ➡️The Leader in Me📑 CHAPTERS0:00 - Introduction: What Changes a Child's Trajectory?1:00 - Meet Muriel Summers & Leader in Me2:00 - The Foundation: 7 Habits & 43 Years in Education3:30 - Task vs. Responsibility: What's the Difference?5:00 - Oprah's Third-Grade Teacher & the Power of Trust7:00 - Every Child Deserves to Feel Trusted8:00 - Equity in the Classroom: Who Gets Chosen?9:30 - Individual Gifts & the Good of the Whole Community10:30 - Global Connections in Leader in Me Schools11:30 - Lightning Round: Most Dangerous Thing a Teacher Can Do12:30 - Classroom Roles That Sound Meaningful But Aren't13:30 - "They're Just Not Ready" — Muriel's Response14:30 - Preview: Part 2 on Empowering Student Ownership15:00 - Olivia's 3 Key Takeaways & Call to ActionJoin our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me at https://www.oliviawahl.com/coaching-consulting if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl#schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part two of my S5E33 Schoolutions  conversation, Colleen O'Brien, Ed.D., reveals what decades of research and classroom teaching experience taught her: the gap between civic knowledge and civic participation isn't apathy, it's confidence. Colleen and I explore:🔹 Why low engagement in civic life is really a confidence problem, not an apathy problem🔹 What inclusive teaching and nonpartisan facilitation actually look like in practice🔹 How student participation in structured discussion prepares kids for real-world advocacy🔹 The role of instructional leadership and school culture in making civics education consistent and high quality💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & Some Episode Mentions:Civics for Colorado Colorado Youth Advisory Council Center for Civic EducationiCivics  Bill of Rights Institute Street Law Common Cause "This I Believe" More Information & Upcoming Events from ColleenChapters0:00 – Welcome Back & Part 2 Overview1:45 – Civic Knowledge vs. Civic Behavior: What's the Difference?4:00 – Civics Education Then vs. Now: What's Changed?6:20 – The Real Reason People Don't Participate (It's Not Apathy)7:45 – Building the Bridge: From Understanding Democracy to Showing Up9:00 – Training Facilitators & Reading the Room10:45 – How to Model Nonpartisanship When Everything Feels Partisan12:30 – Teaching Values vs. Teaching Partisanship14:00 – Where Is Civics Education Headed? 15:30 – What This Journey Taught Colleen About Herself16:00 – National Resources for Educators Everywhere17:00 – Closing Takeaways Next week: What happens when a teacher truly believes in a child? Not just says it, but proves it? Muriel Summers, co-creator of Leader in Me and co-author of Teacher Believed in Me, reveals why entrusting kids with real responsibility is the most powerful thing an adult can do and why holding back might be the most dangerous. You don't want to miss it.When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In this short, civics educator and doctoral researcher Colleen O'Brien, Ed.D., (Co-Director of Civics for Colorado) shares how a recent Georgetown University survey highlights a crucial point: 90% of youth believe understanding the us government is important. This educational video explores how this strong interest in civics debunks the myth of student apathy. It's clear that fostering democracy begins with informed education, not just textbook knowledge.In the full part 1 episode, we cover:- Why civic anxiety (not apathy) is the real barrier to student participation- How real civic experiences build student confidence and engagement- Programs like We the People and Project Citizen that are transforming classrooms- What Justice Anthony Kennedy told a room full of teachers about civic discourse- Why civics education is uneven across Colorado and what it costs communitiesWatch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E33 interview. 📌 Subscribe for more tools for empowered educators, teacher mentors, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone committed to thriving students and school change. 📚 Chapters- 0:00 The myth of student apathy- 0:12 What Georgetown's 2025 study actually found- 0:28 90% of students want to know how government works- 0:42 93% across party lines agree- 0:55 Why data matters for funding civics education- 1:05 What 3,000 students taught one educatorWhen coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #evidencebased #civicseducation  #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #TeachingTips #InnovativeTeaching #InclusiveTeaching #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EducationLeadership #SchoolCulture #FamilyPartnerships #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #ClassroomBelonging #StudentMotivation #ScionsPodcast #CivicsForColorado #DemocracyEducationWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Part one of my S5E33 Schoolutions conversation, Colleen O'Brien, Ed.D., discusses the critical role of civic education in fostering informed citizens. She argues that providing students with real civic experiences, not just textbook definitions, can shift their engagement from passive observation to active participation. Some Episode Mentions:Dr. Diana Owen, Georgetown University Civic Education Research Lab (CERL)Justice Anthony Kennedy Center for Civic EducationCommon Cause Civics for Colorado (formerly C3LE)Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC)iCivics National School Reform Faculty (student work protocol)We the People Project Citizen Citizen Nation90% of students say it's important to know how government worksMore Information & Upcoming Events from Colleen⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 – Introduction: Anxiety vs. Apathy in Civics1:00 – Meet Colleen O'Brien2:00 – The Research: 90% of Students Want Civic Education4:30 – Core Beliefs of Civics for Colorado5:45 – The Voting Booth Moment: A Story About Student Confidence8:30 – Why Civics Education Is Uneven Across Colorado11:30 – The Cost of Low Civic Literacy on Society14:00 – The Three-Legged Stool: Knowledge, Skills & Action17:00 – What Justice Kennedy Said About Student Discussion18:30 – Confidence vs. Arrogance in Civic Participation19:30 – We the People Program Explained23:00 – Project Citizen: Student-Led Community Change26:30 – Civics Starts at the Elementary Level28:30 – Lightning Round with Colleen O'Brien29:45 – Wrap-Up & Preview of Part 2Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part two of my S5E32 Schoolutions conversation with Dr. Benjamin Freud of the Green School Bali, we explore how regeneration and regenerative agriculture principles can inform learning, emphasizing a more holistic view. This conversation is designed to cultivate fresh perspectives on adult learning and sustainable development in educational contexts.We cover:→ The four S's of the Bird Lab — sensing, seeking, shaping, and storytelling — and why this framework supports active learning and whole child development→ Why rubrics, when treated as the end goal, are violent to the learning process — and what to replace them with in your lesson planning and instructional strategies→ Why stories are the most honest form of assessment — and how they build classroom belonging, student participation, and inspired teaching→ The difference between emergent learning and "anything goes" — and how guardrails rooted in community problems create more student motivation than any standard ever could→ Why a set curriculum that never changes is epistemologically violent — and what innovative teaching looks like instead→ What the 8th grade water structure project reveals about pro-kid mindset, thriving students, and learning that serves something beyond the individual→ How the "learningologist" model reimagines teacher coaching, instructional coaching, and the consultant relationship entirely→ Why education will be regenerative when it stops trying to be — and what that means for school leadership, school culture, and education leadership at every level💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & here are some Episode Mentions:The Bird Lab Coconut Thinking Chapters:0:00 Introduction and recap of Part 11:30 Inside the Bird Lab — what learning looks like here2:45 The four S's: sensing, seeking, shaping, storytelling4:30 Why regenerative learning can't be a copy-paste model6:30 What's wrong with rubrics and grades8:00 Assessment as story — moving your audience10:00 Google Drive projects and the individualism trap11:30 The "learningologist" vs. the fly-in consultant13:30 What emergent learning actually means15:00 The 8th grade water structure project — a real example16:45 Standards as guardrails vs. standards as the goal18:30 "Education will be regenerative when..." — the closing question19:30 Olivia's closing reflection and listener challenges21:30 Next week — civic education with Colleen O'Brien, Ed.D.🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me as a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlNext week:  Civics educator and doctoral researcher Colleen O'Brien joins me to reveal why civic apathy is actually a confidence problem and how the right classroom experiences can transform students into active participants. From Supreme Court insights to student voting booth moments, this conversation will absolutely change the way you think about civic education at every age. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

This short with Benjamin Freud, Ph.D., of Green School Bali explores how the learning process is intrinsically linked to active participation. Benjamin highlights the profound connection between learning by doing and contributing to community building. Discover how a trajectory focused on community engagement shapes a meaningful learning journey. This isn't just a school in the jungle; it's a radical reimagination of why we learn, how we grow, and who we learn for. Most traditional schools, through the way they measure learning, keep students individualized and disconnected. But what if student engagement, student motivation, and active learning were rooted in relationships with other people, with nature, with purpose?This is what inspiring students really looks like. Not through more instructional strategies or lesson planning tricks, but through a shift in school culture and a pro-kid mindset that honors the whole child. Whether you're an educator looking for innovative teaching ideas, an instructional coach exploring coaching strategies, a school leader focused on school improvement and instructional leadership, or a parent seeking a deeper home-school connection, this one's for you.Real student participation. Real student success. Real education transformation.🌿 Save this if you believe in empowered educators and thriving students.💬 Drop a comment: What would change in your classroom or school if learning were about community, not just individual progress?Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E32 interview. 📌 Subscribe for more tools for empowered educators, teacher mentors, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone committed to thriving students and school change.📚 Chapters0:00 — School in the jungle: a different kind of learning0:08 — Learning as process, not collection0:18 — The trajectory: contribution to community0:30 — Co-constitutive learning — doing and learning together0:42 — How traditional schools keep us individualized1:00 — Nature as teacher: spiders, snakes, bamboo, and belonging1:15 — It's not about me, it's about the relationship📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #EducationTransformation #TeachingTips #StudentEngagement #SchoolCulture #InclusiveTeaching #EmpoweredEducators #WholeChild #InstructionalCoaching #EquityInEducation #ActiveLearning #InnovativeTeaching #ProKidMindset #TeacherSupport #SchoolLeadership #ThrivingStudents #ClassroomBelonging #StudentMotivation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #TeacherImpact #effectiveteachingWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part one of my S5E32 Schoolutions conversation, Dr. Benjamin Freud, Head of Upper School at Green School Bali, challenges conventional beliefs about education. This conversation explores the philosophy of education, questioning whether traditional approaches truly foster learning. We discuss the future of education, focusing on sustainable living and environmental education as pathways to deeper understanding and innovation.We cover:→ Why "learning through doing" is not the same as learning and doing, and why that distinction matters for instructional strategies and lesson planning→ How low engagement and disengaged students aren't behavior problems but design problems→ Why global citizenship is one of the most dangerous phrases in a school mission statement→ The difference between regenerative design, sustainability, and what it means for inspiring students and thriving schools→ The case for philosophy in K–12 as a tool for student participation, critical thought, and whole child development→ What biomimicry reveals about inclusive classrooms, anti-bias teaching, and a pro-kid mindset that actually scales beyond the jungleSome Episode Mentions:Regenerative Education: Quality Emerges Through Community VoicesBruno LatourA Thousand Years of Nonlinear History  by Manuel De Landa The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker Coconut Thinking The Bird Lab Chapters:0:00 Introduction — Meet Dr. Benjamin Freud1:45 From Paris to Bali: Ben's arc into education3:30 Bruno Latour and the power of assemblages5:00 Green School Bali — what makes it different7:00 Learning & doing (not learning through doing)9:00 Why skills-based education can be dangerous11:00 Preparing students for an unknown future13:00 The sixth mass extinction — education's missing priority15:00 AI, outputs are dead — it's all about inputs now18:00 The bio collective and what "we" really means19:30 The Bird Lab — biomimicry for regenerative design22:00 Why inclusion always involves exclusion24:30 Lightning round begins25:00 Why "global citizenship" is a dangerous phrase26:30 Stop teaching world history — teach global history27:30 More philosophy in schools28:30 History should be taught backward29:30 What's coming in Part 2: rubrics and assessment🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me as a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

This month, Schoolutions focuses on cultivating student confidence through insightful conversations. Dr. Benjamin Freud discusses the principles of regenerative agriculture, emphasizing that learning by doing is essential for true understanding. Following this, Colleen O'Brien, Ed.D., highlights the critical role of civic education in fostering informed citizens and strengthening democracy. Muriel Summers speaks to why we need to believe in children, even before they believe in themselves. And science busker extraordinaire, David Price, shows why science busking is a brilliant way to spread STEM knowledge and education.🌱 Dr. Benjamin Freud |  ⁨@greenschoolbali⁩   Discover regenerative education: a philosophy where active learning and real-world doing are inseparable. A must-hear for anyone rethinking instructional strategies and innovative teaching.🗳️ Colleen O'Brien, Ed.D. | Civics for ColoradoCivics education is more urgent than ever. Colleen unpacks the difference between student apathy and a lack of confidence; a distinction every educator working on student motivation and student participation needs to hear.⭐ Muriel Summers |  ⁨@LeaderinMeChannel⁩   Co-creator of the Leader in Me resources, Muriel, reminds us why believing in kids before they believe in themselves is at the heart of a pro-kid mindset and whole-child education. Essential listening for mentor teachers, instructional coaches, and anyone focused on school culture.🔬 David Price | Science Made Simple UK Science Busker  A science busker with  ⁨@ScienceMadeSimpleUK⁩ , who travels the world, David brings STEM education to life through wonder and curiosity a masterclass in attention in class and empowered educators in action.Join us this April. We can't wait to see you. 💙CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:👍 Like if you're ready for education transformation💬 Comment: Which guest are you most excited to hear?🔔 Subscribe for weekly teaching tips and instructional strategies 📱 Share Wednesday reels with your teaching team📚 Chapters0:00 - April theme: cultivating student confidence0:12 - Dr. Benjamin Freud | Regenerative education at Green School Bali0:30 - Colleen O'Brien, Ed.D. | Civics education & student confidence0:50 - Muriel Summers | Believing in kids before they believe in themselves1:10 - David Price | STEM education & the science busker1:30 - Join us this April#TeacherPodcast #StudentEngagement #ClassroomBelonging #StudentMotivation #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherSupport #MentorTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EducationLeadership #SchoolCulture #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #InclusiveClassrooms #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #STEMEducation #CivicsEducation #RegenerativeEducation #LeaderInMe #NewTeachers #HomeschoolPodcast #InstructionalLeadershipWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Part two of my Schoolutions conversation with Superintendent Fabiola Bagula, Ph.D., details the San Diego Unified School District's strategies for affordable housing and community building. Their initiative showcases a regional vision for urban planning that aims to tackle the housing crisis and drive social change. This discussion offers a glimpse into real estate and local news efforts to support educators. 💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & Some Episode Mentions:➡️David Tate's Conscious Accountability ➡️Ayanna Pressley (quoted by Fabi) "The people closest to the pain should be closest to the power."  ➡️Emancipatory Leadership and Improving Equity in Education➡️Balboa Elementary: school where Fabi served as principal and implemented the full-day grade-level PLC/RTI model📑 CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction: Part 2: The Financial Strategy & Bold Regional Vision1:45 How to reduce a billion-dollar budget deficit without sacrificing people3:00 Investing before cutting: the asset-based approach to budget decisions4:15 Removing "my department, my budget" identity from financial decisions5:30 Three things every district needs to replicate the housing initiative6:00 A forward-thinking board and strong labor union relationships6:45 Community buy-in, and the dog park request8:00 Documenting the process so other districts can replicate it9:00 What emancipatory leadership means: power to the people closest to the pain10:45 200 schools, no one-size-fits-all: regional autonomy within system stability11:10 Influence over power: building voice, agency, and community12:30 Giving principals protected time together for communities of practice13:30 The Balboa Elementary model: one full grade level out every day14:00 The Yale research finding that stopped superintendents cold15:30 What actually moves student achievement: competitive wages and time16:15 Affordable housing as peace of mind, the missing layer in teacher time17:45 BRAND NEW: The Regional Housing Finance Authority18:15 What if we built affordable housing around under-enrolled schools?19:30 40% of community college students are housing insecure20:00 Bond money, votes, and a vision for families setting roots in San Diego21:00 How to follow the initiative and access resources as they're published21:45 Next episode teaser: Dr. Benjamin Freud, The Green School Bali🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlNext Week: Dr. Benjamin Freud, Head of Upper School at Green School Bali, challenges everything we think we know about education, from the dangers of "global citizenship" as a mission statement to why rubrics and standardized assessment are fundamentally at odds with how learning actually works. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In this short, a visionary superintendent, Fabi Bagula, Ph.D., breaks down a bold, innovative approach to teacher retention and the housing crisis: repurposing district-owned land to develop affordable housing for employees, complete with on-site daycare and trade apprenticeships for students entering the workforce.This is what school leadership done right looks like: tackling the real barriers to teacher retention, strengthening school culture, and driving education transformation from the top down.If you're a school administrator, instructional leader, or anyone passionate about school improvement and education leadership, this will inspire you to think bigger about what's possible.✅ No taxpayer funds used✅ Affordable housing for educators✅ Built-in daycare for staff✅ Student apprenticeships in the tradesThis is the future of school districts. Are you ready?👇 Save this. Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E31 interview with your team. 📌 Subscribe for more tools for empowered educators, teacher mentors, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone committed to thriving students and school change.📚 Chapters0:00– Intro: The Educator Housing Problem0:08 – The Bold Idea: Using District Land0:22 – No Taxpayer Money — Here's the Model0:38 – Developer Proposals & Affordable Housing0:50 – Adding Daycare for Educators1:02 – Student Apprenticeships in the Trades📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #SchoolLeadership #EducationLeadership #TeacherHousing #AffordableHousing #EducatorRetention #SchoolImprovement #PrincipalStrategies #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #SchoolCulture #InstructionalLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolAdministrators #TeacherSupport #SchoolChange #SanDiegoSchools #TeacherRetention #StudentApprenticeships #DistrictLeadership #InnovativeLeadershipWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In part one of my S5E31 Schoolutions conversation, Dr. Fabi Bagula, Superintendent of San Diego Unified School District, discusses her authentic approach to leadership and its impact on education. She shares insights into critical teacher retention issues and the innovative, affordable housing solutions her team is implementing in San Diego, California. Fabi's commitment to equity and school improvement strategies is evident as she addresses the challenges and triumphs of leading with an open heart. Fabi also speaks to why she refuses to call it an "achievement gap" (it's a support gap) and how she's avoided hardening in response to public criticism. This episode is essential listening for school administrators, instructional leaders, new teachers, teacher mentors, instructional coaches, families, and anyone invested in school improvement and education transformation.Some Episode Mentions:➡️Otto Scharmer, author of Presencing➡️Marshall Elementary School➡️Yale Broad Leadership Fellowship ➡️Monday 02/26 & Tuesday 02/27 board meetings, when they chose the final proposals for more information📌 Part 2 drops Friday, where Fabi illuminates what emancipatory leadership looks and feels like in practice📑 CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction — Dr. Fabi Bagula, First Latina Superintendent of San Diego Unified1:45 The researcher Fabi is leaning on: Otto Scharmer's Presencing3:00 How they met 26 years ago at Marshall Elementary4:30 Schools belong to the communities they serve5:50 Stepping into unsteady terrain: building trust as a new superintendent7:00 Why honest, hard conversations move schools AND people8:00 The weight of carrying everyone's 10-year-old problems9:30 Laying off 69 while creating 86, and why no one heard the good news10:40 "Don't armor up" - the hardest part of leading with an open heart12:30 The affordable housing crisis for San Diego educators13:45 How the district turned 5 vacant properties into 30 developer bids16:00 $4 billion in long-term revenue with zero taxpayer dollars17:45 Why educators living in the communities they teach matters19:00 Whole child AND whole adult education20:30 Lightning Round: school culture, the support gap, and what teachers need to know22:00 Teaser for Part 2🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Part 2 of my ⁨Schoolutions conversation with Tonya Quinn from The Kindness Art Education details how her Portrait Pals program uses art to address critical attendance management issues. The initiative fosters a powerful kindness movement, helping to alleviate stress relief among students by connecting them through shared experiences. This approach significantly contributes to improving kids mental health and overall school engagement.💫Make sure to check out Part 1 before this episodeIn this episode, you'll discover:→ The full Portrait Pals process: from professional photographer to curated gallery exhibition→ How this program directly addresses chronic absenteeism and low engagement→ Why inspiring students works better than enforcing behavior→ The questionnaire questions that reveal what kids are really carrying→ How active learning through portraiture weaves in math, science, anatomy, & narrative→ What classroom belonging looks like when a child feels truly seen→ How police officers, senior citizens, and kids in France are all Portrait Pals→ What to say to a skeptical administrator who thinks there's no time or funding→ The blank canvas moment and why it's the most important teaching tool in the roomPortrait Pals has a 100% ask-back rate from every school and community it touches. The only thing standing between this program and thousands more thriving students is resources. Share this episode with a teacher, principal, school counselor, or donor who believes every child deserves to thrive not just survive. Donate here. Whether you're a teacher searching for instructional strategies that spark student motivation, an instructional coach looking for coaching strategies that produce real school change, a school leader committed to school culture and equity in education, or a parent who believes in the whole child this episode is essential listening.CHAPTERS:0:00 — Introduction: 31% chronic absenteeism & Portrait Pals1:45 — The professional photographer & authentic self-presentation3:30 — Anthony: "My pal looks like they could do something major one day"5:45 — How Tonya matches pals across communities and countries7:30 — The questionnaire: shared anxiety between rural America and France9:00 — Supplies, structure & meeting community needs10:45 — Police officers, Portrait Pals & "this is exactly what we needed"13:30 — How many sessions & keeping it during the school day15:00 — Portraits, math, science, anatomy & human skills17:30 — Shape, light & shadow, and spirit the three elements of portraiture18:45 — The gallery exhibition experience20:00 — The girl with her head on her desk and what happened next21:45 — 100% ask-back rate & how to get involved23:00 — Closing reflections & how to support Portrait PalsNext Week: We are heading to San Diego, where history is being made. San Diego Unified School District has nearly 3,000 affordable housing units in the pipeline for educators. Superintendent Fabi Bagula, Ph.D., is leading a charge to make sure the people who show up every day to serve students can actually afford to live in the communities they serve. That conversation is coming your way next week. Don't miss it.When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In this short, we discuss creating and painting portraits by focusing on three key areas: shape, light and shadow, and spirit. Tonya Quinn outlines how to paint a face by observing and interpreting human features, emphasizing that even simple shapes like parentheses can represent them. This approach provides valuable painting tips and painting techniques for artists of all levels.By teaching students to read a face, not just draw it, children develop the skills to notice how a classmate is truly feeling, even when words aren't spoken. This is inclusive teaching and culturally responsive teaching in action. Students practice active learning by observing, interpreting, and responding to each other's emotional states, building empathy, classroom belonging, and student engagement naturally through the creative process.When a child says, "He's smiling, but I think he's angry.  I hope he takes a minute to calm down." That's whole child development. That's inspiring students to care for one another. That's the kind of school culture that transforms classrooms.Whether you're a teacher looking for innovative teaching and instructional strategies, an instructional coach seeking coaching strategies for professional development, a school administrator focused on school improvement and instructional leadership, or a parent exploring education at home and family partnerships, this clip will shift how you think about student motivation, student participation, and what effective teaching truly looks like.🎨 Art becomes the doorway. Empathy becomes the lesson. Connection becomes the outcome.👇 Save this. This is what education transformation looks like. Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E30 interview with your team. 🗂️ CHAPTERS0:00 — The Secret to Painting Portraits0:05 — The 3-Part Framework: Shape, Light & Spirit0:12 — Reading the Human Face0:22 — What's Behind the Smile?0:35 — Kids Teaching Kids Emotional Awareness0:50 — How I Calm Myself When I'm Angry📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #PortraitPals #TheKindnessArtEducation #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #EffectiveTeaching #InspiredTeaching #WholeChild #InclusiveTeaching #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EmpoweredEducators #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolCulture #ActiveLearning #ProKidMindset #EquityInEducation #StudentSuccess #ThrivingStudents #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #SchoolLeadership #NewTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #ArtEducation #SELinSchools #EmpathyInEducation #PortraitDrawing #TeachingTips #InnovativeTeaching #SchoolImprovement #FamilyPartnerships #ParentInvolvementWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Part 1 of my S5E30 Schoolutions conversation, Tonya Quinn from The Kindness Art Education shares her journey, emphasizing the role of visual art and art for kids in shaping worldviews. This conversation highlights how art classes for beginners can ignite creativity and provide healing, even far from home. Tonya illuminates how personal hardship has fostered her powerful kindness movement. In this episode, you'll discover:→ The 4 rules for being an artist (and why they work for every child in every classroom)→ Why active learning and student participation skyrocket when kids feel creative ownership→ How Portrait Pals bridges generations to fight low engagement→ What inclusive teaching actually looks like when you hand a child primary colors and say, "You can do this"→ Why inspiring students starts with teaching them to listen to themselves first→ The research from Harvard's Project Zero that proves arts access improves academic performance→ A pro-kid mindset that goes beyond survival toward whole-child thrivingWhether you're a teacher looking for innovative teaching strategies, an instructional coach searching for coaching strategies that move the needle, a school leader focused on school culture and instructional leadership, or a parent exploring the home-school connection and family partnerships,  this conversation is for you.Some Episode Mentions:Harvard’s Project Zero Theresa Booth Brown The National GalleryAna María Hernando Faith Ringgold Portrait Pals Frida Kahlo Molly Piper Greaves The Kindness Art Education 📌 Part 2 drops Friday where we go inside the full Portrait Pals process.If this moved you, share it with a teacher, principal, parent, or school counselor who believes every child deserves to thrive, not just survive.CHAPTERS:0:00 — Introduction & Tonya Quinn overview1:45 — Harvard's Project Zero research on arts & student success4:00 — How Tonya's parents shaped her pro-kid mindset5:20 — 20 years in London: perspective, art galleries & inclusive teaching8:30 — Launching a nonprofit during the pandemic9:50 — The "How to Be an Artist" curriculum & 4 rules13:00 — Every child deserves to thrive, not just survive14:30 — The challenge sweet spot: frustration + growth in the classroom16:30 — Making skin tone: the hardest and proudest moment17:45 — Lightning round with Tonya Quinn#schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven  #PortraitPals When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In Part 2 of my Schoolutions conversation, Dr. Kris Nystrom (founder of Reading the World Inc.) connects the dots among global literacy rates, the world economy, and why what happens in a slum school in Nairobi has a profound economic impact. This discussion highlights the critical role of universal education in addressing poverty and fostering global awareness, underscoring the broader implications for finance and world news.Kris shares:🌍 Why student success in Kenya is directly tied to the global economy📖 Project Ripple: a science of reading initiative in Nairobi slum schools with 100:1 student-teacher ratios💡 The Good Hope Royalty Center, where "all children are royal" and street kids are given unconditional love and a future🔁 The Sankofa philosophy: "You can go back and fix your mistakes"👨‍👩‍👧 How one literate child creates a ripple of empowered educators, healthier families, and stronger communities💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & donate here if you can.📚 CHAPTERS:00:00 Welcome & Sankofa: "You can go back and fix your mistakes"02:00 Colonial history & why African literacy rates are low04:30 Inside Nairobi slum schools: 100 students to 1 teacher07:30 Project Ripple: science of reading training in APBET schools09:00 Why global literacy matters to every economy10:30 By 2050, 1/4 of the world will live in Africa12:00 The ripple effect: one child teaches their parents to read13:30 Good Hope Royalty Center & Faith Woge's unconditional love16:30 "All children are royal" candles, soap & sustainable futures17:30 How to support Reading the World Inc.18:00 Closing reflection: the ripple is the whole thing🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:Why Should I Care? Counting Up From SurvivalReading the World ProjectsAPBET schools (Alternative Provision for Basic Education and Training)SUNY New Paltz Science of Reading Center 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! Next Week: We are going somewhere equally unexpected and equally beautiful. Portrait Pals, founded by Tonya Quinn, is redefining what art class can be — pairing children across communities to paint each other's portraits, and in doing so, teaching them that every face tells a story worth seeing. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

What does a child's birthplace have to do with their right to learn? Everything. And Dr. Kris Nystrom is doing something about it.This clip explores the philosophical foundation of "reading the world," asserting that a child's place of birth should not dictate their access to education for all. It underscores the critical role of academic success in fostering social justice. This perspective drives the daily work of educators committed to education reform, questioning why any child should be treated as less than, and emphasizing the need for mental health support.🌍 Support Reading the World Inc. by donating here.In this clip:- The philosophical foundation of Reading the World Inc.- What "school deserts" are, and the 4 forces that create them- Why the pro-kid mindset has no borders- What culturally responsive teaching looks like at a global scale- How student success begins with seeing the whole childSave this. Share it with your school administrators, instructional leaders, and fellow teachers. Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E29 interview with your team. 📌 CHAPTERS0:00 — The Quote That Drives Everything0:12 — "Where One Is Born Cannot Be the Only Reason"0:28 — Looking Kids in the Eyes: The Moral Case for Equity0:45 — What Is a School Desert?0:52 — Walking Through Lions to Get to Class1:05 — Building Schools That Communities Own📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #equityineducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #SchoolDesert #GlobalLiteracy #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #InclusiveClassrooms #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #ProKidMindset #EmpoweredEducators #Schoolutions #ReadingTheWorld #TeachingTips #EducationTransformation #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #FamilyPartnerships #SchoolCultureWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

Part One of my S5E29 Schoolutions with Dr. Kris Nystrom highlights the critical need for education for all and how a dedicated "teacher" can drive education reform through direct action. It reframes our understanding of social justice in educational contexts and the profound impact of ensuring academic success globally.In Part 1 of this conversation, Kris shares:• How 10 years of global literacy research revealed a crisis hiding in plain sight• What the "four horsemen of educational inequity" are (conflict, climate, geography, and cost) and why they demand a whole child approach• Why good teaching always begins with student culture, and how bypassing that is itself a political act• His community-first protocol for sustainable school building: no savior complex, no top-down solutions• What it's really like when kids walk through lion and leopard territory just to reach a classroomKris founded Reading the World Inc. in 2024. Nobody takes a salary. Every dollar goes directly to children. Donate here. 🎙️ Part 2 drops this Friday, where we zoom out to the global literacy crisis and why it matters far beyond sub-Saharan Africa.➡️Resource links  ➡️Paulo Freire ➡️Umberto Eco ➡️Charles Sanders Peirce ➡️Stanislas Dehaene ➡️Maryanne Wolf Chapters0:00 Introduction: Who is Dr. Kris Nystrom?1:40 Research foundations: Paulo Freire, semiotics, and how the brain reads4:00 Why culturally responsive teaching is a moral stance5:00 What is a school desert? The four horsemen of educational inequity8:00 The real cost barriers keeping kids out of school10:30 From Connecticut retirement to sub-Saharan Africa12:30 The philosophical foundation: where you're born shouldn't determine access13:40 Kris's community-first protocol for building schools17:00 Lightning round: what keeps Kris up at night, biggest misconceptions19:30 Preview of Part 2: global literacy and economic ripple effectsJoin our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! #readingtheworld #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies  #SchoolDeserts #GlobalLiteracyWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

In Part 2 of my Schoolutions conversation, Erin Patterson from SchoolHouse Connection returns to detail legislative wins for families experiencing homelessness, showcasing how advocacy works amid federal budget cuts. In this episode, you'll learn:How $129 million in homeless education funding was zeroed out in the President's FY26 budget, and how SchoolHouse Connection got it restored through nonpartisan grassroots advocacyWhat the McKinney-Vento Act actually guarantees for homeless studentsThe Homeless Children and Youth Act: the signature legislation that would align federal definitions so families in motels and doubled-up housing finally qualify for housing assistanceHow the Thrive from the Start Coalition is mobilizing state-level action on infant and toddler homelessness, and why 48 states applied for just 10 grantsMentions:➡️Barbara Duffield ➡️Thomas J. Lucas (TJ)➡️Thrive from the Start Coalition ➡️Advocacy Page➡️Federal Policy Tracker ➡️Homeless Children and Youth Data Map➡️McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act➡️Every Student Succeeds Act ➡️Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program ➡️Homeless Children and Youth Act  ➡️Individuals with Disabilities Education Act  ➡️Resources for Homeless Education Liaisons🎧 Watch Part I! Erin paints the full picture of what hidden homelessness looks like for children across America. CHAPTERS 0:00 When the Budget Shows a Zero 1:45 FY26 Budget & Homeless Education 6:00 $129 Million Restored 7:30 McKinney-Vento Explained 10:00 Undocumented & Homeless 11:45 Dedicated Funding vs. Block Grants 13:00 Thrive from the Start 15:15 Homeless Children & Youth Act 16:30 How to Get Involved Next Week:  Dr. Kris Nystrom left retirement to tackle the world's lowest literacy rates in sub-Saharan Africa, one community at a time. This one will change how you see what's at stake when a child can't read. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

This clip with Erin Patterson of SchoolHouse Connection explores the often-overlooked reality of childhood homelessness, particularly for families with children. We learn that many children experiencing homelessness are having to "double up" with others, making them part of the invisible people in our communities. These real-life stories shed light on how economic inequality contributes to the challenges faced by children experiencing homelessness.Housing instability is one of the biggest hidden drivers of low engagement, classroom behavior challenges, and student motivation struggles. The whole child can't thrive when they don't know where they're sleeping tonight.This is what equity in education and a pro-kid mindset actually look like in practice, when we see the full picture of a child's life.Save this. Share it with your school administrators, instructional leaders, and fellow teachers. 👇 Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part Two of our Schoolutions S5E28 interview with your team. 🚀📚 .📚 CHAPTERS0:00 – What most people picture when they hear "homeless" 0:10 – The shocking 80% statistic 0:25 – Motel hopping & the doubled-up reality 0:45 – What this means for students in your classroomWhen coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.📧 Connect with me at https://www.oliviawahl.com/coaching-consulting if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to  👍LIKE this video if it helped you, 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/ #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #StudentEngagement #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #InclusiveClassrooms #TeacherImpact #ClassroomBelonging #EffectiveTeaching #SchoolCulture #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #HomelessStudents #TeachingTips #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolLeadership #AntibiasTeaching #FamilyPartnerships #NewTeachersWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.