The ThoughtStretchers Podcast

In this episode of the ThoughtStretchers podcast, host Drew Perkins talks with Dr. Barbara Oakley, distinguished professor of engineering and co-instructor of the celebrated  Learning How to Learn  course, to discuss her critical opinion piece: Censorship Hurts Our Brains: Why Neuroscience Confirms the Importance of Free Speech . They dive deep into the neural mechanisms behind free expression, th...

Drew Perkins welcomes Gary Schiffman and Jon Bassett of 4QM Teaching to the podcast to discuss their new US History curriculum and the principles behind their innovative Four Question Method. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode Watch on YouTube This conversation explores the gap between traditional inquiry-based learning and the need for explicit instruction in historical content and disci...

Is the core of teaching history about memorizing history facts, or is it about critical thinking? And what is the role of knowledge-rich inquiry in the history classroom? Drew Perkins  is joined by history educators Lauren Brown, Jonathan Dallimore (author of  Teaching History: A Practical Guide for Secondary School Teachers ), and Professor Aaron Astor for a frank, dialectic conversation on these...

Drew Perkins is joined by guest co-host, fourth-grade teacher Melinda Karshner , for a critical conversation with Timothy Shanahan , Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and former Director of Reading for Chicago Public Schools . They discuss the core arguments of his book, Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives, How Students' Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and...

Drew Perkins talks with Shane Leaning about his new book,  Change Starts Here: What If Everything Your School Needed Was Right in Front of You? Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode Watch on YouTube

Drew Perkins talks with Heidi Boghosian about her book,  Cyber Citizens: Saving Democracy with Digital Literacy. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode  

Drew Perkins talks with George Lilley, a veteran teacher from Australia, about his critiques of the work of John Hattie, and the Science of Learning. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with return guest, Ronn Nozoe, CEO of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Vladimir Kogan about his new book, No Adult Left Behind: How Politics Hijacks Education Policy and Hurts Kids . Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Rod Naquin about balancing educational research with practice as he returns to the classroom after 7 years doing educational leadership work. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Jim Heal and Rebekah Berlin about their new book, Mental Models: How understanding the mind can transform the way you work and learn. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Karen Vaites about navigating educational tribalism, the "Science of Learning," and the impact of knowledge-rich, coherent curricula on student outcomes. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Rachel Curtis and Liz City, co-authors of the book Leading Strategically: Achieving Ambitious Goals in Education . Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Christina LaRose about her work with the Prohuman Foundation to develop a curriculum focused on learning character through literature. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Michael Strong, founder of The Socratic Experience, a K–12 high-touch virtual school that equips students through Socratic dialogue, 1:1 mentoring, and creative and entrepreneurial projects. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with teacher-educator Rachael Jefferson about her Education HQ article from an interview that is critical of the Science of Learning movement. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Shane Leaning as a guest on his  Education Leaders podcast about how to have conversations that focus on nuance, complexity, and understanding. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Songyee Yoon, author and founder and managing partner of the venture capital firm Principal Venture Partners (PVP), where she focuses on investing in AI-native companies transforming industries. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with teacher and author, Richard Bustin, about his book What Are We Teaching ? Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins is joined by Andrew Watson, Dr. Cindy Nebel, and Fox Demoisey to discuss the intersections between the Science of Learning, project-based learning, and inquiry. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Tim Minella, Senior Constitutionalism Fellow at The Goldwater Institute, about their work to eliminate DEI in higher education. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins is joined by educators and DEI practitioners Carlos Hoyt, Daryl Sinclair, and Nunana Nyomi for a salon-style conversation about the complexities and nuances of DEI. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode  

Drew Perkins talks with Bruce Robertson about his new book, Power Up Your Questioning: A Practical Handbook for Teachers. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode    

Drew Perkins talks with Dr. Abraham George about his work to help children transcend India's caste system through education and his Shanti Bhavan School. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Drew Perkins talks with Robert Barnett, Modern Classrooms Project cofounder, about his new book, Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Students Can Succeed. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode