LEARN Podcasts

Québec’s proposed Bill 1 – the Québec Constitution Act, 2025 would create a provincial constitution, redefine Québec’s constitutional autonomy, and amend numerous existing laws.  Chris Colley sits down with Joe Ortona, chair of the English Montreal School Board and president of the Quebec English School Boards Association, to unpack what the bill could mean for minority language rights, English sc...

Is the Classroom Big Enough? What if attention, regulation, and real academic growth aren’t just about strategy—but setting? We sit down with Rachel Tidd , founder of Discover Wild Learning and author of Wild Learning: Practical Ideas to Bring Teaching Outdoors , to explore a realistic path for making outdoor learning part of everyday teaching. No gimmicks. No Pinterest pressure. Just field-tested...

What if math was hiding in your laundry basket? Research suggests early math play at home may be one of the strongest predictors of long-term school success—yet it's where families feel least equipped to help. In this episode, Dr. Chris Wright, CEO and founder of Early Family Math, reimagines what "doing math" with young children actually looks like: joyful, accessible, and woven in...

Two veteran kindergarten teachers from Quebec share how they built a nature immersion program from scratch — and what seven years in the woods taught them about language, math, safety, and joy. From wolf-call recalls to nature journals to families trading screen time for bug kits, this is the practical, grounded conversation outdoor educators have been waiting for.

What if the real challenge isn’t new tools, but our literacy around them? Educator and researcher Med Kharbach reflects on how teaching has evolved from early digital classrooms to today’s shifting landscape. We explore practical AI literacy, smarter assessment design, and why thoughtful pedagogy—not detection or hype—remains the key to helping students show their thinking and learn with integrity...

What happens when you trade screens for streams and let kids rediscover what’s just outside the door? We sit down with Steve Leckman , director and lead instructor at Coyote Programs , to explore how immersive outdoor education builds focus, resilience, and real connection—especially for students growing up in urban environments. Steve shares how a reluctant first canoe trip sparked a lifelong com...

What if the fastest way to help kids learn is to stop rushing their growth? In this episode, we sit down with Catherine Korah from the Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Management to unpack a deceptively simple idea: when children feel secure with adults and have space for real play, learning and maturity emerge naturally. We explore what true play actually looks like, why well-intentioned praise...

Québec’s universities are at a tipping point. Funding changes, policy signals, AI, and global competition are reshaping what higher education can be. In this episode, Graham Carr of Concordia University unpacks the realities behind the headlines—and the bold choices that could define what comes next.

What does a basketball court have to do with leading a school district? In this episode, Chris Kennedy, West Vancouver Superintendent, shares how coaching shaped a leadership style rooted in trust, wellbeing, and human-centered change—plus how curriculum, technology, and AI can support schools without losing what matters most.

The early years fly by, and they shape more than we often realize. In this episode, we talk about what actually makes a difference in the first five years of life—reading together every day, leaving room for real play, and creating simple, safe spaces for kids to grow. Anne-Marie from CHSSN joins us to connect the research on brain development and language to what families and schools are seeing o...

What if a 110-year-old textbook company decided it wasn’t in the textbook business anymore? We sit down with Steve Brown , CEO of Nelson Education , to talk about how a legacy brand chose to blow itself up—on purpose. From a “great bowl of vanilla” to a bold new flavour, Steve walks us through Nelson’s reinvention and the birth of Edwin , a curriculum-aligned platform built to put everything teach...

Imagine a classroom where students don’t just use AI—they question it, improve it, and build with it. That’s the world we explore with Indra Kubicek, CEO of Digital Moment, a national charity bringing digital literacy, coding education, and social innovation labs to young people across Canada. We talk frankly about what it takes to raise confident learners in a world where AI is everywhere: not mo...

What if a school was more than a school—what if it was the beating heart of its community? We sit down with longtime CLC leader Debbie Horrocks to trace how Quebec’s Community Learning Centers grew from a bold idea into a 90-school network that strengthens English education while weaving families, services, and culture into daily learning. From the early vision to today’s realities, we explore why...

Most people quietly believe they’re “not a math person,” yet they plan trips, compare prices, rearrange furniture, and decode ads with sharp logic every week. We pull that thread with Dr. Laura Tuohilampi from The University of New South Wales to ask why everyday confidence evaporates at the classroom door—and how to stitch it back together. We talk about the moments that shape a learner’s identit...

A single moment on a New York train set Mitch on a path from early Apple II hacks to a lifelong mission: teach people how to think in ways that unlock action. ShiftED sit down with Mitch Weisburgh, creator of Mind Shifting with Mitch, to explore how small, repeatable techniques can move us from the brain’s fast, fearful survival mode into a calmer, creative sage mode—where choices widen, mistakes...

The ground is shifting under education, and pretending otherwise won’t help. We sit down with Dr. Sabba Quidwai to map a path that begins with people, not platforms: clarifying strengths, building agency, and using AI as a true teammate with defined responsibilities. Saba shares how a rocky start to her teaching career during the recession led to a powerful reframe—know your value, share your work...

Action Now: A Developmental Reset for Anxious Classrooms The state of our schools demands urgent action. We are seeing students who are consistently anxious, aggressive, or shut down. This is a developmental crisis, and our focus must be on the child’s reality, not our wish list. That is the powerful throughline from our conversation with educator Hannah Beach . She helps us decode the forces shor...

Rethinking Education: Is Connection the New Content? The traditional classroom model, built on the transmission of content from expert to learner, is facing a profound challenge. What if the heart of learning isn't content at all—but connection ? This question has fueled a quiet revolution in educational technology, one that emphasizes distributed networks over centralized control. We recentl...

Ever wonder why some schools thrive with new tech while others drown in apps? We sit down with Mark Anderson—educator, author, and longtime edtech leader—to unpack what actually moves the needle: student voice, ethical AI literacy, and clear frameworks that save time without sacrificing judgment. From a 1:1 iPad rollout that focused on pedagogy and family trust to a nationwide student digital lead...

Have we been approaching education all wrong? In this mind-shifting conversation with renowned developmental psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld, we explore the invisible but essential foundation of all learning: relationship. As another school year begins, Dr. Neufeld challenges educators to recognize their primary role as "attachment agents" rather than just instructors. The modern educati...

What if creating truly inclusive classrooms wasn't about mastering every student's culture, but about designing learning environments where everyone belongs? Dr. Burke offers a refreshing perspective on how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and equity work combine to transform education for all students. Drawing from her personal journey that began as a middle school student in a Massa...

The evolving story of English education rights in Quebec takes center stage as Joe Ortona, Chair of the English Montreal School Board and President of the Quebec English School Board Association, shares his journey and insights. What began as a chance opportunity in 2014 has grown into a commitment to preserving the cultural identity and educational rights of Quebec’s English-speaking community. O...

What happens when educational vision meets community resilience? Meet Christine Truesdale, the newly appointed CEO of LEARN (Leading English Education Resource Network), who brings decades of experience and a profound connection to Quebec's English education landscape. Christine takes us on a journey through LEARN's fascinating evolution, beginning with its formation in 2005 through the...

Remember the hesitation many felt when the internet first entered our homes? Dan Fitzpatrick, "The AI Educator," draws fascinating parallels between that pivotal moment and our current relationship with artificial intelligence in education. This conversation cuts through misconceptions to reveal how AI can transform teaching without diminishing human connection. Dan's journey from c...

What would happen if we completely reimagined education? Dr. Peter Gray takes us on a provocative journey through the hidden history and troubling foundations of our modern school system. Gray's path to becoming an educational revolutionary began with his own son's rebellion. "School is prison," his fourth-grader declared, triggering a family crisis that led to a radical decisi...