Built By Educators: A CollabED Podcast

In this special episode of Built By Educators, host Mike Williams introduces Daniel Torres-Rangel, the new host of the show. Daniel is an educator, instructional leader, and creative learning designer, the son of two career teachers who spent nine years teaching high school math and ESL before moving into school leadership and systems change work across public, charter, and private schools. Daniel...

In this episode of Built By Educators, host Mike Williams talks with Wayne Splettstoeszer, Director of Instrumental Music and Music Technology at Torrington High School in Connecticut, about nearly thirty years in music education and the real impact music has on students of every age. Wayne shares how a simple classroom website grew into a music technology curriculum now used by 100 schools across...

How do you reach a high school student who has already decided they don't care — and what does it take to build a school culture where both students and teachers thrive? In this episode of Built by Educators, host Mike Williams sits down with Dr. Desiree Cameron — classroom teacher, theater educator, curriculum coordinator, university instructor at NYU, Pepperdine, and UCLA, and current high schoo...

What does inclusion actually look like when you close the classroom door — and who is responsible for making it work? In this roundtable episode of Built by Educators, special education professionals come together for an unfiltered conversation about the realities of supporting diverse learners in today's K-12 schools. From IEP implementation and co-teaching dynamics to the question every educator...

How can teachers recognize and respond to trauma in the classroom — without becoming overwhelmed themselves? In this episode of Built by Educators, host Mike Williams speaks with Dr. Timothy Shampoe about trauma-informed teaching and the critical intersection of education, child welfare, and community support. Dr. Shampoe shares research-backed insights on reframing student behavior, creating safe...

What life skills do students actually need to succeed — and how do teachers fit them into an already packed school day? In this episode of Built by Educators, hosts Mike Williams and Kaley Clavell talk with veteran educator Margaret Boersma about the essential skills students need beyond academics: focus, communication, emotional regulation, and self-awareness. They explore how technology is resha...

What does it take to truly reach young people — not just as a teacher, but as a mentor? In the first episode of Built by Educators, hosts Mike Williams and Kaley Clavell sit down with Sean Barts, founder of Team Truth 919, for an honest conversation about mentoring students, building trust, and helping young people develop the life skills they'll carry long after they leave the classroom. Sean sha...