Joy Over Happiness

In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Annica Fischer, host of the Tried and Truth podcast, about daily faithfulness, parenting, and redefining success. Drawing on her experience as a working mom and the challenges her family is navigating, Annica shares why success is less about doing it all and more about loving God and loving people well in the season you're in. F...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Todd Langford, Deputy Head of College at Mueller College in Brisbane, and his daughter Liliana, an aspiring educator, about building a school where students, staff, and families belong. Drawing on Todd’s 26 years at Mueller and Liliana’s student perspective, they explore how relationships, context, and community help schools thrive....

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Kathryn Haines, host of Everyday Eden, about living in the tension between the world as it is and the world we were created for. Drawing from her experiences with parenting, postpartum anxiety, ADHD, and struggle, Kathryn explores why our longing for something better matters. They talk about bringing “heaven homeward” through the way...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Lisa Arrington, Director of Advancement at the Fay School, about grief, community, and finding joy through difficult seasons. Lisa shares the story of Mary Kate, an eight-year-old Fay student who lost her life in the Camp Mystic floods, and how the school came together to support her family, friends, and classmates. Lisa and Jon talk...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Jake Baskin, Senior Philanthropic Advisor at Baylor University, about raising curious, resilient children in a culture competing for their attention. Jake and his wife, Meredith, share their intentional approach to parenting in The Happiness Crisis , and this conversation takes a deeper look at what that looks like in everyday famil...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with his daughter, Grace Eckert, an incoming Baylor freshman, about launching into adulthood and what she has learned along the way. On move-in day, Grace reflects on her own struggles with belonging, her time in Central Asia, and the experiences that have shaped how she sees herself and the world around her. Grace and Jon talk about the...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Dr. Matt Burchett, who leads philanthropy and social impact at Thrive Restaurant Group, about his work to invest in people and strengthen communities. Matt also reflects on his 15 years at Baylor leading student life and the relationships that have shaped his own journey. Matt talks about saying yes to friendships without knowing wh...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Regan Davis, middle school teacher at Langley Christian School, Baylor M.A. in School Leadership student, and one of the educators featured in The Happiness Crisis, about why belonging and healthy status are so important during the middle school years. Through Langley's four-day sailing trip, Regan shares how experiences outside...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Tracey Beal, founder of School Connect, about what happens when schools stop trying to do everything alone and communities step in to help. Drawing on more than two decades of connecting schools with churches, businesses, nonprofits, and volunteers, Tracey shares how building a "village" around students can strengthen not onl...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Jen Pollock Michel, author of the upcoming A Rule for the Rest of Us , about how small, intentional practices can help us find joy in the ordinary rhythms of life. Jen shares why a "rule of life" isn't about perfection or productivity, but about creating habits that keep us rooted in what matters most. From navigating gr...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Dr. Lindsay Whorton, President of the Holdsworth Center and author of A New School Leadership Architecture , about why the future of school leadership depends less on superheroes and more on sustainable systems. Drawing on her work with districts across Texas, Lindsay shares how schools can rethink leadership roles to better support...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert has a conversation with Bryan Goodwin, Deputy Executive Director, McREL Institute at Region 13, about what joyful learning actually looks like in classrooms. Bryan explores why joy isn't the absence of struggle but often found in the process of learning, growing, and overcoming challenges. From the power of curiosity and collaborative inqui...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Rev. Dr. David Kim, CEO and co-founder of  Goldenwood,  about AI and vocation. David's passion is to help people and organizations see the unseen realities that give rise to the world we create. David shares why the future will belong not just to efficiency, but to people who can cultivate curiosity, connection, and creativity in...

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Darren Spyksma about what it really means to humanize education in a world that keeps pushing toward efficiency and shortcuts. Darren shares how the real work in schools isn’t fixing kids, it’s helping adults grow in how they show up for them. From turning conflict into an opportunity for deeper relationships to helping teachers and...

In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Sean Riley, who’s spent nearly two decades at The Stony Brook School and is now a leading AI expert, about what it looks like to navigate AI in education with wisdom and purpose. Sean shares his journey from a blue-collar upbringing into education and leadership, and how that formation shapes the way he approaches technology today....

In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Alison Sweeney, actress, director, and host known for her work on  Days of Our Lives ,  The Biggest Loser , and Hallmark films, about how she has learned to pursue joy both in Hollywood and at home. Alison shares what it’s looked like to grow up in the spotlight while building a family and staying grounded in what matters most. Fro...

In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with  Elaine Howard Ecklund , Professor of Sociology and Director of the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance, about what it means to stay human in a world increasingly shaped by AI. Drawing on her research and conversations with students, Elaine shares why many young people are less worried about cheati...

In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Nathan Bachman, a junior at Baylor, about what it’s actually like to be a student in the age of AI, where shortcuts are easy and the pressure to use them is real. Nathan talks through the tension students feel between doing the work and taking the shortcut, and the reality that there are two paths with AI. You can automate your lif...

Ron Ivey studies one of the quiet drivers behind many of today’s challenges for young people: loneliness. In this episode of JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with the Harvard Human Flourishing Program research fellow and founder of Noēsis Collaborative, an initiative launched in 2025 to build an ecosystem of leaders researching and shaping technologies that advance human flourishing, abou...

Chris Everett believes school improvement begins with people, not programs. In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with the former coach, principal, and current Chief Strategy Officer at engage2learn about why lasting change starts with teacher-student relationships, adult mindsets, and the courage to address adaptive challenges instead of chasing quick technical fixes. From...

Tige Watson has spent years leading students by starting with their story. In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Dr. Jon Eckert talks with the former deputy fire chief turned school leader about why understanding what’s beneath student behavior is often the most effective way to support growth, belonging, and joy. Tige shares how shifting from punishment to listening reshaped discipline, mentor...

Alison Smith has spent a decade leading Midway High School, and this year brought one of the biggest shifts yet: going phone-free. In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Jon Eckert talks with the veteran principal about what happens when schools remove phones and restore attention, connection, and calm. Alison shares how phone-free days have reshaped hallways, classrooms, and student well-being,...

Brad Livingstone has spent 35 years teaching history, but what he’s really been teaching is how joy is formed. In this episode of  JOY over Happiness , Jon Eckert talks with the legendary educator and Baylor University’s First Gent about gratitude, presence, and honoring others! From inviting veterans into his classroom to walking campus with his dog BU, Brad shows how joy grows when we choose to...

In this episode of  Just Schools , Jon Eckert is joined by Sahira Kodra, Krystle Moos, and Erik Ellefsen for a year in review conversation reflecting on the  Just Schools  podcast in 2025. Together, they look back on favorite episodes, memorable guests, and the relationships that have shaped the work over the past year.  They also share personal moments where struggle led to joy, discuss what give...

In this episode of  Just Schools , Jon Eckert is joined by the rest of the Baylor Center for School Leadership team. Erik Ellefsen, Krystle Moos, and Sahira Kodra look back on the last three years of the podcast and the changing landscape of schools since 2022.  The team reflects on shifts in education, share their favorite episodes, and dream about guests they wish could be on the podcast. Their...