Make It Mindful: An Education Podcast

How can schools use AI thoughtfully to help educators reclaim time, reduce burnout, and stay focused on teaching? In this condensed episode of Make It Mindful , EdTech expert Lindy Hockenbary joins us to unpack what practical, human-first AI-powered professional development really looks like for teachers today. We dig into: Where AI makes the biggest difference ( and where it doesn’t ) How to help...

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes Chris O’Shaughnessy, international speaker, author, and advocate for third culture kids (TCKs) - children who grow up in a culture different from their parents’ or passport country and who often attend international schools. The episode explores how the TCK experience is becoming increasingly relevant for students everywhere. Chris and...

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes Chris Brida, district administrator at Portland Public Schools, to explore how career and technical education (CTE) can transform K-12 learning. They discuss the urgent need for public-private partnerships and the role of cross-functional teams in driving educational systems change. The episode highlights how aligning education with wor...

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes Chris Balme, educator, author, and founder of Hakuba International School and Millennium School, to explore how middle school can be redesigned to better support adolescent development. They discuss how current structures often fail kids during this crucial time—and how identity, social belonging, and real-world engagement can drive mea...

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes Dr. Hayley Watson, clinical psychologist and founder of Open Parachute, to explore how schools can meaningfully address student mental health without overburdening teachers. They unpack the developmental science behind peer-based mental health education and discuss how a preventative, skill-based approach can empower both students and e...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer welcomes Steve Ventura, educator, author, and founder of the Achievement Teams model. They explore how reflective teaching, collective efficacy, and purposeful collaboration can transform both teacher culture and student outcomes. Ventura shares why traditional PLCs often fall short—and how his framework, rooted in evidence and emotional intell...

Many educators assume online education is inherently inferior to in-person learning—especially when it comes to student agency, academic rigor, and building a real sense of community. Teachers worry students will fall behind, become socially isolated, or struggle to self-motivate in virtual settings. Heather Rhodes, founder of Highgrove Education and former leader of Harrow School Online, proves o...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer welcomes Miles Madison , an expert in literacy, SEL, and character education, to tackle a universal teacher struggle: the feeling of never having enough time. Pain Point: Teachers everywhere say, “There’s just not enough time.” But what if the issue isn’t time itself, but how it’s structured, prioritized, and used ? Too many educators are caugh...

Bridging AI & Education: Insights from a Live Panel Discussion This week on Make It Mindful , we’re bringing you a special crossover episode with AI Portland , diving into one of the most pressing conversations in education today: How should AI be integrated into teaching and learning? At a packed AI Portland event, host Seth Fleischauer moderated a panel featuring four educators with diverse...

🎙 SPECIAL EPISODE! This week, we’re crossposting a must-hear episode from Why Distance Learning? , featuring a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Williams , a global leader in educational technology, climate action, and social impact. Virtual learning has the power to connect classrooms across continents—but how do we ensure these connections lead to meaningful, real-world change ? 👉 Today’s Big Ques...

AI is reshaping education—but how do we ensure it enhances learning without eroding foundational skills, student agency, or global competence? Pain Points: • “How do we balance AI-assisted learning with essential human skills?” • “What’s the role of teachers in an AI-driven future?” • “How do we ensure AI is a tool for agency, not a crutch?” 🔥 Our guest, Eric Hudson , is an expert in learner-cent...

🎙 SPECIAL EPISODE! This week, we’re crossposting a must-hear episode from Why Distance Learning? where we explore how immersive global connections can transform education. Virtual learning can open the world to students—but how do we ensure these experiences feel real, engaging, and deeply impactful ? 👉 Today’s Big Question: Can Virtual Learning Build Real-World Global Competencies? 🎧 Global edu...

🚨 “AI won’t replace teachers, but it will change what great teaching looks like.” 🚨 Educators are being pushed to adopt AI—but is it actually making teaching better? Too often, AI in education is used for efficiency rather than transformation , leaving teachers feeling like they’re just automating tasks instead of improving learning. 🎧 In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer sits...

SPECIAL EPISODE! In this episode of Make It Mindful, we are crossposting a stellar episode from host Seth Fleischauer's other podcast, Why Distance Learning? In this episode, hosts Seth Fleischauer, Allyson Mitchell, and Tami Moehring welcome Noam Gerstein, CEO of the Bina School and a leading expert in precision education. Noam shares her journey of creating a global, digitally native school that...

In this episode of Make It Mindful: Insights for Global Learning, host Seth Fleischauer welcomes Michael Davis, founder of Mindful Bytes and Merek Security Solutions, to explore how mindfulness and cybersecurity intersect in education. They dive into the transformative potential of teaching digital citizenship through mindfulness practices to young learners, focusing on how educators can help stud...

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes James Anderson, author of Learnership, to explore how educators can cultivate a mindset of continuous growth in students. Anderson introduces the concept of learnership, a framework that emphasizes teaching students how to learn, not just what to learn. The episode unpacks strategies to empower students to take charge of their learning,...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , host Seth Fleischauer welcomes Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan, a speech pathologist and educational consultant, to delve into supporting executive functioning in students who require Tier 2 and 3 interventions. Building on the previous conversation with Mitch Weathers in episode #49, this episode explores how executive functioning challenges impact social, academic, a...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer kicks off the first in a two-part series on executive functioning by welcoming Mitch Weathers, founder of Organized Binder and author of Executive Functions for Every Classroom . They explore how routines, modeling, and accountability can help students develop critical executive functioning skills in a way that integrates seamlessly into daily...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer welcomes Dr. Jordan Smith, a retired Marine Corps Major, secondary math teacher, and author. They explore fostering resilience, addressing the belief gap in education, and creating personal connections to empower students. Dr. Smith shares strategies for engaging students through culturally responsive teaching and motivating them with growth mi...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer sits down with Marina Badillo-Diaz, known as the "AI Social Worker," to discuss how artificial intelligence can support social work within schools. They explore the ethical concerns and transformative potential of AI tools in enhancing efficiency for social workers and educators alike, especially when faced with the post-pandemic mental health...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer welcomes Nancy Weinstein, founder of MindPrint Learning, to explore how cognitive science can transform education. They discuss how MindPrint’s unique cognitive assessments help schools understand students' learning profiles and adapt instruction to fit each student's strengths and weaknesses. Nancy shares insights into the impact of the pandem...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , Seth Fleischauer welcomes two experts in metacognition: Kayla Morehead, a researcher at Denver Public Schools, and Emily Murphy, the Senior Professional Development Lead at Nord Anglia Education. Together, they discuss the role of metacognition in education and how it can empower both students and educators to take control of their learning process. Key Topics...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , host Seth Fleischauer sits down with author, actress, and producer Sheetal Sheth. They explore the impact of Sheth's children's books, including her Anjali series and Raashi's Rakhis , and discuss how her stories highlight cultural competence and representation for young readers. Key Topics Discussed: Sheth’s journey from acting to writing children's literature...

In this episode of Make It Mindful , host Seth Fleischauer dives into the intersection of literacy, family engagement, and cultural responsiveness with Judy Paulick, Associate Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Virginia. As part of the 2024 National Literacy Month and in partnership with Reading Is Fundamental, Judy shares how to create transformative educational experiences by un...

Leigh Anne Scherer, Technology Director at North Clackamas School District, navigated the unprecedented challenges of transitioning to online learning during the pandemic, offering key insights into the role of technology in education. In this episode, Leigh Anne and Seth discuss: The rapid shift to virtual learning in 2020 and the lessons learned from navigating this transformation. The importanc...