Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning

What do you call a life filled with service, curiosity, humor, and love? In Episode 197 of the Adventures in Learning Podcast, Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor shares a deeply personal tribute to her father, Dr. Edward John Jackson , a quiet hero whose life touched military service, higher education, community leadership, and family in lasting ways. This episode honors Dr. Jackson’s journey from a diffic...

What if a children’s book could travel through time and connect generations of storytellers? Join Dr. Diane as she welcomes back acclaimed author Emma Otheguy to discuss her enchanting new book, Adventure in the City of Stories , the enduring power of school librarians, and why stories are the ultimate secret weapon for building human connection. Summary In this episode, Dr. Diane sits down with h...

What if the key to helping children learn to write, count, and grow wasn’t more pressure but more play? In this episode of Adventures in Learning , Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor welcomes developmental therapist and early childhood advocate Sola Zaccheus for a rich conversation about fine motor development, developmentally appropriate practice, and the power of purposeful play. Sola shares her path fro...

What if one oak tree could help kids fall in love with science, story, and their own backyards? In Episode 194, author Maria Gianferrari and illustrator Diana Sudyka share how their new picture book Just One Oak turns a single tree into a whole universe of keystone species, climate conversations, and everyday nature joy, from city parks to schoolyards. Summary In this episode of Adventures in Lear...

What if saving wildlife starts with school lunches, backpacks, and bush walks? In Part 2 of the Wild Tomorrow series, community leader Aphiwe Notshaya joins Dr. Diane to share how a community partnership approach to conservation in rural South Africa is feeding preschoolers, supporting orphaned and vulnerable children, opening doors to university, and building real climate resilience—one partnersh...

Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate ( The One and Only Ivan , Wishtree , Odder ) returns to talk about her newest book, Wombat Waiting —a free-verse “destiny dog” story set against California wildfires. We dive into climate change with hope, why picture books still matter for big kids, how to reach reluctant readers, and why “weird is wonderful” might be the best antidote to both peer pressure an...

What happens when a 17-year-old decides STEM should work for everyone—not just some students? In Episode 191, Dr. Diane talks with Amritha Praveen , founder of Amethyst Changemakers , about creating inclusive STEM kits using Universal Design for Learning, distributing over 250 kits to Title 1 schools, placing third at the International Science and Engineering Fair, and why resilience and empathy d...

"Any book a child loves is a good book," but when a teacher says she has to "sneak in" Number the Stars , something is broken. Dr. Diane welcomes Dr. Karen Huff , chair of the Shenandoah University Children's Literature Conference , to celebrate 40 years of fighting for books that matter. We discuss the importance of honoring diverse voices and creating communities of read...

What happens when two people leave corporate life behind and start solving conservation problems one practical need at a time? In the first episode of an ongoing seven-part series, Dr. Diane talks with Wild Tomorrow 's co-founders John Steward and Wendy Hapgood about turning boots, socks, and urgency into a wildlife corridor in South Africa. This episode is about conservation, community, and...

What happens when artists refuse to stay silent? Puerto Rican actress and NBC Diversity Monologue Slam champion Jesenia joins Dr. Diane to discuss protecting First Amendment rights, creating comedy during difficult times, and why "productive delusion" might be the secret to hope. Dr. Diane and Jesenia—a seasoned actress, writer, and comedy performer who has appeared on Starz and Showtime...

What if a picture book could help children feel brave in the face of something bigger than themselves? In this episode of the Adventures in Learning podcast, Dr. Diane talks with Hudson Valley author/illustrator Kerry McQuaide   about The Biggest, Highest Wave , the power of read-alouds, and why picture books can help young readers see themselves as resilient. Summary In Episode 187 of the Adventu...

What happens when travel, conservation, and community come together? In this Earth Day episode of the Adventures in Learning podcast, Dr. Diane talks with Analu Huerta about ecotourism in the Galapagos and Ecuador, and why protecting what we love starts with truly seeing it. Summary In Episode 186, Dr. Diane welcomes Analu Huerta , a sustainable tourism professional and tourist guide based in Ecua...

When art is personal, playful, and purposeful, it can change the way people learn and connect. In Episode. 185, Dr. Diane talks with poet, teaching artist, and speaker LeJuane “El’Ja” Bowens about poetry, workshops, civic engagement, and why the next generation gives him hope. El'Ja shares how a 10th-grade poetry project sparked his love of writing, how an open mic after the military helped h...

What makes a classic story feel new again? In this episode of Adventures in Learning , Dr. Diane talks with author Máire Roche about Little Monsters , Little Women , Bromantasy , and the power of stories that help young readers feel seen. Máire shares how Little Women shaped her as a reader and writer, why Meg has always been her favorite March sister, and how Little Monsters grew from her desire...

What happens when the actors in Little Women read modern reinterpretations ( Little Monsters , and Beth Is Dead ) of the very characters they’re bringing to life onstage? Dr. Diane welcomes the March sisters from Riverside Center for the Performing Arts ’ Little Women for a lively conversation about sisterhood, performance, and reimagining classic characters. Sarah Mae Andersen (Meg), Ashlee Beary...

What if midlife isn’t a crisis, but a portal to your next adventure? In this episode, Dr. Diane sits down with Dr. Ellen Albertson , the “Midlife Whisperer,” for a conversation about self-compassion, reinvention, and what it really means to thrive in midlife. Dr. Ellen shares her approach to helping women move through midlife with more clarity, confidence, and compassion, blending psychology, well...

What if a Greek-underworld adventure could help middle grade readers name anxiety, see hidden home struggles, and believe they’re worthy of rescue too? In this episode, Dr. Diane talks with author and former costume designer Shana Targosz about Relic of Thieves , a companion to River of Spirits that can stand on its own and sits comfortably beside Percy Jackson on the shelf. Shana shares why Anya’...

In 2026, Candace Fleming did something no one else has ever done—she became the first author to receive both the Children’s Literature Legacy Award and the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Young Adult Lifetime Achievement in the same year, while also winning the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown . We celebrate that extr...

What if your next great STEM or STEAM lesson started with a pirate sheep, a muddy teddy bear, or a very confused Little Red who thinks a wolf is a cat? In this joyful springtime episode, author‑illustrator and former pre‑K teacher Ashley Belote joins Dr. Diane to share playful, practical ways to turn picture book read‑alouds into rich learning adventures for early childhood and elementary students...

What happens when you finally give that brave, younger version of yourself permission to come back out and play? In this episode, author and teaching artist Alicia D. Williams joins Dr. Diane to talk about solo travel, rediscovering joy, and seeking kindness around the globe—from Paris and Mexico to Ghana, Ireland, and Italy. Along the way, we celebrate Alicia’s beautiful new picture book, Nani an...

What if your next STEM lesson started with a 65‑foot whale and a beach cleanup scavenger hunt? For 25 years, Blue Ocean Society has been quietly protecting whales and marine life right in our New England “backyard.” In this ocean-focused episode, Dr. Diane talks with co-founder and executive director Jen Kennedy about how long-term whale research, monthly beach cleanups, and joyful, hands-on educa...

If you’ve ever walked along a shoreline, spotted trash, and thought, “How did this get here, and what can I do about it?” -- this conversation is for you. Ashley Sullivan , Executive Director of the Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean , joins me to unpack the very real problem of marine debris and microplastics, and to remind us that curiosity, community, and “lots of littles” can add up to big chan...

What happens when a bestselling middle grade author joins you on World Read Aloud Day -- and opens the episode with a live read-aloud from his brand-new release? In this return conversation, James Ponti   celebrates the book birthday of City Spies: Europa   (Book 7!) and takes us behind the scenes of what it really takes to write page-turning mystery-adventure that kids don’t just read, they inhab...

What happens when young readers are invited to question the stories they’ve always been told? In this episode of the Adventures in Learning podcast, Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor welcomes bestselling author Tracy Wolff to celebrate the launch of her middle grade fantasy debut, The Aftermyth . Together they explore how mythology, storytelling, empathy, and student identity come together in powerful way...

What if the biggest gap in reading instruction isn’t phonics or fluency — but motivation ? Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor sits down with Anmarie Paul , Executive Director of Behind the Book , to explore how intrinsic motivation, belonging, student choice, and joyful literacy experiences help children become lifelong readers. Together, they unpack how Science of Reading practices and reading engagement...