LEARN Podcasts

What if the languages your students speak at home are actually your most powerful teaching tool? Erin Quirk , linguist and researcher at the Université de Sherbrooke, joins Chris to unpack what the research tells us about plurilingual children in Quebec's English-language classrooms. From cross-linguistic transfer to family engagement, Erin makes the case that multilingualism isn't a cha...

In this episode of ShiftED, we sit down with Lisa Green , Canadian author of Outsmarted: The Changing Face of Learning in the Era of Smartphones and Technology. Together, we explore how smartphones, AI, and the attention economy are reshaping classrooms and challenging traditional ideas about teaching and learning. Lisa shares practical insights on inquiry-based learning, student agency, digital l...

What does it mean to belong to a place that’s constantly redefining itself? In this episode, Chris Colley sits down with playwright, filmmaker, and author Guy Rodgers for a thoughtful conversation about identity, language, and the often-overlooked story of English-speaking Quebec. From his childhood between Australia and Canada to his deep dive into Quebec’s history, Rodgers shares the experiences...

Gina Tesoriero just finished her PhD — and her research is a reminder that the best way to understand how students use AI is to just... ask them. A special education teacher turned researcher, Gina spent years watching STEM transform engagement for her most overlooked students. That spark sent her into a doctoral program studying how recent high school graduates are using tools like ChatGPT to nav...

Language is the foundation. Everything else is built on it. In this episode of the ShiftED Podcast, Chris Colley sits down with Dr. Danielle "Nell" Thompson — literacy leader, coach, and former speech-language pathologist — for a wide-ranging conversation on what really sits at the heart of teaching children to read. Nell traces her thinking back to a moment standing in a museum inside t...

What if everything you thought you knew about English-speaking Quebec was wrong? In this episode, LEARN sits down with Morgan Gagnon of the Provincial Employment Roundtable ( PERT ) to unpack a staggering $1.5 billion employment gap between Quebec's English and French speakers—and the myth-busting research behind it. They dig into why language is only part of the story, what the future of wor...

On this episode of the ShiftED Podcast, Timothy Shanahan joins the conversation to unpack the evolving debate around literacy, reading instruction, multilingual classrooms, and the “science of reading.” Drawing from decades of research and his book Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives , Shanahan explores why strong reading comprehension still sits at the center of critical thinking, digital literacy, an...

In this episode of ShiftED, Nicole Muñoz-Guzman brings a grounded perspective to artificial intelligence in Québec’s vocational and adult education settings. Drawing from her work as a pedagogical advisor, she explores how teachers are moving beyond the hype to experiment with AI in practical, meaningful ways. The conversation highlights the importance of creativity, critical thinking, and small,...

Change is the only constant—and Cindy Finn would know. The Director General of Lester B. Pearson School Board joins Chris Colley to talk leading through chaos, the real story behind the cell phone ban, and why stress in the staffroom shows up in the classroom. Plus: the surprising reason today's students might be the most compassionate generation yet. Honest, hopeful, and packed with insight...

AI is flooding into classrooms faster than educators can keep up — but are we actually building AI literacy, or just assuming it'll happen on its own? In this episode, Chris sits down with Amanda Bickerstaff , founder of AI for Education , to unpack why "they're already using it" isn't good enough. Amanda draws on lessons from digital literacy, the illusion of easy AI tool...

What if keeping kids too safe is actually holding them back? In this episode, Chris sits down with UBC developmental psychologist Mariana Brussoni to unpack the science behind risky outdoor play — and why scraped knees might be exactly what children need. From brain development to recess culture, this conversation will change the way you see risk, childhood, and your role in both.

What if the most powerful tool for navigating the AI era isn't artificial at all? Cognitive scientist Dr. Tessa Forshaw — Harvard researcher, Stanford educator, and co-author of Innovation-ish — joins us to challenge everything you think you know about creativity. Spoiler: you already have it. We explore why most adults have stopped raising their hand, what puberty does to our creative instin...

Just 10 minutes. That's how much time the average child spends outside each day — and it's not enough. In this episode, outdoor education advocate and author Lauren McLean joins us to explore why getting kids into nature isn't just a nice-to-have, it's essential. From risky play to nature journals, Lauren shares practical ways teachers and parents can bring learning outside, an...

In this episode of ShiftEd Podcast, Chris Colley sits down with Dr. Louise de Lannoy, Executive Director of Outdoor Play Canada, to explore why getting kids outside is more urgent than ever. They unpack the barriers keeping children indoors — from screen time to overprotective instincts — and make a compelling, evidence-based case for embracing risky, unstructured play. Louise shares the research,...

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...