Reimagine Schools

In this episode, Dr. Robert Dillon, a popular speaker, consultant and co-author of numerous books on learning space and systems design, reflects on his career as a teacher, principal and Director of Innovation as he prepares for retirement at the end of the 2019-20 school year. As the co-author of The Space: A Guide for Educators and Redesigning Learning Spaces , Dillon is an advocate for student-...

In this episode, Jennifer Gonzalez, author and founder of the popular Cult of Pedagogy blog and podcast, shares insights on how to make big pedagogical shifts that will help teachers crush it in the classroom. Gonzalez, a National Board Certified Teacher, advocates for a Backward design approach by setting learning goals first, followed by inserting technology tools that are chosen by students to...

In this episode, former teacher and internationally-acclaimed keynote speaker Ken Shelton reflects on life lessons growing up during the peak of gang violence in Los Angeles and how his own journey from Division I athlete to classroom teacher helped shape his passion for equity in our schools. Shelton, a strong advocate for “techquity” in education, also talks about the importance of creating stud...

In this episode, educator and ethnographer Dr. Sarah Fine shares insights from her book, In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest To Remake The American High School with co-author Dr. Jal Mehta, a project that included visiting 30 different schools over almost a decade of research. The book ultimately provides a blueprint as to how the Deeper Learning principles of identity, mastery and creativity...

In this episode, educational technologist Adam Bellow, Co-Founder of Breakout EDU, reflects on his success as an “Edupreneur” with numerous start-up companies and shares his thoughts as to why educators today must place a greater emphasis on pedagogy over new technology tools. As a member of the EdCamp Foundation Board of Directors, Bellow also talks about being a strong advocate for professional...

In this episode, Dr. Sonny Magana, a pioneer in educational technology research, shares insights from his book, Disruptive Classroom Technologies: A Framework for Innovation in Education , that features his T3 Framework for Innovation that includes a hierarchy of three domains (Translational, Transformational and Transcendent) that serve as a highly reliable model for enhancing modern instructiona...

In this episode, Will Richardson, internationally-acclaimed speaker and author on educational technology, reflects on his years of experience working with school leaders from around the world to reimagine practice in the classroom and professional learning. Richardson asserts that schools are not built for learning and that we forget most of the things we learn in school because the system is base...

In this episode, Dr. Carmen Coleman, Chief Academic Officer for Jefferson County Public Schools (JPCS) in Louisville, KY, shares her journey with the nationally-acclaimed JCPS Backpack for Success Program as more than 22,000 students in 5th, 8th and 12th grades have now uploaded a million artifacts to show mastery of the district's five essential success skills. Dr. Coleman shares the entire "Digi...

In this episode, best-selling author, speaker and blended learning coach Catlin Tucker provides insights into her new book, Balance With Blended Learning: Partner With Your Students to Reimagine Learning and Reclaim Your Life , that will be released in January, 2020. Tucker also shares her thoughts on how blended learning models can create more time and space to help teachers connect with individu...

In this episode, Dr. Kristy Custer, the 2018-19 Kansas Secondary Principal of the Year, and award-winning teacher Michael Russell share their journey at Complete High School near Wichita, KS, one of the nation's first to implement a video game-based curriculum and school-sponsored Esports Teams. In partnership with the High School Esports League (HSEL) and Microsoft Education, Custer and Russell c...

In this episode, Jaime Casap, Google's Chief Education Evangelist, reflects on his experience as the lead developer on the Google Apps for Education project and how the launch of Chromebooks has created added momentum for K-12 technology programs. In addition, Casap also shares his thoughts on the ever-changing Digitalization Economy that has shifted the future of work from a single-player focus t...

In this episode, best-selling author Michael Horn shares insights on developing the passion and potential in every child through a triad of blended learning, personalized learning and competency-based assessments that serve as a foundation for student-centered schools. He also discusses talking points from his best-selling book, Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation To Improve Schools, and why scho...

In this episode, accomplished teacher, principal, author and speaker Adam Dovico talks about school leadership, innovative new professional development models and what he learned as a former teacher at the famed Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, GA. He also shares insights on his current book, The Limitless School: Creative Ways to Solve the Culture Puzzle, that provides strategies to create a more po...

In this episode, teacher, author and speaker Katie Powell shares insights from her book, Boredom Busters: Transform Worksheets, Lectures, And Grading Into Engaging, Meaningful Learning Experiences, and offers strategies that leverage curiosity and fun to engage students while driving deeper learning. Katie also shares resources form her popular website and blog, Teach Beyond The Desk, that provide...

In this episode, award-winning principal and author Derek McCoy shares his passion for working with middle school students and reflects on his new role as Director of Learning and Innovation at Grady County Schools in Georgia. As a long-time school leader, McCoy reflects on numerous topics with the sole purpose of creating a culture of innovation and passion-based learning. This approach includes...

In this episode, long-time Mathematics teacher Robert Kaplinsky discuses his new book, Open Middle Math: Problems That Unlock Student Thinking: Grades 6-12, and talks about his passion for Problem-Based Learning and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) that places an emphasis on moving away from superficial questions and answers to identifying various levels of understanding. Kaplinsky also talks about the gr...

In this episode, author, presenter and National Board Certified Teacher Starr Sackstein discusses the process of authentic assessment in the classroom and how teachers must look inward and question their current grading practices to shift the conversation from traditional grading to a true mastery of learning. Sackstein also shares highlights from her popular book, Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to G...

In this episode, award-winning blogger, speaker and author AJ Juliani talks about his passion for implementing an "inquiry-driven" educational system that places an emphasis on empowering schools to use passion and purpose to fuel curiosity in winning the "attention battle" with Generation Z students. Juliani also discusses the importance of Design Thinking and offers tips from his new book, The P...

In this episode, David Osborne, former Senior Advisor to Vice President Al Gore, reflects on his career working in public policy and why he's a champion for the Charter Schools movement in his role as the Director of the Progressive Policy Institute's Project on Reinventing America’s Schools. He also shares insight from his book, Reinventing America’s Schools: Creating a 21st Century Education Sys...

In this episode, George Couros shares insights from his new book, Innovate Inside The Box: Empowering Learners Through UDL and the Innovator's Mindset with co-author Katie Novak, and reflects on lessons learned throughout his career as a teacher and school administrator. By combining the principles of his first book, The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of...

In this episode, Matt Miller reflects on the success of his “Ditch” series of books that Includes Ditch That Textbook, Ditch That Homework, and his newest release, Don’t Ditch That Tech with co-authors Nate and Angie Ridgway that offers solutions for differentiated instruction within the ed tech classroom. Miller also offers advice on how to use the recent surge of interest in audio to start a cla...

In this episode, popular author and keynote speaker Adam Welcome provides inspiration for a new school year and encourages educators to "get moving" and let the creative juices flow with laser focus and more clarity than ever before. From time management skills to tips on how to become more disciplined, Welcome reflects on his past experience as a teacher, principal and Director of Innovation and...

In this episode, best-selling author, speaker and financial expert Chris Hogan shares his thoughts on leadership development, financial planning for educators and how K-12 schools can bring a Life Skills Curriculum to the classroom through the Foundations in Personal Finance Program as offered by (Dave) Ramsey Solutions. Hogan also offers sage advice to educators about the principles of Servant Le...

In this episode, Matt Friedman, Chief Academic Officer in the Downingtown Area School District (PA), discusses his passion for creating Future Ready Schools that includes design thinking principles, enriched technology opportunities for students and a personalized approach to professional learning for faculty and staff.  Friedman also reflects on his school district's recent launch of Pennsylvania...

In this episode, best-selling author and international keynote speaker Eric Sheninger, talks about building more authentic relationships through job-embedded coaching and how the 2nd edition of his book, Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times, can improve innovative practice and improve teaching, learning and leadership through the 7 Pillars of Digital Leadership. Sheninger also...