Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.

Are standards enough to inspire real writers? In this powerful reel, Katie Keier shares why teaching writing standards in isolation isn't creating confident, motivated writers in our classrooms. Learn about the "iceberg method" - where standards are just the tip, and meaningful purpose sits beneath the surface. The truth: Kids can learn to spell "cat" and blend sounds, but...

Part One of my S5E22 Schoolutions  conversation, Katie Keier shares how her Writers Playshop is changing kindergarten writing through play. Learn about effective teaching strategies and how to create a dynamic classroom environment where children thrive. In this episode, 33-year veteran teacher Katie Keier shares how a five-year-old revolutionized her entire approach to teaching writing. Discover...

In Part Two of my S5E21 Schoolutions conversation,  literacy expert Maria Walther focuses on the power of the read aloud. This episode offers more teaching strategies for educators and builds on our Part One conversation. Discover how incorporating read aloud stories and read aloud books can enhance reading instruction and foster a love for storytime in your classroom. What You'll Learn: ✅ T...

In this reel clip, we discuss the essential components of shared reading and why it needs to be updated. Many classrooms lack traditional materials, impacting effective teaching strategies. Maria Walther also shares reading tips for creating a more engaging and impactful literacy experience for students. Shared reading doesn't have to disappear from your classroom just because big books are h...

In Part One of my S5E21 Schoolutions  conversation, Maria Walther breaks down the critical difference between read aloud and shared reading, and shares why those short, focused bursts of instruction are the bridge your students need between teacher-led learning and independence. We discuss how to make this work alongside published curriculum, effective teaching, instructional strategies, and lesso...

Part Two of my S5E20 Schoolutions conversation with Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh , learn about effective digital media and edu tech tools that give students creative agency, fostering interactive learning. In this episode, you'll discover: 🎯 Why traditional curriculum fails and how storytelling bridges the gap 📱 Digital storytelling tools: Canva and Adobe Spark 🎤 The guest speaker strategy th...

Start Monday With One Story | Transform Student Engagement Through Storytelling 📚✨ One simple shift can revolutionize classroom belonging and student motivation. Start with ONE story. ONE perspective. ONE moment. Stories aren't just content—they're entry points that help students see themselves, stay engaged, and go deeper into learning. When we incorporate stories, we raise the humani...

In Part One of my S5E20 Schoolutions  conversation, Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh shares how inclusive teaching can profoundly impact the student experience and foster a sense of belonging for all students, emphasizing that education for all hinges on deeply connected learning. She discusses how a Spanish teacher's innovative language learning approach helped her overcome feelings of invisibility...

Part Two of my S5E19 Schoolutions  conversation with Rusty Keeler tackles the "how" of implementing adventurous play—storage solutions, liability myths, phantom policies, and the 13-year success story of Ithaca Children's Garden's Anarchy Zone. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Storage and organization strategies for loose parts play (yes, even for Type A educators!) • How to addres...

Discover the power of loose parts in creating engaging, natural play spaces that boost creativity, student engagement, and active learning! In this reel clip with Rusty Keeler, we explore how simple, low-cost materials can transform any outdoor environment—whether it's a school playground, backyard, or homeschool setting—into a space where children thrive. Learn why traditional playground equ...

Part One of my S5E19 Schoolutions  conversation with Rusty Keeler explores how to integrate more unstructured play, loose parts, and outdoor activities for kids into daily life, fostering child development and encouraging open-ended play. It's time to grow imagination. Rusty has spent 30+ years designing and advocating for natural outdoor play around the world, and he's witnessed firstha...

Happy New Year! I'm excited to share a Schoolutions podcast update with you, designed to enhance your weekly planning routine and boost your productivity. Starting January 5th, 2026, guest conversations will be divided into two shorter episodes, released on Mondays and Fridays. Wednesdays will feature a 60-second reel, offering a bite-sized piece from our conversation that you can share with...

In this S5E18 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies BONUS, I tackle the complex challenges within coaching relationships, especially when teachers repeatedly decline coaching. This conversation addresses the resistance and avoidance behaviors that can stall progress, offering insights for instructional leadership. It's an exploration of personal growth in coaching, emphasizing the impact of effect...

In this S5E18 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, Chrissy Beltran explains how to stop being a "fixer" coach and start being a partner! In this powerful conversation, Chrissy (Buzzing with Ms. B) shares game-changing strategies for instructional coaching that actually work with all teachers, maximize teacher support, and drive student success. Chrissy is the host of the "...

In this S5E17 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies BONUS, I unpack Sarah Tesar's honest story about leaving public school kindergarten—not because of bad admin or paperwork, but because the emotional cost became unsustainable. This isn't just about teacher burnout. It's about the empathy paradox: the same qualities that make someone great at student engagement and classroom belonging ca...

In this S5E17 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, Sarah Tesar shares why being a public school kindergarten teacher for 12 years made her an excellent teacher for other people's children, but prevented her from being fully present with her own family, and how she's now created a hybrid homeschool model that honors both her expertise as an educator and her needs as a whole huma...

In this S5E16 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies BONUS, I break down MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW's powerful teaching strategies that seem almost too simple to work—but they do. Listen to learn how you can transform your classroom with 3 simple practices that unlock genuine curiosity and calm. In this bonus episode,  Discover why saying "I don't know you" every morning can revolutioniz...

In this S5E16 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, join me with seasoned clinician MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW , as she shares the story of a 14-year-old who mooned a bus—and how nine minutes of curious conversation taught him life skills that lasted decades. Discover why curiosity requires discomfort, how to create calm from the inside out, and the simple "notice" practice that eve...

In this S5E15 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies BONUS, I unpack the question: What if the teaching traditions we follow aren't actually required? This week's bonus episode explores the revolutionary concept of "stepping aside" in education—not stepping away, but repositioning yourself so students can drive their own learning. In this reflection on Sarah Zerwin's groundbreak...

In this S5E15 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, join me with teacher and author Sarah M. Zerwin as she shares strategies from her book Step Aside: Strategies for Student-Driven Learning with Secondary Readers and Writers (Illustrated by Jane Zerwin ). 🚗 The Driving Course Metaphor: Student-driven learning isn't about abandoning students—it's like teaching someone to drive....

In this S5E14  @schoolutionspodcast BONUS,  I unpack  @katedriscoll931 's revolutionary approach to education that prioritizes observation over analysis, pride over perfection, and joy over data. Whether you're teaching art, math, or anything in between, Kate's strategies for classroom belonging, student engagement, and inspiring students will transform how you think about effective...

In this S5E14 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, join me with Kate Driscoll ( @art_teacher_life ) an Australian art educator whose first Facebook video reached 80 million people! With 37 years in education (23 as a primary teacher, 14 as an art specialist), Kate shares transformative strategies for nurturing creativity in students. In this episode, discover: • How to build student enga...

In this S5E13 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies  BONUS, I unpack 3 game-changing insights from my conversation with attachment expert @attachmentnerd that will transform your approach to classroom behavior, student engagement, and inclusive teaching. 🧠 THE NERVOUS SYSTEM TRUTH: Learn why students laugh during serious lessons (hint: it's not about disrespect) and how this understanding changes...

In this S5E13 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, join me with attachment expert Eli Harwood ("The Attachment Nerd") as she revolutionizes our understanding of student behavior, classroom belonging, and student engagement. Discover why nervous laughter isn't defiance - it's a cry for help with emotional regulation. In this transformative episode, you'll learn: •...

In this S5E12 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies BONUS, I unpack three game-changing education strategies from my conversation with Gravity Goldberg that will revolutionize your classroom behavior and student motivation.  🧠 What if everything you've been taught about student engagement and student fatigue is WRONG?  Discover why the glazed eyes and fidgeting you see 15 minutes into independent...