Teach Smarter

Helping every child learn to read is one of the biggest challenges facing schools today. In this episode, we sit down with Matt Pasternack, founder and CEO of Once and the first employee at Clever, to discuss a different approach to early literacy. Matt shares why he believes instructional assistants are one of the most underused resources in education, how schools can provide effective one-on-one...

Recess is often treated as a break from learning, but what if it's actually one of the most important parts of the school day? In this episode, we sit down with Lauren McNamara, founder of Schoolyards for Thought, to explore how recess, play, and schoolyard design influence belonging, behavior, mental health, and academic success. We discuss why so many schoolyards fail to meet students' n...

In this episode, we sit down with high school chemistry teacher and education writer Marcie Samayoa to explore one of the most overlooked conversations in education today: how we teach science. Marcie challenges the idea that students should be expected to discover complex concepts on their own before they have the foundational knowledge needed to succeed. Drawing from her experience teaching in a...

Many schools say they’ve implemented high quality instructional materials. Dan Reynolds argues most have only adopted them. In this episode, we sit down with Dan Reynolds from SRI International to unpack what schools are getting wrong about literacy instruction, curriculum implementation, and comprehension assessment. Drawing from a large multi year research study across multiple districts, Dan ex...

Instructional coaching is often set up to fail. Coaches are undertrained, overloaded, and expected to change instruction without a clear model or enough time to do the work. In this episode, Peter sits down with Jim Knight, the researcher who coined the term instructional coaching, founder of the Instructional Coaching Group, and author of The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching . With more...

Dr. Katie Novak is one of the leading voices in Universal Design for Learning and the author of sixteen books including UDL Now and Elevating Educational Design with AI. In this episode, we talk about what UDL actually looks like when you're working with scripted curriculum, how it's different from differentiated instruction and personalized learning, where AI can help with lesson design a...

What does the research actually say about SEL and why does so much of what gets sold to schools fall short of the evidence? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Christina Cipriano, Associate Professor at the Yale Child Study Center and one of the leading researchers in social-emotional learning, to get into what the data actually shows and what leaders should do about it. Dr. Cipriano led the lar...

Professional development has a trust problem. Many teachers feel burned by years of shifting initiatives, surface-level walkthroughs, and messages that miss the reality of classroom instruction. In this episode, we’re joined by Zach Groshell , teacher, instructional coach, and author of Just Tell Them , for a candid conversation about why so many educators have grown skeptical of PD and instructio...

In this episode, Stephanie and I speak with neuroscientist and former teacher Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath about what schools get wrong, and why so many well-intended initiatives fall apart in real classrooms. We talk about why teaching is a craft, why teachers should be treated as the core experts, and why schools struggle to build shared, usable evidence about what works. Jared also challenges commo...

What actually drives student growth, and why do so few schools get it right? In this episode, Dr. Tequilla Brownie breaks down the core conditions that help students catch up and move forward. We talk about expectations, coherence, belonging, and why TNTP’s research continues to reshape how schools think about improvement. Dr. Brownie also shares clear guidance for leaders who want to focus their...

In this episode, Stephanie talks with Haili Hughes about why so many teachers feel worn down and what actually helps. Haili explains how shared curriculum and clear systems give teachers more time, more confidence, and more control of their work. They unpack the difference between agency and autonomy, why doing everything alone does not make teaching better, and how small shifts in practice can cu...

In this episode, Peter talks with Dr. Sabba Quidwai about how educators keep agency with AI. Sabba explains why design thinking is action, not PDFs, and how her SPARK interview turns vague goals into five day wins. They dig into teaching AI as habits and mindsets, the leap from desktop thinking to mobile thinking, what to automate, and what to stop doing. They also cover the skills schools need ne...

In this episode, Pete and Stephanie talk with Josh Czupryk about how the education job market is changing as ESSER funds expire and districts face tighter budgets. Josh shares what his data shows about which roles are shrinking, which ones are growing, and why clarity of value matters more than ever for organizations serving schools. They dig into what’s really driving teacher turnover, the one qu...

Episode Description In this episode, Pete and Stephanie talk with Catlin Tucker about what blended learning actually looks like when it’s done well. Catlin unpacks the core skill set teachers need to move beyond whole-group instruction, how to design intentional station rotations, and why balancing online and offline experiences matters. They explore the connection between blended learning and Uni...

In this episode, we sit down with Monica Burns to talk about the real role of technology in today’s classrooms. We look at how teachers can bring AI and other digital tools into their instruction without losing sight of what matters most—teaching, learning, and student engagement. Monica shares practical strategies for using technology to support great pedagogy rather than replace it, and we explo...

In this episode of Teach Smarter, part of our Leaders from the Classroom series, I talk with Nick, a middle school history teacher, about how he builds writing skills through in-class modeling, real-time feedback, and consistent practice across the year. We dig into why he doesn’t let students write essays at home, how he’s adapted writing instruction to fit his content area, and the challenges AI...

In this episode, Pete and Stephanie talk with Bill Bass, Innovation Coordinator for Parkway School District and former ISTE Board President, about transforming school libraries and reframing what educator resistance really means. Bill oversees 29 school librarians, 16 of whom have been named Teacher of the Year. He shares why some educators aren't actually resistant to change, but are instead...

Zaretta Hammond joins us to explore how AI and edtech can either reinforce a pedagogy of compliance or unlock true cognitive justice for students. We dig into over-scaffolding, feedback loops, the science of learning, and how teachers can reclaim their role as personal trainers of student thinking instead of just content deliverers. Zaretta is the author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the B...

Commissioner Angélica Infante Green joins us to talk about what it actually takes to create lasting change in education. From improving attendance to implementing high-quality curriculum with fidelity, she shares how Rhode Island is staying focused without chasing the next big thing. We also get into how AI can support good teaching without replacing it, and what it means to lead with clarity in a...

What does it take to create educational technology that actually works? Dr. Rachel Schechter knows better than most. With a background researching Dora the Explorer and now as founder of LXD Research, she's spent her career understanding how kids learn through media and technology. In this episode, Rachel pulls back the curtain on EdTech research, sharing why most digital tools fail to deliver and...

In this conversation, Dr. Adam B. Lockwood discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on school psychology and education. He shares insights on how school psychologists are currently using AI, particularly in areas like IEP goal creation and crisis intervention. The discussion also covers ethical concerns surrounding AI, its potential to democratize cheating, and the implications for cre...

I had the privilege of presenting at the MATSOL Conference, where I led a session on using AI to support multilingual learners. This episode breaks down what we covered, including how to pair WIDA Can Do descriptors with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and NotebookLM. If you're planning for MLLs and looking for ways to scaffold without lowering expectations, this one's for you. I share...

Teachers know parent communication matters, but knowing how to do it well is another story. In this episode, Stephanie sits down with educator and author Crystal Frommert to unpack what meaningful communication with families actually looks like. They talk about why newsletters fall short, how to build trust without burning out, and when it's time to stop emailing and just pick up the phone. They a...

In this episode, Pete and Stephanie sit down with Tricia Friedman—Director of Learning & Strategy at Shifting Schools—to unpack what AI literacy should look like if we want students (and educators) to actually be ready for what’s coming next. Tricia introduces her REFRAME framework, explains the concept of futures literacy , and shares practical ways educators can shift from fear-based policie...

In this episode, I talk with Chris Hull, a former teacher and the co-founder of Otus , a platform that helps schools manage assessment, data, and instruction in one place. We dig into how Otus came to be, what makes edtech actually usable, and how AI can support teachers without getting in the way. The conversation centers on one tool, but the focus is on what it means to build solutions that come...