The Employee Experience in Education Podcast

"One of the rules that I have when I work with folks - I call it the ‘research says’ rule. I'll put a little bell on the table, and sometimes we pass it around. And anytime someone says research says, we ring the bell and we stop. We say ‘whose research says that? In what context do do that research say that?’ And we hold ourselves accountable to being as specific and transparent as possible. But...

“AI can support personalized learning for teachers by providing resources tailored to their learning styles and goals.” But how can educators access the necessary professional development to utilize AI effectively in the classroom? On this episode, we'll speak with Nneka McGee about AI in education and personalized professional development. Nneka shares her insights on the challenges and opportuni...

"The idea of earning and learning at the same time, which is what the apprenticeship program can provide. That might open up more opportunities for people with more diverse backgrounds.” In a rapidly changing educational landscape, how can schools effectively prioritize essential tools for student and adult success amidst the influx of possibilities? On this episode, we speak with Graham Forman, a...

“Teachers value relationships and agency as important factors in their job satisfaction.” We talk all the time about the need to increase teacher retention, yet despite our efforts teachers continue to leave the classroom at alarming rates.  But how can district leaders ensure teachers have high job satisfaction while feeling empowered in their roles? On this episode, we’ll speak with doctoral can...

“Classroom management is a term I really don’t like to use. Because I really want my teachers to be classroom leaders.” Many teachers struggle with classroom management. And most administrators struggle to fully support their teachers with strategies that work in the classroom. On this episode, we speak with author, founder, and speaker Larry Davis. Larry shares his unique insights on the need to...

\"We are fundamentally focused on making sure that while we move forward with innovation, we\'re doing so in a safe and ethical way” AI is everywhere, and there is no going back. But how do we strategically think about and plan for the ethical and responsible use of AI in the classroom for both students and educators? On this episode, we’ll speak with Eric Nentrup, writer, filmmaker, and strategic...

“We have taken the approach at Gwinnett to really lean into providing career opportunities internally for our teachers to provide the opportunity for promotion without having to leave the classroom.” About a year ago, Cathy Hardin left a successful HR career in healthcare to become the CHRO at the nation’s 13th largest school district, Gwinnett County Public Schools. While the two industries are v...

“The impact that makes is insane. The average amount of student loan debt forgiven through the program is north of 90,000 American dollars...” Peter Dunn (Pete the Planner®) is a financial expert, USA TODAY columnist, the author of ten books, the host of the popular radio show and podcast The Pete the Planner Show, and has appeared regularly on CNN Headline News, Fox News, Fox Business as well as...

“In October, the US surgeon General, America\'s top medical doctor, named mattering at work a key priority for improving the nation\'s mental health.” Zach Mercurio is a researcher, writer and speaker who is passionate about cultivating meaningfulness in life and work. He believes that well-being is a community effort and that leaders hold great power in creating environments that support and enco...

\"You give time for people to tell their stories, and you really have true empathy and you actually listen. A) you learn a lot, and B) you\'re going to build a culture where people feel safe.” Dr. Nick Wahl spent 31 years in public schools, working his way up from a classroom teacher to a superintendent. He now works as an education consultant, speaking to school leaders all over the United States...

\"At some point, if you don\'t have a targeted behavior intervention that the children are actually like, \'okay, I want to avoid this\' then you don\'t have anything.” When Johnathan Cranford started as in-school suspension teacher, there was no guide for how to run ISS. Instead, Johnathan took his experience in a therapeutic campus and applied it to create an ISS room that is getting amazing res...

“I’ve had more opportunities to be a people leader and build relationships and trust, and then the instructional leadership seems to go much better.” Being a school principal is no easy feat – they\'re pulled in a multitude of directions each day, trying to balance the demands of teachers, students, parents, and district leaders. Traditionally, principals are thought of as the instructional leader...

“Educators across the world are saying this is the best training they’ve ever had.” After not being observed for two straight years, Craig realized early in his career the teacher evaluation system was broken. He was right - recent research, including from the Gates Foundation, shows “no sustained improvement” with typical teacher evaluation processes. In this episode, we speak with Craig Randall,...

“As leaders, we tend to take on so much stuff…I found myself at times being closer to a human doer than a human being.” As Dean of Education and Associate professor at Trine University’s Franks School of Education, Tony Kline is no stranger to the challenges educators face. While traditional education-program enrollment is down 10-25% nationally over the last decade, Trine University’s School of E...

“We can’t guess at the well-being of our people anymore. We need to make sure they’re okay” Hope is more than optimism about the future. It’s actually much more. And it can rewire the brains of students (and adults) in positive ways. On this episode, Cathleen Beachboard shares the science behind hope and the power it has at your school. Cathleen also shares: Why hope is a key to living a resilient...

“Don’t be afraid to acknowledge that you need some assistance. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.” Being a school principal is one of the hardest jobs in the world, not just in education. The demands placed on school leaders are intense, pervasive, and seemingly never-ending. But these demands can take their toll on even the most capable and impactful leaders. In this episode, Trevor Goertzen...

“If not you’re not careful, if you’re not intentional, if you don’t have intention, then by default things will put you in tension.\" Juan Alvarado has experience leading tens of thousands of soldiers in high-stakes situations. He’s now applying his own experiences to help school leaders be more intentional and purposeful about the employee experience. In this episode, Juan shares: The power of co...

“I think the teacher shortage is a symptom of a bigger issue...” As a top education podcast host and coach, Jethro Jones knows firsthand how difficult it is to be a school leader and a teacher. In this episode, Jethro shares practical advice to improve the employee experience in education, including the first step you need to take to improve your school culture and how to make teacher evaluations...

“If we improve our employee experience throughout our district, we\'ll see better gains in the retention efforts.” As Milwaukee Public School’s Senior Director of Talent Management, Michael Harris helps ensure all 150+ of his schools are properly staffed with licensed teachers and support staff. New-hire onboarding is the key to retaining new staff, but how can he reach his goal of 85% retention w...

“We need to help teacher leaders prioritize what they are doing, because maybe what makes me frustrated gives another teacher life.” Rebecca Carlisle was Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Teacher of the year and a finalist for the Georgia Teacher of the Year. Instead of being in the classroom, she’s now pouring her energy and positivity into other teachers to help them stay happy in the classroom. O...

“People thrive when others believe in them” Mike Kleba has tried to leave education a few times, including runs as an actor, director, and even leading a tech company. But the draw to make an impact has brought him back to the classroom each time. In an environment where teachers are constantly leaving the classroom, Mike discusses the reason he’s bucking this trend and the power of believing in y...

“I student taught in Harlem, so I felt like I could handle anything. What I didn’t realize was how much good leadership matters.” Katie Niemczyk started questioning her decision to be a teacher very early in her teaching career, and it wasn’t because of the students, her team, or even the pay. Rather, it was because of leadership. In this episode, Katie shares her own experience in education, incl...

What can be done about your current or future unfilled math teacher vacancy? In this episode, Dr. Kevin Berkopes, Co-Founder and CEO of XR Technologies, discusses the seemingly insurmountable task of finding and keeping quality math teachers and the balance between providing what is needed for a new teacher to be successful and not overwhelming them. Kevin also shares: How a curriculum can actuall...

How does Austin Independent School District intentionally plan for and sustain programs to ensure the well being of each of Austin ISD\'s 10,000+ employees? In this episode, Brandi Hosack, Interim Human Capital Officer for Austin ISD, discusses the enormous pressures that are placed on educators and why we have to be intentional about building a great culture. Brandi also shares: What teachers are...

“People don’t leave their jobs, they leave their managers” is a popular phrase in the business world, but does it have any relevancy in education? In this episode, Cara Holt, former educator and current Manager of Sales Communication and Training at BrainPOP, shares a story about the reasons she and 7 of her colleagues all left their school at the same time (hint: it’s about school leadership). Ca...