The Extraordinary Educators Podcast

Ever wonder how to cultivate meaningful connections with your students? This week, we sit down with Extraordinary Educator Jonathan Kryk who enlightens us with his innovative teaching strategies . He passionately dives into his unique 'two minute rule' - a novel method geared toward personalized connection and fostering a sense of belonging in students. He also introduces us to a poignan...

Picture this: A classroom where students and the teacher alike want to be in, a room that feels like a second home, a place that cultivates not just knowledge but well-being. Meet Kimberly Robinson, an Extraordinary Educator who has turned this into a reality. Her journey from survival-mode to mindful living within the educational setting is a testament to the transformative power of self-reflecti...

Today we are joined by Joe Flick, a passionate teacher transitioning from elementary to middle school math instruction in New York! Joe treats students as humans first, tailoring their academic goals around their individual needs and personalities. Not just that, he is also leveraging his math skills to revolutionize goal setting. Tune in to hear about his plans to empower his sixth graders to tak...

Ever wondered how data can spark a transformative change in a student's educational journey? Tune into our enlightening conversation with Lloyd Jones, Associate Vice President of Content and Implementation at Curriculum Associates, to uncover the secrets. Lloyd shares tried-and-true strategies to harness the power of data for fostering stronger relationships and building trust with students....

Ever feel like you're stuck in a cycle of stagnation when it comes to teaching? Join us as we share an insightful conversation with Gary Miller, an Associate Vice President of Content and Implementation, known for his garden-variety ideas and captivating storytelling. Gary blows our minds with his unique perspectives on problems in education today, including stagnation, location, and dilation...

We're thrilled to welcome back Extraordinary Educator, Brianna Lugibihl, for another episode! Her unique approach to empowering students to advocate for themselves in academic spaces has sparked a wave of excitement, and we're diving deep into the topic. Brianna's exploration of neuroscience's role in education is another rabbit hole we're eager to explore. Her innovative...

This week, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Extraordinary Educator,  Zach Pfrimmer, shedding light on an often overlooked yet crucial aspect of teaching - self-advocacy. Zach opens up about his experiences, offering insights on the necessity of asking for help, constructing supportive networks, and nurturing reciprocal relationships with colleagues. Ever wondered how to efficient...

Have you ever thought about finding joy in mathematics? We're changing the game in this enlightening discussion with the remarkable Naneka Brathwaite, a National Director at Curriculum Associates. This episode tackles an often-ignored topic—math trauma and the need for cultivating joy and curiosity in math classrooms. You'll be fascinated as we uncover insights on how to reframe math, nu...

Ever found yourself pondering the secret to balancing work and family life? Consider this episode your guide! We're thrilled to welcome Emily McCann, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Curriculum Associates, and Dave Dubois, Senior Director of Business Transformation at Curriculum Associates, to share their firsthand experiences. These two busy bees manage to keep it together, with Emily j...

What if you could reclaim control of your calendar and carve out precious extra hours for yourself each week? In an empowering episode of The Extraordinary Educators Podcast, hosts Danielle Sullivan and Sari Laberis reveal how you can do just that. We explore the concept of proactive to-do lists, the power of routine, and how breaking down large projects into manageable tasks can revolutionize you...

This episode of The Extraordinary Educators Podcast is all about organization and coordination among teammates! Becki Cope, a kindergarten teacher from Mississippi, joins Danielle and Sari to share her expertise. Becki starts by explaining the power of leaning on your team to maximize planning time. She then dives in to how her team maintains organization across the board. Becki also shares how to...

Looking for engagement strategies as students head back to school? Danielle and Sari have three great ideas that can be used in your classrooms! Danielle begins by talking about the power of using student interest surveys. She then dives in to creating and using data folders for students. She also shares about the importance of a name -- especially having students explain the story of their name,...

Mark Bernstein, National Director, Content and Implementation at Curriculum Associates, joins this episode to discuss how to foster connections with students. Mark begins by talking about why it’s becoming more and more important to purposefully connect with people. He then goes on to share about an activity that can help support these connections, called Bag O’ Questions! The episode wraps up wit...

Jeannette Milburn, a sixth grade math teacher from Maryland, joins the first episode of the new season to share all about her love for student-centered learning! Jeannette starts off by talking about how she first became interested in student-centered learning, and how it has evolved for her over the course of her career in education. She then describes what it looks like in her classroom, focusin...

Dr. Ray Reutzel, Dean of the College of Education at the University of Wyoming and President of the Reading Hall of Fame, joins this special bonus episode to share all about the Science of Reading. Dr. Reutzel starts off by explaining the difference between the Science of Reading and the Science of Reading Instruction. He then discusses why it takes more than one research study for a learning or p...

Professor John Hattie of the University of Melbourne, Australia joins the last episode of the season to share about his research as an education academic. In partnership with Corwin’s Professional Learning Services, Hattie’s Visible Learning research relies on gathering evidence, like that found through i-Ready, for educators to understand their impact on their students.  Danielle and Sari start t...

On this episode of the mini-series, Stretch Growth Stories, Ty Holmes, Chief Inclusion Officer at Curriculum Associates, is joined by Linda Dansa, a Director of Elementary Education in New York. Linda begins by talking about her career in education, including her shift from healthcare administration to where she is now. Linda then dives in to share how her district, especially at the middle school...

On this episode of the miniseries, Stretch Growth Stories, Ty Holmes is joined by Mary Cabral, a K-8 Literacy Coordinator for Bristol Warren Regional School District in Rhode Island. Mary begins by sharing what makes her district special and why she loves it so much. She goes on to discuss specific teacher and administrator moves that have been used to help students reach Stretch Growth – especial...

Precious Allen, a second grade teacher in Illinois, joins this episode to talk about her career in education so far and how she has worked towards prioritizing herself. Precious starts out by talking about her time as a teacher, as well as the various other roles she has taken on. She then goes on to discuss how she has overcome burn out – especially focusing on how she has learned to say “no.” Pr...

In this episode of the miniseries, Stretch Growth Stories, Ty Holmes is joined by Jennifer McPartland, a K-12 Curriculum Facilitator from Massachusetts. Jennifer starts by sharing when the calling to become a teacher came to her – starting all the way back in 1st grade as she helped reteach other students. Jennifer then goes on to discuss specific teacher and administrator moves that have been uti...

Peggy Brookins, President and CEO of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, joins this episode to talk all about her experiences in the world of education. Peggy starts off by sharing her story – beginning with when she first started teaching, to how she ended up in her current role. Peggy then goes on to discuss how education has changed since she first started teaching, especiall...

On this episode of the miniseries, Stretch Growth Stories, Ty Holmes is joined by Suzanne Pettifer, the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Greece Central School District in New York. Suzanne begins by talking about what specific teacher and leader moves were used to help students meet stretch growth. She then goes on to discuss data chats, specifically looking at how her district...

Amanda Staton, a reading interventionist in Missouri, joins this follow-up episode to share all about her life beyond the classroom. Amanda begins by talking about one of her hobbies - flipping houses! She goes on to share her love for the outdoors during the summer, especially when it comes to spending time with her son. Amanda wraps up this episode by talking about her favorite teacher supply, h...

Amanda Staton, a reading interventionist in Missouri, joins this episode to talk about how she uses the Science of Reading with her students. Amanda starts by explaining how she first was exposed to the Science of Reading, starting from the beginning of her teaching career to now. She then goes on to explain what exactly the Science of Reading involves – ranging from how you’re mapping information...

On this episode of the miniseries, Stretch Growth Stories, Ty Holmes is joined by Janel Coles, an Assistant Principal from New York. Janel begins by talking about how she knew that she wanted to be a teacher, and what keeps her commitment to the profession holding strong. She then goes on to share about how special her school district is – ranging from the feeling that they are all family, to how...