THE MAIN IDEA Podcast: Books for the Busy School Leader

At this point, most schools have teacher teams, but not every teacher team is highly effective. In this episode, I got to sit down with Bob Sonju and Kim Monkres , co-authors of The Handbook for Highly Effective Teams , to explore what separates groups of educators who simply meet from teams that genuinely improve teaching and learning. Bob and Kim explain why collaboration isn't something edu...

In this episode I got to talk to Doug Fisher about one of his most recent books, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning , co-authored with John Hattie, Nancy Frey, and John Almarode. Doug shares how he and his co-authors took John Hattie’s research about what works in schools, and turned it into an illustrated book. But the book doesn’t simply include illustrations of the “top 10” research-base...

I appreciated talking to Peter Nilsson about the book he co-wrote with Maya Bialik, Irreplaceable: How AI Changes Everything (and Nothing) in Teaching and Learning. Why? Because he’s an extremely thoughtful educator who knows what matters most: teaching, learning, and the deeply human work educators do every day. AI comes after that.  Peter says that AI may change how educators work, but it does n...

Punishing students just doesn’t work. I think anyone who works in schools can see that this doesn’t change student behavior. And teachers are feeling beaten down by challenging student behaviors that seem to be on the rise. That’s why I appreciated chatting with Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod, co-authors of From Behaving to Belonging . They deeply believe we need to rethink how we address student...

I appreciated this powerful conversation with education leader Michelle Caracappa about the deeper purpose of literacy in today’s complex and often turbulent world. Drawing on her Substack Reading to Lead and her work in literacy and leadership, Michele challenges educators to rethink literacy — not just as a set of skills, but as a tool for understanding, agency, and transformation. In the podcas...

School leaders today are navigating a level of complexity we couldn’t have predicted, from a pandemic to political instability to rapid technological change (especially AI!) I was glad I got to speak with longtime educator and leadership coach John D’Auria , co-author of The Influential School Leader . In this episode, we talk about a lot, and these two areas stick out: Before solving a problem, l...

What has the biggest impact on student achievement? According to John Hattie ’s massive research synthesis, the answer isn’t a program, curriculum, or strategy. It’s collective teacher efficacy — the shared belief among educators that together , they can positively influence student outcomes. In this episode, I was thrilled to be joined by Jenni Donohoo and Glenn Forbes, international gurus on tea...

What if the expertise you need to improve teaching is already inside your building? I was so excited to chat with Vicki WIlson about her powerful, practical approach to professional learning: strengths-based instructional rounds. Instead of relying on outside consultants or top-down feedback, this model empowers teachers to learn directly from one another.  And it doesn’t just improve teaching. It...

I didn’t enter the field of education just to teach quadratic equations or literary analysis. I came to make a difference.  And I believe school leaders are in a unique position to create schools that prepare the next generation to build a better world. That’s why I was so excited to talk about the book Educating for Justice: School-Wide Strategies to Prepare Students to Recognize, Analyze, and Ch...

What if meeting students’ needs was about so much more than simply supporting them? What if it was the key to their academic success? That is what Salmome Thomas-EL, a principal with nearly 40 years in education, has found in his work with kids and shares in his latest book, Meet Their Needs and They’ll Succeed. Principal EL shares deeply personal stories — from a hospital stay that clarified his...

What if the biggest barrier to equity in our schools isn’t curriculum, engagement strategies, or even relationships — but the way we design learning itself? Unfortunately, what looks like quiet, orderly, engaged students turns out to be dependent learning where only a few students are doing real cognitive work. In this episode I got to sit down with renowned educator and author Zaretta Hammond to...

What does it truly mean to prepare students for life beyond school — not just academically, but as thinkers, collaborators, empathetic people, and engaged citizens? In this episode I ( host Jenn David-Lang ) am joined by education leader, researcher, and consultant Lori McEwen to unpack the concept of a Portrait of a Graduate (POG) .  This portrait includes a set of skills that students must learn...

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concern — it’s a present reality everywhere, and yes, that includes schools.  But how should educational leaders actually think about AI? What are the opportunities, risks, and responsibilities when working with this powerful tool? In this episode, I share ideas from the book Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick, one of the most...

School leaders know they need to ask for feedback. But when they do, how often does that feedback actually lead to meaningful change? In this episode, Jenn David Lang is joined by Andy Szeto , professor of educational leadership, district leader in New York City, and former school leader.  Together, they unpack Andy’s recent Educational Leadership article, “Six Steps to Turn Qualitative Data into...

So glad I got to sit down with veteran educator and national thought leader Mark Shellinger , creator of the SAM Process (NSIP). Mark’s work—backed by a decade of research from the Wallace Foundation—helps principals dramatically increase the time they spend on instructional leadership. Most principals spend 13% of their time instructionally engaged. SAM Principals? 57% or more. How do they do it?...

In this episode Jenn sits down with the renowned author, researcher, and education leader Dr. Douglas Reeves to discuss his book Fearless Schools . Together, they explore how school leaders can cultivate trust and resilience within their communities — even amid fear, instability, and rapid change. Dr. Reeves shares powerful insights drawn from decades of research and real-world experience, connect...

I’ve been more concerned about AI use lately so I’m glad I got to chat with Dr. Tony Frontier about his new book, AI with Intention: Principles and Action Steps for Teachers and School Leaders — a book that John Hattie calls “the best book I have read to introduce all to optimize the power of AI.” Rather than offering quick tips or flashy tools, Frontier’s book and this conversation focus on somet...

It was nice to welcome back author and educator Berit Gordon to discuss her latest book, The New Teacher Handbook .  Berit wrote this book to address the high attrition rate among new teachers by helping them to succeed. She shares practical, research-backed strategies that leaders and coaches can use to support novice educators in thriving—not just surviving—their first years. Far from being just...

I truly loved my chat with Laura Lipton, co-author of Learning-Focused Supervision , to discuss her powerful, learner-centered approach to teacher supervision.  Rather than focusing on compliance and evaluation, Laura shares how leaders can use supervision as a tool for growth, reflection, and transformation in teaching practice. First, Laura shares the four key components of learning-focused supe...

We’re sacrificing too much student learning when we wait years and years for teachers to get better. Instead, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo shows leaders how they can help new teachers grow as much in 1 year as most teachers develop in 20! How? In his book, Get Better Faster 2.0: A 90-Plan for Coaching New Teachers , Paul outlines the foundational MANAGEMENT and RIGOR skills teachers need.  Plus he puts t...

What’s the worst thing, as a school leader, you can do about AI?   Nothing.   AI is here to stay and it’s our responsibility to dive in and learn more – Ask your teachers how they’re using it. Ask your students. And read and experiment yourself.   In this podcast I got to talk to Kim Marshall about our latest “chapter” on AI in Schools. There’s so much out there about AI, so we combed through the...

We’re still dealing with significant achievement gaps in schools. Luckily I was able to sit down with Teresa Hill, a dedicated school leader and author of The Instructional Leader's Guide to Closing Achievement Gaps . Teresa shares her expertise on effective strategies for closing achievement gaps in schools, emphasizing the importance of instructional leadership. In this conversation, we disc...

Welcome to THE MAIN IDEA Podcast: Books for the Busy School Leader. I’m Jenn David-Lang, lifelong educator and creator of THE MAIN IDEA book summary service. My passion is helping school leaders learn. When leaders grow, the entire school community benefits. I know your time is limited. That’s why I read dozens of education and leadership books, select the most impactful, and distill them into cle...