How much training did you get on classroom management before you became a leader or teacher? The answer is probably: not much—and we are seeing the catastrophic results.  Larry Thompson is on a mission to elevate this work, so it stands shoulder to shoulder with all we know about curriculum and instruction. He views poor behavior as a skill deficit that can be improved with strategic coaching.  Thompson touches upon how to listen to what a child is actually saying when they are upset, “spot”...

Do you know how to identify the white space in your organization? No? Well not knowing could explain why some of your great ideas fail to gain traction. In this podcast, James Marshall discusses how school leaders can master successful implementation. Based on his new book Right From the Start, Marshall sets forth a pathway to get predictable results from your programming. From needs assessment straight through to evaluation, you’ll get user-friendly guidance on how to tackle this work with...

Joseph Johnson, an expert in urban education reform, shares what leaders in high performing urban schools do differently. He skillfully articulates that great achievement with these students is not an anomaly and, in fact, reliably occurs when certain pieces are in place. This includes making students and families feel valuable, focusing on mastery, ensuring culturally responsive teaching, progress monitoring and so much more. Johnson calls on listeners to reject the status quo that keeps so...

If we look at the data, we can safely say women are doing the work of classroom teaching while disproportionately, men are making administrative and leadership decisions. On this episode, three school leaders discuss how to start breaking down barriers and leading the way for future generations of women leaders. This includes finding the right mentors, identifying the differences in the superintendency versus the instructional track and embracing traditionally “female traits” in leadership...

In this episode, world renown neuroscientist David Sousa and differentiated instruction expert Carol Ann Tomlinson discuss matters of the brain and its connection to effective instructional strategies. Listeners will hear why cooperation, engagement and belonging are precursors to achievement and what they can start to do about it. They will also get some updated definition of terms in desperate need tweaking. Whether you think you know a lot about learning and the brain, or are just getting...

“If it’s not sustainable, then it’s not best practice.” This quote speaks to Paul France’s commitment to honor both teachers and students. In this episode, France provides a clear yet nuanced understanding of personalized learning. He explains how personalized learning is different from other adjacent concepts such as differentiated instruction and individualized learning plans. He advocates for a process that respects teacher knowledge and time, the optimal learning environment for students...

School leaders and teachers have really been through it the last few years. Remaining optimistic can be quite a challenge under such circumstances. Enter Debbie Silver—speaker, author, humorist—to shed light on how to stay positive in 2023 and beyond. She shares four strategies from her new edition of Deliberate Optimism including getting accurate data and remembering how to focus what you can control. Always rooted in pragmatism and realism, Silver discusses how educators can get their power...

This episode’s guest is not a school leader, but as President of Corwin Publishing, Mike Soules knows a thing or two about staying buoyant in troubled waters. Like leaders everywhere, he was tasked with steadying the company during Covid and its aftermath. He discusses what he learned about leadership during times of crisis, holding true to your values even when external pressures are high and spearheading innovative approaches to common challenges. He also shares an exciting new development...

 Poor achievement scores, teacher turnover, funding shortfalls and political pressures. These are just a few issues that have dogged the education profession for years; they seem intractable. But this session’s guests disagree. They believe we need a few mindshifts to spark our collective efficacy for tackling these problems. They also believe certain leadership behaviors which emerged to help manage the Covid crisis are valuable to retain and apply to these perennial problems in education....

Education luminary Lyn Sharratt shares updates on her seminal book with Michael Fullan, Putting FACES on the Data. Data and accountability are important to a school’s success. Yet as important as numbers and targets are, without the “why”, meaning is lost. Reminding ourselves of the children in front of this data is key to improving instruction. Listen as Lyn shares the origins of this practice, strategic moves that make everyone a leader of learning, and the infrastructure she has built—...

There is a question that Peter Dewitt gets often: How do I go about getting a book published?  In fact, he’s heard it so much, that we decided to pull back the curtains on this process for interested listeners. Tanya Ghans, Corwin acquisitions editor and Morgan Fox, Corwin marketing manager, share some tips for getting a book proposal noticed. You will hear about how to know if you have a viable idea, what marketing looks like in the 21st century, dealing with rejection and more. 

In this episode, Debbie Zacarian shares updates in the world of educating multilingual learners. This research includes a more nuanced understanding of the socicultural underpinnings of language development, a shift from deficit to asset-based models that affirm the value of multilingualism, a greater appreciation of the importance of both culturally responsive instruction and more. Debbie proposes a thorough revision to address all these developments that keeps the needs of multilingual...

Retention is crucial for school sustainability. The historical knowledge and experience that longtime staff members have is often unparalleled. Therefore, the high turnover rate we are seeing today, and frankly always for some schools, is nothing less than devastating for school communities. When we add on to that retaining teachers of color, the effects are multiplied. This episode’s guests, Darryl Diggs and Howard Fields, speak candidly about the conditions in many schools that make some...

Many teachers recoil at term “supervision.” Who can blame them. So often it is something done to teachers with a tenuous connection to their unique, professional needs. Authors Ann Mausbach and Kim Morrison are on a mission to fix that. In this episode, they remind leaders that teachers need differentiation as much as students do; there is no one size fits all approach. They also know that this can be a tricky task for busy administrators, so they share their framework to help leaders...

In a follow up to their widely popular Edweek article, the luminary Michael Fullan and seasoned practitioner Joanna Rizzotto discuss the roots of our teacher retention problem—the system of schooling itself. They contend that we need to shift to a humanity-based model where schools and communities can experience greater local autonomy and improve practices from the bottom up. One of the first steps is to have the more centralized figures connect with the people on the ground; the educators,...

When we see a great leader in action, it can seem like magic. But thankfully it’s not. In fact, there is a science behind the people we trust and want to follow. It is the science of credibility. In this session you will hear about the five essential traits of leaders who inspire and influence others. You can begin to reflect on your own practice and discover intentional moves that transform schools into vibrant spaces of learning and innovation. 

A coherent system has never been more important for schools. In fact, the best buffer against crisis, learning loss, and changing human resources is a school that has uniform systems, shared language, and a common vision. This net provides the structure for continuous learning at both the teacher and student level. If you are a district leader, the trick is to keep all the schools in focus and on the same page so that that the system moves like one organism. Our guests today will help clarify...

Many educators are tired of the pendulum swinging so often when it comes to reading instruction. And while this fatigue is understandable, the low reading rates of so many children demand continued attention. In fact, many argue that it is the social justice issue of our time. Kareem Weaver would agree and has spent most of his career fighting for a student’s right to read. He has learned many lessons on how to cut through the polarization and grow a coalition of leaders who are fighting for...

Behind every great school are active and engaged families. Period. Yet it can be so easy for this to fall through the crack for busy leaders. Today’s bestselling author will break down why it’s important to prioritize engaging families, how engaging families has shifted in our current time, and give some practical tips that work quickly. He will convince you that developing relationship with families, especially those that appear disengaged or those who have been disenfranchised, is one of...

In this episode, Peter Dewitt discusses the concept of de-implementation and why it’s a term that should be on every leader’s mind. He sounds the alarm on what will continue to happen to our school communities if we don’t start easing the overwhelming workload for teachers and principals. With its origins in the medical field, Peter explains how de-implementation is also useful in the field of education for tackling the challenge of overwork. He will share the different forms it can take and...

Leaders today know that teacher voice matters, yet getting honest feedback can be elusive. In this episode, four veteran teachers discuss what is top of mind for them as they educate our students. Topics range from current ideas in math and ELA to how you can help keep heated political issues away from their classrooms. If you have ever wanted to be a fly on the wall and hear what your most respected and productive teachers have to say, this is the session for you.

We all know the principal who has led their school for over a decade. How does that happen? What makes them feel like they can make a difference year after year. Our guests would say it is likely the kind of training and support they received before ever stepping into the role. This includes apprenticing expert leaders, engaging in relevant learning tasks, taking risks, and celebrating mastery to name a few. To nourish future leaders, and stem the growing tide of attrition, it’s all about...

Collaborative does not always mean productive or responsive. Earmarking time in the day for educators to meet and discuss the needs of children is essential, but only if these meetings scale solutions and build teacher capacity. In this episode find out how you can efficiently respond to the needs of individual and small groups of students while building your school’s overall collective efficacy. 

Today, we hear the rallying cry for equity all around us. Education leaders champion its cause, but how seamlessly is the work folded into their everyday practice? Equity cannot stand alone or be part of a title given to some person working somewhere in the organization. For it to be realized, school and district leaders must see it as inseparable from other aspects of leadership and create systems that activate it in every classroom, for every student. In this episode, listen as two...

Covid. Book bans. Polarizing legislation. The last few years have been relentless in their efforts to pull district leaders’ attentions away from the normal business of running schools. But some leaders have remained a true beacon of light, keeping everyone’s eye on what is best for students. They remind educators that it is not SEL, or academics, or inclusion, but all of the above if we want an effective response to current challenges; that courage is the trait that precedes all others when...