Best K12education Podcasts (2024)

1
117 S8 E2 Learn what the BEST principals do differently than the AVERAGE ones. 48:27

32m ago48:27

48:27

We were fortunate to get to talk to the renowned Todd Whitaker in today's podcast. He is one of the most influential thought leaders in educational leadership and has written 65 books on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness! Today Whitaker talks about the latest edition of his classic book, What Great Principals Do Diff…

1
116 S8 E1 Executive Functioning Isn’t Just for Executives 51:39

4d ago51:39

51:39

Teachers spend a lot of time making sure students know what they’re supposed to do, and many students struggle to understand expectations and translate them into action. The results are less time for teaching and less capacity for learning. Schools need to teach executive functions to all students in the context of the learning they are already doi…

1
115 S7 E10 It all starts with Belonging. 27:29

1M ago27:29

27:29

Students today are suffering from an epidemic of disconnection. School leaders I work with see it in students’ disengagement from learning and in their mental health. While there are many factors at play here, there’s no doubt that belonging is something that kids (and grown-ups too) desperately need. In this episode, Jenn and I interview Dominique…

1
114 S7 E9 If these are the next generation of teachers, we're all good! 38:43

2M ago38:43

38:43

In this episode, Jenn had the privilege of speaking to three rising juniors in college, all of whom want to become teachers. While we've spent so much time fearing the loss of teachers from our field, it was so inspiring to remember that some energetic young people are going to bring so much to our schools, too. Exciting! The passion of these three…

1
113 S7 E8 Reading Is Everyone’s Business, Part 2 26:26

2M ago26:26

26:26

According to Beverly Cleary (yes, that Beverly Cleary), “Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school.” Jenn and I couldn't agree more, and that’s why in this episode we talk about the book The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri S. Lesesne (Heinemann, 2022). Here’s more of what we kno…

1
Episode 40: From Civil Rights to Civics - Dr. Raymond Pierce on Equity in Education 31:59

3M ago31:59

31:59

The Southern Education Foundation has played a crucial role in transforming education for African American and low-income students in the South. Dr. Raymond Pierce, former civil rights attorney and dynamic President and CEO of the Southern Education Foundation, dives into the organization’s rich history, rooted in the aftermath of the Civil War, an…

1
112 S7E7 Reading Is Everyone’s Business 35:03

3M ago35:03

35:03

“If you’re not reading by the end of third grade, there’s a 70% chance you won’t become a proficient reader.” That’s what author Karen Gazith told us as we talked with her about her most recent book, The Power of Effective Reading Instruction: How Neuroscience Informs Instruction Across All Grades and Disciplines. Here’s more of what we know: Neuro…

1
111 Mini-sode 5: Trust us, your teams need work. 18:56

4M ago18:56

18:56

In this fifth special episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about resources to help school leaders with building better teams. To support this work, Jenn has gathered her summaries of three must-read books: Learning by Doing by Richard DuFour et al. - This book shows how to effectively implement PLCs so they will raise student achiev…

1
S7 E6 We Can’t Yoga Our Way Out of This 34:38

5M ago34:38

34:38

In this episode, we're shining a light on a pressing issue in the educational landscape: teacher burnout and attrition. With schools across the nation feeling the impact, we turn to expert Chase Mielke, author of Illuminate the Way: The School Leader’s Guide to Addressing and Preventing Teacher Burnout (ASCD, 2023), for insights and solutions. If y…

1
109 S7 E5 "Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.” 35:02

5M ago35:02

35:02

DEI feels like it’s becoming the (a) third rail in K-12 education. The quote in the title is from Verna Myers, VP of inclusion strategy at Netflix, and is included in Ruchika Tulshyan’s book Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work. In this episode, Jenn and I have a real and practical conversation…

1
Episode 39: ChatGPT and Beyond - Teaching in the AI Era 29:02

5M ago29:02

29:02

Dr. Ryan Watkins, Professor of Educational Technology at George Washington University, describes artificial intelligence (AI) as computational tools that can do things that, until recently, we thought only humans could do. He believes that platforms such as ChatGPT bring both groundbreaking opportunities and ethical considerations to education. To …

1
108 S7 E4 We've had something wrong in education – it's not the GPA or the test scores. 34:35

6M ago34:35

34:35

Many of us as educators have assumed that the kids with strong grades and strong test scores were set up for success. Isn't that what we were supposed to work toward in schools? Dr. Borba has interviewed scores of students and has found that these 2 areas – grades and test scores – are not the markers of success today in the 21st century. Instead, …

1
107 S7 E3 Find and Tap Your Hidden Potential 34:13

6M ago34:13

34:13

Everyone has hidden potential for growth and achievement, but standard approaches to studying, practicing, coaching, and organizing education often leave this potential untapped. The practices of high-achieving individuals (and a high-achieving school system) reveal the surprising skills, scaffolds,and systems that unlock potential. Even better, an…

1
106 S7 E2 Educators of color are leaving schools: What can leaders do differently to support them to stay? 41:02

7M ago41:02

41:02

In this conversation between Dr. Andrea Terrero Gabbadon and Jenn, we talked about the reasons educators of color are leaving: working conditions and leadership behaviors. The good news is that school and district leaders can actually do something about this, and Dr. Gabbadon walks you through how. She shares 6 principles, backed by research, that …

1
105 S7 E1 Forget Hiring; Let’s Try to Keep the Teachers We Have 37:48

7M ago37:48

37:48

In this episode, I talk with Becky Gerdes and Ryan Siegle about their book Six Steps Toward Teacher Retention and a Long-Lasting Legacy. We focus mainly on their Six Steps to Maximize Your Leadership Impact and Improve Teacher Retention: Step One: Lead Authentically Step Two: Build Teacher Self-Efficacy Step Three: Foster Collective Efficacy Among …

1
S6 E10 Listen To Your Inner Canary 32:11

8M ago32:11

32:11

In this episode, Jenn and I talk about Sharone Bar-David’s book Trust Your Canary: Every Leader's Guide to Taming Workplace Incivility. Bar-David provides some simple strategies for helping leaders see incivility (even when it’s hard to recognize) plus a whole toolkit of easy-to-implement ways to address it (so you can stop doubting yourself when i…

1
S6 E9 An Entrepreneur Helps Mike Out 36:31

8M ago36:31

36:31

Sometimes in education it helps to hear from our end users. In this episode I interview fellow Coke Scholar Raleigh Dewan (‘19). Raleigh is a 23-year-old entrepreneur and business owner (https://steadispoon.com/ and https://sistershaq.com/) from Austin, Texas. Raleigh and I talk about his experiences in K-12 and higher ed. and the advice that he ha…

1
S6 E8 How healthy is your organization? 35:30

9M ago35:30

35:30

More than anything, organizations should strive for organizational health. In this episode, Jenn David-Lang and I talk about Patrick Lencioni’s 2012 book The Advantage Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business. This book clearly and powerfully explains what your organization needs to do to become healthy: 1) Build a cohesive lead…

1
S6 E7 A.I. in K-12, Part 1 41:37

9M ago41:37

41:37

In the field of education, we have no choice, AI is here to stay. So, listen to this whimsical conversation with Technology Coach, Jason Strzalkowski, whose enthusiasm for all-things-AI-in-schools is infectious! Yes, we share ideas to spice up teaching to make learning more engaging, accessible, and equitable. But we know our listeners are busy edu…

1
S6 E6 Let’s Get Math Instruction Right 47:32

10M ago47:32

47:32

In this episode, Jenn and I interview Peter Liljedahl, the author of Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning. As former math teachers, Jenn and I had a great time talking with Peter about concrete and actionable ways teachers can improve math instruction. The practices are simple, high impact, and a…

1
Episode 38: Can Standardized Tests Bridge the Equity Gap? 33:18

10M ago33:18

33:18

As President and CEO of ETS (Educational Testing Service), Amit Sevak is keenly aware of the growing concern over the perceived value of education and standardized testing. To address these challenges, he is leading a transformation at ETS towards a more human-centric approach, with a focus on educator solutions, global mobility, and professional c…

1
S6 E5 Creating an Inclusive Environment for Students with Disabilities 29:30

11M ago29:30

29:30

The research is clear: to provide equitable learning opportunities for all, schools must actively include students with disabilities alongside their peers in general education settings.School leaders don’t need a degree in special education to lead their school toward more equitable and inclusive education for all, but they do need to watch, listen…

1
Episode 37: Policy Perspectives and Possibilities - A Conversation with Jack Jennings 31:17

11M ago31:17

31:17

For nearly three decades, Jack Jennings was the foremost expert on education policy in the U.S. House of Representatives. His legacy spans some of the most significant legislative initiatives, including the Elementary and Secondary Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Higher Education Act. After leaving Congress, Jack found…

1
S6 E4 You're NOT Too Busy to Take Care of Yourself 57:59

12M ago57:59

57:59

Are you the type of leader who gets up at 4:00 AM to exercise before work? Then this episode is for you. Are you the type of leader who NEVER gets up at 4:00 AM to exercise before work? Then this episode is for you, too. Kelly and Juliet Starrett are highly regarded exercise and health gurus (they mention working with Barack Obama in the podcast!) …

1
S6 E3 Top Ten for New Principals 46:21

1y ago46:21

46:21

In this episode, Jenn interviews Mike about what new principals need to think about as they begin the new school year. Here is Mike's top ten list: Listen and Learn Communicate Effectively Lead by Example Stay Visible Manage Your Time Empower Your Teams Build Relationships Set Clear Goals Embrace Conflict Prioritize Self-Care If you would like us t…

1
S6 E2 Want impact? Expand your supervisory practices this year. 41:04

1y ago41:04

41:04

In this episode, Jenn has a lively conversation with Ann Mausbach and Kimberly Morrison about their book Differentiated Supervision: Growing Teachers and Getting Results and how much of an impact you can have as a school leader by EXPANDING your supervisory practices beyond the typical individual observation and feedback we all do. Instead, they su…

1
Episode 36: Community Colleges - America’s Hidden Economic Engines? 27:46

1y ago27:46

27:46

Community colleges welcome learners of all backgrounds and ages with low-cost tuition and open admission policies. According to Robert (Bob) Schwartz, co-author of America’s Hidden Economic Engines: How Community Colleges Can Drive Shared Prosperity, these institutions are also extremely well-suited to forge strategic partnerships with industry lea…

1
S6 E1 It’s Time to Find Joy 38:08

1y ago38:08

38:08

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea, and I interview Berit Gordon about her book The Joyful Teacher: Strategies for Becoming the Teacher Every Student Deserves. This was a fantastic conversation about teaching and learning and what leaders can do to support teachers. Learn more about Berit and her work at her website. As always, send …

1
Mini-sode 4: Supervising Teachers 23:07

1y ago23:07

23:07

In this fourth special episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea, and I talk about resources to help school leaders with teacher supervision and evaluation. To support this work, Jenn has gathered her summaries three must-read books: Now We're Talking! 21 Days to High-Performance Instructional Leadership by Justin Baeder Rethinking Teacher Supervis…

1
S5 E10 Be An Instructional Change Agent 35:05

1y ago35:05

35:05

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea, interviews Adam Drummond about his book The Instructional Change Agent: Instructional Change Agent: 48 Ways to Be the Leader Your School Needs. Jenn has done a Main Idea summary of the book, and you can subscribe to The Main Idea at this link: https://www.themainidea.net/subscribe/ As always, send …

1
Bonus Episode 35: The End of Affirmative Action in Admissions? Experts Explore the Implications for Higher Education 1:35:24

1y ago1:35:24

1:35:24

In October of 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court heard two cases challenging race-conscious admissions at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. As a result, most people expect the court’s ruling to end affirmative action policies, significantly affecting the way universities consider an applicant’s race during the admissions process. I…

1
Episode 34: From Virtual to Victorious - The Remarkable Success of an Online High School 30:45

1+ y ago30:45

30:45

How does an online secondary school establish a reputation as a legitimate and academically challenging institution? And can we really foster personal connections–so important to youth development–in a virtual environment? Join us as Head of School Alison Mistretta, Associate Head of School Maria Coyle, and GW Professor Michael Corry unveil the str…

1
Mini-sode 3: Being Organized and Productive 35:51

1+ y ago35:51

35:51

In this third special episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about resources to help school leaders be more organized, productive, and effective. To support this work, Jenn has gathered her summaries four must-read books: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven W…

1
Episode 33: Teaching Difficult History in Troublesome Times 30:35

1+ y ago30:35

30:35

Can the lessons from history challenge today's students to stand up to bigotry and hate? If so, are there resources for teachers that can facilitate productive conversations about heavy headlines? Abby Weiss and Dimitry Anselme, from the non-partisan organization Facing History and Ourselves, discuss the professional development and rigorous conten…

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K12education Podcasts

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