Becca Merrill is a researcher and evaluator at Education Northwest. Her content expertise is in the teacher labor market, with methodological expertise in both quantitative and qualitative designs. Her recent work focuses on teacher working conditions as a lever for teacher retention, informed by work experience as a middle school teacher. Sign up …

Stephen was a middle school Social Studies teacher for 20 years before becoming Chief Learning Officer of a blended learning platform startup. His interests are ancient history, archaeology, and travel and he is an outspoken advocate for teachers, mental health, and LGBTQ equity in the classroom and beyond. Sign up for the DivingDeepEDU Newsletter …

Dr. Dana Goodier has taught World Languages and English and has worked at the middle and elementary school level as an administrator. She often speaks professionally, writes blogs for the Teach Better Team, and is the author of Out of the Trenches: Stories of Resilient Educators. Sign up for the DivingDeepEDU Newsletter Post a DivingDeepEDU podcast…

After navigating her own career transition from teaching in 2017, Daphne Gomez founded Teacher Career Coach to support other teachers thinking of making a change. She launched the first complete coaching program of its kind, the Teacher Career Coach Course in 2019 and also hosts the popular Teacher Career Coach Podcast each week. Daphne has created…

Melissa Arnold Lyon is an assistant professor of public policy at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, SUNY. Melissa studies the political economy of education policy, focusing on inequality, governance, and teacher politics and policy. She's interested in how political structures shape and get shaped by…

Lindsay Donikian is the Executive Vice President of Teacher Growth at Elevate K-12. Lindsay focuses much of her time on teacher shortage, how to retain teachers, and live teaching as a potential solution. Sign up for the DivingDeepEDU Newsletter Post a DivingDeepEDU podcast review Subscribe to DivingDeepEDU Music: Believin Stephen Links: elevatek12…

Grace is a doctoral student at the University of Washington Evans School for Public Policy and Governance where she studies urban policy and the impact of segregation on social equity. She has a bachelor's degree in economics and English from Davidson College and worked at Brown University as a pre-doctoral researcher with Prof. Matt Kraft before a…

Chuck Keller is a Leadership & Instructional Coach with over 20 years experience in education. Having taught at day schools, boarding schools, single-sex and mixed gender schools, Chuck brings a broad collection of experiences to his work with teachers and school leaders. Outside of the classroom, he is a motorcyclist, dog-lover, baker, and aspirin…

Dr. Fredeirck Buskey’s mission is to help assistant principals live and lead better. Through The Assistant Principal Podcast, daily leadership email, virtual courses, and online community, he teaches APs to move from spending time on tasks to investing time with people. Sign up for the Newsletter Post a podcast review AND Subscribe to DivingDeepEDU…

Tuan D. Nguyen is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Kansas State University. He applies rigorous quantitative methods (quasi-experimental designs and meta-analysis) to examine 1) the teacher labor markets, particularly looking at the factors that drive teacher attrition and retention, and 2) the effects and i…

Leena Marie Saleh, 'The Edtech Guru', is a former educator with 10+ years of classroom experience. She has always been extremely passionate about the modern world of technology and how it transfers into the classroom to make students #workforce ready. Leena has also been a long-time teacher transition advocate. Sign up for the Newsletter Post a pod…

Chad Alderman is the Policy Director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University, where he studies school finance and teacher labor markets. He's the founding editor of TeacherPensions.org, and his work has appeared in the Washington Post, NY Times, and Wall Street Journal Sign up for the Newsletter Post a podcast review AND Subscribe to DivingDe…

Matthew Wheeland is a former classroom teacher that now works at Formative — the world’s best formative assessment platform. Sign up for the Newsletter Post a podcast review AND Subscribe to DivingDeepEDU Music: Believin Stephen Links: Matthew Wheeland on Linkedin and Twitter Shout out: Holly Owens and Jeff Patterson Connect with Matthew Downing: L…

Eric Sarb taught middle school math and science in Chicago and San Francisco for 6 years before pivoting to the ed tech sales world. He's worked at various levels in sales, completed multiple policy fellowships, and worked in education leadership development. Eric lives in Oakland, California, and has stayed (mostly) sane inside and outside the cla…

Nick Covington taught high school social studies for 10 years in Iowa. He is the Co-founder of the Human Restoration Project, a non-profit educational organization committed to systemic change toward human-centered learning experiences. Sign up for the Newsletter Post a podcast review AND Subscribe to DivingDeepEDU Music: Believin Stephen Links: ww…

Josh Bleiberg is the Assistant Professor of Education Policy at the University of Pittsburgh and was a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in School Reform at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University. He is also the author of an interesting paper he wrote while at the Annenberg Institute, What Happened to the K-12 Education Labor Market During Covi…

Sign up for the Newsletter Post a podcast review AND Subscribe to DivingDeepEDU Connect with Matthew Downing: Linkedin TwitterBy Matthew Downing

Chris Unger shares an epic conversation about his doctoral journey. He details how he ended up at Harvard, what helped him succeed, and how current Ed.D. students can navigate their own doctoral journey. The conversation is filled with examples, thoughtful contemplation, and applicable next steps. Dr. Unger's email: cunger.neu@gmail.com https://www…

Check out the NEW Ed.D. Pathway podcast! This podcast aims to help potential and current Ed.D. students navigate the doctoral journey towards success. We will do that through concise conversations that seek to help others along the Ed.D. path. Check out Eddpathway.com for helpful resources on your Ed.D. journey. Free Resources Courses Blog Podcast …

What can we learn from Mr. Rogers in respect to blended learning? Mr. Rogers transformed the television experience for kids decades ago, and there is much we can continue to learn from him today. He encouraged listeners to slow down, established routines, created deep connections, and experimented with new ideas. These are all lessons we can bring …

What does an online school look like that elevates self directed learning, utilizes learning challenges, and taps into student agency? Let me introduce you to The Forest School Online. This conversation with Maxwell Smith seeks to elevate unique elements of The Forest School Online in order for us to see a different path forward in respect to onlin…

What if technology made the educational experience more impactful, reduced stress, and allowed us to get more done in less time? William Minton and Matthew Downing discuss these critical questions and much more on this helpful podcast episode. William showcases Canopy, a new learning management system, as a way to grapple with these questions. Cano…

Consistency is essential within a blended learning environment. More than that, consistency transcends technology and blended learning models, which makes it an ideal foundational element to build effective learning environments. Richard Byrne discusses this with Matthew Downing and why it is so critical. They also explore examples of what consiste…

Blended learning has forced teachers across the globe to modify their teaching practice and experiment with new tools and ideas. Dom Traynor and Matthew Downing discuss this as well as the ability of blended learning to encourage teachers to be learners at the same time as the students. Teachers don't have to be the expert on every technology tool …

How can we utilize the blended learning environment towards deeper learning? Dr. Scott McLeod chats with Matthew Downing about this topic and much more. They also explore the need for thoughtful planning, the temptation towards wishful thinking, and the way 4 Shifts Protocol can guide towards success. Tune into the blended learning mini series to h…

The experiences throughout the past year have helped us grow in our understanding of using technology in the classroom and being able to ask the "why" when considering technology classroom application. Monica Burns and Matthew Downing discuss this as well as the many possibilities of participation within a blended learning environment. Tune into th…

Blended learning is not for every student or educator. Todd Nesloney and Matthew Downing discuss limitations of the blended learning environment for both students and teachers. We also consider unique ways blended learning can serve students well along with the significance of relationships within a virtual environment. Tune into the blended learni…

Risks can be a powerful tool within our learning. Blended learning has offered numerous opportunities for teachers and students to take risks they wouldn't have taken otherwise. These risk taking experiences have led to unexpected learning opportunities, new ideas, and expanded exploration. We cover this and much more on this past paced episode. Tu…

Organizing a blended learning classroom serves as one of the biggest obstacles for educators. Matthew Rhoads shares examples of how to best organize a blended learning classroom while offering practical examples that can be easily applied to a variety of classroom settings. On top of that, we discuss the importance of routines and embracing the les…

Design offers an excellent pathway to interdisciplinary learning experiences. Dr. Marci Klein brings us into classrooms and shows us how design can be used to combine diverse learning objectives and push creativity. She shares many examples that can be applied to the classroom, such as a tiny house challenge and bee pollinator project. The conversa…

We are in the midst of a disruptive decade. Listen in to the conversation as Julie Jungalwala and Matthew Downing consider a path forward. Julie shares her thoughts on ways to approach the disruption in order to bring about transformative change. She provides examples, stories, and lessons she has learned through working with countless schools and …

What is real math? Pam Harris chats with Rob Schwartz, Macie Basom, and myself about this important issue. We discuss the characteristics of real math and more importantly - how can real math be brought to the classroom? The conversation also considers the role of algorithms within math instruction and alternative ways to engage and teach concepts.…

How do you pursue your dream? Sam Willoughby, BMX Olympic Silver Medalist, brings us into his story of leaving home at the age of 16 to pursue his BMX dream and the many factors that led to his decision. We discuss the importance of following passions in the midst of a strong support system, strategies to succeed, and the multi-faceted recovery pro…

What role does your mindset play in athletics and education? Katherine Adamek, 2 time Olympic Medalist, shares personal stories and coaching strategies to help us better understand the role our mindset plays. Katherine highlights the need for a process oriented approach as opposed to focusing primarily on the results. This allows us to see our grow…

How does design thinking help us in everyday life? Not the textbook version. The practical day in and day out version. John Coyle, Olympic Medalist and design thinking expert, breaks down the theory of design thinking and helps us apply it to our daily life. John delves into how we approach our strengths and weaknesses, difficult decisions, and the…

Perseverance helps us grow in unexpected ways. Mark Henderson, Olympic Gold Medalist, shares the story of his 1992 Olympic trial experience and how that propelled him forward towards gold in 1996. Mark reflects on lessons learned from athletics, and how they can be brought into the classroom for all students. Mark also shares about his newest ventu…

What does it take to elevate your performance to the next level? Who better to ask than Olympic Gold Medalist, Vladimir Grbic? Vladimir provides wonderful insight into the world of athletics. But, our conversation goes much deeper than that. We get into mindsets, collaboration, inclusivity, and the importance of happiness. One of the highlights was…

What is the role of innovation within education? Shawn Kanungo, a globally recognized innovation strategist, shares his insight into how innovation occurs and what it could look like within schools. Shawn offers challenges and inspiration for educators and school leaders to do school differently. For example - "if you don't understand how video gam…

Anaiah Downing, Eliana Downing, and Teo Downing had the opportunity to ask some curious questions to Judy Schachner, award winning author/illustrator. See episode #29 for the complete conversation with Judy. The answers to the questions provide some great insight to listeners of all ages. Post a review. Subscribe. Judy Schachner is the #1 NY Times …

How does an award winning author and illustrator create their books? Judy Schachner, #1 NY Times Best Selling Author/Illustrator, gives us a glimpse into her creation process. See this link for a wonderful example of a character bible, which serves as the foundation for her books. Her process seeks to break down barriers that hinder creativity, and…

How do we prepare for jobs that don't exist yet? Michelle Weise guides us through this transition with thoughtful insight and tons of examples. Michelle explains how the system needs to be transformed in order to support new workers and workforce. This conversation keeps innovation at the forefront with many ideas that can be easily applied beyond …

What is the role of technology within our learning? John Couch, Apple's first Vice President of Education, helps us understand the difference between utilizing technology as a mental bicycle and an exercise bike. John does this through stories, personal examples, and providing insight into the vision of Steve Jobs. Our conversation uncovers the nee…

What drives your learning? We dive into this question and much more in a conversation that is framed around Tony's newest book, Learning By Heart. Tony shares significant stories that demonstrate the power of teachers in the learning process as well as the need to have learning tailored to curiosity and passions. Tony doesn't stop there. He shares …

Design has a significant impact on the way information is conveyed to learners, and the degree to which learners are able to process and understand content. Oliver Caviglioli breaks down the way the mind works, organizes content, and what we can do to better facilitate understanding. He shares all of this through numerous stories while referencing …

Noan Fesnoux highlights the importance of experiences within our educational journey. He shares how they have impacted his learning, and also how he views learning for students. Noan shares numerous examples of effective experiential learning activities, details his time working at Green School Bali, and provides some insight into starting The Real…

Kristen Graham, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, shares some of her experiences while covering education in Philadelphia. She also tells inside stories from the Phillies 2008 championship, breaks down important skills needed in journalism, and describes events from a recent arrest. Kristen shares all of this through interesting stories and wonder…

Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times reporter, brings needed and helpful insight into the current state of education. Amelia's observations are not only pertinent to our current situation with her work on the Coronavirus Briefing, but can help move education forward in significant ways. The conversation isn't entirely about education though . . . we s…

Professional rock climber Sierra Blair-Coyle helps us better understand the complex dynamics of rock climbing, and what is needed to succeed. Sierra tells us about her favorite places to climb, how to improve, and the impact her coaches have had in her development. Sierra also shares some helpful stories from her educational background that allow u…

Anaiah Downing, Eliana Downing, and Teo Downing had the opportunity to ask some curious questions to previous guests from episodes 16, 17, 18, and 19. The answers provide some great insight to listeners of all ages. Previous guests - Stephanie Klemons, Voltaire Wade-Greene, Betsy Struxness, and Seth Stewart are talented artists (see previous episod…

"That would be dope if . . ." Matthew Downing and Seth Stewart delve into the creation process. Seth shares the need for space, finding a passion, and doing. So often we get caught in our own heads, don't know what we want, or spend a majority of our time consuming. Those issues serve as major roadblocks towards creating beautiful art. Seth tells s…