This is kind of a bittersweet episode for me. I was blessed to get the job of my dreams, and I couldn’t be happier, but it means I’ll be wrapping things up for this podcast. After 4 amazing years, this will be my last new episode. I’m going to give everyone a chance to catch up by rereleasing older episodes. But this is the last new one.

In this episode, my guest, Crystal Frommert, and I have a great conversation about something that challenges new and veteran teachers alike: How to have better conversations with our students’ parents and/or guardians in order to make connections and ensure collaboration that will really enhance our work with their kids

On today’s episode, I have the awesome privilege of chatting with 5 inspiring high school students – Pauline, Drizzle, Ella, Fahmi, and Katie and their equally inspiring teacher, Stacie Oliver. We mostly talk about undgrading.

My guest today is Lindsay Lyons. We talk about what a culturally responsive sustaining classroom is, as well as why and how to make it happen, especially through PBL.

This episode is important for parents and educators to listen to. In it, my special guest – a teenage boy - and I dig deep into the ever increasing problem of teens and pre-teens being influenced by toxic people and dangerous messages online.

There has been an explosion of handwringing among educators and academics, and cheers from students about the strides and easy accessibility of Artificial Intelligence that will probably change the entire nature of how we educate. What can we expect? How do we adapt? Can anything good come out of this?

Today, I’m continuing a hot topic in education right now -homework. My guests in this episode are incredible educators Starr Sackstein and Connie Hamilton who co-authored the excellent book, Hacking Homework. We have a great conversation that explores homework issues including giving practical ideas for how to do it right, if you have to do it all. And we also have a lot of fun!

On this episode, I reflect on the past - sharing ideas, musings, anecdotes, subtle hints, honest confessions, and a look at how reflection moved education forward for all of us.

My guest today is longtime educator and author Jason Ablin. We talk about creating gender equality in education – what does it mean? What would it look like? And how to get it.

My special guest today is educator and author Jacki Edry. She has experience with neurodivergence as an educator, a mother, and through an experience she herself had. Jacki has great suggestions for how teachers and parents can help our neurodivergent students and children, to understand them, and give them the tools to really succeed. We packed a lot in this discussion!

In the last episode, I interviewed Jim Hahn and Jon Cassie, the founders of Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning to find out what their secret sauces to success are and how they can be added to other schools and classrooms. I thought it was important to also hear from some students at Qualia, Jiyen, Diego, and Ella.

Can games actually have an impact on bigger changes in education? And if so, how? Jessica Fuller of RESCHOOL and I discuss all of these questions, among other important issues. Find out about games and tools that transform education.

I have a really enlightening conversation with my guest, Carter Weinstein, who as a high school senior wrote a book to help teens dealing with anxiety, and also to help parents and teachers understand what it’s like for teens to experience anxiety.

My special guest is an educational tech expert, IT superstar and STEAM teacher, Yossie Frankel (and he’s also my husband!). I finally get to record a conversation about one of the most important changes we should make in education: Cross-curricular subject blending. Yossie and I chat about why it’s so important and how to do it seamlessly (including PBL).

Jacob Johnson, aka Grade Slayer shares his continuing journey on going gradeless and gives help for any teacher who wants to start.

On this episode I welcome back amazing educator and author, Matt Miller. After this episode, check out his appearance way back on episode 10. He is truly one of the best resources for teachers out there, and he again shares some of his wisdom, techniques, and tech tools to take your teaching to the next level no matter where you are in your career or what you’re teaching.

On this episode I have an incredibly insightful and super practical conversation with veteran educator and author Katie White. Perhaps if every educator put student-self assessment in the easy to implement way Katie describes, we would raise the level of learning %100, as well as raising the level of joy in learning for students.

My guest, Barbara Heller, and I discuss how to integrate mindful meditation into your class routine to help your students feel centered, more focused and open up their channels to creativity, which can benefit all subjects.

As educators and parents, we need to listen more to what students are voicing about education. While I hope to have more students share their thoughts, I’m starting with my guest on this episode, 17-year-old student, Kayhan Ali, who shares important ideas about what’s missing in education today and how to make change.

Tara Raju, of the Mountain Region of the Anti-Defamation League, tells me all about an incredible resource for schools to create empathetic, tolerant learning environments for all students that work toward eliminating prejudice, implicit bias and bullying called No Place for Hate. We also discuss ways that individuals – whether teachers or students can try to combat these issues even when they don’t have the support they need from their school.