Best K12education Podcasts (2025)

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S10 E2: Understanding Pop Culture's Role in Modern Education 46:07

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3M ago46:07

46:07

How important is it to stay in touch with pop culture as a school leader? In this episode, I chat with Brooke Hammerling, the host of "Pop Culture Mondays… on Thursdays" podcast and the author of the widely read Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter. We dive into Brooke's unique journey from PR and communications to becoming a vital source of pop culture …

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S10 E1: Guiding Through Change (Insights from Marie Wiles) 38:41

3M ago38:41

38:41

How does one navigate the journey from English teacher to Superintendent? In this episode, I sit down with the recently retired Marie Wiles in a unique in-person interview. We dive deep into her 36-year-long career, from early teaching days and curriculum development to her tenure in various leadership roles, including her time as a BOCES district …

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S9 E12: Are You a Pig Pen? Self-Awareness & Practical Leadership Skills for Dysregulated Times 43:17

4M ago43:17

43:17

Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of leadership today? Tune in to learn how building your self-regulation can help you navigate dysregulated times and have more effective conversations. In this episode, my co-host Jenn David-Lang and I had the pleasure of speaking with the amazing Jennifer Abrams, whom I see as a guru of interpersonal relatio…

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S9 E11: Becoming Your Own Factchecker (News Literacy for Students and Citizens) 35:27

5M ago35:27

35:27

In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Howie Schneider, the executive director of the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University's School of Communication and Journalism. Howie shared his fascinating journey from a 35-year career in journalism, including being the editor of Newsday, to leading the charge in preparing citizens…

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S9 E10: Bridging the Implementation Gap in Education 39:42

5M ago39:42

39:42

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang interviews Jenice Pizzuto and Steven Carney about their book Implement with IMPACT: A Strategic Framework for Leading School and District Initiatives. The discussion focuses on their strategic framework for effectively implementing school and district initiatives using research-based practices. They emphasize the im…

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S9 E9: How Principals Can Elevate Instructional Impact with Principal Kafele 44:43

6M ago44:43

44:43

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang sits down with renowned educator and turnaround Principal Kafele to discuss his latest—and most personally significant—book: "What Is My Value Instructionally to the Teachers I Supervise?" This conversation zeroes in on the principal's role as an instructional leader. Principal Kafele makes it clear that the core fo…

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S9 E8: Rigor Redefined (Unpacking the Myths of Hard Work and Hierarchy) 44:00

6M ago44:00

44:00

In this episode, Jenn David-Lang took the reins and had a fascinating conversation with Michael McDowell, author of Rigor Redefined: 10 Teaching Habits for Surface, Deep, and Transfer Learning. Listen to the podcast to hear how Michael challenges our traditional understanding of rigor. Apparently, rigor isn't just about things being "hard" or doing…

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Episode 42: Who Should Run America's Schools? The Federal-State Tug of War 48:21

7M ago48:21

48:21

In this episode of EdFix, education policy veterans Denise Forte and Andy Rotherham tackle one of the most pressing—and polarizing—questions in American education: should the U.S. Department of Education shrink or shift power to the states? With sharp insights and real-world experience, they unpack the motivations behind efforts to dismantle the de…

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S9 E7: Don't Let Them Drown (Practical Support for First-Year Teachers) 35:12

7M ago35:12

35:12

In this episode, I'm incredibly excited to be joined by two amazing people: my fantastic co-host, Jenn David-Lang, who's also stepping in as a guest today, and the one and only Kim Marshall! We're diving into a topic that feels more important than ever right now: supporting new teachers. It's something I'm seeing firsthand as my daughter navigates …

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S9 E6: Unlocking Educator Joy (Pathways and Permission) 44:37

7M ago44:37

44:37

In this episode, Jenn and I are thrilled to welcome William Parker! A longtime educator from Oklahoma who transitioned into full-time consulting, speaking, and writing, Will is the author of "Messaging Matters" and his new book, "Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: An Educator's Guide to Doing What You Love" Will shares how his new book, born fr…

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S9 E5: Don't leave teacher induction up to chance. 44:59

8M ago44:59

44:59

In this episode, Jenn has a conversation with one of the educators who was featured prominently in Harry and Rosemary Wong's latest book, THE New Teacher Induction Book: How to Recruit, Train, and Retain New Teachers. Tara Link is a leader who started an induction program 18 years ago in Moberly, Missouri. She joined Jenn to talk about Rosemary and…

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S9 E4: S.H.I.N.E Bright: Empowering Women Leaders with LaVonna Roth 43:10

9M ago43:10

43:10

March is Women's History Month! This episode features a conversation with LaVonna Roth, an inspirational speaker and consultant whose work has inspired women leaders everywhere. Jenn introduced LaVonna, highlighting her impactful speaking on leadership. LaVonna shared her "S.H.I.N.E." framework, initially for students but powerfully applicable to a…

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S9 E3: Are you REALLY ready to respond in an emergency? 42:56

9M ago42:56

42:56

Responding to emergencies takes two things: leadership and communication. Are you prepared? Mike and Jenn had a truly productive conversation with school preparedness expert, Chris Joffe. He talked about everything from why leaders need to start with themselves and understand how THEY respond to emergencies. He also shared that one of the essential…

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S9 E2: Year of Acceleration for All (Yes, that includes Black Males) 40:11

10M ago40:11

40:11

Khalid Oluewu, principal of Webster Elementary School in Chicago, has done what many principals would love to do: He has created structures and practices at his school to ACCELERATE learning for all, and in particular for Black males. Wow. The idea started when he was a teacher and taught middle school math and had students come to him years behind…

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S9 E1: A Truly Transformational Approach to Coaching 44:40

10M ago44:40

44:40

After 30 years in the field Elena Aguilar gathered all of her experience and learning and put together the most powerful book on coaching we've seen -- Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching. Elena sees coaching as the way -- one conversation at a time -- that we transform our schools. In this deeply insightful conversation she shares the impo…

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S8 E10: Relationships, Relationships, Relationships 43:27

11M ago43:27

43:27

Mike returns to the podcast! Jenn and Mike had a great conversation with Coach Carlos about his book Power Engage: Seven Power Moves for Building Strong Relationships to Increase Engagement with Students. No, he's not a coach of a sports team, but a former school leader who has successfully turned around three failing schools by improving STUDENT E…

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S8 E9: Building trust matters, and it matters deeply in schools 43:46

12M ago43:46

43:46

Megan Tshannen-Moran and Jenn had a delightful conversation about the power of trust in schools. It is one of three factors that is so powerful that it oustrips SES in predicting student achievement. Far from being a "soft skill," building trust has become a must-have skill for educational leaders. In this conversation Megan not only defines trust …

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S8 E8: Is A.I. the teaching assistant we've all been waiting for? 54:05

1y ago54:05

54:05

What a great conversation about the new book, The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers that Make Learning More Engaging! Jenn got to talk to all three of the authors: Meghan Hargrave, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey and learned so much. We discussed everything from what AI is and isn't, to the reasons leaders should addre…

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S8 E7: How to Supercharge Your Communication 41:45

1y ago41:45

41:45

You probably know Charles Duhigg from his book, The Power of Habit. Or maybe Smarter Faster Better. Now he has a newer book out that is another great resource for school leaders — Supercommunnicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Charles shares with Jenn how people mess up communication and how to improve it. He says that most m…

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S8 E6: The Secret to Turning Conflict into Collaboration 41:27

1y ago41:27

41:27

Jenn had an outstanding conversation with Robert Feirsen, one of the two authors of From Conflict to Collaboration, along with author Seth Weitzman. They chatted about the tough stuff – like how prevalent conflict is in schools and a number of the sources of that conflict. But then Robert shared the positive way he thinks about conflict and how we,…

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S8 E5: How about some help with talking about the election in schools? 31:03

1y ago31:03

31:03

Jenn made me do this episode. I really didn't wat to, but I'm glad we did. As we approach the upcoming presidential election, you may remember the fallout from the last two elections. Some school communities experienced heightened divisions, increased bullying, more tension in classrooms, and a general sense of uncertainty. Fortunately, there are s…

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S8 E4: Want better supervision? Listen to the source. 38:20

1y ago38:20

38:20

Kim Marshall needs no introduction. He is the most recognized name in the field of educational leadership because he is the person behind the weekly Marshall Memo -- a subscription service that provides curated summaries of the most important articles in education each week. In this podcast Kim provides an overview of the three essential areas scho…

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Episode 41: Justice in Focus - Judge Tatel's Memoir and the Future of Education Law 34:45

1y ago34:45

34:45

In this episode of EdFix, Judge David Tatel, who served nearly three decades on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit—the nation's second highest court—shares his remarkable journey from civil rights lawyer to judicial trailblazer. Blind since his mid-30s, Judge Tatel has dedicated his career to expanding access to justice and improving op…

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S8 E3: Leading When It's Hard - A Cell Phone Ban. 39:35

1+ y ago39:35

39:35

In this episode, Jenn and I interview Dave Blanchard, a seasoned superintendent from a school district in Upstate New York. Three years ago Dave's district implemented a distraction-free environment, which included no cell phones during the school day. We talk about this leadership challenge in the context of Jonathan Haidt's 2024 book, The Anxious…

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

1+ y 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…

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S8 E1: Executive Functioning Isn't Just for Executives 51:39

1+ y 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…

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

1+ y 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…

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

1+ y 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…

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S7 E8: Reading Is Everyone's Business, Part 2 26:26

1+ y 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…

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

1+ y 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…

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S7 E7: Reading Is Everyone's Business (Part 1) 35:03

1+ y 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…

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

1+ y 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…

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

1+ y 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…

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

1+ y 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…

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

1+ y 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 …

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

2y 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, …

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

2y 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…

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

2y 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 …

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

2y 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 …

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S6 E10: Listen To Your Inner Canary 32:11

2y 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…

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S6 E9: An Entrepreneur Helps Mike Out 36:31

2y 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…

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

2y 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…