Claim OwnershipEmpowered Educator: Leadership in Motion | Educational Leadership, Principal Leadership, Teachers as Leaders
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Are you a passionate educator stepping into leadership—or thinking about making that leap?
Maybe you just accepted your first admin role and feel the weight of leading well.
Or you’re a classroom teacher who feels the calling to lead with purpose and impact.
The Empowered Educator Show is your space to grow as a leader without losing who you are.
I’m Dr. Mel—former administrator turned leadership and instructional coach, educational consultant, and now your guide to navigating the real work of school leadership. With over 25 years in education, I help new and aspiring leaders shift their mindset, strengthen their strategies, and build Confident Classrooms—where teachers feel supported, students are engaged, and learning thrives.
Each episode I bring you real talk, practical tools, and heart-centered leadership support designed to help you:
Create a school culture rooted in confidence, clarity, and trust
Develop teachers who feel empowered, not overwhelmed
Lead with boldness, even when the road gets bumpy
It’s about becoming the kind of leader who creates ripple effects across classrooms, campuses, and communities.
Let’s power up your purpose and put your leadership in motion.
214 Episodes
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Send us a text Make today about thanksgiving and gratitude. Join me for a quick devo and start and end your day with thanksgiving in your heart! Empowered Educator Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles...
Send us a text This episode is the newest episode of my other podcast, Choose Your Best Yes! Are you struggling with anxiety and identifying your triggers? Everyone struggles with anxiety at some point, but not everyone reacts in such a strong way that they physically struggle. Join me today on the journey to understanding your anxiety, identifying what triggers your episodes, and how to manage this spiritual warfare. Let's go, friend! Love and Blessings, Mel Empowered Educator-C...
Send us a text Join Mel as she interviews Daphne McMenemy, educator, Managing Director of Code Breaker Inc, and author of the Gracie series about a young girl whose learning is brought to life when her teacher introduces her to coding and a new way of thinking. Ignite Leadership Virtual Summit, March 11-13, 2021 The purpose of the summit is to empower and strengthen leadership skills for educators across the world. This year’s fully virtual conference will feature some of the most wel...
Send us a text Are you an educator who wants to ensure your students are receiving the very best you have to give them through instruction? Welcome to Empowered Educator Podcast. In this episode find out who Mel Vandevort is and why I am passionate about personalizing professional learning for all educators. Join me as I talk about empowering educators to take control and ownership of their own professional learning. So power up for Personalized Professional learning to go. www.empowereducat...
Send us a text In this episode, I'm diving into a tool educators have been begging for — something that finally brings data, collaboration, and accountability into one simple, modern space. Teamchers Technologies is an educator-created app designed to help schools move from episodic data meetings to everyday data-driven practice. Along with creator Dr. Lea Hickerson, I explore how the platform lets teacher teams and administrators set goals, store documents, collaborate in threaded chat...
Send us a text “Be still and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 Episode: The holiday season hits different in schools — concerts, programs, discipline spikes, evaluations, data cycles, parent emails, and schedule changes. It’s a lot. But even when the pace is fast, your spirit doesn’t have to be. You can choose stillness even inside a storm. Protecting your peace isn’t selfish — it’s stewardship. Peace is leadership currency. When you’re calm, it allows everyone else to settle. When you’re o...
Send us a text In this episode, Mel breaks down ten high-impact, easy-to-launch family engagement activities that help schools build trust, strengthen relationships, and create meaningful partnerships with families. These ideas work in every school setting — public, private, charter, or Christian — and can be scaled up or down based on your resources. If you’re looking for fresh ways to bring families into the learning experience, this episode gives you the exact blueprint. What You’ll Learn...
Send us a text Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teac...
Send us a text Dr. Mel walks through ten research-backed family engagement strategies that help strengthen trust, boost achievement, and change the way families experience your school. Engagement isn’t about “getting parents to show up.” It’s about partnership — real, reciprocal, relationship-centered partnership that helps kids win academically, emotionally, and socially. Sources SchoolStatus — family engagement & communication best practices: https://www.schoolstatus.com/blog ParentPow...
Send us a text Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teac...
Send us a text Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teac...
Send us a text In this final episode, Dr. Mel shares how leaders can move beyond coaching cycles to create a living culture of feedback and reflection that keeps engagement thriving. Learn how to build reflective habits, align systems to support growth, and celebrate wins to sustain teacher energy and excellence all year long. Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Down...
Send us a text Modeling and rehearsal are the “secret sauce” of effective instructional leadership. In Episode 3, Mel breaks down how school leaders can coach teachers through modeling, practice, and repetition — simple but powerful strategies that turn new skills into classroom habits. This episode helps school leaders make coaching more collaborative, more actionable, and more effective — without increasing the workload. 🔑 Key Takeaways Model First — Then Ask Teachers to Try It Removes con...
Send us a text Episode 2 breaks down the “See It. Name It. Do It.” coaching cycle from Get Better Faster and shows how leaders can deliver high-impact, real-time feedback that quickly improves teacher practice and student engagement. Perfect for principals, APs, instructional coaches, and leaders looking to build confidence in coaching cycles and classroom walk-throughs. 🔑 Key Takeaways Real-Time Feedback Builds Faster Growth You don’t need a full post-conference to make change — micro-feedb...
Send us a text n this kickoff episode of Engagement in Action, Dr. Mel lays the groundwork for how school leaders can coach teachers toward authentic student engagement and effective classroom management. Using the frameworks from Get Better Faster (Bambrick-Santoyo) and Teach Like a Champion (Lemov), Mel breaks down how to define, model, and sustain engagement as a leadership practice — not just a teacher strategy. This episode is designed for principals, assistant principals, instructional ...
Send us a text Dr. Mel celebrates 200 episodes of The Empowered Educator Show—a milestone that mirrors the journey of building-level leadership. From starting small to staying consistent, this episode is a heartfelt reminder that the greatest results come when you keep showing up. Perfect for principals, assistant principals, and aspiring leaders who need a little encouragement to stay the course and celebrate the wins along the way. Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 1...
Send us a text Every school says they want strong instructional leaders—but what does that really look like day to day? In this episode, Dr. Mel breaks down what instructional leadership actually means beyond walkthroughs and data meetings. You’ll learn how to be visible in classrooms, model great teaching, give real-time feedback, and protect time for the work that matters most: growing instruction and people. Whether you’re a new administrator or a seasoned principal trying to refocus your ...
Send us a text In this Power Surge, Dr. Mel breaks down one of the biggest traps leaders fall into — thinking communication has happened just because words were spoken. Inspired by George Bernard Shaw’s famous quote, this episode challenges school leaders to go beyond talking at people and start ensuring their message is truly understood. Because clear communication isn’t about what you said — it’s about what they heard. Key Points: The biggest communication mistake leaders ...
Send us a text If your days feel like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole—emails, meetings, fires, and a to-do list that multiplies overnight—this episode is your deep breath. Dr. Mel breaks down how leaders can systematize the chaos without losing their people or their peace. Using her signature Purpose–People–Process Framework, she’ll walk you through how to build rhythms, routines, and structures that make your leadership lighter and more intentional. You’ll learn: ✅ How to anchor every sy...
Send us a text In this Power Surge, Dr. Mel unpacks what happens when things look “fine” on the surface but really aren’t. Drawing inspiration from the Thatcher Effect illusion, she challenges leaders to flip their perspective and see what’s truly happening in their schools, teams, and systems. Because sometimes what looks normal is actually upside down — and leadership clarity starts with the courage to look again. Key Points: What looks “fine” from one angle might be distorted from another....
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