The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation & Resources

92 Episodes

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Following the Unexpected: The Magic of a Conference

2026-11-0510:57

Send us Fan Mail A single sheet of paper can unlock a year’s worth of student writing. I’m sharing a conference moment that surprised me, stuck with me, and still shapes how I think about literacy instruction and creativity in the classroom: hearing author and illustrator Nick Bruel talk about craft, humor, and the real decisions behind children’s books. I take you back to the 2012 Illinois Reading Council Conference and the unexpected path from a funny breakfast talk to three Nick Br...

How Adaptive Learning Changes Teaching Without Replacing It

2026-10-0128:17

Send us Fan Mail If a student can get a perfectly tailored lesson from AI in seconds, what exactly is the teacher’s job, and what does school become? That question sits underneath every new adaptive platform, every AI policy debate, and every parent’s uneasy feeling that “personalized” might also mean “alone.” We talk with Tom Woelper, Head of School at Cheshire Academy, about what’s genuinely promising in adaptive learning technology and where schools can go too far. We dig into why pairing ...

How to Identify and Treat Math Anxiety in Learners| Dr. Aditya Nagrath

2026-09-0326:17

Send us Fan Mail We talk with mathematician and computer scientist, Dr. Aditya Nagrath, about why students avoid math even when they are capable and how confusion can harden into anxiety over time. We focus on treating math anxiety by rebuilding understanding, reshaping beliefs, and using practical strategies that teachers and parents can apply right away. • math anxiety as a cycle of stress, self-doubt, and avoidance • early comprehension gaps in quantity and math language • manipulatives a...

History as the Human Story: Teaching Students to Think, Question, and Live Wisely

2026-08-0634:19

Send us Fan Mail History is the human story, a way of seeing the world and our place in it. In this episode of The Brighter Side of Education, Dr. Lisa Hassler welcomes back historian and Associate Professor Dr. Christopher Berg for a thoughtful conversation about the purpose of history education, how it has changed over time, and why it remains essential in today’s classrooms. Drawing from his work in Why Study History?, History and the Public Good, and “My Friend! You and I Have Passed Our ...

Why Kids Miss School: A Human-Centered Approach to Absenteeism | Dr. Ivory Toldson

2026-05-2231:49

Send us Fan Mail Chronic absenteeism keeps getting described as a kid problem, but the evidence tells a different story. When we label students as “disengaged,” we miss what is often right in front of us: unreliable transportation, health crises, caregiving demands, and school policies that punish families for not having options. I’m joined by Dr. Ivory Toldson, Chief of Research for Concentric Educational Solutions and a professor at Howard University, to unpack insights from his white pape...

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The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation & Resources