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Do you need innovative strategies to strengthen your school culture and spark student growth? This podcast is your go-to resource for coaches, teachers, administrators, and families seeking to create dynamic and engaging learning environments.
In each episode, you'll discover how to unite educators and caregivers to support students, tackle common classroom challenges, and cultivate an atmosphere where every learner can thrive.
With over 25 years of experience as a teacher and coach, host Olivia Wahl curates episodes with insights from more than 150 expert interviews, offering practical tips that bridge the gap between school and home.
Tune in every Monday and Friday for actionable strategies and inspirational stories that can transform your approach and make a real impact on learning.
Start with a fan-favorite episode today (S5E1: Inside the Secret Moves of Expert Teachers with John Hattie) and take the first step towards transforming your educational environment!
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What does it really mean to be empathetic, and are we teaching kids the right kind? In this reel, Dr. Chris Hass breaks down the 3 Forms of Empathy every educator, parent, and school leader needs to understand and why most people stop at the first one. Whether you're focused on classroom belonging, student engagement, or building a stronger school culture, this short snip from our conversation will reshape how you think about connection in your classroom and community. We explore: - Emotion...
In Part One of our S5E27 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, Dr. Chris Hass challenges our understanding of empathy, suggesting that simply feeling emotions might not lead to substantive change. This conversation delves into emotional intelligence, highlighting how moving beyond mere feelings to tangible actions is vital for social justice in childhood. Chris is an assistant professor at James Madison University and co-author of From Empathy to Action with Katie Kelly and Lester Laminack. H...
This March, @schoolutionspodcast brings you 5 powerful conversations designed to inspire change in education, build hope, offer leadership skills, and transform how we show up for children, families, and communities. Whether you're an educator, school leader, or advocate, these discussions will meet you where you are. 🎙️ Here's what's coming this March: ✅ Dr. Chris Hass opens the month by exploring how empathy becomes action. This is a must-watch for anyone committed to student success and e...
Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E26 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Dr. Beverly Falk and Dr. Nancy Cardwell. 🧠 What you'll learn in this episode: 💫The exact asks inside Beverly and Nancy's proposal and why Massachusetts and Connecticut have already led the way 💫How play-based learning actually builds the foundation children need to detect AI misinformation and fake news 💫What culturally responsive teaching looks like when it's grounded in community 💫Why assessment must move beyond s...
This reel explores how budgets are truly narratives, reflecting what is valued and who is considered valuable. Understanding the principles of budgeting and personal finance can illuminate societal priorities. What does a school budget say about what we truly value? In this powerful reel, we explore how budgets aren't just numbers; they're narratives that reveal who we believe deserves opportunity, joy, and time to grow. We dive deep into the role of play in education, asking a question that...
Part One of my S5E26 @schoolutionspodcast conversation explores the current state of kindergarten education, questioning what a typical kindergarten day looks like and what it should be. Dr. Beverly Falk and Dr. Nancy Cardwell explore the neuroscience of play, highlighting the impacts of scripted curricula on young learners and emphasizing that play deprivation is a measurable issue that needs to be addressed for healthy child development. This discussion offers valuable insights for pare...
Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E25 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Dr. Courtney Bishop. Courtney shares a collaborative approach during an IEP special education meeting. This video offers essential IEP tips for parents and special education advocates to effectively support children with special needs. What You'll Discover: ✅ How to prepare for your first IEP meeting with confidence ✅ The mindset shift that changes everything for educators AND parents ✅ What data to track and h...
This reel explores how emotional states impact behavior, especially in children when adults are upset. We discuss crucial brain science principles, highlighting the brain's survival mechanisms and the critical need for a sense of safety for emotional regulation. Understanding these dynamics offers practical parenting tips and effective behavior management strategies, fostering greater emotional intelligence in both children and adults. Drawing on Conscious Discipline research, Dr. Courtney B...
Part One of my S5E25 @schoolutionspodcast conversation challenges traditional classroom management. Dr. Courtney Bishop, a neurodivergent mom, shares a vital neuroscience principle that can reshape parenting neurodivergent kids and improve IEP meetings. This insight offers a fresh perspective for parents navigating school challenges and understanding their child's needs. What You'll Learn: ✨ Why traditional behavior systems fail neurodivergent kids ✨ The difference between regulation and r...
Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E24 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Melanie Meehan and Maggie Beattie Roberts, where we explore how understanding the brain's role can inform "how to write" instruction. This discussion makes practical connections between neuroscience and effective teaching strategies, ensuring educators can apply cognitive science principles to foster better writers. This is all about actionable education insights for every classroom. And this isn't just theory....
Maggie Beattie Roberts highlights brain-based, whole-child teaching at its most practical. It's exactly the kind of insight that transforms how teachers approach lesson planning, student engagement, and instructional strategies for learners who seem "stuck." What if the reason your students struggle with writing has nothing to do with effort — and everything to do with how their brain is wired? In this clip, we break down the three core executive functions that make or break a student's writ...
Melanie Meehan shares a practical strategy for teaching spelling that focuses on understanding the brain's role in the process. Learn how to teach spelling by incorporating brain diagrams, a method successfully used with a seventh grader who struggled with writing. Melanie's teaching tips aim to improve student comprehension and confidence in their education journey. What happens when a struggling 7th-grade writer finally understands why spelling is hard and how his brain can change? Somethi...
Part One of my S5E24 @schoolutionspodcast conversation uncovers why underdeveloped executive functioning for kids can impact areas like working memory and response inhibition. Melanie Meehan and Maggie Beattie Roberts make foundational writing skills accessible by highlighting how understanding executive function deficits can completely change how we approach literacy education. We discuss how addressing these executive dysfunction challenges can support a child's development into a more c...
Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E23 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Stacey Shubitz. We discuss the importance of looking beyond just IEP goals and accommodations in special education. Stacey emphasizes considering child development and the need for downtime, joy, and culturally relevant books. Caregivers can use these parenting tips to provide emotional support and foster inclusive education for children with disabilities outside of school hours. Stacey reveals the surprising advice ...
Discover a powerful perspective shift on educational evaluations that eliminates stigma and empowers families. In this transformative reel clip, Stacey Shubitz shares how one parent reframed the evaluation process as "finding the key to unlock the brain" – a beautiful metaphor that changes everything about how we approach student struggles and student success. If your child is experiencing low engagement, classroom behavior challenges, or attention in class difficulties, this video offers ho...
Part One of my S5E23 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, literacy specialist and parent Stacey Shubitz shares her dual perspective on navigating special education. If you've ever felt lost in IEP meetings or unsure how to advocate for your child, this episode is your roadmap. Stacey, author of Make the School System Work for Your Child With Disabilities, reveals why leading with your child's strengths—not deficits—changes everything. She breaks down the difference between IEPs and 504 plans, ...
This February, join @schoolutionspodcast as it highlights educators and researchers advancing child support. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How to navigate IEPs, 504s, and disability services with confidence • The shocking research behind foundational writing skills that transforms student success • A neurodivergent educator's journey supporting thriving students in inclusive classrooms • The alarming trend: NYC pediatricians diagnosing kindergartners with play-deprivation-induced anxiety and ...
Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E22 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Katie Keier. This episode builds on the foundation from Part One, exploring Katie's unique classroom strategies. We dive into her innovative teaching techniques, including why she creates classrooms that foster belonging and student engagement through choice, materials, and the honoring of every child's story. Katie shares powerful examples of student participation and student motivation, including kindergartner...
Are standards enough to inspire real writers? In this powerful reel, Katie Keier shares why teaching writing standards in isolation isn't creating confident, motivated writers in our classrooms. Learn about the "iceberg method" - where standards are just the tip, and meaningful purpose sits beneath the surface. The truth: Kids can learn to spell "cat" and blend sounds, but without an authentic audience, purpose, and opportunities for student participation, they'll never see themselves as rea...
Part One of my S5E22 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, Katie Keier shares how her Writers Playshop is changing kindergarten writing through play. Learn about effective teaching strategies and how to create a dynamic classroom environment where children thrive. In this episode, 33-year veteran teacher Katie Keier shares how a five-year-old revolutionized her entire approach to teaching writing. Discover why she refuses to spell words for children, how materials serve as story catalyst...
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