The Brighter Side of Education

In today's episode, we have a special guest joining me as co-host - my husband, Dr. Gregg Hassler, Jr. He's not only a dentist but also a former school board president and, as he always likes to say, my biggest advocate.We are thrilled to celebrate The Brighter Side of Education's one-year anniversary! A big thank you goes out to all our listeners and guests who have made this first year truly incredible. When we started this journey, we didn't quite know what to expect, but we've learned and grown tremendously along the way and couldn't be prouder of the results.One of the significant challenges in education today is the struggle many students face with reading and writing. To address this, I took it upon myself to create a workbook-style writing journal based on the successful classroom writing structure I used in my own teaching experience. It's called "My Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades," and I'm thrilled with how it turned out! This journal is designed to seamlessly complement any Language Arts program for students in first through third grades and is already being used in several classrooms. You can find it on Amazon!Over the past year, I've had the privilege to attend and present at three national education conferences, which we'll delve into in this episode. Many of the speakers I met at these conferences have graced our podcast, sharing their valuable knowledge and insights. During these conferences, several emerging trends in education became apparent, and we'll discuss the top nine of them: AI, microlearning/nano-learning, online learning (including blended, hyflex, and extended reality), Masterclass/Maestro platforms, independent startups offering homeschool options, vocational and technical courses in high schools, a renewed focus on soft skills, alternative assessments, and how various states are tackling teacher shortages.Our call to action for you, our listeners, is simple: keep learning, stay involved, and support education in your community. Together, we can make a positive impact on the future of education. Thank you for being part of our journey!  Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on digital communities with Katy Kappler. Why do we need them and how can it increase student completion rates in distance education?The potential of technology in education is so great that there is a steady increase in the number of online courses available in higher education every year. Distance education is an effective tool with the capability to enhance learning experiences with the added benefit of flexibility. However, completion rates for online courses are surprisingly low. 40-80% of online learners just give up. How could such an effective education model fail to go the distance to completion and why do college students drop them? Data suggests that motivation, technical issues, and lack of support are the three major reasons.Dr. Hughes M. Brown, et al., identified these concerns in his 2015 study with first semester college students taking distance learning classes. His recommendation was that more needs to be done by institutions to change the "lone wolf" preconception and avoid the "goulash approach" to supporting distance learners. He went on to state that lives of distance learners are not black and white, but rather "complex shades of grey and this needs to be taken in to account when designing appropriate learning experiences and supports to ensure student success."Katy offers insights into how digital communities can be used to create student-centered environments, improve student outcomes, and increase a sense of belonging for online students. She was named one of 144 women CEOs and founders of Leading Global EdTech Startups in March. Katy is the CEO and Co-founder of InScribe, an innovative digital community platform, slated to be one of the world's most promising ed tech startups. To learn more, go to www.inscribeapp.com. The call to action is that distance education is not a "lone wolf" experience. Digital communities create a greater sense of belonging and improve student success. Use them if you have them, get them if you don't. It may be the difference between completing that online course and not.Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on history in education. Why study history?Joining me to discuss these intriguing facets of the study of history is historian of education, Dr. Christopher Berg. He is a history professor specializing in pre-modern World history with research and writing focused on creating a "usable" past that meets the needs of an educated public in the 21st century. He has authored/edited three books: Small Island, Big History: A Modern Panoramic History of Great Britain & Her Empire, Unveiling the Thread of Time: 27 Texts in Greek and World History, and The Palgrave Handbook of History and Social Studies Education.  Once highly regarded in education, the significance of history has gradually faded from the curriculum's forefront into a subject that has increasingly become marginalized within the public school system. However, this trend has not gone unnoticed, as debates surrounding the study of history have emerged with roots tracing back to the 1930s.In recent years, there has been increased scrutiny surrounding history textbooks, leading some critics to call for their removal from the curriculum with titles such as "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong" and "Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students Excited about Doing History Again.” Nonetheless, simply eliminating textbooks, as often proposed, clashes with the reality experienced in most classrooms. Scholars assert that traditional teaching methods and educational resources like textbooks have the potential to harm students in their current form. However, they also emphasize that these resources can still fulfill a vital role if they adapt to meet the needs of 21st-century students.The call to action is to appreciate the value of history education and illuminate the path for future generations. It is more than a sidebar subject on the education menu, but rather the backbone of our humanity. To contact Dr. Christopher Berg or learn more about his publications in history, you can find him on LinkedIn and Academia.edu.Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I discuss the benefits of bilingual immersion programs. How can a dual language education impact student achievement? Joining me today to discuss bilingual education, is educator and administrator Eric Franzen (www.idealschool.education). He is the founder of Ideal School, a Cognia-accredited dual language international online school serving K-9 students from over 20 countries in real-time.Studies funded by the Department of Education, have delved into the effects of bilingual education on student achievement, stating the benefits that extend far beyond language acquisition. Researchers indicate that students immersed in a bilingual environment demonstrate enhanced cognitive skills, including improved problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and creativity. These students exhibit greater flexibility in adapting to new situations and a heightened awareness of cultural diversity, leading to increased empathy and tolerance. Moreover, bilingualism has been shown to positively impact academic performance across various subjects. Students proficient in multiple languages often outperform their monolingual counterparts in areas such as mathematics, reading comprehension, and even standardized tests. The cognitive flexibility developed through bilingual immersion programs equips students with invaluable skills that transfer beyond language skills alone.Join us on this enlightening journey as we discuss the power of bilingual immersion programs and their positive impact on student achievement. Whether you're a parent seeking the best education for your child, an educator exploring innovative approaches, or simply fascinated by the wonders of language, this episode is sure to inspire and inform.Ideal School is giving a discount for any family that heard this podcast. Put your last name in the discount code, and he will give you a discount for having listened and gone to their website: www.idealschool.education.The call to action is to unlock the potential of bilingual immersion programs to empower more students to become global citizens. Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

What are the current trends as well as the academic steps needed to help students reach their college goals? In this episode, we discuss the changing landscape for college admissions with  College Admissions Advisor, Julie Keisheimer.  Julie works with Great Minds Advising, which is the remotely-based college advising wing of the tutoring company Westchester Prep located just outside of New York City. Most college students report improved job prospects and financial security as a primary reason for college attendance, but the benefits of a college education extend beyond financial gains. In the study, Education Pays 2019: The Benefits of Higher Education For Individuals and Society, researchers reported these main personal and societal findings: 1. Individuals with higher levels of education earn more, pay more taxes, and are more likely than others to be employed.  2. Having a college degree is associated with a healthier lifestyle, potentially reducing health care costs. Adults with higher levels of education are more active citizens than others and are more involved in their children’s activities.As a nation, more young adults aged 18- to 24 are investing in college. The percentage of those young adults who enrolled increased from 25% in 1978 to 41% in 2018. So, how can we help more students make the leap from high school to college?  The ever-changing application process can make the road to college acceptance overwhelming and confusing.To connect with the Great Minds Advising team or to work with one of their advisors, visit www.westchesterprep.com or visit them Facebook or Instagram for daily college admissions insights. You can also visit their website to join their newsletter.The call to action is to stay abreast on the changes in college admissions and be engaged in the process earlier for better chances at getting into the college of your choice. Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I explore the fascinating findings on working memory, its impact on academic attainment, and the promising avenues for intervention and support. How does working memory determine student success and how can it be improved? Over the years, studies conducted by Dr. Tracy Packiam Alloway (www.tracypackiam.com)  have provided growing evidence of the significant connection between working memory and academic achievement. The capacity of an individual's working memory plays a crucial role in their ability to acquire knowledge and develop new skills. Deficits in working memory have been observed in various learning difficulties including reading disorders, math difficulties, ADHD, and motor impairments.In fact, Alloway's large-scale screening study revealed that one in ten students experience working memory deficits, leading to below-average performance in language and math. Surprisingly, research also indicated that all components of working memory are present by the age of 4. As a result, it is vital to prioritize finding effective interventions to overcome these challenges and maximize students' learning potential.Traditionally, working memory was believed to be genetically fixed, however, recent studies highlight the remarkable plasticity of the developing brain and suggest that working memory capacity can potentially be enhanced through environmental interventions and support.Join us as we delve into the world of working memory and its implications for optimizing learning outcomes with Dr. Tracy Packiam Alloway. She is an award-winning psychologist, professor of memory, 15 time author and Associate Editor of the Educational and Developmental Psychologist journal. Dr. Alloway has been featured on The Doctors TV, Good Morning America, the Today Show to name a few. She also consults for documentaries, ABC/NBC and the CW affiliates, AMC TV, and the World Bank. Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on school facilities design. How does the design of school buildings and classrooms impact student learning?Mary Ruppenthal discusses  future trends in school design. She is a registered architect and an Associate Principal at HED, one of the oldest and largest architecture and engineering firms in the country (www.hed.design).She has nearly 30 years of experience in public and private sector educational, civic, and cultural design. Mary oversees Pre-K-12 and community education projects and has devoted her career to collaborating with school districts in the design of innovative, high-performing educational facilities that enhance the user experience, maximize efficiency, and help shape the future for students of all ages.Apart from their homes, schools are where children spend most of their time. While curriculum and teaching methods are vital, one aspect that often goes unnoticed is the impact of school design on student performance. A well-designed educational environment can have a profound influence on student learning, engagement, and overall well-being.Over the last fifteen years, evidence has been accumulating on the relationship between environments and users’ health. In 2020 a group of researchers conducted a comprehensive, systematic review focused on the effect of the educational environment design on students’ and teachers’ performance, satisfaction, and wellbeing that included 1,307 studies.The overall results indicate that a series of school features, of both internal and external spaces, should be used, to fit with users’ needs and improve learning experiences.Data showed the use of a pleasant, warm, and flexible learning space in both influencing students’ wellbeing and enhancing their academic marks.In the long term, the results could reduce of the number of students who leave early, increased wellbeing of pupils with specific learning disorders, promote positive class social interactions (e.g.,reduction of bullying) and integration (e.g., reduction of ethnic prejudice), and prevention of teachers’ burn-out. The recent trends suggest that “classic” old-style schools are likely to disappear to leave room to new learning environments in the future. To learn more about Mary Ruppenthal and HED, you can go to www.hed.design.Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on teacher attrition. What can administrators do to retain teachers?In 2021, The National Education Association (NEA) recommended districts make significant changes to reduce stress and improve morale in schools to avoid a "Great Resignation." It's 2023, and I don't think many school districts listened. Teacher burnout is being felt around country. Schools are facing teacher shortages, driving education leaders nationwide to find solutions that address the challenges of teacher burnout, retention, and recruitment. However, "Educators don't need any more chair massages or Casual Fridays," it's about "support and autonomy." Decrease in morale is increasing feelings of demoralization. While addressing the understaffing of schools to alleviate the current crisis is critical, that could be a short-lived success without systemic changes.What kind of systemic changes you may be wondering and how can an administrator play a key role in it?Dr. Christie McMullen is with us today to discuss teacher burnout and how to make the work environment better.Christie was a high school science teacher, a high school assistant principal and instructs master's level students in educational leadership at National Louis University. She is the Area Director for AVID and CEO and Chief People Development Officer of AIM: Analyze, Improve, and Move. Christie is also a best-selling author of the book, Learning Can Stick - A Guide to Make Every Learning Experience Safe, Logical, Fun, and Memorable.To learn more about Dr. McMullen and AIM, you can go to www.aimwithus.com and subscribe to her weekly newsletter.The call to action is to get serious about teacher burnout and shortages. Districts need to make significant changes to reduce stress, improve morale, and create positive work environments in schools. Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In today’s episode, I continue with my personal background in education to discuss the research I conducted and how it led me to podcasting. Dr. Gregg Hassler, Jr. DMD  joins me as a co-host. He was a school board president, is a dentist, but most importantly, is my husband. He's always said that it’s important that my audience gets to know who I am as an educational podcaster and so...this is it!You will hear the story about a trip to Brazil that inspired me to teach families English which led to my master's degree in Online Teaching and Learning. I researched Family Second Language Acquisition and planned on completing my dissertation on it, but the idea was rejected by the university for not being student outcome focused.Frantically searching for another topic, a county school board member asked me the question, "Does virtual school work in second grade for third grade reading proficiency?" That question led me down a rabbit hole that changed my life. I researched the topic, completed my dissertation, applied what I learned from the study to my own second grade classroom.  I used this knowledge and experience to write the book, America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game. The excitement of learning new ideas and how to apply them to help our kids succeed not only in the classroom, but in life is what brought me to this platform. I love enlightening conversations about education!      Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on struggling readers in middle and high school. Failing student reading scores have been splashed across the news and made into major academic debates, especially since the pandemic. The low reading levels of our students are frightening. It appears that adolescent student reading proficiency is spiraling down and out of control, but the reality is that it’s been consistently low since NCES started tracking the national reading levels with the NAEP Reading assessment back in 1992. That’s 30 years of low. In 2022, only thirty-one percent of eighth-grade students performed proficiently on the reading assessment, which was 3 percentage points lower compared to 2019, yet the exact same as in 1992. The most recent NAEP data for twelfth graders was from 2019. Data showed a 3% drop in proficiently from 1992 to 2019; 37% of 12th graders in 2019 read proficiently compared to 40% in 1992.  Ineffective reading skills are leaving our children with little hope for a successful socioeconomic future with few well-paying jobs that don’t require advanced literacy. So how can we help them?Adolescent-literacy expert, Matt Bardin is with us today to discuss how to increase the reading levels of middle and high-school struggling students. He is an educator with 25 years of experience and founder of Zinc Learning Labs. He has written on adolescent literacy for the Hechinger Report and The 74. He also authored the book, Zen and the Art of the SAT, as well as hosted the REAL Learning show on Sirius XM.Matt's  motto is “Advancing Literacy to End Information Inequality," with the  mission to deliver reading growth to middle and high school students using love-based learning and conscious reading, referred to as the ZINC approach. He states that zinc is known as “the hidden element.” Most people don’t realize its importance for health, but without it, we can’t survive. Reading is often similarly undervalued. It’s the hidden element in school and career success. Zinc stands for: Get in the ZONE, IGNITE Reading Success, NURTURE Skills and Love, and CONTINUE to Grow. So here is the call to action: Get involved with tween and teen literacy. Advocate for reading interventions at the middle and high school levels. If you would like to know more about Matt Bardin and Zinc Learning Labs, Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on the reading habits of teenagers with high school English teacher, Beth Donofrio. Beth has her bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education for English and her master’s degree in Children and Adolescents at Risk from Harvard. She is a conference speaker, editor, and author of the book, Champions Way: Inspiring Stories from the Journeys of Hometown Champions. Beth conducted a survey in her high school and discusses the trends of teenage reading habits.  She answers the question, "How does reading change during childhood and how can it be regained?" Studies show a consistent decline in daily reading as children grow older, with a sharp drop by age nine that does not typically recover throughout adolescence. Scholastic reported a 24% drop in daily reading and The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported a 34% drop in daily reading. Since 1984, the number of tweens and teens who read for pleasure at least once a week decreased 5% among 9-year-olds and 24% among 17-year-olds. Finally, more preteen and teenagers reported to rarely if ever read for pleasure since 1984: sixteen percent more of 9-year-olds, 18% more of 17-year-olds.  So, what changed, and how can we get it back?Listen to Beth as she discusses what has changed in teen life as well as their choices, how it's impacted SAT and reading scores, what books can help your teen, and how adults of all ages can impact teen reading habits. To learn more, read my blog, Turning the Page: How Adults Can Help Teens Rediscover the Joy of Reading.Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I talk about my path in education and what brought me to podcasting. I took a temporary detour in my regular guest show structure to give you the back story to what brought me to this table. The story is long, twisty, and raw. It's a personal tale of my journey.  Here are the beginning cliff notes highlights: pregnant at 18, 11 years to finish my Associate's Degree, 13 years to complete my Bachelor's Degree, 4 kids (1 gifted, 1 average, 2 spectrum)... You'll be happy to know that it has a happy ending:)  Because I've learned that no matter what happens to us along the path in life, we are exactly where we are meant to be. Learn from it and help others along the journey. Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

Today, I focus on a classical curriculum. Can using a classical curriculum approach to teaching students in pre-school through grade12 increase student reading and overall academic achievement? Reading and math rates across the nation are spiraling down with no end in sight. It begs the question; how did we get here as a nation and what can we do to fix it? Education reformer E.D. Hirsch stated in 2016 that the devolution of America’s education outcomes is the result of abandoning knowledge, or core, factual content, particularly during the elementary years. He fought for knowledge-based education rather than the latest educational fads. He argued that the ongoing disparity between advantaged and disadvantaged students is because students lack the same background information, vocabulary, and story knowledge that are necessary for subsequent knowledge building. According to Hirsch (2016), it is the job of the school in a free republic to ensure that all citizens have a common storehouse of knowledge from which to draw. Hence, it is necessary that the elementary years be devoted to learning— often by rote and by drill—large swaths of information that are available and common to all.  While this has not been a popular stance in education over the past almost 100 years, with the notable decline in reading outcomes, it is gaining attention. At a national level, knowledge-based curriculums are gaining attention with phrases like the “Science of Learning,” “Science of Reading” and even now the “Science of Math.”  In line with this knowledge-based curriculum and Hirsch's theory, there is the classical curriculum. Classical education presents itself in contrast to the dominating utilitarian philosophy of education, emphasizing rather disciplines that are believed to produce good humans over those who are simply college and career-ready. It uses a rigorous content-rich core with a 2,500-year history. Here to discuss classical curriculum is Josh Longenecker. He is the co-founder of The Classical Academy of Sarasota with his wife Harmony, as well as the Headmaster. Call to action: Push for knowledge-based education rather than the latest educational fads to end the ongoing disparity between advantaged and disadvantaged students. Students need the same background information, vocabulary, and story knowSupport the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on inclusive classrooms for students with intellectual disabilities with filmmaker Olivier Bernier. How does inclusivity impact student success?There are an estimated 7.3 million children with disabilities, accounting for 14% of the students enrolled in our public school system. According to The Individuals with Disabilities Act, students with disabilities are guaranteed the right to be education in the least restrictive environment, usually referred to as the general education classroom.In 1994, an analysis concluded that "special-needs students educated in regular classes do better academically and socially than comparable students in non-inclusive settings." Furthermore, a national study on inclusive education by the National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion in 1995 reported academic, behavioral, and social benefits for both students with and without disabilities.Even with significant literature documenting successful inclusion practices almost 30 years ago, many students with disabilities today still face a segregated classroom reality. Olivier's son, Emilio, was born with Down syndrome almost seven years ago. Since then, he and his wife Hilda have sought what all parents want for their child: to be included.Olivier used his background as a filmmaker to create the award-winning documentary, "Forget Me Not: Inclusion in the Classroom," released in October 2022. It features his family and their journey into the most segregated school system in the nation: New York City. Surprised? I was.Here is the call to action: support inclusive classrooms in your schools. Inclusion is the educational philosophy based on the belief that it is every person's inherent right to fully participate in society, implying the acceptance of differences. True acceptance of diversity develops within the school environment and is then carried into the home, workplace, and community where we all live.To learn more, watch the trailer: https://vimeo.com/cinemalibrestudio/forgetmenottrailerOr go to: www.forgetmenotdocumentary.comfacebook.com/forgetmenotdocumentaryinstagram.com/forgetmenotdocumentarytwitter.com/fmndocSupport the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

 How can we improve children’s mental health to increase academic success?In this episode, JoAnn Tomer discusses her experience as a mental health therapist and her work with children and horses as we focus on children’s mental health and its effects in the classroom.According to the CDC in 2022 on the state of Children's Mental Health, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and behavior problems are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children. About 3 in 10 children with ADHD had anxiety. Estimates among children aged 3-17 years, in 2016-19, were that approximately 6.0 million had ADHD, 5.8 million had Anxiety, 5.5 million had behavior problems, and 2.7 million suffer from Depression.Add COVID into the mix since then, and these rates of depression and anxiety are increasing. It is a major concern that parents and educators are facing as it can lead to academic and behavior issues in the classroom. So what options are there to help?Well, animals can offer an extraordinary amount of emotional support. Beyond the pet-owner relationship, animals are sometimes used in therapeutic settings. ADHD is an additional area where equine-assisted psychotherapy can be helpful.The Journal for Creativity in Mental Health stated that introducing horses to the therapeutic process showed significantly increased positive behaviors while reducing negative behaviors. Studies shown that clients can experience a variety of benefits from equine-assisted psychotherapy and that clients feel that they've achieved something on their own, rather than being told to do something by a parent or teacher.So here is the call to action: Equine-assisted mental health therapy has a proven track record of use and success since Ancient Greece. So, if you're a parent looking for alternatives to help your child with ADHD, anxiety, or depression I highly recommend finding one in your area.Equine-assisted psychotherapy available at http://www.horsepowerforhealing.net Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on school boards and their effect on student achievement. What makes a school board effective?Research over the past 20 years clearly links the beliefs, actions, and relationships of school board members with student outcomes. Scholars compared districts with similar levels of poverty and disadvantage to determine factors that separate high-performing districts from those with low performance and contrasted the school boards. School board members in high-performing districts have attitudes, knowledge and approaches that are vastly different from boards in low-achieving districts. Here to discuss these effective attitudes, knowledge, and approaches for school board members to improve student outcomes, is education reform advocate and author AJ Crabill.AJ is Conservator at DeSoto Independent School District and Governance Director at Council of the Great City Schools. He is also an author of the books, "Great on Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail, How Yours Can Become Effective," and the forthcoming companion workbook, "Effective School Boards Framework: A Practitioner's Manual For School Board Leaders Wanting to Improve Student Outcomes. So here is the call to action: Become an active member in your community and support a school board focused on student success. To learn more about AJ Crabill and his books, go to his website at https://www.ajcrabill.com. Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on life coaching  for young adults with Pam Burke. How can a life coach help your child through the transitional college years to increase their odds of success?Every year, over a million college students drop out of school. The majority are first-year students with an average dropout rate at 24.3%. Younger students are more likely to drop out because of low interest in the career stream and disinterest in college.  This leaves the typical undergraduate college student with approximately $14,000 in student loan debt with an income at 35% lower than that of a college graduate.  Needless to say, if you're going to make the jump into college, it's best to know what you want and finish it. As parents, we have invested a lot into our children's future up until the point of high school graduation and we've been there to support them the whole time. But a million college dropouts a year say we need to find a way to improve the transition. If you're feeling hopeless, you're not alone. There is a little known resource called life coaching that can help.Pamela Burke joins the show to talk about she uses life coaching to help high school and college students navigate through these difficult transitional times to increase their success.Pam is a certified Martha Beck Wayfinder life coach and founder of Pam Burke Coaching. She is also a certified school counselor with experience in high school and elementary school where she found ways to not only support children, but the teachers and parents too. She explains how life coaching benefits young adults, the difference between life coaching and counseling, and her approach.  Additionally, she gives parents advice so that they know not only if life coaching is a good fit for their child, but how to approach these transitional years with success.So here is the call to action: Too many kids are unprepared for college leading to a million dropouts a year and increased financial burdens. Consider a life coach as a powerful change agent to help navigate through the transitional high school, college, and career phases to improve their odds at success. To learn more about life coaching for kids or reach out to Pam Burke visit her website, Pam Burke Coaching, at www.pamburkSupport the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on virtual school in special education as a variable with Barbara Southwick. She discusses how virtual school in special education is an untapped resource that opens up possibilities in students with disabilities. In 2021, I published a study comparing third grade reading proficiency levels in virtual schools and face-to-face schools for the state of Florida. Data showed that since 2015, students with disabilities that attended a virtual school outperformed students in a face-to-face schools by 13.9 percentage points.I was so passionate about getting the information out to parents and educators to change the lens in which we view distance education, that I wrote the book, America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What We Learned from COVID to get the information out into the world.Special Education teacher, Barbara Southwick heard the message, which confirmed what she was experiencing in her classroom. She made a decision to take action.In the fall of 2022, she founded the nonprofit organization, Spectrum Education, Inc. a virtual learning community of dedicated parents and educators offering virtual education for children in grades 3-12 with unique abilities. What she saw in student growth is heartwarming and gives hope for families. Her work is innovative and groundbreaking for students needing instruction with a modified curriculum. Call to action: Support Distance Education as a viable option to better serve student's learning needs through flexibility and personalization.To learn more, go to www.spectrumeducator.org.Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on curriculum as a variable for student success with education writer and author Natalie Wexler. She discusses the importance of using a knowledge-based curriculum in schools and explains how cognitive science plays a vital role in how we teach it. This is important because the American nation's report card (NAEP) showed that 60 percent of high-school graduates were unprepared for postsecondary training or schooling and that racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps persist despite large-scale federal, state, and local reform initiatives aimed to improve student performance. However, the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy reported how studies identifying comprehensive, content-rich curriculum as a critical factor in student academic success was the common feature of academically high-performing countries as measured by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This podcast discuss what content-rich, knowledge-based curriculum is available to our schools now.So here is the call to action: Make curriculum a top priority. Follow the research, use what cognitive scientists are telling us, and look at what is successful around the world. Use a content-rich, knowledge-based curriculum to give students the best chance at learning to read and to ultimately have a better future.You can find out more by going to https://nataliewexler.com. Natalie gives information about her books The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System--and How to Fix It (2019), and The Writing Revolution: Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades (2017). Sign up for her newsletter Minding the Gap to stay up to date with education and cognitive science! To find more on knowledge-based curriculums visit https://knowledgematterscampaign.org/. Want a free content-specific curriculum? Go to https://www.coreknowledge.org/free-resource/core-knowledge-sequence/. Finally, here are two resources for effective learning strategies from Learning Scientists:-https://www.leSupport the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.

In this episode, I focus on theory as a variable. How can theory affect positive change in education? Here to discuss theory in education is Dr. Michael Grahame Moore. He first defined distance education in his Theory of Transactional Distance in 1972 and then expanded on that in 1997. He was named as “one of the 128 most important, influential, innovative and interesting thinkers on education of all time,” by The Routledge Encyclopedia of Educational Thinkers in 2016. Dr. Moore is internationally recognized for establishing the scholarly study of distance education and for pioneering the practice of teaching online.Theory affects positive change in education because it uses scholarly study and research to describe what we know works. The Theory of Transactional Distance is not new, only the full and sudden emergence of America’s classrooms online in 2020. As a nation, we took a huge leap forward teaching from online platforms. While it felt painful because the educational system was not prepared, we still learned a lot and advanced. Now, educational leaders and politicians need to keep the momentum moving forward. COVID was the wake-up call to America that the way we are preparing teachers is outdated.  So here is the call to action: Teachers and parents- advocate for distance education teacher training through your state and district. Online education whether it’s pure, blended, hybrid, or hyflex is growing and we need the best education for our children. This is only possible through applying sound theories to teaching methods.Support the showPlease subscribe and share this podcast with a friend to spread the good!If you find value to this podcast, consider becoming a supporter with a $3 subscription. Click on the link to join: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/supportTo help this podcast reach others, rate and review on Apple Podcasts! Go to Library, choose The Brighter Side of Education, and scroll down to Reviews. It's just that easy. Thank you!Want to share a story? Email me at drlisarichardsonhassler@gmail.com.Visit my website for resources: http://www.drlisarhassler.comThe music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram. Buy my books! America's Embarrassing Reading Crisis: What we learned from COVID, A guide to help educational leaders, teachers, and parents change the game, is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible, and iTunes. My Weekly Writing Journal: 15 Weeks of Writing for Primary Grades on Amazon.