Today, I’m continuing a hot topic in education right now -homework. My guests in this episode are incredible educators Starr Sackstein and Connie Hamilton who co-authored the excellent book, Hacking Homework. We have a great conversation that explores homework issues including giving practical ideas for how to do it right, if you have to do it all. And we also have a lot of fun!

In this episode, I have a great conversation with Alfonso, also known as Fonz, Mendoza of the website and podcast My EdTech Life. He is an Instructional Technologist and Google Innovator who shares a huge range of insights, ideas, effective pedagogy and of course, a slew of powerful tech tools. We also discuss his ideas of the future of education technology, and I hope his vision pans out, because it would be truly incredible.

My special guest today is educator and author Jacki Edry. She has experience with neurodivergence as an educator, a mother, and through an experience she herself had. Jacki has great suggestions for how teachers and parents can help our neurodivergent students and children, to understand them, and give them the tools to really succeed. We packed a lot in this discussion!

Overthrowing Education’s 3 anniversary is this month, and one way I wanted to celebrate was by replaying an early interview I loved with incredible educator and award-winning storyteller, Micaela Blei. She joined me for a great conversation about how to use story frames to bring learning alive, engage students and provide deeper learning.

In the last episode, I interviewed Jim Hahn and Jon Cassie, the founders of Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning to find out what their secret sauces to success are and how they can be added to other schools and classrooms. I thought it was important to also hear from some students at Qualia, Jiyen, Diego, and Ella.

In this episode, Jim Hahn and Jon Cassie from Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning and The Arete Institute chat with me about the many lessons and approaches more traditional style -schools, and actually all schools, can learn from Qualia and from its predecessor Arete Preparatory Academy.

Jacob Johnson, aka Grade Slayer shares his continuing journey on going gradeless and gives help for any teacher who wants to start.

On this episode I welcome back amazing educator and author, Matt Miller. After this episode, check out his appearance way back on episode 10. He is truly one of the best resources for teachers out there, and he again shares some of his wisdom, techniques, and tech tools to take your teaching to the next level no matter where you are in your career or what you’re teaching.

My guest, Barbara Heller, and I discuss how to integrate mindful meditation into your class routine to help your students feel centered, more focused and open up their channels to creativity, which can benefit all subjects.

As educators and parents, we need to listen more to what students are voicing about education. While I hope to have more students share their thoughts, I’m starting with my guest on this episode, 17-year-old student, Kayhan Ali, who shares important ideas about what’s missing in education today and how to make change.

Tara Raju, of the Mountain Region of the Anti-Defamation League, tells me all about an incredible resource for schools to create empathetic, tolerant learning environments for all students that work toward eliminating prejudice, implicit bias and bullying called No Place for Hate. We also discuss ways that individuals – whether teachers or students can try to combat these issues even when they don’t have the support they need from their school.