• Brokers of Hope, Cultures of Joy – with Dean Shareski

    Brokers of Hope, Cultures of Joy – with Dean Shareski
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    • How can educators model healthy skepticism while also being brokers of hope regarding AI tools?
    • What practical boundaries can we set so our students don’t outsource their critical thinking to algorithms?
    • With all that is going on in education and politics, how can we preserve cultures of joy in today’s classrooms?

    About This Guest

    Dean is a Senior Partnership Consultant with Advanced Learning Partnerships, bringing decades of experience at the intersection of education, leadership, and innovation. He works closely with school systems to translate big ideas—especially around learning design, leadership development, and emerging technologies—into practical, scalable strategies. Known for his clear thinking and candid approach, Dean helps leaders move from aspiration to action.

    Connect with Dean Shareski

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Dean Shareski is an author, speaker, writer, and K-12 education consultant
    • 1:50 – Educators as “brokers of hope”
    • 4:53 – How to model healthy skepticism with AI tools
    • 7:38 – Losing students’ productive struggle to AI
    • 13:38 – Leverage digital tools to amplify and transform student learning
    • 17:26 – How to protect the wonder and joy of our classrooms
    • 20:59 – Building school teams like the Blue Jays of 2025
    • 24:42 – Sports gambling creeping into schools
    • 28:31 – What gives Dean hope for the future
    • 31:48 – What keeps Dean’s fire for learning burning bright
    • 34:33 – How and where to connect with Dean Shareski online

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

  • Are Our Schools TOO SAFE? A Conversation with Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni

    Are Our Schools TOO SAFE? A Conversation with Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni
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    • What does recess look like if it is as safe as necessary but not as safe as possible?
    • What are the links between the decline of independent, risky play and the rise in student anxiety?
    • How do we distinguish between healthy ‘rough-and-tumble’ play and actual aggression?

    My guests in this episode are Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni, the authors of the recently published Embracing Risky Play at School: Getting Kids Outdoors to Explore, Learn, and Grow. 

    About These Guests

    Dr. Mariana Brussoni is a Professor within the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine and a scientist with British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, where she leads the Outside Play Lab. Her research reimagines how outdoor and risky play can be integrated into everyday life to help children thrive.

    Dr. Megan Zeni is a teacher consultant and researcher in the province of BC. She has 3 decades of professional K-7 teaching experience in classrooms, outdoor classrooms, and school gardens. Megan supports just about anyone interested in building capacity for effective and sustainable implementation of risky play, school gardens, and outdoor classrooms in elementary schools. Learn more and follow her work at meganzeni.com.

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Welcoming Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni 
    • 2:00 – Distinguishing between RISKS and HAZARDS in the school environment
    • 5:24 – As safe as necessary but not as safe as possible
    • 7:14 – Surplus safety as a barrier to development
    • 10:06 – The 17-second pause before intervening
    • 12:42 – Links between the decline of risky play and the rise in student anxiety
    • 18:35 – Creating ‘Yes spaces’ in our schools
    • 27:02 – Healthy rough-and-tumble play vs actual aggression
    • 30:19 – Items to add to a playground
    • 35:22 – Going outdoors consistently beats occasional trips
    • 38:16 – How and where to connect with the authors online

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

  • Are Classroom AI Tools Doing More Harm Than Good? with Massachusetts History Teacher David Cutler

    Are Classroom AI Tools Doing More Harm Than Good? with Massachusetts History Teacher David Cutler
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    • Is it still possible to engage productively as a teacher on social media?
    • What do our students risk losing when they lean into AI tools and strategies?
    • What can be gained by bringing student writing to authentic audiences?

    About This Guest, David Cutler

    David is a dad, husband, and writer. He’s also a veteran US history, government, and journalism teacher who is exploring AI in education with caution.

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – David Cutler is a high school history and journalism teacher in Massachusetts
    • 1:30 – “ChatGPT has no place in my classoom!”
    • 2:41 – Don’t let AI climb the hill for our kids
    • 6:01 – Too much help from AI tools
    • 7:49 – Is there a contradiction in belief when teachers use AI tools?
    • 12:01 – How teachers can use social media productively
    • 17:38 – Teaching students to identify fake news
    • 20:53 – Using comic books in the social studies classroom
    • 22:40 – The value of frequent, low-stakes assessments
    • 24:49 – Sharing student writing with authentic audiences
    • 27:31 – Why David writes about education on Medium
    • 30:10 – How and where to connect with David Cutler online

    Connect with David Cutler

    • on LinkedIn,
    • on X @spinedu,
    • on Instagram @teachercutler,
    • on Medium at medium.com/@spincutler, and 
    • on his website, dcutler.pressfolios.com.

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

  • Eric Sheninger: Navigating a Changing Landscape with Clarity, Intention, and Purpose

    Eric Sheninger: Navigating a Changing Landscape with Clarity, Intention, and Purpose
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    • How can education leaders help staff move from AI anxiety to AI optimism and fluency?
    • How can we make sure that pedagogy always trumps technology in our classrooms?
    • How can we promote the kind of disruptive thinking necessary to future-proof our learners for an unpredictable world?

    About This Guest, Eric Sheninger

    Eric works with schools throughout the world, helping educators meet and exceed their potential to improve outcomes for learners. He is the founder and CEO of Aspire Change EDU, a collaborative consultancy designed to provide personalized support to all educational systems. Prior to this, he was a teacher and an award-winning Principal at New Milford High School.

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Eric Sheninger is an award-winning principal, author, and speaker.
    • 2:01 – About his book, Personalize: Meeting the Needs of All Learners 
    • 3:47 – Leveraging technology and personalized learning frameworks
    • 7:56 – How to use AI as a force multiplier as education leaders
    • 12:57 – Which AI tools Eric uses for which purposes
    • 16:22 – How to move from AI anxiety to AI optimism and fluency
    • 21:16 – Pedagogy trumps technology – and that includes AI
    • 24:59 – The disruptive thinking necessary to future-proof our learners
    • 28:02 – Words for the innovative educator who feels alone
    • 34:06 – How and where to connect with Eric online
    • 34:54 – Eric’s current work on a next book

    Connect with Eric

    • on LinkedIn,
    • on X @E_Sheninger,
    • on Instagram @esheninger, 
    • on YouTube @EricSheninger, and
    • on his website at https://ericsheninger.com/.

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

  • Building School Cultures That Lift All Learners – with Texas Principal Josh Tovar

    Building School Cultures That Lift All Learners – with Texas Principal Josh Tovar
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    • What does it look like to put student connections before content?
    • How can we help every student in our communities feel a sense of belonging?
    • How can we leverage social media to tell stronger stories as building leaders?

    About This Guest, Josh Tovar

    Josh is the proud principal at Memorial Pathway Academy in Garland ISD, just outside of Dallas, Texas. Josh has been in education for over thirty years and has supported at all levels from elementary to university. Josh is the proud son of Virginia and Jesus Tovar, a proud immigrant to the USA and former US Marine.

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Josh Tovar is the principal of Memorial Pathway Academy in Garland, TX
    • 1:43 – How Josh’s wife empowers his leadership
    • 7:29 – “No More Orange Jumpsuits” at MPA
    • 15:47 – How Josh uses social media to tell stories and build culture
    • 21:40 – How Josh makes every MPA student feel that they belong
    • 27:02 – Combining the discipline of the Marines with love and joy
    • 30:59 – How Josh relates with students who have made big mistakes
    • 34:30 – Josh’s contributions on two recent ed leadership books
    • 39:33 – How and where to connect with Josh online

    Connect with Josh

    • on LinkedIn,
    • and on X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @JTspotlights.

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.