Shows
Coaching the Whole Educator#146: Stop Hoping, Start Coaching For It: Why Optimism Isn’t OptionalSend us a text**Check out The Resistance Remedy HERE!**Can you lead with optimism without slipping into toxic positivity? In this episode, Jason Adair from Southern Regional Education Board and I unpack what real optimism looks like in schools—and why it’s a critical ingredient in the Ownership Mindset.We explore the difference between sugarcoated cheerleading and grounded, actionable hope. Drawing on the work of Simon Sinek and Martin Seligman, they highlight how coaches can model optimism, build agency, and support accountability—especially when the system...2025-07-2028 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSummer AI Series: How to Pick AI Tools for Your SchoolSend us a text In this final episode of our special AI series, Ashley Shaw is joined by Leslie Eaves to discuss the crucial "AI Checklist" – a practical guide for educators and leaders looking to implement artificial intelligence tools in their K-12 classrooms. This episode wraps up our deep dive into the "Guidance on AI and K-12 Instruction" report and its practical applications.In this episode, you'll learn about:The Purpose of the AI Checklist: Understand how this checklist serves as an essential guide for evaluating and selecting AI tools, ens...2025-07-1827 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastPacesetter Spotlight: Bryant Park Elementary's Art Integration ProgramSend us a textIn this episode, Daniel Rock and Jason Adair delve into the remarkable journey of Bryant Park Elementary, an SREB Pacesetter School in Jefferson County, Alabama. We talk to Principal Cortney Slaughter and teacher Alex Wilson about how they built a thriving school from the ground up since its opening in 2020.In this episode, you'll learn about:Embracing the "Why" and Building Ownership: Discover how Bryant Park Elementary went beyond checklists, fostering deep teacher ownership and rich conversations, allowing for productive struggle that led to a...2025-07-1752 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastFeatured Speaker Spotlight: Creating Community Programs With PENCILSend us a textIn this episode, we're joined by Aimee Wyatt, SREB's director of leadership and professional learning, and our special guests from PENCIL: Alayna Cate, director of partnerships, and Bob Kucher, chief partnerships and programs officer. PENCIL is a Nashville-based non-profit dedicated to connecting businesses and the community with Metro Nashville Public Schools. In this episode, you'll learn about:Pencil's Mission and History: Discover how PENCIL, a 43-year-old non-profit, serves as a vital link between the business community and public schools in Nashville, based on the belief that a...2025-07-1645 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastPacesetter Spotlight: Richland High School’s AP Program and Career ConnectednessSend us a textWelcome back to Part 2 of our special episode with Richland High School in Mississippi! In this continuation, Principal Marcus Stewart and Assistant Principal Heather Bryan delve deeper into the strategies and systems that have driven their school's remarkable growth. In this episode, you'll learn about:Boosting AP Enrollment and Proficiency: Discover how Richland High School doubled its AP enrollment and saw a jump in AP proficiency of over 30%. Stewart shares how they identify potential AP students and provide them with crucial support, including test fees and d...2025-07-1534 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastPacesetter Spotlight: Richland High School’s Flex BlockSend us a textWelcome to a special two-part episode of the Making Schools Work podcast! In this first installment, we're joined by Richard Morrison, senior leadership coach at SREB, as he discusses his three-year partnership with Richland High School in Mississippi. We also hear directly from Richland High School's principal, Marcus Stewart, and assistant principal, Heather Bryan, about their incredible journey of improvement.In this episode, you'll learn about:The Power of a Curriculum and Instructional Review (CIR): Discover how Richland High School, a middle-high school serving 7th-12th...2025-07-1434 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSpecial Announcement: Season 2 ChangesSend us a textIn this short announcement, Ashley and Dan sit down to talk about all of the exciting changes coming to the podcast in the fall. Season 2 has a lot of big changes, but each change is just to make it bigger and better for you. Plus, we talk about the Season 2 preview episodes we will be releasing during the 2025 Making Schools Work Conference from July 14-18. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, fro...2025-07-0911 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSummer AI Series: Teaching Students to Use AI Ethically and EffectivelySend us a textIn this final episode of season one, Ashley Shaw and guest Leslie Eaves, SREB’s director of project-based learning, explore Pillar 4 of SREB’s Guidance for the Use of AI in the K12 Classroom: ethical and proficient student use of AI.Ashley and Leslie discuss why it's not enough for educators to simply use AI—we need to help students use it responsibly, too. From media literacy to writing support to prompt engineering, this episode explores the skills students need to succeed with AI now and in the future.🧩 Topics in...2025-07-0841 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSummer AI Series: Using AI to Support Personalized LearningSend us a textPart of our summer series on SREB’s Guidance for the Use of AI in the K12 ClassroomIn this episode, Ashley talks with Leslie Eaves, SREB’s director of project-based learning, about how AI can support personalized learning.They dig into what it really means to differentiate in today’s classrooms and how teachers can use AI tools to give students tools to use at home, create custom learning plans and much more.Topics covered:What Pillar 3 is and why personalized learning mattersHow teachers can use AI...2025-07-0139 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSummer AI Series: Using AI to Help Streamline Teachers' Administrative and Planning TasksSend us a textPart of our summer series on SREB’s Guidance for the Use of AI in the K12 ClassroomIn this episode, host Ashley Shaw is joined by Leslie Eaves, SREB’s director of project-based learning, to talk about Pillar 2: Using AI to streamline teacher administrative and planning work. This conversation dives into practical, real-world ways teachers are using AI to save time—without giving up professional judgment. From parent emails to lesson planning to the elephant in the room (grading), Ashley and Leslie discuss where AI can ac...2025-06-2443 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSummer AI Series: Designing Cognitively Demanding Tasks With Help From AISend us a textIn this episode of Class-Act Coaching, we dive into Pillar 1 of SREB’s Guidance for the Use of AI in the K12 Classroom—using AI to design cognitively demanding tasks that engage students in deep, meaningful learning.Ashley is joined again by Leslie Eaves, SREB’s project-based learning program director, to talk about what makes a task truly cognitively demanding (hint: it’s about thinking, not just doing), and how AI tools can help teachers brainstorm, plan and scaffold rich learning experiences.We cover practical ways to use AI for less...2025-06-1749 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSummer AI Series: How to Get Started With AI in the K-12 ClassroomSend us a textIn this kickoff episode of our special summer series, Ashley Shaw sits down with Leslie Eaves, SREB's project-based learning director and a key member of the SREB Commission on AI in Education, to explore the new, free report: Guidance for the Use of AI in the K12 Classroom. Whether you’re AI-curious or already experimenting, this episode is your entry point into making AI a helpful tool—not a headache—in your classroom.What We Cover:Why SREB created this report (and who it’s for)The 4 pil...2025-06-0937 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSeason Wrap-Up: Collective Teacher Efficacy, Clarity and True EngagementSend us a textIn the final episode of the school year, the Class-Act Coaching crew is back together! Ashley is joined by co-hosts Jason and Dan to reflect on the biggest takeaways from this semester’s episodes — and this time, Dan takes the reins as host.Together, they dive into three powerful themes that kept coming up in coaching conversations:Collective Teacher Efficacy: What it really looks like in action — and how to tell if it’s missing.Teacher Clarity: Why learning goals and success criteria matter, not for complian...2025-05-0644 min
edWebcastsCareer-Launching Classrooms: Advanced Career Initiatives and DronesThis edWeb podcast is sponsored by Robolink.The webinar recording can be accessed here.Are you looking for ways to bring real-world relevance and career readiness into your classrooms? Join Dr. Beth Green, leader of the Advanced Career initiative at the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), and the Robolink team for this edWebinar to explore how hands-on learning with drones can help educators transform traditional instruction into high-impact, career-connected learning.Discover how SREB’s project-based learning curricula and Robolink’s classroom-ready drones equip students with technical and academic critical-thinking, communication, and collaboration skills that...2025-04-3058 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSpecial Episode: Coaching the Coaches - How One Georgia District Supports Instructional Coaching at Every LevelSend us a textIn this episode, Jason and Dan sit down with Kanisa Williams, an instructional coach from a large Georgia district, who coaches other instructional coaches. They talk about how coaching cycles are implemented not just with teachers, but with coaches, and the importance of modeling, trust-building and communication. Kanisa shares how she supports new coaches in clarifying their role, planning productive coaching cycles and using teacher data to identify priorities. Key Takeaways:How coaching cycles for instructional coaches mirror those for teachersWhy modeling and co-planning ar...2025-04-1550 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastDesigning Meaningful Projects: Making Project-Based Learning Work in the ClassroomSend us a textIn this episode of Class-Act Coaching, Ashley is joined by Marty Sugerik, an instructional coach with a passion for project-based learning (PBL). Marty shares practical coaching strategies to help teachers design or refine classroom projects that connect to real-world skills.Whether you’re a coach supporting teachers in PBL or an educator looking to strengthen your own projects, this conversation is packed with hands-on strategies for making learning more engaging and meaningful.Key Topics Covered:How instructional coaches can he...2025-04-0151 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastTips for Creating an Engaged Class: Writing, Movement and Meaningful TalkSend us a textGetting students to truly engage can be one of the hardest parts of teaching—but this episode is here to help! Ashley is joined by two instructional coaches, Kari Meldrum and Sharon Moehle, who share two powerful, easy-to-implement strategies that promote deeper student engagement across all content areas.Whether you teach math, ELA, science or social studies, these techniques are designed to get every student participating, thinking more critically and taking ownership of their learning—without requiring a co...2025-03-2529 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastThe Power of Planning: Collaborative Strategies for Stronger LessonsSend us a textPlanning comes up in nearly every episode of Class-Act Coaching—so this week, we’re giving it the spotlight it deserves. Ashley teams up with guest instructional coach Michelle Harada, who shares practical tips and research-backed strategies for improving the quality and efficiency of lesson planning, especially through collaborative planning.Michelle draws from years of experience supporting teachers across grade levels and content areas and breaks down why planning is more than just picking a resource—it’s about being intentional, setting clear goals an...2025-03-1146 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastSpecial Episode: Coaching Conversations – Microteaching and Meaningful ReflectionSend us a textThis week, we’re doing something a little different! In this special episode of Class-Act Coaching, we take you behind the scenes of a real coaching conversation between SREB Coach Jason Adair and Jen Zelena, a reading specialist and literacy coach at Broughal Middle School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.Jen has been leading an initiative called microteaching, where teachers film and reflect on their own lessons to make small but impactful instructional changes. In this episode, she shares her experience teaching an...2025-03-0429 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastCuriosity in the Classroom: How to Spark Student MotivationSend us a textWhy do some students naturally engage in learning while others seem uninterested? In this episode, Ashley is joined by Dan Rock, who takes on the role of coach, to dive deep into the power of curiosity and motivation in learning. Dan breaks down the research behind cognitive interest cues—simple yet powerful techniques teachers can use to increase student engagement, deepen learning and make lessons more memorable.Key Topics Covered:Why motivation is one of the strongest predictors of st...2025-02-2543 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastTeaching for Transfer: Ensuring Learning Sticks (Part 2)Send us a textWe’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Christi Edwards, where she shares her final two strategies for ensuring students don’t just succeed on class assignments but can apply their learning in future assessments and beyond. In this episode, Christi focuses on helping students regulate their own thinking and communicate their ideas effectively—two key skills that build confidence and deeper understanding.Key Topics Covered:How to teach students to self-regulate their thinking so they ta...2025-02-1841 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastTeaching for Transfer: Ensuring Learning Sticks (Part 1)Send us a textEver had a student ace all the assignments, but then struggle on a final essay or a state assessment? In this episode, Ashley and special guest co-host Jason Adair sit down with instructional coach Christi Edwards to tackle a key challenge in education: helping students transfer their learning beyond the classroom. Christi shares the first two of her four key strategies for ensuring students not only succeed in class but can apply their knowledge in future learning situations.Key Topics Covered:2025-02-1139 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastTeaching to the Standard: Breaking It Down and Building It UpSend us a textIn this episode, Ashley and Dan sit down with Juliana Coleman, an experienced science educator and instructional coach, to discuss how to effectively teach to a standard while ensuring students develop deeper understanding rather than just memorizing facts. Juliana breaks down common misconceptions about rigor, explains how to analyze standards to scaffold learning, and shares practical strategies for helping students think critically. Whether you're struggling to move beyond surface-level teaching or looking for ways to differentiate instruction wh...2025-02-0439 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastFrom Planning to Collaborating: A Semester of LearningSend us a textIn this special end-of-semester wrap-up, Ashley and Dan reflect on the four major themes explored in this semester's podcast episodes: Planning, Creating Authentic Work Experiences, Collaborating, and Building Connections with Students. They share key insights from their conversations with instructional coaches, highlight strategies that resonated, and discuss practical applications for teachers and coaches alike.Ashley reflects on what she's learned as a teacher, while Dan connects those lessons to coaching strategies that help teachers succeed. Whether you're a teacher looking to enhance your...2024-12-1054 min
The Making Schools Work PodcastBuilding Relationships: The Heart of a Thriving ClassroomSend us a textRodriquez "Rod" Leonard, a coach with extensive experience in K-12 education, shares valuable insights on building a positive and productive classroom culture.He emphasizes the importance of getting to know students as individuals, using those insights to inform instruction, and fostering student achievement. He encourages teachers to try one of his tips, starting with making a genuine effort to connect with their students. This can be accomplished through:Conversation: Engaging in meaningful dialogue.Inquiry: Asking questions t...2024-12-0333 min