Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.

Olivia Wahl
  • 4.7 (46)
  • Education
  • Updated Biweekly

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!

  1. 20h ago

    I See, I Hear, I've Got You: Changing How We Teach with The NeuroWild Shift

    In this S3E29 Schoolutions conversation, Emily (Em) Hammond shares why she built NeuroWild after her own late autism and ADHD diagnosis, and after years of translating abstract concepts into illustrations for the neurodivergent kids and families she works with as a speech pathologist. She walks through The NeuroWild Shift, her three-stage framework for classroom belonging and student engagement: I See You, I Hear You, I've Got You. The conversation covers fluctuating capacity, why lowering the hoop matters more than raising expectations, and why rewards and punishment train kids to mask instead of thrive. Em and I talk about inclusive teaching, instructional strategies for neurodivergent students, and how educators can build a classroom culture where every kid, not just the neurodivergent ones, feels safe enough to try. Em also breaks down why deep interests belong in every subject, how culturally responsive teaching and anti-bias teaching connect to equity in education, and why a pro-kid, whole child mindset produces thriving students and empowered educators. If you care about instructional leadership, school change, or just want inspired teaching that treats kids like people instead of behavior charts, this one's for you. Episode Mentions: The NeuroWild ShiftDr. Ross Greene - Children will do well if they can.Vygotsky’s Zones of DevelopmentNeuro-affirming vs. neuro-damaging responsesUDLDrive (excerpt) by Daniel PinkEm’s Teachers Pay Teachers ShopNeuroWild Shift:    NeuroWild Shift Information Packet (49 pages) by Emily Hammond -NeuroWild (teacherspayteachers.com)   (This is the full-priced one.)NeuroWild Shift Information Packet (49 pages), Parent Discount | TPT (teacherspayteachers.com) (This is the parent discount one.)Free Executive functioning handout for classrooms:     Regulation and Executive Function Handout (7-page colored document) (teacherspayteachers.com)Free handout for supporting ND students in classrooms:  Helping Neurodivergent Students Find Success in the Classroom | TPT (teacherspayteachers.com)Connect and Learn with Em: on Instagramon FacebookChapters 0:00 Intro 1:01 Meet Emily Hammond 1:25 An inspiring teacher story 4:51 How Em built NeuroWild 8:13 Why the system fails neurodivergent kids 9:29 What is The NeuroWild Shift 10:58 Neurodivergent vs neurotypical, defined 12:31 Stage One: I See You 13:30 Stage Two: I Hear You 15:17 Stage Three: I've Got You 16:17 The basketball hoop analogy 19:21 What kids learn when they're shamed 23:37 The Opportunity stage 27:09 Zones of development and asset-based teaching 30:22 Neuro-affirming vs neuro-damaging responses 31:54 Teaching through deep interests 35:34 The mental health crisis for neurodivergent adults 39:26 Building a classroom where kids feel safe 42:23 Why rewards and punishment backfire 48:33 Where to find NeuroWild Schoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE!  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #TeacherPodcast#NeuroWild #NeurodivergentKids #InclusiveTeaching #StudentEngagement #ClassroomBelonging #TeacherSupport #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolLeadership #EquityInEducation #AutismAwareness #ADHDinSchool #WholeChild #EducationPodcast #SchoolutionsPodcast #TeachingTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #ParentInvolvement #NeurodiversityAffirming #ClassroomCulture #studentsuccess  When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

  2. 2d ago

    Are You Quoting Too Much? A Simple Writing Tip (Writing Wednesday)

    Happy Writing Wednesday. This week's tip is about a decision writers make constantly: quote it directly, paraphrase it, or summarize it. I pulled an old favorite off my shelf, Emily Kissner's Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling. I've had this book since 2006 and it still holds up. Some quotes need to stay word for word. Others work better paraphrased. The book helps me sort out which is which before I hand my writing off to a reader. I recommend this resource for teachers working with students in grades 3 through 12. If you teach writing at any of those levels, it's worth pulling off your own shelf or picking up a copy. Chapters: 0:00 Welcome to Writing Wednesday 0:16 This week's tip: quote, paraphrase, or summarize 0:35 An old book back off the shelf 1:00 Why grades 3 through 12 can use this book 1:12 Rereading your own writing with fresh eyes 1:30 See you next Wednesday 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise. #OliviaWahlCoachingConsulting #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #5PracticesOfExpertTeachers #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBasedClassroomReadyStrategies #WritingWednesday #WritingWednesday #TeachingTips #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeacherCoaching #NewTeachers #WritingInstruction #ELATeacher #MentorTeachers #EducationStrategies When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

  3. 4d ago

    Using Micro Mentor Texts: Standing Next to & Teaching Beautiful Writing

    In this S2E31 Schoolutions conversation, Penny Kittle lives by her words, "When you stand next to beautiful writing, your writing is just kind of set free." Penny shares how her latest book, Micro Mentor Texts: Using Short Passages From Great Books to Teach Writer's Craft offers a process for studying and teaching on the shoulders of incredible authors as mentors to transform student writing. Ep. Mentions: Donald MurrayDonald GravesThomas NewkirkTom RomanoBook Love FoundationMatt de la PeñaKelly Gallagher-180 Days & Four Essential StudiesAndrea Davis PinkneyRebekah O'DellKwame Alexander (My Mother's Fried Chicken Was a Link to My Past—and My Daughter's Future)All Parents are Cowards Sarah Zerwin-Point-LessEzra Klein Chris CrutcherPeter ElbowJacqueline WoodsonPenny's Recommendations: Writing with Mentors: How to Reach Every Writer in the Room Using Current, Engaging Mentor Texts The Teacher You Want to Be: Essays about Children, Learning, and Teaching  Craft and Process Studies: Units That Provide Writers with Choice of Genre Penny's Selected Writing: On Joy, Teaching, and the Deep Satisfaction of WritingNCTE Speech: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in Teaching Engaged in Young Adult Literature: A Collaborative ConversationConnect: via Website on Instagram (Penny&Book Love Foundation)on Twitteron LinkedInon YouTubeon Mighty NetworksSchoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #TeacherPodcast #WritingInstruction #MentorTexts #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherTips #StudentEngagement #EffectiveTeaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #WholeChildEducation #TeachersOfYouTube #PennyKittle #TopTeacherEpisodes When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

  4. Aug 14

    Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics

    Dr. Peter Liljedahl breaks down why 80% of students sit through a math lesson without ever thinking, and what actually fixes it. This episode covers the research behind Building Thinking Classrooms: random groups, vertical whiteboards, and the difference between a thinking task and a mimicking task. Peter and host Olivia Wahl talk through classroom behavior, student engagement, and why low engagement often starts with how a room is set up, not who's in it. They dig into active learning, student motivation, and what happens to attention in class when kids stop feeling anonymous. Peter shares research-backed education strategies and instructional strategies that hold up across grade levels, plus specific teaching tips for lesson planning that most teachers have never tried. This conversation is built for teachers looking for effective teaching methods, instructional coaching ideas, and innovative teaching approaches that don't require a new curriculum, just a new "how." ⭐Thank you to Peter and Corwin Press, who are so generous in offering a 25% discount & free shipping PROMO CODE (CORWIN25) for Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Peter Liljedahl 00:24 Peter's background and credentials 01:24 The teacher who told him "you can be better than this" 06:15 Why most students never think in a typical lesson 09:33 The Building Thinking Classrooms framework 12:34 Random groups vs. strategic and self-selected grouping 17:35 Thinking tasks vs. mimicking tasks 21:34 Why grouping has to be visibly random 26:24 The hidden problem with digital randomizers 32:01 Over-scaffolding and how it shapes student mindset 33:55 Rethinking labels and IEPs in the classroom 37:29 Push-in support, RTI, and what the research shows 42:10 Why vertical whiteboards change everything 45:57 What "fidelity" actually means in this framework 49:42 Test scores, teacher impact, and long-term results 52:26 Closing thoughts Schoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #BuildingThinkingClassrooms #PeterLiljedahl #MathEducation #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EducationPodcast #TeachingTips #EffectiveTeaching #WholeChild#buildingthinkingclassrooms #BTCthinks #peterliljedahl #mathematics #math #problemsolving #thinkingclassrooms #thinkingclassroom #nctm #principlestoactions #teachersfollowteachers #edchat  When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

  5. Aug 12

    What I Learned When My Friend Read My Writing Aloud to Me (Writing Wednesday)

    Reading your own writing out loud catches a lot of errors. But, reading it out loud yourself is not the same as hearing someone else read it back to you. In this Writing Wednesday, I talk about what happened when my friend Katie Kelly read the opening of a chapter I wrote. Hearing her voice on my own words showed me exactly where the writing dragged, where it confused her, and where I could cut without losing anything. I was too close to my own draft to see it clearly. This takes five minutes and changes how you edit. This habit fits directly into professional development, teacher coaching, and instructional strategies you can use today. Ask a colleague, a mentor teacher, or a friend to read your next email or lesson plan back to you. Notice what changes. Chapters: 0:00 Why reading your writing aloud matters 0:20 The habit I already had 0:35 Katie Kelly reads my writing back to me 1:00 What I heard that I couldn't see on my own 1:20 My new recommendation 1:35 See you next Writing Wednesday 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise. #OliviaWahlCoachingConsulting #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #5PracticesOfExpertTeachers #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBasedClassroomReadyStrategies #WritingWednesday #TeachingTips #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #EffectiveTeaching #TeacherSupport #EducationCoaches #InstructionalLeaders #InspiredTeaching When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

  6. Aug 10

    20 Years in Kindergarten Taught Me This About Joy

    Kindergarten teacher extraordinaire "Mr. Greg" of The Kindergarten Smorgasboard and ELEVATE Conference shares why being a teacher matters most. Listeners will leave inspired by Greg's hilarious tales from the classroom and practical tips to try right away with their students!   Episode Mentions:  The Kindergarten SmorgasboardResource CenterBlogBasket Head ELEVATE ConferenceHolly Ehle - The Science of Literacy LearningScheduling Sunday!Greg's Recommendations: Greg HIGHLY recommends a doorbell for the classroomGreg HIGHLY recommends glue sponges to replace glue sticksHere is a great DIY sensory bin ideaABC Bootcamp is one of the most effective ways to teach letters & sounds in early elementary. The HOW & WHYChapters 0:00 Welcome to Schoolutions with Mr. Greg Smedley-Warren 0:54 The Teacher Who Inspired Greg: Mrs. Sears 2:50 Why Greg Became a Teacher 3:56 What Public Education Is Actually For 4:55 Building Play and Inquiry Into Kindergarten 6:26 The Basket Head Game 8:05 Curriculum Pacing vs. Teacher Judgment 10:02 The Post-COVID "Learning Loss" Narrative 11:28 How Greg's Kindergarten Team Plans Each Week 12:15 Staying in the Classroom Right Now 14:19 Real Stories from a Real Kindergarten Classroom 16:12 The Student Who Narrates the Whole Day 17:32 Why Kids Need Structure and Routine 19:22 The Science of Reading with Holly Ehle 20:22 The Unofficial Fun Squad 21:16 Why Greg Started The Kindergarten Smorgasboard 21:38 The Envelope: How Greg Got Assigned to Kindergarten 23:52 Calling His Mom and Falling in Love with the Job 24:54 Starting the Blog 26:31 Balancing Family, Teaching, and Creative Time 27:53 Learning to Say No 28:57 Sunday Planning 30:31 Being Honest on Hard Days 32:50 Greg's Call to Action for Teachers 34:22 Why Teachers Need Each Other 35:14 Closing Thoughts Schoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedclassroomreadystrategies #KindergartenSmorgasboard #TeacherPodcast #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalCoaching #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #InclusiveTeaching #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #ClassroomBelonging #NewTeachers #TeachingTips #SchoolLeadership #WholeChildEducation #EducatorLife #StrongerTogether When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

  7. Aug 7

    Kids Deserve More Than Answers: They Deserve Ownership

    Discover why true educational transformation happens when we shift from content-centered to student-centered learning! In this insightful conversation, educators Julie Wright and James Goldberg share wisdom from their book The Limitless Classroom: Mantras to Deepen Learning. Learn how giving students time, purpose, and ownership develops genuine curiosity and transferable skills. Julie and James explain their three powerful mantras: Kids deserve more time to think and doKids deserve the why and how, not just the whatKids deserve to own their learning journeyWhether you're a teacher, coach, or administrator, you'll leave with practical strategies to prioritize student voice, create menus of opportunities, and embrace responsive instruction that meets learners where they are. Check out these resources from Julie and James! Slide Deck with Graphics PDF with GraphicsJulie’s BooksChapters: 0:00 - Introduction and Overview  1:59 - Meet Julie Wright and James Goldberg  3:50 - The Purpose of "The Limitless Classroom"  4:40 - How Julie and James Met and Collaborated  7:54 - Why Mantras for Teaching?  9:40 - Mantra 1: Kids Deserve More Time to Think and Do  13:55 - Responsive Classroom Approach  17:02 - Mantra 2: Kids Deserve the Why and How, Not Just the What  21:55 - Surface to Deep Learning  24:00 - Mantra 3: Kids Deserve to Own Their Learning Journey  27:00 - Student Ownership Revelation Story  28:30 - Creating Menus of Opportunities  34:35 - Call to Action for Educators  40:00 - Conclusion and Contact Information Schoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedclassroomreadystrategies #LimitlessClassroom #EducationalMantras #StudentCenteredLearning #EducationTransformation #TeachingMantras #ClassroomStrategies #DeepLearning #StudentVoice #ResponsiveTeaching #TeacherProfessionalDevelopment #MathEducation #LiteracyInstruction #MeaningMaking #CurriculumIntegration #LimitlessClassroom #EducationalCoaching #TeacherCollaboration #ContentIntegration #TeachingStrategies #StudentAgency #MeaningfulLearning #EducationTransformation #ResponsiveTeaching  When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

    Kids Deserve More Than Answers: They Deserve Ownership

  8. Aug 5

    We All Have Our Own Writing Process (Writing Wednesday)

    I spent last week at the Quoddy Writing Retreat in Lubec, Maine. My colleague Angela teaches fifth- and sixth-grade writers. She tells her students that every writer works differently. Some students write inductively. They start with small stories and scattered facts, then hunt for the pattern that reveals the big idea. Other students start with the big idea. They find the stories and facts that support it afterward. Angela's lesson applies to any writer, young or old. It has real value for lesson planning and instructional strategies. Teachers, mentor teachers, and teacher coaches can use it directly: ask students how they naturally build an idea before you teach them how to organize one. This kind of insight comes from real conversations that happen between teachers who trust each other. New teachers need this kind of teacher support. Experienced teachers need the reminder too. Naming a student's writing process is a small move. It changes how a student sees their own thinking. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro & Setting: Happy Writing Wednesday opener, mention of the Quoddy Writing Retreat in Maine 0:08 - Introducing Angela's Insight: Angela and her fifth and sixth grade writers, the idea that every writer has their own process 0:18 - Inductive Writers: Students who start with small stories and facts, then find the pattern to reach a big idea 0:28 - Big-Idea-First Writers: Students who start with the big idea, then find supporting facts and stories 0:36 - Takeaway & Sign-off: Why this applies to writers of any age, closing with Happy Writing Wednesday 🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise:  #OliviaWahlCoachingConsulting #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #5PracticesOfExpertTeachers #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBasedClassroomReadyStrategies #WritingWednesday #HappyWritingWednesday #TeachingTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherSupport #WritingProcess #EffectiveTeaching #NewTeachers #TeacherMentors #EducationStrategies When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive. When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.

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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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