The Making Schools Work Podcast

SREB
  • 5.0 (4)
  • HOW TO
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join us each week as we talk to different SREB team members and educators across the country to find out the latest in school innovations. From classroom instruction to school leadership, we are going to examine what it is that makes schools work!

  1. What's Your Value? Part 1: Identity and Awareness for School Leaders

    4D AGO

    What's Your Value? Part 1: Identity and Awareness for School Leaders

    Send a text ​In the first half of this powerful two-part series, we sit down with Principal Baruti Kafele, a renowned school leadership expert and best-selling author. This conversation moves past the daily logistics of school management to challenge administrators with a foundational question: What is your instructional value to the teachers you supervise? ​Kafele dives deep into the "locker room" of school culture, the high stakes of teacher coaching and the self-awareness required to see your own leadership blind spots.  ​Key Discussion Points ​The Identity Shift: Moving from a building manager who "puts out fires" to an intentional instructional coach who drives pedagogical growth.​The Locker Room Analogy: Why a principal staying in the office during the school day is like a coach staying in the locker room during "Game Day."​The Danger of "Satisfactory": How a lack of consistent classroom data leads to default ratings that fail to tap into a teacher’s—or student's—true potential.​The "Walk" and Self-Awareness: A personal story from Principal Kafele about an intimidating habit he didn't know he had until he saw it on film.​The Three-Pronged Process: An introduction to the methodical cycle of pre-observation conversations, laser-focused classroom visits, and collaborative debriefs.​Featured Guest ​Baruti Kafele is a former award-winning high school principal and a leading authority on school leadership and culture. He is the author of several books, including What Is My Value to the Teachers I Supervise? and is a highly sought-after featured presenter at the SREB Making Schools Work Conference.  ​Resources Mentioned ​PrincipalKafele.com: Baruti Kafele’s official website for books, resources, and speaking information.​The Assistant Principal & New Principals Academy: Principal Kafele's weekly YouTube live stream for school leaders.​What Is My Value to the Teachers I Supervise?: Principal Kafele's latest book focused on instructional leadership. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    28 min
  2. Beyond the Walls: Student Agency and Purpose With Hume-Fogg Academic High School

    FEB 24

    Beyond the Walls: Student Agency and Purpose With Hume-Fogg Academic High School

    Send a text What happens when you stop treating the community as a "field trip" destination and start treating it as a classroom? In this special episode, we are joined by Dr. Lisa Bonelli, the assistant principal at Hume-Fogg Academic High School in Nashville, and three of her students: Melanie, Allison and Niamh. Hume-Fogg is a high-achieving academic magnet, but their secret sauce isn't just test scores—it’s purpose. We explore how they bridge the gap between rigorous academics and real-world relevance by getting students out of their seats and into the world. Key Discussion Points The "Beyond the Walls" Philosophy: How Hume-Fogg uses its downtown Nashville location to turn the city into a living laboratory.Student Voice & Agency: Hearing directly from Melanie, Allison and Niamh on what it feels like when your personal passions are reflected in the curriculum.The "Professional Hug" of Support: How leadership can empower teachers to take instructional risks without fear of logistical failure.Interdisciplinary Learning: Breaking down the silos between subjects to show students how the world actually works.Featured Guest Dr. Lisa Bonelli is a veteran educator and leader at Hume-Fogg Academic High School. She will be a featured presenter at the 2026 Making Schools Work Conference in Nashville, where she will dive deeper into strategies for student ownership.  Melanie, Niahm and Allison are students at Hume-Fogg Academic High School and are all members of the media team, to which Bonelli is the advisor. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    51 min
  3. The Language of Motivation: Bridging Generations and AI in the Classroom

    FEB 17

    The Language of Motivation: Bridging Generations and AI in the Classroom

    Send a text How do we move students from simple compliance to authentic engagement? In this episode, Senior Instructional Coach Daniel Rock and Leadership Coach Erin Anderson-Williams sit down with Dr. Tony Johnson, founder of Captivate Perspectives. With over 25 years of experience across K-12, CTE and higher education, Johnson shares how educators can bridge the gap between generational value systems and redefine student motivation for an AI-driven world.  ​We dive into the "Why" behind student motivation, the intersection of love languages in the school house and how AI can be repurposed from a shortcut into a powerful, personalized learning tool.  ​Key Discussion Points ​Identifying the Student's "Why": Why motivating a student requires understanding their unique generational value system rather than imposing our own.​The Quarter Zip Phenomenon: How current social media trends are influencing how young men of color view their professional trajectories and "greatness."​AI as "Tutor Mike": A practical guide to using prompt engineering to turn AI into a personalized, voice-activated tutor for specific subjects like biology.​Love Languages in Education: Why understanding how a student receives and gives love—whether through quality time or words of affirmation—is a key lever for engagement.​Thought Partnership vs. AI Generation: The importance of teaching students to be authentic critical thinkers who can contribute at a conference table without a computer.​Featured Guest ​Dr. Tony Johnson is a former turnaround principal, district CTE director and senior leader in higher education. Since 2019, he has led Captivate Perspectives, working with school systems and government partners to prepare students and adults for what comes next.  The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    39 min
  4. Creating a School Culture of Love: Accountability and Data With Marck Abraham

    FEB 10

    Creating a School Culture of Love: Accountability and Data With Marck Abraham

    Send a text How do you move a high school graduation rate from 60% to 87% in a few short years?  In this high-energy episode, Senior Instructional Coach Daniel Rock and Leadership Coach Erin Anderson-Williams sit down with Dr. Marck Abraham, CEO of MEA Consultant Services and author of What Success Looks Like. Abraham challenges the traditional, "mushy" definition of school culture, replacing it with a "Culture of Love" rooted in high expectations, objective data and a relentless focus on student results. From closing achievement gaps for Black male students to navigating "low vibration" conversations with staff, this episode provides a strategic roadmap for any leader looking to move the needle in their building. Key Discussion Points The Mechanic Shop Analogy: Why "feeling good" in a school is meaningless if the "car" (the student's education) isn't actually fixed.The "ABC" Data Buckets: A deep dive into the three metrics that truly matter: Attendance (student and teacher), Behavior and Course passing data.Teacher Attendance as Culture: Why teacher attendance is the primary indicator of whether you have built a culture where people feel seen and valued.Hard on Data, Soft on People: Strategies for using objective rubrics and report card audits to hold courageous conversations without making them personal.Shedding the Sugar: Why a quiet classroom isn't necessarily a learning classroom, and how to shift the heavy lifting of instruction from the teacher to the students.Featured Guest Dr. Marck Abraham is a renowned educator, author and speaker who has served as a community mentor, school counselor and principal. He is recognized for his work with organizations across the country, such as the Obama Foundation, and his ability to drive significant gains in graduation rates and attendance across diverse school districts. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    48 min
  5. Creating High-Functioning Teams in Schools

    FEB 3

    Creating High-Functioning Teams in Schools

    Send a text Teaching is often viewed as a "solo gig," but the work of student learning is far too heavy for any one person to carry alone. In this episode, SREB Senior Instructional Coach Daniel Rock sits down with Leadership Coaches Erin Anderson-Williams and Susan Simpson to discuss the transition from isolated classrooms to collaborative school cultures. Our guests dive into the essential traits of high-functioning teams, the difference between intentional and organic collaboration and how leaders can intervene when team dynamics turn toxic. Key Discussion Points: The Power of Self-Awareness: Why every team member must understand their specific role, strengths and blind spots to reach a common goal.Organic vs. Intentional Teaming: Exploring how teams form naturally through proximity and how leaders can intentionally design groups to build teacher capacity and retention.Avoiding "Team Fails": Identifying common pitfalls, such as mandating meetings without a clear "why" or assuming teachers instinctively know how to collaborate without modeling.Intervention Strategies for Toxic Teams: How to use norms, common purposes and conversation protocols to rebuild professional respect and ensure equity of voice.Distributed Leadership: The benefits of rotating leadership roles and allowing those with the best skillset—not just the most seniority—to "run the play." The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    45 min
  6. Taylor Swift Clubs, Data Rooms, and Teacher-Led PD: The Best of Fall 2026

    12/09/2025

    Taylor Swift Clubs, Data Rooms, and Teacher-Led PD: The Best of Fall 2026

    Send a text As the Fall 2026 semester comes to a close, it is time to look back at the schools and strategies that challenged our thinking. In this special wrap-up episode, Daniel is joined by SREB’s Jason Adair and Ashley Shaw to interrogate the "Best Of" ideas from the last few months. From a high school in South Carolina that lets teachers design their own professional development to a "Taylor Swift Club" that solved an attendance crisis, the team breaks down why these innovations worked and how other leaders can replicate them. They also tackle the big debates: Is a physical "data room" actually better than a digital dashboard? And does teaching "workplace skills" mean we have to sacrifice the humanities? What You'll Learn in This Episode Teacher-Led PD: How West Side High School flipped the script by giving teachers time to plan and lead their own professional learning, creating true peer-to-peer buy-in.The Leader’s Role: Why a principal needs to be a "gardener" (preparing the soil for growth) rather than a "chess master" (controlling every move).Selling the Process, Not the Content: How academic teachers at the Career Academy of Decatur infuse workplace skills into core subjects—like teaching email etiquette during an English writing lesson.The Power of Niche Clubs: Why letting a teacher host a "Taylor Swift" or "Play-Doh" club isn't a waste of time—it's a critical tool for humanizing teachers and building attendance-driving relationships.The Great Data Wall Debate: The team discusses the pros and cons of physical data rooms (like those at Floyd Johnson Tech Center) versus digital dashboards, and why a data wall only works if it is "The Thing" rather than "Just Another Thing." Featured Schools & Concepts West Side High School (SC): Visible Learning TeamsRichland Middle/High School (MS): Teacher Autonomy & Flex Time ClubsCareer Academy of Decatur (AL): Infusing Workplace SkillsFloyd Johnson Tech Center (SC) & Indian Valley Elementary (AL): Data Rooms The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    44 min
  7. Surviving the First Year: The "Productive Struggle" of Mentorship

    12/02/2025

    Surviving the First Year: The "Productive Struggle" of Mentorship

    Send a text The "first-year teaching blues" are real, but they don't have to be a career-ender. In this episode, Daniel explores the impact of the GREAT Grant (Georgia Residency for Educating Amazing Teachers), a program designed to turn career-changers into thriving educators through a paid residency model. We sit down with Jillian Degan, a former "problem child" student who swore she’d never teach, and Amelia Ellison, the veteran mentor who guided her. Together, they pull back the curtain on what a successful mentor-mentee relationship actually looks like—moving beyond "signing the paperwork" to building a partnership based on vulnerability, trust, and the freedom to fail. What You'll Learn in This Episode The Non-Traditional Path: How both Jillian (Healthcare) and Amelia (Business) transitioned into education and how their outside perspectives shape their classrooms.The "Productive Struggle": Why Jillian had to learn to stop "hating group work" and allow her students to struggle together to find the right answers.Reverse Mentorship: How a veteran teacher learned to embrace new technology and creative "anchor charts" by watching her mentee take risks.Management vs. Relationships: Why rigid systems (like "the clipboard") often fail new teachers, and why emotional intelligence works better than calling parents every day.The "Vibe" Check: Why it is critical for a new teacher to speak up and request a different mentor if the personality fit isn't right.The Power of Constructive Feedback: How to give feedback that builds a new teacher up rather than just telling them "fix your classroom management" without explaining how. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    44 min

  8. 11/18/2025

    From 74% to 96%: How Tuscaloosa Built a K-12 Career Plan That Actually Works

    Send a text What really happens to students after they graduate? Does a diploma equal a plan? In this episode, Daniel Rock and Susan Simpson sit down with the innovative College and Career Readiness team from Tuscaloosa City Schools  to find out how they answered their superintendent's single, powerful question: "How do we know they're ready?" The answer was a comprehensive, K-12 plan built on three E's (Exposure, Exploration, and Engagement) and a simple, guiding question for every student: "What's Your E?" (Enroll, Enlist, or Employ). Learn how the TCS team—John Walker, Kelly Norstrom and Andrea Markham—used data, career coaches and powerful community partnerships to drive a 22% increase in students graduating with a college and career readiness indicator and ensure that 85% of their graduates are still on that confirmed path one year later. What You'll Learn in This Episode The "What's Your E?" Framework: How TCS ensures every student graduates with a confirmed post-secondary plan to Enroll, Enlist, or be Employed.Key Structures That Work: Why dedicated Career Coaches are essential and how they serve as "boots on the ground" to guide students.The 3 E's: How to build a K-12 pipeline that starts with Exposure in elementary school (like the "Mini-WOW" program), moves to Exploration in middle school, and culminates in Engagement in high school.Data-Driven Strategies: How the team used transcript audits to discover that students were "hopping in and out" of pathways and how they fixed it.The Power of Partnerships: How TCS gets industry leaders out of their silos and into the schools to build relevant curriculum.The Impressive Results: Hear the hard data, including a jump from 74% to 96.3% of students graduating with a CCR indicator and the metrics they use to track graduates one year after they leave the system.Guests Kelly Norstrom: Director of College and Career Readiness for Tuscaloosa City Schools.John Walker: Coordinator of Testing and former Instructional Specialist for CTE.Andrea Markham: Data Analyst and Counseling Administrator for Tuscaloosa City Schools. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    47 min
See All (51)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Join us each week as we talk to different SREB team members and educators across the country to find out the latest in school innovations. From classroom instruction to school leadership, we are going to examine what it is that makes schools work!

Information