Have a Life Teaching

John Schembari
  • 5.0 (3)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED DAILY

In this podcast, we will engage in conversation with educators providing insight on best-in-class K-12 curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.

  1. Suzy Koontz: How to Use Movement to Make Math Stick

    6D AGO

    Suzy Koontz: How to Use Movement to Make Math Stick

    Anyone who has stepped into a K–5 classroom knows this truth: kids need to move. But they also need strong math foundations. So how do we do both—without sacrificing rigor? In this episode, I sit down with Suzy Koontz, CEO and Founder of Math & Movement, to explore how movement-based learning can dramatically increase math fluency, engagement, and student confidence. A former actuary turned education innovator, Suzy shares how a simple trampoline moment with her daughter sparked a 25-year journey into brain-based math instruction . We discuss: The brain science behind movement and learning How cross-body motion activates both hemispheres of the brain Why skip counting is foundational for multiplication and division fluency Research showing significant gains in math achievement and self-efficacy How schools can systematize movement-based strategies across classrooms Practical examples teachers can implement immediately The impact on student collaboration, behavior, and math identity We also preview Suzy’s upcoming ASCD book, Activate Math: Using Movement to Spark Engagement and Ignite Learning Activate Math: Using Movement to Spark Engagement and Ignite Learning. If you believe math should be active, conceptual, and confidence-building—not passive and procedural—this episode is for you. Suzy Koontz LinkedIn Page Suzy Koontz Web Page Math and Movement Website Music by Aylex

    38 min
  2. Deborah Landis: How to Use Costume Design to Make Learning Come Alive (From Indiana Jones to Your Classroom)

    FEB 17

    Deborah Landis: How to Use Costume Design to Make Learning Come Alive (From Indiana Jones to Your Classroom)

    What can the costume designer behind Raiders of the Lost Ark and Michael Jackson’s Thriller teach educators? A lot. In this episode, Dr. Deborah Landis, UCLA professor and legendary Hollywood costume designer (also behind The Blues Brothers, Animal House, and Oscar-nominated for Coming to America), breaks down how costume design is actually about: Reading deeply Interpreting text Understanding culture and history Building authentic characters Transporting an audience And that’s exactly what great teachers do. 🎭 Why costume design starts with close reading 📚 How immersing students in one person or one time period builds lasting understanding 🎬 The difference between “accuracy” and “authenticity” 🧠 How asking better questions deepens learning 👕 Why what we wear tells a story — and how students can use costume to demonstrate understanding 🔥 What Indiana Jones teaches us about archetypes and engagement 🎓 Why performance and teaching are more alike than we think Dr. Landis shares how her graduate students study Oscar Wilde by examining text, history, politics, art, and culture before ever designing a garment — and why K–12 classrooms can adapt this same immersive approach. She reminds us: “We’re in the transportation business.” So are great educators. If you want to make learning feel less like coverage and more like immersion — this conversation will spark ideas across history, ELA, arts integration, and leadership. 🎧 Listen in and ask yourself: How might costume, story, and performance deepen learning in your classroom or school? Deborah Landis LinkedIn Page Deborah Landis Website UCLA School of Theatre, Film & Television Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design - Book

    43 min
  3. Judi Newman: How to Use Neuroscience When Influencing Others

    FEB 10

    Judi Newman: How to Use Neuroscience When Influencing Others

    Why do people keep doing the opposite of what we’ve clearly explained over and over again? Or do nothing at all? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Judy Newman, researcher, former principal, and author of Influence, for a practical, eye-opening conversation on applied neuroscience, psychology, and learning. We unpack: Why thinking is not the same as learning (neurons fire vs. wire) How trust, relationships, and growth map directly onto the brain Why “one-and-done” PD and initiatives fail What neuroscience tells us about feedback, fear, and change How leaders can build influence without authority What this means for AI adoption, instructional change, and adult learning Why emotion—not logic—drives behavior more than we want to admit This episode is packed with concrete implications for classrooms, PD sessions, leadership moves, and system-level change. If you’ve ever said “But I already told them…” — this one’s for you. Judi Newman LinkedIn Page Influence Book Dr. Judi Newman Webpage Music by Aylex

    40 min
  4. Carol Ann Tomlinson: How to Differentiate for Real Classrooms (Not Ideal Ones)

    FEB 2

    Carol Ann Tomlinson: How to Differentiate for Real Classrooms (Not Ideal Ones)

    In this wide-ranging conversation, Carol Ann Tomlinson reflects on her unconventional path into teaching and the classroom realities that led her to redefine differentiation—not as a set of tactics, but as an ethical stance toward learners. Key Themes & Takeaways: Differentiation ≠ multiple lesson plans: It’s about common goals with multiple pathways, supports, and timelines. Choice builds agency: Students learn more deeply when they can choose how they engage and demonstrate understanding. Scaffolding is for everyone: Advanced learners need support too—challenge without scaffolding isn’t rigor. AI as a support, not a substitute: Translation, organizers, and access tools can expand equity when used intentionally. Second-order change: Differentiation only works when aligned with learning environment, curriculum, assessment, instruction, and classroom leadership. Safety precedes learning: Trust, belonging, and relevance are prerequisites—not “extras.” Who This Episode Is For:Teachers, coaches, school leaders, and anyone rethinking instruction in a post-COVID, AI-influenced world who wants learning to be human-centered, rigorous, and just. Where to Learn More:Carol Ann Tomlinson - ASCD The Differentiated Classroom Book

    40 min
  5. Karol Schwartzlander and Judith Hemphill: How to Teach Longevity in Schools

    JAN 27

    Karol Schwartzlander and Judith Hemphill: How to Teach Longevity in Schools

    What if schools taught longevity—not just aging? On the latest episode of the podcast, I spoke with Karol Schwartzlander (California Commission on Aging) and Judith Hemphill about why aging belongs in our K–12 conversations. We’ve added nearly 30 years to life expectancy, yet schools rarely prepare students for long, multigenerational lives. Aging doesn’t start at retirement—it starts at birth. Key ideas from the conversation: Positive images of aging can add years to life Older adults bring wisdom, story, and mentorship students deeply need Learning flows both ways—especially in an AI-shaped world Intergenerational schools reduce loneliness and strengthen communities One insight that stuck with me: A positive perception of aging adds 7.5 years to your life. That’s not just a health issue. It’s a curriculum, leadership, and systems issue. Karol Schwartzlander LinkedIn Page California Commission on Aging Judith Hemphill LinkedIn Page Teaching: The Inside Story Music by Aylex

    35 min
  6. Patty McGee: How to Teach Grammar Without Worksheets, Shame, or Boredom

    JAN 20

    Patty McGee: How to Teach Grammar Without Worksheets, Shame, or Boredom

    Grammar doesn’t fail because students can’t learn it.It fails because of how it’s taught. In this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, I’m joined by literacy expert Patty McGee, co-author of Not Your Granny’s Grammar, to rethink grammar instruction from the ground up. We explore how grammar can be: taught through sentences, play, and inquiry embedded across ELA, science, and social studies accessible to multilingual learners focused on growth over time, not mastery in a day Patty shares concrete classroom strategies, including sentence manipulation, low-prep grammar play, and assessment approaches that honor language, culture, and audience. If grammar feels like a compliance task instead of a thinking tool—this conversation shows a better way. Patty McGee Website Not Your Granny's Grammar Book Music by Aylex

    39 min
  7. Adam Watson: How to Use Role-Play to Increase Rigor (Not Just Engagement) in Learning

    JAN 13

    Adam Watson: How to Use Role-Play to Increase Rigor (Not Just Engagement) in Learning

    In this episode, I speak with Adam Watson about role-playing and gamification as serious instructional tools, not motivational add-ons. We explore how well-designed role-play: Shifts students from passive responders to active decision-makers Lowers affective risk while increasing cognitive demand Uses identity, narrative, and constraints to deepen reasoning Supports academic discourse without overscripting language This conversation reframes gamification as a cognitive access strategy—especially powerful in discussion-based, humanities, and problem-centered learning contexts. Key takeaway:If students are thinking as someone, not just answering as themselves, rigor goes up—not down. Adam Watson LinkedIn Page Watson Edtech Page Table-Top Role Playing Games in the Classroom Book Music by Aylex

    41 min
  8. Darrin Peppard: How to Build Staff Morale by Running a School Well (Not Playing the Superhero)

    JAN 7

    Darrin Peppard: How to Build Staff Morale by Running a School Well (Not Playing the Superhero)

    As we return to the second half of the school year, and exhaustion starts to set in, morale often becomes fragile—for teachers, students, and leaders alike. In this episode, John is joined by Dr. Darrin Peppard, former Wyoming Principal of the Year and founder of Road to Awesome Consulting, to explore a critical reframe: morale isn’t a program—it’s a byproduct of a well-run school. Darren traces his own leadership journey from classroom teacher to principal and superintendent, including the burnout that came from trying to be a “superhero leader.” From there, the conversation unpacks what truly boosts morale: clarity of vision, strong systems, shared leadership, and leaders who model what they expect. Listeners will hear practical examples of how effective leaders: Build clear organizational and instructional systems Delegate leadership without micromanaging Create opportunities for teachers and students to lead Shift from “putting out fires” to feeding the culture Recognize, reward, and reinforce the behaviors they want to see The episode closes with a powerful reminder: the same practices we ask teachers to use with students—clarity, modeling, and positive narration—are the practices leaders must use with adults. When schools are run well, morale follows. Darrin Peppard LinkedIn Page Road to Awesome Music by Aylex

    41 min
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About

In this podcast, we will engage in conversation with educators providing insight on best-in-class K-12 curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.

Information

  • Creator
    John Schembari
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    123
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © John Schembari
  • Show Website
    Have a Life Teaching

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