reeducated

Goutham Yegappan
  • 5.0 (6)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Conversations reimagining, rethinking, and reinventing modern education.

  1. 9H AGO

    The Ecosystem of Education: Inside the System That Shapes Schools | Andrea M. Kane | Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania | Season 12 Episode 18 | #193

    In this episode, I sit down with Andrea Kane, a longtime educator and district leader who has worked at nearly every level of K–12 education, from substitute teacher to superintendent and now professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania. We trace her journey from banking into elementary classrooms, and then into school and district leadership. Along the way, we unpack what actually changes when your perspective shifts from serving one group of students to overseeing entire ecosystems of schools. She explains what principals really do, how curriculum, instruction, and assessment form an interconnected loop, and what it means to lead within a system that must balance autonomy with accountability. We also explore the tension between philosophical ideas about the purpose of education and the concrete realities of standards, testing, and evaluation. What does it mean to teach “to the test,” and is that always a bad thing? Where do autonomy and creativity fit inside state-mandated standards? We talk about culturally responsive teaching, district-wide strategy, and the challenge of scaling good ideas across 125 schools with very different communities and needs. Andrea reflects on how control in leadership is often an illusion, and how effective systems leave room for teacher innovation while still holding clear expectations for student outcomes. Finally, we discuss the gap between theory and practice. What can practitioners learn from research, and what do academics often misunderstand about implementation? Andrea shares why not every research-backed idea works in every community, and why discernment is one of the most important skills an educational leader can develop. This conversation moves beyond abstract debates about education and into the real complexities of building, sustaining, and improving schools at scale. 00:00 – Introduction and Career Origins03:00 – From Banking to the Classroom06:00 – Moving from Teacher to School Leadership09:00 – The Role of a Principal: Instructional Leadership and Complexity14:00 – Balancing Academic Benchmarks with Human Development19:00 – Understanding Curriculum, Standards, and “Teaching to the Test”25:00 – Autonomy in Schools and Teacher Innovation29:00 – District-Level Leadership and System-Wide Strategy33:00 – Common Core, Change Management, and Community Communication36:00 – The Purpose of Education: Private Good, Public Good, or Stratification41:00 – Standards, Values, and Where Interpretation Enters46:00 – Autonomy, Control, and the Limits of Quantification52:00 – Leadership, Culture, and Culturally Responsive Practice57:00 – Theory vs Practice: What Academia and Schools Can Learn from Each Other1:01:00 – Scaling Ideas and the Realities of Implementation

    1h 2m

  2. 17H AGO

    My Story: Part One | Goutham Yegappan | Season 12 Episode 17 | #192

    In this episode, I share the beginning of my story. Before the podcast, before the interviews, before the frameworks and ideas, there was simply a young person trying to understand the world. I reflect on the early experiences that shaped how I think, what confused me, and why certain questions would not leave me alone. This episode is not about achievements or milestones. It is about the internal shifts that slowly changed how I saw myself and the world around me. I talk about moments of doubt, identity, pressure, and the quiet discomfort of feeling like something important was missing. I revisit how school felt from the inside, how expectations shaped my sense of worth, and how I slowly began to separate external success from internal meaning. Along the way, I share the influences, conversations, and turning points that pushed me toward deeper inquiry rather than easy answers. This episode is an attempt to trace the emotional and intellectual roots of everything that followed. It is about curiosity as survival, questioning as growth, and the long path toward building something that feels aligned with who I am. If the podcast explores what education could be, this episode explores why I needed to ask that question in the first place. 00:00 – Introduction03:00 – Early childhood reflections08:00 – School, pressure, and identity13:00 – First encounters with doubt18:00 – External success versus internal meaning23:00 – Moments that did not make sense28:00 – The influence of family and expectations33:00 – Searching for direction38:00 – Turning points in mindset44:00 – Questioning achievement culture49:00 – The beginning of deeper curiosity54:00 – Why I started building something new

    50 min

  3. 4D AGO

    Language Is Never Neutral | Betsy Rymes | Professor at the University of Pennsylvania | Season 12 Episode 16 | #191

    In this episode, I sit down with Betsy Rymes to unpack something we all use constantly but rarely examine closely: language. We start with something deceptively simple, names, and quickly move into how naming, kinship terms, and everyday word choices carry intimacy, distance, power, and belonging. Betsy helps illuminate how language is never just a neutral tool. Every word carries layers of lived experience, social context, and cultural meaning that shape how we relate to one another. We then dig into how language is taught in schools, and why so many people grow up feeling alienated from English class despite using language fluently every day. Betsy breaks down dominant language ideologies, especially the belief in a single “standard” form of English and the assumption that monolingualism is ideal. We talk about how these ideas get embedded into schooling systems, how they sort students into categories, and how they often confuse social power with linguistic quality. Toward the end of the conversation, we explore what a more humane and honest language education could look like. One that treats multilingualism, slang, digital speech, and everyday talk as resources rather than problems. One that invites students to ask why language works the way it does instead of memorizing rules divorced from meaning. At its core, this episode is about reclaiming language as something deeply personal, social, and alive, not just something to be corrected. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 – Names, identity, and meaning04:45 – Kinship terms and ways of relating09:55 – Language as social experience12:15 – Finding sociolinguistics18:45 – Standard language ideology23:00 – Why English class alienates learners26:30 – Memorization versus understanding33:00 – Language as a sorting mechanism37:15 – Slang, digital speech, and fluency41:00 – Critical language awareness43:00 – Language learning in early childhood47:00 – Tracking, inequality, and missed dialogue52:00 – Education, philosophy, and meaning56:30 – Language as connection

    1 hr

  4. FEB 2

    Power, Institutions, and the Limits of Reform | Terry Moe | William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University | Season 12 Episode 15 | #190

    In this episode, I speak with Terry Moe about how political power shapes institutions and why bureaucracy plays such a central role in modern democracy. We begin with his work on the rise of the strongman presidency and how public frustration with democratic systems creates openings for leaders who promise simple solutions. From there, we explore how similar dynamics operate inside education, where large-scale systems are often expected to balance efficiency, accountability, and human development all at once. Much of our conversation focuses on how institutions are actually designed. Terry explains why bureaucracies are not neutral structures, but political creations shaped by competing interests. Using concrete examples from education, we discuss how rules around hiring, layoffs, curriculum, and evaluation often prioritize adult interests over the needs of children. We also unpack why well-intentioned reforms frequently fail, not because people are malicious, but because power determines how policies are implemented and sometimes deliberately undermines them. Toward the end, we step back to ask what this means for anyone who wants to improve education or public institutions more broadly. Terry argues that understanding bureaucracy is essential if we want reform to succeed, since ignoring power only leads to disappointment. This episode is a sober and illuminating look at how systems really work, why change is so difficult, and why democratic reform requires far more realism than idealism alone. Chapters : 00:00 – Introduction 02:00 – Terry’s path into political science and education policy 05:00 – Why bureaucracy is never neutral 09:00 – Institutions as products of power and interests 13:00 – How democratic systems generate frustration 17:00 – Strongman politics and public disillusionment 21:00 – Why education systems are so hard to reform 25:00 – Adult interests versus student needs 29:00 – Rules, incentives, and unintended consequences 33:00 – Why good reforms fail in practice 37:00 – Unions, politics, and institutional resistance 41:00 – Accountability without capacity 45:00 – The limits of idealism in policy design 49:00 – What real reform would require 53:00 – Power, realism, and democratic responsibility

    59 min

  5. JAN 30

    Creating Schools With Young People, Not For Them | Gretchen Brion-Meisels | Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education | Season 12 Episode 14 | #189

    In this episode, I speak with Gretchen Brion-Meisels about what it really means to center young people in education. We begin by talking about her path into youth work and research, and how early experiences with students shaped her belief that education works best when young people are treated as partners rather than passive recipients. She explains why student voice is often misunderstood, reduced to surface-level feedback rather than genuine participation in decision-making. We spend much of the conversation exploring youth adult partnerships and what happens when schools take the perspectives of young people seriously. Gretchen shares examples from participatory action research and school-based initiatives where students help define problems, shape solutions, and influence school culture. We talk about power, trust, and the discomfort adults sometimes feel when authority is shared, as well as how listening itself can become a form of care and belonging. Toward the end, we reflect on what these ideas mean for school climate, equity, and well-being. Gretchen challenges the assumption that adults always know what is best and argues that sustainable change requires collaboration across generations. This episode is ultimately about reimagining education as a relational practice, one grounded in respect, curiosity, and the belief that young people already carry important knowledge about their own lives.

    53 min

  6. JAN 29

    The Illusion of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education | Taylor Odle | Assistant Professor of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison | Season 12 Episode 13 | #188

    In this episode, I speak with Taylor Odle about how higher education in the United States became a system that promises opportunity while quietly reproducing inequality. We begin with his path from public policy and data science into education research, and why universities are such powerful and complex institutions to study. Taylor explains how metrics, rankings, and quantitative indicators shape policy decisions, while often failing to capture what we actually value about education. Much of our conversation focuses on college access and the application process itself. We unpack how financial, social, and cultural capital quietly shape who gets in and who is filtered out, even at institutions that claim to be open access. We talk about community colleges, admissions fees, essays, letters of recommendation, and why the simple act of raising your hand and saying “I want to learn” is still burdened with unnecessary barriers. Taylor challenges the assumption that access has already been solved and explains why completion narratives often mask deeper inequities. Toward the end, we step back to ask bigger questions about the purpose of college. We discuss credentialism, prestige, and the way education has come to function as a social signal rather than a space for intellectual growth. We also explore whether education should be understood as an individual investment or a collective good, and what it would mean to design a system that truly prioritizes learning over status. This episode is a deep reflection on who higher education serves, who it excludes, and what it might take to imagine something more equitable.

    58 min

  7. JAN 27

    From the Classroom to the Global Library | John Willinsky | Khosla Family Professor Emeritus at the Stanford Graduate School of Education| Season 12 Episode 12 | #187

    In this conversation, I sit down with John Willinsky to explore a question that quietly shapes nearly every part of modern life: who gets access to knowledge, and why. We begin with his early years as a classroom teacher, where his love for literature collided with deeper questions about curriculum, authority, and the hidden values embedded in education. From literary theory and imperialism to the power structures behind what gets taught, John reflects on how education is never neutral and why curiosity alone is not enough without access. As the conversation unfolds, we move into the heart of his life’s work: opening scholarly research to the public. John explains how academic knowledge became increasingly commercialized in the twentieth century, locking publicly funded research behind paywalls that exclude teachers, doctors, and the wider public. He shares why open access is not just a technical issue, but an ethical one, especially in an age of misinformation, global inequality, and digital overload. We also explore the future of learning beyond schools and universities. From Wikipedia and Google Scholar to the idea of “learning in depth,” this episode examines what it would mean to treat knowledge as a shared human resource rather than a private commodity. At its core, this conversation is about trust, responsibility, and the belief that education should not end at the classroom door. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction and Emeritus Life03:00 – Falling in Love with Literature and Teaching08:30 – Literary Theory, Curriculum, and Power14:30 – Wonder, Critique, and the Humanities20:00 – Libraries vs Schools and Learning Freedom25:30 – Why Public Access to Research Matters31:00 – Jargon, Expertise, and the Public Reader37:30 – Wikipedia, Google Scholar, and Gateways to Knowledge44:00 – Misinformation and Trust in Research50:30 – The Economics of Scholarly Publishing57:00 – Open Access as a Public Responsibility01:01:30 – Hopes for the Future of Knowledge

    1h 3m

  8. JAN 23

    What Education Is Really For? | Rupert Wegerif | Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge | Season 12 Episode 11 | #186

    In this conversation, I sit down with Rupert Wegerif to explore one of the most fundamental questions in education, a question that is often avoided or quietly assumed rather than openly discussed. What is education actually for. We begin with personal origin stories and quickly move into a deeper examination of meaning, purpose, and why so many students today feel competent yet disconnected, informed yet without hope. Rupert shares how his early struggles with meaning shaped his path into education and why he believes that learning without purpose can leave people feeling empty rather than empowered. We explore the idea that education has always served as a way of situating people within a larger story, whether cultural, philosophical, or existential. As modern systems have moved away from shared traditions, we discuss what has been lost and what might still be recovered. Much of the conversation centers on dialogic education, not as a teaching technique, but as a way of opening shared spaces of thinking where insight can emerge. We talk about why asking “why” feels threatening in schools, how authority reacts when meaning is unclear, and why humility and listening are essential educational virtues. We also turn toward the future, especially the role of technology and artificial intelligence in learning. Rather than framing AI as the opposite of dialogue, Rupert challenges that assumption and suggests ways technology can expand thinking when used thoughtfully. The conversation ends with reflections on hope, collective intelligence, and the responsibility of education to help people feel connected to something larger than themselves. This episode is an invitation to slow down and reconsider what learning is meant to nourish in us as human beings. Chapter: 00:00 Introduction and Rupert Wegerif’s background 02:00 Early struggles with meaning and entering education 05:30 Why students ask “why” and why schools resist it 08:30 Competence without hope in modern education 11:30 Education, tradition, and the loss of shared meaning 15:00 Authority, fear, and avoiding existential questions 18:00 Connection, belonging, and finding meaning beyond the self 22:30 Education as process rather than product 26:30 Falling in love with learning and asking why 30:30 What cuts people off from connection 33:00 The origins of dialogic education 36:00 Dialogue as shared space rather than debate 39:00 Identity, disagreement, and philosophical humility 43:00 Teaching dialogue without turning it into a rule 47:00 Writing, language, and keeping meaning alive 49:30 AI, technology, and dialogic thinking 54:00 Education, hope, and long term futures 58:00 Daily practices, reflection, and remembering mortality

    1h 1m
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About

Conversations reimagining, rethinking, and reinventing modern education.

Information

  • Creator
    Goutham Yegappan
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    193
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Goutham Yegappan
  • Show Website
    reeducated