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

Olivia Wahl

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. 1d ago

    Reading Wars: The $1 BILLION Industry That's Failing Students

    Are reading wars destroying our children's education? In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. P.L. Thomas, a former high school English teacher with 18 years of classroom experience, exposes how education strategies, effective teaching, and instructional strategies are being replaced by one-size-fits-all programs that ignore what we know about student engagement, student motivation, and inclusive teaching.  What You'll Learn: ✅ Why the reading wars keep repeating every decade (it's not what you think!) ✅ The REAL reasons Mississippi's reading scores improved (hint: it's not just phonics) ✅ How teacher autonomy is being destroyed by scripted programs ✅ Why balanced literacy isn't the enemy educators claim it is ✅ The hidden costs of over-labeling students with reading difficulties Perfect for: - Teachers struggling with mandated reading programs - School administrators seeking evidence-based solutions - Parents questioning their child's reading instruction - Education coaches supporting teacher development - Instructional leaders wanting to understand the research Key Topics Covered: - Teacher coaching and professional development alternatives - Culturally responsive teaching vs. scripted curricula   - Equity in education and inclusive classrooms - Student success through empowered educators - Education transformation and teacher impact - School change that prioritizes thriving students This conversation challenges the narrative that phonics-only instruction is the solution to literacy challenges, instead advocating for inspired teaching that meets individual student needs through innovative teaching practices and teacher support. CHAPTERS 0:00 - Introduction: Meet Dr. P.L. Thomas 2:15 - The Inspiring Teacher That Changed Everything   5:30 - Teacher Autonomy: Then vs Now 8:45 - The Reading Wars: Core Problems Explained 15:20 - Historical Context: 1940s to Today's Third Reading War 22:30 - Mississippi's Reading Gains: The Real Story 28:10 - England's Phonics Mandate: What Really Happened 32:45 - Defining Reading in the 21st Century 38:20 - Workshop Teaching vs Scripted Programs 45:15 - The Role of Standards and Assessment 50:30 - What Counts as "Scientific" Research? 57:40 - Media Influence and Market Forces 64:25 - Supporting Students with Reading Difficulties 70:10 - Building Community and Resistance 75:30 - Hope and Action Steps for Educators 78:45 - Final Thoughts: Putting Students First Paul’s Recent Publications & Essays in Edited VolumesIndividuals Paul Mentions During This EpisodeSold a Story PodcastNo Child Left Behind (NCLB)National Education Policy Center (NEPC) National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)National Reading Panel (NRP)Decoding Dyslexia Orton-Gillingham📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com  🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl 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 #ReadingWars #ScienceOfReading #TeacherAutonomy #EducationReform #BalancedLiteracy #PhonicsInstruction #LiteracyEducation #EducationalPolicy #TeacherSupport #StudentFirst #EquityInEducation #InclusiveTeaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EducationTransformation #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalStrategies #StudentEngagement #WholChildEducation #EmpoweredEducators 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. 4d ago

    Inside the Secret Moves of Expert Teachers

    S5E1 of Schoolutions begins with Professor John Hattie, renowned for his groundbreaking Visible Learning work. After analyzing 2,500+ studies with 200 million students, Professor John Hattie discovered something shocking: there's virtually no correlation between teaching experience and effectiveness after 5 years. So what separates expert teachers from the rest? In this eye-opening conversation, Hattie reveals that expert teachers are "nosy" - obsessed with understanding not just IF students got the right answer, but HOW they're thinking. They constantly ask three essential questions (watch to learn more) that transform their impact on student learning. Discover why one expert coach reduced feedback by 80% while making it 80% MORE effective, and learn the specific mindframes that turn good teachers into exceptional ones. This isn't about adding more to your plate - it's about recognizing the expertise that's already within you and learning how to access it. Key Takeaways: ✅The shocking truth about teaching experience vs. expertise ✅Why "nosy" teachers get better results ✅The 3 questions every expert teacher asks daily ✅How to make feedback 80% more effective with less effort ✅The mindframes that separate expert teachers from the rest Episode Mentions:   Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on LearningWhy are so many of our teachers and schools so successful? (video)John Hattie on Visible Learning and Feedback in the Classroom (video)National Board for Professional Teaching StandardsHattie’s 10 MindframesProfessor Graham Nuthall's LegacyAntonia Cameron - Joyful Learner RoutinesDaniel Willingham Kenneth R. KoedingerJim Knight - The Instructional PlaybookChapter Timestamps 0:00 Introduction: The "Magic" of Expert Teachers  3:00 Meet Professor John Hattie  5:00 What Makes a Teacher an Expert?  11:00 Experience vs. Expertise: The Shocking Truth  15:00 The Power of Being "Nosy" in Teaching  22:00 The Three Essential Impact Questions  25:00 Rethinking Feedback: Quality Over Quantity  32:00 The Student's Perspective on Feedback  35:00 Reducing Feedback by 80%, Increasing Effectiveness by 80%  38:00 The Danger of Praise in Learning  40:00 Supporting High-Achieving Students  42:00 Call to Action: Celebrating Teacher Expertise 📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com  🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl 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 #TeachingExpertise #JohnHattie #VisibleLearning #EducationResearch #TeacherDevelopment #StudentLearning #ClassroomStrategies #EducationalLeadership #TeachingTips #ProfessionalLearning #LearningScience #TeacherTraining #EducationReform #ExpertTeaching 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. 6d ago

    What Words and Phrases Could You Cut As a Writer? (Writing Wednesday)

    Five words/phrases are quietly cluttering your writing: our, your, that, I think, I believe. This Writing Wednesday breaks down why these words sneak into student writing and adult writing, and what happens when you cut them. The tip comes from a real classroom. A teacher noticed her student kept writing "I think" and "I believe" before every idea. Her response: you're the one writing it. We already know it's your thinking. This kind of small shift is what effective teaching and instructional strategies are built on. Families reviewing homework can use the same edit at home. Chapters: 0:00 The 5 words/phrases to watch for in your writing 0:15 The classroom story behind this tip 0:40 Applying it to your own writing 🌿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 #WritingTips #TeacherTips #TeachingTips #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #LessonPlanning #StudentEngagement #StudentWriting #EducationStrategies #TeacherImpact #EmpoweredEducators #EducationCoaches #InstructionalLeaders #WritingWednesday #ClassroomTips 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 31

    Finding Common Ground in a Polarized World

    In this powerful conversation with former Colorado Commissioner of Education Dr. Katy Anthes, we explore her groundbreaking "Forward Framework" for navigating polarization and finding productive middle ground in education and beyond.  Dr. Anthes shares research-backed strategies to move from destructive conflict to productive disagreement, explaining why curiosity and humanity are essential for progress. Learn practical skills to address divisive topics in your classroom, school, or community, and discover why 87% of Americans are tired of division and ready for a better way forward.  Whether you're an educator dealing with polarizing issues or anyone seeking to have more meaningful conversations across differences, this episode offers hope and practical tools to create positive change. Episode Mentions: Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC)Colorado Council of the International Reading Association (CCIRA)Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict & Getting to Yes with Yourself: How to Get What You Truly Want by William UryJim Collins High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda RipleyMore in Common Undivide UsBelonging without Othering: How We Save Ourselves and the World by john a. powell and Stephen MenendianCheck out Katy’s writing and work with PEBC:  A Reminder to America: We Still Agree on More Than We Don’t The work ahead of educators to nurture a healthier kind of politics (November 11, 2024) Forward Initiative → From Polarization to Progress Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction to Dr. Katy Anthes & Forward Initiative  5:00 - Research on Conflict: William Ury's "Possible"  9:00 - Destructive vs. Productive Conflict  13:00 - Finding Humanity and Common Ground  17:00 - Examples of Polarization in Education  21:00 - Hope in Numbers: 87% Want Less Division  25:00 - The FORWARD Framework Part 1: Preparation & Listening  32:00 - The FORWARD Framework Part 2: Connecting & Complicating  37:00 - The FORWARD Framework Part 3: Rethinking & Creating Space  41:00 - Closing Thoughts: Progress Through Humanity 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 #FORWARDFramework #PolarizationToProgress #PEBC #PublicEducationBusinessCoalition #ConflictResolution #EducationLeadership #NavigatingDifferences #ProductiveDisagreement #EducatorTools #BridgingDivides #CuriosityMatters #schoolleadership  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.

    Finding Common Ground in a Polarized World

  5. Aug 28

    The 3 Types of Student Engagement Every Teacher Needs to Know

    This S1E1 Schoolutions conversation with Cris Tovani and Sam Bennett covers the importance of student engagement, building relationships, time management, and planning for disengaged students. Cris shares ideas for identifying and supporting disengaged students through long-term planning and building relationships.  Sam paints a picture of the circles of engagement (emotional, behavioral, and cognitive) and explains why a workshop structure enables students to connect with their teachers, other students, the curriculum, and themselves. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction to Schoolutions with Olivia Wahl  1:35 - Educational Inspirations with Cris Tovani and Sam Bennett  4:26 - Understanding the "Masks" Students Wear  7:28 - The Three Types of Engagement: Behavioral, Emotional, and Cognitive  12:02 - Making Content Worthy and Relevant  13:43 - Long-term Planning with the Six Ts Framework  17:33 - Workshop Structure in Secondary Education  20:44 - Closing Thoughts Some of Cris Tovani's books: Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12 (2003)So, What Do They Really Know? : Assessment That Informs Teaching and Learning (2010)Why Do I Have to Read This?: Literacy Strategies to Engage Our Most Reluctant Students (2020)Some of Sam Bennett's Books: That Workshop Book: New Systems and Structures for Classrooms That Read, Write and Think (2007)Comprehension Going Forward (2011)  &  Imagine It Better: Visions of What School Might Be (2014)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  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 26

    Don't Let Fear Stop Your Progress (Writing Wednesday)

    I've been writing and getting close to turning in my book manuscript. My editor Kassia let me know it's time to reach out to people for endorsements. I'd had a list in my head for months. Sending it terrified me. I asked anyway. The response floored me. People I admire said yes, fast and warm, with no hesitation. One person said no. That's fine. Everyone's stretched thin right now. If you're building something, a book, a program, a workshop series, ask for help when you need it. Chapters: 0:00 Be brave 0:18 Asking for endorsements 0:45 The response 1:05 What to do with your own scary ask 🌿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 #EmpoweredEducators #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeacherMentors #InstructionalLeaders #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #NewTeachers #InspiredTeaching #WritingWednesday #EducatorsOfYoutube 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 24

    Being 'Pro-Kid' in 2026: What Teachers REALLY Need to Know

    In this S2E1 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies interview, join education expert Cornelius Minor for this powerful conversation about revolutionizing classroom management, student engagement, and inclusive teaching. Discover why traditional behavior strategies fail and learn the "radical listening" approach that transforms disruptive students into engaged learners. What You'll Learn: ✅ Why student behavior is communication, not defiance - game-changing classroom behavior insights ✅ The "heavy presence, light touch" technique for managing students without controlling them ✅ How to shift from being a good employee to being an effective teacher (even when it means bending rules) ✅ Practical student discipline alternatives that build connection instead of punishment ✅ The curriculum changes that eliminate most classroom management issues ✅ Why low engagement signals problems with instruction, not students ✅ Innovative teaching strategies for culturally responsive teaching and equity in education ✅ How to develop a pro-kid mindset that transforms school culture Minor shares real stories of education transformation, from reducing office referrals through relevant curriculum to inspiring students through authentic teacher modeling. Learn how "presencing" creates thriving students and discover why the best professional development starts with truly seeing the whole child. Chapter Timestamps 0:00 Introduction to Cornelius Minor & "We Got This" 4:18 Educators Who Inspired Cornelius: Fannie Lou Hamer & Carter G. Woodson 7:45 Do We Still "Got This" in 2024? Current Education Challenges 10:17 What is Radical Listening? Beyond Traditional Student Engagement 14:46 "Heavy Presence, Light Touch" - Presencing in Classrooms 18:15 Disrupting the Status Quo: Why Rule-Breaking is Sometimes Necessary 21:48 Student Behavior as Communication, Not Defiance 26:49 Making Curriculum Work for Students: Real Classroom Transformations 32:28 Modeling Reading Behavior: The Power of Teacher Authenticity 37:22 Good Teacher vs. Good Employee: Navigating Institutional Pressures 42:54 Lessons Learned: What Would Be Different in "We Got This" Today 46:16 Closing Thoughts on Being Radically Pro-Kid Fannie Lou Hamer   Carter G. Woodson The Mis-Education of the NegroTheory U: Presencing, Crossing the Threshold into the Field of the FutureYetta GoodmanKidwatchingCarla ShalabyCarla Shalaby on Radically Inclusive DisciplineWe (still) Got This: What It Takes to Be Radically Pro-Kid by Fran McVeigh (4/10/23)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  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.

  8. Aug 21

    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.

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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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