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 ·  BONUS

    Student Climate Advocacy In Action: From Classroom Stories to Civic Change

    What if the secret to student engagement, student motivation, and inspiring students wasn't a new app or a new behavior system, but storytelling? In Part 2 of my S5E37 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, Xochitl Bentley (author of Helping Students Become Climate Stewards) walks us through what climate stewardship projects look and feel like in real classrooms: from a Green Ambassador Grant field trip to TreePeople Eco Park in LA to a student-led postcard campaign to city representatives. These aren't assigned projects. They're sparked by genuine encounters with stewardship, and they ripple outward into the community. You’ll learn: ✦ How to make the case for environmental justice education in any classroom ✦ The "read with the grain / read against the grain" strategy for counter-storytelling ✦ Flash fiction + news stories = student agency in climate narratives ✦ What a real climate stewardship project looks like, start to finish ✦ The 3 questions every student should carry with them for life 💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & check out some resources mentioned: ➡️Flash fiction technique borrowed from writer Kathy Fish: thinking like a mosaicist ➡️The Great Pacific Garbage Patch as a springboard for student flash fiction writing ➡️Louisiana's Cancer Alley as a case study for rhetorical strategies in ELA ➡️Field trip to TreePeople eco park in Los Angeles  Chapters: 0:00 – Introduction & Part 1 Recap 1:45 – The "Read With / Against the Grain" Strategy 4:00 – Banking Student Questions as Visible Inquiry 5:30 – Flash Fiction + News Stories = Student Agency 8:00 – Making the Case for Environmental Justice in Any Classroom 10:30 – Environmental Hazards as Public Health Emergencies 11:30 – The Green Ambassador Grant Project 12:30 – TreePeople Eco Park Field Trip 14:30 – Student-Led Community Showcase & Postcard Campaign 15:45 – Defining "Climate Steward" 17:00 – The Three Questions for Future Ancestors 18:00 – Reading from the Book's Preface 19:30 – Olivia's 3 Big Takeaways 21:00 – Next Episode Preview 📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Next Week: International educator and author Rachael Thrash is about to challenge everything you think you know about what student leadership looks like. She makes a compelling case in her new book, Let the Learners Lead, for why handing real power to students doesn't just change schools, it changes the world.  When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    23 min

  2. 3D AGO ·  BONUS

    How to Get Students to Care About Climate Change in Your Classroom

    When students shut down during climate conversations, the answer isn't more data; it's better storytelling. In this short from my S5E37 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, climate educator and author Xochitl Bentley explains why wrapping difficult facts in stories is the key to unlocking student engagement, authentic voice, and real civic action in your classroom. Whether you're focused on inspiring students, improving student participation, or building a pro-kid mindset across your school, Xochitl's approach to environmental storytelling offers a whole child framework that works across ELA, science, social studies, and beyond. Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E37 interview. 📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.  Schoolutions is for teachers, education coaches, instructional leaders, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, teacher mentors, school counselors, and anyone committed to empowered educators and thriving students. Tune in every Monday and Friday for evidence-based, classroom-ready strategies you can apply right away. 📚 CHAPTERS 0:00 Why students shut down during climate conversations 0:22 The problem with facts and statistics alone 0:38 Why storytelling unlocks student engagement 0:52 The power of community-rooted stories 1:05 Authentic voice, honest call to action #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #StudentEngagement #ClassroomBelonging #InspiringStudents #ActiveLearning #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #StudentMotivation #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #InclusiveClassrooms #AntiBiasTeaching #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #ClimateEducation #EnvironmentalStorytelling #StudentVoice #Schoolutions #ClimateStorytelling #ClimateStewards #XochitlBentley When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    1 min

  3. 5D AGO

    Want Students to Become Climate Stewards? Use These 6 Storytelling Stances!

    What if the most powerful climate tool we have isn't a statistic, it's a story? In Part 1 of my S5E37 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, I sit down with teacher Xochitl Bentley to unpack how using six specific storytelling stances can effectively engage students with climate change issues. Xochitl emphasizes that stories can be a more powerful tool than statistics in fostering environmental education and stewardship, highlighting their role in the broader education for sustainability movement. Some resources mentioned: 📚 Helping Students Become Climate Stewards: Storytelling for Environmental Advocacy and Problem Solving by Xochitl Bentley 📚 Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor by Rob Nixon 📚The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer 📚Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler ➡️Fukushima Daiichi Accident  CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Introduction & Who Is Xochitl Bentley 1:45 – The Research: Rob Nixon & Slow Violence 3:30 – What Sparked Xochitl's Passion for Climate Stewardship 5:00 – The Food Story That Hooked Students (Heather's Classroom) 6:10 – Lessons from Japan: Foresight, Islands & Sustainability 8:30 – Why Facts Alone Don't Drive Action 9:30 – Wrapping Data in Stories: The Core Argument 10:30 – The Six Storytelling Stances (Overview) 11:00 – Stance 1: Storytelling for Systemic Responsiveness 12:10 – Stance 2: Storytelling About Root Causes 13:10 – Stance 3: Storytelling Beyond Either/Or 14:10 – Stance 4: Storytelling for Kinship & Reciprocity 15:20 – Stance 5: Storytelling for Intergenerational Awareness 16:30 – The Seventh Generation Principle Connection 17:10 – Stance 6: Storytelling for Collective Mobilization 18:10 – Lightning Round Begins 18:45 – Book Rec: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer 19:40 – One Word Students Feel: Overwhelmed 20:10 – Most Underrated Genre: Ghost Stories 21:00 – Biggest Myth in Environmental Education 21:30 – A Student Becomes a Climate Steward When… 22:00 – Wrap Up & What's Coming in Part 2 🎧 Part 2 drops Friday, where Xochitl walks through the full storytelling flow and real climate stewardship projects from her classroom. 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.  📧 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content. 📧 Book a coaching session with me here if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies #StudentEngagement #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalStrategies #ClimateEducation #EffectiveTeaching #ClassroomBelonging #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching  When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    23 min

  4. MAY 8 ·  BONUS

    Can We Scale Street Redesign? ⁨@openplansnyc⁩ Has a Plan!

    In part 2 of my S5E36 ⁨@schoolutionspodcast⁩ conversation with Sabina Sethi Unni from @openplansnyc⁩ breaks down how urban redevelopment can truly impact a school community. Sabina shares specific strategies for urban design, like a co-created toolkit and a relational outreach approach, showing a before and after in community engagement. This architecture video highlights the Clarkson Street project, proposing new installations to foster a better environment. 💫Make sure to watch Part 1  and learn more about applying by reaching out to Sabina at sabina@openplans.org 📚 Some Episode Mentions: School Streets program with Open PlansClarkson School Street Project New York EdgeThe Project for Public Spaces Transportation AlternativesParis School Streets program Pratt Institute / International Placemaking Week CHAPTERS 0:00 — Introduction: Streets as the Most Joyful Place in the Neighborhood 1:30 — What Is a School Street? Definition & What It Looks Like 4:00 — How Schools Apply & Eligibility Requirements 6:30 — Equity First: Why Low-Income Communities Are Prioritized 9:00 — The Biggest Barriers: Staffing, Admin Burden & Leadership Turnover 11:30 — Co-Creating the Toolkit with Transportation Alternatives 14:00 — From Cold Outreach to Relational Organizing 16:30 — The Clarkson Street Story: A National Model in the Making 20:00 — NYC's First-Ever Permanent Swing Gate on a Public Street 23:00 — Mayor Mamdani's Opt-Out Proposal & What It Could Mean 26:00 — If Every Street Became a School Street: Where to Start 29:00 — The Vision for Scale & What Paris Can Teach NYC 31:00 — How to Get Involved, Apply, or Support the Movement 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content. 📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! Next week's episode: Xochitl Bentley teaches us about different storytelling stances and how they connect to climate stewardship. Xochitl offers a masterclass in culturally responsive teaching, inclusive classrooms, and sparking student motivation through narrative and identity.  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies  #SchoolStreets #UrbanPlanning #EquityInEducation #StudentSuccess #WholeChild #SchoolCulture #InstructionalLeadership #TeacherCoaching #ActiveLearning #OutdoorLearning #FamilyPartnerships #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #ProKidMindset #SchoolImprovement #EmpoweredEducators #InclusiveClassrooms #SchoolusionsPodcast #TeacherSupport #PrincipalStrategies #CommunitySchools When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    21 min

  5. MAY 6 ·  BONUS

    How is @openplansnyc Turning School Streets into Outdoor Classrooms for Students?

    In this clip (watch here), Sabina Sethi Unni from Open Plans defines a school street as a DOT program enabling schools to close adjacent streets to car traffic during school hours, enhancing school safety. This initiative, rooted in urban planning, can range from simple pick-up and drop-off closures to creating spaces for recess and gym. The aim is to improve road safety and overall student safety by managing traffic around schools. This is the kind of innovative teaching environment and instructional leadership thinking that drives real school improvement, strengthens family partnerships, and builds school culture from the ground up. Whether you're a principal, teacher, instructional coach, or caregiver, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about the spaces where students learn, move, and thrive. 📩 Want to bring a School Street to your school? Contact Sabina at sabina@openplans.org Ready to unlock more innovative teaching strategies that empower educators and drive real school change? Subscribe and explore the full channel. Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our @schoolutionspodcast⁩ S5E36 interview. CHAPTERS: 0:00 What is a School Street? 0:12 Pick-Up & Drop-Off Safety 0:22 Recess & Gym on the Street 0:35 Outdoor Learning & Science Fairs 0:48 Community Programming & Halloween Parades 1:02 School Streets as a Hub for Student & Family Life 📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl 📌 Subscribe for more tools for empowered educators, teacher mentors, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone committed to thriving students and school change.  #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #SchoolStreets #OpenPlans #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #EquityInEducation #SchoolCulture #InnovativeTeaching #WholeChild #OutdoorLearning #FamilyPartnerships #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #EmpoweredEducators #ProKidMindset #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #InclusiveClassrooms #TeacherCoaching #EducationTransformation #ThrivingStudents #SchoolLeadership #ParentInvolvement #InspiringStudents #TeacherImpact #ProfessionalDevelopment #NYCSchools #UrbanEducation  When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    1 min

  6. MAY 4

    School Streets: Inside NYC's Movement to Reclaim Urban Spaces

    In Part 1 of this S5E36 two-part @schoolutionspodcast conversation, urban planner and organizer Sabina Sethi Unni from @openplansnyc breaks down New York City's School Streets program. It's a DOT initiative that closes car traffic in front of schools during school hours to create outdoor space for kids who need it most. Consider the possibilities...what if the street outside your school could become a gym, a science fair, or a Halloween parade all before 3 PM? We discuss: - What School Streets actually looks like (hint: it's active learning in action) - How schools apply and who is eligible - Why student engagement and classroom behavior improve when kids have space to move - The #1 barrier for under-resourced schools and how Open Plans removes it - Why equity in education and culturally responsive teaching are baked into their outreach model - How parent involvement and family partnerships make or break the program - What school leadership and principal strategies can do to champion this today - Why community engagement is non-negotiable in education transformation 📩 Want to bring a School Street to your school? Reach out to Sabina directly: sabina@openplans.org  Some resources mentioned: School Streets program with Open PlansHackney, UK (suburb of London): Open streets research program Paris School Streets program School Streets reportCHAPTERS: 0:00 — Introduction & Sabina's Background 1:45 — Research That Drives the Work (Hackney, UK) 3:00 — How Street Design Became a Lever of Power 5:00 — From Intern to Full-Time: The Equity Research That Started It All 7:15 — How Schools Apply & Who Is Eligible 8:45 — Prioritizing Low-Income Communities of Color 9:45 — The Real Barriers: Staffing, PTAs & Stretched Schools 10:55 — How Open Plans Removes Barriers for Schools 12:30 — What a School Street Actually Looks & Feels Like 13:45 — Flexible Hours: Schools Choose What Works for Them 14:30 — How Involved Is Open Plans After Approval? 15:30 — Leadership Turnover as a Hidden Barrier 16:30 — Lightning Round: Best Quotes, Myths & Big Dreams 18:30 — The Danger of Skipping Community Engagement 19:30 — Key Takeaways & Part 2 Preview 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. 📧 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content. 📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE! #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies#SchoolStreets #EquityInEducation #StudentEngagement  When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    22 min

  7. MAY 3

    Students Thrive When Teachers Center Their Voices

    This May, @schoolutionspodcast is putting student voices front and center because real student success starts with listening. We spotlight how teachers can tune in to children's voices and experiences, including their streets, stories, leadership, and language. 👟 Sabina Sethi Unni opens the month with her powerful work through Open Plans NYC and the School Streets program. She is transforming unsafe streets in front of New York City schools into open play spaces that honor the whole child. 📖 Xochitl Bentley dives into different storytelling stances and how they connect to climate stewardship. Xochitl offers a masterclass in culturally responsive teaching, inclusive classrooms, and sparking student motivation through narrative and identity. 🌱 Rachael Thrash talks about co-creating schools with students and developing student leaders. This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about active learning, student participation, and equity in education. 📚 Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh close out the month with their new book on working with experienced multilinguals and their integrated literacy framework.  Beth and Tan offer essentials for anyone committed to anti-bias teaching, inclusivity, and thriving students who are also language learners. These conversations are rooted in inspiring students and educators, and in the belief that educational transformation happens when we center student voice, build family partnerships, and support teachers. Join us this May. We can't wait to see you. 💙 CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE: 👍 Like if you're ready for education transformation 💬 Comment: Which guest are you most excited to hear? 🔔 Subscribe for weekly teaching tips and instructional strategies  📱 Share Wednesday reels with your teaching team CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro: May's theme: centering children's voices 0:12 Sabina Sethi Unni: School Streets & safe play spaces 0:25 Xochitl Bentley: storytelling stances & climate stewardship 0:36 Rachael Thrash: co-creating schools & student leadership 0:47 Beth Skelton & Tan Huynh: experienced multilinguals & integrated literacy 0:58 Join us this May! #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter  #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #StudentMotivation #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #SchoolCulture #FamilyPartnerships #HomeSchoolConnection #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #AntiBiasTeaching #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #NewTeachers #StudentVoice #StudentLeadership #MultilingualLearners #TeachersOfYouTube #EducationPodcast #ProKidMindset #SchoolImprovement When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    1 min

  8. MAY 1 ·  BONUS

    The Truth About Making Science Outreach Work Worldwide

    In part two of my S5E35 ⁨@schoolutionspodcast⁩ conversation, science busker and communicator David Price with @ScienceMadeSimpleUK⁩ joins me to unpack what happens when you take STEM education to the streets. From crossing language barriers without a single word to designing classroom belonging through hands-on phenomena to building STEM kits for classrooms where balloons are a luxury, this episode is packed with practical insights for anyone who cares about inspiring students and transforming how we teach. In this episode: ➡️Why student participation skyrockets when you lead with play, not lecture ➡️How mimicry and observation are the original instructional strategies — and why schools train it out of kids ➡️The "Odd One Out" technique for sparking student engagement and scientific thinking from minute one ➡️How to design for inclusive classrooms where language, cost, and jargon aren't barriers ➡️What the Singapore National Science Busking Championship reveals about empowered educators and student success ➡️Why effective teaching starts with you, not a script, not a lab, not a budget 💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & here are some episode Mentions: Lightyear Foundation British Interactive Group (BIG)  Singapore National Science Busking Championships Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome Back & Part 1 Recap 1:45 — Going Global: Language & Cultural Barriers in Science Busking 3:30 — Why Wordless Performance Works: The Power of Observation & Mimicry 5:00 — Learning-Doing: The Inseparable Pair 6:30 — Can Visualize Come Back? A Call to Funders 7:00 — Holding the Mission Sacred While Running a Real Business 8:30 — Meet the Science Made Simple Team 9:30 — STEM Education in Ghana: Designing Kits for Equity 11:30 — Building Science Busking Kits for Any Context 13:00 — Teaching the Scientific Method as a Phenomenon 14:00 — Connecting Science to Real-Life Phenomena in the Classroom 16:00 — Thinking, Doing, Talking Science: The Odd One Out Technique 17:30 — Building Student Confidence to Question & Explore 18:30 — Advice for Aspiring Science Communicators 20:00 — The Most Effective Communicator Is YOU 21:00 — Find Your Community: British Interactive Group & Science Communication Masters 22:30 — What Still Feels Unfinished: Singapore Busking Championships & a Dream for Europe 24:00 — Closing Reflections & Three Takeaways 26:00 — Next Week: Urban Planner Sabina Unni on School Streets 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content. 📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in. 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Next week: I am so excited to introduce you to urban planner Sabina Sethi Unni, who is on a mission to transform the clogged streets in front of New York City schools into outdoor classrooms, block parties, and safe spaces for kids to actually breathe. She is going to break down exactly how the School Streets program with Open Plans works and what it would take to bring it to every school in the city. When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

    29 min
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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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