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

    Who Are the Children Experiencing Homelessness in America?

    In part 1 of this powerful S5E28 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, Erin Patterson, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at SchoolHouse Connection, pulls back the curtain on what homelessness in America truly looks like for children experiencing it. This conversation reveals how often the reality of a family experiencing homelessness is hidden, challenging common perceptions about critical social issues.  In this episode, you'll learn: Why 80% of homeless students are "invisible" — and how that affects classroom behavior and student engagementHow housing instability shows up as fatigue, anxiety, and absenteeism (and what that means for effective teaching)The data gap between HUD's definition of homelessness and what schools actually seeWhy babies (yes, infants) are the age group most at risk of evictionHow a pro-kid mindset and the right education strategies can be a lifelineThe single resource Erin recommends for caregivers and educators who want to take actionWhy transportation is the #1 unfunded need in this spaceResources mentioned: ➡️Sara Shaw ➡️Harvard Center on the Developing Child ➡️Point-in-Time (PIT) Count ➡️HUD definition of homelessness ➡️McKinney-Vento Act ➡️Voices of Youth Don't miss Part 2 when Erin takes us inside Congress to break down the legislative wins for children experiencing homelessness and how YOU can be part of the change. 📑 CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction: What Hidden Homelessness Really Looks Like 1:45 Meet Erin Patterson & SchoolHouse Connection 2:00 Key Research: Harvard Center on the Developing Child 3:30 Sara Shaw: The Nation's Leading Data Expert on Child Homelessness 4:30 What Homelessness Actually Looks Like for Families with Children 6:00 Why Children Experiencing Homelessness Are Invisible in Shelters 7:00 The Data Gap: HUD vs. Education Law Definitions 8:00 The Point-in-Time Count Problem 8:45 Washington DC: 9-10% of Infants & Toddlers Are Homeless 9:45 Why Children Can't Learn Without Stable Housing 10:30 Erin's Journey: From Teacher to Advocate 12:15 "The Classroom Showed Me the Symptoms" 13:00 Lightning Round: Hardest Part of the Job 14:00 The #1 Misconception About Child Homelessness 14:45 If You Had Unlimited Funding: Transportation 15:45 Best Resource for Educators & Caregivers 16:30 Preview: Part 2 — Inside Congress with SchoolHouse Connection 📧 Connect with me as a thought partner! 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl 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.

    18 min

  2. 4D AGO · BONUS

    Talking with Skeptical Parents & Educators About Students Taking Action

    Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E27 @schoolutionspodcast conversation. The dreaming is over, and it's time to move from empathy to action. Dr. Chris Hass and I get into the hard stuff: scripted curricula, skeptical parents, time constraints, and how to do this work even when the system feels like it's working against you. Dr. Hass shares what research actually looks like from kindergarten through fifth grade, from K/1 students writing letters to restaurant managers about plastic straws, to fifth graders conducting year-long independent community inquiries. He makes the case that children are not waiting to be old enough, brave enough, or smart enough. They're ready right now. Whether you're a classroom teacher with five minutes in a morning meeting or a school leader rethinking how literacy and social studies connect, this episode gives you concrete moves you can make tomorrow. 📚 Book mentioned: From Empathy to Action by Chris Hass, Katie Kelly & Lester Laminack, and Social Justice Talk by Chris Hass 🎧 Haven't listened to Part One yet? Start there first because this conversation builds directly on it. Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome back: from dreaming to problem solving 1:30 — "My kids are too young" and answering the skeptics 3:30 — Scaffolding students toward independent action projects 5:00 — Scripted curricula: working within the constraints 7:00 — Finding the cracks: the 15% solution 9:00 — Advocating for your profession and your students 10:30 — What research looks like in K/1 classrooms 13:00 — Research structures in 2nd and 3rd grade 15:00 — Building toward independent 5th-grade inquiry 16:30 — AI, critical thinking, and why this work is future-proof 18:00 — Integrating literacy, social studies, and social justice 20:00 — Talking to skeptical parents and caregivers 22:00 — When kids need trusted adults to process hard news 24:00 — What schools doing this work can look forward to 25:30 — A closing passage from From Empathy to Action 27:00 — Next episode preview: Erin Patterson on student homelessness 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: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and SHARE with fellow educators!  Next Week: I am sitting down with Erin Patterson of Schoolhouse Connection, and she is about to pull back the curtain on a crisis that most of us walk right past every single day. There are 1.3 million homeless students hiding in plain sight in our schools, and Erin has spent her career fighting for them at the highest levels. From landmark congressional wins to the ongoing fight to change federal law, this conversation will forever reshape how you see homelessness, how you see your students, and what you believe is possible when one person refuses to look away.  #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #EmpathyToAction #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.

    29 min

  3. 6D AGO · BONUS

    Which of the Three Kinds of Empathy Helps Us Take ACTION?

    What does it really mean to be empathetic, and are we teaching kids the right kind? In this reel, Dr. Chris Hass breaks down the 3 Forms of Empathy every educator, parent, and school leader needs to understand and why most people stop at the first one. Whether you're focused on classroom belonging, student engagement, or building a stronger school culture, this short snip from our conversation will reshape how you think about connection in your classroom and community. We explore: - Emotional Empathy: recognizing how someone feels - Cognitive Empathy: understanding *why* they feel that way - Compassionate Empathy: the form that actually moves us to act The difference between feeling sorry for a student and doing something meaningful for them is everything. This is the shift that separates reactive teaching from inspiring students and creating thriving students who feel seen, heard, and supported.  For more information, get Chris's book, From Empathy to Action (co-authored with Katie Kelly and Lester Laminack) 👇 Watch, reflect, and share with your team. 🚀📚 Part 1 & Part Two of our ⁨ @schoolutionspodcast S5E27 interview. 🕐 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Introduction: Why Empathy Matters in Education 0:45 - What Most People Get Wrong About Empathy 1:30 - Form #1: Emotional Empathy: Feeling What Others Feel 2:15 - Form #2: Cognitive Empathy: Understanding the Root Cause 3:00 - Form #3: Compassionate Empathy: Empathy That Moves You to Act 4:10 - What Compassionate Empathy Looks Like in the Classroom 5:00 - The Difference Between Solving Problems and Being Present 5:45 - How Empathy Drives Student Success and School Culture 📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!  #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #EmpathyInEducation #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #TeachingTips #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolCulture #EffectiveTeaching #StudentMotivation #CompassionateEmpathy #InclusiveClassrooms #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #ProKidMindset #TeacherSupport #SchoolLeadership #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #FamilyPartnerships #ParentCommunication #InspiringStudents #NewTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #ActiveLearning #ThrivingStudents #InspiredTeaching 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

  4. MAR 2

    Empathy without Action? That's the Real Problem!

    In Part One of our S5E27 ⁨ @schoolutionspodcast conversation, Dr. Chris Hass challenges our understanding of empathy, suggesting that simply feeling emotions might not lead to substantive change. This conversation delves into emotional intelligence, highlighting how moving beyond mere feelings to tangible actions is vital for social justice in childhood. Chris is an assistant professor at James Madison University and co-author of From Empathy to Action with Katie Kelly and Lester Laminack. He asks us to consider whether teaching kids to feel empathy is actually getting in the way of real change.  Dr. Hass also introduces the three forms of empathy: emotional, cognitive, and compassionate, and explains why compassionate empathy is the one that actually moves students from caring to doing. You'll hear the remarkable true story of second and third graders who researched gender representation in street signs, presented to their city mayor and city council, and helped get a street renamed after Columbia's first Black female doctor. This episode is for anyone who believes students are capable of more than we give them credit for — and wants the tools to prove it. 🎧 Part Two drops Friday, where we tackle the skeptics, scripted curricula, and nervous caregivers head-on. From Chris: Using Literacy Instruction to Develop Student Activists & Empathy thru Education Some episode mentions & resources: 📚 Book mentioned: From Empathy to Action by Chris Hass, Katie Kelly, & Lester Laminack 👩‍🏫 Researcher mentioned: Vivian Vasquez (critical literacy in early childhood) 📖 Books mentioned: Text, Lies & Videotape by Patrick Shannon Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction: The empathy paradox 1:00 — About Schoolutions Podcast & Dr. Chris Hass 2:00 — Vivian Vasquez & what education could be 4:30 — Why feeling bad isn't the same as taking action 7:00 — Three forms of empathy explained 9:00 — What holds students (and adults) back from action 11:30 — Teaching into fear and discomfort 13:00 — The street sign project: second graders before city council 18:00 — How to structure inquiry-based action projects 21:00 — The fairytale study: when outcomes surprise you 24:00 — Lightning round: mistakes, literacy, and advice for new teachers 28:00 — The power of mentor texts & critical text sets 30:30 — Preview of Part Two 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content. 📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!  #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #EmpathyToAction  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.

    32 min

  5. MAR 1

    Taking Action When Feeling Badly Isn't Enough

    This March, @schoolutionspodcast brings you 5 powerful conversations designed to inspire change in education, build hope, offer leadership skills, and transform how we show up for children, families, and communities. Whether you're an educator, school leader, or advocate, these discussions will meet you where you are. 🎙️ Here's what's coming this March: ✅ Dr. Chris Hass opens the month by exploring how empathy becomes action. This is a must-watch for anyone committed to student success and education transformation. ✅ Erin Patterson from SchoolHouse Connection returns to share landmark wins with Congress on behalf of children and families experiencing homelessness.  Erin's work a powerful example of equity in education and family partnerships in action. ✅ Dr. Kris Nystrom, joining us from Africa, shares his inspiring work to end school deserts. It's a conversation rooted in instructional leadership, school improvement, and whole child thinking. ✅ Tonya Quinn from The Kindness Art Education introduces us to Portrait Pals. It's a beautiful project where children paint each other's portraits and learn through story. This is culturally responsive teaching, inclusive classrooms, and a pro-kid mindset at its finest. ✅ Dr. Fabi Bagula shares about the Affordable Fair Housing Initiative being put into place on behalf of San Diego Unified School District teachers. Their community is focused on home-school connection, caregiver support, and equity in education in a real and tangible way. These conversations are for teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, teacher mentors, instructional leaders, and school counselors who believe in the power of empowered educators and thriving students. Join us this March. We can't wait to see you. 💙 🔔 Subscribe for education approaches that prioritize pro-kid mindset, inclusive teaching, and student participation!  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 — Introduction: 5 Conversations to Inspire Action 0:30 — Dr. Chris Hass: Turning Empathy Into Action 1:00 — Erin Patterson: Landmark Wins for Homeless Children & Families 1:30 — Dr. Kris Nystrom: Ending School Deserts 2:00 — Tonya Quinn: Portrait Pals & Culturally Responsive Learning 2:30 — Dr. Fabi Bagula: Affordable Fair Housing for San Diego Unified School District Teachers 3:00 — Join Us This March! #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #StudentSuccess #EquityInEducation #EmpoweredEducators #InclusiveClassrooms #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #SchoolLeadership #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalLeadership #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #FamilyPartnerships #HomeschoolConnection #EducationTransformation #SchoolImprovement #ThrivingStudents #ChildHomelessness #SchoolDeserts #FairHousing #PortraitPals #TheSmartSolutions #March2026 #InspiredTeaching #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolCulture 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. FEB 27 · BONUS

    The Kindergarten Proposal NYC's Mayor Must Hear

    Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E26 @schoolutionspodcast conversation with Dr. Beverly Falk and Dr. Nancy Cardwell. 🧠 What you'll learn in this episode: 💫The exact asks inside Beverly and Nancy's proposal and why Massachusetts and Connecticut have already led the way 💫How play-based learning actually builds the foundation children need to detect AI misinformation and fake news 💫What culturally responsive teaching looks like when it's grounded in community 💫Why assessment must move beyond standardized tests toward performance-based, observation-driven documentation 💫What student engagement looks like when children have choice, voice, and real problems to solve 💫Why screen time and AI need urgent guardrails and how play deprivation leaves children more vulnerable to misinformation 💫How school culture, classroom belonging, and trauma-informed approaches create the emotional steadiness children need to learn 📎 Resources: ➡️NYCPS Proposal to Support Play ➡️High Quality Early Learning Project                                                          ➡️Investigating Choice Time by Renée Dinnerstein ➡️Bronx Community Charter School Bronx River Study ➡️State resolutions supporting play-based learning ➡️NYC Mayor Mamdani's Education Transition Team 💫Check out Part One 📑 Chapters 0:00 — Welcome Back: What Part 2 Covers 2:00 — Why This Mayor, Why Now? The Story Behind the Proposal 3:30 — States Leading the Way 5:00 — The Equity Case: Why Rich Learning Must Be for ALL Children 6:30 — Starting the Day with Choice Time 8:00 — Play as a Tool for Democracy and Critical Thinking 9:00 — Why the Team Has Hope in NYC's New Mayor 11:00 — The High Quality Early Learning Project 13:00 — The Bronx River Study 15:30 — The Actual Proposal: Beverly Breaks Down the Asks 16:30 — The Science of Reading Has Been Distorted & Here's What's Missing 17:30 — Performance-Based Documentation 19:30 — Screen Time, AI, and What Children Really Need 20:30 — Redefining Early Childhood 22:00 — What Teachers Can Do RIGHT NOW Inside a Scripted School Day 25:00 — How Play Teaches Kids to Spot Misinformation and AI Fakes 28:00 — Schools as Training Grounds for Democracy 29:30 — Closing: This Is Not Nostalgia It's a Movement 31:00 — What's Coming Next Week Next Week: Dr. Chris Hass, co-author of From Empathy to Action with Katie Kelly and Lester Laminack, makes a compelling case that even the youngest students can create real change. This conversation will challenge how you think about empathy research and what's truly possible in your classroom. 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.

    33 min

  7. FEB 25 · BONUS

    Who Gets to Play at Your School?

    This reel explores how budgets are truly narratives, reflecting what is valued and who is considered valuable. Understanding the principles of budgeting and personal finance can illuminate societal priorities. What does a school budget say about what we truly value? In this powerful reel, we explore how budgets aren't just numbers; they're narratives that reveal who we believe deserves opportunity, joy, and time to grow. We dive deep into the role of play in education, asking a question that cuts to the heart of equity: Who gets to play? For children of wealthy families, play is assumed. For children in under-resourced communities, it's often treated as a luxury they can't afford. But what if that assumption is exactly what's holding our students back? Looking at models like Denmark's approach to whole child development, we unpack the difference between acquiring knowledge and developing understanding and why that distinction matters for student success, classroom belonging, and truly inclusive classrooms. Whether you're focused on instructional leadership, culturally responsive teaching, or simply trying to create a classroom where every child feels seen and valued, this episode will challenge you to rethink what school is really for. 🎯 Perfect for teachers, school administrators, instructional coaches, teacher mentors, school counselors, parents, homeschoolers, and anyone passionate about education transformation. 💡 Topics covered include: classroom belonging, student motivation, whole child development, equity in education, inclusive teaching, pro-kid mindset, school culture, and effective teaching strategies. 📌 If you believe in thriving students and empowered educators, subscribe and join our community of inspired teaching professionals working toward real school change. 🚀📚 Watch Part One & Part Two of our S5E26 interview. Chapters 0:00 – Introduction: Budgets as Stories of Value 0:45 – Who Gets to Play? The Equity Question 1:30 – Play for Wealthy vs. Under-Resourced Students 2:15 – The Denmark Model: Educating the Whole Child 3:00 – Knowledge Acquisition vs. Developing Understanding 3:45 – What This Means for Classroom Belonging & Student Success 4:30 – Reimagining School Culture for Every Child 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. 📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!  #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #EquityInEducation #WholeChild #ClassroomBelonging #StudentSuccess #InclusiveTeaching #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EffectiveTeaching #ProKidMindset #SchoolCulture #EducationTransformation #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalLeadership #EmpoweredEducators #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #SchoolLeadership #TeachingTips #InspiredTeaching #NewTeachers #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. FEB 23

    NYC Kindergarteners Are Being Diagnosed with Play Deprivation & We Can Change It

    Part One of my S5E26 ⁨@schoolutionspodcast⁩ conversation explores the current state of kindergarten education, questioning what a typical kindergarten day looks like and what it should be. Dr. Beverly Falk and Dr. Nancy Cardwell explore the neuroscience of play, highlighting the impacts of scripted curricula on young learners and emphasizing that play deprivation is a measurable issue that needs to be addressed for healthy child development. This discussion offers valuable insights for parents and teachers alike, focusing on childhood and mental health in early learning environments. 🧠 What you'll learn in this episode: 💫Why scripted curricula are causing real, measurable harm to young children — and who profits from it 💫What neuroscience reveals about active learning vs. worksheets and skill-and-drill instruction 💫How play deprivation shows up in classrooms as anger, withdrawal, and low engagement 💫What Denmark's forest schools and empathy model can teach us about inclusive classrooms and student success 💫Why "fidelity to the curriculum" must be replaced with fidelity to the learner — a cornerstone of culturally responsive teaching and equity in education 💫What Beverly and Nancy's proposal to NYC's Mayor and education transition team actually recommends Some episode mentions & resources: ➡️Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University ➡️Lillian Dropkin Weber Papers ➡️Mary Helen Immordino-Yang ➡️Denmark's forest school model ➡️Bank Street Teaching Kindergarten Conference, March 13-14, 2026 Don't miss the continuation of this powerful conversation! In Part 2,  where Beverly and Nancy get specific. What are they actually asking for? What does their proposal say, and what can teachers do right now, even inside the constraints of a scripted school day? This is behind-the-scenes work that is giving me, and I hope it gives you, real grounded hope. 📑 Chapters 0:00 — Introduction: What Should Kindergarten Look Like? 2:00 — Meet Dr. Beverly Falk & Dr. Nancy Cardwell 3:00 — Research That Grounds Play-Based Learning 5:00 — What a Typical Kindergarten Day Looks Like NOW (vs. What It Should) 7:30 — The Neuroscience of Play: How the Brain Actually Learns 10:00 — Worksheets vs. Hands-On Learning: The Real Data 11:30 — 95% of Brain Architecture Built by Age 5 13:00 — Fidelity to Children vs. Fidelity to Curriculum 14:00 — The Cost of Scripted Curricula — Literally 16:30 — Denmark's Empathy & Forest School Model 20:30 — What NYC Schools Could Borrow Tomorrow 22:00 — Lightning Round: Honest Takes on Early Childhood Today 25:00 — What Gives Beverly & Nancy Hope Right Now 25:45 — Preview of Part 2: The Proposal for NYC's Mayor 🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content. 📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com 🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl 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.

    27 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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