The Making Schools Work Podcast

SREB
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Join us each week as we talk to different SREB team members and educators across the country to find out the latest in school innovations. From classroom instruction to school leadership, we are going to examine what it is that makes schools work!

  1. 18 NOV.

    From 74% to 96%: How Tuscaloosa Built a K-12 Career Plan That Actually Works

    Send us a text What really happens to students after they graduate? Does a diploma equal a plan? In this episode, Daniel Rock and Susan Simpson sit down with the innovative College and Career Readiness team from Tuscaloosa City Schools  to find out how they answered their superintendent's single, powerful question: "How do we know they're ready?" The answer was a comprehensive, K-12 plan built on three E's (Exposure, Exploration, and Engagement) and a simple, guiding question for every student: "What's Your E?" (Enroll, Enlist, or Employ). Learn how the TCS team—John Walker, Kelly Norstrom and Andrea Markham—used data, career coaches and powerful community partnerships to drive a 22% increase in students graduating with a college and career readiness indicator and ensure that 85% of their graduates are still on that confirmed path one year later. What You'll Learn in This Episode The "What's Your E?" Framework: How TCS ensures every student graduates with a confirmed post-secondary plan to Enroll, Enlist, or be Employed.Key Structures That Work: Why dedicated Career Coaches are essential and how they serve as "boots on the ground" to guide students.The 3 E's: How to build a K-12 pipeline that starts with Exposure in elementary school (like the "Mini-WOW" program), moves to Exploration in middle school, and culminates in Engagement in high school.Data-Driven Strategies: How the team used transcript audits to discover that students were "hopping in and out" of pathways and how they fixed it.The Power of Partnerships: How TCS gets industry leaders out of their silos and into the schools to build relevant curriculum.The Impressive Results: Hear the hard data, including a jump from 74% to 96.3% of students graduating with a CCR indicator and the metrics they use to track graduates one year after they leave the system.Guests Kelly Norstrom: Director of College and Career Readiness for Tuscaloosa City Schools.John Walker: Coordinator of Testing and former Instructional Specialist for CTE.Andrea Markham: Data Analyst and Counseling Administrator for Tuscaloosa City Schools. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    47 min
  2. Teaching with Purpose: How Academics and CTE Work Together at Career Academies of Decatur

    4 NOV.

    Teaching with Purpose: How Academics and CTE Work Together at Career Academies of Decatur

    Send us a text What happens when English and social studies teachers join a career academy — and every lesson connects to the real world? In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Debra Cullen talk with Angie Maples and Wes Stephenson, teachers at the Career Academies of Decatur (CAD) in Alabama. They share how academic teachers are helping students build essential workplace and life skills — from writing professional emails to conducting interviews with local employers — all while meeting state standards. You’ll hear how CAD teachers: Bring career and technical education concepts into every lessonUse standard operating procedures (SOPs) to teach structure and responsibilityCreate projects that blend academic content with real-world applicationBuild student confidence and communication through authentic assignments and presentationsDevelop a schoolwide showcase where students present to local business and community leadersThis episode shows how academic teachers can make every class career-relevant — and how CAD is helping students see purpose in every assignment. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    38 min
  3. How Career Academies of Decatur Redefined High School: Building a CTE-Focused Model for Every Student

    28 OCT.

    How Career Academies of Decatur Redefined High School: Building a CTE-Focused Model for Every Student

    Send us a text What happens when a school flips the script — and lets career and technical education lead the way? In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Debra Cullen talk with Ressa Chittam, director of the new Career Academies of Decatur in Alabama, and assistant director Tyler Stevenson. Together, they share how this innovative school became a full-time high school that blends academic courses with career pathways, giving students more time for hands-on learning, early graduation, and real-world readiness. You’ll hear how the school: Built a full-time high school within a CTE center — so students learn academics and technical skills in one placePartnered with SREB and local industry to align teaching with workforce needsHelped academic and CTE teachers learn to “speak each other’s language” through business visits and collaborationCreated five core career-readiness pillars that guide all instructionDesigned authentic, project-based learning experiences — including a year-end student showcase that impressed local employersCareer Academies of Decatur is showing what’s possible when educators, businesses, and communities work together to make learning relevant — and to help every student find their purpose. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    40 min
  4. How Student Talk Doubles Learning: Making Classrooms More Socratic

    21 OCT.

    How Student Talk Doubles Learning: Making Classrooms More Socratic

    Send us a text What if the key to doubling student learning is simply getting them talking? In this episode, Daniel Rock and Jason Adair unpack research showing how student discussion can double the rate of learning — and why most classrooms still rely on teacher talk 80% of the time. Together with Ashley Shaw, they explore how teachers can create classrooms that sound more like Socratic seminars and less like lectures. You’ll hear: Why teachers often default to “funneling” questions — and how to ask focusing questions that spark real thinkingSimple moves to reduce teacher talk and build student ownershipHow turn-and-talks, sentence stems and discussion structures help every student’s voice be heardTips for supporting English learners and shy students during class discussionThe importance of reflection and metacognition for both teachers and studentsBy the end, you’ll have practical tools to make your classroom a place where students don’t just listen — they learn by speaking, thinking and questioning like Socrates. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    50 min
  5. How Westside Teachers Turned PD Into Classroom Impact

    14 OCT.

    How Westside Teachers Turned PD Into Classroom Impact

    Send us a text At Westside High School in Anderson, South Carolina, teaching looks different now — and students can feel it. Last week, we talked to leadership at Westside to see how this process worked. In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Donn Kirkwood talk with Claire Armstrong and Chelita Greenley, two classroom teachers at Westside who helped turn professional development into a teacher-led movement that’s changing how students learn, think and even celebrate tests. Hear how Westside’s teachers: Shifted from admin-led PD to teacher-driven learningBuilt a Visible Learning Leadership Team to lead book studies and train peersCreated the Westside Six, a set of shared, research-based strategies used schoolwideUsed core beliefs to align instruction and expectationsHelped students take ownership of their learning — and replaced fear with confidenceFrom “four corners” discussions in history to “one-pagers” in math, teachers at Westside are making visible learning more than a theory — they’re making it a culture. 🏫 Featured Educators Claire Armstrong, Social Studies Teacher, Westside High SchoolChelita Greenlee, Math Teacher, Westside High School The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    47 min
  6. How Westside High Empowered Teachers to Lead Professional Learning

    7 OCT.

    How Westside High Empowered Teachers to Lead Professional Learning

    Send us a text At Westside High School in Anderson, South Carolina, teachers aren’t just attending professional development — they’re designing it. In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Donn Kirkwood talk with Principal Kory Roberts and MTSS Specialist Taria McIntosh about how the school’s Visible Learning Leadership Team transformed Westside’s approach to growth and instruction. Through book studies, teacher-led PD and a collaborative process to define the school’s core beliefs, Westside created a culture where educators learn from one another, model strategies and build trust across the building. Listen to hear how they: Built a foundation of teacher leadership and confidenceCreated time and space for real collaboration — with admin support and substitute coverageModeled adult learning and professional respectDeveloped a shared set of core beliefs and the “Westside Six” strategies to guide teachingCelebrated growth and built a schoolwide culture of trustWestside’s story shows what happens when teachers lead — and how a school’s belief in continuous learning can transform instruction and culture. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    44 min
  7. Building Collective Teacher Efficacy at Indian Valley Elementary

    30 SEPT.

    Building Collective Teacher Efficacy at Indian Valley Elementary

    Send us a text How does a school move from silos to shared success? At Indian Valley Elementary in Sylacauga, Alabama, the leadership team and teachers worked together to create a culture of collective teacher efficacy—and the results are transforming student learning. In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, principal Paula Bruno, assistant principal Cindy Cleveland and reading specialist Terra DeLoach join SREB coaches Daniel Rock, Marsha Moseley and Susan Simpson to share how they: Built trust and psychological safety among staffUsed data walls and PLCs to drive honest, student-centered conversationsOvercame obstacles, from tears in the first PLCs to teachers now opening their data proudlyEmbedded professional learning directly into PLCsHelped even the youngest learners begin to take ownership of their progressIndian Valley’s journey shows how leadership, collaboration and persistence can reshape a school’s culture and set every child on a stronger path. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    53 min
  8. Flex Time and Job Shadowing: Teacher Perspectives From Richland High School

    23 SEPT.

    Flex Time and Job Shadowing: Teacher Perspectives From Richland High School

    Send us a text Richland High School in Mississippi has restructured its schedule to give students more opportunities for growth — and the results are impressive. In this third episode featuring Richland, we hear directly from two teachers about how Flex Block and career-connected learning are changing classrooms and student lives. Social studies teacher Joycelyn McDavid and career readiness teacher Jennifer Osborne join Daniel Rock and Richard Morrison to share: How Flex Block helps students balance academics with enrichment, while giving teachers more time for AP prep and creative passions.The impact of teacher-led professional learning groups that turn Flex time into a space for cross-curricular growth.How job shadowing in the community has transformed career readiness, from shy students becoming confident presenters to new passions discovered in real workplaces.Why trust between teachers and administrators has been key to sustaining these changes.Listen in to hear how Richland is building stronger student ownership, meaningful teacher growth and deeper community partnerships. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce. Follow Us on Social: Facebook Instagram X

    52 min
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À propos

Join us each week as we talk to different SREB team members and educators across the country to find out the latest in school innovations. From classroom instruction to school leadership, we are going to examine what it is that makes schools work!

Informations

  • Création
    SREB
  • Années d’activité
    2024 - 2025
  • Épisodes
    44
  • Classification
    Contenu explicite
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Making Schools Work Podcast
  • Site web de l’émission
    The Making Schools Work Podcast

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