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. 5h ago ·  Bonus

    Leadership That Communicates: 6 Moves for Building Focus, Trust and Shared Ownership

    Send us Fan Mail Strong school leadership is not just about having the right plan. It is about making the work clear, actionable and human for everyone in the building. In this summer highlight episode, Ashley Shaw looks back at six powerful conversations from the first two seasons of the Making Schools Work podcast. Each clip explores a different communication move leaders can use to build focus, strengthen trust, support teacher growth and create shared ownership across a school. This episode features practical insights from Marck Abraham, Natasha Brown, Bethany Wilson, Baruti Kafele, Tony Johnson and Thomas Murray. In this episode, you’ll learn how to:  Clarify your school’s focus so your team can repeat it and act on it  Talk about data in ways that help students build ownership and pride  Move from “I work” to “we work” by inviting others into the work  Make teacher feedback feel like a growth conversation, not a gotcha  Lead across different generations, values and motivations  Communicate carefully enough to protect trust when the pressure is on Featured clips from: Creating a School Culture of Love: Data & Accountability With Marck Abraham Featuring Dr. Marck Abraham Underdog Leadership: Driving Growth in High-Need Schools With Natasha Brown Featuring Dr. Natasha Brown The High-Growth Blueprint: 5 Years of Level 5 Excellence Featuring Dr. Bethany Wilson The Art of the Feedback Conversation: Part 2 With Principal Baruti Kafele Featuring Principal Baruti Kafele The Language of Motivation: Bridging Generations and AI in the Classroom Featuring Dr. Tony Johnson The Curse of Knowledge: Communication Science for School Leaders With Thomas Murray Featuring Thomas Murray Listen for these practical takeaways: Leadership communication is bigger than emails, announcements and staff meetings. It shows up in the way leaders explain priorities, talk about data, invite teachers into the work, give feedback, understand different motivations and respond when trust is on the line. Strong leaders do not just communicate more. They communicate with clarity, purpose and care. Subscribe and follow Subscribe to the Making Schools Work podcast wherever you listen, and follow along this summer as we revisit some of the most practical ideas from our first two seasons. 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: FacebookInstagramX

    21 min

  2. 21h ago ·  Bonus

    5 Practical Ways to Make Career Readiness Real

    Send us Fan Mail Career readiness can sound like a big, abstract goal — something that belongs in a strategic plan, a district initiative or a career fair once a year. But helping students connect school to life after graduation can happen in practical, everyday ways. In this summer highlight episode, Ashley Shaw looks back at five powerful moments from the first two seasons of the Making Schools Work podcast. These clips offer practical ways educators can help students understand why school matters, what skills they are building and how those skills connect to college, careers, military service, technical training and life beyond graduation. You’ll hear from Mark Perna, Nicole Cobb, Marty Sugerik, leaders from Richland High School and the team from PENCIL in Nashville as they share strategies schools and teachers can use right away. In this episode, you’ll learn how to:  Reframe school as a way for students to build options, not just earn grades  Help students recognize the career skills inside everyday classroom tasks  Ask students to investigate how academic skills show up in real careers  Create concrete next-step plans for students before they graduate  Build community partnerships around real student and school needs Featured clips from: The GPA Myth: Reframing Education as a Solution, Not a Problem Featuring Mark PernaThe Human Side of Career Readiness With Nicole Cobb Featuring Dr. Nicole CobbDesigning Meaningful Projects: Making Project-Based Learning Work in the Classroom Featuring Marty SugerikPacesetter Spotlight: Richland High School’s AP Program and Career Connectedness Featuring leaders from Richland High SchoolFeatured Speaker Spotlight: Creating Community Programs With PENCIL Featuring Elena Kate and Bob KucherListen for these practical takeaways: Career readiness does not have to live outside the regular school day. It can start with a single sentence that explains why students are practicing a skill. It can become stronger when students research how that skill appears in careers they care about. It can become more concrete when schools help students identify possible next steps, financial plans and real people they can talk to before committing to a path. And it becomes much more powerful when schools build partnerships that are connected to what students actually need to experience, practice and understand. Subscribe and follow Subscribe to the Making Schools Work podcast wherever you listen, and follow along this summer as we revisit some of the most practical ideas from our first two seasons. 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: FacebookInstagramX

    16 min

  3. 2d ago ·  Bonus

    6 Smart Ways Educators Can Use AI Without Letting It Take Over: Highlights From Our Past Episodes

    Send us Fan Mail Artificial intelligence is already changing how educators plan, teach and support students — but using AI well does not mean handing over the thinking. In this summer highlight episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB's Ashley Shaw revisits six practical AI lessons from the first two seasons of the show. Featuring clips from conversations with Daniel Rock and Leslie Eaves, this episode explores how educators can use AI as a planning assistant, time-saver, brainstorming partner and student support tool without letting it replace teacher expertise or student learning. You’ll hear why strong prompts matter, how AI can help teachers protect time for the work that requires human judgment, and why assignment design matters more than ever. The episode also looks at how AI can support personalized learning, help students get unstuck and prepare them to use emerging technology ethically and effectively. In this episode, we explore: How the SPICE framework can help educators write better AI promptsWhy AI should support teacher expertise, not replace itHow AI can save time on lower-value tasks so teachers can focus on feedback, relationships and student growthWhy assignments may need to change if AI can complete them without student thinkingHow teachers’ knowledge of their students remains essential in an AI-supported classroomHow AI can help personalize support for students in the momentWhy students need to learn ethical AI use, not just efficient AI useThe big takeaway: AI is not the teacher, the student, the assignment or the thinking. It is a tool. Used thoughtfully, it can help educators plan, personalize and support learning. But it still needs human judgment, strong guardrails and students who are actively doing the work of learning. Subscribe to Making Schools Work for more summer highlight episodes as we revisit some of the best conversations from our first two seasons and get ready for season three. 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: FacebookInstagramX

    18 min
  4. Does AI Rot Your Brain? (And Other End-of-Year Questions)

    Jun 9

    Does AI Rot Your Brain? (And Other End-of-Year Questions)

    Send us Fan Mail As another incredible season comes to a close, hosts Daniel Rock and Erin Anderson Williams sit down for a candid look at the major themes, tensions and breakthrough moments shaping our classrooms today.  In this wrap-up episode, the team dives deep into how schools are redefining student data, shifting the conversation around classroom engagement and navigating the rapidly evolving world of AI in education. From powerful school success stories to personal reflections, this episode is packed with honest, practical insights to carry into the summer and preparation for the upcoming school year.  Key Takeaways From This Episode Data as an Informant, Not an Enemy: Hear how pacesetter principals are moving away from data meetings rooted in "blame, shame and anxiety" and instead empowering students to completely own and monitor their own academic growth. Compliance vs. Investment: Why true classroom engagement is much deeper than students simply sitting quietly or complying with instructions. The hosts break down how to spark genuine student curiosity and long-term investment in learning. The Calculator Analogy for AI: Does AI rot your brain? Erin and Daniel share a refreshing perspective, framing AI literacy not as a shortcut, but as a foundational tool that handles initial calculations so students can focus on deeper, high-level critical thinking. The Power of Transferable Skills: At the core of all school improvement is teaching kids how to think actively, analyze perspectives and master metacognition—skills that prepare them for workforce pipelines and for life. Resources & Links Mentioned Join Us This Summer: Explore the specialized tracks, learning communities, and immersive tours featured in this episode at sreb.org/conference.Connect with SREB: Learn more about our school improvement frameworks and coaching support at sreb.org/school-improvement. 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: FacebookInstagramX

    41 min
  5. The GPA Myth: Reframing Education as a Solution, Not a Problem

    Jun 2

    The GPA Myth: Reframing Education as a Solution, Not a Problem

    Send us Fan Mail Student engagement is at an all-time low, while student anxiety and behavioral challenges are at an all-time high. How do we turn the tide? Mark Perna, a public speaker, best-selling author and founder of TFS Results, joins Daniel Rock and Chris Bailey to offer a game-changing framework: competitive advantage.  By moving beyond a singular focus on high academic grades, Perna outlines how schools can blend robust academics with technical competencies and professional life skills to get every student—from the 4.0 high-flyer to the struggling 1.5 student—fully locked into their learning journey. Key Takeaways The Three Pillars of Competitive Advantage: Discover the modern definition of a well-rounded education: robust academic knowledge, technical competencies and professional life skills working in perfect concert.The Solution vs. The Problem: Why straight-A students inherently view education as their solution, while lower-achieving students see it as their problem—and how to bridge that massive engagement gap.The 2.5 C-Student Paradigm: The eye-opening statistical reality of why close to 100% of major business leaders and CEOs would eagerly hire a 2.5 GPA student who possesses exceptional professional life skills over a high-achieving student without them.Overtly Teaching Professional Skills: SREB’s Chris Bailey shares insight from aerospace giant Boeing on why workers are never fired for a lack of hard technical skills, but rather for a lack of professional skills.The AI Tripwire in Workforce Funnels: A critical warning for business and school leaders regarding the fourth industrial revolution and how the blind elimination of entry-level jobs via AI is destroying the talent funnel.Skills-First Hiring: Navigating the rapid global shift away from degree-based hiring frameworks toward a skills-first employment ecosystem.Resources Mentioned Answering Why: Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose and Performance in Younger Generations by Mark Perna.The Perna Syndicate: Host of the global education and workforce development podcast.Mark Perna's Official Website: markcperna.com. 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: FacebookInstagramX

    48 min
  6. Neuroscience in the Classroom: How Aptitude Testing Creates Better Career Exploration

    May 19

    Neuroscience in the Classroom: How Aptitude Testing Creates Better Career Exploration

    Send us Fan Mail What are you actually wired to do? Betsy Wills, co-founder of YouScience and author of Your Hidden Genius, joins Daniel Rock and Jason Adair to disrupt the traditional follow your dreams model of career counseling. In this episode, Wills breaks down why self-reported personality tests fall short, how unused biological aptitudes drive adult burnout and how educators can use performance-based data to uncover the unique treasure chest of talent in every single student.  Key Takeaways Defining Aptitudes: Why aptitudes are objective, performance-based, unchanging biological traits rather than learned achievements or temporary interests. The Braided Rope Framework: Balancing personality, exposure-based interests and innate abilities to navigate a changing workforce. The Anatomy of Burnout: Why professional unrest is often caused by an unused aptitude and how avocations can restore career fulfillment. The "Slow Drip" vs. "Blender" Mind: Understanding how traits like idea rate dictate whether you belong in a courtroom, a creative studio or an operating room. The Danger of Mirror Tests: Why self-reported surveys like Myers-Briggs create a boomerang effect that fails to offer rigorous career direction. Democratizing Guidance: Shifting career exploration away from an expensive luxury to a standard tool accessible to all high school students. Resources Mentioned Your Hidden Genius: Your Hidden Genius: Leverage Your Natural Talents to Discover Your Career Pathway by Betsy Wills. YouScience Platform: Learn more at YouScience.com. 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: FacebookInstagramX

    43 min
  7. Stop Misdiagnosing Resistance: The 5 Catalyst Mindsets Every Instructional Coach Needs

    May 12

    Stop Misdiagnosing Resistance: The 5 Catalyst Mindsets Every Instructional Coach Needs

    Send us Fan Mail "Help me work with resistant teachers." It’s a major request for instructional coaches, but Becca Silver, founder of The Whole Educator, says it's often a misdiagnosis.  In this episode, Silver joins Daniel Rock and Jason Adair to explain why resistance isn't a personality trait—it's a human response to unmet needs. Discover how to move your staff past simple compliance and toward true ownership using the Catalyst Mindset framework.  Key Takeaways Reframe the Resistance: Why we should stop labeling teachers as resistant and start supporting teachers experiencing resistance. The 5 Catalyst Mindsets: A deep dive into the five unmet needs (Value, Belonging, Success, Growth and Ownership) that are actually at the root of pushback. Fidelity vs. Integrity: Why the language we use to describe initiatives can either build trust or signal a lack of it. The Levels of Engagement: How to move staff along the continuum from sabotage and defiance to agency and ownership. The Culture of Niceness Blocker: Why valuing harmony over authenticity is actually a silent progress blocker for your school. Resources Mentioned The Resistance Solution: Why Educators Resist and What They Need Instead by Becca Silver. The Whole Educator: thewholeeducator.com.  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: FacebookInstagramX

    40 min
  8. The High-Growth Blueprint: 5 Years of Level 5 Excellence

    May 5

    The High-Growth Blueprint: 5 Years of Level 5 Excellence

    Send us Fan Mail Bethany Wilson, principal of the #1 ranked middle school in Wilson County, Tennessee, joins the podcast to share the secrets behind five consecutive years of Level 5 TVAAS growth. From opening a new school just months before COVID to being named Tennessee's Principal of the Year, Wilson discusses the shift from doing to leading and how intentional culture-building turns data from a boogeyman into a life-changing tool for students.  Key Takeaways Demystifying TVAAS: Understanding student growth as a statistical model for progress rather than a stressor for teachers. The AP Grind vs. Principal Leadership: Why leading a school requires building capacity and an attitude of "We Work" rather than "I Work."Actionable Data: How to simplify complex statistical models into actionable, color-coded spreadsheets that teachers can actually use. Collective Teacher Efficacy: Why the best PLCs are based on trust, vulnerability and a shared drive of lesson designs. Normalizing Failure: Creating a culture where risk-taking is encouraged and growth mindsets are applied to both students and staff. The Power of Success Criteria: A three-year journey to move beyond simple learning objectives to authentic, student-centered criteria. 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: FacebookInstagramX

    50 min
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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!

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