With a world that is changing at an breakneck pace, Susannah Johnson and Nick Salmon ask a simple question that could uppend our education system: what if K-12 education wasn't just about getting ready for college? Three for Community, their new initiative advocates that high school graduates spend three years in service to others instead of attending college. Susannah and Nick hope that this change would disrupt the treadmill churn of getting as many kids into college  redirect the focus to human development, creating a better education system, and increasing opportunity for success.

Susannah Johnson is the Founder of Individualized Realized, LLC., consulting services, Personalized Learning Project, teaching global cohorts of learners, and IMPACT Bound, education reimagined. Working in partnership with What School Could Be also helps Susannah fulfill her main aim of igniting passion and purpose in education by meeting schools where they are and mapping out a transformation journey.

For more on Susannah, visit https://www.individualizedrealized.com/.

Nick Salmon is the founder and president of the Collaborative Learning Network. He is a ninth-generation educator focused on educational facility planning, professional development of educators and design support for future-flexible learning environments that cost less to design, build, own, operate and maintain. He is the world’s first self-certified educational furniture whisperer- capable of coaxing the greatest potential out of the unruliest school furnishings.

For more on the Collaborative Learning Network, visit https://www.collaborativelearningnetwork.com/.

Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Find out more about Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

For more episodes of the Better Learning Podcast, visit https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/

Who made this episode possible?

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

The world of education is constantly changing and it is hard for teachers and administrators to keep up. Futurist and author Pascal Finette shares his insights on the impact of these changes on the classroom. Topics include ChatGPT, AI, the pandemic, human reaction to disruption, TikTok as a learning platform, and how to look for early glimpses of what the future may hold. 

Pascal Finette is the co-founder of be radical, EY’s wavespace Advisory Board Chair, and Jury Chair for Science and Innovation Management at Falling Walls Foundation. Previously he held leadership positions at Google.org, Mozilla, and eBay, built technology startups, and launched a Venture Capital firm. He is the posse leader at TheHeretic.org, and the cofounder of the Women’s Impact Alliance.

For more on Pascal's book, visit https://disruptthebook.com/.

For more on Pascal himself, visit https://www.finette.com/.

Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Find out more about Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

For more episodes of the Better Learning Podcast, visit https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/

Who made this episode possible?

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

The world of education is constantly changing and it is hard for teachers and administrators to keep up. Futurist and author Pascal Finette shares his insights on the impact of these changes on the classroom. Topics include ChatGPT, AI, the pandemic, human reaction to disruption, TikTok as a learning platform, and how to look for early glimpses of what the future may hold. 

Pascal Finette is the co-founder of be radical, EY’s wavespace Advisory Board Chair, and Jury Chair for Science and Innovation Management at Falling Walls Foundation. Previously he held leadership positions at Google.org, Mozilla, and eBay, built technology startups, and launched a Venture Capital firm. He is the posse leader at TheHeretic.org, and the cofounder of the Women’s Impact Alliance.

For more on Pascal's book, visit https://disruptthebook.com/.

For more on Pascal himself, visit https://www.finette.com/.

Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Find out more about Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

For more episodes of the Better Learning Podcast, visit https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/

Who made this episode possible?

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

Whether it is his struggles with a reading disorder or his fight against cancer, Merril Hoge has spent his entire life overcoming the odds. Before Merril Hoge played eight seasons in the NFL, he got his degree in education. Since then, he has mentored countless young people through his charitable work and his own coaching. In this episode, Merril shares his experiences in the classroom and on the football field and how it’s important to help kids “find a way”. 

Merril Hoge is an eight-year NFL veteran and a former analyst for a variety of ESPN programs. Hoge is an inspirational speaker, who speaks all over the country, impacting people and companies to grow through self-reflection and taking action to Find Their Way. He is also on the board of the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research and was a member of the NFL Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee. In 2018, Hoge helped launch Your Call Football and is the author of Find a Way: Three Words That Changed My Life and Brainwashed: The Bad Science Behind CTE and the Plot to Destroy Football. Hoge continues to find new ways to make a positive impact with his mind, heart, and energy. Whether that be through his educational work, advocacy, or motivational engagements, he is a force for positive change and inspiration. He lives in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.

Learn more about Merril Hoge at www.merrilhoge.com

Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Find out more about Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

For more episodes of the Better Learning Podcast, visit https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/

Who made this episode possible?

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

One way to support teachers as they continue to improve their skills is to provide them with instructional coaching. While it might seem like an administrator is the ideal person to provide this, today's guest explains that there is a difference between being an effective coach and being an effective administrator. Dr. Amy Illingworth explains the difference between an administrator and a coach and also shares some of her favorite techniques to help coach teachers. 

Dr. Amy Illingworth currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for the Encinitas Union School District in Southern California. Throughout her career Amy has served as a teacher, a literacy coach, a vice principal, a principal, and a director, at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In addition, she has taught administrative preparation courses at the graduate college level for aspiring leaders. Amy is an avid blogger and write about her love of reaching, teacher, learning, and coaching. In fact, her book, The Coach ADVenture: Building Powerful Instructional Skills That Impact Learning, celebrates her love of coaching, and making an impact in teachers’ practices on behalf of student learning. Amy is originally from New Jersey, so she can talk fast about all of these subjects with anyone willing to listen!  

You can learn more about Dr. Illingworth at her blog: https://reflectionsonleadershipandlearning.com/

More information on her book can be found here: https://reflectionsonleadershipandlearning.com/coach-adventure/

Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Find out more about Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

For more episodes of the Better Learning Podcast, visit https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/

Who made this episode possible?

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

Welcome to the Better Learning Podcast, episode 123, where we focus on ways to improve education for our kids. Today, we have two esteemed guests from Henrico County Public Schools - Mac Beaton and Beverly Cocke, who will share their progressive approach to workforce development and how they are breaking down outdated misconceptions to create opportunities for students.

Mac Beaton, the Director of Career and Technical Education for Henrico County Public Schools, has spent the last 37 years in the education sector. He started as an apprentice electrician at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, but with his Bachelor of Science degree from Va. Tech and his Masters in Administration and Supervision for Virginia Commonwealth University, he moved on to teaching, serving as an Education Specialist, and eventually becoming the director for the past 23 years.

Mac has been recognized for his progressive approach to workforce development and most recently for the “The CTE Letter of Intent Signing Day,” which recognizes students leaving high school and entering the workforce, much like the signing day for athletes. He also led a project where students renovated 48,000 sq. ft. of an indoor mall to create an innovative learning environment for adult students, providing them with a location to “Shop for their future!” Join us as Mac shares his insights on how we can create a more innovative and progressive approach to education.

We also have Beverly Cocke, the Workforce and Career Development Specialist for Henrico County Public Schools. She has been connecting business partners and career and technical education programming for two decades, breaking down outdated misconceptions and building bridges with businesses and community partners to create opportunities for internships, job shadowing, career exploration, and employment for students. Beverly received her Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and her Master of Education from University of Richmond.

We hope you enjoy this episode, where we discuss ways to create a more progressive and innovative approach to education and workforce development. Remember, students may only be 20%-25% of our population today, but they are 100% of our future. Thank you for joining us on the Better Learning Podcast with Kevin Stoller.

Episode 123 of the Better Learning Podcast

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Who made this episode possible?

Mac Beaton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mac-beaton-82006733/

Beverly Cocke - https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverly-cocke-4746a1223/

Henrico County Public Schools - https://henricoschools.us/

Kevin Stoller - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

Kay-Twelve - https://www.kay-twelve.com/

Better Learning Podcast - https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

In this episode, Tre' shares his journey and how his inquisitive nature growing up has led him to where he is today. We talk about his passion for social-emotional learning, the importance of building social-emotional competence in schools, and the impact it can have on students' and adults' well-being.

Tre' also discusses his consultancy, SEL Educators, and how he is continuing to advocate for student and adult well-being through his work. He shares his philosophy of "facilitating purpose," which means making it easier for others to do what they love.

We also dive into Tre's educational background, including his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Miami (OH) University and his certifications as a Global Career Development Facilitator, DISC Practitioner, Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, and Certificate in School Leadership Social Emotional Learning & Character Development.

Join us as we learn from Tre' Gammage about the importance of social-emotional learning and how it can make a difference in our schools and communities.

Who made this episode possible?

Tre' Gammage - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tre-gammage-gcdf-54ab1765/

SEL Educators - https://www.seleducators.com/

Kevin Stoller - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

Kay-Twelve - https://www.kay-twelve.com/

Better Learning Podcast - https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

Culture Index - https://www.cultureindex.com/our-approach

On this episode, we're joined by Bob Krikac, an associate professor in the interior design program at Washington State University, and Shannon Spilker, 2019 Washington State graduate and participate in the interior design program at WSU. They share their experience working on a unique project called the SPLATT Table. The SPLATT Table is a student-led project aimed at creating a sense of belonging on campus by designing an equitable space that serves all users in equal proportion.

Shannon was scouted by her professors along with eight other students from different disciplines at WSU in 2017 to work on the project. They started by brainstorming bench ideas but realized that benches are transitory places and didn't fulfill the prompt of creating a sense of belonging. So, they pivoted and decided to make a table instead.

Since then, they've made six prototypes, conducted focus groups for ergonomics, tested anthropometrics for ADA and able-bodied users, and tweaked the design to accomplish the table's three main goals: to create an equitable space, facilitate concurrent small group interaction, and redefine belonging.

The SPLATT Table achieves these goals by using radial symmetry, having no head of the table, and offering the opportunity to interact without the necessity to. It allows people to maintain their privacy while sitting in proximity to others, creating the possibility for surprising connections to be made.

Sarah and Shannon have been committed to the SPLATT Table since their graduation, working alongside their faculty advisor, Bob Krikac, associate professor of Interior Design at WSU. They've learned valuable lessons in interdisciplinary collaboration and team building through their work on the project, which Shannon plans to incorporate in her future classroom as she pursues a Masters in Elementary Education.

Bob Krikac, who was invited to participate in the formation of the group that eventually created the SPLATT Table, continues to collaborate with Sarah and Shannon as they work to bring this unique educational product to market.

Tune in to this episode to learn more about the SPLATT Table, its design principles, and the team's journey in bringing it to life.

Episode 121 of the Better Learning Podcast

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Who made this episode possible?

Shannon Spilker

1. The SPLATT Table

2. Connect on LinkedIn!

Bob Krikac

1. The SPLATT Table

2. Connect on LinkedIn!

Kevin Stoller

1. Connect on LinkedIn!

2. Follow on Twitter!

Kay-Twelve

1. Kay-Twelve Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Better Learning Podcast

1. Better Learning Podcast Website

2. Follow on YouTube!

3. Subscribe on Apple!

4. Subscribe on Spotify!

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE)

1. The Association for Learning Environments Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Education Leaders' Organization

1. The Education Leaders' Organization Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Second Class Foundation

1. The Second Class Foundation Website

In this episode of the Better Learning Podcast, host Kevin Stoller talks to Eric Worthington, Principal at Glen Park Academy in the Gary Community School Corporation located in Gary, Indiana. Eric shares his inspiring journey of becoming a school principal and the experiences that led him there.

The episode starts with Eric discussing his early career path and how he transitioned into education. He talks about his passion for teaching and how he realized that he could make a bigger impact on students' lives by becoming a school administrator.

Throughout the episode, Eric shares personal anecdotes and stories that have helped shape his perspective and approach to education. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with students and their families, and creating a positive school culture where everyone feels valued and supported.

Episode 120 of the Better Learning Podcast

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Who made this episode possible?

Eric Worthington

1. Gary Community School Corporation

Kevin Stoller

1. Connect on LinkedIn!

2. Follow on Twitter!

Kay-Twelve

1. Kay-Twelve Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Better Learning Podcast

1. Better Learning Podcast Website

2. Follow on YouTube!

3. Subscribe on Apple!

4. Subscribe on Spotify!

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE)

1. The Association for Learning Environments Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Education Leaders' Organization

1. The Education Leaders' Organization Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Second Class Foundation

1. The Second Class Foundation Website

In this episode, host Kevin Stoller takes us to the 2023 AASA conference in San Antonio, Texas. Kevin talks to 19 school leaders and asks them two questions: (1) What Keeps You Up at Night? and (2) Who Are Your Most Trusted Advisors?

The answers to these questions are alarming and shed light on the challenges that school leaders face in their day-to-day work. From student safety to budget constraints, school leaders are grappling with a range of issues that affect not only their schools but also their personal lives.

Kevin and his guests discuss the need for a peer-to-peer network exclusively for school leaders. They explore the challenges of finding a supportive community that can help school leaders work through their issues while growing personally and professionally.

Throughout the episode, Kevin and his guests offer practical tips and advice on how to navigate the challenges of being a school leader. They share their experiences and insights on how to build a supportive network and find trusted advisors.

If you're a school leader who is looking for a supportive community to help you navigate the challenges of your role, then this episode is for you. Listen in as Kevin and his guests talk through the issues that are keeping school leaders up at night and explore where they can go for help.

Episode 115 of the Better Learning Podcast

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Who made this episode possible?

PJ Caposey, Superintendent

1. Meridian School District

Barbara Mullen, Superintendent

1. Rush-Henrietta Central School District

Nick Ouellette, Superintendent

1. Hudson School District

John Robidoux, Superintendent

1. Swansea Public Schools

Jesse Steiner, Superintendent

1. Northwestern Local Schools

Karen Cheser, Superintendent

1. Durango School District 9-R

Dr. Brian Yearwood, Superintendent

1. Columbia Public Schools

Charles Johns, Superintendent

1. Glenbrook High School District 225

Claudia Avery, Deputy Superintendent

1. Fairfield County School District

Sandy Strayer, Superintendent

1. Henry County Public Schools

Dale Olinger, Superintendent

1. Lolo School District 7

Mike Slagle, Superintendent

1. Raymore-Peculiar School District

Sharon Kherat, Superintendent

1. Peoria Public Schools District 150

Ed Nichols, Superintendent

1. Madison City Schools

Thomas Bongiovi, Superintendent

1. Orange-Ulster Boces

Tricia Mooney, Superintendent

1. Hermiston School District

Peter Finch, Superintendent

1. West Valley School District

Mike Toole, Assistant Principal

1. Highlands Elementary School

Edward Manuszak, Executive Director

1. Washtenaw ISD

Kevin Stoller

1. Connect on LinkedIn!

2. Follow on Twitter!

Kay-Twelve

1. Kay-Twelve Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Better Learning Podcast

1. Better Learning Podcast Website

2. Follow on YouTube!

3. Subscribe on Apple!

4. Subscribe on Spotify!

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE)

1. The Association for Learning Environments Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Education Leaders' Organization

1. The Education Leaders' Organization Website

2. LinkedIn Profile

3. Twitter Profile

Second Class Foundation

1. The Second Class Foundation Website