Rural schools educate nearly one-third of America's public school students, yet they are often underrepresented in national conversations about education policy, innovation, and school improvement.

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching, Dr. John Schembari is joined by Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association and author of The Resilient Rural Leader, along with Derek Cantrell, principal of Alleghany Highlands High School and author of Better Together: Two Communities, One School.

Together, they explore the strengths, challenges, and opportunities facing rural schools today.

Topics include:
• Teacher recruitment and retention in rural communities
• School consolidation and community identity
• Grow-your-own teacher programs
• Partnerships with community colleges, businesses, and local organizations
• Broadband access and educational equity
• AI and technology as tools to expand opportunity
• What urban and suburban schools can learn from rural schools
• Why relationships remain the foundation of effective leadership

The conversation highlights an important reality: rural education is not a deficit story. It is a story of resilience, innovation, community partnership, and leaders who consistently find ways to create opportunities for students despite limited resources.

Whether you work in a rural, suburban, or urban setting, this episode offers valuable insights into leadership, trust, community engagement, and the future of education.

Melissa Sadorf LinkedIn

Derek Cantrell LinkedIn

The Resilient Rural Leader Book

Better Together Book

National Rural Education Association

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In this episode, John Schembari speaks with Becca Silver about the real causes of resistance in schools and how leaders can respond more effectively.

Becca shares her Catalyst Mindsets framework, explains why resistance is often rooted in unmet needs, and discusses the difference between compliance, buy-in, and ownership.

The conversation explores practical strategies for coaches, principals, and district leaders seeking to build trust, navigate difficult conversations, and create cultures where meaningful change can take hold.

Becca Silver Website

Becca Silver LinkedIn

Book - The Resistance Solution

Music by Aylex

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching, I sit down with Starr Sackstein, Michael McDowell, and Alexandra Laing, co-creators of Actionable Assessment, to unpack one of the most pressing instructional questions teachers face every day:

When some students get it, some don’t, and some are already ahead… what do you do next?

We explore how formative assessment should be less about collecting data and more about making immediate instructional decisions during Tier 1 teaching.

Key takeaways include:
✅ Quick checks for understanding that don’t interrupt lesson flow
✅ How to respond to students below, at, and above readiness levels in the moment
✅ Why differentiation does not have to mean separating students into intervention groups
✅ How visual “instructional snapshots” help teachers choose responsive next moves fast
✅ Why advanced learners deserve extension—not becoming the class tutor
✅ Simple routines that build student metacognition and ownership of learning
✅ How schools can embed responsive teaching through PLCs, coaching, and leadership follow-through

This conversation is a practical look at the intersection of formative assessment, differentiation, MTSS, and instructional coaching—with actionable strategies teachers can use tomorrow.

Starr Sackstein Webpage

Michael McDowell Webpage

Alexandra Liang LinkedIn Page

Book Featured: Actionable Assessment: A Step-by-Step Guide to Responsive Teaching and Student Growth

Music by Aylex

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching, I sit down with Charlotte Dungan, Chief Learning Officer at the Mark Cuban Foundation, to explore what meaningful AI education actually looks like in K-12.

We unpack:
• What effective AI professional learning for teachers should include
• Why AI literacy must go beyond prompts and productivity
• How the Mark Cuban Foundation’s free teacher and student AI bootcamps work
• The connection between AI, CTE, entrepreneurship, and future workforce readiness
• Equity, access, and ensuring rural and underserved students aren’t left behind
• Why teacher agency matters more than overly rigid AI policies
• Practical AI tools for assessment, feedback, classroom conversations, and teacher practice

A standout takeaway: AI should reduce the drudgery so humans can do more of the creative, relational, deeply human work that matters most.

Because schools are not just preparing workers.

We’re preparing citizens.

Charlotte Dungan LinkedIn Page

Mark Cuban Foundation

Music by Aylex

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching, John Schembari speaks with Musical IQ leaders Philip Gillette and James Soler about how music can become a bridge to culture, identity, collaboration, and deeper learning.

The conversation explores how schools can move beyond treating music and the arts as “extras” and instead use them as powerful tools for engagement, systems thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and community building.

Topics include:
• Why music creates belonging and confidence for students
• How Musical IQ uses African and Afro-diaspora music traditions to teach culture and history
• Using drumming, storytelling, and ensemble work to develop student voice and collaboration
• Why “play” is essential for curiosity and learning
• Helping students feel seen through culturally responsive instruction
• The connection between music, memory, and deeper learning
• How arts integration supports systems thinking and interdisciplinary instruction
• Navigating cultural appreciation vs. cultural appropriation in education
• Practical ways schools can integrate music and culture into everyday teaching
• How immersive science experiences through Cosmic IQ connect to the same philosophy of engagement and wonder

One powerful takeaway from the episode:
“If students feel seen, connected, and curious, learning accelerates.”

Listen if you are interested in:
• Student engagement
• Arts integration
• Culturally responsive teaching
• Interdisciplinary learning
• Student voice and agency
• Music education
• Building joyful classrooms
• Global and culturally connected instruction

Musical IQ Website

James Soller LinkedIn Page

Phillip Gilette Website

Music by Aylex

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. William DeJean, CEO of Unleash Learning, to unpack a reality many school leaders are feeling but struggling to name: we’re in an era of overwhelm.

We explore why traditional approaches to leadership—compliance, checklists, and even strategy overload—are no longer enough.

Instead, William makes the case for systems thinking: grounding schools in a clear teaching and learning mission and a stable instructional “system” that can absorb new initiatives without overwhelming staff.

We discuss:

• Why leaders are losing focus on teaching and learning
• The difference between compliance, strategies, and systems thinking
• What it actually means to “make learning stick for everyone”
• How student engagement works like “lifting weights” for the brain
• Why too many initiatives increase cognitive load instead of improving practice
• The importance of shared language and modeling at the leadership level

Key takeaway: In a world where educators can’t keep up with everything, strong systems reduce overload and refocus schools on what matters most—learning that sticks.

William DeJean LinkedIn Page

Unleash Learning Website

A New Way Forward for Schools - Book

Unleash Learning TV

Music by Aylex

In this episode, we explore one of the most debated questions in literacy instruction:

👉 Should students read grade-level texts or texts matched to their ability?

Joined by Dr. Noreen Bunt, we unpack:

• Why grade-level text access matters for all students
• The risks of over-relying on leveled grouping
• How to support struggling readers without lowering expectations
• Practical strategies for:
• The evolving role of literacy in content-area classrooms
• How MTSS, Tier 1 instruction, and small groups should actually function

This conversation challenges common practices and offers a clearer path toward equitable, effective literacy instruction.

Norene A. Bunt LinkedIn Page

Solving the Literacy Puzzle Book

Music by Aylex

International Schools: What Educators Need to Know

Summary:
What is it really like to teach in an international school? This episode explores the realities—opportunities, challenges, and misconceptions—of working abroad as an educator.

Key Points:
• There is no single definition of an international school
• Leadership and school quality matter more than location
• Compensation often includes housing, travel, and benefits
• Professional growth comes from exposure to different systems
• The experience builds global perspective—but requires adaptability

Guests:
• Kate O’Connell
• Leo Thompson
• Craig Randall

Key Question:
👉 How would teaching in a different system change your practice?

Kate O'Connell Website - EduKate

Leo Thompson Website - Edsplorer

Craig Randall Website - Trust Based Observations

Special thanks to my students Liz DiClementi and Elizabeth Levin for co-hosting this episode!

Music by Aylex

In this episode, I’m joined by Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio, authors of Lead It Like Lasso, to explore what school leaders can learn from Ted Lasso. We discuss leadership archetypes, building authentic school culture, and why leaders don’t need all the answers to be effective.

We also dig into developing reluctant leaders, surrounding yourself with the right team, and the difference between students being “finished” vs. truly “ready.”

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership comes in different styles—find your authentic approach
• Culture is defined by actions, not statements
• You don’t need all the answers—build trust through honesty
• Strong leaders develop others and invite challenge
• “Finished” doesn’t mean students are ready for the real world

A practical, real-world conversation connecting leadership, education, and culture.

Marnie Stockman LinkedIn Page

Nick Coniglio LinkedIn Page

Lead It Like Lasso Book

The Business of You Webpage

Music by Aylex

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching, we explore what it really means to prepare students for a future shaped by rapidly evolving technology.

While tools like flight simulation may seem niche, the deeper conversation is about something much bigger: how we design learning experiences that build decision-making, problem-solving, and real-world application.

We discuss how immersive environments and AI-powered tools are shifting students from passive learners to active designers and why this shift is critical across all K–12 settings.

This conversation pushes beyond “using technology” and into how students think, create, and navigate complexity. These skills will define success in both college and the workforce.

Key Takeaways:

• Students need opportunities to apply knowledge in dynamic, real-world contexts
• Simulation and AI tools can amplify—not replace—student thinking
• The future of learning is less about content coverage and more about decision-making under uncertainty
• Schools must move from task completion → authentic problem-solving
• Educators play a critical role in designing environments where students create, not just consume

Topics Covered:

• The role of simulation in modern learning
• AI as a thinking partner vs. shortcut
• Designing for applied intelligence
• Preparing students for unpredictable futures
• Bridging school learning with real-world demands

Autumn Stewart LinkedIn Page

Stem Pilot Website

Music by Aylex