reeducated

In this episode, I sit down with Shashank V. Joshi, Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Education at Stanford University, to explore the growing youth mental health crisis and its profound implications for education. We discuss how anxiety, depression, and stress are shaping the lives of students today, and why schools have become critical spaces for identifying and addressing these challenges. Rather than viewing academic achievement and well-being as competing priorities, we examine how mental health is foundational to meaningful learning and human development.

Our conversation explores the cultural, social, and institutional pressures facing young people, from academic expectations and identity formation to stigma surrounding mental health care. We also discuss suicide prevention, early intervention, and the importance of collaboration among educators, families, and clinicians. Dr. Joshi shares insights from his work at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, emphasizing the need for compassionate, evidence-based approaches that support the whole child.

What stayed with me most is the realization that education cannot be separated from emotional well-being. If schools are meant to prepare students not only for careers but for life, then supporting mental health must be central to their mission. This conversation challenges us to rethink how we design learning environments that foster resilience, belonging, and flourishing.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:20 – A Career at the Intersection of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Education

07:05 – Understanding the Youth Mental Health Crisis

13:10 – Schools as Frontlines for Mental Health Support

19:45 – Academic Pressure, Stress, and Student Well-Being

26:30 – Cultural Identity and Mental Health

33:05 – Stigma and Barriers to Accessing Care

39:40 – Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention

46:10 – The Role of Families, Educators, and Communities

52:35 – Technology, Social Media, and Adolescent Development

59:10 – Building Compassionate and Resilient School Systems

01:05:20 – The Future of Youth Mental Health and Education

01:10:10 – Advice for Educators, Parents, and Policymakers

In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Hatch, Professor of Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, to examine why education reform so often falls short of its ambitions. We explore decades of reform efforts, from accountability movements to large-scale innovation initiatives, and ask why promising ideas struggle to scale or sustain impact. Tom draws on his research in policy and school improvement to explain the structural constraints that shape what change is possible.

We discuss the architecture of education systems, the limits of top-down reform, and the persistent gap between policy design and classroom reality. Tom emphasizes that reform is not simply a matter of better ideas. It depends on organizational capacity, political will, professional norms, and long-term support. Without alignment across these layers, change rarely endures.

What stayed with me most is the idea that reform cycles often repeat because we misunderstand the system we are trying to change. If we want sustainable improvement, we must confront how education systems are structured and what they are designed to do. This conversation pushes us to rethink what meaningful reform actually requires.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:10 – Thomas Hatch’s Path into Education Research

06:45 – Understanding the History of Education Reform

12:30 – Why Promising Reforms Often Fail

18:40 – The Architecture of Education Systems

24:55 – The Challenge of Scaling Innovation

31:10 – Policy, Practice, and the Classroom Reality

37:20 – Accountability and Its Unintended Consequences

43:35 – Improvement Science and Systemic Change

49:15 – Rethinking School Reform for the Future

55:10 – Lessons for Educators and Policymakers

58:30 – Closing Reflections

In this episode, I sit down with William A. Pasmore, Professor of Practice of Social-Organizational Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, to explore how institutions actually change. We move beyond surface-level reform conversations and into the psychological and structural dynamics that shape organizational transformation. Bill explains why many change initiatives fail, even when leaders have good intentions and strong evidence.

We discuss the role of culture, informal power structures, and leadership behaviors in shaping whether change takes root. Rather than viewing organizations as machines that can be adjusted with the right technical fix, Bill frames them as complex social systems. Successful transformation requires attention to relationships, trust, and shared meaning, not just strategy documents and policy shifts.

What stayed with me most is the idea that meaningful change is less about control and more about learning. Institutions evolve when people inside them are engaged, reflective, and willing to question assumptions. If education systems are organizations like any other, then understanding how change works at a psychological level becomes essential to reimagining schools and universities.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:05 – Entering Organizational Psychology

07:20 – Why Organizational Change Is So Difficult

13:40 – Culture vs. Strategy

19:55 – Informal Power and Social Dynamics

26:10 – Leadership and Trust in Change Processes

32:30 – Top-Down Reform and Its Limits

38:15 – Designing Learning Organizations

44:05 – Resistance, Fear, and Human Behavior

49:20 – What Sustainable Change Requires

54:30 – The Future of Institutional Transformation

56:30 – Closing Reflections

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Villeneuve, Assistant Professor of History and American Indian & Indigenous Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, to explore how history is constructed, taught, and contested in American education. We examine how national narratives often obscure Indigenous perspectives, and how curriculum decisions reflect deeper assumptions about land, sovereignty, and identity. Matt explains how the structure of history education can reproduce settler colonial frameworks without explicitly naming them.

We discuss what it means to center Indigenous knowledge in the classroom and how doing so challenges dominant stories about nation-building and progress. Matt emphasizes that history is not simply a record of events, but a political act of interpretation. What is included, what is omitted, and how stories are framed shape how students understand belonging and citizenship.

What stayed with me most is the realization that education plays a central role in shaping collective memory. If schools are institutions that define the past for future generations, then the curriculum becomes a site of power. This conversation invites us to reconsider not just what we teach, but whose voices we consider foundational to our understanding of history.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:10 – Path into History and Indigenous Studies

07:25 – What Indigenous Studies Challenges in Traditional History

13:40 – Settler Colonialism and National Narratives

20:05 – Curriculum as Political Structure

26:30 – Whose Knowledge Counts in Schools

33:15 – Land, Sovereignty, and Historical Framing

39:50 – Teaching Difficult Histories

46:10 – Education and Collective Memory

52:30 – Reimagining History Education

57:40 – Closing Reflections

In this episode, I sit down with Daniel A. Wagner to explore one of the most urgent global challenges in education: the gap between schooling and actual learning. Around the world, enrollment rates have improved dramatically, yet millions of children leave school without basic literacy skills. Dan explains how international development efforts have historically focused on access, but access alone does not guarantee meaningful learning.

We discuss the concept of “learning poverty,” the challenges of measuring literacy across diverse linguistic and cultural contexts, and the limits of global assessment systems. Dan draws on decades of research across countries to show how policy initiatives often oversimplify complex educational realities. What counts as literacy varies across societies, and measurement tools can unintentionally distort priorities.

What stayed with me most is the distinction between years spent in school and actual cognitive development. If education is to fulfill its promise, we must shift from counting seats filled to understanding learning gained. This conversation pushes us to rethink how we define success in global education systems.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:15 – Entering Global Education and Literacy Research

07:30 – The Difference Between Schooling and Learning

13:40 – The Global Literacy Landscape

19:55 – What “Learning Poverty” Really Means

26:10 – Measuring Literacy Across Languages and Cultures

32:45 – The Limits of International Assessments

39:20 – Policy, Data, and Development Agendas

45:30 – Technology and Innovation in Global Education

51:10 – Rethinking What Counts as Success

56:30 – The Future of Learning and Literacy

59:10 – Closing Reflections

In this episode, I sit down with Alexander P. Karp to explore the history and evolution of mathematics education. Rather than treating math instruction as a static system, we examine how curriculum, pedagogy, and expectations have shifted across countries and decades. Alexander draws from his background in Russian and American mathematics education to show how teaching methods reflect deeper cultural assumptions about what mathematics is and who it is for.

We discuss the waves of reform that have shaped math classrooms, from procedural fluency to conceptual understanding, and why these debates tend to cycle rather than resolve. Alexander emphasizes that many current reform conversations are not new. They echo earlier moments in educational history. By understanding how math education developed, we gain clarity about the assumptions driving today’s policies.

What stayed with me most is the reminder that curriculum decisions are never purely technical. They are philosophical. They reveal what we believe mathematics is meant to cultivate: precision, creativity, logical reasoning, cultural inheritance, or something else entirely. This conversation challenges us to step back and ask whether our current math systems reflect our deepest educational values.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:10 – Founding Palantir and Institutional Focus

08:45 – Why Silicon Valley Misunderstands Government

15:30 – Technology and National Security

22:40 – Markets vs. Civic Responsibility

30:05 – The Ethics of Data and Power

37:15 – Western Values and Technological Competition

45:20 – Institutional Fragility in the Digital Age

52:10 – Responsibility in Leadership

58:30 – The Future of Democratic Technology

In this episode, I sit down with Irina Lyublinskaya to explore how technology actually functions in science classrooms. Rather than assuming digital tools automatically improve learning, Irina emphasizes the importance of aligning technology with pedagogy and deep content knowledge. We unpack how frameworks like technological pedagogical content knowledge help teachers think critically about when and why to integrate tools into instruction.

We discuss the difference between using technology as an add-on and embedding it into inquiry-based science learning. Irina explains how effective integration requires careful planning, strong teacher preparation, and attention to students’ conceptual development. Technology can support modeling, data collection, and simulation, but without intentional pedagogy, it risks becoming a distraction rather than a transformation.

What stayed with me most is the reminder that innovation in education is rarely about the newest tool. It is about thoughtful design. Preparing teachers to make informed instructional decisions remains central to meaningful STEM integration in today’s classrooms.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:05 – Entering Science and Technology Education

07:40 – What Technology Integration Really Means

13:20 – The TPACK Framework

20:10 – Technology as Tool vs. Technology as Transformation

27:35 – Inquiry-Based Science and Digital Tools

34:50 – Teacher Preparation and Professional Development

42:15 – STEM Integration Beyond Buzzwords

49:40 – Barriers to Effective Implementation

55:20 – Preparing Classrooms for the Future

59:30 – Closing Reflections

In this episode, I sit down with Myra Strober to explore the economic roots of gender inequality. We trace how labor markets, educational systems, and public policy intersect to shape women’s opportunities over time. Myra reflects on decades of research examining occupational segregation, wage disparities, and the undervaluation of care work. Rather than treating inequality as an individual failure, she situates it within institutional structures that reward certain forms of labor while marginalizing others.

We discuss how early educational pathways influence career trajectories, why certain fields remain gendered, and how workplace norms around caregiving continue to disadvantage women. Myra explains how economic theory can both illuminate and obscure these realities, depending on what assumptions are built into models. A central theme that emerges is that markets do not automatically correct inequality. Policy design, institutional reform, and cultural change all play critical roles.

What struck me most is the long view she brings to the conversation. Change is possible, but it requires sustained attention to both economic incentives and social norms. If education is meant to expand opportunity, we must confront the structural barriers that shape outcomes long after students leave the classroom.

Chapters :

00:00 – Introduction

02:15 – Entering the Field of Labor Economics

07:40 – Understanding Occupational Segregation

14:20 – The Wage Gap and Its Structural Roots

20:55 – Education Pathways and Career Outcomes

28:30 – The Economics of Care Work

35:10 – Policy Interventions and Their Limits

42:45 – Workplace Culture and Institutional Barriers

49:20 – Progress Over Time

54:10 – The Future of Gender Equity

58:30 – Closing Reflections

In this episode, I sit down with Dani Friedrich to explore how education policy moves across borders and transforms along the way. We examine how global reform agendas, often framed as technical solutions backed by evidence, are shaped by ideology, funding structures, and international institutions long before they reach classrooms. Dani explains how concepts like accountability, effectiveness, and standards gain authority in global conversations, and how those ideas are translated into national and local systems.

We discuss the idea of policy mobility and what happens when reforms designed in one political or cultural context are implemented in another. Dani emphasizes that education reform is never purely technical. It is embedded in power relations, economic interests, and political negotiation. What appears to be a neutral policy is often grounded in particular assumptions about development, governance, and the role of schooling in society.

What stood out most is the recognition that understanding education reform requires understanding power. If policies are shaped by global actors and political incentives, then meaningful change demands more than better data. It requires critical awareness of who defines problems, whose voices are included, and whose interests are served.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

02:05 – Entering Global Education Policy

06:40 – How International Reform Agendas Take Shape

12:15 – Policy as Ideology, Not Just Technique

18:30 – When Global Policy Travels Across Borders

25:10 – Accountability, Standards, and Measurement

31:45 – Funding Structures and Political Power

38:20 – What Happens When Policy Meets Local Context

44:05 – Whose Knowledge Counts in Reform?

49:30 – Rethinking Evidence and Implementation

54:10 – Imagining More Democratic Alternatives

56:15 – Closing Reflections

In this episode, I sit down with Janine Remillard to unpack one of the most persistent problems in education: why so many people leave school convinced they are “not math people.” Janine argues that the issue is not students’ ability, but how we frame mathematics itself. Too often, math is taught as a rigid set of procedures and symbols rather than as a language for reasoning about the world. We explore how shifting from procedure-first instruction to problem-forward thinking can completely transform a student’s relationship with the subject.

We discuss what accessible math problems look like in practice, how young children naturally think in groups long before they learn symbolic notation, and why conventions like multiplication signs are tools for communication rather than the essence of mathematics. Janine explains the research showing that students can solve contextual problems before they can manipulate symbols, and how early experiences like timed “Mad Minute” drills can shape lifelong anxiety and identity.

The conversation moves into teacher preparation, where Janine describes how she works to rebuild mathematical identity in future educators. Through collaborative problem-solving, structured routines, and exposure to decades of research, she helps teachers experience math as argument, reasoning, and creativity rather than memorization. We end by reflecting on the broader stakes: in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, data, and quantitative systems, mathematical confidence is not optional. It is foundational to participation in modern life.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

01:30 – From Elementary Teacher to Math Education Scholar

03:30 – Teaching Ideas Instead of Procedures

07:00 – Proof as Argument vs. Proof as Procedure

12:00 – Designing Problem-Forward Curriculum

17:00 – What Makes a Problem “Accessible”

23:30 – Why Symbols Are Not the Math

26:30 – Math Anxiety and the Damage of Timed Tests

29:30 – The Apprenticeship of Observation in Teacher Training

32:00 – Rebuilding Mathematical Identity in Teachers

38:00 – “I’m Not a Math Person” as Cultural Narrative

41:00 – The History and Philosophy of Zero

45:00 – Why Mathematical Confidence Matters Today

47:00 – Closing Reflections