Olivia Wahl and Dr. Wendy Bunker are embarking on a new adventure. Every other Monday, Schoolutions followers can now look forward to a new series: What We Know Now. Olivia and Wendy will engage in discourse around current topics in education. Episodes will stay laser-focused on the week’s chosen topic and run only 10-15 minutes. Tune in and look forward to gaining insights from Olivia and Wendy’s diverse perspectives based on their vast professional backgrounds.

Olivia Wahl has been an educator for over twenty years and leads institutes for teachers nationwide. She provides PreK-12 professional learning in leadership, coaching, and literacy instruction. Her work supports teachers with conferring and using student work to drive instruction while supporting culturally responsive practices. Olivia advocates for play and inquiry-based learning experiences alongside reconceptualizing the Gradual Release of Responsibility to enhance student voice and engagement. She is the creator, producer, editor, and host of Schoolutions - a podcast to inspire and connect PreK-12 educators, administrators, caregivers, and community members as they identify and share solutions for issues in public education.

Dr. Wendy Bunker has been an educator for over thirty years. She has served as a secondary English teacher and a K-12 Reading Specialist. Currently, she works as an ELA curriculum specialist for Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), serving districts as an instructional coach and facilitator of professional learning. Wendy is a proponent of instruction that gives all learners equitable access to literacy. Her work as a coach with administrators and teachers focuses on building instructional systems that engage all learners. Wendy acquired her Doctorate in Literacy from Syracuse University. She is deeply grateful to Kathleen Hinchman, Ph.D., and Benita Blachman, Ph.D., whose knowledge and contributions to the field of literacy provide daily inspiration for her work.   

Episode Mentions:

• Cris Tovani
• Sam Bennett
• Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES
• The Reading League
• Professor Benita Blachman
• Dr. Maria Murray
• Dr. Heidi Beverine-Curry

Connect w/ Olivia:

• at her website 
• on Twitter 
• on Instagram
• on Threads
• on Facebook
• on LinkedIn
• on TikTok
• on YouTube

Connect w/ Wendy:

• on

When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.