In Part 2 of my Schoolutions conversation, Dr. Kris Nystrom (founder of Reading the World Inc.) connects the dots among global literacy rates, the world economy, and why what happens in a slum school in Nairobi has a profound economic impact. This discussion highlights the critical role of universal education in addressing poverty and fostering global awareness, underscoring the broader implications for finance and world news.

Kris shares:
🌍 Why student success in Kenya is directly tied to the global economy
📖 Project Ripple: a science of reading initiative in Nairobi slum schools with 100:1 student-teacher ratios
💡 The Good Hope Royalty Center, where "all children are royal" and street kids are given unconditional love and a future
🔁 The Sankofa philosophy: "You can go back and fix your mistakes"
👨‍👩‍👧 How one literate child creates a ripple of empowered educators, healthier families, and stronger communities

💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & donate here if you can.

📚 CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome & Sankofa: "You can go back and fix your mistakes"
02:00 Colonial history & why African literacy rates are low
04:30 Inside Nairobi slum schools: 100 students to 1 teacher
07:30 Project Ripple: science of reading training in APBET schools
09:00 Why global literacy matters to every economy
10:30 By 2050, 1/4 of the world will live in Africa
12:00 The ripple effect: one child teaches their parents to read
13:30 Good Hope Royalty Center & Faith Woge's unconditional love
16:30 "All children are royal" candles, soap & sustainable futures
17:30 How to support Reading the World Inc.
18:00 Closing reflection: the ripple is the whole thing

🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Why Should I Care? Counting Up From Survival
• Reading the World Projects
• APBET schools (Alternative Provision for Basic Education and Training)
• SUNY New Paltz Science of Reading Center 

🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!

Next Week: We are going somewhere equally unexpected and equally beautiful. Portrait Pals, founded by Tonya Quinn, is redefining what art class can be — pairing children across communities to paint each other's portraits, and in doing so, teaching them that every face tells a story worth seeing. 

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

What does a child's birthplace have to do with their right to learn? Everything. And Dr. Kris Nystrom is doing something about it.

This clip explores the philosophical foundation of "reading the world," asserting that a child's place of birth should not dictate their access to education for all. It underscores the critical role of academic success in fostering social justice. This perspective drives the daily work of educators committed to education reform, questioning why any child should be treated as less than, and emphasizing the need for mental health support.

🌍 Support Reading the World Inc. by donating here.

In this clip:
- The philosophical foundation of Reading the World Inc.
- What "school deserts" are, and the 4 forces that create them
- Why the pro-kid mindset has no borders
- What culturally responsive teaching looks like at a global scale
- How student success begins with seeing the whole child

Save this. Share it with your school administrators, instructional leaders, and fellow teachers.

Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part 2 of our Schoolutions S5E29 interview with your team.

📌 CHAPTERS
0:00 — The Quote That Drives Everything
0:12 — "Where One Is Born Cannot Be the Only Reason"
0:28 — Looking Kids in the Eyes: The Moral Case for Equity
0:45 — What Is a School Desert?
0:52 — Walking Through Lions to Get to Class
1:05 — Building Schools That Communities Own

📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! 

#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #equityineducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #SchoolDesert #GlobalLiteracy #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #InclusiveClassrooms #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #ProKidMindset #EmpoweredEducators #Schoolutions #ReadingTheWorld #TeachingTips #EducationTransformation #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #FamilyPartnerships #SchoolCulture

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

Part One of my S5E29 Schoolutions with Dr. Kris Nystrom highlights the critical need for education for all and how a dedicated "teacher" can drive education reform through direct action. It reframes our understanding of social justice in educational contexts and the profound impact of ensuring academic success globally.

In Part 1 of this conversation, Kris shares:
• How 10 years of global literacy research revealed a crisis hiding in plain sight
• What the "four horsemen of educational inequity" are (conflict, climate, geography, and cost) and why they demand a whole child approach
• Why good teaching always begins with student culture, and how bypassing that is itself a political act
• His community-first protocol for sustainable school building: no savior complex, no top-down solutions
• What it's really like when kids walk through lion and leopard territory just to reach a classroom

Kris founded Reading the World Inc. in 2024. Nobody takes a salary. Every dollar goes directly to children. Donate here.
 
🎙️ Part 2 drops this Friday, where we zoom out to the global literacy crisis and why it matters far beyond sub-Saharan Africa.

➡️Resource links  

➡️Paulo Freire 

➡️Umberto Eco 

➡️Charles Sanders Peirce 

➡️Stanislas Dehaene 

➡️Maryanne Wolf 

Chapters
0:00 Introduction: Who is Dr. Kris Nystrom?
1:40 Research foundations: Paulo Freire, semiotics, and how the brain reads
4:00 Why culturally responsive teaching is a moral stance
5:00 What is a school desert? The four horsemen of educational inequity
8:00 The real cost barriers keeping kids out of school
10:30 From Connecticut retirement to sub-Saharan Africa
12:30 The philosophical foundation: where you're born shouldn't determine access
13:40 Kris's community-first protocol for building schools
17:00 Lightning round: what keeps Kris up at night, biggest misconceptions
19:30 Preview of Part 2: global literacy and economic ripple effects

Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.

🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Connect with me if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! 

#readingtheworld #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #evidencebasedstrategies #classroomreadystrategies  #SchoolDeserts #GlobalLiteracy

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

In Part 2 of my Schoolutions conversation, Erin Patterson from SchoolHouse Connection returns to detail legislative wins for families experiencing homelessness, showcasing how advocacy works amid federal budget cuts. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How $129 million in homeless education funding was zeroed out in the President's FY26 budget, and how SchoolHouse Connection got it restored through nonpartisan grassroots advocacy
• What the McKinney-Vento Act actually guarantees for homeless students
• The Homeless Children and Youth Act: the signature legislation that would align federal definitions so families in motels and doubled-up housing finally qualify for housing assistance
• How the Thrive from the Start Coalition is mobilizing state-level action on infant and toddler homelessness, and why 48 states applied for just 10 grants

Mentions:
➡️Barbara Duffield
➡️Thomas J. Lucas (TJ)
➡️Thrive from the Start Coalition
➡️Advocacy Page
➡️Federal Policy Tracker
➡️Homeless Children and Youth Data Map
➡️McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
➡️Every Student Succeeds Act
➡️Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program
➡️Homeless Children and Youth Act 
➡️Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
➡️Resources for Homeless Education Liaisons

🎧 Watch Part I! Erin paints the full picture of what hidden homelessness looks like for children across America.

CHAPTERS 

0:00 When the Budget Shows a Zero 

1:45 FY26 Budget & Homeless Education 

6:00 $129 Million Restored 

7:30 McKinney-Vento Explained 

10:00 Undocumented & Homeless 

11:45 Dedicated Funding vs. Block Grants 

13:00 Thrive from the Start 

15:15 Homeless Children & Youth Act 

16:30 How to Get Involved 

Next Week:  Dr. Kris Nystrom left retirement to tackle the world's lowest literacy rates in sub-Saharan Africa, one community at a time. This one will change how you see what's at stake when a child can't read. 

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

This clip with Erin Patterson of SchoolHouse Connection explores the often-overlooked reality of childhood homelessness, particularly for families with children. We learn that many children experiencing homelessness are having to "double up" with others, making them part of the invisible people in our communities. 

These real-life stories shed light on how economic inequality contributes to the challenges faced by children experiencing homelessness.

Housing instability is one of the biggest hidden drivers of low engagement, classroom behavior challenges, and student motivation struggles. The whole child can't thrive when they don't know where they're sleeping tonight.

This is what equity in education and a pro-kid mindset actually look like in practice, when we see the full picture of a child's life.

Save this. Share it with your school administrators, instructional leaders, and fellow teachers. 

👇 Watch, reflect, and share Part 1 & Part Two of our Schoolutions S5E28 interview with your team. 🚀📚 .

📚 CHAPTERS
0:00 – What most people picture when they hear "homeless" 
0:10 – The shocking 80% statistic 
0:25 – Motel hopping & the doubled-up reality 
0:45 – What this means for students in your classroom

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.

📧 Connect with me at https://www.oliviawahl.com/coaching-consulting if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to  👍LIKE this video if it helped you, 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 
💬SHARE with fellow educators! https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/

#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #StudentEngagement #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #InclusiveClassrooms #TeacherImpact #ClassroomBelonging #EffectiveTeaching #SchoolCulture #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #HomelessStudents #TeachingTips #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolLeadership #AntibiasTeaching #FamilyPartnerships #NewTeachers

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

In part 1 of this powerful S5E28 Schoolutions conversation, Erin Patterson, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at SchoolHouse Connection, pulls back the curtain on what homelessness in America truly looks like for children experiencing it. This conversation reveals how often the reality of a family experiencing homelessness is hidden, challenging common perceptions about critical social issues. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why 80% of homeless students are "invisible" — and how that affects classroom behavior and student engagement
• How housing instability shows up as fatigue, anxiety, and absenteeism (and what that means for effective teaching)
• The data gap between HUD's definition of homelessness and what schools actually see
• Why babies (yes, infants) are the age group most at risk of eviction
• How a pro-kid mindset and the right education strategies can be a lifeline
• The single resource Erin recommends for caregivers and educators who want to take action
• Why transportation is the #1 unfunded need in this space

Resources mentioned:
➡️Sara Shaw
➡️Harvard Center on the Developing Child
➡️Point-in-Time (PIT) Count
➡️HUD definition of homelessness
➡️McKinney-Vento Act
➡️Voices of Youth

Don't miss Part 2 when Erin takes us inside Congress to break down the legislative wins for children experiencing homelessness and how YOU can be part of the change.

📑 CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction: What Hidden Homelessness Really Looks Like
1:45 Meet Erin Patterson & SchoolHouse Connection
2:00 Key Research: Harvard Center on the Developing Child
3:30 Sara Shaw: The Nation's Leading Data Expert on Child Homelessness
4:30 What Homelessness Actually Looks Like for Families with Children
6:00 Why Children Experiencing Homelessness Are Invisible in Shelters
7:00 The Data Gap: HUD vs. Education Law Definitions
8:00 The Point-in-Time Count Problem
8:45 Washington DC: 9-10% of Infants & Toddlers Are Homeless
9:45 Why Children Can't Learn Without Stable Housing
10:30 Erin's Journey: From Teacher to Advocate
12:15 "The Classroom Showed Me the Symptoms"
13:00 Lightning Round: Hardest Part of the Job
14:00 The #1 Misconception About Child Homelessness
14:45 If You Had Unlimited Funding: Transportation
15:45 Best Resource for Educators & Caregivers
16:30 Preview: Part 2 — Inside Congress with SchoolHouse Connection

📧 Connect with me as a thought partner!
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

Welcome back to Part Two of my S5E27 Schoolutions conversation. The dreaming is over, and it's time to move from empathy to action. Dr. Chris Hass and I get into the hard stuff: scripted curricula, skeptical parents, time constraints, and how to do this work even when the system feels like it's working against you.

Dr. Hass shares what research actually looks like from kindergarten through fifth grade, from K/1 students writing letters to restaurant managers about plastic straws, to fifth graders conducting year-long independent community inquiries. He makes the case that children are not waiting to be old enough, brave enough, or smart enough. They're ready right now.

Whether you're a classroom teacher with five minutes in a morning meeting or a school leader rethinking how literacy and social studies connect, this episode gives you concrete moves you can make tomorrow.

📚 Book mentioned: From Empathy to Action by Chris Hass, Katie Kelly & Lester Laminack, and Social Justice Talk by Chris Hass

🎧 Haven't listened to Part One yet? Start there first because this conversation builds directly on it.

Chapters:
0:00 — Welcome back: from dreaming to problem solving
1:30 — "My kids are too young" and answering the skeptics
3:30 — Scaffolding students toward independent action projects
5:00 — Scripted curricula: working within the constraints
7:00 — Finding the cracks: the 15% solution
9:00 — Advocating for your profession and your students
10:30 — What research looks like in K/1 classrooms
13:00 — Research structures in 2nd and 3rd grade
15:00 — Building toward independent 5th-grade inquiry
16:30 — AI, critical thinking, and why this work is future-proof
18:00 — Integrating literacy, social studies, and social justice
20:00 — Talking to skeptical parents and caregivers
22:00 — When kids need trusted adults to process hard news
24:00 — What schools doing this work can look forward to
25:30 — A closing passage from From Empathy to Action
27:00 — Next episode preview: Erin Patterson on student homelessness

Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.

🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Connect: [email protected]
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and SHARE with fellow educators! 

Next Week: I am sitting down with Erin Patterson of Schoolhouse Connection, and she is about to pull back the curtain on a crisis that most of us walk right past every single day. There are 1.3 million homeless students hiding in plain sight in our schools, and Erin has spent her career fighting for them at the highest levels. From landmark congressional wins to the ongoing fight to change federal law, this conversation will forever reshape how you see homelessness, how you see your students, and what you believe is possible when one person refuses to look away. 

#SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #EmpathyToAction #StudentEngagement  

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

What does it really mean to be empathetic, and are we teaching kids the right kind?

In this reel, Dr. Chris Hass breaks down the 3 Forms of Empathy every educator, parent, and school leader needs to understand and why most people stop at the first one. Whether you're focused on classroom belonging, student engagement, or building a stronger school culture, this short snip from our conversation will reshape how you think about connection in your classroom and community.

We explore:
- Emotional Empathy: recognizing how someone feels
- Cognitive Empathy: understanding *why* they feel that way
- Compassionate Empathy: the form that actually moves us to act

The difference between feeling sorry for a student and doing something meaningful for them is everything. This is the shift that separates reactive teaching from inspiring students and creating thriving students who feel seen, heard, and supported. 

For more information, get Chris's book, From Empathy to Action (co-authored with Katie Kelly and Lester Laminack)

👇 Watch, reflect, and share with your team. 🚀📚 Part 1 & Part Two of our ⁨ Schoolutions S5E27 interview.

🕐 CHAPTERS
0:00 - Introduction: Why Empathy Matters in Education
0:45 - What Most People Get Wrong About Empathy
1:30 - Form #1: Emotional Empathy: Feeling What Others Feel
2:15 - Form #2: Cognitive Empathy: Understanding the Root Cause
3:00 - Form #3: Compassionate Empathy: Empathy That Moves You to Act
4:10 - What Compassionate Empathy Looks Like in the Classroom
5:00 - The Difference Between Solving Problems and Being Present
5:45 - How Empathy Drives Student Success and School Culture

📧 Connect: [email protected]
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! 

#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #CuriosityDriven #EvidenceBased #ClassroomReadyStrategies #EmpathyInEducation #ClassroomBelonging #StudentEngagement #TeachingTips #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolCulture #EffectiveTeaching #StudentMotivation #CompassionateEmpathy #InclusiveClassrooms #WholeChild #StudentSuccess #EmpoweredEducators #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #ProKidMindset #TeacherSupport #SchoolLeadership #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #FamilyPartnerships #ParentCommunication #InspiringStudents #NewTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #InstructionalLeadership #SchoolImprovement #ActiveLearning #ThrivingStudents #InspiredTeaching

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

In Part One of our S5E27 Schoolutions conversation, Dr. Chris Hass challenges our understanding of empathy, suggesting that simply feeling emotions might not lead to substantive change. This conversation delves into emotional intelligence, highlighting how moving beyond mere feelings to tangible actions is vital for social justice in childhood.

Chris is an assistant professor at James Madison University and co-author of From Empathy to Action with Katie Kelly and Lester Laminack. He asks us to consider whether teaching kids to feel empathy is actually getting in the way of real change. 

Dr. Hass also introduces the three forms of empathy: emotional, cognitive, and compassionate, and explains why compassionate empathy is the one that actually moves students from caring to doing. You'll hear the remarkable true story of second and third graders who researched gender representation in street signs, presented to their city mayor and city council, and helped get a street renamed after Columbia's first Black female doctor.

This episode is for anyone who believes students are capable of more than we give them credit for — and wants the tools to prove it.

🎧 Part Two drops Friday, where we tackle the skeptics, scripted curricula, and nervous caregivers head-on.

From Chris: Using Literacy Instruction to Develop Student Activists & Empathy thru Education

Some episode mentions & resources:
📚 Book mentioned: From Empathy to Action by Chris Hass, Katie Kelly, & Lester Laminack
👩‍🏫 Researcher mentioned: Vivian Vasquez (critical literacy in early childhood)
📖 Books mentioned: Text, Lies & Videotape by Patrick Shannon

Chapters:
0:00 — Introduction: The empathy paradox
1:00 — About Schoolutions Podcast & Dr. Chris Hass
2:00 — Vivian Vasquez & what education could be
4:30 — Why feeling bad isn't the same as taking action
7:00 — Three forms of empathy explained
9:00 — What holds students (and adults) back from action
11:30 — Teaching into fear and discomfort
13:00 — The street sign project: second graders before city council
18:00 — How to structure inquiry-based action projects
21:00 — The fairytale study: when outcomes surprise you
24:00 — Lightning round: mistakes, literacy, and advice for new teachers
28:00 — The power of mentor texts & critical text sets
30:30 — Preview of Part Two

🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Connect: [email protected]
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! 

#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #EmpathyToAction 

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive. 

This March, Schoolutions brings you 5 powerful conversations designed to inspire change in education, build hope, offer leadership skills, and transform how we show up for children, families, and communities. Whether you're an educator, school leader, or advocate, these discussions will meet you where you are.

🎙️ Here's what's coming this March:
✅ Dr. Chris Hass opens the month by exploring how empathy becomes action. This is a must-watch for anyone committed to student success and education transformation.
✅ Erin Patterson from SchoolHouse Connection returns to share landmark wins with Congress on behalf of children and families experiencing homelessness.  Erin's work a powerful example of equity in education and family partnerships in action.
✅ Dr. Kris Nystrom, joining us from Africa, shares his inspiring work to end school deserts. It's a conversation rooted in instructional leadership, school improvement, and whole child thinking.
✅ Tonya Quinn from The Kindness Art Education introduces us to Portrait Pals. It's a beautiful project where children paint each other's portraits and learn through story. This is culturally responsive teaching, inclusive classrooms, and a pro-kid mindset at its finest.
✅ Dr. Fabi Bagula shares about the Affordable Fair Housing Initiative being put into place on behalf of San Diego Unified School District teachers. Their community is focused on home-school connection, caregiver support, and equity in education in a real and tangible way.

These conversations are for teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, teacher mentors, instructional leaders, and school counselors who believe in the power of empowered educators and thriving students.

Join us this March. We can't wait to see you. 💙

🔔 Subscribe for education approaches that prioritize pro-kid mindset, inclusive teaching, and student participation! 

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:
👍 Like if you're ready for education transformation
💬 Comment: Which guest are you most excited to hear?
🔔 Subscribe for weekly teaching tips and instructional strategies
📱 Share Wednesday reels with your teaching team

📚 CHAPTERS
0:00 — Introduction: 5 Conversations to Inspire Action
0:30 — Dr. Chris Hass: Turning Empathy Into Action
1:00 — Erin Patterson: Landmark Wins for Homeless Children & Families
1:30 — Dr. Kris Nystrom: Ending School Deserts
2:00 — Tonya Quinn: Portrait Pals & Culturally Responsive Learning
2:30 — Dr. Fabi Bagula: Affordable Fair Housing for San Diego Unified School District Teachers
3:00 — Join Us This March!

#Schoolutions #SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #StudentSuccess #EquityInEducation #EmpoweredEducators #InclusiveClassrooms #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #SchoolLeadership #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalLeadership #ProKidMindset #WholeChild #FamilyPartnerships #HomeschoolConnection #EducationTransformation #SchoolImprovement #ThrivingStudents #ChildHomelessness #SchoolDeserts #FairHousing #PortraitPals #TheSmartSolutions #March2026 #InspiredTeaching #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolCulture

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, schools change. Students get engaged, get support, and get the chance to thrive.