What if the way in which reading is designed is holding millions of people back?

In this deeply moving and inspiring episode, Salli Carter sits down with Hillary Summerbell, founder of Summerbell, to explore her lifelong journey with dyslexia and how it led her to design a revolutionary reading tool that is transforming literacy for children and adults around the world.

Growing up dyslexic, Hillary struggled to read in traditional ways, often feeling frustrated, discouraged, and misunderstood. Instead of accepting these limitations, she leaned into how her brain worked. Writing in arcs rather than straight lines, which eventually inspired the creation of Summerbell, a technology that transforms linear text into a gentle arc that helps eyes track, brains focus, and words finally click.

Following the development of Summerbell, Johns Hopkins University conducted and published research demonstrating the powerful impact of arc-based reading for individuals with dyslexia. (Read the study: https://www.summerbell.com/study). The results highlight how thoughtful design, rooted in lived experience, can dramatically improve reading fluency, focus, and confidence.

Together, Salli and Hillary unpack:

• What it’s like growing up dyslexic in a system not designed for different learners

• How innovation in educational technology can unlock human potential

• Why nearly 50% of adults in North America struggle with reading proficiency

• How 15–20% of people with dyslexia deserve better tools, not lower expectations

• The emotional and life-changing power of finally being able to read with ease

This episode is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the profound impact of designing education around real human needs. Hillary’s story reminds us that when we build from empathy, we can change lives.

🌐 Learn more about Summerbell: https://www.summerbell.com/

Time Stamps:

00:00 Intro 

04:05 Hillary’s Journey with Linear Reading 

06:17 Understanding Visual Dyslexia

09:54 Summerbell and Why Arc’d Reading Works 

15:11 Common Misconceptions with Dyslexic Learners 

19:45 Elevating Kids Through Common Access to Texts 

22:54 How to Download and Use Summerbell At Any Age 

29:00 This Changed Her Life 

32:05 A Piece of Advice for Innovators in Education 

36:02 Hillary’s ‘Pink Bubble’ 

What does it mean for non-Indigenous educators to work towards decolonizing their teaching? 

In this thoughtful and deeply reflective episode, Salli Carter and Gillian Thomas-Martin explore the responsibility non-Indigenous educators hold in truth and reconciliation.

Together, they unpack the lasting impacts of colonialism within education systems, workplace learning environments, and institutional culture.

Gillian shares her personal journey of examining her identity, understanding her relationship to colonialism, and navigating the emotional complexities that often arise for non-Indigenous educators doing this work.

They also discuss how corporate learning and development differs from traditional classroom teaching, how productivity and compliance often overshadow humanity, and why educators play a critical role in disrupting colonial systems embedded in learning structures.

This conversation is honest, challenging, and essential listening for educators navigating their role in reconciliation. It invites educators to pause, reflect, and consider how they can engage more intentionally in decolonizing their teaching practices and contributing meaningfully to Truth and Reconciliation efforts.

Whether you work in higher education, K–12, professional development, or corporate learning, this episode offers essential insights for educators committed to ethical, relational, and transformative teaching.

Gillian shares multiple resources throughout the episode that we encourage you to check out further. 

• Office of the Provincial Health Officer's Unlearning and Undoing White Supremacy Project description and recorded webinar:  Introduction to Unlearning & Undoing White Supremacy and Racism in the Office of the Provincial Health Officer - Province of British Columbia

 Sharing Our Metaphors by Kate Jongbloed on Prezi

• Textbook WAYI WAH! Indigenous Pedagogies by Jo Chrona:  Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies | Portage & Main Press/HighWater Press 

Gillian’s digital post-it note to herself: 

Questions I have learned to ask myself before I approach an Indigenous friend or colleague:

• Am I entitled to this information? If yes, why do I feel entitled to it?
• Can I find the answer on my own by observing or researching? 
• Do I have the skills to assess resources for authentic Indigenous perspectives? Can I distinguish between the perspective of an individual Indigenous person or of a collective Peoples? So for example, is this an advocacy position I’m reading on social media from an activist, or because I live on the unceded territories of the Quw’utsun Nation, is this something Quw’utsun community and governments are advocating for?
• What is my intention in asking an Indigenous colleague or friend for information?
• What is my relationship like with that colleague or friend? (consider formal titles and past interactions)
• How can I ask permission to ask my questions without triggering any trauma? Have I considered how I will respond if they say no?
• How will I make sure I don’t create an expectation for my Indigenous colleagues and friends to help me process my emotional reaction to what I learn?
• How can I build trust and reciprocity, and not just knowledge extraction?

Time Stamps 

00:00 – Introduction
02:34 – Gillian’s Journey into Corporate Teaching & Learning
08:25 – Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act & Public Service Implications
10:25 – What Is My Relationship with Colonialism? Self-Reflection for Educators
16:25 – "The Copper Pot" & Allyship in Decolonizing Education
20:00 – "Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies" & Teaching Resources
26:40 – Unlearning, Self-Reflection & Growth for Educators
33:15 – Reconciliation Initiatives in Higher Education
40:15 – Truth and Reconciliation: Dismantling Colonial Systems in Education
43:00 – Advice for New Educators: Reflection, Responsibility & Growth

#educationpodcast #teachingpodcast #educatorlife #highered #teachingcommunity #edleadership #truthandreconciliation

What if understanding how the brain works could completely change the way we teach, lead, and engage students?

In this episode of The Educator Experience, Salli Carter sits down with Dr. Lisa Riegel, educational leader, neuroscientist, consultant, and author of NeuroWell and Aspirations to Operations, to explore how brain science can transform student engagement, motivation, leadership, and classroom culture.

With over 25 years of experience working across K–12 and higher education, Lisa brings powerful insight into how neuroscience, leadership habits, and practical strategies can move schools and organizations from compliance to true commitment. As the creator of the 7C Framework and 8C Commitment Framework, Lisa shares concrete tools educators and leaders can use to foster resilience, emotional regulation, and meaningful learning.

Together, they explore:

- How understanding the brain improves teaching and leadership

- Why student engagement looks different today

- The neuroscience behind motivation, stress, and learning

- Teaching students about their own brains

- Brain-based strategies for educator wellness and resilience

- What skills students need in a post-AI world

This episode is a must-listen for educators, school leaders, instructional designers, faculty developers, and anyone passionate about creating people-centred learning spaces.

🔗 Learn more about Dr. Lisa Riegel: Website: https://lisariegel.comBook: Aspirations to Operations: A Leader’s Guide to Making Transformative Change Stick

Organization: https://jakapa.com

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

02:32 Dr. Lisa Riegel’s Journey in Education and Leadership

06:40 Why Understanding the Brain Improves Engagement and Learning

10:00 Critical Thinking Skills Students Need in Today’s Classrooms

17:30 Educator Wellness, Stress, and Brain-Based Resilience Strategies

22:45 Understanding Your Stress Triggers to Become a Better Teacher

26:30 Teaching Students About Their Brain and Emotional Regulation

32:00 Advice for New Educators: Why Brain Science Matters

#educationpodcast #teacherpodcast #highered #k12education #teachingtips #facultydevelopment #instructionaldesign #educationleadership #teachingstrategies #professionaldevelopment #teachingcommunity #lifelonglearning #neuroscience #brainbasedlearning #studentengagement #learningscience #cognitivescience #motivation #resilience #teacherwellbeing #MentalHealthInEducation #EducatorWellness #neuroeducation #theeducatorexperience #teachingpodcast

We are joined by Patty McGee, nationally recognized literacy consultant, travelling teacher, speaker, and author of 'Not Your Granny’s Grammar'.

Patty brings decades of experience working alongside educators in K–12 classrooms, helping teachers make #writing instruction more meaningful, engaging, and human. Rather than treating grammar as a set of rigid rules, Patty reframes it as a personal and powerful tool for authentic communication.

Together, Patty and Salli explore why conversation is essential to #learning, how #mentorship shapes educators at every stage of their career, and why teaching writing requires letting go of perfection. They reflect on difficult moments in teaching, the importance of support among colleagues, and how embracing discomfort can lead to deeper growth in the classroom.

The episode also dives into the #writingprocess itself, referencing Ann Lamott’s “Shitty First Drafts” (https://eng10165511.wordpress.com/readings/on-writing/lamott-shitty-first-drafts, the importance of falling in love with the process, and why allowing yourself to play with instructional practices can transform both teaching and learning.

Whether you are a new #educator, a #literacy leader, or someone looking to bring more humanity into your classroom, this conversation offers practical wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration.

Featured book: Not Your Granny’s Grammar: An Innovative Approach to Meaningful and Engaging Grammar Instruction by Patty McGee

Learn more about Patty’s work at www.pattymcgee.org

Read Ann Lamott's article 'Shitty First Drafts" - https://eng10165511.wordpress.com/readings/on-writing/lamott-shitty-first-drafts/

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction

02:55 Patty McGee’s journey as a 'Traveling Teacher'

06:05 How to Make Teachers' Jobs Easier

08:25 Why Conversation Are Essential to Learning and Literacy

11:50 Teaching, Mentorship, and the Power of this Work

19:00 Teachers Supporting Teachers

21:20 'Not Your Granny’s Grammar'

27:40 Anne Lamott’s “Shitty First Drafts” and the writing process

32:31 Patty’s advice for Educators: Allow yourself to Play

#teacher #education #literacy #literature #elementaryteacher #teachingpodcast #teachingcommunity #highered #teachingcommunity #PattyMcGee #Grammar #TheEducatorExperience

Teaching today is rewarding, challenging, and constantly evolving.

In this episode, Salli Carter is joined by Dr. Rebecca VanMeter, Associate Professor of Marketing at Ball State University.

This honest and energizing conversation explores what it means to teach with high standards, care deeply about students, and stay authentic in a constantly changing higher education landscape.

Rebecca reflects on:

- How growth comes from struggle,

- Why some students may resist you in the moment but thank you years later,

- How learning to trust your own teaching style is essential for longevity in this profession.

- How thoughtful integration of AI can help you be more efficient as an educator.

Together, they explore generational shifts in today’s students, flipped classrooms, using podcasts as learning tools, and the emotional pressure educators face to please everyone.

The conversation also dives into thoughtful AI use in education and how educators can integrate AI to support feedback, clarity, and efficiency without replacing the human element of teaching.

Chapters:

00:00 — Introduction

02:58 — Rebecca’s Journey Into Teaching

09:56 — Student Growth Moments That Fuel the Passion

11:12 — “This Profession Is a Mindf***”: Pressure, Criticism, and Reality

16:30 — Using Podcasts as a Teaching & Learning Tool

19:00 — AI in the Classroom: What’s Actually Effective

27:00 — Practical Use Cases for AI as an Educator

29:00 — Rebecca’s Advice: Be Softer (With Yourself & Your Students)

32:20 — Beneficence, Care, and the Passion Students Bring

39:00 — Helping Students Align Their Values With Their Work

Some of the best educators didn’t take a straight path into teaching.And that might be exactly why they’re so good at it.

This episode is especially for educators who didn’t take a straight line into teaching.Keith McWhirter ( @NoFlyZoneNomads   @CanadianCareerCoach  on YouTube) and Salli Carter reflect on what it’s like to come into education from industry, return to school later in life, and step into the classroom carrying both deep professional experience and very real imposter syndrome.

Salli shares her experience going back to school at nearly 40, while Keith reflects on learning how to trust the value of what he brings into the classroom. Together, they talk about finding the balance between storytelling and edutainment, using lived experience without performing, and building meaningful connections with students while still honouring the work of teaching.

This conversation offers reassurance for new educators, sessionals, and industry professionals navigating unfamiliar academic spaces and learning to make a course their own.

If you’re figuring out how to teach in a way that feels authentic, grounded, and human, this episode will meet you where you are.Check out Keith's YouTube channels! ⁠ @CanadianCareerCoach ⁠ ⁠ @NoFlyZoneNomads ⁠

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

04:26 Keith's Story

13:30 'The Golden Handcuffs' - Why Being Passionate at Work Matters

16:45 Edutainment in the Classroom

23:00 Making a Syllabus Your Own

30:35 Growing as an Educator

35:10 Keith's Advice for New Educators

#travel #education #teaching #interview #highered #adjunct #professor #professionaldevelopment #learninginnovation #teachingstrategies #podcast #teachingmethods

Happy 2026 educators!

As you return to your classrooms, syllabi in hand and big questions in mind, this episode invites you to pause and reflect on what teaching is really about.

In this conversation, Salli sits down with Dr. Peter Gallant (Queen’s University) to explore transformative learning! Together, they unpack what it actually takes for learning to be transformative: deep engagement, intellectual struggle, honest effort, and the acceptance that real growth doesn’t always show up as top grades.

Peter shares why effective teaching is inherently bidirectional, why real learning isn’t always comfortable, and how different approaches are required in first-year versus upper-year courses. They also dive into productivity and how Peter reframes it as the management of commitments rather than time, and what that means for sustainable teaching and meaningful work.

At the start of the episode, Salli introduces the Educator Reflection Journal, a guided, research-informed tool designed to help educators reflect throughout the term, clarify their teaching philosophy, and build authentic evidence for teaching dossiers and portfolios.

The journal is built on transformative learning theory and experiential learning cycles, supporting educators in moving from survival mode to a more grounded, intentional practice.

👉 Check it out here! https://theeducatorexperience.ca/store/ols/products/the-educator-reflection-journal

This episode is for anyone who believes teaching can and should change people, including the educator.⏱

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:13 – The Educator Reflection Journal

05:31 – Peter, why are you always wearing Hawaiian shirts?!

08:26 – University as a Search for Depth

12:58 – Teaching Should Facilitate Bidirectional Learning

15:09 – Why Transformative Learning Can Be Uncomfortable

26:50 – First-Year vs Upper-Year Classes// Peter’s Robot Challenge

37:45 – What Is Productivity, Really?

49:00 – 4000 Weeks: How Many Do You Have Left?

53:00 – Peter’s Advice for Educators: Engage

1:05:00 – What Season of Teaching Are You In?

#TransformativeLearning #HigherEd #TeachingInHigherEd#EducatorReflection #TeachingPhilosophy #FacultyLife#ProfessionalLearning #ReflectivePractice #Pedagogy#AcademicLife #TeachingPodcast

Congratulations, educators! You've made it to the end of another year! As you reflect on how far you’ve come and what this year has taught you, we’re doing the same.

In this Season 4 Best Of episode of The Educator Experience, we look back on a truly special season which brought together a powerful and diverse group of voices: higher education faculty, grade school educators, adult ESL instructors, and even a chef who shared insights on leadership and team-building. Together, these conversations explored what it really means to teach, learn, and lead in today’s classrooms.

This episode features standout moments from:

Dr. Melissa Hills, on building flexibility into syllabi while protecting both student learning outcomes and educator wellbeing.

Reetika Khanna, on presence, reflection, and letting go of ego in the classroom.

Franck Desplechin on supporting diverse learning styles and continuing to learn through failure.

Sylvia Fraser, on relationship-building, community, and truly knowing your students.

Wang Yip, on reframing conversations around change and AI in higher education.

Barb Carter, on learner breakthroughs, purpose, and the impact of teaching in Canada.

This compilation is a celebration of educators, a reflection on growth, and a reminder of why this work matters. Whether you’re finishing your academic year or simply taking a moment to pause, this episode invites you to reflect, recharge, and carry these lessons forward.

- Congratulations, educators! You've made it to the end of another year! As you reflect on how far you’ve come and what this year has taught you, we’re doing the same.In this Season 4 Best Of episode of The Educator Experience, we look back on a truly special season which brought together a powerful and diverse group of voices: higher education faculty, grade school educators, adult ESL instructors, and even a chef who shared insights on leadership and team-building. Together, these conversations explored what it really means to teach, learn, and lead in today’s classrooms.This episode features standout moments from:- Dr. Melissa Hills, on building flexibility into syllabi while protecting both student learning outcomes and educator wellbeing.- Reetika Khanna, on presence, reflection, and letting go of ego in the classroom.- Franck Desplechin on supporting diverse learning styles and continuing to learn through failure.- Sylvia Fraser, on relationship-building, community, and truly knowing your students.- Wang Yip, on reframing conversations around change and AI in higher education.Barb Carter, on learner breakthroughs, purpose, and the impact of teaching in Canada.This compilation is a celebration of educators, a reflection on growth, and a reminder of why this work matters. Whether you’re finishing your academic year or simply taking a moment to pause, this episode invites you to reflect, recharge, and carry these lessons forward.Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 4:55 Dr. Melissa Skills on Building a Syllabus8:18 Reetika Khanna on Being in the Classroom 12:42 Wang Yip on What Isn't Changing in Education 17:22 Franck Desplechin on Adjusting Your Approach to Different Learners 22:26 Sylvia Fraser on Getting to Know Your Students 25:41 Barbara Carter on Adult ESL Classrooms

Every episode featured in Season 3 brought heart, wisdom, and honesty to the realities of teaching in higher ed.

This week, we’re sharing some of our favourite moments that left us thinking long after we wrapped recording.

Featuring:

Roberta Sawatzky on navigating constant change, helping students build adaptability, and the power of bringing academic and industry worlds together.

Dr. Stefan Sunandan Honisch, who reminds us that classrooms aren’t gladiator arenas and that kindness, humanity, and understanding are essential parts of learning.

Justin Andrews on the real experience of being a TA — the fast thinking, the sudden responsibilities, and how professors can better prepare and support future educators.

Dr. Joseph Brown shares candidly about the stress at the front of the room and a hilariously brilliant PD activity that helps educators practice failing safely.

Dr. T.J. Hoogsteen reflects on outcomes that matter beyond grades and how connection in the classroom is one of the most transformative parts of education.

Matt Adolphe discusses how to support international students, cultural transitions, practical skill-building, and preparing students for the workforce, not just the classroom.

Whether you're listening on your lunch break or marking papers with headphones in, this episode is full of thoughtful, useful insight from educators who truly get it.

Time Stamps

0:00 Intro

4:20 Roberta Sawatzky on Change Management

9:06 Stefan Sunandan Honisch on Bringing Humanity to the Classroom

14:20 Justin Andrews on Preparing TAs for Success

19:30 Dr. Joseph Brown on Teacher Stage Fright

24:45 Dr. T.J. Hoogsteen on Valuing Grades Too Much

28:00 Matt Adolphe on Preparing International Students for the Canadian Workforce

Season 2 has already given us so many conversations that made us laugh, think, and rethink how we show up as educators.

In this “best of” collection, we’re pulling some of the most insightful moments from our incredible guests!

Domenic Scuglia reminds us that teaching is an evolving journey. He shares how we rewrite new versions of ourselves each year, create conditions for real critical thinking, and design classrooms where every student truly feels welcome.

Dr. Darryn DiFrancesco reframes student pushback, showing us how challenges are often about their growth, not ours. She talks about embracing humility, letting students seek out answers, and building trust through honesty.

Danielle Tighe highlights the power of knowing your campus. From student awards to support services, she shares why new instructors especially need to understand institutional resources to avoid misguiding students.

Dr. Joey Brown brings a candid conversation about AI, cheating, and “knowledge debt.” He reminds us that learning requires failure, and not every assignment needs a grade for growth to happen.

Paul Tedesco closes us out with energy! Chatting about improv, public speaking, and the vulnerable, very real nerves we all feel walking into the classroom. His message: adults can have fun and learn too.

If you missed any of these full episodes, now’s the time to catch up—they’re packed with practical tips and big reminders about why our work matters.👉 Subscribe for more educator insights and future “best of” highlights!#Education #Teaching #Tips #TeachingTips #HigherEd #Prof #PhD #University #Student #Podcast #Interview