The Learning Bridge with Richard Gerver

In this special episode, we welcome award-winning actress, author, producer, and activist Sheetal Sheth to the show. She is the author of the best-selling and award-winning Always Anjali children's book series (Penguin Random House), the first picture book series centering an Indian American hero. Her book Making Happy is an ode to mental health and she is a contributor in Rebel Girls’ latest title Dear Rebel.

This conversation is part of our National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).

Tune in to hear an insightful discussion about finding your people, creating diverse bookshelves, and Sheetal’s journey to acting and writing. 

Connect with Sheetal on social media:

• IG: @beneaththesheetz 
• X: @sheetalsheth
• https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSheetalSheth
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheetalsheth 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Leading Collaborative Response: https://bit.ly/4dkzMlG
• The Fabulous Learning Nerds: https://bit.ly/3OOoDiu 
• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

At the conclusion of The Learning Bridge's first season, I’ve reflected on the many key learnings we’ve uncovered. More of the same is simply not enough if we wish to create a better system and a better future. We need a much tighter narrative link between education and the wider world. Further, it’s time to find the untapped human potential in all of us.

In this episode, I recap the conversations we’ve had over the past months and share my 10 provocations for the future. 

The crucial questions to consider in future-focused education policy:

1. How do we remove education from the fragility of political control?
2. How do we broaden the voices that help define the future developments in education?
3. How can we move away from the restraints of trying to develop a new education system when the existing outcomes are always the focus?
4. Have we spent too long debating how our schools should be managed, rather than how they should be led?
5. How do we move away from the belief that schools improve by primarily focusing on industrial efficiency models?
6. Do we not need to learn far more from how young children learn and think? To devise systems that are more bottom up than top down?
7. Is it not time to move beyond the misinformed debate of “skills vs. knowledge?”
8. If it takes a village to raise a child–and I firmly believe it does–then how do we do it?
9. How do we recruit and train the right people to lead our education system?
10. What is the place of technology?

Thanks for joining The Learning Bridge journey this season! Stay subscribed for more episodes coming in the future. 

To learn about more great podcasts covering education and leadership, visit https://bepodcast.network 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Karthik Krishnan is a global game changer.

He started life in India and has gone on to become one of the world’s most influential leaders and thinkers. In this episode, we talk about his childhood and his rise to becoming CEO of Britannica Group, leading to extraordinary innovations and technological advancements in one of the world’s oldest and proudest publishing brands. 

He is now devoting his time to reforms in the healthcare sector and also is an adjunct professor at Stern School of Business at New York University. We explore Karthik’s journey and his deep insights into the future of work and education, including the impact of AI and technology on our world and the one our children will inherit. 

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn.

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Leading Collaborative Response: https://bit.ly/4dkzMlG
• The Fabulous Learning Nerds: https://bit.ly/3OOoDiu 
• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Having come from an abusive and challenging home, Dwain Chambers discovered a talent for athletics and became the fastest teenager in the world. He is the only man in the world to have broken 10 seconds in the 100-meter sprint in three different decades, is an 8-time British 100M champion, has won multiple world athletics medals, and has competed against the likes of Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt. But his career was blighted by doping and performance-enhancing drug use. 

In this candid and provocative episode, Dwain talks frankly about all of it and what he has learnt along the way. He shares how he uses his experiences to work with a new generation of potential athletic stars. We discuss education, discipline, role models and trust.

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 
• Morning Motivation for Educators: https://bit.ly/42dLGJa
• Tell Me This: https://bit.ly/4b7muIc 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Today it's an honour to bring you a conversation with the brave and inspirational Gill Hicks. 

Gill was a hugely successful young woman working in publishing and music, when, in a split second, her world was dramatically changed. On the morning of 7th July 2005, she was sat on a bus, on her way to work, two seats away from a suicide bomber. Gill was the last survivor dragged from the carnage of that horrific day, so badly injured that in hospital her name tag read, “One Unknown, probably female.” 

In this life-affirming and deeply moving episode, Gill discusses her life before and after the attack and the extraordinary life she lives now, dedicated to peace, reconciliation and combating radicalisation. She talks about young people, resilience and how together, we can change the world for the better.  

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 
• Morning Motivation for Educators: https://bit.ly/42dLGJa
• Tell Me This: https://bit.ly/4b7muIc 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

As we've reached the midpoint of The Learning Bridge's first season, I'm taking an opportunity to reflect on the conversations we've featured to date and look ahead to the remaining episodes to come. 

In this episode, you'll hear some thoughts on wonderful conversations with:

• David and Carrie Grant, BAFTA-winning broadcasters and singing coaches to the stars
• Edu Rubio, UEFA and English Premier League coach
• Catherine Atkinson, accomplished lawyer and current candidate for Parliament
• Juan Verde, advisor to three US presidents and globally renowned sustainable development strategist
• Dr. Manoj Krishna, former spine surgeon and founder of HappierMe

In considering all of these guests and their journeys, there were a handful of specific common lessons:

1. Curiosity, and the ability to be proactive because of their curious nature
2. Resilience - an extraordinary ability to bounce back from challenges
3. Risk-taking - seeing challenges and taking them on
4. Independence supported by the strength of the people around them
5. A profound sense of higher purpose

When we think about our education system and the future of society, how can we, as parents, educators, and other influential adults, ensure that all children develop these competencies?

Stayed connected for the remaining episodes this season to hear more not-to-miss insights. 

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this episode, we get to share a joyful conversation with Dr. Manoj Krishna. 

Manoj grew up in India and built a highly successful career as a spine surgeon before, following a relationship breakdown, deciding to devote his life to helping others understand themselves, their actions and their emotions. He has gone on to design and launch one of the world’s most exciting wellbeing and personal development apps, HappierMe. 

We discuss his own life, his motivations for the work he does now and what we can all do to help our young people live meaningful and positive lives, where collaboration, understanding and human wisdom is front and centre.

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 
• Morning Motivation for Educators: https://bit.ly/42dLGJa
• Tell Me This: https://bit.ly/4b7muIc 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this extraordinary episode, we hear how a young boy from the backstreets of Gran Canaria went on to work for three United States Presidents and become a global strategist, leading the fight for environmental change. 

Juan Verde shares personal insights into what it’s like to be “in the room” with global icons like Barack Obama and he talks passionately about the need for education reform and how we protect democracy around the world. He also discusses what we need to do to engage young people in meaningful and constructive activism and how you get leading politicians to listen and to embrace change. 

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 
• Morning Motivation for Educators: https://bit.ly/42dLGJa 
• Tell Me This: https://bit.ly/4b7muIc 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Catherine Atkinson, the Labour Party parliamentary candidate for Derby North (UK), shares insights into her upbringing and how she went from being a strong-minded and opinionated child to shattering the glass ceiling to become a lawyer at the highest level. 

Catherine explains what drove her, who encouraged her, and what we can do for more of our children to give them the very best chance of success. She talks about how and why she got involved in UK politics and what she hopes to achieve by being elected to the UK Parliament in Westminster in the next General Election. 

She also offers powerful thoughts on what we need to do to encourage more of our young people to become actively involved in politics and to ensure that democracy can thrive in challenging and uncertain times.

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 
• Morning Motivation for Educators: https://bit.ly/42dLGJa 
• Tell Me This: https://bit.ly/4b7muIc 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Edu Rubio, a UEFA pro coach who has been assistant manager for such storied clubs as Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United Women, and Crystal Palace FC, is a wonderful guest on this episode of The Learning Bridge. 

Edu talks about his young life and his journey into professional football (soccer). He discusses the disappointment of realising that he would never make it as a player and how he coped with the setbacks to reimagine his career as a coach. He also shares incredible insights into the world of elite sport and the mindsets of high-performing athletes, having coached at the pinnacle of both men’s and women’s soccer as well as working with some of the most gifted children in the game.

Further, Edu shares the lessons he picked up from working with one of the world’s most celebrated coaches, Julen Lopetegui, who has led the Spain senior national team and clubs such as Real Madrid, Sevilla, and Wolverhampton.

Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe 

About the host

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Explore more BE Podcast Network shows:

• Transformative Principal: https://bit.ly/3vPSMY3 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ 
• Morning Motivation for Educators: https://bit.ly/42dLGJa
• Tell Me This: https://bit.ly/4b7muIc 

• (00:00) - Edu Rubio

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.