The Well-being Classroom

How can the high-pressure world of FIFA officiating help us redefine leadership, empathy, and belonging within our school communities?

Today, I am joined by Kevin Stoltenkamp, the Head of Referees for the Oceania Football Confederation. Since 2016, Kevin has led officiating across 13 member countries under the FIFA umbrella. Beyond his work on the pitch, Kevin is a deeply experienced educator who understands the powerful parallels between managing a global sports organization and nurturing a positive school environment.

In this episode, we explore the human side of leadership. We’ll discuss the "imposter syndrome" that can strike even the most experienced professionals, the vital role of capacity building in diverse regions, and how the lessons Kevin has learned from the whistle can help us lead with more purpose, empathy, and clarity—and much more!

Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

This episode kicks off a special limited series exploring the role of AI in education—specifically how these emerging technologies can be harnessed to drive positive school cultures and support student well-being across the entire school community.

How can we move beyond traditional industrial models of schooling to equip students with the agency they need to navigate a rapidly changing world?

Today, I’m joined by George Greskovitz, the CEO of Laikan and a dedicated educational innovator with over 15 years of experience. George co-founded the Milestone Institute in Budapest, where he pioneered mentoring and curriculum models that foster true student agency. He is currently developing Laikan, an AI-powered navigation application designed to make high-quality career orientation and academic advising accessible and impactful for students in every school, regardless of their background.

We’ll dive into the intersection of technology and holistic student support, exploring the shift from static "matching" models to what George calls "lifelong navigation." We discuss how Laikan can prompt deep student reflection, the importance of keeping a "human in the loop" to ensure psychological safety, how schools can use interactive dashboards to adapt their offerings to student aspirations, and much more!

Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

Links to learn more...

- www.laikan.app

How do we bridge the gap between deep, personal healing and the fast-paced environment of the modern classroom?

Today, I’m joined by Xavier Woods, a primary school teacher with over two decades of professional experience across the U.S. and the Middle East, including time spent as a leader and educator in Abu Dhabi. A two-time Teacher of the Year in Metro Atlanta, Xavier is also an established author with a brand-new book, Keep God 1st and Go to Therapy, coming very soon. He is incredibly passionate about building positive relationships and is always ready to face the challenges of education with a sense of positivity and growth.

That’s what we’re exploring today with Xavier Woods—how the journey of therapy isn't just a personal one, but a tool that can transform how we lead, teach, and connect with our students every single day.

Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

How can we move beyond the constant cycle of "fighting fires" and instead lead with a sense of intentional, focused calm?

Today, I’m joined by Patrick Cozier, a Headteacher at a secondary school in London. With nearly 20 years of experience in headship and a career spanning roles from classroom teaching to senior leadership, Patrick is a respected mentor, speaker, and the author of the highly acclaimed book, Calm Leadership.

In this episode, we dive deep into the core principles of leading with calm. We explore the "affirmative rationale" for building self-belief, the importance of dismantling the "success pedestal", and why radical honesty—choosing the "worst truth" over the "best lie"—is a leader’s most powerful tool for building trust. We also discuss practical strategies for managing overwhelm and much more!

Link to buy book: https://www.amazon.com/Calm-Leadership-Staying-grounded-staying/dp/178583746X

Welcome to The Well-being Classroom....

How could we move beyond planning lessons for the "middle" and instead use assessment as a dynamic tool to meet every learner's needs in real-time?

Today, I’m joined by Rajaa Laghrissi, an experienced English language teacher originally from Morocco and currently based in the UAE. With over 20 years of experience in secondary education, Rajaa is an innovative educator and a PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics. She is deeply passionate about adaptive teaching, student engagement, and developing students’ critical thinking and communication skills.

This episode concludes our special mini-series on adaptive teaching by focusing on what Rajaa describes as the "fuel" of the entire process: Formative Assessment. We dive deep into the Assessment for Learning (AfL) mindset, exploring how it acts as a continuous cycle of checking for understanding that allows teachers to "pivot" instruction the moment a gap is identified—and much more!

How can we move beyond "sanitizing" the student experience and instead build the genuine resilience required to navigate a complex and often isolating digital world?

Today, I’m joined by Alejandro Zepeda, a distinguished educational leader with a global career spanning more than 25 years. Alejandro has served in senior leadership and principal roles across Mexico, Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Kazakhstan, bringing a deep international perspective to school culture and student development. For over two decades, he has also been a prominent consultant and leader for the International Baccalaureate, specializing in program evaluation and systemic teacher training.

In this episode, we explore the evolving definition of school well-being and the critical "resilience gap" facing students today. We dive into the shift from physical to emotional safety, the impact of technology as a tool for social avoidance, the vital importance of being a "safest referent" for every learner, and much more.

How can school leaders move past the frustration of "pushback" and instead tap into the genuine motivation and mindset of every educator on their team?

Today, I’m joined by Becca Silver, a Resistance Specialist and Instructional Coach who brings a high-energy, transformational approach to leadership development. A former educator and executive coach, Becca is the founder of The Whole Educator and the creator of the Human Centered Academy. Her work is dedicated to fostering teacher buy-in, reducing resistance to change, and—crucially—increasing teacher retention in an increasingly demanding profession.

Becca specializes in the "human" side of school improvement, helping leaders impact the underlying motivations that drive teacher effectiveness and resilience. In this episode, we dive into her Catalyst Mindsets framework—exploring the five key beliefs of ownership, belonging, growth, success, and values—, and much more!

Welcome to the Well-being Classroom

Here is more information, if you would like to get in touch with Becca:

Website

Coaching the Whole Educator Podcast

LinkedIn

The Resistance Playbook

Sign up for the newsletter to get notified when Becca’s upcoming book "The Resistance Solution: Why Educators Resist Change and What They Need Instead" gets released!

How can we move away from pre-determining student potential and instead design "challenge-first" learning that is accessible to everyone?

Today, I’m joined by Rachel Ball, a Professional Development Specialist at Steplab and a former Assistant Principal for Teaching, Learning, and CPD. With 22 years of experience as a passionate History teacher and a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teachers, Rachel is an international speaker and a co-editor of What is History Teaching, Now? (2023). She is also the co-author of the recent release, The Scaffolding Effect (2025), part of the Teacher CPD Academy series.

This episode continues our special mini-series focused on the power of Adaptive Teaching. We’ll dive into the nuances of effective scaffolding, exploring how to move beyond rigid worksheets toward responsive strategies—like teacher modeling and strategic checks for understanding—that maintain high aspirations for every learner in the classroom.

Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

Visit StepLab: https://steplab.co/global/

How can we move beyond the dread of "hard conversations" and instead use every interaction as an opportunity to build relational trust?

Today, I’m joined by Brenda Martin, a distinguished educational leader whose career spans over three decades of transformative impact. Brenda brings a wealth of experience as a principal in both New Zealand and international settings, where she has been recognized as a visionary innovator and a champion of collaborative leadership.She is particularly known for her resilience in leading a startup school in China through the complexities of a global pandemic, where she fostered a culture of transparency and excellence during incredibly challenging times.

In this episode, we explore the essential shift from "hard" to "quality" conversations. We dive into the "Ladder of Inference," the power of being both strong and curious, the importance of building resilience in leadership, and much more.

#QualityConversations #RelationalTrust #CrucialConversations #EffectiveCommunication #PsychologicalSafety #EducationalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SchoolCulture #GrowthMindset #TheWellbeingClassroom

How can we shift the focus in our schools from simply following a curriculum to truly championing the inclusion of every neurodivergent and disabled individual?

Today I am joined by Lori Boll, the Executive Director of SENIA International. Lori has over twenty-five years of teaching experience across the globe, from Riyadh to Bangkok, and has been a driving force in establishing programs for students with higher support needs. Her commitment to this work is deeply personal, inspired by her son’s diagnosis in 2003, and it led her to co-author a book on building collective efficacy within special education teams.

In this conversation, we trace the history of SENIA from its start in Beijing over twenty years ago to its current status as a global non-profit. Lori explains the disability inclusion standards she helped create and the five key domains schools can use to audit their own practices, ranging from leadership and facilities to identification and parent relationships . We also discuss how to address staff fears by sharing stories that shift heartsets and why Universal Design for Learning is the essential starting point for any leader looking to integrate inclusion authentically.

SENIA Website: https://www.seniainternational.org/