Wisdom and Productivity: The Podcast of An Imperfect Educator

Amanda Suckow is a queer and nonbinary musician, artist, and educator with over 20 years of experience. They support arts educators in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the third-largest school district in the U.S., serving over 340,000 students across 600 schools. Specifically, Amanda designs, delivers, and evaluates professional learning for hundreds of arts teachers, using data-driven and learner-centered approaches.

Dr. Sonia Soltero is Professor and Chair of the Department of Leadership, Language, and Curriculum at DePaul University in Chicago. A former bilingual education teacher and dual language coordinator, Dr. Soltero teaches and publishes research on bilingual and dual language education.

Matthew Ebert is a human-centered leader with 20+ years of experience in education, primarily focused on school leadership in urban settings. He just presented as a TED Speaker on strategies to address the teacher shortage crisis:

Dr. Ignacio Lopez is the Deputy Provost at National Louis University and the author of "The EQ Way: How Emotionally Intelligent School Leaders Navigate Turbulent Times"

Dr. Brandi Kelly is the Superintendent of Mt. Olive CUSD #5 in Illinois and the host of the Lead with HOPE podcast.

"Picture this: The book opens with an electrifying moment. It plunges us into the riveting experiences of school principals and superintendents. We're first introduced to Glenn, navigating the minefield of a tense board meeting where tough decisions loom large. Then, seamlessly, we transition to Danny's narrative, where he grapples with an ever-watchful supervisor scrutinizing his every step. How do these leaders confront such daunting realities? Enter this book, On Staying Calm in the Chaos, a beacon of guidance, equipping us with the tools to maintain composure amidst the storm."

Daniel Bauer is a 3x BEST SELLING AUTHOR and host of the BETTER LEADERS BETTER SCHOOLS podcast.

Glenn Robbins is an award-winning Superintendent and Principal of the Brigantine Public School District in Brigantine, New Jersey.

In our upcoming podcast episode, we dive deep into the groundbreaking book "Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders" by Dr. Janet Patti and Dr. Robin Stern. This profoundly insightful work argues for social-emotional learning (SEL) as a crucial skill set for K–12 school leaders and provides invaluable coaching on integrating emotional intelligence into leadership practices.

A former corporate professional, Grace Stevens quit VP life to pursue her dream job as a public school teacher. After 20 years in the classroom, she now focuses full-time on helping educators have a more positive teaching experience. Grace combines her signature mantra, "Your energy teaches more than your lesson plans," with two decades of study in behavioral therapy, positive psychology to create science-based habits for overwhelmed educators. She is the author of the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers and the One New Habit book series.

Cynthia Schaefer is a lifelong student of nature and a staunch advocate for sustainable living. Cynthia's profound commitment to community service and environmental sustainability is evident in her founding of The Caring Community. This nonprofit organization supports educators while also growing food for local food banks.

Andrea Bitner is a Keynote Speaker, Consultant, and an Educator with over 20 years of experience in Philadelphia, where she teaches K-12 English Language Learners. She is the Author of "Take Me Home”, a book about 11 former students who gave first hand account of what it is really like to become bilingual in America. https://www.andreabitnerbooks.com/