The Best of Us
The Best of Us podcast highlights the stories, practices, and tactics of K-12 professional learning leaders working to enhance the educator experience. It features conversations with educators, researchers, and policy makers about what's working to drive teacher engagement, practice, and retention. The goal is to bring out the best in the education community.
Episodes
S4/E9: When You Give Educators the Space to Experiment with AI with Chelsea Waite & Caitrin Wright
Chelsea Waite of the Center on Reinventing Public Education and Caitrin Wright of Silicon Schools Fund share what they learned from a cohort of educators who designed and piloted their own AI use cases — and why the most promising results had less to do with efficiency and more to do with strengthening human connection.
S4/E8: Sara Scribner on Rethinking Teacher Prep from the Ground Up
Sara Scribner shares how a rural New Hampshire district stopped waiting for special education teachers to arrive and built its own pipeline instead, covering tuition, providing housing, and keeping every graduate in the classroom.
S4/E7: Allie's Rodman's Case for Personalized Professional Learning and Whole Educators
How can districts design professional learning that treats teachers as the adult learners they are?In this episode, Allie Rodman—a former teacher, coach, assistant principal, school board member, and author of two books on professional learning—explains why the field has spent a decade building SEL programs for students but never did the same work for the adults in the building. She shares how sit
S4/E6: From Lab Scientist to Learning Designer—How Curiosity and Stories Drive Adult Learning with Nadira Singh
What if the key to better professional learning is asking more questions instead of giving more answers?In this episode, Nadira Singh shares how she uses curiosity, empathy interviews, and a scientist's mindset to help educators across 142 schools learn and grow.
S4/E5: When Students Lead the Change—How Voice and Goals Drive Teacher Retention with Katy Meyers
When Katy Meyers' first-year teacher announced she was leaving education, Katy flipped the question: instead of asking why teachers quit, she researched what makes them stay. The answer—being heard matters more than being fixed—transformed how she leads, and it applies to students too.
S4/E4: Leading with Vulnerability—Why Self-Doubt Makes Better Leaders with Elizabeth Dampf
What if admitting "I'm not sure I'm good enough for this" is actually the most powerful thing a leader can say? Elizabeth Dampf believes that self-doubt isn't a weakness to hide—it's a doorway to better leadership. In this episode, she challenges the myth of the "strong leader" and shares why vulnerability, curiosity, and honest reflection create more effective
S4/E3: The Success Triangle — 40 Years of Urban District Leadership with Dr. Michael Hinojosa
Why do most new superintendents feel overwhelmed by board relations, politics, and finance rather than instruction? In this episode of The Best of Us, Dr. Michael Hinojosa shares his Success Triangle framework for balancing stakeholder relationships, how he developed 50 future superintendents while leading six districts over 40 years, and why incrementalism is innovation's worst enemy in urban
S4/E2: Teresa Morales-Young on How Fresno Unified Built a Teacher Pipeline That Actually Works
Over 15 years, Teresa Morales Young has built something rare in education: a teacher pipeline that actually works. As leader of the Department of Teacher Development at Fresno Unified—California's third-largest district—Teresa has created 12 interconnected pathways that guide educators from high school through their entire career, achieving retention rates that far exceed state averages.
S4/E1: Michael McDowell on How Leaders Can Build Collective Instructional Excellence
Why does a student's educational experience depend more on which classroom door they walk through than which school they attend? Educational leader and author Michael McDowell explores how schools can move from tolerating isolated brilliance in individual classrooms to building collective instructional excellence through systematic implementation of high-impact practices.
S3/E12: Learning Labs — How Job-Embedded Professional Learning Transforms Teaching and Learning
What happens when professional learning moves from conference rooms into classrooms, with teachers, coaches, and principals learning together in real-time with actual students?In this episode, Elham Kazemi from the University of Washington and Jessica Calabrese, a former principal and district leader, share how Learning Labs revolutionize professional development by embedding it directly into clas
S3/E11: Taking Things Off Teachers' Plates — How School Leaders Can Combat Burnout Before It Starts
What if the solution to teacher burnout isn't asking teachers to fix themselves, but building systems that lighten their load?In this episode, Laura Donnelly and Jill Hanley, co-authors of "What Can I Take Off Your Plate?", challenge the conventional approach to teacher burnout that places the burden on individual educators. Instead of telling overwhelmed teachers to practice more se
S3/E10: Teacher Agency at Scale — How M3T is Revolutionizing Professional Learning in West Virginia
What happens when you give teachers the power to identify their own problems and work together to solve them?In this episode, Joanna Burt-Kinderman and Adam Riazi from the Mountaineer Mathematics Master Teacher (M3T) network share how they've built a statewide system that puts teacher agency at the center of professional learning. Unlike traditional top-down professional development, M3T empowers
S3/E9: From Lab Bench to White House — Why Steve Robinson Believes in Coaching as Policy
How does a molecular biologist-turned-middle school teacher end up shaping national education policy from inside the Obama White House?In this episode, Steve Robinson—a former university professor, public school teacher, and White House education advisor—walks us through his untraditional journey into education and his evolving belief that every teacher deserves ongoing support. From navigating th
S3/E8: Sneakers on the Ground — How Dr. Tiffany Anderson Leads from the Classroom Up
How can a superintendent who teaches middle school weekly—and wears sneakers with suits—transform an entire school district?In this episode, Dr. Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent of Topeka Public Schools and a nationally recognized education leader, shares how embedding leadership within the lived realities of students, families, and teachers can reshape entire systems. As the first Black woman to
S3/E7: How AI Is Rewriting PD: A Conversation with Dyane Smokorowski
How can district leaders use AI to deepen professional learning and reimagine instructional design?In this episode, Dyane Smokorowski, Coordinator of Digital Literacy at Wichita Public Schools, shares how her team supports over 40,000 students by empowering educators to become “learning experience designers.” She explores how AI can enhance clarity, creativity, and connection in both teaching and
S3/E6: Women in Education Leadership, with Dr. AK Prerara
In this episode of The Best of Us, Superintendent of Lancaster ISD Dr. AK Perera shares her journey to educational leadership and the differences between male and female superintendents’ experience. Women make up nearly 75% of the country’s classroom teachers, but only 14% of superintendents. Dr. Perera leveraged her experience into the creation of the Sister Supes Network, an affinity group of fe
S3/E5 The Equity Trap, with Jennifer Ahn
In this episode of The Best of Us, Jennifer Ahn of Lead By Learning delves into collaborative inquiry and professional learning as a critical tool for improving educational outcomes in marginalized populations. The conversation focuses on equity-centered teacher evaluation, which assesses the impact of classroom practices on vulnerable students, and the four “equity traps” Ahn identifies as common
S3/E4: Supporting Non-Teaching Educators, with Dr. Danica Brown
In this episode of The Best of Us, we’re proud to host researcher and educator Dr. Danica Brown to discuss the "hidden half" of educators—non-teaching staff like counselors, instructional coaches, and paraprofessionals. Dr. Brown shares insights from her research on college-going culture in New Orleans high schools, emphasizing the crucial role of collaboration among all school staff to
S3/E3: Fostering Adult Learning Environments as a Leader, with Dr. Jen Cheatham
System-level leaders are charged with evaluating instructional quality and nurturing an environment where teachers can flourish in their careers. But those skills don’t come intuitively: they must be learned.
In this episode of The Best of Us, Jeremy and Jen Cheatham delve into Jen's course "Leaders of Learning" at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Cheatham is an expert on fostering ad
S3/E2: National Teacher of the Year Missy Testerman on Bottom-Up Educator Leadership
In this episode of "The Best of Us," we talk with National Teacher of the Year Missy Testerman, a master educator who gives us a look at teacher professional learning from the classroom perspective.
Missy gives us a ground-level look at what makes for excellent teacher PD, sharing insights and telling stories of how school leadership can become courageous leaders for continuous improveme
S3/E1: Dr. Thomas Guskey on Evaluating Professional Learning
On this episode of The Best of Us, we’re honored to talk with Dr. Thomas Guskey, author of Instructional Feedback: The Power, the Promise, the Practice and nationally-renowned expert on education measurement and evaluation.
Dr. Guskey’s evaluation framework is an adapted version of the Kirkpatrick four-level model of evaluation used in business fields. Early attempts to apply this model to teacher
S2/E13: Using Continuous Improvement Science in Schools, with Paola Deliz Felix Encarnación
In this episode of The Best of Us, we’re joined by Paola Deliz Felix Encarnación, Vice President of the National Network for School Improvement at City Year and author of “The Six Principles to Foster Voice and Belonging.” Paola walks us through the ins and outs of City Year’s partnership program, which works with schools on challenges to student success through continuous improvement principles.
S2/E12: Elena Aguilar on Transformational Coaching for Systemic Change
In this episode of The Best of Us, we discuss transformational coaching as a key lever for momentum with all-star coach Elena Aguilar. Elena coaches us through exploring beliefs and strategies, connecting with the purpose of the work, and considering perspectives of those across your school district or organization.
She also provides practical guidance on applying curiosity and listening skills to
S2/E11: Supporting Teachers Through Building-Level Leadership, with Jen Martin and Jamie Jordan
In this episode of The Best of Us, principals Jennifer Martin and Jamie Jordan share how they’ve supported teacher professional learning through their roles as building leaders. They discuss practical strategies for empowering teachers through alignment and autonomy, the importance of differentiating professional learning for teacher needs, and providing voice and choice throughout the PL process.
S2/E10: DEI and the Educator Workforce, with Sharif El-Mekki and Lisa Lachlan
We discuss "An Effective Workforce is a Diverse Workforce" with co-authors Sharif El-Mekki and Lisa Lachlan. These two scholars’ work centers on the critical need for diversity in K-12 and practical ways for education leaders to tackle the systemic issues impacting it.
The conversation covers the historical context of DEI, the impact of educator shortages on students of color, and the p
S2/E9: Campus Leaders’ Role in Teacher Development, with Paul Offill and Christy Watley
In this episode of The Best of Us, building principals Christy Whatley and Paul Offill discuss school leadership strategy for professional learning and teacher support. They give us the nitty-gritty on implementing a CHAMPS program district-wide, plus tips for consistent follow-through and using data to demonstrate the program's effectiveness.
Christy and Paul also address the challenges of te
S2/E8: Optimizing PLCs and Workshops for Success, with Dr. Magdalena Ganias
In this episode of The Best of Us, we talk with Dr. Magdalena Ganias of Worcester Public Schools about concrete strategies to set up PD efforts for success.
As Worcester’s Manager of Curriculum & Professional Learning, Magdalena is no stranger to the challenge of balancing multiple support structures like PLCs, coaching, and workshops without overwhelming teachers. She takes us through Worces
S2/E7: Quantifying Teacher Success, with Dr. Dan Goldhaber
In this episode of The Best of Us, we’re joined by Dr. Dan Goldhaber, director of University of Washington’s Center for Education Data & Research and AIR’s Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research.
Dan takes us through the hard data on predicting teacher and school success, patterns of educator improvement, and the difference that pre-service and in-service experience can
S2/E6: Superintendents’ Role in Teacher Support, with Kevin McGowan
In this episode of The Best of Us, we sit down with Dr. Kevin McGowan, Superintendent of Brighton Central School District and longest-tenured school leader in the country.
Our conversation covers the length and breadth of Kevin’s leadership, from addressing graduation rate disparities to tailored teacher PD and beyond.
We also dig into the ins and outs of establishing collaborative teacher culture
S2/E5: Principals or Peers: Who Should Evaluate Teachers?, with Drs. Alyson Lavigne & Tim Ford
In this episode of The Best of Us,we sit down with Dr. Alyson Lavigne and Dr. Tim Ford to cover the wide world of teacher evaluation. These two instructional leadership researchers share a wealth of knowledge about evaluation’s past, present and future, from questions of teacher motivation to the impact of Race to the Top and beyond.
Research shows that much of the past decade’s carrot-and-stick e
S2/E4: Understanding Educators as a Workforce, with Dr. Tequilla Brownie
In this episode of The Best of Us, we talk with Dr. Tequilla Brownie, CEO of The New Teacher Project, about ways to understand and address the teacher shortage as a workforce issue.
Public school systems are usually among the top employers of any given town or city, yet it’s often expected for K-12 to solve its own workforce issues. Tequilla points out that teacher shortages have been an ongoing p
S2/E3: Research-Backed Strategies in Professional Learning, with Dr. Peter DeWitt
In this episode of The Best of Us, we talk with education researcher and author Dr. Peter DeWitt about research-backed concepts and strategies to make professional learning better. We cover:
Metacognition: teaching learners to think about their own thinking
De-implementation: abandoning low-value practices to make room for impactful work
Reciprocal transfer of learning: Collaborative PD that
S2/E2: Building Long-Term Systems for Educator Growth, with Kaya Henderson
In this episode of The Best of Us, we talk with Kaya Henderson, former Chancellor of DC Public Schools, about the philosophy and tactics behind the district’s long-term plan for recruiting and retaining exceptional educators.
Kaya highlights the all-too-frequent administrative disconnect between teachers' needs and the professional development they receive, and explains how replacing tradition
S2/E1: Preparing the Black Teachers of Tomorrow with Sharif El-Mekki
In this episode of The Best of Us, Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) founder Sharif El-Mekki talks us through rebuilding the Black teacher pipeline by focusing on the teachers of tomorrow: today’s middle and high school students.
The CBED focuses on advocating for policies that promote diversity, providing professional learning opportunities, and creating pathways for aspiring Black tea
S1/E12: Helping Black and Brown Education Leaders Thrive, with Carmita Semaan
In this episode of The Best of Us, Surge Institute founder Carmita Semaan takes us through the ins and outs of investing in Black, brown, and Asian talent across the education ecosystem.
Carmita draws a clear line between leadership investments and exponential growth in access and opportunities for young people. She also discusses the key differences between professional development and leadership
S1/E11: Collaborative Instructional Rounds for Real-Time Classroom Growth, with Matt Griesinger
It’s inarguable that teachers are experts on what their students need. So how can school administrators leverage that expertise to make professional learning collaborative rather than top-down?
In this episode of The Best of Us, we speak with Matt Griesinger, Assistant Principal of Northwest Education Services Career Tech and author of the recent article “How Administrators Can Make Professional L
S1/E10: Preparing Pre-K - 12 Educators to Teach Climate Change Without the Doom and Gloom with Stephanie Sisk-Hilton
86% of teachers (and 80% of parents) believe that climate science needs to be taught in schools, yet fewer than 50% of teachers do — and less than one-quarter have received any professional training on climate change or how to teach it. Stephanie Sisk-Hilton, Elementary Education professor at San Francisco State University, hopes to change that.
How do we teach students about climate change throug
S1/E9: Solving State-Wide Teacher Shortage with Paraprofessional-to-Teacher Pipelines
Heading into fall 2022, nearly 7% of teaching positions in North Dakota were unfilled. Between attracting young talent and retaining career professionals, a teacher shortage crisis in a rural state can be particularly challenging — but North Dakota's Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) found a way.
In this episode of the Best of Us, we speak with Laurie Matzke, Assistant State Superintend
S1/E8: Applying Universal Design for Learning to Teacher PD with Katie Novak
Internationally renowed education consultant Katie Novak works across the world to help education systems incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) so
that students are better supported and teachers have more balance.
In this episode of The Best of Us, Katie shares ways in which educators can apply UDL to professional learning, and how instructional coaches can look for UDL in classrooms.
S1/E7: Creating Sustainable Leadership Development Pipelines with David Pinder of D.C. Public Schools
In 2021, Chancellor of DC Public Schools Lewis Ferebee identified sustainable leadership pipelines as a critical challenge to the district’s operations. DCPS’s teacher-leaders, assistant principals, and principals were working hard, but needed significant extra coaching to execute that work and stay in the profession. That’s when Ferrebee decided to create an office of leadership development which
S1/E6: Designing High Impact Teacher Preparation Programs with Dr. Karen DeMoss of Prepared to Teach
In this episode of The Best Of Us, we sat down with Dr. Karen Demoss, Executive Director of Prepared To Teach. We started out discussing the barriers to high quality teacher preparation, the misconceptions in understanding student work, and the importance of seeing students struggle via local teacher preparation programs rather than just thinking about it in the classroom.
Karen then went on to
S1/E5: Teacher Mindsets for Serving All Students with Lacey Robinson of UnboundEd
How can school leaders demonstrate their belief in their teachers? What support do educators need to feel good in the day-to-day, and stay in the profession? What assumptions must change for leaders to provide effective professional learning? How can educators use their time more effectively to drive towards better performance and equity for all students?
We discuss these questions and more with L
S1/E4: How to Build and Sustain an Impactful Instructional Coaching Program with Fairfax County Public Schools
How do you align strategy, activities and reporting for over 100 coaches across 89 schools? Where do principals fit into the success of a district-wide coaching program? How do you evaluate coaching’s impact year over year? What does a strong pipeline of instructional coach candidates look like? What are the pros and cons of instructional coaching as a pathway to district level leadership position
S1/E3: Starting and Evolving a Comprehensive New Teacher Induction Program
What is the impact of early-career support on overall teacher retention? What considerations go into pairing veteran mentors with new-to-the-classroom mentees? How do great teacher-mentors bring out the best in their colleagues? Which supports do new teachers value most? What are the indicators that an induction program is working?
We explore these topics and more with Tonya Dixon, professional le
S1/E2: Getting Instructional Coaches to Think Like Scientists with Dr. Jim Knight
How has the role of the instructional coach changed in the last couple of years? What can we learn from thinking about the concept of task conflict vs. personal conflict? What can instructional coaches in the United States learn from coaches in other countries? How do we create an environment that promotes learning and not control? How do we change the dominant model of professional development fr
S1/E1: Elevating School-based Professional Learning with Joellen Killion
Why is it important to engage school-based educators in solving the problems they face? How do we honor the expertise of our teachers, and shift the mindset from professional learning as something done to people to a shared responsibility? What are the obstacles we need to overcome to elevate school-based professional learning?
We discuss these questions and more with the author of “Elevate School
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