In 1962, Keith and Natalie Yelnick were given 45 minutes to make a decision about their newborn daughter, Kristin, who was born with a developmental disability. What followed was not only a family story, but a story of social change. Over the next six decades, Keith and Natalie witnessed—and helped Read more
What does it mean to become more fully yourself? In this episode, I talk with Jeremiah Sims about his new book, Finding the Beautiful Path: On Blackness, Multidimensionality, and Radical Becoming. Through personal reflection, scholarship, and storytelling, Jeremiah invites readers to consider identity not as something fixed, but as something continually Read more
What if puzzles were about more than finding answers? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jeff Wanko, Dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences at Bradley University, about how puzzles create opportunities for both community and reasoning. While puzzles are often viewed as individual challenges, Jeff shares Read more
Cynicism can feel like protection—especially for educators, leaders, and anyone who has experienced disappointment or burnout. But what if cynicism slowly distances us from the very relationships and possibilities we need most? In this episode, Dr. Gary Williams interviews Joel Amidon about the book Hope for Cynics by Jamil Zaki Read more
Students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties often struggle with multisyllabic words—but explicit instruction in morphology can make a meaningful difference. In this episode, I talk with Amy Jackson and Kristi Livingston about their article DE+CON+STRUCT+ED: A Guide to Explicit Morphology Intervention and the role morphology plays in helping students Read more
Many educators and leaders carry powerful ideas, but sharing those ideas clearly and meaningfully can be challenging. In this episode, Dr. Marvin King, Associate Professor of Political Science & African American Studies at the University of Mississippi, and I talk about the book TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Read more
How can mathematics connect meaningfully to the culture and communities students live in? In this episode we are learning to teach better with Dr. Siddhi Soni and Alyssa Harbin as we discuss their article, Barn Quilts Ethnomodeling Task, found in Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12. The task is a Read more
It’s easy to feel like we have to manage everything – our students, our colleagues, our classrooms, our kids, and sometimes even how others think or respond. But what if some of that weight isn’t actually ours to carry? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Gary Williams about The Read more
What if mathematics education were about more than solving problems or passing tests? What if it were part of helping people live fuller, richer lives? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Francis Su about his book Mathematics for Human Flourishing and the deeper purposes of learning (and teaching) mathematics. Read more
AI tools are showing up everywhere in education, but most teachers don’t have the time to experiment with every new platform that promises transformation. In this episode, I talk with Ken Rafanan about his work co-hosting TERC Tech Talks, a video podcast series that tests AI tools so educators don’t Read more