Teaching Learning Leading K-12

Diana Heldfond: CEO & Founder - Parallel Learning.  This is episode 610 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Parallel is the first tech-forward provider of care for learning and thinking differences across the United States. They believe learning differences are parallel ways of thinking that should be celebrated. Parallel’s mission is to provide students with the resources and encouragement to succeed in the classroom and beyond. To Parallel, this means helping them build confidence in their unique strengths and create strategies to work around their weaknesses. Founder and CEO, Diana Heldfond, was diagnosed with both dyslexia and ADHD at a young age. During middle school, she benefited from early intervention and access to specialists and other resources. With the help of this support, she went on to study science technology and international affairs at Georgetown University following high school. So much to learn! Awesome talk! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my

Anna Yudina: Senior Director, Marketing Initiatives - The Toy Association & Genius of Play. This is episode 609 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Anna Yudina is spearheading The Toy Association’s Genius of Play™ initiative to raise awareness of play as a crucial part of child development and encourage families to make time for play in their daily lives. Since its launch in 2015, The Genius of Play has reached millions of parents, caregivers and educators, providing research-based facts, expert advice, and a host of play activities through its website, social media channels, live events and various media. Anna has also been leading The Toy Association’s strategic STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) initiative, which culminated in the development of the comprehensive “STEAM Toy Assessment Framework” and the launch of industry’s first official STEAM Toy Accreditation program. Lots to learn. Great conversation! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my

HiTech Podcast with Will & Josh. This is episode 608 of the Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.  HiTech Podcast started because two friends couldn't shut up about their jobs and their wives were tired of listening to it on date night. So, we decided to bring our conversation to you, sharing our expertise and tomfoolery for all to hear. We exist to help you, and ourselves, process the best ways to harness technology in the traditional or virtual classroom. Here's a little about Josh… A lover of technology, theology, and learning. I found my love for education early on as a college student. Higher education changed my life, and that experience pushes me to always pursue better learning experiences. I am always looking for ways we can harness tech to enhance our teaching and learning. And some about Will… An educator by heart and practice. I caught the bug for teaching in the martial arts, but I extended that into higher education and non-profit education. Always looking to find the best tool

Jeff Ikler - Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching - Teaching, Educational Publishing, Podcasting, Writing, and Fishing. This is episode 607 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. “Quetico” (KWEH-teh-co). He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing, where he served as an editor, marketer, and eventually the head of all publishing disciplines. There, he was first exposed to coaching – as a client – self-awareness and realizing that leadership is behavior in the service of those doing the work. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high-school American history and government. Jeff currently co-hosts the Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity, which focuses on helping individuals and organizations lead productive change – a change that helps them achieve

Dr. Phil Zelazo - Reflection Sciences. This is episode 606 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Reflection Sciences is the culmination of twenty years of groundbreaking research and unwavering passion for Executive Function. Phil Zelazo, Ph.D. and Stephanie Carlson, Ph.D., researchers at the University of Minnesota and Co-founders of Reflection Sciences, spent years studying Executive Function and determining how it could be improved, and how that, in turn, could improve early childhood education. They soon realized a key component was missing: an effective way to scientifically and objectively measure Executive Function in young children. With a growing appreciation of the need for services around Executive Function, and with support from the National Institutes of Health, the Co-founders created the best measure of Executive Function available today, a direct behavioral assessment of the neurocognitive skills that are most vital to academic and life success. After seeing the effectiveness o

Larry Freeland - Chariots in the Sky: A Story about U.S. Assault Helicopter Pilots at War in Vietnam & Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch (WWI). This is episode 605 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Larry Freeland, a Vietnam veteran, is an author of war-themed historical fiction books. He comes from a long line of military veterans. His father was an officer in the Army Air Corps/United States Air Force whose career spanned 30 years and included World War Il through the early stages of the Vietnam War. His grandfather was a doughboy in World War I, and his two brothers were both war veterans, having served in multiple conflicts that our country has been involved in following the Vietnam War. Born in Canton, Ohio, he also lived in Biloxi, Mississippi; Syracuse, NY; Riverside, CO; parts of FL; and Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico.  He graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1968, and then he entered the U.S. Army at the height of the Vietnam War, serving one tour in Vi

Mary Ruppenthal: Registered Architect, Associate Principal at HED - Designing Schools that Meet the Needs of Students and Their Communities. This is episode 604 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Mary is a registered architect and an Associate Principal at HED, one of the oldest and largest architecture and engineering firms in the country, with 400+ employees and annual revenues above $100M. They serve clients nationwide in a broad range of market sectors, including Healthcare, Higher Education, Mission Critical, Housing and Mixed-Use, Pre-K 12, Science, Manufacturing and Product Development, Workplace, Community, and Government. With nearly 30 years of experience in public and private sector educational, civic, and cultural design, Mary oversees Pre-K-12 and community education projects at HED and is a regular speaker at trade and industry events on the best practices of flexible and adaptive learning environments for tomorrow’s pedagogical needs and the needs of tomorrow’s workforce and

Andy Cindrich - Change: How to Turn Uncertainty into Opportunity. This is episode 603 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Change is focused on helping the reader to learn from experts from Franklin Covey on how successful leaders engage people in change and turn change into opportunity.  Change was written by co-authors Curtis Bateman, Marche Pleshette, Andy Cindrich, and Christi Phillips. They share their decades of experience and provide actionable tips and skills to pilot your team through the waters of disruptive change.  Andy Cindrich began his work with Franklin Covey in 1999. He loves his job because the work Franklin Covey does align with his personal mission statement to help teams and individuals win. Andy’s experience owning and operating a successful business allows him to customize each client intervention. He has worked with clients to drive results in every imaginable area from safety, to improved sales, to unprecedented improvements in employee engagement, to dramatic decreas

Al Olson - The History of the American Renaissance Festival. This is episode 602 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Al Olson is one of a select handful of eccentric, quirky, and entertaining people who helped grow the American Renaissance Festivals into being a very popular ticket. He shares his story in his comprehensive book, A History of the American Renaissance Festival. While attending the University of Minnesota, working nights in a parking ramp and pumping iron at the Dove’s bicep gym, he also performed his original songs in the same coffee houses that Bob Dylan had a few years earlier on the west bank of the Mississippi. The artistic director of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival attended a theatrical presentation of his original works at Theatre in the Round and hired him on the spot. He began performing at Renfairs as a member of the group, “Pumpkin,” writing original Renaissance music. After less than a season, he noted the greater crowd impact of groups like Penn and Teller, Av

Todd Bloom - Chief Learning Officer at Kami - Helping to Increase Student Engagement. This is episode 601 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Kami is an all-in-one classroom sidekick that makes K–12 learning personalized, accessible and engaging, is a popular tool among educators and empowers students through more than 40 tools and features, including rich annotation and markup tools, voice and video comments, read-aloud and voice typing options, imported multimedia, PDF editing and more—providing students multiple means of engagement. Todd Bloom, the Chief Learning Officer at Kami, talks with me about Kami. So much to learn and think about. Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.stevenmiletto.com/reviews/ or open the podcast app that you are listening to me on, and would you rate and review the podcast? That would be so cool. Thanks! If you are listening on Apple Podcasts on your phone, go to the logo - click so that you are on the main page with a

Sandra T. Elliot - Chief Academic Officer at TouchMath: Explains Dyscalculia and TouchMath. This is episode 600 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Sandra T. Elliott, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer at TouchMath Dr. Eliott is a career educator who has spent over 4 decades working to enhance education for all students and improve schools and their systems around the globe. She has served as a Special Education teacher, and five-time principal in Florida and Colorado, as well as a district-level administrator. She has held executive level positions at for-profit education providers and foundations and was part of the EngageNY – Eureka Math team for several years.  Dr. Elliott is also a member of the UNESCO-sponsored international EDUsummIT that meets biennially to write education policy recommendations to be adopted by the United Nations. She is thrilled to be able to combine her focus on Special Education and Math at TouchMath and champion for dyscalculia. So much to learn. Before you go... Cou

  Sweethearts & Heroes - Tom Murphy and Rick Yarosh - Promoting Healthy, Positive Social Connections and Relationships. This is episode 599 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Sweethearts & Heroes is a team focused on promoting healthy, positive social connections and relationships while fostering a sense of community and emotional resilience. We bring the power of HOPE and ACTION into schools and communities. Our focus is to teach human skills, both in school and digitally, to build empathy and compassion in our youth, and develop young Sweethearts & Heroes by promoting bystander empowerment through leadership roles. TOM MURPHY - Founder Tom Murphy is the proud husband and father of four living in the charming City of Saint Albans, VT. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA where his parents ran a small shelter and recovery home for the hopeless in their own house, Tom has gone on to take this mantra of helping and caring for others in need his life’s mission.   Tom graduated fro

Judith Sanders - The Huntsman: A Psychological Thriller. This is episode 598 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Judith Sanders was born and raised in New Jersey, where she spent most of her childhood exploring the great outdoors and dreaming of one day becoming a nurse. After graduating high school, she pursued her passion for healthcare and earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Graceland University.   The Huntsman is her fourth novel. Her first book, Crescent Veil, is a novel about germ warfare which Heartland Reviews praised as 'nonstop action based on the real deal by authors who should know what they are presenting'. Other books by Judith - In His Stead and Star Finder She was an Indie Excellence Award Finalist for In His Stead and was shortlisted for Chanticleer International Book Awards for Star Finder. She has been featured in interviews by dozens of news media outlets.   Judith's dedication to her profession led her to work on the front lines in community hospitals and as a civ

Debra Wilson - The Polyvagal Path to Joyful Learning: Transforming Classrooms One Nervous System at a Time. This is episode 597 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Debra is the Founder of S’cool Moves and a graduate from the University of Southern Queensland Professional Studies Program. Her dissertation uncovered attributes of successful collaboration between occupational therapists and general education teachers working together in the classroom environment. Dr. Wilson is a Reading Specialist who possesses teaching credentials in the areas of biology, physical education, multiple subjects, and reading and language specialist. Debra has taught at the college, high school, and elementary levels. Debra consults with districts, focusing on collaboration between support staff and teachers. For over twenty years, her workshops have provided evidence based strategies to support all students in the classroom.  She is the author of numerous books and instructional materials integrating neuroscience

Brook Bock - Chief Product Officer - Lightspeed Systems: Helping Students Be Safe and More Efficient in this Technological World. This is episode 596 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Lightspeed products filter student and staff internet access, look for warning signs in student online activity, manage software across every district device, and give administrators the data they need to make effective decisions about the quality and efficiency of their students’ online educational experience. Today, I am talking with Brook Bock who is the Chief Product Officer at Lightspeed Systems A veteran in the education space, Brook Bock has led the product vision, portfolio strategy and global expansion for top tier K–12 serving companies such as College Board and BlackBoard. In her role at Lightspeed Systems as Chief Product and Marketing Officer, Brook is responsible for Lightspeed’s product strategy and platform growth to ensure educators and school staff have the tools they need to advance student

Ihor Bauman - Workee: A Software Platform to Help You Build Your Business. This is episode 595 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Ihor Bauman is the CEO & Co-founder of Workee. He has 7 years of experience in management consulting, product development and business strategy. Ihor is a Forbes Business Council Member, and he has a master’s degree in finance. A little about Workee… Workee is creating the Future of Work for freelancers worldwide. Workee is a software platform that builds business for freelancers, helping to scale and autopilot their business routing as bookings, payments, client and work management out of the box with 0% fees. Lots to learn. Don't forget the special promo code Ihor100 to get one month free. Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.stevenmiletto.com/reviews/ or open the podcast app that you are listening to me on, and would you rate and review the podcast? That would be so cool. Thanks! If you are listening on Apple Po

Ed Hess - Own Your Work Journey: The Path to Meaningful Work and Happiness in the Age of Smart Technology and Radical Change. This is episode 594 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Edward D. Hess is a Professor Emeritus of Business Administration; Batten Faculty Fellow & Batten Executive-in-Residence Emeritus at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia. He received his B.S. from the University of Florida; his J.D. from the University of Virginia and his L.L.M. from New York University. Professor Hess spent more than 20 years in the business world as a senior executive at Warburg Paribas Becker, Boettcher & Company, the Robert M. Bass Group and Arthur Andersen.  He joined academia in 2002 as an Adjunct Professor of Organization and Management at the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University where he taught in the Business Undergraduate and MBA Programs and was the Founder and Executive Director of both “The Center for Entrepreneurship and Corporate Growth” and “The

Elizabeth B. Splaine Shares Her Latest Novel - Steel Butterflies: Historical Fiction, WWII, Friendship, & Secrets. This is episode 593 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Elizabeth B. Splaine wrote the Dr. Julian Stryker series of “Blind” thrillers (Blind Order and Blind Knowledge), as well as Devil’s Grace, the winner of the When Words Count writing competition. Additionally, she wrote Swan Song, an historical fiction novel, which was chosen by independentbookreview.com as a “Top 35 Impressive Indie Press Book of 2021.”  Prior to writing, Elizabeth earned an AB in Psychology from Duke University and an MHA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She spent eleven years working in healthcare before switching careers to become a professional opera singer and voice teacher.  When not writing, Elizabeth teaches classical voice in Rhode Island where she lives with her family. Today, our focus is on her latest novel Steel Butterflies. A little about Steel Butterflies... (Based on T

Elizabeth Breau, PhD - History According to SAT: A Content Guide to SAT Reading and Writing. This is episode 592 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Elizabeth Breau, Ph.D. is a lifelong educator, parent, and author. Elizabeth has over 25 years of experience as an English teacher for grades 7-12, including co-teaching an interdisciplinary English/history class that produced a magazine, and for which she won the College Board Bob Costas Award for Excellence in Teaching Writing.  She has also taught a variety of university classes in composition, literature, technical writing, public speaking, and women's studies.  Dr. Breau is the author of History According to SAT: A Content Guide to SAT Reading and Writing, which she wrote to help students understand the history passages that comprise about 40% of passages that students read on the SAT”. Her book is a 2023 Nonfiction Authors Association Silver Award winner. She has published scholarly articles, book reviews, including many about history book

Mary Pieroni Harper - The Sound of Her Voice: My Blind Parent's Story. This is episode 591 of my podcast Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Mary Pieroni Harper is a happily retired psychotherapist and author of The Sound of Her Voice: My Blind Parents’ Story. Her stirring book documents the remarkable lives of her parents from the time they fell in love at the Indiana School for the Blind through their challenges, determination, and successes as blind people. Born in Muncie, Indiana and a graduate of the University of Virginia, Harper earned her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Houston. Perhaps as a legacy from helping her parents with everything from reading their mail to them to inspecting their clothing for spots, she has always been interested in helping others. She became active in the Fibromyalgia Association of Houston after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1992 and has served in leadership capacities, including newsletter editor of The Fibromyalgia Connection, and as