In this episode of Have a Life Teaching Podcast, John sits down with Jeff Riley, former Commissioner of Education for Massachusetts and current Executive Director of Day of AI, a nonprofit initiative launched out of MIT. Together, they explore what AI truly means for K–12 education beyond the fear, beyond…
What can the costume designer behind Raiders of the Lost Ark and Michael Jackson’s Thriller teach educators? A lot. In this episode, Dr. Deborah Landis, UCLA professor and legendary Hollywood costume designer (also behind The Blues Brothers, Animal House, and Oscar-nominated for Coming to America), breaks down how costume design…
In this wide-ranging conversation, Carol Ann Tomlinson reflects on her unconventional path into teaching and the classroom realities that led her to redefine differentiation—not as a set of tactics, but as an ethical stance toward learners. Key Themes & Takeaways: • Differentiation ≠ multiple lesson plans: It’s about common goals…
Grammar doesn’t fail because students can’t learn it. It fails because of how it’s taught. In this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, I’m joined by literacy expert Patty McGee, co-author of Not Your Granny’s Grammar, to rethink grammar instruction from the ground up. We explore how grammar…
In this episode, I speak with Adam Watson about role-playing and gamification as serious instructional tools, not motivational add-ons. We explore how well-designed role-play: • Shifts students from passive responders to active decision-makers • Lowers affective risk while increasing cognitive demand • Uses identity, narrative, and constraints to deepen reasoning…
What does it really mean to communicate a vision—and why does it matter so much for school culture? In this episode, John Schembari is joined by Corey Gordon, CEO of DeliverEd, to explore how schools and districts can move beyond vision statements as “documents on a page” and turn them…
In this episode, John Schembari is joined by student author Amy Wallace and education researcher Dr. Nick Jackson to explore AI in education—from the learner’s perspective. Key Topics Covered • How students actually use AI to think, revise, and plan • Why bans and AI “detection” tools fail • What…
Chronic absenteeism still hovers around 25% nationwide—and one root cause keeps surfacing: student disengagement. In this episode, we sit down with Alfie Kohn, author of Punished by Rewards, to unpack a hard truth many of us weren’t trained to question: 👉 Rewards, grades, praise, and “positive reinforcement” don’t build motivation—they…
In 2025, great teaching isn’t about delivering content — it’s about curating it, unleashing student curiosity, and building true student efficacy.But here’s the twist: teachers can’t foster efficacy if leaders are still ferry-captains instead of bridge-builders.In my latest conversation with Tanya Bosco (Chief Strategy Officer at IDE Corp), we unpack…
Are we grading what really matters? In most cases, no. In this episode, we sit-down with Karin Hess, Jonathan Vander Els and Brian Stack - authors of the book Elevating Competency-Based Learning in a PLC at Work - to discuss how competency-based learning and grading can help educators provide students…
Our kids are drowning in math failure — and it starts shockingly early. By grade 3, too many students already believe: “I’m just not a math person.” The culprit? Timed tests that reward speed over thinking, worksheets that kill curiosity, and assessments that feel like traps, not opportunities. We’re creating…
In this episode, we are joined by Shannon McLeod from Thrive with Outdoor Learning for an inspiring and insightful conversation about the power of taking learning outside the classroom. We cover the how, why, when, and what of outdoor learning—from practical strategies to deeper reflections on its benefits for students'…
When Teachers Believe—in Themselves and Each Other—Students Thrive This week on the podcast, we sit down with Jenni Donohoo and Glenn Forbes to discuss their new book, Collective Impact: Overcoming the Twelve Enemies of Teacher Efficacy. We explore how collective efficacy—educators’ shared belief in their power to impact student learning—creates…
Too often, I see learning objectives on the board that say “Students will think about…” — but how do we actually know what students are thinking? This week on the Podcast, I sit down with returning guest Alice Vigors, author of The Thinking Classroom and her brand-new book The Learning…
Poetry isn’t just “beautiful prose” — it’s a doorway into critical thinking, voice, and perspective. In this episode, I sit down with Jewellyn Forrest, national writing consultant and co-founder of Autonomy Learning, to explore how poetry — and especially figurative language — can: ✔️ Help students “read between the lines”…
