Episodes

What does it take to have a tough conversation that is both clear and compassionate? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Erica Bear and Tiffany Burns to discuss their new book, The School Leader’s Playbook for Tough Conversations, and the practical strategies school leaders need when navigating conflict, feedback, and high-stakes communication. Erica and Tiffany unpack why these conversations are often avoided, how strong relationships and intentional preparation cre...

What happens when students are not just disengaged, but quietly deciding school is too hard, too boring, or too risky to try? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Katie Powell, Director of Middle Level Programs for AMLE, to unpack the realities of middle school learning, the brain science behind engagement, and how teachers can better support students who struggle with boredom, frustration, and task avoidance. About Katie Powell Katie Powell is the Director for Mid...

Recorded live at NCMLE, Joshua Stamper sits down with Charlie Peck, Gretchen Bridgers, and Vernon Wright to talk about their presentations, their current projects, and the power of connection at a conference built on learning and community. Charlie shares practical tools for addressing anxiety and avoidance, Gretchen focuses on the essentials of instruction, and Vernon explores influence, action, and what it means to be a coachable leader. About Charle Peck: Charle Peck is the co-creator of Thri...

What if the key to unlocking social emotional learning for your students has been playing in their earbuds all along? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with David Spellman, also known as the Positive Archer, an unorthodox educator who built a unique book and curriculum called Just Like Music: Social Emotional Learning Inspired by Hip Hop after years of recognizing a deep disconnect between the SEL strategies schools were using and the students they were trying to reach...

Recorded live at the NCMLE Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Joshua sits down on the conference floor with two dynamic educational leaders, speakers, and authors, Frederick Buskey and Dr. Brandi Kelly. Frederick shares his work building a Leadership Excellence Network in partnership with the North Carolina Middle Level Education Association and dives into his conference presentation on the Motivation Equation, a framework that moves leaders and teachers from a place of judgment to curios...

What if the reason so many young students struggle in the classroom has nothing to do with behavior, laziness, or defiance, and everything to do with emerging executive functions that have simply not been taught yet? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper welcomes back two familiar faces, executive functioning expert Mitch Weathers and primary educator and researcher Sarah Oberle, to celebrate the release of their brand new co-authored book Executive Functions for Every K–3 Classroom...

What does it take to truly engage a middle schooler, build a classroom where every student feels like they belong, and sustain yourself as a leader for the long haul? In this second bonus episode recorded live at the NCMLE Moving the Middle Forward Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Joshua Stamper brings you three more energizing conversations straight from the conference floor, sponsored by New Horizons Global. First, Joshua sits down with educator, speaker, and author Katie Powell to ta...

What does it look like when a third grade STEM teacher from Houston uses comedy, creativity, and storytelling to pull back the curtain on the real life of an educator and build a community that refuses to feel alone? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with educator, podcaster, and doctoral student Brandon Jenkins to talk about the power of authentic storytelling in education and why laughter might be one of the most underrated tools in our profession. Brandon shares ho...

What does it look and feel like to be surrounded by 400 passionate middle level educators for three days straight? In this first bonus episode recorded live at the NCMLE Moving the Middle Forward Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Joshua Stamper brings you three powerful conversations straight from the conference floor, sponsored by New Horizons Global.​ First, Joshua sits down with resilience researcher, speaker, and author Julie Hasson, who shares her message from her presentation "Rec...

What if the burnout crisis in education is not just a workload problem but a skills gap? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Corwin author and educator Katrina Huels to unpack why 54% of K through 12 educators report feeling burnt out often or always, and what leaders and teachers can actually do about it.​ Katrina draws on her 14 years of leadership experience across special education, assistant director, and executive director roles to explain how emotional intell...

Why do some students sit and do “nothing” when we give them plenty of time to work, and why does “just get to work” rarely change anything? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper talks with executive function coach Carrie Bonnett about task initiation as a teachable brain based skill rather than a character flaw. Drawing on her years as a middle and high school teacher and her current coaching practice with students, families, and schools, Carrie explains how to reframe “procrastinat...

What happens when a former assistant principal chooses to return to the middle school classroom and discovers a deeper, wider form of leadership than the front office ever offered? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper talks with David James, seventh grade social studies teacher, lead mentor, and conference director for the North Carolina Association for Middle Level Education, about what it really means to lead where your feet are.​ David shares how his journey from substitute tea...

Educators are exhausted, overextended, and still trying to show up fully for kids. So what does it actually look like to build a sustainable life and career in schools instead of just surviving the year?​ In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Kim Gameroz to celebrate the launch of her new book Becoming the BISON and explore how teachers can "be intentional so others notice" in ways that protect their wellness, elevate their impact, and spark real change on campus.​ Kim...

Aspiring leaders asked: How do you lead with emotional intelligence (EQ) instead of ego, and navigate school politics without getting burned? In this bonus Aspire Mailbag with Jeff Gargas (COO, Teach Better), Joshua Stamper dives into self-awareness, empathy, humility, and building feedback loops to ditch ego-driven decisions for people-first leadership.​ They also tackle the politics game: map power dynamics, build advisory circles, watch before acting, and strategically invite influencers to ...

What happens when discipline shifts from punishment to teaching? In this important conversation, Joshua Stamper and Nathan Maynard unpack the ideas behind Nathan’s new book The Science of Discipline, exploring how schools can move from compliance-driven systems to accountable, trauma-informed practices that actually change behavior. Nathan shares what he has learned working with struggling schools in all 50 states, why generic consequences fail, and how to design clear, sustainable discipline f...

How can schools ensure every student benefits from collective expertise without overwhelming teachers with endless meetings? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper talks with Kurtis Hewson, co author of Collaborative Response and co founder of Jigsaw Learning, about a school wide model that replaces fragmented teams with purposeful, layered collaborative structures centered on data, evidence, and a clear continuum of supports.​ Kurtis explains how to shift from “tiering students” to ...

What happens when we decide to be present, patient, and kind in the middle of one of the hardest stretches of the school year? In this week's episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper welcomes back Dr. Christopher Culver to explore the science of kindness and belonging, the impact of chronic stress on educators, and why self compassion must come before we can sustain compassion for others.​ Dr. Culver shares vulnerable pieces of his own story, including seasons of deep darkness and imposter synd...

This bonus Aspire to Lead episode brings you a featured segment from the Thriving Educators Summit, where Mitch Weathers facilitates a fast paced conversation with TJ Vari and Joshua Stamper about what it truly means to lead well in today’s schools, whether you are an aspiring leader, assistant principal, principal, or district administrator. The trio digs into mindset shifts from classroom to leadership, why every leader deserves a coach, how to build influence before you have a title, and why ...

What if students’ “attention problems” were really a mismatch between how the brain works and how we structure learning? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper talks with first grade teacher, cognitive science scholar, and author Sarah Oberle about what executive functions actually are, core and higher order cognitive processes like working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, and why they are so often misunderstood as behaviors in schools.​ Sarah describes how explosive d...

What if the strongest leaders in your school are already in classrooms, waiting for permission to step up? In this week's episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper reconnects with longtime friend and former Teach Better teammate Brad Hughes, elementary principal in Ontario, Canada, to explore how aspiring leaders can build confidence, prepare for interviews, and maintain personal and professional balance without rushing into formal roles.​ Brad shares stories from his 30+ year journey, from clas...

In this special conversation on Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper, Kim Gameroz, and Mitch Weathers share everything you need to know about the Thriving Educators Summit 2026 and how it was born from a desire to help teachers move from surviving to truly thriving after years of running hard and lean in schools. Listeners will hear the story behind the free virtual summit, what makes its fast paced, highly practical sessions different from typical PD, and how districts are using past summit recording...

How do you lead staff who seem stuck in their ways, resist new ideas, and quietly shut out new colleagues? In this New Year episode of the Aspire Mailbag, Joshua Stamper and longtime co-host Jeff Gargas dig into anonymous listener questions from the Aspire Voxer community about culture, communication, and accountability.​ Josh and Jeff unpack practical strategies for having hard one-on-one conversations, rebuilding trust after past leadership missteps, and balancing empathy with firm expectation...

What if social-emotional learning, culture, and instruction could move in rhythm with the real seasons of a school year instead of feeling like “one more thing” on everyone’s plate? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Walter McKenzie, Heather Lageman, and Leigh Alley introduce their book School Seasons xSELeratED and the xSELeratED Schools Framework, a month-by-month roadmap that helps educators care for the whole child and the whole educator with small, doable practices that fit into the flow of...

What if you could actually see the hidden influencers on your campus and use those connections to move culture forward instead of fighting it?​ In this energizing Aspire to Lead episode, Joshua Stamper sits down with Dr. Ben Johnson, assistant superintendent and executive coach, and award-winning principal Bobby Dodd to unpack their new book, Intentional Influence, Harnessing Cultural Mapping to Build Commitment. Together, they introduce cultural mapping as a practical way to “make the invisibl...