The first 30 days of school can make everything feel urgent, but effective leadership starts with knowing what matters first. In this episode, we’ll focus on the foundations that need your attention right away: clear behavior expectations, clarity for new teachers, and making sure staff understand the curriculum they are expected to teach.  We’ll also talk about what can wait, including interventions, MTSS, and other systems that may be better introduced once the school year is underway. Leadership by Subtraction isn’t about ignoring important work—it’s about sequencing the work so you can build a strong foundation without overwhelming yourself or your staff.

In this episode, host Erin Bailey sits down with Dr. Valerie Lee, Dr. Marjorie Madden, and Dr. Susan Browne — longtime colleagues and co-authors from Rowan University — to discuss their book Literary Life Histories: Reclaiming, Reading, and Living the Story. The three educators share how their RISP framework (Read, Interpret, Script, Perform) invites students of all ages to go beyond surface-level comprehension by embodying literary and historical characters through collaborative writing and performance. The conversation explores how life histories cultivate deep empathy (not just sympathy), support ELA and social studies standards, and create space for meaningful discussion around complex and provocative themes. The episode also touches on the power of collaborative reading, the importance of building background knowledge, and practical advice for teachers looking to reclaim authentic reading experiences in their classrooms. About the guests: Valarie Lee is Associate Professor of Literacy in the Department of Critical Literacy, Technology, and Multilingual Education at Rowan University, USA. With 28 years in high school and university teaching, Valarie researches adolescent literacy and lesson study. She is a co-founder of The Literacy Consortium and the Rowan University Writing Project. She serves on the RIF Early Childhood Advisory Board. Connect with her at leev@rowan.edu  Susan Browne is Professor of Literacy in the Department of Critical Literacy, Technology, and Multilingual Education at Rowan University, USA. Susan teaches reading courses and advises graduate thesis research. A former Philadelphia teacher, she researches critical pedagogies, urban education, and diverse youth literature. She co-founded the Rowan University Writing Project. She serves on the RIF Middle School Family Literacy Initiative Advisory Board. Connect with her at brownes@rowan.edu  Marjorie Madden is Associate Professor of Literacy in the Department of Critical Literacy, Technology, and Multilingual Education at Rowan University, USA. With over 40 years of experience in education, Marjories’s researches underserved students, inclusive literacy practices, and critical pedagogy. She co-founded The Literacy Consortium and the Rowan University Writing Project. She serves on the RIF Early Childhood Advisory Board. Connect with her at madden@rowan.edu  Literary Life Histories: Reclaiming Reading and Living the Story: Literary Life Histories: Reclaiming Reading and Living the Story | Springer Nature Link RIF blog: From Reading to Performance: Reimagining Literacy with Life Histories

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Sarah Lanier, a trial attorney at the Lanier Law Firm, to explore how artificial intelligence is changing legal research, trial preparation, professional judgment, and the skills young lawyers will need moving forward. Sarah shares how she has used AI in surprisingly practical ways—from simulating jury selection to accelerating massive document reviews—and why those use cases work best when AI is treated as an ideation and synthesis partner rather than the final decision-maker. The conversation also digs into the legal risks of hallucinated citations, unverified quotes, and over-reliance on generated content. A central theme throughout the episode is the growing value of original human thought. Sarah explains that AI can generate options, organize evidence, and speed up preparation, but it cannot stand before a judge, exercise real professional judgment, or take responsibility for an argument. For legal educators and institutional leaders, the episode makes a strong case for teaching AI proficiency and ethics together. The conversation ultimately offers a practical framework for responsible adoption: experiment actively, build clear review protocols, preserve independent thinking, and prepare students to use AI without surrendering the human judgment that defines the profession.

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth talks with Travis Moyer - Banyan Global Learning's Director of Programming - about Global Cohorts, the four-week virtual exchange program he piloted this spring with three classroom cohorts, and what happens when students design their own festivals for an international audience. Moyer has written previously about designing for flow and deep engagement in virtual classrooms, and that thinking shows up directly in how the program's activities are structured. Together, Seth and Travis explore the origin of Global Cohorts in Banyan's 18-year partnership with Tsai Hsing School in Taipei, the recurring failure points of ad hoc classroom-to-classroom partnerships, and how running multiple cohorts in parallel solves for one partner dropping out mid-unit. They walk through the festivals unit step by step - how students share their own local festivals, study festivals from around the world, get matched with partner schools ahead of time, and eventually use AI to visualize a festival of their own design. The conversation lands on what happened when the exercise reached a cohort of Ukrainian students who'd been scattered by the war: without being prompted to, nearly every student built a festival about family and cultural preservation. Key topics:Global Cohorts program design and originBanyan's 18-year partnership with Tsai Hsing School, TaipeiSolving classroom-partnership dropout with parallel cohortsThe festivals unit: weekly structure and cadenceUsing AI to visualize student-designed festivalsUkrainian student cohort and displacementPlace-based identity themes across cohorts (Minneapolis, Calgary) Links & Resources:Banyan Global Cohorts program: https://www.banyangloballearning.com/programs/global-cohorts"The Flow State and Education: Deep Focus, Engagement, and Productivity" — Banyan Global Learning blog, December 20, 2024 Guest Bio: Travis MoyerTravis Moyer is Banyan Global Learning's Director of Programming, where he oversees new program development, including Global Cohorts. He spent over a decade as an elementary and high school science teacher in the U.S., and with Banyan has specialized in live, synchronous distance learning. He holds an M.Ed. from Pepperdine University and a B.S. in Biology from Duke University. About the Host: Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and host of Make It Mindful. Through Banyan, he designs live virtual programs that connect K-12 classrooms to global peers and expert facilitators — building the kind of structured, human-centered learning the podcast explores.

This was an interview episode of the Speaking and Communicating Podcast where Roberta hosted Sandra Bargeman, a voice and presence coach with a 35-year career in entertainment. Sandra shared her journey from starting performing at age six to becoming an actor, singer, director, and ordained minister, explaining how she combined her creative and spiritual paths through her company Sacred Stages LLC. They discussed how Sandra's acting background provides natural skills for coaching leaders on voice, presence, and authentic communication, emphasizing that true presence comes from being comfortable with one's authentic self rather than trying to be larger-than-life. Sandra explained her philosophy that finding oneself is the wrong goal, instead suggesting that people should focus on setting down what stands in the way of revealing their true identity. The conversation concluded with Sandra's advice for authentic grounding, recommending that people take deep breaths in challenging moments to choose courageous responses over reactive behavior.Next stepsRobertaConnect with Sandra on LinkedIn and Instagram.Update the workflow on PodMatch regarding the episode with Sandra.Send Sandra the listening links and YouTube video link when the episode is published in the fourth week of August.SandraShare the published episode with her network when notified by Roberta.SummaryPodcast Guest Interview PlanningRoberta welcomed Sandra Bargeman to the Speaking and Communicating Podcast, discussing her background as a voice and presence coach from upstate New York. They agreed that Roberta would notify Sandra when the YouTube video is published in the fourth week of August and share the links on LinkedIn and Instagram. Sandra expressed her commitment to sharing the episode with her network, and they briefly discussed the challenges of getting podcast guests to promote their appearances.Performing Arts and Spiritual JourneySandra shared her 35-year career in performing arts, which began in childhood and included theater, music, commercials, and film work. She explained how she combined her performing career with her spiritual journey by enrolling in an interfaith seminary in her mid-40s and later creating her own company Sacred Stages LLC. Sandra described how COVID impacted her performing work but led her to create a podcast based on her "Edge of Everyday" concepts, which has become a significant part of her career.Sandra's Creative and Spiritual JourneySandra discussed her personal mission of knowing herself deeply, which flows through her creative, spiritual, and leadership journeys. She explained how her parents supported her artistic pursuits, including her violin playing and theater interests, with her mother being her greatest champion. Sandra described how she cannot separate her creative life from her spiritual life, explaining that artists often experience their work as a spiritual journey connecting them to something larger than themselves, drawing parallels between performing and spiritual practices.Voice and Presence DevelopmentSandra discussed how her natural talent for voice and presence developed through her career in entertainment, including her musical background and 30 years of voiceover work. She explained that actors naturally develop skills in voice control, breathing, and body awareness through their training and experience playing different roles. Sandra emphasized that presence comes from confidence in one's authentic story rather than from being the loudest or most aggressive, noting that truly confident people remain solid in their identity regardless of external reactions.Authentic Leadership PresenceSandra discussed the importance of authentic leadership presence, explaining that effective leaders should focus on being their true selves rather than adopting a false authoritative persona. She emphasized that today's successful leadership requires soft skills like empathy, communication, and collaboration, rather than traditional authoritarian behavior. Sandra noted that leaders seeking her coaching are already aware they need to shift away from role-playing and masks, understanding that genuine authenticity inspires trust and engagement from their teams.Self-Discovery and Personal GrowthRoberta and Sandra discussed the concept of "finding oneself," with Sandra explaining that the goal should be about setting down what stands in the way of self-discovery rather than going outside to find oneself. Sandra emphasized that the real work involves looking in the mirror through relationships and being willing to face difficult truths, particularly in personal relationships. She advised using breath as a tool for regulating emotions during challenging moments and making courageous choices rather than reactive responses. Sandra also shared details about her Edge of Everyday podcast and offered her services for voice, presence, and storytelling coaching through MagicThreadMedia.com.  Connect with Sandra:Sandra Bargman's Website: sandrabargman.comBook a Consultation / Magic Thread Media: magicthreadmedia.comSandra's Podcast: The Edge of Everyday Podcast (Streaming on all major platforms)YouTube: Sandra Bargman on The Edge of EverydayListen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-have-executive-presence-voice-coaching-w-sandra/id1614151066?i=1000781371307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MPWlv1AbVroFsrvBCmHRX?si=EDxs1an7RDu-m7wm1TL28g https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MPWlv1AbVroFsrvBCmHRX YouTube: https://youtu.be/hpR50dBjntw