Most principals want to be strong instructional leaders—but their day gets taken over before they ever get there. In this episode, we break down the four layers of instructional leadership and why focusing on instruction alone often doesn’t work. You’ll learn how discipline systems, staff culture, and time management all impact your ability to lead teaching and learning effectively and what to fix first.We also unpack the difference between clarity and execution in instructional leadership, and why skipping that step can leave you feeling inconsistent and frustrated. If you’ve ever felt like you should be more focused on instruction but can’t seem to get there, this episode will help you identify exactly where you’re stuck and what to do next.Assess your instructional leadership as a principal and get your FREE Instructional Leadership Score.Resources Shared in the Episode:The Principal's Discipline ToolkitThe Tier 1 Behavior BlueprintChallenging Teacher Dynamics ToolkitChallenging Teacher Team Dynamics ToolkitFREE The 8 to 4 Principal PlannerThe 8 to 4 Principal Blueprint

Dr. Erin Bailey talks with Dr. Jennifer Scoggin and Hannah Schneewind, founders of Trusting Readers and authors of Trusting Readers: Powerful Practices for Independent Reading. The duo shares their journeys from classroom teachers to literacy consultants and explains why trust—in teachers, students, and the independent reading process itself—is central to their philosophy. They break down the four essential components of effective independent reading: time, choice, talk, and teacher support, emphasizing that independent reading is an instructional time, not just "kids with books." The conversation covers practical strategies for families to cultivate reading habits at home, the powerful connection between reading and writing, and how reading identity shapes young learners. Both guests reflect on how reading inspires connection—with characters, with loved ones, and within classroom communities.About Dr. Jennifer Scoggin:Dr. Jennifer Scoggin has been a teacher, author, speaker, curriculum writer, and literacy consultant.  Jennifer’s interest in the evolving identities of both students and teachers and her growing obsession with children’s literature led her to and informs her work. Jen began her career teaching first and second grades in Harlem, New York. In her current role as a literacy consultant, Jennifer collaborates with teachers to create engaging literacy opportunities for children.  She holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Teachers College, Columbia University and has previously published two books about literacy instruction and life in the classroom. Jen lives in Connecticut with her two children, her husband, and her dog.About Hannah Schneewind:Hannah Schneewind has been a teacher, staff developer, curriculum writer, keynote speaker and national literacy consultant. She brings with her over 25 years of experience to the education world. Hannah’s interest in student and teacher agency and her belief in the power of books informs her work with schools. Hannah often works close to home, in Connecticut and New York. She also frequently travels across the United States.Hannah began her career as a first grade teacher at P.S. 321 in Brooklyn, New York, and her classroom was used as a model classroom for teachers around the city and country. The trust the administrators placed in her along with the culture of collaboration in the school formed her belief  in the power and possibilities of schools.Hannah lives in Connecticut with her three children, her husband, and the deer who eat her garden each summer.Links:Trusting Readers website: Trusting ReadersTrusting Readers Book: Trusting Readers by Jennifer Scoggin, Hannah Schneewind. PowerfulLinkedIn: (23) Trusting Readers LLC: Overview | LinkedIn

Host: John Mihalyo The Catholic School Leaders PodcastEpisode OverviewYou left the NCEA fired up. Notebooks full of ideas. Texts to your team. Sessions you can't stop thinking about. And then Monday happened.In this episode, John shares a simple four-step framework for making sure the energy and ideas from a great conference actually make it off the shelf and into your school.Key Takeaways1. Capture your top three takeaways. Not 10, not 15 — three. The ones that are actually going to move your school forward.2. Align ideas to your school's reality. The best idea in the world is a non-starter if it doesn't fit your culture, your structure, or where you are right now.3. Take one action this week. Don't wait until May. Don't wait until June. One small, clear step this week is worth more than a perfect plan that never starts.4. Build in accountability. Inspiration without structure leads to frustration. Find a person, a group, or a system that keeps you moving forward.Challenge for This WeekPick your top three takeaways from the NCEA. Write them down. Then take one action on one of them before Friday.Learn MoreJohn Mihalyo works with Catholic schools across the country through Elementary Advancement Solutions, helping leaders strengthen enrollment, advancement, and long-term sustainability.Learn more at www.elementaryadvancement.com Schedule a time to meet with John here!

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Mike Evans, senior lecturer in Political Science at Georgia State University, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping civic education, classroom dynamics, and the skills students need to navigate an increasingly complex world.Drawing from his background studying technological disruption, Mike brings a balanced perspective on AI’s dual potential—its ability to expand access and efficiency, while also introducing new risks and ethical challenges. In the classroom, he’s experimenting with AI tutors and simulation environments that help students engage with opposing viewpoints, practice civil discourse, and develop stronger critical thinking skills.The conversation highlights a broader shift in education: as AI automates more technical tasks, the value of uniquely human skills—judgment, communication, and ethical reasoning—becomes even more important. For educators and leaders, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how to use AI not as a shortcut, but as a tool to deepen learning and prepare students for participation in a rapidly changing civic and technological landscape.

This is the second of a two-part conversation with Michael Barbour, one of the most cited researchers in K-12 distance and online learning. Michael is assistant dean for academic innovation and integration at Touro University California, and has spent nearly three decades studying the design, delivery, and support of K-12 distance, online, and blended learning — as well as the policy and governance structures that shape it. If you haven't listened to part one yet, start there.In this episode, we examine an assumption that surfaced repeatedly during the pandemic: that because distance learning has been around for decades, schools should have been ready. Michael has the data on why they weren't — and why, despite a global wake-up call, most still aren't. The numbers are striking: less than 10% of teacher preparation programs included any meaningful content on K-12 online learning even after COVID. And as Michael makes clear, the next disruption — whether pandemic, weather event, or political unrest — is not a question of if, but when.From there, the conversation takes a surprising turn. Michael shares a counterintuitive research finding: students who had K-12 online learning experience actually performed worse as online learners at the university level — and he unpacks exactly why that happened and what it reveals about the difference between synchronous and asynchronous program design. He also walks through one of the most compelling real-world models of synchronous distance learning in K-12 — the Center for Distance Learning and Innovation in Newfoundland — and what it would actually take to replicate that kind of intentional design at scale."Every single one of your listeners, unless they plan on retiring in the next year or two, will likely experience another regional or global pandemic. And that's just on the pandemic side." — Michael BarbourTopics covered:~1:30 — Bridging policy, pedagogy, and technology: why hopes and prayers aren't a strategy~3:20 — What the National Education Technology Plans have been saying since 1996~4:20 — The teacher preparation gap: the numbers before, during, and after COVID~7:20 — The history of pandemics and why every educator needs distance learning skills~13:20 — A counterintuitive finding: why K-12 online experience made university online learners worse~19:20 — Synchronous vs. asynchronous design and the CDLI model~28:20 — Why distance learning matters for every educator, not just virtual school teachersLinks and resources:MichaelBarbour.com - all of Michael's researchA Vision for K-12 Online and Blended Learning in Teacher Education — the teacher preparation work referenced in this episodePart 1 of this conversation is available now — start there if you haven't already.Discover more virtual learning opportunities at CILC.org with hosts Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.Seth Fleischauer's Banyan Global Learning combines live virtual field trips with international student collaborations for a unique K12 global learning experience. See https://www.banyangloballearning.com/