In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we dive into how to navigate challenging student behavior, especially those Tier 2 and Tier 3 situations that feel overwhelming and constant. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of extreme behaviors on your own, this episode will shift your perspective and remind you that behavior is not a solo job. You’ll learn why a team-based approach is essential, how to identify the right people to support behavior in your building, and the three simple steps to creating a system that actually works. Barb breaks down how to move from reactive, frustrating meetings to focused, solution-driven conversations that support both teachers and students.Learn more about A Team Approach to Handling Challenging Student Behaviors

Dr. Erin Bailey speaks with licensed pediatric psychologist Dr. Caitlin Khoury about her role in developing Lovevery's Reading Skillset. Dr. Khoury shares her journey from graduate school research and reading clinics to clinical practice assessing children for learning disabilities, and how those experiences shaped her approach to creating evidence-based reading materials for families. The conversation explores the core components of the Reading Skillset—including phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and oral language development—and how play makes learning to read joyful and engaging. Dr. Khoury offers practical guidance on using alphabet books intentionally, maximizing wordless picture books for storytelling, practicing shared reading with turn-taking, and selecting decodable books that match a child's developing skills. She also discusses signs that children are ready to transition to chapter books and how series can build reading stamina and lifelong love of reading.About Dr. Caitlin Khoury:Dr. Caitlin Khoury, PhD, is a licensed pediatric psychologist and product strategist at Lovevery. She specializes in integrating behavioral health care with children’s academic learning needs, with particular expertise in early literacy development. Her research and dissertation focused on the relationship between early literacy skills and self-regulation in young children. Dr. Khoury previously worked at the National Institute for Direct Instruction and has extensive experience partnering with families to identify targeted learning supports through comprehensive evaluations. She also supported the development of Lovevery’s Reading Skill Set, translating literacy science and child development research into practical, parent-friendly tools that support early reading success.Lovevery Reading Skill Set: The Reading Skill Set | Reading Programs for Kids | Lovevery

How difficult is it to have difficult conversations?Meet Maren Perry!Our conversation with Maren Perry, founder of Arden Coaching, zooms in on the essential leadership skill of navigating difficult conversations. It explores why leaders shy away from discomfort and provides a strategic framework for delivering feedback that fosters growth rather than resentment.The Courage to Lead Through ConflictDifficult conversations are often the "gift" that organizations need most but receive least. Most people avoid these interactions because they fear discomfort or worry about damaging relationships. However, true leadership is defined by the courage to engage in these moments rather than shying away from them. When leaders avoid tough talks, it creates a systemic ripple effect that impacts performance and trust across the entire organization.The Leadership Promotion TrapSubject Matter ExpertPromoted for technical skills (e.g., Accounting, Marketing).People LeaderRequires a "totally different set of skills" focused on human dynamics.The Feedback ParadoxThere is a striking irony in modern workplaces: while leaders fear giving feedback, employees at all levels are actually craving it. Workers want to know where they stand and how to improve; they find it "triggering" and confusing to receive positive performance reviews only to be passed over for promotions or let go later. Holding back constructive truth is not a kindness; it is a barrier to an employee's informed decision-making and career growth.Strategic Framework: The 5 CsTo navigate these conversations effectively, Perry introduces the "5 Cs" framework, emphasizing two critical components: Collaboration and Clarity.Collaborative Approach: Instead of confronting someone "across the table," a leader should sit on the "same side" as the employee. This involves checking one's own intent—ensuring the feedback is meant to support, not embarrass—and asking for permission to share observations.Radical Clarity: Leaders must avoid "hedging their bets" or using overly tentative language. Being "kind but clear" ensures the recipient understands exactly what happened and what needs to change, without leaving the room confused. The "5 Cs" Conversation Starter1. Check Intent: Is this meant to help or serve the other person?2. Get Buy-In: "I noticed something... is it okay if I share that with you?"3. Be Collaborative: Use a tone that invites the other person to share their side.4. Be Clear: Avoid hesitant language; state the observation directly.5. Assume Positive Intent: Leave space for your assumptions to be wrong.Navigating Modern Crises: Layoffs and RTOPerry applies these principles to two major contemporary challenges:Layoffs: Leaders should view layoffs not as a failure, but as a "turning point." While painful, approaching the conversation without the assumption of "total disaster" allows for a more open, supportive delivery.Return to Office (RTO): Success in RTO mandates depends on "enrolling" employees in the why—focusing on collaboration and innovation that doesn't happen virtually—rather than just offering superficial perks like pizza parties.To-DoPractice the "5 Cs" framework to develop the skill and mindset required for tough talks. Visit ardencoaching.com/arden8 to download the white paper on the eight essential leadership dimensions. Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to build rapport and understand team members' individual sensitivities. Shift the internal narrative of difficult conversations from "conflict" to "the core job of a leader." ConclusionLeadership is not just about subject matter expertise; it is about the willingness to be uncomfortable. By mastering the art of the difficult conversation through clarity, collaboration, and courage, leaders can transform organizational culture and empower their teams to reach their full potential.Connect with Maren:Website: https://ardencoaching.com/FREE Resources:The Arden 8 Leadership DimensionsListen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-have-difficult-conversations-a-guide-for/id1614151066?i=1000762404844Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/08PdMuO3pK7OP90RTZ8P3W?si=2LSL92VsR_CR7v661CX15ghttps://open.spotify.com/episode/08PdMuO3pK7OP90RTZ8P3WYouTube: https://youtu.be/4Q49OdB0jj4

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Pearsall, Assistant Provost for Teaching and Learning at the American College of Financial Services, to explore how institutions can move from uncertainty to intentional AI adoption. Drawing on her background in biochemistry and computational modeling, Elizabeth offers a thoughtful perspective on how AI is reshaping both learning and leadership in higher education.The conversation traces a familiar journey many educators are experiencing—from fear of replacement to curiosity sparked by practical use. Elizabeth emphasizes that successful adoption doesn’t come from isolated efforts, but from shared ownership across campus. By bringing together faculty, IT, HR, and leadership, institutions can create environments where AI is explored responsibly and collaboratively.The episode also highlights a critical shift in what it means to be “literate” in an AI-driven world. Beyond using tools, students and educators must develop the ability to question, verify, and interpret information with skepticism. For higher-ed leaders, this is a grounded conversation about how to start small, build confidence, and create systems that support both innovation and trust.

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth talks with Jessica Werner, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Northshore Learning, about why teacher burnout is better understood as a systems problem than a personal one — and what happens when schools try to fix it without addressing the foundations that are already shaky. Jessica draws on her doctoral research in Uganda, where a policy expanding secondary school access flooded classrooms without providing additional support, and connects that experience directly to what she's seeing now in U.S. schools facing school choice expansion, teacher shortages, and the pressure to adopt every new initiative at once.Together, Seth and Jessica explore why measuring teacher wellbeing is so difficult and why qualitative judgment still matters, how cultural context shapes what counts as a behavior problem and what motivates students, what schedules and workloads quietly signal to teachers about how much their effectiveness actually matters, and why adding initiatives on top of weak foundations accelerates burnout rather than solving it. Jessica also shares a specific example from a school in Colombia where an American teacher adapted her math instruction to work with — rather than against — the social, collective culture of her students, offering a concrete picture of what culturally responsive intervention looks like in practice.Key topics:Teacher efficacy as a component of job satisfaction and retentionThe limits of quantitative measurement for wellbeingCultural differences in student motivation: intrinsic vs. extrinsicSchedule design and its unintended impact on teachersAddition without subtraction: the workload problemSchool choice policy and the costs of rapid enrollment growthNeuroscience basics that translate directly into classroom managementSchool-student "match" as a framework for the future of school choiceLinks & Resources:Northshore Learning — coaching, school partnerships, and on-demand courses for educators: northshorelearning.orgJessica Werner on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessica-werner-ph-d-818032163Northshore Learning YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCznAU47jszmmJyFBWd_1LvwHidden Brain podcast with Shankar Vedantam (recommended by Jessica): hiddenbrain.orgJustin Reich, MIT Teaching Systems Lab — referenced by Seth on "addition by subtraction" in schools: https://makeitmindful.transistor.fm/episodes/76-experiment-with-humility-teaching-in-the-ai-evidence-gap-with-justin-reichGuest Bio: Jessica Werner, Ph.D.Jessica Werner is the founder and CEO of Northshore Learning, where she works with schools in the U.S. and internationally to support teacher effectiveness and student behavior through personalized coaching, group training, and on-demand professional development. Her work is grounded in neuroscience and centers on what actually allows teachers to feel effective — and what systematically undermines that feeling over time. Jessica holds a Ph.D. in education, with doctoral research focused on the implementation challenges of Uganda's universal secondary education policy, and has over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, professor of education, and consultant.About the Host: Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and host of Make It Mindful: Insights for Global Learning. Through Banyan, he designs live virtual programs that connect K-12 classrooms to global peers and expert facilitators. See banyangloballearning.com.