The Education Innovators Podcast

Writing Skills Still Matter

Writing Skills Still Matter
 
This is a short solo episode where Eric questions why writing skills still matter and then gives his two cents worth about why writing skills are critical for cognitive development, especially in an age of AI.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Podcasthon - Crossroads Foundation

This is a special edition of the Education Innovators Podcast for Podcasthon featuring Crossroads Foundation. Crossroads is a charitable organization. Crossroads Foundation is a Hong Kong based, non-profit organization serving global need. We believe that, in a broken world that sees too much suffering, we should do all we can to link those who are in need with those who can provide help. So, we provide an intersection, literally a crossroads, to bring both together. 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
Links:
Podcasthon:
https://podcasthon.org/
 
Crossroads Foundation:
https://www.crossroads.org.hk/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Katie Novak - Firm Goals, Flexible Means

Firm goals, Flexible means: Designing learning that works for all students
 
Katie Novak, Ed.D., is a force of nature - part educational powerhouse, part motivational coach, part witty storyteller. With 25 years of experience in education, a doctorate degree, and real-world experience as a former teacher, curriculum coordinator, and assistant superintendent of schools, she brings unmatched credibility and passion to everything she does. She's the go-to expert for making Universal Design for Learning (UDL), MTSS, and inclusive education not just accessible, but engaging.
 
An instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of 16 books, with over 320,000 copies sold worldwide, Katie doesn’t just write about change; she leads it. Whether she’s consulting with districts, crafting PD that actually sticks, or running 50-mile races (yes, really), Katie lives by one rule: Do it with purpose, do it with heart, and make it fun along the way. 
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Katie Novak:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katienovakudl/
 
Novak Education:
https://www.novakeducation.com/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Dacia Toll - From Charter School Rock Star to EdTech Entrepreneur

From Charter School Rock Star to EdTech Entrepreneur
 
In 1999, Dacia became the founding principal of Amistad Academy in New Haven, CT, which went on to post the greatest achievement gains of any middle school in the state. Dacia then co-founded and co-led Achievement First (AF), which became one of the nation's leading charter school networks with 41 schools across the Northeast and college graduation rates that were five times peer averages. Dacia left Achievement First in July 2021 to launch Coursemojo. Dacia is a founder and current board chair of Relay Graduate School of Education. Dacia received a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill, an MA from Oxford University, and a JD and teaching certification from Yale University.
 
Coursemojo is a curriculum-aligned, AI-powered teaching assistant that is leading to impressive gains in ELA achievement and teacher satisfaction. Mojo aligns to the texts, questions, and writing assignments from many of the top-rated ELA curricula (HQIM) and creates highly-interactive, differentiated experiences for students (“It’s like the handout is talking to me.”).
 
Mojo provides each student (students with IEPs, advanced students, struggling readers, MLL students with 60+ home languages) with targeted, Socratic, one-on-one and small group support. For teachers, Mojo provides real-time data visibility, trends in student misconception, suggested discussion questions, and grading support.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Dacia Toll:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciatoll/
 
Coursemojo:
https://coursemojo.com/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Support Your Local Schools

Support Your Local Schools
This is a short solo episode where Eric talks about the importance of communities and reflects on all of the guests on the show who have raised this topic. Learning is a social activity, with the best results happening in a safe and supportive environment.
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Doug Bolton - Grades & Punishment are Curiosity Killers

Grades & Punishments are Curiosity Killers
 
The theory that rewards and punishments have negative long-term effects on performance, isn’t new, but Doug Bolton puts a new spin on the science behind this and offers practical advice for how teachers, administrators, and parents can help students be more emotionally resilient and engaged in school.
 
Doug Bolton is a Clinical Psychologist and Director of School Consultation for Formative Psychological Services in Chicago. He spent over 20 years as a school psychologist and educational leader. Dr. Bolton provides consultation, supervision and professional development to parents, educators, and clinicians throughout the US to create communities that help foster student and staff resilience.  We will talk today about his book, Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation 
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Doug Bolton:
https://www.drdougbolton.com/
 
Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation:
Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation 
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Are We Grading Intelligence or Compliance?

Are we grading intelligence or compliance?
 
This short solo episode takes a practical look at how we fuel curiosity through questions and how we make it important by measuring it. Eric acknowledges the challenge around the subjectivity of measuring curiosity buts makes the case that we can and should try.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Kyle Wagner - PBL Meets Montessori

PBL meets Montessori
 
Kyle Wagner is the Inaugural IMS Middle School Director and Founder of Transform Educational Consulting Limited, an organization that empowers forward thinking schools and educators to create more globally, socially and emotionally aware citizens through project-based learning. Kyle fell in love with project-based learning as a teacher at High Tech High (the most prominent PBL school in the world) where he witnessed students publish best- selling books, create their own social enterprises, and even influence policy change in the
community through real- world projects.
 
As the Director of the International Montessori School, Kyle is responsible for Interdisciplinary Curriculum Development and Founding Teaching Team development and training. This is the first Montessori Adolescent Programme in Hong Kong- where they are building a personalised, student-centered programme where students manage their own projects to actively contribute to their local and global communities.
 
He has taken this passion global, helping over 1,000 educators from schools around the world develop their own transformative learning experiences for students. Kyle is also the former co-founder of the innovative micro-school ‘Futures Academy’ at the International School of Beijing, a program that uses interdisciplinary project- based learning to connect students to their passions and the world outside of school.
 
 A published author, his book, "The power of SIMPLE," documents this experience and shares how edu-visionaries can create their own vision for learner-centered spaces through simple, research-based strategies. Kyle holds a M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership with a thesis that focuses on developing democratic classrooms and distributed leadership models. When not writing or teaching, he is performing with his original band, participating in karaoke contests and traveling the world with his partner. He currently resides in Hong Kong where he spends time developing learner-centered schools of the future while helping other school leaders build theirs.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Kyle Wagner:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwagssd3/
 
International Montessori School:
https://www.ims.edu.hk/en
 
Twelve shifts:
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2024/05/21/12-shifts-to-move-from-teacher-led-to-student-centered-environments/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Teachers are Our Superpower

Teachers are Our Superpower
 
This is a short solo episode as Eric looks back on 2 years of doing this podcast and reflects on some of what he has learned. This is a powerful call to action in time of radical change that is both necessary and dangerous. Empowered teachers will make the difference!
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
 
Links:
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Marsha Enright - Enlightenment Education

Enlightenment education – developing independent thinkers
 
Marsha Familaro Enright is an educational entrepreneur, writer and speaker with a rare blend of scientific training, liberal‑arts expertise and institution‑building experience. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Northwestern University and an M.A. in Psychology from the New School for Social Research. Her broad scholarly interests range from neuropsychology and philosophy to literature and politics.
 
She is the founder and president of the Reason, Individualism, Freedom Institute (RIFI), the organization behind the Great Connections seminars. These week‑long seminars use a Great Books–based methodology to immerse young adults in the full range of influential ideas, drawing on the best of classical liberalism, the Montessori method and Ayn Rand's philosophy.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Marsha Enright:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsha-familaro-enright-8a973b
https://marsha-familaro-enright.com/about-me/
 
Reliance College:
https://reliancecollege.org/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com