The Making Schools Work Podcast

The GPA Myth: Reframing Education as a Solution, Not a Problem

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382375/fan_mail/new] Student engagement is at an all-time low, while student anxiety and behavioral challenges are at an all-time high. How do we turn the tide? Mark Perna, a public speaker, best-selling author and founder of TFS Results, joins Daniel Rock and Chris Bailey to offer a game-changing framework: competitive advantage.  By moving beyond a singular focus on high academic grades, Perna outlines how schools can blend robust academics with technical competencies and professional life skills to get every student—from the 4.0 high-flyer to the struggling 1.5 student—fully locked into their learning journey. Key Takeaways * The Three Pillars of Competitive Advantage: Discover the modern definition of a well-rounded education: robust academic knowledge, technical competencies and professional life skills working in perfect concert. * The Solution vs. The Problem: Why straight-A students inherently view education as their solution, while lower-achieving students see it as their problem—and how to bridge that massive engagement gap. * The 2.5 C-Student Paradigm: The eye-opening statistical reality of why close to 100% of major business leaders and CEOs would eagerly hire a 2.5 GPA student who possesses exceptional professional life skills over a high-achieving student without them. * Overtly Teaching Professional Skills: SREB’s Chris Bailey shares insight from aerospace giant Boeing on why workers are never fired for a lack of hard technical skills, but rather for a lack of professional skills. * The AI Tripwire in Workforce Funnels: A critical warning for business and school leaders regarding the fourth industrial revolution and how the blind elimination of entry-level jobs via AI is destroying the talent funnel. * Skills-First Hiring: Navigating the rapid global shift away from degree-based hiring frameworks toward a skills-first employment ecosystem. Resources Mentioned * Answering Why: Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose and Performance in Younger Generations by Mark Perna. * The Perna Syndicate: Host of the global education and workforce development podcast. * Mark Perna's Official Website: markcperna.com [https://www.markcperna.com]. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.  Follow Us on Social: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/SREBSchoolImprovement/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/srebeducation/] * X [https://x.com/srebeducation]

Neuroscience in the Classroom: How Aptitude Testing Creates Better Career Exploration

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382375/fan_mail/new] What are you actually wired to do? Betsy Wills, co-founder of YouScience and author of Your Hidden Genius, joins Daniel Rock and Jason Adair to disrupt the traditional follow your dreams model of career counseling. In this episode, Wills breaks down why self-reported personality tests fall short, how unused biological aptitudes drive adult burnout and how educators can use performance-based data to uncover the unique treasure chest of talent in every single student.  Key Takeaways * Defining Aptitudes: Why aptitudes are objective, performance-based, unchanging biological traits rather than learned achievements or temporary interests.  * The Braided Rope Framework: Balancing personality, exposure-based interests and innate abilities to navigate a changing workforce.  * The Anatomy of Burnout: Why professional unrest is often caused by an unused aptitude and how avocations can restore career fulfillment.  * The "Slow Drip" vs. "Blender" Mind: Understanding how traits like idea rate dictate whether you belong in a courtroom, a creative studio or an operating room.  * The Danger of Mirror Tests: Why self-reported surveys like Myers-Briggs create a boomerang effect that fails to offer rigorous career direction.  * Democratizing Guidance: Shifting career exploration away from an expensive luxury to a standard tool accessible to all high school students.  Resources Mentioned * Your Hidden Genius: Your Hidden Genius: Leverage Your Natural Talents to Discover Your Career Pathway by Betsy Wills.  * YouScience Platform: Learn more at YouScience.com [https://www.youscience.com/]. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.  Follow Us on Social: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/SREBSchoolImprovement/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/srebeducation/] * X [https://x.com/srebeducation]

Stop Misdiagnosing Resistance: The 5 Catalyst Mindsets Every Instructional Coach Needs

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382375/fan_mail/new] "Help me work with resistant teachers." It’s a major request for instructional coaches, but Becca Silver, founder of The Whole Educator, says it's often a misdiagnosis.  In this episode, Silver joins Daniel Rock and Jason Adair to explain why resistance isn't a personality trait—it's a human response to unmet needs. Discover how to move your staff past simple compliance and toward true ownership using the Catalyst Mindset framework.  Key Takeaways * Reframe the Resistance: Why we should stop labeling teachers as resistant and start supporting teachers experiencing resistance.  * The 5 Catalyst Mindsets: A deep dive into the five unmet needs (Value, Belonging, Success, Growth and Ownership) that are actually at the root of pushback.  * Fidelity vs. Integrity: Why the language we use to describe initiatives can either build trust or signal a lack of it.  * The Levels of Engagement: How to move staff along the continuum from sabotage and defiance to agency and ownership.  * The Culture of Niceness Blocker: Why valuing harmony over authenticity is actually a silent progress blocker for your school.  Resources Mentioned * The Resistance Solution: Why Educators Resist and What They Need Instead by Becca Silver.  * The Whole Educator: thewholeeducator.com [https://thewholeeducator.com/].  The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.  Follow Us on Social: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/SREBSchoolImprovement/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/srebeducation/] * X [https://x.com/srebeducation]

The High-Growth Blueprint: 5 Years of Level 5 Excellence

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382375/fan_mail/new] Bethany Wilson, principal of the #1 ranked middle school in Wilson County, Tennessee, joins the podcast to share the secrets behind five consecutive years of Level 5 TVAAS growth. From opening a new school just months before COVID to being named Tennessee's Principal of the Year, Wilson discusses the shift from doing to leading and how intentional culture-building turns data from a boogeyman into a life-changing tool for students.  Key Takeaways * Demystifying TVAAS: Understanding student growth as a statistical model for progress rather than a stressor for teachers.  * The AP Grind vs. Principal Leadership: Why leading a school requires building capacity and an attitude of "We Work" rather than "I Work." * Actionable Data: How to simplify complex statistical models into actionable, color-coded spreadsheets that teachers can actually use.  * Collective Teacher Efficacy: Why the best PLCs are based on trust, vulnerability and a shared drive of lesson designs.  * Normalizing Failure: Creating a culture where risk-taking is encouraged and growth mindsets are applied to both students and staff.  * The Power of Success Criteria: A three-year journey to move beyond simple learning objectives to authentic, student-centered criteria. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.  Follow Us on Social: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/SREBSchoolImprovement/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/srebeducation/] * X [https://x.com/srebeducation]

The HOPE Protocol: Moving Professional Development From the Shelf to the Classroom

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382375/fan_mail/new] Why do so many high-quality professional development units end up sitting on the shelf? Jason Adair and Debbie Robertson join the podcast to discuss the HOPE Protocol, a multimillion-dollar grant initiative designed to transform math instruction in North Carolina.  By flipping the traditional PD model on its head, the HOPE framework—Hear, Observe, Plan, Enact—ensures that teachers don't just learn about new strategies; they see them in action with their own students and plan for immediate implementation. While the grant was used for math PD, the same framework can be used for any subject. Key Takeaways * The HOPE Framework: A breakdown of the four-stage cycle: Hearing the strategy, observing it in a live classroom, planning for implementation and enacting it right away. * Breaking the Fourth Wall: How in-the-moment coaching allows professional developers to speak directly to observing teachers during a live lesson. * The Power of the Graphic Organizer: Why giving observing teachers specific look-fors prevents them from focusing on trivial details and keeps the focus on student impact. * Learning from "Train Wrecks": Why a model lesson that doesn't go as planned is often more valuable for identifying student gaps than a "perfect" performance. * Removing Implementation Barriers: How the protocol eliminates the "that won't work with my kids" mindset by demonstrating success (and struggles) in the teachers' actual classrooms. * Leadership’s Role: Why school administrators must be in the room to provide the space and support for these strategies to stick. Note on the Grant Discussion The contents of this podcast were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education (Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Award #S411C240164). The Department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models or other activities described or discussed in this podcast. The contents of this podcast may contain examples of, adaptations of and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of this outside information. The content of this podcast does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department. This publication is not intended to represent the views or policy of, or be an endorsement of any views expressed or materials provided by, any Federal agency. The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.  Follow Us on Social: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/SREBSchoolImprovement/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/srebeducation/] * X [https://x.com/srebeducation]