The Educator Experience Podcast with Salli Carter

Writing and Storytelling in Education with 'The Adventures of Jelly Bean' Author Amy Pollack

What happens when a child is encouraged to share their creativity in the classroom? For Amy Meislin Pollack, it became the beginning of a storytelling journey that would last more than sixty years. In this heartfelt episode, Salli sits down with Amy Pollack, educator, professor, and author of The Adventures of Jelly Bean series, to talk about the connection between teaching, storytelling, creativity, and the lasting impact educators can have on young people. Amy reflects on how her fourth-grade teacher encouraged her to stand in front of the class and tell her stories about a character named Jelly Bean, stories she continued sharing throughout her 40+ year teaching career before eventually publishing them decades later. Throughout the conversation, Amy discusses the surprising parallels between teaching and writing, how feedback from students shaped her teaching and storytelling, and why listening, reflection, and persistence matter so much in both education and creativity. From teaching grade school and college students to raising children and becoming a published author later in life, Amy’s story is a powerful reminder that creative passions often grow from the encouragement we receive in classrooms. Salli and Amy also explore how educators can inspire creativity in students, the importance of reading and rewriting, and why storytelling is deeply connected to human connection and learning. Amy is the author of The Adventures of Jelly Bean series, praised by both Kirkus Reviews and US Review of Books for its heartfelt and engaging coming-of-age storytelling. Learn more about Amy and her books here: Amy Pollack Official Website [https://www.amypollack.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] And you can check out her new book ‘The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean’ here!  https://pegasuspublishers.com/books/middle-grade-(10-12-years)/the-still-further-adventures-of-jelly-bean  Timestamps 00:00 Intro 04:40 Differences Between College & Grade School Teaching 10:20 The Importance of Student Feedback 15:20 How Teaching Influenced Amy’s Writing 20:00 The Power of Personal Stories as Inspiration 26:00 Amy’s Advice for New Writers

Conflict, Collaboration and Building Strong Teams in Higher Education with Kevin Sanders

What does it actually take to lead in higher education today? In this thoughtful and highly practical conversation, Salli sits down with Kevin Sanders to explore leadership, collaboration, conflict management, and the future of higher education. After a career that began as a classically trained musician performing with orchestras across five continents, Kevin transitioned into higher education, where he spent decades serving as faculty, director, dean, and senior administrator at institutions including Baylor University and University of Memphis. Today, he is the founder of Cornerstone Leadership Group, where he works to support and develop leaders across higher education. Throughout this episode, Kevin reflects on the realities of academic leadership and the challenge of helping departments, faculty, and institutions move beyond individual work toward collective collaboration and shared vision. Salli and Kevin discuss conflict management, strategic planning, AI in higher education, relationship-building, and what it means to become the kind of leader people genuinely want to follow. Drawing from both his background in music and higher education leadership, Kevin shares why strong institutions function much like orchestras: individuals may have different strengths and expertise, but meaningful success happens when people learn to work together toward a common goal. This episode is filled with thoughtful reflections for faculty, department chairs, administrators, and anyone interested in the future of leadership in higher education. You can follow along to Kevin’s journey through his newsletter or check out Cornerstone Leadership Group at https://www.kevinsanders.me/You can also get Kevin's book: “The Academic Leader’s Playbook.” through the website link! Timestamps 00:00 Intro 02:03 What It Means to Work Well Together in Higher Education 09:00 Kevin’s Journey from Musician to Higher Education Leadership 15:00 Managing Conflict Within the Workplace 20:30 AI in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 26:30 The Future of Higher Education: Relationship Building Matters 32:30 Kevin’s Advice for New Educators — Build Your Village #education #LeadershipDevelopment #conflictmanagement #theeducatorexperience #teaching #LearningDevelopment #TeachingAI

Reflections of a College President with Bill Crouch: Leadership, Community and Fundraising

What does it really look like to lead a college or university? In this thoughtful episode, Salli sits down with educator, former college president, fundraising expert, and CEO of BrightDot, Bill Crouch, to reflect on leadership, community, and the importance of helping people feel that they truly matter. Drawing from decades of experience in higher education and nonprofit leadership, Bill shares his journey to becoming a college president, the lessons he learned through both successes and failures, and why the strongest institutions are built through gratitude, listening, and authentic human connection. From conversations about diversity and institutional challenges to staff motivation, student success, and the future of higher education leadership, this episode explores what it means to create communities where people feel seen, valued, and supported. At the heart of this conversation is Bill’s belief that leadership is not about power but about people. Bill is also the author of the upcoming book Mattership, releasing this June, which continues his work around leadership, belonging, and meaningful human connection. You can learn more about Bill's current work at BrightDot's website - https://thebrightdot.com/ BrightDot helps organizations reimagine fundraising by combining storytelling, human connection, and strategic insight into what Bill calls “The Art of Fundraising.” Timestamps 00:00 Intro 04:06 Bill’s Journey to Becoming a College President 12:07 Building Community & Creating Spaces of Belonging 17:30 The Fundraising Challenges Facing Higher Education 22:10 Staff Motivation During Times of Challenge 34:25 Celebrating Student Success 39:00 Bill’s Advice for University Presidents 44:00 How Conversations Create Community #university #Leadership #HigherEducationLeadership #Fundraising #professor #EducationPodcast #SchoolLeadership #Principles #teachingcommunity #leadershipdevelopment

Overcoming Teacher Burnout by Releasing Perfectionism with Dr. Erin Sponaugle

What happens when the passion that once drove you to teach starts to burn you out? In this powerful and deeply honest episode, we sit down with Dr. Erin Sponaugle, a grade school teacher for 23 years, 2014 West Virginia Teacher of the Year, TEDx speaker, and author, to discuss one of the most pressing issues in education today: teacher burnout. Erin shares her personal journey of recognizing the unsustainable expectations placed on teachers, and ultimately learning how to set boundaries, prioritize her well-being, and rediscover her love for teaching. Together, we explore: * The reality of teacher burnout and the pressure to be “perfect”. * What it means to be a “teachaholic” and how to manage competing demands. * The importance of learning to say no. * The mental load teachers carry both inside and outside the classroom * Why self-care is not optional, but essential. Erin’s story is a powerful reminder that “kids need healthy, happy teachers”, and that taking care of yourself is one of the most impactful things you can do as an educator. This episode is especially valuable for K–5 educators, but resonates with any educator navigating burnout, overwhelm, or the pressure to do it all. 🔗 Connect with Erin🌐 Website: https://www.erinsponaugle.com/ 🎤 TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc7xHSF8gt0 📚 Erin’s Books Can be found on her website: Teachaholic: The Seven-Day Mindset Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching Adventures of Berkeley the Bear series🎙️ Host of The Next Chapter for Teachers Podcast  ⁨@erinsponaugle⁩  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCc46qUyJGvcKR7Mk8j_Lwmw] ⏱️ Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:00 Erin’s Experience Teaching Primary School 07:40 Teacher Burnout and Learning to Say “No” 15:00 Being a “Teachaholic” and Managing Competing Demands 24:00 The Mental Load of Teachers 30:00 Erin’s TED Talk Experience 35:00 What Progress Looks Like Through Burnout 41:20 Advice for New Educators: Put Down the Phone, Focus on You #Burnout #TeacherBurnout #TeacherPodcast #EducationPodcast #TeachingStrategies #TeacherMentalHealth #GradeSchool #teacherpodcast #TheEducatorExperience

The Future of Work: How AI Is Changing Education Forever with Monica Marquez

Are students truly prepared for an AI-driven workplace? In this powerful and timely episode, we sit down with Monica Marquez, M. Ed. a leading expert in workplace AI, learning, and leadership, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming both higher education and the future of work. With over 20 years of experience at companies like Google, EY, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs, Monica brings a unique perspective on what employers are actually looking for and where the biggest gaps exist. In fact, 53% of employers say graduates are not AI-ready. Together, Salli and Monica dive into what this means for educators, students, and professionals navigating this rapidly evolving landscape. This conversation goes beyond tools and technology. It explores: * What “AI readiness” actually means in today’s workforce.- How educators can bridge the gap between AI exposure and real capability. * The growing importance of human skills like resilience, communication, and critical thinking. * How to balance AI use without over-reliance. * Why mastering your human soft skills matters more than ever. One of the most powerful ideas from this episode is the concept of pairing authentic intelligence with artificial intelligence. Leveraging both to create more meaningful, impactful outcomes. This is an essential listen for educators, university students, and professionals looking to stay ahead in an AI-enabled world. 🔗 Connect with Monica through the links below: 🌐 FlipWork: https://www.flipwork.ai/about 📬 Newsletter Sign Up (¡Ay Ay Ay, AI!): https://www.themonicamarquez.com/newsletters/ay-ay-ay-ai/subscribe 🌍 Website: https://www.themonicamarquez.com/ ⏱️ Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:40 Monica’s Journey in Adult & Corporate Learning 12:50 Identifying Skills AI Cannot Replace 16:42 Are Graduates Prepared for AI in the Workplace? 22:14 Balancing AI Use Without Over-Reliance 33:45 The Importance of Resilience & Communication 40:20 Why Educators Must Understand AI 49:23 Integrating AI into Education 55:29 Teaching “Authentic Intelligence.” 1:03:01 Monica's Links