366: Stop Doing What Students Can Do

371: Empathetic Leadership with Joshua Stamper

What does it really mean to lead with empathy in today’s schools? In this episode, we sit down with Joshua Stamper to explore how empathetic leadership can transform school culture, strengthen relationships, and create environments where both educators and students thrive. Joshua shares practical strategies for building trust, supporting teacher wellness, and leading with authenticity—even during challenging times. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or school administrator, this conversation offers valuable insights on creating a more compassionate and connected educational community. https://alwaysalesson.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/355-Open-to-Learning-with-Jennifer-Burns-1-1.jpgQUOTABLES **All quotes are from the interviewee** * "We can’t define them [students] based on the actions that we see." * "There’s always something behind the behavior.” * "There are going to be times you need to work more, and there are going to be times you need to be with your family more.” ABOUT JOSHUA STAMPER Joshua Stamper is an educator, speaker, and creator of the Aspire to Lead podcast. A former middle school administrator and author of The Language of Behavior, he equips educators with trauma-responsive strategies to create supportive learning environments and drive student success through empathetic leadership. LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE: “Transform Your Mental Health: Joshua Stamper's Email Strategy to Prioritize Balance”: https://youtu.be/cht3g1trmlE?si=DQoWQqrYLVtUJIsQ [https://youtu.be/cht3g1trmlE?si=DQoWQqrYLVtUJIsQ] Book: Aspire to Lead [https://amzn.to/4fBBVwK] Book: Language of Behavior [https://amzn.to/42FKRK7] CONNECT WITH JOSHUA STAMPER: * Website:www.joshstamper.com [http://www.joshstamper.com/] * Twitter (X):@Joshua__Stamper [https://twitter.com/Joshua__Stamper](@Joshua__Stamper) * Instagram:@Joshua__Stamper [https://www.instagram.com/joshua__stamper/?hl=en](@Joshua__Stamper) * LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper/] * Blue Sky:@joshuaStamper [https://bsky.app/profile/joshuastamper.bsky.social] JOIN THE ALWAYS A LESSON NEWSLETTER * Join here [http://eepurl.com/lJKNn] and grab a freebie! CONNECT WITH GRETCHEN * Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com * Blog: Always A Lesson [https://alwaysalesson.com/blog/] * Facebook: Always A Lesson [https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysALesson/] * Twitter: @gschultek [https://twitter.com/gschultek/] * Instagram: Always.A.Lesson [https://www.instagram.com/always.a.lesson/] * Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers [https://www.linkedin.com/in/GretchenSchultekBridgers/] * Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College [https://alwaysalesson.com/product/elementary-educ-101-what-they-didnt-teach-you-in-college/] Gretchen’s latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon [https://amzn.to/409AUCt]. LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2] * Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. * Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ * Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” * Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info * Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) * Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast * Click ‘Send’

370: Building a Foundation with Adina Medina

In this episode, we sit down with educator Adina Medina to explore what it truly means to build a strong foundation in education—for students, teachers, and school communities. https://alwaysalesson.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/355-Open-to-Learning-with-Jennifer-Burns-1.jpgQUOTABLES **All quotes are from the interviewee** * "Teachers who hang on the idea that we’re always learning and we can always do better are the teachers that develop into leaders." * "Being reflective in every moment has been really helpful." * "It’s important to help foster the teachers." ABOUT ADINA MEDINA Adina Medina was born and raised in the Bronx, NY, when she became a lifelong learner. The teachers and administrators at St. John Chrysostom loved on her and pushed her to excel academically even when her outside life became unstable. After living in New Jersey for a few years and graduating from High School in Queens, NY, Adina attended SUNY New Paltz, where she majored in English with a minor in Black Studies. After graduating with her BA, she started her career as a Magazine Editor in the Dental Field and shifted focus to education when her first child, Melanie, was born. Adina served as a High School English teacher at a small Christian school in her first year and STUNK IT UP. With no mentor in place, it was really the hardest year ever, and she was ready (and told!) to give up. Instead of giving up, she landed in a small all-girl's Catholic High School in Hoboken, NJ, and it was there that her administrators suggested she attend Seton Hall's EPICS (Educational Partners in Catholic Schools) program. Adina earned her Master's in Education, with a focus on Curriculum Development while raising her toddler, and that program launched her passion and drive for fostering rigorous, engaging academics first within her classroom and then schoolwide. Adina served as a High School English teacher in Elizabeth NJ for ten years and, after having observed that her students who struggled least with the rigors of AP level content were those who came into high school with a strong foundation, she decided to shift her focus to Middle School ELA. Adina joined the Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HoLa) in 2013 and served as a founding 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English teacher for five years. The school was only in its third year of operation and Adina was able to play a major role in developing the Dual Language Curriculum that is currently used today. In 2017, Adina attended Relay's National Principal Academy Fellowship and began her training as an Educational Coach. After serving as a coach for two years, Adina shifted into the Instructional Lead position and then into a full Principalship while earning her certification at Rutgers University. She is currently the Middle School Principal at HoLa, where she is beyond privileged to guide her students in becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural individuals with a firm academic foundation who are going to make this world a better, more inclusive place one step at a time. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE * www.holahoboken.org [https://www.holahoboken.org/] JOIN THE ALWAYS A LESSON NEWSLETTER * Join here [http://eepurl.com/lJKNn] and grab a freebie! CONNECT WITH GRETCHEN * Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com * Blog: Always A Lesson [https://alwaysalesson.com/blog/] * Facebook: Always A Lesson [https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysALesson/] * Twitter: @gschultek [https://twitter.com/gschultek/] * Instagram: Always.A.Lesson [https://www.instagram.com/always.a.lesson/] * Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers [https://www.linkedin.com/in/GretchenSchultekBridgers/] * Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College [https://alwaysalesson.com/product/elementary-educ-101-what-they-didnt-teach-you-in-college/] Gretchen’s latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon [https://amzn.to/409AUCt]. LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2] * Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. * Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ * Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” * Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info * Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) * Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast * Click ‘Send’

369: Data Symplifyed with Jessica Lane & Jenelle McClenahen

Data can feel overwhelming in education—assessment scores, progress monitoring, intervention tracking, attendance trends, and classroom performance. In this episode, we’re joined by Jessica Lane and Jenelle McClenahen from Data Symplifyed to talk about how educators can make data more manageable, meaningful, and useful in their daily work. https://alwaysalesson.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/355-Open-to-Learning-with-Jennifer-Burns.jpgQUOTABLES **All quotes are from the interviewees** * "The point is to test something and see if it's really making an impact." * "It [collecting data] doesn't have to be fancy." * "If you don't have the consistency and routine, then you don't have anything." ABOUT JESSICA LANE & JENELLE MCCLENAHEN Jessica Lane is an educator and former school leader with a career rooted in supporting teachers and students through practical, meaningful systems. She is the founder of Data-Informed Impact and serves as the Tech Cofounder of Symplifyed, where she helps design human-centered data tools that support real classroom and school-level work. She is the author of the forthcoming book Data-Informed, People-Driven, which focuses on using data to strengthen culture, align goals, and drive sustainable improvement in schools. Jessica believes data should serve people first and lead to clear, actionable, and lasting change. Jenelle McClenahen is the CEO and Founder of Symplifyed, delivering decision infrastructure for every K–5 classroom. Symplifyed turns fragmented classroom data into real-time guidance that supports diverse learners and unlocks capacity for the entire classroom. A former inclusion educator with a Master’s in Education from Santa Clara University and training in Universal Design for Learning, Jenelle combines systems design, educator training, and mindset shifts to strengthen how schools collect and use data. Her work is deeply informed by both her classroom experience and her journey as a parent of a neurodivergent child, reinforcing her commitment to building data practices that are clear, affirming, and truly supportive of all learners. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE * symplifyed.com [http://symplifyed.com] * Vanessa Vakharia, known as@TheMathGuruon X [https://x.com/TheMathGuru] JOIN THE ALWAYS A LESSON NEWSLETTER * Join here [http://eepurl.com/lJKNn] and grab a freebie! CONNECT WITH GRETCHEN * Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com * Blog: Always A Lesson [https://alwaysalesson.com/blog/] * Facebook: Always A Lesson [https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysALesson/] * Twitter: @gschultek [https://twitter.com/gschultek/] * Instagram: Always.A.Lesson [https://www.instagram.com/always.a.lesson/] * Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers [https://www.linkedin.com/in/GretchenSchultekBridgers/] * Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College [https://alwaysalesson.com/product/elementary-educ-101-what-they-didnt-teach-you-in-college/] Gretchen’s latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon [https://amzn.to/409AUCt]. LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2] * Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. * Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ * Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” * Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info * Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) * Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast * Click ‘Send’

368: Finish Strong, Not Burned Out

As the school year winds down, the pressure can feel overwhelming—testing, deadlines, student behaviors, and sheer exhaustion. In this episode, we dive into practical, realistic strategies to help educators finish the year with intention, not burnout. It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most. https://alwaysalesson.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2024-Podcast-Series.pngQUOTABLES * "Teachers often move on before they even acknowledge their own impact." * "The closure isn't about complexity, it's about connection." * "Now's the time to set the game plan." RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE * Innovative Assessment Link JOIN THE ALWAYS A LESSON NEWSLETTER * Join here [http://eepurl.com/lJKNn] and grab a freebie! CONNECT WITH GRETCHEN * Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com * Blog: Always A Lesson [https://alwaysalesson.com/blog/] * Facebook: Always A Lesson [https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysALesson/] * Twitter: @gschultek [https://twitter.com/gschultek/] * Instagram: Always.A.Lesson [https://www.instagram.com/always.a.lesson/] * Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers [https://www.linkedin.com/in/GretchenSchultekBridgers/] * Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College [https://alwaysalesson.com/product/elementary-educ-101-what-they-didnt-teach-you-in-college/] Gretchen’s latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon [https://amzn.to/409AUCt]. LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2] * Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. * Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ * Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” * Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info * Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) * Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast * Click ‘Send’ Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way [https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way] License code: QD3TG5UIS0LHILEL

367: Innovative Assessment Strategies

What if assessment wasn’t something students feared—but something that actually fueled learning? In this episode, we explore innovative assessment strategies that go beyond traditional tests and quizzes. From performance-based tasks to student-led reflections, we’re diving into ways educators can measure understanding more authentically, creatively, and effectively. Whether you're looking to increase engagement, better capture student growth, or align assessments with real-world skills, this episode will give you practical ideas you can start using right away. https://alwaysalesson.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2024-Podcast-Series-1.pngQUOTABLES * "Innovative assessment isn’t just being creative but it’s about being intentional." * "If we want students to really become people who think solve problems, and collaborate, then our assessments should reflect that." * "Self assessment and reflection are game changers." LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE Dr. Swift Episode [https://alwaysalesson.com/episodes/365-whole-body-learning-with-dr-cheryl-lundy-swift/] Stop Doing What Students Can Do [https://alwaysalesson.com/episodes/366/] JOIN THE ALWAYS A LESSON NEWSLETTER * Join here [http://eepurl.com/lJKNn] and grab a freebie! CONNECT WITH GRETCHEN * Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com * Blog: Always A Lesson [https://alwaysalesson.com/blog/] * Facebook: Always A Lesson [https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysALesson/] * Twitter: @gschultek [https://twitter.com/gschultek/] * Instagram: Always.A.Lesson [https://www.instagram.com/always.a.lesson/] * Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers [https://www.linkedin.com/in/GretchenSchultekBridgers/] * Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College [https://alwaysalesson.com/product/elementary-educ-101-what-they-didnt-teach-you-in-college/] Gretchen’s latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon [https://amzn.to/409AUCt]. LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2] * Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. * Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ * Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” * Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info * Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) * Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast * Click ‘Send’ Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way [https://uppbeat.io/t/mark-july/your-way] License code: QD3TG5UIS0LHILEL