State of Ed Podcast

Ep. 84: Leading Schools With Heart

Nick and Marc sit down with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket, elementary school principal, adjunct professor at McDaniel College, TEDx speaker, president of the Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals, and one of the top 100 influencers in education. She is also the author of two bestselling books, The Principal's Journey and Relational Intelligence. Dr. Edoho-Eket shares the leadership lesson she wishes every aspiring principal understood before stepping into the role, why relationships are the engine of every great school, and how consistency, communication, and presence build the kind of trust that makes the hardest parts of the job possible. She also opens up about navigating imposter syndrome as a new principal, the surprising challenges of moving from assistant principal to principal, and why you don't need all the answers - you just need to know who to ask. The conversation also tackles one of education's most pressing topics: AI in the classroom. Dr. Edoho-Eket shares her district's pragmatic approach to ethical AI implementation, why "guidance" beats "policy" in a fast-moving landscape, and how schools can build a strong foundation in digital citizenship starting at the elementary level. Find Dr. Edoho-Eket: website [http://www.rachaeledohoeket.com], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rachaeledohoeket], X/Twitter [https://twitter.com/rachaeledohoeket], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rachel-edoho-eket] Follow Marc on X [http://twitter.com/marcisseks], online [http://marcisseks.com], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@edupyro], or YouTube [http://youtube.com/@edupyro] Check out Marc's latest book, CAPTIVATE [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1990566898]

Ep. 83: Partnering for Equality

Nick and Marc spend time with Dr. Cynthia Taines, a sociologist, associate professor, and author of The Metropolitan Community: Partnering for Equality Across the Educational Divide. They discuss the many inequities facing our nation's schools and the potential solutions that could bridge existing divisions. Find Dr. Taines: website [http://cynthiataines.com/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/cynthiatainesauthor/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580111261296] Follow Marc on X [http://twitter.com/marcisseks], online [http://marcisseks.com/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@edupyro], or YouTube [http://youtube.com/@edupyro] Check out Marc's latest book, CAPTIVATE [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1990566898] Click HERE [https://youtu.be/f2pSb32hhc4] to watch this episode of State of Ed Podcast

Ep. 82: Human-Centered AI

In their ongoing FETC [https://www.fetc.org/] series, Nick and Marc sit down with Jeff Piontek, an education leader, author, and international speaker with more than 25 years of experience advancing early literacy, instructional design, and school leadership. Jeff is the former director of instructional and informational technology for the NYCDOE. His work focuses on protecting the human foundations of learning while thoughtfully integrating emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. Jeff is also the creator of the AI, EI, O, and You framework, a practical model designed to help educators and leaders balance innovation with well-being, oral language development, and human agency. Find Jeff Piontek: website [http://jeffpiontek.com/], X [https://x.com/jeffpiontek], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpiontek/] Check out Kibeam [https://kibeam.com/]. Follow Marc on X [http://twitter.com/marcisseks], online [http://marcisseks.com/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@edupyro], or YouTube [http://youtube.com/@edupyro] Check out Marc's latest book, CAPTIVATE [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1990566898] Click HERE [https://youtu.be/PiZdcEJhLiU] to watch this episode of State of Ed Podcast

Ep. 81: Using AI to Grow MEGA Minds

In their ongoing FETC [https://www.fetc.org/] series, Nick and Marc sit down with Austin Levinson, Director of Learning at MEGAMINDS [https://gomegaminds.com/]. They discuss the shifting landscape of edtech and how MegaMinds is leveraging artificial intelligence to create more meaningful learning experiences for students in schools. Follow Austin Levinson on LinkedIN [https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-levinson-innovator] See MegaMinds in action [https://www.loom.com/share/3d6ff87f3e5e41bda3a95c436edd46ad]. Follow Marc on X [http://twitter.com/marcisseks], online [http://marcisseks.com/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@edupyro], or YouTube [http://youtube.com/@edupyro] Check out Marc's latest book, CAPTIVATE [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1990566898] Click HERE [http://www.youtube.com/@edupyro] to watch State of Ed Podcast

Ep. 80: Champion of Teachers

First-timers at the FETC [https://www.fetc.org/] Annual Conference in Orlando, Nick and Marc got to meet many incredible educators from across the country. In this episode, they sit down with the incomparable Barbara Bray, who gushes about her love of teachers and addresses the importance of remembering your "why." Get to know Barbara Bray: online [https://barbarabray.net/about-2/], Grow Your Why Podcast [https://barbarabray.net/podcasts-2/podcasts-2/], her books [https://whypresspublishing.net/] Follow Marc on X [http://twitter.com/marcisseks], online [http://marcisseks.com/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@edupyro], or YouTube [http://youtube.com/@edupyro] Check out Marc's new book, CAPTIVATE [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1990566898]