De Facto Leaders: Using Recess to Build Social Skills and Help Students Discover their Leadership Potential with Elizabeth Cushing of Playworks

De Facto Leaders: Using Recess to Build Social Skills and Help Students Discover their Leadership Potential with Elizabeth Cushing of Playworks

Recess is often thought of as an “extra” activity in the school day. Sometimes it’s even taken away from students as a punishment. In this episode recorded for De Facto Leaders [https://defactoleaders.com/], host Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan talks to Elizabeth Cushing, CEO of Playworks, to understand why recess is actually an integral part of the school day. In fact, it can help students feel connected and reduce chronic absenteeism.  The conversation covers: * Simple ways educators can set expectations and rules to create structure and a sense of safety around recess * How to use play as a reset and a preventative measure, instead of something that’s taken away from kids as a punishment * How training kids as peer coaches can help decrease disruptive behaviors and help kids discover their own leadership potential Learn more about Playworks on their website at: https://www.playworks.org/ Resources mentioned in this interview include: Comprehensive Game Guide that Outlines Games Across Grade Levels: https://www.playworks.org/indiana/game-guide/ The sister website for Playworks with tools for assessing the health of your school’s recess: https://www.recesslab.org/

The Learning Experience: What Utah is Building with AI & Why it Matters

This week, we're sharing a special episode from The Learning Experience powered by CAST [https://www.cast.org/connect/learning-experience-podcast], part of the Be Podcast Network. You'll hear from Matt Winters, a leader from the Utah State Board of Education, discussing how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of teaching and learning. The conversation explores Utah’s statewide approach to AI, what it means for educators and students, and how schools can balance innovation with responsibility. The episode offers practical insights and big-picture thinking for anyone curious about the role of AI in education. This episode is brought to you by ReadSpeaker [https://www.readspeaker.com/]. Learn more about how ReadSpeaker aligns with UDL. [https://www.readspeaker.com/request-more-readspeaker-info-1/] Transcript [https://castudl.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/aemnextgen/IQBMNOWHtK7IR7J28w99Cnb8AaSKC2-cqEw2SXzvOSdPNyc?e=IAafzA] Resources: * USBE Artificial Intelligence [https://schools.utah.gov/informationtechnology/artificialintelligence/index]  * ReadSpeaker and UDL [https://www.readspeaker.com/request-more-readspeaker-info-1/]  Listen and subscribe to The Learning Experience powered by CAST: https://www.cast.org/connect/learning-experience-podcast

The Learning Bridge: Insights on Supporting Gen Z and Gen A in Complex Times with Chloe Combi and Richard Gerver

In this episode from the Be Podcast Network original series, The Learning Bridge with Richard Gerver, bestselling author, global speaker, futurist, researcher, and consultant Chloe Combi shares her expertise on Generation Z and Generation A. Combi has interviewed over 20,000 young people globally and utilizes that expertise to help schools, brands, companies, governments, and institutions understand and prepare for the present and future. Her expertise, research and data has her in huge demand with global companies, brands and governments and whether they want insight pieces, future-proofing, coaching, high level and entertaining talks, TV or radio work or transformational creative input. In light of the recent Netflix series, Adolescence, this is a timely conversation about supporting young people in incredibly complex times. Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe [https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe]  About the host Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years. Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organizational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognized stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Transformative Principal: Building Accountability Through Key Responsibility Areas with Will Parker and Jethro Jones

In this Transformative Principal [https://transformativeprincipal.org/]vault episode from the Transformative Leadership Summit, host Jethro Jones interviews Will Parker, a high school principal from northeastern Oklahoma, about implementing KRAs (Key Responsibility Areas) in schools. Will shares how he adapted Dave Ramsey's organizational management concept to create clarity and accountability for all staff members—from secretaries and counselors to administrators. The conversation explores how defining specific responsibility areas upfront prevents confusion, enables cross-training, improves hiring processes, and creates a supportive environment where everyone understands their role. Will emphasizes that KRAs are living documents revisited annually, helping schools manage organizational structure effectively, especially during transitions like budget cuts or staff changes.

The EdTech Startup Showcase: Trading the Classroom for a Startup

In this episode of the EdTech Startup Showcase [https://etss.bepodcast.network/], host Jeff Bradbury interviews Mike Cronley, co-founder and CEO of Class Composer and former third-grade teacher. Mike shares his journey from the classroom to entrepreneurship, sparked by a casual conversation with his school's music teacher about students being incorrectly placed together. This "aha moment" led him to develop Class Composer, a software solution that helps elementary schools create balanced, equitable classroom rosters. Over seven years, Mike transitioned from teaching while developing his idea as a side project to fully committing to his startup. The conversation explores the challenges of the traditional paper-based class placement process, the importance of listening to customers, and advice for educators considering entrepreneurship.