What if the biggest barrier to equity in our schools isn’t curriculum, engagement strategies, or even relationships — but the way we design learning itself? Unfortunately, what looks like quiet, orderly, engaged students turns out to be dependent learning where only a few students are doing real cognitive work. This is the problem Zaretta Hammond addresses in her latest book and we discuss in this podcast.

Listen or Watch Now: True Equity Means Powerful Learning with Zaretta Hammond

In this podcast I discuss the foundational book about AI, Ethan Mollick’s Co-Intelligence, with two leaders who frequently use AI. Whether you’re AI-curious or already experimenting, this episode will help you think more clearly — and more humanly — about what it means to work with AI in schools.

Listen or Watch Now: AI Needs a Human Partner: What School Leaders Must Understand with Jason Strzalkowski and Mike Yagid

Rather than offering quick tips or flashy tools, this conversation focuses on something deeper: how educators and leaders can use AI ethically, thoughtfully, and intentionally to support — not undermine — learning. Together, Jenn and Tony explore how school leaders can guide their communities through one of the most transformational technological shifts in education.

Listen or Watch Now: AI with Intention: Principles and Action Steps for Teachers and School Leaders with Tony Frontier

The average principal spends 13% of their time on instrucitonal leadership. That’s why I’m glad I got to chat with Mark Shellinger, creator of the SAM Process. His program works with principals so they spend 57% of their time on teaching and learning. Listen to hear how.

Listen or Watch Now: Being an Instructional Leader: Easy to say, almost impossible to do with Mark Shellinger

In this conversation, Berit shares her passion for helping new teachers not just survive but truly thrive in their first years. We dig into why so many new teachers leave the profession, how leaders can better support them, and the ten milestones that serve as a roadmap for success. Whether you’re a new teacher, coach, or school leader, this episode is full of practical, research-backed strategies to strengthen and sustain your team.

Listen or Watch Now: A Toolbox for New Teachers with Berit Gordon

I truly loved my chat with Laura Lipton to discuss her powerful, learner-centered approach to teacher supervision. Rather than focusing on compliance and evaluation, Laura shares how leaders can use supervision as a tool for growth, reflection, and transformation in teaching practice.

Listen or Watch Now: Learning-Focused Supervision with Laura Lipton

Paul Bambrick-Santoyo shows leaders how to help new teachers grow as much in 1 year as most teachers develop in 20! Listen to learn about the MANAGEMENT and RIGOR skills new teachers need, the order they need them in, and the most effective ways to coach them.

Listen or Watch Now: Your 90-Day Plan to Coach New Teachers with Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

Kim and I talk about our latest “chapter” on AI in Schools (now our book’s chapter is online at BestofMarshallMemo.org). There’s so much out there about AI, so we combed through the latest articles and summarized the most useful ones for you. Listen to hear some of the challenges and the opportunities that AI presents for schools.

Listen or Watch Now: The Promise & Peril of AI in Schools with Kim Marshall

Every educator knows about the achievement gap, but many don’t know what they can do to close achievement gaps in their own schools. In this book, Teresa Hill shares five key factors schools can leverage to address those gaps.

Listen or Watch Now: The Instructional Leader’s Guide to Closing Achievement Gaps with Teresa D. Hill

Have you ever had an initiative fail? Or never fully take root? The authors talk about how important it is to use research-based practices when implementing a new initiative. What does that involve? including stakeholders, meticulous planning, professional learning, and a human-centered approach to change.

Listen Now: Implement with IMPACT: A Strategic Framework for Leading School and District Initiatives with Jenice Pizzuto & Steven Carney

Listen or watch on YouTube

Principal Kafele discusses his most recent book, What Is My Value Instructionally to the Teachers I Supervise?, and explains why your role as an instructional leader is your most important one. He also shares key practices to help strengthen this role.

Listen Now: What is My Value Instructionally to the Teachers I Supervise? with Principal Kafele

Michael McDowell gets us to question our definition of “rigor” as working harder or doing more. Instead he shares how it’s about the balance of surface, deep, and transfer learning.

Listen Now: Rigor Redefined: Ten Teaching Habits for Surface, Deep, and Transfer Learning with Michael McDowell

Will Parker shares thoughts about how to rediscover what you love about your job or how to make changes in your career to ensure you’re following a path that you love. Based on his new book, this conversation includes both inspirational and practical advice for moving forward in your career.

Listen Now: Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love with Will Parker

We are losing too many new teachers, and it’s not a surprise why. 50% of all new teachers receive no induction at all. In this podcast we discuss the Wongs’ latest book and what we can do to better support new teachers so they stay.

Listen Now: THE New Teacher Induction Book: How to Recruit, Train, and Retain New Teachers

Responding to an emergency takes much more than a district manual; it takes two key things: leadership and communication. Are you prepared? Listen to some vital strategies from school preparedness expert, Chris Joffe.

Listen Now: All Clear: Lessons from a Decade Managing School Crises

After 30 years in the field, Elena Aguilar gathered all of her experience and learning and put together the most powerful book on coaching I’ve seen — Arise. Listen as Elena shares tips to help teachers not only improve, but thrive.

Listen Now: Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching

Far from being a “soft skill,” building trust has become a must-have skill for educational leaders. In this conversation the author of the book Trust Matters not only defines trust for us, but she also gives us lots of concrete strategies and tidbits to build and keep trust alive in schools.

Listen Now: Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools

This conversation with Coach Carlos about his book on student engagement is different. Rather than focusing on strategies to pull kids in, he emphasizes the importance of relationships and mindset.

Listen Now: Power Engage: Seven Power Moves for Building Strong Relationships to Increase Engagement with Students

Listen to all three authors share concrete ways AI can help teachers with the important work they’re doing. As ed leaders it’s imperative that we, too, understand these AI benefits so we can support teachers with this learning.

Listen Now: The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers that Make Learning More Engaging

Communication should be a superpower of all school leaders. To level up your communication skills listen to Charles Duhigg explain how we get communication wrong and what to do about it.

Listen Now: Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection

School conflict is inevitable, but school leaders can do something about it. Author Rob Feirsen shares ideas with Jenn for how to use the 5 steps of the design-thinking process to address major conflicts in your school.

Listen Now: From Conflict to Collaboration

Kim Marshall is the mini-observation guru. In this conversation he shares his secrets for how to ensure these observations impact teaching and learning. And then he goes further to show how leaders can (and should!) supervise learning and planning as well as teaching.

Listen Now: Rethinking Teacher Supervision & Evaluation

This podcast gives a brief overview of the book and how smartphones have impacted our kids but the gem of the conversation is when Superintendent Dave Blanchard shares how he banned phones and the incredible benefits it has led to from student engagement to teacher retention.

Listen Now: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

Students need to learn more than academic content. They need to learn the skills to be organized, set goals, self regulate, manage their work, and much more. This book introduces classroom routines to help students develop those skills.

Listen Now: Executive Functions for Every Classroom

Students today are disengaged and belonging is something they desperately need. Listen to an interview with the author of Belonging in School as he shares the importance of schools focusing on belonging and concrete steps we can take to build it.

Listen Now: Belonging in School: Creating a Place Where Kids Want to Learn and Teachers Want to Stay

Mike and Jenn discuss a key element to help students read, and read well — enjoyment of reading. Research shows that lack of enjoyment undermines reading achievement. Learn five ways to improve the joy of reading: time, access, choice, response, and community.

Listen Now: The Joy of Reading

“If you’re not reading by the end of third grade, there’s a 70% chance you won’t become a proficient reader.” That’s what Karen Gazith told us as we talked about her most recent book. She shares how neuroscience and decades of research have provided a clear understanding of how children learn to read and we need to use that in our reading instruction.

Listen Now: The Power of Effective Reading Instruction: How Neuroscience Informs Instruction Across All Grades and Disciplines

In this episode, we shine a light on a pressing issue in the educational landscape: teacher burnout and attrition. With schools across the nation feeling the impact, we turn to expert Chase Mielke, for insights and solutions from his latest book.

Listen Now: Illuminate the Way: The School Leader’s Guide to Addressing and Preventing Teacher Burnout

This quote captures the power of Ruchika Tulshyan’s latest book — “Diversity is being invited to the party: inclusion is being asked to dance,” —Verna Myers. Leaders want staff to feel they belong, but don’t know the steps to get there. Tulshyan shows leaders how.

Listen Now: Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work

Many of us as educators have assumed that the kids with strong grades and strong test scores were set up for success, but that’s not the case. Listen to Jenn’s conversation with Dr. Borba to learn the character skills our students really need to thrive.

Listen Now: Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine

Listen as Mike and I discuss Adam Grant’s latest work: the 3 character skills we should be teaching our students to propel them forward and the scaffolds and systems needed for our schools to support this character development.

Listen Now: Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

Educators of color are leaving schools. Luckily there are a number of things you as the leader can do to stem this tide. Listen to Dr. Gabbadon describe 6 things you can do.

Listen Now: Support and Retain Teachers of Color

A number of schools are experiencing a downturn in their culture. With so much stress and change, the norms of civility are being dropped. You need to nip that in the bud now — learn how.

Listen Now: Trust Your Canary: Every Leader’s Guide to Taking Workplace Incivility

Right now what schools need more than anything is organizational health. Although it is not a new book, The Advantage clearly and powerfully explains what your school or district needs to do to become healthy: 1) Build a cohesive leadership team, 2) Create clarity, 3) Overcommunicate clarity, and 4) Reinforce clarity.

Listen Now: The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business

We need to stop teaching our students to mimic math procedures and instead teach them to think and persevere! Listen to how Peter Liljedahl researched what is wrong in our math classes and found practices that truly put students on the path to thinking and learning.

Listen Now: Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics (K-12)

School leaders don’t need a degree in special education to lead their school toward a more inclusive place for students with disabilities. Learn the law, the ways to support staff, and the steps to make this a reality now.

Listen Now: Watch, Listen, Ask, Learn: How School Leaders Can Create an Inclusive Environment for Students with Disabilities

You don’t need to go to the gym at 4am to be healthy and pain-free. The health and exercise experts who wrote this book say you just need to MOVE throughout the day — something busy principals CAN do. Listen and learn how!

Listen Now: Built to Move: The 10 Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully

Tired of teacher supervision going nowhere? The authors and Jenn talked about their new approach to improving teaching through supervision. The key? You need to EXPAND your supervisory practices beyond the typical 1-1 observation and feedback we all do.

Listen Now: Differentiated Supervision: Growing Teachers and Getting Results

It’s time to find joy (in teaching!) We chat with author Berit Gordon about ways to support new and veteran teachers in strengthening all aspects of teaching from class management to building relationships.

Listen Now: The Joyful Teacher

If you want some concrete strategies you can implement TOMORROW to improve school culture, instructional practices, student engagement, and community partnerships, this book is for you.

Listen Now: The Instructional Change Agent

You can’t lead well if you don’t feel organized. Mike and I share overviews of 4 fantastic books that can absolutely help: Atomic Habits, The Power of Habit, Getting Things Done, and The Together Leader.

Listen Now: 4 Must-Read books on GETTING ORGANIZED AND PRODUCTIVE

There’s nothing more important for a school leader than knowing how to conduct effective conversations. Learn what’s essential from the coaching guru himself, Jim Knight.

Listen Now: Better Conversations: Coaching Ourselves and Each Other to Be More Credible, Caring, and Connected

Low on bandwidth, burnt out, and struggling? Listen to the authors of Educator Bandwidth as we discuss what is hurting educator bandwidth these days and what we can do to manage it.

Listen Now: Educator Bandwidth: How to Reclaim Your Energy, Passion, and Time

Your teachers aren’t counselors, but students often come to them with their mental health issues. Listen to the authors of this book share important tips for all educators to keep in mind when supporting those students.

Listen Now: Supporting Student Mental Heath: Essentials for Teachers

Author Bill Sommers chats with Jenn and Mike about his book Responding to Resistance. Bill is a seasoned leader with a ton of experience and the sense of humor to match. His no-nonsense, straightforward approach to conflict is something we can all learn from.

Listen Now: Responding to Resistance: 30 Strategies to Manage Conflict in Your School

Mike & Jenn discuss how regret doesn’t have to be bad — it can propel you to make needed changes in your life and your job. School leaders can conduct a simple PD to help their staff members use regret to plan for a more hopeful 2023.

Listen Now: The Power of Regret

Author Joe Feldman shares how our current grading system — which is so central to our work as educators — was designed for schools a few centuries ago! He explains how some of our practices are outdated and inequitable and what we might do instead.

Listen Now: Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms

Mike & Jenn interview Elena Aguilar as she shares the secrets behind planning and leading truly transformational PD. With the tips and suggestions from her new book, this is something all school leaders CAN learn to do even if they have never led a PD session before.

Listen Now: The PD Book: 7 Habits That Transform Professional Development

Listen to this podcast with the authors to learn how trauma affects learning and what you can do, as a school leader, to build a culture that supports the emotional well-being and learning of all.

Listen Now: Trauma-Sensitive Leadership: Creating a Safe and Predictable School Environment

Imagine being able to transform all of the gatherings we have in schools — from PD & faculty meetings to everyday classes — to deeply impact those who attend. Find out how in this conversation with Mike & Jenn.

Listen Now: The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

Student behavior has become increasingly difficult since the pandemic. Listen to this hysterically funny behavior guru as he describes ideas and strategies to better understand and address this problem.

Listen Now: Running the Room: The Teacher’s Guide to Behaviour

In this podcast, Mike & Jenn discuss a new approach to school transformation (Listen-Uncover-Reimagine-Move) that focuses on gathering “street data” (qualitative data) from those whose voices have traditionally been marginalized.

Listen Now: Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation

In this mini-sode #2, Jenn & Mike discuss 4 must-read books on the topic of INTERPERSONAL SKILLS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS in just 20 minutes.

Listen Now: 4 must-read books on INTERPERSONAL SKILLS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS: The Listening Leader, Thanks for the Feedback, Working with Difficult and Resistant Staff, & Trust Matters

In this special mini-sode (mini-episode), Jenn & Mike discuss 3 must-read books on the topic of LEADERSHIP RESILIENCE in just 15 minutes.

Listen Now: 3 must-read books on LEADERSHIP RESILIENCE: Onward, From Burnt Out to Fired Up, and The Mindful School Leader

Listen to the author share how academic conversations help students build their thinking, content knowledge, and interpersonal skills. Consider a school-wide focus on academic conversations K-12 and all subjects!

Listen Now: Next Steps with Academic Conversations

Burnout is real; here’s how to beat it. Listen to Jenn and Mike interview author Morgane MIchael about research-backed strategies for helping your staff bounce back from their burnout.

Listen Now: From Burnt Out to Fired Up

Teaching and learning can’t improve unless leaders give teachers candid feedback. Listen to Jenn and Mike’s interview with Joe and TJ who share why honest feedback is so important and how to give it.

Listen Now: Candid and Compassionate Feedback

Jenn & Mike interview the authors to discuss ways school leaders can forge a path toward racial equity in their schools. Now is the time!

Listen Now: Principal Leadership for Racial Equity

Without trust, teacher observations fail. To learn ways to develop trust in your teacher observations, listen to Jenn & Mike interview the author of this book.

Listen Now: Trust-Based Observations

We need to prepare kids for the future! Mike interviews an author of this book to discuss ways to move toward 21st century learning in our schools.

Listen Now: Deep Learning

Mike and Jenn interview the book’s authors to learn key practical strategies to navigate the challenges of the principalship.

Listen Now: Principaled

Mike interviews Doug Fisher and Dominique Smith to discuss “must-dos” for leaders to open schools given the pandemic.

Listen Now: Leading the Rebound

Jenn & Mike interview Cornelius Minor about all things equity, especially how to improve schools for all kids.

Listen Now: We Got This

Jenn and Mike discuss tips for handling complex change from The Influential School Leader.

Listen Now: The Influential School Leader

Learn strategies for saving on the price of college in this podcast conversation with Jenn, Mike, and Jenn’s husband, Tim! A good one to share with families and school counselors.

Listen Now: The Price You Pay for College

Jenn and Mike discuss the best strategies for making distance learning engaging and effective from The Distance Learning Playbook — Part 1 (self care, the 1st days of school, relationships, & teacher credibility).

Listen Now: The Distance Learning Playbook – Part 1

Jenn and Mike discuss the best strategies for making distance learning engaging and effective from The Distance Learning Playbook — Part 2 (teacher clarity, student engagement, quality instruction, and feedback & assessment)

Listen Now: The Distance Learning Playbook – Part 2

School leaders must now be skilled in PR, too! Jenn and Mike interview author Will Parker about ways for school leaders to improve their communication and messaging.

Listen Now: Messaging Matters

Nothing matters in schools if students aren’t engaged. Mike & Jenn discuss concrete strategies for engaging students in this book by Doug Fisher and colleagues.

Listen Now: Engagement by Design

Educators have the toughest job in the world. Listen to Jenn and Elena Aguilar discuss ways to prevent burnout and build resilience in educators.

Listen Now: Onward 

Listen to Jenn and Mike interview author Grant Lichtman about where the world of education will be heading in the future.

Listen Now: Moving the Rock

Jenn and Mike were math teachers and this is definitely the book they wish they had! Listen to them nerd out about how teachers SHOULD be teaching math.

Listen Now: Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You’d Had

What if you observed teachers DAILY? Listen as Jenn and Mike interview author Justin Baeder who will tell you exactly how you can do this to truly impact teaching and learning.

Listen Now: Now We’re Talking

If school leaders could improve just one interpersonal skill, I would vote for LISTENING. Mike & Jenn discuss how leaders can develop the mindset and skills to improve their listening so students, staff, and families feel they belong.

Listen Now: The Listening Leader

Mike and Jenn interview New York Times bestselling author Jessica Lahey about why it’s crucial to let children fail so they can persevere and learn. We discuss motivation, executive functioning, and what school leaders can do to change mindsets about failure.

Listen Now: The Gift of Failure 

Mike and Jenn discuss practical strategies for working with and improving all of the teams you work with. The Art of Coaching Teams by Elena Aguilar is one of the best resources for those who work with teams!

Listen Now: The Art of Coaching Teams

School leaders can’t focus on teaching and learning if they don’t know how to be efficient with their time. Mike and Jenn discuss systems and strategies for helping the busy school leader get organized from The New York Times bestselling classic, Getting Things Done by David Allen.

Listen Now: Getting Things Done

Paul Bambrick-Santoyo helps school leaders develop teachers more in one year than many do in 20 years. Mike and Jenn discuss his strategies for doing this in his book Get Better Faster.

Listen Now: Get Better Faster

Between Mike and Jenn, we have 4 teenage girls so together with Jenn’s husband Tim David-Lang we had a great discussion about understanding girls’ development and strategies to better engage with them. This is a great one to share with counselors and deans or even with parents.

Listen Now: Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood

This book will change how you view feedback forever. Mike and Jenn discuss why giving and receiving feedback can be so difficult and how to get better at both — great insights from Thanks for the Feedback.

Listen Now: Thanks for the Feedback

If you’re a school leader who doesn’t have time for mindfulness practices, you may need them more than anyone. Given that leaders lead complex and unpredictable organizations, listen to Mike and Jenn as they discuss simple mindfulness strategies to better deal with stress, make better decisions, and lead more effectively.

Listen Now: The Mindful School Leader