Episodes
Dec. 10, 2022
220. Make Learning Magical: Featuring Tisha Richmond
In this week’s episode, Tisha Richmond shares her experience of losing joy as a teacher and how using gamification in her classroom increased her happiness, student motivation, and overall engagement. In this episode, we disc...
Dec. 3, 2022
219. The Strategic Leadership Timeline: Featuring Frederick Buskey
In this week’s episode, Frederick Buskey shares the trap that all new leaders get caught in and how to shift into an effective and strategic leader. In this episode, we discuss: The black hole that new leaders fall into A tim...
Nov. 30, 2022
Bonus Episode: The Failure Files with Bryan Zwemke
In this new BONUS episode, we learn from Bryan Zwemke’s story of failure by not including his teachers in an important shift in procedure. Join me as I also share a similar mistake and how I worked through the misstep of not ...
Nov. 26, 2022
218. Essential Steps for Aspiring Leaders: Featuring Hunter Flesch
In this week’s episode, Hunter Flesch shares his journey as a teacher, Masters student, and aspiring leader as he learns how to lead a building. In this episode, we discuss: Asking the correct questions as a new leader Findin...
Nov. 19, 2022
217. SELebrate Good Times: Featuring Kim Gameroz
In this week’s episode, Kim Gameroz breaks down the misconceptions of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and how to build a systematic approach to have the most impact with SEL. In this episode, we discuss: Creating a common lan...
Nov. 13, 2022
216. Strive for Happiness in Education: Featuring Robert Dunlop
I met my amazing guest at Teach Better 22 and we had a wonderful conversation, which I wanted to continue on the Aspire to Lead Podcast. In this week’s episode, Robert Dunlop shares his experiences on the pursuit of happiness...
Nov. 5, 2022
215. Seeking Guidance in a New Position: Featuring Bryan Zwemke
In this week’s episode, Bryan Zwemke shares how he started a new position this summer to serve his district in a new role. Regardless of your position, we all need support in our leadership journey and Bryan shares some wonde...
Oct. 29, 2022
214. Leading 5 Generations in Schools: Featuring Mark White
Today’s leaders face the challenge of leading five generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and brand-new Generation Z teachers, along with Gen Alpha, today’s youngest students. In this week’s episode, Mark White...
Oct. 22, 2022
213. The Autism Outreach: Featuring Rose Griffin
In this week’s episode, Rose Griffen, shares her story of discovering a need with non- verbal autistic children and how she stepped up to create her own product to help support her students. In addition to the products she cr...
Oct. 19, 2022
Teach Better 22 Recap: Featuring Katie Miglin
After a fantastic weekend of learning and fun, I had to get one of my Teach Better Teammates on with me to recap this epic event. In this week’s bonus episode, Katie Miglin, provides some insight, behind the scenes stories, ...
Oct. 8, 2022
212. The Mental Health Crisis in Education: Featuring Jeff Kubiak
What do we do when we are at our breaking point and feel completely overwhelmed? For many, unfortunately, masking and ignoring the problems become the unhealthy solution. This week’s guest, Jeff Kubiak, is incredibly transpar...
Oct. 1, 2022
211. Student Inclusion and Partnership: Featuring Lindsay Lyons
This week’s guest, Lindsay Lyons, shares how by including student voice and enhancing the curriculum to include opportunities to discuss important topics, the culture of the classroom increases equity and inclusiveness. In th...
Sept. 24, 2022
210. Action Research on SEL Practices: Featuring Jorge Valenzuela
This week’s guest, Jorge Valenzuela, shares his journey of how he was introduced to Emotional Intelligence in his personal life and how he used his action research to help districts implement sound SEL practices on their camp...
Sept. 17, 2022
209. Changed Instructional Habits: Featuring Kevin J. Butler
This week’s guest, Kevin J. Butler, shares how he lost his passion to teach and how he transformed his teaching style to become more engaging. While teachers don’t train to be entertainers, teaching must capture students’ att...
Sept. 14, 2022
Aspire Mailbag: New Leadership or New Initiatives?
In this 26th Aspire Mailbag episode, Jeff Gargas and I answer questions on different leadership topics provided by the listeners. Please join us for this episode as we answer questions on new initiatives by new leaders, aband...
Sept. 10, 2022
208. Helping Parents and Educators with Students who Struggle: Featuring Kyle Hill
This week’s guest, Kyle Hill, shares how his role as a Special Education Lead and parent has uncovered a huge gap in the communication and relationship between the school, parents, and the student. Kyle provides wonderful adv...
Sept. 3, 2022
207. Ready. Set. FAIL: Featuring Carl Hooker
This week’s guest, Carl Hooker, shares how to tackle the challenge of creating innovation in the classroom and he provides ideas for both teachers and leaders with new ways to motivate learners of all ages and open up their c...
Aug. 27, 2022
206. Going Gradeless: Featuring David Frangiosa
This week’s guest, David Frangiosa, shares how he used multiple grading procedures to discover a process that revolutionized his classroom and shifted the focus to learning, which was going gradeless. We dive into this struct...
Aug. 20, 2022
205. Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching: Featuring Katie Miglin
This week’s guest, Katie Miglin, shares how to create an interdisciplinary learning experience in the classroom, while using the Grid Method to enhance student voice and ownership of the content. In this episode, we discuss: ...
Aug. 13, 2022
204. Unapologetic Leadership: Featuring Dr. Marcus Belin
This week’s guest, Dr. Marcus Belin, shares how a difficult start to his role as a Principal allowed him to appreciate, learn, and not regret the hard lessons of his leadership experience. In this episode, we discuss: Setting...
Aug. 6, 2022
203. A Place They Love: Featuring Elijah Carbajal
This week’s guest, Elijah Carbajal, shares how to be the best version of ourselves to create an environment that is inviting, caring, and accepting of all students. If you are looking to improve your classroom culture, this i...
Aug. 2, 2022
Bonus Episode: Hacking Assessment Featuring Starr Sackstein
In this bonus episode, Starr Sackstein shares her exciting announcement about Hacking Assessment and we discuss how to shift the “Grades Mindset”, change your grading system, and improve the feedback process. In this episode,...
July 30, 2022
202. Be GREAT: Featuring Dwight Carter
This week’s guest, Dwight Carter, shares how the motto “Be GREAT” changed his mindset, school culture assessment, and trajectory of his leadership journey. Join us as we explore Dwight’s new district position and new book, Be...
July 23, 2022
201. Manage Your Time or Time Will Manage You: Featuring PJ Caposey
This week’s guest, PJ Caposey, shares how experiencing a tragedy at a young age shifted his mindset on the value of time and how time management is key in any successful leader’s skill set. In this episode, we discuss: The Re...