Episode 19: The Achievement Culture Cure with Dr. Stuart Slavin When Dr. Stuart Slavin received disturbing data about the dismal mental health of students at St. Louis University School of Medicine, he broke into action. The changes that Dr. Slavin and his faculty made transformed the mental health of their students…AND improved their learning outcomes! This is a MUST LISTEN episode.   We cover a lot of territory, including: 0:54 Great news and a warning 4:29 Stuart in denial 6:12 Stuart confronts the dismal truth with a heroic response 8:20 Identifying the 3 main stressors and attacking ..read more

This is Your Brain on Achievement Culture with Dr. William Stixrud We are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis, especially among kids in “high achieving” schools. Neuropsychologist William Stixrud has a front row-seat to the crisis, with unique insight into emerging research on the impact that “achievement-culture” related chronic stress and anxiety have on the adolescent brain.  We cover a lot of territory, including: 4:20 How the Beatles shaped Bill’s brain 7:46 The difference between rich and poor kids’ mental health  8:58 The mental health status of “high achieving kids ..read more

In our race to cover state content standards and prepare students for high-stakes tests, many educators are overlooking a powerful strategy for transforming students’ futures and making serious strides toward equity. Policy analyst and author Julia Freeland Fisher preaches the game-changing impact of expanding students’ social networks. Julia Freeland Fisher is the director of education research at the Clayton Christensen Institute. Her team educates policymakers and community leaders on the power of disruptive innovation, aiming to transform monolithic, factory-model education systems into st ..read more

In our race to cover state content standards and prepare students for high-stakes tests, many educators are overlooking a powerful strategy for transforming students’ futures and making serious strides toward equity. Policy analyst and author Julia Freeland Fisher preaches the game-changing impact of expanding students’ social networks. Julia Freeland Fisher is the director of education research at the Clayton Christensen Institute. Her team educates policymakers and community leaders on the power of disruptive innovation, aiming to transform monolithic, factory-model education systems into st ..read more

In October 2022, educators from across the country gathered at NIHF STEM Middle School in Akron, Ohio for TeachBetter22. In this special edition episode, you'll hear 22 conference participants share the most powerful learning experience of their youth. The episode closes with an unforgettable tale from conference keynote speaker and Grammy winner Mickey Smith Jr ..read more

Duncan Johnson is a high school junior who runs a coding camp, is working in his second internship, and is filled with excitement for learning. It’s like he listened to the Episode 8 interview with Emmy Huefner and took her advice to heart. Duncan has identified his deepest interest, computer coding for immersive reality gaming, and is pursuing it with passion. Our conversation is a blueprint for every young person who is looking to make their high school years meaningful, productive, and exciting. Duncan will show you how happiness and preparation for life after high school can go hand in han ..read more

Teenage Takeover with Sam Levin Today Sam Levin is the 29-year-old Oxford PhD CEO of a biotech company. Thirteen years ago he was a high school junior exasperated at his friends’ disengagement and unhappiness at school. So he did something about it! Now students, teachers, and parents are taking note of his bold vision. We cover a lot of territory including: 3:11 The seeds of Sam’s discontent with school 4:28 Sam’s mom puts forth a challenge 5:11 A community garden reveals that teens can love learning and hard work 6:34 How teachers unfairly label students 8:46 Sam’s vision for a  student ..read more

“Tuned In” to the Future with Tony Wagner A surprise package arrived at 11-year-old Tony Wagner’s house that permanently impacted his understanding of learning. Decades later, after a career that included twenty years of thought leadership at Harvard University and multiple best-selling books on school reform, Wagner connects the dots to the essential 21st century skills our schools are missing.  Tony Wagner is one of the nation’s leading educational reformers. His books ·      The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach the New Survival Skills Our Chi ..read more

Julie Kim is an L.A.-based college admissions counselor who helps young people gain entrance into America’s most selective colleges. In this conversation Julie pulls back the curtain on the college admissions process and shows young people how they can not only get into selective colleges, but how they can be happier and more excited as they do it. Julie Kim is the founder of Julie Kim Consulting. She has helped her clients gain admissions to the nation’s most competitive colleges, from Stanford to Yale, using her foundational strategy: the Passion Project. Julie developed the idea as a burne ..read more

Chad Hemmelgarn was an energetic kid for whom school just didn't work, until some visionary teachers found a way to identify and develop his creative gifts. Their utilization of experiential learning helped Chad develop into a beloved high school teacher who provides similar opportunity and inspiration to his students ..read more