Educating the Human Potential: The American Montessori Society Podcast
A podcast about optimizing education for a better society.
Journey into the future of learning with two pioneering educators as they unlock the secrets of human potential through captivating conversations on education's biggest challenges. Explore "Educating the Human Potential," where Educational Psychologist Nicole Coman and renowned Montessori Educator William "Biff" Maier guide you through transformative discussions that are reshaping how we think about education. This podcast from the American Montessori Society sparks insightful conversations about the future of learning, featuring thought-provoking discussions with educational and cultural trailblazers.
Educating the Human Potential challenges the status quo in education—because how we learn shapes society itself. Each episode dives into the critical issues shaping education today, blending research, lived experience, and bold ideas. Whether it’s rethinking classroom models, exploring the psychology of learning, nurturing curiosity and resilience in children, or unpacking social and cultural forces at play in education, Educating the Human Potential delivers engaging, accessible conversations for parents, educators, policymakers, and lifelong learners alike.
Join Nicole and Biff as they engage with leading voices like Garrard Conley, who explores identity and inclusive education; Lisa Ling, award-winning journalist uncovering untold stories that shape families and schools; Donovan Livingston, educator and spoken word artist advocating for educational equity; Sharon and Chelsea Maxwell, a mother-daughter duo addressing intergenerational learning and social change; and Jay Van Bavel, a neuroscientist examining how group identity and psychology influence learning and society.
Educating the Human Potential: The American Montessori Society Podcast
A podcast about optimizing education for a better society.
Sponsored by:
American Montessori Society
http://www.amshq.org/montessori
Episodes
32 episodes
The Science of Boys: How They Learn, Feel, and Grow with Michael Thompson
What do boys really need from the adults who teach and raise them?In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman sit down with renowned psychologist and author Michael Thomps...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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51:32
Information, Not Labels: Understanding Child Evaluations
In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, hosts Biff Maier and child psychologist Nicole Coman discuss how evaluations can help families better understand a child’s learning, behavior, and emotional development. T...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:03:34
Montessori Deep Dive: Educating Teachers Who Shape the Future Worldwide
What happens when Montessori moves beyond the classroom — and begins transforming the adults who guide it?In this Montessori Deep Dive, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman sit down with educator and global teacher educ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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49:39
The Volatile Gift: Rethinking ADHD with Dr. Ned Hallowell
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, world-renowned psychiatrist and ADHD expert Dr. Ned Hallowell challenges everything we think we know about attention, learning, and human potential.Drawing from deca...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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1:01:50
The Conversations That Brought Us Here — and the Ones to Come
Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential begins with reflection and anticipation.In this premiere episode, hosts Nicole and Biff look back on meaningful moments from Season 1, revisiting conversations that shaped ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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55:59
Our Next Chapter: Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential
A quick message from Nicole and Biff as we prepare to launch Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential. Season 2 debuts next Monday, the 9th.Thank you for listening and being part of our community.
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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0:48
The Child Who Found His Voice: The Journey of Governor Josh Green
What happens when a child is truly seen—and supported—at exactly the moment it matters most?In this very special episode of Educating the Human Potential, Biff and Nicole are joined by Hawaiʻi Governor Josh Green, who sha...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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55:04
What Children Are Really Telling Us: Psychology, Behavior, and Human Development
What if children’s behavior is communication—not something to fix, but something to understand?In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, Biff and Nicole are joined by Dr. Nick Mian, a developmental psychologist whose...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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1:05:54
The Montessori Music Maestro: Stories from Frank Leto
What if music could unlock a child’s full potential—and transform the way we teach? In this episode, Biff & Nicole sit down with educator and musician Frank Leto, who shares his half-century-long journey of inspiring creativity, conf...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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46:21
You’re Not Alone: Supporting the Overwhelmed Parent
What does it really mean to support parents who are stretched thin—and how can schools, communities, and families work together to ease the load? In this conversation, hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier get real about the universal...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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32:07
A Life Devoted to Children: 55 Years of Montessori with Charles Terranova
What shapes a lifetime in education—and what keeps someone devoted to it for more than half a century? In this episode, longtime educator and AMS Living Legacy honoree Charles Terranova looks back on 55 years in Montessori, sharin...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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54:12
Embrace the Shake: Phil Hansen on Turning Limitations into Creativity
What if your greatest limitation became your most powerful creative force? In this episode, Phil Hansen, internationally recognized multimedia artist and TED speaker, joins hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman to share how a hand ...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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42:38
Montessori Deep Dive: Teacher Cassandra Duggan on Her Homeschool Roots, Traditional Classrooms, and the Freedom to Learn
What happens when a child who once asked to be homeschooled grows up to become a Montessori educator, and a Montessori parent? In this episode, Montessori teacher Cassandra Duggan traces her winding journey from anxious second gra...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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44:10
Lift Off in Education: Donovan Livingston on Hip-Hop, Belonging, and Thriving
What happens when hip-hop, spoken word, and student support meet in higher education? In this episode, Donovan Livingston, award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and creator of the viral Harvard speech Lift Off, shares how cu...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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38:56
Inside the Fisher-Price Play Lab: Why Fisher-Price Embraced Montessori and Returned to Wood
What happens when one of the world’s most iconic toy makers goes back to its roots – and invites Montessori experts to help chart the future? In this episode, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman go inside Fisher-Price’s legen...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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43:53
Building Trust: Why Parent-School Communication Matters
Why is strong communication between home and school essential for a child’s success? In this episode, hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier explore the role of trust, honesty, and consistency between parent...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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44:34
From Loss to a Life of Creativity: Graffiti Artist Erik Wahl and Tasha Wahl on Life as Your Art Studio
What if art wasn’t just something you make—but a way you think, live, and heal? In this episode, internationally acclaimed graffiti artist and speaker Erik Wahl, joined by his wife and creative partner, Tasha Wahl, share th...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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50:14
The Real Maria Montessori: Historian Erica Moretti on the Woman Behind the Method
Maria Montessori was a visionary—but she was also human, complicated, and far more radical than the myths suggest. In this episode, Erica Moretti, author of The Best Weapon for Peace: Maria Montessori, Education, and Childr...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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31:34
Rethinking School: Ulcca Joshi Hansen on Equity, Technology, and the Future of Learning
What if our education system isn’t broken—but just built for a different era? In this episode, Ulcca Joshi Hansen—author of The Future of Smart, Chief Program Officer at Grantmakers for Education, and host of the Futu...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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46:46
Let Kids Be Kids: Olympian Dominique Dawes on Intrinsic Motivation, Healing, and Rethinking Youth Sports
How can sports empower children—and what happens when they don't? In this episode, Olympic gold medalist and mother of four Dominique Dawes reflects on the highs and harms of elite athletics, and how she’s now working to redefine what su...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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41:13
The Future Is Human: Eric Rodriguez on Technology, Montessori, and the Power of Purpose
What if technology didn’t replace our humanity—but helped us deepen it? In this episode, Eric Rodriguez—engineer, keynote speaker, and facilitator of the AMS Innovation Think Tank—shares how a formative experience in his Montes...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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57:28
Montessori Deep Dive: One Teacher’s Journey to Montessori
Elizabeth Tingle never planned to become a Montessori teacher, but her path seems to have led her there all along. With decades of experience behind her, Elizabeth Tingle discovered that Montessori aligned perfectly with the values she'd been t...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:03:48
A Boy Erased: Garrard Conley on Surviving Conversion Therapy and Growing Up Gay in the Bible Belt
What if the people you trust most try to change who you are—and call it love? In this episode, Garrard Conley, author of the bestselling memoir Boy Erased, adapted into a film starring Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, sha...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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1:03:03
Leading with Purpose: Anita Hanks and the Future of Montessori Education
How does a second-generation Montessori child become a transformational leader in the movement? In this episode, Anita Hanks, newly appointed President of the AMS Board of Directors, shares her deeply personal Montessori jo...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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39:06
From Burnout to Balance: Suneel Gupta on Small Adjustments with Big Impact
How do we stay energized, focused, and fulfilled in a world that constantly demands more? In this episode, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman are joined by bestselling author and Harvard Medical School visiting scholar Suneel Gupta, who s...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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42:39