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The Making Schools Work Podcast
Join us each week as we talk to different SREB team members and educators across the country to find out the latest in school innovations. From classroom instruction to school leadership, we are going to examine what it is that makes schools work!
Episodes
53 episodes
Integrating Academics and CTE
In a rapidly changing workforce, students need more than just technical skills—they need the analytical thinking and adaptive problem-solving abilities to apply those skills in real-world contexts. In this episode, SREB Instructional Coach Deb ...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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37:06
The Art of the Feedback Conversation: Part 2 with Principal Baruti Kafele
In the conclusion of our two-part series with Principal Baruti Kafele, we move from the leadership mindset to the tactical execution of instructional coaching. This episode is a deep dive into the "Grow You" model, focusing on the sophisticated...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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29:14
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What's Your Value? Part 1: Identity and Awareness for School Leaders
In the first half of this powerful two-part series, we sit down with Principal Baruti Kafele, a renowned school leadership expert and best-selling author. This conversation moves past the daily logistics of school management to challenge admin...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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28:00
Beyond the Walls: Student Agency and Purpose With Hume-Fogg Academic High School
What happens when you stop treating the community as a "field trip" destination and start treating it as a classroom? In this special episode, we are joined by Dr. Lisa Bonelli, the assistant principal at Hume-Fogg Academic High School in Nashv...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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51:13
The Language of Motivation: Bridging Generations and AI in the Classroom
How do we move students from simple compliance to authentic engagement? In this episode, Senior Instructional Coach Daniel Rock and Leadership Coach Erin Anderson-Williams sit down with Dr. Tony Johnson, founder of Captivate Perspectives. With ...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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38:50
Creating a School Culture of Love: Accountability and Data With Marck Abraham
How do you move a high school graduation rate from 60% to 87% in a few short years? In this high-energy episode, Senior Instructional Coach Daniel Rock and Leadership Coach Erin Anderson-Williams sit down with Dr. Marck Abraham, CEO...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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47:40
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Creating High-Functioning Teams in Schools
Teaching is often viewed as a "solo gig," but the work of student learning is far too heavy for any one person to carry alone. In this episode, SREB Senior Instructional Coach Daniel Rock sits down with Leadership Coaches Erin Anderson-Williams...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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45:04
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Taylor Swift Clubs, Data Rooms, and Teacher-Led PD: The Best of Fall 2026
As the Fall 2026 semester comes to a close, it is time to look back at the schools and strategies that challenged our thinking.In this special wrap-up episode, Daniel is joined by SREB’s Jason Adair and Ashley Shaw to interrogate the "Be...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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43:40
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Surviving the First Year: The "Productive Struggle" of Mentorship
The "first-year teaching blues" are real, but they don't have to be a career-ender. In this episode, Daniel explores the impact of the GREAT Grant (Georgia Residency for Educating Amazing Teachers), a program designed to turn career-changers in...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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44:26
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From 74% to 96%: How Tuscaloosa Built a K-12 Career Plan That Actually Works
What really happens to students after they graduate? Does a diploma equal a plan?In this episode, Daniel Rock and Susan Simpson sit down with the innovative College and Career Readiness team from Tuscaloosa City Schools to...
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47:07
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Teaching with Purpose: How Academics and CTE Work Together at Career Academies of Decatur
What happens when English and social studies teachers join a career academy — and every lesson connects to the real world?In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Debra Cullen talk with Angie Ma...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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37:48
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How Career Academies of Decatur Redefined High School: Building a CTE-Focused Model for Every Student
What happens when a school flips the script — and lets career and technical education lead the way?In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Debra Cullen talk with Ressa Chittam, director of the ...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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40:01
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How Student Talk Doubles Learning: Making Classrooms More Socratic
What if the key to doubling student learning is simply getting them talking?In this episode, Daniel Rock and Jason Adair unpack research showing how student discussion can double the rate of learning — and why most classrooms still rely ...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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49:49
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How Westside Teachers Turned PD Into Classroom Impact
At Westside High School in Anderson, South Carolina, teaching looks different now — and students can feel it.Last week, we talked to leadership at Westside to see how this process worked. In this episode of the Making Schools Work
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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46:53
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How Westside High Empowered Teachers to Lead Professional Learning
At Westside High School in Anderson, South Carolina, teachers aren’t just attending professional development — they’re designing it.In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Donn Kirkwood talk wi...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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43:58
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Building Collective Teacher Efficacy at Indian Valley Elementary
How does a school move from silos to shared success? At Indian Valley Elementary in Sylacauga, Alabama, the leadership team and teachers worked together to create a culture of collective teacher efficacy—and the results are transforming student...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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52:45
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Flex Time and Job Shadowing: Teacher Perspectives From Richland High School
Richland High School in Mississippi has restructured its schedule to give students more opportunities for growth — and the results are impressive. In this third episode featuring Richland, we hear directly from two teachers about how Flex Block...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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51:36
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From Data Walls to Student Success: How Floyd D. Johnson Tech Center Transformed Learning
Floyd D. Johnson Technology Center in York, South Carolina, is proof that small communities can make big changes for students. By embracing honest data, personalized improvement goals and strong community partnerships, the school has transforme...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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46:30
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Beginnings and Endings: How to Hook Students and Make Learning Stick
Welcome to Season 2 of the Making Schools Work podcast! In this episode, Daniel Rock, Jason Adair and Ashley Shaw kick off the season by exploring one of teaching’s most powerful truths: beginnings and endings matter.From first-...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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45:35
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Summer AI Series: How to Pick AI Tools for Your School
In this final episode of our special AI series, Ashley Shaw is joined by Leslie Eaves to discuss the crucial "AI Checklist" – a practical guide for educators and leaders looking to implement artificial intelligence tools in their K-12 cla...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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27:19
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Pacesetter Spotlight: Bryant Park Elementary's Art Integration Program
In this episode, Daniel Rock and Jason Adair delve into the remarkable journey of Bryant Park Elementary, an SREB Pacesetter School in Jefferson County, Alabama. We talk to Principal Cortney Slaughter and teacher Alex Wilson about h...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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52:00
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Featured Speaker Spotlight: Creating Community Programs With PENCIL
In this episode, we're joined by Aimee Wyatt, SREB's director of leadership and professional learning, and our special guests from PENCIL: Alayna Cate, director of partnerships, and Bob Kucher, chief partnerships and programs officer. PENCIL is...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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45:55
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Pacesetter Spotlight: Richland High School’s AP Program and Career Connectedness
Welcome back to Part 2 of our special episode with Richland High School in Mississippi! In this continuation, Principal Marcus Stewart and Assistant Principal Heather Bryan delve deeper into the strategies and systems that have driven their sch...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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34:29
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Pacesetter Spotlight: Richland High School’s Flex Block
Welcome to a special two-part episode of the Making Schools Work podcast! In this first installment, we're joined by Richard Morrison, senior leadership coach at SREB, as he discusses his three-year partnership with Richland High School in Miss...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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34:02
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