The Authority Podcast

"Interviews with people who know what they're talking about." On The Authority, leadership coach, storytelling strategist and edtech advisor Ross Romano interviews leading authors from the education world and beyond to draw out their invaluable insights on leadership, culture-building, transformation, and student & educator success. Join us each week to hear ideas for addressing your current pain points, new perspectives from the authors you admire, and fresh takes from up-and-coming voices.

Higher Ed Storytelling University: Brand Storytelling, Messaging, and Wisdom on Starting a Podcast For Your College w/ Ross Romano of September Strategies 05/11/2023

Leadership for Deeper Learning with Scott McLeod The Authority Podcast 38 05/08/2023

Leadership for Deeper Learning with Scott McLeod The Authority Podcast 38 Scott McLeod, Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Colorado - Denver, is the guest on this episode of The Authority. His book, co-authored with Jayson W. Richardson and Justin Bathon, is . It’s published by Routledge Eye on Education. In the interview, Scott and Ross discuss: ● The definition of “deeper learning.” ● How Scott and his co-authors interviewed leaders at 30 different deeper learning schools in 2019 and 2020. ● Do most leaders even think about being “innovative?” And if they do, how are they defining it? ● What systemic or structural factors inhibit innovation? ● Why conveying a compelling vision is critical to transformative leadership, from Walt Disney and Steve Jobs to innovative school leaders. ● How much of innovative thinking is determined by leaders’ expectations for student success? ● Do leaders need to set new expectations for teaching and learning — or, instead, do they need to avoid extinguishing the motivations and expectations teachers and students begin with? ● What do leaders at innovative schools do that’s different from their counterparts at “traditional” schools? ● Who is driving the innovation and transformation in schools? Leadership for Deeper Learning is published by Routledge Eye on Education. Find it here: Learn more about Scott’s work on his website Dangerously Irrelevant: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest A Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Colorado Denver, Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on P-12 school leadership, deeper learning, technology, and innovation. He is on a mission to make students’ day-to-day learning less boring and more meaningful and relevant. He is the Founding Director of the , the only university center in the U.S. dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators, and is the co-creator of the wildly popular video series, . He also is the co-creator of the for lesson/unit redesign and the founder of both the annual Iowa 1:1 Institute and EdCampIowa. Follow Scott on Twitter or connect on . About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26700237

SEEing to Lead: Impact to Influence with Jed Stefanowicz 05/04/2023

SEEing to Lead: Impact to Influence with Jed Stefanowicz In this episode, we're bringing you a conversation from SEEing to Lead, hosted by Dr. Chris Jones, right here on the Be Podcast Network. As a Digital Learning Coach in Walpole, Massachusetts, Jed Stefanowicz provides job-embedded professional development and instructional coaching for academic technology. Through conferences, workshops, and coaching, Jed aims to engage and build staff/student digital learning capacity, keeping the focus on practice over product. As a 25 year elementary educator, speaker, blogger, and former Massachusetts Teach Plus Policy Fellow, Jed shares his passion for effective tech integration to transform teaching and learning, creating engaging and equitable digital learning environments and experiences that activate, innovate, and motivate digital learning. He is the author of and . Check out his blog at Key Takeaways: We need to recreate the structures to teach rather than just expecting it to happen. Leaders are facing a blank slate as they work to stretch people past their comfort zone because people have been out of their comfort zone for the last two years. Learning something on YouTube is going to teach you how to do it, but not understand how to apply it. We need to find ways to create and support teacher agency. It's essential to be aware of circumstances, surroundings, and how to apply the requisite skills to excel in a situation. Moving people from motivation to commitment is the only way to make progress forward. Education at any level has to go beyond a transactional experience by starting with what people are passionate about. You can't be a coach and equipment manager at the same time. You have to respect where people are to engage them in growth. Leadership isn't about implementing an agenda, but instead finding what the goals of those you serve are and then helping them achieve them. Stick to the A,B,Cs = Always Build Capacity It's about process/project not product. Subscribe to SEEing to Lead: About the host: Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years. He is currently Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Mass. and Vice President of the Massachusetts State Administrators Association (MSAA). Chris was named the 2022 Massachusetts School Counselors Associaltion’s (MASCA) Administrator of the Year and is a finalist for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association’s Principal of the Year award. Reach on Twitter at @DrCSJones /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26691990

Name, Claim & Reframe with Andrea Mein DeWitt The Authority Podcast 37 05/01/2023

Name, Claim & Reframe with Andrea Mein DeWitt The Authority Podcast 37 Andrea DeWitt joins The Authority to discuss her new book, Name, Claim & Reframe: Your Path to a Well-Lived Life, which was named the Top Motivational Book of 2023 by NBC’s Today Show. Ross and Andrea discuss: ● “This book is filled with inspiration and wisdom about how to take control of your life.” – Emily Giffin ● The importance of discovering your core values ● What happens when we’re triggered to react rather than respond in a heated moment? ● The process behind Name, Claim, and Reframe ● Overcoming the limiting beliefs we all carry inside ● Becoming a Gentle Warrior ● Andrea’s experience as an elementary teacher and how it still serves her work ● The most surprising thing about her career Name, Claim & Reframe is available wherever books are sold. Learn more on Andrea’s website: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About our guest Known for her infectious energy, Andrea Mein DeWitt is an author, speaker, and life coach who teaches high-performing leaders to see and step into their authentic lives. She is the CEO of Andrea DeWitt Advisors, where she coaches heart-centered working professionals. Andrea holds an M.Ed. in Reading Leadership from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a Certified Professional Coach through The Co-Active Training Institute and The International Coaching Federation. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and their beloved Labrador, Maggie. Learn more about Andrea on her company website, LinkedIn, and Instagram. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the and CEO of , a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry and beyond clarify their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter or . /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26700156

Cybertraps Podcast: Mister Rogers' Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids with Gregg Behr 04/27/2023

Great on Their Behalf with AJ Crabill The Authority Podcast 36 04/24/2023

Mastermind with Danny Bauer The Authority Podcast 35 04/18/2023

Mastermind with Danny Bauer The Authority Podcast 35 Daniel Bauer is the Chief Ruckus Maker at Better Leaders Better Schools (BLBS). On this episode, we talk about his book, , co-published by Corwin and the National School Superintendents Association (AASA). Danny and Ross discuss: ● Danny’s mission “to connect, grow, and mentor every school leader who wants to level up.” ● What is a “ruckus maker” and why do they benefit from a mastermind community? ● Is a school better off with an average leader, bad leader, or no leader? ● The ABCs of powerful professional development – Authenticity, Belonging, Challenge ● “Everyone wins when you get better.” ● My school is better because I lead it; my students are at an advantage because I lead them. ● Agreements vs. expectations ● Why agreements are hard, but worth bringing to your school. ● Danny’s book recommendations: by Steve Chandler, by BJ Fogg Use code “RUCKUS” to get 20% off the cover price and free shipping on Danny’s book, Mastermind. Find it here: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest As a chronically late student, Daniel Bauer once told his Chemistry teacher a fib about saving an entire girl scout troop from a burning building to get out of a tardy. Daniel is not sure if it was the very made up story, the very real cookie he offered his teacher, or a combination of both that got him out of a detention that day … That experience taught him it pays to develop your storytelling skills. Daniel has been telling stories since then, most recently on the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast, ranked in the TOP 0.5% of 3 million global podcasts, and via his latest book, Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader, co-published by Corwin and the National School Superintendents Association (AASA). Subscribe to Better Leaders, Better Schools on or . About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of , a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter or /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26571468

Tell Me This: A deep-dive on Bittersweet by Susan Cain 04/13/2023

Gwen Jorgensen: USA’s First Olympic Gold Medal Triathlete with Elizabeth and Nancy Jorgensen The Authority Podcast 34 04/10/2023

SEEing to Lead with Chris Jones The Authority Podcast 33 04/03/2023

SEEing to Lead with Chris Jones The Authority Podcast 33 Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years. He is author of the book SEEing to Lead and also hosts the , right here on the Be Podcast Network. In this episode, we discuss his book, published by Code Breaker, Inc. Chris and Ross discuss: ● The problem with education traditions: “One of the biggest problems in education is tradition. One of the biggest traditions is top-down leadership,” says Danny Bauer. ● SEE = Support, Engage, Empower ● How Chris realized teachers can’t support, engage and empower students if they’re not feeling their leadership doing the same for them. ● You don’t become a leader and then realize you need to support others first. You become a leader because you’ve realized this. ● Empowering vs. Enabling ● Overcoming the status quo to innovate SEEing to Lead is published by Code Breaker, Inc. Find it here: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years. He is currently Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Mass. and Vice President of the Massachusetts State Administrators Association (MSAA). Chris was named the 2022 Massachusetts School Counselors Associaltion’s (MASCA) Administrator of the Year and is a finalist for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association’s Principal of the Year award. Subscribe to SEEing to Lead on or . About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of , a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26348766

Teaching for Racial Equity with Tonya Perry, Steven Zemelman and Katy Smith The Authority Podcast 32 03/28/2023

Teaching for Racial Equity with Tonya Perry, Steven Zemelman and Katy Smith The Authority Podcast 32 Today, we welcome the three co-authors of , published by Stenhouse. The book was named as one of three winners in the Best Book for Educators category of the inaugural , presented by the American Consortium for Equity in Education. The discussion includes: ● What it means to be an “interrupter” ● Critical love, critical humility, and critical reflection ● How the authors collaborated and learned from one another ● “Find your people” ● The “a-ha moments” with students ● Examples from the book’s educator contributors that simply illustrate “good teaching,” with respect to engaging students and getting them into the material ● Where readers can begin with the book, based on their prior level of experience with explicit equity work and research ● Our guests’ book recommendations for educators: by Matthew Kay, by Gholdy Muhammad ● Recommendations for students: by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith Teaching for Racial Equity is available from Stenhouse. Find it here: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guests Tonya B. Perry is a Professor of Secondary English Education and serves as the Executive Director for GEAR UP Alabama and the Red Mountain Writing Project at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Steve Zemelman is a founder of the Illinois Writing Project. He’s helped start innovative small schools in Chicago and promotes student civic engagement there. His most recent book is From Inquiry to Action: Civic Engagement with Project-Based Learning in All Content Areas. Katy Smith is a Professor of Secondary Education and a Department Chair at Northeastern Illinois University, where she and Steve Zemelman direct the Illinois Writing Project. She has dedicated her career to developing and enacting equitable classroom practices, first as a teacher of high school students and now as a teacher educator. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the and CEO of , a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter or . /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26372145

The Equity & Social Justice Education Fifty with Baruti Kafele The Authority Podcast 31 03/25/2023

The Equity & Social Justice Education Fifty with Baruti Kafele The Authority Podcast 31 Welcome to a can’t-miss conversation with Principal Baruti Kafele, author of seven best-selling books, including the topic of today’s episode: . The discussion includes: ● Equity vs. Equality — the strategy vs. the goal and why it matters ● Does my presence positively alter the trajectory of my students? ● The personal nature of this work and this book. How Principal Kafele learned to share his story to the benefit of his students. ● How do I ensure that no student is invisible in my classroom? ● Becoming credible to your students ● “I want my readers to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and uncomfortable with being comfortable.” ● The Big 3: Individuality, Identity, and Voice. Why these are non-negotiables in every classroom. ● Social justice education — What is it and how do we make it practical? ● The leader’s role in making equity work resilient Principal Kafele’s recommendations: ● Before the Mayflower — Lerone Bennett, Jr. ● From Slavery to Freedom — John Hope Franklin and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham ● The Mis-Education of the Negro — Carter G. Woodson ● Introduction to African Civilizations — John G. Jackson The Equity & Social Justice Education 50 is available at ascd.org and Amazon. Find it here: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About our guest One of the most sought-after school leadership and classroom equity presenters in America, Principal Kafele is impacting America’s schools! He has delivered over 2500 conference and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars and student assemblies over his 35 years of public speaking. An expert in the area of “attitude transformation,” Principal Kafele is the leading authority on providing effective classroom and school leadership strategies toward closing what he coined, the "Attitude Gap.” He has authored twelve books, including seven ASCD best-sellers. Follow Principal Kafele online: ● ● Twitter: ● Facebook: ● Virtual AP Leadership Academy on Facebook: ● Virtual AP Leadership Academy on YouTube: About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the and CEO of , a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter or . /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26337381

Mark Miller talks “Culture Rules” - The Authority Podcast 30 03/16/2023

Mark Miller talks “Culture Rules” - The Authority Podcast 30 We’re thrilled to welcome international best-selling author and business leader Mark Miller as our guest for this episode of The Authority. Mark is Vice President of High Performance Leadership for Chick-Fil-A. He first started at the company as an hourly team member in 1977 and has served in numerous roles along the way. is Mark’s 11th book. He currently has over one million books in print in more than twenty-five languages. Ross and Mark discuss: ● 71% of U.S. leaders believe culture is their #1 most powerful tool to drive performance, but enhancing culture ranks low on their priority list — why the gap? ● First move: decide and declare what you're trying to create. Culture needs to be explicit. ● Leaders animate culture — this is the big idea of the book ● The 3 Culture Rules: Aspire, Amplify, Adapt ● What does culture mean to your customers? ● Adapt, not react — how to adapt and what the current in-person vs. remote debate tells us. ● Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wanted to shift the company from being “know-it-alls” to “learn-it-alls” — what did Mark learn while working on the book? ● The “magic circle” of game design and how it explains culture. ● What Mark learned about innovation and purpose. ● Measuring culture Culture Rules is now available for purchase, with a number of bonuses available for individual and bulk orders. Learn about them here: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About our guest Mark Miller is a business leader, best-selling author, and communicator. Mark started his Chick-fil-A career working as an hourly team member in 1977 and today leads as Vice President of High Performance Leadership. He began writing almost twenty years ago, and with over one million books in print in more than twenty-five languages, Mark’s global impact continues to grow. In addition to his writing, Mark enjoys encouraging and equipping leaders. Over the years, he’s traveled to dozens of countries teaching for numerous international organizations. Married to Donna, his high school sweetheart of forty years, they have two sons, Justin and David, a daughter-in-law Lindsay, and three amazing grandchildren Addie, Logan, and Finn. Connect with Mark: ● ● About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the and CEO of , a consulting and coaching firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter or . /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26247570

Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership with Mark Anthony Gooden, Sharon Radd, Gretchen Givens Generett, George Theoharis The Authority Podcast 29 03/07/2023

Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership with Mark Anthony Gooden, Sharon Radd, Gretchen Givens Generett, George Theoharis The Authority Podcast 29 In today’s special episode, we welcome all four co-authors of the book , published by ASCD. The book was named as one of three winners in the Best Book for Educators category of the inaugural , presented by the American Consortium for Equity in Education. The discussion includes: ● How this team of authors connected to write the book. ● What they learned from one another. ● What an equity-focused school looks like. ● How leaders can adopt a transformative approach. ● The most significant challenges school leaders must face. ● The ongoing emotional and intellectual work of equity leadership. ● Developing equity leadership teams. ● Conducting a needs assessment and planning for the long haul. Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership is available from ASCD. Find it here: Get additional resources from the authors: ● ● Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guests Mark Anthony Gooden, PhD, is the Christian Johnson Endeavor Professor in Education Leadership and Chair of the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. Connect with him on Twitter and . Sharon Radd, Ed.D. is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the MA-Organizational Leadership at St Catherine University; Principal Consultant at ConsciousPraxis; and Senior Partner with The Five Practices Group. Connect with her on Twitter and . Gretchen Givens Generett, PhD, is Dean, Noble J. Dick Endowed Chair in Community Outreach, and Professor of Foundations in the School of Education at Duquesne University. Currently she serves as President of the American Educational Studies Association (AESA). Connect with her on Twitter and . George Theoharis is a Professor in Educational Leadership and Inclusive Education at Syracuse University. Connect with him on Twitter and . About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the and CEO of , a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter or . /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26148120

The Good Boss with Kate Eberle Walker The Authority Podcast 28 02/27/2023

The Good Boss with Kate Eberle Walker The Authority Podcast 28 Kate Eberle Walker, CEO of teletherapy solution provider Presence, is today’s guests. Kate is an education industry leader with 20+ years of experience in leading, managing, advising, acquiring and investing in education companies. Her book is , published by BenBella Books. In the interview, Kate and Ross discuss: ● Stories about successful women often start with a story about a good boss. We hear Kate’s story. ● Important negative lessons Kate learned from previous bosses. ● The “9 Rules of the Good Boss.” ● Why it’s powerful to get a woman’s name right and use it. ● Being authentic and being someone employees can relate to. ● Why it’s important to “watch the clock” to be mindful of the demands on female employees. ● Rule 9: Tell Her That You See Her Potential, including how this relates to the situation in schools. ● How do you start to turn things around if you haven’t fostered this type of culture? ● If someone can read only one chapter of the book, which should it be? The Good Boss is available here: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest Kate Eberle Walker is an education industry leader, author, and working mom with more than 20 years of experience leading high-profile education companies. Among other roles, she was previously CEO of The Princeton Review and since 2019 has been CEO of Presence, where she leads a majority female staff. Presence is a leading provider of teletherapy solutions for children with diverse needs. Follow Kate on Twitter or connect on . You can visit her website here: About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/26016288

The First Five: A Love Letter to Teachers with Patrick Harris II The Authority Podcast 27 02/20/2023

The First Five: A Love Letter to Teachers with Patrick Harris II The Authority Podcast 27 Patrick Harris II, a middle school humanities teacher outside of Detroit, is the guest on this episode of The Authority. His book, published by Heinemann, is . The First Five is a memoir with a call-to-action. Patrick writes about his early life and what brought him to the education profession, and outlines the lessons learned in his first five years – as well as insights from other educators. In the interview, Patrick and Ross discuss: ● What pushed Patrick to write the book ● What it’s been like to share his story with others ● Tackling toxic positivity and being honest about the profession ● What does it mean to teach in 360 degrees? ● The difference it makes to have black male teachers ● Remembering your why. Who needs to know this and why? ● Do most teachers know the entirety of their why? ● Patrick’s greatest fear in writing the book ● What can be done to be more inclusive in recruitment and retention in the profession? The First Five is published by Heinemann. Find it here: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest Patrick Harris II is a Black queer writer, storyteller, and middle school humanities teacher. He has won multiple national teaching awards for his leadership and innovation in the classroom, including recognitions from NCTE, ASCD, and ILA. Teaching and creating is only part of who Patrick is. He is a big brother, a cat dad, lover of all things horror, a WWE fanatic, and is obsessed with scenic hikes. Find Patrick on Twitter & Instagram @PresidentPat. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25982667

The Noble School Leader with Matthew Taylor The Authority Podcast 26 02/13/2023

Always Strive to Be a Better You with Pete Hall The Authority Podcast 25 02/06/2023

Hacking Deficit Thinking with Byron McClure and Kelsie Reed The Authority Podcast 23 02/05/2023

Hacking Deficit Thinking with Byron McClure and Kelsie Reed The Authority Podcast 23 Dr. Byron McClure and Dr. Kelsie Reed, a pair of Nationally Certified School Psychologists, join us to discuss their new book, Hacking Deficit Thinking: 8 Reframes That Will Change The Way You Think About Strength-Based Practices And Equity In Schools. The discussion includes: “At-risk.” “Low.” “Title I Kids.” What are some harmful terms and why do we need to do away with them? How educators can unlearn student blame and instead focus on student strengths. “Everybody has somebody that they care about, everybody has something that they love, and when we allow students the opportunity to share those things with us, it helps us to see them in a different light.” Humanizing your data. Overcoming “deficit distortions.” Educators deserve to flourish! “It would be really difficult for an educator to be flourishing and their students to be languishing.” This is an in-depth discussion that goes into most of the 8 reframes presented in the book. Listen in to hear some eye-opening insights. Hacking Deficit Thinking is available from Times 10 Publications: . Follow on Twitter to learn more. Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About the guests Byron McClure, D.Ed., is a National Certified School Psychologist and Founder of Lessons For SEL, where he uses research and human-centered design thinking to build empathy, ideate, co-create solutions, and design equitable resources that put the needs of children front and center. McClure has presented across the country as a panelist, featured speaker, and keynote speaker. He believes in maximizing everyone's limitless potential. Follow him on Twitter Kelsie Reed is a nationally certified school psychologist who presently works in Prince George's County Public Schools in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Reed is passionate about advancing educational equity for minoritized students, disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline, and identifying and implementing alternatives to suspension. She has presented at the community, state, and national levels on school discipline practices. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @dr.kelsiereed. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25831698

Free Agent Learning with Julie Evans The Authority Podcast 24 01/30/2023

Free Agent Learning with Julie Evans The Authority Podcast 24 Dr. Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow and founder of the Speak Up Research Project, is our guest for this episode of The Authority. Julie and Ross talk about her new book, Free Agent Learning: Leveraging Students' Self-Directed Learning to Transform K-12 Education, published by Jossey-Bass. The conversation covers: Leveraging self-directed learning to improve classroom reach and engagement What is the Student's Vision of Learning? How can educators assert parameters in a way kids see as valuable? Moving to learn environments that are student-directed and adult-sponsored. The most durable findings over 17 years of Speak Up surveys. Students’ most surprising perspectives. Compliance vs. engagement. Learning can be exploring alongside self-motivated students. Recognizing outcomes from free agent learning in your Profile/Portrait of a Graduate. Ask kids what they want. Free Agent Learning is available on , , and more. Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About the guest Dr. Julie A. Evans is the CEO of Project Tomorrow and is the founder of the heralded Speak Up Research Project which annually collects and reports on the authentic views of K-12 students, parents and educators on key education issues each year. Dr. Evans serves as the chief researcher on the Speak Up Project as well as leading research efforts on the impact of innovative learning models and interventions in both K-12 and higher education. Over the past 17 years, almost 5 million K-12 students and an additional 1 million educators and parents have participated in the Speak Up Project representing over 35,000 schools from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and around the world. Learn more at About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25617006

Like Socks on a Rooster with Mike Ficara The Authority Podcast 22 01/16/2023

Get Weird with CJ Casciotta The Authority Podcast 21 01/09/2023

Get Weird with CJ Casciotta The Authority Podcast 21 Today, The Authority Podcast gets weird. We welcome CJ Casciotta to the show. CJ is a creative strategist, media producer, and author of Get Weird: Discover the Surprising Secret to Making a Difference. Ross and CJ discuss: How CJ learned to “get weird” Weird suggests the supernatural — something we don’t understand. The story of a girl who “dodged the gavel of who she can and can’t be.” “Too much sanity may be madness—and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!” Designing education around its goals Why sticking out is harder than blending in Misfits start movements Why is it so hard to be like Mr. Rogers? Get Weird: Discover the Surprising Secret to Making a Difference is available on . Larn more about ‘s work at Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About the guest Seen by many as a trusted voice on 21st century cultural shifts, CJ Casciotta has consulted and developed campaigns for presidential candidates, IPOs, startups, and Fortune 500s alike, partnering with notable brands such as MGM Studios, Delta Airlines, Sesame Street, Lululemon, and The United Nations Foundation. An accomplished media producer, he's collaborated on projects with leading culture-makers like Ira Glass of This American Life, Seth Godin, and FoodNetwork's Maneet Chauhan. He’s the founder of , an interactive media and technology project focused on social emotional learning for early childhood and K-12 learners. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25540383

Dear Math with Sarah Strong & Gigi Butterfield 01/02/2023

Dear Math with Sarah Strong & Gigi Butterfield Sarah Strong, a teacher at San Diego’s High Tech High, and Gigi Butterfield, her former student, co-authored the book Dear Math: Why Kids Hate Math And What Teachers Can Do About It. They are today’s guests on The Authority. In the interview, Ross, Sarah and Gigi discuss: Sarah and Gigi’s four-year student-teacher relationship and how they came to collaborate on the book What the “Dear Math” letters are and how Sarah was inspired to assign them The math stories and challenges that come up most frequently from students How to get over being “fraudulently fond” of math Designing a community where math is a liberator rather than a gatekeeper Making math learning collaborative while getting over the competitive instinct Dear Math is published by Times 10 Publications. Find it . Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guests Sarah Strong has taught math to grades 6 through 12 at High Tech High in San Diego, and she also works for the High Tech High Graduate School of Education, teaching Math Methods and Advanced Math Pedagogy courses and supporting the new math teachers in the organization. She has led workshops on Project Based Learning in mathematics, student-centered assessment, and alternative grading systems. Gigi Butterfield is currently a screenwriting major at Loyola Marymount University and a former student of the Gary and Jeri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High in San Diego, California. Gigi has attended project based learning schools since the age of five and, even in college, is passionate about how PBL plays an integral role in revitalizing heavily antiquated math pedagogies. Gigi was captain of the basketball team, head of student ambassadors, leader of Model United Nations, a member of student senate, and a Jeopardy fanatic hoping to go into comedy writing. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25480887

The Writer’s Mindset with Chris Hall The Authority Podcast 19 12/23/2022

The Writer’s Mindset with Chris Hall The Authority Podcast 19 Chris Hall, an 8th grade language arts teacher at Oyster River Middle School in Durham, NH is the guest on this episode of The Authority. His book, published by Heinemann, is The Writer’s Mindset: Six Stances That Promote Authentic Revision. In the interview, Chris and Ross discuss: Why Chris chose to focus his book on the topic of revision The 6 Stances students can adopt toward their writing Beliefs about optimism: students should learn from their strengths & students should choose what to write and revise How to make risk-taking inviting for young writers How teachers can model flexible thinking — openness to new ideas and approaches — for students The Writer’s Mindset is published by Heinemann. Find it . Chris Hall and The Writer’s Mindset were recommended by former guest Mike Anderson. Listen to Mike’s episode: . Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest Chris Hall teaches language arts at Oyster River Middle School in Durham, NH. Over the past 20 years he has taught in urban, suburban, public, independent, and international schools, where he has helped young writers find authentic purpose, build community, and discover the power of their own words. Chris served as a Heinemann Fellow, researching innovative writing practices within a cohort of dynamic educators from across the country. You can find him on Twitter at . About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25419264

Rebel Educator with Tanya Sheckley The Authority Podcast 18 12/14/2022

Rebel Educator with Tanya Sheckley The Authority Podcast 18 Tanya Sheckley, Founder and President of UP Academy and author of the book Rebel Educator is our guest. Tanya and Ross discuss: The definition of a “Rebel Educator” and the type of school culture that encourages high-impact rebels Why it’s important to keep teachers connected to the reasons they became educators in the first place. What Tanya and her teachers have learned from each other How to create classrooms where impact and imagination meet. UP Academy’s approach to inclusive classrooms The value of educating parents about the way experiential learning happens in the school How the US can do a better job of fairly compensating teachers Where to start if you read only one part of the book (hint: focus on the why of your lessons) Rebel Educator is available from Houndstooth Press. Buy it on . Learn more about Tanya’s work at Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About our guest Tanya Sheckley is the Founder and President of UP Academy, a progressive elementary lab school in San Mateo, California. UP Academy is reinventing education by customizing learning for each student, integrating project-based learning throughout its curriculum, and supporting students with disabilities to attend alongside able-bodied students in mixed-age classrooms. Tanya hosts the Rebel Educator podcast, speaks across the country on the future of education, and leads professional development programs for school administrators and educators. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25320747

The School Choice Roadmap with Andrew Campanella The Authority Podcast 17 11/30/2022

The School Choice Roadmap with Andrew Campanella The Authority Podcast 17 Andrew Campanella is the guest today to discuss his book, The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child. The book has won the Foreword Indies Gold Award, a Silver IPPY, a Mom’s Choice Award, and a National Parenting Product Award. While the book is written to help parents navigate schooling options for their children, we look at it from a different angle in this interview. We dissect the advantages available to schools and school leaders when they understand what parents and students are looking for in their schools. How can schools make changes that matter and, importantly, communicate those actions? Ross and Andrew chat about: The advantage schools receive by “getting out there” and proactively sharing their successes The importance of reflecting on one’s own time as a student Some of the top goals parents have for their children What parents want vs. what they need and how to address both How storytelling can make meaning of teachers’ valuable qualifications How schools can collaborate with parent navigator organizations Why all schools should be proud to share their work The School Choice Roadmap is published by Beaufort Books. Learn more . Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About the guest Andrew Campanella is one of the nation’s leading experts on K-12 school choice. He serves as the President and CEO of the . Throughout his career as a nonprofit executive, Andrew has provided insightful and jargon-free commentary about education options to local, regional, and national media outlets in thousands of interviews. With more than 18 years of senior-level experience in K-12 education, Andrew has led the National School Choice Week charitable program since 2012, playing a key role in the effort’s remarkable growth. Connect on Twitter About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter This episode is sponsored by the National School Choice Awareness Foundation and features a mini-interview segment with Krissia Campos Spivey, project director of the Foundation’s Conoce tus Opciones Escolares resource for Spanish-speaking families. Learn more about National School Choice Week: . Learn about Conoce tus Opciones Escolares: . /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25175715

Hacking Teacher Burnout with Amber Harper The Authority Podcast 16 11/27/2022

Improve Every Lesson Plan with SEL ― Jeffrey Benson The Authority 15 11/17/2022

Improve Every Lesson Plan with SEL ― Jeffrey Benson The Authority 15 Jeffrey Benson, author of the ASCD best-seller , is the guest for this episode. Jeffrey and Ross discuss: Jeffrey’s extensive work with students who suffered the trauma of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) “Are you willing to bet that your lesson plan will work – and work for every student?” How “home-field advantage” can inform perspectives on the classroom Jeffrey’s personal definition of SEL The process of co-creating social-emotional learning goals with students “Differentiated autonomy” in the classroom How an emphasis on SEL leads to improved formative assessment The critical importance of an intentional closure routine for lessons Reconnecting teachers with their “best moments of teaching [that] have always been informed by the social and emotional learning of [their] students” And more! This is a wide-ranging conversation you won’t want to miss. Improve Every Lesson Plan with SEL is published by ASCD. Buy it . Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About the guest Jeffrey Benson has more than 40 years of experience as a teacher, mentor, and school administrator, with a focus on supporting schools that can work for all students. His books include Improve Every Lesson Plan with SEL, Hanging In: Strategies for Working with the Students Who Challenge Us Most, and 10 Steps for Managing Change in Schools: How do we take initiatives from goals to actions? His website is . Connect on Twitter About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25048851

Hacking Student Learning Habits with Elizabeth Jorgensen The Authority 14 11/17/2022

Hacking Student Learning Habits with Elizabeth Jorgensen The Authority 14 Award-winning writer, teacher, and sought-after speaker Elizabeth Jorgensen is this episode’s guest. She joins the show to discuss , her book on process-based assessment published by Times 10 Publications. Ross and Elizabeth discuss: How to introduce small, measurable, progress-driven goals while de-emphasizing grades as the outcome A relevant story from James Clear’s Atomic Habits that illustrates key concepts about student learning The standards of evaluation for process-based assessment Helping students build daily habits that encourage progress, not perfection Why it would be counterproductive to accept late student work Transferring control to the student “Trust the process.” Hacking Student Learning Habits: 9 Ways to Foster Resilient Learners and Assess the Process, Not the Outcome is available from Times 10 Publications. Get it . Visit Elizabeth’s website: Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest Elizabeth Jorgensen is an award-winning writer and teacher. In 2021, she was named one of 20 of America’s Most Inspiring Educators (The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation Teacher Innovator Awards). She was also named a PBS Innovative Educator, among several other awards. Her memoir was released in 2019. Narrated in alternating voices, Go, Gwen, Go: A Family’s Journey to Olympic Gold (Meyer & Meyer Sport), is an inspiring story about Olympian Gwen Jorgensen and her family. Follow her on Twitter About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25048818

Tackling the Motivation Crisis with Mike Anderson The Authority 12 11/17/2022

Tackling the Motivation Crisis with Mike Anderson The Authority 12 Veteran educator and consultant Mike Anderson joins the podcast this week to discuss his ninth book, Tackling the Motivation Crisis: How to Activate Student Learning Without Behavior Charts, Pizza Parties, and Other Hard-to-Quit Incentive Systems. Mike and Ross discuss: Evidence of the motivation crisis in schools — but why it also may not be as bad as it seems What’s wrong with incentives? Why incentive systems are so hard to quit The six key intrinsic motivators and how educators can use them to get students engaged “We need to make sure students’ academic work is compelling and interesting enough that they will want to do it.” The times when extrinsic motivation might work Tackling the Motivation Crisis is published by ASCD. Find it . Additional Resources: Access Mike’s LiveBinder with many more resources on tackling the motivation crisis: Learn about Mike’s . Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators. About today’s guest Mike Anderson has been an educator for more than 25 years. A public school teacher for 15 years, he has also taught preschool, coached swim teams, and taught university graduate level classes. He now works as a consultant, providing professional learning for teachers throughout the United States and beyond. In 2020, he was awarded the Outstanding Educational Leader Award by NHASCD for his work as a consultant. Learn more at or connect on Twitter About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter /episode/index/show/3b8f6742-637d-4144-a4f5-ff21a8ed24b3/id/25048758

The Authority Podcast

TOPICS