Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators

Shifting Schools is a thought-provoking podcast that explores the latest trends, strategies, and tools in K-12 education. Hosted by educators Jeff Utecht and Tricia Friedman, the podcast provides a platform for teachers, administrators, and education thought leaders to share their experiences and insights on how to improve teaching and learning. From innovative approaches in classroom management to leveraging technology for personalized learning, Shifting Schools tackles the most pressing issues facing K12 educators today. Whether you are a seasoned teacher or a new educator, this podcast will inspire you to think outside the box and shift your educational approach. Tune in to Shifting Schools to gain new perspectives, share ideas, and join a community of passionate educators who are committed to making a positive impact in the lives of their students. Follow us at @shiftingschools on Twitter and @shiftingschoolspod on Instagram and Tiktok

How to Raise a Reader from Birth with Sandra Magsamen 08/10/2026

How to Raise a Reader from Birth with Sandra Magsamen What can a board book offer a baby who cannot yet speak or even hold it independently? Award-winning author, illustrator, and art therapist Sandra Magsamen joins Tricia to discuss Hello, Baby, her new board book created for children from birth to age three. With bright illustrations, melodic language, playful terms of endearment, and a mirror that places the baby inside the story, the book is designed to support far more than early literacy. Sandra explains how reading with a baby can build connection, vocabulary, attention, curiosity, and a growing sense of belonging. She also shares practical advice for parents, grandparents, and caregivers who may feel unsure about reading aloud: hold the baby close, play with the words, welcome the giggles, and do not worry about delivering a perfect performance. The conversation also considers what happens when adults treat books as objects children may freely touch, explore, drop, and even chew. Sandra and Tricia discuss why a home filled with accessible books and a healthy tolerance for “uh-oh” moments can help children associate reading with pleasure, discovery, and agency. Sandra closes by reflecting on her own growth as an artist. After more than 25 years of creating for children and families, she explains why successful artists still need to experiment, how becoming a grandmother is opening new creative directions, and why our work should be allowed to change as we do. In this conversation: What babies notice in illustrations How reading aloud supports bonding and early development Simple ways to make board books playful and interactive Why babies benefit from seeing themselves in a book The connection between reading, safety, and belonging Why children should be allowed to handle and explore books What mistakes and mess can contribute to creativity How Sandra continues to grow after a long creative career Hello, Baby is written and illustrated by Sandra Magsamen and published by Cartwheel Books, an imprint of Scholastic. It is intended for babies from birth to age three and includes an embedded mirror on its final spread. . Thank you to our show sponsor: Unfurl Learn more with Unfurl: Are you subscribed to AI Forward? One lucky listener can win a pro account, be sure to subscribe to AI Forward to learn more: /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/42376990

Who Gets to Lead? Expanding Student Voice with Rachel Thrash 08/03/2026

Who Gets to Lead? Expanding Student Voice with Rachel Thrash When schools picture a student leader, they often imagine the confident speaker, the high achiever, or the student who already understands how to succeed within existing systems. But what about the students who are rarely invited to lead? In this episode, Tricia speaks with educator and author Rachel Thrash about expanding student leadership beyond the familiar few. Her book, , presents leadership as something every young person can practice, not a privilege reserved for students who already fit a traditional leadership profile. Rachel explains how educators can move from simply asking for student input to genuinely co-creating with learners. She discusses why adults need the courage to admit they do not have every answer, what students gain when educators resist solving every problem for them, and how shared responsibility can strengthen student agency, belonging, and school culture. The conversation also offers practical tools schools can use to make student voice more authentic and inclusive. In this episode: Why traditional student leadership models leave many learners out The difference between student voice, student agency, and student leadership How co-creation changes the relationship between educators and students Why adults should resist rushing in to solve every student problem How uncertainty can become part of authentic leadership Practical ways to create more inclusive leadership opportunities How shared responsibility supports belonging and school culture What it means to treat leadership as a practice rather than a title This conversation is for teachers, school leaders, instructional coaches, and anyone seeking practical ways to increase student voice, agency, belonging, and participation in school decision-making. Featured guest: Rachel Thrash, educator and author of Let the Learners Lead: Empowering Student Voice to Co-Create School Culture Thank you to our show sponsor: Unfurl Learn more with Unfurl: Are you subscribed to AI Forward? One lucky listener can win a pro account, be sure to subscribe to AI Forward to learn more: /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/42301730

How do we teach students to sit with evidence longer? 07/27/2026

How do we teach students to sit with evidence longer? What happens when historical research uncovers a truth you are not sure you want to know? In this episode of Shifting Schools, Tricia speaks with author Christine Kuehn and her husband and research partner, Mark Schiponi, about Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor. Christine’s investigation began with a startling discovery: members of her family had been deeply involved with the Nazi Party, and her grandfather had been convicted for his role connected to the attack on Pearl Harbor. What followed was a 30-year search through family testimony, declassified FBI files, National Archives records, historical accounts, photographs, and long-buried memories. Christine and Mark describe the emotional strain of researching a painful family history and the many times the project was packed away because the discoveries became too difficult to face. They also explain how they compared official records with family stories, handled contradictions, organized years of handwritten notes, and decided what evidence could be trusted. The conversation also examines the craft of making history readable. Christine and Mark wanted the book to reach people who might never choose a conventional work of World War II history. They discuss weaving the past together with Christine’s present-day investigation, writing nonfiction with the momentum of a novel, and removing compelling material when it no longer served the larger story. For educators, the episode offers a useful exploration of historical inquiry, source evaluation, inherited narratives, memory, and the role storytelling plays in keeping difficult history visible. It raises questions that belong in history, humanities, media-literacy, and ELA classrooms: How do we respond when evidence challenges the stories we have inherited? What responsibilities come with uncovering painful history? How can writers make complex historical research accessible without weakening its accuracy? What can students learn by comparing personal testimony, archival documents, photographs, government records, and published histories? Christine also reflects on secrecy, shame, and the realization that people are not responsible for their ancestors’ actions. They can, however, decide how honestly they will confront that history and what choices they will make in their own lives. In this episode: • The emotional cost of investigating a family’s Nazi past • Using declassified FBI files and National Archives records • Comparing family memories with documentary evidence • Turning 30 years of research into a coherent narrative • Writing history for readers who do not consider themselves historians • Confronting inherited shame and family secrecy • Deciding what to remove when it no longer serves the story • Teaching difficult history through human stories • Responding to historical denial and misinformation Timestamps: 00:00 The emotional and practical challenges of the research 03:49 Organizing decades of evidence and handwritten notes 07:20 Why confronting painful truths can matter 11:36 Sharing a private family history with the public 15:15 Historical storytelling and what comes next 18:55 Creating the book’s past-and-present structure 21:48 Knowing when a powerful passage must be removed About the book: Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn combines memoir, archival investigation, World War II history, Nazi espionage, and the secret history surrounding Pearl Harbor. The book follows Christine’s effort to understand her family’s involvement and the effects that secrecy had on later generations. Content note: This conversation discusses Nazism, antisemitism, the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor, family trauma, and inherited shame. Resources mentioned: Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn Christine Kuehn’s Politics and Prose conversation The United States National Archives Declassified FBI records and Freedom of Information Act research Subscribe to Shifting Schools for conversations about education, historical and media literacy, emerging technology, storytelling, and the questions shaping how young people understand the world. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/42218740

How Nolan's Odyssey and Cover Songs Help Us Talk About AI 07/22/2026

Ted Lasso's Cristo Fernández: Fútbol Is Life, and It's Never Too Late to Dream 07/20/2026

When Students Go After Real Problems 07/18/2026

When Students Go After Real Problems When Alex Campbell set out to teach sociology through true crime, he wasn't trying to catch a murderer. He was trying to make the stakes real. Nine years later, his high school students in Appalachia have restored names to victims of the "redheaded murders," helped families, and become the subject of a limited series with a perfect critic score. But as Alex tells it, the thing that mattered most was never on the syllabus: how much his students came to care. In this conversation, Alex and Tricia dig into what it actually takes to hand young people a real problem — and why that's the whole point. In this episode: Why sociology and murder aren't apples and oranges — and how high stakes bring out the best in students The surprise Alex didn't plan for: students connecting with victims who died decades before they were born Schools as "the institution best at separating people" — and how project-based learning breaks down the walls His three-part test for a real project: passion-driven, community-focused, interdisciplinary Practical, permission-giving advice for teachers who find this exciting and scary — start small, start with a partner, use the resources that already exist "You don't work for me": how buy-in reframes classroom management and reaches the students who've stopped believing in school's promises Civics you can feel — freedom-of-information requests, and why John Benet Ramsey has a thousand websites and Lori Pennell had almost none The creative gamble behind the series: victim-forward, not offender-forward, and a true-crime story that doesn't end tied up in a bow Portraying Appalachia and teenagers with authenticity instead of stereotype Using the series for professional development — what to watch for, and why it might matter more than you'd expect Building a house, powerlifting, and teaching yourself: Alex on learning as a lifelong series of real problems to solve Watch: Murder 101 is streaming now. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/42138195

Do you want to better understand your team? 07/15/2026

The perfect middle grade book for readers during The World Cup 07/13/2026

The perfect middle grade book for readers during The World Cup Award-winning author Christina Diaz Gonzalez joins Tricia to discuss Offside, her new bilingual middle-grade graphic novel about soccer, friendship, ambition, identity, and finding the courage to use your voice. Although soccer brings the characters together, Offside is also a story about young people learning to form their own opinions rather than simply inheriting the assumptions of the adults around them. Christina explains why she wanted her characters to have real agency, including the ability to challenge gender stereotypes, rethink competition, navigate conflict, and sometimes help their parents see the world differently. The conversation also examines how much may be happening beneath a young person’s behaviour. A student who appears selfish, overly ambitious, withdrawn, or uncertain may be responding to pressures at home, shifting friendships, injury, loneliness, or the fear of no longer knowing who they are. Christina shares the thinking behind writing a graphic novel in which English and Spanish appear together as part of the characters’ lives rather than as separate translations. She also discusses Palmer, a young athlete who must reconsider his identity after an injury keeps him from playing. Through writing and journalism, he discovers another way to participate in the game and another way to create change. Tricia and Christina also talk about the literary complexity of graphic novels, Christina’s highly improvisational writing process, her earlier career in law, and the habit that continues to fuel her creativity: asking “What if?” about the people, stories, and possibilities she encounters. In this episode: • Why young people should be trusted to navigate conflict and form their own views • How Offside challenges gender stereotypes and inherited assumptions • The complexity behind students’ choices and behaviour • Why bilingual graphic novels can support belonging and language learning • What happens when an athlete can no longer define himself through sport • Writing and journalism as tools for participation and change • Why graphic novels deserve recognition as complex literary works • Christina’s “pantser” approach to writing without a traditional outline • How curiosity and “what if” questions generate new stories This conversation will interest educators, librarians, families, coaches, and anyone looking for books that help young people think about identity, friendship, fairness, and the many different ways they can contribute. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/42055335

AI Literacy Is Problem-Solving Literacy 07/07/2026

AI Literacy Is Problem-Solving Literacy Tricia Friedman shares a real-life story about a flooded basement, an insurance claim, and what it revealed about AI literacy. After a major storm in Ottawa caused basement flooding, Tricia found herself facing the kind of problem many people recognize: too many damaged items, too many documents, too many decisions, and a process that can quickly become overwhelming. But this time, compared with a similar flood two years earlier, the experience felt different. Using AI tools, Tricia organized photos of damaged belongings, created an insurance-ready inventory, reviewed policy details, searched for replacement costs, identified relevant local supports, and built a project plan for the weeks ahead. She also used AI to think through communication with the insurance company, plan around disruption at home, and even create a small family recipe resource in the middle of the chaos. The point is not that AI made the flood easy. It did not. The point is that AI changed Tricia’s capacity to respond. For educators, that distinction matters. Too often, school conversations about AI focus on shortcuts, cheating, prompt-writing, or which tool to use. This episode asks us to widen the frame. AI literacy is also about helping students become stronger problem solvers. That means knowing how to break down a complex situation, gather evidence, ask better questions, compare options, verify claims, communicate clearly, and decide what to do next. This kind of AI literacy belongs across the curriculum. A flood insurance claim can become a math problem, a media literacy problem, a civics problem, a consumer rights problem, a writing problem, a design problem, and a wellbeing problem. That is the real invitation here: bring AI bigger problems, not just cleaner prompts. In this episode: Tricia explains how AI helped her organize a flood-related insurance claim. She reflects on the difference between using AI for a task and using AI to manage a complex problem. The episode explores why AI literacy should include verification, judgment, documentation, and communication. Tricia makes the case that schools need to help students practice using AI in realistic, interdisciplinary situations. She also raises an equity question: if AI can help people navigate systems like insurance, consumer rights, city services, and legal language, then every student deserves to understand how to use it responsibly. For educators, this episode asks: What kinds of real problems are we inviting students to bring to AI? Are students learning how to check AI outputs against evidence, policy, data, and lived context? How might AI help students see connections across math, language, civics, research, and design? What does it mean to teach AI literacy as a form of agency, not just technical skill? Big idea: AI literacy is not mainly about knowing how to use a chatbot. It is about knowing how to think with a tool when the problem is complicated, consequential, and real. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41991490

Jerry Spinelli: What Young Writers Need to Know About Stories 07/06/2026

Jerry Spinelli: What Young Writers Need to Know About Stories Newbery Medal-winning author Jerry Spinelli joins the podcast for a conversation about writing, perseverance, childhood, and the stories that stay with young readers. Known to many elementary and middle school teachers through books such as Maniac Magee, Stargirl, Wringer, and his latest book, Fifth Grade Top Dogs, Spinelli reflects on the long road to becoming a published author. Before his first book found a home, he wrote four novels that were rejected and spent nearly twenty-five years working toward publication. His story offers a useful reminder for K–12 classrooms: writing is not only about talent. It is also about patience, attention, revision, and staying with the work when it gets difficult. In this episode, Spinelli talks about why stories matter, why a writer’s first job is to pay attention, and why childhood remains so recognizable across generations. Haircuts, clothes, slang, and games may change, but children’s feelings about friendship, fear, belonging, rivalry, and being understood remain deeply familiar. For educators, this conversation connects directly to writing instruction, read-aloud culture, social-emotional learning, and the classroom power of books. Spinelli shares how he begins with noticing, moves into pages of notes, and then faces what he calls the difficult middle of a story. That process gives teachers a practical way to talk with students about creative stamina and the normal struggle of shaping an idea into finished writing. The conversation also includes a moving story about a teacher whose students chose to keep listening to one of Spinelli’s books instead of going outside for recess. For anyone who has seen a read-aloud transform the energy of a classroom, that moment will feel familiar. Listen for: Jerry Spinelli’s twenty-five-year path to publication. Why perseverance matters for young writers. How noticing becomes the foundation of storytelling. What teachers can say to students about the hard middle of a writing project. Why books help students understand themselves and one another. How classroom read-alouds can create lasting reading memories. Featured book: Fifth Grade Top Dogs by Jerry Spinelli. Optional chapter markers: 00:00 — Jerry Spinelli on rejection, resilience, and becoming a writer 02:37 — Why stories matter 04:15 — Fifth Grade Top Dogs, siblings, and understanding childhood 08:07 — Paying attention as the first job of a writer 13:00 — The Newbery Medal, reader letters, and the classroom power of read-alouds /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41974090

Colin Woodard on Civic Identity, Trust, and the American Story 07/05/2026

Colin Woodard on Civic Identity, Trust, and the American Story In this Fourth of July weekend episode, Tricia Friedman speaks with Colin Woodard, director of Nationhood Lab at Salve Regina University’s Pell Center, about national identity, civic trust, polarization, and the stories that shape how people understand belonging. Woodard’s work asks a question that belongs in every civics and history classroom: What story holds a nation together? Drawing from his background as a historian, journalist, and researcher, he explains why national identity is not abstract. It shapes how people understand who belongs, what freedom means, how communities make decisions, and what kind of future they believe is possible. The conversation explores two competing visions of the United States: one rooted in civic ideals and the promise of equal freedom, and another rooted in exclusion, hierarchy, and inherited identity. For K–12 educators, this framing offers a powerful way to help students examine founding ideals without simplifying the conflict, contradiction, and struggle embedded in the American story. Woodard also discusses polarization and why Americans may agree on more than they realize, even while political systems and media environments often push people into opposing camps. The episode closes with a look at social capital: the local relationships, associations, clubs, faith communities, civic groups, and shared spaces that help people know and trust one another. This episode is especially useful for history teachers, civics teachers, humanities educators, curriculum leaders, and school communities preparing for America 250. It invites educators to help students think about national stories not as slogans, but as living civic questions: Who belongs? What do we owe one another? What makes trust possible? What kind of community are we trying to build? Suggested classroom connections include civic identity, polarization, primary source inquiry, constitutional ideals, national myths, media literacy, local community research, social capital, civil discourse, and student reflection on belonging and responsibility. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41964940

Teaching the Declaration Beyond the Fourth of July 07/05/2026

Teaching the Declaration Beyond the Fourth of July In this Fourth of July weekend episode, Tricia Friedman speaks with historian and author Katie Kennedy about her new book, The Declaration Decoded, and the stories behind America’s foundational documents. For history and civics educators, this conversation offers a timely reminder: founding documents are not static artifacts to memorize. They were written by real people, shaped by conflict, compromise, risk, contradiction, and imagination. Kennedy helps bring those documents back into the realm of human storytelling, where students can see both the courage and complexity behind the words that continue to shape civic life. This episode is especially relevant for K–12 educators looking for ways to make history feel alive without flattening it. Rather than treating the Declaration and other founding texts as finished products, Kennedy invites us to examine the conditions, debates, choices, and tensions that produced them. That approach can help students move beyond dates and quotations into deeper questions about power, voice, evidence, freedom, belonging, and responsibility. Listeners will come away with ideas for helping students read historical documents with curiosity, care, and critical attention. The conversation also offers a useful entry point for educators preparing lessons around Independence Day, civic identity, primary source analysis, or the upcoming America 250 conversations. This episode is a strong fit for history teachers, civics teachers, humanities educators, librarians, curriculum leaders, and anyone interested in helping young people understand how the past continues to shape the choices we make in the present. Suggested classroom connections include primary source inquiry, civic discussion, historical thinking, document analysis, media literacy, and student reflection on how national stories are created, preserved, questioned, and revised. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41964910

What 600 Letters Can Teach Us About WWII 06/29/2026

AI in Schools Is Changing: What Leaders Need Now 06/22/2026

AI in Schools Is Changing: What Leaders Need Now In this episode of Shifting Schools, Jeff and Tricia reflect on the 2025–2026 school year and what they are seeing as schools move into a more mature phase of AI work. The conversation moves beyond tools and prompt tips into the deeper questions now facing educators and school leaders: AI companions, student wellbeing, shadow AI use, schoolwide expectations, sustained professional learning, and the need to rethink pedagogy for a world shaped by information overload. Jeff and Tricia discuss why AI support in schools can no longer be limited to one-off workshops. They share what they are hearing from school leaders, counselors, teachers, support staff, and districts that are beginning to ask for longer-term help. The episode also explores why honest, nonjudgmental conversations matter, especially when students and adults are already using AI in personal, social, and emotional ways. 00:00 — Opening reflection on the 2025–2026 school year Jeff welcomes listeners and invites Tricia to reflect on the year in AI and schools. 00:37 — AI companions become a serious school conversation Tricia shares why this was the year more school leaders became open to talking about AI companions. 02:39 — Companionship, loneliness, and parasocial relationships Tricia connects AI companion use to broader human patterns of connection, including parasocial relationship theory. 04:54 — Why school counselors need to be part of the AI conversation Jeff and Tricia discuss students turning to AI for advice and support, and how counselors can respond without dismissing students’ experiences. 06:23 — Shadow AI use in schools Jeff explains why schools need to name the AI use already happening among staff, students, and support teams. 08:58 — Honesty, openness, and nonjudgmental conversations Tricia highlights what has not changed: the need for trust, honesty, and open dialogue. 09:18 — The “large breed puppy” problem Tricia explains why waiting to address AI is risky, using the analogy of training a large dog while it is still small. 10:00 — From one-off PD to sustained AI support Jeff describes a shift in what districts are asking for: longer-term cohorts, yearlong support, and multi-year planning. 11:49 — What can schools retire now? Tricia and Jeff discuss the chance to move away from outdated practices and ask more complex questions. 12:57 — From information scarcity to information overload Jeff argues that schools were built for a world where information was scarce, but students now need to be assessed on sense-making. 15:00 — New possibilities for learning Tricia points to opportunities for students to tell familiar stories in new ways and work with more complex problems. 15:28 — Summer episodes and favorite replays Jeff previews upcoming summer reflections and replays from the past year. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41722045

The Father’s Day Gift of Curiosity: Brian Boone on Trivia, Memory, and Connection 06/19/2026

Will this be the summer of vibe coding? 06/15/2026

Will this be the summer of vibe coding? In this episode of Shifting Schools, Jeff and Tricia talk about vibe coding: the emerging practice of using AI tools to help turn prompts, sketches, hunches, and half-formed ideas into working prototypes. They look at what this shift means for educators, students, school leaders, and anyone trying to understand how AI is changing the relationship between imagination and production. This is not a conversation about replacing technical skill. It is a conversation about what becomes possible when more people can test ideas, build small tools, and learn through making. Jeff and Tricia explore the promise, the messiness, and the limits of vibe coding. In this episode, Jeff and Tricia discuss: How vibe coding changes the entry point into programming and prototyping. Why prompting, testing, revising, and debugging still matter. How AI-assisted creation can support curiosity, experimentation, and iteration. How vibe coding connects to design thinking, computational thinking, and digital humanities. Questions to discuss if you use this episode as a team meeting resource: What should students understand before, during, and after using AI to help them code? How might vibe coding give more students access to building tools, games, simulations, websites, or data projects? Where might you experiment with vibe coding in one small way this summer? For educators: This episode can be used as a conversation starter for teams thinking about AI literacy, computer science, project-based learning, media literacy, or assessment. It also connects directly to digital humanities work, especially when students use code to explore stories, archives, maps, texts, timelines, or cultural data in new ways. Possible staff discussion prompt: If students can now build working digital projects before they have mastered traditional coding, what do we want them to learn from the process? Listen for: The difference between making something that works and understanding why it works. Links we refer to: /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41649270

Meredith Walker on Why “Be Yourself” Isn’t Enough 06/08/2026

How to build a story one ingredient at a time with Keala Kendall 06/01/2026

How to build a story one ingredient at a time with Keala Kendall Join us as Keala Kendall, author of the compelling gothic novel That Which Feeds Us, takes us through her creative process, the importance of representation in storytelling, and how horror can serve as a mirror to society's fears and unresolved histories. This conversation uncovers the layers behind her work, blending culture, history, and genre to provoke thought and evoke emotion. Main topics covered: Kendall's artistic process and how the novel evolved from initial inspiration The significance of Hawaiian history, colonialism, and land in her storytelling How research and world-building influenced the succinct yet powerful narrative The role of horror in exploring societal fears and marginalized voices The creative benefits of genre fiction, especially horror, in addressing difficult truths Personal journey: reading influences, media inspiration, and her experiences as a Pacific Islander author The novel’s reception, including selection by Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, and its impact on conversations about Hawaii The importance of representation and amplification of Pacific Islander stories in publishing How fiction can be a tool for education and social change Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to the novel That Which Feeds Us 00:30 - The inspiration and artistic process behind the book 01:25 - Use of horror to tell stories rooted in colonial history 02:16 - Hawaii as a gothic setting and its historical echoes 03:00 - How the novel balances brevity with depth and world-building 06:13 - Introducing the protagonist, Lihua, and her connection to Hawaii 07:03 - The significance of the book’s title and themes of reciprocal land relationships 07:53 - The impact of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection 08:28 - What readers might discuss after reading the book 10:05 - Amplifying Pacific Islander voices and stories in publishing 11:17 - The concept of ghosts and history as a collective haunting 12:49 - Confronting Hawaii’s dark history and media portrayals 13:17 - The influence of reading and media on her writing, including White Lotus and horror films 14:05 - Early ideas for the novel and Hawaiian cultural motifs in her stories 15:36 - How horror makes space for taboo topics and societal critique 16:24 - Early stories about sisters and the significance of land in Hawaiian culture 17:22 - Her transition from Massachusetts inspiration to homeland storytelling 18:07 - Influences from film and media, including Moana and Hollywood’s depiction of Hawaii 19:02 - The intersection of media representations and authentic cultural narratives 20:58 - The pandemic’s role in shaping her perspective on Hawaii’s infrastructure 22:12 - Why horror’s capacity for boundary-pushing makes it vital today 23:58 - The societal fears reflected in horror, from Godzilla to Get Out and Us 25:26 - The power of horror in sparking conversations and societal reflection 26:20 - Closing remarks and thoughts on the book’s impact and importance Keala Kendall is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of How Far I’ll Go and Nobody Gets Left Behind in Disney’s A Twisted Tales series. Hapa Native Hawaiian, she is a co-founder of Pacific Islanders Publishing and a past organizer of the charity Books for Maui. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41486680

Veronica Roth on Taylor Swift, Dystopian Fantasy, and the Art of Starting Again 05/25/2026

Dr. Brittney Cooper on Picture Books, Collaboration, and Love 05/18/2026

Why Patricia Cornwell Still Believes in Stories 05/11/2026

Why Patricia Cornwell Still Believes in Stories Patricia Cornwell joins Tricia Friedman for a conversation about memory, writing, curiosity, forensic science, and the memoir she never expected to write. In this episode, Cornwell reflects on the childhood experiences that shaped her imagination, including the early encouragement that helped her begin to see herself as a writer. She talks about learning to “populate the world with imagined characters,” the role of journaling and archival memory in writing memoir, and why finding the opening hook still begins with one question: what am I seeing in my head? The conversation also turns to the ethical weight of writing about violence. Cornwell explains why crime is not abstract to her, why she refuses to treat death as entertainment, and how her work through Kay Scarpetta has influenced readers, forensic science, law enforcement, and public awareness. This is also a conversation about curiosity. Cornwell discusses her need to see, study, and understand things for herself, from forensic settings to archaeology, mummies, research trips, and the physical details that help stories come alive. The episode closes with a reminder that feels especially timely: even as the forms of storytelling change, humans will always need stories. In this episode Patricia Cornwell discusses: How childhood imagination became a survival tool and a writing foundation Why a fourth-grade teacher’s encouragement still matters decades later How she finds the “hook” for a book, including her memoir The journals and early autobiographical writing that helped her reconstruct memory Why writing about crime requires moral care, not exploitation How Kay Scarpetta influenced forensic science, law enforcement, and reader behavior Why curiosity keeps driving her research and creative life The story behind the Annie Leibovitz photograph used for the memoir cover Why stories will continue to matter, even as formats change /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/41245840

The Questions Students Are Asking About AI: and the Mindsets that help Answer Them 05/04/2026

Great gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week 05/03/2026

What we learn when we listen to students 04/26/2026

The Business of You with Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio 04/20/2026

The Business of You with Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio This week Jeff talks with Nick and Marnie about why we want to help students stop waiting for permission and start building a bridge to a career on your their own terms. In this episode, Jeff Utecht is joined by Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio, authors of The Business of You, a book that reframes career growth, personal branding, and leadership through a simple but demanding idea: you are already running a business, and that business is you. Using the story of Sydney, a young professional trying to stand out in a crowded job market, Marnie and Nick explore what it means to move from passive applicant to active architect of your future. We talk about why so many people do everything “right” and still feel invisible, and what it looks like to become more intentional about the way you tell your story, build relationships, and create opportunities. This conversation will be useful for college students, early-career professionals, career changers, and anyone who has ever felt stuck between doing what’s expected and figuring out how to actually get noticed. In this episode, we discuss: What it means to think like a CEO of your own life and work How to tell your story in a way people remember The difference between networking and building real relationships Why personal branding is really about clarity, not self-promotion How to stay visible, strategic, and ready for what comes next A few questions at the center of this episode: Why do so many capable people struggle to stand out? What makes someone memorable in a crowded field? How can students and professionals build a network that actually matters? What does “personal branding” look like when it’s done with honesty and substance? How do you stop chasing the next role and start attracting the right fit? About the book: The Business of You follows Sydney as she begins to see that career success is not just about credentials or checking the right boxes. It is about ownership. Through her story, Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio offer a practical framework for building a career with more intention, more confidence, and more agency. Why listen: This is a conversation about career strategy, but it is also about identity, voice, and self-direction. If you have ever wondered how to make your experience matter more, how to build a network without feeling transactional, or how to stop blending into the pile, this episode gives you a strong place to start. Find the BAKE eBook: Learn more about our guests: social media: @bluethebusinessofyou Amazon: Linkedin: /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/40933900

Sara Amini: The Stories We Carry and the Friends Who See Them 04/13/2026

Why Friendship Is Serious Business for Kids and Adults 04/06/2026

Why Friendship Is Serious Business for Kids and Adults Alyson Gerber joins Tricia Friedman to talk about The Liar Society, why friendship is serious business, and what mystery stories can teach young readers and adults about belonging, trust, competition, and connection. In this conversation, Alyson shares why friendship sits at the center of her work, how middle grade fiction can help readers think more deeply about loneliness and identity, and why the best friends are the ones who cheer for your growth. They also go behind the scenes of writing a mystery series. Alyson explains how she outlines her novels, why she uses the Save the Cat beat sheet, how she thinks about first scenes, pacing, chapter length, and twists, and what it takes to build a story that keeps readers turning pages. For teachers, librarians, and student writers, this episode also includes a practical prompt for helping young people start thinking like mystery writers. This episode is a strong listen for anyone interested in middle grade books, children’s literature, YA-adjacent reading culture, literacy, creative writing, mystery writing, friendship skills, belonging, and how stories help readers take themselves more seriously. Alyson also reflects on the people who encouraged her early in life, the role creativity can play in self-restoration, and why books can help readers step outside the boxes they have been placed in. In this episode: Alyson Gerber on why friendship is foundational The Liar Society and the appeal of mystery for middle grade readers Belonging, competition, and power dynamics in youth friendships The loneliness epidemic and what fiction can teach us about connection Why adults and kids are co-reading this series How Alyson Gerber plots a mystery novel Save the Cat, outlining, pacing, and suspense A simple exercise for teaching students to think like mystery writers Audiobooks, reading habits, and the creative life of a working author Who this episode is for: Teachers, literacy leaders, school librarians, middle grade readers, parents, writers, and anyone thinking about friendship, belonging, and the kinds of stories that help young people feel seen. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/40739545

Living at the edge of emerging technology 03/30/2026

Living at the edge of emerging technology What happens when we stop asking AI to do everything faster and start asking how it might help us understand people better? In this episode, Jeff sits down with Andy Sitison, CTO of , for a conversation about empathetic AI, story collection, and why trust may be the real differentiator in the next phase of technology. Andy shares how his work uses AI not just as a productivity tool, but as a way to surface patterns in human experience by gathering and analyzing stories from real people. Together, they explore what gets lost when efficiency becomes the main goal, why intent matters so much in AI use, and what educators can learn from the way thoughtful organizations listen to communities. Andy explains how story-based analysis can reveal not only answers, but better questions, helping leaders move beyond surveys and toward a deeper understanding of what people are actually feeling and needing. The conversation also turns to schools. Jeff and Andy discuss why educators are often well positioned to use AI well, especially when the goal is support rather than replacement. From drafting difficult parent emails to making sense of complex data sets, Andy argues that AI works best when it helps humans communicate more clearly, think more creatively, and act with more care. There is also a clear caution running through the episode: not every use of AI is a good one. Jeff and Andy push on the difference between meaningful application and empty automation, questioning whether some so-called AI advances are really just profit-driven systems wrapped in new language. It is a useful discussion for school leaders trying to separate signal from noise. This episode is a thoughtful listen for anyone trying to hold onto human connection while navigating rapid technological change. In this episode, we discuss: What Andy means by “empathetic AI” How Share More Stories collects and analyzes human stories at scale Why stories can reveal questions leaders did not know to ask What gets lost when efficiency matters more than empathy Why trust and intent matter in AI adoption Skills educators may need to help students live well with emerging technology Practical, human-centered uses of AI in schools Why better questions may matter more than faster answers The difference between useful AI and AI added for its own sake Memorable ideas from the episode: “Trust is the next big X factor.” AI can help humans connect better when it is applied with care. Story collection can be therapeutic for the storyteller and revealing for the organization. The real power of AI may be in helping us handle complexity, then validate what matters most. Schools need more than tools. They need thoughtfulness, context, and purpose. /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/40653590

Human Still Required: out now! 03/26/2026

Billy Ray on Writing Hope in Dark Times, and Building Future Worlds 03/22/2026

Billy Ray on Writing Hope in Dark Times, and Building Future Worlds What does it take to write a story that faces darkness without surrendering to it? In this episode, Tricia speaks with acclaimed screenwriter Billy Ray about his move into YA fiction with Burn the Water, a future-set story shaped by Shakespeare, political urgency, and a deep belief in young people’s capacity to lead us forward. Their conversation explores community, imagination, hope, and the discipline of creating when the world feels bleak. Billy also offers a sharp look at his writing process, including what changed when he moved from screenwriting to novel writing, and why he sees writing less as inspiration and more as problem-solving. In this conversation, you’ll hear: Why Billy Ray believes community is at the core of everything he writes How Romeo and Juliet and The Hunger Games helped shape Burn the Water Why setting a story 400 years in the future opened up new creative possibilities What it means to write for teens living through uncertainty and disenfranchisement Why hope is not passive, but something we practice How writing can help us process emotion, perspective, and possibility What surprised Billy most about shifting from screenwriting to novel writing Why he approaches writing like a mechanic, not a mystic How structure, routine, and problem-solving power his creative process Memorable ideas from the episode: Billy Ray reflects on the role of story in helping us imagine better futures, even when the present feels unstable. He talks about art as a way to tell the truth through invention, and about the importance of refusing hopelessness. He also shares a compelling view of young people, not as passive inheritors of crisis, but as the very people who may lead us through it. Episode takeaway This is a conversation about craft, courage, and the necessity of hope. For writers, readers, and anyone thinking seriously about the futures we are building, this episode offers both creative insight and moral clarity. Join Tricia for a free Futures Literacy session: /episode/index/show/shiftingourschools/id/40580455

Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators

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