Teach Me, Teacher

Every great teacher has something students can't find in a textbook: themselves. In this episode of Teach Me, Teacher, Jacob sits down with educator and author Jay Wamsted to discuss how teaching becomes transformational when we stop trying to fit a mold and start embracing our own originality. While Jay's latest novel, The Lockdown Artist, serves as the backdrop for the conversation, the heart of this episode is about the people behind the lesson plans. Jay shares why he chose fiction as a way to wrestle with the questions that have followed him throughout his years in the classroom—questions about belonging, curiosity, relationships, and the kind of schools we're creating for students. Together, Jacob and Jay explore an idea that every educator needs to hear: your personality isn't separate from your teaching—it is your teaching. The stories you tell, the passions you share, the music you love, the way you laugh, and the way you see the world become the "hook" students attach to. Long before they remember your content, they remember you. The conversation is a reminder that students don't need another perfect teacher. They need authentic adults who are willing to bring their whole selves into the classroom. Because when teachers embrace what makes them unique, they create spaces where students feel permission to do the same. If you've ever wondered what truly makes a classroom unforgettable, this episode offers a simple answer: it starts with the courage to be yourself.

This week on Teach Me, Teacher, Jacob sits down with lifelong educator and friend Pam Ochoa — former cohost of the Craft & Draft podcast — who has stepped back into the high school classroom after retirement. Why now? What pulled her back? Together, they wrestle with big questions facing the profession: Where has quality professional development gone? Has the era of student voice and choice quietly faded? And what happens to schools when the champions of that work leave? Jacob and Pam dig into real data from schools where student voice and choice once thrived — and examine what happened after they stepped away. The results are sobering. This is an honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversation about leadership, sustainability, and whether we're losing something essential in today's classrooms. If you care about student agency, teacher autonomy, and the future of the profession — this episode is for you.

Hello everyone. What we do as educators has meaning, and the lives that we interact with and that affect us are just as powerful as what we offer them. Unfortunately, one of my previous students lost her life in the last few weeks, and I wanted to take the time to give my respects, solid her impact, and share her wonder with the audience.

I am thrilled to welcome back sociologist and education thought-leader Dr. Anindya Kundu for a powerful conversation about what it truly takes to lead schools and communities toward meaningful change. You may remember Anindya from our earlier discussions on systemic inequality and student agency. In this return visit, we go deeper into why traditional models of leadership no longer serve our schools — and how we must evolve our approaches to meet the challenges of today's educational landscape. Anindya's new book, Transforming Educational Leadership: Non-Traditional Narratives to Promote Equity in Uncertain Times, offers a compelling roadmap for rethinking leadership in education by elevating the voices and experiences of students, educators, families, and leaders who are leading in new ways. Drawing from narrative research and sociological insight, he challenges the idea that leadership is something done to people and reframes it as a collective practice. In this conversation, we explore: Why educational leadership must move beyond managerial efficiency How stories from multiple stakeholders help us understand what real leadership looks like in unsettled times How we got to where we are today with the lack of trust in public education Whether you're an educator, administrator, parent, or advocate, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership and inspire you to engage in the higher-order work of transforming systems, not just coping with them.

On this week's Teach Me, Teacher we sit down with Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath — neuroscientist, educator, and author — to dive deep into one of the most urgent debates in education today: the role of technology in schools. All of the discussion items in this episode are inspired by and directed by Jared's latest book: The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids' Learning — And How To Help Them Thrive Again — check it out here. In this powerful conversation, Jared breaks down the myth of educational technology. His new book takes a rigorous, research-grounded view of why digital tools — once hailed as revolutionary — often fail to deliver on their promises and can actually hinder real learning. Jared and I explore how technology went from a supplemental tool to a central feature of classrooms. Fueled by optimism, investment, and the idea that digital tools automatically mean innovation, schools adopted laptops, tablets, apps, and AI — often without deep evidence that these tools improve learning. Drawing on decades of cognitive research, Jared explains how digital distraction — from multitasking to constant notifications — can disrupt memory, attention, and deep thinking. These are the very processes that real learning depends on. Rather than simply adding more tech, we talked about what happens when schools put teachers, relationships, and focused engagement back at the center of learning. Jared makes the case that most student-facing screens should be phased out — not because technology is inherently bad, but because its dominant role undermines learning outcomes and critical thinking skills We also cover what better education actually looks like: classrooms where print media, discussion, reflection, and deep practice take priority — and where technology serves only highly specific, evidence-based purposes rather than driving instruction. As schools grapple with stagnant achievement, reduced attention spans, and rising concerns about student well-being, this episode challenges the assumption that more technology equals better learning. It's time for educators, parents, and policy makers to rethink the role of ed tech — and that starts with honest conversations like this one. Check out our previous discussion on the podcast here.

Hello everyone! Writefully Empowered is HERE! It's my second book, all about creating a writing workshop that empowers young people to be their best and write pieces they care about. In this episode, I talk with my co-host of Craft & Draft (my paused second podcast) about her experience with reading the book, what her takeaways are, and what other educators might find useful in it too. This episode previously aired when the book was released. You can get the book here.