Have a Life Teaching

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching, John Schembari speaks with Musical IQ leaders Philip Gillette and James Soler about how music can become a bridge to culture, identity, collaboration, and deeper learning.

The conversation explores how schools can move beyond treating music and the arts as “extras” and instead use them as powerful tools for engagement, systems thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and community building.

Top...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. William DeJean, CEO of Unleash Learning, to unpack a reality many school leaders are feeling but struggling to name: we’re in an era of overwhelm.

We explore why traditional approaches to leadership—compliance, checklists, and even strategy overload—are no longer enough.

Instead, William makes the case for systems thinking: grounding schools in a clear teaching and learning mission and a stable ...

In this episode, we explore one of the most debated questions in literacy instruction:

👉 Should students read grade-level texts or texts matched to their ability?

Joined by Dr. Noreen Bunt, we unpack:

• Why grade-level text access matters for all students
• The risks of over-relying on leveled grouping
• How to support struggling readers without lowering expectations
• Practical strategies for:
• The evolving role of literacy in content-area c...

International Schools: What Educators Need to Know

Summary:
What is it really like to teach in an international school? This episode explores the realities—opportunities, challenges, and misconceptions—of working abroad as an educator.

Key Points:
• There is no single definition of an international school
• Leadership and school quality matter more than location
• Compensation often includes housing, travel, and benefits
• Professional gr...

In this episode, I’m joined by Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio, authors of Lead It Like Lasso, to explore what school leaders can learn from Ted Lasso. We discuss leadership archetypes, building authentic school culture, and why leaders don’t need all the answers to be effective.

We also dig into developing reluctant leaders, surrounding yourself with the right team, and the difference between students being “finished” vs. truly “...

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching, we explore what it really means to prepare students for a future shaped by rapidly evolving technology.

While tools like flight simulation may seem niche, the deeper conversation is about something much bigger: how we design learning experiences that build decision-making, problem-solving, and real-world application.

We discuss how immersive environments and AI-powered tools are shifting stud...

In this episode, I’m joined by Mariya Gluzman to explore how educators can use Notebook LM to support—not replace—student thinking.

We discuss how AI is shifting instruction from product to process, and how tools like Notebook LM can help structure deeper learning, safer AI use, and more intentional instructional design.

• AI should supplement thinking, not replace it
• Traditional plagiarism detection is no longer reliable → task des...

Leadership Isn’t About the Idea as much as It’s About the Decision

Most leaders have great ideas. The difference? Execution lives in the shadow between idea and reality.

In this podcast episode, we speak with Norman Hunter - author of the book "Between the Idea and the Reality: Decision-Making for the Thinking Educational Leader".

We dive into:

Why decision-making defines leadership

How great leaders think beyond the obvious

W...

What can crossword puzzles teach us about learning?

In this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, I speak with crossword constructor and social scientist Natan Last, author of Across the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle.

We explore how crossword puzzles bring together language, mathematics, history, and creative thinking—and why they can be powerful tools for classroom learning.

Natan explains how...

In this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, John speaks with Dr. Danita Grissom and Dr. Vicki Kelner, co-authors of High Five to Thrive: Five Proven Practices to Unleash Your Passion for Teaching.

The conversation explores why so many teachers are overwhelmed, why burnout is often created by the system rather than the individual, and what educators and leaders can do to restore hope, regulation, and sustainability. The gues...

In this episode of Have a Life Teaching Podcast, John sits down with Jeff Riley, former Commissioner of Education for Massachusetts and current Executive Director of Day of AI, a nonprofit initiative launched out of MIT.

Together, they explore what AI truly means for K–12 education beyond the fear, beyond the cheating headlines, and beyond the hype.

Jeff shares:

• Why AI literacy may become the “fourth R”

• How schools can balance inno...

Anyone who has stepped into a K–5 classroom knows this truth: kids need to move. But they also need strong math foundations. So how do we do both—without sacrificing rigor?

In this episode, I sit down with Suzy Koontz, CEO and Founder of Math & Movement, to explore how movement-based learning can dramatically increase math fluency, engagement, and student confidence. A former actuary turned education innovator, Suzy shares how a...

What can the costume designer behind Raiders of the Lost Ark and Michael Jackson’s Thriller teach educators?

A lot.

In this episode, Dr. Deborah Landis, UCLA professor and legendary Hollywood costume designer (also behind The Blues Brothers, Animal House, and Oscar-nominated for Coming to America), breaks down how costume design is actually about:

• Reading deeply

• Interpreting text

• Understanding culture and history

• Building authentic c...

Why do people keep doing the opposite of what we’ve clearly explained over and over again? Or do nothing at all?

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Judy Newman, researcher, former principal, and author of Influence, for a practical, eye-opening conversation on applied neuroscience, psychology, and learning.

We unpack:

• Why thinking is not the same as learning (neurons fire vs. wire)

• How trust, relationships, and growth map directly...

In this wide-ranging conversation, Carol Ann Tomlinson reflects on her unconventional path into teaching and the classroom realities that led her to redefine differentiation—not as a set of tactics, but as an ethical stance toward learners.

Key Themes & Takeaways:

• Differentiation ≠ multiple lesson plans: It’s about common goals with multiple pathways, supports, and timelines.

• Choice builds agency: Students learn more deeply wh...

What if schools taught longevity—not just aging?

On the latest episode of the podcast, I spoke with Karol Schwartzlander (California Commission on Aging) and Judith Hemphill about why aging belongs in our K–12 conversations.

We’ve added nearly 30 years to life expectancy, yet schools rarely prepare students for long, multigenerational lives. Aging doesn’t start at retirement—it starts at birth.

Key ideas from the conversation:

Positive...

Grammar doesn’t fail because students can’t learn it.
It fails because of how it’s taught.

In this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, I’m joined by literacy expert Patty McGee, co-author of Not Your Granny’s Grammar, to rethink grammar instruction from the ground up.

We explore how grammar can be:

• taught through sentences, play, and inquiry

• embedded across ELA, science, and social studies

• accessible to multilingual lear...

In this episode, I speak with Adam Watson about role-playing and gamification as serious instructional tools, not motivational add-ons.

We explore how well-designed role-play:

• Shifts students from passive responders to active decision-makers

• Lowers affective risk while increasing cognitive demand

• Uses identity, narrative, and constraints to deepen reasoning

• Supports academic discourse without overscripting language

This conversa...

As we return to the second half of the school year, and exhaustion starts to set in, morale often becomes fragile—for teachers, students, and leaders alike.

In this episode, John is joined by Dr. Darrin Peppard, former Wyoming Principal of the Year and founder of Road to Awesome Consulting, to explore a critical reframe: morale isn’t a program—it’s a byproduct of a well-run school.

Darren traces his own leadership journey from class...