Innovating Education

Lisa Parry on Showing Up, Leaning In, and Leading Schools That Thrive

In this energizing and deeply insightful episode, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Lisa Parry—award-winning principal, TEDx speaker, and co-founder of the Good to Great Teaching mentoring program. With over 30 years in education, Lisa unpacks her leadership philosophy, from teaching one class a year as a principal to mentoring new educators through disillusionment—not just burnout.

We explore what it means to build schools that are relentlessly focused on relationships, learning, and instructional integrity. Lisa shares actionable strategies on likable leadership, conflict resolution, and teacher retention, plus her mindset-shifting approach to growth: “Be 1% better every day.”

If you're a leader navigating complexity, a teacher seeking clarity, or a changemaker trying to bridge vision and practice—this episode is for you.

🔗 Connect with Lisa at principalparry.com and on LinkedIn.

TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v82SWgtXvJI

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Teaching is Hard Because it Matters - Cheri Dixon on Leadership, Mindset, and Heart-Centered Education

In this deeply inspiring conversation, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Cheri Dixon—a three-time bestselling author, turnaround school leader, and founder of Cheri Dixon Consulting, LLC.

With nearly three decades in education, Cheri shares the lessons behind her book The Heroes in Our Classrooms, her experiences rebuilding school culture after Hurricane Harvey, and why mindset—not just mandates—is the real key to transformation. Her vision is bold and refreshingly actionable.

💡 Whether you're a classroom teacher, aspiring leader, or veteran administrator, this episode will remind you why the work is hard—and why it’s worth it.

📚 Books:
The Heros In Our Classrooms

She Said Yes...: And It Made All The Difference

Unleash Her: 30 Powerful Stories of Unleashing the Female Power Within

 

🎤 TEDx Talk: Cheri Dixon

🌐 Contact: CheriDixonConsulting@gmail.com
👥 Facebook & Instagram: Teachers that Sparkle Community
🔗 LinkedIn: Cheri Dixon

Teaching Is Hard Because It Matters: Cheri Dixon on Leadership, Mindset & Why Heart-Centered Educators Change the World

In this deeply inspiring conversation, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Cheri Dixon—a three-time bestselling author, turnaround school leader, and founder of Cheri Dixon Consulting, LLC.

With nearly three decades in education, Cheri shares the lessons behind her book The Heroes in Our Classrooms, her experiences rebuilding school culture after Hurricane Harvey, and why mindset—not just mandates—is the real key to transformation. Her vision is bold and refreshingly actionable.

💡 Whether you're a classroom teacher, aspiring leader, or veteran administrator, this episode will remind you why the work is hard—and why it’s worth it.

📚 Books:
The Heros In Our Classrooms

She Said Yes...: And It Made All The Difference

Unleash Her: 30 Powerful Stories of Unleashing the Female Power Within

 

🎤 TEDx Talk: Cheri Dixon

🌐 Contact: CheriDixonConsulting@gmail.com
👥 Facebook & Instagram: Teachers that Sparkle Community
🔗 LinkedIn: Cheri Dixon

Mastery, Mindset & The Power of Literacy with Dr. Valcine Brown

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Valcine Brown — educator, researcher, literacy advocate, and author — for a transformative conversation that challenges everything we think we know about reading, credit recovery, and assessment in our schools.

Dr. Brown is the author of “Credit Recovery Through Demonstration of Mastery.” Her work focuses on reshaping the way we engage with students, empower educators, and structure recovery programs — not based on seat time, but on skills, growth, and demonstrated mastery.

Inside the episode:
✨ Why mastery-based learning must be teacher-led — not top-down
📚 How student choice in reading creates ownership, accountability, and joy
🧠 What her research reveals about mindset, mirror books, and literacy motivation
💡 How data, PLCs, and real conversations drive scalable, lasting change
🎧 And her passion project: the Drive Thru Lit Review podcast — decoding education research for time-strapped teachers

🔥 Whether you’re a district leader, classroom teacher, researcher, or equity advocate — this episode will leave you inspired and ready to act.

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📘 Dr. Brown’s new book is out now:
"Credit Recovery Through Demonstration of Mastery"
A practical guide for student-centered learning and academic success.
📖 Available via Amazon and all major book platforms →
🔗 https://us.amazon.com/dp/B0DVPNWL2Q

🎧 Listen to her podcast: Drive Thru Lit Review
Short, powerful episodes that break down the research behind impactful teaching.
Now streaming on Apple, Spotify, Google, and more!

🌐 Connect with her at: www.drvalcinebrown.com

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✅ Subscribe, comment, and share this episode with fellow educators and change-makers. Let’s keep rethinking, reimagining, and reinventing what learning can look like.
📢 Available now on all platforms!

#InnovatingEducation #MasteryBasedLearning #EducationPodcast #LiteracyMatters #StudentCenteredLearning #EquityInEducation  #CreditRecovery #ReadingMindset #EdLeadership  #EducationalInnovation #TeacherVoice #ReimaginingEducation

Counselor's Corner: Leading with Kindness: A Conversation with Teresa Ramirez

In this episode of Innovating Education, host Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Teresa Ramirez—award-winning author, motivational speaker, and kindness ambassador—to explore how cultivating kindness at home and in the classroom can transform children’s lives.

 

Theresa shares her personal journey, sparked by a tragic school shooting, that led her to champion a movement centered around everyday acts of kindness. From encouraging parents to step into the role of “CEO of the family” to guiding educators on how to weave empathy into lesson plans, Theresa offers practical strategies that don’t require overhauls—just intention.

 

In this conversation, we dive into:

✔️ How to model kindness through simple, daily moments
✔️ School-wide and classroom activities that foster connection
✔️ Addressing bullying and burnout with restorative and empathetic approaches
✔️ How parents and teachers can work together to reinforce social-emotional growth

This episode is a reminder that kindness isn’t just soft—it’s strategic, essential, and impactful.

📕 Where to find Teresa’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Kind-Children-Become-Lasting/dp/B0D32Q8KW6 
🌐 Connect with her: https://www.journeyinkindness.com/ 

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share!

Principal's Perspective: Educational Paradigm of the Expert, Coach, and Counselor Framework

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Rob McLeod, an international educator and school leader, to explore his groundbreaking "Three Types of Schools" model—Expert, Coach, and Counselor. They discuss how each framework shapes school structures, teacher roles, and student learning experiences, offering fresh perspectives on educational reform and innovation.

🔎 What You'll Learn:
✔️ How Expert, Coach, and Counselor schools impact student engagement and learning outcomes
✔️ Strategies for reducing teacher burnout through intentional school design
✔️ Insights from the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and other educational models
✔️ How democratic education principles align with these frameworks, featuring insights from the School Circles Documentary
✔️ The role of self-directed learning, inspired by Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich

💡 Want more thought-provoking discussions on education? Check out Rob McLeod’s podcast: Reinventing Education

🎧 Tune in now to explore bold ideas that could redefine the future of education!

#InnovatingEducation #Podcast #SchoolLeadership #EducationalReform #TeacherSupport #StudentEngagement #EdLeadership #Deschooling #IBEducation

Empowering Educators: A Talk with the Founders of TEACH LLC

In this episode of Innovating Education, host Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Tyler Hunt and Carrie Wright, co-founders of TEACH LLC, to explore how AI-driven tools are transforming the classroom experience.

Tyler and Carrie share their mission to support teachers by simplifying curriculum planning, assessment creation, and data analysis—allowing educators to focus on what matters most: personalized, engaging learning experiences for students.

💡 What you'll learn in this episode:
✔️ The role of AI in streamlining lesson planning and assessments
✔️ Practical examples of AI-powered tools making a real impact
✔️ Strategies for building trust, ensuring data privacy, and keeping up with AI advancements

🎧 Tune in to discover how AI is reshaping education and how teachers can harness it to enhance learning.

🔗 Learn more about TEACH LLC: teachaiedu.com

#InnovatingEducation #Podcast #AIinEducation #EdTech #TeacherSupport #FutureOfLearning #CurriculumDesign

From Calculators to Confidence: Transforming Math Learning with Darren Finnigan

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Darren Finnegan, mathematics educator, entrepreneur, and founder of TutorMyMath.com. Darren shares his inspiring journey—from struggling with math and relying on a calculator to earning a master’s degree in mathematics and helping others conquer math anxiety.

Together, they challenge the idea that only certain people are “math people” and explore how creativity, curiosity, and personalized learning can transform the way students engage with math. Darren also reveals innovative teaching methods that move beyond rote memorization, helping students build confidence and real-world problem-solving skills.

🎧 Tune in for actionable strategies to make math more accessible, engaging, and enjoyable.