The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation & Resources

Tinsel, Turkeys & Trying New Things: Holiday Special with the Hasslers

Send us a textWe hit “Go Live” to close our longest season yet and lean into a simple truth: growth beats perfect. Holiday crunch time made the choice easy—pivot, try the new thing, and share what’s working for educators and parents who want less noise and more clarity. We review the milestone that mattered most this year—CPD credits for listeners—so your professional learning can count toward recertification while you collect practical strategies you’ll actually use.Across the season, AI literacy became a defining throughline. We highlight four standout conversations featuring innovators who make AI useful, ethical, and human-centered. From Endless Studios and its free pathway for students to build real portfolios, to teacher- and parent-friendly guidance on boundaries, citations, and transparency, we map a path from curiosity to confident use. You’ll hear about Notebook LM for source-grounded studying that turns dense readings into clear summaries and audio explainers, Canva AI for building interactive learning games in minutes, and InstaLesson for drafting adaptable, standards-aligned lessons that save precious time.We also talk candidly about moving to video, why showing the unpolished version matters, and how small rituals—at school and at home—keep everyone steady when routines fall apart. Parents get practical advice on setting expectations and modeling ethical AI use, while teachers get permission to start small, iterate, and invite students to use tools responsibly rather than banning them. Innovation, we argue, is about people first and tools second; relationships and good judgment turn new tech into better learning.Season four launches January 15 with more conversations, more practical resources, and more human stories from the brighter side of education. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a colleague or parent, and leave a quick review—what tool or mindset will you try next?Great News! The Brighter Side of Education is now CPD Accredited! Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily. Head to the show notes to find if this episode is CPD eligible and details on how to claim your CPD certification!Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily.Support the showIf you have a story about what's working in your schools that you'd like to share, email me at lisa@drlisahassler.com or visit www.drlisahassler.com. Subscribe, tell a friend, and consider becoming a supporter by clicking the link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/support. The music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram.

How to Prepare Students for a Changing World | Barry Garapedian on Value Creation, Mindset, and Success

Send us a textAre we preparing young people to follow instructions or to solve real problems? We explore a better path with Barry Garapedian—financial advisor, mentor, and author of Winning the Game of Life—who makes a compelling case for teaching value creation as the antidote to uncertainty, inflation, and the AI upheaval. Together, we unpack the hidden curriculum, why compliance still shadows classrooms, and how to build graduates who contribute, not just compete.Barry maps out his Seven Fs—family, faith, friends, fitness, financial, fun, philanthropy—as a practical life blueprint. We dig into the systems that turn big ideas into daily progress: mentors over guesswork, a color-coded calendar, KPIs for sleep and routines, and 90-day goals across work, personal growth, and wellness. He shares the “impossible goal” that raises your baseline, plus a decision-board approach that keeps your aspirations visible and actionable.We go tactical with micro-leadership: “practice going first,” replace weasel words, and learn to hold “third vault” conversations that create trust and impact. Barry reframes ADHD as a superpower when paired with structure, and offers an anxiety playbook—never worry alone, get the facts, make a plan. For parents and educators, we lay out how to allow healthy struggle while opening doors to mentors and networks. For students, we emphasize AQ—adaptability—as the new edge in an AI-powered economy, backed by four reliability habits anyone can master.By the end, you’ll have a toolkit to help young adults measure ROI as return on impact, choose better books and better rooms, and codify shared values with a family constitution. Ready to shift from achievement to contribution and help the next generation become confident problem solvers? Follow the show, share with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help more listeners find us.💡 This episode is CPD accredited! Educators can now earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) minutes by listening. To claim your certificate:Listen to the full episodeVisit https://thecpd.group/podcastEnter code 800151 to check in and download your certificateListen. Learn. Earn.Great News! The Brighter Side of Education is now CPD Accredited! Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily. Head to the show notes to find if this episode is CPD eligible and details on how to claim your CPD certification!Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily.Support the showIf you have a story about what's working in your schools that you'd like to share, email me at lisa@drlisahassler.com or visit www.drlisahassler.com. Subscribe, tell a friend, and consider becoming a supporter by clicking the link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/support. The music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram.

Grading What Matters: Rethinking Student Learning and Assessment | Marc Aronson

Send us a textImagine a school where grades reward collaboration, character, and genuine mastery—not just memorization and speed. In this episode, Dean of Academics Marc Aronson shares how his school, Cheshire Academy,  rethought assessment through Grading What Matters, a framework focused on authentic learning, student agency, and mission-aligned outcomes.We explore Final Demonstrations of Learning instead of exams, a Community of Learners model that grades students on contribution and engagement, and a fully open honors pathway where any student can earn honors inside their regular class.Drawing from research by Grant Wiggins and Eric Mazur, Marc explains why performance assessments build deeper learning, why narrative feedback matters more than percentages, and how shifting to mission-based grading builds belonging, confidence, and durable skills.What you’ll learn:• How to design authentic assessments & FDOLs• How to grade collaboration and community contribution• Why narrative feedback drives real motivation• Practical steps to begin grading what truly mattersIf grades shape how students see themselves, let them measure what counts: mastery, growth, and contribution.💡 This episode is CPD accredited! Educators can now earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) minutes by listening. To claim your certificate:Listen to the full episodeVisit https://thecpd.group/podcastEnter code 800150 to check in and download your certificateListen. Learn. Earn.Great News! The Brighter Side of Education is now CPD Accredited! Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily. Head to the show notes to find if this episode is CPD eligible and details on how to claim your CPD certification!Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily.Support the showIf you have a story about what's working in your schools that you'd like to share, email me at lisa@drlisahassler.com or visit www.drlisahassler.com. Subscribe, tell a friend, and consider becoming a supporter by clicking the link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/support. The music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram.

From Players to Creators: How Student Game-Making Builds AI-Era Skills | Matt Dalio

Send us a textPlay isn’t just fun—it’s a blueprint for learning. In this episode, Dr. Lisa Hassler and Matt Dalio (Endless Studios/Foundation) explore how student game-making builds creativity, collaboration, and resilience while scaffolding real tools—from no-code building to Unity and Blender.We unpack the research on learning by making, connect Jane McGonigal’s mechanics of motivation to classroom practice, and trace a big-picture story from the printing press to software literacy. Matt lays out why the next divide is not just devices and bandwidth, but the ability to create with digital tools and command AI workflows. You’ll hear how  teachers can launch projects in minutes, not months. Along the way, we challenge the input-obsessed mindset of school and advocate for outcome-focused learning: build something that works, share it, improve it.Highlights:Research showing gains from student-created gamesEndstar’s classroom-friendly on-ramp to pro tools: from no-code to UnityMultidisciplinary learning: CS, art, writing, math, project mgmtEquity: offline-first kits + affordable devicesAI, software literacy, and outcome-based learningPlay as a driver of learning, resilience, and creativityClassroom rollout, peer learning, and ready-to-use curriculaClosing the digital divide with devices and offline contentBecoming power users of AI and building real-world outputsMatt Dalio- m@endlessstudios.com💡 This episode is CPD accredited! Educators can now earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) minutes by listening. To claim your certificate:Listen to the full episodeVisit https://thecpd.group/podcastEnter code 800149 to check in and download your certificateListen. Learn. Earn.Great News! The Brighter Side of Education is now CPD Accredited! Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily. Head to the show notes to find if this episode is CPD eligible and details on how to claim your CPD certification!Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily.Support the showIf you have a story about what's working in your schools that you'd like to share, email me at lisa@drlisahassler.com or visit www.drlisahassler.com. Subscribe, tell a friend, and consider becoming a supporter by clicking the link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/support. The music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram.

Supporting Students with ADHD: Executive Function Strategies for Teachers and Parents | Ann Dolin

Send us a textNearly 1 in 10 children are diagnosed with ADHD, yet most educators receive no formal training in supporting executive function deficits. This gap creates challenges for teachers, frustration for parents, and academic struggles for students who are often mislabeled as unmotivated or lazy.In this episode, Dr. Lisa Hassler speaks with Ann Dolin M.Ed., founder of Educational Connections and author of "Homework Made Simple," about the critical role of executive function in student success and practical strategies for supporting ADHD learners.Topics Covered:Executive function skills and their impact on academic performanceDistinguishing between motivation deficits and executive function challengesThe cycle of negative feedback and declining student confidenceEvidence-based classroom accommodations and visual organization techniquesHomework modification strategies that maintain academic rigorMetacognitive questioning approaches that promote student agencyAppropriate integration of AI tools in learningWhen to implement executive function coaching versus subject-specific tutoringAbout Our Guest:Ann Dolin, M.Ed., has 30+ years of experience in education. She founded Educational Connections 27 years ago and is the author of "Homework Made Simple" and "Getting Past Procrastination." Her work focuses on executive function coaching and academic support for students with ADHD and learning differences.Resources: Educational Connections: ectutoring.com💡 This episode is CPD accredited! Educators can now earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) minutes by listening. To claim your certificate:Listen to the full episodeVisit https://thecpd.group/podcastEnter code 800146 to check in and download your certificateListen. Learn. Earn.Great News! The Brighter Side of Education is now CPD Accredited! Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily. Head to the show notes to find if this episode is CPD eligible and details on how to claim your CPD certification!Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily.Support the showIf you have a story about what's working in your schools that you'd like to share, email me at lisa@drlisahassler.com or visit www.drlisahassler.com. Subscribe, tell a friend, and consider becoming a supporter by clicking the link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/support. The music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram.