Schoolish
By Mike Yates
Here we tell stories, interrogate data, have conversations, and celebrate innovation.
Mike Yates is the host. He is an educator, entrepreneur, public speaker, and a member of the Reinvention Lab at Teach for America.
SchoolishApr 23, 2021
054: Annnnd We're Back...Again
I heard from a lot of you that we should be back...so we are! Less frequent but more in-depth episodes. Cataloging my thoughts on the future of learning and saying the things that no one else will.
053: Should we really get rid of GRADES in school?
I got into it ALL this week!
052: Everything Right and Wrong With Homeschooling!
What's with homeschooling? Should you get into it? Should you leave it alone? How should you approach it?
Mike and Brett get into it ALL on the podcast this week!
I have some explaining to do...
If you read the latest edition of Schoolish: The Newsletter then you might have thought we were getting rid of this podcast...but...we are still here.
051: Why YOU need to be a storyteller w/ Andy Boenau
We talking all about the importance of storytelling in the lives of students, parents, educators...well basically everyone! Andy and I had such a great conversation on this! Cannot wait for you to tune in!
To learn more about Andy check out his website:
Grab a free book from Andy:
050: Chickens and Snakes: Why you should get rid of GT programs
What do you think of when you hear GT classes?
When I was growing up I remember being brought into a drab, tan-colored room and taking a test to get into the GT program.
The test had patterns of shapes and logic puzzles and word problems.
At a young age, I remember thinking, "What does this have to do with anything I like to do?" LOL
I got into the program and was told that I was the best and the brightest on my acceptance letter.
The day classes started my teacher double and triple-checked that I was supposed to be in her GT class, even though she'd just met me and not heard me speak one word...hmmm
When I became a teacher the GT program had its own wing of the building. Regular students were not allowed to walk down that wing.
How did the teachers know it was a regular student? Their ID badge which had to be worn on a lanyard either read "Gifted" or "General."
Today on Schoolish Live we are getting into something Abbott Elementary broached really well...the problem with GT Programs in schools.
049: Yes, Your Private School Actually Sucks Too
There are some pretty common misconceptions about private schools in the United States. Many think they are well funded, rigorous, better staffed, better trained, and all-around better than public schools.
That couldn't be more untrue.
Welcome to the next exhibit of the #case4reinvention where we will answer the question: Is Private school actually a superior schooling option?
048: Yes, You Actually Can Teach Your Kids
If all the pieces were in place would you homeschool your kids?
For the first time in a looooong time parents are taking a hard look at their kids' school.
COVID and Distance Learning have exposed our traditional school system in a way that we really haven't seen before. Because of this homeschooling is on the rise.
But is it for you?
If you say yes, tune into this. If you say no, tune into this.
Catch the live video here: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6884585652218855424/
047: What is School For?
All too often in education reinvention circles, we are asking difficult questions about school. One that we never seem to ask is "what is school for?" I did that with my Linkedin Audience and want to invite you into that conversation.
If you want to catch the replay catch it here!
046: Ask Me Anything Vol. 1 on Linkdedin Live
We got into a TON of dope topics about education! AMA's and Linkedin Lives happen on my linkedin profile every Thursday at 4:00pm CT. Enjoy!
045: Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship in Education
Mike and Morgan Williams, both staff of the Reinvention Lab at Teach for America, sit down to talk about what the Reinvention Lab is doing to serve Social Entrepreneurs who are working to build the #futureoflearning.
How are we doing that you ask? Well Morgan has lead the development of the Reinvention Lab's new #accelerator program called Gravity, which just accepted and named its first cohort!
We want you to know about the amazing work that's going to happen as a part of Gravity.
044: The Teacher Problem in Schools
Point blank we have a teacher problem in schools and that is that we can't keep them! Why? Let's talk about it!
043: Ridin with LOOP w/ Carey Anne Nadeau
Carey Anne Nadeau is an MIT-trained entrepreneur, focused on modernizing the measurement of risk. Formerly a Researcher at the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute, Carey Anne went on to found Loop, an auto insurance MGA that uses AI to provide a fair price to all.
Find more about Loop HERE.
042: Outlier w/ Brett Roer & Daniela Pico
Brett Roer serves as Outlier.org’s High School Strategic Partnerships Lead after 16 years of empowering high school students in Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx.
Throughout his career, Brett’s mission has been to equip high school students with the foundational academic skills needed to graduate from their best-fit colleges and feel both academically and financially supported along the way.
In his most recent experience as a principal in The Bronx, Brett accelerated the graduation rate from one of the lowest in New York City to the second highest in the district in two years while dramatically increasing the college and career readiness rate.
Brett has inspired students and families as a high school principal, college and career advisor, and teacher, always fiercely passionate in providing students access to high-quality education. Brett is a dedicated educational leader, ensuring students can afford a college education, including full scholarships to their dream colleges and universities.
Daniela Bio: Daniela has worked in the ed-tech space for the last 6 years. Her focus has been on higher education partnerships and supporting innovation in the higher education space. Daniela worked as the Director of External Relations at Riipen, an education technology company focused on ending graduate underemployment by providing students with work-integrated learning in the classroom. She recently joined Outlier.org as the strategic partnerships lead and is working to build their transfer network. Daniela is a passionate advocate for access and believes that education is a powerful tool for social mobility and equity.
Be back soon
041: The world's best access to opportunity w/ Sophie Hoffman
Sophie is an investor at GSV Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital firm that specializes in education and workforce technology. She focuses on sourcing and conducting diligence on investment opportunities, covering early childhood and K12 EdTech companies across the US, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Prior to joining GSV Ventures as an investor, Sophie spent four years at Goldman Sachs building a team that works alongside every division of the firm to source and syndicate all of Goldman’s direct, private-market investment opportunities. She graduated from Dartmouth College Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in Economics and Psychology.
Sophie has a passion for behavioral economics and loves thinking about how to weave the decision sciences into new businesses to help them gain traction. In her free time, she enjoys running, spinning, hiking, and exploring new places in NYC. Sophie grew up in Newton, Massachusetts with two brothers, a sister, and a Goldendoodle named Roxy.
040: The Story of Jermain Allen
Jermain stopped by the podcast and was interviewed last week! Check out the full interview on episode 39! This is Jermain's school story!
Bio: Jermain Allen is an experienced instructional designer with the unique ability to break down complex technical concepts into digestible knowledge for audiences without technical backgrounds. Jermain leveraged his "technical translator" abilities to educate distributors, salespeople, internal staff, and the public about the technologies powering the most popular consumer products. As a Senior Product Trainer for the two largest consumer electronics manufacturers in the world, Jermain would go on to develop key educational concepts and practices that are still used in the industry today.
In 2014, Jermain started a professional development company, RTR Digital, expanding his audience beyond corporate employees to include individuals in need of technical training in underserved communities. Leveraging all of the technical skills he's acquired throughout his career, Jermain now develops and distributes his own technical training content to people across the globe. Today, Jermain still offers workforce development services through his company, RTR Digital, but also offers individualized training through their partner website, RTR Learning.
039: Building a Digital First Mentality w/ Jermain Allen
Jermain Allen is an experienced instructional designer with the unique ability to break down complex technical concepts into digestible knowledge for audiences without technical backgrounds. Jermain leveraged his "technical translator" abilities to educate distributors, salespeople, internal staff, and the public about the technologies powering the most popular consumer products. As a Senior Product Trainer for the two largest consumer electronics manufacturers in the world, Jermain would go on to develop key educational concepts and practices that are still used in the industry today.
In 2014, Jermain started a professional development company, RTR Digital, expanding his audience beyond corporate employees to include individuals in need of technical training in underserved communities. Leveraging all of the technical skills he's acquired throughout his career, Jermain now develops and distributes his own technical training content to people across the globe. Today, Jermain still offers workforce development services through his company, RTR Digital, but also offers individualized training through their partner website, RTR Learning.
038: LIVE with Tech Spark Canada!
I went Live with Tamar Huggins and Timothy Jones from Tech Spark Canada! Check it out.
037: I am Hip Hop w/ Timothy Jones
036: Just one Spark w/ Tamar Huggins Grant
Tamar Huggins Grant is a multi-award-winning tech entrepreneur, author, and education trailblazer whose impact is featured exclusively on Blavity, BET, Black Enterprise, CBC, CP24, The Toronto Star, National Post, Globe and Mail, and Canadian Living to name a few.
As a student, her life was deeply impacted by two teachers. This is that story.
035: Making Good Trouble w/ Tamar Huggins Grant & Timothy Jones
Tech Spark is Canada’s first tech and design school committed to empowering children of color, girls, women, and teachers through innovative education. They specialize in creating, revising, and teaching inquiry-based, student-centered K-12 curricula through the lens of tech, entrepreneurship, and equity.
034: Ready Learner 1 w/ Jesse Lubinsky
Jesse was named one of BestCollegeRankings.org’s 100 Top Experts in #eLearning and #EdTech as well as a Top 100 K12 Tech Leader and Top 100 Most Social CIO by Extreme Networks. He has received a Technology Leader Pioneer Award from the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center. A Google for Education Certified Innovator and Trainer, Jesse is also co-founder of NY TECH ED, an organization centered around instructional technology use, and a former co-chair of NYTEN, a regional group focused on technology leadership.
Check out more about the EdUp Experience Podcast Network here.
033: STOP steering Black kids away from the arts w/ Andre and Mahoganëë Amigér
Andre and Mahoganëë Amigér stopped by the podcast to talk about the alternatives to steering Black kids away from the arts. Their work with Responsible Artistry is remarkable and notable. Check out the conversation.
032: Unprofessional Development w/ Mealy and Tudisco
Mealy and Tudisco are both educators in the Charlotte, NC area. They are the hosts of the Unprofessional Development Podcast as well! They are both HILARIOUS hosts who realized that the best professional development they got as teachers were in these informal conversations in the teacher's lounge or during lunch when they got to have real, honest conversations with other educators.
They share some of their wisdom and hilarity with me on episode 32 of Schoolish.
Check out their podcast here.
031: Teaching to the Test w/ Ben Byrum
Ben grew up in a small town very similar to the movie Varsity Blues.
His experience with school had a lot to do with wanting to learn but being taught to take a test well. He turned that into a successful career publishing and writing having work featured in the Houston Chronicle and Stand Firm Magazine.
Check out Ben's School Story.
Catch Ben on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-b-baylor-alum/
Now Recording from DFW
I moved!
I left the city I love so much, Austin, TX, and moved to my wife's hometown, Dallas! While I am sad to leave Austin I cannot wait for the adventure Dallas holds. Because I am moving, the show is going to skip this week. I'll be back next week with some amazing content! See you then!
030: How to use School w/ Nikhil Vimal
Nikhil Vimal is Head of Operations at ChatMode, which is a Microsoft partner. He is a startup advisor, an esports team owner, and a writer with work featured in places like Linkedin News, Business Insider, and VentureBeat.
Nikhil's remarkable success seems to have boiled down to the way he built his own learning pathways as a student and now professional.
Learn more about Nikhil:
Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilvimal/
Twitter- https://twitter.com/nikvimal
029: Nothing in life is a straight line anymore w/ Gaby Van Horn
Gaby Van Horn is an educator, business English coach, podcast host, and e-learning specialist. She stopped by the Schoolish pod to tell me about her experience in k12 schooling.
Connect with Gaby via Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaby-van-horn-clever-hybrids/
Check out her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clever-hybrids/id1521828462
028: School Sucks!
I had a listener suggest that I share my TEDx talk audio on the show. Sooooo I am doing just that. Here is a TEDx Talk I did about a year ago called School Sucks!
027: It all comes down to passion w/ Aidan from Learnlife
Closing out my series talking to learners from Learnlife (https://learnlife.com/), a learning center in Barcelona, Spain, I've got Aidan sharing his story about school on the show.
He couldn't escape talking about his passions during the episode which makes me really excited! Passion can be a driver of great learning! For him, it is.
I am also very excited to announce that Schoolish is now a part of the EdUp Experience Podcast Network! I am joining the network alongside some AMAZING podcast hosts and some phenomenal educators. Look for more at https://www.edupexperience.com/
026: #FORBESUS w/ Tim Salau
Tim's life purpose, his why, is to strengthen the bonds people share through compassionate action.
Tim "Mr. Future of Work" Salau, is the CEO, Co-Founder, and Executive Chairman of Guide, the experience group and collective that owns Big Black Tea, a direct-to-consumer tea brand and our keystone product, Guide, a SaaS Learning & Talent development platform.
He's an author, venture investor, builder capitalist, accomplished international keynote speaker, product leader, tech leader, and the only Nigerian-African American activist and global authority leading and shaping the discussion on the Future of Work, leadership, and innovation.
Bringing back an interview Tim and I did a while back when this show was called School Sucks! Tim and I got into the purpose of college, schooling in general, hustle culture and more!
Check out Guide: https://www.guideapp.co/
Check out Big Black Tea: https://bigblacktea.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsalau/
Forbes Profile: https://www.forbes.com/profile/tim-salau/?list=next-1000&sh=6cc608f91a3c
025: Being Black in Education w/ Elizabeth Leiba & Danielle Shelton
I had the chance a few weeks ago to jump on Linkedin Live with Danielle Shelton and Elizabeth Leiba to talk about issues associated with being Black in education. We talked about being Black students, HBCUs vs. PWIs, mentorship, the future of learning, and more!
Elizabeth Leiba is an educator, a published writer, Co-host of the EdUP Experience Podcast, and Founder of the Black History and Culture Academy. Liz is also a Linkedin Top Voice in education which means she is one of the top people to follow posting education content on the platform.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethleiba/
Danielle Shelton is an educator, instructional designer, and freelance editor. With 20+ years of experience in education, she has seen, done, and heard so much. THAT is what gives her such a unique perspective in this conversation.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-shelton/
024: Building an Anti-Racist Future of Education w/ Shauna Smith
This one is a straight-up conversation!
I have the chance to sit down and talk with Shauna Smith about what she is doing in her local school district to create an anti-racist curriculum. In other words, she is trying to create an anti-racist future of education for all kids.
Check out our conversation!
023: Rite of Passage w/ Sofia from Learnlife
Sofia is a 13-year-old student from an AMAZING learning center in Barcelona, Spain called Learnlife. In this episode, she shares with me her thoughts on school, education in general and tells us why her experience at Learnlife has been so special.
Learn more about Learnlife here: https://learnlife.com/barcelona/full-time-programme
022: That's just not me w/ Gerard Almenara Hernandez
Gerard, a learner at Learnlife actually traveled the world looking for the right model of school for him. At each stop, it seemed that he kept having to say, "it's just not for me." Until he found Learnlife, an innovative learning center in Barcelona, Spain. A place that would challenge Gerard, push him to try new things, and spark new curiosities.
This is Gerard's school story.
For more information about Learnlife click the link below:
https://learnlife.com/
021: Representation Matters w/ Benita Gordon
Representation in school matters so much! For me, this was one of the most important things growing up. I didn't always see myself or my people in the school system but when I did, it stuck.
Benita, the Global Education Concierge tells us how she knows that representation in school matters.
Find more from Benita here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benita-c-gordon/
https://www.instagram.com/theeduconcierge/
https://www.facebook.com/GordonGlobalEducationConcierge/photos
https://www.gordonglobaleducationconcierge.com/
020: School is a Dirty Word: A conversation with folks from LearnLife
When asked, "Who or what is LearnLife?" This is what they might say:
We are a group of changemakers united by our passion to create a new lifelong learning paradigm.We envision that collaborative learning communities will become the problem-solving champions in a world where agility, creativity, and innovation will be needed to solve future challenges.
I got the chance to sit down with some folks from LearnLife (Devin, Gerard, Sophia, and Aidan) to talk about learning, passion, school, and their journies. Here is our conversation.
Find more about LearnLife here:
https://learnlife.com/
019: Fighting the new white nationalism...a plea
I was hit hard when those white supremacists stormed the White House this week. I had so many emotions.
I knew I couldn't just release a normal episode. So...here is my plea to the education community.
I referenced this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWdqlHTEnmk
I referenced the book The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration by Dr. Carol M Swain: https://www.amazon.com/New-White-Nationalism-America-Integration/dp/0521545587
BONUS- A Personal Branding Community Just for Educators
We've been on break for the holidays...but we're back (glad you're here).
In 2021, I am building a personal branding community to go alongside this podcast. So if you're an educator looking to build a personal brand please consider joining the community.
All you have to do is head over to apple podcasts, rate and review this podcast, send me a DM (linkedin or Twitter) with the screenshot and you're in! I'll reply with next steps to your DM.
018: Creating with a cause w/ Jeffrey Henderson
I used to be a hypebeast. Then I got into smaller, dope sneaker brands that tell stories and support good things. That is when I found NinetyNine Products, a small sneaker brand housed under a creative agency called AndThem. The agency and the sneaker brand are founded by Jeffrey Henderson after spending 20 years designing shoes with companies like Nike, Everlane, and Cole Haan.
If you want to know what Jeffrey is all about, check out his Linkedin bio: "Good Things." That sums up his efforts with AndThem and NinetyNine Products.
He told his school story on the podcast! Check it out.
Find more about what Jeffrey is doing below:
https://andthem.com/
https://ninetynineproducts.com/
https://goodthin.gs/
017: The Casio Watch Hustle w/ John Marty
John Marty is the Co-Founder of Project 1B, a nonprofit that seeks to help 1 billion people around the world find their purpose and passion. John was named a Linkedin Top Voice for 2019 and is also one of the top 20 YouTube Channels for job seekers. There is no one better at helping people land jobs they love.
John grew up hating school and I mean really hating school.
On this episode, we hear why.
Here's how to find more of John:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrmarty/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnMarty-uncommon/featured
Website: http://www.johnraphaelmarty.com/
016: Welcome to Schoolish, A new experience
Welcome to Schoolish.
This podcast used to be called School Sucks! We have rebranded and changed this podcast to capture more creative content! This episode is a new segment I've created called School Story.
School Stories are audio bites from people capturing their experience with school. The more stories we can collect and learn from, the faster we can reinvent this system.
Things are changing around here
We are taking a break for the Holidays! Happy Holidays to you and your family!
When we return in December, we will have a new name and a new brand!
015: Things I want to so more of in Education w/ Jaysin Spradley
The School Sucks Podcast is a place where we have tough conversations in order to rethink and reinvent education so that no student has to say the words "School Sucks" ever again.
In this episode, Jaysin Spradley and I dive into thoughts I have about education.
014: Calling Teachers by Their First Name???
The School Sucks Podcast is a place where we have tough conversations in order to rethink and reinvent education so that no student has to say the words "School Sucks" ever again.
In this episode, we dive into the question: Should students be on a first name basis with their teachers?
Check out the media used in this episode:
Original Linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mike-yates_education-school-studentvoices-activity-6730517267378954241-lOPf
Interview with Professor Walter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6V5v8k64NM
Call me by my name | Tara Dobson-Silverton | TEDxKingAlfredSchool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srvawz3qW-g
Thank you for listening
013: Walking the Hallways of Life w/ Peter Hostrawser
The School Sucks Podcast is a place where we have tough conversations about school in order to rethink and reinvent education.
Our goal is that no student ever has to say "school sucks" ever again.
In this episode, I had a chance to chat with Peter Hostrawser of HallPass Education and the Disrupt Education Podcast!
Partners Audrey Boyle, Dr. Peter James, and Peter Hostrawser have created a powerhouse in the field of innovative educational solutions. The mission of HallPass Education is to provide individuals the empowerment they need and desire to be successful in their future business and careers.
HallPass Education will include panel discussions and workshops empowering individuals and businesses to take their next steps towards success.
Find more about Peter on his website: https://www.peterhostrawser.com/project/hallpass-education
012: Communicating Across Differences w/ Jennifer Richmond
The School Sucks Podcast is a place where we have tough conversations about school in order to rethink and reinvent education.
Our goal is that no student ever has to say "school sucks" ever again. In this episode, I had a chance to chat with Jennifer Richmond.
Jennifer Richmond is an International Relations Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in geopolitics and global intelligence, education and culture, international business development, marketing, communications and public relations, and strategy. After leaving academia, she has been responsible for managing the international business development and networks for groups such as Stratfor and Waveland Ventures. At Stratfor, she led an international team responsible for collecting and vetting international intelligence to create robust analysis for business leaders and government officials. At Waveland Ventures she created an international network of foreign investors for their New York State Empire Outlet Fund that raised $80 million overseas for a Goldman Sachs project.
Recently, Richmond partnered with Allen Hilton of the House United Movement to create the non-profit, House United Academy. House United Academy’s mission is to promote critical thinking and viewpoint diversity in K-12 classrooms across the nation. Richmond also founded Truth In Between, an initiative to connect people across distance and difference to correspond over letters. She recently was invited to present her letters mission at a TEDx event in Austin, Texas. She is working on a book of letters with her co-author, W.F. Twyman, Jr. She is also co-host with Bronchae Brown of the Hold My Drink Podcast: Straight Talk with a Civil Twist.
Find out more about Jennifer:
011: Building Equity in Schools w/ Jordyn Hawkins-Rippie
The School Sucks Podcast is a place where we have tough conversations about school in order to rethink and reinvent education.
Our goal is that no student ever has to say "school sucks" ever again. In this episode, I had a chance to chat with Jordyn Hawkins-Rippie.
Jordyn's Bio:
I am a Market Research Specialist at The Survey Finder, where I conduct research studies and online surveys on several topics (including Advertising, IT, Insurance/Employee Benefits, and more). My primary function is to source and recruit professionals who are interested in monetizing their knowledge/experience through anonymous industry research studies.
My 'Why': Our world is becoming more interdependent and globalized and leaders and individuals in all contexts need to be fully equipped with the cultural competency skills to effectively and deftly navigate a diverse and ever-changing landscape to build trust and cooperate to further mutual aims and goals. From multicultural and global teams to individuals relocating to new countries, Cultural Intelligence (CQ) fosters these aims to secure a more peaceful and prosperous future for all global citizens.
Additionally, I am on a mission to creating a more financially literate society so that individuals are empowered to take control of their lives and make a positive impact on the socio-economic conditions in communities everywhere.
Jordyn's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmhawkin24/
Jordyn's Instagram: @jordyn_hr