As 2022 comes to a close, I dedicate this last newsletter of the year to all the public, public charter, independent, parochial, community and homeschool educators and education leaders who have weathered one of the worst pandemics in world history and begun charting a new course forward into 2023. Thank you for your tireless service, coaching, mentoring, guiding and sponsoring of our young people. We at What School Could Be wish you the Happiest of Holidays! I come bearing gifts, which are the podcast recommendations noted below. I hope you enjoy!

This is a relatively new podcast produced and hosted by a person I consider to be a 21st century education genius, Casey Agena. I first met Casey when he was running the Punahou Lab School, one of the best PD summer institutes ever. I highly recommend Episode #12: "The Community School model gives students access to everything from work-based learning to tutoring and other types of support. In this episode, Lauren Campion, Education Administrator of Lowell Public Schools (Boston), shares how partnerships with local organizations are allowing students, particularly those deemed at-risk, to take advantage of resources they might otherwise not get. Hear for yourself why the Community School model works, and how it can be replicated."

Suffice to say, after Steve Shapiro's podcast appeared on my radar I binged listened to every episode. Steve is an incredible producer and host who edits his own work. He uses a prosecutorial style to get his guests to both indict current education systems and offer substantial ideas for how to change these systems. If you have to pick one episode, listen to Steve's latest: It’s Not WHAT You Know with Julia Freeland Fisher.

I have this awesome group of educator peeps I hang with from time to time. We all listen to Hidden Brain, which is one of the most intelligent and insightful podcasts out there. Though its focus is not on education, per se, almost every episode could be related to education in some way. My treasured friend, Mark Hines recommends two episodes, choices I agree with wholeheartedly: Minimizing Pain, Maximizing Joy: Stoicism, and Why You're Smarter Than You Think. Enjoy!

Again, my treasured friend, Mark Hines introduced me to this podcast. Justin Reich's series on "subtraction in action" is a knockout. What if we spent our "reimagine education time" subtracting mandates and obsolete rules from educators' plates?, Reich asks. Great question!

I love, love, love the Getting Smart Podcast, produced by Mason Pashia. Recently, Mason had the various hosts do an episode reflecting back on their first 400 episodes. It was a knockout conversation. It's hard to recommend one episode, but if I had to I would pick: Kaleb Rashad on Race and Education in America. Fasten your seatbelts, readers. This one is a rollercoaster ride and fireworks show all rolled into one. Rashad is the CEO of the High Tech High Schools.

Produced by Jim Crum and sponsored by the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture, this podcast covers everything and anything related to farming and agriculture. As such, it is not an education podcast, but like Hidden Brain, almost every episode has some connection to learning, in my mind. Check out this episode: Ep 25. Christy Wong - Kauai Animal Education Farm.

I have come to love Free Range Humans, a podcast that explores "how we can make schools fit for human consumption." Hosted by Jal Mehta, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Rod Allen, former district superintendent and Assistant Deputy Minister with the BC Ministry of Education, this show goes where most education shows will not. Check out this episode: No one wants to go first - A Conversation with Charles Leadbeater. Wow! Leadbeater is my new superhero.

The Ezra Klein Show can be hit or miss, for me. But wow, when it hits, it hits hard. If you want to hear the most devastating critique of the damage our current system of education is doing to our kids, you will find it embedded in this episode about games, of all things: Are We Measuring Our Lives in All the Wrong Ways?

I love the fact that Maestros Vibe was born out of a Teach for America Spark and Inspire program. I love that the three hosts create such a conversational and "we are in a cozy living room" feel to the show. And I love that they are now branching out to do episodes with folks outside of their home state, Hawaiʻi! This is teacher voice at its best.

Okay, I am biased, but I am so proud of what my What School Could Be Podcast team has accomplished in 2022. We have forged our way towards 100 episodes. My editor, Evan Kurohara has created a sound that is NPR quality. Our theme music is fantastic, the work of pianist, Michael Sloan. My guests are amazing, so much so that we have now passed 50,000 downloads in over 75 countries. And, best of all, 80% of our listeners are listening through 75% of my typically one-hour-plus episodes. Thank you, everyone! Check out new episodes with Jackie Freitas, Brendan McCarthy, Erik Swenson and Rob Strain. All these folks know #whatschoolcouldbe.