Leanne on Demand Daily with Leanne Hughes 🌴95. Building brave spaces feat. Zaretta Hammond (Weekend Rewind)
Hey, thanks for tuning into this Weekend Rewind — a chance to revisit favourite conversations.
This one’s with Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, and a woman I now call a friend. In fact, we caught up for breakfast in New York after this episode aired — I was flying out that afternoon, she was in town, and it was one of those serendipitous moments that made me love podcasting even more.
Zaretta is brilliant. She’s a master of metaphor, a facilitator with 25+ years under her belt, and someone who brings both rigour and heart to everything she teaches. In this episode, we cover:
- Why facilitation is both a technical and creative practice
- How to navigate the line between helpful discomfort and just… discomfort
- Her favourite metaphor: the first pancake (you’ll never forget it)
- How she structures large-scale learning experiences
- Tips for managing your own energy before, during, and after big workshops
- Why metaphors matter — and how to find your own flavour as a facilitator
There’s so much goodness in here, whether you’re a teacher, speaker, or someone leading any kind of human-to-human experience.
Zaretta Hammond is an educational consultant and author who focuses on culturally responsive teaching and learning. She has been a teacher, coach, and school leader, and her work centers around empowering educators to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds.
Zaretta is the author of the critically acclaimed book "Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students." She is also a sought-after speaker and facilitator, sharing her expertise in workshops and conferences worldwide.
Find out more about Zaretta's work at: https://crtandthebrain.com/
🎧 Enjoy this one. It’s full of gems — and if you’ve ever doubted your own facilitation skills, this conversation will leave you fired up to get back out there.
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