Learning Can’t Wait

In this episode of the Learning Can't Wait podcast, national literacy consultant Kathryn Starke shares her journey from a childhood surrounded by teachers to becoming a passionate advocate for literacy education. Starke discusses the importance of matching children with books that interest them, the ongoing debates around literacy instruction and the science of reading, and the critical role of qualified teachers who build relationships and adapt instruction based on student needs and data. She highlights her work founding Tackle Reading, a national initiative that partners with NFL athletes to promote a love of reading, and emphasizes that collaboration, creativity, and teacher autonomy are essential for the future of education. Starke encourages new teachers to trust their instincts, share innovative ideas, and focus on making a meaningful difference in students’ lives.

Sunil Gunderia, Chief Innovation Officer at Age of Learning, shares his inspiring journey from a first-generation immigrant to an edtech leader. He discusses the transformative impact of AI in personalizing education and supporting multilingual learners. Sunil emphasizes the need for curiosity and empathy in education and the value of collaboration with educators and families. He underscores that building effective educational solutions requires an evidence-based approach and a commitment to equity, essential for closing learning gaps and nurturing student confidence.

This podcast episode features three educational leaders—Mike Felton, superintendent of St. George Municipal School Unit; Michael Marrone, president of Liguori Academy; and Mike Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural School Innovation Zone—who connected through the Yaas Prize, an education award recognizing innovative and community-rooted work. Each shares their unique backgrounds and passion for transforming education through hands-on, career-technical education (CTE) that begins as early as elementary school and integrates community partnerships. They emphasize the importance of flexible, trauma-informed teaching, strong community connections, and breaking down traditional silos between academic and vocational pathways to provide students with meaningful, dignified career options. Their collective work focuses on sustaining and revitalizing their diverse communities—from rural Maine to urban Philadelphia and South Texas—by preparing students for workforce success while nurturing local economic resilience. The conversation closes with advice for new teachers to be consistent, connected, and deeply invested in their students and communities.

In this episode of the "Learning Can't Wait" podcast, host Hayley Spira-Bauer interviews Dr. Tony Hemingway, superintendent of Fairfield One, about his journey from a student who once failed 11th grade English to leading a school district and writing a book titled "Make Something Out of Yourself." Dr. Hemingway credits pivotal mentors, including a supportive summer school teacher and a superintendent who hired him, for helping him overcome discouragement and shaping his mission to ensure every student experiences encouragement and support. He discusses his efforts to build leadership pipelines, foster inclusive school communities, and create student-centered initiatives like the "SOAR Sofa," where students are recognized and engaged in meaningful conversations. Dr. Hemingway also addresses navigating educational uncertainty, the importance of fiscal responsibility, and the value of continuous improvement, concluding with advice for new teachers to stay committed, seek mentorship, and focus on practices that help students succeed.

In this episode of the "Learning Can't Wait" podcast, host Hayley Spira-Bauer reconnects with her former Teach for America colleague, Nick Starr, now an education customer success manager at Adobe. Starr shares her career journey, emphasizing the importance of risk-taking and adaptability as she moved from teaching and administration into educational technology. She discusses her transition into the corporate EdTech world, guided by mentorship and a strategic approach to career pivots. Starr highlights her personal project, an "AI Bingo" card—a year-long challenge to explore and master various AI tools and concepts, which she gamifies to make learning manageable and engaging. She reflects on the value of combining analog practices with digital innovation, her experiences building AI chatbots and podcasts, and the evolving landscape of AI in education. The conversation closes with Starr's advice to new teachers: to expect the unexpected with optimism, as the teaching journey is transformative for both educators and their students

Nick Gross, originally a musician who signed his first record deal at 17, founded Find Your Grind after realizing the transformative power of self-discovery and pursuing passions. Inspired by a graffiti message and his experiences running a recording studio, Gross launched Find Your Grind to help young people explore diverse, nontraditional career paths through engaging content, real-world experiences, and a curriculum blending self-discovery, career readiness, and 21st-century skills. Today, the platform uses lifestyle assessments and social-emotional learning tools to guide students in defining the life they want to live, emphasizing the importance of the journey over the destination and encouraging youth to start exploring without pressure to have everything figured out

Dan Meyer, a math educator and EdTech leader, shares how his unconventional path—from being homeschooled to teaching reluctant algebra students—shaped his mission to make math classrooms more creative, social, and engaging for all students. He critiques the current use of technology and AI in education, arguing that most tools isolate students and fail to foster the kind of connection and collaborative learning that truly matter, and he urges EdTech companies to design products that support, rather than replace, teachers by inviting and developing student thinking. Meyer’s core message to new teachers is to be deeply interested in their students and recognize that teaching is a profoundly human endeavor shaped by broader social forces, making it both challenging and deeply meaningful

Dacia Toll recounts her journey from aspiring civil rights lawyer to founding the Achievement First charter school network, driven by a passion for equity and impact in education. She explains how her experience scaling high-performing schools led to co-founding CourseMojo, an edtech company focused on embedding AI-powered, curriculum-aligned teaching assistants to support differentiated learning and teacher effectiveness, especially amid post-pandemic challenges. Toll also highlights her work with Relay Graduate School of Education, emphasizing the importance of practice-based teacher preparation and advising new educators to embrace both proven teaching practices and thoughtful use of AI tools to maximize their impact.

Diego Arambula, Vice President for Educational Transformation at the Carnegie Foundation, shares how his upbringing in Fresno and his parents’ commitment to community improvement shaped his mission to transform education so that both students and teachers feel engaged, supported, and prepared for real-world challenges. He critiques the outdated architecture of schools—especially the reliance on the Carnegie Unit—and calls for a systemic overhaul rooted in new goals, learning experiences, and signals that move beyond time-based measures. Arambula emphasizes the urgency and possibility of this “punctuated equilibrium” moment in education, advocating for collaborative, research-driven innovation that can scale and sustain meaningful change, ultimately fulfilling the promise of public education for all students.

In the episode, Jen dives into the urgent challenges facing schools-like the national teacher and leadership shortage-and shares her vision for transforming education through community, storytelling, and actionable innovation. She emphasizes the need to change the narrative around teaching, celebrate its impact, and ensure that professional learning translates into real classroom change. Use these insights to spark conversation about the future of education, the value of educators, and how conferences like FETC are driving meaningful progress.