
Learning Can’t Wait
The Learning Can’t Wait Podcast is your view into how changemakers are driving innovation in the field of education. Each week we interview leaders who are challenging the status quo at a time when it is absolutely necessary to rebuild the system for our students.
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Latest episodes

Mar 19, 2024 • 34min
Steven Weiner | Education Reform, Student Outcomes, Teacher Roles, Education System
On this week’s episode of the Learning Can’t Wait Podcast Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Senior Research Analyst at the Center on Reinventing Public Education, Dr. Steven Weiner.
Listen to this delightfully nerdy discussion where Steven shares his research on unconventional learning environments and what insights we can gain from them. Hayley and Steven also discuss why they both believe that being a teacher right now means you better be ready for change.
Produced by Fullmind

Mar 12, 2024 • 34min
Asya Johnson | New York City Public Schools, Culturally Responsive Teaching, College and Career Readiness
Welcome back to Season 5 of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast! Today, Hayley Spira-Bauer hosts an inspiring conversation with Dr. Asya Johnson, Master Principal of Longwood Preparatory Academy.
Listen as Asya describes the profound impact of education on her trajectory and how her past experiences continue to shape her work today. Asya explains her efforts to implement culturally responsive practices and integrate them seamlessly into the school's culture. She also discusses her strategies for boosting enrollment and transforming her school into a college preparatory institution where every student takes AP courses.
Join us every Tuesday at fullmindlearning.com/podcast. Next week we talk to Dr. Steven Weiner, Senior Research Analyst at the Center on Reinventing Public Education.

Mar 5, 2024 • 32min
Erin Mote | InnovateEDU, Student Mental Health, AI in Education, Authenticity in Leadership
Season 5 of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast has arrived! To kick off our new season, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Erin Mote, Executive Director of Innovate Edu. Tune in to this thought-provoking conversation where Erin describes why she believes that the state of education is our biggest national security crisis.
Erin and Hayley explore how mistakes are part of constantly learning and why technology and AI doesn’t mean we need to lose our human connection. Additionally, Erin shares her work and thoughts about how to share the same infrastructure and standards throughout the education sector.
Produced by Fullmind

Feb 27, 2024 • 54min
Hedy Chang & Malika Elwin | Student Attendance, Absenteeism, Student Engagement
As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.
Today, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Hedy Chang and Malika Elwin to discuss student attendance. Listen as Hedy and Malika explain why absenteeism is most often a symptom of a much larger picture, and how their work uses data to diagnose problems and take preventative steps.
Produced by Fullmind

Feb 20, 2024 • 37min
Rebecca Branstetter | Student Burnout, Educator Burnout, Mental Health, School Psychology
As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.
On this week’s episode of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Dr. Rebecca Branstetter, Founder of Thriving Students Collective. Listen as Rebecca describes how her background in school psychology has informed the work she does to beat burnout in schools. Sharing her 4 Pillars of Thriving, Rebecca also explains why rested, happy minds are more productive.
Produced by Fullmind

Feb 13, 2024 • 33min
Jean-Claude Brizard | Digital Promise, Innovation in Education, AI in Education, Learning Science
As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.
Today, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Jean-Claude Brizard, President & CEO of Digital Promise to explore innovation in education. Listen as Jean-Claude explains how “controlled meandering” has influenced his path in education, along with his ongoing drive to fight injustice.
Hayley and Jean-Claude explore the benefits of variability when it comes to learning approaches, and Jean-Claude illuminates how digital promise is working to build systems that can help leapfrog some of the challenges we have in front of us.
Produced by Fullmind

Feb 6, 2024 • 41min
Brett Roer, Dr. PJ Caposey, Dr. Dan Cox | Growth, Fitness, Discipline, Leadership, Work-Life Balance
As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.
On this week’s episode of the Learning Can’t Wait podcast, host Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with school leaders Brett Roer, Dr. PJ Caposey, and Dr. Dan Cox to speak about discipline and balance in school leadership.
The group explores how the challenges they've faced in their individual lives have contributed to personal growth and development. They also share their strategies for coping with stress, discuss habits around fitness and wellness, and examine why discipline doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Produced by Fullmind

Jan 30, 2024 • 34min
Karl Rectanus | Federal Education Funding, Evidence-based Interventions, EdTech, ESSA
As we take a break after Season 4, we are rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes.
On today’s episode, host Hayley Spira-Bauer talks to Karl Rectanus, founder of LearnPlatform. Tune in as Karl and Hayley explore how a school’s purse strings affect the classroom, and how education leaders can lean into the realities around funding.
Karl also dives into his 4 successful education innovation programs and how to work through the system to make it more effective for everybody.
Produced by Fullmind

Jan 23, 2024 • 4sec
Season 4 Recap
Season 4 is a wrap! On this week's episode, we look back to the highlights of this insightful season of Learning Can’t Wait. Huge thank you to all of our impressive guests for sharing your valuable time and knowledge with us.
As we take a break, we'll be rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes. Stay tuned for Season 5 launching on March 5th!
Produced by Fullmind

Jan 16, 2024 • 38min
Natalie Arias & Kevin Malonson | Leadership, Advocacy, Policy Fellowship, Effective Educators
Welcome back to the Learning Can't Wait podcast! In today's episode, host Hayley Spira-Bauer engages in a compelling conversation with educators Natalie Arias and Kevin Malonson. The duo takes us on a journey through their personal narratives, sharing the pivotal moments that led them to the field of education.
Delving into their advocacy work with Teach Plus, Natalie and Kevin shed light on the organization's commitment to addressing crucial issues affecting students, teachers, and equity in education.
Produced by Fullmind