The Crisis in Education Podcast

Professional Crisis Management Association

Educators are the backbone of our nation, and education is its lifeblood. But because of a number of issues exacerbated by politics and the pandemic, it is progressively faltering. From teacher shortages and failing schools to growing mental health issues, there is an undeniable growing crisis in Education at the individual, classroom, and school level. Though painful, with the right approaches, crises can be leveraged as an opportunity for growth. Therefore, Dr. Paul "Paulie" Gavoni and Drew Carter are co-hosting the Crisis in Education Podcast, where Education meets Behavior Science, to interview educational leaders, behavior scientists, and experts around the world to dissect the root causes of crisis issues and explore potential opportunities for sustainable improvement across schools and districts. [Sponsored by the Professional Crisis Management Association - pcma.com]

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Top 10 The Crisis in Education Podcast Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Crisis in Education Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Crisis in Education Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Crisis in Education Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The Art & Science of Feedback with Principal and Assistant Director of Alternative Schools Jillian Bucciero

The Crisis in Education Podcast

03/13/24 • 52 min

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Feedback is universally recognized as a cornerstone of growth and development, yet its delivery often falls short, missing the mark on fostering the intended positive impact. But, by recalibrating our approach to providing feedback, we can transform it into a catalyst for genuine improvement. In this episode, assistant executive director and principal of alternative schools Jillian Bucciero, explores the critical art and science of delivering feedback effectively. She reveals invaluable insights into crafting feedback that enhances performance and fortifies the culture and learning environment; moreover, she walks listeners through the essential conditions necessary for impactful feedback and shares strategies to ensure that feedback becomes a powerful tool for growth and improvement.
Books Recommended by Jillian:
Dare to Lead
Let's Talk, Making Effective Feedback Your Superpower
Positional Authority Ain't Leadership

Teaching Special Needs Students Verbal Behavior with Liz and Steve Maher

The Crisis in Education Podcast

05/19/23 • 47 min

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Verbal behavior instruction helps students develop effective communication skills. Communication is a fundamental aspect of human interaction, and strong verbal abilities enable individuals to express their thoughts, needs, and emotions clearly and appropriately. Teaching verbal behavior equips students with the tools to engage in meaningful conversations, express themselves, and understand others effectively.
Unfortunately, verbal behavior is not taught everywhere that it is needed in mainstream education. In this episode, Liz and Steve Maher discuss the importance of assessing and teaching verbal behavior.
To find out more about Liz and Steve, or to learn more about practical software for assessing verbal behavior, go to https://datamakesthedifference.com/. And to pick up the PDF version of Verbal Behavior Extended Edition by Dr. B. F. Skinner, the Skinner Foundation is offering it here for as little as $2.49!

Improving Outcomes through Compassionate, Engaging Leadership with Superintendent Dr. Michael Troop

The Crisis in Education Podcast

05/05/23 • 71 min

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Dr. Michael Troop is a Superintendent whose core purpose is to positively impact the lives of students, educators, employees, and organizations. In addition, he has a passion for helping people learn skills that increase productivity at work and in life.
In this episode, we discuss school improvement and the critical skills needed for learning, teaching, and leading in a way that produces positive learning cultures.

Predictive AI for Increasing Graduation Rates and Leveling the Playing Field for Low Income, Underrepresented Minorities, and First Generation Students in Higher Ed

The Crisis in Education Podcast

04/06/23 • 41 min

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There are a lot of students and families who spend a lot of time, money, and effort aimed at being accepted into the college of their dreams. But as CEO and founder of Troove, David Hurwitt, reminds us in this episode, it's not about getting into college. It's about getting out as the graduation rates are too often dismal, especially for minorities.
In this episode, David discusses using predictive AI to gather, mine, and decode experience data from schools and align it with the values, abilities, and priorities of prospective students. His platform, Troove, potentially revolutionary, is FREE to students who are searching for the right University. It only takes 10 minutes. Why not give it a shot?

Improving Education through Policy Change with Dr. Darleen Opfer

The Crisis in Education Podcast

03/19/23 • 55 min

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Policies provide guidelines for the operation of a particular system, especially one that has a hierarchical structure. Education, perhaps the most important system in our nation, is no different. Good policy guides decision making. No policy makes decision-making unreliable and sporadic. And bad policies do way more harm than good. And policy is just the start. What happens after the policy is in place is what is the most important. In this episode, Dr. Darleen Opfer discusses the importance of policies and provides perspective on how stakeholders can improve them.
About Dr. Opfer
Darleen began her career as a special education teacher in Florida and then Virginia. After earning her Ph.D. in education policy at the University of Virginia, she became a professor of education policy. She served in that role at Georgia State University, Ohio State University, and the University of Cambridge. Throughout her career, her focus has been on using evidence to improve schools for low-income and minority students.
In 2011 she joined RAND as Director of RAND Education. In October 2018 she was promoted to Vice President and became Director of the RAND Education and Labor Research Division; she also holds the Distinguished Chair in Education Policy. As the leader of RAND Education and Labor's staff of more than 200 experts from a wide range of disciplines, she is responsible for all aspects of divisional management including business development, financial and strategic planning, staff development, ensuring quality standards, and dissemination of research findings.

Behavior Analysis in Education with Andrew Houvouras

The Crisis in Education Podcast

02/17/23 • 68 min

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Education is in crisis, and behavior analysts possess the most powerful toolbox in the world for making a positive difference for students, teachers, and educational leaders everywhere. In this podcast, Andrew Houvouras discusses some of the struggles of working in education as a behavior analyst and potential solutions for overcoming a number of common obstacles.
Andrew is a Behavior Analyst with a long history of assessing and treating severe and challenging behavior in education. He has also supervised 40 individuals seeking board certification. Beyond education, Andrew counts behavioral medicine, ABA in autism populations, supervision and mentorship, and broader dissemination of ABA among his most invested interests.
A regular presenter at local, state, and international conferences, Andrew also develops continuing education courses and publishes on such topics. In addition, his far-reaching care for and dedication to the science of behavior were evident during his 2018-2019 term as president of the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis.

Rethinking Education Through a Social Connection Lens with Shaunak Roy

The Crisis in Education Podcast

02/03/23 • 43 min

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A lack of social connection is hurting many. In this informative chat, MIT graduate and CEO of Yellowdig, Shaunak Roy, discusses the negative impact of a failure to have social connections. He also proposes a potentially scalable solution for increasing social connection across education.
To learn more about Yellowdig, please visit yellowdig.co or request a demo here: https://explore.yellowdig.co/demo.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Yellowdig Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Yellowdig

Some of the studies mentioned in the podcast:

A peer-reviewed study published a yearlong study using Yellowdig data in the Online Learning Journal (Official Journal of the OLC) saying great things about our platform.

Link to Efficacy study with Arizona State University's EdPlus team.

- why? Highlights how the Yellowdig platform positively impacts class grade and completion outcomes, using behavioral and grade data from over 20,000 online students.

Link to Efficacy study in collaboration with Bryan University.

- why? Compares synchronous and asynchronous strategies and overall impact on student engagement, retention, and learning outcomes

Using ABA & OBM to Improve Educational & Behavioral Outcomes in Education with Dr. Carl Binder

The Crisis in Education Podcast

01/27/23 • 41 min

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In this episode, Dr. Paulie chats with Dr. Carl Binder about the use of Applied Behavior Analysis and Organizational Behavior Management for making a positive difference in schools.
Dr. Carl Binder began as a doctoral student in Experimental Psychology, attending Harvard University at the invitation of B.F. Skinner, whose writings had inspired him deeply. With an interest in making a societal contribution, he rapidly shifted from basic research to real-world application of behavior science, first developing innovative instructional methods and teacher training for educators, and later contributing to the emerging field of human performance technology in large organizations. With input from many extraordinary teachers and colleagues, Carl has spent over 40 years bringing his enthusiasm for behavior science into corporations, schools, and public organizations worldwide.
Founder of four consulting firms, recipient of career awards from the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Performance Improvement, and the Organizational Behavior Management Network, prolific author and speaker, Carl believes that the Performance Thinking Network is his best opportunity yet for making a contribution. His ability to synthesize information from multiple fields, communicate complex ideas in plain English to non-specialists, and build excitement about making a difference with behavior science brings an intellectual and emotional spark-plug to The Performance Thinking Network.

Carl was recently awarded the Thomas F. Gilbert Distinguished Professional Achievement Award
If you are interested in learning from Dr. Binder, check out his Performance Thinking Summer Institute where you'll have the opportunity to learn about leadership, management, systems, and leveraging the science of human behavior to produce important results while making a positive difference in any workplace.

Addressing Mental Health Issues in Education: Reports & Approaches from the Field

The Crisis in Education Podcast

01/11/23 • 46 min

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Principal, Faythe Redenburg, and Guidance Counselor, Cyntrell Legette, lead and support students and educators in alternative schools. Like many educators, they are witnessing increased mental health issues, not just with students. In this episode, we discuss the growing mental health challenges and reflect on some potential solutions for helping children and adults overcome them.
Training Discussed in Episode
EveryDay BehaviorTools Instructor Training
ACT Articles Discussed in Episode

Building Assent, Fun, and Trust: Supporting Teachers and Students in Special Education with Steve Ward

The Crisis in Education Podcast

01/03/25 • 68 min

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Episode Description:
In this episode of The Crisis in Education Podcast, Dr. Paulie sits down with behavior analyst and education expert Steve Ward to discuss practical strategies for supporting teachers and students—especially those with special needs—while highlighting lessons that apply to all classrooms.

They dive into the critical role of assent and assent withdrawal, exploring how these concepts can be observed, measured, and taught to both teachers and parents. Steve emphasizes the importance of respecting a learner's right to say "no" and, more importantly, how to reintroduce expectations in ways that build trust, confidence, and engagement.

The conversation also challenges traditional approaches to learning by making a compelling case for expanding fun—particularly social fun—as a primary goal. By prioritizing enjoyment and meaningful interactions, educators can create positive ripple effects that go far beyond preparing students to complete tasks.

Tune in to learn actionable strategies, from fluency-building formats to incorporating games and routines, that help turn novelty and unpredictability into opportunities for growth. Whether you're a teacher, parent, or school leader, this episode offers insights you can apply right away to make learning more effective and enjoyable for all students.
More on Steve
Website
Facebook
Articles
https://www.archivesofpsychology.org/index.php/aop/article/view/82
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5352626/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03393050
Webinars
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cabs-autism-and-behavior-specialists-34162179949
Podcasts