The Well-being Classroom

#27 How Does Scaffolding Support Adaptive Teaching? With Rachel Ball

How can we move away from pre-determining student potential and instead design "challenge-first" learning that is accessible to everyone?
 
Today, I’m joined by Rachel Ball, a Professional Development Specialist at Steplab and a former Assistant Principal for Teaching, Learning, and CPD. With 22 years of experience as a passionate History teacher and a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teachers, Rachel is an international speaker and a co-editor of What is History Teaching, Now? (2023). She is also the co-author of the recent release, The Scaffolding Effect (2025), part of the Teacher CPD Academy series.
This episode continues our special mini-series focused on the power of Adaptive Teaching. We’ll dive into the nuances of effective scaffolding, exploring how to move beyond rigid worksheets toward responsive strategies—like teacher modeling and strategic checks for understanding—that maintain high aspirations for every learner in the classroom.
Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.
Visit StepLab: https://steplab.co/global/
 

#26 Hard Questions or Quality Questions?

How can we move beyond the dread of "hard conversations" and instead use every interaction as an opportunity to build relational trust?
Today, I’m joined by Brenda Martin, a distinguished educational leader whose career spans over three decades of transformative impact. Brenda brings a wealth of experience as a principal in both New Zealand and international settings, where she has been recognized as a visionary innovator and a champion of collaborative leadership.She is particularly known for her resilience in leading a startup school in China through the complexities of a global pandemic, where she fostered a culture of transparency and excellence during incredibly challenging times.
In this episode, we explore the essential shift from "hard" to "quality" conversations. We dive into the "Ladder of Inference," the power of being both strong and curious, the importance of building resilience in leadership, and much more.
#QualityConversations #RelationalTrust #CrucialConversations #EffectiveCommunication #PsychologicalSafety #EducationalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SchoolCulture #GrowthMindset #TheWellbeingClassroom

#25 How Can Schools be Inclusive by Design? With Lori Boll

 
How can we shift the focus in our schools from simply following a curriculum to truly championing the inclusion of every neurodivergent and disabled individual?
Today I am joined by Lori Boll, the Executive Director of SENIA International. Lori has over twenty-five years of teaching experience across the globe, from Riyadh to Bangkok, and has been a driving force in establishing programs for students with higher support needs. Her commitment to this work is deeply personal, inspired by her son’s diagnosis in 2003, and it led her to co-author a book on building collective efficacy within special education teams.
In this conversation, we trace the history of SENIA from its start in Beijing over twenty years ago to its current status as a global non-profit. Lori explains the disability inclusion standards she helped create and the five key domains schools can use to audit their own practices, ranging from leadership and facilities to identification and parent relationships . We also discuss how to address staff fears by sharing stories that shift heartsets and why Universal Design for Learning is the essential starting point for any leader looking to integrate inclusion authentically.
SENIA Website: https://www.seniainternational.org/

#24 What Do Students Really Want From Their Teachers? With Xavier Woods

Today, I’m joined by Xavier Woods, an educator with nearly 25 years of experience across the U.S. and the Middle East. A two-time Teacher of the Year in Metro Atlanta, Xavier was recently selected for the America’s Favorite Teacher 2026 competition. Beyond the classroom, he is a painter, music artist, and author of The Powerful Book of Positively Powerful Poems, with his new book, Keep God 1st and Go to Therapy, arriving soon.
In a special departure from our usual format, we are bringing the students themselves directly to the microphone. Together, we dive into Xavier’s "Learning Studio" to explore the heartbeat of the modern classroom. We’ll hint at the impact of teacher "stage presence," the power of flexible environment choices, the "well-being wizardry" required to help every learner thrive, and much more.
Note: Student participation in this episode was conducted with full parental consent and in accordance with professional privacy and safeguarding protocols.
Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

#23 How Can Leaders be More Proactive in Improving Outcomes? With Chad Ransom

How can school leaders bridge the gap between high-level research and the daily reality of the classroom to drive sustainable improvement?
Today, I am joined by Chad Ransom, the co-founder of Compass EDvantage and a specialist in school improvement with a PhD in Educational Leadership. Chad has consulted with over 150 school districts across the US and internationally, helping schools move from "underperforming" status to achieving prestigious National Blue Ribbon recognition. A former principal and national faculty member for ASCD, he has dedicated his career to strengthening leadership capacity and improving outcomes for all students, with a particular expertise in supporting multilingual learners.
In this episode, we explore the Adult MTSS framework for professional development and the critical role of collective efficacy in successful Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). We’ll discuss why the "name" of an initiative often travels better than the "practice" and how leaders can become "chief reminding officers" to help their teams see the evidence of their success.
To learn more about the good work of Chad Ransom and Compass EDvantage, visit the website: www.compassEDvantage.com
Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

#22 Do Your Students Know How to Learn? With Liz Keable

How can we empower every student to move beyond simply following instructions and instead take true ownership of their own learning journey?
 
Today, I’m joined by Liz Keable, a former high school biology teacher and independent success coach. Liz is an expert in the field of metacognition, having supported hundreds of students—including those facing significant learning barriers—to achieve academic progress through profound changes in their thinking. Currently, she shares her insights through a weekly LinkedIn newsletter followed by over 10,000 educators and is in the process of writing a book on transforming lives through these strategies.
This episode is the second in our mini-series on adaptive teaching. We’ll be taking a deep dive into metacognition, moving past the abstract definition of "thinking about thinking" to explore how we can naturalize these habits in the classroom to create independent, resilient learners.
Metacognition in Practice newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/metacognition-in-practice-6933076332687888384/
 

#21 Is "Tick Box" Leadership Killing Adaptive Teaching? With Shayan Siddiqui

How can school leaders move beyond "tick-box" administration to foster classrooms where adaptive teaching truly flourishes?
Today, I’m joined by Shayan Siddiqui, founder of Evelora International and a leadership expert with executive credentials from Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. As a former Head of School and IB Examiner, Shayan now serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, supporting leaders in building sustainable impact.
In this second episode of our Adaptive Teaching mini-series, we explore why leaders must prioritize student clarity over the "pace" of a lesson. We discuss the pitfalls of "parachute leadership" and how to transform feedback into psychological coaching that empowers teachers to meet every learner’s needs.
Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

#20 The Creative Teacher with Xavier Woods

How can we stop treating the arts as an elective "extra" and instead bake that creative spirit right into the core of our students' literacy and identity?
 
Today, I’m joined by Xavier Woods for a milestone 20th episode of the show. Xavier is a highly accomplished primary school teacher with over 21 years of experience in diverse communities across the United States. He is a true polymath—a painter, a music artist, and the author of The Powerful Book of Positively Powerful Poems. He’s currently teaching in elementary school, where he’s focused on empowering the next generation of creative leaders through innovative curriculum and some really exciting student opportunities.
 
This episode is actually a special return to a conversation that felt too vital to leave alone. We’re diving into Xavier’s "Learning Studio" concept and exploring how his own journey—from pushing through creative blocks to sharing his music with his class—helps build an ecosystem where every kid feels like they’re part of something that truly matters.

#19 Can Adaptive Teaching Unlock Every Students Potential? With Samantha Mcfarlane

How could we move beyond "retrofitting" lessons and instead design learning that is accessible to everyone from the very start?
 
In this episode of The Well-being Classroom, Samantha McFarlane from NASEN joins us to discuss "Inclusion by Design." We explore how to move away from traditional differentiation and toward adaptive teaching, ensuring every student reaches high-aspiration goals through intentional, flexible support.
 
Key Takeaways:
Adaptive Teaching via the "Five-a-Day": Discover how to use the "five-a-day" framework—including explicit instructions and scaffolding—as the foundation for effective adaptive teaching.
Proactive Design: How the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework removes barriers to progress before they even arise.
High Aspirations for All: Shifting the focus so all students work toward the same objectives via varied, adaptive paths.
• Authentic Engagement: Utilizing flexible grouping and accessibility technology (like dictation tools) to help every learner thrive.

#18 Can School Leaders Turn Stress into Strength? With Fran Reddan

How can leaders move from simply managing the daily "people complexity" of schools to truly thriving under the pressure?
Welcome back to The Well-being Classroom. Today, I’m rejoined by Fran Reddan, an accomplished Executive Coach and Board Director with the Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority. Having spent fifteen years as a school principal, Fran now uses her deep expertise in emotional intelligence and leadership development to help educators revitalise both their organisations and their own professional well-being.
Here is a link to Fran's website: https://www.franreddanconsulting.com/
In today’s episode, we dive into the five major triggers of leadership stress. We’ll explore practical "1% shifts," the science of performance-enhancing thoughts, and how to build personal rituals that protect your mental space.
Welcome back to The Well-being Classroom.