School leaders are surrounded by data every day. From attendance and academics to behavior and surveys, there is no shortage of information available to guide decisions. But what if the most important data is the information we receive from within ourselves? In this episode, I explore internal data and why understanding your own thoughts, beliefs, emotions, values, and intuition is essential for effective leadership. We often focus so much on external data that we overlook the internal guidance

Pumped to join the incredible team from the 2026 Fall Wide Open Spaces today, Monday, 10/12/26, at 12:10 pm PT/3:10 EST. We'll talk with amazing friends, leaders, and educators from WOS: the WOS creator/organizer, Dr. Eric Nichols; Dr. Casey Hallgarth, Superintendent @ Baker Schools; / casey-hallgarth Kevin Spainhour- 1st-time presenter at WOS, my very close friend/college roommate & my co-author of https://bit.ly/Dadsbook, https://kspainhour.com/and Jessica Cabeen--author, presenter, leader & m

Working Hard When No One’s Watching - FAAF 278 In this 278th episode, I share my reflections from Oct 5-9, 2026. Check out the WHOLE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST I put together with all the listens mentioned below: >>> bit.ly/E278FreshAirAtFivePlaylist <<< 5th: The EdTech Throwdown E223 “Survey Says! The Top 5 AI Power Moves for Teachers”; Teach Happier Small Shifts Big Gifts S7E4 “There's a Million Right Ways” 6th: The Easy EdTech Podcast E391 “Quick Strategies for Using Podcasts in the Classroom”; Why E

Even the most empowered leaders have moments when their confidence, certainty, and sense of personal power are shaken. Sometimes it happens gradually through small moments we overlook; other times, it arrives as a major challenge that changes everything. In this episode, I share a deeply personal reflection on what happens when your empowerment takes a hit. I explore the moments when you question yourself, doubt your decisions, or wonder whether you can recover from a difficult season. These mo

I Should Have Been Doing… Walking - FAAF 277 In this 277th episode, I share my reflections from Sept 21-Oct 2, 2026. Check out the WHOLE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST I put together with all the listens mentioned below: >>> bit.ly/E277FreshAirAtFivePlaylist <<< 22nd: The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast “Rethinking Time, Personalizing Learning, and the Role of the Arts in an AI World” 23rd: Why Edify Podcast E106 “The 4-Step Daily Routine That Saves Teacher Sanity | STRONG Teacher Report”; The Inspired Athlete

What if professional learning didn't require another workshop, another hour-long meeting, or another document sitting unopened on your desk? Dr. Wanda Terral found a surprisingly simple starting point: fortune cookies. Her book, Fortune Cookie Pedagogy, transforms short fortune-cookie messages into opportunities for educators to pause, reflect, and think differently about their practice. The idea grew from the hundreds of fortunes Wanda collected and eventually became a book featuring the voic