Catching Up! | School Start Dates, Teacher Shortages, and Identity in Education

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Nate McClennen and Mason Pashia explore key topics shaping education today, from the varying start dates of schools across the U.S. to the global progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They dive into data on teacher shortages, discussing challenges with retention and exploring innovative solutions like rethinking educator models. The conversation also touches on the neuroscience of adolescent identity formation, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for healthy risk-taking and personal growth in schools. Tune in to hear insights on how schools can address current challenges while fostering connection, curiosity, and purpose among learners.

Outline

• (00:00) Introduction and Agenda
• (04:02) Global Goals and School Meals Progress
• (07:40) Public School Perception Survey Results
• (12:48) Teacher Shortage Data and Analysis
• (17:36) Rethinking Teacher Models
• (27:28) Identity Formation and Adolescent Development
• (37:23) Human Expression and Connection
• (42:47) What's That Song?

Links

• Watch the full video here
• Read the full blog here
• When Do Kids Go Back to School?
• Exclusive Poll: As Support for Schools Plummets, Americans Resist Closing Education Department
• Reading for Fun: Student Experiences
• How an Indiana District Puts a Premium on Teacher Autonomy
• Overview of Teacher Shortages
• How Can We Keep Teachers Teaching?
• State of the American Teacher Survey
• The Teaching Model That’s Keeping Educators in Schools
• The Great Simplification Podcast: Taylor Guthrie
• Sand Talk: Indigenous T