Think Differently and Deeply Podcast

What happens when the science of learning is applied not only to classrooms, but also to a weekly chapel attended by an entire school community? In this episode of the Think Differently and Deeply podcast, host Glenn Whitman talks with Reverend James Isaacs, the middle and upper school chaplain at St. Andrew's Episcopal School, about his journey from clergy member with no traditional classroom teaching experience to an educator deeply informed by the science of learning.
Drawing on Reverend Isaacs's article, Research-Informed Chapel at St. Andrew's Episcopal School, the conversation explores how principles from mind, brain, and education research can shape the design of a chapel. From creating joy and anticipation before students even enter the space to using consistent rituals, moments of silence, student voice, and reflection, Reverend Isaacs describes how he intentionally designs chapel to support attention, engagement, belonging, and meaning.
"I am sort of setting the bar for what joy level is possible." — Reverend James Isaacs.
What You'll Learn:
How Reverend James Isaacs transitioned from clergy work into classroom teaching
Why incremental changes can transform teaching practice over time
How the science of learning reshaped Reverend Isaacs's approach to teaching
Why joy and anticipation can help prepare students for learning
How consistent rituals and routines can reduce cognitive load and create a sense of familiarity
The role of student voice in designing research-informed chapel experiences
Why moments of silence can create space for attention, reflection, and presence
How chapel can incorporate research-informed strategies such as multiple modalities, reflection, and attention
Why the way educators begin and end an experience can influence what students remember
How repeated language and rituals can become meaningful parts of a student's long-term experience
"You don't have to fix everything all at once, but if you can make incremental changes, then as time goes on, that really overall has a big effect." — Reverend James Isaacs.
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What if the words teachers use before students begin a task can change how they approach it? In this episode, host Glenn Whitman talks with longtime St. Andrew's educator Chuck James about his research into verbal priming and creativity, exploring how intentional language can give students the permission and confidence to think more originally.
Drawing on Chuck's article, "Words That Matter: The Effect of Verbal Priming on Creativity", the conversation moves beyond the study itself into a broader discussion of student agency, problem-driven learning, design thinking, and the relationship between knowledge and creativity. Chuck shares how simple prompts can signal to students that their unusual ideas are worth pursuing, and why cultivating authentic creativity requires more than simply asking students to complete a project.
"Know it to use it." — Chuck James.
What You'll Learn:
How verbal priming can prepare students to approach creative tasks differently

Why the language teachers use can give students permission to pursue unconventional ideas

How knowledge and skills provide the foundation for meaningful creativity

The difference between project-based learning and problem-driven learning

Why authentic problems can create more opportunities for student agency and originality

How teachers can use questions and discrepant events to activate curiosity

Why students need opportunities to create unique interpretations of what they have learned

How trust, high expectations, and appropriate scaffolding can support student agency

How design thinking, problem-driven learning, and AI can work together to support deeper learning
"If I'm never asking students for a unique conception of what I've taught them, then I really think I have failed in my role as a teacher." — Chuck James.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.thecttl.org
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In this episode from Season 2, host Glenn speaks with Lisa Shambaugh about student choice, intrinsic motivation, and the role neuroscience can play in rethinking the admissions process.
They discuss how diversity, equity, and belonging intersect with admissions, the limitations of standardized testing, and why student agency should be a greater priority when evaluating applicants.
Listen in to learn what admissions professionals should understand about the brain, how intrinsic motivation can shape student success, and why it may be time to reimagine an admissions process that has changed very little in decades.
"We didn't know what we would be coming into; we didn't know what school might look like, but we knew for sure that we had to rethink what our admission criteria were." - Lisa Shambaugh.
What You'll Learn:
How many years has Lisa Shambaugh worked in admissions

What is good about independent schools

How did COVID-19 affect school admissions

What are the challenges of working in admissions

How to educate admissions staff on choice and intrinsic motivation

Why has the student admission process changed 

How to make the school admission process equitable 

What are admissions offices doing about AI essays

How do admissions offices analyze submissions 

Which research strategies did the admissions office use when changing their policies 
"We see trends coming before they've totally materialized." - Lisa Shambaugh.
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And to support our work, please leave us a 5-star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.thecttl.org
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In this episode from Season 2, host Glenn speaks with Rose Currie about her experience as a student intern at the academy.
 
They discuss the importance of her relationship with teachers, how well teachers should know their students, ways to incorporate metacognition into student learning, and what makes for a good homework assignment.
 
Listen in to learn why Rose signed up for a summer internship with the CTTL, how to manage a heavy course load, and what can make teachers better listeners.  
"I felt very heard. When I was talking, there was feedback and conversations going back and forth, and I could tell that we were respecting each other and learning a lot from each other." - Rose Currie.







What You'll Learn:
What should teachers know about their students

How to manage a heavy course load 

What does Rose Currie do for fun

Why sign up for a summer internship with the CTTL

What kind of learner is Rose

How learning styles change over time

What is a brain dump

How can teachers listen better

Is there good homework and bad homework

What makes a good homework assignment

How to take advantage of one-on-one teaching
 
"Teachers should be open to flexibility and dynamic teaching and having a good variety between online versus on paper." - Rose Currie.
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SUBSCRIBE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY & DEEPLY ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3JCpK1u
And to support our work, please leave us a 5-star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.thecttl.org
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There are seasons in a teaching career when the questions shift from "What am I doing in my classroom tomorrow?" to "Who am I becoming as an educator, colleague, and human?" In this episode, veteran third-grade teacher, nurse-turned-educator, and new‑teacher mentor Dale Kynoch invites us into that deeper work through the lens of coaching, theorist‑informed practice, and a relentless belief that both children and adults can change.
Across this conversation with host Glenn Whitman, Dale unpacks how she moved from giving advice as a senior teacher to learning the craft of coaching, including completing a fifteen‑month, twenty‑hours‑per‑week coaching course and integrating those tools into daily life at Saint Andrew's Episcopal School. She shares why she calls herself "a Vygotskian through and through," how she uses responsive classroom structures and clear boundaries to empower third graders, and why she believes coaching can help retain early‑career teachers, support parents, and even shape her future as an alpaca‑owning hobby farmer.
"Part of being in this service industry for me is I love, love, love to see people shine. That absolutely floats my boat." - Dale Kynoch.
What You'll Learn:
Why Dale moved from advice-giving to true coaching and what changed in his conversations with colleagues and students
The difference between mentoring, advising, and coaching in a PK–12 school context, and why that distinction matters for teacher growth
How Responsive Classroom structures and six intentional weeks of rule-setting create belonging, boundaries, and a "hum" in the elementary classroom
What it means to be "a Vygotskian through and through" and how core learning theories shape classroom decisions and adult interactions
How coaching supports new-to-Saint-Andrew's teachers in years one to five and why that window is critical for retaining great educators
Practical ways coaching conversations unfold on walks, during hallway chats, and in informal moments, not just in scheduled sessions
Why believing in a person's ability to grow is foundational to any meaningful coaching relationship
Strategies Dale uses to "catch kids doing something right," call it out publicly, and help them feel the joy of better decisions
How movement, like walking during coaching conversations, can change the brain's state and deepen reflection
The role of coaching for teachers, students, and even parents as schools navigate complex times, high expectations, and the science of learning
How a fifteen-month, twenty-hours-per-week coaching program reshaped Dale's thinking and clarified when to mentor versus when to coach
Why Dale dreams of a "hobby farm" with alpaca, and how he seeks learning and coaching even in that next chapter
"To make those changes, you have to feel it on the inside. You have to create it. And so that's coaching, where the person is coming up with their own plan." - Dale Kynoch.
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SUBSCRIBE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY & DEEPLY ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3JCpK1u
And to support our work, please leave us a 5-star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.thecttl.org
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