From her rough and tumble childhood along the rugged Maine coast to teaching Siberian Yupik students on an Alaskan island 35 miles from Russia, author and education expert Michelle Finn’s path through life has been unconventional. Join us as we explore her fascinating journey to become an educator, and the impact her work in competency-based, personalized learning systems has made on education. 

Learn more about Michelle Finn: https://www.marzanoresources.com/michelle-finn.html 

Buy Michelle’s books:

•  https://www.marzanoresources.com/scheduling-for-personalized-competency-based-education.html 
•  https://www.marzanoresources.com/handbook-personalized-competency-based-education.html 

Hedreich Nichols is a woman with many talents. Not only has she gifted the music world with her vocal prowess, this international sensation has also devoted much of her professional career to advocating for students and the educators who serve them. 

 Tune in to hear more about Nichols’ experiences as an artist, teacher, award-winning author, and renowned expert in equitable education and ed tech. From the Grammy Awards to the world of artificial intelligence, this conversation is full of surprises and hidden gems of wisdom.

*Learn more about Hedreich Nichols: https://www.solutiontree.com/hedreich-nichols.html 

*Buy Hedreich’s book: https://www.solutiontree.com/finding-your-blind-spots.html 

*Twitter: @hedreich 

Dr. Cameron Rains doesn’t shy away from digging in to investigate instructional practices that will raise levels of learning for all students. This passion for improving systems and structures to better serve students and teachers defined his former career as an educator and drives his daily work as executive vice president of Solution Tree. 

Join Jeff Jones in a candid conversation with Dr. Rains. As they traverse a range of topics, it becomes clear that every professional path chosen by Dr. Rains was done so with the intention of sharing what works with educators everywhere. 

 
Follow Cameron on Twitter @CameronRains

Ed Ackerman, president and COO of Solution Tree, sits down with Jeff Jones to talk about how the experiences in his life impacted his journey toward, and passion for, education. 

From humble beginnings growing up in Ohio, Iowa, New York, and South Carolina, then serving as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the army during Desert Storm, Ed’s journey has taken him across the world. Following his time in combat, he was selected to teach at the highly prestigious West Point, where his true passion for education soared. Ed joined Solution Tree in 2005 after years as a teacher. For nearly 20 years, he has made an immeasurable impact on the broader landscape of K–12 education. 

Decades ago, educator Bob Eaker began communicating with his fellow teachers and realized there needed to be a mechanism for changing teachers in order to change schools. Collaborating with PLC at Work® originator Rick DuFour, Bob took the principles of the PLC into his own community–and from there, saw dramatic results.

 Listen in as Solution Tree CEO Jeff Jones sits down with Bob to discuss those early days of putting the PLC into practice, and how the passion for teaching that began all those years ago has never waned.

Claudia Wheatley, author liaison and content specialist for Solution Tree, has experienced the life and culture of people everywhere from the inner city to the farms of Indiana. As a young teacher, Claudia learned the value of education, but was also willing to take risks to ensure student success went beyond just the subject matter. From there, she learned her talents lay in resource development.

 During her prestigious career at Solution Tree, Claudia has overseen the production of thousands of resources used by educators across the country. Whether she is nurturing our newest associates or developing new employees, Claudia consistently follows the trends in education and shows a dedication to advancing the work of our authors. Listen in as Claudia and Jeff Jones discuss her life and career and what she sees in the current landscape of publishing and education.

Former teacher, school administrator, and district-level leader Tom Schimmer has always felt a drive to impact people—although not always as an educator. As a lifelong sports fan, he first dreamed of coaching. It was only after he began teaching that he developed a passion for the work and embarked on a career in education that has spanned more than 30 years and taken him to 19 different countries.

Tune in to hear how Tom went from Boise State punter to one of the top experts in education. He chats about growing up in Vancouver, his love of baseball and sitcoms, and why “Schimmering it” is the key to lower-stress travel. Gain insight into his strategy for presenting effectively, the parallels of coaching and presenting, and the simultaneously exhilarating and grueling realities of being an international speaker.

Deeply rooted in the culture of Buffalo, New York, William “Bill” M. Ferriter has always felt a need to share his passion for community with the students he teaches. As a young teacher, he took that passion to North Carolina, where he began his career with third-grade students. He then made his way through different grades before finally becoming an eighth-grade science teacher—a position he still holds today.

 A prolific writer and speaker, Bill is passionate about crafting compelling content. Through his writing, he serves as a mentor for budding educators. Bill has published eight books individually, along with five collaborations, and is motivated to bring his experience and story to other teachers. Listen in as Bill talks about his life, family, and career.