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Dana Goodier Out of the Trenches podcast

Are you in the trenches as an educator? You're not alone. Hear from those who have been in the trenches and managed to come out intact. Hear their stories!

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Episode # 412: Craig Randall &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 412: Craig Randall

Repeat guest Craig Randall is the developer and author of Trust-Based Observations, an Amazon number one best seller in five countries. Craig has spent the last 30 plus years in Education working as a…

Repeat guest Craig R…

Repeat guest Craig Randall is the developer and author of Trust-Based Observations, an Amazon number one best seller in five countries. Craig has spent the last 30 plus years in education working as a counselor, coach, teacher, and principal. Craig spends the majority of his time training school leaders in Trust-Based Observations (TBO), building mastery, and transforming the world of teacher observations to a model of trust and support that fosters Growth mindsets, cultures of trust, and creates collective teacher efficacy in action. In addition, Craig speaks at conferences, is working on a n…

Listen · 32:33
Episode # 411: Dr. Robb Kelly &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 411: Dr. Robb Kelly

Dr. Robb Kelly provides mentorship and guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs. He invests & encourages others to invest in startup ventures. He devotes countless hours sharing his expertise through co…

Dr. Robb Kelly provi…

Dr. Robb Kelly provides mentorship and guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs. He invests & encourages others to invest in startup ventures. He devotes countless hours sharing his expertise through conferences and workshops, utilizing others who've also overcome the challenges associated with Lifestyle changes, habit formation, childhood traumas, startup obstacles, etc. He has created educational programs on business fundamentals. He also fosters a culture of Innovation and responsible risk-taking. Dr. Kelly participated in the Entrepreneur Conference with Ken Joslin in Atlanta, Georgia as a …

Listen · 25:17
Episode # 210: Tim Shanahan &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 210: Tim Shanahan

Tim Shanahan is distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as the director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools, is the former president of the Internati…

Tim Shanahan is dist…

Tim Shanahan is distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as the director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools, is the former president of the International Literacy Association, and served on the advisory board of the National Institute for Literacy under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. In 2007, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame & is a former first-grade teacher. He is the author of the recently published book Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students’ Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do Abo…

Listen · 38:50
Episode # 409: Patty Mcgee &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 409: Patty McGee

Patty McGee is a nationally recognized literacy consultant, speaker, and educator with a passion for transforming classrooms into spaces where language and learning come alive. With decades of experie…

Patty McGee is a nat…

Patty McGee is a nationally recognized literacy consultant, speaker, and educator with a passion for transforming classrooms into spaces where language and learning come alive. With decades of experience as a teacher, coach, and advocate for delightful literacy practices, Patty has worked alongside educators across the country, partnering to unlock the full potential of their students through innovative and practical teaching strategies. "Not Your Granny’s Grammar" is her third book. Connect with Patty at www.pattymcgee.org or on LinkedIn & IG: @pmgmcgee

Listen · 32:41
Episode # 407: Brig Leane &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 407: Brig Leane

Brig Leane is an education consultant and former principal of Fruita Middle School in Colorado, which under his leadership became a national Model Professional Learning Community. A veteran of the Uni…

Brig Leane is an edu…

Brig Leane is an education consultant and former principal of Fruita Middle School in Colorado, which under his leadership became a national Model Professional Learning Community. A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, he began his 2nd career as an educator in 2000, and has served as a principal, assistant principal, and teacher at the middle and high school levels in inner-city, suburban, and rural schools. He has also been an adjunct professor at Colorado Christian University. Brig's work has been published in Phi Delta Kappan, Principal Leadership, and elsewhere, and he's the author of…

Listen · 32:50
Episode # 407: Andrea Bitner &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 407: Andrea Bitner

Return guest Andrea Bitner is an English Language Learner (ELL) educator, author, and speaker based in Philadelphia, PA. With 25 years in public education, she has taught K–12 students from around t…

Return guest Andrea …

Return guest Andrea Bitner is an English Language Learner (ELL) educator, author, and speaker based in Philadelphia, PA. With 25 years in public education, she has taught K–12 students from around the world. Her debut book, Take Me Home (2021), shares the powerful true stories of 11 former EL students navigating bilingualism in America, while her second book, When Niagara Falls, inspires resilience, belonging, and growth for students and educators alike. Andrea also co-authored The Impact of Influence – Volume 3: 100 No-Nonsense Things ALL School Leaders Should STOP Doing, and contributed …

Listen · 21:50
Episode # 405: Jen Otte &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 405: Jen Otte

en Otte is an innovative educational leader with over 20 years of experience as both a teacher and an administrator. After teaching high school social studies for 17 years, Jen stepped into her curren…

en Otte is an innova…

en Otte is an innovative educational leader with over 20 years of experience as both a teacher and an administrator. After teaching high school social studies for 17 years, Jen stepped into her current role as a high school associate principal. In both positions, and as a stepmom of two teenagers for over a decade, Jen began to realize there was a lot that she - and her fellow educators - needed to learn and understand about the teenage brain. She is the founder of The Teenage Brain Thing, a resource and professional development framework and action plan to help educators tap into the potentia…

Listen · 24:29
Episode # 405: Decoteau Irby &Amp; Ann Ishimaru &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 405: Decoteau Irby & Ann Ishimaru

Decoteau J. Irby, PhD's life work focuses on creating and sustaining organizations that contribute to Black people’s self-determined well-being, development, and positive life outcomes. He is Profes…

Decoteau J. Irby, Ph…

Decoteau J. Irby, PhD's life work focuses on creating and sustaining organizations that contribute to Black people’s self-determined well-being, development, and positive life outcomes. He is Professor at University of Illinois at Chicago in the Department of Educational Policy Studies. He is the author of Stuck Improving: Racial Equity and School Leadership. Dr. Ann M. Ishimaru is an award-winning scholar, writer, educator and the Killinger Endowed Chair and Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy at the University of Washington College of Education. Through her work, sh…

Listen · 40:01
Episode # 404: Josh Tovar &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 404: Josh Tovar

Josh Tovar is the Principal at Memorial Pathway Academy (6-12) in Garland Independent School District NE of Dallas since 2016 & the Host of the #PGPPODCAST Sundays 5 pm CST. Find Josh online: Twi…

Josh Tovar is the Pr…

Josh Tovar is the Principal at Memorial Pathway Academy (6-12) in Garland Independent School District NE of Dallas since 2016 & the Host of the #PGPPODCAST Sundays 5 pm CST. Find Josh online: Twitter/X: @MPA_GOJAGUARS @JTSOTLIGHTS IG: @jtspotlightd FB: @Mpa Jaguars LinkedIn YOUTUBE @ JOSH TOVAR

Listen · 25:41
Episode # 403: Brenna Muldoon &Amp; Christine Connor &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 403: Brenna Muldoon & Christine Connor

Brenna Muldoon is in her 23rd year in education. She is currently the K-12 Director for World Languages and ENL in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District in upstate New York and serves as the c…

Brenna Muldoon is in…

Brenna Muldoon is in her 23rd year in education. She is currently the K-12 Director for World Languages and ENL in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District in upstate New York and serves as the co-director of the NYCAL Exam Consortium and Chair of the Capital Area Language Leaders. She started her career as a German teacher in the North Colonie School District. She is the recipient of the 2025 NYSAFLT Remunda Cadoux Award for Leadership in World Language Supervision. She has co-presented with her colleague Christine Connor on the Seal of Biliteracy at the Day of European Languages at the …

Listen · 1:00:05
Episode # 402: Dr. Barbara Oakley &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 402: Dr. Barbara Oakley

Barbara Oakley, PhD is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan; Michigan’s Distinguished Professor of the Year; and Coursera’s inaugural “Innovation…

Barbara Oakley, PhD …

Barbara Oakley, PhD is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan; Michigan’s Distinguished Professor of the Year; and Coursera’s inaugural “Innovation Instructor.” Her work focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior. Dr. Oakley’s research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal. She is a New York Times best-selling author who has published in outlets as varied as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Her book A Mind…

Listen · 49:00
Episode # 401: Queen D Michelle &Raquo; Podcast Thumbnail
Episode # 401: Queen D Michelle

Michelle has taught elementary/middle school students for 27 years, four of those years, she was an administrator. She holds certifications in Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. She's taught in private, p…

Michelle has taught …

Michelle has taught elementary/middle school students for 27 years, four of those years, she was an administrator. She holds certifications in Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. She's taught in private, public, charter, and magnet school arenas across the country. Although she has retired, her life’s mission is dedicated to Generation Alpha. She wrote "52 Insights for Gen Alpha: A Conscious Curriculum to place in schools" which talks about the tools of Social and Emotional Intelligence needed to navigate THEIR world. This is a program created by a teacher for leaders to empower middle and high s…

Listen · 36:50