Love, Sweat, & Tears: Ingredients for Transformative Campus Leadership

Celebrating Small Wins with Dr. Monica Anguiano

Responsive Learning — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 22:47:58 +0000

In this episode, Dr. Monica Anguiano explores how celebrating small wins can transform leadership, strengthen organizational culture, and improve outcomes in education. She shares practical strategies for creating psychological safety, recognizing staff contributions, and building motivation within teams.

Dr. Anguiano explains how leaders can sustain momentum for large goals by focusing on consistent progress, meaningful feedback, and intentional recognition. Through real-world insights and actionable ideas, she highlights how understanding what motivates people and creating learning loops can foster continuous improvement and stronger collaboration.

This conversation is packed with leadership insights for educators, administrators, and organizational leaders who want to build positive cultures where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to grow.

Topics Covered:

Celebrating small wins to build momentum
Psychological safety and team motivation
Leadership strategies for recognition and appreciation
Creating feedback-driven learning cultures
Sustaining change through continuous improvement

Guest: Dr. Monica Anguiano

How Principals Can Support Teachers with Challenging Student Behavior w/ Dan St. Romain

Responsive Learning — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:36:23 +0000

In this episode, How Principals Can Support Teachers with Challenging Student Behavior, we sit down with Dan St. Romain to explore practical, real-world strategies school leaders can use to better support teachers managing difficult classroom behaviors.

Dan shares actionable insights on building systems of support, responding to behavior with consistency and empathy, and strengthening teacher confidence in high-stress situations. We discuss how principals can create a culture where teachers feel backed up, equipped, and empowered — rather than overwhelmed — when challenging behaviors arise.

Whether you're a principal, assistant principal, or instructional leader, this conversation offers clear steps and mindset shifts to help you lead with compassion, clarity, and effectiveness.

Balancing Leadership and Life: Preventing Burnout ft. Todd Bloomer Part 2

Responsive Learning — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:28:39 +0000

Balancing Leadership and Life: Preventing Burnout (Part 2) ft. Todd Bloomer
In Part 2 of our conversation with Todd Bloomer, we go deeper into what sustainable leadership really looks like. Todd shares practical strategies for maintaining energy, managing ongoing pressure, and making intentional choices that protect both performance and personal well-being. This episode focuses on long-term habits, mindset shifts, and real-world leadership lessons that help prevent burnout before it takes hold.

Balancing Leadership and Life: Preventing Burnout ft. Todd Bloomer

Responsive Learning — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:17:56 +0000

Leadership can be meaningful and fulfilling—but it can also be draining. In this episode, Todd Bloomer joins us to talk about the real challenges leaders face when work starts to consume everything. Together, we explore how to recognize burnout early, set healthy boundaries, and lead sustainably without sacrificing your well-being, relationships, or passion for the work.

From Falling to Flourishing w/ Dr. Billy Snow

Responsive Learning — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:04:14 +0000

On this episode of Marty Takes the Mic, host Marty Silverman sits down with Dr. Billy Snow for a powerful conversation titled From Falling to Flourishing. Together, they explore what it truly takes to lead struggling schools through meaningful change—starting with psychological safety, trust, and collaboration.

Dr. Snow breaks down why sustainable school improvement happens with educators, not to them, sharing real-world examples of building culture, co-creating systems, and shifting from checkbox evaluations to relationship-driven coaching. He also delivers an encouraging pep talk for newly appointed principals, reminding leaders that lasting impact requires both the heart and the mind—clear systems, strong structures, and a deep reconnection to purpose.

This episode is a must-listen for principals, district leaders, and instructional coaches looking to build safe, supportive environments where educators—and students—can truly flourish.

Leading with Passion: Reigniting Your Excitement for the Principalship Part 2

Responsive Learning — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 22:58:00 +0000

Reigniting your passion is only the beginning. In Part 2, Erika Garza, Vanikin Sanders Leggett, and Tanya Alarcon take the conversation deeper—focusing on how principals can sustain their energy, protect their purpose, and lead with intention amid constant pressure. This session moves from inspiration to application, offering practical tools and mindset shifts that help you stay grounded, motivated, and effective long after the session ends.

Leading with Passion: Reigniting Your Excitement for the Principalship

Responsive Learning — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:26:53 +0000

Feeling the weight of the principalship? It’s easy for passion to fade under the demands of daily leadership. In this session, Erika Garza, Vanikin Sanders Leggett, and Tanya Alarcon guide you in rediscovering the excitement and purpose that drew you to school leadership in the first place. Through practical strategies, real-world stories, and reflective exercises, you’ll leave inspired, energized, and ready to lead with renewed passion.

Marty Takes the Mic: From Toxic to Thriving: Building a Positive Staff Culture

Responsive Learning — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 19:38:18 +0000

In this special takeover episode of Love, Sweat, and Tears, guest host Martin Silverman sits down with three dynamic Montana school leaders — John “Johnny Montana” Conan, Travis Niemeyer, and Brian Miller — for a deep dive into one of the most powerful drivers of school success: staff culture.

Together, they explore how staff rooms and shared spaces can either drain morale or build a thriving, positive community. The conversation unpacks why some spaces become centers of negativity, how “toxic empathy” shows up in schools, and what leaders can do to transform staff interactions into solution-focused, encouraging, and relationship-rich moments.

Listeners will hear practical strategies on:

Building trust through daily walk-throughs and morning check-ins
Learning personal details to strengthen connections with staff
Shifting from venting to problem-solving
Designing intentional staff spaces that promote belonging
Leading with presence — not just managing from the office

Packed with stories, real-world examples, and honest reflection, this episode is a must-listen for principals, superintendents, APs, and anyone passionate about creating a school culture where people feel seen, supported, and valued.

The Principals Playbook: On Culture ft. Todd Nesloney Part 2

Responsive Learning — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:10:52 +0000

The Principal’s Playlist: Culture – Part 2 dives deeper into the everyday habits that shape positive school culture. Gerrie Spellmann and Todd Nesloney share simple but meaningful strategies—like handwritten notes, warm welcomes, and intentional moments of connection—that help every student and staff member feel valued. It’s a practical look at how authentic leadership creates a culture that lasts.

The Principals Playbook: On Culture ft. Todd Nesloney

Responsive Learning — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:05:47 +0000

In The Principal’s Playlist: Culture, Gerrie Spellmann and Todd Nesloney explore simple, powerful ways to build a school where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. From handwritten notes to student greeters, discover how authentic leadership creates lasting campus culture.

Marty Takes the Mic: Love, Sweat & Tears Podcast Takeover Episode 1

Responsive Learning — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:20:10 +0000

Marty Takes the Mic: Love, Sweat & Tears Podcast Takeover

Get ready for a powerful takeover of Love, Sweat & Tears by one of education’s most thoughtful and experienced leaders. In Marty Takes the Mic, Responsive Learning hands the mic to Martin “Marty” Silverman, a longtime educator, principal, mentor, and champion of school culture, reflection, and relational leadership.

Who is Marty Silverman?
Martin Silverman has dedicated over four decades to public education in San Antonio, Texas. He served as a teacher, bilingual educator, and eventually a principal at Salinas Elementary School, working in urban, suburban, and rural schools.

Marty is deeply passionate about nurturing school culture, supporting teachers, and developing future leaders — particularly through reflective practice, family and community connection, and building strong, inclusive environments for all students.

In this special takeover of Love, Sweat & Tears, Marty Silverman — veteran educator, principal, and author — takes the mic to share insights and strategies for school leaders. Joined by Andrea Johnson and Mark Horner

Saving Money & The Environment ft. Stacy Savage Part2

Responsive Learning — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:28:50 +0000

In this episode of Love, Sweat, and Tears, hosts Gerrie Spellmann and Stacey Savage discuss the importance of zero waste initiatives in schools. Stacey shares her journey from a background in the oil and gas industry to becoming a zero waste advocate, highlighting key legislative achievements and practical steps schools can take to reduce waste. The conversation emphasizes the financial benefits of waste reduction, the role of students and custodial staff in sustainability efforts, and the need for a cultural shift towards environmental responsibility in educational institutions.

Saving Money & The Environment ft. Stacy Savage

Responsive Learning — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:24:20 +0000

In this episode of Love, Sweat, and Tears, hosts Gerrie Spellmann and Stacy Savage discuss the importance of zero waste initiatives in schools. Stacey shares her journey from a background in the oil and gas industry to becoming a zero waste advocate, highlighting key legislative achievements and practical steps schools can take to reduce waste. The conversation emphasizes the financial benefits of waste reduction, the role of students and custodial staff in sustainability efforts, and the need for a cultural shift towards environmental responsibility in educational institutions.

Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders ft. Bruce Gearing | Part 2

Responsive Learning — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:06:11 +0000

✨ Part 2 is here! ✨ In this episode, Dr. Bruce Gearing dives deeper into how school leaders can harness AI and technology to drive positive change, empower students, and create lasting impact in today’s digital age. Dr. Gearing currently serves as Superintendent of Leander ISD (Texas), where he leads more than 42,000 students across nearly 200 square miles. Originally from South Africa, he began his career teaching science and math before moving into leadership roles as an elementary principal, assistant superintendent, and eventually superintendent in several Texas districts—including Dripping Springs ISD and Marshall ISD. ‍ Don’t miss this inspiring conversation on leading with purpose, innovation, and heart. ❤️ #SchoolLeadership #AIinEducation #EdLeadership #NextGenLeaders #PurposefulPD #EducationInnovation

Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders ft. Bruce Gearing | Part 1

Responsive Learning — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:31:08 +0000

In this episode, Bruce shares how school leaders can harness AI and technology to drive positive change, empower students, and create meaningful impact in today’s digital age.

Don’t miss this conversation on leading with purpose, innovation, and heart. ❤️

Dr. Gearing currently serves as Superintendent of Leander ISD (Texas), leading over 42,000 students across nearly 200 square miles.
Community Impact

Originally from South Africa, he began his career teaching science and math—both locally and
Over time, he advanced through roles as an elementary principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent in several Texas districts (including Dripping Springs ISD and Marshall ISD).

In this episode, Bruce shares how school leaders can harness AI and technology for good—to empower students, strengthen instruction, and lead with purpose in today’s fast-changing world.

School Funding Secrets: Everything Principals Need to Know

Responsive Learning — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 17:37:05 +0000

️ Episode: School Funding Secrets: Everything Principals Need to Know

Join Kish Russell, the expert in school funding, and Gerrie, your host, as they dive into everything principals need to know to master school budgets, federal grants, and funding strategies.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Navigate Title 1 & Compensatory Ed Funds
✅ Reallocate your budget effectively
✅ Use the right budget codes
✅ Support staff and students with strategic funding decisions
✅ Access resources to educate yourself and stay ahead

Whether you’re a new principal or an experienced school leader, this episode is packed with actionable tips to maximize your school’s resources.

Listen now and become a funding pro!

#SchoolFunding #EducationLeadership #PrincipalLife #FederalGrants #SchoolBudgeting #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #ResponsiveLearning #EducationPodcast #SchoolLeadershipTips #PDThatWorks

Leading with Hope | Brandi Kelly | Love, Sweat & Tears Podcast

Responsive Learning — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:50:41 +0000

In this powerful episode, Brandi Kelly dives into what it truly means to lead with hope in education. From hallway conversations to high-stakes decisions, Brandi shares how school leaders can uplift their teams, navigate tough seasons, and create cultures rooted in resilience and optimism. If you're a principal, teacher, or instructional leader trying to hold it all together — this one's for you. Topics include: • What “leading with hope” looks like in real school settings • Practical ways to build trust, courage, and connection • The emotional side of leadership — and why it matters Subscribe for more honest conversations about leadership in schools. Listen, reflect, and lead with purpose. #LeadingWithHope #BrandiKelly #EducationLeadership #SchoolCulture #LoveSweatAndTearsPodcast #PrincipalSupport #TeacherLife #HopeInEducation #ResponsiveLearning #LeadershipMatters

T TESS Black Book Outcomes w/ Lori Gallegos - Part 2

Responsive Learning — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:23:06 +0000

Part 2 — T-TESS Blackbook Outcomes featuring Lori Gallegos! In this episode, we take a deeper look at how the T-TESS Blackbook has made a real difference in supporting teacher growth and development on campuses. Lori Gallegos shares how this resource impacted her own professional journey and offers insight on how you can use it to strengthen your leadership, support your team, and enhance instructional practices in your school community.

T-Tess Blackbook Outcomes w/ Lori Gallegos

Responsive Learning — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:31:47 +0000

T-TESS Blackbook Outcomes — featuring Lori Gallegos! We dive into how the T-TESS Blackbook has influenced teacher growth, how it personally supported Lori in her journey, and how you can leverage it to impact your own practice.

Turnaround Schools - Both Perspectives | Part 2

Responsive Learning — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 14:41:09 +0000

John Hinds successfully led a school turnaround effort, while Emily Melngailis contributed as a Special Education teacher throughout the process. Together, they navigated the challenges and celebrated the successes of transforming a school, offering insights from both leadership and classroom viewpoints.

Turnaround Schools - Both Perspectives

Responsive Learning — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:51:28 +0000

Turnaround Schools — John Hinds successfully led a school turnaround, with Emily Melngailis serving as a Special Education teacher during the process. Together, they experienced the challenges and successes of school transformation from both leadership and classroom perspectives.

T-TESS & Black Book Series Authors

Responsive Learning — Mon, 19 May 2025 16:44:09 +0000

Erika Garza and Dr. Kathy Dodge-Clay along with Gerrie Spellmann (co-host) and co author of T-TESS Black Book join us on the LST podcast.

️ The Power of Relationships w/ Dana Bashara & Kevin Brown

Responsive Learning — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:14:00 +0000

️ The Power of Relationships w/ Dana Bashara & Kevin Brown In this inspiring episode, we explore how campus leaders can build thriving school cultures—starting with the right hires and lasting relationships. Dana Bashara & Kevin Brown share their insights on: Leveraging hiring practices to build your dream team Creating meaningful connections with staff, students, and the community Why vulnerability and humility are leadership superpowers How to ask for help and lead with authenticity Whether you're a principal, administrator, or educator, this episode will challenge and encourage you to lead through relationships. Tune in now and take your leadership to the next level! Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that matter. #SchoolLeadership #EducationalLeadership #BuildingTeams #RelationshipsMatter #LeadershipPodcast #DanaBashara #KevinBrown

Learning to Lead w/John Hinds, Marty Silverman, and Tommy Tinajero: a sneak peak of RL's upcoming School Leadership Academy

Responsive Learning — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000

We know that school leaders are required to do more and more each school year, and often with less training and experience than ever before. We know that a great, capable school leader can impact student outcome just as much as classroom teachers. We know that campus leaders are feeling isolated, stretched thin, and thrown into the deep end- often without the support or resources they need to feel confident and capable.

We also know some pretty incredible practitioners with boots on the ground that want to help. So, after months and months of listening, planning, re-working, and testing- we're giving our podcast audience a sneak peak at the vision and process we've gone through to build a systemized platform that builds connection, confidence, and capability for campus leaders (and aspiring campus leaders!). In this special episode, Beth chats with Tommy Tinajero, Responsive Learning's CEO, and two of the dozen+ consultants that have helped turn this dream into a reality- John Hinds and Marty Silverman. Hear the story behind how this project came to be, and why it's so special. If you find yourself with questions, want more info, or would like to be a part of this in any way- you can email Beth at beth@responsivelearning.com - she'll get you all the info you need.

Listen to Marty Silverman's episode of Love, Sweat, & Tears here: https://responsivelearning.castos.com/episodes/seen-valued-heard-how-to-set-the-stage-for-lasting-impact-by-meaningfully-connecting-with-your-community-wmartin-silverman

Listen to John Hinds' episode here: https://responsivelearning.castos.com/episodes/theres-a-system-for-that-with-john-hinds

You can find some of the research mentioned here: https://wallacefoundation.org/report/how-principals-affect-students-and-schools-systematic-synthesis-two-decades-research

And as always, you can access RL's library of PD, the PD to Practice System, our blogs and more at https://www.responsivelearning.com/

Lead by Listening: How to lead your staff to serve and teach multi-lingual learners w/ Tina Beene

Responsive Learning — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:48:00 +0000

Tina Beene is an incredible speaker and author. She provides PD in-person and virtually on all things related to teaching multilingual learners. We go real deep in this episode, past just the basic pedagogy of teaching multilingual learners, and into some of the deeper, relational side of teaching someone that comes from a different background than you do. Tina has a series of books for teaching English language learners, which you can find at her website linked below.

Tina Beene - www.tinabeene.org

Susan David's Emotional Agility - https://www.susandavid.com/

Dr. Judy Willis - https://radteach.com/