Amidon Planet

In this episode, I talk with Charlie Van Norman and Devin Santiago, from MathBreakers, a video game designed around curiosity, creativity, and mathematical thinking. Rather than asking players to memorize procedures or answer endless practice questions, MathBreakers invites them to experiment, solve problems, and discover how mathematics shapes the world around them.

Together, we discuss what makes an educational game truly engaging...

What happens when some of the most significant parts of a person's teaching and learning experience remain unseen?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Amanda Goodwin about her dissertation, INVISIBLE: An Autoethnographic Study of Teaching and Learning with Physical Disabilities and Neurodivergence. Through the lens of her own lived experience, Amanda explores how invisible disabilities and neurodivergence shape teaching, learning, rela...

Coming this fall on Amidon Planet.

In 1962, Keith and Natalie Yelnick were given 45 minutes to make a decision about their newborn daughter, Kristin, who was born with a developmental disability.

What followed was not only a family story, but a story of social change.

Over the next six decades, Keith and Natalie witnessed—and helped shape—the evolution of educational opportunities, community inclusion, and support services...

What does it mean to become more fully yourself?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jeremiah Sims about his new book, Finding the Beautiful Path: On Blackness, Multidimensionality, and Radical Becoming. Through personal reflection, scholarship, and storytelling, Jeremiah invites readers to consider identity not as something fixed, but as something continually unfolding.

Our conversation explores the power of multidimensionality, t...

What if puzzles were about more than finding answers?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jeff Wanko, Dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences at Bradley University, about how puzzles create opportunities for both community and reasoning. While puzzles are often viewed as individual challenges, Jeff shares how they can become powerful experiences that bring people together around curiosity, conversation, and shared problem ...

Cynicism can feel like protection—especially for educators, leaders, and anyone who has experienced disappointment or burnout. But what if cynicism slowly distances us from the very relationships and possibilities we need most?

In this episode, Dr. Gary Williams interviews Joel Amidon about the book Hope for Cynics by Jamil Zaki and the challenge of remaining hopeful in a world that often rewards skepticism and distrust. Toget...

Students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties often struggle with multisyllabic words—but explicit instruction in morphology can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode, I talk with Amy Jackson and Kristi Livingston about their article DE+CON+STRUCT+ED: A Guide to Explicit Morphology Intervention and the role morphology plays in helping students both decode and understand complex words. By learning to identify, s...

Many educators and leaders carry powerful ideas, but sharing those ideas clearly and meaningfully can be challenging.

In this episode, Dr. Marvin King, Associate Professor of Political Science & African American Studies at the University of Mississippi, and I talk about the book TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson and what it reveals about communicating ideas in ways that resonate with audience...

How can mathematics connect meaningfully to the culture and communities students live in?

In this episode we are learning to teach better with Dr. Siddhi Soni and Alyssa Harbin as we discuss their article, Barn Quilts Ethnomodeling Task, found in Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12. The task is a mathematics experience that connects geometric thinking with cultural traditions found in communities across the United ...

It’s easy to feel like we have to manage everything - our students, our colleagues, our classrooms, our kids, and sometimes even how others think or respond. But what if some of that weight isn’t actually ours to carry?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Gary Williams about The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and the simple but powerful idea behind it: letting people be who they are, while focusing on what we can control. W...

What if mathematics education were about more than solving problems or passing tests? What if it were part of helping people live fuller, richer lives?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Francis Su about his book Mathematics for Human Flourishing and the deeper purposes of learning (and teaching) mathematics. Drawing on philosophy, lived experience, and years of teaching mathematics, Francis invites us to see math as a discipline that...

AI tools are showing up everywhere in education, but most teachers don’t have the time to experiment with every new platform that promises transformation.

In this episode, I talk with Ken Rafanan about his work co-hosting TERC Tech Talks, a video podcast series that tests AI tools so educators don’t have to. We explore what happens when you move from reacting to AI hype to actually putting tools through their paces....

Learning to teach better means rethinking some of the practices we’ve inherited - including grammar instruction. For many of us, grammar carries a reputation for red ink, rigid rules, and student shutdown. But what if grammar could actually strengthen voice and clarity instead of suppressing it?

In this conversation, I talk with Patty McGee about her book, Not Your Granny’s Grammar: An Innovative Approach ...

Learning to teach better with the ProgressED Pathways Team—Sarah DiMaria, Carlee Madis, and Sheila Orr. These math educators and Knowles Senior Fellows share how their collaboration fuels progressive STEM instruction and they share the supports they’ve created to help teachers grow. This is a lively conversation full of insight, practical ideas, and inspiration for any educator. Plus the Album of the Episode, Made by th...

Learning to teach better with Dr. JJ Peterson in his return to Amidon Planet to talk about the power of love, joy, and clear communication in leadership and life. In this wide-ranging conversation, JJ reflects on lessons from C.S. Lewis, the importance of leading with heart, and how clarity in messaging can transform the way we connect, serve, and teach others. We also dive into his new podcast, Badass Softie, where he explores wha...