PBL Simplified for Administrators by Magnify Learning
WHAT: PBL Podcast for School Administrators FREE RESOURCE: WhatisPBL.com for free PBL Resources for Administrators PBL Simplified for Administrators Helping School Leaders Launch Their PBL Vision Project Based Learning (PBL) isn’t just for classrooms—it’s a transformative school-wide approach that starts with leadership. Hosted by Ryan Steuer, founder of Magnify Learning, this podcast is designed exclusively for school administrators, principals, and district leaders who are ready to implement and sustain PBL in their schools. Each episode breaks down real-world leadership strategies to help you build a thriving PBL culture, from crafting a clear vision to supporting teachers and engaging your community. Tune in for solo episodes with Ryan packed with actionable insights, as well as guest interviews with top educational leaders who share their challenges, wins, and best practices in making PBL a success. If you're ready to shift from traditional instruction to authentic, learner-driven education, this is the podcast for you. 🎧 Subscribe now and start leading the PBL movement in your school!
Episodes
In this episode of PBL Simplified for Administrators, Ryan Steuer, CEO of Magnify Learning, addresses the common challenges educational leaders face when implementing Project Based Learning (PBL).
The episode explores why PBL can feel overwhelming for teachers and ineffective for students, identifying system gaps and mindset issues as main causes. The discussion emphasizes the importance of sustainable systems, internal supports, a...
In this episode, Ryan Steuer addresses a common challenge faced by school leaders: “We’ve already done Project Based Learning (PBL), but it’s not working.”
Drawing on real case studies and over a decade of experience, Ryan explores why initial PBL efforts often stall and what it takes to create a sustainable, high-quality PBL system. He discusses the difference between surface-level implementation and authen...
In this leadership guest episode, Frank Oldani and Matt Fry from Belvidere School District 100 in Illinois share their insight on doing school differently and advancing career readiness in K-12 education.
The conversation covers building strong community partnerships, redefining career pathways beyond traditional college, and practical steps for sustainability in student programs. Listeners will find actionable tips, real-world sto...
In this episode of PBL Simplified, host Ryan welcomes Dr. Jim Van Allan, co-author of Energy Bus for Schools, to explore how school culture drives meaningful transformation. Jim shares the origin story behind adapting Jon Gordon’s
This episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast centers on the transformative power of professional networks in driving successful Project Based Learning (PBL) implementation. Host Ryan Steuer introduces the launch of PBL Networks, a platform designed to connect innovative educational leaders who are actively working to reshape ...
This episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast for Administrators features Dr. Jeremy Qualls, Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center in Williamson County, Tennessee. Jeremy shares how his district is redefining Career and Technical Education (CTE) by blending workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and real-world...
In this leadership episode, Ryan sits down with Mitch Weisburgh to explore Mind Shifting — a brain-based framework designed to help educators and leaders develop resourcefulness, resilience, and constructive collaboration.
If you lead a school or district, this episode digs into:...
What if student behavior problems, burnout, and disengagement aren’t discipline issues… but brain issues?
In this powerful leadership episode, Ryan sits down with Dr. Lisa Riegel—author, neuroscientist, and education innovator—to explore how brain science, motivation, and belonging intersect with Pr...
What happens when Career and Technical Education stops operating in silos and starts acting like a true regional partner? In this leadership conversation, Jason Lucia shares how he is redesigning CTE to expand access, strengthen district collaboration, and connect students directly to meaningful, high-wage career pathways. From innovative shared-campus programs to deep industry partnerships, this epi...
As the year comes to a close, great leaders don’t just move on—they pause, reflect, and intentionally prepare for what’s next. In this episode, Ryan Steuer shares a powerful four-bucket reflection protocol used at Magnify Learning to help leadership teams identify what’s working, what’s broken, what’s confusing, and what truly mattered most.
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When the building is quiet but the work isn’t done, what should leaders actually be doing? In this episode, Ryan Steuer breaks down how top-tier school leaders use those “in-between” days—when students and teachers are gone, but administrators are still on contract—to create clarity, momentum, and renewal.
Rather than reacting to em...
In this episode of PBL Simplified for Administrators, Ryan Steuer breaks down how school and district leaders can intentionally plan and sustain a Project Based Learning (PBL) movement—without waiting for the “perfect time” or burning out their staff. This is a practical, leadership-focused roadmap for tur...
What separates a top 10% school from the other 90%? In this episode, Ryan lays out the habits, systems, and mindsets that high-performing, innovative schools share—and the traps they refuse to touch. You’ll hear why visiting model PBL schools is a game-changer, what visionary principals actually
In this episode, Ryan shares the honest, often-overlooked reasons school leaders struggle to launch Project Based Learning—even when everyone knows it works. Whether you’re wrestling with teacher buy-in, traditional systems, or shifting school culture, this episode breaks down the five biggest barriers and gives you practical ways to overcome them.
What We Cover
1. Wro...
Simon Holzapfel, the CFO and Co-founder of Leaf Lab, joins the podcast to share his experience in education, leadership, and business, describing himself as a "PBL fanboy". Simon asserts that PBL was the heart of education because it caused the learning to bond to something other than just the head, such as the body or heart, making the subject matter truly matter. He clarifies the crucial distinctio...
In this episode, Ryan shares his firsthand experience visiting Calvert County’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, where Project-Based Learning (PBL) and hands-on technical education intersect to create incredible outcomes for students. The visit highlights how authentic projects, structured pedagogy, and r...
In this inspiring leadership episode, Ryan Steuer talks with Amy Balsbaugh, principal and researcher on joy and well-being in school leadership. Together, they unpack practical ways school leaders can protect their joy, model balance, and lead with gratitude—even in high-demand e...
In this episode, Ryan Steuer breaks down why employability skills—communication, collaboration, problem solving, and agency—are what truly prepare students for life beyond school. Drawing from his business background and classroom experience, Ryan connects how PBL builds the exact skills employers and communitie...
In this leadership episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast for Administrators, host Ryan Steuer sits down with David Richards — founder of Growth Public Schools, Changemaker Micro Schools, and host of the Changemaker EDU Read more
In this episode, Ryan tackles a question that’s been floating around education circles: “Is Project Based Learning too hard?” Spoiler: No—it’s not too hard when done the right way.
Drawing from over a decade of work in schools across the country, Ryan brea...
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