Advertise on podcast: Sustainable Teaching with Rae Hughart

Amy Storer visits twelve campuses in her district every single month. She comes with one topic. One tool, one tip, one practical thing. And she doesn’t leave until the teachers have actually done it. Not watched a demo. Not taken notes. Done it.

Ruth Poulsen spent 15 years teaching and leading in schools before burnout forced her to step back. Now on sabbatical, she's writing the Regenerative Schools blog on Substack and working on a book about how schools can sustain their people the way a regenerative farm sustains its soil. She and Rae talk digital sunsets, the 40% rest principle, and why saying no to good things is a leadership superpower.

What happens when you stop asking students to fit the classroom and start building the classroom to fit them? Kim Lohse has spent her career in teaching, administration, and innovation leadership answering that question. She joins Rae to talk about future-ready skills, creativity, and what student-centered design actually looks like in practice.

Josh Tovar grew up as a newcomer who didn't speak English, graduated at the bottom of his class, and spent the next thirty years making sure no other kid had to feel invisible. As principal of Memorial Pathway Academy in Garland, Texas, he shares how he builds culture-first leadership for newcomers and non-traditional learners, and why caring has to come before curriculum.

Executive Functioning for Educators with Sue Thompson

In this episode, Rae Hughart sits down with Dr. Jim Masters to explore what it means to build a culture-first leadership framework in schools. They discuss how principals and instructional leaders can create environments where teachers feel supported, empowered, and motivated to stay — and how that translates into real outcomes for students.

There is a version of education that is technically happening but not actually reaching the students in the room. Vanessa Castañeda Gill decided she was done pretending that wasn't happening — and what she did next is a conversation every educator needs to have. In this episode, Vanessa talks about identity erosion, what it costs students when they don't see themselves in the room, and what it looks like to stop softening yourself as a teacher — and why that act of authenticity changes everything for the students who need mirrors most. Free resource: The Equity-Centered Classroom Audit — download in BLOG Subscribe to Sustainable Teaching for new episodes every Friday.

You probably remember the exact moment you decided whether you were a math person or not. Denis Sheeran has spent his career interrupting that story — and he's here to show you what that looks like inside your classroom. In this episode, Denis shares his framework for building real-world math relevance, the moment you can see a student actually clicking in, and why paying attention to what students talk about before class is the most underused data source in teaching. Free resource: The Instant Relevance Lesson Audit — download in BLOG Subscribe to Sustainable Teaching for new episodes every Friday.

Bella Dailey went from marketing intern to confident PE teacher in just four years. She shares how setting boundaries at 4pm, leaning on her tight-knit team, and learning not to sweat the small stuff transformed her approach...

Stephanie Nardi spent 26 years in education before landing as a turnaround principal at a Title 1 middle school in Phoenix — and she'll tell you the most underrated leadership hack is where you put your stuff...

Superintendent Shannon Anderson shares how 30 years in education taught him to remove friction for teachers while staying connected to the classroom. From handling parent complaints to building relationships in small towns, he offers practical wisdom for educators at every level. You'll walk away with specific strategies for recognition, neutrality in tough conversations, and reframing challenges as opportunities.

Johnny Billingsley shares why he stepped back from principal to assistant principal to pursue his doctorate - and how it's transformed his work-life balance. He reveals his Friday-Saturday boundary rule and why elementary teachers deserve way more recognition. Plus, tackling the 'voluntold' problem and supporting students through tough times without burning out yourself.

Music teacher Jeanette Mihalchik shares her "be like Elsa and let it go" strategy for handling the uncontrollable parts of teaching. She reveals how focusing on childlike joy and building relationships across 600 students can transform your daily experience. Walk away with practical ways to differentiate instruction and give yourself grace in an impossible job.

Sheila Daly transformed her district's approach to supporting multilingual learners by creating structured writing frameworks that tripled language growth expectations. She shares how anchoring to objectives and using retrieval practices can prevent teacher overwhelm while accelerating student progress. Walk away with actionable strategies for chunking lessons and building sustainable systems that work.

Andrew Marotta shares his journey from principal to Director of Communications and reveals the relationship-building secrets that transformed his career. From the power of a simple smile to strategic note-taking on your phone, discover practical ways to connect authentically with colleagues and students. Subscribe for the full breakdown + free download on Substack.