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 solving.

We explore how puzzles encourage learners to explain their thinking, test ideas, listen to others, and make sense of complex situations. Along the way, we discuss why productive struggle can strengthen both understanding and relationships, and how puzzles help create spaces where everyone has an opportunity to contribute.

Whether you're a teacher, leader, or simply someone who enjoys a good challenge, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what happens when people think together. Plus, the Physical Media of the Episode, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.

Show notes can be found at amidonplanet.com/episode145.

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. Together, they explore how cynicism shapes the way we interpret people and institutions, why hope is not the same as naïveté, and what it looks like to stay relational and open without ignoring reality.

The conversation reflects on teaching, leadership, community, and the everyday practices that help people resist isolation and remain connected to others.

If you’ve ever found yourself becoming more cynical than you want to be, this conversation offers a thoughtful and grounded invitation toward hope. Plus, the Physical Media of the Episode, Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa.

Show notes can be found at amidonplanet.com/episode144

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, spell, and define prefixes, suffixes, and roots, students strengthen both word recognition and language comprehension.

This kind of work is part of a broader story often referred to as the “Mississippi Miracle”, where sustained, research-informed literacy practices across the state have contributed to significant gains in student reading outcomes. The approaches discussed in this episode reflect the kind of intentional, structured instruction that has helped move that work forward.

We explore why morphology should be a central part of word study, walk through a structured approach to introducing new morphemes, and discuss how this supports students with language-based learning differences.

If you’re an upper elementary teacher or interventionist looking for practical strategies to support struggling readers, this conversation offers clear guidance and actionable ideas. If you are novice, like I am, you will still learn a lot about learning to read.

Plus the Physical Media of the Episode, Revenge of the Sith.

Jackson, A. S., & Livingston, K. D. (2025). DE+CON+STRUCT+ED: A Guide to Explicit Morphology Intervention. Intervention in School and Clinic, 61(2), 66-73.

Show notes for the episode can be found at amidonplanet.com/episode143