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A sports podcast tradition turned into a surprisingly powerful education move: we’re drafting Mount Rushmores. Four favorites, no ranking, no stress and a whole lot of personality. We start light with snacks, because nothing reveals your inner child faster talking about your snacks. The laughs are real, but so is the underlying skill: getting people to talk, listen, and connect without the pressure of being “right.”

From there we level up to games and you can hear how the same simple prompt opens the door to strategy, collaboration, and friendly competition. We swap favorites and then we translate it to practice: why “favorites” prompts work as classroom icebreakers, advisory activities, indoor recess planning, and SEL routines that help students find common ground fast.

We also take time to reflect on season three, what we’re proud of, and what we’re protecting next: our mental health and sustainability. Finally, we talk about what could make season four even better, including more fan interaction, a bigger online presence, and experimenting with video, live formats, and even esports shoutcasting energy.

Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, share this with an educator who needs a low-lift community builder, and leave a review if the show helps you. What’s on your Mount Rushmore right now?

Want to send us a show idea or just say hi? Email us at: thechangedpodcast@gmail.com!

What did you think of the episode? Send us a text!

Greg Macer is back for his third appearance, and we jump straight into the part educators rarely get to see up close: what happens when you step outside schools and try to build learning with the business and manufacturing world. Greg shares why he left the IU system for a year, what surprised him about working with manufacturers, and how a simple truth kept showing up everywhere. Local industry wants to support students and teachers, but most employers need a bridge, someone who can turn tours and “cool equipment” into real, student-centered STEM learning.

From there, we get practical about what that bridge can look like: makerspace planning, workplace connections, and teacher experiences that feel authentic instead of scripted. We talk about STEELS and the deeper mindset behind phenomena-based instruction. If you have ever felt that initial “I’m good, I already teach this” reaction to new standards or new approaches, you’ll recognize the shift that happens when professional learning is designed for teachers to be learners first.

We also zoom out to the bigger why. Students are growing up in an information-heavy world where they need critical thinking, computational thinking, and the ability to make informed decisions without being pulled by half-truths. That’s where IUs and STEM ecosystems can be powerful connectors across schools, regions, and community partners. Then, because this is still us, we close with an unforgettable lightning round about food plating, cheese, and what “civil” eating really means.

Subscribe for more conversations that connect classroom practice with the real world, share this with a colleague who cares about STEM partnerships, and leave a review so more educators can find us. What would you want your local industry partners to build with your teachers next?

Want to send us a show idea or just say hi? Email us at: thechangedpodcast@gmail.com!

What did you think of the episode? Send us a text!

A few minutes into this conversation, we realize something: the most eye-opening part of global education is how much of it feels familiar. Dr. Christine Royce, a faculty member at Shippensburg University, joins us fresh off a Fulbright Scholar experience in Cairo, Egypt, where she taught future STEM teachers and worked alongside university faculty in a program built to prepare educators for grades 7 to 12.

We get specific about what she noticed on the ground. The structure of teacher preparation can look surprisingly similar, but the day-to-day learning conditions change everything: different access to materials, different tech realities, and students collaborating in ways shaped by shared devices and limited campus-wide Wi-Fi. We also unpack a huge instructional wrinkle that’s easy to overlook from afar: STEM subjects taught in English even when it’s not students’ native language, and what that can mean for scaffolding, participation, and cognitive load.

Then the conversation turns to purpose and motivation. The Cairo program ties coursework to practical application and the “grand challenges” of the country, pushing integrated STEM thinking instead of isolated subjects. Christine shares a moment during Ramadan that stops us in our tracks: an extra class session added because the learning wasn’t done, and students showed up ready to engage. It raises a simple question with big implications: what happens when learners truly see education as a scarce, valuable opportunity?

If you’re interested in STEM education, teacher prep, global education, or meaningful professional learning, you’ll leave with concrete insights and a push to seek perspective, even if it’s just the next classroom over. Subscribe, share this with an educator friend, and leave a review, then tell us: what’s one place you could go to learn something new about your own teaching?

Want to send us a show idea or just say hi? Email us at: thechangedpodcast@gmail.com!