In this episode of Hack Learning "Uncut"--the unedited, unbridled, under-eight-minute edition of the Hack Learning Podcast--Mark Barnes explains how to do projects right. Using a model of an uninspiring old-school project, Mark shares some right-now solutions for bad projects and emphasizes how to do projects and project-based learning (PBL) right.Want to build a fascinating, engaging project-based learning event? This brief, Uncut podcast episode is the perfect starting point. Then, read the book

When Kansas middle school teacher Casey Ewy realized that kids will become independent, enthusiastic learners if they are part of a non-threatening community, she threw out everything that most teachers consider to be classroom management and replaced those strategies with an emphasis on Classroom Core Values. Ewy and Mark discuss how to engage all students in a conversation about values and how to inspire students to create their own core values. Check out Ewy's 5 simple ways to integrate core

In this episode of Hack Learning "Uncut"--the unedited, occasionally-interrupted, under-eight-minute edition of the Hack Learning Podcast, Mark Barnes riffs on the word "rigor" and its use in education. Referencing a discussion on the Teachers Throwing Out Grades Facebook group page, Mark shares a few members' thoughts on the pros and cons of rigorous instruction.One member asks: Does anyone else shudder when they hear an admin use the word "rigor"?Some say the word is misunderstood, while others

During a presidential debate, a citizen asked Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump if they are appropriate for kids. In this episode, Mark Barnes expands on the question while explaining how to discuss politics and other sensitive issues in school and in your classroom. Mark suggests that teachers stop telling kids that their views on politics are personal. Rather, he says to tell students what you really think, which helps educators hack the problem of seeming too distant and unreal to kids. Learn two

Mark Barnes explains how one Baltimore school repurposed and rebranded its detention room, turning it into a Mindful Moment Room, dramatically impacting schoolwide student behavior and almost magically making suspensions disappear. In Episode 63 of the Hack Learning Podcast, Mark explains how meditation, specifically mindfulness, calms students and helps them focus less on chaos and more on learning. In the What You Can Do Tomorrow segment, Mark explains how to learn practical meditation techniques,

Renowned author, presenter, and memory expert Brad Zupp rarely forgets things. Since 2009, Zupp has been dedicated to testing the limits of his own memory while helping others learn the benefits that come from memory improvement.Zupp shows both adults and children how to supercharge their memories to improve grades, relationships, productivity, and peace of mind while remembering more of what they see, hear and read. You might even call Brad Zupp a memory athlete; he's a two-time American

Jon Harper admits that in more than a decade in education, he's made plenty of mistakes. Some might call Harper a mistakes guru. He interviews experienced education stakeholders about their mistakes on his popular Bam Radio podcast, My Bad.In Episode 61 of the Hack Learning Podcast, Harper shares his journey to becoming a mistakes expert and provides steps for leveraging the power of mistakes, so we can become better teachers and learners.Learn more about Harper, the My Bad podcast, and how to turn

When Hack Learning creator Mark Barnes realized his daughter's school backpack weighed in at a portly 20.2 pounds, he decided to tell the world that it's time to reimagine traditional homework. In this episode, Mark tells the story of weighing his daughter's backpack and finding tons--okay, pounds--of workbooks, textbooks, notebooks, and many other unnecessary items that make up her nightly homework. Mark asks the questions that many educators and parents won't ask, and supplies easy right-now

New York Times bestselling author Jessica Lahey explains the struggles that parents and teachers have with allowing kids to fail. Author of The Gift of Failure, Lahey had an amazing epiphany a few years ago: She had to allow her son to fail, so he could ultimately succeed. Lahey also shares 3 right now strategies to help you embrace failure and learn how to help kids channel it into success. Learn more about Jessica Lahey and her runaway hit, The Gift of Failure, by clicking into Episode 59 at

Why do students love some classes and hate others? What makes a certain teacher every kid's favorite? How do master teachers become so great? The answer is simple: Master teachers have daily habits that make them great teachers and learners. In Hack Learning Podcast Episode 58, Mark Barnes shares 3 powerful and simple things great teachers do. These 3 habits are part of the 10 Habits of Master Teachers presentation. Learn more at http://masterteacherhabits.com.

When learning is relevant, students become enthusiastic and engaged. Denis Sheeran, math teacher and author of Instant Relevance, explains how he uses real life experiences to bring relevance to not only math but to any subject or grade. Want to use a snow day, a slice of pizza, or a drive to the store to make learning relevant? Sheeran tells you how in Hack Learning Podcast Episode 57 -- Hacking Relevance. Learn more about Sheeran and his book on the show notes page at

These three quick teaching and learning hacks, based on the runaway bestselling book, Hacking Leadership, are awesome for improving education at any school. Better still, they make people smile, and that’s a beautiful thing. Learn three simple leadership hacks you can implement tomorrow at school, home or in the workplace that will make your stakeholders smile and improve overall attitude and production. This is Hacking Positivity. Learn more at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.

Gerald Aungst, author of 5 Principles of the Modern Mathematics Classroom: Creating a Culture of Innovative Thinking, knows how to turn math haters into math lovers. In Episode 53 of the Hack Learning Podcast Aungst explains how he learned to inspire inquiry and conjecture in kids by creating unique situations where "something doesn't make sense or is not immediately obvious."Math teachers inspire curiosity in students by immersing them in a problem, Aungst says. Rather than handing them the correct

Learn how Dawn Casey-Rowe, author of Don't Sniff the Glue, navigates the rough waters of standardization in her classroom. In Episode 52 of the Hack Learning Series podcast, Dawn explains how she engages students by merging her business experience with learning outcomes, in order to capture the attention of even the most reluctant learners. Dawn shares several what-you-can-do-tomorrow strategies for teachers who want to create an innovative classroom, including using social media platforms like

In Episode 51, Hack Learning creator Mark Barnes recruits guru Don Wettrick to Hack Innovation. Wettrick is a high school teacher in Indiana, popular education presenter and author of Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level. His Innovation Class has grown into an amazing place, rife with students who are creating new programs that have caught the eye of the private sector. Don shares several fascinating stories about Innovation Class, focusing on students

Today's technology empowers teachers and learners to break down the walls of school and business. In Hack Learning Episode 50, Mark Barnes explains how you can easily share teaching and learning with all stakeholders with the power of live streaming video. Learn how Facebook, Periscope, and other platforms help you reveal your best practices and engage a global audience with live video. And learn how to begin immediately. See http://hacklearningpodcast.com for further details and resources.

Publishing giant Amazon developed a tool for publishers and bloggers to market books, but in the process it may have empowered teachers to turn non-readers into lifelong readers. Kindle Instant Preview is helping educators bring books to life for students, and Instant Preview just might inspire even the most reluctant readers to dive into a book, once they peruse it from their tablet or mobile device. In this episode, Mark Barnes shares the Secret Sauce inside Kindle Instant Preview, which gives

Mark Barnes shares the evolution of the Hack Learning model and says it's time to reframe your thinking and to change your attitude about problem-solving in education and in life. It's time for right now solutions. Here are three examples of solve-today-implement-tomorrow strategies that are sure to improve teaching and learning in your class, at your school, and at home. Learn more at http://hacklearningpodcast.com. Tweet your thoughts to #HackLearning on Twitter.

Renowned educators Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis are not your traditional school leaders. In fact, they prefer to lead from the middle, which is quite unorthodox, when you consider the typical top-down leadership model. In a recent conversation with Hack Learning creator and Times 10 Publisher Mark Barnes, Sanfelippo and Sinanis, co-authors of the new Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning That Teachers, Students, and Parents Love, explain how to create a positive school

If you want to build an engaged, vibrant learning community at your school and in your school district, you need to connect with teachers, parents, and community leaders on social media. School principal, connected educator and author of the popular Learning and Leading education blog, Bethany Hill, joins Mark Barnes in Episode 46 to discuss community building in and around schools, using the power of social networks, blogs, online courses and other social sharing tools. Building a successful