Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Teach BIG

In this inspiring episode of Teach BIG: Building Brilliance - Inside the Mind of an Early Childhood Curriculum Director, host Randi Whitney sits down with Danielle Dodson, the innovative Curriculum Coordinator at Strawberry Fields Preschool in Kemah, Texas. Together, they unpack what it truly means to expect BIG things from little people.

Danielle shares how the preschool years are more than just cute crafts and circle time—they’re the most powerful cognitive window a child will ever experience. Did you know that children learn at a faster rate before the age of six than at any other stage in life? That means what we do now—matters deeply.

This episode dives into how early literacy begins before kids can read or write. You'll hear how children at Strawberry Fields are taught to think like authors—long before they can form a full sentence on paper. With purposeful play, intentional language, and child-centered routines, Danielle shows us how to make learning fun and foundational.

From the role of imagination to the structure of a solid early curriculum, you’ll walk away with practical takeaways, whether you're a teacher, parent, leader, or curriculum designer.

Key Highlights:

* Why early childhood education is the most strategic time to build brain architecture

* How play fuels deep, lasting academic learning

* What it means to "teach authorship" to pre-readers

* How early exposure to literacy habits drives long-term academic success

* The intentional planning behind every lesson at Strawberry Fields Preschool

Whether you're shaping young minds now or preparing to do so in the future, this conversation will inspire you to dream bigger, start earlier, and teach intentionally.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or at TeachBIG.com
✨ Because building brilliance begins before first grade.

Continuing the Conversation with Retired Associate Superintendent Mike Fowler

In Part Two of the Leading with Heart series on the Teach BIG Podcast, Randi Whitney continues her emotional and eye-opening conversation with retired Associate Superintendent Mike Fowler, digging even deeper into the shifting landscape of school leadership—and what it truly means to lead with both courage and compassion.

This episode explores the evolution of discipline, teacher autonomy, parental involvement, and student connection from the 1980s and 1990s to the present day. Mike reflects on how relationships once built face-to-face have now been filtered through screens and systems, and how the pressures of modern education have reshaped not only policy, but people.

“In those days, we didn’t need a handbook to know what was right—we had relationships.” – Mike Fowler

You’ll hear candid reflections on the hardest decisions he ever made, the moments he never forgot, and the surprising ways education has both advanced and regressed. From hallway conversations that changed a child’s life to district policies that changed the trajectory of a community, this is a rich and reflective episode for anyone invested in the heartbeat of our schools.

“Leadership doesn’t come from a position. It comes from how you make people feel.”

This is more than educational commentary—it’s a call to re-center human connection at the core of every classroom and campus. Whether you’re leading a school or raising a student, this episode will stir your heart and sharpen your vision.

📣 Listen to Part Two of the Teach BIG Podcast: Leading with Heart on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or at www.teachbig.com.

Let the lessons of the past help you lead into the future—with heart.

#TeachBIGPodcast#LeadingWithHeartPartTwo #MikeFowlerWisdom #SchoolLeadershipEvolution#EducatorInspiration #ParentEngagement #TeacherSupport #TeachBIG#EducationThroughTheDecades #HumanFirstLeadership

Guests: Rylie Saylor & Danielle Dodson

Featured Institution: Strawberry Fields Early Childhood Preschool, Kemah, TX

Podcast Description:

What does it take to build a preschool curriculum that isn’t just play-based—but purpose-driven? In this insightful episode of Teach BIG: Unlocking the Mysteries of a Preschool Curriculum, Randi Whitney sits down with Rylie Saylor, Principal, and Danielle Dodson, Curriculum Coordinator of Strawberry Fields Preschool in Kemah, Texas—a school redefining early childhood education with intention, innovation, and heart.

Together, they unpack what goes into creating a high-impact preschool curriculum that develops language, literacy, social-emotional strength, and cognitive readiness. From phonemic awareness routines that grow with the child to center-based learning that aligns with developmental science, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Strawberry Fields merges structure with wonder in every lesson.

Whether you're an early childhood educator, program leader, or curriculum designer, this episode will inspire you to rethink what’s possible in a preschool classroom—and why the earliest years deserve our highest expertise.

🟢 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and TeachBIG.com

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of the Teach BIG Podcast, Randi Whitney sits down with retired Associate Superintendent Mike Fowler—a seasoned educator and former principal whose leadership journey began in the 1980s. As part one of our Leading with Heart series, this episode offers a rare and intimate look into the soul of school leadership across generations.

Listeners will be drawn into real stories from the front office and the front lines, as Mike shares what it meant to be a principal in a time before cell phones, emails, and standardized testing pressures. You’ll hear about discipline handled with dignity, parent partnerships built over coffee, and school days guided more by moral compass than compliance checklists. But you’ll also hear the tension—how things have changed, what’s been lost, and what still matters most.

“There was no script. You led with your gut, your grit, and your heart.” – Mike Fowler

From navigating the community through tragedy to celebrating everyday victories, this episode is full of unexpected wisdom, surprising comparisons, and moments that will leave you inspired.

“The principal’s office wasn’t a place of fear—it was a place of learning, listening, and leadership.”

Whether you're a teacher, administrator, aspiring leader, or a parent who wants to understand what shapes our schools, this conversation is for you. It’s more than a nostalgic look back—it’s a challenge to lead with heart in every role, in every era.

📣 Tune in now to the Teach BIG Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or stream it directly at www.teachbig.com.

This is one episode every educator—and every parent—needs to hear.

#TeachBIGPodcast #LeadingWithHeart #EducationalLeadership #SchoolCulture #PrincipalLife #EducationThenAndNow #MikeFowlerInterview #TeacherInspiration #ParentPerspective #TeachBIG #ListenAndLead

What if education could save lives, close gaps, and reinvent engagement—all in a single virtual space? In this must-hear episode of Teach BIG: An Educational Revolution, Randi Whitney sits down with returning guests Kyla Pickrell and Sarah Owens of Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville to reveal how their team is transforming student learning and wellness in bold, innovative ways. From AI-monitored mental health support to avatar-led field trips, this is not the future—it’s happening now.

Listeners will discover the powerful impact of the K12 Zone, a digital environment where students connect, create, and learn in safe, personalized ways. You’ll also hear how TVAH’s Virtual DAEP Program is rewriting discipline by offering at-risk students the same curriculum, more emotional support, and zero lost instruction time. For educators and families alike, this episode paints a vision of virtual education that is connected, human-centered, and designed for real-world success.

Plus, the conversation uncovers the growing legislative support for virtual learning in Texas, how teachers are finding renewed purpose in flexible online roles, and why every student—whether high-achieving, struggling, or healing—deserves a place in this revolution.

If you’re a parent, teacher, leader, or policymaker, this episode will expand your vision for what’s possible.

🟢 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or TeachBIG.com
✨ Because virtual school isn’t just a screen—it’s a solution.

When the Walls Speak and the Little Voices Answer

In this inspiring conclusion of our two-part series, Randi Whitney and Rylie Saylor dive deeper into how the Teach BIG philosophy comes alive every day inside Strawberry Fields Preschool. From intentional classroom language to the power of purposeful posters, we explore how even the youngest learners are absorbing content, experiencing culture, and witnessing craft in action. Rylie shares how her teachers lead with heart, how parents become partners, and how a preschool can feel more like a mission than a model.

Because when you teach BIG—even to little ones—every moment becomes a message. And every child begins believing in their brilliance.

What if the Teach BIG philosophy wasn’t just for big kids—but for the tiniest learners, too?

In this powerful two-part series, Randi Whitney sits down with Rylie Saylor, principal of Strawberry Fields Preschool, to explore how the heart of Teach BIG beats just as loudly in early childhood education. In Part 1, we dive into how the pillars of content, craft, and culture are shaping not just preschool instruction—but parent partnerships, teacher confidence, and the daily joy of learning. You’ll hear real stories, practical insights, and a vision of what’s possible when even the smallest students are seen, heard, and celebrated.

Teach BIG isn’t an age—it’s an approach. And it starts here.

The posters are talking—but are we living what they say?

Welcome to the Posters to Passion episode, where we challenge educators to move beyond decorative walls and into classrooms filled with meaning, connection, and purpose. Based on the book by Randi Whitney, (Posters to Passion) this podcast explores how the words we hang become the promises we keep. We’ll uncover how to use Everyday, Educational, Encouraging, and Emergency posters to enhance academics, fuel motivation, and create classrooms that speak volumes—even when we’re silent.

This isn’t about classroom décor.

This is about classroom transformation.

Let’s turn your walls into your why—and your posters into passion.

Some teachers follow the script. The great ones go beyond it.

Welcome to the Beyond the Script podcast—where we stop delivering lessons and start delivering impact. Based on the transformative book (Beyond the Script) by Randi Whitney, this podcast is your guide to mastering the craft of teaching, one intentional moment at a time. Each episode dives into the rhythm, presence, pacing, and voice behind truly great instruction. Whether you're teaching from a scripted curriculum or crafting your own, this is where passion meets practice—and where educators learn to teach with power, purpose, and personality.

Let’s stop reading the lines. Let’s start reading the room. Go beyond the script. Teach BIG.

In Episode Two of the Teach BIG Podcast, host Randi Whitney brings the first pillar of the Teach BIG philosophy—Content—to life, inviting teachers to go beyond surface-level understanding and step into true content expertise. This episode introduces the Full Circle of Language Arts, a comprehensive and research-rooted framework that helps educators understand what to teach, how each element is connected, and why it matters. Randi dives deep into the first four habits of the circle—phonics, grammar, vocabulary, and fluency—and shows how these are not stand-alone concepts, but deeply interconnected habits that, when taught systematically, build confident readers and writers.

Listeners will also discover how these foundational habits lead directly into the two most powerful applications of literacy: reading comprehension and written constructed response. Through practical examples and clear explanation, Randi reveals how each habit contributes to the way students process text, cite evidence, construct meaning, and express ideas clearly and confidently in writing. This episode doesn’t just present theory—it offers a roadmap for implementation that empowers teachers to reclaim their role as content experts, no matter their curriculum or classroom constraints.

Whether you're just beginning your teaching journeyor looking to refine your instructional foundation, this episode will help you connect the dots between what you teach and why it matters. You'll leave with a deeper understanding of how language arts habits shape student outcomes—and how mastery of your content is the first step toward teaching with confidence, clarity, and impact. Episode Two is your invitation to teach intentionally, build skillfully, and ignite growth—starting with content that truly comes full circle.

Welcome to the very first episode of the Teach BIG Podcast—where passion meets purpose and real conversations ignite real hope in education. In this foundational launch, host Randi Whitney, award-winning educator, author, and creator of the Teach BIG movement, pulls back the curtain on what it trulymeans to teach with intention, impact, and inspiration.

This isn’t just another education podcast. Teach BIG is a premiere space for bold ideas, breakthrough techniques, and brilliant minds who believe that teaching is more than a job—it’s a craft, a calling, and a catalyst for transformation.

In this kickoff episode, Randi sets the tone for what’s to come:

    •    Why “teaching BIG” matters more than ever

    •    The story behind the movement

    •    What to expect from future episodes (spoiler: it’s not fluff)

    •    How to reignite your passion and take your practice to the next level

Whether you’re a first-year teacher, a seasoned instructional leader, or someone who simply believes that education has the power to change everything—this episode is your invitation to think bigger, teach bolder, and grow brighter.

Start here. Start now. Start BIG.

Because education doesn’t need more noise. It needs voices that matter.

Subscribe, share, and get ready—because this is just the beginning.