Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators – Details, episodes & analysis

In this warm and curiosity-packed conversation, Tricia Friedman sits down with Brian "Uncle John" Boone, longtime contributor to the iconic Uncle John's Know It All Bathroom Reader series—now celebrating its 38th edition. Brian shares why trivia continues to captivate millions, how collaborative writing fuels the series' longevity, and why tiny bits of knowledge can strengthen community, curiosity, and even kindness.

Together, Tricia and Brian explore:

• Why trivia matters in a world overloaded with information

• How curiosity helps us build human connection

• The behind-the-scenes pitching and research process at the Bathroom Readers' Institute

• The multigenerational fandom behind the beloved series

• How educators, parents, and young writers can use trivia to inspire creativity and local storytelling

• Practical tips for idea-keeping, pitching, and overcoming rejection as a writer

This episode is perfect for educators, writers, trivia lovers, librarians, caretakers, and anyone needing a little delight at this busy time of year.

Brian Boone has spent more than two decades helping shape one of the world's most beloved trivia traditions: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. With millions of copies sold and a fiercely loyal, multigenerational fandom, the "Know It All" series continues to turn everyday moments into delightful discoveries.

In this episode, Brian shares what keeps the series thriving after 38 editions:

• Humans are wired for curiosity. Trivia satisfies our desire to understand the world in quick, accessible ways.

• Trivia builds connection. Readers often share facts with friends, family, and even strangers—strengthening social bonds.

• Collaboration fuels creativity. The series is built by writers of different ages and backgrounds, each bringing unique lenses to history, science, pop culture, and everyday oddities.

• Research is an adventure. From public libraries to vintage magazines to listener letters, the team follows surprising threads that lead to new stories.

• Writing thrives on feedback. Brian offers honest, encouraging insight into pitching, rejection, and finding the right home for your ideas.

Tricia and Brian also discuss how educators can adapt this model for micro-projects in classrooms: school-based trivia books, local history prompts, research sprints, and collaborative student authorship.

If you're looking for a light, meaningful episode at the end of a hectic year, this conversation is a reminder that joyful learning still matters.

 

Join Tricia for a Futures Literacy conversation on December 12th through The Guardian Project:

m/t/taHBbURnELus?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

 

Tricia Friedman sits down with Scott and Mark Hoying to explore what it means to build a family rooted in love, creativity, and community. Together they talk about their new children's book, why representation in early storytelling matters, and how reimagining family through inclusive narratives can nurture belonging.

They also share how their creative partnership strengthens their relationship, what they're learning as they prepare for parenthood, and why embracing multi-hyphenate creativity can open unexpected pathways in art, life, and love. This warm holiday-season conversation blends heart, humor, and practical wisdom for anyone curious about how family and creativity evolve together.

Get your copy of their brand new book:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250853349/falalafamily/

Key Takeaways

• Family is shaped by love, care, and chosen community—not limited by traditional definitions.

• Inclusive children's books expand how young readers understand belonging and representation.

• Creative collaboration can deepen trust, communication, and emotional connection.

• Multi-hyphenate creativity empowers people to work across genres and mediums.

• Preparing for parenthood often mirrors the creative process: patience, curiosity, and resilience.

• Innovation emerges when couples challenge routines and try new approaches together.

• A shared creative life can strengthen partnership and build strong foundations for future family life.

• The holiday season offers opportunities to celebrate joy, generosity, and chosen family.

Karam Abboud shares their Second Chance story.

 

If their story inspires you, consider exploring ways to make even more stories like this a possibility.

Learn more:

https://www.secondchance.global/

 

​​​​​​Every year, brilliant low-income students from around the world risk being left behind — not for lack of talent, but for lack of financial means to accept their college admission offers. Until Second Chance takes action.​​​​​

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Each April, at the final hour of the admissions cycle, we identify a cohort of extraordinary students and connect them with full scholarships at leading universities worldwide.​​​​​​

 

Thank you to Oskar Diyali for creating the intro and outro music for this episode.

Discover the ten pivotal reasons why GSAs should embrace AI literacy and the role they play in bias mitigation, representation, and inclusive research. Explore probing questions to guide GSA groups on their AI discovery journey. Let's explore ways to boost activism, and advocacy within the AI landscape from an LGBTQ+ perspective. Want to enter to win a free seat at the 3-Week Cohort? Learn more about the cohort: https://www.shiftingschools.com/ Enter to win by emailing: tricia (at) shiftingschools (dot com) Explore the free slideshow with all the resources discussed: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vTtt_kco-Nvr1TdSvfklqJ_skqJjEMiRVqNX7xbXVhcq0Lep1BaUV66Bvs3E9QPoVkuBTtBR3w5OmAN/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

In light of Halloween being just around the corner, we are bringing you a repeat episode that explores a remarkable seasonal text to explore with the YA fans in your life! On this episode of the podcast we hear from Shelly Page (with a brief intro from Alex Brown)as she walks us through the process of bringing the soon-to-be-released collection 'Night of the Living Queers' to bookshelves everywhere. Pre-order your copy now bookshop.org/p/books/night-of-t…?ean=9781250892980 Connect with Shelly and Alex: twitter.com/shelly_p_writes twitter.com/gravity_fail09 Get $25 off the Media Literacy and Inclusion Course by using promo code "BABA25" on checkout www.shiftingschools.com/store-2/p/med…and-inclusion Also mentioned in this episode: lgbtqreads.com/2023/06/19/most-a…ly-december-2023/

In this episode Dr. Kraft shatters misconceptions and reveals the power of gaming for building social-emotional skills. How can educators effectively integrate gaming into their SEL programs? Are You Ready To Unlock the Power of Gaming? The power of gaming can be harnessed to forge strong peer connections among students. By instilling the elements of gaming in social-emotional learning, students can be encouraged to reflect on their emotions and reactions in gaming scenarios, apply insights to real-life contexts, and foster belonging within their peer groups. Thus, far from being a mere recreational activity, gaming can be a potent tool for facilitating improved student well-being and social-emotional growth. Learn more about our amazing guest: Dr. Kristen Craft has served as a teacher, principal, and district administrator in public education for the past 27 years. A champion of students, Dr. Craft is currently the Scholastic Esports Specialist for Generation Esports. She helps normalize esports in education by supporting schools and districts to create a scholastic esports pipeline. Mentoring educational leaders, teaching aspiring principals at the university level, presenting at multiple conferences, and connecting with leaders across the country, Kristen knows the impact leaders can have on a school or district. The culmination of her time in administration at both levels represents a lifetime of love spent in the greatest profession. She is the Gaming Concepts Podcast host and has been featured in several ed leadership podcasts and publications. Kristen was named the 2021 Kansas Principal of the Year. Twitter – @KristenEsports @GamingConceptsU @JoinGenEsports @HSELesports LinkedIn – KristenEsports, Generation Esports Links explored in this episode ‍LGBTQ Students Finding Hope in Declining Mental Health via Esports in Schools https://www.gamingconcepts.gg/ Huge thanks to our amazing Sponsor for this episode! Mackin For highlights from this conversation: 00:17:21 – Esports and Marginalized Populations The guest highlights the positive impact of esports on marginalized populations, specifically LGBTQ+ students. She mentions a study that showed significant growth in self-esteem among students who had mental health moments integrated into their gaming concepts curriculum. 00:18:13 – Rapid Transformation with Esports The guest discusses the transformative effects of implementing esports in schools. She shares the results of a study where students showed tremendous gains in self-esteem within just ten weeks. Esports provides a sense of community and inclusivity for students who may feel marginalized. 00:22:12 – Leadership Skills and Career Opportunities The guest emphasizes that esports develops leadership skills 00:31:16 – Creating a Welcoming Culture Dr. Kraft emphasizes that adding initiatives like Esports can create an inclusive and welcoming culture in schools. It is essential for educational leaders to see and fight for all students, rather than discounting or shaming them. 00:31:52 – The Role of Educational Leaders Dr. Kraft reminds leaders that their focus should be on the students, not themselves. Turning a blind eye to the needs of students is not who educational leaders should be. They should actively advocate for and support all students. 00:32:15 – Ending on a Powerful Note Tricia thanks Dr. Kraft for sharing her expertise and passion. The conversation serves as a reminder that it is ultimately about the kids and their well-being. Dr. Kraft's insights provide inspiration for educational leaders to prioritize the needs of students.

On this episode we talk about the art of listening, the significance of bringing a critical lens to our media diet, and much MUCH more. It is such an honor to have Bridget Todd on the show. 🎙Learn all about our guest: Bridget is the Communications Director at UltraViolet. She got her start teaching courses on writing and social change at Howard University. Since then, she's trained human rights activists in Australia, coordinated digital strategy for organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Women's March, and MSNBC. Bridget Todd is the creator and host of iHeartRadio's critically acclaimed podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet. Formerly, she cohosted iHeartMedia's Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast bringing feminist issues to 2 million ears a month and hosted a global salon with AFROPUNK where she talked to high-profile women like Ava Duvernay and #MeToo creator Tarana Burke. 📌Explore the curated guide to There Are No Girls On The Internet t.ly/-5jh ➡️ Be sure to vote for the show in the Shorty Awards https://shortyawards.com/15th/there-are-no-girls-on-the-internet 📲 Follow Bridget Todd online https://twitter.com/BridgetMarie ➡️ Learn more about UltraViolet https://weareultraviolet.org/ 🔗 Learn more about Pride and Less Prejudice as discussed at the top of the show: https://www.prideandlessprejudice.org/ ⚙️Click here for a transcript of this episode https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RL8WyHJx0qJeNfA5WmiL7bIiXA6P6OzBOxa6CNBMPMI/edit?usp=sharing Join Tricia this November https://chaptersinternational.com/mailer/tricia_friedman_OWCEEGAI-1.html Learn more about IRL Season 7 https://irlpodcast.org/

Zoe Tokushige (she/they) originally hails from Southern California, but has spent the past decade on the East Coast. After attending NYU for a BS in media, culture, and communications, Zoe received an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College before returning to New York to work in publishing. Zoe currently works in pre-press production at Penguin Random House. When not writing, Zoe enjoys crafts, video games, and D&D. Airi Sano, Prankmaster General: New School Skirmish is Zoe's debut novel. Learn more about this amazing book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/690503/airi-sano-prankmaster-general-public-enemy-number-one-by-zoe-tokushige-illustrated-by-jennifer-naalchigar/ Connect with Zoe: https://zoetokushige.com/ Sign up to win your copy at https://allyed.org/ Learn more about the course mentioned at the top of the episode: https://global-citizenship-hub.teachable.com/p/reciprocal-community-partnerships-a-master-class-in-how-to-evaluate-and-build-sustainable-inclusive-partnerships-in-k-12-schools

Hannah V. Sawyerr was recognized as the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore in 2016. Her spoken word has been featured on the BBC's World Have Your Say program, as well as the National Education Association's "Do You Hear Us?" campaign. Her written word has been included in gal-dem, Rookie, and xoNecole. She holds a BA in English from Morgan State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. Sawyerr is an English professor at Loyola Marymount University and lives in Los Angeles, California. ALL THE FIGHTING PARTS is her debut novel. Learn more about her:https://www.hannahsawyerr.com/ Check out her book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-the-fighting-parts-hannah-v-sawyerr/19736590 Connect with her: https://www.hannahsawyerr.com/contact As mentioned at the top of the episode... Check out the NEASC webinar on AI and Education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQTlzpSvr2E Access the Leading in the Era of AI course free: https://www.shiftingschools.com/ Follow Tricia's newsletter to win a copy of All the Fighting Parts: https://allyed.org/

Dr. Mark Anthony Gooden is on the podcast this week to talk about the book "Five Practices For Equity-Focused School Leadership" He addresses the ethos and anecdotes behind the book as well as why the lessons within are so relevant for leaders in education. Learn more about our guest: https://goodenphd.com/ Follow him on social media: https://twitter.com/GoodenPhD Connect with Tricia at next week's free webinar: https://www.neasc.org/events/artificial-intelligence-and-education-webinar-september-26-2023