Aspire Mailbag: EQ Over Ego & Navigating School Politics

Jeff Gargas, Joshua Stamper, Aspire mailbag, Leadership, Teach Better, Aspire to Lead

Aspiring leaders asked: How do you lead with emotional intelligence (EQ) instead of ego, and navigate school politics without getting burned? In this bonus Aspire Mailbag with Jeff Gargas (COO, Teach Better), Joshua Stamper dives into self-awareness, empathy, humility, and building feedback loops to ditch ego-driven decisions for people-first leadership.​ They also tackle the politics…

369. The Science of School Discipline: Featuring Nathan Maynard

Nathan Maynard, Hacking Discipline, HighFive, restorative practices

What happens when discipline shifts from punishment to teaching? In this important conversation, Joshua Stamper and Nathan Maynard unpack the ideas behind Nathan’s new book The Science of Discipline, exploring how schools can move from compliance-driven systems to accountable, trauma-informed practices that actually change behavior. Nathan shares what he has learned working with struggling schools…

368. Every Child Deserves a Team: Featuring Kurtis Hewson

Kutis Hewson, Collaborative Response , Aspire to Lead

How can schools ensure every student benefits from collective expertise without overwhelming teachers with endless meetings? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper talks with Kurtis Hewson, co author of Collaborative Response and co founder of Jigsaw Learning, about a school wide model that replaces fragmented teams with purposeful, layered collaborative structures centered…