371. Lead Where Your Feet Are: Featuring David James
What happens when a former assistant principal chooses to return to the middle school classroom and discovers a deeper, wider form of leadership than the front office ever offered? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper talks with David James, seventh grade social studies teacher, lead mentor, and conference director for the North…
370. For the Educators Who are Exhausted and Overextended: Featuring Kim Gameroz
Educators are exhausted, overextended, and still trying to show up fully for kids. So what does it actually look like to build a sustainable life and career in schools instead of just surviving the year? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Kim Gameroz to celebrate the launch of her…
Aspire Mailbag: EQ Over Ego & Navigating School Politics
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
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
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…