Education Matters Podcast

About Education Matters Podcast

"Education Matters" explores how education shapes society, democracy, and the future. Through insightful conversations with educators, administrators, technology leaders, scientists, and philosophers, this podcast explores the challenges, successes, and evolving landscape of learning. From inspiring people to fascinating ideas, we delve into how education shapes lives and communities. Whether you're an educator or simply curious about its impact, join us to uncover why education truly matters.

Publisher

Jason Buccheri

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Dec 2024

Latest episode

29 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

66 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Episode 65 - Karyn Bruneel, Scott Miller, David Noble, Vince Romeo: Literacy and System Change

   In this episode of the Education Matters Podcast, host Jason Buccheri brings together four Ontario education leaders to explore system-wide literacy improvement: Scott Miller of the Waterloo Region District School Board, Karyn Bruneel of the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, David Noble of the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board, and Vince Romeo of the London District Catholic School Board. Building on a panel at EOS Learning’s Language and Literacy for Leaders Summit (https://www.eoslearning.ca/events), the guests share how they have translated the science of reading into changes in instruction, professional learning, and district leadership. They examine why literacy remains foundational in a world shaped by screens and artificial intelligence, and why helping every student become a reader is a moral imperative. The conversation explores the decisions that make sustained improvement possible, including restructuring leadership responsibilities, building staff buy-in, strengthening tier one instruction, and using screening and progress-monitoring data to guide intervention. The panel also discusses supporting older students with foundational reading gaps, including those whose early learning was disrupted by the pandemic. The leaders emphasize professional learning that extends beyond a single workshop. They share examples of classroom coaching, principals leading reading groups, and school teams using student progress to guide instruction. The discussion then turns to AI, exploring how it can reduce workload and support practice while preserving critical thinking, relationships, and the cognitive benefits of writing. The episode closes by reimagining education, from moving beyond age-based grades to providing support when students need it. David’s story of a young reader finally reading motorcycle manuals alongside his father brings the conversation back to the possibilities literacy creates: independence, connection, and the freedom to pursue a chosen path. This episode is presented in partnership with EOS Learning (https://www.eoslearning.ca/). Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠educationmatters.media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://educationmatters.media/) About: Each week, we bring you candid and personal interviews with educators and edtech leaders. New episodes: Every Tuesday & Thursday—don’t miss next week’s conversation! Join the convo: What’s your take on today’s discussion? Feedback is good! Comment below. Timestamps: 00:00:00 | Episode Opening and EOS Learning Partnership 00:01:23 | Introducing the Panel and the System Leadership Challenge 00:03:28 | Why Literacy Still Matters in a Digital World 00:05:56 | “Reading Is Freedom”: Opening Pathways for Every Student 00:08:35 | Literacy as a Foundation for Educational Equity 00:11:06 | Restructuring District Leadership to Support Schools 00:13:18 | Building Buy-In for Organizational Change 00:15:03 | Moving from Whole Language to Structured Literacy 00:19:42 | Intervening Before Reading Gaps Grow 00:23:17 | Aligning People, Funding, and Literacy Support 00:25:23 | Closing Reading Gaps in Grades Six, Seven, and Eight 00:28:24 | Turning Literacy Data into School-Level Decisions 00:30:26 | Using Screening and Progress Monitoring to Guide Instruction 00:33:40 | Addressing Foundational Reading Gaps in Secondary School 00:36:39 | Strong Tier One Instruction and a Prevention Approach 00:39:09 | Leading Change with Empathy and Job-Embedded Learning 00:41:51 | Coaching, Principal Learning, and Consistent Implementation 00:45:18 | Making Professional Learning Part of District Culture 00:48:41 | Supporting Principals and Vice Principals as Literacy Leaders 00:50:44 | AI as an Accelerator for Leadership and Human Connection 00:54:40 | Using AI to Enable Thinking and Support Learning 00:57:22 | Avoiding AI Overreliance and Building AI Literacy 01:00:32 | Reimagining Age-Based Grades and Student Progress 01:05:25 | The Support Every Student Deserves: A Young Reader’s Story 01:07:51 | Creating an Equitable Future for Every Learner

2. 

   23 Jun 2026

   Episode 64 - Peter Sovran: Professional Learning Reimagined

   In this episode of Education Matters, Jason Buccheri sits down with Peter Sovran, Director of Education and CEO of the Upper Grand District School Board, for the show’s first on-location recording inside a school district. Filmed in Upper Grand’s Innovation Lab, this conversation explores how one Ontario school board is rethinking professional learning, educator support, and innovation at scale. Peter shares his journey from growing up in an Italian immigrant family to studying behavioural neuroscience, entering the classroom as a teacher, serving in the Ontario Ministry of Education, and eventually becoming Director of Education at Upper Grand. Along the way, he reflects on the mentors, policy experiences, and leadership lessons that shaped his approach to public education. A major focus of the conversation is the Upper Grand Innovation Lab, a self-serve professional learning studio designed to help educators create, record, share, and revisit high-quality learning modules. Peter explains how the lab supports literacy, math, instructional practice, student co-op opportunities, and cost-effective professional development across a large district. Jason and Peter also discuss artificial intelligence in education, including Upper Grand’s AI literacy framework, the importance of strong literacy and math foundations, human rights, sustainability, and ethical engagement with emerging technologies. At its heart, this episode is about the future of public education and why human connection remains essential. Peter offers a thoughtful vision for schools that embrace innovation without losing sight of relationships, belonging, high expectations, and the responsibility to help every student succeed in a rapidly changing world for learners. Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠educationmatters.media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://educationmatters.media/) About: Each week, we bring you candid and personal interviews with educators and edtech leaders. New episodes: Every Tuesday & Thursday—don’t miss next week’s conversation! Join the convo: What’s your take on today’s discussion? Feedback is good! Comment below. Timestamps: [00:00:00] Professional Learning Anytime, Anywhere [00:00:48] Meet Peter Sovran and the Upper Grand Innovation Lab [00:03:08] First On-Site Education Matters Recording at a School District [00:03:54] Growing Up in an Italian Immigrant Family [00:05:29] Learning English and Entering School [00:06:12] Math, Science, Sports, and Early Learning [00:07:05] From Neuroscience Research to K–12 Education [00:08:45] Research, Experimentation, and Continuous Improvement [00:09:57] Family Work Ethic, High Expectations, and the Value of Education [00:11:58] Peter’s Early Teaching Journey in Ontario [00:13:36] From Classroom Teacher to Ministry and District Leadership [00:16:17] What Provincial Policy Leadership Teaches School Districts [00:18:41] Joining Upper Grand and Martha Rogers’ Legacy [00:19:59] What the Upper Grand Innovation Lab Is and Why It Exists [00:23:18] Professional Learning That Educators Can Revisit Anytime [00:24:10] Micro-Credentials, Blockchain, and the Origin of “Peter Nuggets” [00:25:39] Building Bite-Sized Professional Learning Modules at Scale [00:28:05] How the Self-Serve Recording Studio Supports Teacher PD [00:29:45] Whiteboards, Cameras, and Modular Teaching Tools for Educators [00:34:13] Student Co-Ops and Real-World Media Production Skills [00:36:40] Bringing the Mobile Innovation Lab Into Classrooms [00:38:20] Aligning Professional Learning With Literacy and Math Goals [00:41:57] Why Scalable Professional Development Matters for School Districts [00:43:33] Upper Grand’s AI Literacy Framework for Education [00:46:27] The Future of Education, Human Connection, and AI-Driven Change

3. 

   4 Jun 2026

   Episode 63 - Reg Klassen, Leona Prince, Monique Gray Smith: Story Telling, Leadership and Education

   In this special episode recorded in partnership with the Canadian Association of School System Administrators, Jason Buccheri is joined by co-host Reg Klassen and guests Leona Prince and Monique Gray Smith for a powerful conversation about storytelling, identity, reconciliation, and the future of education. Together, they explore how stories shape the way young people understand themselves, their communities, and the world around them. Leona and Monique reflect on Indigenous storytelling traditions, the importance of joy and hope alongside truth, and the role of books in helping students feel seen and valued. The conversation also turns to school leadership, mental health, outdoor learning, and the growing sense of disconnection among students and educators. Reg, Leona, and Monique discuss why relationships remain at the heart of learning, how leaders can listen more deeply, and why schools must create space for belonging, wellness, and human connection. This episode is a thoughtful reminder that education is not only about curriculum and achievement. It is about nourishing the heart, mind, and spirit of every learner, and creating schools where every child can recognize their own brilliance. Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠educationmatters.media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://educationmatters.media/) About: Each week, we bring you candid and personal interviews with educators and edtech leaders. New episodes: Every Tuesday & Thursday—don’t miss next week’s conversation! Join the convo: What’s your take on today’s discussion? Feedback is good! Comment below. Timestamps: [00:00:00] CASSA Partnership And Episode Introduction [00:01:40] Guest Introduction With Leona Prince And Monique Gray Smith [00:03:45] Leona Prince On Indigenous Education And Mental Health [00:05:21] Monique Gray Smith On Writing And Sharing The Light [00:06:21] Truth Joy Hope And Indigenous Storytelling [00:07:53] How Leona And Monique First Connected [00:10:12] Be A Good Ancestor And The Power Of Mentorship [00:12:56] Leadership Friendship And Stories That Matter [00:14:32] Indigenous Identity Culture And Complex Stories [00:16:12] Collaboration Reconciliation And Indigenous Books [00:18:35] Monique Gray Smith On Becoming A Writer [00:20:15] Holding The Branches Back For Future Storytellers [00:21:53] Leona Prince On Family Stories And Cultural Identity [00:25:17] Finding Courage To Write And Share Stories [00:28:07] Paying It Forward Through Indigenous Storytelling [00:30:02] Why Storytelling Matters In School Leadership [00:32:47] Leaders As Storytellers In Education Systems [00:36:25] Reg Klassen On Listening And Asking Better Questions [00:39:35] Wellness Challenges In Schools Today [00:40:35] Student Disconnection And The Anxious Generation [00:43:21] Information Overload And The Need For Grounding [00:44:56] Outdoor Learning Mental Health And Belonging [00:49:40] Rethinking Teacher Training For Today’s Learners [00:52:44] Compassionate Systems And Land Based Education [00:59:05] Blue Sky Vision For The Future Of Education

Who has been a guest on Education Matters Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• David DeSantis
• Dean Shareski
• Anna Villalta
• Reg Klassen
• Dr Pino Buffone

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,122

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 64 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

70

Social presence

91

YouTube

68

Engagement

32