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Encouraging Exploration in a Curated World
The other day, I opened Amazon Music and noticed something strange.Suddenly, my “My Likes and More” playlist was full of Blue Da Ba Dee (thanks to our youngest’s obsession with the Indianapolis Colts’ mascot) and tracks from Kendrick Lamar and Lil Tecca. Now, I’m not opposed to those artists or genres. But they’re not exactly…
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Leading Out Loud: Why I’m Launching a Podcast for Bold, People-First Leadership in Education
Tomorrow, something big is hitting the airwaves. After months of behind-the-scenes planning, recording, re-recording, laughing, learning, and (let’s be honest) Googling how to set up podcast distribution, I’m thrilled to officially announce the launch of my new podcast: Leading Out Loud with Dr. Chantell Manahan! It’s real. It’s ready. And it’s made for you, education…
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More Than a Shortcut: What Educators Really Want from AI
Generative AI has landed in schools, but most of what it’s doing right now is just scratching the surface. Lesson plan generators. Rubric writers. Auto-filled report cards. These tools are helpful. They save time. They reduce cognitive load. But in the grand scope of education, they’re not transformational yet. They’re making teaching faster. But they’re…
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Would I Want to Be a Learner in My Leadership?
It was the second day of school, and I had just asked my students to write about their first-day experience at our high school. Their responses stunned me. Over and over, they described the day as boring, repetitive, and impersonal. Every class felt the same: assigned seats, syllabus read-alouds, textbook distribution, maybe a pre-test if…
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From Kitchen Chaos to Leadership Wisdom
How One Spilled Bowl of Blueberries Became a Leadership Motto in Our Family Some lessons in leadership don’t come from books, boardrooms, or conferences. Sometimes, they come from your kitchen floor, covered in blueberries. Our youngest son was about three years old, and it had already been one of those days. You know the kind:…
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From the Hill to Home: Why EdTech Advocacy Isn’t Optional
I didn’t spend my vacation day last week on a beach.I spent it on Capitol Hill, talking to policymakers, dodging D.C. downpours, and advocating for the future of K-12 education. It was a whirlwind 24 hours in DC and 36 hours of travel. Because when it comes to education technology, how we fund it, protect…
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Real Teacher Appreciation: Beyond One Week
I knew I wanted to be a teacher long before I was in high school. My first “real” teaching experience came in fourth grade, when my teacher was exasperated about what to do with me–a precocious fourth-grader who finished early and talked to everyone in the class. She got a full 40 minute break from…
