The CharacterStrong Podcast

How One Principal Built a System for Gathering Student Voice That Actually Changes Things - Sonia Ruiz

Today our guest is Sonia Ruiz, Principal at Jane Addams Middle School in Bolingbrook, Illinois and 2026 National Middle Level Principal of the Year. Sonia shares how her

Season 9 Kickoff: Cultivating the Soil Where Students and Adults Thrive

Today, John Norlin and Houston Kraft mark the launch of Season 9 of the CharacterStrong Podcast by digging into a framework that was unpacked this summer around what it a

How One District Got Their Suspension Rate Below 1% with Tier 2 Supports - Torrin Johnson

Today our guest is Torrin Johnson, Executive Director of MTSS at Merced Union High School District in California. Torrin shares how his district built a Tier 2 support sy

How Teaching Character Traits Gave One Teacher More Time, Not Less - Angela Walle

Today our guest is Angela Walle, a teacher at Geiger Montessori in Tacoma Public Schools and recipient of the Tacoma Public Schools Whole Child Champion Award. Angela sha

Staff Chips: A Simple System for More Intentional Connections - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called Staff Chips, a simple physical system that helps building administrators be more intentional about connecting with every

Deck of Destiny: A Two-Minute Strategy for Building Classroom Connection - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called Deck of Destiny, a simple way to weave relationship-building into the daily fabric of the classroom without adding time t

How One Phone Call Home Can Change a Family's Experience of School - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called the Kid in the Middle, a simple, low-burden approach to recognizing the students who rarely get attention in either direc

EMR: A Simple Reflection Strategy for More Intentional Relationships - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares an evidence-based reflection strategy called EMR, developed by Dr. Clayton Cook. Using a simple roster exercise, educators categorize each

The Temperature Check: Three Questions That Help You Know How Students Are Really Doing - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical classroom check-in strategy called the Temperature Check. Using three simple questions at the start of class, educators can get

True Story Friday: A Low-Burden Strategy for Building Classroom Connection - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a simple weekly strategy for helping students get to know the adults in their school: True Story Friday. By taking two to five minutes at t

The Law of the Lid: Why the Energy in Your Room Starts with You - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a leadership concept called The Law of the Lid, drawn from Dr. John Maxwell's work. The core idea is straightforward: as a leader, you cann

The Student Becomes the Teacher: A Simple Strategy for Student Connection - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a simple strategy for connecting with students, even thought who may have been hard to reach: The Student Becomes the Teacher. By asking st

Lessons from the Bench: What Leaders Can Learn from Role Players - Brandon Bakke

Today our guest is Brandon Bakke, assistant principal at Gig Harbor High School and author of Lessons from the Bench. Brandon shares the core ideas behind his new book, a

How to Build Relational Capacity with Staff and Students from Day One - Derrick Lawson

Today our guest is Derrick Lawson, co-executive director of CATLL and CASCD and a former principal at all three school levels. Derrick shares practical strategies for bui

Episode 500 - Where Have We Been, Where Are We Now, Where Are We Going - John Norlin, Houston Kraft, & Lindsay Norlin

Today, John Norlin, Houston Kraft, and Lindsay Norlin mark a milestone: the 500th episode of the CharacterStrong Podcast. More than a celebration of numbers, this episode

How Sharing Student Information Across Staff Improves School Outcomes - Steve Smith

Today our guest is Steve Smith, CEO and co-founder of IntelliSpark. Steve shares how IntelliSpark helps educators get to know students as people — not just learners — by

The Secondhand Compliment: How Indirect Recognition Builds Stronger Connections - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical relationship-building strategy called the secondhand compliment — an intentional approach to recognizing students through anoth

Five Strategies to Strengthen Tiered Support Across Your District - Dr. Susanne Thompson

Today our guest is Dr. Susanne Thompson, Vice President of Business Development at SESI (Specialized Education Services, Inc.). Dr. Thompson shares five practical strateg

How High-Impact Tutoring Reaches the Students Schools Can Miss - Devon Wible

Today our guest is Devon Wible, Vice President of Teaching and Learning at Catapult Learning. Devon works directly with schools and districts to design high-impact tutori

How Pre-Correction Reduces Behavior Problems Before They Start - John Norlin

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical classroom strategy called pre-correction a proactive approach to reducing behavior correction before it's needed. This episode