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  "tagline": "Real Talk School Leadership is a podcast for educators, administrators, and change-makers who believe schools can be better — and are willing to do the work to make it happen",
  "description": "Real Talk School Leadership is a podcast for educators, administrators, and change-makers who believe schools can be better — and are willing to do the work to make it happen. Hosted by Dan Mault, elementary school principal and Creativity & Change Leadership graduate student, this show dives into the real conversations behind leadership in today’s schools. Each episode explores creativity, organizational change, team dynamics, and innovation through the lens of everyday practice — from building strong staff cultures and navigating challenges to rethinking systems and empowering diverse thinkers. Blending research with real-world experience, Dan shares reflections from the principal’s office, lessons from graduate coursework, and practical strategies grounded in frameworks like FourSight, the 4 Ps of Creativity, and collaborative problem solving. You’ll hear honest insights, actionable ideas, and stories from the field designed to help you lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose. This isn’t about quick fixes or trendy buzzwords. It’s about people. It’s about process. And it’s about creating schools where both adults and students can thrive. If you’re ready for authentic conversations, thoughtful leadership, and practical creativity in education — welcome to Real Talk School Leadership .",
  "category": "School Leadership",
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  "audience": "K–12 educators",
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      "name": "Episode #9 - Finishing Strong: Practical Strategies for Engaging Students and Surviving the Last Weeks of School",
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      "description": "The final weeks of the school year can feel like a whirlwind. Between report cards, field trips, awards ceremonies, classroom cleanup, assessments, and countless end-of-year tasks, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed while still trying to provide meaningful learning experiences for students. In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we explore…",
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      "description": "In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we explore what might seem like an unexpected connection — what Disney can teach us about schools . From the moment you walk into a Disney park or resort, every detail is intentionally designed to create an unforgettable experience. The lighting, the music, the interactions, the storytelling —…",
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      "description": "In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we take a step back from systems and strategies to focus on something that sits at the center of it all — understanding people. We spend a lot of time in education talking about curriculum, instruction, and outcomes. But the reality is, none of that works the way we want it to if we don’t truly…",
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      "description": "What does it really take to prepare students for a future we can’t predict? In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , Dan Mault introduces the core ideas behind his upcoming book, Creativity by Design: A Practical Guide to Innovation, Student Engagement, and Creative Teaching . This conversation dives into one of the biggest challenges…",
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      "description": "In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership, we dig into something that often gets squeezed out of elementary schedules — play — and why research says that’s a mistake. If we truly want students who can think critically, solve complex problems, and innovate in a rapidly changing world, then play isn’t extra… it’s essential. Grounded in research…",
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      "description": "In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we builds on last week’s conversation about thinking preferences and dive deeper into how schools and organizations can turn good ideas into real impact. Using the FourSight problem-solving process — Clarify, Ideate, Develop, Implement — we explore why both the process and the people matter. You’ll…",
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      "description": "In this episode, I reflect on my J-term course Organizational Creativity and Innovation (led by Dr. Michael Ackerbauer - check out his Ted Talk here ) from the Creativity and Change Leadership program at Buffalo State University and how it’s reshaping the way I lead as a school principal. We dive into FourSight and thinking preferences, the 4 Ps…",
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