Rethinking Certainty in Education: Why We’re Doing It All Wrong

In this S5E9 ‪@schoolutionspodcast‬ BONUS, I break down my conversation with Angela Stockman. Have you ever thought admitting "I don't know" would ruin your credibility as an educator? In this bonus episode, I share the vulnerable moment in 2006 when I believed saying those three words had sabotaged my career—and what actually happened next that transformed my entire teaching practice.

Building on my conversation with Angela about embracing uncertainty, this episode gives you three concrete moves to practice this week: how to pick ONE focal point to study all year, how to document observations without adding compliance burden, and how to share uncertainty in ways that build trust instead of destroying it.

What You'll Learn:
✅ Why performing certainty is ruining teacher credibility and causing burnout
✅ The three-move system for operationalizing uncertainty in your classroom
✅ How pedagogical documentation sustains your energy and curiosity
✅ Why "I don't know" gives students and colleagues permission to actually learn
✅ How to pair uncertainty with structure so it becomes productive, not paralyzing

This isn't about having all the answers—it's about having the courage to study what genuinely fascinates you about student learning. When we stop performing and start documenting, teaching transforms from survival mode to sustainable discovery.

Perfect for: teachers, education coaches, school administrators, instructional leaders, new teachers, teacher mentors, school counselors facing burnout, perfectionism, or the pressure to always have answers.

Key Quote: "I don't have to be certain to be credible." - Angela Stockman

CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Introduction: The Power of "I Don't Know"
1:00 - My 2006 Career-Changing Moment
3:00 - When a Teacher Said "That's the Most Honest Thing I've Heard"
4:00 - How to Operationalize Uncertainty
5:00 - Move 1: Name One Thing You're Curious About
6:00 - Move 2: Replace "I Should Know" with "I'm Going to Study This"
7:00 - Move 3: Share Your Uncertainty with One Person
8:00 - The Unintended Gift: Documentation Sustains Your Energy
9:00 - Curiosity as the Antidote to Burnout
10:00 - Call to Action: Your Three Moves This Week

💫Check out linked episode mentions here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/ep...

🚀📚 Watch the full S5E9 ‪@schoolutionspodcast‬ interview here (   • Stop Drowning in Data: Why Uncertainty Mak...  )

Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

📧 Connect: [email protected]
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

Don't forget to 👍LIKE this video if it helped you, 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and
💬SHARE with fellow educators!    / @schoolutionspodcast  

#TeachingStrategies #TeacherBurnout #PedagogicalDocumentation #EmbracingUncertainty #TeacherCredibility #ProfessionalDevelopment #InstructionalCoaching #EducationPodcast #TeachingStrategies #StudentEngagement #ClassroomCulture #TeacherSupport #NewTeachers #InnovativeTeaching #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #EmpoweredEducators #WholeChild #ProKidMindset #InclusiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #ActiveLearning #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #SchoolLeadership #TeacherMentors #CoachingStrategies #InspiredTeaching #StudentSuccess #ThrivingStudents #Schoolutions #SchoolutionsTeachingStrategies