The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast

What happens when educational technology is built with teachers instead of simply built for them?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros talks with Meagan French, Chief Partnerships Officer at ForEDU, about how ForEDU is taking a teacher-first approach to technology, AI, and professional learning.

Rather than starting with a tool and asking teachers to adapt, ForEDU starts with educators themselves. Meagan shares how involving teachers in the ideation, testing, and refinement of technology can create greater ownership, reduce decision fatigue, and better support the realities of the classroom.

George and Meagan also explore how AI can actually make education more human. When technology helps reduce the time teachers spend on planning, differentiation, grading, and other repetitive tasks, educators can devote more energy to relationships, meaningful feedback, creativity, and connecting with students.

The conversation explores the difference between professional development and professional learning, why AI implementation should begin with teachers before students, and how ForEDU's co-design philosophy puts teacher voice at the center of innovation.

Meagan also shares examples from Central Square School District, where teachers reported saving more than 150 hours through tools supporting personalized grading, feedback, and planning.

Ultimately, the conversation isn't simply about bringing more technology into schools. It's about how ForEDU can work alongside educators to use technology to strengthen the human side of teaching and learning.

 

Learn more at: https://www.foredu.ai/

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👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

Are you looking for a meaningful book study for your school or district this year, or perhaps already using Forward, Together with your team? This episode can serve as a starting point for those conversations, focusing on three questions that can help educators and leaders move beyond simply reading a book together and toward actually strengthening the community they serve.

In a world where disagreement can quickly become division, how do we intentionally build stronger communities in our schools?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros explores the idea that disagreement does not have to lead to division and shares three questions that can help school leaders and educators strengthen their communities:

How do we move forward when we don’t always agree?

How do we create ownership instead of simply seeking buy-in?

How do we ensure people feel valued for their contributions to our organization?

George discusses why listening and finding common ground should come before trying to convince others, why having more fingerprints on the journey creates more advocates for the destination, and why recognizing people’s strengths is only the beginning. We also have to give people meaningful opportunities to use those strengths.

The episode shares examples from schools and leadership experiences that demonstrate what it looks like to build community proactively, rather than waiting until relationships become fractured.

As George shares in Forward, Together, “When schools and families work together, they double the chance of a child’s success.”

Links & Resources Mentioned
Forward, Together by George Couros:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334836?linkCode=ssc&tag=georgecouros-20&creativeASIN=1948334836&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2SBTFVTBT0S6X&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Illinois Association of School Administrators Conference, George Couros Keynote Announcement:
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Wait-Is-Over--Meet-Our-Second-General-Session-Speaker.html?soid=1103777180704&aid=l7RLjHlb7PY

3 Questions Before You Launch Your Profile of a Graduate:
https://georgecouros.com/portrait-of-a-graduate/

Naperville 203 Profile of a Learner:
https://www.naperville203.org/our-district/profile-of-a-learner

Being a Good Follower:
https://georgecouros.com/being-a-good-follower/

Connect with George / Speaking & Book Study Inquiries:
https://georgecouros.com/contact/

Ultimately, building community is not something we should focus on only when things go wrong. Building community should be a proactive endeavor.

The question for all of us is not simply, “How do we get people to come along with us?” Instead, it might be: How do we create something together that people are proud to move forward with?

 

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👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

What if meaningful innovation in schools isn’t about doing more, but about rethinking how we use what we already have?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with Heidi Domescik and Daniel Forrester from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School to explore how they are reimagining professional learning by making it more personal, relevant, and responsive to the needs of educators.

The conversation also explores one of the most valuable resources in any school: time. Rather than continually adding new initiatives and expectations, how can schools rethink the way time is used so educators have greater opportunities to learn, collaborate, create, and do work that truly matters?

Heidi and Daniel also discuss the powerful connection between the arts and innovation, and why creativity, expression, and distinctly human ways of thinking may become even more important as artificial intelligence continues to reshape education and the world around us.

This conversation is a reminder that innovation isn’t always about adding something new. Sometimes, it starts by looking differently at what we already have.

 

___________

 

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

Technology often gets measured by how advanced, intelligent, or innovative it is. But perhaps its greatest value lies in something much simpler: helping us connect with one another.

In this episode, I revisit a story from The Innovator's Mindset about meeting an Uber driver who was deaf. Before riding with him again the next day, I used my phone to search YouTube and learn how to sign "thank you." It took only a few minutes, but that small use of technology created a genuine human connection that has stayed with me ever since.

Years later, after sharing that story during a keynote, a mother approached me with a powerful message. Her daughter, who is deaf, was about to start at a new school, and she worried about whether people would make the effort to help her feel welcome. She shared that the story gave her hope because it reminded her that inclusion often begins with one person choosing to make a small effort.

We spend so much time talking about artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and digital innovation. Yet some of the most meaningful ways we can use technology are also the simplest. A quick search, a short video, a translation app, or a few minutes of curiosity can help someone feel seen, respected, and like they truly belong.

Maybe the question isn't whether technology is making us more connected.

Maybe the better question is whether we're choosing to use it that way.

Questions for Reflection

When have you used technology to strengthen a human connection?

Are we teaching students to use technology primarily for productivity, or for empathy as well?

What simple digital tool could help someone in your community feel more seen and valued?

How can schools intentionally model technology as a bridge between people instead of a barrier?

What's one small use of technology you could make this week that would have a lasting impact on another person?

___________

 

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

What does it take to transform a school district from one of the lowest graduation rates in a state to one of the highest in the nation?

In this episode, George Couros sits down with Rick Surrency, elected superintendent of Florida's Putnam County School District and author of Trust Me: The Leadership Playbook Behind the Largest Graduation Rate Turnaround in America. Rick shares the remarkable story of how his district increased its graduation rate from 54.9% to 96.6% through a relentless focus on trust, relationships, instructional improvement, teacher support, and creating meaningful opportunities for students.

The conversation explores why trust is more than a leadership buzzword, how career-focused programs can transform student engagement, the importance of supporting teachers through mentorship, and why high expectations and innovation can thrive in any community, regardless of size or socioeconomic status.

Rick's story is a powerful reminder that meaningful change is possible when leaders consistently invest in people, build credibility through action, and create systems that help every student succeed.

Questions for Reflection and Conversation:

How does trust influence your willingness to embrace change, whether as a student, educator, leader, or community member?

What systems exist in your organization to identify and support people before they fall behind?

How can schools create learning experiences that are both academically rigorous and deeply relevant to students' futures?

___________

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:
X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:
Forward, Together:
https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/