Katie and Aubrey hit the road with former Alabama Teacher of the Year Jennifer Brown to visit Paul Bryant High School and see how Principal Hines has built a culture of trust, visibility, and growth. From walkthroughs to data tracking to student ownership, this episode is full of practical insight—and a little karaoke.

In this episode:

• Visiting Paul W. Bryant High School in Tuscaloosa City Schools with Jennifer Brown

• How Principal Hines builds trust and visibility

• What daily walkthroughs look like—and why they work

• Students tracking their ACT pathway data

• Metacognition and ownership in every classroom

• The "Praise–Probe–Push" model for effective feedback

• The culture of celebration and high expectations

• The importance of teacher self-efficacy

• Road trip stories, J&J Grocery, and a little karaoke

Featured Guest:
Jennifer Brown, 2016 Alabama Teacher of the Year and educational consultant with Bailey Education Group

Locations Mentioned:

• Paul Bryant High School

• J&J Grocery (the best burger in Alabama)

Resources & Ideas Discussed:

• ACT pathway proficiency levels

• Classroom walkthrough structures

• Clear learning targets and student reflection

• Attendance and school culture initiatives

What if the "end game" of education isn't test scores or standards—but preparing students to thrive in Alabama's future workforce?

Katie and Aubrey dive into that big question with Valerie Curtis, Director of the Jacksonville State Regional Inservice Center. Valerie shares how partnerships with industry, regional STEM ecosystems, and K–12 collaboration are shaping what students need right now to be ready for the jobs of tomorrow.

They discuss:

• Why durable skills (communication, collaboration, adaptability, time management) matter more than ever

• How Alabama's industries—from logistics to healthcare to aerospace—are rapidly changing

• Why kids need real-world exposure starting in elementary school

• How teachers can model thinking, problem-solving, and communication daily

• What school leaders can invest in right now to move the needle

• Why every interaction in a classroom shapes Alabama's future

Packed with inspiration and practical ideas, this episode reframes workforce development as everyone's job—starting in kindergarten.

In this episode of Driving Education, Katie and Aubrey ride along with Alabama's top tech leaders to explore how instructional technology is really about people—not devices. You'll hear from Angie Clark, Katie Maddox, and Molly Evans as they share stories of innovation, collaboration, unplugged backups, 3D printing prosthetics, and the human connections that make teaching powerful. Their message is clear: technology can enhance learning, but it will never replace the relationships that change students' lives.

Angie Clark, Region 7 Technology in Motion Specialist;
Katie Maddox, Director of Instructional Technology for Chilton County Schools; and
Molly Evans, Enrichment Specialist for Hoover City Schools.

• The evolution of classroom technology (iPads, Google Classroom, Chromebooks)

• What technology can and cannot replace

• The importance of in-person collaboration among tech leaders

• How Alabama's edtech network (ALET & ATIM) supports schools

• Building teacher confidence and encouraging risk-taking

• Preparing for outages with unplugged backup plans

• Real-world learning through 3D printing and biomedical engineering

• Why students need to "see themselves in the real world"

• The balance between innovation and student safety

• Human connection as the foundation of all teaching

Key Quote:
"Technology can enhance teaching — but it will never, ever replace the human behind it."