Engage in authentic conversation and reflection with experienced educators

Reflection in Action: Listening to Our Inner Voice

Guest(s): Joe Schmidt and Laura Garrison-Brook
Date: 05/07/2025
Run time: 47:38
Season 4, Episode 7

Our guests for episode 7 are Joe Schmidt and Laura Garrison-Brook. Their conversation with Carol focuses on the need for intentionality both in being a mentor and in being a mentee. Together, they share unexpected ideas, tools, and tips to make mentorship relationships and reflection positive and productive. They also discuss how reflection requires both curiosity and courage, and how to make it a habit that is built into your life and practice.

Interested in Podcast PD?
Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit!

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Episode Audio

Joe Schmidt

Joe Schmidt is proud of his work that spans from teaching in the classroom to district, state, and national level leadership where he supports educators that teach grades PK-20. He strives to connect social studies educators regardless of grade level, content area, geographic location, or political leanings. He has worked for and with the National Council for the Social Studies, Bill of Rights Institute, Learning for Justice, the National Council for Geographic Education, ThinkerAnalytix, the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Finance, iCivics, National Geographic, the University of Maine.

Laura Garrison-Brook

Laura Garrison-Brook is passionate about helping young people flourish. A positive psychology practitioner with a master’s from University of Pennsylvania, she established a nonprofit organization called Discovering My Purpose in 2016. Her program blends evidence-based concepts such as strengths-based self-exploration and helps empower teens to become change agents within their own lives.

Carol Pelletier Radford

Carol Pelletier Radford is the founder of Mentoring in Action, an organization dedicated to the success of novice teachers and their mentors. Before she established her own organization to support mentors and new teachers, she was a veteran elementary school teacher and a teacher preparation leader. Carol is the author of Corwin’s bestselling books Mentoring in Action: Guiding, Sharing, and Reflecting With Novice Teachers and The First Years Matter: Becoming an Effective Teacher.

Carol received her Education Doctorate from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, where she focused her studies on mentoring and teacher leadership. She is also a certified yoga teacher who practices meditation and shares mindfulness strategies with educators through her online courses and website. Her podcast Teaching With Light features the stories of teachers and inspirational leaders. Her next passion project is the creation of a Teacher Legacy Network, where retired teachers can share their wisdom with the next generation of teachers.

You can learn more about Carol, find free resources, videos, meditations, courses, and all of her books at mentoringinaction.com/.

Twitter: @MentorinAction
Facebook: @MentoringinAction4Teachers
Instagram: @cpradford