SupportED Learning Podcast
On a mission to speak with global education experts on how we can revolutionize the education system, especially in the dawn of AI.
Episode 21 - Addressing Skill Gap: Ace AP Chemistry Exams | Abigail Giordano, Educator & Creator
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Abigail Giordano, Chemistry instructor and creator of @GiordanoAPChemistry to uncover why traditional study methods are failing AP Chemistry students—and what to do instead. With one of the lowest pass rates of any AP exam, Abigail explains why success has less to do with how much content you know and more to do with how well you can apply it.
They explore the gap between knowledge and execution, emphasizing how the AP ex...
Episode 20 - The Confidence Gap: Human Error, AI, and the Future of Education | Faraz Ishaq, Senior Director at Cohesity
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Faraz Ishaq, Senior Director of Advanced Services at Cohesity, to explore why the biggest vulnerabilities in modern systems are not technological, but human. Drawing from his experience in cybersecurity, data protection, and disaster recovery, Faraz shares how real-world failures often come down to lack of preparation, training, and confidence under pressure.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Faraz Ishaq discuss the rise of ransomware attacks, data breaches, and cyber threats, particularly in high-risk environments...
Episode 19 - Designing Learning That Works in Modern Classrooms | Jason Kennedy, Author
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Jason Kennedy, a 25-year educator, district curriculum director, instructional coach, and author of Let’s Quit Teaching – Designing Learning for All Classrooms, to explore how instructional design must evolve to meet the needs of today’s students. Jason shares insights from decades of experience across elementary through college education, focusing on what truly drives meaningful learning.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Jason Kennedy discuss the limitations of traditional teaching models and why intent...
Episode 18 – ACT Prep That Actually Works: Faster Score Gains | Carson Weekley, Head ACT Coach at Boosted Brains
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Carson Weekley, Head ACT Coach at Boosted Brains, to uncover the truth about ACT preparation and why most conventional approaches fall short. Carson reveals how students can significantly improve their scores in just a matter of weeks by focusing on high-impact strategies rather than time-intensive study routines.
Carson shares a results-driven framework focused on precision, strategy, and efficiency rather than brute-force studying. The conversation highlights common mistakes students make...
Episode 17 – Standing Out in Competitive College Admissions | Patrick Choi, CEO of KYO Standard
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Patrick Choi, Founder and CEO of KYO Standard, a San Diego-based test preparation company, to explore why many high-achieving students still fail to stand out in competitive college admissions. Patrick explains how lack of focus, weak positioning, and unclear direction can limit even the strongest applicants.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Patrick Choi discuss common pitfalls, admissions strategy, extracurricular positioning, and the role of personal storytelling in shaping a compelling application. The...
Episode 16 – Anna Klinger on Perfect SAT Scores, Test Prep Strategy, and Cracking the College Admissions Code
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Anna Klinger, a UC Berkeley PhD student and perfect 1600 SAT scorer, to break down what it really takes to achieve top SAT scores and stand out in today’s competitive college admissions landscape. Anna shares how she approached the test strategically and why most students rely on inefficient study methods that limit their results.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Anna Klinger explore the psychology of high performance, the inefficiencies in traditional te...
Episode 15 – Evan Roberts on AP Calculus Readiness, Math Anxiety, and Why Review Must Start Early
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Evan Roberts to explore why so many students struggle in AP Calculus and what actually helps them build confidence and mastery in advanced math. Evan shares insights from his work as the founder of Math Made Simple Tutoring, where he specializes in AP calculus, AP statistics, SAT and ACT math prep, and helping students reduce math anxiety through better teaching, responsive feedback, and consistent support.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Evan Roberts discuss the structural gaps...
Episode 14 – Dr. Mark Zeiler on Human-Centered AI, EdTech Adoption, and Why Schools Can't Keep Up
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Dr. Mark Zeiler — a veteran educator with over 20 years of experience in K-12 schools — to explore what it actually takes to keep the human element alive in an era of accelerating artificial intelligence.
Dr. Mark Zeiler spent two decades as a teacher, instructional coach, and school dean before stepping away from K-12 administration to join the Human Intelligence Movement, an organization focused on ensuring humans remain at the center of educational and institutional design as AI c...
Episode 13 – Brian McLogan on Math Confidence, AI Tools, and Why Grades Don’t Equal Learning
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Brian McLogan, founder of Free Math Videos, to explore why so many students believe they are not “math people,” and what actually helps students build confidence and skill over time. Brian shares his journey from struggling in math as a student to teaching in the classroom for 14 years, then scaling his approach to millions of learners online through short, stress-free lessons rooted in empathy and repetition.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Brian McLogan discuss how students shou...
Episode 12 – Tim Freitas on AP Lang Writing Strategy, Rubric Secrets, and Critical Thinking in the AI Era
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with veteran AP Reader and Garden of English founder Tim Freighus to unpack what truly drives high scores on the AP English Language exam. Tim shares how strong thesis statements and cohesive topic sentences establish lines of reasoning that consistently earn points, and why many classrooms assign writing without explicitly teaching students how to structure arguments.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Tim Freighus discuss how AP Readers are trained, what teachers often misunderstand about rubric evaluation, and why the...
Episode 11 – Robert Brundage on Digital SAT Strategy, Adaptive Scoring, and Desmos
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with SAT coach and digital prep expert Robert Brundage, founder of Penguin Test Prep, to break down what truly drives score gains on the digital SAT. Robert explains why adaptive scoring is widely misunderstood, how students get capped when they try to game the first module, and why the modern SAT rewards test mechanics, logic, and time management as much as content knowledge.
Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Robert Brundage explore how the test-optional era shifted reported...
Episode 10 - How to Pay for College: FAFSA Mistakes + Admissions Strategy
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with Shellee Howard, founder of College Ready and a certified college strategist with nearly two decades of experience guiding families through college admissions and financial planning.
What began as a personal mission to help her own son navigate the admissions process has evolved into a national practice focused on helping students gain acceptance to the right colleges while building a strategy to graduate without unnecessary debt. In this conversation, Shellee shares why most families approach admissions...
Episode 9 – Dr. Barbara Oakley on How the Brain Learns, AI in Education & Fixing How We Teach
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, host Dr. Joe Sebestyen welcomes Dr. Barbara Oakley, world-renowned educator, author of A Mind for Numbers, and co-creator of the global course Learning How to Learn.
Once convinced she could never do math, Dr. Oakley shares how her unlikely path from language learner to engineering professor reshaped her understanding of how the brain learns. Together, they explore the neuroscience behind effective learning, the overlooked value of practice and structure, and why teacher preparation programs must evolve to reflect modern research.
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Episode 8 – Amanda Dake on Leaving Teaching, AI Tools & Building Aligned Offers
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In Episode 8 of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen interviews Amanda Dake, a former teacher turned marketing expert and founder of Funnel Kitchen. They discuss why the education system is outdated, how teachers can pivot into entrepreneurship, and how to use AI to create aligned, scalable offers.
Amanda shares her “Aligned AI Guide,” a powerful tool that helps entrepreneurs personalize their strategy using AI-driven insights. She explains why educators are uniquely equipped to build online businesses and how human connection remains essential—even in the age of automation.
T...
Episode 7 – Aditi Javeri Gokhale on AI, Leadership, and Preparing Students for the Future
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe welcomes Aditi Javeri Gokhale—MIT-educated executive, former Chief Strategy Officer and President of Retail Investments at Northwestern Mutual, and a 2022 Forbes 50 Over 50 honoree. With a career spanning Fortune 100 leadership, digital transformation, and AI-driven innovation, Aditi offers a rare dual perspective as both a business strategist and a parent navigating the evolving educational landscape.
Aditi reflects on her rise from Mumbai to MIT to the C-suite, sharing how embracing complexity—not conformity—fueled her leadership journey. She unpacks the systemic challe...
Episode 6 - Redefining Success: Brian Humphrey on Entrepreneurship, Fatherhood, and the Future of Learning
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe sits down with Brian Humphrey—entrepreneur, coach, and founder of Successful Fatherhood—to explore the mindset shifts that come when chasing real freedom. Brian shares how he went from scaling brick-and-mortar gyms to embracing location independence, coaching fathers, and prioritizing family and fulfillment over traditional measures of success.
This episode unpacks the false promise of traditional security and explores why real learning often begins when you hit a wall. Brian and Dr. Joe dive into the evolving relationship between fatherhood, freedom, and...
Episode 5 - Beating the Prestige Trap with College Strategist Terri Koprivnikar
In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe talks with expert counselor Terri Koprivnikar about the flaws in traditional college admissions advice—and what families can do instead. Terri shares how her Common Data Decoder system helps students identify their real admissions chances, avoid wasted effort, and secure acceptance to top colleges (often with six-figure scholarships).
Learn why “congruent outliers” win over “well-rounded” students and how timing, testing, and targeted applications make all the difference.
Key takeaways from this episode include a clear explanation of what the Common Data Set actually reveals ab...
Episdoe 4 - Designing Deeper Learning & Embracing AI in Education: A Conversation with Craig Perrier
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with veteran educator and curriculum leader Craig Perrier from Fairfax County Public Schools. With more than 25 years of experience across local, state, federal, and international levels, Craig offers a timely perspective on how history and civics education are evolving in a post-pandemic world.
The conversation dives into the shift from traditional multiple-choice testing toward performance-based assessments that promote critical thinking, civic engagement, and deeper learning. Craig shares how AI tools like MagicSchool and Napkin AI are reshaping how...
Episode 3 - Behind the AP Scoring Process: Dr. Andrew Daily on Modern History Education and AI
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In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe interviews Dr. Andrew Daily, Associate Professor of European History at the University of Memphis and veteran AP World History Reader. Dr. Daily shares insider knowledge about AP exam scoring, the evolution of history education, and how artificial intelligence is transforming the classroom.
Key topics include the shift from content memorization to critical thinking skills in AP exams, strategies for teaching effective writing in the digital age, and practical approaches to integrating AI as an educational tool rather than a threat. Dr...
Episode 02 - Why Straight-A Students Fail AP Exams—And the Framework That Changed Everything
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Dr. Joe Sebestyen launches the SupportED Learning Podcast by examining a critical issue in education: the disconnect between AP classroom success and exam performance. This episode reveals why nearly 50% of AP students fail to earn college credit and introduces the APEC framework that transformed pass rates from 20% to 90%.
Drawing from extensive experience as an educator and administrator, Dr. Joe provides actionable insights for parents, students, and educators approaching AP exam season. The episode emphasizes the importance of teaching critical thinking skills alongside content knowledge and offers specific strategies for last-minute preparation...
Episode 1 - Welcome to SupportED Learning: Your Guide to Educational Excellence
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Are our educational systems preparing students for an AI-dominated future? In this premiere episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen (Ed.D.) introduces his vision for transforming education beyond standardized testing and rote memorization.Â
Drawing from his expertise in Educational Leadership and improvement science, Dr. Joe examines how our current systems fall short and offers practical solutions for developing the critical thinking skills essential for tomorrow's workforce.Â
Discover why education has "become somewhat of a dirty word" and how we can reclaim its power to in...
