How does a molecular biologist-turned-middle school teacher end up shaping national education policy from inside the Obama White House?

In this episode, Steve Robinson—a former university professor, public school teacher, and White House education advisor—walks us through his untraditional journey into education and his evolving belief that every teacher deserves ongoing support. From navigating the culture shock of his first middle school classroom to pushing for the STEM Master Teacher Corps at the federal level, Steve shares the moments that taught him that good teaching is a craft, and improvement requires trust, coaching, and real-time feedback.

Now back in the classroom, Steve reflects on how he became a better teacher after leaving the White House—and what it will take to build systems that support teacher growth nationwide.

Key Insights

• From Lab to Classroom: What prompted Steve to trade gene expression for gradebooks.
  
• Policy by Practitioners: How his teaching experience shaped federal education priorities.
  
• The Coaching Gap: Why ineffective PD left him floundering—and weekly coaching transformed his practice.
  
• A Broken Feedback Loop: Why two formal observations a year aren’t enough, and how systems can do better.
  
• Building Trust, Not Just Compliance: Why real teacher improvement begins with nonjudgmental support.
  

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