With Brandon Kowallis

A Podcast for Educators Looking to Make a Difference.

Exploring the origin stories of bold, creative, and driven individuals who are thinking outside the lunchbox to redesign education.

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About the Chalkboard Renegades Podcast

The current educational system is facing massive challenges, but right beneath the surface, a few courageous, driven mavericks are actively fixing the issues. This podcast is for everyone on the front lines of education—from teachers and administrators to lawmakers and everyone in between.

Join host Brandon Kowallis as he dives deep into the origin stories of the hallway hooligans, bold thinkers, and creative disruptors who had the courage to act on the questions everyone else was only asking. We don’t just talk about the problems; we explore exactly what these innovators did to rewrite the rules, giving you the inspiration and practical tools to redesign education wherever you are.

Flipped Out. What if you did the opposite of what everyone else was doing?

Find out how one principal transformed an entire school by getting even his most skeptical teachers to embrace the flipped classroom.

Recent Episodes

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How to improve behavior, increase test scores and stop burning kids out.

Tiffany Miles – Author

When the current system won’t adapt fast enough — start a new school.

James Fox – Former Governor

Investing money where it matters.

Irene Bingham – Director

Featured Read: “Cursing at Mountains”

“A page-turner that challenges readers to think more creatively about how to solve problems in their own lives.” — Kirkus Reviews

Cursing at Mountains

If you finish an episode and find yourself craving more educational adventures, pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Cursing at Mountains.

This inspirational novel pulls from Brandon’s own chaotic, beautiful, and terrifying experiences as an education administrator pushing past his comfort zones and challenging the status quo. It’s packed with timeless wisdom for anyone looking to find direction, build resilience, and conquer their own personal and professional summits.

Get Your Copy On Amazon

Meet Your Hosts

I’m Brandon Kowallis—cave explorer, outdoorsman, author, and host of Chalkboard Renegades.

I thrive in the spaces where comfort zones end and true growth begins. Whether navigating deep, unexplored cave systems underground or tackling systemic challenges in higher education, my passion lies in pushing boundaries and discovering what happens when we brave the unknown.

On this show, I bring that same explorer’s mindset to the world of education, diving deep into the incredible, long-format conversation stories of extraordinary people who have pushed past their limits to reshape the future of learning.