Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning
🎧 Adventures in Learning with Dr. Diane 🎧
Inspire curiosity. Spark creativity. Fuel a lifelong love of learning.
Are you an educator, librarian, parent, or STEM/STEAM enthusiast looking to make learning come alive for kids? Adventures in Learning with Dr. Diane is your go-to podcast for hands-on, joyful learning that connects STEM/STEAM education, multicultural children's literature, and real-world exploration.
Join Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, educator and explorer, as she travels the world (literally and virtually!) to bring you conversations with award-winning authors, illustrators, educators, scientists, and STEM leaders. Each episode delivers fresh ideas, engaging stories, and practical tips to inspire early childhood and elementary learners—in the classroom, the library, or at home. Wonder, curiosity, connection, and play -- we bring the world to you!
🌎 Featuring:
- Innovative STEM/STEAM experiences
- Diverse children's book recommendations
- Strategies for inquiry-based, joyful learning through play
- Voices from around the globe that inspire the WOW
🧠 Perfect for:
Early childhood & elementary educators | School librarians | Homeschoolers | Caregivers | STEM/STEAM champions
🔗 Explore featured books: bookshop.org/shop/drdianeadventures
📝 Read full show notes: drdianeadventures.com/blog
💌 Have an idea or guest suggestion? Email: diane@drdianeadventures.com
👉 Subscribe, rate, and review to support more Adventures in Learning!
Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning
The Missing Piece in Reading Instruction: Motivation (with Behind the Book’s Anmarie Paul)
What if the biggest gap in reading instruction isn’t phonics or fluency — but motivation?
Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor sits down with Anmarie Paul, Executive Director of Behind the Book, to explore how intrinsic motivation, belonging, student choice, and joyful literacy experiences help children become lifelong readers.
Together, they unpack how Science of Reading practices and reading engagement strategies must work together because children don’t just need to learn how to read, they need to want to read.
From expressive read-alouds to author visits, STEM-literacy integration, and identity-centered storytelling, this conversation offers practical insights for educators, librarians, parents, school leaders, and literacy advocates.
Episode Chapters
- 00:00 Motivation and Reading Instruction
- 04:14 Read Alouds That Build Engagement and Fluency
- 08:34 How Behind the Book Builds Reading Motivation
- 15:30 Literacy, STEM, and Creative Learning
- 18:40 Author Visits and Student Belonging
- 24:55 Leadership in Literacy and Youth Development
- 29:28 The Future of Reading: Engagement Meets Science of Reading
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why intrinsic motivation is critical to reading success
- How read alouds improve fluency, comprehension, and connection
- What makes literacy programs truly engaging for students
- How belonging and representation impact reading identity
- Ways to combine Science of Reading + engagement-based practices
- How literacy, STEM, creativity, and storytelling intersect
- Strategies for building sustainable reading ecosystems
🔗 Learn More & Get Involved
- Behind the Book: https://www.behindthebook.org
- Follow Behind the Book on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
- Download the Adventures in Learning 365 Day Picture Book Read Aloud Calendar
Share this episode
If this conversation sparked wonder, gave you a helpful strategy, or offered a needed reminder of hope, please share it with a friend or colleague.
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*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.
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