Redefining Success: Wellbeing, Engagement, Belonging (School’s In Podcast, October 2025)

Is your school in the process of redefining success? What does it mean for students to be successful? And how can parents, schools, and educators create the conditions for students to thrive?

On this episode of School’s In, co-host and GSE Senior Lecturer Denise Pope jumps into the guest seat to discuss redefining success and how to improve student wellness, belonging, and engagement. She covers several topics, including:

  • Challenging a narrow definition of success and redefining success: Parents and students
  • What the data shows: Stress, sleep, and engagement
  • Belonging: Student relationships with teachers and peers
  • Practical solutions: School-level change
  • What parents can do, and key takeaways

Denise Pope is a senior lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Education, where her research focuses on curriculum studies, service learning, student engagement, and school reform. She is also the co-founder of Challenge Success.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and enlightening conversations in education. Presented by Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE), School’s In is hosted by GSE Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope. They invite you to join them as they navigate the complexities of post-pandemic education and discuss the latest research in teaching and learning.

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