Podcasts, Substack, & hard work (featuring Holly Korbey)

*Watch the interview or read the transcript above (or on* YouTube*). Listen to the conversation on* Spotify *or* Apple*.* This isn’t the first time I’ve talked with The Bell Ringer’s **Holly Korbey** and I hope it won’t be the last. As always, Korbey is candid, realistic, and insightful in this new interview. You may recall that a few months, ago, we spoke about the ‘sensationalistic’ media coverage of AI and edtech she was seeing and the need for more granular reporting about what kids are doing with tech in school — a concern Korbey still has. In this new conversation, we talk about Korbey’s fast-growing empire of reported newsletter-writing, events, and community-creating: what’s worked, and what still needs some tinkering. As of now, The Bell Ringer includes a twice-weekly Substack, which is a reported opinion on the topic of the science of teaching and learning. There are some videos. And there are now also live virtual events, professional development, and even a book club. Korbey says her audience still prefers the written pieces over video, but she hasn’t given up on video yet. She tries to feature the main / most practical takeaways in the text before the video — in the style of self-help podcaster Mel “Let Them” Robbins. Or she rephrases the long expert answer and then checks in with the guest to make sure she’s got it right. She’s also shortened the videos down to about 10 minutes. Sometimes — as with a recent video with Chad Aldeman — it all comes together. “What do you need to know from this? What does this mean for students? I’m trying to keep it really sharp and focused.” Unlike many other things you see on Substack, The Bell Ringer is a business, which means that almost all of her content is behind the paywall. Korbey says this helps her stay focused and to make each piece useful to readers — and to post regularly. “The readers that are subscribing to The Bell Ringer want information that matters to their community and that their daily lives,” says Korbey. One example: “This fifth grade teacher reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, you know, I’ve been reading all this stuff about math practice, about how kids don’t get enough math practice. So I started giving my kids 40 problems a day.’ So I was like, ‘Okay, how did you do that? Let’s talk about what did you have to give up to make room for those 40 problems? What kind of problems are they?” She wrote up the interview and it’s become one of her most popular pieces so far — much better than she tries to go long and gets all writerly. "When I have tried to put my heart and soul into the prose and write these super long, thoughtful pieces, they do not do as well as the ones that are really more urgent and applicable, data-driven.” **Previously from The Grade** Sources, scoops, & soaring audience (featuring WAMU’s Jenny Abamu) Video changes everything (featuring The 74’s Emmeline Zhao) The education beat’s first and only TikTok star so far (featuring former Globe reporter Mandy McLaren) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alexanderrusso.substack.com/subscribe