Can I Get A Retake?

Hosted by Great River Learning

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Aug 2026

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About the show

On Can I Get a Retake? Michelle and Deanna interview educators and authors, discussing their unique stories, areas of study, interests, and of course, their publications. Our goal is to inspire and educate academics in higher ed.

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40 recent

August 5, 202647 min

From Shakespeare to AI: Protecting the Creative Spark with Chantelle MacPhee

In this episode of Can I Get a Retake? , English professor Chantelle MacPhee traces an unlikely path — from leaving high school without a diploma to teaching Shakespeare and Romantic poetry across four countries. MacPhee shares how immersing herself in Spanish while teaching in Puerto Rico reshaped her approach to diverse learners, why reading aloud builds student confidence, and what draws her to the surprising connections between Shakespeare and the Romantics. She also offers a candid take on AI in the writing classroom: a useful tool for navigating information overload, but no substitute for the authentic, flawed, human voice that makes writing worth reading. A conversation about empathy, authenticity, and why teaching remains, above all, an art form. Learn more about MacPhee's publication, Effective Communication: Bursting the Bubble - https://grl.pub/communication Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.

July 1, 202635 min

Teaching Chemistry to Students Who Don't Want to Be There with Elizabeth Griffith

Elizabeth Griffith didn't set out to love chemistry, but maybe that's what makes her such a compelling teacher of it. In this episode, the author of General Chemistry for Engineers talks about what it takes to reach students who would rather be anywhere else than in a chemistry class, why framing a course around applications (not content) changes everything, and what led her to write the textbook the market was missing. She also shares a candid take on AI in intro courses, the student habit that's giving faculty a false sense of security, and what a question about electrons led her to ponder for years. If you've ever taught a course to students who didn't choose to be there, this one's for you. More about Dr. Griffith's Gen Chem for Engineers textbook: https://grl.pub/ChemforEngineers

June 3, 202638 min

Minerals, Microbiomes, & Modern Medicine with Dr. Tracey Ward

Dr. Tracey Ward has spent her career at the intersection of pharmaceutical research and education, holding patents in Alzheimer's treatments while teaching future pharmacists how drugs work at a molecular level. In this episode, she walks us through the surprisingly long and expensive journey from drug discovery to pharmacy shelf, explains why the gut microbiome matters more than most people realize, and makes the case that cellular health should be the starting point for any treatment conversation. Learn about her publication: https://grl.pub/Ward Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.

May 6, 202642 min

A Dance of Service with Kaustavi Sarkar

Kaustavi Sarkar has spent decades doing something rare: turning passion into profession. As an associate professor, author, and practitioner of Odissi (a centuries-old Indian classical dance form), she's built a career at the intersection of tradition and innovation. In this episode, Kaustavi shares how she navigates the tension between honoring an ancient art form and pushing it into new spaces, from the US classroom to conferences spanning pre-K students to PhD scholars. She also opens up about what it really means to serve your field, and why gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's a framework. Check out Kaustavi's publications: https://grl.pub/dance Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.

April 1, 202644 min

The Real World Isn't on the Syllabus with Elven Riley

What does a Wall Street veteran who helped build trading floors for Salomon Brothers have to teach college students about money? Everything they weren't taught but desperately need to know. Elven Riley, professor of finance at Seton Hall University's Stillman School of Business and author of Unavoidable Money Decisions, spent decades in tech and finance before landing in academia with a mission: close the gap between what universities teach and what graduates actually face. His course, drawing students from more than 50 majors, was born from a sobering moment when a former student, now managing other people's wealth, nearly went bankrupt mismanaging his own. Riley's response was "driver's ed with money", practical, judgment-free preparation for the unavoidable financial decisions that graduates face. Learn more about Unavoidable Money Decisions: https://grl.pub/Money-Decisions Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.

March 4, 202644 min

Chemistry is a Journey, Not a Sprint with Antwan Daniels

Before Atwan was a chemist, an educator, a researcher, a business owner, or a community advocate, he was a kid on his grandmother's porch, making Sunday tea — unknowingly learning about solubility, heat transfer, and acid-base chemistry without a textbook in sight. That origin story shapes everything about the way he teaches today. In this episode, Dr. Antwan Daniels — community college chemistry professor, K-12 instructional coach, and author of Pathways to Allied Health — makes a compelling case that chemistry isn't just for "smart people" or "math people." It's for all people. He shares how constructivist learning theory, built-in social-emotional support, and culturally affirming curriculum are changing outcomes for students who never saw themselves in a science classroom. Antwan has spent his career dismantling one of education's most stubborn myths: that science is for a certain kind of person. Chemistry, he argues, is the central science. It's not a gate. It's a pathway. And there's a difference. Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.

February 4, 202640 min

Curating Authentic Language Learning Experiences with Hélène de Fays and Pello Huesa

What does it mean to truly learn a language? For Hélène de Fays and Pello Huesa, coauthors of Gente, Lengua Y Cultura and educators at UNC Chapel Hill, it's never just about memorizing vocabulary or conjugating verbs. Language learning is about engaging with the enormous linguistic, cultural, and political diversity within Spanish-speaking communities—and understanding that language itself is identity, history, and collective effort. In this conversation, Pello and Hélène share how they curated a textbook that centers the direct voices of Spanish speakers themselves through articles, letters, videos, songs, and recipes. They discuss the challenges of representing such vast cultural complexity, from Bad Bunny's Caribbean music to ancient Aztec influences on modern tacos. They push back against result-oriented learning that reduces language to grades, arguing instead for patience, persistence, and the deeply human work of communication. Whether you teach world languages or simply want to understand how culture shapes learning, this episode offers a refreshing perspective: language isn't something you master—it's something you live. Learn more about their publication at https://grl.pub/GenteLenguaCultura Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.

December 3, 202514 min

The Voices Behind the Vision: A Season of New Ideas and Bold Decisions

In this season finale, we're taking a different approach by celebrating the educators who've partnered with Great River Learning to create their own course materials. You'll hear from faculty across disciplines—from music appreciation to forensics, horticulture to economics—who faced the same challenge: existing textbooks just weren't working for their students or their teaching style. These are stories of frustration turned into innovation. Professors who were tired of compromise, who wanted materials that stayed current, aligned with their pedagogy, and actually resonated with today's students. Whether it was the freedom to update content in real-time, the ability to structure material their way, or creating something truly designed for their classroom rather than a national market, these educators took control of their course materials—and transformed their teaching in the process. This is peer-to-peer inspiration from faculty who've been where you are and found a way forward.

November 5, 202551 min

S3 Ep. 11 The Story Behind the Answer: Making Math Meaningful with Jeanette Mokry

What if the real problem isn't that students struggle with math—it's that we've taught them it's okay to give up on it? In this episode, mathematician and educator Dr. Jeanette Mokry gets refreshingly honest about her own middle school math confusion, the pandemic's lingering impact on student preparedness, and why she's ditching traditional lectures for approaches that let students "create their own knowledge." You'll hear why she believes assessment might be mathematics' biggest stressor (and what mastery-based grading could change), how peer-led learning transformed her college algebra course from isolated work to genuine community, and her controversial take on why we need to stop treating "I'm bad at math" like a personality trait. If you've ever wondered how to help students see math as something they can do rather than something they have to survive, this conversation is for you. Learn more about Mokry's publication, College Algebra: Functions and Applications , at https://grl.pub/college-algebra Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.

October 1, 202557 min

S3 Ep. 10 What Medical Anthropology Teaches Us About Being Human with Diane Hardgrave

What happens when a Peace Corps volunteer contracts malaria in a remote village and discovers that the traditional healer's definition of "health" completely upends everything Western medicine taught her? Medical anthropologist Dr. Diane Hardgrave takes listeners from emergency refugee camps in Somalia to sacred Hopi mesas, revealing why the youngest medical system on Earth (hint: it's ours) might be missing something crucial about healing. In this episode, she shares how a bowl of pungent tea, a sauna conversation in Ethiopia, and women secretly trading emergency wheat rations taught her that humanity's approach to health transcends biology—and why understanding this could change how we think about our own bodies. Learn more about Dr. Hardgrave's publication, Health, Healing, & Culture : https://grl.pub/health-healing-culture Can I Get a Retake? welcomes a variety of perspectives. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Great River Learning.