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Dr. John Hodge

Dr. John W. Hodge is one of America’s most sought-after speakers in K-12 education, renowned for transforming research into practical strategies that drive academic success. His career in education began after serving with distinction in the 7th Infantry Division of the United States Army, establishing a foundation of leadership and service that continues to define his work.

Dr. Hodge’s expertise is grounded in rigorous academic training and extensive hands-on experience. After beginning his educational path at North Carolina A&T, he conducted groundbreaking research at Virginia Tech on student resilience and factors influencing academic outcomes for children from struggling families. Throughout his career, he has served as a reading and English teacher, school administrator, and education consultant, bringing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing today’s schools.

As an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teacher and later Associate Director of AVID Center Eastern Division, Dr. Hodge helped expand the program to 13 states. His tenure as Director of An Achievable Dream Academy—a high-performing school in an economically challenged area—provided invaluable insights into effective interventions for schools serving disadvantaged communities. This experience led him to co-found the Urban Learning and Leadership Center (ULLC), dedicated to student achievement and closing the achievement gap.

Today, as Chief Inspirational Officer of AADULLC (formed through a strategic merger between ULLC and An Achievable Dream), Dr. Hodge leads efforts to assist school districts nationwide. His remarkable ability to bridge theory and practice has helped educators in rural, urban, and suburban settings implement meaningful changes that exceed rigorous academic standards.

Dr. Hodge’s top-selling book, You Can Get in the Way: How You Can Be a Roadblock to Risk Factors, has guided thousands of educators in galvanizing entire school staffs to help students reach their full potential. This influential work unifies teams across all roles to focus on student success.

Dr. Hodge’s work has inspired thousands of educators and positively impacted millions of students. His presentations and consultations serve as catalysts for continuous improvement, making him an indispensable resource and transformative figure in American education.

 

Categories: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Educator, Educator - AEIs Most Popular Educators, Educator - Leadership, Educator - Motivation and Inspiration, Educator - Poverty, Educator - SEL Social Emotional Learning, Educator - Virtual Learning

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Videos

Topics

  • Leading Schools through Turbulent Times: Keys to Success

    Navigating today’s educational landscape requires exceptional leadership, especially in the face of unprecedented challenges. Dr. John W. Hodge, leveraging peer-reviewed research and lessons from major events like Hurricane Katrina, the pandemic, and more recent challenging events, offers five research-supported principles to guide schools through adversity. Dr. Hodge empowers school leaders to not only address crises but also to build stable, thriving environments amid ongoing complexities. His expertise ensures that excellence remains attainable, even in the toughest times.

  • Be the One!

    As co-author of Standing in the Gap and a leading authority on overcoming social risk factors in education, Dr. Hodge inspires educators to be the difference-makers for students facing adversity. Drawing on national research successful school partnerships, Dr. Hodge demonstrates that academic excellence is possible for all students, regardless of background. This powerful session motivates educators to become the caring adult who changes lives.

  • Following the S.A.M.E. Pathway to Excellent Schools

    The S.A.M.E. (Social, Academic, Mindset, Education) model, developed by Dr. Hodge, offers a holistic, research-supported approach to lasting school improvement. With a proven track record of transforming over 500 U.S. schools and impacting more than a million students, Dr. Hodge provides practical tools to create emotionally safe, academically excellent environments-especially in high-poverty settings. Schools that partner with Dr. Hodge gain access to a model that addresses the full spectrum of school and district culture.

  • Please Stop Calling Me At-Risk: The Power of Resilience in Today's Youth

    Dr. Hodge challenges deficit-based labels and reframes the narrative to highlight students’ strengths and resilience. His expertise empowers educators to cultivate growth mindsets and unlock every student’s potential. This session is a must for schools committed to equity and student empowerment.

  • Higher Order Thinking: From Theory to Practice

    Bridging theory and classroom practice, Dr. Hodge equips educators with research-based strategies to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity in students. Drawing on the work of Bloom, Costa, and Webb, this session delivers practical models and assessment techniques for all subject areas.

  • Bringing Resilience to Life in Florida’s Schools

    To truly bring Florida's resilience initiative to life, schools need the guidance of Dr. John W. Hodge, a nationally recognized expert and architect of the S.A.M.E. (Social, Academic, Mindset, Education) framework. Dr. Hodge’s extensive research and leadership in resilience education have made him a trusted voice for empowering both students and educators. Dr. Hodge delivers actionable strategies that align seamlessly with Florida’s Department of Education Resilience Initiative for grades 6-12. Schools that engage Dr. Hodge not only benefit from his deep expertise but also from AADULLC’s proven ability to help implement effective, research-based frameworks. His dynamic presentations inspire and equip educators to make resilience a transformative force in their schools.

  • Culturally Responsive Teaching

    Dr. Hodge’s expertise in culturally responsive teaching helps schools foster emotionally safe and inclusive environments, which are proven to boost academic achievement. Backed by practical implementation strategies, this presentation equips teachers with the tools to make culturally informed pedagogical decisions and achieve higher student engagement. Dr. Hodge’s actionable guidance ensures every student feels valued and empowered to succeed.

Books

Resilience by Design: Build Unshakable Students Through Intentional Practice
Resilience by Design: Build Unshakable Students Through Intentional Practice

Written by Dr. John W. Hodge, this practical, research-grounded resource gives educators in grades 3–12 the RESILIENCE framework: ten core values, one shared language, and a full school year of practice, built to live in every classroom, hallway, and common space.

You can purchase this book here

You Can Get in the Way: How You Can Become a ROADBLOCK to Risk Factors
You Can Get in the Way: How You Can Become a ROADBLOCK to Risk Factors

Through stories, research, and strategies, Dr. John W. Hodge shows how children can be successful despite the risk factors that typically hold them back.

You can purchase this book here

Standing in the Gap: A Guide to Using the SAME Framework to Create Excellent Schools
Standing in the Gap: A Guide to Using the SAME Framework to Create Excellent Schools

Across the nation, schools are demonstrating that all students can reach high standards, that all children can succeed, that the gap between white and minority students, poor and affluent, can be closed. This book distills the lessons that can be learned from those schools in a common-sense guide that can be used by practitioners. It gives principals and teachers, school board members and administrators, a guide for putting to work in the own schools the practices that really make a difference in student achievement. It can be done... it must be done... and this book will show you how it can be done in your school, with your students.

You can purchase this book here

Testimonials

Dr. Hodge’s ability to storytell combined with education knowledge, SEL and Urban Education is bar none. He was engaging. Did not see one person on their phone. Exactly what we needed to inspire.

Dr. Hodge was highly recommended and he did not disappoint. He is easy to work with and provided an excellent keynote address for our conference as well as an equally excellent follow-up administrator session.

This was the second conference in a row we used Dr. Hodge and he did it again!! Excellent.

He was amazing and a joy to work with. It was a great experience.

We were very pleased with Dr. Hodge’s presentation. He was an excellent speaker with so much relevant, useful information. Our staff came away from the presentation inspired and motivated. Thank you!

The closing keynote, Dr. John Hodge was fantastic. Engaging and right on point. I wish the teachers in my district could watch that session. He was so inspiring.

Dr. Hodge was amazing and his message flowed exactly with the other keynoters. I greatly appreciated him listening to the other keynoter and quickly becoming a team. A true professional!

Dr. Hodge was excellent. Our Academic Coaches, principals, and district staff enjoyed his presentation.

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