What happens when we teach young people to truly listen, speak with courage, and connect face-to-face?

In Episode 8 of Millions of Conversations, hosted by Samar S. Ali and produced by NewsChannel 5 Network, Liza Garonzik joins the show to explore that big, deceptively simple question.

At a time when disconnection is everywhere—amplified by disconnection, polarization, and increased pressure on young people—Liza shares how R.E.A.L. Discussion® equips students and teachers with tools to reclaim conversation as a powerful, academic, and decidedly human practice.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Why face-to-face conversation is more than a soft skill; it’s a survival skill
• How R.E.A.L. turns listening and speaking into teachable, assessable practices
• What changes when students lead their own classroom discussions
• How communication tools ripple outward to kitchen tables, checkout lines, and future workplaces
• A hopeful, practical vision for education in a polarized, tech-saturated world

Why It Matters

We live in a moment defined by noise and an aching need for connection. And that need shows up everywhere: in classrooms, homes, neighborhoods, and institutions. This episode reminds us that the skills we need to rebuild trust and relationships aren’t automatic; they can be taught—and they often start with a single conversation.

If we want our kids to connect with others and lead with integrity, we have to teach them how. Face-to-face. In real time.”

Liza Garonzik, R.E.A.L. Discussion® Founder & CEO

Listen Now

Listen to the full conversation now on the Millions of Conversations podcast.

Prefer to watch?
Let’s Have a R.E.A.L. Discussion® with Liza Garonzik – Episode 8

Explore More

• Check out what teachers are saying about R.E.A.L.® in their classrooms
• Learn more about R.E.A.L. Discussion® and our approach
• Read about what we’re calling “The Other AI”
• Join our Community on LinkedIn where we love to discuss discussion

Hosted by Simon Noakes (Founder & CEO of Interactive Schools), the Inspiring Schools Podcast welcomes some of the world’s most influential educators to explore the future of education, leadership, innovation, AI in schools, evolving school structures, and more. Each episode offers fresh insight into the ideas shaping the education landscape.

In this episode, R.E.A.L. Discussion® founder & CEO Liza Garonzik joins Simon for a timely conversation about why teaching real-world communication skills is more urgent than ever—and how schools can do it with clarity, rigor, and purpose.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why speaking and listening are academic skills, not just social ones
• How R.E.A.L. Discussion® helps students lead class discussions with structure and confidence
• What schools can do now to prepare students for the human future

Why It Matters

The skills students need most—empathy, clarity, confidence, nuance—come from real conversation. And those skills can’t just be hoped for. They must be taught, practiced, and measured.

At R.E.A.L. Discussion®, we help schools do just that by embedding human connection into academic life and giving teachers and students the tools to make it stick.

Listen to the Full Episode Now

Let’s Keep Talking

• Learn More About R.E.A.L. Discussion®
• Hop on Liza’s calendar for a 1:1
• Visit our LinkedIn page to continue the conversation