'Matilda' with Charlotte Nienhaus, Carla Cummins, and Kevin Stoller

Better Learning Podcast

If you grew up in the '90s, there’s a good chance Matilda made you believe two things: libraries are magical, and adults DEFINITELY don’t always know best...

The 1996 movie, adapted from Roald Dahl’s classic book, gave us a hero who wasn’t loud or flashy - but smart, kind, and quietly powerful. Oh, and she had telekinesis. So yeah, iconic.

In this episode, we dive into why Matilda still hits all these years later. From the hilariously awful Wormwoods to the nightmare-fuel that is Miss Trunchbull, it’s a story that balances dark humor with real heart. But beyond the fantasy, there’s something incredibly real about a kid discovering her voice and the courage to use it.

Whether you’re an educator, a parent, or just someone who remembers rewinding the chocolate cake scene way too many times, this one’s worth revisiting. Join us as we unpack what Matilda can still teach us about agency, learning, and the power of finding just one person who believes in you.

Takeaways:

• Miss Trunchbull’s classroom is fear-based, while Miss Honey’s is nurturing, and that contrast highlights just how much learning environments shape students’ confidence and curiosity.
• Miss Honey shows the life-changing impact a caring, attentive educator can have. A single person believing in a student’s potential can rewrite their story.
• Bruce Bogtrotter vs. the giant chocolate cake is one of the most memorable scenes in Matilda—and not just because it’s grossly hilarious. It’s a perfect metaphor for standing up to power. What starts as a cruel punishment turns into a full-on moment of triumph, as the entire student body silently shifts from fear to cheering him on.

About Charlotte Nienhaus, AIA:

Charlotte Nienhaus is an architect at ISG based in southern MN with 10 years of experience in the industry. She specializes in education design and enjoys helping school districts maximize student environments through architecture. Through the years, Charlotte has completed projects from small interior renovations all the way up to complete K-12 new builds and has found a niche in working with smaller rural school districts to help bring the same opportunities to those students as larger districts are able to offer.

Learn More About Charlotte Nienhaus, AIA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-nienhaus-aia-848ba8104/

Learn More About ISG:

Website: https://www.isginc.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ISGInc1973

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isginc1973/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/isginc/

X: https://x.com/isginc1973

Connect with host, Kevin Stoller:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

Connect with co-host, Carla Cummins:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-cummins-01449659/

Learn More About Kay-Twelve:

Website: https://kay-twelve.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kay-twelve-com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kay_twelve/

Episode 239 of the Better Learning Podcast

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

For more information on our partners:

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://secondclassfoundation.org/

EDmarket - https://www.edmarket.org/

Catapult @ Penn GSE - https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/

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