Always A Lesson's Empowering Educators Podcast

Differentiation is the latest buzz in education, but the reality of what it looks like in the classroom has yet to be solidified. Many new teachers struggle with providing personalized learning experiences to their students not because they do not understand what differentiation is, rather it’s the logistical, organizational part of differentiation that leaves them stuck. Tune in to hear what you...

  Corey Knight has extensive experience in the classroom with technology. After graduating from Indiana University with a degree in secondary education, he became a classroom teacher at an urban middle school in Indiana. After two years, he began working on my post graduate degree which he earned from Ball State University in Educational Technology and Curriculum. He was immediately offered a...

When life gets tough, we need the right people by our side to help us get through it. But in order for those right people to be there we have to do our part and invest in those relationships, regardless of how bad or busy our lives are. Tune in to hear 4 steps to keeping healthy relationships in motion. Quotables Sometimes those friendships are just as necessary in our life as food and water Choos...

Teachers face some tough obstacles on their journey in the classroom. But those circumstances don’t define who they are as a person or a professional. Tune in to hear 4 steps for how you can write your story so that it has the impact and ending that you dream of. Quotables “Circumstances don’t make your life interesting. You make your life interesting. Write your story.” AMB Do not let your circum...

Classroom management can be tricky when we react to student behavior instead of setting up procedures. Oftentimes, we let the heat of the moment control our brain and we end up making decisions that hinder student learning. Tune in to hear two scenarios of classroom management struggles where tips are shared so that the problem and solution go together like a delicious peanut butter and jelly sand...

The work-life balance struggle is never more real than when you realize there’s more parts than just work and life that you need to balance. Life itself consists of numerous titles (mom, wife, daughter, friend, etc) that are getting put on the back burner. Tune in to hear 3 tips you can implement today to make time for all these different parts of you. Quotables Sometimes I feel like my identity i...

Bill Cecil is a recently retired, 31-year veteran teacher for the Waverly Community Schools in Lansing, MI. Bill believes every teacher is a leader with a team to lead, and he has created a program called “Best Year Ever!” that provides teachers with a clear vision, blueprint, and proven strategies to create a positive, safe, and productive learning environment where individuals strive for pe...

The teaching profession is not all rainbows. There are trying times and when teachers do not receive support from their leaders in how to navigate these rougher waters, the rainbows not only disappear but so do the teachers. We cannot risk losing more great teachers to other professions. Tune in to learn 4 steps in how to support teachers in efforts to retain this passionate talent. Quotables We a...

Educators are not islands; we work with numerous people all day. There are times where relationships aren’t harmonious and it’s up to us educators to repair these connections so that the partnership can flourish and so can students. Tune in to hear how to repair a broken relationship with colleagues. Quotables You NEVER know what people are going through as they sit before you or even work alongsi...

A lot of frustrated educators can alleviate their pain by learning to love the detours and obstacles that come their way. This often means embracing options other than their current one, and making the most of those options. Tune in to hear how Option B can be just as amazing as Option A in your professional life when you learn how to work it just right! Quotables It’s your reality now and you hav...

You can’t live out your potential and bless others if you are not living out your WHY. A future guest inspired me to help you avoid being “glib” because that doesn’t benefit you or those you serve. So tune in to hear what you can do today to put yourself on the right track to living a more purpose-filled life as an educator! Quotables When you pour everything you have into something you do, it sho...

Kitty Boitnott, Ph. D., NBCT is a former educator turned Career Transition and Job Search Coach. She is an expert on teacher burnout, teacher stress, and general stress management techniques for those who are experiencing the pain and heartache of teacher burnout—a specific form of burnout that differs to some degree from the job burnout of other professionals. Kitty provides one-on-one and group...

As a teacher leader it’s so easy to just make decisions without thinking through the ramifications. Long-run leadership describes someone who is forward thinking and makes sacrifices for the good of the group so that down the line everyone benefits. Tune in to hear how you can become a long-run leader in no time! Quotables Don’t be that person who puts your own needs before others When you take yo...

Sometimes we are in a career where something is missing. We aren’t quite sure what that something is or what to do about it. This episode will walk you through 5 passion statements to get you moving in the right direction so that your talent will be best showcased and utilized to bless others! Grab your freebie here : Quotables Nothing beats work ethic Just because you are great doesn’t mean you d...

Quotables Social media glamorizes education Do the basics extremely well “Big things often have small beginnings.” – Unknown Practice the little things The more you hurry, the longer it will take Require yourself to be consistent It’s not a forever point, it’s a starting point Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson...

As teacher leaders we need to create the culture in the school where balance is acceptable and encouraged. Without a healthy teacher, a classroom can never reach its fully potential. Tune in to hear two steps teacher leaders can take today to ensure teachers and students are physically, mentally and emotionally safe. You are ‘The Safe Keeper!” Quotables Find you a tribe at school where you c...

Dede Faltot Rittman graduated from Edinboro University in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in secondary English and attended the University of Pittsburgh for post-graduate credits. After two years at Penn Hills, she began teaching English and Theater in the North Allegheny School District, a position she held for thirty-five years. For thirty-two of those years, Dede worked with underachieving studen...

Sometimes we feel as though we need to be the expert in everything and start pretending we have the knowledge and skills required to do it all. The fact is, it’s a sham. We are pretending and the ones who get hurt the most are the children. Tune in to hear how to stop being a pretender and empower yourself to be better without fear, embarrassment or worse, losing your job. Quotables [Teachers’] da...

“What do you want to accomplish this year and how can I help you get there?” is a powerful question from a teacher leader to someone that they lead. Act like Publisher’s Clearing House and go knock on your colleagues’ doors during this back to school season and make their dreams come true. Tune in to hear how you can do just that! Quotables Step one of relating to people is being in physical proxi...

Grading is only as good as the effectiveness of instruction leading up to it. A grade on an assessment that doesn’t match the learning leading up to it is worthless, demeaning and dysfunctional. Tune in to hear three steps you can take now to ensure you teach hard enough, long enough and deep enough for students to be successful and prepared on their learning journey. The photo below from my trip...

If you are in education, you are in the people business. In order to have a successful school year, students and teachers need to feel supported. By building capacity, you are investing in people, and that has a high return on investment. Tune in to hear how teacher leaders can empower classroom teachers to attain their own dreams while also meeting school requirements. Quotables Teachers focus on...

Phyl Macomber is an award-winning national speaker, author, inclusion specialist, and curriculum strategist. As President of Make A Difference, Inc., Phyl has consulted with and trained thousands of teaching staff. She’s been a guest on several radio shows to discuss simplifying instruction for students of all abilities. Her partnership with Leave No Girl Behind International is training young peo...

The summer is upon us and teachers are busy relaxing… nope, teachers are busy preparing for a successful school year. This busyness is translating into going overboard in their preparation- especially due to Pinterest/Instagram photos of classroom set ups and inner workings in other classrooms around the world. Tune in to hear how to deal with the pressure of keeping up and making decisions that s...

Teachers enjoy decorating their classroom, but making over a classroom with stuff does not improve student achievement or instructional effectiveness. Tune in to hear about 3 characteristics that make over a classroom – and one of them is not classroom décor! Quotables Making your classroom an effective, enjoyable space without the investment of classroom décor is the number one transformative dec...

Summer break is upon us. Educators spend this time away from the classroom in a variety of ways, and no one way is better than the other. However, we are often quick to share advice on how someone should spend their time and this isn’t often what is best for that particular individual. Tune in to hear how to listen to your summer intuition (regardless of what others are saying) so that you can be...