Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

In a time where there's so much to be sad or upset about, we have the power to choose thoughts that feel better.  And, we can actively look for evidence that those thoughts are true and that good things are happening. In this article and podcast episode of Truth for Teachers, I'll share a couple of examples of how this has worked in my own life and work, and how it might be useful for you, too. I'...

investing in our own news literacy is one of the best things we can do for kids. But with so much disinformation, how can we as educators ensure what we're finding and sharing is accurate?  Join me as I talk with Peter Adams. He's the head of the education team of the News Literacy Project, a national education nonprofit offering nonpartisan programs that teach students how to know what to believe...

Extending grace shouldn't be a one way street. And yet, many educators feel like they are constantly told to accommodate students and families while they themselves are held to rigid, unrealistic standards. When you start to feel the resentment and frustration building, here are 3 shifts that can help: Instead of giving grace, think of giving people space to be themselves. Rather than trying to fi...

Need practical tips for doing "fewer things better" in a remote/hybrid setting? Check out this episode with Dr. Catlin Tucker. We'll talk about simplifying assessment, virtual station rotations, student engagement, and more. We'll also discuss specific steps teachers can take to advocate for more realistic expectations for themselves and their students. Check out the blog post/transcript with link...

The spring and summer of 2020 were some of the darkest times of my life, both personally and professionally. In this episode, I want to offer a bit more of myself and my journey with you: My struggle with depression and anxiety Professional burnout and lack of motivation COVID and the disillusionment of offering solutions for schools when there aren't any good ones Where my train metaphorically de...

For 2021, I want to have a single-minded focus on the destination ahead. A train can't go in multiple directions at once. So, what is my mission? My contribution? What is the thing I can be doing right now in the world to make it a better place? I want to decide that and get on board the train. I've wasted far too much time hanging around the station, arguing with naysayers and trying to persuade...

This is a deeply personal podcast episode, so if you're new here, I encourage you to revisit previous eps that are probably going to be more helpful and along the lines of what you're hoping to get. This one is all over the map: part inspirational, part confessional, part political, part visionary. I've decided to end the podcast early, for reasons that will be apparent as I share what's on my hea...

What happens when you're asked to follow bad pedagogy or teach topics that seem irrelevant for kids? You can do exactly as you're told...or you can quietly subvert the system, and find ways to do what's best for kids. Listen in as Dr. Robyn Jackson and I talk about ways that we've done this in our teaching practice, and how we've supported other teachers in doing the same. We speak the quiet part...

I decided to scrap the topic I had planned for this week and speak to the teachers who feel like they're drowning. I know what's expected right now of many kids, families, and teachers is not humanly possible on a long-term basis. And in this episode, I want to counter the system-wide gaslighting that is occurring. What many (most?) of you are being asked to do right now is NOT, in fact, reasonabl...

"We didn't forget how to be teachers. It's the same passion, engagement, and relationships — you already know how to do that. What we have to learn is a few tech tools, so that we can accomplish the teaching moves that we want, but we did not forget how to teach ... Human beings know how to develop relationships, and sometimes they develop from a distance." Listen as I talk with Doug Fisher (of Fi...

If you're frustrated with kids who don't seem to be putting forth any effort, this episode can help you shift your mindset and think about the problem in new ways. We'll examine 3 limiting beliefs that are a very common part of many people's worldview, and look for ways to choose perspectives that are more constructive and helpful. When you feel like you've tried EVERYTHING, sometimes the missing...

When teaching from a distance — either 6 feet away or remotely — it can feel challenging to get to know your students well. "The top thing we can do with overwhelm is return to our strength, return to our knowledge, return to our experience. Every teacher in the world knows ways of connecting with students and humanizing a classroom. These things don't perfectly translate to a classroom with socia...

Sometimes what you're able to give is not sufficient. It's frustrating when you know what you're capable of under optimal circumstances, but also know you're not working with optimal circumstances or anything close to it. So the only options are to try to single-handedly compensate for all the adverse circumstances and perform at a superhuman level every day, or adjust our expectations. In this ep...

Breakout rooms are transforming how we do one-on-one conferencing and small group work. There are so many things we CAN'T do right with kids, so in this episode, I'm exploring the new opportunities for differentiation which may not have been possible in pre-pandemic teaching. You'll hear from a diverse group of 5 teachers from around the world who each share a quick summary of how they differentia...

When the learning curve is overwhelming (especially with technology), these 5 guiding principles can help: Start with the outcome you want to achieve, and choose the best tool accordingly (rather than vice versa). Approach technology as a tool to support learning, not the focus of the learning itself. Use tech to enhance, not dominate, what you're already doing. Use what you love and don't abandon...

Adapting a flexible, resilient pedagogy will allow us to roll with any changes that might come, and will carry us through to post-pandemic teaching, as well. The goal? To emerge from this school year with more equitable, sustainable, and relevant ways of teaching and learning. So what exactly does flexible resilience pedagogy look like in practice? I'll share some tips to help you plan ONE set of...

In our rush to figure out logistics, we can't forget that who we ARE impacts how we teach more than anything else. Unpacking our own identity and the "why" we bring to the classroom can be a grounding force that holds us steady through change. Listen in as I have a laid-back yet energizing conversation with Tanesha Forman , a middle school teacher entering her 15th year in the classroom. She share...

Whether you're with kids face-to-face daily or a few days a week or totally online, I think it's fair to say that your lessons for back-to-school this year are not going to be what you wish they could be. You probably won't be able to do what you did in previous school years. The sooner you can accept that, the easier it will be to plan because you won't be spending so much energy shoehorning in a...

I've been thinking a lot about where I personally can add the most value, and how I can offer support and resources in the way I do best. I'm going to share part of my manifesto here with you. These are my beliefs and goals that will shape the work I do around the changes coming this fall to our schools. You will see these perspectives interwoven into every resource from me this coming school year...

  If you've been feeling like you can't make a difference right now, listen in for how you can stand up for racial justice and create positive change. I'll share why I am hopeful that uprising we're experiencing as a nation is leading us toward racial healing and equality, and what YOU can do to help. You have the power to uncover and root out discriminatory practices in your classroom, school, an...

We're wrapping up Season 11 of the podcast in this episode, and talking about how to wrap up the school year, as well. The usual end-of-year activities won't quite fit the bill right now, so I'm sharing how other teachers are creating closure for the year, even when they can't be face-to-face with their students. I'll also share a crisis classroom closeout process if you only have a few hours to s...

Perfectionism is not always about needing things to be perfect. It can look like an "all-or-nothing" mentality that keeps us from creating the change we want. My working theory is that everyone struggles with perfectionism, it simply manifests differently for different people. We all have our things that we are extremely particular about. Even folks who are super laid-back or happily disorganized...

How do we reimagine schools and use this interruption to our lives to create a better normal post-pandemic? My guest in this episode is Dan Heath, a New York Times bestselling author of 5 books, the most recent being " Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen ." This book is a MUST read for anyone who's curious about how to create systemic change or how to improve our daily lives t...

Crisis distance learning has improved teaching and learning in some surprising (and not-so-surprising ways) over the last couple of weeks. There's no doubt that it's been stressful trying to make the transition so abruptly, but I thought it might be helpful to do an episode on the positives some folks are seeing, too. Whether you secretly prefer remote teaching or if you just wish you were back in...

Spending a LOT of time in a confined space with the same people day in and day out can exacerbate tension. If you're finding yourself increasingly agitated, impatient, and annoyed by the folks around you, this episode can help! I'm talking with Kara Loewentheil, who has a B.A. from Yale and J.D. from Harvard Law, and works now as a Master Certified Coach. She's the host of the iTunes top-rated sel...