Catholic Teachers' Lounge

Jill and Colleen welcome Dr. Kaitlin Reichart into the Catholic Teachers’ Lounge to share the best things they have seen and heard in classrooms so far this year. Stop in the lounge to hear shout outs, accolades, and cheers for the hardworking and creative teachers and leaders in our schools. You’ll have lots of time over break to binge back episodes of the Catholic Teachers’ Lou...

This episode takes Jill and Colleen down a rabbit hole of multi-age instructional shifts, putting theory into practice, and wondering if PD is enough. Tune in as talk in lounge shifts to the way instructional leaders must create the space and opportunities for teachers to put practices that serve all students into action and help them let go of habits, systems, and structures that no longer serve...

This episode takes the lounge conversation back to homework, only this time Jill and Colleen are talking about high school kids. Studies show there is a sweet spot for impact when it comes to time spent on homework and success on standardized exams. Stop by the lounge to hear about stressors, tasks, and impact when it comes to homework in high school.

“In this episode of the Catholic Teachers Lounge, Jill and Colleen explore various themes related to Catholic education, particularly focusing on the Advent season, prayer practices, and the role of AI in spiritual expressions. They discuss the importance of spontaneous prayer in schools, share personal anecdotes about prayer with children, and reflect on the authenticity of prayer in the co...

In this episode, Jill and Colleen ponder a homework study. What is the value of homework? What is the most effective use of student time in and out of school? Stop in the lounge for a topic that everyone has an opinion about.

It’s Advent–A time of high energy, activities, service projects, special prayer events, art, music, and lots of patience. Join Jill and Colleen for a conversation about fresh ideas and traditions to bring Advent to life for students.

It’s Thanksgiving week! Join Jill and Colleen in a lounge conversation about classroom activiities that reflect the values and meaning of Thanksgiving, let kids be creative, and honor history. Jill and Colleen wish all Catholic school teachers and leaders all the best–they are so grateful for what you do every day!

Teaching has historically been an isolating profession for many. We would go into our classrooms, not to see another adult until we ventured to the office or teachers’ lounge. When teachers experience the benefits of frequent visitors, co-teachers, and other adults in their classroom, they can experience a shift to openness that lifts them and their students to new heights. Join Colleen and...

In this episode, Jill and Colleen explore the universal design aspects of marching band and music education and how these can apply to the classroom. Discover UDL through a musical lens.

In this episode, Jill and Colleen put on their doctor hats and talk about a study proving the importance of handwriting to benfit learning to read. What begins as a simple conversation about spelling words goes down a rabbit hole of literacy. Stop in the lounge for this cutting edge–yet not surprising!– conversation about reading and writing.

It’s Veteran’s Day, and Jill and Colleen take time to talk about the ways people can witness and support military veterans. Whether through fundraising support, gratitude, or song, anyone can have the opportunity to give thanks to those who serve!

In this episode Jill, Colleen, and some faithful listeners share their daily prayer routines. Discussion in the lounge centers on ways to integrate prayer into every day, and how to create a culture of prayer among the faculty in your school.

Colleen shares an experience in a 4th grade classroom where students were highly engaged in a well-paced, well-orchestrated science lesson.

This episode highlights the importance of music education. Jill and Colleen share the variety of ways music is integrated into Catholic schools and showcases the Ward method that teaches students Gregorian chant.

In this episode Jill and Colleen explore the ways full inclusion and education in the classical tradition can work together. Using an example of a Catholic school in Kentucky, the conversation reveals that it is possible, this model does exist as an example to others, and it is beautiful.

In this episode, Jill and Colleen explore how to resolve student conflict. There are many peer mediation programs out there, and many link back to sacraments and values. Consider the ways your school’s charism or integration of Catholic values informs your peer mediation program potential.

In this episode, Colleen and Jill revisit the concept of AI with predictions, questions, and some trepedation. Based on lessons learned from the past, how should schools proceed into the future with confident faithfulness to mission and commitment to student formation? We may not have all the answers, but it’s a conversation.

Today’s students need to learn new mediums of communication beyond just public speaking in order to thrive in the world of career and academics. In this episode, Jill shares two examples of student podcasts from elementary and high school classrooms to inspire ideas on using podcasting to communicate with parents, as assessments, and to grow students’ skills.

If the differences between accommodations, modifications, and interventions sometimes confuse you, you are not alone! In this episode, Colleen provides an analogy that Jill breaks down and applies to the classroom to clarify these terms and their applications in schools.

In this follow up conversation from the previous episode, Colleen and Jill talk more about the impact of technology on kids, families, and schools as described in the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. For a copy of Jill’s community book study, emails us at CTL@ed-21.com.

In this episode Jill shares the way a diocesan-wide policy about phones triggered a series of community gatherings around a book study of 2024 epic publication The Anxious Generation. If you want a copy of Jill’s 4-part book study notes and facilitation guide, email us at CTL@Ed-21.com!

Jill and Colleen have both fond and rough memories of parents teacher conferences–both as the parent and the teacher. Join this conversation for ideas on preping for the most effective parent teacher conferences possible.

In this episode Colleen and Jill talk about the very real struggle with making changes and learning new things. Using personal examples, the discussion is a metaphor for the classroom. If we seek certain results for our students and aren’t getting them, it might be time for a change.

In this episode, Colleen and Jill explore the complexities of math instruction, discussing various teaching methods and their implications for student learning. They explore the concept of discovery and fostering critical thinking in math education. The conversation highlights the need to adapt strategies to engage students effectively and prepare them for real-world applications of math. The epis...

We’ve heard of the Science of Reading, but what is the Science of Math? In this episode Jill and Colleen break down conflicting views of math instruction.