Classroom Matters

Led by Sports Foundation Director Solomon Alexander, the Musial Moments program was inspired by the life and legacy of the great Stan Musial. The Musial Moments program was created to help schools and organizations foster kindness, character, and respect among young people My guest today, Solomon Alexander is a former teacher, experienced public speaker and authority on sportsmanship, Solomon enco...

 On today’s episode I will be sitting down with former educator, Brittany Long as we dive into the topic of how to realize your talents in the teaching world and how to know when to move on. Brittany Long is a former science teacher turned freelancer and entrepreneur who now works from home and is the host of the Life After Teaching podcast. Brittany knows what it's like to feel burned out, t...

Darrion Cockrell joined a gang by age 10, navigated the challenges of the foster care system, struggled to find love and security during his adolescence, but with the help of his teachers became a teacher himself -- one of the best in Missouri, in fact.  Cockrell, or "Mr. DC" as his students affectionately call him, was named Teacher of the Year by the Missouri Department of Education ea...

On today’s episode I will be sitting down with Dr. Bryan Pearlman as we dive into the topic of how to meet a student’s human needs before academic needs. Dr. Bryan Pearlman is a veteran educator/school administrator, a mental health therapist, PD leader, keynote speaker, and adjunct professor. He is the author of two books: Maslow Before Bloom: Basic Human Needs Before Academics released in May 20...

On today’s episode I will be sitting down with Bob Chapman, Chairman and CEO of St. Louis based Barry-Wehmiller. Over the last two decades Bob has dedicated his work and life to creating an environment where people feel truly valued and cared for.  In his book Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family, Bob writes about his journey to find his true calling, go...

On today’s episode I will be sitting down with two amazing educators who not only work in the world of alternative education, but also strive to help other educators through their roles in the Missouri Alternative Education Network. Amy McEvoy currently serves as the President of MAEN and Dan Davinroy is the President-Elect. Their mission, which aligns to the National Alternative Education Associa...

Today, our guest is National Teacher of the Year 2020, Tabatha Rosproy.  We spoke with Tabatha earlier this month about her recent accomplishment of being named the first early childhood Teacher of the Year.   Tabatha Rosproy is a 10-year veteran of education and the first early childhood educator to be named National Teacher of the Year. Tabatha currently teaches preschool for the Winfield Early...

Kristy sits down with 12-year-old Mikey Wren, the youngest vending machine owner in the country.  Mikey's interest in business started with a lemonade stand and grew into the ownership of several vending machines across the St. Louis area and two best-selling children's books. Hear Mikey and his supportive mother, Arriel, talk about what drives him, how he balances business with school,...

In this episode of Classroom Matters, host Kristy Houle chats with Stacy Clay, Senior Vice President and Director of Community Affairs, First Bank and Dr. Steven Coxen, Associate Professor of Education, Maryville University about their involvement with the Education Technology Initiative and how this partnership is assisting St. Louis school districts.

Listen to Kristy and Tim talk about the upcoming fall semester and the different ways that being remote and using online resources can be beneficial. Watch our first ever video podcast episode on our Youtube page!

Join host Kristy Houle as she wraps up this three part series with Online Safety expert, Ronna Glickman. In this episode they will discuss the importance of online safety during this season of remote-learning and share some strategies to keep your kids focused and safe while working online.

Join Kristy Houle as she dives deeper into conversations with Online Safety Expert, Ronna Glickman.  In part two of this series Ronna discusses the impact too much online or screen time on a child's brain development.

What is the right age to get my child a cell phone? Should I monitor my child's social media usage? How does too much screen time affect my child? These may be familiar questions you've asked yourself. Join host Kristy Houle as she kicks off this three part series with Online Safety Expert, Ronna Glickman.

What started as a grassroots effort by St. Louis parents has turned into a community organization designed to help parents make the best educational choice for their children.  Navigate STL Schools is a non-profit focused on helping St. Louis families find local schools that are the right fit for the unique needs of their children. Join host Kristy Houle as she chats with Executive Director, Anna-...

Tina McCord has been in the world of education for over ten years and is also the founder of the Zuni Learning Tree website.  Tina's passion is for supporting teachers and having high-quality resources available in one place.  Join host Kristy Houle as she chats with Tina about the Zuni Learning Tree resources and how teachers and parents can utilize them during a time of remote learning.

As both a public and private school teacher and a homeschool mom, Kristen Schindler has had over twenty years of experience with teaching and learning. In her most current role as a published author and educational consultant she is able to connect with people and truly listen to the stories they have to share. Join Kristen as she sits down with host Kristy Houle to chat about her book All the Thi...

Michael Desparrios is no stranger to the world of education.  As a former special education teacher and a special education consultant and coordinator he has seen firsthand the challenges teachers and parents sometimes face with understanding, and empathy for each other in times of trouble.  In Michael’s current role as the Leader of Educational Initiatives for the Our Community Listens organizati...

In this episode of Classroom Matters join host Kristy Houle as she wraps up a three-part series with Heather Forbes, the owner of the Beyond Consequences Institute.  In the last episode of this series Heather discusses how the pandemic and civil unrest around the nation have increased the need for a trauma-informed approach.

In the second part of our three part series with Heather Forbes we dive into teacher buy-in and how to create change in the school environment.  Heather is an expert in the field of trauma-informed care and is the owner of the Beyond Consequences Institute which works to help educators and parents take a trauma-informed approach with students.  Join Kristy Houle as she chats with Heather and takes...

Chuck Alphin has been a vital part of the St. Louis community for decades and now his dedication to keeping the community safe is stronger than ever.  As the regional director of the O’Fallon Boys and Girls Club and an intregral part of the Kingian Nonviolence philosophy  Chuck spends his time delivering and emulating a message of support and love.  Join host Kristy Houle as she chats with Chuck a...

Heather Forbes is one of the nation's leading experts in the world of Trauma-Informed Education and has been a catalyst for the positive changes in school districts across the country.  As the owner of the Beyond Consequences Institute, Heather has worked for over 20 years helping to educate both teachers and parents in the area of using a trauma-informed approach to help student's acade...

Education shifted tremendously when the pandemic hit the nation in early March.  Many parents were instantly thrown into the educator role and students had to learn a new normal quickly.  Join host Kristy Houle as she talks about the differences between isolated learning and homeschooling.  In both segments you will hear Kristy talk about the foundation of each and strategies for dealing with both...

Education shifted tremendously when the pandemic hit the nation in early March.  Many parents were instantly thrown into the educator role and students had to learn a new normal quickly.  Join host Kristy Houle as she talks about the differences between isolated learning and homeschooling.  In both segments you will hear Kristy talk about the foundation of each and strategies for dealing with both...

It can be easily said that students and school districts across the nation are faced with challenges of how to stay engaged and learning while at home, and this is especially true for low income school districts.  In many of these districts children are not only struggling with how to keep up but also facing a lack of technology to assist them.  Join host Kristy Houle as she chats with school prin...

As educators, there will always be those students who just don’t want to be there no matter how hard you try.  Join host Kristy Houle and Tim Gore as they discuss strategies and techniques they used to help motivate students who didn’t want to be motivated.