Teach Me, Teacher

Hello everyone! As school doors re-open, close, and vacillate under the pressure of the pandemic, one inescapable fact is that our children are feeling anxiety, grief, and trauma on higher levels than we've seen, possibly in our lifetime. Because of this, it has never been more important for educators to be mindful of the lives students are currently living, and how we can help improve their menta...

Hello everyone! Today we are seeing more and more people discuss education. While this is good in many ways, it is also leading to multiple groups accidentally—and in some cases, purposefully—misusing terms embedded inside of quality pedagogy. Words and phrases such as equity and social emotional learning are now feared and demonized in many circles. Other circles simply want to know what it's all...

Hello everyone! Welcome to season 6 of the podcast! Today we are seeing more and more people discuss education. While this is good in many ways, it is also leading to multiple groups accidentally—and in some cases, purposefully—misusing terms embedded inside of quality pedagogy. Words and phrases such as equity and social emotional learning are now feared and demonized in many circles. Other circl...

Hello everyone! Welcome to the season 6 intro episode. Today, I'm going to discuss the new theme music (per tradition), and dive into some of the ideas that are shaping this season to be the biggest and most relevant yet. I touch on: Going back to the basics of the podcast, while at the same time pushing forward Bringing the community closer together Combating the war against public education And...

Hello everyone! This episode is an introduction to my second podcast, Craft & Draft! This is pulled from episode 40 of that show (our most popular episode to date) all about starting the year in reading and writing workshop. If you are en English teacher and want more topics directly focused on reading and writing, go check out the show if you enjoy this one! Here is the blurb for the episode: It'...

Hello everyone, and welcome to a special 2 part episode of Teach Me, Teacher. The intro you are hearing (reading) now is exactly the same on both episodes titled, Critical Race Talk. This is due to the nature and ties of the conversations you will hear, and also the reasoning behind why I am putting out this content at all on this podcast. To start, I believe in discourse and the dismantling of ec...

Hello everyone, and welcome to a special 2 part episode of Teach Me, Teacher. The intro you are hearing (reading) now is exactly the same on both episodes titled, Critical Race Talk. This is due to the nature and ties of the conversations you will hear, and also the reasoning behind why I am putting out this content at all on this podcast.  To start, I believe in discourse and the dismantling of e...

Hello everyone! On July 2nd, I hosted a LIVE discussion on the Teach Me, Teacher Facebook page, where we asked the question: What have we learned from a year of Covid-era teaching? To help answer this question, I took LIVE comments, questions, and topic elections from the audience and reflected with the community! Among other things discussed, we hit on: Grades Technology Parents Teacher appreciat...

Hello everyone! I cannot express how excited, pumped, and inspired I am right now for next year, and I want you to join me and my AMAZING guests in our quest to bring some positivity into the teaching world. …but today is a little different. Today, I AM THE GUEST OF THE SHOW! Yes, you read that correctly! A few weeks ago, I received an email from a listener of the podcast who asked me tons of ques...

Hello everyone! It feels like yesterday I was hyping up the start of season 5 of the Teach Me, Teacher podcast, and now I'm here closing it out. Where did the time go!? We've featured some AMAZING minds this year, including (but not limited to), Eric Weinstein, Amen Rahh, Maddie Fairchild, Jen Jones, and Susan Barnes. It's hard to believe all the great talks we have had on the show this season, an...

Hello everyone! If you have been paying attention to the news surrounding education at all, then you have probably heard people debate over terms like anti-racism, whiteness, decolonization, and white supremacy. As someone who is deeply invested in being better for my students, I feel like it's my duty to understand these highly contentious debates, the terms used, and why certain parties feel the...

Hello everyone! If you have been following me on social media at all, then you have seen me gush about The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop book by Felicia Rose Chavez. After ten pages I was sold. After twenty I had nearly as many screenshots taken of key phrases and insights. By page thirty, I was certain I needed to bring Felicia's powerful voice onto the show. Luckily, she agreed, and I could not b...

Hello everyone! Last week, Peter Mishler and I discussed his book, FOR ALL YOU DO (which you should buy). This week, we examined one of his beliefs—the belief that self-care for teachers also includes advocating for what is best for students. This inevitably led us into a discussion on Critical Race Theory, current legislation issues, and discussing why teaching is inherently a political act. I lo...

Hello everyone! As one of the hardest years is winding down, many of us are thinking about self-care. We're eyeing the beach turning off alarm clocks, and getting ready to have some serious R&R with our loved ones. But if you're like me, maybe that self-care looks different. Maybe taking on special projects rejuvenates you, or even (gasp), thinking about teaching and the changes you will make next...

Teach Me, Teacher has released a lot of episodes about literacy, books, choice, and fostering a love for reading in students. In several of those episodes, we have discussed the literary canon, and its role in modern classrooms. In general, those episodes do not put the canon in a positive light. Because I believe in diverse viewpoints and giving several sides to an issue, I wanted to change the o...

Teach Me, Teacher has released a lot of episodes about literacy, books, choice, and fostering a love for reading in students. In several of those episodes, we have discussed the literary canon, and its role in modern classrooms. In general, those episodes do not put the canon in a positive light. Because I believe in diverse viewpoints and giving several sides to an issue, I wanted to change the o...

When I released my 2 part episode with Brian Mendler saying SCHOOLS SHOULD BE OPEN, many were quick to react. While most of Teach Me, Teacher's listeners were positive and supportive of this episode, many came out of the woodwork to spout ad hominem attacks at myself and Brian. A select few of honest and passionate listeners offered valid criticisms and counter points, to which I quickly engaged w...

Hello everyone! If you have been following me AT ALL on social media, you know I talk about change a lot. Not just change I think should occur in the school system, but changes other people believe should occur as well. But one aspect I have struggled with is how to make change happen at all. Sometimes, it feels like the system of public education is too big to change in any meaningful way… And ye...

Hello everyone! If you have been following me AT ALL on social media, you know I talk about change a lot. Not just change I think should occur in the school system, but changes other people believe should occur as well. But one aspect I have struggled with is how to make change happen at all. Sometimes, it feels like the system of public education is too big to change in any meaningful way... And...

Hello everyone! These days, positivity is difficult to come by. It might be easier than this time last year, but I think most of us can agree that we aren't living in the best of times... because of this, many of us are struggling to create a positive school culture in our classrooms, and community at large. Jim Van Allen is here to help us realize we can change this trajectory, and work together...

Hello everyone! Today I'm flying solo as I offer my best 10 tips for getting hired as a teacher. While this episode is geared to new teachers, I believe anyone can follow these tips. So if you are changing schools, positions, or moving, I think these 10 tips can increase your chances at nailing that interview. Each piece of advice in this episode is fueled by my experience with hiring teachers, an...

Hello everyone! It has been said that middle school is where the love of reading goes to die… but not if Christina Hanson has anything to say about it! Christina, otherwise known as @Hansonhallway on Instagram, has a lot to say about how to get kids engaged with books. Under her deeply engrained philosophy of letting students read what they want and often in class, is solid pedological practice th...

Hello everyone! It has been said that middle school is where the love of reading goes to die... but not if Christina Hanson has anything to say about it! Christina, otherwise known as @Hansonhallway on Instagram, has a lot to say about how to get kids engaged with books. Under her deeply engrained philosophy of letting students read what they want and often in class, is solid pedological practice...

Hello everyone! As the world grapples with crisis after crisis, we have all turned our gaze to the leaders of our communities. Leadership is hard. It is a lonely profession. Yet, according to my guest Jimmy Casas, it is the single most vital piece to an effective institution. Last week, Jimmy detailed why ineffective leadership is so prevalent (poor systems), what the cost of ineffective leadershi...

Hello everyone! As the world grapples with crisis after crisis, we have all turned our gaze to the leaders of our communities. Leadership is hard. It is a lonely profession. Yet, according to my guest Jimmy Casas, it is the single most vital piece to an effective institution. In part one of our talk, Jimmy details why ineffective leadership is so prevalent (poor systems), what the cost of ineffect...