Teacher Edition Podcast

What makes a school thrive, and what quietly tears it down?   It’s not just curriculum or programs. It’s culture. And at the center of that culture… is you. In this fourth and final Look Back episode, Jenny Copeland brings together powerful insights from past guests to explore two critical themes: school culture and teacher wellness. School culture is often hard to define, but it’s always felt. Fr...

As we continue our wrap-up series reflecting on three years of the Teacher Edition Podcast, this episode brings together one of the most practical and impactful themes we’ve explored: teaching strategies.   From active learning and classroom engagement to motivating students, supporting diverse learners, and thinking critically through a biblical lens, this episode is packed with wisdom from a wid...

What if classroom management isn’t all about control, but about connection? This episode of the Teacher Edition Podcast brings together a collection of meaningful conversations with past guests, all focused on the vital and everyday challenge of classroom management and student relationships. But as you’ll hear throughout this episode, effective classroom management goes far beyond rules, routines...

What if the most important thing we teach isn’t a subject, but a worldview? As we wrap up year three of the Teacher Edition Podcast, we’re stepping back to revisit one of the most foundational themes woven through nearly every conversation: Biblical Worldview. In this special compilation episode, you’ll hear insights from past guests who have challenged, equipped, and encouraged us to think deeply...

“We’re not just educating minds, we’re shepherding hearts.” - Jeremy Thomas   “If we’re not preparing students to stand firm in their faith, we’re not preparing them for life.” - Jeremy Thomas   What happens when a school looks Christian on the surface but is still building on the wrong foundation? In this episode, Jenny Copeland sits down with Dr. Jeremy Thomas, Head of School at Circle Christian...

“One of the biggest challenges we’re going to face is a relational one, where students are substituting interaction with AI for personal interaction with people.” - Chuck Bumgardner AI is here. The question is not whether students will encounter it, but how we will help them think about it biblically. In this episode, Jenny Copeland sits down with Chuck Bumgardner, Biblical Worldview Specialist at...

“If our schools really wanted to prepare our children for life, they would offer classes in failure and disappointment.” - Dr. Jay Knolls “We prize failure not because it’s enjoyable or fun or comfortable, but because it is helping us grow.” - Dr. Jay Knolls   Show Description: Failure is not a topic most of us naturally want to talk about. We would much rather focus on success, progress, achievem...

“We are not building our kingdom here. We are participating in building Christ’s kingdom.” - Chris Lynch There are some partnerships in Christian education that we talk about all the time, like the relationship between school and home. But what about the church? More specifically, what about the youth pastor or youth ministry leader who is also speaking into the lives of our students week after we...

“The mission may attract teachers, but the culture determines whether they stay.” - Dan Brokke “People stay where they feel valued, encouraged, and strengthened.” - Dan Brokke Spring always brings a certain buzz with it. For some, it is vacation plans and blooming trees. For schools, it is also the season of decisions. Families are thinking about next year, and so are teachers. Some are praying ab...

“Sadness is not sinful. But when we move into despair and hopelessness, now we’re in dangerous territory.” - Bruce Meyer   “The command in Scripture is not that we should always be happy. It’s that we should always be rejoicing in the Lord.” - Bruce Meyer   Dr. Bruce Meyer returns to the Teacher Edition podcast for a thoughtful and deeply practical conversation about depression. In a culture where...

“We should be schools of excellence, but for a different reason — not to bring success, but significance.” - Randy Scallions What is the true purpose of Christian education? In this episode of the Teacher Edition Podcast, Jenny Copeland sits down with Randy Scallions for a timely and encouraging conversation about what it means to keep the main thing the main thing in Christian education. With nea...

“You have to meet students where they are… and then slowly bring them to where they need to go.” - Bill Harmon Bill Harmon has spent 45 years helping students see that science and math aren’t “for the gifted”… they’re for learners! In this episode, Jenny Copeland sits down with BJU Press digital instructor Bill Harmon, beloved by students for making tough concepts clear, memorable, and even fun.  ...

“We are living in a very interconnected world. Learning another language helps students communicate with people who think, live, and act differently.” - Roxana Keiser “Learning another language requires humility. You have to be willing to try, fail, and keep trying.” - Roxana Keiser Think back to your own foreign language class. What do you remember most—the vocabulary lists, or the experience of...

“One person in five has dyslexia. That means if you have a classroom of 20 students, you probably have three to four students on that continuum.” - Cindy Hall Every classroom includes students who learn differently, and many teachers feel unsure how to support them well. In this episode of Teacher Edition, Jenny Copeland sits down with Cindy Hall, founding director of the Dyslexia Center at Lindsa...

“We spend money on brochures and ads, but the teacher can make it or break it.” - Cathy Dotson “We’re not just pulling people to our school—we’re pulling people to the Lord.” - Cathy Dotson As schools enter open house season, launch enrollment campaigns, and invest in marketing strategies for the year ahead, one truth often gets overlooked: your most powerful marketing tool is already inside your...

“AI can help with efficiency, but it cannot replace the teacher.” - Doug Lay Technology isn’t slowing down… and neither is the pressure educators feel to “keep up.” In this episode, Jenny Copeland sits down with Doug Lay, administrator at Victory Christian School (Sylva, NC) and a former software architect/systems engineer with decades in IT. Doug brings a steady, Scripture-shaped perspective to a...

“We cannot teach our children how to think without helping them know what the standard of truth is.” - Lauren Wiggs Have you ever heard someone say, “What were you thinking?” Or maybe a student has looked at you and said, “I just wasn’t thinking.” In a world where AI and endless tools are eager to do our thinking for us, the skill of thinking, real, biblical, critical thinking, can feel like a dyi...

“God often works in those small, unnoticed times.” - Amanda Cecil “It’s not our job to produce the results. It’s our job to be faithful with the opportunities He gives us.” - Amanda Cecil Some of the most powerful moments in education don’t happen during the perfectly planned lesson—they happen in the “ordinary” spaces: snack time, recess, transitions, a hallway conversation, a quiet prayer whispe...

“I want schools and school associations to be vigilant… We need to do whatever it takes to maintain our ability to teach biblical truth at all costs.” - Jeff Keaton Christian education is growing, but growth brings new pressures. In this episode of Teacher Edition, Jenny welcomes back Jeff Keaton, founder and CEO of RenewaNation, for an honest, wide-angle conversation about where Christian schools...

“Math only works because it describes consistencies that God holds in place.” - Katie Vance “What type of class would you want to sit in? And then create it.” - Katie Vance Math doesn’t have to be the “necessary evil.” In this episode, Jenny Copeland sits down with Katie Vance—an experienced Christian educator who once struggled with math but learned to see God’s fingerprints all over it. Together...

“Pray for your students — that they are doing well, that they know they matter, and that God is working in their lives.” – Curtis Tomlin   What separates good teaching from transformative teaching? In this episode, Jenny sits down with Curtis Tomlin to explore what it truly means to teach beyond the classroom walls. Curtis shares his passion for Christian education that extends far past lesson pla...

“Resilient teachers practice gratitude and know how to reframe situations.” – Dana Davis   “Happiness is contagious – when teachers prioritize their health, students benefit, too.” – Dana Davis   This episode is for EVERY educator, especially as we head into the new year. Jenny’s guest, Dana Davis, brings a diverse education experience and a passion to encourage educators as whole people, with a f...

“We have to stay true to our core mission, which is creating transformational materials for students’ lives. We can’t forget the trust that teacher is going to put in BJU Press to be able to create a product that can actually mean success in that classroom.” — Steve Dickinson   “The content is so important, and the delivery is going to flex. We can’t get hung up on the delivery mechanisms, because...

“Get your arsenal ready, because when parents ask, ‘Oh, what would you like? Is there anything I can get you for your classroom?’ I always say I can’t think of anything right now. And then I regret it later because I wish I would have thought of something, because they’re so generous and sweet about wanting to get things that help the class, their child, their child’s teacher.” – Katie Klipp Welco...

“One tool can make such a difference in your classroom. This one little thing that I added to my classroom or that somebody suggested to me has made such a huge difference.” — Katie Klipp   As the Christmas season approaches, many educators receive thoughtful gifts from students and families—mugs, candy, gift cards, and fuzzy blankets. But what if you could create a wish list of items that would a...