Teachers' Lounge

Middle school can be an awkward time…let alone middle school P.E. class…so any breakthrough is a big deal!“I love those moments. I even go and have those personal conversations with those kids, like, ‘hey, it was awesome to see you out and moving today. This was probably the best day ever,’ and then they sit there and smile,” she said. “They take that home with them.”Get your gym shoes on for a ne...

On a SPECIAL episode of TL, our education show turns 5 YEARS OLD and we’re celebrating by revisiting some of our favorite moments over the years. Join us for a “Best of” Teachers’ Lounge out now on WNIJ.org or wherever you get podcasts.

Kathy started her teaching career in 1965 and…to say they threw her right into the deep end…oof."When I started teaching, as a teacher, you were extremely isolated," she said. "You were closed in this room with them. In my second year of teaching, I had 50 3rd graders!"We talk about how in the world you teach that many kids at once, how she evolved as a teacher as she got older and adapted to new...

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast -- we all want to eat good food and we all want to live in a beautiful home. So, when you teach Food and interior design like Katey -- it’s not that hard to make the lessons feel relevant.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, Tracey teaches agriculture, woodworking, welding, horticulture and sometimes she needs to learn yet another skill to help one of her students, like building guitars."He literally starts laughing. He goes, either you're the best teacher ever, or you have no idea what you're doing! I'm just chuckling. I have a kid who has this need, I can reach the kids need by lea...

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, the professor who penned “Modern Motherhood: An American History." We also talk about her work to empower women at every stage of their career.

it’s time for a geography class. Well, HUMAN GEOGRAPHY -- which teaches the WHY of WHERE. My chat with a 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year Finalist.

We interviewed the same teacher every single month during the school year to give you an honest look at the hard work that goes into teaching every day.

In our student correspondent segment, we follow a group of students in a club, sport, or activity throughout their entire season -- the highs and lows and the friends they make along the way.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, Professor Joe Flynn doesn’t want to teach future educators how to teach nouns and verbs.“I want to teach people about what is behind all of that," he said. "I want to teach people about what's the functioning and purpose of education in and of itself.”Teaching as a tool for profound growth -- or oppression. It’s on a new Teachers' Lounge.

On a new Teachers' Lounge podcast, an agriculture teacher talks about food, farms, and her family of students.

On a new Teachers' Lounge podcast, an agriculture teacher talks about food, farms, and her family of students.

This week, it’s the 2nd and final part of our conversation with Northern Illinois University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Dr. Gulsat Aygen. Dr. Aygen is a world-renowned Linguistics teacher, author, and translator.

On a new TL Podcast, world-renowned linguist, NIU professor, andformer political prisoner — Dr. Gulsat Aygen.“How did I end up being more human than I ever was, despite all the torture and dehumanizing circumstances I was in, I always think about this.”Listen to part 1 of our conversation about her life AND the ultimate goal of education. That’s on a new TL out now on WNIJ.org or wherever you get...

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, we're heading to Peter's alma mater to talk with the founder of an award-winning program for first-generation college students.

On a new Teachers' Lounge podcast, Rockford’s Lathrop Elementary School Principal Daniela Boer! Daniela has had a fascinating career. She’s from Brazil, came to northern Illinois as an exchange student in high school, went back home, taught in Brazil, lived in Mexico, and, eventually, returned to the U.S. to teach in Rockford.

On a brand-new Teachers' Lounge Podcast, get your dancing shoes on because we're talking with dance teachers from Vargo's Dance in Geneva, Illinois!

What are the most important education issues of the year? WNIJ's Peter Medlin and NIU's Jason Klein share everything you need to know.

This week, we're revisiting our 2022 conversation with Dr. Kathleen “Kadi” Billman. This is an episode unlike we’ve ever had. We’re diving into some heavy, emotional topics today. Until her retirement during the pandemic, Dr. Billman was a professor of pastoral ministry, pastoral theology and director of the Master of Divinity program at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Billman also tau...

Paraprofessional. Teachers' aide. Instructional Aid. The other teacher who comes in to help. Whatever you might know them as — paraprofessionals can be the glue that keeps classrooms together.

Before 2024, we revisit a few of the education stories from Teachers’ Lounge that stuck out to us this year. Some of them are very serious, some are uplifting or even fun — but they’re all important.

A look back at some of our favorite Teachers' Lounge conversations in 2023. If you've never heard our show — think of this as a great holiday sampler!

Everybody needs a coach…including teachers.“We can spend entire careers standing by ourselves in a room full of students with nobody to bounce ideas off — and that's a shame.”How an instructional coach helps teachers help their students.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge, it’s a unique burden and responsibility to be the only Black teacher at your school.“I take it so seriously, because a lot of times this is a child's first interaction with an African American person, or at least a positive role model, unlike a stereotype which they may have seen in a movie or something. It's nerve-racking,” said Mira. Hear that conversation and much mor...

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, Susan’s been teaching 2nd grade for a long time and the technology changed so much. But, sometimes you still have to go old school -- literally.