Teachers' Lounge

This week, we’re chatting with Michelle Roberts! She teaches deaf and hard of hearing students at Community High School District 155 in Crystal Lake. She’s an adapted Physical Education teacher, helping make games and sports accessible for students with disabilities.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast -- there’s something about learning in the great outdoors that makes school so much more exciting! We’re talking to a STEAM teacher with a passion for outdoor education. Listen now!

We're revisiting our 2021 conversation with comic book artist and art teacher extraordinaire: Marcel Walker!

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, it’s not often 17 and 70-year-old students share the same classroom. But that’s every day in this adult education class. Learn more about adult education and English language learning!

This week, we’re bringing you two conversations about the state of early childhood services and why the system is on the verge of collapse.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, Biology Professor Dr. Sheela Vemu says "not only is science for everyone, understanding and appreciating science is something that everyone can do.”

on a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast -- Jill teaches deaf students and is a sign language interpreter for swimming meets, dog obedience, and karate classes! Hear how Jill supports her hard of hearing students.

This week, Laurie Pillen! She just retired a few weeks ago after nearly 40 years as a counselor at Rochelle Township High School. We talked about how she never knew what issue or question a student was going to come into her office with -- and how that kept the job really fresh for decades. She also shared some advice for anyone at a career crossroads.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge, Eugene’s journey to become a teacher was not an easy one. Hear a special education teacher’s story from growing up in poverty in the Philippines to advocating for his students in Illinois.

In honor of her retirement from teaching, we're revisiting Peter's 2021 interview with...his mom!

Every month on the Teachers' Lounge radio show, we catch up with high school teacher Erik Czerwin. Hear all of those segment in order and follow Erik's journey from August through May right here on the Teachers' Lounge podcast.

On a new episode, we caught up with high school seniors about how COVID impacted their experience & our student correspondents make their podcast debut!

On a new Teachers' Lounge, we talk about what makes religious schools unique and a very quirky and admittedly a bit odd tradition they have at Aquin.

We’re bringing you a LIVE episode of Teachers’ Lounge featuring an audience Q&A! This time, we recorded in Springfield, Illinois at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association’s spring conference.

This week, we’re talking with Mendota High School civics teacher Jason Artman! Jason played a key role in Mendota joining the Democracy Schools network last year and we talk about what emphasizing democracy across a whole school really looks like.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, A LIVE conversation at Beloit College with Wayne Au. He was this year’s Weissberg Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice at Beloit. Hear the live conversation and audience Q&A!

We revisit our 2021 chat with Jeff Pitner. He’s a psychology teacher and esports coach at Guilford High School in Rockford. We talked about building that community and how his psychology classes have evolved as he’s learned about restorative justice.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, we enter a math escape room with 5th grade teacher Dominique Yackley! She's a finalist for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.

"If you're working with clay, some people may think 'oh, this is just a teapot.' That teapot can be a lot more. There can be a lot of other issues spinning around up there."

On this week’s Teachers' Lounge, it’s time to ready your arguments and prepare to perform. We’re talking with English teacher and Forensics coach, Greg Solomon.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast -- we’re diving into the top education issues you need to know about in 2023. Everything from mental health to school board battles and student-led classrooms.

On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast -- we’re live from an ACTUAL teachers’ lounge at North Grove Elementary School talking to teachers about how the pandemic has changed them. We recorded these conversations on video, as well, so you can go over to our WNIJ Facebook and Instagram RIGHT NOW and check those out. You can watch the full interviews on our WNIJ YouTube channel

On a new Teachers' Lounge podcast, a school librarian on media literacy, technology, censorship and more.

Revisit some of the best education reporting from Teachers' Lounge this year.

As we wind down 2022, we take a look back at three of our favorite conversations with educators this year.