Teaching Today

What can the iconic movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" teach us about student engagement? This episode explores the critical disconnect between students and educators, examining why students mentally and physically check out of their education. Guests Colleen Keating-Crawford, Sydney Tweedley, and Izzy Fitzgerald from The Reinvention Lab at Teach For America share personal stories that reveal a star...

🌟 Join us for an inspiring conversation about creating inclusive classrooms where every voice can shine! In this episode, our guest Katherine Hamilton, Vice President of Programs at Ensemble Learning, joins us as we dive into the complex and rewarding world of supporting multilingual learners in the classroom. We celebrate the incredible value of multilingualism in our classrooms and explore how...

In this episode, we continue our discussion focused on multilingual learners, diving deep into why linguistic mobility isn't just academic—it's the key to true community inclusion! Maria Underwood, Senior Professional Development Advisor at CPET, and Vince Moua, CPET Professional Development Coach, and Teachers College Zankel Fellow, join Roberta to discuss: -Why multilingual teaching creates expl...

Did you know it takes 2-3 years to see real results from educational innovation? How can teachers and leaders invest in the time needed for long-lasting change? This enlightening episode, featuring Dr. Annalies Corbin, founder of the PAST Foundation, uncovers the essential ingredients that make educational changes stick. From overhead projectors to modern teaching methods, we explore how education...

Writing projects can feel like a distraction, unless we look at the ways in which projects increase learning for students, and the ways we can integrate them into our calendars without losing teaching time for skills or content that we need to cover. Today, we revisit our conversation with participants from one of our Student Publication Initiative (SPI) projects last year: participants from all l...

Teachers struggle to implement social justice pedagogy due to limited support, restrictive laws, and scarce training—all while trying to build student advocacy skills! In this episode, Maria Luisa Underwood unpacks findings from quantitative research with teachers based on their experience implementing the framework "Equipping Educators to Nurture Student Civic Advocates Through Social Justice Ped...

In this episode, we dive into the art of creating captivating, immersive experiences that bring texts to life in any classroom setting—especially for multilingual learners! Join our inspiring panel of educators: Adel Bruni Ashley, Gregory Petershack, Jen Gowers, Shenhao Bai. They reveal the behind-the-scenes magic of their groundbreaking workshop with students and teachers visiting from Shanghai,...

In this episode, we discuss how the study of the brain can help us better support our students to learn. We are joined by Brooklin Williams, Katherine Elam, and Malik Bolden who share the importance of empathy and understanding in teaching and learning, the need to recognize and support students' emotional responses, rather than just managing their behaviors, and the crucial role teachers play in...

Ever wonder why speaking your native language feels like putting on comfortable house clothes? This fascinating episode dives into the transformative power of affinity spaces - environments where people connect through shared language, culture, and experiences. Dr. Marcelle Mentor and Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang discuss how these spaces serve as crucial safe havens, particularly for individuals naviga...

What role do schools and administrators play in supporting teachers to engage students in discussions about civic issues? How can structured curricula and coaching help educators facilitate constructive dialogue across political and social differences? In this episode, Elizabeth Clay Roy, the CEO of Generation Citizen, shares her passion for fostering social justice and community engagement throug...

This episode features Dr. Katie McMullen and Jonathan Beltran Alvarado sharing their experiences teaching in Singapore, Lebanon, and Colombia. They explore how educators can successfully navigate cultural differences and work with diverse student and teacher populations in international schools. The discussion covers practical considerations for teaching across different settings - from urban to s...

In this episode, we discuss the importance of recognizing and valuing multilingual learners, with a focus on the connection between language and identity. Maria Underwood, Senior Professional Development Advisor at CPET, and Vince Moua, CPET Professional Development Coach, and Teachers College Zankel Fellow, share origin stories of their personal and professional passion for supporting multilingua...

Selecting a curriculum is a big decision for any school or district. In this episode, we define curriculum and discuss the challenges and benefits of adapting and implementing new curriculum in educational settings. We welcome Courtney Brown back to the conversation as we address the importance of understanding the time and effort required for such changes, as well as the potential limitations of...

Welcome to our annual wrap-up episode of Teaching Today! We're excited to bring you a special compilation featuring our three most-listened-to conversations from the past year, plus a bonus clip that captured international attention. Thank you again for these conversations: Nona Ullman, Melissa Payette, Lisa Dughi, Collette Smith, Dr. Padhu Seshaiyer, Dr. Laura Rigolosi and Jacqui Stolzer. We’re p...

In this episode, we dive into the Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) model and its impact on educational practices. We are joined by CPET colleagues, and co-teaching dynamic duo, Jacqui Stolzer and Dr. Laura Rigolosi as we dig into various co-teaching models, their effectiveness depending on the type of student engagement activity and learning goals, and the challenges of implementing these models in di...

Secondary literacy isn’t confined to ELA classes—it spans all content areas, requiring a shared understanding and commitment from teachers across disciplines. Matthew Mazzaroppi, Deputy Superintendent at New Visions High School District joins us to discuss the importance of collaboration, expertise, and community engagement in improving learning systems. With a focus on the role of district-level...

What does it mean to shift the cognitive load from the teacher, empowering students to grapple with content and develop their critical thinking skills? Where can we find authentic moments of writing in every classroom from math to physical education? In this episode, Dr. Alice Lee shares her experiences championing a district-wide focus on writing across the curriculum, emphasizing that writing is...

Moving from Q&A to Q&D is both an art and a science. In this episode, CPET coaches Dr. Jen Gowers and Kelsey Hammond, join us to think out loud about what makes vibrant discussions a challenge to facilitate, how we can meet that challenge, and how we might handle surprising moments in our classroom discussions. The team shares what "invisible skills" are, why they are crucial for helping students...

Public education should both equip and empower students to be successful in their lives and contribute to their communities, but how is the current system delivering on this promise? In this episode, we welcome Mr. David Adams, CEO of the Urban Assembly, a nonprofit that promotes economic and social mobility by innovating in public education. Our thought-provoking discussion ranges from the purpos...

The complexities of navigating the teaching profession go beyond delivering content or curriculum and require a deep understanding of students' perspectives and diverse needs. In this episode, Hunter Gehlbach, Professor & Director of the PhD program at the Johns Hopkins School of Education, invites us to consider how intellectual humility coupled with curiosity can support us to channel our inner...

Teachers are socialized to view themselves as "superhuman.” They are celebrated when they work long hours, sacrifice personal time, and go "above and beyond" in their roles. In this episode, Dr. Shamari Reid, Assistant Professor of Justice and Belonging in Education at New York University and Dr. Marcelle Mentor, Director of Educator Preparation and Assistant Professor in the College of Education...

Questions come naturally to young children: Why is the sky blue? Where do butterflies go in winter? As they grow older, students need invitations to cultivate curiosity and teachers who are able to teach the skill of questioning. The Question Formulation Technique builds this lifelong learning skill, teaching students how to ask their own questions. In this episode we're taking a journey into our...

The start of the school year can be full of hope and optimism, but our experiences as teachers highlight the need for flexibility and adaptability as we navigate the unpredictable nature of the classroom. Our guests, instructional coaches Maria Underwood and Dr. Laura Rigolosi, discuss the challenges of managing competing priorities, particularly in the beginning of the school year. They share how...

Establishing and forging meaningful relationships with students at the start of the school year can be challenging — students often have diverse backgrounds, needs, and personalities, and they need to feel a sense of trust in order to be vulnerable about their learning needs, their personal opinions, and their challenges. In this episode we're taking a journey into our podcast archives to a conver...

Understanding the day-to-day experiences and challenges faced by teachers in their classrooms is crucial for providing relevant and effective professional development. At the end of every episode, we say, “Your voice matters, send us your education questions, concerns, and promising practices and we’ll address them!” Today, we discuss the importance of starting with a clear unit plan as the founda...