What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use

In this episode of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use, Peyten Williams talks with Patty McGee, traveling teacher and author of Not Your Granny’s Grammar , about how parents and teachers can rethink the way children learn grammar. For many adults, grammar brings up memories of worksheets, red pens, and feeling corrected or left behind. Patty offers a different vision: grammar as a cr...

In this episode of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , Peyten Williams talks with leadership coach, speaker, and founder of Pleasantly Aggressive , Rebecca Malotke Meslin , about why parenting is not just teaching — it is leadership. Rebecca shares practical wisdom from her work coaching school leaders through difficult conversations, emotional regulation, and clear communication....

In this episode of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , Peyten Williams sits down with Chris Cleveland, President of Wesleyan School in Atlanta, to talk about what he has learned from more than three decades of working with students, parents, and families. Chris offers honest, practical wisdom for parents who want to raise children of character without falling into the trap of over-...

What actually motivates kids? And how do we help them develop a vision for their lives—without controlling or overwhelming them? In this powerful conversation, Peyten sits down with educator and consultant Chanita Jones to explore how parents can raise children who are self-directed, confident, and motivated from within . Drawing on her 20 years as a special educator, Chanita introduces her Libera...

In this episode of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , Peyten Williams sits down with college counseling expert and author Jay McCann to talk about how parents can support their teens through the college admissions process without increasing stress, pressure, or confusion. Jay shares what many parents get wrong about college admissions , why families often create a college list tha...

In this episode of  What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , we sit down with Erin Carey, Executive Director of Trinity Presbyterian Preschool, to uncover why your child’s physical development is directly connected to their academic success, emotional regulation, and confidence. Erin explains why movement, motor development, and brain development in early childhood are the true foundati...

In this episode, we're joined by educator, author, and consultant Lori Cohen to explore a topic that is foundational to a child's well-being: the power of a  parent's  well-being. Drawing on her extensive experience as a teacher and her work with educators, Lori uses the metaphor of an "ecosystem" to help us understand schools—and how the adults (educators and families/caregivers) are a crucial pa...

In this episode of  What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , we sit down with Anthony Thomas, a high school dean, to explore how to discipline teenagers, set healthy boundaries, and build trust during the challenging high school years. Anthony draws from his experience overseeing student discipline, attendance, and wellbeing, and explains how the role of a dean often overlaps with that...

In this episode of  What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , we’re joined by handwriting instruction specialist Holly Britton to explore why handwriting still matters, especially for elementary and middle school students growing up in a digital world. With children typing more than ever at school, it’s easy to assume handwriting is becoming obsolete. But research and classroom experienc...

Join us this week as I chat with former elmentary educator and children’s author Christine Devane about her new picture book Elephant Beach and how parents of elementary and middle-school-aged kids can support both shy and extroverted children. If you’ve ever wondered how to build empathy between introverts and their more outgoing peers, how to honor neurodiversity including autism and other tempe...

In this episode of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , host Peyten Williams of Bowbend Consulting talks with Katherine Hamilton , Vice President of Programs at Ensemble Learning , about how dual language and bilingual programs unlock opportunity, equity, and brain growth for children. Katherine explains how multilingual classrooms help students become bilingual, biliterate, and bic...

In this episode, Ted Sadtler and Peyten Williams dive into a topic educators think a lot about: the learning zone. Or, as teachers call it, the Zone of Proximal Development. As parents, when you're trying to teach your child to tie a shoe, load the dishes, shake hands with your colleague, or remember to pack their violin for school the next day, you're working with children who are in the proximal...

Seventh grade can feel like a rollercoaster for both kids and parents. In this episode of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , Peyten Williams sits down with Shazeen Porbandarwala, a seasoned seventh-grade math teacher and grade chair at The Westminster Schools, to unpack the unique challenges and incredible growth that define this pivotal year. With warmth, wisdom, and insight draw...

Join us as we welcome Dr. Regina Nixon to the show to discuss a crucial and often overlooked part of a child's educational journey: the parents. We've all heard the phrase "it takes a village," but what does it really mean for the relationship between parents and schools? Dr. Nixon explains how parents are a vital component of the school community, and how a shared purpose—focusing on the child, t...

Kids will mess up. They’ll lie, cheat, forget their homework, lose their lunchbox, and sometimes do something that makes you wonder, What were you thinking? But great teachers know: these are teachable moments , not final verdicts. In this episode, veteran educator Maryellen Berry from Whitefield Academy shares how the best teachers respond when kids fall short—not with shame or lectures, but with...

Guest: Lauren Davis, 6th Grade Teacher & Mom of Two Teens Host: Peyten Williams Episode Summary: If you’ve got a rising or current 6th grader, this episode is your survival guide. Middle school teacher and mom Lauren Davis knows sixth grade inside and out—from the locker struggles to the lost homework to the friendship drama. In this high-energy, deeply practical conversation, she shares exact...

Raising a child who might be wired a little differently? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to guess your way through it. This week on What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , I sit down with Wrenn Baldwin from the Wardlaw School at Atlanta Speech School to talk all things neurodiversity , particularly dyslexia and dysgraphia, and how early pink flags might be worth paying attention to...

In this episode of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use , host Peyten Williams of Bowbend Consulting sits down with expert 5th-grade teachers Tom Marine and Bria Pete to explore the pivotal—and often puzzling—year of fifth grade. From shifting social dynamics and growing independence to emotional development, character building, and the ever-evolving role of technology, this conversat...

Want to raise confident, capable kids? Great teachers know that setting high expectations leads to greater student achievement—and the same is true for parenting! In this episode, I sit down with Emily Gromoll, Chief Learning Officer of⁠ R.E.A.L. Discussion⁠ and mom of three young boys (ages 9, 6, and 4), to explore the research behind high expectations. We’ll break down: ✔️ How to set high (but r...

Fourth grade is a big year—friendships deepen, independence grows, and social dynamics become more complex. But what’s typical for a fourth grader, and how can parents best support them through this phase? In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Frame , a veteran fourth-grade educator and fellow elementary school mom, to break down what makes fourth grade unique. We dive into: ✅ The social shi...

In this episode with third-grade teacher Pia DeLeon, we discuss the highs and lows of being a third grader. From reading to social awareness, Pia covers the gamut of what parents can expect and gives some solid recommendations! Mentioned in this episode: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Graphic Novels The Week Bridge to Terabithia *Note, I earn a small commission from Amazon purchases if you use...

How do they do it? I can barely manage my one child, how does a teacher manage a classroom of eighteen or thirty or more? In this episode, discover secrets of classroom management that every parent can steal. Expert educator, Kristin Orsini, shares top tips on building relationships, providing structure and routine, and not fighting nature. Get ready for the holidays, and never fear when you've go...

In episode 6 of What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use, second grade expert teachers, Anna Kate Foley and Ann Tedesco, share what's to love about the 2nd grade year. If you've got a second grader, or you've got one coming up, this episode will feed your soul!

In this episode, we’ll talk about the neuroscience of learning, what teachers know about kids’ brains, and what this means for you as a parent and how you can use it when you teach! This episode features special guest, Cynthia Swanson, from Westminster's Middle School in Atlanta. Cynthia is the Director of Teaching and Learning and also teaches Latin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-swanson-25...

Join expert educators Laura Arledge and Tiaya Daniels for a deep dive into who 1st graders are, what they need, and how parents can use specific strategies to connect with their children, help them thrive, and capitalize on this fun time of childhood learning. For resources mentioned in this podcast, check out bowbendconsulting.com Bios: Until her recent retirement, Laura Arledge taught Pre-First...