New Teacher Talk
This podcast is designed to support new teachers working in urban, suburban, or rural schools. It addresses common challenges educators face early in their careers and offers practical guidance. The hosts aim to create a welcoming community for beginning teachers through the podcast and its companion website, newteachersguide.org.
Episodes
Ep 230: Post Observation Conversations
New Teacher Talk takes on a part of the job that makes many early-career teachers anxious: the post-observation conference. Hosts Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran welcome Dr. Amy Howerton, an English teacher and department chair at Oswego High School, and Dr. Ed Howerton, associate professor and director of graduate education at Aurora University, who together own Two Paths Educational
Ep 229: Building Background Knowledge
New Teacher Talk welcomes Dr. Virginia (Ginny) Shank, an assistant professor of reading and former elementary classroom teacher and reading specialist, for a conversation about one of the most overlooked drivers of student learning: background knowledge. Hosted by Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran, this episode connects the research to three concrete strategies you can use across gr
Ep 228: Activating the Village
New Teacher Talk takes on a mindset that quietly wears teachers down: the belief that you have to support every struggling student entirely on your own. Hosts Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran are joined by Amie Livengood, a high school family and consumer science teacher and former instructional coach, and Dr. Kelli Hamilton, a high school instructional coach, to offer a repeatable pla
Ep 227: How to Build Lessons Students Actually Care About
New Teacher Talk takes on a worry almost every new teacher voices: the feeling that you have to choose between following the pacing guide and teaching a lesson students actually care about. Hosts Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran make the case that this is a false dichotomy, and they offer small, low-effort moves that work inside your curriculum rather than against it.
The hosts start b
Ep 226: Retrieval Practice: Why Seeing is Not Remembering
The Science of Learning series continues on New Teacher Talk, with hosts Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran welcoming back Dr. Ken King of Aurora University. This time the focus is retrieval practice, one of the most powerful and most underused strategies in learning science, and Dr. King makes it practical enough to try this week.
He starts by dismantling a common belief: that studying
Ep 225: Your Classroom's Instruction Manual for a Substitute Teacher
New Teacher Talk welcomes Christine Beardslee, a reading specialist and veteran educator with 26 years of experience in New Jersey, to walk you through one of the most practical safeguards you can build: a substitute teacher folder. Hosted by Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran, this episode turns a task that is easy to put off into a clear, doable checklist.
Christine starts from the sub
Ep 224: A Veteran and a First-Year Teacher on Managing the Classroom
New Teacher Talk brings two generations of teaching into one conversation. Todd Leban, a 23-year veteran middle school educator in Oak Park, Illinois, joins his niece Abbey Leban, a first-year special education teacher serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Naperville, for a candid exchange on classroom management. Hosted by Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran, the episode pairs seas
Ep 223: How to Get Involved
New Teacher Talk welcomes Abby Bartle, a fourth-year English teacher at Oswego High School in Oswego, Illinois, for an honest conversation about getting involved in your school community without running yourself into the ground. Hosted by Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran and Dr. Beth Wilkins, this episode is full of practical guidance from someone who has done a lot, running the school website, coaching, s
Ep 222: Teaching in a Title 1 School
New Teacher Talk welcomes back Dion Copeland, National Board-Certified Teacher and Assistant Principal, for a conversation that reframes what it means to teach in a Title I school. Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran set the stage around a deliberate choice: leading with an asset-based view of students and communities rather than a deficit narrative.
Dion starts by clarifying what Title I
Ep 221: Managing Extreme Student Behaviors
New Teacher Talk welcomes Abigail Jarrett, an educator who specializes in managing extreme student behavior, for a candid conversation about what to do when a situation escalates past anything your training prepared you for. Dr. Beth Wilkins opens by naming something every new teacher needs to hear: when behavior reaches this level, it is usually not a reflection of your skill or your effort.
Abig
Ep 220: What Interleaved Practice Teaches Us About Real Learning
New Teacher Talk kicks off a special Science of Learning series with Dr. Ken King of Aurora University. In this first episode, Dr. King makes a case that may feel counterintuitive: the practice that feels easiest is often the practice that teaches the least.
The focus is interleaved practice, the strategy of mixing different problem types and topics together rather than drilling them one block at
Ep 219: Finding Your People in a New Building
Finding Your People in a New Building
Guest: Samantha "Sammi" Katschke
In this episode, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna present Samantha "Sammi" Katschke, district band director and music teacher at Chadwick-Milledgeville, about a challenge new teachers rarely get warned about: loneliness. You can know your content cold and still walk into a building unsure of who to turn to when a lesson falls apart or a d
Ep 218: Staying Calm and Staying Firm
Staying Calm and Staying Firm
Hosts: Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran
In this episode, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna tackle the moment every new teacher dreads, the one where a student pushes and the whole room waits to see what you'll do. They reframe that test as a question rather than an attack, and show how the same core skills play out differently at every stage from pre-K through senio
Ep 217: Two Teachers, One Classroom
Two Teachers, One Classroom
Guests: Leana Malinowsky and Paul Garcia
In this episode, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna introduce a conversation between Leana Malinowsky and Paul Garcia, two experienced co-teachers, about what it actually takes to make a shared classroom work. Leana, a teacher since 2008 and a structured literacy dyslexia specialist, and Paul, a 32-year special education veteran, built their
Ep 216: Holding the Line on High Expectations
Holding the Line on High Expectations
Guest: Dr. Carla Braun, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Westmont Community Unit School District 201
In this episode, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna invite Carla Braun to dig into a belief every new teacher holds and every new teacher gets tested on: that all students can succeed. Carla draws on years of classroom observations across districts nati
Ep 215: What Your Union Card Actually Means
What Your Union Card Actually Means
Guests: Dr. Amy Howerton, English Teacher and Department Chair, Oswego High School and Katie Popp, President of the Indian Prairie Education Association
In this episode, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna invite Amy and Katie to unpack what union membership actually does for a new teacher. Katie brings 23 years in education and seven as union president to the conversation, a
Ep 214: Structure, High Expectations, and Real Connection
Structure, High Expectations, and Real Connection
Guest: Chloe Lillie, first-year general music teacher
In this episode, Chloe Lillie challenges the idea that student behavior is a puzzle to be solved, arguing instead that authentic, human connection is at the center of good classroom management. She shares hard-won lessons from her first year in the classroom.
In this episode:
Why interacting wi
Ep 213: The Warm Demander Secret to Starting Your Year Strong
The Warm Demander Secret to Starting Your Year Strong
Guest: Melissa Dudic, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, large suburban high school district
In this episode, Melissa Dudic explains how three fundamental elements, present in every classroom whether teachers realize it or not, shape the culture for learning: time, routines, and relationships. She draws on resources including Creating Cult
Ep 212: Classroom Management Part Two, Structure, Strictness, and Redirection
Classroom Management Part Two, Structure, Strictness, and Redirection
Guest: Abby Bartle, fourth-year English teacher, Oswego High School, Oswego, Illinois
In part two, Abby Bartle moves from big-picture classroom management into the daily habits and in-the-moment techniques that keep a classroom calm and focused. She emphasizes that classroom management is personal and that what works for one tea
Ep 211: Classroom Management Starts on Day One, Not Later
Classroom Management Starts on Day One, Not Later
Guest: Abby Bartle, fourth-year English teacher, Oswego High School, Oswego, Illinois
In this episode, Abby Bartle explains why classroom management can't be postponed while you settle into curriculum and school logistics. She makes the case for prevention over punishment and lays out a practical, proactive framework for the first weeks of school.
Ep 210: Classroom Design Secrets Every New Teacher Should Know
In this episode, Dr. Meg White explains why classroom setup is never just about aesthetics, it's a direct reflection of your educational philosophy. She walks through the difference between behaviorist and constructivist theory, teacher-centered versus student-centered classrooms, and what that means for how your room should actually be arranged.
In this episode:
Behaviorist theory (B.F. Skinner)
Ep 209: The First 10 Days: Procedures that Prevent Chaos
The First Ten Days: The Procedures that Prevent Chaos
Hosts: Dr. Beth Wilkins and Dr. Anna Quinzio-Zafran
In this episode, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth make the case that classroom management isn't about rules or discipline, it's about procedures. They break down exactly how to use the first ten days of school to build the routines that prevent chaos all year long.
In this episode:
Why the difference be
Ep 208: Summer Strong: What to Do Before Day One
The season finale of New Teacher Talk delivers exactly what new and returning teachers crave heading into summer: a clear, confidence‑building plan that replaces overwhelm with strategy. Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna break down how to prepare for the school year with intention, from documenting your classroom space to designing management systems that actually work. Their message is simple and powerful —
Ep 207: Work-Life Balance: How New Teachers Can Protect Their Time and Avoid Burnout
First-year teaching is a marathon disguised as a sprint. In this episode, first-year English teacher Isabel Wilde and department chair Amy Howerton get honest about what no one tells you before you step into your own classroom: the planning is relentless, the administrative tasks are endless, and the risk of burnout is real. Together they unpack practical strategies for protecting your time and yo
Ep 206: Building Confident Teachers: What Early-Career Educators Need to Stay and Thrive
At the heart of every new teacher's journey is a quiet question: Can I really do this? In this episode, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna welcome Dr. Virginia Shank of Liberty University, whose research and mentoring work centers on what helps early-career educators feel capable, confident, and supported.
Dr. Shank unpacks the concept of teacher self-efficacy in practical, classroom-level terms -- explaining
Ep 205: The PD Early Career Teachers Actually Want: A Conversation with 3NBCTs
What if professional development felt less like an obligation and more like a conversation? In this episode, Dr. Anna is joined by her 3NBCTs colleagues Maryellen Friel and Laura Mota Newmeyer, both National Board Certified Teachers, to talk about something teachers rarely get in their professional lives: the freedom to choose. Together, the three educators walk through the self-paced individual b
Ep 204: Five Things Every New Teacher Should Do in May
May is a lot. You have spirit weeks, field trips, testing windows, and emotions all at once. But before you sprint to the finish line, there are five things that can help you close out the year with intention and set future-you up for success. In this episode, Anna and Beth walk you through a simple "What's Working" reflection, how to gather honest student feedback without a formal survey, what to
Ep 203: Teaching with Cultural Intention
What does it mean to teach with cultural intention, and how do you actually do it across every subject area? In this episode of New Teacher Talk, host Dr. Meg White explores the transformative framework of Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors, first introduced by Emily Style in 1988 and expanded by scholar Rudine Sims Bishop in 1990. This powerful lens helps teachers evaluate whether their cl
Ep 202: Rethinking Smart: A Framework for Recognizing Every Student's Strengths
What if the students who struggle most in your classroom are actually among your smartest? In this episode, Dr. Beth welcomes Faye Snodgress, an elementary teacher with a powerful framework for transforming classroom culture by changing the way students, and teachers, think about intelligence.
Faye opens with a question that will immediately resonate: who gets picked first on the playground depen
Ep 201: What No One Tells You About the Teaching Job Search (A Golden Apple Scholar's Real Advice)
What does it actually take to land a teaching job while you're still student teaching? In this episode our guest is Samantha "Sammi" Katschke, a Golden Apple Scholar and current student teacher who secured a K-5 General Music and District Band Director position at Chadwick-Milledgeville before finishing her program. Sammi shares four concrete strategies that made the difference: expanding your pro
Ep 200: Are You Accidentally Triggering Your Students? 6 Teacher Behaviors That Cause Classroom Disruption
What if some of the behavior challenges in your classroom are being unintentionally triggered by you? Before you close this tab, this episode isn't about blame. It's about empowerment.
In this candid episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth open with a personal confession: even experienced educators have moments where they don't show up as their best selves. What matters is what we learn
Ep 199: Testing Season Without Losing Classroom Culture
April is here, and if you're feeling the weight of testing season, you are not alone. In this episode, Abigail Jarrett, a first-grade teacher from New York, brings warmth, wisdom, and practical strategies to help you navigate spring testing with confidence and intention.
Abigail walks you through three core strategies for protecting your classroom culture when the testing environment threatens to
Ep 198: Thriving as a Department of One: A STEM Teacher's Survival Guide
What do you do when you are the entire department? In this episode, Dr. Beth sits down with Nicole Heaver, a STEM teacher at a fifth and sixth grade intermediate school in Ottawa, Illinois, who has spent the last seven years doing exactly that — building a program from the ground up, leading a virtual reality lab, and coaching a cross country team, all while navigating the unique challenges of wor
Ep 197: From Application to Job Offer: Interview Tips That Work
Landing your first teaching job takes more than a great resume. In this episode, Amy Howerton, English teacher and department chair at Oswego High School, sits down with Isabel Wilde, a first-year English teacher she recently hired, to walk you through the entire teacher interview process from the inside out. Isabel shares what actually worked for her as a recent candidate, and Amy reveals what hi
Ep 196: You're Not Failing, You’re New: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome as a First-Year Teacher
Every new teacher has felt it: that quiet voice whispering you're not ready, you don't belong here, everyone else has it figured out. That's imposter syndrome, and it's more common in teaching than almost any other profession.
In this episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Alisa Ross, Interim Dean of University College and Student Success at Southern University and A&M College, offers new educators
Ep 195: Why Motivation Alone Isn't Enough: Effective Teaching Strategies That Drive Real Learning (3rd of 3 in series)
Dr. Ken King challenges a common classroom misconception: that motivated students will automatically learn. While motivation is essential, it must be paired with structured instructional strategies to produce meaningful learning outcomes.
Ken explains that motivation directs behavior and sustains effort, but doesn't automatically result in mastery or conceptual understanding. Through a compelling
Ep 194: Level Up Your Leadership as a New Teacher
Most teachers don't think of themselves as leaders, at least not yet. But according to Bill Curtin, Policy Director for TeachPlus Illinois and former National Board-Certified English teacher, leadership isn't something you earn after decades in the classroom. It's something you're already doing.
In this episode of New Teacher Talk, Bill makes a compelling case that every teacher is a leader, becau
Ep 193: Seen, Heard, and Included: A Roundtable on Belonging in Schools
What does it truly mean to feel heard, seen, and included in a school community? In this special episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna bring you a rich roundtable conversation recorded live at the sixth annual Building Inclusive Community Conference. Five educators, including a job coach, a special education teacher, a second-grade classroom teacher, a teacher and parent advocate, and
Ep 192: Final Four March Madness Mindset for Teacher
Communicating with families is one of the areas where new teachers feel least confident, but it doesn't have to be. In this episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna use a March Madness basketball theme to explore what it really means to stay steady, focused, and prepared when it comes to parent communication.
Drawing from their Parent Communication Guide (available as our Tuesday Teacher
EP 191: Redirecting Behavior #4: Stop Punishing the Class
In this final episode of the four-part series on Redirecting and Managing Behavior, Dr. Anna wraps up with five big-picture strategies that can transform your classroom, especially on the hardest days. You'll learn why giving up is never the answer and what to do instead when a lesson falls apart, how front-loading tasks with explicit instructions prevents behavior problems before they start, and
Ep 190: Meaningful Assessment Strategies That Connect Learning to Real-World Impact
Jacqueline Sounhein, National Board Certified Teacher and director at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, shares transformative strategies for creating meaningful assessments that move beyond standardized testing. Discover how to engage students in authentic, community-based learning experiences by connecting classroom skills to real-world problems students care about.
Jaci out
Ep 189: Taking Care of You So You Can Take Care of Them
Stress is inevitable in teaching, but it doesn't have to run your life. In this episode, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth welcome back Jolee Jones, Director of Organizational Development and Experiential Learning with Douglas County School District, for a follow-up to our most downloaded episode ever. Jolee brings practical, research-backed strategies to help early career educators recognize stress before it
Ep 188: Morpheme Magic: Transform Literacy Instruction with the Smallest Units of Meaning That Make the Biggest Impact
In this transformative episode of the New Teacher Talk podcast, Leana Malinowsky, an elementary teacher and certified structured literacy dyslexia specialist, reveals why morphemes are the "magical" building blocks that can revolutionize literacy instruction across all grade levels, and why most teachers weren't adequately trained to teach them.
Discover what morphemes actually are: the smallest u
Ep 187: Breaking the "I'm Just Not Good at Math" Myth
Series: 2 of 3 - Breaking the Myth - “Intelligence is Fixed”
In this episode, former high school science teacher Dr. Ken King dismantles one of education's most damaging myths: that success in subjects like math, science, music, or physical education depends on innate talent rather than effort and learning.
Drawing from his classroom experience and modern learning science, Ken explores how deeply
Ep 186: Why Your Well-Being Matters for Student Success with Faye Snodgress
In this essential episode of New Teacher Talk, elementary teacher Faye Snodgress reframes educator self-care as fundamental infrastructure for effective teaching, not an earned reward. She challenges the myth that teaching will eventually calm down, establishing that burned-out teachers cannot effectively support student success.
Faye introduces the compassionate systems framework, demonstrating h
Ep 185: Wait Time 2: The Research-Based Strategy That Transforms Classroom Discussion with Dr. Monica Boehle
Discover how a simple 1-3 second pause can revolutionize your classroom discourse and dramatically increase student engagement. In this research-rich episode, Dr. Monica Boehle, Associate Director of High School Curriculum in St. Charles, Illinois, and National Board Certified Social Studies teacher, breaks down the transformative power of Wait Time, the strategic pause after a student responds.
D
Ep 184: Will I Get Rehired? Navigating Contract Renewals and Non-Renewal as a First-Year Teacher
Feeling anxious about whether you'll be offered a contract for next year? You're not alone. In this episode, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth address one of the most stressful aspects of being a new teacher: contract renewals and job security.
The hosts share personal experiences with the nerve-wracking waiting period, explain typical district timelines for renewal notifications, and help you understand what
Ep 183: Redirecting Behavior #3 Five Proven Strategies to Improve Classroom Behavior and Student Engagement
In this essential episode of the New Teacher Talk podcast, Dr. Anna delivers part three of her comprehensive four-part series on classroom behavior management, focusing on five transformative strategies that address the most common challenges faced by new and early-career teachers.
Discover how to establish effective routines that serve as the "invisible scaffolding" of your classroom, moving beyo
Ep 182: How to "Call Out" a Student with Love and Care
Join us for a powerful episode with Bianca Tolentino, a ninth grade English teacher from Southern California, who shares her transformative approach to addressing student behavior through love-centered accountability. Bianca presents the "Speak Up at School" framework from Learning for Justice, offering practical strategies for handling everything from behavioral redirections to serious issues lik
Ep 181: Mastering the Art of Behavior Redirection Pt. 2: Combat Drifting Expectations and Maintain Momentum
This episode tackles one of the most common and frustrating challenges teachers face: maintaining the positive classroom culture you worked so hard to establish after the honeymoon period ends. The good news? This is completely normal, predictable, and fixable with the right strategies.
Dr. Anna introduces three foundational commitments that will anchor your approach: keeping expectations high, ma
Ep 180: Union Membership: Your Path to Protection, Opportunity & Community
In this essential episode for new and experienced teachers alike, assistant principal and Nationally Board Certified Teacher Dion Copeland shares his transformative journey from a new teacher who didn't understand union benefits to an active union leader who has leveraged these opportunities throughout his entire career.
Dion breaks down exactly why union membership matters, emphasizing that it ex
Ep 179: Effective Study Strategies for Teachers & Students: Reading and Highlighting are the Best Study Methods
Series: 1 of 3 - Reading and Highlighting are the Best Study Methods
In this game-changing episode for teachers and students, Dr. Ken King, education professor at Aurora University, dismantles common study myths and shares research-backed strategies that dramatically improve long-term learning and retention.
Ken begins with a surprising revelation: highlighting and rereading, two of the most popu
Ep 178: Building Student Motivation Through Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction
What do you do when a student tells you "I hate school and there ain't nothing you can do to change that"? For Kim Radostits, 2022 Illinois Teacher of the Year, this moment became a turning point that transformed her entire approach to teaching.
In this episode of New Teacher Talk, Kim shares the ARCS Model of Motivation: a practical framework that changed her classroom practice and can revolution
Ep 177: Mastering the Art of Behavior Redirection Pt. 1: Transform Your Classroom Culture
Every teacher faces the same critical challenge: what do you do when students get off task? In this essential episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Anna delivers a masterclass on effective behavior redirection strategies that will fundamentally change how you approach classroom management. Whether you're navigating your first year of teaching or looking to refine your practice, this episode provides th
Ep 176: Three Mindset Shifts to Transform Your Second Semester as a First-Year Teacher
Made it through your first semester of teaching? Congratulations! That's a huge milestone! Now it's time to shift from survival mode to intentional growth.
In this episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth share three critical mindset shifts that will transform your second semester experience. Instead of starting over or trying to fix everything at once, discover how to build strategicall
Ep 175: 3rd Annual Holiday Special: Essential Holiday Break Advice for Beginning Educators
Join Dr. Beth and a community of dedicated educators on "New Teacher Talk" as they share essential strategies for making the most of your holiday break. In this timely episode, early career teachers learn how to truly recharge, set boundaries, and avoid burnout during the winter holidays.
Featuring insights from over a dozen teachers across diverse educational settings, from preschool to community
Ep 174: Breaking the Burnout Cycle Through Boundaries and Self-Care with Dr. Jameelah Wright
Teacher Wellbeing Isn't Selfish—It's Essential
In this powerful episode, Dr. Jameelah Wright, teacher education professor at William Paterson University, challenges the culture of teacher martyrdom and offers a transformative perspective on educator wellbeing. If you've ever felt guilty about leaving school on time, saying no to extra committees, or taking time for yourself, this conversation is f
Ep 173: Thriving in December: A New Teacher's Guide to Surviving the Chaos Before Winter Break
December in the classroom can feel like navigating a perfect storm of holiday chaos, disrupted routines, and heightened emotions: for both students and teachers. In this essential episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth tackle the unique challenges of teaching through the holidays with practical, compassionate strategies that will help you not just survive, but actually thrive during th
Ep 172: New Teachers: The Gratitude You Don’t See
In this heartfelt Thanksgiving week episode, Dr. Beth offers a much-needed moment of recognition for the countless ways teachers show up every day, even when that work goes unnoticed and unacknowledged.
If you've made it through parent-teacher conferences, handled classroom disruptions with grace, or kept your cool when the copier jammed at the worst possible moment, this episode is for you. Dr. B
Ep 171: How Ethnic Studies Transforms Education: Building Culturally Responsive Curriculum for Liberation
Join us for a powerful conversation with Cecily Relucio, founder and co-director of Umuwi Ethnic Studies, as she shares transformative strategies for teaching honest history through an anti-racist, community-centered lens.
In this episode, Cecily opens up about her personal journey with Ethnic Studies as a daughter of Filipino immigrants and explains how reclaiming her identity led to understandin
Ep 170: Hexagonal Thinking: A Versatile Strategy for Connecting Concepts Across All Subjects
Join us as high school US history teacher David Atkins shares an innovative and adaptable teaching strategy that's transforming how students make connections across curriculum. In this episode, David introduces hexagonal thinking, a hands-on activity where students arrange hexagon-shaped cards with concepts written on them, explaining the relationships between ideas as they connect.
What makes thi
Ep 169: The Science Behind Peer Tutoring: How Students Learn by Teaching
Join Ken King, education professor at Aurora University, as he explores the transformative power of peer tutoring in elementary and middle school classrooms. This episode provides aspiring and early career teachers with research-based strategies and practical implementation tips for making peer tutoring work in any classroom.
Ken breaks down peer tutoring into an accessible framework covering four
Ep 168: Teaching Beyond the Bell Curve: Helene Alalouf on the Learner Variability Navigator
Join us for a transformative conversation with Helene Alalouf, an instructional coach with 32 years of classroom experience and professor at Touro University, as she introduces the Learner Variability Navigator (LVN)—a powerful, free open-source tool from Digital Promise that's changing how teachers approach differentiated instruction.
Helene shares her pivotal moment when a principal challenged h
Ep 167: Beyond the Notes: How Music Education Builds Life Skills
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Becky Weiler (5th and 6th grade band and general music at Central Intermediate School) and Martin Czernicki (7th and 8th grade band at Shepherd Middle School), both from Ottawa, Illinois, as they reveal the transformative benefits of music education that extend far beyond academic achievement.
While the cognitive advantages of music education are well-doc
EP 166: Breaking Through the November Wall: Why New Teachers Feel Isolated and How to Overcome It
Hitting the November Wall? You're Not Alone.
Join Drs. Beth and Anna on New Teacher Talk as they tackle one of the most challenging periods for early career educators: the November wall. If you're feeling exhausted, isolated, or questioning whether you're cut out for teaching, this episode is for you.
Discover why that initial excitement from August has faded, why your support systems seem quieter
Ep 165: Ask for Help: A First-Year Teacher's Guide to Finding Support and Building Community
Feeling overwhelmed in your first year of teaching? You're not alone. In this essential episode of New Teacher Talk, fifth-grade teacher Samar Abousalem shares honest insights from her own challenging first year and reveals the game-changing strategy that transformed her second year: asking for help.
Samar gets real about the exhaustion, self-doubt, and impossible expectations that nearly broke he
Ep 164: Unlocking Student Potential: Dr. Vicki Phelps on Talent Development in Education
Join us for an illuminating conversation with Dr. Vicki Phelps, Executive Director and Head of School at Quest Academy in Palatine, Illinois, as she explores the multifaceted approach to talent development in educational settings.
Drawing on Gagné's Differentiating Model of Giftedness and Talent, Dr. Phelps takes educators beyond traditional classroom strategies to examine the powerful catalysts t
Ep 163: How to Find a Teaching Mentor: Build Your Support Network & Avoid Burnout with the FAST Test Method
Feeling isolated as a new teacher? Middle grades educator Jessica Smith shares her proven three-step system for finding the right mentors and building a support network that actually works. In this episode, you'll discover the "mentorship map" framework that identifies four essential mentor types every teacher needs, learn the FAST test for vetting potential mentors, and get a word-for-word outrea
Ep 162: What the University Didn’t Teach You: Let’s Get R.E.A.L.
Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Benita Gordon, founder of Global Education Concierge and veteran educator with over 26 years of classroom experience. In this episode, Benita reveals what university programs often miss and introduces her transformative R-E-A-L framework for new teacher success.
Discover how to build meaningful Relationships that go beyond surface-level interactions usi
Ep 159: Using AI to Turn Professional Development into Classroom Gold
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Josh Amstutz, a high school math teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio, who discovered how to break out of survival mode and maximize professional growth opportunities. After participating in the transformative Transatlantic Outreach Program in Germany, Josh faced a common challenge: how to organize and actually use all the valuable information he'd collected.
Hi
Ep 161: Mistake-Friendly Classrooms Build a Culture Where Errors Fuel Growth
2 of 3 in Series
Ready to revolutionize how you handle student mistakes? Join us as education professor Ken King from Aurora University shares game-changing strategies for transforming those "wrong" answers into powerful learning moments! This is another episode in Dr. King’s series on brain-based teaching.
Discover why students get frustrated with mistakes and learn the fascinating brain science
Ep 160: The Power of the Pause: Wait Time Part 1
Transform your classroom discussions with the power of pause! Join Dr. Monica Boehle, Associate Director of Curriculum and former social studies teacher, as she explores "wait time", the simple yet revolutionary 3-5 second pause that can dramatically improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
Discover why this research-backed practice, proven effective since the 1970s, is often overlooked
Ep 158: Surviving October: Essential Time Management and Burnout Prevention for New Teachers
Join third-year English teacher Abby Bartle from Oswego High School as she shares hard-earned wisdom about navigating your first year of teaching. Drawing from her own experience with second-year burnout, Abby provides practical strategies for managing overwhelming workloads and maintaining your sanity during the challenging October slump.
In this episode, you'll discover Abby's game-changing thre
Ep 157: Two Teachers, One Classroom: Your Complete Guide to Co-Teaching That Actually Works
Join Nicole Heaver (middle school STEM teacher) and Joanie Thrush (5th/6th grade teacher) from Central Intermediate School in Ottawa, Illinois, as they share their combined 35+ years of co-teaching wisdom. With Nicole's 8 years co-teaching special education and 6 years with science teachers, plus Joanie's 15+ years in reading, math, and science co-teaching, these hosts know what really works.
Disc
Ep 156: Who You Know Matters: Building Your Support Squad as a New Teacher
Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna tackle one of the biggest challenges facing new educators: the overwhelming isolation that can derail promising teaching careers. In this essential episode, they break down exactly who you need in your professional support network and how to find them.
From identifying mentor teachers who truly align with your values to leveraging instructional coaches without fear of judgmen
Ep 155: Building Classroom Community Through Meaningful Student Connections
In this episode of New Teacher Talk, we invite Keon Ruiter, a dedicated second-grade teacher with 18 years of experience at Maria Sanchez Elementary School, to share his time-tested approach to classroom management through relationship building.
Keon reveals how positive connections with students and families create the foundation for everything else that happens in the classroom. From the moment
Ep 154: Making PBL Work: Sustainable Project-Based Learning with Brad Sever
Join us for an essential conversation with Brad Sever, assistant principal and PBL expert, as he breaks down the secrets to making project-based learning sustainable in your classroom. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by PBL or wondered how to make it work long-term, this episode is for you.
Brad takes us through the seven "gold standard" design elements of project-based learning as defined by PBLW
Ep 153: The Power of Positive Language in the Classroom with Heather Lyon
What if changing just a few words could transform your entire classroom management approach? Join us as district administrator, author, and blogger Heather Lyon reveals how the simple shift from "No running" to "Walk please" can revolutionize student behavior and classroom dynamics.
Inspired by a classic "Who's the Boss?" episode where "No parking" became "Park elsewhere," Lyon shares the science
Ep 152: From Day One to Done Right: Building Student Connections and Classroom Success
Join PE teachers and education veterans Tom Rocco and Mike Gillespie on New Teacher Talk as they break down the four pillars every new educator needs to master. Whether you're stepping into your first classroom or looking to refine your approach, this episode delivers actionable strategies you can implement immediately.
Discover proven methods for building authentic student relationships through s
Ep 151: Beyond Repetition: Four Brain-Based Strategies That Actually Work
1 of 3 in a Series:
Join education professor Ken King from Aurora University as he debunks one of education's most persistent myths: that repetition alone leads to learning mastery. In this essential episode for new teachers, King reveals why the brain science shows repetition isn't enough and introduces four evidence-based strategies that actually work for long-term retention.
King explores the d
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