New Teacher Talk

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 unravel it, two morale-boosting rituals you can put in place right now, and one powerful mindset shift that will change the way you see this season entirely.

You'll learn how to recognize the signs that your students are struggling with testing anxiety, why abandoning your routines is one of the biggest mistakes you can make this time of year, and how to separate your students' test performance from their identity and yours. Abigail also shares specific scripts for supporting students during testing, and how to handle the post-test moments in ways that keep community front and center.

If you've been questioning everything you've done this year, this episode is your reminder: your classroom culture is your legacy, and no test score can measure what you've built.

HASHTAGS: #TestingSeasonStrategies #ClassroomCulture #EdChat #NewTeacherHiring #Newteachertips #newteachers #newteachertalk #podcast

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 working completely on her own.

Nicole shares her journey from nearly two decades of deeply collaborative teaching to a role where there is no team down the hall, no shared lesson planning, and no one who fully understands what you do. She gets honest about the mental demands of being your own curriculum writer, data analyst, and instructional coach all at once.

But this episode is also full of hope and practical guidance. Nicole walks you through four strategies that have helped her protect her wellbeing, build her professional community, and show up confidently for the hundreds of students who depend on her expertise. You'll hear how she sets boundaries that actually stick, why your professional tribe doesn't have to be in your building, and what one powerful piece of advice from Dr. Joe Sanfelippo taught her about owning and sharing her story.

Whether you're a department of one or simply feeling isolated in your role, this episode will remind you that your work matters, and you don't have to figure it all out alone.

HASHTAGS: #DepartmentOfOne #TeacherOfOne #STEMEducation #TeacherLife #TeacherWellbeing #EdChat #NewTeacherHiring #Newteachertips #newteachers #newteachertalk #podcast

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 hiring managers are really looking for at every stage. From crafting a standout cover letter and researching school mission statements, to navigating the interview room with confidence and sending the perfect thank-you email, this episode covers it all. You will also hear honest advice on handling tough questions, showing your personality, and staying graceful if an offer does not come through. Whether you are just starting your job search or heading into interview season, this one is for you.

HASHTAGS: #TeacherInterviewTips #TeacherHiring #EdChat #NewTeacherHiring #Newteachertips #newteachers #newteachertalk #podcast

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 a compassionate, practical roadmap for naming, understanding, and moving through imposter syndrome. Dr. Ross explains why teaching is uniquely vulnerable to self-doubt: it’s highly visible work, with minimal ramp-up time, high expectations, and a social media culture that makes everyone else's classroom look perfect.

Rather than dismissing these feelings, Dr. Ross walks listeners through four common manifestations of imposter syndrome in new teachers: over-planning out of fear, comparing yourself to veteran colleagues, taking student behavior personally, and treating mistakes as failures. She offers concrete mindset shifts and strategies for each, from keeping a "wins file" of positive feedback to reframing mistakes as data rather than diagnoses.

Most importantly, Dr. Ross delivers a message every new teacher needs to hear: you are not behind, you are beginning. Confidence doesn't come before experience. It comes from it.

Whether you're in your first semester or supporting new teachers as a mentor or leader, this episode will leave you with tools, perspective, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Books mentioned: The First Days of School by Harry & Rosemary Wong | Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov | Mindset by Carol Dweck

HASHTAGS: #ImposterSyndrome #NewTeacherConfidence #NewTeacherMindset #Newteachertips #newteachers #newteachertalk #podcast

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 case study of a well-intentioned teacher whose enthusiastic students floundered without proper scaffolding, Ken demonstrates why motivation alone falls short.

Discover three essential motivational frameworks every teacher should understand:

Self-Determination Theory - Learn how autonomy, competence, and relatedness create engaged learners, illustrated through a middle school science example where students choose investigation variables within structured labs.

Expectancy Value Theory - Understand how students answer "Can I do this?" and "Is this worth my time?" See how high school math teachers build confidence through manageable problems before connecting to real-world applications.

Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Efficacy - Explore how success experiences, peer modeling, and feedback build student confidence, demonstrated through a first-grade writing classroom's gradual release approach.

Ken emphasizes three critical instructional practices that support all motivational frameworks: scaffolding and guided support, teaching cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and providing competence-focused feedback.

This episode provides practical, research-based strategies to create classrooms where motivation fuels learning and learning sustains motivation—transforming student engagement into genuine achievement.

HASHTAGS: #EducationMyths #MotivationMatters #MotivationTheories #LearningScience #StudentEmpowerment #GrowthMindset #LearningScience #Newteachertips #newteachers #newteachertalk #podcast #kenking

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, because effective classroom management demands the exact same skills: clear communication, conflict resolution, vision-setting, team building, and providing actionable feedback. Developing those skills intentionally doesn't just prepare you for future roles, it makes you a better teacher right now.

Bill draws on TeachPlus's DICE Role report to shine a light on a serious equity problem in education: leadership opportunities are currently distributed haphazardly, often through informal "shoulder-tapping" that favors those with existing privilege and disadvantages teachers of color and first-generation college graduates. His message is direct. Don’t wait for someone to tap your shoulder. Take charge of your own development.

From identifying "connectors" in your school to volunteering for the right committees, seeking mentorship through strategic vulnerability, and developing niche expertise that makes you indispensable, Bill offers a concrete, practical roadmap for new teachers ready to lead, wherever that eventually takes them.

He also gets refreshingly honest about what not to do, including a candid story about earning an administration degree only to realize he didn't actually want to be an administrator.

To learn more about teacher leadership in Illinois, download:

https://teachplus.org/resource/the-dice-roll-illinois-haphazard-teacher-leadership-system-and-how-to-fix-it/

Books mentioned: Leadership and the One-Minute Manager | It's Your Ship by D. Michael Abrashoff | Good to Great and Good to Great for the Social Sector by Jim Collins

HASHTAGS #EveryTeacherIsALeader #TeacherLeadership #TeacherLeader #TeachPlus #TeacherTips #NewTeachers #FirstYearTeacher #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast 

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 a school board member, share their honest, sometimes challenging perspectives on what inclusion looks like and what gets in the way.

The conversation covers what it means to belong in a school, the barriers that prevent both students and teachers from feeling connected, and how power dynamics and communication gaps affect everyone in a building. Panelists explore the hidden curriculum students navigate every day, the particular challenges neurodivergent learners face across different classroom cultures, and why teachers' sense of belonging is inseparable from students' sense of belonging.

The episode wraps up with practical advice for new teachers on creating inclusive spaces where every student, and every adult, feels seen. This is a conversation that will stay with you long after you listen.

For more information on the Building Inclusive Community Conference, contact Dr. Jennifer Rowe via email: jrowe@d204.lths.net

To download the Roundtable Protocol to use in your own organization: https://tinyurl.com/waxxdv5j

HASHTAGS #InclusiveEducation #TeacherVoice #RoundtableProtocol #BelongingInSchools #SchoolCulture #EdChat #NewTeachers #FirstYearTeacher #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast 

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 Resource on Instagram and BlueSky), they walk through the full spectrum of family conversations, from positive phone calls that build trust and establish meaningful relationships, to challenging conversations about academics, behavior, attendance, and social-emotional concerns. You'll hear specific language you can use right away, practical strategies for approaching difficult conversations with curiosity rather than judgment, and tips for keeping families engaged as true partners in student success.

The episode wraps up with a look at documentation tools, including parent call logs and contact attempt logs, and why consistent record-keeping matters for both teachers and students. Whether you're just starting out or looking to strengthen your communication practices, this episode gives you a game plan you can use immediately.

HASHTAGS #Parent Communication #FreeParentCommunicationGuide #FamilyPartnership #FinalFourTakeaways #EdChat #TeacherTips #NewTeachers #FirstYearTeacher #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast

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 why collective punishment backfires and damages the relationships you've worked so hard to build.

Dr. Anna also shares practical ways to connect with students in small moments throughout the day and explains how building a class narrative gives students a sense of shared purpose that makes everything, including behavior, better. Whether you're in your first year or your fifth, these strategies will help you move from simply managing behavior to building a classroom community where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.

HASHTAGS #ClassroomCommunity #TeacherResilience #StudentRelationships # #TeachingMindset #NewTeacherSupport #NewTeachers #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast 

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 outlines two powerful strategies: first, engaging students in identifying problems within their school communities and combining those issues with curriculum standards to create relevant assessments. She provides practical examples, including how to leverage student passion about parking lot challenges to teach argumentation skills effectively.

Second, Jaci demonstrates how to involve students in rubric development and assessment criteria, giving them ownership over their learning journey through journaling, self-assessment, and reflection.

Hear an inspiring case study from Jaci's world cultures classroom, where students organized a community mental health walk/run that raised nearly $10,000 for NAMI. Learn how this comprehensive project allowed for both individual and collaborative assessment while creating lasting impact. Students still reference this experience in college applications years later.

Whether you're looking to increase student engagement, create more authentic assessments, or connect learning to community needs, this episode provides actionable strategies you can implement immediately.

HASHTAGS #MeaningfulLearning #StudentEmpowerment #RealWorldEducation #ProjectBasedLearning  #TeacherInnovation #Teaching Tips #NewTeachers #TeacherLearningJourney #FirstYearTeacher #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast