New Teacher Talk

Ep 136: Summer Prep for First-Year Teachers

In this episode, English teacher Abby Bartle from Oswego High School shares invaluable advice for new educators preparing for their first year in the classroom. Drawing from her own experiences and insights from fellow first-year teachers, Abby offers a chronological guide taking you from the end of student teaching through summer preparation and into those crucial first days of school.

Discover practical tips on:

• What to save from student teaching
• How to use your summer effectively (hint: it's not all about lesson planning!)
• Establishing classroom procedures while building authentic relationships
• Finding balance between structure and personality
• Reflecting on your first year to grow as an educator

Whether you're finishing student teaching, job hunting, or anxiously awaiting your first classroom, this episode provides the encouragement and practical wisdom you need to approach your first year with confidence.

#NewTeacherTalk #FirstYearTeacher #TeacherTips #StudentTeaching #TeacherLife #NewTeacher #EducatorAdvice

Ep 135: 🚀 Empower Your Teaching Journey with NJCTL’s Online Courses! 🎓

📣 In this enlightening episode of New Teacher Talk, guests Melissa Axelsson and Susan Olszewski explore NJCTL's game-changing online courses designed specifically for science, mathematics, and computer science educators.

Discover how these self-paced programs can help you:

• Strengthen your subject expertise 💪
• Explore new teaching areas 🔍
• Advance your career path 📈
• Access perfectly aligned teaching resources—at no cost!

Learn how teachers are earning professional learning credits, graduate credits, and salary increases through NJCTL's recognized agreements in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York. Plus, find out about their partnership with Adams State University for seamless credit transcription, and how New Jersey educators can add endorsements to their certification!

Ready to transform your teaching journey? 

Visit NJCTL.org today and follow New Teacher Talk on social media for ongoing inspiration and resources.

 #TeacherGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #STEMEducation

Ep 134: The End of the School Year is In Sight: Meaningful Closure with Students

Join Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna as they explore how to make the most of the final weeks with your students. This episode focuses on creating meaningful closure through reflection, celebration, student voice, and transitions.

Discover practical strategies for student self-reflection, including visual growth timelines, reflection question prompts, and work sample comparisons that help students see their progress. Learn how to facilitate collective reflection through class memory books, collaborative wisdom walls, and appreciation circles that build community.

The hosts discuss how to address transitions explicitly—whether students are moving to the next grade level, changing schools, or facing the shift into summer—and provide tools to help students manage these changes. They also emphasize the importance of teacher reflection as a crucial part of developing professional practice.

Whether you're a new teacher or a veteran educator, this episode offers valuable insights for creating a meaningful end to your school year that honors student growth and your classroom community.

#NewTeacherTalk #EndOfYear #TeacherReflection #StudentGrowth #ClassroomCommunity #TeacherPodcast #MeaningfulClosure #EducatorResources #ProfessionalDevelopment #StudentVoice #TransitionSupport #SchoolYearEnd

Ep 133: Recruiting Talent: A District Leader's Perspective on Educational Staffing

Join host Ryan Lamping, Vice President at Amergis Educational Staffing, as he welcomes Cathy Leaver, Director of Special Education at Bellevue School District. With over four years as Special Education Director and previous experience as a teacher and principal, Cathy brings valuable insights into how districts can effectively partner with educational staffing companies.

In this episode, Cathy discusses how Bellevue School District successfully navigated post-COVID staffing challenges by partnering with Amergis to fill critical vacancies in specialized roles including paraprofessionals, school psychologists, and teachers. Discover why Amergis has become their "best partner" through consistent follow-through and responsive service.

Ryan and Cathy explore both advantages and challenges of using staffing companies, practical advice for contracted staff integration, and key qualities districts look for in early career educators. Whether you're a district administrator, education professional, or considering a career in educational staffing, this conversation offers practical wisdom for creating successful partnerships that ultimately benefit students.

#EducationStaffing #SpecialEducation #SchoolDistricts #TeacherRecruitment #AmergisEducation #EducationCareers

Ep 132: The Mentorship Mindset: Build Trust and Transform Your Teaching

Join Maryellen Friel, a National Board Certified Teacher in Exceptional Needs, as she unpacks the transformative power of educational mentoring. Drawing from her extensive experience mentoring teachers in Baltimore and Texas, Maryellen shares practical strategies for building mentoring relationships based on trust and shared purpose. Learn her five-step feedback process and discover how active listening can turn challenging situations into growth opportunities. Whether you're a mentor, mentee, or educational leader, this episode offers actionable insights to elevate your practice and ultimately improve student outcomes.

#mentoring #mentees #mentor #feedback #listening #newteachers #newteachertalk #podcast

Ep 131: Wrap Up Your School Year: Organizational and Student Engagement Tips for New Teachers

In this practical episode of New Teacher Talk, second-grade teacher Dr. Jacqueline J. Cleven from South Prairie Elementary shares her expert strategies for managing the hectic end of the school year. Discover the innovative A to Z Book Countdown that transforms traditional countdowns into meaningful literacy experiences, keeping students engaged right up to the final bell.

Download her Resource: A-Z Book Countdown Handout

Dr. Cleven tackles common end-of-year challenges including increased student energy levels, managing schedule disruptions, and completing administrative tasks without burning out. Learn about simple visual systems to communicate schedule changes, creating effective to-do lists for year-end responsibilities, and preparing smartly for next fall.

Get practical advice on classroom organization, proper library storage, and thoughtful ways to acknowledge support staff and students as the year concludes. Whether you're a first-year teacher or a veteran educator, these actionable strategies will help you finish the school year strong while preparing for a successful return.

Action Items:

• Implement the A to Z Book Countdown with rotating book lists
• Incorporate movement opportunities throughout the day
• Create a comprehensive end-of-year administrative checklist
• Prepare copy orders for the next academic year
• Organize your classroom library before summer storage
• Plan ahead for end-of-year appreciation and student gifts

#newteachers #endofschoolyear #studentengagement #newteachertalk #podcast

Ep 130: Keeping Students in the Game Throughout the Year

Join Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth as they tackle one of teaching's biggest challenges: maintaining student engagement when motivation begins to fade. Perfect for early career and aspiring educators, this episode offers practical strategies to reinvigorate your classroom during the dreaded "spring slump."

Learn how to implement quick engagement activities, hold effective one-on-one conversations with disengaged students, and utilize field trips (both traditional and creative alternatives) to spark curiosity and connection. From creating "motivation emergency kits" to conducting meaningful class meetings, our hosts share battle-tested approaches that balance high expectations with genuine student support.

Whether you're teaching in a rural area, the suburbs, or the city, you'll walk away with concrete tools to keep your students—and yourself—in the game all year long.

Field Trip Article:   https://www.edutopia.org/article/student-driven-field-trips-montessori

Field Trip Checklist:   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yPbVTJRCSAqPtZxnfBggk75FZnMOW4N2/view?usp=sharing

#TeacherLife #ClassroomManagement #StudentEngagement #TeacherTips #NewTeachers #TeacherMotivation #EducationPodcast #TeachersOfInstagram

Ep 129: The Power of Belonging: Inside Lyons Township's BEST Affinity Group

In this episode, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth engage the inspiring educators behind Lyons Township High School's BIPOC Educators Supporting Teaching (BEST) Affinity Group. In episode 127, we talked with the administrative team that created conditions for collaboration in their school community. Now we will hear how those intentions are brought to life. Dr. Jennifer Rowe, Mimi Yong, Teriauna Bland, and Michael Archbold share their personal experiences building a supportive community for educators of color. Listen as they discuss the importance of authentic spaces, professional development opportunities, and the powerful metaphor of "taking off armor" in affinity spaces. This episode offers valuable insights into creating sustainable support systems that benefit both educators and students alike.

#TeacherSupport #DiversityInEducation #AffinityGroups #EducatorRetention #BIPOC #EquityInEducation #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeacherCommunity #AuthenticLeadership #NewTeacherTalk

Ep 128: Breaking Through Barriers: Understanding and Addressing Student Misconceptions (3 of 3 episodes)

Join host Dr. Ken King, education professor at Aurora University, as he explores the fascinating world of student misconceptions and why they're so resistant to change. In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. King unpacks how higher knowledge interference and cognitive biases like confirmation bias create persistent learning obstacles for students. 

Discover how social media algorithms reinforce these biases by creating echo chambers, and why surface-level learning without conceptual understanding leaves misconceptions unchallenged. Dr. King provides practical, classroom-ready strategies including eliciting misconceptions, creating cognitive conflict, scaffolding new information, and developing metacognitive awareness to help your students build accurate mental models.

Whether you're a new teacher struggling with student misconceptions or a veteran educator looking to refine your approach, this episode offers evidence-based techniques to transform how your students think and learn.

#NewTeacherTalk #EducationMisconceptions #TeachingStrategies #CognitiveScience #EducatorResources #CriticalThinking #TeacherDevelopment #ClassroomStrategies #DeepLearning #ConceptualUnderstanding

Ep 127: Building Bridges: Creating Inclusive Mentorship for Educators at Lyons Township

In this illuminating episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna host the administrative team from Lyons Township High School as they share their groundbreaking approach to recruiting, supporting, and retaining diverse educators. Superintendent Dr. Brian Waterman reveals how their community-driven strategic planning process led to concrete diversity goals with measurable outcomes. HR Director Ed Piotrowski details their equity-focused hiring practices, while Dr. Jennifer Rowe explains the power of affinity groups like BEST and SEED in creating spaces where BIPOC educators can thrive professionally.

Learn how this Illinois district is reimagining traditional mentorship by empowering new teachers to choose mentors based on their specific needs rather than just curricular alignment. Whether you're an administrator looking to diversify your staff or an educator seeking inclusive environments, this episode offers practical strategies for creating educational spaces where all teachers can succeed.

LINKS

Illinois Affinity Group Network: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/LR-Affinity-Groups.aspx

Lyons Township High School: www.lths.net

Dr. Brian Waterman: bwaterman@d204.lths.net

Dr. Jennifer Rowe: jrowe@d204.lths.net

Mr. Ed Piotrowski: epiotrowski@d204.lths.net

#LyonsTownshipHighSchool #induction #mentoring #affinitygroups #voice #belonging #newteacher #earlycareereducators #newteachertalk