New Teacher Talk

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

Ep 126: Teachers...Check Your Stress Before You Wreck Yourself!

Feeling overwhelmed in your classroom? You're not alone! Join Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth on this essential episode of New Teacher Talk featuring Jolee Jones, an expert in organizational development who understands what you're going through.

Discover why teaching has become the #1 profession for burnout and learn practical strategies to protect your wellbeing. Jolee breaks down stress into four dimensions—spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical—and introduces the game-changing concept of "just-right stress" that can help you find your teaching flow.

This episode offers the "Three L's Framework" (Limit, Learn, Listen) with real-world applications you can implement tomorrow. Hear Jolee's personal burnout story and how she transformed her professional life using these very techniques.

Whether you're struggling to make it to Friday or simply want to build sustainable teaching practices, this conversation provides the support and strategies you need to thrive, not just survive, in education.

Books referenced during the podcast:

• Unstressable: A Practical Guide to Stress-Free Living, Mo Gawdat & Alice Law
• Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies, Paul Zak

#TeacherWellness #TeacherLife #NewTeachers #StressManagement #TeacherBurnout #EducatorSupport #SelfCareForTeachers #TeacherTips

 

SPECIAL NOTE: This is the second of a two-part series to be offered during the month of March, as part of a partnership between AAEE and New Teacher Talk.  Be sure to get your copy of the 2025 Job Search Digital Handbook for Educators.

Ep 125: Clinical Practice: The Key to Teacher Success

Join Dr. Beth and Dr. Anna as they dive into the critical world of teacher preparation with special guests Hannah Putman, Director of Research and and Ron Noble, Chief of Teacher Preparation, at the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).  This illuminating conversation explores how quality clinical practice experiences directly impact teacher effectiveness and retention rates. 

Our guests unpack NCTQ's mission to ensure every child has effective teachers and share practical insights from successful programs like Chicago Public Schools' Teach Chicago initiative. Discover how strategic mentor matching and demographically similar student teaching placements can set new teachers up for success, plus learn about NCTQ's resources for evaluating over 700 teacher preparation programs.

Whether you're an aspiring teacher, education leader, or policy advocate, this episode offers valuable perspectives on strengthening the teacher pipeline through intentional clinical practice.

National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ): www.nctq.org

Hannah Putnam:  hputnam@nctq.org

Ron Noble:  rnoble@nctq.org

American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE):  www.aaee.org

#TeacherPrep #ClinicalPractice #NCTQ #AAEE #NewTeachers #EducationPolicy #MentorTeachers #TeacherRetention

 

SPECIAL NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series to be offered during the month of March, as part of a partnership between AAEE and New Teacher Talk.  Be sure to get your copy of the 2025 Job Search Digital Handbook for Educators.

Ep 124: March Madness for Teachers

In this timely episode, Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth tackle the notorious "March slump" that many educators experience. They provide practical strategies for navigating standardized testing season, managing work during spring break, handling job uncertainty, maintaining work-life balance, and keeping both teacher and student motivation high during this challenging month.

Our education experts share their proven "preparation without panic" approach to standardized testing, introduce the effective "bookend method" for spring break work management, and discuss "strategic imbalance" as a realistic approach to work-life integration during high-stress periods.

Action Items:

• Start integrated test prep 6 weeks before testing
• Practice short mindfulness exercises to reduce testing anxiety
• Implement the "bookend approach" for spring break work
• Review classroom procedures before break
• Document your accomplishments and student growth
• Schedule one joy-bringing classroom activity weekly

Listen now to transform your March from madness to manageable!

#NewTeacherTalk #TeacherLife #EducatorSupport #MarchMadness #TeacherBurnout #WorkLifeBalance #TeacherMotivation #StandardizedTesting #SpringBreak

Ep 123: Beyond Lesson Plans: A Second-Year Teacher's Journey into Curriculum Development

In this enlightening episode of New Teacher Talk, Dr. Amy Howerton sits down with Abby Bartle, a second-year teacher who took the bold step of joining a curriculum committee just weeks into her first teaching position. Abby shares her transformation from curriculum novice to knowledgeable participant, offering valuable perspectives for other early-career educators.

Listen as they explore how curriculum development extends far beyond daily classroom activities, the power of backwards design, and why keeping student needs at the center of all curriculum decisions is essential. Abby reveals how her committee experience provided a broader understanding of educational frameworks and directly improved her classroom practice.

Whether you're a first-year teacher feeling overwhelmed by curriculum demands or a veteran educator looking for fresh perspectives, this conversation offers practical insights on how engaging with curriculum development can enhance your teaching journey.

#newteachers #earlycareerteachers #curriculum #curriculumcommittee #backwardsdesign #podcast

Ep 122: Mentors Matter: Navigating the Path to Teaching

Join Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth as they dive into the transformative power of mentorship in education with special guests Shelby Green Owusu and James Scheffers. Shelby shares her fascinating journey from environmental studies to special education, highlighting how mentorship through programs like Golden Apple and Teach Plus shaped her teaching career. With 16 years of experience, district mentor James Scheffers offers valuable insights into supporting new educators. Together, they explore how strong mentorship relationships not only boost teacher retention but also foster professional growth. This episode delivers practical wisdom on maintaining work-life balance and the essential role of self-care in sustaining a fulfilling teaching career. Golden Apple: https://www.goldenapple.org/ Teach Plus+: https://teachplus.org/ Shelby Green Owusu: accel.affinity1@gmail.com James Scheffers: jscheffers@sps186.org #TeacherMentorship #EdChat

Ep 121: Children on the Autism Spectrum: How to Build a Strong Relationship Across Parents, Student, and Teacher Student, and Teacher

Join Dr. Anna and Dr. Beth as they welcome Ryan Lamping, an educational staffing professional and father of a child with nonverbal autism, for an insightful conversation about parent-educator partnerships. Ryan shares his family's journey supporting his 7-year-old son Maddox through school transitions, offering practical strategies for building strong relationships between parents and teachers. Learn about innovative communication approaches, including the use of one-page student profiles and technology tools. Drawing from both his personal experience and his wife Jordan's perspective as an assistant principal, Ryan provides valuable insights for educators working with students on the autism spectrum. Whether you're a new teacher or seasoned professional, this episode offers essential guidance for creating supportive educational environments for students with special needs.

All About Me Template: https://tinyurl.com/4je27bvv

#NewTeacherTalk #EducationPodcast #AutismAwareness #SpecialEducation #TeacherResources #InclusiveEducation #ParentTeacherPartnership

Ep 120: Mythbusters about Teaching & Learning: Assessment (2 of 3 episodes)

Join us as Dr. Ken King from Aurora University unravels the complex relationship between student confidence and actual content mastery. Discover why students might feel they understand something when they don't, and learn practical strategies to bridge this gap. From the illusion of knowledge to metacognitive blindness, Dr. King explores common cognitive biases that impact learning. This episode equips teachers with actionable techniques—including active learning approaches, strategic feedback methods, and innovative assessment strategies—to help students develop more accurate self-awareness and achieve deeper understanding. Whether you're a new teacher or a seasoned educator, this conversation offers valuable insights to transform your classroom practice.

#NewTeacherTalk #TeacherTips #EducationalPsychology #Teaching #StudentSuccess #TeacherLife #EducatorResources #ProfessionalDevelopment