PODCAST · education
Catholic Teachers' Lounge
by Colleen and Jill
Welcome to the Catholic Teacher’s Lounge – the only podcast by Catholic school teachers, for Catholic school teachers! Each episode of Catholic Teacher’s Lounge features ideas for your classroom that we gather from all over the country. It’s a great way to exchange ideas and affirm your efforts! New episodes drop three days a week during the school year!
Episodes
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Our Priests, From Formation to Front Line
What do you think should be the top prioirity of your parish pastor or your school chaplain? Likely, everyone has a different opinion and priests are challenged to be all things to all people, especially if they are involved in school leadership. Enjoy this conversation that includes priest...
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The First Rule of Improv is Everyone Can Do Improv
Will Dennis (of Unscripted Productions) joins Jill and Colleen in the lounge once again to talk improv! Will shares how he has used improv in the classroom using 5 basic rules and how these rules extend to work environments and even teach professional development. It’s all about building…
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Manifest Positivity
Jill unveils the 2 campus-wide goals she and her principal rolled out at the start of this year and provides the status of their goal progress so far. Good intentions prevail in this ambitious set of goals at West Catholic High School where training brains and hearts to seek out and acknowledge…
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Ready, Set, Regulate!
This episode continues the converstion about classroom activities available to kids who arrive early, who finish work quickly, or who stay after. Every classroom has activities and learning opportunities for unstructured time, and this episode runs through several ideas that work in almost any...
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Early Birds
In this episode, Jill shares a question from a Catholic school in Erie, Michigan about what to do with early arrivers in the morning. What is the most productive or effective way to ease kids into the school day while the room is still quiet and the day hasn’t quite begun? Teachers share ideas…
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Muddy Shoes Can Be Everyone’s Problem
Did you ever wish you had a group of people to solve your problem? So does Colleen! In this epsiode Jill and Colleen explore the idea of community inquiry learning to solve a real life problem. Stop in the lounge for inspiration on a community learning project that might work for you and your...
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Both And
Today in the lounge, Jill and Colleen talk about approaches to lesson, unit, and course design. What’s better–following curriculum chronologically or thematically? How do we focus on standards AND make sure lessons are hitting if a way that ensures student connection? Stop in the lounge for a...
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The Debrief
What’s a great way to assess whether a lesson went well? Ask the kids! In this episode Jill shares an idea used by the Detroit Catholic Microschools that can be applicable across the board with any class, age, or subject area. Join us in the lounge for a practical and fun conversation on how and...
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Playing Favorites
Do you remember the first time you got to choose your own book, topic, or partner for a project? We do! In this episode, Jill and Colleen explore how personal experiences and core memories can make for the most memorable and high quality work in the classroom. Take a trip down memory lane and get...
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What’s Good
Jill and Colleen welcome guest Will Dennis into the lounge for a conversation on creating the best conditions for learning. Will’s insights, based on his time teaching Theology and teaching and studying improv, have led him to conlcude that all good learning begins with connection. Creating the...
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The Ultimate Collab
What happens when ISTE, Google, and NCEA team up to train educators? A whole lot of innovation! Join Jill, Colleen, and special guest Dr. Karl Ochsner for an overview of an amazing nationwide collaboration of innovative teachers & leaders who are learning about and influencing STEM education and...
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Camp Fire Memory Making
Jill puts on her teacher hat and mom hat as she shares about the awesome summer Catholic youth camp available in her state of Michigan as well as Virginia and Ohio. Colleen recalls her own son's experience at summer camp and compares. What can kids do over the summer to stay in touch with their...
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Wisdom of Pope Leo
Pope Leo's first encyclical for the Church reminds Catholic educators that it is not our job to keep pace with the secular world. Join Jill and Colleen for a dive into Pope Leo's Magnifica Humanitis and a chat on what Catholic educators should know and why it matters. A timely and pointed lounge...
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This One’s a Gem!
In this episode, self-proclaimed AI skeptic Colleen shares her favorite tool--Gemini Notebook. If you're a teacher looking for a tool that integrates disciplines, can pull from your specified resources without pulling random info from the web, and likes a variety of options for your students…
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PD: Training or Draining?
It's time for that beginning-of-school-year PD chat. How was it this year? Were you able to use it right away or could it have been an email? Did you learn something new or get frustrated because of another new initiative? Each year brings something different--and sometimes it's actually really...
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Longing for the Lounge
Jill and Colleen are back in the Catholic Teachers' Lounge and ready for more great ideas in Catholic education! This episode previews topics that will be explored throughout Season 4 and gives the co-hosts a moment to catch up after time away. Welcome back for a new and exciting season!
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CTL in the Wild
Season 4 officially drops September 1st, but Jill and Colleen are warming up and setting the scene for a new year ahead! Where can you find them in the wild and on social media? Tune in and see what's new in 2026. Want to contribute to the conversation? Learn where you can drop ideas to share…
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Nun Ya Business
Season 4 is almost here and Jill and Colleen are in the lounge for a quick check in on summer social media trends. Have you heard of Nun Girl Summer? Stop in for this uplifting conversation that creates hope for Gen Z and for a women religious resurgence!
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Christmas Collab with Kaitlin Reichart!
Jill and Colleen welcome Dr. Kaitlin Reichart into the Catholic Teachers' Lounge to share the best things they have seen and heard in classrooms so far this year. Stop in the lounge to hear shout outs, accolades, and cheers for the hardworking and creative teachers and leaders in our schools....
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Lose the Rule Book: Making the Move to Multiage
This episode takes Jill and Colleen down a rabbit hole of multi-age instructional shifts, putting theory into practice, and wondering if PD is enough. Tune in as talk in lounge shifts to the way instructional leaders must create the space and opportunities for teachers to put practices that serve...
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Hot Takes on Homework
This episode takes the lounge conversation back to homework, only this time Jill and Colleen are talking about high school kids. Studies show there is a sweet spot for impact when it comes to time spent on homework and success on standardized exams. Stop by the lounge to hear about stressors,...
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Hi, God!
"In this episode of the Catholic Teachers Lounge, Jill and Colleen explore various themes related to Catholic education, particularly focusing on the Advent season, prayer practices, and the role of AI in spiritual expressions. They discuss the importance of spontaneous prayer in schools, share...
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Go Out and Play — That’s Your Homework!
In this episode, Jill and Colleen ponder a homework study. What is the value of homework? What is the most effective use of student time in and out of school? Stop in the lounge for a topic that everyone has an opinion about.
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How to Ride the Advent Wave
It's Advent--A time of high energy, activities, service projects, special prayer events, art, music, and lots of patience. Join Jill and Colleen for a conversation about fresh ideas and traditions to bring Advent to life for students.
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Displays of Gratitude
It's Thanksgiving week! Join Jill and Colleen in a lounge conversation about classroom activiities that reflect the values and meaning of Thanksgiving, let kids be creative, and honor history. Jill and Colleen wish all Catholic school teachers and leaders all the best--they are so grateful for…
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De-Isloation Transformation
Teaching has historically been an isolating profession for many. We would go into our classrooms, not to see another adult until we ventured to the office or teachers' lounge. When teachers experience the benefits of frequent visitors, co-teachers, and other adults in their classroom, they can...
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Universal by Design
In this episode, Jill and Colleen explore the universal design aspects of marching band and music education and how these can apply to the classroom. Discover UDL through a musical lens.
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How Handwriting Makes Kids Smarter
In this episode, Jill and Colleen put on their doctor hats and talk about a study proving the importance of handwriting to benfit learning to read. What begins as a simple conversation about spelling words goes down a rabbit hole of literacy. Stop in the lounge for this cutting edge--yet not...
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Heros’ Honor
It's Veteran's Day, and Jill and Colleen take time to talk about the ways people can witness and support military veterans. Whether through fundraising support, gratitude, or song, anyone can have the opportunity to give thanks to those who serve!
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Everything is Better with Prayer
In this episode Jill, Colleen, and some faithful listeners share their daily prayer routines. Discussion in the lounge centers on ways to integrate prayer into every day, and how to create a culture of prayer among the faculty in your school.
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Pace Yourself
Colleen shares an experience in a 4th grade classroom where students were highly engaged in a well-paced, well-orchestrated science lesson.
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Melodic Maneuvers
This episode highlights the importance of music education. Jill and Colleen share the variety of ways music is integrated into Catholic schools and showcases the Ward method that teaches students Gregorian chant.
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A Classic Example
In this episode Jill and Colleen explore the ways full inclusion and education in the classical tradition can work together. Using an example of a Catholic school in Kentucky, the conversation reveals that it is possible, this model does exist as an example to others, and it is beautiful.
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Conflict Mediation 2000 Years in the Making
In this episode, Jill and Colleen explore how to resolve student conflict. There are many peer mediation programs out there, and many link back to sacraments and values. Consider the ways your school's charism or integration of Catholic values informs your peer mediation program potential.
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AI: It’s the Same as the Calculator
In this episode, Colleen and Jill revisit the concept of AI with predictions, questions, and some trepedation. Based on lessons learned from the past, how should schools proceed into the future with confident faithfulness to mission and commitment to student formation? We may not have all the...
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Podcasting from a Classroom Near You
Today's students need to learn new mediums of communication beyond just public speaking in order to thrive in the world of career and academics. In this episode, Jill shares two examples of student podcasts from elementary and high school classrooms to inspire ideas on using podcasting to...
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This Podcast Needs an Intervention
If the differences between accommodations, modifications, and interventions sometimes confuse you, you are not alone! In this episode, Colleen provides an analogy that Jill breaks down and applies to the classroom to clarify these terms and their applications in schools.
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Why So Anxious?
In this follow up conversation from the previous episode, Colleen and Jill talk more about the impact of technology on kids, families, and schools as described in the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. For a copy of Jill's community book study, emails us at [email protected].
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When Phones Stopped Coming to School
In this episode Jill shares the way a diocesan-wide policy about phones triggered a series of community gatherings around a book study of 2024 epic publication The Anxious Generation. If you want a copy of Jill's 4-part book study notes and facilitation guide, email us at [email protected]!
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Prepping for Parent Night
Jill and Colleen have both fond and rough memories of parents teacher conferences--both as the parent and the teacher. Join this conversation for ideas on preping for the most effective parent teacher conferences possible.
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Time for Change
In this episode Colleen and Jill talk about the very real struggle with making changes and learning new things. Using personal examples, the discussion is a metaphor for the classroom. If we seek certain results for our students and aren't getting them, it might be time for a change.
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The Joy and Wrath of Math
In this episode, Colleen and Jill explore the complexities of math instruction, discussing various teaching methods and their implications for student learning. They explore the concept of discovery and fostering critical thinking in math education. The conversation highlights the need to adapt...
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Math Wars
We've heard of the Science of Reading, but what is the Science of Math? In this episode Jill and Colleen break down conflicting views of math instruction.
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Reading Wreckage
Jill and Colleen's lounge conversation about learning to read and Science of Reading goes off the rails to discover they disagree about vocabulary.
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The Long Game
How long should it take students to adjust to the new school year? It's different for every kid, for a variety of reasons. Join Jill and Colleen's lounge conversation about student influence and adjustment.
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All In
Taking classroom procedures a step further, Colleen and Jill tackle the idea of schoolwide procedures that may impact school function and culture.
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Procedures for Pros
Managing a classroom begins with effective procedures. Jill pitches 17 procedures that might impact the flow and function of any classroom.
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What to do with all that PD
The school year begins for most teachers with a barrage of professional learning events, often to kick off new initiatives. How should teachers take all of the PD and make it come to life when the kids arrive? Jill and Colleen explore ideas that can move teachers from theory to implementation.
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Summer Reading
Jill and Colleen are back in the lounge after a summer of rest and reading! Join the discussion of the gammut of professional reading, kids' books, fiction, and non-fiction.
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Season 3 Teaser
Colleen and Jill are back! Find out when new episodes drop.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the Catholic Teacher’s Lounge – the only podcast by Catholic school teachers, for Catholic school teachers! Each episode of Catholic Teacher’s Lounge features ideas for your classroom that we gather from all over the country. It’s a great way to exchange ideas and affirm your efforts! New episodes drop three days a week during the school year!
HOSTED BY
Colleen and Jill
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Catholic Teachers' Lounge have?
Catholic Teachers' Lounge currently has 237 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Catholic Teachers' Lounge about?
Welcome to the Catholic Teacher’s Lounge – the only podcast by Catholic school teachers, for Catholic school teachers! Each episode of Catholic Teacher’s Lounge features ideas for your classroom that we gather from all over the country. It’s a great way to exchange ideas and affirm your efforts!...
How often does Catholic Teachers' Lounge release new episodes?
Catholic Teachers' Lounge publishes regularly with 237 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Catholic Teachers' Lounge?
You can listen to Catholic Teachers' Lounge on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Catholic Teachers' Lounge?
Catholic Teachers' Lounge is created and hosted by Colleen and Jill.
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