Teacher to Teacher

This season of the Teacher to Teacher podcast has focused on Mentoring in Action. In this last episode of Season 4, Carol welcomes Vince Bustamante and Lisa Fain and their conversation is centered around the topic of Designing a Transformative Mentoring & Induction Program. Vince and Lisa delve into the benefits of mentoring and induction programs for both new teachers and experienced educators. These programs not only aid in improving teaching practices and student learning outcomes, but they also support teacher retention and overall school culture.Three Essential Steps for School Leaders Interested in Podcast PD?Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit for Podcast Listening

In episode 9, Carol and her guests Amanda Brueggeman and Marcel Monnar discuss the importance of student voices in mentoring and teaching. As educators, it is important to continuously reflect on our practices and make adjustments that prioritize the success and growth of our students. This episode’s discussion highlights the significance of asking questions and fostering a classroom community that encourages open communication and feedback from students. Watch video of survey referenced in this episode.Interested in Podcast PD?Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit for Podcast Listening!

In Episode 8, Carol welcomes Bailey Wilcox & Vanessa Halling, who are a mentee and mentor pair! Their mentorship relationship started when Bailey was a student teacher in Vanessa’s classroom and has continued now that Bailey has her own classroom across the hall. Carol, Vanessa, and Bailey talk about the stance and supports that have made their mentor partnerships successful. Then they jump into common dilemmas, ranging from making content and curriculums relevant to students to classroom management challenges, and talk through how Bailey and Vanessa have worked on these in their own classrooms. Interested in Podcast PD? Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit for Podcast Listening!

Our guests for episode 7 are Joe Schmidt and Laura Garrison-Brook. Their conversation with Carol focuses on the need for intentionality both in being a mentor and in being a mentee. Together, they share unexpected ideas, tools, and tips to make mentorship relationships and reflection positive and productive. They also discuss how reflection requires both curiosity and courage, and how to make it a habit that is built into your life and practice. Interested in Podcast PD?Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit!

In episode 6, Carol welcomes Sara Hoeve and Susan Brondyk who are colleagues in the school of education at Hope College. This episode focuses on The Role of Teacher Education in Mentoring Teachers. Sara and Susan give us a behind-the-scenes look at how they set up their mentorship programs to best support both the student teachers and the teacher mentors in schools. In conversation with Carol, they share how they get mentors and mentees on the same page, why establishing a common language is essential, and how they continue to support their new teachers even after they graduate from student teaching.  

In episode 5, Carol welcomes guests Josh Magri and Sydney Snyder as they talk about educator wellbeing beyond teacher self-care. Together they discuss practices and building environments where educators can thrive even in challenging times. Carol, Sydney, and Josh share impactful ideas to help teachers and leaders foster vulnerable conversations, rethink how we define success, give ourselves grace when we make mistakes, and find balance between our personal and professional lives. Create your own Circle of Light with a book study for Carol’s book Teaching With Light: Ten Lessons for Finding Wisdom, Balance, and Inspiration.

In this episode, Carol welcomes Lori Wimbush & Kate Gilbert. The conversation focuses on connecting, breaking down silos, and humanizing the teaching profession through mentorship groups. Carol, Lori, and Kate share creative and joyful strategies that helped them instill positivity in their mentoring groups - from positivity calendar reminders to paint parties. Interested in Podcast PD?Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit! (link: https://corwin-connect.com/2024/10/podcast-pd-a-professional-learning-strategy-to-earn-district-credit-for-podcast-listening/)Additional episode resources: Group Mentoring: Problems to Possibilities - Mentoring in Action (link: https://mentoringinaction.com/group-mentoring-problems-to-possibilities/)Sharing Best Practices: Emerging Teacher Leaders - Mentoring in Action (link: https://mentoringinaction.com/sharing-best-practices-novice-teachers-as-leaders/)

This episode focuses on preparing mentors and novice teachers to be leaders. Our guests Jay Correia & Suzanne Molitor bring their experience to provide insight on the power of informal, heart-centered mentorship, as well as the importance of formal, purposeful mentoring initiatives. Carol, Jay, and Suzanne share actionable ideas to help both mentors and novice teachers become more visible as leaders, ranging from making space for teachers to highlight their wins to fostering learning conversations between colleagues.Interested in Podcast PD?Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit!Additional resources: Video Effective Teachers From Students' Eyes

In this episode, Carol talks with Doug Fisher and Vanessa Smith about Purposeful Mentoring Conversations. Purposeful mentoring conversations are crucial for effective mentorship to understand the specific needs and goals of the mentee so that mentors can tailor the conversation accordingly. By doing so, mentors can provide targeted guidance that will have a more significant impact on the mentee's growth.So, whether you are a mentor or a mentee, remember the importance of purposeful conversations in your professional development journey.Interested in Podcast PD? Check out Carol's blogpost Podcast PD: A Professional Learning Strategy to Earn District Credit!

Season 4 of the Teacher to Teacher podcast focuses on Mentoring in Action and this first episode is centered around the topic of Intentional Mentoring.Carol welcomes guests John Almarode and Jaime Curley. The conversation between John, Jaime and Carol touches on the challenges of mentoring, the importance of honest feedback, and the need to personalize and contextualize support for early career teachers. John Almarode is a bestselling Corwin author as well as a Professor of Education at James Madison University. Before his academic career, John started as a mathematics and science teacher. John's most recent book with Corwin is Teacher Clarity and published in February 2025. Jaime Curley has been in education for 26 years and she has worked as a paraprofessional, special education teacher, school psychologist and as a special education administrator. She has been mentoring new teachers since 2011 and she says it is one of the most rewarding parts of the job! We hope that you enjoy this insightful conversation!

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 10, hear from Sonja Hollins-Alexander & Larry Ferlazzo in "Pay It Forward" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Sonja Hollins-Alexander is the Associate Vice President, content advisor, and scholar for Corwin. She has been in the field of education and publishing for thirty years with twenty-two of those being in social work, teaching and educational leadership at the school, district, and higher education levels. She is a Corwin author of Online Professional Development Through Virtual Learning Communities, and coauthor of Collective Equity as well as Mindframes for Belonging, Identities and Equity.Larry Ferlazzo has been a high school teacher for English Language Learners and English-proficient students for twenty-three years. He is the author or editor of thirteen books on education, has been a teacher advice columnist for Education Week for the last thirteen years, and hosts a popular resource-sharing blog. He also hosts a BAM Radio Show that accompanies his Ed Week columns.Bonus Track: Carol’s Pay It Forward story from Teaching With LightBonus YouTube: Pay It Forward hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 9, hear from Cathleen Beachboard & Rick Rogers in "Dream Out Loud" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Cathleen Beachboard is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, and researcher specializing in the science of psychological hope. As a current classroom teacher and best-selling author of The School of Hope (Corwin, 2022), she is dedicated to transforming education by equipping schools with the tools to foster resilience, well-being, and achievement. Rick Rogers is a life-long educator who served as a principal for 29 years in both suburban and urban settings. He is currently the program coordinator and a facilitator for the Soul of Leadership, a personal and leadership renewal program for school leaders. Bonus Track: Carol’s Dream Out Loud story from Teaching With LightBonus YouTube: Dream Out Loud hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 8, hear from Dennis Shirley & Shawn Thomas in "Always Be Brave" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Dennis is co-author of The Age of Identity (Corwin, 2023). He works with teachers to help them to develop innovations strategically designed for their own circumstances. Shawn Thomas is an educator in Gwinnett County Public Schools, where she has taught Kindergarten, Second Grade, Third Grade, and Multilingual Learners for 27 years total. She is also a moderator for BAM Radio's #EdChat Radio series.Bonus Track: Carol’s Always Be Brave story from Teaching With LightBonus YouTube: Always Be Brave hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021). In Episode 7, hear from Sarah Bush & Ben Kutsyuruba in "Be the Wave" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired! Sarah is co-author of the Simplifying STEM: Grades PreK-5 and Grades 6-12 books (Corwin, 2024) and Step into STEAM Grades PreK-5 (Corwin, 2024) Ben co-edited Mentoring for Wellbeing in Schools (IAP, 2024) and is the President-Elect of the International Mentoring Association. Bonus Track: Carol’s Be the Wave from Teaching With Light Bonus YouTube: Be the Wave hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021). In Episode 6, hear from Lester Laminack & Kristen Lee in "It Is What It Is" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired! Lester is the author of over 25 books for teachers and children including Critical Comprehension (Corwin, 2023). Kristen is the author of Worth the Risk (Sounds True, 2022) and has hosted Crackin' Up with Dr. Kris: Where Comedy Meets Therapy. She also wrote the Foreword to Teaching With Light. Bonus Track: Carol’s It Is What It Is from Teaching With Light Bonus YouTube: It Is What It Is hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 5, hear from Afrika Afeni Mills & Jenna Chandler- Ward in "Be a Ripple" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Afrika is author of Open Windows, Open Minds (Corwin, 2022). She also did a TEDTalk called "4 ways to have healthy conversations about race" in 2023. Jenna is the Co-Author of the book, Learning and Teaching While White (W. W. Norton & Company, 2022) and hosts a podcast called Teaching While White.  Bonus Track: Carol’s Be a Ripple from Teaching With LightBonus YouTube: Be a Ripple hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 4, hear from Michelle Trujillo & Noa Daniel in "Face the Sun and The Shadows Will Fall Behind You" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Michelle is author of several Corwin books including Start With the Heart, Social Emotional Well-Being for Educators, and her most recent book co-authored with Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey, Teaching and Learning in the Face of Adversity (Corwin, 2024). Noa is co-author of the book Strum and the Wild Turkeys (Edumatch, 2021). She hosts the podcasts, OnEdMentors and The Personal Playlist Project. She did a TEDTalk called, Play It Forward (2020).  Bonus Track: Carol’s Face the Sun and The Shadows Will Fall Behind You story from Teaching With LightTeaching Through Divorce, Death, and Dissertation Bonus YouTube: Face the Sun and The Shadows Will Fall Behind You hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 3, hear from Maegan Giroux & Kathryn Shupe in "Be a Lamp, Not a Mirror" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Maegan is co-author of Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom, Grades K-5 with Peter Liljedahl (Corwin, 2024). Bonus Track: Carol’s Be a Lamp, Not a Mirror story from Teaching With LightThe Teachers’ RoomBonus Youtube: Be a Lamp, Not a Mirror hand mudra

Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 2, hear from Vanessa Vakharia & Tami Dufault-Toomb in "Bloom Where You're Planted" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Vanessa is author of Math Therapy™ (Corwin, 2024) and host of the podcast, Math Therapy.Bonus Track: Carol’s Bloom Where You're Planted story from Teaching With LightThe Year After the School Burned DownBonus Youtube: Bloom Where You're Planted hand mudra

Welcome to Season 3 of the Teacher to Teacher podcast! Join host Carol Pelletier Radford and her inspiring guests as they share pivotal moments, successful classroom strategies, and tips to stay healthy. Each episode of Season 3 is based on the 10 lessons from Carol's book, Teaching With Light (Corwin, 2021).In Episode 1, hear from Brett Vogelsinger and Meg Roa in "Follow Your Heart" as they share their experiences, practical advice, and ways to stay inspired!Brett is author of Poetry Pauses (Corwin, 2023). Bonus Track: Carol’s Follow Your Heart story from Teaching With Light When The Guidance Counselor Told Me No Bonus Youtube: Follow Your Heart  hand mudra

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes Vera Ahiyya and Michael Pelletier. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about the end of a school year and celebrating students' growth as people and as learners. Vera shares some themes from her book Rebellious Read Alouds. Michael also shares his story, "Find Reasons to Celebrate" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes Matthew Johnson and Traci Rizzo. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about ways to save teachers' time. Matthew shares some themes from his books Good Grammar and Flash Feedback. Traci also shares her story, "Get Help When You Need It" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes Rebecca Harper and Cassie Tabrizi. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about those “on accident, on purpose” moments that shape who we are as teachers. Rebecca shares some themes from her books Write Now & Write On and Writing Workouts. Cassie also shares her story, "Give Yourself Grace" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes three teacher guests – Kayla Briseño, Stephen Briseño and Nicole Forinash. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about their most successful experiences with professional learning. Kayla and Stephen share some themes from their book Text Structures From Picture Books. Nicole also shares her story, "Gain Trust Through Sharing" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes guests Jarred Amato & Tyler Brundage. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about giving students some structure and appropriate consequences. Jarred shares some themes from his book Just Read It. Taylor also shares his story, "Use Student Surveys to Assess Your Teaching" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes guests Maggie Lee McHugh and Erin Jacobson. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about their experiences with project-based learning. Maggie shares some themes from her book Bringing Project-Based Learning to Life in Mathematics, K-12. Erin also shares her story, "Honor Your Teaching Style" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, we have a teacher to teacher to teacher episode with three teacher guests - Lindsay Prendergast, Piper Lee & Megan Martens. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about how teachers can nourish their well-being and navigate the negative Ned’s and Nelly’s. Lindsay and Piper share some themes from their new book Habits of Resilient Educators. Megan also shares her story, "Be a Leader" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes Christa Jackson and Brooke Traverso. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, these educators share their love of math and how to make students love math!  Christa shares some themes from her new book Simplifying STEM. Brooke also shares her story, "Share Your Love of Content" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

In this episode, host Carol Pelletier Radford welcomes Jennifer Serravallo and Jessica Concha. In addition to sharing their teacher stories and classroom strategies, they talk about how we all need to be teachers of reading - that includes math teachers, science teachers, history teachers. Jennifer shares some themes from her new book Teaching Reading Across the Day. Jessica also shares her story, "Make Student Confidence Your Goal" from Carol's book "When I Started Teaching, I Wish I Had Known..."

Chase Orton and Mia Pumo talk about how teaching is a craft where we learn from each other. Whether you are a new or veteran teacher, teaching is not about what you tell them, but about what you show them. Everyone has a talent, help students find it!

In this episode, John SanGiovanni and Mary Margaret Mara discuss how teaching is a social endeavor - it's all about the connections you make with students. One size doesn't fit all, you need to embrace how people learn differently.

In this episode Gravity Goldberg and Chandra Joseph-Lacet discuss how teachers need to trust first, and the confidence and competence will come. Don't roll up that carpet just yet, know that you have it in you to be a great teacher. 

In this episode, Dave Stuart Jr. and Meghan Raftery share stories about pivotal moments in their careers, successful classroom strategies, and personal actions they take to minimize stress and stay healthy. Dave and Megan talk about how you don’t have to do it all and how to keep an eye for what you can control. Learn to prioritize and set clear boundaries. 

In this episode, Beth Kobett and Melissa Carr share stories about pivotal moments in their careers, successful classroom strategies, and personal actions they take to minimize stress and stay healthy. Beth and Melissa reflect on how positive people in their lives made an impact on their journeys in education and how we should all strive to be that person - to be able to meet students where they are and take them to the next level. 

In this episode, Maria Walther and Sandra Brower share stories about pivotal moments in their careers, successful classroom strategies, and personal actions they take to minimize stress and stay healthy. Maria and Sandra talk about opportunities to allow yourself to see skills a student is missing and how you can then give students the skills they needed to handle a situation independently. They also discuss the impact music and focusing on the positive can bring to the classroom. 

In this episode, Tricia Ebarvia and Adam Pelletier share stories about pivotal moments in their careers, successful classroom strategies, and personal actions they take to minimize stress and stay healthy. Tricia and Adam discuss how there is not one way of doing things, there are many. They also discuss the importance of finding meaning in other people and by doing so you can find creative thought partners. 

In this episode, Serena Pariser and John Radosta share stories about pivotal moments in their careers, successful classroom strategies, and personal actions they take to minimize stress and stay healthy. Serena and John discuss how learning is a journey and, as teachers, we all make mistakes, and become a better teacher because of them. In fact, if you make a mistake and a student corrects you, it shows they are paying attention, feel comfortable to speak up, and lets the teacher know, they don't always have to have the right answer.

In this episode Jim Burke and Jennifer Barrientos share stories about pivotal moments in their careers, successful classroom strategies, and personal actions they take to minimize stress and stay healthy. Jim and Jennifer talk about the importance of relationships and how students don't learn from teachers they don't like. They discuss ways teachers can make those connections with students as well as colleagues. 

In this episode, Christina Nosek and Lisa Dix share stories about pivotal moments in their careers, successful classroom strategies, and personal actions they take to minimize stress and stay healthy. Christina and Lisa reflect upon times in their careers where they realized they made a difference in the life of a student. They also discuss how to hang in through tough times, that your current teaching situation is not your forever teaching situation.