PODCAST · education
Teachers on Fire
by Tim Cavey
Warming your heart, sparking your thinking, and igniting your professional practice. Reach out on any social media platform @TeachersOnFire. Hosted by Tim Cavey.
Episodes
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Why I'm Leaving the Classroom This Year (After 25 Years)
Choosing to leave the classroom and go all-in as an administrator wasn't an easy decision. Here were some of the factors I considered.
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UDL for Little Learners with Jeff Horwitz
→ What is Universal Design for Learning? → How does UDL look different in the early grades? → What is a first step that any educator can take tomorrow to make their lessons more accessible for all learners? ABOUT THIS GUEST, Jeff Horwitz Jeff is a veteran educator and school leader who's spent…
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You're MORE Than A Teacher: Build Your Emotional Intelligence with Dr. Jen Rafferty
→ How can we learn to recognize our body’s stress signals as data? → What is a daily micro-move educators can practice to regulate themselves? → How can prioritizing our own wellness directly impact our students and create generational change? TIMESTAMPS 0:00:00 - Dr. Jen Rafferty is an educator,...
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Rebuilding Teacher Resilience with Dr. Naomi Hall
→ How can we make this school year the best of our professional careers? → What is a Resilience Bank Account, and how can it support busy educators on the hard days? → What is the Scribble and Scrap technique, and how can it help us against negative self-talk? Welcome back to the Teachers on Fire...
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From Dropout to PhD: Learn the Craft of Teaching with Dr. Anthony Richiez
→ How did today’s guest go from high school dropout to PhD, and what can we learn from his story? → How can we shift our focus from merely managing behavior to truly captivating our students? → What is the first step educators must take to reverse the burnout cycle? Welcome back to the Teachers…
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Unity Over Division: How Virginia Principal Derek Cantrell Merged Two Schools Into One
→ How did a Virginia school principal help to merge two rival schools into one? → How can we build positive school culture during times of change and transition? → How can we translate our school mission and values into meaningful daily practices? Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - Derek...
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Unlock Student Motivation with Stephen de Groot
→ How do needs, values, goals, and strengths reframe how we motivate and engage learners? → What are the things that actually drain motivation for students in the classroom and at home? → How can teachers build better Regulation, Resources, and Relationships for students in their classrooms?...
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Curiosity Sets Up Direct Instruction: OLIVIA ODILEKE
→ Why is curiosity foundational to everything that happens in the classroom? → How can simple micro-inquiry tasks at the beginning of a lesson set up direct instruction to follow? → How can teachers use AI as a collaborative thought partner to amplify student thinking? Welcome back to the…
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Dr. BRAD JOHNSON: Build Your RQ, Build Your Learning Community
→ How can relational leadership transform your school community? → How can we encourage colleagues overwhelmed by fatigue, culture wars, or literacy battles? → As technology debates rage, where is the conversation going in K-12 education? Today’s Teacher on Fire is Dr. Brad Johnson. Dr. Johnson…
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7 Steps to School Success - with Dr. James Lane, Former Superintendent of the Year
→ What are the seven steps to school success? → What are the most common distractions school leaders face? → How can we build schools that give our graduates the kinds of skills that actually have career-ready value in tomorrow’s marketplace? Welcome back to the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing...
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AI Literacy and Design Thinking - with Alex Gray
→ How can education podcasting impact professional growth over time? → What is the single most dangerous misconception schools are making about artificial intelligence right now? → How can design thinking prepare secondary students for a complex, uncertain, technology-driven future? Welcome back…
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Better Questions, Deeper Learning - with Connie Hamilton
→ How can we improve the effectiveness of the questions we ask in the classroom? → What’s a better way to respond the next time we get the classic “I don’t know”? → What does collecting actionable microdata look like during a live lesson? Welcome back to the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live…
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Teach Internationally - with Greg Lemoine
→ What is the single most rewarding aspect of international teaching? → For educators considering an international leap in their teaching career, what are the most crucial factors to consider? → What is the most common mistake teachers make when interviewing for an international teaching…
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Competency-Based Assessment with Danielle Paloposki
→ How do traditional grading systems quietly undermine deep learning? → How can teachers shift assessment paradigms without burning out? → What steps can administrative teams take to genuinely support their staff? About Danielle Paloposki Danielle is an educator and former school administrator…
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Money and Financial Literacy in YOUR Classroom: Debra Kierstead
→ Which foundational money concepts do our students struggle with the most? → Why do states and districts continue to downplay the importance of financial literacy in our curricular standards? → What is one practical way for teachers to build financial literacy in their classrooms on Monday...
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Bringing the Everglades to Your Literacy Classroom: Jennifer Diaz
→ How can we build literacy skills and environmental stewardship at the same time? → What is the Everglades Foundation Literacy Program, and what resources do they offer classroom teachers? → What is Everglades Ecoquest, and how can educators use this web-based platform to bring interactive,...
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Differentiation for High-Ability Learners with Alicia Schroeder-Schock
How can teachers challenge their gifted learners without burning out? How we spot high-ability learners who might be masking their abilities in the classroom? How can we make sure our choice boards don’t just become busywork? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing...
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Executive Functions in K-3 with Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle
→ What are executive functions, and why do they matter? → What are the differences between core and higher order executive functions? → How can we tweak the physical and acoustic environment of our classrooms to support all learners? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire…
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Retired but Podcasting: Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt from After the Bell
→ How can an education podcast impact personal growth and professional practice? → Is there still room for more education content creators today? → How do two veteran educators view today’s educational landscape? About These Guests Today’s Teachers on Fire are Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt, hosts…
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Brokers of Hope, Cultures of Joy - with DEAN SHARESKI
→ How can educators model healthy skepticism while also being brokers of hope regarding AI tools? → What practical boundaries can we set so our students don't outsource their critical thinking to algorithms? → With all that is going on in education and politics, how can we preserve cultures of…
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Are our schools TOO SAFE? Embracing risky play with Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni
→ What does recess look like if it is as safe as necessary but not as safe as possible? → What are the links between the decline of independent, risky play and the rise in student anxiety? → How do we distinguish between healthy 'rough-and-tumble’ play and actual aggression? Today’s Teachers on...
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Are classroom AI tools doing more harm than good? with David Cutler
→ Is it still possible to engage productively as a teacher on social media? → What do our students risk losing when they lean into AI tools and strategies? → What can be gained by bringing student writing to authentic audiences? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast,...
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ERIC SHENINGER: Navigating AI in Our Schools with Clarity, Intention, and Purpose
→ How can education leaders help staff move from AI anxiety to AI optimism and fluency? → How can we make sure that pedagogy always trumps technology in our classrooms? → How can we promote the kind of disruptive thinking necessary to future-proof our learners for an unpredictable world? Welcome...
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Building School Culture That Lifts All Learners - with JOSH TOVAR
→ What does it look like to put student connections before content? → How can we help every student in our communities feel a sense of belonging? → How can we leverage social media to tell stronger stories as building leaders? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast…
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3 Podcast Guests Who Inspired Changes to My Personal and Professional Life
I'm trying something NEW! In this first walking journal entry, I reflect on three recent guests on the Teachers on Fire Podcast who inspired changes to my personal and professional life. They are: Edmond Chin, Rich Czyz, and Becky Keene.
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AI Optimism: What's the proper place of AI in the classroom? with BECKY KEENE
→ How can AI tools and technologies support learning in the classroom? → How can students leverage AI tools for greater creativity and judgment? → How can we make sure our AI policies align with mission and core pedagogical beliefs? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast,...
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Building Regenerative Schools - with RUTH POULSEN
→ How can principals do better than superficial gestures of teacher appreciation? → How can we address teaching colleagues who seem caught in a martyr mindset? → How can school leaders work efficiently without building a toxic culture of rushing? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on...
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Dr. DANNY STEELE: Support Teachers FIRST to Serve Students Well
→ What does it mean to lead with curiosity over expertise? → How can we make our schools places where the adults like to come to work? → How can school leaders build a presence that feels more supportive, less policing? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live…
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How to Teach READING and WRITING - with Leah Mermelstein
→ How should we approach the tensions around the Science of Reading? → What does the art of teaching literacy look like in today’s classroom? → How can we set up our students for successful independent writing? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on…
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ATTENTION as CURRICULUM: Designing Schools as Walled Gardens - with Andrew Cantarutti
→ Why must attention become the curriculum of our schools? → How are classrooms disrupting student attention and learning? → What is the important choice that our schools and districts must make? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday...
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How a Running Habit Transformed Life and Work - with EDMOND CHIN
→ How did a new running habit transform one educator’s life? → What’s brewing in the coffee world, and what is one bean that we need to try? → How can we take our own next steps of personal and professional growth in 2026? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing…
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Powerful Productivity for School Leaders - with RICH CZYZ
→ What hope is there for the school leader who feels constantly overwhelmed? → What’s the most common productivity pitfall that school leaders fall into? → How can we manage fires and interruptions without burning out? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live…
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The Power of Direct Instruction - with Dr. Zach Groshell
→ How can direct instruction impact student learning and growth? → Where are schools going wrong with technology in the classroom? → Is it possible for every student to succeed without lowering expectations? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube...
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5 Boundaries for Teacher Flourishing - with RAE HUGHART
→ What are some moves that teachers can make to protect their mental health? → What’s better: stay at school til the work is done, or leave as soon as possible? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am...
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Assessment Practices for Student Success - with KARLEY ALLEYN
→ How can our assessment decisions increase equity for all learners? → Are learning targets actually a valuable part of instruction and assessment? → Should teachers give zeros for cheating or deduct marks for late assignment submissions? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire...
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How to Humanize Parent-Teacher Conferences -- with JEFF SMITH
→ How can we reimagine parent-teacher conferences? → What are the issues most responsible for burning out teachers today? → What are some rhythms and activities that can keep our fire for teaching alive? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most...
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Supporting Student Learning Beyond the Classroom -- with SCOTT NUNES
🔥 How can we bring back the golden age of Edu Twitter? 🔥 What happens when we step out of the classroom and into edtech? 🔥 How should schools and districts think about AI tools for teachers right now? About This Guest Scott Nunes is an international keynote speaker and award-winning education...
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3-Minute Leadership RESET: Rekindle Your Fire for Education -- with SEAN GAILLARD
🔥 What happens when our doubts, mistakes, and questions start to take over? 🔥 What is a quick, simple routine that we can follow to rekindle our fire? 🔥 How can music build identity and belonging in a learning community? About This Guest Sean Gaillard is a school administrator in North…
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Rethinking Kahoot and Blooket - with MARCIE SAMAYOA
🔥 Are Kahoot and Blooket the best ways for students to review content? 🔥 How can we build fluency, literacy, and thinking skills in the science classroom? 🔥 What’s the role of pencils and paper in the classroom of 2025? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing…
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4 Ways to Lift up Our Students with MARCUS LUTHER
🔥 What can we do as teachers to uplift the students in our classrooms? 🔥 What happens when our students see themselves in a story of learning? 🔥 What should concern us most about AI tools in education? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most...
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5 Powerful Daily Rituals for Every Teacher
🔥 How should teachers start every day? 🔥 What are the best ways to organize our workspaces? 🔥 When is the right time to leave the school building? About This Guest Today’s Teacher on Fire is Liz Prather. A 30-year high school classroom teacher, Liz is the Co-Director of Programming for the...
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Should Students Be FORCED to Apologize?
When students have committed offenses against other students, staff members, or property, should an apology be optional? Here are my thoughts. Read the blog post here: https://teachersonfire.net/2025/01/26/im-sorry-why-im-in-favor-of-forced-apologies/
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CYBERBULLYING in Our Schools: Supporting Our Students with EVA HARVELL
🔥 What’s the state of cyberbullying in our schools today? 🔥 What are the silent impacts on our children, and what can we do to protect them? 🔥 When used effectively, can devices actually increase collaboration and communication in the classroom? Join me in conversation with Eva Harvell as we…
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SAVING Our TEACHERS with ERIN TASHIAN and MICHELLE PAPA
🔥 What can teachers do to protect their fire for teaching? 🔥 What can we do to attract and keep great people in our profession? 🔥 What happens in a school community when the principal is not okay? Join me in conversation with MICHELLE PAPA and ERIN TASHIAN as we dig into these critical...
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90 - Scott Nunes: Creativity, Technology, and Communication
SCOTT NUNES is a dad, teacher, coach, Schoology ambassador, and CCCUE board member. He’s also Nearpod certified, MIE certified, a site leader, rapper, and co-host of the TNT EdTech podcast! In our conversation, Scott describes the challenging experience that led him from a career in design to...
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89 - Lynmara Colon: Leadership in Equity
LYNMARA COLON is a dynamic leader committed to student learning and growth. She is passionate about technology, access, and equity for all students, and was named in the NSBA 20 to Watch for Innovative Practices. As a former teacher, assistant principal, and principal, Lynmara is focused on...
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88 - Alicia Ray: Innovator, Blogger, and Lifelong Learner
ALICIA RAY is the Lead Digital Learning & Media Innovation Facilitator at Surry County Schools, NC. Possibly THE most committed reader and reviewer of the education books from Dave Burgess Consulting, Alicia is also the author of the soon-to-be-released Educational Eye Exam! Follow Alicia on...
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87 - Kristen Nan: Disruptor, Risk Taker, and Idea Generator
KRISTEN NAN is a 3rd Grade teacher who serves near Pittsburgh, PA. She's a blogger, presenter, and award winning educator for innovative practices. Kristen describes herself as a believer in goodness, idea generator, risk taker, and disruptor in education! Follow Kristen on Twitter @nankr1120 and...
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86 - Pernille Ripp: Teacher, Blogger, and Author
PERNILLE RIPP is a prolific blogger, highly recognized speaker, literacy expert, creator of the Global Read Aloud, and the author of several books, including Passionate Readers: The Art of Reaching and Engaging Every Child. She’s also a Danish educator living in the US, mother of 4, and soulmate…
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85 - Andrew Milne: Speaker, Blogger, and Health Ed Teacher of the Year
*I need your help! As a listener of the Teachers on Fire podcast, please contribute to my MEdL research on educational podcasting and impacts on professional practice by completing this survey: https://forms.gle/kQk6wdLFcyRe6zPEA. It should take no longer than 5-15 minutes and will mean the world...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Warming your heart, sparking your thinking, and igniting your professional practice. Reach out on any social media platform @TeachersOnFire. Hosted by Tim Cavey.
HOSTED BY
Tim Cavey
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Teachers on Fire have?
Teachers on Fire currently has 320 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Teachers on Fire about?
Warming your heart, sparking your thinking, and igniting your professional practice. Reach out on any social media platform @TeachersOnFire. Hosted by Tim Cavey.
How often does Teachers on Fire release new episodes?
Teachers on Fire publishes regularly with 320 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Teachers on Fire?
You can listen to Teachers on Fire 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 Teachers on Fire?
Teachers on Fire is created and hosted by Tim Cavey.
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