The Teachers' Classroom

Trauma researcher and author Kristin Souers talks about her work, and discusses what makes a school resilient, and how the systems of a school need to come together and work in tandem toward being trauma-informed.

Is your school or district walking the talk? Are they training educators to become trauma-informed but then still run the school as if it's the 1050's? Using the Appreciative Inquiry model as her framework, guest Lisa Dinhofer takes us through questions a team of educators can ask themselves as they go through the work of ensuring that the operations and systems within their workplace are actually trauma-informed.

Crisis expert Lisa Dinhofer is back to explain the nuances of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, vicarious trauma, and burnout. As we are navigating this new world of SEL and mental health-focused schools and programming, it's important to understand the differences. Language matters.

Founder and CEO Tracy Heilers and Board President Lindsey Frank of the Coalition of Schools Educating Mindfully (COSEM) share how the organization came about and how they created their book, "Educating Mindfully: Stories of School Transformation Through Mindfulness." This text has become one of their most popular tools it helping schools and districts implement a climate of mindfulness based SEL.

Host Matt Weld speaks with ParenTeach and ParentABLE founder/CEO Katharine Bensinger about the importance of teaching parenting and caregiving to high school students. It's important for kids to understand Adverse Childhood Effects while they are young and to gain enough child development and personal advocacy skills to avoid 'unintentional' parenting mistakes.

Author and educator Greg Wolcott joins host Matt Weld in discussing the importance of relationships in schools. Greg also gives easy classroom strategies to strengthen relationships with students and teachers.

Social Emotional Learning - SEL - is the buzzword in education. Author, coach, and teacher Lindsey Frank stops in to talk about what SEL is, how adding the mindfulness piece adds power, and how teaching kids her HEART process can be a lifelong gift.

What's it like attending an English-speaking school from the perspective of a student who doesn't know English? In this conversation, Bridget, a High School Junior tells her story of how she navigated teachers, friends, and the friction between her White and Latin identities as she learned the language and culture of America through school.

'Verify before you Amplify' is the catchphrase of How2Inform, a website dedicated to teaching students about misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation on social media and the Internet in general. Dr. Vesna Markovic and Kimberley Skubic, both with backgrounds in criminal justice, talk with host Matt Weld about their program.

Meditation in the Classroom with Dr. Bill Meyer, author of the book, "Three Breaths and Begin: a Guide to Meditation in the Classroom." In addition, we discuss the hallmarks of good SEL programming in schools and the different ways in which they can start.

Learn about Illinois Education & Technology Conference (IETC), Raising Student Achievement Conference (RSAC), Educating Mindfully Conference (EMCon), The Teacher Leadership Summit (TLS), and The Illinois Digital Educators Alliance Conference (IDEACon) coming up later in 2021 and into 2022.

There is a substitute teacher shortage in the United States. Substantial Classrooms used design thinking to come up with possible solutions on where and how to recruit subs, how to train them, provide ongoing support, and also how very little changes in school procedures can make a big difference in the substitute's experience.

Adam Geisen and David Lerch from the podcast EdTechDistilled had host Matt Weld on as a guest to talk about the future of Professional Development post-COVID. Discussion includes edtech updates, the Directions Conference, and a summary of what we are doing in our own lives and what we're drinking that night.

Host Matt Weld has a conversation with Communications Professor Julie Smith that ranges from Formula 1 Racing to Star Wars to trips out west to empty nesting and more.

​A required course for all Freshmen on Personal Wellbeing facilitated by a Wellbeing Coach? A multi-layered system for educator support? It's actually a thing at the high school in Lake Forest, IL, a suburb of Chicago. Dr. Matt Dewar, the wellbeing coach for the district describes the program and why it's so effective. In addition to providing his go-to tips for on-the-spot stress reduction, he explains the importance of breath and our mind-body connection as well as how our society's view of intense exercise as a stress-reliever might not be as effective as we think it is.

Tens of thousands of Americans and millions of persons worldwide are trafficked each year and compelled into labor or the sex trade. Ginger Coakley, co-executive director of Eden's Glory, a rehabilitation center for exploited women, and Winda M., a trafficking survivor, describe the situation and offer some suggestions on how teachers and schools can help identify victims and prevent human trafficking through education.

Katy Fattaleh of the NORA Project sits down with host Matt Weld to talk about empathy, compassion, sympathy, the use of the word 'disability' as well as how to use 'person first' language when talking about people with differences and disabilities. Katy goes on to give examples of how to make differences and disabilities part of what's normal in the classroom.

Personalized Digital Inquiry emphasizes the personal relationships that we build, the role that digital texts and tools play, and the way in which we cultivate a culture that inspires learners to grow and change in relevant ways. Dr. Julie Coiro is a professor of reading and digital literacy at the University of Rhode Island, landing here after having taught PreK - 8 students with learning disabilities. In addition to speaking nationally and internationally, Dr. Coiro works with educators to support their understanding of digital inquiry as part of comprehension strategy instruction designed to foster engaged reading and deeper learning.

Listen in to Dr. Eric Jensen as he discusses poverty with host Matt Weld in a conversation that covers the definition of poverty, classroom teaching techniques, ideas for parental involvement, the importance of educator self-care, and more. Dr. Jensen is the author of more than 30 research-based books, and speaks internationally.

Schools aren't the only place where trauma is studied, unpacked, and used as a new lens through which to view human psychology and behavior. DeCruit is a nonprofit whose mission is to help veterans work through their trauma with the help of Shakespeare. Matt's conversation with Dawn Stern illustrates just how much of what happens in schools to help students with trauma can work throughout their lifetime.

You know how every once in a while you cross paths with someone and you wonder why you’ve never met this person before? In this episode of The Teachers’ Classroom, we are going to take a slight detour so that I can introduce you to Kim Darche who is definitely someone you should know.

Anger is one of the most common human emotions and one that educators often face from other people, whether parents, colleagues, or community members. Understanding what anger is from a physiological standpoint, how we receive anger, and then how we can best deal with the anger of others helps us to maintain control of our lives and sanity.

The teacher, substitute teacher, and administrator shortage continues to cause classes to be cancelled or filled by unqualified people. Dr. Jim Rosborg, long-time educator in Illinois, discusses the history of teacher certification as well as the poor choices that have been made. This is a republishing of the most-listened to episode on this podcast with an update on developments since the original publication.

As educators empower students with personalized learning and problem-based learning, we need to make sure that their opinion matters. In this episode, Desiree Alexander defines Student Voice, how it differs from Student Choice, and how teachers and schools can start hearing their students' voices.

Digital Equity in schools involves many different conversations, from big-picture politics to families and their access to - and knowledge about - technology used for learning. Dr. Beth Holland from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) and Mindy Fiscus from the Illinois Learning Technology Center discuss what digital equity conversations are going on at both the national and state level before we dig down to talk about what schools and teachers can do to ensure equity within their classrooms.

Sometimes the people you meet by being a Connected Educator help you with a single question. Others remain long-term collaborators, like Rae Fearing with Matt Weld's NoWorksheetWeek project. In this episode, Rae and Matt talk about teaching, leadership, technology, NGSS, Google Innovators, and more.

Positive relationships between students and teachers solve both discipline and instructional challenges while making the classroom experience even more rewarding for everyone. Kiera Vargas gives concrete methods on how to form positive relationships with students.

In a continuation of our 'What Do They Do?" series, host Matt Weld of TeachIllinois talks to two IL school superintendents about their roles and responsibilities. Their answers may not be what you'd expect.

Two college students talk about how they teach forgiveness - what it is and steps to getting there - to incarcerated youth. They discuss the different forms of forgiveness including re-forgiveness, something we all need to practice.

What are the most compassionate responses to students immediately following a traumatic situation, and how that compassion extends into the long term? Real do's and don'ts from an expert in navigating traumatic events. We're publishing this Bonus Episode in response to the uptick in student deaths we have seen in our region this season.

There's a difference between advice and feedback, and there are ways to work smarter not harder. In this episode, Amy Mayer, a nationally known speaker and Google professional development guru, shares her secrets to quickly providing feedback that is personally relevant to students.

As schools become aware of the importance on their brand and how their presence on social media can drive the brand and the culture of their buildings, it's important to understand what makes good content. Taylor Siebert of ClassIntercom is an entrepreneur from Nebraska who has found that through servant leadership, working hard comes naturally, with connections that actually hold value.

More often than not, people in helping professions are experiencing Role Creep, where they are expected to do more than what the job description outlines. In order to maintain the mental health of everyone in schools, we talk about possible shifts in new teacher training as well as pre-emptive resilience training and the importance of friends.

Part of being in a helping profession such as teaching is responding to others' behaviors. Add to that the lurking specter of disaster in which we are responsible for the safety of 30 children plus students at once, plus the long work hours, and it's the recipe for a traumatic response on the part of the educator. This episode with our Professional Crisis Tamer discusses the cognitive and emotional components of a crisis, Moral Distress, and Compassion Fatigue.

Two high school students discuss how they started a business in 5th grade and have grown it into a national voice for Minecraft in Education. They share some of their biggest lessons learned when starting a business, such as the importance of contacts as well as how Minecraft can - and should - be used in every classroom starting in first grade.

In which I follow my own advice, become vulnerable, and put my learning out there for all to share in the hopes that others may find a tidbit to spark an interest. I muse about gender, mindfulness, decision making, trends in conferences, and multipotentiality. We're all in this great profession called education to share and learn from each other.

O'Fallon, IL District #90 Board President John Wagnon has been a board member since 2013 and president since 2015. In this episode, he explains the purpose of the BOE, its role with the superintendent, as well as some responsibilities that came as a surprise to him.

Every school has a brand. Every school should celebrate the great ways they are keeping their promise to educate and nurture the community's kids. Joe Sanfelippo talks about how his district uses social media with intention to communicate their story to their families and to the world.

Shawn McCusker of EdTechTeacher and co-host of the 'So We've Been Thinking' podcast joins the show to chat about the power of podcasting, his story of starting a podcast with his co-host, and details on how his show actually comes together.

New Athens High School teacher Kyla Patton has studied with John Maxwell, leads PD sessions for her district, and understands that teaching and coaching become transformative when you focus on the person. In this episode, she shares some of her routines and resources.

Regional Superintendent Julie Wollerman stops by for a conversation on the function of the Regional Offices of Education in Illinois, and what her role is. We also dive into a bit of truancy and the function and operation of Alternative Schools.

Master Teacher and national researcher Patrice Bain continues her discussion of working with metacognition and information retrieval with students. In this episode, we talk about (among a whole host of other topics) the best way for kids to take notes, use flashcards, and how to boost your study guides.

Master teacher and nationally recognized expert in how students learn, Patrice Bain is a 25-year veteran of teaching middle schoolers. She shares her simple yet powerful tips on how to help students understand their learning and how to retrieve information. This is the first of a two-part series.

What are we preparing our students for? What sort of work will they be doing in 10 or even 20 years? What do the schools who are currently successful do to maximize student success, and how should the schools of the future look to prepare our kids for the work of the future? Eric Patnoudes currently serves as the director of strategic initiatives at Otus.com.

Illinois Computing Educators' CEO Amber Heffner joins the show to talk about the new ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Standards, how ICE is helping educators across the State with PD and networking opportunities.

Dr. Beth Holland has over 20 years of experience in education. She blogs regularly for EdTech Researcher at Education Week and Edutopia, presents nationally as well as internationally, and researches the socio-historical, psychological, and communication systems affecting innovation in schools. In this episode, she talks about using different lenses to view education and possible changes, and then how to approach change in schools using a method from the Public Health sector.

Harvard graduate and rugby player, Standford design school fellow, and entrepreneur several times over, Jill Vialet talks about the role of an active lifestyle in her life as well as her experiences going through Design Thinking process in order to start two of her businesses, Playworks and Substantial Classrooms.

Mindy Fiscus, Digital Access Coordinator of the Learning Technology Center of Illinois explains the Future Ready Framework - its history, structure, underlying theory, and the impact it can have on the school improvement process.

Causes, effects, and solutions surrounding the shortage in teacher candidates in Illinois are discussed, including what can be done by the individual educator.

Educator and happiness coach Kim Strobel discusses some of the research behind happiness, and gives 5 Happiness Strategies for educators to practice daily that will increase their happiness baseline.