Empowering the Educator Within

Christina Shala
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Empowering the Educator Within is a practical and inspiring podcast for teachers and education leaders. Hosted by Christina Shala, it covers educational frameworks, planning tools, ELL and language support, reading strategies, and hot topics in education. Each episode links to The Education Blog at www.shalabooks.com for added insight and resources to support your professional growth.

  1. 25/08/2025

    EP39 - Leading with Clarity, Empowering Creativity

    What if the secret to unlocking teacher creativity isn't more freedom—but more clarity? In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, Christina Shala explores the often-overlooked connection between structure and innovation in schools. Discover why a lack of alignment can stall creativity—and how a clear framework can actually give teachers the freedom to thrive. 🎧 Whether you're a school leader, coordinator, or classroom teacher, this episode will help you rethink what real creative freedom looks like—and what needs to come first. For tools that support this work, check out the Empowering the Educator Within book, workbook, and our ESBPlanners software at shala-books.com—designed to help schools move from vision to implementation. Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    6 min

  2. 09/08/2025

    EP38 - How to Bring School Values into Every Lesson

    School values often look great on posters and sound inspiring in assemblies—but what happens when the bell rings and lessons begin? In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, we’ll explore simple, practical ways to make those values part of your daily teaching. From quick, in-the-moment connections to intentional planning strategies, you’ll learn how to weave values into any subject, without adding to your already full schedule. Plus, I’ll share how a small change to your planning process can make it second nature to highlight perseverance, empathy, responsibility, and more—lesson after lesson. If you’re looking for tools to help put these ideas into practice, the Empowering the Educator Within book and workbook offer ready-to-use planning templates, and ESBPlanners makes it easy to embed value prompts directly into your daily and weekly plans. Whether you’re working with a school-wide initiative or looking to strengthen your own classroom culture, this episode will give you strategies you can start using tomorrow. Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    5 min

  3. 08/08/2025

    EP37 - The Support Staff Survival Guide: From Reactive to Ready

    Support staff often find themselves reacting on the fly—stepping into lessons midstream or being handed tasks without context. In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, we walk through five practical strategies to help you move from scrambling to supporting with confidence. Learn how to access the curriculum, preview resources ahead of time, request rubrics, create shared planning systems, and leave meaningful materials behind for students when you can’t be there. We also highlight ESBPlanners, our collaborative planning software that helps teachers and support staff stay coordinated without extra meetings or last-minute scrambling. If you’re looking for actionable steps to transform your support role and better serve your students, this episode is for you. For ready-to-use planners and rubrics that complement these strategies, check out the Empowering the Educator Within book and companion workbook. Plus, tune into Episodes 5 and 6 for insights on reporting student progress clearly and collaboratively. Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    7 min

  4. 07/08/2025

    EP36 - The Real Reading Gap: Is It in the Student or the Resource?

    Are we misunderstanding what it means when a child “can’t read”? In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, we revisit the conversation around reading gaps—and shift the spotlight from student deficits to the materials we’re using to assess and support them. Are we combining decoding and vocabulary too early? Are our “level one” books actually aligned with what’s being taught? We unpack the difference between learning to read and building vocabulary, explore the risks of resource mismatch, and rethink what early readers really need to succeed. Whether you’re a classroom teacher or curriculum coordinator, this episode offers practical reflection on how we teach reading—and how we can do it better. 🔗 Mentioned in this episode: Free early reader eBooks and blogs: https://shalabooks.com 💬 Like this episode? Please share, comment, or rate the show—it helps bring these conversations to more educators around the world. Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    6 min

  5. 06/08/2025

    EP35 - Plan Your Classroom with Purpose: 8 Steps to Intentional Setup

    Setting up your classroom isn’t just about where to place the tables or how to decorate the walls—it’s about designing an environment that supports learning, reflects your teaching goals, and grows with your students. In this episode, we walk through an 8-step planning process using the Classroom Setup Planner—a free visual tool that helps you organize your space with intention. Whether you're a new teacher, changing grade levels, or simply looking for a fresh start, this episode will guide you through every decision with clarity and purpose. 🔗 Download the Classroom Setup Planner Visit shalabooks.com or use the link in the episode description. 📚 Mentioned in this episode: Empowering the Educator Within – The book and workbook for intentional school planning ESBPlanners – Digital tools for aligning curriculum, classroom setup, and collaboration 💬 Share how your classroom setup is supporting your learners! Leave a comment on the blog or tag us @shalabooks. Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    7 min

  6. 04/08/2025

    EP34 - From Pushback to Partnership: A 3-Step Plan for Leading Change

    Ever pitched an idea you were sure would spark excitement—only to be met with silence or resistance? In this episode, we walk through a simple 3-step process to turn pushback into partnership and bring your team along for meaningful change. Whether you're launching something new or refining something old, this approach helps you shift from conflict to collaboration. 🛠️ Mentioned in this episode: 🔗 Companion blog post with feedback templates: How to Overcome Resistance to Change at Your School 📘 Empowering the Educator Within book & workbook: Tools to support intentional school leadership and planning l Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    5 min

  7. 31/07/2025

    EP33 - From Inspiration to Implementation: Turning Professional Development Into Practice

    We’ve all felt the post-conference buzz—the excitement, the fresh ideas, the urge to rethink how we teach. But too often, that energy fades once we’re back in our classrooms. In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, we explore why most professional development doesn’t stick—and what’s missing from the equation. The answer? Planners. But not just any planners—the kind designed to help you move from theory to practice with intention. We’ll look at how the right planning tools can turn one-time inspiration into long-term growth, and why every PD session should end with a plan in hand—not just a pile of notes. 📝 Read the companion article: The Problem With Current Professional Development and How to Solve It 📘 Explore Empowering the Educator Within—the book and workbook that help schools plan with purpose 💻 Want a digital solution? Check out ESBPlanners for collaborative school-wide planning Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    6 min

  8. 29/07/2025

    EP32 - Teaching Foreign Language with Purpose in the Early Years

    In many Early Years classrooms, foreign language lessons feel more like standalone performances than integrated learning experiences. A teacher pops in with songs and stories—and while students enjoy the moment, the language rarely sticks. In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, we explore how to make foreign language a meaningful part of classroom life. From collaborative planning to playful immersion, we’ll walk through four practical strategies that connect language learning to what students are already doing—and where they are developmentally. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, a language specialist, or a school leader looking to strengthen your program, this episode offers simple, impactful ideas to bring foreign language learning to life. 📝 Read the companion blog article: Ensuring Meaningful Foreign Language Classes in the Early Years 📚 Explore tools from Empowering the Educator Within, the book and workbook designed to help schools plan with purpose Looking for a specific focus? Browse all episodes by category in the Empowering the Educator Within – Episode Guide.

    7 min
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About

Empowering the Educator Within is a practical and inspiring podcast for teachers and education leaders. Hosted by Christina Shala, it covers educational frameworks, planning tools, ELL and language support, reading strategies, and hot topics in education. Each episode links to The Education Blog at www.shalabooks.com for added insight and resources to support your professional growth.

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