Brave New Teaching: A Podcast for High School and Middle School Teachers Customer Reviews

These ladies supply so many ideas that are accessible to teachers immediately. That saves time but I also know they will work! Camp BNT has been an awesome experience to explore curated authors I’d never have found, like Jo Chrona, who talked about starting local when exposing kids to Indigenous writers. It’s so simple and so wise and could be applied to LOTS of people of all walks of life in our kids’ environments! Have been a fan from the start and will continue spreading the word over and over to any educator I know.

I have been listening to this podcast for almost 2 years and at the beginning it was really helpful with so many useful ideas and so much inspiration for my classes. Marie and Amanda are so chill and knowledgeable and fun to listen to, they are also very organized which helps with taking ideas afterwards and applying them to my own work.

However, more and more it seems that anything actionable or helpful is held behind a paywall and now about ⅓ of the podcast time is just spent on advertising their offers. For example, in their latest podcast episode, 186, the actual podcast didn’t start until 14 minutes into it. I completely understand there is a determined need to make this into a successful, profitable company, but I believe it is getting to a point where the enjoyment of listening is being crushed by the desire to sell the trainings — all of which I am sure are useful and worth it. It has sometimes gotten to a point where I get tired of the long-winded ads that I just skip the episode entirely.

I am hoping the podcasts can be better structured so the hosts can still inform listeners about their offers, but the primary purpose of the episode is not drowned out.

A few weeks ago I saw this podcast mentioned in a Facebook group for AP Literature and Composition teachers. I started listening, and I was shocked that I had missed all this fantastic contact for this many years. I’ve listened to at least two episodes a day for the past two weeks, and I’m working hard on redoing some of my units. I’ve felt more invigorated and inspired from this podcast than I have from almost any other PD I’ve done. Try it out!

I have listened to the BNT podcast since it began in 2020 and they have made me a better teacher. I wish they had been around when I first started teaching 10 years ago. I get so many great ideas from their podcasts and festivals. I love the Camp BNT where they interview authors and help debrief how to use these texts in your classroom ASAP. I would never have thought to use a whole class text like Yamile Saied Mendez’s Furia for a research paper but now it seems so obvious. I love hearing about these new authors and thinking about how to use the required canon with these new texts where the authors seem more real as you can hear them on a podcast. You can spiral the skills discusses into this podcast to fit your individual classroom and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

I don’t remember exactly how I found the bravenewteaching podcast, but once I did, I had been a better teacher for all the amazing, high-quality topics, resources, and discussions Amanda and Marie present. I have shared their podcast with my colleagues, and they all agree! It is a must listen for experienced and new teachers in the ELA classroom. I am a high school English teacher going on my 15th year, and I cannot believe how much I have grown and changed to become a better educator all thanks to Amanda and Marie!

For real. This podcast and all the workshops and masterclasses have helped me learn to love my job again! I’ve used so many ideas and can’t wait to try more! I’ve purchased all the workshops/festivals and they are invaluable! Marie and Amanda are the best. I feel like we’re friends :) The interview with Ruta Sepetys sparked a love for historical fiction and inspired me to create a new unit for my seniors. I seriously cannot say enough good things about these women!

Amanda and Marie share an incredible wealth of knowledge that is relevant, helpful, and applicable. As a 5th year teacher, I have a lot to learn but am also in a stage of taking on new challenges and responsibilities in my career. These two women have been a tremendous part of my growth and preparation for my first year as a solo English II teacher (small district= team of me!). Their advice, ideas, and tips are digestible enough to implement but impactful enough to inspire. I just can’t say enough good things about these educators and the help they have provided me!

I have been an avid listener of BNT as I am a newbie teacher. This summer series has given me so many ideas of how to diversify my curriculum and how to revamp existing units. My personal favorite was the interview with Jo Chrona, as incorporating Indigenous texts and conversations in our classrooms has never been more important.

This isn’t just my favorite teacher podcast, it’s my favorite podcast. Amanda and Marie share strategies and ideas for keeping rigor without sacrificing wonder that are always user-friendly and ready-to-implement-in-class-tomorrow. They also trouble shoot potential obstacles and share ways they have overcome them to still make activities and assessments work. Fun bonus: listening to them is the best mix of chatting with friends over coffee, sharing great ideas and wins in the teachers lounge, and the real talk that is often left out of PD sessions. The highest complement: when I was listening to a recent episode on my phone, my fiancé walked in and immediately apologized for interrupting what he thought was a conversation with a friend on speaker. I am inspired by every single episode and I genuinely look forward to listening every week (unlike other teacher podcasts where I pick and choose for content).

There are not enough stars to tell you how incredible this podcast is - truly. Marie and Amanda are a JOY to listen, to and the information has transformed my teaching. They have found their calling and we get to reap the benefits of their years of teaching and innovative pedagogy. Save it as a favorite and listen as you have your year set for you in ELA. Thank you both for your expertise, laughter and humor. It’s the best end to the week - BNT on Thursday and Happy Hour on Friday!