New Teacher Talk

Elizabeth Wilkins and Anna Quinzio-Zafran

Are you a new teacher in an urban, suburban, or rural school? Or, are you an aspiring new teacher? We’re here to support YOU! This podcast channel is designed to help those new to teaching. We talk about the most common challenges educators face and how to find answers. On this channel, you will find a community of support as well as on our associated social media platforms: Instagram and BlueSky - @NewTeacherTalk.

  1. 2天前

    Ep 169: The Science Behind Peer Tutoring: How Students Learn by Teaching

    Join Ken King, education professor at Aurora University, as he explores the transformative power of peer tutoring in elementary and middle school classrooms. This episode provides aspiring and early career teachers with research-based strategies and practical implementation tips for making peer tutoring work in any classroom. Ken breaks down peer tutoring into an accessible framework covering four essential areas: benefits for learners, advantages for tutors, the learning science that makes it effective, and concrete classroom strategies you can use tomorrow. Discover how peer tutoring creates individualized support, builds student confidence, reveals learning gaps, and enhances metacognition for both tutors and learners. Learn three ready-to-implement strategies including peer tutoring rotations, teach-back moments, and strategic partnering systems. Ken provides detailed examples from real classrooms, including a fifth-grade science lesson, a seventh-grade water cycle activity, and a fourth-grade math exercise. You'll also get essential tips for structuring tutoring interactions, monitoring for accuracy, and using sentence stems to support student explanations. Whether you're a student teacher, first-year educator, or experienced teacher looking to refresh your instructional toolkit, this episode offers valuable insights into transforming your classroom into a collaborative learning community where every student thrives. #PeerTutoring #InteractingWithPeers #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #TeachingStrategies #Newteachertips #newteachers #newteachertalk #podcast

    15 分钟
  2. 4天前

    Ep 168: Teaching Beyond the Bell Curve: Helene Alalouf on the Learner Variability Navigator

    Join us for a transformative conversation with Helene Alalouf, an instructional coach with 32 years of classroom experience and professor at Touro University, as she introduces the Learner Variability Navigator (LVN)—a powerful, free open-source tool from Digital Promise that's changing how teachers approach differentiated instruction. Helene shares her pivotal moment when a principal challenged her "teaching to the middle" approach, revealing a truth every educator needs to hear: there is no average learner. This realization launched her journey toward data-informed instruction that serves all students without requiring 30 individual lesson plans or relying on debunked learning styles theories. Discover how the LVN provides over 100 research-backed strategies, each complete with descriptive overviews, classroom videos, implementation tips, EdTech examples, and related strategies. Learn how to create personal workspaces for instructional planning and explore examples from other educators focusing on SEL support, unit planning, and more. Helene reveals how implementing just two of Marzano's nine instructional strategies with fidelity, summarizing and note-taking with graphic organizers, and cooperative learning with discussion protocols and project-based learning, helped her students excel on standards-based tests while developing confidence and transferable skills. Explore the four comprehensive domains the LVN addresses: student background (including adverse experiences, language, socioeconomic status, and more), social-emotional learning (emotion, mindset, motivation, CASEL-5 competencies, stereotype threat), cognition (attention, memory, metacognition, cognitive flexibility), and content-specific factors for literacy or mathematics. Get Helene's practical six-step process for implementing the LVN: registering for your free account, creating workspaces, selecting learner models, identifying factors affecting your class profile, choosing appropriate strategies, and accessing resources during planning. She emphasizes starting small—selecting just a few factors and strategies to implement reflectively rather than attempting everything at once. Perfect for classroom teachers, instructional coaches, curriculum coordinators, and administrators seeking evidence-based approaches to differentiated instruction. This episode will transform how you think about lesson design and student variability. Ready to move beyond the bell curve and meet every student where they are? This episode provides the framework and tools you need. Learner Variability Navigator: https://lvp.digitalpromiseglobal.org/ #LearnerVariabilityNavigator #WholeChildEducation #EvidenceBasedTeaching #EdTechTools #NewTeacherTips #NewTeachers #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast

    13 分钟
  3. 11月5日

    Ep 167: Beyond the Notes: How Music Education Builds Life Skills

    Join us for an inspiring conversation with Becky Weiler (5th and 6th grade band and general music at Central Intermediate School) and Martin Czernicki (7th and 8th grade band at Shepherd Middle School), both from Ottawa, Illinois, as they reveal the transformative benefits of music education that extend far beyond academic achievement. While the cognitive advantages of music education are well-documented, Becky and Martin take us deeper into how band class develops essential life skills that students carry with them long after the final note is played. Discover how music education cultivates perseverance and resilience as students progress from opening their instrument cases for the first time to performing complex pieces. Learn practical strategies for celebrating small victories and helping students recognize their own growth through recordings and reflection. Explore how band naturally fosters collaboration and teamwork, with students helping each other solve problems and experienced musicians mentoring newcomers. Understand why music teachers say "anything less than 100% is not an A" and how this standard develops focus and attention to detail that serves students in all areas of life. Hear how music class uniquely teaches organization and time management, as students navigate pull-out lessons, care for expensive equipment from a young age, and develop independence through problem-solving before seeking help. Most importantly, discover how music creates a powerful sense of community through traditions, student involvement in decision-making, cross-grade mentorship, and teachers who show up for their students beyond the band room. From birthday celebrations to rubber duck collections, these small traditions create belonging and joy. Perfect for music educators, school administrators, parents considering music programs, and anyone interested in holistic student development. Becky and Martin remind us that schools with strong music programs see better attendance and graduation rates because music gives students a reason to show up and be part of something meaningful. #MusicEducationMatters #BandCommunity #TeachThroughMusic #StudentSuccessStories #Newteachertips #NewTeachers #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast

    14 分钟
  4. 11月3日

    EP 166: Breaking Through the November Wall: Why New Teachers Feel Isolated and How to Overcome It

    Hitting the November Wall? You're Not Alone. Join Drs. Beth and Anna on New Teacher Talk as they tackle one of the most challenging periods for early career educators: the November wall. If you're feeling exhausted, isolated, or questioning whether you're cut out for teaching, this episode is for you. Discover why that initial excitement from August has faded, why your support systems seem quieter, and most importantly, why this doesn't mean you're failing. Our hosts explain how self-doubt is actually a sign that you care deeply about your practice and your students. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the November slump affects teachers across all grade levels (pre-K through 12th grade) Powerful reframing techniques to transform negative self-talk into growth mindset thinking Practical strategies to combat isolation by making brave connections with colleagues Grade-specific resources to support your teaching journey Why "I'm not behind; I'm responding to what my students need" might become your new favorite mantra Whether you're struggling with classroom management, questioning your lesson plans, or simply feeling alone in your challenges, Drs. Beth and Anna offer compassionate, research-informed guidance to help you move forward. You're not failing. You’re becoming the teacher you've always wanted to be. PreK–5 teachers: Try a “feelings check-in” activity: https://www.theottoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Feelings-Check-In.pdf Middle school teachers: Check out the blog Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/blog/  High school teachers: Watch the TED Talk “Every Kid Needs a Champion” by Rita Pierson. https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion #NovemberInTheClassroom #NovemberWall #TeacherIsolation #YouAreNotAlone #TeacherSelfDoubt #PreKTeachers #ElementaryTeachers #highschoolteachers #CultOfPedagogy #FeelingsCheckIn #newteachers #newteachertalk #TeacherPodcast

    7 分钟
  5. 10月29日

    Ep 165: Ask for Help: A First-Year Teacher's Guide to Finding Support and Building Community

    Feeling overwhelmed in your first year of teaching? You're not alone. In this essential episode of New Teacher Talk, fifth-grade teacher Samar Abousalem shares honest insights from her own challenging first year and reveals the game-changing strategy that transformed her second year: asking for help. Samar gets real about the exhaustion, self-doubt, and impossible expectations that nearly broke her during year one—staying late at school, working through evenings at home, and struggling to balance lesson planning, meetings, parent emails, and district initiatives. But she discovered that teaching thrives on community, not isolation. In this episode, you'll discover: Why asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness How to approach experienced colleagues with intentional, specific questions Five critical areas where mentorship makes the biggest difference: curriculum planning, time management, classroom management, instructional strategies, and assessment Targeted questions you can ask right away to save time and reduce frustration Why observing experienced teachers in action accelerates your growth Whether you're in your first year or supporting new teachers, this episode provides a practical roadmap for building the collaborative relationships that make teaching sustainable and rewarding. Remember: the experienced teachers around you have been where you are, and they want to help. Perfect for: First-year teachers, student teachers, mentors, instructional coaches, and education leaders #FirstYearTeaching #ClassroomConfidence #MentorMoments #TeachingWithCommunity #EducatorGrowthJourney #NewTeacherTips #NewTeachers #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast

    8 分钟
  6. 10月27日

    Ep 164: Unlocking Student Potential: Dr. Vicki Phelps on Talent Development in Education

    Join us for an illuminating conversation with Dr. Vicki Phelps, Executive Director and Head of School at Quest Academy in Palatine, Illinois, as she explores the multifaceted approach to talent development in educational settings. Drawing on Gagné's Differentiating Model of Giftedness and Talent, Dr. Phelps takes educators beyond traditional classroom strategies to examine the powerful catalysts that transform student potential into demonstrated talent. Whether your students show promise in intellectual pursuits, creative endeavors, social domains, or athletics, this episode provides a comprehensive framework for nurturing their gifts. Dr. Phelps breaks down three essential components of talent development: environmental factors (from school facilities to family partnerships), intra-personal dynamics (including motivation, interests, and neurodivergent learning styles), and the critical developmental process that provides access to meaningful learning opportunities. You'll discover practical strategies including how to effectively use interest inventories, connect curriculum to student aspirations, embrace productive struggle, and diversify instructional methods beyond traditional approaches. Learn why lesson design directly impacts how students demonstrate understanding and develop essential skills like perseverance and problem-solving. Perfect for teachers, administrators, gifted education specialists, and anyone passionate about helping students reach their full potential. Dr. Phelps reminds us that educators are key catalysts with the power to ignite and nurture the talents waiting to emerge in every classroom. #TalentDevelopment #StudentPotential #TeachingGiftedTalented #NewTeacheTtips #NewTeachers #NewTeacherTalk #TeacherPodcast #VickiPhelps

    8 分钟
  7. 10月20日

    Ep 162: What the University Didn’t Teach You: Let’s Get R.E.A.L.

    Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Benita Gordon, founder of Global Education Concierge and veteran educator with over 26 years of classroom experience. In this episode, Benita reveals what university programs often miss and introduces her transformative R-E-A-L framework for new teacher success. Discover how to build meaningful Relationships that go beyond surface-level interactions using creative tools like Canva "About Me" profiles. Learn practical strategies for Energy management that prevent burnout, including boundary-setting techniques and mindful body check-ins throughout your school day. Explore how to create Authentic classroom culture through daily rituals, co-created norms, and intentional structure that replaces traditional "classroom management" thinking. Finally, embrace Lifelong learning with monthly professional development challenges and reflective practices that help you continuously grow and adapt. Whether you're in your first year or supporting new teachers, this episode offers actionable insights to help educators not just survive, but truly thrive in their profession. Benita's wealth of experience as a teacher, dean, parent-engagement coach, and department chair shines through as she shares practical tools and mindset shifts that make all the difference in educational success. #REALTeachingFramework #TeacherTruths #RelationshipsBeforeContent #EnergyNotBurnout #EducationConcierge #Newteachertips #newteachers #newteachertalk #TeacherPodcast

    10 分钟

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Are you a new teacher in an urban, suburban, or rural school? Or, are you an aspiring new teacher? We’re here to support YOU! This podcast channel is designed to help those new to teaching. We talk about the most common challenges educators face and how to find answers. On this channel, you will find a community of support as well as on our associated social media platforms: Instagram and BlueSky - @NewTeacherTalk.