We speak with the 2019 Teacher of the Year, Rodney Robinson. He doesn’t have a typical teaching assignment. The 19-year veteran of Richmond Public Schools works at a school inside the Richmond Juvenile Justice Center.
Teacher mindset is a buzzword in education right now. But what does it really mean to have the right or wrong mindset in class?
A teenager gets put on blast on social media for peppering her speech with the word “like”. Why our teachers think using verbal fillers is and isn’t a big deal.
Can the adversity that students face be boiled down to a number? The makers of the SAT are going to try. Our teachers say that’s both a good and bad idea.
Teaching abroad can have its perks…but are they enough to pull teachers away from America?
After San Francisco’s plan to tackle school segregation actually made it worse, our teachers discuss how our conversation around this issue needs to change.
A high school newspaper’s story about a student sex worker causes a national stir. Now the district is threatening to fire the newspaper’s teacher adviser. We get that teacher’s side of the story.
Schools statistically are safer than they’ve been in years…so why doesn’t it feel like it?
Some say Fortnite, the video game, should be banned. Our teachers say that’s a bad idea. Instead, schools should be learning how to take advantage of kid’s gaming passion.
Teacher shortages have been around for decades, but new research shows it’s getting worse. What impact does that have on kids and classrooms?
WARNING: This episode contains conversations about teen suicide. The number for the National Suicide Helpline is 1-800-273-8255.
The specter of teen suicide is again in the news. Do you feel comfortable broaching that topic with your students? Our teachers have advice.
The achievement gap between rich and poor students has hardly budged in 50 years. Our teachers say maybe we need to redefine what “gap” even means. Plus, bathroom access is always a hot topic at schools, but are we hurting student’s health by restricting when they can go?
A college admissions cheating scandal has shocked America. Our teachers say…you think that’s bad…how about all the legal ways the admissions process is unequal. Plus, “grit”…our teachers say there’s a lot wrong with how it’s being used in the classroom.
Dr. Seuss is one of the most beloved children authors of all time, but his place in the literary canon is being challenged. The reason has to do with history and race. Plus, Chicago public schools has a big problem with gangs…but our teachers say what they did to fix the situation only made it worse.
The Denver teacher strike was focused mostly on complaints about incentive pay. Our teachers break down that idea. Plus, standardized testing…what is it good for?
THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE YOU HAVE OR HAVE HAD A STUDENT WITH A LOVED ONE IN PRISON. BUT WE RARELY TALK ABOUT HOW TO HELP KIDS DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF MASS INCARCERATION. WE FIX THAT ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE.
Many city schools struggle with the g-word. Gentrification. But there are actual steps schools can take to get involved. Plus, norms about manhood are changing but our teachers seeing a difference in their male students? Three female teachers give us their take.
Class size was a big sticking point in the recent LA teachers strike. But how do you know when a class really is too big? And the Covington Catholic mess, some say it’s a teachable moment. If so, who’s getting taught and what are they learning?
If reading is fundamental, why do so many American kids struggle with it? Emily Hanford from American Public Media explains. Plus, we know about the achievement gap, but what about the homework gap.
The national teacher of the year calls the detention of migrant children at the border “abuse” and an “atrocity”. But she says teachers can do something about it. Plus, as American cities are becoming less segregated…are schools following suit?