#385 Season 9 Ends
Teach Me, Teacher
Hello everyone! In this closing episode of Season 9, host Jacob Chastain takes a heartfelt look back at the journey so far. We get real about where the show stands today, the challenges and growth behind the scenes, and the exciting direction we’re headed. Looking ahead to Season 10, big changes are on the horizon—new formats, fresh perspectives, and deeper conversations that push the boundaries of what Teach Me, Teacher has always been about: real talk for real educators. If you’ve been with us since the beginning, or just found us this season, this finale sets the stage for an...
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#384 Guiding Your Child’s Athletic Journey with Alex Compton and Kevin Dalafu (pt.2)
Teach Me, Teacher
In this episode of Teach Me, Teacher, we delve into the transformative power of sports in shaping young minds. Joining us are Coach Alex Compton and Coach Kevin Dalafu, authors of .With over a decade of experience in coaching, parenting, and education, they offer invaluable insights into how sports can be a powerful tool for teaching young people morals, work ethic, and resilience. Drawing from their extensive backgrounds, Compton and Dalafu discuss how youth sports go beyond physical development, serving as a platform for instilling essential life skills. They share practical strategies...
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#384 Guiding Your Child's Athletic Journey with Alex Compton and Kevin Dalafu (pt.1)
Teach Me, Teacher
In this episode of Teach Me, Teacher, we delve into the transformative power of sports in shaping young minds. Joining us are Coach Alex Compton and Coach Kevin Dalafu, authors of .With over a decade of experience in coaching, parenting, and education, they offer invaluable insights into how sports can be a powerful tool for teaching young people morals, work ethic, and resilience. Drawing from their extensive backgrounds, Compton and Dalafu discuss how youth sports go beyond physical development, serving as a platform for instilling essential life skills. They share practical strategies...
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#383 The Politicization of Our Schools (John B. King Jr., Former U.S. Secretary of Education pt.2)
Teach Me, Teacher
In part 2 of this powerful episode, host Jacob Chastain sits down with Dr. John B. King Jr., the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama, to discuss his new book . They explore Dr. King’s journey from classroom teacher to national education leader, offering a rare insider’s perspective on the state of American education. Together, they unpack the challenges educators face today, including the growing politicization of the profession and its impact on schools and communities. A must-listen for anyone passionate about teaching, policy, and the future of education. John B....
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#382 Teaching, Power, and Policy with John B. King Jr., Former U.S. Secretary of Education (pt.1)
Teach Me, Teacher
In this powerful episode, host Jacob Chastain sits down with Dr. John B. King Jr., the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama, to discuss his new book . They explore Dr. King's journey from classroom teacher to national education leader, offering a rare insider’s perspective on the state of American education. Together, they unpack the challenges educators face today, including the growing politicization of the profession and its impact on schools and communities. A must-listen for anyone passionate about teaching, policy, and the future of education. John B. King Jr. served...
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#381 Building Trust with Parents as a Teacher
Teach Me, Teacher
Hello everyone! In this episode of Teach Me, Teacher, we dive into one of the most vital—and often overlooked—elements of teaching success: building genuine, lasting partnerships with parents. Whether you're a first-year teacher or a seasoned educator, gaining parent support can transform your classroom culture, student outcomes, and your overall teaching experience. Join us as we explore five actionable steps to connect with parents on a deeper level: Invite, Communicate, Extend, Follow-Up, and Educate. These steps go beyond surface-level interactions and help foster real trust,...
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#380 My Frustrations and Reflections on Life and Education
Teach Me, Teacher
Hello everyone! What a title for a podcast. But, this is a real one. No guest, just me (Jacob Chastain,) the reality of changes in my life, and my continued frustration with the discussions around education. For followers of the show, you have seen a lot of "Greatest Hits" episodes dropping. This is due for a lot of reasons that I go into, but the short of it is that life has thrown some major curveballs my way and it has been hard to balance everything. I am slowly getting there, but some things take time. This episode details changes in my life and where I am finding it hard to...
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Greatest Hits: Bring the Joy Back (Regie Routman pt.3)
Teach Me, Teacher
Hello everyone! is by far one of the most influential books I’ve read in my teaching career. It’s a book I turn to weekly for advice, insight, and encouragement in my work to bring authentic literacy to my students. So when I was given a chance to talk to Regie herself, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. , we dove deep into the increasingly alarming practice of talking about students as if they are data points and not children. We discussed why we need to humanize our classrooms, and how to think about our school culture in a way that fosters equitable practices....
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Greatest Hits: What’s Wrong and How to Fix It (Regie Routman pt.2)
Teach Me, Teacher
Hello everyone! is by far one of the most influential books I’ve read in my teaching career. It’s a book I turn to weekly for advice, insight, and encouragement in my work to bring authentic literacy to my students. So when I was given a chance to talk to Regie herself, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. , we dove deep into the increasingly alarming practice of talking about students as if they are data points and not children. We discussed why we need to humanize our classrooms, and how to think about our school culture in a way that fosters equitable practices....
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Greatest Hits: We Teach KIDS, Not Data Points! Talking Equity with Regie Routman (pt.1)
Teach Me, Teacher
This episode previously aired in another season. Hello everyone! is by far one of the most influential books I’ve read in my teaching career. It’s a book I turn to weekly for advice, insight, and encouragement in my work to bring authentic literacy to my students. So when I was given a chance to talk to Regie herself, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. To my delight, Regie is just as honest and passionate in person as she is in her many books. She doesn’t waste time in our talk getting to the heart of the matter, which is that if we want to make an impact on kids in...
info_outlineHello everyone! 2024 is here and I hear you all... There is no tired like TEACHER TIRED. It feels like the work is piling up. It feels like there is always something new to do or focus on—or worse—attempt to survive. Personal lives are taking a hit. Your sanity...
But you still love what you do. You just need some refocus.
So... ALL WEEK LONG, the Teach Me, Teacher podcast is releasing every resolutions episode made. Take a trip through remembering our focus as a community and why we do what we do. Use these days as reminders about what got us excited to go to work, and how we may rekindle that excitement to be the change we want to see in our work and lives.
To begin this week, we are jumping back in time to the end of 2019. Tomorrow, the end of 2020. The next day... well... you get it.
Enjoy, and thank you for starting the year with the show.
FROM THE ORIGINAL EPISODE:
We did it… we made it to the last Monday of 2019, and it is kind of unreal. It’s time to look ahead, plan for what we want to achieve, and begin the new decade with energy and positivity.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I love new beginnings. I love Sunday, because of what Monday has in store, and I love the end of the year because of what the new year has in store. There is just TOO MUCH possibility to NOT get excited.
So with that, I set out to detail what I believe the most important resolutions for teachers will be in 2020. They are as follows:
- Find your own way. Think critically and question everything. Do not just accept what you hear. Try it, apply it, research it. Test it.
- Help others in a way that matters. Just giving others materials or strategies isn’t enough. Help by being a thinker, questioner, and encourager.
- Have the tough conversations. Teaching is hard and detailed work. None of us get better by catering to one another’s biases or sensitivities. We have to be able to have critical discussions that lead with resect and end with results.
- Do not blame others—especially students or yourself—for the problems in your class. You are in charge of your room when that door closes, but that does not always mean you are 100% ready for your challenges. If you are struggling, either reach out for help, or keep analyzing your practice and classroom until you fix it. It is ON YOU. Blame wastes time, and it justifies having a class that isn’t amazing.
- Read professional books and research. You are a practitioner. If you want to be treated like a professional, you have to have the knowledge of one.
- Put in the work for the results you want. Do not feel guilty for taking breaks and having no work brought home, or no work weekends, or no work holidays…. IF you are getting the results you want in your classes. If you are comfortable, then enjoy. But if you are trying to push to the next level, if you are wanting more for your career, more for your students, and more for yourself, PUSH. Work-life balance isn’t about doing what EVERYONE is telling you to do. Work-life balance is about doing what balances YOU.
- Ignore the haters. As you push to get better, people will try to hold you back. They will tell you to stop. They will encourage you to take the easy way or the way everyone has always taken. The people that try to pull you down are the people who will not use themselves. People that cannot push themselves to get to the next level hate seeing others do it, and they will hold you down. Many times, this will be friends and family. Ignore them, and keep pushing.
- THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE WORLD wants you to be average, because most people are. But I’m here to tell you to push, hold yourself to a higher standard, respect those who’ve done it before you and use them as mentors. Leave behind those who don’t want to see you succeed and find those who will push you to be better. The job of teaching is impossibly challenging, but you will get from it what you put in. If you’re fine with seeing teaching as just your job, and that make you happy, then I’m happy for you. But if you feel called to do more, to BE more for yourself, your students, and your community, then I hope you face 2020 with a drive to push. It will be difficult, and too many will try to stop you, but you can do it. You can be more for yourself and those around you. You can reach new heights.
Let’s reach them together.
Enjoy!