Dear Teacher

For the final episode of Dear Teacher I interviewed two of my very first interviewees, Anne Grogan and Chrissie Lockman. Anne and Chrissie are both trained elementary school teachers turned homeschool moms who are passionate about education. In this interview they trade stories about out-of-the-box teaching ideas, how to survive the stress of homeschooling, and how to practice grace and good self-care.

Dr. Maureen Gallagher talks about her experiences teaching English at Slippery Rock University. She also reflects on the ups and downs of teaching during the pandemic.

Faculty developer Dr. Laurel Willingham-McLain shares insights from her career teaching and caring for teachers. From directing a university center for teaching and learning to consulting one on one with faculty during the pandemic, Laurel talks about adaptation, growth, and valuing people.

Your host Rachel becomes the interviewee! In this episode, learn about what it's like to teach full-time high school, part-time college, and manage both during the pandemic. Podcast sound editor and husband extraordinaire Mike makes an appearance as interviewer.

Justin Fanzo teaches Game Design at Penn State University. Listen in as he shares why he chose the profession, the unique challenges and rewards of teaching game design, and what it was like to start a new position during the pandemic.

North Carolina Music teacher Ralph Shoemaker shares his experiences with adapting to the pandemic and reflects on why he pursued a career in music education. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Rachel Ferguson talks about her experiences working as an elementary school teacher at a private project-based school. She shares her school's plan for navigating the pandemic face-to-face and remembers the women who inspire her to teach. Editing credits go to my super fabulous husband Mike. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Annie McCumber, homeschool teacher and mom of four, shares her love for homeschooling, her thoughts on unschooling, and her passion for math and reading. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

History professor turned high school science teacher, Dr. John Wineland talks about the heroic feat of transitioning from teaching college to high school and from teaching history to science all while adapting to the pandemic in the public high school classroom. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

When I was a graduate student, I was inspired by Dr. Danielle St. Hilaire‘s confidence as a woman in higher education. In part two of her two-part interview, Danielle talks about her experiences leading the Duquesne University English department during the pandemic, reminisces about the teachers who inspired her, and shares nuggets of wisdom from her own journey creating a persona and appearance that feel authentically hers in the classroom. She also shares insights from her own vantage point about the future of higher education post pandemic. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In part one of a two-part episode, Dr. DanielleSt. Hilaire, Milton expert and chair of the English department at Duquesne University, talks about her first love (Paradise Lost), shares the story of why she became a teacher, and reflects on what it's been like to pair teaching with working as an administrator.

Heidi Allenbaugh Wineland gives us a window into her world as an elementary school art teacher. She identifies both the need for art and the difficulty of teaching it during the pandemic and shares the inspiring story of how she and her community worked together to provide art supplies for over 600 students this past spring. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Jen Kane teaches high school English in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In this interview, she talks about the honor of mentoring world changers in the high school classroom, the wonder of watching students grow, and the need for teacher self-care. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this mini episode, yours truly shares a few stories from my week about learning how to enjoy those lovable teenagers in the classroom.

From book shortages to small class sizes, Sarina, a middle school English teacher in Central Florida, talks about the challenges and even advantages of teaching during the pandemic.

Professor Chris Fairchild from Southeastern University in Florida shares his secret for making accounting exciting for students, admits to participating in some faculty pranks, and talks about what he finds so life-giving about teaching. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week your host, Rachel, announces a change to the podcast format and shares a snapshot of what returning to the classroom face-to-face looks like for her during the pandemic.

Michael Thomas shares experiences from his first year teaching Language Arts in Middle School and celebrates his own 9th grade English teacher and her significant influence in his life.

Mr. Phil Hays shares stories from his 35 year career as a geography/social studies teacher at Conrad Weiser Middle and High School in PA.

Chrissie Clarkson Lockman, elementary school teacher turned homeschool teacher, shares her passion for homeschooling, experiential learning, and her unfortunate experience with a tasty prank. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Dr. Gary Grieve-Carlson, professor of English at Lebanon Valley College, talks about the excitement of learning while you teach, the challenges of teaching during the pandemic, and how teachers inspired him to love reading. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

An interview with Anne Langshaw Grogan, an elementary, middle, and homeschool teacher who knows all about overcoming challenges and embracing humor. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app