Leading from the Classroom

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A brand new season of Leading From the Classroom is here—a podcast series about the heart, hopes, struggles, and strengths teachers see in their classrooms every day. Each week, you’ll hear the 2018 Teachers of the Year share their personal stories about what helped shape them as educators, and how…

NWEA & CCSSO


    • Jan 29, 2019 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 5m AVG DURATION
    • 93 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Leading from the Classroom

    2018 Idaho Teacher of the Year: Becky Mitchell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 4:12


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Idaho Teacher of the Year Becky Mitchell tells us why she thinks asking kids what they want to be when they grow up is the wrong question.

    2018 Wyoming Teacher of the Year: Sara Reed

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 4:28


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Wyoming Teacher of the Year Sara Reed shares why she believes that sometimes, the teachers who make the biggest difference are the ones who go against education norms.

    2018 Maine Teacher of the Year: Kaitlin Young

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 5:48


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Maine Teacher of the Year Kaitlin Young talks about the experience of inviting Senator Susan Collins to her school—and how her students took the opportunity to ask the tough questions they cared about most.

    2018 New Mexico Teacher of the Year: Ivonne Orozco

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 7:12


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 New Mexico Teacher of the Year Ivonne Orozco tells us about heritage language learners, and what students in her Spanish class taught her about the link between identity, culture, and language.

    2018 Montana Teacher of the Year: Melissa Romano

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 6:24


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Montana Teacher of the Year Melissa Romano shares the story of Owen, a student who showed her what’s possible when teachers collaborate.

    2018 Utah Teacher of the Year: Aaryn Birchell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 6:52


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Utah Teacher of the Year Aaryn Birchell shares why she believes that before teachers can take care of our kids, they need to take care of each other.

    2018 American Samoa Teacher of the Year: Rosalee Tela-Shoulders

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 3:49


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 American Samoa Teacher of the Year Rosalee Tela-Shoulders tells us the story of Mark, a student struggling to be accepted—and how the former troublemaker taught her a lesson about empathy.

    2018 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year: Cara Pekarcik

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 4:09


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Cara Pekarcik tells us why she believes that when her students act out, they’re really telling her about their struggles. Here’s Cara.

    2018 Nevada Teacher of the Year: Pilar Biller

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 4:01


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Nevada Teacher of the Year Pilar Biller tells us about Jenna, a quiet student who reached out with an appreciation, and ended up teaching her a lesson about giving ourselves permission to be learners.

    2018 Missouri Teacher of the Year: Beth Davey

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 5:42


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Missouri Teacher of the Year Beth Davey shares how she used music to support her students in the aftermath of the 2014 shooting of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson.

    2018 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year: Kristin Hayes-Leite

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2019 6:36


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Kristin Hayes-Leite shares the story of how she went from thinking about “I and me” to instead thinking about “us and we.”

    2018 Alaska Teacher of the Year: Ben Walker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2019 3:19


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Alaska Teacher of the Year Ben Walker talks about why he believes both parents and educators need to take action instead of waiting to be asked to get involved.

    2018 Colorado Teacher of the Year: Christina Randle

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2019 3:30


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Colorado Teacher of the Year Christina Randle tells us about one of the most important things a teacher needs to make change happen: optimism.

    2018 Delaware Teacher of the Year: Jinni Forcucci

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2019 5:45


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Delaware Teacher of the Year Jinni Forcucci talks to us about her students who learned to use their voices to speak up about school shootings—and the challenging consequences they faced for taking a stand.

    Washington, DC Teacher of the Year: Paul Howard

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2019 4:15


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Washington, DC Teacher of the Year Paul Howard talks about the myth of the “perfect teacher,” and why it’s critical for teachers to give themselves room to be “not okay.”

    2018 Arizona Teacher of the Year: Josh Meibos

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2019 4:43


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Arizona Teacher of the Year Josh Meibos tells us about his mission to bring recess back—and why he believes recess is a critical component of social development.

    2018 Hawaii Teacher of the Year: Vanessa Ching

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2019 5:02


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Hawaii Teacher of the Year Vanessa Ching discusses compassion—and how one student turned a painful event into an inspiring school-wide and award-winning movement.

    2018 New York Teacher of the Year: Christopher Albrecht

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2019 6:26


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 New York Teacher of the Year Christopher Albrecht tells us about how he found a new way to engage his students with history: by building bridges with other cultures.

    2018 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year: Heidi Crumrine

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2019 7:01


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year Heidi Crumrine tells us why it’s so important for teachers to believe in their students—and how one student taught her a lesson about the power of language.

    2018 CNMI Teacher of the Year: Antenille Santos

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2019 5:00


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 CNMI Teacher of the Year Antenille Santos tells us what happened when she chose to ignore one class’s reputation and focused on believing in them instead.

    2018 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year: Matthew Miller

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2019 4:48


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Matthew Miller shares why he believes the key to helping students succeed is by teaching them to lead.

    2018 Kansas Teacher of the Year: Sam Neill

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 13, 2019 7:12


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Kansas Teacher of the Year Sam Neill tells us what it’s like to feel powerless to make big changes—and how she started by helping a student she’ll never forget.

    2018 North Carolina Teacher of the Year: Lisa Godwin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2019 5:48


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 North Carolina Teacher of the Year Lisa Godwin shares how her own journey of learning to be vulnerable helped her become a better teacher.

    2018 Virginia Teacher of the Year: Michelle Cottrell-Williams

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2019 3:03


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Virginia Teacher of the Year Michelle Cottrell-Williams tells us about Leo—a student who struggled to find his own voice, until he had something to say about the Parkland shooting.

    2018 Vermont Teacher of the Year: Linda Cloutier-Namdar

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2019 6:15


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Vermont Teacher of the Year Linda Cloutier-Namdar tells us about Jessie, a 9th grader who needed a teacher to believe in him—and how discovering his love of hip-hop reminded her just how powerful student-teacher relationships can be.

    2018 Oregon Teacher of the Year: Matthew Bacon-Brenes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2019 7:05


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Oregon Teacher of the Year Matthew Bacon-Brenes talks about one of the most challenging classes of his career—and how he used his commitment to his students as a tool for helping them learn Japanese history.

    2018 South Dakota Teacher of the Year: Rachel Schaefer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2019 4:55


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 South Dakota Teacher of the Year Rachel Schaefer tells us how she developed an important personal motto: teachers need teachers.

    2018 Maryland Teacher of the Year: Josh Carroll

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 6, 2019 4:42


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Maryland Teacher of the Year Josh Carroll tells us about the impact climate change is having on schools in his state—and how entire communities are rising up to the challenges.

    2018 Iowa Teacher of the Year: Aileen Sullivan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2019 5:07


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Iowa Teacher of the Year Aileen Sullivan shares the story of how her son inspired her to take on a new mission: making the first day of high school more welcoming for freshman students.

    2018 Arkansas Teacher of the Year: Randi House

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2019 4:18


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Randi House talks to us about why it’s important to use your own judgment as a teacher to engage kids—even if that means going off-book sometimes.

    2018 California Teacher of the Year: Brian McDaniel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2019 3:10


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 California Teacher of the Year Brian McDaniel tells us about Jessica, a non-verbal student who found her voice in his choir class—and the inspiring message she left him with before she graduated.

    2018 Nebraska Teacher of the Year: Michelle Helt

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2019 4:06


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Nebraska Teacher of the Year Michelle Helt tells us the story of how going to one of the country’s most prestigious primary schools transformed her own feelings of inadequacy.

    2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year: Corey Bulman

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2019 6:09


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year Corey Bulman shares why he believes building connections with students is key to his job as a teacher—and why it’s so important to inspire the teachers of tomorrow.

    2018 Florida Teacher of the Year: Tammy Jerkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2019 5:12


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Florida Teacher of the Year Tammy Jerkins discusses the challenge of finding and keeping good teachers—and why she believes the solution lies in creating a support system for new teachers.

    2018 Michigan Teacher of the Year: Luke Wilcox

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2019 5:02


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Michigan Teacher of the Year Luke Wilcox shares the secret behind his approach to getting kids to connect with new ideas at school: Experience first, formalize later.

    2018 New Jersey Teacher of the Year: Amy Andersen

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2018 3:55


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 New Jersey Teacher of the Year Amy Andersen tells us how one deaf child in a daycare inspired her to advocate for language equality and change how school systems treat deaf early learners.

    2018 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year: Michael Soskil

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2018 5:47


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Michael Soskill shares what happened when his students met a classroom of kids from Nairobi—and the lessons it taught them about helping others.

    2018 Tennessee Teacher of the Year: Cicely Woodard

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2018 3:49


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Cicely Woodard discusses why it’s important to challenge all students, even the star students—and why all students need teachers who believe in them.

    2018 North Dakota Teacher of the Year: Leah Juelke

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2018 6:05


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 North Dakota Teacher of the Year Leah Juelke tells us how a class project about immigration became a powerful school-wide movement to help students support one another in what she calls, “the power of empathetic teaching."

    2018 Ohio Teacher of the Year: Jonathan Juravich

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2018 6:40


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Ohio Teacher of the Year Jonathan Juravich tells us about Ava, a student with autism, who showed him just how powerful differentiated instruction can be.

    2018 Illinois Teacher of the Year: Lindsey Jensen

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2018 5:12


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Illinois Teacher of the Year Lindsey Jensen shares how an encounter with a stranger on a plane inspired her to write a poem—and rediscover why she’s meant to be a teacher.

    2018 Georgia Teacher of the Year: John Tibbets

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2018 4:38


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Georgia Teacher of the Year John Tibbets shares why he’s on a mission to get his fellow educators to focus less on teacher evaluations, and more on helping students achieve.

    2018 Louisiana Teacher of the Year: Kimberly Eckert

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2018 7:16


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Louisiana Teacher of the Year Kimberly Eckert shares how two very different students helped define her approach to teaching—and a new practice she calls “Genius Hour.”

    2018 South Carolina Teacher of the Year: Erin Fox

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2018 5:49


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 South Carolina Teacher of the Year Erin Fox tells the story of how she found inspiration where she least expected it: at Space Camp, and how it inspired her to create the summer reading program she’s always dreamed of.

    2018 Washington Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year: Mandy Manning

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Dec 7, 2018 5:00


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Washington Teacher of the Year, and National Teacher of the Year, Mandy Manning shares the lessons she learned about tenacity and opportunity and why she believes it’s worth it to go above and beyond for her students.

    2018 Indiana Teacher of the Year: Jerome Flewelling

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2018 5:59


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Indiana Teacher of the Year Jerome Flewelling shares how he went from lecturing his students to engaging them—and the powerful results he’s seen.

    2018 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year: Jon Hazell

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Dec 7, 2018 5:13


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Jon Hazell shares how his father inspired him, showing him the lasting impact a teacher can have and what he calls, “the secret to living forever.”

    Coming Soon: Leading from the Classroom, Season 3!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2018 1:37


    New episodes start December 10th! Listen in on this sneak preview of the upcoming season with these incredible educators.

    2017 South Dakota Teacher of the Year: Beth Kaltsulas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2018 5:14


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 South Dakota Teacher of the Year Beth Kaltsulas tells us about how she set out to learn how to use social media and got a lesson about the power of stepping outside her comfort zone.

    2017 Mississippi Teacher of the Year: Jodi McKenzie

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2018 4:22


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Mississippi Teacher of the Year Jodi McKenzie tells us how a trip to the Mississippi Delta changed her perspective on adversity, and inspired her to be a voice for change with policymakers.

    2017 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year: Rebecca Foxwell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2018 5:50


    In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Rebecca Foxwell discusses why student-teacher relationships are so vital in education.

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