The Thoughtful Teacher Podcast

Teachers are drowning in data and much of this data has little value to inform and improve instruction. Scott and Matthew Courtney discuss how to solve this problem- and do so simply and without wasting valuable time.

Matthew Courtney is author of the book Exploratory Data Analysis in the Classroom and he shares how to effectively choose useful data (that teachers are probably already collecting anyway) and manipulate that data to help make real, meaningful instructional decisions. And this can be done without buying any software or taking a class in multivariate statistics: these are accessible processes that any teacher and any team can use and immediately begin developing a culture of instruction that is richly data informed. 

Thoughtful Teacher Podcast host Scott Lee explores the problem with the growing trend of retaining 3rd grade students for a full year using state testing scores. This commentary considers some of the problems with using state tests in this way, policy considerations and a few ideas for what could be done differently.

Scott Lee has a wide ranging conversation with author and former teacher and literacy coach Jill Speering. Jill shares insights from her memoir Rubies in the Rubble: An Educator's Transformation from Pain to Prominence, from Abuse to Absolution. The discussion includes Jill's work as an elementary teacher, district-wide literacy training specialist and school board member. This insightful discussion touches on literacy, teaching for joy (instead of a test) and school board politics. 

Author Isela Arredondo discusses her book about about an absent parent I Will Always Be There and how she works with cancer survivors using jewelry making as a healing activity. She also shares her education experiences from her perspective as a US immigrant. 

This commentary by Thoughtful Teacher Podcast host Scott Lee outlines a vision for meaningful change in how we do schools. Using a historical background we explore the current state of our education systems and what is missing as many schools do not adequately respond to the changes in society that are not reflected in our schools. 

Host Scott Lee offers commentary about what should be assessed in schools. 

Ellen Montgomery returns to The Thoughtful Teacher Podcast to discuss her work in implementing trauma informed programming in the Metro Nashville (Tennessee) Public Schools. We discuss how this student mental health centered initiative helps students who have experienced trauma and Ellen shares some stories about how this work positively supports both students and teachers.

In the second part of our discussion on school safety and de-escalation Amy Muphy, Brian Van Brunt and Scott Lee discuss the public health model for safety and de-escalation, teacher creativity, relationships and get sidetracked a little about films that feature teachers.

School safety and crisis intervention experts Amy Murphy and Brian Van Brunt discuss techniques for classroom crisis de-escalation with host Scott Lee. Amy and Brian recommend a research-based three-pronged approach to preventing or mitigating crisis situations in a classroom setting: clarifying norms for a safe climate, de-escalation, and teamwork. 

Sanford Johnson the Executive Director for Teach Plus Mississippi and host Scott Lee discuss teacher advocacy. Sanford has spent a great deal of his career advocating for education professionals, in this episode he shares his work supporting teacher quality as well as the activities that he and Mississippi Teach Plus Fellows including improving teacher compensation, improving mental health resources and strengthening the teacher pipeline.