The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast

An argument for spending more time practicing subtlety and nuance and complication in our thinking.

This episode is sponsored by Kialo Edu and Kiddom. 

These fresh ideas for student jobs will invigorate your classroom and get you and your students excited about school again—even if you teach …

Students often struggle to make meaningful connections to literature and put those connections into words. The Up-Down-Both-Why technique, which …

The yearly roundup of tools includes an audio feedback tool, sites to combat racism and media bias, and an app that lets you Google things in mid-air.

Whether it's real or fictional, putting students to work on a campaign for a cause is a powerful way to get them writing persuasively. In this …

Breakout rooms, collaborative projects, games—whatever we do, it's crucial that we do something to get our students talking to each other. In this …

In a self-paced classroom, each student is met where they are, is given an appropriate level of challenge, and grows at a steady pace throughout the …

Green screen technology allows students to create videos where they travel just about anywhere, virtually. This simple, affordable method offers so …

Sometimes, to do right by their students, good teachers have to break the rules. In this episode, I talk with Melinda Anderson, author of Becoming a …

Some of your students are in school. Others are at home. Some days they might switch. Your students are all over the place, and you're supposed to be …

If you've been looking for a fresh approach for getting students to think outside the box and collaborate with each other, this may be just what you …

Teaching is complex. It's dynamic. Every day we learn about new tools, strategies, and programs, and it's easy to lose our way. When you start to …

One of the most important things we need to accomplish as we move forward into the school year is building relationships with our students. But if …

Despite many attempts at improvement, school is still not working for many of our students, especially students of color. My guest, Dr. Gholdy …

Since blogs first showed up on the internet, they have really evolved as a genre, and they're a smart choice for a robust, long-term assignment. In …

Chances are you're going to be doing at least some online teaching in the upcoming school year. What shifts do we need to make in our face-to-face …

Are we planning with clear, measurable, meaningful learning goals to guide us, or are we just keeping students busy? Backward design helps us make …

Some educators wonder if multicultural and social justice education are relevant if most of your students are white. The answer is yes. In fact, they …

Some thoughts on what post-COVID instruction might look like when schools reopen. (Spoiler alert: None are as good as face-to-face, a few aren't too …

We all want to give more high-quality feedback to students, but there's never enough time. In this episode I talk to Matthew Johnson, author of the book Flash Feedback, about three strategies he uses to get high-impact …

If you are moving some of your direct instruction to video, whether it's by necessity or by choice, knowing how to create a good screencast is essential. In this episode, blended learning mentor Kareem Farah gives us …

While most teachers recognize the value of social-emotional learning, many struggle to fit it into their curriculum. But one of the most powerful …

A general overview of the nuts and bolts of distance learning, including general tips, advice on tech, and troubleshooting some common problems.

How often do you hear "I don't know" in your classroom? For some students, this phrase becomes a crutch that stops them from learning. In this episode, I talk with author Connie Hamilton about how we can teach students …

Although well-intended, some of our efforts to include students from diverse backgrounds can make them feel anything but welcome. In this episode, my …

If you've been wanting to try Project Based Learning but have been unsure about exactly how to do it, this is the episode for you. PBL expert Jenny Pieratt takes us step-by-step through the planning of an 8-week PBL …

If cooperative learning hasn't really worked for you in the past, don't lose hope. In this episode we'll explore tons of solutions to four of the …

How connected are you to the afterschool staff in your school? If you're like a lot of teachers, it's probably not much. In this episode I talk with …

It's a new year and it's a great time to try out a few new tech tools. Here's my annual round-up of apps and sites I think are worth a look, plus two …

Just a little story for you; the title says it all. 

Detentions and suspensions don't really change behavior. What's much more effective is having students work to repair the harm done by their actions. In this episode, I talk with Brad Weinstein and Nathan Maynard, …

Our students need more social-emotional support than ever before, and schools are coming up with creative ways to meet that need. In this episode, I …

Students with special needs are spending more and more time in mainstream classrooms, so all teachers need to learn how to support them well. In this episode, special educator Lisa Brooks helps us learn to identify …

French class doesn't look the same as it did when you were in school. In this episode, veteran French teacher Rebecca Blouwolff walks me through six …

Producing your own podcast is easier than you might think. In this episode, I share the tools and processes I use to produce my own podcast, plus …

A lot of you are out there giving lectures, presentations, and workshops, and your slideshows need work. These seven tips will help.

You ask your group a question, and you get nothing back. What's up with that? In this episode, we'll talk about some of the reasons your students (or audience members) aren't participating the way you want them to, and …

The problem of late work never seems to go away. In this episode, I share eight smart solutions teachers use to manage it with their students.

Graphic novels are wonderful for reading, but when students use the graphic novel form for their own writing, incredible stories can emerge. In this …

Historical simulations can be a powerful teaching tool that fully immerses students in an experience, but when it comes to traumatic or violent …

OERs have gotten really good over the last few years, but in order to steer clear of the crap, you have to know where to look. In this episode, I …

Cognitive scientists are learning more all the time about what strategies really work to help people learn, but teachers don't always know how to apply that knowledge in the classroom. In this episode, I talk with Pooja …

A one-pager is a highly engaging, visual tool that allows students to synthesize learning, but some kids don't think they're creative enough to make …

Ask any group of teachers if their goal is to simply have students regurgitate facts, and every one of them will say no. Despite that, it keeps happening. In this episode, we'll look at two of the most common errors …

When you've done lots of diversity training, but something is still missing, it might be that people still aren't comfortable having honest conversations about race. In this episode, I talk with Glenn Singleton, creator …

Is it a reflection of a warm school culture, or a subtle way to get teachers to volunteer more time? If you suspect it's the latter, it's time to …

Physical movement makes learning stick better. In this episode, we'll explore six different ways to add more movement to your classroom.

If you use rubrics, this episode is for you. I talk with administrator Mark Wise about five guidelines that can help make your rubrics more effective.

In this episode, I talk with Khan Academy's founder, Sal Khan, about the platform's new mastery learning feature, which allows learners to get personalized practice, filling much needed skill gaps and advancing at their …

Many dress codes unfairly target students in certain populations, doing more harm than good. Is your dress code due for an upgrade? In this episode, …

To master this craft, we need to choose our words carefully. This mini-makeover shows how revising our language in four common classroom scenarios …

Could your school stop its normal routine for a full day and devote it entirely to unstructured play? That's what thousands of schools all over the …

This year's collection includes a discussion monitor, a tool that analyzes writing, a virtual reality tour maker, and my favorite new game.

Quality note-taking is a powerful learning tool, but to do it well, students need to be taught how to do it. In this episode, I talk with …

Awareness of educational inequity is important, but we also need to take action. In this episode, professor and activist Pedro Noguera shares ten …

High school English teacher Jeff Frieden shares his Ongoing Conversations strategy, a simple, effective way to get students to have rich, one-on-one …

In too many classrooms, we're expecting students to learn material without asking them to do much of anything with it. Why is this a problem? Where did it come from? And what can we do to fix it?

There's a lot of confusion about how to use leveled texts in the classroom. In this episode, I interview literacy expert Jen Serravallo about the mistakes teachers and administrators make with leveled texts and which …

When we blame our teaching problems on the collective inferiority of a generation, we only make things worse. In this episode, we explore the problem …

Voice of Witness is an organization that curates oral histories, stories told by people whose voices are rarely heard: Migrant workers. Refugees. …

In classrooms all over the world, students take notes every day. What does academic research tell us about the best ways to use note-taking in our classrooms? In this episode, I'll share 8 important take-aways. 

Want your students to have rich, complex discussions about the texts they read? In this episode, high school English teacher Marisa Thompson shares a …

Imagine a professional development scenario where you are given funding, choice, and time to collaborate with others in your specialty area who …

The ability to tell a good story is one of the things that makes human beings extraordinary. Here's the process I used to teach my own students how to do it.

To mark the milestone of 100 episodes, I'm sharing one of my favorite posts, Lessons in Personhood: 10 Ways to Truly Lead in Your Classroom. Thank …

Is your tech tool doing the work you think it is? Or could it actually be widening the same gaps you're trying to close? In this episode we …

American Slavery is a difficult topic to teach, and for decades, we haven't been doing a very good job of teaching it. In this episode, I interview …

No one likes it when an administrator plays favorites. But what if the favorite is you? In this episode, I share a story about one of the most …

If you're like me, you've been a little slow to warm up to the idea of makerspaces in the classroom. In this episode, John Spencer helps me understand what a makerspace is, how it can add value to any classroom, and …

To do this work and stick with it long enough to get good at it, you need a level of emotional resilience most other jobs will never require. In this episode, my guest Elena Aguilar shares 12 habits teachers can develop …

Grades impact everything from college admissions to whether students get to go on certain field trips. With so much at stake, how can we make sure …

Middle school students are a special breed, and I was lucky to teach them for years. In this episode, I'll share my own advice about what makes them …

Are your worksheets contributing to meaningful learning, or just keeping students busy?

Money and space are nice, but they are NOT prerequisites for learning-friendly design. In this interview with learning space expert Bob Dillon, we explore tons of simple things teachers can do to make their classrooms …

The sit-and-get, one-size-fits-all model is disappearing. Taking its place are these 9 alternative models for teacher professional development.

With its focus on building relationships and repairing harm, rather than simply punishing students for misbehavior, restorative justice is being …

You have so much good stuff to share, but to get anyone to actually look at it, you need to give it some polish. In this episode, we look at why the …

Traditional feedback looks back on a past that can't be changed, and that's one reason it isn't always well-received. But when we shift to a practice called feedforward, where our focus is on the future, we can have a …

One of them is super trendy. One takes you into the past. Three can be used in a dozen different ways. And one you're going to want to try right away. Come listen.

In schools, where our work demands constant interaction with other people, conflicts are always waiting to happen. By practicing validation with our …

In an effort to boost test scores and close gaps, too many schools are using more reading "activities and programs" and cutting back on time for …

Most of us recognize that schools need to change to meet the demands of the information age, but we don't have many models to follow for making that …

Discrimination and harassment are still a daily reality for many LGBTQ students. In this episode, I share 9 specific things teachers can do to help these students feel safer and more accepted in the classroom and within …

Graphic organizers can pack a strong instructional punch if you know how to use them. In this episode I review the research on why graphic organizers work so well, list 10 creative classroom uses for them, and offer a …

One thing they don't teach in our education courses is just how freaking much students talk, and how hard it can be to quiet them down. To tackle this problem I went to Michael Linsin, the creator of Smart Classroom …

The research is clear: Retrieval practice is one of the most powerful ways to learn. In this episode, I talk to Pooja Agarwal about what retrieval …

Some teachers think they're practicing culturally responsive teaching, when in fact, they're kind of not. In this episode, I interview Zaretta …

After years of hearing teachers' stories, I have reached the conclusion that there is one element that makes the difference in whether the teachers …

From work-arounds to fundraising to Wi-Fi on the bus, this episode explores 11 creative ways schools are addressing the digital divide.

Whether you're brand-new to block scheduling or you've been doing it for years, this episode will have you handling those 90 minutes like a boss.

Teaching grammar in isolation is not only ineffective, it can actually make student writing worse. So when students make mistakes, what should …

You thought you knew project-based learning? You haven't seen anything yet. In this episode, I interview Stephen Ritz, a Bronx teacher who has spent …

Educators, especially those in leadership roles, spend far too much time in isolation. An educator mastermind gives us a group of peers to help us …

Why is it that so many teachers have a hard time taking good care of themselves? In this episode, I interview teacher productivity expert Angela Watson about the reasons we struggle to make time for self-care and four …

By using HyperDocs, digital lesson plans that pull together all of a lesson's resources into one place, teachers can make room for more interactive, …

For many students, getting into a highly competitive college drives most decisions about where to spend their time and energy. But what if some of …

So many teachers have English language learners in class, but the teachers have no training in how to support them. In this episode, I gather tips …

The last day before vacation. After-testing days. The day when the fire drill messes up your plans. What do you do when class is in session, but actual teaching may not be in the cards? I have thirty fantastic ideas.

A digital curation project is a fast way to engage critical thinking in any content area. In this episode, I explain how it works. For links to all …

Most people who teach at the college level do so without any formal training. In this episode, Norman Eng, author of Teaching College: The Ultimate …

In far too many cases, schools do not support students of color in ways that help them grow to their full potential. My guest, Dena Simmons, shares …

Plagiarism is a serious problem for many teachers, and to beat it, we need to go beyond looking for new ways to threaten, catch, and punish students for it. We have to work on prevention. The 5 research-based exercises …

Many of us like the idea of personalized learning, but we don't have many models for making it happen. In this episode, I interview the founders of …

Most teachers struggle with what they might call lazy, unmotivated, or disorganized students. What really works with these learners? In this episode, I interview executive function coach Seth Perler about the systems he …

Here they are: My six favorite ed tech tools for this year. They are not all brand-new, but I don't think any of them are getting the attention they …

How significant is the runaway problem in the U.S.? What resources are out there to prevent running away and help those who do it? I interview Maureen Blaha, Executive Director of the National Runaway Safeline, to learn …

Can studying be taught? I interview cognitive psychologists Megan Smith and Yana Weinstein about six high-power, research-based learning strategies …

This episode is a goody bag for everyone! My buddy Mark Barnes, publisher of the Hack Learning series, shares some of the best ideas from all nine of the books in his series. If you don't walk away from this episode …

So many regular ed teachers feel inadequately prepared to serve the needs of students with special needs. In this episode, special educator Jam …

Genius Hour has exploded in classrooms over the last few years, and teachers who want to try it have a lot of questions. In this episode I ask A.J. …

I've got a bit of a rant to share with you in this episode, and it has something to do with Grecian Urns. Chances are you have one or more of these in your lesson plans, and in this episode I'm going to help you find …

If we want to make our content really relevant to students, we need to design our instruction the way a chef orchestrates a good meal. Rather than …

So much of learning depends on whether your students feel comfortable taking risks. In this episode, I share some suggestions for making your classroom an academic safe space.

If you're always looking for short, high-quality informational and literary texts to use in your classroom, you are going to love the free online library at CommonLit. In this episode, I interview CommonLit founder …

If you're trying to figure out an easy way to manage differentiated instruction, this episode will be a big help. Teacher Tracy Enos explains how she uses student playlists--customized, digital lists of assignments she …

Dialogue journals are a simple but powerful tool for building trust with your students and sustaining that relationship all year long. In this …

An interview with Michael Linsin, creator of the Smart Classroom Management website. Michael shares his insights about how to design and implement an effective classroom behavior plan.

Are we meeting the needs of black girls in our schools? In this interview with author Monique Morris, we talk about her book Pushout: The …

If you're trying to figure out exactly what you need to improve about your teaching, it helps to listen to your body. In this episode, I walk you through 5 questions about key areas of your teaching to help you uncover …

If you’re finding that your classroom management seems to be a problem no matter what you do, there’s a good chance you might be doing something to get in your own way. Here are 10 mistakes teachers make that can …

If you've ever thought about using podcasts as classroom texts, but didn't have time to find the right ones, you're going to be blown away by Listen Current, a website that curates the best podcasts of public radio and …

For educators, Twitter is part of an essential 21st century toolkit, but so many people don't know how to use it well. In this episode, I share six …

Many parents opt to "redshirt" or delay their child's entrance into kindergarten. This practice is generally seen as beneficial to a child's success …

When choosing end-of-unit or end-of-year assessments, we often fall back on essays, presentations, or tests. In this episode, I'll teach you how your students can easily create PDF e-books to demonstrate their learning, …

Do you yell at your students (or your own children) more often than you want to? I'll share some techniques that can help you stop yelling, and the …

What are the best practices in tech training for teachers? In this episode, I interview three technology integration specialists to hear what they've …

To adapt to changing student needs, some school libraries are reinventing themselves as makerspaces. But the principal of one Ohio middle school had …

If we know what works to motivate students, why are so many students still unmotivated? These five questions will help you determine if your practice is really in line with research.

Hundreds of thousands of teachers are required to teach students the art of argumentative or persuasive writing. As an experienced writing teacher, I want to share my own best practices in this area. In this episode, …

While working on the update of my book, The Teacher's Guide to Tech, I learned about a whole lot of tools that can make your teaching more efficient …

So you got a new teaching job. Congratulations! The only catch is, you're starting in the middle of the year. This survival guide will help you …

Teachers never seem to be able to find enough time to get their work done AND have a healthy, balanced life outside of school. And until now, I had …

Is it better to rescue our kids every time they make mistakes, or let them experience the consequences of their actions? In this episode, I interview Jessica Lahey, author of The Gift of Failure: Why the Best Parents …

Can being more dorky make you a better teacher? Can it make the world a better place? I say yes.

Is it possible to differentiate instruction so that students truly move at their own pace? My guest, middle school math teacher Natalie McCutchen, …

What can CrossFit, a fitness movement that is quickly growing in popularity, teach us about learning and motivation? As a new and very low-level …

Do you need some fresh ideas for class discussions? When it comes to helping students practice speaking listening skills, are you stuck? In this episode, I describe 15 class discussion strategies you can start using …

What is it like to be an instructional coach? To learn more about the challenges of instructional coaching, I asked two coaches to explain what they do, how they approach their work, and what they have learned about …

What is it like to be an instructional coach? To learn more about the challenges of instructional coaching, I asked two coaches to explain what they do, how they approach their work, and what they have learned about …

Despite our best intentions, sometimes teachers make decisions that alienate students beyond repair. In this episode, I share stories of mistakes I made that damaged my relationships with three different students, and …

Are any of these ineffective teaching methods still part of your practice? I have done them all, but now I know better. In this episode, I'll explain …

Every teacher has had students whose names are hard to pronounce. Some of us shrug this off, saying we're just no good with names, or we give our students nicknames instead. In this episode, I talk about the message we …

When we try to solve school problems with committee meetings, district-wide initiatives and new policies, change can be slow as molasses. But we are …

Are we taking the wrong approach to learning? The book "Make It Stick" presents new research that shows how some of our most common studying and teaching practices don't have any real research to support them. In this …

What is dogfooding, and why do teachers need it? In the Season 1 finale, we explore the essential practice of doing your own assignments -- to find and fix problems -- before giving them to students. 

The list of ways a teacher can improve is a mile long. Since you can't do it all at once, here are eight paths you might take toward professional growth.

A lot has changed in education over the last decade, and many teachers will tell you those changes have not been good for anyone, least of all students. But what can a teacher do about it? Is it possible for teachers to …

Not long ago, if you wanted to record and distribute music, publish a book, produce a film, sell your art, or reach an audience with your voice, …

Are you preparing for a teaching job interview? In this episode, I talk to five experienced administrators about the things prospective teachers …

After teaching elementary school for years without revealing that she was gay, Jessica Lifshitz finally decided it was time to come out at school …

Helping students improve their writing skills is no longer solely reserved for English language arts teachers; educators in all content areas are …

This year, Starr Sackstein made a drastic change in her high school English and journalism classes: After years of feeling as if students cared more …

How important are nonverbals when it comes to your effectiveness as a teacher? In this episode, I talk with Teaching for Success CEO Jack Shrawder about the specific non-verbal behaviors that make teachers less …

For some teachers, it has become a habit to send the majority of discipline problems elsewhere: Either we write up an office referral, threaten to …

Sometimes the simplest techniques are the most effective. Think-Pair-Share is a humble but powerful teaching strategy that's due for some attention. …

How important is the relationship you build with your students, and how can you make that relationship better? James Sturtevant, author of the book You've Gotta Connect, joins me to talk about why the teacher-student …

What are the most productive ways for teachers to talk to their students about the shooting of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the incidents that have occured in its aftermath? In this episode, I talk to José …

When she gives her son timed math tests, a homeschooling mom notices his anxiety and wonders if she's taking the right approach. I pull together some …

Welcome to our very first installment of "Ask the Cult," our call-in advice show for teachers and anyone else with questions about teaching, …

Whether it's called 20 percent time or genius hour, more teachers are starting to carve out instructional time to allow students to pursue their own …

In the 10 years she's been raising a daughter with autism, Leigh has had good and bad experiences with teachers and schools. In this honest, funny, …

What makes a Montessori school so different from a traditional public or private school? How is the Montessori philosophy -- which many only …

In Episode 2 we talk to Carrie, a former elementary school teacher who recently left teaching to pursue a different career. She talks about the …

Kim, a passionate ESL teacher and our very first guest, talks candidly about the complexities of teaching English learners: the power imbalance that arises when the kids speak English but the parents don't, why ELL …