Wow Factor
Teaching the youngest of our schools can bring out the best and worst of all of us, but it serves as a microcosm of teaching at any grade. Hear...
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Worship Fusion
Catholic worship can come in many shapes and sizes — especially across age groups of school kids. Teacher Michelle Hurley worked with her pastor to creatively approach adoration with...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:48 — 13.5MB)
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What Matters is You
Teaching is isolating by design, but research shows one of the strongest indicators of effective learning is a teacher’s self-confidence. This expands exponentially when a teaching staff collectively believes...
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What Matters is Team
Collective teacher efficacy is the technical term for how to get farther, faster by working together, supporting each other, and believing in common outcomes. The strength of the teaching...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:21 — 15.6MB)
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What does reading stamina have to do with Adoration?
Connect the dots with prayer and practice across all subject matters while experiencing personal growth as well. Find out how Hilary Russell does it at Saint Mary’s Catholic School...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:38 — 13.3MB)
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What does a student desk look like?
Classroom size can wreak havoc on classroom design — not to mention how to incorporate individual learning vs. lectures vs. small groups and everything in between. But structure and...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:40 — 16.1MB)
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Welcome Wagon
How does your school culture reflect radical welcoming? Do you have an official onboarding plan? Are students and families welcomed naturally by all?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:31 — 14.5MB)
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Wealth, Pleasure, Power, Honor
Don Zengel challenges his confirmation class around these concepts with a simple, but universal teaching methodology that inspires conversation, introspection and deep thought. The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored by...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:15 — 12.7MB)
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We are an Easter People
Keeping the focus on Easter Joy during the busy, hectic and anxiety driven whirlwind countdown toward the end of the school year.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:50 — 14.9MB)
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Voice and Choice
When given the chance, students can thrive when allowed to participate in their learning environment. What if you challenged your class to “Choose a seat where you can learn...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:10 — 15.4MB)
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Veterans Day
What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about patriotism? How can we best honor veterans in our Catholic schools? This episode honors the stance of the Church...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:49 — 16.3MB)
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Vertical Chats
Mid-year conversations open up all sorts of new ideas and tips — especially talking to teachers who taught your students last year and teachers who will teach your kids...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:16 — 15.5MB)
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Vacation vs. vocation
Exploring the reach of parents as primary educator of the child when parents excuse their kids from school for vacation. Whose responsibility is it to keep the students up...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:31 — 13.1MB)
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Using interviews as a learning tool
Interviews can be used as a flexible teaching, learning, and assessment tool in many classes and at any grade level. This episode highlights ways to integrate interviews to create...
Trust in Tension
Real discussion requires tension and varied perspectives — but it can be stressful and scary to not be able to control the dialogue. How do we trust the process...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:19 — 17.0MB)
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Troublemaker Triumph
A deeper dive into the power of vulnerability and personal failure stories to bridge faith connections. Hear from Nicole Rewerts from Mobile, AL. The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored by...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:08 — 12.6MB)
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Trials and Tribulations
Engaging kids in mock trials of real issues to explore empathy, understanding and facts is a great way to bring the classroom to life. Hear more about one theology...
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Transitions are hard
As our adrenaline subsides with the end of the school year, embrace the exhaustion as a sign of satisfaction and completion of a job well done. Now we can...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:27 — 14.4MB)
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Transition and connection
Use the summer to prepare kids to comfortably start the year together. Offering some short, easy connection opportunities, like popsicles in the park, is good for teachers, parents, and...
Toys vs. Tools
What is the role and value of tactile learning in the classroom? Whether it is a science experiment or simply practicing handwriting, fine motor skills play a role in...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:18 — 16.9MB)
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To Tech or Not to Tech
Technology has always been a double edge sword. Strategically minimizing screen time while maximizing engagement with digital tools is an ongoing conversation and experiment. Join the dialogue!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:14 — 15.5MB)
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To Homework or Not To Homework
This eternal question can be equally frustrating for teachers, students and parents alike as everyone has an opinion and perspective. Practice and repetition can certainly be helpful, but if...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:04 — 16.6MB)
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Things in Moderation
Trying to make big changes all at once can result in undesirable outcomes. Making changes, personally or professionally, can be a slow and steady process. Whether talking about personal...
The Power of Story Telling
What do movies, books and the Bible have in common and how can we learn our faith through contemporary stories? Hear how 5th grade teacher Jill Embry from Griffith,...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:16 — 14.1MB)
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The Power of Reading
Books change lives — for our students, parents and ourselves. It helps us see beyond ourselves and our immediate challenges while opening our hearts and minds to new ideas.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:53 — 16.4MB)
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The Joy of Animals
There is a new openness to animals engaging and expanding the learning experience with their general presence as an interventionist or as an actual part of the lesson.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:56 — 15.1MB)
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The Classroom of Noah’s Ark
Every teacher has a unique, go-to lesson or activity to capture the imagination of their students and many times it can involve animals or insects. Tapping into God’s creations...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:46 — 16.2MB)
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Thank you notes to Mary
Another Loyola Press advent lesson is referenced, Advent cards. We encourage students to consider what they say YES to, from a kindergartner thanking Mary for her YES, to high...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:22 — 17.0MB)
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Test Anxiety
What if students had five minutes to talk about the test between handing it out and starting to answer questions? How do we help students reduce tension and settle...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:46 — 14.8MB)
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Teaching Writing in Lower Grades
Learning to write is a long process with milestones at each grade level. In this episode Colleen and Jill discuss the fundamentals of learning to write in the lower...
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Teaching with AI
Artificial Intelligence can create classroom havoc or magic solutions. On the positive side, it can feed the planning process with ideas and suggestions. But as with any new technology,...
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Teaching Beyond the Text
It’s important for students to see teachers as real people with real talents beyond being subject matter experts. Learn about the possibilities surrounding a Day of Engagement where teachers...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:33 — 14.5MB)
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Teachers at Conventions
So much happens at a teacher convention! In this episode Colleen shares ideas from teachers at the Indiana Nonpublic Education Association Convention. Teachers talked about their best classroom practices...
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Teachers as Students
When we open our minds and hearts, there is much to learn from the students we serve. We believe in their growth and can be pleasantly surprised by their...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:39 — 14.7MB)
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Teachers are people too
Running into students and school families while out and about during summer activities can be a surprise for all involved. Bringing a dose of humility and humanity can open...
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Talking About Writing
Practice makes perfect, but so does self and peer review. How to effectively use peer to peer reviews of student writing to help everyone improve.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:55 — 16.4MB)
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Super Substitutes
By its nature, substitute teaching is usually unplanned, but the preparation doesn’t have to be — by the teacher AND school. An annual substitute orientation session for new and...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:47 — 14.9MB)
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Super Friends, Partners, and Buddies, Oh My!
Creating community with deliberate modeling across grades builds trust, faith and family. Explore how fourth grade teacher, Noel Aquirre from Saint Mary’s Catholic School in Griffith, Indiana creates this...
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Summer Homework
Preventing summer learning loss is an annual challenge, made more critical coming off COVID learning loss. What’s doable, helpful, and impactful.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:12 — 15.4MB)
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Student-led Fundraising
Fundraising is a necessity for Catholic high schools, but the duties of fundraising can be shared among staff and students. In this episode, Jill shares a recent fundraising victory...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:02 — 15.2MB)
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Student Surprises
As the adult in the room and subject matter experts, it’s easy to make teaching all about the teacher, but students surprise us every day with their insights, gifts...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:32 — 17.3MB)
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Station Rotation
While the benefits of learning through rotating stations in the classroom can be exponential, getting the students to perfectly implement the necessary coreographed movements can be a signifcant challenge....
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:17 — 14.2MB)
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Spring Forward
Managing the post spring break Easter energy level is an annual challenge for teachers as schools head into the end of year homestretch.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:36 — 16.0MB)
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Spooktacular Saints and Souls
Explore a wide range of tips and tricks for classroom specific or school wide acknowledgment of Halloween and/or All Souls Day — all with a sense of purpose that...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:01 — 12.4MB)
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Special Impact
Electives and specials can be few and far between for some Catholic schools, but there is a concerted effort to make specials a bigger priority to help elevate kids...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:56 — 16.4MB)
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Songs of Faith
Combining pop culture with our Catholic faith by mixing popular music with prayers or scripture — “Weird Al” Yankovic style! It brings creativity, fun and a deeper understanding or...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:06 — 15.3MB)
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Solidarity & Witness
Prayer can be a unifying experience for teachers and staff when facilitated in a personal and flexible fashion because teachers have challenges too. Prayer can help bridge gaps and...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:05 — 13.9MB)
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So You used to Be a Rock Star?
Everyone’s past feeds their present and Karen Poulos leveraged her previous experiences as a personal trainer to inspire new ideas as a middle school religion teacher. How does your...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:31 — 13.1MB)
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Small Wins
Teaching is rewarding, but comes with plenty of frustrations. Embracing the every day little things can bring much needed bursts of joy and gratitude. The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:56 — 13.7MB)
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Sister Act
Experiences with nuns can run the gamut between eccentric, interesting and demanding, but their dedication and faith is always unmatched. What has been your experience with sisters?
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Shepherding Young Perspectives
Advent is the perfect season to wax nostalgia in the classroom while embracing the simple, guiding themes of new life and family love. What are you favorite books and...
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Self Advocates
Speaking up for one’s needs is a critical lifeskill. Explore ways to help our most vulnerable students turn their challenges into strengths with examples from Jennifer Kohl. The Catholic Teachers’...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:41 — 13.3MB)
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Schoolhouse Rock
Replicate these memorable Saturday morning teaching tools through song in your classroom. Let it trigger memories, discussion and conversation across a variety of topics and ages.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:09 — 14.0MB)
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School Garden
Innovative electives, such as gardening class, bring a skillset to students through curriculum they wouldn’t otherwise experience. Shout out to school leaders who let teachers take on these creative...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:05 — 13.9MB)
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Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger hunts can be fun learning tools for students, staff and even parents. It integrates movement, purpose, and a sense of adventure to share ideas and concepts in a...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:54 — 16.4MB)
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Saving the Environment
Space matters when it comes to learning. It can be fun to create the ultimate Pinterest worthy classroom, but magic happens when the environment is perfectly suited to the...
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Saint Madness
Mark Ninmer shares the growing interest in his 8th grade class’ popular YouTube saint competion using the bracket format of March Madness. It brings fun and creativity to a...
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Sage on the Stage
It can be scary to give up control in the classroom, but we also know the ideal teaching methodology is giving students the opportunity to teach themselves and each...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:39 — 14.7MB)
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Running to Community
The pressures of school sports can be legendary, especially with the rise in club sports and specialization, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Building community while maintaining...
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Rubrics Cube
Measuring outcomes in the classroom is certainly no game, but just like the Rubik’s Cube, classroom rubrics demand creativity. Setting clear rubrics healps you and the students as it...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:13 — 14.1MB)
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Rocket Science
Rocket science development is driven by failure — but our culture says perfection is a must. Science teacher Isaac Forquor exemplifies training students on the benefits of effort over...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:31 — 14.5MB)
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Robust Cross Curricular Learning Techniques
Catholic Teachers’ Lounge hosts Jill Annable and Colleen McCoy-Cejka welcome curriculum expert and Mr. Roger’s protégé, Joellyn Cicciarelli, to the lounge for a special deep dive discussion. Mixed with...
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Risk taking & resilience
A recent study has shown a drastic drop in risk taking behaviors among teens. This episode unpacks why this is NOT a good thing for kids, and how risk...
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Ripple Effect
Catholic Teachers Lounge ideas are making their way into new classrooms as concepts are shared and multiplied. Check out some of the fun success stories from early sharing. The Catholic...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:11 — 11.3MB)
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Rewards vs. Recognition
Reinforcing positive behavior is an exercise in creativity across ages and stages in every school. How to balance the standbys of food or prize rewards against the higher potential...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:59 — 16.5MB)
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Reward System
Reinforcing good behavior is the key to child development. Explore the long term impact of currency or other rewards on motivating students.
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Remember My Name
Graduation is in the air and there is no better time to embrace the results of our hard work than to help the graduating class celebrate their accomplishment and...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:37 — 14.6MB)
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Refresh and Renew
At this stage of the year, everyone can use a refresh. This is a perfect time of year to redecorate classroom walls, declutter desks and shelves and rotate classroom...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:51 — 16.3MB)
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Reasons kids misbehave and detach
It’s important for teachers to remember that student behaviors are not personal. This episode reveals 5 reasons why students misbehave and detach in school.
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Real World Classrooms
Student engagement has to be deeper than simply a desire to please the teacher. When the stakes are higher, we see students perform better and with more effort. Opportunities...
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Public Displays
Catholic schools uniquely provide opportunities for public engagement, whether it is participation at Mass, presentations in class, or even activities in front of the whole school for various functions.
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Project Runway
Danielle Iannelli brings out the funk and fun of grammar with an annual Adjective Fashion Show starring her 4th graders who create their own vivid description of their fashionista...
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Professional Development Days
Professional learning is an expectation at most schools, but sometimes teachers are required to participate in professional development without any choice in what they are going to learn about....
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Pre-school Prognosticators
Pre-school teachers bring a special creativity that every grade level can learn from in regard to engaging classrooms with multi-sensory approaches. Give yourself permission to be playful!
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Prayer Prompts
Building community by applying English writing prompts to prayer experiences. Listen to the stories of transformation teacher Jennifer Liniewski witnessed from student led prayer. The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored...
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Prayer for People
As Catholics, our rituals are a wonderful way to grow in faith, but unscripted, group prayer can also be an intentional community builder for any classroom as we share...
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Portfolio Precision
Testing for student progress can take many forms, but a great tool for assessing skill development over the course of the year is portfolio assessments. Learn how to make...
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Poetry in Motion
Helping learners of all ages remember the key points of content across science, history and theology, can be enhanced with a fun and interesting experiment in poetry.
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Please Redo
When do you stop the teaching train to make sure a student understands a key concept vs. just moving on to the next concept and assume the student will...
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Playful Patterns
The creativity and fun of theme days doesn’t have to end with annual Catholic Schools week or hiomecoming. Mary Peach uses a daily theme to keep her classroom motivated...
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Planning Makes Perfect
Teachers already know the benefits of data and measurements, but empowering students of all ages on the benefits of executive functions is a lifelong skill. Hear what a principal...
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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
As seen in the classic movie, bonding and personal growth will happen no matter the extent of challenges and chaos experienced during class trips. Whether it is a nature...
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Physical Education 2.0
Celebrating the evolution of the anxiety inducing physical education classes of yesteryear to the life skills that can be learned learned through exercise science. PE teachers can also lead...
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Personalized Prayers
Making personal connections with students is a natural and powerful aspect of Catholic education. Hear more about how one teacher made a spiritual connection as well by matching specific...
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Peer Feedback
Peer editing is ripe for difficulty, but one teacher cracked the code of peer feedback with groups of four to effectively navigate the process of constructive criticism, using reading...
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Passion for Palms
Traditions of the church can bring structure and comfort throughout the year. This is especially true for Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
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Partnering with Parents
Nothing is more stressful than the potential wildcard moments of parent/ teacher conferences. But led by advice from principal Jim White, Jill and Colleen explore ways to build new...
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Participation Points
Whether it’s line leader, lunch monitor, or clean up patrol, delegating student responsibility and involvement drives engagement, leadership skills and community pride.
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Parent Partners
Tough talk on the reality of partnering with parents when it comes to school policies and missing classroom time. Are we empowering bad behavior or we effectively collaborating with...
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Outside Connections
Making time for connecting with kids (and their families) outside the classroom at sporting events, school performances and other activities take relationships to a new level as you show...
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Orchestrated Learning
Customize your classroom environment with deliberate learning structures that keep kids moving and thinking like a well trained orchestra — thanks to Rachel Gavin’s experience. The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is...
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Opposites Attract
By design, it can be helpful to embrace our differences as teammates as well as teachers to play to our strengths across curriculum and grades.
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Open Arms, Open Minds
We trained to meet and greet new students, but how do we lean in to new staff members to help them feel welcome, connected and engaged in the community?
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One Big Life
As teachers, we can hyper focus on the act of teaching, but for the young people in our classrooms, learning is just one aspect of their complicated lives. Starting...
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Nurturing Narcisism?
Jennifer Wallace’s new book Never Enough opens our eyes to the pressure on kids and parents to achieve, achieve, achieve and the unintended consequence of teaching our young people...
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Newsletter Fatigue
Parent-teacher communication is more important than ever, but one-way digital communication like newsletters to parents can be way too easy to ignore or miss. How to create a more...
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New Perspective
The day after the eclipse, take a moment to look at what you do and how you do it with a new set of eyes. It’s easy to stick...
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Nervous system reset
The vagus nerve connects the brain to all bodily organs and is therefor affected by almost every internal and external stimulus. In this episode, Colleen and Jill discuss the...
Moving Forward by Looking Backward
Curriculum Mapping embraces the concept of backward design as you set your teaching strategy around the outcomes you want to achieve by the end of the school year.
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Mix & Match
Break up routines and expectations with small group instruction and team building exercises across interests and grades. Teacher Elaine Wagner instigates many new and different learning outcomes with a...
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Mindset of Universal Design
Universal Design is not a methodology, but instead it is a mindset or awareness. Many teachers are practicing it in some forms. Representation is a great example, as teachers...
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Memorization Methodology
Teacher Elizabeth D’Aurora asks for feedback on her practice of hearing every 3rd grade student recite memorized prayers — including non-Catholic students. It is a logistical challenge as well...
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Meeting Students Where They Are
Leaning on multiple intelligence research, Karl Sieglaff creates lesson plans to engage his students using visual, tactile, naturalist, interpersonal, and intrapersonal tactics — breaking the model of teaching to...
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May Crazies
Regular rules go out the window in the month of May for behavior rules and classroom management policies, but that doesn’t mean we can’t plan accordingly. How to make...
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Maximizing Manipulatives
Everyone has a memory of a favorite teacher who made it fun to learn — Thanks to the suggestion of Andrea Bergener, we can all be that teacher with...
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Maximizing Instruction Time
Arriving early, leaving late — what is your preparation routine to make the most of classroom instructional time while maintaining a reasonable personal balance of work and home life?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:29 — 13.1MB)
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Math Hacks
Bringing Math to life takes more than numbers — whether you are using shaving cream as a home made white board or tackling word problems using reading techniques.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:13 — 15.5MB)
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Managing Blurts
Student communication and behavior has changed so much a new term has evolved. How are we adapting as we continuously model and teach effective communication skills across grade levels...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:10 — 15.4MB)
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Making a list, checking it twice
Collaboration and cooperation is key to success in every school environment. Who deserves a special thank you in this season of gratitude? The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored by Loyola...
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Magnetic Personalities
Great culture is the best recruitment tool for Catholic schools. Share the joy and extend the fun as God prepares the person being called to fill open teacher slots...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:03 — 13.8MB)
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Magic 17
Seventeen minutes is the average amount of time where most students can stay focused. How does your instruction reflect this reality with something interactive or engaging along the way...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:56 — 16.4MB)
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Love and Forgiveness
Kick off the new year with the universal themes of love and forgiveness in mind as exemplified by the devotional, Forgive Everyone Everything.
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Lights,Camera, Action!
Movie producers know the impact of environment when telling a compelling story, but rarely do we think about the sensory impact of our classroom setting to optimize learning and...
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Life Skills
From handshakes to interview questions and communications skills to leadership opportunities, there are many ways to prepare students for the real world, no matter the grade level. How to...
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Life on display
Seeing and hearing an unborn baby impacts pro-life beliefs and advocacy. Jill shares a story about an elementary school having live ultrasounds for the student body to experience life...
Letters to Saints
Have you ever been surprised by a saint? In this episode we discuss St. Anthony of Padua and Blessed Carlo. Those who pray for their intercessions drop them notes...
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Lessons Learned
The pandemic forced us to rethink the process of teaching and we have a great opportunity to continue experimenting with new models. What needs to be hands on and...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:53 — 15.0MB)
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Lessons Learned
Building on outcomes and evidence of learning, now you can start mapping out instruction time and lesson plans. Like little clocks, kids love patterns of consistent and predictable learning...
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Lessons in Movement
Bring lessons to life with engaging activities that incorporate movement into learning, understanding and memorization.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:29 — 15.8MB)
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Lenten Lessons for Teachers
Temptation impacts everyone — students and teachers alike. Lent is a wonderful opportunity to reassess and evaluate our own lives, personally and professionally.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:34 — 14.6MB)
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Lenten Humility
Lent is not about being perfect. It’s normal to fall short. This powerful lesson provides an opportunity to learn from shortcomings in all aspects of our life as we...
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Lenten Anticipation
The Ball of Red String is a delightfully easy read for young kids, but as we enter the Lenten journey, it can lead to many deeper insights and questions...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:26 — 15.8MB)
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Learning Languages
After experiencing “Italian for Survivors” in a high school in Perugia, Italy, Jill realizes that our students back here in the US do not have much exposure to other...
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Leap of Faith
It’s scary to lead controversial topics with no clear answers, but hear how it can lead to robust student engagement at all levels with additional research, thought and ideas....
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Leadership Lookout
Academic leadership comes in many forms and from many different sources. How do the new realities of Catholic education impact the next generation of leadership?
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Leadership Conflict
Public prayer can be intimidating for some teachers — especially when doing so one on one with parents instead of leading children in memorized prayers — but mandated faith...
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Keep or Toss
The annual ritual of what to purge and what to keep as you wrap up for the summer doesn’t have to be driven by your personality. There are many...
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Inner Kindergartner
Everything you learned about teaching, you learned in Kindergarten. Explicit instructions, patience, manners and more. Channel your inner Kindergartner and bring your teaching to the next level.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:58 — 16.5MB)
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Information Overload
We love to do field trips and other immersive teaching opportunities, but when there is so much to see, do and experience, we risk information overload for students with...
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Individualized Orientation
Going beyond the norm for anxiety challenged students to ease the transition to a new year. How to remove the barriers with storytelling, one on one support, and extra...
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If you can get 8th graders to do it, everyone will do it
The 8th grade class in a school from Dallas, Texas took their reigns of their destiny by self-identifying what they think an ideal 8th grade student should look like...
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If the Walls Could Talk
Motivation, resources, and inspiration come to life with whatever you place on the walls of the classroom. The same goes for teachers’ lounge and the school in general. Bring...
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Ideation Creation
Books and movies change lives by introducing new ideas, expanding knowledge, and creating empathy for others. Hear more about how one teacher creates a fun book tasting event for...
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I Am Worthy
Navigating normal anxiety and feelings of imposter syndrome are hard enough without teachers also bearing the brunt of society’s blame game when it comes to what students learn (or...
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House Communities
Breaking up grade levels with the creation of house communities for students to grow and connect in new and different ways with other students at different ages and stages....
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Home Schooling at School
Welcoming home schoolers into a community is what Catholic schools are all about. Students can embrace new friends and teachers can see education and learning methods with a fresh...
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Helping Parents
There is no such thing as parent norms. Every family and home situation is unique, making it complicated to assume what every student should or shouldn’t do. How to...
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Hashtag Homily
Creating lasting connections with how God speaks to us at Mass while helping students engage with their peers. Learn from teacher Jaymie Perry how her students apply what they...
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Group Think
When was the last time you asked others for advice when facing a tough challenge? It’s hard enough to admit you have a problem and even harder to seek...
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Group Think
Assigning group work can be a recipe for disaster no matter the age of the kids. However, disciplined assignment of roles and responsibilities can successfully help students navigate this...
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Grading Discipline
What is the academic impact of students’ choices and behavior? Is the class grade measuring knowledge or the students’ ability to follow directions, or both? If not in the...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:29 — 14.4MB)
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Going Outside to Grow Inside
Staff retreats can be game changers for motivation and inspiration. Whether on campus or off, finding different environments and natural spaces bring new perspectives.
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Generational Pen Pals
Go beyond classroom learning with connections across generations as noted by principal Adrianne Van Norman and her Grandbuddy Pen pals for grades 4-6. This concept can extend from Kindergarten...
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Geek to Geek
How to share your excitement about a new idea, thought, book or approach without it being dismissed as the “flavor of the week” because everyone is busy and overworked?...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:34 — 17.3MB)
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Full Eclipse
Making memories with the unique and historic eclipse before, during or after the 8th with art, science and study projects.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:59 — 17.9MB)
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From Classroom to Home
It’s empowering to know when classroom experiences get replicated at home, especially when related to faith. Classroom prayer tables are a great example of an idea that finds its...
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Finding Time
In our culture of achievement, we are seeing the impact of overscheduling on our students. Is it the responsibility of the teacher to give less (or no) homework or...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:29 — 14.4MB)
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Finding and Being an Influencer
Teachers spend all day every day mentoring and supporting students, but what about your needs? Whether or not a formal mentoring process exists at your school, there are many...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:08 — 13.9MB)
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Fidget Widgets
Navigating best practices for helping kids concentrate in the classroom is a tough assignment. The development of new fidget tools often blur the lines of what is a toy...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:06 — 15.3MB)
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Feeding the Fish
Conversation and participation can be a challenge for any classroom, but Ashley Schoeller uses the concept of a fishbowl to create robust, yet controlled interaction and engagement.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:21 — 15.6MB)
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Feasting on the Saints
Understanding the stories of our faith community is a key aspect of connection and inclusion. Saints can be the catalyst for a new and deeper awareness and amazement. Hear...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:21 — 12.9MB)
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Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Initiate a fun and faithful journey to Christmas using Mary and Joseph as the creative centerpiece that your students won’t soon forget! The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored by Loyola...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:59 — 12.3MB)
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Fearless Inclusion
Fear of doing it wrong gets in the way of effective inclusion efforts for neurodivergent students. How to embrace the beauty of belonging for all kids.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:48 — 14.9MB)
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Fat Tuesday
Any change of season brings an opportunity for learning and growth and the beginning of Lent is no exception. Fat Tuesday can be a great day for celebration and...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:22 — 12.9MB)
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Family and Tradition
Principal Camile DeLano uses the Jesse tree to engage her students in a personal connection to our faith history and tradition. Our Catholic lineage reminds us that we all...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:31 — 13.1MB)
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Faith-based Connections
Catholic schools are unique in their ability to build common connections through faith. Traditions and prayer experiences allow students (and teachers!) to share in vulnerability, hope and values, bringing...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:28 — 14.4MB)
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Failure IS an Option
Ideas flow on helping teachers help their students to hold themselves accountable through empowerment, accompaniment, and the patience to let them learn through their mistakes.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:14 — 15.5MB)
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Facebook Forum
Jill and Colleen toss a topic out to facebook friends for feedback and insights on the issue of summer reading, summer homework and summer challenges. Join in on the...
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Eyes vs. Thumbs
In a world dominated by social media and electronic communication, facilitating classroom discussion that includes peer to peer eye contact, active listening, and mutual respect can be a significant...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:46 — 16.2MB)
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Exit Question
How do we know students are grasping the lessons of the day — especially if they are working independently or across multiple ages and stages of learning? It is...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:19 — 15.6MB)
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Everything I do is because of Reading
Books change lives. No matter the grade, the title or the student, great stories inspire discussion and inspiration. Christy Wissman’s power of suggestion taps into the reading passions of...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:41 — 13.3MB)
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ESport Exploration
E-Sports is gaining traction from college down to grade school. Strategy, teamwork, and communication can boost camaraderie and life experience for students, but it also increases screen time and...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:56 — 16.4MB)
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Environment and Methodology
As you prep for the start of school, explore the intersection of classroom set-up and lesson planning. What comes first? How can one serve the other? What resources are...
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Engaging Students
Student engagement is the holy grail of every classroom. Historically, differentiation was identified as the path to successfully connecting with every child, but this is not sustainable for even...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:24 — 17.1MB)
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Energizing Empowerment
Sharing authority and responsibility with students can be scary, but the right level of accessibility and ownership can exponentially change the tone of classroom behavior at all ages.
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Emergency 101: Science Subs
Teachers don’t get days off, but emergencies still happen and it pays to be prepared with timeless tools and exercises. Specific to science class, hear more about easy conversation...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:39 — 16.0MB)
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Emergency 101: Math Subs
Teachers don’t get days off, but emergencies still happen and it pays to be prepared with timeless tools and exercises. Specific to math class, hear more about fun thinking...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:19 — 16.9MB)
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Emergency 101: Language Arts Subs
Teachers don’t get days off, but emergencies still happen and it pays to be prepared with timeless tools and exercises. Specific to Language Arts class, hear more about writing...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:11 — 15.4MB)
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Don’t Smile Until Christmas
What is the magic mix of baring your soul to be relatable for your students and keeping a distance as you maintain classroom control? Are you a free range...
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DNA of a Great Day
What is the morning routine that gets you in the right frame of mind every time?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:55 — 15.1MB)
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Disciplined Discipline
Discipline is a necessary part of every teacher’s classroom experience, but there are ways to ease the process — even when parents and administration need to get involved.
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Digital Dilemma Part II
Where does the love of reading come from and how is it impacted by technology and the lack of physical books in schools and classrooms? When reading to learn,...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:41 — 14.7MB)
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Digital Dilemma
Exploring brain research in the area of consuming and retaining content digitally vs. in print. What is the best way to engage and connect with content while still embracing...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:47 — 14.8MB)
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Device Dilemma
Our greatest resource is also our biggest crutch. The final result of extended screen time is yet to be determined, but everyone recognizes the challenge at hand — mental...
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Describe and Guess
Show and tell takes on a new spin with fellow student trying to guess the special item using their inquiry skills.
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Delegation Dilemma
Every school is challenged with too much to do and not enough time to do it so delegation and shared knowledge is challenge we all face. We lean in...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:23 — 17.1MB)
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Data walls for curriculum development
In many schools data walls are used to show student progress and achievement. In this episode Colleen and Jill explore the idea of using data walls to show alignment...
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Data Driven Scheduling
School routines can support student development across grade levels when the right data is available and schedule blocks align. Notre Dame academy in Park Hills, KY created a universal...
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Dance the Night Away
80’s, 90’s and now. How relationships and culture changed as seen through school dances and social events.
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Cursive as Art or Antiquity?
Controversy and conversation revolves around the topic of teaching students cursive. Join the discussion as we explore the positives and negatives and what’s unique about Catholic school’s approach.
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Cultivating the Talent Tree
God grants every person a unique set of gifts and talents. How do we create space in our curriculum for all of those gifts to bloom fully? Hear more...
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Cultivating Fruits of Faith
Faith development is never a linear experience. Art, Spanish and religion teacher Kim Paton prompted creative and innovative thoughts with her unique art challenge to students: What if the...
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Crying Over Homework
“This shouldn’t be so hard.” “This shouldn’t take so long.” But it’s never really about the homework. Stress, feeling tired and overwhelmed, clunky technology or whatever the real reason,...
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Creating a Healthy Data Culture
Many teachers are intuitive by nature, but sometimes our greatest skill can be our biggest blindspot. Leaning into data can be the perfect compliment to help our students excel.
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Coping Skills for Life’s Limitations
We’ve all experienced failures in life but how do we empower our students to embrace the normalcy of life’s emotional roller coaster — especially our littles? Take a lesson...
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Conversation Starters
Whether teaching religion or navigating a dinner table discussion, engaging kids to share their thoughts and feelings is a challenge for everyone. The universal game of Roses and Thorns...
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Conference Connections
How to make the most of speakers, workshops and conferences. Best strategies for maximizing the learning and camaraderie at teacher gatherings.
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Community Learning
Creating an environment where learning across topics and skill levels happens best is like leading an exercise class. Denisse McKinley masterfully manipulates location, focus and engagement in a way...
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Community Collaboration
Especially in rural areas, everyone wins with collaboration and conversations across the community and other schools to celebrate everything from the holidays to service to inclusion. The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast...
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Common Language
Leveraging the concepts of Universal Design in test design, homework assignments and general classroom communication. The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored by Loyola Press. Visit us at www.loyolapress.com.
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Common Ground
As Catholic schools celebrate the inclusion of more non-Catholics, are we focused on teaching our reality or learning more of theirs? Jennifer Ferrand finds value in everyone learning about...
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College Applications
Applying for colleges today is so different than when we went to college! This episode shares insights from a college counselor on the current reality of applying for colleges...
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Coding Student Work
The methods of qualitative research apply to grading papers, too. When grading a stack of papers, how do you categorize them by what you notice? Using codes to create...
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Co-Teaching Rocks
Open the door to faith through arts and sciences while expanding personal horizons by partnering with a cross curriculum co-teacher. Learn from Theology teacher Charles Miller’s experience in Collegeville,...
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Classroom Whodunnit
Jill and Colleen go all in on CSI-like tips and technique thanks to a creative teacher who made her own murder board to break down characters and plot twists...
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Circus Strategies
Keeping kids engaged during spring fever with the end of the year in sight is especially challenging. Explore several fun and easy suggestions from creative teachers.
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Chronic Absenteeism
Over communication is critical, but maintaining a sense of privacy for the child is important as well. When it comes to juggling mental health challenges, what does success look...
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Christmas Duties
We do our best to stay focused on the real reason for the season, but the reality is teachers are the ones who have to juggle the challenges of...
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Christmas Countdown
Surviving the last week before Christmas break while making plans for rest, relaxation and rehab during the much-appreciated time away. Merry Christmas!! The Catholic Teachers’ Lounge podcast is sponsored by Loyola...
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Celebrating Your Students
Classroom management tips are as much about maximizing learning time as it is about controlling behaviors, and purposeful call back techniques can reinforce your underlying goals.
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Celebrating Your Community
Whether it’s Catholic Schools week or not, extend the reach of students and school with creative community service projects and the natural conversation connections that come with them.
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Celebrating Vocations
Prayerful discernment is at the core of any vocation assessment process — religious or otherwise — as we embrace the fact each of us is uniquely unrepeatable in the...
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Celebrating the Nation
What happens in a classroom doesn’t have to stay in the classroom. Local, state and national funding, policy making, and research depends on awareness of teacher, student and classroom...
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Celebrating Faculty, Staff, and Volunteers
The lounge is ground zero of school culture. We discussed keeping the lounge a place of culture in accord with Catholic virtue and acknowledged the times we’ve experience the...
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Catholic Schools Week with Mary Pat Donoghue
With a heart for teaching, Mary Pat Donoghue has run the gamut of supporting Catholic schools as a teacher, administrator and consultant. Now, she serves as the Executive Director...
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Catholic Schools Week with Kevin Baxter
How wonderful that a former middle school teacher is now forming and inspiring future school principals? This is what the Catholic Teachers Lounge is all about with special guest...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:33 — 15.9MB)
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Catholic Schools Week with Elizabeth D’Aurora
Every school has a trusted teacher that everyone looks up to no matter what grade they teach. Today’s guest, Elizabeth D’Aurora, a 3rd grade teacher from Parnell Michigan, is...
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Catholic Schools Week with Dr. Debbie Sullivan
Taking a stroll down memory lane with special guest Dr. Debbie Sullivan from the Greeley Center for Catholic Education at Loyola Chicago to savor all the wonderful traditions of...
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Catholic Schools Week with Bruce Hermie
School choice is changing the landscape of Catholic school enrollment and who better to talk about the positives and negatives than a former teacher, coach, and principal. Hear more...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:31 — 21.4MB)
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Buddy System
Middle school students buddy up with younger grades all the time for prayer and camaraderie, but teachers are experimenting with literature connections as well — developing modified flip books...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:13 — 15.5MB)
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Brain Space
Teachers aren’t the only ones who need dedicated time to refuel and engage our imagination. Ashley Ezell reminds us that students of all ages can benefit from brain bins...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:34 — 14.5MB)
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Board Shorts
Engagement ramps up when students can work through learning lessons in front of the class, but challenges abound making room for all kids at the board at the same...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:43 — 14.8MB)
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Blessing an Advent Wreath
Consider adding an Advent Wreath to your classroom, beginning the season with an advent wreath blessing. We discuss the Loyola Press lesson on blessing an Advent wreath.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:39 — 14.7MB)
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Blame Game
It’s easy to blame the pandemic for every current classroom challenge, but the reality is most of these challenges have been present for a long time. Becoming more deliberate...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:36 — 14.6MB)
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Ash Wednesday Social Stories
Ash Wednesday can be an overwhelming day for kids as well as adults when considering the full scope and meaning. Help ease students of all ages and backgrounds into...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:58 — 16.5MB)
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Artistic Expression
Art can transform student understanding and appreciation of not just faith, but a multitude of topics, including science, history and reason.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:42 — 16.1MB)
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Artificial Intelligence: Integrity and Ethics
Defining the scope of procedures and policies surrounding the use of AI in a school setting can not only be overwhelming, but impossible due to the constantly changing reality....
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:02 — 15.2MB)
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Artificial Intelligence: Guiding Principles
AI is not going away. In fact, it can be an extremely helpful tool for students, teachers and administrators when used the right way. How can it be helpful...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:56 — 16.4MB)
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Artificial Intelligence: Fears and Concerns
Fear of the unknown can be a helpful mechanism to proceed with caution in some areas. It can also hold us back from future discovery. But the reality is...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:43 — 16.1MB)
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Art Coach
Many teachers also coach, but how many coaches also teach? Bringing a coach mentality to the classroom can significantly improve skill development and application across disciplines. It can embrace...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:10 — 16.8MB)
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AP vs. Dual Credit
Which is better, Advanced Placement or Dual Credit? This episode debates the merit of offering these types of courses in high schools.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:21 — 17.0MB)
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Anti-picks for summer reading
In this episode, Colleen and Jill discuss ways to get kids to read over the summer, specifically through trickery.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:37 — 16.0MB)
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Adventure Learning
Learning can come to life in a memorable way when you transition outside the classroom. Laugh and learn with memories and suggestions surrounding class field trips for all ages.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:09 — 18.1MB)
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Advent Traditions
Colleen asks what’s happening in schools as we begin Advent. It’s a time of preparation, and the prayer of the moment is that even those are secularly preparing for...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:25 — 15.7MB)
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Action and Expression
In addition to presenting content to students, there are many flexible ways to allow students to present the content back to the teacher. Opening the door to adaptive technology...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:22 — 18.4MB)
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Accompanying Students
The temptations students face don’t stop after Lent. Recognizing and supporting students in their journey of faith is an opportunity and responsibility for all teachers to make a difference.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:04 — 16.6MB)
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Accommodating Positive Behaviors
When done well, sharing tips and hints about students from teacher to teacher as they move from grade to grade can be a game changer for helping students succeed...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:03 — 15.2MB)
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A-Ha Moments
Building on the tension filled dialogue episode, how to recognize a-ha moments of discovery and connection vs. students simply looking to de-rail the conversation? And then how does this...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:55 — 16.4MB)
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A Day in the Life: Teacher Interviews
Drama, drama, drama. Harnessing and inspiring student energy and passion through theatre and the arts in elementary school.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:52 — 15.0MB)
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A Day in the Life: Teacher Interviews
Shifting from education to application to keep students engaged between spring break and the end of the school year. Make learning about the student while helping them find God...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:25 — 22.6MB)
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A Day in the Life: Teacher Interviews
Character development is a priority for every school at every grade. Hear a creative, expandable solution for focusing it through a Catholic lens so it has a lifelong, faith-filled...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:39 — 11.9MB)
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A Day in the Life: Teacher Interviews
The teachers lounge is a place to celebrate each other and build a culture of camaraderie among teacher peers at the school.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:55 — 12.3MB)
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A Day in the Life: Teacher Interviews
The magic sauce of any school culture is based on connections with parents. Hear ideas for making schools a place of comfort and support for parents as well as...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:54 — 13.6MB)
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A Day in the Life
High energy, “teacher on the street” conversations with engaging practitioners on the exhibit floor of NCEA 2023. Hear from a principal about school culture and one teacher’s creative teaching...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:14 — 19.6MB)
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1st Year Teachers
Year 1 is memorable for all sorts of reasons for new teachers. Parent engagement, lesson plans, classroom management, and everything in between creates both good and bad memories for...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:02 — 12.4MB)
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100th Day Celebrations
Embracing the unique and fun aspects of the time tested opportunity to celebrate school year progress!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:41 — 17.5MB)
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Year in Review
Evaluating and remembering the past can help us improve for the future. It’s also helpful to take time to connect with others and acknowledge gratitude for our time together.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:37 — 17.4MB)
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