Third Rail Classroom

Episode 8: So, What Did We Learn This Season?

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2030726/open_sms] In this final episode of the second season, Santha and John reflect on the topics they discussed during this season about improving teaching quality, including building level-PD, incorporating student feedback, and the teacher evaluation process. They also reflect on the teacher strike they went through earlier in the school year and the role that teacher unions might play in the future. Last, they share some goals and excitement they have for the upcoming school year, even as they bemoan the end of summer.

Bonus Episode: Live Teacher Roundtable

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2030726/open_sms] Recorded live at the College Board’s annual Advanced Placement conference in Las Vegas, John and Santha host an engaging roundtable of teachers from around the country who represent multiple disciplines and grade-levels about they continue to improve as professionals. The guests are Kate Cordes, an English teacher from Billings, Montana, Matt Ellington, a social studies teacher in Chino Hills, California, Karen Hyers, a math teacher from Minnesota, and Jim Morris, a professor of Biology at Brandeis University, near Boston.  Thanks to BFW publishers for hosting this roundtable.

Episode 7: How Can Student Feedback Help Teachers?

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2030726/open_sms] Throughout this season, Santha and John have been  talking about how to get better at their jobs as teachers, but have missed an invaluable resource for teacher improvement that is right in front of them…literally right in front of them: their students. In the first part of the episode, Santha coaches John on how to develop an effective survey of his students to get actionable feedback from them, and in the second half, they look at the results together and discuss next steps. Be sure to check out sample teacher feedback surveys on the website: thirdrailclassroom.com

Episode 6: How Can Teachers Improve Student Attendance?

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2030726/open_sms] Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic. While we know that this severely impacts students’ learning, what exactly is the role of the classroom teacher in addressing this issue? John and Santha discuss the need for a systemic response by schools and districts, and then Santha shares interviews with students who were present at her school, but who chose not to go to class. Their responses lead John and Santha to discuss possible actions that classroom teachers can take to encourage student attendance.

Episode 5: Interview with Dr. Josh Bleiberg -- What do we know about teacher evaluations?

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2030726/open_sms] Throughout this season, Santha and John have been looking at the different tools available to help teachers to get better at their jobs, one of which is the evaluation process that most teachers are required to go through every year. Do they actually help teachers or are they just another hoop for them to jump through? To try to get some answers, John interviews Dr. Josh Bleiberg, an Assistant Professor of Education Policy at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education.