It’s easy to teach a unit. The hard part is designing the right assessment to see what each student has absorbed, individually and collectively. The even harder part is finding time to analyze what they turn in to see what has been learned. And the nearly impossible part is then following up to provide each individual student the missing piece of the puzzle. This week, the very not-sexy but oh-so-important question: How can we best check for student understanding? This week, hosts Toby Lowe, Rac...
Feb 13, 2025•48 min•Ep. 45
Friends, you already loved Maria Edwards, Judy Menist, Rachel Scott, and Toby Lowe, but just wait. Their vulnerability, wisdom, and depth of stories in this particular podcast episode recorded on Friday the 13th (just the day before Toby got married) will undoubtedly move you. Part therapy session, part love story, part call to action, episode 2 in “Can We Talk?” reflects on the very real, very timely topic of teacher burnout. What is it? What produces it? How do we help ourselves and our collea...
Dec 18, 2024•36 min•Ep. 44
Have you noticed that kids just aren’t as tough as they used to be? Do you wonder why so many hands come up with so many questions the minute you assign a task? Did you read t hat recent article about how elite college students no longer even have the sticktoitiveness to read a full book? Do you wish your students could persevere a little longer, bounce back a little faster? Today’s episode: “Can we Talk About Building Resilience?” is going to address just that. Hosts Toby Lowe, Rachel Scott, an...
Oct 29, 2024•49 min•Ep. 43
Do you teach? Do you work at a school in any capacity? Do you have kids of your own? Do these offspring of yours attend (or have they attended) the same school that pays your paycheck? If you have selected yes to just one of these questions, this episode is for you. But if you selected yes to more than one . . . well this episode may hit some very familiar notes (and I wish we could have invited you on as a guest.) Join host Taylor Davis and guests Anna Frame and Lea Crongeyer for an exploration...
Jan 04, 2024•37 min•Ep. 42
Hosts: Jessica Parker-Farris / Matt Luter Guest: Michelle Portera Recorded/Edited by Josh Brister (0:53-2:36) Episode Intro - Matt shares multiple resources that suggest loneliness is not a new conversation, although perhaps an unexpected and ironic one within the educational field given that educators are largely surrounded by others all day long (2:36) Matt introduces himself, Jessica, and Michelle (Josh is quietly present and recording! Thank you, Josh!) (2:36) While meeting with TEAM early o...
Dec 07, 2023•45 min•Ep. 41
This week, join host Hannah Williams-Inman as she speaks with middle school educators Paul Buckley and Maria Edwards about experiences teaching as an introvert/extrovert. (0:00-2:35) TEAM Intro and Episode Intro - Teaching as an introvert vs extrovert, and the way that may change the vibe and feeling of our day to day life here at SA. (2:45-3:10) - Can you figure out, based on this conversation, who is our introvert and who is our extrovert? (3:20) Question 1: What is your favorite part of the s...
Dec 01, 2023•24 min•Ep. 40
Sure, we’ve all experienced the very public job/side of teaching: how a teacher lectures or constructs a lesson. But what about those more veiled parts of the job of teaching that no one sees? What stories can we share about invisible parts of teaching across a range of grade levels? And what costs and benefits lurk in these often-hidden parts of our work? Join Toby Lowe, Hannah Woodward, and Saana Watson for an in depth discussion on these themes. Show notes: (3:55-5:15) A glimpse into Saana’s ...
Nov 14, 2023•32 min•Ep. 39
Sometimes you read a book or watch a movie that is so chock-full of hyperbole you just roll your eyes and lean into it for entertainment value. Sometimes that very same book or movie magically transforms before your very eyes into the truest representation of life you have ever seen. Roald Dahl’s (1988) novel, Matilda did that, with its captivating story about a young girl who encounters injustice with adults in her life at home and school with bravery, intelligence, and creativity. And in our h...
Apr 19, 2023•36 min•Ep. 38
As we discovered in the first three episodes of this series, the world of motion pictures depicting educational realities isn’t all bad. In fact, Mr Rogers, 8th Grade, and Abbott Elementary are so well-done, they strike more chords that resonate than outright clash with our realities. But we are going to end our season with two episodes that take a very different approach. Hyperbole, absurdity, and “THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN” come to mind. But even in these films that show less restraint and more ...
Apr 12, 2023•31 min•Ep. 37
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood for Kim Sewell (PK4), Andrea Stallings (ECC Instructional Assistant), and Ruth Fletcher (Little Chapel) to delve deep with their educator and Momma hats into all things Mr. Rogers. In their honest conversation, it becomes clear that the recent resurgence of interest around the show and man behind Mr. Rogers Neighborhood reflects some deep societal needs for connection, pausing, and emotional exploration. Enjoy! 2:35-4:13: Ruth and Andrea discuss two very ...
Apr 04, 2023•27 min•Ep. 36
Raise your hand if you want to go back to middle school. Anyone? Anyone? (Why is it so quiet in here all of a sudden?) If the thought of re-inhabiting your 13 year old skin makes you cringe, you should be warned, Bo Burnham’s portrayal of Kayla’s culminating middle school year in Eighth Grade might very well transport you right back. But for those of us that work with youth in this age range, Eighth Grade might be the most impactful PD experience out there. Why? By putting us smack dab in the ce...
Mar 28, 2023•44 min•Ep. 35
It’s time to grab a snack and get comfy on the couch. This season we are looking at the ways that television and movies portray youth and schooling. For those of us on the inside, representations of our profession can often be pretty annoying. (Take for example, the whole set of “savior” narratives in which the white teacher comes in with their unconventional methods and big heart and changes an entire school culture.) But today we launch our season with what is perhaps the most entertaining and...
Mar 21, 2023•32 min•Ep. 34
In this final episode of Season 5, podcasts hosts Toby Lowe, Kim Sewell, Michelle Cooper, Buck Cooper, and Rachel Scott come together to talk across all six episodes on the subject of reframing accountability. They share behind-the-scenes secrets about their episodes, discuss how all of this talk impacted their own relationships with students and colleagues, and surface the best definition of accountability we could come up with by synthesizing the six conversations that preceded this one. Liste...
Nov 30, 2022•37 min•Ep. 33
No season on accountability could possibly be complete without a conversation on what the word means for administrators. Hollie Marjanovic sits down with Head of School Kevin Lewis and Cathy Davis, who currently serves as our math lab coordinator but has successfully juggled multiple faculty and admin roles since she began at SA in 1989. In our conversation, we dive into St. Andrew’s past to get some answers about how we have become who we are today: 1:32-5:35: Cathy Davis’ favorite role in her ...
Nov 15, 2022•35 min•Ep. 32
Are we sick of the word “accountability” yet? Once you get into this fresh conversation facilitated by Buck Cooper and joined by Meriwether Truckner, Margaret Mains, and Blake Ware, you won’t be. They explore a gamut of tensions raised by the notion of faculty accountability, but they keep circling back to the most central of tenants: the need for a foundation of clear expectations. Skip to what you are interested in using the time stamps below: 2:45-3:32: What does accountability mean within th...
Nov 09, 2022•32 min•Ep. 31
This week we get into what is arguably the most fierce-love-laced aspect of this accountability puzzle . . . the role of parents. What does accountability mean for parents of school-aged children? We need all the voices we can get in this conversation, so we will hear from Michelle Portera (first grade teacher and momma), Jim Foley (history department chair), Honey May (kindergarten teacher and momma), Rachel Scott (tech integration and mom), and Frances Croft (SAPA master, mom, and many other t...
Nov 03, 2022•37 min•Ep. 30
In this episode, we fix our gaze on the history and heart behind Honor Council, a beautiful manifestation of our commitment to that age-old St. Andrew's honor code (“I will neither lie, nor cheat, nor steal”) and a concrete way that we empower students to hold students accountable. We are joined by advisor (and past student member of Honor Council), Marty Kelly, along with senior honor council member, Anthony Jones: 1:35-2:24: What accountability has to do with honor . . . even when nobody is wa...
Oct 25, 2022•23 min•Ep. 29
In this week’s podcast, hosts Toby Lowe, Kim Sewell, and Julie Rust speak with Anne Avery Boling (senior) and Tanner Purnell (fifth grader) about student accountability. From losing pencils to bullying to due dates on assignments . . there is a lot that can go wrong for youth in school settings. So how can we help each other work toward the best versions of ourselves? See show notes below: 6:07-8:10: What does accountability have to do with responsibility? 9:00-15:00: Our guests say the honor co...
Oct 19, 2022•38 min•Ep. 28
This season: “Reframing Accountability,” and if you’re wondering why we chose such a scary framing topic, look no further than our first episode: “Why is Accountability Such a Dirty Word?” In this episode, Toby Lowe, Rachel Scott, Michelle Portera, Kim Sewell, Julie Rust, and Buck Cooper engage in an honest conversation about our love-hate relationship with the word. The entire episode is worth a listen, but if you only have a few minutes and want to hop to a particular topic, check out our show...
Oct 12, 2022•36 min•Ep. 27
This week’s grand finale of our season of “Bridging the Faculty/Admin Divide” brings together seventh grade English teacher (and host) Dean Julius to discuss disciplinary systems with Dean of Students, Jen Whitt, and Head of Middle School, Clay Elliot. Skip to what you are most interested in below: 4:07-5:25: Why a good discipline system should be based on the mission of the school, which in our case involves “respecting the dignity of every human,” and why detentions might not be the best way t...
May 16, 2022•39 min•Ep. 26
So many of the issues and misunderstandings that arise between faculty and admin result from long histories, things that happened in the past in an institution, habits of interaction, and a lack of adaptability or willingness to change. Well what if you had a blank slate? A fresh start? All smooth sailing? We are going to have honest conversations with faculty and administrators in our fabulous new division (serving Infants-2’s): Foundations. What successes and challenges have come along with al...
May 09, 2022•32 min•Ep. 25
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to teach art to first graders or Spanish to seniors? Ever curious how a head of school spends their day? In this week’s episode, we share stories and lived realities from three distinct vantage points: Nancy Rivas (Co -Chair of the Department of World and Classical Languages), Jessica Farris (Lower School Art Teacher), and Kevin Lewis (Head of School). 4:37-6:12: Why no two days are the same for a head of school. 6:26-7:28: Jessica shares a day in the life o...
May 04, 2022•43 min•Ep. 24
We’re back, and we’ve got an incredible, honest episode unpacking what we mean when we talk about providing teacher support featuring two thought-provoking lower school guests: Michelle Portera (first grade teacher) and Shea Egger (lower school head). Check out the show notes below and enjoy: 2:35-3:26: Listen to Rachel and Michelle gush about Shea’s supportive, positive, caring leadership style . . . and why sharing vulnerabilities as administrators is KEY in fostering conversations, connection...
Apr 27, 2022•38 min•Ep. 23
This week’s episode in our season of bridging the faculty/admin divide: Greatness. What do faculty think make a good administrator? What do administrators think make a great faculty member? And is there a way we can all miraculously inch that direction together? I was lucky to be joined by three incredibly great humans to discuss these big questions: Buck Cooper, 8th grade math educator; Cassie Mendrop, Director of Human Resources; and Blake Ware, Head of Upper School. 5:27-7:15: Blake Ware’s sy...
Apr 16, 2022•34 min•Ep. 22
In this inaugural episode of our fourth season, we take on the controversy of graduation requirements with host Toby Lowe, fifth grade math faculty, and guest Colin Dunnigan, Associate Head of Upper School and Director of College Counseling. Listen in as we find loads of common ground between faculty and administration perspectives: 0:00- 2:10: Julie takes a trip down memory lane, and and introduces the point of this particular season’s theme: “Bridging the Faculty/Admin Divide.” 6:50-14:01: The...
Apr 05, 2022•51 min•Ep. 21
In this final episode drop in our Parent Teacher Conference season, we feature a conversation about the oh-so-fraught topic of academic performance, facilitated by Rachel Scott, our new Lower School Technology Integration Specialist. Tune in to get some perspective-shifting wisdom from Rachel Rice (mom of five young saints spanning Foundations to fifth grade), real talk from Dalton Howard (third grade teacher and mom of two herself), and honest sharing from Abigail Shannon, third grader who (if ...
Nov 17, 2021•25 min•Ep. 20
Fostering independence in three, four, and five year olds may sound like a paradox, but in this episode of Parent Teacher Conference, Kim Sewell (PK4 faculty member and mom of three not-so-tiny young adults) and Leslie Hambrick (parent to Jimbo, kindergarten, and Charlie, PK4) discuss the successes and challenges they have had both at home and school toward these ends. In other words, we explore the conundrum that parents and teachers share, well-articulated by Kim: “if we do our job well, we wo...
Nov 10, 2021•42 min•Ep. 19
This episode of “Parent Teacher Conference” takes us to the Upper School, where Emmi Sprayberry (chair of our arts department) facilitates a conversation with Raymond Huang, current senior; Tangela Chambers, mother to two upper school students (a senior and sophomore); and Dawn Denham, senior seminar English teacher. High school is full of challenges...and for many students it is where they start to figure out who they are and grapple with the idea of identity and belonging. In the past 19 month...
Nov 04, 2021•53 min•Ep. 18
Thanks for stopping by to check out the first episode of Parent Teacher Conference! This episode features a thoughtful conversation with 5th Grade History Teacher—and St. Andrew’s parent—Meriwether Truckner, Haydenne Archie, a current 8th grader at St. Andrew’s, and Katie Hathcock, a parent of two St. Andrew’s students, Stella and Carter. We chat about classroom management styles and student behavior, centered around an article in Edutopia by Ben Johnson. It was such a privilege to sit and chat ...
Oct 27, 2021•32 min•Ep. 17
We end our mini-series, “Living it: Stories from the Teaching Life” with a laughter and truth-packed episode featuring two of my favorite humans (not to mention educators) in the Jackson Metro Area: Shamia Hopper & Lucy Kaplan. I had the pleasure of working with both of them while at Millsaps College, and I can quite honestly say that both Lucy and Shamia feature the killer combo of being simultaneously (1) real (2) brilliant (3) 100% committed to more equitable spaces for teaching/learning ...
Sep 14, 2021•46 min•Ep. 16
