As of 2025, 32 states, along with Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, have some form of school voucher or voucher-like program (such as education savings accounts or tax-credit scholarships). Seems that voucher programs are spreading across the US like hot TikTok influencer video, captivating, but ya better check your facts first! And I, unfortunately, don't think voucher programs will be retreating back into the Pandora's box of alternate education any time soon. So public school teachers and the...
May 15, 2025•10 min•Ep. 60
In this episode of Transparency in Teaching , host Anne sits down with Zach, a recent intern turned full-time educator, who opens up about the highs and lows of his first year in the classroom—all while adjusting to life as a new parent. Zach shares the realities of teaching, emphasizing that it's far more than a nine-to-five job. From building meaningful relationships with students to navigating the demanding workload beyond school hours, he offers an honest look at what it takes to thrive in e...
Feb 28, 2025•50 min•Ep. 17
In this episode of "Transparency in Teaching," we tackle the hot topic of school choice and its potential impact on public education. On the surface, letting families decide where to spend their educational tax dollars on the school of their choice seems to make sense. But once we pull back the curtain on the consequences of this financial diversion of public funds, the idea seems more like nonsense. Are the potentially devastating effects school choice can wreak on public school resources and t...
Jan 28, 2025•56 min•Ep. 96
🎙️ Welcome to Transparency in Teaching! In this episode, Anne reconnects with her first-ever student teacher, Steven Arredondo, now a first-year educator navigating the world of online teaching. Steven shares insights on managing virtual classrooms, acing the CalTPA, and balancing workload, offering fresh perspectives for teachers curious about the digital side of education. Tune in for stories, tips, and laughs, and explore more at TransparencyinTeaching.com . Perfect for educators, from class...
Jan 14, 2025•48 min•Ep. 57
In this episode of the new series The Rookie Report, Transparency in Teaching, host Anne interviews Mark Garcia, a passionate music educator currently teaching at a high school in Rialto. Mark shares his journey from his master's program at the University of Redlands to his current role, where he teaches a diverse range of music subjects, including music education, theory, marching band, jazz band, mariachi, and concert band. The episode aims to provide insights for aspiring educators by highlig...
Dec 12, 2024•38 min•Ep. 56
Welcome to Transparency in Teaching ! In this special episode, Anne introduces an exciting new series that dives into the real-life journeys of brand-new teachers. From navigating the certification process to stepping into their first classrooms, these fresh educators share candid stories, practical tips, and lessons they wish they’d known before starting. Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll hear in this series: Mark’s Advice: Choosing between the student teaching or internship route. Stephan’s T...
Dec 04, 2024•3 min
Ok, it's just a couple of days before we have to decide what some are calling "the fate of our county." Part of that fate is what's on the slate for public education. Both candidates have education as part of their platforms. I went to each candidate's pages to see their education plans. I am bringing my findings to you in a way that is as unbiased as I can manage. Ultimately we all want the same thing-- for our children to have the best education possible that will help them be adults that cont...
Nov 01, 2024•26 min
We've been here before, twice! This is our third episode on this topic. It seems some things don't change. Districts are still struggling to hire and retain educators. This job we do and love comes with a price many aren't willing to pay to stay. We dive deep into the ongoing teacher exodus and explore the multifaceted reasons behind it. Joined by new host, Jimese, a seasoned educator from a continuation high school, the discussion covers: AI and Cyberbullying: Discover what Jen learned on her s...
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Hey there, amazing listeners! I'm thrilled to share the latest episode of our Transparency in Teaching podcast. In this episode, my fabulous co-host, Jen, and I dive into some hot topics making waves in the education world. We start by discussing Oklahoma's recent mandate requiring the Bible to be given more credit for helping our forefathers create the foundations of this country. We explore its implications and the controversy surrounding it. Next, we delve into the Louisiana mandate requiring...
Jul 17, 2024•56 min
In this episode of Transparency in Teaching, Anne and Jen discuss three intriguing news stories that could impact schools across the country. The topics include Tennessee's rethinking of its third-grade retention policy, Ohio school districts buying mobile homes to teach teachers how to shoot guns, and Iowa's potential law requiring the daily singing of the national anthem. Tune in to stay informed about these developments in education. Like what you heard? Please rate and review our podcast so ...
Jun 11, 2024•42 min
YAY! It's state testing time at schools all over the country. We love the inconvenient schedule changes and the disruption of the end-of-year rush to get through our curriculum, said no teacher ever. In this episode, Jen explains the new way state testing is being implemented and how they are trying to increase student engagement. She also empathizes with the trepidation the PE teachers are feeling about having to teach the new sex education curriculum. Key Topics Discussed: Sex Education Progra...
May 23, 2024•32 min
Welcome back to another episode of TransparencyInTeaching.com. Today, we're diving into the controversial state takeover of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), which has been making headlines. With me, your host, Miss Anne, and my co-host Jen, we're unpacking the drastic changes implemented in HISD and discussing their potential impact. HISD, the largest school district in Texas and the eighth largest in the country, has been underperforming for years. The state's intervention was tr...
Mar 11, 2024•55 min•Ep. 50
In today's episode, we dove deep into teacher collaboration, discussing the why and how to do it. We explored why teacher collaboration is crucial for both teacher and student performance, and shared personal anecdotes to illustrate our points. Collaboration is not just about meeting once a week; it's about creating a culture where teachers feel supported and are encouraged to share ideas and strategies. It's about building a community within the school that ultimately benefits the students. We ...
Feb 19, 2024•44 min•Ep. 49
In today's episode, we dove deep into teacher collaboration, discussing the why and how to do it. We explored why teacher collaboration is crucial for both teacher and student performance, and shared personal anecdotes to illustrate our points. Collaboration is not just about meeting once a week; it's about creating a culture where teachers feel supported and are encouraged to share ideas and strategies. It's about building a community within the school that ultimately benefits the students. We ...
Feb 19, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 49
Jen and I, Anne, sat down for a Zoom interview with Christopher Nesi, the head of the Education Podcast Network . The EPN plays host to a terrific collection of education-related podcasts, which you should definitely check out. Our interview was the first in a series called "Behind the Mic: Voices of the EPN." Christopher is interviewing the podcast hosts and creators of each of the shows you can find on the network. The episodes give listeners a great overview of what each podcast has to offer ...
Jan 10, 2024•30 min
The current grading system used in education has been in place for over a century, but it is becoming increasingly clear that it needs reform. In this episode, Jen and Anne discuss the current system's flaws, such as grade inflation, subjectivity, and the lack of standardization. They talk about how students are rewarded for completing assignments or even just showing up rather than demonstrating mastery of the material. They highlight the difficulty of determining what exactly to grade and how ...
Jan 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 40
In this episode, Anne and Jen shed light on the issue of teacher burnout and its prevalence in the education system. We discuss teachers' experiences facing challenges such as an intense curriculum without sufficient resources, mold-infested classrooms, and unaddressed disciplinary issues. We explain how teachers are not burned out simply because of their workload but rather because they are set up to fail by systemic issues. We cover the definitions of burnout, highlighting symptoms like exhaus...
Dec 09, 2023•1 hr 9 min
This week, Anne shares updates and opinions on the ongoing battle of whether to tell or not to tell on Trans kids. Is this trust-busting practice worth fighting about? And she sheds light on the growing academically deadly pandemic affecting our schools, Chronic Absenteeism. To get all the resources and research used to create this episode, head over to TransparencyinTeaching.com. There, you'll find all of our informative episodes and blog posts to give you the information you need to improve yo...
Dec 09, 2023•32 min•Season 3Ep. 46
In this episode of EdNews This Week, Anne announces that she and co-host Jen will be featured guests on another podcast called Behind the Mic , out September 1st on the Education Podcast Network . This week's three news stories from the education world share how New Hampshire teachers are getting paid to teach chess, with the state providing funding for training and equipment, how Rhode Island's realignment of graduation requirements created with input from the community ensures all students wil...
Dec 09, 2023•28 min
The Teacher Workload: Teachers Get Less for More In this episode, Anne, Jen, and their special guest Maria delve into the multifaceted nature of the teacher workload, shedding light on the fact that the profession entails much more than simply standing in front of a classroom and delivering the curriculum. We discuss the term "teachering." Anne found this term in a blog post on teachbetter.com ’s site. The curriculum coordinator for 21st Century Teaching and Learning, Alexy Valencic’s discussed ...
Jul 11, 2023•54 min
Welcome to another edition of Ed News This Week. This week I’ll share why LAUnifed School District teachers (and a lot of us other teachers) are not happy about mandated discipline changes, What Congress has heard about mental health issues in school (will they finally listen?), and How ChatGPT has a sister AI being born that is supposed to be better for students. This week's question: How does your school or district handle discipline? Is it working? Add your comments below. For links to the so...
Jul 03, 2023•26 min•Season 3Ep. 45
Ah, summer vacation! The time when teachers can finally break free from the clutches of students, exams, and endless lesson planning. It's a time to kick back, relax, and forget about school... Or is it? Many teachers count the days until the last bell before summer vacation sounds. At my school, our science teacher begins writing the countdown on the teacher’s lounge whiteboard the day we return from winter break. The end of the school year is incredibly stressful, and anticipation of summer fr...
Jun 26, 2023•31 min•Season 3Ep. 42
In this episode of "Transparency in Teaching," host Anne discusses three news stories related to education—the first shares how mastery learning has now been approved in all 50 states in the US. The second story explores why the Carnegie unit, which has defined learning for the past 100 years, is now considered obsolete. And lastly, Anne breaks down how the US spends money on education. Please share any education news stories and links that you'd like to hear covered in the comments section. To ...
Jun 20, 2023•28 min
It's Anne here with a mini-episode of Transparency and Teaching Podcast, the News Edition. We used to start our episodes with education news, but you know, uh, we got so long-winded as we talked about the main topics that we decided to cut that out. Well, lucky for you, I'm retired, so I have all kinds of time to update you on what's happening in the education world. The News Edition will share news about the current policies and politics that affect our teaching world. So this little in-between...
Jun 05, 2023•11 min
A recent article in “The 74” caught my attention this week. It discussed how Tennessee and Michigan are currently debating removing the statute requiring third graders who are reading below grade level to be retained. With state testing starting, people are worried about holding back the potentially large number of these students who may not pass the test. You see, aside from the average number of students that struggle with reading at this grade level, this year's batch of third graders were in...
Apr 05, 2023•27 min•Season 3Ep. 36
I don't think you'll find too many current student teachers who disagree that student teaching needs a revamp. Most teacher candidates spend at least 14 weeks student teaching consisting of 8 hours a day, teaching, lesson planning, and grading; Most teacher candidates attend staff meetings and parent conferences, too. Wait that sounds like what a regular teacher does. Well, that’s the point, to give candidates an idea of what they are getting into. It allows them to hone their lesson-delivery sk...
Mar 18, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Welcome to Season 3 of Transparency in Teaching. Anne, here! Thought it might be nice to start off with a little true story that spurred the topic of this episode: Is it time to stop saying the Pledge of Allegiance? I asked myself this question after visiting a high school class I was observing. When the "Please stand for the Pledge" announcement was given over the loudspeaker, I stood up and placed my hand over my heart. To my surprise, I was the only one standing. Not one student, not even the...
Mar 01, 2023•44 min
According to Merriam-Webster , the word indoctrinate originated in the 17th century. It meant "to teach," as it comes from docēre, the Latin word for teaching. But by the 19th century, the meaning shifted to signify teaching someone to uncritically accept a particular group's ideas, beliefs, and opinions. The key word is "uncritically." This is supposedly why public schools and their teachers are now called indoctrinators. They are accused of pushing a liberal agenda about race, gender, equality...
Jan 09, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 33
What comes to mind when someone says, "Oh, that's a really good school?" Is it students all sitting in their seats, diligently taking notes? Is it passing along students who can read and do math on grade level? Or is it graduating students who can immediately join the workforce, or go to college, or interact with others with empathy and respect? Common sense would say a combination of all of those things signals a successful product of K-12 education. But is that what schools are actually produc...
Oct 30, 2022•45 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Hey, it’s Anne here to introduce today’s episode all about social promotion, you know, that practice where schools promote students to the next grade based on age instead of mastery. The idea is that keeping kids with their peer group is better for their self-esteem, not to mention promoting students with behavior problems provides some relief to the teacher, knowing that the student who made class crazy won’t be back in their class next year. The alternative has been retention. The idea is that...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr
