Join us for an insightful discussion with Gretchen as she delves into the secrets of differentiating and personalizing learning to maximize student engagement. Discover how to streamline your teaching approach by eliminating time-wasting techniques and focusing on strategies that truly resonate with learners.In this episode, Gretchen unveils the concept of "Swiss Cheese Understanding" and its profound implications for educational planning. Tune in to gain valuable insights that will revolutionize the way you structure your teaching methods!Don't miss out on this transformative episode that promises to enhance your teaching toolkit and empower your students. Tune in now and embark on a journey towards more effective and impactful teaching strategies! QuotablesEvery level of what I'm gonna call "The House of Learning" is build with the support necessary so that new learning above it can actually stick.It's not that kids can't understand on their grade level. They need to work with the material long enough to make sense of it....the point is...they understand where they're going and why they need to have these skills..."Join the Always A Lesson NewsletterJoin here and grab a freebie!Connect with GretchenEmail: gretchen@alwaysalesson.comBlog: Always A LessonFacebook: Always A LessonTwitter: @gschultekInstagram: Always.A.LessonLinkedin: Gretchen Schultek BridgersBook: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in CollegePre-Order: Always a LessonLeave a Rating and Review:This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future.https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher.Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.”Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in infoLeave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best)Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcastClick ‘Send’

Investigate the power of positivity in the classroom and its impact on student engagement through this episode! From fostering inclusivity to promoting collaboration, uncover practical strategies for creating a supportive learning environment that empowers students to thrive and participate actively in their education journey. You'll walk away with 10 ideas for easy and immediate implementation! Quotables: Explicitly teach the why behind the what. ...before we can start tweaking instruction, we have to nail the environment... Stressed brains can’t learn. Access the Thrive Framework by Ed Connective referenced in this episode, here! Gretchen Has a New Book Coming Soon! Pre-order Gretchen's NEW book HERE Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send’

Tune in and be empowered by our listeners as they share innovative teaching strategies for student engagement. Explore cutting-edge teaching methods to captivate students' attention and foster deeper learning. From gamification to interactive technology, discover strategies that ignite curiosity and enhance engagement in the classroom. In this episode, Gretchen reminds us as educators that "...we don't always need the physical work sample--sometimes listening to the words they're using and the level of complexity of the topic they're able to talk about will determine how much knowledge has been consumed..." Quotables: You are going to hear from folks all over the United States with what is working for teachers and students in classrooms...in regards to engagement! ...we don't always need the physical work sample--sometimes listening to the words they're using and the level of complexity of the topic they're able to talk about will determine how much knowledge has been consumed... We know when students are more involved in the learning process, their learning outcomes will soar. Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send’

Tune in and be empowered by Rebekah Shoaf. Rebekah shares all about her experiences in education and the valuable lessons she has learned along the way. Rebekah shares about burnout, the different types of burnout and the best way to avoid it. This episode will truly reignite your passion so be sure to tune in today! Quotables *All quotables are from the interviewee  Having a burn out is really a sense of having lost your purpose, your power, and your passion. Every teacher has the potential to be a leader.  As an educator, stay connected to who you are as a learner and find the things that excite you and drive you and keep you connected to what you teach.  About Rebekah Rebekah Shoaf is an author, educational consultant, and social entrepreneur. In addition to being the founder and CEO of the Bronx-based bookstore-without-walls Boogie Down Books and What If Schools, Rebekah’s first book, Educating with Passion and Purpose: Keep the Fire Going without Burning Out, was published in 2023 by Jossey-Bass. Rebekah has been an educator for more than two decades as a high school English teacher, founding faculty member, teacher leader, university instructor, and instructional and teacher leadership coach with the New York City Department of Education. She currently works with schools, districts, and other organizations across the country to promote transformative, innovative, learner-centered practices that advance educational justice. A Miami native, Rebekah graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College and is a culinary school alum, a marathon runner, the owner of a pink Vespa, and everyone’s favorite aunt. Learn more about her at rebekahshoaf.com. Resources Mentioned by Alissa: Book by Rebekah: Educating with Passion and Purpose: Keep the Fire Going without Burning Out  Website: www.rebekahshoaf.com Connect with Alissa: IG @whatifschools and @boogiedownbooks Email rebekah@whatifschools.com Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order...

Have you ever ran into a problem that you just can't seem to hack? This episode is for you! Tune in as Gretchen shares a practical story about a problem she had trouble hacking and how she overcame it. You'll walk away with tangible steps to hack your own problems and you'll leave this episode feeling empowered to take it on! Quotables Some problems aren’t meant to be solved by you. Say to yourself, “I’m not dumb. I’m not lazy. I’ve just run out of tools and that’s okay.” Trust that hindsight is 20/20. It will make sense later.   Gretchen Has a New Book Coming Soon! Pre-order Gretchen's NEW book HERE Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send’

It's a new year! Tune into this special episode of the Empowering Educators Podcast as Gretchen shares three ways to grow your potential in the upcoming year. You'll walk away from this podcast with a list of three tangible things you can do to level up your teaching whether you are working with students or coaching teachers. Quotables The only way we are going to become better is if we shift our behaviors into better behaviors. We want application. That is the only thing that is going to change us and allow us to transform into something better.  If some of the foundational stuff has cracks in it, it’s just going to fall flat.  Links Mentioned: Episode 256: Habits over Resolutions Simply Coaching Summit Teacher Leader Mastermind Gretchen Has a New Book Coming Soon! Pre-order Gretchen's NEW book HERE Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send’

It's the last podcast of the year! In this special episode, Gretchen reflects over the behind the scenes work of the podcast. She talks about who she intended the podcast for: new teachers, teachers in a slump and teacher leaders and how it has evolved over time. Gretchen shares how she has used the head, heart, hands strategy to plan every episode- a strategy that will serve you well in planning for professional developments that you may lead. Be sure to tune into this fun episode of the Empowering Educators Podcast. Quotables It’s important that you hear from other people what’s working.  Am I being true to what I originally intended? If you revisit your mission statement and your core values, that might light that fire back up.  Podcasts Mentioned: Melissa Emler Episode 20 Melissa Emler Episode 210 Gretchen Has a New Book Coming Soon! Pre-order Gretchen's NEW book HERE Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send’

Do you have credibility with the teachers that you lead? It may just be the secret sauce that you are missing. In this episode of the Empowering Educators Podcast, Gretchen talks all about credibility and what that looks like. Lacking in the credibility area? No worries! Gretchen shares tips and tricks on how you can gain credibility with teachers. Quotables Credibility sets the tone. You can be successful and imperfect. Be caring and invested in other people. Gretchen Has a New Book Coming Soon! Pre-order Gretchen's NEW book HERE Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send’

Meet and be empowered by Alissa Crabtree in this special interview episode of the Empowering Educators Podcast. Alissa shares great, tactile advice about how to effectively work with teachers as an instructional coach. She also discusses the importance of the instructional coach/administrator relationship and how that relationship can be a powerhouse for change within a district. Get your pen and paper out and hit play! Quotables *All quotables are from the interviewee  As coaches and administrators, we are in the business of fostering motivation in adult learners. Sit down one on one with the people you lead and understand them as a person. When I slowed down, it sped my kids up. About Alissa Alissa is an advocate for educators everywhere! As a 16+ year veteran, she has been exposed to numerous instructional strategies, district and campus initiatives, and professional learning opportunities. Through her experiences, she has recognized what has a lasting impact and who truly benefits. Alissa believes in the power of growing teacher and student efficacy. She has spent the last eight years of her career coaching teachers, administrators, and district leaders so that both teachers and students harness their power and abilities. Her approach to coaching is simple: it is a collaboration, not a one-and-done experience. Alissa works alongside leaders, teachers, and stakeholders to analyze areas for growth, establish clear and attainable goals, facilitate learning, track student and teacher development, and pivot when necessary. Change occurs from the top down, so she meets with leaders to ensure goal understanding and support before coaching teachers and professional learning communities. Her coaching style is collaborative, and to make the most impact, everyone involved must have a clear picture of coaching. Resources Mentioned by Alissa: Online Course: Launch Your Instructional Coaching Style Email List: Crabtree Coaching Collaborative Newsletter Website: crabtreecoachingcollaborative.org Connect with Alissa: IG @crabtree_coaching_collab Twitter @alissa_crabtree Facebook Crabtree Coaching Collaborative Linked-In: Crabtree Coaching Collaborative Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek...

When hardship arrives, it can be used as an opportunity to propel you forward. Tune into this episode of the Empowering Educators Podcast as Gretchen shares a personal story about hardship and then gives you practical steps that you can apply to your own hardships in order to use them as a stepping stone to move forward. You're not going to want to miss this one! Listen in and get ready to be empowered. Quotables When we are clear on what we want or need… it’s easier to brainstorm a solution.  How can I use this situation in my favor? Hardship is a an opportunity to showcase great leadership and critical thinking skills. Gretchen Has a New Book Coming Soon! Pre-order Gretchen's NEW book HERE Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: Always A Lesson Facebook: Always A Lesson Twitter: @gschultek Instagram: Always.A.Lesson Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2 Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’ Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send’