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Connected Classrooms Podcasts

Connected Classrooms is a Growing with Greeley podcast presented by the Greeley Center for Catholic Education at Loyola University Chicago. The podcast features Coach Emily Thompson and Dr. Kaitlin Reichart. The purpose of the podcast is to offer conversation, coaching, and connection to tackle the complex demands facing today's educators. In each episode, Kaitlin and Emily dig into the teaching strategies, research, and terminology around essential instructional practices. The podcast hopes to provide educators with a new understanding and one practical tool to use in the classroom. 

Connected Classrooms will be dropping 3 new episodes at the beginning of 2025! The second season will focus on student engagement.

Connected Classrooms will also host an optional live conversation online to discuss each episode. Join Emily and Kaitlin to meet other educators, ask questions, exchange ideas, and troubleshoot implementation related to the podcast.

Season 1 - Math Instruction

The first season of Connected Classrooms talked about math instruction. Listen to all three episodes HERE

Episode 1: Math Pacing and My Favorite No

Learn what “pacing” really means and how experts say we teachers should be using our valuable instructional minutes Then, learn a new strategy called “My Favorite No,” which is a warm-up routine where your students review previous concepts and analyze common mistakes and misconceptions. 

Resource Page Connected Classrooms Resource Math Pacing

Episode 2 Explicit Instruction and Math Think Alouds

Learn what “explicit instruction” really means, why it matters, and how to execute a “think-aloud”, which will give your students a window into the thought process and decision-making that goes into solving a math word problem. 

Resource Page Connected Classrooms Resource Math Think Alouds 

Episode 3: Check for Understanding and Reject Self-Report

The why, what and how of checking for understanding. Learn a simple technique called Reject Self-Report to elevate your questioning and find out not only if you “taught it” but if students really “got it.” Reject Self-Report tweaks the questions you’re probably already asking to more clearly and quickly see if students have reached mastery of an objective. 

Resource Page Connected Classrooms Resource Check for Understanding and Reject Self Report.pdf

Season 2 - Student Engagement

Listen to season 2 episodes HERE

Coming February 2025!

Season 2 will continue to include a LIVE Zoom discussion after each episode release. Save the dates below:

Sign up for discussion HERE. Live conversation dates/times:
  • February 11th at 3:15 CT
  • March 11th at 3:15 CT
  • April 15th at 3:15 CT

Episode 4: Connect Students with Content through Storification

How do we increase student engagement and how do we make learning relevant? Episode 4 examines how to connect students with content through the strategy of storification. This strategy uses stories to connect with student’s personal experiences with the hopes of improving interest, comprehension, and retention of information. 

Resource Page Connected Classrooms Resource Storification

Episode 5: Engage Students through Cognition with the 1-2-4 All Strategy

Who is “doing the thinking” in our classroom – teachers or students? What practices will increase students’ cognitive engagement? Episode 5 discusses the importance of student cognitive engagement and shares a simple strategy to boost it! Learn about the 1-2-4 All strategy, which can draw 100% cognitive engagement from students. 

Resource Page Connected Classrooms Resource 1-2-4 Strategy

Episode 6 - Engage Students through Collaboration with RallyRobin

What does effective collaboration look like? How do we ensure equal participation and engagement? Episode 6 discusses research to support cooperative learning structures and provides a fun strategy, RallyRobin! This quick and simple strategy is used to boost participation and engagement. 

Resource Page Connected Classrooms Resource Collaboration with RallyRobin

Connected Classrooms is a Growing with Greeley podcast presented by the Greeley Center for Catholic Education at Loyola University Chicago. The podcast features Coach Emily Thompson and Dr. Kaitlin Reichart. The purpose of the podcast is to offer conversation, coaching, and connection to tackle the complex demands facing today's educators. In each episode, Kaitlin and Emily dig into the teaching strategies, research, and terminology around essential instructional practices. The podcast hopes to provide educators with a new understanding and one practical tool to use in the classroom. 

Connected Classrooms will be dropping 3 new episodes at the beginning of 2025! The second season will focus on student engagement.

Connected Classrooms will also host an optional live conversation online to discuss each episode. Join Emily and Kaitlin to meet other educators, ask questions, exchange ideas, and troubleshoot implementation related to the podcast.