Teaching Today

Recorded fresh off the UNIWELL Conference — a joint gathering of Teachers College, UNESCO, and the UN focused on the global crisis in teacher well-being — host Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang sits down with CPET coaches Dr. Jacqui Stolzer, Dr. Maria Luisa Underwood, and Dr. Kelsey Hammond (former CPET coach, now Learning Scientist at Google) to talk about what they saw, presented, and took home. They dig into why teacher stress is a systems problem, not a personal one, and unpack the connections between culturally responsive, sustaining education and translanguaging — two frameworks that are usually discussed separately but rarely put into practice apart. Along the way: a sobering statistic on teacher satisfaction, the "say something" protocol, and why "teaching huddles" might be coaching's best-kept secret. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html

Why does learning to read come easily for some kids and feel like an invisible wall for others? Dr. Shantell Blake, VP of Education and Outreach at Reading Horizons, joins Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang and Dr. Cristina Compton to unpack the science of reading — starting with personal stories of their own children's early reading struggles. Dr. Blake explains why reading is a taught skill, not a natural one, how word recognition and language comprehension must work together through "structured literacy," and why the burden of piecing together fragmented curricula shouldn't fall on individual teachers. A candid, research-grounded conversation for anyone who's ever watched a child struggle to read and wondered why. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html

Why do some "turn and talk" moments fizzle out or drift off-topic? Dr. Tia Albig, a sixth-grade teacher and model learner, joins hosts Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang and Dr. Cristina Compton to unpack "purposeful talk" — a framework built on four reasons we talk: to build relationships, play with ideas, argue, and report out. Tia shares how naming these purposes for students transforms classroom conversation from chaotic to intentional, why low-stakes talk is the on-ramp to deeper discourse, and how classroom culture and student dignity make it all possible. A practical, energizing conversation for any educator trying to move beyond surface-level discussion and toward real communication skills that last a lifetime. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html

In our milestone 200th episode, CPET founding director Professor Ruth Vinz returns to Teaching Today for a conversation about what endures in teaching—and what she’s learned along the way. Joined by Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang and Dr. Cristina Compton, Ruth reflects on 25 years of CPET, the porousness of spaces that invite real learning, and why teachers need principles they can name and stand behind. From pandemic pivots to scripted curricula to the quiet power of silence in a classroom, this episode is a call to teach with courage, stay honest about what works, and never do it alone. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html

In 199, we explored Teaching Today's origin stories with hosts and co-hosts who got things started and kept them going! Next time, we'll celebrate our 200th episode with Dr. Ruth Vinz, the founding director of the Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET). This episode is a callback conversation from episode 100, where Ruth, Roberta, and Sherrish discuss building reciprocal partnerships, cultivating a culture of collaboration, and keeping curiosity and imagination alive in the work of teaching and learning. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html