Jethro D. Jones sits down with Evin Schwarz (co-founder of Thinkering) at ISTE/ASCD 2026 to discuss the partnership between Thinkering and the BE Podcast Network. They dig into why teacher voice matters more than ever, how podcasting helps educators clarify their thinking and build community, and the mechanics of Thinkering's 10-week cohort program that turns teachers into changemakers. Evin shares powerful stories — from a $80 poetry slam to a school garden that tackled food insecurity — illustrating how small acts of teacher-led innovation ripple outward. The conversation closes with reflections on teacher retention, the sub shortage, AI's disruptive role in education, and how listeners can get involved with Thinkering.

In this episode, Craig Randall talks with Megan Moggach, an AP Physics teacher at The John Cooper School, about creating an engaging classroom through strong content knowledge, enthusiasm, questioning, and meaningful student interaction. Megan explains how knowing the content deeply allows her to respond to students, ask better questions, and adapt lessons based on their understanding. She shares how she uses demonstrations, modeling, movement, and question-driven lectures to keep students actively thinking rather than simply listening. She also discusses using “how” and “why” questions to uncover misunderstandings and help students transfer their understanding to new problems. Finally, Megan shares how getting to know students individually—including their goals and motivations—helps her better support and engage them.

K–12 districts have accumulated access to thousands of digital tools, but many of those resources see little actual use. Dr. Tracy Weeks, Senior Director of Education Policy and Strategy at Instructure, joins Education Talk Radio to discuss why districts are taking a harder look at their edtech portfolios and asking which tools are actually worth keeping. The conversation explores how tighter budgets and growing concerns about classroom screen time are pushing districts to examine cost, usage, instructional value, and evidence of impact. Tracy and David also discuss what schools should look for when evaluating technology, how AI is changing those decisions, and why experimentation still matters as districts work to determine where technology genuinely improves teaching and learning—and where it doesn't.

Enjoy the story of several jailed preachers for the 'crime' of preaching without a state sanctioned license in Culpeper, Virginia.  What role did James Madison, George Mason and Thomas Jefferson play in resolving the issue of freedom of conscience? 

Summary What should every new teacher know before they are asked to improvise, differentiate, or innovate? Gene Tavernetti argues that one of the most important foundations is fluency in explicit instruction—not just hearing about it in professional development, but learning to design it, deliver it, practice it, and receive feedback until the work becomes automatic. Gene explains why that fluency matters in real classrooms: it reduces the number of decisions teachers have to make, gives them a reliable baseline for accommodations and modifications, helps schools eliminate instructional variables before moving students into intervention, sharpens their ability to evaluate purchased or AI-generated materials, and creates a common language for collaboration. The goal is not to make every lesson look the same; it is to give teachers a strong instructional foundation from which they can adapt intelligently. Chapters 0:00 — Better Teaching introduction 0:41 — What new teachers need to know 1:52 — Why training and coaching matter 3:10 — Reason 1: Build fluency and automaticity 5:19 — Reason 2: Create a baseline for accommodations 6:22 — Reason 3: Eliminate instructional variables 8:02 — Reason 4: Evaluate curriculum and AI-generated lessons 10:08 — Reason 5: Build a common professional language 12:31 — Explicit instruction is a foundation, not a restriction 14:55 — Better Teaching outro Show Notes Gene Tavernetti helps educators strengthen explicit instruction, lesson design, and instructional coaching. Gene’s website: tesscg.com Gene’s books include Teach Fast, Focus, Adaptable Structured Teaching and Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles. Follow Gene on Bluesky and X: @gtavernetti