Advertise on podcast: Classroom Caffeine

Send us Fan Mail We sat down with Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Professor of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, to talk about what it looks like when scholarship is built from real students, real stories, and real responsibility. Her work on racial literacy, culturally responsive education, and healing-centered approaches offers teachers something more useful than a new checklist: a way to see more clearly.  We start with the experience that shaped her most, teaching overage, undercredited students who were carrying adult burdens while schools measured them by credits, attendance, and compliance. From there, she explains her transformative framework, the Archaeology of Self, as a practice of human literacy: learning to read ourselves deeply so we can more fully read our students. We talk about imagination, storytelling, and the need to interrupt harm rather than become bystanders to it.  Then we go where education conversations rarely go, straight into poetry. Dr. Sealey-Ruiz shares why poems and other art forms can communicate truth faster than traditional academic writing, and why expanding what “counts” as scholarship can reunite head and heart in educational research. She closes with two urgent takeaways for today’s difficult educational climate: real self-care that keeps teachers fortified, and historical literacy that resists erased histories, book removals, and misinformation in an AI-driven world.  If this conversation sparks something for you, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators can find it.  Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Timothy Shanahan to dig into the research and real classroom consequences behind “just right” books, instructional reading levels, and the guided reading routines that have become default in so many schools. We connect the dots between text complexity and what grade-level work actually means, including how the Common Core raised the “weight on the bar” by expecting students to successfully read more challenging texts. Tim explains why common leveling formulas (high word accuracy plus decent comprehension) can cap growth, why levels don’t tell us what’s truly hard about a text, and how keeping students out of demanding science and social studies reading can create long-term trouble. We also talk about the hidden identity effects of grouping and labeling, and why protecting kids from struggle can end up protecting them from opportunity. Then we get practical: what scaffolding looks like when everyone is working with challenging text, why reading strategies should be taught as solutions to real problems (not as make-believe practice), what Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development actually says, and when small group instruction is a high-leverage tool versus a daily time drain.  Tim's new book, Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students' Reading Achievement has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It, is published by Harvard Education Press, and is available from your preferred bookseller. If this conversation challenges your current literacy instruction, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a rating or review so more teachers can find it. Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Shea Kerkhoff talks to us about adolescent literacy, student engagement, and how teachers can support middle and high school students as readers and writers in today’s complex literacy landscape. Drawing from her new book, Adolescent Literacy: Integrating the Sciences of Reading and Writing in Grades 4-12, Shea discusses ways educators can foster motivation, meaningful literacy literacy experiences, and authentic learning opportunities across content areas. She shares insights into the sciences of reading and writing and the importance of honoring students’ identities, interests, and lived experiences in literacy instruction. Dr. Shea Kerkhoff is an Associate Professor and Faculty Fellow of Student Success in the College of Education at the University of Missouri - St. Louis.   You can connect with Shea at https://sheakerkhoff.weebly.com and you can purchase her new book at https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/adolescent-literacy-9798765151310/. To cite this episode:  Hatten, R. (Host) (2026, May 12). Another Conversation with Shea Kerkhoff. (Season 6, No. 10) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/C73C-7820-DF38-4256-1BC4-B Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail A big change is happening at Classroom Caffeine, and we wanted you to hear it directly: the podcast is continuing in partnership with the University of South Florida College of Education, with Dr. Rachel Hatten stepping in as the new host and executive producer. We talk with Rachel about the bridge we’re always trying to build, getting education research into the hands of teachers in ways that actually fit the realities of classrooms, schools, and district systems.  Rachel brings a scholar-practitioner lens shaped by years as a high school English teacher, district literacy leader, and now co-director of the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Our conversation stays grounded in equity and access: detracking, culturally responsive teaching, critical literacy, and the everyday messages schools send about who belongs. Rachel shares how becoming a parent intensified her sense of responsibility and why she calls teaching “hard holy work” while rejecting the savior and martyr tropes that burn educators out.  We also dig into her research on the long-term impact of a detracked, social justice-focused English course and what surprised her most: students remembered the books and the conversations, not the behind-the-scenes battles. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators can find research that strengthens practice. To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2026, Apr. 14). A Conversation with Rachel Hatten: Passing the Mic. (Season 6, No. 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/7790-285D-0B1B-B82D-83B4-9 Connect with Rachel and The Anchin Center at [email protected] or @USFAnchin on Facebook, Instagram, or X. Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, our guests Drs. Huseyin Uysal and Luis Javier Pentón Herrera talk to us about learning the English language, and supporting young people in humanizing ways as they learn English.  Dr. Huseyin Uysal’s research interests, which tie back to several of his current endeavors, are primarily centered on studying fairness, justice and equity in language assessment, criticality in TESOL teacher education, and plurilingualism at public schools. His work has appeared in venues such as TESOL Journal, TESOL Quarterly, Linguistics and Education, and Peabody Journal of Education. He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Education for Multilingualism, and the Associate Editor of Journal of Education, Language, and Ideology. He is the current Chair of the Bilingual-Multilingual Education Interest Section of TESOL International Association. Dr. Uysal is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of English Language Education at The Education University of Hong Kong. He holds a PhD degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in ESOL/Bilingual Education from the University of Florida. You can reach Dr. Uysal at [email protected].  Dr. Luis Javier Pentón Herrera’s current teaching and research projects are situated at the intersection of identity, emotions, and well-being in language and literacy education, social-emotional learning (SEL), autoethnography and storytelling, refugee education, and language weaponization. His books can be found in the University of Michigan Press, Routledge, Springer, Brill, De Gruyter, TESOL Press, Bucharest University Press, and Rowman & Littlefield. Dr. Pentón Herrera is an award-winning Spanish and English educator and a best-selling author. In 2024, he was selected as the 2024 TESOL Teacher of the Year, awarded by the TESOL International Association and National Geographic Learning. He is a Professor at VIZJA University, Poland, and a Book Series Co-Editor of the Cambridge Elements in Language and Power (Cambridge University Press) and Contemporary Perspectives on Learning Environments book series (Emerald Publishing), as well as Co-Editor of Tapestry: A Multimedia Journal for Teachers and English Learners, and Associate Editor of Language Teacher Education Research. Further, he is a Fulbright Scholar and Specialist, and an English Language Specialist with the U.S. Department of State. Previously, he served as the 38th President of Maryland TESOL from 2018 to 2019, and earned the rank of Sergeant while serving in the United States Marine Corps (USMC). Two of his professional accolades include the ‘30 Up and Coming Emerging Leaders in TESOL’, awarded by TESOL International Association in 2016, and the J. Estill Alexander Future Leader in Literacy Award, awarded by the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER) in 2018 when his dissertation was chosen as ALER’s Outstanding Dissertation of the Year. Originally from La Habana, Cuba, Dr. Pentón Herrera enjoys creative writing, playing with his two dogs, Virgo and Maui, and running in his free time. You can connect with Dr. Pentón Herrera on his Instagram: @luisjavierpentonherrera and on his website https://luispenton.com/ To cite this episode:  Persohn, L. (Host). (2026, Mar. 10). A Conversation with Huseyin Uysal and Luis Javier Pentón Herrera. (Season 6, No. 8) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/F619-2EFE-72B9-79F4-04DF-F Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail Anna Hamilton talks to us about the work of The Marjorie, Florida’s independent reporting outlet dedicated to the critical intersection of social justice and the environment. Anna is the Co-Founder & Development Director for The Marjorie. She is a radio producer and oral historian whose work explores the cultures and environments of the American South. Anna has developed projects for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Southern Foodways Alliance, and reported for outlets including NPR and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting. The Marjorie is not your source for breaking news. Instead, they specialize in telling in-depth stories about Florida’s environment that consider human values as well as important historical and cultural contexts. The Marjorie was named for three of Florida’s iconic Marjories: author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, conservationist Marjorie Harris Carr, and advocate Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The Marjorie has collaborated with members of the Stories-To-Live-By project through panel presentations and resource sharing. You can connect with Anna and The Marjorie at themarjorie.org.  Resources mentioned in this episode: Egmont Key: A Seminole Story (https://stofthpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Egmont-Key-Digital-book-web.pdf) To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2026, Feb 12). A Stories-To-Live-By Conversation with Anna Hamilton from The Marjorie. (Season 6, No. 7) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/AB4B-EC88-D5E0-A7FF-E805-G Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a teacher loses her classroom library to censorship—and her students are living through floods, hurricanes, and displacement? "Morgan" invites us into a practice built on place, care, and student stories. Instead of giving up on relevance, she transforms lived experience into the curriculum: teens write about storm damage, read FEMA applications as functional texts, and use multimodal storytelling to process eco-grief and advocate for resources. Morgan traces her journey from a novice teacher with a Florida-centered library to an agile practitioner who makes space for small, daily moves that matter—morning check-ins after a flood, quickwrites that convert chaos into language, and targeted vocabulary that helps students name what they’re facing. The result: literacies that feel real, teach critical reading and argument, and restore a sense of agency. There’s hard truth here too: teaching under today’s mandates is often intentionally unsustainable. Morgan also talks about how and where she found community— a “watering hole” beyond the building where educators troubleshoot policy shifts, share materials, and remind each other they’re not alone. Whether you’re navigating book bans, building place-based units, or looking for practical strategies that fit into five minutes, this conversation offers tools and hope for teaching literacy in a climate-changed world. To cite this episode:  Persohn, L. (Host). (2026, Jan 13). Stories-To-Live-By with “Morgan.” (Season 6, No. 6) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/6F5A-D715-A0AE-FE0D-25F1-Y Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail Eric Vona describes how project-based learning can guide students from broad worries to focused, researchable questions that lead to local solutions. He talks about place-based writing born during remote learning, then shows how journalism practices—finding experts, crafting professional emails, conducting interviews—help students produce credible, public-facing work.  Literature becomes a springboard for ethics and action. Pairing Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas with contemporary responses opens honest talk about comfort, cost, and justice—conversations that translate directly to climate realities.  Eric also spotlights The Echo, a teen literary magazine turned nonprofit, where students serve as real editors, publish global youth voices, and record audio for accessibility. It’s a model of authentic learning that lasts beyond a grading period and builds the very capacities communities need now: curiosity, collaboration, and clear communication. John Eric Vona is a writer and educator living in Tampa, FL. Passionate about conservation and sustainability, he joined the Stories-To-Live-By project so that he could find ways to bring place-centered writing into his work as a high school AP Capstone Seminar and Creative Writing instructor. He is proud to be the advisor to The Echo: Teen Art & Lit Mag, which publishes the work of artists and writers from around the world aged 13-19. You can find The Echo at echolitmag.com/.  Other resources mentioned in this episode: University of Oregon's Journalistic Learning Initiative can be found at https://journalisticlearning.org/. To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, Dec 9). Stories-To-Live-By with John Eric Vona. (Season 6, No. 5) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/6C5D-9DA8-6973-6DE9-90CA-1 Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail A classroom can be a launchpad for climate action when reading meets real life. We sit down with Miami-area educator Catherine Manfra to explore how English language arts becomes a powerful space for climate literacy, creative expression, and student agency—especially in a region living with hurricanes, sea-level rise, and rapid development at the edge of the Everglades. Catherine walks us through her Earth Day unit anchored by Hope Jahren’s The Story of More and climate-focused poetry, showing how accessible science writing invites teens into complex topics without overwhelming them. From lunchroom showcases to one-minute PSAs, her students translate facts into story, practice tight writing and media literacy, and share concrete steps that counter defeatism. We also unpack how giving students information and choice sparks deeper research, community involvement, and everyday action. Beyond the classroom, we highlight the Stories-To-Live-By collective, a statewide network of teachers and researchers crafting place-based, multimodal approaches to climate education while navigating book bans and shifting policies. Catherine shares how the group’s workshops and shared resources build confidence. She also talks about how the Fairchild Challenge debate strengthens ELA standards, STEM integration, and civic discourse by asking students to argue multiple sides of timely environmental issues. It’s a hopeful blueprint for educators who want rigorous, inclusive climate literacies that prepare young people for a just, livable future. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with your favorite climate literacy text or project idea. Your feedback helps us bring more teacher-tested practices to more classrooms. Catherine is a Florida native. Born in Hialeah, a suburb of Miami with a predominantly Hispanic community, she now lives in the Kendall area just south of Miami. She has seen Miami-Dade County continue to expand westward since her childhood, including encroachment on the Florida Everglades. The Florida Everglades are ecologically significant in their role as a subtropical wilderness, a habitat for many threatened and endangered species, and a provider of flood control, water filtration, and freshwater supply for millions of people. She became a part of the Stories-To-Live-By project by answering an initial online survey of teachers who incorporate environmental topics into their curriculum. After teaching all levels of high school English in public schools in Miami-Dade County for 22 years, Catherine now teaches at Palmer Trinity School, an independent private school. Additionally, Catherine is a part of the Junior League of Miami, a women's group that serves and focuses on women's and children's issues in the community from education to safety.  To cite this episode:  Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, Nov 11). A Stories-To-Live-By Conversation with Catherine Manfra. (Season 6, No. 4) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/33A8-951D-21CD-B5CE-9F8A-B Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when educators pursue advanced degrees? For Dr. Jenifer Jasinski Schneider, it sparked a remarkable journey from classroom teacher to interim dean of the College of Education at the University of South Florida. "When you train your brain in research modes and analyze situations from different perspectives, it fundamentally changes how you think," Dr. Schneider explains. This cognitive shift doesn't just make you a better practitioner—it reshapes your entire approach to education. Graduate education also surrounds you with a community of passionate scholars exploring similar questions through multiple lenses. For those considering graduate school, Dr. Schneider offers straightforward advice: "There's never a perfect time—you're never going to have enough money or be at the right place at the right time—so just go for it." The investment transforms not just your practice but your entire self. Approach graduate education as an opportunity for deep personal growth, not just assignments to complete. Applications for a Spring 2026 start in USF graduate programs are due TODAY on Oct. 15. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0 Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail Bridging climate science and the classroom can start with a simple walk to a place that matters. In this episode, we talk with Kristin Valle Geren—former elementary teacher, now a doctoral candidate and research assistant with the Stories-To-Live-By collective—to explore how story and place help children make sense of climate change in their own communities.  Kristen shares how “Explorers Club” invites elementary students to read the world around them: snapping photos by the Hillsborough River, mapping school grounds, composing social media-style videos, and asking the questions adults often miss. A small linguistic shift—asking what “matters” rather than what’s “important”—unlocks personal stories and genuine curiosity, turning observations into research and narratives. From Hurricane Irma’s lingering impact in the Florida Keys to slow, uneven recovery across tourism economies, we trace climate as a lived, local reality that shows up in housing, work, and daily routines—not just in headlines. If you’re curious about how you might integrate climate literacy without overhauling your curriculum, this conversation offers concrete moves, hope, and a path forward rooted in eco-justice, local knowledge, and the everyday literacies students already use. Kristin Valle Geren is a doctoral candidate in the Literacy Studies program in the College of Education at the University of South Florida and the Graduate Research Assistant for the Stories-to-Live-by Collective.  Before beginning her doctoral studies, Kristin taught elementary school and worked as a literacy coach in Tampa, Florida. Specifically, she worked in the community where she now engages in community-based educational research in an after school program with elementary-aged youth.  As a child, Kristin’s family moved often due to her father’s military service, but she has lived in Florida for over 20 years now - all of her adult life. She came to the Stories-to-Live-By project through her interest in the ways children and teachers make sense of the places in which they live and teach and the possibilities of placemaking literacies for exploring issues of climate crisis.  You can read about Kristin and Alex's collaborative work here:  Geren, K. V., & Panos, A. (2025). Perspectives on Practice: A Walk along Our River: Naming and Placing as a Start to Climate and Ecojustice Literacies Inquiry. Language Arts, 102(4), 274–278. https://doi.org/10.58680/la20251024190 To cite this episode:  Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, Oct 14). A Stories-To-Live-By Conversation with Kristin Valle Geren. (Season 6, No. 3) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/1ED7-9611-83DC-AB04-C26E-F Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail Feeling stuck in your teaching practice? Wondering how to better support struggling students? You're not alone. Many educators reach a point where they need deeper knowledge and skills to advance their impact. Dr. Elizabeth Burke Hadley's journey from literature lover to high school English teacher to literacy researcher demonstrates how advanced study can transform both career trajectory and professional effectiveness. Graduate education provides more than just additional teaching techniques. It offers theoretical frameworks that help explain why certain approaches work, research-based evidence to guide instructional decisions, and a community of fellow educators who bring diverse perspectives and experiences. As Dr. Hadley explains, "Graduate studies really deepened my understanding of everything in the classroom." This deeper understanding translates directly to improved student outcomes. Feeling inspired? USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0  Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail What drives successful teachers to return to graduate school after years in the classroom? For elementary teacher Christy Gupta, it was recognizing gaps in her knowledge about early literacy instruction that propelled her into USF's Master's in Reading Education program. In this candid conversation, Christy shares how graduate education has transformed both her teaching practice and her professional confidence. "I wanted to read research firsthand and not always get it digested from somebody else's perspective," Christy explains, describing how reading Natalie Wexler's influential book "The Knowledge Gap" sparked her desire to access primary research. Now eight courses into her program, she's gained not just theoretical knowledge but practical tools that directly benefit her students. Her studies have illuminated the critical connection between executive functioning skills and academic achievement, changed how she approaches writing instruction, and given her "the courage of my convictions" when advocating for research-based practices. Feeling inspired? USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0  Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what graduate education might do for your teaching career? Dr. Alexandra Panos never planned to become a teacher—until life's unexpected turns led her to discover a passion for education that graduate study would transform into a lifelong calling. "Graduate school is transformation," Dr. Panos explains, detailing how advanced study changes not just what you know, but who you are. She beautifully likens both students and knowledge to icebergs—with most remaining hidden beneath the surface until we commit to deeper exploration. This metaphor perfectly captures why teachers make natural graduate students: they're already practiced in the art of curiosity and discovery. Feeling inspired? USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0  Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us Fan Mail What does it truly mean to invest in yourself through graduate education? Dr. Patriann Smith's remarkable journey from Caribbean teacher to academic leader offers a compelling answer to this question. For educators contemplating graduate education, Dr. Smith offers a profound perspective shift. Rather than focusing primarily on logistical challenges like financing or scheduling, she encourages potential students to ask themselves: "Do you think you are deserving of the opportunity to allow yourself to unfold into the person that you were meant to be?" This framing transforms graduate education from a series of obstacles to overcome into a gift you give yourself—the gift of possibility and becoming. USF's online master's degree in Reading Education was created for educators who are passionate about improving literacy outcomes in varied learning environments. If you feel inspired by our talk today, RSVP for the free, online information session taking place this Thursday, Sept. 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET: https://hubs.li/Q03J88pT0 USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0 Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.