Shaped

A community-driven blog supporting educators, building lifelong learners,
and shaping the future of education.* 

Latest Posts

Teachers in America Podcast With Velnetta Runyon

Podcast: Perseverance in Middle-School Math With Velnetta Runyon in WV on Teachers in America

Velnetta Runyon’s goal is to show students not to be afraid of math. She ensures that her middle schoolers are believed in and are pushed to their fullest potential. In this episode, see how she teaches perseverance from the first day of school.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

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Podcast: Being Bold and Wishing for Change with Kyle Schwartz in Denver, CO for Teachers in America

Teacher and author of "I Wish My Teacher Knew", Kyle Schwartz, discusses how she helps students feel empowered to make a difference.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

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Podcast: Classroom Transformations with Autumn Dvorak

From a museum to a bakery to a carnival, Autumn Dvorak's classroom transformations use hands-on projects and games to get her students excited about learning.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: Serving Students, Country & Self with Samuel Gonzalez

Pennsylvania educator Samuel Gonzalez has been teaching for just two years, and all while studying for his doctorate and serving in the National Guard.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: Fostering a Passion for STEM with Chicago Teacher Misty Richmond

We're kicking off season 4 with Chicago Public Schools teacher Misty Richmond, who discusses how she gets her students invested in STEM careers.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Our Top 10 Ed Blogs of 2021: The Best of Shaped

Before we say goodbye to 2021, let’s highlight our most-read and favorite Shaped blogs.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

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Podcast Mash Up: Best of Teachers in America 2021

For the season 3 finale of Teachers in America, we've compiled highlights from each episode this year on the theme of teacher love.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: The Freedom in Reading for Quarantined Kids with Kitty Donohoe

Elementary teacher Kitty Donohoe joins us for a discussion on reading, looping with her class, and her debut children’s novel, How to Ride a Dragonfly.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Podcast cover with Hannah French

Podcast: The Benefits of Outdoor Teaching with Hannah French

Meet fourth grade teacher Hannah French, who has moved many of her classes into the woods nearby. There, students engage in location-specific challenges, journaling, and free play.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: The Right Book for Reluctant Readers with Qorsho Hassan

Meet Qorsho Hassan, a second grade teacher and the 2020 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. On this episode we discuss the importance of independent reading, identity, and representation for our students.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Teachers in America Podcast: Spotlight on Florida

The Teachers in America podcast goes to Florida to meet the teachers who educate the Sunshine State.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: How to Encourage Ambition with Shellye Archambeau (Author)

Meet Shellye Archambeau, former CEO of MetricStream and author of the book Unapologetically Ambitious. In this episode we learn how to encourage our students to be future leaders.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: The Future of Happiness and Education with Tal Ben-Shahar

Season 2 of the Shaping the Future Podcast kicks off with special guest Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, author of Happier and co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy. Join host Matthew Mugo Fields as he asks about anti-fragility and the elements of happiness.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: Flex on Them Fridays with Perry Hollins

Meet Perry Hollins, a fourth grade teacher and former DJ who has spent the past 11 years infusing an African-centered pedagogy into the curriculum. Perry utilizes his education to create a culturally responsive, project-based learning environment for independent, flexible thinkers.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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4 Ways to Celebrate International Podcast Day

Here are some fun ways you can help your students celebrate International Podcast Day, introduce them to an engaging form of media, and even get them making their own podcasts!

Joanna Miral
Shaped Staff

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The Best Teacher Podcasts for 2024

Whether you are a first year teacher or about to retire, explore your podcast options when it comes to the K-12 educational space.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Summer Hiatus and Podcast Awards

Podcast: Summer Hiatus and Podcast Awards

Summer Announcement! Make sure to vote for the Teachers in America podcast this July in the 16th Annual Podcast Awards for the education category.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: Creativity, Community, and Pride with Owen Bondono

Meet Owen Bondono, a high school ELA teacher and the first known transgender Michigan Teacher of the Year. He uses his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ student spaces and anti-racist teaching practices.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

*The views expressed in our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.