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: 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: 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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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

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HMH's Podcasts: Teachers in America and Shaping the Future

Tune in to the Teachers in America and Shaping the Future podcasts by HMH. Hear from teachers changing lives and experienced innovators and industry leaders.

Shaped Staff

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Podcast: Lessons in Language and Loss with Angelica Moreno

Meet Angelica Moreno, a Spanish kindergarten teacher at the Dual Language Academy at Dr. Sue Shook Elementary in El Paso, Texas. This week's discussion includes dual language learnering, the El Paso Walmart shooting, and the school's reaction to losing one of their own to COVID-19.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: From Foster Care to State Teacher of the Year with Anthony Swann

Meet Anthony Swann, a fifth grade teacher in Rocky Mount, Virginia. An advocate for hope and empathy when it comes to students contending with trauma, Anthony was named the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Podcast: Creating Classroom Content Worth Watching with CJ Reynolds

Meet CJ Reynolds, a high school teacher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By creating the teacher YouTube channel Real Rap with Reynolds, he has discovered that what might be ordinary for his classroom, may be someone else's extraordinary.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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