In case you didn’t know, our podcast Teachers’ Lounge is also on the radio! We’ve got all the interviews with Illinois teachers and education stories you love -- along with exclusive segments -- in a monthly, hour-long show on WNIJ.
On this episode, it’s my conversation with Joshua Stafford! He’s the superintendent at the Vienna High School District, down on the southern tip of Illinois.
We had a wide-ranging conversation about the history of education in America, standardized testing, school safety, his recent journey to Singapore through the Fulbright program, and a fateful trip to Haiti years ago that showed him why public education is a gift.
We also sit down with Jeremy Benson! He is a STEM educator and Lab Manager with the Physics Department at Northern Illinois University.
His enthusiasm for math and science is contagious. So, when students show a small spark of curiosity about the world around them, he knows how to fan the flames.
“I've compared it to listening to a song in a language you don't understand. You can hear the melody. You can appreciate the beauty. It could even be your favorite song. But if you learn that language, then all of a sudden you know what the song is about. You get it on a deeper level,” he said. “So, we can appreciate the world around us, just like that song, but it is written in the language of math and science. If we can actually appreciate it on that level, all of a sudden, we start noticing things that weren't there before. That, to me, is the true beauty of it.”
We had an awesome conversation about haunted physics labs, space observatories, teaching science across the world, the chemistry of kids in a classroom, and why he thinks many students misunderstand what science actually is.
We also have a "classroom correspondent" on the show. They're the teacher we interview every month of the school year on the radio show to trace a school year in their life.
This year, our correspondent is Caio Gomes! He teaches English as a Second Language at Clinton Rosette Middle School in DeKalb.
Also, we have student correspondents on Teachers' Lounge. It’s where we follow a group of students in a club or activity. This fall, our student correspondents are actual correspondents. They are the reporters and editors at the Kaneland Krier, the award-winning student-run newsmagazine at Kaneland High School.
If you’ve never listened before, our show is based on an idea -- we’ve all had teachers in our lives who shaped who we are. And we want to hear about the teachers who inspired you. Every educator we have on Teachers’ Lounge, whether teacher, coach, counselor, or professor, is nominated by our listeners.
So, tell us about the person who comes to your mind. Shoot us an email and nominate an educator at teacherslounge@niu.edu and they could be on the show!
Don’t worry – the podcast hasn’t gone anywhere. You can still catch episodes every other Friday on WNIJ.org or wherever you get podcasts.
