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, we’re talking with Tiffany Thurlby! She’s a P.E. teacher at Genoa-Kingston Middle School. She also was just named Middle School Professional of the Year by the Illinois Association for Health, P.E., Rec, & Dance.
We talked about how middle school can be an awkward time for some kids -- and Physical Education can also be particularly challenging for students who don’t feel as confident in themselves -- it’s Tiffany’s job to help build their confidence and help them feel strong and comfortable in their own bodies.
“I love those moments. I even go and have those personal conversations with those kids, like, ‘hey, it was awesome to see you out and moving today. This was probably the best day ever,’ and then they sit there and smile,” she said. “They take that home with them.”
We talked about teaching kids how to lift weights, her love of running, & how much fun it is to introduce her students to the dance moves she learned growing up.
Also, we catch up with our classroom correspondent: Dominique Yackley! She’s a 5th-grade teacher at Founders Elementary School in DeKalb. As our correspondent, we interview her every single month to follow a school year in a teacher’s life.
We’re also introducing you to our student correspondents! Students we’ll talk with on every episode of Teachers’ Lounge. We’re following a group of students at Hinckley-Big Rock High School as they embark on their school’s first-ever fall production. AND we’ve got a group of 8-year-old students from Spectrum Progressive School in Rockford to keep us in the loop with everything going on for them in elementary 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 isn’t going anywhere. You can still catch episodes every other Friday on WNIJ.org or wherever you get podcasts.
