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Teachers' Lounge

Host Peter Medlin connects with teachers, students and leaders in education as they discuss the biggest issues impacting classrooms.We want to hear your experiences as an educator. Send us a note to teacherslounge@niu.edu

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A Chicago teacher talks about the hidden cost, literally, of teaching | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

Picture Chicago in the dead of winter. It’s a cold morning, still dark as students walk the icy sidewalks to school. On the far south side of the city, Dawes Elementary School teacher Anne Shippy watches her middle school students walk in without hats and without gloves. They often don’t have school supplies either like pencils, notebooks, or folders. And the classroom needs books.

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A recently-retired DeKalb teacher's love letter to Kindergarten | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

At the end of this past school year, Tracy found herself strutting down the hallway, wearing a sash and a crown, as kids held up homemade signs and mobbed her with hugs.She was retiring after 30 years as an elementary school teacher in her hometown of DeKalb.

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Composing the Climate & Teaching Music | Teachers' Lounge CLASSIC

We’re revisiting our lovely 2024 conversation with Cacie Miller! She's a music instructor at College DuPage, director of music at United Lutheran Church in Oak Park, and creator of the musical project 'Composing the Climate.'

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Two Illinois teachers recruiting the next generation of educators | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

You might think you want to be a teacher until you come face to face with 30 kids."There's nothing worse than getting to your junior year of college, being placed in your first observation, and going, 'I hate second graders.'"We talk with the teachers who lead the Southern Illinois Future Teachers Coalition about giving students early opportunities to see if the career's for them … and recruiting…

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We interviewed students every month as they started their own small businesses | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

Every year, we bring you our classroom correspondents. They’re a group of students in a club or activity whom we interview every month through their season or semester!Over the years, we've featured an upstart esports team, a speech club, a school play and, this past fall, a student newspaper. This spring, our correspondents were students in the Whiteside Area Career Center's CEO Program, where…

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A school year in the life of a teacher, 2025-26

Ever curious what the school year is like for a teacher? We interviewed DeKalb middle school English as a Second Language teacher Caio Gomes every month to track a school year in his life. Follow his journey on a new Teachers' Lounge podcast!

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An Illinois special education educator who teaches because of his experience as a special education student | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

On a new podcast, we talk with one of the few special education teachers who were special education students themselves. Hear a young Illinois educator’s unique path into the classroom!

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Exploring the underlying purpose of education | Teachers' Lounge Classic

We're revisiting our 2024 conversation with Joseph Flynn. He's an associate professor of curriculum and instruction at Northern Illinois University. He's also the university’s executive director of equity and inclusion.

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The Illinois professor teaching the next generation of journalists | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

What’s it like teaching the next generation of journalists? WNIJ education reporter Peter Medlin sat down with Jason, a former-reporter and current director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois Springfield.

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The Highland Community College biology teachers uniting Women+ in Science | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

Women in science often don't get the credit they deserve for their work. A Highland Community College club unites women across the sciences to talk about the opportunities and real challenges they face.

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An Illinois Valley teacher making college accessible for all | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

Tina Hardy is the coordinator for the Center of Accessibility and Neurodiversity at Illinois Valley Community College.Basically, it’s her job to make college accessible for students who need extra accommodations. What does that look like? And how different are special education laws between high school and college?

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