Teaching with Valor Podcast: A Veteran Teachers Perspective
At Teaching with Valor, we believe in the transformative power of education. Our mission is to empower educators, administrators, parents, and communities to create safe, supportive, and resilient learning environments where every student can thrive. Through our podcast, we aim to provide meaningful professional development and tackle pressing issues in education.
Episodes
"Hello, and welcome to what will be the final episode of Teaching with Valor. I’m your host, Don Fessenden. Today’s episode is a bittersweet one. We’re here to reflect, to express gratitude, and to bid farewell to a project that has meant so much to me, and I hope, to those of you who have joined me on this journey.
From the very beginning, Teaching with Valor was a labor of love.
It was about celebrati...
"Welcome to the Teaching with Valor Podcast, where we focus on strategies that empower educators, inspire parents, and create impactful classrooms. I’m your host, Don J. Fessenden, and today we’re going to explore one of the simplest yet most powerful habits you can develop to transform your teaching day: starting each morning with a prioritized to-do list.
This isn’t just about jotting down a list of thing...
"Welcome to the Teaching with Valor Podcast, where we explore the strategies and insights every educator needs to thrive in the classroom and beyond. I’m your host, Don J. Fessenden, a lifelong educator and proud veteran. Today, we’re diving into a powerful framework that can change how you approach your ever-growing to-do list. It’s called the Eisenhower Matrix, and by the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly h...
"Welcome to the Teaching with Valor Podcast, where we explore actionable strategies to empower educators, inspire parents, and create impactful learning experiences. I’m your host, Don Fessenden.
Today, we’re diving deep into a game-changing tool for teachers: the digital planner. If you’ve ever felt like you’re racing against the clock, drowning in deadlines, or juggling lesson plans with personal obligati...
"Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we tackle the real-life questions that teachers face daily with practical advice and actionable strategies. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re exploring one of the most powerful tools for communication in education: email.
Email has become the cornerstone of how we communicate with parents. It’s fast, efficient, and allows us to connect wit...
"Hello, and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, where we dive deep into the questions and challenges that teachers face every day in their classrooms. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re going to talk about an issue that every teacher faces sooner or later: How do I handle a parent who disagrees with my teaching methods?
As teachers, we each bring our unique approach to the classroom. We develop...
Hello, and welcome to Teaching with Valor, where we dive into the real-life challenges teachers face in the classroom. I’m Don Fessenden, your host, and today’s episode is all about one of the most crucial touchpoints between teachers and parents: the parent-teacher conference.
We’ve all been there. The clock is ticking, you have just 15 or 20 minutes with each parent, and you need to convey important information, answer ...
"Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we dive into real-world questions that teachers everywhere encounter daily. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re tackling an interesting one: How do I handle a parent who is over-involved?
In the world of teaching, we know that parental involvement can be incredibly beneficial. Parents who are engaged in their child’s education can make a sig...
"Welcome back to the Teaching with Valor Podcast, where we tackle the challenging issues shaping our classrooms, our communities, and sometimes, even our country. Today, we’re diving into an unusual yet critical conversation that might seem a bit outside our usual classroom focus, but in reality, it has a profound impact on the educational landscape we operate within.
We’re breaking down seven key reasons...
"Hello, and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, where we dive deep into the questions and challenges that teachers face every day in their classrooms. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re going to talk about an issue that every teacher faces sooner or later: How do I handle a parent who disagrees with my teaching methods?
As teachers, we each bring our unique approach to the classroom. We develop...
"Hello, and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, where we tackle the real questions that teachers face in their classrooms every day. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today we’re diving into a challenging topic: What should I do if a parent is unresponsive?
In education, we talk a lot about the importance of communication between teachers and parents. We know that when parents are actively involved in thei...
"Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast dedicated to guiding educators on their journey to becoming the best they can be, one lesson, one day at a time. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re tackling a topic that every teacher encounters: How do I respond to parent complaints or concerns?
Whether you’re a brand-new teacher or a seasoned veteran, there’s always a moment when a parent reach...
"Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast that dives deep into the challenges, rewards, and strategies of being an educator. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today we’re discussing a topic that’s essential for every teacher, no matter their experience level: How do I handle difficult conversations with parents?
As teachers, we know that communication is key to fostering a strong partnership between...
"Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we dive deep into the heart of teaching, exploring strategies and insights to support educators at every stage of their journey. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re talking about one of the most important first steps of the school year: introducing yourself to parents.
The beginning of the school year is all about setting the tone—not just in your cla...
"Hello and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast that supports educators in becoming the very best they can be by building skills and insights one day, one lesson at a time. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today we’re diving into an issue that just about every teacher, from the newbie to the veteran, faces: How do I balance the demands of teaching with ongoing learning?
Teaching isn’t just about showing ...
"Hello, and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we explore the essential questions and practices that help us grow into the best teachers we can be. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today we’re tackling a topic that can truly transform your teaching experience, especially in those early years. We’re asking: How do I find a mentor teacher?
Finding a mentor isn’t just about having someone to lean on...
"Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, where we’re here to support every teacher’s journey to becoming the best they can be—lesson by lesson, day by day. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today’s episode is one I’m particularly excited about. We’re going to be talking about that transformative, challenging, and, let’s face it, sometimes overwhelming first year of teaching. We’ll be answering one ...
"Hello and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast dedicated to helping teachers become the best educators they can be, one lesson, one day at a time. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re diving into a question that every teacher, no matter the subject or grade level, has probably asked: How do I design rubrics for grading?
Now, grading can be a challenging process. There’s so much to consider, fro...
"Hello, and welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we tackle the essential questions that help us become the best teachers we can be. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re diving into a hot-button issue: Why teachers should keep their political affiliations out of the classroom.
Now, I know this topic can stir some strong feelings. As educators, we live in a world full of opinions, beliefs, a...
"Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we dive deep into the essential questions that drive us to be better educators. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re exploring a question that every teacher grapples with at some point: How do I create fair and unbiased tests?
Creating fair and unbiased tests isn’t just about writing questions and scoring answers. It’s about ensuring that the assessmen...
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