Starfleet Academy: Teacher’s Lounge

It's the final episode of the first season and almost the end of the school year. Wrapping things up is a clumsy and fraught process for sure but sometimes ending things succinctly is less important than looking back with gratitude for the learning that happened that year. We are grateful for the oncoming summer break but, just like Star Trek, our job is never really over. We will be back this summer with more sci-fi, more teaching...

Nothing quite like the end of the school year. As we scramble to put a bow on the end of our final units and get grades done, we also feel the joy of anticipating that final bell ringing and walking out to the car to leave the school parking lot, not to return until the end of summer break. For Starfleet Academy, however, this year things are getting complicated. Join us as we discuss the beginning of the end of season one, and of ...

How do you build resilience in kids? Do you put them through trials and crucibles? Do you try to make the world safe so their feelings never even get hurt in the first place? Do you bring in Tilly, one of Nu Trek's best characters, and use the ancient art of theater to help them process their complex emotions? On this episode we talk about resilience and living in that uncomfortable space colloquially known as the universe. If you ...

A character focused episode of Starfleet Academy gives us some prompts to talk about academic honesty, self-destructive student habits, and the power of effective communication. Sofia does some detective work to determine just what the heck is the deal with Derrem's homeworld. Brian shares the secret of his Klingon impression. NOTE: this episode we tried something new, so if you want to share your thoughts hit us up on our new Star...

Content Warning: We discuss the real dangers of working at a school but don't worry! We brought in an educational expert! Principal Caitlin Everett shares her experience and knowledge with us as we discuss a HUGE episode of Starfleet Academy! How do teachers and admin keep their cool when things get intense? Also, Sofia shares some of the hard science going on out there in space, and how about that Kyle? God I just love that guy! T...

Context is king in the world of education. Knowledge and data are one thing but how can you know anything without knowing who you are? We go with Sam on her journey to understand herself, so she she can understand organic lifeforms! Sofia takes us into the mind of the lovable goobers who are our students, while Brian takes us on a trip to the Sisko museum through the eyes of a Deep Space Nine mega-fan! Tell your friends about us an...

A Science teacher and a language discuss episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, where a plant metaphor becomes reality and then becomes a jumping off point for a discussion about how to teach with respect, empathy, and patience. Not just for our students but for ourselves. Also what is the deal with Kyle? Sofia has a mind-blowing theory about his potential secret origins. Brian explains how to teach a kid how to lose, and boy d...

It's episode 3 of the podcast and we're talking about EPISODE 2 of Starfleet Academy! We talk about the professors of Starfleet Academy, their teaching styles, and how they handle all of the student behaviors that pop up in the classroom. How do you build trust with students? How do you deal with disruptions? How do you tactfully put a student on blast when they think they know everything already?! If you like the pod, give us a fi...