Classroom Caffeine: Recent Episodes

Lindsay Persohn

Education research has a problem. The work of brilliant education researchers often doesn’t reach the practice of brilliant teachers. But the questions and challenges from teachers’ practice sometimes don’t become the work of education researchers. Classroom Caffeine is here to help. In each episode, listeners hear from a leading education researcher or practitioner who shares what they want others to know about their work. Each conversation offers new insights into teaching and learning.

Send us a text

Bridging climate science and the classroom can start with a simple walk to a place that matters. In this episode, we talk with Kristin Valle Geren—former elementary teacher, now a doctoral candidate and research assistant with the Stories-To-Live-By collective—to explore how story and place help children make sense of climate change in their own communities.

Kristen shares how “Explorers Club” invites elementary students to read the world around them: snapping photos by the Hillsborough River, mapping school grounds, composing social media-style videos, and asking the questions adults often miss. A small linguistic shift—asking what “matters” rather than what’s “important”—unlocks personal stories and genuine curiosity, turning observations into research and narratives.

From Hurricane Irma’s lingering impact in the Florida Keys to slow, uneven recovery across tourism economies, we trace climate as a lived, local reality that shows up in housing, work, and daily routines—not just in headlines.

If you’re curious about how you might integrate climate literacy without overhauling your curriculum, this conversation offers concrete moves, hope, and a path forward rooted in eco-justice, local knowledge, and the everyday literacies students already use.

Kristin Valle Geren is a doctoral candidate in the Literacy Studies program in the College of Education at the University of South Florida and the Graduate Research Assistant for the Stories-to-Live-by Collective.

Before beginning her doctoral studies, Kristin taught elementary school and worked as a literacy coach in Tampa, Florida. Specifically, she worked in the community where she now engages in community-based educational research in an after school program with elementary-aged youth.

As a child, Kristin’s family moved often due to her father’s military service, but she has lived in Florida for over 20 years now - all of her adult life. She came to the Stories-to-Live-By project through her interest in the ways children and teachers make sense of the places in which they live and teach and the possibilities of placemaking literacies for exploring issues of climate crisis.

You can read about Kristin and Alex's collaborative work here:

Geren, K. V., & Panos, A. (2025). Perspectives on Practice: A Walk along Our River: Naming and Placing as a Start to Climate and Ecojustice Literacies Inquiry. Language Arts, 102(4), 274–278. https://doi.org/10.58680/la20251024190

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Feeling stuck in your teaching practice? Wondering how to better support struggling students? You're not alone. Many educators reach a point where they need deeper knowledge and skills to advance their impact. Dr. Elizabeth Burke Hadley's journey from literature lover to high school English teacher to literacy researcher demonstrates how advanced study can transform both career trajectory and professional effectiveness.

Graduate education provides more than just additional teaching techniques. It offers theoretical frameworks that help explain why certain approaches work, research-based evidence to guide instructional decisions, and a community of fellow educators who bring diverse perspectives and experiences. As Dr. Hadley explains, "Graduate studies really deepened my understanding of everything in the classroom." This deeper understanding translates directly to improved student outcomes.

Feeling inspired? USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

What drives successful teachers to return to graduate school after years in the classroom? For elementary teacher Christy Gupta, it was recognizing gaps in her knowledge about early literacy instruction that propelled her into USF's Master's in Reading Education program. In this candid conversation, Christy shares how graduate education has transformed both her teaching practice and her professional confidence.

"I wanted to read research firsthand and not always get it digested from somebody else's perspective," Christy explains, describing how reading Natalie Wexler's influential book "The Knowledge Gap" sparked her desire to access primary research. Now eight courses into her program, she's gained not just theoretical knowledge but practical tools that directly benefit her students. Her studies have illuminated the critical connection between executive functioning skills and academic achievement, changed how she approaches writing instruction, and given her "the courage of my convictions" when advocating for research-based practices.

Feeling inspired? USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Ever wondered what graduate education might do for your teaching career? Dr. Alexandra Panos never planned to become a teacher—until life's unexpected turns led her to discover a passion for education that graduate study would transform into a lifelong calling.

"Graduate school is transformation," Dr. Panos explains, detailing how advanced study changes not just what you know, but who you are. She beautifully likens both students and knowledge to icebergs—with most remaining hidden beneath the surface until we commit to deeper exploration. This metaphor perfectly captures why teachers make natural graduate students: they're already practiced in the art of curiosity and discovery.

Feeling inspired? USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

What does it truly mean to invest in yourself through graduate education? Dr. Patriann Smith's remarkable journey from Caribbean teacher to academic leader offers a compelling answer to this question.

For educators contemplating graduate education, Dr. Smith offers a profound perspective shift. Rather than focusing primarily on logistical challenges like financing or scheduling, she encourages potential students to ask themselves: "Do you think you are deserving of the opportunity to allow yourself to unfold into the person that you were meant to be?" This framing transforms graduate education from a series of obstacles to overcome into a gift you give yourself—the gift of possibility and becoming.

USF's online master's degree in Reading Education was created for educators who are passionate about improving literacy outcomes in varied learning environments. If you feel inspired by our talk today, RSVP for the free, online information session taking place this Thursday, Sept. 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET: https://hubs.li/Q03J88pT0

USF’s fully online MA in Reading Education offers flexible pacing, innovative curriculum, embedded media literacy, Florida K-12 endorsement eligibility, and guidance from expert faculty connected to local and global literacy communities. Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q03J88bv0

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

In this special series of Classroom Caffeine in collaboration with the Stories-To-Live-By Collective, we highlight this group of K–12 teachers from across the state of Florida and former teachers now in higher education who are working together to sensemake and take action. We talk with educators and researchers who are working together to explore how literacy teaching can respond to the climate crisis. Since 2021, they have gathered in person and online to write, make art, share stories, and reflect on how climate change is shaping our classrooms and communities. Supported by grants and partnerships, they hold regular workshops a nd virtual meetings, creating space for teachers to learn from one another while navigating challenges like book bans, censorship laws, and the realities of living through major hurricanes.

Through this work, the group is studying how teachers use stories, place-based activities, and multimodal composing to bring climate change into English Language Arts classrooms. Their collaborative research asks: How do teachers tell stories about climate change? How do they navigate the political, social, and environmental pressures of their schools? And how can they build new literacies that prepare young people for more just and livable futures?

In each episode of this special series, we talk with a collaborator in the Stories-To-Live-By Collective about their experiences, connections, and learning through this work together.

Dr. Alexandra Panos grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and taught middle school in Chicago before doing her PhD in rural Indiana. Her parents and sisters moved to Florida 25 years ago so this has been a second home for quite awhile, although she only just moved her in 2019. It was her experience of learning to be an engaged Floridian, socially, politically, and environmentally, that led her to convene work related to the intersections of her passions: literacy, teacher power, and education for the climate crisis. She lives in St. Petersburg with her partner, two rescue dogs, and Drusilla, the cat, who demanded to live with them in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

Alex is an Associate Professor of Literacy Studies and Affiliate Faculty in Measurement and Research at the University of South Florida. Alex is the principal investigator in the Stories-To-Live-By Collective.

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Host Lindsay Persohn reflects on Season 5's journey through literacy education, where conversations explored evolving reading debates, strategies for supporting diverse learners, vocabulary development, and content-specific literacies. Lindsay also shares a recap of research presentations and publications related to podcasting by the Classroom Caffeine team.

Season 6 of the show promises two compelling special series. The first examines the transformative power of graduate studies for educators, featuring candid conversations with professionals who've pursued advanced degrees and discovered new pathways for growth and impact. These discussions illuminate how continued education shapes not just career opportunities but also classroom practice and student outcomes.

The second series spotlights the Spencer Foundation-supported "Stories to Live By" project, exploring how Florida teachers help students navigate climate challenges through place-based learning. As communities face hurricanes, flooding, and environmental uncertainty, these educators work at the critical intersection of climate science, political tensions, and students' lived experiences—empowering young people to think critically and act practically in response to ongoing change.

Publications mentioned in this episode:

Persohn, L., Burger, L., & Geren, K. V. (2025). Pod Clubs for professional community: learning, conversation, and relationships. Professional Development in Education, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2025.2514703
Branson, S.M., Persohn, L., Burger, L., Geren, K.V., & Robertson Stemme, M. (2025). Collaborative Connections in ‘Pod Clubs’ for Professional Learning. In C. Bohem, T. Canfer, & C. Salazar (Eds.) in Podcasting & Education: Concepts, Communities & Case Studies. Routledge.
Persohn, L., & Branson, S. (2025). Scholarly Podcasting for Research Dissemination: A Scoping Review. SAGE Open, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241311694

(Direct link to available publication: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440241311694.)

Persohn, L. & Branson, S.M. (2024). Broadening Legitimacy of Scholarly Podcasting as Knowledge Dissemination: Metrics, Opportunities and Considerations. Publishing Research Quarterly, 40(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-024-10005-5

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Dr. Seth Parsons talks to us about the power of the teacher, the value of good curriculum, and motivation and engagement in learning. Seth is known for his work in the areas of elementary literacy instruction, student engagement and motivation, adaptive teaching, and metacognitive strategy development. His research has been published in many of the field’s top journals, including the Journal of Literacy Research, Review of Educational Research, Educational Researcher, Reading Research Quarterly, Elementary School Journal, The Reading Teacher, and Literacy Research and Instruction. In addition to journal articles, he has co-authored and edited several practitioner-facing books, including Principles of Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades K–5, and Accelerating Learning Recovery for All Students and Becoming a Metacognitive Teacher. He has served as President of Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER) and currently serves as Executive Editor of The Journal of Educational Research, and Co-Editor of the Literacy Research Association’s Journal of Literacy Research, and Associate Editor of Reading and Writing Quarterly. Dr. Seth A. Parsons is a Professor of Literacy in the Sturtevant Center for Literacy at George Mason University.

Email: sparson5@gmu.edu

Instagram @sethaparsons

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=PPa2WcoAAAAJ&hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prof-seth-parsons/

Books:

Accelerating Learning Recovery for All Students: Core Principles for Getting Literacy Growth Back on Track
Principles of Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades K-5
Becoming a Metacognitive Teacher

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

In this episode, Dr. Elfrieda “Freddy” Hiebert talks to us about language, learning to read, and authentic interactions with interesting texts. Freddy is known for her work addressing how fluency, vocabulary, and knowledge can be fostered through appropriate texts. Through documents such as Becoming a Nation of Readers, published by the Center for the Study of Reading in 1985 and Every Child a Reader, published by the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement in 1999, she has contributed to making research accessible to educators. Her work has also appeared in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Reading and Writing, Reading Research Quarterly, Reading Psychology, Education Sciences, Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, Journal of Literacy Research, Educational Researcher, and Educational Leadership. She has also authored many books and book chapters. Her work has been recognized by a number of organizations, including the Oscar Causey Award for Outstanding Contributions to Reading Research from the Literacy Research Association in 2015. Freddy has had a long career as a literacy educator, first as a teacher’s aide and teacher of primary-level students in California and, subsequently, as a teacher educator and researcher at the universities of Kentucky, Colorado-Boulder, Michigan, and California-Berkeley. Since 2011, she has served as President and CEO of TextProject, Inc, a non-profit corporation that prioritizes creating products and prototypes for student reading programs, primarily based on the TExT model of text complexity, providing teacher support resources and classroom reading activities, and supporting and disseminating related research.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, June 17). A conversation with Elfrieda “Freddy” Hiebert. (Season 5, No. 11) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/4631-DA23-14D0-79DB-B764-K

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Corrine Wickens talks to us about self-efficacy and identity, teaching as coaching and a translational act, and challenging our assumptions. Corrine is known for her work in the areas of adolescent literacies, disciplinary literacies, and gender and sexuality. Her research interests examine issues of ongoing discourses around sexuality and schooling, gender and sexual characterizations in contemporary young adult literature, and disciplinary-based literacies in secondary teacher education. Her work has appeared in journals like TESOL Quarterly, Children’s Literature Association Quarterly, Voices from the Middle, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Urban Review, Journal of Teaching Physical Education, Sex Roles, and International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. Dr. Wickens is currently a professor of literacy education and serves as the doctoral program coordinator in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Northern Illinois University.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, May 13). A conversation with Corrine Wickens. (Season 5, No. 10) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/C98D-5781-A685-2545-D3D1-0

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

In this episode, Raúl Alberto Mora talks to us about education theory as a driver for innovative teaching, mentoring and supporting one another, and the journey of a career in Education. Raúl is known worldwide for his work in the areas of alternative literacy paradigms in second language education and research, the study of second language literacies in physical and virtual spaces, and the use of sociocritical frameworks in language education. In particular, he studies the applications of alternative literacy paradigms to analyze second-language literacy practices in urban and virtual spaces He works to understand the use of languages a social and semiotic resource. His work has been published in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, The ALAN Review, Bilingualism and Bilingual Education, International Journal of Cultural Studies, Social Semiotics, Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, Pedagogies: An International Journal, and other journals. He co-edited The Handbook of Critical Literacies, Translanguaging and Multimodality as Flow, Agency, and a New Sense of Advocacy in and From the Global South, and most recently, Reimagining Literacy in the Age of AI: Theory and Practice. Dr. Raúl Alberto Mora Velez is a researcher at the Educations, Languages, and Learning Environments research group and chairs the award-winning Literacies in Second Languages Project (LSLP) research lab. Raúl is a Research Professor at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia. For more information about our guest, stay tuned to the end of this episode.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Literacies in Second Languages Project Micro-Papers

American Educational Research Association

Literacy Research Association

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Dr. Doug Fisher is known for his prolific work in instructional design, curriculum development, and professional learning. Additionally, he is a teacher leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College, an award-winning, open-enrollment public school in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego, California that he co founded in 2007. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. Much of his work has been published with San Diego State University colleague, Dr. Nancy Frey. Together, they offer tailored professional learning opportunities around the world. With colleagues, Doug has published over 250 books, chapters, and articles focused on school improvement including Rigor Unveiled, The Teacher Clarity Playbook, PLC+, and Welcome to Teaching. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association William S. Grey citation of merit and an Exemplary Leader award from the Conference on English Leadership of NCTE. He was named an Adolescent Literacy Thought Leader by the International Literacy Association in 2016 and elected into the Reading Hall of Fame in 2022. Doug loves being an educator and hopes to share that passion with others. Dr. Douglas Fisher is Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University. You can connect with Dr. Fisher at https://www.fisherandfrey.com/ and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) for updates @DFISHERSDSU.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

International Literacy Association's Literacy Glossary - https://www.literacyworldwide.org/get-resources/literacy-glossary

To cite this episode:

Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, Mar. 11). A conversation with Doug Fisher (Season 5, No. 8) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/0A22-E8D7-3F09-096B-C056-D

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Jennifer Serravallo specifically focuses on ideas from her latest book, Teaching Reading Across the Day. Her books utilize research-supported practices, translated for everyday classroom teaching. Jen is known for her work in the areas of reading and writing strategies, individualized literacy support for students, and teacher professional development in literacy. She is a New York Times Bestselling author of teacher professional resources including The Reading Strategies Book 2.0 and The Writing Strategies Book. You can connect with Jen and her work at her website www.jenniferserravallo.com, on Twitter @jserravallo, on Instagram @jenniferserravallo, or by joining The Reading and Writing Strategies Facebook Community.

To cite this episode:

Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, Feb. 11). Another conversation with Jennifer Serravallo (Season 5, No. 7) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/F889-5592-600B-3925-4EAE-3

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Dr. Donna Scanlon talks to us about considering reading skills and strategy instruction from the perspective of the learner. Donna is known for her work in support of children who experience substantial difficulty in learning to read and on how to prevent and remediate reading difficulties. In particular, she and her colleagues developed an approach to early literacy instruction and intervention known as the Interactive Strategies Approach, which has been found to be effective in helping teachers to reduce the incidence of reading difficulties in the early primary grades, and is used in Response to Intervention contexts. She authored a freely available literacy research booklet titled, Helping Your Child Become a Reader, and a report titled An Examination of Dyslexia Research and Instruction, with Policy Implications, co authored with Classroom Caffeine guest Peter Johnston. Both resources are linked below. Her most recent book titled Early Literacy Instruction and Intervention was published by Guilford Press in 2024. Dr. Scanlon was a member of the International Reading Association's RtI Task Force. She is a 2017 inductee into the Reading Hall of Fame. Dr. Scanlon is Professor Emeritus at University at Albany State University of New York’s Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning and was affiliated with the University’s Child Research and Study Center for more than forty years.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Scanlon, D., Anderson, K.L., Barnes, E.M., Morse, M., & Yurkewecz-Stellato, T. (2024). Helping Your Child Become a Reader. ISA Professional Development. https://literacyresearchcommons.org/resources/
Johnston, P., & Scanlon, D. (2021). An Examination of Dyslexia Research and Instruction With Policy Implications. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 70(1), 107-128. https://doi.org/10.1177/23813377211024625

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, Jan. 14). Another conversation with Donna Scanlon (Season 5, No. 6) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/2653-2E1C-A3DB-0EB7-F157-Q

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Former Classroom Caffeine guests Margaret Vaughn and Dixie Massey are back to share with us their most recent collaboration, a book entitled Overcoming Reading Challenges: Kindergarten through Middle School. In their book, they address topics like phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, as well as factors like motivation and student agency. Dr. Margaret Vaughn is known for her work in student agency, teacher decision-making, and reading materials for children. Dr. Vaughn is a Professor of Literacy at Washington State University. Dr. Dixie Massey is known for her work in the areas of literacy development, preservice teacher education, and children’s literature. Dr. Massey is a lecturer at Seattle Pacific University. Dixie and Margaret have co-authored many works together, including the book titled Teaching with Children’s Literature: Theory to Practice, which was the topic of conversation in their first collaborative Classroom Caffeine episode.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Dec. 17). Another conversation with Margaret Vaughn and Dixie Massey (Season 5, No. 5) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/A6D4-18CB-1719-8D9F-CE8B-Y

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Dianna Townsend talks to us about providing meaningful encounters with words by focusing our instruction in language-rich classroom environments. She provides some concrete teaching strategies, backed by decades of research in vocabulary instruction and learning. Dr. Townsend is known for her work centering on the language development of adolescents, with specific attention to vocabulary. Her most recent book is Words Worth Using: Supporting Adolescents’ Power with Academic Vocabulary, published by Teachers College Press in 2022. In it, she offers practical support for adolescents’ vocabulary development, to learn words by using them in ways that are meaningful to their identity, language background, and interests. At the University of Nevada Reno, Dr. Dianna Townsend is the Program Coordinator of the Literacy Studies Program within the College of Education and Human Development.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dianna's book - https://www.tcpress.com/words-worth-using-9780807767627
Dr. Maneka Deanna Brooks' website - https://brooksphd.com/

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Nov. 14). A conversation with Dianna Townsend (Season 5, No. 4) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/64F8-D0E5-AA9C-742F-3005-9

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

Donalyn Miller talks to us about access to reading and books, reader identity and reader communities, and joy in reading and learning. Donalyn is known for her work sharing the importance of self-selected independent reading and provides suggestions and resources that foster children’s love of reading and the development of positive reading identities. She is known as The Book Whisperer, the title of her first book, published in 2009. Donalyn has also written Reading in the Wild, and co-authored Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids and The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library with Colby Sharp, and The Joy of Reading with Teri Lesesne. With Colby Sharp, Donalyn co-founded The Nerdy Book Club blog, which provides daily inspiration, book recommendations, resources, and advice about raising and teaching young readers. Donalyn Miller is an award-winning Texas teacher, author and reading advocate. She lives in San Antonio.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Oct. 8). A conversation with Donalyn Miller (Season 5, No. 3) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/517B-1356-013D-C672-F136-M

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text

MaryEllen Vogt talks to us about supporting reading development for multilingual learners, teamwork, and the power one can find in being well-informed. MaryEllen is known for her work in the areas of teacher professional learning, reading intervention, disciplinary literacy, and effective instruction for multilingual learners. She is the author or co-author of over 70 articles and chapters and 17 books about literacy instruction, and is co-developer and co-author of the book series on the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol or SIOP Model, an empirically validated, instructional framework for teaching multilingual learners. MaryEllen is a 2017 inductee into the Reading Hall of Fame. Dr. Vogt is Professor Emeritus at California State University, Long Beach.

Links mentioned in this episode:
literacyworldwide.org
https://eric.ed.gov/

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Sept 10). A conversation with MaryEllen Vogt (Season 5, No. 2) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/311F-10C5-A88E-095A-2337-M

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Send us a Text Message.

Drs. Robert J. Tierney and P. David Pearson talk to us about their latest collaborative work, an open-access monograph entitled Fact-Checking the Science of Reading. In this free volume (linked in the show notes, on their guest page, and available at literacyresearchcommons.org), Rob and David take a journalistic approach to identifying the current global conversation around the Science of Reading, while offering contextualizing histories and the nuance often missing from that conversation. They share ways in which we might move forward from the current moment of heavy-handed and restrictive policy moves to a view of teaching reading that honors who learners are as individuals, rooted in the sciences of reading. Rob and David are both past guests on the show.

You can find Rob and David's free monograph Fact-Checking the Science of Reading and other resources at literacyresearchcommons.org.

You can listen to Rob's previous Classroom Caffeine episode at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1338925/9910333

You can listen to David's previous Classroom Caffeine episode at:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1338925/9008110

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, August 13). A conversation with Robert J. Tierney and P. David Pearson (Season 1, No. 1) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/1A29-D7AD-44C6-8249-6117-F

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

In this episode, host Lindsay Persohn shares reflections on Season 4, a preview of Season 5, updates on the team's research around scholarly podcasting, and gratitude for support and collaborations with team members.

Stay connected with us on social media for the latest updates. Thank you for being part of our Classroom Caffeine community, and we can’t wait to share Season Five with you!

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Meg Jones talks to us about queer and trans issues in education, and being an ally to all youth in our classrooms and beyond. Meg is known for her work in queer and trans issues in education, including educational policy, school-based literacies, and teacher education. In 2021-2023, through a Fulbright Finland Foundation and then an American Scandinavian Foundation Fellowship, Meg was a visiting researcher at the University of Helsinki in Finland where she worked with a team to focus on critical issues in global education. Dr. Meg Jones is an Assistant Professor of Education at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.

Suggested citation:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, June 11). A conversation with Meg Jones (Season 4, No. 12) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/B609-044F-CF1A-3C94-4006-A

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Christina Dobbs talks to us about beliefs about education, disciplinary literacies from a critical stance, and literacies that matter for learners. Christina is known for her work in the areas of language development, the argumentative writing of students, disciplinary literacy, and professional development for secondary content teachers. She is the author of several books, including Investigating Disciplinary Literacy and Disciplinary Literacy Inquiry & Instruction, in addition to numerous publications in researcher and practitioner journals. Dr. Christina Dobbs is an assistant professor and director of the English Education for Equity and Justice program at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, May 14). A conversation with Christina L. Dobbs (Season 4, No. 11) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/E0E0-E9A5-C5FA-D08B-6DF4-K

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Tiffany Boyd is known for her work in the area of climate action. Inspired by Greta Thunberg in 2019, Tiffany started Classrooms for Climate Action to connect teachers and students with local climate action. After growing up in Boulder, Colorado Tiffany taught in the Boulder Valley School District for 27 years and understands the unique challenges facing educators today. Throughout her teaching career, she has been passionate about getting students civically engaged and has focused that attention on climate. Some of Classrooms for Climate Action’s units of study have focused on: Decarbonization, Electric school buses, Soil health, Protecting Pollinators, Flood mitigation, Fire mitigation, CO animals and migration, Tree planting, Plastic reduction, and raising money for an Anti-racism and Climate Justice mural. Tiffany Boyd is the Executive Director of Classrooms for Climate Action which is located in Boulder County, Colorado. You can connect with Tiffany at https://classroomsforclimateaction.org/.
You can find C4CA's public documents here.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Apr 9). A conversation with Tiffany Boyd (Season 4, No. 10) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/F6FB-67D9-0477-A54E-B522-7

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

**Dr. Amélie Lemieux talks to us about authenticity and vulnerability, posthumanism, and the broad scope of literacies. Dr. Lemieux’s research interests include Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility policies as it relates to reading research, literature teaching, and multimodality, all informed by phenomenological and posthumanist perspectives. Her most recent project includes investigating adolescents’ digital literacy practices as ways to leverage social justice. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Lemieux speak at the University of South Florida’s David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching Speaker Series in Tampa, Florida. At her invited talk, Amélie shared her ongoing InstaPoetry project, sharing insights from project development to preliminary results. Our conversation for this episode was recorded the day after her talk. Dr. Amélie Lemieux is an Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal’s Faculty of Education in the department of didactics (teaching and learning).

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Mar 12). A conversation with Amélie Lemieux (Season 4, No. 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests**. DOI: 10.5240/1984-8530-6AAF-904B-12BE-Q

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Bradley Robinson talks to us about artificial intelligence technologies, including how we can critically approach possibilities for teaching and learning with AI, and the deeply human nature of the ways AI tools were built. Brad is known for his work focusing on the creative and critical capacities of digital technologies in literacy education. Specifically, he has examined topics like novice video game design, digital platforms in and out of education, and artificial intelligence, all with a commitment to mindful, authentic, and just implementations of digital technologies. Dr. Bradley Robinson is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology and Secondary Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas State University. You can connect with Brad via email (bradrobinson@txstate.edu) or on Twitter (@Prof_Brad_TxSt).

Resources mentioned in this episode: https://tech.ed.gov/ai-future-of-teaching-and-learning/

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Feb 13). A conversation with Brad Robinson (Season 4, No. 8) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/1974-7A05-2E9B-7B45-C029-7

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Hiller Spires talks to us about the PBI global framework, creating to learn, and how we can support students with a global village. Dr. Spires is known for her work in the areas of digital and disciplinary literacies and project-based inquiry (PBI) global for diverse learners. Hiller has conducted extensive research, teaching and engagement with teachers in China for which she received NC State’s Jackson A. Rigney International Service Award. She led 10 delegations to China, partnered with Beijing Royal School since 2010, and co-created Suzhou North America High School, where she continues to serve as their Honorary Principal. Dr. Hiller Spires is executive director of the William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and professor emerita at North Carolina State University. She is also founding director of Margiesbooks.org.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Jan 9). A conversation with Hiller Spires (Season 4, No. 7) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/C461-C0F5-B173-B4AB-75E4-2

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Michael Spikes talks to us about reliability, credibility, and relevance of news media, fundamentals of communication, and staying curious in a wide world of media. Dr. Spikes is known for his work in media literacy education, news media literacy, and youth media. He has more than a decade experience as a practitioner and scholar of news media literacy in previous positions with Stony Brook University, Washington DC Public Schools, and the Newseum. Dr. Michael A. Spikes is a lecturer and a project director in the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Dec 12). A conversation with Michael Spikes (Season 4, No. 6) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/AABF-F2D5-71AE-0E7D-6506-N

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

In this episode, Dr. Elena Forzani talks to us about reading as meaning making, multiple modes of communication, and literacy assessment. Dr. Forzani is known for her work centering on using multiple and mixed methods to understand and support digital literacies practices across the elementary and secondary levels. In particular, her work investigates the cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational dimensions of online reading, and especially how readers evaluate the credibility of online information. Elena Forzani is an assistant professor in Literacy Education at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Nov 14). A conversation with Elena E. Forzani (Season 4, No. 5) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/0140-D0AD-2E0C-666F-42D2-L

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Pamela Mason is known for her work studying the role of culturally sustaining pedagogy in promoting literacy achievement, the interaction of text complexity and background knowledge, qualitative and quantitative literacy assessment, and the efficacy of the roles of Reading Specialists and Literacy Coaches. Dr. Mason collaborates with colleagues nationally and globally on preparing reading specialist teachers and literacy coaches, developing the capacity of school leaders as literacy advocates, and evaluating school-wide literacy programs. Dr. Pamela A. Mason is a senior lecturer on education, a Co-Chair of the Literacy and Languages concentration, and director of the Jeanne Chall Reading Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Oct 10). A conversation with Pamela Mason (Season 4, No. 4) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/6ABE-99B5-0CD4-14EA-290B-K

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Compton-Lilly is known for her work in the areas of early reading and writing, Reading Recovery, and family literacy practices in local and global contexts, particularly with families from underserved communities. Her current interests include examining how time operates as a contextual factor in children’s lives as they progress through school and construct their identities as students and readers. She is engaged in longitudinal studies around these topics, several of which she has collected data for over a decade. Dr. Compton-Lilly holds emerita status at the University of Wisconsin Madison. She twice served as an Honorary Visiting Professor at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan and recently completed a Fulbright Research and Teaching Fellowship in Taiwan. Dr. Catherine Compton-Lilly is the John C. Hungerpiller Professor at the University of South Carolina.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Sep 12). A conversation with Catherine Compton-Lilly (Season 4, No. 3) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/7733-70C8-75AC-88C1-BC42-K

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Robert Petrone talks to us about reconsidering structures of schools, valuing the expertise of young people, and how he learned about these ideas in a seemingly unlikely place, the skatepark. Dr. Petrone is known for his interdisciplinary work, particularly as he examines the cultural production of ideas of “age,” “youth” and “adolescence,” explores youth cultural, learning, and literacy practices beyond school contexts, and collaborates with educators to build curricula that repositions youth as educational experts. Dr. Robert Petrone is Associate Professor in the Department of Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum at the University of Missouri. For more information about our guest, stay tuned to the end of this episode.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Aug 8). A conversation with Robert Petone (Season 4, No. 2) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/767A-06CA-FC45-6FB5-20E8-N

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Dr. Stephanie Lemley talks to us about agriculture literacies and connecting with our communities. Stephanie is known for her work in the areas of disciplinary literacies and specifically agricultural education. Dr. Lemley recently served as a Mississippi Education Policy Fellow. She is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education at Mississippi State University.

Resources from this episode:

Mississippi Blues Trail Curriculum: https://arts.ms.gov/programs/education-initiatives/mississippi-blues-trail-curriculum/
Mississippi Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom: https://msfb.org/ag-in-the-classroom/
National Ag in the Classroom: https://agclassroom.org/matrix/
American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture: https://www.agfoundation.org/ag-lit-catalog

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

In this brief episode, Lindsay shares some details about where Classroom Caffeine has been in Season 3 and where we are going in Season 4.

You can reach the Classroom Caffeine team at lindsay@classroomcaffeine.com or on our website at www.classroomcaffeine.com.

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Bethlene Ferdinand is known for her work in the areas of educational leadership and health and wellness. Ms. Ferdinand is from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, an island west of Barbados. She holds a BA in Linguistics, a Postgraduate Diploma in the Teaching of English and a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. Bethlene has worked for eight years as a secondary school Educator and was the Head of the Modern Languages Department of a secondary school in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for six of those years before joining the team at the Caribbean Educational Research Centre. Bethlene aspires to complete a PhD in the field of Education Policy and the characteristics surrounding teaching and learning in St. Vincent, the Grenadines, and the Caribbean. Bethlene is a Research Assistant in the Caribbean Educational Research Centre at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, May. 30). A conversation with Bethlene Ferdinand: RISE Caribbean Special Series (Season 3, No. 27) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/6A29-4A11-11B9-8236-7938-D

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Erin Mahon and Judy-Ann Allison Auld talk to us about special education in the Caribbean context, the prime positioning of the Eastern Caribbean islands for growth in inclusive teaching practices, and research collaboration with teachers and school leaders. Erin is known for her work investigating special education and inclusive practices in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. Judy-Ann is best known for her work in the areas of inclusive education. Erin and Judy-Ann are both involved in planning and presentations at the 2023 RISE Caribbean Conference hosted at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Dr Erin Mahon is a Research Fellow in the Caribbean Educational Research Centre at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. Judy-Ann Auld is in the final year of her PhD program at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, in the Faculty of Humanities and Education. Erin can be contacted at erin.mahon@cavehill.uwi.edu and Judy-Ann can be contacted at ch-jauld@cavehill.uwi.edu.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, May. 23). A conversation with Erin Mahon and Judy-Ann Allison Auld: RISE Caribbean Special Series (Season 3, No. 26) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/7601-725C-B2EA-8348-68E4-9

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Leacock is known for her work in the areas of literacy and numeracy, including the teaching and learning of mathematics, student achievement, technology use in education, democratizing classrooms, and literacy across the curriculum. Dr. Leacock is the Project Coordinator for the RISE Caribbean research team and a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education and Research Methods in the School of Education at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. You can reach CJ and the Caribbean Educational Research Center at cercentre@cavehill.uwi.edu.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, May. 16). A conversation with Coreen “CJ” Leacockt: RISE Caribbean Special Series (Season 3, No. 25) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI:10.5240/C73E-151E-1B3F-FA84-B86F-3

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Skerrett is known for her work in the areas of secondary English and literacy education in urban contexts, including among transnational youth. Dr. Skerrett’s book, Teaching Transnational Youth: Literacy and Education in a Changing World published by Teachers College Press in 2015, is the first to examine the educational opportunities and challenges arising from increasing numbers of students living and attending school across different countries. Her new book, Teaching Literacy in Troubled Times: Identity, Inquiry and Social Action at the Heart of Instruction, co-authored with past Classroom Caffeine guest Peter Smaroginsky and published by Corwin Press in 2022 showcases teachers and students engaged in developing critical literacies and taking social action to create more just worlds. She is the keynote speaker for the 2023 RISE Caribbean Conference hosted at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Allison Skerrett is Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Director of Teacher Education in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, May. 9). A conversation with Allison Skerrett: RISE Caribbean Special Series (Season 3, No. 24) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/9D8C-84C1-8FB6-1C92-61E0-6

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Dana Robertson talks to us about connections between conversation and music, the power of motivation and engagement, and opportunities for creating meaningful contexts for learning in schools. Dana is known for his work focused on classroom discussion and teachers’ talk, reading and writing challenges, and literacy professional learning through coaching and whole school literacy improvement. Through each of these projects, he has sought ways to provide equitable and inclusive literacy opportunities to teachers and school-age children in ways that are humanizing, agentive, and sustainable. He has received numerous awards for his research and teaching. Dr. Dana A. Robertson is an Associate Professor of Reading and Literacy in the School of Education at Virginia Tech.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Apr. 25). A conversation with Dana Robertson (Season 3, No. 23) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/BF18-C3BC-F7F2-4DB0-A875-L

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Drs. Amy Vetter and Melissa Schieble talk to us about teacher agency, community, and critical conversations. A third scholar, Kahdeidra Monét Martin, is also involved in their recent research. Amy is known for her work in understanding how classroom interactions impact developing reader and writer identities as well as teacher identities, the role of critical conversations in educational settings, and the impotence of learning from the writing identities of young people. Melissa is known for her work on analyses of power, privilege and oppression in fiction for youth and in classroom discourse. Together, with Kahdeidra, they have published multiple research articles on the topic of critical classroom conversations as well as the book Classroom Talk for Social Change: Critical Conversations in English Language Arts, published in 2020 by Teachers College Press.

Resources mentioned in this episode: NCTE Intellectual Freedom Center

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Apr. 11). A conversation with Amy Vetter and Melissa Schieble (Season 3, No. 22) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/26D8-D7C3-D4B1-E9FF-DB33-R

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Shea Kerkhoff talks to us about literacies in the disciplines, an inquiry stance, and authentic learning. She is known for her work in disciplinary literacies, adolescent literacy instruction, and literacies in global contexts. She utilizes mixed methods to investigate critical, digital, and global literacies. Her research centers on integrating inquiry-based global learning with adolescent literacy instruction. She is co-author of Read, write, inquire: Disciplinary literacy in grades 6-12 with Drs. Hiller Spires and Casey Medlock Paul. Her forthcoming book, Critical perspectives on global literacies: Bridging research and practice, co-authored with Dr. Spires is currently in press with Routledge Publishers. Dr. Kerkhoff serves as Going Global, Inc.'s Education Director and affiliated faculty with the Show Me Literacies Collaborative. Dr. Shea Kerkhoff is an Assistant Professor of literacy and secondary education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. You can connect with Shea at https://sheakerkhoff.weebly.com/.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Mar. 28). A conversation with Shea Kerkhoff. (Season 3, No. 21) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/1E5D-51BF-BA59-2A4B-DDE1-S

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Lakeya Omogun talks to us about freedom, identity as an outcome of language and literacy, and arts as a key to communicating and expression. Dr. Omogun is known for her work that explores the role of language and literacies in Black African immigrant youth identity constructions and negotiations across school, community, and digital spaces. As an artist and advocate, as well as a former middle school teacher, Lakeya pays particular attention to the intersection of racialization and socialization processes that influence identities. Dr. Omogun is a Scholars of Color Transitioning into Academic Research Institutions (or STAR) Fellow with the Literacy Research Association and her work won the American Educational Research Association Bilingual Education Research Special Interest Group’s Outstanding Dissertation Award. Dr. Lakeya Omogun is currently an Assistant Professor of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum at the University of Washington.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Mar. 14). A conversation with Lakeya Omogun. (Season 3, No. 20) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/F003-DA43-E669-98CB-E29E-N

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Jerome Harste talks to us about writing in early childhood, the inherent social risks in writing, Sketch to Stretch writing, arts-based ways of communicating, kids as curricular informants, teachers as intellectuals and philosophers, and schools as spaces of possibility. Dr. Harste is best known for his work exploring young children’s written language literacy learning, connecting arts and literacies, and critical literacies. As a literacy educator his expanded view of what it meant to be literate went far beyond traditional notions of reading and writing to include visual literacy and more generally semiotics. Jerry is also a celebrated artist, working mainly in watercolors. He has published over 200 articles in refereed journals and won many awards for his research and teaching. Notably, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame, given the James Squire “Paradigm Shifters'' Award (National Council of Teachers of English), the Oscar Causey Reading Research Award (Literacy Research Association) and the David Russell Research Award for his work in the Language Arts (NCTE). He also earned the coveted Gorman Teaching Award from the School of Education and the Frederick Bachman Teaching Award from Indiana University. Before retirement, he was an elementary teacher in Monticello, Minnesota and the Peace Corps, a college professor for nearly 50 years at Indiana University, and an educational researcher. Dr. Jerome C. Harste retired from Indiana University as a Distinguished Professor where he held the Armstrong Chair in Teacher Education. He currently teaches graduate courses at Mount Saint Vincent University in Canada. You can connect with Jerry on Facebook at “Harste as Artist”or online at jeromeharste.com.

Resource PPT to accompany this episode: Harste Podcast PPT

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Feb. 28). A conversation with Jerome “Jerry” C. Harste. (Season 3, No. 19) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/DD6E-8C6E-272E-1073-EB2E-U

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Karen Harris talks to us about Self-Regulated Strategy Development, elements of and strategies for writing instruction, and how social inequities can influence learning. Dr. Harris is best known for developing the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of strategies instruction. Her research, which has primarily been conducted in under-served schools, focuses on effective instruction for complex learning areas. Karen has conducted research on the SRSD model of instruction for learning to write, as well as close reading to learn followed by writing to inform or persuade among students in inclusive classrooms. Self-Regulated Strategy Development has been deemed an evidence-based practice by the Institute of Education Sciences’ What Works Clearing House and there are now over 200 studies of SRSD for writing across several countries. Dr. Karen R. Harris is Regents Professor Emeritus and Research Professor at the Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University.

Resource list mentioned in this episode: https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/s/SRSD-resourcesinfo-list-11823.docx

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Rachael Gabriel talks to us about the influence of policy on education, shadow policies, teaching outside of our integrity, and leaning on each other in hard times. Dr. Gabriel is known for her work in the areas of literacy instruction, leadership and intervention, as well as policies related to teacher development and evaluation. Her current projects investigate supports for adolescent literacy, state literacy policies and discipline-specific literacy instruction. Dr. Gabriel is Professor of Literacy Education at the University of Connecticut.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Jan. 31). A conversation with Rachael Gabriel. (Season 3, No. 17) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/57D8-F7A5-30E0-F9CB-B8DA-H

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook or Twitter. (Instagram coming soon!)

Dr. Cynthia Brock talks to us about learning from our histories, considering our futures, the central role of listening, and the situatedness of our contexts. Cindy is known for her work in the area of opportunities-for-learning literacy. Specifically, her studies have explored children’s learning, pre- and in-service teachers’ learning in university classrooms and in professional development contexts, and her and her colleagues’ learning. Dr. Brock is a professor at the University of Wyoming where she holds the Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowed Chair in Elementary Literacy Education.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Jan. 17). A conversation with Cynthia Brock. (Season 3, No. 16) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/96A5-964F-97E6-CFE8-6557-4

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook or Twitter. (Instagram coming soon!)

Dr. Theresa Rogers talks to us about politics in the lives of young people, adolescents’ multimodal responses to the world, and engaging young people in critical literacies to help them prepare for unknown futures. Dr. Rogers is known for her work in the areas of adolescent/youth literacies and critical perspectives on literature teaching. Her recent articles and the book, Youth, Critical Literacies and Civic Engagement: Arts, Media and Literacy in the Lives of Adolescents, focus on the critical and creative work of youth across communities and schools -- a multi-year study located in Vancouver, Canada. She is currently working on a project on spatiality, mobilities and critical literary interpretation. She is a Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia where she teaches courses in adolescent literacies and literature teaching and continues to conduct research with teachers and youth. Her work can be found at https://ubc.academia.edu/TheresaRogers

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Jan. 3). A conversation with Theresa Rogers. (Season 3, No. 15) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/F5C6-81FA-3144-28AB-FC29-Q

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook or Twitter. (Instagram coming soon!)

In this episode, Dr. Alfred Tatum talks to us about a grand dichotomy in America, embracing our roles in teaching, disciplinary equity, and the power of literacy. Al is known for his work around the literacy development of African American boys and his most recent work focuses on the roles of texts and writing to advance the literacy development of African American males. Dr. Alfred W. Tatum is the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Metropolitan State University of Denver and President-Elect for the Literacy Research Association.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Dec. 20). A conversation with Alfred Tatum. (Season 3, No. 14) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/C13B-6FA9-FD10-0AA4-4DFE-P

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook or Twitter. (Instagram coming soon!)

Dr. Sarah J. McCarthey is known for her work in the areas of writing and writing instruction within the context of education policy and global education. Sarah’s work has been funded by the National Writing Project, the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, the National Academy of Education and Spencer Foundation, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has won multiple awards for her teaching and research throughout her career, including the Career Teaching Award, Distinguished Senior Scholar, and the Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sarah has served as co-editor of Research in the Teaching of English alongside former Classroom Caffeine guest Mark Dressman. Dr. McCarthey is currently the Sheila M. Miller Professor and Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction at University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Dec. 6). A conversation with Sarah McCarthey. (Season 3, No. 13) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/7DA4-4529-AB30-2445-16A5-6

Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Facebook or Twitter. (Instagram coming soon!)

Dr. Mandie Bevels Dunn is known for her work in the area of teacher wellness. In particular, she studies how teachers who were grieving a death managed their emotions in the context of teaching in English language arts classrooms. In studying teachers’ grief-related emotions, she focuses on how power dynamics between teachers and students influence what teachers disclose or hide about loss experiences when they talk, read, or write with students, and how these power dynamics are further influenced by identity positions such as race, class, and gender. Her article Teaching Literature Following Loss: Teachers’ Adherence to Emotional Rules, published in English Teaching: Practice and Critique in August 2021, won the 2022 Literati Outstanding Paper award from Emerald Publishing.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Nov. 22). A conversation with Mandie Dunn. (Season 3, No. 12) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/A984-8A74-8A84-715E-DAE8-A

In this episode, Dr. Marcus Croom talks to us about relationships between racialization and literacies, an ecology of mastery, and having real talk around race and education. Marcus is known for his work utilizing research and experiences to help individuals and groups develop racial literacies in order to advance the justice, antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of schools, universities, businesses, organizations, and communities. He is the author of Real talk? How to discuss race, racism, and politics in 21st century American schools and will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Literacy Research Association annual conference.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Nov. 8). A conversation with Marcus Croom. (Season 3, No. 11) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/00A5-B2C8-C285-9489-D23E-6

In this episode, Dr. Susan Bennett talks to us about building relationships, social justice, equity, and multicultural education. Susan is known for her work in multicultural children’s literature, arts and creative literacies, and culturally-responsive literacy practices. Her research and teaching are driven by issues of social justice. Notably, Dr. Bennett has worked with incarcerated youth to improve literacy rates and mental health.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Oct. 25). A conversation with Susan Bennett. (Season 3, No. 10) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/3DD7-7D5C-8F9C-7CF1-9F0D-C

In this episode, Michelle Townley talks to us about community, relationships, school culture, and the spirit of collective efficacy. Michelle is known for her work in schools, supporting teachers and school leaders, coordinating curriculum, and supporting school operations. Mrs. Townley has worked in public education for nearly 25 years. She has served as a classroom teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and Principal, and in a number of district wide roles as Director of Literacy, Regional Assistant Superintendent, and as Acting Chief Academic Officer. Most recently, Michelle took the opportunity to fulfill her career-long goal of opening a new school in her hometown as Principal.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Oct. 11 ). A conversation with Michelle Townley. (Season 3, No. 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. 10.5240/97F5-79B1-C48D-D863-B370-X

In this episode, Dr. AnnMarie Alberton Gunn talks to us about supporting kids and families, multiple pathways to finding reading success, and the need for diverse books in our classrooms and our worlds. AnnMarie is known for her work in multicultural education, multicultural literacies, and culturally-sustaining teaching pedagogies. She studies multicultural literature in teacher education, investigates the culturally-sustaining pedagogies in early childhood education settings, and studies the familial impacts of adult males who were incarcerated while developing literacy programs for adult male inmates. Dr. Gunn is an Associate Professor for Reading and Literacy Studies in the College of Education at the University of South Florida.

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Aug 27). A conversation with AnnMarie Alberton Gunn. (Season 3, No. 8) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI:10.5240/1C80-DD87-F0C8-5488-60C2-5

Dr. Victoria Damjanovic talks to us about inquiry-based learning, childism, and the agency of young children. Tori is known for her work in the areas of early childhood development, teacher content and pedagogical knowledge, and equity in early childhood education. Dr. Damjanovic is an Assistant Professor in early childhood education and early childhood special education in the department of Teaching and Learning and Educational Specialties at Northern Arizona University.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Aug 16). A conversation with Victoria Damjanovic. (Season 3, No. 7) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/876F-7D7C-2989-801A-BC99-J

There are some exciting projects going on behind the scenes at Classroom Caffeine. In order to make the most of this work, we need your input.

We are looking to improve the content of our show notes, create playlists for learning about specific topics and ideas, enhance our episode tags on the website, and, as always, recruit guests YOU want to learn from.

In particular, we are interested to know:

What are your most challenging problems of practice?
What topics do you wish we would explore that we have not yet?
What ideas would you like for us to explore more deeply?
What areas of your professional learning do you continuously look to grow?
What do you really like about the show? What do you wish we would change or do differently?

You can respond to any or all of these questions, or share your thoughts freestyle by leaving a voicemail or text massage at 1-941-212-0949 (your standard carrier rates may apply) or you can send an email to lindsay@classroomcaffeine.com.

Dr. Mark Dressman is known for his work in the improvement of educational theory, research, and practice, specifically in Secondary English and in Native Nations and international settings. His research projects have engaged multimodal texts including print, image, and sound as he works to help improve educational websites and multimedia. He has also engaged with poetry, social theory, literacy policy, literacy in school libraries, and English language acquisition. Dr. Dressman’s work has been sponsored by the Fulbright Foundation. His work has appeared in Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Literacy Research, Journal of Curriculum Studies, and many times in Research in the Teaching of English. Dr. Dressman is the author of Using Social Theory in Educational Research: A Practical Guide, and, more recently, an editor of and contributor to The Handbook of Informal Language Learning and an author of the forthcoming English Language Learning in the Digital Age: Learner-Driven Strategies for Adolescents and Young Adults with Wiley-Blackwell. He has also contributed to The Routledge International Handbook of the Arts and Education, Handbook of Qualitative Research in Education, and Literacy Research Methodologies. Mark was formerly an editor of Research in the Teaching in English. Dr. Dressman was a Fulbright Senior Scholar working in Morocco to improve the teaching of English in universities and to study the informal English learning practices of university students. Dr. Dressman is Professor Emeritus in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and served as Professor and Chair of English at Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2022, Aug 16). A conversation with Mark Dressman. (Season 3, No. 6) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests.DOI: 10.5240/21EB-4642-B607-113F-2CA3-S

Dr. Graham is known for his work in writing development and writing instruction for both writers developing typically and writers with special needs. Steve has authored or co-authored over 300 journal articles, over 100 book chapters, 5 books, edited nearly 20 books or book series, and has contributed to reports for the International Literacy Association, the What Works Clearinghouse, and the Alliance for Excellence in Education. In 2021, he received the William S Gray Citation of Merit from the International Literacy Association and in 2018 he was elected to the Reading Hall of Fame. Dr. Steve Graham is a Regents and the Warner Professor in the Division of Leadership and Innovation in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University.

Dr. Barbara Comber is known for her work in the areas of creative teaching pedagogy, critical literacy, poverty, and social justice. In particular, she studies the kinds of teaching practices that make a difference to young people's literacy learning trajectories and what gets in the way. Barbara has collaborated on and conducted a number of competitively funded research projects concerned with literacy development, teaching and socioeconomic disadvantage. Her work has appeared in Theory into Practice, Linguistics and Education, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, The Reading Teacher, Curriculum & Inquiry, Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, Language Arts, Teaching Education, Critical Studies in Education, International Journal of Educational Research, Discourse, International Journal of Innovation in Education, Australian Geographer, Australian Educational Research, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, and many other journals. Her books include Literacy, Place, and Pedagogies of Possibility. She has co-edited a number of books including the International Handbook of Research in Children's Literacy, Learning and Culture, Literacies in Place: Teaching environmental communications, Negotiating Critical Literacies in Classrooms, and Turn-around pedagogies: Literacy interventions for at-risk students. She has also authored or co-authored over 100 book chapters. Her work has been funded by the Australian Research Council, the Spencer Foundation, Myer Foundation, and Education Departments in Australia. Barbara has developed or contributed to language and literacy teacher education materials in a number of Australian states, the US and Canada. In 2015, she was elected member to the Reading Hall of Fame and in 2022, Barbara was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to education. Dr. Comber is an Adjunct Research Professor in the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion, Education Futures at the University of South Australia.

Dr. Nell K. Duke talks to us about equity, research, and equitable, research-based resources for schools and teachers. Nell is known for her work in the areas of early literacy development, particularly the development of informational reading and writing in young children, comprehension development and instruction in early schooling, and issues of equity in literacy education. Dr. Duke has received numerous awards for her work including the P. David Pearson Scholarly Influence Award from the Literacy Research Association and the International Literacy Association's William S. Gray Citation of Merit for outstanding contributions to research, theory, practice, and policy. Nell has been named one of the most influential education scholars in the U.S. in EdWeek. You can connect with Dr. Duke through her website at www.nellkduke.org or on Twitter @nellkduke.

During her episode, Dr. Duke mentions these websites: www.LiteracyEssentials.org and www.NellKDuke.org.

Classroom Caffeine is taking a short summer break. We invite you to catch up on any episodes you may not have heard yet or listen again to your favorite episodes. You can explore episode topics through our tags on our website. You have likely heard me say that you can also reach the Classroom Caffeine team through our website at www.classroomcaffeine.com, but we have just launched a new way for you to communicate with us. You can leave a voice message or send a text to 1-941-212-0949. While standard messaging or call rates may apply, we are always interested in hearing from listeners. We welcome your feedback on the show, any ideas for potential guests or topics, and thoughts about how you use what you learn from Classroom Caffeine. We will have a new episode for you in two weeks.

Jennifer Serravallo talks to us about individualizing learning through the strategies and structures in a teacher’s toolbox. Jen is known for her work in the areas of reading and writing strategies, individualized literacy support for students, and teacher professional development in literacy. Jen is a New York Times Bestselling author of teacher professional resources including The Reading Strategies Book. You can connect with Jen and her work at her website www.jenniferserravallo.com, at her publisher’s website at Hein.pub/serravallo, on Twitter @jserravallo, on Instagram @jenniferserravallo, or by joining The Reading and Writing Strategies Facebook Community.

Margaret Robertson talks to us about teachers as learners and the power of language. She also shares a message for decision makers in education. Maggie is a kindergarten teacher at a small elementary school in central Florida. She has 8 years experience teaching kindergarten. Ms. Robertson is known for her focus on Conscious Discipline and social-emotional teaching. Maggie has been recognized by her peers and her mentors as an outstanding teacher and teacher-researcher. She was named her school’s Teacher of the Year in 2021.

In this episode, Classroom Caffeine host and producer, Lindsay Persohn, discusses the history, the present, and the future of the show. Please feel free to provide feedback or input about Classroom Caffeine at ClassroomCaffeine.com.

Dr. James Paul Gee talks to us about the economic signaling of schools, our social geographies, affinity spaces, and failure as opportunity. Jim is known for his work in New Literacies, applied linguistics, and sociocultural learning. Dr. Gee has authored or co authored over 200 journal articles and book chapters. He has authored, co authored, or edited over 20 books. Most recently, he wrote What is a human?: Language, mind, and culture. Dr. Gee is an elected member of the National Academy of Education, a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, a Regents’ Professor at Arizona State University, and was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Literacy Research Association. Dr. Gee was the Mary Lou Fulton Presidential Professor of Literacy Studies at Arizona State University. He is now Emeritus Faculty at Arizona State University and spends much of his time on his small farm in Northern Arizona.

Dr. Stephanie Toliver talks to us about speculative fiction, storytelling, and asking different questions to help us envision a different kind of future in schools. Stephanie is known for her work in Black storytelling and children’s literature, particularly science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres by Black authors. Dr. Toliver has published numerous academic articles and she is the author of Recovering Black Storytelling in Qualitative Research: Endarkened Storywork. Stephanie’s work has received many accolades including the Outstanding Dissertation Award for the Arts-Based Educational Research Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association, the Promising Researcher Award from the National Council for Teachers of English, and funding from an American Library Association Diversity Research Grant. Dr. Toliver is an assistant professor of Literacy and Secondary Humanities at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is also the curator of the website, www.ReadingBlackFutures.com, where you can read more about her work.

Dr. Antonio López talks to us about ecomedia literacies, the materiality of information, and starting the conversation to name the world and our impacts on it. Antonio is known for his work bridging ecojustice and media literacy. As a producer of dozens of youth media projects, he has collaborated with the MacArthur Foundation, National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, Praxis Project, and National Rural Health Organization. He has also appeared on news outlets like NPR and BBC as an expert on the topic of “fake news.” Dr. Lopez has written many articles and book chapters and has written four books. Most recently, he published Ecomedia Literacy: Integrating Ecology into Media Education with Routledge. Dr. Lopez is Associate Professor and Chair of Communications and Media Studies at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy. You can learn more about his work and connect with Antonio at https://antonio-lopez.com.

Dr. Beth Holland talks to us about experiential learning, empowering students, and creating equitable learning opportunities. Beth is known for her work in educational leadership and digital equity. She has over 20 years of experience working as an educator and researcher examining challenges of equity and communication within K-12 public school systems. Beth is a Partner at The Learning Accelerator (TLA), a national nonprofit working to ensure that every child receives the engaging, equitable, and effective education they need to reach their full and unique potential. She leads the organization's research and measurement initiatives. You can connect with Beth at brholland.com and learn about her work at learningaccelerator.org.

Dr. Debbie Reese talks to us about Native Nations, folk tales, untold histories, and knowing ourselves. Debbie is known for her studies of depictions of Native content in children's and young adult texts. Dr. Reese is tribally enrolled at Nambé Owingeh, a sovereign Native Nation in the southwest. She is a former school teacher and former assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2006 she launched the website American Indians in Children's Literature to provide open access to her research. Her work has won numerous awards and distinctions from the American Library Association and critical reviewers of literature such as Kirkus Review and School Library Journal. In 2019, Dr. Reese co-authored An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People with Jean Mendoza. You can find Debbe online at americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net and on Twitter @debreese.

Dr. Richard Beach talks to us about a transdisciplinary approach to education, systems thinking, case studies, digital media, and how, together, these ideas can help us to imagine the problems and solutions of the future. Rick is known for his work in the areas of language, literature, writing, digital literacies, and, most recently, climate justice and sustainability literacies. His episode focuses on work related to his 2017 co-authored book Beyond Teaching about Climate Change to Adolescents: Reading, Writing, and Making a Difference. You can find a link to this work on Rick’s guest page on ClassroomCaffeine.com. Dr. Beach has authored or co-authored more than 150 articles and book chapters and authored, co-authored, or edited 30 books, including two books currently in press. Drawing on Students’ Worlds in the ELA Classroom: Toward Critical Engagement and Deep Learning and Teaching to Exceed State English Language Arts Standards will both soon be available. Rick has served as President of the Literacy Research Association, President of the National Conference on Research in English, and Chair of the Board of Trustees for The Research Foundation of the National Council of Teachers of English. Rick was recently named winner of the 2022 John J. Gumperz Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Scholarship by the Language and Social Processes Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. Dr. Beach is Professor Emeritus of English Education at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Robert J. Tierney talks to us about waves of thinking in education research, students as agents of change, and crossing borders in new ways by considering our approach to ideas. Rob is known for his work in the areas of reading and the reading-writing connection, theories of literacy instruction and research, and teaching, learning, and researching with digital literacies, and global knowledge mobilization. He has worked in the United States, Canada, Australia, and China. Rob has published numerous books and scholarly articles focused on literacy education, teacher development, cross-national educational research, educational assessment and equity. He recently published A History of Literacy Instruction: Waves of Research and Practice with well-known literacy scholar and former Classroom Caffeine guest, P. David Pearson. Rob currently serves as the President of the Board of the International Literacy Association. Rob is Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Elizabeth Hadley talks to us about responsive interactions with young children through the academic and social language in preschools. Liz is known for her work in the areas of oral language development and vocabulary in preschool classrooms, and she works to understand the connections between oral language in early childhood and later reading comprehension skills. Dr. Hadley is an Assistant Professor of Literacy Studies at the University of South Florida.

Drs. Dixie Massey and Margaret Vaughn talk to us about agency, interests, and books. Dr. Dixie Massey is known for her work in the areas of literacy development, preservice teacher education, and children’s literature. Dr. Massey is a lecturer at Seattle Pacific University. Dr. Margaret Vaughn is known for her work in student agency, teacher decision-making, and reading materials for children. Dr. Vaughn is an Associate Professor of Literacy at Washington State University. Dixie and Margaret have co-authored many works together, including their recent book titled Teaching with Children’s Literature: Theory to Practice from Guilford Press.

Kaylee Laub talks to us about science education, problem-based learning, student research, and teaching with technology. Kaylee is a secondary science teacher and teacher mentor at Alta Sierra Intermediate School in Clovis, California. Her research investigates secondary students’ sensemaking in science with problem-based learning centered on local community issues, place-based education, science literacy practices, multimodal literacy, and student argumentation on controversial science topics. Ms. Laub holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Masters in the Art of Teaching from California State University, Fresno.

Dr. Sharon Vaughn talks to us about how emotional and behavioral aspects of students’ lives can impact academics, students’ background knowledge as a kind of jet fuel for progress in reading, and teaching with evidence-based practices informed by our clinical experiences. Sharon is known for her work in the areas of effective interventions for a diverse group of students with reading difficulties and for students who are English language learners. Dr. Vaughn is the Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Education, the Executive Director of The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, and a Professor in the Department of Special Education at The University of Texas, Austin. For more information about our guest, stay tuned to the end of this episode.

Dr. Patriann Smith talks to us about race, language, and immigration. Dr. Smith is known for her transdisciplinary research at the intersection of linguistics, (im)migration and race in literacy education. Her forthcoming book, with Drs. Arlette Willis and Gwendolyn McMillon, Affirming Black Students’ Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness, will soon appear in Teachers College Press. Dr. Smith is a member of the Board of Directors of the Literacy Research Association (LRA) and co-author of LRA’s recent report, Advancing Anti-Racism in Literacy Research. Dr. Patriann Smith is an Associate Professor of Literacy Studies in the College of Education at the University of South Florida. Check out her guest page on the Classroom Caffeine website for the resources Dr. Smith mentions in her episode.

Renée Dinnerstein talks to us about choice, play, and inquiry, particularly in the early years. Renee is known for her work as an early childhood educator and as the author of Choice Time: How to Deepen Learning Through Inquiry and Play. With over 50 years experience in education, she has been affiliated with New York City’s public schools, Department of Education, and the Teachers’ College Reading and Writing Project Early Childhood ‘Think Tank’.

Visit www.classroomcaffeine.com to share how you use podcasts to learn.

Dr. Marjorie Faulstich Orellana talks to us about shifting our mindset to see how kids contribute to their families and communities, and how kids are doing much more in their lives than we ask of them in schools. Marjorie is known for her work in the areas of language brokering, cultural modeling, pedagogies of the heart and mind, immigrant youth and families, and power dynamics around literacy and gender. Dr. Orellana is a Professor in the School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA, where she serves as Associate Director of the International Program on Migration.

Dr. Gay Ivey talks to us about motivation in reading, building relationships with kids around books, and what happens when we create circumstances in schools where students drive their own reading and learning. Gay is known for her work in the areas of reading engagement as a tool for improving the academic and relational lives of children and adolescents. Dr. Ivey is the William E. Moran Distinguished Professor in Literacy at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

Dr. Kevin Leander talks to us about responsiveness, presence, relationships, and energy in education. He is known for his work in the areas of digital literacies, literacies in social and geographic spaces, and embodied literacies. Dr. Leander is a Professor at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. David Pearson talks to us about the interconnected nature of learning, a useful view of reading that he calls the “radical middle”, and ways to think about the total experience of literacy in schools and in life. David is known for his work in the areas of literacy history, literacy policy, and literacy practice. He has authored more than 300 books, articles, and chapters with nearly 300 co-authors. Notably, he has written and co-edited the Handbook of Reading Research, now in its fourth edition, and A History of Literacy Education: Waves of Research and Practice, written with Rob Tierney was recently released. Dr. Pearson is emeritus faculty at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Mona Jain talks to us about keys to success in her long and outstanding career in education as sincerity, integrity, humanity, courtesy, wisdom, and charity. In 2019, the School District of Manatee County in Florida dedicated Dr. Mona Jain Middle School in her honor. Mona’s encouraging message for teachers showcases the importance of connections to the community and continuous learning over the course of a lifetime. Dr. Jain holds two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree earned through a fellowship with the National Science Foundation, an education specialist degree, a medical doctorate, and a Ph.D. Dr. Jain is a self-proclaimed lifelong learner and now a professional volunteer.

Dr. Noah Golden talks to us about advocacy, relationships, and creating spaces for responsiveness in schools. Noah is known for his work in the areas of critical literacies, urban education, and English education. Dr. Golden is an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at California State University, Long Beach.

Dr. Alexandra Panos talks to us about teaching critical literacies through complex topics that are critical to our own communities, focusing on climate literacies and other issues of social justice. Alex is known for her work in the areas of spatial literacies, climate justice literacies, and critical qualitative research methodologies. Dr. Panos is currently an Assistant Professor of Literacy Studies and an affiliate faculty member of Measurement and Research at the University of South Florida.

Dr. Earl Aguilera talks to us about interest-driven instruction, multimedia literacies in practice, and taking a critical stance toward literacy and educational justice. Earl is known for his work in the areas of digital media literacies, social justice issues particularly related to first-generation college students, and critical studies of the narrative in digital contexts. Dr. Aguilera is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at California State University, Fresno.

Dr. Jody McBrien talks to us about diversity and equity, support, kindness, and understanding for the students we teach, particularly those who come to our classrooms as refugees, and exploring viewpoints other than our own. Jody is known for her work in the areas of international and comparative issues of refugee students and their families, work she has done in North America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. Dr. McBrien is a Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.

Dr. Judith Dunkerly-Bean talks to us about advocacy, representation, blind spots, and preparing preservice teachers for what could be seen as difficult conversations. Judith is known for her work in the areas of critical literacies, young adult literature, social justice, and human rights education. She is a fierce advocate for women, girls, and people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. Dr. Dunkerly-Bean is an Associate Professor of Literacy in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Old Dominion University.

Dr. Blaine Smith talks to us about creating classroom spaces that empower students, collaborating with adolescent learners to navigate and learn through multimodal literacies, and remixing projects to provide opportunities for learners to use digital literacies and share their thinking. Dr. Smith is an Associate Professor of New Literacies and Bi/Multilingual Immigrant Learners in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies, affiliate faculty with the Second Language and Teaching program, and the Co-Director of the Digital Innovation and Learning Lab in the College of Education at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Sandra Faulkner talks to us about inclusive pedagogy, transforming the energy in classrooms, concrete steps to building relationships with students, and poetry as a way to portray learning experiences. Sandra is known for her work in qualitative methodology, poetic inquiry, and the relationships among culture, identities, and sexualities. Dr. Faulkner is a Professor of Communication at Bowling Green State University.

In this episode the host, Lindsay Persohn, recaps Season 1 of the show and talks about goals and changes for Season 2, which will begin on May 25. (The show is moving to a biweekly release in Season 2.) We hope you will get in touch with the show through www.classroomcaffeine.com to share your feedback and input!

Dr. Jessica Pandya talks to us about navigating new learning opportunities for teachers and students, writing in digital spaces for authentic audiences, and diversity in schools. Jessica is known for her work in the areas of critical digital literacies, identity in literacy, multimodal composing, and diverse classroom contexts. Dr. Pandya is a Professor of Teacher Education and Liberal Studies at California State University, Long Beach.

Dr. Elizabeth Moje talks to us about justice and equity, valuing difference as a way to new ideas, and critical thinking across our lives as learners. Elizabeth is known for her work in the areas of disciplinary literacy, adolescent literacy, racial justice, and teacher education. Dr. Moje is dean, and George Herbert Mead Collegiate Professor of Education, and an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture in the School of Education at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Mark Pacheco talks to us about valuing language and creating language-rich classrooms, how we can support emerging bilingual students in their literacy development, and home language as an essential part of identity. Mark is known for his work in language and literacy practices of emerging bilingual students and how teachers can support these practices. Dr. Pacheco is an Assistant Professor of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and Bilingual Education at the University of Florida.

Dr. Peter H. Johnston talks to us about meaningful conversations with students and colleagues, celebrating student’s efforts, the cascade effect of teaching with social imagination, and mutual respect in the classroom. Peter is known for his work exploring relationships among classroom talk, engagement, and children’s social, emotional and literate development. Peter is Professor Emeritus in the Literacy Teaching and Learning Department at the University at Albany – State University of New York.

Dr. Tom Bean talks to us about his work with incarcerated adolescents, building relationships, hearing what kids have to say, and challenging our own assumptions about how we label our students. Tom is known for his work in disciplinary and content area literacy, adolescent literacy, and his work with incarcerated youth. Dr. Bean is a Professor of Literacy/Reading in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Darden College of Education and the Rosanne Keeley Norris Endowed Professor at Old Dominion University.

Dr. Danielle Dennis talks to us about asset-based thinking, teacher agency, and asking questions to lead to real change in schools. She is known for her work in the areas of literacy teacher education, curriculum, assessment, and educational policy. Danielle is currently the Director of the School of Education and a Professor at the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Patricia Leavy talks to us about the arts, critical thinking, keeping the spark of creativity, and staying the path of our own lives. She is known for her work in the areas of arts-based research methods, qualitative research design, and creativity. Patricia is an independent sociologist and bestselling author.

Dr. Frank Serafini talks to us about looking closely, the complexity of learning, making knowledge visible, and expanding our view of reading and writing. Frank is known for his work in the areas of visual literacy, multimodal analysis, and children’s literature. Dr. Serafini is a Professor of literacy education and children's literature in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University.

Dr. Carol Lee talks to us about professional growth, understanding what young people bring to their learning, addressing the needs of the whole child, humanizing the field of education, and the stuff of classrooms money just can’t buy. Carol is known for her work addressing cultural supports for learning that include a broad ecological focus, with attention to language and literacy and African-American youth. Dr. Lee is Professor Emeritus of Education in the School of Education and Social Policy and in African-American Studies at Northwestern University.

Dr. Victoria Risko talks to us about making connections, translanguaging, growth opportunities, equity in education, and meeting the needs of students as individuals. Vicki is known for her work in the areas of teacher education and professional development, teacher reflection, reading comprehension and meaningful learning, and uses of cases and multimedia environments to enhance learning. Dr. Risko is Professor Emerita at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Peter Afflerbach talks to us about classroom assessment, self-efficacy, motivation and engagement, and kids as individuals. Peter is known for his work in reading assessment, reading comprehension strategies, and verbal reporting research methodologies. Dr. Afflerbach is Professor of Reading in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland.

Dr. Susan B. Neuman talks to us about a community-based 360 degree view of child development, early vocabulary development through conversation, and engaging young children in their literacy learning by encouraging their interests. Susan is known for her work in early childhood literacy, including early childhood policy, curriculum, and early reading instruction, particularly for prek-grade 3 children who live in poverty. Susan is a Professor of Teaching and Learning at New York University.

Dr. Timothy Shanahan talks to us about a framework for our teaching, understanding our students and classroom contexts, translating research to practice, and professional learning for real impact. Tim is known for his work in the connections between learning to read and learning to write, literacy in the disciplines, and improving reading achievement. You can learn more about our guest on his active blog at shanahanonliteracy.com.

Dr. Leigh Hall talks to us about supporting adolescent readers who struggle and readers’ perceptions and identities. Leigh is known for her work in Adolescent Literacy, educational technology, online learning, and for supporting colleagues to increase research impact. Dr. Hall is the Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowed Chair in Adolescent Literacy and a Professor at the University of Wyoming.

Dr. Peter Smagorinksy talks to us about standardized testing, listening to diverse voices, realities of the school day, and the impacts of politics on education. Peter is known for his work in teaching and learning English, writing methods, and inclusive instructional practices. Dr. Smagorinsky is a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Georgia and a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Universidad de Guadalajara.

Dr. Timothy Rasinksi talks to us about teaching reading fluency, having fun with words, and the art and science of teaching. Tim is known for his work in reading fluency and word study, reading in the elementary and middle grades, and supporting readers who struggle. Dr. Rasinski is a professor of literacy education at Kent State University and the director of its award winning reading clinic.

Dr. Diane Lapp talks with us about using assessment to drive instruction, building meaningful relationships with students, and purposeful teaching. Diane is known for her work regarding issues related to the planning and assessment of intentional and equitable instruction and learning, especially for students in low performing schools in urban areas. Dr. Lapp is a Distinguished Professor of Education at San Diego State University

Dr. Doris Walker-Dalhouse talks to us about supporting students as individuals, opportunities for advocacy, and looking to our communities for professional growth. Doris is known for her work in the area of culturally responsive literacy instruction, teacher preparation, and strategies to support readers who struggle. Dr. Walker-Dalhouse is a Professor of Literacy Studies at Marquette University.

Dr. Laurie Elish-Piper talks to us about building relationships in education, families as educational partners, and optimism in uncertain times. Laurie is known for her work with literacy assessment and teaching, literacy coaching to improve student learning, and teacher professional development. Laurie is a Distinguished Engagement Professor and a Distinguished Teaching Professor at Northern Illinois University where she currently serves as the Dean of the College of Education.

Dr. Jerry Johns talks with us about teaching, informal assessment, vocabulary, and resources for supporting readers who struggle. Jerry is known for developing the Basic Reading Inventory, his work in teaching reading, and for his experience in schools. Jerry enjoyed a long, distinguished career at Northern Illinois University and maintains a close connection with the NIU Literacy Clinic which carries his name.

Dr. Jenifer Jasinksi Schneider talks to us about children’s writing with multimodal and digital tools, process drama, children’s literature, and community-engaged literacy experiences. Jenifer is the author of The Inside, Outside, & Upside Downs of Children’s Literature, an open-access ebook that explores critical issues in children’s and young adult literature through extended discourse and integrated digital resources. She is a Fulbright Scholar who studied Irish children’s literature, reading programs, and family literacy initiatives across different Irish community contexts at the Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland. Jenifer is a Professor of Literacy Studies at the University of South Florida.

Dr. Patricia Edwards talks to us about literacy, advocacy, honesty, family communications, and continuous knowledge development. In the week this episode was released, Pat was announced as LRA's Oscar S. Causey Award winner for her outstanding contributions to literacy research! Pat is well-known for her work in family literacy and home/school/community partnerships. Pat is a Professor of Language and Literacy in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University.

Dr. Norman Stahl talks to us about the landscape of education research, learning, thinking, and making connections. Norm is known for his work in college reading, the history of reading, and qualitative research in developmental reading. Dr. Stahl is Professor Emeritus at Northern Illinois University.

Dr. Jim King talks to us about planning, relationships, and the art of teaching. Jim is known for his work with sociolinguistics, the history of literacy instruction, and his continuing work with children. Dr. King is Professor Emeritus at the University of South Florida.

In this inaugural episode, Dr. David Reinking talks to us about formative design research in the classroom. Dr. Reinking is known for his longstanding commitment to education and his contributions to the field of design-based research. David is a Distinguished Professor at Clemson University and works as a semi-retired Professor at the University of Georgia.