Brave New Teaching: A Podcast for High School and Middle School Teachers

Latest Episodes:

Reflecting on This Year, Planning for Next - BNT Team Meeting [Ep 297] May 14, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve ever hit May and thought, “Wait... what even happened this school year?” this team meeting is for you. I’m walking you through a simple but powerful reflection process to help you look back on your curriculum, classroom systems, and personal boundaries before summer. Together, we’ll identify what worked, what drained your energy, what needs to change, and what’s worth tackling now, over break, or next school year!

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✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode297

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Planning the End of the Year in ELA - BNT Team Meeting [Ep 296] May 07, 2026

Show notes

You might want your planner, a highlighter, and maybe your teacher bestie for this one, because we're not limping our way to summer...we’re finishing strong! In this team meeting episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I plan the end of the school year, starting with real instructional days, mapping out the non-negotiable musts, and then making space for the wants. I’m also sharing a surprisingly simple Canva hack, celebrating new books from T.J. Klune and Ruta Sepetys, and giving you some of my favorite end-of-year ideas!

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✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode296

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3 Hills to Die On - BNT Team Meeting [Ep 295] Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Feeling a little feisty about classroom norms? Amanda here, flying solo this week to share three teaching hills I’ll gladly die on, from why reading Shakespeare cover to cover needs a rethink, to celebrating meaningful student milestones, to why vertical curriculum alignment matters more than ever. It’s honest, thought-provoking, and all in the name of better teaching!

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✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode295

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Why Students Struggle to Follow Through (And What We’re Doing About It) [Ep 294] Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

The end of April always feels like everything is happening at once. I’m in the middle of dress rehearsals for Guys and Dolls, and with multiple performances stacked back-to-back, I found myself thinking a lot about what it actually takes to pull something like this off with 80+ students. Somewhere between cue lines and costume changes, I started noticing a bigger pattern I couldn’t ignore: the way students are approaching work, responsibility, and attention to detail feels very different than it used to. In this episode, I share what I’ve been noticing in both academics and rehearsals, how shifts like constant reminders and more flexible policies are shaping student ownership, and what I’m rethinking about how we help students actually build follow-through and accountability in real time.

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✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode294

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Who’s Going to Learn When the Teacher Goes Off the Rails? Nobody. [Ep 293] Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

If the end of the school year feels like everything is speeding up while your energy is running low, you are absolutely not alone in that. I’m in it right now with state testing, post–spring break exhaustion, musical rehearsals ramping up, and students just trying to make it to summer. Instead of pushing through at full speed, I’m leaning into a very intentional mindset for these final eight weeks: make it through, on purpose.

That means being honest about what’s realistic so both my students and I have space to do meaningful work without constant overwhelm. In my English classes, that looks like state testing, a tutorial-style presentation project, a Great Gatsby unit tied to the American Dream, and an adjusted pacing plan that moves presentations earlier so students can actually succeed. For finals, I’m ending with a prepared Socratic seminar instead of a heavy exam, closing the year with conversation and thinking instead of chaos!

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✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode293

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!

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Low- & No-Prep Activities to Have in Your Pocket for Whenever You Need Them [Ep 292] Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

Spring break has us finally catching our breath, and in this episode we’re leaning into what it looks like to bring more ease and joy back into our classrooms when everything feels heavy. Instead of trying to do more, we’re sharing a simple shift: bringing “grandma hobbies” into the classroom! These are low-prep, hands-on activities that get students creating, talking, and using their hands again.

From playing cards and coffee bean “currency” to Legos, Magna-Tiles, friendship bracelets, simple sewing, and even using figurines for storytelling and blocking, we walk through practical ideas that can completely shift student engagement and behavior. At the heart of it all is the reminder that students thrive when their hands are busy, their brains are engaged, and the pressure to be perfect is lowered.

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✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode292

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📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

The 7 Stages of Grief When You Hear “Robot Teachers Are Coming” (Because WHAT?!) [Ep 291] Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Okay but… are we really talking about robot teachers right now?! Because when I first saw that headline, I laughed, fully assuming it was an early April Fool’s joke. And then I realized… oh, we’re being serious. In this episode, I walk through my very real 7 stages of grief after hearing robots might be stepping into education, from laughing it off to spiraling to getting genuinely fired up, and what comes after all of that. Because at the end of the day, no robot is replacing the human side of this job! I’m sharing what’s still in our control as we keep showing up for our students in a world that feels a little chaotic right now.

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SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode291

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!

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📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

The World is on Fire! What Can We Actually Control Right Now? - BNT Team Meeting [Ep 290] Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

Some days the classroom feels completely out of your control, and honestly, sometimes it is. In this solo pep talk, I focus on what we can control, from navigating student anxiety during course selection season to unpacking how post-COVID habits are impacting their coping skills. I share real conversations I’m having with students about goals and trade-offs, along with how I’m balancing my own priorities and making tough decisions in my program. This episode is all about small, practical shifts - thinking in terms of what you’re willing to invest, what you need to let go of, and how to make deposits into your energy, time, and emotional “bank account".

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✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode290

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

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📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

Warm Demander Strategies and Our Latest Book Obsessions - BNT Team Meeting [Ep 289] Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

In this week’s team meeting, we share what we’ve been reading and swap book recommendations (and a few that didn’t quite land). Then we dive into an Edutopia reel about being a “warm demander” in the classroom, exploring how to hold students to high expectations while building strong, respectful relationships. We break down what this actually looks like in real moments, plus share tips that you can apply in your own classroom!

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SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode289

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

Pardon us - STOP Meeting Students Where They Are?!?! - BNT Team Meeting [Ep 288] Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

Ever feel like every headline about teaching is trying to make you panic? That was the reaction this week when reading The Atlantic article claiming teachers should stop meeting students where they are. We unpack what it really means, share recent reads, and highlight classroom and library projects. Check out the article, and see what conversations it sparks in your own teaching!

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