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Top of the Class

This podcast was developed by educators for educators of all kinds, so whether you’re an undergraduate student studying to become a teacher, maybe you’re a paraprofessional, a classroom teacher, a master’s student, or an administrator, you are welcome here and we hope you’ll join us each month.

Copyright: © 2018

Latest Episodes:

Top of the Class Episode 63 – Executive Presence – Emily & Meredith Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to today’s episode! We are diving into a topic that goes beyond lesson plans and teaching strategies—executive presence in education. Often associated with corporate leadership, executive presence is just as critical in the world of teaching. It’s about how we carry ourselves, communicate, and connect with others in a way that inspires confidence and respect.

As educators, we navigate a variety of roles—mentor, leader, mediator, and advocate. Whether it’s managing a classroom, collaborating with colleagues, or engaging with parents, our ability to project authority and empathy impacts every interaction. Today, we’ll explore what executive presence looks like for teachers, why it’s essential for building trust and credibility, and how it can influence career growth and classroom success.

Join us as we unpack the key elements of executive presence and share practical strategies for enhancing your presence as an educator. From fostering student engagement to advocating for change, we’ll discuss how a confident and composed demeanor can shape your professional journey.

Top of the Class Episode 62 – Working with Different Personalities – Dr. Alicia Kozimor Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, we’re delving into the art and science of working with personalities and appreciation language. What better a topic to be released during this Valentine’s Day week. As educators, we interact with diverse personalities daily—students, colleagues, administrators, and parents. Understanding these unique traits and how they influence communication, collaboration, and engagement is critical to fostering positive relationships and creating inclusive environments. We’ll unpack practical strategies for building strong team dynamics, explore how appreciation languages can transform workplace culture, and share real-world stories of how educators have used these tools to connect meaningfully with others. Whether you’re a pre-service teacher, current teacher, administrator, or support staff, we hope this episode will provide actionable tips and tricks for your day-to-day.

Top of the Class Episode 61 – What is Teacher Licensure? – Dr. Jeremy Hayden Jan 13, 2025

Show notes

Well, we know that we have taken a little bit of a hiatus on Top of the Class these past few months. Life has been nothing short of a whirlwind, but we have missed you all and are so excited to jump right in.

Today we are chatting about the ever-glamorous topic of educator certification. Whether you’re just beginning your journey into teaching or you’re a seasoned professional, navigating the certification process can feel overwhelming. In this episode, we’re diving into the nuts and bolts of educator certification—what it takes to get certified, how it impacts your career, and why it’s a crucial step in shaping your teaching practice. We hope to bring you some practical insights and real-world advice from a certification expert!

Top of the Class Episode 60- Financial Literacy for Educators- Part II -Monica Martinez Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

So, we are back with Part II of our financial literacy conversation with our expert, Monica Martinez! We are here to chat about what financial literacy is and why it is important for us as educators. Again, we want to remind all you listeners that we are not professional financial advisors and the information shared today is simply to help educate and share tips. We ask that any listeners seek advice from professional financial advisors before making any changes to their financial planning. Let’s go hear more on this important topic and if you missed Part I, be sure to go back for a listen!

Top of the Class Episode 59- Financial Literacy for Educators- Part I -Monica Martinez Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

This is part one of a 2-part special! Today we bring to you a conversation that is not always an easy one to dig into, but one that is so important to discuss as educators. We are bringing to you an expert to help us chat and learn a bit more about financial literacy as educators. Before we learn about our amazing guest, Meredith and I do want to remind our listeners that we are not professional financial advisors and the information shared today is simply to help educate and share tips. We ask that any listeners seek advice from professional financial advisors before making any changes to their financial planning. Let’s dive right in with our expert!

SPECIAL 75th Recording: Top of the Class Extra Credit- Why We Love Teachers with Emily & Meredith Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

Happy 75th Recording, Top of the Class!

This is a very special launch for a very special profession and we couldn’t think of a better episode than this one! We have officially released 75 recordings here on Top of the Class. And, in this brand new year, we want to dedicate it all to our amazing profession and all the educators out there! You are all an inspiration and why we do what we do. Happy New Year and happy 75th recording!

Top of the Class Episode 58- Character Education: Shared Leadership/The Practical Wisdom Framework with Emily Farkas & Dr. Ashley Betkowski Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

We are excited to wrap up our special 4-part series on Character Education today. If you missed the first 3 episodes in this series, be sure to go back to hear all of the wonderful wisdom. As we enter episode 4 in this series, we are going to be chatting specifically about shared leadership and the Practical Wisdom Framework.

Resource Links:

Our Framework for Purposeful Cultures of Character

The SSC for our Free Resources

Leading with Virtue Free PD courses

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues teacher resources,

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues – The Character Teaching Inventory (also attached)/ Teaching Character Education: What Works

What Works in Character Education by Berkowitz and Bier

PRIMED by Berkowitz

Karen Bohlin’s Practical Wisdom Framework

Top of the Class Episode 57-Character Education: The Caught, Taught, Sought Model with Emily Farkas & Dr. Ashley Betkowski Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back! We are so excited to dive into the 3rd of a special 4 part series all about Character Education. If you didn’t catch our first 2 episodes in the series, be sure to take a listen. Today we have a catchy model that we are going to dig into, the “Caught, Taught, and Sought Model”. I am really looking forward to this one!

Resource Links:

Our Framework for Purposeful Cultures of Character

The SSC for our Free Resources

Leading with Virtue Free PD courses

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues teacher resources,

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues – The Character Teaching Inventory (also attached)/ Teaching Character Education: What Works

What Works in Character Education by Berkowitz and Bier

PRIMED by Berkowitz

Karen Bohlin’s Practical Wisdom Framework

Top of the Class Episode 56- Character Education: Actionable Steps with Emily Farkas & Dr. Ashley Betkowski Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

We are here with the 2nd episode in our special 4-part series on Character Educaiton! If you missed the 1st episode in the series, be sure to take a peek! Today we are chatting about some actionable steps. We all love some marching orders as educators!

Resource Links:

Our Framework for Purposeful Cultures of Character

The SSC for our Free Resources

Leading with Virtue Free PD courses

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues teacher resources,

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues – The Character Teaching Inventory (also attached)/ Teaching Character Education: What Works

What Works in Character Education by Berkowitz and Bier

PRIMED by Berkowitz

Karen Bohlin’s Practical Wisdom Framework

Top of the Class Episode 55- Character Education: Where to Begin & Defining Core Values with Emily Farkas & Dr. Ashley Betkowski Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

We are here to dive into a really important series on Top of the Class. We are about to jump into a special 4-part series around Character Education. We are here to build upon our previous episode where we had the opportunity to start chatting about this topic. So, in this series, we will have the opportunity to dig in much deeper to some of the practical applications and “action items” around implementing Character Education in our schools and classrooms. Let’s dive into Part I of this amazing 4-part series on Character Education.

Resource Links:

Our Framework for Purposeful Cultures of Character

The SSC for our Free Resources

Leading with Virtue Free PD courses

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues teacher resources,

The Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues – The Character Teaching Inventory (also attached)/ Teaching Character Education: What Works

What Works in Character Education by Berkowitz and Bier

PRIMED by Berkowitz

Karen Bohlin’s Practical Wisdom Framework

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