Best Differentiated Instruction Podcasts (2025)

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Differentiated Instruction at the Teacher-Led Station: Making the Most of the Station Rotation Model 19:12

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7d ago19:12

19:12

In this episode of The Balance, I dig into why the teacher-led station is the heart of the Station Rotation Model. I share how I use this time with small groups for differentiated direct instruction, modeling sessions, and need-based instruction driven by real-time data. I also discuss how I facilitate rich discussions using Webb’s Depth of Knowled…

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How AI Can Help Math Teachers Differentiate Instruction for Every Learner 34:02

8d ago34:02

34:02

How can math teachers harness AI to lighten their workload, differentiate with confidence, and boost student thinking—without losing the human touch? The AI wave isn't coming—it's already here. In this energizing episode, Dr. Nicki Newton returns to share how AI is transforming the way elementary math educators plan, differentiate, and reflect. Whe…

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Setting the Stage for Station Rotation Success: Agreements, Routines, and Student Accountability 28:33

3h ago28:33

28:33

In this episode of The Balance, I tackle one of the biggest concerns teachers raise about the Station Rotation Model: can I really trust students to work independently while I’m at the teacher-led station? I share strategies for setting the stage for success, including co-creating class agreements, establishing a clear and consistent path of conseq…

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Episode 354: ChatGPT Series: 3 ChatGPT Shortcuts Every ELA Teacher Needs to Save Hours on Prep 19:10

4h ago19:10

19:10

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Tired of spending endless hours planning, grading, and creating materials? In today’s episode, Caitlin shares three powerful ways to use ChatGPT to cut prep time in half—without sacrificing quality or your unique teaching style. From drafting discussion questions to batch-prepping warm-ups, you’ll walk awa…

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Fear, Pressure, and the Struggle to Truly Commit to Math Priorities 25:57

1d ago25:57

25:57

District math improvement plans can’t succeed if we try to do everything at once. For meaningful change to happen, leaders need to go narrow. In this episode, we explore why narrowing focus is so difficult for districts and schools, even when everyone knows it’s the right move. We unpack the fears leaders face—picking the “wrong” focus, pressure fr…

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100. Celebrating 100 Episodes of Teach, Task Box, Inspire 12:17

1d ago12:17

12:17

In this milestone 100th episode of Teach, Task Box, Inspire, I’m celebrating by looking back at the biggest lessons from the past 100 episodes. Instead of just rattling off a list, I’m sharing the stories, strategies, and “aha” moments behind your favorite episodes—classroom setup, independence, behavior, staff training, and practical tools that ma…

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Episode 248: Station Rotation 55:54

2d ago55:54

55:54

TR is joined by Catlin Tucker to talk about the Station Rotation model of blended learning Show Notes Catlin Tucker NotebookLM "The Station Rotation Model and UDL," by Catlin Tucker Study Guide for The Station Rotation Model and UDL Universal Design for Learning The Four C's "The Shift to Student Led," by Catlin Tucker Contact us, follow us online,…

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196. Mastering the 4 Language Domains: Daily Routines for ELL Success 26:32

4d ago26:32

26:32

In this special lead-up to the 200th episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher dives into one of the most requested and transformational topics for educators of multilingual learners—how to build practical, effective routines to strengthen all four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Whether you're new to sup…

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Episode 232 – Jason Blair – Scribbles to Stories: The Impact of Elementary Art 44:11

5d ago44:11

44:11

In this episode, Matt & Laura chat with returning guest – Jason Blair about the essential role the arts play in young students’ development. Listen in to discover how artmaking supports the growth of critical skills, strengthens students’ ability to communicate complex ideas, and fosters a deeper sense of community. Through playful exploration, mul…

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Episode 353: The Shortcut Narrative Unit: How to Get Powerful Stories in Just 10 Days 23:21

6d ago23:21

23:21

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Narrative writing is such an important skill for middle schoolers—but let’s be honest, it often feels like it takes forever to teach. Before you know it, weeks (or even months!) are gone, and you’re scrambling to fit in argument and informational writing. In this episode, I discussed how to make narrative …

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Beating Initiative Fatigue: How to Filter Math PD Opportunities without Overwhelm 21:37

5d ago21:37

21:37

Do you ever feel torn between staying laser-focused on your math goals and chasing all the new opportunities that come your way? Whether it’s a conference, a webinar, or a brand-new resource, unexpected opportunities can be energizing—but without a clear filter, they can also overwhelm teachers and derail your district’s math improvement plan. List…

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Episode 352: ChatGPT Series: Differentiation Without the Extra Work 14:30

7d ago14:30

14:30

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Differentiation doesn’t have to mean staying up late making three different versions of the same lesson. In this week’s Teaching Middle School episode, I shared how you can use ChatGPT to quickly create scaffolds, extensions, and tiered questions—so every student has a way into the learning without you dou…

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99. Building Paraprofessional Confidence From Day One 15:28

8d ago15:28

15:28

In Episode 99 of Teach, Task Box, Inspire, we’re focusing on the heart of every special education classroom—paraprofessionals. When paraprofessionals feel confident, the whole classroom benefits. In this episode, I share why confidence matters so much, the barriers that often hold paraprofessionals back, and practical ways to build their skills and…

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Episode 247: Engaging Professional Development 1:01:49

9d ago1:01:49

1:01:49

TR is joined by Erin Luckhardt and Kim Weaver to talk about the importance of relevant, differentiated professional development opportunities for teachers Show Notes Meet Every Learner's Needs, by Rob Barnett Kareem on the Cult of Pedagogy podcast: Everything You Need to Know About Building a Great Screencast Video How to Create a Self-Paced Classr…

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195. The 6 most common mistakes teachers make with ELLs and how to avoid them 20:54

11d ago20:54

20:54

Are your ELL students falling behind—even when you're doing everything you can to support them? Welcome back to the Equipping ELLs Podcast! In this insightful episode, host Beth Vaucher breaks down the six most common mistakes educators make when working with English Language Learners (ELLs)—and, more importantly, how to avoid them. As the school y…

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98. Fading Prompts Without Losing Independence 14:09

11d ago14:09

14:09

In Episode 98 of Teach, Task Box, Inspire, we’re tackling one of the trickiest parts of special education: how to fade prompts without losing independence. Too much support leads to dependence, but too little too soon can cause frustration. In this episode, I break down what prompt fading really looks like, the biggest mistakes to avoid, and practi…

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Episode 231 – Tamryn McDermott – Multimodal Learning 43:32

12d ago43:32

43:32

In this episode, Laura talks with artist, researcher, and teacher – Tamyrn McDermott about multimodal learning! Listen in to learn what this is and how it can be applied in an art classroom. Tamryn shares strategies and activities she’s used in her own experience that art educators can introduce into their existing programs. During the discussion, …

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Episode 351: Balancing Creative and Academic Writing in the Middle School Classroom 14:17

12d ago14:17

14:17

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! How do we strike the right balance between fun, engaging creative writing and the academic writing skills our students need to succeed? In this episode, let's dive into why both matter, how to weave them together, and practical strategies you can start using right away. Tune in to discover how creativity a…

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Why Systemic Change in Math Fails Without the Right Bridges in Place 21:23

12d ago21:23

21:23

What does it look like to build Bridges in real time? In this episode, we highlight the story of a district leader who knows she can’t do the work of math improvement alone. She identified her Bridges—instructional mentors and department chairs—and committed to building their capacity in two intertwined ways: Deeply internalizing the district’s mat…

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Future-Focused Schools: Career-Connected Learning with Shira Woolf Cohen 51:45

14d ago51:45

51:45

In this episode of The Balance, I talk with Shira Woolf Cohen, co-founder of Innovageous and author of Leading Future-Focused Schools: Engaging and Preparing Students for Career Success. With nearly three decades in education and workforce development, Shira shares why the gap between what students learn in school and the skills needed in today’s w…

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Episode 350: ChatGPT Series: Communication & Admin Tasks Made Easier 17:46

14d ago17:46

17:46

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Emails, newsletters, behavior documentation… oh my! Communication and admin tasks can easily eat up hours of your week—but they don’t have to. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I shared how ChatGPT can act like your personal assistant for the behind-the-scenes work of teaching. From draftin…

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Why Math Improvement Efforts Stall Without Clear Bridges 30:05

15d ago30:05

30:05

District math objectives can’t live on a slide deck. For change to happen, they need Bridges—the leaders who translate vision into action at the school and classroom level. In this episode, we explore who the Bridges are (principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, coordinators, and teacher-leaders) and why their role is essential to m…

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Episode 246: Math Mentor Relationship 42:56

16d ago42:56

42:56

Zach is joined by Candi Williams to talk about the MCP virtual mentorship experience and the value of personalized coaching and feedback in the MCP program Show Notes Wavio and The Wavio Pulse Tracker Zach's anonymized progress tracker Connect with Candi by email at [email protected] Contact us, follow us online, and learn more: E…

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194. Ask yourself these 3 questions to keep your lessons aligned all year 22:10

18d ago22:10

22:10

Do you ever feel like your lesson plans are just a collection of random activities—fun in the moment but not really building toward anything? You’re not alone. Many teachers, especially those working with English language learners, find themselves overwhelmed trying to fit in every domain, standard, and activity into a short block of time. The resu…

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How Time Debt Is Derailing Your Math Leadership Goals 15:15

19d ago15:15

15:15

Are you letting daily emergencies steal time from what really matters in your role as a math leader? From a soaked teenager's phone to the all-too-common chaos of K–12 math leadership, this episode draws a sharp parallel between personal emergency funds and the way we manage our time. For many district leads, coaches, and administrators, every day …

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Episode 230 – Reflecting & Resetting for the School Year Ahead 47:39

20d ago47:39

47:39

Back-to-school season is upon us with a new crowd of students and new host of challenges! In this episode Matt & Laura discuss common challenges we face as art educators and how to prepare for them. Discover actionable steps and strategies to ensure a smooth transition, including planning curriculum for the year, creating successful routines, formi…

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Episode 349: Scaffolding Evidence: How to Help Students Choose Quotes That Actually Work 15:11

19d ago15:11

15:11

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Ever had a student pick a random quote just because it “sounded good”? 😅 You’re not alone! In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I talked about practical scaffolds to help students go beyond guessing and actually choose evidence that supports their claims. From curated quote banks to our powerf…

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How Schools Can Balance Curriculum Fidelity and Teacher Creativity 32:07

21d ago32:07

32:07

In this episode, I’m digging into a challenge I hear about a lot: the tension between fidelity to an adopted curriculum and the need for teacher creativity. Too often, teachers feel pressured to follow lessons lockstep, leaving little room to respond to their students’ needs or bring their own expertise into the design. That rigidity can strip away…

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Episode 348:ChatGPT Series: Planning Support Without the Overwhelm 19:42

22d ago19:42

19:42

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I am sharing how ChatGPT can be your planning partner—helping you brainstorm, differentiate, and save hours each week without sacrificing quality. Whether you’re an EB teacher already using the Portal or just look…

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How To Teach Multi-Digit Multiplication 33:42

22d ago33:42

33:42

In this episode, we explore why multi-digit multiplication continues to be the thorn in so many teachers’ sides. We talk about why sometimes we need to step back in order to step forward—focusing on place value, composing and decomposing numbers, and building connections between strategies. We highlight the differences between invented strategies a…

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97. Winning Over Parents in the First Month-Positive Communication Strategies to Build Trust from the Start 13:53

22d ago13:53

13:53

At the start of the school year, parents are handing over their most precious people to us every day — and for many, that trust doesn’t come easily. In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa shares practical, positive communication strategies for building strong parent partnerships in the first month of school. Through a personal story about …

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Episode 245: Gamification in SPED 58:48

23d ago58:48

58:48

Toni Rose is joined by Dykeisha Hill to talk about using games of all types to bring joy into the classroom and connect with students Show Notes ArtyNerdShop - Dykeisha's Etsy City Year Freedom Riders Some of the games Dykeisha mentions: God of War Kingdom Hearts The Legend of Zelda Ed Tech tools Dykeisha mentions: Edpuzzle Nearpod Peardeck Comic b…

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193. The 3 essential tracking systems every ELL teacher needs, without drowning in paperwork. 19:59

25d ago19:59

19:59

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the paperwork that comes with assessing and tracking your English learners? You’re not alone. Many ELL teachers ask the same questions: How do I assess my students without drowning in forms? How do I keep track of their growth in a way that’s meaningful and sustainable? In this episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcas…

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Episode 347: From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious 24:19

26d ago24:19

24:19

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Today’s episode tackles a challenge every ELA teacher knows well: getting students to move beyond simply summarizing a text and into true analysis. This episode, From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious, is all about helping students answer the big “So what?”—why their evid…

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Making Math Progress Visible: The B+ Approach to School Math Improvement 17:23

26d ago17:23

17:23

Are your district's math improvement plans stuck in “waiting for perfect”? What if aiming for B+ work could unlock real progress—right now? Too often in education, big ideas stall while we chase flawless execution. As a K–12 math coordinator, coach, or administrator, you're likely juggling district mandates, teacher support, and the pressure of res…

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REFINE: A Structured Approach to AI Prompting for Educators 14:20

28d ago14:20

14:20

AI is transforming education, but I believe strong prompts are the key to unlocking its potential. In this episode, I share the REFINE acronym I developed to give educators a structured approach to writing effective AI prompts. I walk through each step—assigning AI a role, setting clear expectations, framing the context, specifying inclusions, defi…

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Episode 346: ChatGPT Series: Brainstorming & Lesson Hooks Made Simple 14:07

28d ago14:07

14:07

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Welcome back to Teaching Middle School ELA! Today, we’re continuing our ChatGPT Series with an episode called Brainstorming & Lesson Hooks Made Simple. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your planner, wondering how to start a lesson in a way that actually captures your students’ attention—or if you’r…

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Rich Tasks vs. Gradual Release: Do We Have to Choose? 28:25

29d ago28:25

28:25

One of the most frequent questions we hear from district and school math leaders is: “How do I convince math educators to shift from always using the Gradual Release model to lessons that begin with rich math tasks?” This episode is inspired by a recent conversation with a district leader guiding a math task force. While some colleagues leaned on t…

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96. "Eat That Frog" 11:35

29d ago11:35

11:35

Do you ever feel like your to-do list as a teacher is never-ending—and the hardest tasks keep hanging over your head? In this episode of Teach, Task Box, Inspire, Lisa Hollady shares how the productivity concept “Eat the Frog” can completely transform your teaching day. By tackling your most dreaded, time-consuming, or energy-draining task first, y…

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Episode 244: CTE Student 51:56

1M ago51:56

51:56

Zach is joined by Erin Luckhardt, Michele Deming, and their former student Eve Willoughby, to talk about CTE and using the MCP model to prepare students with real-world career experience Show Notes Kareem on the Cult of Pedagogy podcast: Everything You Need to Know About Building a Great Screencast Video How to Create a Self-Paced Classroom How to …

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Episode 229 – Heather Fountain – Differentiated Instruction - Building Choice, Connection and Ownership 59:41

1M ago59:41

59:41

Honoring learning styles and helping build strong connections is what Differentiated Instruction is all about. In this episode, the Creativity Department is joined by Dr. Heather Fountain, author of Differentiated Instruction in Art Education. Listen in and explore how art educators can effectively identify the diverse learning needs of students. D…

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Why District Math Plans Fall Flat Without School-Level Action 28:03

1M ago28:03

28:03

Too often, district math improvement planning happens “up there,” with big visions and system-wide goals that don’t trickle down into meaningful change at the school level. In this episode, we make the case for flipping that script. We unpack why implementing the roadmap to district improvement at the school level—early and intentionally—is key to …

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Episode 345: Teaching Grammar in the Flow of Writing 21:35

1M ago21:35

21:35

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Have you ever taught a grammar skill on Friday, only to watch your students completely forget it by Monday? You’re not alone. Grammar taught in isolation rarely sticks—but when it’s woven into the flow of writing instruction, everything changes. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the EB Grammar Framework, a s…

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Personalized Learning in the Age of AI: Building Strong Foundations with Sunil Gunderia 45:32

1M ago45:32

45:32

In this episode of The Balance, I chat with Sunil Gunderia, Chief Innovation Officer at Age of Learning, the company behind ABCmouse. Sunil is driving efforts to design AI-powered tools that personalize learning for young children while keeping safety and effectiveness at the center. We discuss how AI can support rather than replace teachers, the i…

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Episode 344: ChatGPT Series: How to Train ChatGPT to Create Rubrics and Feedback 20:50

1M ago20:50

20:50

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Grading doesn’t have to steal your weekends anymore! 🎉 In this brand-new series, I’m showing you how to train ChatGPT to become your teaching assistant—saving you time, reducing stress, and giving you space to focus on what matters most: your students. In this first episode, we’re tackling the grading stru…

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It’s Not Either-Or: Building a Math Classroom That Has It All 24:02

1M ago24:02

24:02

A teacher asked us a fair question: “If direct instruction and practice are working, why change? While presenting at a recent conference, we were approached by a teacher with a very honest question: “I’ve been using direct instruction and structured practice with great success. My students are doing well. What reason do I have to change?” In this e…

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95. Your First Paraprofessional Meeting of the Year-What to Cover and Why 13:37

1M ago13:37

13:37

Starting the year strong with your paraprofessionals can make or break your classroom flow. In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa walks you through exactly what to cover in your very first paraprofessional meeting of the school year. From setting clear roles and responsibilities to building rapport, reviewing systems, and creating a commu…

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Episode 243: Math and ELL 40:30

1M ago40:30

40:30

Zach is joined by Miguel Melchor to talk about his approach to working with multilingual learners and coaching teachers using the MCP model Show Notes Miguel's comprehensive resource "Personalized Learning for Multilingual Learners" Screenpal Screencastify Mote Universal Design for Learning Contact us, follow us online, and learn more: Email us que…

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192. Should You Translate Everything? Essential ELL Strategies for Teachers 24:37

1M ago24:37

24:37

Should you translate everything for your English Language Learners? Overusing translation can actually slow down language acquisition and create over-dependence on students' first language. In this episode, Beth breaks down when translation becomes a barrier and when it can be a powerful support. You'll hear real classroom examples that show the di…

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191. Prioritize Supporting Exceptional Learners with Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh 48:10

1M ago48:10

48:10

Are your multilingual learners fluent in conversation but still struggling with academic content? In this episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher speaks with Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh, authors of Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals, to unpack why fluency isn’t the finish line—and how educators can better support multil…