Perfect Chaos

About Perfect Chaos

Education is rarely neat, predictable, or simple. It is where people, purpose, practice, and possibility come together in what can only be described as Perfect Chaos. Hosted by educator, author, and teacher educator Dr. Ronda Blevins, the Perfect Chaos Podcast offers honest, practical conversations about teaching, learning, leadership, technology, relationships, and the beautifully complicated work of education. Each episode brings together research, experience, reflection, and ideas educators can carry into their own classrooms and communities. Whether we are talking about AI, classroom c

Publisher

David and Ronda Blevins

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Sept 2020

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

68 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Oct 2026

   Education would be easy... If it weren't for the people

   Research and Resources for Show NotesBlevins, R. M.(2026, October 1). The work no one does alone. From the Front Porch.https://perfectchaosporch.substack.com/p/the-work-no-one-does-alone Edmondson, A.(1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams.Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999 Vangrieken, K.,Dochy, F., Raes, E., & Kyndt, E. (2015). Teacher collaboration: Asystematic review. Educational Research Review, 15, 17–40.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.04.002 Ronfeldt, M.,Farmer, S. O., McQueen, K., & Grissom, J. A. (2015). Teacher collaborationin instructional teams and student achievement. American Educational ResearchJournal, 52(3), 475–514. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831215585562 Institute ofEducation Sciences. (2025). Supporting educator well-being using evidence-basedsupports.https://ies.ed.gov/rel-northeast-islands/2025/01/supporting-educator-well-being-using-evidence-based-supports

2. 

   7 Sept 2026

   Season 2 - Episode 4: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Teaching

   There are plenty of things people tell you before you become a teacher. But few people explain how deeply relational the work will become or how much emotional weight those relationships can carry. In this episode, Dr. B reflects on what she wishes someone had told her about teaching: why relationships are not separate from instruction, how small moments of intentional presence can matter, and what can happen when a teacher responds to challenging behavior with curiosity, consistency, and professional judgment. Relational teaching does not mean eliminating consequences or avoiding office referrals when they are necessary. It means understanding that empathy and accountability can exist together. Drawing from her own classroom experiences and Finding Perfect Chaos in Your Classroom, Dr. B explores how educators can hold firm expectations without treating removal as the automatic response to every problem. She also addresses the emotional side of teaching, including worrying about students, celebrating their breakthroughs, and learning to care deeply without taking ownership of every burden they carry. Teachers are not responsible for solving every problem. They can listen, support, connect students with appropriate help, and remain steady without becoming overwhelmed themselves. Relationships do not replace accountability. They help educators use accountability with greater purpose.Research Blevins, R. M. (2025). Findingperfect chaos in your classroom: Becoming the teacher you always wanted to be.Independently published. Booker, K. (2021). Ruleswithout relationships lead to rebellion: Secondary teachers and schoolbelonging. School Community Journal, 31(1), 65-84.https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1304826.pdf Endedijk, H. M., Breeman, L.D., van Lissa, C. J., Hendrickx, M. M. H. G., den Boer, L., & Mainhard, T.(2022). The teacher's invisible hand: A meta-analysis of the relevance ofteacher-student relationship quality for peer relationships and the contributionof student behavior. Review of Educational Research, 92(3), 370-412.https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211051428 Roorda, D. L., Jak, S., Zee,M., Oort, F. J., & Koomen, H. M. Y. (2017). Affective teacher-studentrelationships and students' engagement and achievement: A meta-analytic updateand test of the mediating role of engagement. School Psychology Review, 46(3),239-261. https://doi.org/10.17105/SPR-2017-0035.V46-3 Regional Educational LaboratoryNortheast & Islands. (2025). Supporting educator well-being usingevidence-based supports. Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department ofEducation. https://ies.ed.gov/rel-northeast-islands/2025/01/supporting-educator-well-being-using-evidence-based-supports

3. 

   17 Aug 2026

   Season 2: Episode 3: Set the Tone, Then Learn the People

   The students have arrived, and all those carefullyplanned systems now have to work for the actual people in the room. In this episode, Dr. B explores how educators canestablish clear expectations while still making space for student voice.Drawing on educational research about belonging, teacher–student relationships,classroom structure, and student agency, she explains why authority and sharedownership do not have to compete. You’ll leave with practical strategies for developingclassroom norms with students, learning who they are through meaningfulacademic work, creating an effective weekly suggestion box, respondingthoughtfully when the answer must be no, and revisiting routines once the classhas had time to experience them. Set the tone. Hold the boundaries. Listen to yourstudents. Then let what you learn about the people in the room help shape theclassroom you build together. Visit perfect-chaos.org and subscribe to From the FrontPorch to stay connected between episodes. Research Referenced in This Episode Roorda, D. L., Koomen, H. M. Y., Spilt, J. L., & Oort,F. J. (2011). The influence of affective teacher–student relationships onstudents’ school engagement and achievement: A meta-analytic approach. Reviewof Educational Research, 81(4), 493–529.https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311421793 Roorda, D. L., Jak, S., Zee, M., Oort, F. J., &Koomen, H. M. Y. (2017). Affective teacher–student relationships and students’engagement and achievement: A meta-analytic update and test of the mediatingrole of engagement. School Psychology Review, 46(3), 239–261.https://doi.org/10.17105/SPR-2017-0035.V46-3 Patzak, A., Zhang, X., Vandenkerckhove, B., etal. (2025). Blending teacher autonomy support and provision of structurein the classroom. Educational Psychology Review.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-09994-2 Korpershoek, H., Canrinus, E. T., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M.,& de Boer, H. (2020). The relationships between school belonging andstudents’ motivational, social-emotional, behavioural, and academic outcomes insecondary education: A meta-analytic review. Research Papers in Education,35(6), 641–680. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1615116 Gillett-Swan, J., & Baroutsis, A. (2024). Studentvoice and teacher voice in educational research: A systematic review. OxfordReview of Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2023.2257132

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

81

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 53 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

67

Social presence

0

YouTube

63

Engagement

32

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