The Road to Better Teaching is about sharing the stories of educators as they get better at teaching. The focus of each discussion will be on an artifact of their learning, and discussing why this moment of development is important to their improvement, and the improvement of the field. This process parallels the portfolio development practice that is in use at the University of Mississippi's School of Education.
E035 Greg Parker: Opening Doors Beyond High School
Traveling the Road to Better Teaching with Greg Parker, Graduate Student in Counseling and former secondary English teacher, as we talk about a moment helping students plan for learning after high school.
This conversation explores how caring for students beyond the content can open the door to opportunities never considered—and how relationships, information, and guidance can shape the trajectory of a student’s learning
.
Links from the episode:
Alfie Kohn - Unconditional Parenting (https://bookshop.org/a/1964/9780743487481)
Designing Groupwork: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom by Elizabeth Cohen (Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom)
Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program at the University of Mississippi (https://www.metp.olemiss.edu/)
University of Mississippi M.Ed. in Counseling (https://olemiss.edu/lce/counselor-education/)
Amidon Planet E089: Talking to my Mentor (Joe Dye) about Talking to Strangers (Malcom Gladwell’s Book) (https://amidonplanet.com/episode89/)
Amidon Planet Podcast E042: A Recorded Teaching Celebration with Joe Dye (https://amidonplanet.com/episode42/)
4 May 2026
E034 Bryanna Hall: More Than a Name
Traveling the Road to Better Teaching with Bryanna Hall as we talk about a moment that might seem small at first: helping a Kindergarten student learn to write her name.
But this wasn’t about handwriting practice or checking off a skill. It was about going above and beyond—slowing down, paying attention, and meeting a student exactly where she was. Through that work, something bigger began to happen. Confidence grew. Engagement changed. And a student who once struggled began to see herself as capable.
This conversation explores how small, intentional acts of teaching can open the door to something much larger—and how relationships and responsiveness can shape the trajectory of a student’s learning.
Links from the episode:
Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) (https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/)
University of Mississippi Teacher Education, Ph.D. (https://olemiss.edu/programs/educ/doctor-philosophy-curriculum-instruction/)
Capturing Kids' Hearts (https://www.capturingkidshearts.org/)
The Most Important Year: Pre-Kindergarten and the Future of Our Children by Susan Bouffard (https://bookshop.org/a/1964/9780399184949)
20 Apr 2026
E033 Katy Pocreva: Proof in the Park
Traveling the road to better teaching as we talk with Katy Pocreva, current University of Mississippi School of Education graduate student, who saw clear evidence of her elementary students’ understanding of parallel and perpendicular lines and angles—not just on their assessments, but in the designs they created.
After learning about these geometric ideas, students were challenged to design a park that used parallel and perpendicular lines and specific angle relationships. What emerged was more than correct answers; it was visible thinking, creativity, and meaningful application of what they had learned.
This conversation explores what counts as evidence of learning, how tasks can move beyond worksheets, and what becomes possible when students are asked to use mathematics in purposeful ways.
Links in the episode
Road to Better Teaching Episode E001 Ann Monroe: Zike's Fantastic Foldables (https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/road-to-better-teaching/episodes/E001-Ann-Monroe-Zikes-Fantastic-Foldables-e2f6c3u/a-aatmqh9)
Amidon Planet E009 Teaching with Problems (https://amidonplanet.com/episode9/)
Road to Better Teaching is supported by Amidon Planet. (https://amidonplanet.com/)
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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
22
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
81
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