Second Look Education is a practitioner-scholar podcast hosted by experienced educators. Each episode begins with real moments from classrooms, teacher preparation, policy, and professional life — the moments that make us pause and take a second look. From there, we engage in shared inquiry, examining development, relationships, professional judgment, and the systems shaping teaching and learning. Thoughtful, evidence-informed, and grounded in practice, this podcast resists oversimplification and centers the conditions that make good teaching possible.
Second Look Education
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Podcast Overview
Second Look Education is a practitioner-scholar podcast hosted by experienced educators. Each episode begins with real moments from classrooms, teacher preparation, policy, and professional life — the moments that make us pause and take a second look. From there, we engage in shared inquiry, examining development, relationships, professional judgment, and the systems shaping teaching and learning. Thoughtful, evidence-informed, and grounded in practice, this podcast resists oversimplification and centers the conditions that make good teaching possible.
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Publishing Since
2/23/2026
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Recent Episodes
July 16, 2026
Authentic Self Care: Beyond Bubble Baths
<p>After a serious illness forced Candace to slow down, she started asking a question many educators quietly carry: When did exhaustion become normal? </p><p>In this episode, Candace and Amy explore why conversations about self-care often miss the realities educators face. They unpack the differences between burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, moral injury, and the collective stress many educators have carried since 2020.</p><p>Rather than offering another list of wellness tips, they examine how educator wellbeing is shaped by both personal practices and the systems in which teachers work. They discuss why boundaries matter, why recovery is often treated as something we have to earn, and why sustainable teaching requires more than individual resilience.</p><p><strong>Key Question:</strong></p><p>How do we become so accustomed to depletion that we stop recognizing what genuine care and recovery look like?</p><p><strong>Topics Discussed</strong></p><ul><li>Burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and moral injury</li><li>Why educator wellbeing is both personal and systemic</li><li>The limits of traditional "self-care" conversations</li><li>Collective trauma and the realities of post-pandemic teaching</li><li>Self-compassion and sustainable professional practice</li><li>Boundaries, recovery, and modeling healthy care for children</li></ul><p><strong>Readings & Resources Mentioned</strong></p><p><strong>Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Self-Assessment Tool</strong><br><a href="https://proqol.org">https://proqol.org</a></p><p><strong>Kristin Neff – Self-Compassion Resources</strong><br><a href="https://self-compassion.org">https://self-compassion.org</a></p><p><strong>Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981)</strong><br>The Measurement of Experienced Burnout. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 2(2), 99–113.<br><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205">https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205</a></p><p><strong>Figley, C. R. (Ed.). (1995)</strong><br>Compassion Fatigue: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat the Traumatized.<br><a href="https://www.routledge.com/Compassion-Fatigue-Coping-with-Secondary-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder-in-Those-Who-Treat-the-Traumatized/Figley/p/book/9780876307595">https://www.routledge.com/Compassion-Fatigue-Coping-with-Secondary-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder-in-Those-Who-Treat-the-Traumatized/Figley/p/book/9780876307595</a></p><p><strong>Dean, W., Talbot, S., & Dean, A. (2019)</strong><br>Reframing Clinician Distress: Moral Injury, Not Burnout. Federal Practitioner, 36(9), 400–402.<br><a href="https://www.mdedge.com/fedprac/article/208986/mental-health/reframing-clinician-distress-moral-injury-not-burnout">https://www.mdedge.com/fedprac/article/208986/mental-health/reframing-clinician-distress-moral-injury-not-burnout</a></p><p><strong>Neff, K. D. (2003).</strong><br>The Development and Validation of a Scale to Measure Self-Compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250.<br><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027">https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027</a></p><p><strong>Noddings, N. (2003).</strong><br>The Challenge to Care in Schools: An Alternative Approach to Education (2nd ed.).<br><a href="https://www.tcpress.com/the-challenge-to-care-in-schools-2nd-edition-9780807746097">https://www.tcpress.com/the-challenge-to-care-in-schools-2nd-edition-9780807746097</a></p><p><strong>Hernández, P., Gangsei, D., & Engstrom, D. (2007).</strong><br>Vicarious Resilience: A New Concept in Work With Those Who Survive Trauma. Family Process, 46(2), 229–241.<br><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00206.x">https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00206.x</a></p><p><strong>Flook, L., Goldberg, S. B., Pinger, L., Bonus, K., & Davidson, R. J. (2013).</strong><br>Mindfulness for Teachers: A Pilot Study to Assess Effects on Stress, Burnout, and Teaching Efficacy.<br><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23489570/">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23489570/</a></p><p><strong>Roeser, R. W., et al. (2013).</strong><br>Mindfulness Training and Reductions in Teacher Stress and Burnout: Results from Two Randomized, Waitlist-Controlled Field Trials.<br><a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-29029-001">https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-29029-001</a></p><p><strong>Brouwers, A., & Tomic, W. (2000).</strong><br>A Longitudinal Study of Teacher Burnout and Perceived Self-Efficacy in Classroom Management.<br><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(99)00057-8">https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(99)00057-8</a></p><p><strong>Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2016).</strong><br>Teacher Stress and Teacher Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Engagement, Emotional Exhaustion, and Motivation to Leave the Teaching Profession.<br><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-015-9326-4">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-015-9326-4</a></p><p><strong>Try This After Listening:</strong></p><p><strong>Parents:</strong></p><p>What do your children learn about rest, boundaries, and asking for help by watching the adults in their lives?</p><p><strong>Teachers:</strong></p><p>What have you been calling burnout that might actually be something different? What kind of support would address the real issue rather than simply helping you endure it?</p><p>Follow us on Instagram: <strong>@secondlookeducation</strong></p><p>Listen on <strong>Spotify & Apple Podcasts</strong> | Watch on <strong>YouTube @secondlookeducation</strong></p>
July 2, 2026
What Do We Think Summer Is For?
<p>July arrived, and somehow it already felt like we were behind. Not because anything was wrong. The kids were reading, swimming, building forts, arguing with siblings, and finding ways to fill their days. But underneath it all was a nagging feeling that summer should be accomplishing something more.</p><p>In this episode, we explore where that pressure comes from. Along the way, we revisit the history of summer break, examine what research actually says about summer learning loss, and consider what might be happening when we focus so heavily on what children could lose that we overlook what they might be gaining.</p><p>From reading and boredom to play, conflict, and independence, this conversation asks a simple question: What do we think summer is for?</p><p><strong>Key Question</strong></p><p>What do we think summer is for?</p><p><strong>Topics Discussed</strong></p><p>• Feeling behind when nothing is wrong</p><p>• The stories we tell about summer</p><p>• Summer learning loss and what the research says</p><p>• Reading, play, boredom, and conflict</p><p>• Growth that is difficult to measure</p><p>• Teacher rest, recovery, and productivity</p><p>• What summer might be offering that we often overlook</p><p><strong>Readings & Resources Mentioned</strong></p><p><strong>Practitioner & Teaching Perspectives</strong></p><p>The Truth About Teachers’ Summers<a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/the-truth-about-teachers-summers/2024/07" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/the-truth-about-teachers-summers/2024/07</a></p><p>In Defense of Summer Break for Teachers and Academics<a href="https://existential-therapy.com/in-defense-of-summer-break-for-teachers-and-academics-what-critics-need-to-know/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://existential-therapy.com/in-defense-of-summer-break-for-teachers-and-academics-what-critics-need-to-know/</a></p><p>Why Teachers Need a Summer Break<a href="https://theeducatorsroom.com/why-teachers-need-a-summer-break/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://theeducatorsroom.com/why-teachers-need-a-summer-break/</a></p><p>The Exhausted Teacher’s Guide to a Rejuvenating Summer Break<a href="https://newapproachesme.com/the-exhausted-teachers-guide-to-a-rejuvenating-summer-break/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://newapproachesme.com/the-exhausted-teachers-guide-to-a-rejuvenating-summer-break/</a></p><p>Summer Recharge: Essential Self-Care Tips for Teachers<a href="https://learnwellservices.com/summer-recharge-essential-self-care-tips-for-teachers/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://learnwellservices.com/summer-recharge-essential-self-care-tips-for-teachers/</a></p><p>Making Rest a Priority in the Summer<a href="https://medium.com/@spencerideas/making-rest-a-priority-in-the-summer-52e5dc99746c" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://medium.com/@spencerideas/making-rest-a-priority-in-the-summer-52e5dc99746c</a></p><p><strong>Research Sources Referenced in the Episode</strong></p><p>Why Do American Schools Have Such Long Summer Breaks?<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/debunking-myth-summer-vacation" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/debunking-myth-summer-vacation</a></p><p>Summer Learning at a Glance<a href="https://www.summerlearning.org/at-a-glance/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.summerlearning.org/at-a-glance/</a></p><p>Summer Learning Loss: What Is It and What Can We Do AboutIt?<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/summer-learning-loss-what-is-it-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.brookings.edu/articles/summer-learning-loss-what-is-it-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/</a></p><p>Summer Learning Loss: What We Know, What We're Learning<a href="https://www.nwea.org/blog/2026/summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-what-were-learning/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.nwea.org/blog/2026/summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-what-were-learning/</a></p><p>Evidence Matters: Is the Summer Slide a Slippery Slope?<a href="https://www.furman.edu/riley/evidence-matters-is-the-summer-slide-a-slippery-slope/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.furman.edu/riley/evidence-matters-is-the-summer-slide-a-slippery-slope/</a></p><p>Whether Real or Not, Beware the Summer Slide<a href="https://news.miami.edu/stories/2024/06/whether-real-or-not-beware-the-summer-slide.html" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://news.miami.edu/stories/2024/06/whether-real-or-not-beware-the-summer-slide.html</a></p><p><strong>Foundational Research & Further Reading</strong></p><p>The Power of a Slow Summer: Why Kids Need Time to Just Be<a href="https://instituteofchildpsychology.com/the-power-of-a-slow-summer-why-kids-need-time-to-just-be/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://instituteofchildpsychology.com/the-power-of-a-slow-summer-why-kids-need-time-to-just-be/</a></p><p>Summertime = Playtime<a href="https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/18/06/summertime-playtime" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/18/06/summertime-playtime</a></p><p>27 Reasons Why Freedom and Play Are Important During theSummer<a href="https://www.aaastateofplay.com/27-reasons-why-freedom-and-play-are-important-during-the-summer/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.aaastateofplay.com/27-reasons-why-freedom-and-play-are-important-during-the-summer/</a></p><p>Tinker Dabble Doodle Try<a href="https://tinkerdabble.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://tinkerdabble.com/</a></p><p>The Power of Playful Learning in the Early Childhood Setting<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK552659/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK552659/</a></p><p>Playful Learning Landscapes<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK552668/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK552668/</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Try This After Listening</strong></p><p><strong>Parents:</strong></p><p>What is one thing your child learned this summer that wouldnever appear on a report card?</p><p><strong>Teachers:</strong></p><p>What would change if you viewed rest and recovery as part ofprofessional growth rather than a break from it?</p><p><br></p><p>Follow us on Instagram: @secondlookeducationListen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts | Watchon YouTube @secondlookeducation</p>
June 18, 2026
Who are Evaluations For?
<p>The inspiration for this episode came from a conversation with a veteran teacher who left an evaluation meeting feeling defeated despite years of successful teaching and strong relationships with students. Her experience raised a question that many educators quietly ask: What is the actual purpose of teacher evaluations? In this episode, Candace and Amy explore the tension between accountability and professional growth within educator evaluation systems. They discuss how policies such as No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and Illinois' Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) shaped modern evaluation practices and examine the gap that can exist between a system's intentions and educators' lived experiences.</p><p>The conversation also explores evaluator bias, the challenges of measuring relational aspects of teaching, and the reality that both teachers and administrators operate under significant institutional pressures. Throughout the discussion, the hosts consider whether evaluations function as tools for growth, compliance mechanisms, or something in between.</p><p>Listeners are ultimately left considering how schools can create accountability systems that maintain professional standards while preserving professional dignity, trust, and humanity.</p><p><strong>Key Question </strong>How do we create accountability systems that maintain professional standards without stripping people of professional dignity?<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Topics Discussed</strong></p><p>The emotional impact of educator evaluations</p><p>Accountability reforms and their influence on schools</p><p>PERA and the evolution of teacher evaluation systems</p><p>The Danielson Framework and reflective practice</p><p>Evaluator bias and subjectivity</p><p>Professional dignity, trust, and accountability</p><p><strong>Readings & Resources Mentioned</strong></p><p><strong>Practitioner & Teaching Perspectives</strong></p><ul><li>Illinois State Board of Education: Educator Evaluations<a href="https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-Evaluations.aspx"><u>https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-Evaluations.aspx</u></a></li><li>Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching<a href="https://danielsongroup.org/framework/"><u>https://danielsongroup.org/framework/</u></a></li><li>Illinois Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Overview<a href="https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-Evaluations.aspx"><u>https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-Evaluations.aspx</u></a></li></ul><ul><li>Evaluation Satire Video Referenced During Discussion <a href="https://youtu.be/u348vcErLaU"><u>https://youtu.be/u348vcErLaU</u></a></li></ul><ul><li>Additional Evaluation Discussion Video<a href="https://youtu.be/KzDcYuSsU2E?si=iSo5MBAsJH0M9VMY"><strong>https://youtu.be/KzDcYuSsU2E?si=iSo5MBAsJH0M9VMY</strong></a></li></ul><ul><li>Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Educator Evaluations<a href="https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-Evaluations.aspx"><u>https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-Evaluations.aspx</u></a></li><li>Public Act 104-0020 (2025): Student Growth Component No Longer Required by LawEffective July 1, 2025, student growth components became optional in teacher, principal, and assistant principal evaluations.<a href="https://www.ilga.gov"><u>https://www.ilga.gov</u></a></li><li>Evaluation Training Materials Addressing:</li><ul><li>Halo Effect</li><li>Pitchfork Effect</li><li>Negativity Bias</li><li>Central Tendency</li><li>Rater Drift</li></ul><li><p>Charlotte Danielson.<strong> Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching </strong><a href="https://danielsongroup.org/framework/"><u>https://danielsongroup.org/framework/</u></a> </p></li></ul><p><strong>Try This After Listening</strong></p><p>Parents:</p><p>Think about a professional evaluation you have experienced. Did it help you grow, or did it primarily measure your performance? What made the difference?</p><p>Teachers:</p><p>Reflect on your most recent evaluation. Which parts felt genuinely developmental, and which parts felt performative or compliance-driven? What conditions would make professional feedback feel more meaningful?</p><p>Follow us on Instagram: @secondlookeducationListen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts | Watch on YouTube @secondlookeducation</p>
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This podcast updates daily.
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This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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