Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast

About Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast

"Teacher Talk" is a story-sharing podcast by the Elementary Teachers of Toronto with a mission to provide insight into the challenges teachers face daily and the impact underfunding creates on students. This podcast allows us to "humanize" teachers by telling their stories and the stories of students they serve. Hosted by ETT members and fellow Toronto teachers, Chey Cheney and Pav Wander, the mission is to bring the whole picture of the elementary teaching experience into full view.

Publisher

ETT TeacherTalk

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 May 2023

Latest episode

14 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

21 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Episode 20: Math Learning Partners with Aline & Jamile

   📢 Episode Summary: In this insightful and practical episode of Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast, host Pav Wander sits down with Aline Maleganovski and Jamile Lewis, Math Learning Partners with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Drawing on decades of combined classroom experience, special education support, and system leadership, Aline and Jamile invite us into a rich conversation about modern math instruction, student growth trajectories, and closing systemic learning gaps. Together, they break down where students and systems struggle—from spatial sense and proportional reasoning to navigating the "back to basics" debate. At the heart of this episode is a call for high-impact, humanizing math practices that build conceptual understanding, leverage concrete tools, and prioritize teacher collaboration over isolation. 🔍 What You’ll Hear in This Episode: Inside the MLP Role: How Math Learning Partners work alongside educators in priority partnership schools to foster student growth and shift math mindsets. Where Students Struggle Most: Unpacking data around spatial sense, proportional reasoning, knowledge transfer, and mathematical vocabulary. Demystifying "Back to Basics": Moving past political buzzwords and rote memorization to focus on foundational numeracy, additive-to-algebraic reasoning, and conceptual depth. Maximizing the 60-Minute Math Block: Working smarter, not harder—repurposing routine moments for math conversations and using clear success criteria to keep lessons focused. High-Impact Classroom Shifts: Utilizing concrete manipulatives, fostering rich math discussions, and shifting focus from final answers to student reasoning and process. Navigating EQAO Without Test Anxiety: Understanding EQAO as a multi-year system measurement tool, separating test scores from teacher identity, and letting strong daily instruction naturally drive assessment success. 🎧 Why You Should Listen: This episode is a must-listen for elementary teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders seeking actionable strategies to make math engaging, equitable, and accessible. Aline and Jamile’s grounded, empathetic perspectives will affirm your instructional journey, help reduce math anxiety for both teachers and students, and inspire you to bring your whole self to the classroom space. 🔗 Resources & Links: 🌐 Learn more about Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast at ETT.ca (https://www.ett.ca/) 📲 Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to stay up to date with future episodes #ETTTeacherTalk #MathEducation #MathLearningPartners #ElementaryMath #EQAO #TeacherWellbeing #Pedagogy "Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast" is a Chey and Pav Educational Services, Inc. production.

2. 

   11 Apr 2026

   Episode 19: Remembering What Matters in Education with jeewan chanicka

   📢 Episode Summary:In this powerful and reflective episode of Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast, we sit down with jeewan chanicka, an educational leader widely recognized for his commitment to social justice, student voice, and humanizing approaches to education. Drawing on over 25 years of experience across classrooms, schools, and system leadership, jeewan invites us into a deeply meaningful conversation about what truly matters in education—centering relationships, well-being, and the humanity of both students and educators. At the heart of this episode is his emerging framework, “The Pedagogy of Remembering,” a call for educators to move away from deficit thinking and instead recognize and honour the strengths, identities, and lived experiences of the learners in front of them. 🔍 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:🏫 Why jeewan’s most meaningful work has always come back to the classroom and school leadership, and what that reveals about the core of education🌍 A thoughtful reflection on where education is right now, including the challenges facing students, educators, and systems💙 Honest insights into educator and student well-being, and how we can sustain ourselves in a demanding profession🧭 The leadership moves that truly support teachers and classrooms in meaningful, lasting ways🧠 An introduction to The Pedagogy of Remembering—and how it challenges us to rethink deficit thinking and re-center humanity in education 🎧 Why You Should Listen: This episode is a must-listen for educators, leaders, and anyone passionate about equity, inclusion, and meaningful change in education. jeewan’s insights will challenge your thinking, affirm your purpose, and inspire you to reflect on how we can all contribute to more humanizing and student-centered learning environments. 🔗 Resources & Links:🌐 Learn more about Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast at ETT.ca📲 Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to stay up to date with future episodes #ETTTeacherTalk #StudentVoice #SocialJusticeEducation #PedagogyOfRemembering #EducationLeadership #TeacherWellbeing #EquityInEducation "Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast" is a Chey and Pav Educational Services, Inc. production.

3. 

   31 Mar 2026

   Episode 18: Black Brilliance in STEM featuring Joseph Galiwango

   Black Brilliance in STEM: Cultivating Identity and Excellence Episode Summary In this episode of "Teacher Talk," we are joined by high school educator and STEM advocate Joseph Galiwango. Joseph discusses the critical importance of embedding Black excellence into the STEM curriculum from the early years to prevent the "leaky pipeline" that often sees Black students opt out of higher-level science and math. We explore how Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP) can transform a simple science lesson into a powerful tool for identity building. Joseph shares practical ways to use modern technology, community partnerships, and the stories of "hidden" figures to help every student see themselves as a future scientist, engineer, or mathematician. Beyond Black History Month: How to move from simply "naming" Black scientists in February to integrating their contributions into the curriculum all year long. Bridging the Gap: What foundational STEM identities Joseph hopes elementary students bring with them when they arrive in Grade 9. CRRP in the Early Years: Simple, everyday strategies for elementary teachers to make science lessons more inclusive of Black identities. Modern Tools for Equity: Using AI and chatbots to uncover "hidden" histories, such as the work of Gladys West, that traditional textbooks might miss. Building Networks of Excellence: Advice on collaborating with parents and organizations like Visions of Science to enrich classroom programming. Joseph Galiwango: A secondary educator dedicated to leveraging STEM as a tool for equity and student empowerment. Joseph has provided a wealth of resources for educators looking to deepen their STEM programming: The Abeku Adventures: Abeku Goes Foraging by Justin Rhoden and Rachel Cheung (https://www.theabekuadventures.com/) Sankofa Black Heritage Collection: Rubicon Publishing Literacy Resources (https://www.rubiconpublishing.com/resources/literacy/sankofa-4-10) Black E.S.T.E.E.M.: Advancing Black Excellence in Science and Tech (https://www.blackesteem.org/homepage) Essential Reading: They Came Before Columbus by Ivan Van Sertima Blacks in Science by Ivan Van Sertima Community Partnership: Visions of Science (https://www.vosnl.org/) Help us amplify these stories! Follow the Elementary Teachers of Toronto on: X/Twitter: @ElemTeachersTO Instagram: @elemteachersto Facebook: Elementary Teachers of Toronto LinkedIn: Elementary Teachers of Toronto "Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast" is a Chey and Pav Educational Services, Inc. production www.cheyandpav.com

Reach and audience

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

YouTube views

63,484

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100

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

Quality

61

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

60

Contact Teacher Talk: An ETT Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.