Catholic Teachers' Lounge Podcast

Jill and Colleen welcome guest Will Dennis into the lounge for a conversation on creating the best conditions for learning. Will’s insights, based on his time teaching Theology and teaching and studying improv, have led him to conlcude that all good learning begins with connection. Creating the conditions for connection, sharing, and growth are essential at every age, grade, and activity. Be inspired as Jill, Colleen, and Will talk about the common aspects of all human beings that make connections and conditions the foundations of successful classrooms, schools, and teams.

What happens when ISTE, Google, and NCEA team up to train educators? A whole lot of innovation! Join Jill, Colleen, and special guest Dr. Karl Ochsner for an overview of an amazing nationwide collaboration of innovative teachers & leaders who are learning about and influencing STEM education and technology use to shae in their schools as well as providing PD for you. It’s not about screen time–it’s about quality tools and purpose!

Jill puts on her teacher hat and mom hat as she shares about the awesome summer Catholic youth camp available in her state of Michigan as well as Virginia and Ohio. Colleen recalls her own son’s experience at summer camp and compares. What can kids do over the summer to stay in touch with their faith, enrich their social emotional growth, learn some new skills, and grow in independence? Drop into the lounge for a summer camp chat.

Pope Leo’s first encyclical for the Church reminds Catholic educators that it is not our job to keep pace with the secular world. Join Jill and Colleen for a dive into Pope Leo’s Magnifica Humanitis and a chat on what Catholic educators should know and why it matters. A timely and pointed lounge conversation!

In this episode, self-proclaimed AI skeptic Colleen shares her favorite tool–Gemini Notebook. If you’re a teacher looking for a tool that integrates disciplines, can pull from your specified resources without pulling random info from the web, and likes a variety of options for your students, this episode is for you. Already a Gemini Notebook user? Stop in to enjoy the conversation and share with another AI skeptic!

It’s time for that beginning-of-school-year PD chat. How was it this year? Were you able to use it right away or could it have been an email? Did you learn something new or get frustrated because of another new initiative? Each year brings something different–and sometimes it’s actually really helpful! Join Jill and Colleen for a lounge chat on professional development.

Jill and Colleen are back in the Catholic Teachers’ Lounge and ready for more great ideas in Catholic education! This episode previews topics that will be explored throughout Season 4 and gives the co-hosts a moment to catch up after time away. Welcome back for a new and exciting season!

Season 4 officially drops September 1st, but Jill and Colleen are warming up and setting the scene for a new year ahead! Where can you find them in the wild and on social media? Tune in and see what’s new in 2026. Want to contribute to the conversation? Learn where you can drop ideas to share with other teachers!

Season 4 is almost here and Jill and Colleen are in the lounge for a quick check in on summer social media trends. Have you heard of Nun Girl Summer? Stop in for this uplifting conversation that creates hope for Gen Z and for a women religious resurgence!

Jill and Colleen welcome Dr. Kaitlin Reichart into the Catholic Teachers’ Lounge to share the best things they have seen and heard in classrooms so far this year. Stop in the lounge to hear shout outs, accolades, and cheers for the hardworking and creative teachers and leaders in our schools. You’ll have lots of time over break to binge back episodes of the Catholic Teachers’ Lounge AND Connected Classrooms, the Greeley Center for Catholic Education’s podcast starring Kaitlin Reichart!

This episode takes Jill and Colleen down a rabbit hole of multi-age instructional shifts, putting theory into practice, and wondering if PD is enough. Tune in as talk in lounge shifts to the way instructional leaders must create the space and opportunities for teachers to put practices that serve all students into action and help them let go of habits, systems, and structures that no longer serve today's classrooms.

This episode takes the lounge conversation back to homework, only this time Jill and Colleen are talking about high school kids. Studies show there is a sweet spot for impact when it comes to time spent on homework and success on standardized exams. Stop by the lounge to hear about stressors, tasks, and impact when it comes to homework in high school.

"In this episode of the Catholic Teachers Lounge, Jill and Colleen explore various themes related to Catholic education, particularly focusing on the Advent season, prayer practices, and the role of AI in spiritual expressions. They discuss the importance of spontaneous prayer in schools, share personal anecdotes about prayer with children, and reflect on the authenticity of prayer in the context of modern technology. The conversation concludes with a historical insight into the oldest Catholic school building still in use in the United States. "

In this episode, Jill and Colleen ponder a homework study. What is the value of homework? What is the most effective use of student time in and out of school? Stop in the lounge for a topic that everyone has an opinion about.

It's Advent--A time of high energy, activities, service projects, special prayer events, art, music, and lots of patience. Join Jill and Colleen for a conversation about fresh ideas and traditions to bring Advent to life for students.

It's Thanksgiving week! Join Jill and Colleen in a lounge conversation about classroom activiities that reflect the values and meaning of Thanksgiving, let kids be creative, and honor history. Jill and Colleen wish all Catholic school teachers and leaders all the best--they are so grateful for what you do every day!

Teaching has historically been an isolating profession for many. We would go into our classrooms, not to see another adult until we ventured to the office or teachers' lounge. When teachers experience the benefits of frequent visitors, co-teachers, and other adults in their classroom, they can experience a shift to openness that lifts them and their students to new heights. Join Colleen and Jill in the lounge for a conversation about teacher support practices.

In this episode, Jill and Colleen explore the universal design aspects of marching band and music education and how these can apply to the classroom. Discover UDL through a musical lens.

In this episode, Jill and Colleen put on their doctor hats and talk about a study proving the importance of handwriting to benfit learning to read. What begins as a simple conversation about spelling words goes down a rabbit hole of literacy. Stop in the lounge for this cutting edge--yet not surprising!-- conversation about reading and writing.

It's Veteran's Day, and Jill and Colleen take time to talk about the ways people can witness and support military veterans. Whether through fundraising support, gratitude, or song, anyone can have the opportunity to give thanks to those who serve!