Kids Have Officially Forgotten How to Play, and We’re Going to Help Them Remember! - BNT Team Meeting [Episode 278]

Kids Have Officially Forgotten How to Play, and We’re Going to Help Them Remember! - BNT Team Meeting [Episode 278]

Author: Marie Morris & Amanda Cardenas, Secondary ELA Teachers December 11, 2025 Duration: 14:59
If your algorithm has also been screaming “screens are ruining humanity!” at you lately, then you’re right at home with us in this week’s team meeting. We break down the tech panic, talk about why students are tech comfortable but not tech fluent, and shift the focus back to building real human skills through creativity and play. From improv to pantomime, we’re exploring simple, screen-free ways to help kids think again, plus teasing our New Year’s “Favorite Things” party where we’ll swap our...

Marie Morris and Amanda Cardenas are the secondary ELA teachers behind Brave New Teaching, and they’re in your earbuds to talk shop without the usual platitudes. This isn’t about theory from a distant ivory tower; it’s a direct, practical conversation forged in the reality of their own middle and high school classrooms. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair in the teacher’s lounge with two colleagues who aren’t afraid to be honest about what works, what flops, and how to navigate the ever-changing demands of education. You’ll hear them deconstruct lesson plans, debate classroom management strategies, and share the small, brave experiments that can reinvigorate a teaching practice. The core of this podcast is built on the belief that teachers are the best architects of their own classrooms, and Amanda and Marie provide the tools and camaraderie to help you do just that. They blend their distinct voices-Amanda’s work with Mud and Ink Teaching and Marie’s perspective from The Caffeinated Classroom-into a single, energizing resource. Tune in for a mix of actionable advice, reflective dialogue, and the kind of supportive push that encourages you to try something new on Monday morning. It’s a dedicated space for educators ready to reclaim their professional autonomy and find fresh inspiration alongside fellow practitioners.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Brave New Teaching: A Podcast for High School and Middle School Teachers
Podcast Episodes
TEACHING DYSTOPIA: Our NEW Favorite Stories & Protagonists [Ep 274] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:24
Think you’ve seen all the dystopia books out there? Think again! In part three of our “Teaching Dystopia” series, we share hidden gems, fresh picks, and classics, from middle grade survival stories to YA novels exploring…
TEACHING DYSTOPIA: A Spotlight for Juxtaposition [Ep 273] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:09
Have you ever felt like dystopia is the genre that just keeps on giving? In part two of our dystopia series, we focus on the essential skills that make these texts come alive in your classroom, showing why depth beats co…
TEACHING DYSTOPIA:  New Essential Questions to Try [Ep 272] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:22
Ready to refresh your dystopia unit? In this episode, we explore how to make the genre feel fresh, relevant, and engaging for today’s students by rethinking essential questions and diving deeper into structure, theme, an…
BACK TO SCHOOL: State of the BNT Union + Reading Update [Ep 271] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:49
In this “State of the BNT Union” episode, we’re sharing where the Brave New Teaching podcast is headed next, from a new focus on YouTube and refreshed dystopia content to better-organized resources for teachers...plus a…
TJ KLUNE:  A Conversation about The House in the Cerulean Sea  [Ep 269] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:38
In our final episode of Camp BNT, we got to sit down with none other than TJ Klune, author of The House in the Cerulean Sea—and let’s just say, it was everything we hoped for and more! We laughed, fangirled (a lot), and…
HUDA FAHMY:  A Conversation about Huda F Cares?  [Ep 268] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:30
We’ve been wanting to bring Huda Fahmy on the podcast for a long time, and this conversation was well worth the wait! From her journey as an English teacher to bestselling graphic novelist, to the power of humor, represe…
LIBBA BRAY:  A Conversation about Under the Same Stars [Ep 267] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:58
Some conversations leave a mark, and this one with author Libba Bray is exactly that. From the first few minutes, we found ourselves completely pulled in by her honesty, humor, and the kind of insight that makes you paus…