How to Design Lessons, Engage Kids and Manage Your Classroom

As a teacher, we must build our classrooms from the ground up. Today, veteran teacher and teacher coach and author of Always a Lesson: Teaching Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, Gretchen Bridgers, shares the four ways we build our classroom. From designing lessons that engage students powerfully to classroom management and student engagement, learn the fundamentals in this quick listen. And hear about the top level where all of us veteran teachers want to hang out “student ownership.” Let’s listen to what we can learn about building the best classroom ever!

This episode is a Classroom Spotlight episode where we focus on classroom stories of teachers and students that will inspire you. If you want to start 2025 off right, this will be the episode for you. The audio and video version are below as well as the Gretchen’s Bio.

Listen to the Audio Version of the Show

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Watch the YouTube Version of the Show

Gretchen Bridgers – Bio as Submitted

Gretchen is a two-time National Board certified elementary school teacher from Charlotte, NC. In 2006, Gretchen received her bachelor’s degree at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. In 2010, she received her master’s degree in Curriculum and Supervision from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Gretchen taught grades 2, 3, and 5 before transitioning into the role of a New Teacher Development Coach for The New Teacher Project [TNTP].

During this time, she also published her first book for new teachers called “Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College” to help prepare future teachers for the realities of life in the classroom. For more than a decade, Gretchen has passionately mentored and coached educators, led professional development experiences for school building staff, and presented at district and national conferences as the owner of Always A Lesson.

Her impact continues to amplify serving educators worldwide through her blog, Empowering Educators podcast, classroom resources, professional development courses and personalized coaching opportunities. She has since co-authored a book with over a dozen other elite educators called “Teachers Who Know What To Do- Experts In Education” to share proven strategies that transform classrooms and leaders around the world as well as written her third book “Always A Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom & Career Success” that came out Spring 2024.

Whether you’re teaching a lesson or learning one yourself, there’s Always A Lesson.

Blog: www.alwaysalesson.com

Twitter: @gschultek

Facebook: @Always A Lesson

Podcast: Empowering Educators Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/always-a-lessons-empowering-educators-podcast/id1006433135