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Teaching Today

Teaching Today

By: Center for Professional Education of Teachers
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Teaching Today is brought to you by The Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET) at Teachers College, Columbia University. In conversation with teachers, researchers, and school leaders, we’re dedicated to breaking down the problems, policies, and promising practices that define teaching. Uniting theory and practice, CPET promotes rigorous and relevant scholarship, and is committed to making excellent education accessible worldwide.All rights reserved
Episodes
  • Beyond Turn-and-Talk: Building a Classroom Culture of Purposeful Conversation

    Beyond Turn-and-Talk: Building a Classroom Culture of Purposeful Conversation
    Jul 7 2026
    Why do some "turn and talk" moments fizzle out or drift off-topic? Dr. Tia Albig, a sixth-grade teacher and model learner, joins hosts Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang and Dr. Cristina Compton to unpack "purposeful talk" — a framework built on four reasons we talk: to build relationships, play with ideas, argue, and report out. Tia shares how naming these purposes for students transforms classroom conversation from chaotic to intentional, why low-stakes talk is the on-ramp to deeper discourse, and how classroom culture and student dignity make it all possible. A practical, energizing conversation for any educator trying to move beyond surface-level discussion and toward real communication skills that last a lifetime. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html
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    40 mins
  • Risk & Courage: Teaching in the Company of Others

    Risk & Courage: Teaching in the Company of Others
    May 19 2026
    In our milestone 200th episode, CPET founding director Professor Ruth Vinz returns to Teaching Today for a conversation about what endures in teaching—and what she’s learned along the way. Joined by Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang and Dr. Cristina Compton, Ruth reflects on 25 years of CPET, the porousness of spaces that invite real learning, and why teachers need principles they can name and stand behind. From pandemic pivots to scripted curricula to the quiet power of silence in a classroom, this episode is a call to teach with courage, stay honest about what works, and never do it alone. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html
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    52 mins
  • Callback Conversation: We Make This Work by Doing It

    Callback Conversation: We Make This Work by Doing It
    May 12 2026
    In 199, we explored Teaching Today's origin stories with hosts and co-hosts who got things started and kept them going! Next time, we'll celebrate our 200th episode with Dr. Ruth Vinz, the founding director of the Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET). This episode is a callback conversation from episode 100, where Ruth, Roberta, and Sherrish discuss building reciprocal partnerships, cultivating a culture of collaboration, and keeping curiosity and imagination alive in the work of teaching and learning. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html
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    1 hr
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