Teachers' Lounge

Teachers' Lounge

Host Peter Medlin connects with teachers, students and leaders in education as they discuss the biggest issues impacting classrooms.We want to hear your experiences as an educator. Send us a note to teacherslounge@niu.edu

Episodes

A school year in the life of a teacher, 2025-26

June 19, 2026 • 107 mins
Ever curious what the school year is like for a teacher? We interviewed DeKalb middle school English-as-a-second-language teacher Caio Gomes every month to track a school year in his life. Follow his journey on a new Teachers' Lounge podcast!
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An Illinois special education educator who teaches because of his experience as a special education student | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

June 5, 2026 • 29 mins
On a new podcast, we talk with one of the few special education teachers who were special education students themselves. Hear a young Illinois educator’s unique path into the classroom!
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Exploring the underlying purpose of education | Teachers' Lounge Classic

May 29, 2026 • 67 mins
We're revisiting our 2024 conversation with Joseph Flynn. He's an associate professor of curriculum and instruction at Northern Illinois University. He's also the university’s executive director of equity and inclusion.
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The Illinois professor teaching the next generation of journalists | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

May 15, 2026 • 64 mins
What’s it like teaching the next generation of journalists? WNIJ education reporter Peter Medlin sat down with Jason, a former-reporter and current director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois Springfield.
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The Highland Community College biology teachers uniting Women+ in Science | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

May 1, 2026 • 44 mins
Women in science often don't get the credit they deserve for their work. A Highland Community College club unites women across the sciences to talk about the opportunities and real challenges they face.
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An Illinois Valley teacher making college accessible for all | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

April 17, 2026 • 47 mins
Tina Hardy is the coordinator for the Center of Accessibility and Neurodiversity at Illinois Valley Community College.Basically, it’s her job to make college accessible for students who need extra accommodations. What does that look like? And how different are special education laws between high school and college?
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An NIU professor helped urban & suburban students team up to confront education inequality | Teachers’ Lounge podcast

April 3, 2026 • 64 mins
Two high schools, 25 minutes apart. One wealthy and in the suburbs. One in the city, lower-income. NIU professor Cynthia Taines' project brought together students from both schools to see educational inequality for themselves and fight for change. She's the author of The Metropolitan Community: Partnering for Equality Across the Educational Divide.
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A Waubonsee professor brings her experience as an immigrant business owner to the classroom | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

March 20, 2026 • 48 mins
On a new Teachers' Lounge, Waubonsee professor Dr. Nour Al-Nabir brings her real experience as an immigrant business owner into the classroom.Her students just won a national entrepreneurship completion. That and more on a brand-new episode!
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An Illinois civics teacher showing her students how to take action | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

March 6, 2026 • 56 mins
In a civics teacher's “Taking Action” class, students fight for change, whether it’s fixing potholes or school lunches. What does it mean to actively DO social studies? I’s on a new Teachers' Lounge.
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The co-founder of Rockford's Womanspace on her half-century quest to create a comfortable and creative place for women | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

February 20, 2026 • 59 mins
The co-founder of Rockford’s Womanspace on her half-century quest to create a comfortable and creative place for women..
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A Morris teacher who's not afraid to set a standard of excellence | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

February 6, 2026 • 48 mins
On a new Teachers' Lounge podcast, we talk with a Morris teacher who’s not afraid to hold his students to a standard of excellence.“I tell the kids, if you come in and you work for me, I will jump over the moon for you.”What it means to go above and beyond for kids.
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The top Illinois education issues to watch in 2026 | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

January 23, 2026 • 65 mins
There have been so many massive education stories over the past year from the dismantling of the Department of Education to childcare funding freezes.On a new Teachers’ Lounge podcast, we try to help you make sense of it and give you a roadmap to following education in 2026.
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Meet the student-reporters from Kaneland High School's student-run magazine 'The Kaneland Krier'

January 9, 2026 • 22 mins
Every semester, we feature a new group of "student correspondents." They're students in a club, sport, or activity. We interview them every month and bring you their journey. This fall, we highlighted the reporters and editors at Kaneland High School's student-run magazine "The Kaneland Krier" as they raced against their deadlines.
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Some of our best education stories of 2025 | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

January 2, 2026 • 59 mins
Before we get too far into 2026, let's take one more look back at some of our best education stories we reported in 2025.
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Some of our favorite conversations of 2025 | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

December 19, 2025 • 69 mins
On a new Teachers' Lounge, we're revisiting a few of our favorite education conversations of 2025 as we finish up the year.
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An Ottawa teacher helping her special ed students transition to college | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

December 5, 2025 • 52 mins
On a new Teachers’ Lounge Podcast, an Ottawa High School special education teacher helping her students transition to college…from knowing their rights to picking their classes.
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How an NIU music educator teaches music like a language | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

November 21, 2025 • 54 mins
On Teachers’ Lounge, it's Ann Montzka Smelser.She's the Director of the Suzuki Strings Program at Northern Illinois University.Ann’s a practitioner of what’s called “the Suzuki method of music learning.” It’s based on the idea that music talent isn’t inherent, it’s something that’s nurtured through positive encouragement.
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A Crystal Lake teacher's adventure across Illinois | Teachers' Lounge podcast

November 7, 2025 • 58 mins
On a new Teachers' Lounge, Bob Chikos! He’s a special education teacher at Crystal Lake Central High School.He's involved in education policy at the state level, working on reports about the teacher pipeline and school psychologist shortages.Bob also recently took a fascinating trip around Illinois
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The Four Freedoms and Beyond | Teachers' Lounge Classic

October 31, 2025 • 39 mins
We're revisiting our 2022 chat with Princeton middle school social studies teacher David Gray.He and his students worked on a project called “The Four Freedoms & Beyond," based on President Franklin Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union speech just before the U.S. entered World War II.
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An Illinois superintendent says public education is a gift not to take for granted | Teachers' Lounge Podcast

October 17, 2025 • 65 mins
A fateful trip to Haiti showed Vienna superintendent Joshua Stafford why public education is a gift. We also talked about the history of education in America, standardized testing, school safety, and his recent journey to Singapore through the Fulbright program.
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