Two T’s in a Pod

Episode 31: Teachers In the House

CEA members Chris Poulos and Kevin Brown are in the second year of their first term as state legislators. Listen to their discussion with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about education issues the legislature is taking up this session and how you can get involved in the legislative process. 

Episode 32: Haters Gonna Hate

CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey talk with Fairfield Education Association President Mick McGarry about scams that target teachers and then launch into a discussion of the many benefits they've personally gotten out of union membership.

Episode 33: The Whys of Union Membership

Tolland Education Association President Kristen Deliman Grabowski and East Hartford Education Association President Paul Apostalon are among seven members who took part in CEA's new Because of Our Union campaign, and they talked about their own whys of union membership with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey.

Episode 34: What's New This School Year?

What's new for Connecticut teachers this school year? Educators will see changes to teacher evaluation, play-based learning, kindergarten start age, DCF reporting, and more. Listen to CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey discuss the changes and how you can get involved to improve teaching and learning. 

Episode 35: CEF Holiday Bear Project

The Connecticut Education Foundation supports children and teachers in need—and there are lots of fun ways for teachers to get involved.
Register to attend the CEA Celebrates Gala on September 27—you can purchase individual tickets or get your local association to sponsor a full or half table—and it's also now time to nominate children to receive gifts through the Holiday Bear project.
In this episode CEA President Kate Dias and CEA Vice President and CEF President Joslyn DeLancey talk with long-time CEF supporters CEA Treasurer Stephanie Wanzer and CEA production technician Chip Karkos about nominating and sponsoring children through the Holiday Bear project. Find out how you can get involved: https://cea.org/holiday-bear-project/ 

Episode 36: A New Era for Teacher Evaluation

The 2024-25 school year is here, and that means new teacher evaluation guidelines are now in effect that focus on growth rather than compliance.
In this episode CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey talk with Connecticut Association for Public School Superintendents Executive Director Fran Rabinowitz and CEA Teacher Development Specialist Kate Field about the shift that's taken place in teacher evaluation. 

Episode 37: Planning & Technology Tips for Teachers

To start the school year off on the right foot, West Hartford Spanish teacher Dana Martin talks with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about a number of time management strategies, classroom routines, and technology tips especially useful for early-career educators.
Check out her list of keyboard shortcuts.

Episode 38: Talking Elections in the Classroom

It's election season, and that can lead to challenging conversations in the classroom. Whether it's questions from students or handling sensitive subject matter, teachers need to be prepared.
In this episode, 2012 Connecticut Teacher of the Year and Berlin social studies teacher David Bosso talks about how to handle political or controversial topics that may arise in the classroom. From presenting students with multiple perspectives to focusing on critical thinking to ensuring support from administration, Bosso has many suggestions to make sure classroom discussions are productive learning opportunities. 

Episode 39: The Link Between Education and Economic Growth

Chris DiPentima, the president and CEO of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, talks with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about CBIA's new economic action plan and how education and economic growth intersect.

Episode 40: Investing in Disconnected Youth

In this episode Dalio Education Co-CEO Andrew Ferguson discusses the importance of coming together to invest in the state's youth. Ferguson is the co-chair of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities' 119K Commission on At-Risk and Disconnected Youth, which recently released a plan to confront a crisis of disconnected youth by investing in education, social services, and job training.