10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher

In this episode, Malia Hollowell shares actionable, science-backed strategies to transform early reading instruction. Learn how to organize sight words by phonics rules, leverage spoken language as your teaching superpower, support dyslexic learners, and use word ladders for real reading growth. You'll also discover why leveled readers fall short and how to find trustworthy literacy resources.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How to organize sight words by phonics rules instead of random lists
Why spoken language and sound tapping beats flashcard drilling
How to support the 20% of learners with dyslexia using audio-focused strategies
Why word ladders are more effective than traditional leveled readers
Where to find trustworthy literacy sources backed by research
Free editable sight word games from Playdough to Plato
Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e929
About the Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Van Andel Institute for Education. The Educator's Studio is a resource-packed platform with classroom-tested lessons, hands-on projects, professional development, and a supportive educator community. Get 50% off with promo code COOLCAT at coolcatteacher.com/vai.

Phone addiction in teens is real — and Australian psychologist Dr. Brad Marshall has evidence-based strategies that actually work from treating 2,500+ families.
Dr. Brad Marshall, known as the Unplugged Psychologist and Director of Australia's Screen & Gaming Disorder Clinic, joins Vicki Davis to share what two decades of clinical work and university research reveal about helping kids break free from phone addiction — without shame or judgment.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why parental control software fails — and the "handbrake rule" that actually works
What happened when Australia banned phones in every school
Why sleep is the number one thing to protect from screen overuse
Why expecting teens to self-regulate phone use is "neurologically ridiculous"
How to have a non-judgmental conversation with teens about their phone habits
Show notes and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e928
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Executive function strategies Kindergarten through 3rd grade teachers can implement today. Dr. Sarah Oberle shares science-backed ways to support working memory, inhibition, and focus in the classroom.
Dr. Sarah Oberle is a primary educator and cognitive science expert whose upcoming book, Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom, translates learning science into practical classroom strategies. In this episode, she breaks down the six executive functions developing in young children and explains why they matter more than content knowledge for student success.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The six executive functions and how they develop in K-3 students (core vs. higher-order)
Why working memory is more limited than most teachers realize — and how to offload it with visual reminders, brief instruction bursts, and student-created notations
How inhibition affects not just behavior but also attention and focus
Why your classroom decor and seating arrangement may be taxing executive functions without you realizing it
The science behind why music with lyrics creates a barrier to student focus
Show notes and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e927
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Balanced class lists set students and teachers up for success. Principal Carrie Hetzel shares her team approach, time-saving tech tools, and advice for planning ahead.
Class Composer is sponsoring this podcast. Sign up now for your free trial of Class Composer. For elementary principals and guidance counselors, this is a must-use.
Creating balanced class lists is one of the most important — and labor-intensive — tasks elementary principals tackle each spring. In this episode, Carrie Hetzel, principal of Paradise Canyon Elementary School in California (a National Blue Ribbon School), explains how her team builds balanced class lists using a multi-stage revision process that combines data with deep knowledge of every student. She also shares how Class Composer, a class placement tool, cut hours off their workflow by updating data in real time.
In this episode, you'll learn:
What a truly balanced elementary class looks like beyond just numbers
How a principal, teachers, and counselor collaborate through multiple revision rounds
Why starting the class placement process in May — not June — makes all the difference
How Class Composer provides real-time data analysis and built-in safety checks
Why class placement should be seen as a positive, forward-looking process
Show notes and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e926
Love the show? Rate and review on Apple Podcasts — it's the #1 way to help other teachers find us.

Too many bright, high-achieving students hit a wall because they lack access, know-how, and the "network advantage" that makes college applications feel possible. In this episode, I talk with Zak Adams, a junior at Harvard University, about how mentorship can help high-potential, low-opportunity students pursue "dream universities" they might not otherwise consider. We discuss Project Access, an international, UK-registered charity that pairs students with mentors connected to their target universities. If you work with juniors right now, this conversation will help you see practical next steps you can take to support students who need a roadmap.
In this episode, you'll learn how to:
Recognize when a high-achieving student needs mentorship, not just encouragement

Identify "high-potential, low-opportunity" indicators that can signal a need for added support

Refer students early and plan ahead for deadlines that often arrive around September

Understand why mentor matching connected to a target university can provide "network advantage"

Encourage students by helping them build a plan when they don't know where to begin

Show notes and resources:
https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e925