Is creative freedom helping—or hurting—your staff? Christina Shala explores why clarity and structure must come first. Learn how the Empowering the Educator Within book, workbook, and ESBPlanners software can support your school’s vision.

School values can look great on posters, but the real impact happens when they’re part of everyday teaching. In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, discover simple ways to weave values into any subject without adding to your workload. For more support, explore the Empowering the Educator Within book and workbook, along with ESBPlanners, to make intentional value-based planning part of your routine.

Support staff often feel like they’re always catching up. This episode offers five practical steps to help you get ahead: accessing curriculum, previewing resources, using rubrics, creating shared planning systems, and leaving supports for students when you’re not around. We also highlight ESBPlanners, our tool for smooth collaboration between teachers and support staff. Find planners and templates in the Empowering the Educator Within book and workbook. Plus, check out Episodes 5 and 6 for tips on reporting student progress clearly and collaboratively.

What if the real reading gap isn’t in the student—but in the book? This episode of Empowering the Educator Within challenges the way we assess early readers, separating decoding from vocabulary and exposing how resource mismatch might be holding students back. More tools at shalabooks.com. Rethink your approach to early literacy with practical, classroom-aligned insights—and discover free eBooks and strategies at shalabooks.com.

Setting up your classroom? Don’t just decorate—design with intention. In this episode, we walk through 8 practical steps using the Classroom Setup Planner to help you create a space that aligns with your teaching goals and supports student learning. Whether you’re new to teaching or simply refreshing your room, this episode will guide you through vision, materials, layout, and more. 📥 Download the free planner and explore related tools at shalabooks.com

Not every staff member will be on board with change right away—and that’s okay. In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, host Christina Shala shares a practical 3-step process for introducing school-wide change that invites honest feedback, builds trust, and fosters collective ownership. Whether you’re launching something new or improving something familiar, you’ll walk away with a clear strategy to lead with purpose and bring your team with you. Resources mentioned: 🔗 Blog + templates: shalabooks.com 📘 Empowering the Educator Within book + workbook

That post-PD energy? It fades fast—unless you have the right tools to carry it forward. In this episode, we explore why so many professional development sessions don’t lead to lasting change—and how intentional planners can bridge the gap between learning and action. Visit shalabooks.com for the blog, free visuals, and planning tools featured in the episode.

Too often, foreign language lessons in Early Years settings feel like isolated events. In this episode, we explore four simple ways to move beyond the weekly drop-in model and make language learning a natural part of classroom life. From planning together to following student interests, you’ll hear how small shifts can lead to more meaningful learning. Read the companion blog at shalabooks.com

What comes first when building effective ELL support—student needs or school systems? In this episode, Christina Shala shares insights sparked by her experience at an ELL conference in the UK, where the contrast between bottom-up and top-down approaches raised big questions about program design. You’ll learn why aligning systems before refining support strategies might be the most impactful way to help English language learners succeed. Visit shalabooks.com for the companion blog article, and explore sample frameworks and planning tools in the book Empowering the Educator Within.

What if hallways could teach? In this episode, we explore how schools can transform transitional spaces into interactive, purposeful learning environments. From math challenges to collaborative murals, you’ll hear practical strategies to make learning visible—and accessible—across the school. Whether you’re a teacher or school leader, this episode will inspire you to turn every corner of your school into an opportunity for learning.

If you’re planning transdisciplinarily but still assessing in isolation, this episode is for you. Christina Shala explores how to turn collaborative unit plans into assessments that reflect shared standards, cross-subject rubrics, and deeper student learning. Tools available on shala-books.com and ESBPlanners.

What happens after a great IB team planning meeting? In this episode, we explore the second half of the Transdisciplinary Framework—individual teacher planners—and how they help transform shared ideas into purposeful lessons. Using a storytelling unit as our example, we look at how Performing Arts, Mainstream, and ELL teachers stay connected through one cohesive plan. This episode builds on Episodes 26 and 27. Planner templates and examples are available in Empowering the Educator Within, along with editable digital versions on ESBPlanners.

If your IB planning meetings feel productive but fall apart the next day, this episode is for you. Learn how to lead transdisciplinary team meetings that begin with vision and end in action. We walk through a step-by-step approach to help coordinators turn collaboration into concrete classroom results—starting with a clear structure, purposeful facilitation, and follow-through that lasts beyond the meeting room. For more tools and examples, check out Empowering the Educator Within, our book and workbook set, and explore ESBPlanners, our digital planning software designed for schools like yours.

Why is transdisciplinary planning so hard to implement in IB schools? In this episode of Empowering the Educator Within, Christina Shala explores a practical framework designed to turn the IB’s transdisciplinary vision into real classroom practice. From collaborative team planners to individualized teacher tools, this episode offers a model that brings structure, clarity, and cohesion to unit planning. Based on the latest blog article at Shala Books, this episode also connects to tools featured in Empowering the Educator Within—a book and workbook combo—and ESBPlanners, a digital platform for school-wide planning.

We often start by getting English learners to speak and write—but is that the best place to begin? This episode explores why focusing on listening and reading first may be the missing piece in how we support ELLs. If your students seem to understand less than they express, it might be time to rethink your approach. Visit shalabooks.com for full article.

How do you assess learning in a classroom built for exploration and student-led inquiry? This episode offers practical tips for documenting and reporting student growth in a Reggio Emilia-inspired environment—from designing purposeful spaces to using flexible observation tools. This episode relates to the blog article Reggio Emilia - Tips for Assessing Student Learning at shalabooks.com. If you’re using the Empowering the Educator Within book, workbook, or ESBPlanners software, you’ll find aligned templates to support your process.

Why do curriculum gaps keep recurring? This episode explores how inconsistent teaching methods—not just missed content—may be at the root. Plus, how frameworks and planners can help schools align instruction and close the gaps for good. 📘 From Empowering the Educator Within | More at shalabooks.com

What if your Guided Reading groups weren’t tied to grade levels? In this episode, discover how one shared reading block and a team of teachers can transform literacy instruction. Learn how to group by need, plan collaboratively, and track progress with purpose. Explore planners and tools at shalabooks.com, and check out the Empowering the Educator Within book and workbook for more planning support.

What makes an ELL program truly effective? This episode explores school-wide strategies—from assessing beyond conversational fluency to aligning classroom and specialist support. To access the slideshow and PDF mentioned, visit The Education Blog at shalabooks.com. You’ll also find more tools in the Empowering the Educator Within book and workbook.

What happens when a resource looks great but misses the mark? In this episode, we explore how internet-based materials can unintentionally derail learning—and what to consider before hitting ”print.” 💡 Read more or join the conversation at shalabooks.com