10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher

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
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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

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What You'll Learn In this episode, you'll learn how to:
Ask students what name they prefer and ensure it is pronounced and used correctly

Learn about a student's previous school experience to better understand literacy and learning needs

Partner intentionally with English Language Learner teachers to plan supports and accommodations

Recognize that limited English does not equal limited intelligence

Ask families which language they prefer for school communication instead of making assumptions

Maintain a learner's mindset by continuing to grow through collaboration, conferences, and shared practice

Show notes and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e924

Speakable: Today's Sponsor

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Opening Paragraph
In this episode, we tackle the challenges educators face as uncertainty around AI, demographic shifts, and evolving student futures continue to reshape schools. Teachers are feeling the pressure to personalize learning for every student, and we explore how AI might assist rather than overwhelm us in that work. Jennifer Womble, Conference Chair for FETC, joins us to unpack trends that matter now and in the years ahead. Whether you're attending FETC or not, this conversation will help you make sense of what's next in education.
What You'll Learn
In this episode, you'll learn how to:
think about the implications of today's kindergarteners graduating in 2035 and what shifting demographics mean for schools

reframe AI as an assistant to support teaching and learning rather than a threat

recognize why learning as a human-centered, relational skill remains essential

consider how schools and teachers can respond to change with clarity and purpose

Episode Link
Show notes and resources:
https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e923