Brave New Teaching: A Podcast for High School and Middle School Teachers 100% Engagement (Part 1) [Ep 285]
Feb 12, 2026
Brian Sztabnik, a high school English teacher and coach, and Susan Barber, a Midtown High English teacher and curriculum consultant, chat about practical ways to boost student participation. They explore authentic engagement versus busywork. They share quick strategies for jumpstarting discussions, inquiry-based tasks, and chat-style warmups that get every student involved.
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Practical Engagement Over Classroom Overhaul
- Post-COVID classrooms need engagement strategies that revive active, communal learning rather than total overhauls.
- Susan Barber and Brian Sztabnik built 33 practical lessons to promote participation without reinventing everything.
Twitter Friendship Turned Partnership
- Susan Barber describes teaching all seniors at Atlanta's oldest public high school and daily communication with Brian.
- Their online friendship from Twitter grew into a daily professional collaboration.
Coach And Teacher Identity
- Brian Sztabnik shares his varied teaching background and 20 years as a basketball coach.
- Coaching gives him another avenue to mentor students beyond the classroom.
