The 15 Best Educators Podcasts (2026)
Teaching is one of those jobs that's way harder than anyone who hasn't done it realizes. These shows support educators with practical strategies, policy discussions, and the kind of solidarity that keeps people in the profession when burnout creeps in.
The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast
Jennifer Gonzalez built Cult of Pedagogy from a small blog in 2013 into one of the most influential educator platforms on the internet, and the podcast is at the center of it all. A former middle school English teacher turned full-time education content creator, Gonzalez interviews educators, students, administrators, and parents about the psychological and social dynamics of school -- the real stuff you never learned in your credentialing program. The show has surpassed 10 million downloads and keeps growing because it treats teachers as professionals who deserve thoughtful, research-backed conversations rather than quick tips and empty encouragement. Each episode typically pairs with a detailed blog post on the Cult of Pedagogy site, complete with links, citations, and resource lists, which means you can listen during your commute and then dig deeper when you are ready. Topics range from classroom management and grading practices to education reform, equity, and instructional technology. Gonzalez has a knack for breaking down complex pedagogical research into language that is immediately useful. She also does solo episodes where she synthesizes what she has learned from multiple experts on a single topic, and those tend to be some of the most popular. The production is clean, the episodes are well-paced at around 20 to 40 minutes, and there is a genuine warmth to the conversations that makes you feel like a colleague, not a passive listener. For any K-12 teacher looking to sharpen their craft and stay current on what actually works in classrooms, this podcast is essential.
Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers
Angela Watson spent more than 25 years as a classroom teacher and instructional coach before creating Truth for Teachers, and you can feel that experience in every episode. She holds National Board Certification and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, but what makes her stand out is her willingness to say the things teachers are actually thinking -- about workload, about mandates that miss the mark, about the emotional toll of the job. The podcast launched in 2015 and has racked up over 9 million downloads and 1,200 five-star reviews on iTunes, consistently ranking among the top K-12 education podcasts. Watson focuses heavily on sustainability in teaching. She talks about work-life balance not as a buzzword but as a set of concrete habits: how to stop taking work home, how to streamline lesson planning, how to say no to extra duties without guilt. She also gets into mindset work, unpacking personal bias, and building mental health routines that fit into a teacher's actual schedule. Episodes run about 15 to 25 minutes, which Watson designed intentionally so you can finish one during a prep period or a drive to school. The tone is direct and empathetic -- she talks with you, not at you. Unlike many education podcasts that focus solely on instruction, Truth for Teachers gives equal weight to the personal side of the profession. If you have ever felt like the job is consuming your entire life and you need someone who gets it to help you find a way through, Watson is that person.
MindShift Podcast
MindShift comes from KQED, the public media powerhouse in San Francisco, and it brings public radio production values to education journalism in a way that most teacher podcasts simply do not. The show explores the future of learning across multiple dimensions -- how technology is reshaping classrooms, what brain science tells us about how students actually retain information, how poverty and inequity affect learning outcomes, and what role social-emotional skills play in academic success. Now in its eighth season, the podcast features co-hosts Nimah Gobir and Kara Newhouse guiding listeners through topics like belonging in schools, the value of learning from mistakes, and how to move past outdated teaching techniques that no longer serve students. Each episode is built like a mini-documentary, weaving together expert interviews, teacher voices, and student perspectives into a narrative that is both informative and genuinely engaging to listen to. The production quality reflects KQED's journalism standards -- sound design, pacing, and editing are all polished without feeling overproduced. Episodes typically run 20 to 35 minutes. What sets MindShift apart from other education podcasts is its scope. It does not just talk to teachers about teaching. It pulls in researchers, policymakers, parents, and students to paint a fuller picture of what learning looks like in practice. Topics range from game-based learning and mindfulness programs to assessment reform and the impact of AI on education. For educators who want to understand the bigger forces shaping their profession, MindShift delivers serious reporting without being dry or inaccessible.
The Teacher Career Coach Podcast
Daphne Gomez left teaching in 2017 and turned her own career transition into a full coaching platform for other educators thinking about making a change. The Teacher Career Coach Podcast, co-hosted with Elizabeth Suto, is the weekly audio arm of that mission. Each episode tackles a different angle of the teacher-to-new-career pipeline: identifying transferable skills, rewriting resumes to speak a corporate language, preparing for interviews in unfamiliar industries, building side income while still in the classroom, and dealing with the guilt and identity crisis that often comes with leaving a profession you trained for. The show features in-depth interviews with former teachers who have successfully transitioned into roles in instructional design, EdTech, project management, HR, and dozens of other fields. These are not vague success stories -- guests break down exactly what steps they took, what surprised them, and what they wish they had known earlier. Gomez also addresses burnout head-on, helping listeners figure out whether they need to leave teaching entirely or just need a different school, grade level, or role. Episodes run about 25 to 40 minutes and drop weekly. The tone is practical and empathetic, never dismissive of the teaching profession itself. Gomez clearly respects the work teachers do but is honest about the systemic problems -- low pay, impossible workloads, lack of autonomy -- that push talented people out. For any educator who has been quietly Googling alternative careers during their lunch break, this podcast is a grounding, actionable starting point.
The Shake Up Learning Show with Kasey Bell
Kasey Bell is a digital learning coach, international speaker, and author who has made it her mission to help K-12 teachers use technology in ways that actually improve instruction rather than just adding screen time for its own sake. The Shake Up Learning Show drops new episodes every other Tuesday and covers a broad range of topics -- from Google Workspace tips and AI tools for classrooms to lesson design, digital citizenship, and professional development strategies. Bell has a talent for making technical topics approachable. She does not assume you are already comfortable with every new platform or feature. Instead, she walks through tools step by step, explains why they matter pedagogically, and gives concrete examples of how real teachers are using them with students. The show mixes solo episodes where Bell teaches a specific tech skill or strategy with interview episodes featuring other educators who are doing interesting work in their schools. Recent episodes have tackled AI integration in classrooms, inclusive learning through technology, and practical ways to reduce teacher burnout by automating repetitive tasks. Episodes run about 20 to 35 minutes and the production is straightforward -- no filler, just useful content. Bell also maintains a companion website with blog posts, free resources, and course materials that extend what she covers on the show. If you are a teacher who wants to get better at integrating technology into your instruction but feels overwhelmed by the pace of change, this podcast meets you where you are and builds from there.
Teachers on Fire
Tim Cavey is an elementary vice-principal in Vancouver, Canada, who launched Teachers on Fire in 2018 after completing a master's degree in educational leadership that reignited his own passion for the profession. The podcast's tagline -- warming your heart, sparking your thinking, and igniting your professional practice -- captures the show's spirit without overselling it. Each episode features a conversation with an educator who is doing meaningful work in their school or community, and Cavey draws out their highs, lows, goals, and the voices that have shaped their thinking. The format is genuinely conversational. Cavey asks about the books teachers are reading, the professional learning that has changed their practice, and the moments that reminded them why they got into education in the first place. Guests include classroom teachers, administrators, EdTech coaches, authors, and education researchers from across North America and beyond. The show also airs live on YouTube most Saturday mornings, which gives it a community feel that many podcasts lack. Episodes run about 30 to 50 minutes and new ones drop weekly. What makes Teachers on Fire stand out in a crowded education podcast space is its genuine optimism. Cavey is not naive about the challenges teachers face, but he consistently focuses on what is going well and who is doing it. The result is a show that leaves you feeling energized rather than drained, which is no small thing in a profession with rising burnout rates. For educators looking for inspiration grounded in real classroom practice, this is a reliable weekly listen.
The Resilient Teacher Podcast
Brittany Blackwell is an award-winning special educator from South Carolina with over a decade of experience in elementary and middle school classrooms, and she has channeled that experience into a podcast that tackles teacher burnout with unusual specificity. The Resilient Teacher Podcast drops new episodes every Tuesday and centers on a concept Blackwell calls the Individualized Resilience Plan -- a personalized framework for stress reduction that rejects one-size-fits-all self-care advice in favor of strategies tailored to each teacher's actual circumstances. Blackwell holds an M.Ed. and works as a teacher resilience strategist, which means she brings both classroom credibility and coaching expertise to every conversation. Episodes cover practical ground: setting boundaries with administrators, automating the mundane paperwork that eats into personal time, shifting mental patterns that lead to chronic exhaustion, and building sustainable routines that fit around school schedules. She also brings on guests -- other educators, mental health professionals, and burnout researchers -- to broaden the conversation beyond her own experience. What keeps this show from feeling like generic wellness content is Blackwell's willingness to name the systemic problems. She does not pretend that positive thinking alone will fix understaffing, impossible class sizes, or inadequate pay. Instead, she helps listeners identify what they can control and build resilience around those specific pressure points. Episodes run 20 to 35 minutes and the tone is warm but direct. For teachers who are running on fumes and need more than a bubble bath recommendation, this podcast offers real, individualized strategies.
This Teacher Life
Monica Genta is a speaker, author, and veteran teacher who hosts This Teacher Life as a weekly conversation about the real, unfiltered experience of being in the classroom. The show covers tips and tricks, stories and strategies, celebrations and struggles, all pulled directly from the daily life teachers are actually living. Genta has a particular strength in breaking down instructional strategies that sound complicated on paper into steps you can try the next morning. She covers collaborative group work with specific structures that turn student partnerships into genuine learning rather than one kid doing all the work. She gets into goal-setting frameworks that help students take ownership of their progress. She explores social-emotional learning curriculum, classroom management techniques, and culture-building approaches that go beyond surface-level icebreakers. The show mixes solo episodes where Genta shares her own classroom-tested ideas with interview episodes featuring other educators, authors, and education thought leaders. Topics range from student engagement and classroom games to professional growth and work-life balance. Episodes are conversational and run about 20 to 30 minutes, making them easy to fit into a busy teacher's schedule. Genta also offers courses and resources through her website that complement the podcast content. The tone throughout is encouraging and grounded -- she celebrates the wins without glossing over the hard days. For K-12 teachers who want practical, classroom-ready strategies delivered by someone who clearly still loves the work, This Teacher Life is a consistent and reliable source.
House of #EdTech
Christopher J. Nesi has spent over 15 years in the classroom and holds a Master's degree in Curriculum Design and Instruction along with a Supervisor's certification, and he brings all of that experience to House of #EdTech, a biweekly podcast focused on how technology is changing the way teachers teach. Nesi is a conference presenter and education thought leader who is known for his practical approach -- he does not just get excited about new tools, he shows you how to use them in ways that actually serve students. The show features interviews with influential educators and technology leaders who share how they are integrating tech into their schools and districts. Conversations cover everything from learning management systems and student response tools to broader topics like digital equity, professional learning networks, and what meaningful technology integration looks like versus just putting devices in front of kids. Nesi also does solo episodes and roundtable discussions that tackle trending topics in the EdTech space. What makes House of #EdTech valuable is the host's ability to bridge theory and practice. He is not a tech evangelist pushing the latest shiny app. He is a working educator who understands that technology is only useful if it supports good pedagogy. The show has been running since 2013, which gives it one of the longer track records in the education podcast world. Episodes run about 30 to 45 minutes and the format is conversational without being meandering. For teachers and school leaders who want to stay informed about education technology without wading through hype, Nesi is a trusted, experienced guide.
Classroom Q and A
Larry Ferlazzo is an award-winning English and Social Studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California, and his Classroom Q and A podcast is built around a simple, effective premise: teachers have real classroom challenges, and experts have practical answers. The show is part of BAM Radio Network, which bills itself as the largest all-education talk radio network in the world, and that connection gives Ferlazzo access to a deep bench of education thinkers, researchers, and practitioners. Each episode poses a specific question -- how to differentiate instruction for English language learners, how to handle discipline equitably, how to build a classroom culture where students feel seen -- and then brings in voices who have actually worked through those problems. Ferlazzo is also a prolific author, with multiple books on student motivation and ELL instruction, and that expertise shapes the conversations he leads. The show is notably strong on equity topics. Episodes regularly address the experiences of teachers and students of color, the distinction between equality and equity in school settings, and strategies for creating inclusive classrooms where every student's identity is recognized and valued. The format is compact, with most episodes running 10 to 20 minutes, which makes it easy to fit one in during a planning period. Because BAM Radio Network produces programming from dozens of education organizations and thought leaders, the show benefits from a broader editorial ecosystem. For teachers looking for quick, focused, research-informed answers to the specific problems they face every day, Classroom Q and A delivers consistently.
Top Class: The OECD Education Policy Podcast
Top Class is produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the intergovernmental body that runs PISA, TALIS, and some of the most cited education research in the world. That institutional weight gives this podcast something most education shows cannot offer: direct access to the people behind the data that shapes national education policies across more than 50 countries. Each episode features OECD researchers, university professors, and policy experts discussing a specific issue -- teacher well-being, the impact of AI on learning, bullying prevention, assessment reform, or how social-emotional skills show up in classrooms internationally. The TALIS report alone captures perspectives from 280,000 teachers across dozens of education systems, and Top Class regularly unpacks those findings in a way that connects global data to classroom reality. Recent episodes have featured guests from Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Brookings Institution, and education ministries from multiple countries. The conversations are substantive but accessible. You do not need a policy background to follow along, though you will come away understanding why certain reforms succeed in some countries and fail in others. Episodes run about 20 to 40 minutes and the production is professional without being flashy. The podcast updates regularly and is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. For educators who want to understand their profession in an international context -- how teacher pay, training, autonomy, and working conditions compare globally -- Top Class provides a perspective you will not find anywhere else in the podcast world.
Teach 4 the Heart
Linda Kardamis is an educational consultant who founded Teach 4 the Heart to help Christian teachers navigate the unique intersection of faith and professional practice. The podcast presents every discussion from a Biblical perspective, but it does so while tackling the same practical challenges every teacher faces -- classroom management, work-life balance, student motivation, and dealing with difficult colleagues or administrators. Kardamis spent years as a classroom teacher before moving into consulting, and that firsthand experience keeps the advice grounded in reality rather than theory. Season One focused specifically on classroom management, with detailed episodes covering how to set expectations, respond to disruptions, and build a classroom culture that minimizes behavior problems. Subsequent seasons expanded into broader territory, including how faith should inform teaching decisions, maintaining personal boundaries, and finding joy in a profession that can feel relentless. The show is particularly valuable for teachers in both public and private school settings who want to think through how their beliefs shape their approach to students without being preachy or exclusionary. Kardamis is honest about the tensions involved -- teaching in a secular public school while holding strong personal convictions, for example, or knowing when to lean on faith and when to lean on evidence-based practice. Episodes are focused and typically run 15 to 25 minutes. The tone is warm and encouraging without sugarcoating the hard parts of the job. For faith-based educators looking for a podcast that takes both their spiritual life and their professional growth seriously, Teach 4 the Heart fills a niche that very few other shows address.
Teachers Education Review
Teachers' Education Review -- known as TER to its loyal listeners -- ran for over 11 years as an Australian fortnightly podcast that bridged the gap between research, policy, and classroom practice. Hosted by Cameron Malcher, an English and Drama teacher at a NSW public high school who holds a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology and is working toward a PhD on teachers' use of social media in professional learning, TER brought an analytical depth to education topics that most teacher podcasts do not attempt. The show featured several recurring segments that gave it a distinctive structure: Kolber's Corner for teaching strategies, Ideology in Education for unpacking the assumptions behind policy decisions, Education in the News for current events, and in-depth feature interviews with researchers and practitioners. What made TER stand out was its willingness to engage with the political and structural forces shaping education rather than staying safely within classroom walls. Episodes tackled curriculum reform, standardized testing debates, teacher workload research, and the gap between what policymakers promise and what actually reaches schools. While the show centered on Australian education, the themes resonated internationally because the challenges -- underfunding, top-down mandates, teacher retention -- are remarkably similar across English-speaking countries. The podcast drew from a network of contributors and guest experts who brought diverse perspectives on everything from early childhood education to university policy. Episodes typically ran 40 to 60 minutes, reflecting the show's commitment to going deeper rather than wider. TER has announced it will be winding down, making it a substantial archive for anyone interested in how education policy intersects with daily teaching life.
Think Differently and Deeply Podcast
Think Differently and Deeply comes from the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland, and it occupies a unique space in the education podcast world by focusing specifically on Mind, Brain, and Education Science -- the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and classroom practice. The podcast is essentially an audio companion to the CTTL's internationally recognized research journal of the same name, which has been read by more than 20,000 teachers, school leaders, and policymakers worldwide. Each episode takes a research article written by teachers at St. Andrew's and brings it to life through conversation, making complex neuroscience findings accessible and immediately relevant to instruction. Topics include how memory formation works and what that means for lesson design, the neuroscience behind student motivation, how sleep and stress affect learning, and what research says about effective feedback. The show updates monthly with about 20 episodes in its catalog, and each one runs 20 to 35 minutes. What makes this podcast distinctive is its authorship model. The research is not just being reported secondhand -- it is being conducted and written by practicing teachers who then discuss their findings on the show. That teacher-as-researcher approach bridges the gap between academic journals and classroom application in a way that most professional development fails to achieve. The production is straightforward and focused on substance over style. For educators who want to understand the science behind why certain strategies work and others do not, and who appreciate hearing from teachers doing that research themselves, this podcast offers something genuinely rare.
Schoolutions
Olivia Wahl brings more than 25 years of experience as a teacher and instructional coach to Schoolutions, a weekly podcast that airs every Monday with actionable strategies for coaches, teachers, administrators, and families. Now in its fifth season, the show has featured over 100 expert interviews with education researchers, master teachers, school administrators, and instructional leaders, and Wahl uses those conversations to build a practical bridge between what the research says and what educators can actually do on Monday morning. The podcast covers a wide range of classroom topics -- student engagement, classroom management, trauma-responsive pedagogy, student autonomy, classroom design, and collaborative learning structures -- but always with an emphasis on specific, implementable strategies rather than abstract theory. Wahl has a coaching background that shapes her interviewing style. She draws out concrete examples from her guests, asks follow-up questions that get to the how rather than just the what, and often synthesizes takeaways at the end of episodes so listeners leave with clear next steps. Bonus episodes feature Wahl reflecting on her own takeaways from guest conversations and sharing additional coaching and classroom management ideas sparked by those discussions. The show positions itself at the intersection of school and home, recognizing that student growth happens in both contexts and that educators and families need to work together. Episodes typically run 25 to 40 minutes and the production is clean and professional. For educators and school leaders looking for a podcast that consistently delivers strategies you can put into practice immediately, Schoolutions has built a strong and growing catalog of useful episodes.
Why educators are tuning in
Teaching is one of those jobs where you're constantly giving, and the opportunities to refill your own tank can feel scarce. Professional development days are hit or miss. Reading research papers at 10 PM after grading isn't exactly sustainable. That's where educators podcasts come in, and they've become genuinely useful for a lot of teachers I know. Think of them as professional development you can actually fit into your life, during a commute, while prepping materials, or on a walk to clear your head after a long day.
This category has grown a lot over the past few years. Whether you're searching for the best podcasts for educators or specifically looking at best educators podcasts 2026, there's real variety now. Some shows dig into policy discussions. Others are candid conversations about classroom realities that rarely make it into official PD sessions. A few are interviews with researchers who can translate their findings into something a teacher can actually use on Monday morning. The range is wider than most people expect when they first start looking.
Finding your next must-listen educators podcast
How do you sort through all the options? Start with what you actually need. If you want classroom strategies you can try this week, look for shows focused on specific teaching methods, classroom management, or technology integration. If you're more interested in the bigger picture, policy debates, school leadership, or how students actually learn, there are interview-based shows that go deep on those topics. And sometimes you just need to hear someone say "yeah, this job is really hard" in a way that doesn't feel performative. Reflective, story-driven shows can do that.
When I share educators podcast recommendations, I always bring up the host's style, because it matters more than you'd think. Solo commentary shows work well if you like focused, opinionated takes. Co-hosted shows tend to feel more like a conversation you're sitting in on. For educators podcasts for beginners, shows that explain foundational concepts without being condescending are worth seeking out. Try a few episodes from different shows. You'll figure out quickly which pacing, which tone, and which personality fits. A good podcast should feel like it's adding to your growth, not adding to your workload.
Keeping up with the best: platforms and trends
Almost all of these are free educators podcasts, and they're available everywhere. Searching for educators podcasts on Spotify or educators podcasts on Apple Podcasts will turn up a large selection. Many are also on Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or the show's own website. If you want to stay current, watching for new educators podcasts 2026 is worth doing since new voices and formats keep appearing.
Popular educators podcasts tend to cover themes that resonate broadly: teacher well-being, differentiation, equity, parent communication. But don't overlook niche shows dedicated to specific subjects, grade levels, or the particular challenges of teaching in rural or urban settings. That specificity is often where the most practical advice lives. Whether you're looking for top educators podcasts with broad appeal or a must listen educators podcast that speaks directly to your situation, the options are there. The trick is giving a few of them a real chance and seeing which ones earn a permanent spot in your rotation.