In Episode 78 of The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast, co-hosts Shé and Anna talk with Dr. Tabitha Kidwell, faculty member in TESOL at American University and longtime teacher educator, about how teacher trainers themselves learn to lead professional development. Drawing on her recent research, Tabitha discusses the surprising reality that most trainers receive little formal preparation—often describing their first experiences as “being thrown into the fire.”
“Teacher education is not something that you can read in a book. It's something that you really have to develop in collaboration with others and through your own personal growth and professional growth.” — Tabitha Kidwell
Together, we explore what makes teacher training truly effective: contextual awareness, adult-learning theory, active facilitation, and continuous reflection. Tabitha highlights the need for structured Training of Trainers (ToT) programs, purposeful mentoring, and professional learning networks that help teacher educators thrive. The episode also unpacks the parallels between learning to teach and learning to train, emphasizing that good teachers aren’t automatically good trainers without intentional support.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone leading—or aspiring to lead—professional learning in ELT. Gain insight into how intentional mentorship, structured preparation, and reflective networks can transform teacher development for the better.
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Get featured on the podcast! 🎙️
The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast is looking for contributions to their annual Friends of the Podcast episode, in which they feature voices from teachers around the world. In past years, these episodes have focused on teaching contexts around the world and AI for ELT. This year, they're asking contributors to get back to basics and reflect on what areas they want to work on in their teaching practice.
Getting featured is easy!
1️⃣ Reflect on these questions:
- What is one thing that you want to work on in your teaching practice? Why?
- What is one step that you’ll take to start working towards your goal?
2️⃣ Record a 60-second voice memo answering them
Go to https://bit.ly/backtobasics26.
- Listen to the prompt.
- Record your audio response with one easy click.
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