Beyond the Bell

This week's college essay tip: Don't be afraid to start from scratch. In addition, Evelyn Lauer walks listeners through the next steps of a Career Style Interview, which can help individuals discover their true passions to make better career choices. For more information, visit https://www.marksavickas.com. Download a free copy of the workbook that Lauer uses on the podcast.

Beyond the Bell is a college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed will include: college admissions, college essays, trade schools, gap years, finding one’s passions and future careers. 

Evelyn Lauer sits down with Dan Gin, a college counselor at a suburban high school in the Chicago area. They discuss college application trends, including what colleges are looking for in 2024 as well as college essay tips. Gin also provides advice for parents who are supporting their teenagers through the process. 
 
Beyond the Bell is a college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed will include: college admissions, college essays, trade schools, gap years, finding one’s passions and future careers. 

Evelyn Lauer discusses how to tame parenting pressure over the college admissions process. Then she dives into this week's college essay tip: Figure out the story you want to tell before you figure out what prompt you want to answer. She discusses the Common App essay prompts and provides writing exercises to get you started. In addition, she walks listeners through the next steps of a Career Style Interview, which can help individuals discover their true passions to make better career choices. For more information, visit https://www.marksavickas.com.

Beyond the Bell is a college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed will include: college admissions, college essays, trade schools, gap years, finding one’s passions and future careers. 

Evelyn Lauer introduces herself and the podcast format more in-depth. She also discusses her first college essay tip: It's all about how you write it & start small.
In addition, she walks listeners through the first steps of a Career Style Interview, which can help individuals discover their true passions to make better career choices. For more information, visit https://www.marksavickas.com.

Beyond the Bell is a college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed will include: college admissions, college essays, trade schools, gap years, finding one’s passions and future careers. 

Note: Episodes from 2020-2022 are about teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. They include interviews with educators from across the United States about their experiences teaching remote, hybrid, and in-person during the pandemic.

A college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Evelyn Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed will include: college admissions, college essays, trade schools, gap years, finding one’s passions and future careers. 

Note: Episodes from 2020-2022 are about teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. They include interviews with educators from across the United States about their experiences teaching remote, hybrid, and in-person during the pandemic. 

K-8 superintendent Kaine Osburn and host Evelyn Lauer discuss the decisions schools must make while the pandemic continues and Omicron spreads. Lauer describes her own experience with Covid-19.

Osburn is an educational leader who believes equity is the real engine for growth in student achievement and innovation in learning. He has broad and deep experience as a high school English teacher, union leader, principal, and district leader. He currently leads Avoca District 37, a high performing K-8 district in the near north suburbs of Chicago, which sends students to New Trier High School. 

As a superintendent, previously he led large-scale community engagement and strategic planning, a successful $78M bond referendum, installation of a new staff training center through an innovative community partnership, and he developed powerful relationships with civic and business leaders on behalf of students. As a Deputy Superintendent and a Principal, he engaged in multiple sectors across larger and smaller school districts -- from operations, to curriculum and instruction, to finance, human resources, and community relations. He also has experience working directly with elementary and secondary families, teachers, principals, and community leaders. 

Follow Kaine on Twitter @AvocaOsburn
Follow Evelyn on Twitter @evelynalauer

Fifth-grade educator Doug Robertson and host Evelyn Lauer discuss the challenges of in-person/full-capacity school during the pandemic and his decision to take a medical leave from his classroom.

Robertson is currently a 5th grade teacher just outside of Portland, Oregon. He is in his16th  year of teaching overall, and in that time he has also taught in California and Hawaii OR. On the side, he is also an author, having published four books so far, three of which are education focused [He's the Weird Teacher, THE Teaching Text (You're Welcome), and A Classroom of One] and one novel (The Unforgiving Road). He is also a husband and has three children. He plays bass and rides a motorcycle. 

You can find Doug on Twitter at @TheWeirdTeacher and also on Instagram at the same. 

Follow host, Evelyn Lauer, on Twitter or Instagram, @evelynalauer.

Media educator Julie Rowse and host Evelyn Lauer discuss the challenges of beginning the school year during the Delta variant, especially with a inconsistency in the rules and guidelines at different schools in different states.

Rowse is a recovering Air Force Brat currently living in Bellevue, Nebraska. She holds a B.S. in Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and an M.A. in Popular Culture from Bowling Green State University. Julie teaches Journalism and Popular Culture at a suburban high school, where she is also the principal pianist for the school musical every year. She is the host and producer of the Teachers Talking TV podcast. When she isn't teaching or writing, she's watching a movie, college sports, or reading a book. But there's also a good chance she's napping. Follow her @msrowse on Twitter, @jlrowse on Instagram, or at julierowse.com. 

Follow host, Evelyn Lauer, on Twitter or Instagram, @evelynalauer.

Host Evelyn Lauer introduces the fourth season of Beyond the Bell, a podcast about teaching during the pandemic. On BTB, Lauer, a 21-year educator interviews other teachers about their experiences.

Please follow her on Twitter @evelynalauer. 

Host Evelyn Lauer looks back on the challenges of the 2020-2021 school year and looks ahead to the future of education post pandemic. 

To contact Evelyn, please email her at [email protected], or DM her on Twitter @evelynalauer.