Little Bits of TLC

By Threshold Learning

Little Bits of TLC is a podcast for school-based leaders, practitioners, and specialists supporting students with complex academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and mental health needs. Hosted by Hea... more

· Education

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FAQs about Little Bits of TLC:

How many episodes does Little Bits of TLC have?

The podcast currently has 194 episodes available.

Little Bits of TLC episodes:

September 13, 2026Staff Culture Is Student Culture: How Adult Behavior Shapes the Building Atmosphere
Dr. Colleen Evens, who coordinates staff culture and building atmosphere work for one of Illinois's largest school districts, joins host Heather Volchko to look at how adults treat each other at school and how that shapes what students experience down the hall. Colleen walks through why unpacking your own experience as a student changes how you show up as a teacher or a leader, what Google's research on high-performing teams found about psychological safety, and a practical way to move a group from blame and excuse-making toward ownership and repair.
The conversation covers self-awareness (the "lens to mirror" idea), why a closed classroom door can quietly limit what's possible for the adults working in a building, and why presence, not more frameworks, is what actually rebuilds connection. Listeners leave with one concrete first step: building a small bridge of support with a colleague this week.
Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
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37min
September 06, 2026A Welcoming Classroom Environment: Making Room for Students With Challenging Behavior
Classroom environment can feel like a code for everyone except the kids who are always in crisis. In this episode, TLC Nonprofit's Neurodivergence Advisor to the Board, Nick Franczak, and Heather explore how to build a sense of connection that includes students with intense behavior who may be living in complicated situations and working through emotional well-being challenges. They walk through teams, language, and mindset shifts that help the adults in education hold the space without pushing the hard kids to the sidelines.

Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
43min
August 30, 2026Classroom Data That Helps (Not Hurts): Using Behavior and Learning Data as Support
Data in schools can feel like a weapon or a waste of time, especially when it touches student behavior. Ed tech founder Julian Golder, co-founder of Emote Education, joins Heather to reframe classroom and systems data collection as something that protects kids and staff instead of scrutinizing them. They talk about why data conversations put practitioners on the defensive, how baking data directly into daily practice changes that dynamic, and why behavior can't be read outside of context.
You'll hear how one school traced a spike in office referrals back to snowplowed-in recess yards in about thirty seconds of looking at the right data, and walk away with a simple sticky-note exercise for noticing what your own data isn't showing you yet.
Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
36min
August 23, 2026Co-Regulation in the Classroom: The Behavior Support Infrastructure You Can’t See
This episode unpacks co-regulation — the idea that a calm (or dysregulated) adult nervous system shapes how students respond, especially in special education, EBD programs, and any space with big feelings. Licensed clinical counselor Jon Barberio and Heather talk about what co-regulation looks like in real time, how adults "lend" their nervous system to kids, and why staying present matters more than having the perfect script.
You'll hear a simple, one-moment check-in practice you can use today, even if your day is bouncing from one crisis to the next.
Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
36min
August 17, 2026First 10 Days of School: Routines, Relationships, and Reality Checks
This episode digs into what effective teachers and special educators do in the first 10 days to build classroom management, routines, and relationships that last all year. Coaching coordinator Ann Potter and Heather talk about intentionally building relationships, demonstrating consistency in interactions, establishing the expectation to learn, and what not to worry about yet.
You'll hear practical, low-prep ways to make these early days predictable for everyone in your room, including yourself.

Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok

Threads

YouTube

LinkedIn

Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
37min
August 13, 2026What Do You Want to Leave Here? Reflecting on the School Year With Intention
[Episode description]

Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
1min
August 13, 2026Space Between School Years: Rest, Routines, and Letting Your Brain Take a Break
[Episode description]

Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
1min
August 13, 2026When the School Year Didn’t Go How You Hoped: Debriefing Tough Caseloads and Programs
[Episode description]

Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
1min
August 13, 2026End-of-Year Education Handoffs: Setting Next Year’s Team Up Well
[Episode description]

Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
1min
August 13, 2026End-of-Year Instruction: Closing the Loop on Learning Without Everyone Checking Out
[Episode description]

Full transcript and Show Notes and Companion blog
Fund this work. The services Heather talked about in this episode are provided by TLC Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at a reduced cost to public school districts. Your gift sustains these opportunities. Donate at https://www.tlcnonprofit.co/founding-donors
Get the newsletter. One email, every Sunday — Heather’s take, an industry update, resources you can actually use, and first look at TLC University offerings and events. https://university.thresholdlearning.org/pages/home#connect
Tell us what you think. Have questions about what you just heard or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to [email protected] We read every one and love to hear from you!
Follow us. Never miss an episode on your favorite platform:
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
LinkedIn
Facebook
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
...more
1min

FAQs about Little Bits of TLC:

How many episodes does Little Bits of TLC have?

The podcast currently has 194 episodes available.