“I don’t care if I am bad at it,” Ben shouts from the rooftops. At this point in their lives Ben and Amanda have got used to being failures. They accept that being a failure is part of the process! They also know that the moment you make it through is just too good of an opportunity to pass up.In this episode we unpack the power of a growth mindset. What is it? How does it help instructors reframe their interactions with students? How does it help students succeed and persevere in the face of challenge? From the language you use to opportunities for reflection to the structure of your course, Ben and Amanda look at what things that you can do in your classroom to help foster a growth mindset for students.

Ben and Amanda kick off Episode 5 with some fun news – They are top 119 in “how to” podcasts through Apple. This is a wild fact considering that when this was recorded, they have been only live for less than a week! As long as no welders or basket weavers start podcasts, they might even start climbing the ranking.

Getting into the core of the episode, Ben and Amanda are doing something new! Every once and a while, they want to take some time to reflect on their experiences, share stories, and get perspectives.

For the first Office Hour, Ben considers the age-old phrase: You can lead a student to water, but you can’t make them drink. He shares a story of a challenging student – one who was egregiously and regularly late, who would ask questions about what to do but not follow through on itemized feedback, and who would constantly struggle but never make progress. This episode looks at how Ben worked with the student to provide structure and support despite the continued and growing challenge. Ultimately, with some probing questions from Amanda, the dynamic duo work to reframe the situation and consider the bigger picture (e.g., what else could be going on for the student? What can we do within the boundaries of our jobs as educators?) Spoilers, the answers are a lot was probably going on and there wasn’t much more Ben could have done.

You, yes you, can join in by sending your stories, successes, and struggles to coffeebreakclassroom@gmail.com! Our hosts want this to be a space for everyone to come together. Tell us about your stories, successes, and struggles. Do you have an assignment that you are struggling with assessing? Do you have students who are doing things you don’t expect? Are you a student that is listening to this for some reason and want to tell us about your experiences. We want to here from you!

New episodes every other week! Check out coffeebreakclassroom.carrd.co for more Amanda and Ben as they continue to update on the professional development they cannot stop churning out. Keep it real!

After discussing the need for a skip intro button and... did Amanda say she wanted to eat a baby? Uh, anyway, the syllabus is often the first thing that students see for a course. It sets the tone for both the class and how they see us as instructors. How do we make a syllabus that brings students in?

Amanda and Ben unpack the syllabus. They first discuss how you communicate why the class matters, why the assignments/assessments matter, and why the policies matter. Communicating expectations goes a long way. Amanda and Ben discuss late policies and attendance policies and how they show up in the syllabus. They discuss ways to make the syllabus welcoming and how avoid a list of “DON’T DO THIS” to account for that one time a student did a thing that you didn’t like.

Lastly, we take on ways to deal with the length of the syllabus. Apparently, Amanda remembers a time where syllabi were a single page and Ben thinks she is dreaming. How do you avoid a wall of text? Amanda and Ben talk sharing the syllabus in ways that students can walk away with the information that you want them to have.

Syllabus tips you can take away today. Even Ben and Amanda each picked up something new from each other! Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!

In this caffeine-fueled episode, Ben and Amanda jump into the world of formative assessment—what it is, why it matters, and how it can level up your classroom without adding to your grading load. But this isn’t your average edu-chat. Things get competitive as they play a round of Formative Assessment Scattergories, going head-to-head to see who knows more assessment techniques under pressure. Along the way, they share practical ideas you can steal for your next class—and maybe even a few you've never considered. The generational divide also makes a surprise appearance when Ben references Saturday Night Live, while Amanda throws it back with N'Sync and the nightly news. And in an unexpected turn of events, it's Ben who delivers this episode’s awkward hand-related story. Grab your favorite mug—this episode is packed with teaching tips, laughs, and a bit of friendly chaos.

In the second episode of Coffee Break Classroom, hosts Ben & Amanda pull back the curtain and share the personal journeys that brought them into the world of community college teaching. From winding career paths to those “whaaaattt?!” moments in the classroom, they reflect on what drew them to higher education—and what keeps them coming back.They also spill the beans on why they launched the podcast, what listeners can expect in future episodes, and how they hope to create a space that’s equal parts insightful and playful.And it wouldn't be Ben & Amanda if there wasn't some chaos. Listen as Ben forgets the name of the pod and Amanda tops things off with yet another story involving mild maiming (yes, really).Grab your mug—this one’s warm, real, and a little bit wild.For more information, find us at https://coffeebreakclassroom.carrd.co/

Welcome to Coffee Break Classroom, where Ben and Amanda—two community college teachers who genuinely love what they do—chat about all things teaching over a good cup of coffee.In their very first episode, The Hook, they dive into the magic of grabbing students’ attention from the start. Whether it’s an unexpected fact, a wild question, or a real-world connection that makes students go, “Wait, what?”, they’re all about creative ways to make learning stick. And let’s be real—this episode is also their way of hooking you, the listener, into sticking around for more!So, if you’re a fellow educator, a lifelong learner, or just someone who loves a good classroom story, grab your coffee and join the conversation. Teaching is tough, but it’s also a whole lot of fun—especially when you have good company. ☕🎙️For more information, find us at https://coffeebreakclassroom.carrd.co/