trailer

Essential PD: Flexible, Actionable, Professional Development for K-12 Teachers (the trailer!)

Published on: 5th February, 2025

What is Essential PD?

It's flexible, actionable, professional development for K-12 teachers.

Why should I listen?

We host candid conversations with guests who work with students, and you can actually earn credit for listening if your admin is on board! Bonus: you can press pause whenever you need to!

Dying to win a giveaway? Collecting free classroom resources?

Join us at essentialpdpod.com and on instagram @essentialpdpod!

Written and Hosted with love by Kaitlyn Skat

Co-Hosted with love by Samantha Patterson

Transcript
Kaitlyn:

Welcome to Essential PD, the flexible, actionable, professional

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development podcast for K 12 teachers.

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I'm Kaitlyn Scatt.

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Samantha: And I'm Samantha Patterson.

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Kaitlyn: And together, we will dive

into meaningful conversations with

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guests who work with students every day.

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Samantha: We'll discuss things like

tech integration and managing student

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behavior, implementing student services,

curriculum design, and high impact

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practices that belong in every classroom.

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Kaitlyn: Hey Samantha, is anyone

going to tell me to remember my why?

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Samantha: No.

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Kaitlyn: Will someone make me

say a fun fact about myself?

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Samantha: Nope.

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Our promise is no cheesy

icebreakers and no BS.

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Essential PD is designed to be flexible.

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Listen for a few minutes

on your morning commute.

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or tune in one afternoon while

you tidy up your classroom.

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Kaitlyn: We will publish episodes

monthly, and each conversation will

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feature common misconceptions, a

candid conversation with our guests,

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and practical strategies you can

implement with just 10 minutes or less.

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Samantha: At the end of each episode,

we'll walk through an activity to

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implement what we have learned.

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And if your administrators have

assigned this podcast to you,

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you will actually earn credit for

listening and completing the activity.

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Kaitlyn: Listening is

free on every platform.

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Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google

Podcasts, Amazon, you name it.

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Samantha: You'll never miss an episode,

update, shout out, or freebie by

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joining us over at essentialpdpod.

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com or on Instagram at essentialpdpod.

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Kaitlyn: Meaningful professional

development on your schedule.

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This is Essential PD.

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About the Podcast

Essential PD
Flexible, Actionable Professional Development for K-12 Teachers
Whether you are tuning in for inspiration, practical strategies, or to earn PD credit, Essential PD will help you grow! Kait, an actual classroom teacher, and Samantha, an actual school administrator, talk openly with guests who actually work with students! From classroom management to mental health, from tech integration to behavior and curriculum design, each episode features valuable insights and actionable advice. In our signature segment "Ten Minute Try On" our guests guide us through ways to try out new strategies with just ten minutes or less! Essential PD is designed to leave you feeling motivated, empowered, and inspired to make an impact, all on your schedule. Pop in your headphones while you tidy up your classroom, or finally check your mailbox, you will be earning PD credit every step of the way!

About your hosts

Kaitlyn Skat

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As a teacher, Kait has worked across grade levels and in diverse school settings since she started teaching in 2020. (Yeah, her first year was in the middle of a global pandemic.) Kait has hobbies like hosting and cooking and swearing she's going to take up reading. She enjoys true crime podcasts and drinking iced coffee. What she does not enjoy is sitting in a busy cafeteria on a Wednesday afternoon trying to listen to a presenter while being mentally exhausted and desperately needing to see the sun. That is how Essential PD started.

Samantha Patterson

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Samantha has devoted nearly 20 years to public education, bringing her expertise and passion to teaching music across all levels—elementary, middle, high school, and collegiate settings. As a former union leader and a current school-based administrator, she is committed to supporting educators by delivering meaningful and practical professional development that addresses the needs of busy teachers and their students. Samantha’s dedication to fostering growth and learning in both students and educators has been a cornerstone of her career.