

Modern Classrooms Project Podcast
The Modern Classrooms Project
Your hosts discuss the model and its implications for the future of education, along with guests including MCP implementors such as mentors, teachers, and administrators.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 27, 2025 • 16min
Shortcast 53: Unit Zero and a Day in the Life of a Modern Classroom
Listen to the full episode here
Toni Rose is joined by Emily Dia to talk about using a Unit Zero to introduce the model, and they go on to describe a day in the life of a Modern Classroom once students have internalized the routines.
Show Notes
Toni Rose's Unit 0 Calendar
Keeping up with the Modern Classrooms: Episode #1: Unit 0
Marissa’s Classroom
Johns Hopkins research data on MCP
Unit 0 One pager
Family intro email
Unit 0 Reflection
Unit 0, Lesson 1
Family Communication Toolkit
Icebreaker Ideas:
Follow the Directions Activity
I am From Poem
Unit 0: Slide Development Template
Adding ten minutes of reading time dramatically changes levels of print exposure
Follow us online and learn more:
Modern Classrooms: @modernclassproj on Twitter and facebook.com/modernclassproj
Kareem: @kareemfarah23 on Twitter
Kate: @gaskill_teacher on Twitter
Toni rose: @classroomflex on Twitter and Instagram
The Modern Classroom Project
Modern Classrooms Online Course
Take our free online course, or sign up for our mentorship program to receive personalized guidance from a Modern Classrooms mentor as you implement your own modern classroom!
The Modern Classrooms Podcast is edited by Zach Diamond: @zpdiamond on Twitter and Learning to Teach

Jul 20, 2025 • 15min
Shortcast 42: The Student Experience in a Modern Classroom
This week, Kareem is joined by one of his former students, Jayme Mims, to talk about the Modern Classrooms model from the student's perspective, how it facilitates learning and responsibility in school, and how it prepares students for success in college and beyond
Show Notes
Edutopia Video
Progress Trackers
The Warm Demander
Follow us online and learn more:
Modern Classrooms: @modernclassproj on Twitter and facebook.com/modernclassproj
Kareem: @kareemfarah23 on Twitter
Kate: @gaskill_teacher on Twitter
The Modern Classroom Project
Modern Classrooms Online Course
Take our free online course, or sign up for our mentorship program to receive personalized guidance from a Modern Classrooms mentor as you implement your own modern classroom!
The Modern Classrooms Podcast is edited by Zach Diamond: @zpdiamond on Twitter and Learning to Teach

Jul 16, 2025 • 49min
FEED DROP: Under the Hat, with Steve Martinez
For our fourth feed drop episode, we're happy to share this episode of Steve Martinez' Under the Hat podcast. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
You can find more info on Under the Hat and subscribe here

Jul 13, 2025 • 15min
Shortcast 207: How MCP Impacts the College Experience
Listen to the full episode here
Guest host Avery Balasbas is joined by a panel of his previous students who are now in college to discuss their MCP experience and how it prepared them for learning beyond high school
Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.
Show Notes
Avery's previous MCP Podcast episodes:
Episode 139: Teacher and Learner Reflection Practices
Episode 200: Celebrating 200 Episodes
Subway Surfers
Ochem Tutor
Blackpenredpen
Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:
Email us questions and feedback at: podcast@modernclassrooms.org
Listen to this podcast on Youtube
Modern Classrooms: @modernclassproj on Twitter and facebook.com/modernclassproj
Kareem: @kareemfarah23 on Twitter
Toni Rose: @classroomflex on Twitter and Instagram
The Modern Classroom Project
Modern Classrooms Online Course
Take our free online course, or sign up for our mentorship program to receive personalized guidance from a Modern Classrooms mentor as you implement your own modern classroom!
The Modern Classrooms Podcast is edited by Zach Diamond: @zpdiamond on Twitter and Learning to Teach

Jul 6, 2025 • 16min
Shortcast 183: Student Perspective (HS)
Listen to the full episode here
Toni Rose is joined by Sarahya College, a high school sophomore, who offers incredible insight into the student experience of learning in a modern classroom as well as advice for teachers who are implementing the model
Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.
Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:
Email us questions and feedback at: podcast@modernclassrooms.org
Listen to this podcast on Youtube
Modern Classrooms: @modernclassproj on Twitter and facebook.com/modernclassproj
Kareem: @kareemfarah23 on Twitter
Toni Rose: @classroomflex on Twitter and Instagram
The Modern Classroom Project
Modern Classrooms Online Course
Take our free online course, or sign up for our mentorship program to receive personalized guidance from a Modern Classrooms mentor as you implement your own modern classroom!
The Modern Classrooms Podcast is edited by Zach Diamond: @zpdiamond on Twitter and Learning to TeachSpecial Guest: Sarahya College.

Jul 2, 2025 • 53min
FEED DROP: The Balance with Catlin Tucker
For our third feed drop episode, we're happy to share this episode of Catlin Tucker's The Balance podcast. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
You can find more info on The Balance podcast and subscribe here

Jun 29, 2025 • 16min
Shortcast 60 - Middle School Student Experience
Listen to the full episode here
Toni Rose is joined by two of her former 6th grade students, Lila and Tyler (currently 8th graders) to talk about their experience in Modern Classrooms throughout middle school - in person, in remote learning, and in general
Show Notes
Edpuzzle (and MCP Tutorial)
Kahoot
Quizlet
Follow us online and learn more:
Modern Classrooms: @modernclassproj on Twitter and facebook.com/modernclassproj
Kareem: @kareemfarah23 on Twitter
Kate: @gaskill_teacher on Twitter
Toni rose: @classroomflex on Twitter and Instagram
The Modern Classroom Project
Modern Classrooms Online Course
Take our free online course, or sign up for our mentorship program to receive personalized guidance from a Modern Classrooms mentor as you implement your own modern classroom!
The Modern Classrooms Podcast is edited by Zach Diamond: @zpdiamond on Twitter and Learning to Teach

Jun 22, 2025 • 16min
Shortcast 219 - Student Voice (EC)
Listen to the full episode here
Zach is joined by Marlene Tapia Garcia and three of her first grade students, Olivia, Arya, and Ethan, to talk about their experience in a Modern Classroom.
Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.
Show Notes
MCP Podcast episode 138: La Revisión y las Pruebas de Dominio (Marlene's previous episode, entirely in Spanish with an English blog recap)
Two-Way Language Programs
Spring Math
Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:
Email us questions and feedback at: podcast@modernclassrooms.org
Listen to this podcast on Youtube
Modern Classrooms: @modernclassproj on Twitter and facebook.com/modernclassproj
Kareem: @kareemfarah23 on Twitter
Toni Rose: @classroomflex on Twitter and Instagram
The Modern Classroom Project
Modern Classrooms Online Course
Take our free online course, or sign up for our mentorship program to receive personalized guidance from a Modern Classrooms mentor as you implement your own modern classroom!
The Modern Classrooms Podcast is edited by Zach Diamond: @zpdiamond on Twitter and Learning to TeachSpecial Guest: Marlene Tapia-Garcia.

Jun 18, 2025 • 26min
FEED DROP - Lifelong Learning Defined with Jorge Valenzuela: Season 3, Episode 19 - From Compton to the World: Building STEM Futures Through Project-Based Learning with Jose González
For our second feed drop of the summer off-season, we'd love to share an episode of Jorge Valenzuela's Lifelong Learning Defined podcast. This episode is called "From Compton to the World: Building STEM Futures Through Project-Based Learning with Jose González"
You can find the Lifelong Learning Defined Podcast here

Jun 15, 2025 • 16min
Shortcast 213 - Do We Want Students To Be On Pace or Actually Learning?
Toni Rose is joined by Drea Siford to talk about her approach to teaching 4th grade using the MCP model
Show Notes
Listen to the full version of this episode here
Zearn
Eureka Math
Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers podcast, and the episode with Kareem:
3 practices to give you more one-on-one time with students
Email Drea at amsiford@bcps.k12.md.us
Drea's game board
Announcements for the Upcoming Week
Want to start building your own Modern Classroom? Sign up for our summer Virtual Mentorship Program! From June 23rd - July 27th, work with one of our expert educators to build materials for your own classroom. We have scholarships all over the country so you can enroll for free if you teach in Chicago, Alabama, Oakland, LA, Minnesota, and more. To see if there’s an opportunity for you, check out modernclassrooms.org/apply-now
Do you have a student whose voice you'd like to elevate on our podcast? We're looking for student guests, so if you have a student who would like to share their story as a Modern Classrooms learner, please reach out to us at podcast@modernclassrooms.org!
Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:
Email us questions and feedback at: podcast@modernclassrooms.org
Listen to this podcast on Youtube
Modern Classrooms: @modernclassproj on Twitter and facebook.com/modernclassproj
Kareem: @kareemfarah23 on Twitter
Toni Rose: @classroomflex on Twitter and Instagram
The Modern Classroom Project
Modern Classrooms Online Course
Take our free online course, or sign up for our mentorship program to receive personalized guidance from a Modern Classrooms mentor as you implement your own modern classroom!
The Modern Classrooms Podcast is edited by Zach Diamond: @zpdiamond on Twitter and Learning to TeachSpecial Guest: Drea Siford.