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Anchin Center Becomes New Home of Classroom Caffeine Podcast
The David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching is now the home of Classroom Caffeine, an educational research-to-practice podcast that brings the work of leading researchers and practitioners directly to educators.
Through conversations about research, teaching and learning, Classroom Caffeine addresses a persistent challenge in education: important research does not always reach classroom teachers in accessible, practical ways, while the questions and challenges emerging from schools do not always inform educational research. Each episode invites a guest to discuss the experiences that have shaped their thinking, their current work and what they most want educators to know.
The podcast was created in 2020 by Dr. Lindsay Persohn, a literacy scholar and former assistant professor at the University of South Florida. Under Persohn’s leadership, Classroom Caffeine developed a global community of listeners, generating more than 40,000 downloads across 129 countries and featuring an extensive collection of conversations with influential scholars and educators.
As the podcast transitions to the Anchin Center and the USF College of Education, Dr. Rachel Hatten will serve as its host and executive producer. Hatten is the Director and Endowed Chair of Education Innovation for the Anchin Center, where she leads the development of research-informed professional learning for practicing educators and school and district leaders.
Before joining USF, Hatten spent 13 years as a high school English teacher and later served in district leadership roles focused on literacy and instructional improvement. Her scholarly interests include critical literacy, culturally responsive teaching, educational equity and efforts to disrupt traditional tracking structures in schools. Across these roles, her work has consistently focused on connecting educational research with the complex realities of classroom and school practice.
“Bringing Classroom Caffeine into the Anchin Center is a natural extension of our work,” Hatten said. “The podcast and the Center share a commitment to making research accessible and useful to educators while creating opportunities for researchers to learn from the knowledge and experiences of practitioners. Dr. Persohn has built something truly special, and I am excited to continue and expand its impact.”
The transition was announced in the April 14 episode, “A Conversation with Rachel Hatten: Passing the Mic.” In the episode, Persohn and Hatten discuss the future of the podcast and the shared commitment to bridging education research and practice that makes the Anchin Center a fitting home for the show.
The conversation also introduces listeners to Hatten’s professional and scholarly work. She reflects on her experiences as a classroom teacher, district literacy leader, researcher and parent; her research on the long-term effects of a detracked, social justice-focused English course; and her belief that teaching is intellectual, relational and deeply human work. The episode highlights the importance of supporting educators as they engage in work whose full impact may not become visible until years later.
As part of the Anchin Center, Classroom Caffeine will continue to feature conversations with researchers and practitioners whose work offers educators new ways to think about teaching, learning and educational change. The podcast will also strengthen the Center’s efforts to elevate educational scholarship, support public engagement with research and connect faculty expertise with educators locally, nationally and internationally.
Listeners can explore previous episodes and subscribe through their preferred podcast provider at ClassroomCaffeine.com. Each episode page includes information about the featured guest and links to a full transcript.