A big change is happening at Classroom Caffeine, and we wanted you to hear it directly: the podcast is continuing in partnership with the University of South Florida College of Education, with Dr. Rachel Hatten stepping in as the new host and executive producer. We talk with Rachel about the bridge we’re always trying to build, getting education research into the hands of teachers in ways that actually fit the realities of classrooms, schools, and district systems.
Rachel brings a scholar-practitioner lens shaped by years as a high school English teacher, district literacy leader, and now co-director of the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Our conversation stays grounded in equity and access: detracking, culturally responsive teaching, critical literacy, and the everyday messages schools send about who belongs. Rachel shares how becoming a parent intensified her sense of responsibility and why she calls teaching “hard holy work” while rejecting the savior and martyr tropes that burn educators out.
We also dig into her research on the long-term impact of a detracked, social justice-focused English course and what surprised her most: students remembered the books and the conversations, not the behind-the-scenes battles. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators can find research that strengthens practice.
To cite this episode:
Persohn, L. (Host). (2026, Apr. 14). A Conversation with Rachel Hatten: Passing the Mic. (Season 6, No. 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/7790-285D-0B1B-B82D-83B4-9
Connect with Rachel and The Anchin Center at rachelhatten@usf.edu or @USFAnchin on Facebook, Instagram, or X.
Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
