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Teacher Talking Time is a podcast for language teachers who want more: more clarity, more autonomy, and more lasting impact, both inside and outside the classroom.
Hosted by Leo and Andrew, each episode features thoughtful, in-depth conversations with the educators, researchers, and teacherpreneurs shaping the future of language education. Guests have included Scott Thornbury, Bill VanPatten, David Little, Jennifer Jenkins, John Levis, Angelica Galante, Sarah Mercer, Enrica Piccardo, Claudia Fernández, Shawn Loewen, Paul Nation, Sheila Thorn, and many more.
From the latest in second language acquisition research to honest stories of teachers building lives and businesses on their own terms, every conversation invites you to think deeper, teach more intentionally, and take charge of your professional path.
We release two episodes each month - with full video versions on YouTube - to help you reflect, stay inspired, and grow as a teacher and changemaker.
Subscribe, listen, and join a global community of educators leading with intention.
Episodes
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
"It’s 5,000 metres high, and I promise you: it is much scarier to launch a business than it is to jump out of a plane. When you launch, you are open to being judged, and you can fail, but that 80% fear is exactly what drives you to succeed."
We chat with Smart Cookie co-founder Martina Montreal.
Martina is a language educator and the co-founder of SmartCookie. Since 2016, she has taught over 1,000 students, using that experience to go all-in on building a "second brain" that eliminates administrative chaos for teachers. Martina advocates for the power of patience and taking professional leaps, even when launching a business feels scary.
In this episode, we chat about:
- The power of "nàixīn" [耐心]: why patience is the most demanding requirement for both language learning and business.
- Overcoming the cost of inaction: how saying "yes" to an unplanned Spanish class changed Martina’s entire career.
- How a background in abstract logic fueled the creation of a "second brain" for teachers,
- Why Smart Cookie focuses on eliminating administrative fat rather than overcomplicating with features.
- Why true professional strength is built through failure, not playing it safe.
- Why rest is not a luxury: the role trashy television plays in entrepreneurship.
*Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.
FOR MORE FROM MARTINA MONREAL:
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