ClassCast Podcast

ClassCast Podcast Ep.047 features Shane Lawrence, the host of The Ed Podcast and a middle school drama/film/computer/art/English/everything teacher from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Shane and host Ryan Tibbens discuss Shane's experiences in education, podcasting, how to make school better for students, great movie and book recommendations, and more. For over six years, The Ed Podcast has been among the most loved and respected education podcasts; using that background, Shane shares what he has learned about great teaching and about how to broadcast it. For the "ideal school" section of this episode, Shane showed up prepared -- he had notes about schedules, planning times, options, and more. And of course, as a film and drama teacher, Shane shares some excellent movie and book recommendations at the end.  This episode has a little something for everyone, and it has a whole lot for teachers, administrators, and podcasters.

You can contact Shane via TheEdPodcast.com and on Twitter @theedpodcast.

Be sure to like, follow, subscribe, share, comment, review, and all that other good stuff wherever you get your podcasts.  Streaming now on all major services.


Table of Contents

1. 0:00-15:52 -- Intro to Shane Lawrence & Education Podcasting
2. 15:52-26:00 -- Shane's Education & Teaching Career
3. 26:00-31:13 -- How We Schedule a School Day
4. 31:13-1:06:04 -- The Ideal School
5. 1:06:38-1:14:25 -- Shane's Movie & Book Recommendations
6. 1:14:26-1:15:27 -- Wrap Up

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ClassCast Podcast Ep.045 features Taylor Freeman (founder & CEO of Axon Park, co-founder of Upload, Forbes 30 Under 30, and VR industry leader) sharing knowledge and insights about the exciting field of XR (virtual reality, augmented reality, etc. -- we explore the names and functions in this episode), how it can impact and improve schools, and how the world may change as virtual reality technologies become better, cheaper, and more popular. Whether you know nothing about virtual reality or you have your own headset, this episode has something for you -- educational applications, business dynamics, technical details, recommended platforms, and more.

Host Ryan Tibbens first gave serious consideration to virtual reality schooling in late September 2020 after teaching synchronous online classes all day.  "It would be great if students could work from home but feel like they were around each other, if they could look around and see each other to improve class climate and discussion." From there, the idea took off: "If we had virtual reality capabilities to recreate the classroom, why stop there? Why not make every day a lab day, field trip, or hands-on activity?"  Tibbens contacted Freeman, and the result is an exciting, interesting, truly outside-the-box discussion about how we can apply new technologies to improve nearly every aspect of both traditional and online schooling.

Whether you're looking for educational innovation, information about a quickly advancing technology, what the future may hold, or even a great holiday gift idea, Ep.046's conversation with Taylor Freeman is rich in ideas and inspirations.


Table of Contents 

1. 0:00-9:47 -- Intro to Taylor Freeman &  VR in Schools
2. 9:47-13:31 -- The Inspiration for This Discussion
3.  13:31-23:52 -- Taylor's Education
4.  23:52-34:57 -- The Rise of Virtual Reality in School & Beyond
5. 34:57-42:19 -- VR, XR, AR, MR: What Are We Talking About?
6. 42:11-44:50 -- The State of XR/VR Today
7. 44:50-54:53 -- Axon Park: The School of the Future 
8.  54:53-1:01:02 -- How to Create a Virtual Setting
9. 1:01:03-1:13:56 -- Virtual Reality in Movies AND Taylor's Book/Movie Recs.
10.  1:14:22-1:30:06 -- Final Thoughts: Video, Cyber Sickness, Oculus Quest 2, & AR in Class
11. 1:30:06-1:37:53 -- Taylor's Ideal School

Contacts
Find Taylor Freeman on Twitter @TaylorPFreeman, on Instagram @TaylorPFreeman, and on LinkedIn.  Also follow @AxonPark and @UploadVR on Twitter and other social media outlets. Check out www.AxonPark.com and www. UploadVR.com for more information.

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In this sub-20 minute episode, host Ryan Tibbens discusses some of the less-talked-about aspects of the most common school models considered as school leaders across the country search for the best way to get students "back to school."  In many districts that have used 100% district learning through the first quarter of the school year, public pressure is mounting to open hybrid options that allow students back into the school building on a part-time basis. A model that is growing in popularity -- concurrent hybrid schooling -- allows in-person and online students to participate in the same class. That option sounds great at first, but a closer look at the logistics quickly reveal it to be just as limited as other options.  In the end, we may not have any good options, so we're all left to discuss and debate which is the least bad. No matter what your school division's leadership chooses, do your best to support students and the ultimate goal of school -- to empower individuals and uplift communities. 

Please read this great article about concurrent hybrid teaching from NBC News.

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ClassCast Podcast Ep.044 features Matt Bass, candidate for Board of Supervisors in Clarke County, VA, discussing life, school, politics, community, and planning in small town America.  Clarke County, VA is located just over an hour west of Washington DC in the northern Shenandoah Valley.  A small, rural county, it is home to just under 15,000 people, one high school, one grocery store, and a whole lot of genuine Virginia character.  Situated just over the Blue Ridge Mountains from the booming DC suburbs of Loudoun, Fairfax, and Arlington, Clarke has managed to preserve thousands of acres  of pristine farmland, beautiful mountain forests, and a small town charm that makes it unique in the northern Virginia region. In this episode, Matt shares his experiences growing up and going to school in Clarke County, attending the University of Virginia, becoming an attorney, starting a family, and future plans for the community he loves.  Listeners from big cities or growing suburbs may be surprised to hear about the significance of schools in small communities; listeners from small towns will feel affirmed and reassured by Matt Bass's vision for the future.

Table of Contents

1. 0:00-13:24 -- Matt's Education and Background
2. 13:25-26:11 -- Higher Education: Applicable Skills vs Academic Knowledge in Small Towns
3. 26:12-29:37 -- Expanding Opportunities in Schools
4. 29:37-39:04 -- Choice & Innovation in Smaller Rural Schools (like Clarke County, VA)
5. 39:04-50:37 -- How Schools Anchor Communities like Clarke County, VA (Clip 01)
6. 50:38-1:11:00 -- Local Politics & Bass's Vision for Clarke County
7. 1:11:31-1:15:15 -- Student Loan Debt
8. 1:15:16-1:21:01 -- Matt's Ideal School
9. 1:21:02-1:22:39 -- Choosing Home
10. 1:22:39-1:30:58 -- Matt's Book & Movie Recommendations
11. 1:30:59-1:36:23 -- Final Thoughts

Be sure to like, share, follow, subscribe, leave a positive review, and all that other good stuff wherever you get your podcasts! 

Learn more about Matt Bass's platform at https://www.facebook.com/Bass4Board.  ​

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In this highlight clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.044, Matt Bass, a candidate for Clarke County, VA Board of Supervisors, talks about how public schools anchor communities, particularly in small towns and rural areas across the country. In this clip, Matt and host Ryan Tibbens talk about the many roles that schools play in a community and how a sense of belonging, common identity, and unity can be forged through a healthy public school system.

Learn more about Matt Bass's platform at https://www.facebook.com/Bass4Board.  

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In this highlight from ClassCast Podcast Ep.044, Clarke County, VA Board of Supervisors candidate Matt Bass and host Ryan Tibbens discuss politics, planning, and community preservation.  Clarke County is situated approximately an hour west of Washington DC in the northern Shenandoah Valley.  In many ways, Clarke County represents "genuine Virginia" -- small towns, agricultural economies, and traditional communities -- and its proximity to the booming, wealthy suburbs of northern Virginia present an unique situation, a bridge between two worlds in one of our nation's oldest and most historically rich regions.  Listen to this clip to hear more about Matt Bass's vision for the county's future and how to maximize opportunities and resources without departing from local culture and tradition.

Learn more about Matt Bass's platform at https://www.facebook.com/Bass4Board.  

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ClassCast Podcast Ep.043 features host Ryan Tibbens discussing wide-reaching, intrusive, and imperfect policy changes in his school division that are resulting in suppression of teachers' First Amendment rights, paranoia among employees, book banning, censorship, and more. Banned Books Week 2020 runs from September 27 through October 3 and, ironically, included Tibbens' first personal run-in with book banning during his 15 year teaching career. The new policy not only infringes upon employees' first amendment rights in hopes of protecting the division's public image and efficiency, but it declares a universal ban on racial slurs "regardless of intent" as well.  That, of course, sounds great, but it results in a wide variety of high quality texts becoming unsafe -- or possibly banned -- for classroom use, rendering teachers' efforts to support national and local antiracist goals harder to achieve because teachers have fewer options for texts to inform and guide those discussions. In this episode, Tibbens addresses problematic aspects of the new policy, connects it to classroom realities, and defends The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Just Mercy, and more.

If you are serious about fighting racism and censorship while promoting critical thinking and intellectual freedom, this episode is not to be missed.

Don't forget to like, share, follow, subscribe, and leave a positive review wherever you get your podcasts!

~~ UPDATE: Since this episode was released, several leaders within the school system have reached out for clarification.  Contrary to initial comments, they say no specific books are being banned. They also  state that teachers have their full support and that some of the "diverse classroom library" books mentioned are either no longer included or are not present in elementary classrooms, as I mistakenly indicated.  Additionally, in part because of awareness and concerns raised by this podcast, the proposed Professional Conduct Policy has been sent back to committee for revision. Final language is still pending.  That being said, the clarifying comments also suggest a shift from what the ALA calls "direct censorship" (a formal ban by school leaders) to "indirect censorship" (an informal ban imposed by teachers/librarians on themselves in order to avoid conflicts or problems at work or in the community). At this point, the censorship concern seems to fall upon individual teachers, not leadership, because there is no formal ban or limitation on the texts.  School leadership has issued formal guidelines on how to handle books with racially offensive language, which includes "DO NOT use audio books or read passages with sensitive language or racial slurs aloud, nor should students read these passages aloud. Teachers may not read the passage and omit the offensive word or supply a substitute word. Language spoken aloud that is oppressive causes violence and trauma to students and provides tacit permission for students to use these terms outside of the classroom."  This guideline makes the texts addressed in this episode (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X) unusable for whole class and small group applications because the texts can't be read or discussed aloud. The broader concerns of this episode stand.

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ClassCast Podcast Episode 042 features Joe Pizzo, the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) 2020 National Educator of the Year, sharing his thoughts about education, progress, project-based learning, classroom dynamics, and much, much more as he begins his remarkable 47th year teaching middle school English in Chester, New Jersey.  Joe talks with host Ryan Tibbens about adjusting to pandemic conditions, supporting young teachers, creating "real world" and project-based opportunities for students, publishing, and more -- including why he hasn't retired yet! Joe is one of the busiest people we've met on the ClassCast Podcast, from winning multiple state and national level awards to serving on professional organizations' boards, from teaching middle school and college to volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America and at his local church. In this wide-ranging, intimate conversation, Joe shares what keeps him motivated, how to connect with students, and even why a comfort note or sincere consolation can help someone through personal tragedy and loss. Given that 50% of teachers leave the profession within five years and that the national average career length is currently around 14 years (and dropping steadily in recent decades), Joe Pizzo offers a refreshing look at what makes teaching great and why great teachers stick around.

Table of Contents

• 0:00 - 7:40 -- Intro/Why Not Retire?
• 7:46 - 17:39 -- Changes during 47 Year Career?
• 17:40 - 24:15 -- Pandemics & Tough Discussions in School
• 24:30 - 32:25 -- Joseph Pizzo: the Student & Young Teacher
• 32:26 - 36:15 -- Advice for Young Teachers (continued below)
• 36:16 - 43:57 -- A Case Study in Patient, Persistent Education
• 44:07 - 53:44 -- Pizzo's Ideal School (plus Standardized Testing & Accountability)
• 53:45 - 1:01:12 -- 9/11 Ceremony & Project-Based Learning
• 1:01:13 - 1:02:33 -- Advice for Young Teachers (continued)
• 1:02:33 - 1:04:06 -- PBL & Real World Opportunities
• 1:04:15 - 1:07:23 -- AMLE 2020 Educator of the Year
• 1:07:24 - 1:11:54 -- Power Skills, Soft Skills, & Personal Development
• 1:11:54 - 1:25:00 -- Book & Movie Recommendations
• 1:25:00 - 1:32:18 -- Writing Can Change Everything & Comfort Notes
• 1:32:18 - 1:39:40 -- Final Thoughts

Be sure to like, share, follow, subscribe, and leave a positive review wherever you get your podcasts.  The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major services and aims to improve education by hosting thoughtful, critical discussions about how we can do school (and life) better -- an education podcast for everyone, not just teachers.  Be sure to leave a comment or review and let us know what you think.  

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ClassCast Podcast Ep.041 features host Ryan Tibbens discussing racism, antiracism, acts of protest (particularly in professional sports), reactions to those protests, as well as why and how teachers can facilitate these discussions in the classroom. If you have ever paid attention to debates about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, or if you heard about players' moment of silence (and the crowd booing) during the first game of the season, this episode provides perspectives that might help people better understand both sides of the discussion. And for teachers and parents, the examination of those perspectives should serve as starting point for deep, honest discussions with our students and peers.

For additional ideas on the subject, here's an article I wrote in 2016 about Colin Kaepernick's demonstrations. You can access the full, correct text of Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" here; his speech to the APA, including discussion of "Urban Riots" is available here.

Be sure to like, follow, share, subscribe, and leave a positive review to help spread the word about the ClassCast Podcast. If you want to share your own views on these protests or how to facilitate discussions about racism in school, join the discussions via www.facebook.com/ClassCastPodcast and www.twitter.com/ClassCastPod. 

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ClassCast Podcast Ep.040 features Garrett Pierce, a recent online college graduate AND face-to-face college graduate, sharing insights into distance learning, the rigidity of high school, students' mental health struggles, improving schools, school choice, and learning by doing. Garrett, a former student of host Ryan Tibbens, also shares his passions for music, movies, brewing beer, baking bread and pizzas, and the finer things in life. If you're interested in a student and young professional's perspective on education and worthy reforms, look no further. Check out the Table of Contents below to identify clips and sections that fit your interests, or enjoy the whole conversation.  Don't forget to like, follow, share, retweet, subscribe, and leave a positive review wherever you get your podcasts.

Table of Contents

1. Intro/ Garrett as a Student/ Student Mental Health -- 0:00-11:41
2. Hands-On Learning & VoTech -- 11:42-17:21
3. Breweing Beer -- 17:25-22:15
4. 2nd Degree Software Programmer -- 22:16-29:51
5. Religion & Education -- 29:53-35:03
6. School as Vocational Training -- 35:04-41:25
7. The Ideal School, Learning Styles, & Choice -- 45:26-57:20
8. Class Choice, Mental Health, & Student Loans -- 57:12-105:30
9. Distance Learning -- 1:05:30-1:18:18
10. Movie/Book Recs. -- 1:18:14-1:32:09
11. The War on Normal People -- 1:25:39-1:30:17
12. Cooking, Baking, & Brewing -- 1:32:10-1:37:53

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