Classroom Matters

What can concerned parents and teachers do to ensure their children, of all ages, develop great learning habits which will help them achieve their maximum at school and in life? This is probably one of the most important questions any parent can ask and now John Hattie, one of the most respected and renowned Education researchers in the world draws on his globally famous Visible Learning research to provide some answers.

Working with his own son Kyle, himself a respected teacher, the Hatties have written a book titled “10 Steps to Develop Great Learners”, which offers a 10-step plan to nurturing curiosity and intellectual ambition and providing a home environment that encourages and values learning. These simple steps based on the strongest of research evidence and packed full of practical advice can be followed by any parent or teacher to support and enhance learning and maximize the potential of their children.  

During this episode we will discuss:

• How to communicate effectively with teachers
• How to be the ‘first learner’ and demonstrate openness to new ideas and thinking
• How to choose the right school for your child
• How to promote the ‘language of learning’
• How to have appropriate high expectations and how to understand the power of feedback

James Young, sixth-grade musical theatre teacher at Johnson-Wabash Sixth Grade Center, was named the 2022 Missouri Teacher of the Year. Young, a graduate of the UMSL College of Education, leads an innovative musical theater program, where students learn basic music theory concepts but also how to project self-confidence and be their best selves.  During our conversation we discuss  how being named Teacher of the Year has changed his outlook on teaching and the challenges of teaching music during a pandemic.

On this episode of the Classroom Matters podcast, I sit down with Dr. Toby Travis, founder of TrustED and an experienced teacher and school administrator, currently serving as the Superintendent of the Village Christian Academy in Fayetteville, NC. Toby has a story of working in a highly dysfunctional and toxic school environments, and through the implementation of intentional action steps, organizations experience mission-fulfillment and a sense of community well-being. Dr. Travis is also the author of the award-winning book "TrustED: The Bridge to School Improvement" - available at Amazon, featured in Forbes, and named "Book of The Month" (November), and nominated for "Book of The Year" (2021) by The Magic Pen.

During this conversation we discuss:

• The biggest issues with trust in the school environment today including  teachers, administrators, students and parents
• Assessing trust issues in a school setting
• How the trust of a leader be repaired
• Advice/strategies for increasing the level of trust in a school district

Find Toby on his website and his Youtube. 

On today’s episode I will be sitting down with Marsha Tuff. Marsha not only loves her family, dogs and butterflies, she also loves solving problems by coming up with her own designs. She’s a retired engineer, with degrees in mechanical, aerospace, and materials engineering, and enjoys developing experiments targeting girls to give them engaging experiences with science, engineering, and math. Because math is so important to success in STEM fields, Marsha creates experiments that show the magic and power of math.  Her passion is helping students survive and thrive in STEM fields and enjoys helping students understand how relevant and incredibly powerful math is. iHer goal is to inspire others to be successful, build the resilience that comes from learning from failure, and empower them to follow their dreams, even when it gets tough.

During this conversation we will be discussing the role of women/girls in STEM and why play is so important to problem-solving skills.

Link to Marsha's website. 

On today’s episode I will be sitting down with author and math coach Dave Cole. Dave has done everything from designing missile guidance systems to teaching college computer science classes and teaching and coaching elementary school math teams.  One of the things Dave has learned throughout these experiences is the effective method of telling stories to help students understand difficult concepts. From this talent The Math Kids series was born. This book series isn't about teaching math but the focus is on the story, which follows four elementary school students as they use their math skills to solve problems, get to the bottom of tricky mysteries, and to help their friends. They are brave, resourceful, and adventurous, and learn that working as a team allows them to do what they can't do alone. With the emphasis on STEM in classrooms around the country, The Math Kids is a great series for getting students interested in mathematics, the often overlooked "M" in STEM.

During this conversation we will be discussing the secret for getting kids to love math and how “The Math Kids” series got its start and what keeps Dave motivated to write. 

Dave's website
Dave's Facebook 

J. Michael Hall is the founder of the fatherhood engagement program Strong Fathers Strong Families. Since 2003, this program has been implemented at schools throughout the United States and internationally, reaching over 225,000 dads and half a million kids. Michael is a father of two sons and the husband to a very successful middle school reading teacher. He is also a former special education teacher and a “recovering” middle school principal and is passionate about focusing on what fathers do well and giving them the opportunity to do some of those things with their children.

During this conversation we discuss the difference between “fatherlessness” and “fatherfullness,” and how fathers impact a child’s life.

Links: https://www.strongfathers.com/

Founder of Limitless Art, Marc Stein along with his two daughters Abigail and Rebecca have teamed up to form a creative movement, that everyone can participate in!  The trio produces colorful and inspiring prints that help to promote a positive mindset, goal setting and the ability to dream big. Limitless Art was started by Marc and his two daughters while trying to find motivational, happy, and positive artwork for their bedrooms but instead, kept finding products that centered on themes of money and materialistic images. Feeling inspired, the girls suggested they should just design their own wall art and once they started working Limitless Art was created!

During this conversation we will discuss the process for creating and producing art work and how parents and teachers can help inspire creativity in children.

Links: https://limitlessart.com/ 

Cyndi Burnett has been teaching others how to be more creative for the last 20 years. In her role as the Director of Possibilities for Creativity and Education, her mission is to empower educators to infuse creative thinking into every classroom in the world. She has taught deliberate creative thinking at the college level for 20 years. Her on-line course, Ignite Your Everyday Creativity, reached over 100,000 people and she has written two books, Weaving Creativity into Every Strand of Your Curriculum and My Sandwich is a Spaceship: Creative Thinking for Parents with Young Children.   During this conversation we will be discussing the reasons students aren’t getting enough sleep and how it affects their growth and development. 

During this conversation we will discuss the true meaning of creativity in the classroom and the relationship between creativity and problem solving.

Links: https://creativityandeducation.com/about-us/our-team/

Rowena List is the founder of Getting It Together, an organization that helps people “de-clutter” and “get it together” while keeping their sanity in the process.   Dubbed by her clients and friends alike as “the de-clutter queen”, she believes that being organized in all areas of life can help us to reach our goals, mitigate stress and be the best versions of ourselves. Whatever that means for each of us.  Rowena understands that the work of educators, both in public education and in the homeschool setting can be challenging at times and creating an organizational routine can help calm the mind, body and soul.  During our conversation Rowena discusses the reasons we suffer from organizational chaos and how to manage the clutter in order to be  outstanding educators.

Links:  https://www.gettingittogether.ca/

On today’s episode I will be sitting down with author and teacher Erin Garcia. Erin is on a mission to make the world more inclusive and as the parent of an autistic child she can share misunderstandings and mistakes she encountered to help others navigate these unchartered waters. Erin has a gift of speaking the truth without outraging those who will need to change their beliefs and behaviors. She has written two books including Tiger Livey and her most recent work, The Case of Sensational Stims, which celebrates neurodiversity and shows how to assist those with unique sensory needs.

During this conversation we will be discussing the challenges our public-school systems face when assisting students and parents presented with a diagnosis of autism. 

Links:  https://eringarciabooks.com/