Deconstruct-Ed

Believe Initiative Founder, Olympian Sarah Wells is an Olympic semi-finalist and Pan Am Games silver medallist in the 400m hurdles. Sarah’s reputation was built through overcoming challenges and achieving the “impossible”. Before finding the sport of track and field, Sarah was cut from every high school team she tried out for. It was thanks to a teacher who suggested she try running – that teacher believed in her before Sarah ever did. Together that teacher and her became coach and athlete and made the Olympics together just a decade later.

Sarah recognizes not everyone is going to have that “teacher” or person in their lives, who believes in them, so the Believe Initiative was created to be that person for as many people as possible.

If you are interested in learning more about the Believe Initiative for your school, or have a student in mind who would be an excellent Chapter Head, the 7-week Believe Leadership program that can be facilitated virtually or in-person. You would set up and recruit members for your Chapter, teach the leadership sessions to your members, and guide students to apply those lessons through a Believe Passion Project. The Believe Initiative team would make sure you have everything you need including training, session tools and notes, and access to a group of other Believe Leadership Chapter Heads from across North America!

To learn more & apply, visit the https://www.believeinitiative.com This application consists of 2 written questions and one 2-3 min video about a time you had to be a leader. The other great news! You can apply to lead this with a friend! Email Sarah at [email protected] if you have any other questions!

Today's episode features a discussion about Todd's journey through becoming a special ed teacher, his experience through burnout, working as a victims services coordinator, psychologist and all that went into a return back to the classroom. Really interesting story and lots to learn.

His unique creative style has landed his work in globally renowned print and digital publications such as GQ, Financial Times, Conde Nast Traveler and many more. With a fierce dedication to travel the world, Anthony has collected incredible stories over the past five years living nomadically.

Living along side The World's Strongest Man aka "The Mountain" from "Game of Thrones" in Iceland, living onboard mega-yachts sailing around the world for months, helping a non-profit in French Polynesia restore the dying coral reefs are a few of his favorite feats.

​An Albertan born artist, you will find Anthony living a minimalistic lifestyle on the road. The journey continues to find the best stories the world has to offer.

You can support him on Instagram @anthonykdo and find his work at his website at https://www.anthonykdo.com/contact

Dr. Shariff is a Assistant lecturer in the Departments of Secondary Education and Educational Policy Studies, at the University of Alberta who specializes in antiracist pedagogy, cultural identity and hybridity, intersectionality, positionality, power and privilege. Her main focus is to work with pre-service teachers in their understanding of culture, race, schooling and curriculum.

Keynote Speaker. Mindset Coach. Golf Professional. Comedy Magician. Event Emcee. Trevor Moore is many things and has lots of tools and tricks to share with you for in and out of your classroom.

Matt Rolfe is a 18 year veteran of the Camrose Police Force, 13 of which he has run a K-9 unit competing nationally. Matt discusses his routes in becoming a police officer, the comparisons between teaching and policing with a focus on the art of deescalation.

Today’s podcast features my conversation with Augustana University's own Dr. Neil Haave and Dr. Brian Rempel.

Dr. Haave earned his (PhD, University of British Columbia) and has been teaching molecular cell biology and biochemistry at the Augustana Campus since 1990 where he served as Chair of Science and Associate Dean.

Neil is a recipient of the Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, a McCalla Professorship, and Augustana's Teaching Leadership Award and Teaching Faculty Award for the Support of Information Literacy.

His research interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) with publications on biology curricula, e-portfolios, and undergraduate research

Brian too earned his PhD at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver investigations of fluorinated sugars as potential diagnostic and therapeutic agents in the treatment of Gauchers disease and Mucopolysaccharidosis I.

I have observed both men to be excellent educators and academics. In our conversation today we discuss the nature of what science is, how to teach really hard things, team based learning and what we as teachers can do to get students better equipped for the real world. I hope you enjoy the program.

Today's podcast features my conversation with Boris Rybalka. Boris' resume includes over 25 years of experience in junior hockey, most notably 16 years as head coach and general manager of the Camrose Kodiaks. During his time behind the bench Boris coached his teams to 5 AJHL championships, 5 Doyle Cup championships and one RBC National Championship and over 1000 games behind the bench at the junior hockey level.

On today's podcast I am in conversation with Greg Carabine. Greg is a ATA VP candidate in this years upcoming election as well as a brilliant teacher and thinking partner. Greg and I get into a whole host of issues including advice for new teachers, what he feels the secret to great teaching is, AIMCO/ATRF, curriculum design and teacher compensation.

On today's show I am in conversation with Gail Sobat. Gail Sobat is a mentor teacher of mine I first encountered at the U of A Faculty of Education. She is involved in all of the arts but is best known for her books (12) and young authors camp Youthwrite (https://www.youthwrite.com/why-youthwrite).

You can find Gail at: https://www.instagram.com/youthwrite/ & https://www.facebook.com/YouthWrite