And the bonus episodes just keep on coming! In an unusual turn, I'm not even in this episode. Instead, Derek Rhodenizer of Beyond the Staffroom and Tom Whitby - creator of the edchat hashtag - get together to discuss the efficacy of Twitter chats. Are they even helpful anymore? or has the entire community become so fragmented and niche oriented that it's all just noise?

Links:

Derek Rhodenizer on Twitter

Tom Whitby on Twitter

Tom's Blog - My Island View

After a mountain of technical problems, I connect with Nikki Vradenburg, a tech-savvy teacher from Montana. Our conversation explores the differences between Canadian and US testing, assessment driven instruction, and how to successfully and thoughtfully integrate technology into the classroom.

Links:

The IT Crowd - Tech-focused BBC Comedy

Brainpop.comPBSLearningMedia.orgEasyblog.org

Derek Rhodenizer from Beyond the Staffroom and I get together for another bonus episode. Fuelled by the rampant - although very welcome - positivity of Twitter, at least in the educational sphere, we ponder the question if it's too positive. Is there room for more negativity? conflict? naysayers? How can we establish a more genuine conversation without becoming aggressive or trolling? All this, plus the truth about how disappointing Root Beer is.

 

In my latest conversation, I have the incredible pleasure and honour to speak with teacher-on-a-walkabout Noa Daniel. Noa has recently made the transition from classroom to...well, it's hard to define and it's something we try to uncover throughout the course of our conversation. Along the way, we also talk about student relationships, using music as a pedagogical tool, and what the teacher's journey even looks like.

Links:

Noa on Twitter

Noa's site, Building Outside the Blocks

My latest conversation is a chat with Alana Stanton. We talk about her approach to teaching, which includes saying "yes" even when it's scary, having purpose, and teaching kindergarten children how to do power poses. Listen in for a great convo with a teacher who truly appreciates what it means to be centred and purposeful.

Links:

Alana Stanton on Twitter

Alana's Blog, More Than a Lesson

Instant Relevance by Dennis Sheeran

Even podcasting teachers need a break, and so this month we're bringing back a favourite episode, all about staying fresh. We'll be back next month with a new episode to kick off your school year. Until then, enjoy the trip down memory lane.

This week, I'm joined by Steve Wyborney. Steve is an unusual cat because even though he is a math instruction consultant, he's all about language. We sort that out through our conversation, sussing out the value of writing, speaking, reflecting and sharing in math and beyond. We also talk about the value of connecting - both student-student and student-teacher - and the importance of getting to know our own students' journey.

Links:

Steve on Twitter

www.stevewyborney.com

The Writing on the Classroom Wall - via Amazon.ca

Buckle up (literally) for a great chat with Beth Houf, co-author of Lead Like a Pirate. Our conversation focuses on how to create a positive school culture, turning feedback into action, plus a few tips for leveraging Twitter to build your PLN. Beth also totally outs herself as a mega-reading geek.

Links

Beth Houf on TwitterBeth's BlogLead Like a Pirate on Amazon

For this unexpected and fun little bonus episode, I talk with Derek Rhodenizer of Beyond the Staff Room podcasting fame. We chat about how I got into podcasting, we discuss teaching, I talk way too much about Film Studies, and there's so much more than that.

Links:

Derek on Twitter

Beyond the Staff Room on Soundcloud

VoicEd Radio

Way back in April, I had the great opportunity to chat with Elizabeth Hill. A first year teacher, Elizabeth has fully committed herself to doing the best work she can for her class of autistic students. In addition to carving out a safe and nurturing place for her kids, Elizabeth has also taken on social media and blogging to complement her own practice. We talk about the experiences that led to her current job, as well as the challenges she faces. Also, next I'm in Florida, we're going for beers.

Links:

Elizabeth on TwitterLREJubilee.com - Elizabeth's blog