The truth? Sometimes teaching gets boring, stressful, or even painful. The cure? Fun. This month, we chat openly about what it takes to have fun in this job: everything from co-worker relationships to embracing failure. As always, we talk wins and fails, plus timeouts.

Stuff we Talk About:

Homecoming

Limetown

The Truth

Alice isn't DeadDo Over, by Jon Acuff

This month, I'm joined by Ted Ed Innovative Educator Will Gourley to talk about the best ways to ignite students' passions.

 

Links:

TED Clubs

Will's TED Ed Presentation

TED Ed Lessons created by Will

Will on Twitter and Email

This month, we gather round the mic to talk about our personal journeys that led us to become teachers. No spoilers, but it isn't always about helping the kids...

 

Links:

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

Dead Rising 3

LifeAfter Podcast

This episode, I sit down with Jason de Jager, teacher at Quest, an alternative school focused on ecology. We chat about their premiere project, Eco-Quest, a three-week program which gives students the opportunity to investigate ecological issues and propose solutions.

Links:

Eco-Quest - site dedicated to the ecology fair held by Quest Alternative School

Notes:

In this episode, Jason mentions the "Canadian Indiana Jones" and incorrectly calls him "John". The correct name is "Adam Shoalts".

This month, we gather around the mic to discuss how to make things better. We focus our discussion around four main questions:

What do we need to stop doing? What’s getting in the way of work?

What do we do well but need to improve on?

What do we suck at, and need to get better at?

What are we not doing that we should be doing?

As always, stick around for wins, fails, and timeouts!

This month, I'm joined by Fred Rempel, shop teacher. We discuss his technical theatre program which uses a problem-based learning approach to designing sets for the musical theatre program.

This episode marks a departure from our usual format as we discuss the issues faced by LGBTQ students. Through several conversations, we discuss how we can make our classrooms and schools a safe place for this at-risk community; how to approach establishing a GSA in a school; the impact that a religious environment has on LGBTQ students; the truth about what they face on a day to day basis.

Links:

GSA's and QSA's in Alberta

Sexual and Gender Minorities and Suicide

LGBTQ Bullying Statistics

This month's guest is James Stuart, who has spearheaded a highly successful agriculture program in his elementary school. We discuss how the ins and outs of growing plants in an educational context, and how this program touches on all areas of the school, alongside having significant social relevance as well.

Links:

B's Supporting Youth Foundation

Follow BSY on Twitter

This month, we tackle how to stay fresh after oh-so-many years of teaching. Everything from meditation and extra-curricular activities, to new units and more, we sink our teeth into the challenge of avoiding burnout. As usual, we have teacher wins and fails as well as timeouts.

This month, I chat with Julia de Vries, an elementary teacher who has spearheaded a nationwide project which connects elementary classes together. Tune in to hear about how the project works, and how you can join in with your own class.

Links:

The Official Site of the Canadian Letter and Number Exchange

Facebook group for Letter and Number Exchange