#EdChat Radio

Four states have passed laws placing limits on how history can be taught in K12 classrooms.  Will these laws make teaching history more accurate or more distorted? What is the practical impact on teachers?

Follow on Twitter: @HarveyAlvy1 @RitaWirtz @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Rita Wirtz holds a BA in English and Speech, a master’s degree in reading from Arizona State University (ASU), and an administrative services credential (K–12) through California State University–Sacramento (CSUS). She was a California language arts and reading specialist who has instructed at all levels including K-12 classrooms, labs, and clinics. She has written a number of reading instruction books for parents and teachers including Reading Champs: Teaching Reading Made Easy and her memoir, Stories From a Teacher’s Heart: Memories of Love, Life and Family and Reading Champions! Second Edition, Teaching Reading Made Easy.

In the episode, we pause to consider all the things we’re expected to do as teachers. What are the things that matter most, what matters least, and how can we spend more time on what really matters in our classrooms?

Follow on Twitter: @MsSackstein @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @HarveyAlvy1 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Ed Chat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com

Starr Sackstein is the COO of the Mastery Portfolio where they help schools, teachers, and systems more easily implement standards-based grading. She was a high school English and Journalism teacher for 16 years and a Humanities curriculum leader for 2 years. Starr is also the author of many education books specifically about progressive assessment practices.

Over the last 18 months, we've experienced a lot and learned a lot about what's possible in education. In this episode, we discuss a shortlist of the most promising ways to update how we educate the next generation of students.

Follow on Twitter: @HarveyAlvy1 @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Harvey Alvy has served as a teacher, principal, and university professor, and was honored to be a National Distinguished Principal. He is the author of Fighting for Change in Your School: How to Avoid Fads and Focus on Substance, and co-author of Learning From Lincoln: Leadership Practices for School Success.

As many of us returned to school last week, 94,000 kids contracted COVID-19. Even as the infection rate grows to rival peak numbers, many school districts are under a no-mask-mandate policy. Others have gone a step further by limiting the ability to confirm whether students are vaccinated and eliminating the virtual learning options. How can teachers respond to these policies?

Follow on Twitter: @Hahne_Elyse @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Ed Chat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com

Elyse Hahne is a K-5 Life Skills Teacher in Grapevine, Texas and focuses on Social Emotional practices in her classroom and school setting. Elyse believes in supporting teachers and students to the best of her ability and believes everyone needs a champion. She loves to see the lightbulb moments and successes each and every day. Elyse is an ASCD Emerging Leader, Google Certified Educator (Level 1&2), and collaborator for success.

In this episode, we consider the good reasons to support year-round school and why many of us are ambivalent.

Follow on Twitter: @MsSackstein @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @HarveyAlvy1 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Ed Chat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com

Starr Sackstein is the COO of the Mastery Portfolio where they help schools, teachers, and systems more easily implement standards-based grading. She was a high school English and Journalism teacher for 16 years and a Humanities curriculum leader for 2 years. Starr is also the author of many education books specifically about progressive assessment practices.

The most recent EdChat, revealed a surprising paradox, some teachers who still love teaching wouldn’t encourage their own kids to join the profession. Join us for a candid discussion about our ambivalent relationship with teaching.

Follow on Twitter: @HarveyAlvy1 @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Harvey Alvy has served as a teacher, principal, and university professor, and was honored to be a National Distinguished Principal. He is the author of Fighting for Change in Your School: How to Avoid Fads and Focus on Substance, and co-author of Learning From Lincoln: Leadership Practices for School Success.

The terms learning loss and COVID slide have become a hodgepodge of competing views among educators. Some have voiced passionate warnings about the impact of viewing students through a deficit lens. Others point to credible research that the loss is real and could impact some kids for years to come. Another group sees the topic as an exercise in semantics easily remedied with more appetizing terms like learning recovery. What say you?

Follow on Twitter: @HarveyAlvy1 @RitaWirtz @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Rita Wirtz has served as a Title I ESEA Program Evaluator in the California Penal System, Curriculum Consultant for Sacramento County Office of Education, School Principal, Reading Instructor, K-Adult Teacher, and Special Needs Educator. She has written a number of reading books for parents and teachers (including Reading Champs: Teaching Reading Made Easy and Stories from a Teacher’s Heart: Memories of Love, Life and Family. In addition, her blog on Bam! Radio’s Ed Words continues to bring fresh insights to the world of education and life.

Can we teach critical thinking while omitting obvious facts, and self-evident truths? How will you relate to students whose perspectives are no longer allowed in your classroom? How do you plan to teach, now that legislation around the nation is converting your classroom into a flashpoint in the culture wars?

Follow on Twitter: @MsSackstein @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @HarveyAlvy1 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Harvey Alvy has served as a teacher, principal, and university professor, and was honored to be a National Distinguished Principal. He is the author of Fighting for Change in Your School: How to Avoid Fads and Focus on Substance, and co-author of Learning From Lincoln: Leadership Practices for School Success.

We’ve all seen the requests to support a teacher on DonorsChose, GoFund Me, or similar crowdfunding sites. This week we discuss the implications of this practice and whether it promotes continued education underfunding.

Follow on Twitter: @dubioseducator @MsSackstein @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @HarveyAlvy1 @ShiftParadigm @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork

Ed Chat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com

Faige Meller taught for 38 years at the same school “The Center For Early Education” and that’s where she is a substitute teacher. She began teaching in 1977 in the preschool. In 1991 she became one of the kindergarten teachers. She taught kindergarten until retired in June 2015. She started subbing in 2016 and subbed in Toddlers, 3 and 4-year-old program, kindergarten, 1st and 2nd. She did a three and a half month sub position for a kindergarten teacher from January till April 17th — which included in the classroom and then remote learning.

In this episode, we recap the chat we held on how teachers are spending their summer break after an intense and demanding school term.

Follow on Twitter: @Hahne_Elyse @teacherstenger @MsSackstein @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @HarveyAlvy1 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd

Ed Chat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com

Elyse Hahne is a K-5 Life Skills Teacher in Grapevine, Texas and focuses on Social Emotional practices in her classroom and school setting. Elyse believes in supporting teachers and students to the best of her ability and believes everyone needs a champion. She loves to see the lightbulb moments and successes each and every day. Elyse is an ASCD Emerging Leader, Google Certified Educator (Level 1&2), and collaborator for success.

Merissa Stenger is in her third year of teaching 3rd grade in north Texas. She is a proud mother, a lifelong learner, and strong advocate of student voice. She graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in education in 2005. She has worked as a special education aide, pre-K teacher, sous pastry chef, custom baker, costumed character for children's parties, sign spinner, waitress, bartender, and custodial hostess. Merissa received the inaugural Standing Ovation Award from Frisco ISD for her schoolwide interactive bulletin boards in 2018 and was nominated for Teacher of the Year by her colleagues as a virtual teacher in 2020.