Making School a Nicer Place

A Conversation with Jeff Kubiak

Jeff Kubiak is out to make school a nicer, kinder place.  An elementary teacher-turned-principal, Jeff didn't just struggle in school - he hated the place.  One teacher turned him around...and he's still thanking her. What a pleasure this podcast guest is! He believes that school (and the world) can be changed by "random drops of kindness."  Jeff has written a children's book, aptly called, One Drop of Kindness.  Jeff has an inspiring story – from a kid who hated school to trying to make school the best place possible for all kids.  An inspiring guy; a refreshing podcast.

• Follow Jeff on Twitter

• His book on Amazon

• Jeff's bio

Stations in the Fast Lane! 

By Suzy Pepper Rollins

Stations can be one of the most impactful instructional frameworks for student-centered learning.  Student autonomy, creative thinking, vocabulary development, student engagement– the potential benefits can be almost awe-inspiring.  But stations can also be a bit misleading.  Students APPEAR to be digging in on the task, but are they really understanding what they are doing? How much are they relying on one another? Crafting truly successful station rotation lessons can be daunting.  This podcast spells out the benefits of station teaching, the biggest question to answer, and “Watch Outs!”  Plus, some tips on implementation issues that can develop, such as student accountability and classroom management tips. 

If you teach social studies, here’s a free station rotation lesson ready to go on the branches of government.  This is for deep in the unit, close to assessment time.  This is one of the lessons Suzy uses to model stations during professional development. Includes: card game, error analysis, sort, and agree/disagree. 

 

What it Feels Like to Have ADHD

A Conversation with Kevin J. Roberts

What’s it like to have ADHD? Consider some of the traits: difficulty staying on task, distractibility, trouble sitting still, and poor organizational skills.  Now, let’s place these students in a school setting in which success largely depends on being able to: sit in a desk, pay attention, be organized, and stay on task.  Our podcast guest this week knows a lot about the topic.  Kevin J. Roberts has penned numerous books on ADHD and Cyber Addiction.  He also has ADHD and works as a coach for fellow ADHDers.  Next-day pointers for supporting this group of kids and the importance of seeing their strengths. (They are often budding entrepreneurs!) Urgent information for all of us, because this is a group in need of urgent TLC. Kevin talks about what’s highlighted across research: these students’ self-esteem can take a pounding over the school years. A charismatic guy who’s, well, super-smart, Kevin even breaks into song about the ADHD brain – don’t want to miss that!    

• “Is ADHD A Gift?” Quick-read article by Kevin

• Kevin’s website (You’ll see all of Kevin’s books there – his new one is Schindler’s Gift: How One Man Harnessed ADHD to Change the World)

• Kevin’s ADHD Change the World Facebook Page

 

The Teenage Brain & How a “Fist Bump” Might Just Help

A Conversation with Terence Houlihan

As a classroom teacher and school counselor, Terence Houlihan became fascinated with the teenage brain.  This unique time in their lives is one of great change – how can we help them survive…better yet, thrive during this time?  Terence shares some fascinating research, such as how the teenage brain often misreads facial expressions, resulting in defensiveness. Plus, some amazing science about what the sleep-deprived teenage brain looks like – yikes! From their heightened self-awareness to hormonal changes to brain differences, this information is so essential in working with teenagers.  But the most interesting:  there’s actually research on the “fist bump” …didn’t see that coming!   

• Terence’s bio page

• Follow Terence on Twitter

• Terence’s website

 

Got Stress? The Zen Teacher is On Call…

A Conversation with Dan Tricarico

A teacher for over 25 years, Dan Tricarico loves his work, even views his classroom as a sanctuary of sorts.  Teachers like Dan are passionate people.  He, like most of us, chose this career to positively impact the world.  Think about it.  All the students in our classrooms have their own “stories” as Dan calls them.  They’ve got their stuff to deal with – family drama, pressure from grades, hurt feelings from a friend. We have our stuff – the car needs tires, stacks of papers to mark. Now, pile on innumerable tests, pacing guides, meetings, and even school safety. Dan’s two books and his professional development arose from his own experiences with work-related stress.  This inspiring educator provides us with pragmatic strategies that help us stay relaxed, focused, and in the moment with our kids.  Because teachers need to take care of themselves in order to take care of students.  To keep the passion alive, a little self-care if needed…and Dan’s the perfect person to help us take a little weight off our shoulders.  

Yippee!  Dan has just posted “Zen Teacher Activity Worksheets.” Self-Care is a Click Away: https://myedexpert.com/vendor/dtricarico/

• Dan’s Website / Blog / Books:  https://www.thezenteacher.com/

• Follow Dan on Twitter

What Would Captain Kirk Do? Leadership Lessons from Star Trek

A Conversation with Jon Wennstrom

Jon Wennstrom is a talented, experienced school leader; in fact, he was the 2018 Michigan PTA Principal of the Year.  Wisdom, perspective, and a passion for the work is what he brings to the podcast this week.  As a kid, Jon watched Star Trek with his dad. He observed philosophies of leadership in Captain Kirk, and he uses some of those today in his presentations on effective school leadership. From letting experts do their jobs to getting out of your comfort zone to utilizing technology, Jon’s humble guidance has something for every leader and educator.  In addition, he takes on some of the myths of leadership, such as “It’s all about me.”  Watch for his surprising answer about what he worries about at night.  Plus, Jon brings next day strategies for creating a positive school culture…like “Bust-a-Move Contests.”  This is an inspiring 30 minutes that will lift your day! 

• Jon’s website

• Follow Jon on Twitter

 

The G Word:  A New Film Project About What It’s Like to Be Gifted 

A Conversation with Marc Smolowitz 

Marc Smolowitz is an award-winning film maker with over 50 successful films in his portfolio.  His new project is called The G Word, which discusses the economic, cultural, and gender diversity of our nation’s gifted and talented population. Marc’s film highlights the educational challenges, as well as the social isolation and emotional sensitivities these children sometimes face. The project reveals a robust community of families and educators who are working hard to meet the needs of gifted children. The director highlights a very special school for profoundly gifted students who are twice exceptional - a must watch for every educator - so inspiring! Throughout his work, misconceptions of giftedness emerge, as well as the tremendous possibilities (and challenges) for this very special group of kids.

• Reach Marc via his website

• Marc would love for you to follow him on Twitter!

Here are several tremendous short videos that you may use with your schools at the links below.  The two mentioned in the podcast: 

• “Exceptional Minds” (Vimeo) This is an inspired look at a school for twice exceptional students called Big Minds.

• “Who Gets to Be Gifted and Why?” (Vimeo) An interview with Van Jones of CNN in which he shares how many super smart people are incarcerated.

• All of Marc's Videos

 

Lessons Learned From a Turnaround Principal

A Conversation with Dr. Scott Neil

Dr. Scott Neil has a passion for struggling learners…because he was one.  His career morphed into being a top turnaround principal, and he’s uncovered some truths along the way.  A key point of our conversation is this: A high number of students being flagged for interventions may indicate the need to examine our core classroom practices.  His wisdom and pragmatism are refreshing! He takes schools on a journey to better align their curricula.  Scott explains what rigor, a word we may get tired of hearing about, really looks like!  Dr. Neil changes the world one school at a time.  His sage guidance and deep experience provides all us with some valuable take-aways for every school.   

• Scott on Twitter

• Scott’s Website

 

Social Media and Student Communication: A Compelling Perspective 

A Conversation with Angela Stockman

Rather than viewing social media as an inhibitor to our teaching, Angela Stockman makes a compelling case for embracing this medium as a teaching tool.   Truly an innovative thought leader, her perspective on opening new “corridors of learning” for students by utilizing technology to nurture writing is inspiring.  Although she describes herself as a “hot mess” in high school, she clearly has it together as an educator/author!  Look for her guidance in teaching “cool” and “warm” feedback in the classroom. Another overriding theme of this session is a poignant reminder to not make assumptions about our learners’ interests. Angela has graciously shared the most amazing resources on MyEdExpert.  Link to those:   https://myedexpert.com/vendor/angelastockman/

Her Twitter: @angela stockman; Angela’s website:  http://www.angelastockman.com/

Note:  This podcast is purposely situated next to that of Ryan Schaaf’s, who is a digital gaming expert.  Their philosophies about technology in the classroom are quite thought-provoking.

Bringing the Wonder of Math to Students

A Conversation with Jerry Burkhart

Math is so much more than pacing guides and practice sheets. If that’s the world you have found yourself in, totally understandable… but here’s some first aid! Jerry Burkhart is about math adventure, creativity, and wonderment. He is a math treasure who works with districts to create tasks that move students to really think about math. A big talking point in the podcast: The balance between the speed of math learning and true depth. He is a true believer that we (yes, you!) often underestimate our math abilities. Jerry helps learners see the beauty in math. He also provides some pragmatic guidance for all educators and leaders about best practices in flexible grouping in the math classroom.  

• Jerry’s very popular “Intrepid Math Problems” on our site – a whopping $5 to change the math world.

• “10 Myths That Hold Bright Math Students Back” by Jerry

• Jerry has a fabulous website with free resources for educators.  The one mentioned in the podcast: Creative Math Prompts – all grade levels.

• Jerry is the author of Advanced Common Core Math Explorations by Prufrock Press.