#EduCrush

In many ways, our students have a more nuanced understanding of gender than ever before. However, they continue to uphold many unexamined gender norms that lead them to cause violence to one another. Dr. Gerald Walton is a professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University in Ontario and his area of study has been gender identity, violence in schools, and the larger concept of rape culture.  On the episode, we discuss how teachers can disrupt the modern patterns of gender-based violence by supporting their students to understand body autonomy.

Strategy hacks are designed to be bite-sized episodes that provide teachers a practical tool they can use in their classroom immediately to reimagine the learning experience for their students.

Executive Functions (EFs) are higher orders in the brain that allow us to manage and process the world we live in. Despite being extremely important for future success, EFs can seem like an overwhelming academic concept to bring to life in the classroom. In this strategy hack, Becca talks about a practical way to invite students to understand EFs so they can get the most out of lessons. 

View full show notes at: https://educrushpod.com/podcast/strategy-hack-executive-functions/ 

What would a school look like if teachers were in charge? How would administrative tasks be managed? What impact would this have on student learning? Zaynab Baalbaki previously worked for Escuela Verde, a public charter school in Wisconsin that operates as a testing lab for the Teacher Powered Schools network. On the episode, she shares her experience working as a teacher with no formal leadership and why this is so important for equity.

View full show notes at: https://educrushpod.com/podcast/teacher-powered-schools/ 

On project feature episodes, school-based practitioners tell the story of how they disrupted the status quo in their context. In this episode, learn about how a team of grade 6 teachers and an instructional coach worked together to breathe life back into Social Studies through current events, student voice, and an authentic audience.

Read this episode as a blog post at https://educrushpod.com/podcast/project-feature-voices-of-democracy/

Creativity is an energizing force that allows us to breathe new life into our work as educators. In this solo episode by host Natalie Vardabasso, learn more about what exactly creativity is (and isn’t), why it needs liberating, and how to do just that in our classroom and schools.

View the episode as a blog post at https://www.educrushpod.com/liberating-creativity/ 

EduCrush is a podcast that aims to reimagine and rehumanize education. In the second season, host Natalie Vardabasso will continue to feature the dope and disruptive humans who are leading change and unleashing authentic learning. Season two will also introduce bite-sized project features and strategy hacks to equip educators to make innovative ideas a reality in their classrooms.

In the final episode of season one, Dr. Leyton Schnellert describes how he disrupts both teacher education and academic research by designing learning experiences that are interdisciplinary, inclusive, and always in the context of real classrooms. As Leyton says, “The kids are the curriculum and diversity is a resource that helps me teach better and helps everyone learn from each other.”

View full show notes at www.educrushpod.com! 

Math has traditionally been a space dominated by the simple binary of right and wrong answers. However, there are many important competencies, mindsets, and values that students can learn in the Math classroom if we embrace complexity and rethink the binary bias. Kim Petersen and Sheryl Walters are two Instructional Design Leads from Calgary, AB who have spent the past year creating a “Profile of a Math Learner.” Learn what that is, what it includes, and practical instructional strategies that bring it to life in the classroom.

View full show notes at www.educrushpod.com! 

Teacher expectations have a massive impact on student learning, and yet, they are often one of the most forgotten factors in school improvement efforts. In the episode, Ken brings the humor, heart and hammer to call our attention to the limiting beliefs that reside in many school cultures and how educators need to work together to move ALL students to and through the bar.

View full show notes at www.educrushpod.com! 

It doesn’t matter if you work in a company, a hospital, a not-for-profit organization, or a school, we are all facing the same problem; our ways of working are limiting the potential of humans to adapt to complex challenges. On the episode, we explore the hierarchical structures of our past which are still plaguing us today, and how the adults in a school can better work together to transform education for students.

View full show notes at www.educrushpod.com!