If you were to scroll through most job postings today, you will likely see creative thinking listed as a required skill. And yet, many workplaces do not have the psychological safety for this skill to thrive. On the episode, Natalie is joined by Dr. Caroline Brookfield who is a veterinarian that discovered her passion for creativity late in life as she began to explore performance and stand-up comedy. Listen to learn about the many researched benefits of creativity for both individuals and organizations and how we can all tap into the joy of this skill by remembering the acronym D.A.N.C.E.

Show Notes:

• A story to restore hope for change amidst a bleak moment in history. (3:30)
• Unpacking what it means to be a "reluctant creative." (10:18)
• What we would see on creativity's Instagram feed. (17:30)
• The researched benefits of creativity for individuals and organizations. (22:00)
• Organizational responses to employees with creative ideas to avoid status quo thinking. (28:45)
• Exploring the small habits of everyday creativity through the acronym D.A.N.C.E.—daydreaming, ambiguity, novelty, curiosity, and edit later. (40:00)
• The purpose of education. (56:45)

Teach Better Conference: www.teachbetterconference.com/register -- Use code "educrush22" for $50 off registration!

Caroline's Website: https://carolinebrookfield.com/

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

This week a passionate teacher team talks about taking bold steps to innovate in their own classrooms to give students hope through a project they called the Sustainability Summit. Charlotte Nixon, Mark Schuegraf and Neil Frail bring their experience and expertise together to form an audacious team taking on an ambitious project.

Show Notes:

Overview of the sustainability Summit 02:23

Students presenting to students 3:53

What inspired the project 7:12

Organizing the scope of the project to align with outcomes 8:54

Students rising to challenges presented by large projects 12:23

Students working outside of traditional educational silos 16:44

Working with teachers in other disciplines 19:59

Key learnings from this experience 23:29

The purpose of education 27:52

Charlotte on Instagram: @C.jnixon

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Alex on Twitter: @mralexnoel

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

How might school leaders apply inquiry-based learning in their work? If we know that inquiry can inspire curiosity, connections, and agency for our students, how might it transform the professional learning culture of a school? Jessica Vance is an Enrichment and Environment Coordinator in Austin, Texas, and author of the newly released book, "Leading with a Lens of Inquiry: Cultivating Conditions for Curiosity and Empowering Agency." On the episode, she connects with Nat to talk about the power of intentions, inquiry-based learning as a framework for designing PD, and practical ways that adult learners can make their learning visible.

Show Notes:

• Housekeeping and a reflection on the concept of supervision. (2:00)
• How our value of connections shows up in our lives and morning routines. (8:00)
• Balancing the need for management as a school administrator with the call to become a leader of inquiry. (10:45)
• Drawing from the work of Kath Murdoch to describe the process of inquiry for adults. (17:35)
• Supporting the continuity of professional learning to build trust in the school community. (25:25)
• Advice for school leaders to find a sense of balance in the chaos of the day. (30:40)
• Practical and powerful ways to make adult learning visible. (40:25)
• Co-designing a year of professional learning around a concept, rather than a topic. (46:00)
• The purpose of education. (51:10)

Book an empathy interview with Nat if you are a change agent who wants to explore the intersection between assessment, grading, and equity --> click here to book a time!

Jess on Twitter: @Jess_VanceEDU

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

How was school for you? What were you like as a student? How does that impact how you show up as a teacher? For Alex, it was a bit rough at points. That said, he would not trade the experiences he had as a student. They made him who he is and showed him what it feels like when a teacher believes in you. Those experiences give him real insight into the mind of students who struggle. This week, he's coming to you solo to talk about how being a bad student made him a good teacher!

Show Notes:

• Introduction (00:00)
• Elementary (2:48)
• Literal Bridge Building (5:24)
• Junior High (7:08)
• Compliments (9:50)
• High School (10:30)
• Panic Attacks (11:46)
• Graduation (13:19)
• Post Secondary (15:19)
• Hitting my stride (19:18)
• Becoming a teacher (21:01)
• My thank you note (23:08)
• Conclusion (23:44)

Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Have you ever wondered if one of your students is capable of murder? Well, what if you knew that your entire class had committed violent crimes? How would you build a positive classroom culture!? Dawn Matthews-Nichols has been teaching since 1987 in a variety of settings with "emotionally disturbed" youth. She's seen education from the margins and has some powerful advice for mainstream teachers.

Show Notes:

• A call to action for progressive teachers wanting to amplify their impact and challenge the status quo! (1:37)
• Can revolutionary knowledge be held by those benefiting from the current system? (5:23)
• What drew Dawn into education and what made her decide to not teach in a school right away. (9:25)
• Working with "emotionally disturbed" youth at Project Trust and the Calgary Young Offenders Centre. (16:39)
• The demographic factors of students in the Young Offenders Center. (32:15)
• Sustaining the work of change through joy, boundaries, and emotional regulation. (35:52)
• Building relationships and trust through classroom expectations. (41:42)
• Exploring the over-representation of BIPOC youth in the jail system. (45:02)
• The advice that Dawn offers to mainstream teachers from her years working in a correctional facility. (49:07)
• The purpose of education. (56:16)

Connect with Natalie if you're a progressive teacher that wants to break free from the pressure of the status quo and amplify your impact -->Book an empathy interview!

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

I don't remember learning writing strategies. Not that no one tried to teach it to me, it didn't sink in. More than that though, I was and am still struggling to find my voice as a writer. Recently, I've learned that I'm not alone in this. Karri Johnson is a seasoned teacher who understands the nuances of literacy education. This week, she walks us through ways that we can build confident writers.

Karri On LinkedIn: @Karri Johnson

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Alex on Twitter: @mralexnoel

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Show Notes:

Typical approaches to writing instruction 01:38

Issues that arrive with common strategies for teaching writing 3:47

How should we teach writing 5:11

Students finding their identities as writers 12:25

Changing who we teach writing 16:16

Modeling writing even if we aren't confident 19:31

Tips for teaching writing differently 23:00

Potential Pitfalls in writing instruction 26:57

Final thoughts 29:36

Links Mentioned:

https://theconfidentwriter.ca/

Nat is coming to you solo in this bonus episode because she quit her job last week... but it's not for the reasons you might think!

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

This week's project feature is about breaking down the barriers between the siloed subjects that we've all become comfortable with. Jessica Bates is a 17-year teaching veteran who has made her career about asking the questions "what are the things that unite our subjects?" During this episode, Jessica talks about the ins and outs of combining the entirety of Social and Science in her Grade 9 classroom.

Show Notes:

Cross Curricular in high school 1:00

Social and Science integration 4:13

What does it to start reaching beyond your comfort zone for the sake of cross curricular teaching 10:28

How the students deal with the shift of Social and Science together 16:05

What reporting look like when combing social and science 20:11

Some key takeaways 26:25

The purpose of education 28:09

Links Mentioned:

The Teacher Effectiveness Framework

Traditional curriculum does not situate Black youth in a positive light and Kaya Henderson is on a quest to do something about it. Kaya is perhaps best known for serving as Chancellor of DC Public Schools from 2010-2016 and as the co-host of "Pod Save the People" podcast. Now, she is the co-founder and CEO of Reconstruction, a technology company delivering a K-12 supplemental curriculum that situates Black people, culture, and contributions in an authentic, identity-affirming way. In episode 44, she connects with Natalie to discuss the misconceptions about culturally-responsive teaching and how removing the barriers of the school system can unlock passion and joy.

Show Notes:

• The need for caucusing in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. (2:30)
• Why Kaya is unapologetically Black. (7:40)
• How the traditional curriculum doesn't situate Black children in a positive light and how Reconstruction is offering a different perspective. (9:20)
• Playing an inside-outside game to change the school system. (13:10)
• The teaching job is the most resistant to change and people are starting to demand more meaningful and manageable work. (17:20)
• An identity-affirming national Black curriculum. (19:30)
• Misconceptions exist about culturally-responsive teaching in a predominantly white teaching force. (22:55)
• The underrepresented period in American history called "Reconstruction" which is a narrative of Black excellence and the namesake of Kaya's company. (26:35)
• Being liberated from the school system ignites creativity and curiosity. (31:40)
• Co-creating curriculum with a team of "reconstructors" who are passionate about the mission and experts at creating a culture of belonging. (36:35)
• Reimagining education to be more flexible and indulge the passions of students. (42:25)
• The purpose of education. (45:00)

View full show notes here!

Kaya on Twitter: @HendersonKaya

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Resources:

https://reconstruction.us/home

Today's controversial topics tend to center around truth. Discussions can become so heated that many simply choose not to engage. Meagan Heard is a teacher who seeks a world where students have the skills to navigate difficult topics. This week, Megan gives a crash course on digital literacy.

View full show notes

Meagan on Twitter: @meaganerd

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Alex on Twitter: @mralexnoel

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Show Notes:

Start of interview 1:30

Students are very engaged with what's happening around them 2:25

Validating a plurality of perspectives 3:55

Discussing tribalism with the students 6:46

How to have productive conversations in the classroom 8:05

Addressing when what is taught comes into conflict with what students hear from home 10:35

Teaching students to assess a source (digital literacy) 12:36

Aiming to gain the skills of a journalist 23:09

Encouraging students to pursue truth 24:23

Preparing students for when the truth makes them uncomfortable 27:41

The purpose of education 31:53

https://ctrl-f.ca/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

https://www.snopes.com/