#EduCrush

Why do so many teenagers hate reading? Renowned author and Literacy advocate Penny Kittle believes it has everything to do with a lack of "book love" and that teachers have the capacity to ignite it. On the episode, she connects with Natalie to discuss how to expose students to a wide variety of books, conference to unlock the reading life, and ultimately, grow student agency by allowing them to make decisions as readers (and writers).

Show Notes:

• An interesting fact about Penny you might not find in her Heineman bio. (4:45)
• Why do so many teenagers hate reading? (7:50)
• How we can both teach the canon and allow choice simultaneously to provide a balance of perspectives in books. (12:40)
• Getting resourceful when your school doesn't have a library. (16:15)
• Modelling being a reader and honoring the sacred nature of in-class reading time. (18:40)
• The threads to tug on when conferencing with a reader. (24:45)
• Saying less to listen with curiosity and learn more about the reading life. (29:10)
• Who is holding the power in a book? Who is holding power in schools? Whose story are we living in? (34:15)
• Getting out of our students' way to ignite agency. (42:30)
• Building analytical skills through digital composition. (44:40)
• The purpose of education. (46:00)

View full show notes here!

Penny on Twitter: @pennykittle

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

In the simplest of terms, decolonization means moving from a triangle to a circle. From a hierarchy to a community. In the episode, Natalie joins the Head Learner of the Mill Bay Nature School, Kim Ondrik, and the Smuqw'a' (middle years) Clan Leader, Cayla Brown, to learn how they are building a decolonized school together through love and witnessing.

Show Notes:

• Telling the story of how Kim and Cayla taught me how to show up, even when I can't control the outcome. (1:10)
• Kim became an educator to try to change the system, but now finds herself leading the implementation of the British Columbia competency curriculum. (9:09)
• Cayla's journey as an educator began in Special Education, but she now finds herself having to unlearn to align her practice with her pedagogy. (14:36)
• How Mill Bay Nature School is q'shintul (community) through a process of co-creation and the invitation for everyone to show up as their whole selves. (19:20)
• What is meant by the phrase, "pedagogy from the inside out." (25:03)
• How the educators of Mill Bay Nature School are taking up the work of decolonization. (29:22)
• What it means to "take it up." (35:45)
• The power of gathering and doing something together in the quest for sustainable change. (38:48)
• Disrupting the "triangle" of hierarchy in the context of assessment. (54:00)
• Removing the context of competition in assessment through the process of witnessing. (1:00:45)

View full show notes here!

Cayla on Twitter: @bayla_crown

Kim on Twitter: @kondrik4

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

We've all heard the adage "with age comes wisdom" but what does it mean to be wise? If we view our work as educators through the lens of sustainability and legacy, the wisest thing we might do is lift up those younger than us to continue our work long after we are gone, especially in schools. In part two of Natalie's conversation with Cayla Brown and Kim Ondrik, we unpack these ideas further before holding space for both guests to share their biggest wonders as they continue to co-create Mill Bay Nature School.

Show Notes:

• Why might we take up intergenerational learning? (2:50)
• Stepping into our collective capacity to be wise by looking for ways to uplift others, especially children. (10:40)
• Does benign neglect create space and roominess for growth without the hindrance of pestering attention? And when or to whom might space imply dismissal? (22:30)
• Biggest wonderings that both Cayla and Kim have while building a decolonized school. (33:35)
• The purpose of education. (44:00)

View full show notes here!

Cayla on Twitter: @bayla_crown

Kim on Twitter: @kondrik4

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

This week we're talking strategy. How we can we best help students who struggle with processing speed? When our students encounter difficulties, it can be heart breaking but how can we help students to reach their potential? Our guest Erin Ellis goes over strategies for our students to shine.

View full show notes here!

Erin on LinkedIn Erin Ellis

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:

Define processing speed (1:18)

Misconceptions about processing speed (2:00)

Things to look for in students suspected of having processing problems (5:03)

Peg Dawson and Executive Functions (7:24)

Parents role is understanding the needs of the student (8:36)

Strategies to use in the classroom today (11:35)

Understood.org list (13:04)

The benefits of instructional design (18:01)

How to know strategies are working (19:29)

Too often, self-assessment is treated as a capstone, rather than a catalyst, and portfolios as a scrapbook, rather than a learning tool. On this episode, we go beyond the mistakes we've made with self-assessment and portfolios to discover how they can help students tell the story of their learning. Katie White is a Canadian author, consultant, and leader, and she joins Natalie to discuss practical ways that students can document learning, analyze evidence, and set goals while honoring their dignity as humans.

Show Notes:

• Katie's story as a curious disrupter. (4:30)
• Tackling common misconceptions around self-assessment. (8:30)
• Unpacking the quote, "Self-assessment is far greater than demonstrating compliance and perfection" from Katie's most recent book on the topic. (13:00)
• Portfolios; the potential and the pitfalls. (18:40)
• Letting go and letting kids experience the consequences of their decisions. (26:45)
• A process for documenting learning that disrupts perfectionism and honors student dignity. (28:30)
• Delaying judgement in analysis by slowing down to notice and name. (37:30)
• Engaging in goal setting by viewing mentor texts and imagining possibilities. (43:00)
• The purpose of education. (51:15)

View full show notes here!

Katie on Twitter: @KatieWhite426

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Going gradeless is one of those terms that generates excitement or dread, depending on your interpretation. It's a scary notion as a teacher to just take a chance and dive in. Charlotte Nixon, a seasoned teacher and playwright, has done just that. On this episode Charlotte explores with us the lessons she learned going gradeless in her High School English class.

Show Notes:

Charlotte's teaching style. (2:41)

The project's inspirations. (3:15)

The structure of the unit. (3:30)

Students unpacking the outcomes to determine their grades. (5:13)

The role of the outcomes. (8:30)

Student's reactions to going gradeless. (10:22)

Benefits seen in the students. (16:00)

Summarizing the experience. (18:00)

What does reporting look like? (19:53)

Final takeaways. (23:02)

Charlotte on Instagram: @C.jnixon

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

Teaching has always been a profession that demands a lot from its practitioners. Between the global health crisis, political unrest and helping students navigate what the world is and is becoming, teachers need support from principals who are supportive and reliable. Tim Carlson is a School Principal and PhD candidate who embodies what it means to show teachers that they are supported. On this episode, we talk about things that principals can do to build trust in their communities.

• Towards a definition of leadership. (14:42)
• The evolution of leadership in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. (17:35)
• Finding a balance between being an instructional leader and being an administrator. (20:26)
• How getting back into the classroom to teach changed Tim's perspective on instructional leadership. (26:00)
• Evaluating teacher effectiveness during observations by watching for relationships. (29:55)
• Leadership through the lens of a parent. (31:48)
• Being proactive to build trust in a school community. (33:57)
• Practical strategies for building trust. (35:13)

• Fostering effective collaboration. (37:08)
• Advice for responding to crisis as a principal. (39:09)
• Characteristics of organizations that can pivot. (42:20)
• The purpose of education. (45:55)

Tim on Twitter: @bowriverteacher

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

A misconception about inquiry-based learning is that it means leaving students to "discover" the curriculum on their own. This couldn't be further from the truth. Trevor MacKenzie is a high school teacher, author, and speaker who is internationally recognized as a thought leader in inquiry-based education. In the episode, we talk about what inquiry is (and isn't) to better understand how to partner with students as co-designers of learning.

Show Notes:

• How the Freedom Convoy is like the backlash against inquiry-based learning in Alberta. (1:45)
• What is inquiry-based learning? What is it not? (8:35)
• Scaffolding students for success in independent "Free Inquiry" through co-design opportunities. (12:45)
• Assessment as inquiry-based learning. (17:50)
• How can we include students in evidencing learning over time? (20:30)
• Amplifying formative feedback (outside of a grade) and allowing students the opportunity to make mistakes and rehumanize assessment. (23:30)
• Why Trevor wrote a book that focuses on assessment in the context of inquiry-based learning. (29:15)
• Building towards the pinnacle of student empowerment; co-creating report cards. (32:00)
• Expand student understanding of products to demonstrate learning. (39:00)
• Giving students ownership over the parameters of learning. (42:30)
• The purpose of education. (44:10)

View full show notes here!

Trevor on Twitter: @trev_mackenzie

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Many of our institutional norms are causing "studenting" behavior that stifles thinking. Dr. Peter Liljedahl's research aims to disrupt this behavior through "contrarian experimental methodology" and he has discovered 14 practices that liberate thinking in the classroom. Though his research took place in Mathematics, his findings are applicable for any educator that wants to tap into the emotional experience through story and teach with integrity to their values.

Show Notes:

• Peter's love for teaching has been transferred to teaching teachers. (6:55)
• Unpacking what is meant by "studenting" behaviour. (8:25)
• Research as contrarian experimental methodology. (13:53)
• Being cavalier with curriculum to nurture problem-solving. (19:50)
• The role of storytelling in a thinking classroom. (25:00)
• Rewriting each student's story through the emotional experience in Math. (31:20)
• The dominance of the noun over the verb of education. (33:00)
• We evaluate what we value. (33:55)
• Rethinking rubrics to enhance their ability to offer feedback to students. (39:15)
• Shifting homework from a highly monitored compliance task to an optional check for understanding. (42:10)
• The foundational practice in a thinking classroom. (51:00)
• Living into the verb of education. (57:50)

View full show notes here!

Peter on Twitter: @pgliljedahl

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Assessment has many negative emotions attached to it due to the history of the word, yet it has so much potential to cultivate the equitable learning communities we all dream of. Adelee Penner has experienced the school system in a wide range of roles, from teacher to leader, public to private, and system-wide to independent. In the episode, we discuss how changing our approach to assessment can open our doors to each other as colleagues, and our students as learners.

• The etymology of the word assessment and why it feels like we're living between definitions. (1:10)
• The story of assessment for Adelee and Alberta. (7:30)
• Unpacking the challenge of accuracy in assessment. (17:45)
• Changing the professional conversation and opening doors to each other. (22:00)
• Withholding judgment and increasing choice to advance equity. (24:25)
• Partnering with students on their learning journey. (32:10)
• Why do teachers come to school to demonstrate what they know? (38:20)
• The purpose of education is shifting away from fitting into society, towards finding out who we are. (47:30)

View full show notes here!

Adelee on Twitter: @adelee38

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com