Ignite Your Teaching

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Have you ever wanted to meet the team behind Madly Learning?

You get to in this episode! I have some of my amazing team members joining me to talk about all things teamwork and teaching. You will get to hear things like what their roles are on the team, what they’ve learned during the pandemic, and some of their favorite things about teaching. 

Madison is part of the content team, and she helps us get everything done. She has taught in a bunch of different grades since the beginning of her teaching career. 

Margaret helps us with all things tech. If you’ve ever sent us an email or noticed a broken link on our website, Margaret was probably working her magic behind the scenes. She keeps us organized.

Lisa is on our content team, and she writes some of our lesson plans. You might have seen some of her work! She taught for 30 years, mostly in junior grades, and she has done it all. 

Katrina helps us out with our social media. You might have seen some of her posts in the Madly Learning Facebook group. 

Tune in to this episode for a super fun chat and some laughs as you get to know my team. 

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/188

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
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Have you ever found the perfect resource, only to realize that the jargon won’t work in your Canadian classroom? 

Being a Canadian teacher can be kind of a struggle because so many resources are geared towards U.S. classrooms! 

Nine years ago, there was a lack of Canadian teacher voices online, and that's when I started my blog, Madly Learning. Fast forward nine years and Madly Learning has grown to something that I am so proud of. The community that has developed around Madly Learning is the most amazing community out there. Thank you for that!

In the spirit of that, I am talking about what makes Canadian teachers different from other teachers you see online in this episode.

I also have something super exciting that I want to announce to you, so stick around until the end of the episode for that!

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/187

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

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Do you spend hours trying to come up with science lessons that are engaging and not boring? Do you end up just using worksheets because you don’t know what else to do?

In this episode, I am showing you how you can use inquiry-based learning and universal design in your science lessons. By the end of this episode, you’re going to have a whole bunch of ideas for lessons that go beyond basic read and respond worksheets. 

Believe me when I say that you can have a fun, engaging, rigorous science program that is easy to plan, prep, and run. Inquiry-based learning is great because it is easy for the teacher and works for all students regardless of skill or ability. 

Sound too good to be true? Trust me, it’s not. You just need to know where to start, and I’ve got you covered. 

If you feel uninspired or lost and you’re not sure where to start when it comes to science lessons, tune in and take lots of notes!

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/186

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Send us Fan Mail

I know we’re all looking forward to the end of the school year, but are you setting yourself up for success for when you come back in the fall? 

In this episode, we are talking about some of the best ways that you can close down your classroom at the end of the school year.

I think that June is the perfect time to start planning and prepping to close down your classroom in a way that sets you up for success when it is back-to-school season, and I promise that if you do some of the things that I recommend in the episode, you will thank yourself in August and September!

From how you store items to getting new supplies and setting up your classroom, there are so many ways that you can get prepared and have your students help you!

Tune in before your school year is over, so you can avoid back-to-school season chaos!

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/185

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Send us Fan Mail

What have you learned about yourself over the last year?

It’s been an incredibly challenging year for most of us, to say the least!

In this episode, I am reflecting on my last year of teaching and sharing my thoughts on it.

Around this time last year, I decided I was in need of a change, and I reduced my teaching contract to about three days a week. 

I like to change things up and get a bit uncomfortable because I find that I can get a little too complacent over time and fall into habits that aren’t always the best for me or my students. Can you relate?

I am excited to say that it is time for me to change things up again! I am sharing what’s next for me so you can experience it in real-time with me, but before I start this next chapter, I also want to take some time to reflect on the last one, so I invite you to join me. 

Listen in and take a moment to reflect on the last 365 days of teaching with me!

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/184

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Send us Fan Mail

Do you get stressed about writing report cards? Do you wish that it didn’t take so long to do?

In today’s episode, we are talking about how you can prepare yourself to write your report cards by developing a comment bank. 

We are also covering how to use this bank to write personalized comments for your students that reflect them individually and systematizing this process so that you don’t have to spend so much time and energy on your report cards. 

I know that this process can be time-consuming if you don’t have a solid process down, so the purpose of this episode is to help you simplify your process.

Remember, expectations for writing report card comments vary from school board to school board, school to school, or principal to principal, so think about how this applies to your specific circumstances as you listen to this episode! 

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/183

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Send us Fan Mail

If you don’t love IEPs, that’s okay. I don’t either!

Luckily, I am talking to someone who does in this episode!

Today’s guest, Stephanie DeLussey, is talking all about teaching students with special and complex educational needs. 

She is an absolute pro at all things IEP, so she is sharing some of her best tips and resources for those of us who find them to be a bit more challenging. 

Stephanie is a dual-certified special education teacher, Master IEP Coach®, children's book author, and teacher mentor. She has a passion for creating engaging, adapted resources for teachers and students with special needs, and is a self-proclaimed #datanerd. You can connect with her at Mrs. D's Corner and The Intentional IEP.

Stephanie is also a huge mental health advocate, sharing her experiences and struggles to let others know that you can survive the dark seasons and thrive in life and teaching with a mental illness.

If you hate writing IEPs or struggle to work with them, Stephanie is here to help us both!

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/182

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Send us Fan Mail

Are you looking for a new teaching position? Do you need to brush up on your interview skills?

Lucky for you, I am diving into the topic of interviewing in this episode.

Mostly, I am sharing with you how I recommend prepping and applying to a new position. This is something that I have done enough times, and I feel like I have really refined my process. 

I also interview candidates for Madly Learning, so I am able to give the interviewer’s perspective as well which I think you will find to be very beneficial.

Whether you are looking for a change, you’ve been forced to find a new position,  or you’re looking for your first teaching job, I want to give you my specific tips and tricks to prepare for that interview so that you can knock their socks off and get offered the job you really want. 

I assure you, you will feel more prepared to land your dream teaching job after listening in to this episode.

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/181

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Send us Fan Mail

Are you looking for new ways to build connections and boost the confidence of your students? 

In this episode, we are talking all about morning meetings and closing circles. 

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you're in for a treat. 

My friend Monica Dunbar recently wrote a book all about how to start implementing them in your classroom to increase student engagement and create a positive learning community, so she’s joining us to tell us all about it!

She breaks all of this down, makes it really practical, and gives you easy to implement activities so that you too can have fantastic, well-organized morning meetings and closing circles.

Monica is an enthusiastic educator with a passion for making connections with her students. Her love of education has led her to teach in the Canadian Arctic; creating educational materials for teachers around the world; and sharing her opinions, insights, and experiences on her blog at www.iheartgrade3.com. When she’s not in the classroom, Monica enjoys being at home with her husband, three children, and their lovable Samoyed, Nova. Most of her free time is spent at nearby arenas, with a cup of warm coffee in her hands, watching her children chase their dreams of Olympic gold medals and NHL stardom.

If you want to learn how to implement morning meetings and closing circles in your classroom and why they are so beneficial, tune in! 

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/180

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Send us Fan Mail

Can I tell you a secret? In my junior classroom, I don't want a word wall.

I don't want to take up all the space that a word wall requires when there are so many things I could be putting up there.

However, there are definitely still uses for subject-specific word walls, so we are going to talk about what those might look like and how you can make word walls more appropriate for a junior classroom. 

In this episode, I’ll give you some ideas for different types of word walls, and how you can make them more accessible to your students. 

I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!

Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/179

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

To find our highly effective, time-saving resources 

Check out the Ignited Teaching Membership that gives you access to hundreds of downloadable lessons on demand! https://madlylearning.com/sp/ignitedteaching/
Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/store
Checkout our Teachers Pay Teachers store

Join our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB