Jabbedu Education Podcast

When it comes down to it, what solves problems?... the answer is people.  People solve problems.  Yes you typically need a good plan, a working strategy, knowledge, expertise, and resources, and all that, but at the heart of everything is people.  That’s why Dr. Tara O’Neill is advocating to include Social Sciences and Sense of Place when discussing STEM Learning.  She explains, “Your self is always part of the everything you’re doing, and to pretend as if it’s not is to overlook a bias that could be potentially dangerous to the practice.”  Hear more of this important discussion on this episode.

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So often we look for that “one thing” that’s going to fix all our problems, but instead we usually find that it’s never just one thing… but every once in a while you come across something that may not be the “one thing” but it’s as close as you’re ever going to get.  In this episode I chat with Dr. Robert Slavin from Johns Hopkins University about the number one thing students who are falling behind need.  We also cover everything like his first experience with special needs populations, landing a research job at Johns Hopkins, developing the Best Evidence Encyclopedia (BEE), creating Evidence for ESSA, and finally all the work he’s doing with his Success For All Foundation.  This episode is packed with value.  Tune in!

Cyber Bullying is relatively new in the education research world.  There are obviously many parallel experiences students have to in-person bullying, but one of the big questions still remains unanswered - how do we counter cyber-bullying, and is it even the responsibility of a school?  

In this episode with Dr. Leandra Parris we discuss the psychological elements of bullying and cyber-bullying, how important the students’ perspectives are when researching how teachers respond to bullying, and what we can do in our classroom to prevent these types of behaviors both in class and online. 

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Shownotes: jabbedu.com/show37

Systems, systems, systems.  If you are anything like me, your memory is about as trustworthy as a... I don't know, what's a good simile for really bad trustworthiness?
Anyway, the point is that when my memory fails me, it's important to have external processes to pick up the slack - aka a system.  
CI3T or the "Comprehensive Integrated Three-Tiered Model of Prevention" is exactly what it sounds like.  It's a system that can be put in place at a school to support academic, behavioral, and social competencies of all students, promote collaboration and teaming, and support educators’ efficacy and well-being through data-informed decision making.  We dive deep on how your school might benefit from a system like this.
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We should all be working towards a more equitable future for all… but what does that look like exactly?  It’s hard to know for sure, but the point is that we’re making the effort.  On this episode, Dr. Christine Ashby shares with us her experience as a special education teacher in a fully-immersed school and some of the pros and cons of that design.  We spend some additional time chatting about how to change the culture of a school, before transitioning to some of the amazing work she’s doing with the brand new Center on Disability and Inclusion.  We wrap up with a highlight of her co-authored book, Enacting Change From Within.  Great conversation through and through - tune in!

Don’t we all just want students who WANT to learn what you’re teaching?  How nice would it be if every student was not only engaged in the learning, but empowered to go above and beyond the expectations.  Myron Dueck might not have all the answers, but he’s got a number of strategies to help you get closer.  In this episode we dive into Myron’s new book about how we should rethink assessments in order to give our students a voice in the classroom.  We cover topics like the importance of feedback, why failure IS an option, what we can learn from the origins of the word assessment, and how everything he’s learned began with a Portland Trailblazers game.  Tune in!

It's hard to believe we're coming up on the 1-year mark of COVID-19 shutting down much of the country.  You could argue that in the last year, we've all experienced some level of trauma.  That acknowledgement takes away some of the stigma that surrounds adverse childhood experiences that result in childhood trauma.  Acknowledging that we've all experienced trauma at some point makes it easier for us to connect with students who have and are experiencing some level of trauma.

In this episode Dr. Colleen Lelli talks about what is good stress and what is bad stress, why acute trauma and chronic trauma are different but each have an affect on our nervous system, and how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect our students on a daily basis.  We wrap up with talking about the importance of Grit, Resilience, and Growth Mindset, and how we can use our personal stories to make connections with students and help them develop these skills.

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In this episode I share my thoughts on why we shouldn't want to return to normal, we should want to return better.  COVID-19 has given us a chance to reset some of the things that aren't working in education, and shame on us if we let it slip by without improving.  So far the pandemic has forced us to be REACTIVE, but it's about time to starting being PROACTIVE.  Today I share why I think we shouldn't start the year with curriculum, why online learning isn't going anywhere, and why our school calendars are archaic and inefficient.

Imagine not identifying a student with hearing loss until they are in 3rd grade?  Or what about a student with visual impairment until 5th grade?  Imagine the amount of time and energy lost in their education by not providing the appropriate supports for them.

This is why Dr. Kimberly Vannest is such a big proponent of universal screenings for students with emotional and behavioral disorders.  Often they are not identified until later in their schooling, after so much time is lost.  In this episode we talk about the need for universal screenings and how teachers can begin to identify and support students with emotional and behavioral disorders in their classroom.  We wrap up with a conversation about single-subject or case research and why teachers are already doing this on a daily basis.

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?  Seems like an easy "yes," but that depends on what your definition of sound is.  If you define sound as simply the vibrations that happen between air molecules, then yes those vibrations are present. But if you define sound as the interpretation of those vibrations in our mind... then in fact, no, it doesn't make a "sound" if nobody hears it.  When I first heard someone explain that famous philosophical proposition in this new light, my mind was blown... almost like it was in this episode!  Dr. Gershon shares with us this emerging area of study called sound curriculum which really examines how sound is (or is not) used or noticed in educational settings, why that might be, and how we can view it through the lens of equity, fairness, decency and respect for our students and our community.