In the final episode of Season 2 of Navigating Education - The Podcast, guests Nancy and Elizabeth Jorgensen will join the podcast to outline how teaching about heroes in classrooms can have positive outcomes for our students. They will outline how they've used the story of their sister, Gwen Jorgensen, who is an Olympic Gold Medalist in the triathlon at Rio 2016 as an example to illustrate the humanity of our heroes as well as outline how heroes are a gateway to finding mentors. This will be a great podcast to inspire educators and to think of ways to bring our student's heroes and their stories into the classroom to learn more about their journey's to build important lifelong learning skills.

Guest Bios:

Elizabeth Jorgensen is a high school writing teacher from Wisconsin. She focuses on process-based assessment that provides students with feedback throughout their time with her in their class. An advocate and practitioner of a gradeless class, she prides herself on giving students opportunities for authentic learning experiences.

Nancy Jorgensen earned a Bachelor of Music from Alverno College and a Master of Music from the University of Wisconsin. She taught high school choir and music theater for many years in Wisconsin. In 2009, her production of CATS was named best high school musical by USA Today. Her choir program of 400 students appeared frequently with the Wisconsin Philharmonic Orchestra, Present Music, and at Holy Hill Basilica in Hubertus, Wisconsin. Nancy conducted biannual student tours of New York City, and presented multiple times at the Wisconsin Music Educators' Conference. She served as both conductor and accompanist for her choirs and directed the pit orchestra for musical theater productions. 

Guest Social Media

Twitter: @lyzaJo @nancyjorgensen

Website: www.lizjorgensen.weebly.com, https://nancyjorgensen.weebly.com/

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, Dr. Mariah Mayer joins the podcast and outlines her research on gratitude and SEL in addition to providing insight as to how she implements these strategies in her work in the classroom. Additionally, we will discuss a number of strategies for teachers to incorporate these practices every day in their classrooms to support SEL and build positive classroom communities.

Guest Bio: Dr. Mariah Mayer is a Concordia University professor in the teaching preparation program and a Bernice Ayer Middle School 6th and 7th grade Social studies teacher as well as a PAL (Peer Assisted Leadership) Advisor. Her research expertise in gratitude and implementing it within classrooms. 

Dr. Mayer's Blog: Be Grateful - https://begrateful342902636.wordpress.com

Research: https://www.proquest.com/openview/ccb7d375ae0ade933a171ce5528a8ea5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=44156

YouTube: https://youtu.be/SP15U3EmECE

Speaking: https://youtu.be/ygY1JAOrB0o

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, Dr. Nathan Lang Raad will discuss how we can teach critical thinking and asking questions. In a world full of misinformation and challenges that require problem-solving and asking questions, building our student's abilities to ask questions and critically think is more important than ever before. We will provide a discussion on strategies that can be implemented within classrooms. Last, Dr. Lang-Raad will discuss his new upcoming book Never Stop Asking. This is an episode you will not want to miss out on!

Guest Bio:

Dr. Nathan D. Lang-Raad is an educator, speaker, and author. He is the Vice President of Strategy at Savvas Learning. Throughout his career, he has served as a teacher, elementary administrator,  high school administrator, and university adjunct professor. He was the Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, as well as education supervisor at NASA's Johnson Space Center. He was also the Chief Education Officer at WeVideo. He serves as the US State Ambassador for the Climate Action Project, a collaboration between the United Nations, World Wildlife Fund, NASA, and the Jane Goodall Institute, and an advisor for TAG (Take Action Global).

Nathan is the author of:

WeVideo Every Day

Guest Social Media

Twitter: @drlangraad

Website: https://www.drlangraad.com/about

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, Dr. Schembari and Dr. Rhoads will discuss what instructional and skill gaps coaches and leaders need to help support teachers in building in 2023. We will outline what has happened over the past school year in 2022 to frame our conversation. This is a great opportunity for coaches, leaders, and teacher leaders to listen as they may learn about resources that may support them in amplifying teaching and learning in their schools and districts.

Guest Bio:

Dr. John Schembari is an Improvement Coach through which he supports teachers and school leaders by performing on-site evaluations, identifying data-informed trends, reviewing curriculum/assessment materials, creating improvement plans, coaching individuals one-on-one, developing and delivering group trainings to educators, and implementing evidence-based instructional strategies that improve teaching practices and increase student learning.

Guest Social Media

LinkedIn: John Schembari

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/rachelledenepoth/about-me?authuser=0

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, we will be discussing with our guest and expert in AR and VR, Rachelle Dene Poth, on how schools and teachers can implement augmented and virtual reality tools to support and amplify student learning. From the types of tools available and purchasing decisions, to implementing them into our classroom instruction, we will be covering these important topics. Our goal will be to outline steps to support making AR and VR a reality in our K-20 classrooms.

Guest Bio:

I am an educator, consultant, author, attorney and keynote speaker. I love the work that I do as a Consultant and  as a Spanish and STEAM: What’s nExT in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview Junior Senior High School in Oakmont, PA. I earned my Juris Doctor Degree from Duquesne University School of Law and have a Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology. I am currently pursuing a doctorate in instructional technology.

I  have presented at the state, national and international level. I have spoken at conferences including ASCD, BETT, CUE, FETC, Future Ready Nebraska, ICE, iNACOL, ISTE, MASS CUE, Microsoft E2, PETE&C, PSMLA, Southern Oregon EdTech Conference, Spring CUE, USM Summer Spark, and TETC on topics such as assessments, SEL, emerging technology (AI, AR/VR), blockchain, metaverse, innovation, STEM and technology integration.

Guest Social Media

Twitter: @Rdene915

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/rachelledenepoth/about-me?authuser=0

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, we will discuss teacher happiness. In our current climate, teachers have ever-increasing demands and stresses. How can we improve this to help teachers who want to come to work every day to be their best selves and practitioners as possible? Our guest, Robert Dunlop, an expert in teacher happiness, will provide insights and tips to help teachers and schools create environments for themselves to put themselves into positions where they have opportunities to be happy!

Guest Bio

Robert Dunlop is an Assessment, Evaluation, and Technology Coordinator within a district in St. Catherines Ontario. He was a technology coach and then a middle school teacher beforehand. He is the author of STRIVE for Happiness in Education. He credits working with thousands of educators as paramount to his research for this book. Robert's teaching journey has been one of peaks and valleys. His work in schools and his role in creating the Terry Fox Lesson Plans for educators around the world, led to him being honored with the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence. Although Robert has enjoyed many peaks throughout his career, he credits his valleys for his greatest learning. The message he shares in this book, online and through his speaking comes from his passion to reconnect to his love of teaching

Guest Social Media

Twitter: @robdunlopEDU

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode of the podcast, we will discuss the leadership behind instructional design that propels students to deeper learning. Joined by an expert in educational leadership and instructional design, Dr. Scott McLeod will outline how leaders can support teachers in implementing research-based instructional design into their courses. Additionally, the conversation will also focus on leadership dispositions and skills related to their ability to be instructional leaders and coaches.

Guest Bio

Dr. Scott McLeod is a Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Colorado Denver and the Founding Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), the only university center in the U.S. dedicated to school leadership, innovation, deeper learning, and technology. Dr. McLeod has worked with hundreds of schools, districts, universities, and other organizations and blogs regularly here at Dangerously Irrelevant.

Social Media

Twitter: @mcleod

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, guest Stacey Roshan will discuss strategies and EdTech tools to create accessibility within our classroom for all learners. She focuses her work on making learning accessible to students who may be introverted in how they socially interact with others. Listeners will have a toolkit of strategies to utilize in their classrooms regardless of the content they teach and the age of their students!

Guest Bio: Stacey Roshan is an educator, consultant, keynote speaker, and author of Tech with Heart. I am passionate about discovering and sharing innovative ways to leverage technology to cultivate deeper compassion in the classroom and provide each learner the optimal platform to express their ideas in a format that best fits their learning style. I aim to equip teachers with ideas and tech tools to create more inclusive, equitable, and empowering classrooms for every student to find their voice, build their confidence, and take ownership of their learning. In my math teaching, I continue to enjoy improving my flipped and online teaching models.

Twitter: @buddyxo

YouTube: StaceyRoshan

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, our guest Alex Isaacs will discuss how he app-smashes various EdTech tools to create engaging and accessible classrooms. Additionally, he will outline how he uses these various app smashes to personalize learning and build relationships not only with students but with their families and the local community. Listeners of this episode will come away with strategies on how to app-smash multiple readily available EdTech tools to create multi-modality learning environments to amplify student learning and community!

Guest Bio: Alex Isaacs is a Middle School Math Teacher from Red Banks, New Jersey. He has experimented with virtual classrooms where he app-smashes accessibility and content curation tools to provide multiple modalities for students to have access to his math curriculum. Additionally, he provides outlets to amplify student voices not only in his school community but connecting with other schools and educators around the world!

Twitter: mr_isaacs_math

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/

In this episode, guests Connie Hamilton, Dr. Joseph Jones, and Dr. TJ Vari discuss seven mindshift's school leader's can utilize to navigate the present and future of education. With unpredictable policies and systems and school cultures to cultivate, reform, and establish, leaders, need to have mindshift's and the ability to focus on systems to take on perennial problems facing them. Listeners will learn how to use these mindshift's in their own leadership practices! They have a new upcoming book called the 7 Mindshifts for School Leaders, which they refer to throughout the podcast. 

Guest Bios:

Connie Hamilton - Connie Hamilton has served many roles in over two decades as an educator. She has been an elementary and middle school teacher and instructional coach. As an administrator, Connie held positions as a principal at both the elementary and secondary levels and a central office curriculum leader. Her experience in these positions fueled a passion for supporting high quality instruction.

Dr. TJ Vari - Dr. T.J. Vari ​is the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools and District Operations in the Appoquinimink School District in Delaware. He is a former middle school assistant principal and principal and former high school English teacher and department chair. His master’s degree is in School Leadership and his doctorate is in Innovation and Leadership where he accepted an Award for Academic Excellence given to one doctoral student per graduating class. He holds several honors and distinctions, including his past appointment as President of the Delaware Association for School Administrators, his work with the Delaware Association for School Principals, and the honor in accepting the Paul Carlson Administrator of the Year Award.

Dr. Joseph Jones - Dr. Joseph Jones​ is the Superintendent of the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District in Delaware. Joe is a former high school social studies teacher, assistant principal, and principal. As principal, he was named the Delaware Secondary Principal of the Year and during his tenure, Delcastle Technical High School was the first high school to receive the state’s Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. He received his doctorate from the University of Delaware in educational leadership and was awarded the outstanding doctoral student award of his class.

Guest Websites

Websites: www.ConnieHamilton.org, www.theschoolhouse302.com 

Learn More About Navigating Education - The Podcast

Website: www.matthewrhoads.com

Twitter: @mattrhoads1990

More Podcast Episodes: https://matthewrhoads.com/navigating-education-the-podcast/