powerED Up

powerED Up

By Ken EhrmannEducation
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powerED Up episodes

  • Show 56: Creating Frameworks for Technology Integration

    Our team sat down and had a great conversation with James Varlack.  He brought a really unique perspective coupling his experience and school district culture together.  Now working as a technology coach he shared insight into a framework to evaluate the technology.  He shared the lessons he learned throughout the years of teaching in the classroom.  We go through some heavy topics and how to approach them appropriately in the classroom.

    In This Episode We Cover
    • Utilizing content expertise and blending that together with well-designed lessons.
    • Recognizing and acknowledging cultural differences among your student population and how to approach classroom community and instruction.
    • Creating a lesson is much different from teaching a concept, a masterful teacher knows how to blend the two together.
    • Creating a framework to decide on what technology to use in the classroom, how to use it, and when to use it.
    • Utilizing current events and local involvement to develop meaningful and real-world lessons.
    • Tapping into your past work experiences to bring real-world applications to the classroom.
    • Harnessing the skills we learn in school to make a daily impact on our own lives.
    • Key strategies for providing background knowledge for students from diverse backgrounds.
      • 1 hr 19 min
    • Show 55: Going back to Fundamentals

      When a teacher hits stride in the middle of the year, it can be one of the most challenging times of the year.  Instruction rises to the top of our radar, but we can't abandon the fundamentals. This is the most important time to re-establish routines, classroom management expectations, and have FUN!  Do not let the stress of the looming state tests create an environment that is rooted in pounding through instruction.  Be more creative, have fun with students, and keep the positive culture at the forefront.

      In This Episode We Cover
      • A much too long debate over what is best: 2-hour delay, early dismissal, or a snow day.
      • Re-establishing routines mid-year and how it is a much simpler process than the beginning of the year.
      • Finding the balance of it all in a time of the year where pressure is high with state testing looming.
      • How to tap into the strong relationships established with each student.  Utilize those relationships to push students to accomplish more.
      • We have the power of words to make a life-long impact on students.
      • There will be moments where we change the trajectory of a student's life, and we may not even remember the moment.
        • 41 min
      • Show 54: Advice for Teachers to Manage Extra Responsibilities

        The burden of being an educator is heavy.  Whether we are new to the profession or seasoned veterans, there is a demand put on teachers to do so much more outside of the daily responsibilities.  As new teachers, we feel the need to do everything so we are noticed and hired.  As we continue down the path, it is our job to support the many communities of a school.  Students need clubs, sports, and events and schools need committees to grow.  Matt and Ken talk about checks and systems to evaluate how teachers can take on extra burdens but not burnout.   

        In this Episode We Cover: 

        • Reflecting on the first few years, and how to manage it all. 
        • Evaluating our own personal circumstances and how that impacts our decisions in taking on extra responsibilities. 
        • The impact of seeing students outside of the classroom and how that helps our instructional approach. 
        • Strategies to be more efficient in our positions are to have more time to volunteer for extra responsibilities.  
        • The benefits and challenges of being an active school member. 
        • Creating structures and systems for sustainable programs.
          • 55 min
        • Show 53: Be Intentional with Technology and Instruction

          Dr. Matt Rhoads is an educator, coach, and leader well-grounded in the ed-tech space.  He supports teachers and leaders on a daily basis and has not lost a connection to what is realistic. The conversation covers many topics, but he dives deep into specific topics. When asked tough questions, he provides great answers.  No fluff.  Tune in and follow along with Matt's journey and learn how to integrate more data and more technology into your classroom.


          In This Episode We Cover:

          • How to effectively utilize technology in the current state of education.
          • Strategies for incorporating station rotation in a hybrid and blended teaching environment.
          • How the necessity of education technology has gleaned light and tools that dramatically improve effective instructional strategies.
          • Improving exit slips with digital formative assessments.


            • 1 hr 15 min
          • Show 52: Creating Individualized Learning Experiences

            Eric Combs is a middle school band teacher coming off one of the greatest experiences of his career, visiting the White House as the 2020 Illinois Teacher of the Year. He has created an experience in a beginner-level band that is so unique, it has become copied worldwide. He is focused on student growth, student achievement, and student motivation. He worked diligently to create this program to a point where students drive the experience, and he is guiding them to true achievement.

            In This Episode We Cover:

            • The importance of data and the impact on instruction.
            • How to use flipped instruction to enhance classroom experiences.
            • What it takes to provide students with an individualized instructional experience.
            • Flipped instruction and self-paced structures improve student rapport and relationships with teachers.
            • When you do not teach for mastery, students fall behind and never catch up.
            • The positive impact on self-paced instruction has impacted the interest in band and retention in the program.
            • The utilization of check-ins to track student progress and guide them towards their next targets.
              • 1 hr 12 min
            • Show 51: Untangling the Web of Ed Tech

              Running a successful school district is a complete operation of multiple departments, some including adults who are not certified, educators. The role of IT is vital for teachers to run a successful classroom.  Teachers, students, and parents all depend on reliable and effective technology.  There is so much that goes into the infrastructure, applications, and devices we use day in and day out. It is important for teachers to communicate effectively with the IT department and work collaboratively.

              In This Episode We Cover
              • Defining ed-tech and how all the components of IT work collaboratively together.
              • Simple guidelines to decide whether or not to use an application in the classroom.
              • Applications IT are used to support teachers.
              • Developing tech literacy and setting goals for how to effectively instruct teachers and students.
                • 1 hr 8 min
              • Show 50: Reflect on a Journey, Set Goals for the Future

                Reaching Show 50 was a big milestone for us, and we wanted to take time to reflect on the experience.  We spent time saying thank you to our listeners and our guests. We reflected on some of the most impactful moments from the show and our favorite quotes from previous guests. We've had so much inspiration from amazing educators and we want to continue to make sure we bring those moments, stories, and principles to our audience.

                In This Episode We Cover
                • What show 50 meant to each Matt and Ken.
                • How our guests generated the same results, creating amazing classrooms, but accomplished it through so many different paths.
                • The differentiated type of teachers we've had on our show.
                • Matt and Ken share the lessons that stuck with them most and how it has impacted their day-to-day work with students and teachers.
                • Taking a leap of faith in the classroom and picking up the pieces along the way.
                  • 48 min
                • Show 49: Driving Student Passions through Music and Ownership

                  Creating an atmosphere to inspire and foster student passion is a challenge every teacher faces.  Claire Clifford leads elementary through high school students in musical performances and class. Claire showcases her diverse expectations as a teacher transitioning from elementary music class, to high school vocal choir, to a community musical production, and preparing all of those students for a winter concert! She works tirelessly to create amazing productions, but the real beauty is in the daily learning that takes place each day in her classroom.  

                  In This Episode We Cover: 

                  • The use of the Hungarian Kodaly (Ko-die) method. 
                  • Managing the multiple responsibilities of a music teacher and how that translates to the regular education classroom. 
                  • How to incorporate cross-curricular learning opportunities in music class. 
                  • Using teachable moments to develop background knowledge in other content areas. 
                  • Transitioning ownership from the teacher to student, and the challenges we see as teachers in those transitions. 
                  • Involving student choice in the curriculum and content of the classroom.
                    • 1 hr 16 min
                  • Show 48: Digging Deep into the Specifics of Planning Creative Lessons

                    Planning creative lessons is a skill every teacher can develop. We dive deep into a conversation specifically on how to plan creative lessons. It starts with knowing your why, what do you hope to accomplish and what are the learning targets? There will be failures, and that is okay! Our students are providing us feedback whether they intend to or not; we just have to look for it.  Planning creative lessons can be time-intensive, but it doesn't need to be and we talk about exactly how.

                    In This Episode We Cover:

                    • Step one in planning a creative lesson starts with key questions and keeping your sights set on the original instructional goal.
                    • Failures are commonplace, and we hear specific lessons that failed with Ken.
                    • Criteria for what "failure" actually is with creative lessons and how to determine if it failed or succeeded.
                    • Using colleagues and students to reflect on the success of a lesson.
                    • Planning creative lessons can be a simple tweak in the lesson, as well as, time-intensive.  We talk about both and when each is appropriate to use.
                    • Ken describes exactly how and where he gets his ideas for all of his creative lessons.  It might not be exactly what you would think or what you want to hear!​
                      • 1 hr 8 min
                    • Show 47: Kids Deserve It, Teachers Deserve It!

                      The opportunity to spend an hour with Adam Welcome is a true inspiration! He makes you feel like it is okay to do what students deserve most.  As a former classroom teacher, principal, director of innovation, and now education influencer he provides details of the trenches and also a broad stroke view of how to approach instruction.  The positive energy is palpable through the microphone to power up the entire audience!  In the end, just try something different.  The kids don't care if you know what you are doing, they care you are taking a risk.

                      In This Episode We Cover:

                      • Create a classroom where students will remember how special you made them feel.
                      • What #KidsDeserveIt and #TeachersDeserveIt mean and how it impacts the positivity of education.
                      • The expectations for utilizing creative lessons and how to involve students in the learning process.
                      • The process for moving students away from consumers and towards producers.
                      • When you want to change the look and feel of your class, don't overthink it.  Make small changes one step at a time.
                      • Step back and look at your classroom, pay attention to all of the things you do and ask yourself "can a student do this instead of me?"
                        • 1 hr 9 min

                      About powerED Up

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                      We are powering education up by empowering you! Join us to talk about everything education with the hosts and weekly interviews. We will interview teachers to find out what makes great teachers and…