powerED Up

powerED Up

By Ken EhrmannEducation
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powerED Up episodes

  • Show 46: Changing the Narrative of Leadership

    Charles Williams is an inspirational, grounded, and motivated leader to creates change for students and teachers.  We discuss the challenges teachers face to give it all to students.  Charles shares his strategies for supporting teachers to create engaging environments for students and how to take risks from day one.  He shares the importance of equity and the value of facing difficult conversations.  It's not about what we want, but what our children need to be successful outside of the classroom.

    In This Episode We Cover:

    • How teachers can volunteer for extra-curricular activities and the positive impact it has on management and instruction.
    • The value of attending after-school activities to support your students and community.
    • Creating norms for students to be genuinely engaged and learning: everyday students must produce and collaborate with peers.
    • The five principal permissions were established on day one for teachers to feel comfortable taking risks.
    • The use of data and how it impacts a classroom teacher and school initiatives.
    • How to have challenging conversations in education to provide the best resources and experiences for ALL students.
      • 1 hr 31 min
    • Show 45: Measuring Growth One Student at a Time

      Rebecca Richardson is a positive beam of light in the world of education.  She shares about her professional career prior to entering public education and how it impacted her teaching philosophies. She shares about her early journey and welcomes others into her room to help her grow as an educator.  She has taken that philosophy and built a model of community education in her building for constant collaboration.

      In This Episode We Cover
      • The impact of a professional career prior to entering public education.
      • Creating change amongst a team and department for the benefit of students.
      • The benefit of being vulnerable with yourself and your teaching style is to grow as an educator.
      • The benefits of observing colleagues and the challenges to make those experiences possible.
      • Finding the small moments in lessons create great results.
      • Growth grading, how it helps support students to grow and creates intrinsic motivation.
        • 1 hr 21 min
      • Show 44: Meaningful and Impactful Parent Conferences

        The journey of teaching a child and making a positive impact on their life involves much more than a teacher's effort.  It is a team approach and a team mission.  Parents/guardians are a key player in that team, and parent-teacher conferences are something we should always value as educators.  It can add extra stress, it can feel like one more thing, but it is a chance to align everyone to the goals of a child's growth.  Ken and Matt talk about their experiences with conferences and the strategies they used to get everyone on the same page.

        In This Episode We Cover:

        • The best mindset to approach parent-teacher conferences.
        • Strategies for starting the session.
        • Data and other artifacts to bring to the conference.
        • How to approach difficult conversations.
        • Key strategies for everyone to leave the conference with to make an impact.
        • Conversations to have with students the day after the conference.
          • 50 min
        • Show 43: Realistic Expectations for a Data Driven Teacher

          The use of data in a classroom is a powerful, necessary, and meaningful tool to utilize as a classroom teacher.  Samantha has a great deal of experience supporting students with dropout prevention and teachers to create meaningful programs for students. She shares her unique experiences and how that best impacts education today. It is a tough conversation and one that requires a great deal of planning but it can have a big impact on students.  

          In This Episode We Cover: 

          • Defining data, where it comes from, and how it plays a major impact on daily classroom instruction. 
          • Strategies for collecting, using, analyzing, and implementing data-based instruction. 
          • Using asynchronous instruction combined with small group targetted instruction to differentiate for students. 
          • Helping your students develop a relationship with their own data to build more intrinsically motivated learners. 
          • Strategies for creating positive rapport with students.
            • 1 hr 2 min
          • Show 42: Real World Learning that is Actually Authentic

            The journey of an educator is a challenge.  It is a demanding position that requires all of our physical and emotional energy.  Matthew Strine provides us honest feedback about his journey and how it has shaped his positive mindset on teaching today. We discuss key strategies and examples for incorporating real-world tasks in the classroom. Matthew shares the opportunities he is creating for students and how his high expectations create results they never dreamed to be true.

            In This Episode We Cover:

            • The difference between a lesson that models real-world examples and is an actual real-world experience.
            • Entering students into competitions and setting the bar high.
            • Providing personalized learning experiences for students and systems to differentiate those lessons.
              • 1 hr 25 min
            • Show 41: The Value of Reflecting on Lessons

              After facilitating a lesson, the time to think, reflect, and set action steps for the next attempt is key for growing as a teacher.  Matt and Ken discuss what best practices for reflecting on lessons look like and how it applies to all K-12 educators.  The process for a self-contained elementary teacher is much different that a middle school social studies teacher.  Ken just wrapped up facilitating a lesson with two teachers he helped design in his role as an instructional coach.  He reflects on the lesson and also shares adjustments that were made between attempts.

              In This Episode We Cover:

              • Effective questions to facilitate self-reflection.
              • How to create digital breakouts to enhance the quality of a lesson.
              • How to combine creativity with higher-level thinking skills to boost the productivity of a lesson.
              • How to make adjustments between lessons and what to look for during the action.
              • When planning a new activity, sometimes less is more.
              • Judging the quality of a lesson and what can be enhanced.
                • 56 min
              • Show 40: Students Viewing Themselves as Learners

                Professor Christopher P. Brown brings a calm, level-headed, realistic approach to what teaching and learning should look like for our youngest learners. The standards we set, the expectations we create, need to align to what students need to develop as young people, not the content policymakers feel are important. Chris shares key strategies for taking advantage of learning moments, explaining why, and being explicit with his instructional decisions.

                In This Episode We Cover
                • The power of explaining why we are learning what we are learning.
                • How to be overly explicit with students and the benefits it offers.
                • Using centers, play, and exploration to learn concepts.
                • Fueling student questions and exploring those concepts to generate more questions.
                • Encouraging students to view themselves as learners.
                • Balancing curricular expectations with the lessons that truly matter.
                  • 1 hr 16 min
                • Show 39: Reflections on Back to School Night

                  Events with parents and family members can be stressful, overwhelming, and a time that creates anxiety for teachers. Our host Matt Rogers just wrapped up his back-to-school night an hour before the recording.  We dove deep into the topic and heard honest, organic reflections from Matt coming right off of the event.  To quote Ken, "this is a crucial event" to help guide students towards success.

                  In This Episode We Cover:

                  • How to establish a team atmosphere working towards the success of the child.
                  • Approaches to the information communicated during the evening event.
                  • How to handle parents not attending.
                  • The importance of consistent parent communication.
                  • Constructing a clear agenda for the event and evaluating what can be conveyed afterward to all parents, even those that do not attend.


                    • 42 min
                  • Show 38: Immersive Learning Experiences

                    Here is a show with twice the excitement for the price of one! Mario and Alberto, known as the ETwinz are two outstanding educators creating learning experiences for students like non-other.  They relocated from Spain 6 years ago, and began teaching in the United States without knowing how to speak English.  Their life experience blends with a student-centered teaching experience to inspire students to make mistakes, take risks, and solve problems.  They teach in a Spanish immersion school; the approach to learning language builds skills to tackle all other subjects with a growth mindset.

                    In This Episode We Cover:

                    • A full immersion school and the learning experiences it creates.
                    • Taking personal risks and showcasing that courage to students.
                    • Social and emotional learning.
                    • Critical thinking skills.
                    • The connection between empathy and critical thinking is to be future-ready.
                    • Service-learning projects and community outreach.
                      • 1 hr 25 min
                    • Show 37: The Truth Behind Homework

                      Dr. Erik Youngman is a dedicated educator bringing his professional and personal life experiences together to provide a well-rounded approach to his district.  As the father of three daughters and husband to a speech pathologist, he is able to wear multiple hats in addition to his experience as a teacher, principal, and curriculum director. He encourages a holistic approach to teaching and constantly checking in with students to hear authentic feedback about how teaching and learning can improve.  His main passions align with changing the narrative of homework and integrating a growth mindset.  

                      In This Episode We Cover: 

                      • The role of curriculum in the daily lessons. 
                      • Approaching scripted programs and allowing fortitude to professionals. 
                      • Implementing new programs and strategies. 
                      • Strategies. for differentiation and targeting students 
                      • The 12 Characteristics of Deliberate Homework 
                      • Realistic expectations for homework to keep it meaningful and effective. 
                      • How growth mindset fits into a daily lesson.
                        • 1 hr 7 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…