Schurtz and Ties: A podcast about education and culture

The problem with professional development is that it is so often done poorly. The other problem is that even though they are done poorly, they're required. They also aren't going away.

As educators, we need to do better.

In this episode, Brian and Kasey discuss some of the reasons why PD has historically been so bad and why educators have lost interest. More importantly though, they offer a Golden Triangle to Professional Development. Either as a presenter or participant, if we can view professional development through the Golden Triangle of PD we will not only create better quality PD, we will be able to articulate WHY they are frustrating, allowing us to give quality feedback.

Kasey's Golden Triangle:

- Emotional

- Visionary

- Get dirty

Brian's Golden Triangle:

- Purposeful/Motivation

- Information/Nuts and Bolts

- Staff Connection/Building Relationships

Show Sponsors:

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

#DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking

"Build relationships," we say. But what does that mean? What does that look like?

In this episode, Brian and Kasey (well, mostly Kasey) provide some purpose to the over generalized statement, breakdown what it means and looks like, and provide tangible guidelines to building healthy relationships.

Sometimes love . . .

Show Sponsors:

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

#DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking

Acknowledging culture is to see the person. Their heritage, their values, and their familial norms. Ignoring culture is to frustrate, separate, suppress, and oppress.

Healthy schools celebrate culture and share stories.

In this episode, Brian and Kasey invite Dr. Tina Curry in to discuss how schools can best recognize all students, celebrate stories, and embrace cultural difference.

Dr. Tina Curry is an award-winning coach, professor, and teacher and is current lead instructional coach at Fernwood Elementary School in Chicago.

Dr. Curry brings 24 distinguished years in innovative success as an educator in Chicago, is a valued member of the adjunct faculty at National Louis University, and a lead equity facilitator for DePaul University’s Office of Innovative and Professional Learning.

She is also a contributing writer to Teaching for Racial Equity: Becoming Interrupters, winner of the 2022 Excellence in Equity Book Award.

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

Few people understand the current and future landscape of education like Steve Bollar. As an educational leader and master motivator, "Stand Tall Steve" "works with forward-thinking organizations to generate new ideas, improve climate/culture and maximize leadership skills."

In this episode, Brian and Kasey sit with Mr Bollar and discuss culture and climate, the art of public speaking, and much more.

If you are interested in mastering the art of educational speaking, check out Within Our Ranks, "a specialized coaching program for educators aspiring to become professional speakers and trainers."

Show Sponsors:

Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out ⁠⁠⁠PeerDrivenPD.com⁠⁠⁠ for more information, mention Schurtz and Ties, and get 10% off any purchase for one year!

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

What does it mean for a school to be whole-child centered? What does it mean to be a mentally and physically healthy school? And more importantly, what do they look like and how do we get there?

In this episode, Brian and Kasey sit with Timothy Dohrer and Thomas Golebiewski and wrestle through those questions, discover real and purposeful answers, and gain a further understanding of what schools are and what they need to be.

Tim and Tom are authors of The Schools We Need Now: A Guide to Designing a Mentally Healthy School and are devoted to the improvement of how schools perceive, approach, and implement social and emotional health in their schools and surrounding communities.

If you are an educator, parent, or community member, don't miss out on this honest conversations about what educators and students need most.

Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out ⁠⁠⁠PeerDrivenPD.com⁠⁠⁠ for more information, mention Schurtz and Ties, and get 10% off any purchase for one year!

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

AI is here to stay. And as educators, we've been told that we must be prepared to embrace it, to teach about it, with it, and around it.

But how?

In this episode, Brian and Kasey invite Vera Cubero,

Vera Cubero is also an experienced educator with a wide range of experience in K12 education at the school, district, and state levels.

As the Western Region Digital Teaching and Learning Consultant for the NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), she is influential in bridging the gap between education and innovative technology.

You can connect with Vera on Linkedin or email ([email protected]).

Resources:

-⁠ North Carolina's Generative AI Implementation ⁠

- Schoolai.com

- magicschool.ai

- AI Acceptable Use Scale

- AI for Education

- Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, by Ethan Mollick

Show Sponsors:

Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out ⁠⁠⁠PeerDrivenPD.com⁠⁠⁠ for more information, mention Schurtz and Ties, and get 10% off any purchase for one year!

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

The best runners run hardest at the end. And as we enter the final weeks of the school year, as our exhaustion threatens to overcome and encourage us to coast, it is imperative that we dig in and finish the year strong.

In this episode, Brian and Kasey share stories and ideas of how we might do that, intentionally and purposefully.

References:

- World's slowest marathon time: 54 years

- Michael Phelps Gold-Medal Relay Race

- Classifying MLB's Closer Mentalities

- Team Hoyt

- The Wright Brothers: The Race for Flight

Show Sponsors:

Voldemort was the one “who shall not be named.” In The Village, the creatures in the woods were “those we don’t speak of.” Yet, they were the driving force to the story.

Show Sponsors:

Happy Spring Break!

Here are a few Schurtz and Ties favorites. Hopefully, it can add some beauty and intentionality to your break!

Growing Pains, by Alessia Cara

Scared to Start, by Michael Marcagi

I Wish I Was the Moon, by Neko Case

Run Away to Mars, by Talk

Epiphany, by Taylor Swift

Texas Hold 'Em, by Beyonce

Tiny Moves, by Bleachers

This Is Me Trying, by Taylor Swift

The Old Engine Oil, by Budos

Good as Hell, Lizzo

Show Sponsors:

Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out ⁠⁠⁠PeerDrivenPD.com⁠⁠⁠ for more information, mention Schurtz and Ties, and get 10% off any purchase for one year!

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

#DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking

With Kasey out of town, guest Darrin Peppard steps in to talk about how we can nail our next interview.

Darrin is an author, publisher, speaker, and consultant focused on what matters most in leadership. Darrin’s an expert in school culture and climate as well as coaching and growing emerging leaders. He is known for his keen insight, culture-first leadership style, and dynamic personality.

He also hosts the Leaning into Leadership podcast, is an authentic educator, and timely leader.

Resource:

Nail your next interview outline

Show Sponsors:

Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out ⁠⁠⁠PeerDrivenPD.com⁠⁠⁠ for more information, mention Schurtz and Ties, and get 10% off any purchase for one year!

⁠⁠TeachBetter.com⁠⁠: "The Teach Better Podcast Network is dedicated to supporting the entire school ecosystem through in-depth conversations around topics you care about. Covering a variety of areas in education, each podcast aims to support educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive, student-focused classroom."

Please reach out and let us know your thoughts or share a topic:

X (Twitter): SchurtzandTies

Gmail: [email protected]

#DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking