Spotlight: Conversations From the Sioux Falls School District

Fictional teachers have delighted and inspired people for generations, and some can have a big influence on people who currently work in education.

Fictional teachers show up in all forms of pop culture media from books to television, movies to comics, and they can give current teachers something to relate to (or commiserate with :)

This week, we have a lighthearted conversation about some of our guest's favorite examples of fictional teachers, from The Little House on the Prairie to the Magic School Bus.

Today our hosts are talking about the ins and outs of teacher residencies - or what many know as "student teaching". This is where aspiring teachers spend time in the classroom of an experienced teacher while preparing to enter their chosen profession.

Some students who go through a residency program state that it gives them more confidence of what to expect during the school year. There are many guides in place to make sure each teacher resident is provided with everything they need to get the most out of their experience.

Gina Benz (teacher at Roosevelt High School) and Jackie Wilbur (USD School of Education) give us all the details on this program in their conversation from SDPB's "In the Moment" hosted by Lori Walsh.

Have you ever thought about becoming a teacher? Then you need to listen to this very special episode of Teacher Talk! SDPB host Lori Walsh sits down with Dr. Jackie Wilbur from the USD School of Education and Roosevelt HS teacher Gena Benz to talk about what it takes to become a public school teacher.

Sue Bills has some stories to tell.

She is the longest serving employee of the Sioux Falls School District right now, having worked at Whittier Middle School for 44 years! All those years she has served in the field of special education, and she has a passion and heart for her students that is an amazing thing to witness.

Our conversation goes back to the start, to hear about what got Sue interested in education, to the changes in technology she's seen and what keeps her going, day in and day out.

SFSD is lucky to have someone like Sue Bills. She is a shinning example of what a "legacy employee" looks like. Thank you for everything you do, Sue!

On this week's episode of Teacher Talk, brought to us by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Dr. Jackie Wilber (School of Education, USD) and Gina Benz (Teacher, Roosevlet HS, Sioux Falls) sit down with host Lori Walsh to talk about a question every adult has asked themselves at one point in their professional careers: am I doing this right?

It's easy to fall into the trap of feeling "imposter syndrome." The challenges teachers face can make this reality even more burdensome, but throughout the course of this conversation we learn that as long as we put the emphasis on what really matters (in this case, the growth and learning of the student) then the outcomes will often exceed even our own expectations.

On this week's episode of Teacher Talk, brought to us by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Dr. Jackie Wilber and Gina Benz discuss boundaries. Specifically as a teacher, what are boundaries? When and how should they be used? When should they NOT be used? This episode walks us through how teachers can use healthy boundary setting to get the most out of their teaching career.

If you've watched a Roosevelt High School football game recently, either through streaming or on KLRN, chances are you've heard the voices of Lucas Simonsen and Hunter Sieler. The two juniors at RHS have been calling games for a while now, and it's starting to get them quite the following.

In this conversation, the boys sit down with Superintendent Stavem to talk about their love of sports and how it sparks a drive to succeed, both on, and especially off the field. Sometimes stepping outside of our comfort zones and trying new things can open up doors we never even knew existed. Congrats to Hunter and Lucas on the success so far, and we look forward to hearing your voices throughout the fall football season!

On this week's episode of Teacher Talk, presented by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Gina Benz (teacher at Roosevelt HS) and Dr. Jackie Wilber (USD School of Education) have a fascinating discussion about the role rewards play in education, and what tools come into play when measuring the growth of students and how we define success.

This discussion is hosted by "In The Moment" host Lori Walsh, and broadcast here on our podcast with the permission of SDPB.

We're doing something a little different for a batch of episodes!

The fine folks at South Dakota Public Broadcasting have graciously allowed us to air their new mini-series "Teacher Talk" here on our podcast. These episodes are part of the SDPB program "In The Moment" and are hosted by Lori Walsh.

"Teacher Talk" features a conversation with educators about the state of public education in a variety of contexts. The mainstay guests are Dr. Jackie Wilber with the University of South Dakota, and Gina Benz, a high school english teacher from right here in the Sioux Falls School District.

A big THANK YOU to SDPB for letting us air these conversations on our podcast. These conversations are very important and the more we can get them out to the public, the better.

As summer comes to a close, students are beginning to shift gears to get back into the rhythm of the school year. While summer vacation looks different for each student, it is undeniable that staying active, both physically and mentally, is highly important.

The Sioux Falls School District offers many options for keeping students engaged over the summer break, and one of the funnest options is CAMP! Camps offer a great opportunity for students to keep exercising their brains and bodies, with the added benefit of exposing them to possible future career options.

No one knows this better than Ahlyvia Folden. She spent her summer enrolled in many different camps, from construction camp to theater camp. She has many thoughtful insights on the importance of camp from a student's perspective. Listen in as she tells us about her experiences and all the things that make camp great!