Talks with Teachers

Tony Sinanis and Joe Sanfelippo

Tony Sinanis, principal and “lead learner” at Cantiague Elementary School in Jericho, was selected as the 2014 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). 

 Dr. Joe Sanfelippo is the Superintendent of the Fall Creek School District in Fall Creek, Wisconsin. Joe holds a BA in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from St. Norbert College, a MS in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a MS in Educational Leadership, and a PhD in Leadership, Learning, and Service from Cardinal Stritch University.  He also serves on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Educator Effectiveness Teachscape Team. 

Get the book -- The Power of Branding: Telling Your School's Story

In this episode you will learn:

How Joe and Tony first connected

The post The Power of Branding with Tony Sinanis and Joe Sanfelippo appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Episode #49

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Want a transcript of this episode? Want to share your version of musical chairs? Do it here.

The post Shakespearean Musical Chairs: A Deep Dive Into a Wacky Wednesday appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Todd Finley

East Carolina University

Todd Finley, PhD, is tenured professor of English Education at East Carolina University. He has taught elementary and 8-12th grade English and co-developed the Tar River Writing Project. His BA in Elementary Education and Secondary English was earned at the University of Puget Sound. His MA in English and PhD in C&I were earned at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Finley teaches, researches, works with schools and publishes in the field of composition, curriculum, instruction, technology, and collaboration.

Todd's Edutopia blog posts

Todd's Twitter 

In this episode you will learn:

Where he's traveled and taught in his teaching career

The post #48 Submit to the Work: Todd Finley appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Episode #47

I like the heft of books in my hand. I like the smooth feel of their pages and the artistry of their covers. But most of all, I love the escape that their stories provide.

I’m going to make more time for books this year. The October focus for the 30-Day Challenge is to set teaching goals and personal ones as well. But it is not just about setting them, it is about achieving them. I’m challenging myself to read one book a month and I’m counting on others in the group to hold me accountable. That’s why I’m writing this post. It is the first step in my accountability process. The next step, starting October 1st, is to read Kafka on the Shore. Then, as the day winds down and my son is tucked in bed, I will retire to the couch with Murakiami’s novel and in doing so, escape the frenzied grip of social media.

Studies show that reading sharpens and strengthens brain function and expands one’s vocabulary, but that’s not why I do it. Those are added benefits but not the primary reasons. Nor do I do it to escape the base and superficial scanning that occurs online, although reading is a welcomed reprieve. I do it, above all, because it is pleasurable. When I read I become welded to characters, get crushed by conflict, travel in time and place, and learn to empathize with others. Reading allows me to think, feel, and imagine like nothing else can.

Loving literature isn’t just an English-teacher thing. It is a human-being thing, and the more I read of imaginary people the more I understand the real people I interact with each day.

I understand the courage it takes to parent in moments of crisis because of Atticus Finch. I know the feeling of otherness because of Othello. I experience the memories of 9/11 differently through the lens of Corrigan and Jasmine. I mature artistically along with Stephen Daedalus. And I empathize with Holden’s loneliness.

Although many stories take time and effort to read, they are worth it. The prolonged satisfaction is superior to instant gratification.  I can’t say the same thing after scrolling through a Twitter or Facebook feed night after night. Even television shows and films, which can sometimes tell stories well, fall short of the satisfaction of a book. They are crafted from someone else’s interpretation. Yet I own the experience of a book, and that has made all the difference.

Here are 20 books that are worth the time:

The Giving Tree

Share your favorite books in the comments section below

Join the 30-Day Challenge

The post In Defense of Reading appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Megan Allen

Mt. Holyoke College

Her passion in education is focused on one major tenet: the successful transformation of our education system, led by professional educators. Megan's current areas of research are around teacher leadership, cultivating teacher leadership capacity in pre-service teachers, career continuums in education, education policy and its impacts on the classroom, and working with high-needs populations.

http://www.teachingquality.org/blogs/MeganAllen

@redhdteacher

In this episode you will learn:

Why she never considered being a teacher in high school or college

Megan's book recommendations:

  Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

  This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education

  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

The post #46: Law School to Master Teacher: Megan Allen shares her teaching journey appeared first on Talks with Teachers.