Welcome to the first edition of Monday Meditations. I am your host Jon Belt,  and this is an addition to the Teacher Tunnel Podcast with just me and no guests as of right now, maybe in the future, we will have guests. and just to clarify what this is and what this is not.
​
What this is not: 
This is not a meditation series 
I will not have calm, relaxing music on to quiet the mind
I will not start chanting or delivering instructions on chanting
What this is: 
A short audio essay to propel you into the week. We all, especially teachers look at Mondays as a struggle, and even on break, I find Mondays still give me a certain level of anxiety. So, this is to help in rendering Mondays as an exciting and happy time.

Links discussed in the episode
Voxer Group (Sign up and email your username and why you want to join, and I will add you to the group)
My email

Books mentioned in the episode
"The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papsan

Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 
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On today’s episode, we have Nick Mataish - Nick is a Ninth Grade Algebra teacher in Webster, New York at Webster Schroeder High School. He is an aspiring relationship coach, writer, and has developed a blog called movingpastmediocre.com - where his focus is Mindset, Marriage and Manifesting Greatness, and like me, he is a fan of alliteration. He received his bachelor's degree in Math Education and a Masters degree in Special Education from his hometown Niagara County, NY at Niagara University. He is all about self-improvement and self-development not only for himself but for his students and relationships he builds. We discuss many topics including a student teaching setback during his sophomore year in college, his foundational-five morning routines, the goals for his website and the math rap he made for his students.

Show Notes

• This or That
• Favorite Documentary 
• What are you an expert in?
• Growth Mindset 
• Tech in the Classroom - Google Chromebooks & Google Forms
• Why Nick became a teacher
• Difference between a Charter School and Public School ​
• Quake books
• Mindset Audio Essay  Episode #3
• Taking action
• Morning routine
• • The Five Minute Journal
  • Texting messaging words of encouragement
  • Foundational Five (Meditation, Journal, Messaging, Exercise, Reading) 
• Mastermind group
• Math Rap 
• Book Recommendations
• Ryan Holiday (Common Place Book)
• Podcasts Recommendations
• Half Marathon Challenge

Podcasts Documentaries mentioned in the show
"I Am Not Your Guru" 
"Red Pill" 
"Impact Theory" by Tom Billyeu
"Resist Average Academy by Tommy Baker

Books and Links mentioned in the show 
"Mindset" by Dr. Carol Dweck
"Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey
"Think and Grow Rich" by Dale Carnegie
"Linchpin" by Seth Godin
"Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins
​

Where to find Nick
Nick's Facebook
Nick's Website

Sponsor
April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast

Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts
​
Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter
 
Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 
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On today’s episode we have the 2017 Michigan Teacher of the Year - Tracy Horodyski - Tracy is the the outgoing teacher that is always learning and growing with her students, colleagues and all others she gets the pleasure to meet. Tracy is a product of the Grand Rapids Public School system in which she went through from K-12. She graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in Group Science with and Masters in General Education. She is currently an Instructional Coach - teacher consultant with the Lake Michigan Writing Project and working towards National Board Certification. We discuss what occupies her time in the summers, the process of getting nationally board certified, and she shares a student success story of the method she used to get him to enjoy poetry and many other topics. 

Show Notes
 

• Summer Plans
• Teaching a writing camp at Grand Valley State University
• Lake Michigan Writing Project
• This or That
• Meditation Routine
• Random writings
• Michigan Teacher of the Year
• 2017-2018 Michigan TOY - Luke Wilcox
• The moment Tracy decided she wanted to be a teacher
• American Youth Foundation (Youth leadership compact camp)
• “I realized I was doing all these things that involved teaching and encouraging others…”
• What am I doing? (Her First Year)
• The best advice she ever received..”make it more about them and less about you.”
• Expert practitioner and lead learner
• “It’s important to me to suspend judgment.” 
• Pausing and Prompt to implement
• National Board Certification (Upside and Process)
• Student story of building a reading identity
• See Think Wonder resource
• Project Zero - Harvard University
• Morning Rituals
• Cosco Kirkland Brand
• Something to be intentional about
• Who Tracy considers successful
• Theme music when walking into a classroom
• Barrier to tunnel through rather life or education
• http://stateofmilearning.blogspot.com/  - Educators as Learners (Tracy's Blog)

Podcast mentioned in the show
Hidden Brain Podcast

Books and Links mentioned in the show 
“Opening Minds Using Language to Change Lives” by Peter Johnston 
“Making Thinking Visible” by by Ron Ritchhart  (Author), Mark Church  (Author), Karin Morrison
“How are You Feeling Today?” by Jim Borgman
“Jesus Calling” by Sara Young
“Comprehension Through Conversation” by Maria Nichols 

Where to find Tracy
Tracy's Twitter
Tracy's Email

Sponsor
April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast

Review the podcast on iTunes
​
Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter
 
Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 
​
Click Here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts
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The current New York Teacher of the Year, Amy Hysick drops back in to share her lesson that she loves! The main reason she loves it so much is because how funny it is. It's a urinalysis lab conducted by her students, and they just can't believe they use real urine - or is it? 

Some links I've found about how to conduct your own Urinalysis Lab in the classroom
S-O's Mad Scientist
Creative Chemistry
Summer Research Project for Science Teachers

I just googlied Urinalysis Lab Lesson Plan and many great resources popped up! 

Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts
​
Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter
 
Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 
​
Click Here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts
Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher
Click Here for the TuneIn Radio
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• Icebreakers (This or That)
• Moment Casey decided to become a teacher
• Teacher influences on his love of Science
• Favorite Failures
  • "I had to take the time to learn how to teach." Casey Bethel
  • "We made each other a promise that we would teacher with our classroom doors open." Casey Bethel
• Building relationships or Knowing your subject
• Tony Wagner & James Altucher
• Is the the public education system obsolete? 
• Something unique about Casey
• Casey's outlook on life from past to future
• Jobs before teaching
• "Teaching is by far the most fulfilling thing I have ever done." Casey Bethel
• Expert in? 
• Better at? 
• What success looks like to Casey...
• Casey's third and fourth year teaching (I've got this) 
• Teacher of the Year not once but twice
• Goals after winning Teacher of the Year in Georgia
• Writing process
• Teachers of the Year in Washington D.C. 
• Public Speaking processes
• Book that changed his paradigm
• Habits to add or subtract
• Grade Versus Effort (student assessment)
• Grade Versus Effort Rubric (Attachment)
• "As my effort in class goes up so does my grade..." Casey Bethel
• Rituals or Routines 
• Says the same thing every day to his class before and after it begins
• Mentoring
• "Some of them know they're my mentors and some of them don't" Casey Bethel
• Asking a colleague to be his mentor
• Hidden Talents
  • Finding the cure for Alzheimer's 
  • Authentic Biochemistry Research
• Book Recommendations
• Theme Music
• Question Casey wished I would have asked

On today's episode, we have Ruth Arseneault. Ruth is in her eighteenth year as a full-time teacher, although she has been teaching for thirty years - five years of that was as a substitute teacher which is kind of amazing. Ruth graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She earned a Master of Arts in Literature from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. She has been teaching English 11 and 12 for the past ten years at Riverview High School in New Brunswick, Canada. Before that, she taught Theatre Arts and has produced and directed numerous plays. 

-Ruth’s journey in becoming a teacher
-Amateur acting
-Theater Arts Teacher
-Thoughts on the introversion 
-Stress at work and talking with a psychologist.
-Hand Work & Creative Outlets
-Getting students (especially boys)  life-long readers
-The effect of a father reading
-What successful looks like to Ruth
 
“There is no perfect administrator because people are human…”

-Scariest thing Ruth has ever done
-Habit that Ruth wants to get started again
-Ann Davies - Canadian Researcher 
-Do one thing and stick to it
-Bringing our own ideas to the profession, and relying less on the internet
-Ruth’s typical day
-What is a fiddlehead? 
-42 Fun Facts about New Brunswick
-Nighttime winding down
-Favorite Smartphone App
-Finding a mentor or support group through twitter
-Books to gift
-Favorite quote

Items discussed throughout episode
 “Deep Work” by Cal Newport
 
Podcasts  & App mentioned in the show
Talks with Teachers by Brian Sztabnik
CBC Radio
Voxer

Books and Links mentioned in the show 
“Quiet” – Susan Cain
“Indian Horse” by Richard Wagamese
“A Long Way Gone” by Ismael Beah
“Someone knows my name” by Lawrence Hill
“Seven Myths about Education” by Daisy Christodoulou
The Learning Spy (website)
42 Fun Facts about New Brunswick (website)
Hack Learning (website)
Twitter Chats (website)

Where to find Ruth
Ruth’s Twitter

Sponsor
April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
​
Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter
 
Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 
​
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We have a first for the show. Not one but two guests are on today, and they are teachers I work with every day. Mandy Deason has been teaching for twelve years and previously graduated from Northern Michigan University with a degree in Elementary Education & Special Education, and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Education Leadership from Southern Nazarene University. She is also our Site Teacher of the Year for Mayfield Middle School. Kristen Cawthorne is in her fourth year as a teacher and previously graduated from Michigan State University and received her degree in Elementary Education and Special Education with an emphasis in Learning Disabilities plus she received her Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism Spectrum Disorders. You couldn’t have more sweet, caring, and knowledgeable advocates for their students.

Show Notes

• “Wonder Years”
• Special Education statistic and their reactions
• What they hoped people knew about Special Education
• Co-Teaching
• Mandy shares a bad experience in the classroom and what she learned from it.
• My failure in the co-teaching environment

• What should the co-teaching environment look like?
• Some advice to a co-teacher relationship
• Professional Learning Communities
• Co-Teaching PD (Bureau of Education and Research) Co-Teaching that Works
• Models of Co-Teaching
• Calling mom
• What successful looks like to them
• Best purchase under $100
• Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
• The Lion King - OKC Broadway
• Showbie (Paperless Classroom)

Where can you find Mandy and Kristen? 
Mandy Email
Kristen Email
​
Books & Music mentioned on the show
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Chicago Bull’s Anthem
Eye of the Tiger by Survivor

Sponsor
April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast

Review the podcast on iTunes
​
Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter
 
Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on iTunes by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 

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Amy Hysick is the teacher we all wanted in High School. Amy isn't afraid to be goofy and fun in class. From the outrageous outfits, funny tees, and a collection of reptiles that hang out in her room. Amy makes the learning fun and unique every day. Amy Hysick the 2017 New York Teacher of the Year and lover of snakes, which totally gives me the heebee-jeebees - we dive into this in the beginning of the show. Amy graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Biology, and a Master in Education. She attended Cicero-North Syracuse High School AND now she teaches there! She is in her 13th year at Cicero and loving every minute of it. 

Show Notes

- Icebreakers

• Love and Fear of Snakes
• The switch that went off during her undergrad coursework
• "If you were a doctor you could use most of your talents if you were a teacher you could use all of your talents."
• Substituting "If you are in a different classroom every day, there' s no opportunity for you to build anything of permanence - there's no opportunity to build a relationship with any of the students." 
• Working as a chemist, microbiologist, and technical director of the microbiology lab. 
• Following a recipe 
• Mom's advice "In what other position do you get the opportunity to start over and press the reset button once a year?" 
• Knowing yourself as a teacher
• Teaching like a pirate
• Needing permission to fail - look at it as feedback
• A time-out during a lesson
• Creating all materials from scratch
• Teaching the whole child
• Goals after winning Teacher of the Year
• Moment she was most proud as a teacher
• Superpowers
• What reading means to Amy
• Knitting Meditation (Brain Hat)
• Best Purchase under $100
• Using different parts of your brain in the classroom
• Researching neuroscience of learning
• Scariest thing Amy has ever done

• Where can you find Amy? 
  facebook
  twitter
  email
  
  All Books Amy shared can be found at:
• Dave Burgess Consulting 
  
  ​Other items mentioned on the show
  Clive Cussler Books
  "Drive" by Daniel Pink
  Mindset by Carol Dweck
  Dresses with Science Themes 
  "Something Worth Leaving Behind" by Lee Ann Womack
  Darth Vader's Imperial March from Star Wars
  "She Blinded Me with Science" by Thomas Dolby
  Zip Grade 
  Mastery Connect 
  Socrative
  
  Sponsor
  April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
  
  Review the podcast on iTunes
  ​
  Music
  Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
  Artist: Grapes 
  Album: ccMixter
   
  Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on iTunes by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 
  ​
  Click Here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts
  Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher
  Click Here for the TuneIn Radio
  Click Here to subscribe to RSS FEED via Libsyn

Derek Voiles teaches English-Language Arts in the middle with his seventh-grade classroom located in East Tennessee, and he is the 2017 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Derek dresses the part every day in order to lead by example and show his students the high expectations for excellence he requires. Derek is only in his 7th year as a teacher but has the model classroom that other teachers observe in hopes to replicate for themselves. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English-Literature and a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) from Carson-Newman University; he also received his degree as an Education Specialist in Instructional Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University and wrapping up his Doctorate from East Tennessee State University. These are just a few of the accomplishments in Derek's busy life, and we will learn about others in this episode from another great leader in his field.

SHOW NOTES

• Relaxing on Spring Break 
• Derek's schedule for this year
• How Derek relaxes
• Moments leading up to Derek being "drug" into teaching
• Public Speaking Process
• Failure in the classroom with a student during his first year
• Bow Ties and dressing the part

• TED Talk - Expectations
• Expert in the classroom in these two things

"I wish I was better at time....." Derek Voiles

• Technology in the Classroom - iPhone & Elmo
• Videos in the classroom
• Website (teachinginthemiddlepd.com)
• Teacher of the Year
• Writing Process 

1. Legal Pad and Pen
2. Running
3. Coming back to it

• Morning Routines 
• Classroom routines in the morning
• Morning Huddle 

Apps mentioned in the show
Doc Scan Pro

Books and Links mentioned in the show 
"The Crown" ⇐ on Netflix
"The Way of the Shepherd" ⇐ by Kevin Leman
"The End of Molasses Classes" ⇐ by Ron Clark
"What Great Teachers do Differently" ⇐ by Todd Whitaker
"This is How We Do It" ⇐ Montell Jordan

Where to find Derek
Twitter
Facebook
Website

Sponsor
April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast

Review the podcast on iTunes
​
Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter
 
Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on iTunes by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many. 
​
Click Here to subscribe via iTunes
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Click Here for the TuneIn Radio
Click Here to subscribe to RSS FEED via Libsyn

In this episode, we get to know a Physical Education teacher, podcast co-host, and former ball boy for the Oklahoma City Thunder - Matt Shellenberger. He graduated from Southern Nazarene University with a degree in Sports Information and is currently working towards an M.Ed in Educational Leadership at his alma mater. I've taught and coached with Matt the last three years at my current school. Matt is a relationship builder with not only his students but also his coworkers. He has the positive demeanor and attitude most parents desire as a role model for their child. We learn about his background as a Sports Information major to what changed his path away from that career. He discusses some failures in the classroom and as a coach. 

The ongoing theme from past episodes is 'building relationships with students' as THE factor to being an effective teacher. Matt gives some tips on how he builds those relationships and some simple rituals he has throughout the days. 

SHOW NOTES
Intro: Fun Fact 

• Changing paths from Sports Information to Teaching
• Jobs during college
• Team attendant for the Oklahoma City Thunder 
• • Job duties
  • Favorite and least favorite players
• Sports Information & the switch

• "I really wasn't that good around kids until I became a teacher." 
• Family of teachers
• Failure in teaching and what Matt learned from it
• Reading as a punishment
• Failing as a coach - "An opposing fan yelled at me..." 
• "Building relationships with each kid" 
• Tips for building relationships
• 1. Learn about the student interests 
  2. Build trust (1 on 1 conversations)
  3. Go to their games and events
• Stereotype of a Physical Education teacher

• "When they get into a gym it's a different mindset" 
• Broadcasting & Sports
• Rituals
• • Exercise
  • Reading articles before bed on Twitter
• Mentors in life
• • Critical when needing to be critical
  • Honest, smart, funny
  • JAG Lawyer who got me interested in law
  • • Made a difficult class easy
    • • Giving great examples 
      • Using narratives
      • Sports aspect
      • "He knew subjects that we would like"
• Best purchase under $100 
• Book to gift to someone
• • "Even though he has billions of dollars, he's empty..."
• Podcast recommendations
• Theme music when walking into his gym

Find Matt on Twitter

@mattshelly6
@theprospects23

Books and Links mentioned in the show 
"Shoe Dog" by Phil Knight
"The Giver" by Lois Lowry
Southern Nazarene University
Breaking Bad & Mad Men
Oklahoma City Thunder (Nick Collison & James Harden) 
"Shots" (Broiler Remix) by Imagine Dragons
Beats by Dre Pill 
Revenge of the Nerds - Movie
Chronotype by Michael Breus

Previous episodes mentioned
Episode #12 - Allie Newcomb

Sponsor
April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast

Review the podcast on iTunes
​
Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter
 
Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on iTunes by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community and in turn, give more value to many. 

Click Here to subscribe via iTunes
Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher
Click Here for the TuneIn Radio