Today's episode is a little different than the previous long-form episodes. We go back to our previous guest - Jodi McKenzie - and she shares a lesson she started in the fall with her students and she breaks that lesson down from the beginning middle and the overall end result. This lesson is from an English II teacher, but you could adapt this lesson to any subject. I hope you enjoy this brief lesson overview from Jodi, and if you have any feedback, please email me. 

FAVORITE LESSON SHARED

BIG QUESTION
What is important in life? 

Find the show notes of the lesson at the teacher tunnel website

Review the podcast on iTunes
​
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 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

In this episode, we meet Jodi McKenzie. Jodi is an English II Teacher at Gautier High School in the Pascagoula School District and the 2017 Mississippi Teacher of the Year. She serves as the Department Chair and represents Student Council at her school. Jodi received her Bachelor’s from the University of Southern Mississippi and her Master’s from William Carey College both in Elementary Education and Teaching. She loves cultivating relationships with her students and gives some insights on how she does this, as well as some great student stories she's had along the way. 

Show Notes

• Jodi’s hidden talent
• The compounding moments that led Jodi to into teaching
• Teachers that made an impact
• Learning from Hurricane Katrina as a 2nd-Year Teaching
• Favorite Exercise
• • Les Mills Class - Body Pump
• Her Senior Project that helped with her teaching
• How to begin the process of cultivating relationships
• Quote “We are a family, this is your safe place” Jodi McKenzie
• What makes a good Department Chair?
• Quote “Not a leader that is going to tell you what to do, and how to do it all the time, but a leader that is going to get in there and do it with you.” Jodi McKenzie
• Getting feedback
• Simplifying Writing
• Favorite Technology
• • Chromebooks
  • No Red Ink
  • Google Classroom
  • Slate and Active Board + Clickers
• Profession other than teaching
• Moving teachers to be considered professionals
• Teacher of the Year Schedule
• Morning Routines
• • Agenda
  • Thought of the Day “Something to Think About”
• Writing and Speaking Processes
• Student Stories
• Contacting an author
• What would you take if your house went up in flames?
• Favorite Podcasts

Contact Jodi 
Twitter: @jodi_mckenzie
Facebook: @mstoy2017

Books and Links mentioned in the show 
Horn Island Dream by Wes Dannreuther
Impact Theory by Tom Bilyeu
Knight by Elie Wiesel
Artist: Walter Anderon
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Nicholas Sparks Books Eye of the Tiger by Survivor  

Podcasts mentioned in the show
Truth for Teachers by Angela Watson
Every Classroom Matters by Vicki Davis
Teaching Learning and Reading K–12
Talks With Teachers by Brian Sztabnik

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

In this episode, we meet Allie Newcomb. Allie brings many tools into her classroom, including building student relationships, trying new things, and whole brain teaching. Allie has given me ideas, and avenues to explore in my classroom even though they may not work or be perfect, the ability to be flexible and just try has helped grow me as a teacher. Allie is a colleague of mine and teaches in the same hallway two classrooms down. She is the 6th-grade math teacher at Mayfield Middle School in Oklahoma City and we share the same students. Allie has taught at the elementary and middle school levels and gives great perspectives on teaching in both. She received her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Oklahoma and just wrapped up her Master's degree in Secondary Education at the University of Central Oklahoma. Allie is a relationship builder and loves being around her students.

 SHOW NOTES

• Jobs Allie had during and after college (1:50)
• The benefits of the restaurant industry (2:50)
• A teacher in college that helped guide her, unknowingly in the direction of education (6:06)
• "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson
• Why we should be talking to our professors in college. (7:48)
• Career after college (10:55)
• What makes a good salesperson (11:25)
• Whole Brain Teaching (12:30)
• First teaching job (14:10)
• Elementary to Middle School to Elementary to Middle School (15:00)
  • Seeing every grade in Middle School
  • “calling out the positive, reinforcing the positive, and they follow suit”
• A strength in connection (21:10)

Tips for teachers to connect with kids (23:40)

Helping and Mentoring Severe and Profound students in Elementary School as an elementary student

• Something that Allie wishes she was better at in the classroom (29:10)
• One book that helped her become a better teaching (30:15)
• What is Whole Brain Teaching?
• Scoreboard
• Story from a first year observation (35:25)
• Morning Rituals
• After-School routine (40:34)
• Mortician & Magician (41:35)
• Book recommendation (41:12)
• Running and Favorite Smart Phone App
• Tim Ferriss Podcast
• Do you make your bed? Commencement Speech by Naval Adm. William H. McRaven (50:10)
• Theme music if walking into a classroom

Items mentioned in this episode include:

• April Mass Photography⇐Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
• Run Trainer App
• Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kinsolver
• Whole Brain Teaching by Chris Biffle
• Contact Allie through: 
• Twitter

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

In this episode, we get to know the 2017 Colorado Teacher of the Year, Sean Wybrant. Sean is crafting super heroes one student at a time at William Palmer High School in Colorado Springs. His teaching focus is Digital Media Studies, Computer Science, and Video Game Design – but he is doing so much more than just teaching high school curriculum courses. Sean is developing our future minds to think beyond their blocked walls and constrained parameters, and “Hulk Smashing” their way to success. Sean’s approach to learning is through problem solving and service-based learning. With this approach, he is getting the absolute best out of his students.

 SHOW NOTES

• Rapid Fire Icebreakers (1:56)
• Sean’s Teacher of the Year Schedule (3:03)
• Sean’s background in English Literature (7:33)
• • Personalized Learning
  • Next Generation Learning
  • • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • Computer Science/Video Game Development
• Mentorships (8:53)
• Compounded moments that Sean realized he wanted to become a teacher (10:10)
• • Bad teacher experience in High School
  • Great teacher experience
  • • Rebuilding students
    • Interviewing techniques, balancing a checkbook, relationships
• Coffee drinking habits
• Sean’s story of students (14:43)
• • Augmented reality periodic table of the elements (Parabola)
  • Fully functional holographic periodic table
  • Presentation to NASA from a 17-year-old
  • Microsoft HoloLens (20:36)
  • • Contacted by the inventor of this hardware
  • Software development business by a student
• Favorite Super Hero (21:45)
• If Sean had to give a Professional Development tomorrow (22:45)
• Teacher of the Year in Colorado (26:28)
• • “We are working on real authentic problems in my classroom.” Sean Wybrant
• Transferring the problem-solving classroom into core subjects (28:56)
• • “Students should never be the implied object of their own education.” Chris Lehmann
  • Service Learning Projects
• Partnering with Local Businesses (35:08)
• Sean talks about overwhelming effects of teaching (36:35)
• • “We need teachers to be advocates.” Sean Wybrant
  • Telling the stories of students
• Public Speaking
• Sean’s website (43:02)
• • His goals, and the stories he wants to tell.
  • craftingheroes.com
• A profession Sean would do if forced out of teaching in the classroom (47:01) & (47:30)
• Sean’s hidden talents 
• Morning Rituals/Routines (48:28)
• • The Croods
  • • The family routine of the "pile on."
• Books that Sean would gift to someone
• • Sir Ken Robinson books
  • Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
• A book(s) Sean wished he had written
• Pandora
• What person comes to mind when referring to the word successful

• Sean’s message to teachers and leaders in education

Items mentioned in this episode include:

• April Mass Photography ⇐ Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
• www.craftingheroes.com
• Contact Sean through: 
• • Twitter
  • Colorado TOY Twitter
  • Email Sean

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

What does it mean to have grit in the classroom? According to the 2017 Washington Teacher of the Year, it takes "doing something hard on purpose, every day." Her message gives students the opportunity to work their brain, and give them the opportunity to be at their best. 

Camille Jones is a gritty elementary school teacher in Quincy, Washington.  She is currently her State Teacher of the Year and enjoying the process of connecting with other Teacher's of the Year from across our great land. Camille is in her 7th year teaching, and currently on a roll at Pioneer Elementary as the STEAM Enrichment Teacher for K-3. She studied abroad in Mexico and Spain while getting her degree in Spanish.  She is currently working towards her Master's in Teaching the Gifted and Talented. Farmtableteach.com is her recent project where she hopes to make it into a resource center for all things STEAM education. 

• Camille’s current Teacher of the Year schedule.
• STEAM Lab
• • “Looking at every single student to find some abilities and strengths that are going undiscovered.”
• Camille’s evolving process for becoming a teacher.
• • Her realization in 2008
• Spanish degree and going abroad
• The typical day in the classroom
• Running with the dog after-school routine
• “Do something hard, on purpose every single day.” Camille Jones
• “If we don’t embrace the challenges that all these changes bring we are going to fall behind in school.”
• “Don’t strive for perfection, strive for progress.” Ryan Holiday
• How Camille greets her students
• • Hand Shake and greeting by name
• Struggle in the classroom
• • Connecting with the community outside of school
• Tech in the Classroom
• • Ipads
  • Computer Science Education Week (coding)
  • Implementing
• Overwhelming moment during her 4th year. 
• Teacher of the Year connection with other teachers
• Writing Processes
• • Word of the day: Perseverate
• Farmtableteach.com (Camille’s website/blog)
• • Goal for the website
  • • Old Mill Steam website
• Morning Routines
• • “I go with the sun in the morning” Camille Jones
  • Summer = Early morning run with dog, Big Breakfast
  • Winter = a little different routine
• After-School Veg out Session
• Homemade Pizza
• • Empire Slice House in OKC (Jon Belt recommendation)
• Profession other than teaching if forced
• Bedside Table
• • Tom Rademacher – 2014 Minnesota Teacher of the Year 
  • • “It won’t be easy” by Tom Rademacher
  • “The Smartest Kids in the World” Amanda Ripley
• Books to gift
• Bucket Book

• Habit to start implementing
• • One and One card
• Favorite Smartphone App
• Theme Music in the background
• • Bueno Vista Social Club
  • Charlie Brown Soundtrack
• Message to teachers in education
• • “Are we teaching them the skills they need for the future?” Camille Jones

Items mentioned in this episode include:

• April Mass Photography ⇐  Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
• "Mindset" by Carol Dweck & "Grit"  by Angela Duckworth
• Contact Camille through: 
• • Twitter
  • farmtableteacher.com
• 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. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick review of the show on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It will help the guests voices and topics to reach even further.
Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes
Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher

On Episode 9 of the podcast, you get to know Jennifer Wise and the 2017 South Carolina Teacher of the Year. Jennifer is in her ninth year teaching mathematics to 7th and 8th grade students at Hand Middle School in Columbia, South Carolina. Before beginning her career as a teacher she received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Teaching Secondary Mathematics. She’s worked at Princeton with the Educational Testing Services and has served on different Mathematics committees and review boards, as well as having served leadership roles within her district.  Jennifer's love for math and the respect and admiration she has for the ever-changing middle school student is glaring throughout our conversation

• The moment Jennifer decided she wanted to be a teacher.
• Math mentality
• Why Middle School?
• Jennifer’s daily teacher schedule.
• Jennifer’s independent action research project
• • Improvement with her EL population
• Writing Process and why the custodians at her school were
• An overwhelming moment her first year
• • Something’s burning
• Technology in the classroom
• • Graphing calculator
  • Smart Notebook
  • Remind
• Speaking in front of an audience
• • Jennifer’s process with public speaking
  • • “I think what captures people the most is when they get see or experience your classroom through your words.”
• Morning Person
• • Jennifer discusses her morning routines
  • Exercise routine on the school track
  • Exercises after school and “Reflect on the day….what went well, what are 5 things I can take away from the day that will make today great, and what are some things that maybe I want to do differently next time
• 5-Minute Journal
• Home therapy with HGTV
• Bedside table catch-all!
• Best Purchase under $100 dollars
• Favorite Smartphone App
• • EveryDollar
• Book Recommendations
• • The Giver (For Students)
  • The Hunger Games (For Older Students)
  • Teach Like a Champion
• Theme music when walking into the classroom
• Message to Teachers in Education
• • Edventure Children’s Museum
  • Marc Drews
  • “Be who you are, be where you are, and make an impact.” Marc Drews

 Items mentioned in this episode include:

• April Mass Photography ⇐  Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
• “The Giver” by Lois Lowry & “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
• “Teach Like a Champion”  ⇐ by Doug Lemov
• Contact Jennifer through
• • Facebook
  • Twitter
• 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. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick review of the show on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It will help the guests voices and topics to reach even further.

Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes

Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher

Erica Hilliker is an MSU Spartan and teacher leader that has created a one-stop shop for all things EL (English Learners) and SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). The website is simple to navigate and beautifully designed to make searching resources stress-free. Join us for another great episode with another great leader in education.

Show Notes

• What Erica really wanted to do in High School
• What changed?
• Erica's teacher schedule
• How ELL's process learning a different language

Larry Ferlazzo Blog

Erica's Website

• Use the glossary
• Quiet Mornings
• Writing her Agenda
• Advice to her younger self
• Best purchase under $100
• Erica's mentor in college

Exit Tickets

• Theme music from the TV Show "The Greatest American Hero."
• Song: "Believe it or Not"

by Mike Post (music) and Stephen Geyer (lyrics) and sung by Joey Scarbury

• Erica's message to teachers

Items mentioned in this episode include:

• April Mass Photography ⇐  Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
• "The Last Lecture"  ⇐ by Randy Pausch
• "Tuesday's with Maury"  ⇐ by Mitch Alborn
• Contact Erica through her website
• 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. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick review of the show on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It will help the guests voices and topics to reach even further.

Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes

Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher

Jon Hazell is Oklahoma's 2017 Teacher of the Year. He brings passion and inspiration to students, teachers, and leaders in education. His message of "Finding the well in the desert" for every student he teaches is a great analogy for having an important purpose every day. Join us for another great episode with another great leader.

In this episode you will learn about: 

Teacher influencers 

How to prepare every day 

Teacher of the Year process

Daily exercise

Process for his essay writing

Hundreds of hours of notes

Teacher Burnout

Advice to new teachers

One rule for the classroom

“Stay and fight” message

Why you should go to your student's after-school activities

Items mentioned in this episode include: 

• April Mass Photography ⇐  Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
• "The Boy Who Carried Bricks" ⇐ by Alton Carter
• "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" ⇐ by Donald Miller
• Find Jon Hazell on Facebook and Twitter
• Review the podcast on iTunes

Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter 

What does it take to be a leader outside the typical classroom? Ken Williams, founder of unfoldthesoul.com takes us through his classroom of teachers, administrators, and leaders in order to accomplish his mission of inspiring, empowering and transforming all learners in education and beyond. 

So, tune in and enjoy!

In this episode you’ll discover:

• Ken’s teacher story that led him away from law school.
• Ken's typical day.
• Gossip in the workplace and the term he refers to as the "Town Crier" in his "Everyday People" presentation. 

• Ken's advice to aspiring administrators. "I had to be ready for the fact that the adults are my new classroom." 
• Ken's idea of the word "Buy-In" 
• Why Ken decided to begin delivering his message on a bigger platform with speaking

• Rick DuFour's impact on Ken
• Ken discusses his book "Starting a Movement" with co-author Tom Hierk
• "Mission is critical" 
• "The Obstacle is the Way" by Ryan Holiday
• Goal processes
• Prioritized to-do list (work)
• ABC to-do list template
• Ken's big goal for 2017
• "The Final Countdown" by Europe 
• Ernie O Moroccan - Lestascy Del Oro

Items mentioned in this episode include: 

• April Mass Photography ⇐  Get candid & fun photography at 10% off if you mention this podcast
• "Concise Answers to Frequently Asked Questions" ⇐ about PLC's at work. 
• "The War of Art" & "Turning Pro" ⇐ by Stephen Pressfield
• Find Ken Williams on facebook, Instagram, and twitter @unfoldthesoul
• Email Ken Williams: [email protected]
• Review the podcast

Music
Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque) 
Artist: Grapes 
Album: ccMixter 

Dr. Kim Graber is a professor and researcher at the University of Illinios in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health + Director of the Campus Honors Program at the University of Illinois. She gives us her insights on the physical health/well being of students and teachers, writing processes, exercises in the classroom + her habits/routines she's developed. 2:40 - Kim's teacher story 5:23 - A typical day as a researcher and a professor 6:09 - Campus Honors Program 8:00 - Kim's writing process 9:36 - Writing research for individuals 11:00 - "Spark" by John Ratey insights 14:16 - Advice to Physical Education teachers 14:57 - HopSports 19:36 - Habits and Routines for Kim 21:00 - Reccomendations Google Maps CNN & TedTalks Bicycles to get around campus Keurig John Grisham series Ernest Hemingway "Old Man in the Sea" "The Proving Ground" by G. Bruck Knecht 26:37 - Message to teachers 28:50 - Email Kim if you have any questions Visit our show sponsor April Mass Photography