Teaching Channel Talks

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Angela Byrd-Wright, the senior director of teaching and learning for Essex County Public Schools. Dr. Byrd-Wright is a seasoned educator with a wealth of experience in professional development and teacher learning. Guided by our host, Dr. Wendy Amato, we explore strategies ECPS uses for approaching teacher learning and professional development, identify the keys to success, and discover how asset mapping can inspire and inform our professional learning journeys. Join us for an engaging and informative discussion on how to foster a culture of continuous learning and growth in our schools!

Join Dr. Wendy Amato and literacy educators and authors Jan Burkins and Kari Yates as they explore the challenges of literacy in education today. Join us for a discussion on their new book, Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom, as we break down the six shifts we can make to integrate effective reading strategies from each perspective. Be sure to check out the show notes below for resources from Kari and Jan!

Here are a few of our favorite resources and links for educators looking to explore the shift to more science-aligned practices.

Free Downloadable Resources

• Dialogic Conversations: A Grover Whitehurst-influenced resource.
• The Six Commitments: A "nod" to the magnitude and commitment required to make change a reality.

Blogs & Related Articles

• 4 Simple Steps for Using Elkonin Boxes to Help Children Lock Words in Memory
• Using Our Flexible Phonics Lesson Template (Part 2): The Phonemic Awareness Warm-Up
• Making Time for Complex Text in Literacy Instruction

Continuing Education from Learners Edge

• 5227: Shifting Your Focus to the Science of Reading (Featuring Jan & Kari's book, Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom)
• 5150: Magnifying Reading Intervention Through Science and Research
• 5126: Five Keys to Reading Instruction

Options to Continue Your Journey

• Join Shifting the Balance: The Online Class
• Explore Sight Word Success Mini-Course

In this week's episode of Teaching Channel Talks, Dr. Wendy Amato sits down with Carrie Weber to discuss the importance of experiential learning in science. Carrie and Wendy’s conversation promotes hands-on exploration while shifting away from rote memorization in education by encouraging students to observe their surroundings and ask curious questions. 

Videos

• A Student-Driven Approach to Experiential Learning
• Inspirational Learning at The Community School
• Experiential Learning

Blogs & Related Articles

• Prepare for NGSS: Immerse Yourself in Authentic Science Research
• A 4 Step Approach to Planning Collaborative Experiential Learning
• Getting Started With Experiential Learning

Continuing Education from Learners Edge

• 5104: Authentic Teaching and Learning for the 21st Century
• 5149: Fantastic Phenomena-based Learning with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
• 5148: 3 Dimensional Learning with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

Additional Resources

• Are you ready to bring experiential learning to your classroom? Get started with these Sentence Starters!

In this week's episode of Teaching Channel Talks, Dr. Wendy Amato sits down with Heidi Austin-Cook, owner of the local independent store Sole Focus Running. Heidi and Wendy discuss the positive impact community partners can have on regional students and their families while offering tips on how small businesses can get involved in education. From how she first got the idea of opening a running store to the almost catastrophic event that nearly ended it all, Heidi shares the inspiring journey behind how her business has become a pillar of the community.

Videos

• Creating Community Connections
• Building School Culture with Community Circles
• Community Partners 

Blogs & Related Articles

• Engaging the Community with Family Engineering Nights
• Engaging Families and Communities in Students' Education
• When Schools Welcome Community Partners

Continuing Education from Learners Edge

• 5055: Boosting Social Emotional Learning through Sport and Physical Education
• 5058: Building Strong Relationships in the Classroom: Care to Connect

Additional Resources

• Are you a running coach with an athlete who needs to rest for a few days? Enjoy sharing this Design Your Run Activity!

To close out our 3-part series on the recent School Year Success! webinar, we have a special bonus episode of Teaching Channel Talks featuring Keely Keller, and Shannon Rice. Join Dr. Wendy Amato as she sits with our special guests one last time to discuss actionable behavior strategies you can use in your classroom right now. 

Additional Resources

• Keely Keller has shared a free eBook for our audience, A Proactive Guide to Positive Behavior Across Learning Environments.
• For new teachers looking for classroom strategies, check out Shannon Rice's book The New Teacher's Guide to Overcoming Common Challenges.

Don't be afraid to set high expectations!

We're finishing our 3-part behavior series covering the recent School Year Success! webinar with a discussion on setting high expectations—and helping your students meet them! From effective communication to visual strategies, Keel, Shannon, and Wendy are looking at how understanding our students as individuals can lead us to help them achieve their best.

Just tuning in? Catch up on the first episode in this series where Keely, Shannon, and Wendy discuss the context around behavior.

Videos

• Watch the full webinar: School Year Success! Strategies to Instill Positive Behavior
• Setting and Achieving High Expectations

Blogs & Related Articles

• High Expectations Teaching
• How to Create a Procedures & Student Expectations Guide
• Raising Expectations: 10 Ways To Hold All Learners To Ambitious Goals

Continuing Education from Learners Edge

• 5032: Empathy & Understanding: The New Tools for Students with Challenging Behaviors
• 5127: Priceless, Proactive Classroom Management Practices

Additional Resources

• Keely Keller has shared a free eBook for our audience, A Proactive Guide to Positive Behavior Across Learning Environments.
• For new teachers looking for classroom strategies, check out Shannon Rice's book The New Teacher's Guide to Overcoming Common Challenges.

In the second episode of our 3-part series covering the School Year Success! webinar, Keely, Shannon, and Wendy are talking about Positive Behavior Supports. From well-defined expectations to identifying the cause behind behaviors, we're addressing challenges sent in by our community of teachers and providing you tangible strategies you can use in the classroom. 

Just tuning in? Catch up on the first episode in this series where Keely, Shannon, and Wendy discuss the context around behavior.

Videos

• Watch the full webinar: School Year Success! Strategies to Instill Positive Behavior
• The Three B's: Managing Classroom Interruptions

Blogs & Related Articles

• Five Key Ingredients for a Well-Managed Classroom
• The Broken Window Theory: How Environment Impacts Behavior
• What Is PBIS? An Overview for Teachers and Schools

Continuing Education from Learners Edge

• 5849: Positive Interventions for Students Who Challenge Us
• 5850: PBIS 101

Additional Resources

• Keely Keller has shared a free eBook for our audience, A Proactive Guide to Positive Behavior Across Learning Environments.
• For new teachers looking for classroom strategies, check out Shannon Rice's book The New Teacher's Guide to Overcoming Common Challenges.

Join us for the first episode in a special 3-part series from Learners Edge and EdWeb.net. Shannon Rice returns to the podcast along with Keely Keller in this excerpt from a recent webinar: School Year Success! Strategies to Instill Positive Behavior. This week, we're discussing the context of behavior, redefining how we as educators think about behavior, and the importance of proactivity in setting the standard for positive classroom behavior. 

Episode Links

• In this episode, Wendy mentions several Learners Edge courses that were included in the live webinar chat
• 5849: Positive Interventions for Students Who Challenge Us 
• 5127: Priceless, Proactive Classroom Management Practices
• In this episode, Shannon Rice's book The New Teacher's Guide to Overcoming Common Challenges is mentioned.

Videos

• Watch the full webinar: School Year Success! Strategies to Instill Positive Behavior
• Re-establishing Classroom Routines, Norms, and Group Behaviors

Blogs & Related Articles

• Heart-Centered Classroom Management
• 8 Book Recommendations on Student Behavior
• The Broken Windows Theory: How Environment Impacts Behavior

Additional Resources

• Keely Keller has shared a free eBook for our audience, A Proactive Guide to Positive Behavior Across Learning Environments.

Celebrate without gloating

Self-reflect without crushing your spirit

Start every conversation with the intent of being constructive and not destructive

End every day believing that you did the best you can do

Start every day believing that you will make a difference

—Tammy Boyer

In this episode of Teaching Channel Talks, Wendy is sitting down with Tammy Boyer, M.Ed. to discuss leadership behaviors and priorities, including how collaborative leadership might impact the teacher shortages and rising educator turnover happening across the country.

Episode Links

In this episode, Tammy mentions Learners Edge and the American College of Education (ACE) as a pathway to progress through steps and lanes or advance a higher ed degree. The following Learners Edge continuing education course topics are mentioned:

• 5127: Priceless, Proactive Classroom Management Practices
• 5238: Practical Strategies for High Impact Leadership
• 5215: Future-Ready Fluencies for 21st Century Learners

Videos

• Addressing Teacher Needs With Professional Development
• Leadership Teams Pursue Powerful Instruction

Blogs & Related Articles

• Real Ways School Leaders Can Build Morale and Reduce Stress in Schools
• Keys to Implementing Personalized Learning as a Leader: An Interview with Dr. James Rickabaugh
• How Educational Leaders Can Decrease Teacher Burnout

This week on Teaching Channel Talks, we welcome educator and “Artivist”, Aundrae Williams, as he shares his background in education, including how he stumbled into leadership. From his commitment to equity and inclusivity to his dedication to supporting student expression through art, Aundrae’s story will inspire you to lead in the space you are given.

Episode Links

• Explore Aundrae's Art at EazyYokeArt
• In this episode, Aundrae mentions Greta Thunberg and the Frederick Douglass Foundation.

Videos

• Integrating Art & Science: Studying Balance in Art and Science
• A Collaboration Between Artists & Educators

Blogs & Related Articles

• Transforming a School Through Arts Integration
• 6 Easy Ways to Use Google Arts and Culture for Immersive Learning
• Teaching Black History, Thought, and Culture Through Art

Professional Learning

• 3-credit continuing education course:

Transforming Schools Through Equity Coaching

• 3-credit continuing education course:

Practical Strategies for High-Impact Leadership

• 3-credit continuing education course:

Creativity Reboot for the Art Teacher’s Classroom