The Role of Institutions, Policymakers, and Educational Systems in Alternative Education Teacher Preparation

This week, we examine the role of educational institutions, policymakers, and educational systems in preparing teachers for working in Alternative Education.  This would include looking at: 

• Curriculum Development

All of these would include improvement of student outcomes, providing funding and resources, the efficacy of the delivery systems, time, support, as well as many other factors we discuss herein.  

This is a very loaded topic, and the need to keep our time allotment was really tough - however, it does give a jiggle to the brain and heads us off into the right directions! 

#AlternativeEducation #AltEd #AlternativeEducationPodcast #AltEdPodcast #EducationPodcast #CurriculumDevelopment #CurriculumDevelopmentforAlternativeEducation #AlternativeEducationAccredidationandRecognition #AlternativeEducationRecognition #AlternativeEducationPartnerships #PartnershipsinAltEd #AlternativeEducationProfessionalDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopmentinAlternativeEducation #SupportivePoliciesinAlternativeEducation #FundinginAlternativeEducation #ResearchinAlterantiveEducation #EvidenceBasedAtlernatiaveEducationStrategies #AlternativeEducationProfessionalStandards #ProfessionalStandardsinAlternativeEducation #AlternativeEducationCertification #CertificationofAlternativeEducationTeachers #SupportforAlternativeEducationTeachers #SupportforAltearnativeEducation #MentorshipforAlternativeEducationTeachers #Mentoring AlternativeEducationTeachers #RoleofSchoolBoardsinAlterantiveEducation #RoleofAdministrationinAlternativeEducation

Strategies and Resources to Prep Teachers in Alt Ed

We continue our series for those teachers in Alternative Education who crave some form of training, insight, or structure to help them succeed and thrive in this faction of the Educational World.   While much of what we say may seem common sense it is also those ideas we put to the side and give not much thought to - when, indeed, we really should have them wrapped around ourselves constantly.  

How to use peer interactions, and mentorships.  what are the resources available? Conferences? Relationships? Reflections? Discipline? Oh My!  

Come on and join us.  

If you find things are not complete, or you’d like to add to what we are doing, please contact us, and let’s chat! 

[email protected]

#AlternativeEducationPodcast #AlternativeEducationTeacherTraining #Alternative TeacherResources #AlternativeEducationInsights #Teacher Reflections #TeachertoTeacherMentorships #SupportiveLeadershipinAlternativeEducation #ComprehensivetrainingforAlternativeEdTeachers #ApprenticeshipsforAltEdTeachers #ProfessionalLearningCommunities #NetworkingOpportunitiesinAltEd #ObservationandExperientialLearninginTeaching #CollaborativePartnershipsinAltEd #OnGoingProfessionalDevelopmentforAlternativeEducation #PeerFeedbackinAltEd

#GrowthforAlternativeEducationTeachers

One could, I suppose, just jump into an alternative setting and begin teaching in a similar style as they did in a traditional setting.   After all - it's worked for THEM in the past.  But this isn't about the teacher - it's about the students.  You know.  The students who are left behind.  The students who may not have caught on because they had another life outside of school that didn't fall into the middle-class norms placed on nearly every child in every school.  

Alternative Ed is about rethinking styles, pedagogies, delivery systems, professional development, and assessments.  It's about how to lift those children - students to another level and granting them the ability to prosper and learn.  Traditional education doesn't work for them - so let's see what they have.  Better yet, let's show them how they can each find a path to success and a future that will allow everyone around them to prosper, as well.  

#AlternativeTraining  #AlternativeTeacherTraining #AltEdTeaching #AlternativeTeaching #AlternativeProfessionalDevelopment #AlternativeEducationConferences #AlternativeEducationRecognition #AlternativeEducationAccredidation #AlternativeEducationOrganizations #AlternativeEducationPeerGroups #AlternativeEducationLackofTrainingPrograms #AlternativeEducationStandardization ##AlternativeEducationOngoingProfessionalDevelopment #AlternativeEducationBigotryfromTraditionalEducation #AlternativeEducationIntegrationwithTraditionalSystems #AlternativeEducationFinancialConstraintsinTraining #AlternativeEducationEvaluations #AlternativeEducationAssessments #AlternativeEducationTeachingChallenges #AlternativeEducationProfessionalChallenges #AlternativeEducationPodcast

Alternative Education Teacher Training - Part One - Foundations of Alternative Education

This week we undertake the beginning of a journey that will, we hope, inspire and help people who aren’t quite sure of what they are doing in their alternative classrooms/programs/schools.  In fact, most of those working in Alt Ed have minimal idea of what they’re doing - they’re just holding on to the hope they’re doing it correctly.  

There are many who are determined to uphold the idea that students need to be babysat and watched as if they were inmates when nothing could be further from the truth.   The alternative education classroom, school, and program should be a thriving, living, vital, and energetic learning center where students come to throw off their mantles of failure in order to grow, learn, and understand how to learn so they might go forward from our doors to the rest of the world and conquer and succeed.  

In fact, those who believe they hold dominion over students or others should be either trained or replaced as soon as possible.  

That being said, we begin this week on a journey that opens our minds and yours to what much of the foundation of Alt Ed is, as well as how it differs from traditional schooling.   There is so much to chew on that we had to break it into parts.  

Feel free to join the conversation by contacting us at: [email protected] - and let’s keep the conversation going. 

#AltEd  #AlternativeEducation  #EducationalPodcast #TeacherTraining #AlternativeTeacherTraining #AltEdTraining #ChildCenteredLearning #HolisticLearning #IndividualizedInstrustion #IndividualDevelopment #HandsonLearning #RespectforChildsPace #StudentPace #DefiningAlternativeEducation #AlternativeAssessment #NontraditionalAssessment #ExperientialLearning #HolisticDevelopment #DemocraticPrinciplesinEducation #SocialJusticeandEquityinEducation #TraditionalLearningvAlternativeLearning #FlexibleCurriculum  #FlexiblelPacingofLearning

#TransitionalChallenges

Digital Dementia - Are We Encouraging It? 

What is this thing being called, DIGITAL DEMENTIA?  Is it truly something real?  Can it be reversed?  What are the symptoms?  What are the traits?  What should you be worried about?  Believe it or not, Gen Z and Millenials are most at risk with projections of dementia cases growing four to six-fold by 2050.  Think on that.   

Use of the smartphone, and fusing our brainpower with it (how much does it truly do for you?) can decrease brain cells and matter.  It’s very concerning - if you’re a parent, or even if you’re one of that population! 

How much time do your children, toddlers, teenagers, spouses, colleagues, parents, or whomever, spend on smartphones, computers, tablets?   Sure it sounds a bit much, but just decreasing your time can mean so much more.  

So much to learn today!  

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8424060/

https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/the-effects-of-smartphone-usage-on-the-brain/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35164464/

https://www.ocs.help/blog/digital-dementia

https://www.ruanliving.com/blog/are-you-experiencing-digital-dementia

https://www.imrpress.com/journal/JIN/21/1/10.31083/j.jin2101028/htm?fbclid=IwAR1PldZl8TNPuSIzunlNrIZMjl0XUfu8t1_W5mgH9LUEG73dSLqPUN9oEf0&utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Journal_of_Integrative_Neuroscience_TrendMD_1

https://arro.anglia.ac.uk/id/eprint/707214/3/Pardhan_et_al_2021.pdf

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(21)00293-4/fulltext

#AltEd #AlternativeEducation #DigitalDementia #DigitalDementiaPodcast #DementiaPodcast #EducationalPodcast #SmartphoneUsageandAffects #EffectsofTechnology #ImpactofTechontheBrain #BrainandTech #TechandMentalHealth #TechandSleep #DigitalReliance #EffectsofSmartphoneuse #Studentsandtech #TechandLearningDisorders #TechandBehaviorDisorders #TechandDepression #TechandSocialDistancing #TechandConformity #FlynnsLaw #TechandMyopia #Techandearlyonsetdementia #Techandbrainloss

Learning Behind Bars

How odd to find there is so little information from 2019 on - about incarcerated students.  Whether they be in boot camps, residential treatment, maximum security, minimum security or whatever type of facility they are given over to for their offenses.  

What is also interesting is there is not much information about how they’re taught.  

This week we begin to dive in with some data and information that helps us understand who the population is comprised. What can we, as teachers, educators, facilitators, community members, parents and others, can do to begin to understand and begin to prevent behaviors that lead to such a future for our children. 

#Alternative Education #AltEd #Education #Students #YouthOffenders #EducationPodcast #AlternativeEducationPodcast #PreventionofOffenders #StudentsBehindBars #SchoolsinPrison #EducationPrevention #OffenderPrevention #SchooltoPrisonPipeline

Why Does Mainstream Ed, Inc Disrespect Alt Ed? 

We’ve all felt it and seen it.  The looks, sneers, the general snort of unrest when Alternative Educators enter the room with the mainstream.  Is there some reason they see the tenets, the students, the curriculum as less than what they believe the students should be working on?  What’s the deal? 

OR, are the programs that seemingly work despite their efforts a means to another end?  What is up with that?  Seriously.  

This week, Philip and Tony look into ways that the mainstream seems to try to demean, dismiss, and dismantle alternative ed through misinformation, misunderstanding, and general ignorance. 

Join us. 

#AlternativeEducaiton #AltEd #Education #AltEdPodcast #EducationalPodcast #DifferencesBetweenAlternativeEducationandMainstreamEducation #AltEdvsMainstreamEd #AltEdCurriculum #MainstreamEdAttitudes #MainstreamEdIgnorance #FixingMainstreamEd #WhatistherelationshipbetweenAltEdandSchools

To Be a Phoenix in Education

Year after year teachers finish up and then walk out the doors - sometimes not long after the last student has left, and sometimes a week or even a month after the students leave.  Teachers, nonetheless, are exhausted and ready for the rejuvenator splendors of what vacation they can muster - lest they need to return for Summer School, begin tutoring, take on other jobs to help make ends meet, or make family commitments;  it all varies.  However, there must be something they might do in order to help eliminate some of the stress created upon their return in the Fall - not necessarily adding to their plates, but prepping plates so filling them is simpler and less energy-consuming.  

That’s what this week is about.  Perhaps it’s not on your radar, but it might be something to consider.  

#TeacherPrep #TeacherReadiness #TeacherEndofSchoolPlans #TeacherStress #TeacherStressRelief #TeacherPlanning #AlternativeApproaches #AlternativePodcast #AltEdPodcat #EducationPodcast #EndofYear #SummerReadiness #VacationReadiness #TeacherStudentRelationships #StudentMapping #WhatWorkedThisYear #TeacherImprovement

Calming Young Minds Show notes

This week we meet up with Joe McQueen, an administrator from Galesburg, Illinois, who has over 25 years of experience working with students.  He is currently the director of alternative programming for the regional office of Education in Galesburg, where he oversees two campuses of alternative education students who attend for various reasons, from expulsion, severe acting out behavior, and anxiety or truancy.  

Joe wrote the book, Calming Young Minds is a culmination of years of work and love.  This book offers a unique perspective on understanding mental health, de-escalation, trauama, and restorative practices in teens.   This is also a research-based approach to understanding and working with kids who struggle with social-emotional issues.  

The book is available on Amazon.com, and Joe can be contacted via his website:

https://www.theraputicperspectives.com/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalmMinds2023

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalmingYoungMindsBook

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TherapeuticPerspectives/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookcalmingyoungminds/

And LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-mcqueen-360729240/

Honestly, this is a must-read! It is inspiring, and answers many questions, while giving insight and perspective whether you’re an administrator or teacher - even a parent, for that matter.  

Joe is available for consulting - just reach out and contact him! 

#AltEd #AlterantiveEducation #TeacherTraining #AlternativeEducaitonStudents #AlternativeEducationTraining #AlternativeEducationTraining #StudentDiscipline #RestorativeJustice #PositivePeerCulture #TheraputicPerspectives #AuthorityversusAuthoritarian #HealthyRelationshipswithStudents #StudentRegulation #TeacherRegulation #SocialEmotionalLearning #SEL #BuildingRelationshipsinSchools #ValuingEveryChild #Podcast #EducationalPodcast #AlternativeEducationPodcast #AltEdPodcast #RespectintheClassroom 

Equity and School Discipline with Tara Garcia Mathewson

Music by Joseph Dade McDowell - “Sundown”

This week we are honored to have Tara Garcia Mathewson, Investigative Reporter for the Hechinger (Heck-in-jur) Report, which covers so many issues in Education.   Tara has been investigating student discipline and shares her knowledge with us!  

Topics this week include: 

• • Pre-K as a breeding ground for School-to-Prison Pipeline

• Bill S2029

• At Liberty Podcast - on Pre-K expulsions

Here are some of the links we mention, as well as links to her newsletter from Hechinger:

The Hechinger Report (Homepage)

Innovations in School Discipline - Newsletter

Exemplary Practises in Alternative Education (National Alternative Education Association)

#StudentBehavior #StudentDiscipline #StudentConsequences #ParentalInvolvement #CorporalPunishment #StudentTransfers #StudentSuspensions #LearningAccountability #QuestioningDisciplineSystems #SchoolToPrisonPipleline #PreKDiscipline #PreKSuspensions PreKExpulsions #ConfirmationBiasinSchools #ConfirmationBiasinEducation #ConfirmationBiasinDiscipline #HechingerReportInvestigations #TaraGarciaMathewson #AlternativeEducation #AltEd #DisciplineInvestigationData #EducationPodcast #AlternativeEducationPodcst #EdPodcast #AltEdPodcast #CivilRights #EquityinDiscipline #OutDatedMethodsofDiscipline #InnovationinDiscipline #TeachingStudentSelfRegulation