Toddcast Teacher Podcast

Episode 25 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: (Michael Minas)

For the twenty-five episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast I interview Maths guru Michael Minas.

Michael is an extremely experienced educator who has been in education for over 20 years and now manages Love Maths Consultancy.

Michael’s areas of interest include problem solving and student engagement.

His YouTube channel has attracted over 500,000 views from educators across the globe and it features videos of over 80 plus engaging maths games that are an excellent resource for teachers but are also a great resource for within the classroom.

In 2018, Michael’s ability to shape learning well beyond his classroom was recognised when he won a CHOOSE MATHS Teaching Excellence Award.

Michael has presented at schools and conferences all over Australia as a Maths consultant and is a contributing author for the Maths300 website.

Michael discusses the following:

- His educational journey and why he became a teacher.

- His educational thoughts and philosophies.

- Discussion about the Love Maths Consultancy.

- Importance of Maths games and open-ended learning tasks in Maths.

- Importance of questioning and building students language during Maths lessons.

- Love Maths website and webinars he conducts with Rob Vingerhoets.

- Strategies on how improve and develop as a teacher.

- One Word Association with Todd (Game).

More about Michael can be found at:

Website - https://www.lovemaths.me/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/love_maths_australia/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-F-4IIfKSd3mZCjs1zwukA/videos

Email - [email protected]

Episode 24 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: Kristen Woodcock

For the twenty-fourth episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing Kristen Woodcock who I also actually went to school with and we coached volleyball together.

Kristen works in a Special Education setting, which she has been doing since 2016 and currently completing her Master’s in Teaching in Special Education.

Kristen has also created her own business called The Empowerment Initiative, which is based on empowering teenage girls and young women with disabilities by creating individually tailored community access programs.

Kristen discusses the following:

- Her teaching journey, why she became a teacher and her teacher role model.

- Where did the passion for Special Education come from.

- Key teaching tips and strategies when teaching special education.

- Catering for students with individual differences.

- Special education curriculum in South Australia and does it prepare students for eighteen plus.

- Discussion about her Master’s in Teaching and her new business venture (The Empowerment Initiative)

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)

Click on the links below for more information about The Empowerment Initiative:

https://www.instagram.com/empowerment_initiative/

Episode 23 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: Trent Ray and Sam Macauley (Cyber Safety Project).

For the twenty-third episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the wonderful privilege of interviewing Trent Ray and Sam Macauley from the Cyber Safety Project.

Both Trent and Sam have a number of years’ experience in either primary or secondary schools as teachers or leaders before both becoming co-founders of the Cyber Safety Project. Trent is the Director and Cyber Safety Educator and Sam is the Lead Cyber Safety Educator.

The Cyber Safety Project’s mission is to provide a whole community approach focused on developing future skills, lifelong habits and self-regulation when innovating and using digital technologies for work, life and play. They complete this through empowering young people, equipping educators and engaging parents.

The Cyber Safety Project ensures that they support and empower all Australian students to be safe and responsible users of digital technologies both at home and school and arm all teachers, parents and the wider community with digital literacy skills, resources and up to date information and latest trending digital topics.

Trent and Sam discuss the following:

- Their teaching journey, why they became teachers and their teacher role model/s.

- How did the Cyber Safety Project all come about.

- What does the Cyber Safety Project offer for schools, students, teachers and parents.

- Has having teaching experience helped deliver the Cyber Safety Project program and curriculum.

- The highlight and most challenging part of their job at the Cyber Safety Project.

- Top tips for teachers when looking and dealing with cyber safety and digital wellbeing in each teaching area – Prep-2, Grade 3-6 and Secondary School.

- Tips for parents when looking and dealing with cyber safety and digital wellbeing.

- Different strategies of how to deal with cyber safety and digital wellbeing situations at school.

- Current trends teachers and parents should be looking out for in regard to cyber safety and digital wellbeing and how to keep up to date in this area.

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)

Click on the links below for more information about the Cyber Safety Project

Website – https://cybersafetyproject.com.au/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/cybersafetyproject

Instagram – https://www.facebook.com/cybersafetyproject

Twitter - https://twitter.com/_CyberSafety

Trent and Sam mention various other resources/websites throughout the podcast. Here are the links below:

eSafety Commissioner - https://www.esafety.gov.au/

Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation - https://www.accce.gov.au/

Common Sense Media - https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

Episode 22 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: Riss Leung (Oz Lit Teacher)

For the twenty-second episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing Riss Leung also known as the Oz Lit Teacher.

Riss has been involved in education for 19 years in various roles which include being a teacher, leading teacher, Principal, consultant for the Department and now running the Oz Lit Teacher which offers many different professional development options, mentor text review, resources and support around Literacy.

Oz Lit Teacher and Riss’s vision is for a future where children from every postcode receive the highest quality literacy instruction to empower them to reach their full potential and a mission to helps build teacher confidenceand competence in teaching literacy effectively.

Riss discusses the following:

- Her teaching journey, why she became a teacher and her teacher role model/s.

- Where did the passion for Literacy come from.

- Discussion about Oz Lit Teacher and how it all came about.

- Conversation about mentor texts (why important to use in Literacy lesson, how to use them, finding mentor texts and resources and where to start if looking at purchasing some mentor texts).

- Best instructional model for a reading and a writing lesson.

- Strategies to get students loving writing.

- Impact of being a consultant and the impact she is having on many schools, teachers and students.

- Favourite PD session to present and blogging.

- Tips to improve your literacy teaching

- Classroom novel suggestions for Prep – 2 and Grade 3-6 areas.

Click on the links below for more information about Riss and Oz Lit Teacher

Website - https://www.ozlitteacher.com.au/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ozlitteacher/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ozlitteacher/?hl=en

Class Novels Suggestions:

Prep - 2

Polly and Buster by Sally Rippin

Marge in Charge by Isla Fisher

Grade 3-6

Trash by Andy Mulligan

Who am I? The Diary of Mary Talence by Anita Heiss

Episode 21 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: Richard James

For the twenty-first episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing friend Richard James.

Richard has been teaching for 26 years and is currently a Deputy Principal in Queensland. Richard has worked in various schools and had various experiences either as a teacher, head of department or a Deputy Principal.

Richard discusses the following:

- His teaching journey, why he became a teacher and his teacher role model/s.

- His leadership career to date.

- Qualities of a strong leader and experiences and PL required to be a Deputy Principal.

- Biggest challenges and greatest strength as a leader.

- Looking deeper into his Deputy Principal roles at his two school (Student Learning and Outcomes and Student Wellbeing and Support).

- Tips and advice when moving schools.

- Advice when dealing with parents

- Balancing his teaching career and being a Dad.

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)

Richard mentioned the Education Endowment Foundation website during the interview. Here is the link -  https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/about-us-

Richard also mentioned the Ted Lasso YouTube clip “Be Curious Not Judgemental”

Here it is if you are interested - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_FofLSherM

Episode 20 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: Charlotte Kidd (Grow PL)

For the twentieth episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing Charlotte Kidd, the founder of Grow Professional Learning.

Charlotte has a range of experiences during her career to date, which include teaching Physical Education and Science for five years, working for an education technology company then completing her Master of Teaching focusing on professional learning.

As a result Charlotte founded Grow PL in 2021, which is online professional learning for Australian teachers. Grow PL has a huge range of courses covering various areas that teachers can choose from.

Charlotte’s motto is “Grow is about coming together as a community, to nurture ourselves as educators so that we, in turn, can nurture our students”.

Charlotte discusses the following:

- Her teaching journey, why she became a teacher and her teacher role model/s.

- Where the passion for PL come from

- What is the purpose of PL

- Best ways to transfer PL into your classroom

- How should schools structure their PL and the differentiation of PL for staff

- What to remember when presenting PL

- Top 5 tips to get the most out of PL

- Discussion about Grow PL

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)

Click on the links below for more information about Grow PL

Website - https://www.growpl.com.au/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/GrowProfessionalLearning

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/grow.pl/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/grow_pl

To receive a discount ($50 off your first-year membership) please use the discount code “TODDPOD”. Do yourself a favour and sign up to Grow PL and all their wonderful range of online courses.

Episode 19 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: (Daniel Francis)

For the nineteenth episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing fellow colleague Daniel Francis.

Daniel is into his 11 year of teaching and is currently teaching a Grade 3/4 class. Daniel has been teaching in the senior area for a number of years as well as being a team leader.

Daniel discusses the following:

- His teaching journey, why he became a teacher and his teacher role model/s.

- Teaching tips and musts in the senior primary area.

- Qualities needed to be a team leader.

- How he goes about balancing his teaching career and being a Dad.

- Being a teacher and selecting a school for your children.

- Our school’s graduate mentor program and tips and advice for graduates

- Having student teachers and tips and advice for a successful practicum

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)

Episode 18 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: (Jacqueline Irvine)

For the eighteenth episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing Jacqueline Irvine.

Jacqueline is into her 5th year of teaching, having done 3 years in Prep and now currently doing casual relief teaching due to the fact Jacqueline is going to be studying positive psychology in July.

Jacqueline has a huge passion for teacher wellness and wellbeing and that is why Jacqueline is doing extra study and research into this area.

Jacqueline discusses the following:

- Her teaching journey, why she became a teacher and her teacher role model.

- Where her passion for teacher wellness came from

- What she has learnt so far about teacher wellness through her research and study.

- Top 5 tips for teacher wellness and wellbeing

- Advice for teachers struggling with teacher wellness

- Discussion about her book which is about to be released (The Teachers Notebook)

- The Teacher Notebook Instagram account

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)

Check out Jacqueline’s Instagram account on the link below:

https://www.instagram.com/the_teachers_notebook/   

Episode 17 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: (Aaron Johnston)

For the seventeenth episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing fellow podcaster Aaron Johnston.

Aaron is into his 14th year of teaching (currently teaching Stage 3 students) and 7th year as an Assistant Principal in New South Wales.

Aaron discusses the following:

- His educational journey, reasons why he decided to become a teacher and his decision to go down the leadership path.

- Important qualities and experiences required to be a strong leader

- Discussion about his Teacher Takeaway Podcast

- Teacher Instagram environment

- General teaching tips

- Importance of developing strong relationships with your students and parents

- Teacher Wellbeing

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)

Check out Aaron’s Instagram account on the link below and his Teacher Takeaway Podcast.

Mr. J Learning Space

https://www.instagram.com/mr.j.learning.space/?hl=en

Teacher Takeaway Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/teachertakeawaypodcast/?hl=en

Episode 16 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: (Emily Jacobs)

For the sixteenth episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I interview close friend Emily Jacobs.

Emily is into her 11th year of teaching and is currently teaching a Grade 1/2 class. Emily is also a Mum to three gorgeous children in Pippa, Leo and Luna.

Emily discusses the following:

- Her teaching journey, why she became a teacher and her teacher role model/s.

- How to go about balancing being a Mum and a teacher.

- Challenges of coming back from maternity leave.

- What schools can do to support Mums coming back into the workplace

- Advice for teachers on maternity leave

- Teaching musts in a Junior School Area

- One Word Association with Todd (Game)