In which Dan chats with Cindy Blackburn, Director of Learning and Engagement at Toddle, about curriculum, that "dirty word" at many progressive schools. Cindy is also the host of the School Leaders Project podcast, where she interviews leading minds in progressive education. Dan and Cindy talk about why curriculum design and mapping can be so so sticky in schools, lessons from the International Baccalaureate, and the future of artificial intelligence in schools.

Mentioned in the show:
Toddle, a leading learning management system for IB and progressive schools
School Leaders Project, a podcast from Toddle and hosted by Cindy Blackburn
Streamlining the Curriculum: Using the Storyboard Approach to Frame Compelling Learning Journeys, by Heidi Jacobs Hayes and Allison Zmuda
11th Grader Takes An AI Tutoring Deep Dive, from Education Next
Two-Sigma Tutoring: Separating Science Fiction from Science Fact from Education Next

Connect with Dan on Instagram @BigIdeaEd and Blue Sky @dankearney

Music: Sunflower by Soyb (Youtube Audio Library)

In which Dan chats with Olina Banerji, a reporter for EdWeek who recently wrote a great article, "Schools Are Eerily Quiet About the Election Results, Educators Say." Dan and Olina talk about why "the impact never came" following Donald Trump's election, how different stakeholders are processing the results, and what Olina and her colleagues could be reporting on in the weeks leading up to inauguration day.

See also:

• EdWeek - The public education paper of record
• "Teachers toss their lesson plans, give students the floor to grapple with Trump win" from Chalkbeat
• "Moreno Valley teacher on administrative leave after making anti-Trump remarks in class" from ABC7

Music: Gingersweet from Massobeats

In which Dan sits down (in person!) with Oshri Hakak (@oshrihakak), children's author, mental health advocate, and all-around deep thinker about the world we live in. Oshri collaborates with NAMI Westside Los Angeles (@namiwla) to talk with students young and old about the importance of breaking the silence around mental health and strategies for taking care of ourselves and each other. He's also a prolific author whose books are beautiful and poignant for children and adults alike.

Mentioned in the show:
National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
NAMI Westside Los Angeles
Oshri Hakak's books, including Harry and the Hamster Wheel
Oshri's Children's Mental Health Toolbox

Music: gingersweet by massobeats [via No Copyright Background Music]

In which Dan talks about addressing hard topics and fielding tough questions from our smallest students with Kat Nguyen, a Kindergarten teacher in California. How do early childhood teachers address the questions and comments that inevitably arise, especially in this hypermedia era when students of all ages are likely to notice, see, overhear and wonder?

Dan and Kat talk about being honest, authentic, and vulnerable with students, the perils of this election year, and her book recommendations for young students.

Books mentioned in the episode:
No Turkey For Thanksgiving by Jacqueline Jules and Kathryn Mitter
Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell and David Catrow

Music: Que Es Estraño by Molo

In which Dan talks about how teachers can feel prepared and empowered to teach and talk about the upcoming election. He's joined by Erica Hodgin from Facing History & Ourselves, truly the gold standard for approaching difficult history and civic topics in K-12 classrooms.

This election will bring unique opportunities and challenges for all teachers (not just social studies teachers!) and meeting this moment means thinking about ourselves, our classrooms, and how we'll foster civil discourse when emotionally charged topics come up.

Even more than that, Erica discusses why it's vital to engage young people in the democratic process and civic life beyond textbooks.

Mentioned in the episode:

From Facing History

• Civic education landing page
• Democracy in Action: Teaching about the 2024 Election & Educating for Civic Participation
• Teaching about Voting and Elections
• Back to School Toolkit
• Fostering Civil Discourse Guide
• Teaching Resources for US Elections Collection
• Democracy and Current Events Toolkit

Music: We Have a Tripod 

In which Dan discusses the nature of technology with Dan Krutka, an associate professor at the University of North Texas, a prolific academic writer, and one of the founders of Civics of Technology, a project and online community founded on something Dan calls technoskepticism. 

Whether you're an educator or just someone who enjoys thinking about how technology impacts our lives, this conversation is for you. After exploring the question of phones in schools, Dan and Dan unpack technoskepticism and why and how we (and our students) can think more deeply about our interaction with technology.

Mentioned:
Civics of Technology
"What Relationships Do We Want with Technology?", Harvard Educational Review by Pleasants, Krutka, Nichols
"Anti-Social Media: Teaching Slow Responses to Fast Media", Social Education by Krutka
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The works of Ruha Benjamin
A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload by Cal Newport
The Social Dilemma

Music by Lights in LA

In which Dan talks with Garreth Heidt, an educator in Pennsylvania who’s spent a career thinking about and practicing how education could be different. Garreth leads the Nova LAB program at Perkiomen Valley HS.

Dan and Garreth discuss human systems and agency, risk taking in the classroom, challenging the status quo, and empowering students to see beyond grades and find purpose.

I welcome comments and questions on Instagram, Twitter, and Threads @BigIdeaEd

Mentioned in the episode:
Nova LAB at Perkiomen High School
Why John Dewey’s vision for education and democracy still resonates today from The Conversation
Future Search Network
The Path to Purpose: How Young People Find Their Calling in Life by Bill Damon
Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level by Don Wettrick
Wayfinder
A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative by Roger von Oech

Music by Smart Toaster 

In which Dan chats with Tyler Rablin (@Mr_Rablin) about how teachers can make assessment really work for student motivation, purpose, and confidence. Tyler is a teacher and instructional coach in Washington, and he's the author of the new book Hacking Student Motivation: 5 Assessment Strategies That Boost Learning Progression & Build Student Confidence. Dan and Tyler talk about the nature of student motivation in 2024 and online gradebooks before turning to Tyler's book.

Tyler lays out specific, actionable ways that teachers can make assessment work for students, and it makes for a great read. Dan and Tyler discuss his thoughts on feedback, learning progressions, and what Tyler calls an "informative gradebook." They wrap up by talking about phones in schools and why removing them creates a more authentic, productive environment.

As always, I welcome comments and questions on Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (X) @BigIdeaEd

Mentioned in the show:
Hacking Student Motivation: 5 Assessment Strategies That Boost Learning Progression & Build Student Confidence by Tyler Rablin, February 2024
Assessment with Tyler Rablin, What's the Big Idea?, April 2021
Introducing the HyperRubric: A Tool that Takes Learning to the Next Level (featuring Tyler Rablin), Cult of Pedagogy, August 2021
Tyler Rablin on Twitter (X), where he shares many excellent ideas and resources

Support me on Patreon, where a $5 monthly membership gets you a cool sticker! 

Music: Red Funk by Ruben Ramos

In which Dan comments on our nation's obsession with STEM education and misaligned priorities. We've been sold a story by industry leaders that STEM jobs are the future; we lionize tech and math nerds; we push kids to take the highest possible math classes. Why?

Looking at some of our biggest problems that humanity faces – – climate change, sectarian violence, political paralysis, authoritarianism— and it’s clear that while technology can, has, and always will play a vital role, it’s foolish to think that technology will save us. We can’t simply tech our way out of our problems.

This isn't an anti-STEM rant. It's a call for a more balanced approach. 

Mentioned in the episode:
Math Anxiety Is Real. Here's How To Help Your Child Avoid It, NPR, Sept. 2020
College Preparation, Undergraduate Admissions, University of Michigan
Can We Please Stop Talking About Harvard?, Have You Heard, Jan. 2024
Bad Idea: Prioritizing STEM Education at the Expense of Civic Education, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dec. 2020
The Fantasy Economy: Neoliberalism, Inequality, and the Education Reform Movement by Neil Kraus
Is There Really a STEM Workforce Shortage? by Ron Hira, Issues in Science and Technology, Summer 2022

In which Dan talks about the challenges facing girls today--and reasons for optimism--with Donna Jackson Nakazawa. Donna is the author of seven books, most recently Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media. Dan and Donna talk about the multitude of stressors facing girls today and how their biology uniquely interacts with that stress. Then they talk about some of the implications for schools before turning to what Donna calls "antidotes", strategies and mindsets for the adults in girls' lives to help them thrive.

As always I welcome comments and questions on Instagram, Threads, and X @BigIdeaEd

Mentioned in the show:
Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media by Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal by Donna Jackson Nakazawa
The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine by Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show, Wall Street Journal, Sept 2021
Social media is driving teen mental health crisis, surgeon general warns, NBC News, May 2023
Conference to Restore Humanity 2024 from Human Restoration Project

Music by Stars in LA