Ed - Conversations About the Teaching Life: Recent Episodes
Shane Lawrence
Growing up in Kikambala, a Kenyan village, Samara Visram witnessed her community filled with poverty, drugs and prostitution. Through the incredible example of her parents, Samara was inspired to do her part to improve the world around her. So, at the age of 15, she began a journey that continues today: to build an environmentally sustainable school in her home village. We talk about the value of education for students who might otherwise face a life of poverty, drugs, or the threat of human trafficking.
Links:CARM Schools KenyaGoFundMe for CARM Schools KenyaThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:Marvel: Universe of Superheroes at Telus World of Science EdmontonATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
A teacher's work schedule is a full one, even when only considering the basic duties of planning, teaching and grading. Add on top of that the numerous other activities that demand our attention - supervision, emails, clubs, coaching, relationships, testing - and our work lives can easily get overfull.
This episode, we consider what needs to be thrown out in order to properly prioritize our tasks at work. Nothing is off the table: curriculum, season planning...anything.
On top of that, we've got our usual wins and fails, along with some great time outs.
Links:
Stephen Hurley on TwitterRamona Meharg on TwitterThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:The Well Endowed PodcastATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
This week, I'm joined by Amanda Schulz, a charter school teacher specializing in direct instruction. And if those two buzzwords don't perk your ears up...well. We talk about the benefits of structure and predictability, plus a little politics. And somehow, we wind up at musicals and how Amanda uses them as a bridge to understanding for her students. Whether it's singing about fractions, or doing a rap battle about trees, Amanda is doing a pile of cool stuff in her classroom.
Links:
Amanda on TwitterThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:
Park PowerSeat GiantATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
In her career, Jennie Magiera has filled many roles: classroom teacher, district administrator, author, instructional coach, and founder of the non-profit organization Our Voice Alliance. Through it all, she's been driven by a passion to make education the best it can be for both students and teachers. We talk about the formative moment when she knew she wanted to become a teacher and how that informed her passion for building "edventures" for her students. We also discuss her passion for seeing equity amongst educational voices. Coming from an east-asian background, Jennie has experienced the barriers built by prejudice and has committed herself to minimizing - if not, eliminating - those barriers for other teachers of colour.
Links:
Jennie on TwitterOur Voice AllianceCourageous Edventures (book)The Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:
TaprootATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
This week, I'm joined by Rebecca Clark. Rebecca works with students with disabilities as they transition out of school. Her approach is diverse and passionate, covering tech, entrepreneurship, social skills and so much more. She shares her journey towards the classroom, the skills necessary to work in a challenging environment, as well as the things that make it all worthwhile.
Links:
Rebecca on TwitterThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:The Alberta Forest Products AssociationUnit B Co-WorkingATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Jeremy joins me this week all the way from Dubai, where he heads up a school filled with international students. We talk about the impact of having kids from over 40 different countries, and the opportunities that such cultural diversity provides. In our wide-ranging discussion, we also cover curriculum reform, teachers as free-agents, entrepeneurship, and - perhaps the most exciting of all - blockchain. Jeremy tells me about how this recent technological innovation will shake up the world and the importance of preparing our students for the future that awaits them.
Links:Jeremy on TwitterThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:Marvel: Universe of Superheroes at Telus World of Science EdmontonATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
This month, me and Tanya go off the deep end as we think what we would do with unlimited resources. It's pure flight of fancy, but our conversation also highlights many of the problems of the underresourced classroom, as well as some of the systemic shortcomings of the education system.
Links:Passenger List (Podcast)The Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:
Park PowerATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
When Staci Lamb decorated her classroom as a labour of love for her students, she had no idea that a video of her work would go completely viral. With over 2 million views of her Harry Potter-inspired classroom makeover, Staci's grade 9 room is now somewhat of a celebrity. We got together to chat about her inspiration for doing so, the real nuts and bolts of how a classroom like that works, and the fact that kids are still kids, no matter what. We also touch on some of the internet response she received, both positive and negative.
Links:
Staci on TwitterStaci on InstagramThe Engaging Station (website)The Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:The Well Endowed PodcastThe Alberta Forest Products AssociationATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
This week, I speak with teacher and leader Danny Steele. Known by many for his highly re-tweetable thoughts on Twitter, Danny and I talk about his role as an encourager of teachers, plus how his digital presence has shaped the educator he's become. We dig in to the importance of multiple perspectives, how and when to engage, and the value of having hard conversations.
Links:Danny Steele on TwitterSteeleThoughts.comEssential Truths for Teachers (via Amazon)Essential Truths for Principals (via Amazon) The Ed Podcast on TwitterThe Ed Podcast Website
Sponsored Links:Park PowerAlberta Forest Products AssociationATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Kyle McCormick does not have a Twitter account. He is not a thought leader. But he is a teacher, and he does think deeply about education. In this episode, we talk about the importance of approaching pedagogy from a critical standpoint. Being critical, we discuss, is not necessarily about knocking things down or building things up. Instead, it's an approach that demands that we understand the why of education and the methods we use in the classroom.
Links:
The Ed Podcast on TwitterThe Ed Podcast Website
Sponsored Links:
Telus World of Science, EdmontonATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
There's games and there's gamification. Zack Hartzman is about the former. He talks with me about his experiences bringing videogames into his classroom and how it has helped his students - mostly recent immigrants and ELL's - to engage with English and literature in an active and meaningful way. Along with recommendations for useful texts, Zack shares about the benefits and the how-to's as well.
Links:
Zack on TwitterHeyListen Games (website)The Ed Podcast on TwitterThe Ed Podcast Website
Sponsored Links:Litfest AlbertaYour Forest PodcastATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
When Typical Educelebrity began in June of 2019, he never imagined that the account would suddenly gain such notoriety. Yet within a month, his unique brand of parodic humour had garnered over ten thousand followers. This week, the anonymous teacher behind the account chats with me about his success as an educationally focused humourist.
And though we do talk at length about his account and his approach to humour, we dive much more deeply into the guts of the education world, as Typical Educelebrity reveals himself to be a thoughtful educator who cares deeply about his profession and the quality of education that his students are receiving.
Links:
Typical EduCelebrity on Twitter The Ed Podcast on TwitterThe Ed Podcast Website
Sponsored Links:The Well Endowed PodcastEdmonton Community FoundationATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
This month I'm joined by Tanya, Jeremy, and Jon as we ponder the role that safety plays in the classroom. Can a space be too safe? We peel back the layers of helicopter parenting, risk taking, failure and the difference between safety and pampering. As educators, we're called on to challenge and stretch our kids, but can we go too far? What role do at-home family standards play for each of our students? and what about their personal history? It's a delicate line to walk which requires both a sense of adventure and sensitivity to our students.
Links:
Jon on TwitterJeremy on TwitterProspect - Movie (via imdb)Testament by Margaret Atwood (via Amazon)The Ed Podcast on TwitterThe Ed Podcast Website
Sponsored Links:
LitFest AlbertaATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Nicholas Ferroni appears regularly on large media outlets, including Fox News, and The View. But despite being big on the national media stage, he is and continues to be a teacher, first and foremost. We talk about his surprising steps into fame, and how he's leveraging the rare opportunity he's been given. A passionate and tireless promoter of the teaching profession, Nicholas shares his deep desire to see the profession lifted up in terms of pay, working conditions, and respect in the culture at large.
Links:
Nicholas on TwitterNicholas on InstagramNicholas on FacebookThe Ed Podcast on TwitterThe Ed Podcast Website
Sponsored Links:Alberta Health ServicesPark PowerATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Kristin Leong is a former teacher who now works in a not-for-profit context. Still, her teacher heart beats true even as she has stepped out of the classroom. Her biggest passion lies in helping students and teachers find common ground through her TEDed initiative, The Roll Call Project. We talk about how this program has helped everyone on both sides of the classroom to discover our shared humanity, and helped to create a better sense of community and empathy. Throughout our discussion, Kristin also shares her thoughts on growing up as a member of not one but two minority communities and the impact it had on her own formation as an educator.
Links:Kristin on Twitterkristinleong.com RollCallProject.com The Ed Podcast on TwitterSponsored Links:TaprootUnit B Co-WorkingATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
In this super-sized episode, New York Times bestselling author Jessica Lahey joins me to talk about the developing minds of our young students. We dive deeply into neurology, cognitive development, and addiction. Her well runs deep with not just information, but also sage advice and solutions.
Links:
Jessica on TwitterJessicaLahey.com Brain Storm by Dan Siegel (via Amazon)Age of Opportunity by Laurence Steinberg (via Amazon)Preventing Teen Drinking (via The Washington Post) The Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:
Your Forest PodcastAlberta Blue Cross Wellness Summit ATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Andrew Scott is a teacher and host of the "It's a Conspiracy" podcast. We've joined forces for this special episode where we talk all about the biggest conspiracy of all: is education a left-wing liberal-making machine run by the leftist elite? Naturally, we dig deep into this, and our discussion takes into some interesting spaces where we discuss not just the validity of the conspiracy, but also the role that teachers have in molding their students in the unavoidably political environment that is the classroom.
It's a fun and thorough conversation that covers a lot of ground (including some serious ponderings about robot Hitler!).
Links:It's a Conspiracy on TwitterIt's a Conspiracy - WebsiteThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:
Your Forest PodcastAlberta Blue Cross Wellness Summit ATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Susan Jachymiak is heading into her second year of teaching, so we got together to reflect on her previous year's experiences. Susan shares about all the things she learned and - most importantly - the ways in which she felt the most supported. We also talk about the ways in which established teachers and administrators can help new teachers make the most of their first year in the profession.
Links:
Susan on TwitterSusan's Website#NewTeacherJourney (Podcast)The Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links
LitFest AlbertaATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
In honour of this being our 42nd episode, we thought we'd focus on the biggest answer to the biggest question: what's the answer to great teaching? Surprisingly, we get remarkably close to a viable answer. Along the way, we discuss work-life balance, the mindset needed to be a teacher, and what being a good teacher actually means.
Links:Shaun on TwitterJon on TwitterThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Holy Motors (Timeout)
Sponsored Links:The Well Endowed PodcastTaproot EdmontonATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Tim Cavey is a teacher and podcaster in Surrey, BC. When he's not interviewing teachers on his show, Teachers on Fire, he's helping his kids achieve their best in his classroom. We talk about podcasting, project based learning, and the power of yet. He explains that this point is crucial to equipping kids to look beyond obstacles and become truly effective learners.
Links:
Tim on TwitterTeachers on Fire - websiteThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:Unit B Co-WorkingAlberta Blue Cross Wellness Summit ATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
After twelve years of classroom teaching, Jessica Gentry decided to call it quits. When she shared her reasons for leaving the profession in an empassioned Facebook post, she didn't expect that it would go viral, prompting a largely sympathetic outpouring of empathy. We talk about her reasons for leaving, what she misses, and what it would have taken for her to stay the course in the classroom.
Links:Jessica's FB PostJessica on InstagramThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:Seat Giant - use promo code "APN"ATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network
Adam Welcome is a former teacher and principal who now travels across the country relating his experiences and insights. The author of three books, Adam has a wealth of knowledge to share. In this episode, we talk about the importance of staying lean and light to effect change, and the trouble with what Adam calls TMI - Too Many Initiatives. We also discuss his new book, Empower Our Girls and why we need to build new opportunities in areas of culture which have been traditionally considered “male” spaces.
Links:
Adam on Twitterhttps://mradamwelcome.com/Empower Our Girls on AmazonThe Ed Podcast on Twitter
Sponsored Links:
Park PowerATB FinancialThe Alberta Podcast Network