The Ask Adam and Ryan Show: Recent Episodes
Adam Welcome and Ryan Sheehy
The Adam and Ryan Show talks about education, life, and more. They answer listeners questions as they tell stories from their journey through education and life.
Adam Welcome: @mradamwelcome, adamwelcome@gmail.com Ryan Sheehy: @sheehyrw, mrryansheehy@gmail.com
In this episode, Ryan and Adam discuss some of their favorite recent books they have read.
In this episode, Ryan and Adam discuss the following questions:
- I see so many different education conferences on Twitter. If you had to choose just one to attend, which one would it be and why?
- You have talked about initiative fatigue different times on your podcast. What is one initiative that you currently have going at your site, which you are excited about?
- If you could have any job in education right now, what job would you want and why?
- As you speak all over the country, I am sure you run into some pretty inspirational people. Who is one person that you have met through your travels, that is inspirational?
- What is one thing that you would do to public education in order to change the results that it is getting?
In this episode, Adam and Ryan discuss the following:
- am entering my first year as a principal. I am looking for activities to do with my staff on the first day, any suggestions?
- What do you do to make sure that your community understands and knows that when you say all students, it means ALL students?
- How do you reach young men and build real relationships w/ the when the majority of teachers are women?
- How do you maintain building relationships with all stakeholders over the summer months, when school is out?
- What is the best edtech tool that every teacher should be using in their classroom?
In this episode, Ryan and Adam discuss the following questions:
Episode 29
- I just landed my first teaching job. What should I focus on first?
- I was reading the other day that principals leave their jobs for the following reasons: Inadequate training and professional development, poor working conditions, insufficient salaries, Lack of decision making authority, and high stakes accountability policies. What can leaders do to overcome these feelings and stay in a leadership role?
- What is the biggest mistake you made and how would (or how did) you avoid making it again?
- What are some good strategies you recommend for building relationships with Ss?
- What was a memorable/rewarding event where you went out on a limb this year, either for a student or whomever?
In this episode, Ryan and Adam discuss the following:
- I’m taking next year off to stay home with my kids. What will a principal want to hear about this decision/how I spent my year off when I apply for jobs the following year?
- How does an educator survive at a district where the Principals number one priority is to make everyone happy vs choosing research based methodologies to drive curriculum and policies?
- If you could redesign a school day, how would you design it and why?
- I am working in a school district that has a declining enrollment. We are losing kids to private schools and charter schools. How should districts handle this?
- What is the most important thing for a new principal to do in the first 30 days?
In this episode, Adam and Ryan discuss the following questions:
- How do you continue your positive vibes rolling into the summer break?
- How do you balance relationships with leadership, while making sure others don’t feel that I am picking sides?
- What recommendations do you have for summer professional development?
- My school needs something, I’m not sure what it needs but it needs something? Any ideas?
- I’m questioning my choice of becoming a teacher and staying in the profession, what do you think I should do?
In this episode, Ryan and Adam discuss the following:
- What are three characteristics that you would use to describe a successful person?
- How do you combat end of year burnout and exhaustion?
- What’s the biggest problem facing public education today?
- When hiring teachers, would you rather someone have prior experience or someone who is brand new to the profession?
- What are you doing today to prepare for next school year?
In this episode, Ryan and Adam discuss the following questions:
- What’s the ONE lesson you think all students should learn and why?
- What is the best lesson you’ve ever learned as a professional? How did that learning experience occur?
- What helps you get through those tough days at work?
- Who do you turn to for advice?
- Since this is the end of teacher appreciation week. Who is one teacher that you had that you would like to thank?
- What got you into education?
- You taught for a number of years, what made you want to become an administrator?
- Who are 5 people in education that have made the biggest impact on your life and how did they do it?
- You’re writing a leadership book right now, what’s the book about and what’s it like writing with two other people?
- If you could give advice to parents about raising their kids, what would it be and why?
- Do you have any other books you want to write?
- What’s your long term goal as an educator?
Lightning Round: What is your favorite color? What is your favorite word? What is your least favorite word? What sound or noise do you love? What sound or noise do you dislike? Who would like to see on a new banknote? What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? What profession other than your own, would you not want to attempt? What is the last book you read? What is your favorite children's book? If you were a breakfast cereal, what breakfast cereal would you be and why?
In this episode Adam and Ryan discuss the following questions:
- What is an area or areas that you feel credential programs need to do a better job preparing teacher candidates in?
- I am a principal at a school where there is little turnover. I have tried to model behavior and motivate my staff, but there is still a huge group that doesn’t do what is best for kids. What do you recommend?
- As a teacher what are three things that you feel I should focus on every day?
- When you are interviewing to hire for a teaching position, how is your interview structured?
- When you are interviewing to hire an administrator, how is your interview structured?
In this episode, Adam and Ryan discuss the following:
- How he (Adam) approaches teachers/educators who are hesitant about using technology in the classroom?
- What role do relationships play with students that are not gaining academically? Do you feel that they still matter if there are no academic gains?
- How about ideas for breaking students out of doing the average. They seem excited and are engaged, then turn in just average or in many cases far less than average. The system of spoon feeding created it, how can we undo it?
- Any tips for fostering intrinsic motivation in Ss that otherwise lack it?
- When you walk into the classroom, what do expect the teacher to do be doing and the students to be doing?
On this weeks episode, Ryan asks Adam the following questions:
- What do you tell people when they ask you what you do for a living?
- So you just wrote a book about Empowering Girls. Why did you feel it was important to write?
- What do you tell people when they say they don’t have time?
- What is your advice to parents that want their kids to be innovative and a creator?
- Anybody that follows you on social media sees how busy you are. Why do you feel that it is important to continue to put out that much content? How does your wife feel about you sharing your life with the world?
- What is the hardest thing about writing a book?What is the best thing?
- Who are 5 people in education that have made the biggest impact on your life and how did they do it?
Lightning Round: What is your favorite color? What is your favorite word? What is your least favorite word? What sound or noise do you love? What sound or noise do you dislike? Who would like to see on a new banknote? What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? What professional other than your own, would you not want to attempt? What is the last book you read? What is your favorite children's book?If you were a breakfast cereal, what breakfast cereal would you be and why?
On this episode Adam and Ryan discuss the following:
- Best advice for transitioning/incorporating differentiated instruction/learning.
- How do you recommend teachers be mindful of that work-life balance when all these necessary layers of RTI, PLC, collaborative planning, conferences, community involvement, etc.? Teachers do all the things.
- What are your favorite blogs and websites to learn from?
- If you could go back to teaching what grade or subject would you teach and why?
- What is one thing you have not done that you wish you would have?
In this episode Adam and Ryan discuss the following questions:
- How do you feel about year-round school compared to a traditional school calendar?
- What is your favorite thing about education right now?
- What are your thoughts about homework K-5?
- How do you keep everyone around you positive and motivated during crunch time? (state tests and end of year?)
- Do you have a tried and true way or process of goal setting with kids?
In this Episode, Ryan and Adam discuss the following:
- End of the year budget and supply lists are being made. What are some must needs or materials that have benefited learning that need to make the list?
2.Before you make a major decision or change a policy, who do you consult who is NOT an employee?
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What do you recommend kids do over the summer months to continue their education?
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This time of year always seems to be stressful. What are you doing to make sure that you stay focused and positive for the rest of the year?
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What have you done to connect with younger grades at your school? Getting them ready for next year?
- How do you handle negative colleagues?
- If we all talk about constant change needed- when will it actually come from the top? Homework, stand. Tests etc?
- How do you feel about allowing students in middle school (6-8 grade) to carry their cell phones throughout the day. They are not being used in the classrooms for educational purposes. Our principal feels they aren't safe in their lockers??
- How do you handle discussions with parents and teachers regarding a highly disruptive student and the learning/rights of the other students in the class while ensuring the rights and privacy of the child in question?
- What is one podcast that you are listening right now and you recommend other to listen to?
In this episode Adam and Ryan discuss the following questions:
- If you have an interview for an admin position and you only have 30 minutes to talk to the school district, what do you talk about and what do you make sure to include.
- How involved have you been (or not) in steering your own kids towards exceptional educators classes, or away from burnt out educators classes?
- What’s a critical interview question that you ask in interviews that will tell you all you need to know about your potential hire?
- Why in education do teachers not want to share all the things happening in their classroom?
- If you had three wishes for education what would they be?
In this episode Adam and Ryan discuss the following questions:
- What do you do when someone takes a tweet/graphic and has negative comments about it on social media?
- I’m thinking about getting my masters, what do you think?
- What do you do if you’re frustrated with your class?
- I’m thinking about getting my Google certification, what are your thoughts?
- I’m currently an Assistant Principal and want to become a Principal, what advice do you have on the process?
In this episode Adam & Ryan discuss the following questions:
- What do you do when parents chew you up and spit you out?
- I like my school and community, but feel I need to change schools. What advice do you have?
- I’m an aspiring administrator, how do I get started with looking for jobs and putting feelers out there?
- There are some teachers on my grade level team that I don’t get along with, how do I work through this?
- What hurdles are you facing in education right now and how are you overcoming them?
In this episode Adam and Ryan answer the following questions:
- How do we help ourselves and others remove that stigma and give students a fresh start?
- How does a single teacher make a change in culture in their building?
- What can I do to get more of my colleagues to embrace the #KidsDeserveIt and #BeTheOne philosophy?
- If you could build your own school, what would it look like?
- What is something that you can do to get more volunteers at school?
In this episode Adam and Ryan answer the following questions:
What advice/wisdom do you have for instructional coaches being assigned to a new school?
What advice do you have to shift a culture so that adults see themselves as learners?
What book has made the biggest impact on you and why?
Knowing that many educational jobs seem to be designed to be bigger than capable of doing. How do you know what to focus on and get done?
When you’re delivering #professionaldevelopment to adults, what do you think is the most important factor to consider? (Group that’s new to you, you don’t have a relationship with, just walk in and go)
On this weeks episode, Ryan and Adam answer the following questions.
- What's the best way to balance what we have to teach (curriculum) and time to build relationships...the experiences our students will remember?
- Which hurdles did you personally face and how did you overcome them?
- How did you get started as an author? Talk me through it.
- What compelled you to become a motivational speaker?
- What is your favorite show on television?
In episode Adam and Ryan discuss the following questions:
- How do we best support students who have challenging behaviors so that they don’t fall through the cracks?
- How can I let teachers know I am on their side when times are not on my side?
- How do you keep yourself motivated and stay positive every single day?
- How do you balance work, family, life and any hobbies you have?
- If someone asked you what you did for a living, what would be your elevator pitch?
In this weeks episode Adam and Ryan answer the following questions: 1. Share something that you learned in 2018 and how will it help you in 2019? 2. It seems that everyone around us are choosing a New Years resolution. What is your 2019 new years resolution? 3. What is one goal that you hope to accomplish in 2019 and how will achieve that goal? 4. How would you best prepare a teacher going into their first year? Is there a good way to help them with classroom management skills? Suggestions? 5. If you could add any chapter to one of your books, what would it be and why?
On this weeks episode, Ryan and Adam answer these questions:
How do you feel about the difference between public schools, private schools and charter schools?
Digital citizenship- what advice do you have for 10 yo about safety/appropriateness on social media? Many issues Educators face w this topic.
Initiative fatigue - how to combat it when you need to keep moving forward?
What is something that you are not good at that you would really like to get better at? Personal or Professional.
What are you most passionate about?
In this podcast, Adam and Ryan answer the following questions: 1. How do you get teachers out of complacency to passion for teaching? 2. How do you keep kids and teachers focused during the holiday season? 3. Do you have any regrets throughout your career? 4. What would you tell your ‘first year teacher self?’ 5. If you could move anywhere in the country, where would you want to teach and with who?
In this episode Adam and Ryan answer the following questions:
- What is one characteristic that you feel every educator should have?
- Tell us about one of the most interesting interview experiences.
- What are you doing daily to grow as an educator?
- How do you encourage parents to be part of child's educational experience?
- If you had one wish or dream for education what would it be?
This week on the Ask Adam and Ryan show, they discuss the following questions from Twitter:
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What do you suggest a new teacher put on their resumes to get an interview, or perhaps in their cover letter?
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Thinking from a High School perspective, what are some of your “go to” strategies, tools, stories to motivate an older staff? What are some of your ideas to build a positive campus culture?
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What has been one time or incident that a single decision has changed your career for the better?
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What is one piece of advice you would give a new teacher that would of really helped you when you started as a teacher?
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How do you encourage critical thinking within your school?
Adam and Ryan answer the following questions in show #3: 1. What do you do when you have a staff member that doesn't agree with your vision & is doing what they've always done & not building relationships w/ kids & parents? 2. How do you fight the feeling of doubt when you feel like you are doing so much and not seeing anything happen? 3. What steps do you take to rebuild a relationship with a student after it may have been broken? 4. What are some strategies for convincing parents that traditional homework does not positively impact student learning? 5. Who is someone that you look up to that you would like to give a shout out to?
Adam and Ryan answer the following questions in show #2:
- What’s the best way to help move from theory to practice?
- Words of wisdom for a new staff?
- What is your favorite or go to app for yourself?
- How do I write a book?
- How do I balance life and work?
Adam and Ryan answer the following questions: Show #1 1. Best advice for a young, aspiring admin looking for and interviewing for jobs? 2. What guidance do you have for change when your school lacks leadership? 3. What do you predict will be a major change in education within the next ten years? 4. What are you most proud of? 5. What’s one of the most innovative practices you have seen in your career?