3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast: Recent Episodes
Arizona K12 Center
Being an educator in the 21st century is indescribably complex. There’s a constant pressure to meet standards and help students achieve, but there’s also a need to allow learners to color outside the lines in an effort to prompt creativity.
The Arizona K12 Center believes effective teaching and learning is grounded in quality teacher development and teacher leadership. To support educators along the continuum, the Center developed “3Ps in a Pod” to further dissect practice, policy, and passion in the field of education. Voiced by several of the Center's directors, "3Ps in a Pod" features numerous guests with ideas, perspectives, and stories relevant to what educators do both in and out of the classroom. This is a conversation, not a lecture. Ditch your notebook, but be ready to share. There’s no need to cram for a pop quiz, but we hope you’ll pledge to be a lifelong learner.
On this final episode in this series on More Than Mentoring, we welcome Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Daniela Robles and Assistant Director of Induction and Mentoring Kathleen Paulsen back to the podcast.
They reflect on themes through this season and discuss the role of mentors and what formal mentorship means for the enhanced practice and sustainability of educators across Arizona.
Daniela recognizes how there is both an art, that includes the relationship component of mentoring, and a science, that leans into data collection and student learning, to mentoring. Balancing these appropriately requires intellectual preparation, she notes. Daniela and Kathleen then unpack what intellectual preparation is and what that looks like for both mentors and the teachers they mentor.
Daniela and Kathleen close this episode by sharing their encouragement and thoughts as we close one school year and look ahead to the next.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore how you might further connect students to community and co-design learning opportunities unique to your location. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
On this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, we continue our conversation with mentor Inez Ramirez, NBCT, from Maricopa Unified School District — this time, with one of her teacher mentees, Anthony Gonzalez.
Through the episode, Inez and Anthony share with host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, and discuss with each other how they worked together through the past year and the ways Inez’ instructional mentoring support has had a deep impact on Anthony and his students.
Inez and Anthony’s conversation centers on some specific ways that they have been working to strengthen Anthony’s instructional practices. This dynamic mentor-mentee duo guides us through their year-long learning journey together and touches on specific elements of Anthony’s practice that they have focused on to create a more engaging environment for students and strengthen the impact of Anthony’s teaching on his students.
The podcast closes with Anthony reflecting on the past school year and the ways he has built his “toolbox.” He shares with us how others are helping him to reflect and continue to grow as he learns how to apply new skills in his instructional practice. Anthony reminds us of the importance of reflection as we continue to grow and evolve as professionals and calls us to be open to learning and talking about our practice.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore how you might further connect students to community and co-design learning opportunities unique to your location. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
On this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, you will meet Inez Ramirez, NBCT, a mentor with the Maricopa Unified School District. Inez walks us through her role as an instructional mentor for beginning teachers and the ways mentoring supports teachers in her district. She shares how she not only differentiates the support she provides but the various ways that she meets the needs of her mentees and maximizes their time spent connecting. Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, and Inez reinforce that the mentor-mentee support structures are built on trusting relationships.
As a mentor through the Arizona K12 Center's Arizona New Teacher Support Program, Inez worked on a case study about her mentorship of one teacher in particular this past year. She shares a bit about how she worked with that teacher, Anthony Gonzalez. Inez also provides advice on how to avoid stressors that are inevitable for teachers. Anthony's growth demonstrates the ways instructional mentoring can help strengthen the impact of early career educators.
Be sure to tune in to the next episode when we will hear from both Inez and her mentee Anthony about their work together through the past year.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to further explore and apply the power of mentoring. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Learn more about Joellen Killion's work Are You Coaching Heavy or Light? and Coaching heavy, coaching light: How to deepen professional practice.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center's professional learning opportunities and mentoring and induction support at azk12.org.
So far in this series on More Than Mentoring, we’ve been talking about mentoring you receive as a classroom teacher. On today’s episode, we step inside Northern Arizona University’s College of Education and talk with two faculty about how they mentor student teachers.
Bobby Macias and Ashley Esparza are both teach and support pre-service educators at NAU. They share with host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, about the current realities of supporting pre-service educators and the conversations they are having with those they support. As we explore the mentoring components of pre-service support, Bobby talks about reflective practice and the ways educators strive to meet the needs of every student. Ashley discusses how to model authentic reflection in practice as a way of making this practice more authentic for pre-service students.
Ashley and Bobby also provide a deep dive into how they support pre-service educators and the incredibly rich experience that students in NAU’s education programs have an opportunity to experience. They detail the collaborative supports available to pre-service educators in order to help them be fully prepared for a successful entry into their career. Juliana also explores what Ashley and Bobby have had the opportunity to learn as they mentor future educators and the ways in which we are learning to sustain educators and teachers in classrooms. Bobby and Ashley wrap up this episode with how they feel that mentorship supports educators in the field and the impact that this has on students.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore how you might further connect students to community and co-design learning opportunities unique to your location. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Learn more about the NAU education program at nau.edu/college-education.
Learn more about mentoring and educator support offered by the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Emmett Burnton and Ryan Donovan are two teachers both working in the social studies department at Boulder Creek High School in Deer Valley Unified School District. Not only colleagues, Emmett and Ryan have become mentors and coaches for each other. In today’s episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Kathleen Paulsen, NBCT, and Marlys Weaver talk with these outstanding educators about how they mentor each other to be their professional best and continue to evolve their practice.
Both teachers were also recognized for their teaching practice by the Arizona Educational Foundation. Emmett is the 2025 AEF Teacher of the Year, while Ryan is a 2025 AEF Ambassador for Excellence.
Emmett and Ryan share with Kathleen and Marlys how they connected at Boulder Creek and how their strengths differ and compliment each other. They also reflect on other educators and moments that guided their teacher development.
Both teachers explore in depth how they work to develop intentional and thoughtful lessons and assessments. They discuss their reflective practice and how it has positively impacted students.
Emmett calls us to think about mentorship in a way that creates deep relationships. These relationships help us really see our students and our peers in meaningful ways. Ryan shares about the value of protected time for collegial support and mentoring and the professional growth that results. He asks us to think about a mentor relationship as an opportunity for open dialogue and not about spending time focusing on deficits.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore how you might further connect students to community and co-design learning opportunities unique to your location. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are a couple additional resources mentioned in this episode:
- Dr. Carol Dweck's on growth mindsets
- About Parker J. Palmer
- The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life by Parker J. Palmer
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Join Kathleen Paulsen, assistant director of induction and mentoring at the Arizona K12 Center, as she connects with long-time educator and author Joellen Killion. They take a deep look at mentoring and induction and talk about what continues to inspire and drive Joellen’s work.
Joellen is a renowned leader in education with 30 years of experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of professional learning. Joellen has served as a senior advisor to Learning Forward and is also the author of several books. On the podcast, Kathleen specifically discusses Joellen’s article “Coaching Light Coaching Heavy” and how it informed and changed the way in which she views mentoring, induction, and her own professional learning.
Joellen starts the podcast by talking about the magic that results from high-quality professional learning and the impact that this has on students. She also talks about her “why” and what pushes her to continue to support the field.
Joellen and Kathleen discuss the feedback element in the professional growth process and the impact that this can have both on teachers and students. Joellen calls us to start by asking the person we are in community with what they would like to learn? This can be an entry point that leads to greater results and deeper understanding.
Joellen also pushes us to think past not only using teacher retention as a measure of success, but to look at measuring the success of a mentoring program through the student's success. She explains to Kathleen what this could look like in practice and how making students the primary goal of mentoring might play out in school buildings. Kathleen also emphasizes the delicate balance of building mentor-mentee relationships as well as supporting students in the classroom through mentees.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore how you might further connect students to community and co-design learning opportunities unique to your location. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Learn more about Joellen’s work through some of these links:
- Original Article: Are You Coaching Heavy or Light? by Joellen Killion
- Updated Article: Coaching heavy, coaching light: How to deepen professional practice by Joellen Killion
- Assessing Impact: Evaluating Professional Learning by Joellen Killion
- The Feedback Process: Transforming Feedback for Professional Learning by Joellen Killion
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Dr. Andy Kahn of Understood.org returns to 3Ps in a Pod to talk about what to know about students with learning and thinking differences and also how mentors can help teachers in supporting these students, all on this third episode of our series on More Than Mentoring.
Dr. Kahn asks both teachers and mentors to have a working knowledge of our classroom and students in a holistic and meaningful way. Mentoring cannot only help teachers prepare for the content and logistical elements of what needs to be delivered in the classroom but also for the emotional aspect as well. Mentoring is a way to support a growth mindset, set teachers on a path for success, and set students on a successful path of learning and growing as well, he shares.
3Ps Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, and Dr. Kahn also explore Universal Design of Learning and how this approach can support early career teachers as well. Dr. Kahn provides realistic examples of how UDL can be applied to our practice to support learners and mentees and create environments that help to remove the stigma some students experience and lower demands teachers may experience.
Dr. Kahn reinforces the idea of modeling what we expect from our learners. He asks us to stay mindful of modeling how we navigate through moments of need or dysregulation and navigate executive functions; we are establishing the environment that we hope our learners and mentees will feel comfortable demonstrating back. Dr. Kahn asks us to evaluate our practice: if we are asking mentees or learners to do more than we are willing to do ourselves, then we need to reassess and determine what we are asking and why.
Dr. Kahn leaves us with thoughts around flexibility that unlock learning opportunities that will serve our students in ways that help them feel safe, engaged and support lifelong learning.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use this reflection guide to further explore how you can connect this episode to your work.
Learn more about the resources mentioned in this podcast at understood.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Join host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, on this episode of 3Ps in a Pod as she connects with Sarah Brown Wessling, NBCT, an Iowa-grown educator who is as passionate as ever about what she does and finding ways to make deep connections. In this second episode of our series “More Than Mentoring,” Sarah explains how she collapses the space between mentor and teacher in order to be in a collaborative relationship with her mentees.
Sarah Brown Wessling is a high school English teacher and the director of the National Teacher of the Year program, which gives her the opportunity to work with the state teachers of the year. She is a fierce advocate for the profession and a mentor who embodies curiosity and kindness.
Sarah pushes us to explore our teaching identity and to examine how we mentor teachers to ensure we aren’t telling teachers how to establish a teaching identity but supporting them in discovering their own teaching identity through reflection. She also explains why and how she crafts invitations for learning and how that impacts trust, autonomy, respect, and community.
Sarah and Juliana talk deeply about developing relationships and how limiting our idea of mentoring to specifically timed meetings can limit those relationships. Mentors, whether working with students or adults, should consider establishing connection points that allow for rolling and continuous conversations. Sarah coaches us to be the most interested person in the room and ask questions that will support growth. She shares that questions are like “pulleys” and, when we are genuinely curious, questions pull us closer.
Don’t forget that Sarah reminds us that listening is leadership and a gift. Often those we are listening to have the answer in themselves and just need the encouraging nudge of hearing their words back to them to know they are seen and that they are moving in the right direction.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore your approach to mentoring. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Welcome to this new 3Ps in a Pod series on More Than Mentoring!
In this first episode, host Marlys Weaver welcomes Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Daniela Robles and Assistant Director of Induction and Mentoring Kathleen Paulsen to explore instructional mentoring, how it’s different than coaching, and what this work can do for teachers, mentors, and school communities.
Kathleen and Daniela both share how they came to instructional mentoring before actually having the title of a mentor or coach, either by reaching out to help new teachers in their school or to support National Board Certification candidates. They also share about what they see as the differences between instructional mentoring and coaching and how expanding and enhancing habits of mind through mentoring allows us to better serve all students.
As Kathleen and Daniela unpack what it means to be a successful mentor, they walk through the role of the mentor, the support they provide, and why mentoring training is a critical element in ensuring mentors are prepared to support other adults in their building. Being a successful mentor is not about the mentor's success in the classroom but about helping other teachers realize their classroom rhythm and finding success in their classroom.
Daniela asks listeners to reflect on our life's work as education professionals. She asks us to reflect on who we are, how teacher leadership transfers inside and outside the walls of our classrooms, and to be mindful of staying assets-focused. Kathleen shares about how consistency is mentoring support across a system is what can have exponential impact on teachers and systems and encourages listeners to examine their systems.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use this episode-specific reflection guide to explore how you might further connect students to community and co-design learning opportunities unique to your location.
Here are links to resources mentioned in this episode and additional resources to expand your learning.
- Arizona Beginning Teacher Induction Standards
- Jim Knight
- Elena Aguilar
- Article: The Arizona K12 Center’s Approach to “Robust Mentoring” in Induction
- Podcast: What’s All the Hype about Cognitive Coaching?
- Original Article: Are You Coaching Heavy or Light? by Joellen Killion
- Updated Article: Coaching heavy, coaching light: How to deepen professional practice by Joellen Killion
- Arizona K12 Center's Approach to Induction and Mentoring
- Arizona K12 Center Customized Support for Induction and Mentoring
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We’ll have a full season of 3Ps in a Pod starting soon. In the meantime, here’s a special episode of 3Ps in a Pod with Ken Shelton, an expert on artificial intelligence (AI) in education and author of The Promises and Perils of AI in Education: Ethics and Equity Have Entered the Chat.
Marlys Weaver of the Arizona K12 Center and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, co-host this episode. Dr. Lindsey also co-hosted the four-part AI in Education podcast series last spring and was part of the team that created the guide Generative Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education: Guidance for Arizona Schools and School Systems.
Ken has worked in education for more than 20 years and holds a Master of Arts in education with a specialization in educational technology as well as new media design and production. Generative AI, he explains, does have both benefits and significant challenges. He explores several of the issues with AI. Many of these grow out of AI being built by humans, who bring their own perspectives and biases. This not only can include AI programs being built by teams with a lack of diversity in general but also education AI programs being build by teams that include few or no classroom practitioners. For educators to use generative AI programs responsibly to support students, those programs must be designed for our learners’ reality.
When people use AI without understanding the biases that can come with a particular program, that AI tool can cause more harm than good, Ken explains. He shares newsworthy examples of chatbots that have shared incorrect and troublesome information with students. This leads into a conversation about how educators select AI tools. Often, educators may select AI tools because students may seem more engaged with technology, but Ken offers several questions educators can use when deciding when and how to use AI. These include asking why you’re using a tool or program in a particular way, “What is the learning, experiential or educational goal or purpose of using an AI tool?” and “What problem does this solve that you can’t address with other available resources?”
Ken and Dr. Lindsey also discuss how “performatively engaging” technology can be for students. Ken recommends that educators do not confuse activity with engagement. AI tools can appear “fun,” as Dr. Lindsey notes, but to be used responsibly and effectively, Ken states that educators must frame AI use around educational goals and the experiences educators want students to have to reach those goals.
Ken closes the episode talking about the things that AI can do better than humans and what humans will always be able to do better than AI. He then shares the positives that can come from AI use in schools.
At an upcoming series on AI in Education, Ken Shelton will work with teachers in going beyond the tips and tricks of AI use and building an ethical approach that serves all students. Learn more and register at azk12.org/AIinEd.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
While we focus on K-12 education at the Arizona K12 Center, today on 3Ps in a Pod, we’re talking about a particular pathway for high school graduates. Today, Amanda Schmidt, a senior development director with NAU Advancement, joins us to talk about ways to remove or lower barriers to post-secondary education and how, as a community, we can all participate in helping others achieve success by lowering financial barriers.
Amanda shares about why she encourages students to lead with curiosity when considering post-secondary possibilities and the importance of reaching out to find out what support may exist. There are many avenues available to support students as they attempt to navigate funding and potential gaps in their funding. Amanda offers several suggestions for how students can fill these gaps while pursuing opportunities.
As students are investigating what they may want to pursue post-secondary, Amanda suggests starting by being radically honest about what brings you joy and what ignites your passion. She also encourages potential students or program participants to explore the supports that may exist at the place or program you are exploring and ensure they also align with your values.
On this podcast, listeners will learn more about the various arms of support designed to assist students pursuing a college or university path. Amanda explains how completing the FAFSA can be a way of sourcing needs-based funds but should also be a point of asking further questions.
Amanda and 3Ps host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, also explore how we can be a part of the community that helps move future generations of students forward and what large impacts that community generosity can have on students.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore how you might support removing barriers to post-secondary opportunities. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- NAU Foundation: https://www.foundationnau.org
- Contact Amanda Schmidt about making a donation Amanda.Schmidt@nau.edu
- NAU Financial Aid: https://nau.edu/office-scholarships-financial-aid/
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Have you been wondering about how we can more deeply connect students to their local communities? Have you been curious about exploring how to co-construct learning opportunities with students? On this seventh episode of our 3Ps in a Pod series on "Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools," we are investigating ways to strengthen the connection between students and community.
Leading the potential for bridging connections between students and the community is Josh Schachter, director and founder of CommunityShare, based in Tucson. Learning from Josh’s experience in this work, he shares with us how he and his team set out to build a “human library” and help others make meaningful connections.
Josh and 3Ps host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, explore the need that CommunityShare fills through its rich and diverse resources and experiences. Josh shares how his team has developed a “learning ecosystem”, how we can tap into deep funds of knowledge by lifting the assets of families, and the impact that authentic engagement has on students and the community.
CommunityShare cares deeply about teachers and invests in them and their leadership skills through the Educator Fellowship Program. Through the support provided, teachers have an opportunity to learn more about redesigning learning experiences while developing their own caring network of peers. The program affords teachers a chance to explore their mindsets, work on a concrete project, and then spend the length of the fellowship co-designing the learning experience with a community partner.
Josh encourages us to start where we are and then be open to how projects can scale up and expand. He also calls on us to expand the way that we think about education and how this might impact economic mobility. CommunityShare seeks to bring people together to work on challenges and build networks based on what does unite individuals.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore how you might further connect students to community and co-design learning opportunities unique to your location. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Learn more about CommunityShare at communityshare.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression.
In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindsets must be applied with intentionality and can support healing, being seen, and humanizing our spaces. The Liberatory Design Mindsets support us in reconnecting with one another as full human beings, which allows us to then bring our best thinking forward and design systems in innovative ways. Kathleen calls on us to think about how we create and tend to the conditions where together we are not only taking actions to learn but to also transform power. She reflects on how we talk about complex issues without blame or shame, come together to define the problem, and create new ways of doing things. Including those closest to a problem to generate a solution helps interest holders to feel seen and understood. This can shift the culture of a space and deepen relationships.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore what new strategies you might want to try and how you will intentionally create an environment that explores curiosities you might have about fostering deep relationships with families/caregivers and the community. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- Learn more about Liberatory Design at liberatorydesign.com
- Learn more about National Equity Project
- More about the Stanford D School and Liberatory Design
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression.
In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindsets must be applied with intentionality and can support healing, being seen, and humanizing our spaces. The Liberatory Design Mindsets support us in reconnecting with one another as full human beings, which allows us to then bring our best thinking forward and design systems in innovative ways. Kathleen calls on us to think about how we create and tend to the conditions where together we are not only taking actions to learn but to also transform power. She reflects on how we talk about complex issues without blame or shame, come together to define the problem, and create new ways of doing things. Including those closest to a problem to generate a solution helps interest holders to feel seen and understood. This can shift the culture of a space and deepen relationships.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore what new strategies you might want to try and how you will intentionally create an environment that explores curiosities you might have about fostering deep relationships with families/caregivers and the community. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- Learn more about Liberatory Design at liberatorydesign.com
- Learn more about National Equity Project
- More about the Stanford D School and Liberatory Design
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression.
In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindsets must be applied with intentionality and can support healing, being seen, and humanizing our spaces. The Liberatory Design Mindsets support us in reconnecting with one another as full human beings, which allows us to then bring our best thinking forward and design systems in innovative ways. Kathleen calls on us to think about how we create and tend to the conditions where together we are not only taking actions to learn but to also transform power. She reflects on how we talk about complex issues without blame or shame, come together to define the problem, and create new ways of doing things. Including those closest to a problem to generate a solution helps interest holders to feel seen and understood. This can shift the culture of a space and deepen relationships.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore what new strategies you might want to try and how you will intentionally create an environment that explores curiosities you might have about fostering deep relationships with families/caregivers and the community. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- Learn more about Liberatory Design at liberatorydesign.com
- Learn more about National Equity Project
- More about the Stanford D School and Liberatory Design
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression.
In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindsets must be applied with intentionality and can support healing, being seen, and humanizing our spaces. The Liberatory Design Mindsets support us in reconnecting with one another as full human beings, which allows us to then bring our best thinking forward and design systems in innovative ways. Kathleen calls on us to think about how we create and tend to the conditions where together we are not only taking actions to learn but to also transform power. She reflects on how we talk about complex issues without blame or shame, come together to define the problem, and create new ways of doing things. Including those closest to a problem to generate a solution helps interest holders to feel seen and understood. This can shift the culture of a space and deepen relationships.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore what new strategies you might want to try and how you will intentionally create an environment that explores curiosities you might have about fostering deep relationships with families/caregivers and the community. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- Learn more about Liberatory Design at liberatorydesign.com
- Learn more about National Equity Project
- More about the Stanford D School and Liberatory Design
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In this episode, we welcome back Principal Jose Lara from Gilbert High School in Anaheim (California) Union School District and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Teresa Hill of Tucson Values Teachers and a former coach and principal. They build upon the previous episode’s conversation, this time exploring the impact of deep relationships with families and caregivers and how these help influence school climate and culture.
Dr. Hill and Principal Lara also explore what community means and how to build community among parents/caregivers. They discuss ways we can build deeper relationships and shift culture by building on assets. Principal Lara also discusses being inclusive in our language and honoring the many family structures that support our students.
3Ps host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, engages both guests in deep conversation about moving from transactional to more relational interactions and engagements with families/caregivers and community members. Dr. Hill and Principal Lara both offer ways that they have been successful in building relationships with families and community members through common happenings. By viewing these engagements as opportunities to engage and build relationships, we can shift the dynamics of interactions and strengthen the connections all interest holders experience. Principal Lara and Dr. Hill also give us ideas of next steps to make our spaces more inclusive of families, parents, caregivers, and community members.
We invite you to join Principal Lara and Dr. Hill as they paint a picture of their vision for healthy and thriving schools and take a few minutes to dream freely and paint a picture of what this vision looks like in your context.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore what new strategies you might want to try and how you will intentionally create an environment that explores curiosities you might have about fostering deep relationships with families/caregivers and the community. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- Learn more about Gilbert High School at gilbert.auhsd.us.
- Learn more about Tucson Values Teachers at tucsonvaluesteachers.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
The way principals help support deep relationships with staff and students is essential to student learning. In this episode, we explore how the relationships between staff and students can create positive environments for teaching and learning. That’s what we’re exploring in this fourth episode in our series on Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools.
Principal Jose Lara from Gilbert High School in Anaheim (California) Union School District and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Teresa Hill of Tucson Values Teachers and a former coach and principal reflect on how to foster these relationships in today’s episode.
Together, Principal Lara and Dr. Hill explore how they build a sense of belonging for both staff and students. They explore teacher voice, communication with staff, and building trust amongst staff to best support students. Principal Lara also shares about the importance of having fun and joy with staff to get to know each other and create a positive community.
They both emphasize the intentionality that building relationships requires and detail their approaches to supporting students to build healthy peer-to-peer relationships through teaching and modeling. They also reflect on how students can rise to high expectations with a supportive environment and structures. This requires cultivating hope and helping students see each other’s humanness.
In our next episode, we’ll continue talking with Principal Jose Lara and Dr. Theresa Hill – this time about relationships between schools and parents/guardians and community.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore what new strategies you might want to try and how you will intentionally create an environment that is inclusive of all kids/students. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- Principal Lara mentioned the book Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Greg Boyle. Find it at shophomeboy.com.
- Learn more about Gilbert High School at gilbert.auhsd.us.
- Learn more about Tucson Values Teachers at tucsonvaluesteachers.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Understanding emotional regulation and dysregulation is foundational to well being, no matter our age. On this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, we explore this very important topic with Dr. Andrew Khan from Understood.org. Dr. Khan shares the why behind understood.org and the vast resources that organization has developed to support educators and parents.
Juliana and Dr. Khan explore neurodivergence and how to apply strategies to all learners and make our learning environments more inclusive. By doing so, we can create successful and thriving environments that honor our students bringing their whole self to learning.
Emotional regulation is our ability to modulate and regulate what is happening around us. When people are in dysregulation, they can experience barriers to finding success in both academic and non-academic settings. Dr. Kahn helps us understand how we can support the development of regulation skills and shares practical steps we can take to help us understand how to navigate dysregulated individuals in safe, autonomous, and appropriate ways.
Juliana and Dr. Khan also discuss how to develop empathy in students as we support them through navigating interactions with someone who may be dysregulated. This can lead to more positive relationships and outcomes and a much more positive group setting for all.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore what new strategies you might want to try and how you will intentionally create an environment that is inclusive of all kids/students. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- Find articles, podcasts, and other resources related to dysregulation, ADHD, and learning and thinking differences at understood.org.
- Find specific emotional regulation resources at this understood.org link.
- Learn more about Dr. Andrew Kahn at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Author and teacher Patrick Harris will remind you to channel the magic of teaching in this episode of 3Ps in a Pod. He reflects on how teaching is human work and why showing up authentically is so important for both the teachers and the students.
This season, we are exploring healthy and thriving environments for strong connections and strong schools. Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, connects you with various guests to help us explore this idea from diverse perspectives and help us think critically about how we all work together to create strong schools that center our students. Through this series, you’ll find both thought-provoking conversations and complimentary professional learning materials linked in our show notes.
In this episode, we explore reflection, what it means to create space for healing, and connect to humanity. Patrick shares with us what this can look like and the importance of radical empathy. He encourages us to develop a reflective practice rooted in truth, how this all connects to healing, and will help us to deepen relationships with students, staff, peers, families/caregivers, and others.
Juliana and Patrick explore the mentee-mentor relationship and the reciprocal nature of learning, feedback, and reflection. Patrick shares with us that by drawing on our own experiences and connecting with the why behind what we do, we can shape classroom environments that are truly inclusive.
We hope that after you listen to this episode you will engage in deep reflection, either with another person or on your own, in order to further explore the ideas that Patrick offered. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Read about Patrick’s book The First Five: A Love Letter to Teachers at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Welcome back to a new season of 3Ps in a Pod! This season we will deeply explore a focus on healthy and thriving environments for strong connections and strong schools.
Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, will be connecting you with various guests who will help us explore this idea from diverse perspectives and help us think critically about how we all work together to create strong schools that center our students. Through this series, you’ll find both thought-provoking conversations and complimentary professional learning materials linked in our show notes.
In this first episode, we connect with Taryl Hansen, NBCT, and Mary Bouley to investigate how understanding Cognitive Coaching moves can help us reach greater levels of success in professional and personal relationships through improved communication and collaboration skills anchored in compassion. Discover how these ideas can help shift mental models and develop patterns and skills for listening and responding, and learn why communication is a way of being with one another, not just a skill.
Taryl and Mary share how we can further build trust and communicate to others that we believe in them. They discuss how we can support others to be more empowered and self-reliant and ask us to think about how we continue to show students and others that we honor their thinking and encourage a sharing of viewpoints. Mary and Taryl also encourage us to think about what we really mean when we talk about building capacity and what that looks like.
Continue your learning
After listening to this episode, use the reflection guide to explore this episode in a way that further impacts who you are and how you are showing up in your work and in your relationships. Find the reflection guide at this link.
Here are other related resources to today’s episode:
- “What’s All the Hype about Cognitive Coaching?”, an earlier episode with Mary Bouley and Taryl Hansen, NBCT, referenced in this episode
- Registration for the next Cognitive Coaching Foundations series at the Arizona K12 Center
- Learn about how to bring Cognitive Coaching Foundations, Advanced Cognitive Coaching, or customized Cognitive Coaching training to your school or district at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
It’s another election year, and we’re talking with Gina Roberts of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission about the Civics Classroom Curriculum, a free and available resource to all Arizona teachers.
3Ps host Donnie Dicus welcomes Gina Roberts, the voter education director of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, to the podcast. The Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission is the state’s non-partisan voter education agency. The commission helps people learn about the logistics of voting and the candidates and the roles they’re running for. It also advocates for participation in the political process.
The curriculum includes lesson plans designed for grades 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12 with a variety of hands-on activities that can work in both an in-person or virtual setting. The curriculum is also aligned with Arizona State Standards.
Gina speaks to how the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission is a voter-created state government agency that is mandated by state statute to provide non-partisan, non-influencing voter education. The curriculum reviews the election processes, the roles and responsibilities of different elected offices, and media and information literacy skills. She also shares about ways students can become more civically involved aside from voting in elections.
Gina also announces that the commission will soon be releasing a comic book to supplement their Civics Classroom Curriculum. The comic book follows the conflict between the hero Captain Activate and the villain Doctor Apathy who aims to create apathetic voters.
Find this free Civics Classroom Curriculum at azcleanelections.gov/civics-curriculum.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Rachel Martinez is in her first year of teaching third-grade in Tolleson Elementary School District. In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod host Kathleen Paulsen talks with Rachel about the support she’s received at her school and the learning she did at the recent Welcome to Teaching event with Dr. Doug Fisher.
She shares how struck she was by the six levels of engagement that Dr. Fisher shared and how he showed how even very young students can be aware of their engagement level and know what they need to do to be more ready to learn. She and Kathleen also reflect on the four types of learning: focused instruction, collaboration, guided learning, and independent learning.
Rachel shares about the support she’s received in her school and district, including working with a mentor. Rachel’s mentor is Michelle Doherty, who Rachel also had as a professor at Northern Arizona University. Rachel talks about how Michelle supports her and builds her confidence as she goes through her first year of teaching.
As Rachel nears the end of her first school year, she says she’s excited to reflect and see the growth that both she and her students made during the year. She notes how important it is for her to reflect on her work and growth for herself but also to model the expectation and power of that for her students.
The Arizona K12 Center is also having Dr. Fisher back for another event based on his book Welcome to Teaching this fall! You can learn about and register for that event at azk12.org/24BTS2.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Due to a technical issue, today's episode of 3Ps in a Pod will be delayed. We will share it out as soon as we are able. -Arizona K12 Center team
In the final episode of this podcast series on AI in Education, Dr. Chad Gestson and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey chat with Lauren Owens and Lindsey McCaleb about where teachers can go from here — where to begin, where they can find guidance, resources, and additional professional development for using AI with confidence.
Dr. Gestson and Dr. Lindsey are both a part of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, a part of Northern Arizona University, while Lauren Owens is the director of information technology for Agua Fria HS District and Lindsey McCaleb is the principal of an online school in the Balsz School District.
Lauren and Lindsey share how they have started to work with AI in their schools and districts and the discussions they’ve had with school leaders and teachers to move toward using AI. They reflect on the process of planning, implementing, and assessing when integrating any new technology or change initiative.
Today’s episode also focuses on how policy creation, at the state or district level, can be much slower than how quickly technology is developing. Dr. Lindsey shares how only nine U.S. states have developed some guidelines for AI use in schools. The Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy has been working to add Arizona to that list of states and will soon be releasing an AI guidance document to help inform state, district, and school policies.
That guidance document will be available on May 13 at nau.edu/aiee/azai with a corresponding webinar, "GenAI Guidance for Arizona K-12 Schools," on May 15 from 3 to 4 p.m. To sign up to receive the webinar link, click here.
Learn more about the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy at this link and about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Ready to see how AI can improve your work and impact student learning? In this third part of our series on AI in Education, we’ll dive into some AI tools you might consider trying in your teaching.
In our last two episodes, we explored a bit of history of artificial intelligence and contemplated if using AI is cheating. Today, we look at what we can actually do with AI.
Guest host Dr. Chad Gestson focuses on the heart of teaching and learning. He and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey chat with Dr. Michele Wilson and Alec McDaniel about best practices for using AI to impact student learning. Dr. Wilson spent 38 years working within education systems and is now an education consultant. Alec is an educational technology specialist in Florence Unified School District.
They both share about what makes them excited about AI and talk about what “good use” of AI in the classroom looks like before they explore several of the tools they encourage educators to check out and consider how they might support their work. They also discuss the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and Arizona Technology in Education Association (AZTEA) as great resources to learn more about using AI.
Here are links to the tools and resources referenced in this episode:
- T-PACK Framework
- SAMR model of technology integration
- MagicSchool AI: magicschool.ai
- Diffit for differentiating: diffit.me
- Forbers article, “The Hot, New High-Paying Career Is an AI Prompt Engineer”
- ChatGPT
- Other large language models like Gemini, Google Bard, or Copilot
- SchoolAI: schoolai.com
- Curipod: curipod.com
- Canva’s Magic Tools
- Adobe Express
- Khanmigo: khanmigo.ai
- Skipit: skipit.ai
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In this second part of our four-part series on AI in Education, guest host Dr. Chad Gestson asks the question that is on many educators’ minds: “Is AI cheating?” He and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey talk to Arizona Dr. Punya Mishra about academic and professional integrity, and why AI should be a catalyst to rethink “plagiarism” and “cheating."
Dr. Gestson and Dr. Lindsey are both a part of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, a part of Northern Arizona University, while Dr. Mishra is associate dean of scholarship and innovation and professor in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University.
Dr. Mishra broadens the conversation to talk about what cheating is in general and how we approach assessment. The discussion about AI and cheating is an opportunity to talk deeply about how we evaluate learning, he shares. That connects to a larger conversation about the purpose of the preK-12 education system, he explains.
The three also talk about the role of agency and autonomy in learning. They also discuss the need for a class like the Theory of Knowledge class that is a part of the International Bacalaureate program for students to better understand the creation and sharing of ideas.
Learn more about he Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
As artificial intelligence tools have become far more accessible in the past year, “AI” has become a major conversation for not just schools and education but in all aspects of life. That’s why we’re diving into discussions about AI in education in this four-part series with guest host Dr. Chad Gestson, executive director of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey, strategic planning director of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy.
In this episode, Dr. Gestson and Dr. Lindsey set the stage about how they became personally interested in this work, the discussions they’ve heard across Arizona, and why the new Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy is focusing on AI.
Dr. Gestson also gives an overview of how AI came to be where it is today, where it’s going, and what that can mean for Arizona schools and workplace development. Alan Turing published the first significant paper on AI in 1950, launching a focus on this new field before it entered an “AI winter.” Then, an influx of new AI tools and robots launched in the 2000s and has continued momentum. He also references the seven stages of artificial intelligence and talks about four branches of AI that listeners should be aware of:
- generative AI tools like ChatGPT
- Natural language processing like Alexa, Siri, or other smart speakers
- AI-powered robotics like Roombas
- Robotics process automation like Timely for creating school master schedules
Vince Yanez, the Helios Education Foundation’s senior vice president of community engagement and strategic partnerships, then joins the podcast to discuss the role of AI in workforce development. He and Dr. Gestson discuss how AI will eliminate or alter some jobs while also introducing new jobs. They also discuss what it looks like to prepare students in the midst of this emerging future.
Subscribe to 3Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast on your favorite podcast app to be ready for the next episodes in this series.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
It’s been an exciting last few months for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Today, 3Ps in a Pod host Juliana Urtubey talks with CEO Peggy Brookins about recent National Board news and conversations.
Peggy shares about the vision and work of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the benefits of National Board Certification for educators and their students. She also reflects on how both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate introduced resolutions in January 2024 that recognize “the importance and contributions of National Board Certified Teachers” (NBCTs) and reflects.
More than 3,500 educators certified as NBCTs in December 2023, more than 700 than the previous year. Peggy talks about some of the dynamics that have led to that increase, including expanding the process to newer teachers and incentives at the state and district levels.
Peggy also talks about the need to better retain quality teachers and how National Board Certification can be a part of addressing that need. She speaks to how networks of NBCTs across the country are helping both advance National Board Certification and also lead in addressing the current challenges in education.
In this episode, Peggy references the Learning Policy Institute’s research and tool that calculates the cost of teacher turnover in a school or district.
If you’re interested in starting your National Board Certification journey, visit azk12.org.
When Dr. Jennifer Robinson first attended the Arizona K12 Center’s annual Teacher Leadership Institute, she was the only one from her district but connected with other “lone wolves.” She learned there but has since found even more value in bringing a team to this annual summer conference.
She shares with 3Ps host Paula about how she brings a variety of personnel from her school with her to Teacher Leadership Institute and how they synthesize their learning together and also share with the rest of their school together. Dr. Robinson reflects on the power of stepping away from the usual routine and connecting with other districts and those outside of education to transform your thinking about your work.
Learn more about this year’s 19th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute at azk12.org/TLI.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Julia King Pool joined us last season to talk about the psychology behind the concept of burning in rather than burning out. In this episode, she continues that conversation by sharing specific strategies for approaching some difficult scenarios you might have encountered.
Hosts Juliana and Marlys ask Julia several questions about stressful scenarios educators often find themselves in. These include difficult conversations with a student’s parent, balancing creativity and autonomy with a scripted curriculum, and not feeling supported at school.
Julia provides research-backed steps for these situations and also talks through strategies to help educators’ wellbeing all around. She references Sabine Sonnentag’s work around recovering from the workday in talking about how educators can work toward balance. Sonnentag outlines four aspects to help recover from a workday, including psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery experiences, and control. Julia talks with Juliana and Marlys about the variety of ways those might look for an individual.
This episode also references this RAND research report and also Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
Learn more about Julia King Pool’s work at BurninMindset.com or by connecting with her on LinkedIn.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students, and schools. Today, 3Ps in a Pod host Donnie talks with four educators from Litchfield Elementary School District about how they have structured and grown their support for National Board Certification candidates to, in turn, better support students.
Joining us from Litchfield Elementary School District are New National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) Sarah Beyer; National Board candidate Norma Coria; and Allison Paterno, NBCT, and Miriam Wilson, NBCT, two National Board candidate support providers.
Miriam and Allison share about the support they received when they were going through the National Board Certification and how that inspired them to build out more support for others in their district. They reference how both COVID and the Arizona K12 Center’s National Board Academy pushed them to be creative in how they provide support. They share the ways support can look, including providing time for candidates to work on their components and stipends for NBCTs in the district.
All four share about why they pursued National Board Certification, and they reflect on the impact the process has had on them as individual educators and on students and their district.
Learn more about National Board support in Arizona at azk12.org. Attend this summer’s Arizona National Board Academy to help expand your district’s National Board support. Learn more and register at azk12.org/nbacademy2024.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
If you’re a teacher, you’re a dendrite grower, according to today’s guest Dr. Marcia Tate. Growing dendrites is a piece of brain science Dr. Tate shares in many of her books and workshops to help educators understand the context of brain-based teaching and learning.
Dr. Tate talks with 3Ps host Josh about how, after years working as a teacher and an administrator, she learned about the brain science behind teaching and wanted to share that understanding with others. She has now been in education 49 years and has taught about half of million people as an educational consultant.
Along with other tips and snippets about brain-based teaching, Dr. Tate shares a few of her favorite strategies, including incorporating movement and music, into the classroom.
Josh also invites Dr. Tate to share about her most recent book, Happy Teachers, Happy Classrooms, which she wrote during the COVID-19 pandemic. This book addresses how to avoid burnout and increase teacher health and wellness.
Dr. Tate has been facilitating the Arizona K12 Center’s events for beginning teachers through this school year and will also be the lead facilitator at this summer’s Beginning Teacher Institute. Learn more about the 4th Annual Beginning Teacher Institute: Great Minds Don’t Think Alike at azk12.org/BTI24.
Learn more about Dr. Marcia Tate’s work at developingmindsinc.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
You may know the Arizona Educational Foundation or AEF as the home of the Arizona Teacher of the Year program and the Arizona State Spelling Bee. In this episode, you’ll hear from Kim Graham, CEO of AEF, about the work of the Foundation and how she approaches her work leading these efforts.
Kim shares how she moved from studying theater to teaching high school English to working in arts education to leading the Arizona Educational Foundation. She shares with Daniela about the specific programs AEF hosts but also the intention behind all of that work. Kim explains how AEF’s offerings “primarily provide a stepping stone toward excellence for educators, administrators, and students. Or, they shine a spotlight on the great work being done in schools or by educators and administrators.”
On a more personal level, Kim shares about what brings her joy through her work with AEF and how she attempts to recharge to be able to continue the work of the Foundation.
Learn more and follow AEF’s work with these links:
- AEF’s website
- 2023 AEF Annual Impact Report
- AEF Donors
- AEF’s Facebook page, Instagram page, X (formerly known as Twitter) page, and LinkedIn page
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Here at the Arizona K12 Center, we’re big proponents of reflecting on your practice. But what does it mean to be a reflective practitioner and how do we use that reflection to not be the end goal but a tool to generate change in ourselves and our learners?
Dr. Kevin Roessger, associate professor of adult and lifelong learning at the University of Arkansas, has focused his work in quantitative research methodologies and adult learning theory. In this episode, he talks with host Paula about what led to this interest and the research he has done in critical reflection or reflective practice.
Dr. Roessger emphasizes how reflection is often thought of as the end goal when that is truly a tool in the process of continued growth. He shares about what reflection truly is – our “remembering self” retelling and framing the experiences of our “experiencing self.”
In this episode, Paula also references her conversations with The Learning Scientists in previous episodes of 3Ps in a Pod. Dr. Roessger also mentions a recently published article in the Adult Learning journal, “Assessment Strategies for Reflective Learning in the Workplace: A Pragmatic Approach.”
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Efrain Casillas, the 2024 Arizona Teacher of the Year, has been teaching at Tolleson Elementary School District for 17 years. His vision isn’t to just teach music to his current students but to build a culture of music in Phoenix.
3Ps hosts Josh and Donnie talk with Efrain about the beginning of his interest in music as a child in Puerto Rico and how that led to his music education career.
Efrain shares how he works to engage his students’ interests and culture into his teaching. That’s led to his creating multiple new music groups, including mariachi, jazz, marching, concert, and Latin jazz bands, at Tolleson Elementary schools. He notes the amount of recognition the mariachi band has gone on to earn as well.
Having those bands compete in music contests and play publicly in the community has provided students with skills they wouldn’t learn only playing in school and also opened the door for more community engagement. Efrain has been able to fundraise and further expand music programming and engage more Tolleson students. He also mentions how he’s interested in beginning a community band for former students and others who would like to continue playing their instruments.
Learn more about Efrain Casillas and glimpse into his classroom at azedfoundation.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Explore the world of Cognitive Coaching — a transformative approach unlocking minds and elevating problem-solving skills — in this episode of 3Ps in a Pod with educators and facilitators Taryl Hansen, NBCT, and Mary Bouley.
Taryl and Mary talk about the history of Cognitive Coaching and give an overview of this approach to coaching that mediates thinking and prioritizes teacher autonomy. They make it clear that Cognitive Coaching is one of multiple coaching tools to be used in particular situations but not all. The pair also address misconceptions or assumptions some people have about Cognitive Coaching. Some of those misconceptions include the ideas that educators don’t actually have time to coach in this way or that Cognitive Coaching is only suited for more advanced educators.
Together with 3Ps host Kathleen, who has also completed both Cognitive Coaching Foundations and the Advanced Seminar, they reflect on their own experiences with this coaching style.
Find upcoming Cognitive Coaching events at azk12.org/events. Register early, as these events consistently fill up.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
If you attended our 2023 Teacher Leadership Institute, you heard a bit from Dawn Quamahongnewa, her family, and her teacher leadership. Today, Dawn is expanding on what she shared in that speech and how knowing our past informs our future.
Dawn begins this episode by sharing how her parents first shared about the history of her family and the Hopi people. She shares the history of her family’s clans’ complex relationships with the U.S. education system, with some embracing and others wanting to reject the “pahana” way of life. Dawn talks with hosts Kathleen and Paula about how her dad saw the need for their clan to learn English and embrace the good things from the pahana way of life to be able to be the eyes, ears, and voice of their people. She reflects on how her life has continued living into her father’s philosophy.
Dawn talks about how she originally wanted to become a lawyer focused on Indian law for the preservation of her tribe, but instead, she chose teaching as a way toward preservation by fighting for equitable systems for her students.
You can read about Dawn in the 2023 Teacher Leadership Report. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
You know how challenging teaching can be and how many teachers today encounter burnout. That’s why Julia King Pool founded the Burn-in Mindset, a coaching program for experienced educators that mitigates burnout and cultivates energy, optimism, and confidence.
Julia shares with hosts Juliana and Marlys how she founded Burn-in Mindset and how it is based in the tenets of positive psychology. Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. She also shares some specific mindset shifts and strategies to help teachers feel more balanced. As educators are more able to “burn in” using positive psychology, the more they are able to support others in burning in as well.
Learn more about the Burn-in Mindset at burninmindset.com or by emailing Julia at Julia@burninmindset.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today, we welcome back Chris Kotterman, the Director of Government Relations for the Arizona School Boards Association, to discuss the past Arizona legislative session, significant bills that did and didn’t make it into state policy, and what might be coming in the 2024 session.
Kotterman notes that fewer bills than usual affecting education will take effect this year due to several vetoes by Governor Katie Hobbs but does share with hosts Donnie and Juliana about HB2460, which relates to the suspension of students in grades K-4.
He then talks through several bills that did not pass in the 2023 session but that may arise in future sessions. He specifically clarifies Arizona Revised Statute 15-117, which talks about parental permission for particular surveys for students, and clarifies how districts are approaching those regulations.
Kotterman also mentions a finance bill that may arise in the next session and makes some predictions about other bills and discussions that will return to the Arizona Capitol next session, which kicks off in January 2024.
Visit apps.azleg.gov to check on bill updates, and visit azsba.org to find the Arizona School Board Association’s legislative updates.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
This is a replay of an episode from September 2022.
In recognition of National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools on September 30, we are discussing the history of American Indian boarding schools and the continued legacy of this part of our history.
Hosts Daniela and Donnie welcome Marcus Monenerkit from the Heard Museum to the podcast to speak about the history of American Indian boarding schools and the Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories exhibit at the Heard Museum.
Monenerkit shares about what students and families experienced, including a bit of his own family’s experiences and about the American Indian boarding schools now present on Steele Indian School Park in central Phoenix. He speaks to the trauma and challenges students and their families faced and how that continues to affect American Indian individuals and families today.
He also details some of the policy and mindsets that led to the creation of American Indian boarding schools, how they changed over time, and what current-day American Indian boarding schools are like today.
Here are a few resources connected to today’s discussion:
- Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories exhibit at the Heard Museum
- Video about the history of American Indian Boarding Schools from the Heard Museum
- Statement by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In January of 2023, Dr. Dani Portillo became the superintendent of Roosevelt School District, the first Latina to hold this position. In today’s episode, Dr. Portillo talks with hosts Kathleen and Josh about her journey into education and her vision for Roosevelt School District, an elementary district in south Phoenix.
Roosevelt, an elementary district in south Phoenix, currently serves about 7,400-some students and employs about 1,400 people. Dr. Portillo shares the importance of this mid-size district to south Phoenix, including the teaching of students but also the impact on housing values and community development. She shares about her vision for the district and how integral Roosevelt schools are to advancing the south Phoenix community.
Dr. Portillo shares about both the challenges and what she most enjoys in her new role, especially working with adults for the benefit of all students. She also shares about what she enjoys in her free time, including suspenseful movies and gardening. She also recommends a recent book she’s appreciated, Radical Candor by Kim Scott. Dr. Portillo also shares about how her parents have influenced her approach to education and the work ahead of her.
Learn more about Dr. Portillo and Roosevelt School District at rsd66.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
3Ps in a Pod is taking a break this week, but we’ll be back in your podcast feed next Thursday. We hope whether your fall break is this week or later this month, you’re able to take time to rest and rejuvenate.
And thank you for all you do to support Arizona’s learners, from all of us at the Arizona K12 Center.
Janet Wong left a law career and dove into writing poetry and helping others see the power of poetry. In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, Janet talks with hosts Josh and Juliana about her approach to poetry and shares a variety of ways you can use poetry in your classroom.
Janet shares how poems can be used as a way to get to know your students, as a brain break, as a way to teach revision, and to practice being creative. She reads several poems in this episode, including from this past summer’s Beginning Teachers Institute, where she was a keynote speaker and had participants write multiple poems.
Janet Wong is the 2021 winner of the NCTE Excellence in Poetry for Children award, a lifetime achievement award that is one of the highest honors a children’s poet can receive. Wong is the author of more than 40 books for children and teens on a wide variety of subjects, including writing and revision (You Have to Write), diversity and community (Apple Pie 4th of July), peer pressure (Me and Rolly Maloo), chess (Alex and the Wednesday Chess Club), and yoga (Twist: Yoga Poems). She also serves on the Yale Law School Executive Committee.
You can find Janet on X, previously Twitter, at @janetwongauthor and through her websites, janet-wong.com and pomelobooks.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In this final episode of our series with The Learning Scientists, Dr. Megan Sumeracki dives into more detail about the three teaching and learning strategies of elaboration, concrete examples, and dual coding.
The Learning Scientists, a group of cognitive psychologists, have developed six main strategies to support your teaching and your students’ learning. In the previous episode, Dr. Sumeracki and Dr. Althea Need Kaminske talked about the strategies of spaced practice, interleaving, and retrieval practice. Today, Dr. Sumeracki talks in-depth about the remaining three strategies:
- Elaboration, connecting new learning to previous learning
- Concrete examples, providing supporting information
- Dual coding, using visuals
A synopsis of these strategies and resources to help use them is at this link and you can find the full research paper at this link.
Learn more about The Learning Scientists at learningscientists.org and learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In the last three episodes, we’ve explored some different aspects of the cognitive psychology behind how we learn. Today, we’re taking that context and applying it to six strategies to support your teaching and your students’ learning.
In this episode, Dr. Althea Need Kaminske and Dr. Megan Sumeracki, two of The Learning Scientists, begin talking about these six strategies:
- Spaced practice, repetition spaced out over time
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Interleaving, interspersing different topics in a lesson
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Retrieval practice, working at accessing memory
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Elaboration, connecting new learning to previous learning
- Concrete examples, providing supporting information
- Dual coding, using visuals
A synopsis of these strategies and resources to help use them is at this link and you can find the full research paper at this link. They dive in more deeply with hosts Josh and Paula about spaced practice, interleaving, and retrieval practice and will further explore elaboration, concrete examples, and dual coding in next week’s final episode of this series.
Learn more about The Learning Scientists at learningscientists.org and learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We continue our series with The Learning Scientists on this episode of 3Ps in a Pod. Today, hosts Josh and Paula talk with Dr. Althea Need Kaminske and Dr. Megan Sumeracki about working memory and perception.
Dr. Sumeracki and Dr. Kaminske give multiple examples demonstrating how background knowledge shapes your perception and what that means for how we communicate or give instructions to students or anyone else in our lives.
The Learning Scientists also discuss the processes of moving from learning to applying concepts and what that looks like for both students and for pre-service teachers moving into the day-to-day of teaching. They then discuss what it is to pay attention, how that connects with short-term and long-term memory, and how mind wandering can actually be helpful in learning and creating memory.
The group also begins to talk about strategies that truly support how cognition actually works. Dr. Kaminske talks specifically about note-taking and how quality note-taking that supports actual learning requires a slowed down lecture, for example, or taking the time when reading a textbook to not just rewrite statements but to process and structure the information in their own way. They also discuss the idea of active learning.
In the next episode, Dr. Sumeracki and Dr. Kaminske build off of this conversation and discuss more strategies and interventions you can apply that support the cognitive processes discussed in this episode.
Learn more about the Learning Scientists at learningscientists.org, and learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We’re back with part two of our series with The Learning Scientists! Today, cognitive psychologists Dr. Megan Sumeracki and Dr. Cindy Nebel pick up where we left off in the first part of this series.
They jump into a demonstration with hosts Josh and Paula that illustrates some aspects of how our brains work. That leads into a discussion about why it’s cognitively so important to understand your students’ contexts in learning.
Paula also asks Dr. Sumeracki and Dr. Nebel to discuss what it means to use research-based curriculum and why we need to depend on research rather than our intuition when it comes to teaching. They also discuss the benefits and uses of interleaving versus blocking content.
Here are links to the resources mentioned in this episode:
- The Bransford and Johnson research on “Contextual Prerequisites for Understanding: Some Investigations of Comprehension and Recall”
- The Rohrer and Taylor research on “The shuffling of mathematics problems improves learning”
- The Learning Scientists’ Downloadable Materials:
- Ace That Test: A Student’s Guide to Learning Better by Drs. Megan Sumeracki, Cynthia Nebel, Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel, and Althea Need Kaminske
- Understanding How We Learn: A Visual Guide by Dr. Yana Weinstein (Jude Weinstein-Jones) and Dr. Megan Sumeracki
- Five Learning, Teaching Myths Debunked by Adam M. Brown and Althea Need Kaminske
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We’re starting off a five-part series with The Learning Scientists, a group of cognitive psychological scientists focused on how we learn. Today, hosts Josh and Paula talk with Dr. Megan Sumeracki and Dr. Cindy Nebel about the science of learning.
As cognitive psychological scientists, The Learning Scientists are a group interested in research on education, specifically on the science of learning. They aim to motivate students to study by increasing the use of effective study and teaching strategies backed by research and decreasing negative views of testing. Dr. Sumeracki and Dr. Nebel share more about what that means and the differences between their area of study and that of neuroscientists.
They detail why it’s so important for educators to know some cognitive psychology to better understand students’ needs when learning. Hosts Josh and Paula then share some of the misconceptions that struck them when they read Understanding How We Learn, A Visual Guide and discuss them with The Learning Scientists.
The Learning Scientists and hosts Josh and Paula will continue their conversation in next week’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod. Learn more about The Learning Scientists at learningscientists.org, and learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
STEM education can look very different across Arizona, which is why the Arizona STEM Acceleration Project came to be to help advance STEM in schools across the state. In this episode, hosts Donnie and Daniela talk with Mike Vargas and Amanda Whitehurst share how the Arizona STEM Acceleration Project (ASAP) works to transform how educators deliver STEM education.
The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project has three components for the program’s teacher fellows:
- overseeing a student- or community-facing project
- writing four STEM lesson plans
- taking part in research on teaching STEM in Arizona
ASAP has completed its first year and is embarking on its second. In it’s first year, 433 fellows in about 300 different schools completed the program, affecting almost 90,000 students. About 90% of fellows who started ASAP completed and were able to energize STEM education in their classroom. The fellows represented every county, every major city, and most reservations in Arizona.
Those fellows completed almost 15,000 hours of professional development and created 1,771 STEM lesson plans that are now in this online lesson plan archive that is free and open for all Arizona teachers. These lesson plans are all specific to STEM and the Arizona State Standards.
ASAP also provided about $850,000-worth of classroom equipment and paid $2 million in stipends to the teacher fellows.
In this episode, Amanda also shares examples of how ASAP fellows’ projects have directly impacted students and their future goals. You can find more of those stories on the ASAP website’s fellow highlight section.
ASAP is also partnering with the Arizona K12 Center to introduce a National Board Certification STEM cohort for teachers interested in pursuing National Board Certification alongside other STEM educators. Read more about that opportunity here, and contact Donnie Dicus at ddicus@azk12.orgto join.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
The school year is back in session, so 3Ps is back too! Today, hosts Kathleen and Donnie chat with Jason Catanese, a middle school math teacher in the Isaac School District, about how he extended his support of his students far outside his classroom and began a comprehensive college prep program.
Jason, also known as “Mr. Cat,” teaches seventh- and eighth-grade math at Pueblo Del Sol Middle School in the Isaac School District, located in the Maryvale neighborhood of Phoenix. He is also the founder of Camp Catanese to support first-generation college students as they prepare for and transition into college.
A conversation with former students about the ACT led Jason to create Camp Catanese, a summer camp and additional programming to help prepare first-generation college students for their college journey. He shares about how the camp has grown beyond being for former students from his school to 230 students from multiple school districts across the Valley. He also details how this past summer was his first working with a former student who decided to become a teacher.
Along with teaching full-time and leading Camp Catanese, Jason is also on the Arizona K12 Center Board of Directors and the Arizona State Board of Education. He talks with Kathleen and Donnie about how he brings together young adults from across the country to help support the campers of Camp Catanese and share about the variety of career paths students can take.
Learn more about Camp Catanese at campcatanese.com. You can also follow Camp Catanese on Facebook and on Instagram.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
On this fourth and final episode of our series on Humanizing Pedagogy, Oscar Corrigan joins us to talk about classroom management.
He shares how his own experiences as a teacher and working with other teachers caused him to realize the importance of classroom management and what works best to support students in being successful.
Oscar explores routines, procedures, and expectations to help students better learn and engage and recommends educators considering if any rule is there for students or for the teacher. He also touches on the theme that carries throughout this series: creating an environment where students feel safe and ready to learn hinges on the teacher knowing and having strong relationships with those students.
Oscar will be one of the breakout session speakers at this summer’s Beginning Teacher Institute. Learn more and register for this three-day event at azk12.org/BTI23.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In this third installment in our series on Humanizing Pedagogy, we welcome Johnathon Walker to 3Ps in a Pod to talk about his approach to character education and how educators can better get to know their students.
Jonathon begins the episode by sharing how working with students in athletics led him to become a classroom teacher before talking about the importance of educators to teach the whole child. He defines social-emotional learning as how we prepare students to navigate social structures and society and how teachers get to know students to best support their learning.
Jonathon mentions research that says 46% of high school students don’t think their teachers know their names. He talks about strategies for teachers to better know their students and that help students know a teacher is there to support them.
He also details the steps for students to recognize “blue thoughts,” those thoughts that are far too negative to be realistic, and how to process the situation to recognize the “true thoughts” a student is having.
Jonathon will be one of the breakout session speakers at this summer’s Beginning Teacher Institute. Learn more and register for this three-day event at azk12.org/BTI23.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We are back with part of our series on Humanizing Pedagogy. Today, we’ll be talking with Kristin Speck about how to create a classroom environment that fosters deeper engagement and concrete strategies to get us there.
Kristin shares about how her degree in nutrition and dietetics and teaching at a San Diego cycling studio led to her career as a high school biology teacher.
Noting that teachers need to “build slow to go fast” when it comes to classroom engagement, Kristin lists several concrete strategies to help students feel welcomed and comfortable in a classroom, which helps build an environment for deeper engagement. She shares standards and norms for setting that foundation for a variety of age groups.
She also gives her advice for first year teachers and speaks to what more she’ll be doing with new teachers at this summer’s Beginning Teacher Institute. Learn more and register for this three-day event at azk12.org/BTI23.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
What does it mean to humanize pedagogy? Why is it crucial to our work as educators? And how do beginning teachers do that in the midst of other demands and expectations? That’s what we are diving into in our next four episodes of 3Ps in a Pod, starting today by hearing from Dr. Dominique Smith about how the language we use shapes how we view and interact with learners and others.
Dr. Smith begins the episode by sharing about his passion for education and how teaching needs to begin at the understanding that each student is a unique, individual human. He then talks with 3Ps host Josh Meibos about how the labels we use to refer to people, whether positive or negative, frames how we view and treat those people.
At the beginning of the book Removing Labels, which Dr. Smith wrote with Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey, is a poem by Jiovanni Gutierrez Montano. Dr. Smith shares how Jiovanni, a student at his school, wrote and shared that poem with him out of his experiences of being labeled. (You can see a video of Jiovanni reading that poem at this link.)
Dr. Smith goes on to discuss how students also bring labels and expectations to the classroom based on their past experience. Dr. Smith gives some specific suggestions on how to approach and build relationships with those who may be limited by the labels others have assigned.
In future episodes, we’ll be diving into engagement, social-emotional learning, and restorative practices.
In this episode, Josh and Dr. Smith mention this summer’s Beginning Teacher Institute, where new teachers from across Arizona will be further exploring humanizing pedagogy. Learn more and register for this three-day event at azk12.org/BTI23.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
-The poem in the introduction of his “Removing Labels” book is actually written by one of his students. Video of that student reading the poem: https://youtu.be/zo6ODbZVhts
PDF of the poem: https://resources.corwin.com/sites/default/files/ffn21158_poem_pdf_for_removing_labels_final_rev.pdf
Meet the Arizona K12 Center’s new executive director, Daniela Robles, in today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod. Daniela has been in education for more than 27 years, including working as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and a variety of administrative roles at the school and district level.
In today’s episode, hosts Marlys and Kathleen talk with Daniela about what first brought her into teaching and about her continued passion for Arizona education. She shares about the highlights of her career, including National Board Certification, and how the Arizona K12 Center helped elevate her practice and leadership over the years.
She also speaks to her vision for the work of the Arizona K12 Center.
Learn more about Robles at azk12.org/Homeroom-RoblesAnnouncement and about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In this final episode of our series on Leading with Inquiry, Jessica Vance and host Paula Watkins continue their learning and discussions from past episodes, this time focused on the power of using questions in learning.
Jessica and Paula discuss the need to be flexible when prioritizing questions in learning and how to stay in that flexible mindset. They dive into how to get comfortable responding to learners with questions, the importance of tone and understanding in questioning, and how to be intentional in both using questions and setting up structures for learners’ questions. They relate their conversation to both the classroom and working with adult learners, continuing the coaching conversation from last episode to do with Paula’s work with the Arizona TeacherSolutions® Team.
Early on in the episode, Jessica recommends Warren Berger’s books for sparking inspiration around questions. Learn more about his books and work at warrenberger.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We’re taking the learning we’ve done with Jessica Vance in the last two episodes on Leading with Inquiry in a new direction. In this and our next episode, you’ll hear a vulnerable coaching conversation between Jessica and 3Ps in a Pod host and teacher leadership program director Paula Watkins. Jessica and Paula take what they’ve talked about in the first two episodes of this series and apply it to Paula’s work, as an example of how others can use a lens of inquiry in their coaching and leading.
Paula’s work includes facilitating the Arizona TeacherSolutions Team. She begins her coaching session with Jessica by sharing about how she approaches her meetings and facilitation with the Arizona TeacherSolutions Team. Jessica shares ideas with Paula about how to combine her goals for an upcoming meeting with the desire to create an inquiry-driven space.
While Paula’s work is primarily with adult learners, Jessica shares examples of what adding agency and inquiry can look like in Paula’s work with teacher leaders and in a classroom with students.
Throughout the episode, Jessica references this swimming pool sketchnote from Trevor MacKenzie’s work, available at trevormackenzie.com.
Here are ways to continue to connect to Jessica:
- Jessica Vance’s website at leadingwithinquiry.com
- Jessica Vance’s Instagram at instagram.com/jess_vanceedu
- Jessica Vance’s Twitter at twitter.com/jess_vanceedu
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We’re continuing our series with Jessica Vance on leading with inquiry, this time focused on provocations.
In the last episode of 3Ps in a Pod, Jessica set the stage for what inquiry in leadership is. Today, Jessica and host Paula Watkins dive into a discussion about provocations, what they are, how to use them, and why they’re important.
Jessica and Paula also touch on some of the misconceptions about provocations. They discuss how provocations are not the same as anticipatory sets, how teachers are not the only ones to introduce provocations, and the idea that using provocations takes too much time.
Jessica gives several examples of provocations and ideas on how to find your own. She also shares a variety of examples of how to integrate provocations into the classroom as well as in situations with other adults.
In our next episode, Jessica and Paula take what they’ve talked about in the first two episodes of this series and apply it to Paula’s work, as an example of how others can use a lens of inquiry in their coaching and leading.
Here are ways to continue to connect to Jessica:
- Jessica Vance’s website at leadingwithinquiry.com
- Jessica Vance’s Instagram at instagram.com/jess_vanceedu
- Jessica Vance’s Twitter at twitter.com/jess_vanceedu
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
What does it mean to lead with inquiry? And what does that actually look like in a classroom or when working with other adults? Today, we begin a four-part series exploring those questions and more about leading with inquiry. 3Ps host Paula Watkins and Jessica Vance, the author of Leading With a Lens of Inquiry, will lead us through this exploration, setting the stage in our first episodes about what inquiry is and how to integrate it into leadership. In the final two episodes, you’ll hear Jessica and Paula engage in an inquiry-focused coaching conversation as an example of how others can use a lens of inquiry in their coaching and leading.
In this first episode of this series, Jessica shares about her background and current work as an inquiry leader. She makes clear that being an inquiry leader is not exclusionary of being a managerial leader but that leaders can use both approaches in tandem and when most appropriate.
Jessica details the need for inquiry leaders to understand their values and for a critical friend to help keep your inquiry leadership focused. She also suggests having the sentence frames “What would happen if…” and “How may/can I…” ready to use in an inquiry process.
Throughout the episode, Jessica and Paula reference the work of Trevor MacKenzie, who you can listen to in previous 3Ps in a Pod episodes on “Cultivating Inquiry,” “Creating a Culture of Inquiry with Kass Minor and Trevor MacKenzie,” and “Diving into Inquiry.” Jessica also mentions these additional resources:
- “The Inquiry Leader” sketchnote, “Managerial Leader, Inquiry Leader” sketchnote, and “The Ripple Effect” sketchnote can be found at leadingwithinquiry.com/sketchnotes
- Elena Aguilar’s work with the core values of leaders, such as “How Core Values Foster Resilience in Educators,” and other resources available at brightmorningteam.com
- Brene Brown and her Daring Leadership Assessment at brenebrown.com/hubs/dare-to-lead/
- Kimberly Mitchell’s book Experience Inquiry and other resources at inquirypartners.com
- Jessica Vance’s website at leadingwithinquiry.com
- Jessica Vance’s Instagram at instagram.com/jess_vanceedu
- Jessica Vance’s Twitter at twitter.com/jess_vanceedu
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today we welcome Danielle Brown, NBCT, a former host of 3Ps in a Pod, and now the senior manager of candidate experience at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. She and host Donnie Dicus discuss the changing landscape of education and how the National Board is approaching some of that change.
Brown first shares how her role at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards combines her passion for National Board Certification with what her work had been at the Arizona K12 Center supporting new teachers before talking about how early career educators can now pursue National Board Certification.
The National Board has updated its policy as the teacher landscape has changed, Brown explains. Allowing new teachers to pursue National Board Certification provides an opportunity for those teachers to reflect on their practice earlier than they may have, rather than getting set in routines that may need to be shifted.
Brown talks about the importance of supporting newer teachers in pursuing National Board Certification both for the benefit to their own practice and impact but also as they more quickly become veteran teachers and leaders.
Learn more about how the Arizona K12 Center can support you in pursuing National Board Certification at azk12.org.
3Ps in a Pod is back, and we’re kicking off our 13th season by exploring the Arizona Education Progress Meter. Connected with that progress meter is the Achieve 60 AZ Action Plan, which sets the goal of having 60 percent educational attainment in Arizona by 2030. That means 60% of the state’s population of working adults will have a certificate, license, or degree.
Host Paula Watkins welcomes Rich Nickel, president of Education Forward Arizona, and Donna Davis, CEO of Education Forward Arizona. Nickel and Davis share how multiple Arizona stakeholders came together to create the Progress Meter and Action Plan. The Progress Meter includes eight indicators to assess the state of Arizona education:
- Quality early learning
- Third grade reading
- Eighth grade math
- High school graduation
- Opportunity youth
- Post-high school enrollment
- Attainment
- Teacher pay
Nickel and Davis share about where Arizona stands on several of these metrics and the progress made recently, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the eight different metrics interlock. They then dive into the recently released data on Arizona’s journey toward the Achieve 60 AZ Action Plan goal and continued steps toward that goal. They also discuss the importance of support and advocacy from groups outside of education to work toward improving education.
Here are links to resources and references made in today’s episode:
- Education Forward Arizona
- Arizona Education Progress Meter
- Achieve 60 AZ Action Plan
- Read On Arizona
- The 3Ps in a Pod episode Donna Davis mentions, featuring Tom Rademacher
Paula also mentions this summer’s 18th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute. You can learn more and register to attend at azk12.org/TLI2023.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today, we welcome author and Minnesota’s 2014 Teacher of the Year Tom Rademacher to the podcast.
Hosts Donnie and Kathleen talk with Rademacher about his two loves of teaching and writing. His books, It Won’t Be Easy, An Exceedingly Honest (and Slightly Unprofessional) Love Letter to Teaching and Raising Ollie: How My Nonbinary Art-Nerd Kid Changed (Nearly) Everything I Know, combine both those aspects of Rademacher’s work.
Rademacher shares his reflections about the teacher shortage and what has and hasn’t changed for today’s new teachers compared to when he entered the classroom.
He also discusses how he approaches diversity, equity, and inclusion in his practice as a white male and the need to continue learning. That learning often comes directly from students, he notes. He also mentions how he has learned to give space for others’ sharing and to recognize the amount of time he is the one speaking.
In closing today’s episode, Rademacher talks about how diverse great teachers are and how they don’t all fit the same make or model, but shares a vision for how joy, flexibility, and passion can combine to make a dynamic teacher.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
This week of Veterans Day, we’re revisiting an episode from November 11, 2020, when hosts Angelia and Danielle welcomed Dr. Nancy Pratt to 3Ps in a Pod to share about her military experience and how that has carried into her education career.
Then the Director of Instruction and Innovation at Cave Creek Unified School District, Pratt is now the Director of Instruction at Buckeye Elementary School District. But before realizing her interest in teaching, Pratt was a young woman in a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) military briefing class at Arizona State University, realizing she had something special to offer.
Pratt became a transportation officer stationed at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. She shares in this episode about the direction she received from her experiences in the military, how her military experience has shaped her education career, and the direct connections between training military officers and working in education with both students and adult learners.
Enjoy this episode on the intersections of military service and educational leadership in this week’s 3Ps in a Pod.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center by visiting azk12.org.
One year ago, the Arizona Department of Education and Northern Arizona University came together to announce the creation of the Arizona Teacher Residency. Housed within the Arizona K12 Center, the Arizona Teacher Residency now has its first cohort of residents working in the classrooms of supervising teachers in Osborn, Roosevelt, and Tempe Elementary school districts. Today, you’ll hear from one resident and supervising teacher pair about their experience with the program so far.
3Ps in a Pod host Kathy Wiebke welcomes Arizona Teacher Residency Director Dr. Victoria Theisen-Homer to the podcast to talk about the creation and envision of this new program. Hector Campos, one of the members of the first Arizona Teacher Residency cohort, shares about what excited him about this program and how delighted he was to find out that his supervising teacher would be Edgar Ochoa, the middle school social studies teacher who inspired him to become a middle school social studies teacher. Campos now works with Ochoa in his classes at Pastor Elementary School in the Roosevelt School District.
Theisen-Homer shares about some of the unique structures of the program and how those structures support residents and their supervising teachers, while Ochoa and Campos, as a supervising teacher and resident pair, share how they have experienced the residency program so far. Campos also shares about what he has learned through the Arizona Teacher Residency and why he recommends the program to others interested in becoming a teacher.
The application is now open to join the second cohort of the Arizona Teacher Residency. Learn more about the Arizona Teacher Residency and apply at aztr.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Just three days after being named the 2023 Arizona Teacher of the Year, chemistry teacher Ty White joined us for a conversation about what brought him into teaching, how he approaches his practice, and about receiving this exciting honor.
3Ps in a Pod host Josh Meibos welcomes Ty White to the podcast, who talks through the evening he was named the Arizona Educational Foundation’s 2023 Arizona Teacher of the Year and shares about the significance of having two of his elementary school teachers join him at the Teacher of the Year celebration.
White also shares about some of the larger projects he has coordinated with students, including a partnership with SARSEF, an electric go-cart project, and an aerospace project with Biosphere 2. He also shares about what he is thinking about focusing on in his next year as Arizona Teacher of the Year, including STEM literacy and accessibility for all.
Here are links to some of the STEM organizations White mentioned:
- SARSEF at sarsef.org
- InSimEducation at insimeducation.com
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Arizona has been in a teacher shortage for years, and today we explore this issue with Dr. Richard Ingersoll, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and expert on the K-12 teaching force, about what he sees as the foundational issues of this shortage and what steps may help us move forward.
Ingersoll is recognized for his research in teacher turnover and workplace trends and the impact of beginning teacher induction and mentoring. In this episode, he shares with hosts Kathleen and Kathy about what he sees leading to the teacher shortage seen in Arizona and across the country. He reflects on what changes to the profession could reverse this shortage. Ingersoll especially focuses on the impact of induction and mentoring and the need to professionalize teaching as a career.
Ingersoll will be sharing Arizona-based data and reflections at the 1st Annual Arizona Induction Symposium: The True Cost of Teacher Turnover on October 28.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today, we’re focusing in on special area teachers and classes by welcoming an art teacher, music teacher, and physical education teacher to the podcast to discuss the importance of these special areas and what they’d like other educators to know.
Hosts Josh and Donnie welcome to the podcast Kyle Bragg, an elementary physical education in Scottsdale Unified School District, Rusty Carle-Ogren, a middle school band in Sahuarita Unified District, and Jen Pulbratek, a high school ceramics teacher in Peoria Unified School District.
Bragg, Carle-Ogren, and Pulbratek share about the unique opportunities their classes offer students. They talk about what they would like other teachers to know about their classes and why they so enjoy teaching special-area subjects. They also discuss the standards their classes address and how what they teach fits into the Whole Child Approach to Education.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Be inspired by the five teacher leaders on today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod. The five semifinalists from the Arizona Educational Foundation’s 2023 Teacher of the Year consideration join us to share about their teaching journeys, the affirmation they’ve received through this recognition, and what they hope to do with their platform.
The 2023 Teacher of the Year semifinalists are Jaime Camero, who teaches at Douglas Elementary in Flowing Wells Unified School District; Zel Fowler, who teaches at Emerson Elementary in Phoenix Elementary School District; Erin Henderson, who teaches at North High School in Phoenix Union High School District; Christina Musselman, who teaches at Starline Elementary in Lake Havasu Unified School District, and Robyn Yewell, who teaches at Winifred Harelson Elementary in Amphitheater Public Schools.
These five outstanding Arizona teachers share about the unique vision they bring to their practice and how the Teacher of the Year process has helped them feel affirmed and celebrated for the work they do. They also share what they hope to do with their new platform as Arizona Teacher of the Year Semifinalists and how they want to elevate the teaching profession.
Learn more about the Arizona Educational Foundation’s Teacher of the Year program at azedfoundation.org, and look forward to hearing from the Teacher of the Year Finalists and the 2023 Teacher of the Year in upcoming episodes!
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
How do we turn behavior into a teachable moment? That’s a primary question that Dominique Smith, Doug Fisher, and Nancy Frey address in The Restorative Practices Playbook. In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, Dr. Dominique Smith joins hosts Paula and Kathy to talk about restorative practices and how he went from being a naysayer to an advocate for this work.
Dr. Dominique Smith shares about how his own experiences as a student and as a teacher influenced his journey with restorative practice and why this approach to behavior is so important at all levels.
He explains how the teacher’s relationship with a student is the most powerful impact on that student’s behavior and learning. Creating that relationship is difficult but important. He also notes that restorative practices work is not about getting rid of discipline or consequences but about teaching about behavior through the consequences.
Smith also uses concerns about students’ cell phone use to illustrate how relationships and restorative practice can change the expectations and climate in a classroom environment.
If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy our past episodes with Dr. Dominique Smith:
- S7 Episode 9: Social Emotional Learning for Staff and Students with Dr. Dominique Smith
- S1 Episode 3: Restorative Practice
You can join the waitlist for the Restorative Practices Playbook two-day event with Dr. Smith at azk12.org/RestorativePracticesPlaybook.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
What is drawing Arizona’s future teachers to education, and what are these aspiring teachers’ hopes and fears about teaching here? That’s what we’re talking about today with two Northern Arizona University education students and one of their education professors.
Hosts Josh and Juliana welcome NAU College of Education students Alexa Negrete and Ainsley Brubaker and Associate Clinical Professor of Educational Studies Michelle Novelli to the podcast to talk about their excitement about the world of education.
Negrete and Brubaker share why they have chosen to join the education profession and also why Novelli has chosen to work specifically with aspiring teachers.
Negrete and Brubaker reflect on what they see themselves bringing to their teaching as individuals and also what their generation of teachers bring to the classroom and their advice to today’s high school students considering becoming teachers.
Negrete, Brubaker, and Novelli also discuss the Arizona Teachers Academy that provides pre-service teachers with a free education degree, mentoring, and professional development for teaching three years in Arizona.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
As educators, we strive to build a safe and supportive environment for all our students as well as our colleagues. In this extended episode, you’ll hear from a few Arizona educators who identify as gay or lesbian and a former teacher whose son came out as gay during his middle school years as we together discuss the LGBTQ+ experience within the world of education.
Host Donnie welcomes Maria and Mike to the podcast to share about the bright moments and the challenges they’ve experienced because of their identities and the impact of that on their teaching and education work, while Stephanie shares about her son’s experience.
Mike and Donnie also share about some of the challenges of being men in a female-majority workplace.
Donnie and today’s guests talk about the need for training and professional development related to caring and supporting for LGBTQ+ students and staff.
Here are some resources connected to today’s episode:
- Learning for Justice’s Gender and Sexual Identity Resources
- The Safe Zone Project
- GLSEN
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
If you miss having a four-legged friend with you at school every day, you may love this episode. Today, we’re exploring the Pawsitive Peers Foundation school therapy dog program in Mesa Public Schools, which allows staff to adopt local shelter dogs and train them to be certified therapy dogs.
Mesa Public Schools boasts one of the largest in-school dog therapy programs in the country, and hosts Daniela and Kathleen talk with dog lover and 2022 Arizona Teacher of the Year Nancy Parra-Quinlan about the program and the impact of therapy dogs on students and staff.
Parra-Quinlan explains the details of the Pawsitive Peers Foundation program and shares about her experiences training her dogs “Bear” and “Olaf” to become in-school therapy school. She also speaks to how she and the dogs navigate students’ possible fears or anxieties about dogs and to the benefits that the dogs provide for students and, in turn, that the students provide for the dogs.
Learn more about the Pawsitive Peers Foundation at pawsitivepeers.com and find photos and information about the program in action at Mesa Public Schools at mpsaz.org/commed/pawsitivepeers.
Here are some additional resources about therapy dogs in school:
- “Therapy Dog Programs: Improving Student and Staff Well-Being” from the National Association of Secondary School Principals
- “Review of the Research: Are Therapy Dogs in Classrooms Beneficial?” from the Forum on Public Policy
- “Therapy Dogs in Educational Settings: Guidelines and Recommendations for Implementation” from the National Library of Medicine
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In recognition of National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools on September 30, we are discussing the history of American Indian boarding schools and the continued legacy of this part of our history.
Hosts Daniela and Donnie welcome Marcus Monenerkit from the Heard Museum to the podcast to speak about the history of American Indian boarding schools and the Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories exhibit at the Heard Museum.
Monenerkit shares about what students and families experienced, including a bit of his own family’s experiences and about the American Indian boarding schools now present on Steele Indian School Park in central Phoenix. He speaks to the trauma and challenges students and their families faced and how that continues to affect American Indian individuals and families today.
He also details some of the policy and mindsets that led to the creation of American Indian boarding schools, how they changed over time, and what current-day American Indian board schools are like today.
Here are a few resources connected to today’s discussion:
- Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories exhibit at the Heard Museum
- Video about the history of American Indian Boarding Schools from the Heard Museum
- Statement by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
You know how important it is to build strong relationships with students, and it’s just as important for mentors to build that trust and rapport with teachers. Today, hosts Kathleen and Paula talk with Treva Jenkins from Maricopa Unified School District about how to build those strong relationships with new teachers to best support their growth and confidence in the classroom.
Jenkins, a beginning teacher mentor who also teaches a class of students, shares how she prioritizes relationship-building and listening in her first year of mentoring a teacher. She notes how important it was for her to find a veteran mentor to support her work as a mentor and encourages other mentors to do the same.
Jenkins also explains how she prioritized continuing to teach a class that can double as a clinic for beginning teachers to visit and watch Jenkins teach and interact with students. She emphasizes how active listening is often the most powerful thing a mentor can provide a new teacher.
Consider enhancing your mentoring and coaching skills with one of these upcoming events at the Arizona K12 Center:
- Supporting a System of Growth, Feedback, and Accountability: An Experience for Instructional Coaches and Instructional Mentors at azk12.org/SystemofGrowth
- Arizona New Teacher Induction Network Meeting at azk12.org/AZNTIN
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
You may not know a “kickflip” from an “ollie,” but today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod may make you want to grab a board and start exploring how the skills you can learn skateboarding can apply to other parts of life.
Extracurricular activities can be a crucial part of both students’ and teachers’ school experience, and today we’re going to be looking at how one particular program, Skate After School, has shaped students’ and staff’s experience in Balsz Elementary School District and beyond.
Hosts Kathleen and Josh welcome Sean Hannafin, principal of Crockett Elementary, and Ryan Lay, professional skateboarder and co-founder of Skate After School, to the podcast to talk about the nonprofit program and how it can enhance students’ educational experience.
Lay shares how Skate After School started in Balsz Elementary School District and then grew into the Creighton and Roosevelt school districts. He explains how the program uses the acronym G.R.I.P., inspired by the textured tape on the top of a skateboard, to teach students generosity, respect, innovation, and persistence while learning new tricks and or any other challenges in life.
The four also share the impact they’ve seen from Skate After School with students and staff at participating schools.
Learn more about Skate After School and see photos and videos of the program at skateafterschool.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
The 22-23 school year has kicked off, so we’re back with another great season of 3Ps in a Pod! Today, we’re talking about how to develop those strong, caring relationships in your classroom with three fantastic Arizona teachers and providing you with ideas for how to start this school year off strong with a safe and successful classroom.
Hosts Kathy Wiebke, NBCT, and Paula Watkins, NBCT, welcome Aminah Abdelhaq, NBCT, of Mesa Public Schools, Gabby Chai, NBCT, of Tucson Unified School District, and Sara Wyffels, NBCT, of Chandler Unified School District to the podcast. They discuss the importance of not only teacher-student relationships but student-to-student relationships and teacher-to-parent relationships and share how they intentionally build those at the start of the school year and throughout the year.
They also share how they see relationship building fitting with classroom management and how they create equitable learning spaces that promote student agency. Sara and Aminah also share how they approach building relationships with their high school and middle school students and their parents since they see so many different students through the day.
Check out a note catcher specifically for this episode of 3Ps in a Pod at this link!
Here are some additional resources related to today’s conversation you can check out:
- 8 Tips to Set the Right Tone From the Start, Arizona K12 Center’s Homeroom
- Bulletin Boards, Seating Charts, and Love for Every Child, Arizona K12 Center’s Homeroom
- Relationship Status: Engaged, Arizona K12 Center’s Homeroom
- Simple Tactics for Captivating Students’ Attention, Arizona K12 Center’s Homeroom
- 6 Strategies for Building Better Student Relationships, Edutopia
- Start the Year With a ‘Primary Focus’ on Relationship-Building, EdWeek
- Building Relationships With Students Beginning Those First Weeks Of School, Second Grade Smiles
If you’re interested in expanding your understanding of building a restorative school culture, register to attend “Restorative Practices Playbook” on Oct. 20, 2022 and March 28, 2023, at the Arizona K12 Center. You will learn to ground a school and classroom culture in respect, build agency and identity in students, establish teacher credibility, set high expectations, and foster positive relationships. Learn more and register at azk12.org/RestorativePracticesPlaybook.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
When you hear about using data in your teaching practice, you may think about test scores, but Shane Safir and Dr. Jamila Dugan are expanding our idea about data and how we can use it to support our students and our teaching.
Safir and Dugan are the co-authors of Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation and will be speaking at this summer’s Teacher Leadership Institute.
In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, they talk with co-hosts Paula, Marlys, and Kathleen about what street-level data is and how it is different than “satellite data” or “map data.” Safir explains how people can collect street data through deep listening and how that deep listening can bring systemic change to schools and districts. Dugan explores how that deep listening and street data can bring voice to the marginalized and the vulnerability required to get to that transformative level.
Safir and Dugan also reflect on how difficult teaching has been the past few years and share encouragement for those working to continue on and deepen their practice.
Advance your teacher leadership and your understanding of street data at the 17th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute: New Possibilities Through Connections and Experiences from June 13-15 in Tucson. Learn more and register at azk12.org/TLI2022.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Welcome a new school principal and a new co-host of 3Ps in a Pod to today’s episode! New co-host Paula joins Marlys to talk with first-year principal Biju Padmanabhan about his transition from the classroom to leading a school community and what he’s learned through the past year.
Padmanabhan is the principal of Gililland Middle School in Tempe Elementary School District and has worked to uplift the others around him through his leadership style. He shares with Paula and Marlys about what it means to center shared leadership and how he approaches leadership from a learner’s mindset.
He also talks about the experience in his very first days of teaching that caused him to consider becoming a school leader. Padmanabhan reflects on the power of human relationships and community to strengthen a school and the great things going on at Gililland Middle School that “satellite data” doesn’t always show.
Interested in what stepping into teacher leadership may look like for you? Join the Arizona K12 Center at the 17th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute this June. Learn more and register at azk12.org/TLI2022.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Tony Vincent is a familiar face at Arizona K12 Center’s technology events and will again be “the cruise director” at this summer’s Camp Plug and Play.
In this episode, Vincent shares the history of Camp Plug and Play and gives an overview of the returning strands “campers” can explore in depth this summer – Get Google Certified, Making HyperDocs, and Making Media – and introduces this year’s two new strands, Gamify Learning and New and Notable Tech Destinations.
He also talks about what to do when something goes wrong with technology, even when you’re a “tech person” and how to use Wordle-like activities, like Flippity, in the classroom.
Learn more about Camp Plug and Play 17.0: The Creative Technology Camp for Teachers at azk12.org/CPP. Spots are limited, so register soon!
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Trevor MacKenzie is back on 3Ps on a Pod to talk with hosts Kathleen and Marlys about inquiry-based learning and what that truly looks like in the classroom.
MacKenzie is a teacher, author, and speaker focused on the power of inquiry in learning. He will also be leading this summer’s 2nd Annual ATA Beginning Teacher Institute.
MacKenzie talks with Kathleen and Marlys about what inquiry-based learning is and how it looks different than classes that aren’t inquiry-based. He speaks to the values that are a part of inquiry, including building a culture of relationships based in “psychological safety and vulnerability and openness.” He also shares how inquiry is like the trunk of a tree with branches that include project-based learning, problem-based learning, and some other frameworks and describes the sketchnote ‘The Tree of Inquiry,’ which demonstrates those relationships.
While some teachers may be intimidated to move into inquiry-based learning, MacKenzie explains that they may be thinking of ‘free inquiry,” which is the “deep end” of the inquiry pool. He references the sketchnote ‘Types of Student Inquiry’ that shows the other levels of inquiry-based learning students and teachers can explore.
This summer, MacKenzie will guide new teachers in how to integrate more inquiry into their teaching. If you’re a teacher who will be in your first three years of teaching this fall, join MacKenzie and other new teachers June 22 through 24 for the 2nd Annual ATA Beginning Teacher Institute. Google’s former Education Evangelist Jaime Casap and 2021 National Teacher of the Year Juliana Urtubey will also be leading sessions. Learn more and register at azk12.org/BTI22.
Find more of Trevor MacKenzie’s resources at trevormackenzie.com. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Inspired by Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s book The Power of Moments, Dr. Mike Flynn has focused his work on how to create meaningful experiences for learners. In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, he talks with hosts Donnie and Danielle about his exploration into making memorable moments in the math class and how he’ll help others explore that this summer through the Arizona K12 Center.
Flynn is the Director of Mathematics Leadership Programs at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and will be leading the Arizona K12 Center’s Arizona GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Summer Math Institute on powerful moments in math class.
It’s essential for students to feel seen and celebrated in their learning but that grew harder in some ways during the pandemic, Flynn explains. He speaks to why those and other moments of recognition are so important to student learning and why we need to infuse more of those moments into our teaching now.
Flynn also talks about “missed moments” and the need for self-forgiveness.
Learn more about and register for the Arizona GEAR UP Summer Math Institute June 16-18 in Tucson at azk12.org/gearup. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Note: This episode of 3Ps in a Pod was recorded before the February 21, 2022, vote by the Arizona Senate on the Aggregate Expenditure Limit. As education policy is continually in flux, especially during the legislative session, check out the resources listed below or a local news source to be the most up-to-date on education legislation and policy.
More than 230 bills related to K-12 education were introduced into the Arizona Legislature this session and, as of early February, 88 were still active, according to Chris Kotterman, Director of Governmental Relations for the Arizona School Boards Association.
In today’s episode, hosts Donnie and Marlys talk with Kotterman about Arizona legislation and news. They begin their conversation with Kotterman explaining the Aggregate Expenditure Limit and the impact the spending limit would have on many K-12 schools across the state. Kotterman then reviews a few education-related bills that are receiving a lot of attention:
- HB 2112, a bill that speaks to what can and can not be referenced in the classroom,
- SB 1211, a bill that has teachers post all of their learning materials and activities online ahead of the school year,
- SB 1657, a bill that expands the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program
Kotterman also shares an update on Proposition 208.
To stay up-to-date on education-related legislation, Kotterman suggests checking out the Arizona School Boards Association’s advocacy page and signing up for email updates at asbagr.substack.com.
To learn more about the Arizona K12 Center, visit azk12.org.
For more than 20 years, Julie Kasper, NBCT, has been teaching and supporting refugee students and families. In today’s episode, she talks with hosts Marlys and Donnie about the role Arizona schools and teachers can take in supporting refugee and other displaced students in our communities.
Kasper is now a Refugee Educator Academy Program Manager for Childhood Education International but started as a classroom teacher. She shares about her own experiences as a teacher working with refugee students and what she has learned along the way. Kasper also talks about the number and variety of refugee and displaced people coming to the U.S. and to Arizona in particular before sharing best practices and reminders for teachers with refugee students.
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
- Afghan Association of Arizona
- Refugee Educator Academy at Childhood Education International, a part of The Center for Learning in Practice
- Facing History and Ourselves
- Learning for Justice resources
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Sean Ross from the Arizona Department of Education joins co-hosts Danielle and Kathleen to talk about the state’s new reading endorsement for grades K-5. Ross is Deputy Associate Superintendent of Academic Standards for the Arizona Department of Education and brings his deep passion for literacy and reading and supporting all of Arizona’s learners to today’s conversation.
Ross shares about the impact of a strong reading background in his own life before reviewing Arizona’s literacy data and explaining the role this new reading endorsement can have in supporting students in becoming lifelong readers.
Here are a few resources and webpages also referenced during today’s episode:
- Science of Reading, Arizona Department of Education
- Early Literacy Case Studies, Read On Arizona
- Move On When Reading, Arizona Department of Education
Learn more about the Arizona Department of Education’s K-8 Reading Endorsement on azed.gov.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We are kicking off the new year and our 11th season of 3Ps in a Pod by welcoming Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Dr. Kathy Wiebke, NBCT.
Kathy joins co-hosts Marlys and Kathleen to reflect on the highs and lows that made up 2021 and shares about what she is looking forward to in 2022. She mentions several accomplishments by the Arizona K12 Center in the past year, including expanding the Arizona New Teacher Support Program to 22 sites and introducing the Arizona Teacher Residency.
Kathy also talks about her vision for Arizona education and the Arizona 12 Center’s role in that work. Find out about the Beginning Teacher Institute and Teacher Leadership Institute mentioned in this episode and other upcoming events at azk12.org/events.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
If you haven’t heard already, the Arizona K12 Center is the home of the brand new Arizona Teacher Residency! This is a first-of-its-kind graduate program in Arizona, modeled after medical residencies, to help recruit, prepare, support, and retain K-12 teachers. The two-year program aims to prepare aspiring teachers with a rigorous graduate education, a yearlong classroom apprenticeship, and ongoing professional learning through the Arizona K12 Center.
In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Marlys and Donnie talk with Dr. Victoria Theisen-Homer, the Arizona K12 Center’s Arizona Teacher Residency Director, about the program. Dr. Theisen-Homer shares about the opportunities the program holds for Arizona education, the reception since the program was announced, and how people can apply to be residents. She also talks about the breadth of support Arizona Teacher Residency participants will receive that will support them during the program and as they continue their teaching practice beyond the residency.
Learn more about the Arizona Teacher Residency at azk12.org/aztr and about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes of 3Ps in a Pod: Courageous Conversations with Glenn Singleton from April 2019.
On this week’s podcast, Danielle and Angelia explore the work of Glenn Singleton and how Courageous Conversations about race can help bring about systemic change. During this conversation with Glenn, we explore the Four Agreements and the Six Conditions of Courageous Conversations as well as how these impact us in our lives and daily conversations. As you listen this week, you will hear why Glenn “feels compelled to leave the world a far better place than he found it” and how he is living out that mission.
To learn more about Courageous Conversations, Glenn Singleton, or Pacific Educational Group visit https://courageousconversation.com/about/.
Prepare to be reminded of the power of education and joy of learning in this week’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod!
Co-hosts Angelia and Donnie welcome on John Carlo Tulinao, known to his students as “Mr. T,” to this week’s podcast. Tulinao is a first-grade music and STEM teacher at Amberlea Elementary School in the Pendergast Elementary School District. He is also a 2022 Arizona Educational Foundation Ambassador for Excellence.
Tulinao, originally from the Philippines, shares about how he became a teacher and how he approaches his practice with passion and a vision for community. Tulinao brings an excitement for the power of education and especially for how music can support learning in any subject area. He talks with Angelia and Donnie about how he works to integrate community and fun into his students’ learning. You can watch the video he and Donnie reference in this podcast on the Arizona Educational Foundation’s YouTube page.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Have you wanted to become more engaged in the decision-making in your school, your district, or at the state level?
The Arizona K12 Center partnered with the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent to develop a toolkit of resources to equip and empower Arizona teachers with pertinent education information in order to engage and advocate for themselves, their students, and their profession.
In this episode, co-hosts Angelia and Marlys talk about the importance of sharing about our professional work before welcoming Darcy Moody and Brian Hoffner from the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent and Kristin Roberts, a teacher at Phoenix Union High School District, to talk about the creation of the Engagement Toolkit.
The Engagement Toolkit grew out of feedback from Arizona teachers calling for access to information and resources to better engage and advocate on cornerstone topics in education. In response, the Arizona K12 Center and the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent worked together with cross-district teacher teams to research decision-making, funding structures, and storytelling. A survey linked at the bottom of the Engagement Toolkit webpage allows you to give us feedback to continue to improve these resources and better support your work.
Alongside the Engagement Toolkit, the Arizona K12 Center and the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent developed the Voices for Impact training to empower teacher leaders and strengthen their ability to autonomously advocate for themselves, the teaching profession, their students, and the communities they serve. Join us for Voices for Impact on April 20, 2022, by registering at azk12.org/VoicesforImpact22.
If you are interested in sharing your story or recommending another incredible educator to be featured on the Arizona K12 Center’s Homeroom blog or 3Ps in a Pod podcast, let us know by emailing us at info@azk12.org. Follow us on social media for updates on when the Stories From School AZ blogger application mentioned in the episode is available!
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Get to know Arizona Teacher of the Year Nancy Parra-Quinlan, NBCT, in this week’s 3Ps in a Pod!
Hosts Angelia and Donnie welcome Nancy Parra-Quinlan to the podcast to share about her teacher career, her experience since being named Arizona Teacher of the Year, and what she envisions for the next year in that role.
Parra-Quinlan works at Kino Junior High School in Mesa Public Schools. A career and technical education teacher at Kino, she began a STEM program that has become incredibly popular in the school and revitalized an aerospace summer program that has also grown into a popular offering. She talks with Angelia and Donnie about both of those programs and about the power National Board Certification has had on her teaching. Parra-Quinlan also shares her advice for all teachers as they navigate the continuing complexities of teaching amidst an ongoing pandemic.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
What do you know about teacher residency programs? These newer teacher training programs are growing in popularity across the country. Today, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Marlys and Donnie talk with Dr. Victoria Theisen-Homer about teacher residency programs and the potential for them in Arizona.
Originally from Phoenix, Dr. Theisen-Homer began her career as a teacher in a large Title 1 high school in Los Angeles, where she was named Los Angeles Unified School District Teacher of the Year. She has spent the last several years earning her doctorate in education from Harvard University, focusing on teacher residency programs and the impact they have on teacher recruitment and retention. Her book Learning to Connect: Relationships, Race, and Teacher Education looks at two teacher residency programs and compares their effects on how teachers build meaningful relationships with students, especially across racial and cultural differences.
In this episode, Dr. Theisen-Homer shares about her teacher preparation journey and what led her to want to explore teacher residencies. She explains how a teacher residency program works and how it is different from traditional undergraduate programs and alternative pathways. She also shares data on the sentiment in Arizona about the idea of a teacher residency and the excitement she has for how these new programs could transform the teacher pipeline.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Think back on your first years in the classroom and how we can all support those newest to the profession in this episode all about the first year of teaching!
3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Kathleen start off sharing about their memories from their first years of teaching before welcoming Katee Hurst to the podcast. A first-year teacher, Hurst teaches second-grade at Faith Mathew Sossamon Elementary School in Queen Creek. As Angelia and Kathleen note, Hurst is the focus of a series of Arizona K12 Center blog posts this year about her first year of teaching. You can find the first post of that series at this linkand last year’s series following then first-year teacher Brianna Winiesdorffer at this link.
Hurst shares about how her year is going so far and the variety of ways different mentors are supporting her. She shares her insights about what she has learned so far in her first year of teaching full time and what advice she has for both pre-service teachers currently in undergraduate programs. She also reflects with Angelia and Kathleen with how she works to stay positive during the challenging days.
Find information about upcoming Beginning Teacher Series events at azk12.org/events. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Lloyd Hopkins is all about creating pathways of involvement for supporters of teachers.
In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, he talks with hosts Danielle and Kathleen about his experience as a classroom aide and how he transitioned his professional focus to support and recognize the work of teachers.
Hopkins is the CEO and founder of the Million Dollar Teacher Project. He began this organization in 2016 in an effort to provide teachers with more support, recognition, and compensation through cost effective, community driven, and easily accessed solutions. Hopkins shares about the variety of programs and support the Million Dollar Teacher Project offers, including catered lunches for teachers, donations of back-to-school supplies, and classroom volunteers. He also shares the variety of ways teachers and teacher fans can connect with the Million Dollar Teacher Project.
Learn more about the Million Dollar Teacher Project at mdtproject.org and find the organization on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the handle @mtdproject.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Vince Bustamante, an author and educator who currently works for Edmonton Catholic Schools, joins hosts Angelia and Kathleen for today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod. Bustamante wrote Great Teaching by Design: From Intention to Implementation in the Visible Learning Classroom with John Hattie, John Almarode, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey.
Bustamante mentions that many resources provide great strategies to improve teaching and learning but that he wanted Great Teaching by Design to look at figuring out the best strategies. Rather than trial and error, Great Teaching by Design asks teachers to continually focus on their two non-negotiables, the students they have and the standards they need to address, and to systematically determine what interventions to use with what student when.
Learn more about Great Teaching by Design at corwin.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
What does it look like for teachers to create inclusive and supportive spaces for the LGBTQ students and teachers in our communities? Join 3Ps co-hosts Donnie and Angelia in this week’s episode to hear from Nat Duran, the youth project manager for the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.
Donnie and Angelia first talk with Duran about the work of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance and Duran’s recent work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine.
Duran shares both about the importance of teachers supporting LGBTQ students and what creating safe environments for LGBTQ students looks like. First and foremost, Duran encourages teachers to listen to the students themselves. As Duran notes, students are the experts in their lived experience. Duran also mentions particular tips and strategies for how to review how welcoming and inclusive your classroom is for students of all identities.
Here are the linked resources Duran mentions in this episode:
- Learning for Justice (previously Teaching Tolerance): learningforjustice.org
- Welcoming Schools, a program from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation: welcomingschools.org
- GLSEN: glsen.org
- Illinois Safe Schools’ Curriculum Resources: https://www.ilsafeschools.org/inclusive-curriculum-resources
- Illinois Safe Schools’ Legacy Project: icl.legacyprojectchicago.org
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
The books we chose to read to students and have in our classroom hold power. In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Mary and Marlys continue their focus on literacy from last week’s episode to this conversation with JoEllen McCarthy.
McCarthy is an educator whose work centers on the power of books and how to use books as co-teachers. In this episode, she shares the importance of books that represent and tell the stories of people from a variety of identities, cultures, and lived experiences. Mary, Marlys, and McCarthy share several strategies for staying alert to these books, including:
- Cooperative Children’s Book Center from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Kirkus Reviews
- A Default in Our Stars, an article by Linda Sue Park in School Library Journal
- Reading for Social Justice from Learning for Justice (previously Teaching for Tolerance)
- The Strong Classroom Assessment from The Educator Collaborative
- JoEllen McCarthy on Twitter and Instagram
- HeartprintBooks on Instagram
- Layers of Learning by JoEllen McCarthy
Along with how to find and reflect on heartprint books, McCarthy talks about how to use these books to invite conversation that will nurture community, agency, respect, and empowerment. Conversely, she also shares how to address books that may do harm.
McCarthy also unveils the books she is currently excited for others to read. Be sure to check out the Arizona K12 Center’s group 3Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast Community to talk about what recently published children’s books you love to share with students in your classroom!
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Does your English language arts teaching center your students’ voices? In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Mary and Marlys talk with longtime educator Dr. Tracey T. Flores about how literacy efforts can help students feel “loved, honored, and celebrated in really important ways.”
Flores is an assistant professor of language and literacy at the University of Texas at Austin where she teaches Language Arts Methods and Community Literacies in the K-5 teacher education program. Before moving to Austin, Flores worked in Phoenix-area schools including Creighton School District and Glendale Elementary School District.
Flores shares about the importance of supporting students’ stories and voices through literacy efforts and how she does that through classroom teaching and also independent writing groups like Somos Escritoras, a creative space for Latinx girls.
She also shares about her upcoming Virtual Literacy Connections series with the Arizona K12 Center. Join Flores for Amplifying Youth Stories and Voices: Expansive and Embodied Writing Pedagogies for K-12 Classrooms in this September's Virtual Literacy Connections series by registering at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Longtime-education advocate Stephanie Parra joins 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Angelia to discuss the necessity of supporting Latinx students across Arizona.
Parra is the Executive Director of All In Education, an education organization committed to equity for low-income families and communities of color in Arizona.
Parra reviews the education landscape for Latinx students in Arizona, especially addressing the discrepancies in representation of Latinx education leaders. She points out that while the Latinx community makes up 46% of preK-12 student population, only 16% of the teaching workforce and less than 13% of school board leaders are Latinx.
Parra shares how All In Education works to address these inequities and its emphasis on connecting with families and caretakers as well as education leaders and students. She also outlines how the COVID-19 pandemic have especially impacted Latinx communities and what education leaders can do to help support Latinx students moving forward.
One of All In Education’s programs is its Parent Education Academy, a free training course that helps participants better support their children in navigating the classroom environment. Learn more about this program and find the application to apply for the Parent Education Academy at allineducation.org/pea.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Join 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Kathleen in hearing from school psychologists and married couple Laura Anderson and Jon Bowen, who also wrote the book The Supportive Classroom: Trauma-Sensitive Strategies for Fostering Resilience and Creating a Safe, Compassionate Environment for All Students.
Laura Anderson focuses her work on helping adults best support students. Jon Bowen has worked in a variety of roles in education, including currently working as a social-emotional learning specialist in Paradise Valley Unified School District.
In this episode, Anderson and Bowen share a variety of strategies and reminders for how teachers can create a safe and passionate environment for learners and themselves. They especially focus on the care and compassion needed as we move forward in the midst of a pandemic and the trauma of the past year and a half.
You can receive your own free copy of The Supportive Classroom through a 3Ps in a Pod giveaway opportunity. Email info@azk12.org with an insight or point of reflection from this episode for a chance to receive a free copy of The Supportive Classroom. The first five people to respond will receive a copy of the book.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
How do you use success criteria in your classroom, and how could understanding success criteria advance your students’ learning? That’s what we’re discussing in this episode of 3Ps in a Pod with Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey, two of the authors of The Success Criteria Playbook.
3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Marlys welcome Fisher and Frey back to the podcast and talk about what has changed for them personally and professionally the past two years. Fisher and Frey then talk about what led to their writing The Success Criteria Playbook, one of Corwin’s newest publications.
Fisher and Frey discuss what shifts teachers can make to embrace success criteria in their classrooms and the more equitable practices that can come from using success criteria. They also share with Angelia and Marlys about the overall power of success criteria, especially when co-created with students.
Reflect on how you use success criteria on your own or with a learning community using the reflection guide linked here.
You can also advance how you use success criteria in your classroom by attending The Success Criteria Playbook Workshop with Doug Fisher on February 1. Register at azk12.org/SuccessCriteria22.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
It’s a new school year and a new season of 3Ps in a Pod! We’re kicking off this 10th season of the podcast by exploring opportunities and resources available to Arizona’s newest teachers.
3Ps hosts Kathleen and Danielle first talk about some of the ways that the Arizona K12 Center supports new teachers and review the events coming up in this year’s Beginning Teacher Series. They then welcome Michelle Doherty to the conversation. Doherty taught for 25 years and now teaches at Northern Arizona University and supports new teachers as an Arizona Teachers Academy mentor.
Doherty reflects with Kathleen and Danielle on her first few years as a teacher and how that informs her mentorship now. She also shares some of her own advice for beginning teachers.
New teachers can learn more Beginning Teacher Series events and new teacher mentors can find information about Mentor Institute at azk12.org/events.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
*Note: In an effort to move safely forward in the ongoing pandemic, the Arizona K12 Center will not be hosting the Meet, Mingle, and Learn events mentioned in this episode. We hope to resume these beginning teacher networking events in the spring.
Join us in kicking off our 10th season of 3Ps in a Pod! Today, we're sharing some exciting things we're doing to make this upcoming season bigger and better than ever. Meet our newest hosts, hear about some of this fall's episodes, and more!
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/azk12.
For our season finale, we welcome Jaime Casap, former Google Education Evangelist, to 3Ps in a Pod.
Hosts Angelia and Danielle share about the impact that Casap has had on their work before inviting him on to the show. Casap reflects on the past year in education, especially the amount everyone has learned and how to use that learning to create a more equitable future for everyone.
Looking to the future, Casap talks about the importance of supporting students in becoming the world’s problem solvers, moving from an emphasis on preparing students for college and career to developing students to be change agents and entrepreneurs.
Experience more with Jaime Casap at the 16th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute: Where Curiosity and Leadership Unite from June 21 to 23, 2021. Casap, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, and Trevor MacKenzie are this year’s general session facilitators, leading this dynamic event along with members of the Arizona TeacherSolutions Team and other outstanding Arizona teacher leaders. Learn more and register at azk12.org/TLI2021.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Brianna Winiesdorffer returns to 3Ps in a Pod to talk with hosts Danielle and Kathleen about her first year of teaching as she nears the end of the school year.
3Ps in a Pod first featured Winiesdorffer in March 2020 as she neared her graduation from Northern Arizona University. Danielle and Kathleen then caught up with “Ms. Winnie” a few months into her teaching career last December. We’ve also been sharing about Winiesdorffer’s journey through her first year as a teacher in a collection of blog posts.
Now just weeks from the end of her first year as a teacher, Winiesdorffer shares with Danielle and Kathleen about the highlights, the challenges, and what she’s learned through the past year. She reflects on what she had expected and what she actually experienced as a new teacher. Winiesdorffer also talks about how she plans to use her summer break to both relax and plan for her next year when she’ll be teaching geometry instead of algebra, which she taught this year.
Winiesdorffer is a part of the Arizona Teachers Academy, which provides funding to support teachers throughout their career. This program’s initiatives include helping cover expenses at the pre-service level, providing mentoring and professional development for beginning teachers, and supporting teachers in pursuing National Board Certification. You can hear more about the multifaceted Arizona Teachers Academy in this 3Ps episode from earlier last fall.
All Arizona beginning teachers (those who will be in their first, second, or third year of teaching this fall) are invited to attend the Beginning Teacher Institute this June. The three-day, online event will feature several outstanding educators including Sarah Brown Wessling, the 2010 National Teacher of the Year; Cornelius Minor, a Brooklyn educator who established The Minor Collective, a community-based movement designed to foster sustainable change in schools; Julie Causton, founder and CEO of Inclusive Schooling; and Michelle Doherty, the 2017 Arizona Teacher of the Year.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Sophie Allen-Etchart’s passion for literacy led her to create an Arizona organization to help develop a love of reading and learning in Arizona students.
In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Danielle and Kathleen welcome Allen-Etchardt to the podcast to talk about the impact of literacy comprehension and the work of the organization she leads, Read Better Be Better. Allen-Etchart shares about Read Better Be Better’s work, how it has advanced since its start in 2014, and the meaningful change growing out of this work. She also talks about how the organization pivoted from providing an in-person after-school program to an at-home program because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can also find Read Better Be Better on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Join 3Ps hosts Kathleen and Donnie for a conversation with the 2020 National Teacher of the Year, Tabatha Rosproy.
Rosproy is a preschool teacher in Kansas and the first early childhood teacher to be named National Teacher of the Year. She shares with Kathleen and Donnie the experience of earning that title and about what first brought her into teaching.
She also reflects on teacher leadership and shares the philosophy she learned with the Kansas Leadership Center that “leadership is an activity, not a position.” Rosproy also talks about the power of the ‘family model’ in the classroom and what she is looking forward to in the coming year.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
The National Board Certified Teacher journey doesn’t end with certification. In today’s episode, we cover one area that follows after certification: the maintenance of your National Board Certification.
NBCTs Hannah Jones and Alexis LaDuca join 3Ps in a Pod hosts and NBCTs Donnie Dicus and Kathleen Paulsen to talk about what the original National Board Certification process meant to them, what NCBTs must do to maintain their certification, and why they decided to pursue that process.
If you are an NBCT, you can learn more about the Maintenance of Certification process on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards website. The Arizona K12 Center will also directly contact all eligible Maintenance of Certification candidates about upcoming support opportunities.
If you are a teacher interested in learning more about the process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher, consider joining our upcoming National Board Pre-Candidacy Class where you will build a system of support, learn about the process, and decide if you want to pursue certification. Find information and register for our June class at azk12.org/PreCan2021.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In what ways are we serving all students in all schools? What does social justice look like in pedagogy?
Mary and Danielle are digging into those questions with Dr. Gholnecsar “Gholdy” Muhammad on this episode of 3Ps in a Pod. Dr. Muhammad breaks down the four-layered framework as goals for time spent in teaching and learning. She calls us to think about how we can unearth truth and knowledge and not just accept what we think we know. She also calls us to think about how we can leverage criticality and consciousness to provide meaningful and artistically crafted units of study for our students.
You can hear more from Dr. Muhammad at the 16th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute: Where Curiosity and Leadership Unite online this summer where she will be leading general sessions along with Trevor MacKenzie and Jaime Casap. You can also learn more about Dr. Muhammad’s work in her book Cultivating Genius and at http://hillpedagogies.com/.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Angelia welcome global educator Dr. Jennifer Williams to the podcast. Join them as they explore Dr. Williams’ work of using EdTech for global social good and what to expect at Camp Plug and Play 16.0 happening June 14-18, 2021.
Dr. Williams has taught in both traditional and Montessori K-12 educational settings. She is the Executive Director of Take Action Global, a non-profit organization, and is also a professor who loves working with future teachers in the college of education at Saint Leo University.
You can hear more from Dr. Williams at the upcoming Arizona K12 Center Camp Plug and Play 16.0. Learn more about that event and register at this link. Our Camp Plug and Play 16.0 is a five-day online learning experience featuring several educators and EdTech leaders.
Learn more about the work of Dr. Williams at http://www.takeactionglobal.org/about.html and https://www.jenwilliamsedu.com. Learn more about all the Arizona K12 Center has to offer at azk12.org.
In today’s policy-focused episode of 3Ps in a Pod, we explore the history and future of Arizona’s Proposition 208.
Hosts Danielle and Donnie welcome Beth Lewis, executive director of Save Our Schools Arizona, and Joe Thomas, president of Arizona Education Association, to 3Ps in a Pod. Lewis reflects on her roles as both a teacher and an advocate before reviewing the journey of Prop 208 through the past years, leading up to collecting signatures and having the ballot initiative pass in the midst of COVID-19. Thomas shares his insights on what Prop 208 means for education in Arizona as a whole and its impact specifically in Arizona classrooms. Thomas also talks with Danielle and Donnie about the implications for induction and mentoring programs because of Prop 208.
Lewis and Thomas also share their perspectives on how everyone can help prioritize education at the state legislature.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Explore the new Arizona Science Standards in this PD in 30 segment of 3Ps in a Pod with Rebecca Garelli, science and STEM specialist at the Arizona Department of Education, and Robyn Yewell, fifth-grade educator at Harelson Elementary School in the Amphitheater Unified District.
PD in 30 is exactly what it sounds like: a professional development session in 30 minutes or less. Garelli and Yewell will be using the document linked here to talk through what has changed in the standards and what educators can do to help support students in moving into inquiry and phenomena-based learning. This segment is most beneficial if you’re able to listen with a pencil and paper in hand and can easily hit the pause and play buttons on your listening device. Feel free to listen with a group of other teachers or by yourself.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Donnie and Kathleen welcome math specialist John SanGiovanni to the podcast. While their conversation centers on math instruction, many of the strategies they discuss apply to all teachers.
SanGiovanni is a mathematics supervisor in Howard County, Maryland, and the author of several books including Productive Math Struggle and Mine the Gap for Mathematical Understanding. In this episode, he talks about the importance of planning for instruction and getting to know your students and their conceptions of math. He also reflects with Donnie and Kathleen about the role of struggle in education, differentiating between productive struggle and when struggle becomes destructive.
You can hear more from SanGiovanni at two upcoming Arizona K12 Center learning events. Day four of our GEAR UP Math Institute will be led by SanGiovanni and is open to all Arizona educators, even if you did not attend earlier sessions in the series. Learn more about that event and register at this link. Our GEAR UP: Summer Math Institute will be a three-day online experience featuring educators and authors Joseph Assof, Olivia Amador, and SanGiovanni. Learn more and register for that event at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Are you familiar with identity safety and what that looks like in your classroom?
Dr. Becki Cohn-Vargas joins 3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Kathleen to talk about identity safe teaching and identity safe classrooms. Dr. Cohn-Vargas and Dr. Dorothy Steele authored the book Identity Safe Classrooms: Places to Belong and Learn. Dr. Cohn-Vargas also authored Identity Safe Classrooms: Pathways to Belonging and Learning with Alexandrea Creer Kahn and Amy Epstein in 2021. She speaks to both of these publications in this podcast episode.
In this episode, Dr. Cohn-Vargas shares about how she first learned and began exploring identity safety before describing the role and importance of the four domains of identity safe classrooms: student-centered teaching, cultivating diversity as a resource, classroom relationships, and caring classroom environments. She then outlines some ways teachers can intentionally and mindfully work toward more identity safe classrooms.
Learn more about identity safe classrooms at identitysafeclassrooms.org and watch for more details soon about our learning event Inclusive Classrooms for All Learners taking place in March 2022.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We hear time and time again how important relationships are and how social-emotional learning needs to be a constant part of teaching. While we know their importance, it can be challenging to actually put into practice how we envision, especially as we navigate virtual and hybrid teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Kathleen talk with Dr. John Hannigan and Jessica Hannigan about their understanding and approach to social-emotional learning. As the authors of “SEL From a Distance: Tools and Processes for Anytime, Anywhere,” the Hannigans have explored why social-emotional learning is so important and how it can be integrated into teaching across the country, no matter the teaching situation.
The Hannigans share with Angelia and Kathleen about that broader view of social-emotional learning and how to humanize virtual or hybrid teaching along with specific tips and strategies.
The Hannigans base their work on the social-emotional learning core competence areas from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). You can read more about those at this link.
You can find the full list of John and Jessican Hannigan’s books by visiting their Amazon authors pages linked here: books by Dr. John Hannigan and books by Jessica Hannigan. You can also check out the Facebook group mentioned in the episode, Equity in School Discipline, at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Last week, 3Ps in a Pod featured Dr. Dana Suskind and the research she has done at the TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health about early language and literacy development. This week, 3Ps hosts Danielle and Mary continue that conversation by talking about local efforts toward supporting some of Arizona’s youngest learners.
This episode will help build your own understanding of early language and literacy development, as well as provide you with information and resources that are available to the parents and families in your community.
Danielle and Mary reflect on last week’s episode before welcoming Meghan Storms of Southwest Human Development to 3Ps in a Pod. Storms specifically talks about the Let’s Talk Dads! program that Southwest Human Development offers based on Dr. Suskind’s work. She then joins Danielle and Mary in welcoming two fathers who have participated in the program to share their experiences. They describe the Let’s Talk Dads! Program from their own perspectives, how it equipped them to better support their young kids, and the effects they’ve seen on their kids’ development.
Closing out this episode, Mary and Danielle chat with Wendy Resnick of the Phoenix Public Library about the variety of resources available to families of young children.
You can learn more about the organizations and resources mentioned in this episode at the links below:
- Southwest Human Development at swhd.org
- the “three Ts” at the3ts.org
- the Steve Nash Foundation at stevenash.org/startingfive
- Phoenix Public Library at phoenixpubliclibrary.org
- the LENA technology, sometimes called a “talk pedometer” at lena.org/technology
Learn more about the Arizona K12 center at azk12.org.
While classroom teachers are significant in every student’s learning journey, that journey begins before children ever enter a school.
Today, 3Ps hosts Danielle and Mary welcome on Dr. Dana Suskind, Professor of Surgery at the University of Chicago, Director of the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program, and Founder and Director of Thirty Million Words.
Dr. Suskind shares about how her career as a cochlear implant surgeon led her to recognize the range of language development in her patients. Her curiosity about what led to such differences in language acquisition set her on a path of research and awareness about early childhood brain and language development. Dr. Suskind created the Thirty Million Words initiative, which became the TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health. She also published the book Thirty Million Words: Building a Child's Brain. She shares about the Center’s research and its work to have a “population level impact on what parents do and believe” in the early childhood space.
Danielle, Mary, and Dr. Suskind also discuss how the coronavirus pandemic may affect early childhood and the importance of teachers across grade levels understanding early childhood development.
Learn more about the TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health at tmwcenter.uchicago.edu and find resources related to the “3Ts” strategies (Tune In, Talk More, Take Turns) to support children’s early learning at the3ts.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In today’s episode, we’re exploring culturally responsive teaching with Kristen and Justin Campbell, the founders of The Urban Connection Project.
Hosts Kathleen and Angelia welcome the Campbells to 3Ps in a Pod to share about their work with the organization they lead and its focus on culturally responsive teaching.
The Campbells share how their experiences growing up and then as classroom teachers led to their creation of The Urban Connection Project. They then detail how they understand culturally responsive teaching and the impact that can have for all Arizona students. This discussion includes talking about the importance of upholding students’ identities and the need for self-awareness to lead to cultural awareness.
Kathleen also shares about her personal experience as a teacher connected with The Urban Connection Project.
Learn more about The Urban Connection Project at theurbanconnectionproject.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center azk12.org.
What is teacher-led inquiry? What is student-led inquiry? How do they interact?
We’re digging into those questions with educators and inquirers Kass Minor and Trevor MacKenzie on this episode of 3Ps in a Pod. Minor and MacKenzie break down the broad concept of inquiry into what it means for educators, leaders, and students day to day and how it intersects with conversations about equity and social justice. Minor and MacKenzie talk both about the ideas involved in approaching life and teaching with an inquiry stance and specific examples of that mindset in action. 3Ps hosts Angelia and Mary also share how they integrate inquiry into their work in the classroom and otherwise.
You can hear more from Trevor MacKenzie at the 16th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute: Where Curiosity and Leadership Unite online this summer where he will be leading general sessions along with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad and Jaime Casap.
You can also find past episodes of 3Ps in a Pod featuring MacKenzie at this link and featuring Minor at this link. If you’re ready to strategically make inquiry a part of your teaching practice, check out the Arizona K12 Center’s Professional Learning Plan Toolkit, which is centered on the professional learning inquiry cycle.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
In this episode, we’re continuing our conversation from last week about inclusion in Tempe Union High School District.
Hosts Kathleen, Mary, and Angelia reflect on last week’s episode when they spoke with Tempe Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil and several Tempe Union students, pointing out connections to the conversation you’ll hear with Tempe Union teachers.
They then turn the discussion over to teachers Cheryl Jannuzzi, Chanda McDonald, Raquel Salas, and Shauna Demers. This panel of Tempe Union teachers talk about their understanding of diversity and inclusion and the efforts they take toward equity in their work. They share about the challenges they face and strategies they use to talk about race with students and colleagues and reflect on the importance of affirming students’ identities to help them be their best selves.
You can use the reflection guide linked here to help process the discussions you hear in both parts of this Inclusion in Schools series.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We’re starting off our ninth season of 3Ps in a Pod with two episodes focused on discussions of race and inclusion in schools. We’ve partnered with Tempe Union High School District’s superintendent, teachers, and students to highlight the conversations happening in their community.
In this episode, hosts Angelia, Kathleen, and Mary talk with Tempe Union Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil about the breadth and diversity of the district and his excitement for the work Tempe Union has done and continues to do.
The hosts then welcome four Tempe Union high school students to the podcast. The student panel discusses their involvement in race and inclusion discussions at their schools, why talking about race can feel so uncomfortable, and ways they think teachers and other school staff can help provide the best space for all students to realize academic achievement and social-emotional well-being.
You can use the reflection guide linked here to help process the discussions in this week’s episode.
Be sure to subscribe to 3Ps in a Pod to listen to next week’s episode when we continue this discussion with Tempe Union High School District teachers.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
No one predicted just how challenging this year would be, especially for teachers. In this holiday season and as we prepare for the close of 2020, we wanted to reflect on our gratitude for you and all Arizona educators.
In this episode, all five 3Ps in a Pod hosts share about the meaningful moments of gratitude they felt as teachers from students and families. Then, a variety of educators and leaders from Arizona and across the country express their gratitude for you!
You’ll recognize many of these voices from earlier podcast episodes or from Arizona K12 Center events. This week’s episode includes messages of gratitude from tech expert and teacher Tony Vincent, educator and facilitator Kass Minor, author and inquiry practitioner Trevor MacKenzie, Arizona Education Association Vice President Marisol Garcia, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, speaker and public education advocate Kim Covington, 2021 Arizona Teacher of the Year Sara Wyffels, University of Arizona Dean of the College of Education Bruce Johnson, Northern Arizona University Dean of the College of Education Ramona Mellott, author and educator Andy Hargreaves, former Google Education Evangelist Jamie Casap, and Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Kathy Wiebke.
We hope you feel the love and appreciation in this episode and in this season. We’ll see you in 2021 for the ninth season of 3Ps in a Pod!
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org
You may know Andy Hargreaves for his educational research, but in his newest book, he pairs his personal educational insights with his own story.
In this week’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Angelia and Donnie talk with Hargreaves about his new memoir, Moving, and the idea of social mobility that he highlights through the book. Social mobility refers to the chance and opportunity to move up in economic or social standing, Hargreaves explains. In this episode, he reflects on education’s role in creating social mobility.
Hargreaves also shares how, no matter how different our struggles may be from others, recognizing our own struggles can help us empathize and better support our students facing their own challenges.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
You may remember hearing from Brianna Winiesdorffer in a 3Ps in a Pod episode last March. After graduating from Northern Arizona University in the spring, Winiesdorffer is now a math resource teacher at Coconino High School in Flagstaff Unified School District.
In this episode, Winiesdorffer catches up with hosts Danielle and Kathleen about her transition from pre-service to first-year teaching and what resources and support she’s received through the Arizona Teachers Academy. She also shares her words of encouragement for all Arizona educators.
The Arizona Teachers Academy provides funding to support teachers throughout their career. This program’s initiatives include helping cover expenses at the pre-service level, providing mentoring and professional development for beginning teachers, and supporting teachers in pursuing National Board Certification. You can hear more about the multifaceted Arizona Teachers Academy in this 3Ps episode from earlier this fall.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Hang out with tech experts Tony Vincent and Paul West in this PD in 30 segment of 3Ps in a Pod. PD in 30 is exactly what it sounds like: a professional development session in 30 minutes or less. This segment is most beneficial if you’re able to listen with a pencil and paper in hand and can easily hit the pause and play buttons on your listening device. Feel free to listen with a group of other teachers or by yourself.
In this episode, Tony Vincent of Learning in Hand and Paul West of Pdubya Tech and Tempe Elementary School District share best practices for engaging slideshow presentations and a load of resources for creating your own attractive slides. How do you find the balance of sharing information without being overwhelming? How do I make attractive slides if I’m not a “design person”? Tony and Paul have the answers.
Here are resources mentioned in this episode:
- Get slide themes from SlidesCarnival, SlidesGo, and SlidesMania.
- Get colors from MaterialUI and Canva Color Tools.
- Get copyright friendly images from Unsplash and Pixabay.
- Get icons from The Noun Project and emojis from Emojipedia.
- Get animated GIF by searching Google Images or at Giphy (teachers can use Giphy to find GIFs, but it’s probably inappropriate for student use)
- Get images with transparent backgrounds from Snipstock, CleanPNG, and Remove.bg.
- Get templates for magazine covers and more from Ryan O’Donnell.
- Narrate slides with Adobe Spark Video or Screencastify.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
It’s the week of Veterans Day, and 3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Danielle are talking with Dr. Nancy Pratt about her military experience and how that has carried into her education career.
Pratt is currently the Director of Instruction and Innovation at Cave Creek Unified School District. But before realizing her interest in teaching, Pratt was a young woman in a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) military briefing class at Arizona State University, realizing she had something special to offer.
Pratt became a transportation officer stationed at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. She shares in this episode about the direction she received from her experiences in the military, how her military experience has shaped her education career, and the direct connections between training military officers and working in education with both students and adult learners.
In this episode, 3Ps host Danielle also shares a bit about her experience being the child of a career service member and then teaching in an accommodation district, a public school for military-connected kids.
Enjoy this episode on the intersections of military service and educational leadership in this week’s 3Ps in a Pod.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center by visiting azk12.org.
Hear from Arizona Educational Foundation’s recently named 2021 Arizona Teacher of the Year Sara Wyffels in today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod!
Hosts Mary and Donnie talk with Wyffels about her journey into education, the experience of being named Arizona Teacher of the Year, and her vision for taking on this role. She defines how she sees teacher leadership and what it means for teachers to step into their voice and expertise. Wyffels also shares about how she approaches balancing her many roles and commitments and her encouragement for all Arizona educators during this especially challenging and unpredictable time.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
If you’ve only heard the name of the Rodel Foundation of Arizona in passing, today’s episode will help you understand the vision and work of this education organization.
Don Budinger, Board Chairman and Founding Director of the Rodel Foundation, was a successful business owner when he realized the incredible importance of education. When he and his brother sold their business, they vowed to take a leading role in the U.S. public education system. They created the Rodel Foundation with the understanding that education changes everything.
In this episode, 3Ps hosts Angelia and Mary talk with Budinger and Jackie Norton, President and CEO of the Rodel Foundation of Arizona, about their work and the need for quality data and decision-making grounded in facts.
An example of Rodel’s commitment to data-based decisions is their document Arizona Public Education at a Glance 2019-2020, which lays out the basic facts and figures “essential to begin an informed discussion about education in Arizona.”
Learn more about the Rodel Foundation of Arizona’s programs and resources by visiting rodelaz.org.Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center by visiting azk12.org.
It’s time for another PD in 30! This time, Suzi Mast, owner of Dynamic Teaching Partners and previously of the Arizona Department of Education, dives into helping you understand how to use the state’s standards to advance your teaching.
PD in 30 is exactly what it sounds like: a professional development session in 30 minutes or less. Grab a pencil and the resources listed below. Make sure you can easily hit the pause and play buttons on your listening device to be able to take time to work on some of the tasks that are a part of this episode. This PD in 30 is also especially effective for you to experience with a team!
Here are the resources Mast references through this session:
- Arizona Academic Standards
- Understanding the Standards Learning Goals & Success Criteria Template
- Understanding the Standards Blank Guidance Template
- Understanding the Standards Guidance Template
- Learning Goals/Learning Targets & Success Criteria
For further assistance, contact Suzi directly at suzimast@gmail.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today’s podcast will have you breathing deeper and maybe moving on with your day a little bit more grounded.
3Ps hosts Donnie and Danielle welcome Dr. Ilana Nankin, founder and CEO of Breathe for Change, to share her insights on how to care for self, which allows us to better care for others.
Nankin has started a movement of bringing yoga, mindfulness, and social-emotional learning to educators and families across the country. She began this work when she saw how yoga and mindfulness were transforming the wellness of the teachers she worked with.
Nankin shares about the significant ways teachers’ wellbeing translates to their students and classroom and how being aware of students’ social and emotional learning only elevates their ability to learn. She also takes Donnie, Danielle, and listeners through some short breathing and reflection activities and gives tips about how to use those with students.
Learn more about Nankin and Breathe for Change at breatheforchange.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
As you’ll hear in this episode, great mentoring is based on relationships. Today, you’ll join 3Ps hosts Danielle and Kathleen in hearing about the relationship and the learning shared between Ginny Sautner, a new teacher mentor, and Allie Oskolkoff, a first-year teacher, both from Lake Havasu Unified School District.
The two discuss the mindset that makes mentoring most effective, the importance of mentoring in the first years of teaching, and the gratitude they have for each other.
You’ll also hear host Kathleen share about her experiences as a new teacher mentor and the power of personalization in that work.
Both Kathleen and Ginny are featured in the Center’s publication Building a Culture of Induction: Case Studies in Mentoring. You can find additional Arizona K12 Center resources for beginning teachers and mentors at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Learn about how Arizona’s Language Development Approach can help you better support all students, especially your English Learner students, in today’s episode.
Hosts Angelia and Donnie talk with Arizona Department of Education’s Kate Wright, Associate Superintendent of High Academic Standards for Students, and Dr. Melissa Castillo, Deputy Superintendent of the Office of English Language Acquisition Services (OELAS).
Wright and Castillo share about the development of Arizona’s Language Development Approach and review the principles of this approach. Wright points out that at the core of this approach is the importance of all teachers and staff, across disciplines, building a culture of support for EL students. They also talk about the role of student agency in supporting EL students.
After listening to this episode and reviewing Arizona’s Language Development Approach, use the reflection guide linked here to plan how to integrate what you heard and read into your practice. You can also find trainings related to Arizona’s Language Development Approach at this link and can learn about Structured English Immersion (SEI) Models at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today’s episode features several outstanding educators, including Dr. Doug Fisher and the five finalists for 2021 Arizona Teacher of the Year.
You likely know Dr. Doug Fisher from the dozens of books and resources he’s helped create or from attending events like those through the Arizona K12 Center.
Today, you’ll hear Dr. Fisher talk with 3Ps hosts Mary and Angelia about the creation of The Distance Learning Playbook, which he wrote with Nancy Frey and John Hattie. He also shares some of what they learned about best practices in distance learning, especially ways to create relationships with students across the distance.
You can receive a copy of The Distance Learning Playbook and spend time learning more from Dr. Doug Fisher by registering for the November 14 Distance Learning PlaybookVirtual Workshop with Doug Fisher through this link.
If you have already attended a Distance Learning Playbook training with the Arizona K12 Center or Corwin or plan to attend that upcoming workshop, you are welcome to register for our December 5 Going Deeper into The Distance Learning Playbook with Doug Fisher to further explore the book and distance learning practices. Learn more for that event and register at this link.
In this episode, you’ll also hear a bit from this year’s five 2021 Arizona Ambassadors of Excellence, the five finalists for Arizona Education Foundation’s Arizona Teacher of the Year.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
3Ps hosts Angelia and Donnie are back with another civics-focused episode, this time focused especially on secondary grades. Prior to the start of this school year, they spoke with Nate Rios, who was then a government and history teacher at Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, and Elizabeth Schley Evans, who was then a government and politics teacher at Basha High School in Chandler.
Together, the four talk about navigating critical conversations, media literacy, engaging with parents, and the importance of getting to know your students and creating a respectful and empathetic place for learning and discussion. Rios and Schley Evans also share strategies to stay unbiased in the classroom and how teachers, especially those in social studies, can best take care of themselves during election season.
Here are links to the resources mentioned during this episode:
- iCivics
- National Constitution Center, specifically the Center’s podcast
- The New York Times’ The Daily podcast
- Newseum, specifically the Decoding Elections resources
- Thomas R. Brown Foundations for economic-related topics
- Allsides.com
- Edsurge invisible bias lesson
- Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna
Click here to open up a reflection guide for this episode to help you plan your civics instruction.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
It’s an election year and the U.S. is experiencing a seemingly more contentious political climate than usual. In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Donnie and Angelia discuss how they handled election seasons and politics in their classrooms before welcoming Beth Maloney, 2014 Arizona Teacher of the Year, to talk more about civics and respectful discourse.
Together, they discuss media literacy, differentiating opinion from fact, strategies for generating discussion, bias in the classroom, and communicating with parents.
Maloney sites Common Sense Media for Educators as a helpful resource for elementary school teachers. She also introduces Donnie and Angelia to the Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus campaign. Be sure to find more information about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus here.
Click here to open up a reflection guide for this episode to help you plan your civics instruction.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
If you’re currently preparing to become a teacher or are in your first several years of teaching in Arizona, you don’t want to miss all of the information in today’s episode!
Hosts Donnie and Kathleen welcome several guests to today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod to give a full rundown of the several parts of the Arizona Teachers Academy. Governor Doug Ducey initiated this program a few years ago that aims to recruit, support, and retain Arizona teachers. The Arizona Teachers Academy includes several pieces: tuition and fee waivers for education students, mentoring and induction support, Beginning Teacher Series professional learning opportunities, and National Board Certification.
3Ps hosts Donnie and Kathleen talk with Arizona K12 Center Teachers Academy Project Director Kendall Waite about the goals and vision of the Arizona Teachers Academy.
Kathleen then shares about how the Arizona Teachers Academy specifically supports new teachers through helping lessen student debt education graduates and through instruction-focused, non-evaluative mentorship. She talks with Michelle Doherty, who taught for 25 years in Osborn School District in Phoenix and is the 2017 Arizona Teacher of the Year, about Doherty’s experiences as a new teacher mentor and specifically about how mentoring looks this year as she works with teachers providing virtual instruction. Kathleen also talks about the multiple events that are a part of the Arizona K12 Center’s Beginning Teachers Series, which are available to all new teachers in Arizona, not just those who are a part of the Arizona Teachers Academy.
3Ps host Donnie then talks with Waite more about the National Board Certification piece of the Arizona Teachers Academy, which can help candidates save up to $1,900 through the NBCT process. Waite lists these steps to be eligible for National Board Certification funding through the Arizona Teachers Academy:
- Step 1: Complete a pre-candidacy course through the Arizona K12 Center or your district. (The Center’s next National Board Pre-Candidacy Class is just about to close! Register at azk12.org/events to join us.)
- Step 2: Complete the National Board Institute through the Arizona K12 Center.
- Step 3: At the end of the National Board Institute, you will receive the application for funding. In seven days, you’ll know if you’re approved for funding or not.
- Step 4: Attend National Board Kickoff.
- Step 5: Attend monthly National Board support meetings, organized geographically
- Step 6: After submitting a component, you will receive your score report, which you must also share with the Arizona K12 Center
- Step 7: Teach in an Arizona public school for at least one year after the submission of your components
- Donnie then talks with Jessica D’Ambrosio, a teacher in Higley Unified School District who is pursuing National Board Certification, about why she decided to pursue becoming an National Board Certified Teacher, what has encouraged her along the way, and more about her journey thus far.
If you need more information please email Kendall at kwaite@azk12.org or questions about mentoring please email Kathleen at kpaulsen@azk12.org
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Now that the 2020-2021 school year is back in session, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia, Mary, and Kathleen talk with two school superintendents, a principal, and a teacher about their hopes, fears, and opportunities related to schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This week’s guests are Dr. Melissa Sadorf, superintendent of Stanfield Elementary School District; Dr. Andi Fourlis, superintendent of Mesa Public Schools; Jennifer Waldron, principal of Anasazi Elementary School in Scottsdale Unified School District; and Ben Collinsworth, first-grade teacher at Flowing Wells School District.
Dr. Sadorf, Dr. Fourlis, Waldron, and Collinsworth share about their personal experiences teaching and leading during a pandemic, their perspectives on what positive changes might come from this time, and encouragement for other educators.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Hang out with tech experts Tony Vincent and Sara Mora in this PD in 30 segment of 3Ps in a Pod. PD in 30 is exactly what it sounds like: a professional development session in 30 minutes or less. This segment is most beneficial if you’re able to listen with a pencil and paper in hand and can easily hit the pause and play buttons on your listening device. Feel free to listen with a group of other teachers or by yourself.
Tony Vincent of Learning in Hand and Sara Mora of Sahuarita Unified School District talk about the advantages and disadvantages of live and recorded videos, tips to make them both effective for student learning, and ideas for creative interaction over video.
Here are links to many of the videos, websites, and resources mentioned in this episode:
- Quarantined with Mrs. Speed
- How Brené Brown Runs Emotionally Intelligent Zoom Meetings
- Flipgrid at Flipgrid.com
- Alice Keeler Webcam Record extension for Chrome
- Flipgrid Discovery Library: Conversation Starters
- Video Tutorial Library (select “Make a Copy” to open up your own file)
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We are continuing our conversations and reflections about the return to the school in this episode. 3Ps hosts Angelia and Donnie welcome Arizona Education Association Vice President Marisol Garcia and Arizona Department of Education Associate Superintendent Kate Wright to share about their hopes, fears, and curiosities about this school year.
Garcia and Wright also share about their visions for what schools might look like moving forward from 2020 and their encouragement and appreciation for the work teachers are doing.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Teachers and students alike are returning to the classroom carrying a variety of emotions. In this first episode of the eighth season of 3Ps in a Pod, the 3Ps hosts talk with themselves and this week’s two guests about what they have learned and what they continue to struggle with after the events of the past six months.
The 3Ps hosts you’ve come to know, Angelia, Danielle, Donnie, and Mary, will introduce you to the newest addition to the 3Ps team and also to this week’s two guests: Elma Dzanic, Support Services Manager for Phoenix Union High School District, and Dr. Cliff Moon, Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion for Tempe Union High School District.
As Support Services Manager for Phoenix Union, Dzanic works to integrate a restorative justice and practices framework as she oversees social workers, intervention staff, and others in her department. She shares about how she is living and working during the “two pandemics” the country is experiencing and how she is helping support Phoenix Union students and employees. That support has included developing a toolkit for navigating these times that will soon be available for others to access. Find Phoenix Union High School District's "Social and Emotional Toolkit for Educators" here. You can also find past episodes featuring Dzanic Bass here.
Dr. Cliff Moon shares with the 3Ps hosts about the opportunities educators and the nation as a whole have now to engage in “courageous conversations.” While a challenging time, Dr. Moon explains how this moment in time offers the framework for educators to better serve students and families. He shares his wishlist for what a new normal might look like that better supports all students.
Here are a few other links to people or resources mentioned in this episode:
- Cinnamon Kills First, cinnamonkillsfirst.com
- Ibrahm X. Kendi, ibramxkendi.com
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
This season’s finale episode is packed with information about the Arizona K12 Center’s two biggest summer events.
You may have already heard about Camp Plug and Play 15.0 and the 15th Annual Teacher Leader Institute going virtual. In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Mary and Danielle share a few more details about what these events will be like online.
Mary also talks about this year’s theme for the Teacher Leadership Institute (TLI) of elevating student voice through teacher leadership. You will also hear directly from this year’s five TLI Spotlights, previously introduced through this Centered blog post, and from several Arizona TeacherSolutions® Team members who will be leading breakout sessions at TLI.
Learn more the events mentioned in this episode at azk12.org/events and about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., an educator, speaker, and founder of The Privilege Institute, joins hosts Angelia and Danielle in this episode of 3Ps in a Pod.
Angelia and Danielle kick off their conversation with Dr. Moore asking about how teachers can best maintain relationships and build community amidst social distancing due to COVID-19. They also discuss how teachers might navigate what life will look like after students return to the classroom and approach the inequities they are seeing now in distance learning.
Learn more about Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., his work, and the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge he mentioned at his website eddiemoorejr.com.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Today’s episode is about you and how you’re doing these days. Dawn Baumgartner, a licensed clinical social worker, certified yoga teacher, and trauma specialist, joins 3Ps hosts Angelia and Danielle to talk about how to best care for yourself, your family, and your students during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dawn currently works for Phoenix Elementary School District #1, Arizona State University's School of Social Work, and KOI-Education.
In this episode, you’ll hear advice on recognizing and living with your emotions and also likely feel some camaraderie with how Dawn, Angelia, and Danielle have been feeling.
Find details about the Flipgrid community Danielle mentioned in this episode, along with some other resources, through this link. You can learn more about Yale University’s “Science of Well-Being” course that Dawn mentioned taking at this link.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
How can teachers support students who have experienced immigration-related trauma? In today’s episode, Reyna Montoya shares with 3Ps in a Pod hosts Mary and Angelia about her journey through Arizona schools as an undocumented English language learner and then as a classroom teacher, which led to her creating the organization Aliento. This Phoenix-based organization works to transform immigration-related trauma into hope and action.
Montoya also talks specifically about how the current COVID-19 situation is impacting mixed status families and how teachers and leaders can address those students now and as schools prepare for a new school year in the fall.
Learn more about Aliento at alientoaz.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Just as there are often signals that a person may need physical first aid, students’ behavior can indicate that a student may need mental health first aid.
In this episode, Arizona Department of Education School Safety & Social Wellness Program Grant Specialist Lindsay Walker and first-grade teacher Hannah Williams join hosts Danielle and Angelia. The four discuss how to look at student behavior as communication rather than something to manage and, specifically, trainings and resources the Arizona Department of Education offers to do with behavioral health and suicide prevention, known as Project A.W.A.R.E. (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education).
Learn more about Project A.W.A.R.E. at tinyurl.com/adeprojectaware. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Teachers are dealing with incredible amounts of stress and uncertainty as they navigate work and life during the COVID-19 pandemic. To share how she cultivates mindfulness during her usual, everyday life and this extraordinary time, Principal Allison Carmichael joins 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Angelia.
Along with being principal of Silver Valley Elementary in Queen Creek, Carmichael runs Second Arrow, which provides mindfulness tools for educators. Carmichael shares in this episode how and why she started Second Arrow and what tools she has found especially helpful in her mental health journey. You’ll also hear strategies Danielle and Angelia have found helpful in centering themselves.
Here are a list of links to resources mentioned in this episode:
- Second Arrow’s Instagram page
- Second Arrow’s Twitter page
- Alternate nostril breathing, also known as “nadi shodhanah pranayama”
- Ten Percent Happier
- Yoga Nidra
- Simple Habit
- Calm App
- 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
- TeacherFit
Further process today's episodes using the reflection guide linked here.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Inspired by Jamie Festa-Daigle’s blog post last September on Stories from Schools AZ, this episode of 3Ps in a Pod features four Arizona teachers reading aloud letters to their first-year teacher selves.
What do you wish then? 3Ps hosts Donnie and Danielle share what they wish they knew as they were just starting their education careers. Then, these four teachers share their letters:
- Jamie Festa-Daigle, NBCT, Lake Havasu City Unified School District
- Maria Fallon, NBCT, Marana Unified District
- Sandy Merz, NBCT, Catalina Foothills School District
- James King, Glendale Union High School District
Interested in writing your own letter? We’ve got the letterhead here to help you get started!
Three of the teachers you hear on today’s episode are bloggers for Stories from Schools AZ. Apply to join them through the application here.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
How do you build classroom community, even while teaching remotely?
In this PD in 30 segment, Hannah Jones, NBCT, assistant technology specialist in Madison School District, and Leah Clark, English language arts teacher in Glendale Union High School District, dive into how to create an inclusive classroom community and what that can look like right now as schools are closed because of COVID-19.
PD in 30 segments are exactly what they sound like: professional development sessions in 30 minutes or less. PD in 30 is most beneficial if you’re able to listen with a pencil and paper in hand and can easily hit the pause and play buttons on your listening device.
Here are also links to several resources mentioned in this episode:
- Ideas for back-to-back drawing pictures
- www.kaganonline.com
- www.polleverywhere.com
- Flipgrid.com
- www.peardeck.com
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
We’re celebrating Arizona’s aspiring teachers this week on 3Ps in a Pod! Hosts Danielle and Angelia talk with Brianna Winiesdorffer and Katee Hurst, two future teachers and current leaders in Northern Arizona University’s chapter of Educators Rising.
Brianna and Katee share how they came to pursue careers in education and what their pre-service experiences have been like so far. They also talk about how they revitalized their university’s club for future teachers and the support it offers. Hosts Danielle and Angelia also reflect on some of their pre-service memories.
By the way, as she promised Brianna did follow up with us about the story she shared in this episode, and she is sporting a new pair of bright purple Chucks these days.
Learn more about Northern Arizona University’s Educators Rising chapter through its Instagram page or Facebook group. Learn more about Educators Rising Arizona on its website edrisingaz.org, and find a list of active Educators Rising chapters in Arizona high schools and higher education institutions at edrisingaz.org/our-current-chapters.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
You may know Dr. Dominique Smith as one of the authors of Better than Sticks or Carrots: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management or heard him in one of our season one episodes. Dr. Smith is the Chief of Educational Services and Teacher Relations at Health Sciences High & Middle College in San Diego, California, and a leader in social emotional learning and restorative practice.
In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Mary talk with Dr. Smith about how schools and districts can move social emotional learning beyond a program just for students into an integrated practice for everyone in a school’s community. Dr. Smith also talks about how teacher identities model for their students and his “fail resume.” You’ll also learn some fun facts about Dr. Smith as hosts Mary and Danielle end their interview with a fun sentence stem activity.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
The Arizona Legislature again has several education-related bills on the docket this session, and Chris Kotterman is in the 3Ps in a Pod studio to talk about what these bills mean and where they are in the legislative process.
Chris is the Director of Governmental Relations for the Arizona School Boards Association. He talks with hosts Angelia and Donnie about several school-related bills, including some to do with employee discipline, curriculum viewing policies, suicide prevention, and English-only education requirements. Chris also shares about several possible changes to school funding.
In this episode, you’ll also hear an update about the Arizona Teachers Academy and funding available for educators interested in becoming National Board Certified Teachers. Chris and Donnie also talk about the steps involved in running for a school board seat in Arizona. Chris mentions that more information is available at azsba.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Meet one of our three keynotes who will be speaking at the Fifteenth Annual Teacher Leadership Institute: Elevating Student Voice through Teacher Leadership. Kass Minor shares about her unexpected journey into education and how her early experiences working in education led her to exploring the concept of inquiry.
Today, Minor partners with schools and uses inquiry to develop school communities and address problems of practice. A crucial part of her work is helping school communities understand teachers as researchers and curriculum builders. She and her husband and life partner, Cornelius Minor, also run The Minor Collective, which specializes “in helping schools reach their most complex learners by changing the practices that marginalize them.”
Minor talks about how she expects teachers will leave this summer’s Teacher Leadership Institute feeling “charged and not alone” in this work.
Near the end of the episode, you’ll hear Minor talk a bit about sand cats with Angelia and Mary. Find photos of this adorable creature here.
Use the supplemental linked here to guide reflection on this episode individually or with your PLC!
To learn more and purchase the Professional Learning Plan Angelia mentioned, go to this link on azk12.org. You can also learn more and register for the Fifteenth Annual Teacher Leadership Institute at azk12.org or bit.ly/20TLI.
Do you know about sketchnoting? In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Danielle and Donnie discuss how they typically take notes and what they know about sketchnoting. Danielle describes sketchnoting, also known as “visual notetaking,” as tracking your thinking and highlighting big ideas in your notes. These can include a mix of words, doodles, and drawings.
Then, Danielle and Donnie welcome Sylvia Duckworth, who taught for more than 30 years in Canada, before retiring two years ago and focusing her work on talking to teachers about sketchnoting. Duckworth talks more about what sketchnoting is and the way it can affect learning. Duckworth will also be the keynote speaker at this summer’s Camp Plug and Play 15.0: The Creative Technology Camp for Teachers.
Learn more about sketchnoting and resources to learn more and start implementing sketchnoting in your classroom at sylviaduckworth.com.
Learn more and register for Camp Plug and Play 15.0 at bit.ly/PlugandPlay15. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Get a window into what you will experience at the Fifteenth Annual Teacher Leadership Institute: Elevating Student Voice through Teacher Leadership. 3Ps hosts Mary and Angelia introduce two of this summer’s keynotes, Cornelius Minor, who also spoke at last year’s institute, and Cinnamon Kills First. Both talk about their individual work and what they are looking forward to talking about at this summer’s Teacher Leadership Institute.
Mary also introduces this year’s theme of elevating student voice and how that work doesn’t mean “simply raising their voice louder,” she explains. “We’re talking about identity and culture and being understanding of who is showing up in our seats every day, who is showing up in our learning environments…”
Learn more and register for the Fifteenth Annual Teacher Leadership Institute at azk12.org or bit.ly/20TLI.
This week’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod puts conversations about classroom engagement into action with “PD in 30.” This special segment is exactly what it sounds like: a professional development session in 30 minutes or less. PD in 30 is most beneficial if you’re able to listen with a pencil and paper in hand and can easily hit the pause and play buttons on your listening device. Feel free to listen with a group of other teachers or by yourself.
In this episode, you’ll join Beth Maloney, NBCT, of Dysart Unified School District, and James King, of Glendale Union High School District, in discussion about the importance of engagement and activities you can apply immediately in your classroom. Learn more about the Kagan Strategies Beth and James reference here.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Did you know that this school year is the 20th year of the Arizona K12 Center? In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Mary share how they came to know the work of the Center and how it affected their work as teachers and as eventual partners and employees of the Center. Then, Executive Director Kathy Wiebke shares more about the history and accomplishments of the Arizona K12 Center and her vision for advancing the Center’s support of teachers and students across the state.
Learn more about the history of the Arizona K12 Center and find the “Building a Profession” document, featuring the research related to the Center’s work, at azk12.org.
Get a preview of Camp Plug and Play 15.0 with tech-in-education extraordinare Tony Vincent! Hosts Danielle and Mary talk to Tony about how they first got to know his work before hearing Tony outline what to expect at this summer’s annual tech camp. Tony also announces this year’s keynote speaker, Sylvia Duckworth, the “Sketchnoting queen.”
Tony, Danielle, and Mary also talk about the place of emojis in school and in life and multiple strategies Tony has developed for bringing fun technology into the classroom.
You can follow Tony Vincent on Twitter here and learn more about his multiple projects at the links below:
- Electrify any Lesson: LearninginHand.com/electrify
- Shapegrams.com
Learn more and register for Camp Plug and Play 15.0 at azk12.org.
Hosts Mary and Angelia start off this new season of 3Ps in a Pod by catching up with Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman. Superintendent Hoffman shares about her first year in office, her highlights and challenges, and what keeps her smiling and optimistic about education in Arizona. Hoffman also talks about what’s coming up this year.
Beyond 2020, Hoffman discusses how her team is overseeing the development of a new state assessment to replace what’s been known as “AzMERIT” in the 2021-2022 school year and a new science assessment aligned to Arizona’s new science standards. The Arizona Department of Education will be gathering feedback about the new assessments this year.
Hosts Mary and Angelia also mention that Superintendent Hoffman will be speaking and congratulating Arizona’s newest and newly renewed National Board Certified Teachers at the Eleventh Annual Celebration of Accomplished Teaching on February 8. You can RSVP to attend the Celebration at bit.ly/11thAnnualCoAT.
In this final episode of the season, all four hosts are in the studio to discuss their favorite episodes through the past six seasons. Hosts Angelia, Mary, Danielle, and Donnie share clips of their favorite past episodes and what struck them about each guest’s remarks on that episode.
They touch on student achievement, restorative practice, school safety, self-care, and Visible Learning.
Check out the full episodes mentioned in this episode at the links below or wherever you listen to your podcasts. We’ll be back with new episodes starting January 16!
- S6 Episode 11: Making the Most of Your Standards with Dr. Donyall Dickey
- S1 Episode 3: Restorative Practice
- S5 Episode 2: Where School Safety Policy and Practice Collide
- S1 Episode 7: Power of Educator Self-Care
- S4 Episode 3: John Hattie and 10 Mindframes for Learning
Find out more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Wade Antonio Colwell is an advocate for equity, inclusion, and excellence and often uses his love of hip hop and poetry to bring that work to schools. In this episode, Colwell shares about his journey into education, his work helping begin the Youth Equity Stewardship program, and about the upcoming Equity by Design institute. Colwell also shares some of his original work near the end of this episode.
Learn more about the Equity by Design Institute mentioned in this episode at bit.ly/EquityInst. Register using promo code ARIZONAK12 for $25 off your registration.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Dr. Douglas Reeves is an expert in leadership and teaching, with a particular interest and expertise in grading. In this episode, Dr. Reeves shares a bit of history of grading systems, three things he would like to see change about how many teachers grade, and what he considers the “academic death penalty.” He also talks through creative ways he has seen teachers evaluate students’ performance rather than practice.
Here are a few of the resources mentioned in this episode:
Creative Leadership Solutions
DouglasReeves.com
ChangeLeaders.com
FinishTheDissertation.org
Article host Angelia mentioned about busting grading myths
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Lynette Stant is the Arizona Education Foundation’s 2020 Teacher of the Year! In this episode, she shares about what her past month as the new title-holder has been like and what she is looking forward to in the next year. Stant also talks about what keeps her excited about teaching and how she’ll know when she is ready to leave the classroom.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.
Intentional support for beginning teachers impacts students, other teachers, and the entire school. In this episode, Dr. Emily Davis, founder of Teacher Development Network, shares about what quality mentoring for beginning teachers looks like and the ways that it can affect multiple parts of a school. She also talks about “praxis shock,” the jolt new teachers often feel when moving from studying education to becoming a classroom teacher. You may connect with hosts Danielle and Mary as they recount some of their own memories of starting their teaching careers.
Find other resources related to this episode, including a discussion guide, at this link or through azk12.org
Do you get nervous when integrating new technology into your classroom? Award-winning principal and digital leadership pioneer Eric Sheninger shares how he went from outlawing devices in classrooms to embracing social media and technology in his school to improve teaching, learning, and leadership. As teachers work to prepare students for a future no one can predict, how can they integrate technology to help students stretch their thinking for however the world will be?
Find other resources mentioned in and related to this episode at this link or through azk12.org.
As a mentor to first and second-year teachers in Balsz School District, Kathleen Paulsen’s work includes helping new teachers learn how to support refugee students and their families. One school typically has between 14 and 17 different languages represented at one time. Knowing students are refugees changes what teacher support looks like. In this episode, Paulsen shares what she has learned over the years since she was a first-year teacher with many refugee students and what advice she has for others.
Find other resources mentioned in and related to this episode at this link or through azk12.org.
Dr. Donyall Dickey will inspire you to help your students “climb the ladder of cognitive demand.” With 17 years as an educational leader, Dr. Dickey focuses his work on curriculum, instruction, organizational development, and school administration. In this episode, he and hosts Danielle and Angelia plunge into conversations about student achievement, instructional leadership, opportunity gaps, and far more.
Find additional resources related to today’s episode, including a guide for individual or group discussion, at this link or by visiting the Arizona K12 Center’s website at azk12.org.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can negatively impact a young person’s brain development, cognitive abilities, behavior, and social and emotional wellbeing; and more than half of students may have had at least one ACE. In this episode, you will learn more about ACEs and how they impact students and teachers. We will explore ways to help build more resilient students and teachers through relationships, intentionality, and thoughtfulness. We are so excited to share the work of Ricky Robertson, Victoria Romero, and Amber Warner with all of our listeners this week as we work to be our best professional selves and build system-wide processes to support both students and educators.
Learn more about the resources and topics mentioned in this episode by visiting this link or azk12.org.
Teachers are talking about what Arizona’s new dyslexia law means for them. In this episode, Sean Ross, Arizona Department of Education’s Director of English Language Arts and Humanities, explains how the passing and signing of SB 1318 affects how schools and teachers approach dyslexia screenings and what resources are available. He also shares about his other literacy work and how he can support Arizona’s teacher.
Learn more about the resources and topics mentioned in this episode by visiting this link or azk12.org.
With the signing of SB 1014 earlier this year, this school year brings some major changes for English learners in Arizona schools. Kate Wright is the Deputy Superintendent of the Office of English Language Acquisition Services in the Arizona Department of Education and will share in this episode how this new policy opens up the possibilities for Arizona’s EL students and advice for teachers implementing these changes.
Learn more about the resources and topics mentioned in this episode by visiting this link or azk12.org.
How is Arizona approaching the teacher shortage? Hear from Northern Arizona University President Dr. Rita Cheng about Governor Doug Ducey’s Arizona Teachers Academy and how NAU is implementing the program and supporting tomorrow’s teachers. You’ll also learn more about why education is so important to Dr. Cheng, how she spends her time away from work, and what books she’s currently reading.
Learn more about the resources and topics mentioned in this episode by clicking here or by visiting azk12.org.
Today we explore instructional leadership with Dr. Peter DeWitt. DeWitt focuses heavily on the idea of servant leadership and his belief that the best coaching is not based on having all of the answers. He believes the most effective instructional leaders are open and honest with those they support. DeWitt also highlights the overwhelming importance of credibility and its relational impact on an instructional ability to move practice forward. We close the episode discussing his early work around supporting LGBT students in schools and his current use of meditation as a means to a happy and healthier life.
Learn more about Dr. DeWitt by clicking here or visiting azk12.org/homeroom
We are so excited to share one of our first mobile podcasts with our listeners this week! We invite you to come with us and meet Dr. Olivia Amador at the Annual Visible Learning Conference this past summer. This week, we will learn more about the practicality of the Teacher Clarity Playbook and how it can enhance the structures that exist in your space. Find upcoming teacher clarity events here.
For more resources related to this episode, visit this link or azk12.org.
After several years as an elementary classroom teacher, Connie Hamilton wanted to expand her influence on how children learn in schools. In this episode, you’ll hear about her journey from a young child “playing school” with her stuffed animals to an author and presenter helping other teachers to be their best in the classroom and what she’s learned about equity, relationships, and teaching along the way.
Connie will also share about why she thinks John Hattie’s Visible Learning is such a powerful concept and what participants will experience at the upcoming event Visible Learning in Mathematics: Foundations and Beyond. Learn more and register here.
Find out more about Connie Hamilton and the Arizona K12 Center here.
This week we have a chance to learn more about Geoff Esposito. We discuss his advocacy work in the area of education, his early interest in politics, and why bow ties have become his staple. Listen in to learn ways that you can connect with policymakers in your area. We hope that Esposito’s podcast will serve as a resource as you think about getting involved in things that you care about and also as a point of reflection as your professional journey evolves. What do you want your career in education to look like over the next five years?
Dr. Jenny Pieratt joins us to chat about Project Based Learning (PBL). Angelia and Danielle bring up the importance of involving families in the work and Dr. Pieratt offers some helpful strategies and hints. Dr. Pieratt also shares her experiences and belief in the learning structure expressing the power she has seen when PBL becomes a school and systemwide structure leading to changes in the disposition of learners. Students involved in ongoing successful PBL experiences often have the outlook that challenges and creative problem solving are part of the learning process.
We look forward to hosting with Dr. Jenny Pieratt on September 26 and March 26. The two-day learning series is, “not your typical professional development experience”. You will leave with a project in your hands that can be implemented right away. To learn more information and to register to attend, please visit: http://azk12.org/event/31145/details
We are back and ready to rock! Join us for a new semester of voices, perspectives, learning, and laughs. We kick off our new season with a top 10 list of tips from teachers around Arizona. Listen in to hear teachers expand on the tips with helpful examples and hints to kickoff the school year. In fact, we want to hear YOUR tips too. After listening, share your tips on Twitter adding hashtags #3PsinaPod and #firstday.
Join the fabulous and fearless 3Ps in a Pod hosts as they reflect on their past two years at the Arizona K12 Center. Listen in to learn more about these Arizona teacher leaders as they share memories, personal updates, and the events they are most excited about. Although this is our Spring 2019 Semester finale episode, we will be back this August with a full new calendar of guests and timely information that is sure to keep you up-to-date on topics that are meaningful to you. On a last note, if you have an idea or topic for the podcast that you want us to explore, don’t hesitate to give us a shout out on Twitter using the hashtag #3PsinaPod!
On this week’s podcast, we have the privilege to speak to Ted Dintersmith and learn how our schools and educators can change the narrative around education in the United States. Ted urges us all to look for opportunities to unleash the greatness that is in our educators, to look for innovation occurring in our schools, to expose students to creative opportunities to solve problems, and to think about how the innovation change model can help us share and take successful ideas to scale. Ted also shares with us that he is working on a new compilation, The Innovation Playlist, that showcases the awesomeness happening in our schools. This week’s podcast also features a supplementary guide to help continue conversations about innovation and successes impacting students in your context.
On this week’s podcast we are thrilled to host Stephen Chang from The National Equity Project and take a deep dive into equity, race, and personal identity and how these impact the ways in which we show up as humans and educators. Stephen shares insightful ways in which we can start to create change within ourselves and within the systems we are a part of in order to disrupt patterns of inequity while building relationships with others. If you are interested in attending the fall Coaching for Equity event please visit azk12.org to learn more and register. This week’s podcast also features a supplementary guide to help continue conversations about equity in your space.
Are you curious about the new Arizona Science Standards, how they came to be, and how they will impact your classroom? On this week’s podcast you will have a chance to better understand the rationale behind the new standards, the idea of 3-Dimensional Learning, and how to create scientifically literate students from three experts, Sarah Sleaseman, Rebecca Garelli, and Tiffany Smith. For more information about the new standards and learning around them visit the Arizona Department of Education website and the Arizona Science Teachers Association. Don’t forget to check azk12.org as we will offer Project-Based Learning and Assessment with Jenny Pierratt and Visible Learning in Math with Connie Hamilton and Joseph Assof during the 2019-2020 school year. Can’t wait to see you there!
On this week’s podcast, Danielle and Angelia explore the work of Glenn Singleton and how Courageous Conversations about race can help bring about systemic change. During this conversation with Glenn, we explore the Four Agreements and the Six Conditions of Courageous Conversations as well as how these impact us in our lives and daily conversations. As you listen this week, you will hear why Glenn “feels compelled to leave the world a far better place than he found it” and how he is living out that mission. To learn more about Courageous Conversations, Glenn Singleton, or Pacific Educational Group visit https://courageousconversation.com/about/. Don't miss the week's supplemental resource, which you can download to help encourage and continue Courageous Conversations in your space.
Join us this week as we talk to Chris Kotterman and Dr. Beth Maloney about what has been happening at the Arizona State Capitol. Chris is here to update us on new laws that will impact practice next school year and what is still happening on the policy front that educators will want to pay close attention to. If you would like to learn more about the Arizona Schools Boards Association visit: azsba.org. Dr. Maloney spends some time talking to us about the Arizona NBCT Network’s Two Weeks of Action where NBCTs took time to meet with legislators and share information about National Board Certification and its impact on students and their profession. If you are an NBCT who wants to get involved in the Network, we urge you to register for this year’s Arizona NBCT Network Convening on May 4, 2019. To learn more about the 2019 convening and register visit azk12.org/event/30727/details.
If you were asked to think of an instructional leader who has had a positive impact on your career and your practice, who would come to your mind? On this week's podcast, Danielle and Donnie discuss the impact that instructional leadership has on students, staff, classrooms, and schools. We meet Jennifer Truitt-Lewis, a talented principal and instructional leader, from the Fort Huachuca Accommodation School District. Jennifer shares with us how collaboration, open mindedness, and an assets based approach to leadership creates a strong teaching and learning environment.
This week we have the opportunity to hear from a 2019 Camp Plug and Play 14.0 keynote speaker, Trevor Mackenzie. In this week’s podcast, we explore ways to build a classroom practice that not only embraces curiosity, but also scaffolds learning through inquiry so that we can help alleviate the anxiety our learners might feel in a more open-ended environment. As you listen this week, we hope you gain some inside tips from Trevor on how to create space to mold our curriculum into work that builds upon students interests. To learn more about Trevor Mackenzie’s book Inquiry Mindset, visit https://www.trevormackenzie.com/inquiry-mindset. We also hope to see you at Camp Plug and Play 14.0 June 10-14, 2019 where you will have a chance to learn more from Trevor and other amazing educators. You can learn more about this event by visiting http://azk12.org/event/30957/details. Don’t miss this week’s supplemental resource, which you can download to use within your educational community.
How familiar are you with the kindness movement known as Ben’s Bells? In this week’s episode you will have a chance to learn more about the visible and emotional work of the Ben’s Bells movement in Tucson, AZ from the organization’s Director of Education, Laura Groenwald, PhD. Ben’s Bells was founded by Jeannette Maré as an incredible tribute to her son that has continued through moments of kindness. In this week’s podcast, we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to learn about micro moments of connection, how small forms of kindness help to sustain us and connect us as humans, and how we can be intentional about the ways we build self awareness. To continue your learning about Ben’s Bells Kind Campus and how you can get involved, visit the Ben’s Bells website at bensbells.org.
Stephanie Parra, a first-generation American citizen, who was born and raised in Yuma, AZ has cultivated her passion for student success in many ways throughout her career. From Stephanie’s experiences, we hope you will learn more about what contributes to post-secondary success and how we can all work together to prepare students for life after their PK-12 experiences. On this week’s podcast, you will learn what brought Parra to the Phoenix Union School Board, how she began her work with the Arizona Education Association, and why she decided to stay in Arizona to “be a part of the change”. We end this week’s podcast with a call to action and to “stay in it”. What ways will you “stay in it?”
As our task lists lengthen and personal time seems less available than ever before, we often forget the importance of self-care. This week we are going back into the vault from the first season of 3Ps in a Pod for a powerful interview with Marian Mellen. Marian is a professional coach and speaker devoted to teaching others ways to bring self-love, personal care, and mindfulness to daily living. Donnie and Danielle start today’s conversation highlighting ways they have been consciously applying their own learning from Marian after their first conversation with her last fall. Listen in to discover ways you can feel empowered to maximize the time you have and to bring more balance into your life.
This week’s episode is not only informative, but you will have an opportunity to get to know Chris Kotterman of the Arizona School Boards Association on a personal level. Listen in to find out about his hobbies like band and scuba diving! Donnie and Angelia have an in depth conversation with Mr. Kotterman about the impact of extra curricular activities in schools and how they are funded at local levels. This week we also explore what is currently happening at the Arizona State Legislature around English language instruction, school funding, and teacher evaluations. Join us to stay up to date on legislative issues that impact today’s Arizona educators and students.
Did you know that the concept of digital citizenship is evolving? LeeAnn Lindsey, from EdVolve, joins Danielle and Mary as they discuss the history of digital citizenship and where it is headed in relationship to student learning and access. Check out LeeAnn’s recent blog post on this topic titled, The Evolution of Digital Citizenship. LeeAnn also shares the connection between digital citizenship and the role it plays in creating equitable outcomes for all students in our school communities. Learning around digital citizenship doesn't end with this podcast. Join us this June at the Fourteenth Annual Teacher Leadership Institute where LeeAnn will share more about the cross-section between equity and digital citizenship. Listen in to hear more about the impact of digital citizenship and its connection to students’ daily lives, beyond our classrooms.
Links Mentioned:
- The Evolution of Digital Citizenship by LeeAnn Lindsey
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
Elama Dzanic joins Angelia and Mary to continue the conversation around school safety. Elma champions the idea that the level of connectedness our students feel to our school communities, both emotionally and socially, is just as important as a student’s academic success. She emphasizes that it is the the authentic relationships created among and between students and adults in a school community that develops safety and security. Elma calls upon us to assess our own biases and to hold space for challenging topics in our classrooms. Listen in to hear some of Elma’s experiences as she provides us knowledge and expertise on how to bring about the dialogue that every child needs to feel safe and secure within their school community.
Links Mentioned:
- Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates
- Consciousness | Healing | Relationships by Elma Dzanic
- Don’t Say Nothing: Silence speaks volumes. Our Students are listening by Jamilah Pitts
- Discussing “The Mental Health Issue” After Parkland by Julia Delacroix
Mary Field and guest host, Elma Dzanic, discuss the topic of school safety with Dr. Carl Hermanns. Dr. Hermanns has vast experience in and across education organizations serving as an educator, principal, assistant superintendent, and now professor at Mary Lou Fulton in the division of educational leadership and innovation. On this episode, we explore school safety data and a historical timeline of the federal government's response in an attempt to mitigate active school shooters post Columbine. Dr. Hermanns challenges us to develop authentic relationships leading to conditions where students feel a sense of belonging and connection with a school community. He emphasizes the critical role teachers play in developing authentic human relationships on and across school communities as preventative to harm and hurt caused by school violence.
The conversation is not over this week. Join us again next week for School Safety Part 2 where Angelia and Mary continue the conversation with Dzanic by discussing how we bring this new information to the classroom level and how we prepare for tough conversations in the classroom around school safety, tolerance, and bias.
Welcome back to our Spring Semester! Today, we highlight a previous interview we had with Jaime Casap at the end of our third season. Danielle and Mary emphasize that the messages Casap provides are more timely than ever at this point in the school year. Casap, Chief Education Evangelist at Google, chats with Danielle and Mary about what it was like being raised as a first-generation American in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. The Arizona resident and father of three says education has the ability to disrupt poverty and change a family’s destiny. He brings to the surface the analogy of a teacher as a coach and a coaches role in ensuring students have a pathway towards success in life. Casap preaches, “There is no more passionate workforce than teachers.” Thanks for joining us for #3PsinaPod as we kickoff our Spring Semester 2019!
Season four concludes with an invigorating conversation featuring Columbia University lead staff developer, Cornelius Minor. The Brooklyn educator joins Mary and Danielle to talk about equity and his educational journey that includes hip hop, video games, and so much more. The self-proclaimed “warrior-nerd for the cause of beautiful learning” shares insights from his recent book, We Got This. We’re thrilled to announce Minor will join us at the Fourteenth Annual Teacher Leadership Institute (TLI) in Tucson, Arizona, June 18-20. If you like what you hear, check out the free excerpt from his book and register for TLI 2019. We hope to see you there!
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s our privilege to reintroduce to you the 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year, Kareem Neal. The self-contained special education teacher from Maryvale High School in the Phoenix Union High School District is no stranger to #3PsinaPod; check out S4 Episode 8: Supporting Students with Special Needs Across Environments for a refresher. Today, Neal tells Danielle and Angelia about his journey as a teacher leader. Since receiving the title, the New Jersey native has been swarmed with public speaking and social media requests, but one thing is for certain — he’s not going to let the hype and busyness keep him from using the platform to spotlight his niche group of students and peers in the profession. Listen to learn more about his story and you’ll discover he’s in his 22nd year of teaching. Be sure to watch the Arizona Educational Foundation video to get an insider’s peek into his classroom.
Do you have trouble sitting still for a two-hour training? Imagine how your students feel during the school day! Flexible seating doesn’t have to be complex, but it surely can impact classroom climate. By changing the physical space for students, we can prompt them to take ownership of their personal behavior and learning. This episode of #3PsinaPod showcases Yolanda Everett’s best practices and tips for success with flexible seating. The fourth-grade teacher from Sierra Vista Unified School District says after 10 years in the field, she needed a change — more than a paint job or a grade-level swap. Instead, the teaching veteran, National Board candidate, and mother of three, wanted to see what might help her students learn best. Listen as Danielle and Mary hear how swapping out desks for tire chairs and exercise balls has turned Everett’s classroom upside for the better!
Math changes things! Today, Dr. Virginia Bastable, the former associate director of the Mathematics Leadership Programs at Mount Holyoke College, joins Donnie and Mary to discuss the importance of cultivating student curiosity. The #3PsinaPod hosts recall math challenges with their own students, which are further affirmed by Dr. Bastable’s point that when we ask kids to explain how they arrived at an answer, they think we want only words. The reality is that students need to be able to manipulate numbers, operations, and variables to better grasp concepts. Join us Jan. 23-24 for a two-day learning opportunity with Dr. Bastable. If you would like to enter to win a complimentary registration, please answer this question: How could the Math Arguments in the Elementary Classroom training benefit your practice and your students? Post your response on Twitter with this hashtag, #azk12learns.
In education, what calls us to step up and speak out? As a teacher, how can you show up for the profession and your students? Today on #3PsinaPod, Nancy Flanagan shares what we need to do if we want policy leaders to hear us — it’s more than writing in our journals. The 45-year teaching veteran and published author chats with Donnie and Danielle about why blogging in today’s world can be so powerful.
Zaretta Hammond’s book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, is shifting the way we think about classroom instruction. On today’s episode of #3PsinaPod, Mary and Danielle chat with the author to see why we must refrain from trying to drive our students’ learning, and in turn, allow them to take the wheel. Hammond encourages teachers to “interrupt inequity by design.” Don’t miss the chance to learn from the educator in-person in Phoenix on Nov. 8. Register now to reserve your seat. If you haven’t already, please subscribe, rate, and review “3Ps in a Pod” on iTunes to help expand our reach to professionals in education across the globe.
You’re listening to a bonus episode of #3PsinaPod. Today, we’re interviewing the Republican and Democratic candidates for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. Frank Riggs and Kathy Hoffman talk with National Board Certified Teachers Donnie Dicus and Beth Maloney about what motivated them to run for office. Individually, each candidate shares their hopes and plans for action, if elected on Nov. 6.
The scientific process can be daunting. How do you balance fun and content-based instruction? As 21st-century educators, we have to find a way to marry the two. This week on #3PsinaPod, Dr. John Almarode shares practical strategies and best practices for visible learning in the area of science. The author and distinguished teacher-researcher recommends modeling productive behavior for our students by deliberately weaving newly acquired knowledge into our daily lives. With that in mind, what instructional decisions around visible learning would you make? Think about the conditions that enable your students to learn best. Look at your learners and determine what engages them. And, be sure to listen if you want to find out what Almarode and his colleagues means by the “Kenny Rogers strategy.”
Special education is a pivotal arm of our learning communities. As educators, are we truly aware of all that goes into individualized education programs (IEPs)? Whether we think about it daily or not, laws have been put in place for all students, including those with special needs. This week on #3PsinaPod, we talk pedagogy, policy, and best practices with two Arizona special education teachers, Hannah Jones and Kareem Neal. Mary and Donnie kick off the episode with a fun and inquisitive game. Listen to play (and learn) alongside us. Be sure to download the supplemental resource for this week’s episode that can be used in your context and community to extend individuals’ learning.
Although allies in education might seem few and far between, there are notable groups who rally for the cause. This week on #3PsinaPod, Angelia and Donnie speak with the CEO and President of Expect More Arizona, Christine Thompson. The longtime education and policy loyalist shares the organization’s mission and current commitments to making the state better for all. Thompson states the group is about “advocacy without the colors. We all want to do what’s right by our kids, strengthening our state and economy.” While she’s only led the group for a year, Expect More AZ has been active for nearly a decade. The nonpartisan, nonprofit emphasizes the importance of P-20 education and aims to make stakeholders aware of policy issues impacting education. Thompson encourages listeners to get involved by using the many resources on the organization's website, in preparation for upcoming elections. “Regardless of political flavor or background, getting people engaged is priority,” she says.
If you’re in need of a professional pep talk, we’ve got a dose for you. This week, Donnie and Angelia talk to three experienced teachers to hear what fuels their passion and practice. Beth Maloney, Sara Wyffels, and Anthony Perez discuss their paths toward education and the importance of having an enduring, positive professional disposition. The trio tells us how to boost peer and personal morale, even on the worst (and best) days. When challenges occur, together, we have to address negativity, rather than ignore it. As teachers, we need to get past the place of stuckness and press on with positivity. Vulnerability and collaboration help create a safe space for collegial relationships. Attitude can spark like wildfire, so don’t be ashamed to show your uncontainable enthusiasm for teaching. Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #3PsinaPod for a chance to win the book that inspired this talk, HEART!: Fully Forming Your Professional Life as a Teacher and Leader, by Timothy Kanold. The first three listeners to engage will receive a copy for free!
With elections around the corner, today’s #3PsinaPod guests share the importance of civic engagement. Angelia and Donnie discuss what it means to be an informed and active citizen with Nancie Lindblom, a teaching veteran from Mesa Public Schools, and Christie Megura, a National Board Certified Teacher from Arizona State University Preparatory Academy. All four share the importance of respectful discourse and agency to promote accountability. Don’t miss this week’s supplemental resource, which you can download to use within your educational community.
Two words: teacher retention. If there was a fairy godmother or magic genie in the world of Arizona education, this might be the first wish we’d want granted. Today, Danielle and Angelia talk about the supports that have kept them in the profession. The #3PsinaPod hosts hear from Arizona State University’s Senior Policy Analyst at the Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Dan Hunting. The principal author of “Finding and Keeping Educators for Arizona’s Classrooms” explains the outcomes of the report, including several elements that impact teacher retention. Be it matchmaking, community building, or teacher pay, one thing is for sure — ridding educator turnover will take more than assigning mentors at the beginning of the school year. Hunting offers his recommendations and advocates for formalized support programs. Even more, he rallies for a sharp cultural shift that would reclaim education as an “esteemed, high-status profession.”
Settle in because we have a very special guest on #3PsinaPod today. Angelia and Mary chat with professor, researcher, and expert Dr. John Hattie about the truths behind visible learning. Teachers’ own willingness to grow is pivotal to student success and professional disposition is crucial. Dr. Hattie recommends pondering what it means to be a learner in our contexts, so we can prompt students to become more than creatures of compliance. As educators, how can we get students to become their own teachers? We guarantee you’ll love this episode — if you do, be sure to register for the one-day professional development opportunity with Dr. Hattie on Feb. 5, 2019 where we’ll dive deep into his research and mindframes for visible learning.
We’re settling into the school year, which means our classroom management skills must be sharper than ever. Today, the author of Real Talk about Classroom Management, Serena Pariser, joins us to talk about her favorite techniques for student engagement. She’s a wealth of knowledge and her advice is sound (and simple). Join in on the conversation with Danielle and Angelia to learn ways to captivate student attention all year long. You might be surprised to hear it’s as simple as the way you start learning students’ names. Plus, bonus points for participation; three listeners will have the chance to win a copy of Serana’s book. Check Twitter to respond to the prompt to be entered to win. #3PsinaPod
School is back in session and so is “3Psin a Pod.” We kickstart our latest season with a show all about new teachers. Even if you’re not a novice educator, keep listening — our guests share what you can do to help those newest to the profession. Angelina Cook, a kindergarten teacher from the Paradise Valley Unified School District, and James King, a freshman English teacher from the Glendale Union High School District, talk about trials and triumphs from their first years in the classroom. We’re certain anyone, anywhere on the teaching continuum will benefit from this episode. Plus, visit the Arizona K12 Center blog, Homeroom, for supplemental resources you can use in conjunction with this show. Also, don’t miss the chance to win a free registration for Sharpen Your Skills: Beginning Teacher Series. We will have prompt on Twitter for you to respond to, so look for hashtag #3PsinaPod. The first 10 responses will be entered into a drawing. We will announce the winner on Monday, Aug. 20 through a Twitter post.
What better time to talk about the power of teachers than during Teacher Appreciation Week 2018? Today, Jaime Casap, the Chief Education Evangelist at Google, chats with Danielle and Mary about what it was like being raised as a first-generation American in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. The Arizona resident and father of three says education has the ability to disrupt poverty and change a family’s destiny. Casap preaches, “There is no more passionate workforce than teachers.” Thanks for joining us for #3PsinaPod. We look forward to learning more with you in season four.
In education, the words “testing, evaluations, and budgets” might cause you to shudder. Fortunately, Chris Kotterman schools us on what each looks like in the context of Arizona’s K-12 education system. Listen, as our hosts, Angelia and Donnie, reflect on their experiences with teacher evaluations and discuss current events at the Legislature. In his own words, the Director of Governmental Relations for the Arizona School Boards Association says, “K-12 education is full of unique and caring individuals… K-12 education has been run over many times by other people’s priorities over the past decade. They can’t ignore schools anymore. Teachers have made that impossible.” Please note: This episode was recorded prior to the events on April 25 and May 1.
Arizona educators are organizing and mobilizing. The Grand Canyon state is now known for having the lowest teacher pay in the nation and questionable public-school funding. Save Our Schools (SOS) Arizona is an organization created to communicate the impact of education on the future of our state. Today, Angelia and Mary chat with “3Ps in a Pod” guest, Beth Lewis. The Tempe educator shares why she and a group of bold individuals banded together to create SOS. What first began as a movement to fight school vouchers has become a community for those looking to take a stand for the teaching profession. Listen to learn more about education policy in Arizona and how you can do your part to make a difference.
Are your students giving high fives and fist pumping after solving a word problem? They should be! As teachers, can we make math more engaging. Dr. Mike Flynn is with us on “3Ps in a Pod” to share how we can help students see a real-life situation and mathematize it. Also, he reminds us there’s an important balance to strike between making tasks fun and intentional. Let’s see if we can’t get our students to go home and brag about what they did in math class. Even better, let’s create memorable moments that get kids out of bed in the morning.
School choice is hot topic, especially in Arizona. Today, Mary and Donnie talk about students’ diverse needs and learning styles, and how that relates to equity. Mary reminds us that individuals don’t need to travel to an entirely different school to receive a different learning experience — teachers can customize learning environments to mold the students they serve. Today, the co-host duo chats with Yolanda Wheelington, a Montessori teacher from the Phoenix Elementary School District. The first- through third-grade educator talks differentiation, class restoration, social-emotional intelligence, and so much more. If you like what you hear, register on our website to attend the 2018 Teacher Leadership Institute which focuses on enhancing equity in our field.
Playful and dirty probably aren’t adjectives that come to mind when you say math out loud. However, today’s “3Ps in a Pod” guest, John San Giovanni, says we need to freshen up the way students approach the subject. Regardless of who you are and where you go, math principles don’t change, but the understanding, access, and application will. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to solve problems and even more ways to teach math. Listen, as Donnie and Danielle chat with the math guru about how we can respond to the actions of our learners in the moment to adjust our methods. Let’s rethink how we assess and analyze, making math both formal and informal. Spoiler alert: Playing and getting dirty during math tasks can make individuals more inclined to the subject than ever before.
The effort put forth by teachers to make educational equity a reality for students can be seen in actions, both big and small. Jesse Delgado is a special education mentor in the Tolleson Union High School District where he trains and coaches teachers on five campuses. At the heart of his mission toward equity is inclusivity. The Arizona native breathes life into opportunities for students that make them feel equal and valued, regardless of circumstance. Through his work with the nonprofit, Best Buddies, he’s opened doors for students to grow as individuals, in ways that will serve them for a lifetime. Learn his tips for a balanced life and the best practices for co-teaching, as well as steps for starting a Best Buddies chapter of your own. If you want to hear more from Delgado and his peers being honored for their excellence in educational equity, register to attend the 2018 Teacher Leadership Institute at www.azk12.org.
Welcome to season three of “3Ps in a Pod!” Today’s hosts, Donnie and Mary, discuss a fiery topic—teacher salary. Educator pay pushes beyond classroom walls and barrels into teachers’ personal lives. Whether there is a comma on your paystub or not, it’s no secret that teachers (everywhere) are undercompensated. Currently, Arizona rounds out the ranks for teacher pay, notably 50th in the nation for elementary and 49th for high school. Ninive Calegari, founder of the Teacher Salary Project, hears (and feels) the uproar of what’s happening in the state. Although she mourns the teacher shortage and hopes her work will make a difference, the filmmaker and education evangelist asks listeners to ponder what they can do to be catalysts for change. #3PsinaPod
You’ve been there, right? You’re sitting, fully engaged, in an extraordinary professional learning opportunity. You feel the teacher high and are linking concepts to your current classroom practices. The synapses in your brain are connecting at lightning speed and you feel ready to hit the ground running. Next thing you know, you’re sitting behind your desk without any notion of how to put what you’ve learned into action. Today’s hosts, Angelia and Mary, debrief a recent learning experience with Drs. Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey. Both relish in the masterful modeling of best practices that took place and are curious to see how the newly acquired knowledge is unfolding in the field. Kathleen Paulsen, an instructional coach from the Balsz School District, shares ways she and her colleagues are using the framework, intentional, and targeted practices shared by Fisher and Frey. And before we dismiss for a brief brain break, we’d like to thank you for joining us for season two. We’ll be back later this month for richer and riveting learning — season three will be one for the books (or should we say iPads or tablets).
Do you feel like staying up-to-date on policy in the profession is similar to drinking from a fire hose? Today’s hosts, Angelia and Danielle, admit that while life is so much about the hustle, it’s important to find the time to be informed educators. Fortunately, Chris Kotterman is back with an update on Arizona’s current legislative session. The Arizona School Boards Association’s Director of Governmental Affairs not only informs us about current events, but also gives us tips and tricks to better understand and swim in the political waters. Tune in next week for our final episode of the season when we chat with Kathleen Paulsen about the impact of a recent professional learning opportunity with education greats, Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey.
The term “master teacher” can mean a multitude of things to a variety of people. Today, Danielle and Mary define the term according the standards of the Arizona K12 Center. The duo hears from Ellen Moir, the Chief Executive Officer of the New Teacher Center (NTC), a national organization dedicated to improving student learning by accelerating the effectiveness of new teachers and school leaders. At its core, new teacher induction and mentoring is a foundational piece made strong by relationships. When novice educators are led by relatable, understanding, and admirable peers, the opportunities are endless. Come back next week when Chris Kotterman returns to give an update on Arizona’s current legislative session.
Have you ever encountered a person with an aversion toward mathematics? Get ready to rewrite your math autobiography with the Director of Teaching and Learning from the Buckeye Elementary School District and past Chief Learning Officer for the Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona. Dr. Kim Rimbey will help you realize it’s time we twist the negative narrative because the subject isn’t going anywhere. As educators, we must relearn math and redefine what it means in our classrooms. Donnie and Danielle discuss the importance of thinking and learning, rather than just chalking out procedures. Listen along as the three National Board Certified Teachers make the case for math. Join us next week as we learn from the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Teacher Center, Ellen Moir.
If technology gets you in a tizzy, you’ll come to admire (and maybe envy) our guest. Tony Vincent has been a friend of the Arizona K12 Center for nearly 15 years, and his self-proclaimed, geeky obsession with technology and immeasurable expertise began long before we met him— he will tell you that growing up he requested birthday cakes decorated with computers. But in a society so dependent upon online learning and accessibility, we asked the Nebraska native to weigh in on what works and what doesn’t. Together, Mary and Donnie reflect on their personal experiences with technology integration in the classroom. Tune in next week for an all-about-math conversation with Dr. Kim Rimbey.
Today, we dive into the policy behind English learners in the state. The Arizona Department of Education’s Deputy Associate Superintendent for the Office of English Language Acquisition Services (OELAS), Kate Wright, talks about the importance being intentional and structured when working with this specific student population. As educators, we have to help English learners realize they are becoming bilingual, which is an asset — not a deficit. Let’s change the mindset, fellow educators. Listen, as Wright chats waivers, policies, propositions, statutes, updates to English Language Proficiency Standards, and so much more with Mary and Angelia. Most importantly, our hosts remind listeners to tap into the invaluable resources offered by OELAS. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review “3Ps in a Pod” on iTunes. We’ll see you next week when we hear from technology guru and go-getter, Tony Vincent.
Although you’re only a few weeks into the semester, you might feel like you’ve been at it again for months. Stop going through the motions and rekindle your purpose in the classroom with focus and intentionality. Today’s “3Ps in a Pod” guest wears many hats, simultaneously. Not only is Sarah Brown Wessling an educator, but also a parent, the 2010 National Teacher of the Year, a National Board Certified Teacher, an advocate for education, a constant learner, an expert questioner, a speaker, and so much more. The Iowa educator talks with Angelia and Donnie about how she came to be a teacher, the mindset that drives her daily work, and the elements that have advanced her career in the field. We’re sure you’ll feel ready to handle any challenging situation or student after listening to her story.
“3Ps in a Pod” is back in session! Thanks for joining us for the start season two. Today, Angelia and Donnie chat with Amber Parker from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This week, the National Board honors 5,470 new and 3,957 renewed National Board Certified Teachers. There are now more than 118,000 Board-certified teachers in the United States. These numbers are significant because the National Board spent the last three years redesigning the process to make it more affordable and accessible for teachers. As the Director of Assessment Operations, Parker tells us more about the organization’s history and how the process has been revised, with you, the teacher in mind. You’ve got homework: Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review “3Ps in Pod” on iTunes!
Thanks for joining us for the season finale of “3Ps in a Pod.” While we’re guessing you’re in need of rest and relaxation during winter break, we’re positive your heart, mind, and soul will feel refreshed after listening to today’s guest. Marian Mellen is a former teacher and founder of the Zen Bird, a company whose goal is to help individuals find deep connections through intentional practices. Today, Donnie and Danielle hear all about Mellen’s philosophy, which sounds wildly beneficial for teachers. Together, let’s pledge to break the mold of what we “should be.” Instead, let’s listen to our educator-turned-entrepreneur peer who encourages professionals to be their best, authentic selves, which will help us best serve the students in our classroom. Thanks for listening and learning with us this season. We look forward to introducing you to more exceptional and insightful guests in the new year.
Thanks for joining us for the bonus episode of our first season. We’re thrilled to have Elma Dzanic in the “3Ps in a Pod” studio to discuss restorative justice practices in the Phoenix Union High School District. We first explored this subject during episode two with Dr. Dominique Smith. We were left more than intrigued and knew there was someone who could help us dive even deeper. As an alumna of her district, Dzanic brings a unique perspective — she came to the United States as a 12-year-old refugee from Bosnia during a time when the Phoenix community was “broken and fragmented.” She’s been a longtime champion of restorative justice, which she uses daily, as she coordinates student interventions and clinical services to support inclusive social, emotional, and behavioral health. A mantra for her work in supporting educators is, “You can’t restore unless you have something to restore back to.” Ultimately, she shares to effectively utilize restorative practices in schools, there must be a solid foundation of educator-student relationships. Tune in Thursday for the season one finale when we discuss educator self-care with Marian Mellen.
Holidays in the classroom can look and feel different for everyone. What might be a jolly season for some, may leave others feeling confused, excluded, and undervalued. Listen, as we discuss the importance of inclusive and thoughtful classroom planning. Donnie and Mary hear personal stories from two teachers in the Creighton School District, Marie Twist and Kendall Gooden. Together, they prompt others to get to know students’ holiday traditions, not only for the celebratory purpose, but also for the learning opportunity. Oh, and they encourage teachers to ditch the stress and do the festive projects — especially if they involve glitter. Tune in next week for two new episodes. As we round out season one, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes!
Students aren’t the only ones anxiously awaiting their grades — schools are too. State law requires all Arizona district and charter schools be assessed and given a letter grade by the Department of Education. This week, “3Ps in a Pod” hosts, Angelia and Donnie, discuss the newly amended evaluation process with Chris Kotterman. The Arizona School Boards Association's Director of Governmental Affairs shares why the “report card” should include more than test scores. Mark your calendar for next week’s episode when we’ll discuss the importance of carefully navigating holidays in the classroom. As always, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes!
Let’s talk about the importance of building strong relationships in education. First, Mary and Angelia share their best tactics for making classrooms like a second home for learners. Next, they interview Dr. Dominique Smith, a leading expert on the topic of restorative practice. Together, the three discuss what it means to make relationships a top priority, in order to enhance efficacy and student success. Mark your calendar now for the Thirteenth Annual Teacher Leadership on June 19-21 in Tucson, when Dr. Smith will return to further teach us how to create equitable conditions for sustainable change. Tune in next week when our hosts talk with Chris Kotterman about school culture and letter grades.
Welcome back to “3Ps in a Pod,” a podcast by the Arizona K12 Center. As we chat about Practice, Policy, and Passion, two of our four co-hosts, Angelia Ebner and Donnie Dicus, interview Arizona’s 2018 Teacher of the Year, Josh Meibos. Together, they talk about the importance of seizing leadership opportunities and inspiring others to do so, as well. Tune in next week when we learn more about restorative practice from Dr. Dominique Smith. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with your colleagues!
And we’re live! Welcome to “3Ps in a Pod,” a podcast by the Arizona K12 Center. Together, we’ll talk Practice, Policy, and Passion, as it pertains to the 21st-century educator. In this first episode, we introduce two of our four co-hosts, Mary Field and Danielle Brown. In addition, we hear from Arizona’s first National Board Certified Teacher and the Executive Director of the Arizona K12 Center, Dr. Kathy Wiebke. Together, the trio discusses the importance of teacher leadership, and the impact it has on students and professionals. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review! We’ll see you next time when two more of our co-hosts interview Arizona’s 2018 Teacher of the Year.
Meet National Board Certified Teacher, Mary Field, one of the voices behind our new podcast. As a Professional Learning Director for the Arizona K12 Center, Mary connects with educators and experts to create a sense of purposeful and professional learning. On the weekends, you’ll find Mary walking her dogs or on a bike ride with her husband. Listen along to hear more about her multidimensional perspectives as we talk Practice,Policy, and Passion. You don’t want to miss her warm and caring demeanor! Visit iTunes on Nov. 16 to subscribe, rate, and review. Mary warns, “There will be no pop quiz, but your thinking will definitely pop!” #3PsinaPod
Let us introduce you to National Board Certified Teacher, Donnie Dicus. As one of the Professional Learning Directors for the Arizona K12 Center and a co-host of “3Ps in a Pod,” the former elementary teacher looks forward to chatting with you about Practice, Policy, and Passion, as he sips on a trenta green tea. When he’s not working the room at a National Board event, you’ll likely see him trying out new Phoenix restaurants and hotspots. Like he says, “Turn up the volume and have a seat. You may not be in a desk, but class is most definitely in session… Don’t be tardy!”
Meet National Board Certified Teacher Danielle Brown, one of our “3Ps in a Pod” hosts. As a Professional Learning Director for the Arizona K12 Center, Danielle rallies those around her to strategically engage in conversations that will drive change in education. New to Phoenix, you’ll likely find Danielle scoping out coffee shops as she aims to find her favorite weekend hangout spot. Don’t miss the former kindergarten teacher’s unique insight, contagious laugh, and deep thoughts as you journey with us on “3Ps in a Pod.” Visit iTunes on Nov. 16 to subscribe, rate, and review. Like she says, this podcast is for you, “On your time, anytime, no hall pass needed.” #3PsinaPod
Meet one of our “3Ps in a Pod” hosts, Angelia Ebner. As a National Board Certified Teacher and the Associate Director of Programs for the Arizona K12 Center, Angelia works to bring education experts to our state in an effort to inspire and cultivate teacher leadership. When she’s not multitasking, you can find her at the CrossFit gym or grabbing a cold-brew coffee in Maricopa. We know you’ll love the Oregon native’s spunky attitude, positive thinking, and fantastic insight. As she says, “All you need to do is turn up the volume and enjoy the conversation and learning that you’re about to be a part of. No permission slip is required for this audio field trip.”