The Equipped Educator: Recent Episodes
Jenn Kleiber
Education is hard. No matter your role in education, creating independent learners is the goal and the means to closing the achievement gap, lowering overwhelm in teachers, and re-engaging students in learning.
Each episode, we will talk through implementable ways to equip your teachers (or yourself) to be a responsive teacher and help your students thrive.
Happy New Year and Welcome to the Teaching by Reaching Podcast!
In this episode, I want to shift the focus from the students to the teachers for a moment! If you are an administrator, I would encourage you to share this episode with your educator peeps! You can also download all 5 days of Refresh by clicking here. And then, of course, you can share with the people who need a little bit of encouragement going into 2023!
- You are important and needed. Seems pretty cliche, but I think some of you may need to really get that in your mind and heart. So to do that, I want you to think of 3 specific students you have had an impact on. Write them down. How did you impact them? How did they let you know that you had an impact on them? How did it make you feel to know that you impacted them?
I love this Todd Whitaker quote so much I put it at the very beginning of my book – “The best thing about being a teacher is that it matters. The hardest thing about being a teacher is that it matters every day.”
But just think – you were put in your students’ lives for a reason – the students you have right now. And they may be really difficult students, but the students who are taking the most out of you are probably the ones you can have the biggest impact on!
- You are blessed to have met and to be in the lives of each of your students. You are blessed to have the opportunity to teach them.
So...why are you thankful for your current students? Who’s personality do you really love? What situations are some of your students going through right now that God intentionally put them with you because He knew you could take care of them while they are in school?
What an honor to be a teacher. Society doesn’t always give credit to teachers, but you literally have the opportunity to shape lives every day – and for some of those lives, you may be the only point of love and security they know. This is a big job, but what an honor!
So when you get worn down, which you will, because it’s hard to be that person day in and day out, remember that you are blessed to have had this calling, you are making an impact FAR beyond what you will ever see here on Earth, and your students are blessed to have you.
3: You get to have a job that you are passionate about!
My sweet dad sold pipe for the pipeline for his entire career, and while he liked the people and the company he worked for, he couldn’t stand what he did. He had no passion for selling pipe. He did it as a job. He did it well and he was consistent, but he was just living for his days off and eventually retirement. Thankfully, he got to enjoy a couple of years of retirement before he passed away, but I have thought many times how thankful I am that my work is actually my passion.
My mom has journal entries that she wrote about me when I was 4 years old of setting up my "classrooms" with my stuffed animals and dolls. I have always been passionate about students and teaching, and I love to learn myself, so that goes hand in hand. I love to see students’ faces light up, and to try something new, and to collaborate with other teachers.
Here’s the flip side of that though, whenever you do something you’re passionate about, you tend to take it more personally and invest more of yourself. So you get tired. When students don’t respond the way you want them to, it keeps you up at night. You get frustrated and angry, and want to control so much more of it because you love it, and you love them.
So take a minute to remember (and you know I'm all about writing it down) why you are passionate about being a teacher…what fills you up when you are teaching? Why did you become a teacher? What are you still
As you can probably guess, one of the main aspects of being a responsive educator is knowing your students, and then planning instruction accordingly - but what exactly does this mean?
In this episode, we go over 7 questions that every teacher needs to ask while planning to create an effective, responsive lesson, plus the 8th overarching question - "What does this information mean for this lesson I'm planning?"Show Links:
Language is Power Mini-Course for astep-by-step explanation and easy implementation plan for growing language
Responsive Classroom Academy (formerly Coaching Clarity) is available before December 16th. That will be the last time it is offered this school year so that teachers can implement it in the spring!
Check out our current Cyber Monday Sale going on now through December 16th here.
For the free Student Questions for Growth Chart, click here.
For this content in blog format, head to www.theresponsiveclassroom.org/blog.
According to Psychologist Amy Wine, there are 3 Phases of Crisis, and every person in the country is sitting in one of them. I couldn't help but think about the state of education and how knowing where teachers are is so critical. This information brought a lot of clarity for me, and I wanted to pass it on to you.
3 Phases of Crisis
1. Safety
2. Stress Management Mode
3. Success
Take a listen to the different phases and ideas for helping move someone into the next phase.
Also, Clarity is OPEN for a limited time! We know students don't have the luxury of losing one more year! Equip teachers to plan with clarity and responsiveness and watch students soar!(We have!) Click here for more info and to set up a time to chat! FYI - We've started the process of changing the name to Responsive Classroom Academy!
Email me at jenn@theresponsiveclassroom.org!
Students can learn! But it's hard right now. As teachers, we've got be more intentional than ever on moving students into academic success.
In this podcast episode, we will look at 6 ways we can help students gain academic ground right now!
Links in Show:
If you'd rather have this in blog format, click here.
To register for the Free Virtual Administrator Symposium on October 20th with topic: Gaining Academic Ground Now! Click here
To get more information on our Clarity resource (available for a very limited time), click here.
For your Free Culturally Responsive Checklist, click here.
For more information on PD, coaching or any of the resources, reach out to jenn@theresponsiveclassroom.org or check out our website at www.theresponsiveclassroom.org.
A student’s culture defines how they look at the world and learn about the world! When we can tap into the culture, we will help the student make deep learning connections that stay with them! Culture can be traditions, beliefs, ethnicity, music, and values – just to name a few. When these cultural points can be included in the physical environment, students will take a huge step towards taking ownership of the learning.
Here is a good rule of thumb: Represent your students first, then yourself. I’ll never forget walking into a 5th grade classroom last year that looked right out of Pinterest – camping Pinterest. This room had camping decorations from top to bottom. Clearly the teacher liked camping. But there was not one representation of her students’ likes, culture, or even work.
Let’s move to academic representation now. I want to give you 4 ways to set up the physical classroom environment in a way that promotes learning.
- Have visual vocabulary posted. This can be in the form of anchor charts, word walls, or simply vocabulary lists. It needs to be clear, readable from every seat in the class, and only the vocabulary that students are learning currently.
- Have a learning objective for the day (or class period) posted. I know that learning objectives can seem like “one more thing to do” , but giving the students a clear learning target to hit in kid-friendly (but academically appropriate) language is so important. For example, being able to say, “Today, before you leave second period, you will be able to list and explain 3 events that led to World War II.” It also gives you and the students something to measure their learning by.
- Have sentence frames posted. If you are wanting students to produce language in writing or speaking (which you should), giving them sentence frames can be hugely helpful for producing language.
- Have directions posted. You can lower the affective filter and set students up for learning when they have directions to read and refer back to. Think about it – if someone is giving you more than two-steps worth of directions, isn’t it helpful if you have it written down as well?
So to sum it up, we want to represent our students culturally and set up our classrooms to be the best learning environments they can possibly be!
We also talk about using the environment to lower the affective filter. Here are 4 ways!
- Have a positive routine when students come in the door. Call them by name, give them hug, handshake, fist bump (whatever you are comfortable with), and tell them something authentically positive. Even if their affective filter is up from something that has happened previously in the day, you've taken huge steps to lowering it by having them enter the room positively.
- Have a classroom that represents them. We all need and like connection. When you have set up a classroom so that it represents the students' likes, backgrounds, traditions, and work, an automatic comfort and sense of belonging occurs, which lowers the affective filter.
- Use music to calm and stimulate. Calming instrumental music can be used to bring students' anxieties and heightened states down. Upbeat music (that students like) can be used for brain breaks and recharge. Music is a research-based way to help regulate emotions.
- Have an orderly classroom. Chaos, whether that be from people or from clutter or things can raise the affective filter. If students are in a dirty classroom or don't where to find or put things, this raises the filter. It may not bother you, but for students who often live in chaos, it can be a trigger. **Quick tip, have systems in place for your students to help clean each day. This instills a sense of responsibility and ownership, and takes the brunt of it off of you! A quick 3 minute clean up time can make all the difference in the world!
If you want to take your staff into a deeper dive on respons
In this episode, we take a dive into what teacher clarity is, why it's so important, and what is keeping it from happening in every classroom! Teacher clarity answers these questions:
1. What do I want my students to learn?
2. How will I know they learned it?
3. What will I do to proactively prepare for students who may struggle?
4. What will I do for the students who don't learn it?
These questions seem so straight forward, but unfortunately, teacher clarity is missing in so many classrooms! Why?
This episode will dive into that!
Interested in helping your teachers plan and facilitate instruction with teacher clarity? We can help! Click here to learn more about our Clarity and Coaching Clarity resources (for instructional coaches) to move your teachers into clarity one component at a time, watching student success soar as they go through each step. This 8-month support resource starts in September (doors close August 26th for the 2022-2023 school year) and provides one component a month through a short video and support resources, along with coaching along the way if preferred. Click here for more information!
Welcome to The Responsive Classroom! Formerly, Pressing Onward. We are excited to be back on our podcast!
In this episode, Jenn chats about our rebranding and discusses what it means to have a responsive classroom. We have so many amazing resources to move your campus to cultural responsiveness and we can't wait for you to check them out! Visit our website or send an email to info@pressing-onward.org and let's connect!
- Visit our website here!
- Click here to download your Responsive Checklist!
Are you an Instructional Coach, Academic Dean, or an Academic Coach? If so, this episode is for you! We know that Instructional Coaching is becoming more common in the public school setting. However, we also know, that Instructional Coaching can bring many challenges such as, "How do I have those difficult conversations with teachers?" or "What exactly should I be looking for when I walk into classrooms?"Don't worry, Jenn has got you covered!
In this episode, Jenn dives into 5 Tips for Instructional Coaches that will help guide you as you are working alongside educators. With these 5 tips, you'll walk away with clarity and confidence to continue coaching your teachers.
Want more information about resources for Instructional Coaches, register for our first Administrator Symposium of the 21-22 school year here: https://pressing-onward.mykajabi.com/admin-symposium-navigating-the-21-22-school-year This is a great way to get connected with other game-changing educators and talk through solutions to some of the most challenging scenarios.
In addition, we are now offering Additional Supports for Instructional Coaches on our website, www.pressing-onward.org. As always, don't forget to like, share, & subscribe! Thank you for loving kids.
While we know that this school year will not be 2020, we also know that it will not look like 2019. In the midst of everything going on in our world, it is essential that administrators are proactive for their teachers during this next school year. In this episode, I dive into 6 different ways you can show up for your teachers AND questions that will help guide effective communication between administrators and staff. While you're listening, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to the Teaching By Reaching Podcast!
Pressing Onward: www.pressing-onward.org
Admin Symposium: https://youtu.be/fJNMZi9yods
As we know, building alliances is a core component of cultural competency and cultural responsiveness, and building alliances with the families can be as important as building them with students. Building alliances with families can hold challenges on their own, however. Mike Sipple, Jr. introduces us to an amazing organization called All Pro Dad that does just that! Get more information here!
www.allprodadchapters.com
If you've done anything with culturally responsive teaching, you know building an alliance is crucial, but what does that actually look like in the classroom? In this episode we are going to dive into how equity in responses can build and strengthen alliances! Cultural responsiveness is about intentionality! This episode will give you the steps you need to move into the power of alliances!
Social Emotional Learning is all about teaching and developing the skills necessary to be successful at life - and in the education world, this includes teachers and students. Shari gives us some great resources, as first as the first steps towards implementing a social emotional climate in your campus or district.
This time of year is difficult for everyone in education! Students and staff alike have to find extra motivation to push though. In this episode , we go over 3 ways to re-engage students and make teaching fun and meaningful for the rest of the year.
For additional resources mentioned in this episode, click on the following links:
TPR and Repetition YouTube Video
Notecard Heads Up
Stress Down, Scores Up! Online Course
If you know that you need to move your campus into a more equitable place, you don't want to miss this episode with Diversity and Inclusion Director for Wylie ISD, Mr. Reggie Bibb. Reggie's candid and practical wisdom will get you inspired and ready to take those first steps towards equity!
I wanted to take just a moment and talk through an emotionally charged topic right now - state assessments. While I definitely disagree with state assessments holding any weight towards accountability, I do think they are necessary. I dive into "why" in this episode. If you are looking for a way to talk through this reasoning with your teachers, this episode may help.
Also, head to www.pressing-onward.org for information on how we can partner wiht you to move your campus into cultural competence.
This episode was a treat to record! The more Sha Sparks and I talked for my other podcast, The Faith Filled Entrepreneur, the more I thought how PERFECT her framework is for teachers!
Sha moves us through the 4 As - Acknowledge, Allow, Ask and Act! This will give you tangible steps as you move towards teacher care and guidance during this school year!
You can find more information on Sha at www.shasparks.com!
Dr. Maricela Helm gives some practical steps for taking care of teachers, building a more inclusive climate and creating an environment for learning in this episode. Her collaborative and honest approach made her an HEB Award Winner as a Principal and super effective and respected in her role as Director of Student Services in Wylie ISD.
In the episode, we discuss the 5 Love Languages Quiz for students, linked here.
We also discuss our Cultural Competence in the Classroom Course, where you can find more information at our website www.pressing-onward.org.
As I interviewed Mabble for our other podcast, her story about her own children, and the reasons she pulled them out of public schools hit hard, and I thought her story needed to be told on this podcast as well.
Her focus is helping parents build up the strengths in their own children, but teachers have the power to do this as well!
Seven years ago, when her first child was younger, Mabble found that she needed more parenting solutions that would help her, not just differently but a method that would help her bring out the best in what her children had within themselves, without feeling like there is something wrong with him and that he needed fixing. She was after a parenting style that empowered her children and left her feeling happy and confident with her abilities as a parent.
Mabble is a qualified mental health nurse with experience of over 15 years. She has seen worked with families and children who experience challenges in all walks of life, school, at home, peer pressure etc. Through her experience, she has identified that lack of expression and understanding of the child’s strengths and abilities, contributes to children’s frustrations and can be a contributory factor to some mental illnesses eg anxiety and depression.
Having lived in 3 continents, born in Zimbabwe Africa, studied and lived in the UK for 12 years and now living in Australia. Mabble has acquired insights, experience and exposure to different cultures and developed an understanding that allows her to empathise with the families she works with.
Mabble herself has identified and is cultivating her children’s gifts, strengths, and talents. Her boys who have now come out the other side as high achievers and are amongst the top young athletes in the country and working to become professional athletes.
**Now living her purpose and passion as a strength coach, she successfully manages Intentional Living Coaching. Mabble created Intentional Parenting, to provide the support parents need to raise confident human beings who know and value their unique genius and how to leverage it. .via workshops, coaching programs and masterclasses.
Mabble walks up through how her sons' teachers unknowingly squashed their natural strengths, and how she uses their strengths and learning modalities to help them thrive!
You can find Mabble on FB at Intentional Coaching 1, IG at Intentional Coaching, and at www.intentionalliving.com!**
Clement Townsend is a former journalist who spent 17 years on TV. He is the creator of Video Journalism Pro, a supplemental online program that teachers can seamlessly integrate into their current curriculum. This online program offers a project based learning approach that engages students and teaches them valuable skills they can use in any profession such as writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills. The program also helps students develop their creativity so they can thrive in the 21st century. The online program contains 4 modules and walks students step by step through the storytelling process while teaching the technical skills of media, including shooting video and editing.
Upon completion students will have demonstrated their ability to create and present information in a compelling way. Students will have a tangible video story that can be posted on the internet to impact the school, parents, the community and even the world. This is a great fit to integrate with the core curriculum in the classroom, a media club or afterschool program.And now, you can go to www.videojournalismpro.com and enter Coupon Code: PressingOnward10 for 10% off!
There is so much goodness in this episode! Mary is an EL guru! She has a huge heart and the instructional knowledge to move ELs forward. In this episode, we discuss how she changed the program model by adding a coaching model. We also discuss the strategies she used personally in the classroom to move her ELS to tremendous linguistic and academic growth.
In this episode, Ms. Green, Academic Dean and Martin Middle School in Austin, Texas, discusses ways to take care of teachers during this pandemic so that they can continue to take care of students. As a new administrator just out of the classroom, she has a unique perspective on how to focus on learning even in a virtual world.
You won't want to miss this conversation about some practical ways to guide teachers during this chaotic time in education.
In this episode, Mr. Stewart and Ms. Saxenian talk about the transformation of their Waco High School by giving students the opportunity to take ownership of their campus and their learning. They discuss 4 really powerful ways they've seen learning increased, as well as some amazing ideas for creating a student-centered campus.
I've known these two administrators for 16 years, and I loved hearing their perspective as they are doing what is needed to move marginalized students into success in a difficult environment.
Check out this quiz to see how Culturally Responsive your campus really is.
How Culturally Responsive Is Your Campus?
Happy New Year! In this episode, I define culturally responsive teaching, and briefly talk about the incredible value and results of being a proactive culturally responsive campus! Your students don't have time to waste, and your teachers need tools!
Remember to visit www.pressing-onward.org for information on ordering your free book (if you are an administrator) and information on the Grace, Grades, and Guidance Administrator Symposium!
Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Jenn Kleiber for strategies and implementable activities and ideas for being a culturally responsive teacher in the current climate! Share with your teachers!
In this bonus episode, Jenn gives 5 things you need to be doing now as a teacher or administrator to ensure a proactive 2021! We are done being reactive, but you have to be ready to thrive in 2021!
REST
RECHARGE
SEPARATE FROM STRESS
SERVE
REFLECT
This episode dives into these important disciplines for you personal and professional sanity and success! And if you are more of a reader, catch this blog at www.pressing-onward.org!
Follow us on FB @Pressing Onward, IG @jenn_kleiber, and Twitter @onwardpressing!
"The students themselves were surprised by how much their learning environment affected their learning!"
In this episode, we heard from Dr. Yanira Oliveras Ortiz, and her fascinating research on the impact of environment and learning. Although her research is done with VLK Architects and the actual physical space the students are given, perhaps the more interesting piece is that the teachers had to do a learning modalities observation on every student! What valuable information!
Dr. Oliveras also has some great findings from her research in Belize that can absolutely translate into our culturally responsive classrooms here.
In this interview with Assistant Principal, Kathryn Humer, she emphasizes the power and impact of consistency. When students have a clear target to hit in instruction, classroom behavior and participation, they are set up to reach academic success. Kathryn explains what this looks like in a middle school classroom, and what can happen if consistency isn't there. You can find her on Twitter @khazzard76 or by email at kathryn.hummer@birdvilleschools.net.
In this episode, we want to give a huge shout out to the educators making a difference! Hear appreciation from students and teachers alike, as well as my own appreciation as Tate's mom! Educators are sacrificing more and making a difference in 2020, and we want to say thank you!!!
I absolutely loved this interview. New Superintendent, Scott Drue, discusses his turnaround process as a principal at Aloha Park school in Beaverton, Oregon. With 85% students living in poverty, 33 languages spoken in the school, and a 50% attrition rate in the staff, he had his work cut out for him, but he put in the transformative work and changed the climate of the school, and now leads the district in academic growth!
In this episode, the inspirational founder and director of the Earhart Club, Angus Williams, takes us through the importance of guiding students to find their own voice, before the world tells them what their voice should be. His organization, The Earhart Club, is making a powerful impact on girls in the Kentucky area. Hear his story and his passion!
You can find more information about the Earhart Club at www.theearhartclub.org, and you can reach out to Mr. Williams at angus.earhartclub.org.
Enjoy my conversation with Tate as we get his insight as to the messages students receive from teachers. Sometimes, it's good to take a listen to the students!
In this episode, I'm so pleased to introduce my friend and colleague, Dr. Shauna Sobers.
In this episode, Dr. Sobers dives into reserving judgment, assuming positive intent, and communicating well across cultural differences.
I had the privilege of creating a course, Cultural Competency in the Classroom, with Shauna, that addresses so many of these difficult topics. You can find information on that here!
Dr. Shauna T. Sobers is the CEO / Facilitator / Consultant for shaunatsobers, LLC, a company specializing in leadership education and consulting for supervisors, student organizations, individuals, and teams. She is passionate about helping people recognize their talents and express it in their own way.
For over a decade, Dr. Sobers has been advising leaders of all levels as well as presenting and facilitating workshops on CliftonStrengths™ based leadership, employee engagement, women’s empowerment, and career advancement preparation. Dr. Sobers has a Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California and certifications in Strengths Approaches to Higher Education Leadership and Student Success as well as Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI).
Dr. Sobers is also an Assistant Director for Residence Life in the Department of Housing and Dining at the University of Texas at Austin with 14 years of experience working as a student affairs administrator for 6 colleges/universities.
In 2016 Dr. Sobers started a blog entitled, “Leadership Lessons from Dance” which led to the TEDx Talk entitled, “The Dance of Leadership”. In 2018 Dr. Sobers did a SA Speaks Talk entitled, “Resilience Tree: Growing Pathways to Senior Leadership” about the model referenced in this chapter and which will be featured in an upcoming book!
For more information about Dr. Sobers and her research, or to book a consultation or workshop, visit www.shaunatsobers.com, email drsobers@shaunatsobers.com, or follow @ShaunaTSobers on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
Jenny Stumbaugh, Director of Professional Development in Los Fresnos Consolidated ISD has been in the thick of the COVID-19 Crisis in South Texas. She brings us some interesting insight into this current issue, and talks about the importance of culture in this South Texas town.
She is an experienced teacher, principal and now director. She loves and cares deeply for her community and district, and I have really enjoyed the opportunity to work with her.
As a high school student, Kieran was involved in theatre, art, track and field, and fashion club! She is currently attending Tarrant County College to achieve her Associates degree in Social Work, and she plans to transfer to a university afterwards. She is also super ambitious and while she is in school, she is preparing to launch her small business called MadeByKCharee within the next handful of months or sooner!
You are going to love her valuable insight as to how she was able to rise above the "norm" at her high school and succeed!
You can find her on social media on Twitter and Instagram @madebykcharee!
"When you build a relationship, you have to be prepared to change a little bit. If you just decide that you're doing it your way and not willing to change at all, you're not going to build a relationship. It's the same in your classroom." Wow!
In this episode, Mr. Aristo Torres, Principal of Faith Family Academy Elementary, Oak Cliff in Dallas, TX gives us some great words of wisdom on what it takes to teach effectively on his campus. He goes over the 3 basic things that teachers must do in order to position:
1) Build trust
2) Build a relationship
3) Be consistent
This is invaluable information if you feel like you're hitting some walls with your students! Also, you have to start with number 1 from DAY 1! So let's dive in!
In this episode, Jenn introduces herself and explains the podcast! Get ready to be inspired, encouraged, and challenged as you listen to Teaching By Reaching, and YOU become an empowered classroom superhero!
Here's how to get more information about Jenn and Pressing Onward, LLC!
www.pressing-onward.org
Social Media:
FB: @pressingonwardblog IG: jenn_kleiber Twitter: @onwardpressing
In this episode, I couldn't jump ahead to our interviews until I addressed the elephant in the room - virtual learning! We are in our 3rd week of virtual learning in my house, and I have learned a lot from the parent perspective as well. Here are 3 things to focus on when facilitating virtual learning:
1) Assume Positive Intent
2) Build an Alliance - you and your students are on the same team!
- Patiently explain and model (multiple times) where to find information. This lays the foundation of independent learners.
- Connect (click here for ways to do this virtually: blog)
3) Choose 1-3 primary skills for students to master if the virtual learning is temporary.
You guys are awesome! Here's how to connect with us!
www.pressing-onward.org
info@pressing-onward.org
FB: @pressingonwardblog IG: jenn_kleiber Twitter: @onwardpressing