Big Ideas in Education

Latest Episodes:

BIIE 222: Supporting Students Through Reading Fluency featuring Lyn Wetzel Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

BIIE 222: Supporting Students Through Reading Fluency featuring Lyn Wetzel
This week, Ryan sits with Lyn Wetzel, the Curriculum Specialist at the Sequoia Pathfinder Academy at Eastmark, a public charter school in Arizona that specializes in STEAM Learning. Lyn shares about Sequoia Pathfinder and its tight-knit atmosphere, building foundational reading skills and fluency, programs such as Science on Wheels and WordFlight, supporting students with special needs, and lots more. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting eastmark.sequoiapathfinder.org and wordflight.com.
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

Ep 221: Career Technical Education in High School with Dusty Moore and Dr. Jeffrey Crapper Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

This week, Ryan sits with Dusty Moore, CEO of CTE learning solutions provider iCEV, and Dr. Jeff Crapper, award-winning STEM & CTE educator. Dusty and Dr. Crapper share how they got started in the CTE field and the current state of the healthcare industry. Dr. Crapper shares examples of hands-on learning opportunities in the classroom and Dusty discusses iCEV’s curricular offerings to get started. Tune in!
You can learn more about our guests’ work by visiting icevonline.com
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

Ep 220: Empowering School Administrators with Ulysses Navarrete of ALAS Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

This week, Ryan sits with Ulysses Navarrete, the Executive Director of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS). Ulysses talks about his journey to this role, his extensive private sector experience, and how he plans to apply it in advancing ALAS's mission. Ulysses also talks about his leadership mantra, "Make It About Them Always," and discusses his top priorities as the new executive director. Tune in!
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

Ep 219: Transforming Classrooms with Technology with Nate Moore Sep 02, 2024

Show notes

This week, Ryan sits with Nate Moore, the Director of Technology at Kearsley Community Schools in Flint, Michigan. Nate talks about the challenges and opportunities that come with managing school technology, strategies for getting reluctant teachers on board with new tools, and some of the most impactful tech adoptions that are easy for teachers to implement. Nate also shares his favorite examples of how technology is enhancing classroom experiences and reveals the initiatives he's most excited about for the upcoming year at Kearsley. Tune in!
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

Ep 218: Engaging Students in STEM through Real-World Applications and Innovative Tools with Eric Walters Aug 26, 2024

Show notes

This week, Ryan sits with Eric Walters, the Director of STEM Education at Marymount School in New York City. Eric shares his insights on the importance of engaging girls in STEM and how he leverages real-world applications to make STEM subjects more relatable and impactful. Eric also talks about the role of Vernier’s video analysis software in enhancing STEM learning experiences at Marymount and discuss the innovative STEM YouTube interview series hosted by the students themselves. Tune in!
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

Ep 217: Advocating for Equitable Education Policies with Dr. Maria Armstrong May 21, 2024

Show notes

This week, Ryan sits with Dr. Maria Armstrong, the Executive Director of ALAS. Dr. Armstrong talks about her role and highlights her accomplishments during her time at ALAS. Dr. Armstrong also talks about ALAS' mission, initiatives, and outcomes from the event, emphasizing their commitment to equity in education. Tune in!
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

Ep 216: Empowering Educators with Competency-Based Education featuring Dr. Sydney Schaef May 07, 2024

Show notes

This week, Ryan sits with Dr. Sydney Schaef, Managing Director of reDesign, an education design consultancy. Dr. Schaef talks about reDesign's Future9 competencies, aimed at equipping educators and system leaders with the skills needed for competency-based education. Dr. Sydney also shares notable success stories and examples from educational systems that have embraced competency-based education. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest work by visiting www.resdesignu.org/future9.
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

Ep 215: Global Citizenship Education; Education beliefs that are not backed by research Apr 22, 2024

Show notes

This week, Sarah talks about global citizenship in education and explores the often-overlooked stories and practices that permeate teaching, focusing on critical thinking, conflict resolution, and intercultural understanding. Ryan talks about an article from Edutopia that challenges common educational myths, "task-related drawing” and "round robin reading" as a more effective instructional approach. Tune in!
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair) ; Sarah Boulos Fye (@readwithfye)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

Ep 214: Innovating Education with Literature and AI with Dr. Andi Morency Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

This week, Ryan sits with Dr. Andi Morency, the Executive Director and Principal of the Honors Academy of Literature charter school in Reno, Nevada. Dr. Morency talks about the unique approach her school takes in integrating evidence-based practices and literature into their curriculum. Dr. Morency also talks about the AI-driven professional development model, which leverages the Edthena platform to enhance teacher growth and student outcomes. Tune in!
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

Ep 213: 4-Day School Weeks; Tommy Orange visits Bronx School Apr 09, 2024

Show notes

This week, Ryan talks about the impact of 4-day school weeks, examining Colorado's 27J district's experience and academic outcomes.Sarah talks about Tommy Orange's inspiring visit to a Bronx school, emphasizing the importance of connecting literature to students' experiences for transformative learning. Tune in!
Don't just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasinEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Articles:
https://www.k12dive.com/news/staffed-up-4-day-school-weeks-teacher-recruitment-retention/710246/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/18/books/tommy-orange-there-there-wandering-stars.html?smid=url-share
Hosts: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Ross Ulysse

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