Teach Better Talk

Latest Episodes:

107: Adjust Your Mindset - Nick Mann chats with us about why personal wellness is so important for teachers, how he learned to fail forward, and how you can take small steps to be healthier every day. Sep 29, 2019

Show notes

Fitness expert, Marine Corp Veteran, and founder of TeacherFit, Nick Man, chats with us about why personal wellness is so important for teachers, how he learned to fail forward, and how you can take small steps to be healthier every day.

Nick shares how a simple mindset adjustment can change the way you think and feel about exercise, why he is on a mission to help teachers be healthier, and how a simple morning routine can set your day up for success.

More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/nickmann

Episode Highlights

1:47 - Discussing ways educators can pursue more for themselves. Going to conferences (Like the Teach Better Conference). Utilize social media. Get involved with an organization, like the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance (IDEA).
6:36 - Previewing the episode with Nick Mann.
10:20 - Nick picks his favorite between Jeff, Rae, and Chad. (He picked incorrectly, btw)
10:54 - Nick and Jeff pick on Rae.
12:59 - Nick introduces himself and the TeacherFit mission.
16:36 - Diving into what TeacherFit actually is.
21:42 - Nick's failure: "Daily business failure have taught me to fail forward."
24:06 - Nick's success: Becoming a Marine Officer.
26:08 - What keeps Nick excited and moving forward: Working to make TeacherFit a success for teachers.
28:26 - Nick's advice for teacher (or anyone) looking to be better with their personal wellness: Adjust your mindset. Be excited about taking care of yourself. Take small steps. "Tomorrow morning, get up 30 minutes early and do something that's going to set your day up for success." And then share it out on social media using #TeachBetter and #TeacherFit
33:00 - 6 questions answered in 15 seconds or less.
35:15 - Rae commits to doing some physical exercise, and getting back into Yoga within the next 6 months.
26:20 - How to connect with Nick.

Nick's Recommendations

EdTech Tool: The TeacherFit App
Book: "Shoe Dog" by Phil Knight
Who to Follow on Instagram: @brewerhm, @mr_Alsheimer, @runandrant
YouTube/Podcast/Website/Blog: TeacherFit YouTube
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Routine: Daily movement. Move your body for 10 minutes every day.
Best piece of advice you've ever received: Fail Forward.

106: Empower Students as Creators - Monica Burns chats with us about empowering students as creators, and the power of purposefully checking in with others every day. Sep 26, 2019

Show notes

Speaker, author, and consultant, Monica Burns, chats with us about empowering students as creators, giving kids opportunities to work on projects big and small, and the power of purposefully checking in with others every day.

More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/monicaburns2

Episode Highlights

2:00 - Rae interrupts Jeff to talk about her classroom...because it's all about Rae.
3:04 - Rae loves Seesaw.
6:32 - Chatting about the 2020 IDEAcon presented by the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance (IDEA).
9:00 - Previewing the episode with Monica Burns.
- Check out Monica on episode 46 last year!
13:48 - Monica introduces herself.
14:32 - Monica tells us a little about The Easy EdTech Podcast.
16:18 - Monica's failure: Not asking for help enough.
18:40 - Monica's success: Publishing her book "Tasks Before Apps" with ASCD
20:05 - What keeps Monica excited about education: Having the opportunity to work with students and other teachers.
21:40 - A recent blog post that has a really great tip in it: 5 Tips For Creating Infographics With Students.
24:17 - Monica's advice for pursuing better edtech use: Big and small creation moments.
25:35 - Monica shares a little about her books.
29:44 - 6 questions answered in 15 seconds or less.
33:10 - How to connect with Monica.

Monica's Recommendations

EdTech Tool: Adobe Spark
Book: "Range: Why Generalist Triumph in A Specialist World" by David Epstein
Who to Follow on Social Media: @Edutopia, @JenWilliamsEdu
YouTube/Podcast/Website/Blog: 360 Content from National Geographic on YouTube
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Routine: Check in every morning with someone nearby.
Best piece of advice you've ever received: Get to the lunchroom and spend lunch with everyone else.

105: Be Consistent. Be flexible. - Barbara Mascareno chats with us about teaching content in a context that helps students retain it better, the power of flexibility, and how we can work to incorporat Sep 22, 2019

Show notes

Science teacher, writer, and owner of Spanish4Kiddos, Barbara Mascareno, chats with us about teaching content in a context that helps students retain it better, the power of flexibility, and how we can work to incorporate language in all content areas.

More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/barbaramascareno

Episode Highlights

1:11 - Jeff and Rae commit to learning how to speak Spanish.
4:03 - Next steps if you want to expanding your knowledge.
- Attend Conferences
  - National Association of Bilingual Education
  - IDEAcon
- Attend Workshops
- Find Classes at Local Community Colleges
8:29 - Previewing the episode with Barbara Mascareno.
11:35 - Barbara introduces herself.
12:32 - Barbara's failure: Working with a very withdrawn student and working to get him to just try.
15:09 - Barbara's success: Seeing students succeed in the classroom.
16:36 - Working with a resistant student.
20:50 - What's got Barbara excited about education right now: Hands on experiences in classrooms.
23:17 - Barbara's suggestion for teachers looking to get started with bilingual teaching.
24:38 - How we can better incorporate language into other content areas.
26:17 - Barbara's advice for new teachers: Be consistent and flexible.
27:52 - Barabara shares a little about Spanish4Kiddos.com.
29:37 - 6 questions answered in 15 seconds or less.
32:46 - How to connect with Barbara.

Barbara's Recommendations

EdTech Tool: Google Classroom
Book: "Eva Luna" by Isabel Allende (Spanish version)
Who to Follow on Instagram: Besides you guys, this is a tough one - Twitter @WIDAConsortium, @judiehaynes @ESLlibrary
YouTube/Podcast/Website/Blog: The Education Podcast Network (http://www.edupodcastnetwork.com/)
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Routine: Get your desk cleared every day before leaving school.
Best piece of advice you've ever received: Write a sub lesson plan and get a sub binder the first week of school (you never know when emergencies happen)

AUDIO BLOG - 5 Out of the Box Ways to Engage TEACHERS in Professional Development Sep 21, 2019

Show notes

This is an audio version of the blog post, "5 Out of the Box Ways to Engage TEACHERS in Professional Development" Written by Lauren Salsinger (@diaryofa21stcenturyteacher). Read by Jeff Gargas (@jeffgargas). Read the post at www.teachbetter.com/blog/5-out-of-the-box-ways-to-engage-teachers-in-professional-development.

IN THIS POST:

As a Student Learning Coach, providing meaningful professional development for my teachers is so important.
There are 5 out of the box ways to engage teachers in PD.
What better way to guide discussions than by leading with the students?
Inviting students in and having teachers watch drives engagement.
Google Classroom isn’t limited to your class, it is also a great platform for teachers!
Online learning can be done in a number of ways, but videos and readings, followed by discussions through Google Classroom have been most effective with my teachers.
Providing options increase the effectiveness of the learning opportunities for teachers.
Jigsawing the content can add more to teachers’ plates, but it also allows for teachers to take ownership and get more invested in the content of the reading.

104: Do Your New Best - Jake Miller chats with us about sharing more in order to help more teachers help more students, finding what best fits your style, and being the best teacher you've ever been. Sep 19, 2019

Show notes

Educational Duct Tape Podcast host, Jake Miller, chats with us about sharing more in order to help more teachers help more students, finding what best fits your style, and being the best teacher you've ever been.

Jake chats about figuring out what the need is and then finding the right tool, properly planning and preparing for presentations, and the power of trying something new.

More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/jakemiller

Episode Highlights

2:00 - Chatting about Jeff's favorite thing: Giving away FREE PD!
4:44 - Previewing the episode with Jake Miller.
7:26 - Shoutout to our friends at the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance (IDEA) - Check them out at www.ideaillinois.org!
9:06 - Rae's jealous because Jeff had coffee with Jake. You can too, at the 2019 Teach Better Conference!
- Use code "PodcastTalk" to save $50
9:59 - Jake introduces himself.
11:28 - Chatting about Jake's podcast, Educational Duct Tape.
15:42 - Jake's failure: Very first conference presentation; did not prepare and did not plan.
18:44 - Jake's success: The podcast.
21:50 - What's got Jake excited about education right now:
- Shoutout to Toney Jackson (@HeRhymesWithMe)
23:58 - Jake's advice to new teachers:
26:12 - Talking about Jake's session at the Teach Better Conference.
27:35 - How to win "GIFaday" for FREE! CLICK HERE TO WIN
29:21 - 6 Questions answered in 15 seconds or less.
33:35 - How to connect with Jake.

Jake's Recommendations

EdTech Tool: Camtasia
Book: Jason Reynolds Track Series, "Teach Like A Pirate" by Dave Burgess
Who to Follow on Instagram: @Mo_physics
YouTube/Podcast/Website/Blog: Eric Curts
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Routine: Daily reflection!
Best piece of advice you've ever received: Seth Godin's book "What to Do When It's Your Turn."

103: Through A Culturally Diverse Lens. - Sheldon Eakins chats with us about learning as much as we can about our students' cultures, and how to address issues of equity. Sep 16, 2019

Show notes

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> Director of Special Education, and Director of the Leading Equity Center, Sheldon Eakins, chats with us about about learning as much as we can about our students' cultures, and how to address issues of equity. Sheldon talks about what we might be missing culturally, the power of sharing your own culture with students, and why we need to make sure we're actually taking action on things we say. More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/sheldoneakins

Episode Highlights

1:56 - A good starting point for exploring equity in your classroom.
6:37 - Previewing the episode with Sheldon Eakins.
- Go subscribe to Sheldon's podcast, and leave a rating and review - The Leading Equity Podcast
9:55 - Sheldon introduces himself.
11:24 - Sheldon shares some insight into his unique opportunity to teach on a Native American Reservation.
15:25 - Chatting about Sheldon's podcast and the Leading Equity Center.
- Check out Sheldon's course, "Teaching Through A Culturally Diverse Lens."
20:04 - Sheldon's failure: First teaching job in The Virgin Islands. Thinking he could connect with students the same way he could back home.
26:31 - What's got Sheldon excited about education right now: Hearing a lot more conversation around equity.
29:16 - Sheldon's advice for teachers wanting to actually put things into action:
33:59 - 6 questions answered in 15 seconds or less.
36:10 - How to connect with Sheldon.

Sheldon's Recommendations

EdTech Tool: Audacity
Book: "Expert Secrets" by Richard Brunson
Who to Follow on Instagram: Erica B-Rivera (@ericabrivera)
YouTube/Podcast/Website/Blog: Podcasts:
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Routine: Reflecting on your implicit bias.
Best piece of advice you've ever received: "You'll never be caught up. There's always going to be work to do." Sheldon's Dad.

AUDIO BLOG - 9 Ways to Fix Your Lesson Plans - Connect your Content Sep 14, 2019

Show notes

This is an audio version of the blog post, "9 Ways to Fix Your Lesson Plans - Connect your Content" Written by Rae Hughart (@raehughart). Read by Rae Hughart

Read the post at www.teachbetter.com/blog/connect-your-content-to-fix-your-lesson-plans

102: Motivate, educate, and differentiate. - Pam Olivieri chats with us about focusing on more than a test score, letting our students see that we're excited about the content, and the importance of n Sep 12, 2019

Show notes

Pam Olivieri chats with us about focusing on more than a test score, letting our students see that we're excited about the content, and the importance of not just building relationships, but also having a plan.

More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/pamolivieri

Episode Highlights

1:27 - Chatting about some FREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT going on in our private Facebook Group.
- Previous topics:
  - September 6: 7 Changes That Could Save Your Teaching Career
  - September 10: One Rule to Rule Them All - Purposeful Technology Integration
- Upcoming Topics:
  - September 17 at 8:00pm EST: Social Basics For Teachers
  - September 24 at 8:00pm EST: Reflecting On Our Summer Goals
7:29 - Previewing the episode with Pam Olivieri.
10:24 - Pam introduces hereself.
12:56 - Pam's failure: Too focused on relationships, but with no management plan.
15:44 - Pam's success: Having her admin that was focused on test scores, change their outlook and focus on student growth.
19:10 - What's got Pam excited about education right now: Taking her business a step further to now offering professional development.
21:20 - Pam's advice for new teachers:
- Check out "30+ Things I Wish I Knew My First Years of Teaching."
24:41 - How to get started on TeachersPayTeachers.com.
26:30 - 6 questions answered in 15 seconds or less.
28:50 - How to connect with Pam.

Pam's Recommendations

EdTech Tool: Tablets
Book: "Where the Crawdads Sing" by
Who to Follow on Instagram: @teachersnextdoor @onestopteachershop @createshareteach
YouTube/Podcast/Website/Blog: Disney Educational Productions- School House Rocks series. Great for language arts.
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Routine: Daily bins. Label them Mon-Fri. Print resources and gather books and materials. Place them in each day so they are ready to go!
Best piece of advice you've ever received: Always have a reasonable management plan and follow through. Students like knowing your expectations.

101: Finding The "Why" Before the "What" - Stephanie Howell chats with us about focusing on the "why" in education and then finding the "what" that aligns with it. Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

Instructional Technology Coordinator, Stephanie Howell, chats with us about focusing on the "why" in education and then finding the "what" that aligns with it.

Stephanie shares the challenges she's faced as a younger teacher in a leadership role, the power of connecting with others that can help you grow, and the importance of remembering what you said you were going to do when you were in the interview chair.

More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/stephaniehowell

Episode Highlights

1:28 - Chatting about supporting teachers when they start podcasting with students or with themselves.
- Make sure to join our private Facebook group to get a bunch of free PD.
4:00 - Highlighting a few of our featured speakers coming to the Teach Better Conference. Use code "PodcastTalk" to save $50
8:45 - Previewing the episode with Stephanie Howell.
11:36 - Stephanie introduces herself.
12:55 - Stephanie's failure: Not focusing on her teachers' "why" in education.
16:08 - Stephanie's success: "ISTE Distinguished District" award in 2018. Going to Google Innovator.
18:21 - What's got Stephanie excited about education right now: Seeing technology help students close learning gaps.
21:19 - Stephanie's advice for teachers: Start with creating relationships.
23:03 - How to reflect back to your "why."
24:41 - 6 questions answered in 15 seconds or less.
26:22 - Stephanie's "Go to" podcasts:
- Teach Better Talk
- Google Teacher Tribe
- Get Inspired and Innovate (Stephanie's podcast with Lance Key (@lancerkey)
- Tech Connect Edu (Stephanie's school district's podcast)
29:44 - How to connect with Stephanie.

Links to Connect With Stephanie

Website: https://sites.google.com/plsd.us/mrshowell24/home?authuser=0
Twitter: @mrshowell24
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/stephanie.howell24
Instagram:@mrshowell24
YouTube: Stephanie Howell

AUDIO BLOG - Setting the Bar – 3 Tips to Help Our Students Meet and Exceed Our Expectations Sep 07, 2019

Show notes

This is an audio version of the blog post, "Setting the Bar – 3 Tips to Help Our Students Meet and Exceed Our Expectations" Written by Michael Jennings (@THEschmike). Read by Rae Hughart (@RaeHughart)

Read the post at www.teachbetter.com/blog/setting-the-bar-3-tips-to-help-our-students-meet-exceed-our-expectations/

In This Post:

Everyone is happy when those expectations are met and we LOVE it when our students exceed our expectations!
If we are working daily to offer our students opportunities to meet these expectations the vast majority will, at a minimum, meet them.
By setting the bar high, being consistent, and offering our students feedback on their progress, we ensure our students will meet and exceed our expectations