Teach Me, Teacher

Latest Episodes:

#300 The Power of Authenticity with Joe Dombrowski (pt.1) Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! I cannot believe we are at episode 300 of the Teach Me, Teacher podcast. Truly astounded by their support everyone has had for the show over the years, and am grateful for every guest who has ever come to the show.

But I couldn't just have any guest for episode 300. It had to be a favorite—someone who connects to our audience on a deep level. And someone who is still passionate about the work we all do.

With that, I knew there could only be one person who fit all of that criteria...

Joe Dombrowski—Mr. D—comedian extraordinaire—has returned to Teach Me, Teacher and has done so with full force! We cover A LOT in this episode, but mainly, we discuss why authenticity in your life matters. What it can do for you. What doors it can open...

Joe Dombrowski (aka Mr.D) took the world by storm in 2017 with a viral April Fools' Day spelling test prank that landed him multiple appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Don't get it twisted though! It takes at least 20 years to be an overnight sensation! Joe has been doing stand up comedy since he was eight years old in his third grade talent show. He's never stopped! Since Joe rise to fame, he has been traveling the globe with his stand-up comedy which often highlights his crazy life as an elementary school teacher. When he's not getting creative on screens and stages, Joe spends his time in Seattle, Washington producing his podcast "Social Studies" where he recaps absolutely insane stories from teachers all over the world.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, A Teacher's Guide to Mentor Texts, Grades K-5 by Carl Anderson.

Using mentor texts in the writing classroom can be a real game-changer for teachers. But how can we help teachers find mentor texts on their own, analyze them for teaching points, and use them effectively in the classroom?

Carl Anderson's newest book offers a five-step plan for improving student writing using mentor texts. Over 23 classroom videos, annotated samples, student samples, and online resources bring the content to life and give teachers the confidence to find and use mentor texts as powerful teaching tools.

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/MentorK5.

#299 Tutoring and a Future of Education Discussion with Maxwell Roach Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! Without a doubt, education is in flux right now. Some of it is good and needed, and some of it is scary and leading to thousands of educators leaving the profession, and hundreds of families feeling disenfranchised by the schools they used to love.

Where do we go from here? What are the next steps to leading us into a new and great age of education?

My friend Maxwell Roach, an entrepreneur, accomplished musician, and father dives with me into these topics and so much more as we learn about his tutoring company and what his success might mean for education as a whole.

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/MentorK5.

#298 Building Strong Communities with Immigrant Families (Jessica Lander pt.2) Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! America is a melting pot. Always has been and hopefully, always will be. Even so, immigrant education hasn't shared the spotlight with other issues, yet it is at the foundation of the charge of public education. Laws, court cases, advocates, and critics abound on this issue, but the issue should be taken to to heart and understood by every educator.

Last week, Jessica Lander spoke to us about her book, Making Americans, but more importantly, setting the ground work for understanding the nuance and beauty around the project of public education in America.

This week, she is talking about what it takes, and why we should put in the effort, to build strong communities with the families we serve.

Jessica Lander teaches history and civics to recent immigrant students in an urban Massachusetts public high school and has won several teaching awards, including being named a Top 50 Finalist for the Global Teacher Prize in 2021, presented by the Varkey Foundation and being named a 2023 MA Teacher of the Year Finalist, presented by the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Previously she has taught students in middle school, high school, and university in the U.S., Thailand, and Cambodia.

She is author of Making Americans, a comprehensive look at immigrant education as told through key historical moments and court decisions, current experiments to improve immigrant education, and profiles of immigrant youth and schools across the country. (Beacon Press, Fall 2022.)

Find more of her work here:

Twitter: @jessica_lander
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lander-07b38239/
Instagram: Jessica_Lander9

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/MentorK5.

#297 Making Americans and Immigrant Education with Jessica Lander (pt.1) Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

Luckily, an expert on the subject has decided to share her work with us on the show today.

Today, she is talking about her book, Making Americans, but more importantly, setting the ground work for understanding the nuance and beauty around the project of public education in America.

Find more of her work here:

Twitter: @jessica_lander
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lander-07b38239/
Instagram: Jessica_Lander9

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/MentorK5.

#296 Are the Kids Different Now? (Counselor Accents pt.2) Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! We know that change is happening in our society. For many, this change has been difficult and has put strain on the very systems we support and are a part of.

In education, counselors are often a key piece to supporting students, staff, teachers, and families, yet what they do is often misunderstood. Like teachers, many believe they know what counselors do every day because everyone has had a school counselor. And like teachers, often this knowledge is rooted in a different time.

To talk about the counselor life and the realities of working in this field in today's schools are some of the best people I have ever met—Laura and Kim of the Counselor Accents podcast. Their show is amazing and their work is stellar and filled with heart.

Last week, we discussed:

Why they chose to be counselors
The changes in schools
Realities of what counselors can and cannot do

This week, we dive deep into the question of whether kids are different now, if society is, and if schools are equipped to handle the shifts occurring right now.

…and so much more!

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Literacy Studio: Redesigning the Workshop for Readers and Writers, by Ellin Oliver Keene.

Do your reading and writing workshops seem to fly by, with never enough time for your students to really dig into the work of either one?

What if we could redesign our workshops to create more time for independent reading and writing, conferring, and choice?

Welcome to The Literacy Studio, a new, integrated approach to reader's and writer's workshop. Here you'll learn how to plan and execute lessons that weave reading and writing together into one literacy block, giving you much more flexibility to meet your students' needs.

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/LitStudio.

#295 Counseling in Today's Schools with Counselor Accents (pt.1) Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! We know that change is happening in our society. For many, this change has been difficult and has put strain on the very systems we support and are a part of.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why they chose to be counselors
The changes in schools
Realities of what counselors can and cannot do

...and so much more!

Do your reading and writing workshops seem to fly by, with never enough time for your students to really dig into the work of either one?

What if we could redesign our workshops to create more time for independent reading and writing, conferring, and choice?

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/LitStudio.

#294 Finally Choosing Yourself (Halee Sikorski pt.2) Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! We know education is a difficult place to be right now for many of us. The mounting pressure made worse by problems that never seem to go away. Unsustainable work/life balance. Toxic work places… the list can go on.

Not everyone is enjoying teaching the way they once did, and passionate educators are walking away.

Halee Sikorski, a previous elementary teacher and friend of the show, did just that after 5 years in the classroom.

In part 1, we dove into her history with teaching, the changes she tired to make, and ultimately, when she made the decision to quit her teaching job.

In part 2, we look at what has changed for her since leaving the classroom, and what her advice would be for anyone thinking this is their last year.

Do your reading and writing workshops seem to fly by, with never enough time for your students to really dig into the work of either one?

What if we could redesign our workshops to create more time for independent reading and writing, conferring, and choice?

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/LitStudio.

#293 Why I Quit Teaching After 5 Years with Halee Sikorski (pt.1) Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

Not everyone is enjoying teaching the way they once did, and passionate educators are walking away.

Halee Sikorski, a previous elementary teacher and friend of the show, did just that after 5 years in the classroom.

In this episode, we dive into her history with teaching, the changes she tired to make, and ultimately, when she made the decision to quit her teaching job.

Do your reading and writing workshops seem to fly by, with never enough time for your students to really dig into the work of either one?

What if we could redesign our workshops to create more time for independent reading and writing, conferring, and choice?

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/LitStudio.

#292 New Year Resolutions for Teachers in 2023 Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! It has become quite the tradition around here to have a New Years episode where I lay out what I think are solid resolutions for teachers. Not the be-all, end-all, of course...but maybe a little something to set you on a path for success in your work.

Resolutions for 2020, 2021, and 2022 can be found by clicking on the dates in this sentence!

For this year, I am laying out the top 3 resolutions I believe are going to serve us the best in our work. They are:

Being HONEST about our needs, wants, feelings, perspectives, and thoughts
Working for our PERSONAL BALANCE, not balance dictated to us by social media
Focusing on where we need GROWTH in our lives to be better and happier individuals

...and as a bonus I read from our Facebook page and recite some of their resolutions they shared!

Do your reading and writing workshops seem to fly by, with never enough time for your students to really dig into the work of either one?

What if we could redesign our workshops to create more time for independent reading and writing, conferring, and choice?

Learn more and download a free sample at Hein.pub/LitStudio.

#291 Why Are you Still in Education? (Jennifer Buchholz pt.2) Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

Hello everyone! We all know that teachers are leaving the classroom in droves. There is a teacher shortage (or more accurately, a shortage of people who want to work in an underpaid and under-appreciated profession).

But, not everyone leaving the classroom is doing so because they are unhappy. Many—including myself—have stepped out because of the LOVE we feel for the class, and the passion we have to help as many people as we can in schools.

Jennifer Buchholz (also known as @skatingthroughliteracy on Instagram), is a literacy consultant and instructional coach who left the class she loved to serve classes elsewhere. Not only is she spreading great literacy knowledge on social media, but she is also open about her story and why she changed her role this year.

Whether you are thinking about leaving, want to know there are people still enjoying the work they do, or want a different perspective on why a teacher would choose a different role, this episode is for you!

If you missed part 1—check it out here. In part 2, we dive DEEP in on helping teachers, being a leaner as a leader, and why on Earth we still love this work.

If you want more great literacy focused content, check out our sister show, Craft & Draft and our upcoming training on January 7th, 2023.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán.

With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice. Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible. The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom.

Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

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