Teach Me, Teacher

Latest Episodes:

#206 10 Ways to Nail Your Teacher Interview Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! Today I'm flying solo as I offer my best 10 tips for getting hired as a teacher. While this episode is geared to new teachers, I believe anyone can follow these tips. So if you are changing schools, positions, or moving, I think these 10 tips can increase your chances at nailing that interview. Each piece of advice in this episode is fueled by my experience with hiring teachers, and what I've heard and said behind closed doors as to why someone wasn't right for the job. If this episode helped you nail your interview, or you think it will help someone else, share it! We need to attract the best people to this profession—so if the best person you know needs help, direct them back here! This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Writing Unbound: How Fiction Transforms Student Writers by Thomas Newkirk. Writing Unbound is about the value of writing fiction in secondary classrooms. Tom Newkirk asks a tough question: if reading fiction is the center of most English classrooms, why is writing fiction often ignored? Why do we separate fiction reading and fiction writing? Tom argues that when our writing curriculum is too analytical, students think of "writing" as impersonal, formulaic, and…well…boring. He says that opening a door to fiction writing can ignite students' interest and convince them of the value of writing. He even argues that allowing kids to write fiction will improve their analytic writing. Learn more about how fiction can transform student writers. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Writing Unbound.

#205 Supporting Middle School Readers with Christina Hanson (pt.2) Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! It has been said that middle school is where the love of reading goes to die… but not if Christina Hanson has anything to say about it! Christina, otherwise known as @Hansonhallway on Instagram, has a lot to say about how to get kids engaged with books. Under her deeply engrained philosophy of letting students read what they want and often in class, is solid pedological practice that includes reading a picture book a day, and being a reader herself. In this episode we dive into the daily routine, independent practice, and even question the value of Lexile and screeners. If you feel like reading is dying in your class, or maybe on your campus. this is the episode for you. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Writing Unbound: How Fiction Transforms Student Writers by Thomas Newkirk. Writing Unbound is about the value of writing fiction in secondary classrooms. Tom Newkirk asks a tough question: if reading fiction is the center of most English classrooms, why is writing fiction often ignored? Why do we separate fiction reading and fiction writing? Tom argues that when our writing curriculum is too analytical, students think of "writing" as impersonal, formulaic, and…well…boring. He says that opening a door to fiction writing can ignite students' interest and convince them of the value of writing. He even argues that allowing kids to write fiction will improve their analytic writing. Learn more about how fiction can transform student writers. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Writing Unbound.

#204 Supporting Middle School Readers with Christina Hanson (pt.1) Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! It has been said that middle school is where the love of reading goes to die... but not if Christina Hanson has anything to say about it! Christina, otherwise known as @Hansonhallway on Instagram, has a lot to say about how to get kids engaged with books. Under her deeply engrained philosophy of letting students read what they want and often in class, is solid pedological practice that includes reading a picture book a day, and being a reader herself. If you feel like reading is dying in your class, or maybe on your campus. this is the episode for you. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be by Cornelius Minor. Powerful teaching is rooted in powerful listening. What we hear can spark action that allows us to make powerful moves toward equity by broadening access to learning for all children. In We Got This, Cornelius Minor identifies tools, attributes, and strategies that can augment our listening, empowering us to take the steps to start influencing the systems that govern our classrooms and schools. We do not teach for what is. We teach for what can be. Craft better heroes…not just for the students that you hope to teach, but for the world that you hope to build. We Got This is available as a book, ebook, and audiobook. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

#203 The Solution is in Our Buildings (Jimmy Casas pt.2) Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! As the world grapples with crisis after crisis, we have all turned our gaze to the leaders of our communities. Leadership is hard. It is a lonely profession. Yet, according to my guest Jimmy Casas, it is the single most vital piece to an effective institution. Last week, Jimmy detailed why ineffective leadership is so prevalent (poor systems), what the cost of ineffective leadership is (a poor culture), and how mentors can be the difference makers for leaders new and old to the profession. This week, he dives into what we can do about it. Whether you are looking to come out of a dark place in your career or position, or simply want to improve the campus you are on, this episode is for you. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be by Cornelius Minor. Powerful teaching is rooted in powerful listening. What we hear can spark action that allows us to make powerful moves toward equity by broadening access to learning for all children. In We Got This, Cornelius Minor identifies tools, attributes, and strategies that can augment our listening, empowering us to take the steps to start influencing the systems that govern our classrooms and schools. We do not teach for what is. We teach for what can be. Craft better heroes…not just for the students that you hope to teach, but for the world that you hope to build. We Got This is available as a book, ebook, and audiobook. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

#202 The Cost of Ineffective Leadership with Jimmy Casas (pt.1) Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! As the world grapples with crisis after crisis, we have all turned our gaze to the leaders of our communities. Leadership is hard. It is a lonely profession. Yet, according to my guest Jimmy Casas, it is the single most vital piece to an effective institution. In part one of our talk, Jimmy details why ineffective leadership is so prevalent (poor systems), what the cost of ineffective leadership is (a poor culture), and how mentors can be the difference makers for leaders new and old to the profession. Whether you are a parent, teacher, administrator, or some other vital piece to the educational puzzle, this episode is sure to inspire you to reach for new heights and serve with a deeper purpose. While you wait for part 2, check out my episode with Todd Whitaker on what great leaders do differently. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be by Cornelius Minor. Powerful teaching is rooted in powerful listening. What we hear can spark action that allows us to make powerful moves toward equity by broadening access to learning for all children. In We Got This, Cornelius Minor identifies tools, attributes, and strategies that can augment our listening, empowering us to take the steps to start influencing the systems that govern our classrooms and schools. We do not teach for what is. We teach for what can be. Craft better heroes…not just for the students that you hope to teach, but for the world that you hope to build. We Got This is available as a book, ebook, and audiobook. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

#201 Manage Behavior Better with Ms. Chyna Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! Coming off fresh from my 2 hour episode with Eric Weinstein, I wanted to talk about behavior and better ways we can respond as teachers. To do so, I brought on the amazing Ms. Chyna, a behavioral special education teacher, otherwise known as @especiallysped on Instagram. In this talk, we set the stage for how we should be thinking about behavioral issues in the class, and then move on to discuss ineffective and effective ways to deal with such problems. But most importantly, we discuss why humanizing our interactions with our most challenging students can be the real difference. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be by Cornelius Minor. Powerful teaching is rooted in powerful listening. What we hear can spark action that allows us to make powerful moves toward equity by broadening access to learning for all children. In We Got This, Cornelius Minor identifies tools, attributes, and strategies that can augment our listening, empowering us to take the steps to start influencing the systems that govern our classrooms and schools. We do not teach for what is. We teach for what can be. Craft better heroes...not just for the students that you hope to teach, but for the world that you hope to build. We Got This is available as a book, ebook, and audiobook. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

#200 Eric Weinstein on Edugenic Harm and Neurodiversity Mar 02, 2021

Show notes

When I started Teach Me, Teacher in 2016, I did so with the goal to talk to great educators in my building. Season 1 of the podcast was entirely made up of the teachers I knew, and a cheap USB mic I plugged into my Mac. Today, we have featured some of the top minds in education, such as Donalyn Miller, Kelly Gallagher, Hamish Brewer, Todd Whitaker, and Kim Bearden (among others.) To add to this list in a major way, and to celebrate 200 episodes, I had the privilege of sitting down with Eric Weinstein—one of the major voices in the intellectual spaces of the internet. Eric Weinstein is an American commentator, the managing director of Thiel Capital, and host of The Portal podcast. His story, and his son's story, about being constantly overlooked, punished, and mentally abused by a system that is supposed to educate everyone, is powerful. It is a story we can all learn from, use to inform our own practices, and advocate for a better tomorrow in our schools. Drawing on the parallel between iatrogenic harm (the harm caused inadvertently by the process of treatment), and what happens when educators make wrong decisions that hurt students, Eric makes his case for looking at educational malpractice through a lens of edugenics (harm caused inadvertently in the process of teaching.) At the heart of this talk, is an honest look at what the brightest kids suffer through in school, and how many schools do not serve the neurodiverse in meaningful ways. This 2 hour discussion goes into both our histories, how they look similar and different, and how the many problems in education today may be the driving force for meaningful change from those who care the most... TEACHERS. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher's Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You've likely heard the adage, 'Everyone makes mistakes.' But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we've made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others' mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

#199 E-Sports and the Future in VR ED (Jesse Lubinsky pt.2) Feb 22, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! Last week, Jesse Lubinsky joined me to discuss tech and the revolution it is having in education. If you missed that, check it out here. If you're all caught up, I can't wait for you to hear part 2! For people that follow me on social media or have listened extensively to the show, you might have heard me discuss my love of video games. In this episode, I get to nerd out a bit about games and their significance in the lives of kids, and Jesse blows my mind with the future of virtual reality in education. He also drops some knowledge on how to start an E-Sports club at your school, so there is TONS to dive into on this one! Jesse Lubinsky is the co-author of Reality Bytes and The Esports Education Playbook. Jesse is currently the Chief Learning Officer for Ready Learner One LLC. He is an education technologist, teacher, and former school administrator based out of Westchester County in New York. Prior to entering the learning space, he was a technology consultant for Fortune 500 companies specializing in network engineering and software development projects. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher's Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You've likely heard the adage, 'Everyone makes mistakes.' But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we've made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others' mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

#198 Is this the Digital Revolution? with Jesse Lubinsky (pt.1) Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! Covid has made sure we are all intimately familiar with how to set up Zooms, use Google services, and operate the various learning management systems our districts have purchased. Many of us have been forced to learn how to reach students digitally, and some of us were prepared for this sudden shift to the digital world. Whether you are happy using tech, have become proficient during the last several months, or are a tech geek and are just excited that everyone is finally (somewhat forced) to listen to you, one fact is certain... tech is here to stay! It is on us to be educated in what is available now, and what will be available in the future. To help us navigate this landscape, I have brought on Jesse Lubinsky, co-author of Reality Bytes and The Esports Education Playbook. Jesse is currently the Chief Learning Officer for Ready Learner One LLC. He is an education technologist, teacher, and former school administrator based out of Westchester County in New York. Prior to entering the learning space, he was a technology consultant for Fortune 500 companies specializing in network engineering and software development projects. In this episode, we set the landscape for what tech is doing today, and where it could be going. We ask if paper will be around in the next few year, and what roles should phone play...if any, in the class. We also touch on why professional development around tech is always kind of bad (my words). All of this and more! In part two we discuss VR and Esports, so make sure to subscribe so you do not miss it! This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher's Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You've likely heard the adage, 'Everyone makes mistakes.' But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we've made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others' mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

#197 Can We Accept This System? (Amen Rahh pt.2) Feb 08, 2021

Show notes

Hello everyone! If you missed part 1 of my discussion with Amen Rahh, otherwise known as Principal Rahh on Instagram, you missed an amazing episode and need to check it out. In part 1, we took a hard look at equity and how it is at the root of many issues in education. In part 2, we dive deeper and even examine how the language we use to discuss our students and schools can be at the heart of why non-equitable systems and attitudes can persist in our communities. Amen Rahh is known as the Revolutionary Principal for how he has built and founded University Pathways Public Service Academy "The U" an urban public school in South Central Los Angeles. His passion and dedication to students is superb, and his vision is clear. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher's Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You've likely heard the adage, 'Everyone makes mistakes.' But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we've made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others' mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.

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