The EDVERYTHING Podcast: For Everything Education

Latest Episodes:

Episode 68: Looking Legit: DIY Brand Photoshoot for Teacherpreneurs Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

We teach our students not to judge a book by its cover, but if we are being completely honest, we probably aren’t living what we preach when it comes to how we act online. Even though intellectually we realize that we may be missing out on great teaching insight in a long-form IG caption, a blog post linked to from Pinterest, or a TpT product, without an appealing visual to accompany it, it will almost certainly be overlooked.

It’s time other teachers stop missing out on all you have to offer online. It’s time to get seen and heard, and it all starts with the visual message you are sending.

While we certainly hope you use a service like EDverything Social to help you fill your IG feed with quality images when you need stock photos, for the rest of your posts, make it personal. After all, your followers want to see you. It’s time to get out of our comfort zones and get in front of the camera. Having two of our own brand photoshoots under our belts, we are sharing all the lessons we learned first hand so you don’t make the same mistakes on your first go-round.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-What exactly to set goals around to get the most out of your photoshoot

-Why a secret Pinterest board can help make your day far more successful

-What to keep in mind when selecting your photoshoot site (and why scouting the location and the time of day/year need to be factored in)

-The mindset shift you may need to hear so you don’t feel out of place as a model

Links Mentioned:

EDverything Social:

https://www.edverything.com/edverythingsocial

@TeacherByNaptime

https://www.instagram.com/teacherbynaptime/

Episode 67: Personally Speaking: Showcasing Your Personality In and Out of the Classroom Jan 30, 2020

Show notes

Whether you are looking to make an impact in the classroom or on social media, being a teacher is all about making connections. But in order to do that, you need to put yourself out there, and though that may sound simple, for many of us, that act is no easy feat. In a helping-oriented industry, it can seem like talking about yourself is a way of putting yourself first, but that isn’t accurate. Those who already want to learn from you will only like and trust you more when you let them know who you are on a deeper level while those who may have initially been less intrinsically motivated might have interest in the subject matter you teach sparked by discovering you share similar tastes in something else.

Often we only think about getting to know our students and having them get to know us in return as something to dedicate time to at the beginning of the school year. But even months in, it isn’t too late; in fact, it may even be the ideal time now that students are no longer overwhelmed with the multitude of new faces to learn. Long after Meet The Teacher packets have been lost and Back to School Night seems like a distant memory, there are plenty of strategies and opportunities for us to infuse more of our personality into each lesson, getting students more invested in our class and more connected on a personal level. From working small jokes or references into your regularly scheduled lessons to being conscientious of how you present yourself during spirit days, we want you to incorporate aspects of what matters to you without making the class, day, or lessons about you.

While you may be making the effort IRL, are you doing the same on IG? So often we assume that because we want to add value that everything we post needs to be academic or classroom-centered but that would ignore the critical human element that you know is necessary to make true learning work.

It’s time to let the perspective and personality behind each lesson shine, in the classroom and online.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-How bell ringers present an easy opportunity to put a little bit of you (as in your bitmoji) into your regular warm-up activity

-Why you need to get involved in school activities like spirit days as an easy win and ice breaker

-About a simple test to put your IG feed through to see if you are showing up recognizably as “you”

-About the free guide that we made to help you come up with and remember the personal stories to share on Instagram (and how to get your hands on it)

Links mentioned:

Total Teacher Summit:

https://www.edverything.com/totalteachersummit

Edverything Social:

https://www.edverything.com/edverythingsocial

Aliana Lowe:

https://www.instagram.com/theyoungeducator/

Kayla Dessert:

https://www.instagram.com/sweetestteacher/

Haylee Harwick:

https://www.instagram.com/hellomrsharwick/

Episode 66: Classrooms That Work: Beyond Class Jobs with Thom Gibson Jan 23, 2020

Show notes

Even with an increase in emphasis on career and college readiness, when will we ever use this is one of those perpetual complaints we hear from students. It can be difficult to find time to meet all the standards while preparing students for standardized tests, leaving little room for covering some of the real-world skills that we know students need-- but don’t know where along the way they will learn them. But Thom Gibson proves that we can cover some real-life financial literacy no matter what age group or subject you teach, all the while improving classroom management, students’ responsibility, and even saving you, the teacher, valuable time.

Thom is an award-winning middle school math teacher who realized the potential of creating a classroom economy that goes far beyond having rotating students fulfill a generic role each week. Thom has customized the jobs-- and salaries-- that can be earned for each position, ensuring that he has incentivized students and covered tasks that help his classroom run more smoothly (never connect your own device to the projector again! 🙌). Monthly student-run auctions keep students interested, allowing Thom to manage student behavior by making students pay “fines” (tracked by, you guessed it, a fellow student) and instilling in students the values of budgeting and investing, all in the background of his regularly scheduled lessons.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-How Thom’s background as an audio engineering major informed his YouTube channel growth

-Why classroom jobs aren’t just for the elementary school setting

-How to determine your classroom jobs--and have students apply for them

-How the one-time prep work of setting up the classroom economy can save you time in the classroom each day

-How to “pay” students, why make students pay “rent” on their desks, what students can bid on at auctions, and how to put all the pieces together to use it as an incredibly powerful classroom management tool

Links mentioned:

Thom's Website:

https://thomgibson.com/

Thom's Podcast:

https://storiesfromtheclassroom.simplecast.com/

Thom's "Teach Kids About Money" Course:

https://thomgibson.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-teach-kids-about-money

psssst! Don't forget to use code: edverything at checkout :)

Thom's YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/gibsonedu

Episode 65: Time Saving Tech, Techniques, and Templates Jan 16, 2020

Show notes

When a lesson is going really well, it seems like time absolutely flies by. But how often have we had that same sensation, not knowing where the time went, when our daily prep period comes to an end--yet you have nothing to show for it?

We want to instill time management skills in our students, but if we are being truly honest with ourselves, we don’t always use our own as strategically as possible. When unexpected parent emails, makeup exams, and copying machine jams come up, we too often resort to dealing with what is urgent and not what should be a priority. We’ve heard all the suggestions about setting boundaries and we want to bring home less school work, but how we can do that effectively when required meetings after school or providing extra help claims that chunk of time as well? Add in the desire to grow your teacher side hustle account after the bell rings, and it can seem like there is no time at all left.

While actually getting more time is impossible, a handful of mindset shifts, online tools, and smart techniques can help you make the most of the time you do have, making those 2020 goals within reach.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why letting go of perfectionism is a vital first step for implementing almost any time-saving strategy
How templates can be the time-saver you need for regular interactions at home-- and how to keep those organized
The free website for lesson planning that helps you stay standards focused while saving time
What a social media scheduler is-- and how to pick one without getting overwhelmed
The monthly social media template pack, by teachers, for teachers, so you never post on Instagram without a plan again

Links mentioned:

EDverything Social

https://www.edverything.com/edverythingsocial

Ashley Bible @buildingbooklove

https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-63-Wonderful--Wonder-filled-Classrooms-for-Any-Age-Group-with-Ashley-Bible-e9kcgn

Amy Porterfield’s Interview with Atomic Habits author James Clear

https://www.amyporterfield.com/2019/12/295/

Total Teacher Summit talk: Permission Slips for Perfectionists

https://www.edverything.com/totalteachersummit

Asana

https://asana.com/

Trello

https://trello.com/en-US

Pomodoro timer

https://tomato-timer.com/

Tailwind

https://www.tailwindapp.com/

Buffer

https://buffer.com/

Later

https://later.com/

Lesson Planner

https://www.commoncurriculum.com/

Episode 64: Best In Class: Leveraging Successful Side Hustles to Sustain Strong Classrooms with Mandy Rice Jan 09, 2020

Show notes

Those in education know that teacher attrition rates are alarmingly high. Inadequate preparation, unrealistic expectations, and little support early on are only a fraction of why people flee from the field. With meager salaries, long hours of lesson planning and grading, and the ever-changing standards and requirements on one hand and the seemingly endless opportunities presented by the internet on the other, the lure of leaving the classroom behind seems a pull too strong to resist, removing some of the best from this career path.

Mandy is on a mission to help great teachers right where they belong—in the classroom—while still achieving financial success and the larger impact they crave.

Mandy got her start in the online space on YouTube, teaching other educators how to implement a flipped classroom experience. She took what she had learned teaching high schoolers AP Psych using a flipped-classroom approach and turned these insights into actionable steps. From there, Mandy wanted to help her fellow AP instructors, giving them their own time back while still helping students achieve those coveted high test scores. Mandy began a membership website and explains how others can take their content area expertise and do the same.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-Why the flipped classroom approach is student-centered and student serving

-How to flip your classroom—without getting overwhelmed

-Why opt for a membership site instead of simply posting one-off resources for TpT

Links mentioned:

Mandy's website:

https://www.teachonamission.com/

Mandy's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/teachonamission/

Mandy's TpT store:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Login?f=/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teach-On-A-Mission

Mandy's YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCttXcluf-plubOEa-84d9aA/

Episode 63: Wonderful, Wonder-filled Classrooms for Any Age Group with Ashley Bible Dec 19, 2019

Show notes

As educators, our goal is to have students learn, but what does learning actually look like? English teacher and workshop creator Ashley Bible has always felt like real learning doesn’t have the traditional look of students quietly sitting at a desk in rows; in fact, nowadays you’ll find her students striking yoga poses while performing close readings and creating art inspired by the literature instead of always writing about it. While her strong pedagogical beliefs didn’t align with the first district she was hired by and ultimately ended up costing her that position, Ashley’s ability to add the element of the unexpected to the high school English classroom appeals to students and is at the core of the resources she now designs and the professional development she offers for fellow educators.

In our conversation with Ashley, we discuss how utilizing our creativity (and asking students to do the same) doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice high standards or deeper, critical thinking. By reframing the same task in a slightly different way, we can spark students’ interest and make them feel like engaging with the content can be challenging while also being fun or relevant.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-The exact, devastating feedback that Ashely received that no first-year teacher wants

-How the vibe from a children’s bookstore inspired Ashley to network with like-minded educators— and eventually create an annual, in-person workshop for teachers

-Why experiencing wonder shouldn’t be reserved for the elementary school crowd

-A completely free, nearly zero prep time method of creating a classroom transformation

-An easy to follow framework for adding wonder into any lesson— regardless of subject matter or grade level

Links mentioned:

Ashley's website:

https://buildingbooklove.com/

Ashle'ys TpT store:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Building-Book-Love

Ashley's blog:

https://buildingbooklove.com/blog/

Episode 62: Our Favorite (Tech) Things 2019 Edition Dec 12, 2019

Show notes

Whether it is helping us save time, adding an interesting new spin to an otherwise routine classroom activity, or allowing us to make our classrooms a little greener, we can’t get enough of technology. Hardly an episode goes by when we don’t reference at least one piece of technology we’ve been using, but in today’s episode, tech takes center stage.

In today’s episode, we count down our tried and true favorite tech things of 2019. While we certainly aren’t abandoning our perpetual go to’s (Socrative and Kahoot will always have a place in our lesson plans!), we want to bring some new-to-us pieces of tech to your attention this holiday season. As winter break draws nearer and attention spans (for you and your students) become a little shorter, these websites and apps will keep your students engaged and focused until the last bell rings.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-Why the time before the upcoming holiday season is the perfect time to introduce these new tech items to your class

-A language teacher’s answer to finding a safe space for authentic, real-time chat

-An app that allows you to bring oral presentations into the 21st century— and gives you a format students will feel familiar with

-Two new review games to help you mix things up (whether you need students to value accuracy or you need an added fun element on that given day)

-The must-have teacher app for managing BYOD iPads

Links mentioned:

Episode 5: 5 Mistakes Your Making When Teaching Vocabulary

https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/mistakes-when-teaching-vocabulary

Episode 47: How To Create a Virtual Summit

https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/how-to-virtual-summit-j8j5f-2yhen

Ashley Bible's perspective on lesson planning and student engagement:

https://buildingbooklove.com/

Cult of Pedagogy's Technology List

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/ed-tech-tools-2019/

Episode 61: Thriving by Design: Educator Wellness & Student Reading Fluency with Melissa Tallman Dec 05, 2019

Show notes

Now more than ever, teachers have a lot on their plate. In addition to the regular responsibilities of lesson planning and grading, additional pressures to foster classroom community, focus on student wellness, increase standardized test scores, and keep up with the competitive Instagram teacher community can leave anyone feeling stressed and pulled in many different directions. But Melissa wants to help teachers feel more in control, helping them use their time more effectively by offering high quality, research-based curriculum products and actionable advice so teachers no longer just get by but truly thrive in the classroom each and every day.

Melissa is the curriculum designer behind Teacher Thrive. Melissa explains how her foray into curriculum design happened organically, long before she had even heard about TeachersPayTeachers and while she was very much in the trenches of the classroom herself. What was a gig to craft curriculum for her district ended up aligning with her stage of life all the better, and Melissa has never looked back. Now, Melissa’s blog and shop allow her to reach even more teachers, giving them the tools they need inside the classroom and the advice they need to hear.

While Melissa has crafted curricula for many different areas, Melissa deep dives into strategies for reading fluency, providing tips that can be immediately implemented no matter what grade level or subject you teach.

In this episode, you’ll hear,

-How your own district may be just the place to start when designing curriculum

-Why teacher wellness (and particularly your sleep) play a big role in your success in and out of the classroom

-What exactly reading fluency means—and the strategies you can use in your classroom to promote reading fluency

Links mentioned:

Melissa's website, blog, and ready-made downloads

https://teacherthrive.com/

Melissa's Choral Reading freebie download

https://teacherthrive.com/2019/10/choral-reading-and-reading-fluency.html

Episode 60: Order in the Classroom: Organizing Your Classroom for Success with Kelly Jackson Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

Episode 60 is here— and with it, we have a very special guest! Leadoff Total Teacher Summit presenter and absolute organization guru Kelly Jackson comes to us all the way from Germany to give us her best advice when it comes to getting your classroom in order— and keeping it that way.

In our interview with Kelly, we chat all about how to troubleshoot common trouble areas in the classroom in terms of organization. Whether you work with little kids or big kids, students (and teachers!) require a lot of stuff— and it is up to you to make sure it all has somewhere to call home. Kelly explains how classroom organization isn’t a matter of vanity, but a necessity, showing that organization and classroom management go hand in hand. Kelly provides practical, actionable tips to get your classroom in order because after all, a classroom in working order is classroom where students can actually work!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-Why organization isn’t a 'set it and forget it' item on a teacher’s back to school list

-Why ANY teacher can get organized, no matter your personality type

-Why you need to be organized no matter what grade level you teach— and what high school educators can learn from their elementary school teaching peers

Links Mentioned:

Kelly's website

The Total Teacher Summit

Episode 50: 5 Rules of Thumb for the Traveling Teacher

Ep. 55 we were featured on Kelly’s podcast

Episode 59: Baby Steps: How Motherhood Has Changed My Teaching Routine featuring Danielle Johnson Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

For many new mothers, heading back to the classroom after maternity leave presents new challenges and many changes. Tune in as Danielle shares her experience and major takeaways from the lense of a new mom and experienced teacher.

In this episode, you'll hear how Danielle: