Unpacking Education & Tech Talk For Teachers

Latest Episodes:

Teacher Insights with Leif Voltz Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back to Teacher Insights at Tech Talk for Teachers. With this series, we celebrate teachers and the important role that you play in our lives and community. We learn about what is happening in virtual and hybrid classrooms across the country—what is working and what's challenging. This week, we meet with Leif Voltz, a middle school science teacher from Salk Middle School in Elk River, Minnesota. From remembering the announcement on March 14, 2020—when face-to-face learning was disrupted—to today, Leif, his students, and their families have experienced many shifts. Join our Digital Learning Specialists as they talk with Leif about his experiences during pandemic learning—from his worries about students who he hasn't seen this academic year to how he translates his energy that engages students when face-to-face to the virtual-learning environment. Leif shares, "We do something fun at the start of every day to help students feel safe and normal when everything isn't." Visit AVID Open Access for practical, easy-to-use strategies to include in your virtual, blended, or hybrid classroom.

Learning to Embrace the Hybrid Model of Instruction During Distance Learning Feb 03, 2021

Show notes

Let's unpack hybrid learning to identify strategies that can best be used during distance learning. In a hybrid model, students learn some lessons during face-to-face classroom instruction and other lessons virtually, away from the physical classroom. The intention behind effective use of the hybrid model is to provide students with some control over the pace, place, path, and time of their learning, while implementing the best of both in-person and remote digital-learning strategies. Visit AVID Open Access for the resources mentioned in this week's podcast.

Teacher Insights with Trentino Parcells Jan 27, 2021

Show notes

We are excited to introduce Teacher Insights to Tech Talk for Teachers. With this series, we celebrate all teachers and the important role that you play in our lives and community. We will regularly talk with teachers from around the country and beyond about their current experiences in the classroom—their challenges, their successes, and the lessons they have learned that they will continue to implement once students are able to return to the physical classroom. We are starting our interview series with a fourth grade teacher from Medellín, Colombia: Trentino Parcells. He brings us an international perspective of the pandemic's effects on education in South America, with stories about how he, his students, and their families have grown together, as the learning delivery model shifts as needed to keep both students and teachers safe. Join our Digital Learning Specialists as they talk with Trentino about his experiences with remote and hybrid learning and how he strives to create a student-centered experience. Visit AVID Open Access for practical, easy-to-use strategies to include in your virtual, blended, or hybrid classroom.

Guide, Inspire, and Empower Students Through Blended Learning Jan 20, 2021

Show notes

Let's explore station rotation, playlists, and flipped learning—three models of blended learning that can be used to guide and inspire students to take ownership of their learning process. In this episode, our Digital Learning Specialists discuss what it means to be an architect of learning, bringing the art and science of teaching together to design learning that has the structure to support students and also inspires them to learn. Visit AVID Open Access for the resources mentioned in this week's podcast.

Empower Students by Allowing Them Control of Pace, Place, Path, and Time in Blended Learning Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

At its core, blended learning is learning that takes place partially in a face-to-face, brick-and-mortar setting and partially in a virtual, online setting. Blended learning leans on the ideas that both face-to-face and online learning offer significant benefits and that the blended-learning teacher will draw upon the advantages of each option. During the time of pandemic learning, teachers are incorporating best practices from blended learning to empower students to become the owners of their learning process. Join our Digital Learning Specialists as they unpack the definition of blended learning and explore the concepts of pace, place, path, and time, as well as the role of student control to provide them voice and choice throughout the process. Visit AVID Open Access for the resources mentioned in this week's podcast.

9 Lessons Learned in 2020: Embracing Uncertainty Jan 06, 2021

Show notes

It's fair to say that no one expected 2020 to turn out like it did. Regardless, there are still lessons that we can take with us into the new year. Teachers have grown so much this year in their use of, and comfort with, technology. Students have had to assume a greater level of independence. This year will fundamentally change the future of education for the better to transform what happens in our classroom when we return for face-to-face learning. Visit AVID Open Access for the resources mentioned in this week's podcast.

Connecting With Ourselves and Others to Recharge Dec 30, 2020

Show notes

It's almost the new year! Thank you for joining us for our special holiday series. We are sending you warm wishes for 2021, as we say goodbye to 2020 with tips for establishing a self-care routine for the new year that incorporates time to recharge. We also conclude our countdown by sharing our most popular episode with you. We appreciate your support as we celebrate over 20,000 downloads of Tech Talk for Teachers. Thank you for all you do!

Mindfulness Goals for This Holiday Season Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

We hope you are enjoying your winter break! Welcome to the second episode in our special holiday series. Join us as we share tips for rest and relaxation, as well as a countdown of our top three episodes! This week, we are celebrating our episode with the second-most downloads. We thank you for joining teachers around the world who have helped Tech Talk for Teachers surpass 20,000 downloads since we launched in August. Let's celebrate our journey together. Thank you for all you do!

"R" You Ready for Some R and R? Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

We are preparing for the holidays and hope that you are looking forward to a winter break, as well! Our next three episodes will be a shorter format, focusing on sharing tips for rest and relaxation, as well as a countdown of our top three episodes! We hope that you join teachers around the world who have helped Tech Talk for Teachers reach nearly 20,000 downloads since we launched in August. Thank you for joining us on this journey and for all you do! Visit AVID Open Access for the resources mentioned in this week's podcast.

Celebrate: Building Community Beyond Your (Virtual) Classroom Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

While many things have changed as learning has shifted to virtual and hybrid environments, one thing remains the same: Celebrations and recognition of achievements are essential elements of every classroom. These moments and events drive student motivation and growth, as well as the development of a positive classroom culture. But how do you create moments for celebration and recognition when you’re not physically sharing the same space with your students? Join our Digital Learning Specialists as they talk about figuring out how to build classroom communities online, celebrate students' successes, and encourage families to stay involved. Visit AVID Open Access for the resources mentioned in this week's podcast.