K-12 Greatest Hits:The Best Ideas in Education

Special Report: Perhaps what's most crazy about the notion of arming teachers is how most discussions on this important issue are mostly devoid of sober, thoughtful, factual examination. On one extreme, we hear rabid gun supporters encouraging schools to enter an arms race. On the other we see a visceral rejection of the idea so strong that facts are irrelevant. We asked some educators and school security experts to really stop and think about this issue and were surprised by what we found. We think you will be too. Gregory Thomas is former director of security of New York City Schools. Michael Dorn has worked in the field of school safety for 33 years. Dr. Wm. E “Rob” Roberts, former Superintendent of the largest geographical school district in the contiguous U.S. Angela Maiers is a teacher educator, author and advocate. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Tom Whitby is founder of #Edchat, and NYSCATE Network. Nancy Blair is a former teacher and middle school administrator. Jerry Blumengarten taught in the NYC public schools for 32 years.

According to a recent report, 24% of parents are concerned about safety in school. Our guest says it's time for schools to rethink and decentralize how we approach school safety. Follow: @eklundteaches @wwmurawski @ASCD @bamradionetwork Dr. Amy Klinger is a nationally recognized school safety and crisis management expert. Amanda Klinger, Esq. is an expert in cyberbullying, school safety, and the law. They are the co-founders of the Educator's School Safety Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering educators with education-based school safety training and resources.Abbie Eklund, Principal of Lincoln Elementary School, 2016 ASCD Emerging Leader.

Do you spend the day surrounded by students and peers yet feel lonely? You're not alone. Many teachers feel the same way you do. No, it's not just new teachers. It's not just innovative teachers. It's not just veteran teachers. Follow @forthekiddoes @froehlichm @ jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Dr. Valerie King is a teacher of gifted and advanced "Littles" in metro Atlanta. She has a heart for being relevant with kids and teachers and challenging things in education that don't move things forward for all of us.

It's a new year and Teachers Aid is rolling out a new format. We've refocused the show on meeting some of the biggest unmet needs every educator has. If you are an educator who gives teaching your all, but still feel that you're not doing enough, this show is for you. Tune in, we promise you that you won't hear teachers talking like this every day. Mandy Froehlich is the Director of Innovation and Technology in Ripon, WI. She also consults, presents and keynotes nationally on teacher engagement, edtech, leadership, and climate & culture. Jon Harper was an elementary school teacher for ten years, a math coach for three years and is currently in his eighth year as an assistant principal. As a classroom teacher he taught 1st through 5th grades and was Nationally Board Certified as a Middle Childhood Generalist.

Managing student behavior can be a challenge. So when I handled a difficult student problem, I was proud. Later I found that my pride was premature. Follow: @jonHarper70bd @ShannaPeeples @bamradionetwork Shanna Peeples is 2015 National Teacher of the Year, 2016 NEA Global Fellow, and 14-year English teacher in Title I middle and high schools. Currently Secondary English Language Arts Curriculum Specialist for the Amarillo Independent School District and a co-author of the book: Best Lesson Series: Literature 15 Master Teachers Share What Works.

What are the best practices for differentiating instruction in the elementary grades? Join us as we lift the hood and take a look. Follow: @sarahdateechur @kjdoubet@ASCD @bamradionetwork Kristina Doubet is a professor at James Madison University and co-author (with Jessica Hockett)of Differentiation in Middle and High School: Strategies to Engage All Learners (ASCD). Sarah Thomas is a Regional Technology Coordinator in Prince George’s County Public Schools and an ASCD Emerging Leader in 2016.

Our guest offers tips for celebrating the holidays while respecting the diversity of the students in your classroom. Follow: @intoy2014 @mr_abud @meganoliviahall@bamradionetwork Megan Olivia Hall teaches science at a diverse urban magnet school in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she leads social and emotional learning curriculum development. She has presented social and emotional learning master classes, coaching teachers in creating homeroom cultures that support and challenge their students' affective development.

It's surprising how many of us feel ill-equipped to teach reading. In this segment, we explore a few practical approaches and strategies. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @TeachingMatters #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Lynette Guastaferro, Executive Director of Teaching Matters, has over 20 years of experience in education. Her leadership has helped to quadruple Teaching Matters’ reach, and make the organization one of the leading innovators in scalable teacher development models.

Join us as we unpack the top six leadership behaviors that drive optimism and commitment. Follow: @bobbdarnell @adambrownedu @ASCD @bamradionetwork Bobb Darnell is president of Achievement Strategies Inc., an ASCD faculty member, and an advocate for high student achievement and daily professional growth. Emerging leader Matt Wachel is an elementary assistant principal in the Park Hill School District in Kansas City, MO. Adam J. Brown Ed.D., an ASCD Emerging Leader, is a principal Re-ED/TRAEP- Virginia Beach SECEP at Renaissance Academy.

For some time homework has been the subject of a growing debate. Join our guest as he proposes a solution to the biggest problem created by sending school work home with our students. Follow: @mattwachel @jonbergmann @ASCD Jon Bergmann is one of the pioneers of the flipped learning movement, as well as the Founder and Chief Academic Officer of Flipped Learning Global, which supports the worldwide growth of flipped learning. Jon is the author/co-author of 9 books on flipped learning, including Solving the Homework Problem by Flipping the Learning (ASCD). Host and ASCD Emerging Leader Matt Wachel is an elementary assistant principal in the Park Hill School District in Kansas City, MO.

Teaching students to ask better questions is the way to get your kids to think more deeply about their learning. Follow: @MaverikEd @runnin26 @ASCD @bamradionetwork Erik Francis is the owner and lead professional education specialist for Maverik Education LLC, providing professional development, guidance, and support in teaching and learning for cognitive rigor. He is author of the new book, Now That's a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor Through Classroom Questioning (ASCD). Host Rachael George is the principal of Sandy Grade School in the Oregon Trail School District and an ASCD Emerging Leader.

Our guest is passionate about helping teachers to stay positive and energized through the ups and downs of the school year. Join us as he shares proven strategies and techniques. Follow: @runnin26 @allenmendler @ASCD @bamradionetwork Allen Mendler is an educator and school psychologist who has worked extensively with children of all ages in regular education and special education settings. His emphasis is on developing effective frameworks and strategies for educators, youth professionals, and parents to help difficult youth succeed. His books include Discipline With Dignity and When Teaching Gets Tough. Rachael George is the principal of Sandy Grade School in the Oregon Trail School District and an ASCD Emerging Leader.

We've found a significant disparity in the perception and definition of school culture among educators. Join in as we define school culture, how to assess it and improve it. Follow: @tomwhitby @blairteach @ElemCoach @bamradionetwork Ed Chat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com/ Elaine Mendez has been an educator for the past 10 years. Her new role is as an new Instructional Coach eager to learn from all the educators she work with. Nancy Blair is a middle school principal in Georgia. She previously served as a school improvement consultant. Tom Whitby is former contributing Editor at SmartBrief, founder of #Edchat, Twitter-Using Educators, and NYSCATE Network.

How is suspending students working for you? If you're not impressed with the results and would like to look at alternatives, tune in. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @jess_hannigan @benjamingilpin Dr. Jessica Djabrayan Hannigan works with school districts and county offices in California on designing and implementing effective, successful school and district Response to Intervention (RTI) behavior systems. She is an adjunct professor at Fresno State in the Educational Leadership Department and co-author of Don't Suspend Me!. Ben Gilpin is currently serving as an elementary principal in Michigan. He is involved with classroomcribs.com and personalized learning initiatives with the Michigan Department of Education. Ben is known for his blog, The Colorful Principal.

We often tell our young students to apologize when they hurt or offend others. Learn why our guests say we shouldn't. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @theteachertom @easycda #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Thomas Hobson is a preschool teacher, blogger (teachertomsblog.blogspot.com), speaker, artist and the author of Teacher Tom's First Book. For the past 16 years, he's taught preschool at the Woodland Park Cooperative School. Debra Pierce is a professor of Early Childhood Education at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. She is the author of The CDA Prep Guide , 3rd edition. She hosts a website providing help and support for care providers earning the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential.