Teaching Learning Leading K-12

When we become educators we sign on to be lifelong learners. Whether you knew it or not it is a major aspect of what we do. We have to keep learning. By the way, notice that I said educators. That is because I'm not only talking about the classroom teacher, I am also talking administrators, media specialists, instructional coaches, support staff, everyone associated with helping kids achieve their dreams in schools. Yes, everyone must keep learning.      Every child is different. Even though they may have similarities to other children in the past, they all have challenges, baggage, and exceptionalities that require us to keep learning for understanding how to better work with each individual child. No matter how skilled or talented, all kids require educators to keep learning how to be better at what we do. So today, I am asking you to take my pledge: I am an educator. I am a life long learner. Included in today's show are my 14 ways to keep that pledge. Thanks for listening! Time to learn something new. Remember, I am an educator. I am a lifelonglearner.   Length: 11:05

Today, I'm talking with Michael Miller of Michael Miller Solutions. He is an entrepreneur, tutor, and photographer. Michael and I go way back. I was an assistant principal at his high school. By the way, he never was in trouble just in case you were thinking that ... nope, he was a focused student and swimmer. Michael now is an academic tutor who helps kids understand math and standardized tests. He almost was a college student forever and he wants to help kids not make the mistakes he made.  You will hear about the number of years, number of universities and the missing of a point to where he was going. He has a mission and that is to help students not follow his path. Michael, also has started selling photographs. Wait till you see his amazing photos. He has quite an eye and knack for capturing nature and the outdoors. Go to his Esty page and his Instagram account to check out his pictures.  Michael says that he helps kids learn how to think not what to think. He focuses on thought processes not just getting answers. Michael also has written a book on leadership that is in the process of being edited. The book includes his thoughts about everything he wished he knew or advice that he should have followed. Look for that coming out soon. Michael also reflects on what it is like being in charge of his own business. Thanks for listening.    Get in touch with Michael and find out more information: Michael Miller Solutions Neshamah Photography Mike the Mathman (Instagram) Michael Miller (YouTube) MiketheMathman (Twitter)   Length- 27:21

This is part 2 of Visitors , Customers, and Guests. Today, I am talking about our schools not other organizations. Have you ever taken a close look at your school to observe how people are greeted and treated? We have people who help people. We have people who greet people. We have people who talk with people. This means that there is the potential for a huge problem to be ignited by one little interaction or spark.  Does your staff think of visitors as problems to get rid of as quickly as possible or do they make people feel good about stepping through your front door or calling? Well, do you know? If not, you need to make time to figure this out. It is necessary to make sure that they know what you want them to say and do. Don't assume that it is understood.   I hope that you will take my pledge and seek to make sure that your staff understands their role when they meet and greet guests. You will love that you did and your community will be thankful.   Length: 18:03

Do you treat your visitors like guests? Do you pay attention to how your staff answer the phones or treat people as they walk through the door? You should. Today, I am talking about several bad experiences which I had at a local spot that I like to visit with my laptop to get some work done. On several occassions, more than I share, the staff fail to greet customers and not only that talk behind what must be an invisible wall, because while the number in line is growing the staff are standing, laughing,and not paying attention to the people with the money. This drives me nuts in businesses and places that I am visiting. We need to care about how visitors are teated when they enter or call our building. Visitors need to be acknowledged with a friendly smile and a warm hello. Unfortunately, our visitors or callers are not treated like guests. Instead they are often ignored or made to feel like they have done something wrong. Thanks for listening and I hope that you will become that fly on a wall and watch and listen to how your staff interact with visitors. Make this a priority and soon your visitors will know that they are welcomed as guests. Don't wait!   Links to the books I mentioned: Duncan, Todd - The $6000 Egg. Godin, Seth. Purple Cow Peters, Tom. Wow! Pink, Daniel. To Sell is Human.     Length: 17:17  

Mr. Jake Collins is a high school math teacher from Statesboro, Georgia. He likes "being in the classroom and seeing the light come on when the kids enjoy the mental exercise of mathematics." Additionally,  he knows that the kids don't always come to math classes excited about the content. It becomes his job to figure out how to make things engaging and to excite the kids about learning math.   Jake knows that it is important to give the kids different activities to choose from. He believes that this technique encourages more ownership by the kids of their learning. He also is a huge proponent of using PLCs to help teachers understand what the data is showing them about the needs of the kids they teach. Jake talks about the power of teacher collaboration. Mr. Collins uses his YouTube channel to help him reach his kids and to help others with outside of the school day help. Originally, he did this to help kids get caught up who had missed class. Eventually, he discovered that all of his students wanted to use the videos to help them understand the concepts, not just those kids who had been absent from school. He creates clips of himself so that the kids can watch their teacher do the explanations.  He and another teacher developed what they called Enhanced Learning Targets. He realized that the information that he was producing was becoming too cumbersome, so he needed a way to organize the resources, standards, and targets to help the kids. Out of this need, came the Enhanced Learning Targets which made it easier to connect the standards with explanations and videos as well as other resources. All of these are listed by date. Jake explains that these have become his pacing guides, curriculum maps, and learning targets.  Think about how you could follow Jakes' lead and do similar activities for helping your kids better understand your content. Jake is happy to talk with you so reach out to him at his email listed below.   Connect with Jake or find out more information: jcollins@bullochschools.org SHS Geometry Here is the link to the case study. This link takes you to the Enhanced Learning Target sample. His YouTube Channel. Jake Collins or MrCoachCollins Length: 39:19

  Today, I am talking with Dr. Jessica Tsang, one of three authors of the book The ABCs of How We Learn (2016).  The other two authors are Dr. Dan Schwartz and Dr. Kristen P. Blair. All three are colleagues in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. I love this book for several reasons (by the way check out my video review of The ABCs of How We Learn) 1. Its easy to use and understand 2. Each section includes the How and Why the approach works 3. Most sections include the good and the bad of the approach (which truly is one of my favorite parts of the book)   Dr. Jessica M. Tsang    Dr. Dan Schwartz                                 Dr. Kristen P. Blair This could be an awesome tool for you. It is so easy to use. It is not necessary to read cover to cover. Look for the information that you want to know more about and go there. You will find that it is written in a wonderful way that let's you know why and how to use the strategy. It also has an incredible resource list at the conclusion of each chapter. Like its title says, it is the ABCs. There is a chapter for A - Z. Each chapter even has a drawing of an animal that matches the letter. Nice. Jessica talks about the research associated with the book, its purpose and what it is like writing a book with three authors. I had to ask. I think it is cool when colleagues work together to produce a book. The ABCs of How We Learn would be a great tool to add to your professional library and instructional tool kit.  I hope that you will check it out.   For more information follow these links: The ABCs of How We Learn - W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. - Publisher The ABCs of How We Learn - Amazon AAA Lab- The Graduate School of Education at Stanford University Additional information about the authors: Dr. Jessica M. Tsang Dr. Dan Schwartz Dr. Kristen P. Blair   Length: 26:49

Anders Gustafson is a fishing guide, wilderness protector, and entrepreneur. Wait for it...in Alaska! He is a father and husband. He has made an incredible life for himself by not following the program. Listen and you will hear him explain what not following the program means.   Recently, I had an amazing experience. It was life-changing. It was a vacation that made me take a deep breath and go ...WOW! We took a family trip to fish in Alaska. Five of the days were spent on the Mulchatna River with a fishing camp where we were focused on catching King Salmon. Anders is a guide with this camp. He is not just any guide...he is amazing! He is a great teacher. He is patient. He gets to know who is fishing in his boat. He has a wonderful sense of humor. He listens and helps you solve your problems. Most importantly, he helps you catch fish, especially the mighty King Salmon!  The only way to get to where we were is to fly by float plane to the river (yes, you actually land on the river. Loved it!) There were no people other than those running the camp, the guides, and the anglers. The only electricity was from generators and it was used for the eating tents, cook tent, and the freezers, otherwise you had no power. There also was no wi-fi or cellular connectivity! It was beautiful! No one could get in touch with us. We were in the middle of the wilderness surrounded by wild blueberry plants and so many signs of bear activity. There were bald eagles and signs of caribou and moose. There were beaver. I had always heard of tundra now I was on it. The daylight stayed with us until almost two am (Check out my picture below.). We used outhouses and even though there was a shower tent, I opted to just do quick hair and face washes and brushed my teeth. Hey, it was only 5 days.  Anders is an amazing outdoorsman who has had the opportunity to protect the very wilderness that he hunts and fishes. Recently, there was a mining operation that wanted to remove copper from the area. After a three year long war (which included testifying in Washington, DC.), Anders was successful in keeping the mining operation out. He helped to save the wild. Unfortunately, it looks like that battle is about to begin again. You will hear Anders talk about his battles, wins, and losses.   I think that you will enjoy listening to Anders and if you close your eyes he paints a picture of the wilderness with every word. Thanks for listening. Enjoy! Connect with Anders through his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/anders.gustafson   Length: 1:09:27

  Tammy Cook is a 3rd grade teacher at East Laurens Elementary School in Laurens County, Georgia. She currently is in her 20th year of teaching. Her career has been in two school systems where she spent 9 years in Wilkinson County and now she is in her 11th in Laurens County. Most of her career has been teaching 3rd graders although she has taught 5th grade. I have had the opportunity to watch Tammy teach a couple of times and she is a master at using learning centers as well as getting the kids to know what is expected of them. Her transitions are smooth and the kids can't wait to get started on their centers.  She has everything color-coded. There are buckets, folders, and pouches. The kids know what their team is and look forward to the day when it is their turn to be the team leader and get to wear the pouch. You will hear us talk about getting the kids to transition with little prodding, the make-up of her learning centers, her use of peer evaluation, as well as a chart that she uses to record her thoughts about how each student is doing. Tammy's enthusiasm for working with kids comes shining through from the beginning of the interview to the end. I hope that you will take some of her ideas and give them a try. Your kids will thank you. Enjoy!   Length: 30:42  

Mark Galbo is the CEO and founder of Rock and Roll Academy. Mark has been an educator and artist for over 30 years. From private schools in Boston to reservation schools in Arizona, Mark has had the opportunity to work with students and educators in a diverse array of settings. As a musician, Mark collaborated with a wide variety of successful artists in film, record production, and live performance. Mark founded Rock and Roll Academy in 2003. The program has grown from one school in Colorado to over twenty schools in Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, and California.   Rock and Roll Academy is a hands-on music program that emphasizes social emotional learning through a project based experience of playing in a band. There are no auditions and no previous music experience is required. Rock and Roll Academy students form bands, choose their own music, and self-direct their learning. The kids comment that they feel welcome and that they do not judge each other. They are encouraged to take risks and try. They like being part of Rock and Roll Academy and it inspires them to get more involved in school. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Mark. You will hear us talk about his background and Rock and Roll Academy. We focus on how the program works and how the adults get involved. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Mark. You will hear us talk about his background and Rock and Roll Academy. We focus on how the program works and how the adults get involved. Enjoy! Check out the links below for more information and to connect with Mark. Connect with Mark and learn more about Rock and Roll Academy: mark@rockandrollacademy.com http://www.rockandrollacademy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/seekmystery/ Rock and Roll Academy Facebook Page Mark Galbo on Twitter Length: 43:31

    It is awesome when an organization takes time to work with kids and to recognize what magic they can make happen. It is also wonderful when a company makes it's purpose to celebrate those young people.  Positive Athlete does just that.  Today, I am talking with Ryan Pederson who is the Director of Partnerships and Programming for Positive Athlete. He shares with us the history of Positive Athlete and its vision and focus.  I really like this statement from the Positive Athlete website: "Positive Athlete is a movement by high-character professional athletes tied to professional and collegiate sports teams to celebrate young athletes who have overcome difficult circumstances, give back to their communities, or have an infectious attitude that positively affects those around them." Too often young people are portrayed by modern media as being negative and uncaring. This image is not true. Postive Athlete brings that to light.  Anyone can nominate a young person, take a look at the end of the show notes for links to understand more and to nominate.    Connect and find out more: Connect with Ryan at rpederson@celebratepositive.com www.positiveathlete.org http://georgia.positiveathlete.org/ http://georgia.positiveathlete.org/awards/nominations/ http://pittsburgh.positiveathlete.org/ http://celebratepositive.com/   Also, you can connect on Twitter @PositiveAthGA and Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/PositiveAthGA/   During the interview Ryan mentioned Dave Ramsey's book "Total Money Makeover" as a book everyone should read. Here are links to that book and to Dave's website. Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Dave Ramsey's website   Length: 35:47

  Laura Robb is an author, teacher, and coach and speaker.  She has more than 40 years of teaching in grades 4-8. She has written more than 25 books on literacy. Today, we are talking about her book The Reading Intervention Toolkit. Check out my review of The Reading Intervention Toolkit.       This book will help you understand how to address the reading challenges of your students. It is designed for the classroom teacher to quickly put strategies for reading intervention immediately into place in the classroom.  It is easy to read and understand.     Laura believes that addressing the reading challenges of the kids is probably one of the most important steps a teacher can take to increasing student achievement and success in content areas. This book was written for the practitioner. It will help you move your kids forward.  Enjoy!   Listen to my review of Laura's The Reading Intervention Toolkit   Connect with Laura and find out more: Laura's Website Here is my YouTube Review about The Reading Intervention Toolkit by Laura My interview with Laura about her book Vocabulary is Comprehension Shell Education phone number for ordering multiple copies 1-800-858-7339 ext 169 Shell Education's Website to find out more about The Reading Intervention Toolkit Take a look at The Reading Intervention Toolkit by Laura (Amazon) Here is a link to Laura's foundation Take a look at Vocabulary is Comprehension by Laura Robb Connect with Laura on Twitter Connect with Laura on Facebook     Length: 47:53

Do you ever just get so incredibly frustrated with one or two kids? Today’s show is all about recognizing when you are frustrated and how to deal with it. Especially, when you know that it is one kid who is really driving you nuts.   So here are my 3 + 1 ways of not showing that you are frustrated: Put something happy on the wall behind the child who frustrates you. Just before the kids arrive remind yourself of something positive about the child. Make a list of positive attributes of the child and keep that list where only you can see it and revisit it during the class. Plus One… Put yourself in timeout….   Really, put you in timeout...go outside, take a deep breath, watch something funny, play at recess or during lunch with the kids, or how about play an instrument with the band class or participate in an art class...See where I am going with this?     So let’s talk about 6 signs of Adult Frustration Eye rolling You take a deep breath or you sigh right before talking with one specific student Exasperated statements directed at one student Angry body language Ignoring and only responding when you finally have to Overreacting We have to get control of ourselves. When you recognize and admit to yourself that the kid is driving you nuts then you need to take the steps to help you control you. Look at my 6 signs of frustration and then take a look at my 3 + 1 ways of overcoming your frustration. You will be glad that you did. Have an awesome week!

  Today, I am talking with Matt Jones, the Chief of Staff for the Georgia Department of Education. He is a former teacher and technology director from Toombs County, Georgia. We get a chance to talk about what he does as Chief of Staff as well as what he liked most about working with kids as a teacher.     The focus of our talk is on the initiative Vision 2020. According to Matt, "It captures where we want to go as a state."     We talk about several of the key elements of Vision 2020 and Matt explains the point and purpose of each.  You will hear Matt's passion and focus on the children of Georgia as well as take away a keen understanding of Georgia's focus for the next several years. Thanks for listening! Enjoy!     Find out more information: Georgia Department of Education Vision 2020 Educating Georgia's Future email Matt: mattjones@doe.k12.ga.us   Length: 37:33

  Hey, just wanted to let you know that we were taking a week break. There will not be a regular show from December 25th through December 31st. See you in 2017! Enjoy the family and friends and celebrate! Best wishes! Steve        

Does your energy ever just leave you? Do you feel tired and in need of and extra burst of energy? Well, there are ways that you get an extra burst of energy and it doesn't require putting an excessive dose of caffeine in your body. You would be amazed at what simple activities can get you that refreshed and recharged feel. Not only that but give you a great attiyude adjustment. Suddenly you are ready to take on the world. By the way these tricks also have side benefits, your co-workers and students will notice.     Here are my 5 Tips to get Refreshed and Recharged During the Day: 1. Bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and use them. Fresh breath. New outlook. The students will be glad to know that you know longer have coffee breath. 2. Take the next step with the mouth...use mouthwash! Oh, yeah! Minty fresh and ready to take on the world. Not only that but easy to use multiple times a day and plus your dentist will thank you because you killing the bacteria that are bad for your gums and teeth. 3. Bring anti-perspirant or deoderant and use it. It adds a positive fragrance. Removes sweat odors. Makes you feel fresh. Add on top of that an a new t-shirt or undergarment especially one that has the familiar sweet smell of your dryer sheets or detergent and you could have enough energy for two more days. 4. Use shaving cream and a razor or facial clensers. There is nothing more refreshing than lathering up and then running a quick razor over your face. It leaves you fresh and tingling. Yep. Ready to take on the world. Facial clensers do the same. Plus you get rid of that dirt and oil that is building up on your face. 5. Use bath gel and a towel. Now, I am not suggesting taking a bath or shower (If you are at a high school get to know the coaches so that you might be able to use a shower once in awhile.), but I am suggesting that you lather up your face, scrub it with warm or cool water, and feel that new life flooding back into your body!!!!       These five techniques for refreshing and recharging work. You just have to bring the tools and use them.  They will help you feel better and have the added benefit of keeping you pleasant to be around and work with.     My favorite benefit though is that it provides an opportunity for an attitude adjustment. Think about it. Try these 5 Tips out. You will find yourself refreshed and recharged.     Length: 19:56