180 Days Podcast

Nubeja Allen is currently the Secondary Math Supervisor in Franklin Township Public Schools in Somerset, New Jersey. Throughout her 26 years in education, Nubeja has a diverse K -12 educational background having been a high school math teacher, a high school math supervisor, a high school vice-principal, an elementary vice-principal, an interim principal, and a K-12 district math supervisor.   Nubeja joins us to share some of the initiatives she has spearheaded in her district around student-centered, math standards-based learning, equitable practices in mathematics instruction, and pedagogical techniques to support questioning techniques and student engagement.   Her focus is on empowering teachers and enhancing their professional practice through professional learning, collaboration, and reflection. She is dedicated to supporting school leaders and teachers in creating school and classroom environments that are inviting to and nurture young adults. Nubeja is currently a doctoral student researching how school leaders can use social justice to advance equity in math education. To learn more about 180 Days, explore more conversations, and for full show notes please visit our website 180day.education. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates! Links to Resources Mentioned in this episode: Nubeja Allen Twitter: Nubeja Allen Franklin Township Board of Education CLR - Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching Karim Ani Dear Citizen Math (book) Citizen Math Learning for Justice Jo Boaler Mathematical Mindsets John Hattie Danielson Group Principles to Action IXL Imagine Math Discovering Math Series Interactive Math Program enVision Math 3-Act math Tasks McGraw-Hill

Dr. Chadd McGlone is the cofounder of Mathkind  (formerly Teacher-to-Teacher Global), a non-profit education organization that focuses on building quality math education programs through collaborative partnerships that drive greater social justice. The goal is to help prepare students for the "real world" through problem-solving and skills that support their own communities. Chadd shares his journey of how Mathkind came about and then talks about the work that has been happening, sharing stories that inspire. If you are interested in how education is being impacted around the world or even in becoming a volunteer for MathKind, be sure to listen. To learn more about 180 Days, explore more conversations, and for full show notes please visit our website 180day.education. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates! Links to Resources Mentioned in this episode: Chadd McGlone Chadd's Twitter: @cwmcglone Mathkind Twitter: @mathkindglobal Facebook: Mathkind Discovery Mathematics James Garfield's proof of the Pythagorean Theorem Carol Malloy Global Math Stories Teacher Trips Steve Leinwand Linda Gojack Master Classes Conferences Math4AntiRacism Girls STEM program Mathkind Team of Educators and Leaders Principles to Action Pao Costillo Donate! Berkeley Everett Twitter: @berkelyeverett  TODOS Math for All

Steve Leinwand is a principal researcher at the American Institute for Research and a renowned math education change agent with a contagious enthusiasm for what IS possible in mathematics. He joins Tim and Karen for an informative and powerful discussion around rethinking the traditional math trajectory in high school mathematics. Steve discusses the focus of his and Eric Milou's new book, Invigorating High School Math: Practical Guidance for Long Overdue Transformation, which provides a guide for ‘detracking' math education in order to provide more opportunities and relevant course pathways for all students. When you finish this episode you will have new insights into why sorting students in mathematics is NOT a good thing and a passion to help change it! To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned please visit our website 180day.education.   You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

Tim and Karen are joined by Karim Ani, founder of Citizen Math (formerly known as Mathalicious) and author of, “Dear Citizen Math: How Math Class Can Inspire a More Rational and Respectful Society”.   Karim discusses the importance of mathematics in our world, and why we should be helping students become problem-solvers so that they develop the essential critical thinking skills needed to analyze, discuss and solve the issues facing our world.   To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit https://www.180days.education/post/podcast-season-3-episode-3.   You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

Karen and Tim speak to Dr. Greg Hessee. Greg shares perspectives on the current state of AP courses and the issues around access to AP opportunities for all students, not just a select few. Selection and placement into AP courses has been historically racist, and Greg discusses initiatives and ways to make access to AP courses more equitable and prevalent in schools and how to help schools and districts build a more robust AP program.   He is currently a teacher at the same school as Tim, Colegio Nueva Granada in Bogota, Columbia, where he is also the Advanced Placement (AP) coordinator. Greg is an English teacher as well as the AP coordinator, was formerly the Program Director of the Colorado Legacy Schools Initiative, and has been a teacher and school leader in urban schools throughout the U.S., including New York, Austin, and Denver.    To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit https://www.180days.education/post/podcast-season-3-episode-2.   You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

In our first episode for Season 3, we talk with friend, colleague, and former boss of both Tim and Karen from their Key Curriculum days, James Ryan.   James has an interesting career trajectory. He started as a math teacher, went into administration, then worked at Apple Computers as an analyst, programmer and lead, then as the VP of Professional Development and Marketing at Key Curriculum (where Tim and Karen worked with him), to STEM Director at San Francisco Unified School District.   His current role as Executive Director for OpenSciEd has him using all his vast experiences to build partnerships and revenue streams to support the creation and spread of science materials that align and support the Next Generation Science Standards. In this episode, James talks about OpenSciEd, development of the curriculum, successes and struggles, the mission/vision of getting quality science curriculum and materials into the hands of all students.   To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit https://www.180days.education/podcast.     You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

Corey is a leader in the mathematics and statistics education communities nationwide. He has consulted and served as a writer on two AP statistics textbooks and written supplemental classroom materials for statistics teachers. Furthermore, Corey has facilitated workshops for mathematics teachers on a variety of topics, including Common Core workshops on modeling with probability and statistics. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Mathematics Council and on committees at the state and national levels.   Corey has been teaching mathematics for more than 20 years. Many of those have been at North High School in Sheboygan, WI but he now teaches at the American School of the Hague. He has taught many grade levels and courses but he believes he would confess he has a soft spot for teaching AP Statistics. Corey shares his journey to becoming an expat and gives some insight into teaching in other countries as well as some tips for those who might be considering a similar career path.   We hear how Corey came to the decision to move to another country to teach, and his different experiences in Qatar and the Netherlands. This includes teaching elementary for the first time, dealing with cultural differences, and different curriculums, resources and expectations. The journey includes trying to find positions for both a music and math teacher at the same time, and how connections and job fairs play such a role in finding international teaching jobs.     Listen and learn more about Corey's international experiences, as well as Tim's, and get some good teaching tips and strategies along the way!     To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit https://www.180days.education/podcast.   You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!  

In part 3 of our 3-episode series on professional development and supporting systemic educational change, we talk with Mary Davis and Denise Thornton from Charles A. Dana Center's Leadership Team at The University of Texas in Austin, TX. Join us for a conversation on systemic change in mathematics and science education at the secondary level.   To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit https://www.180days.education/podcast.   You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

In part 2 of our 3-episode series on professional development and supporting systemic educational change, we talk with Michael Greenlee and Tracey Ramirez from Charles A. Dana Center's Leadership Team at The University of Texas in Austin, TX. Join us for a conversation on systemic change in mathematics and science education at the elementary level.   Michael Greenlee and Tracey Ramirez are both Professional Learning Facilitators at the K-12 Mathematics and Science, K-12 Services, at the Dana Center. Michael and Tracey work with teachers and school leadership, and collaborate with districts and states to address specific concerns at a system level to foster equity and access for all students, with particular emphasis at the elementary level. They provide professional learning experiences on instructional leadership, high-leverage teaching practices, and relevant student learning practices.    They share about The Charles A. Dana Center's role in supporting systemic change in mathematics and science teaching at the elementary level. They discuss the work they do with teachers and the challenges of creating systemic education change. They share their own personal experiences as teachers and how that helps in their work as facilitators, and share strategies and experiences that provide insight into how important research-based professional learning is to systemic educational change.   To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit https://www.180days.education/podcast.   You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

In this first in a 3-episode series on professional development and supporting systemic educational change, we talk with Dr. Shelly LeDoux and Jacqueline LeJeune who join us from The University of Texas at Austin Charles A. Dana Center's Leadership Team to discuss systemic change in mathematics and science education.   The University of Texas at Austin Charles A. Dana Center is a renowned research-based organization that has worked for almost 30 years to develop and deliver math and science curriculum and professional learning that supports educators and students from K-16, to ensure equitable access to excellent education. Dr. Shelly LeDoux is the Interim Manager of K-12 Services for the Dana Center, and Jacqueline Le Jeune is a Professional Learning Facilitator on the K-12 Leadership team at the Dana Center. Shelly and Jacqueline work with teachers and school leadership, and collaborate with districts and states to address specific concerns at a system level to foster equity and access for all students. They provide professional learning experiences on instructional leadership, high-leverage teaching practices, and relevant student learning practices.   In this episode, Shelly and Jackie share about The Charles A. Dana Center's role in supporting systemic change in mathematics and science teaching. They discuss the work they do with educational leaders and the challenges of creating systemic education change. They also share strategies and experiences that provide insight into how important research-based professional learning is to systemic educational change.

Katie Isaak Ginsberg is a parent and advocate for environmental literacy, which led her to found the Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation(CELF), where she serves as the Executive Director and Chair Emeritus. She saw the need to educate students about the links between human health, poverty, consumption, conflict and the environment. After extensive research, she combined her background in design, management marketing, and business development to create a foundation that brings the best practices in sustainability education to K-12 educators and schools. Ms. Ginsberg speaks and provides seminars and conferences on sustainability and re-orienting education through place-based and project-based education, and, as part of her work, was a featured presenter at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. Ms. Ginsberg shares her reasons for founding CELF in 2003, and how that work has influenced policy and curriculum in the schools and districts. She shares case studies and the importance of communities working together to really help focus on environmental sustainability. Her foundation's work with schools is designed to support teachers where they are, using their own curriculum and standards, but changing the lens to focus on how you can incorporate sustainability concepts into what is already being taught. For 180 Days Podcast listeners CELF is offering a special 50% off registration fees discount for their annual Summer Institues(https://celfeducation.org/our-programs/annual-summer-institute/). Use code “180DAYS”(all caps!) at checkout. To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit https://www.180days.education/podcast. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @180dayspodcast or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!      

Dr. Tabitha Dell'Angelo is a professor, storyteller, playwright, mother, and potential school board member. She holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently a professor at The College of New Jersey, in addition to her work as an improvisational acting teacher at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA.  Tabitha shares her arts-based research approach as a way of communicating findings, through plays and comics. She launched the Urban Education Program at The College of New Jersey, which is focused on recognizing and responding to conditions that contribute to inequalities in schools. Through first-hand experience, she talks through teacher education and preparing pre-service teachers for the reality of teaching, particularly in high-needs urban districts. She shares her ideas on what areas of education need to be completely overhauled, and her journey to running for her local School Board. Tabitha's experience of the political process—the stress of running for the first time, the vulnerability of going door-to-door to ask strangers(potential voters) for money, trying to be bipartisan in a very partisan time—offers us a behind the scenes look into processes that guide what teachers in a district's classrooms can do. To learn more about Tabitha and for full show notes with links to the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit 180days.education/podcast. You can also connect with us on social or subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our site at https://www.180days.education/

Patrick Vennebush is the Chief Learning Officer for The Math Learning Center, where he oversees the areas of Educator Support, Educator Resources, and Development. Patrick shares his expertise in mathematics and developing a high-quality education curriculum. He talks about how professors and education experiences framed his outlook and trajectory for teaching - including his methods, his approach to learning and how teaching SHOULD be. This led him on the educational trajectory working for several educational companies that all have the same philosophy and approach to teaching.  Patrick talks in-depth about what a ‘good curriculum' is and why it's so important for teachers to have a good curriculum that “provides the impotence for great lessons even if it can't provide everything that the teacher needs”. He discusses the team effort behind creating educational resources that are consistent and aligned and compares these to open-education resources. He shares ‘the joy, the wonder, and the beauty of mathematics” that comes from working hands-on with learning. To learn more and for full show notes with links to resources mentioned, please visit 180days.education. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

What are the advantages to digital content that is ‘evergreen' and non-textbook specific? Who pays for this? Why is paid-for content more reliable and vetted compared to ‘free' open-resource materials? What's better - online, hybrid, or face-to-face? This and more in our jammed-packed episode with Dr. Stephen Sullivan, professor of anatomy and physiology at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania. Dr. Sullivan is also a digital author for McGraw-Hill Education. He shares his experiences as a professor and curriculum developer, around creating content for anatomy and physiology courses, and how this has evolved over the years. He talks about the digital tools and resources that he has used and helped develop over a decade, and how his experiences teaching online for years have made it easy for him to transition and support students and other educators during this time of Covid and distance learning. He shares strategies and provides some great insight into the impact of Covid both on his own instruction, but particularly on the struggles and challenges facing community college students. To learn more about Dr. Sullivan and for full show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit 180days.education. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

Dr. Pamela Seda has been a math educator for over 30 years. She works as the K-12 Math Coordinator for Griffin/Spalding County Schools in Georgia. Dr. Seda is also the owner of Seda Educational Consulting. Karen worked with Pam last summer on an Equity in Education Webinar, in partnership with Casio Education and TODOS Math for All, where Dr. Seda shared her “ICUCAREr” framework and talked about making mathematics a more equitable experience for all students to be successful, and thought it would be beneficial for you to have Dr. Seda join us and share more about her framework and her diverse teaching experiences that support equity in education. The 7 parts of her I.C.U.C.A.R.E framework represent the seven principles for equity pedagogy: Include others as experts (be) Critically Conscious Understand your students well (use) Culturally relevant curricula Assess, Active and build on prior knowledge Release control Expect more Dr. Seda explores each of the 7 principles in-depth with us and shares both examples and stories of how these principles promote the learning and teaching of mathematics from an equitable approach. Some of the themes that emerged in our conversation were understanding your students, allowing students to be ‘experts', and building an environment so that students are free to learn on their own and discover mathematics. To learn more about Dr. Seda and for full show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned in the episode please visit 180days.education You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected!

Olga G. Torres has been a bilingual elementary educator for over 40 years and a mathematics educator for over 25 years. She works as a Mathematics Education Consultant with the Marilyn Burns Education Associates/Math Solutions. Olga has been the recipient of many awards, including the 1995 Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education. She is a teacher leader for CEMAL (Center for Mathematics Education of Latino/as), where she works with Dr. Marta Civil at the University of Arizona. Karen worked with Olga last summer on an Equity in Education Webinar, in partnership with Casio Education and TODOS Math for All, where Olga shared her “Rights of the Learner” framework and talked about rehumanizing the math classroom, so though it would be a wonderful experience to have Olga join us and to share more about her framework and her diverse teaching experiences that support equity in education. For full show notes and to learn more please visit: 180days.education Connect with us on social: Facebook, Twitter

Karen Cowe shares stories and examples of a systems-thinking approach to learning in history, math, and other subjects, and invites us to look at how the subjects we are already teaching can be seen through a local and environmental framework. What are the benefits of this approach, in both social and natural systems? Karen highlights the forgotten interdependency these systems have on one another and where these frameworks are set and enacted. Karen Cowe is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Ten Strands and the Project Director of the California Environmental Literacy Initiative. She has dedicated her experience and efforts to create and promote environmental literacy throughout California by building partnerships and strategies to provide access to high-quality education with an environmental component. She is an education-industry executive with over 30 years of experience in sales & fund development, marketing, program design, professional learning, business development, and operations. For full show notes and to learn more about Karen Cowe and Ten Strands please visit: 180days.education

In this episode of 180 Days, Ken Shelton shares his expertise and experiences on creating culturally responsive learning experiences and really exploring prejudices and biases in the classroom. Ken is an educator with over 20 years of experience, with a specialization in Educational Technology. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator and a Google Certified Innovator as well as the ISTE Digital Equity PLN 2018 Excellence Award winner. Ken leads educational workshops that focus on a wide variety of topics, including Educational Technology, equity, inclusion, Multimedia Literacy, Cultural Relevance, Visual Storytelling and Instructional Design.  Links to resources that were mentioned during the interview: Ken's website Ken's Twitter The show 90210 Freakonomics (Steven Levitt)  Whistling Vivaldi (Dr. Claude Steele) The Dunning-Kruger Effect  To learn more about 180 Days and please visit: 180days.education

Anne Marie has been an educator for 32 years (wow!!). She has taught at various elementary schools at the 5th and 6th-grade levels, not to mention a short stint as an Elementary Guidance Counselor. She shares with us her personal experiences with how teaching, learning, and ‘school' in general have been impacted by the Covid19 pandemic. Schools around the country have opened in various ways – remote, hybrid, face-to-face, asynchronous, synchronous – the list is long. Anne Marie shares the different ways her school has structured teaching/learning and the various challenges she, her students, and her colleagues have had to navigate together.  Anne Marie mentions several tools that her school/district uses. Explore the links below to learn more: Google Classroom Google Forms GoGuardian NearPod EdTube  BrainPop Kahoot **UPDATE: Since this episode was recorded in December 2020, since then Anne Marie made the decision to retire early (effective January 2021) due to her concerns for her safety and health, the enormous amount of pressure, extra work, and the stress of having to go back to full face-to-face teaching despite a rise in Covid19. Thank you, Anne Marie for your years of teaching!!

In our first episode of our new season, we talk to Ismael Zamora, the Math and Science Department Chair for Bloom High School in Chicago, IL.  Ish has been an educator for over 20 years and in this episode talks about the challenges and successes of leading during this crazy time of Covid19 and remote teaching and learning. Supporting teachers as they are struggling with moving from face-to-face teaching to online teaching is a huge issue facing many education leaders. Ish shares strategies to help teachers develop relationships with their students even when they cannot ‘see' them virtually. He talks about coaching cycles and conversations with teachers to help them engage students, create better assessments, and new ways of thinking about content and helping teachers become more reflective. There are several resources/tools mentioned throughout the podcast episode. The links to these are provided below. Resources Mentioned: ClassKick – tool to allow you to create collaborative work, see students work, and give feedback. ClassPad.net – a free, dynamic math tool that provides all-in-one ability to demonstrate, create, see all math, and share activities with students. Danielson Rubric – A framework for teaching (4 domains) GoGuardian – tool to manage schools 1:1 technology. NearPod – A tool to make your lessons interactive (media, assessments, lessons) PearDeck – a google slides support that lets you transform your presentations into classroom conversations. Rubric Suggestions for Standards Based Grading

Sexual harassment and gender bullying is in the public eye these days, particularly in politics and Hollywood. But it is prevalent in schools as well.  In this episode we focus on sexual harassment, hearing a real student-on-student experience from a student, Ava, and her mother, Mia and how things were addressed connected to that incident. Karen also shares an experience she had as a teacher being sexually harassed by a student. Later in the episode, we hear from an administrator, Mark,  who shares how his school is addressing these issues head on and creating a culture of awareness, as well as shares some insights into the legal perspective of handling sexual harassment in schools. What is sexual harassment in schools? Sexual harassment is unwanted or unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature that interferes unreasonably with a student’s ability to learn, study, work, achieve, or participate in school activities. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, and schools are legally responsible for preventing it. Schools must also prevent harassment based on your sex, even if it is not sexual in nature. Does not have to occur on school grounds – can be associated with any school-related activity Sexual harassment covers a range of behaviors, including but not limited to: touching, pinching, or grabbing body parts; sending sexual notes or pictures; writing sexual graffiti on bathroom walls; making suggestive or sexual gestures, looks, jokes, or verbal comments; spreading sexual rumors or making sexual propositions; pulling someone’s clothes off; pulling your own clothes off; sexual assault; and rap What do you do if you or someone is being sexually harassed? Tell the harasser that you want the unwelcome behavior to stop. If you feel comfortable doing so, tell the harasser that his or her behavior bothers you and that you want it to stop. Talk to someone you trust. Whether it’s a friend, parent, counselor, or someone else whom you trust, find a person who believes you. Doing this will provide you with support and can be important evidence later. Keep a detailed written record of the harassment. Record what happened, when, where, who else was present, and how you reacted. Save any notes, pictures, or other documents you receive from the harasser. Report the harassment. Find your school’s anti-harassment policy and talk to the person who has been designated to deal with complaints of sexual harassment. If you feel uncomfortable talking to the designated person, go to a teacher or another adult at the school whom you like and trust. It’s okay to bring a friend or parent with you to that meeting. File a complaint. You have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, with your state’s Department of Education, or to bring a lawsuit under Title IX. You may want to talk to a lawyer about these options, particularly if you are thinking of filing a lawsuit. Remember you are not alone. The most recent comprehensive study of sexual harassment in high schools found that 83% of females and 79% of males reported having been sexually harassed in ways that interfered with their lives, with 27% experiencing it often. What is a schools responsibility? Title IX (9) (a law for over 40 years)– Civil rights law that prohibits institutions that receive federal funds from sexual discrimination, and sexual assault/harassment is a form of sexual discrimination that can limit or prevent a students right to participate in education Under Title IX schools have a responsibility to protect students from sexual harassment and gender-based bullying, investigate allegations, and enforce the prohibition of these acts. Schools often have written policies against sexual harassment and gender-based bullying, but are not prepared to actually handle real incidents Delay the investigation, Deny the allegations, Distort the facts, Disparage the victim, Deny the victim rights to education Ignorance, the fear of liability, and concerns about public opinion cause schools to downplay, ignore, or deny altogether reports of sexual harassment/assault and subsequent retaliation against victims. 81% of students grades 8-11 report some type of sexual harassment and 87% of those students say it has a negative effect on them. What should schools be doing? Here are some articles with some different perspectives: https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2018-01-08/the-metoo-movement-goes-to-school Sex education courses? https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/01/26/what-do-schools-teach-about-sexual-harassment.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news2&M=58367969&U=1854770 And as our guest Ava suggested, schools should include in those beginning-of-the-year assemblies conversation and information around sexual harassment (what is it? what does it look like? what should you do if it happens? How do you prevent it?) Some resource sites for students and parents: https://metoomvmt.org/ Stop Sexual Assault in School: http://stopsexualassaultinschools.org/   Thanks for listening and a big thank you to our guests, Ava, Mia and Mark for sharing their stories and their perspectives. 

Students with disabilities, under  the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), have the right to a free and appropriate public education, which means they are ensured they will get the needed related services and special education accommodations.  But who are these students and what are these services?  Episode 10 explores how students are identified as special education, what services are legally required to be provided, funding for these services, the difference between a 504 and an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and other questions related to Special Education. We offer insight into our own experiences as teachers with the special education process and working with special education students, and offer some insight on why schools struggle with providing the services. Below are some links that will provide you with additional information and resources related to Special Education. 1)Overview of Special Education Law   2) Difference between 504 and IEP 3) American w/Disabilities Act and determining if a student is eligible for services. 4) Special Education Funding 5) How a 504/IEP is developed 6) Special Education Expenditure Project (research on funding) 7) Parent Center Hub for Special Education  

We are back from our extended holiday break with a special episode. One of our hosts, Tim, as part of his work with Teachers2Teachers Global, traveled to Kenya this past summer to work with teachers and students and share educational and cultural experiences. Our guest this episode, Mary Mooney, a colleague and friend who works for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, was part of this adventure. During the episode, Tim and Mary reflect on their experience and share some stories and perspectives on education, comparing the US system to what they observed in Kenya. We hear voices from some of the people Tim and Mary met along the way, and hear their perspectives on education as students and as parents. There's a little bit of singing, little bit of laughing and a lot of fun. Join us for this cross-cultural experience and new perspective on education. Here are a couple pictures from Tim and Mary's adventures in Kenya, including some education and some wildlife....enjoy!  

Tracking students in education has been around a long time. Grouping students into grades or courses by their perceived ability, based on some assessment or criteria, has long been the practice, with the idea that students will 'get what they need' if they are grouped together. But does this work? Can homogenous grouping be successful for all students?  Episode 8 explores the history of tracking and some of the benefits and drawbacks of tracking students. We will also get a few teachers perspectives on the idea of ability grouping, and hear from Lizzy Barnes, the Math District Supervisor for San Francisco Public Schools on their policy of no-tracking in mathematics. This controversial move has led to a change in the math curriculum with no students in SFUSD taking algebra until 9th grade.  Take a listen, and if you want to find out more about tracking in general and/or SFUSD's efforts and successes, here are some links: 1)   NCTM's white paper on Tracking and Dismantling it. 2) Research on Tracking and its impact on equity 3) Edweek article on Tracking Issues 4) A different perspective on Tracking - The Upside 5) Pros and Cons of Tracking 6) SFUSD's Heterogenous Math Curriculum Project 

  In this episode, we talk to Lizzie Hull Barnes, the Director of Mathematics for the San Francisco Unified School District, about how they created curriculum to replace textbooks in order to best meet the needs of their students and teachers.  Karen and  Tim discuss the pros and cons of abandoning traditional textbooks while Tim falls over himself providing the disclaimer about how this discussion is now part of his job. Lizzie talks about the SFUSD's curriculum, which was the result of a team of education leaders and dedicated math teachers who worked collaboratively to design a rich mathematics curriculum that is showing promising results. For more information, here are some links: SFUSD Math Core Curriculum Page: http://www.sfusdmath.org/ Interesting Articles regarding the SFUSD Math Curriculum: http://www.sfexaminer.com/sfusd-makes-grade-new-approach-math/ http://www.sfusd.edu/en/assets/sfusd-staff/Math%20Resources/ccss-math-faq.pdf http://www.sfusd.edu/en/news/current-news/2017-news-archive/09/policy-shifts-in-math-show-promise.html This is our first sponsored episode, so we want to thank ConstructedEd for their support and efforts in creating customized curriculum. For more information please go to the ConstructEd link www.createcustomizeadopt.com

What's the purpose of homework?  Students hate it, parents often say it's too much or interferes with home life and students free time, and teachers - who knows what they're thinking?! Is it punishment? Is it assessment? Is it busy work? Is it necessary? The answer - it depends. This episode explores the origination of homework and discusses different ways to look at the purpose of homework. We ponder such questions as "should you grade homework?" and "what's your end goal for assigning homework?"  Not sure we get to any definitive answers but we touch on a lot of topics related to the purposes of homework, grading, alternative ways of thinking about homework and intersperse a lot of our own personal experiences and strategies with homework.  Below are several of the links we found while doing our own research on homework that might be helpful if you want to explore some of the research and insights behind homework and it's purpose.  Article from American Psychological Association summarizing homework research: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/03/homework.aspx Article from Alfie Kohn (noted education researcher) “Does Homework Improve Learning?”: http://www.alfiekohn.org/homework-improve-learning/ Edutopia article on homework research trends: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/research-trends-is-homework-effective-youki-terada Educational Leadership article on motivating students to do homework: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb06/vol63/num05/If-They%27d-Only-Do-Their-Work!.aspx Doctoral dissertation from East Tennessee State on parent/teacher perceptions regarding homework: http://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3283/ ASCD article on the purpose of homework http://inservice.ascd.org/whats-the-purpose-of-homework/  A history of homework https://www.quora.com/When-did-schools-start-implementing-homework-as-a-regular-activity-in-education NEA article on homework - should we assign it? https://www.quora.com/When-did-schools-start-implementing-homework-as-a-regular-activity-in-education Enjoy the podcast and please don't forget to subscribe to us on iTunes and give us a rating!!  We would love your suggestions as well for upcoming topics.

Who do you call if you have concerns about your child's teacher, or you are not happy with the curriculum, or don't think the requirements for AP History are fair? The answer is - it depends. This episode explores the power structure of the education system, offering insight and suggestions on who to contact, depending on the issue. Education "policy"" is often cited as a reason for many decisions that impact local schools and districts. It is often difficult to know who to contact if you have concerns, whether those be personal concerns about your child's teacher or classroom, or more wide-reaching concerns regarding the textbooks used in the district or the purchase of technology. Understanding the governance structure of the education can help determine who to contact that will be the most helpful in addressing your specific concerns. From the Federal Department of Education, to State Boards of Education, local Superintendents and local School Boards, all the way down to principals and teachers within a school - who makes the decision and why those decisions are made is complex. We explore these issues in our podcast episode, but for more information, please use the following links: State-by-State Comparison of Education Governance https://www.ecs.org/k-12-governance-structures/ State Boards of Education: http://www.nasbe.org/about-us/state-boards-of-education/ History of Education Policy and Structure: https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html Specific Policies in Education https://www2.ed.gov/policy/landing.jhtml Local role in Education Policy http://classroom.synonym.com/role-local-government-education-6456723.html Who has educational authority?  http://education.findlaw.com/curriculum-standards-school-funding/who-has-educational-authority.html Making decisions in school  https://soundout.org/how-decisions-are-made-in-school/

School choice is a hot-button topic these days with the Trump Administration and the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, being huge proponents of school choice. This episode explores the different types of school choice, funding options behind school choice, and who decides who really controls the decision on what school your student can go to. School choice is more than just picking a school and taking the public fund money and going to that school. Each state has different rules governing school choice, and there are different ways to fund school choice. Below are several links to relevant articles and resources that will provide you with more insight and information.  1) EdChoice - great resource that defines school choice, describes the different types of school choice, and related funding 2) NCSLvouchers - state-by-state comparison of school voucher law 3) NCSLschoolchoice - searchable by type of school choice and by state, showing all the different types of school choice options with description (interactive) 4) Brookings - a good article on how states could expand the private-school choice programs 5) Education Commission of the States - another good side-by-side comparison of the states and their school choice options. Great if you are curious about what the options are in your state 6) Center for Education Reform - nice concise article with definitions of the type of school choice and what they mean, some historical information and data on school choice. 7) Interesting editorial about students with disabilities laws and how school choice impacts students with disabilities. (again - our sound issues are just about resolved, so hopefully this will be the last episode with any sound concerns!!)  

This episode focuses on STEM - what does it stand for, why is there such a push for 'STEM Education' and what does it mean for classroom instruction. For those of you interested in more information about STEM, we've provided some helpful links with more information and resources that will give you a better understanding of STEM. First, a basic descriptions of STEM: S - Science T - Technology E - Engineering M - Mathematics There is also other acronyms, such as STREAM, STEAM, where R represents reading and A represents art. The idea behind all of these is that students should be learning in a 'real-world', connected way, where these subjects are integrated and students engage in problem-solving learning that requires the use of all these content areas. It's in integrative and applied approach, so that students are learning the skills they need to go into scientific, engineering, mathematics, and technology fields and be competent problem-solvers. The purpose of STEM (and any other acronyms) is, according to the U.S. Department of education: "In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex, where success is driven not only by what you know, but by what you can do with what you know, it’s more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and make sense of information. These are the types of skills that students learn by studying science, technology, engineering, and math—subjects collectively known as STEM." (from https://www.ed.gov/stem) Below are some links to articles and information about STEM that we used to help start the conversation. U.S. Government - purpose and description of STEM https://www.ed.gov/stem There are many links within this page to more resources and supports for Teachers and schools From LiveScience - a nice description of STEM, some of the education policy behind the STEM initiative and what STEM looks like at the varying grade levels https://www.livescience.com/43296-what-is-stem-education.html From Teach.com, an overview of STEM and a listing of several STEM initiatives and links to resources https://teach.com/what/teachers-know/stem-education/ The STEM Coalition - an advocacy group http://www.stemedcoalition.org/ Information from NACME with an engineering focus on STEM http://www.nacme.org/information National Science Foundation - resources and information all related to STEM https://nsf.gov/nsb/sei/edTool Hopefully these links will give you a good start towards both understanding STEM and finding supports for STEM teaching/learning. Thanks for listening and be sure to tune in for future podcasts. Don't forget to send us feedback and suggestions for future topics. We are still just beginning this journey, still working on sound issues (hopefully by Ep 5 we will have this ironed out!!), and still exploring this podcast universe - bear with us!!

In this episode we talk about what is the purpose of assessment in education, what types of assessment are out there, and do assessments accomplish their 'purpose', whatever that might mean. Assessment is a lot more than a standardized test. Episode 2: Assessment and The Cheesecake Factory by Tim Pope Chez Assessment is one of the most popular restaurants in the K12 neighborhood.  Although it claims to be a family-friendly restaurant, how much of the menu do you understand?  There’s not even a kid’s menu.  With all of the complaints, how does the place stay open? Just like fast-food joints, most people think schools eat there too much and it’s not good for you (if you believe the research, up to a third of a school’s time is spent there). Just like a hipster, gastropub joint, most people cannot understand the menu. Just like The Cheesecake Factory, the menu is so long, how is a school supposed to know what to order. Just like the seedy-looking greasy spoon down the road, most people want to avoid it because they heard others have gotten sick eating there. Some parents think it is so bad they keep their kids at home when they hear another trip to Chez Assessment is coming. Toeing the line of stretching a metaphor too thin, assessment does have a lot in common with The Cheesecake Factory. All of the items on the restaurant menu were put there to meet a particular need or desire.  But there are lots of different tastes and the Factory tries to meet them all. Quality food is difficult to make, yet a franchise restaurant such as The Cheesecake Factory has to scale their methods to hundreds of restaurants. If you want customers, the prices need to be affordable. Just like the menu at Cheesecake Factory, the assessment industry struggles because there are too many goals being met, too large a desire to answer complex learning questions with a simple answer, and good assessment costs money most schools, districts, and states do not have. Schools want to use assessments for a myriad of questions.  While these are all important questions, standardized assessments are better at some of these than others. What have students learned?  Where might they be behind in their learning? Are teachers quality instructors? Will a student succeed in college? Which schools provide a better education? Are students prepared for the next unit in the course, the next course, grade level, college? These are all challenging, yet important questions.  Yet many of us who care deeply about the questions do not have the time or expertise to understand the complex answers to these complex problems.  The local realtor wants to be able to say “The schools here are the best in the region.”  Administrators want to say “Our teachers improve student learning.”  Parents want to know their children are learning what they need for success in college and career.  These answers would be best in book form, not as a number from 1-100 or a grade from A-F. Answering these questions in a valid and reliable way is not cheap.  “Bubble” tests would be replaced with collections of student work, open-ended tasks with multiple correct “answers”, and computer-adaptive testing.  The entire menu of Chez Assessment wants to move in this direction but do districts and states (mostly states) want authentic assessment enough to pay substantially more for it. I assert most people would say The Cheesecake Factory is a good, but not great restaurant.  Some cheesecake lovers probably believe it’s the best place ever.  Others probably find it to be generic and overwhelming with a plethora of better ideas for a restaurant.  So it is with assessment.  The current menu is the best attempt to answer good questions with answers in the format the community wants and at a price tag the community is willing to pay.  

In this episode, you are introduced to the hosts of the 180dayspodcast, Tim Pope and Karen Greenhaus. You will get a sense of their education background and a sense of what this podcast will be focusing on for future episodes. It's about education and all the factors that come into play when thinking about education policy, teachers, students, parents, and so much more. Episode 1: More Information Welcome to our first post for our new podcast. Tim and I have been colleagues and friends for over 10 years, both with a diverse background in multiple education arenas. This includes public school teachers, teaching on reservations, teaching online and at the higher ed level, working in the publishing industry, and most importantly, being parents.  We are starting this podcast because there is so much happening in education on a daily basis, and in our personal experiences with parents and other educators, there is a lot of confusion, misunderstanding, and lack of information about much of what goes on in education. Since we have over 50 years in education combined, we thought maybe some of our insight into the strange and evolving world of education might be helpful to others. Plus we just love to hear ourselves talk and since we don't travel together anymore, this gives us a chance to connect again, even if virtually! Our aim is to enlighten, entertain, inform and provide different perspectives to many different aspects of education. Thanks for checking us out! **Bear with us as we learn the ropes of podcasting and explore our sound issues and all things technical!!