Stories from the Classroom

I realized that it's pretty difficult to schedule podcast interviews when you have a new baby in the house with a somewhat unpredictable nap schedule, and I decided I wasn't going to cut into family time.COURSES FOR TEACHERS I'VE BEEN CREATINGDuring the times the little one napped, I decided to create a new course called Create Successful Videos for Distance Learning.  It's a 1-hour self-paced course to help teachers who need to create video lessons but aren't sure where to start.Additionally, I spent time making changes to my classroom economy.  Since our school is completely remote until at least mid-October, I had to come up with a whole new list of classroom jobsways that students could spend their classroom moneyways they could earn supplemental money.I've added all of those resources to my course How to Teach Kids About Money.That two-hour course was originally created with a normal classroom environment in mind, but many of the things still apply to a virtual classroom economy.PLACES I'M PUTTING OUT THE MOST CONTENTOnce I completed the courses, I decided to focus my efforts on my Instagram and YouTube channels.On my Instagram channel, I've been posting stories each school day about how I'm approaching that day of distance learning, often sharing tech tips along the way.On my YouTube channel, I've been creating videos all about distance learning technology and lesson ideas.PUSHING PAUSE ON THE PODCASTWith all of that going on, something had to give so I decided to pause the podcast until further notice.CONNECT WITH MEI'd love to hear how things are going with you and how I could help; what kind of content would be beneficial for you right now?Email | thom@thomgibson.comInstagram | @gibsoneducationYouTube | /gibsoneduTwitter | @gibsoneduWebsite | thomgibson.com'Create Successful Videos for Distance Learning' course | thomgibson.com/distancelearning'How to Teach Kids About Money' course | thomgibson.com/classroomeconomyTeamEdu Newsletter | thomgibson.com/newsletter

I walk through six tips on how to ensure your summer is a time to recharge, including:strategies to wean yourself off of social media a bitwhat to think through when developing your evening routine to get more sleephow to start small when it comes to exercising each weekwhere to start when it comes to preparing for the fall semesterpractical advice on how to structure your own professional development this summerideas on creating connection with others, from those in your household, to your family and friends, to your extended networkAlso, this will be my last podcast for the summer! I'll be back in August with more episodes to help you middle-school STEM teachers create meaningful and memorable experiences for your students!RESOURCESMinecraft EDUMinecraft EDU podcastRoboCo robotics building gameMarcoPolo video messaging appCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube |/gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationLinkedIn | /thomgibsonWebsite | thomgibson.comEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review 

I got all these ideas from other educators on social media.  In this episode, I take time to reflect on these three projects.  I talk specifically about:how I had students create a TikTok as their final math summative grademy rubric for the TikTok projectreflections on what I would do differently with the TikTok project if I did it againhow I introduced the Rube Goldberg project for my robotics classhow I incorporated Minecraft in the planning process for their Rube Goldberg projecthow we utilized our Zoom class time during the week they were working on the Rube Goldberg machinehow I structured the financial literacy project where students sold items on eBayhow one student made over $300 when he did the eBay projecta bonus 'virtual yearbook' project I did with my advisory studentsRESOURCES:Esther Burnat (where I got the TikTok idea) on Instagram - @estherbrunatDr. Valerie Camille Jones (also did the TikTok project) on Instagram - @dr_vcjonesMy TikTok intro slides & rubric - TikTok ProjectMr. Aguirre (where I got the Rube Goldberg idea) on Instagram - @jacksonmstechMy Rube Goldberg intro slide show and grading criteria -  Rube Goldberg ProjectPiskel (pixel art animator) - Piskel AppMike Yates (eBay project idea) - FlipLife ArticleMy eBay project slides, videos, and assessment criteria - eBay ProjectMy virtual yearbook details - starting virtual yearbook templateCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube |/gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationLinkedIn | /thomgibsonWebsite | thomgibson.comEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

I wanted to chat with someone about everything I had been reading online and seeing from schools around the world, some of which are beginning to open up after 3 months of remote learning.  Carl Hooker was the first person to come to mind.Carl Hooker has been in education for 20+ years and is an Apple Distinguished educator, has served as a classroom teacher, instructional technologist, virtualization coordinator, director of innovation & digital learning, and founder of iPadpalooza, an educational technology conference in central Texas.In today's episode, Carl and I chat about what the future of education may look like not only in this upcoming school year but what it may look like beyond Covid19.the transition from 'emergency remote learning' to 'how to do remote learning well'two best practices that have emerged so far in remote learningwhat some school schedules around the world are already doingwhat type of schools will thrive in this environmentimpacts of the current extended 'summer slide'psychological impacts on student of prolonged social distancinghow schools in China are currently following santization & social distancing protocolswhat blended part in-class, part virtual-class could look likeapproaches of independent / private schools vs public schoolswhat a 'delayed start' could look likeschools that are already planning for a fully remote Fall 2020emerging possibilities for teachers & students who prefer remote learningchanges to testing and assessmentopportunities to differentiate in virtual learningoptimal ratio of synchronous vs asynchronous timehow to build community in the virtual classroomwhat a post COVID-19 classroom may look likeequity and access; leveling the playing field for all studentswords of hope for educators who are worried, scared, and anxious about the future of educationRESOURCES:'25 Strategies to Engage Students on Your Next Zoom Meeting' by Carl Hooker'The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Unleashed A Revolution In Education: From Now On, Blended Learning Will Be The Benchmark' by Enrique DansTexas Education Agency on Adjusting School Calendars'9 Ways Schools Will Look Different When (And If) They Reopen' by NPRCONNECT WITH CARL HOOKERWebsite | carlhooker.comBlog | hookedoninnovation.com Twitter | @mrhookerIG | @hookertechYT | Carl HookerFB | Carl Hooker Fan PageLearning Unleased Podcast (ISTE) hosted by Carl HookerTech & Learning | Articles by Carl HookerCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube |/gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationWebsite | thomgibson.comEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

My guest today is a teacher-of-the-year recipient and educator of 20 years.  Carolina Carner has been utilizing augmented reality in her classroom for several years in her middle school classroom.  Additionally she's worked with Google for Edu as a product expert in Google Expeditions, AR, VR, and Tour Creator.  She's THE AR/VR person to talk to when it comes to implementation in the classroom.It was a fun conversation as she walked me through a litany of augmented reality apps, showing me their classroom application.  You hear me experiencing them in real time.We explore:using AR for math manipulatives like fraction stripshow to fill your classroom up with a solar systemusing AR to study wild animals up closehow AR can build community and give students voiceexploration of cells up closeusing AR to HOLD A BEATING HEART IN YOUR HAND!common mistakes teachers make when starting to use ARhow to use AR with one device or manystrategies for getting more devices in your classroomRESOURCES:#arvrinedu on Twitter for all things AR & VR in the classroomGoogle Expeditions (Carolina’s favorite app and resource for AR)CoSpaces (STEM, coding, social sciences, literature, languages, and maker space applications)Hologo (the math fraction strips)Eureca AR (the solar system research)Flipgrid AR (the video introduction application)Quivervision (the colored-cell-brought-to-life)Mergecube (holding the skull and beating heart)Mergecube Remote Learning ResourcesBBC CivilisationsTime AR (Landing on the moon & Amazon forest)@JaimeDonally on Twitter for more AR & Vr in the classroom@GoogleARVR on TwitterCONNECT WITH CAROLINA CARNERTwitter | @carnercarolinaYouTube | Nerdy Teacher Tech TalkCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube |/gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationWebsite | thomgibson.comEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

I reached out to a handful of people on Twitter who had done distance learning for at least a couple of weeks already.  Student engagement is one of the biggest challenges in distance learning. While I originally just asked for their best tip, I love that thoughts and guidance on how to increase student engagement was a part of each of their answers.In the episode, my guests are:Andrew Chiu | Hong KongMiddle-School Digital Design Teacher*just finished his 10th week of distance learning*CJ Reynolds | New JerseyHigh-School Literature & History of Hip Hop TeacherMark Rogers | Texas1st Grade TeacherSam Kary | California6th Grade Humanities TeacherThey share the following:the simplify, simplify, simplify approach Andrew takespractical tips in communication, organization, and video conferencing from 10-weeks of trial and errorhow CJ hooks his students right at the beginning of the lessonhow Mark keeps his 1st graders connected to one another without video conferencinghow Sam structures engaging at-home projects that are differentiated and support students each step of the way RESOURCES MENTIONEDSome of CJ's green screen lesson hook videosHyperdocs resources that Sam referenced CONNECT WITH THESE EDUCATORSAndrew ChiuTwitter | @chew_edCJ ReynoldsGet his new book 'Teach Your Class Off'Hear a previous episode of the podcast CJ was on where he talked about how he uses social media in the classroom.YouTube | /realrapwiththereynoldsInstagram | @realrapwithreynoldsFacebook | /realrapwithreynoldsTwitter | @realrapreynoldsMark RogersHear about the looping project Mark is doing with his students in a previous episode of the podcastTwitter | @rogersmarkdSam KaryCheck out one of the resources Sam created that I contributed to | Student-podcasting project for remote learning.Twitter | @newedtechclassFacebook | /newedtechclassroomYouTube | /newedtechclassroomWebsite | newedtechclassroom.com CONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube |/gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationWebsite | thomgibson.comEmail | thom@thomgibson.com SUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

My guest today is a passionate math educator who has sought to teach learners in this exploratory manner and in a way that the students feel they are capable of understanding mathematical concepts deeply.In my conversation with Kevin Moore, we explore:how one teacher helped him begin to view himself as a mathematicianhis journey from traditional education to the micro-school modelhow the physical space can foster the learning he hopes to seehow it's MORE than just the physical space that helps foster the learning he hopes to seewhat our roles is and is not as math educatorshow to redirect incorrect work without just giving away the answerKevin's favorite questions to ask studentsand much more.RESOURCES MENTIONEDCathy Fosnot - Amazon books for various grade levelsJo Baoler - Mathematical MindsetsYouCubed - youcubed.orgCONNECT WITH KEVIN MOORE & LONG-VIEW MICRO-SCHOOLWebsite | long-view.comMath PD | The Number Lab Co-Lab - thenumberlab.com/co-labTwitter | Long View Micro School - @long_view_atxInstagram | Long View Micro School - @long_view_atxTwitter | The Number Lab - @thenumberlabCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube | /gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

Watch the video of this podcast - https://youtu.be/BpSlAy2nPd0TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Life with a newborn6:11 - Daily schedule during quarantine10:03 - Future podcasts12:28 - Distance learning in the country15:38 - New content for teachers (livestreams, courses)18:42 - My distance learning plan so far20:24 - Tips for making the most of self-quarantine timeCONNECT W/ ME ON HOW THINGS ARE GOINGthom@thomgibson.comTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube | /gibsonedu  

In this Q&A show, we discuss:How do you support students & help them master content after they've scored low on a test?How do you find time to prep, grade, plan without using all of your free time outside of school if you don't have a prep period?How do you correct students & stimulate competition in a robotics classroom?Any suggestions for a successful long-term subbing experience in 6th grade math?RESOURCES MENTIONED10 Grading Time Hacks podcast episodeTips For New Teachers : Stop Working! video#mtbos Twitter community [math resources]YouCubed Teacher Community on Facebook [math resources]QUESTIONS FOR NEXT TIMEEmail me at thom@thomgibson.com with your questions for the next Q&A show.  Put 'For QA Show' in the subject line.CONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube | /gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

Today I chat with two educators who are all about Skype in the classroom. Jeni Long & Salleé Clark (who go by the dynamic duo name of Jenallee) are two Microsoft Innovation Educators with over 36 years in education collectively.In our conversation, we discuss:how teachers are using Skype to supplement the work they're doing in their classes by Skyping in experts to speak with their classes or having their classes Skype with another classroom around the world.how to interact with schools around the world when the time zones don't match.how your students can be video pen pals with other students (great language learning application)how your English language learners can use video to share their home culture with the classroomthe technical aspects of running a Skype chatwhere to find vetted educators / safe contacts to chat with your classClass jobs so everyone has a role during the chatRESOURCES MENTIONEDMain Skype in the classroom hub | education.skype.comFlipgrid for non-live video | flipgrid.comSkype in The Classroom on Twitter | @skypeclassroomMicrosoft Innovative Educator hashtag | #mieexpertCONNECT WITH JENI LONG & SALEÉ CLARKJeni Long on Twitter | @JLO731Salleé Clark on Twitter | @salleeclarkJenallee on Twitter | @jenallee1The Jenallee Website | www.thejenalleeshow.comCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube | /gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the #TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

During my semester as a sub before becoming a full-time teacher, I had many a days of little to no sub plans. I also had a good handful of days of detailed and thorough sub plans. Days with the full set of sub plans were far better both for me and for the students and I've sought to provide subs in my own classroom with the same direction.In today's episode I discuss:exactly the level of detail I put into my plans (I read out a section of my own plans)how I format my plans so they're more readable and easier to referencehow I communicate with my students ahead of time in a way that the class could run even if a sub didn't show up (which has never happened but that's the ideal)my emergency sub plans for days I am unexpectedly outRESOURCES MENTIONEDEnroll in the 'How to Teach Kids About Money' course today | thomgibson.com/classroomeconomyGet my sub plans template emailed to you | thomgibson.com/subplansGreat emergency sub plans for a math classroom | youcubed.org/week-inspirational-math/Letter & number riddles for emergency sub plans | bhavinionline.com/2015/01/whatsapp-riddles-26-l-7-d-w/CONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube | /gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the #TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

My guest today is Roberto Germán, director of middle school and creator of the educational consulting group 'The Multicultural Classroom.'In today's episode we explore:the differences between multiculturalism vs. a multicultural classroom vs. social justiceRoberto's journey from an extremely poor and under-performing school in Lawrence, MA to one of the wealthiest private boarding schools in the nation and how that experience inspired the work he does nowwhat a multicultural classroom experience looks like for the white teacher with a variety of ethnicities and races in their classroomwhat a multicultural classroom experiences looks like for the white teacher in a predominately white schoolhow to celebrate and honor the different cultures of your classroom without patronizing or stereotyping those culturesresources for educators wanting do dive further into teaching in a multicultural classroomRESOURCESThe Multicultural Classroom blogThe Anti-Racist Reading Teacher Instruction Workbook | Lorena GermánCulturally Sustaining Pedagogies | Django ParisTeaching ToleranceFacing HistoryEmbrace RaceMontessori for Social JusticeThis Book is Anti-Racist | Tiffany JewellEveryday Antiracism | Mica PollockCourageous Conversations | The Pacific GroupCONNECT WITH ROBERTO GERMÁNThe Multicultural ClassroomLorena Germán on Twitter | @nenagermanLorena Germán on Instagram | @lorenagermanCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter | @gibsoneduYouTube | /gibsoneduInstagram | @gibsoneducationEmail | thom@thomgibson.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course for educatorsSign up for the #TeamEdu newsletterLeave a podcast rating & review

Class jobs in and of themselves have tremendous value in creating a positive classroom culture, building responsibility in students, and saving YOU time as the teacher.My classroom jobs are part of a larger classroom economy system. If you want to dive into how I do that, check out the course I created for teachers linked below:'How to Teach Kids About Money' course - www.thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy20% off coupon code - MONEYThe full list of jobs can be found in Module 1, and all of Module is FREE so check it out.CONNECT WITH THOMTwitter - @gibsoneduYouTube - /gibsoneduInstagram - @gibsoneducationEmail - thom@thomgibson.comNewsletter - thomgibson.com/newsletter

It's good to be doing the podcast again after some time off over the holidays!  When I got back to school, I led a PD session for my colleagues on how to save time grading and thought it'd make for a valuable podcast.TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Intro3:47 - Update on the podcast6:17 - Why grading takes so long7:28 - Hack 1 | Grade fewer things10:23 - Hack 2 | Have shorter assessments11:52 - Hack 3 | Skip written feedback14:55 - Hack 4 | Batch your grading16:58 - Hack 6 | Take assessment yourself (by hand)19:05 - Hack 7 | Use copy & paste efficiently21:55 - Hack 8 | Offer alternative assessments24:28 - Hack 9 | Grade in class as they turn it in27:40 - Hack 10 | Let tech do the grading for you31:47 - TeamEdu newsletterRESOURCES MENTIONEDJumpcut  - multi-copy & paste toolKhan Academy - not just math anymoreGoogle Form Quizzes - auto-graded quizzesEdPuzzle - grade flipped classroom videosSUPPORT THE PODCASTEnroll in the How to Teach Kids About Money course today!Sign up for the TeamEdu newsletterCONNECT WITH THOMTwitter - @gibsoneduYouTube - /gibsoneduInstagram - @gibsoneducationEmail - thom@thomgibson.com

In this Q&A show, we discuss:What are the top three books that guide you in building a self-sustaining classroom culture?As a first year robotics teacher, do you compare one class with another as a way to motivate students?  In Brazil, if one class is falling behind another, it's common to say 'the other class is already on the next topic.'  Does this motivate students?If you're in a noisy classroom, how do you make sure you are heard without screaming?How do you deal with students that refuse to study for tests?Working at a private school, how much freedom do you have to experiment with different teaching practices compared to public school?  And how can public school teachers begin to try new and innovative ways of teaching?Let me know how you like this format.  It was a lot of fun for me to answer and much less editing!RESOURCES MENTIONEDMy video 'Student Motivation' exploring lessons from 'Drive' by Dan PinkMy video 'Classroom Management Tips for New Teachers' on lessons learned from 'The First Days of School'My video 'What To Do When Students Won't Stop Talking''Drive' by Dan Pink on Amazon'The First Days of School' by Harry Wong on Amazon'Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire' by Rafe Esquith on AmazonQUESTIONS FOR NEXT TIMEEmail me at thom@thomgibson.com with your questions for the next Q&A showSUPPORT THE PODCASTSign up for the newsletter : thomgibson.com/newsletterSign up for the 'Create & Manage A Classroom Economy' course : thomgibson.com/classroomeconomyLeave a rating & review 

A conversation on Facebook with my friend Jake led me to ponder the nature of teaching kids how to do creative work. Jake Ritter is a broadcast journalism teacher and John Mulvany is an artist and art teacher of 26 years.In this episode we chat about:what the schools of thought when it comes to teaching creativity arewhat the most challenging aspects of teaching creativity arehow to help kids who just don't know where to starthow to structure creative assignmentsthe balance between teaching skills and opening up opportunities to be creativehow to balance giving students creative freedom and wanting to give them guidancehow to structure collaborative creative projectsmeeting deadlines vs. feeling creatively satisfiedhow to structure self and peer assessmentshow to assess a creative project as teachersPlus you'll hear audio from both Jake's and John's classroom in how they support their students.The original video I posted on Facebook that sparked this conversation was titled '5 Biggest Mistakes I've Made As A Teacher' and you can watch that HERE.Just for fun, here is the final product for 'The Bachelor' piece the students did____CONNECT WITH JOHN MULVANYwww.johnmulvany.comCONNECT WITH JAKE RITTEREmail - ritter@rfisd.netRoHawk Talk YouTube ChannelSUPPORT THE PODCASTSign up for the newsletter : thomgibson.com/newsletterSign up for the 'Create & Manage A Classroom Economy' course : thomgibson.com/classroomeconomyLeave a rating & review

Chris Nesi and Jeff Bradbury are two of the biggest names in educational podcasting. Chris is the creator of the House of Ed Tech podcast as well as the Education Podcast Network, which is a community of educational podcasters that includes the likes of The Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez and The Google Teacher Tribe. Jeff Bradbury from TeacherCast is the creator and host of NINE different educational podcasts, including Educational Podcasting Today which is a podcasts all about educators getting into podcasting! In this episode, we discuss: who should start a teacher podcast the skills teachers already have that would make them great podcasters how to decide what to make your podcast about how to develop a brand around your podcast how to find your niche in the educational podcasting space types of podcasts you could do common mistakes when starting a teacher podcast great starter podcasting equipment editing softwares and styles to consider how much it cost to get started in podcasting how lucrative the podcasting space is CONNECT WITH CHRIS NESI The Education Podcast Network - edupodcastnetwork.com Chris' Website & House of EdTech Podcast - chrisnesi.com Twitter - @mrnesi Instagram - @houseofedtech Chris' podcasting guide CONNECT WITH JEFF BRADBURY Website - teachercast.net Twitter - @teachercast The Ultimate Guide To Educational Podcasting SUPPORT THE PODCAST My course on creating & managing a classroom economy - thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy Subscribe to the podcast (new episodes every month) Leave a rating & review OTHER RESOURCES MENTIONED Contains affiliate links Garageband - free editing software for Mac Audacity - free editing software for Mac or PC Hosting options - Simplecast, Lisbyn, Spreaker Samson Q2U-USB microphone ($60) Audio-Technica ATR2100 USB microphone ($67) Audio-Technica AT2005 USB microphone ($79)

Join me as I sit in on Chalimar Chieza's 9th grade World Geography class as they dive into a socratic seminar. Hear students form hypotheses around the question**"why do people around the world have different skin tones?"** as well as my discussion with Chalimar on how she structures the socratic seminar so all students have a voice. We discuss the following: her role as facilitator how the socratic method shapes the socratic seminar the roles of the 'inner circle' and 'outter circle' during the seminar data she collects during every seminar how she assesses the students the most challenging aspects of setting up a successful seminar how she debriefs the seminar with the students how she ensures that all students have a voice CONNECT WITH CHALIMAR CHIEZA LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chalimar-chieza-0751812/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST My course on creating & managing a classroom economy - thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy Subscribe to the podcast (new episodes every month) Leave a rating & review

Michael Hernandez & Don Wettrick are two educators that are actually assigning students social media homework; tweet at least three times a week, connect with an influencer on LinkedIn, discuss how the new Instagram updates will change your content strategy. They're not utilizing social media for it's own sake, but to leverage the greater work of students telling stories and directing their own learning. In this episode, we discuss: how Michael defines digital storytelling opportunities students get to share stories of people who live very differently from them how one student learned more about Cuba from a frustrated comment that someone from Cuba left on the Cuba documentary she created and posted to YouTube how one student used Twitter to become an influential voice in her city how Don has students find mentors on LinkedIn one of Don's students who has taken to documenting his business journey on LinkedIn the reality of social media addiction how language learning educators are utilizing Instagram in homework assignments how educators can begin to start using social media in their curriculum This is part 2 of a 2-part series. Listen to Part 1 with YouTuber/Instagrammer teacher CJ Reynolds - Leveraging Social Media As Educators [Part 1] CONNECT WITH MICHAEL HERNANDEZ Change The Narrative Podcast - changethenarrative.net Twitter - @cinehead Instagram - @changing.the.narrative CONNECT WITH DON WETTRICK StartEdUp Podcast - startedupinnovation.com/podcast StartEdUp Foundation - startedupfoundation.org/ Twitter - @donwettrick LinkedIn- in/donwettrick SUPPORT THE PODCAST My course on creating & managing a classroom economy - thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy Subscribe to the podcast (new episodes every month) Leave a rating & review

CJ Reynolds is a high-school teacher in West Philadelphia with an active YouTube and Instagram channel where he documents the meaningful learning experiences in his classroom with the goal to inspire, engage, and motivate new and veteran teachers to be the teacher they always wanted to be. Reynolds uses "real rap" to share teaching tips and strategies and to give an authentic look at what it means to be a teacher in inner city Philadelphia. In this episode, we discuss: how being on social media led to an opportunity for his students to meet with Gary Vaynerchuk; a massive name in social media marketing, and how it changed the lives of some of his students how he grew his online community of nearly 30k YouTube subscribers and 7k Instagram followers how his content differs from platform to platform the impact creating content has had on his relationship with his students and their parents how he manages to balance time as an educator, content creator, father, and husband what other teachers should think through as they begin to create content for social media This is part 1 of a 2-part series. In part 2, I will be chatting with a couple educators who are having their students create social media content as part of the class curriculum. CONNECT WITH CJ REYNOLDS Website - realrapwithreynolds.com YouTube - /realrapwiththereynolds Instagram - @realrapwithreynolds CONNECT WITH THOM GIBSON My video "Why I Use Social Media In My Classroom" Website - thomgibson.com YouTube - /gibsonedu Twitter - @gibsonedu Instagram - @gibsoneducation SUPPORT THE PODCAST My course on creating & managing a classroom economy - thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy Subscribe to the podcast (new episodes every month) Leave a rating & review

I spoke with several people that are on the front lines of where esports and education intersect. We discuss: What exactly are esports What types of esports scholarships and programs are available at the college level How an esports program is so much more than just playing video games Why educators need to consider starting an esports program at their school Where to go for gaming PCs when your school doesn't have the funds for them Resources for getting an esports club started at your school Resources for implementing esports into English curriculum You'll also hear a little audio from an esports project I tried out with my some of my students. Links James O'Hagan's Podcast 'The Academy of Esports': [taoesports.com/][1] University of California - Irvine Esports program : esports.uci.edu/ North American Scholastic Esports Federation resources : esportsfed.org/ Freakonomics episode on esports : freakonomics.com/podcast/sports-5/ Thom Gibsons esports project vlog : youtube.com/watch?v=uIDAVzgexAE Connect With Thom YouTube : youtube.com/gibsonedu Twitter : twitter.com/gibsonedu Instagram : instagram.com/gibsoneducation/ Website : thomgibson.com/ My classroom economy instructional video series : thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy/

A few months ago I didn't know that storytelling competitions were a thing. Then I heard Matthew Dicks on a podcast and he shared what makes for good storytelling. I thought it was interesting but it wasn't until he told a short 5-minute story that I was convinced of his mastery of the craft and I wanted to learn more. I found out Matthew Dicks was not only a champion storyteller but also a classroom teacher and that he had a podcast with his wife Elysha where they listened to stories told from the stage and critiqued them; sharing what made them such powerful stories and what they could have done to improve the story. I initially was drawn to the storytelling podcast because I thought I could get tips on how to tell better stories in social contexts but I walked away wondering how I could implement this into my classroom. In today's episode, Matthew and I explore the following: what are a couple things you can do to make your storytelling better than 90% of the stories most people tell what storytelling looks like in Matthew's 5th grade classroom (both when he's telling stories and when he has his students telling stories) we listen to a novice storyteller (myself) tell a story to my class of a time I felt I really had no idea what I was doing but I didn't want anyone to know and I get Matthew's feedback on it. we listen to experienced storyteller/teacher Jennifer Bonaldo tell a story to a group of freshmen of a time she tried a little too hard to be with the 'in-crowd' and get Matthew's feedback. Matthew provides resources and insights for teachers wanting to implement more storytelling in their classrooms. LINKS AND RESOURCES Connect with Matthew at www.matthewdicks.com Matthew's storytelling podcast 'Speak Up Storytelling' 'Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling' by Matthew Dicks[affiliate link] The Art of Manliness Podcast episode with Matthew Dicks Connect with me, Thom Gibson Twitter - @gibsonedu YouTube - /gibsonedu www.thomgibson.com

In this short episode, I share a little bit of why I started this podcast, why I changed the name, and the vision going forward. Hope you like the new podcast art! Connect with me: Thom Gibson www.thomgibson.com twitter.com/gibsonedu youtube.com/gibsonedu instagram.com/booksandbeefjerky gibsonedu@gmail.com

In this episode: I speak with mindfulness specialist James Butler to discuss best practices surrounding how to get started with mindfulness in the classroom. I interview psychologist Dr. Tori Olds about the deeper happenings in the mind when mindfulness is being practiced. I chat with educator Jaclyn Mann about her experience in leading mindfulness activities in her classroom. You'll hear a couple in-class sessions of both Jaclyn Mann and myself leading mindfulness practices in our classes Resources James Butler spoke about: Stop Breathe Think Calm Insight Timer AISD Mindfulness YouTube Playlists Connect: James Butler - Twitter (@mbutler629) Dr. Tori Olds - Deep Eddy Psychotherapy Jaclyn Mann - LinkedIn

Epic Rap Battles of History is one of my favorite YouTube channels. I knew that giving students opportunities to write songs about content was a good assessment, but I never thought of utilizing raps / slam poetry specifically. So much opportunity for students to show what they know in this creative assessment. Chalimar Chieza has been doing rap battles in her history classes for years. In this episode we talk about: Why she started utilizing raps / slam poems What the 'battle' element could look like How she sets students up for success How she assesses their work and knowledge of the content Connect with Chalimar Chieza on LinkedIn! Rap Battle / Slam Poetry Rubric

I got the chance to go into Mike Franz's high school gov & econ class when they were playing YOLO, a year-long game where one week of school represents one year of life. The first week of the game the students are 18 years old, the last week of the game they are near retirement age. What will they make of their society, of their economy, of their investments, of their world? We explore the following: what the game looks like from beginning to middle to end how Mike utilizes class jobs to stay organized and to have the game virtually run itself salient teaching opportunities that come up when using gamification in the classroom how teachers can begin to incorporate gamification into their classes how The World Peace game inspired YOLO instances where the game took a turn for the worst an invitation for other teachers to try YOLO in their government and economics class If you'd like to reach out to Mike about YOLO or gamification, he can be reached at: m.franz@headwaters.org If you'd like to take a look at the YOLO rule book, here it is (it's a living document always being revised): [coming soon!] Music by: Big Bird's Date Night (Full) by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Currently working on a couple Thom Gibson Podcast episodes that aren't quite done yet but I did want to get an episode out this month. In this, I pulled a review that I did for my #bookstagram Instagram account. It was a review of Carla Shalaby's 'Troublemakers' which is a book on what we can learn from kids who we generally deem as 'troublemakers' and how can we love and honor them as members or our learning community. I agree with the general premise of the book (work harder to love kids that are hard to love) but really had a hard time with the tone and arguments of the author on this one. Follow me on Instagram for more book & jerky reviews: www.instagram.com/booksandbeefjerky See the video version of this podcast on my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/gibsonedu

With the start of the school year upon us, I've been thinking a lot about the first day of school. Is it the most important day? How do you balance the need for rules & procedures with getting kids stoked about being in your class? How do you ensure students have a voice and feel seen & heard on the first day? How do you not only begin to develop a positive relationship with students but also help them begin to develop positive relationships with each other and with the content you're teaching? What do students think makes a great first day? Special thanks to CJ Reynolds for his video that sparked this podcast. See the video and his YouTube channel HERE. Thanks to Terra Lynch for offering her 20 years of classroom insight to the discussion. You can find here on Twitter HERE and her new book, Protocols In The Classroom can be found HERE. Music by Hippo Campus

Think of your Kindergarten teacher. How do you think your educational experience would have been different if that teacher continued to be your teacher for every year until you graduated high school? In today's podcast I chat with Mark Rogers, who will be starting a 13-year experiment this year. The practice is called 'looping' where a teacher sticks with a group of students for more than one year. We discuss the following: •how he got into looping with students •why he's embarking on this 13-year experiment •what the challenges of looping are •what teachers can do if they'd like to try their own 2-3 year looping experiment. Learn more about Mark Rogers 13-year looping project at loop13.org Follow Mark Rogers on Twitter at @rogersmarkd

In Kindergarten, students are bursting with curiosity; why are doorknobs round, what is carpet made out of, why are my fingers little? Unfortunately, as students progress through their education, they tend to become less curious about the world around them and settle for just asking the questions that will get them the answers to pass the tests that determine their future. In todays episode, I chat with two-time Teacher-of-the-Year science teacher Kelley Janes who takes time out of every class to allow students to ask questions about the world around them; fostering, encouraging and nurturing that innate curiosity. We talk about the following: how she structures question time what she does when she doesn't know an answer what makes a good question what makes a bad question what this could look like in classes outside of science. Music by [DigitalDisciple][1]

After a rough go as a kid in some of the schools I went to, I vowed to learn martial arts some day. A month after I turned 30, I joined a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school. I've been going strong now for a little over 5 months and I've begun to see a little bit of overlap between the mats and the classroom. How did becoming a learner at level 0 again impact me in the classroom? What insights did my coaches give me into teaching that I hadn't paid as much attention to? What can educators learn from the world of martial arts? Music by Jel Music by Timber Timbre The Headwaters School Mikal Abdullah on Twitter Aces Jiu Jitsu Club

A bonus track to the podcast: Our first book club review - Man's Search For Meaning. I share the things that made me thing, that I connected to, and the mindsets I hope to also maintain.

Can High-5's really make that much of a difference in school culture? In this episode, I explore the various ways I've begun to greet students at the door right at the beginning of class and how they've helped build a positive culture in my classroom and school. I also have another teacher, Justin Aion sound off of why he started High-5 Fridays at his school and the effects it had on his own school culture. Music by Podington Bear Connect with Justin Aion

In episode 2, I recorded the sounds of my robotics classroom for a couple of days while they worked on and presented their final projects. I reflect on some of the observations of going back and listening to the audio. You also hear students working to troubleshoot their creations which included an electric guitar, a whack a mole, an etch-a-sketch, and robotic arm controlled via sensors on a glove connected bluetooth. Music by Podington Bear

I wanted to start a podcast so I did. Think of it as being a fly on the wall in my (and others) classroom. In this episode we go into the classroom economy auction that we have every month. Students bid on items, start their own businesses, create loyalty programs, and more. You hear the sounds of students arguing about prices, the excitement build up over a 'mystery item' in the auction, and the groans of buyers remorse. You can find more of how I run my classroom economy at www.thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy Hope you dig it :) Music by Podington Bear