Talks with Teachers

Kathy Keyes taught English for 36 years—at a rural high school, at an urban university, and at a college preparatory Catholic high school. A graduate of Purdue and Indiana University, Kathy recently stepped out of the teaching profession for a “gap year” in order to reevaluate and process the joys and challenges of teaching. She served as co-chair of the English department where she mentored teachers. She taught AP Literature for 17 years, was an AP reader, and served on the AP Lit development committee from 2016-2019. During her gap year, she plans to conquer at last the reading pile that has accumulated in her living room and to enjoy mornings without an alarm clock. Her Twitter handle is @kthkeyes The post Kathy Keyes — Episode #98 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

This fall, Erik begins his 26th year of teaching, most of them at Ferris High School in Spokane. He loves working with passionate, intelligent, and innovative colleagues who are committed to helping students each day. Erik teaches English 10 and AP English Literature & Composition and has coached soccer, basketball, and track. In addition to his work at Ferris, Erik has served as a member of ASCD's Understanding by Design cadre, helping schools across the country implement backward design in their classes. He has also worked on several College Board committees over the years, mostly having to do with AP English. Currently, he is the co-chair of the AP English Literature & Composition Development Committee. Outside of school, Erik loves spending time with his family, traveling, reading, and enjoying life. The post Erik Powell — Episode #97 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Originally from Greenup, Kentucky - a small town in Appalachia - Brandon now lives in Cincinnati with Angela, his wife, and their 2 sons, Hilton (9) and Dorian (6).  After high school, he attended Ashland Community College as a nursing major before transferring to the University of Kentucky.  He graduated in 2002 with degrees in English Education and Classics.  Since then, he has taught public school in a variety of settings - urban, rural, suburban - and worked with teachers and students at the local, state, and national levels.  While teaching, he has earned masters degrees in both English and Education and he has also earned an Education Specialist degree in administration. Proud of where he comes from - and where his family still lives - he balks at stereotypes of people, especially those based on where they're from or how they talk.  He is a fierce advocate for the education of under-served and under-privileged groups and sees fair and equal access to education as a major way to overcome poverty and disadvantage.  Providing that education begins with teacher education and teacher support, which leads him to one of his favorite phrases, "do work with teachers, not to them." In his spare time, he likes to read and play sports, though he does only one of them well and both of them slowly.  He also spends a lot of time with is family and likes to travel and be outdoors - including hiking, camping, and fishing. The post Brandon Abdon — Episode #96 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Roy F. Smith is the English Department Chair at Round Rock High School and teaches AP English Literature and Dual-Credit English.  Roy is an AP English Literature College Board Consultant. He is also a consultant for the National Math and Science Institute (NMSI). In 2015, he was named Round Rock High School and the Round Rock ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading, running and playing with my grandsons, Lincoln and Harrison.  The post Roy Smith — Episode #95 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Donna Carpenter is committed to lifelong learning and student-centered teaching. She earned her Bachelors from Gettysburg College and her Masters from University of Pennsylvania. Following a successful career in publishing, Donna returned to the classroom at Kingsway High School in Southern New Jersey where she has taught ninth grade English, Film Studies and her greatest passion: AP English Literature and Composition. In 2010-2011, she was named Teacher of the Year in her district. While she is most at home in her classroom and interacting with students, she reaches beyond those four walls as English Department Chair, AP English Literature Table Leader, a member of the Pre-AP National Faculty, an AP Mentor, a fellow of the National Writing Project, Chair of her school’s AP Roundtable, and a Scoring Leader for the English PRAXIS. She spends her free time in conversations with other teachers discussing how to engage students and improve the craft of teaching. When she’s not reading student essays, she is out biking with her husband or reading, always anticipating the joy of opening the next book on her TBR stack. The post Donna Carpenter — Episode #94 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Elizabeth Matheny has taught for Maryland Public Schools for thirteen years. She currently teaches English 9 and AP Language and Composition. When she’s not teaching, she’s usually hiking or exploring independent bookstores with her husband and son. You can find her and what’s happening in her classroom on Twitter @matheeli. The post Elizabeth Matheny — Episode #93 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

  Megan is an English Teacher and Department Coordinator at Cuyahoga Heights High School. She has been teaching English language arts to high school students near Cleveland, Ohio since 2004, earning her master's degree from Kent State University in 2007 and achieving National Board Certification in 2013. She has ventured beyond her own classroom to work with urban youth through the Akron based organization Alchemy, Inc. and has also traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to work with teachers and students on developing constructivist practices. Her poems have appeared in English Journal, Belt Magazine, Whiskey Island, Into the Void, and elsewhere. She tweets @MegNev. Poet Jose Olivarez said of her new chapbook, Rust Belt Love Song, “Megan Neville’s poems are unflinching in their observations of cruelty and tenderness alike. Rust Belt Love Song is still music, and Neville is a worthy artist—stretching ordinary moments to show all of the wonder, pain, and yes, love that exists just under the surface.”   The post Megan Neville — Episode #92 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Dave Stuart Jr. is a husband and dad who teaches high schoolers in a small town. He is animated by a simple belief: all students and teachers should flourish. Every article he write, every lesson he teaches, and book he reads is driven by the certainty that that can, and must, happen. He is the author of These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most (Corwin Literacy), he shares his work on his blog, www.davestuartjr.com, and reaches teachers through his newsletter.   In this episode you will learn about: his teaching mentors his fundamental beliefs about reading how he creates genuine connections with students how he develops teacher credibility how he creates great classroom discussion how he creates his pop-up debates why he writes books and what his goals are with his blog  the people that have influenced his teaching the common habits of master teachers how to create an Everest statement     The post Dave Stuart Jr. — Episode #91 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Fifteen years ago, Alex Kajitani was a struggling new teacher in one of California’s poorest neighborhoods. He’d left a potentially lucrative career in restaurant management to pursue his teaching dream, and now his inner-city middle school students were unmotivated, unengaged and uninterested in the math he was teaching. Demoralized and desperate, he set out on a journey to turn his class, and his life, around. Today, Alex holds the title of California Teacher of the Year and a Top-4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year, 2009, and is lauded for his innovation and “real talk” as a teaching and leadership speaker and trainer nationwide. Follow Alex on Twitter: @AlexKajitani website: www.alexkajitani.com The post Alex Kajitani: Episode #90 appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Jim Burke is the author of numerous bestselling books, including the English Teacher’s Companion and What’s the Big Idea? The question he’s always tried to answer is “How can we teach our students better?” He seeks these answers daily through his work in his own classroom at Burlingame High School in California where he still teaches after twenty years. Jim has received numerous awards, including the NCTE Intellectual Freedom Award, the NCTE Conference on English Leadership Award, and the California Reading Association Hall of Fame Award. He served on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Committee on Adolescence and Young Adulthood English Language Arts Standards. He founded the English Companion Ning, described by Education Week as “the world’s largest English department” and winner of several Edublog Awards for Best Social Network for Education. In addition to the EC Ning, Jim offers a steady stream of recommended resources through his website (www.englishcompanion.com) and Twitter (@englishcomp) where he is ranked in the top 100 educators to follow at the top within the online English teacher community. The post #89 Jim Burke of the English Companion appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Shanna Peeples, is now a graduate student at the Harvard School of Education. She was a high school English teacher from Amarillo, Texas, and was named the 2015 National Teacher of the Year.  Peeples taught AP English at Palo Duro High School, where she served as the English department chair as well as an instructional coach for other teachers. In this Talks with Teachers episode you will learn: How Shanna took a circuitous route to the classroom. She worked as a disc jockey, medical assistant, pet sitter and journalist before teaching Shanna's education background. How she earned an Associate’s degree from Amarillo College, a Bachelor of Arts from West Texas A&M University and a Master of Education from the University of Texas at Arlington. The way in which Shanna connected literature to her students' lives. While at Palo Duro High School, Peeples' students came from many different backgrounds. Amarillo is one of several cities in the United States that helps refugees find new paths in life and gain access to critical resources. As a result, Peeples worked with many students who speak English as a second language or recently entered the United States from another country. How Jim Carey influenced Shanna's career trajectory and how she incorporated this lesson into the classroom The way in which Shanna incorporate reading into her daily life. How she planned her units and developed her lesson plans. The influence Sherman Alexie had on her teaching. The book she recommends to teachers: The post Shanna Peeples: 2015 National Teacher of the Year appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

David Miller -- Episode #87 An insightful thinker, an incredible scholar and well-respected English teacher at Mississippi College for more than two decades, David Miller received accolades as MC’s Distinguished Professor of the Year in 2013. Miller graduated summa cum laude graduate at 3,400-student Nyack College that’s known as New York’s Christian college. Founded in 1882 in New York City as a training school for missionaries, the school bills itself as the first Bible college in North America. The Mississippi resident also received a master’s degree and doctorate from Baylor University in Waco, Texas.David also serves as the Chief Reader for the AP Literature and Composition exam. You can follow  on Twitter @Miller_DG David has taught at Mississippi College for 26 years graduate school is when he realized that the classroom is where he belonged David recognizes the two types of mentors -- those we choose and those that are formally assigned to us He admires the adaptability of high school teachers in comparison to higher ed What David did when his students did not do the reading How David puts himself out there and places him in situations to interact with students Why it is so important to take risks How texts are tools not entities in and of themselves Why literature is a verb, not a noun The goals of the AP Literature and Composition exam How David plans a unit or a novel What happens in the process of reading a complex text Two books that teachers should read are: Parker Palmer's The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life Kylene Beers and Robert Probst's Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters The post David Miller: AP Literature Chief Reader appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Episode #86 Christopher Bronke has been teaching English for 13 years and is in his 5th year as English Department Chair at Downers Grove North. In this role he teaches 9th-grade honors, evaluates teachers, oversees the literacy coaching program, plans and implements PD, and works with other district leaders on CCSS integration/implementation and common assessments and rubrics. He has presented nationally on CCSS integration across all subject areas, creating a teacher brand, blogging to empower teacher voice, collaborative leadership, teacher blogging, teacher leadership, literacy leadership, as well as social media in the classroom. Christopher’s work with social media has been featured in the Atlantic, with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, on EduTalk Radio, and on the social media platforms MightyBell and Celebrate Teaching. How he empowers his students to do more while he does less How Chris Bronke redesigned his assessments to better serve his students How he shifted the purpose of his class away from content and toward skill development What were the deciding factors that enabled him to switch schools mid-career Why he co-founded The National Blogging Collabotative Why he is a firm believe in the book, Falling in Love with Close Reading: Lessons for Analyzing Texts--and Life   The post Chris Bronke appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Dr. Monica Burns is a Curriculum and EdTech Consultant, Apple Distinguished Educator and Founder of ClassTechTips.com. As an educator, Monica was part of her school’s Federal Magnet Funding leadership team and was a vocal advocate for bringing 1:1 technology into her 5th grade classroom. During her tenure as a classroom teacher, Monica used iPads to create engaging, differentiated learning experience to meet the unique needs of her students. Realizing the power of tech tools in the classroom, Monica started ClassTechTips.com to provide a resource for educators and administrators on implementing EdTech in the classroom. Since starting ClassTechTips.com, Monica has presented to teachers, administrators and tech enthusiasts at numerous national and international conferences including SXSWedu, ISTE, and EduTECH. She is a webinar host for SimpleK12 and a regular contributor to Edutopia and Channel One News.  Monica is the author of Deeper Learning with QR Codes and Augmented Reality: A Scannable Solution for Your Classroom (Corwin Press, 2016) and #FormativeTech: Meaningful, Sustainable, and Scannable Formative Assessment with Technology (Corwin Press, 2017). In this episode you will learn: How Monica leads professional development for teachers around the country Why instructional coaches should listen as much as their share How to transition from the classroom to instructional coach How to develop quality interactions with technology How to personalize tech professional development for teachers How to use technology to aid in assessment How to grow a teacher blog Why Harry Wong's The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher should be required reading Why webinars are the future of PD How virtual reality can transform education Follow Monica on Twitter at ClassTechTips or read her blog, Class Tech Tips The post Monica Burns: Class Tech Tips (Episode #85) appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Episode #83 of the Talks with Teachers podcast Allison Marchetti  (Co-Founder of Moving Writers) currently teaches English 8 and Reading Writing Workshop 9 at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, Virginia. Previously, she taught English 9, 10, Creative Writing, and AP Language at James River High School in Midlothian, Virginia. Allison earned her B.A. in English with a Poetry Writing Emphasis and her Master of Teaching from the University of Virginia. Allison is a professional development provider with Heinemann PD.  You can connect with her via email atallisonmarchetti@trinityes.org or Twitter @allisonmarchett. Rebekah O’Dell (Co-Founder of Moving Writers) currently teaches Reading Writing Workshop 9 and 12th gradeInternational Baccalaureate students at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, Virginia.  Rebekah previously taught English 9-12 at Atlee High School in Hanover County, Virginia. As a member of Virginia Commonwealth University’s clinical faculty, Rebekah also has extensive experience teaching and mentoring pre-service teachers. Rebekah earned her B.A. in English and  her Master of Teaching from the University of Virginia. Rebekah is a professional development provider with Heinemann PD. You can connect with her via email at rebekahodell@trinityes.org or Twitter @RebekahOdell1. In this episode you will learn:  How Allison and Rebekah define the term mentor text Why there was a need in the curriculum to create a mentor text unit Where you can go online to find good mentor texts What is the first step you should take to develop a mentor text unit What students gain from using mentor texts How Rebekah and Allison developed their book, Writing with Mentors If you enjoy the interview, I highly recommend Writing with Mentors: How to Reach Every Writer in the Room.  The post Mentor Texts with Allison Marchetti and Rebekah O’Dell appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Sean Gaillard is Principal of John F. Kennedy High School in North Carolina. He founded#EdBeat and #CelebrateMonday, and is a#Read4Fun co-founder. He is also a co-organizer for EdCamp Global. Natalie Krayenvenger is the sherpa of learning to some amazing 4th graders in Maryland.  She is a reader, blogger, positive warrior, presenter for Kahoot! and #Buncee Ambassador. In this episode you will learn: The power of being a connected educator How to get started on Twitter How you can incorporate ideas found on Twitter into your own classroom The value of going to ISTE The ways in which you can encourage other educators to become connected How to ditch the desks in your classroom Why Buncee is such a valuable e-portfolio platform The post #83 Sean Gaillard and Natalie Krayenvenger appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Les Burns is an Associate Professor of Literacy at the University of Kentucky and a former high school English language arts teacher in rural and suburban Kansas. He is the Program Chair of English Education for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Les served as the chief curriculum consultant for the state of Kentucky’s P-12 Model Curriculum Framework for all content areas and grade levels, which was awarded the John I. Wilson National Award for Innovation in Education in 2010. He is a winner of the Edward B. Fry Book Award for Empowering Struggling Readers in 2011 for the advancement of knowledge, research, and intellectual risk-taking in the field of literacy, and served as the Higher Education Representative for English language arts in Kentucky’s Teacher Leader Network, which developed the standards and learning targets for teaching P-12 language arts in classrooms throughout Kentucky. "What can we do as teachers to be responsive to who our students are, what they want, and what they will do in their futures?" In this episode you will learn about Les Burns, responsive teaching, and so much more. Les shares: How he transformed his students into readers on the high-school level Why co-collaboration and co-construction of the curriculum with students is so important Why getting to know who you students are is the best data you can collect What he did to help his students read 27 books in a year How responsive teaching can change your classroom and activate learning How to manage a responsive classroom and create, what Les calls, primary knowers How to develop student relationships by "embracing the cheese" What Les did to go from no classroom library to a 1,500 volume library How to go from triage teaching to responsive teaching The 6 steps you can take to incorporate responsive teaching into your classroom Why being a voracious reader is essential to good teaching The way in which handwriting is so important to student development Get your copy of Les' new book, Teach on Purpose! Responsive Teaching for Student Success. Follow Les on Twitter. The post Les Burns: Responsive Teaching appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

  Jodi Rice teaches AP Language and Composition, a social science course online, administers the online courses at The Bishop Strachan School. She also works on the AP Language and Composition Test Development Committee and coaches the Public Speaking and Debate team. In this episode you will learn: -- How Jodi incorporate more nonfiction into a Literature-based course -- How to understand the construction of arguments, whether implied or explicit -- Why English teachers should read Everything's an Argument -- The ways in which online learning can be effective -- What technology has yet to solve to make online learning truly effective -- How Jodi prepares for a new course -- What her lesson plans look like on a weekly basis -- What goes into making a standardized test like the AP Language and Composition exam -- The amazing amount of work that goes into to development of each question on the AP Language exam -- Jodi recommends all English teachers read is Thank You For Arguing, Revised and Updated Edition: What Aristotle, Lincoln, And Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion. It is the summer reading assignment for her students, along with Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft               -- Why your students should read their work out loud and how that can impact their writing -- What Google apps for education can do for teachers -- Why Jodi is proud to be a part of the AP Language community The post Episode #81 — Jodi Rice appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Listen to all episodes of the Talks with Teachers podcast on       Anita Jordan is a skilled, caring professional to work with educational professionals building effective programs and strategies for Advanced Placement English. In this episode you will learn: how she knew she was best suited for teaching high school instead of middle school why middle school kids are neither fish nor fowl how she was able to get her students to think for themselves why a teacher should not answer questions but provide more questions how to do a cold reading in class and why that is so important what a think aloud is and how to do it with your students how to get students to read with all their faculties why every class she taught was different Anita's daughter, Hillary Jordan, is an acclaimed novelist. If you have not read Mudbound I encouraged you to do so. It is one of the best novels I have read in the past five years.   The post Episode #80 with Anita Jordan appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Dan Tricarico is The Zen Teacher. He has been a member of the West Hills High School English Department for over twenty years.  He is author of The Zen Teacher: Creating Focus, Simplicity, and Tranquility in the Classroom and the teaching methods text You're a Teacher. . .So Act Like One!  Improving Your Stage Presence in the Classroom (Writer's Club Press 2002). Additionally, he spent a full year as columnist for the writing website Scribophile. In his spare time, he enjoys writing fiction, listening to music (especially Roots Rock and The Blues), reading mystery novels, staring out of windows, and watching movies.  One of Dan's first loves is writing poetry, and he has published many poems both in print and on-line. In this episode you will learn: How his background in drama influenced him as an English teacher The way in which Jane Schaffer trained him to be a better teacher How an entire department can overcome teacher isolation What works well when teaching poetry and novels Why spontaneity is so important in the classroom What true teaching means, and how that is different from what many teachers have been told Why the best professional development costs very little and why everyone should read Parker Palmer's The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life How Weebly makes it easy to start a teacher blog The way in which The Zen Teacher can help educators avoid burnout and focus on well-being. Follow Dan on Twitter @thezenteacher and read The Zen Teacher blog The post #79 Dan Tricarico — The Zen Teacher appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Sarah Donovan Ethical ELA provides teachers with that which is compassionate, just, and good in English Language Arts for the human beings with whom we are entrusted. Written by teachers, teacher educators, parents, and students for the good of humanity.   In this episode Sarah and I discuss: Her transition from social work to education What she brought from her social work background into the classroom The lessons she learned as a new teacher How to effectively navigate the systems of a school How a unit of genocide changed the trajectory of her teaching career Why vulnerability is important in the classroom How Ethical ELA contributes to the conversation of responsibility, ethics, and dignity in teaching Why blogging is more empathetic than narcissistic Check out Sarah's post on oversharing The post #78 Sarah Donovan of Ethical ELA appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Erika Nielsen Andrew is the Chief Academic Officer at Teaching Channel. She started her career as a high school social studies teacher in several Bay Area schools. After a short stint as a high school administrator, she earned her doctorate at University of California, Berkeley, and went on to found and lead several coaching groups at the School of Education, including the Urban Schools Network and the Teaching and Learning Alliance. Subscribe to Talks with Teachers on iTunes In this episode you will learn: How she and Teaching Channel are working to make professional learning as invigorating and inspiring as can be. Where she began her career and how it ultimately led to a career at Teaching Channel. Why we need to open the doors on more classrooms The two similarities between coaching athletes and coaching teachers Two sure-fire ways to give feedback to large numbers of students How Teaching Channel establishes its culture of respect and collaboration The primary reason why most professional development is inadequate The struggles teachers still face with the Common Core The 3 easy things any teacher can do when they first arrive on Twitter chat Why a personal passion outside of the classroom is so important inside the classroom Follow Erika Nielsen Andrew on Twitter @thenewready The post #77 Teaching Channel’s Erika Nielsen Andrew appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

In this week's podcast episode I talk about something I believe will help English develop amazing experiences for their students, The Best Lesson Series: Literature. The book contains 15 extraordinary lessons from great teachers. The lessons and practical approaches in the book prove how anyone is capable of engaging students, building skills, and making their classroom a magical place.     Get a FREE sample of The Best Lesson Series: Literature Order your copy today! The post Pursue Your Passion appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Download on iTunes Follow Laura on Twitter Laura teaches English language arts, digital design, and media productions, and co-advises the student-produced news station, at Kenilworth Junior High School in Petaluma, California. She is a Google for Education Certified Innovator, National Board Certified Teacher, Edutopia Facilitator, Bay Area Writing Project Teacher Consultant with an MA in Ed. Tech. In 2015, she was a first place winner of the Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation Teacher Innovator Award. Laura has been teaching since 1988: before state standards, before standardized tests, before scripted, one-size-fits-all curriculum and before threats of Program Improvement and merit pay. In an attempt to push back against the voices that condemn and despair over our public schools, she also blogs and tweets. Show Notes Coming Soon! http://laurabradley.me/ www.bestlessonseries.com The post Episode #75 Laura Bradley Talks NaNoWriMo appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

David Bosso, the 2012 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, has been teaching Social Studies at Berlin High School since 1998.  He was recently named the 2012-2013 Outstanding Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year by the National Council for the Social Studies, and was recognized by the Connecticut Council of the Social Studies for its Excellence in Social Studies Education award in 2009. In this episode you will learn: How David uses the textbook as a tool, not as a curriculum How David makes history as relevant as possible How to exist beyond the curriculum How to get involved in education leadership Why David blogs about his teaching experiences Why teachers should stay in the classroom Read Education in the United States and Finland: What is and what can be by David Bosso The post Episode #74 David Bosso appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Listen on iTunes Terry Heick is the creator of Teach Thought. He is a former English teacher turned education dreamer who is interested in how learning is changing in a digital and connected world. This includes, among other changes, the rise of self-directed learning. He is also interested in the power of questions, the role of play in learning, clarifying digital literacy, the flexibility of project-based learning, marrying mobile learning and place-based education (especially through mentoring), the potential of video games and simulations in learning, what it really means to “understand” something, and how all of this produces wisdom and self-knowledge in students. In addition to his work with TeachThought, he also presents at national conferences, provides professional development for schools, blogs for edutopia, and creates content for companies including learn.ist. Teaching Tips: He started a blog for himself as a teacher to see curriculum different and escape the bubble of his school He went to ASCD and ISTE that exposed him to possibilities that his teaching program had not prepared him for. Terry found inspiration from what he was reading personally and the music he was listening to, allowing him to bring his interests into the classroom. By incorporating these emerging technologies, he found he could better teach the child than teach the text. Terry believes we read to better understand ourselves and experience the classic human struggles. That understanding is enhanced and made immediate when we see what was said in the past and apply it to the present. He feels scripted curriculum reduce teacher capacity. There are so many opportunities for so many different types of learning to occur. It does not need to be scripted. Two books he highly recommends are Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition and Teaching What Matters Most: Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement. Information About His Blog Teach Thought is an organization dedicated to innovation in learning. He is constantly seeing his site differently. It started off as a way to share his curriculum and is now much bigger than him and serves a larger purpose. He is constantly trying to examine what is happening in education. He is helping educators reconsider how to teach in a modern world. Teach Thought is starting a podcast, a professional development faculty, but at its marrow Teach Thought is an idea. He sees blogging as a selfish act but ultimately it is selfless because you are having to see what your peers are talking and thinking about. A good post from Teach Thought is The Characteristics of a Good School  With blogging, everyone can have a voice. It allows for a specific focus in education as well a broad overview. The post Episode 73 with Terry Heick of Teach Thought appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Penny Kittle is an English teacher, literacy coach, and director of new teacher mentoring at Kennett High School in North Conway, New Hampshire. She teaches 10th, 11th, and 12th graders each fall and also occasionally in the alternative night school for adult students. Penny is also currently the National Council of Teachers of English Policy Analyst for the State of New Hampshire. You can follow her at www.pennykittle.net In this episode you will learn: Penny's travels as a teacher and educator in various states throughout the country Her time as a woodcarving teacher What it takes to be a good coach in sports and how that is transferrable to coaching teachers The impact Donald Graves had on her teaching The importance of teachers existing as writers Mini lessons are most efficient and least effective and conferring is least efficient yet most effective. How to turn dependent learners into independent thinkers What type of feedback matters to students The two books that are fascinating her right now:                   Why teachers need to help students set specific, measure goals Why every teacher needs to feed his or her own curiosity and fascination How the Book Love Foundation has come to define her professional life and serve as her biggest source of pride. The post #72 — Penny Kittle: Engaging Readers and Building Better Writers appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Michael Dunlea became a teacher for the same reason most did, he wanted to make a difference. He decided to become a teacher via the alternate route after working in restaurant/hotel management for over 20 years. He was a finalist for the NJ State Teacher of the Year, which set him on a path of teacher leadership that included becoming a Teacher Fellow with America Achieves in 2012 and Hope Street Group in 2014. In this episode you will learn: How he created a grassroots, teacher-led storm crew in response to Hurricane Sandy. Why he was a finalist for the New Jersey Teacher of the Year and was a Hope Street Group Fellow What was impactful about his 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Finn How his wife, a social worker, showed him what it means to be dedicated to the betterment of children. What choice every teacher must make  The number of hours he put in over contract in a school year What policy makers fail to realize about students Why every teacher should read Rick Lavoie's When The Chips Are Down: Learning Disabilities and Discipline (Strategies For Improving Children's Behavior) How you can be a part of your school's community Why Twitter helps teachers How to use student surveys effectively to understand what's happening in your classroom Follow Michael on Twitter @MichaelJDunlea The post #71 Michael Dunlea — Listening to Student Voices appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

  Using backwards design, share your teaching story. Tell the Talks with Teachers audience where you are now and how you arrived at this place in your career. -- Her role is as an educational consultant and and instructional coach. Angela considers herself an advocate for students and teachers. She had 11 years of experience in Washington D.C. and Florida. She started writing books for teachers and curriculum for teachers.  Identify a mentor that guided you in your journey to become a master teacher and share what you gained from that relationship. -- As a teacher, she never had a mentor. That is why she is so passionate about coaching and mentoring teachers now. Angela did have someone that she shared a classroom with and co-taught with. She was able to see what she did day in and day out. She laughed with her kids but was also able to get her student to work really hard. The experience was valuable because she worked side-by-side for a whole year with another passionate teacher. What did you learn from a lesson that did not go as planned? -- Angela said that many lessons did not go as planned. Every lesson has that point where it can make that left turn and go off track. It is an important point for teachers to realize that they need to be super-responsive to kids' needs and be able to turn on a dime and support them in that moment. What is a teacher need at the moment? -- Angela believe that a great teacher need right now is more autonomy. She believes that teachers feel that they don't have the freedom to meet their students' needs They are in this really hard place where they feel like a cog in a broken system. She believes that we have to empower teachers to make choices and make decisions rather than follow scripted lessons. How does she empower teachers to be autonomous? -- Teachers must focus on what they can control and realize what they can't control. Often teachers have more freedom than they realize and they have to focus on the small things that can drive them to greater freedoms. What is motivating Angela in education? -- She's excited by the trend in which the ways classrooms are being managed. It is no longer about tracking student behavior, it is about connecting with kids and building student relationships. A book recommendation for teachers? Pernille Ripp's Passionate Learners. She talks so honestly about missteps and failures. How can teachers exist outside the box while still providing benefits for their students? Teachers need to purposefully and consciously manage their energy. What are small things that a teacher can do that can lead to student success? Angela believes that having predictable routines can set students up for success. When student do not know the routines and expectations, it can stress them and take away the energy they need to devote to their own learning. What are the habits of  successful teachers? They know how to prioritize. The problem with teaching is that everything feels like an emergency. It can become overwhelming and that can create burnout. Teachers have to figure out for themselves what is most important because they can not give 110% to everything everyday. What is Angela most proud of from her career in education? She is proud of the fact that she has earned the trust of teachers and she has kept that trust since she began blogging in 2003. The post #70 Angela Watson: Advocating for Teachers and Students appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Rafranz Davis LEARNER! Math & Tech Geek! Tech Specialist, Google Certified Teacher, Disruptor of Ridiculousness, Social Media writer for @DiscoveryEd Math #educolor Subscribe on iTunes   In this episode you will learn: What enabled her to transition from a middle school math teacher into tech specialist How you can have an impact on a classroom in a country you've never visited Why Rafranz does not get to have an off day as a teacher of color How she learned to challenge her students in new ways when her lesson plans were upended Why passion is something she will never tire pursuing and advocating for Why reading should be important to teachers and why she read Jose Vilson's This is Not a Test three times Why five words can change your relationship with students How reflective listening can improve your classroom visit rafranzdavis.com     The post #69 Rafranz Davis: The Five Words That Can Change a Student’s Life appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Elana Leoni and Samer Rabadi Social Media Team at Edutopia In this episode you will learn about: Edutopia's mission How Edutopia evolved from a print magazine to a digital resource Edutopia's community-building strategies What teachers can do to be solution oriented in their approach to the craft of teaching How teachers are using Edutopia to give voice to what's happening in the trenches right now The ways in which teachers can apply Edutopia's community-building strategies to their own classrooms The common teacher needs on Edutopia How to keep conversations about educationally-sound practices without getting political Success stories of how Edutopia's content inspired teachers www.edutopia.org  The post #68 Edutopia: Inspiration That Works appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Dan McCabe Lead Learner ★ Assistant Principal ★ Co-Moderator #NYEDchat ★ Co-Founder @EdCampLI ★http://danmccabe.blogspot.com  Subscribe on iTunes In this episode you will learn: What students gain from taking business courses The ways in which students can develop entrepreneurial thinking How mentorship from a colleague made Dan a better educator Why leadership is a choice, not a title How Dan transitioned from a business teacher to an assistant principal How social media can be your best entryway into a powerful learning network What we can do to reach those students that are disengaged The overlooked challenged of responsibility that teachers face Why disruption is an important term in education right now Why you should read The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Sir Ken Robinson The ways in which teachers can seek work-life integration How teachers can develop principles to improve their craft based on Stephen Covey's 7 Habits How the relationships teachers build and the words they use can have a lasting impact   Follow Dan on Twitter: @danieldMcCabe      The post #67 Dan McCabe: Changing Words to Develop a Growth Mindset appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

James Sturtevant Jim Sturtevant first stepped in front of high school students in the late summer of 1985. Jim predicted he would teach a year or two, before pursuing something grown up: go to law school, get a PhD, or enter the private sector and earn a fortune.  But, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum.  Jim fell in love with his students.  Could one really get paid for bonding with young people?  The answer was…ABSOLUTELY!  And still is, some thirty years and thousands of students later.  “Your students seem so relaxed and happy.  How’d you create this atmosphere?” Caught off guard, he gave a meager and vague response.  After much reflection and research, Jim finally answered the question in You've Gotta Connect. Subscribe on iTunes In this episode you will learn: How James develops relationships with his students Why relationship develop is just as important, if not more important, than content knowledge How to connect with those students that seem disengaged and reluctant to learn Ways in which you can take strong relationships and turn them in passionate learners What administrators should know about student connections and why they are so important in the learning process       The post #66 Connecting with Students: James Sturtevant on the Art of Relationships appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Cheryl Costello Academic Tech Coordinator at Cheshire Academy,an independent school in Cheshire, CT. Member of #CAIS Commission on Technology Subscribe on iTunes   In this episode you will learn: How she began using technology as a tool to differentiate instruction How she managed to go from a stay-at home mom to a successful teacher What she learned about flexibility in lesson panning and how she learned it The time and planning that goes into successful teaching Why everyone should readMindset by Carol Dweck How you can create a personal learning community on Twitter Why you should read education blogs like Edutopia and Ed Tech Teacher How her passion for her content showed through her students' work     The post #65 Tech as a Tool to Differentiate Instruction appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Brianna Crowley #Teacherpreneur w/ @teachingquality, 2013 @ASCD Emerging Leader, English Teacher, TechCoach, NBCT  http://about.me/brianna.crowley   Subscribe on iTunes In this episode you will learn: Her hybrid role as a classroom teacher and a Teacherpreneur for The Center for Teaching Quality Why she became a teacher and how she became a master teacher by connecting with others Her lesson that fell flat and how it crushed her at the time What the public fails to realize about teaching Why Mindset by Carol Dweck and Quiet by Susan Cain are valuable professional-development reads How we should be interesting people for our students Why Elana Aguilar's The Art of Coaching was the best PD that she attended What a comment code can do to benefit student writing The ever-evolving, always-collaborating nature of great teachers     The post #64 Brianna Crowley — ASCD Emerging Leader appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Michael Flynn Director of Mathematics Leadership Program at Mount Holyoke College   In this episode you will learn: How he went from hating math to teaching it Why teaching the way you were taught is not always a successful practice The ways in which we can use our colleagues as resources Why summer PD can transform your teaching How his teaching changed from teacher-centered to student-centered The questions you should ask to determine if your classroom is student-centered. Why we need time to practice, experiment, and try things out The difference between a fun activity and a fun learning outcome How the dynamic nature of the classroom can be invigorating Why Principles to Action is a book that every math teacher should read The ways in which everyone can be life-long learners Why the workbook method in math can turn students off How to make math an active process The ever-evolving, always-collaborating nature of great teachers     The post #63 Active and Engaged Math Teaching: Michael Flynn appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Marguerite Izzo -- National Teaching Hall of Fame Inductee Subscribe to "The Test" -- Brian's new podcast about teaching in an era of testing Listen to find out: Why Marguerite has taught every grade from 5-12 Marguerite is a member of the Teaching Hall of Fame Why she firmly believes that if you can teach middle school, you can teach anything How teaching is more difficult than being a doctor and why our best is needed every day How administrative support can be a game changer for a teacher What happens when we don't reflect and adjust when we are teaching What the general public fails to understand about teaching, the challenge of reaching that affective domain and how that can influence the intellectual domain The exhausting and exhilarating nature of reaching 30+ students Learn the three essential things that she loves about teaching Marguerite recommends The Courage to Teach as a book  that all teachers should read Why taking care of yourself is so important in teaching How you can use The Teaching Channel  to improve as a teacher What confidence can do for students and how we can empower their success Marguerite's belief in the importance of national standards Her proudest moments as a teacher   The post #62 Marguerite Izzo — Giving Our Very Best appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Subscribe to The Test on iTunes check out aplithelp.com Could they read and could they write? That’s what they wanted to know. Of course they could do it, but how well could they do it? So they worked in silence for three hours, reading and writing. That’s all it took — three hours. A year’s worth of work, and it was done in three hours. And then, they awaited judgement. Issac and Annie are two of the nearly 400,000 students globally that took the AP Literature and Composition exam last year. It is a rigorous exam. Typically, the best and brightest students in a school take AP exams, at least that’s the way it was when I was in school.  The multiple choice section lasts an hour. Then in the next two hours students write three essays, back to back to back. Its exhausting. Few do well on it. How tough is it? Well only 8% scored a 5 last year. 18% scored a 4. If you do the math, and bear with me I’m an English teacher, nearly 75% failed to score a four or a five. 75% of the smart kids. That’s a tough exam. But when you want to award college credit for high school students, this isn’t the in-house soccer program, not everyone gets a trophy. But Is it fair? Can a test, especially a high-stakes one, reveal what you know? This is a podcast about one TEST. I want to know what those two students did to succeed? What did their teachers teach? Did they teach to the test? Did they ignore it? But once you start asking those questions, your magnifying glass picks up clues that lead down a much bigger rabbit hole. It leads you to wonder, what should a test do? Are we testing too much? How do you help a struggling reader?  Can you assess a student, a school, and entire educational initiative if you don’t test what they know and how they’ve progressed? And what about the students? What impact is all this having on them? Over the next few weeks, I’m going to talk to students, teachers, test makers, advocates and critics. I’m going to ask questions of them all to better understand where we are, what’s working and what isn’t, and the impact its having. Welcome to THE TEST The post Special Project: AP Lit Help’s “The Test” appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Sean McComb -- 2014 National Teacher of the Year Sean McComb, an English teacher at Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts  in Baltimore County, was named 2014 National Teacher of the Year. In addition to teaching, McComb supports his Patapsco colleagues through coaching and training as the school's Staff Development Teacher. He also served as a curriculum writer for the school system and an adjunct instructor in Education and Writing at Towson University.   In this episode you will learn:  Sean's journey into teaching Patapsco's A.V.I.D. program The emotional toll of being a teacher A lesson that failed for Sean How to ignite passion in the classroom How to ask the right essential questions When to hold back and let students control the class Why intellectual curiosity is important What you can do to build better connections with your students Why the Teaching Channel is a great resource a tip to improve student writing What he is most proud of as a teacher The post #60 2014 National Teacher of the Year — Sean McComb appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Brian Sztabnik -- educator  Brian Sztabnik runs the Talks With Teachers podcasts, #aplitchat and created aplithelp.com.  He has taught English Language Arts for ten years in middle schools, high schools, the inner city and the suburbs.  He is currently the lead English teacher at a high school on Long Island, where he teaches AP Literature and electives.  He has presented at the AP Annual Conference, LI Connected Educators, the New York State English Council Conference, and at local workshops on the Common Core Standards.  He coached varsity basketball coach for 10 years and now spends his time as a devoted father and a frequent typo-maker. www.aplithelp.com   In this episode you will learn:  How I became interested in teaching after a brief career in sports journalism The inspiration for the creation of Talks with Teachers My teaching story and what I have learned from the four schools that I have worked for in the past 10 years The qualities of successful schools The habits of successful teachers What I have learned doing the podcast for the past year What I would like to do in the future with Talks with Teachers The post #59 1-Year Anniversary w/ Brian Sztabnik appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Ali Wright and Angela Gunther  Recently, Kentucky teacher leaders, led by Ali Wright and Angela Gunther, posed a challenge: rethink professional learning and restructure the school day to improve learning for students and teachers. Along with the Center for Teaching Quality, they analyzed current teacher schedules and conducted an intensive three-day chat discussing teacher needs and opportunities for reallocating time.  http://www.teachingquality.org/teachertime Teacher Time Info Graphic   The post #58 Teacher Time with Ali Wright and Angela Gunter appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Jennifer Gonzalez -- educator and blogger For eight years, Jennifer taught middle school language arts. Half that time was spent in an east-coast state, the other half in a Midwestern state. She earned her National Board Certification in 2004. Then, after having her first child, she left teaching to be a stay-at-home mom, knowing there was no way she could do both jobs well. In 2008, she was hired by a local university to teach pre-service teachers. This work gave her a new passion for preparing and supporting educators. With Cult of Pedagogy, she hopes to create a vibrant, encouraging, stimulating community of teachers, supporting each other toward excellence. She believes if we can reach across the limits of geography and find each other, there’s no limit to the amazing things we can accomplish. www.cultofpedagogy.com   In this episode you will learn:  How Jennifer first became an educational blogger What she learned teaching on the middle school and college levels What book every educator should read Where to find the best resources for teachers on the internet Why blogging can be simple or a painstaking labor depending on the purpose Who mentored Jennifer early in her career What teachers can do to know their students better Why modeling is so important for writing instruction The post #57 The Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Vicki Davis -- educator, author, speaker @coolcatteacher www.coolcatteacher.com   In this episode you will learn: How Vicki transferred from a career initially in the business world to the world of teaching and education  Why you can be exceptional anywhere in any discipline The difference between talking about research-based best practices and living these practices in your classroom How not to feel alone as a teacher What you can do to motivate your students Why the complexities of teaching can be overwhelming How she handles and manages her multiple commitments Why connecting is important How voice messaging can improve student writing What Pro Writing Aid can do for students and their writing Why you should read an hour a night to better yourself What you can do to incorporate more digital apps in your teaching and your classroom Why 15 minute time for yourself is important The importance of mind mapping and organizing one's thoughts The post #56: The Cool Cat Teacher Talks Digital Tools and How Leaders are Readers appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Mark Barnes -- educator, author, speaker   Internationally-recognized speaker and education writer Mark Barnes is the author of Role Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, named a 2013 Best Professional Book by Teacher Librarian Magazine,The 5-Minute Teacher (ASCD, 2013), Teaching the iStudent (Corwin, 2014), 5 Skills for the Global Learner and Assessment 3.0 (Corwin, 2015). Mark presents keynotes and seminars worldwide on his Results Only Learning Environment, feedback for learning and web-based instruction. @markbarnes19 is regarded as one of education's most influential content curators on Twitter, and his Brilliant or Insane blog has more than 60,000 monthly readers. In this episode you will learn: How Mark changed his teaching over time to make his class student centered Information about his new book, Assessment 3.0, which talks about how teachers can change their grading practice. Why the traditional method of assessing was not working and how Mark upended his approach to grades What teacher can do to break the cycle of failure How the feedback model can increase student retention The Facebook group, Teachers Throwing Out Grades What multiple-choice based assessments must do to continue the conversation about learning a digital tool that Mark recommends, Socrative, which teachers can set up to create quick, multiple-choice questions and get instant feedback How to navigate your school's technology policy The responsibility to keep your students safe The beauty and excitement of a-ha moments  Why everyone should read Drive by Daniel Pink How to use social media for your teaching benefit How to talk to your students rather than at them Why EdCamp is a great way to do professional development on the cheap The post #55 Throwing Out Grades with Mark Barnes appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

David Grossman   David is a 7th grade science teacher at TK Stone Middle School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.  His  goal is to inspire wonder in his students as they explore science, gaining the science literacy that they need to be successful members of society. Find David on Twitter @tkSciGuy Check David's website dedicated to the Next Generation Science Standards In this episode you will learn: David's journey as a teacher that includes teaching in an alternative school, being a librarian, and working as a middle school science teacher. How to recognize the emotional needs of each grade level. Why students need love and support at all ages How to rescue a failing lesson Ways to build academic muscles through scaffolding Why schools can not follow a business model The unpredictable nature of teaching middle school and why that is a great thing How to be with each student in the moment and take it one step further by supporting them outside the classroom Ways in which students can read like scientist and write like reporters How Voxer can improve your teaching A book every teacher should read Empowered Schools, Empowered Students: Creating Connected and Invested Learners The post #54 Scaffolding for Strength with David Grossman appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Episode #53 The post #53 Introducing Poetry with 3-D Art appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Tim Needles www.timneedles.com @timneedles Tim Needles is art and film teacher at Smithtown High School and an adjunct professor at Adelphi University. He earned a M.A. with a focus in media arts from the State University of Stony Brook and a B.F.A. in photography and education from the School of Visual Arts. He is an Adobe Master Teacher and has been teaching fine art, film history, animation, and media arts for over eight years on the high school and college level. Tim is also the founder and director of The Strictly Students Film Festival. Tim has been the recipient of the Robert Rauschenberg Power of Art Award, the Suffolk County Legislature Award of Merit, and he was recently recognized by the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts. Tim is also a freelance artist, animator, and writer and continues to exhibit and perform regularly. Contact: Needlesart@aol.com In this episode you will learn: How to teach creativity through art  Why art should be a vital part of a student's experience Ways in which you can design your class around questions and themes How technology is influencing art class If the Common Core has impacted art class Ways to connect with and have your students collaborate with teachers from around the world How to approach critiques of student work Why humor is so important in the classroom, especially in the high school How MC Escher's art can improve math practice Ralph Steadmen's connection with Hunter S. Thompson Robert Frank's relationship with the Beat writers How every major art museum can benefit teachers and their lesson plans Why improv classes improved Tim's teaching The differences between art history and studio in art How the art room is different and what other teachers can learn from it Why the image is just as powerful as the word The post #52: The Creative Classroom: Tim Needles, Art Teacher appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Episode #51     Want a transcript of this episode? Ready to share your homework philosophy? Click here     The post Is Homework Helpful? appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Tony Sinanis and Joe Sanfelippo Tony Sinanis, principal and “lead learner” at Cantiague Elementary School in Jericho, was selected as the 2014 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).         Dr. Joe Sanfelippo is the Superintendent of the Fall Creek School District in Fall Creek, Wisconsin. Joe holds a BA in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from St. Norbert College, a MS in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a MS in Educational Leadership, and a PhD in Leadership, Learning, and Service from Cardinal Stritch University.  He also serves on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Educator Effectiveness Teachscape Team.  Get the book -- The Power of Branding: Telling Your School's Story In this episode you will learn: How Joe and Tony first connected Why Twitter is a great resource for teachers How teachers can advance their own learning online through social media Why social interaction is important in professional development How to brand your school's story What to do to represent your students' voices in the branding of your school or classroom  What to do to let more people know about the great things going on in your school How 17 out of 20 classrooms in Tony's  school are using social media to share their story How you can model appropriate digital citizenship Ways in which you can integrate students into the process Ways in which you can confront the fear of opening a school to social media branding Why branding shows active engagement on an administrator's part The post The Power of Branding with Tony Sinanis and Joe Sanfelippo appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Episode #49 Subscribe and be inspired each week     Want a transcript of this episode? Want to share your version of musical chairs? Do it here.   The post Shakespearean Musical Chairs: A Deep Dive Into a Wacky Wednesday appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Todd Finley East Carolina University Todd Finley, PhD, is tenured professor of English Education at East Carolina University. He has taught elementary and 8-12th grade English and co-developed the Tar River Writing Project. His BA in Elementary Education and Secondary English was earned at the University of Puget Sound. His MA in English and PhD in C&I were earned at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Finley teaches, researches, works with schools and publishes in the field of composition, curriculum, instruction, technology, and collaboration. Todd's Edutopia blog posts Todd's Twitter      In this episode you will learn: Where he's traveled and taught in his teaching career What helped him write his dissertation for his PhD How to submit to the work of a teacher Why he struggled his first year of teaching How to understand your students and connect with them Why his pre-service teachers make home visits What he means when he says there are no shortcuts in education How the first 60 seconds matter when working with an audience What students respond to in the classroom Why teaching is harder than you think How naming emotions can improve your classroom atmosphere Why social and emotional learning deserves as much attention as rigor What it takes to improve student writing                                        The post #48 Submit to the Work: Todd Finley appeared first on Talks with Teachers.