Getting the Brain Ready to Learn Math

When students come into your math class, are they ready to learn? Is their brain in a ready state? In today's show, Liesl McConchie shares how to help students get their brains ready to learn from the moment they walk into the classroom.

https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e750 

In this show, I also share some updates at the end of the show about what's next for this podcast. We're starting season 10 of the 10-minute teacher that I'm dedicating to my precious Mom. Learn more about what is going on with the show after you listen to Liesl McConchie talk about how the brain learns math.

Liesl McConchie - Bio as Submitted

Liesl McConchie is an international expert on how the brain learns, and co-author of best-selling book Brain-Based Learning with Dr. Eric Jensen. She has been published in ASCD's Educational Leadership journal. With over 20 years of experience in education, Liesl bridges her knowledge of how the brain best learns with her experience of teaching secondary math to create tangible strategies to support teachers and schools across the globe. She has a rich background in education that includes creating new schools, leading whole-school reforms, delivering workshops to educators, and speaking at conferences. Learn more about Liesl and her contributions to education at lieslmcconchie.com.

 

Check out this episode!

How to Have Deeper Learning and Better Schools

Deeper Learning can happen as we work to connect with students and transform them into critical thinkers as well as knowledgeable about our content areas. Professor Jal Mehta from the Harvard University School of Education has co-written an award-winning book "In Search of Deeper Learning" and reflects on how deeper learning can happen at the secondary level.

Sponsor: Pear Deck. Pear Fair is back with another hit virtual event designed to energize and equip you with the resources you need to make this year a success! Pear Fair  is happening Wednesday, July 28th and I’ll be presenting 8 Ways to Engage Every Learner along with many other fantastic educators. Just go to peardeck.com/pear-fair  to reserve your seat. It’s free. There are two tracks of this conference - one focusing on pedagogy and hot topics and the other on best practices for using Pear Deck and GoGuardian. You can mix and match your tracks. So, reserve your spot.

If this event has already passed still go to the website and register as some recordings (including my presentation) will be posted after the event.

Jal Mehta - Bio As Submitted

 

Jal Mehta is a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research explores the role of different forms of knowledge in tackling major social and political problems, particularly problems of human improvement. He has also written extensively on what it would take to improve American education, with a particular focus on the professionalization of teaching.

Jal is the author of The Allure of Order: High Hopes, Dashed Expectations and the Troubled Quest to Remake American Schooling (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013) and the co-editor of The Futures of School Reform (Cambridge: Harvard Education Press, 2012). He is currently working on two projects: In Search of Deeper Learning, a contemporary study of schools, systems, and nations that are seeking to produce ambitious instruction; and The Chastened Dream, a history of the effort to link social science with social policy to achieve social progress. He is co-editor of the Learning Deeply blog at Education Week, and in 2014 was the top-ranked junior faculty scholar in the Rick Hess Education Week rankings. He is also the winner of the Morningstar Teaching Award at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Check out this episode!

44 Years as a Kindergarten Teacher

Teaching kindergarten has never been easy, but could you imagine doing it for forty-four years? Mrs. Sharon Howard has done just that. She reflects on her teaching career, the kind of teaching she does that would cause a senior to name her as a STAR teacher, and how she taught in-person in 2020-2021 without missing a day of school. Mrs. Howard is a truly remarkable woman and I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I have. Congratulations on your retirement, Mrs. Howard and for all of the contributions you made to so many children and families over the years! This is a bonus, extended episode of the 10 Minute Teacher.

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e748

Read: Beloved Sherwood Kindergarten teacher retires at the Albany Herald to learn more about Mrs. Sharon Howard and her career.

Check out this episode!

8 Great Ways Administrators Can Prepare for the Fall

An amazing fall starts now with the administrative preparation this summer. Dawn Stansbury discusses eight things administrators need to do this summer and we highlight differences in those items now after the pandemic. This show includes a transcript to use and discuss with beginning or veteran administrators as part of training and discussion.

See the show notes and a full transcript at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e747

Advancement Courses sponsored this show. All opinions are my own.

Dawn Stansbury - Bio As Submitted

I am currently working as an Instructional Designer for Advancement Courses, A Wiley Brand. I hold a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education, earned at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. My Masters Degree was earned at University of South Dakota in the area of Educational Administration.

During my years of working in elementary education, I spent time as a classroom teacher as well as a school leader, all with the Sioux City Community School District in Sioux City, Iowa. I enjoyed teaching for six years in grades 2-5 as well as working as a reading specialist. Although I loved teaching children, I spent the next thirteen years of my career as the elementary principal of a K-5 school. During my time as an elementary principal, I led my building of 700 students and 80 staff members to becoming one of the first elementary STEM schools in the state of Iowa, offering many specialized programs to our students. As a STEM school, we were proud to have the 2017 Northwest Iowa STEM Teacher of the Year, as well as a state of Iowa Teacher of the Year top five finalist.

I am passionate about offering educational opportunities to students and educators alike, realizing that the stronger teachers are, the better the learning opportunities for students. When we offer current and impactful learning to teachers, our students, families, and communities’ benefit. As an educational leader, I recognize that it is impossible for administrators to be all-knowing on all aspects of education. Advancement Courses offers valuable resources to educational leaders so that they can best meet the needs of their teachers and allowing those teachers to best meet the needs of their students. I am proud to be a part of providing these resources to the world of education so that we can more efficiently and appropriately differentiate the ways in which our educators are learning.

Check out this episode!

5 Steps to Fact Checking - Digital Literacy in Action

As we teach students how to discern the truth, Amanda Brace has five steps for fact-checking that she teaches her students. Digital literacy is an essential topic for all of us and this show will help teachers (and parents) understand a simple way to help their students work through topics to get to the truth.

Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e746 

Sponsor: Advancement Courses. Recently, I shared 21 Hot Topics for Teacher Professional Development for Summer 2021. If you have accreditation or learning requirements as I do, take the opportunity to look at this post. And join me as I take my courses this summer from Advancement Courses. Remember to use COOL20 to receive 20% off your course.

Amanda Brace - Bio As Submitted

My name is Amanda Brace and I am a grade 3 teacher, Masters student, and #EdTech educator in Regina, SK, Canada. I have been teaching for 6 years, but I have recently started a Masters journey in Educational Technology and Digital Media. I am currently researching and exploring the art of podcasting and I have even started my own called EdTech Endeavours. I am excited to see where this journey of learning takes me!

Blog: https://edtechendeavours.wordpress.com

Twitter:

@amandajebrace

Check out this episode!

What Really Happened in Hybrid Classrooms This Year

Today's episode focuses on the realities of hybrid teaching. Teacher Tennille Johnston reflects on the real struggles, challenges, and quality of education in the school year 2020-2021. Her words reflect the honesty of a hard year of teaching - what many of us would say is the hardest years of our careers. Take a listen to episode 745, "What Really Happened in Hybrid Classrooms During the pandemic."

Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e745 

Sponsor: Advancement Courses. Recently, I shared 21 Hot Topics for Teacher Professional Development for Summer 2021. If you have accreditation or learning requirements as I do, take the opportunity to look at this post. And join me as I take my courses this summer from Advancement Courses. Remember to use COOL20 to receive 20% off your course.

Tennille Johnston's Bio As Submitted

Tennille is a 10-year veteran Science teacher in the second-largest public school district in the state of Texas, transitioning to this career through an alternative certification program after working as a wildlife biologist for several years after graduating with a B.S. in Natural Resources/Wildlife Management from The Ohio State University.

She is a member of the Science Teacher's Association of Texas, the Texas Computer Education Association, the National Wildlife Federation, and is a Level 1 Certified Google Educator. Formerly she served as a teacher mentor in the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching and has attended special training for inquiry-based, Maker-based, and project-based learning with the University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, and NASA's Johnson Space Center.

She has coached teams of students participating in the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, SeaPerch Robotics competitions, and has given presentations on coaching robotics and inquiry-based learning at the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST) and at Dallas ISD's STEM Expo.

You can support Ms. Johnston's classroom at http://www.donorschoose.org/Tennille.Johnston

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Check out this episode!

A Simple Free Way to Turn Ideas into Action

The Educator Canvas is a free 1-page organizer that helps teachers take ideas into action whether it is self-care, classroom management, or anything- Darcy Bakkegard talks about the Educator Canvas and also shares some about the 30 day PD Challenge starting on June 1st. This is episode 744, "A Simple Free Way to Turn Ideas into Action"

Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e744

Sponsor: Advancement Courses. Recently, I shared 21 Hot Topics for Teacher Professional Development for Summer 2021. If you have accreditation or learning requirements as I do, take the opportunity to look at this post. And join me as I take my courses this summer from Advancement Courses. Remember to use COOL20 to receive 20% off your course.

Darcy Bakkegard - Bio as Submitted

Darcy Bakkegard is an English/Theatre teacher and professional development coach who got tired of traditional sit-n-get PD and now creates the type of PD she always wanted. With 10 years of experience teaching English and Theatre, Darcy specializes in interactive strategies for the classroom, meaningful technology integration, and building relationships with students. She is an ISTE Certified Educator, an experienced international presenter, and a dedicated teacher-empowerer. Darcy hopes her book, The Startup Teacher Playbook helps teachers rekindle their joy and passion for teaching. She lives in Fargo, ND with her husband Jeff and their 15-month-old triplets, Kurtis, Benjamin, and Cordelia. You can reach her at darcy@educatorslab.io or @dbakkegard on Twitter.

Check out this episode!