There are times when school systems need to rely on external support to improve instruction and student outcomes. While external consultants often bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in what works in schools, it can be difficult to gain the trust of educators in that many educators are suspicious…
Join me and my guest Gretchen Bridgers and I as we discuss her latest book - Always a Lesson. In it, and in our conversation, Gretchen discusses the four building blocks of teaching that must be considered, in order, for teaching to be successful. These blocks, or'bricks", include lesson design,…
Assessment of student learning is critical if we are to get a true sense of what students know and can do before, during, and after teaching. Join me and my next guest, Nicole Dimich, as we discuss her book - Design in Five. We discuss five steps for creating more…
In this episode, I am joined by Erik Francis, author of the new book Inquiring Minds Want to Learn. In our conversation, we discuss not only how to use questioning as a form of assessment but, perhaps more importantly, as a tool for maximizing student interest and engagement in learning.…
Given the contentious nature of this election season and the accompanying polarization, humanities teachers could be forgiven for not wanting to teach the election process. Yet, if we onlt teach the past, including hard pasts like slavery, then we never prepare students for the hard present which can help them…
Did you know that November is Children's Grief Awareness Month? Or, that 1/12 U.S. children will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18? Grief is a normal part of life, and schools must find ways to support students experiencing it. Join my next guest - Lindsay…
Did you know that two out of every three students will experience a traumatic event before they reach the age of 16? Trying to be clearheaded during a crisis is difficult. As such, schools must therefore be prepared to address the unexpected before the unexpected happens. But how to prepare…
In this episode, we are joined by Leslie Hayes, Vice-President of Education at the New York Historical Society. Hayes discusses how even the simplest item - a Dunkin Doughnuts Coffee Cup for example - can unleash deep and engaging student conversation on what everyday items tell us about the cultures…
Urban schools are vitially important for ensuring the strength of our overall economy as well as the growth of democracy says Michael Casserly, former executive director and current senior consultant of the Council of Great City Schools, on this week's podcast. On this episode, Casserly discusses his new book -…
Leadership within 21st Century schools should be different from what those of us in Generation X or before experienced of our school leaders says my next podcast guest, David Gaston. Gaston is founder and CEO of Gaston Educational Consulting LLC and a former district superintendent in Charles City, Virginia. He…
In this episode, we chat with John Arthur, former Utah teacher of the year, current 6th grade teacher in Salt Lake City, and author of the new book "The Digital Projects Playbook." Join us here as we discuss not only the benefits of project based learning, a topic we also…
Knowing research can help us to determine if what others may be telling us to do in our teaching is in the best interest of us and our students. So says, Nathaniel Hansford, a teacher in Canada and author of the book "The Scientific Principles of Teaching", In this episode,…
How and Why Still Teach the Holocaust? After all, it has been 80 years since the liberation of the concentration camps and end of WWII. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is very simple. Look at the world around us where hate and prejudice continue to thrive. As such, I…
Too often, we think of early primary learners as empty recepticles to be filled. However, this is when creativity and ingenuity is most unfettered and/or non self-conscious. How then can we draw out what early primary students already know and think about Math? How might we get students to make…
In some schools, curriculum is prescribed. In other places, teachers put together their own learning materials. In either case, how do we know that what we are providing students, in terms of materials and content, will promote learning acquisition, extend thinking, and foster creativity? How do we know that it…
Too often, at best, students are compliant with school directives and, at worst, actively defiant much like inmates in a minimum security prison. So says, today's guest, Aaron Hansen - author of the book "Heroes Within" - on this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast. In this episode,…
Effective coteaching has so many benefits for students, particularly in terms of inclusion for students with special needs and for bilingual learners. So say today's guests on the podcast - Belinda Karge and Matt Rhoads - who are the authors of the book "Co-Teaching Evolved". Listen here to our conversation…
While oral language development is a process that occurs naturally, over time, the written word is a complex human produced system that, therefore, requires a systematic approach to decipher - or read. So says this week's guest on the podcast, Steve Underwood. In this episode, Underwood, former senior director of…
Parents should always have the right to decide what books their student can read. But school system wide book bans are bad for children. So says our next guest on the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, former ALA librarian of the year Amanda Jones. In this episode, Jones - author…
How to Teach Using Play Based Learning In this episode, we chat with Bo Stjerne Thomsen - Director of Education for LEGO Education and former VP with the LEGO Foundation - about how teachers can integrate physical objects (manipulatives) and play-based learning across all content areas. We also discuss: What…
How to Teach Using Play Based Learning In this episode, we chat with Bo Stjerne Thomsen - Director of Education for LEGO Education and former VP with the LEGO Foundation - about how teachers can integrate physical objects (manipulatives) and play-based learning across all content areas. We also discuss: What…
In this episoode of the Have a Life Teaching podcast, Adam Andre - museum participation facilitator at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool - and I discuss how and why we should not shy away from teaching students about historical slavery nor its ongoing impact on our world today. https://www.podpage.com/have-a-life-teaching/how-to-teach-students-about-slavery-adam-andre/…
In this episode, Anjana and Anya, two high school students from New Jersey, discuss their program 'Connected' aimed at promoting awareness of the mental health struggles that often accompany the academic pressures that high achieving secondary students sometimes feel. Anjana and Anya share their experiences and insights on creating this…
Listen Here - https://www.podpage.com/have-a-life-teaching/how-to-bring-design-thinking-into-schools-justin-reich/ Most innovation in school fails. Why? Often, innovation fails because it is imposed upon teachers rather than being designed by teachers themselves. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Justin Reich, Executive Director of the Teaching Systems Lab at MIT about how teachers can create positive…