https://www.spreaker.com/show/rethinking-learning-podcastenEducationCopyright voicEd Radiohttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/76902b2c5310e415e0b8b9aea6ea7c64.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/show/rethinking-learning-podcastTue, 21 Oct 2025 02:23:13 +0000voicEd RadiovoicEd Radiofeeds@spreaker.comMaking Learning Personalfalseepisodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/don-t-trust-your-ears-head-heart-and-hands-listening-with-kymberly-dakin-neal-ep178--68221554Don’t Trust Your Ears! Head, Heart, and Hands Listening with Kymberly Dakin-Neal (EP178) first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=69051Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:17 +0000voicEd RadioKymberly Dakin-Neal as a certified mindset coach focuses on team experience design, incorporating individual coaching programs and applied mediums such as improvisation, intentional listening, and creativity. The post...Don’t Trust Your Ears! Head, Heart, and Hands Listening with Kymberly Dakin-Neal (EP178) first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3040falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-177-michael-hernandez-on-changing-the-narrative--68113571Episode #177: Michael Hernandez on Changing the Narrative first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=68564Mon, 13 Oct 2025 01:36:16 +0000voicEd RadioMIchael Hernandez is changing the narrative by helping educators design assignments in ways that are meaningful to students and helps teachers make the case for why their curriculum matters. The post...Episode #177: Michael Hernandez on Changing the Narrative first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-176-transforming-the-way-the-world-deals-with-conflict-with-saadia-qureshi--67771752Episode #176: Transforming the Way the World Deals with Conflict with Saadia Qureshi first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=67364Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:49:42 +0000voicEd RadioSaadia Qureshi is Senior Officer for Training and Community Engagement at Common Ground USA/Search for Common Ground that is transforming how we deal with conflicts. The post...Episode #176: Transforming the Way the World Deals with Conflict with Saadia Qureshi first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2356falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-175-growing-creative-thinkers-and-agents-of-change-with-jason-blair--67115099Episode #175: Growing Creative Thinkers and Agents of Change with Jason Blair first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=64505Fri, 25 Jul 2025 14:33:33 +0000voicEd RadioJason Blair is a transformative force in arts education, with over 20 years dedicated to unlocking the creative potential of young minds. The post...Episode #175: Growing Creative Thinkers and Agents of Change with Jason Blair first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2575falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-174-edtech-design-thinking-and-women-s-empowerment-in-education-with-jerri-kemble--66541998Episode #174: EdTech, Design Thinking, and Women’s Empowerment in Education with Jerri Kemble first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=62293Thu, 12 Jun 2025 23:23:37 +0000voicEd RadioJerri Kemble is an accomplished leader in the field of educational technology (edtech), renowned for her innovative approach and dedication to positive change. The post...Episode #174: EdTech, Design Thinking, and Women’s Empowerment in Education with Jerri Kemble first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2559falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-173-reimagine-and-expand-the-role-of-music-in-education-with-patrick-cerria--66421673Episode #173: Reimagine and Expand the Role of Music in Education with Patrick Cerria first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=61979Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:59:09 +0000voicEd RadioPatrick Cerria is a music educator, researcher, author, and speaker who helps teachers, administrators, and school therapists reimagine and expand the role of music in their school. The post...Episode #173: Reimagine and Expand the Role of Music in Education with Patrick Cerria first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3185falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-172-ignite-joy-creativity-and-purpose-in-teaching-learning-and-life-with-michael-wesely--66334881Episode #172: Ignite Joy, Creativity, and Purpose in Teaching, Learning, and Life with Michael Wesely first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=61651Fri, 30 May 2025 01:33:54 +0000voicEd RadioMichael Wesely, an Instructional Technology Specialist, who is passionate about turning classrooms into creative playgrounds where curiosity is sparked, innovation is fueled, and a little fun is always part of the plan. The post...Episode #172: Ignite Joy, Creativity, and Purpose in Teaching, Learning, and Life with Michael Wesely first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3385falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-171-engaging-students-in-a-world-of-distractions-with-dr-marc-isseks--66024091Episode #171: Engaging Students in a World of Distractions with Dr. Marc Isseks first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=60996Sat, 10 May 2025 02:22:56 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Marc Isseks believes in the power of learning to engage,  inspire, inform, and transform young people so they can become the best versions of themselves. The post...Episode #171: Engaging Students in a World of Distractions with Dr. Marc Isseks first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2751falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-170-jide-fresh-on-how-opportunities-are-imagination--65855971Episode #170: Jide Fresh on How Opportunities are Imagination first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=60724Fri, 02 May 2025 13:12:47 +0000voicEd RadioAs an artist and illustrator with over 20 years of experience in graphic design and multimedia, Jide Fresh is passionate about using his skills to promote mental health and self-development through art.  The post...Episode #170: Jide Fresh on How Opportunities are Imagination first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3433falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-169-empowering-students-to-overcome-obstacles-with-stephanie-howell--65789609Episode #169: Empowering Students to Overcome Obstacles with Stephanie Howell first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=60586Tue, 29 Apr 2025 03:52:35 +0000voicEd RadioStephanie Howell’s mission is to create more personalized and differentiated learning experiences that empower every student to overcome obstacles. The post...Episode #169: Empowering Students to Overcome Obstacles with Stephanie Howell first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2836falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-168-with-dr-michael-harvey-redefining-education-with-curiosity-innovation-and-a-dash-of-kiwi-humour--64578159Episode #168 with Dr. Michael Harvey: Redefining Education with Curiosity, Innovation, and a Dash of Kiwi Humour first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=58402Wed, 26 Feb 2025 04:05:52 +0000voicEd RadioA passionate advocate for EdTech, curiosity, and integrating indigenous knowledge to find novel solutions, Dr. Michael Harvey is committed to making education more equitable, engaging, and future-ready and is a strong advocate for public education....Episode #168 with Dr. Michael Harvey: Redefining Education with Curiosity, Innovation, and a Dash of Kiwi Humour first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2422falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-167-the-art-of-living-in-the-question-with-melanie-ching--64427334Episode #167: The Art of Living in the Question with Melanie Ching first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=58217Tue, 18 Feb 2025 01:45:23 +0000voicEd RadioMelanie Ching is a life-long educator and learner. She is passionate about play, curiosity, and using ed-tech to amplify student voice. The post https://barbarabray.net/2025/02/17/episode-167-the-art-of-living-in-the-question-with-melanie-ching/ first...Episode #167: The Art of Living in the Question with Melanie Ching first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2278falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-166-fostering-a-sense-of-purpose-and-belonging-with-chris-pultz--63587457Episode #166: Fostering a Sense of Purpose and Belonging with Chris Pultz first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=57395Mon, 06 Jan 2025 04:37:06 +0000voicEd RadioChris Pultz loves designing educational experiences that focus on purpose, belonging, and challenging students to thrive in a growingly complex world. The post...Episode #166: Fostering a Sense of Purpose and Belonging with Chris Pultz first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2497falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-165-developing-human-centered-skills-in-an-ai-world-with-dr-michelle-ament--62672858Episode #165: Developing Human-Centered Skills in an AI World with Dr. Michelle Ament first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=56671Sat, 09 Nov 2024 02:28:02 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Michelle Ament is an educational pioneer who created the Learning, Experienced (LXP) model as Chief Academic Officer at ProSolve and is co-founder of the Human Intelligence Movement. The post...Episode #165: Developing Human-Centered Skills in an AI World with Dr. Michelle Ament first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2827falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-164-shaping-the-future-of-education-with-dr-kapono-ciotti--62571044Episode #164: Shaping the Future of Education with Dr. Kapono Ciotti first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=56589Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:16:37 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Kapono Ciotti, a leader in social-constructivist education, directs the PEAK Distinction Model and promotes student-driven impact education globally. The post...Episode #164: Shaping the Future of Education with Dr. Kapono Ciotti first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2367falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-163-the-blueprint-for-empathy-to-impact-with-aaron-moniz--61279039Episode #163: The Blueprint for EMPATHY to IMPACT with Aaron Moniz first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=56037Thu, 05 Sep 2024 23:37:20 +0000voicEd RadioAaron Moniz is the co-founder, director, and lead facilitator of Inspire Citizens. He focuses on social issues, human rights, anti-racism and anti-homophobia, environmentalism, animal rights, etc. through Punk. The post...Episode #163: The Blueprint for EMPATHY to IMPACT with Aaron Moniz first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2891falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-19-power-of-gratitude-with-the-barbaras--60971603Reflection #19: Power of Gratitude with the Barbaras first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=55848Fri, 09 Aug 2024 16:45:29 +0000voicEd RadioWe are Barbara Gruener and Barbara Bray excited to talk about “Gratitude” which is close to our hearts. We discuss why it is important to have gratitude as a daily habit.   The post...Reflection #19: Power of Gratitude with the Barbaras first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>1860falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-162-empowering-educators-and-championing-student-centered-classrooms--60464470Episode #162: Empowering Educators and Championing Student-Centered Classrooms first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=55213Fri, 21 Jun 2024 15:51:19 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Kaylah Holland works to restore justice and shares the importance of books over bars, education over incarceration, and her book, Putting Out Fires.  The post...Episode #162: Empowering Educators and Championing Student-Centered Classrooms first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-161-being-a-part-of-better-with-dr-amy-mathews-perez--60151735Episode #161: Being a Part of Better with Dr. Amy Mathews-Perez first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=54747Thu, 23 May 2024 13:19:09 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Amy Mathews-Perez is the Director of Special Programs in a public school in Texas. She coordinates multiple programs: Special Education, 504, Homeless, MTSS, and Dyslexia as a part of BETTER. The post...Episode #161: Being a Part of Better with Dr. Amy Mathews-Perez first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3075falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-160-shaping-the-future-of-education-technology-and-leadership-with-jennifer-womble--60063017Episode #160: Shaping the Future of Education Technology and Leadership with Jennifer Womble first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=54612Thu, 16 May 2024 16:38:01 +0000voicEd RadioJennifer Womble has been nationally recognized for over 30 years of leadership, for 15 years as conference chair of FETC, and for creating high-quality professional development in education technology. The post...Episode #160: Shaping the Future of Education Technology and Leadership with Jennifer Womble first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2478falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-159-nurturing-social-emotional-learning-for-a-brighter-future-with-cara-zelas--59750551Episode #159: Nurturing Social-Emotional Learning for a Brighter Future with Cara Zelas first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=54233Tue, 30 Apr 2024 15:15:14 +0000voicEd RadioCara founded Big World of Little Dude, an educational platform that focuses on teaching social and emotional skills to children aged 3-6 through a comprehensive "humanKIND Curriculum."  The post...Episode #159: Nurturing Social-Emotional Learning for a Brighter Future with Cara Zelas first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2590falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-158-empowering-students-through-financial-literacy-with-brian-curcio--59633659Episode #158: Empowering Students through Financial Literacy with Brian Curcio first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=54078Wed, 24 Apr 2024 14:39:11 +0000voicEd RadioBrian Curcio is the visionary behind Rapunzl, an EdTech game-changer reshaping financial education that fosters independent learning and outstanding student outcomes. The post...Episode #158: Empowering Students through Financial Literacy with Brian Curcio first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2553falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-157-growing-learners-in-challenging-times-with-kevin-honeycutt--59473014Episode #157: Growing Learners in Challenging Times with Kevin Honeycutt first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=53843Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:01:48 +0000voicEd RadioKevin Honeycutt is a technology integrationist, staff developer, musician, and songwriter. He has worked with teachers and students and delivered keynotes to audiences around the world. The post...Episode #157: Growing Learners in Challenging Times with Kevin Honeycutt first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2761falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-156-rethinking-the-why-of-teaching-and-learning-with-erik-francis--59264169Episode #156: Rethinking the Why of Teaching and Learning with Erik Francis first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=53508Tue, 02 Apr 2024 15:15:45 +0000voicEd RadioErik Francis, Maverik Education owner, provides socially and emotionally supportive teaching and learning experiences. The post https://barbarabray.net/2024/04/02/episode-156-rethinking-the-why-of-teaching-and-learning-with-erik-francis/ first...Episode #156: Rethinking the Why of Teaching and Learning with Erik Francis first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3591falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-155-role-of-ai-in-the-future-of-education-with-priten-shah--59114752Episode #155: Role of AI in the Future of Education with Priten Shah first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=53241Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:42:24 +0000voicEd RadioPriten Shah creates innovative solutions that meet diverse learner needs, leveraging experiences globally ranging from civics education to AI-enhanced classrooms. The post...Episode #155: Role of AI in the Future of Education with Priten Shah first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2319falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-154-creativity-play-and-experiential-learning-with-janella-watson--58751874Episode #154: Creativity, Play, and Experiential Learning with Janella Watson first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=52567Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:07:40 +0000voicEd RadioJanella Watson is renowned for creating curricula and play experiences that center equity and spark joy, learning, and whole-family engagement. The post...Episode #154: Creativity, Play, and Experiential Learning with Janella Watson first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2896falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-153-just-keep-showing-up-and-always-learning-with-dr-asia-lyons--58446811Episode #153: Just Keep Showing UP and Always Learning with Dr. Asia Lyons first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=51949Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:23:26 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Asia Lyons is the founder of Lyons Educational Consulting LLC that supports schools through equity auditing, culturally responsive programming and curriculum, and job-embedded coaching. The post...Episode #153: Just Keep Showing UP and Always Learning with Dr. Asia Lyons first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2275falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-152-principles-to-unleash-your-potential-with-sylvester-chisom--58294178Episode #152: Principles to Unleash Your Potential with Sylvester Chisom first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=51821Sun, 14 Jan 2024 02:05:03 +0000voicEd RadioSylvester Chisom is the CEO and founder of Global CTE Learning, an education technology entrepreneur, the author of 4 best-selling books including, "Manifest Greatness,” and hosts the podcast, Global CTE Podcast,. The post...Episode #152: Principles to Unleash Your Potential with Sylvester Chisom first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2812falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-151-educating-with-hope-optimism-and-courage-with-jennifer-d-klein--58182536Episode #151: Educating with Hope, Optimism and Courage with Jennifer D. Klein first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=51699Wed, 03 Jan 2024 06:08:02 +0000voicEd RadioJennifer facilitates dynamic, interactive workshops for teachers, leaders, and students, working to amplify student voice, to provide the tools for high-quality project-based learning. The post...Episode #151: Educating with Hope, Optimism and Courage with Jennifer D. Klein first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2540falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-150-new-ways-new-forms-and-new-measures-for-learning-with-elliot-washor--57611895Episode #150: New Ways, New Forms, and New Measures for Learning with Elliot Washor first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=51027Mon, 13 Nov 2023 03:02:37 +0000voicEd RadioElliot Washor is co-founder of Big Picture learning and B-UnBound, and co-author of “Leaving to Learn” and his recent book “Learning to Leave.” The post...Episode #150: New Ways, New Forms, and New Measures for Learning with Elliot Washor first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3090falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-149-weaving-core-values-curiosity-and-joy-with-dr-mark-hines--57438169Episode #149: Weaving Core Values, Curiosity, and Joy with Dr. Mark Hines first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=50934Mon, 30 Oct 2023 06:47:34 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Mark Hines is the Director of Kupu Hou Academy at Mid-Pacific Institute, a professional learning organization that supports deeper learning practices for teachers and school leaders. The post...Episode #149: Weaving Core Values, Curiosity, and Joy with Dr. Mark Hines first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3009falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-148-the-3-l-s-love-it-learn-it-and-live-it-with-maxwell-roach--56610454Episode 148#: The “3 L’s”: Love It, Learn It, and Live It with Maxwell Roach first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=50379Mon, 28 Aug 2023 03:21:39 +0000voicEd RadioMaxwell Roach is a children’s book author, leads a multi-center child care organization as CEO, and also works as an Operations Director and Consultant for e-commerce tech companies globally. The post...Episode 148#: The “3 L’s”: Love It, Learn It, and Live It with Maxwell Roach first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2744falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-147-value-exceeds-circumstance-with-john-miller--56050786Episode #147: Value Exceeds Circumstance with John Miller first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=50146Mon, 10 Jul 2023 14:14:16 +0000voicEd RadioJohn Miller is head of school of Eton School in Mexico City. His journey started in in LA with detours to Oakland, Rio de Janeiro, and more on the way to his dream school in Mexico. The post...Episode #147: Value Exceeds Circumstance with John Miller first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3545falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-146-unlocking-potential-and-igniting-positive-changes-with-qin-coe--55157162Episode #146: Unlocking Potential and Igniting Positive Changes with Qin Coe first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=50063Mon, 26 Jun 2023 15:31:36 +0000voicEd RadioQin Coe is a Professional Coach and a martial artist. She is a passionate enabler with 16 years of experience unlocking personal and business potential and igniting lasting positive changes. The post...Episode #146: Unlocking Potential and Igniting Positive Changes with Qin Coe first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-145-freadom-fighters-with-carolyn-foote--54067049Episode #145: FReadom Fighters with Carolyn Foote first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49896Thu, 01 Jun 2023 13:23:42 +0000voicEd RadioCarolyn Foote is an educator/librarian, a White House Champion of Change, provides Library design, is a keynoter, a Lilead Fellow, and the co-founder of #FReadomFighter. The post...Episode #145: FReadom Fighters with Carolyn Foote first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2794falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-144-durable-skills-and-stackable-credentials-with-tim-taylor--53778609Episode #144: Durable Skills and Stackable Credentials with Tim Taylor first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49751Mon, 08 May 2023 14:08:59 +0000voicEd RadioTim Taylor is president of America Succeeds whose vision is about building public education systems to prepare all students to succeed in the competitive global economy. The post...Episode #144: Durable Skills and Stackable Credentials with Tim Taylor first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2693falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-143-servant-leadership-in-gratitude-with-chris-quinn--53653512Episode #143: Servant Leadership…In Gratitude with Chris Quinn first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49665Wed, 26 Apr 2023 14:04:32 +0000voicEd RadioChris Quinn showcases Profiles In Ed Leadership hosted on Twitter and on his web page. He offers #QoftheWeek, #WWEd (Wednesday Wellness or Wednesday Wisdom), #FFP (Friday Follow Party) and through his other Twitter @Gratefuledu64. Chris also hosted...Episode #143: Servant Leadership…In Gratitude with Chris Quinn first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2671falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-142-no-more-orange-jumpsuits-with-josh-tovar--53559583Episode #142: No More Orange Jumpsuits with Josh Tovar first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49579Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:34:53 +0000voicEd RadioJosh Tovar is a proud Team Member at Memorial Pathway Academy in Garland, Texas. Josh is an engaging, inspirational educator who knows Kids DO NOT care how much you know until they know how much you care. The post...Episode #142: No More Orange Jumpsuits with Josh Tovar first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2910falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-141-intersection-of-education-leadership-and-equity-with-charles-williams--53472889Episode #141: Intersection of Education, Leadership and Equity with Charles Williams first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49498Fri, 07 Apr 2023 16:02:46 +0000voicEd RadioCharles Williams, host of The Counter Narrative Podcast, co-host of Inside the Principal's Office, and co-author of "Inside the Principal's Office,” Charles launched CW Consulting to focus on helping institutions to unlock their potential and...Episode #141: Intersection of Education, Leadership and Equity with Charles Williams first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2587falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-140-cultivating-compassion-through-creativity-with-erika-sandstrom--53380650Episode #140: Cultivating Compassion through Creativity with Erika Sandstrom first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49374Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:00:58 +0000voicEd RadioDubbed “Green Screen Gal”, Erika shares her creative media and mindfulness passions as a featured speaker at conferences, provides district professional development, hosts online webinars, and co-hosted the Green Screen Summit. The post...Episode #140: Cultivating Compassion through Creativity with Erika Sandstrom first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>3012falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-139-raising-kids-to-be-brave-smart-and-kind-with-pj-brady--53075692Episode #139: Raising Kids to be Brave, Smart, and Kind with PJ Brady first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49140Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:35:57 +0000voicEd RadioPJ Brady does values-based leadership work in organizations. From that work, he started “Brave Smart Kind” as foundational core values to describe how people feel on the inside, something to develop confidence, something they could control. The post...Episode #139: Raising Kids to be Brave, Smart, and Kind with PJ Brady first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2723falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-138-engaging-inclusive-environments-while-empowering-learners-with-melisa-hayes--52873135Episode #138: Engaging Inclusive Environments While Empowering Learners with Melisa Hayes first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=49080Tue, 28 Feb 2023 01:19:57 +0000voicEd RadioMelisa Hayes transforms her 2nd grade class into a culture of joy with learner-centered projects. This conversation will empower you to check out the post about Project Runway, Zoomsnaps, and Kindness projects. The post...Episode #138: Engaging Inclusive Environments While Empowering Learners with Melisa Hayes first appeared on Rethinking Learning.]]>2525falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-137-collective-intelligence-and-human-centered-ai-with-johannes-castner--52547531
          
Johannes Castner works for several consultancies in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Machine Learning (ML) and Human-Centered Ethical AI as an important sense of collective intelligence. Johannes pivoted CollectiWise as his consultancy around collective intelligence and the Capability Sensitive Design framework for AI. 
Your WHY 
As a descendant of European Jews as well as Germans, growing up in Germany, I grew up in the shadow of a particularly evil dystopian episode that we are all too familiar with. This episode of history and the great hopes of mostly secular Jewish social and reform thinkers from the 19th and early 20th centuries Germany are the building blocks of my why. We need to consciously build our society towards a utopia of our own making or we will end up being manipulated and stripped of our human dignity. 
Your Background 
My life story is hard to believe if I hadn’t lived it myself; I went from being a social outcast of sorts in Austria (having been raised in Northern Germany but moved to Vienna as a 12-year-old boy) to being the world’s happiest homeless camper in Los Angeles, to being an Ivy League student graduating magna cum laude from Columbia University in economics and cultural anthropology to working at the Federal Reserve Bank to working in Silicon Valley. All of it is part of a series of ethnographic studies in a way. This is, of course, a very crude bird's eye view of my past life that only is meant to serve as a backdrop for what I’m doing now: I’m a freelance consultant as a machine learning engineer and data scientist.
Growing up and Moving On
When I was 6, I was sent to a dormitory in Austria for troubled kids. I had no education for the six years I was there. My mother took me out of there when I was 12 to Vienna. She homeschooled me in the manner of Summerhill schools in the US. When I was 14, I became an apprentice as a stonemason. I wanted to go to the US so I flipped a coin to choose between New York and Los Angeles. Los Angeles won.  
I came to the US as a 19-year-old boy seeking the adventure of a lifetime, and I was not disappointed. I hardly spoke English at the time, and I ended up homeless for some time; the happiest homeless person in America or the world, I believe. After singing in a band and acting in various independent movies as well as being a small-time actor in various TV shows you might have watched for about 5 years. 
Your Education
I started studying at Santa Monica College where I took up cultural anthropology and eventually went to Columbia University graduating with a degree in economics. I became a research assistant to the economist Chris Foote at the Federal...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=48772Thu, 26 Jan 2023 05:10:30 +0000voicEd Radiohttps://barbarabray.net/feed/podcast/https://barbarabray.net/feed/podcast/https://barbarabray.net/feed/podcast/https://barbarabray.net/feed/podcast/https://barbarabray.net/feed/podcast/https://barbarabray.net/feed/podcast/https://www.teachbetter.com/po...
          
Johannes Castner works for several consultancies in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Machine Learning (ML) and Human-Centered Ethical AI as an important sense of collective intelligence. Johannes pivoted CollectiWise as his consultancy around collective intelligence and the Capability Sensitive Design framework for AI. 
Your WHY 
As a descendant of European Jews as well as Germans, growing up in Germany, I grew up in the shadow of a particularly evil dystopian episode that we are all too familiar with. This episode of history and the great hopes of mostly secular Jewish social and reform thinkers from the 19th and early 20th centuries Germany are the building blocks of my why. We need to consciously build our society towards a utopia of our own making or we will end up being manipulated and stripped of our human dignity. 
Your Background 
My life story is hard to believe if I hadn’t lived it myself; I went from being a social outcast of sorts in Austria (having been raised in Northern Germany but moved to Vienna as a 12-year-old boy) to being the world’s happiest homeless camper in Los Angeles, to being an Ivy League student graduating magna cum laude from Columbia University in economics and cultural anthropology to working at the Federal Reserve Bank to working in Silicon Valley. All of it is part of a series of ethnographic studies in a way. This is, of course, a very crude bird's eye view of my past life that only is meant to serve as a backdrop for what I’m doing now: I’m a freelance consultant as a machine learning engineer and data scientist.
Growing up and Moving On
When I was 6, I was sent to a dormitory in Austria for troubled kids. I had no education for the six years I was there. My mother took me out of there when I was 12 to Vienna. She homeschooled me in the manner of Summerhill schools in the US. When I...]]>3489falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-136-the-art-and-science-of-designing-inspirational-learning-spaces-of-the-future-with-robert-martellacci--52047667Robert Martellacci is the founder and president of the International award-winning MindShare Learning Technology. He's a champion for igniting student success to help all students thrive through innovative solutions and partnerships in Canadian schools. Often referred to as the ‘connector,' Robert specializes in forging mutually beneficial partnerships between education and technology solution providers. 
A passionate lifelong learner, Robert pursued a transformational learning journey earning a master’s in educational technology from Pepperdine University Graduate School of Psychology and Education. His Pepperdine experience inspired the creation of the MindShare Learning Report—Canada’s Learning & Technology eMagazine.
Robert's innovative spirit and desire to see an accelerated pace of change in education led to the creation of C21 Canada–Canadians for Learning and Innovation. A not-for-profit he co-founded and currently serves as its CEO.  
 
Your WHY
“My WHY is really about connecting industry and education, and finding the best products to make the greatest impact to support student success.” 
 
Your Journey to your WHY
I didn’t find my passion until my 3rd year at York University when I changed my major from Economics to Sports Administration. I discovered my passion when playing hockey for the school team. My skills as sports information director doing PR game management and promoting team travel challenged me in every possible way. It instilled in me a growth mindset and I still play lunchtime hockey focusing on healthy living.  I’ve been fortunate to have many role models and mentors along the way. 
One of my mentors, my coach, asked me to interview a star athlete so I interviewed the legendary Johnny Bower, Hall of Fame Goalie. I didn’t realize that was going to be the start of my podcast career. I asked him if he ever thought he was going to make it since he started playing at 35. He said, “I always believed I was going to make it.” One of my teachers wrote in my yearbook, “the only sign in life is growth.” and she drew a little flower. Teachers don’t realize the power of their words and the impact they make. It was all about having a growth mindset. We remember those teachers and mentors that cared for and challenged us.
I challenge myself to stay in shape. I rollerblade. One tip to stay in shape, rollerblade, don’t run. Running pounds the joints. 
One big focus that changed my life was working with Kevin O’Leary, Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank, who started SoftKey Software Products as an opportunity to aggregate many companies under the Learning Company.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=48094Tue, 29 Nov 2022 17:00:53 +0000voicEd Radio           Robert Martellacci is the founder and president of the International award-winning MindShare Learning Technology. He's a champion for igniting student success to help all students thrive through innovative solutions and partnerships in...Robert Martellacci is the founder and president of the International award-winning MindShare Learning Technology. He's a champion for igniting student success to help all students thrive through innovative solutions and partnerships in Canadian schools. Often referred to as the ‘connector,' Robert specializes in forging mutually beneficial partnerships between education and technology solution providers. 
A passionate lifelong learner, Robert pursued a transformational learning journey earning a master’s in educational technology from Pepperdine University Graduate School of Psychology and Education. His Pepperdine experience inspired the creation of the MindShare Learning Report—Canada’s Learning & Technology eMagazine.
Robert's innovative spirit and desire to see an accelerated pace of change in education led to the creation of C21 Canada–Canadians for Learning and Innovation. A not-for-profit he co-founded and currently serves as its CEO.  
 
Your WHY
“My WHY is really about connecting industry and education, and finding the best products to make the greatest impact to support student success.” 
 
Your Journey to your WHY
I didn’t find my passion until my 3rd year at York University when I changed my major from Economics to Sports Administration. I discovered my passion when playing hockey for the school team. My skills as sports information director doing PR game management and promoting team travel challenged me in every possible way. It instilled in me a growth mindset and I still play lunchtime hockey focusing on healthy living.  I’ve been fortunate to have many role models and mentors along the way. 
One of my mentors, my coach, asked me to interview a star athlete so I interviewed the legendary Johnny Bower, Hall of Fame Goalie. I didn’t realize that was going to be the start of my podcast career. I asked him if he ever thought he was going to make it since he started playing at 35. He said, “I always believed I was going to make it.” One of my teachers wrote in my yearbook, “the only sign in life is growth.” and she drew a little flower. Teachers don’t realize the power of their words and the impact they make. It was all about having a growth mindset. We remember those teachers and mentors that cared for and challenged us.
I challenge myself to stay in shape. I rollerblade. One tip to stay in shape, rollerblade, don’t run. Running pounds the joints. 
One big focus that changed my life was working with Kevin O’Leary, Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank, who started SoftKey Software Products as an opportunity to aggregate many companies under the Learning Company.]]>2970false136fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-135-we-learn-from-everyone-with-celeste-endo--51570159Celeste Endo is Computer Science Lead Learner and an HSTE Board Member in  Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a @tinkthinktank coach, leads the way with CODE dance parties and Cosplay was the 2020 Kaimuki McKinley Roosevelt Complex Area Teacher of the Year and is a 2022 Hawaii KidsCAN Legislative Champion. Celeste shared “whenever we get over the rainbow creative in our work and play, we encourage our learners to do the same.”
Your WHY 
Every interaction, every moment, and every step we take is an opportunity to be better than we were before. These are chances to improve ourselves and become the people we wish to become. As time ticks away, what if we don’t think of it as a fleeting moment? What if we think of each moment as another opportunity to better ourselves from the version before? We have so much to learn, grow, and share with each person we are lucky to cross paths with. We can truly learn from everyone. 
 Let it grow!
Your Background
Born and raised in Honolulu Hawaii, I had an amazingly supportive family. I was lucky to be born into a loving family of educators who did everything they could to nurture and help me grow. The school was a stark contrast to my home. I remember being pulled out of the homeroom with two other children every day to what I thought was a Special Ed class. It was so embarrassing for me and every time a little bit of my soul shrank. Years later, in my 40’s I spoke to my mom about that Special Ed class. She told me that it wasn’t Special Ed, it was a Reading class, like English Learner classes of today… but I had no excuse not to know English. I came from a family of English-speaking educators! Haha, I can laugh about it now, but it sure hurt back then.
Let’s not erase or throw away the tough times. They are an embedded part of us and help us appreciate the good. Life challenges make us more empathetic to the people we get to teach. Let’s try to be more understanding when learners don’t quite get it… yet, and try to find new ways to spark deeper learning.
I graduated from the University of Hawai‘i with a Bachelor’s Elementary Ed in 1996 and a Master’s Educational Technology in 2000. I’m currently a Computer Science Teacher for Preschool-5th grade at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Elementary, where I have found a home away from home, an ‘ohana. I love my school, admin, teachers, and growing lead learners! I drew this picture and wrote this chant that students lead us in, to start our Computer Science classes.

Why did you become a teacher?
My grandpa once told me, “Celeste, I think you will be a good teacher.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=47530Thu, 13 Oct 2022 21:06:57 +0000voicEd Radio           Celeste Endo is Computer Science Lead Learner and an HSTE Board Member in  Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a @tinkthinktank coach, leads the way with CODE dance parties and Cosplay was the 2020 Kaimuki McKinley Roosevelt Complex Area Teacher of...Celeste Endo is Computer Science Lead Learner and an HSTE Board Member in  Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a @tinkthinktank coach, leads the way with CODE dance parties and Cosplay was the 2020 Kaimuki McKinley Roosevelt Complex Area Teacher of the Year and is a 2022 Hawaii KidsCAN Legislative Champion. Celeste shared “whenever we get over the rainbow creative in our work and play, we encourage our learners to do the same.”
Your WHY 
Every interaction, every moment, and every step we take is an opportunity to be better than we were before. These are chances to improve ourselves and become the people we wish to become. As time ticks away, what if we don’t think of it as a fleeting moment? What if we think of each moment as another opportunity to better ourselves from the version before? We have so much to learn, grow, and share with each person we are lucky to cross paths with. We can truly learn from everyone. 
 Let it grow!
Your Background
Born and raised in Honolulu Hawaii, I had an amazingly supportive family. I was lucky to be born into a loving family of educators who did everything they could to nurture and help me grow. The school was a stark contrast to my home. I remember being pulled out of the homeroom with two other children every day to what I thought was a Special Ed class. It was so embarrassing for me and every time a little bit of my soul shrank. Years later, in my 40’s I spoke to my mom about that Special Ed class. She told me that it wasn’t Special Ed, it was a Reading class, like English Learner classes of today… but I had no excuse not to know English. I came from a family of English-speaking educators! Haha, I can laugh about it now, but it sure hurt back then.
Let’s not erase or throw away the tough times. They are an embedded part of us and help us appreciate the good. Life challenges make us more empathetic to the people we get to teach. Let’s try to be more understanding when learners don’t quite get it… yet, and try to find new ways to spark deeper learning.
I graduated from the University of Hawai‘i with a Bachelor’s Elementary Ed in 1996 and a Master’s Educational Technology in 2000. I’m currently a Computer Science Teacher for Preschool-5th grade at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Elementary, where I have found a home away from home, an ‘ohana. I love my school, admin, teachers, and growing lead learners! I drew this picture and wrote this chant that students lead us in, to start our Computer Science classes.

Why did you become a teacher?
My grandpa once told me, “Celeste, I think you will be a good teacher.]]>2513falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-134-learner-centered-leadership-blueprint-for-transformational-change-with-dr-devin-vodicka--50888439Dr. Devin Vodicka is an award-winning superintendent, educator, speaker, and nine-time White House invitee. Currently, Dr. Vodicka is the Chief Executive Officer at Learner-Centered Collaborative. He is the author of "Learner-Centered Leadership" where he shares the power of reimagining schools as centers for the intellectual and social development of lifelong learners prepared for a rapidly changing world. 
Your WHY 
Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t quite fit in at his rural California school.
Culturally, I was an outsider. The son of immigrants, I was the only kid who wore traditional Czech clothes that his grandparents sent as gifts, ate kolache pastries at lunch, and celebrated his “name-day.”
I also felt like an outlier academically. Throughout my education, I continued to pay keen attention to differences—my own differences and my classmates’ differences. I came to understand that being different was not the exception; it was the rule. And yet, I realized that each child was given the same treatment at school. These early experiences inspired a desire to change how children learn and, in turn, a lifelong career in education.

Your Journey to becoming an Educator
I was inspired to be an educator by his mom who was the high school computer teacher during his childhood.  She was an innovator who saw potential in emerging technology resources and she was optimistic that the future of education would be improved through the combination of excellent teaching and tools that were more flexibly designed for every learner. 
Determined to help schools nurture children as individuals and shed the “one-size-fits-all” approach, I became a teacher in 1996. In the decades since I started in education, my impact grew, and I held a wide variety of positions from educator to principal to superintendent.
I was hired as Superintendent of Schools for Vista Unified School District in July 2012. Vista Unified received numerous awards and recognition while I was Superintendent, including a $10 million award as an XQ Superschool and acceptance into the prestigious League of Innovative Schools.
Embracing a Different Way (Tedx Talk) 2016 TEDx ElCajonSalon
Embracing a different way to bring strength to education. I did a Ted Talk describing the need for looking at students' individual strengths, traditions, and personal academic goals.
 
Learner-Centered Collaborative

At Learner-Centered Collaborative, we envision a world where learners have agency, skills to collaborate with others, and opportunities to engage in solving problems that matter to...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=44858Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:48:43 +0000voicEd Radio           Dr. Devin Vodicka is an award-winning superintendent, educator, speaker, and nine-time White House invitee. Currently, Dr. Vodicka is the Chief Executive Officer at Learner-Centered Collaborative. He is the author of "Learner-Centered...Dr. Devin Vodicka is an award-winning superintendent, educator, speaker, and nine-time White House invitee. Currently, Dr. Vodicka is the Chief Executive Officer at Learner-Centered Collaborative. He is the author of "Learner-Centered Leadership" where he shares the power of reimagining schools as centers for the intellectual and social development of lifelong learners prepared for a rapidly changing world. 
Your WHY 
Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t quite fit in at his rural California school.
Culturally, I was an outsider. The son of immigrants, I was the only kid who wore traditional Czech clothes that his grandparents sent as gifts, ate kolache pastries at lunch, and celebrated his “name-day.”
I also felt like an outlier academically. Throughout my education, I continued to pay keen attention to differences—my own differences and my classmates’ differences. I came to understand that being different was not the exception; it was the rule. And yet, I realized that each child was given the same treatment at school. These early experiences inspired a desire to change how children learn and, in turn, a lifelong career in education.

Your Journey to becoming an Educator
I was inspired to be an educator by his mom who was the high school computer teacher during his childhood.  She was an innovator who saw potential in emerging technology resources and she was optimistic that the future of education would be improved through the combination of excellent teaching and tools that were more flexibly designed for every learner. 
Determined to help schools nurture children as individuals and shed the “one-size-fits-all” approach, I became a teacher in 1996. In the decades since I started in education, my impact grew, and I held a wide variety of positions from educator to principal to superintendent.
I was hired as Superintendent of Schools for Vista Unified School District in July 2012. Vista Unified received numerous awards and recognition while I was Superintendent, including a $10 million award as an XQ Superschool and acceptance into the prestigious League of Innovative Schools.
Embracing a Different Way (Tedx Talk) 2016 TEDx ElCajonSalon
Embracing a different way to bring strength to education. I did a Ted Talk describing the need for looking at students' individual strengths, traditions, and personal academic goals.
 
Learner-Centered Collaborative

At Learner-Centered Collaborative, we envision a world where learners have agency, skills to collaborate with others, and opportunities to engage in solving problems that matter to...]]>2655falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-133-discovering-your-journey-to-advocacy-with-dr-sheldon-eakins--50224894Dr. Sheldon Eakins. is the Founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity Podcast. He is also the author of Leading Equity: Becoming an Advocate for All Students. With over 11 years in education, he has served as a teacher, principal, and Director of Special Education. Dr. Eakins has a passion for helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. 
Sheldon shared his story with me about his passion for helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. Listen and enjoy the podcast and make sure you read the post below that Sheldon added about his journey.
*****
My Why
Never in a million years did I think I would end up in Idaho. And not Boise, Idaho. Everybody's heard of Boise, but I live in a small college town in Southeast Idaho. As a black man, the idea of moving to a place with a 0.8% African American population in the entire state is a heavy decision to make. So you might ask, what made you end up here and what brought you to do this work?
At the time, I was looking for work. I just finished my doctorate and was looking for higher education positions. Initially, I didn't have any guidance or knowledge of what you do after receiving your doctorate.
Higher education was the path that I thought I was supposed to take.
I remember my dad telling me, "Hey, there is this job here at Idaho State University that's perfect for you. You'll work at the university and get the opportunity to work with high school students as well." But in the back of my mind, I thought there was no way I could move to Idaho. However, I put my application in just like I put in applications across the country, and guess who was the first to offer me a position? Idaho State University.
I moved to the state of Idaho not having much knowledge regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion terminology. As a black man, I was very familiar with a lot of experiences that I encountered, but I wasn't always keen on the definition of those experiences. 
About a year into living in Idaho and working with students and dealing with personal challenges, such as microaggressions and listening to the stories that my students were telling me, especially my students of color were telling me with regards to how they were treated, I wanted to help them, but I didn't have strategies to assist my students.
I did not have those tools, strategies, or resources, and I figured I couldn't be the only educator with this problem.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=41623Thu, 16 Jun 2022 14:16:44 +0000voicEd Radio           Dr. Sheldon Eakins. is the Founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity Podcast. He is also the author of Leading Equity: Becoming an Advocate for All Students. With over 11 years in education, he has served as a...Dr. Sheldon Eakins. is the Founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity Podcast. He is also the author of Leading Equity: Becoming an Advocate for All Students. With over 11 years in education, he has served as a teacher, principal, and Director of Special Education. Dr. Eakins has a passion for helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. 
Sheldon shared his story with me about his passion for helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. Listen and enjoy the podcast and make sure you read the post below that Sheldon added about his journey.
*****
My Why
Never in a million years did I think I would end up in Idaho. And not Boise, Idaho. Everybody's heard of Boise, but I live in a small college town in Southeast Idaho. As a black man, the idea of moving to a place with a 0.8% African American population in the entire state is a heavy decision to make. So you might ask, what made you end up here and what brought you to do this work?
At the time, I was looking for work. I just finished my doctorate and was looking for higher education positions. Initially, I didn't have any guidance or knowledge of what you do after receiving your doctorate.
Higher education was the path that I thought I was supposed to take.
I remember my dad telling me, "Hey, there is this job here at Idaho State University that's perfect for you. You'll work at the university and get the opportunity to work with high school students as well." But in the back of my mind, I thought there was no way I could move to Idaho. However, I put my application in just like I put in applications across the country, and guess who was the first to offer me a position? Idaho State University.
I moved to the state of Idaho not having much knowledge regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion terminology. As a black man, I was very familiar with a lot of experiences that I encountered, but I wasn't always keen on the definition of those experiences. 
About a year into living in Idaho and working with students and dealing with personal challenges, such as microaggressions and listening to the stories that my students were telling me, especially my students of color were telling me with regards to how they were treated, I wanted to help them, but I didn't have strategies to assist my students.
I did not have those tools, strategies, or resources, and I figured I couldn't be the only educator with this problem.]]>3049falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-132-potpourri-of-clues-with-dr-colleen-kelley--49494702Dr. Colleen Kelley embraced the use of case studies in her chemistry courses for the past few decades. She has used these in graduate-level courses in medicinal chemistry and most recently in her 100-level course at the University of Arizona that led to a series of chemistry mysteries in a comic book format for students ages 8 to 12. 
Your Why
Over the course of my 25-year career teaching chemistry, I noticed that many students appeared to be overwhelmed once they took chemistry at the college level. Through conversations with middle and high school science teachers, I embarked on a mission to identify the shortcomings in chemistry curricula that leave many learners struggling with the subject in college. 
I saw that there is a massive leap between what is expected of students taking chemistry in middle school and what is expected in high school. This prompted me to think of ways I could help bridge that gap. However, once I began to interview middle school chemistry teachers, I saw another issue – many of them seem to not enjoy chemistry in the slightest, so I looked for ways that would inspire them to teach a curriculum that's more robust and accessible to the students at the same time.
Some knowledge of chemistry is important for incoming college students. Majors related to biology, environmental sciences, atmospheric sciences, and pre-medicine, for example, require two to three years of chemistry instruction as a prerequisite. I believe early exposure to molecular models and other ideas unique to chemistry is the best way to prepare students. 
My theory is to get them in as early, eager learners and get them accustomed to symbols, and later introduce some math and conceptual ideas, so by the time they get to high school and college, they can take off.

Background, where you grew up – your family
I am a first-generation college student from central Pennsylvania.  My grandma worked at a bookstore and from a very young age, I loved to read. She lived close by and was always bringing me books. There were two series that I read when I was in elementary and middle school that have influenced my comic books. The first is the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries which I devoured in 3rd and 4th grades.  The other one is the mystery series by Agatha Christie – I read all of them!  Solving mysteries was fun for me!
Science per se wasn’t part of my world as a child. My parents owned an insurance agency and my older brother was an artist. I liked to invent stories as a child and create games around these stories. We had ‘woods’ (a forested area) near our home. My friends and I would play in the woods and pretend that a ...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=40312Wed, 20 Apr 2022 17:40:50 +0000voicEd Radio           Dr. Colleen Kelley embraced the use of case studies in her chemistry courses for the past few decades. She has used these in graduate-level courses in medicinal chemistry and most recently in her 100-level course at the University of...Dr. Colleen Kelley embraced the use of case studies in her chemistry courses for the past few decades. She has used these in graduate-level courses in medicinal chemistry and most recently in her 100-level course at the University of Arizona that led to a series of chemistry mysteries in a comic book format for students ages 8 to 12. 
Your Why
Over the course of my 25-year career teaching chemistry, I noticed that many students appeared to be overwhelmed once they took chemistry at the college level. Through conversations with middle and high school science teachers, I embarked on a mission to identify the shortcomings in chemistry curricula that leave many learners struggling with the subject in college. 
I saw that there is a massive leap between what is expected of students taking chemistry in middle school and what is expected in high school. This prompted me to think of ways I could help bridge that gap. However, once I began to interview middle school chemistry teachers, I saw another issue – many of them seem to not enjoy chemistry in the slightest, so I looked for ways that would inspire them to teach a curriculum that's more robust and accessible to the students at the same time.
Some knowledge of chemistry is important for incoming college students. Majors related to biology, environmental sciences, atmospheric sciences, and pre-medicine, for example, require two to three years of chemistry instruction as a prerequisite. I believe early exposure to molecular models and other ideas unique to chemistry is the best way to prepare students. 
My theory is to get them in as early, eager learners and get them accustomed to symbols, and later introduce some math and conceptual ideas, so by the time they get to high school and college, they can take off.

Background, where you grew up – your family
I am a first-generation college student from central Pennsylvania.  My grandma worked at a bookstore and from a very young age, I loved to read. She lived close by and was always bringing me books. There were two series that I read when I was in elementary and middle school that have influenced my comic books. The first is the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries which I devoured in 3rd and 4th grades.  The other one is the mystery series by Agatha Christie – I read all of them!  Solving mysteries was fun for me!
Science per se wasn’t part of my world as a child. My parents owned an insurance agency and my older brother was an artist. I liked to invent stories as a child and create games around these stories. We had ‘woods’ (a forested area) near our home. My friends and I would play in the woods and pretend that a ...]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-131-making-schools-places-of-wellness-with-kecia-mcdonald--49169857Kecia McDonald from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is the EL Resource Teacher for the West Hawai'i Complex Area. She is one of 49 public school educators chosen to be a 2022 Global Learning Fellow by the NEA Foundation. The fellowship includes a two-day professional development workshop in the fall and a ten-day international field study to South Africa, where Kecia lived for 14 years.  She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho and also lived in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Your WHY 
To help create the conditions that allow others to succeed at what they are being asked to do, and support them to go beyond and pursue what they want to do.
Joe Sanfelippo talks about focusing on the “get-to”s instead of getting completely mired in the “must-do”s and this is part of my WHY, too. We all have things we must do, and I love to help people succeed at those, but then also to help them utilize their gifts and talents to go beyond the “must-dos” and enjoy the “get-tos.”
Your background, where you grew up
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, more specifically the East Bay. My dad was born and raised in Oakland, California, and was a career firefighter there. I lived in Castro Valley and went to HS in Hayward, California. Castro Valley was very unique, as it was part of this larger, more cosmopolitan area yet had a small-town feel. We still had a rodeo and a festival every year, there was a saddlery shop in town, etc. So it was the best of both worlds, growing up with a small-town sense of community then also running around Berkeley and San Francisco, getting exposed to more urban, multicultural trends.

What it was like for you as a student
I was a traditional, successful student. Straight As, involved in sports and clubs, student leadership, and the whole package. Success at school came easily to me and I totally conformed to the system. Now I can see that the ease of navigating school does not come naturally to many, but at the time I just thought it was straightforward and how “everyone” experienced school.
Your journey as a teacher
My journey as a teacher has not been traditional or straightforward. Teaching is something I came to later in life, and I never had any intention of becoming an educator. In fact, I was that person who would claim loudly and vehemently, “I could NEVER be a teacher!”  I didn’t think I had the patience or the ability to instruct. I felt like if I knew something, I would not be able to break it down in pieces to help others understand. Of course, I have since discovered that it’s not about imparting knowledge but facilitating learning. 
I completed an alternative teaching program and started as a Teen Health teacher at an intermediate school.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=40096Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:48:43 +0000voicEd Radio           Kecia McDonald from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is the EL Resource Teacher for the West Hawai'i Complex Area. She is one of 49 public school educators chosen to be a 2022 Global Learning Fellow by the NEA Foundation. The fellowship includes a...Kecia McDonald from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is the EL Resource Teacher for the West Hawai'i Complex Area. She is one of 49 public school educators chosen to be a 2022 Global Learning Fellow by the NEA Foundation. The fellowship includes a two-day professional development workshop in the fall and a ten-day international field study to South Africa, where Kecia lived for 14 years.  She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho and also lived in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Your WHY 
To help create the conditions that allow others to succeed at what they are being asked to do, and support them to go beyond and pursue what they want to do.
Joe Sanfelippo talks about focusing on the “get-to”s instead of getting completely mired in the “must-do”s and this is part of my WHY, too. We all have things we must do, and I love to help people succeed at those, but then also to help them utilize their gifts and talents to go beyond the “must-dos” and enjoy the “get-tos.”
Your background, where you grew up
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, more specifically the East Bay. My dad was born and raised in Oakland, California, and was a career firefighter there. I lived in Castro Valley and went to HS in Hayward, California. Castro Valley was very unique, as it was part of this larger, more cosmopolitan area yet had a small-town feel. We still had a rodeo and a festival every year, there was a saddlery shop in town, etc. So it was the best of both worlds, growing up with a small-town sense of community then also running around Berkeley and San Francisco, getting exposed to more urban, multicultural trends.

What it was like for you as a student
I was a traditional, successful student. Straight As, involved in sports and clubs, student leadership, and the whole package. Success at school came easily to me and I totally conformed to the system. Now I can see that the ease of navigating school does not come naturally to many, but at the time I just thought it was straightforward and how “everyone” experienced school.
Your journey as a teacher
My journey as a teacher has not been traditional or straightforward. Teaching is something I came to later in life, and I never had any intention of becoming an educator. In fact, I was that person who would claim loudly and vehemently, “I could NEVER be a teacher!”  I didn’t think I had the patience or the ability to instruct. I felt like if I knew something, I would not be able to break it down in pieces to help others understand. Of course, I have since discovered that it’s not about imparting knowledge but facilitating learning. 
I completed an alternative teaching program and started as a Teen Health teacher at an intermediate school.]]>2714falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-130-let-s-connect-level-up-and-then-level-up-others-with-vernon-wright--48979775Vernon Wright is an entrepreneur, speaker, life coach, consultant, and leader. He has over 2 decades of experience in education working in large, urban school districts and has previously served in the roles of teacher, teacher leader, campus leadership team member, and district-level support, and even impacted educators on a global scale. 
Vernon has brought his unique style and combination of insight, storytelling, experience, humor, authenticity, and epiphanies to audiences for years. He knows that real change begins when we’re engaged in learning and within our hearts are committed to creating a vision for future impact. Vernon is committed to a life of elevating others with a relentless focus on informing minds and touching hearts around the globe. 
You mentioned the power of purpose. Can you share your WHY?
All of us have a purpose to be here. Our why involves a plan for us to live out our purpose. I realized that being on earth is more than about me. My WHY is about elevating others. When I think of my WHY, I remember Zig Ziglar’s quote: 
You can have everything in life you want if
you will just help other people get what they want.



 ProTip: Point of Reflection
"Do I have clarity of who I am? Stop and really think about your identity.
Are you living someone else’s dreams or are you living yours?”




Scaling Leadership, Power of Mentoring
When you realize you are a content provider, you can connect the dots. If there is a major event in society, education, or something else, and someone has reached out to you, you have influence. If they ask you to help them understand, process, or unpack it, you have influence. 
John Maxwell quoted in his book, Five Levels of Leaderships,
if you have influence, you are a leader. If you have influence, you have power.



 ProTip: Building Authentic Connections
Leaders can build connections by asking the people they lead the
following question:
“What is it right now that you’re working on that you are absolutely passionate about?”




How can people connect with you on Social Media?
I have an established presence on Twitter and other social media (@TheWrightLeader across all platforms), and he unabashedly stands as a voice for the people with zero apologies (ZeroApologyZone.com).
The Wright Leader
Contact info
https://linktr.ee/thewrightleader 
@TheWrightLeader Across All Social Media Channels
ShapeTheWrightVision.com]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=39931Mon, 07 Mar 2022 13:56:44 +0000voicEd Radio           Vernon Wright is an entrepreneur, speaker, life coach, consultant, and leader. He has over 2 decades of experience in education working in large, urban school districts and has previously served in the roles of teacher, teacher leader,...Vernon Wright is an entrepreneur, speaker, life coach, consultant, and leader. He has over 2 decades of experience in education working in large, urban school districts and has previously served in the roles of teacher, teacher leader, campus leadership team member, and district-level support, and even impacted educators on a global scale. 
Vernon has brought his unique style and combination of insight, storytelling, experience, humor, authenticity, and epiphanies to audiences for years. He knows that real change begins when we’re engaged in learning and within our hearts are committed to creating a vision for future impact. Vernon is committed to a life of elevating others with a relentless focus on informing minds and touching hearts around the globe. 
You mentioned the power of purpose. Can you share your WHY?
All of us have a purpose to be here. Our why involves a plan for us to live out our purpose. I realized that being on earth is more than about me. My WHY is about elevating others. When I think of my WHY, I remember Zig Ziglar’s quote: 
You can have everything in life you want if
you will just help other people get what they want.



 ProTip: Point of Reflection
"Do I have clarity of who I am? Stop and really think about your identity.
Are you living someone else’s dreams or are you living yours?”




Scaling Leadership, Power of Mentoring
When you realize you are a content provider, you can connect the dots. If there is a major event in society, education, or something else, and someone has reached out to you, you have influence. If they ask you to help them understand, process, or unpack it, you have influence. 
John Maxwell quoted in his book, Five Levels of Leaderships,
if you have influence, you are a leader. If you have influence, you have power.



 ProTip: Building Authentic Connections
Leaders can build connections by asking the people they lead the
following question:
“What is it right now that you’re working on that you are absolutely passionate about?”




How can people connect with you on Social Media?
I have an established presence on Twitter and other social media (@TheWrightLeader across all platforms), and he unabashedly stands as a voice for the people with zero apologies (ZeroApologyZone.com).
The Wright Leader
Contact info
https://linktr.ee/thewrightleader 
@TheWrightLeader Across All Social Media Channels
ShapeTheWrightVision.com]]>2764falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-129-transform-education-by-making-learning-sticky-with-debbie-tannenbaum--48588278Debbie Tannenbaum is a School-Based Technology Specialist in Fairfax County, Virginia who is in her fourth year in this position and twenty-second year in education. She shares with me how much she loves learning as a speaker, coach, and author. Debbie is passionate about helping students and teachers use technology as a tool for creation to activate and amplify learning.
Your WHY – let’s talk about your passion for transforming learning
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be an educator. Not only do I love learning, but I love helping others learn. I was the one in front of the Raggedy Anne chalkboard, teaching my sister, her friends, cousins, and even some stuffed animals. My younger sister had a learning disability and I remember wanting to help her learn in better ways. Later in high school, I got involved in leading services at my synagogue for preschoolers and loved that too.  But when I discovered technology in my first year of teaching, that changed everything.

Why are you so passionate about integrating technology in the classroom?
I remember during my first year of teaching being exposed to the power of technology in the classroom. I was working with our school’s computer teacher and discovered Scholastic.com and the Trailblazer Hall of Fame. Students got an opportunity to nominate a famous African American to the Trailblazer Hall of Fame. As I introduced this activity to my students, magic happened. They were so excited about using the technology not only to learn but to share their ideas with an authentic audience.
A lot has changed in the past 20 plus years since that happened, but I continue to be amazed every day by the opportunities that technology provides our students. Technology offers both students and educators opportunities to learn that were not possible without this technology. I love helping both students and educators discover this and empowering them to use technology in transformative ways. As a lifelong learner, I love this stuff and there is always something new to learn. It is exciting and brings the world to our students.
Your Book “TRANSFORM- Techy Notes to Make Learning Sticky”
My book was published on my 46th birthday, isn’t that cool? 
TRANSFORM is an acronym and each letter of the word is one chapter in the book. This book is my story. It begins with my teacher's journey and tells how I began teaching behind closed doors, in a world of isolation, where teaching was truly a struggle at the beginning. Then, I share ways that we can revisit technology’s role in education and amplify learning using technology tools. Afterward,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=39654Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:00:40 +0000voicEd Radio           Debbie Tannenbaum is a School-Based Technology Specialist in Fairfax County, Virginia who is in her fourth year in this position and twenty-second year in education. She shares with me how much she loves learning as a speaker, coach, and...Debbie Tannenbaum is a School-Based Technology Specialist in Fairfax County, Virginia who is in her fourth year in this position and twenty-second year in education. She shares with me how much she loves learning as a speaker, coach, and author. Debbie is passionate about helping students and teachers use technology as a tool for creation to activate and amplify learning.
Your WHY – let’s talk about your passion for transforming learning
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be an educator. Not only do I love learning, but I love helping others learn. I was the one in front of the Raggedy Anne chalkboard, teaching my sister, her friends, cousins, and even some stuffed animals. My younger sister had a learning disability and I remember wanting to help her learn in better ways. Later in high school, I got involved in leading services at my synagogue for preschoolers and loved that too.  But when I discovered technology in my first year of teaching, that changed everything.

Why are you so passionate about integrating technology in the classroom?
I remember during my first year of teaching being exposed to the power of technology in the classroom. I was working with our school’s computer teacher and discovered Scholastic.com and the Trailblazer Hall of Fame. Students got an opportunity to nominate a famous African American to the Trailblazer Hall of Fame. As I introduced this activity to my students, magic happened. They were so excited about using the technology not only to learn but to share their ideas with an authentic audience.
A lot has changed in the past 20 plus years since that happened, but I continue to be amazed every day by the opportunities that technology provides our students. Technology offers both students and educators opportunities to learn that were not possible without this technology. I love helping both students and educators discover this and empowering them to use technology in transformative ways. As a lifelong learner, I love this stuff and there is always something new to learn. It is exciting and brings the world to our students.
Your Book “TRANSFORM- Techy Notes to Make Learning Sticky”
My book was published on my 46th birthday, isn’t that cool? 
TRANSFORM is an acronym and each letter of the word is one chapter in the book. This book is my story. It begins with my teacher's journey and tells how I began teaching behind closed doors, in a world of isolation, where teaching was truly a struggle at the beginning. Then, I share ways that we can revisit technology’s role in education and amplify learning using technology tools. Afterward,]]>2337falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-128-igniting-change-through-global-conversations-with-dr-walter-greason--48322598Dr. Walter Greason is a professor of history, chairing the department of history at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. His research has defined new areas of inquiry in history, education, urban planning, and economics. Most known for his work on the concept of Wakanda as it appeared in Marvel Studios’ film, Black Panther, Dr. Greason uses advanced technology to transform schools and communities around the world.
Your WHY: Core Value – People should be hungry for education
I am driven by a passion to ignite change.
I am an educator, a historian, an economist, and an urbanist all in one. For nearly 30 years, my unique interdisciplinary expertise and reach have connected millions of faculty, students, community leaders, and politicians to engage in global conversations about democracy, capitalism, and digital markets. These connections and conversations have sparked movements. They have initiated change. They have motivated people to take action. And I am continually encouraged by the progress we've made. 
The Wakanda Syllabus 
In 2003, Drexel University hosted a course on "Race and the Media." This course was the first in the nation to teach students about Christopher Priest's vision of the Marvel Comics character, Black Panther.
In 2007, this work expanded in conjunction with author and filmmaker, Reginald Hudlin, in defining the specifics of the character's nation and culture. In 2016, following the release of the blockbuster film, Captain America: Winter Soldier, international interest in the Black Panther surged. The African American Intellectual History Society featured Walter's column on "The Wakanda Syllabus" which brought two decades of artistic and intellectual work into a global discussion about black superheroes and science fiction. 
Over the next two years, hundreds of scholars expanded this discussion in anticipation of Marvel's Black Panther film. The global phenomenon was the definitive cinematic success of 2018, winning hundreds of major creative awards around the world. The first academic resource to explain the deep resonance of the moment was an edited collection compiled by noted scholars, Julian Chambliss and Dr. Walter Greason over the previous year. [2016: Introduction to the #WakandaSyllabus]
Researcher and Author

Dr. Walter Greason’s research focuses on the comparative, economic analysis of slavery, industrialization,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=39438Sun, 16 Jan 2022 15:45:07 +0000voicEd Radio          Dr. Walter Greason is a professor of history, chairing the department of history at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. His research has defined new areas of inquiry in history, education, urban planning, and economics. Most known for...Dr. Walter Greason is a professor of history, chairing the department of history at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. His research has defined new areas of inquiry in history, education, urban planning, and economics. Most known for his work on the concept of Wakanda as it appeared in Marvel Studios’ film, Black Panther, Dr. Greason uses advanced technology to transform schools and communities around the world.
Your WHY: Core Value – People should be hungry for education
I am driven by a passion to ignite change.
I am an educator, a historian, an economist, and an urbanist all in one. For nearly 30 years, my unique interdisciplinary expertise and reach have connected millions of faculty, students, community leaders, and politicians to engage in global conversations about democracy, capitalism, and digital markets. These connections and conversations have sparked movements. They have initiated change. They have motivated people to take action. And I am continually encouraged by the progress we've made. 
The Wakanda Syllabus 
In 2003, Drexel University hosted a course on "Race and the Media." This course was the first in the nation to teach students about Christopher Priest's vision of the Marvel Comics character, Black Panther.
In 2007, this work expanded in conjunction with author and filmmaker, Reginald Hudlin, in defining the specifics of the character's nation and culture. In 2016, following the release of the blockbuster film, Captain America: Winter Soldier, international interest in the Black Panther surged. The African American Intellectual History Society featured Walter's column on "The Wakanda Syllabus" which brought two decades of artistic and intellectual work into a global discussion about black superheroes and science fiction. 
Over the next two years, hundreds of scholars expanded this discussion in anticipation of Marvel's Black Panther film. The global phenomenon was the definitive cinematic success of 2018, winning hundreds of major creative awards around the world. The first academic resource to explain the deep resonance of the moment was an edited collection compiled by noted scholars, Julian Chambliss and Dr. Walter Greason over the previous year. [2016: Introduction to the #WakandaSyllabus]
Researcher and Author

Dr. Walter Greason’s research focuses on the comparative, economic analysis of slavery, industrialization,]]>2422falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-127-amplify-the-voices-of-all-students-with-hedreich-nichols--47761247Hedreich Nichols is an author, educator, and consultant helping educators and districts amplify the voices of all students. Hedreich’s YouTube series and podcast, SmallBites, further help campuses amplify student voices by focusing on equity in education. Between SmallBites and her work as a writer, Hedreich works to help educators create more culturally responsive classrooms and campuses. Her Cherry Lake trade titles "What is Antiracism?" and "What is the Black Lives Matter Movement?" provides teachers with materials to help students understand systemic inequities; and her upcoming Solution Tree title, Finding Your Blindspots, provides educators with guiding principles to help them create more inclusive, welcoming campuses for all students.
As a speaker at conferences like VASCD, MASCD, CUE, etc. Hedreich provides educators with inspiration and a safe space to move beyond conversations around race; giving them hands-on, research-based strategies that can be immediately implemented.
When not working, Hedreich plays Mom to @SwissChrisOnBass, godmother to her friend’s fur baby, and vegges out on Instagram puppy videos. Hedreich received her Master of Education in educational technology at Texas A&M University.

*****
Hedreich met me and my son, Andrew, at the Deeper Learning Conference in Louisville, Kentucky in August 2021. We had a wonderful time learning and playing together. Hedreich did an amazing keynote on the first day.  For this podcast, Hedreich added several stories about her life that I wanted to share with you here. 
Your family growing up
I grew up in the house with my mom, grandmom, and great grandmom. Ours was a house full of laughter, music, and a lot of stories. My great-grandmom and mom especially told the stories of their youth, of coming of age in a time that seemed very different from mine. “Mommie” was born before the turn of the 20th century and the stories she told were from a time when lynchings were a regular occurrence. She herself was a landowner who operated a small store with her husband, “Boss” who had played in the Negro leagues before Black athletes could play major league sports. She also learned never to look White people in the eye and to “stay in her place” unless she wanted to see her husband lynched or her home burned to the ground. Louisiana was not a safe place for people who looked like us. The stories she told of people living in, being freed from, or escaping enslavement were told to her first hand. Those were stories I heard snatches of while pretending not to “mind grown folks’ business”.
My grandmother, a child of the great depression, managed to survive and even study nursing at Xavier University at a time when many Black people could not access K12 education, much less college.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=38667Thu, 02 Dec 2021 21:36:17 +0000voicEd Radio          Hedreich Nichols is an author, educator, and consultant helping educators and districts amplify the voices of all students. Hedreich’s YouTube series and podcast, SmallBites, further help campuses amplify student voices by focusing on equity...Hedreich Nichols is an author, educator, and consultant helping educators and districts amplify the voices of all students. Hedreich’s YouTube series and podcast, SmallBites, further help campuses amplify student voices by focusing on equity in education. Between SmallBites and her work as a writer, Hedreich works to help educators create more culturally responsive classrooms and campuses. Her Cherry Lake trade titles "What is Antiracism?" and "What is the Black Lives Matter Movement?" provides teachers with materials to help students understand systemic inequities; and her upcoming Solution Tree title, Finding Your Blindspots, provides educators with guiding principles to help them create more inclusive, welcoming campuses for all students.
As a speaker at conferences like VASCD, MASCD, CUE, etc. Hedreich provides educators with inspiration and a safe space to move beyond conversations around race; giving them hands-on, research-based strategies that can be immediately implemented.
When not working, Hedreich plays Mom to @SwissChrisOnBass, godmother to her friend’s fur baby, and vegges out on Instagram puppy videos. Hedreich received her Master of Education in educational technology at Texas A&M University.

*****
Hedreich met me and my son, Andrew, at the Deeper Learning Conference in Louisville, Kentucky in August 2021. We had a wonderful time learning and playing together. Hedreich did an amazing keynote on the first day.  For this podcast, Hedreich added several stories about her life that I wanted to share with you here. 
Your family growing up
I grew up in the house with my mom, grandmom, and great grandmom. Ours was a house full of laughter, music, and a lot of stories. My great-grandmom and mom especially told the stories of their youth, of coming of age in a time that seemed very different from mine. “Mommie” was born before the turn of the 20th century and the stories she told were from a time when lynchings were a regular occurrence. She herself was a landowner who operated a small store with her husband, “Boss” who had played in the Negro leagues before Black athletes could play major league sports. She also learned never to look White people in the eye and to “stay in her place” unless she wanted to see her husband lynched or her home burned to the ground. Louisiana was not a safe place for people who looked like us. The stories she told of people living in, being freed from, or escaping enslavement were told to her first hand. Those were stories I heard snatches of while pretending not to “mind grown folks’ business”.
My grandmother, a child of the great depression, managed to survive and even study nursing at Xavier University at a time when many Black people could not access K12 education, much less college.]]>2770falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-18-why-teachers-are-leaving-now-helping-them-stay-with-rita-wirtz--47560897 
Cross-post from Teachers Packing Suitcases Filled With Dreams- Walking Out Classroom Doors.     Let’s Get Real. Episode #2
We are aware there are plenty of shortages at the moment including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria cooks, support staff. And add in a tremendous need for counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists. 
Do you see that happening? I hope so! What better use of funding than supporting our traumatized children and staff. Let’s also remember there are probably no classroom volunteers and likely a shortage of paras. That puts a huge burden on teachers.
And let’s consider administrators, the tough decisions being made by principals and superintendents. I thought I had a challenging situation, where I was, while Principal, but nothing like this. It’s also time to take a look at School Boards and their significant role in what happens. Hopefully, administrators and teachers are actively seeking out Board Members to share needs and requests. Better yet, I’d love to see educators running to be on School Boards, then we’ll really see changes in favor of what teachers know to be true. Their everyday action research is meaningful and powerful. Power and politics right now are run amok, in my opinion and I hope to see that change in the short term.
School Principals, Assistant principals. This is leadership where it really counts. How admirable watching these Captains right their ships with laser-like focus. It matters. Leadership right now, in this defining moment puts us on the cusp of a brave new educational world, future is now, really. It’s imperative that school leadership is shared, with teachers’ opinions counting. If there was ever a time for autonomy, it’s right now. I recognize teachers can’t take on one more thing, but having a voice in what happens at school is worth that effort.
And Tik Tok Trends, Unlawful and Dangerous, to Deal With. 
After I finished my draft of this article, I caught a really sickening article in my newsfeed. Written by Alia Wong, in USA Today: Her headline is ‘Devious licks’ asks students to’ smack a staff member.’ "The nation’s teachers are feeling burnt out.”
“Educators across the country are already overwhelmed with the chaos that is teaching during a pandemic. As if that weren’t enough, now they’re contending with a different kind of chaos: a TikTok trend that encourages students to cause havoc on campus. This month, that havoc could reach a new level, resulting in physical violence against teachers and other school employees. And the prospect has already-demoralized educators increasingly worried about the sustainability of their profession as it stands.” 
In September, its inaugural month,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=38555Fri, 19 Nov 2021 17:06:24 +0000voicEd Radio             Cross-post from Teachers Packing Suitcases Filled With Dreams- Walking Out Classroom Doors.     Let’s Get Real. Episode #2 We are aware there are plenty of shortages at the moment including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria cooks, support... 
Cross-post from Teachers Packing Suitcases Filled With Dreams- Walking Out Classroom Doors.     Let’s Get Real. Episode #2
We are aware there are plenty of shortages at the moment including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria cooks, support staff. And add in a tremendous need for counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists. 
Do you see that happening? I hope so! What better use of funding than supporting our traumatized children and staff. Let’s also remember there are probably no classroom volunteers and likely a shortage of paras. That puts a huge burden on teachers.
And let’s consider administrators, the tough decisions being made by principals and superintendents. I thought I had a challenging situation, where I was, while Principal, but nothing like this. It’s also time to take a look at School Boards and their significant role in what happens. Hopefully, administrators and teachers are actively seeking out Board Members to share needs and requests. Better yet, I’d love to see educators running to be on School Boards, then we’ll really see changes in favor of what teachers know to be true. Their everyday action research is meaningful and powerful. Power and politics right now are run amok, in my opinion and I hope to see that change in the short term.
School Principals, Assistant principals. This is leadership where it really counts. How admirable watching these Captains right their ships with laser-like focus. It matters. Leadership right now, in this defining moment puts us on the cusp of a brave new educational world, future is now, really. It’s imperative that school leadership is shared, with teachers’ opinions counting. If there was ever a time for autonomy, it’s right now. I recognize teachers can’t take on one more thing, but having a voice in what happens at school is worth that effort.
And Tik Tok Trends, Unlawful and Dangerous, to Deal With. 
After I finished my draft of this article, I caught a really sickening article in my newsfeed. Written by Alia Wong, in USA Today: Her headline is ‘Devious licks’ asks students to’ smack a staff member.’ "The nation’s teachers are feeling burnt out.”
“Educators across the country are already overwhelmed with the chaos that is teaching during a pandemic. As if that weren’t enough, now they’re contending with a different kind of chaos: a TikTok trend that encourages students to cause havoc on campus. This month, that havoc could reach a new level, resulting in physical violence against teachers and other school employees. And the prospect has already-demoralized educators increasingly worried about the sustainability of their profession as it stands.” 
In September, its inaugural month,]]>2521falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-126-helping-students-feel-safe-seen-and-stretched-with-julie-schmidt-hasson--47374571Dr. Julie Schmidt Hasson is a professor teaching graduate courses in educational leadership, a researcher, and a teacher advocate who researched the ways teachers influence students’ lives. She interviewed hundreds of people about the teachers they remember. This research became the Chalk and Chances project with what those stories mean for teachers, and the information and inspiration that educators need in her upcoming book, “Safe, See, and Stretched in the Classroom.”  
Background and where you grew up
I grew up in Central Florida. My mother and grandmother were both teachers, and I loved playing school as a kid. I earned my bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, where I met my husband, Brian. We were married in 1990 and have two children, Connor and Cailin. I spent twenty-five years as an elementary school teacher, assistant principal, and principal.  While working in school administration, I earned my doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of South Florida. In 2015, I left my principal position to become a professor at my alma mater, Florida Southern College. In 2020, I accepted a faculty position at Appalachian State University and moved to Boone, North Carolina.
What it was like for you as a student and how your 1st-grade teacher, Mrs. Russell impacted you
I was a highly anxious kid. I struggled with dyslexia and was terrified to walk into my first-grade classroom. I just knew I wasn’t ready for first grade. Lucky for me, I ended up in Nancy Russell’s class. Because of her patience, persistence, and creativity, I learned to love reading. I know that if my teacher had shown frustration instead of patience, I would have seen myself differently as a learner. Because of Mrs. Russell,  I grew to love school. So much so that I became a teacher, just like her. After fifteen years in the classroom, I  became a principal. And Mrs. Russell was on the faculty of the school I led. I got to spend three years reconnecting with my first-grade teacher.

When my beloved first-grade teacher retired in 2015, I reflected on the impact she made on my life. Everything I achieved was built on the foundation Mrs. Russell laid, and I wondered if everyone had a Mrs. Russell. As a new professor, I needed to choose a research focus. I decided to investigate what teachers (like Mrs. Russell) said and did to make a lasting impact on students’ lives.
Your Family
As a child, I spent many hours helping my mother prepare her classroom. She was passionate about teaching and believed it was her calling. She taught many of my friends, and so, I saw the impact she made. My daughter, Cailin, is so much like my mom. She is the perfect mix of soft and strong. Cailin is now in her third year as a third-grade teacher. I love seeing teaching through the eyes of a young teacher. 

Your journey as a teacher, principal, professor
I spent fifteen years teaching in the primary grades. I loved being able to teach through thematic units and projects. I earned National Board Certification and served as a mentor. I left the classroom to become an assistant principal and principal,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=38270Mon, 08 Nov 2021 15:57:48 +0000voicEd Radio         Dr. Julie Schmidt Hasson is a professor teaching graduate courses in educational leadership, a researcher, and a teacher advocate who researched the ways teachers influence students’ lives. She interviewed hundreds of people about the...Dr. Julie Schmidt Hasson is a professor teaching graduate courses in educational leadership, a researcher, and a teacher advocate who researched the ways teachers influence students’ lives. She interviewed hundreds of people about the teachers they remember. This research became the Chalk and Chances project with what those stories mean for teachers, and the information and inspiration that educators need in her upcoming book, “Safe, See, and Stretched in the Classroom.”  
Background and where you grew up
I grew up in Central Florida. My mother and grandmother were both teachers, and I loved playing school as a kid. I earned my bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, where I met my husband, Brian. We were married in 1990 and have two children, Connor and Cailin. I spent twenty-five years as an elementary school teacher, assistant principal, and principal.  While working in school administration, I earned my doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of South Florida. In 2015, I left my principal position to become a professor at my alma mater, Florida Southern College. In 2020, I accepted a faculty position at Appalachian State University and moved to Boone, North Carolina.
What it was like for you as a student and how your 1st-grade teacher, Mrs. Russell impacted you
I was a highly anxious kid. I struggled with dyslexia and was terrified to walk into my first-grade classroom. I just knew I wasn’t ready for first grade. Lucky for me, I ended up in Nancy Russell’s class. Because of her patience, persistence, and creativity, I learned to love reading. I know that if my teacher had shown frustration instead of patience, I would have seen myself differently as a learner. Because of Mrs. Russell,  I grew to love school. So much so that I became a teacher, just like her. After fifteen years in the classroom, I  became a principal. And Mrs. Russell was on the faculty of the school I led. I got to spend three years reconnecting with my first-grade teacher.

When my beloved first-grade teacher retired in 2015, I reflected on the impact she made on my life. Everything I achieved was built on the foundation Mrs. Russell laid, and I wondered if everyone had a Mrs. Russell. As a new professor, I needed to choose a research focus. I decided to investigate what teachers (like Mrs. Russell) said and did to make a lasting impact on students’ lives.
Your Family
As a child, I spent many hours helping my mother prepare her classroom. She was passionate about teaching and believed it was her calling. She taught many of my friends, and so, I saw the impact she made. My daughter, Cailin, is so much like my mom. She is the perfect mix of soft and strong. Cailin is now in her third year as a third-grade teacher. I love seeing teaching through the eyes of a young teacher. 

Your journey as a teacher, principal, professor
I spent fifteen years teaching in the primary grades. I loved being able to teach through thematic units and projects. I earned National Board Certification and served as a mentor. I left the classroom to become an assistant principal and principal,]]>2571falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-125-growing-empathy-so-we-connect-more-deeply-with-joshua-freedman--47034200Joshua Freedman is a specialist on emotional intelligence, an author, and the Chief Executive Officer of Six Seconds, a non-profit dedicated to emotional intelligence (EQ). He co-developed EQ assessments and published a number of books and articles on the topic, creating an international network of consultants and coaches. In our conversation, Josh shared three inspiring stories that impacted his journey. 
Your Background
I was born in Berkeley, California in 1967 and attended the Head-Royce School in Oakland. After a stint at the University of Toronto, I graduated from the World Arts and Culture program at UCLA and went on to work at the Nueva Learning Center in California in the early 1990s. While there, I worked with the emotional intelligence-focused "Self-Science" curriculum developed at the school. The curriculum was featured in Daniel Goleman's 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, which helped explain why EQ is important; but we got a lot of questions about HOW people can grow and use emotional intelligence. So, in 1997, I cofounded Six Seconds to answer that question.
What is Six Seconds?

Six Seconds is the global emotional intelligence community at 6seconds.org. We're working in over 200 countries & territories bringing a practical, measurable approach to increase value with emotional intelligence. From leadership & team development programs at places like FedEx, Qatar Airways, UN, US Navy, Microsoft, HSBC… to wellbeing programs at universities… to social-emotional learning initiatives in partnership with UNICEF World Children's Day.
What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
The @6s_EQ Model of Emotional Intelligence is a cycle … every spin of the wheel is a new practice. How do you develop people's EQ? How do I start understanding, using, and growing my #EmotionalIntelligence?
3 Steps to Emotional Intelligence
What is the Free Emotional Intelligence Test
https://www.6seconds.org/freetest/ 
Why have global levels of EQ dropped during 2020
https://www.6seconds.org/2021/06/23/pandemic-emotional-intelligence/ 
UNICEF World Children's Day and 6 Seconds Partnership
In partnership with UNICEF World Children’s Day, POP-UP Festival is celebrated in 200+ countries by sharing free, playful, meaningful activities to help kids grow their emotional intelligence and take action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are Mini-Popup kits to get started here, or sign up to get the full curriculum: https://6sec.org/popup/join]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=37424Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:51:16 +0000voicEd Radio              Joshua Freedman is a specialist on emotional intelligence, an author, and the Chief Executive Officer of Six Seconds, a non-profit dedicated to emotional intelligence (EQ). He co-developed EQ assessments and published a number of books...Joshua Freedman is a specialist on emotional intelligence, an author, and the Chief Executive Officer of Six Seconds, a non-profit dedicated to emotional intelligence (EQ). He co-developed EQ assessments and published a number of books and articles on the topic, creating an international network of consultants and coaches. In our conversation, Josh shared three inspiring stories that impacted his journey. 
Your Background
I was born in Berkeley, California in 1967 and attended the Head-Royce School in Oakland. After a stint at the University of Toronto, I graduated from the World Arts and Culture program at UCLA and went on to work at the Nueva Learning Center in California in the early 1990s. While there, I worked with the emotional intelligence-focused "Self-Science" curriculum developed at the school. The curriculum was featured in Daniel Goleman's 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, which helped explain why EQ is important; but we got a lot of questions about HOW people can grow and use emotional intelligence. So, in 1997, I cofounded Six Seconds to answer that question.
What is Six Seconds?

Six Seconds is the global emotional intelligence community at 6seconds.org. We're working in over 200 countries & territories bringing a practical, measurable approach to increase value with emotional intelligence. From leadership & team development programs at places like FedEx, Qatar Airways, UN, US Navy, Microsoft, HSBC… to wellbeing programs at universities… to social-emotional learning initiatives in partnership with UNICEF World Children's Day.
What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
The @6s_EQ Model of Emotional Intelligence is a cycle … every spin of the wheel is a new practice. How do you develop people's EQ? How do I start understanding, using, and growing my #EmotionalIntelligence?
3 Steps to Emotional Intelligence
What is the Free Emotional Intelligence Test
https://www.6seconds.org/freetest/ 
Why have global levels of EQ dropped during 2020
https://www.6seconds.org/2021/06/23/pandemic-emotional-intelligence/ 
UNICEF World Children's Day and 6 Seconds Partnership
In partnership with UNICEF World Children’s Day, POP-UP Festival is celebrated in 200+ countries by sharing free, playful, meaningful activities to help kids grow their emotional intelligence and take action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are Mini-Popup kits to get started here, or sign up to get the full curriculum: https://6sec.org/popup/join]]>2750falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-124-touch-the-heart-before-you-can-reach-the-brain-with-hal-roberts--46759392Hal Roberts has had an amazing journey as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and educational consultant. He focuses on leadership and the relationship with wine. Yes, I said, wine. Hal is the author of Make Waves! and started Safe Harbor Academy as a school for kids with incarcerated parents. 
Background, where you grew up
Born and raised in Dallas, I was the baby of three, one brother who was very intelligent, one sister. My mom would tell you I was the favorite. I was a very average student, but a strict rule follower…maybe a few classes, I was the teacher's pet.
Your Family

Above is the group picture of my family on Thanksgiving 2019. I am married to my beautiful wife, Susan, who is an AVID consultant. We have two grown daughters. My older daughter, Colleen is Vice President of Proactivate, a search firm for C-suite candidates. She has two kids, Tatum and Bryson. My younger daughter, Emily is a teacher in Brownsboro ISD. She has two sons, Drew and Kyle.
My wife and I are currently serving in the Re|Engage ministry in Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, Texas. It is a marriage ministry to enhance, improve, repair, or heal any marriage regardless of where it is on the marriage journey.
Your journey as an educator
In 1974, I played for the St. Louis Cardinals. After I was placed on waivers in the NFL, I began my teaching/coaching career. I began as 7th-grade health, history teacher, and coach.
My goal was to coach in college one day. I quickly moved to varsity football assistant, eventually obtaining an Athletic Director position/head football. In Texas, it is all about winning, and I didn’t win enough so, after 20 years of coaching and teaching a wide variety of subjects, I got my first campus administrative job as principal in a 3-5 grade campus…it was me and 33 women! I will not add anything to that.
I then served as HS principal in two districts, then moving to an Asst. Supt. and finally superintendent in a small k-8 district with approximately 350 students. The board wanted a high school so we created/built a High School. When I left/retired from the district we were K-12 with over 750 students with a new high school. That was a dream come true in building/creating a school. 
Below is the video of my presentation at the National Title 1 conference in Long Beach, CA. The presentation is entitled “The Neurocardiologist Teacher/Leader” It focuses on brain-friendly teaching strategies and keeping students engaged.
Author: Make Waves!
Make Waves! is all about leadership with the foundation of service, trust, integrity, humility, and of course building relationships. I tell people it took me about three years to write, six months to type it, put it on paper, and save it on my computer. I signed a contract with EduMatch Publishing for my book Make Waves!  The quote in this image is in my book and in one of my presentations talking about leadership. In short, the life of the leader is on the other side of the desk.

Story of Safe Harbor]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=37236Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:12:39 +0000voicEd Radio              Hal Roberts has had an amazing journey as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and educational consultant. He focuses on leadership and the relationship with wine. Yes, I said, wine. Hal is the author of Make Waves! and started Safe...Hal Roberts has had an amazing journey as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and educational consultant. He focuses on leadership and the relationship with wine. Yes, I said, wine. Hal is the author of Make Waves! and started Safe Harbor Academy as a school for kids with incarcerated parents. 
Background, where you grew up
Born and raised in Dallas, I was the baby of three, one brother who was very intelligent, one sister. My mom would tell you I was the favorite. I was a very average student, but a strict rule follower…maybe a few classes, I was the teacher's pet.
Your Family

Above is the group picture of my family on Thanksgiving 2019. I am married to my beautiful wife, Susan, who is an AVID consultant. We have two grown daughters. My older daughter, Colleen is Vice President of Proactivate, a search firm for C-suite candidates. She has two kids, Tatum and Bryson. My younger daughter, Emily is a teacher in Brownsboro ISD. She has two sons, Drew and Kyle.
My wife and I are currently serving in the Re|Engage ministry in Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, Texas. It is a marriage ministry to enhance, improve, repair, or heal any marriage regardless of where it is on the marriage journey.
Your journey as an educator
In 1974, I played for the St. Louis Cardinals. After I was placed on waivers in the NFL, I began my teaching/coaching career. I began as 7th-grade health, history teacher, and coach.
My goal was to coach in college one day. I quickly moved to varsity football assistant, eventually obtaining an Athletic Director position/head football. In Texas, it is all about winning, and I didn’t win enough so, after 20 years of coaching and teaching a wide variety of subjects, I got my first campus administrative job as principal in a 3-5 grade campus…it was me and 33 women! I will not add anything to that.
I then served as HS principal in two districts, then moving to an Asst. Supt. and finally superintendent in a small k-8 district with approximately 350 students. The board wanted a high school so we created/built a High School. When I left/retired from the district we were K-12 with over 750 students with a new high school. That was a dream come true in building/creating a school. 
Below is the video of my presentation at the National Title 1 conference in Long Beach, CA. The presentation is entitled “The Neurocardiologist Teacher/Leader” It focuses on brain-friendly teaching strategies and keeping students engaged.
Author: Make Waves!
Make Waves! is all about leadership with the foundation of service, trust, integrity, humility, and of course building relationships. I tell people it took me about three years to write, six months to type it, put it on paper, and save it on my computer. I signed a contract with EduMatch Publishing for my book Make Waves!  The quote in this image is in my book and in one of my presentations talking about leadership. In short, the life of the leader is on the other side of the desk.

Story of Safe Harbor]]>2695falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-123-empathy-as-our-superpower-with-naomi-toland--46643627Naomi Toland has spent the last 6 years teaching in different countries and researching a variety of areas such as nutrition, neuroscience, and psychology through the lens of education which she shares on her Empathetic Educators platform. She believes these topics help us communicate, challenge ourselves, collaborate, and better understand ways to look after our wellbeing as well as supporting the wellbeing of others.  
Your Background
Naomi Toland is originally from Derry in Ireland but she hasn’t lived on the Emerald Isle for nearly 10 years. One of Naomi’s passions is traveling as she believes it challenges her perspectives on life and opens her eyes to how she and others see the world. Growing up in Ireland, Naomi spent every Summer traveling and exploring her beautiful homeland with her family and believes these experiences ignited her love of going on adventures off the beaten path to what the world has to offer.

Your Journey as a Teacher
I am one of those teachers who used to play school with my teddies and (politely) force my siblings to look at the blackboard so I could get them to practice their spellings. So I would say teaching has always been in my bones. 
When I left school I went straight to university to train in Early Primary Education and I have loved teaching across the Primary sector from ages 1-13 years old in a variety of places.
Initially, I spent my first 3 years teaching in Hackney, London where I loved working with a multicultural community in an inner-city London school. I feel very grateful to have had this experience in my foundational years as a teacher, as it exposed me to the need for empathy, understanding, and connection. During this time, I took on the role of Arts Coordinator and feel this has had a huge impact on developing my interest in the importance of arts in the classroom. I was responsible for creating opportunities to support teachers and parents, helping them weave the arts curriculum into their lessons and home. This shifted my own mindset of what was and is possible to help to learn come to life.

Before moving to my next destination, I spent 3 months traveling and teaching in South America, at one point volunteering at a nature reserve in Costa Rica (Reserva Tortuga) where my partner and I would go on daily missions to look after a variety of animals. This included nightly patrols to preserve turtle eggs from poachers, teaching children about sustainability and safety, crocodile tagging, and snake walks. This was my first time in a country where I did not speak the language and loved learning from the people I met along the way! 

I spent the next 3 years teaching in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand for me is a home away from home because of the fabulous people and beautiful nature I get to surround myself with. I loved working at Stonefields School and with the Manaiakalani Community which again pushed my idea of what learning environments and systems could look like. Stonefields is an Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) where I developed my awareness of co-teaching, working with 2 or 3 teachers in the one space with 60 – 80 learners all learning with and from each other.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=37165Wed, 22 Sep 2021 23:41:10 +0000voicEd Radio              Naomi Toland has spent the last 6 years teaching in different countries and researching a variety of areas such as nutrition, neuroscience, and psychology through the lens of education which she shares on her Empathetic Educators...Naomi Toland has spent the last 6 years teaching in different countries and researching a variety of areas such as nutrition, neuroscience, and psychology through the lens of education which she shares on her Empathetic Educators platform. She believes these topics help us communicate, challenge ourselves, collaborate, and better understand ways to look after our wellbeing as well as supporting the wellbeing of others.  
Your Background
Naomi Toland is originally from Derry in Ireland but she hasn’t lived on the Emerald Isle for nearly 10 years. One of Naomi’s passions is traveling as she believes it challenges her perspectives on life and opens her eyes to how she and others see the world. Growing up in Ireland, Naomi spent every Summer traveling and exploring her beautiful homeland with her family and believes these experiences ignited her love of going on adventures off the beaten path to what the world has to offer.

Your Journey as a Teacher
I am one of those teachers who used to play school with my teddies and (politely) force my siblings to look at the blackboard so I could get them to practice their spellings. So I would say teaching has always been in my bones. 
When I left school I went straight to university to train in Early Primary Education and I have loved teaching across the Primary sector from ages 1-13 years old in a variety of places.
Initially, I spent my first 3 years teaching in Hackney, London where I loved working with a multicultural community in an inner-city London school. I feel very grateful to have had this experience in my foundational years as a teacher, as it exposed me to the need for empathy, understanding, and connection. During this time, I took on the role of Arts Coordinator and feel this has had a huge impact on developing my interest in the importance of arts in the classroom. I was responsible for creating opportunities to support teachers and parents, helping them weave the arts curriculum into their lessons and home. This shifted my own mindset of what was and is possible to help to learn come to life.

Before moving to my next destination, I spent 3 months traveling and teaching in South America, at one point volunteering at a nature reserve in Costa Rica (Reserva Tortuga) where my partner and I would go on daily missions to look after a variety of animals. This included nightly patrols to preserve turtle eggs from poachers, teaching children about sustainability and safety, crocodile tagging, and snake walks. This was my first time in a country where I did not speak the language and loved learning from the people I met along the way! 

I spent the next 3 years teaching in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand for me is a home away from home because of the fabulous people and beautiful nature I get to surround myself with. I loved working at Stonefields School and with the Manaiakalani Community which again pushed my idea of what learning environments and systems could look like. Stonefields is an Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) where I developed my awareness of co-teaching, working with 2 or 3 teachers in the one space with 60 – 80 learners all learning with and from each other.]]>2365falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-17-becoming-the-mentor-kids-deserve-with-noa-daniel--46461551Noa Daniel is a part-time classroom teacher outside Toronto Ontario Canada. She’s a consultant and Chief Building Officer at Building Outside the Blocks, she’s the co-founder and executive director of The Mentoree, she hosts the weekly OnEdMentors Podcast on voicEd Radio. Noa is a TEDx and keynote speaker, a director on the board of Learning Forward Ontario, and the author of the newly released children’s book Strum and The Wild Turkeys.
How have things changed since we first recorded 4 years ago in 2017? 
Since we recorded 4 years ago, I have upskilled in terms of podcasting, writing, speaking, and presenting. When I listen back to my appearance on your show, I can’t believe how quickly I spoke and how much has changed. I continued to look back fondly on your appearance on The Personal Playlist Podcast. I loved that show, and even though I left on a high note, saying goodbye to all 159 guests continues to be hard for me. I have archived the shows on my website and some are still available on various platforms. If there is an educator you want to get to know, ask them about their nostalgia, identity and pick me up songs Better yet, ask your students through The Personal Playlist Project.
Why did you write Strum and The Wild Turkeys?
I was originally commissioned to write a book that told a story about a real event. I had turned it down because I was working on my TEDx Talk, but then the event date moved, and I took on the project. When I wrote the story, I realized there was so much in it for the classroom. I asked if I could send it to a publisher, and the only place that I wanted it to be was with EduMatch. Sarah said yes, and now I am part of the EduMatch family with you, Barbara. Here is the origin story.
What are the themes and why are they meaningful to you/reflect your WHY?
All of my work is about building skill, autonomy, community, and connection. It amazed me that there was so much of myself and my WHY is woven through the vividly illustrated pages of Strum and The Wild Turkeys. With themes of finding your voice, belonging, inclusion, and the transformational power of music, this book reflects everything I value as a teacher and all of the things I am tryin...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=37055Fri, 10 Sep 2021 14:47:06 +0000voicEd Radio              Noa Daniel is a part-time classroom teacher outside Toronto Ontario Canada. She’s a consultant and Chief Building Officer at Building Outside the Blocks, she’s the co-founder and executive director of The Mentoree, she hosts the weekly...Noa Daniel is a part-time classroom teacher outside Toronto Ontario Canada. She’s a consultant and Chief Building Officer at Building Outside the Blocks, she’s the co-founder and executive director of The Mentoree, she hosts the weekly OnEdMentors Podcast on voicEd Radio. Noa is a TEDx and keynote speaker, a director on the board of Learning Forward Ontario, and the author of the newly released children’s book Strum and The Wild Turkeys.
How have things changed since we first recorded 4 years ago in 2017? 
Since we recorded 4 years ago, I have upskilled in terms of podcasting, writing, speaking, and presenting. When I listen back to my appearance on your show, I can’t believe how quickly I spoke and how much has changed. I continued to look back fondly on your appearance on The Personal Playlist Podcast. I loved that show, and even though I left on a high note, saying goodbye to all 159 guests continues to be hard for me. I have archived the shows on my website and some are still available on various platforms. If there is an educator you want to get to know, ask them about their nostalgia, identity and pick me up songs Better yet, ask your students through The Personal Playlist Project.
Why did you write Strum and The Wild Turkeys?
I was originally commissioned to write a book that told a story about a real event. I had turned it down because I was working on my TEDx Talk, but then the event date moved, and I took on the project. When I wrote the story, I realized there was so much in it for the classroom. I asked if I could send it to a publisher, and the only place that I wanted it to be was with EduMatch. Sarah said yes, and now I am part of the EduMatch family with you, Barbara. Here is the origin story.
What are the themes and why are they meaningful to you/reflect your WHY?
All of my work is about building skill, autonomy, community, and connection. It amazed me that there was so much of myself and my WHY is woven through the vividly illustrated pages of Strum and The Wild Turkeys. With themes of finding your voice, belonging, inclusion, and the transformational power of music, this book reflects everything I value as a teacher and all of the things I am tryin...]]>1751falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-122-being-an-advocate-and-champion-for-equity-with-traci-browder--46448657Traci Browder, M.Ed. is a trailblazer in education inspiring and mentoring teachers and changing the lives of children for more than 17 years. Traci is known best for her innovative, out-of-the-box teaching style with a mixture of Montessori, gifted/talented, and special services all rolled into one classroom environment. Her Kindergarten classroom is a live learning lab in which teachers in her school district have come to observe her unique style of teaching as well as teachers on her campus.
Background, where you grew up
I grew up in what most people know as Dallas, Texas, but to be specific, I grew up in Oak Cliff. Oak Cliff has a rich history but is also on the lower end of equitable opportunities for growth, access to opportunities, healthy foods, and resources. Revitalization projects and initiatives are developing, but, an example to help you understand, the community just got its first Walmart a few years back and it closed a couple of years ago. No Walmart, no major grocers.
What it was like for you as a student
I have the most wonderful memories of life as a student. My mom was an extremely involved parent who everyone loved. The scroll was an extension of the family. Many of my teachers appreciated my creativity and giftedness and provided beautiful opportunities for me to thrive and excel. 
One teacher, my second-grade teacher, Mrs.Peters, missed the mark in the year she spent in control of my learning.  She wanted to retain me and said I struggled to read. My mom fought and refused her recommendation and explained that I had been reading since before I enrolled in school.
I am an analytical reader, I know now that I have ADD and ADHD, so my reading may have looked different. I was also later identified as a gifted student. Because of how fast things moved in my head, it was hard to focus on the text so I would -in my head- have to reread or read slower, but complete comprehension was there. In fact, by today’s standards, I would fail on fluency measures because I read better by covering most of the text on the page and still sometimes reread.  I was not retained, thrived in third grade, and by fourth grade, I was in gifted classes, then honors and AP classes in middle and high school.
Your Family 
My family. They are my WHY. My family is special. We eat dinner together every night, when I cook, my family is served – plates prepared beautifully with love and care. We are so very into each other, love to have fun, hang out, and many times do absolutely nothing – but do it together…those are the funniest times. My husband is the base of all dreams. He supports all of our wild and crazy, and I do mean all of it. He nurtures, fertilizes, and advises the desires of our hearts. 
My youngest son is exceptionally gifted, has a personality that is bigger than the planet…his quick wit will make smile turn to tears of laugher. He is also a kid with a big heart. His activism has been featured on news many times. Each year, he rallies and the entire city around a family who would not otherwise be able to afford the things that bring kids and families joy during the Christmas season.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=36879Sun, 29 Aug 2021 00:43:33 +0000voicEd Radio              Traci Browder, M.Ed. is a trailblazer in education inspiring and mentoring teachers and changing the lives of children for more than 17 years. Traci is known best for her innovative, out-of-the-box teaching style with a mixture of...Traci Browder, M.Ed. is a trailblazer in education inspiring and mentoring teachers and changing the lives of children for more than 17 years. Traci is known best for her innovative, out-of-the-box teaching style with a mixture of Montessori, gifted/talented, and special services all rolled into one classroom environment. Her Kindergarten classroom is a live learning lab in which teachers in her school district have come to observe her unique style of teaching as well as teachers on her campus.
Background, where you grew up
I grew up in what most people know as Dallas, Texas, but to be specific, I grew up in Oak Cliff. Oak Cliff has a rich history but is also on the lower end of equitable opportunities for growth, access to opportunities, healthy foods, and resources. Revitalization projects and initiatives are developing, but, an example to help you understand, the community just got its first Walmart a few years back and it closed a couple of years ago. No Walmart, no major grocers.
What it was like for you as a student
I have the most wonderful memories of life as a student. My mom was an extremely involved parent who everyone loved. The scroll was an extension of the family. Many of my teachers appreciated my creativity and giftedness and provided beautiful opportunities for me to thrive and excel. 
One teacher, my second-grade teacher, Mrs.Peters, missed the mark in the year she spent in control of my learning.  She wanted to retain me and said I struggled to read. My mom fought and refused her recommendation and explained that I had been reading since before I enrolled in school.
I am an analytical reader, I know now that I have ADD and ADHD, so my reading may have looked different. I was also later identified as a gifted student. Because of how fast things moved in my head, it was hard to focus on the text so I would -in my head- have to reread or read slower, but complete comprehension was there. In fact, by today’s standards, I would fail on fluency measures because I read better by covering most of the text on the page and still sometimes reread.  I was not retained, thrived in third grade, and by fourth grade, I was in gifted classes, then honors and AP classes in middle and high school.
Your Family 
My family. They are my WHY. My family is special. We eat dinner together every night, when I cook, my family is served – plates prepared beautifully with love and care. We are so very into each other, love to have fun, hang out, and many times do absolutely nothing – but do it together…those are the funniest times. My husband is the base of all dreams. He supports all of our wild and crazy, and I do mean all of it. He nurtures, fertilizes, and advises the desires of our hearts. 
My youngest son is exceptionally gifted, has a personality that is bigger than the planet…his quick wit will make smile turn to tears of laugher. He is also a kid with a big heart. His activism has been featured on news many times. Each year, he rallies and the entire city around a family who would not otherwise be able to afford the things that bring kids and families joy during the Christmas season.]]>3304falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-121-being-brave-even-in-uncertain-times-with-sean-arnold--46207266Sean Arnold has had a number of roles in his life from construction worker to actor to musician to salesman to a bartender to tv news crew and a number of things in between. He is also a special educator and STEM Coach who has taught in New York City’s District 75 citywide special needs program since 2005.
Background

I’m not originally from New York City. I was born on the south side of Chicago, but my family moved around a lot. I had been in 8 different schools by the time I was in third grade. It was difficult for someone who was fond of patterns and consistency. So while we moved to the suburbs at a point and even a rural farm eventually, I still felt like a city kid.
I grew up as a middle child with two energetic brothers. That led to multiple black eyes, a number of stitches, and countless bruises. But I think we generally had fun even if we were all very different. There was my daredevil older brother literally juggling knives and jumping off roofs, my sensitive younger brother rarely speaking and needing help in special education, and me-the responsible academic one and always the intermediary.
Despite our challenges, we bonded, perhaps due to our collectively diagnosed ADHD (which for me would later be adjusted to put me on the spectrum) or due to a variety of shared traumas. I won’t go into all the details as there were a number of them, some greater and some less. One interesting incident that falls somewhere in the middle of that hardship spectrum was when we were at home and our house caught fire. Gladly we knew what to do despite my parents being away because my mom was on duty as a firefighter that very night. I think her independence and strength in areas that were often stereotypically male have also led me to always seek strong women as many of my closest friends.
Ultimately, we left the city to go to my father’s hometown in rural Barry, Illinois when I was 14. Before that, we just visited in the summer where I was put to work bailing hay or slaughtering a pig. It was still a big culture shock though to me when we moved fully. But I think my having to adapt to a variety of social spaces is why I’ve always felt a duality to my nature. It has involved connections between urban and rural, athletic and artistic, quietly focused and explosively loud, introverted and outgoing, or masculine and feminine. And I guess that along with what friends describe as my eccentric nature, are what have made me feel capable of existing almost anywhere but comfortable almost nowhere. And so I’m always seeking to improve myself and the world around me perhaps in some deep need to find that comfort or meaning in the madness.
School

School always came fairly easily to me academically. The kind of monotonous tasks for taking tests or memorizing facts, which it seemed most of my education was for me, was right up my alley. The problem often was though that I would get finished with work quickly and then get in trouble for being disruptive. That happened a lot. I had some great teachers who gave me sketchbooks I could use when I finished or engaged me in ongoing tasks.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=36881Mon, 23 Aug 2021 17:12:48 +0000voicEd Radio              Sean Arnold has had a number of roles in his life from construction worker to actor to musician to salesman to a bartender to tv news crew and a number of things in between. He is also a special educator and STEM Coach who has taught in...Sean Arnold has had a number of roles in his life from construction worker to actor to musician to salesman to a bartender to tv news crew and a number of things in between. He is also a special educator and STEM Coach who has taught in New York City’s District 75 citywide special needs program since 2005.
Background

I’m not originally from New York City. I was born on the south side of Chicago, but my family moved around a lot. I had been in 8 different schools by the time I was in third grade. It was difficult for someone who was fond of patterns and consistency. So while we moved to the suburbs at a point and even a rural farm eventually, I still felt like a city kid.
I grew up as a middle child with two energetic brothers. That led to multiple black eyes, a number of stitches, and countless bruises. But I think we generally had fun even if we were all very different. There was my daredevil older brother literally juggling knives and jumping off roofs, my sensitive younger brother rarely speaking and needing help in special education, and me-the responsible academic one and always the intermediary.
Despite our challenges, we bonded, perhaps due to our collectively diagnosed ADHD (which for me would later be adjusted to put me on the spectrum) or due to a variety of shared traumas. I won’t go into all the details as there were a number of them, some greater and some less. One interesting incident that falls somewhere in the middle of that hardship spectrum was when we were at home and our house caught fire. Gladly we knew what to do despite my parents being away because my mom was on duty as a firefighter that very night. I think her independence and strength in areas that were often stereotypically male have also led me to always seek strong women as many of my closest friends.
Ultimately, we left the city to go to my father’s hometown in rural Barry, Illinois when I was 14. Before that, we just visited in the summer where I was put to work bailing hay or slaughtering a pig. It was still a big culture shock though to me when we moved fully. But I think my having to adapt to a variety of social spaces is why I’ve always felt a duality to my nature. It has involved connections between urban and rural, athletic and artistic, quietly focused and explosively loud, introverted and outgoing, or masculine and feminine. And I guess that along with what friends describe as my eccentric nature, are what have made me feel capable of existing almost anywhere but comfortable almost nowhere. And so I’m always seeking to improve myself and the world around me perhaps in some deep need to find that comfort or meaning in the madness.
School

School always came fairly easily to me academically. The kind of monotonous tasks for taking tests or memorizing facts, which it seemed most of my education was for me, was right up my alley. The problem often was though that I would get finished with work quickly and then get in trouble for being disruptive. That happened a lot. I had some great teachers who gave me sketchbooks I could use when I finished or engaged me in ongoing tasks.]]>2882falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-120-many-gifts-to-discover-with-livia-chan--45926107Growing up and what it was like as a student
I grew up in a relatively stable working-class community with a mix of Asians, Italians, and other cultures represented so there wasn’t much transiency in our population from K-12. I enjoyed going to school and loved learning new things. I was always active so I would often be found in the gym participating in lunch hour sports activities or after school practices (basketball and badminton). In high school, I also joined a number of clubs so by graduation, I had a lot of service points accumulated. 
As an adult, I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree with a Criminology major and Psychology minor at our local university, Simon Fraser University (where my son attends now). Once I discovered that I was called to be an educator, I returned to complete my teaching degree. A few years later, I pursued my Masters degree at the other local campus, the University of British Columbia (where my daughter will be attending in the fall of 2021). 
I absolutely LOVE to learn. Even though I left formal schooling, I have not stopped learning as still see myself as a student.   
Why family matters
I am the mother of two wonderful children, MJ and Saralynn (aged 19 and 17). I am proud of who they are as young adults because of their heart, their passion for things they love, their gratitude, and kindness. They’re pretty cool to hang out with too! 

Besides my own family, I am the oldest with two younger brothers. They both have amazing wives with two equally amazing children each. Our family is really close. We enjoy vacations together. My loving parents live in our basement suite so our house is like a hub for visits, family dinners, and parties. 
With all of my heart, I adore and love my family so so much. I feel blessed and so grateful every day. My grandma lived with us since I was six months old. She was our caretaker because my parents worked at our family restaurant every day. She hasn’t been with us for over 20 years but the feelings of unconditional love started with her and I still miss her dearly. My parents carry on her legacy and so does the rest of my family. They teach me about unconditional love every day.
Your WHY in becoming a teacher  (Blog)
I didn’t know I wanted to be a teacher until my late 20’s. The thought crossed my mind because people and clues in my life pointed me in that direction. I needed to know that it was the right path to take so I started working part-time to volunteer two full days a week. Once I stepped foot in the classrooms and started working with kids, it just felt right. There was a different kind of joy I have never felt in a job before. I knew it that first day. I was meant to be a teacher.
Serving on the District Staff Development Team in Learning Technologies
Nine years ago, I had the great opportunity to work on our Staff Development Team. After serving six years, I returned to the classroom because I was surplus due to budget constraints. So three years ago, I taught in a unique grade 1/2 classroom with two teachers because of a larger class size than allowed as per our contract. The following year, I moved back to a school I was at before to teach grade 3/4 because I wanted an opportunity to work with intermediates. Last year, I moved yet again to become a new Head Teacher where I also taught grade 5. I’ve been so blessed with amazing school communities, students,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=36524Sun, 01 Aug 2021 15:57:43 +0000voicEd RadioLivia Chan’s true calling was to be a classroom teacher. Her journey led her to serve on the District Staff Development Team in Learning Technologies and recently returned back to the classroom as the Head Teacher at Burnaby School District – SD41 in...Growing up and what it was like as a student
I grew up in a relatively stable working-class community with a mix of Asians, Italians, and other cultures represented so there wasn’t much transiency in our population from K-12. I enjoyed going to school and loved learning new things. I was always active so I would often be found in the gym participating in lunch hour sports activities or after school practices (basketball and badminton). In high school, I also joined a number of clubs so by graduation, I had a lot of service points accumulated. 
As an adult, I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree with a Criminology major and Psychology minor at our local university, Simon Fraser University (where my son attends now). Once I discovered that I was called to be an educator, I returned to complete my teaching degree. A few years later, I pursued my Masters degree at the other local campus, the University of British Columbia (where my daughter will be attending in the fall of 2021). 
I absolutely LOVE to learn. Even though I left formal schooling, I have not stopped learning as still see myself as a student.   
Why family matters
I am the mother of two wonderful children, MJ and Saralynn (aged 19 and 17). I am proud of who they are as young adults because of their heart, their passion for things they love, their gratitude, and kindness. They’re pretty cool to hang out with too! 

Besides my own family, I am the oldest with two younger brothers. They both have amazing wives with two equally amazing children each. Our family is really close. We enjoy vacations together. My loving parents live in our basement suite so our house is like a hub for visits, family dinners, and parties. 
With all of my heart, I adore and love my family so so much. I feel blessed and so grateful every day. My grandma lived with us since I was six months old. She was our caretaker because my parents worked at our family restaurant every day. She hasn’t been with us for over 20 years but the feelings of unconditional love started with her and I still miss her dearly. My parents carry on her legacy and so does the rest of my family. They teach me about unconditional love every day.
Your WHY in becoming a teacher  (Blog)
I didn’t know I wanted to be a teacher until my late 20’s. The thought crossed my mind because people and clues in my life pointed me in that direction. I needed to know that it was the right path to take so I started working part-time to volunteer two full days a week. Once I stepped foot in the classrooms and started working with kids, it just felt right. There was a different kind of joy I have never felt in a job before. I knew it that first day. I was meant to be a teacher.
Serving on the District Staff Development Team in Learning Technologies
Nine years ago, I had the great opportunity to work on our Staff Development Team. After serving six years, I returned to the classroom because I was surplus due to budget constraints. So three years ago, I taught in a unique grade 1/2 classroom with two teachers because of a larger class size than allowed as per our contract. The following year, I moved back to a school I was at before to teach grade 3/4 because I wanted an opportunity to work with intermediates. Last year, I moved yet again to become a new Head Teacher where I also taught grade 5. I’ve been so blessed with amazing school communities, students,]]>2745falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-16-learning-from-every-interaction-and-opportunity-with-stephanie-rothstein--45649158Stephanie speaks at educational conferences around the world and was named CUE’s Teacher of the Year for 2021.  In her TedX Talk “My Year of Yes to Me” published on Ted.com, Stephanie explained why she needed to model the leaps we expect with these 4 points:

* Know your WHY
* Clear your Plate
* LEAP
* Cheering Section

Here's her family, her cheering section:

I asked Stephanie about the Design Thinking Pathway, Authentic PBL, and Real-World Connections
I have chaired a Design Thinking pathway for the last 10 years. It combines English-History-Science and focuses on authentic real-world experiences. Each project involves bringing in panelists. Examples: Person of Inspiration Unit (StoryCorps), Service Learning SDG Unit, Dream Job Unit. I am the co-founder of Global Google Educator Group (GEG) and co-leader of GEG Northern California. 
We talked about building Collaborative Teams and why she started CanWeTalkEDU
I started CanWeTalkEDU to support educators wanting to use Personality/Learning styles to better help them with staff, colleagues, and students. It helps provide insight on interaction, communication, collaboration, and honoring the strengths of one another, and learning and growing from them. I have implemented monthly challenges that help students and staff grow in Agency. 
Everywhere I look, I see your articles and love your blogs. How are you doing professional learning through writing?
For the last two years, I have written Articles, Blogs and have been a regular writer for Edutopia. I am excited to have a chapter coming out in the BecauseOfATeacher Book! The writing process has really helped me to process my own lessons learned. What I didn’t realize was that these lessons would impact others and once I became more open to sharing my voice through my writing, I became less timid to put it out there. 

Edutopia Articles:

* 4 Relationship-Building Strategies to Help Finish the School Year Strong
* 7 Tips for Breakout Room Success 
* Discover, Discuss, Demonstrate: Using Inquiry-Based Learning to Keep Students Engaged
* 3 Tech Tools for Distance Learning and Beyond
* 3 Lessons From Online Learning to Take Back to the Classroom
* A Project to Prompt Student Reflection

Stephanie's and Traci Browder's Collaborative Project
During Barbara's Dance Party on 12/28/20 to bring in 2021, we joined a breakout room to discuss pandemic teaching. That's when I met Traci and started talking about a ...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=36193Sat, 10 Jul 2021 14:47:54 +0000voicEd RadioStephanie Rothstein is an Educational Leader focused on making education more collaborative and less competitive. In her 18 plus years in education, Stephanie has taught grades 9-12 English, Yearbook, AVID and she chaired the LEAD Design Thinking...Stephanie speaks at educational conferences around the world and was named CUE’s Teacher of the Year for 2021.  In her TedX Talk “My Year of Yes to Me” published on Ted.com, Stephanie explained why she needed to model the leaps we expect with these 4 points:

* Know your WHY
* Clear your Plate
* LEAP
* Cheering Section

Here's her family, her cheering section:

I asked Stephanie about the Design Thinking Pathway, Authentic PBL, and Real-World Connections
I have chaired a Design Thinking pathway for the last 10 years. It combines English-History-Science and focuses on authentic real-world experiences. Each project involves bringing in panelists. Examples: Person of Inspiration Unit (StoryCorps), Service Learning SDG Unit, Dream Job Unit. I am the co-founder of Global Google Educator Group (GEG) and co-leader of GEG Northern California. 
We talked about building Collaborative Teams and why she started CanWeTalkEDU
I started CanWeTalkEDU to support educators wanting to use Personality/Learning styles to better help them with staff, colleagues, and students. It helps provide insight on interaction, communication, collaboration, and honoring the strengths of one another, and learning and growing from them. I have implemented monthly challenges that help students and staff grow in Agency. 
Everywhere I look, I see your articles and love your blogs. How are you doing professional learning through writing?
For the last two years, I have written Articles, Blogs and have been a regular writer for Edutopia. I am excited to have a chapter coming out in the BecauseOfATeacher Book! The writing process has really helped me to process my own lessons learned. What I didn’t realize was that these lessons would impact others and once I became more open to sharing my voice through my writing, I became less timid to put it out there. 

Edutopia Articles:

* 4 Relationship-Building Strategies to Help Finish the School Year Strong
* 7 Tips for Breakout Room Success 
* Discover, Discuss, Demonstrate: Using Inquiry-Based Learning to Keep Students Engaged
* 3 Tech Tools for Distance Learning and Beyond
* 3 Lessons From Online Learning to Take Back to the Classroom
* A Project to Prompt Student Reflection

Stephanie's and Traci Browder's Collaborative Project
During Barbara's Dance Party on 12/28/20 to bring in 2021, we joined a breakout room to discuss pandemic teaching. That's when I met Traci and started talking about a ...]]>2182falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-15-fostering-an-anti-racist-culture-with-dr-henry-turner--45331560With 15 years of experience as a high school administrator, Dr. Henry Turner is most proud of the collaborative environment and efforts he works to establish to empower students to fight hate and bigotry within their school community. Committed to preparing his students to flourish in an increasingly digital future, Turner has led two successful 1:1 laptop programs, on the premise that technology is a means to solve real-world problems, create equitable opportunities for all, and narrow economic and racial gaps. 
Dr. Turner proudly serves as principal at Newton North High School in Newton, MA.  He is dedicated to amplifying the culture and interests of North’s diverse community, one of the nation’s top large, comprehensive high schools. Dr. Turner has helped Newton North continue its focus on Social Justice by creating new courses such as Sustainability and Action through Literature as well as the Seals of Biliteracy, Civic Action and Social Justice which students can attain to be placed on their transcript. 
Recognized for his inclusive leadership style and dedication to student advocacy, Dr. Turner was named 2021 K12 Principal of the Year.  The award recognized his efforts to implement antiracist learning skills, incorporate culturally responsive instructional practices, and ensure the sustainability of these practices by addressing necessary structural and systematic changes to combat systemic racism. 
The story that impacted Dr. Turner's focus
Dr. Turner reflected with Barbara about the story of a group of students with confederate flags that happened in September 2016, two weeks after he had become principal of Newton North High School. 
Several articles about this incident:

Students unfurl Confederate flag near Newton North High
Newton North High School: Talking To Students When A Symbol Of Racial Hatred Is Unfurled Close To Home
Students Wave Confederate Flag at Newton North High School
Newton Students Wave Confederate Flag – NECN

Newton North is a Comprehensive High School–Design and Visual Communications program created Public Art Project, which is a part of the Career Technical Education (CTE) Department. Students in the Career Tech program brainstormed ideas for a Cultural Design. It took three years and now students are looking at creating a 3D design for the school.

Listen to the entire reflection with Dr. Turner because it went really deep about the culture, anti-racist work needed, and the importance of teaching and modeling diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn about his own experiences along with how schools can change.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=35660Wed, 16 Jun 2021 20:54:26 +0000voicEd Radio              With 15 years of experience as a high school administrator, Dr. Henry Turner is most proud of the collaborative environment and efforts he works to establish to empower students to fight hate and bigotry within their school community....With 15 years of experience as a high school administrator, Dr. Henry Turner is most proud of the collaborative environment and efforts he works to establish to empower students to fight hate and bigotry within their school community. Committed to preparing his students to flourish in an increasingly digital future, Turner has led two successful 1:1 laptop programs, on the premise that technology is a means to solve real-world problems, create equitable opportunities for all, and narrow economic and racial gaps. 
Dr. Turner proudly serves as principal at Newton North High School in Newton, MA.  He is dedicated to amplifying the culture and interests of North’s diverse community, one of the nation’s top large, comprehensive high schools. Dr. Turner has helped Newton North continue its focus on Social Justice by creating new courses such as Sustainability and Action through Literature as well as the Seals of Biliteracy, Civic Action and Social Justice which students can attain to be placed on their transcript. 
Recognized for his inclusive leadership style and dedication to student advocacy, Dr. Turner was named 2021 K12 Principal of the Year.  The award recognized his efforts to implement antiracist learning skills, incorporate culturally responsive instructional practices, and ensure the sustainability of these practices by addressing necessary structural and systematic changes to combat systemic racism. 
The story that impacted Dr. Turner's focus
Dr. Turner reflected with Barbara about the story of a group of students with confederate flags that happened in September 2016, two weeks after he had become principal of Newton North High School. 
Several articles about this incident:

Students unfurl Confederate flag near Newton North High
Newton North High School: Talking To Students When A Symbol Of Racial Hatred Is Unfurled Close To Home
Students Wave Confederate Flag at Newton North High School
Newton Students Wave Confederate Flag – NECN

Newton North is a Comprehensive High School–Design and Visual Communications program created Public Art Project, which is a part of the Career Technical Education (CTE) Department. Students in the Career Tech program brainstormed ideas for a Cultural Design. It took three years and now students are looking at creating a 3D design for the school.

Listen to the entire reflection with Dr. Turner because it went really deep about the culture, anti-racist work needed, and the importance of teaching and modeling diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn about his own experiences along with how schools can change.]]>2350falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-119-bring-your-stories-to-life-with-tanya-gough--45250575Tanya Gough has been an ESL teacher, a retail store owner, a corporate digital marketer, and a freelance content strategist, intelligence researcher, and web developer. Today, she is the founder of StoryBilder, a creative writing platform for new and aspiring writers. Tanya also writes middle-grade fantasy fiction and science-infused fantasy short stories for adults. 
Where did you grow up and what it was like when you were young?
I was born in Montreal in the early days of Quebec separatism when French activists were fighting for identity and political control of the province. We were anglophones in a French environment, and I attended kindergarten in English, first grade in French, and then was put back into English immersion classes for second grade because we knew we were moving to the US for my father’s work. I was eight when we moved to the NH seacoast. It wasn’t easy; I was Canadian, danced ballet, and listened to classical music at home, not exactly the model of all things cool by blue-collar NH standards those days. 
Beyond that, it was the latchkey era, which meant that most of my friends and I were left to our own devices. I went everywhere on my own, made up plays in our barn, and built treehouses in the woods. In high school, I discovered the drama department, and, finally, a place where I belonged. After high school, I attended university at McGill in Montreal and have lived in Canada or abroad since, except for a couple of years here and there. 
It must have been difficult moving to another country learning a new language and culture. What was it like for you as a student?
It wasn’t easy. First I had difficulties in Montreal adjusting to the whole English-French-English transition in school, and figuring out significant cultural differences between the two was always confusing. Then they dropped me in NH, which might as well have been the moon at that point, with a completely different set of social requirements that took me years to figure out.Eventually, I found by learning legs and developed a passion for reading and writing. In private school, I studied latin and published some stories in the middle school magazine. English was the one place I was allowed to thrive, for the most part. I also had an aptitude for math, particularly geometry, but the math teachers weren’t receptive to female students at that time. By the time I found one who was in senior year calculus, it was too late to regain my trust. Luckily, I had a series of English teachers, all the way through high school, university, and grad school, who supported me and gave me incredible opportunities to find my own way. 
Through your experiences at school, you can tell you are an independent thinker.  Were you always an entrepreneur and an “out of the box” thinker?
Yes, I’ve always been something of an overachiever, though I hate that expression. I guess I started working when I was 9, taking on babysitting jobs, more so when I was 10. I had my first paper route by 11 and did that until I was hired by the public library as a data processor at 14. 
I’ve been working or “doing something” for as long as I can remember. I think that growing up in constantly changing environments contributed by forcing me to find ways t...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=35657Thu, 10 Jun 2021 18:19:55 +0000voicEd Radio              Tanya Gough has been an ESL teacher, a retail store owner, a corporate digital marketer, and a freelance content strategist, intelligence researcher, and web developer. Today, she is the founder of StoryBilder, a creative writing...Tanya Gough has been an ESL teacher, a retail store owner, a corporate digital marketer, and a freelance content strategist, intelligence researcher, and web developer. Today, she is the founder of StoryBilder, a creative writing platform for new and aspiring writers. Tanya also writes middle-grade fantasy fiction and science-infused fantasy short stories for adults. 
Where did you grow up and what it was like when you were young?
I was born in Montreal in the early days of Quebec separatism when French activists were fighting for identity and political control of the province. We were anglophones in a French environment, and I attended kindergarten in English, first grade in French, and then was put back into English immersion classes for second grade because we knew we were moving to the US for my father’s work. I was eight when we moved to the NH seacoast. It wasn’t easy; I was Canadian, danced ballet, and listened to classical music at home, not exactly the model of all things cool by blue-collar NH standards those days. 
Beyond that, it was the latchkey era, which meant that most of my friends and I were left to our own devices. I went everywhere on my own, made up plays in our barn, and built treehouses in the woods. In high school, I discovered the drama department, and, finally, a place where I belonged. After high school, I attended university at McGill in Montreal and have lived in Canada or abroad since, except for a couple of years here and there. 
It must have been difficult moving to another country learning a new language and culture. What was it like for you as a student?
It wasn’t easy. First I had difficulties in Montreal adjusting to the whole English-French-English transition in school, and figuring out significant cultural differences between the two was always confusing. Then they dropped me in NH, which might as well have been the moon at that point, with a completely different set of social requirements that took me years to figure out.Eventually, I found by learning legs and developed a passion for reading and writing. In private school, I studied latin and published some stories in the middle school magazine. English was the one place I was allowed to thrive, for the most part. I also had an aptitude for math, particularly geometry, but the math teachers weren’t receptive to female students at that time. By the time I found one who was in senior year calculus, it was too late to regain my trust. Luckily, I had a series of English teachers, all the way through high school, university, and grad school, who supported me and gave me incredible opportunities to find my own way. 
Through your experiences at school, you can tell you are an independent thinker.  Were you always an entrepreneur and an “out of the box” thinker?
Yes, I’ve always been something of an overachiever, though I hate that expression. I guess I started working when I was 9, taking on babysitting jobs, more so when I was 10. I had my first paper route by 11 and did that until I was hired by the public library as a data processor at 14. 
I’ve been working or “doing something” for as long as I can remember. I think that growing up in constantly changing environments contributed by forcing me to find ways t...]]>2511falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-118-unlocking-the-true-potential-in-kids-with-dr-daniel-fried--44875754Dr. Daniel Fried is Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Saint Peters University, has developed new methods and content for chemistry education in K-12 that incorporates pedagogies from Daniel's background in music and art. It’s very visual, tactile, and kids learn the concepts in a way that mirrors how students learn musical instruments.
Your Background
I grew up in Kingston, New York, and attended SUNY Binghamton as a Biochemistry major. I then completed my MS and Ph.D. in Chemistry at Yale University, where I worked in the laboratory of Alanna Schepartz and helped develop technology for fluorescent sensing of protein folded state. I then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Ed Bayer at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where I worked on a green energy project involving bacterial enzymes. I’m now an assistant professor of chemistry at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. I’ve worked extensively to develop a methodology to bring high-level chemistry and biochemistry to kids.
What was it like for you as a student?
I was involved in music, art, and science as a kid. I was always torn about what career to pursue. I had great teachers in school, but as a child of two elementary school teachers, I had a tendency to analyze the curriculum I was using, as well as school culture itself. I always had the feeling that I wanted to create my own school someday but wasn’t totally sure what would be special about it. 
What or who inspired you to focus on Chemistry?
I stumbled on chemistry while taking Organic Chemistry over the summer in college. I loved how the subject finally gave explanations about how living matter is put together and how it reacts. I started taking more courses in organic and biochemistry because I wanted to know how everything in the biological world was structured!
Can you tell me more about your research on engineering protein and enzymes?
During graduate school, I helped develop a technology that used fluorescent dyes to monitor the folded state of proteins. This technology could be applied to the study of all kinds of problems in medical research where protein folding issues are involved. During my postdoc, I worked on the cellulosome, which is a very large bacterial enzyme complex that is involved in the digestion of cellulose, the main component of plant fiber. Cellulosomes digest fiber and release sugar, which could be fermented to produce liquid fuel. The research, therefore, relates to the development of renewable energy solutions.
Why did you want to develop content for chemistry education for K-12?
At the end of graduate school, and with a Ph.D. in chemistry, I felt that I had a birdseye view of the subjects of chemistry and biochemistry, and wanted to go back to fill in the gaps and try my hand at revolutionizing the subject for early learners. I didn’t want other kids to get stuck the way I did. I also wanted to show that kids have an untapped potential that wasn’t acknowledged with the standard approaches to learning that I experienced as a kid. I didn’t think that kids should have to wait until they were adults to find out about biochemistry. I wanted to see if kids could learn it from an early age.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=34753Mon, 17 May 2021 17:19:03 +0000voicEd Radio              Dr. Daniel Fried is Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Saint Peters University, has developed new methods and content for chemistry education in K-12 that incorporates pedagogies from Daniel's background in music and art. It’s very...Dr. Daniel Fried is Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Saint Peters University, has developed new methods and content for chemistry education in K-12 that incorporates pedagogies from Daniel's background in music and art. It’s very visual, tactile, and kids learn the concepts in a way that mirrors how students learn musical instruments.
Your Background
I grew up in Kingston, New York, and attended SUNY Binghamton as a Biochemistry major. I then completed my MS and Ph.D. in Chemistry at Yale University, where I worked in the laboratory of Alanna Schepartz and helped develop technology for fluorescent sensing of protein folded state. I then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Ed Bayer at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where I worked on a green energy project involving bacterial enzymes. I’m now an assistant professor of chemistry at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. I’ve worked extensively to develop a methodology to bring high-level chemistry and biochemistry to kids.
What was it like for you as a student?
I was involved in music, art, and science as a kid. I was always torn about what career to pursue. I had great teachers in school, but as a child of two elementary school teachers, I had a tendency to analyze the curriculum I was using, as well as school culture itself. I always had the feeling that I wanted to create my own school someday but wasn’t totally sure what would be special about it. 
What or who inspired you to focus on Chemistry?
I stumbled on chemistry while taking Organic Chemistry over the summer in college. I loved how the subject finally gave explanations about how living matter is put together and how it reacts. I started taking more courses in organic and biochemistry because I wanted to know how everything in the biological world was structured!
Can you tell me more about your research on engineering protein and enzymes?
During graduate school, I helped develop a technology that used fluorescent dyes to monitor the folded state of proteins. This technology could be applied to the study of all kinds of problems in medical research where protein folding issues are involved. During my postdoc, I worked on the cellulosome, which is a very large bacterial enzyme complex that is involved in the digestion of cellulose, the main component of plant fiber. Cellulosomes digest fiber and release sugar, which could be fermented to produce liquid fuel. The research, therefore, relates to the development of renewable energy solutions.
Why did you want to develop content for chemistry education for K-12?
At the end of graduate school, and with a Ph.D. in chemistry, I felt that I had a birdseye view of the subjects of chemistry and biochemistry, and wanted to go back to fill in the gaps and try my hand at revolutionizing the subject for early learners. I didn’t want other kids to get stuck the way I did. I also wanted to show that kids have an untapped potential that wasn’t acknowledged with the standard approaches to learning that I experienced as a kid. I didn’t think that kids should have to wait until they were adults to find out about biochemistry. I wanted to see if kids could learn it from an early age.]]>2296falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-118-unlocking-the-true-potential-in-kids-with-dr-daniel-fried--45066248Dr. Daniel Fried is Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Saint Peters University, has developed new methods and content for chemistry education in K-12 that incorporates pedagogies from Daniel's background in music and art. It’s very visual, tactile, and kids learn the concepts in a way that mirrors how students learn musical instruments.
Your Background
I grew up in Kingston, New York, and attended SUNY Binghamton as a Biochemistry major. I then completed my MS and Ph.D. in Chemistry at Yale University, where I worked in the laboratory of Alanna Schepartz and helped develop technology for fluorescent sensing of protein folded state. I then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Ed Bayer at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where I worked on a green energy project involving bacterial enzymes. I’m now an assistant professor of chemistry at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. I’ve worked extensively to develop a methodology to bring high-level chemistry and biochemistry to kids.
What was it like for you as a student?
I was involved in music, art, and science as a kid. I was always torn about what career to pursue. I had great teachers in school, but as a child of two elementary school teachers, I had a tendency to analyze the curriculum I was using, as well as school culture itself. I always had the feeling that I wanted to create my own school someday but wasn’t totally sure what would be special about it. 
What or who inspired you to focus on Chemistry?
I stumbled on chemistry while taking Organic Chemistry over the summer in college. I loved how the subject finally gave explanations about how living matter is put together and how it reacts. I started taking more courses in organic and biochemistry because I wanted to know how everything in the biological world was structured!
Can you tell me more about your research on engineering protein and enzymes?
During graduate school, I helped develop a technology that used fluorescent dyes to monitor the folded state of proteins. This technology could be applied to the study of all kinds of problems in medical research where protein folding issues are involved. During my postdoc, I worked on the cellulosome, which is a very large bacterial enzyme complex that is involved in the digestion of cellulose, the main component of plant fiber. Cellulosomes digest fiber and release sugar, which could be fermented to produce liquid fuel. The research, therefore, relates to the development of renewable energy solutions.
Why did you want to develop content for chemistry education for K-12?
At the end of graduate school, and with a Ph.D. in chemistry, I felt that I had a birdseye view of the subjects of chemistry and biochemistry, and wanted to go back to fill in the gaps and try my hand at revolutionizing the subject for early learners. I didn’t want other kids to get stuck the way I did. I also wanted to show that kids have an untapped potential that wasn’t acknowledged with the standard approaches to learning that I experienced as a kid. I didn’t think that kids should have to wait until they wer...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=35368Mon, 17 May 2021 16:58:26 +0000voicEd Radio              Dr. Daniel Fried is Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Saint Peters University, has developed new methods and content for chemistry education in K-12 that incorporates pedagogies from Daniel's background in music and art. It’s very...Dr. Daniel Fried is Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Saint Peters University, has developed new methods and content for chemistry education in K-12 that incorporates pedagogies from Daniel's background in music and art. It’s very visual, tactile, and kids learn the concepts in a way that mirrors how students learn musical instruments.
Your Background
I grew up in Kingston, New York, and attended SUNY Binghamton as a Biochemistry major. I then completed my MS and Ph.D. in Chemistry at Yale University, where I worked in the laboratory of Alanna Schepartz and helped develop technology for fluorescent sensing of protein folded state. I then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Ed Bayer at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where I worked on a green energy project involving bacterial enzymes. I’m now an assistant professor of chemistry at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. I’ve worked extensively to develop a methodology to bring high-level chemistry and biochemistry to kids.
What was it like for you as a student?
I was involved in music, art, and science as a kid. I was always torn about what career to pursue. I had great teachers in school, but as a child of two elementary school teachers, I had a tendency to analyze the curriculum I was using, as well as school culture itself. I always had the feeling that I wanted to create my own school someday but wasn’t totally sure what would be special about it. 
What or who inspired you to focus on Chemistry?
I stumbled on chemistry while taking Organic Chemistry over the summer in college. I loved how the subject finally gave explanations about how living matter is put together and how it reacts. I started taking more courses in organic and biochemistry because I wanted to know how everything in the biological world was structured!
Can you tell me more about your research on engineering protein and enzymes?
During graduate school, I helped develop a technology that used fluorescent dyes to monitor the folded state of proteins. This technology could be applied to the study of all kinds of problems in medical research where protein folding issues are involved. During my postdoc, I worked on the cellulosome, which is a very large bacterial enzyme complex that is involved in the digestion of cellulose, the main component of plant fiber. Cellulosomes digest fiber and release sugar, which could be fermented to produce liquid fuel. The research, therefore, relates to the development of renewable energy solutions.
Why did you want to develop content for chemistry education for K-12?
At the end of graduate school, and with a Ph.D. in chemistry, I felt that I had a birdseye view of the subjects of chemistry and biochemistry, and wanted to go back to fill in the gaps and try my hand at revolutionizing the subject for early learners. I didn’t want other kids to get stuck the way I did. I also wanted to show that kids have an untapped potential that wasn’t acknowledged with the standard approaches to learning that I experienced as a kid. I didn’t think that kids should have to wait until they wer...]]>2296falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-117-sparking-back-a-love-of-learning-through-play-with-katherine-mengardon--44638429Katherine Mengardon is an education innovator and writer with 20 years of experience in developing online innovative education programs and resources. She is the author of the three Little Inventors non-fiction children’s books published by HarperCollins.
Your background
I have been developing educational programs for the past 20 years, working on innovative online resources that bring a real-life element to the classroom. For the past 4 years, I was also Chief Educator at Little Inventors.
Video on Don’t Stop Until you Play Enough
https://youtu.be/Scpfl1OoKAo 

Being an artist/illustrator 
www.karuski.co.uk

My work mainly centers on capturing the essence of people and translating that into drawings – I do a lot of bespoke portraits, such as family portraits and family trees, or celebrities. I work from ordinary photos and work a composite image of my subjects.

I also do cat illustration, and my cat album covers (catified versions of the Beatles, Nick Cave, Blondie, Blur, Gainsbourg, Miles David, and more) were featured as part of the Meow Exhibition IV in Leuven for the MidZommer festival 2013 at the M Museum (major contemporary museum in Belgium). I have lots of Instagrams for my photography, baking, illustration, and also a funny page of translating famous album covers in French – U2 is toi aussi, Patti Smith is Patricia Lefevre and the Rolling Stones les pierres qui roulent… Instagram KaruskiColors
What are some of the products you worked on and organizations you have worked with?
I have worked on groundbreaking innovative classroom resources for the BBC, Google, Cartoon Network, GSK, NatWest, Little Inventors, Pearson, and Nesta to name a few. My aim is to open children’s eyes and minds to a new fun way of learning and give them the tools to prepare for a bright future.
Chief Educator and Head of Operations of Little Inventors 
https://www.littleinventors.org/ 
Little Inventors is a creative education company – its aim is to inspire children to use their imagination to think up ingenious invention ideas, then work with artists, makers, and designers to bring the most ingenious children’s ideas to life – and develop essential creativity life skills in the process!
The family scooter by wendy age 9

We launch challenges across the world with incredible partners (museums, brands, cultural powerhouses, and celebrities) and beyond – the Canadian government and the Canadian Space Agency even sent our little inventors' ideas into space!

As part of the Little Inventors team, I looked after all content, including very popular educational programs. I have written numerous STEAM school educational resources for our high-profile partners: the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Space Agency, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Mr Men and Little Miss, Disney, Ocado, and several high profile Arts Council-funded projects.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=34398Wed, 05 May 2021 04:25:59 +0000voicEd Radio              Katherine Mengardon is an education innovator and writer with 20 years of experience in developing online innovative education programs and resources. She is the author of the three Little Inventors non-fiction children’s books published...Katherine Mengardon is an education innovator and writer with 20 years of experience in developing online innovative education programs and resources. She is the author of the three Little Inventors non-fiction children’s books published by HarperCollins.
Your background
I have been developing educational programs for the past 20 years, working on innovative online resources that bring a real-life element to the classroom. For the past 4 years, I was also Chief Educator at Little Inventors.
Video on Don’t Stop Until you Play Enough
https://youtu.be/Scpfl1OoKAo 

Being an artist/illustrator 
www.karuski.co.uk

My work mainly centers on capturing the essence of people and translating that into drawings – I do a lot of bespoke portraits, such as family portraits and family trees, or celebrities. I work from ordinary photos and work a composite image of my subjects.

I also do cat illustration, and my cat album covers (catified versions of the Beatles, Nick Cave, Blondie, Blur, Gainsbourg, Miles David, and more) were featured as part of the Meow Exhibition IV in Leuven for the MidZommer festival 2013 at the M Museum (major contemporary museum in Belgium). I have lots of Instagrams for my photography, baking, illustration, and also a funny page of translating famous album covers in French – U2 is toi aussi, Patti Smith is Patricia Lefevre and the Rolling Stones les pierres qui roulent… Instagram KaruskiColors
What are some of the products you worked on and organizations you have worked with?
I have worked on groundbreaking innovative classroom resources for the BBC, Google, Cartoon Network, GSK, NatWest, Little Inventors, Pearson, and Nesta to name a few. My aim is to open children’s eyes and minds to a new fun way of learning and give them the tools to prepare for a bright future.
Chief Educator and Head of Operations of Little Inventors 
https://www.littleinventors.org/ 
Little Inventors is a creative education company – its aim is to inspire children to use their imagination to think up ingenious invention ideas, then work with artists, makers, and designers to bring the most ingenious children’s ideas to life – and develop essential creativity life skills in the process!
The family scooter by wendy age 9

We launch challenges across the world with incredible partners (museums, brands, cultural powerhouses, and celebrities) and beyond – the Canadian government and the Canadian Space Agency even sent our little inventors' ideas into space!

As part of the Little Inventors team, I looked after all content, including very popular educational programs. I have written numerous STEAM school educational resources for our high-profile partners: the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Space Agency, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Mr Men and Little Miss, Disney, Ocado, and several high profile Arts Council-funded projects.]]>2823falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-116-evolving-to-relentlessly-rethink-learning-with-lainie-rowell--44458237Lainie Rowell is an educator, author, podcaster, and international speaker. As a consultant, Lainie’s client list ranges from Fortune 100 companies like Apple and Google to school districts and independent schools. She is a TEDx speaker and has been a consultant for the Orange County Department of Education since 2014. Lainie is also the co-host of the Lemonade Learning Podcast. 
Your background
For more than 23 years in education, I have taught elementary, secondary, and higher education. I also served in a district-level leadership position supporting 22,000 students and 1,200 teachers at 33 schools. Since 2014, Lainie has been a consultant for the Orange County Department of Education's Institute for Leadership Development facilitating professional learning for administrators. As a consultant, I specialize in working with other educators to find innovative and sustainable ways to transform teaching and learning.
Learn like a kid: Lainie Rowell
What it was like for you as a student
My K-12 experience was not one of a motivated student. I preferred to focus on sports and the social aspects of school. As a psychology major, I started volunteering at a non-public school for learners with special needs. That is where I fell in love with working with kids and immediately decided to become a teacher which, given my focus on academics in K-12, shocked my entire family.   
Your book, Evolving Learner, is packed full of research, resources, and activities. Can you provide an overview and why you wrote it?

I co-authored Evolving Learner with Kristy Andre and Lauren Steinmann. We set out to write Evolving Learner because we wanted to curate the most innovative, effective, and sustainable approaches to professional learning. A huge part of that journey was clarity on three big ideas: 

We must be willing to learn from kids, peers, and the world. 
Continuous improvement through cycles of inquiry is the most effective form of professional learning. 
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential for ALL learners, both kids, and adults.

I love your Lemonade Learning Podcast you do with Brianna Hodges. Tell us about your journey.

Lemonade Learning is a refreshing look at learning today. We serve up high-impact, practical strategies, alongside honest and energizing stories to help educators. 
*Check out the trailer here!
****

Lainie’s Contact Information 

 
Website: LainieRowell.com
Book: EvolvingLearner.org
Podcast: LemonadeLearning.us
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/lainierowell 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=34400Fri, 23 Apr 2021 17:54:02 +0000voicEd Radio              Lainie Rowell is an educator, author, podcaster, and international speaker. As a consultant, Lainie’s client list ranges from Fortune 100 companies like Apple and Google to school districts and independent schools. She is a TEDx speaker...Lainie Rowell is an educator, author, podcaster, and international speaker. As a consultant, Lainie’s client list ranges from Fortune 100 companies like Apple and Google to school districts and independent schools. She is a TEDx speaker and has been a consultant for the Orange County Department of Education since 2014. Lainie is also the co-host of the Lemonade Learning Podcast. 
Your background
For more than 23 years in education, I have taught elementary, secondary, and higher education. I also served in a district-level leadership position supporting 22,000 students and 1,200 teachers at 33 schools. Since 2014, Lainie has been a consultant for the Orange County Department of Education's Institute for Leadership Development facilitating professional learning for administrators. As a consultant, I specialize in working with other educators to find innovative and sustainable ways to transform teaching and learning.
Learn like a kid: Lainie Rowell
What it was like for you as a student
My K-12 experience was not one of a motivated student. I preferred to focus on sports and the social aspects of school. As a psychology major, I started volunteering at a non-public school for learners with special needs. That is where I fell in love with working with kids and immediately decided to become a teacher which, given my focus on academics in K-12, shocked my entire family.   
Your book, Evolving Learner, is packed full of research, resources, and activities. Can you provide an overview and why you wrote it?

I co-authored Evolving Learner with Kristy Andre and Lauren Steinmann. We set out to write Evolving Learner because we wanted to curate the most innovative, effective, and sustainable approaches to professional learning. A huge part of that journey was clarity on three big ideas: 

We must be willing to learn from kids, peers, and the world. 
Continuous improvement through cycles of inquiry is the most effective form of professional learning. 
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential for ALL learners, both kids, and adults.

I love your Lemonade Learning Podcast you do with Brianna Hodges. Tell us about your journey.

Lemonade Learning is a refreshing look at learning today. We serve up high-impact, practical strategies, alongside honest and energizing stories to help educators. 
*Check out the trailer here!
****

Lainie’s Contact Information 

 
Website: LainieRowell.com
Book: EvolvingLearner.org
Podcast: LemonadeLearning.us
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/lainierowell 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.]]>2741falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-115-listen-courageously-to-the-why-behind-the-story-with-juliana-tafur--44350588Juliana’s Background
Juliana grew up in Columbia and went to an American school where she learned English. Her family moved to the United States seeking political asylum when she was 15. She was not able to go back to Columbia until twelve years later. Juliana went to Northwestern to study journalism and went to Egypt to do a story on the Sudanese refugees. Juliana's traveled across the world finding the human side to every story, from Sudanese refugees in Egypt to people who live off recyclables in the biggest trash dump in Guatemala. She's profiled some of the most resilient individuals in the Americas and lived under extreme conditions for productions in Peru's guano islands, the Amazon rainforest, and the Uyuni Salt Flats – to name a few. Juliana Tafur’s films use psychology as a means to understand those around us, drawing on her own upbringing by two psychologists who used to run corporate training programs. 

Orkidea Films
https://www.orkideafilms.com/ 
Orkidea Films specialize in the creative development and execution of documentaries and series with societal impact. Their mission is to use the power of a good story. With over 15+ years of expertise in TV and filmmaking, they bridge worlds, ignite action, and bring about change. Their films are known to spark movements with social impact virtual programs offered across universities, organizations, and corporations. 
List(en) Courageously Film
https://listencourageously.com/thefilm/ 
List(e)n (80 minutes) invites people with opposing viewpoints on some of our most divisive issues – guns, abortion, and immigration — to listen to each other. The documentary features participants whose personal lives deeply intertwine with the topics, including one of the survivors of the Parkland, FL school shooting.
“List(e)n revealed how by ‘seeing’ our ‘enemies’ eye-to-eye, our judgment can dissolve, and we can heal our divides and mend our hearts. Listen Courageously, in turn, has shown that our perceptions don’t identify us and that as humans we can strive for meaningful connections, regardless of what may ‘separate us’. Recognizing that the ‘us vs them’ mentality hasn’t served us is the first step to long-lasting change.”
Pitch for "List(en"
List(en) Courageously Workshops
Listen Courageously is an immersive virtual workshop designed to make people more aware of their listening blocks and better able to engage in heart-centered conversations that lead to understanding. During the workshops, we use the documentary as a listening and engagement tool. Inspired by our methodology for conflict mediation, we invite participants to work on their own listening skills, in small groups, with our trained facilitators.

****
Juliana Tafur is an award-winning trilingual content director and journalist committed to using the power of film to generate consciousness about some of the most pressing issues of our time. Through her 15 years in the industry, she's worked as Executive Producer, Content Director,  Story Producer, and Scriptwriter for Discovery, National Geographic,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=34347Thu, 15 Apr 2021 20:52:48 +0000voicEd RadioJuliana Tafur is an award-winning filmmaker and content director committed to using the power of film to generate consciousness about some of the most pressing issues of our time. She has been on a listening journey for the past four years – first, as...Juliana’s Background
Juliana grew up in Columbia and went to an American school where she learned English. Her family moved to the United States seeking political asylum when she was 15. She was not able to go back to Columbia until twelve years later. Juliana went to Northwestern to study journalism and went to Egypt to do a story on the Sudanese refugees. Juliana's traveled across the world finding the human side to every story, from Sudanese refugees in Egypt to people who live off recyclables in the biggest trash dump in Guatemala. She's profiled some of the most resilient individuals in the Americas and lived under extreme conditions for productions in Peru's guano islands, the Amazon rainforest, and the Uyuni Salt Flats – to name a few. Juliana Tafur’s films use psychology as a means to understand those around us, drawing on her own upbringing by two psychologists who used to run corporate training programs. 

Orkidea Films
https://www.orkideafilms.com/ 
Orkidea Films specialize in the creative development and execution of documentaries and series with societal impact. Their mission is to use the power of a good story. With over 15+ years of expertise in TV and filmmaking, they bridge worlds, ignite action, and bring about change. Their films are known to spark movements with social impact virtual programs offered across universities, organizations, and corporations. 
List(en) Courageously Film
https://listencourageously.com/thefilm/ 
List(e)n (80 minutes) invites people with opposing viewpoints on some of our most divisive issues – guns, abortion, and immigration — to listen to each other. The documentary features participants whose personal lives deeply intertwine with the topics, including one of the survivors of the Parkland, FL school shooting.
“List(e)n revealed how by ‘seeing’ our ‘enemies’ eye-to-eye, our judgment can dissolve, and we can heal our divides and mend our hearts. Listen Courageously, in turn, has shown that our perceptions don’t identify us and that as humans we can strive for meaningful connections, regardless of what may ‘separate us’. Recognizing that the ‘us vs them’ mentality hasn’t served us is the first step to long-lasting change.”
Pitch for "List(en"
List(en) Courageously Workshops
Listen Courageously is an immersive virtual workshop designed to make people more aware of their listening blocks and better able to engage in heart-centered conversations that lead to understanding. During the workshops, we use the documentary as a listening and engagement tool. Inspired by our methodology for conflict mediation, we invite participants to work on their own listening skills, in small groups, with our trained facilitators.

****
Juliana Tafur is an award-winning trilingual content director and journalist committed to using the power of film to generate consciousness about some of the most pressing issues of our time. Through her 15 years in the industry, she's worked as Executive Producer, Content Director,  Story Producer, and Scriptwriter for Discovery, National Geographic,]]>2186falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/podcast-episode-114-human-centered-learning-with-katherine-prince--44008235One of the United States’ foremost educational futurists, Katherine Prince leads KnowledgeWorks’ exploration of the future of learning. As Vice President of Strategic Foresight, she speaks and writes about the trends shaping education over the next decade and helps education stakeholders strategize about how to become active agents of change in pursuing their ideal visions for the future learning ecosystem.
Katherine's Background
Before joining KnowledgeWorks in 2006, Katherine supported large-scale changes in working practice at Britain’s Open University and helped federal agencies and other clients increase service quality by incorporating a customer perspective into their organizational planning. 
Katherine holds a BA in English from Ohio Wesleyan University; an MA in English from the University of Iowa; and an MBA from The Open University with emphases on creativity, innovation, and change and on knowledge management. She also earned a certificate in Foresight from the University of Houston. Katherine serves on the board of trustees of the Union Institute and University and is a member of the Association of Professional Futurists.
KnowledgeWorks
Since 2007, Katherine has worked with education stakeholders around the country to explore how they might transform education to create better possibilities for all young people. For the last fourteen years, Katherine has worked at KnowledgeWorks, a non-profit social enterprise that seeks to foster meaningful personalized learning that enables every student to thrive in college, career, and civic life.  As Senior Director, Strategic Foresight, she leads the work on the future of learning.
Katherine and her colleagues look ten years out to explore how trends shaping education today might impact learning. About every three years, they publish a full forecast on the future of learning (see Recombinant Education: Regenerating the Learning Ecosystem). They use those insights as to the basis for working with education stakeholders around the country to examine strategic possibilities and to explore how each of us might act as agents of change in creating positive futures for all young people.  They also produce other publications and provocations to help people explore the implications of future trends.
In addition to helping others consider strategic possibilities, Katherine gest to dream herself.  In November 2015, she had the chance to share her personal vision for the future of learning as part of TEDxColumbus. Her talk, “A Vision for Radically Personalized Learning,” explored the possibility of truly putting students at the center of the expanding learning ecosystem.
 
Katherine Prince has been leading KnowledgeWorks' efforts to explore the future of learning for some time now, exploring different possibilities. The newest paper she helped author goes one step further by asserting hope for the future with]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=33849Mon, 22 Mar 2021 21:49:56 +0000voicEd Radio              One of the United States’ foremost educational futurists, Katherine Prince leads KnowledgeWorks’ exploration of the future of learning. As Vice President of Strategic Foresight, she speaks and writes about the trends shaping education...One of the United States’ foremost educational futurists, Katherine Prince leads KnowledgeWorks’ exploration of the future of learning. As Vice President of Strategic Foresight, she speaks and writes about the trends shaping education over the next decade and helps education stakeholders strategize about how to become active agents of change in pursuing their ideal visions for the future learning ecosystem.
Katherine's Background
Before joining KnowledgeWorks in 2006, Katherine supported large-scale changes in working practice at Britain’s Open University and helped federal agencies and other clients increase service quality by incorporating a customer perspective into their organizational planning. 
Katherine holds a BA in English from Ohio Wesleyan University; an MA in English from the University of Iowa; and an MBA from The Open University with emphases on creativity, innovation, and change and on knowledge management. She also earned a certificate in Foresight from the University of Houston. Katherine serves on the board of trustees of the Union Institute and University and is a member of the Association of Professional Futurists.
KnowledgeWorks
Since 2007, Katherine has worked with education stakeholders around the country to explore how they might transform education to create better possibilities for all young people. For the last fourteen years, Katherine has worked at KnowledgeWorks, a non-profit social enterprise that seeks to foster meaningful personalized learning that enables every student to thrive in college, career, and civic life.  As Senior Director, Strategic Foresight, she leads the work on the future of learning.
Katherine and her colleagues look ten years out to explore how trends shaping education today might impact learning. About every three years, they publish a full forecast on the future of learning (see Recombinant Education: Regenerating the Learning Ecosystem). They use those insights as to the basis for working with education stakeholders around the country to examine strategic possibilities and to explore how each of us might act as agents of change in creating positive futures for all young people.  They also produce other publications and provocations to help people explore the implications of future trends.
In addition to helping others consider strategic possibilities, Katherine gest to dream herself.  In November 2015, she had the chance to share her personal vision for the future of learning as part of TEDxColumbus. Her talk, “A Vision for Radically Personalized Learning,” explored the possibility of truly putting students at the center of the expanding learning ecosystem.
 
Katherine Prince has been leading KnowledgeWorks' efforts to explore the future of learning for some time now, exploring different possibilities. The newest paper she helped author goes one step further by asserting hope for the future with]]>1784falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-14-on-why-i-can-learn-when-i-m-moving-with-nicole-biscotti-and-her-son-jason--43817540http://bit.ly/icanlearnwhenimove with her 9-year-old son, Jason, from the unique perspectives of a child and a mother who is also a teacher. She has seen both personally and professionally how children struggle to be understood and how adults are often at a loss with how to handle the difficult behaviors associated with ADHD. She empowers parents and teachers to provide game-changing support for children with ADHD in school through sharing her and her son’s story, along with researched-based strategies. Jason was 10 when we did this podcast. I’m so impressed with Jason and his mom. Enjoy our conversation!
Nicole, I read your book. Teachers and parents really need this. It’s amazing that there is such a lack of information about ADHD. Is that why you decided to write this book with Jason?

I don’t think that my intentions were so clear to me when I began.  We used to journal as a way for Jason to calm down when he was upset.  As we continued journaling, I began to realize that Jason was telling a story.  As I progressed in my own learning about ADHD, I began to realize how unheard children like Jason are in school and how much support is lacking.  This really compelled me to complete the book and to try to address how we could fill that gap of support.
Jason, why did you want to write this book with your mom?
It helped me to release my anger and it helped me share my story.
What does it feel like to be a child in a classroom with ADHD in a society that barely recognizes it? Jason, can you share some experiences you had in school? Then let’s talk about one or more situations that happened. Jason, what did you learn from these experiences.

Some teachers get angry about my behavior and I know it’s difficult but I don’t really mean to be bad, I just have trouble controlling my anger and my energy sometimes.  Anyways, sometimes those teachers don't like me.  It makes me madder when I know this because I can read people pretty well.
I learned so much about ADHD from your book. Maybe we better define what ADHD is. 
ADHD is a neurological condition that can present itself in many ways.  Simply stated, Jason’s brain works differently than a neurotypical brain does.  The more I learned about ADHD, the less I like calling it a “disorder” or  “condition” because ADHDers are brilliant, they just need support to shine academically.
Nicole, how did you react to these experiences? (we can take each of the experiences separately) Maybe mention the myths of ADHD and have Jason respond to any of them.

They are difficult because I try to get Jason to not take it personally but it’s also hard for me to not take it personally.  At times, I’ve denied it to him but then had to apologize later because I really wasn’t being honest with him.  Actually, there has been a couple of times when I didn’t believe Jason but then realized that his instincts were correct.
What is meaningful inclusion you mentioned in the book?
Meaningful Inclusion – Inclusion began formally and legally in the 1970s.  It has taken a long time to really happen and eventually what it has largely become is everyone together without adequate training or support for kids with and without disabilities.  Meaningful Inclusion, in which we include the voices of children with learning differences and give kids the opportunity to know how to relate to children with different challenges or ways of thinking is a very rich opportunity for all of society.
How do you see your book helping teachers? Students, that have ADHD? All students?
I think this book can help teachers and students with and without ADHD.  We ultimately need more awareness for everyone to be able to successfully relate to one another in a...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=33465Tue, 09 Mar 2021 18:47:56 +0000voicEd RadioNicole Biscotti wrote “I Can Learn When I’m Moving: Going to School With ADHD” http://bit.ly/icanlearnwhenimove with her 9-year-old son, Jason, from the unique perspectives of a child and a mother who is also a teacher. She has seen both personally...http://bit.ly/icanlearnwhenimove with her 9-year-old son, Jason, from the unique perspectives of a child and a mother who is also a teacher. She has seen both personally and professionally how children struggle to be understood and how adults are often at a loss with how to handle the difficult behaviors associated with ADHD. She empowers parents and teachers to provide game-changing support for children with ADHD in school through sharing her and her son’s story, along with researched-based strategies. Jason was 10 when we did this podcast. I’m so impressed with Jason and his mom. Enjoy our conversation!
Nicole, I read your book. Teachers and parents really need this. It’s amazing that there is such a lack of information about ADHD. Is that why you decided to write this book with Jason?

I don’t think that my intentions were so clear to me when I began.  We used to journal as a way for Jason to calm down when he was upset.  As we continued journaling, I began to realize that Jason was telling a story.  As I progressed in my own learning about ADHD, I began to realize how unheard children like Jason are in school and how much support is lacking.  This really compelled me to complete the book and to try to address how we could fill that gap of support.
Jason, why did you want to write this book with your mom?
It helped me to release my anger and it helped me share my story.
What does it feel like to be a child in a classroom with ADHD in a society that barely recognizes it? Jason, can you share some experiences you had in school? Then let’s talk about one or more situations that happened. Jason, what did you learn from these experiences.

Some teachers get angry about my behavior and I know it’s difficult but I don’t really mean to be bad, I just have trouble controlling my anger and my energy sometimes.  Anyways, sometimes those teachers don't like me.  It makes me madder when I know this because I can read people pretty well.
I learned so much about ADHD from your book. Maybe we better define what ADHD is. 
ADHD is a neurological condition that can present itself in many ways.  Simply stated, Jason’s brain works differently than a neurotypical brain does.  The more I learned about ADHD, the less I like calling it a “disorder” or  “condition” because ADHDers are brilliant, they just need support to shine academically.
Nicole, how did you react to these experiences? (we can take each of the experiences separately) Maybe mention the myths of ADHD and have Jason respond to any of them.

They are difficult because I try to get Jason to not take it personally but it’s also hard for me to not take it personally.  At times, I’ve denied it to him but then had to apologize later because I really wasn’t being honest with him.  Actually, there has been a couple of times when I didn’t believe Jason but then realized that his instincts were correct.
What is meaningful inclusion you mentioned in the book?
Meaningful Inclusion – Inclusion began formally and legally in the 1970s.  It has taken a long time to really happen and eventually what it has largely become is everyone together without adequate training or support for kids with and without disabilities.  Meaningful Inclusion, in which we include the voices of children with learning differences and give kids the opportunity to know how to relate to children with different challenges or ways of thinking is a very rich opportunity for all of society.
How do you see your book helping teachers? Students, that have ADHD? All students?
I think this book can help teachers and students with and without ADHD.  We ultimately need more awareness for everyone to be able to successfully relate to one another in a...]]>2227falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-113-be-the-change-you-wish-to-make-with-natalie-reeves-billing--43574436Natalie Reeves Billing lives in Liverpool, UK, and is an inspirational teacher, creative author. lyricist, and social entrepreneur. She was the Gold & Silver UK Mums TV’s Mums Choice Awards Winner 2020 for her Monstrous Me' Children's Book Series & Ben and The Bug.
Overview 
Natalie Reeves Billing is a Liverpool girl with a wicked sense of humor. She writes fantastical stories for young audiences. Natalie enjoys map making, pranking people, and munching on jelly beans. She lives in an old farmhouse in Merseyside with her husband, children, and fluffy dog, Scoobs.

Natalie is a fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) and a member of The Golden Egg Academy. She mentors under the Lloyds Bank SSE program, and Liverpool Editing Company. She is published in several anthologies, including Writing on the Wall and 8N Publishing USA.
Natalie's Vision and Mission
Natalie’s vision is of a world where education is free and accessible for all children, regardless of learning barriers or socio-economic factors. She believes social enterprise is the best chance of creating a fairer, kinder world. Her mission is to achieve that through enriched reading and learning systems, using creativity and storytelling as a tool for catharsis, learning, and personal growth. Natalie is currently delivering virtual workshops across Merseyside.
Tour of her stable house in Merseyside
Natalie took me on a tour of her stable house. Make sure you enlarge the video so you can really experience her tour. Enjoy!
Natalie's books
https://www.nataliereevesbilling.co.uk/store
Natalie released three children’s picture books and two anthologies during the pandemic, two winning gold and silver in national awards. Her books are on permanent display in the Museum of Liverpool, and she was recently listed as one of Explore Liverpool’s, ‘Faces of Liverpool’

Winning the UK Mums TV’s Mums Choice Award for 2020

Natalie's new book 
Natalie has a new book in her Monstrous Me series launching March 4th, 2021. Make sure you check out her Twitter handle that day where she will be sharing videos all day.

"My sister’s a monster that no one can see,
And nobody knows but my best friend and me.
I told Dad, but really, he hasn’t a clue,
For Dad only sees what Sis wants him to."
 
Bird's Eye View Project
The ambitious ‘Bird’s Eye View’ project is aimed at supporting 2020 visually impaired children and young people into employment by 2030 and is part of #LiverpoolWrites (a celebration of writing in all its forms).
Natalie will be working alongside a local comic book artist and teaching assistant at St. Vincent’s, Eevee Fox. Natalie will be asking children to research famous Liverpool statues and write about them,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=32821Sun, 21 Feb 2021 15:42:33 +0000voicEd Radio              Natalie Reeves Billing lives in Liverpool, UK, and is an inspirational teacher, creative author. lyricist, and social entrepreneur. She was the Gold & Silver UK Mums TV’s Mums Choice Awards Winner 2020 for her Monstrous Me' Children's...Natalie Reeves Billing lives in Liverpool, UK, and is an inspirational teacher, creative author. lyricist, and social entrepreneur. She was the Gold & Silver UK Mums TV’s Mums Choice Awards Winner 2020 for her Monstrous Me' Children's Book Series & Ben and The Bug.
Overview 
Natalie Reeves Billing is a Liverpool girl with a wicked sense of humor. She writes fantastical stories for young audiences. Natalie enjoys map making, pranking people, and munching on jelly beans. She lives in an old farmhouse in Merseyside with her husband, children, and fluffy dog, Scoobs.

Natalie is a fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) and a member of The Golden Egg Academy. She mentors under the Lloyds Bank SSE program, and Liverpool Editing Company. She is published in several anthologies, including Writing on the Wall and 8N Publishing USA.
Natalie's Vision and Mission
Natalie’s vision is of a world where education is free and accessible for all children, regardless of learning barriers or socio-economic factors. She believes social enterprise is the best chance of creating a fairer, kinder world. Her mission is to achieve that through enriched reading and learning systems, using creativity and storytelling as a tool for catharsis, learning, and personal growth. Natalie is currently delivering virtual workshops across Merseyside.
Tour of her stable house in Merseyside
Natalie took me on a tour of her stable house. Make sure you enlarge the video so you can really experience her tour. Enjoy!
Natalie's books
https://www.nataliereevesbilling.co.uk/store
Natalie released three children’s picture books and two anthologies during the pandemic, two winning gold and silver in national awards. Her books are on permanent display in the Museum of Liverpool, and she was recently listed as one of Explore Liverpool’s, ‘Faces of Liverpool’

Winning the UK Mums TV’s Mums Choice Award for 2020

Natalie's new book 
Natalie has a new book in her Monstrous Me series launching March 4th, 2021. Make sure you check out her Twitter handle that day where she will be sharing videos all day.

"My sister’s a monster that no one can see,
And nobody knows but my best friend and me.
I told Dad, but really, he hasn’t a clue,
For Dad only sees what Sis wants him to."
 
Bird's Eye View Project
The ambitious ‘Bird’s Eye View’ project is aimed at supporting 2020 visually impaired children and young people into employment by 2030 and is part of #LiverpoolWrites (a celebration of writing in all its forms).
Natalie will be working alongside a local comic book artist and teaching assistant at St. Vincent’s, Eevee Fox. Natalie will be asking children to research famous Liverpool statues and write about them,]]>2404falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-13-choose-and-impart-joy-in-uncertain-times-with-jillian-dubois--43434010Jillian DuBois teaches 2nd grade in Clearwater, FL, a learner, and infuser of JOY. Education has been her passion and heartbeat for 20 years where she loves guiding and partnering with her littles and colleagues to help them be all that they can with diligence and patience.
For me, the goal is simple. To be a voice that can start change.
Your Background
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and have Texas roots that run deep. I have been in Clearwater, Florida for 30 years after I got married. I am a second-grade teacher and why I love the kids because they are old enough to be independent and still get that teacher look. You know what that is.. That look to get their attention. Jillian shared a fun story on Matthew X. Joseph’s podcast You Can’t Make This Up Episode #11 on “Lizardpops.” Her kids were outside with their jackets on because it was cold one day. They were picking up some sticks and putting them in their pockets. Listen to find out what happened next.
 Jumping into Social Media right before Covid
I had the time and have met the most amazing people online. When you find your Personal Learning Network, you will see that social media doesn’t have to go negative. You’re there to support and encourage each other. I’ve grown, I’ve stretched. I’ve learned to be vulnerable, to accept myself for who I am, and to put myself out there with my own voice to spread hope and joy. I joined a Book Zoom and mentioned I was interested in writing. I heard from Cris Saldana @saldanact that I just needed to start writing, so I started my blog. Then I started my podcast with three-minute clips of anecdotal stories and moments of Imparted Joy.
Open your heart. Watch it grow.
Writing and Illustrating Your Children’s Book
I grew up in a very artistic family. My aunts, uncles, and cousins loved art. My aunt who was an artist who did watercolors and all types of paintings taught me lessons on how to draw and do watercolor since I was 10. Art was a hobby for me. When my book was accepted by my publisher, Codebreaker, they asked me if I had an illustrator. I asked my aunt and told me that I can do it. She helped me brainstorm the look of the character. I used the app Procreate on my iPad to create the illustrations. I wanted to write about a social-emotional lesson that everybody has a story and things that are broken and make them unique. It’s about embracing who we are. 
Liv's Seashells: What Makes Us Unique Makes Us Extraordinary

 
When young Liv visits the seashore, she comes to life soaking in the salty air and sparkling sun. Her adventure takes her on a journey to discover uniquely different seashells as she sets out to show them all a special kind of compassion.
Available from Amazon 
 ]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=32256Fri, 12 Feb 2021 11:01:56 +0000voicEd Radio              Jillian DuBois teaches 2nd grade in Clearwater, FL, a learner, and infuser of JOY. Education has been her passion and heartbeat for 20 years where she loves guiding and partnering with her littles and colleagues to help them be all that...Jillian DuBois teaches 2nd grade in Clearwater, FL, a learner, and infuser of JOY. Education has been her passion and heartbeat for 20 years where she loves guiding and partnering with her littles and colleagues to help them be all that they can with diligence and patience.
For me, the goal is simple. To be a voice that can start change.
Your Background
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and have Texas roots that run deep. I have been in Clearwater, Florida for 30 years after I got married. I am a second-grade teacher and why I love the kids because they are old enough to be independent and still get that teacher look. You know what that is.. That look to get their attention. Jillian shared a fun story on Matthew X. Joseph’s podcast You Can’t Make This Up Episode #11 on “Lizardpops.” Her kids were outside with their jackets on because it was cold one day. They were picking up some sticks and putting them in their pockets. Listen to find out what happened next.
 Jumping into Social Media right before Covid
I had the time and have met the most amazing people online. When you find your Personal Learning Network, you will see that social media doesn’t have to go negative. You’re there to support and encourage each other. I’ve grown, I’ve stretched. I’ve learned to be vulnerable, to accept myself for who I am, and to put myself out there with my own voice to spread hope and joy. I joined a Book Zoom and mentioned I was interested in writing. I heard from Cris Saldana @saldanact that I just needed to start writing, so I started my blog. Then I started my podcast with three-minute clips of anecdotal stories and moments of Imparted Joy.
Open your heart. Watch it grow.
Writing and Illustrating Your Children’s Book
I grew up in a very artistic family. My aunts, uncles, and cousins loved art. My aunt who was an artist who did watercolors and all types of paintings taught me lessons on how to draw and do watercolor since I was 10. Art was a hobby for me. When my book was accepted by my publisher, Codebreaker, they asked me if I had an illustrator. I asked my aunt and told me that I can do it. She helped me brainstorm the look of the character. I used the app Procreate on my iPad to create the illustrations. I wanted to write about a social-emotional lesson that everybody has a story and things that are broken and make them unique. It’s about embracing who we are. 
Liv's Seashells: What Makes Us Unique Makes Us Extraordinary

 
When young Liv visits the seashore, she comes to life soaking in the salty air and sparkling sun. Her adventure takes her on a journey to discover uniquely different seashells as she sets out to show them all a special kind of compassion.
Available from Amazon 
 ]]>2001falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-12-now-is-the-time-to-disrupt-the-status-quo-with-dr-basil-marin-and-jt-taylor--43242958Dr. Basil Marin and I were direct messaging each other on Twitter about how we needed to talk about disrupting the status quo. He told me he wanted to have that conversation for a podcast but only if we added “JT” Taylor who is his "brother" in this work. As soon as the three of us started talking, I knew this was a really special conversation. Yes, we laughed like the picture above, but we got deep into discussions that some will call courageous, others will call scary. As Basil and JT mentioned in the reflection, people are not having these conversations. We have to have these talks.
Just think of our conversation as the three of us on my porch talking about controversial topics. Listen and join us. We welcome your comments.
Here are areas that stand out in our conversation: 

The importance of personal connections and knowing our names.  :50
Being passionate about disrupting the status quo.  4:17
Rebuilding a broken system by not being silent.  5:50
Why a reflection is a powerful tool for clarity.  8:30
Educators can change lives through the power of words.  10:45
There are also "unsaid" things that can be more hurtful.  12:50
What's going on in schools and how it is affecting teachers.  16.36
The system wasn't working before COVID so we have to do it differently. Teacher burnout is real because of unrealistic expectations. 18:33
How the pandemic exposed the inequities that were always there.  23:00
Now we're 70% a teacher; 30% a social worker. Need to know the Zoom streets. Professional development cannot be status quo.  30:00 
Teachers need an equity lens and implicit bias PD.  35:20
* Being committed to growing and acknowledging bias.  39:00

Keep listening to the end … it keeps going….the real work.
I hope you share this post with the podcast, comment, check out the contact information for Basil and JT that is below, and make sure you follow both of them for so much more. 

Dr. Basil Marin
Dr. Basil Marin is currently an Assistant Principal at Chamblee Charter High School in Atlanta, Georgia. In his current role, Dr. Marin is charged with leading the continuous school improvement process, Title 1 implementation, and increasing family engagement/communication with ELL parents and students.
Dr. Marin is a 2017 ASCD Emerging Leader and currently serves as President of ELASCD affiliate. You will often find him presenting at conferences speaking to his passions, such as equity in education, social-emotional learning, and whole-child approaches to education. Dr. Marin looks forward to connecting with like-minded individuals who are passionate about disrupting the status quo.

Website: www.basilmarin.com
Twitter – @basil_marin
Email – basil.marin234@gmail.com 

 

“JT” Taylor 
Jahkari “JT” Taylor is an award-winning educational leader, researcher, author, and national speaker. He has presented at the national conferences of many professional organizations, including ASCD, NCTE, and AMLE.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=32676Tue, 02 Feb 2021 01:06:49 +0000voicEd Radio              Dr. Basil Marin and I were direct messaging each other on Twitter about how we needed to talk about disrupting the status quo. He told me he wanted to have that conversation for a podcast but only if we added “JT” Taylor who is his...Dr. Basil Marin and I were direct messaging each other on Twitter about how we needed to talk about disrupting the status quo. He told me he wanted to have that conversation for a podcast but only if we added “JT” Taylor who is his "brother" in this work. As soon as the three of us started talking, I knew this was a really special conversation. Yes, we laughed like the picture above, but we got deep into discussions that some will call courageous, others will call scary. As Basil and JT mentioned in the reflection, people are not having these conversations. We have to have these talks.
Just think of our conversation as the three of us on my porch talking about controversial topics. Listen and join us. We welcome your comments.
Here are areas that stand out in our conversation: 

The importance of personal connections and knowing our names.  :50
Being passionate about disrupting the status quo.  4:17
Rebuilding a broken system by not being silent.  5:50
Why a reflection is a powerful tool for clarity.  8:30
Educators can change lives through the power of words.  10:45
There are also "unsaid" things that can be more hurtful.  12:50
What's going on in schools and how it is affecting teachers.  16.36
The system wasn't working before COVID so we have to do it differently. Teacher burnout is real because of unrealistic expectations. 18:33
How the pandemic exposed the inequities that were always there.  23:00
Now we're 70% a teacher; 30% a social worker. Need to know the Zoom streets. Professional development cannot be status quo.  30:00 
Teachers need an equity lens and implicit bias PD.  35:20
* Being committed to growing and acknowledging bias.  39:00

Keep listening to the end … it keeps going….the real work.
I hope you share this post with the podcast, comment, check out the contact information for Basil and JT that is below, and make sure you follow both of them for so much more. 

Dr. Basil Marin
Dr. Basil Marin is currently an Assistant Principal at Chamblee Charter High School in Atlanta, Georgia. In his current role, Dr. Marin is charged with leading the continuous school improvement process, Title 1 implementation, and increasing family engagement/communication with ELL parents and students.
Dr. Marin is a 2017 ASCD Emerging Leader and currently serves as President of ELASCD affiliate. You will often find him presenting at conferences speaking to his passions, such as equity in education, social-emotional learning, and whole-child approaches to education. Dr. Marin looks forward to connecting with like-minded individuals who are passionate about disrupting the status quo.

Website: www.basilmarin.com
Twitter – @basil_marin
Email – basil.marin234@gmail.com 

 

“JT” Taylor 
Jahkari “JT” Taylor is an award-winning educational leader, researcher, author, and national speaker. He has presented at the national conferences of many professional organizations, including ASCD, NCTE, and AMLE.]]>3224falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-112-spread-the-kindness-ripple-through-books-with-rich-simpson--43168950Rich Simpson is a Year 6 teacher, Literacy Lead, from the Isle of Wight in the UK. He blogs about books and kindness and started the hashtag #kindnessripple on Twitter. After talking with Rich about his growing up in Northern Ireland and learning a little about his story, I was excited to learn more. Enjoy!

Growing up
Growing up in Northern Ireland I was part of a single-parent family, living with my younger brother and sister, and mum. My dad left when we were young (I was 6 or 7) and we rarely saw him again after that – I had no relationship with him at all. I saw him once again when I was 13 and we went to visit him in Hong Kong. he died a couple of years later. I have since discovered that I have a half-brother called Fred from his next relationship, and we have connected – I met him for the first two years ago when he came to visit and we are in contact – he lives in the U.S.!
We were a foster family, so we had a large number of children living with us as I grew up in placements of varying lengths, and I always wanted to do something related to working with children as a job (though after I had fulfilled my ambition of being in the army as all my relatives had done!).
What it was like as a student
Life was tricky – possibly due to the unrest at home I was not a happy child and didn’t enjoy early school – I was excluded from pre-school and only allowed into primary if medicated (I started school on Valium!). A teacher called Mrs. Riddle spoke to my mum and persuaded her to let me try books as an alternative, and it changed everything…
I still didn’t have a great school life – I changed school at 8 due to issues around anxiety and the school I was attending, and this continued all through right until I left high school at 18 for university – I had few friends and was subjected to horrific bullying as an ‘outsider’ at a large all-boys secondary school.
Moving to the UK
I left Northern Ireland to go to university in 1997 and have never gone back, staying in the UK and teaching since then (apart from a year spent traveling and working elsewhere in 2006 after my attempts to join the army went wrong!). I now live with my beautiful wife and two children on the Isle of Wight, working in a small primary school as a Y6 teacher, and senior leader.
Outside of school, I blog about education and books on my website www.whatiread.co.uk and start the #kindnessripple hashtag on Twitter each Thursday, which I founded in lockdown this year after writing a blog about kindness in the classroom for Twinkl (an educational resource website)

What it was like for you as a student 
Life was tricky – possibly due to the unrest at home. I was not a happy child and didn’t enjoy early school – I was excluded from pre-school and only allowed into primary if medicated (I started school on Valium!). A teacher called Mrs. Riddle spoke to my mum and persuaded her to let me try books as an alternative, and it changed everything.
I still didn’t have a great school life – I changed school at 8 due to issues a...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=32336Thu, 28 Jan 2021 11:27:58 +0000voicEd Radio              Rich Simpson is a Year 6 teacher, Literacy Lead, from the Isle of Wight in the UK. He blogs about books and kindness and started the hashtag #kindnessripple on Twitter. After talking with Rich about his growing up in Northern Ireland and...Rich Simpson is a Year 6 teacher, Literacy Lead, from the Isle of Wight in the UK. He blogs about books and kindness and started the hashtag #kindnessripple on Twitter. After talking with Rich about his growing up in Northern Ireland and learning a little about his story, I was excited to learn more. Enjoy!

Growing up
Growing up in Northern Ireland I was part of a single-parent family, living with my younger brother and sister, and mum. My dad left when we were young (I was 6 or 7) and we rarely saw him again after that – I had no relationship with him at all. I saw him once again when I was 13 and we went to visit him in Hong Kong. he died a couple of years later. I have since discovered that I have a half-brother called Fred from his next relationship, and we have connected – I met him for the first two years ago when he came to visit and we are in contact – he lives in the U.S.!
We were a foster family, so we had a large number of children living with us as I grew up in placements of varying lengths, and I always wanted to do something related to working with children as a job (though after I had fulfilled my ambition of being in the army as all my relatives had done!).
What it was like as a student
Life was tricky – possibly due to the unrest at home I was not a happy child and didn’t enjoy early school – I was excluded from pre-school and only allowed into primary if medicated (I started school on Valium!). A teacher called Mrs. Riddle spoke to my mum and persuaded her to let me try books as an alternative, and it changed everything…
I still didn’t have a great school life – I changed school at 8 due to issues around anxiety and the school I was attending, and this continued all through right until I left high school at 18 for university – I had few friends and was subjected to horrific bullying as an ‘outsider’ at a large all-boys secondary school.
Moving to the UK
I left Northern Ireland to go to university in 1997 and have never gone back, staying in the UK and teaching since then (apart from a year spent traveling and working elsewhere in 2006 after my attempts to join the army went wrong!). I now live with my beautiful wife and two children on the Isle of Wight, working in a small primary school as a Y6 teacher, and senior leader.
Outside of school, I blog about education and books on my website www.whatiread.co.uk and start the #kindnessripple hashtag on Twitter each Thursday, which I founded in lockdown this year after writing a blog about kindness in the classroom for Twinkl (an educational resource website)

What it was like for you as a student 
Life was tricky – possibly due to the unrest at home. I was not a happy child and didn’t enjoy early school – I was excluded from pre-school and only allowed into primary if medicated (I started school on Valium!). A teacher called Mrs. Riddle spoke to my mum and persuaded her to let me try books as an alternative, and it changed everything.
I still didn’t have a great school life – I changed school at 8 due to issues a...]]>2726falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-111-from-tragedy-to-triumph-with-ktteev-kendrick-thomas--43115893Kendrick Thomas (KTTeeV) is an Asst. Principal in Houston, certified life coach, speaker, mentor,  podcast host of Daily K, and the host of the KTTeeV Radio show. KTTeeV is all about bridging the gap between the school and community through information. Kendrick takes his passion for showing young people that through intrinsic motivation there is a way out of every situation to another level, a level that is life-changing.   
Let’s go right into your WHY …
I was the oldest of 3 born in Shreveport, Louisiana to a single mother at the age of 15. I faced violence, murder, drugs, and gangs daily. With all this going on around me, I knew that I would need to find the intrinsic motivation to one day leave Shreveport and do great things for the world I lived in.
Located in the community of Alief in Houston Texas, KTTeeV is dedicated to building the community through information, resources, and opportunities. Through videos, blogs, and forum discussions, we welcome you to engage, learn, and share these resources to build and grow the community in which you live.
Kendrick is not only a school administrator in Houston, Texas, but a certified life coach, speaker, and mentor. He leads the G.R.E.A.T. Boys Club in Alief ISD and works countless hours speaking with At-Risk youth, leaders on his campus, in his district, and throughout the city of Houston. 

Kendrick's passion is showing young people that through intrinsic motivation there is a way out of every situation you’re placed in.
Through his podcast, Daily K, and the KTTeeV Radio show which reaches thousands weekly,  Kendrick speaks to school leaders, community members, and entrepreneurs across the world about how vital giving back to the community is. The skills, the passion, the first-hand applicable experience, and the interconnections Kendrick brings is what makes him one of the most sought after speakers in education and advocacy in the city of Houston.
 
Kendrick’s Contact Information

Email- Ktteev@gmail.com 
Website: https://www.ktteev.com/ 

 
*****
 
Interested in checking out more of the Rethinking Learning podcasts and reflections, click on the podcast tab at the top, the logo below, or go to https://barbarabray.net/podcasts/

For more information about Barbara’s new book, Define Your WHY, go to this page or click on the image of the book for resources, questions, and links.

 ]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=32253Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:42:17 +0000voicEd Radio        Kendrick Thomas (KTTeeV) is an Asst. Principal in Houston, certified life coach, speaker, mentor,  podcast host of Daily K, and the host of the KTTeeV Radio show. KTTeeV is all about bridging the gap between the school and community through...Kendrick Thomas (KTTeeV) is an Asst. Principal in Houston, certified life coach, speaker, mentor,  podcast host of Daily K, and the host of the KTTeeV Radio show. KTTeeV is all about bridging the gap between the school and community through information. Kendrick takes his passion for showing young people that through intrinsic motivation there is a way out of every situation to another level, a level that is life-changing.   
Let’s go right into your WHY …
I was the oldest of 3 born in Shreveport, Louisiana to a single mother at the age of 15. I faced violence, murder, drugs, and gangs daily. With all this going on around me, I knew that I would need to find the intrinsic motivation to one day leave Shreveport and do great things for the world I lived in.
Located in the community of Alief in Houston Texas, KTTeeV is dedicated to building the community through information, resources, and opportunities. Through videos, blogs, and forum discussions, we welcome you to engage, learn, and share these resources to build and grow the community in which you live.
Kendrick is not only a school administrator in Houston, Texas, but a certified life coach, speaker, and mentor. He leads the G.R.E.A.T. Boys Club in Alief ISD and works countless hours speaking with At-Risk youth, leaders on his campus, in his district, and throughout the city of Houston. 

Kendrick's passion is showing young people that through intrinsic motivation there is a way out of every situation you’re placed in.
Through his podcast, Daily K, and the KTTeeV Radio show which reaches thousands weekly,  Kendrick speaks to school leaders, community members, and entrepreneurs across the world about how vital giving back to the community is. The skills, the passion, the first-hand applicable experience, and the interconnections Kendrick brings is what makes him one of the most sought after speakers in education and advocacy in the city of Houston.
 
Kendrick’s Contact Information

Email- Ktteev@gmail.com 
Website: https://www.ktteev.com/ 

 
*****
 
Interested in checking out more of the Rethinking Learning podcasts and reflections, click on the podcast tab at the top, the logo below, or go to https://barbarabray.net/podcasts/

For more information about Barbara’s new book, Define Your WHY, go to this page or click on the image of the book for resources, questions, and links.

 ]]>2347falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-11-humanizing-distance-learning-with-paul-emerich-france--42682870 
Why we want to talk about Humanizing Distance Learning 
Most of us have little choice now about incorporating digital pedagogy into our teaching. But that doesn’t mean we have to succumb to the dehumanizing effects of individualized or digitally driven education technology. We don’t have to force students to use web-based adaptive tools or make them simply watch videos of our teaching. There are ways to humanize digital pedagogy, in an effort to preserve our students’—and our own—a sense of humanity while we’re all teaching and learning remotely. [Edutopia article: 3 Tips on Humanizing Digital Pedagogy]
What does Humanizing Distance Learning look like?


* incorporating student voice

* promoting student independence

* deindustrializing your curriculum

* centering identity

* intensifying SEL
* building classroom norms collaboratively

   More here: https://buff.ly/34FZXSI
I’d like to discuss deindustrializing your curriculum first. This seems to be more about trying to change the system. How do we do that? Where do we start?
It is and it isn’t. We have to attack this from both ends, and unfortunately, teachers do not have the power to change the entire system on their own. But they can make small changes to their pedagogy that deindustrialize and personalize learning.
Let’s talk a bit about EdTech Minimalism. How can teachers be EdTech Minimalists in an era where they are forced to use so much of it?

Maximizing active screen time, as opposed to passive screen time
Moving away from app-centric learning
Minimizing quantitative data
Centering human connection — always

What are some ways to intensify SEL (social-emotional learning) in a remote teaching environment? What tips do you have?
In my book, I talk about structure and continuity, building a sense of community, strategies for hope and gratitude, and building a resilient classroom culture with feelings check-ins, stretch breaks, and other ways to keep your classroom community tight. I think the biggest idea is de-centering academics. We have to get comfortable with the fact that we make no meaningful progress on academics without a strong foundation of social and emotional learning. Click on the image to access Humanizing Distance Learning.

Contact Information
Website: paul@paulemerich.com 
Twitter @paul_emerich
Check out the podcast with Paul: Episode #78: Reclaiming Personalized Learning
More about Paul's consulting services: https://paulemerich.com/consulting/  
****
 
Interested in checking out more of the Rethinking Learning podcasts and reflections, click on the podcast tab at the top, the logo below, or go to https://barbarabray.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=31846Sun, 27 Dec 2020 14:49:47 +0000voicEd Radio    Why we want to talk about Humanizing Distance Learning  Most of us have little choice now about incorporating digital pedagogy into our teaching. But that doesn’t mean we have to succumb to the dehumanizing effects of individualized or digitally... 
Why we want to talk about Humanizing Distance Learning 
Most of us have little choice now about incorporating digital pedagogy into our teaching. But that doesn’t mean we have to succumb to the dehumanizing effects of individualized or digitally driven education technology. We don’t have to force students to use web-based adaptive tools or make them simply watch videos of our teaching. There are ways to humanize digital pedagogy, in an effort to preserve our students’—and our own—a sense of humanity while we’re all teaching and learning remotely. [Edutopia article: 3 Tips on Humanizing Digital Pedagogy]
What does Humanizing Distance Learning look like?


* incorporating student voice

* promoting student independence

* deindustrializing your curriculum

* centering identity

* intensifying SEL
* building classroom norms collaboratively

   More here: https://buff.ly/34FZXSI
I’d like to discuss deindustrializing your curriculum first. This seems to be more about trying to change the system. How do we do that? Where do we start?
It is and it isn’t. We have to attack this from both ends, and unfortunately, teachers do not have the power to change the entire system on their own. But they can make small changes to their pedagogy that deindustrialize and personalize learning.
Let’s talk a bit about EdTech Minimalism. How can teachers be EdTech Minimalists in an era where they are forced to use so much of it?

Maximizing active screen time, as opposed to passive screen time
Moving away from app-centric learning
Minimizing quantitative data
Centering human connection — always

What are some ways to intensify SEL (social-emotional learning) in a remote teaching environment? What tips do you have?
In my book, I talk about structure and continuity, building a sense of community, strategies for hope and gratitude, and building a resilient classroom culture with feelings check-ins, stretch breaks, and other ways to keep your classroom community tight. I think the biggest idea is de-centering academics. We have to get comfortable with the fact that we make no meaningful progress on academics without a strong foundation of social and emotional learning. Click on the image to access Humanizing Distance Learning.

Contact Information
Website: paul@paulemerich.com 
Twitter @paul_emerich
Check out the podcast with Paul: Episode #78: Reclaiming Personalized Learning
More about Paul's consulting services: https://paulemerich.com/consulting/  
****
 
Interested in checking out more of the Rethinking Learning podcasts and reflections, click on the podcast tab at the top, the logo below, or go to https://barbarabray.]]>2111falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-110-go-get-it-with-chip-baker--42586250
What it was like growing up
I was born in Dallas, Tx. My parents separated when I was five years old and we moved with my mom to Hern, TX, close to Texas A&M University.  I played four sports in high school and football at West Texas A&M University. Growing up, I was surrounded by encouragement and lots of love where I learned how education was important.
There were lessons I learned and it made me realize that personally there is a process to achieve growth while going through tough things. I learned early it is not about us, it is about helping others. Then our life takes off and great things happen for it.

I was raised by a Super Hero in my house; my mom. Every day I watched her do heroic things. She created free food programs for kids, and was the first black lady on the City Council in my home town, and taught Special Education. That’s where I became interested in teaching Special Education. I was voluntold to do some things like help out with Special Olympics, I saw the positive difference it made in the lives of others and am a fourth-generation educator after my mom, grandmother, and great grandmother. My younger sister is also an educator and both of us have been teachers of the year on our campuses. I’ve been so fortunate to have been raised by my blessed family, church folk, and educators to give a life of service. I’ve had amazing people in my life who have encouraged me. I learned to be a good team player from my mom who gave us transferable skills so we could all work together as a team.
One person in particular who helped me so much is my little league baseball coach who was my elementary school principal, Mr. Norris McDaniel. His son and I were classmates and very close. They were like a second family to me. When I graduated from college, I applied to Conroe School District to a principal who knew Mr. McDaniel that I included as a reference. Mr. McDaniel told him amazing things about me and to hire me. They didn’t even look at my credentials or resume. They hired me for my first just job and opportunity because of Mr. McDaniel. 
Being a Coach and Special Education Teacher
This is my twenty-second year in education. I’m a coach and Special Education teacher in Conroe, Texas that is north of Houston. I teach Life Skills for Special Education where there are around 40 students with 5 teachers in our department. We break it down into the core subjects, and  I teach the Business, Marketing, and Finance skills and School-based Enterprise. These are the skills they will be able to use on the job and in life. 
We have to make sure that every moment of every day we strive to do our best to be the best version of ourselves, work hard, treat people right, and take care of the little things like doing things the right way.
What it is like teaching during a pandemic
When we started school during this pandemic, the district had a ramp-up plan where everyone was virtual. After two weeks, we started gradually bringing in our Special Education students. We’re still in the phase where it is optional for in-person or virtual.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=31757Sun, 20 Dec 2020 14:16:02 +0000voicEd RadioChip Baker is a fourth-generation educator, a speaker, host of the Success Chronicles Podcast, host of the Radio 111.7 Show, a Coach/Trainer for the John Gordon Power of Positive Leadership, and is the author of multiple books, videos, and resources. ...
What it was like growing up
I was born in Dallas, Tx. My parents separated when I was five years old and we moved with my mom to Hern, TX, close to Texas A&M University.  I played four sports in high school and football at West Texas A&M University. Growing up, I was surrounded by encouragement and lots of love where I learned how education was important.
There were lessons I learned and it made me realize that personally there is a process to achieve growth while going through tough things. I learned early it is not about us, it is about helping others. Then our life takes off and great things happen for it.

I was raised by a Super Hero in my house; my mom. Every day I watched her do heroic things. She created free food programs for kids, and was the first black lady on the City Council in my home town, and taught Special Education. That’s where I became interested in teaching Special Education. I was voluntold to do some things like help out with Special Olympics, I saw the positive difference it made in the lives of others and am a fourth-generation educator after my mom, grandmother, and great grandmother. My younger sister is also an educator and both of us have been teachers of the year on our campuses. I’ve been so fortunate to have been raised by my blessed family, church folk, and educators to give a life of service. I’ve had amazing people in my life who have encouraged me. I learned to be a good team player from my mom who gave us transferable skills so we could all work together as a team.
One person in particular who helped me so much is my little league baseball coach who was my elementary school principal, Mr. Norris McDaniel. His son and I were classmates and very close. They were like a second family to me. When I graduated from college, I applied to Conroe School District to a principal who knew Mr. McDaniel that I included as a reference. Mr. McDaniel told him amazing things about me and to hire me. They didn’t even look at my credentials or resume. They hired me for my first just job and opportunity because of Mr. McDaniel. 
Being a Coach and Special Education Teacher
This is my twenty-second year in education. I’m a coach and Special Education teacher in Conroe, Texas that is north of Houston. I teach Life Skills for Special Education where there are around 40 students with 5 teachers in our department. We break it down into the core subjects, and  I teach the Business, Marketing, and Finance skills and School-based Enterprise. These are the skills they will be able to use on the job and in life. 
We have to make sure that every moment of every day we strive to do our best to be the best version of ourselves, work hard, treat people right, and take care of the little things like doing things the right way.
What it is like teaching during a pandemic
When we started school during this pandemic, the district had a ramp-up plan where everyone was virtual. After two weeks, we started gradually bringing in our Special Education students. We’re still in the phase where it is optional for in-person or virtual.]]>2336falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-109-play-and-joy-through-embodied-learning-with-tommaso-lana--42003022Your background

I grew up in the early 80s in the south outskirt of Milan, Italy. When I was a child, that gray, post-industrial city, was the center of one of the worst heroin epidemics in the country.
Suddenly, public spaces became unsafe for children who, since then, had been growing up playing freely and without parental overview on the street, in playgrounds, and anywhere under the open sky. I grew up indoors, as today’s children do in the pandemic. Luckily my parents’ apartment had a terrace, which was my outdoor escape.

While getting older, I learned how to cope with the city’s reality. At the age of 11, I used to take a bus and a trolley to go to school in the City. While riding on public transport independently, I felt like I was the owner of my hometown. I began learning German in middle school. That was my parents’ choice, which I didn’t like as a child, but now, I’m glad it shaped my life and my career for good.
Your Thesis about the German School
I have a Master’s degree in social history from the University of Milan, Italy. In the 1860s in Milan, Italy, a group of German-speaking young children who attended the school of the local German and Swiss community happened to learn Italian and the Milanese dialect.
“Find the resources behind the wall to design the future.”
They did this by hanging over their schoolyard’s wall during recess and interacting with passers-by. Parents had instructed teachers to prohibit this strictly. But no adult can stop a child from playing and learning. These children grew up and succeeded in Milan as revolutionary entrepreneurs and influential politicians.  
Many years ago, I wrote my Master thesis in social history about this story and children’s natural potential of enabling change and experiential learning pathways through play. I didn’t know yet that acknowledging children as social change-makers would have become the revolutionary message of my profession.

“The child is the social change maker.”

Moving to Germany: The interactive museum and learning about the senses
My career in the world of experiential learning started in 2005 when I left Italy. I was the manager of visitor services at “The Experience Field for the Development of the Senses” in Wiesbaden, Germany. The most memorable experience I had at that sensory interactive museum was working at the “blind cafe” along with visually impaired colleagues. If dark dining is today a fashionable concept, back in the day, it was a pioneering performance art project. As a person who is able to see, being in the condition of waiting and guiding customers in the darkness helped me to wonder about the natural ability of learning by involving physical and emotional experiences. In the darkness, I’ve rediscovered my childhood, the experiments I used to make on the terrace, and the joy of learning organically.

“Learning comes/gushes from children, naturally.”

Started Embodied Learning in Europe (2008)]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=31199Mon, 16 Nov 2020 09:20:08 +0000voicEd RadioTommaso (Tom) Lana is a performance and consulting artist, and creator of Embodied Learning. I’ve had several conversations with Tom and am excited about sharing his journey with you from growing up in Milan, about the German school, and learning...Your background

I grew up in the early 80s in the south outskirt of Milan, Italy. When I was a child, that gray, post-industrial city, was the center of one of the worst heroin epidemics in the country.
Suddenly, public spaces became unsafe for children who, since then, had been growing up playing freely and without parental overview on the street, in playgrounds, and anywhere under the open sky. I grew up indoors, as today’s children do in the pandemic. Luckily my parents’ apartment had a terrace, which was my outdoor escape.

While getting older, I learned how to cope with the city’s reality. At the age of 11, I used to take a bus and a trolley to go to school in the City. While riding on public transport independently, I felt like I was the owner of my hometown. I began learning German in middle school. That was my parents’ choice, which I didn’t like as a child, but now, I’m glad it shaped my life and my career for good.
Your Thesis about the German School
I have a Master’s degree in social history from the University of Milan, Italy. In the 1860s in Milan, Italy, a group of German-speaking young children who attended the school of the local German and Swiss community happened to learn Italian and the Milanese dialect.
“Find the resources behind the wall to design the future.”
They did this by hanging over their schoolyard’s wall during recess and interacting with passers-by. Parents had instructed teachers to prohibit this strictly. But no adult can stop a child from playing and learning. These children grew up and succeeded in Milan as revolutionary entrepreneurs and influential politicians.  
Many years ago, I wrote my Master thesis in social history about this story and children’s natural potential of enabling change and experiential learning pathways through play. I didn’t know yet that acknowledging children as social change-makers would have become the revolutionary message of my profession.

“The child is the social change maker.”

Moving to Germany: The interactive museum and learning about the senses
My career in the world of experiential learning started in 2005 when I left Italy. I was the manager of visitor services at “The Experience Field for the Development of the Senses” in Wiesbaden, Germany. The most memorable experience I had at that sensory interactive museum was working at the “blind cafe” along with visually impaired colleagues. If dark dining is today a fashionable concept, back in the day, it was a pioneering performance art project. As a person who is able to see, being in the condition of waiting and guiding customers in the darkness helped me to wonder about the natural ability of learning by involving physical and emotional experiences. In the darkness, I’ve rediscovered my childhood, the experiments I used to make on the terrace, and the joy of learning organically.

“Learning comes/gushes from children, naturally.”

Started Embodied Learning in Europe (2008)]]>2753falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-10-on-humanized-pandemic-teaching-with-chris-mcnutt--41905136Classrooms today
Education has the power to shape a new world – one that cares for all, provides equitable outcomes of opportunity, and ensures everyone is appreciated and valued. In theory, our school system should exemplify the overarching goal of students driving forward a curriculum that centers on their values and promotes these outcomes of social justice. However, classrooms are not always a humane place.
COVID-19 has brought to light and doubled-down on the carceral practices of schools. Similar to the carceral practices brought forward by the police reform/Black Lives Matter/defund the police movement, our recent foray into “pandemic teaching” has highlighted the dehumanization of students in a place meant for learning:

In an effort to maintain “accountability,” adolescents to young children are being assigned many hours of tedious work to replicate the school day at home.
To prevent “cheating,” test software companies are employing Orwellian security measures to monitor and surveil students’ households.
To ensure “no one falls behind,” schools have doubled down on faux “rigor” through grading even more.

It’s not that dehumanization started with the pandemic. For many students, coming to school is a negative experience. Earlier this year, a survey of 21,678 high school students found 75% reported school as a negative experience, signaling they were tired, stressed, and bored. The curriculum is disengaging, centered on a whitewashed narrative that doesn’t connect to students’ lives, the teacher controls (mentally and physically) much of what students can/will do, and the value of learning is centered on standardized testing. Now, as schools lockdown their classrooms in a (needed) effort to contain the pandemic, we find the doubling down of these practices.

This isn’t to say that teachers are to blame. In a system where raising standardized test scores is the pinnacle of success, teachers are expected to use whatever means possible to uphold the status quo. Challenging that status quo is an extreme risk in many cases, and we cannot assume that teachers who default to any-means-necessary business-as-usual are bad people and/or teachers. Yet, when observing a modern pandemic classroom, it’s hard to not be disappointed with the state of affairs. 
There is no one size fits all solution to pandemic teaching. The root of the issue isn’t COVID, it’s the systems in place that dehumanized education, to begin with. Why is it that we equate more work with more learning? Why do we not trust our students? Why are we believing that test scores equivocate to success? After all, when we prioritize these inhumane systems, we set up our youth for negative outcomes.
So, what can we do to counteract this? How can we build a more human-centered
classroom amidst a pandemic?
The first and most important shift is to simply ask students what they think.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=31335Tue, 10 Nov 2020 10:06:06 +0000voicEd RadioEnjoy Barbara Bray's conversation with Chris McNutt, a 9th-grade digital design and media educator and Executive Director of the Human Restoration Project, on how to build a more human-centered classroom amidst a pandemic. Classrooms today Education...Classrooms today
Education has the power to shape a new world – one that cares for all, provides equitable outcomes of opportunity, and ensures everyone is appreciated and valued. In theory, our school system should exemplify the overarching goal of students driving forward a curriculum that centers on their values and promotes these outcomes of social justice. However, classrooms are not always a humane place.
COVID-19 has brought to light and doubled-down on the carceral practices of schools. Similar to the carceral practices brought forward by the police reform/Black Lives Matter/defund the police movement, our recent foray into “pandemic teaching” has highlighted the dehumanization of students in a place meant for learning:

In an effort to maintain “accountability,” adolescents to young children are being assigned many hours of tedious work to replicate the school day at home.
To prevent “cheating,” test software companies are employing Orwellian security measures to monitor and surveil students’ households.
To ensure “no one falls behind,” schools have doubled down on faux “rigor” through grading even more.

It’s not that dehumanization started with the pandemic. For many students, coming to school is a negative experience. Earlier this year, a survey of 21,678 high school students found 75% reported school as a negative experience, signaling they were tired, stressed, and bored. The curriculum is disengaging, centered on a whitewashed narrative that doesn’t connect to students’ lives, the teacher controls (mentally and physically) much of what students can/will do, and the value of learning is centered on standardized testing. Now, as schools lockdown their classrooms in a (needed) effort to contain the pandemic, we find the doubling down of these practices.

This isn’t to say that teachers are to blame. In a system where raising standardized test scores is the pinnacle of success, teachers are expected to use whatever means possible to uphold the status quo. Challenging that status quo is an extreme risk in many cases, and we cannot assume that teachers who default to any-means-necessary business-as-usual are bad people and/or teachers. Yet, when observing a modern pandemic classroom, it’s hard to not be disappointed with the state of affairs. 
There is no one size fits all solution to pandemic teaching. The root of the issue isn’t COVID, it’s the systems in place that dehumanized education, to begin with. Why is it that we equate more work with more learning? Why do we not trust our students? Why are we believing that test scores equivocate to success? After all, when we prioritize these inhumane systems, we set up our youth for negative outcomes.
So, what can we do to counteract this? How can we build a more human-centered
classroom amidst a pandemic?
The first and most important shift is to simply ask students what they think.]]>1420falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-108-aspire-to-lead-with-empathy-creativity-and-passion-with-joshua-stamper--41866967Background
Joshua graduated from college with a Fine Arts degree and initially worked in the graphic design field for a number of years. He was always passionate about encouraging students to achieve their goals, initially coaching traveling soccer teams when he wasn’t working. Desiring to further his impact on students, Joshua returned to school to attain his teaching certificate, then worked as an Art teacher and coach at the middle school level for 6 years. Inspired to affect change at the campus level, Joshua completed his Masters in Educational Administration and has spent the past 8 years as a Middle School Administrator.
Joshua has had the amazing opportunity to work at four campuses, two districts, and hundreds of students, teachers, and administrators. Prior to Joshua's current position, he was a classroom educator and athletic coach for 6 years working with students in grades 6-8.
In addition to his administrative position, Joshua is a podcaster, Teach Better Podcast Network Manager, author, blogger, leadership coach, and education presenter.
Your Family
Joshua is married to Leslie and the father of five. Joshua and Leslie became foster parents in 2011 and had the privilege of adopting three of their children from foster care.

Joshua and Leslie are trained in trauma-informed practices for meeting the emotional, social, and behavioral needs of children who have been through adverse childhood experiences, which Joshua also applies to his role as administrator. Josh and Leslie have co-written the following blog posts to help and support other educators and parents with Trauma-Informed practices:

In the Face of Trauma
The Language of Behavior
History of Trauma

Aspire to Lead Podcast #aspirelead

The Aspire podcast (The Leadership Development Podcast) provides those who are looking to build their leadership capacity an opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced and accomplished educational leaders. As we grow in our leadership skills, it’s imperative we learn from other leader’s experiences, successes, trials, and misconceptions.
Teach Better Speakers Network
Speakers Network – Joshua Stamper


The Teach Better Speakers Network covers a variety of educational topics and services. Joshua supports educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive leadership journey. 
****
Joshua’s Contact Information
Website: https://joshstamper.com/ ]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=30900Sun, 08 Nov 2020 16:39:30 +0000voicEd RadioJoshua (Josh) Stamper, a middle school administrator in North Texas, is passionate about community and engagement. He provides strategies on trauma-informed practices and how to develop a restorative mindset. Josh hosts the Leadership Development...Background
Joshua graduated from college with a Fine Arts degree and initially worked in the graphic design field for a number of years. He was always passionate about encouraging students to achieve their goals, initially coaching traveling soccer teams when he wasn’t working. Desiring to further his impact on students, Joshua returned to school to attain his teaching certificate, then worked as an Art teacher and coach at the middle school level for 6 years. Inspired to affect change at the campus level, Joshua completed his Masters in Educational Administration and has spent the past 8 years as a Middle School Administrator.
Joshua has had the amazing opportunity to work at four campuses, two districts, and hundreds of students, teachers, and administrators. Prior to Joshua's current position, he was a classroom educator and athletic coach for 6 years working with students in grades 6-8.
In addition to his administrative position, Joshua is a podcaster, Teach Better Podcast Network Manager, author, blogger, leadership coach, and education presenter.
Your Family
Joshua is married to Leslie and the father of five. Joshua and Leslie became foster parents in 2011 and had the privilege of adopting three of their children from foster care.

Joshua and Leslie are trained in trauma-informed practices for meeting the emotional, social, and behavioral needs of children who have been through adverse childhood experiences, which Joshua also applies to his role as administrator. Josh and Leslie have co-written the following blog posts to help and support other educators and parents with Trauma-Informed practices:

In the Face of Trauma
The Language of Behavior
History of Trauma

Aspire to Lead Podcast #aspirelead

The Aspire podcast (The Leadership Development Podcast) provides those who are looking to build their leadership capacity an opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced and accomplished educational leaders. As we grow in our leadership skills, it’s imperative we learn from other leader’s experiences, successes, trials, and misconceptions.
Teach Better Speakers Network
Speakers Network – Joshua Stamper


The Teach Better Speakers Network covers a variety of educational topics and services. Joshua supports educators in the field toward creating and maintaining a progressive leadership journey. 
****
Joshua’s Contact Information
Website: https://joshstamper.com/ ]]>2175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-107-engaging-learners-in-the-online-environment-with-dr-cynthia-sistek-chandler--41537629What was it like for you as a student?
During my early elementary experience at Maple Leaf Elementary in Garfield Heights. Ohio, my k through third-grade teachers created a warm and caring environment for me. I was a majorette in the Twirling Sweethearts, a brownie, and at our talent show, I twirled a circular fire hoop! Believe it or not, I was also a budding accordion player, I ask you, who plays accordion nowadays? I did back then. As a granddaughter of a musician who was a music store owner and an inventor, music, and entertainment was in my DNA. Polka music, being Polish, eating ethnic food, and dancing was my life.
Then, when I was in 4th grade my parents divorced, and my life as I knew it crumbled. I had a new step-father and entered into a transient way of life. We moved 4 times in the next 4 years. City to city, to Arizona and back, then mid-year in 9th grade, I left Ohio. Overall, my experience as a learner was impacted by transience and trauma. My mom was a bartender and a waitress. Being a daughter of a divorced, single mother with her detained occupation, my interactions with others were sometimes wrought with prejudice and indifference. Regardless, the school was my family and I was always a great student and was deeply connected with all of my teachers. 
Your journey as a teacher
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. My younger sister was my first student. We are three years apart. I taught her everything I learned beginning in kindergarten. Each day, I came home from school and taught her everything I learned in school. By the time my sister entered kindergarten she knew how to add, write, and read. She was smarter than me and excelled in her school career.
Fast forward, I pursued my passion to become a teacher and persisted in college as an adult for 9 years. Even though it took me 9 years to obtain my Bachelors's degree, and another 2 years for my Masters and credential, I was and am, and always have been a teacher. 
As a graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, I taught first grade. It was my dream job and finally a reality as a classroom teacher. It was the mid-1980’s and computers in the classroom or COWS, (computers on wheels), were just becoming commonplace in the classroom. My kiddos were in awe when they saw their writing roll off the Imagewriter printer. I saw the promise of EdTech as a catalyst and motivator for these youngsters. Programs like the Children’s Writing and Publishing Center and Print Shop came alive for students and for my parent volunteers. Hypercard, Hyperstudio, and Laserdiscs were on the scene and educational software became a catalyst for learning. 
CUE Changed My Life

As a beginning teacher in1988, I attended my first CUE (Computer Using Educators now CUE) conference and became infatuated with educational software as a powerful tool for learning. Fast forward, after 5 years of teaching, in 1990, I took a hiatus from teaching to explore my passion for ED Tech. I worked in the educational software industry to assist educators in integrating software applications into the curriculum. As a sales manager I interfaced with hundreds of school districts and gave numerous demonstrations using an LCD projector With a master's in the curriculum, I wrote teacher’s guides to support the integration of computer-based learning in the classroom. In 1993, I started teaching teachers and it became clear to me that technology was a powerful tool and not just a thing to master...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=29736Mon, 19 Oct 2020 10:00:24 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Cynthia Sistek-Chandler, a staff developer, trainer, and professor of educational technology works with school sites and with cadres of learners at National University and at the San Diego County Office of Education. Since 1998, Cynthia has...What was it like for you as a student?
During my early elementary experience at Maple Leaf Elementary in Garfield Heights. Ohio, my k through third-grade teachers created a warm and caring environment for me. I was a majorette in the Twirling Sweethearts, a brownie, and at our talent show, I twirled a circular fire hoop! Believe it or not, I was also a budding accordion player, I ask you, who plays accordion nowadays? I did back then. As a granddaughter of a musician who was a music store owner and an inventor, music, and entertainment was in my DNA. Polka music, being Polish, eating ethnic food, and dancing was my life.
Then, when I was in 4th grade my parents divorced, and my life as I knew it crumbled. I had a new step-father and entered into a transient way of life. We moved 4 times in the next 4 years. City to city, to Arizona and back, then mid-year in 9th grade, I left Ohio. Overall, my experience as a learner was impacted by transience and trauma. My mom was a bartender and a waitress. Being a daughter of a divorced, single mother with her detained occupation, my interactions with others were sometimes wrought with prejudice and indifference. Regardless, the school was my family and I was always a great student and was deeply connected with all of my teachers. 
Your journey as a teacher
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. My younger sister was my first student. We are three years apart. I taught her everything I learned beginning in kindergarten. Each day, I came home from school and taught her everything I learned in school. By the time my sister entered kindergarten she knew how to add, write, and read. She was smarter than me and excelled in her school career.
Fast forward, I pursued my passion to become a teacher and persisted in college as an adult for 9 years. Even though it took me 9 years to obtain my Bachelors's degree, and another 2 years for my Masters and credential, I was and am, and always have been a teacher. 
As a graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, I taught first grade. It was my dream job and finally a reality as a classroom teacher. It was the mid-1980’s and computers in the classroom or COWS, (computers on wheels), were just becoming commonplace in the classroom. My kiddos were in awe when they saw their writing roll off the Imagewriter printer. I saw the promise of EdTech as a catalyst and motivator for these youngsters. Programs like the Children’s Writing and Publishing Center and Print Shop came alive for students and for my parent volunteers. Hypercard, Hyperstudio, and Laserdiscs were on the scene and educational software became a catalyst for learning. 
CUE Changed My Life

As a beginning teacher in1988, I attended my first CUE (Computer Using Educators now CUE) conference and became infatuated with educational software as a powerful tool for learning. Fast forward, after 5 years of teaching, in 1990, I took a hiatus from teaching to explore my passion for ED Tech. I worked in the educational software industry to assist educators in integrating software applications into the curriculum. As a sales manager I interfaced with hundreds of school districts and gave numerous demonstrations using an LCD projector With a master's in the curriculum, I wrote teacher’s guides to support the integration of computer-based learning in the classroom. In 1993, I started teaching teachers and it became clear to me that technology was a powerful tool and not just a thing to master...]]>2549falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/empathy-for-you-in-uncertain-times-reflection-9--41528127Stress is when you have multiple pressures that demand too much of you psychologically and physically. When you are stressed, you may believe that if you can just get everything under control, you will feel better. Stress involves “too much.” Stress can be perceived as negative if we don’t know how to react to that stress. There are signs that the stress you believe you cannot handle may be leading you toward burnout. 
Being burned out means feeling empty, without any motivation, and beyond caring about what happens to you. When you experience burnout, you often don’t see any hope of positive change in your situations. Burnout means “not enough” or cannot cope anymore.
Table 7.1 Stress vs. Burnout (From page 116 in Define Your Why)



Stress (too much)
Burnout (not enough)


 Characterized by over engagement
 Characterized by disengagement


 Emotions are overreactive
 Emotions are blunted


 Produces urgency and hyperactivity
 Produces helplessness and hopelessness


 Loss of energy
 Loss of motivation, ideals, and hope


 Leads to anxiety disorders
 Leads to detachment and depression


 Primary damage is physical
 Primary damage is emotional



Serveyev, A. (2019). 16 Important Signs You are Heading for Burnout
I know I’ve felt “too much” many days and “not enough” more than I would like. I’ve heard this from teachers, parents, and students. Covid19 is a worldwide crisis, and no one has ever dealt with a situation like this in over 100 years.
Everyone in the whole world is living with uncertainty during this pandemic. Educators who are stressed or possibly burned out told me that they are not able to balance work and home, especially when teaching remotely. Their own children may be learning remotely and they feel responsible for their learning. Or they were asked to teach face-to-face without the proper safety procedures in place. Or they’ve been asked to teach a hybrid version that adds even more stress. 
Breathe. All of us need to pause and breathe. 
I read Brené Brown’s book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead and have been following her for years. What I’ve learned is that it takes courage to be the authentic you. This video on empathy helped me understand the difference between sympathy and empathy and what it means to care about others. Empathy is feeling with people  https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw  
Empathy is about caring for others, but it also means caring for YOU. Educators and other professionals who serve others tend to not take care of themselves first. It is not selfish to take care of you, but many of us went into education to be there for kids first. We need to put our mask on first. Because of the demands of teaching remotely during this pandemic, educators can become easily overwhelmed and find that they cannot handle stress or issues in their own lives. This constant stress takes a toll on us.
How are you now?
I find myself not handling life as well as I used to during these last few months. I’m having trouble reading or finishing a book I started. I’m not able to focus on tasks as I did before. I’m listening to other educators who are telling me the same thing but they don’t feel comfortable sharing that they are feeling sad or scared or stressed. That is especially for teachers who are supposed to be strong and model strength. Several teachers told me that they felt shame for the way t...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=30811Sun, 18 Oct 2020 19:38:36 +0000voicEd RadioWe are living in an uncertain world especially now during this pandemic. Just living during this crisis impacts how we handle what we do and how we react to stress.  Stress is when you have multiple pressures that demand too much of you...Stress is when you have multiple pressures that demand too much of you psychologically and physically. When you are stressed, you may believe that if you can just get everything under control, you will feel better. Stress involves “too much.” Stress can be perceived as negative if we don’t know how to react to that stress. There are signs that the stress you believe you cannot handle may be leading you toward burnout. 
Being burned out means feeling empty, without any motivation, and beyond caring about what happens to you. When you experience burnout, you often don’t see any hope of positive change in your situations. Burnout means “not enough” or cannot cope anymore.
Table 7.1 Stress vs. Burnout (From page 116 in Define Your Why)



Stress (too much)
Burnout (not enough)


 Characterized by over engagement
 Characterized by disengagement


 Emotions are overreactive
 Emotions are blunted


 Produces urgency and hyperactivity
 Produces helplessness and hopelessness


 Loss of energy
 Loss of motivation, ideals, and hope


 Leads to anxiety disorders
 Leads to detachment and depression


 Primary damage is physical
 Primary damage is emotional



Serveyev, A. (2019). 16 Important Signs You are Heading for Burnout
I know I’ve felt “too much” many days and “not enough” more than I would like. I’ve heard this from teachers, parents, and students. Covid19 is a worldwide crisis, and no one has ever dealt with a situation like this in over 100 years.
Everyone in the whole world is living with uncertainty during this pandemic. Educators who are stressed or possibly burned out told me that they are not able to balance work and home, especially when teaching remotely. Their own children may be learning remotely and they feel responsible for their learning. Or they were asked to teach face-to-face without the proper safety procedures in place. Or they’ve been asked to teach a hybrid version that adds even more stress. 
Breathe. All of us need to pause and breathe. 
I read Brené Brown’s book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead and have been following her for years. What I’ve learned is that it takes courage to be the authentic you. This video on empathy helped me understand the difference between sympathy and empathy and what it means to care about others. Empathy is feeling with people  https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw  
Empathy is about caring for others, but it also means caring for YOU. Educators and other professionals who serve others tend to not take care of themselves first. It is not selfish to take care of you, but many of us went into education to be there for kids first. We need to put our mask on first. Because of the demands of teaching remotely during this pandemic, educators can become easily overwhelmed and find that they cannot handle stress or issues in their own lives. This constant stress takes a toll on us.
How are you now?
I find myself not handling life as well as I used to during these last few months. I’m having trouble reading or finishing a book I started. I’m not able to focus on tasks as I did before. I’m listening to other educators who are telling me the same thing but they don’t feel comfortable sharing that they are feeling sad or scared or stressed. That is especially for teachers who are supposed to be strong and model strength. Several teachers told me that they felt shame for the way t...]]>801falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-106-inspiring-the-next-generation-leaders-thinkers-and-problem-solvers-with-derek-wenmoth--40944704
Derek is currently running FutureMakers, an educational consultancy focused on making our education system more future-focused by inspiring the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and problem-solvers. I was fortunate to spend time with Derek at the 2019 Aurora Institute in Palm Springs, CA, and take this selfie. 
 
Throughout Derek's career as a teacher, principal, teacher educator, and education policy advisor, Derek  Wenmoth has followed his passion for creating future-focused education systems, and innovative teaching and learning approaches that place the learner at the center. Derek has particular skills in strategic planning and policy design, with an emphasis on future-focused education, flexible learning, and the role of digital technologies. 
Derek's background in distance learning
Derek's special interest in distance education began when he was teaching in rural parts of New Zealand and undertook distance studies through Massey University. He later embarked on a Master's degree in distance education through Deakin University while lecturing in Educational Technology at the Christchurch College of Education. While working there, Derek established NZ’s first distance pre-service teacher education program. In recognition of this work, he was awarded the Ian Stewart Memorial Award for innovation and leadership in distance education.
In the 1990s, Derek helped establish NZ’s first virtual schooling program in Canterbury and has continued with that interest, working with other clusters that have developed around NZ since then.  Derek developed GlobalNet2000, an online project aimed at increasing the global awareness and participation of young learners in New Zealand, with links to others across the world. In recognition of this work, he was awarded the Peter Brice award from the Pacific Circle Consortium, for achievements fostering inter-cultural understanding.
In 2001 he led a team at the NZ Correspondence School (Te Kura) in pioneering approaches to online learning and also conceived of and led the creation of the Virtual Learning Network, an online course brokerage service for schools in New Zealand that has since become a key part of the Ministry of Education’s eLearning strategy. In recognition of his work as an innovator and educational change-maker, Derek was designated one of 2008’s “Global Six” by the George Lucas Educational Foundation which recognizes individuals making a difference in education. He has been a long service executive member of the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ) and in 2018 was given life membership of that organization in recognition of his contribution to the field.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=30371Wed, 16 Sep 2020 15:55:16 +0000voicEd RadioDerek Wenmoth is regarded as one of New Zealand education’s foremost future-focused thinkers, and works extensively with schools and systems in New Zealand and elsewhere as they seek to prepare students for their future. He also consults with...
Derek is currently running FutureMakers, an educational consultancy focused on making our education system more future-focused by inspiring the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and problem-solvers. I was fortunate to spend time with Derek at the 2019 Aurora Institute in Palm Springs, CA, and take this selfie. 
 
Throughout Derek's career as a teacher, principal, teacher educator, and education policy advisor, Derek  Wenmoth has followed his passion for creating future-focused education systems, and innovative teaching and learning approaches that place the learner at the center. Derek has particular skills in strategic planning and policy design, with an emphasis on future-focused education, flexible learning, and the role of digital technologies. 
Derek's background in distance learning
Derek's special interest in distance education began when he was teaching in rural parts of New Zealand and undertook distance studies through Massey University. He later embarked on a Master's degree in distance education through Deakin University while lecturing in Educational Technology at the Christchurch College of Education. While working there, Derek established NZ’s first distance pre-service teacher education program. In recognition of this work, he was awarded the Ian Stewart Memorial Award for innovation and leadership in distance education.
In the 1990s, Derek helped establish NZ’s first virtual schooling program in Canterbury and has continued with that interest, working with other clusters that have developed around NZ since then.  Derek developed GlobalNet2000, an online project aimed at increasing the global awareness and participation of young learners in New Zealand, with links to others across the world. In recognition of this work, he was awarded the Peter Brice award from the Pacific Circle Consortium, for achievements fostering inter-cultural understanding.
In 2001 he led a team at the NZ Correspondence School (Te Kura) in pioneering approaches to online learning and also conceived of and led the creation of the Virtual Learning Network, an online course brokerage service for schools in New Zealand that has since become a key part of the Ministry of Education’s eLearning strategy. In recognition of his work as an innovator and educational change-maker, Derek was designated one of 2008’s “Global Six” by the George Lucas Educational Foundation which recognizes individuals making a difference in education. He has been a long service executive member of the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ) and in 2018 was given life membership of that organization in recognition of his contribution to the field.]]>2543falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-105-turning-potential-into-power-with-matthew-x-joseph--40641421 

Dr. Matthew X. Joseph is currently the director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in Leicester Public School. He has been a school and district leader in many capacities in public education over his 25 years in the field. Experiences such as the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation in Milford Public Schools (MA), the elementary school principal in Natick, MA and Attleboro, MA, classroom teacher,  and district professional development specialist have provided Matt incredible insights on how to best support teaching and learning. This experience has led to nationally published articles and opportunities to speak at multiple state and national events. He is the co-author of Modern Mentor: Reimagining Teacher Mentorship and the author of Power of Us: Creating Collaborative Schools.
Click here to view books and link to purchase
Matt holds licenses in general education, school administration, and Massachusetts superintendent. His master’s degree is in special education and earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Boston College.
Matt brings 25 years of educational experience as a teacher, staff developer, conference speaker, Boston College leadership mentor, school, and district administrator.  Matt has spoken on leadership, instruction, and educational technology at many events in Massachusetts and the surrounding state.  Recent presentations include:

Digital transformation in schools and leading Innovation in Princeton, NJ, and strategies to become an Innovative Leader in Boston at the Tech and Learning Leader event and at the Maine state Educational Technology conference (ACTEM).
Creating a culture and vision for leading in a digital school district at the Massachusetts Association School Superintendents conference
The Influence of School Culture in the Job Satisfaction of Novice Teachers at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum, Empower 19 event
Increasing efficiency in school/district leadership at the Massachusetts Principal Association event

Throughout his career, Matt focused on what is in the best interest of students and pushing the limits to achieve excellence in schools. He is an instructional leader constantly looking for student and school improvement while building community and continued teacher improvement. He is passionate about building collaborative school culture, creating a school of learners utilizing 21st-century instructional tools, and developing leaders’ communication techniques to enhance instruction and parent communication.
Join the #MentorRoundTable Web Series every Sunday at 8:30p EST.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=29828Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:55:27 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Matthew X. Joseph has collected incredible insights on how best to support teaching and learning, and his work has led to nationally published articles and opportunities to speak at multiple state and national events. He has been a school and... 

Dr. Matthew X. Joseph is currently the director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in Leicester Public School. He has been a school and district leader in many capacities in public education over his 25 years in the field. Experiences such as the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation in Milford Public Schools (MA), the elementary school principal in Natick, MA and Attleboro, MA, classroom teacher,  and district professional development specialist have provided Matt incredible insights on how to best support teaching and learning. This experience has led to nationally published articles and opportunities to speak at multiple state and national events. He is the co-author of Modern Mentor: Reimagining Teacher Mentorship and the author of Power of Us: Creating Collaborative Schools.
Click here to view books and link to purchase
Matt holds licenses in general education, school administration, and Massachusetts superintendent. His master’s degree is in special education and earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Boston College.
Matt brings 25 years of educational experience as a teacher, staff developer, conference speaker, Boston College leadership mentor, school, and district administrator.  Matt has spoken on leadership, instruction, and educational technology at many events in Massachusetts and the surrounding state.  Recent presentations include:

Digital transformation in schools and leading Innovation in Princeton, NJ, and strategies to become an Innovative Leader in Boston at the Tech and Learning Leader event and at the Maine state Educational Technology conference (ACTEM).
Creating a culture and vision for leading in a digital school district at the Massachusetts Association School Superintendents conference
The Influence of School Culture in the Job Satisfaction of Novice Teachers at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum, Empower 19 event
Increasing efficiency in school/district leadership at the Massachusetts Principal Association event

Throughout his career, Matt focused on what is in the best interest of students and pushing the limits to achieve excellence in schools. He is an instructional leader constantly looking for student and school improvement while building community and continued teacher improvement. He is passionate about building collaborative school culture, creating a school of learners utilizing 21st-century instructional tools, and developing leaders’ communication techniques to enhance instruction and parent communication.
Join the #MentorRoundTable Web Series every Sunday at 8:30p EST.]]>2191falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-104-making-your-mark-on-the-digital-world-with-livbit-and-cynthia-merrill--40501922Olivia Van Ledtje (“LivBit”)
Liv is a reader, thinker, and kids' voice believer. Using technology to inspire empathy, equity, and activism, Olivia’s mission is to share messages with the world that are hopeful, kind, and true. Olivia is the creator of LivBits—short videos for kids and teachers about reading, thinking, and life. Her work is featured internationally as a model for digital citizenship and kid creation. Liv is a much sought after international keynote speaker and author of Spark Change: Make Your Mark on the Digital World with her mum, Cynthia Merrill.
Liv’s Website: http://www.thelivbits.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelivbits 
Twitter: @thelivbits
Liv started her passion for books when she was eight years old. At the time we did this podcast, she is 12. It’s amazing to me that she started creating her website when she was 8 years old. In this episode, Liv shares about her love of sharks. Yes, sharks. She learned how to surf and explains why she has no worries about being eaten by sharks. She made me laugh when she said that “humans are the broccoli of the shark world.”  Liv loves books and shares books about sharks among a long list of books that she shares in videos and keynote addresses. Did I say that she started when she was 8? She also reached out to authors. Peter Reynolds was the first author who connected the dots for her and picked up her spark to blow it into the universe.
We discussed what it is like self-isolating during this pandemic. Liv who is a big hugger said that she is staying home to protect her grandma and her parents. I’m staying home and doing all things digital, digital learning. In fact, they were talking about digital learning way before the pandemic and realized that they can teach others how to do this. Liv also explained that she is connecting more with her teachers and other students more than she did before using zoom and other digital tools. In Liv’s words:
“We’ve been talking about teaching online for a long time. I’ve been doing online learning because of my travels with LivBits. Now, during this pandemic, this is tough self-isolating, but it is also a valuable experience that is bringing in all parts of my thinking. I’m doing more zooming in a good way. I’m communicating with my teachers, classmates, and other people around the world.”
Cynthia Merrill
Cynthia is a consultant, speaker, and author dedicated to strengthening literacy and tech experiences for all students. She works in diverse school communities through the US coaching, training, and encouraging administrators and teachers in their practices. Cynthia is passionate about creating authentic opportunities for students to document their thinking using tech tools. Cynthia’s book Spark Change: Make Your Mark on the Digital World is co-written with her daughter, Olivia Van Ledtje, creator of LivBits. ]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=29819Wed, 26 Aug 2020 08:35:10 +0000voicEd RadioOlivia Van Ledtje (“LivBit”) and Cynthia Merrill are a mother-daughter team working together to inspire others to think about the power of citizenship online and student voice. They are co-authors of Spark Change: Make Your Mark on the Digital World....Olivia Van Ledtje (“LivBit”)
Liv is a reader, thinker, and kids' voice believer. Using technology to inspire empathy, equity, and activism, Olivia’s mission is to share messages with the world that are hopeful, kind, and true. Olivia is the creator of LivBits—short videos for kids and teachers about reading, thinking, and life. Her work is featured internationally as a model for digital citizenship and kid creation. Liv is a much sought after international keynote speaker and author of Spark Change: Make Your Mark on the Digital World with her mum, Cynthia Merrill.
Liv’s Website: http://www.thelivbits.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelivbits 
Twitter: @thelivbits
Liv started her passion for books when she was eight years old. At the time we did this podcast, she is 12. It’s amazing to me that she started creating her website when she was 8 years old. In this episode, Liv shares about her love of sharks. Yes, sharks. She learned how to surf and explains why she has no worries about being eaten by sharks. She made me laugh when she said that “humans are the broccoli of the shark world.”  Liv loves books and shares books about sharks among a long list of books that she shares in videos and keynote addresses. Did I say that she started when she was 8? She also reached out to authors. Peter Reynolds was the first author who connected the dots for her and picked up her spark to blow it into the universe.
We discussed what it is like self-isolating during this pandemic. Liv who is a big hugger said that she is staying home to protect her grandma and her parents. I’m staying home and doing all things digital, digital learning. In fact, they were talking about digital learning way before the pandemic and realized that they can teach others how to do this. Liv also explained that she is connecting more with her teachers and other students more than she did before using zoom and other digital tools. In Liv’s words:
“We’ve been talking about teaching online for a long time. I’ve been doing online learning because of my travels with LivBits. Now, during this pandemic, this is tough self-isolating, but it is also a valuable experience that is bringing in all parts of my thinking. I’m doing more zooming in a good way. I’m communicating with my teachers, classmates, and other people around the world.”
Cynthia Merrill
Cynthia is a consultant, speaker, and author dedicated to strengthening literacy and tech experiences for all students. She works in diverse school communities through the US coaching, training, and encouraging administrators and teachers in their practices. Cynthia is passionate about creating authentic opportunities for students to document their thinking using tech tools. Cynthia’s book Spark Change: Make Your Mark on the Digital World is co-written with her daughter, Olivia Van Ledtje, creator of LivBits. ]]>2526falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-8-intersectionality-with-matthew-weimann--40473177
An idea popped into my head about a year ago that symbolized my realization of privilege. In the spring I wrote a blog that I published in The Captain of Class, titled “Green Lights.” It is about a white guy–I don’t say he’s white in the allegory–who drives straight through the heart of a city, rather than taking the highway that would typically allow him to bypass all of the downtown traffic. In my make-believe story, I propose the reason being he has to buy something at a specific store; One only located in the middle of the city.



The point of the tiny tale is to illustrate the unconscious privilege people experience. Through it, I was exploring the unveiling awareness of my own privilege. In the story, this white guy curiously does not have to stop at even one red light, his whole way through the city. Strangely, he doesn’t even have to wait in line when he goes to make his purchase at the in-town store! By the end of his fascinating journey through town, the ease of his travels strikes him as an interesting peculiarity, but little more. He simply thinks of it as a lucky drive.
The driver's perspective
In my story, I mention a few goings-on along the periphery of this driver’s travels. There is an accident that barely tempts his attention. Another vehicle is broken down. A jaywalker gets arrested. These occurrences hardly cause the hero to lessen acceleration.
At the very end, though, I revisit the intersections where, unbeknownst to the white guy driving straight down the middle of an empty avenue with nothing but green lights, there had been an unimaginable tragedy. People had been waiting so long they had starved to death. Untreated medical conditions caused others to perish from lack of treatment. There were individuals who thought that the traffic light would change at any moment for one too many moments, and their vehicles ran out of gas, causing even more problems for everyone behind them when the light did finally change!

“Intersectionality” is a metaphor
from Kimberle Crenshaw

The people at these side streets are the people for whom the term “intersectionality” applies. Why are they there? Each individual stuck on the side street has his or her own purpose for needing to cross the “Green-Lit” avenue. Many of these reasons intersect. Perhaps there is a hospital on the other side of the street. An elderly woman might be going to visit her husband who is recovering from heart surgery, while a couple is rushing a woman in labor to deliver their first baby into the world. Maybe someone else is on their way to the hospital to be tested for COVID-19.
If there were a vehicle several cars back from the intersection whose sole passenger was a man who had experienced a serious cut on his leg,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=29900Mon, 24 Aug 2020 08:28:55 +0000voicEd RadioThis guest post is a cross-post of Matthew Weimann's post on Intersectionality from his website, The Captain of Class along with our reflection. An idea popped into my head about a year ago that symbolized my realization of privilege. In the spring I...
An idea popped into my head about a year ago that symbolized my realization of privilege. In the spring I wrote a blog that I published in The Captain of Class, titled “Green Lights.” It is about a white guy–I don’t say he’s white in the allegory–who drives straight through the heart of a city, rather than taking the highway that would typically allow him to bypass all of the downtown traffic. In my make-believe story, I propose the reason being he has to buy something at a specific store; One only located in the middle of the city.



The point of the tiny tale is to illustrate the unconscious privilege people experience. Through it, I was exploring the unveiling awareness of my own privilege. In the story, this white guy curiously does not have to stop at even one red light, his whole way through the city. Strangely, he doesn’t even have to wait in line when he goes to make his purchase at the in-town store! By the end of his fascinating journey through town, the ease of his travels strikes him as an interesting peculiarity, but little more. He simply thinks of it as a lucky drive.
The driver's perspective
In my story, I mention a few goings-on along the periphery of this driver’s travels. There is an accident that barely tempts his attention. Another vehicle is broken down. A jaywalker gets arrested. These occurrences hardly cause the hero to lessen acceleration.
At the very end, though, I revisit the intersections where, unbeknownst to the white guy driving straight down the middle of an empty avenue with nothing but green lights, there had been an unimaginable tragedy. People had been waiting so long they had starved to death. Untreated medical conditions caused others to perish from lack of treatment. There were individuals who thought that the traffic light would change at any moment for one too many moments, and their vehicles ran out of gas, causing even more problems for everyone behind them when the light did finally change!

“Intersectionality” is a metaphor
from Kimberle Crenshaw

The people at these side streets are the people for whom the term “intersectionality” applies. Why are they there? Each individual stuck on the side street has his or her own purpose for needing to cross the “Green-Lit” avenue. Many of these reasons intersect. Perhaps there is a hospital on the other side of the street. An elderly woman might be going to visit her husband who is recovering from heart surgery, while a couple is rushing a woman in labor to deliver their first baby into the world. Maybe someone else is on their way to the hospital to be tested for COVID-19.
If there were a vehicle several cars back from the intersection whose sole passenger was a man who had experienced a serious cut on his leg,]]>1600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-103-podcast-and-post-with-steve-sostak-on-inspire-citizens-impact-change--40193658Following 15 years teaching elementary and middle school in the U.S., Peru, Malaysia, and China, Steve specializes in working with schools, teachers, and students to illuminate how schools can thrive as community centers of personal, local and global applied learning. Grounded in compassionate empathy, Steve and Inspire Citizens empowers students and educators to amplify civic and interdisciplinary literacies to take informed systemic action for: Sustainable Development, Social Justice, Collective Well-being, and Social-Emotional-Ethical Intelligence.
Steve and I had this conversation in April before the end of school during the pandemic and most schools were teaching remotely. We talked about navigating the truth, well-being, compassion, social justice and equity issues, educating for sustainable development, taking care of ourselves during this crisis, and more. Steve shared many ideas and resources that pushed my thinking. I know you will be inspired! Enjoy! Listen, check out the resources here, and reach out to Steve and Inspire Citizens. 
Your story about your background

Quick overview: Chicago son of a teacher and electrician, broken family, closest friends African American and Iraqi American, floor sander, waiter, musician → teacher
Back in 2007, when I was teaching grade four in Lima, Peru, my wife Angie, who was four-months pregnant at the time, and I stood at 3259 meters in Huancayo, breathing in the crisp alpine air, finalizing the adoption of our two Peruvian daughters, Jessica Rocio and Maria Fatima, who at the time were 15 and 5-years-old respectively. Inside the Aldea Infantil El Rosario, we had been tasked with providing 75 pollos de la brasa, rotisserie chickens with sides of thick-cut french fries, Peru-style, for the orphanage children and the caretakers, in celebration of the adoption and a new beginning on an incredible journey that started years before when Angie and I decided to leave Chicago for Lima, trading challenges of inner-city Chicago schools for new challenges in international teaching.

Fatima and Steve Sostak on adoption day at Aldea Infantil El Rosario
Your story about your family
While in Lima, we had led a service-learning group from our school in supporting weekly visits to an abandoned and abused girls shelter where we connected with all of the children but especially Jackie and Melissa who were not available to be adopted despite their difficult situations. Melissa has become like a fourth daughter, and we have been able to provide her with an education, helping her graduate from university in Lima. She’s a fantastic 26-year-old person now and is trilingual, having been inspired to learn Chinese after we moved to Beijing.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=29416Fri, 07 Aug 2020 06:59:08 +0000voicEd RadioSteve Sostak, @inspirecitizen1, is co-director of Inspire Citizens, author of the Global Impact School Self-Study, designer and director of the IC Master Teacher Endorsement, co-director of GlobalYouthMedia.org, and a global education facilitator,...Following 15 years teaching elementary and middle school in the U.S., Peru, Malaysia, and China, Steve specializes in working with schools, teachers, and students to illuminate how schools can thrive as community centers of personal, local and global applied learning. Grounded in compassionate empathy, Steve and Inspire Citizens empowers students and educators to amplify civic and interdisciplinary literacies to take informed systemic action for: Sustainable Development, Social Justice, Collective Well-being, and Social-Emotional-Ethical Intelligence.
Steve and I had this conversation in April before the end of school during the pandemic and most schools were teaching remotely. We talked about navigating the truth, well-being, compassion, social justice and equity issues, educating for sustainable development, taking care of ourselves during this crisis, and more. Steve shared many ideas and resources that pushed my thinking. I know you will be inspired! Enjoy! Listen, check out the resources here, and reach out to Steve and Inspire Citizens. 
Your story about your background

Quick overview: Chicago son of a teacher and electrician, broken family, closest friends African American and Iraqi American, floor sander, waiter, musician → teacher
Back in 2007, when I was teaching grade four in Lima, Peru, my wife Angie, who was four-months pregnant at the time, and I stood at 3259 meters in Huancayo, breathing in the crisp alpine air, finalizing the adoption of our two Peruvian daughters, Jessica Rocio and Maria Fatima, who at the time were 15 and 5-years-old respectively. Inside the Aldea Infantil El Rosario, we had been tasked with providing 75 pollos de la brasa, rotisserie chickens with sides of thick-cut french fries, Peru-style, for the orphanage children and the caretakers, in celebration of the adoption and a new beginning on an incredible journey that started years before when Angie and I decided to leave Chicago for Lima, trading challenges of inner-city Chicago schools for new challenges in international teaching.

Fatima and Steve Sostak on adoption day at Aldea Infantil El Rosario
Your story about your family
While in Lima, we had led a service-learning group from our school in supporting weekly visits to an abandoned and abused girls shelter where we connected with all of the children but especially Jackie and Melissa who were not available to be adopted despite their difficult situations. Melissa has become like a fourth daughter, and we have been able to provide her with an education, helping her graduate from university in Lima. She’s a fantastic 26-year-old person now and is trilingual, having been inspired to learn Chinese after we moved to Beijing.]]>2537falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-102-reimagining-personalized-learning-through-lindsay-leads-with-barry-sommer--40040134Your background
I am a native New Yorker, born in the Bronx. I have an older sister where I learned to live in small spaces with lots of women. I have two daughters and two granddaughters. I went to the Bronx High School that was a magnet HS of science where I learned how to learn. Then I went to Cornell University in upstate NY where I planned on being an architect.
When I was 15, I had a summer experience working at Camp Limelight in the Catskill mountains for disabled children that changed my life. I discovered that working with people was infinitely more rewarding than inking drawings. I ended up working at the camp for 10 summers and eventually became the director of the camp. I learned a lot about leadership from some gifted people at Camp Limelight and decided to change my major to human development, family studies, and psychology. I went back to New York City and got a graduate degree in Education and Psychology. I got licensed as a school psychologist certified as an Educational Psychologist, then licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I met my wife, Donna, who was studying special education at Buffalo State University and was a counselor at the camp when I was her boss. We decided to move to California. We’ve been married almost 42 years and now we have 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters, 8 and 5 years old who live in Portland, Oregon. I started a practice and working in schools, now over 41 years. In the last 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to do some teaching at the graduate level both locally and at Columbia University.  
Barry mentioned the Netflix movie, Crip Camp which was similar to Camp Limelight but was about efforts to bring equity to people with physical disabilities and the American Disability Act. I saw it and highly recommend watching it.
What was it like for you growing up and as a student in the Bronx
Growing up in the Bronx was a real advantage to learning how to get along with people really well. I went to public schools and that was challenging at times. It was during the time of experiments called “skipping” based on a test they gave you when you were a kindergartener, you could move through the system quickly. So I skipped third grade which was a handicap because I never learned cursive writing and didn’t get introduced to multiplication and division until I was older. I did 7th and 8th grade in one year. I was very young when I started high school. Competing athletically was impossible because I didn’t even weigh 100 pounds and was 5 feet tall. I did have a keen interest in music and developed a good connection with others. Graduating right before my 17th birthday, I was able to eventually start my career at a very young age. School wasn’t personalized in any way for me and was very different from what I wanted for my children’s experience.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=28966Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:59:57 +0000voicEd RadioBarry Sommer is a Licensed Educational Psychologist, Marriage and Family Therapist, and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University. He recently retired as the Director of Advancement at Lindsay Unified School District where he was responsible for...Your background
I am a native New Yorker, born in the Bronx. I have an older sister where I learned to live in small spaces with lots of women. I have two daughters and two granddaughters. I went to the Bronx High School that was a magnet HS of science where I learned how to learn. Then I went to Cornell University in upstate NY where I planned on being an architect.
When I was 15, I had a summer experience working at Camp Limelight in the Catskill mountains for disabled children that changed my life. I discovered that working with people was infinitely more rewarding than inking drawings. I ended up working at the camp for 10 summers and eventually became the director of the camp. I learned a lot about leadership from some gifted people at Camp Limelight and decided to change my major to human development, family studies, and psychology. I went back to New York City and got a graduate degree in Education and Psychology. I got licensed as a school psychologist certified as an Educational Psychologist, then licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I met my wife, Donna, who was studying special education at Buffalo State University and was a counselor at the camp when I was her boss. We decided to move to California. We’ve been married almost 42 years and now we have 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters, 8 and 5 years old who live in Portland, Oregon. I started a practice and working in schools, now over 41 years. In the last 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to do some teaching at the graduate level both locally and at Columbia University.  
Barry mentioned the Netflix movie, Crip Camp which was similar to Camp Limelight but was about efforts to bring equity to people with physical disabilities and the American Disability Act. I saw it and highly recommend watching it.
What was it like for you growing up and as a student in the Bronx
Growing up in the Bronx was a real advantage to learning how to get along with people really well. I went to public schools and that was challenging at times. It was during the time of experiments called “skipping” based on a test they gave you when you were a kindergartener, you could move through the system quickly. So I skipped third grade which was a handicap because I never learned cursive writing and didn’t get introduced to multiplication and division until I was older. I did 7th and 8th grade in one year. I was very young when I started high school. Competing athletically was impossible because I didn’t even weigh 100 pounds and was 5 feet tall. I did have a keen interest in music and developed a good connection with others. Graduating right before my 17th birthday, I was able to eventually start my career at a very young age. School wasn’t personalized in any way for me and was very different from what I wanted for my children’s experience.]]>2359falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-101-making-a-difference-in-the-lives-of-every-student-with-craig-shapiro--37492435Your background
I was in elementary school in Philadelphia, then in 5th grade, my parents moved to a suburb of Philadelphia where I lived throughout my high school career. I went to Penn State University and then Arcadia for Grad School in Educational Leadership. When I went to Penn State, my father wanted me to go into business. I didn’t know any better. At the end of my freshman year, I will never forget this, like one of those Karma moments. I was taking Economics and we were in this large lecture hall with 300 people. I was sitting in one of the top seats with one of my friends and the teacher was not there that day. The TA (teacher assistant) was teaching and I couldn’t understand him. All I remember him say was something about supply and demand. I turned to my friend and said, “there is no way I am doing this for the rest of my life!” I came home and told my parents that I wanted to be a gym teacher. 
What was it like for you as a student
I hated high school!  Boring every day and of little value. It wasn’t engaging to me.  I found it ironic that something I disliked I ended up doing for a career. I think it actually helped me because I knew when I became a teacher exactly what I didn’t want to do from my experience in high school. I loved sports and hanging with friends and my girlfriend. There were three teachers who had a positive impact on me.
In 5th grade, I didn’t know anyone being new to that school. We were playing kickball in the schoolyard and I slid into 3rd base. I thought I was safe and my teacher, Mr. Betz called me out. I was so upset. I’ll never forget what he said to me. “Craig, I’m so proud of you for taking that risk. Don’t ever be afraid to do that.”  
My high school Spanish teacher, Mr. Black, was also a neighbor of my relatives. He was just funny and would always tell a silly joke. He was so engaging and different from most of the other teachers who just wanted us to take notes or do worksheets. He cared about us. 
I had a calculus teacher at Penn State, Mrs. Gold, who probably had the largest impact on my teaching career. I wasn’t doing that well and we had this one moment where my friend and I were sitting in the back of the room and we had a laughing fit. Mrs. Gold said, “Craig, are you okay? It’s okay that you are laughing. If you need to go outside, go ahead and take a break.” 
Being in her class made me not want to disappoint her because she cared so much. Teaching 101 is not about teaching the objectives on the board, it is about making the class comfortable for the kids so they want to learn. We need to tailor our learning to kids, not have them tailored to us. We should be connecting to parents and their kids so they have the most positive experience in their lives. We need to connect with kids, encourage them to take chances, and reach out so they learn something new. Try to make this about discovery, not something they have to learn during the school day. You’ll not be able to replicate a school day.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=28862Wed, 08 Jul 2020 02:12:02 +0000voicEd RadioCraig Shapiro has been teaching for 30 years. He is a health and fitness instructor at William Tennent High School in the Centennial School District, PA. Craig also coaches Cross Country, Wrestling, and Track at William Tennent. Craig is the host the...Your background
I was in elementary school in Philadelphia, then in 5th grade, my parents moved to a suburb of Philadelphia where I lived throughout my high school career. I went to Penn State University and then Arcadia for Grad School in Educational Leadership. When I went to Penn State, my father wanted me to go into business. I didn’t know any better. At the end of my freshman year, I will never forget this, like one of those Karma moments. I was taking Economics and we were in this large lecture hall with 300 people. I was sitting in one of the top seats with one of my friends and the teacher was not there that day. The TA (teacher assistant) was teaching and I couldn’t understand him. All I remember him say was something about supply and demand. I turned to my friend and said, “there is no way I am doing this for the rest of my life!” I came home and told my parents that I wanted to be a gym teacher. 
What was it like for you as a student
I hated high school!  Boring every day and of little value. It wasn’t engaging to me.  I found it ironic that something I disliked I ended up doing for a career. I think it actually helped me because I knew when I became a teacher exactly what I didn’t want to do from my experience in high school. I loved sports and hanging with friends and my girlfriend. There were three teachers who had a positive impact on me.
In 5th grade, I didn’t know anyone being new to that school. We were playing kickball in the schoolyard and I slid into 3rd base. I thought I was safe and my teacher, Mr. Betz called me out. I was so upset. I’ll never forget what he said to me. “Craig, I’m so proud of you for taking that risk. Don’t ever be afraid to do that.”  
My high school Spanish teacher, Mr. Black, was also a neighbor of my relatives. He was just funny and would always tell a silly joke. He was so engaging and different from most of the other teachers who just wanted us to take notes or do worksheets. He cared about us. 
I had a calculus teacher at Penn State, Mrs. Gold, who probably had the largest impact on my teaching career. I wasn’t doing that well and we had this one moment where my friend and I were sitting in the back of the room and we had a laughing fit. Mrs. Gold said, “Craig, are you okay? It’s okay that you are laughing. If you need to go outside, go ahead and take a break.” 
Being in her class made me not want to disappoint her because she cared so much. Teaching 101 is not about teaching the objectives on the board, it is about making the class comfortable for the kids so they want to learn. We need to tailor our learning to kids, not have them tailored to us. We should be connecting to parents and their kids so they have the most positive experience in their lives. We need to connect with kids, encourage them to take chances, and reach out so they learn something new. Try to make this about discovery, not something they have to learn during the school day. You’ll not be able to replicate a school day.]]>2405falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/developing-learner-agency-guest-post-by-the-team-teaching-sisters-michaela-loo-tricia-pettis--39264448Four years ago, we attended the Edina Summer Institute where Barbara Bray was sharing her expertise in personalized learning as the keynote speaker. She struck a chord with us on many levels that day but when she said, “Teachers are doing all the work…" our trajectory as teachers immediately changed. After her keynote, we set a goal. We planned to personalize our class one unit at a time, and that is exactly what we did.   
As we embarked on our personalized learning journey, we would never have imagined that a pandemic would have us all teaching and learning from home with very little lead time to prepare for this drastic and urgent shift. What quickly became clear was the optimal position our learners were in from the onset. Our gains in establishing systems and supports around personalized learning as instructional coaches and classroom teachers became levers we accessed to design an immediate response to teaching during a pandemic. Because our learners experienced opportunities to control, engage, and reflect in the learning process, they were able to capitalize on their established agency.   
There are countless definitions of personalized learning. We define personalized learning as three interrelated layers that involve:  

Placing learners at the center where multiple pathways are possible to develop essential skills, and competencies.
Guiding individuals to become agents of their learning through goal setting and reflecting on the learning processes. 
An active method where educators recognize the need for flexibility around pace, content, style, skill, background knowledge, location or some other learning dimension.  

Currently, we are personalized learning coaches and classroom teachers at South View Middle School in Edina, MN. South View Middle School, hosts multiple site visits and professional development training for personalized learning. When we reflect on the momentous growth around personalized learning in our school, we relate it back to two things: updated systems and job-embedded supports. Building systems that back effective and responsive teaching is essential. Establishing ongoing supports that remove barriers for professional growth (i.e. time, resources, strategies) are critical. 
One system we constructed in order to personalize the learning process was designing a school-wide unit guide accessible to any content area. The idea of the unit guide is to create a template with three key components that any teacher can adapt for their courses. The three components are the 3Ps, proficiencies, pathways, and profiles. The unit guide is a simple Google document that is shared with learners via Schoology or Google Classroom. The general template of the unit guide outlines the learning targets and standards (proficiencies), lays out the pacing of content (pathways), and gives learners a place to reflect and track their learning (profiles). Adopting the unit guide ensures each student has their own copy of a resource that provides consistent support for their learning experience. Further, the guide gives learners a foundation for which they can begin navigating and controlling their learning choices. When introducing the unit guide with learners we asked the question, “What is the purpose of this document?” To which they responded, “To track our learning, to know where we are going, to have resources…” 
Once we transitioned to distance learning we were still able to use the unit guide in the same way we did while we were in the classroom together. Learners knew where to find learning targets, set goals, access key resources, seek feedback, and reflect. Learners reported that their unit guides were extremely helpful, especially when many other elements of their school experience were dismantled and unpredictable.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=29136Tue, 07 Jul 2020 02:17:13 +0000voicEd RadioMoving from Theory to Practice through Proficiencies, Pathways, and Profiles Four years ago, we attended the Edina Summer Institute where Barbara Bray was sharing her expertise in personalized learning as the keynote speaker. She struck a chord with...Four years ago, we attended the Edina Summer Institute where Barbara Bray was sharing her expertise in personalized learning as the keynote speaker. She struck a chord with us on many levels that day but when she said, “Teachers are doing all the work…" our trajectory as teachers immediately changed. After her keynote, we set a goal. We planned to personalize our class one unit at a time, and that is exactly what we did.   
As we embarked on our personalized learning journey, we would never have imagined that a pandemic would have us all teaching and learning from home with very little lead time to prepare for this drastic and urgent shift. What quickly became clear was the optimal position our learners were in from the onset. Our gains in establishing systems and supports around personalized learning as instructional coaches and classroom teachers became levers we accessed to design an immediate response to teaching during a pandemic. Because our learners experienced opportunities to control, engage, and reflect in the learning process, they were able to capitalize on their established agency.   
There are countless definitions of personalized learning. We define personalized learning as three interrelated layers that involve:  

Placing learners at the center where multiple pathways are possible to develop essential skills, and competencies.
Guiding individuals to become agents of their learning through goal setting and reflecting on the learning processes. 
An active method where educators recognize the need for flexibility around pace, content, style, skill, background knowledge, location or some other learning dimension.  

Currently, we are personalized learning coaches and classroom teachers at South View Middle School in Edina, MN. South View Middle School, hosts multiple site visits and professional development training for personalized learning. When we reflect on the momentous growth around personalized learning in our school, we relate it back to two things: updated systems and job-embedded supports. Building systems that back effective and responsive teaching is essential. Establishing ongoing supports that remove barriers for professional growth (i.e. time, resources, strategies) are critical. 
One system we constructed in order to personalize the learning process was designing a school-wide unit guide accessible to any content area. The idea of the unit guide is to create a template with three key components that any teacher can adapt for their courses. The three components are the 3Ps, proficiencies, pathways, and profiles. The unit guide is a simple Google document that is shared with learners via Schoology or Google Classroom. The general template of the unit guide outlines the learning targets and standards (proficiencies), lays out the pacing of content (pathways), and gives learners a place to reflect and track their learning (profiles). Adopting the unit guide ensures each student has their own copy of a resource that provides consistent support for their learning experience. Further, the guide gives learners a foundation for which they can begin navigating and controlling their learning choices. When introducing the unit guide with learners we asked the question, “What is the purpose of this document?” To which they responded, “To track our learning, to know where we are going, to have resources…” 
Once we transitioned to distance learning we were still able to use the unit guide in the same way we did while we were in the classroom together. Learners knew where to find learning targets, set goals, access key resources, seek feedback, and reflect. Learners reported that their unit guides were extremely helpful, especially when many other elements of their school experience were dismantled and unpredictable.]]>1350falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/where-are-you-on-your-journey-in-understanding-systemic-racism-with-hedreich-barbara-reflection-6--31734653 
Sometimes, a conversation is way more than a conversation. Several of those conversations I had with Hedreich Nichols empowered us to explore the different needs that black and white educators have when discussing how to create more equitable schools and communities. We talked about what systemic racism means for different people and how the problem can be approached from varying perspectives. We started writing this document together in a Google doc and want you to know that this is a "work-in-progress." We will be updating it with a reflection and feedback from you. Here is the PDF version of this post (6/18/20). 
The pandemic and tragic deaths of George Floyd, Rashard Brooks, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many other black lives have exposed the inequities that have always been there. Now, along with exposing more police violence against people of color, current racist policies, and the long history of racial injustice, we cannot be silent anymore. Silence means being complicit. The protests are worldwide and people of all segments of society are coming together to demand that we act systemically to end hate, racism, violent police actions, and senseless murders. 
Identifying where you are on the journey to understand systemic racism and discrimination depends on your own racial identity, the environment you grew up in, and the environment in which you now live and interact. 
Racial Identity Models
The White Racial Identity Model (Helms) lists 6 stages in this document on Racial Equity Tools is a Compilation of Racial Identity Models:



1. Contact
taking a non-racist position and do not understand the position of their own privilege


2. Disintegration
feeling guilt and shame and wanting to channel those feelings in a positive way


3. Reintegration
believing that they may deserve their white privilege and are superior


4. Pseudo-Independence
expecting people of color to confront and uncover racism for them


5. Immersion/Emersion
attempting to connect to their own white identity and to be anti-racist


6. Autonomy
has a positive connection to their white racial identity while pursuing social justice



Depending on which self-identified stage white people find themselves in, they may respond differently in uncomfortable situations. People at any stage may benefit from support to build confidence in responding to students, colleagues, family, and friends when talking about racism and discrimination. The main thing is that we are all learning. We may say or do something wrong. It took a long time to get to this point so it will take some time to get things right. We will make mistakes and be uncomfortable along the way so we hope you have grace and are kind to each other during your journey. 
Four Situations to Consider
We thought we’d start with four situations teachers or anyone might be in when feeling uncomfortable or not sure what to say or do when discussing racism.

Unaware or no interaction
Living or teaching in a diverse setting]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=28747Fri, 12 Jun 2020 22:37:20 +0000voicEd Radio    Sometimes, a conversation is way more than a conversation. Several of those conversations I had with Hedreich Nichols empowered us to explore the different needs that black and white educators have when discussing how to create more equitable... 
Sometimes, a conversation is way more than a conversation. Several of those conversations I had with Hedreich Nichols empowered us to explore the different needs that black and white educators have when discussing how to create more equitable schools and communities. We talked about what systemic racism means for different people and how the problem can be approached from varying perspectives. We started writing this document together in a Google doc and want you to know that this is a "work-in-progress." We will be updating it with a reflection and feedback from you. Here is the PDF version of this post (6/18/20). 
The pandemic and tragic deaths of George Floyd, Rashard Brooks, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many other black lives have exposed the inequities that have always been there. Now, along with exposing more police violence against people of color, current racist policies, and the long history of racial injustice, we cannot be silent anymore. Silence means being complicit. The protests are worldwide and people of all segments of society are coming together to demand that we act systemically to end hate, racism, violent police actions, and senseless murders. 
Identifying where you are on the journey to understand systemic racism and discrimination depends on your own racial identity, the environment you grew up in, and the environment in which you now live and interact. 
Racial Identity Models
The White Racial Identity Model (Helms) lists 6 stages in this document on Racial Equity Tools is a Compilation of Racial Identity Models:



1. Contact
taking a non-racist position and do not understand the position of their own privilege


2. Disintegration
feeling guilt and shame and wanting to channel those feelings in a positive way


3. Reintegration
believing that they may deserve their white privilege and are superior


4. Pseudo-Independence
expecting people of color to confront and uncover racism for them


5. Immersion/Emersion
attempting to connect to their own white identity and to be anti-racist


6. Autonomy
has a positive connection to their white racial identity while pursuing social justice



Depending on which self-identified stage white people find themselves in, they may respond differently in uncomfortable situations. People at any stage may benefit from support to build confidence in responding to students, colleagues, family, and friends when talking about racism and discrimination. The main thing is that we are all learning. We may say or do something wrong. It took a long time to get to this point so it will take some time to get things right. We will make mistakes and be uncomfortable along the way so we hope you have grace and are kind to each other during your journey. 
Four Situations to Consider
We thought we’d start with four situations teachers or anyone might be in when feeling uncomfortable or not sure what to say or do when discussing racism.

Unaware or no interaction
Living or teaching in a diverse setting]]>1487falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-100-empowering-striving-readers-and-writers-with-laura-robb--29900962
Your background 
I came to teaching very unexpectedly. I never had any education classes when I went to Queens College as part of the University of New York. I majored in English and French Lit and then got married. My husband, a singer, and a voice instructor went to Julliard which was expensive even on a scholarship. I was writing copy for an ad agency in the city and then I got a job teaching without an education background. That’s when I realized that the best teachers were the children. If I had the courage to ask them what was going well and what was going wrong to find out what they needed, I was learning and growing. I began to read a lot of professional books for teachers. That first year I taught sixth grade in a little country school, it won my heart. That’s when the story of my life really began.
Your work now as a reading teacher and coach
For the last four years, my focus is to work with kids in the public schools who are reading 3 or more years below grade level. My first year of teaching was in 1963. I did not get a master’s in education until 1987. I had both of my children, Evan and my daughter, Enina who did teaching with Teach for America. I decided that my children had to be my number one priority. Self-learning is more important than ever. I’m glad I got my master’s but I would say my children taught me a lot and they still do every day. 
What was fortunate for me, was my granddaughter, who was dyslexic asked me to work with her. In third grade, she was reading at a first-grade level. She was relentless about me making up the work with her. She’s now in 7th grade and she’s in a regular English class. When she was in 5th grade, she asked me to help her friends who were not reading well. I made an appointment with her principal and found that a third of the students were reading way below grade level. I made an agreement with the principal as long as we were not going to grade these kids unless you give them As or Bs with a qualifier and we need a lot of money for books they can read. The kids need books and they need choice. We got them and it made such a difference with the teachers I trained who are doing phenomenal work. 
It all starts with choice, reading, and feeling safe in that classroom. Kids were worried about other kids making fun of them. We got them opaque envelopes to take home books. We waited until they could choose and take books home that they really enjoyed. 
You cannot force things on children. It has to come from deep inside. When it does, it’s lasting. Reading is an intervention. If we want kids to be readers, they have to want to read. They need to have books they can read all day long. We need to be able to read together. We started every day with 15 minutes of independent reading. When we were in session, you would see kids pick a book, find a comfortable place to read, then silence and reading.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=28201Mon, 08 Jun 2020 16:08:13 +0000voicEd RadioLaura Robb, an author, teacher, coach, and speaker who has completed more than 43 years of teaching in grades 4-8 and has written more than 25 books for teachers. She presently coaches teachers in reading/writing workshop at Powhatan School in...
Your background 
I came to teaching very unexpectedly. I never had any education classes when I went to Queens College as part of the University of New York. I majored in English and French Lit and then got married. My husband, a singer, and a voice instructor went to Julliard which was expensive even on a scholarship. I was writing copy for an ad agency in the city and then I got a job teaching without an education background. That’s when I realized that the best teachers were the children. If I had the courage to ask them what was going well and what was going wrong to find out what they needed, I was learning and growing. I began to read a lot of professional books for teachers. That first year I taught sixth grade in a little country school, it won my heart. That’s when the story of my life really began.
Your work now as a reading teacher and coach
For the last four years, my focus is to work with kids in the public schools who are reading 3 or more years below grade level. My first year of teaching was in 1963. I did not get a master’s in education until 1987. I had both of my children, Evan and my daughter, Enina who did teaching with Teach for America. I decided that my children had to be my number one priority. Self-learning is more important than ever. I’m glad I got my master’s but I would say my children taught me a lot and they still do every day. 
What was fortunate for me, was my granddaughter, who was dyslexic asked me to work with her. In third grade, she was reading at a first-grade level. She was relentless about me making up the work with her. She’s now in 7th grade and she’s in a regular English class. When she was in 5th grade, she asked me to help her friends who were not reading well. I made an appointment with her principal and found that a third of the students were reading way below grade level. I made an agreement with the principal as long as we were not going to grade these kids unless you give them As or Bs with a qualifier and we need a lot of money for books they can read. The kids need books and they need choice. We got them and it made such a difference with the teachers I trained who are doing phenomenal work. 
It all starts with choice, reading, and feeling safe in that classroom. Kids were worried about other kids making fun of them. We got them opaque envelopes to take home books. We waited until they could choose and take books home that they really enjoyed. 
You cannot force things on children. It has to come from deep inside. When it does, it’s lasting. Reading is an intervention. If we want kids to be readers, they have to want to read. They need to have books they can read all day long. We need to be able to read together. We started every day with 15 minutes of independent reading. When we were in session, you would see kids pick a book, find a comfortable place to read, then silence and reading.]]>2199falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-5-being-intentional-to-build-resilience-and-hope-with-joan-young-and-barbara-bray--28956203 
I have known Joan Young over 10 years and realize through her background in psychology and teaching that we needed to connect. After talking for a few minutes on May 31st, we decided it was a good idea to discuss some of the issues around emotional health during this pandemic and issues around racism. It took a few days to pull this together but felt it was timely with everything happening. 
How has the pandemic impacted teaching and learning? What will that mean if or when schools open again?
Barbara: Teachers were asked to balance remote teaching at home. Yet, many have their own children who miss their peers and need support with home learning activities. Teachers tried to recreate schools online but it was difficult to teach the same way. The stress has been overwhelming for both teachers, parents, and students. Attendance suffered. Some schools and districts realized these pressures and waived standardized tests, homework, and grades. More teachers changed the focus from teaching content to building relationships and social-emotional learning with students and their families. When school opens again, teachers will see the value of building those relationships first. 
Joan: As a middle school counselor and teacher, the pandemic has meant distance learning, meeting on zoom, and trying to decipher the emotions of students through a screen: not ideal.  I agree with Barbara about relationships being at the forefront when we are back to school in whatever way that is. One of the greatest sources of burnout for teachers is when the quality of their relationships with colleagues and administrators is not safe or encouraging. This was before the pandemic and I think it will ring even more true as we learn and are forced to learn new ways to approach teaching. We need each other, and we need to feel safe as we fumble through these new challenges. With students, relationships have always been critical but even more so now. I notice that teachers who had good relationships with many of their students have fared better with engaging their students on Zoom. Those who didn’t struggle and have a tendency to blame students for hiding behind the screen and not coming on camera. 
What has become more apparent since the pandemic?
Joan: The inequities and injustices that we have in our country have become even more apparent now that our people of color are dying at rates way beyond those of others. Undervalued and underpaid essential workers have been out there risking their lives on a daily basis, and it's become clear that their lives are deemed by our government to be less important than our capitalist values. On another note: I think that the pandemic gives us time to pause and actually evaluate what it is we want our lives to be like. We can see it solely as a tragedy, which it has obviously been for over 100,000 lives (and still counting) lost in our country alone and we can also take this opportunity to stop and think about what we really want, personally and professionally. For me, being at home has led to me evaluating how I want to use my time more wisely: less scrolling and consuming, and more journaling, listening and working with others to find better ways to manage the stressors that have come with all of this. 
Barbara: It is apparent who has the privilege to stay home, be able to go online, and even work from home. The coronavirus has disproportionately impacted peo...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=28558Tue, 02 Jun 2020 21:32:44 +0000voicEd Radio    I have known Joan Young over 10 years and realize through her background in psychology and teaching that we needed to connect. After talking for a few minutes on May 31st, we decided it was a good idea to discuss some of the issues around... 
I have known Joan Young over 10 years and realize through her background in psychology and teaching that we needed to connect. After talking for a few minutes on May 31st, we decided it was a good idea to discuss some of the issues around emotional health during this pandemic and issues around racism. It took a few days to pull this together but felt it was timely with everything happening. 
How has the pandemic impacted teaching and learning? What will that mean if or when schools open again?
Barbara: Teachers were asked to balance remote teaching at home. Yet, many have their own children who miss their peers and need support with home learning activities. Teachers tried to recreate schools online but it was difficult to teach the same way. The stress has been overwhelming for both teachers, parents, and students. Attendance suffered. Some schools and districts realized these pressures and waived standardized tests, homework, and grades. More teachers changed the focus from teaching content to building relationships and social-emotional learning with students and their families. When school opens again, teachers will see the value of building those relationships first. 
Joan: As a middle school counselor and teacher, the pandemic has meant distance learning, meeting on zoom, and trying to decipher the emotions of students through a screen: not ideal.  I agree with Barbara about relationships being at the forefront when we are back to school in whatever way that is. One of the greatest sources of burnout for teachers is when the quality of their relationships with colleagues and administrators is not safe or encouraging. This was before the pandemic and I think it will ring even more true as we learn and are forced to learn new ways to approach teaching. We need each other, and we need to feel safe as we fumble through these new challenges. With students, relationships have always been critical but even more so now. I notice that teachers who had good relationships with many of their students have fared better with engaging their students on Zoom. Those who didn’t struggle and have a tendency to blame students for hiding behind the screen and not coming on camera. 
What has become more apparent since the pandemic?
Joan: The inequities and injustices that we have in our country have become even more apparent now that our people of color are dying at rates way beyond those of others. Undervalued and underpaid essential workers have been out there risking their lives on a daily basis, and it's become clear that their lives are deemed by our government to be less important than our capitalist values. On another note: I think that the pandemic gives us time to pause and actually evaluate what it is we want our lives to be like. We can see it solely as a tragedy, which it has obviously been for over 100,000 lives (and still counting) lost in our country alone and we can also take this opportunity to stop and think about what we really want, personally and professionally. For me, being at home has led to me evaluating how I want to use my time more wisely: less scrolling and consuming, and more journaling, listening and working with others to find better ways to manage the stressors that have come with all of this. 
Barbara: It is apparent who has the privilege to stay home, be able to go online, and even work from home. The coronavirus has disproportionately impacted peo...]]>962falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-99-spark-curiosity-ignite-passion-empower-voice-with-elisabeth-bostwick--28660300Your background and family
I am and born and raised in the Finger Lakes version of New York. I grew up going to state parks and hiking. I have one sister who is five years older than me. My mom and dad still live nearby and my husband and I live close to where I grew up. My parents play a large role in our children’s lives.

We have two boys Julian and Nolan who are in their teens now are 28 months apart. We thought that would be perfect so they would be best friends. Anyone who is a parent knows there are ups and downs. My husband, Mike, is a principal at an intermediate school in his 8th year in administration. I’m so lucky to have married my best friend who I met in high school. Our boys keep us on our toes. It’s funny how two kids from the same family can be so different than one another. It’s always fun to see them grow and they have provided me a unique perspective of what education and learning really mean. I am learning through their eyes. We also have three pets: a 12-year-old cat named Arielle and two dogs, Bella and Choe who is our newest addition who we are training as a therapy dog.


What was it like for you as a student
Looking back, I think I would know more than when I was a child on what I needed for my future. As long as I enjoyed certain aspects of learning, I found many subjects especially mathematics complicated. If I was put on the spot or ashamed that I didn’t understand it, I would just shut down or pull back. I found socializing with my peers more engaging at times. I really enjoyed sports and an avid athlete all through school and loved running, dancing, and things like that. I had a handful of teachers who made a big impact on me. They were the ones who fostered authentic relationships and a classroom culture that embraced every individual and provided choice.
On the flip side, I also had educators that created a culture involved around fear, what your grades were. As a child, I was very shy and afraid to speak out concerned about how it would be perceived. At the same time, I don’t think anyone knew I had those feelings. Every experience taught me something like what to do and what not to do as a teacher.
Launching the Maker Mindset

Your journey as a teacher
I changed my major several times. My real passion has always been around how the brain learns and psychology. I was able to connect the dots on why I didn’t understand certain things or why I may have felt the way I did. I saw it as an opportunity where I could do something different where I had an impact on kids. 
I started teaching in a long term substitute position for a half year. Then the following year, I got hired and mostly taught in a 4th-grade teaching position. I’ve been a classroom teacher for 15 years with some experience in most elementary ...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=27511Fri, 29 May 2020 18:06:18 +0000voicEd RadioElisabeth Bostwick is a multi-award-winning educator who is passionate about creating the conditions to spark curiosity and unleash creativity to empower learning. She is the author of "Take the L.E.A.P.: Ignite a Culture of Innovation." Driven to...Your background and family
I am and born and raised in the Finger Lakes version of New York. I grew up going to state parks and hiking. I have one sister who is five years older than me. My mom and dad still live nearby and my husband and I live close to where I grew up. My parents play a large role in our children’s lives.

We have two boys Julian and Nolan who are in their teens now are 28 months apart. We thought that would be perfect so they would be best friends. Anyone who is a parent knows there are ups and downs. My husband, Mike, is a principal at an intermediate school in his 8th year in administration. I’m so lucky to have married my best friend who I met in high school. Our boys keep us on our toes. It’s funny how two kids from the same family can be so different than one another. It’s always fun to see them grow and they have provided me a unique perspective of what education and learning really mean. I am learning through their eyes. We also have three pets: a 12-year-old cat named Arielle and two dogs, Bella and Choe who is our newest addition who we are training as a therapy dog.


What was it like for you as a student
Looking back, I think I would know more than when I was a child on what I needed for my future. As long as I enjoyed certain aspects of learning, I found many subjects especially mathematics complicated. If I was put on the spot or ashamed that I didn’t understand it, I would just shut down or pull back. I found socializing with my peers more engaging at times. I really enjoyed sports and an avid athlete all through school and loved running, dancing, and things like that. I had a handful of teachers who made a big impact on me. They were the ones who fostered authentic relationships and a classroom culture that embraced every individual and provided choice.
On the flip side, I also had educators that created a culture involved around fear, what your grades were. As a child, I was very shy and afraid to speak out concerned about how it would be perceived. At the same time, I don’t think anyone knew I had those feelings. Every experience taught me something like what to do and what not to do as a teacher.
Launching the Maker Mindset

Your journey as a teacher
I changed my major several times. My real passion has always been around how the brain learns and psychology. I was able to connect the dots on why I didn’t understand certain things or why I may have felt the way I did. I saw it as an opportunity where I could do something different where I had an impact on kids. 
I started teaching in a long term substitute position for a half year. Then the following year, I got hired and mostly taught in a 4th-grade teaching position. I’ve been a classroom teacher for 15 years with some experience in most elementary ...]]>2200falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflection-4-on-mental-health-awareness-all-year-long-with-kecia-mcdonald-and-barbara-bray--27513327 
I am so honored to know Kecia McDonald and to learn why mental health awareness is important all the time. Kecia is Curriculum Coordinator at Kealakehe Intermediate School and a certified health teacher for K-12. I reached out to Kecia to reflect on positive mental health. 
What is good mental health? Why is it a right to have good mental health?
Kecia: According to the World Health Organization, it’s “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” There’s a lot to unpack in just that sentence, so let me dive a little deeper into what it looks like.
Good mental health is characterized by a person's ability to fulfill a number of key functions and activities, including the ability to learn; the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions; the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others. (learn, self regulate, communicate, collaborate) Ultimately, good mental health is about being cognitively, emotionally, and socially healthy – the way we think, feel, and develop relationships – and not merely the absence of a mental health condition.
Signs of good mental health are:

you are confident when faced with new situations or people.
you feel optimistic.
you don't always blame yourself.
you set goals.
you feel good about yourself.
you have good self-esteem.

Doesn’t that sound like something every human being has the right to? And wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone did?
Why are the stories of the struggles that students, teachers, and families are going through real?
Barbara: The struggles are real for everyone during this pandemic. Work, businesses, banking, and school as we know them have been completely disrupted at all levels. There are many people who are “essential” workers who work as first responders, medical personnel in hospitals, delivering packages and so many more including our teachers who are our heroes. With the stay-at-home order, families are working from home and trying to balance work, parenting, and being responsible for their children’s learning. Teachers are responsible and still held accountable for what their students are learning yet not every family has access. Family, friends, and teachers who I know on social media have reached out to me to share their frustrations. There really is no way they could teach the same way they taught face-to-face. But many teachers have never taught online before. Teachers who are also parents mentioned that distractions make it difficult to teach. 
After many weeks of “sheltering-in-place,” people are experiencing quarantine fatigue. The news is scary and living in an uncertain world is troubling. The challenge for teachers will be how to continue to build culture and keep the relationships going with students and families in a remote and possibly a hybrid environment.
What do teaching and learning look like now and how will it look later after COVID 19?
Kecia: Right now, teaching and learning look like a wide range of realities being experienced by individuals all over the map, on extreme ends of the spectrum. Let me give you a few examples directly related to the mental health of our com...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=28058Sat, 16 May 2020 19:04:32 +0000voicEd Radio    I am so honored to know Kecia McDonald and to learn why mental health awareness is important all the time. Kecia is Curriculum Coordinator at Kealakehe Intermediate School and a certified health teacher for K-12. I reached out to Kecia to reflect... 
I am so honored to know Kecia McDonald and to learn why mental health awareness is important all the time. Kecia is Curriculum Coordinator at Kealakehe Intermediate School and a certified health teacher for K-12. I reached out to Kecia to reflect on positive mental health. 
What is good mental health? Why is it a right to have good mental health?
Kecia: According to the World Health Organization, it’s “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” There’s a lot to unpack in just that sentence, so let me dive a little deeper into what it looks like.
Good mental health is characterized by a person's ability to fulfill a number of key functions and activities, including the ability to learn; the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions; the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others. (learn, self regulate, communicate, collaborate) Ultimately, good mental health is about being cognitively, emotionally, and socially healthy – the way we think, feel, and develop relationships – and not merely the absence of a mental health condition.
Signs of good mental health are:

you are confident when faced with new situations or people.
you feel optimistic.
you don't always blame yourself.
you set goals.
you feel good about yourself.
you have good self-esteem.

Doesn’t that sound like something every human being has the right to? And wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone did?
Why are the stories of the struggles that students, teachers, and families are going through real?
Barbara: The struggles are real for everyone during this pandemic. Work, businesses, banking, and school as we know them have been completely disrupted at all levels. There are many people who are “essential” workers who work as first responders, medical personnel in hospitals, delivering packages and so many more including our teachers who are our heroes. With the stay-at-home order, families are working from home and trying to balance work, parenting, and being responsible for their children’s learning. Teachers are responsible and still held accountable for what their students are learning yet not every family has access. Family, friends, and teachers who I know on social media have reached out to me to share their frustrations. There really is no way they could teach the same way they taught face-to-face. But many teachers have never taught online before. Teachers who are also parents mentioned that distractions make it difficult to teach. 
After many weeks of “sheltering-in-place,” people are experiencing quarantine fatigue. The news is scary and living in an uncertain world is troubling. The challenge for teachers will be how to continue to build culture and keep the relationships going with students and families in a remote and possibly a hybrid environment.
What do teaching and learning look like now and how will it look later after COVID 19?
Kecia: Right now, teaching and learning look like a wide range of realities being experienced by individuals all over the map, on extreme ends of the spectrum. Let me give you a few examples directly related to the mental health of our com...]]>1574falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-98-learning-connection-human-flourishing-with-dr-michael-crawford--26854873 
Dr. Michael Crawford is the co-founder of EdSpace, LLC, the social learning network for teachers. A researcher by training, with passion at the intersection of human development, social impact, and entrepreneurship, Michael drives all things product and community. Prior to EdSpace, he worked at Real World Scholars and the Kauffman Foundation, and he recently completed his Ph.D. in educational psychology, focusing on adolescent development and non-formal learning environments. 
Your background 
I am currently living in the city I was born and raised in, Detroit, Michigan. I grew up in a suburb, went to school, and played sports. I had a great time in school when I was younger, at least I thought so at the time. I didn’t have to study too hard and got mostly good grades until I went to college. I thought I was smarter than I was when I took an ECON class during my first semester and that set me back a bit. I had to study more than I had ever done before. 

After graduating, I worked in an organization called The Youth Sports Association in Michigan. That is where I saw coaches and parents interacting in a way that moved me to want to learn more and understand how adults could help and harm young people. That’s when I decided to get a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology; a field that can go in a number of different directions. I had this sports background and recognized the power of teams with motivation, perseverance, physical fitness, and mental health. I wanted to learn more about improving team dynamics and at Michigan State University they have a great organization called the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports. I wanted to know about that sports context that can contribute to young people. Sports is one context where young people have developmental opportunities and experiences to grow and learn to become adults.
I needed to zoom up and get a broader understanding of my interest in adolescents. I saw them as the jump-off point between childhood and adulthood. If I could make a difference among teens, then I could positively affect the trajectory of their world. That’s what led me to the University of Kansas for my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology under the work of Dr. David Hansen studying adolescent development, research methods, and exploring learning in school in a different kind of way. 
Your family
Both of my parents are retired, public school educators. My mom was an elementary physical education teacher and my dad was a high school math teacher. Both were coaches so I grew up with teachers and was versed in the grammar of schooling. It made me wonder was school was, what it can be, how it influences young people. What doesn’t get talked about enough in school is the hidden curricula. What are young people learning when everything is provided for them? What are they not learning? What are the impacts of those things for their future? 
I met my wife, Maureen, in high school. She was two years behind me and was the best soccer player. We dated in college. My son Lars is in Kindergarten at the same school that my wife attended and we have our 9 months old named Lennox. 


What you are passionate about
I’m fascinated by people and how they think and make decisions, influence one another.  Young people go to school for a long time, but they also spend a lot of time outside of school and formal academics. ]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=26237Wed, 06 May 2020 22:07:33 +0000voicEd Radio    Dr. Michael Crawford is the co-founder of EdSpace, LLC, the social learning network for teachers. A researcher by training, with passion at the intersection of human development, social impact, and entrepreneurship, Michael drives all things... 
Dr. Michael Crawford is the co-founder of EdSpace, LLC, the social learning network for teachers. A researcher by training, with passion at the intersection of human development, social impact, and entrepreneurship, Michael drives all things product and community. Prior to EdSpace, he worked at Real World Scholars and the Kauffman Foundation, and he recently completed his Ph.D. in educational psychology, focusing on adolescent development and non-formal learning environments. 
Your background 
I am currently living in the city I was born and raised in, Detroit, Michigan. I grew up in a suburb, went to school, and played sports. I had a great time in school when I was younger, at least I thought so at the time. I didn’t have to study too hard and got mostly good grades until I went to college. I thought I was smarter than I was when I took an ECON class during my first semester and that set me back a bit. I had to study more than I had ever done before. 

After graduating, I worked in an organization called The Youth Sports Association in Michigan. That is where I saw coaches and parents interacting in a way that moved me to want to learn more and understand how adults could help and harm young people. That’s when I decided to get a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology; a field that can go in a number of different directions. I had this sports background and recognized the power of teams with motivation, perseverance, physical fitness, and mental health. I wanted to learn more about improving team dynamics and at Michigan State University they have a great organization called the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports. I wanted to know about that sports context that can contribute to young people. Sports is one context where young people have developmental opportunities and experiences to grow and learn to become adults.
I needed to zoom up and get a broader understanding of my interest in adolescents. I saw them as the jump-off point between childhood and adulthood. If I could make a difference among teens, then I could positively affect the trajectory of their world. That’s what led me to the University of Kansas for my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology under the work of Dr. David Hansen studying adolescent development, research methods, and exploring learning in school in a different kind of way. 
Your family
Both of my parents are retired, public school educators. My mom was an elementary physical education teacher and my dad was a high school math teacher. Both were coaches so I grew up with teachers and was versed in the grammar of schooling. It made me wonder was school was, what it can be, how it influences young people. What doesn’t get talked about enough in school is the hidden curricula. What are young people learning when everything is provided for them? What are they not learning? What are the impacts of those things for their future? 
I met my wife, Maureen, in high school. She was two years behind me and was the best soccer player. We dated in college. My son Lars is in Kindergarten at the same school that my wife attended and we have our 9 months old named Lennox. 


What you are passionate about
I’m fascinated by people and how they think and make decisions, influence one another.  Young people go to school for a long time, but they also spend a lot of time outside of school and formal academics. ]]>2751falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-97-build-hope-and-spread-kindness-to-impact-globally-with-roman-nowak--26469498Your background
I am from a Polish background and there is no letter in the alphabet for "W" so my last name is pronounced "NOVAK." Pronunciation of names is really important to me. I always give my students some history and background of my name and want to make sure I pronounce their names correctly. I live in Rockland that is northeast of Toronto. 
This is my 15th year in teaching with a varied background in the elementary yet mostly in the secondary system. Since French is one of our official languages, I’m a high school English teacher but in a French-language district. English is a second language for many of our students.  I was called a Student Success Teacher and was that coach who worked with students who were just on the cusp of failing. I worked with the teachers on how to be proactive and work on preventing failure. This is my second year back in a school system because I took a leave from my school. My district lent me out to our provincial government to work on policies and programs for three years to support student success for our twelve French-language districts. I missed the classroom a lot and came back to be a full-time classroom English teacher and do a couple of cooking classes here and there because that’s a passion of mine. So I’m having fun on a daily basis. 

Find the sunshine. Be the light. Help make the world a better place.
What it was like when you were a student
I came from a very conservative family with a religious upbringing. My dad used to be in the military. I’m a first-generation Canadian with my sister. Both of my parents are from Poland. I have always been taught to follow the rules. When I was a student, I a compliant student doing what was expected of me. There was a fear of not doing what I was told to do because of what my parents might say or do. I was that student who succeeded very well and followed the rules. 
Was I good at school or just good at following rules? 
I was an extremely shy kid yet won a public speaking contest. When I started teaching. I found students that didn’t fit that system. There are many people who don’t know how to use their voice. I’m going to try and be that model. I want to transform schools. I think there is some that works but a lot that doesn’t work. I’m not afraid to stand up when something doesn’t work. It’s not acceptable for students to not pass, not get their diploma, or not move on to the next grade. It’s important for us to put in the work for all children. We don’t need to have all the answers.
Your family 
My wife, Émilie, and my two daughters, Eva and Kaléa in grades 2 and 3, are my heart and who keep me going.

Your journey as a teacher
Early on, I wanted to become a teacher. In high school, I did have some teachers who tried to discourage me. I actually really wanted to go into dramatic arts. That’s where I found my voice. I took drama classes, did a musical, but to my parents, that was not a real job. They wanted my sister and me to have stable, traditional careers. That’s why I chose to teach and it all worked out for me. I bring in that drama outlook to my classroom every day. I volunteer with plays and have fun in class. Yet, I don’t push them to have a voice yet since English is a second language for my students. Many don’t want to speak out. ]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=26235Fri, 01 May 2020 01:49:48 +0000voicEd RadioRoman Nowak is a High School English Teacher in Rockland, Ontario in Canada. He is a Student Success Leader, an Agent of Transformation, and is also a fitness enthusiast. I am fortunate to know Roman because of Twitter as the host of BuildHOPEedu and...Your background
I am from a Polish background and there is no letter in the alphabet for "W" so my last name is pronounced "NOVAK." Pronunciation of names is really important to me. I always give my students some history and background of my name and want to make sure I pronounce their names correctly. I live in Rockland that is northeast of Toronto. 
This is my 15th year in teaching with a varied background in the elementary yet mostly in the secondary system. Since French is one of our official languages, I’m a high school English teacher but in a French-language district. English is a second language for many of our students.  I was called a Student Success Teacher and was that coach who worked with students who were just on the cusp of failing. I worked with the teachers on how to be proactive and work on preventing failure. This is my second year back in a school system because I took a leave from my school. My district lent me out to our provincial government to work on policies and programs for three years to support student success for our twelve French-language districts. I missed the classroom a lot and came back to be a full-time classroom English teacher and do a couple of cooking classes here and there because that’s a passion of mine. So I’m having fun on a daily basis. 

Find the sunshine. Be the light. Help make the world a better place.
What it was like when you were a student
I came from a very conservative family with a religious upbringing. My dad used to be in the military. I’m a first-generation Canadian with my sister. Both of my parents are from Poland. I have always been taught to follow the rules. When I was a student, I a compliant student doing what was expected of me. There was a fear of not doing what I was told to do because of what my parents might say or do. I was that student who succeeded very well and followed the rules. 
Was I good at school or just good at following rules? 
I was an extremely shy kid yet won a public speaking contest. When I started teaching. I found students that didn’t fit that system. There are many people who don’t know how to use their voice. I’m going to try and be that model. I want to transform schools. I think there is some that works but a lot that doesn’t work. I’m not afraid to stand up when something doesn’t work. It’s not acceptable for students to not pass, not get their diploma, or not move on to the next grade. It’s important for us to put in the work for all children. We don’t need to have all the answers.
Your family 
My wife, Émilie, and my two daughters, Eva and Kaléa in grades 2 and 3, are my heart and who keep me going.

Your journey as a teacher
Early on, I wanted to become a teacher. In high school, I did have some teachers who tried to discourage me. I actually really wanted to go into dramatic arts. That’s where I found my voice. I took drama classes, did a musical, but to my parents, that was not a real job. They wanted my sister and me to have stable, traditional careers. That’s why I chose to teach and it all worked out for me. I bring in that drama outlook to my classroom every day. I volunteer with plays and have fun in class. Yet, I don’t push them to have a voice yet since English is a second language for my students. Many don’t want to speak out. ]]>2097falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflections-on-belonging-and-our-why-during-this-pandemic-with-ilene-winokur-and-barbara-bray--25968351 
Barbara: What does it mean to have a sense of belonging? 
Ilene: Belonging is the glue that keeps us together. It’s the thread that helps us weave our own blanket of comfort, especially at difficult times. It is also the peace and serenity that allows us to be alone and happy while not feeling lonely.
 
Ilene: You wrote and recently published the book Define Your WHY. Why is our WHY so important?
Barbara: Many of us know what we do and maybe how to do what we do. If we don’t know how to do something, we can Google it,  go to YouTube or ask others. Teachers have shared struggles in covering the curriculum when they have little or no time, support, and resources. No one wanted to talk about the WHY behind what they were asked to do. 
All of us are here for a reason. We may not know it or may have no clue what our purpose is, but it’s there. Our WHY is the reason to get out of bed every morning. Yet, our WHY may change as we grow and have new experiences.

Who has a WHY to live for can bear almost any HOW?
~ Fredrich Nietzsche

 
Barbara: You have been writing about your journey on your blog and now host your podcast. How is writing and sharing ideas with others helping you on your journey?
Ilene:  Writing my blog and listening to guest speak about belonging on my podcast has given me time to reflect on my own sense of belonging. But it really started with people asking me about my life story and how I managed to assimilate and feel comfortable in a life so different from how I grew up. As I thought more about it and learned more about finding a sense of belonging, I realized there were many parallels in my life, and perhaps belonging was the link to feeling comfortable in Kuwait and Buffalo, NY-both places I consider “home”.
 
Ilene: How has your WHY changed during this pandemic? What does that mean for your blogs and podcast on Rethinking Learning?
 Barbara: My WHY has always been about the stories.  What has changed are the stories and how we are coping during this crisis, the self-care we need to do to cope, and strategies for remote teaching and learning. I started doing reflections on how I am coping through this crisis about a month ago. After Ilene had interviewed me for her podcast, we decided to do another recording about our own experiences during the pandemic.
 
Barbara: Has your sense of belonging changed since you were staying at home with your mom in New York? What does belonging mean now that you are going back to Kuwait?
Ilene: I now wish I could clone myself and be in two places at once. I’d like to continue staying with my mother, but I also miss my husband and family in Kuwait. Also, two of my children and their spouses live in the USA and I miss them a lot when I am in Kuwait. 
I continue to marvel at the power of connections to support each other and establish friendships across the miles. ~Ilene Winokur (p. 166, Define Your Why)
 
****
 
Check out Ilene’s personal reflections and experiences at https://wke.lt/w/s/vNkgVJ

* Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ilenew
* Website:]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=26979Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:45:54 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Ilene Winokur runs a podcast called Journeys to Belonging. When this is published, Ilene will be flying back to Kuwait. She has been with her mom in Buffalo, New York since before the stay at home order. Her mom is 95-years-old and will be 96 in... 
Barbara: What does it mean to have a sense of belonging? 
Ilene: Belonging is the glue that keeps us together. It’s the thread that helps us weave our own blanket of comfort, especially at difficult times. It is also the peace and serenity that allows us to be alone and happy while not feeling lonely.
 
Ilene: You wrote and recently published the book Define Your WHY. Why is our WHY so important?
Barbara: Many of us know what we do and maybe how to do what we do. If we don’t know how to do something, we can Google it,  go to YouTube or ask others. Teachers have shared struggles in covering the curriculum when they have little or no time, support, and resources. No one wanted to talk about the WHY behind what they were asked to do. 
All of us are here for a reason. We may not know it or may have no clue what our purpose is, but it’s there. Our WHY is the reason to get out of bed every morning. Yet, our WHY may change as we grow and have new experiences.

Who has a WHY to live for can bear almost any HOW?
~ Fredrich Nietzsche

 
Barbara: You have been writing about your journey on your blog and now host your podcast. How is writing and sharing ideas with others helping you on your journey?
Ilene:  Writing my blog and listening to guest speak about belonging on my podcast has given me time to reflect on my own sense of belonging. But it really started with people asking me about my life story and how I managed to assimilate and feel comfortable in a life so different from how I grew up. As I thought more about it and learned more about finding a sense of belonging, I realized there were many parallels in my life, and perhaps belonging was the link to feeling comfortable in Kuwait and Buffalo, NY-both places I consider “home”.
 
Ilene: How has your WHY changed during this pandemic? What does that mean for your blogs and podcast on Rethinking Learning?
 Barbara: My WHY has always been about the stories.  What has changed are the stories and how we are coping during this crisis, the self-care we need to do to cope, and strategies for remote teaching and learning. I started doing reflections on how I am coping through this crisis about a month ago. After Ilene had interviewed me for her podcast, we decided to do another recording about our own experiences during the pandemic.
 
Barbara: Has your sense of belonging changed since you were staying at home with your mom in New York? What does belonging mean now that you are going back to Kuwait?
Ilene: I now wish I could clone myself and be in two places at once. I’d like to continue staying with my mother, but I also miss my husband and family in Kuwait. Also, two of my children and their spouses live in the USA and I miss them a lot when I am in Kuwait. 
I continue to marvel at the power of connections to support each other and establish friendships across the miles. ~Ilene Winokur (p. 166, Define Your Why)
 
****
 
Check out Ilene’s personal reflections and experiences at https://wke.lt/w/s/vNkgVJ

* Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ilenew
* Website:]]>1002falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-96-creating-an-award-winning-culture-leading-with-kindness-and-empathy-with-jennifer-appel--24904273Your background 
I've basically taught a little bit of everything. In college, my major was elementary ed with a reading minor and said I would never teach over 3rd grade. When I graduated from college, Hans was still getting his masters so I needed a job. My next-door neighbor was the middle school principal who told me she had a 7th-grade math job. I took it and been in middle school ever since. I was a track coach, a basketball coach, and a volleyball coach. I taught college classes for ten years at a local university and at the middle school taught every subject except science. Hans was hired at the same middle school a year later, so we've been here at Enterprise Middle School together for 20 years.

Hans and Jennifer Appel [Hans's podcast: Episode #54]
Where you live and work
Where Hans and I live is called the Tri-Cities: Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland. We live in Kennewick and work in West Richland which is a small town west of Richland. It is in the southeast corner of Washington and on the other side of the mountains from Seattle which is actually a desert. In the winter, we get snow and in the summer, it's like 100 degrees. In the last 10 years, we've become more like Napa Valley. We have a bunch of vineyards and wineries all around us. My parents live close to us in the same house since I was four months old. Their house was the only house on the hill and dirt roads when I was a kid. Now everything is developed around us. There were maybe 100,000 people in the Tri-Cities and now there are over 300,000 people. Enterprise Middle School was built in 2005 and they just built another middle school three years ago a mile from here.
What was it like for you as a student
My whole family is in education. My mom was my pre-school teacher. My dad was the principal at the elementary school I attended. I would say I was a good student. I loved going to school, but I would say that I struggled. I had a really hard time reading. My second-grade teacher told my parents that I was not very smart and didn't know what I was doing. They tested me for special ed and found I needed other tests. Nothing changed and I still struggled with reading.
When I was in college, Hans found my test results from those tests in second grade. Apparently, they had tested me for special ed but I hadn't qualified because I had a 156 IQ. Hans said to me that my IQ was more than Einstein's at 154 and that I'm really smart. All those years, I grew up thinking I was not very smart. I found out that I had dyslexia and that's why I was struggling with reading. I couldn't sound out words and trouble with phonics. To make it in school, what I did was memorize the English language. I just ask Hans or use my Kindle what's this word if I can't figure it out and then I memorize it.
I think because I struggled that was one of the reasons why I became a teacher and focused on reading. I may have been smart but I learned differently from everyone else. We make mistakes, and we can learn from them. It helped me as a teacher. As a reading specialist, I can sit with the parents and discuss problems their children might have like vision or anxiety issues that can impact their reading.
 
****
[This is Barbara. I transcribed some of our conversation above.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=26230Mon, 06 Apr 2020 23:31:49 +0000voicEd RadioJennifer Appel has been teaching for 21 years and is a teacher and coach at Enterprise Middle School in West Richland, Washington. She helped launch a blog about School Culture and helped roll out a student-led leadership podcast called the...Your background 
I've basically taught a little bit of everything. In college, my major was elementary ed with a reading minor and said I would never teach over 3rd grade. When I graduated from college, Hans was still getting his masters so I needed a job. My next-door neighbor was the middle school principal who told me she had a 7th-grade math job. I took it and been in middle school ever since. I was a track coach, a basketball coach, and a volleyball coach. I taught college classes for ten years at a local university and at the middle school taught every subject except science. Hans was hired at the same middle school a year later, so we've been here at Enterprise Middle School together for 20 years.

Hans and Jennifer Appel [Hans's podcast: Episode #54]
Where you live and work
Where Hans and I live is called the Tri-Cities: Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland. We live in Kennewick and work in West Richland which is a small town west of Richland. It is in the southeast corner of Washington and on the other side of the mountains from Seattle which is actually a desert. In the winter, we get snow and in the summer, it's like 100 degrees. In the last 10 years, we've become more like Napa Valley. We have a bunch of vineyards and wineries all around us. My parents live close to us in the same house since I was four months old. Their house was the only house on the hill and dirt roads when I was a kid. Now everything is developed around us. There were maybe 100,000 people in the Tri-Cities and now there are over 300,000 people. Enterprise Middle School was built in 2005 and they just built another middle school three years ago a mile from here.
What was it like for you as a student
My whole family is in education. My mom was my pre-school teacher. My dad was the principal at the elementary school I attended. I would say I was a good student. I loved going to school, but I would say that I struggled. I had a really hard time reading. My second-grade teacher told my parents that I was not very smart and didn't know what I was doing. They tested me for special ed and found I needed other tests. Nothing changed and I still struggled with reading.
When I was in college, Hans found my test results from those tests in second grade. Apparently, they had tested me for special ed but I hadn't qualified because I had a 156 IQ. Hans said to me that my IQ was more than Einstein's at 154 and that I'm really smart. All those years, I grew up thinking I was not very smart. I found out that I had dyslexia and that's why I was struggling with reading. I couldn't sound out words and trouble with phonics. To make it in school, what I did was memorize the English language. I just ask Hans or use my Kindle what's this word if I can't figure it out and then I memorize it.
I think because I struggled that was one of the reasons why I became a teacher and focused on reading. I may have been smart but I learned differently from everyone else. We make mistakes, and we can learn from them. It helped me as a teacher. As a reading specialist, I can sit with the parents and discuss problems their children might have like vision or anxiety issues that can impact their reading.
 
****
[This is Barbara. I transcribed some of our conversation above.]]>2482falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reflecting-on-my-why-while-staying-at-home--24862816I published my book, Define Your WHY, mid-February. I was excited about all the events and book signings scheduled. Then COVID-19. Everything was postponed or canceled. It wasn't long before I was feeling sorry for me.
Then I looked at myself and my feelings. I am luckier than most. It is okay to have those feelings. All of us will go through grief, feel fearful, and uncomfortable because everything is uncertain. I realized it's not just about me and that I'm not alone. The world is in crisis. This is bigger than any one of us.
 
"Separation is painful, but it is the right thing to do."
Queen Elizabeth message on the BBC 4/5/20
I am privileged to have access to what is happening around the world. I can connect to family members through videoconferencing, FaceTime, and other tools. I'm playing Mahjong with my sisters and friends, talking to my children regularly, having the greatest FaceTime sessions with my granddaughter. I even had a virtual birthday celebration. This is no time for me to feel sorry for myself. Andrew's girlfriend, Melissa is making masks. Andrew helped her create a video for her students at Pacific University so they could make masks for those that need them. All we have to do is wear them if we have to go out. A mask is more about protecting others who are vulnerable.
I'm fortunate to be able to stay at home and be safe. We need to stay home so we can protect people like our doctors, nurses, and first responders so they stay healthy and are safe. I'm grateful for the grocery clerks and people stocking the shelves. I'm grateful for the people delivering packages and mail. I'm grateful for electricity, water, and waste management. That means people are working for us.
I'm grateful for our teachers who are trying the best they can to connect to their students. My heroes! Yet, I feel they are asked to do much more than is needed now. I applaud the states that are waiving standardized tests.  I wish we could PAUSE teaching content. Teachers and families are struggling. Maybe teaching can be different during this crisis. Teachers can be there to listen, to calm anxieties, and to help families be there for their children. Many parents still have to work at home.
Okay, I'm ranting. I just feel like this crisis is so big that we need to rethink everything.
If we have to stay inside, keep a physical distance, wash your hands often, and wear a mask. We can do that!
Who are you grateful for? What are you grateful for?
I have a house and my husband, Tom, is making sure I am okay and shops for me. He also is there for his 99-year-old mom who I love. I am so grateful for my husband during this time. We play games. We've been working on puzzles. I'm reading more. I'm exercising by dancing around the house while I vacuum. I'm cleaning out closets. I'm writing more.
What are you doing now that you have put off when you were busy?
I have a garden with beautiful flowers and even found some caterpillars from Monarch butterflies on the Milkweed plants. Life goes on. My flowers are just starting to bloom. We planted vegetables. I'm privileged to have a garden. One of my sisters, Janet, started an aero garden to grow herbs and vegetables. Another sister, Sandy,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=25491Sun, 05 Apr 2020 23:05:45 +0000voicEd RadioI've been staying at home for over a month. I have experienced being alone and working from home for some time — actually years. I have been able to do this because I have the Internet. I'm privileged to have the resources and fortunate to have...I published my book, Define Your WHY, mid-February. I was excited about all the events and book signings scheduled. Then COVID-19. Everything was postponed or canceled. It wasn't long before I was feeling sorry for me.
Then I looked at myself and my feelings. I am luckier than most. It is okay to have those feelings. All of us will go through grief, feel fearful, and uncomfortable because everything is uncertain. I realized it's not just about me and that I'm not alone. The world is in crisis. This is bigger than any one of us.
 
"Separation is painful, but it is the right thing to do."
Queen Elizabeth message on the BBC 4/5/20
I am privileged to have access to what is happening around the world. I can connect to family members through videoconferencing, FaceTime, and other tools. I'm playing Mahjong with my sisters and friends, talking to my children regularly, having the greatest FaceTime sessions with my granddaughter. I even had a virtual birthday celebration. This is no time for me to feel sorry for myself. Andrew's girlfriend, Melissa is making masks. Andrew helped her create a video for her students at Pacific University so they could make masks for those that need them. All we have to do is wear them if we have to go out. A mask is more about protecting others who are vulnerable.
I'm fortunate to be able to stay at home and be safe. We need to stay home so we can protect people like our doctors, nurses, and first responders so they stay healthy and are safe. I'm grateful for the grocery clerks and people stocking the shelves. I'm grateful for the people delivering packages and mail. I'm grateful for electricity, water, and waste management. That means people are working for us.
I'm grateful for our teachers who are trying the best they can to connect to their students. My heroes! Yet, I feel they are asked to do much more than is needed now. I applaud the states that are waiving standardized tests.  I wish we could PAUSE teaching content. Teachers and families are struggling. Maybe teaching can be different during this crisis. Teachers can be there to listen, to calm anxieties, and to help families be there for their children. Many parents still have to work at home.
Okay, I'm ranting. I just feel like this crisis is so big that we need to rethink everything.
If we have to stay inside, keep a physical distance, wash your hands often, and wear a mask. We can do that!
Who are you grateful for? What are you grateful for?
I have a house and my husband, Tom, is making sure I am okay and shops for me. He also is there for his 99-year-old mom who I love. I am so grateful for my husband during this time. We play games. We've been working on puzzles. I'm reading more. I'm exercising by dancing around the house while I vacuum. I'm cleaning out closets. I'm writing more.
What are you doing now that you have put off when you were busy?
I have a garden with beautiful flowers and even found some caterpillars from Monarch butterflies on the Milkweed plants. Life goes on. My flowers are just starting to bloom. We planted vegetables. I'm privileged to have a garden. One of my sisters, Janet, started an aero garden to grow herbs and vegetables. Another sister, Sandy,]]>534falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-95-overcoming-the-odds-for-struggling-learners-with-lois-letchford--24650370Lois Letchford has been a literacy problem solver. She specializes in teaching children who struggle with learning to read, her creative teaching methods vary depending on the reading ability of the student, employing age-appropriate, rather than reading-age-appropriate, material. Lois’s non-traditional background, multi-continental exposure, and passion for helping failing students equip her with a unique skillset and perspective.
"The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds hard to answer."  –– Alice Wellington Rollins

Lois and her family
Lois Letchford has been a literacy problem solver. She specializes in teaching children who struggle with learning to read, her creative teaching methods vary depending on the reading ability of the student, employing age-appropriate, rather than reading-age-appropriate, material. Lois’s non-traditional background, multi-continental exposure, and passion for helping failing students equip her with a unique skillset and perspective.
Reversed Memoir Book Trailer

Originally a physical education teacher, she later completed a Master's in Literacy and Reading from the State University of New York at Albany. Lois has presented her work at SPELD in Australia, the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children, the Spring Festival of Children's Literature in Maryland, and the Ireland International Conference on Education. She is a member of the Australian College of Education.
Reversed: A Memoir (Acorn Publishing), the story of her son's—and her own—learning disability, is her first book.

Nicholas talking about his learning:

Lois mentioned these books in our conversation that she uses to teach pronouns: 
 "Ahhh," Said Stork  by Gerald Rose  
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
 
 

 
Lois Letchford
@LetchfordLois
Website: https://www.loisletchford.com/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/loisletchfordauthor/
 
"You just can't beat the person who never gives up."
––Babe Ruth
 
******
 
For all of the Rethinking Learning podcasts with Barbara Bray, click on the podcast tab at the top, the logo below, or go to https://barbarabray.net/podcasts/

Go to this page for more information about Barbara’s new book, Define Your WHY.

 
 
 ]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=25072Mon, 30 Mar 2020 20:05:21 +0000voicEd RadioWhat do you do if your child fails first grade? The system can label your child. That label then defines your child. That happened to Lois Letchford’s son, Nicholas, and Lois decided to change the label and his mindset to overcome the odds so he...Lois Letchford has been a literacy problem solver. She specializes in teaching children who struggle with learning to read, her creative teaching methods vary depending on the reading ability of the student, employing age-appropriate, rather than reading-age-appropriate, material. Lois’s non-traditional background, multi-continental exposure, and passion for helping failing students equip her with a unique skillset and perspective.
"The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds hard to answer."  –– Alice Wellington Rollins

Lois and her family
Lois Letchford has been a literacy problem solver. She specializes in teaching children who struggle with learning to read, her creative teaching methods vary depending on the reading ability of the student, employing age-appropriate, rather than reading-age-appropriate, material. Lois’s non-traditional background, multi-continental exposure, and passion for helping failing students equip her with a unique skillset and perspective.
Reversed Memoir Book Trailer

Originally a physical education teacher, she later completed a Master's in Literacy and Reading from the State University of New York at Albany. Lois has presented her work at SPELD in Australia, the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children, the Spring Festival of Children's Literature in Maryland, and the Ireland International Conference on Education. She is a member of the Australian College of Education.
Reversed: A Memoir (Acorn Publishing), the story of her son's—and her own—learning disability, is her first book.

Nicholas talking about his learning:

Lois mentioned these books in our conversation that she uses to teach pronouns: 
 "Ahhh," Said Stork  by Gerald Rose  
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
 
 

 
Lois Letchford
@LetchfordLois
Website: https://www.loisletchford.com/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/loisletchfordauthor/
 
"You just can't beat the person who never gives up."
––Babe Ruth
 
******
 
For all of the Rethinking Learning podcasts with Barbara Bray, click on the podcast tab at the top, the logo below, or go to https://barbarabray.net/podcasts/

Go to this page for more information about Barbara’s new book, Define Your WHY.

 
 
 ]]>2334falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/teaching-online-in-this-time-of-crisis--23885998Your school closed because of Covid-19. You found out that your students will be off for the next few weeks. You still have to teach them or provide resources so they continue to learn. You may not have taught any classes online. This could be all-new for you. If so, it can be scary and overwhelming.
Instead of trying to redo your entire curriculum, this might be the time to look at how you can communicate effectively in an online environment. This means teaching you and your students the tools and protocols along with realistic expectations.
Reaching out to your students
Many schools and districts have ways to communicate with their parents.

* Did you receive instructions on how to communicate with your students when you are not at school?
* Do you have your own website or blog, a page on the district site, use learning management systems or use google docs?

You may want to reach out to your students introducing what learning will be like for the next few weeks.

* Introduce yourself as an online teacher.
* Put up a picture or video of you.
* Share how you plan to communicate and receive messages.
* Start slow with a simple schedule for one day.

Here is a Daily Schedule Planner that you can copy and use thanks to Rebekah Madrid. Instructions:

Click here to open the Google Doc
Go to File > Make a copy
* Type a name and choose where to save it
* Click OK
* You’ll then find an editable copy of the Google Doc in your Google Drive

If you did not receive instructions or do not have a way to communicate with your students, then you may have to resort to sending mail home or sending messages via text. I know there are students that do not have access to digital resources so I'll look for ideas to share with you. I'll share what I find in future posts.

Take a Few Breathing Breaks
Meredith Johnson @mjjohnson1216 shared "Breathing Breaks" on Twitter when we were discussing how to handle anxiety and consider social-emotional learning strategies. I figured teachers probably everyone might need to calm ourselves during this crisis.

 
I sent out the Rethinking Learning Report Vol 2. No 2. with way too much information, so I plan to share a little at a time in shorter posts. Each day there are more resources people are sharing. This is a time that we've never had to deal with before so each day will be new for all of us.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=25379Sun, 15 Mar 2020 01:13:29 +0000voicEd Radio  Your school closed because of Covid-19. You found out that your students will be off for the next few weeks. You still have to teach them or provide resources so they continue to learn. You may not have taught any classes online. This could be...Your school closed because of Covid-19. You found out that your students will be off for the next few weeks. You still have to teach them or provide resources so they continue to learn. You may not have taught any classes online. This could be all-new for you. If so, it can be scary and overwhelming.
Instead of trying to redo your entire curriculum, this might be the time to look at how you can communicate effectively in an online environment. This means teaching you and your students the tools and protocols along with realistic expectations.
Reaching out to your students
Many schools and districts have ways to communicate with their parents.

* Did you receive instructions on how to communicate with your students when you are not at school?
* Do you have your own website or blog, a page on the district site, use learning management systems or use google docs?

You may want to reach out to your students introducing what learning will be like for the next few weeks.

* Introduce yourself as an online teacher.
* Put up a picture or video of you.
* Share how you plan to communicate and receive messages.
* Start slow with a simple schedule for one day.

Here is a Daily Schedule Planner that you can copy and use thanks to Rebekah Madrid. Instructions:

Click here to open the Google Doc
Go to File > Make a copy
* Type a name and choose where to save it
* Click OK
* You’ll then find an editable copy of the Google Doc in your Google Drive

If you did not receive instructions or do not have a way to communicate with your students, then you may have to resort to sending mail home or sending messages via text. I know there are students that do not have access to digital resources so I'll look for ideas to share with you. I'll share what I find in future posts.

Take a Few Breathing Breaks
Meredith Johnson @mjjohnson1216 shared "Breathing Breaks" on Twitter when we were discussing how to handle anxiety and consider social-emotional learning strategies. I figured teachers probably everyone might need to calm ourselves during this crisis.

 
I sent out the Rethinking Learning Report Vol 2. No 2. with way too much information, so I plan to share a little at a time in shorter posts. Each day there are more resources people are sharing. This is a time that we've never had to deal with before so each day will be new for all of us.]]>428falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-94-empowering-learners-by-innovating-inside-the-box-with-george-couros--23716392Your background 
I am originally from the small town of Humboldt, Saskatchewan and my parents are originally immigrants from Greece. I am the youngest of four, and my brother, Dr. Alec Couros, is also in the field of education. We work closely together through our social networks to help build environments that best meet the needs of students in a continuously changing environment. I believe in the power of students, and that all of the children we can teach can be leaders if we help them find their passion. My parents came from a country that was going through a war and did not have the resources or the same opportunities that we had for education. They stressed the importance of education for their kids, and are my inspiration in my career as an educator and learner. Although my parents were born in a different time than I was, we have the exact same goal in our lives; we want it better for our kids than it was for us.
Your family
I was lucky enough to marry my best friend (Paige Couros), who is an elementary school teacher (and the best mom in the world!) who always keeps me grounded and reminds me how complex a teacher’s job is. We welcomed our beautiful daughter Kallea into the world in August of 2016  I believe that we must continuously “sharpen the saw” by taking part in other pursuits.  I love being active by running, participating and watching sports and am a HUGE fan of the Los Angeles Lakers.  In fact, I have two dogs now that are named after a current and former Laker (Odom and Cooper).
Your journey as an educator
I was teaching several years. I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and thought the interview for my first job went well. During the interview, they kept asking about a website I created called “Electronic Media Communication Officer.” They called my right after and told me they loved the interview but we decided to go with someone else. Later, I phoned the superintendent and asked if I could get some feedback from the interview since I was new to the profession.
Surprisingly, they were going to call me that day because they just had a high school technology teacher position open up. I had no interest in high school or teaching technology. My supervising teacher told me it was hard to get a job. Take the job but make sure you do very well. So I took this HS technology job not knowing what I was doing. I knew some stuff but, if I didn’t, I asked the students. I learned a ton from the students. It really shifted my perspective on education. The teacher is not the sole source of information. How do I create an environment where I actually learn from students as well so we become smarter as a whole? Teaching that one technology class had me think different even when I taught in every level. It shifted my thoughts about teaching when I was an administrator and even today. 
I was the funniest person to grade 2 children probably because I was tall.
CUE 2017 Keynote
When did you go into administration?
I became this tech guy and that was always a focus. So I applied for a Tech Coordinator job and I didn’t get it. Then an assistant principal job came up. I applied, got an interview with Archie, the principal, and we were arguing.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=23788Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:58:45 +0000voicEd RadioGeorge Couros is an “Innovative Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Consultant”, speaker, as well as the author of “The Innovator’s Mindset” and “Innovate Inside the Box.”  Formerly, he was the Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning...Your background 
I am originally from the small town of Humboldt, Saskatchewan and my parents are originally immigrants from Greece. I am the youngest of four, and my brother, Dr. Alec Couros, is also in the field of education. We work closely together through our social networks to help build environments that best meet the needs of students in a continuously changing environment. I believe in the power of students, and that all of the children we can teach can be leaders if we help them find their passion. My parents came from a country that was going through a war and did not have the resources or the same opportunities that we had for education. They stressed the importance of education for their kids, and are my inspiration in my career as an educator and learner. Although my parents were born in a different time than I was, we have the exact same goal in our lives; we want it better for our kids than it was for us.
Your family
I was lucky enough to marry my best friend (Paige Couros), who is an elementary school teacher (and the best mom in the world!) who always keeps me grounded and reminds me how complex a teacher’s job is. We welcomed our beautiful daughter Kallea into the world in August of 2016  I believe that we must continuously “sharpen the saw” by taking part in other pursuits.  I love being active by running, participating and watching sports and am a HUGE fan of the Los Angeles Lakers.  In fact, I have two dogs now that are named after a current and former Laker (Odom and Cooper).
Your journey as an educator
I was teaching several years. I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and thought the interview for my first job went well. During the interview, they kept asking about a website I created called “Electronic Media Communication Officer.” They called my right after and told me they loved the interview but we decided to go with someone else. Later, I phoned the superintendent and asked if I could get some feedback from the interview since I was new to the profession.
Surprisingly, they were going to call me that day because they just had a high school technology teacher position open up. I had no interest in high school or teaching technology. My supervising teacher told me it was hard to get a job. Take the job but make sure you do very well. So I took this HS technology job not knowing what I was doing. I knew some stuff but, if I didn’t, I asked the students. I learned a ton from the students. It really shifted my perspective on education. The teacher is not the sole source of information. How do I create an environment where I actually learn from students as well so we become smarter as a whole? Teaching that one technology class had me think different even when I taught in every level. It shifted my thoughts about teaching when I was an administrator and even today. 
I was the funniest person to grade 2 children probably because I was tall.
CUE 2017 Keynote
When did you go into administration?
I became this tech guy and that was always a focus. So I applied for a Tech Coordinator job and I didn’t get it. Then an assistant principal job came up. I applied, got an interview with Archie, the principal, and we were arguing.]]>2728falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-93-why-schools-need-to-see-students-with-carissa-duran--23117008Your background 
I am a Californian native, born in Orange County, grew up mostly in Riverside County, and now live in San Diego County. Southern California is kind of my stomping ground. I did spend a few years living in Oregon right after my first year of college and then returned back to southern California to get my degree at UC Riverside. 

A fun picture of me with siblings and cousins
I am the 7th of 9 children. We were raised by my mom and grew up in Riverside in one of the more disadvantaged neighborhoods and was exposed to a lot of diverse cultures from people from different backgrounds in my community and in my schools. 
What it was like for you as a student
School for me was a place of privilege. I used to think I had no privilege at all. I grew up really poor as a minority female in a single-parent home. The first day I was terrified of the unknown with a puddle of tears. My teacher, Mrs. Takanaga, welcomed me in and gave me time and let me hide under her desk for four hours until I was ready to come out. She made school really safe for me because home was not a safe place for me. Because I felt safe [at school], I went all in and was really privileged because traditional school was more or less became natural for me. Being successful in school changed the entire trajectory of my life.
I was one of those under the radar kids who didn’t demand a lot of attention. My school had no idea that my family lost their home between 8th and 9th grade and that I started high school homeless. They didn’t know what was going on when it was happening. I was good at school and making myself small enough to fit into that mold, but the school didn’t see me the way I saw it. I was able to stay under the radar. That’s why I was unprepared for life after high school. I dropped out of college after my first year and moving out of state for three years before I realized what I had to do to be successful and how to navigate the system on my own before I returned to get my degree. Success was all about how I felt about a school not about how school saw me.
Your journey as a teacher
I did not always feel I was going to be a teacher. At one time, I thought of political science, pre-law, but none of that worked out. I became a teacher partly because of a dare and another part because of a tragedy. I haad a friend that was trying to become a teacher and was having a tough time passing his exams (CSETS) for his credential. He dared me to try to pass the exams myself. I passed on my first try. But I was close to graduation at UC Riverside. A couple of months later, my brother’s life was unexpectedly taken. I was a mess and couldn’t think of planning my future.
My friend reminded me that I passed that exam and should apply to the school of education. I got accepted to earn my credential and masters in education. I started teaching 9th grade English right out of my graduate program, but I was also given a release period to Educational Technology teacher on special assignment. I was later assigned a 7th-grade remediation class for high school seniors who had struggled to pass California’s HS exit exam and were in danger of not graduating and had scores in the elementary test score range.

After the first day, I realized that a handbook with worksheets for students to go through to prepare them for the test wasn’t going to work. I stopped using that handbook and didn’t use a lot of teaching and content delivery methods. I did a lot of relationship building and talked with them about where their skills were and t...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=23704Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:14:27 +0000voicEd RadioCarissa Duran is a Teacher, an ELD/Literacy/EdTech Instructional Coach, and Testing Coordinator at Del Lago Academy in the Escondido Union High School District in the San Diego, California area. I met Carissa at the Aurora Institute where she was...Your background 
I am a Californian native, born in Orange County, grew up mostly in Riverside County, and now live in San Diego County. Southern California is kind of my stomping ground. I did spend a few years living in Oregon right after my first year of college and then returned back to southern California to get my degree at UC Riverside. 

A fun picture of me with siblings and cousins
I am the 7th of 9 children. We were raised by my mom and grew up in Riverside in one of the more disadvantaged neighborhoods and was exposed to a lot of diverse cultures from people from different backgrounds in my community and in my schools. 
What it was like for you as a student
School for me was a place of privilege. I used to think I had no privilege at all. I grew up really poor as a minority female in a single-parent home. The first day I was terrified of the unknown with a puddle of tears. My teacher, Mrs. Takanaga, welcomed me in and gave me time and let me hide under her desk for four hours until I was ready to come out. She made school really safe for me because home was not a safe place for me. Because I felt safe [at school], I went all in and was really privileged because traditional school was more or less became natural for me. Being successful in school changed the entire trajectory of my life.
I was one of those under the radar kids who didn’t demand a lot of attention. My school had no idea that my family lost their home between 8th and 9th grade and that I started high school homeless. They didn’t know what was going on when it was happening. I was good at school and making myself small enough to fit into that mold, but the school didn’t see me the way I saw it. I was able to stay under the radar. That’s why I was unprepared for life after high school. I dropped out of college after my first year and moving out of state for three years before I realized what I had to do to be successful and how to navigate the system on my own before I returned to get my degree. Success was all about how I felt about a school not about how school saw me.
Your journey as a teacher
I did not always feel I was going to be a teacher. At one time, I thought of political science, pre-law, but none of that worked out. I became a teacher partly because of a dare and another part because of a tragedy. I haad a friend that was trying to become a teacher and was having a tough time passing his exams (CSETS) for his credential. He dared me to try to pass the exams myself. I passed on my first try. But I was close to graduation at UC Riverside. A couple of months later, my brother’s life was unexpectedly taken. I was a mess and couldn’t think of planning my future.
My friend reminded me that I passed that exam and should apply to the school of education. I got accepted to earn my credential and masters in education. I started teaching 9th grade English right out of my graduate program, but I was also given a release period to Educational Technology teacher on special assignment. I was later assigned a 7th-grade remediation class for high school seniors who had struggled to pass California’s HS exit exam and were in danger of not graduating and had scores in the elementary test score range.

After the first day, I realized that a handbook with worksheets for students to go through to prepare them for the test wasn’t going to work. I stopped using that handbook and didn’t use a lot of teaching and content delivery methods. I did a lot of relationship building and talked with them about where their skills were and t...]]>1876falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-92-creating-student-agency-ownership-and-empowerment-with-andelee-espinosa--22715094Your background 
I have lived in Wisconsin my entire life. We can have extreme weather with 100-degree weather in the summer and 50 below in the winter. My family is mostly here in Wisconsin. I grew up in Menomonee Falls outside of Milwaukee and now live in Wauwatosa that is close to where I teach in Brookfield.
Your family
Both my parents were teachers. My dad was a Science teacher and my mom was an English teacher. They started in middle school but finished their careers teaching at the high school level. I would see my mom sitting at the kitchen table before any of us got up in the morning grading English papers, and my dad spending weekends reviewing lab reports. They were both active in different aspects at their school either the theater program, yearbook, or my dad was involved in the teacher’s union. From my perspective, being a teacher means you are doing a lot of service for others.

My husband, Brian, and I have two sons, Ethan and Logan, who are freshmen in high school, the same age as the students I teach in my school. Logan is on the left in this picture – fun fact, he's always on the left in any posed picture. That's how we've kept them straight throughout the years. My dog's name is Arthur, a rescue from Alabama, so we don't really know much about his make-up.

What it was like for you as a student
I was pretty good at playing school. I played it safe and knew what the teachers wanted. I was far more passionate about everything that I was involved with outside of school especially the kids I was learning about on the weekends and nights. I was really active in 4H for eleven years doing a lot of service work. The part of 4H that I loved was the service aspect. I was planning community service in 4H and what that looks like for a teenager or an elementary student. Then I was involved in student council in high school through my passion for a community service component. Going into education was a natural progression for me regarding the things I really enjoyed, learning about myself and learning about different disabilities along with the challenges they faced in school and combining those with community service.
Did you always want to be a Special Ed teacher?
I always wanted to be a Special Ed teacher. I got involved in this field at a pretty young age. I was eleven and was the babysitter for a family down the street from me that had twins where one of them had cerebral palsy. Throughout middle and high school, I understood what a family who has a child with significant needs goes through. I think that some of those fears and apprehensions that people have — that was my babysitting gig. I was their go-to person. The mother had started some support groups for families in the community with children with special needs. The word got out about me as a babysitter so I had a little monopoly going on.
Your journey to become a Special Ed teacher
When I was in my freshman year in college, I had an inspiring Biology professor. I was really considering switching majors and going into regular ed focusing on life or earth science. Then I went back to my roots and thought that this wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to be involved in the curriculum but science wasn’t the direction I wanted to go. So I became a Special Ed major with a Biology minor. That can be helpful because I wanted to work in a regular classroom beside the teacher supporting the students and working on curriculum figuring out ways that all students can be successful.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=23055Thu, 13 Feb 2020 03:10:33 +0000voicEd RadioAndelee Espinosa is a special education teacher and has been supporting students in high school regular education classrooms for 20 years. She has a passion for personalized learning and teaching students to use their voice. She currently supports in...Your background 
I have lived in Wisconsin my entire life. We can have extreme weather with 100-degree weather in the summer and 50 below in the winter. My family is mostly here in Wisconsin. I grew up in Menomonee Falls outside of Milwaukee and now live in Wauwatosa that is close to where I teach in Brookfield.
Your family
Both my parents were teachers. My dad was a Science teacher and my mom was an English teacher. They started in middle school but finished their careers teaching at the high school level. I would see my mom sitting at the kitchen table before any of us got up in the morning grading English papers, and my dad spending weekends reviewing lab reports. They were both active in different aspects at their school either the theater program, yearbook, or my dad was involved in the teacher’s union. From my perspective, being a teacher means you are doing a lot of service for others.

My husband, Brian, and I have two sons, Ethan and Logan, who are freshmen in high school, the same age as the students I teach in my school. Logan is on the left in this picture – fun fact, he's always on the left in any posed picture. That's how we've kept them straight throughout the years. My dog's name is Arthur, a rescue from Alabama, so we don't really know much about his make-up.

What it was like for you as a student
I was pretty good at playing school. I played it safe and knew what the teachers wanted. I was far more passionate about everything that I was involved with outside of school especially the kids I was learning about on the weekends and nights. I was really active in 4H for eleven years doing a lot of service work. The part of 4H that I loved was the service aspect. I was planning community service in 4H and what that looks like for a teenager or an elementary student. Then I was involved in student council in high school through my passion for a community service component. Going into education was a natural progression for me regarding the things I really enjoyed, learning about myself and learning about different disabilities along with the challenges they faced in school and combining those with community service.
Did you always want to be a Special Ed teacher?
I always wanted to be a Special Ed teacher. I got involved in this field at a pretty young age. I was eleven and was the babysitter for a family down the street from me that had twins where one of them had cerebral palsy. Throughout middle and high school, I understood what a family who has a child with significant needs goes through. I think that some of those fears and apprehensions that people have — that was my babysitting gig. I was their go-to person. The mother had started some support groups for families in the community with children with special needs. The word got out about me as a babysitter so I had a little monopoly going on.
Your journey to become a Special Ed teacher
When I was in my freshman year in college, I had an inspiring Biology professor. I was really considering switching majors and going into regular ed focusing on life or earth science. Then I went back to my roots and thought that this wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to be involved in the curriculum but science wasn’t the direction I wanted to go. So I became a Special Ed major with a Biology minor. That can be helpful because I wanted to work in a regular classroom beside the teacher supporting the students and working on curriculum figuring out ways that all students can be successful.]]>2719falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-91-guiding-global-citizens-becoming-tomorrow-s-leaders-with-patricia-gartland--22218304Your background
When I was young, I was very interested in other cultures and languages. I studied French in grade 5 and every language that they offered in high school: French, Spanish, and German. When I went to the Univerity of British Columbia, I studied German, Italian, and French Language and Literature. I also traveled for four months every summer to Europe to develop my skills in the languages. I really think that studying abroad is a key experience for all students to have to really appreciate the variety and the beauty of the world so they can learn about opportunities that there can be in life. Traveling for me really changed my life and shaped who I became. 
I always was thinking I wanted to be an educator, but also be an entrepreneur. International education was the opportunity to bring those two together. 
Languages and math can be a mental block for many who think they cannot learn math or a different language. But when you open your mind to it and let it in at any age, you can be very successful.
Journey as an educator
In Canada, the other official language is French. I became a French Immersion Teacher and that gave me an opportunity to speak French all day while living in Coquitlam. I never had to worry about getting a job because there was such a demand for French Immersion teachers and there still is today. I was very interested in multiculturalism and cultural initiatives. I founded the multicultural committee and wrote my master’s thesis on multiculturalism and racism policies.
I was also interested in technology and was at the district level as a Program Coordinator for Technology Implementation. I taught students and teachers how to use computers and another language, Turtle logo. Today, we see how important coding is for everyone to work in this technological world. I was Coordinator for Languages and Teacher Librarian at different times. Then I went into administration and became a vice-principal and then principal. I spent half my career at the elementary level and the other half at the high school level. 
When I came to the board office, I really came for the reorganization of our district. We went from elementary (K-6), junior high (7-9) and senior (10-12) highs to the elementary (K-5), middle (6-8), and high (9-12) schools. That was a fantastic process for the development stages to meet the needs of those middle year students more effectively through the middle school model. 
Coquitlam School District
Now that the world has become so globalized, language skills are really appreciated. People are realizing how important it is to know other languages and have global competencies to be successful. Global competencies, recognized by the OECD, are key to the future and include intercultural understanding, understanding the different perspectives and world views, understanding the beauty and diversity of different cultures, and being successful working with people around the world in different contexts and roles. There are studies about learning another language that develops the agility of your brain and helps you formulate your thoughts in different ways. When you can interact with people from around the world knowing different languages, you will have far more opportunities in your life.

International Education Programs in B.C.
I started the International Education Program on May 9, 1999, and am still actively involved in the program. We not only invite students to our schools and graduate, but we also have delegations from overseas on a regular bas...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=21326Thu, 30 Jan 2020 02:33:24 +0000voicEd RadioPatricia Gartland has been Superintendent of Schools for School District No. 43 (Coquitlam) since 2015, British Columbia's third-largest school district with over 32,000 students and 4,000 employees in over 70 schools and facilities. Patricia...Your background
When I was young, I was very interested in other cultures and languages. I studied French in grade 5 and every language that they offered in high school: French, Spanish, and German. When I went to the Univerity of British Columbia, I studied German, Italian, and French Language and Literature. I also traveled for four months every summer to Europe to develop my skills in the languages. I really think that studying abroad is a key experience for all students to have to really appreciate the variety and the beauty of the world so they can learn about opportunities that there can be in life. Traveling for me really changed my life and shaped who I became. 
I always was thinking I wanted to be an educator, but also be an entrepreneur. International education was the opportunity to bring those two together. 
Languages and math can be a mental block for many who think they cannot learn math or a different language. But when you open your mind to it and let it in at any age, you can be very successful.
Journey as an educator
In Canada, the other official language is French. I became a French Immersion Teacher and that gave me an opportunity to speak French all day while living in Coquitlam. I never had to worry about getting a job because there was such a demand for French Immersion teachers and there still is today. I was very interested in multiculturalism and cultural initiatives. I founded the multicultural committee and wrote my master’s thesis on multiculturalism and racism policies.
I was also interested in technology and was at the district level as a Program Coordinator for Technology Implementation. I taught students and teachers how to use computers and another language, Turtle logo. Today, we see how important coding is for everyone to work in this technological world. I was Coordinator for Languages and Teacher Librarian at different times. Then I went into administration and became a vice-principal and then principal. I spent half my career at the elementary level and the other half at the high school level. 
When I came to the board office, I really came for the reorganization of our district. We went from elementary (K-6), junior high (7-9) and senior (10-12) highs to the elementary (K-5), middle (6-8), and high (9-12) schools. That was a fantastic process for the development stages to meet the needs of those middle year students more effectively through the middle school model. 
Coquitlam School District
Now that the world has become so globalized, language skills are really appreciated. People are realizing how important it is to know other languages and have global competencies to be successful. Global competencies, recognized by the OECD, are key to the future and include intercultural understanding, understanding the different perspectives and world views, understanding the beauty and diversity of different cultures, and being successful working with people around the world in different contexts and roles. There are studies about learning another language that develops the agility of your brain and helps you formulate your thoughts in different ways. When you can interact with people from around the world knowing different languages, you will have far more opportunities in your life.

International Education Programs in B.C.
I started the International Education Program on May 9, 1999, and am still actively involved in the program. We not only invite students to our schools and graduate, but we also have delegations from overseas on a regular bas...]]>1955falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-90-being-the-controller-of-my-learning-with-aidyn-grice--21757703Where did you grow up
I was born and raised in a small city outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. About two years ago, we moved to Mukwonago when my mom got a job at Norris Academy.
Aidyn eating pancakes with maple syrup he made at Norris Academy.
They tapped maple trees and boiled the sap down to make the syrup.

Let’s talk about school 
I thought school was normal until I went to Norris Academy and I saw how big a change it was and how the communities are different than my other school. Kindergarten was fun at West Allis with a good environment and nice people. Then starting in first grade, we were sitting at desks doing your work all day through session after session. We did math in the morning and then reading in the afternoon every day for the entire year. It kind of got boring after a while. I thought that’s what school was going to be like for the rest of my life. This is what I would have to do: suck it up and deal with school so I could go on with my life.  
After you started Norris Academy, what was different about school for you?

It was really different, actually. There is a big difference between this school and the local school in how the school is structured and the environment. This school is way more about you and not always thinking it’s the kids, sometimes it may be the teacher. Sometimes you might like a teacher but sometimes you may need a different teacher. In my other school, if there was a problem, it was the kids problem. But at Norris, we look at both sides of it so we can work it out. 
Johnna Noll, Executive Director of Norris Academy, jumped in. “As the staff here at Norris, we focus on a learner-centered environment. What Aidyn was explaining is that at some schools, people tend to look at the learner and what they are doing wrong and why they aren’t improving. For us, we look at the lack of growth and improvement of any of our learners as our failure of what we’re doing and what can do to better support that learner. When I heard Aidyn say it is sometimes the teacher or its other people, I think that is indicative of when we see a learner has not had much success, we wrap a team around that and try to offer supports that will be more helpful to Aidyn.”

Aidyn and his Learner Profile
At first, when I worked on my Learner Profile, I thought it was a little weird. Then I got used to it and I realized what they were doing.  It felt good to write about me. You always learn stuff about yourself and then the teacher knows about you and how you learn best. The questions they asked like “what are your triggers?” and “what do you like doing?” and “what do you want to do on a break?” and “what’s your favorite subject?” helped them to get to know me. They’re not trying to figure it out on their own. 
What is it like for you at Norris Academy?
I can read articles to get science and math competencies together instead of separate like at my other school. Each grade level has its own amount of competencies within the subjects. If you get all of those competencies, basically, you keep going up in your subjects. My cousin is in a local school and has all straight As and cannot go up and beyond what she is doing higher than her grade level. 
When I confer with my learning specialist three times a week or more, I share the evidence of my learning and how much I’ve grown in my pathways.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=21276Thu, 16 Jan 2020 19:59:47 +0000voicEd RadioAidyn Grice is a 6th-grade doing 9th-grade math and is a student at Norris Academy in Mukwonago, Wisconsin. I met Aidyn and his mom, Nicole, at the Aurora Institute (past was iNACOL) conference in October 2019 in Palm Springs where Aidyn who was an...Where did you grow up
I was born and raised in a small city outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. About two years ago, we moved to Mukwonago when my mom got a job at Norris Academy.
Aidyn eating pancakes with maple syrup he made at Norris Academy.
They tapped maple trees and boiled the sap down to make the syrup.

Let’s talk about school 
I thought school was normal until I went to Norris Academy and I saw how big a change it was and how the communities are different than my other school. Kindergarten was fun at West Allis with a good environment and nice people. Then starting in first grade, we were sitting at desks doing your work all day through session after session. We did math in the morning and then reading in the afternoon every day for the entire year. It kind of got boring after a while. I thought that’s what school was going to be like for the rest of my life. This is what I would have to do: suck it up and deal with school so I could go on with my life.  
After you started Norris Academy, what was different about school for you?

It was really different, actually. There is a big difference between this school and the local school in how the school is structured and the environment. This school is way more about you and not always thinking it’s the kids, sometimes it may be the teacher. Sometimes you might like a teacher but sometimes you may need a different teacher. In my other school, if there was a problem, it was the kids problem. But at Norris, we look at both sides of it so we can work it out. 
Johnna Noll, Executive Director of Norris Academy, jumped in. “As the staff here at Norris, we focus on a learner-centered environment. What Aidyn was explaining is that at some schools, people tend to look at the learner and what they are doing wrong and why they aren’t improving. For us, we look at the lack of growth and improvement of any of our learners as our failure of what we’re doing and what can do to better support that learner. When I heard Aidyn say it is sometimes the teacher or its other people, I think that is indicative of when we see a learner has not had much success, we wrap a team around that and try to offer supports that will be more helpful to Aidyn.”

Aidyn and his Learner Profile
At first, when I worked on my Learner Profile, I thought it was a little weird. Then I got used to it and I realized what they were doing.  It felt good to write about me. You always learn stuff about yourself and then the teacher knows about you and how you learn best. The questions they asked like “what are your triggers?” and “what do you like doing?” and “what do you want to do on a break?” and “what’s your favorite subject?” helped them to get to know me. They’re not trying to figure it out on their own. 
What is it like for you at Norris Academy?
I can read articles to get science and math competencies together instead of separate like at my other school. Each grade level has its own amount of competencies within the subjects. If you get all of those competencies, basically, you keep going up in your subjects. My cousin is in a local school and has all straight As and cannot go up and beyond what she is doing higher than her grade level. 
When I confer with my learning specialist three times a week or more, I share the evidence of my learning and how much I’ve grown in my pathways.]]>1286falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-89-spark-learning-to-unlock-and-harness-the-power-of-student-curiosity-with-ramsey-musallam--21405157
 Your background (where you grew up)
I grew up in Sacramento, California. I wasn't much of a student. I was a competitive athlete. That's how I got into college with a basketball scholarship at Cal Poly and then transferred to UC Davis. That's where I fell in love with school and loved learning. My journey as a science teacher started there. I didn't get into medical school and I was left with a lot of science knowledge to that point. I got a job substitute teaching high school science at Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep in San Francisco. I fell in love with the vocation and went back to get my teaching credential, my masters, and my Ph.D. That's really how my journey as a teacher began.
 What it was like when you were a student
I’m a typical child of the Baby Boomers where my parents sent me to kindergarten just when I turned four so I could walk with our neighbor to school or out of some archaic reason. I fell drastically behind emotionally and mentally academically. By the time I got to the 6th grade, I was just a hot mess. I ended up going to 6th grade twice and had a chance to transfer schools to sort of reinvent myself. Even with that, I was behind academically and only I knew that basketball was what was going to get me into college. Academically, I always struggled as a slow reader and not a great test taker. What I figured out was how to translate some of those skills that I learned in sports to academic learning. I was a very hard worker around that. 
Still to this day, I’m not a good test taker and have a lot of intellectual insecurity even with a Ph.D. teaching advanced placement courses and graduate school now. It’s easy to say “that helps me relate to kids or helps me explain concepts in a way people can understand” but those are clichés. This is part of my story and something I struggle with. It does help me connect to struggling students and, at times, inhibits me from connecting to students who don’t struggle. It’s just part of who I am and my journey to get there. That’s why I see teaching as more of a vocation than an intellectual endeavor. It is more of a craft. 

“When you see teaching as a craft, then you see it as
something that transcends intellectual capacity.”


[This is Barbara. Make sure you listen to what Ramsey mentions as the Impostor Complex and teachers coming across as mythical creatures. 8:33 – 9:45]
 Your family and what happened in 2008 that changed you
In 2008, they found an aneurysm in my aorta in my heart. It was a random find that was a very existential sort of life-changing thing where I had to face a complex open-heart surgery. Right at the exact same time, I was finishing up my graduate work at school. I was in the middle of reflecting on myself as a teacher and at the same time had o reflect on myself as a human. When we first found out about my condition, my wife was pregnant with our first daughter. When I had the surgery, she was pregnant with our second daughter.
I have four children and all of them mirror the same pathway I had as a kid and struggle in their own ways which is really interesting to see. I have a 10-year-old daughter in 5th grade and is very involved in theater. My 8-year-old daughter who is in second grade has a formal IEP and gets pulled out 50% of the time. It is pretty amazing to see the support she is getting...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=21231Mon, 06 Jan 2020 14:00:34 +0000voicEd RadioRamsey Musallam is a secondary science instructor at Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa, California. He runs invention workshops for elementary and middle school students and delivers keynotes, webinars and facilitates workshops for teachers nationally and...
 Your background (where you grew up)
I grew up in Sacramento, California. I wasn't much of a student. I was a competitive athlete. That's how I got into college with a basketball scholarship at Cal Poly and then transferred to UC Davis. That's where I fell in love with school and loved learning. My journey as a science teacher started there. I didn't get into medical school and I was left with a lot of science knowledge to that point. I got a job substitute teaching high school science at Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep in San Francisco. I fell in love with the vocation and went back to get my teaching credential, my masters, and my Ph.D. That's really how my journey as a teacher began.
 What it was like when you were a student
I’m a typical child of the Baby Boomers where my parents sent me to kindergarten just when I turned four so I could walk with our neighbor to school or out of some archaic reason. I fell drastically behind emotionally and mentally academically. By the time I got to the 6th grade, I was just a hot mess. I ended up going to 6th grade twice and had a chance to transfer schools to sort of reinvent myself. Even with that, I was behind academically and only I knew that basketball was what was going to get me into college. Academically, I always struggled as a slow reader and not a great test taker. What I figured out was how to translate some of those skills that I learned in sports to academic learning. I was a very hard worker around that. 
Still to this day, I’m not a good test taker and have a lot of intellectual insecurity even with a Ph.D. teaching advanced placement courses and graduate school now. It’s easy to say “that helps me relate to kids or helps me explain concepts in a way people can understand” but those are clichés. This is part of my story and something I struggle with. It does help me connect to struggling students and, at times, inhibits me from connecting to students who don’t struggle. It’s just part of who I am and my journey to get there. That’s why I see teaching as more of a vocation than an intellectual endeavor. It is more of a craft. 

“When you see teaching as a craft, then you see it as
something that transcends intellectual capacity.”


[This is Barbara. Make sure you listen to what Ramsey mentions as the Impostor Complex and teachers coming across as mythical creatures. 8:33 – 9:45]
 Your family and what happened in 2008 that changed you
In 2008, they found an aneurysm in my aorta in my heart. It was a random find that was a very existential sort of life-changing thing where I had to face a complex open-heart surgery. Right at the exact same time, I was finishing up my graduate work at school. I was in the middle of reflecting on myself as a teacher and at the same time had o reflect on myself as a human. When we first found out about my condition, my wife was pregnant with our first daughter. When I had the surgery, she was pregnant with our second daughter.
I have four children and all of them mirror the same pathway I had as a kid and struggle in their own ways which is really interesting to see. I have a 10-year-old daughter in 5th grade and is very involved in theater. My 8-year-old daughter who is in second grade has a formal IEP and gets pulled out 50% of the time. It is pretty amazing to see the support she is getting...]]>2037falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-88-ensuring-that-children-matter-most-with-dr-michael-salvatore--20197620Your background and where you grew up 
I grew up in New Jersey, one of those Jersey shore kids growing up in a small urban community in an underprivileged area. I went onto to college not too far from my home at Monmouth University. It was quite the culture shock from where I grew up to a private school setting with an affluent student body. I did a lot of reflection on why I was there and what I was set out to do. I also work there as a Teaching Fellow on Saturdays working with their doctoral program for Ed Leaders teaching a course called: “Contemporary Issues in Education.”
Here’s a picture of Mike having this conversation with me over Zoom.

What it was like for you as a student
I was an average student through middle grades. I look at my twin boys who are 13 and realize now why I acted as I did as a student in middle school. It is because your body is going through so many different changes, and you’re trying to figure yourself out. The interesting thing for me as a student is that I enjoyed school, but I liked to have a lot of fun, too. That doesn’t always mix well when your mother is the secretary of the school. I had plenty of visits to the principal’s office, and there was my mom sitting right there at the front desk. As a student, I tried to be on my best behavior, but enjoying myself was paramount in middle school. 
High school was a great experience as a student-athlete. I went onto Monmouth and played football there for four years as a wide receiver. Most people don’t know that about me because when they look at me now they don’t see me as a football player. That was an interesting journey in itself because I set out as a math major. 
2019 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year Dr. Michael Salvatore
Why you went into education
I loved math in high school so I went to college with the idea is that I would be an actuary. Being from a humble background, I was looking for a pathway where I could make a decent living. My pathway changed midway through college. I was working on campus as a student helper at a school for children with special needs for very little money. I didn’t know that at the time that would change my entire life. I started having those moments when you realize that you were meant to do something different than play with numbers. There was something about the spark when a child understood a concept and that you helped guide them there. Especially when a child who was nonverbal suddenly learn how to communicate with you or a child who was physically disabled learn to courageously overcome their fear of stepping out of a chair or walking. It was moments like those that changed the course of my college career. Changing my major to special education meant that it would add a full year to my studies, and I would have to pay for it. I realized that I wouldn’t make the same amount of money but it was more important that I was working in a profession where I was making a difference. 
It led to me where I am today. I taught in my city of Long Branch. I wanted to be a high school special ed teacher maybe teach some math. I ended up student teaching in pre-school special ed and, even though I had kids hug me and drool on me, they eventually loved me. That made me want to stay there. I got offered to work as a pre-school teacher in the morning for disabled children who were bilingual and then in the afternoon,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=20679Fri, 22 Nov 2019 19:21:41 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Michael Salvatore is Superintendent of Long Branch Public Schools in New Jersey. Mike firmly believes affording children access to modern technology and high-quality content creates learning opportunities far beyond the school walls. In 2014, the...Your background and where you grew up 
I grew up in New Jersey, one of those Jersey shore kids growing up in a small urban community in an underprivileged area. I went onto to college not too far from my home at Monmouth University. It was quite the culture shock from where I grew up to a private school setting with an affluent student body. I did a lot of reflection on why I was there and what I was set out to do. I also work there as a Teaching Fellow on Saturdays working with their doctoral program for Ed Leaders teaching a course called: “Contemporary Issues in Education.”
Here’s a picture of Mike having this conversation with me over Zoom.

What it was like for you as a student
I was an average student through middle grades. I look at my twin boys who are 13 and realize now why I acted as I did as a student in middle school. It is because your body is going through so many different changes, and you’re trying to figure yourself out. The interesting thing for me as a student is that I enjoyed school, but I liked to have a lot of fun, too. That doesn’t always mix well when your mother is the secretary of the school. I had plenty of visits to the principal’s office, and there was my mom sitting right there at the front desk. As a student, I tried to be on my best behavior, but enjoying myself was paramount in middle school. 
High school was a great experience as a student-athlete. I went onto Monmouth and played football there for four years as a wide receiver. Most people don’t know that about me because when they look at me now they don’t see me as a football player. That was an interesting journey in itself because I set out as a math major. 
2019 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year Dr. Michael Salvatore
Why you went into education
I loved math in high school so I went to college with the idea is that I would be an actuary. Being from a humble background, I was looking for a pathway where I could make a decent living. My pathway changed midway through college. I was working on campus as a student helper at a school for children with special needs for very little money. I didn’t know that at the time that would change my entire life. I started having those moments when you realize that you were meant to do something different than play with numbers. There was something about the spark when a child understood a concept and that you helped guide them there. Especially when a child who was nonverbal suddenly learn how to communicate with you or a child who was physically disabled learn to courageously overcome their fear of stepping out of a chair or walking. It was moments like those that changed the course of my college career. Changing my major to special education meant that it would add a full year to my studies, and I would have to pay for it. I realized that I wouldn’t make the same amount of money but it was more important that I was working in a profession where I was making a difference. 
It led to me where I am today. I taught in my city of Long Branch. I wanted to be a high school special ed teacher maybe teach some math. I ended up student teaching in pre-school special ed and, even though I had kids hug me and drool on me, they eventually loved me. That made me want to stay there. I got offered to work as a pre-school teacher in the morning for disabled children who were bilingual and then in the afternoon,]]>2495falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-87-becoming-agents-of-student-agency-with-evo-hannan--20054349Your background 
My parents are very humble people and grew up in a very small village in Bangladesh. My father is an abstract, forward-thinking person. The first time he moved to the UK he was 16 and didn’t know the language or knew anyone or if he would ever see his family again. He went back, married, started a family, and then moved to the UK in the 70s with me, my four brothers and my sister. We are all very entrepreneurial, and to the core, we are all innovative. We’re not all creators but we think at a slightly different level than others around us. We’re all over the world. I’m in Dubai. One of my brothers taught in Paris, India, and Houston, TX. My younger brother currently lives in New Zealand. My other brother lives in Ibiza. My sister lives in the UK, travels for work, and has 2 daughters.
My father is definitely an innovator who made strategic moves financially. He has rebuilt his village and my mother’s village from mudhouses to concrete buildings. Eventually, my first global goal that aligns with SDG #4 Quality Education is to open a school in Bangladesh named after my father.
Ted Talk Breaking the Box to Discover Your Creative Currency
What it was like for you growing up
We grew up in a predominantly white British community called the Wirrall. It was challenging when we went to school as the only nonwhite kids. My brothers and sister as well. It’s kind of really made us the people we are today. I wasn’t ever the one who was favored and was always chosen last for things. I never put my hand up in classes in case someone didn’t like it and say something after class. It really knocks down your confidence and identity. You almost become comfortable not being noticed. 
It’s tricky to do anything differently because it could be a good thing or a bad thing. I avoided ever getting into fights or any physical bullying because I backed out every single time. To be honest at the time, and even now, I look back and think that was a bad decision. Psychologically, bullying and verbal abuse were like a daily thing. You almost have to put up with it. 
Advice to others about struggling
Going through what we went through is not always a negative thing. If this is happening to you now or in school, always think ahead. Consider that the moment you are in NOW is not the moment you are going to be in forever. So if you’re struggling now, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to struggle in the future. 
Be mindful of your situation. 
If you’re 13 or 14 and you are struggling, don’t think that you have to do things now that could impact you later. The last thing you want to do is retaliate and not be able to handle yourself. That could really lead to devastating effects. When you get a job when you are 21 or older, you are a different person. I’m not advocating “struggle,” but what I’m saying is to be aware of who you are in that situation. My family took their struggle and used it to become someone positive.   
“Struggle brings out a different type of thinking.”
Your journey to become an educator
As I grew up and went to the University of Manchester, the communities were much wider and more diverse with Chinese, African, and others. I could be a bit louder and step out of my shell. I graduated in design, innovation, and tinkering in 2000. There were very few jobs in design in Liverpool and Manchester. 
An opportunity came up for me to train as a design teacher. I went to my old secondary school and spoke to the head of...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=20625Fri, 15 Nov 2019 19:53:19 +0000voicEd RadioEvo Hannan is the MYP Design Teacher and Spark Tank Coordinator at Dwight School in Dubai. He is dedicated to promoting design and abstract thinking, innovation and the UN SDGs in education and beyond.  His passion for design and innovation is about...Your background 
My parents are very humble people and grew up in a very small village in Bangladesh. My father is an abstract, forward-thinking person. The first time he moved to the UK he was 16 and didn’t know the language or knew anyone or if he would ever see his family again. He went back, married, started a family, and then moved to the UK in the 70s with me, my four brothers and my sister. We are all very entrepreneurial, and to the core, we are all innovative. We’re not all creators but we think at a slightly different level than others around us. We’re all over the world. I’m in Dubai. One of my brothers taught in Paris, India, and Houston, TX. My younger brother currently lives in New Zealand. My other brother lives in Ibiza. My sister lives in the UK, travels for work, and has 2 daughters.
My father is definitely an innovator who made strategic moves financially. He has rebuilt his village and my mother’s village from mudhouses to concrete buildings. Eventually, my first global goal that aligns with SDG #4 Quality Education is to open a school in Bangladesh named after my father.
Ted Talk Breaking the Box to Discover Your Creative Currency
What it was like for you growing up
We grew up in a predominantly white British community called the Wirrall. It was challenging when we went to school as the only nonwhite kids. My brothers and sister as well. It’s kind of really made us the people we are today. I wasn’t ever the one who was favored and was always chosen last for things. I never put my hand up in classes in case someone didn’t like it and say something after class. It really knocks down your confidence and identity. You almost become comfortable not being noticed. 
It’s tricky to do anything differently because it could be a good thing or a bad thing. I avoided ever getting into fights or any physical bullying because I backed out every single time. To be honest at the time, and even now, I look back and think that was a bad decision. Psychologically, bullying and verbal abuse were like a daily thing. You almost have to put up with it. 
Advice to others about struggling
Going through what we went through is not always a negative thing. If this is happening to you now or in school, always think ahead. Consider that the moment you are in NOW is not the moment you are going to be in forever. So if you’re struggling now, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to struggle in the future. 
Be mindful of your situation. 
If you’re 13 or 14 and you are struggling, don’t think that you have to do things now that could impact you later. The last thing you want to do is retaliate and not be able to handle yourself. That could really lead to devastating effects. When you get a job when you are 21 or older, you are a different person. I’m not advocating “struggle,” but what I’m saying is to be aware of who you are in that situation. My family took their struggle and used it to become someone positive.   
“Struggle brings out a different type of thinking.”
Your journey to become an educator
As I grew up and went to the University of Manchester, the communities were much wider and more diverse with Chinese, African, and others. I could be a bit louder and step out of my shell. I graduated in design, innovation, and tinkering in 2000. There were very few jobs in design in Liverpool and Manchester. 
An opportunity came up for me to train as a design teacher. I went to my old secondary school and spoke to the head of...]]>2158falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-86-bringing-your-imagination-to-life-with-stephen-hurley--19926789Your Background and as a Student
I grew up in a suburban neighborhood just outside Toronto, Canada. I was a fairly compliant student. I don’t remember ever disliking school but there were many times when I felt out of place. I learned that I loved to read and write early on in my schooling and I’ve found opportunities to nurture both of these passions in my personal and professional life. I was often caught daydreaming in class—something else that has stayed with me throughout life. 
Fourth grade was, arguably, the most important year of my schooling. It was during this year that I discovered a love for radio and a real passion for music. My Grade 4 teacher, Sr. Leona introduced me to a cassette tape recorder and a Radio Shack microphone and the combination of these two pieces of technology-fueled a passion to work in the broadcasting industry. Unfortunately, my parents insisted that I go to university instead of radio college, but the passion for the medium continued to inspire and attract me.
This was also the year that my parents bought a piano. I had been “playing” at my grandmother’s house since I was a small child but it wasn’t until I was 9 that a piano actually made its way into our house. Music became a central part of my growing up. A few years later I started playing piano and organ at our local church, a post that I held for over 30 years. I still play every day and I find great joy in continuing my journey through the worlds of both jazz and classical music.
Your family and where you live now
I waited until later in life to settle down and get married to the wonderful Zoe Jordan. I retired from teaching 7 years ago, but have 10 and 12-year-old boys (Luke and Liam) and am loving watching them move through these years of living and learning. 
I haven’t ventured too far from the place where I was raised but I do long to pick up stakes and move out to the country! 

Your journey as an educator
Although my mom insists that she always knew I would be a teacher, it wasn’t something that was really on my radar. In fact, I’m one of those people who kind of fell into the profession. I had been studying philosophy and theology and when I left my studies at a Roman Catholic seminary, I really didn’t know what to do. So, after a year working for Bell Canada, I applied to the teachers' college and immediately fell in love with the work.
Throughout my career, I’ve always enjoyed being “on the edge” of things. An early adopter and enthusiastic “embracer” of change, technology and new approaches to teaching and learning, life as a teacher have allowed me to explore imagination, creativity, and innovation in ways that other professions would not have permitted. 
I’ve always been a little bit restless and this resulted in me applying for a variety of different roles and, when I couldn’t find something that captured my imagination, writing proposals for the positions that I wanted. 
I spent 30 years with the same school district in Ontario but held a variety of roles: Grade 4-8 classroom teacher, technology resource, teacher educator and arts consultant. 
But, you know, there’s a sense in which an entirely new career in education has taken flight since “retiring” 7 years ago.
VoicEd.ca
In 2011, I became a little frustrated by some of the polarization that was developing on social media and across the blogosphere. I felt that there was a need to invite deeper and broader con...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=19997Fri, 08 Nov 2019 15:27:07 +0000voicEd RadioStephen Hurley currently lives at the intersection of two passions. A life-long love of radio (since Grade 4) and a 30-year career in public education in Ontario, Canada. Stephen is the architect and chief catalyst behind voicEd Radio—a 24/7 radio...Your Background and as a Student
I grew up in a suburban neighborhood just outside Toronto, Canada. I was a fairly compliant student. I don’t remember ever disliking school but there were many times when I felt out of place. I learned that I loved to read and write early on in my schooling and I’ve found opportunities to nurture both of these passions in my personal and professional life. I was often caught daydreaming in class—something else that has stayed with me throughout life. 
Fourth grade was, arguably, the most important year of my schooling. It was during this year that I discovered a love for radio and a real passion for music. My Grade 4 teacher, Sr. Leona introduced me to a cassette tape recorder and a Radio Shack microphone and the combination of these two pieces of technology-fueled a passion to work in the broadcasting industry. Unfortunately, my parents insisted that I go to university instead of radio college, but the passion for the medium continued to inspire and attract me.
This was also the year that my parents bought a piano. I had been “playing” at my grandmother’s house since I was a small child but it wasn’t until I was 9 that a piano actually made its way into our house. Music became a central part of my growing up. A few years later I started playing piano and organ at our local church, a post that I held for over 30 years. I still play every day and I find great joy in continuing my journey through the worlds of both jazz and classical music.
Your family and where you live now
I waited until later in life to settle down and get married to the wonderful Zoe Jordan. I retired from teaching 7 years ago, but have 10 and 12-year-old boys (Luke and Liam) and am loving watching them move through these years of living and learning. 
I haven’t ventured too far from the place where I was raised but I do long to pick up stakes and move out to the country! 

Your journey as an educator
Although my mom insists that she always knew I would be a teacher, it wasn’t something that was really on my radar. In fact, I’m one of those people who kind of fell into the profession. I had been studying philosophy and theology and when I left my studies at a Roman Catholic seminary, I really didn’t know what to do. So, after a year working for Bell Canada, I applied to the teachers' college and immediately fell in love with the work.
Throughout my career, I’ve always enjoyed being “on the edge” of things. An early adopter and enthusiastic “embracer” of change, technology and new approaches to teaching and learning, life as a teacher have allowed me to explore imagination, creativity, and innovation in ways that other professions would not have permitted. 
I’ve always been a little bit restless and this resulted in me applying for a variety of different roles and, when I couldn’t find something that captured my imagination, writing proposals for the positions that I wanted. 
I spent 30 years with the same school district in Ontario but held a variety of roles: Grade 4-8 classroom teacher, technology resource, teacher educator and arts consultant. 
But, you know, there’s a sense in which an entirely new career in education has taken flight since “retiring” 7 years ago.
VoicEd.ca
In 2011, I became a little frustrated by some of the polarization that was developing on social media and across the blogosphere. I felt that there was a need to invite deeper and broader con...]]>2306falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-85-writing-to-uplift-inform-and-bridge-understanding-with-nicole-biscotti--19617804Your background – where you grew up
I grew up in between New York City and Phoenix, Arizona. My parents divorced when I was little and my childhood was filled with a lot of instability and chaos. I moved a lot, had a few different living situations, and the setting and the characters changed frequently. I see myself in a lot of the kids that I teach that are struggling with instability at home while they deal with the challenges of being a teenager.
What it was like for you as a student
I was a mostly introverted kid with pretty low self-esteem who didn’t think that what I thought or felt mattered much. I escaped the chaos around me by reading in my bedroom most of the time. I was very disconnected and didn’t do well in school until I went to live with my dad in high school. I remember that in the 7th grade I was failing Reading Class, partly because I had not filled out even one book report. My mother made me document all that I had read that year and I had, in fact, read 114 books. Looking back I marvel at how disconnected I was to not even think about filling out the form and getting credit for doing that in my class. When I went to live with my dad in high school, I saw this change as a new start.  My father had very high expectations of me and I really wanted to please him. I pretty much changed overnight into an Honors student.
Your family – your children
I have raised my children largely alone, without a lot of economic resources. I have 4 children: my oldest is Nicholas who is 19, he makes me proud every day with his diligence and accomplishments.  I have twin girls that are physically identical to each other and pretty much to me. They are 10. Their names are Rose and Julia. Rosie is a great writer and very artistic and Julia is bright and joyful and loves horses.  Jason is 9 and is a Math wiz who loves to play soccer.

I believe in education and am convinced that education provides us with opportunities. Nicholas graduated from a Title 1 high school and is currently on his way to becoming an Officer in the United States Marines through an ROTC scholarship. Nicholas has talent as we all do, and he has worked hard.  I believe that the difference between my son and many other kids (including my younger self) is that he (a) found his purpose and (b) had support. We live in a place and time that is full of opportunities yet kids are struggling. We need to address these gaps in education to ensure that each and every child has the support that they need to succeed. 
WHY you went into education
At 38 years old I had the opportunity to start over.  I chose education because I wanted to spend my time and energy on something that I perceived as important and could make a difference in people’s lives.
My Story WHY I am a Teacher on BookCampPD

I teach Spanish but my commitment to kids only begins at promoting bilingualism. The need that I see every day is so great that I cannot stop at being a Spanish Teacher. Kids are struggling with mental health issues, disabilities, family situations, and the confusion of being a kid. I organized a student-led leadership group on campus to address the lack of connection and to encourage kids to offer peer support. Our group was amazing and I’m proud to say that many of the kids that participated were not your typical student leaders but ra...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=19731Mon, 21 Oct 2019 20:04:20 +0000voicEd RadioNicole Biscotti is proud to be an educator and believes that everyone should have access to a quality education that connects them with their purpose. She seeks to bridge understanding, spark conversations, and inspire through her writing. Nicole is...Your background – where you grew up
I grew up in between New York City and Phoenix, Arizona. My parents divorced when I was little and my childhood was filled with a lot of instability and chaos. I moved a lot, had a few different living situations, and the setting and the characters changed frequently. I see myself in a lot of the kids that I teach that are struggling with instability at home while they deal with the challenges of being a teenager.
What it was like for you as a student
I was a mostly introverted kid with pretty low self-esteem who didn’t think that what I thought or felt mattered much. I escaped the chaos around me by reading in my bedroom most of the time. I was very disconnected and didn’t do well in school until I went to live with my dad in high school. I remember that in the 7th grade I was failing Reading Class, partly because I had not filled out even one book report. My mother made me document all that I had read that year and I had, in fact, read 114 books. Looking back I marvel at how disconnected I was to not even think about filling out the form and getting credit for doing that in my class. When I went to live with my dad in high school, I saw this change as a new start.  My father had very high expectations of me and I really wanted to please him. I pretty much changed overnight into an Honors student.
Your family – your children
I have raised my children largely alone, without a lot of economic resources. I have 4 children: my oldest is Nicholas who is 19, he makes me proud every day with his diligence and accomplishments.  I have twin girls that are physically identical to each other and pretty much to me. They are 10. Their names are Rose and Julia. Rosie is a great writer and very artistic and Julia is bright and joyful and loves horses.  Jason is 9 and is a Math wiz who loves to play soccer.

I believe in education and am convinced that education provides us with opportunities. Nicholas graduated from a Title 1 high school and is currently on his way to becoming an Officer in the United States Marines through an ROTC scholarship. Nicholas has talent as we all do, and he has worked hard.  I believe that the difference between my son and many other kids (including my younger self) is that he (a) found his purpose and (b) had support. We live in a place and time that is full of opportunities yet kids are struggling. We need to address these gaps in education to ensure that each and every child has the support that they need to succeed. 
WHY you went into education
At 38 years old I had the opportunity to start over.  I chose education because I wanted to spend my time and energy on something that I perceived as important and could make a difference in people’s lives.
My Story WHY I am a Teacher on BookCampPD

I teach Spanish but my commitment to kids only begins at promoting bilingualism. The need that I see every day is so great that I cannot stop at being a Spanish Teacher. Kids are struggling with mental health issues, disabilities, family situations, and the confusion of being a kid. I organized a student-led leadership group on campus to address the lack of connection and to encourage kids to offer peer support. Our group was amazing and I’m proud to say that many of the kids that participated were not your typical student leaders but ra...]]>2240falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-84-authenticity-for-learning-in-a-global-society-with-dr-leigh-zeitz--19396182

Over Leigh’s 43 years of teaching, he has developed a vision of education which involves challenging and empowering learners by providing a learning environment that is teacher-guided and student-driven. Dr. Z has been an active member of ISTE for over 30 years and in 2018, he was awarded the U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work.
Your background
I actually grew up in Southern California in Burbank right across the street from Walt Disney Studios, then we moved to La Canada which is west of Pasadena. I went through kindergarten through 12th grade there. I had a great family life with a brother and sister. I must admit I lived in a tree for a lot of my time. When I was about 5 years old, I looked at this tree and really wanted to live on the top of that tree so what I needed was a ladder. So I built a ladder with some pieces of wood, hammer, and nails until I got to the top of the tree. Then I built a treehouse with a 3×3 floor and sat up there with my transistor radio. Eventually, I built an 8 story split-level treehouse with a pole and slide. That was when I was 8-13 and where I really enjoyed exploring, trying new things. It was great for me to have a place where I could be by myself or with my friends. I was given two rules. 

* I couldn’t use new wood. 
* You can’t have any adults help you.


Here is a picture of a newspaper article that I found when I was a young boy. Here’s what the article wrote:
Double, double toil and trouble…
… fire burn and cauldron bubble (shades of Macbeth). Halloween fun is brewing as the La Canada School PTA awaits the annual carnival this Saturday. A nice PTA “witch” (Mrs. Hyatt) stirs the cauldron as Patty and Leigh Zeitz and Robert and John Morgan view with alarm. 
 What it was like when you were a student
I was 100 pounds in first grade. When people would call me fatso, I would punch them. I was relatively intelligent and did well in school. In 5th grade, I thought, “enough of this, so I’m just going to work on social stuff now.”  My grades dropped a little bit, but things went well in elementary school. In middle school, I did relatively well and was in speech, choir, and an operetta where I was the father in Hansel and Gretel. In high school, I was in football because I was large and was in the Latin Club and Speech Club. In my senior year, I discovered drama, loved it, and was in a couple of school plays. One of the things I realized is that I liked working with and helping other people.
Your family
I’ve been married to my wonderful wife, Kathy, for 38 years. We met in a Marine Biology class many years ago. We have 3 sons: Wes 37, Jeff 35, and Chris 33 who blessed us with  2 wonderful grandsons who are James 8 and Tyler 6. I I knew how cool grandkids are, I would have had them first.

Becoming an educator
I can never remember I time that I didn’t want to be a teacher. When I was in high school, I tutored younger students in reading. I taught magic classes at a local youth organization. It’s always been something I wanted to do. Befoe I went to college in Santa Barbara, my dad suggested that I become a lawyer and major in economics which was a big mistake. I flunked out of my first class but I did learn about a professor who was working with talking chimps. I volunteered to work with him and learned about the written language they were teaching the chimps that were plastic pieces on a magnetic board. This was incredible, and I loved it. I actually worked with a baby Orangutan to create an environment where they could learn.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=19020Tue, 08 Oct 2019 03:07:23 +0000voicEd RadioLeigh Zeitz (Dr. Z) is an Associate Professor, Instructional Technology & Coordinator for the Instructional Technology division at the University of Northern Iowa College of Education, Iowa. He has had the opportunity to teach all grade levels from...

Over Leigh’s 43 years of teaching, he has developed a vision of education which involves challenging and empowering learners by providing a learning environment that is teacher-guided and student-driven. Dr. Z has been an active member of ISTE for over 30 years and in 2018, he was awarded the U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work.
Your background
I actually grew up in Southern California in Burbank right across the street from Walt Disney Studios, then we moved to La Canada which is west of Pasadena. I went through kindergarten through 12th grade there. I had a great family life with a brother and sister. I must admit I lived in a tree for a lot of my time. When I was about 5 years old, I looked at this tree and really wanted to live on the top of that tree so what I needed was a ladder. So I built a ladder with some pieces of wood, hammer, and nails until I got to the top of the tree. Then I built a treehouse with a 3×3 floor and sat up there with my transistor radio. Eventually, I built an 8 story split-level treehouse with a pole and slide. That was when I was 8-13 and where I really enjoyed exploring, trying new things. It was great for me to have a place where I could be by myself or with my friends. I was given two rules. 

* I couldn’t use new wood. 
* You can’t have any adults help you.


Here is a picture of a newspaper article that I found when I was a young boy. Here’s what the article wrote:
Double, double toil and trouble…
… fire burn and cauldron bubble (shades of Macbeth). Halloween fun is brewing as the La Canada School PTA awaits the annual carnival this Saturday. A nice PTA “witch” (Mrs. Hyatt) stirs the cauldron as Patty and Leigh Zeitz and Robert and John Morgan view with alarm. 
 What it was like when you were a student
I was 100 pounds in first grade. When people would call me fatso, I would punch them. I was relatively intelligent and did well in school. In 5th grade, I thought, “enough of this, so I’m just going to work on social stuff now.”  My grades dropped a little bit, but things went well in elementary school. In middle school, I did relatively well and was in speech, choir, and an operetta where I was the father in Hansel and Gretel. In high school, I was in football because I was large and was in the Latin Club and Speech Club. In my senior year, I discovered drama, loved it, and was in a couple of school plays. One of the things I realized is that I liked working with and helping other people.
Your family
I’ve been married to my wonderful wife, Kathy, for 38 years. We met in a Marine Biology class many years ago. We have 3 sons: Wes 37, Jeff 35, and Chris 33 who blessed us with  2 wonderful grandsons who are James 8 and Tyler 6. I I knew how cool grandkids are, I would have had them first.

Becoming an educator
I can never remember I time that I didn’t want to be a teacher. When I was in high school, I tutored younger students in reading. I taught magic classes at a local youth organization. It’s always been something I wanted to do. Befoe I went to college in Santa Barbara, my dad suggested that I become a lawyer and major in economics which was a big mistake. I flunked out of my first class but I did learn about a professor who was working with talking chimps. I volunteered to work with him and learned about the written language they were teaching the chimps that were plastic pieces on a magnetic board. This was incredible, and I loved it. I actually worked with a baby Orangutan to create an environment where they could learn.]]>2439falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-83-demystifying-learning-so-we-are-designed-to-learn-with-dr-lindsay-portnoy--19191961

Lindsay writes and researches about learning science in articles in peer-review journals to widely read publications such as EdSurge and Getting Smart, to ASCD and Digital Culturist. Her new book, Designed to Learn is available now for pre-order.
What it was like when you were a student
I had a very traditional experience with school. I didn’t feel like I was a ‘good’ student until I was in high school and sometimes I wonder if even that was by accident. I remember taking a test in high school telling me what types of careers I should pursue and thinking “wow, I don’t want to do any of those things but I guess I’m not able to do anything else.”
I think it’s really an interesting juxtaposition that in a time where so much money is being spent on initiatives to foster ‘growth mindset’ the grown-ups in the room are still following the entity perspective of ‘this is what type of learner you are and this is what your ability is’. We’re still looking to standardized tests to determine what people are capable of accomplishing and not allowing people to pursue what they care about and supporting them along the way. We ask our kids to be resilient but we don’t model it very well. Especially in a school system that is predicated on bells and exams and multiple barriers to entry from college to career. It seems a bit silly to me.
Lindsay and Barbara at the SXSW EDU conference 2018

Who made a difference in your life when growing up
My parents divorced when I was little. They both loved us a great deal but it was not an easy childhood. In high school, I really grew. I had this choir teacher Mr. Cleveland who treated us all like his kids. He was kind but firm and you knew that he really cared about you. Having him as my teacher freshman year set me on a path towards believing in myself. I had other incredible teachers in high school too including a now very dear friend Kristie Paull Syron who mic'd me for all the school plays and was my coach in forensics. She used to sing beastie boys to me to help calm my nerves before going on stage. “Slow and low that is the tempo.” 
And then there was Jeannie Yakel my English teacher who pushed me in the arts and also in the classroom and had more faith in me sometimes than I had in myself. I remember freshman year in high school I was placed in an honors English and an honors Bio class and I couldn’t understand why. I thought there was a mistake. But I was too nervous (and didn’t know where my counselor's office was) to ask. Ms. Murphy was my English teacher and asked so much from us. I remember getting an A that first semester and saying something to her like: “well this is good because I think I was put here on accident” She said something profound about “how we’re all in the place we need to be…” My honors bio experience was similar and for the first time, I could see myself as pursuing science or math or art or anything. It changed a lot through school as the pressures of friends and extracurriculars set in but mostly it was the high school that made me start to believe in myself.
Your family 
My hubby is Gary. My kiddos are Judah (11years old) and Levi (9 years old).

And we have two pups (Stellaluna- named after the children's story because she has a bat symbol on her tushie- true story! And Halley named after the comet because she is so fast and three cats (Olive- it was Judah's favorite snack when he was 6 and we rescued her, and Emilia and Rosie who came named as rescues). All of our babies are rescues and my kids love their fur babies!
Background as a Cognitive Scientist and unpacking the science of learning]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=18641Mon, 23 Sep 2019 01:23:37 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Lindsay Portnoy is a cognitive scientist, educator, associate professor, and author who is working to translate the science of learning into powerful and intentionally crafted experiences tailored to each unique learning community.  Lindsay...

Lindsay writes and researches about learning science in articles in peer-review journals to widely read publications such as EdSurge and Getting Smart, to ASCD and Digital Culturist. Her new book, Designed to Learn is available now for pre-order.
What it was like when you were a student
I had a very traditional experience with school. I didn’t feel like I was a ‘good’ student until I was in high school and sometimes I wonder if even that was by accident. I remember taking a test in high school telling me what types of careers I should pursue and thinking “wow, I don’t want to do any of those things but I guess I’m not able to do anything else.”
I think it’s really an interesting juxtaposition that in a time where so much money is being spent on initiatives to foster ‘growth mindset’ the grown-ups in the room are still following the entity perspective of ‘this is what type of learner you are and this is what your ability is’. We’re still looking to standardized tests to determine what people are capable of accomplishing and not allowing people to pursue what they care about and supporting them along the way. We ask our kids to be resilient but we don’t model it very well. Especially in a school system that is predicated on bells and exams and multiple barriers to entry from college to career. It seems a bit silly to me.
Lindsay and Barbara at the SXSW EDU conference 2018

Who made a difference in your life when growing up
My parents divorced when I was little. They both loved us a great deal but it was not an easy childhood. In high school, I really grew. I had this choir teacher Mr. Cleveland who treated us all like his kids. He was kind but firm and you knew that he really cared about you. Having him as my teacher freshman year set me on a path towards believing in myself. I had other incredible teachers in high school too including a now very dear friend Kristie Paull Syron who mic'd me for all the school plays and was my coach in forensics. She used to sing beastie boys to me to help calm my nerves before going on stage. “Slow and low that is the tempo.” 
And then there was Jeannie Yakel my English teacher who pushed me in the arts and also in the classroom and had more faith in me sometimes than I had in myself. I remember freshman year in high school I was placed in an honors English and an honors Bio class and I couldn’t understand why. I thought there was a mistake. But I was too nervous (and didn’t know where my counselor's office was) to ask. Ms. Murphy was my English teacher and asked so much from us. I remember getting an A that first semester and saying something to her like: “well this is good because I think I was put here on accident” She said something profound about “how we’re all in the place we need to be…” My honors bio experience was similar and for the first time, I could see myself as pursuing science or math or art or anything. It changed a lot through school as the pressures of friends and extracurriculars set in but mostly it was the high school that made me start to believe in myself.
Your family 
My hubby is Gary. My kiddos are Judah (11years old) and Levi (9 years old).

And we have two pups (Stellaluna- named after the children's story because she has a bat symbol on her tushie- true story! And Halley named after the comet because she is so fast and three cats (Olive- it was Judah's favorite snack when he was 6 and we rescued her, and Emilia and Rosie who came named as rescues). All of our babies are rescues and my kids love their fur babies!
Background as a Cognitive Scientist and unpacking the science of learning]]>2234falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-82-connecting-by-heart-with-barbara-gruener--19121902
Barbara especially enjoys working with people as they discover who they are, what they stand for, what motivates them, and what they want and need. Enjoy our conversation!
Where you grew up
Growing up on my family's dairy farm in Wayside, Wisconsin, I learned what it meant to work hard and make a living off the land. My parents always welcomed people into our home including foreign exchange students and foster children, so I learned to cook and manage a household at a fairly young age. I also grew to appreciate diversity and culture! These skills have all served me well as an adult.

What it was like for you as a student
I got my education at a parochial grade school, a public high school, and a Big 10 University. My first-grade teacher knew what the young know-it-all, energetic child in me needed; she made me a teacher’s assistant at the age of 6. I love learning and teaching; I didn’t love leaving Miss Natzke, and my grades 3 and 4 with the next teacher weren’t very happy. That teacher didn’t know I was an assistant and, even if she did, she didn’t need one. I was a scared, nervous wreck. It did make me happy when it was announced that summer that she was moving, especially since my little sister wouldn’t have to endure another year with her. That is until the move was to grades 5 and 6. I barely survived those four years with her; I stayed home most of the 7th grade with a severe stomach muscle spasms. After a year to heal, I did return back to school and remember enjoying my high school years. College at UW Madison was kind of hard for a farmer’s daughter like me but I love a good challenge. I graduated with a BS majoring in English and minoring in Spanish.

Your family
There were five of us kids plus mom and dad grew up on the farm in my family of origin; they all still live in WI but me. My parents divorced just as they were about to celebrate their Silver Wedding Anniversary. I’ve managed to stay very close with my Wisconsin family despite the distance.
Journey to become an educator
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Spanish. I began a Spanish Department in a small high school in central Wisconsin before heading to Texas in 1985. I taught Spanish and ESL classes at North Shore Middle School for a year before moving to FISD to teach Spanish and coach volleyball and softball at Friendswood High School. My education includes earning a Master of Science degree from the University of Houston Clear Lake in Education in 1989, followed by a Master of Science degree in Counseling in 1994. After 16 years of teaching and counseling at the secondary level, I decided to give the elementary school a try; there I found my niche as the counselor and character coach at Westwood for grades PreK through 3rd for 14 years, then with grades 3-5 at Bales Intermediate for three additional years.

Trauma
In January of 2013, early one afternoon on my way to get my son from Junior High for a dentist appointment, I was hit head-on by a drunk driver, who was also on her way to get her child from school. I was left broken in 3 places physically and in many more pieces emotionally. I returned to work fairly quickly, but by May that semester, I was unable to continue after PTSD made my life too difficult. After two years of trauma therapy, some medical intervention to take the edge off, and the opportunity to give my Victim Impact Statement, I was able to journey through recovery to the other side, to find my joy again, and to forgive so that I could move on. I still experience the startle response when I’m traveling down the road, and I still have chronic pain in my shoulders an...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=17926Mon, 09 Sep 2019 18:45:57 +0000voicEd RadioBarbara Gruener loves the challenge of being an educator and staying current as things trend in and out of our field. She is a coach, mentor, consultant, speaker, and author of What’s Under Your Cape. Barbara especially enjoys working with people as...
Barbara especially enjoys working with people as they discover who they are, what they stand for, what motivates them, and what they want and need. Enjoy our conversation!
Where you grew up
Growing up on my family's dairy farm in Wayside, Wisconsin, I learned what it meant to work hard and make a living off the land. My parents always welcomed people into our home including foreign exchange students and foster children, so I learned to cook and manage a household at a fairly young age. I also grew to appreciate diversity and culture! These skills have all served me well as an adult.

What it was like for you as a student
I got my education at a parochial grade school, a public high school, and a Big 10 University. My first-grade teacher knew what the young know-it-all, energetic child in me needed; she made me a teacher’s assistant at the age of 6. I love learning and teaching; I didn’t love leaving Miss Natzke, and my grades 3 and 4 with the next teacher weren’t very happy. That teacher didn’t know I was an assistant and, even if she did, she didn’t need one. I was a scared, nervous wreck. It did make me happy when it was announced that summer that she was moving, especially since my little sister wouldn’t have to endure another year with her. That is until the move was to grades 5 and 6. I barely survived those four years with her; I stayed home most of the 7th grade with a severe stomach muscle spasms. After a year to heal, I did return back to school and remember enjoying my high school years. College at UW Madison was kind of hard for a farmer’s daughter like me but I love a good challenge. I graduated with a BS majoring in English and minoring in Spanish.

Your family
There were five of us kids plus mom and dad grew up on the farm in my family of origin; they all still live in WI but me. My parents divorced just as they were about to celebrate their Silver Wedding Anniversary. I’ve managed to stay very close with my Wisconsin family despite the distance.
Journey to become an educator
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Spanish. I began a Spanish Department in a small high school in central Wisconsin before heading to Texas in 1985. I taught Spanish and ESL classes at North Shore Middle School for a year before moving to FISD to teach Spanish and coach volleyball and softball at Friendswood High School. My education includes earning a Master of Science degree from the University of Houston Clear Lake in Education in 1989, followed by a Master of Science degree in Counseling in 1994. After 16 years of teaching and counseling at the secondary level, I decided to give the elementary school a try; there I found my niche as the counselor and character coach at Westwood for grades PreK through 3rd for 14 years, then with grades 3-5 at Bales Intermediate for three additional years.

Trauma
In January of 2013, early one afternoon on my way to get my son from Junior High for a dentist appointment, I was hit head-on by a drunk driver, who was also on her way to get her child from school. I was left broken in 3 places physically and in many more pieces emotionally. I returned to work fairly quickly, but by May that semester, I was unable to continue after PTSD made my life too difficult. After two years of trauma therapy, some medical intervention to take the edge off, and the opportunity to give my Victim Impact Statement, I was able to journey through recovery to the other side, to find my joy again, and to forgive so that I could move on. I still experience the startle response when I’m traveling down the road, and I still have chronic pain in my shoulders an...]]>2396falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-81-providing-a-s-p-i-r-i-t-e-d-environment-where-students-thrive-with-dan-jackson--19121900
Dan is a high school business and marketing instructor in North Carolina where his students experience entrepreneurial pathways. He professes that he develops thinkers and doers, not test-takers. After all, thinkers and doers drive innovation.
About your story growing up
I was a professional zip code collector from the time I was 9 to 39; 5 states in 30 years, the longest of which was Carmel, Indiana from 2004-2014. Then back close to home where I met my wife, barely graduated high school, and graduated USC Cum Laude. Then we married and worked for three years in the great Carolinas!
What it was like for you as a student
I have very few memories of me as a student from 1st grade to graduation. I generally remember school as a drag. I'd spend more energy making excuses for why I couldn't go. If the same amount of energy was directed to learning, whoa! This is likely one of the reasons I wanted to become an educator; to help young people create positive memories of their education. Learning should be fun, joyful and memorable. 
Your family
I regularly do value clarification. This year I was inspired to do it from a book recommendation from Tom Hudock, Teaching For Purpose by Heather Malin. There is a great exercise in which the first step is to identify those things that matter the most to you. Without question, it is my family.
I am determined to create a better balance between education and family, for my family's sake. I have been happily married to my HS sweetheart for 28 years and we have two wonderful teenage boys that are very different, yet compatible. My oldest, Devon, is about to start his Sophomore year at his mother and my alma mater, USC. Our younger one, Ayden is about to start the HS at which his brother left a "real" and "positive" legacy. Ayden will leave his own legacy that he makes, not one that he emulates.

Your first career
Sales and marketing career began when my mom kicked me out of the house after I dropped out of college. Sold clothes during the day and waited tables at night. That is sales and marketing, with the pressure on you at 19 when you have to pay the rent and buy your meals.
Your journey as an educator
My wife reminded me this past June, "you told me at our senior prom dinner you were seriously considering becoming a teacher, but you didn't think it was correct to teach something you've never done and the corporate world had a lot of allure."
Ted Talk: Hands-On Learning Turns Minds On. | Daniel Jackson | TEDxRaleigh
Your entrepreneur class
Since day one of my formal teaching career, I have been teaching hands-on. I was a student teacher at Carmel High School in Indiana. When assigned, my mentors I asked them if I could have total control of the class with their close supervision. They agreed! Those Carmel HS juniors and seniors worked a semester-long, marketing plan for a brand of their choosing.
I was given a temporary position that had opened up when a teacher left. I took over in January his year-long classes, International Business, and Entrepreneurship. I asked where the Entrep sections were in their business plans. They looked at me with blank stares and said, "what business plan?" I got them energized.
15 years of experience with Hands-on Learning, I'm convinced it is the best way. Here’s a picture of the 2019 DECA Trophy Winners.

 
Your Mission to create a S.P.I.R.I.T.E.D. Environment
My mission is to provide a S.P.I.R.I.T.E.D. learning environment in which students feel comfortable and confident to strive for their very best.
S =STIMULATING
P =POSITIVE]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=17494Thu, 05 Sep 2019 14:26:43 +0000voicEd RadioDan Jackson is an experienced reflective learner and strategic thinker with an ongoing track record of innovative, adaptive leadership in education and business management. Dan is a high school business and marketing instructor in North Carolina...
Dan is a high school business and marketing instructor in North Carolina where his students experience entrepreneurial pathways. He professes that he develops thinkers and doers, not test-takers. After all, thinkers and doers drive innovation.
About your story growing up
I was a professional zip code collector from the time I was 9 to 39; 5 states in 30 years, the longest of which was Carmel, Indiana from 2004-2014. Then back close to home where I met my wife, barely graduated high school, and graduated USC Cum Laude. Then we married and worked for three years in the great Carolinas!
What it was like for you as a student
I have very few memories of me as a student from 1st grade to graduation. I generally remember school as a drag. I'd spend more energy making excuses for why I couldn't go. If the same amount of energy was directed to learning, whoa! This is likely one of the reasons I wanted to become an educator; to help young people create positive memories of their education. Learning should be fun, joyful and memorable. 
Your family
I regularly do value clarification. This year I was inspired to do it from a book recommendation from Tom Hudock, Teaching For Purpose by Heather Malin. There is a great exercise in which the first step is to identify those things that matter the most to you. Without question, it is my family.
I am determined to create a better balance between education and family, for my family's sake. I have been happily married to my HS sweetheart for 28 years and we have two wonderful teenage boys that are very different, yet compatible. My oldest, Devon, is about to start his Sophomore year at his mother and my alma mater, USC. Our younger one, Ayden is about to start the HS at which his brother left a "real" and "positive" legacy. Ayden will leave his own legacy that he makes, not one that he emulates.

Your first career
Sales and marketing career began when my mom kicked me out of the house after I dropped out of college. Sold clothes during the day and waited tables at night. That is sales and marketing, with the pressure on you at 19 when you have to pay the rent and buy your meals.
Your journey as an educator
My wife reminded me this past June, "you told me at our senior prom dinner you were seriously considering becoming a teacher, but you didn't think it was correct to teach something you've never done and the corporate world had a lot of allure."
Ted Talk: Hands-On Learning Turns Minds On. | Daniel Jackson | TEDxRaleigh
Your entrepreneur class
Since day one of my formal teaching career, I have been teaching hands-on. I was a student teacher at Carmel High School in Indiana. When assigned, my mentors I asked them if I could have total control of the class with their close supervision. They agreed! Those Carmel HS juniors and seniors worked a semester-long, marketing plan for a brand of their choosing.
I was given a temporary position that had opened up when a teacher left. I took over in January his year-long classes, International Business, and Entrepreneurship. I asked where the Entrep sections were in their business plans. They looked at me with blank stares and said, "what business plan?" I got them energized.
15 years of experience with Hands-on Learning, I'm convinced it is the best way. Here’s a picture of the 2019 DECA Trophy Winners.

 
Your Mission to create a S.P.I.R.I.T.E.D. Environment
My mission is to provide a S.P.I.R.I.T.E.D. learning environment in which students feel comfortable and confident to strive for their very best.
S =STIMULATING
P =POSITIVE]]>2389falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-80-learning-from-each-other-to-inspire-others-to-do-the-same-with-sarah-thomas-ph-d--19121898

EduMatch has grown to include Voxer, guest blogging, a weekly Twitter chat/podcast, and a publishing arm. I’m so honored to know Sarah and to be part of the EduMatch community. Enjoy our conversation!
 
About where you grew up

I was born and raised in Alexandria, VA and stayed there for 26 years. I moved to Woodbridge which is not that far from my mom and dad so I see them almost every day on my way to and from work. I went to Fairfax County Public Schools and then to Howard University for undergrad and grad school. Then I went to George Mason for my doctorate.
 
What it was like for you as a student
I was an early reader and elementary school was a lot of fun. When I got to middle school, it wasn’t as much fun. Everything was separated into tracks. I was the only student in my track that looked like me. The experience was at times difficult navigating my identity, how I fit in the space and it was a little rocky for a while. Academically, when I wanted to get my work done, I buckled down. Whenever I had positive interactions, that would consume me and not do homework. I would stay on AOL and chat messenger for however long and tie up the phone lines. In my junior and senior years, when it was time to start looking at colleges, I got it together. That’s what It was like for me as a student: the best of time and the worst of times.
Your journey as an educator
It’s funny that I would always come back to becoming an educator. I just looked at my first-grade writing book I kept that the teacher put together with cardboard and wallpaper and saw that I wrote that I wanted to teach first grade. Lo and behold almost 20 years to that date, I taught first grade. I was thinking of going to law school or into TV production which ended up being my undergrad major, but my mom started teaching middle school at that same time. I went to help her in the classroom, and when I saw her with the kids, I just knew this was where I wanted to be even though I had done most of my coursework. 
I saw a flyer for alternative certification through Howard University, so I applied. They took me and here I am. That was a challenging time and did a lot of learning on the job. I was immature for my age at 22 and making rookie mistakes. I wasn’t in climates that were conducive to making mistakes so I was in four different schools in five years. I want to say that the third school was a good experience but the fourth school was a French immersion school. That was a fantastic experience and stayed there for seven years. I always wanted to work at that school because my family is from Haiti. I started speaking French with my parents to prepare myself. There was a sense of community with great relationships with my colleagues, parents, families, and the principal who was like a working mom to me. I stayed there as a technology liaison until the principal left. I fell in love with the fifth school but only stayed there a short while. 
Sarah Thomas on Being a Learner and Building a Personal Learning Family
My next step was teaching technology education at the high school and then where I am now one of the Regional Technology Coordinators in Prince Georges County. We have 208 schools with help schools support to integrate technology. This is my dream job. 
Building my #PLN
I remember I was at Common Ground Maryland 2013 and they had a hashtag. I had a twitter handle but I wanted people to take me seriously. So I typed in the first thing that came into my mind since I was knee-deep into my dissertation on English Language Learners. So I spelled out my name phonetically so out came “sarah da...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=15764Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:16:50 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Sarah Thomas is a Regional Technology Coordinator in Prince Georges County, MD, and Affiliate Faculty at Loyola University. Sarah’s passion has also expanded to helping educators connect globally that led the EduMatch project that she founded in...

EduMatch has grown to include Voxer, guest blogging, a weekly Twitter chat/podcast, and a publishing arm. I’m so honored to know Sarah and to be part of the EduMatch community. Enjoy our conversation!
 
About where you grew up

I was born and raised in Alexandria, VA and stayed there for 26 years. I moved to Woodbridge which is not that far from my mom and dad so I see them almost every day on my way to and from work. I went to Fairfax County Public Schools and then to Howard University for undergrad and grad school. Then I went to George Mason for my doctorate.
 
What it was like for you as a student
I was an early reader and elementary school was a lot of fun. When I got to middle school, it wasn’t as much fun. Everything was separated into tracks. I was the only student in my track that looked like me. The experience was at times difficult navigating my identity, how I fit in the space and it was a little rocky for a while. Academically, when I wanted to get my work done, I buckled down. Whenever I had positive interactions, that would consume me and not do homework. I would stay on AOL and chat messenger for however long and tie up the phone lines. In my junior and senior years, when it was time to start looking at colleges, I got it together. That’s what It was like for me as a student: the best of time and the worst of times.
Your journey as an educator
It’s funny that I would always come back to becoming an educator. I just looked at my first-grade writing book I kept that the teacher put together with cardboard and wallpaper and saw that I wrote that I wanted to teach first grade. Lo and behold almost 20 years to that date, I taught first grade. I was thinking of going to law school or into TV production which ended up being my undergrad major, but my mom started teaching middle school at that same time. I went to help her in the classroom, and when I saw her with the kids, I just knew this was where I wanted to be even though I had done most of my coursework. 
I saw a flyer for alternative certification through Howard University, so I applied. They took me and here I am. That was a challenging time and did a lot of learning on the job. I was immature for my age at 22 and making rookie mistakes. I wasn’t in climates that were conducive to making mistakes so I was in four different schools in five years. I want to say that the third school was a good experience but the fourth school was a French immersion school. That was a fantastic experience and stayed there for seven years. I always wanted to work at that school because my family is from Haiti. I started speaking French with my parents to prepare myself. There was a sense of community with great relationships with my colleagues, parents, families, and the principal who was like a working mom to me. I stayed there as a technology liaison until the principal left. I fell in love with the fifth school but only stayed there a short while. 
Sarah Thomas on Being a Learner and Building a Personal Learning Family
My next step was teaching technology education at the high school and then where I am now one of the Regional Technology Coordinators in Prince Georges County. We have 208 schools with help schools support to integrate technology. This is my dream job. 
Building my #PLN
I remember I was at Common Ground Maryland 2013 and they had a hashtag. I had a twitter handle but I wanted people to take me seriously. So I typed in the first thing that came into my mind since I was knee-deep into my dissertation on English Language Learners. So I spelled out my name phonetically so out came “sarah da...]]>1918falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-79-leadership-innovation-and-divergent-teaching-with-mandy-froehlich--19121901
 
Mandy is the author of two books, The Fire Within and Divergent EDU and is passionate about speaking, coaching, and supporting teachers. Mandy is also the Edumatch publishing: Director of Author Success. Enjoy our conversation!
What it was like when you were a student 
I played by the rules all the time. My drive to do well when I was in elementary was to make my teachers happy and not get in trouble at home. They told me I was gifted (GT) at one point and put me in special classes, but looking back I’ve wondered if I was part of that weird study where they told ordinary kids they were GT to see if thinking they were smart had an impact. In middle school and high school where I didn’t have as much of a connection to the teachers, I did well because I was supposed to. I never had any real intrinsic motivation to do well. I never felt good when I did, only felt bad when I didn’t.
Mandy's 2018 Ignite speech
Your journey as an educator 
I was excited about teaching but burnt out fast. I was nearly one of the five-year statistics. Moved positions because I thought the district was to blame but it was really about me. Not that it was my fault, but that I hadn’t watched for the burnout that everyone had spoken to me about. I thought it could never happen to me because I loved teaching and the kids too much. Became a technology instructional coach and then tech director, but miss my days as a tech integrator.
Presenting/Keynoting and PD
I am passionate about learning and my profession in general, but my two favorite components of my position are being able to provide professional development to teachers and present/keynote conferences. I believe that by providing these opportunities to teachers, I am in turn able to reach many more students and ultimately affect their learning experiences. Also, on a personal side note, I was insanely afraid of public speaking throughout my life until I reached college. At that time I took multiple public speaking courses to try to get over my fear of speaking in front of people to the point where it was silly for me not to declare it as my minor because I had so many credits. The ability to get up in front of adults (which is not the same as getting up in front of kids) and not bawl like a baby is one of my accomplishments that I’m most proud of. Just another reason I think I like providing PD, presenting & keynoting.
Fire Within book
Mandy’s first book is The Fire Within: Lessons from defeat that have ignited a passion for learning discusses mental health awareness for teachers.

Divergent EDU book
Her second book is Divergent EDU, is based on an organizational structure she developed to support teachers in innovative and divergent thinking.

Mandy is also the EduMatch Publishing as the Director of Author Success.

****
 
Mandy Froehlich passionately encourages educators to create innovative change in their classrooms. Her interest lies in reinvigorating and re-engaging teachers back into their profession, as well as what’s needed to support teachers in their pursuit of innovative and divergent thinking and teaching. She consults internationally with school districts and post-secondary institutions in the effective use of technology to support great teaching, mental health support for educators, and how to create organizational change.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=15673Mon, 12 Aug 2019 16:00:17 +0000voicEd RadioMandy Froehlich is a speaker, consultant, and author from Wisconsin. She is the Director of Author Success for EduMatch Publishing and a co-host of the podcast Teacher’s Aid on BAM Radio with Jon Harper.   Mandy is the author of two books, The Fire...
 
Mandy is the author of two books, The Fire Within and Divergent EDU and is passionate about speaking, coaching, and supporting teachers. Mandy is also the Edumatch publishing: Director of Author Success. Enjoy our conversation!
What it was like when you were a student 
I played by the rules all the time. My drive to do well when I was in elementary was to make my teachers happy and not get in trouble at home. They told me I was gifted (GT) at one point and put me in special classes, but looking back I’ve wondered if I was part of that weird study where they told ordinary kids they were GT to see if thinking they were smart had an impact. In middle school and high school where I didn’t have as much of a connection to the teachers, I did well because I was supposed to. I never had any real intrinsic motivation to do well. I never felt good when I did, only felt bad when I didn’t.
Mandy's 2018 Ignite speech
Your journey as an educator 
I was excited about teaching but burnt out fast. I was nearly one of the five-year statistics. Moved positions because I thought the district was to blame but it was really about me. Not that it was my fault, but that I hadn’t watched for the burnout that everyone had spoken to me about. I thought it could never happen to me because I loved teaching and the kids too much. Became a technology instructional coach and then tech director, but miss my days as a tech integrator.
Presenting/Keynoting and PD
I am passionate about learning and my profession in general, but my two favorite components of my position are being able to provide professional development to teachers and present/keynote conferences. I believe that by providing these opportunities to teachers, I am in turn able to reach many more students and ultimately affect their learning experiences. Also, on a personal side note, I was insanely afraid of public speaking throughout my life until I reached college. At that time I took multiple public speaking courses to try to get over my fear of speaking in front of people to the point where it was silly for me not to declare it as my minor because I had so many credits. The ability to get up in front of adults (which is not the same as getting up in front of kids) and not bawl like a baby is one of my accomplishments that I’m most proud of. Just another reason I think I like providing PD, presenting & keynoting.
Fire Within book
Mandy’s first book is The Fire Within: Lessons from defeat that have ignited a passion for learning discusses mental health awareness for teachers.

Divergent EDU book
Her second book is Divergent EDU, is based on an organizational structure she developed to support teachers in innovative and divergent thinking.

Mandy is also the EduMatch Publishing as the Director of Author Success.

****
 
Mandy Froehlich passionately encourages educators to create innovative change in their classrooms. Her interest lies in reinvigorating and re-engaging teachers back into their profession, as well as what’s needed to support teachers in their pursuit of innovative and divergent thinking and teaching. She consults internationally with school districts and post-secondary institutions in the effective use of technology to support great teaching, mental health support for educators, and how to create organizational change.]]>2191falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-78-reclaiming-personalized-learning-with-paul-emerich-france--19121899

Paul helps debunk many of the myths of personalized learning and helps paint a picture of what personalized learning ideally looks like in the classroom. Paul shared about his new book “Reclaiming Personalized Learning: A Pedagogy for Restoring Equity and Humanity in our Classrooms” and provided some tips and strategies. I learned some great ideas from him. Hope you enjoy our conversation!
 
Where you grew up
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago in a little town called Mount Prospect where friendliness is a way of life. My parents still live in the same house. I have two sisters and an older brother and everyone lives close.  I had a wonderful upbringing, great teachers and great schools where I had the privilege of going to. Then I went to the University of Illinois and did my undergrad in elementary education and my masters at Roosevelt University in reading. I’m nationally board certified. I owe it all to a great family and a great place where I was able to grow up.  
BPLC19 – Keynote: Paul Emerich France
What it was like for you as a student
I was like your rule follower typically on the higher achieving side student. The education system worked well for me, but it wasn’t when I became a teacher. I saw that everyone is not like me and not everyone was like me when I was growing up. It definitely shapes the way I see the classroom now. Education was really built for people who were like me growing up and that was not fair or inclusive. It has heavily impacted how I see my kids and my classroom now, and I try to build an environment that helps kids like me be successful but also helps all kids regardless of their learning preferences are needs so all kids are successful. When I was in college and realized how many life experiences I didn’t have, I learned how to think on my own for the first time. I wish that I would have had what my kids have now. 
“We want our kids to leave school being autonomous, thinking critically, finding things they like to do and that they are interested in, and discovering a purpose in the classroom.”
 
Your journey as a writer
I first started writing on my own blog. I wanted to write a children’s book and was googling about how to become an author. That’s where I found that I needed a blog to build a following to get an agent so I started a blog about 6 and 1/2 years ago called “The Thinking Specialist.” I called it that because of the way I viewed the classroom. I’m not necessarily an expert in one content area but I feel I’m a thinking expert. My job is to teach my kids how to be critical thinkers so I need to know about metacognition and how thinking works. That’s why I called it that and then I didn’t like that name anymore. Now it is at https://paulemerich.com and call it “InspirED: Restoring Equity and Humanity.” 
I was writing about how kids see themselves in the curriculum. The essence of personalization is that it is meaningful and relevant to all individuals because they can see themselves and find a purpose in it. I literally just started writing. I think that’s what anybody who wants to write just needs to start doing. You’re going to have posts that are awful and look back not believing what you wrote. Then you’re going to write things that are timeless and that you are so proud of that they are up for everyone to read. But you have to have both. This is where vulnerability comes in. You have to have the good and the bad in order to write. 
Importance of Being Vulnerable
Being vulnerable is essential to learning. I have an article coming out in Educational Leadership on the Value of Vulnerability in S...]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=15759Mon, 22 Jul 2019 16:32:30 +0000voicEd RadioPaul Emerich France teaches third grade and is a National Board Certified Teacher (#NBCT) who contributes to the education conversation regarding personalized learning and social justice education.  Paul helps debunk many of the myths of...

Paul helps debunk many of the myths of personalized learning and helps paint a picture of what personalized learning ideally looks like in the classroom. Paul shared about his new book “Reclaiming Personalized Learning: A Pedagogy for Restoring Equity and Humanity in our Classrooms” and provided some tips and strategies. I learned some great ideas from him. Hope you enjoy our conversation!
 
Where you grew up
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago in a little town called Mount Prospect where friendliness is a way of life. My parents still live in the same house. I have two sisters and an older brother and everyone lives close.  I had a wonderful upbringing, great teachers and great schools where I had the privilege of going to. Then I went to the University of Illinois and did my undergrad in elementary education and my masters at Roosevelt University in reading. I’m nationally board certified. I owe it all to a great family and a great place where I was able to grow up.  
BPLC19 – Keynote: Paul Emerich France
What it was like for you as a student
I was like your rule follower typically on the higher achieving side student. The education system worked well for me, but it wasn’t when I became a teacher. I saw that everyone is not like me and not everyone was like me when I was growing up. It definitely shapes the way I see the classroom now. Education was really built for people who were like me growing up and that was not fair or inclusive. It has heavily impacted how I see my kids and my classroom now, and I try to build an environment that helps kids like me be successful but also helps all kids regardless of their learning preferences are needs so all kids are successful. When I was in college and realized how many life experiences I didn’t have, I learned how to think on my own for the first time. I wish that I would have had what my kids have now. 
“We want our kids to leave school being autonomous, thinking critically, finding things they like to do and that they are interested in, and discovering a purpose in the classroom.”
 
Your journey as a writer
I first started writing on my own blog. I wanted to write a children’s book and was googling about how to become an author. That’s where I found that I needed a blog to build a following to get an agent so I started a blog about 6 and 1/2 years ago called “The Thinking Specialist.” I called it that because of the way I viewed the classroom. I’m not necessarily an expert in one content area but I feel I’m a thinking expert. My job is to teach my kids how to be critical thinkers so I need to know about metacognition and how thinking works. That’s why I called it that and then I didn’t like that name anymore. Now it is at https://paulemerich.com and call it “InspirED: Restoring Equity and Humanity.” 
I was writing about how kids see themselves in the curriculum. The essence of personalization is that it is meaningful and relevant to all individuals because they can see themselves and find a purpose in it. I literally just started writing. I think that’s what anybody who wants to write just needs to start doing. You’re going to have posts that are awful and look back not believing what you wrote. Then you’re going to write things that are timeless and that you are so proud of that they are up for everyone to read. But you have to have both. This is where vulnerability comes in. You have to have the good and the bad in order to write. 
Importance of Being Vulnerable
Being vulnerable is essential to learning. I have an article coming out in Educational Leadership on the Value of Vulnerability in S...]]>2138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-77-ask-questions-make-connections-create-systems-with-connie-hamilton--19121894
Connie is the co-author of Hacking Homework and is the author of her new book Hacking Questions: 11 Questions to Create a Culture of Inquiry in the Classroom. Hope you enjoy our conversation!
 
Your background 
I grew up in Michigan as an only child for 10 years with my mom. So I grew up with that only child mentality to keep busy and find something to do so I played school. With my stuffed animals all in a row. I would take stacks of old worksheets home and give Big A+s at the top to some and also have struggling learners giving them red Xs. Then I would encourage those who were struggling to do it over. I ended up doing them over also as the teacher and part of the class. I had a lot of time in my room by myself with my stuffed animals playing school. I always knew I wanted to go into education. When I was 9, my mom remarried. When I was 10, my first sister was born and at 14, my second sister was born. My youngest sister was in kindergarten when I left for college.
The Dr. Will Show – Standards-Based Learning with Connie Hamilton, Ed.S.
What it was like when you were a student
I was a pretty good math student and my mom wanted me to capitalize on some of my math skills I had. So I entered Michigan State University as an Aeronautical Engineering major. My heart was always with kids and education, but she really encouraged me to check out that field. I took 2 or 3 calculus classes and thought this was not for me. So I changed my major to education and I didn’t tell my mother for almost a year. So I became a teacher even though my mom discouraged me from education. Sadly, there’s not enough recognition that teachers deserve. Even back then, my mom recognized that teachers work very hard and don’t get enough accolades or perks. She just wanted me to get the benefits for all the hard work I was doing. I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished. I never thought I would wake up every day and love what I do.
Your journey as an educator
School was really good for me. Some classes were easier than others. My first year as an educator, it was hard for me to relate to struggling students because I never experienced that as a learner myself. I embraced the challenge. When the Rubik’s Cube came out, I was going to fix that thing and would not quit until I had it solved. That idea of  “I don’t get this” when it seemed so clear to me made me reconsider what it meant to be a learner especially those struggling who were in most need of a teacher who knows how to deliver the curriculum. 
When I first graduated from Michigan State, I couldn’t find a teaching job in Michigan. I took my first position in Houston, Texas. I taught there a couple of years. As a first year teacher, I didn’t think I was prepared and was afraid to teach kids to read because it’s such a big responsibility. They hired me as a third-grade teacher and I thought they would know how to read by then. My class was really small so I  got to know them well. After a few weeks, the principal told me that the 1st-grade class numbers are really high and 3rd grade classes are really low, so I’m going to give you a couple of days off to get ready for a new group of 1st graders. I was terrified with teaching 1st graders how to read. Remember I was from Michigan and teaching in Texas so vowels sounded different. Teaching students to decode words when phonemes are a little different the way that I pronounce them versus how they pronounce them was just another added challenge. It ended up working out in the end.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=15277Thu, 11 Jul 2019 14:48:53 +0000voicEd RadioConnie Hamilton Ed.S. is a curriculum director in Saranac, MI and educational consultant working with school districts across the United States. She is a certified trainer in effective classroom questioning, teacher evaluation tools, visible learning...
Connie is the co-author of Hacking Homework and is the author of her new book Hacking Questions: 11 Questions to Create a Culture of Inquiry in the Classroom. Hope you enjoy our conversation!
 
Your background 
I grew up in Michigan as an only child for 10 years with my mom. So I grew up with that only child mentality to keep busy and find something to do so I played school. With my stuffed animals all in a row. I would take stacks of old worksheets home and give Big A+s at the top to some and also have struggling learners giving them red Xs. Then I would encourage those who were struggling to do it over. I ended up doing them over also as the teacher and part of the class. I had a lot of time in my room by myself with my stuffed animals playing school. I always knew I wanted to go into education. When I was 9, my mom remarried. When I was 10, my first sister was born and at 14, my second sister was born. My youngest sister was in kindergarten when I left for college.
The Dr. Will Show – Standards-Based Learning with Connie Hamilton, Ed.S.
What it was like when you were a student
I was a pretty good math student and my mom wanted me to capitalize on some of my math skills I had. So I entered Michigan State University as an Aeronautical Engineering major. My heart was always with kids and education, but she really encouraged me to check out that field. I took 2 or 3 calculus classes and thought this was not for me. So I changed my major to education and I didn’t tell my mother for almost a year. So I became a teacher even though my mom discouraged me from education. Sadly, there’s not enough recognition that teachers deserve. Even back then, my mom recognized that teachers work very hard and don’t get enough accolades or perks. She just wanted me to get the benefits for all the hard work I was doing. I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished. I never thought I would wake up every day and love what I do.
Your journey as an educator
School was really good for me. Some classes were easier than others. My first year as an educator, it was hard for me to relate to struggling students because I never experienced that as a learner myself. I embraced the challenge. When the Rubik’s Cube came out, I was going to fix that thing and would not quit until I had it solved. That idea of  “I don’t get this” when it seemed so clear to me made me reconsider what it meant to be a learner especially those struggling who were in most need of a teacher who knows how to deliver the curriculum. 
When I first graduated from Michigan State, I couldn’t find a teaching job in Michigan. I took my first position in Houston, Texas. I taught there a couple of years. As a first year teacher, I didn’t think I was prepared and was afraid to teach kids to read because it’s such a big responsibility. They hired me as a third-grade teacher and I thought they would know how to read by then. My class was really small so I  got to know them well. After a few weeks, the principal told me that the 1st-grade class numbers are really high and 3rd grade classes are really low, so I’m going to give you a couple of days off to get ready for a new group of 1st graders. I was terrified with teaching 1st graders how to read. Remember I was from Michigan and teaching in Texas so vowels sounded different. Teaching students to decode words when phonemes are a little different the way that I pronounce them versus how they pronounce them was just another added challenge. It ended up working out in the end.]]>2437falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-76-leading-by-hand-heart-and-mind-with-dr-marialice-b-f-x-curran--19121896
Marialice’s mission is to turn negatives into positives and help to transform participants into designers, creative thinkers, global collaborators, problem solvers, and justice-oriented digital citizens. Enjoy her story and podcast!
Your background and passions
I’m really proud I’m from Boston. My story starts outside of Boston in a town called Winchester. That community has been instilled in me and impacted the choices I’ve made. I moved to Connecticut when I got married and have lived there for the past 14 years. I miss seeing people as I saw in Boston. There are rolling hills, and homes with garages. They click a button and go in their garage and then we never see people as I used to see in Boston.
My dad was a professor at Boston College, and I grew up going to the Campus School with my dad. This is where I truly believe the leading by hand, heart, and mind was modeled for me as a young child. Think you'll like this influence in my life: http://cs.bc.edu/~gips/EENewsS03.pdf and https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/carroll-school/sites/eagle-eyes.html/
Your Family

My husband, Sean Dee, is also an untraditional learner. He is Deaf and always said that it is not a disability but a serious inconvenience. Our son, Curran Dee, has parents who are role models that are very unique with different gifts and talents. Sean grew up lip reading and on our first blind date, he held onto my every word. I thought this guy really digs me, but I didn’t realize that he has to look at everyone that way. He didn't learn Sign Language until he was in college and has often commented that sometimes he feels like he doesn't belong in either the hearing world or the Deaf world.
Curran is the true introvert in our family. He is a fabulous traditional learner who does really well in school. I wish he broke the rules a little bit more, but he does not struggle academically. My husband and I are happy about it but also a little sad because all of our struggles have defined us. I know he’ll have his own struggles different than what we had.

What it was like for you as a student
I went to Winchester Public Schools K-12 and I was a failure as a student. I had parents who believed in me and told me how smart I was and that I could do anything. When you are young, you believe anything your parents said. Yet, I bought into the teachers and high school counselor who told me I was not college material. In first grade, I was diagnosed and that is the worst word in the world. For me, it is like a four letter word. They used the “R” word when I was in the first grade.

My parents did some outside testing and finally found out that I was dyslexic. I feel like there was a lot of education that my parents did for the school system because nobody in the system knew about dyslexia in the early 70s. I never fit in in elementary school. Every Friday there was a test in math and we need to transcribe the problems on the board. Every Monday you would check the board to see if your test was on the bulletin board. I never transcribed the question right. Those examples of not fitting in and always failing and feeling like a failure definitely defined me for the majority of my life. I didn’t want anyone to know because it was embarrassing and you feel like you are that diagnosis.
I remember in junior high, hiding in the bathroom so people didn’t have to see me go down that corridor for “those” kids.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=15275Tue, 18 Jun 2019 20:32:48 +0000voicEd RadioDr. Marialice B.F.X. Curran has served as an associate professor, middle school teacher, principal and library media specialist. She is a researcher, keynote, international speaker and TEDxYouth speaker. Marialice is a pioneer in digital citizenship...
Marialice’s mission is to turn negatives into positives and help to transform participants into designers, creative thinkers, global collaborators, problem solvers, and justice-oriented digital citizens. Enjoy her story and podcast!
Your background and passions
I’m really proud I’m from Boston. My story starts outside of Boston in a town called Winchester. That community has been instilled in me and impacted the choices I’ve made. I moved to Connecticut when I got married and have lived there for the past 14 years. I miss seeing people as I saw in Boston. There are rolling hills, and homes with garages. They click a button and go in their garage and then we never see people as I used to see in Boston.
My dad was a professor at Boston College, and I grew up going to the Campus School with my dad. This is where I truly believe the leading by hand, heart, and mind was modeled for me as a young child. Think you'll like this influence in my life: http://cs.bc.edu/~gips/EENewsS03.pdf and https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/carroll-school/sites/eagle-eyes.html/
Your Family

My husband, Sean Dee, is also an untraditional learner. He is Deaf and always said that it is not a disability but a serious inconvenience. Our son, Curran Dee, has parents who are role models that are very unique with different gifts and talents. Sean grew up lip reading and on our first blind date, he held onto my every word. I thought this guy really digs me, but I didn’t realize that he has to look at everyone that way. He didn't learn Sign Language until he was in college and has often commented that sometimes he feels like he doesn't belong in either the hearing world or the Deaf world.
Curran is the true introvert in our family. He is a fabulous traditional learner who does really well in school. I wish he broke the rules a little bit more, but he does not struggle academically. My husband and I are happy about it but also a little sad because all of our struggles have defined us. I know he’ll have his own struggles different than what we had.

What it was like for you as a student
I went to Winchester Public Schools K-12 and I was a failure as a student. I had parents who believed in me and told me how smart I was and that I could do anything. When you are young, you believe anything your parents said. Yet, I bought into the teachers and high school counselor who told me I was not college material. In first grade, I was diagnosed and that is the worst word in the world. For me, it is like a four letter word. They used the “R” word when I was in the first grade.

My parents did some outside testing and finally found out that I was dyslexic. I feel like there was a lot of education that my parents did for the school system because nobody in the system knew about dyslexia in the early 70s. I never fit in in elementary school. Every Friday there was a test in math and we need to transcribe the problems on the board. Every Monday you would check the board to see if your test was on the bulletin board. I never transcribed the question right. Those examples of not fitting in and always failing and feeling like a failure definitely defined me for the majority of my life. I didn’t want anyone to know because it was embarrassing and you feel like you are that diagnosis.
I remember in junior high, hiding in the bathroom so people didn’t have to see me go down that corridor for “those” kids.]]>2498falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-75-start-with-the-why-purpose-based-learning-with-tara-linney--19121893

I was so fortunate to have met Tara at ISTE in 2018 in person. At that time, she was president of the Global Collaboration PLN where I participated in the scavenger hunt. Tara knows how to make life exciting and fun. Enjoy the post and podcast!
Your background
I grew up as a Coast Guard brat, living in various towns around the U.S. By far, my most favorite place to live as a child was Spring Valley, California. In college, I carried on with the nomadic lifestyle that being a Coast Guard brat brought. Beginning my college experience in North Carolina as an Elementary Education major, before transferring to Florida to switch majors altogether, leading to a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. My background is very diverse, to say the least. I’ve lived in three countries in my life, with the current being France.
EduMatch Special Edition with Tara Linney
Start with the why! Get to know #EduSnap17 Contributing Author @TaraLinney, as she talks about her chapter on Purpose-Based Learning. Check out her work in Volume 1, Chapter 2 in #EduMatch Snapshot in Education. Find out more at https://buff.ly/2D3bjka
What it was like for you as a student
In elementary school, I was a member of the Peace Patrol and was typically the student chosen to show the new students around. From a very young age, I’ve been a very altruistic person, giving resources and time to nonprofits and causes that were in line with my beliefs, like Keep America Beautiful, the American Cancer Society, and feeding the homeless.
As a student, I was very diligent and thorough. I was ranked as “gifted” from a young age and quickly discovered how to learn, unlearn and relearn. Whenever there was a topic or content area that was of interest to me, I would apply it to my personal life activities. The long division became something that I would do on long car rides, setting up my own math problems with a host of random numbers. Poetry is another area that I really took to as a student. I’ve had poems published in anthologies, and was actually scolded by a teacher once in school for writing a poem that was “too mature”….she accused me of not being the author….the matter was settled once she read my other poems.
One thing that has been ingrained in me as a learner, is how to be an advocate. Throughout my life, I’ve watched as my mother advocated for my autistic brother’s academic journey, trying to make it as normal and mainstream as possible. Seeing this example throughout my whole life has, in essence, taught me how to advocate for marginalized students, to ensure that they have everything they need in order to be successful. This passion for advocacy and equity is what led me to write the book “Code Equity: Keying Girls into Coding”.
 
Your journey as a teacher
Following a career in the nonprofit and marketing worlds, I decided to jump into education. My first teaching role was as a K-8 prep teacher in Philadelphia, PA. As I jumped into my first year of teaching, I was also beginning my Master’s degree and teacher certification program at Drexel University. It was a bumpy launch, to say the least.
Episode 9: Tara Linney Part 1 podcast with Brian Costello


After getting laid off in Philadelphia, I took a job as a Technology Teacher in Matthews, NC. During that time, I was getting deeper into my Master’s program, and as my educational beliefs started developing, I realized that they weren’t in line with the opportunity that I had in North Carolina – so,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=14954Mon, 27 May 2019 18:24:50 +0000voicEd RadioTara Linney is a Google Certified Innovator, Mentor, and Trainer, currently working as an EdTech Coach in Paris, France. Tara has a passion for advocacy and equity which is what led her to write the book “Code Equity: Keying Girls into Coding.” I...

I was so fortunate to have met Tara at ISTE in 2018 in person. At that time, she was president of the Global Collaboration PLN where I participated in the scavenger hunt. Tara knows how to make life exciting and fun. Enjoy the post and podcast!
Your background
I grew up as a Coast Guard brat, living in various towns around the U.S. By far, my most favorite place to live as a child was Spring Valley, California. In college, I carried on with the nomadic lifestyle that being a Coast Guard brat brought. Beginning my college experience in North Carolina as an Elementary Education major, before transferring to Florida to switch majors altogether, leading to a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. My background is very diverse, to say the least. I’ve lived in three countries in my life, with the current being France.
EduMatch Special Edition with Tara Linney
Start with the why! Get to know #EduSnap17 Contributing Author @TaraLinney, as she talks about her chapter on Purpose-Based Learning. Check out her work in Volume 1, Chapter 2 in #EduMatch Snapshot in Education. Find out more at https://buff.ly/2D3bjka
What it was like for you as a student
In elementary school, I was a member of the Peace Patrol and was typically the student chosen to show the new students around. From a very young age, I’ve been a very altruistic person, giving resources and time to nonprofits and causes that were in line with my beliefs, like Keep America Beautiful, the American Cancer Society, and feeding the homeless.
As a student, I was very diligent and thorough. I was ranked as “gifted” from a young age and quickly discovered how to learn, unlearn and relearn. Whenever there was a topic or content area that was of interest to me, I would apply it to my personal life activities. The long division became something that I would do on long car rides, setting up my own math problems with a host of random numbers. Poetry is another area that I really took to as a student. I’ve had poems published in anthologies, and was actually scolded by a teacher once in school for writing a poem that was “too mature”….she accused me of not being the author….the matter was settled once she read my other poems.
One thing that has been ingrained in me as a learner, is how to be an advocate. Throughout my life, I’ve watched as my mother advocated for my autistic brother’s academic journey, trying to make it as normal and mainstream as possible. Seeing this example throughout my whole life has, in essence, taught me how to advocate for marginalized students, to ensure that they have everything they need in order to be successful. This passion for advocacy and equity is what led me to write the book “Code Equity: Keying Girls into Coding”.
 
Your journey as a teacher
Following a career in the nonprofit and marketing worlds, I decided to jump into education. My first teaching role was as a K-8 prep teacher in Philadelphia, PA. As I jumped into my first year of teaching, I was also beginning my Master’s degree and teacher certification program at Drexel University. It was a bumpy launch, to say the least.
Episode 9: Tara Linney Part 1 podcast with Brian Costello


After getting laid off in Philadelphia, I took a job as a Technology Teacher in Matthews, NC. During that time, I was getting deeper into my Master’s program, and as my educational beliefs started developing, I realized that they weren’t in line with the opportunity that I had in North Carolina – so,]]>2282falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-74-like-never-before-learning-in-the-modern-classroom-with-cary-harrod--19121895
I worked with Forest Hills School District with Cary Harrod as the lead around 2006 and knew right away that she was a great person to know. We have kept in touch ever since. I definitely had to have a conversation with Cary. Hope you enjoy our conversation!
 
Where you grew up
I grew up in Bowling Green, OH. A beautiful place to grow up…a small town but made bigger due to the university. My childhood was idyllic; I spent loads of time riding my horse and wandering all over town with friends. My dad was a teacher, my mother a stay-at-home mom. Around my Junior year, our family imploded when my father lost his teaching job. The only thing my father loved more than teaching was his family; unable to secure another teaching job, he spent the rest of his life in a dark cloud, leaving us shattered and lost.
Your family and where you live now
I have been married to Bill for almost 23 years. We have a 21-year-old son, Liam. We live in Cincinnati, OH but recently built a home in Traverse City, MI. We plan to retire there. Friends think we’re crazy for going north, where it’s cold but we love everything about Traverse City…the weather, our view of the deep, blue waters of Lake Michigan and the rich cultural life. Here is a timeline of my life:
Born in Bowling Green, OH.

Moved to Cincinnati in 1988. Began job at Forest Hills School District in 1988.
1988- 1997 3rd and 4th grade
1997 – 2007 Gifted Specialist
2006 – 2016 District Instructional Technology Specialist
2016 – Present 5th Grade ELA/Social Studies teacher


What it was like for you as a student/learner
I loved elementary school. To this day, I can name all seven of my elementary teachers; I carry a piece of each one of them with me and hope to bring those pieces with me when I enter my classroom each day. I was a good student, up until 8th grade where I struggled to understand algebra. I received my first “D” and something was extinguished inside me. I became completely detached from school and learning; it would be years later that I rediscovered a love for learning.
Your journey as a teacher and gifted educator
I love my story. Each step of my journey has led me to this moment in time; the steps, a rich tapestry of experiences, today guide me as I venture through the landscape of personalized learning. With only two years left before I can retire, I often think about how I could simply be coasting to the finish line but instead, I’m working harder than ever. If there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that there is more to learn that we have envisioned for the past 100 years…and it is beautiful.
Our classroom is featured in the newly released book, “Welcome to Writing Workshop: Engaging Today’s Students with a Model That Works.” Excerpt HERE.
Instructional Technology Specialist
In 2004, I was a technophobe; in 2006, I was asked to lead a district-wide five-year project that would support over 400 staff members, as they learned how to use technology to support learning. I inherently understood that technology was a game changer; it would level the playing field. Then, in 2011, I led a district effort to bring a BYOD program to our middle school.
Personalized Learning: Back in the classroom – I had been studying personalized learning for about two years. (2014-2016) when I took Barbara’s personalized learning course. In 2016,]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=14921Thu, 23 May 2019 19:27:44 +0000voicEd RadioCary Harrod started as an elementary teacher, was a gifted specialist for 19 years and spent 10 years as the instructional technology specialist for Forest Hills School District, Ohio. In 2016, she decided to re-enter the classroom, where it all began...
I worked with Forest Hills School District with Cary Harrod as the lead around 2006 and knew right away that she was a great person to know. We have kept in touch ever since. I definitely had to have a conversation with Cary. Hope you enjoy our conversation!
 
Where you grew up
I grew up in Bowling Green, OH. A beautiful place to grow up…a small town but made bigger due to the university. My childhood was idyllic; I spent loads of time riding my horse and wandering all over town with friends. My dad was a teacher, my mother a stay-at-home mom. Around my Junior year, our family imploded when my father lost his teaching job. The only thing my father loved more than teaching was his family; unable to secure another teaching job, he spent the rest of his life in a dark cloud, leaving us shattered and lost.
Your family and where you live now
I have been married to Bill for almost 23 years. We have a 21-year-old son, Liam. We live in Cincinnati, OH but recently built a home in Traverse City, MI. We plan to retire there. Friends think we’re crazy for going north, where it’s cold but we love everything about Traverse City…the weather, our view of the deep, blue waters of Lake Michigan and the rich cultural life. Here is a timeline of my life:
Born in Bowling Green, OH.

Moved to Cincinnati in 1988. Began job at Forest Hills School District in 1988.
1988- 1997 3rd and 4th grade
1997 – 2007 Gifted Specialist
2006 – 2016 District Instructional Technology Specialist
2016 – Present 5th Grade ELA/Social Studies teacher


What it was like for you as a student/learner
I loved elementary school. To this day, I can name all seven of my elementary teachers; I carry a piece of each one of them with me and hope to bring those pieces with me when I enter my classroom each day. I was a good student, up until 8th grade where I struggled to understand algebra. I received my first “D” and something was extinguished inside me. I became completely detached from school and learning; it would be years later that I rediscovered a love for learning.
Your journey as a teacher and gifted educator
I love my story. Each step of my journey has led me to this moment in time; the steps, a rich tapestry of experiences, today guide me as I venture through the landscape of personalized learning. With only two years left before I can retire, I often think about how I could simply be coasting to the finish line but instead, I’m working harder than ever. If there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that there is more to learn that we have envisioned for the past 100 years…and it is beautiful.
Our classroom is featured in the newly released book, “Welcome to Writing Workshop: Engaging Today’s Students with a Model That Works.” Excerpt HERE.
Instructional Technology Specialist
In 2004, I was a technophobe; in 2006, I was asked to lead a district-wide five-year project that would support over 400 staff members, as they learned how to use technology to support learning. I inherently understood that technology was a game changer; it would level the playing field. Then, in 2011, I led a district effort to bring a BYOD program to our middle school.
Personalized Learning: Back in the classroom – I had been studying personalized learning for about two years. (2014-2016) when I took Barbara’s personalized learning course. In 2016,]]>2253falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-73-great-minds-don-t-think-alike-embracing-learner-variability-with-nancy-weinstein--19121914

Nancy recognizes the challenges students face today, from succeeding at school to managing hectic after-school schedules, to dealing with social media. While we can’t put the genie back in the bottle, she knows that teachers and parents can (must!) help students learn to manage these complex demands. She co-authored a new book, The Empowered Student that we talk about in the podcast. So honored to have a conversation with Nancy. Enjoy!
Your background
I grew up in New Jersey and lived in the same house for 18 years before I went to college in Philadelphia. I started dating my husband in college. We went to the same high school but did not date in high school. He is my co-founder of Mindprint Learning and also the co-founder of my two children. After college, I worked on Wall Street in NY for a couple of years. Then I always wanted to live in California, so I took a job at Disney in their corporate strategic planning group in Burbank, CA. I did that for some time and then because my whole family was back east, I moved back. My family lives in New Jersey outside of Princeton.
What was it like for you as a student?
I was a good student and followed the line. Even though I understood things, I was always stressed. I know now working on Mindprint why. I had a good ability to reason but I didn’t have a very good memory. Studying always took me longer than it felt like it should. I believed that if I didn’t study harder than I would forget on the test. It was so stressful. It didn’t need to be that way.
The reason I became an engineer instead of going to medical school is that I didn’t need to memorize anything. In engineering, every test was open book, open note. It was all about problem-solving. Everything in pre-med was about memorizing (or at least that is how I perceived it). So even though I would have loved medicine, I became an engineer instead because it felt less stressful. In hindsight, if someone had just shown me HOW to study better, I would have done what I really wanted to do — not just what I thought was more achievable.
Retention is all about how we make those connections to things that we know so that we can make what we are learning stick.
Consider students studying history. If we begin by discussing what’s going on today in the world, we make it relevant. We show them why they should care. Then we can compare the similarities or differences to events in history. Students will be more engaged and they will remember more because it’s relevant and it has context.
You and your family
You might say we are all in this together. My experiences with my daughters’ schooling inspired the idea for Mindprint and my husband helped me start the company. He was my #1 supporter getting this company going as a mom with two school-aged kids, and he continues to help me with everything from finance to strategy to legal.

My daughters also play key roles for me. If they weren’t so supportive of my doing this, I really wouldn’t be here. And they also help with the company on a regular basis. A lot of the images you see on our site, my older daughter created. She did almost all the images for our book at age 12. Her strengths are so opposite of mine. She is an amazing designer and I have a terrible time with it. My younger daughter is my “go to person”. If I want to figure out if we should try something new for students, I ask her first. She has this great self-awareness of what will and won’t work for her. She also has great empathy so she senses what will resonate for peers and what won’t.]]>https://barbarabray.net/?p=14452Wed, 15 May 2019 16:01:59 +0000voicEd RadioNancy Weinstein, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mindprint Learning, has an MBA from Harvard Business School with an extensive background in business, including work at Goldman Sachs, The Walt Disney Company Corporate Strategic Planning,...

Nancy recognizes the challenges students face today, from succeeding at school to managing hectic after-school schedules, to dealing with social media. While we can’t put the genie back in the bottle, she knows that teachers and parents can (must!) help students learn to manage these complex demands. She co-authored a new book, The Empowered Student that we talk about in the podcast. So honored to have a conversation with Nancy. Enjoy!
Your background
I grew up in New Jersey and lived in the same house for 18 years before I went to college in Philadelphia. I started dating my husband in college. We went to the same high school but did not date in high school. He is my co-founder of Mindprint Learning and also the co-founder of my two children. After college, I worked on Wall Street in NY for a couple of years. Then I always wanted to live in California, so I took a job at Disney in their corporate strategic planning group in Burbank, CA. I did that for some time and then because my whole family was back east, I moved back. My family lives in New Jersey outside of Princeton.
What was it like for you as a student?
I was a good student and followed the line. Even though I understood things, I was always stressed. I know now working on Mindprint why. I had a good ability to reason but I didn’t have a very good memory. Studying always took me longer than it felt like it should. I believed that if I didn’t study harder than I would forget on the test. It was so stressful. It didn’t need to be that way.
The reason I became an engineer instead of going to medical school is that I didn’t need to memorize anything. In engineering, every test was open book, open note. It was all about problem-solving. Everything in pre-med was about memorizing (or at least that is how I perceived it). So even though I would have loved medicine, I became an engineer instead because it felt less stressful. In hindsight, if someone had just shown me HOW to study better, I would have done what I really wanted to do — not just what I thought was more achievable.
Retention is all about how we make those connections to things that we know so that we can make what we are learning stick.
Consider students studying history. If we begin by discussing what’s going on today in the world, we make it relevant. We show them why they should care. Then we can compare the similarities or differences to events in history. Students will be more engaged and they will remember more because it’s relevant and it has context.
You and your family
You might say we are all in this together. My experiences with my daughters’ schooling inspired the idea for Mindprint and my husband helped me start the company. He was my #1 supporter getting this company going as a mom with two school-aged kids, and he continues to help me with everything from finance to strategy to legal.

My daughters also play key roles for me. If they weren’t so supportive of my doing this, I really wouldn’t be here. And they also help with the company on a regular basis. A lot of the images you see on our site, my older daughter created. She did almost all the images for our book at age 12. Her strengths are so opposite of mine. She is an amazing designer and I have a terrible time with it. My younger daughter is my “go to person”. If I want to figure out if we should try something new for students, I ask her first. She has this great self-awareness of what will and won’t work for her. She also has great empathy so she senses what will resonate for peers and what won’t.]]>2242falsefull