Teachers Aid

In this episode, we pause to examine the seemingly endless minor and high-stakes decisions that we need to make in our classrooms every day. Listen in as we identify ways to manage the decision fatigue that some feel. Follow on Twitter: @katyfarber @Non_Toxic_Kids @dubioseducator @drchriscip @Jonharper70bd @bamradionetwork Dr. Katy Farber is a classroom educator and writer from Vermont. She has written and co-authored several books about education, including Why Great Teachers Quit and How We Might Solve the Exodus (Corwin Press). Faige Meller taught for 38 years at the same school “The Center For Early Education” and that’s where she is a substitute teacher. She began teaching in 1977 in the preschool. In 1991 she became one of the kindergarten teachers. She taught kindergarten until retired in June 2015. She started subbing in 2016 and subbed in Toddlers, 3 and 4-year-old program, kindergarten, 1st and 2nd. She did a three-and-a-half-month sub position for a kindergarten teacher from January till April 17th — which included in the classroom and then remote learning. Christina Cipriano, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Yale Child Study Center and Director of Research at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI). Dr. Cipriano’s research focuses on the systematic examination of social and emotional learning (SEL) to promote pathways to optimal developmental outcomes for the traditionally marginalized student and teacher populations.

By now most of us know why many teachers are leaving the profession, but one study reveals what may be the most overlooked reason teachers stay and what it will take to attract and keep more of us. Follow on Twitter: @educationweek @MrJosephHamer @elainemcneil16 @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Marina Whiteleather is the Director of Social Media and Audience Engagement for Education Week. Elaine McNeil, a social studies teacher, retired after 31 years of teaching middle and high school in Maryland. A former president of Queen Anne’s County Teacher’s Association, Assessor External Diploma Program, Elaine has a Master of Science degree from Radford University and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Melbourne University. Joseph Hamer is a second and third-grade combination teacher in Wichita, Kansas. He’s passionate about empowering children to explore their greatest potential through the liberty found in social-emotional learning. Joseph co-authored the brand-new activity book called Brain Awakes: Empowering Children Through Breath, Balance, and Reflection. Additionally, he hosts the “Cup of Joe” podcast where he interviews inspiring educators to discuss how we can cultivate a more connected and compassionate community of learners.

Across the nation, at all levels, educators are reporting a rise in troublesome student behaviors. The list of causes is wide and deep, but the first professionals expected to manage student behavior are classroom teachers. This episode takes an unvarnished look at the new genre of student behavior challenges and how some educators are handling them. Follow on Twitter: @jaimedonally@JorgeDoesPBL @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd @msdarasavage Dara Laws Savage is a 26-year educator from the great state of Delaware. She has served on numerous local, regional, and state committees, and has been Teacher of the Year in two different districts. She is an Emeritus national faculty member of PBLWorks, and is presently the English 9 teacher and Instructional Coach at the Early College High School at Delaware State University while working on her doctorate. Dara is a proud Board of Education member for the Seaford School District (alumna) and the owner of Savage Educational Consulting. Jaime Donally is a passionate technology enthusiast. She began her career as a math teacher and later moved into Instructional Technology. Her desire to build relationships has brought about opportunities to collaborate with students and educators around the world. She provides staff development and training on immersive technology as an edtech consultant. Her latest adventures include the launch of Global Maker Day and the #ARVRinEDU community, events and presentations. She works as an author and speaker to provide practical use of augmented and virtual reality in the classroom. Jon Harper is currently an assistant principal at Choptank Elementary School in Cambridge, Maryland. This is his 12th year as an assistant principal and prior to that he was a math coach and taught first through fifth grades. He is the author of My Bad: 24 Educators Who Messed Up Fessed Up and Grew! He Hosts #MyBad Radio and Teachers' Aid.

The ups and downs of the pandemic have elevated stress levels across the board and one of the potential flashpoints is sensitive discussions between teachers and parents. Join us for a fast list of do’s and don’ts for diffusing and managing these emotionally difficult conversations. Follow on Twitter: @sgthomas1973@MeredithNewlin @ToddWhitaker @mattwachel @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd Dr. Todd Whitaker has been fortunate to be able to blend his passion with his career. Recognized as a leading presenter in the field of education, his message about the importance of teaching has resonated with hundreds of thousands of educators around the world. Todd is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and professor emeritus at Indiana State University. He has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals. One of the nation’s leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd has written over 50 books including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Other titles include: Dealing With Difficult Teachers, Ten-Minute Inservice, Your First Year, What Great Principals Do Differently, Motivating & Inspiring Teachers, and Dealing With Difficult Parents. Meredith Newlin is the founder of The Transformed Teacher. As a veteran educator who has been teaching for more than 16 years, her passion and purpose are to help motivate and inspire educators to rediscover—and keep—their joy for the teaching profession. She is the author of Captured Fireflies: Truths, Mistakes, And Other Gifts Of Being an English Teacher as well as Freed To Teach: 7 Keys To Thrive In an Era Of Uncertainty. Matt Wachel is an ASCD emerging leader and an elementary principal in the Gardner Edgerton School District in Gardner, KS. He is the co-author of the book, Having an impact on learning, the public relations professional and the principal. Shawn Thomas is in her 20th year of teaching in the largest county in Georgia. She has taught Kindergarten, Second and Third Grade, and ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) K-5.

As we head back to school in the first month of 2022, a period that is normally dominated by high hopes is already requiring a change of plans. A blizzard of policy changes is aiming to keep students and teachers in school during a new COVID surge. In this episode, we discuss what many teachers say they want right now — reliable guidance for teaching the rest of the school year that doesn’t leave us conflicted. Follow on Twitter: @AmandaFrasier @rickhess99 @curriculumblog @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Amanda Slaten Frasier is a National Board Certified Teacher and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy from Michigan State University. She has held a variety of positions in both K-12 and higher education. Dr. Frasier is currently a social studies teacher at University School at East Tennessee State University. Frederick M. Hess is a senior fellow and the director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he works on K–12 and higher education issues. He is the author of Education Week’s popular blog “Rick Hess Straight Up,” is a regular contributor to Forbes and The Hill, and serves as an executive editor of Education Next. Dr. Hess started his career as a high school social studies teacher and has since taught at colleges including Rice, Harvard, Georgetown, and the University of Virginia. His books include “Spinning Wheels,” “Letters to a Young Education Reformer,” “Cage-Busting Leadership,” and “A Search for Common Ground.” He holds an MA and a PhD in government and an MEd in teaching and curriculum from Harvard University. Dr. Steven Weber serves as the Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Fayetteville Public Schools (Arkansas). During his career in public education, he has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of secondary instruction, and executive director of curriculum and instruction. He has also served as a social studies curriculum coordinator with the Arkansas Department of Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.