Shows
Coffee and Open SourceDennis DoomenDennis is a Microsoft MVP and Principal Consultant at Dutch Microsoft consultancy firm Aviva Solutions. With 27 years of experience under his belt as a software architect and/or lead developer, he specializes in designing full-stack enterprise solutions based on .NET as well as providing coaching on all aspects of designing, building, documenting, deploying and maintaining software systems in an agile world. He is the author of Fluent Assertions, an assertion library to make your unit tests look great, Liquid Projections, a set of libraries for building Event Sourcing projections and he has been maintaining coding guidelines for C# since 2001...
2025-03-311h 02
AmanpourFormer Hostage Aviva SiegelIt's been one year since the only hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas led to the release of over 100 captives taken on October 7th. Around 100 hostages are still believed to be held inside Gaza today. Aviva Siegel was released as part of that deal last November, but her husband Keith, an American-Israeli citizen, remains in captivity. Aviva Siegel joins the show from Israel. Also on today's show: Sir Geoffrey Nice, lead prosecutor at the trial of Slobodan Milošević; Joni Levin and Keith Clarke, producer and writer/director, respectively, of the new Ted Turner documentary "Cal...
2024-11-251h 00
Educational Podcasting TodayLesson: Impossible – An Exploration of Educational Innovation
In this episode of Educational Podcasting Today, Jeff welcomes educator and podcaster Aviva Levin, host of the Lesson Impossible Podcast onto the program to discuss her passions for creating a theme based podcast that focuses on teacher stories that are sure to inspire you in in your classrooms!
If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today!
In this episode, we discuss:
Why did you get into podcasting?
You never forget your first … recording
How to create a Trailer for yo...
2022-11-1133 min
Lesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgents Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins (Bridging SLA Theory and Practice)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to connect Second Language Acquisition theories with practical classroom applications. The special agents assigned to help you with this task are Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins, authors of "Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom".
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Some SLA theories that refuse to die
2️⃣ Their favorite activities to use
3️⃣ The importance of both content and purpose
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information about the podcast. C...
2022-10-0931 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgents Zaveri, Tudisco, Scanlan, Mealey & Levin (Top Three Traits of Teachers)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to debate which three characteristics are the ingredients for a great teacher. The special agents assigned to help you with this task are Nick Zaveri, Christopher Tudisco, Jack Scanlan, William Mealey & Aviva Levin.
Prior to Edupodlooza 2022, teachers on Twitter responded to the question of what top three traits they though made a great teacher, which led to some interesting and contradicting responses! Thus, this episode involves the five participants (me, Nick from the popular news communication podcast “Can We Please Talk?”, Tudisco and Mealey from the humorous interview podc...
2022-08-2954 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Darcy Bakkegard (Personalized Professional Development)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to personalize your professional development to the unique needs of your teaching practice. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Agent Darcy Bakkegard.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Teachers taking agency over their own professional development
2️⃣ Using the design process as a model for innovating your practice
3️⃣ Removing the barriers and hypocrisy of traditional PD
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information about the podcast. Click here for Lesso...
2022-08-0827 min
Unprofessional DevelopmentEp 133: Edupodlooza 2022 Radio Drama: MURDER AT HOMLES HIGH!Our scripted radio drama, Murder at Holmes High!
Written by Mealey, Tudisco, and Aviva Levin.
Starring:
OFFICER SPARROW… CHRISTOPHER TUDISCODETECTIVE VINSCOLEY … NICK ZAVERIANNETTE DALLAS (PRINCIPAL)… BATSHEVA FRANKELBLAKE BROWN (VICE-PRINCIPAL).... AVIVA LEVINJIM GARCIA (PE TEACHER).... JACKDREW DALLAS (CHEMISTRY TEACHER).... WILLIAM MEALEYVALERIE HALL (STUDENT).... LINDY MEALEYBOB LEUNG (CUSTODIAN)… CHRISTOPHER TUDISCOLEE DAVIS (CAFETERIA MANAGER)… AVIVA LEVIN
Support Our Stars:
Aviva Levin of Lesson Impossible
Batsheva Frankel of Overthrowing Education
Jack of Educhaos
Nick Zaveri of Can We Please Talk?
Mealey and Tudisco of Unprofessional Development
Sponsors:
Goodniks is a podcast series exploring the journey and meaning of doing good in the world — for people who do go...
2022-07-2522 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMINI MEET A RESOURCE: Josh Feinsilber and Jeff Osborn of GimkitYour mini-lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: Gimkit, a game show for the classroom. The resource specialists assigned to help you with this task are Josh Feinsilber and Jeff Osborn.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ The origins of Gimkit: Josh’s high school project!
2️⃣ The ways Gimkit Live differentiates itself from Kahoot or Quizlet
3️⃣ How cooperative modes, less time stress, and repetition make for impactful learning
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information about th...
2022-06-1416 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Tyler Rablin (Standards-Based Assessment)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to explore the possibilities of standards-based assessment to further student learning. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Tyler Rablin, of Washington State.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ His journey towards proficiency-based assessment, learning progressions, & grade conferencing
2️⃣ How to make the transition, & what to do with students who are already proficient
3️⃣ The bonus of no grading to 3am, fewer retakes, & allowing students to explore passions
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode...
2022-05-3050 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMEET A RESOURCE: Kailey Lefko of EducalmeYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: Educalme, a school-based mindfulness app available in English and French. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Kailey Lefko, teacher and co-founder.
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information about the podcast. Click here for Lesson: Impossible’s blog for modern languages/ELL teachers.
Lesson: Impossible is proud to be one of the many amazing School Rubric podcasts.
2022-04-1732 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Robert Kaplinsky (#ObserveMe)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to join the global #ObserveMe movement by requesting constructive feedback from your colleagues. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Robert Kaplinsky
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ The origins of the #ObserveMe movement
2️⃣ Why we need to rethink how we ask for feedback and why it matters
3️⃣ The role of the observer
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information about the podcast. Click here for Lesson: Impossible’s b...
2022-04-0431 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Stephanie Ferri (Holistic Fitness & Wellness)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to teach PE and health with a focus on all students’ needs. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Stephanie Ferri.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Developing her student-centered, holistic, motivating, ungraded PE and wellness curriculum
2️⃣ The messy conversations that need to happen in health classes and her favorite fitness units
3️⃣ How this model could be applied outside of her private, single-sex school context
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or m...
2022-03-0643 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Julia Spiegelman (Challenging Language Textbooks)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to critically examine how language textbooks perpetuate colonialism. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Julia Spiegelman, a PhD Candidate at UMass Boston.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ How language textbooks position students as traveling consumers
2️⃣ Confronting linguistic prescriptivism and the idea of the textbook as the objective truth
3️⃣ Using the textbook to subvert the colonial narrative
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information about the podcast. Click...
2022-02-2141 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Jessica Zeller (Ungrading Dance)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to ditch the red pen and begin ‘ungrading’. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Jessica Zeller, a professor of dance.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ What ungrading looks like in her dance history and dance methodology classrooms
2️⃣ How ungrading creates an environment for engaged, risk-taking, and honest students
3️⃣ Getting students to do the thinking instead of teachers doing the thinking for them
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information...
2021-12-2036 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Chad Dumas (Professional Learning Communities)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to improve your teaching practice by being part of a Professional Learning Community, or PLC. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Chad Dumas.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ What is, and is not, a PLC?
2️⃣ How to start a PLC for the first time
3️⃣ How to improve an existing PLC with a focus on community
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more information about Chad and the podcast. Cl...
2021-12-1348 min
The Big E.D idea PodcastEpisode 56 with Aviva Levin: Put a bit of improv into your lessons!Aviva grew up in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada as an only child, though she had plenty of imaginary friends. She was incredibly shy until she discovered a love of theater in the fourth grade, which allowed her to fake being outgoing until she woke up one day and realized she was no longer shy!
Aviva became a Social Studies and French teacher, after a series of random jobs including retail associate, administrative assistant, and fake fortune teller. This career choice came as no surprise to her parents, who remember her taking attendance and then reteaching her stuffed a...
2021-12-1052 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Drew Thompson (Neurodiversity: sometimes you just need a wiggle and a snack)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to use various planning and instructional strategies to support your neurodiverse students. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Drew Thompson, of Organized Minds.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Drew’s personal experiences as a neurodiverse learner and the supports he wished he had received
2️⃣ Scope creep, the dark side of graphic organizers, inductive versus deductive thinking, the value of chunking assignments, and making social interpretations clear
3️⃣ Why sometimes giving students a “wiggle and a snack”, no matter what age, ca...
2021-10-1836 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Mike Kaechele (SEL through PBL)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to incorporate Project Based Learning into your teaching to support, among many amazing things, the Social-Emotional Development of your students. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Mike Kaechele.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Responding to school and community needs, such as reacting to an ICE raid, or helping farmers choose their next potato crops
2️⃣ Giving students agency and hope for the future, such as a Chemistry, English, US History project looking at poverty in America or returning the rapid...
2021-10-0438 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Orly Klapholz (SLIFE: Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to welcome students with limited or interrupted formal education (aka. SLIFE) into your classroom. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Orly Klapholz, co-founder of “Inlier Learning” from Hollywood, Florida.
According to the UN, by the end of 2021 as many as half a million people will likely flee Afghanistan. After time spent in refugee camps, many families will resettle in North America and Europe, and I think it’s worth asking ourselves an important question: would our schools, and would we, as teachers...
2021-09-2035 min
Unprofessional DevelopmentEp 83: EDUPODLOOZA 2021! Edupodcast Round Table pt 2The fourth segment in our astounding Edupodlooza! We host a round table of Edupodcasters to talk pressure from school districts while running a podcast and play our admin-colleague-student game!
Featuring
Charles William of The Counter Narrative
Aviva Levin of Lesson Impossible
Brad Sheffler of Planning Period Podcast
Shane Lawrence of The Edpodcast
Natalie Vardabasso of Educrush
Traci Browder of Intelligogy the Podcast
And Tudisco and Mealey of Unprofessional Development
And just for fun, here's the full video of Edupodlooza! (Yes, we really hosted podcasts for almost 8 1/2 hours...).
Don't forget to like and subscribe, and follow us on Twitter @unprocast
Have a fun...
2021-08-0943 min
Unprofessional DevelopmentEp 82: EDUPODLOOZA 2021! Edupodcast Round Table pt 1The fourth segment in our astounding Edupodlooza! We host a round table of Edupodcasters to ask why they began an education podcast and who is their edu-crush.
Featuring
Charles William of The Counter Narrative
Aviva Levin of Lesson Impossible
Brad Sheffler of Planning Period Podcast
Shane Lawrence of The Edpodcast
Natalie Vardabasso of Educrush
Traci Browder of Intelligogy the Podcast
And Tudisco and Mealey of Unprofessional Development
And just for fun, here's the full video of Edupodlooza! (Yes, we really hosted podcasts for almost 8 1/2 hours...).
Don't forget to like and subscribe, and follow us on Twitter @unprocast
Have a funny story...
2021-08-0254 min
Unprofessional DevelopmentEp 80: EDUPODLOOZA 2021! Radio Drama: The Last DayContinuing our release of the 2021 Edupodlooza, we have our radio drama, "The Last Day." Please enjoy the exciting story of a group of teachers, a PD on the last day of school, and a zombie attack.
Written by
Batsheva Frankel
Aviva Levin
William Mealey
Chris Tudisco
Starring
Jordan.... Charles William of The Counter Narrative
Sage... Batsheva Frankel of Overthrowing Education
Wallace... Chris Tudisco of Unprofessional Development
Robin... Aviva Levin of Lesson Impossible
Cameron... Lindy Mealey
Taylor... Brad Sheffler of Planning Period Podcast
PA Announcer... Gerardo Muñoz of Two Dope Teachers and a Mic
Darryl... Shane Lawrence of The Edpodcast
Cher...
2021-07-1932 min
FreshAirAtFiveThe Band is Back Together S&G FAAF 25Welcome to FreshAirAtFive (FAAF) Podcast - Episode 25
I’m your host, Bryon Carpenter
In this episode, I share my daily reflection posted on Twitter @bryoncar, from June 12-18, 2021
I reflect on these podcast episode from my listens on the:
12th: Inspired EdTech Podcast E53
14th: The Staffroom Podcast E90 "How Do We Talk About Racism and Oppression with Students?"; Good New Brad New Podcast E22 "Featuring Craig Randall"
15th: EdTech Bites E91 "Roxi, Coaching During A Pandemic, And Sandwiches"; The Easy EdTech Podcast E116 "5 Must-Try Music Tools for...
2021-06-2626 min
Fresh Air At FiveThe Band is Back Together S&G FAAF 25Welcome to FreshAirAtFive (FAAF) Podcast - Episode 25I’m your host, Bryon CarpenterIn this episode, I share my daily reflection posted on Twitter @bryoncar, from June 12-18, 2021I reflect on these podcast episode from my listens on the:12th: Inspired EdTech Podcast E5314th: The Staffroom Podcast E90 "How Do We Talk About Racism and Oppression with Students?"; Good New Brad New Podcast E22 "Featuring Craig Randall"15th: EdTech Bites E91 "Roxi, Coaching During A Pandemic, And Sandwiches"; The Easy EdTech Podcast E116 "5 Must-Try Music Tools for Educators Teaching Any Subject with Jessica Pere...
2021-06-2626 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgents Mealey & Tudisco (Educational Podcasting)🎙Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider becoming an educational podcaster🧑🏽🏫💬. The special agents🕵️♂️🕵️♂️ assigned to help you with this task are co-hosts Mealey and Tudisco of the Unprofessional Development Podcast.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Their origin story and how podcasting has enriched their teaching
2️⃣ Their division of labor and co-hosting dynamic
3️⃣ Their only rule: don’t get fired
… as well as Tudisco and Mealey going on many hilarious tangents
Click here for more details about our conversation, links mentioned in the episode, and more information about
2021-06-2137 min
Overthrowing EducationAviva Levin: Transparency in Teaching MattersMy guest is educator and podcast host of Lesson Impossible, Aviva Levin, who joins me to discuss why teacher transparency is so important, and how to make it happen. The Bonus of this episode is that we also include a little bit about how to incorporate improvisation games into your classes. Both Aviva and I have performed and taught improv, so I surprised her with an improv twist to The 5-Minute Game Show. And then she turns the table on me! Aviva and I co-wrote and performed the fauxmercial for this episode. It was a blast to d...
2021-06-1454 minOverthrowing EducationAviva Levin: Transparency in Teaching MattersMy guest is educator and podcast host of Lesson Impossible, Aviva Levin, who joins me to discuss why teacher transparency is so important, and how to make it happen. The Bonus of this episode is that we also include a little bit about how to incorporate improvisation games into your classes. Both Aviva and I have performed and taught improv, so I surprised her with an improv twist to The 5-Minute Game Show. And then she turns the table on me! Aviva and I co-wrote and performed the fauxmercial for this episode. It was a blast to d...
2021-06-1454 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Pawan Dhingra (Hyper Education)
🎙Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to become more culturally competent🌏 by exploring research📙 on the varied educational📝 attitudes and experiences of Asian-American immigrants🔑. The special agent🕵🏽♂️assigned to help you with this task is Dr. Pawan Dhingra of Amherst College.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ What Pawan has learned through his research of how some Asian immigrant parents and their children view American school systems
2️⃣ How teachers can navigate relationships with parents when educational attitudes aren’t in sync (and how they may be more aligned than we realize)
3️⃣ Bec...
2021-06-0741 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Kari Pitstick (Reaching Reluctant Readers)🎙 Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is instill a love❤️ of books📚 in even the most reluctant😩reader. The special agent🕵🏻♀️ assigned to help you with this task is middle school teacher Kari Pitstick of Illinois.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Strategies to help students develop a love of reading
2️⃣ Helping students find appropriate books (content and reading level)
3️⃣ Why she’ll never give up silent reading time
Click here for more details about our conversation, links mentioned in the episode, and more information about the podcast.
2021-05-2434 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Steve Capone (Interdisciplinary Teaching)🎙Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to work with colleagues👩🏼🏫🧑🏽🏫 from different subject areas👩🏾🔬👨🏼🎨 to create interdisciplinary units 🔢📝🔬 for students. The special agent🕵️♂️ assigned to help you with this task is Steve Capone of Utah.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ How Steve and his team create, plan, implement, teach, and then assess cross-curricular units
2️⃣ The importance of maintaining relationships when collaborating in a multi-disciplinary team
3️⃣ The ways that freeing himself from traditional educational structures have improved his practice
Click here for more details about our conversation, links mentioned in the episode, and more information about the podca
2021-05-1037 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Shelby Strong (Stop Trashing Math)🎙Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to celebrate🎉 math🔢 in front of your students as a joyful😃, relevant🗺, and inclusive❤️ subject. The special agent🕵🏻♀️ assigned to help you with this task is Shelby Strong of New Orleans, Louisiana.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ How “I’m not a math person” is rooted in historical inequities and self-protection
2️⃣ Why the narrative we’ve accepted about math being objective and based in rote memorization is completely false
3️⃣ The joy of disrupting how math is taught and perceived in schools
You can find the original Tw...
2021-04-2638 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Michael Weingarth (Neurodiversity)🎙Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to support neurodiverse learners👦🏽👩🏾🦱👱🏼♀️ by better understanding how their brains work 🧠. The special agent🕵️♂️ assigned to help you with this task is Michael Weingarth of Connecticut.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Why we need to assume all learners have undiagnosed learning differences and how our brains work when processing new information
2️⃣ The systematic issues that create a fundamentally flawed educational infrastructure for neurodiverse learners
3️⃣ What we need to be doing to help students succeed on the micro and macro level
Click here for more details about our conversation, links...
2021-04-1250 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Craig Frehlich (Virtual Reality)
🎙 Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to incorporate virtual reality👾 into your classroom👨🏻🏫🧑🏽🏫 to enhance student learning🎓. The special agent🕵️♂️ assigned to help you with this task is Craig Frehlich of the Canadian International School in Singapore.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Why VR is a great choice for enriching the curriculum, and current programs that Craig recommends for classroom use
2️⃣ Staying CRISP: VR applications should connect to a concept and to real life, they should be integrative, linked to standards, and carefully planned
3️⃣ How to set up VR in the classroom for a safe, meaningful experi...
2021-03-2935 min
Work In Progress PodcastAviva Levin is a WIP: from Teacher to Graduate Student and Podcast HostAviva's Career ChangeAviva pivoted from teaching to furthering her studies as a graduate student and a podcastingEpisode Timestamps 01:01 Introducing Aviva04:30 Experiences working with kids and young adults11:52 Aviva’s move from Canada to the States15:21 A day in the life of a teacher21:07 How long ago did she move and what was her life like getting there 23:44 How does being a student change her teachers’ perspective 26:48 Effects of long distance learning on young people29:Aviva’s transition to podcasting36:42 Interesting stories...
2021-03-1755 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Adrienne Barber (Online Primary)🎙Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to help primary students👧🏻👦🏾🧒🏼 find success in a difficult time🦠 through engaging lessons💻 and responding to their needs🚑. The special agent🕵🏻♀️ assigned to help you with this task is Adrienne Barber of Milpitas, California☀️.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ Strategies for teaching young learners, incorporating physical activity while online, and some helpful apps
2️⃣ Creating strong connections with families and taking inspiration from her students
3️⃣ The exhaustion of putting on a Zoom ‘one-woman show’ and some silver linings to online learning
Click here for more details about our conversation...
2021-03-1535 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Shane Lawrence (Film Studies)🎙Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to create observant👀 critical thinkers🧠and creative film-makers🎥 through a film studies🎬 program. The special agent🕵️♂️ assigned to help you with this task is Shane Lawrence of Edmonton, Alberta.
In our conversation we discuss:
1️⃣ How students grow as critical viewers and thinkers over five years of film studies
2️⃣ Choosing the right films to show (and some horror stories of what happens when you don’t!)
3️⃣ Equipping (literally and figuratively) students to make their own films
Click here for more details about our conversation...
2021-03-0139 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Lorraine Connell (Teachers v. Leaders?)Often, the relationship between teachers and school leaders is framed as adversarial. However, your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to build strong🦾 relationships between administrators🧑🏾💻👨💻 and teachers👩🏼🏫🧑🏽🏫through empathy🧘🏽♂️, transparency🧊 and vulnerability👀. The special agent🕵🏽♀️ assigned to help you with this task is high school teacher Lorraine Connell.
In this episode we discuss:
1️⃣ Why mistakes need to be celebrated
2️⃣ The value of empathy, transparency, and vulnerability
3️⃣ Understanding expectations and modeling self-care
Click here for more details about our conversation, links to resources mentioned in the episode, and more information about the podcast.
2020-12-2145 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Charles Williams (Leadership Series: Leading through Covid)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to lead through a global pandemic by adapting your routines, supporting your staff, and focusing on self-care. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Charles Williams, Principal of Plato Learning Academy in Chicago and host of the Counter Narrative Podcast.
In our conversation, Charles discusses:
1️⃣ Parent perspectives on the pandemic and how Covid has changed how he does his job
2️⃣ Extending grace to students, teachers, and himself during this time
3️⃣ His S.M.A.R.T. approach to le...
2020-12-1433 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Joyce Matthews (Leadership Series: Professional Development Leaders)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to create powerful and sustainable professional development for your colleagues. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Joyce Matthews.
In our conversation, Joyce discusses:
1️⃣ The differences between andragogy (teaching adults) and pedagogy (teaching children)
2️⃣ Why good professional development needs to be self-sustaining
3️⃣ How facilitation allows learners to find their own pathways to their professional development goals by focusing on skills and feedback
Click here for links and resources mentioned in the episode or more inform...
2020-12-0730 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMINI MEET A RESOURCE: Clement Townsend of Video Journalism ProYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: Video Journalism Pro, an online mentoring program that allows students to develop, produce and distribute their own stories. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Clement Townsend, founder of Broadcasting Career Mentor.
In our conversation, Clement discusses:
1️⃣ Building a media program, and school brand, with technology students already have access to
2️⃣ The impact of having an expert with professional experience share his perspective and strategies
3️⃣ Learning important skills: speaking, writing, creativity, media literacy...
2020-11-2620 min
The Compassionate Educators ShowEpisode 32: Lesson Impossible on Letting Go of the Perfectionist Mindset with Aviva LevinIn this episode, I bring you a conversation between Aviva Levin, host of Lesson Impossible, where the tables are turned as Aviva interviews me as the guest on the hot-seat! In this powerful episode we discuss letting go of the perfectionist mindset, the Helper's Risk Trifecta, how to improve your own mental wellness, and having an identity outside of the role of teacher (or parent!)Enjoy the show!Let's change lives together.Connect with Aviva here:Website: www.lessonimpossible.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/avivalevinInstagram: ht...
2020-11-2530 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Merlyna Valentine (Leadership Series: Overcoming Obstacles)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to face unexpected challenges with a positive mindset, transparency, and humor. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Merlyna Valentine of Louisiana.
In our conversation, Merlyna discusses:
1️⃣ Leading by building relationships, being transparent, exuding positive energy, and using humor
2️⃣ Being willing to talk about the elephant in the room, whether it is trauma, illness, physical limitations, or teacher burn-out
3️⃣ “Dancing back in” to new opportunities and never looking back!
Click here for more details about...
2020-11-2334 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Craig Randall (Leadership Series: Trust-Based Observations)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to use Trust-Based Observations to create relationships with teachers, celebrate their strengths, and encourage innovation. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is author and administrator Craig Randall.
In our conversation, Craig discusses:
1️⃣ How current evaluation models aren’t working and the evolution of the trust-based model to what it is today
2️⃣ Creating authentic, teacher-centered observations that build trust and celebrate strengths
3️⃣ Encouraging risk-taking, collaboration, empathy and a growth-mindset through observation and reflection
Click here for l...
2020-11-1635 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Anthony Tyrkala (Leadership Series: School Administration)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to cultivate relationships, collegial collaboration, and a positive school culture in your role as school administrator. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Anthony Tyrkala, principal of ACES in Adventura, Florida
In our conversation, Anthony discusses:
1️⃣ How he defines his job as an administrator, building relationships with students and staff, the move from teaching to school leadership
2️⃣ Trying to stay positive, creating open communication and collaboration, dealing with behavioral issues
3️⃣ How the Army has shaped his perspective, a...
2020-11-0934 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Aviva Levin (Improv); recording from The Compassionate Educators ShowYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to engage and motivate your students through improv. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is French and Social Studies teacher, as well as podcast mission coordinator, Aviva Levin.
This interview was originally recorded for The Compassionate Educators Show. This week Marie, host of Compassionate Educators, is doing something similar, as she’s airing Aviva’s interview of her as one of her own episodes.
In this episode, Marie and Aviva discuss:
1️⃣ Aviva’s journey to finding improv and cr...
2020-11-0132 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Laura Fittz (Restorative Justice)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to build, repair, and restore school relationships through restorative justice. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Laura Fittz, English teacher, Peace Team facilitator and PhD student from Nashville, Tennessee.
In this episode we discuss:
1️⃣ Moving away from punitive practices and towards healing relationships between students, students and staff, and staff with each other
2️⃣ Letting students take the lead and getting families involved in the restorative process
3️⃣ Operating restoratively within an unrestorative system and starting the personal journ...
2020-10-2539 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Adriana Ramirez (Comprehensible Input)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to use comprehensible input when teaching languages, specifically the TPRS method. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Adriana Ramirez of British Columbia.
In this episode Adriana:
1️⃣ defines Comprehensible Input (CI) and explains how students are still learning grammar, just doing so intuitively
2️⃣ responds to a ton of misconceptions and critiques of CI and TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling)
3️⃣ discusses students taking ownership of the stories, adapting for teaching during Covid-19, and finding inspiration in other teach...
2020-10-1847 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Casey Jakubowski (Rural Education)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to explore the perspective of an educator who researched and taught in rural schools. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Casey Jakubowski, of Watervliet, New York.
Click here for details about our conversation, links mentioned in the episode, and more information about the podcast.
2020-10-1132 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Jaime Bonato (Teacher Attrition)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to examine the factors contributing to, and find strategies that teachers, administrators and districts can use to prevent, teacher attrition. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Jaime Bonato of Sacramento, California.
In this episode we discuss:
1️⃣ The main factors that are leading to teachers leaving the profession (it’s not the money!)
2️⃣ How the traditional school system is set up so that the beginning years of teaching are often the most difficult
3️⃣ Strategies that districts, teacher prep pro...
2020-10-0429 min
The Counter Narrative: Changing the Way We Talk (and think) About EducationEpisode 23: Interview with Aviva LevinWelcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations.
I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal, and an educational consultant.
In this episode, I chat with Aviva Levin, a passionate podcaster who loves interviewing educators about their practice as the host of “Lesson: Impossible – An Exploration of Educational Innovation”. She was a teacher in Canada for ten years, an...
2020-10-0229 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMEET A RESOURCE: Shawn Young of ClasscraftYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: Classcraft, an app that fosters social emotional development and personalized learning through gaming principles. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Shawn Young, co-founder and CEO.
Click here for a description of our conversation, links to the studies mentioned in the introduction, and more information about the podcast.
2020-09-2732 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Batsheva Frankel (Gamification & Game-Based Learning)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to find ways to incorporate gamification and game-based learning into your teaching practice. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Batsheva Frankel of the Overthrowing Education podcast.
In this episode we discuss:
1️⃣ The differences between ‘game-based learning’ and ‘gamification’ and examples of each
2️⃣ How game-based-learning and gamification can open students’ creativity and increase engagement and enthusiasm for a subject
3️⃣ Making changes to education when we see room for improvement and the value of Twitter and podcasts to see what’s possible
2020-09-2034 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMINI MEET A RESOURCE: Carrie Ray-Hill of iCivicsYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: iCivics, a collection of online games and lesson plans to help students engage with American civics. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Carrie Ray-Hill, Senior Director of Digital Learning.
In this episode we discuss:
1️⃣ How iCivics defines civics, its civic education mission and maintaining political neutrality
2️⃣ Helping teachers prepare for the 2020 election with games, lessons, info-graphics, webquests, and a Facebook group
3️⃣ The future of iCivics, including adapting materials to distance learning
2020-09-1621 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Scott Mauk (Home-School Partnerships)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider the perspective of an educator who has experience with hybrid and at-home school models. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Dr. Scott Mauk, principal of Edmonds Heights K-12.
In this episode we discuss:
What teachers should keep in mind about a hybrid model
Some positives that families are reporting about pandemic learning and how to preserve them in a return to ‘normal’
Working collaboratively and empathetically with parents
You can follow Scott on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebok...
2020-09-1328 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Amber Coleman-Mortley (Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to empower students through civics education, specifically programs like the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Amber Coleman-Mortley of Washington, D.C.
NOTE: Applications to become an Equity in Civics Youth Fellow are due on September 20 for the 2020-21 cohort
Click here for a detailed description of our conversation, links mentioned in the episode, and more information about the podcast.
2020-09-0633 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMINI MEET A RESOURCE: Carey Furze of FamilyBookFormYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: FamilyBookForm, a digital template for students to collect stories from their family or larger community. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Carey Furze of Sydney, Australia.
Click here for links to resources mentioned and more information about this episode.
2020-09-0217 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMEET A RESOURCE: Gabriel Valdez of the Social Studies NetworkYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: the Social Studies Network, a community of over 11,000 teachers who are sharing their lessons and supporting each other. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Agent Gabriel Valdez, from Fort Worth, Texas.
Click here for links to resources mentioned and more information about this episode.
2020-08-3036 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Emily Santiago (Trauma-Informed Teaching)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to make your (virtual or in-person) classroom a safe space for students as you embrace the principles of trauma-informed teaching. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Emily Santiago from the Center for Cognitive Diversity.
Click here for links to resources mentioned and more information about this episode.
2020-08-2330 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Katelynn Giordano (Going Gradeless)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to engage and empower your students by going ‘gradeless’. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is sixth grade English and Social Studies teacher, Katelynn Giordano of Illinois.
Click here for links to resources mentioned and more information about this episode.
2020-08-1634 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationPART II: Agent Aviva Levin (Reflections on Season Two)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to reflect on all the wisdom shared in Lesson: Impossible’s second season. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is your host, and mission coordinator, Aviva Levin.
A transcript for this episode can be found here.
As many school years come to an end, so does Lesson: Impossible’s second season. I will be taking a break in July, and will be back in August with some episodes I’m really excited about, such as home-schooling partnerships, gradeless assessme...
2020-07-0112 minThe Compassionate Educators ShowSummer Enrichment 1: Improv to Increase Engagement, Retention and Fun with Aviva LevinOur first summer enrichment episode is full of fun and improv... in more ways than one! Learn how to engage and motivate your students, regardless of academic or language abilities, in an incredibly fun way! Take notes as Aviva shares invaluable tips on bringing impov into your classroom (yes, this can be done virtually as well, connect with her personally to discover how to make it work for your students!)Aviva Levin is passionate about incorporating improv into all subject matters, but she could happily spend hours discussing every aspects of education, which she does on her...
2020-06-2928 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationPART I: Agent Aviva Levin (Reflections on Season Two)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to reflect on all the wisdom shared in Lesson: Impossible’s second season. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is your host, and mission coordinator, Aviva Levin.
As many school years come to an end, so does Lesson: Impossible’s second season. I will be taking a break in July, and will be back in August with some episodes I’m really excited about, such as home-schooling partnerships, gradeless assessment, and trauma-informed teaching.
However, for our last episodes I wanted...
2020-06-2813 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMEET A RESOURCE: Courtney Jones of ClearTheListYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: #clearthelist, a global movement to help teachers buy supplies for their classrooms. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Courtney Jones, from Denver, Colorado.
In this episode we discuss:
The origin of the #clearthelist and #supportateacher movement and now the Clear The List Foundation
Why the movement is open to all teachers, regardless of their student population
How ClearTheList also involves empowering teachers to advocate for funding for resources and raising awareness of the financial burden t...
2020-06-2129 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMINI MEET A RESOURCE: Patricia Clahar of Hands-On Entrepreneurship for KidsYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: Hands-On Entrepreneurship for Kids, which provides guidance for students who want to turn their big ideas into businesses. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Patricia Clahar, from Greenwich, Connecticut.
In this episode Patricia and I discuss:
Patricia’s path to starting Hands-On Entrepreneurship for Kids
The benefits of students engaging in the process of starting a business, from practical skills, to SEL skills, to adding more dimensions to the teacher-student relationship
One of her favorite rec...
2020-06-1718 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent JoAnna Castellano (Conceptual Math)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to explore how to increase engagement, lessen anxiety, and create real-world connections by teaching math through a Conceptual Based Instructional Model. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is JoAnna Castellano of New Brunswick, New Jersey.
A transcript is available for this episode.
In this episode we discuss:
JoAnna’s path to teaching
Her pedagogical perspective: student agency, productive struggle, teacher as facilitator, providing real-world context
An example question using the Pythagorean theorem with Benjamin Watson’s tackle saving touchdown
How to diffe...
2020-06-1431 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Marie Kueny (Teacher Mental Wellness)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to be compassionate to yourself as you develop strategies for mental wellness. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is counselor, coach and podcaster Marie Kueny of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
A transcript is available for this episode
In this episode we discuss letting go of the perfectionist mindset, how we can Teach and Go Home, the Helper’s Risk Trifecta, the counselor’s role in supporting teachers, how to set up your teaching career for mental wellness, and having an identi...
2020-06-0730 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Jorge Valenzuela (Computational Thinking)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to incorporate computational thinking into all content areas. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Jorge Valenzuela, of Lifelong Learning Defined, in Virginia.
In this episode we discuss:
Jorge’s path to becoming a teacher
Four elements of computational thinking: decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, algorithm design
Work shopping how I could apply computational thinking to French
Jorge’s perspective on including STEM into all subjects
His favorite unit or lesson
How Jorge’s personal pedagogical philosophy has evolved over time
Why he thin...
2020-05-3129 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMINI MEET A RESOURCE: Rebecca Yaffa of GooseChaseYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider a new resource: GooseChase, an app for creating scavenger hunts. The resource specialist assigned to help you with this task is Rebecca Yaffa, Director of Customer Experience, from Toronto, Canada.
This is the third installment in the ‘Meet the Resources’ series, where I feature the educational equivalent of Gecko Gloves, Smart Contacts, or Flute Guns: technology that has been created to make your impossible lessons actually possible! A reminder that Lesson: Impossible receives no compensation for featuring resources, just the satisfaction of knowing that somew...
2020-05-2714 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Shannon Anderson (Writing)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to help students enjoy writing as they discover how to improve their written work. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Shannon Anderson of Rensselaer, Indiana.
A transcript is available for this episode.
I’ve really enjoyed the last few weeks of episodes that were looking at some resources and grappling with some big philosophical questions about teaching: what is my teacher identity? How can I infuse meaning into my curriculum? Is there a way to prevent teacher burnout? However, today’s epis...
2020-05-2429 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Lauren Porosoff (Meaningful Curriculum)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to put students’ own values at the center of their learning in order to make school meaningful beyond academic skills. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Lauren Porosoff of Scarsdale, New York.
A transcript is available for this episode.
In this episode we discuss:
Parents advocating for meaningfulness
The three kinds of relevance: personal, practical, cultural
Her favorite meaningful units: A Midsummer Night’s Dream & spoken word poetry
Addressing three criticisms of making curriculum meaningful: kids need to learn that not e...
2020-05-1729 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMEET A RESOURCE: James Fester of Park Based LearningMEET A RESOURCE: The Park Based Learning Project creates free lessons and resources using project based learning, and game based design, principles. They provide ready-to-use lessons and differentiated assessments, as well as opportunities to collaborate on specific local, state, or national park-based projects. The founder and leader of the Park Based Learning Project is James Fester who is also a teacher, consultant, author, and state and national park volunteer interpreter currently living in Minnesota.
A transcript is available for this episode.
Links:
Parks Based Learning Website & Twitter
Visit a National Park (virtually)
Projects Gallery
Struc...
2020-05-1330 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Dr. Marquita Blades (Teacher Burnout)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to examine the factors contributing to, and find strategies to prevent or recover from, teacher burnout. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Dr. Marquita Blades of Atlanta, Georgia.
In this episode we discuss:
Marquita’s many educational projects
Her path to becoming a teacher
Her personal story of burning out
How she defines ‘teacher burnout’
The Mediocre Teacher Project
How mental health impacts physical health
The false narrative of teacher self-sacrifice
Strategies to recover from a burn out
How she thinks...
2020-05-1030 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Mandy Yom (ELL Kindergarten)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to create positive relationships with students and families in a kindergarten class for English Language Learners. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Mandy Yom of Skokie, Illinois.
In this episode we discuss:
A game to put yourself in the shoes of an English Language Learner (ELL)
How a sheltered ELL kindergarten program works
How students are selected into the program in Illinois
Mandy’s path to teaching
Building relationships with ELL families
Learning the value of boundaries
Striving to find way...
2020-05-0629 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Evo Hannan (Design & Innovation)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to transform your passions for innovation and design into relevant assignments and global professional projects. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Evo Hannan of Dwight School Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
In this interview we discuss:
His path to teaching design in Dubai
How he stays relevant in his field
What teaching design looks like
Examples of student projects
How he gets big companies involved in his projects
Modeling being a designer and innovator for his students
Making his pro...
2020-05-0328 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationBONUS EPISODE: Agent Kwame Sarfo-Mensah (Reflections on COVID-19)Your bonus lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to explore how you think COVID-19 will change education. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Kwame Sarfo-Mensah, owner and founder of Identity Talk Consulting.
I chose to air a bonus episode in addition to Kwame’s full-length interview about teacher identity for two reasons: one, I thought his insights were worth sharing, and two, I liked the idea of creating a record of how COVID-19 has been changing the ways teachers view education. I spoke with Charles Williams at the end...
2020-05-0112 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationMINI MEET A RESOURCE: Valerie Cerra of Lesson aLIVEMEET A RESOURCE: Valerie Cerra, of Lesson aLIVE, a marketplace that connects educators and learners to experts and motivational speakers.
We discussed:
Valerie’s background and her journey towards founding Lesson aLIVE
How she finds her speakers
Her most recent favorite presenter: Eva Pell
How COVID19 has affected Lesson aLIVE, including adding relevant content via webinar
The pricing model for speakers (including pro bono/grant options)
How to contact her with new ideas and suggestions
NOTE: If this is the first episode of the podcast you are listening to, just a note t...
2020-04-2920 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Kwame Sarfo-Mensah (Teacher Identity)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to examine how your various personal identities intersect and influence how you interact with students and colleagues. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Kwame Sarfo-Mensah, owner and founder of Identity Talk Consulting.
Kwame Safro-Mensah has over 14 years of experience in the classroom, teaching middle school math and science in Philadelphia, and then Boston, public schools. In addition to this, he has written two books and various articles, offers tutoring for students and online classes for first year teachers, and has his own internet...
2020-04-2729 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Megan Schutt (Gifted Education)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to find strategies, resources and school models that support gifted learners. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Megan Schutt, of Blaine Middle School, in Blaine, Washington.
According to the National Association for Gifted Children, the definition for giftedness is “Students with gifts and talents who perform - or have the capability to perform - at higher levels compared to others of the same age, experience, and environment in one or more domains.” Whereas many see giftedness as truly a gift, one of my educ...
2020-04-2231 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Rebecca Blouwolff (Teaching Language Authentically)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to teach students how to use a foreign language using authentic resources and relevant units, with the goal of making proficient speakers. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Rebecca Blouwolff of Wellesley Middle School in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Rebecca and I share a similar background: we both started our careers intending to teach Social Studies, and we both found ourselves teaching French instead! To make a long story short: in my second year of teaching I was given a contract that included t...
2020-04-1929 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Andre Daughty (Social Media Connections)Your lesson, should you chose to accept it, is to use social media to create connections with, and educate, your teaching colleagues. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Andre Daughty, educational speaker and content creator, of Oklahoma City, OK
Andre Daughty has one of the most prolific online presences of any educator that I’ve seen: he’s on Twitter, Intagram, Facebook, has his own blog, multiple YouTube series, as well as an online office! Of course, he manages this all while facilitating workshops for schools and organizations. I wanted to ta...
2020-04-1530 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Hedreich Nichols (Teaching Technology)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to help your students, and fellow teachers, use technology in a mindful and transformative way in the classroom. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Hedreich Nichols, middle school technology teacher in Arlington, Texas.
In this episode we discuss:
Being a teacher lead and mentoring other teachers around technology
Why she wants to help teachers find and vet apps
What to say to those who reject technology in classes
Her favorite unit: students using social media to effect real world change
T...
2020-04-1229 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Charles Williams (Planning for a Post-Covid World)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to explore the many ways COVID-19 can create positive changes to our educational systems. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Charles Williams, principal of Plato Learning Academy, in Chicago, Illinois.
Charles Williams and I spoke at the end of March, as many schools were figuring out what education was going to look like in the coming days, weeks, and months. His perspective comes from being a principal in one of the many Chicago Public Schools, or as he refers to it, C...
2020-04-0530 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Rita Wirtz (Facing COVID-19) SPECIAL BONUS EPISODEYour lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to critically examine what we are expecting of teachers, students, administrators and parents as schools are being shut down around the world. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Rita Wirtz of Eugene, Oregon.
Rita Wirtz is the educational equivalent of Madeline Albright or Henry Kissinger: she’s seen it all, done it all, and weathered all the buzzwords and initiatives that have come and gone. I was honoured when she responded to an interview request made prior to COVID19, saying that she...
2020-04-0131 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Kate Ames (Online Education)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to explore the diversity of engaging online learning experiences. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Professor Kate Ames, director of learning design and education, at CQUniversity Australia in Brisbane.
When I first started reading Kate Ames’ blog, and contacted her about a possible interview, distance education was a fairly niche topic. Since then, as the world has been attempting to slow the tide of COVID19, this has become a more pressing issue. My hope is that listeners who are currently facing the...
2020-03-2931 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Suzannah Evans (Podcasting Primaries)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to not underestimate primary students’ abilities to use technology, think metacognitively, and mentor their peers. The Special Agent assigned to help you with this task is Suzannah Evans a primary teacher and teacher mentor at Hygiene Elementary in the St. Vrain Valley School District of Longmont, Colorado.
In this episode, we discuss:
Technology use with younger students
Digitally inviting parents into the classroom
How to give effective feedback
Sharing updated brain science with students
Student self-assessment and reflection
Peer feedback and coaching
The most adorable financial literacy po...
2020-03-2230 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent LaTezeon Humphrey Balentine (Giving)Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to examine what your students need, whether it be representative books, positive attention or hygiene products, and try to find ways to meet those needs. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is LaTezeon Humphrey Balentine of Natchez, Mississippi.
LaTezeon is an incredibly inspiring teacher with one of the most open and giving hearts. I found her on Twitter where she always has motivating words, and many many books to give away to teachers and students. LaTezeon recently left classroom teaching to be an educational...
2020-03-0230 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Christine Primomo (Science for Girls?)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to examine how science curriculum for female-identifying students can go beyond clichéd ideas in order to facilitate an informed exploration of their world. The Special Agent assigned to help you with this task is Christine Primomo from Lake Washington Girls’ Middle School in Seattle, Washington.
Episode links:
For more about the Lake Washington Girls’ Middle School: http://www.lwgms.org
For more about Islandwood on Bainbridge: https://islandwood.org/school-overnight-program/
For more about the IBM Hack a Hair Dryer Campaign: https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-35027902
For th...
2020-02-0329 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationBONUS EPISODE: Agent Rebeca Rubio (Censorship)Your bonus lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider whether a problematic book still deserves space in a school library, and whether the same rules apply in the classroom. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Rebeca Rubio, coordinator for libraries and information services in the Richmond School District.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars in 2020 for Canadian Freedom to Read Week (www.freedomtoread.ca) from February 23 – 29 or the American Banned Books Week (https://bannedbooksweek.org) September 27 - October 3.
Mentioned in the episode was the Educational Resource Acqu...
2020-01-2009 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Rebeca Rubio (School Libraries)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to create busy, multi-modal, and democratic libraries where students see themselves represented and feel welcome. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Rebeca Rubio, coordinator for libraries and information services in the Richmond School District.
In this interview we discuss: the changing role of the school librarian; how to thoughtfully purchase and integrate technology; why libraries are, at their core, democratic spaces; why ‘weeding’ a collection is a good thing; how to integrate Indigenous content in authentic ways; and why the future of libraries is t...
2020-01-1229 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Jillian Gordon (Inquiry)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to use inquiry in your classroom so that students can be engaged, make meaning from their learning, and integrate important skills. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Jillian Gordon, a grade 4/5 teacher and vice-principal in North Vancouver, British Columbia.
Some further links about inquiry:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2016/01/15/teaching-through-an-inquiry-stance
https://inquiry.galileo.org/ch5/an-inquiry-stance-on-practice/
http://nvsd44curriculumhub.ca
https://www.wabisabilearning.com/blog/teachers-parents-independent-thinking
http://theconversation.com/why-your-child-will-benefit-from-inquiry-based-learning-97245
You can follow Jillian on twitter at @msgordonclass or visit her cla...
2019-11-1130 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationBONUS EPISODE: Agent Lewis Maday-Travis (Sex Ed)Your bonus mission, should you choose to accept it, is to rethink how we teach sex education. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is middle school science teacher Lewis Maday-Travis, of Seattle, Washington, and last week’s guest.
Sources from the intro:
https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats17/adolescents.htm
http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-policies-on-sex-education-in-schools.aspx
https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-44812833
Lewis’ recommended links:
Inclusive sex ed language checklist - originally AIDS Community Care Montreal & SextEd
Tips for talking with your kid about sex & relationships - Planned...
2019-11-0309 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Lewis Maday-Travis (Inclusive Science)Your lesson, should you chose to accept it, is to create relevant, body-centered, and inclusive lessons that give students opportunities to feel optimistic for the future.
The Special Agent assigned to help you with this task is Lewis Maday-Travis, a middle school science teacher currently taking time off to write curriculum and provide professional training around inclusive classrooms, from Seattle, Washington.
Links mentioned in the episode (chronological):
More "Ambitious Science Teaching" information and Lewis' lessons
The photo of the dalmatian (from blog post "Think like an expert: teaching kids to see the big picture...
2019-10-2931 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Eugene Harrison (Special Education)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to make the Special Education classroom a welcoming and intellectually creative space for students of all levels. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Eugene Harrison, of Richmond Secondary School, in British Columbia, Canada.
You can find out more about what Eugene is doing by taking a look at "The Inclusion Project": https://portal.sd38.bc.ca/class/6v8igit/Pages/default.aspx?ID=2#/=
Update: According to Eugene, "Biennale went really great! The tough kids actually wrote really meaningful and thoughtful reflections."
2019-09-3034 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationBONUS EPISODE: Agent Connaughton (New Teachers)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to consider ways to support teachers as they begin their careers. The agent assigned to help you with this task is last week's guest, Lauren Connaughton, in a special bonus episode.
For more information on teacher attrition, I recommend this article: https://tinyurl.com/y4ykgtgf
2019-09-2314 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Lauren Connaughton (Peace Circles)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to make the classroom a community where students feel welcomed, supported and challenged. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is Lauren Connaughton, of Tukwila Elementary School, in Washington, USA.
2019-09-1531 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationAgent Nate Bowling (Cultivating Citizens)Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to view the job of the teacher as a farmer of nerds, curator of resources, and transformer of communities. The special agent assigned to help you with this task is 2016 Washington Teacher of the Year Nathan Bowling, formerly of Tacoma, and now Abu Dhabi.
You can find out more about Nate and the work he does at www.natebowling.com and http://nerdfarmpod.com
You can follow Nate on Twitter at @nate_bowling and @nerdfarmpod.
You can read more about his choice to leave Ta...
2019-09-0231 minLesson: Impossible - An Exploration of Educational InnovationWelcome to Lesson: ImpossibleTOP SECRET
MISSION NO. 001
CODENAME: Lesson: Impossible - An exploration of educational innovation
SITUATION: Podcast launch
LOCATION: Spotify, Stitcher, GooglePlay, PodBean, TuneIn, and iTunes
Your lesson, should you choose to accept it, is to listen to interviews with educators who are on the forefront of innovative pedagogy or making effective changes to old practices. Being a classroom teacher can be very isolating, and your host, Aviva Levin, hopes to introduce you to “agents” who will inspire you with new ideas, or make you feel less alone as they share their own setbacks. Subscribe to "Lesson...
2019-08-3002 min
The Actual Fluency Podcast for Language LearnersAFP 143 - Aviva Levin: Coincidental French Teacher in British Colombia Aviva Levin comes on the show to share her story of how she became a French teacher by coincidence, and what strategies she employs today to teach high-schoolers effectively.
We also get around the topic of bilingualism in Canada and much more.
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📣 This podcast is sponsored by Italki! Learn REAL language through the power and convenience of personal tutoring lessons, for any language at VERY affordable rates.
💰 You can get a $10 credit when you book your first lesson by going to languageteacher.co
2019-02-0146 min
Heart-repreneur® RadioHeartrepreneur® Radio | Episode 119 | Finding The Right College That Fits You with Dr. Aviva LegattPeople have a different perception of what schools provide and the reality of being on campus. Dr. Aviva Legatt, founder of the VivED Consulting, an elite college admissions consulting company that helps clients eliminate ambiguity in competing for admission to top colleges, says these brand names that have been around for hundreds of years carry a lot of weight, and a lot of people don’t understand what it means to be there. They’re not looking at the environment in both its positives and its negatives. They get focused on acceptance rates, numbers and grades, which of course are...
2018-08-2817 min
Heart-repreneur® RadioHeartrepreneur® Radio | Episode 119 | Finding The Right College That Fits You with Dr. Aviva LegattPeople have a different perception of what schools provide and the reality of being on campus. Dr. Aviva Legatt, founder of the VivED Consulting, an elite college admissions consulting company that helps clients eliminate ambiguity in competing for admission to top colleges, says these brand names that have been around for hundreds of years carry a lot of weight, and a lot of people don't understand what it means to be there. They're not looking at the environment in both its positives and its negatives. They get focused on acceptance rates, numbers and grades, which of course are important...
2018-08-2817 min