Shows
Chapter X with Michael KayLife After 50 with Mark Barnes and James SturtevantMark Barnes and James Sturtevant, retired educators turned authors, have embarked on a mission to help people redefine aging. Their latest book, Hacking Life After 50: 10 Ways to Beat Father Time and Live a Long, Healthy, Joy-Filled Life, is a treasure trove of wisdom that promises to shift your perspective and ignite a momentum mindset. Mark is a longtime educator, entrepreneur. He is on a quest to live past 100 and bring anyone interested along for the ride. James, a 34-year veteran classroom teacher and accomplished author, gained national recognition for his expertise in building rapport in sc...
2023-09-0650 min
The Retired Teacher Coach PodcastEpisode 10: Maybe, you should Keep Teaching...Starring Michael BrillaThe Problem:
Some educators fail to inventory everything they like about teaching before they retire.
In my last episode, I interviewed Penny Sturtevant, an educator who’s on the verge of retirement. In this episode I’ll interview Michael Brilla, a middle school Social Studies teacher from Eastern Pennsylvania. Michael is in his early 40s and is mid-way through his career. At first blush he would not seem like a relevant guest for a podcast geared toward older and retired educators. But I solicited Michael because he experienced a mini retirement and now he’s back in...
2022-02-1040 min
The Retired Teacher Coach PodcastEpisode 9: Confronting Retirement Anxiety...Starring Penny SturtevantI retired from k-12 teaching in May of 2019. In February of 2019, I was teaching away and not yet planning on drifting off into the sunset. Everything changed that month when our school board announced that they were offering a buyout to veteran teachers to ease labor costs. Suddenly, I was presented with a lucrative option that I wasn’t anticipating. I took my school board up on their offer and I only had three months left in the school year to second-guess myself.
Penny Sturtevant, my lovely wife, will retire in three months. We recorded this episode in...
2022-02-0324 min
The Retired Teacher Coach PodcastEpisode 1: Welcome to the Retired Teacher Coach PodcastI’m James Sturtevant. I taught for 34 years, I’m in my 60’s, I’m in great shape and I feel fantastic. I’m a certified health coach and my objective is to help retired educators make awesome health and lifestyle choices. That’s my mission in coaching and the mission of this podcast.
Each episode will feature a topic that is highly relevant to retired teachers. I’ll either interview an engaging and relevant guest, or I’ll fly solo.
Each episode will follow a template:
I’ll identify a problem
I’ll expose you to some s...
2021-12-2904 min
Legacy Code RocksKubernetes with James SturtevantKubernetes with James Sturtevant As applications grow to span multiple containers deployed across multiple servers, operating them becomes more complex. While it is possible to maintain these growing applications manually, most will reach out to an orchestrator to help them with the tasks. As applications grow to span multiple containers deployed across multiple servers, operating them becomes more complex. One of such orchestrators is Kubernetes. Today we talk with James Sturtevant, Principal Software Engineering Lead at Microsoft. James is a coauthor of the book Kubernetes for Windows. He helped blaze the trail for Windows support i...
2021-12-1338 min
Always A Lesson's Empowering Educators Podcast225: James Sturtevant is Back!James Sturtevant navigated thirty-four years in a public high school classroom. He now teaches Intro to Education and Assessment to future teachers at Muskingum University. He combines fearless experimentation with a willingness to learn from younger tech-savvy students and colleagues. He's authored three additional books that promote student engagement and bonding with kids. James hosts the Hacking Engagement Podcast, which provides educators with tips, tools, and tactics that teachers can utilize immediately. His blog posts have appeared in Principal Leadership, Edutopia, and HuffPost.
James is married to Penny Sturtevant, a fellow educator, and they live in Galena, Ohio. They have...
2020-11-0242 min
James Sturtevant Hacking Engagement139 Path 44...Starring Dr. Dorothy VanderJagt is Prompting you to PauseDr. Dorothy VanderJact and I have recently become friends. Dorothy is veteran educator from the great state of Michigan. She’s been a middle school teacher, an elementary principal, a central office administrator, and a college professor. That’s, a lot of perspective. Two months ago, her brand new book Permission to Pause was released. Her timing was perfect. This book will help discombobulated teachers get their bearings and evolve into a state of well-being. While her timing on releasing this book is perfect, it’s worthy COVID or not. Dr. Dorothy wants teachers to pause and reflect. I’m a...
2020-09-0143 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement138 Path 9...David Crowell Talks Student MotivationPath 9 in my new book Teaching in Magenta is about Venerating a Veteran. I’m going to read Path 9:One negative aspect of aging is the feeling that you’re losing relevance. I’m fortunate in that younger teachers sometimes reach out to me for guidance. When they do, it makes me feel awesome. I try to give them solid advice, and many are grateful. What they don’t realize is how energizing it is for me when they ask. Today, seek out an older colleague and pay them a compliment or ask for advice. You’ll be doing them...
2020-08-241h 09James Sturtevant Hacking Engagement137 What did you do During the Pandemic Path 40Well–ready or not, school will be starting soon, For some of us, it's already started. My first day is next Wednesday. Many colleges, like mine, are in session for 3 months, they then adjourn at Thanksgiving, and then don't resume till January. It'll be the longest winter break that I've ever experienced. That actually sounds pretty awesome. If you're like me, the idea of jumping back in the saddle comes with joy, but a few mixed feelings. There have been aspects of my life over the last few months which have been positive. I'll touch on some of th...
2020-08-1112 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement136 Path 57 Close Your DoorFor the next five weeks, I'm going to try an experiment. My new book Teaching in Magenta was inspired by Niki's gift. My book is divided into 5 sections based on qualities of magenta:CompassionOptimismBalanceAdaptabilityContentmentI'm going to read 1 path from a different section each week. Today, I'll focus on Path 57, which can be found in the section on Balance.
2020-08-0409 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement135 Teaching in Magenta–The Elevator PitchImagine that you and I step into an elevator together. Secured under my arm is a copy of my new book Teaching in Magenta. You notice the book and ask me about it. Your question instantly makes me realize a couple of things:This is a classic scenario for an elevator pitch.I better make these next few seconds count before the doors open and you disappear. So–I lay on you my elevator pitch for Teaching in Magenta: This book provides 100 ways to CREATE a magnificent day in the classroom. On...
2020-07-2919 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement134 Dr. Traci Tuttle Encourages you to Forge a Partnership with Higher EdI was a Poli-Sci and History major in college. My senior year, I made the decision to obtain a teaching certificate. I wasn’t certain what I was going to do, so I decided that I could teach a few years while I sorted it out. One of my first Education classes was Audio Visual Resources. We learned such mystical skills as using a laminator, threading a movie projector, producing copies on a mimeograph machine, and manipulating a film strip. Even at the time, these technologies seemed dated. I couldn’t believe that I was paying tuition for this...
2020-06-3059 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement133 Restorative Practices and Trauma Informed Teaching...Starring Dora RiggsI enjoy conducting professional development, particularly when I’m commissioned to present on teacher wellbeing. I take the audience on a journey of various challenges a teacher faces during different stages of a 30 year career. Because I logged 34 years in a public school classroom, I have plenty of material. I enjoy describing my struggles at various junctures. Generally, I recreate a challenge that was unique to a phase I was navigating. Rarely in these stories, am I the hero. I love to talk about learning valuable lessons–that I often learned the hard way. One such lesson happened 7 year...
2020-06-051h 09James Sturtevant Hacking Engagement132-Coach Mike Burgener and the Quest for MentorsWhen I retired from teaching high school last year, I worried about losing all of the social interaction that I got from teaching 150 students daily. So, I secured an adjunct position teaching aspiring educators at Muskingum University. I also teach refugees how to speak English. These teaching gigs have been a joy, but it’s a different life because I’m only teaching 3 days a week–which is also a joy. My new-found freedom affords me the opportunity to explore, grow, and take risks. I also want to keep expanding my human capital. Relationships make life worth living and I love f...
2020-05-041h 04James Sturtevant Hacking Engagement131-Remind, Voxer, and YouTube have become my CoronaVirus AllstarsI just checked the human toll of Coronavirus before I wrote this sentence. The US is on the verge of 20,000 deaths and the world has surpassed 100,000. It’s been awful to watch these numbers climb. And I, like hopefully you, remain isolated in my home reading way too many news stories about what’s going on in largely isolated cities and towns and overcrowded hospitals. The whole thing is sad, weird, and unsettling. I will say, however that during this dark time, I’ve gotten myself into a routine with some positives. I’m getting more sleep because I don’t...
2020-04-1112 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement130-If you’re Forced to Teach Online due to the Coronavirus–Here’s a Template that Embraces Bloom’s TaxonomyWell, for at least the next 2 weeks, I’m forced to teach my class in a virtual fashion. All teachers in the great state of Ohio are in the same boat. A few years back, Columbus State Community College commissioned me to create an online version of one of their history classes. It was a tremendous learning experience. When I embarked on that journey, I kept reciting a mantra, Make lessons impactful and engaging. I was able to achieve this throughout the creation process and it’s guiding my efforts over the next few weeks. I lear...
2020-03-1515 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement129-How to Prevent Students from Reaching Their Quit Point...Starring Adam Chamberlin and Svetoslav MetijicI always referred to February as the Dog Days of Education. The weather, at least for those of us who reside in the northeastern quadrant of these here United States, is pretty bleak. Any newness of the second semester is long gone. As the weather warms, at least just a bit, your opportunities for snow days diminishes and even if it’s still frigid and snowy, perhaps you’ve already used your allotted quota. Spring break, that magical academic elixir, is still a ways off. Students, teachers, and even administrators are starting to get, as my mom used to say, a bi...
2020-02-1540 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement128-Learn Progress Monitoring by Juggling Bean Bags...Starring Ryan McLaneThe State of Ohio, where I’ve taught my entire career, is not unique. Students in certain classes that the state considers essential are subject to end of course exams. Student performance on these standardized assessments are a key ingredient in their instructor’s evaluation. If you teach one of those classes, you’re hopefully all about progress monitoring. The last thing you want is to get a terrible surprise when your student’s performances materialize. Throughout the semester, you want to make darned sure your kids are on track. I was one of those teachers, however, that did not...
2020-01-1137 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement127-Maybe, You Should Become an Instructional Coach...Starring Michael BrillaWhen I was in my early 30's, I got the 7-year-itch. NO, NO, NO...not to split from the lovely Mrs. Sturtevant, far from it. I was questioning my commitment to education. I was an ambitious competitive young guy. My college peers were climbing corporate ladders. They were wearing suits to work and bringing in some serious bank. They seemed so much more adult.I've always been goal-oriented, which was fine for the first few years in teaching when I was still figuring out the job. But my early 30's I found myself wondering, Can I be satisfied...
2019-12-1636 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement126-Joce McBurney-Buell Will Make you Feel a Lot Better About the Future of EducationI once had a veteran colleague lament about the state of teaching. He meditated, WIth all the that they're making us do, if I was in college today, there's no way I'd major in Education. Apparently, he's not alone in this sentiment. If one searches "Decline in Education Majors", one will find plenty of evidence that many undergrads feel exactly as my colleague expressed. Here's a link to 2019 Forbes article which relies heavily on data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Over the past decade, Education has suffered the largest exodus compared with other majors–a decline of 19%. While I...
2019-11-0832 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement125-The Remind App is Transformational...Starring Taylor Clemons, Rader Felumlee, and Macy McAdams2 years ago, I was teaching high school and our building principal setup the Remind App for our staff. I must confess that at first I found the app annoying. The flurry of messages I was receiving from our fearless leader was invasive. Granted, many of the messages were germain to being a teacher at our school and some of them were essential such as, We're on a 2-hour delay and Don't forget, I'm observing you tomorrow. Grudgingly, I began to acknowledge the value of this new mode of communication and collaboration.This fall, I embarked on a new...
2019-10-0422 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement124-Rethinking Deadlines...Starring Josh FrameLast year, I was teaching high school and our administration assigned a book study to the staff. We read and collaborated on 15 Fixes for Broken Grades by Ken O'Connor. This iconic book is an interesting and provocative read. It challenges standard operating procedure in terms of the way students are assessed. The fix that stirred the pot the most amongst our faculty was Fix #2:Don't reduce marks on work that is submitted lateIn the program, I mistakenly refer to Fix #2 as Fix #4. On its face, Fix #2 makes sense. You don't want to punish a behavior a...
2019-09-1236 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement123-The Landing Pad...Facilitate a Highly Collaborative ClassroomI wanted to produce an episode before school started and I wasn’t sure if it was going to materialize. Starting next week, I’ll be teaching all new classes, at a new school, and at the college level. It’s been a busy summer, but I’m excited to embark on my next teaching journey. This episode is short and simple, but it has tremendous potential to positively impact the way your class operates and student learning. 10 years ago, my room was cluttered. My wife has a label for people like I was...He’s a piler. That label...
2019-08-2112 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement122-Embrace the Marginalized...Starring Fatima DahirThere's a significant potential that 2 things may happen when you return to school in a couple of weeks:1. Your classroom may be more diverse2. Donald Trump's Send her back tweet may just come up in class discussionIn terms of diversity, the demographic trends towards a browner America are indisputable. Sadly, many American schools both urban, suburban, and rural are defying this trend and remaining largely monochrome. If you teach in such a school, you do your students no favors by ignoring America's increasingly diverse trajectory. Your students will most likely work in highly diverse...
2019-07-2633 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement121-Teacher Well-Being...4 Learning Targets for the FallEven though it's only June, start thinking about specific ways to create an outstanding school year next fall. That's what I've done throughout my career. Summer gives you breathing room. It allows you to reflect, adjust, and then speculate and plan.One thing that I'm passionate about is teacher well-being. Aside from job satisfaction being a wonderful thing in its own right, happy teachers are better for kids. But acquiring profound job satisfaction may indeed take some planning, adjusting, and paradigm shifting on your part.In pursuit of helping my dear listener obtain that noble goal...
2019-06-2723 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement120-Where Will Sturtevant be Teaching Next Year?In the late summer of 1985, I experienced my first day of teaching at Mount Vernon High School in North Central Ohio. That steamy summer day was the inaugural faculty meeting. You know...the one where all the veteran teachers stare at the newbies as they're introduced. Before my principal, Mr. George Perry began the unveiling process, he paid homage to a retiring teacher. Up stepped a nondescript middle-aged man named Art Cassell. Mr. Perry began, "When Art started teaching in the fall of 1955..." Those were the last words I heard. I panicked! 1955...1955...I wasn't alive in 1955. How in the hell...
2019-05-2014 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement119-The Plickers Class Discussion ExtravaganzaI remember late April of my rookie year as a teacher. I was toast! All my great teaching strategies were worn out. I was scrambling trying to find innovative and engaging ways to present lessons. It was a loooooong 6-weeks till summer vacation.In early June when I did my post-mortem on the year, I vowed to always keep some ideas in the vault for that last 6-weeks home stretch. In fact, I’ve always encouraged rookie teachers to do the same.I have 5 weeks left of school. The weather is warming up here in the Bu...
2019-04-1709 min2019-04-1510 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement117-SCAMPER through your Next Teacher Evaluation...Starring Jen WilsonI remember my first teacher evaluation. I was nervous! I tried to put on a great show. I felt I did okay. Then, a few days later, I remember walking toward the principal's office to hear the verdict. I wasn't sure how this meeting would go. I thought my lesson went well, but I couldn't tell how my principal felt because he always played them close to the vest. Thankfully, he said positive things. I was thrilled and relieved.Decades later, I'm still being observed. But now, all my administrators are younger than me. It makes the entire...
2019-03-2230 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement116-Deanna Hess Enthusiastically Turns the Car Keys Over to Her KidsI stopped coaching football in the fall of 2000. That’s a long time ago. In the spring of 2018, Eric Myers, who’s the Track and Field Coach at our school, surprised me with an unexpected proposition, Jim…you need to get back into coaching. I need an assistant. Coach with me. We’ll have a blast! I was totally unprepared for this solicitation. I responded, Wow…thanks, but I’m long removed from the coaching mindset. It’s been years since I’ve coached. I’m sorry!I was surprised by Eric’s proposition. That was a problem. I said no instinctiv...
2019-02-2639 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement115-Principal Mo Ross Describes what he's Looking for in your Next EvaluationIt's so gratifying when you had a student with whom you were close, they graduate, and then years later you learn that they've achieved much. Mo Ross is a marvelous example of this phenomenon. In college, Mo was an integral member of Otterbein University's 2002 National Division Three Championship Basketball Team. I was still keeping tabs on Mo in 2002 and I was impressed with this lofty accomplishment.But then, I lost track of him. Certainly not on purpose, but I've taught over ten thousand kids in my career. It's hard to follow them all. I reconnected with Mo this...
2019-02-1844 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement114-BRAVO...Students in Monica Lewis' Class Practice Mindfulness DailyEvery morning, I spend some solitude on a meditation cushion. This has been an on and off again routine for many years. Over the past 6 months, I've been diligent. The rewards have been palatable:I sleep betterI eat betterI notice thingsI'm calmerI'm much kinder and more tolerantI'm less critical of myselfI've mended fencesI add a minute to my practice each week. I'm working up to 30 minutes. I'm currently at 22. If back in October someone would have told me that I could sit calmly...
2019-01-2540 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement113- Five Hacks for Bonding with REALLY, REALLY Challenging Kids...or, a Cure for Teacher InsomniaDo you have a class that you probably should get a little extra in the paycheck for coping with on a daily basis? Do you have students who dominate your thoughts...and not in a good way, when you're away from school? Do you catch yourself having imaginary confrontations with certain kids? Do you have a class that causes you great anxiety as they roll through the door each morning? If you do, join the club. I had such a class last semester. I was wondering, Do I still have it? So, I set to work bonding with t...
2019-01-1222 min
Real Talk EducationAfter The Chat - Hacking Engagement with James Sturtevant(4.1.17) April is all about "Hacking" and we are honored to have James Sturtevant, author of Hacking Engagement, leading the April 1st chat! Don't miss the opportunity to engage with James LIVE After the Chat!Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
2019-01-0529 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement112-You Simply Must Try StoryMaps from Knight Lab...Starring Max Muhlbaier and Matt ReaseThis past summer, I interviewed Michael Brilla about creating timelines on an amazing platform called Knight Lab. I had my students such create timelines this past September. It was a solid experience for all. The only issue we had with this application was that kids had to fill out a Google Spreadsheet and then submit that sheet to the Knight Lab platform. This one variable caused some frustration with my students. Imagine that!What I love about StoryMaps is there are no spreadsheets involved. Your kids create the entire StoryMap right on the Knight Lab platform. It's totally web...
2018-12-1723 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement111-A Google Drawing Prompt Template that you can use Over and Over Again...Starring Morgan Schull and Lauren Speelman2 Months ago, I prompted my students to draw. I was hoping to get some masterpieces. In fairness, I did get a few spectacular and inspiring submissions. Most kids, however, were ambivalent. Many commented, "I hate drawing!" Or, "I suck at drawing!" They put forth little or no effort and it showed. The entire episode left me wondering, "How can I do this better next time?" At this dramatic moment, Google Drawings boldly stepped on stage. I was unfamiliar with this tool, so I watched a brief and empowering tutorial. I use Google Docs and Google Slides and I w...
2018-11-1721 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement110-TEMPORARILY Morph your Kids into Buddhist, Hindus, and Muslims via the Belief-O-Matic...Starring Sebastian Kirkpatrick and Graham MackeyIt's so hard to entice someone to morph into the perspective of another. Unfortunately, it's darned near impossible for adults and not that easy for kids, who hopefully are more open-minded.I teach in a small town just outside Columbus, Ohio. We are just a couple of miles from the diversity of Columbus. However, our town is growing and diversity is coming. It's my mission to help our kids appreciate different viewpoints. I was overjoyed when I found an online tool that helps greatly in the quest. Introducing the Belief-O-Matic. I challenged my kids to REALLY unde...
2018-10-2820 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement109-Adventures in Standards-Based Learning...Starring Mark RobinsonI remember 10th-grade Geometry. I was quite a distracted high schooler. And to accentuate this problem...I was a total humanities guy. Math class was more of a social opportunity as opposed to an academic endeavor. Consequently, I was totally lost. I had virtually no idea what was going on. Unfortunately, there are a lot of kids in Math classes today who resemble the 15-year-old me. So at this juncture of our journey, Mark Robinson enters the fray. Mark is a fabulous Math teacher who embarked this fall on a Standards-Based Learning journey. Standards-Based Learning is a powerful wav...
2018-10-1228 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement108-Ben Momeni and Cecilia Sutton Want you to Deliver your Next Lesson Via PadletRecently, my buddy Michael Brilla shared information on how to utilize Google Drawings. He sent me a Padlet by Karly Moura. I was mesmerized by this Padlet. The info and the direction were solid...but I was also captivated by the Padlet itself. I immediately started scheming, How can I utilize a Padlet for my next lesson prompt? It was a short skull-session. My World Civ students were due for their research paper prompt. Writing a research paper, for many students, is a daunting task. I decided to deliver my prompt and ample instructions and encouragement via a Padlet.
2018-09-2616 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement107-Gamify your Next Lesson...Starring Stephanie HowellIn Episode 68, I demonstrated a zero-tech method of including two classic board games into your instruction. In this episode, Stephanie Howell will take gamification to a whole new level. Stephanie is an Instructional Technology Coordinator at the Pickerington Local School District in suburban Columbus, Ohio. Stephanie and I have interacted for a while and I wanted to interview her last year, but we kept searching for the perfect topic. We found it! She's going to enlighten all of us about gamifying our next lesson. I'm certainly going to try this this fall. Stephanie promotes challenging students to solve a m...
2018-08-1034 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement106-47 Years of Enticing Kids to Lean Forward...Starring Jim MahoneyJim Mahoney is a fantastic public speaker. My original intention for this episode was to help teachers improve their presentations. Yes...this interview provides such direction, but as my convo with Jim evolved, it became apparent that teacher presentations was just one layer of onion skin. Jim's been in the teaching biz for 47 years. He's been a teacher, coach, principal, central office administrator, superintendent, the Executive Director of Battelle for Kids, and finally...he's returned home to the classroom. Jim now enlightens future teachers as a professor at Ohio University. In this episode Jim delves into hooks, transitions, l...
2018-08-0843 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement105 Knight Lab Transforms your Kids into Digital Bards...Starring Michael BrillaI loved being a student. Sometimes as a teacher, I'd like to trade places with my students. I enjoy learning. Well in this episode, I get to do just that! Michael Brilla is a fabulous middle school history teacher from Pottstown, Pa. Michael is my teacher and I'm his student. He's going to school me about digital storytelling. I'm reading a fascinating book called "Talk Like TED" by Carmine Gallo. Carmine evaluates the presentation styles of the most popular TED presenters. One common thread is powerful storytelling. Teachers have a responsibility to help kids evolve as storytellers. It's a...
2018-07-1128 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement104-Please try a SILENT Socratic Seminar...Compliments of Peergrade and the Stanford History Education GroupSocratic Seminars are a big part of my class. The students circle-up and then dissect complex topics. These are highly engaging, collaborative, and provocative sessions. We do them a lot. However, even if you thoroughly enjoy something, like the taste of a Reese Cup (the relevance of which I'll explain in the episode), if you do it too much...the magic is lost. I'm always looking for ways to improve engagement in class discussion. My kids are totally down with Philosophical Chairs, which I consider a highly successful experiment. A few months ago I ventured down a new a path...
2018-06-1415 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement103-Authenticity is how Steady Teddy Bonds with Kids...Starring Ted DiepenbrockI'm exposed to fascinating guest through common interactions on Twitter. Ted Diepenbrock is one such person. We bantered back and forth about what to discuss in this interview. We settled on bonding with students, while at the same time, empowering them by giving them choices in learning. This is a fine topic and we discuss it thoroughly. But one message came through strongest as I edited our convo:To bond with kids you have to be authentic.Ted is authentic. He's a calm and kind presence in his student's lives. His commitment to bonding with students...
2018-05-3141 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement102-Unleash your Student Technocracy...Starring Brennan Daugstrup and Shawn SherburnBrennan Daugstrup (The Blog) and Shawn Sherburn (Shrapnel) make me feel great in this episode. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then classify me as flattered to the hilt. These wonderful young guys are highly complimentary of my flipped lectures. But what really frosted my educational gourd, was being informed by my two young friends that when prompted to make videos, they use mine as a template. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I treasure their endorsement of my teaching style. Additionally, they teach me about some cool platforms, one of which I'm determined to...
2018-05-2427 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement101-Meet me in the Agora, the Zero Tech Road to an Epic Class Discussion...Starring Mel EckelbargerIt's tough to get students to participate in class discussions. It's tough to keep track of all the tech tools I toss out in this podcast. Well in this episode, I'm determined to alleviate both of these frustrations. I'll provide an engaging and fun class discussion tactic, which will only require great sources, provocative prompts, a stopwatch, 1 sheet of paper, and a pen or pencil.The Agora was the square in an ancient Greek city-state. The Greeks took democracy seriously. Participation was mandatory, juries were massive, being informed was a must. The Greeks accomplished what we try to do...
2018-05-1721 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement100-Surviving 33 Years in the Classroom...Starring Kevin EllinwoodI started this podcast in the summer of 2016. I just had completed my book Hacking Engagement. The podcast was meant to supplement the book. There are 50 hacks in Hacking Engagement. My objective in 2016 was to produce 50 episodes. It seemed like climbing a mountain. It was hard to fathom producing 50 episodes...and yet I did. I had so much fun that I went ahead and produced 100! This episode is a celebration of this achievement. I interview Kevin Ellinwood. Kevin Ellinwood. Kevin, like me, is completing his 33rd year in the classroom. Please enjoy this show as we...
2018-04-1324 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement99-If the Statue of Liberty were a teacher...how would she handle kids who struggle with English...Starring Diann EspinozaAmerica is changing. According to Pew, by 2050 the US will be 29% Hispanic. If you don't have kids in your class who struggle with English, you will in the future. If you have students that struggle, expect a lot more. I've spoken to colleagues who've experienced such students. Many of these educators expressed frustration. They lack training and resources. In prepping for this episode, I concluded that teachers need to strive to be like the Statue of Liberty...SAY WHAT!?!“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming sh...
2018-04-0636 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement98-StoryboardThat will Transform your Kids into Editorial CartoonistsWhen I was a young teacher, I used to bring my newspaper to study hall. Students would perch on their desks and observe me like vultures. As soon as I was done with the Sports Section, or the Life Section, they would swoop down and devour it! Today, I'm not sure kids could identify a newspaper in a police lineup. What I loved the most about consuming the newspaper each day was the Comic's Page and the Editorial Cartoons. Unfortunately, I don't get a paper anymore. My exposure to comics has diminished significantly. I miss them!So...in...
2018-03-3011 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement97-The Virtual Gallery Walk Compliments of ScreencastifyStudent videos started to get on my nerves. It was the same thing over and over. The kids put most of their efforts into making them funny and violent. The videos seemed more slapstick than expressive. I retooled the way kids create videos and the results have been spectacular. This episode is about HOW I have my students do this and HOW they present their work to one another. Episode 44 is about student presentations via the gallery walk. In this program, I'm going to promote the idea of creating a virtual gallery walk. I was impressed a couple o...
2018-03-2414 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement96-Jason Connelly is the Man Behind the Curtain...Crafting Powerful and Futuristic Classroom PresentationsMany moons ago, I read a fascinating book about the future. Bill Gates’ book "The Road Ahead" inspired me greatly. I couldn’t wait to see if Gates’ fascinating predictions came to fruition. Guess what…most did!This episode will feature a Gates-like futuristic prophet in regard to lesson delivery. Jason Connelly is an instructional designer at Columbus State Community College. I became acquainted with Jason last year. Columbus State commissioned your humble narrator to create the online version of World Civilization 1181. Jason was my mentor and muse in this massive creative challenge.I’ve taken all that I...
2018-03-1034 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement95-Your Step-by-Step Guide to an Epic Class Discussion Sturtevant-StyleIn the midst of your last class discussion, you may have felt some pangs of disappointment. Perhaps, there was not enough engagement. Or maybe, the participation level was not satisfactory. Some students may have monopolized the airwaves. Well...I'm here to help.In this episode, you'll be treated to a step-by-step approach to epic class discussions. This template can be used repeatedly. Welcome, dear friends, to Philosophical Chairs Sturtevant-Style!
2018-03-0212 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement94-Usher in Relevance Courtesy of Elon Musk and Peergrade...Starring Mitchell CharlesI get frustrated when I'm asked to do something irrelevant. Don't you? And yet, many teachers dread when students ask, "When am I ever going to need to know this stuff?" It's a rather obnoxious way of asking, "Is this lesson relevant?" Now, picture this. You craft a lesson that is so relevant that you hope some kid inquires! This episode is designed to help you create such a lesson. To help in this mission is an awesome primary source.Mitchell Charles is an articulate young man destined for academic brilliance. In World Civilization, we were meandering through...
2018-02-2427 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement93-The Evolving Seamless Relationship Between K12 and Higher Ed...Starring Penny SturtevantI get inspiration for my episodes from odd sources. One of my New Year's resolutions is to read more. The past few years, I've been busy writing my book, so I had zero time to consume words because I was too busy creating narratives. That's changed and it's delightful. Currently, I'm reading Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance. This book is about Musk's incredible vision, his entrepreneurial spirit, and his dogged determination. The book is also about how crucial it is to embracing change. I've been inspired by reading it! ...
2018-02-1724 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement92-Flavor Tomorrow's Lesson with an International Perspective...Courtesy of Brad Gosche and the Columbus Council on World AffairsI'll bet you've heard your students complain about where they live...the community where you teach them by the way. I did my share of whining when I was a teen. I felt like little New Concord, Ohio was nowhere. And yet, there's virtually no nowhere anymore! We all live and function in a global economy. If your students don't believe it, have them conduct a simple inventory of what they're wearing and carrying. Ask them to record where all of their possessions are manufactured. I'll bet they're not lugging around to much Made in the USA.Unfortunately...
2018-02-1030 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement91-Can your Students Spot a Fascist? Starring Scott ElliottIf you've taught a humanities class, you've probably recognized how frequently Adolf Hitler comes up. Unfortunately, many kid's understanding of Hitler and Fascism doesn't expand much past the Holocaust.Scott Elliott teaches 9th Grade World History with me. Right before Christmas Break, we were yakking about how we could teach Fascism, our first unit in January, in a more engaging and impactful way. Scott found a wonderful resource which formed the backbone of the assignment. The article is by Laurence W. Britt and is entitled Fascism Anyone. The assignment we created challenged kids to rate WWII leaders on...
2018-02-0318 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement90-CYOA (Choose Your Own Assessment)...staring Louis Soper, Will Koppmann, and Mae ReasnerLouis Soper is a middle school social studies teacher in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Louis has done a remarkable job of empowering his kids to demonstrate their learning. He refers to this process as CYOA, or Choose Your Own Assessment. To help in this endeavor, Louis deputized two of his outstanding students Will Koppmann and Mae Reasner. Student-led learning is a powerful tide in American education. Wax up your board and hop along for the ride!
2018-01-2727 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement89-If your Kids have Grown Tired of Kahoot, Please try Quizlet Live...Starring Jennifer LaddI was exposed to Kahoot a few years back. I loved it immediately. It's been a huge hit at our school. Unfortunately, there can be too much of a good thing. Many of our kids are tired of Kahoot. Kahoot also has foundational flaws. Invariably, there are students who emerge as virtually unbeatable in Kahoot. Guessing quickly in Kahoot also can pay huge dividends, so many kids mindlessly respond without investing much thought. I still like Kahoot...but I was thrilled to find an alternative.And here, dear reader, is where Quizlet Live makes a dramatic entrance. I...
2018-01-2024 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement88-Make your Math Class Enchanting...Starring Denis SheeranI remember trudging to Math class in high school...AND I MEAN TRUDGING. I had zero confidence, zero interest, and I could not fathom any relevance in what I was being asked to do. If you're a Math teacher, these adolescent frustrations may sound familiar. Guess what...I get the "Why do we have to learn this stuff?" question in history class too. Think about it. It's a fair question. Maybe, educators need to get better at answering it. Today's episode will help you. Denis Sheeran is the Director of Student Achievement at Weehawken Township School District, which...
2018-01-1437 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement87-The New Year's Resolution Ice-Breaker GameYes...I know it's January 8th, but it's not too late to lay the New Year's Resolution Ice-Breaker Game on your students. This goal-setting opportunity affords teachers a wonderful chance to:deputize students in their resolution questenlighten kids about their lives outside the classroommake themselves more approachablegives teachers a needed boost in obtaining their goalshelps kids get to know one anotherencourages students to set goalschallenges kids to make their goals public, which gives goals more umphThis is an exceedingly easy activity to set-up. All...
2018-01-0811 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement86-A NewYear's Resolution that will Transform your Interactions with KidsHeard enough? Unfortunately, many adults think that this crop of teenagers are the harbingers of the apocalypse. They are not. The world will go on. Hopefully the previous quotes demonstrate that adults from different times and climbs have felt similar anxiety about their youth. Harry Truman was right; there is truly nothing new in the World.Episode TemplateThe Problem:Teachers can get fed-up with contemporary youth.The Solution:Learn to accept that many student-teacher annoyances are out of your control.What you can do Tomorrow:...
2018-01-0115 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement85-Stella got her Groove Back by Becoming Google Certified...Starring Stella PollardA 30-year teaching gig is no walk in the park. It's hard to imagine anyone doing the same thing for 30 years, but that's exactly what many teachers do. Please don't interpret this statement as negative towards this noble profession. It certainly was not intended that way...it's just human nature to get restless regardless of how much you love a job. I love teaching. I love my students. However, I've gone through seasons in my career when I felt stymied. Such feelings were my primary motivation to write my books and create this podcast. For some teachers, migrating...
2017-12-1830 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement84-Send your Kids on a Hero's Journey with Storybird...Starring Samantha Hart and Merrick KasperEpisode 83 was a real treat for me. I yakked with Elontra Hall about something near and dear...storytelling. I'm so committed to enhancing this skill in the classroom, that I just couldn't quit with one episode. What makes this episode so special, is I bring back the original sources. Samantha Hart and Merrick Kasper are here to explore storytelling from their perspective. What's interesting, however, is that these two brilliant young folks don't address teachers using stories, but instead kids using stories to peer teach.My students used the hero's journey template to enlighten their peers. Of course...
2017-12-1121 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement83-A Bard from Detroit Mesmerizes his British Students...Starring Elontra HallApril Domine, my former superintendent, once made a power suggestion. She encouraged me to read a book by Daniel H. Pink called A Whole New Mind. It was an amazing recommendation. The crux of the book is that the right side of the brain is going to be the star of the future. The subtext of the title says it all: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age. As I read this excellent book, I felt Daniel was verbalizing everything I’ve always felt about the learning process. And to top it off, he is a fellow Buckeye!
2017-12-0437 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement82-Class Clown MangagementMany teachers cringe when they hear “humor in the classroom” because it brings to mind the class clown--the scourge of serious learning. First of all, I want to note that not all class clowns are problematic. Some kids are just delightfully funny and have skills to use their humor without harm or disruption. However, there are class clowns that seem to be “the scourge” because teachers just do not know how to deal with them. In the past, many class clowns faced frightening consequences. (Back in the day, they probably took the brunt of the corporal punishment meted out at the prin...
2017-11-1915 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement81-Make a Kid Feel Great...Give them a Verbal Praise Coupon...Starring Catherine Cook and Audrey JusticeJust the other day...I was cruising down the hallway at my school and I landed on the business end of 3 outstanding compliments in the span of about 5 minutes. These compliments were totally unsolicited and really hit the spot! I felt an adrenaline rush for the remainder of the day as a result. I'll bet you've experienced an unexpected compliment, or two. Didn't you feel like it was Christmas morning?Unfortunately, many are reluctant to praise their fellow man. What a pity. Don't just think, Wow...my buddy is looking really fit. Tell them! They probably need to...
2017-11-1314 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement80-The Powerful Sarcasm Lesson PlanOne fine day in my little education world...I witnessed the negative power of sarcasm. I was hanging with a colleague who became frustrated with a student's lack of effort. The young man did not have his assignment. Instead of asking the kid...What happened?Were you unclear on instructions?Tell me what's up.Let me help.my teacher comrade responded to the news of the student's lack of preparation with sarcasm, "Wow...that's really going to prepare you to compete in the global economy!" This volley was well received by the rest...
2017-11-0715 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement79-Inspire your Kids to Embrace the 6 Degrees of Separation...Starring Russell DoupRussell Doup is my nephew. Russell Doup is a 25-year-old stockbroker and former Ohio State football player. Russell Doup is living with his uncle...yours truly...while he builds his client base. Consequently, we hang out a lot. About a month ago, we watched The Founder the story of Ray Kroc who was the force behind McDonald's. We both loved the movie. Ray, played by Michael Keaton, was a champion networker. He used this skill to transform a small hamburger stand in California into a dominant multinational corporation. Russell is a 24/7 networker. We agreed that the movie was inspirational and...
2017-10-3119 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement78-DEINSTITUTIONALIZE your Classroom...Starring Casey Ewy, Heather Smith, Haley Smith, and Richard HancockOn a brilliant October afternoon a couple of decades ago, the fire alarm shattered the tranquility. Our school was experiencing a gas leak. The students and staff hurriedly spilled out of the building and marched on to the practice football field. We were told to stay put and wait till the all clear signal could be issued. You've probably experienced such situations...1,000 adolescents herded outside and told to wait patiently. It was bedlam!What I found so interesting was the reactions of the kids. They exited their institutionalized classrooms into a beautiful day and immediately came to life...
2017-10-2430 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement77-Flipgrid is a Powerful Little Tool that's a Blast...Starring Aharon RockwellWhen evaluating a new tech tool, I must be able to use it within 5 minutes...or I just bag it. If I can't figure it out by then, my students will be lost. I was conducting a PD session in Ft. Worth this past summer. A young lady called me over and said, "Have you heard of Flipgrid and if so, have you used it?" My answer was, No and no. I made a mental note to try it when the school year started, but I remember thinking...It has to pass my ease of use test. Last week was 8...
2017-10-1717 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement76-Quit Trying to Turn your Introverts into Extroverts...Starring Chrissy RomanoA number of years ago, I took the Myers & Briggs personality assessment. I was tabbed an ENFP. When I read the description of my type, I was thrilled. I thought, Yup that's me and I'm glad it's me. My enthusiasm, particularly for the E classification which stands for extrovert, was well-founded. Being an extrovert is the gold standard in America, particularly in our schools. As students, extroverts are the volunteers, the kids who make cheesy videos, the guys who march up to the homecoming queen and ask them out (my wife was a homecoming queen), and the students...
2017-10-1049 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement75-The National Anthem, Code Switching, and an EPIC Teachable Moment...Starring Marlena Gross-TaylorI became politically aware in 1968...my 7th year of existence. The world seemed on fire. The young Jimmy Sturtevant was busy being a kid, but events kept invading my innocence. In April of that year, Martin Luther King was assassinated. Just weeks later, Robert Kennedy suffered the same fate. The insanity of the Democratic convention in Chicago monopolized TV coverage, but what really captivated the young me was the Mexico City Olympic Games. I watched in wonder as one African-American athlete after another shattered world records in the high altitude of Central Mexico. One black American gold medal winner climbed...
2017-10-0253 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement74-Peergrade takes Student Collaboration to an Unprecedented Level...Starring David Kofoed Wind and Kristen SpaydeI like to think that I have a wonderful rapport with my students. And yet…I’m still their teacher which is a significant barrier. I also have 40 years on my kids. To them, I’m someone who has a lot more yesterdays than tomorrows. My observations on their lives, while I hope respected and valued, does not carry the weight of a peer.Just 4 sentences into this intro, the wonderful word peer makes its grand entrance. Peer acceptance, peer constructive criticism, peer praise, and peer collaboration are the powerful fuels that ignite and propel the outstanding education tool c...
2017-09-2625 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement73-Impose the 15-Word Gauntlet on your Students...Starring Arielle Brown and Ashlynn Hathawayf you've taught for any time what so ever, you've probably suffered through painfully boring student presentations. And if you were bored, think of the other students. Let’s strive to make such presentations are:More attractiveMore engagingLess time-consumingMore interactiveIn order to create such presentations, your kids must first run the gauntlet.According to various sources, fifteen to twenty words is the average sentence length. That seemed long, till I actually wrote a sentence:When I was in high school, I would have laughed uproariously
2017-09-1916 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement72-A Harvard MBA Inspires Educators to Reach out to People...Just Like Him...Starring Brent WilkinsonAbout a decade ago, I attended the Mt. Vernon High School Class of 1981 Reunion. It was a lot of fun for a while, but as the night wore on, my ability to follow and contribute to stories that were unfamiliar with people I didn't know, became problematic. My wife was having a blast and was certainly entitled to uncompromised nostalgic bliss, so I had to step-up my social game.Penny, fortunately introduced me to an old friend...Brent Wilkinson. The next 90 minutes simply evaporated. Brent is a fascinating guy with a wonderful Horatio Alger story. He left Mt...
2017-09-1246 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement71-Issue the Nonverbal Communication Challenge to your KidsIt's hard to believe, but humans communicated before there were words. We may not realize it, but we still use pre-verbal methods of communicating. There's an entire language that we unknowingly transmit with each interaction...it's nonverbal! It comes naturally to us. All we have to do is tune in to an ancient frequency. Think of when you're trying to communicate with someone who can't speak your language. You default to expressive arm gestures and facial expressions. You probably also do this when communicating to your four legged pal. Dogs are champs at reading nonverbals.As teachers, students...
2017-09-0518 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement70-Don't Just have Kids Read About a Place...SEND THEM THERE...Starring Quin ThomasPicture this...you're studying really cool places like Machu Picchu, Tiananmen Square, the Coliseum, the Taj Mahal, or Timbuktu. Instead of just yakking about it, or having students reading about it, tell kids to hop on their Chromebooks, fly around the world, and then drop in for a close-up view from ground level. In this episode, Quin Thomas will explain how to do just that with Google Maps.
2017-08-2923 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement69-Rebel Against the Bell...Starring Melissa MaxsonKids are just starting to get it, they’re finally opening up in a discussion, they’re finding great resources for a research paper, they’re starting to harmonize in choir, their sculptures are just beginning to take shape, their findings in a science experiment are just about to materialize and then the bell rings.This frequently happens to Melissa Maxson’s devoted art students. You know you’ve engaged kids when they say, “Dang, I can’t believe the period is over.” Melissa hears this daily.In this episode, hear Melissa's solution to her frustrations with the uniform...
2017-08-2316 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement68-BattleVant and SturteVingo...Two Zero Tech Ways to Engage KidsA great way to engage students is to just have some fun with content. Accomplish this by mimicking two iconic American board games...Battleship and Bingo. Certainly, most of your kids have played, or at least are familiar with both. I reworked both games for my classroom. Of course, I renamed them Battlevant and Sturtevingo. I encourage you to create your own labels for your version of these activities.Any time there’s material you’d like to review, Sturtevingo and Battlevant are wonderful engaging options that can be employed frequently. Battlevant is a team game. I’ll demons...
2017-08-1612 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement67-Context is Key to Engagement...let ReadWriteThink HelpI teach history. Even as a boy, I was a history nerd. Recently, I was enjoying the company of friends at a party. My buddies all have college degrees and are successful in their chosen professions. A historical topic surfaced. I decided to conduct a little wine-inspired experiment. I just listened to them pontificate about a subject I knew a lot about. This is generally not my disposition when vino veritas is factored in. What took place was fascinating. While my friends had a working understanding of the topic, their background chronology was out of whack which, of course, did...
2017-08-0912 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement66-Hacking Engagement Again...THE SEQUELWhen I wrote Hacking Engagement, I was amazed that fifty hacks flowed out of my fingertips and compressed the keys of my laptop. Fifty seemed like a marathon, however, those hacks systematically materialized. When I typed the last period of the last sentence, I thought, Wow. that was a lot of hacks. I need a break. But here I am again...back with 50 more engagement hacks. Hacking Engagement Again is just like its predecessor Hacking Engagement: Both are short, containing a little over 30,000 words apiece. Both are comprised of fifty hacks that are each about 600 words in length...
2017-08-0238 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement65-Matthew Porricelli Preaches the Gospel of Student-Led Learning and his 4th Grade Disciples Back him 1000%Matthew Porricelli is a 4th grade teacher at the Mamaroneck Avenue School just outside of Manhattan. In this marvelous episode, we learn about Mr. P's classroom from expert witnesses...his students. These kids are a joy to listen to and the things they describe should be standard operating procedure in every classroom regardless of the level. Mr. P's class sounds like a dream, but what really moved me, was the way these young folks responded to their teacher. It's apparent that there's a bottomless mutual affection. This episode is golden for it's outstanding suggestions on pedagogy, but there's something more...
2017-07-2625 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement64-The Learning Scientists have a Vaccine for Test AnxietyThe Learning Scientist are researchers determined to help teachers build academic confidence in their students. They do this by offering proven strategies to help kids achieve. Here is the team:Remarkably, they provide all of this free free advice via a comprehensive and powerful resource, which is their website. In this episode, I’ll discuss with Dr. Smith and Dr. Kupper-Tetzel:How the Learning Scientists came to beHow to utilize their tremendous website2 of their 6 strategiesLet the Learning Scientists help you help your kids build academic confidence.
2017-07-1841 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement63-Collaborating with Students is an Essential 21st-Century Skill...let Ann Coates Help you do itIf one were to make a list of essential educator skills for the 21st-Century, certainly...collaborating with students would be near the top. This episode features a collaboration expert. Ann Coates is a veteran high school teacher in Hanover, Massachusetts. Ann is all about giving timely and meaningful feedback to kids. She states that instant feedback is, where the actions is!Utilize some of Ann's outstanding suggestions and observe your relationships with students evolve as your collaboration with them blossoms. As our education system navigates to a more student-led learning template, student-teacher collaboration will no longer be a...
2017-07-1219 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement62-Engage with me about Engagement on the #HackLearning Twitter ChatOn Sunday morning July 9th, from 8:30 to 9:00 AM EST, I will moderate the #HackLearning Twitter Chat. This is in preparation for the release of my second engagement book "Hacking Engagement Again", which will be available in early August. Please participate! Here are the questions:8:37-Q1: How do you engage students with lesson hooks?8:45-Q2: What are some strategies that can make lessons ultra-engaging?8:52-Q3: How can the assessment of student learning be conducted in a way that engages learners?Even if you're not available to participate, check out #HackLearning after the fact and see...
2017-07-0603 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement61-2 6th Graders from OKC Evaluate Their Teacher's Lesson...Starring Jon Belt, Jordan Flowers, and Conner OdomJon Belt teaches 6th grade at Mayfield Middle School in Oklahoma City. Jordan Flowers and Conner Odom are 2 students in Jon's class. This episode is about Jon introducing learning stations in a lesson. The stations mirror the READS method which Jon details in the episode. Introducing movement and structure to class is something all educators should strive for weekly. This episode is worthy for its promotion of this concept, but as I interviewed this empathetic educator and his wonderful young students, another even more powerful dynamic surfaced. Jon Belt has fostered a learning environment where students feel totally comfortable helping...
2017-07-0523 min
James Sturtevant Hacking Engagement60-Morph your Kids into Photojouranalists...Starring Alexandra LangCertainly, you’ve heard the old cliché A picture is worth a thousand words. I did some research on this statement and was delighted to learn that prior to photography, individuals used to say, A painting is worth a thousand words. Images, whether captured or manufactured, are powerful. I cannot remember that last Tweet I sent that was imageless. Social media is fueled by compelling images. We need to capitalize on this natural human attraction.Here are five iconic images from American history:1. The painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware2. The WWI Uncle Sam rec...
2017-06-2118 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement59-Sometimes you Need to be the Sage on Stage...let Pear Deck HelpModern educators are discouraged from being the sage on stage. As the overused cliché goes..."Instead of being the sage on stage, be the guide on the side." I'm not a huge fan of this mantra. I understand the need for presentation styles to evolve, but sometimes you need to jump up in front of your kids and inspire them! Even though much of my instruction is flipped, it’s still important to present in front of students. While my kids enjoy my recordings, periodically I treat them to a live performance. A few years ago, my wife and I wat...
2017-06-1411 min
.NET Rocks!Azure Service Fabric and Microservices with James SturtevantAzure Service Fabric is here - should your application take advantage of it? Carl and Richard talk to James Sturtevant about his experiences moving applications into Azure Service Fabric. Yes, it is possible to "lift and shift" your application into Service Fabric via Guest Executables, but that doesn't mean you'll get much of the benefit that Service Fabric can provide. James talks about picking a feature in your application to peel off into a microservice, perhaps as an Azure Function or other serverless strategy - or even into a container! Instrumentation is a key aspect to understanding what...
2017-06-0847 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement58-Dishin' with the HyperDocs GirlsKelly Hilton, Lisa Highfill, and Sarah Landis are the co-creators of HyperDocs and authors of the HyperDocs Handbook. These ladies have designed a remarkable website providing teachers with digital lesson templates and plenty of sample HyperDocs. Aside from outstanding organization, the templates are beautiful, which should never be underestimated.I became aware of HyperDocs because of my mentor Kristen Kovak. Not long ago, Kristen waltzed into my room and challenged your humble narrator to start utilizing HyperDocs. In the short time that I've used them, HyperDocs have transformed my Google Classroom feed.
2017-06-0735 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement57-Escape Rooms Encourage Students to Sneak Out of your Class...Starring Kayla DeMuthKristen Macklin and Jason Manly are Escape Room Architects. Kristen is a District Media Specialist and Jason a District Instructional Facilitator. When I asked Kristen where she got the idea for student escape rooms, she answered quickly, “Our principal went to one with his kids and loved it. Then, Spanish teacher Jennifer Zimmer appeared and asked for an assessment idea. I did a little research, found an article about educational escape rooms, and then approached Jason Manly with the concept.” What happens next is magical!
2017-05-3114 min
House of #EdTechHacking Engagement with James SturtevantJames Sturtevant shares insight his latest book, Hacking Engagement. Support for this episode of House of #EdTech comes from: SummerPD.com - Use Promo code: HOUSEOFEDTECH Grammarly Audible.com Domain.com Listeners Like You! Become a Patron... Complete show notes: http://chrisnesi.com/78 ** SEGMENTS ** (2:40) Intro (5:02) House of #EdTech Thought - Look Up From Your Phone (10:45) House of #EdTech Recommendation - Library Extension for Chrome (12:28) Featured Content - James Sturtevant, author of Hacking Engagement (47:55) House of #EdTech VIP - Dr. Scott R. Rocco ** FEEDBACK ** Call: (732) 903-4869 Voxer: mrnesi Email: feedback@chrisnesi.com Twitter: @mrnesi Send a voice message from...
2017-01-2252 min
Developer On FireEpisode 199 | James Sturtevant - Masterminding Engagment
Guest:
James Sturtevant
@aspenwilder
Full show notes are at https://developeronfire.com/podcast/episode-199-james-sturtevant-masterminding-engagment
2017-01-1200 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement36-Students Caroline Gose and Simon Srisongkham Explain how to Build Student AllegianceWhen your students are asked to describe themselves....wouldn’t it be cool if they replied, “I’m a proud member of Mr. Sturtevant’s class!” Two awesome students Caroline Gose and Simon Srisongkham are going to explain why this is important and how you might create such a dynamic.
2016-12-2217 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement18-Lynne Sturtevant and the Great War on Yoga Pants (Don't get Buried Under an Avalanche of Spandex)A few years ago, our administration got all exercised over the yoga pants epidemic. I watched the battle unfold instead of participating in the combat. It was fascinating. The conservative forces of the status quo lost big-time! They got buried under an avalanche of spandex.If you listen to this episode and think, "Well, if we put those kids in uniforms that problem will be solved"...you're missing the larger point. Whether or not girls wear yoga pants to school is merely a manifestation of a larger phenomenon. When teachers battle against powerful social trends, they risk becoming...
2016-08-2521 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement16-Penny Sturtevant and Strategic QuestioningFor the past 30 years, Penny Sturtevant has been a science teacher, a guidance counselor, an assistant principal, a principal, and next year, she’ll work at the district level. Oh...she’s also my wife. Penny has observed her share of lessons. When I asked her about student engagement, she responded immediately, “QUESTIONS.” Quite simply, Penny believes that questioning students is an essential art that can be mastered with practice. In 500 BCE, asking students strategic questions was the foundation of Socrates' instruction. His pedagogy has been celebrated for 2500 years. Penny will help you harness this timeless and powerful educational tactic, not only...
2016-08-1118 min
Hack LearningHacking Engagement with James SturtevantAuthor James Sturtevant and I talk Hack Learning and student engagement.
2016-07-2933 minJames Sturtevant Hacking Engagement13-Nurturing Belonging with Todd FinleyIt’s wonderful to have a sense of belonging. When you ask students about their group allegiances, they’ll typically say things like:I’m a follower of a certain religionI’m a member of this familyI’m an AmericanI’m an OhioanI’m a member of a political partyI’m a Cleveland Cavs fanI’m a member of the softball teamI’m a certain genderI’m a fan of a certain type of musicI have a certain sexual identityI’m a fan of the...
2016-07-2829 min
Outstanding OhioansThe Outstanding Ohioans show, Episode 38, Interview with James SturtevantFor episode 38, I had the pleasure of interviewing James Sturtevant, a 31-Year Teacher extraordinaire at Big Walnut High School and Author of the book You've Gotta Connect: Building Relationships That Lead to Engaged Students, Productive Classrooms, and Higher Achievement. Mr. Sturtevant was referred to me by previous guest Jim Burson (Jim Burson Interview 1 & Interview 2. You will love his energy and commitment to serve his student.
Connect with the Outstanding Ohioans show on Facebook, Itunes, or Stitcher
James has been around great teachers his whole life. His father was a history teacher at Muskingum College (now Musk...
2015-10-2500 min
Angela Watson's Truth for TeachersS2EP05 James Sturtevant's Truth: How to build relationships with students through personal storiesHigh school teacher and author of "You've Gotta Connect" James Sturtevant shares practical, concrete ways he builds relationships with students in his social studies classroom. Listen as James helps you find ways to share YOUR stories and personal life in your classroom using a template he calls “Show and Tell."
2015-08-3012 min