Shows
Exploring the Core PodcastCore Principles of Standards-Based GradingGuest in this episode: Laura J. Link, Ed.D., is an Assistant Professor of Teaching & Leadership and Director of the Master of Science in Teaching & Leadership program at the University of North Dakota. She holds a doctorate in Leadership & Policy Studies from the University of Memphis, and her research focuses on developing and supporting highly effective leaders and organizational cultures that prioritize effective grading practices, collaboration, and meaningful assessment. She is the co-author of Cornerstones of Strong Schools: Practices for Purposeful Leadership (with J. Zoul, 2007), and author of Leadership in Grading Reform in What We Know About G...2022-10-2225 minExploring the Core PodcastAdopting and Adapting Standards-Based GradingGuest in this episode: Anna May Drake (B.A./M.S.) is a high school English teacher with nearly two decades of full-time teaching experience. She currently teaches International Baccalaureate classes at the International School of Panama and works as a remote online content editor for a national magazine in the U.S. Anna is fascinated with instructional design and inquiry-based learning strategies, and is always on a path toward continuous learning and self-improvement. Her most recent learning journey was to earn a professional development certificate in learner experience design through Oregon State University. AnnaMayDrake1@gmail.com 2022-08-291h 06Exploring the Core PodcastDeveloping Attributes with eduScrum in SchoolsGuest in this episode: Allen Gunderson is an educator and visitor in L'KWUNGEN & W'SANEC traditional territories who is involved with schools, youth, and sustainability issues. Through a Green MBA in Sustainable Enterprise, BA in Asian Studies, Bachelor of Education, Certified eduScrum Trainer, Advanced Systems Thinking Facilitator, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he brings a unique perspective and passion towards cultivating holistic student-centred education systems, helping youth discover their greatness as they learn to create a better world. He measures success through action and celebrating failures. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Life is an experiment”, let’s treat...2022-08-2925 minExploring the Core PodcastAgile Mindset in Schools and OrganizationsGuest in this episode: Emmanuel Ponchon, graduate in English Philology and trilingual translation from the Université Catholique de l’Ouest (France). Throughout his professional career, he has lived in various countries, accumulating extensive teaching experience, and has subsequently worked as a language teacher and Effective Communication trainer in companies both in Madrid and in Asturias (Spain), where he was director of the Summer Course for 9 years. From 2018 to 2020 he was the Director of Lifelong Learning and Project Department at the Padre Ossó Faculty in Oviedo, Spain.From his main professional point of view, what stands out t...2022-08-2933 minExploring the Core PodcastAction Research and Professional Development in the UAEGuest in this episode: Dr. Conley Hathorn is a professor of education at Louisiana State University of Alexandria. He has spent thirty six years teaching and coaching as well as administration and management of school activities. For the past 7 years he served as an education consultant for companies restructuring education in the United Arab Emirates. His greatest strengths are in his ability to develop strong work relationships with his colleagues/stakeholders and to communicate effectively in a professional setting. You can reach Dr. Hathorn at chathorn@lsua.edu *Music: Greg MullenNow...2022-08-2932 minExploring the Core PodcastProject-Based and Self-Directed LearningGuest in this episode: SJ Barakony is an American small business champion with a boundless appreciation for people, entrepreneurship, liberty, & lifelong learning. He has ties to multiple business ventures: He started the Education Sherpa in late 2011; over the next 11 years, he's been offered a number of opportunities to partner with others, including the H7 Network, Econ Impact Catalyst, The Entrepreneurial Leap, Bee Konnected, and Web Strategy + / Social Media Enthusiasts. He's a thought leader, futurist, guest blogger, super-connector, speaker, historian, and soft skills specialist. You can reach SJ at sj@sbsl.education, theeducationsherpa.com or on Li...2022-08-2948 min
Allison Loves Math PodcastA Standards-Based Approach to Social-Emotional LearningToday, I interview Greg Mullen, a CA credentialed K-8 teacher, host of the Exploring the Core Podcast, and author of Creating a Self-Directed Learning Environment about how to teach both social-emotional learning skills and standards to our math students. Greg covers: - What standards are at their core and why they are important - What social-emotional learning skills are and how they bolster student success in math - The nuanced difference between teaching students math and teaching them how to learn math - Practical tips to embed social-emotional learning into your math class to make for a more empowering learning experi...2021-06-2228 minExploring the Core Podcast"Moving Forward" (S2,EP9)In this episode:I celebrate the work of two educators who are each consulting a vision for empowering schools to adopt and adapt a more flexible teaching and learning environment, one focusing on co-constructing learning ecosystems via UDL that benefit teachers as well as their students, the other focusing on an approach to UDL that utilizes an Agile/Scrum perspective.Guest in this episode: - Fanny Passeport, Educator & Education Consultant, NoBordersLearning.com (Tarn, France)- Heather Cowap, Educator & Education Consultant, SciEdScrumming.com (Lincoln, MA, USA)*Music: Greg Mullen2021-06-0528 minExploring the Core Podcast"Personality Traits" (S2,EP8)In this episode:I make a case for the Five Factor Model of personality traits being at the core of my framework for who we are and how we learn. I also share segments of my conversation with Heather Abreu, a teacher and parent who shares her thoughts on personality traits, the value of introspection, and the importance of meeting students where they're at, with a vision for student-first change to our education system.Guest in this episode: - Heather Abreu, Teacher and Parent (Denver, CO) *Music: Greg MullenNo...2021-05-2928 minExploring the Core Podcast"Changes in Behaviors" (S2,EP7)In this episode:I share conversations with Doni Iraheta, a behavior analyst who talks about his approach for addressing challenging behaviors in children, and Dr. Anton Tolman, a professor of psychology at Utah Valley University, who talks about behavior change from his perspective as a clinical psychologist as well as a research professor working with models of behavior change that actually have strong connections to what we call a Growth Mindset, which is very popular concept in education. Guests in this episode: - Doni Iraheta, Behavior Therapist (Southern California)- Dr. An...2021-05-2246 minExploring the Core Podcast"A Social Emotional Approach" (S2,EP6)In this episode:I share my conversation with Liz Keable, student success coach and social psychologist, with a focus on a social and emotional approach to learning which I argue is key to understanding who we are and how we learn. Guests in this episode: - Liz Keable, Success Coach & Social Psychologist (Greater Norwich, UK)*Music: Greg Mullen*Pre-Production Advisors: Will Slocum and Alma Jongewaard. Now streaming on most podcast platforms. Podcast Link: https://exploring-the-core-podcast.simplecast.com/#ExploringTheCore #SelfDirectedSchooling
2021-05-1542 minExploring the Core Podcast"Values in Education, Part 2" (S2,EP5)In this episode:I continue my presentation on Values - what they are, and how we perceive them in a learning environment, specifically exploring the value of Trust, as a third value in an essential layer of my framework for understanding who we are and how we learn. Guests in this episode: - Doug Thompson, DPT Candidate (Azusa, CA) - Allison Dillard, Author, Podcast Host, Math Professor (Irvine, CA) *Music: Greg Mullen*Pre-Production Advisors: Will Slocum and Alma Jongewaard. Now streaming on most podcast platforms. P...2021-05-0834 minExploring the Core Podcast"Values in Education, Part 1" (S2,EP4)In this episode:I present Values - what they are, and how we perceive them in a learning environment,specifically exploring two values, Responsibility and Respect, as two values in an essential layer of my framework for understanding who we are and how we learn. Guests in this episode: - Amanda Presutto, School Teacher (Santa Ana, CA)- Brian Morris, Learning Support Teacher (Tokyo, Japan)*Music: Greg Mullen*Pre-Production Advisors: Will Slocum and Alma Jongewaard. Now streaming on most podcast platforms. Podcast Link: http...2021-05-0132 minExploring the Core Podcast"Elements of a Learning Environment" (S2,E3)In this episode:I present the elements of a learning environment which represent a critical layer to understanding who we are and how we learn.Guests in this episode: - Cassi Clausen, Founder @ The Open School (Santa Ana, CA) openschooloc.com- Megan Grieco, Lead Mentor @ PETALS Learning Community (Topanga, CA) petalslearningcommunity.org*Music: Greg Mullen*Pre-Production Advisors: Will Slocum and Alma Jongewaard. Now streaming on most podcast platforms. Podcast Link: https://exploring-the-core-podcast.simplecast.com/#ExploringTheCore #SelfDirectedSchooling
2021-04-2436 minExploring the Core Podcast"School is Optional" (S2,E2)In this episode:I present the anatomy of a belief and highlight leaders with strong beliefs toward self-directed learning. Guests in this episode: - Ken Danford, co-founder @ North Star: Self-Directed Learning for Teens (Sunderland, MA) northstarteens.org- Alexis Burgess, co-founder @ Alcove Self-Directed Learning Cooperative (Los Angeles, CA) alcoveteens.org*Music: Greg Mullen*Pre-Production Advisors: Will Slocum and Alma Jongewaard. Now streaming on most podcast platforms. Podcast Link: https://exploring-the-core-podcast.simplecast.com/#ExploringTheCore #SelfDirectedSchooling
2021-04-1738 min
Exploring the Core Podcast"Self-Directed Schooling" (S2,E1)In this episode:I present the phrase "Self-Directed Schooling" and highlight leaders in education that are connecting self-directed learning with conventional schooling. Guests in this episode: - David Levis, Principal @ Meraki High (Fair Oaks, CA) sanjuan.edu- Catherine Gobron, Co-Founder @ Lighthouse (Holyoke, MA) lighthouseholyoke.org*Music: Greg Mullen*Pre-Production Advisors: Will Slocum and Alma Jongewaard. Now streaming on most podcast platforms. Podcast Link: https://exploring-the-core-podcast.simplecast.com/#ExploringTheCore #SelfDirectedSchooling
2021-04-1034 min
Exploring the Core PodcastSeason Two IntroductionIn this episode:Host Greg Mullen introduces the ideas and and topics behind the second season of The Exploring the Core Podcast. Guests in Season Two include: - David Levis, Principal @ Meraki High (Fair Oaks, CA)- Catherine Gobron, Co-Founder @ Lighthouse (Holyoke, MA)- Ken Danford, Co-Founder @ North Star SDL (Sunderland, MA)- Alexis Burgess, Co-Founder @ Alcove SDL (Los Angeles, CA)- Megan Grieco, Lead Mentor @ PETALS (Topanga, CA)- Cassi Clausen, Founder @ The Open School (Santa Ana, CA)- Amanda Presutto...2021-04-0308 minExploring the Core PodcastA Self-Directed Learning EnvironmentPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode transcripts available at www.ExploringTheCore.comEpisode Release Date: January 27, 2020"Mullen: For me, the last decade of teaching has created a lot of great memories, single moments, snippits of random days where a student did or said something that really struck me, made me think about what I’m doing as a teacher, what they were doing as a student, and what we were all really trying to do together in that classroom." - Greg Mullen"Wh...2020-01-2742 minExploring the Core PodcastAcademic & Behavioral InclusionPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode transcripts available at www.ExploringTheCore.comEpisode Release Date: December 20, 2019"This social and emotional approach to identifying a student’s strengths allows me to highlight which competencies I will need to incorporate into my classroom management." - Greg Mullen"The need for an inclusive classroom environment, in my opinion, begins with a developmental mindset that looks at how each individual student is developing..." - Greg Mullen"[A Developmental Mindset] is an awareness that a cl...2020-01-2033 minExploring the Core PodcastChanging the SystemPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode transcripts available at www.ExploringTheCore.comEpisode Release Date: January 13, 2020"Change can get pretty complicated and at times quite uncomfortable so an organized framework can be very helpful." - Greg Mullen"What I mean is, when challenges arise from changes to a system, even though a role may be contractually defined by a general set of expectations, boundaries and responsibilities often overlap." - Greg Mullen"As more schools embark on this evolution of system...2020-01-1434 minExploring the Core PodcastGaming the SystemPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode transcripts available at www.ExploringTheCore.comEpisode Release Date: January 6, 2020"[Grades] They’ve become the bills and coins for buying passage to the next grade level, participation in sports, extracurricular activities, even college admission." - Greg Mullen"The amount of work that a student must go through for such an explanation of an academic concept is like a three-dollar price tag for something that a student is likely used to getting for one-dollar down the street."...2020-01-0632 minExploring the Core PodcastSelecting an SEL ProgramPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode transcripts available at www.ExploringTheCore.comEpisode Release Date: December 30, 2019"In a previous episode, I spoke to the development of SEL and the competencies created by CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. In this episode, I’d like to build on what we know and dive into SEL programs available to schools today." - Greg Mullen"This in-depth study explores 15 SEL programs, comparing them with 12 practical elements, and (the best part) does not cl...2019-12-3034 minExploring the Core PodcastA Standards-Based ApproachPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode transcripts available at www.ExploringTheCore.comEpisode Release Date: December 22, 2019Mullen: "This first step being introduced in this episode is part of a larger shift that we must recognize as more than just a grading policy. This standards-based approach will change the way we address what skills, which plans, how we motivate, and create the incentives involved in teaching and learning."Mullen: "This kind of skill alignment across grade levels will improve instruction and assessment of...2019-12-2239 minExploring the Core PodcastA Century of SELPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode Release Date: December 10, 2019What makes social-emotional learning so important in today’s schools - haven’t we always addressed the social and emotional development in students? It’s this kind of question I get from parents and educators more often than I’d like to admit, but the answer is buried in the historical development of cognitive and psychological theories in the last century. "I begin this historical briefing at the start of the 20th century.""Consider...2019-12-1836 minExploring the Core PodcastAcademic StandardsPodcast and Episode Copyright 2019 Exploring the Core LLC* www.ExploringTheCore.com * #ExploringTheCore *Episode transcripts available at www.ExploringTheCore.com Episode Release Date: December 10, 2019"Standards are tools, and like any other tool, they must be used with intention." - Greg Mullen"It's not that standards don't belong in classrooms. It's that the skills and knowledge included in academic standards likely already exist in those teachers’ classrooms." - Greg Mullen"Let me be clear: As I describe the value and importance of standards, it is imperative to note that wit...2019-12-1036 min