Self-paced mastery-based learning has many misconceptions and misunderstandings about how it is being implemented. Today's guest, Joe Manfre, a math teacher from Hawaii, has been using this teaching method and has seen a positive improvement in his classroom in terms of student learning and empowerment. Joe clearly shares how self-paced learning is not about replacing the teacher with videos, but using instructional videos as a baseline of knowledge that can be accesssed both inside and outside the

Kinga-Curiosity Didn’t Kill This CatThe chapter delves into the author's struggles with identity and belonging stemming from cultural and linguistic differences as a child of immigrant parents. Despite excelling academically, she felt excluded and pressured to conform to societal expectations, leading to a sense of impostor syndrome.It highlights the conflict between the author's passion for human connection and societal pressures to pursue a traditional engineering career like her father. Despite

Felienne Hermans is a middle school teacher one day a week, and college professor four days a week. She created a natural language programming tool in Dutch and English. After she released Hedy as open source, it became popular in many places and now has been translated into 50 languages and is spreading throughout the world. Hedy is a fantastic way to teach computational thinking and programming in an easy text-based way as students create flowers, music, and their own programs with the tool. Named

Students can build apps and collaboration skills at the same time. Today's episode features my friend Alefiya Master, the CEO of MAD-Learn, and the sponsor of today's show. We discuss the transformative role of app-building, collaborative learning, design thinking, and the importance of authentic learning experiences. Alefiya shares how app building can enhance STEM education and how it also teaches essential skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and passion-based learning. If you're doing

In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Brian Page, a former Milken National Educator of the Year with 15 years of experience in the education field. Brian is the creator of the Homework Hacks Course, designed to equip students aged 13 to 20 with research-backed homework hacks and independent learning strategies. In this show, we dive into the essential homework hacks that every parent and student should know, focusing on developing lifelong learning skills, enhancing organizational

Every school has a vibe, a culture, a feeling. Sometimes the same school can have a different vibe at different times during the year. Today, Dr. Jim Van Allan shares powerful strategies to create a vibrant school environment that supports students, teachers, and the community alike. From inviting everyone on board to enjoying the journey, this episode will help us educators who want to help our school improve in a massive way that impacts everybody. Show notes, transcript, guest bio:

I hope today's show will provoke thought and thinking about what it means to relate to our students. Relationships may not be easily measurable but have a significant impact on student achievement. Today, for Though Leader Thursday, we are talking to Tom Hierck, 41-year educator, and author of 25 books. Tom shares how a sense of belonging is crucial for students' success and self-actualization. He gives suggestions for schools that help them frame school behavior and understand students' dreams,

How are you doing, educators? Are you stressed? While that can be typical, we also want to consider the habits that will help us teach long-term with a high quality of life. Today will be a refreshing encouragement for educators everywhere. Learn how to set boundaries, embrace self-care, and manage your mindset to transform stress into strength. This is a great show for teachers to see balance and encouragement so they can be their best in the classroom. Today, I interviewed Barb Flowers, an

In today's Tech Tuesday, I record my screen as I make a custom GPT to evaluate my student websites. This is being released as a podcast and as a YouTube video. First, I make the custom GPT and talk through how that happens. Then, I load it onto my phone and have students take pictures of their web pages and receive feedback on them. This is much faster than you think and is so very useful. When you listen, you'll see how AI can provide a valuable feedback mechanism for student projects, even those

Today, I interview Alex Kajitani, the 2009 California Teacher of the Year, and a Top-4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year and author of the book "You're a Teacher Now, What's Next?" In this podcast, we offer encouragement for new teachers and old alike with an emphasis on those in their first year of teaching and how it feels to be at this point in the school year. Alex emphasizes the importance of finding hope and perspective in teaching and shares how any teacher can start fresh at any

Curiosity might have killed the cat but it built business empires too.

In today's episode, we're celebrating World Compliment Day; I find myself reflecting on the profound impact that giving compliments can have—not just on the recipients but on us as givers. It's a journey of noticing the beauty in everyday interactions, whether the strength we see in others, like the resilience Johnny Cash found through June Carter's encouragement or the wisdom in Martin Luther King Jr.'s words about the power of love and strength. Giving a compliment isn't about grand gestures but

What is the Learning Pit metaphor? How can this illustration be used with students to help them learn? On today's episode, fifth-grade teacher James Nottingham from the UK explains how he uses this example with his students, discusses misconceptions, and how explaining to students how the learning process works helps them grow and be more successful. With insights that bridge the gap between theory and practice, James will shed light on how facing difficulties head-on can lead to profound

In this episode, we're diving deep into a crucial topic for every student but often overlooked in the curriculum: financial literacy. Brian Curcio joins us from Rapunzl, an organization dedicated to providing financial literacy resources for students and educators. If you've ever wondered how to prepare your students for the real-world challenges of budgeting, investing, and understanding debt, this episode is your roadmap to making money management an engaging and essential part of your teaching

As rapidly as notebook services are changing, it is so important that its worth the risk. Today, I'll share six apps for digital note-taking and my experiences with each of them. I'll also give you a peek at my first testing of Google NotebookLM. I'll also give you tips on creating a workflow that works for you. The apps I'm covering in today's "Tech Tool Tuesday" include Evernote, Notion, OneNote, LogSeek, Apple Notes, and Google Keep as well as Google NotebookLM. We all need to find a system that

Today we learn from an NBA player who admitted he was illiterate at age 32, learned to read, went back to college and eventually earned his master's degree. In this episode we dive into the extraordinary life of Dean Tolson, a man whose life changed from dribbling basketballs to championing education. At age 32, Dean went from the high-flying courts of professional basketball to the halls of academics, where he learned to read and achieved the unimaginable Master's degree.  Dean shares his inspiring

In a world where the mental health of our youth is becoming an increasingly pressing concern, Dr. Brian Smith's podcast couldn't come at a more critical time. His enlightening discussion on 'The Recipe for Student Well-Being' offers a beacon of hope, laying out a clear, actionable plan for schools eager to make a positive impact on their students' lives. But what exactly are these five essential ingredients for nurturing student well-being? From empowering educators with well-being skills to

In today’s show, Barbara Blackburn shares about the concept of rigor in education. We discuss how rigor is not about making things harder for students, but about setting high expectations and providing support to help students achieve those expectations. Barbara also explores specific examples of rigor in math, literature, writing, science, and history, emphasizing the importance of going beyond the text and providing evidence to demonstrate understanding.We, as teachers, can focus on the process of

In this episode, we tackle a topic that's often whispered in the hallways of schools everywhere with a mix of disdain and necessity: worksheets. I'll admit that I have often expressed my own dislike of worksheets, so much so that I rarely use them myself. Show notes and transcript: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e832 However, we can all take the worksheets we do have and transform them from mere busywork as we reimagine them into dynamic, engaging learning experiences. With Linda's background in

In this episode, Jesse Lubinsky, a former classroom teacher and education evangelist for Adobe, shares 10 awesome free ways that teachers can use Adobe Express in their classrooms. From using Animate from Audio to create animated reflections to using Text to Image to create generative AI art, Jesse provides practical tips and ideas for teachers to empower their students through creativity. Whether you're a seasoned Adobe user or new to the platform, this episode is packed with valuable insights and