The EDVERYTHING Podcast: For Everything Education

Teacher Observation season is upon us, and no matter your experience level in the classroom, the fact is, having another adult in the classroom can make even the most seasoned teachers feel a sense of nervousness.  In this episode, Danielle & Nicole discuss the aspects of teacher observations that often get overlooked: the pre-conference and post-conference. For many, these short meetings are seen as yet another check on the to-do list that holds little to no real value. Well, not for Danielle & Nicole who recognize this meeting as an opportunity to learn and progress as an educator. What you'll hear: Pre-conference See it as an opportunity to understand what the observer/school values Give context for how this lesson fits into the overall unit—but also try to highlight how this reflects what you do in your classroom Just like an interview, be prepared to ask what you want feedback on—and choose it carefully Post observation Consider how you are taking the feedback Will this person be doing your next observation?  What takeaways do you have knowing your observer?

For many of us, making our students feel seen and heard is a major priority. After all, we want them to feel valued and to know what they have to offer matters. While it may be easy for ourselves, as the educator in the front of the room, to recognize what we bring to the table inside the classroom, when we leave that environment and enter the supersaturated, competitive space that is Instagram for Teachers, we may find ourselves feeling a bit lost in a sea of seemingly similar voices. How can we find our specialty and deliver our message to those we connect with? Alissa, a teacher turned visibility coach, is ready to share just what it takes to turn that desire into a reality. Alissa is self-taught at finding traction on social, but she approaches it from a business perspective first, given her own background as a small business owner. A once local business owner with her sister, Alissa taught herself the ins and outs of marketing for small businesses, and others started seeking her out so they could follow the same strategy. Nowadays, Alissa is applying this same framework to help fellow teachers grow their side hustle online, helping them with the element they need the most improvement with : getting visible. Links mentioned:  Alissa's website: https://alissamcdonald.com/ Alissa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teacherbynaptime/ Alissa's Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherhustle Alissa's Podcast:  https://alissamcdonald.com/category/podcast/

This week Danielle & Nicole debrief after Nicole's experience at Create & Cultivate's first-ever Small Business Summit.  As blossoming small business owners ourselves, we're always seeking the opportunity to communicate, connect and learn alongside others especially in the presence of the greats (um, hellooo Marie Forleo!) Nicole took the opportunity to join 500 other small business owners on their journey. This all-day NYC event featured icons like Courtney Quinn, Arielle Loren, Puno Dostres, Lisa Price, Sophia Bush and Stacey London, and of course, Jaclyn Johnson.  In this episode, Danielle interviews Nicole on her experience at the Small Business Summit and how some of her key takeaways are relevant and applicable to the classroom, a growing small business, and beyond.   You'll hear some of the top content and advice from the experts mentioned above, but one key piece that Nicole walked away with is crafting a true "pitch". In the link below, you'll get a true tutorial of how to do this for your own platform.  Check out Puno Dostres' take on the ultimate pitch.  https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18069646789158033/

This week on the Edverything Podcast, we feature Stacey Ogden, the founder of @SideHustleTeachers. Stacey is a veteran music educator turned blogger turned podcaster, turned edupreneur coach. Stacey is an incredible example of owning her role as a teacher, but not allowing this to define every aspect of her life so that she can fully embrace her multiple passions and encourage others to do the same (and maybe make a little extra income along the way!)  Stacey created a free online community which allows her to deep dive with teachers who want to start a business as a way to stay busy over the summer, or want a different way to pursue their passions, or make a little extra income, or are looking to transition out of the classroom altogether. Stacey is so very present with her community to not only offer free resources, support, real-time feedback, but she offers a free 15-minute call with each new member to truly learn about how she can support and guide their transition to side-hustling.  Stacey’s goal is to help her clients become equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to run successful businesses, and boy, does she do it well.  In this episode, we hone in on some of the main reasons teachers hesitate committing fully to a side business, why we need to stop learning and start doing,  3 major questions to ask yourself before starting a side hustle, and how to avoid major pitfalls associated with the early stages of side businesses.  If you do anything after today’s episode, I hope it is to join @sidehustleteachers on Facebook. Did you know there are over 2,700 members?! Links mentioned:  Stacey's website:  http://side-hustle-teachers.com/ Stacey's Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/sidehustleteachers/

Welcoming those students who, for whatever reason, have joined your class late can be a real challenge. You want to help them adjust to the new class environment and community but may not have time to familiarize them with your classroom set up and the students there in the same way you could at the beginning of the year when everyone was in a new situation. In order to be ready and welcoming to students no matter when they join your classroom, here are some steps you can take to make the transition process as smooth as possible— for you and the students. The inspiration for this episode was months ago— I new student welcome kit was making the rounds on Pinterest—one mostly containing classroom supplies, which sparked its own debate. Recently, I’ve had a number of new students, and the issue has come up again. While it probably won’t be necessary to provide your students with supplies, having something ready and waiting to go and a plan for how to integrate them in the class will help make things easier for everyone involved. The New Student Welcome Packet: An actual welcome letter (a pseudo table of contents for the packet) Copy of the syllabus Copy of the classroom rules/policies/expectations (you probably have this hanging in your room) An overview of who you are (perhaps you by the numbers or something you usually hand out to get parents getting to know you) A student intake survey Log in information/how to create accounts for websites used All the handouts you have created to date that they will need for the midterm/final/etc. Schedule for when things need to be made up/turned in if needed How do you include them in class? Partner/group work that YOU assign

Teacher burnout is a real problem in education. Some of our guests have regained their passion for the field by changing grade levels or using their TpT store to spark renewed interest in education. Nicole Hoye, an elementary teacher in Canada, took a different path— but one that is sure to inspire others to similarly fall back in love with teaching.  In this episode, Nicole Hoye vulnerably discloses the exact emotions that she was feeling which led her to think that maybe she was no longer the teacher she would want her own child to have—and the wheels this revelation put in motion. Nicole decided to pursue an administrative path at her school, believing that too often teachers need more to be supported than they typically receive from leadership. But Nicole didn’t stop there. She turned a long-time dream into reality: publishing a children’s book.  With a teacher as the main character, the book itself and even the podcast episode serve as important reminders to help teachers keep perspective in this difficult profession and the realization that our students of any age are capable and aware of the unique strengths we bring to the classroom each and every day.  In this episode you’ll hear:  -How to transition from teacher to admin, whether working at the same school or in a new environment  -The biggest misconceptions around the role of admin in your school  -How writing a book could serve as another method of documenting your teaching journey  -The reason a picture book was created with the teacher as the main character  -Why you need to keep your why in mind  -What steps go into publishing a children’s book  Links mentioned:  Purchase Nicole’s book! Miss Claire Has Lost Her Flair https://www.amazon.com/dp/1513651625/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_GEiMDbE3AKYJN  Episode 30: A How-To Guide For Being A Good Mentor/Mentee   https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/mentor-mentee-relationships  Episode 29: Engaging Transformations: Inspiring Students And Teachers To Get Started With Kayla Dessert https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/engaging-transformations-kayla-dessert  Episode 25: Successfully Skipping A Grade: When To Move To A New Grade Level— And How To Do It Well With Heather Planchon https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/teacherchanginggradelevelheatherplanchon  Episode 22: Time, Tasks, & Trauma: Troubleshooting Common Teacher Stressors With Amanda Murtaugh, LMHP https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/time-tasks-trauma-troubleshooting-common-teacher-stressors-with-amanda-murtaugh-lmhp

Danielle & Nicole are here with a very special message from a very special guest. This week, we feature an expert on all things IT, technology in schools, classroom tech troubleshooting, and more. We were lucky enough to sit down with Mike, who is our in house technology guru, and more widely known as Danielle's husband!  We asked you responded. When we reached out to our Instagram community about some of their biggest technology flops, the responses came rolling in. We heard the bad and the ugly when it comes to unexpected technology fails, but we're here to remind you that we're all learning.   Today's episode features some of the most common technology-related questions, comments, complaints, and struggles; and it is well worth it to take out a pen and paper to jot down all that Mike has to offer. From keyboard shortcuts to simple troubleshooting tactics to strategies for anticipating tech errors, Mike is here to help. 

After celebrating their 1 year podcasting anniversary (!!!) Danielle & Nicole are here to share some of the not so comfortable parts of teaching - dealing with technical difficulties. While every teacher has had their fair share of tech-horror stories, more than half the battle is learning how to remain calm during these potentially stressful situations. Danielle and Nicole break-down some of the common technical difficulties they've experienced in their classrooms over the years and the ways they've learned to trouble-shoot and keep their cool.  In this episode you'll hear:  -Making sure students know how to use the tech especially before project submission time -How to manage varying classroom tech setups especially as a Traveling Teacher -How to differentiate between issues you can and cannot anticipate 

Danielle and Nicole are back with their 50th episode! Woo-hoo! And while we're excited to reach this benchmark, we're back to business discussing what it's like to be a teacher "on the move". Nicole has done her fair share of traveling between classrooms, and shares her 5 rules of thumb for making these classroom transitions as seamless as possible.  Rule of Thumb #1: Shoutout to our pal and fellow podcaster, Kelly Jackson @thesimiplyorganizedteacher for this quote; "Everything needs to have a home".  — organizational tools at home base and in teacher bag — backups of backups chargers, batteries, pens  Rule of Thumb #2: "Have a system"  - homework submission, classroom helpers, start and close procedures Rule of Thumb #3: "Spend the Time"  - stay late/go in early to set up for next day.  - No luxury of “game time decision” Rule of Thumb #4:  "Don’t Waver on Authority" - traveling doesn’t mean disorganized - own the space Rule of Thumb #5:  "Communication is Key"  - talk with neighboring teachers  - ask for help and your own permanent space in the classroom

While using holidays as a source of inspiration for lessons is a common practice in the lower grades, tackling a day as serious as 9/11 can yield important and productive teaching moments at the high school level.  While some may shy away from this topic, it is possible to incorporate a respectful and meaningful lesson on Sept. 11 that connects and enhances the curriculum for your subject area discipline. Why Discuss 9/11 in the Classroom 1| Nearly all students in k-12 education now were born after Sept. 11, 2001 and those that were alive were much too young to have first-hand memories of the event.  Without speaking about it directly in class, students will have little exposure to this significant cultural moment. History classes have a lot of area to cover, and few courses will make it to something as modern as 9/11.  Despite the fact that students will not have direct experience with it, the aftermath of that day is still very much a part of the political and cultural landscape even to this day. Given that students of this generation are being labeled Homelanders, it makes sense that they should know the origin intimately. 2| This provides an authentic opportunity to teach about primary sources in an accessible way.  Many courses are arranged chronologically, and while this makes sense, it means that dealing with primary sources presents an even greater challenge because the style in which these sources are written seem so archaic and the topics, too, are often completely foreign.  Primary sources about 9/11 will use language that seems much more familiar and the students will have a general knowledge about the events being referenced. Though outside of the typical order, students will buy into the fact that class is taking a break from typically scheduled lessons because it makes sense to cover it on the anniversary of the event itself, not realizing that you have additional motives for doing this. 3| While one might initially associate debates and 9/11 with politics and conspiracy theories, there are still other ways to use this topic to stimulate academic venturing into any overly loaded controversies.  Because this event has stimulated so much art, questions regarding ownership of the event and who has the right to use this as inspiration can stimulate real debate. Whether this event genuinely changed the landscape of art or literature or cultural more generally is also a real area for academic argument. How to Make a Lesson Centered on 9/11 Billy Collins’s “The Names” is a remarkable piece for students to examine.  After reading the short poem, students can watch Collins perform it with a photo tribute to the victims here. Take the lesson a step further with their suggested extension activity designed to make students consider when and how cultural divides form. Get this entire lesson to use with your English, Social Studies, Journalism, or History class here The memorial itself opened on the 10th anniversary and the museum opened in 2014.  Take the virtual tour and discuss what seems most impactful. Bonus Idea Leave it to the pros Find it all here.

New year, new me...well, sort of! Danielle & Nicole debrief after the Total Teacher Summit 2019 and share how watching more than 20+ talks put on by experts from around the world really changed their perspectives as the new school year approaches. In hearing talks that ranged from best practices for teacher self-care to automizing systems in your classroom to ultimately take less work home with you, it's safe to say that there were many major takeaways from this weekend.  If you'd like to gain access to these talks and get your hands on exclusive content provided by each of the incredible Total Teacher Summit speakers, head to https://the-total-teacher-summit.heysummit.com/  So, what exactly are Danielle & Nicole 'giving up' this school year?  Well, for Nicole, she's using elements from her talk on Teacher Perfectionism to reframe how she encounters inevitable challenges throughout the school year, personal relationships, and inner dialogue. Many of these changes were inspired by Amanda Murtaugh's quote "Don't compare someone else's month highlight reel with your average Tuesday".  Danielle is working hard to relieve some of the self-inflicted stress and pressure especially when it comes to trying to control her students' decision making. She's learning to walk away from her instinct to "recreate the wheel", and stop creating more unnecessary work for herself. 

Danielle & Nicole are here to discuss their favorite topic - virtual summits! Whether you're curious about the behind the scenes end of creating a the #totalteachersummit or you're seriously considering implementing a virtual summit in your classroom this school year, Danielle & Nicole are here to walk you through the "How-To" of virtual summit creation.  When you listen to episode 46 you know why a virtual classroom meet-up is worthwhile, and today we're building on that point, bringing you the how. In just 9 easy steps, we break down questions to ask yourself, factors to consider, and potential roadblocks to look out for.  Step 1: Pick a unit that makes sense to host as virtual summit What unit is so large in scope that you always feel like you just scratch the surface with how you traditionally cover it? (Nothing comes to mind? In episode #18, we talked about how to teach topics you can’t stand— this very well might be one of them) Step 2: Select what students will be responsible for in terms of creating the virtual summit.  Think outside just the presentation itself. Student autonomy is key!  Name of Summit.  You have the general topic/concept, but let students choose a name for more ownership and creativity. How can you make this happen— have students work in small groups to come up with their name and a pitch for why.  Step 3: Craft a corresponding rubric or rubrics to use for each of the requirements students must meet Identify Common Core Standards you are looking to address What you’ll probably want included for this rubric or to have separate rubrics for: Presentation— creativity, accuracy, understanding audience Networking/Engagement—how do they interact with others “in chat.”  The quality and quantity of what is said, how it is said The “extras”— do students need to create a corresponding PowerPoint for their talk? Do they need to create a virtual or physical thumbnail display of their talk Step 4:  Decide what technology you need to use to make this happen.  When will students be viewing the presentations? How will they give their feedback? Step 5: Determine how to model the concept and any related technology in your classroom Don’t assume students know how to use a particular piece of technology.  Time will probably need to be built in for students to learn this.  Do students need to edit their videos? Upload them?  These small logistics are things that can cause a lot of problems come the due date if you don’t plan for it as students are unlikely to know what they don’t know Step 6: Get students HYPED Step 7: Decide what students will need extra support with to create their virtual summit and select how much class time to devote to it Step 8: How can the summit live on/be shared with others? Grab our bulletin board print outs and utilize QR codes Use Class Dojo to share with parents Step 9: Reflection to help you iterate Build in time for you and your students to reflect on the project, stay organized, student growth and ownership, make it even smoother next time or for next year

You know that you need to make your students give presentations. Being able to present is a lifeskill they need to have and it may even be part of your Common Core Standards. But oral presentations might inspire you with just as much dread as your students. Whether you are filled with trepidation knowing how anxiety-ridden some of your students will get at at the thought of standing in front of the class, exasperation at the monotonous subject matter that too often fills the speeches, or downright resentment as you watch the rest of the class tuning out the speaker from their desk, pleased to do the bare minimum as they skate by for the class period, oral presentations seem like a stale vestige of what education looks like.  In this episode, Danielle and Nicole discuss how reframing the traditional oral presentation as a virtual summit breathes new life into this tired assignment. Though virtual summits are only now gaining traction in the online education and entrepreneurship communities, we think they have incredible potential for the classroom setting as well. From having students practice soft skills to increased critical thinking and options for demonstrating that they truly know their audience, we dig into why we believe that a class-wide virtual summit would be a great addition to your the projects your planning for your students this upcoming school year. In this episode, you’ll hear: -How the typical oral presentations have the same pitfalls as essays -How to save class time by using making use of the Flipped Classroom concept  -How using “Chat” makes for a more authentic way and engaging way for the “viewers” to participate -How student ownership and virtual summits go hand in hand Links mentioned The Total Teacher Summit! Get your free ticket

We're back again to discuss our favorite topic...virtual summits! As you likely already know, the Total Teacher Summit is our all virtual, all free teacher conference chock full of 20+ presenters over 2 days covering 10+ categories! Today we're diving deeper into how to get the most out of attending any virtual summit, regardless of the subject area or topic.  Here are some key pieces to keep in mind:  Register and mark it in your calendar.  We will also send you reminder emails about the talks/topics you said you were interested in!  Tell others about it so you can attend with friends.  #TotalTeacherSummit is the hashtag to use! Consider having a watch party with one or two of your #teacherbesties Follow the speakers that you are interested in—tell them you are excited about hearing their talk! Fill out your virtual name tag and post it to start making connections with other attendees Get your free goodie bag via email Grab the freebie offered from the speaker -This should help you get even more out of the presentation  Join the private FB group for the event! Close those other tabs -You tell your students multitasking doesn’t work so don’t be that person  Take notes (and post those too!) Get in the chat and ask questions.  -LiveChat Tell others in the private FB group how you plan to use the new strategy! You are far more likely to make it happen  Don’t let it end when the conference ends! Stay connected with those that you’ve met and the presenters you’ve been introduced to and consider registering for the All Access Pass so you can listen again when you need it most and score some incredible extras in our bundle or exclusives/exclusive deals 

We tackled many of the most common questions we’ve gotten in this episode of the EDverything Podcast, but we wanted to include some of those answers— and more— right here as well!  -Where is the summit taking place? Online.  Completely online.  No hotel stay or plane ticket required! Enjoy all the summit has to offer from the comfort of your own home! -I’ve never attended a virtual summit before.  If the summit is all online, do I need a webcam to be an attendee? Absolutely not!  While you will get to see our faces as hosts and the faces of most of our presenters, you do not need to appear on camera in any way.  Go ahead and attend in those pajamas if that is whatever makes you most comfortable! -If the summit is all online, is there a way to connect with other attendees? There sure is! We know that one of the biggest motivations behind attending a conference is networking. We are have a private Facebook group where you can connect with all those like-minded educators! All attendees will get invited to the group via email right before the summit begins on Aug. 24th. If you want to go a step further, consider hosting a few of your closest teacher friends for a viewing party! Have everyone bring a dish, binge some amazing PD, and share a pic of the watch party on social using the hashtag #TotalTeacherSummit -Do I have to watch all of the presentations? Nope! You know what you need. Check out the talks that interest you! All attendees, including those who have registered for free, can watch every single talk if they so choose the weekend of Aug. 24-25th! -Is this summit only for a specific grade level or discipline? Our presenters are from a range of subjects and grade levels and the vast majority of the talks are designed in a way to be applicable no matter what age group or subject matter is your specialty. -This sounds great…so why is it free to attend? We are truly passionate about the idea of professional development, which is why we started our weekly podcast last year. We think outstanding PD is possible and should be readily available. We know that our fellow educators are some of our greatest resources, and we are so pleased to be able to offer these deserving educators a platform to share their talents, transforming teachers and classrooms around the country and around the world as a result. -I love the mission of the summit! How can I support the summit? We designed this summit to bring together like-minded individuals, and we truly appreciate your eagerness to give back. There are a few different ways: -Help spread the word about the summit. Post about it to your social media channels so other like-minded teachers can find their way to this summit as well! Tag a friend or two (or 30) on Instagram. Retweet what comes in your registration email and follow us in both places. -If you love the summit, we know you’ll enjoy our podcast as well. Subscribe to the EDverything podcast to receive even more free PD on a weekly basis, and if you like what you hear, leave us a review or rate the show. -Shop Brands We ❤️! Planning to do a little back to school shopping anyway? If you do your online shopping at one of the stores listed here, we will receive a small affiliate commission for any purchase you make by clicking through our link at no additional cost to you.