Explore every episode of the podcast Best Practices in Education
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science of Reading in the Classroom - Part 6 | 17 May 2024 | 00:16:51 | |
Part 6- Putting it All Together with Writing! In this series we have discussed all of the elements of learning to read and building comprehension through knowledge building. We put all this together in our writing! In this episode I am joined again by my team teacher, Rebekah Walker. You will learn how we teach students to write as they learn. Students start at the sentence level and end up writing 5 paragraph essays in first grade! | |||
| Science of Reading in the Classroom - Part 5 | 11 May 2024 | 00:08:54 | |
Part 5- Project Based Learning and Knowledge Building | |||
| Student Feedback in the HS Classroom | 11 Feb 2022 | 00:19:44 | |
Odyssey High math teacher, Grant Yost, reflects on why he prioritizes getting feedback from his students throughout the semester. He shares the strategies he uses to both elicit honest responses from students, as well as how to set clear boundaries about what feedback can and can't change about the classroom experience. | |||
| Settling and Energizing Students | 14 Jan 2022 | 00:27:39 | |
5th and 6th grade teacher, Kylie Hulver, talks about how to successfully settle and energize in the classroom. She uses silence and breath to support students in developing self-regulation. She uses energizers to teach skills that are translatable to content. Plug in to listen to the conversation she and guest host Elijah Allread share. | |||
| Partnerships: Bringing Community Support into the Classroom | 17 Dec 2021 | 00:16:52 | |
Teachers often report feeling unsupported and financially challenged when seeking opportunities for their students. First and second grade teacher, Barbi Brittain, shares how cultivating community support can bring new opportunities to the classroom. An outside-the-box thinker, Barbi encourages teachers to make strategic partnerships that empower students and also make parents and community members feel a part of something bigger. | |||
| Teacher as Trickster in the Classroom | 10 Dec 2021 | 00:21:40 | |
What does it mean to act in the role of teacher as (loving) antagonist? Intermediate Language Arts teacher Elijah Allred answers random questions offered by students. We laugh a lot. And we get into a deep conversation about how when teachers challenge their students, when they play the mischievous trickster, the developmental process gets rich and rewarding for our students. | |||
| Teaching Reading Comprehension in the Kindergarten Class | 12 Nov 2021 | 00:10:32 | |
Kindergarten teacher, Shirley Rotolo, talks about strategies to increase reading comprehension in students. She explores research based method from a practical standpoint, integrating Orton-Gillingham inspired practices with other strategies to get the best outcomes for her students. | |||
| The Wonders of Bird Watching | 05 Nov 2021 | 00:17:18 | |
High School Science Teacher Andrew Rabin encourages science teachers of all ages to engage their students in bird watching. An experiential activity that brings core elements of science alive, birdwatching is fun, challenging, rewarding, and can be done without a significant cost to the classroom. | |||
| Welcome to Season 3! Let's Talk Learning Paths | 15 Oct 2021 | 00:14:36 | |
Elementary Program Director Robin Skeen talks to us about creating learning paths in the classroom. We'll get a quick how to and learn some resources to get started. A bonus: these paths provide teachers with the opportunity to move smoothly between remote and on site learning! | |||
| Teaching a Life Cycle Analysis Project in High School Science | 17 Sep 2021 | 00:17:46 | |
Teaching students to become systems thinkers is a priority for high school scienc teacher, Andrew Rabin. In this episode, the last episode of Season Two, Andrew walks us through how to teach a life cycle analysis project in high school, what processes he uses, and what the value of this kind of project is. | |||
| Teaching Cultural Art | 10 Sep 2021 | 00:15:48 | |
Kindergarten teacher, Shirley Rotolo, uses cultural art to support her students in engaging their creativity and passion. She talks about ways to include cultural art during thematic units, creating pottery, visual art, and other 3-D sculptures to build curiosity about our diverse world. | |||
| Creating a Positive Learning Environment | 23 Jul 2021 | 00:15:44 | |
High School math teacher Grant Yost shares strategies for how to create a positive learning environment. He encourages fellow teachers to assess their own favorite learning spaces and make changes in the classroom with an eye toward calm, creativity, and connection. | |||
| Science of Reading in the Classroom - Part 4 | 03 May 2024 | 00:09:05 | |
Part 4- Comprehension Through Knowledge Building Curriculum with Equity in Mind!
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| Navigating the New "Normal" | 14 May 2021 | 00:26:27 | |
Speech Language Pathologist and Emotional Intelligence Teacher, Stacey Crowley, makes a case for harnessing the moment to rethink the role education plays in the mental fitness of students and educators. She ties the 21st century skills employers require to the SEL skills we teach students today. | |||
| Storytelling for Transformation | 22 Apr 2021 | 00:16:34 | |
Intermediate Program Director Kalyan Volpe shares how storytelling in the classroom builds relationship and promotes transformation. As a teacher who straddles the developmental divide between childhood and pre-teen and teen unfolding, Kalyan dives into the somewhat mystical process of supporting students through their individual journeys of becoming. | |||
| Finding Time through Self-Organization | 01 Apr 2021 | 00:13:48 | |
We ask teachers to do so much! In this episode, Intermediate teacher (5-8) and Director, Alex Eren, shares about the organizational systems that save time and energy. Learn to make your classroom more organized, and your processes sleek and sophisticated--in both the physical and electronic world! | |||
| Self-Regulation and Discerning Discipline | 17 Mar 2021 | 00:19:43 | |
Join us on the most recent episode of Best Practices in Education. Elementary Director Craig Deutsch returns to the podcast to share how he uses self-regulation as an energy management strategy in the elementary classroom. According to Craig, helping students do the work in metacognition and self-reflection can make your classroom happier and more well-regulated. Tune in to learn more! | |||
| Jump, Build, Shout: Multimodal Learning Strategies in the Mathematics Classroom | 05 Mar 2021 | 00:16:02 | |
Intermediate (5-7th) grade teacher, Kylie Hulver, shares her excitement in getting students to move their bodies and engage their spirits as part of the learning process. In Kylie's classroom, students jump, run, sing, or build lego creations to help them understand ratios and solve long division. We know learning engages a variety of intelligences. This episode can help you think about how to practice multimodal learning with students yourself. | |||
| Revising Curricular Expectations (in a Pandemic) | 05 Feb 2021 | 00:17:00 | |
This year has presented educators with unexpected challenges at every turn. Some of us are teaching online. Some of us are teaching hybrid, and some of us have been on-site for most of the year. High School Director Gabriel Johnson shares a process for revising curriculum when teachers aren't able to meet all their learning objectives. | |||
| Using Graphic Novels in the Classroom | 08 Jan 2021 | 00:15:59 | |
High School teacher Hadley Cluxton returns to the podcast to share how to successfully use graphic novels to reach students who learn through a variety of modalities. She offers an exhaustive list of resources, particularly for history teachers. | |||
| Guiding the Ship: School Administration Responsiveness in the Pandemic | 19 Dec 2020 | 00:14:30 | |
Executive Director Cory Adams talks about the preparation required to get the school ready to face the challenges of the pandemic. | |||
| Mastery Learning in the Classroom | 28 Nov 2020 | 00:17:46 | |
Season 2, Episode 2. 3rd and 4th grade teachers Robin Skeen and Carly Penny use a blended model to meet students where they are and challenge them to thoroughly understand, apply, and create by being metacognitive and resourceful. | |||
| Outdoor Learning in the Elementary during COVID-19 | 07 Nov 2020 | 00:15:50 | |
COVID-19 has changed the way teachers do everything! In this episode, 1st grade teacher Selma Neel shares what it's like for her elementary classroom to move outdoors as teachers and students adjust to (mostly) all-weather school. | |||
| Science of Reading in the Classroom - Part 3 | 26 Apr 2024 | 00:16:09 | |
Part 3- Phonics and Intervention with UFLI Every good science of reading program needs a strong phonics program that is explicit and systematic. It also requires intervention work. In this episode, we discuss how we use UFLI as a tool to teach phonics according to the science of reading and Orton-Gillingham methods. We also talk about how we use small group interventions to help support struggling readers. This episode will be helpful for anyone looking for ways to implement a high quality reading and phonics program! | |||
| Nuggets of Wisdom from Teaching during the Pandemic | 31 Oct 2020 | 00:16:37 | |
In the first episode of Season 2, teachers reflect on what they learned from teaching during the first days of the pandemic. Different voices tell unique stories and share insight. | |||
| Creating Connection in the Classroom | 22 May 2020 | 00:48:23 | |
When we need it most, this teaching conversation is all about how love keeps learning going. Whether it's falling in love with poetry or cultivating love, connection, and safety among students, Dr. Richard Chess of UNC-Asheville shares how he introduces students to literature and each other. | |||
| Using Online Games in the Virtual Classroom | 08 May 2020 | 00:17:24 | |
Students need novel ways to interact with screens as we move to remote learning. High School Director Gabe Johnson talks about using games in the virtual classroom, what kinds of students they engage, and who gets left out of the equation. | |||
| Experiential Learning | 25 Apr 2020 | 00:12:53 | |
Intermediate teacher Jenny Einzig talks about experiential learning in the classroom and how it can really bring students alive. | |||
| Teaching Partnerships | 10 Apr 2020 | 00:28:09 | |
Alex Eren and Kalyan Volpe, Intermediate teaching partners, talk about partnership. What does it take to have a strong partnership in the classroom? What does success look like? | |||
| School during a Global Pandemic | 05 Apr 2020 | 00:29:58 | |
Sound Designer River Guerguerian joins Executive Directors Cory Adams and Megan Martell in a remote interview to discuss how Odyssey is managing the transition to remote learning during the Coronavirus pandemic. | |||
| Make Connections and Get Inspired | 27 Mar 2020 | 00:07:40 | |
| Cooking with Emotional Intelligence | 14 Mar 2020 | 00:19:18 | |
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| Reading Aloud to Students | 07 Mar 2020 | 00:15:05 | |
Kindergarten Teacher Shirley Rotolo discusses the benefits of reading literature aloud in classrooms and at home to students through high school, offering title recommendations, and exploring her own relationship to literature as a multi-lingual educator. Support the show (http://odysseycommunity.org/giving-to-odyssey/) | |||
| Bringing Your Interests Into the Classroom | 29 Feb 2020 | 00:17:09 | |
First Grade teacher Craig Deutsch shares about how to bring your own interests into the classroom, using passion as a way to expand and connect with students. Teaching can be a demanding profession, and it's important for teachers to feel alive and excited about the material they teach. | |||
| Science of Reading in the Classroom - Part 2 | 19 Apr 2024 | 00:29:15 | |
In the second episode in our series on the Science of Reading we discuss assessment. Odyssey moved away from Fountas and Pinnell assessment and adopted Acadience this year! The difference has been amazing! Please enjoy listening to us explain why and how it works! Use this link to learn more about Acadience Learning. https://acadiencelearning.org/ | |||
| Experiential Team Building | 21 Feb 2020 | 00:16:00 | |
Odyssey High teacher JP Bowers talks about how to guide students and faculty through experiential team building. She considers how connection informs relationship and impacts learning in both obvious and subtle ways. | |||
| Decolonizing History | 14 Feb 2020 | 00:26:09 | |
High school social studies teacher Hadley Cluxton unpacks the complexities of teaching "histories" rather than "History" through a lens of decoloniality, pluriversality, and re-existence. She shares the theory behind this rebellious and vital perspective, defines these terms for those of us who are new to the conversation, and inspires us to embrace the conversation and the work to become better teachers. | |||
| Interpersonal Neurobiology and Early Childhood Education | 07 Feb 2020 | 00:20:31 | |
Preschool Director Courtney Fincher speaks to the developments in the fields of interpersonal neurobiology, attachment, and polyvagal theory. She explores how to implement the information we're learning in these areas within the context of early childhood education. | |||
| Solving Real World Problems | 31 Jan 2020 | 00:16:56 | |
Teacher Pana Columbus talks about using six action levels to solve real world problems. She talks about teaching systemic disruptive action to address climate change. | |||
| Using the Integral Model with High School Students | 24 Jan 2020 | 00:13:00 | |
High School Director Gabe Johnson gives an introduction to Communicative Action through the lens of the Integral Model. Along the way, he describes the AQAL, one of Integral's tools for navigating perspectives of consciousness. | |||
| Indigenous Wisdom in the Classroom | 17 Jan 2020 | 00:23:45 | |
Ta'rin'ii Isner, a 5th and 6th grade teacher, discusses her inspiration in teaching coming of age, the power of names, and cultivating a sense of purpose from indigenous Aboriginal and African cultures.
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| Podcasting with Students | 10 Jan 2020 | 00:16:40 | |
Carly Penny explains her design thinking process in developing a Podcasting Project with her third and fourth grade students. Hear strategies for deepening standards to create authentic learning in an interdisciplinary style that can be applicable all year long. | |||
| Doing Authentic Science with Students | 14 Dec 2019 | 00:15:43 | |
Science is not just what those people wearing white coats do in labs, and the scientific method isn't a linear process. What?! High school science teacher Andrew Rabin shares his process for exploring authentic science with students. | |||
| Permission for Self Care | 26 Nov 2019 | 00:12:25 | |
Middle school teacher, Alex Eren, talks about the practice of self-care and its importance to teachers. She offers strategies and tips about how to make self-care happen even in the briefest moments. | |||
| Learning Differences Expert Panels | 13 Nov 2019 | 00:17:51 | |
Selma Neel describes how she supports students with learning differences and their peers navigate the emotional and social experience of learning about their diagnoses. Through expert panels, students embrace the strengths that come with their differences and find support in working with the challenges. | |||
| Science of Reading in the Classroom - Part 1 | 05 Jan 2024 | 00:07:45 | |
Odyssey Elementary Director Robin Skeen takes on a six part series of the science of reading and how it can be applied in the classroom and beyond. Part 1 is an introduction and overview of the program. | |||
| Bias in the Math Classroom | 29 Oct 2019 | 00:16:08 | |
We all enter our classrooms with biases: teachers and students alike. Listen as high school math teacher Grant Yost explores different mental biases, specific strategies to bring metacognition into any classroom, and the benefits of shining light on some specific ways bias can hinder and reflection can bolster student learning in mathematics. | |||
| Immigration and Empathy in the Language Arts Classroom | 23 Oct 2019 | 00:21:06 | |
Middle School teacher Jenny Einzig is passionate about social justice. In this episode, we hear about her approach to teaching about immigration, navigating political issues in the classroom, and ultimately focusing on cultivating empathy and understanding through language arts. | |||
| Spirituality in Education | 11 Oct 2019 | 00:15:26 | |
In the current educational landscape, teachers sometimes struggle to name and address different experiential modes of being as pathways for learning. Intermediate teacher Kalyan Volpe talks about the role spirituality plays in holistic education, sharing specifics about what his students' exploration looks like in the classroom. | |||
| Magical Realism in Early Childhood | 02 Oct 2019 | 00:19:21 | |
Magical thinking is an important part of healthy development in young children. Mary Virginia Bunker does a deep dive into what defines magical thinking, how it manifests in the kindergarten classroom and beyond, and why it's so valuable for our students growth. | |||