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Explore every episode of the podcast Vrain Waves: Teaching Conversations with Minds Shaping Education

Dive into the complete episode list for Vrain Waves: Teaching Conversations with Minds Shaping Education. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Plan to Prepare & Prepare to Plan13 nov. 202600:47:14

Looking to reduce some of your cognitive load? The key is in the planning! Tune in as we chat with Brett Benson, a middle school teacher and the creator of our favorite Substack, Sol in the Wild. When you shift your energy into the most intentional planning possible, your instructional cognitive load is free to respond more genuinely, assess more accurately, and, most importantly, shift the workload to your students. This might be one of our most important episodes, so get ready to dig deep into your lesson plans!

SoL in the Wild

Brett Benson

Suzannah Evans

Shane Saeed 

Building life skills builds community!23 oct. 202600:58:02

Following up on our episode with Cornelius Minor, tune in to hear how two incredible SVVS educators, Matt Bado and Dave Elchoness, not only build community in their classrooms but also create relationships that last a lifetime. They’re teaching more than just content; they're modeling LIFE SKILLS, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. Saying, “I care about you as a whole person - not just a math student or a junior who happens to be here this semester”, says I care about the adult that you’ll eventually become. THAT is truly the definition of creating community in your classroom. 

@delchoness

@MBado_svvsd

@suzannahevans2

@drshanesaeed

What's Your Classroom Story?11 sept. 202600:58:25

Drumroll please...here comes Season 9 of Vrain Waves! We are so fortunate to have educational giant, speaker, and author Cornelius Minor returning to the show. Education is a story; your classroom is the setting, and we write the narrative of our classroom culture; it's not created accidentally. Tune in as we engage in a beautiful conversational story about how we ensure ALL our students feel successful in our care. 

The Minor Collective

We Got This

@SuzannahEvans2

@drshanesaeed

Stronger Learning at All Ages!15 mai 202600:53:10

Wrapping up Season 8 with three outstanding St. Vrain educators who continually seek to refine their practice. We don't need to redo everything every year! Small, intentional shifts in language, error-analysis protocols, and reflection make a huge difference in these classrooms. All of which directly translates to inspiring students to own their learning and stay curious. Smart teaching, stronger learning at all ages!

@SuzannahEvans2

@drshanesaeed

Pooja K. Agarwal

Smart Teaching, Stronger Learning!24 avr. 202600:46:40

We can't say enough about the collective efficacy that contributed to this incredible book, Smart Teaching Stronger Learning, but more importantly, the collective efficacy that is built when we incorporate science of learning practices. Our biggest takeaway: Don't be intimidated by these concepts! They are actually "bite-sized adjustments" you can make that will result in powerful shifts for your teaching and for your students' learning. Let's leverage what we're already doing in the classroom, intentionally name the practices, explain why they will build long-term memory, and implement these practices routinely! Stronger Learning, here we come!

@SuzannahEvans2

@Drshanesaeed

Pooja K. Agarwal

Smart Teaching Stronger Learning

STSL Media Kit

Janell Blunt

Shana Carpenter

Roberta Ekuni

Lisa Fazio

Cynthia Nebel

Steven Pan

Michelle Rivers

Lisa Son

Kripa Sundar

Veronica Yan

Berklee College of Music: Dancing w The Stars

ETHOS behind the AI20 mars 202600:26:03

We are highlighting our incredible St. Vrain Valley AI team in this episode, and their work over the last three years has resulted in an Ethical, Transparent, Human-centered, Opportunity-focused, and Safe AI framework. Keeping people, not tools, at the center of this work is the priority, and let's ask ourselves, "Will AI help our students grow, or just get it done?" "Is it a value-add and elevation of the content, or just an unnecessary extra step?" Tune in for some thoughtful conversation around our AI work and how we keep grounded in the ever-changing world of education and technology!

@Suzannahevans2

@drshanesaeed

@matthewjmoulton

@MissGroskin

@mrkelsall

ETHOS: A Responsible Approach for AI in Education

Exploration AI: Beyond the Algorithm

AI: I can, but should I?20 févr. 202600:44:23

Tune in for one of our most important episodes with educator, author, and speaker Matt Miller. Facing an ever-changing educational system requires putting on our "Tomorrow Glasses", along with a healthy dose of optimism and skepticism. While we can leverage AI and technology to create engagement and lighten some of our workload, it's sound, fundamental pedagogy that's still the foundation for how we serve our students best. So as we plan our lessons, let's ask ourselves, "I can use technology, but should I?

Matt Miller

Suzannah Evans

Shane Saeed

Scaffolding in the Classroom; rooted in empathy30 janv. 202600:28:27

Tune into one of our favorite conversations ever with master teacher Wendy Schuller, who grounds her scaffolding principles in empathy for her students. What would I need as a 5th-grader in this moment?, How am I using my data to determine what my students need? and What is the endgame for pulling the scaffolding back? are her guiding questions on a daily basis. Observing, responding, and bridging for the win!

@SuzannahEvans2

@drshanesaeed

The Scaffolding Effect

The Scaffolding Effect: Hunting, not Fishing19 déc. 202500:40:08

Bringing 2025 to a close with one of our most important conversations! Tune in as we chat with educator-authors, Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb, on why we need to be hunters in our classrooms, searching for student understanding, instead of hoping and fishing for mastery. The Scaffolding Effect is one of the best professional development books we've ever read; truly scaffolding and chunking material down for all of us to understand. Happy year-end to all of our listeners!

Rachel Ball

Alex Fairlamb

Suzannah Evans

Shane Saeed

AI in the Classroom: Enhancement, Inspiration, & Reflection14 nov. 202500:41:02

The perfect follow-up to our episode last month with Dr. Catlin Tucker, three rockstar St. Vrain Valley educators give us a peek into how they're using AI as an enhancement tool, as inspiration and a thought-partner for students, a coach for themselves, and the ultimate brainstorming generator. Tune in to get inspired yourself and start to embrace our new AI reality!

@SuzannahEvans2

@drshanesaeed

@Catlin_Tucker

@AckermanSVVSD

Exploration AI: Conversations Beyond the Algorithm

Season 8 is here! Leverage and Lean into AI!03 oct. 202500:30:14

Welcome back to Season 8! Dr. Catlin Tucker is back on the show, talking with us about how we can leverage AI to be a thought partner. How can we thoughtfully design learning pathways, lean into AI for the pieces that have traditionally taken up our time, and be more available for human connection? Tune in as we discuss UDL, sustainable practices, elevating our teaching, and always, always, ensuring our students leave the classroom with agency and motivation!

@Catlin_Tucker

@SuzannahEvans2

@drshanesaeed

Elevating Educational Design with AI

The Shift to Student-Led

CatlinTucker.com

Refine, Refresh, Relate!09 mai 202500:43:44

We're wrapping up Season 7 with two master St. Vrain teachers, Joylynn Boardman and Brian Huey, who continue to refine their practice, create relevant learning experiences, and champion their students! No matter how long we've been in education, adapting, tweaking, and reflecting are the keys to sustaining student engagement. But the most crucial piece for ALL students is, of course, inspiring them to believe they CAN succeed. Tune in for one of our favorite conversations this year and have a great summer!

@SuzannahEvans2

@Drshanesaeed

Scaffolding, Mastery, and Self-Image25 avr. 202500:27:40

Tune in as we chat with Professor Dan Willingham about his flow chart for independence, mastery in education, and building up the self-image of our students. Check out his book, Outsmart Your Brain, for strategies to combat learned helplessness, understanding what it takes to achieve true mastery, and how crucial it is to help our students reframe their personal narrative about academics.

Dan Willingham

Flow Chart for Independence

Outsmart Your Brain

Suzannah Evans

Shane Saeed

Teaching to the whole student28 févr. 202500:27:38

It's time to connect the Physical and the Education in the classroom. Nothing is in a silo in our world. We are teaching the whole student, so connecting mind and body in our instruction benefits everyone. Incorporating movement in our classrooms creates engagement and builds attention, which helps content stick. Tune in as we chat with two @SVVSD physical education teachers who also teach academic content and how they see these two important worlds complementing each other.

@SuzannahEvans2

@DrShaneSaeed

Sound Body, Sound Mind!31 janv. 202500:43:38

Welcome to 2025! The month of January is famous for starting new physical activity routines and we can't emphasize enough how important it is to move in the classroom too! "Movement snacks" as @DrJulianReed describes them are not only crucial for a sound body but also translate to increased academic performance. Tune in as we talk about the benefits of understanding the basics of brain science, focus, and stimulation all related to physical activity. While you're listening, move your body!

activedinc.com

@DrJulianReed

@SuzannahEvans2

@DrShaneSaeed

Holy Cats! Learning Progressions01 janv. 202500:20:50

Looking to build agency and standards mastery in your classroom? Then look no further than learning progressions! Tune in as we say goodbye to 2024 and chat with our very own @BennerBrainiacs. She motivates her students to self-assess on standards, visualize their goals more clearly, and achieve true mastery using learning progressions in her classroom.

@SuzannahEvans2

@Drshanesaeed

@BennerBraniacs

Learning Progression Template

Learning Targets PD

Self Assessment 1 through 615 nov. 202400:30:04

Inspiring students to self-assess and start working independently doesn't have to be complicated! Not only are students becoming aware of what they need and advocating for themselves, but also engaging in some beautiful metacognition. Another added benefit? All that independence and efficacy actually leads to higher-quality collaborative work! Tune in as we chat with Marcus Luther from The Broken Copier about his 1 through 6 rating system and how this simple strategy has created efficacy and independence in his classroom.

Self-Assessment 1-6

@MarcusLuther6

@SuzannahEvans2

@drshanesaeed

What's Your Lead Domino?18 oct. 202400:49:19

Happy October to our Vrain Waves listeners! The perfect follow-up to our first episode with Brandon Slade is our conversation with these two rockstar St. Vrain educators, secondary special education teacher, Sarah Patton, and elementary counselor, Mike Laurent. Tune in as we talk about go-to strategies for not just students with needs, but the whole student body. We can't say it enough...what's essential for some is good for all and that includes us adults, too. It's not too late in the year to put some simple routines in place that will pay out huge dividends in your classrooms. What will be the lead domino that you set up tomorrow?!

Setting Up for Success in Season 7!30 août 202400:52:20

Welcome to Season 7 of Vrain Waves! We are kicking off with what we all need at the start of the year. Setting up for success means explicitly unpacking directions and expectations for all students, especially those with executive functioning deficits. Tune in as we chat with Brandon Slade from Untapped Learning and let's all be reminded that what's essential for some, is good for all!

UntappedLearning.com

Untapped Learning YouTube channel

@UntappedSlade

@SuzannahEvans2

@drshanesaeed

Reframing Assessment in Action31 mai 202401:03:42

Wrapping up Season 6 with two rockstar teachers who show us what it looks like to reframe Assessment in the classroom. The key to engaging students is not tricky; it's building intrinsic motivation through authentic assessment and grading practices! Tune in as our very own Sam LaFever and Gideon Matchey unpack how they use explicit assessment strategies to develop mastery and shift the cognitive load to their students!

@SuzannahEvans2

@Saeed_shane

@gideonmatchey

@gideonmatcheycomposer

Learning Pit - James Nottingham

SVVSD Math

Assessment as Evidence of Success10 mai 202400:29:43

What are some ways we can reframe assessment? How can we shift toward seeing assessment as evidence of success rather than a "gotcha"? Tune in as Hacking Student Motivation author Tyler Rablin speaks to creating multiple opportunities for students to grow and learn over time. Let's stop focusing on mistakes and start focusing on trends in our classrooms! Spoiler Alert: Student motivation is built by giving them more than one attempt and celebrating both what they know now and have yet to learn!

Hacking Student Motivation

@Mr_Rablin

TylerRablin.com

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

@avivalevin

Shift the Epicenter!19 avr. 202400:33:12

March Madness and the solar eclipse might be over but the excitement of Spring continues! Tune in to hear from our very own @missluker as she speaks to shifting the epicenter of learning, replicating yourself, and creating more powerful feedback loops. How do we do this & still ensure quality instruction? Blended Learning! Dive in, build your students' agency, your own agency, the collective efficacy, and honor what it means to be a learner!

@SuzannahEvans2

@Saeed_Shane

@missluker

@Catlin_Tucker

Small Shifts for Big Impact01 mars 202400:37:02

Tune in for our conversation with Dr. Scott McLeod about his 4 Shifts Protocol and how these shifts can help teachers engage in reflection, apply deeper learning principles, and build student agency in their classrooms. As we learn and grow as educators, the 4 Shifts Protocol is intended "to get at some specific, concrete ‘think abouts’ and ‘look fors’ that can help educators dialogue around what they might change." Continuous refinement for the win!

https://twitter.com/SuzannahEvans2

https://twitter.com/saeed_shane

https://twitter.com/mcleod

https://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/resources/4-shifts-protocol

https://www.amazon.com/Shift-Student-Led-Reimagining-Classroom-Workflows/dp/1948334526

Find an Open Door!02 févr. 202400:36:15

If the instructional door you chose to open isn't working, find a different door! We can hold high expectations for our students AND meet them where they are at the same time! Tune in as our second married teaching couple, Ken and Kendra Versoi, drop amazing and tangible strategies for effective facilitation (hint, hint it starts with Relationships).

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

Necessary Conditions, Geoff Krall

Building Thinking Classrooms, Peter Liljedahl

Necessary Condition: Learning TOGETHER22 déc. 202300:32:58

Gifting our listeners with all things Geoff Krall! Author of one of our favorite books, Necessary Conditions: Teaching Secondary Math with Academic Safety, Quality Tasks, and Effective Facilitation, Geoff speaks to creating academic safety, moving from an emphasis on speed to thoughtfulness, and the power of letting go. But if you're not a math teacher, never fear! There is something for ALL teachers here....tune in and take a beat! Let's learn TOGETHER!

@geoffkrall

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

Learning Party, Part 2: All Ages Welcome!01 déc. 202300:26:23

Think that the Science of Learning practices are only for older students? Not true! The learning party invitation can and should be extended to all grades, Kindergarten through 12th. Tune in to our first mini-wave episode of Season 6 to hear how master (and married) St. Vrain Valley teachers, Arianne Tasker and Adam Wellington, incorporate the Science of Learning in their 1st-grade and high school classrooms. It's simpler than you think!

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

@Arianne_Re

@AWellington83

@PatriceBain1

@RetrieveLearn

@KateJones_teach

How Do I Learn

Learning is a party; make sure to invite your students!13 oct. 202300:40:10

Why did we all become teachers? Chances are, it's because we love to learn. How can we create and inspire that same love for learning in our students? By magic? No, not with magic at all, but with science. The science of learning allows students to internalize their successes, invest in the outcomes, and get in the driver's seat! Learning is a party; make sure to invite your students, is the mission statement. Embedding these practices in your classroom will be the game changer for you as an educator, and the game changer for your students on their road to becoming lifelong learners.

Powerful Teaching

Make It Stick

Retrieval Practice.org

Initium

Feedback Part 2: So Nice, We Had to Do It Twice!23 juin 202300:40:45

Feedback is too important to only talk about once! We return to one of our favorite topics with two of our own St. Vrain Valley teachers, @HeatherLea303 and @Janis Vogelsberg, to hear how they model feedback in their classrooms, give explicit instruction around the tricky peer feedback loop, and inspire students to shift away from the external motivation of grades and instead use feedback for intrinsic continuous improvement. Tip for Success: Your students should be giving you feedback too!

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/3-2-1-strategy/

https://twitter.com/markbarnes19/status/579628870611111936?lang=en

http://www.makinglearningvisibleresources.org/ladder-of-feedback-see-supporting-learning-in-groups-in-the-classroom.html

Feedback is Nourishment09 juin 202300:34:14

"Feedback is not a luxury, it's a necessity; not a means to an end, but an end in itself. It's the purpose of why we teach." If these aren't mic-drop quotes for you, we need to talk! Or you need to for sure read this duo's latest work, Feedback for Continous Improvement in the Classroom. Listen in as we talk all things feedback with Brent Duckor and Carrie Holmberg. You'll hear how they emphasize the respect we give students by creating these opportunities for dialogue as learning and honoring what students already bring to the classroom. And you lucky listeners also get a 25% promo code when you purchase their book directly from Corwin.

@CarrieHolmberg

@BrentDuckor

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

Classrooms, Community, and Collective Efficacy!10 mars 202300:33:48

Our first mini-wave goes straight to the source...2 classroom teachers right here in St. Vrain! Join us as Altona Middle School's Cleveland Smith and Westview Middle School's Danny Hernandez talk classroom connections, relationships, and building collective efficacy.

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

@WestviewSVVSD

@AltonaMS

We Love It Here!03 févr. 202300:32:11

We Love It Here! Yep, we sure do! Shane and I are loving being behind the mic with Vrain Waves and in this episode, we chat with Clint Pulver, the Undercover Millennial, whose book, I Love It Here, is a must-read for anyone in the business world AND anyone in education.“No significant learning can ever happen without significant connection” is just one of our favorite takeaways and goosebump moments. Building on the last episode about creating a network and village for yourself as teachers, we will dig into how we can meaningfully and genuinely connect with our students in the classroom and in turn, connect them with their dreams!

https://twitter.com/vrainwaves

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vrain-waves-teaching-conversations-with-minds-shaping/id1365316994

https://twitter.com/suzannahevans2

https://twitter.com/saeed_shane

https://clintpulver.com/

New Year, New Hosts, New Vrain Waves!16 janv. 202300:27:47

The mic has officially been passed to us from Ben Kalb! With the re-launch of the podcast, we are celebrating all things NEW; new year, new students, and new teachers! Our goal is to create inspiration and empowerment for educators, so alongside the giants of education, new hosts Suzy Evans and Shane Saeed will also be talking with classroom educators and how they use these theories in their practice on a daily basis. Join us for our first episode of 2023 as we talk about the power of networking, creating your teaching village, and how connecting with other educators is the key to our collective success!

We reconnect with Ben Kalb, super-podcaster and the creator of Vrain Waves to ground us all in the original mission of the podcast. We also talk about how we plan to carry on with interviewing educational movers and shakers, but then add contributions from classroom educators as well.

Our first classroom guest is one of our own, St. Vrain Valley Schools 5th-grade teacher, Farah Holburn, who talks about how she connects with other teachers, creates a positive atmosphere in her building, and continues to be a lifelong learner.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vrain-waves-teaching-conversations-with-minds-shaping/id1365316994

@SuzannahEvans2

@saeed_shane

Grading for Equity with Joe Feldman26 févr. 202100:54:29

Episode 060: Grading for Equity with Joe Feldman

Connect with Joe Feldman

Website: https://crescendoedgroup.org/ | Twitter: @JoeCFeldman

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Lindsay Laporte Twitter: @LaPorteLindsay |Oakley Schilling Twitter: @OakleySchilling| Ben KalbTwitter: @mrkalb

Principal Kafele on Transformative Change23 nov. 202000:53:04

Episode 059: Principal Kafele on Transformative Change

Connect with Principal Kafele

Website: https://principalkafele.com/| Twitter: @principalkafele| YouTube: School Leadership Thoughts

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves |
Shane Saeed| Instagram: @fantasticallyfourth Twitter: @saeed_shane
Ben Kalb| Twitter: @mrkalb

Dr. John Spencer and the Sporky Food Truck09 nov. 202000:52:38

Episode 058: John Spencer and the Sporky Food Truck

Connect with John Spencer

Website: http://www.spencerauthor.com | Twitter: @spencerideas| YouTube: Spencer Videos

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Violet Twitter: @vhchristensen | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Violet hosts a podcast for instructional coaches called C3 (Connecting Coaches Cognition) and it can be found wherever you get your podcasts or here.

Dr. Katie Martin: Clarity and Purpose during a Pandemic26 oct. 202000:47:36

Katie Martin is a best selling author, an acclaimed keynote speaker, and a highly sought after educational consultant! Whether you are teaching completely in person, totally virtually, or in a hybrid environment, in this episode we discuss how you can thrive!

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Temple Hayles Guest Co-Host: @haylessvvsd| Ben Kalb: @mrkalb

Connect with Katie Martin

Twitter: @katiemartinedu | Website: katielmartin.com | Book: Learner-Centered Innovation

Apollo 13'ing it with Zaretta Hammond12 mai 202000:49:05

Connect with Zaretta Hammond

Twitter: @Ready4Rigor | Website: crtandthebrain.com | Book: Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

You're Not Listening with Kate Murphy19 avr. 202000:37:07

Connect with Kate Murphy

Website: https://www.nytimes.com/by/kate-murphy | Book: You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Coping with Covid: Catlin Tucker on teaching during a Quarantine23 mars 202000:53:09

Episode 054: Coping with Covid, with Catlin Tucker

As we all try to wrap our heads around the implications the pandemic will have on our students, our communities, our families, and ourselves, we hope to provide some comforting guidance from an expert in remote learning. Catlin Tucker, whose original Vrain Waves interview aired back in Season 2 about her book Power Up Blended Learning, joins us again for a Sunday discussion about how we can approach these changes to our instruction.

Connect with Catlin Tucker

Website: https://catlintucker.com | Twitter: @catlin_tucker | Most Recent Book: Balance with Blended Learning

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Ending Average with Todd Rose09 mars 202000:53:49

Episode 053: Ending Average with Todd Rose

Connect with Todd Rose

Website: https://toddrose.com | Twitter: @ltoddrose | Most Recent Book: Dark Horse

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Aligning Words and Intentions with Mike Anderson24 févr. 202000:59:26

Aligning Words and Intentions with Mike Anderson

Connect with Mike Anderson

Website: https://www.leadinggreatlearning.com/| Twitter: @balancedteacher | Most Recent Book: What We Say and How We Say it Matter

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

What We Say and How We Say It Matter

Live your Excellence with Jimmy Casas10 févr. 202000:54:19

Connect with Jimmy Casas

Website: https://jimmycasas.com/ | Twitter: @casas_jimmy | Most Recent Book: Culturize

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

  • Jimmy, Intro (00:32)
  • Live your Interview (03:18)
  • “The biggest problem facing public education today is ineffective leadership.” (06:05)
  • The importance of a strong culture (10:29)
    • Todd Whitaker: The worst behavior that we're willing to tolerate in our organization will become the culture of our organization.
    • Coaching for administrators (13:10)
    • Iowa Principal of the Year
  • Recognizing a toxic culture (15:39)
    • Processes, Systems, Frameworks
  • Being a lid (22:03)
  • Importance of Forgiveness (28:04)
  • Creating a strong classroom culture (31:10)
    • “What we model is what we get.”
  • Being a champion for students, families, and community (35:01)
  • Collegial feedback & Learning from Failure (40:20)
  • Optimism as a Leadership Style (50:00)
  • Learn more from / with Jimmy (53:14)
  • Wrap Up & Takeaways (54:28)
The Reshaping of the World with Thomas Friedman27 janv. 202000:36:07

Connect with Thomas Friedman

Website: www.thomaslfriedman.com | Twitter: @tomfriedman | Most Recent Book: Thank you for Being Late

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Bored and Brilliant with Manoush Zomorodi13 janv. 202000:32:51

Connect with Manoush Zomorodi

Website: www.manoushz.com | Twitter: @manoushz | Book: Bored and Brilliant

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Knowledge Party with Natalie Wexler09 déc. 201900:56:43

Episode 048: Knowledge Party with Natalie Wexler

Today on Vrain Waves we have an exciting and somewhat earth shaking interview from Natalie Wexler, education journalist and author of The Knowledge Gap. She walks us through the contributing research and education history that led her to write the book, and some strategies for schools to set the foundation for student success. From her website: “Education journalist Natalie Wexler focuses on two ideas that have solid evidence behind them but have been mostly overlooked by schools and reformers: immersing children from less-educated families in knowledge about the world, and linking that knowledge to writing instruction.”

Connect with Natalie Wexler

Website: nataliewexler.com | Twitter: @natwexler | Books: The Knowledge Gap, The Writing Revolution

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

  • Intro (00:58)
  • Natalie Wexler’s view on the Promise of Public Education (5:25)
    • Functioning democracy needs a citizenry that can understand events and how to edit and fact check the information that they’re exposed to
  • What is The Knowledge Gap (06:55)
    • We’ve treated reading like it’s a set of discrete skills while letting content knowledge take a back seat
    • Most important factor for successful reading comprehension: how much background knowledge and vocabulary you already have
  • The Baseball Study and reading comprehension (09:42)
  • 2 Parts of Reading: Decoding and Comprehension (11:27)
  • Whose knowledge? (16:13)
    • Common core history and content knowledge (18:32)
    • Supplemental materials language on content in common core
  • Underestimating student ability and having high expectations (22:10)
  • Student choice (24:13)
  • History of the role of content in reading instruction (28:35)
  • Alternatives to leveled groupings (31:08)
    • Listening comprehension exceeds reading comprehension
    • Written language is more complex than spoken language
  • The importance of exposing struggling readers to grade level texts (34:07)
  • The importance of facts and knowledge in the age of Google (36:42)
  • The Curse of Knowledge (38:19)
    • Doug Lemov: “Those of us on the privileged side of the knowledge gap have no idea how we got here.”
    • Importance of pre-assessment
  • Misinterpretation of Bloom’s Taxonomy (40:35)
    • Taxonomy, not a hierarchy
    • Skipping lower levels is not appropriate
    • Quote from the book: “That graphic has led many educators to conclude that the ‘lower-order’ tasks should be passed over as quickly as possible, or even eliminated, because they’re inferior to those at the top. In fact, Bloom meant that knowledge and comprehension are prerequisites for higher-order thinking, and that teachers should never ask students to start analyzing or evaluating a topic until first ensuring they have a solid understanding of it.”
  • The Writing Revolution (42:33)
  • Balance between free writing & content-based writing (47:40)
  • Role of the teacher in the modern classroom, PD (48:54)
    • Delivering curriculum instead of creating curriculum
    • Ongoing PD around content delivery, not skills in isolation
    • Provide information and then guide them through thinking about that information with opportunities for desirable difficulty
  • Closing & Take Aways (53:00)
    • NatalieWexler.com / Forbes.com contributor
    • Quote: “It’s not so much that particular bits of information are vital in and of themselves—although some certainly are. It’s more that people need to have enough facts in their heads to have what one commentator has called ‘a knowledge party’—a bunch of accumulated associations that will enable them to absorb, retain, and analyze new information. Education certainly shouldn’t end with facts. But if it doesn’t begin there, many students will never acquire the knowledge and analytical abilities they need to thrive both in school and in life.”

Other Resources as well as some relevant citations from The Knowledge Gap:

Teach Like an Advertiser with Dr. Lindsay Portnoy18 nov. 201900:48:09

Long May They Run

Phish podcast with Trey talking about practice

The Power of Joyful Teaching: A Compilation02 nov. 201900:45:39

Episode 048: The Power of Joyful Teaching

I know, I know - clips episodes seem overdone, but bear with us… in this show, we went through our interviews to this point and used Dr. Martin Seligman’s PERMA model for happiness to think through how we can be more joyful in our classrooms (and beyond). Links to all other shows can be found below!

Connect with Vrain Waves

Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Links & Show Notes

The Champions Mind with Dr. Jim Afremow21 oct. 201900:51:27

Episode 047: Dr. Jim Afremow - The Champion’s Mind
Sports psychologist Dr. Jim Afremow joins Vrain Waves to share the importance of cultivating a champion’s mindset in everything you do. There are plenty of parallels between sports and teaching and learning; some of these parallels are useful for thinking about your classroom or your collegial relationships in a different frame. Download the Champion’s Mind app to hear inspirational audio clips and motivate yourself for anything you’re trying to tackle in life! Enjoy!

Connect with Dr. Jim Afremow
Website: goldmedalmind.net | Twitter: @goldmedalmind | Books: The Champion’s Mind; The Champion’s Comeback; The Young Champion’s Mind

Connect with Vrain Waves
Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Links & Show Notes

  • Intro links
    • Space Jam the movie
    • Practice until you can’t get it wrong - Peyton Manning
    • Champions v. Contenders
    • “Part of this process requires us to maintain our eagerness to learn and grow, and to take well-trained, disciplined action to make solid change in our lives.”
  • What can we learn from athletes? (06:15)
  • What is a champion? (07:02)
    • Being vitally involved in life
  • Handling setbacks (07:52)
  • Greatest of All Time (09:54)
  • Arrogance v. Confidence (10:51)
    • Time to be humble (preparation phase) then confident (performance phase)
    • Ego edges greatness out
  • Self-talk (13:10)
    • Anxiety management
    • Butterflies - try to get them to fly in formation
  • Mental game / Physical game (15:15)
  • Visualization / Mental Imagery (16:02)
    • Big days or daily routines
    • Psych yourself up instead of psyching yourself out
  • Peak Performance Coordinator for the San Francisco Giants
  • Motivation (19:41)
    • Get into a great mood / frame of mind
    • Pick a predator to emulate
  • Good / Better / Best (21:50)
    • Great way to debrief: What went well? What could I have done better? How will I make those changes to help myself be best tomorrow?
    • Lebron & his son video
  • Deliberate Practice (24:23)
    • Process goals & outcome goals
    • Continuous improvement
    • Rest / Recovery / Regeneration - Don’t be lazy with your recovery
  • Meditation & breathing techniques (26:47)
  • Champions & their contract (27:33)
    • Dr. Afremow article about JJ Watt: "I think no matter what job you do, I don’t care what job it is, you want to outperform your contract. I feel like that’s how everybody should attack their job, at least. You should want people to think you’re underpaid because of how hard you work, because of how well you do your job, because of how you go about your business."
    • Importance of Gratitude
    • Sometimes we have to go against socialization to be our best selves
  • Team Sports & Teaching (29:44)
    • When we give ourselves to others, we get more in return.
    • A rising tide lifts all boats
  • On Twitter: @GoldMedalMind
  • Relationships (31:40)
    • Learn the learner; study the student - be vulnerable with students
  • Coach-Athlete Relationship (33:10)
    • Balance between challenge & support
  • Optimism (34:49)
  • Body Language (36:46)
  • Confidence, Concentration, Commitment, Composure (38:24)
    • “That’s like me” or “That’s not like me”
    • Negativity bias for survival
  • What are we doing that gets in our own way? (40:07)
    • “I know” list
    • Gift of failing & how to learn from it: I just learned something that didn’t work
  • 3 P’s: Present, Positivity, Process (43:17)
    • Let go of today & focus on the next thing
  • Mantras / Routines (44:44)
    • Mind over matter
    • Be like water
    • I love hills
    • Bruce Lee quote:
    • “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
  • Commonalities among people that surround champions (46:03)
  • The Champions Mind App
    • Use the app to build mental skills & strategies
  • Take Aways (48:32)
    • Cornelius Minor Vrain Waves episode
    • 3 questions for being a team player:
    • “Think about these three self-reflection questions regarding your role as a teammate: 1. What am I doing that is hurting my team (e.g., complaining, gossiping)? 2. What am I not doing that is hurting my team (e.g., cheering for my teammates, accepting my role on the team)? 3. What are the specific action steps I will take to be a better teammate moving forward (e.g., hustling on every play, being more vocal on the field)?”
    • PLC+ Vrain Waves episode
Dr. John Medina, Brain Rules07 oct. 201900:42:38

Episode 046: Dr. John Medina - Brain Rules
We’ve been waiting for years now for the chance to interview Dr. John Medina: Developmental Molecular Biologist, Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and author of Brain Rules, Brain Rules for Baby, Brain Rules for Aging Well, and Attack of the Teenage Brain, to name a few. Dr. Medina takes time out of his busy schedule to chat with us about Theory of Mind, stress and learning, and some history behind our fancy brains.

Connect with Dr. John Medina
Website: http://www.brainrules.net/ | Twitter: @BrainRulesBooks | Books: Brain Rules, Brain Rules for Baby, Brain Rules for Aging Well, Attack of the Teenage Brain

Connect with Vrain Waves
Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Links & Show Notes

  • Intro to Brain Rules Chapter Summaries (01:12)
  • Dr. Medina’s journey through career (05:53)
  • Drawing / Arts and the Brain (08:45)
    • Decentering behaviors are brain vitamins - can change the aging brain
  • Theory of Mind & Empathy (11:01)
    • Cognitive & affective empathy
    • Improving Theory of Mind - Read lots of literary fiction, journal about your feelings while you read
  • Teachers must be able to form accurate perceptions of students’ abilities (14:45)
    • When are you bewildering a student?
    • Book studies with faculty
  • Educational Ecology (16:35)
    • “Learning is primarily a relational enterprise.”
  • De-stressing the teacher / Theory of Mind takes an enormous amount of cognitive resource
  • Empathic distress (17:56)
  • Stress Study with Dogs (20:00)
  • Depression (23:41)
  • Executive Function (25:58)
    • Nature v. Nurture - boat analogy
    • Aerobic Exercise is a powerful way to improve executive function
    • Add a cognitive component = even bigger boost
    • Gym in the center of the school
    • Our brains evolved while we were walking 12 hours a day
  • Are cell phones hurting teenage brains? (29:46)
    • Longer you spend looking at screens, worse you are at interpreting social cues from other people’s faces and expressions, nonverbal skills
    • Recovered after 5 days
  • Multitasking and erosion of the attentional spotlight (33:04)
    • Inability to multitask when there are a lot of things to attend to creates stress / anxiety in the brain
  • One recommendation for teachers (36:48)
  • Take aways (38:33)
  • Mark Pearson, Libro.FM
Expertise in Education with Dr. Tom Nichols23 sept. 201900:43:52

Episode 045: Dr. Tom Nichols, Expertise in Education
Five-time Jeopardy! Champion, professor, and author Dr. Tom Nichols joins us on Vrain Waves to discuss the implications of his work on K12 education. We chat with Dr. Nichols about the importance of relying on experts, cultivating our own expertise, and the cognitive heuristics that get in our way. From his website: “Tom Nichols is a U.S. Naval War College University Professor, and an adjunct at the U.S. Air Force School of Strategic Force Studies and the Harvard Extension School. He is a specialist on Russian affairs, nuclear strategy, NATO issues, and a nationally-known commentator on U.S. politics and national security.” And he agreed to talk to us!! Ben and Becky! We are so excited to share his thoughts with you, our busy listeners - please share your thoughts on Twitter with the #MakeSomeVrainWaves or tweet us @VrainWaves with your favorite takeaways. Thanks for listening!

Connect with Dr. Tom Nichols
Website: Facebook: Death of Expertise | Twitter: @radiofreetom | Book: The Death of Expertise

Connect with Vrain Waves
Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Links & Show Notes

  • “Nothing builds up resistance to learning like constant praise.”
  • Dunning-Kreuger Effect (05:58)
  • Foreign Affairs Article from Dr. Nichols about his Ukraine example
  • Confirmation bias (08:57)
  • Desirability bias (09:17)
    Idea of omnicompetence (from Richard Hofstadter’s book: Anti-intellectualism in American Life) (10:02)
  • Original blog post before the book
  • We are a postmodern society (13:47)
  • “Expertise is necessarily exclusive.” / Inequality in expertise (18:02)
  • Is education the solution? (23:43)
  • Our responsibility to defer to expertise (30:10)
  • @RadioFreeTom on Twitter
    • Gentle correction from colleagues
    • Anecdata
  • We are inherently bad at statistics (36:03)
  • Our interest in learning is at an all-time low (37:30)
  • Dr. Nichols frequently writes for: USA Today / The Washington Post / The Atlantic
    Takeaways (41:01)
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