Classroom Q And A

Reading and writing are synergistic when taught in tandem. Join us as we discuss instructional strategies for pairing the two. Follow on Twitter: @irina_mcgrath @michelleshory @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Author and Teacher, Laura Robb has written more than 25 books on literacy. She returns to the classroom for 3 to 4 months each year and has been awarded the 2016 Richard W. Halle Award by NCTE-- for outstanding Middle Level Educator. Irina V. McGrath, Ph.D. is a District Instructional Coach and Google Certified Trainer in Jefferson County Public School (JCPS), KY. She is also a co-director of the Louisville Writing Project (LWP) and the University of Louisville adjunct who teaches Literacy and ESL methods courses. Michelle Shory, Ed.S. is a District Instructional Coach and Google Certified Trainer in Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY. She is passionate about literacy and helped establish Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Louisville.

For years we were encouraged to be colorblind. As it turns out if we don’t see race we miss a whole constellation of things that are vital to teaching students. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @CindyGarciaTX @ashlm_12 Ashley McCall serves as a 3rd grade bilingual English/Language Arts teacher at César Chávez Multicultural Arts Center on the south west side of Chicago and serves as a teacher representative on the Chávez Local School Council. She works to incorporate social justice/civic engagement experiences and elevate student voice throughout the year as evidenced by her students’ recent culminating activism unit project “Say it Loud/Dilo Fuerte” which seeks to rewrite students’ neighborhood narrative. Cindy Garcia is a bilingual educator & Bil/ESL Math PK-6 District Instructional Specialist. Makeda Brome is an Assistant Principal at Fort Pierce Westwood Academy in Fort Pierce, Florida. This year is her first year as an Assistant Principal. Previously she was an Instructional Coach

Our guests say that connecting our classroom lessons to current events makes learning more relevant, engaging, and meaningful to students. Join us as we look at the dos and don’t s for effectively teaching with current events. Follow on Twitter: @Mrs_Koppers @suzieboss @bamradionetwork Kristen Koppers, NBCT, MA is a blogger, presenter, author, self-published author, and high school educator as well as an adjunct professor at a local junior college. She has been teaching for more than seventeen years and is currently teaching high school English in Illinois. She is a National Board Certified Teacher with a Master’s degree in English and a second Master’s degree in Education Administration. Kristen wrote the book Differentiated Instruction in the Teacher Profession. Suzie Boss, education writer and consultant, is the author of several books, including Reinventing Project-Based Learning and Bringing Innovation to School. She is a regular contributor to Edutopia and the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and a

Who are long term English language learners?  What contributes to their extend classification as ELLs? What unique needs do these students have and what strategies can we use to support them? Antoinette Perez has more than ten years of experience working with English Language Learners of all levels, including extensive experience with international and adult learners. She has worked in California and Georgia at schools with high percentages of ELs, which motivated her to obtain TEFL certification. Aubrey Yeh is the Coordinator of Language Arts & Humanities in the East Network, overseeing art, music, theatre, dance, PE, health, world languages, social studies, and language arts for K-12 students in the Boulder Valley School District in Boulder, Colorado. Prior to this, she served as an Education Technology Specialist, Tabitha Pacheco is a National Board Certified Teacher in Exceptional Needs. She has ten years of classroom experience in public, charter, and digital education settings as a Teacher, Instruct

What are restorative practices? How do they differ from traditional school discipline? What is required to do restorative practices effectively? Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @Wilson1Sheila @TimothyHiltonCG @jAPMcDizzle Dr. Sheila Wilson is a passionate educator who has been privileged to work with every level of learner: elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate during her three decades in education. A native of New Orleans, she has served in private and public education settings in Louisiana and Virginia. Maurice McDavid is serving as assistant principal at Cortland Elementary School, one of the bilingual schools in the DeKalb, IL school district. As a former middle school Spanish and social studies teacher, he worked with diverse groups of students on diverse curriculum. Timothy Hilton is a Climate and Culture Specialist with Fresno Unified School District where he coaches teachers on classroom management and class climate. Timothy has over 10 years of classroom teaching experience at eve

Writing and reading are interconnected.  In this episode, we explore teaching strategies that mutually support reading and writing instruction. Follow on Twitter: @MBethNicklaus @SLC_Literacy @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Mary K. Tedrow, an award-winning high school English teacher, now serves as the Director of the Shenandoah Valley Writing Project. Her book, Write, Think, Learn: Tapping the Power of Daily Student Writing Across the Content Area is available through Routledge. Tony Zani is a literacy coach in the Salt Lake City School District.  He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Leadership. Tony is a National Board Certified Teacher with a specialization in Early Childhood Education. Mary Beth Nicklaus is a language arts teacher and reading specialist for Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School in Wisconsin.

What makes a math lesson exceptional? What are the inputs and markers of a good outcome? In the episode, we ask teachers to share their best math lessons and unpack what made them so good. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork  @bkobett @AveryZachery1 Avery M. Zachery graduated from Georgia State University with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education in 2009.  In 2015, she graduated from Georgia State University with an M.Ed. in Reading Language and Literacy and holds endorsements in Mathematics, Reading, ESOL (English Speakers of other Languages) and Gifted. Beth McCord Kobett, EdD, is an associate professor in the School of Education at Stevenson University, where she works with preservice teachers and leads professional learning efforts in mathematics education both regionally and nationally. Jill Henry teaches Problem-Based Algebra II and is the head coach of the Girls Cross Country Program at Flintridge Preparatory School in the Los Angeles area.

How does teaching and learning change when we shift our attention from student deficits to student assets?  What are the challenges? How do we surmount them? Follow on Twitter @larryferlazzo @cjnguyen10 @DrYemiS @LarryWalker2 @bamradionetwork  Carmen Nguyen is currently a Professional Development Specialist for ELs. Her passion for advocating for English learners and their families stems from my own experience as an immigrant and language learner. She supports educators by providing professional development that is founded on research-based instructional strategies to help ensure educational equity for all students. Adeyemi Stembridge, Ph.D. is an educational consultant specializing in equity-focused school-improvement. He is a coach and thought-partner to teachers and administrators with an interest in the design of culturally responsive systems and learning experiences for students. Dr. Larry J. Walker is an Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education, University of Cent

Instructional coaching can be a big asset or a stressful experience for teachers and coaches.  In this episode we look at how to make instructional coaching work  for teachers and coaches Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @MathCarrie @SydneyChaffee @CindyGarciaTX Carrie Johnson is a mathematics coach at Rose Park Elementary in Salt Lake City School District.  She began teaching in Salt Lake City School District in 2008 with a passion to support high levels of learning in urban Title One schools.  Carrie has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Utah. Go Utes! Sydney Chaffee teaches 9th grade Humanities at Codman Academy in Boston, MA, and is the 2017 National Teacher of the Year.

We've all taught good lessons and we've all taught bad lessons. What Makes a Good Social Studies Lesson? In this episode, we look at how to create a compelling and effective social studies lesson and offer some tips and strategies. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @Edufacey @DeborahGatrell1 @WordsmithMark  @mrswhiteside_ Deborah Gatrell is National Board Certified Teacher and Utah Teacher Fellow alumni in Granite School District. She serves as the Social Studies department chair and a Mentor for new teachers in her building. Deborah teaches 9th grade World Geography and 10th grade AP European History. Denise Fawcett Facey was a classroom teacher for more than two decades and now writes on education issues. Among her books, The Social Studies Helper offers activities and projects that make social studies more vibrant and engaging for secondary-level students. Throughout his 35 years as an educator in the Bloomfield Hills School District, Carina Whiteside is an educator that is passionate ab

Join us as we try to better understand the difference between treating students fairly and treating students equally through practical examples of each. Follow on Twitter: @HolSpinny84 @ViaEdConsulting @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Dr. Julia Cloat is President of Via Educational Consulting and an Adjunct Professor at Northern Illinois University. Julia spent over 25 years serving in Public School Districts in roles including Literacy Specialist, Instructional Coach, RtI/MTSS Coordinator, and Curriculum Director. Holly Spinelli is a students' rights activist with specific focuses in alternative, strengths-based pedagogical approaches where students' voices serve as the catalyst for their education. She is a New York public high school teacher, an adjunct instructor at SUNY Orange County Community College, and an active member of the NCTE's Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English. Her teaching is centered in anti-racist, anti-bias, and anti-oppression facilitation.

Education technology can be both an asset and a liability in the same classroom. In this segment, we ask teachers how they determine when to use education technology and when to pass. Follow on Twitter: @Ajay460 @irina_mcgrath @michelleshory @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Irina V. McGrath, Ph.D. is a District Instructional Coach and Google Certified Trainer in Jefferson County Public School (JCPS), KY. She is also a co-director of the Louisville Writing Project (LWP) and the University of Louisville adjunct who teaches Literacy and ESL methods courses. Michelle Shory, Ed.S. is a District Instructional Coach and Google Certified Trainer in Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY. She is passionate about literacy and helped establish Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Louisville. Anne Jenks is the principal of a TK - 5 elementary school in Oxnard, California. She is a Leading Edge Certified teacher and the 2015 CUE Site Leader of the Year.

How can we refine the way we think about grading and implement grading with our students? Our guest offers a strategy that aligns the grading with the way students naturally learn. @educatoral @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Al Gonzalez is a 6th grade Science Teacher working at Chimacum Middle School. He is an Early Adolescent Generalist National Board Certified Teacher who has been teaching kids in grades 4 through 8 for the past 25 years.

What are the indicators and markers of authentic effective student engagement? Join us as we go down the list. How many are present in your classroom? Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @Scortez7178 @cathypetreebeck @kdyer13 Cathy Beck is currently the Superintendent of Cheatham County Schools in Middle Tennessee. She is the author of Easy and Effective Professional Development, and Leading Learning for ELL Students. Kathy Dyer is Manager of Innovation and Learning for the Professional Learning team at NWEA. She has more than 25 years of experience in education, many spent designing and facilitating learning opportunities for educators. Coaching teachers and school leadership on getting better at what they do is her passion. Sarah Said is the Director of English Learning at Chicago Ridge School District. Sarah manages three different bilingual programs in Arabic, Spanish, and Polish and she has been a teacher, Dean of Curriculum and EL Director. Sarah Said has spent years overseeing EL

Why does student agency matter anyway? In this episode, we'll explore the importance of student agency and why it matters more than ever in today's classroom. We'll close with useful tips that can provide a jumpstart for educators. Follow on Twitter: @klrembert @SarahOttow @lmeduconsulting @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Keisha Rembert is a passionate learner who is social justice and equity-focused always.  She has taught middle school ELA and United States History and now teaches preservice teachers. Laurie Manville is an ELD teacher and Instructional Coach at Brookhurst Junior High in Anaheim Union High School District. She enjoys helping her students figure out what they are meant to do in life and guiding teachers in lesson design creation. Sarah Ottow is the founder and CEO of Confianza. In the US, she has served as a classroom teacher to inner-city students, ESL teacher to marginalized neighborhood communities and bilingual reading specialist. She is the author of The Language Lens for Content Clas

Writing just for a grade and achieving excellent grammar and context may not be the only benefit to writing for our classrooms. In this episode, we’ll find new ways that students can truly benefit from writing for an audience beyond the classroom. @KSchulten @mrskellylove @tmce0419 @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Katherine Schulten was editor-in-chief of The New York Times Learning Network from 2006-2018. (She is still a contributing editor there part-time, but is also working on a book based on student writing from the site.) Before coming to The Times, Katherine was a high school English teacher in Brooklyn for 10 years, then spent another nine years as a literacy consultant in public schools all over New York City. Born and raised Miami girl, who is passionate about world cultures, tasty food and inspiring others, Titiana Esteban is a lifelong learner (currently weighing options for a doctoral degree) and has been teaching for 15 years. In 2007 earned a BS Ed in Elementary Education K-6 with an endo

Classroom management can be a challenge, especially if you are just starting out and uncertain of the power struggles that can emerge. Today’s guests share their mistakes of dos and definite don’ts. @larryferlazzo @ritaplatt @tweenteacher @bamradionetwork Gabriella Corales obtained her Bachelors in English and Communication Studies from Texas State University and her Masters in Education from Stanford University and is a recipient of the Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Teaching Fellowship. She's taught in California and Florida, working with first-generation college students, hailing from low-income backgrounds. Rita Platt is the author of Working Hard, Working Happy: Cultivating a Climate of Effort and Joy in the Classroom and is a principal in the St. Croix Falls, SD in Wisconsin. Heather Wolpert-Gawron is an award-winning middle school teacher and district 21st Century Instructional coach. She is the author of Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement (Corwin/AMLE) which shares the results o

If you don' see race what do you see?  How did striving to be colorblind become a disservice to students of color and an indicator of racism? In this confusing and evolving milieu, what is a white teacher to do? Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @terrinwatson @ChrisEmdin @ShannonRWaite5 Shannon R. Waite, EdD is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy Division in the Graduate School of Education at Fordham University.  She is a Mayoral Appointee to the Panel for Educational Policy and has two daughters attending public school in the NYCDOE. Christopher Emdin is a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, For White Folks Who Teach In the Hood… and the rest of Y'all Too. Terri N. Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at The City College of New York, The City University of New York. A Harlem nativ