Teaching Learning Leading K-12

What to Get a Techie for the Holidays with Will & Josh of the HiTech Podcast. This is episode 618 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.  Will and Josh of the HiTech Podcast are back and today we are answering the question: What to Get a Techie for the Holidays? Will and Josh have brought five ideas and so have I. None of the companies who produce these cool items are sponsors of either of our shows and we also don't receive any remuneration for sharing their products. We just thought that these items would make cool gifts for that techie on your list.  Notice that we got this out in time for Black Friday and the shopping season so check out these items. Make that techie you know happy! As usual had a blast talking with Will and Josh. Make sure that you check out their awesome podcast - the HiTech Podcast. (See the link below) Gifts that Will & Josh Mentioned: Cannot work remotely without this! Ergonomic Adjustable Laptop Stand We use these for the podcast and everyday now: https://www

Lorna Bryant: Head of Career Solutions for Pearson Virtual Schools - Talks About Support for Students with College & Career Readiness. This is episode 617 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Pearson announced that Connections Academy, its K-12 online school program will expand its slate of college and career readiness initiatives for middle and high school students. The initiatives feature partnerships with Coursera, Acadeum, e-Dynamic Learning, and Credly.  Lorna Bryant is the Head of Career Solutions for Pearson Virtual Schools. As an educator, administrator and career education expert, she has spent over 25 years working to identify and create effective and engaging educational options for children. Today we are focused on college & career readiness. Awesome talk! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.stevenmiletto.com/reviews/ or open the podcast app that you are listening to me on, and would you rate and review the podcast? That would b

  Kathy Magnusson: Wildewood Learning - Supporting Educators Working with Children and Trauma. This is episode 616 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Kathy Magnusson, M.Ed., owner of Wildewood Learning As a trainer, consultant, and speaker, Kathy has worked with educators and youth service professionals worldwide. She is a licensed public-school teacher, social and emotional learning specialist, and certified Sources of Strength trainer. She has supported young people and the professionals serving them for over 25 years. Kathy has a master’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota and advanced training in adverse childhood experiences, creating trauma-sensitive practices, non-violent communication, and strengths-based education and leadership. She supports educators and youth service professionals in cultivating trauma-sensitive strength-based environments for all learners. Excellent conversation! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.

Barbara R. Blackburn - Improving Teacher Morale and Motivation: Leadership Strategies that Build Student Success. This is episode 615 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Ranked in the Top 10 Global Gurus in Education, Barbara has dedicated her life to raising the level of rigor and motivation for professional educators and students alike. What differentiates Barbara’s over 30 books are her easily executable concrete examples based on decades of experience as a teacher, professor, and consultant. Barbara’s dedication to education was inspired in her early years by her parents, Bob and Rose. Her father’s doctorate and lifetime career as a professor taught her the importance of professional training. Her mother’s career as school secretary shaped Barbara’s appreciation of the effort all staff play in the education of every child. Barbara has taught early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students and has served as an educational consultant for three publishing companies. She holds a

Dr. Kuni Beasley: Making College Affordable - Helping Kids Reach Their College Goals. This is episode 614 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. For over 40 years, DR. KUNI BEASLEY has been helping students reach their college goals. Since 2011, Dr. Beasley and his team have helped students earn over $300 million in scholarships and grants, with  students admitted to the top institutions in the country to include the Ivy League (Harvard, Cornell, etc.), Service Academies (West Point, Annapolis, etc.), and Top Tier colleges (MIT, Stanford, Duke, etc.). His SAT/ ACT Prep program has been used in public and private schools in over 20 states. Dr. Beasley was the Dean of the New College Preparatory Academy with 22 sites across the country from Springfield, MA, to Hot Springs, AR, to Palm Springs, CA. Dr. Beasley has a BS from Texas Christian University (Go Frogs), an MBA from Oklahoma City University, a Doctor of Ministry from Tyndale Seminary, and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington. He

  Harvey Hazen: Coaching Parents of Children Who Struggle in School. This is episode 613 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Harvey Hazen coaches parents of students struggling to be successful and protect their tuition investment by helping their child find relevance in their curriculum and discover the life lessons it holds for their future success. He has been in Education for 37 Years.  During that time, he spent time as a teacher, counselor and administrator at all grade levels and organizational levels.  He has a BS in History and an MS in counseling from Portland State University.  In addition, he received Accreditation in Administration from Lewis and Clark College. Don't forget that if you sign-up for coaching and mention that you heard him on this podcast - Teaching Learning Leading K12, you will get an additional half hour of coaching for free. Great conversation! So much to learn! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.stevenmiletto.com/re

Matt J. Navo - Executive Director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE): Intensive Assistance Model & Community Engagement Initiative. This is episode 612 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Matt J. Navo serves as the Executive Director for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE).  His knowledge and expertise in systems improvement comes from over three decades of experience as a K-12 educator and leader.  Matt served as the Superintendent of Sanger Unified School District. Before assuming the role of Superintendent, he was a special education teacher, secondary instructor, counselor, resource teacher, junior high learning director, high school assistant principal, elementary and alternative education principal, director of special education, and area administrator. Prior to his current role, he served as the Director of Systems Transformation with the Special Education Policy and Practice Division (SEPPD) at WestEd.  Matt’s expertise lie

  Matt Genovese is a seasoned technology professional whose impressive career spans over a period of 25 years. His domain encompasses a diverse set of specializations, extending from semiconductor chip design and community building to piloting his own software venture. Having spent a significant part of his career in an ed-tech startup—which was later acquired—Matt played a pivotal role in fostering student success in STEM fields by cultivating an integrated environment for online homework and digital textbooks.  At present, he helms a leading company that defines requirements and designs software user experiences for their clients. Committed to furthering advancements in AI solutions, his firm is at the cutting-edge of research and design of AI technologies. They work particularly with commercial and open large language models, offering users a novel, more intuitive interface for learning and discovery. Our focus today is AI, AI Research, and AI in schools. Cool conversation! So much to learn! Before you g

Diana Heldfond: CEO & Founder - Parallel Learning.  This is episode 610 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Parallel is the first tech-forward provider of care for learning and thinking differences across the United States. They believe learning differences are parallel ways of thinking that should be celebrated. Parallel’s mission is to provide students with the resources and encouragement to succeed in the classroom and beyond. To Parallel, this means helping them build confidence in their unique strengths and create strategies to work around their weaknesses. Founder and CEO, Diana Heldfond, was diagnosed with both dyslexia and ADHD at a young age. During middle school, she benefited from early intervention and access to specialists and other resources. With the help of this support, she went on to study science technology and international affairs at Georgetown University following high school. So much to learn! Awesome talk! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my

Anna Yudina: Senior Director, Marketing Initiatives - The Toy Association & Genius of Play. This is episode 609 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Anna Yudina is spearheading The Toy Association’s Genius of Play™ initiative to raise awareness of play as a crucial part of child development and encourage families to make time for play in their daily lives. Since its launch in 2015, The Genius of Play has reached millions of parents, caregivers and educators, providing research-based facts, expert advice, and a host of play activities through its website, social media channels, live events and various media. Anna has also been leading The Toy Association’s strategic STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) initiative, which culminated in the development of the comprehensive “STEAM Toy Assessment Framework” and the launch of industry’s first official STEAM Toy Accreditation program. Lots to learn. Great conversation! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my

HiTech Podcast with Will & Josh. This is episode 608 of the Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.  HiTech Podcast started because two friends couldn't shut up about their jobs and their wives were tired of listening to it on date night. So, we decided to bring our conversation to you, sharing our expertise and tomfoolery for all to hear. We exist to help you, and ourselves, process the best ways to harness technology in the traditional or virtual classroom. Here's a little about Josh… A lover of technology, theology, and learning. I found my love for education early on as a college student. Higher education changed my life, and that experience pushes me to always pursue better learning experiences. I am always looking for ways we can harness tech to enhance our teaching and learning. And some about Will… An educator by heart and practice. I caught the bug for teaching in the martial arts, but I extended that into higher education and non-profit education. Always looking to find the best tool

Jeff Ikler - Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching - Teaching, Educational Publishing, Podcasting, Writing, and Fishing. This is episode 607 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. “Quetico” (KWEH-teh-co). He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing, where he served as an editor, marketer, and eventually the head of all publishing disciplines. There, he was first exposed to coaching – as a client – self-awareness and realizing that leadership is behavior in the service of those doing the work. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high-school American history and government. Jeff currently co-hosts the Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity, which focuses on helping individuals and organizations lead productive change – a change that helps them achieve

Dr. Phil Zelazo - Reflection Sciences. This is episode 606 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Reflection Sciences is the culmination of twenty years of groundbreaking research and unwavering passion for Executive Function. Phil Zelazo, Ph.D. and Stephanie Carlson, Ph.D., researchers at the University of Minnesota and Co-founders of Reflection Sciences, spent years studying Executive Function and determining how it could be improved, and how that, in turn, could improve early childhood education. They soon realized a key component was missing: an effective way to scientifically and objectively measure Executive Function in young children. With a growing appreciation of the need for services around Executive Function, and with support from the National Institutes of Health, the Co-founders created the best measure of Executive Function available today, a direct behavioral assessment of the neurocognitive skills that are most vital to academic and life success. After seeing the effectiveness o

Larry Freeland - Chariots in the Sky: A Story about U.S. Assault Helicopter Pilots at War in Vietnam & Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch (WWI). This is episode 605 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Larry Freeland, a Vietnam veteran, is an author of war-themed historical fiction books. He comes from a long line of military veterans. His father was an officer in the Army Air Corps/United States Air Force whose career spanned 30 years and included World War Il through the early stages of the Vietnam War. His grandfather was a doughboy in World War I, and his two brothers were both war veterans, having served in multiple conflicts that our country has been involved in following the Vietnam War. Born in Canton, Ohio, he also lived in Biloxi, Mississippi; Syracuse, NY; Riverside, CO; parts of FL; and Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico.  He graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1968, and then he entered the U.S. Army at the height of the Vietnam War, serving one tour in Vi

Mary Ruppenthal: Registered Architect, Associate Principal at HED - Designing Schools that Meet the Needs of Students and Their Communities. This is episode 604 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Mary is a registered architect and an Associate Principal at HED, one of the oldest and largest architecture and engineering firms in the country, with 400+ employees and annual revenues above $100M. They serve clients nationwide in a broad range of market sectors, including Healthcare, Higher Education, Mission Critical, Housing and Mixed-Use, Pre-K 12, Science, Manufacturing and Product Development, Workplace, Community, and Government. With nearly 30 years of experience in public and private sector educational, civic, and cultural design, Mary oversees Pre-K-12 and community education projects at HED and is a regular speaker at trade and industry events on the best practices of flexible and adaptive learning environments for tomorrow’s pedagogical needs and the needs of tomorrow’s workforce and

Andy Cindrich - Change: How to Turn Uncertainty into Opportunity. This is episode 603 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Change is focused on helping the reader to learn from experts from Franklin Covey on how successful leaders engage people in change and turn change into opportunity.  Change was written by co-authors Curtis Bateman, Marche Pleshette, Andy Cindrich, and Christi Phillips. They share their decades of experience and provide actionable tips and skills to pilot your team through the waters of disruptive change.  Andy Cindrich began his work with Franklin Covey in 1999. He loves his job because the work Franklin Covey does align with his personal mission statement to help teams and individuals win. Andy’s experience owning and operating a successful business allows him to customize each client intervention. He has worked with clients to drive results in every imaginable area from safety, to improved sales, to unprecedented improvements in employee engagement, to dramatic decreas

Al Olson - The History of the American Renaissance Festival. This is episode 602 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Al Olson is one of a select handful of eccentric, quirky, and entertaining people who helped grow the American Renaissance Festivals into being a very popular ticket. He shares his story in his comprehensive book, A History of the American Renaissance Festival. While attending the University of Minnesota, working nights in a parking ramp and pumping iron at the Dove’s bicep gym, he also performed his original songs in the same coffee houses that Bob Dylan had a few years earlier on the west bank of the Mississippi. The artistic director of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival attended a theatrical presentation of his original works at Theatre in the Round and hired him on the spot. He began performing at Renfairs as a member of the group, “Pumpkin,” writing original Renaissance music. After less than a season, he noted the greater crowd impact of groups like Penn and Teller, Av

Todd Bloom - Chief Learning Officer at Kami - Helping to Increase Student Engagement. This is episode 601 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Kami is an all-in-one classroom sidekick that makes K–12 learning personalized, accessible and engaging, is a popular tool among educators and empowers students through more than 40 tools and features, including rich annotation and markup tools, voice and video comments, read-aloud and voice typing options, imported multimedia, PDF editing and more—providing students multiple means of engagement. Todd Bloom, the Chief Learning Officer at Kami, talks with me about Kami. So much to learn and think about. Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.stevenmiletto.com/reviews/ or open the podcast app that you are listening to me on, and would you rate and review the podcast? That would be so cool. Thanks! If you are listening on Apple Podcasts on your phone, go to the logo - click so that you are on the main page with a

Sandra T. Elliot - Chief Academic Officer at TouchMath: Explains Dyscalculia and TouchMath. This is episode 600 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Sandra T. Elliott, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer at TouchMath Dr. Eliott is a career educator who has spent over 4 decades working to enhance education for all students and improve schools and their systems around the globe. She has served as a Special Education teacher, and five-time principal in Florida and Colorado, as well as a district-level administrator. She has held executive level positions at for-profit education providers and foundations and was part of the EngageNY – Eureka Math team for several years.  Dr. Elliott is also a member of the UNESCO-sponsored international EDUsummIT that meets biennially to write education policy recommendations to be adopted by the United Nations. She is thrilled to be able to combine her focus on Special Education and Math at TouchMath and champion for dyscalculia. So much to learn. Before you go... Cou

  Sweethearts & Heroes - Tom Murphy and Rick Yarosh - Promoting Healthy, Positive Social Connections and Relationships. This is episode 599 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Sweethearts & Heroes is a team focused on promoting healthy, positive social connections and relationships while fostering a sense of community and emotional resilience. We bring the power of HOPE and ACTION into schools and communities. Our focus is to teach human skills, both in school and digitally, to build empathy and compassion in our youth, and develop young Sweethearts & Heroes by promoting bystander empowerment through leadership roles. TOM MURPHY - Founder Tom Murphy is the proud husband and father of four living in the charming City of Saint Albans, VT. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA where his parents ran a small shelter and recovery home for the hopeless in their own house, Tom has gone on to take this mantra of helping and caring for others in need his life’s mission.   Tom graduated fro