• Bringing the Florida Everglades to Your Literacy Classroom: Jennifer Diaz

    Bringing the Florida Everglades to Your Literacy Classroom: Jennifer Diaz
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    • How can we build literacy skills and environmental stewardship at the same time?
    • What is the Everglades Foundation Literacy Program, and what resources do they offer classroom teachers?
    • What is Everglades Ecoquest, and how can educators use this web-based platform to bring interactive, gamified learning to their students?

    About This Guest: Jennifer Diaz

    Jennifer is the Vice President of Education at The Everglades Foundation, where she has dedicated the past 12 years to building and leading Florida’s only comprehensive, statewide Everglades environmental education program. Since joining the Foundation in 2014, she has guided the growth of the Everglades Literacy Program into a national model for place-based environmental learning, now adopted by 31 school districts and reaching more than 300,000 students and families annually.

    Connect with the Everglades Foundation

    • On X @EvergFoundation,
    • On Instagram @evergladesfoundation,
    • On Facebook and LinkedIn, and
    • At their website, evergladesfoundation.org.

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Welcome to Jennifer Diaz, VP of Education at the Everglades Foundation
    • 0:16 – The mission and vision of the Everglades Foundation
    • 1:07 – Everglades Foundation literacy resources are free to anyone
    • 2:02 – Building environmental stewardship through literacy skills
    • 4:13 – The Teacher Toolkit 41 lesson plans are curriculum-aligned
    • 6:03 – Resources for Spanish and Haitian Creole learners
    • 7:41 – What is Everglades Ecoquest and what does it offer students?
    • 10:35 – Hands-on learning experiences related to the Everglades
    • 12:59 – The Champion Schools program builds environmental leadership
    • 15:54 – A first step to take to build environmental literacy
    • 17:11 – How to connect with the Everglades Foundation

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

  • Differentiation for High-Ability Learners with Alicia Schroeder-Schock

    Differentiation for High-Ability Learners with Alicia Schroeder-Schock
    • How can teachers challenge their gifted learners without burning out?
    • How we spot high-ability learners who might be masking their abilities in the classroom?
    • How can we make sure our choice boards don’t just become busywork?

    About This Guest

    Today’s Teacher on Fire is Dr. Alicia Schroeder-Schock (pronounced Shrader-Shook). Alicia is an educator, consultant, and founder of Elementary Elevated, where she helps teachers design engaging, rigorous learning experiences for advanced elementary learners.

    With an Ed.D. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership and a master’s in Educational Psychology, Alicia presents nationally on gifted curriculum and  differentiation and serves on the board of the North Dakota Association for Gifted Children.

    Connect with Alicia

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 1:31 – What are high-ability learners?
    • 2:16 – How can we spot them?
    • 3:44 – What does elevating standards look like?
    • 5:53 – How AI can help to elevate standards
    • 6:53 – How to design choice boards
    • 8:36 – From objectives to outcomes
    • 10:51 – What is curriculum compacting?
    • 14:57 – Elevating the student writing process
    • 19:13 – How to differentiate for high-ability learners
    • 20:41 – Social and emotional challenges
    • 25:05 – What’s keeping you on fire?
    • 28:58 – How and where to connect with Dr. Alicia Schroeder-Schock online

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

  • Executive Functions in K-3 with Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle

    Executive Functions in K-3 with Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle
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    • What are executive functions, and why do they matter?
    • What are the differences between core and higher order executive functions?
    • How can we tweak the physical and acoustic environment of our classrooms to support all learners?

    My guests in this episode are Sarah Oberle and Mitch Weathers, authors of Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom: Promoting Self-Regulation for a Strong Start.

    Mitch Weathers is an educator, author, and nationally and internationally recognized expert on executive functioning in the classroom, known for translating brain science into practical strategies that work in real schools. His work centers on strengthening students’ skills in organization, task initiation, self-regulation, and follow-through through intentional systems that support learning without increasing teachers’ workloads. Through his writing, speaking, and consulting, he challenges educators to reconsider why students struggle and equips them with a shared language and concrete tools to unlock student potential.

    Sarah Oberle is an educator, writer, and professional learning designer with 18 years of experience as a primary classroom teacher. Her work centers on helping educators understand how learning happens and how that understanding shapes daily instructional decisions.

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle are veteran educators and authors
    • 2:37 – What are executive functions?
    • 4:29 – Why executive functions matter in primary grades
    • 6:59 – Designing tier one environments that support all learners
    • 10:10 – Confusing behaviors with executive functions
    • 14:13 – Core vs higher order executive functions
    • 16:45 – How to reduce cognitive load and improve working memory
    • 20:51 – Two ways to reduce cognitive load in the primary classroom
    • 25:22 – How to tweak the physical and acoustic learning environments
    • 31:15 – Why starting the whole class together makes a difference
    • 36:07 – How Sarah uses voice recorders in her first grade classroom
    • 38:45 – A first step to take for the overwhelmed educator
    • 45:38 – How and where to connect with Mitch and Sarah online

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

  • Retired But Still Learning, Podcasting: Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt from After the Bell

    Retired But Still Learning, Podcasting: Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt from After the Bell
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    • How can an education podcast impact personal growth and professional practice?
    • Is there still room for more education content creators today?
    • How do two veteran educators view today’s educational landscape?

    About These Guests

    This episode features Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt, hosts of the After the Bell podcast. Martin Stuible is deep into his third chapter of life with his creative company, Creative Moments on 11th. Roy Hunt is a geologist, world traveller, master teacher, and podcaster.

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt are the hosts of the After the Bell podcast
    • 1:28 – How Martin and Roy connected
    • 4:45 – How the After the Bell podcast was born
    • 9:24 – How the podcast has impacted personal growth
    • 13:46 – Is there still room for more education podcasts
    • 20:21 – Practical habits of self-compassion for overwhelmed educators
    • 24:26 – Thoughts on AI in education today
    • 31:08 – Thoughts on the thesis of the Digital Delusion
    • 40:20 – How to connect with the After the Bell podcast

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

  • Brokers of Hope, Cultures of Joy – with Dean Shareski

    Brokers of Hope, Cultures of Joy – with Dean Shareski
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    • How can educators model healthy skepticism while also being brokers of hope regarding AI tools?
    • What practical boundaries can we set so our students don’t outsource their critical thinking to algorithms?
    • With all that is going on in education and politics, how can we preserve cultures of joy in today’s classrooms?

    About This Guest

    Dean is a Senior Partnership Consultant with Advanced Learning Partnerships, bringing decades of experience at the intersection of education, leadership, and innovation. He works closely with school systems to translate big ideas—especially around learning design, leadership development, and emerging technologies—into practical, scalable strategies. Known for his clear thinking and candid approach, Dean helps leaders move from aspiration to action.

    Connect with Dean Shareski

    Timestamps from This Episode

    • 0:00:00 – Dean Shareski is an author, speaker, writer, and K-12 education consultant
    • 1:50 – Educators as “brokers of hope”
    • 4:53 – How to model healthy skepticism with AI tools
    • 7:38 – Losing students’ productive struggle to AI
    • 13:38 – Leverage digital tools to amplify and transform student learning
    • 17:26 – How to protect the wonder and joy of our classrooms
    • 20:59 – Building school teams like the Blue Jays of 2025
    • 24:42 – Sports gambling creeping into schools
    • 28:31 – What gives Dean hope for the future
    • 31:48 – What keeps Dean’s fire for learning burning bright
    • 34:33 – How and where to connect with Dean Shareski online

    Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.