Shannon Schinkel: Drama, Equity, and Assessment

August 5, 2021July 3, 2022 ~ Teachers On Fire ~ Leave a comment

Who is Shannon Schinkel?

SHANNON SCHINKEL is an inclusive BC high school drama teacher, progressive assessment maker, part time actor, blogger, and reader. She is also the creator and administrator of two Facebook groups: Beyond Report Cards and Humanities Zone. You can follow Shannon on Twitter @DramaQueenBRC and on her blog at https://mygrowthmindset.home.blog.

Questions, Topics, and YouTube Timestamps

1:20 – Who is Shannon Schinkel? Tell us a little bit more about your current CONTEXT and work in education.
3:04 – Before we go any further, how are you doing these days? What has your headspace been like, and what does PANDEMIC LEARNING look like in your context?
4:48 – It’s STORY TIME. Please share with us about a low moment or an experience of adversity that you’ve faced in your teaching or education career, and describe how you overcame it.
11:25 – How can educators shift student thinking and language away FROM grades to be earned TOWARD learning and proficiency to be developed?
17:27 – Is a PASS/FAIL model of assessment and reporting possible or even desirable in K-12 education?
19:32 – Let’s talk about BEYOND REPORT CARDS, your legendary Facebook group that now boasts almost 1,400 passionate educators and continues to grow. What fuels your passion for the area of assessment in education today?
23:58 – Josh Ogilvie (@JoshOgilvie4) on Twitter, a teacher in Burnaby, BC, asked this question: “How can we help teachers develop and use sound and ALIGNED assessment and grading practices?”
33:08 – And here’s a question from our mutual friend and rock star in BC education, Rose Pillay (@RPillay1) on Twitter. She asks “How can teachers OUTSIDE of your district benefit from your work, words, wit & wisdom? Beyond the blog, beyond Twitter.”
36:35 – We are living and working in an incredible time for the planet and for education. Do you feel like we are on the brink of an assessment REVOLUTION in North America?
41:55 – As you look across your PLN and your own practice in the remote learning environment, what is setting you ON FIRE about education today?
44:42 – How are you looking to GROW professionally and improve your practice right now? Can you share about a specific professional goal or project that you’re currently working on?
51:07 – Outside of education, what’s another area of LEARNING for you? Tell us why this area interests you and why you enjoy it.
53:55 – Share about an app, personal habit, or PRODUCTIVITY hack that contributes to your success and helps you do everything that you do.

Voices and Resources That Spark Shannon’s Thinking

On Twitter: @MonteSyrie – https://twitter.com/MonteSyrie
EdTech Tooks: FreshGrade – https://freshgrade.com + Dropbox – https://www.dropbox.com
Book Picks:
- 1. Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School by Starr Sackstein
- 2. Softening the Edges: Assessment Practices That Honor K-12 Teachers and Learners (Using Responsible Assessment Methods in Ways That Support Student Engagement) by Katie White
- 3. Kids These Days: A Game Plan For (Re)Connecting With Those We Teach, Lead, & Love by Dr. Jody Carrington
Podcast: Five Moore Minutes – https://fivemooreminutes.com
On Netflix: The Crown + Fleabag (on Amazon Prime)

Follow Shannon

On Twitter @dramaqueenbrc
On Instagram @DramaQueenBRC
On Facebook at Beyond Report Cards
On Facebook at The Humanities Zone
On her blog, My Growth Mindset

Connect with Teachers on Fire

On Clubhouse @TeachersOnFire
On Facebook at the Teachers on Fire Group
On Instagram @TeachersOnFire
On LinkedIn at Tim Cavey
On Medium at the Teachers on Fire Magazine
On TikTok @TeachersOnFire
On Twitch at the Teachers on Fire channel
On Twitter @TeachersOnFire
On Voxer @TeachersOnFire
On the Website – Home of Teachers on Fire
On YouTube at the Teachers on Fire channel

Subscribe to the Teachers on Fire podcast on your mobile device

On Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2ozOTRb
On Google Podcasts: https://goo.gl/iA6swC
On Anchor: https://anchor.fm/teachersonfire
On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2QkF2KW

Song Track Credits

Sunrise Drive by South London Hifi*
Anthem by The Grand Affair*
Roots of Legend by Density & Time
Jane Fonda by The Grand Affair*
*tracks courtesy of the YouTube Audio Library

Listen to This Episode on YouTube

Education Blog Reviews: Livia Chan, Rachelle Dene Poth, and More

April 24, 2021April 24, 2021 ~ Teachers On Fire ~ Leave a comment

In this unique episode, education bloggers and writers were invited to share their blogs for a free and LIVE review. Many responded – so much so that it will take an additional one or two shows to finish this round of reviews. The collaborative learning was rich as host Tim Cavey analyzed 12 different education blogs for content, design, navigation, stickiness, and the About Page.

Content: What does your site offer?
Design: Is the site appealing and easily accessible?
Navigation: Is it easy to get around?
Stickiness: Is it easy to subscribe, connect, and follow?
The About Page: Does it properly represent the creator in Google-friendly language?

Blogs Featured in This Show

1:13 – EduCalc Learning by Nora Wall
7:20 – Chromebook Classroom by John Sowash
13:57 – Mike Washburn by Mike Washburn
20:50 – Diving Deep EDU by Matthew Downing
28:58 – Learning as I Go by Rachelle Dene Poth
34:51 – Livia Chan by Livia Chan
41:01 – Authenticity in EDU by Karen Caswell
48:28 – Nicole Biscotti by Nicole Biscotti
54:55 – Saved by the Beldin by Allie Beldin
1:05:08 – RockNTheBoat by Laura Ingalls Steinbrink
1:12:43 – He Gave Me A Melody by Melody McAllister
1:18:24 – Grow Creative Thinkers by Jason Blair

Catch the Next Teachers on Fire Roundtable LIVE

As of this post, I’m still appearing weekly on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Twitch at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time/11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. I’d love to see you join us and would be happy to feature your questions and comments on the show!

**Connect with the Teachers on Fire Podcast on Social Media**

On Twitter @TeachersOnFire
On Instagram @TeachersOnFire
On Facebook @TeachersOnFire
On LinkedIn: Tim Cavey
On Medium on The Teachers on Fire Magazine
On Voxer @TeachersOnFire
On YouTube @TeachersOnFire

**Subscribe to the Teachers on Fire Podcast on Your Mobile Device**

On Apple Podcasts
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How can your website help your podcast?

November 3, 2020July 3, 2022 ~ Teachers On Fire ~ Leave a comment

Each month, I connect with other education podcasters in a mastermind group of sorts. We compare notes, talk about our work, share best practices, and wrestle with current challenges.

On the agenda for this month’s conversation: websites. How can we design our websites to better support our podcasts?

Questions That Guided Our Discussion

1:12 – Who are you, and what is the NAME of your education podcast?
7:23 – How does your WEBSITE figure into your PODCAST publishing strategy?
17:42 – Who are your top website REFERRERS? (Where does most of your website traffic come from?)
24:35 – Pav from the StaffRoom podcast shares how she and Chey are thinking about in terms of STARTING to build a website platform.
25:30 – Which PAGES on your website get the most traffic?
42:17 – Should podcast episodes be published at the same time as SHOW NOTES?
50:49 – What piece of content do you look forward to publishing next?

Meet the Edupodcaster Panelists and Visit Their Podcast Websites

Chris Nesi from the House of EdTech podcast @HouseofEdTech
Eric Guise from the GotTeched podcast @GuiseGotTechEd
Alfonso Mendoza from the My EdTech Life podcast @MyEdTechLife
Jeff Bradbury from TeacherCast @TeacherCast
Dr. Dan Kreiness from the Leader of Learning podcast @dr_kreiness
AJ Bianco from Podcast PD @AJBianco
Pav Wander from the Staff Room Podcast @StaffPodcast (website coming soon)

**Connect with the Teachers on Fire Podcast on Social Media**

On Twitter @TeachersOnFire
On Instagram @TeachersOnFire
On Facebook @TeachersOnFire
On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/TimWCavey
On Medium on The Teachers on Fire Magazine
On YouTube @TeachersOnFire

**Subscribe to the Teachers on Fire Podcast on Your Mobile Device**

On Apple Podcasts
On Google Podcasts
On Anchor
On Spotify

Roundtable: Meet the Human Restoration Project

October 24, 2020October 24, 2020 ~ Teachers On Fire ~ Leave a comment

In this edition of the Teachers on Fire Roundtable, I chat with three of the four members of the Human Restoration Project team: Nick Covington, Chris McNutt, and Thomas White.

Questions That Guided Our Discussion

1:12 – Who are you and what is your current context in education?
3:10 – What is the history of Human Restoration Project? Where did it begin, and what is your mission and vision?
4:54 – What are some of the systems and mindsets that need to change in education today?
5:33 – How does your work express itself?
8:03 – Where else does Human Restoration Project show up online?
10:37 – What is your vision for assessment, and what does it have to do with restoring humanity to education?
16:28 – How have traditional assessment models suppressed humanity?
18:28 – If we remove grades from assessment, won’t students lose their motivation to learn?
21:26 – In what kind of education system would students not want to cheat, where they are actually interested in their own learning and growth?
24:58 – From viewer Sybil Priebe: What do you say to those teachers who martyr themselves with all the grading they take on?
35:29 – How can we restore humanity to education in the distance/hybrid learning spaces?
44:01 – How are you finding self-care during these times of stress and uncertainty?
50:10 – What are the best ways to connect with you and your learning?

Guests Featured in This Roundtable

Nick Covington @CovingtonAHS (Creative Director)
Thomas White @ThomasBenWhite (Executive Director)
Chris McNutt @McNuttGISA (Development Director)

Looking to learn more? Visit the Human Restoration Project.

Thanks to These Audience Members for Adding to Our Discussion

Shannon Schinkel @DramaQueenBRC
Stephanie Edmonds @ClassDisrupti0n
Mark Horner @THSMr_Horner
Chris Butts @CButts9980
Sybil Priebe
Andrew Cavey

Catch the Next Teachers on Fire Roundtable LIVE

As of this post, I’m still appearing weekly on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time/11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. I’d love to see you join us and would be happy to feature your questions and comments on the show!

Roundtable: Education Bloggers and Writers

September 26, 2020July 3, 2022 ~ Teachers On Fire ~ 1 Comment

This edition of the Teachers on Fire Roundtable featured writers on the Teachers on Fire Magazine publication on Medium, including Heather Edick, Debbie Tannenbaum, Kelly Christopherson, Tammy Breitweiser, and Jamie Brown.

Talking About Writing in Education

🔥 What does education writing look like for you?
🔥 WHY do you write about education?
🔥 How does it affect your professional practice?
🔥 What is your favorite time of the day to write?
🔥 What is your go-to writing beverage?
🔥 What is your go-to background sound?
🔥 Where and how do you complete your rough compositions?
🔥 How do you collect future blog topics and headlines?
🔥 Who is a current education blogger that you admire?
🔥 What is one book that inspired you to write?
🔥 What are some tools and strategies that you use to share your content?

If you’d like to join a growing community of education writers that are passionate about growth and change in education, join us on Medium today! Comment below or DM me @TeachersOnFire on any social media platform for more details.