Category: English

Episode 18 – Lynn Thomas

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18 - Lynn Thomas.png

LYNN THOMAS is the department head of English and Library and Digital Lead Learner at Dunnville Secondary School in Dunnville, Ontario, Canada.

In this conversation, Lynn shares candidly about a year of serious family health challenges, crediting the support of administrators that helped her work through this difficult time. She speaks with passion about the power of new technologies to facilitate collaborative learning across great distances, and describes how Project Kakuma is improving education in Kenya. Lynn also offers some solid recommendations for books to read, Twitter accounts to follow, and more.

Follow Lynn on Twitter @ThomLynn101 and at her blog at https://wordsgrow.wordpress.com/.

In this episode, Lynn discusses …

  • 0:58 – her current education situation
  • 1:34 – a low point in her teaching career and how she overcame it
  • 4:12 – what ignites her passions in education
  • 6:36 – learning she enjoys outside of the classroom
  • 7:34 – personal habits that contribute to her success
  • 10:33 – accounts to follow on Twitter: Andrew Campbell (@ACampbell99) and Koen Timmers (@zelfstudie).
  • 14:49 – her edtech tool recommendation: OneNote
  • 16:21 – her book recommendations: The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros and Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess
  • 18:39 – a podcast recommendation: Stephen Hurley on VoicED Radio
  • 19:14 – a YouTube channel recommendation: TED Talks
  • 20:07 – the best ways to follow her online (listed above)

Song Track Credits

Intro: Relax (by Simon More)
Outtro: Starley – Call on Me Remix (by DJ Zhorik)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!

Episode 17: Caterina Rylance

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17 - Caterina RylanceIn this episode of the Teachers on Fire podcast we speak with Caterina Rylance. Caterina is a middle school languages teacher and ESL coordinator at St. Theresa Catholic Middle School in Sherwood Park, AB, Canada.

Still in her second year of teaching, Caterina talks about how her writing at survivingteaching.org became a healthy outlet for her to reflect on the mix of frustrations and victories that come with becoming an educator. A Ukrainian folk dancer on the side, Caterina shares about the joy she finds in learning new languages and bringing the rich diversity of other cultures into her classroom. She also describes a personal habit that contributes to her success and gives us some great recommendations for books to read, Twitter accounts to follow, an edtech tool to use in the classroom, and more.

Follow Caterina on all these great platforms!

In this episode, Caterina discusses …

  • 1:06 – her current teaching situation
  • 3:00 – challenges she encountered in her first year of teaching, and how blogging formed part of a healthy reflective solution
  • 4:52 – her work with languages, cultures, and the pride she takes in helping to build the mosaic of the country
  • 6:18 – some of her other personal passions: learning new languages, travelling
  • 7:31 – a personal habit that contributes to her success
  • 8:29 – an educator to follow on Twitter: George Couros
  • 9:13 – an edtech tool to try using in the classroom: Pen Pal Schools
  • 9:47 – a book recommendation: Teach Like a Pirate, by Dave Burgess
  • 10:27 – what she’s watching on Netflix right now: Timeless

Song Track Credits

Intro: Relax (by Simon More)
Outtro: Starley – Call on Me Remix (by DJ Zhorik)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!

Episode 17 – Caterina Rylance

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17 - Caterina Rylance

CATERINA RYLANCE is a middle school languages teacher and ESL coordinator at St. Theresa Catholic Middle School in Sherwood Park, AB, Canada.

Still in her second year of teaching, Caterina talks about how her writing at survivingteaching.org became a healthy outlet for her to reflect on the mix of frustrations and victories that come with becoming an educator. A Ukrainian folk dancer on the side, Caterina shares about the joy she finds in learning new languages and bringing the rich diversity of other cultures into her classroom. She also describes a personal habit that contributes to her success and gives us some great recommendations for books to read, Twitter accounts to follow, an edtech tool to use in the classroom, and more.

Follow Caterina on all these great platforms!

In this episode, Caterina discusses …

  • 1:06 – her current teaching situation
  • 3:00 – challenges she encountered in her first year of teaching, and how blogging formed part of a healthy reflective solution
  • 4:52 – her work with languages, cultures, and the pride she takes in helping to build the mosaic of the country
  • 6:18 – some of her other personal passions: learning new languages, travelling
  • 7:31 – a personal habit that contributes to her success
  • 8:29 – an educator to follow on Twitter: George Couros
  • 9:13 – an edtech tool to try using in the classroom: Pen Pal Schools
  • 9:47 – a book recommendation: Teach Like a Pirate, by Dave Burgess
  • 10:27 – what she’s watching on Netflix right now: Timeless

Song Track Credits

Intro: Relax (by Simon More)
Outtro: Starley – Call on Me Remix (by DJ Zhorik)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!

Episode 12: Roy Smith

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12 - Roy Smith Larger

In this episode of the Teachers on Fire podcast, we chat with Roy Smith. Roy is an English teacher and department chair at Round Rock High School in Round Rock, Texas, USA.

In this interview, Roy describes what it was like to fight thyroid cancer while remaining in education, and credits his students with supplying the energy needed to get through his most difficult days. He also tells us what currently ignites his passion for learning and shares a core personal habit that has stood the test of time. Roy is an avid reader and he gives us some great recommendations in books, educators to follow on Twitter, and more.

Follow Roy Smith on Twitter @english_roy and visit his blog at englishroy.com.

In this episode, Roy discusses …

  • 1:22 – his current education context
  • 2:33 – a challenging experience from a few years ago
  • 4:44 – what ignites his passion for education today
  • 7:20 – other areas of personal interest and learning
  • 8:45 – a personal habit that contributes to his success
  • 10:29 – Twitter accounts worth following: Susan Barber, Jori Krudler, Karla Hillard, Brian Sztabnick, Melissa Smith
  • 11:23 – his favorite edtech tools for the English classroom: Google Docs and Sheets, Twitter, Voxer, and Flipgrid
  • 13:16 – book recommendations: The Poet X (Elizabeth Avevedo), Beartown (Fredrick Backman), and Embarrassed (C.J. Person).
  • 15:30 – his top podcast recommendations: Brian Sztabnik’s Talks with Teachers
  • 16:18 – a YouTube channel recommendation: TED Talks
  • 17:00 – favourite shows when he’s looking to laugh and relax: Tudors, House of Cards, Schitts Creek, Big Bang Theory
  • 17:31 – the best ways to follow him online

Song Track Credits

  • Intro: Relax (by Simon More)
  • Outtro: Starley – Call on Me Remix (by DJ Zhorik)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!

Episode 12 – Roy Smith

~ Teachers On Fire ~ Leave a comment

12 - Roy Smith.png

ROY SMITH is an English teacher and department chair at Round Rock High School in Round Rock, Texas, USA.

In this interview, Roy describes what it was like to fight thyroid cancer while remaining in education, and credits his students with supplying the energy needed to get through his most difficult days. He also tells us what currently ignites his passion for learning and shares a core personal habit that has stood the test of time. Roy is an avid reader and he gives us some great recommendations in books, educators to follow on Twitter, and more.

Follow Roy Smith on Twitter @english_roy and visit his blog at englishroy.com.

In this episode, Roy discusses …

  • 1:22 – his current education context
  • 2:33 – a challenging experience from a few years ago
  • 4:44 – what ignites his passion for education today
  • 7:20 – other areas of personal interest and learning
  • 8:45 – a personal habit that contributes to his success
  • 10:29 – Twitter accounts worth following: Susan Barber, Jori Krudler, Karla Hillard, Brian Sztabnick, Melissa Smith
  • 11:23 – his favorite edtech tools for the English classroom: Google Docs and Sheets, Twitter, Voxer, and Flipgrid
  • 13:16 – book recommendations: The Poet X (Elizabeth Avevedo), Beartown (Fredrick Backman), and Embarrassed (C.J. Person).
  • 15:30 – his top podcast recommendations: Brian Sztabnik’s Talks with Teachers
  • 16:18 – a YouTube channel recommendation: TED Talks
  • 17:00 – favourite shows when he’s looking to laugh and relax: Tudors, House of Cards, Schitts Creek, Big Bang Theory
  • 17:31 – the best ways to follow him online

Song Track Credits

  • Intro: Relax (by Simon More)
  • Outtro: Starley – Call on Me Remix (by DJ Zhorik)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!