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Tonya Gilchrist is a literacy coach and language teacher at Tokyo International School in Tokyo, Japan. An experienced speaker and presenter, Tonya advocates for learner agency, the inquiry mindset, and joyful leaders.
Tonya knew she wanted to become a teacher since she was in third grade, but the daunting pressure and prescriptive directions to teach to standardized tests threatened to make her quit the profession altogether. It was after Googling “What else can I do with a teaching degree?” that she discovered the incredible opportunities in overseas education, and the rest is history. Today, you can hear the passion in Tonya’s voice as she talks about the influences of growth mindset, inquiry-based learning, translanguaging, and the importance of self-care. You’ll also want to hear Tonya’s recommendations for books to read, Twitter accounts to follow, and more.
Follow Tonya Gilchrist on Twitter @Mrs_Gilchrist, check out life at the Tokyo International School @TISLearns, and read Tonya’s latest thoughts on literacy and education at TonyaGilchrist.com.
TIMESTAMPS. In this episode, Tonya discusses …
- 0:56 – her current roles as literacy coach and language teacher at Tokyo International School (@TISLearns)
- 4:11 – a serious crisis of faith in the profession that led to a career-defining decision
- 14:02 – some of the things that ignite her passion for education today: agency for learners, inquiry-based learning, translanguaging
- 20:52 – other learning that energizes her: the work of Byron Katie, positive thinking, growth mindset, the power of yet
- 25:22 – personal habits that contribute to her success: balance, self-care, taking a sabbath day of rest each weekend
- 29:04 – people worth following on Twitter: Kylene Beers (@kylenebeers), Trevor MacKenzie (@trev_mackenzie), George Couros (@gcouros), Bethany Hill (@bethhill2829), Amy Fast (@fastcrayon), and Danny Steele (@SteeleThoughts)
- 31:38 – edtech tool recommendations: FlipGrid (@FlipGrid) and Recap (@RecapThat)
- 33:10 – some book recommendations: Ish (Creatrilogy) by @PeterHReynolds, Disrupting Thinking by @KyleneBeers & Robert Probst, Who’s Doing the Work? by @JanMillBurk & @KimYaris and In the Middle by @NancieAtwell
- 35:29 – her podcast recommendations: The Heinemann Podcast, Truth for Teachers (by @Angela_Watson), My Bad (with @JonHarper70bd), Kids Deserve It (by @TechNinjaTodd), and Innovator’s Mindset (by @GCouros)
- 38:25 – her YouTube channel recommendations: TED Talks and TED-Ed
- 39:23 – what she’s watching for relaxation these days: The Crown, The Hallmark Channel
- 42:04 – the best ways to follow her and see more of her content: on Twitter @Mrs_Gilchrist and on her blog at TonyaGilchrist.com
Song Track Credits
Intro: Relax (by Simon More)
Outtro: Starley – Call on Me Remix (by DJ Zhorik)
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In this episode of the 
Teachers on Fire 