Category: Interviews

Episode 33 – Bryon Carpenter

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33 - Bryon Carpenter.png

BRYON CARPENTER is a high school teacher at the Abbotsford Virtual School in Abbotsford, BC, Canada. As a trained scientist, passionate creator, and lifelong learner, Bryon serves in the spaces of library, math, science, and ADST (Applied Design and Skills Technologies).

Bryon’s passion? Seeing teachers utilize new technologies to advance student learning and help them represent their learning in new and creative ways. Outside of education, Bryon is passionate about fishing and woodworking, and he credits daily journaling as a key to his personal and professional success. Bryon also points us toward a Twitter account to follow, a podcast to check out, a title to add to our book lists, and much more.

Follow Bryon on Twitter @BryonCar, on Instagram @Bryon.Carpenter, and visit his blog at http://bryoncarpenter.com/.

Find the highlights from our conversation at the timestamps below.

  • 0:48 – Bryon describes his current context in education at the Abbotsford Virtual School.
  • 2:04 – He shares about the practical challenges he faced around contract uncertainty early in his career.
  • 10:20 – What really excites him about education today: seeing teachers help students learn and represent their learning in new ways using technology.
  • 16:16 – His personal passions and learning outside of the classroom: fishing and woodworking.
  • 20:02 – A regular habit that contributes to his success: daily journaling about his learning and teaching. He posted vlog entries for all 195 days of teaching last school year!
  • 24:45 – An account to follow on Twitter: @EricCurts of CtrlAltAchieve.com
  • 26:27 – Bryon’s edtech tool recommendations: Google Keep & Adobe Spark (@AdobeSpark)
  • 29:04 – A book every educator must read: The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros (@GCouros)
  • 30:34 – A podcast to subscribe to: This Week in Google (by @TWiT)
  • 33:07 – Bryon’s YouTube channel recommendations: This Week in Google & Sport Fishing on the Fly (@OntheFlyTVShows)
  • 33:56 – What Bryon’s been enjoying on Netflix: Downton Abbey, The Last King, Frontiers, Riverdale, Tales by Light
  • 35:46 – The best ways to follow Bryon’s content: on Twitter @BryonCar, on Instagram @Bryon.Carpenter, and on the web at http://bryoncarpenter.com/.

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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 29 – Soney Day

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29 - Soney Day.png

SONEY DAY is a 2nd grade teacher at Coy Miller Elementary School in Frisco, TX. She describes herself as a teacher, mom, tech integrator, proud Texan, and Seesaw ambassador. Soney enjoys advocating for young learners and strives to have an innovator’s mindset.

In our conversation, Soney shares about an emotionally draining challenge she faced in just her second year of teaching. Although it was nightmarish at the time, she calls it a learning experience today and mentors new teachers using some of the knowledge gained from that ordeal. Soney tells us why she’s such a big booster of social-emotional wellness for learners, and encourages teachers to pay more attention to education policy decisions and governance. Finally, she offers some great recommendations for Twitter accounts to follow, books to read, and more.

Follow Soney on Twitter @DaysMrs.

TIMESTAMPS. In this episode, Soney discusses …

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 24: Christopher Nesi

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24 - Chris Nesi

Christopher J. Nesi teaches 9th grade history at New Brunswick High School and is a Professor of Communications at Rutgers University. He also hosts the House of EdTech and Podcast PD podcasts and operates the Education Podcast Network.

In our conversation, Chris shares his passion to see educators and learners of all ages take up the endeavor of creative work. “You don’t have to share it with the world … but just create – you never know what’s going to happen when you create something that didn’t exist before you tried it,” he says. Chris also shares a personal habit that contributes to his success and gives us some awesome recommendations for accounts to follow on Twitter, the best maker channels to subscribe to on YouTube, books to read, and more.

Find more of Chris’s content on these great platforms:

In this episode, Chris discusses …

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 24 – Christopher Nesi

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24 - Chris Nesi

CHRISTOPHER J. NESI teaches 9th grade history at New Brunswick High School and is a Professor of Communications at Rutgers University. He also hosts the House of EdTech and Podcast PD podcasts and operates the Education Podcast Network.

In our conversation, Chris shares his passion to see educators and learners of all ages take up the endeavor of creative work. “You don’t have to share it with the world … but just create – you never know what’s going to happen when you create something that didn’t exist before you tried it,” he says. Chris also shares a personal habit that contributes to his success and gives us some awesome recommendations for accounts to follow on Twitter, the best maker channels to subscribe to on YouTube, books to read, and more.

Find more of Chris’s content on these great platforms:

In this episode, Chris discusses …

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 19: Gallit Zvi

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19 - Gallit Zvi2In this episode of the Teachers on Fire podcast we speak with Gallit Zvi. Gallit is currently a principal intern in Surrey, BC, Canada, and a co-author of The Genius Hour Guidebook.

In this conversation Gallit describes how she overcame the challenges of transitioning into a new grade level earlier in her teaching career. She talks about the things that really ignite her passion in education today, including the magic of Genius Hour and how it supports the shift toward inquiry-based learning. Gallit also shares about an area of interest outside of education and gives us some great recommendations for Twitter personalities to follow, a book to read, a funny YouTube channel to subscribe to, and more.

Follow Gallit on Twitter @Gallit_Z and check out her blog at GallitZvi.com.

In this episode, Gallit discusses …

  • 0:49 – her current education situation
  • 1:38 – how she navigated the challenge of transitioning to a new grade level
  • 4:07 – her passions in education: new curriculum, inquiry, the 4 Cs, genius hour
  • 6:08 – an area of interest and learning outside of education: travelling the world
  • 7:13 – a habit that contributes to her success: learning, reading, researching
  • 8:28 – amazing educators to follow on Twitter: Denise Krebs, Joy Kirr, and Hugh MacDonald
  • 9:25 – her edtech tool recommendations: iMovie, Explain Everything, Puppet Pals
  • 10:12 – a book recommendation: Drive by Daniel Pink
  • 10:50 – a fun YouTube channel to subscribe to: Simon’s Cat
  • 11:32 – what she’s watching on Netflix right now: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
  • 12:09 – the best way to follow her: @Gallit_Z

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!