Episode 21: Brooke Moore

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21 - Brooke Moore

In this episode of the Teachers on Fire podcast we speak with Brooke Moore. Brooke is the District Principal of Inquiry and Innovation in Delta, BC, Canada. She is also an instructor at Vancouver Island University and the editor-in-chief of UBC’s Transformative Educational Leadership Journal, located at teljournal.educ.ubc.ca/.

In our conversation, Brooke describes the experience of working through stiff parent resistance while introducing progressive strategies around assessment in a West Vancouver high school. She shares about some exciting cross-curricular learning initiatives she’s involved with and lists some of her biggest passions outside of education: parenting, writing, and storytelling. Brooke also gives us some great recommendations regarding books to read, a Twitter account to follow, and much more.

Follow Brooke on Twitter @BMooreintheloop and her blog at teljournal.educ.ubc.ca/.

In this episode, Brooke discusses …

0:58 – her current education situation
1:24 – the experience of disrupting the status quo around assessment
5:21 – what excites her about education today: IBL and PBL initiatives like Delta Farm Roots
7:30 – areas of personal learning outside of education: parenting, writing, story-telling
9:22 – a personal habit that contributes to her success: consistent enthusiasm
10:19 – a Twitter account to follow: @ClaireDaoust
11:48 – her edtech tool recommendations: Canva.com and Google Read & Write
12:56 – two book recommendations: Leadership for Teacher Learning (by Dylan Wiliam) and Embers (by Richard Wagamese)
13:33 – a podcast recommendation: Office Hours (by Daniel Pink)
13:57 – a Netflix recommendation: Jane the Virgin
14:26 – the best ways to follow her online

Song Track Credits

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

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Episode 19: Gallit Zvi

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19 - Gallit Zvi2 In 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)

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Episode 18: Lynn Thomas

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18 - Lynn Thomas In this episode of the Teachers on Fire podcast we speak with Lynn Thomas. Lynn 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)

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Episode 17: Caterina Rylance

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17 - Caterina Rylance In 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!

- Twitter: @CaterinaRylance
- Instagram: @Miss.Rylance
- Blog: survivingteaching.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SurvivingTeaching

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)

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Episode 16: Maria Thompson

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In this episode of the Teachers on Fire podcast we speak with Maria Thompson. Maria is a middle school teacher at Snow Hill Middle School in Snow Hill, Maryland.

Maria is an expert in Summit Learning, a program that personalizes learning and supports students while they direct the focus of their own studies. She has great insights to share that fit nicely within the models of project-based and inquiry-based learning that many educators are seeking to move towards. Maria also offers some helpful recommendations for a Twitter account to follow, a book to read, a YouTube channel to subscribe to, and more.

Follow Maria on Twitter @MThompsonSHMS.

In this episode, Maria discusses …

1:21 – her current teaching situation
2:16 – her most challenging year of teaching, and what she took from it
5:45 – why she’s passionate about Summit Learning
16:23 – another area of personal learning
17:24 – a personal habit that contributes to her success
18:26 – an account to follow on Twitter: @SteeleThoughts
19:08 – an edtech tool to use in the classroom: NaturalReaders.com
19:51 – a book recommendation: Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow, by Karen Casey
21:33 – a podcast recommendation: Summit Sparks
22:28 – a YouTube channel recommendation for the classroom: Mr. Zoller
23:24 – what she’s watching on Netflix right now: Flint Town

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!