• Episode 34 – Sarah Johnson

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    SARAH JOHNSON is an author, speaker, and consultant in the areas of instructional leadership and personal-professional balance. With experience as an English teacher and principal, she likes to laugh, sing, and makes a habit of running every day. She is a co-author of Balance Like a Pirate: Going Beyond Work-Life Balance to Ignite Passion and Thrive as an Educator. Her mission? Helping educators thrive at work, home, and life.

    In this conversation, Sarah describes the main message and heart of her book, which describes her experience and the lessons she’s learned from living out of balance as a school principal. She talks about the personal passions and practices that support her self-care and growth today, and offers some great recommendations for books to read, Twitter accounts to follow, and more.

    Follow Sarah on these great platforms:

    Find the highlights from our conversation at the timestamps below.

    • 1:17 – Sarah describes her current context in education: speaker, consultant, and author living in NW Wisconsin after a career in education as a teacher and principal.
    • 3:02 – The heart and message to educators in Balance Like a Pirate. Instead of the popular 50-50 work-life concept, Sarah urges educators to think of balance in four quadrants: personal, professional, positional, and passions.
    • 6:03 – Sarah recalls a particularly low moment in her education career, and explains how she was able to move through this experience.
    • 9:13 – What really excites Sarah about education today: the incredible opportunities for authentic collaboration and creation (for students and educators).
    • 11:15 – Rise: Sarah’s ongoing personal commitment to learn how to live the most purpose-driven life possible (in part, by listening and journaling every day). Another serious passion is education around mental health and suicide awareness.
    • 13:23 – A personal habit that contributes to her success is running every single day. She has not missed a day since July 11, 2014!
    • 15:47 – Sarah’s recommendation for educators on Twitter is @BethHill2829 (Bethany Hill of #JoyfulLeaders fame).
    • 16:42 – It’s been around for a while, but Sarah’s favorite edtech tool is still Google Docs. She even used Google Docs to collaborate with her co-authors on Balance Like a Pirate!
    • 17:23 – Her book recommendation is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (@ParsOpercularis) and of course anything written by Brene Brown (@BreneBrown).
    • 18:39 – Favorite podcast? For the Love by Jen Hatmaker (@JenHatmaker)
    • 19:17 – We review the best ways to follow Sarah online and receive more of her content. See above for details!

    SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your MOBILE DEVICE: iTunes | Google Podcasts | YouTube

    FOLLOW the podcast on TWITTER @TeachersOnFire and on INSTAGRAM @TeachersOnFire

    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 33 – Bryon Carpenter

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    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/.

    SUBSCRIBE to the Teachers on Fire podcast on your mobile device: iTunes | Google Podcasts | YouTube

    FOLLOW Teachers on Fire on Twitter: @TeachersOnFire

    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 32 – Jeff Bradbury

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    JEFF BRADBURY has been recognized as an ASCD Emerging Leader, Google Certified Teacher and Trainer, and digital innovator. The founder of TeacherCast.net, Jeff has spoken at TEDx and other conferences, provides training and consulting for educators across the United States, and currently produces ten regular educational podcasts. Simply put, there aren’t many figures in the world producing more resources for educators than Jeff.

    In this episode, Jeff talks podcasting, ISTE, funding models for content creators, the Twitter algorithm, how to build a PLN, learning management systems, personal branding, and more. When it comes to creating education content, Jeff advises, make it from a place of personal passion and you’ll never get bored.

    Follow Jeff on Twitter @TeacherCast, visit TeacherCast.net to access all of Jeff’s podcasts and instructional resources, and subscribe to Jeff’s Youtube channel.

    Find the highlights from our conversation at the timestamps below.

    • 0:55 – Jeff tells the story of how he got started with the TeacherCast network seven years ago.
      2:06 – The three areas of focus for TeacherCast: instructional technology, STEM education, and leadership.
      3:40 – I ask Jeff to give us a quick tour of his ten education podcasts.
      5:59 – When it comes to high-powered edtech conferences like ISTE, how do we separate glitter from substance?
      7:32 – Jeff shares about his passion for instructional coaching.
      9:17 – Instead of charging up front for his educational content, Jeff enjoys sharing as much as possible for free and then walking through doors that open for him as a result.
      12:27 – Where should teachers go to start building a PLN? How does Twitter serve educators differently than it did five years ago? Jeff also points new educators to conferences, EdCamps, and TeachMeets as other places to network.
      14:28 – We dive deeper into Twitter’s algorithm and talk about the user experience it creates.
      19:49 – Areas of passion and learning for Jeff this summer: questions around Learning Management Systems, Student Information Systems, and observing his children as they learn to read.
      23:40 – Talking LMSs: Schoology, Google Classroom, FreshGrade, Seesaw, Canvas, etc.
      26:10 – Jeff on building a personal brand and producing online content: make it for yourself and you’ll never get bored. Follow your own passions and questions.
      33:14 – The best ways to follow Jeff and find more of his great content for educators: visit TeacherCast.net and follow him on Twitter @TeacherCast.

    SUBSCRIBE to the Teachers on Fire podcast on your mobile device: iTunes | Google Podcasts | YouTube

    FOLLOW Teachers on Fire on Twitter: @TeachersOnFire

    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 31 – Jeff Gargas

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    Jeff Gargas is the COO/Co-founder of Progressive Mastery Learning and The Teach Better Team. Jeff works with teachers across the United States to help them improve their practice and “reach the unreachable student.”

    An entrepreneur at heart, Jeff shares about the challenges of hitting walls in the music industry and the educational training space. He shares how he redefined his mission, finding strength in gratitude and the knowledge that as long as he was doing the right thing for learners, the rest would follow. Today, Jeff loves nothing better than to see teachers learn, grow, and take risks to improve their practice. In our conversation, he points to an app that reliably corrects his mindset, recommends some great Twitter accounts to follow, and more.

    Follow Jeff on Twitter @JeffGargas & @TheGridMethod, and check out the resources he offers teachers at TeachBetter.com, TeachBetterAcademy.com, and www.facebook.com/thegridmethod.

    Find the highlights from our conversation at the timestamps below.

    SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your mobile device: iTunes | Google Podcasts | YouTube

    FOLLOW Teachers on Fire on Twitter: @TeachersOnFire

    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 30 – Nicholas Amaral

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    NICHOLAS AMARAL is the district staff development coordinator at the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District in Bergen County, NJ. Nick’s passion is education technology: helping teachers help students create and innovate in their classrooms.

    In our conversation, Nick shares about a point early in his teaching career when he faced deep discouragement and a lack of motivation. Rather than turn in the towel, he doubled down, reinvented his practice, and engaged his learners like never before. Today, Nick gets excited about blended, personalized, and mastery learning, and he describes the personal habit that energizes him outside of education. Don’t miss his recommendations in books, Twitter, edtech tools, and more!

    Follow Nick on Twitter @NAmaralEDU and check out his blog over at https://edtechforay.wordpress.com/.

    TIMESTAMPS. In this episode, Nick discusses …

    • 0:51 – his current context in education as a staff development coordinator
    • 1:26 – the experience of hitting an emotional wall in his third or fourth year of teaching, and how he overcame it
    • 4:13 – what ignites his passion for education: seeing the effects of blended, personalized, and mastery learning; shifting the emphasis from content to skills
    • 6:02 – a passion and area of learning outside of education: music
    • 6:46 – a personal habit that contributes to his success: being vulnerable, embracing failure, remaining down to earth
    • 8:55 – his Twitter recommendations: Chris Aviles (@TechedUpTeacher) and Jeffrey Bradbury (@TeacherCast)
    • 9:57 – his choice for learning management systems: Schoology (@Schoology)
    • 11:18 – a book recommendation: How We Learn by Benedict Carey (@BenCareyNYT)
    • 12:03 – his relaxation viewing content right now: Lost in Space, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Fall
    • 12:31 – the best ways to follow his content online (see 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!