Teachers on Fire

May 23, 2018

Episode 18 – Lynn Thomas

Canada, English, High School, Library, Microsoft, ON, Secondary, Technology

Digital Lead Learner, Dunnville Secondary, Interview, Lynn Thomas, Microsoft, OneNote
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!
May 23, 2018

Episode 18: Lynn Thomas

Canada, English, High School, Library, Microsoft, ON, Podcasts, Secondary, Technology

Digital Lead Learner, Dunnville Secondary, Interview, Lynn Thomas, Microsoft, OneNote
LISTEN to this episode on iTunes and SUBSCRIBE to the podcast!

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)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!
May 19, 2018

Episode 17 – Caterina Rylance

AB, Canada, Dance, English, ESL, Languages, Middle School

Cultural Dance, Dave Burgess, ESL, George Couros, Languages, Pen Pal Schools, Teach Like a Pirate, Teacher, Ukrainian
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!
- - 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)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!
May 19, 2018

Episode 17: Caterina Rylance

AB, Canada, Dance, English, ESL, Languages, Middle School, Podcasts

Cultural Dance, Dave Burgess, ESL, George Couros, Languages, Pen Pal Schools, Teach Like a Pirate, Teacher, Ukrainian
LISTEN to this episode on iTunes and SUBSCRIBE to the podcast!

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)

LISTEN to this episode on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes!
May 16, 2018

Episode 16 – Maria Thompson

IBL, Maryland, Middle School, PBL, USA

IBL, Inquiry Based Learning, Interview, Maryland, PBL, Podcast, Snow Hill Middle School, Summit Learning
MARIA THOMPSON 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!

Episode 18 – Lynn Thomas

Episode 18: Lynn Thomas

Episode 17 – Caterina Rylance

Episode 17: Caterina Rylance

Episode 16 – Maria Thompson