KIMBERLY SNODGRASS is a 7th grade ELA teacher. She advocates for creative thinking, BookSnaps, Sketchnotes, Edu GIFS, and other creative ways for students to represent their learning.

In our conversation, Kim recalls the challenge of beginning a high school teaching assignment with a lot of preparation required and next to no experience in education. She credits this period with allowing her to learn the art of teaching without preconceived ideas or the pressure of “textbook mentality.” Kim talks about the importance of staying hungry as an educator, cultivating creativity and critical thinking in the classroom, and engaging regularly with other education thinkers. She also passes on some solid recommendations for books to read, educators to follow on Twitter, edtech tools to try in the classroom, and much more.

Follow Kim online here:

• TW: @Kim_Schepers
• Class blog: https://kimschepers.weebly.com/

Find the highlights from our conversation at the timestamps below:

• 0:50 – Kim describes her current and past experiences as an educator. She currently teaches 7th grade ELA in a middle school in Nebraska, but she’s taught high school in the past as well.
• 1:33 – She describes one of the most challenging points in her education career: starting a high school teaching assignment in a smaller school (which meant that she was prepping for a number of courses on a daily basis) with zero experience in the classroom.
• 4:35 – Kim talks about the things that really excite her about education today: more focus on the soft skills in education: creativity, collaboration, and teamwork. 21st century education is finally acknowledging that simply focusing on the three Rs does not serve students well.
• 7:29 – Outside of her classroom, Kim is busy pursuing another Master’s degree. She’s particularly fascinated by constructivist pedagogy and personalized learning models. But she’s also energized and inspired by the more practical education books from Dave Burgess Consulting, like Teach Like a Pirate.
• 11:07 – A personal habit that Kim points to as a key to her personal success is the fact that she always remains hungry to learn more and engage with other lifelong learners. The thrill of learning never gets old.
• 13:08 – On Twitter, Kim recommends following @BurgessDave and @HeckAwesome. She credits Dave Burgess with inspiring her to get more connected and contribute on Twitter in the first place.
• 15:44 – Kim is all about helping students access creative technology tools that allow them to represent their learning in fun and unique ways. One such tool that she’s had a hand in perfecting and promoting is Edu GIFs. Find out how to make your own Edu GIFs at https://daveburgess.com/get-your-gif-on/.
• 19:40 – We hear about three slamming book recommendations:  1) The Pepper Effect by Sean Gaillard (@SMGaillard), 2) The EduNinja Mindset: 11 Habits for Building a Stronger Mind and Body by Jennifer Burdis (@Jennifer_Burdis), and 3) Be REAL: Educate from the Heart by Tara Martin (@TaraMartinEDU).
• 21:00 – Looking for another great education podcast to add to your commute this year? Kim recommends Well Played by Michael Matera (@MrMatera).
• 25:06 – For a great YouTube channel to subscribe to, Kim’s going back to the same dude: Michael Matera, master of gamification and author of Explore Like a Pirate. Check out his channel. Another up-and-coming channel that provided her with some lesson inspiration lately is Stefanie Crawford’s channel. To find out more about Stefanie Crawford, follow her on Twitter as well at @MrsCFord_Tweets.
• 26:32 – Kim is far too busy (and frankly too hungry to learn) to watch much Netflix, but the last show she binged on there was Fuller House, a modern sequel to the original Full House.
• 27:40 – We sign off on the conversation, and Kim gives us the best ways to follow her online. On Twitter, you can find her @KimSnodgrass, and you can check out her class blog at https://kimsnodgrass.weebly.com/.

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Song Track Credits

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

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