Understanding The Deep Fake: A Troubling Trend
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Release Date: 10/15/2019
How to Get Kids Excited About Writing
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Speech-to-text, audio, personal drawings and pictures, and writing about things kids love are all part of helping kids get excited about writing. In today's show, we talk to 15-year educator Randi Ahrndt about encouraging kids to get excited about writing as we discuss interactive writing strategies and one of the best free tools for teaching writing. We also talk about an authentic project of having kids write a personal book and the various steps of making it happen. We'll explore how to leverage technology and interactive strategies to turn even the most reluctant students into...
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Practical Tips on How to Teach Reading from Jennifer Serravallo
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Sometimes, teachers can struggle to "fit it all in" when it comes to reading. What a relief it is to hear reading instructional leaders like Jennifer Serravallo talk about the artistry of teaching, how to overcome the challenges of teaching reading, and teacher autonomy and responsiveness. Jennifer also reflects on where the research is "fuzzy" in reading instruction needs more work and discusses where we go next (including the challenges of teaching children with changing attention spans). If you teach reading, Jennifer's show is a must-listen. Episode Highlights: Effective Lesson...
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NASSP Principal of the Year 2025: Dr. Tracie Anderson Swiley
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Dr. Tracie Anderson Swilley the Principal of Fairfield High School in South Carolina was named the 2025 Principal of the Year for the United States by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Today we're going to talk to her about the culture transformation at her school that improved their graduation rate and built a school pride that is promoting excellence in everything they do. She also talks about school safety and how she has approached this sensitive topic. Listen to this inspiring principal and make your school a better place too. Show notes:
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An Interesting Interview with My Principal: Meet Jonathan Dyal
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
This episode of The 10 Minute Teacher was a lot of fun. Not only did I get to interview my principal, Jonathan Dyal, but my film class, the "Sherwood Showstoppers," filmed the interview. (I'm so proud of how much they are learning!) After a tweet I sent out in October 2023, George Couros and Allyson Apsey invited me to write a chapter about Jonathan in their book out this year. (You can about what truly makes a great principal and the five pillars shared in the book.) Principal Dyal shares his philosophy of walking the halls frequently to stay connected with teachers and students,...
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How to Help Students and Schools in Traumatic Times
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
In today’s episode, we discuss a critical issue many schools are facing—how to help students and staff heal from trauma. Whether it's a safety event, severe weather like Hurricane Helene, or individual traumas, schools across the nation are navigating unprecedented challenges. To help students learn, we must first help them process what they've been through. As Lana Penley says, "In moments of crisis, we need to provide space for students and teachers to process what they've been through before diving back into academics." I want to acknowledge those still in the midst of trauma, like...
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Things That Will Make a Truly Great Principal
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
In today’s episode of The 10-Minute Teacher Podcast, we sit down with well-known educator and author George Couros to dive into his latest book, . With insights from educators, principals, and contributors from around the world, George discusses how great principals build strong relationships, encourage continuous learning, and create environments that elevate both teachers and students. (I also was able to contribute a chapter about my principal and we talk about that a little as well.) Questions Answered in This Podcast: What makes a great principal? What are the five pillars of effective...
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What Makes Kids Excited to Learn?
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
We want our students to be engaged and to want to learn. Particularly since the pandemic, many schools have struggled to engage learners. Today's episode shows us not only how we can creatively include play in our classrooms, no matter the age group or subject, but also why it's never too late to re-engage students. Additionally, Dr. Nash shares fascinating data from a recent survey involving over 6,000 administrators, teachers, parents, and students that reveals the importance of student engagement and how play-based learning can drive meaningful educational experiences across all ages....
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The Spectacular Story of Quest Academy: Whole School Competency-Based Learning
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Nicki Slaugh is a trailblazing principal who pioneered personalized competency-based learning at Question Academy Junior High in Utah. Nicki's innovative approach has captured national attention, increasing student engagement, test scores, and teacher retention. In today's episode, Nicky shares the journey of shifting from a traditional school to a dynamic, customized learning environment where every student thrives at their own pace. Here’s what we’ll cover in today’s episode: How did Nicki transform her school culture to engage students and raise test scores? What strategies did she...
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Remarkably Simple Ways to Teach Students to Read
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Join us as Pam Allyn, a renowned literacy expert and author of influential books such as Every Child a Super Reader, shares her unique insights on how teachers can foster a love of reading in their students. She not only defines the Science of Reading movement but also addresses concerns from critics who fear it might diminish the role of skilled teachers. Pam discusses common mistakes in how many students are taught reading and shares practical strategies for teachers to improve reading instructional methods. Whether you're a veteran educator, parent, or new to teaching, this episode is...
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How California is Improving Computer Science Education
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
How can teachers without a computer science background effectively teach the subject? What does effective Computer Science professional development look like? Today, Omar Shepherd from California shares how they are seeking to train teachers in California with the Seasons of CS program to do just that. Computer Science can be integrated into any subject. Furthermore, Computer Science for everyone is a strategic issue for states and countries. Omar shares the importance of Computer Science and how California computer science teachers like him are working to reach more teachers with the...
info_outlineDeep fake videos are now possible. In this disturbing trend, convincing videos, audio, and photos are viewed and shared by those who somehow think you can trust what you see and hear. Wesley Fryer takes us deep into the world of deep fakes in this resource-full lesson in a trend that is dangerous and threatening, particularly for a gullible population. This is a special extended episode of the 10 minute teacher and includes resources in the show notes.
Sponsored By Advancement Courses
Links from this episode
Can be found in the show notes at www.coolcatteacher.com/e572
Wesley Fryer- Bio As Submitted
Dr. Wesley Fryer is a teacher, technology director, digital learning consultant, author, digital storyteller, and change agent. With respect to school change, he describes himself as a “catalyst for creative engagement and collaborative learning.” He is the Director of Technology for the Casady School in Oklahoma City. In 2013-2015 he taught 4th and 5th grade STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) at Independence Elementary in Yukon Public Schools in Oklahoma.
Wesley completed his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Tech University in 2011. He is the author of several books on effectively using digital technologies to communicate and assess learning.
His “Mapping Media to the Curriculum” book series and digital literacy framework focuses on helping students “show what they know” with media and create digital portfolios. He is an organizer for Oklahoma EdCamp and the PLAYDATE OKC professional development conferences. He has taught technology integration courses for in-service and pre-service teachers as an adjunct instructor for the University of Montana, the University of Central Oklahoma, the University of North Texas, and Wayland Baptist University.
Wesley has served as an organizer for the annual K-12 Online Conference since it began in 2006. His blog, “Moving at the Speed of Creativity” (www.speedofcreativity.org) was selected as the 2006 “Best Learning Theory Blog” by eSchoolnews and Discovery Education, and is utilized regularly by thousands of educators worldwide.
He leads 3 day iPad Media Camps, STEM camps for teachers and students, and digital oral history workshops with Storychasers. Wesley is a passionate advocate for digital oral history and works to empower people to archive the stories of their families and community.
Blog: https://www.wesfryer.com/
Twitter: @wfryer
Show What You Know With Media (PBL Resource by Wes): http://showwithmedia.com/