How to Engage Kids in Distance Learning
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Release Date: 05/26/2020
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Can grammar really be fun? Yes! In this episode, literacy coach and author Patty McGee shares fresh, playful ways to teach grammar that actually work—and won't leave kids groaning. If you've ever struggled to make grammar stick, you'll love these shame-free, curiosity-fueled strategies that bring joy and purpose back into your language lessons. (And personally I also like that there can be alternatives to diagramming sentences.) Solution Tree 💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
How do we move beyond drill-and-kill and actually engage students in math? In this visionary episode, Dan Meyer shares how Desmos and Amplify are transforming math classrooms—and what every teacher needs to know for the future of math instruction. Highlights from Dan Meyer include: • Real-Time Math Engagement: How Desmos shifts math from static worksheets to dynamic experiences. How Amplify also works in this area. • Embedded PD That Works: Why the best professional development happens inside the tools teachers already use. • The Mindset Shift: Why great math teachers start with what...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Is passion enough to teach? In this powerful episode, Dr. Jacob Kirksey—Assistant Professor of Education Policy at Texas Tech University—reveals research on the rise of uncertified teachers (56% of new teachers in Texas are uncertified) and the real cost to student learning. Discover why teacher training matters more than ever and how we can fix the broken pipeline in education. 💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Isabelle Hau, executive director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, joins Vicki Davis to explore why the early years gap is our greatest educational inequity. Discover how 90% of brain development happens before age five and why relationships are fundamental to learning. Hau's book "Love to Learn" (the #1 new release on Amazon in Early Childhood Education) reveals why we need more "relational intelligence" in education and less focus on standardized metrics. She explains why young children today play 50% less outdoors than their parents did and how early childhood educators are...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Daron Franklin also known as “Coach Frank,” is a former Algebra I teacher turned human performance coach. His practical advice to help teachers reach kids and to help kids reach their goals is spot on. He talks about strategies for improving student motivation. Additionally, he shares the importance of building relationships and things you can say and do to support student mental health. I like how he encourages us teachers to be honest when we make mistakes (we all make them.) He also encourages us to bring relevance into every lesson. Finally, his encouragement to develop keystone habits...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Dr. Marc Isseks, author of Captivate: Engaging and Empowering Students in a World of Digital Distractions, talks bluntly about cell phone policies and his opinion that attempting to ban cell phones is pointless. He also discusses the ways that you can engage students who have a short attention span (sometimes it feels like zero, but there are a few seconds -- 3 seconds. Some would say that is zero!) His thoughts on starting class are important ones to discuss. Whether it is pop culture, or other tips he offers, we can engage students in learning from the moment they walk in the door. Show...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Today is AI Literacy Day, Friday, March 28, 2025. So, as my part in celebrating this day, I thought the best people to speak about this topic is my students. So, I issued a call to my AP students and two of them showed up this past Tuesday and we recorded this show. I think that their honest, intelligent, reflective thoughts of the issue of their generation and their concerns and hopes for the future. If you didn't want to talk to your students about Artificial Intelligence, you will after this show. I'm going to watch this with my other classes to start the conversation. The boldness and...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Courtney Walker, NASSP National Assistant Principal of the year for 2024 talks about personalize learning for both teachers and students at her school and how to get started. The collaboration at her school will inspire you! Show notes and full transcript:
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Adrian Gordon, a seasoned music educator with over 20 years of experience, as he shares his insights on building a thriving music program. Discover how to connect with students, foster creativity, and overcome common challenges in music education. Whether you're a music teacher or simply passionate about the arts, this episode offers valuable advice and motivation. Show notes and bio: Key Takeaways: Prioritize self-care to sustain your energy and passion. Remember your "why" to stay focused on the impact of music education. Meet students where they...
info_outline10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
In the ever-evolving landscape of educational technology, Fortnite Creative is emerging as a groundbreaking tool for physics education and game-based learning. Andrew Vanden Heuvel, an innovative educator, is transforming the way students engage with STEM education through virtual laboratories and interactive learning experiences. By leveraging the immersive world of Fortnite, Heuvel's Fortnite physics project is redefining student engagement and creative learning environments. This digital curriculum not only enhances physics education but also bridges the gap between e-sports in education...
info_outlineAre your gradebooks like Swiss Cheese? Are there kids who are just missing? Today, Mary Howard, sixth grade science teacher in New York, talks about how we can engage kids in distance learning. These are not easy times to teach but they are important times to teach. I'm here with you as you work to engage your students. Let me know how you're engaging your kids on Twitter @coolcatteacher.
Sponsor: This Fall season is going to be different, but we’re not sure how. Whatever happens, online learning will play a huge role in our teaching. What better way to understand online learning than to take your summer PD online through Advancement Courses? With Advancement Courses, you never stop learning. They offer over 280 graduate-level PD courses in 20 different subjects — all self-paced with up to six months to complete. Go to advancementcourses.com/coolcat and save 20% off each course by using the code COOL20. That’s just $120 per graduate credit hour or $160 for 50 clock hours. You can also receive graduate credit through CAEP and regionally accredited university partners for continuing education requirements. Thanks, Advancement Courses for sponsoring today’s show.
Mary Howard - Bio as Submitted
Mary is a 6th grade ELA and Science teacher from Grand Island, New York has found success using digital tools that not only make learning fun for her students, but encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and create a life-long passion for learning. Whether the digital experience is related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or promotes literacy, Mary believes passionately in the potential that technology has for reaching and engaging ALL learners. In pursuit of this passion, Mary has spent the past 10 years presenting at dozens of technology conferences across New York State and has become a globally recognized speaker on the topics of augmented reality and virtual reality in the classroom. Mary shares her strategies through her blog, http://www.yoursmarticles.blogspot.com, and was featured as an NYSED New York State EdTech Innovator in October 2018. She has published numerous educational technology articles and has provided webinars on Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality, 3D Design, QR codes, and engagement strategies and is excited to share these experiences with the Engineering Design and the Middle-Level Science PLT. Mary’s accolades include recognition as the 2018 International Society for Technology in Education’s Virtual Pioneer of the Year and a Silver Presidential Volunteer Service Award. She was a New York State Teacher of the year finalist for 2018 and 2020. When Mary isn’t elbows deep in her technology initiatives, she is a mother of 3 boys and devotes her free time to refereeing youth hockey and volunteering within the hockey community. She is an avid runner and hiker and is just a few peaks away from becoming an Adirondack 46er.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored podcast episode. The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."