Top Tech Tools for Equity and Accessibility
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Release Date: 05/10/2022
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
As a teacher, it is healthy to evaluate where we are in our career. Is what I'm doing now still a good fit? Are there changes I need to make? And more. Rob Donatelli has invented the Q.U.E.S.T. method of evaluating where.you are as a teacher and to help you determine how you should move into the future. We dive into this method in today's show to help all of us answer the ever-important question "Is teaching still a good fit for me?" Rob's book includes this framework. Show Sponsor: Modern Classrooms Project helps teachers bring engaging, exciting teaching to their classrooms. They...
info_outline An Innovative Mastery-Based Self-Paced Math Classroom That Works10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Self-paced mastery-based learning has many misconceptions and misunderstandings about how it is being implemented. Today's guest, Joe Manfre, a math teacher from Hawaii, has been using this teaching method and has seen a positive improvement in his classroom in terms of student learning and empowerment. Joe clearly shares how self-paced learning is not about replacing the teacher with videos, but using instructional videos as a baseline of knowledge that can be accesssed both inside and outside the classroom. Joe also talks about formative instructional approaches in the classroom and the...
info_outline Free in 50 Languages: The Hedy Programming Language Phenomenon10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Felienne Hermans is a middle school teacher one day a week, and college professor four days a week. She created a natural language programming tool in Dutch and English. After she released Hedy as open source, it became popular in many places and now has been translated into 50 languages and is spreading throughout the world. Hedy is a fantastic way to teach computational thinking and programming in an easy text-based way as students create flowers, music, and their own programs with the tool. Named after Hedy Lamar, both a movie star and electrical engineer who created a method used in...
info_outline How to Create Apps in the Classroom and Inspire Design Thinking10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Students can build apps and collaboration skills at the same time. Today's episode features my friend Alefiya Master, the CEO of MAD-Learn, and the sponsor of today's show. We discuss the transformative role of app-building, collaborative learning, design thinking, and the importance of authentic learning experiences. Alefiya shares how app building can enhance STEM education and how it also teaches essential skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and passion-based learning. If you're doing collaborative projects and design in your classroom, you'll get practical ideas for how you can modify...
info_outline Unlock the Secrets: Expert Homework Hacks for Busy Parents10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Brian Page, a former Milken National Educator of the Year with 15 years of experience in the education field. Brian is the creator of the Homework Hacks Course, designed to equip students aged 13 to 20 with research-backed homework hacks and independent learning strategies. In this show, we dive into the essential homework hacks that every parent and student should know, focusing on developing lifelong learning skills, enhancing organizational abilities, and promoting a growth mindset. We can help our children learn! This show is a great one...
info_outline The Energy Bus: 5 Ways to Elevate Your Campus Vibe10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Every school has a vibe, a culture, a feeling. Sometimes the same school can have a different vibe at different times during the year. Today, Dr. Jim Van Allan shares powerful strategies to create a vibrant school environment that supports students, teachers, and the community alike. From inviting everyone on board to enjoying the journey, this episode will help us educators who want to help our school improve in a massive way that impacts everybody. Show notes, transcript, guest bio:
info_outline How to Make Every Student Feel Valued10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
I hope today's show will provoke thought and thinking about what it means to relate to our students. Relationships may not be easily measurable but have a significant impact on student achievement. Today, for Though Leader Thursday, we are talking to Tom Hierck, 41-year educator, and author of 25 books. Tom shares how a sense of belonging is crucial for students' success and self-actualization. He gives suggestions for schools that help them frame school behavior and understand students' dreams, needs and abilities in a way we can put into our classroom practice. Tom also emphasizes the need...
info_outline 3 Ways to Be a Less Stressed Educator10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
How are you doing, educators? Are you stressed? While that can be typical, we also want to consider the habits that will help us teach long-term with a high quality of life. Today will be a refreshing encouragement for educators everywhere. Learn how to set boundaries, embrace self-care, and manage your mindset to transform stress into strength. This is a great show for teachers to see balance and encouragement so they can be their best in the classroom. Today, I interviewed Barb Flowers, an elementary school principal and host of the Teacher Burnout Podcast and the Less Stressed Principal...
info_outline A New Essential Formative Feedback Tool for Project Based Learning10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
In today's Tech Tuesday, I record my screen as I make a custom GPT to evaluate my student websites. This is being released as a podcast and as a YouTube video. First, I make the custom GPT and talk through how that happens. Then, I load it onto my phone and have students take pictures of their web pages and receive feedback on them. This is much faster than you think and is so very useful. When you listen, you'll see how AI can provide a valuable feedback mechanism for student projects, even those with many visual elements and in this case, graphic design needs. Show Notes and Link to YouTube...
info_outline Empowering New Teachers: Insights from Alex Kajitani, the Rapping Mathematician10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Today, I interview Alex Kajitani, the 2009 California Teacher of the Year, and a Top-4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year and author of the book "You're a Teacher Now, What's Next?" In this podcast, we offer encouragement for new teachers and old alike with an emphasis on those in their first year of teaching and how it feels to be at this point in the school year. Alex emphasizes the importance of finding hope and perspective in teaching and shares how any teacher can start fresh at any point in the year to improve their practice. This podcast is full of fresh from the classroom...
info_outlineDid you know you can use a live translator app in PTA meetings, parent teacher conferences, and presentations -- that actually works? Did you know there is a tool that will translate your parent newsletters? How about one that parents can use to translate homework so they can help their children? Well, all of these exist! You'll learn about these and more on a special extended episode of the podcast with Teresa Magpayo Castro and Ricardo Recinos. You'll learn to empathize with students who struggle with English as a second language as Teresa and Ricardo tell their own stories. If you have students in your school who do not have English as their primary language, this is a must-listen-to episode. (Or read the transcript at the end of this post.) Help every student become included in learning and become empowered. We can do this!
Transcript and Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e780
Sponsor: Readlee is an amazing literacy tool that enables teachers to go from collecting reading data a couple of times a year to getting data each week (or day!) in just 5-10 minutes. Developed in collaboration with researchers at the Harvard School of Education, students read aloud and the tool collects data on fluency and accountability (think words correct per minute and total time read, among others) and a recording and transcript of their reading. You can provide feedback to your students on any text (print or digital) and they can hear you read as well.This is a perfect tool for summer school, reading tutors and anyone teaching reading. Go to Readlee.com today to set up your free account and get started.
Bios as Submitted
Teresa Magpayo Castro
Teresa Magpayo Castro is a Technology TOSA for the Unified School District of Hacienda La Puente USD. Her tech team conducts professional development for teachers and admin levels Prek-12. She is also part of the Transformational Technology team who provides weekly PDs to educators all over the globe.
Blog: https://www.bit.ly/transformationaltech
Twitter: @CastroCorner
Note from Teresa: We conduct weekly PDs across 5 platforms, including our YouTube Channel https://www.bit.ly/transformationaltech on topics requested by our teachers! We also create tutorials on our District YouTube Channel https://www.bit.ly/hlpyoutube. Our Newsletter provides important info and highlights our teachers https://sites.google.com/hlpusd.k12.ca.us/tech/edtech-focus-newsletter?authuser=0 .
Ricardo Recinos
Ricardo Recinos is a proud Technology TOSA in Hacienda La Puente USD and a supervising instructor for John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. His role includes training teachers and administrators on all things related to technology and district initiatives. He is a part of the Transformational Tech team and a lead for Region 3 ILC for CTA. He is also a College Board ETS Table Leader and College Board Consultant.
Blog: https://sites.google.com/hlpusd.k12.ca.us/tech/edtech-focus-newsletter?authuser=0
Twitter: @TechTosas