Barbara Smith: Storming the Gates of Traditional Education
Release Date: 03/04/2023
New Episode: The Tragic Death of Critical Thinking
Overthrowing Education
This is the first totally new episode in about 10 months. What could get me to put aside my other work to make sure this episode gets out? Only something as important as the death of critical thinking in our education system and how it has especially played out this school year of 2023-24 would make me drop everything to make sure to get this out. Please open your mind and heart while listening to this episode. I want to thank , one of my favorite bands, for their incredible music that opens and closes my show. Give them a listen! Want to get in touch with me? IG:...
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Encore of Episode 94: Matt Miller: ChatGPT and Other AI in Our Classrooms
Overthrowing Education
In this encore of the 4th episode in the series on AI in education, my guest, Matt Miller and I discuss the issues we need to consider as well as some very practical ideas for using ChatGPT and other really cool AI in our classes. Matt has been digging deep into this subject and brings so much wisdom and insight into our conversation. Matt shares some great resources to explore in the links below. And he also plays a fun version of The 5-Minute Game Show called “ChatGPT, Google or Me?” I’d like to thank my awesome guest Matt Miller and my fauxmercial helpers including my award-winning...
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Encore of Episode 96: Will AI Replace Teachers?
Overthrowing Education
This encore episode is a favorite of mine, but maybe I'm just partial. Here is the description from the original version: Is it possible that Robots/AI will replace teachers someday? II first examined this question in an episode in early 2020. My guests said no, but my son, 14 at the time, predicted much of what we are seeing now with the explosion of growth in Artificial Intelligence. So, I brought my son, now almost 18, back on the show to give his reflections on his past predictions and update us again. Is it inevitable that teachers will become obsolete? What can we do to make sure...
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Encore of Ep. 91: Stephen Marche: How Will AI Affect Education Part 2
Overthrowing Education
This encore episode is the second part of my early exploration of AI in education. Here is the description of this episode from January, 2023: If you haven’t yet listened to the first in this AI in Education series, episode 89, you might want to do that first. It’s not essential but it does give some background that feeds this episode’s discussion. In that episode, I mention some excellent essays by super prolific author and culture writer Stephen Marche. And now Stephen is my special guest on the show today. He is a font of information and a lot of fun to talk with. Among many other...
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Encore of Episode 89: AI in Education Part 1
Overthrowing Education
This episode was orginally recorded in November of 2022, just as we were hearing about ChatGPT and AI in education. Many of us were wondering what will happen to the way we teach and the way students learn. This is the first part of my exploration about AI in Education. My views on it, my concerns, my hopes have all changed many times over the last year and 1/2. It's interesting to go back and see how far we've come. Here is my original description of the episode: There has been an explosion of handwringing among educators and academics, and cheers from students about the strides and easy...
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Special Announcement for the New Year
Overthrowing Education
I've been taking a break from publishing new episodes since mid-August, and now I have a special announcement!
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Encore: Lindsay Portnoy: Game and Play Based Learning
Overthrowing Education
My awesome guest on this encore episode is educator, author, and lovely, charming human being Lindsay Portnoy who joins me today to talk about why playing games, and playing in general are the best way to learn and how to incorporate games and play into any subject or grade. Lindsay has so many inspiring and wise approaches to education and we really geek out together on this favorite topic for both of us. As for the 5-Minute game show, Lindsay racks up lots of imaginary points as she slays it! Thank you so much to Lyndsay Portnoy and also to Yossie Frankel, the deep voice that joined me...
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Encore Holiday Fauxmercial Bonus from 12/2022
Overthrowing Education
What is a fauxmerical? It's a commercial parody with fake educational products we wish were real. They come towards the beginning of every episode. What is an encore? It means I've played it before, in this case 12/22. What is 12/22? A year I was relieved was almost over, until experiencing 12/23, that is. This last year was so awful that I'm nostalgic about 2022. Go figure. Anyway, now, I really need to laugh. I hope you enjoys these as much as we enjoyed making them. Special thanks to all the voice artists who contributed to not only these fauxmercials, but all of them from the last 4 years....
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Encore of Episode 60: Creating Transformative Schools with Zaynab Baalbaki
Overthrowing Education
Jump into the Overthrowing Education archives with me in this encore episode! On this episode, Zaynab Baalbaki joins me. She is a passionate educator who is truly working on and supporting others in overthrowing education and creating amazing and equitable learning spaces joins. She talks about an incredible public school, Escuela Verde, where she worked in and I also talk about Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning, another example of education at its best. We also discuss how more traditional schools and districts can start slowly to incorporate elements of both these and other...
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Encore of Episode 56: Challenge and Change Ed Narratives with Charles Williams
Overthrowing Education
Jump into the Overthrowing Education archives with me in this encore episode! In this episode, veteran educator and podcast host and I have a great conversation about the work we need to do to create true equity in education and the importance of challenging our current narratives. We also talk about problematic intrinsic biases that we all have and how to change them. Even though the topics we discuss are serious and important, along with all the practical ideas, we do get very silly (and not just on The 5-Minute Game Show, although he slays his food themed game show!). Special thanks...
info_outlineIn this episode, I speak with Barbara Smith, a long-time forward-thinking educator and prolific writer. We talk about her upcoming book, The Gatekeepers: Why School Systems Should Rethink Resisting Change. We discuss who the gatekeepers are that keep us from moving education forward and creating a better system. Of course, that includes the U.S. and other countries' obsession with standardized tests, ranking schools and students, and a whole more. This conversation got me riled up, in a good way, to continue the work so many educators like you are doing to overthrow education. And bonus: we talked about the connection between a certain TV franchise and its connection to better education!
Also, this episode’s fauxmercial was borrowed from Episode 60 with Zaynab Baalbaki about creating transformative schools, because this episode is really about overcoming the challenges to create transformative education. Once again, the awesome Jake Miller joined me in this fauxmercial flashback.
I want to thank my special guest, Barbara Smith, and my fauxmercial helper, Jake Miller.
I also want to remind you to please rate and review this podcast so others can find it.
And of course, if you share it with your colleagues, friends, and some of those gatekeepers, we can help make some really positive changes in education. Of course, it couldn’t hurt to get some Overthrowing Education swag to really make your point!
Links and Resources:
For all of Barbara’s books and resources: www.z-pd.ca
Contact information: [email protected]
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