Teaching Learning Leading K-12

Frances Schoonmaker - The Last Crystal Trilogy, Writing Techniques, and Research Practices. This is episode 430 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. After teaching elementary school for a dozen years, Frances Schoonmaker directed the graduate elementary and middle school teacher education program at Teachers College, Columbia University for nearly twenty years, drawing heavily on children’s literature and storytelling. Publications for children include five books in the Sterling Poetry for Young People series and Growing Up Caring, Values And Decision-Making (Glencoe/Macmillan). Frances draws on her background of growing up in rural Oklahoma to furnish vivid details of place and context. As a child she was fascinated by stories told by pioneer grandparents and exploring the remains of the dugout where her mother was born. In The Black Alabaster Box she makes room for both fact and fancy.    Schoonmaker has taught, lectured, and consulted internationally. She holds degrees from The Universit

Holly Sharp - Dream It & Do It: 100 Possibilities, Stories, and Real-Life Role Models for Girls and Boys. This is episode 429 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Holly Sharp helps kids discover career options and interests so they can grow into happy adults. She helps parents overcome the stress of finding the right hobbies and interests for their kids. She helps teachers approach this topic with greater purpose in the classroom. Her book, Dream It & Do It presents kids with 100 different careers and modern day role models. Holly’s book received the prestigious Gold Mom’s Choice Award, 5 out of 5 stars Review from Reader’s Choice and Midwest Book Review and first place for Royal DragonFly short stories. Today, we are focused on Holly’s book - Dream It & Do It: 100 Possibilities, Stories, and Real-Life Role Models for Girls and Boys. Thanks for listening. So much to learn! But wait... Check out Jeff Ikler's new podcast - Cultivating Resilience: A Whole Community Approach for Allev

Dr. Naphtali Hoff - Executive Coaching, Leadership, Mastermind Groups, and his book - Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success. This is episode 428 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Naphtali Hoff, PsyD, is an accomplished executive coach, organizational consultant, and sought after trainer and lecturer. He is the President and Executive Coach at Impactful Coaching & Consulting. Naphtali is passionate about leadership and writes about what makes leaders most successful. Naphtali is a former educator and school leader who loves to teach, learn and garden. He is the proud father of six and is married to a woman who he doesn't deserve. Today we are going to talk about coaching and why leaders need it, mastermind groups, becoming more productive as a leader, his podcast - Lead to Succeed and his book - Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success. Thanks for listening. So much to learn! But wait... Check out Jeff Ikler's new podcast - Cultiv

N.L. Holmes Discusses Here Novel - Lake of Flowers: A Lord Hani Mystery. This is episode 427 of Teaching Learning Leading K12. N.L. Holmes is a prolific novelist embarking on another significant career phase. Prior to taking up the power of writing and using this pen name, she was an accomplished archaeologist and teacher for 25 years. Early in her career she served as a nun for two decades. In between she was an artist and antiques dealer. Yes, she has lived an interesting life and the sum of her experiences informs and inspires her writings today. Holmes, who earned her doctorate in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology Studies from Bryn Mawr College despite an offer to attend Princeton, has excavated in Greece and Israel, and taught ancient history and humanities at Stockton University in N.J. and University of South Florida for many years. She also did archaeological artwork for excavations from Lebanon. With seven published novels, Holmes is the creator of The Lord Hani Mysteries. The inspiration for

James Gilbert - Tales of Little Egypt: A Fictional Account of Small Town Life in America Between the Civil War and the Great Influenza Plague of 1918. This is episode 426 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Over the course of his career as a historian, James Gilbert published 11 history texts, one of which (Perfect Cities) was named a New York Times notable book of the year in 1986. Throughout his career, he has often succumbed to a love of travel made possible by teaching at the University of Paris and Warwick University in England, and with Fulbright Awards, at the University of Sydney, the University of Amsterdam, Erfurt and Tubingen Universities in Germany, and Uppsala University in Sweden, where he was given an honorary Doctoral Degree. Until 2020, he was the Faculty Fulbright Adviser at the University of Maryland.  Born in Chicago, Gilbert attended Carleton College and then the University of Wisconsin, earning a doctoral degree in American Intellectual and Cultural History. In 1966, he

  Penny Swift and Stephanie Nantell - Education Through Music: Transforming Schools with Music Education. This is episode 425 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Today, I’m talking with Penny Swift and Stephanie Nantell about Education Through Music which is focused on...Transforming Schools with Music Education. A little about Penny and Stephanie… Penny Swift is the former Executive Director of ETM. She joined Education Through Music in 2017 as the inaugural Chief Operation Officer. Penny has had an extensive career as an operational and strategic leader in early childhood education. Her career began in the service of under-resourced communities as a teacher and a special education administrator. As a lifelong advocate for equality and excellence in childhood education, Penny’s experience led her to senior leadership roles overseeing early childhood centers. She recently served as the Divisional Vice President at Brightside Academy, overseeing all early-childhood academies in New York and P

Emily Bernath - Rape Survivor, Sexual Assault Victim Advocate, and the author of Broken Lenses Volumes 1 & 2. This is episode 424 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Emily Bernath, a rape survivor, is a sexual assault victim advocate, author, and speaker.  Her first published book was Broken Lenses: Identifying Your Truths in a World of Lies (Morgan James Publishing, 2019). Bernath’s newest book is Broken Lenses, Volume 2: Seeing Others’ Value in a World of Division (Morgan James Publishing, June, 2021). Emily, who completed a 40-hour Sexual Assault Counselor Training course provided by UCASA, serves as an active board member with the non-profit, Reveal to Heal International. She offers support, counseling, and advocacy for sexual assault victims. She has participated in, and spoken at, numerous events and fundraisers in support of such victims with The Rape Recovery Center and The Walk of No Shame. She attends a non-denominational church, K2 the Church, and has a passion for reaching ou

Harold Phifer talks with me about his memoir - Surviving Chaos: How I Found Peace at a Beach Bar. This is episode 423 of the audio podcast Teaching Learning Leading K12. Harold Phifer was living a life that he was hiding from everyone—including himself. Then he met a woman at a bar in Thailand who cracked that secret open. Finally listened to, and guided by the stranger’s on-target, thoughtful questions, Harold spoke for the first time of his near-death experience in Afghanistan while flashing back to his dysfunctional past.   His inspiring memoir, Surviving Chaos: How I Found Peace At A Beach Bar. does not shy away from the stark details of childhood bullying, family tension, being raised in poverty in 1960s Mississippi, a mother with schizophrenia, and feeling like an outsider even at home.  Having spent the past decade in Iraq and Afghanistan as a contractor (air-controller), he survived a suicide bombing by the Taliban but feels more at peace amidst the war zone than he did during his shattered childhoo

Jim Owens - Senior VP, Business Development, SDI, Inc. - Helping k12 with Assessing Indoor Air Quality, PPE Needs, and Supply Chain Management. This is episode 422 of Teaching learning Leading K12. Jim Owens is the Senior Vice President for Business Development at SDI, Inc.  Jim brings a unique blend of strategic and creative thought to every client engagement to create an environment of proactive collaboration and common value for both SDI’s current K-12 clients and future clients.  Jim works with school systems to assess their need for PPE supplies and HVAC upgrades. This process involves quantitative and qualitative research to understand each district’s unique situation and forecast what consumption could look like based on SDI’s deep background and expertise in supply chain management.  With support from SDI’s PPE-as-a-Service technology, school systems can achieve a resilient PPE and essential materials supply chain to protect against future supply and demand shocks. Jim’s experience at creating and i

Heather Hayes - an Executive Education Consultant with GALE, a Cengage Company - talks about Cameron's Collection a GALE Resource for Teen Mental Health. This is episode 421 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Heather Hayes is an Executive Education Consultant with GALE, a Cengage Company. Heather earned her BA in English from James Madison University and a master of teaching with a concentration in English from Virginia Commonwealth University. As a former English literature teacher and in her role as an education consultant, Heather has a passion for ensuring that we teach the whole child, and that both the mental health and wellness and the academics of every child is fostered, nurtured, and protected—paving the way to each child’s unique path to success! GALE, a Cengage company, partners with librarians and educators around the world to connect learners to essential content through user-friendly technology that enhances experiences and improves learning outcomes. For more than 65 years,

Kenneth D. Evans - Missing: A World War II Story of Love, Friendships, Courage, and Survival. This is episode 420 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Kenneth D. Evans’ decade-long quest to learn and write about his father’s World War ll experiences was featured in Salt Lake City’s Deseret News on Father’s Day 2017. Missing: A World War II Story of Love, Friendships, Courage, and Survival is his first book. He was a CPA and business consultant for more than 40 years. During his career, he helped set up and served as a board member on several nonprofit organizations, including an equine therapy center for people with disabilities and a foundation operating schools in Guatemala. He also assisted in interfaith disaster relief efforts following Hurricanes Beulah and Katrina. An outdoor enthusiast, Ken enjoys fly-fishing, horseback riding, and spending time at his family cabin. He and his wife Sandy have six children and fifteen grandchildren. They reside on his family’s farm in Saratoga Springs,

Alex Shevrin Venet talks with me about her book Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education. This is episode 419 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Alex Shevrin Venet is an educator, professional development facilitator, and writer. She teaches in-service teachers at Antioch University and Castleton University, and undergraduate students at the Community College of Vermont. She is a former teacher/leader at an alternative therapeutic school. She lives in Winooski, Vermont. Today we are focused on Alex’s book - Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education. So much to learn. Thanks for listening! Enjoy! But wait... Remember that Lynn at Connect Flow Grow is ready to help you deal with stress. She has new two new exciting classes: (Click on the links below to learn about each class.) Stress Less Society and Stress Less Family! Through these classes, Lynn will help you or your family learn how stress affects your lives and healthy ways that you can combat it. Don't wait. Go deal with that stress an

Mark K. Shriver talks about his children's book - 10 Hidden Heroes: A Counting Book With a Message. This is episode 418 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Mark K. Shriver, president of Save the Children Action Network in Washington, D.C., created the Choice Program and is a former Maryland state legislator. He is the author of Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis and the New York Times bestselling memoir, A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver, which received a 2013 Christopher Award. Shriver lives with his wife, Jeanne, and their three children, Molly, Tommy, and Emma, in Maryland.  Today we are focused on his book 10 Hidden Heroes: A Counting Book with a Message. So much to learn. Thanks for listening! Enjoy! But wait... Remember that Lynn at Connect Flow Grow is ready to help you deal with stress. She has new two new exciting classes: (Click on the links below to learn about each class.) Stress Less Society and Stress Less Family! Through these classes, Lynn will

Dr. April Willis talks with us about The National Virtual Teacher Association (NVTA). This is episode 417 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Dr. April Willis has spent her entire career in education, working at the campus, district, and state levels of education and holds certifications in the Superintendency, Principalship and eight teaching roles.  She currently serves as the Director of Operations at The National Virtual Teaching Association (NVTA) , an organization which helps teachers transition from the brick-and-mortar classroom to the virtual classroom, with the goal of providing online instruction that’s even more engaging and effective than in-person learning. She is a contributing author to NVTA’s new book, Virtual Instruction Standards: Optimizing Teaching & Learning (October 2020), a comprehensive guide based on current research, proven best practices and the expertise of virtual instructors across the country that addresses all learners and learning environments, as well

Dr. Donna Marks talks with me about her book Exit the Maze: One Addiction, One Cause, One Cure. This is episode 416 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Dr. Donna Marks has developed a breakthrough treatment approach to addiction, one that offers long-term relief and help to America’s addicted – whether one suffers from drug, alcohol, eating, gambling, shopping, smoking, or sex addiction. She is an educator and licensed psychotherapist and addictions counselor who has worked with over 6,000 patients over the past three decades. A speaker, author, and educator, Dr. Marks often discusses her own struggle with addiction brought her to a worldwide search for healing. She was once a single mom, high school dropout who overcame her challenges and addictions. She became licensed as a Mental Health Counselor in 1987. In 1989, she earned a Doctorate Degree in Adult Education, then became Certified in Addictions, Gestalt Therapy, Psychoanalysis, Hypnosis, and Sex Therapy.  Dr. Marks developed an award

Willie Wittezehler - Creative Director at Roadtrip Nation - talks about Roadtrip Nation, Life on the Road, and Roadmap. This is episode 415 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.  Willie Wittezehler is an author, filmmaker, and Creative Director at Roadtrip Nation. Willie is a professional roadtripper who has produced and directed Roadtrip Nation’s award-winning documentaries. He also co-authored the New York Times bestselling book "Roadmap: The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What To Do With Your Life." He also is the producer/host of the Roadtrip Nation's podcast - Roadmap: Find Your Path with Roadtrip Nation. Through this podcast, he's bringing the stories and philosophies from the "Roadmap" book to life. From Roadtrip Nation’s website… “Our award-winning documentaries will show you why it's OK to feel lost, and help you realize that you're not alone—that moments of doubt and uncertainty are all normal on the road to building a fulfilling career and life.  Search our library of film

  Lesley Koplow - Jasmine's Big Idea: A Story for Children in the Time of COVID - Book 2. This is episode 414 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Lesley Koplow is a clinical social worker, teacher and author who lives in New York City. She is the Director of Emotionally Responsive Practice at Bank Street College, founder of Networks for Schools That Heal and a psychotherapist in private practice.  Lesley is the author of several books including; Where Rag Dolls Hide Their Faces, The Way Home, Unsmiling Faces: How Preschools Can Heal, Creating Schools That Heal, Bears, Bears Everywhere: Supporting Children's Emotional Health in the Classroom, Tanya and the Tobo Man, Politics Aside; Our Children and Their Teachers in Score-Driven Times, and Emotionally Responsive Practice: A Path for Schools That Heal.  On episode 378 of Teaching Learning Leading K12 we talked about Lesley's children’s book Lilah in the Land of the Littles and today we are focused on book 2 in the series - Jasmine’s Big Idea:

Richard Rusczyk - Art of Problem Solving: Building the Next Generation of Problem Solvers. This is episode 413 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Richard Rusczyk is the founder and CEO of Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) Inc. (as well as the website, which serves as a mathematics forum and place to hold online classes) and a co-author of the Art of Problem Solving textbooks.  Richard was a national MATHCOUNTS participant in 1985, and he won the USA Math Olympiad (USAMO) in 1989. He is one of the co-creators of the Mandelbrot Competition, and the director of the USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS). He also founded the San Diego Math Circle. Every month, Rusczyk works on the MATHCOUNTS website to create Mathcounts Minis, where he explains problems and concepts. Richard studied chemical engineering at Princeton University and graduated in 1993. He served on the board for ARML (American Regions Mathematics League) and managed the Western ARML site at one point. So much to learn. Thanks for lis

Claude B. Larson - The Power of Choice: A Teen's Guide to Finding Personal Success. This is episode 412 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Claude Larson is a 25-year veteran of teaching in New Jersey public schools, primarily middle school science. Her experience can be distilled down to two core beliefs about education and life. First, education can give anyone, despite their circumstances, power to direct their future. And second, well developed life habits have the power to give each day more value. Her daily choices, both large and small, have brought her great success in life. Her books, Professional Development courses and Teen Workshops are vehicles to help you find the path to success for yourself and contribute your greatness to the world. Today, we are focused on Claude's book, The Power of Choice: A Teen's Guide to Finding Personal Success. So much to learn. Thanks for listening. Enjoy... But wait... Remember that you can get a 15% discount when you spend $99 at Tonies.com. Use t

Mike Teng - Swing Education: Finding Your School and School System Substitute Teachers. This is episode 411 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Mike Teng is the CEO and co-founder of Swing Education (www.swingeducation.com), a tech-enabled marketplace business that matches substitute teachers with schools in need. Before founding Swing, Mike was the Director of Technology at Rocketship Education.  Founded in 2015, Swing Education offers a staffing application to provide qualified substitute teachers for K-12 schools. The company comprehensively recruits, screens, and permits educators to fill teacher and support staff absences. Schools and substitutes are efficiently matched through Swing Education’s online marketplace, with substitute teachers selecting job opportunities via text or a mobile app. The company’s pool of substitute teachers includes both veteran educators and trained professionals who are entering into the education community through Swing Education. To date, Swing Education h