On the episode, we unpack how students were challenged to deepen and demonstrate their understanding of Ecosystems and Visual Literacy in a grade 7 interdisciplinary project. Teacher Jaclyn Demmers also shares her newfound insights about the potential…
What is the truth about teacher leadership? Is it an exciting opportunity to become a change agent, or, is it just another managerial manifestation of the status quo? Randy Swift and Pedro Dones III are two teacher leaders from New York who have had…
EduPodlooza is an all-day marathon, live-stream event featuring some of the dopest names in the education podcast space. The poetry slam segment was a collaboration between the following EduPodcasters who shared their own poems and responded to poems…
Despite our best intentions, collaboration in schools often looks more like cooperation (at best), or polite dysfunction (at worst). As an NCAA div 1 basketball coach and strategic business development professional, Tim Lewis has learned a lot that…
In this project feature episode, we explore how drama teacher Leeanne McLim reimagined the classic “Haunted House” project in response to the pandemic. While students learned a myriad of life skills through planning, pitching, designing, and hosting…
On the episode, we explore the relationship between social-emotional learning and lower-case “l” literacy.
For too long, the purpose of assessment has been to collect points for a gradebook. As a high school English teacher, Sarah Zerwin decided to uphold a better purpose for assessment: learning. On the episode, Sarah discusses many “point-less”…
Gender-based violence continues to be a problem in our society and stems from limiting gender norms, specifically for boys and men. Dr. Gerald Walton is a professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University in Ontario and his area of study…
Strategy hacks are designed to be bite-sized episodes that provide teachers a tool they can use in their classroom, tomorrow.
Executive Functions (EFs) are higher orders in the brain that allow us to manage and process the world we live in. In this…
What would a school look like if teachers were in charge? How would administrative tasks be managed? What impact would this have on student learning? Zaynab Baalbaki previously worked for Escuela Verde, a public charter school in Wisconsin that…
On project feature episodes, school-based practitioners tell the story of how they disrupted the status quo in their context. In this episode, learn about how a team of grade 6 teachers and an instructional coach worked together to breathe life back…
Creativity is an energizing force that allows us to breathe new life into our work as educators. In this solo episode by host Natalie Vardabasso, learn more about what exactly creativity is (and isn’t), why it needs liberating, and how to do just that…
EduCrush is a podcast that aims to reimagine and rehumanize education. In the second season, host Natalie Vardabasso will continue to feature the dope and disruptive humans who are leading change and unleashing authentic learning. Season two will also…
In the final episode of season one, Dr. Leyton Schnellert describes how he disrupts both teacher education and academic research by designing learning experiences that are interdisciplinary, inclusive, and always in the context of real classrooms. As…
Math has traditionally been a space dominated by the simple binary of right and wrong answers, but the modern world requires skills, dispositions, and competencies that demand complexity. Kim Petersen and Sheryl Walters have spent the past year…
Teacher expectations have a massive impact on student learning, and yet, they are often one of the most forgotten factors in school improvement efforts. In the episode, Ken brings the humor, heart and hammer to call our attention to the limiting…
It doesn’t matter if you work in a company, a hospital, a not-for-profit organization, or a school, we are all facing the same problem; our ways of working are limiting the potential of humans to adapt to complex challenges. On the episode, we explore…
I thought I was a unicorn until I met Nick Moskaluk; the only other edupodcaster in Calgary. Turns out, we have even more in common including a reluctance to become a teacher, a love for creativity in the classroom, and a low-key obsession with the…
To achieve equity and meet the demands of the future, many of our institutions and operating systems are due for a massive overhaul. But what does exactly does that look like? As a former principal, superintendent, deputy minister of education and…
Unprofessional Development, hosted by Mealy and Tudisco, features the hilarious stories teachers tell in the workroom, the barroom, and the coffee house. In the true spirit of PodSwaps, this three-way interview covers a wide range of topics including…
As male teachers of colour in their school district, Gerardo and Kev felt like unicorns. That is, until they found each other and started to talk about their shared experiences on a podcast called Too Dope Teachers and a Mic. On the episode, we…
Engagement is a key outcome of every teacher’s practice, but what does it actually look like? In 2009, Dr. Sharon Friesen led a study to figure out how many students across Canada were engaged in school socially, academically, and intellectually. The…
PodSwap(n): when two podcasters jump on each others’ shows to double down on the awesome.
In this bonus episode, I chat with Shane Lawrence, host of The Ed Podcast. We talk podcasting (obviously), what he’s learned about teaching after interviewing…
In his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear says, “Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.” So how might a teacher’s practice change if they were no longer within the walls of a traditional classroom? On the episode, learn from…
As a former art teacher turned celebrated artist, Michelle has learned a lot about creativity and how it can transform education. Dream with us about a future for education that is grounded in the “basics”; love, passion, and connections.
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Many of us are trying to find ways to connect school to the wider community, but what would happen if a community was empowered to create their own school? Learn how a teacher took creative control of his career by co-designing a unique learning…
Trying a different approach to learning in our classrooms can be daunting but collaborating with a colleague can help us find comfort in the discomfort of change. On the episode, we learn how two educators leaned into uncertainty, curiosity, and the…
Reconciliation is a personal journey that all Canadian educators have been called to embark upon. But where does that journey start? Where does it end? How might we walk the long and uncertain road together? Sarah Midanik is an inspiring Indigenous…
At nearly 90-years-old, Jim Gray has learned a thing or two about innovation as a legendary Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and engaged citizen. Turns out, what it takes to be an innovator is also what makes for living a quality life;…
Who we are as people largely influences how we embrace creativity and innovation in our lives and work. Though our reasons for embracing change might be different, the need for collaboration and a risk-tolerant culture is universal. Learn from a…
Teachers are innovators when they embrace new and better ways of making learning happen in the classroom. However, leaders need to be innovators as well to inspire teachers to take a risk and try something different. Learn more about innovation in the…
In honor of the new year, I have a special treat for you… Stay ready for not one, not two, but THREE new episodes next week featuring three different guests, all talking about one topic: innovation. Listen to this bonus episode for a sneak preview!
Stories are integral to our humanity and a powerful tool in many industries. Learn how to facilitate a project that builds a safe community through storytelling, while also building students’ writing and digital literacy skills.
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Media plays a critical role in how we make sense of ourselves, others, and the world around us. On the episode, I reconnect with one of my favorite professors to unpack the concept of social justice education before we look at ways we can disrupt…
When we are responsible for the learning and growth of others, we know that feedback is our greatest ally. However, feedback must land with the person receiving it if it is going to motivate them to take the next steps. In this solo episode, I share…
Assessment has the potential to either amplify or inhibit learning. On the episode, we dig into how to assess to cultivate deeper learning and develop the competencies students will need for the 21st century.
View full show notes at www.educrushpod.com
Conflict is inevitable in education, but luckily it is also an opportunity to build more meaningful connections with those work with. Learn practical strategies from a Human Resources specialist that allow you to seek to understand when things get…
What does it mean to connect with someone? Learn from a psychologist how our connections regulate our emotions, and the policies and biases that drive disconnection in our schools and society.
View full show notes at www.educrushpod.com.
Circle meetings are a protocol that provides a safe space for students to practice their social skills and tackle topics that matter most to them. Learn how to facilitate them to build a culture of belonging in your classroom.
How we experience learning in our own life has a huge impact on the experiences we create for our students. Find out how a Metis-Cree assistant professor created a philosophy of learning after surviving addiction, homelessness, and reclaiming his…
COVID-19 has raised many questions about the purpose of education throughout North America and elicited very different answers from educators, parents and politicians. To better understand this current debate, we look at the reasons we’ve educated our…
Now is the time to lean into the discomfort of talking about race. On this episode, we acknowledge our identities as a Black American and a white Canadian and discuss what it means to be anti-racist, and the #SmallGreatThings we can do as educators.
Welcome to #EduCrush! In honor of something new, we are going to discuss how to adopt a beginner’s mindset by getting curious, knowing where to look, and giving ourselves the permission to explore new routes.
Show Notes:
Feelings check about the…