Amy Gropper - Why I Teach

SHOW NOTES 2:30 – second-career educator and an effective, thoughtful, and creative teacher 3:30 – every never you utter in life becomes your roadmap 3:45 – I will never be a teacher. I hate school 4:00 – perhaps not the greatest horse rider but a great teacher of horse riding 5:00 – going back to school to become a teacher 5:15 – David as Amy’s first assistant principal 5:30 – engage and intrigue students 5:45 – first experiences in higher ed 6:10 – tech ed in the private sector 6:50 – coordinator of field placement – working with student teachers 7:05 – HOW to teach is the overarching theme and key component of the teaching and learning process 8:15 – Amy gave names to the PCs in her classroom 9:20 – don’t use technology gratuitously – have a rationale 10:05 – technology can enhance collaboration 10:30 – ask, “How will technology enhance learning?” 10:45 – Answer Garden, word clouds, discussions and connections between what surfaces via tech and human interaction and “wondering” 12:55 – you must establish structure, boundaries, and routines 13:05 – you must get to know your kids (your students, your learners) 13:35 – respectful dialogue is a precursor to learning 14:15 – what is a professional boundary? 15:05 – norms AND non-negotiables 16:00 – David’s interaction with students In School Suspension 17:50 – breaking convention for learner benefit 18:15 – am I enjoying what I am doing right now? 18:45 – if you are not connecting with your students, figure out why and work on adjusting what needs to change 19:35 – the "endless bulletin board” 19:55 – Think Tank and the Issue Fish 21:10 – an idea, borne out of panic 21:45 – be willing to dive in and try something – if it doesn’t work, try something else 22:00 – student work as an opportunity for affirmation 23:45 – what teacher-leadership looks like 24:20 – be a leader with those you lead 25:00 – intentional boundaries – individual and contextual, but consistent 25:15 – don’t take yourself too seriously – don’t feel sorry for your own failures 26:05 – an orchid named Spike 27:00 – everything good I learned about education, I learned in the barn 27:30 – first horse at age eight, competition, and lessons about good riding 27:45 – listening, waiting, life is not all about me 29:30 – grateful for the experiences I have had 30:05 – teaching or learning – which is more important? 30:15 – if we stop learning, we’ve given up 31:00 – find what happened good today 31:35 – learning and courage drive change 31:50 – be brave enough to learn something new or that’s different from what you expect 32:25 – I’ve had an amazing life (and I did want to serve in the military), but I really wouldn’t change anything 33:45 – why teach? To help people discover who they are, to facilitate a deeper level of understanding 34:45 – not to tell them what to think, but to teach students about their potential as thinkers 35:15 – working with professors on and retrieval practice and backward planning – adding pedagogy skill sets (the teaching craft) to content expertise 36:20 – an opportunity to positively impact future teachers 37:00 – I would not be the person I am today without my father (whose undergone an incredible transformation in his life), and Dr. Beverly Armento at Georgia State University (a mentor and amazing educator) Links and other show details: Amy's email Flagler College Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats Podcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com. Professional Association of Georgia Educators David’s LinkedIn page Lead. Learn. Change. the book Instagram - lead.learn.change