Practical PBL Strategies

Why is teaching still so exhausting after more than two and half years of concentrated attention on teacher wellbeing? Despite the strategies and well-intended efforts, many teachers report being more emotionally and physically tired than ever. Our guests identify the often overlooked reasons and discuss why they are excited about two promising solutions. Follow on Twitter: @ ClassTechTips @jmattmiller @Waldenkent @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd Benjamin White is a teacher, writer, and researcher currently working as Assistant Head at Maidstone Girls’ Grammar School in Kent, England. He recently co-authored ‘The Next Big Thing in Education’ with Professor Becky Allen and Matthew Evans. Ben has a particular interest in teaching practice and its relationship with shifting policies, fads and educational research. He has written research guides for Ambition Institute and led research projects for the Education Endowment Foundation, Ashford Teaching Alliance and the Department for Education. He also developed Compare and Learn (a comparative learning web-app). He holds a Masters in Education and professional studies and currently facilitates the National Professional Qualification in Leading Teacher Development. Dr. Monica Burns is the author of Tasks Before Apps: Designing Rigorous Learning in a Tech-Rich Classroom (ASCD). She is a curriculum and educational technology consultant, Apple Distinguished Educator, and founder of ClassTechTips.com. Matt Miller spent more than a decade in the classroom, creating unique learning experiences for my students through technology and creative teaching. He is the author of Ditch That Textbook on innovative teaching ideas and rethinking education. He is a Google-Certified Innovator. and one of the top 10 influencers in educational technology and elearning worldwide.

Being a school leader can be lonely and isolating. Join us for the premiere episode of Leading Innovation: Where school leaders talk about what we're thinking, saying, and doing to guide our schools today. We kick off the first segment with a discussion about the need for school leaders to share ideas and strategies, then dive into the challenge of managing "innovation fatigue." Listen in as we drill down on how some school leaders use data to rebalance school priorities and reduce teacher burnout while maximizing student achievement. Follow on Twitter:  @MicrosoftEDU @DinaMGhobashy @GOALACADEMY @frankchip2 @jonharper70bd @bamradionetwork Related Resources – MicrosoftEDU: See how schools worldwide are collaborating to transform learning and deliver sustained success Jamie Trujillo serves as the Chief Information Officer for GOAL Academy. In this role, Jamie is directly responsible for leading GOAL Academy’s technology efforts and enabling digital transformation across the School, with a passion to prepare students for a life centered around technology. Jamie is a 20-year veteran of the Tech industry. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in IT Administration from Western Governors University. He possesses 13 technical industry certifications, ranging from the CompTIA A+, Security+, and Network+ to the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Messaging (MCSA). Jamie is a fifth-generation native of Western Colorado. Prior to joining GOAL Academy, Jamie was the worldwide Director of Information Technology for Doss Aviation (now L3 Harris) based in Pueblo and Colorado Springs. Jamie is an active member of the Colorado Association of Leaders in Educational Technology (CALET) and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Pueblo West Chamber of Commerce. In his free time, Jamie enjoys spending time with his wonderful family, officiating high school basketball games, and the great outdoors of Colorado. Dina Ghobashy is passionate about achieving positive social impact through education and she sees technology as a catalyst for realizing this vision.  She currently champions schoolwide education transformation and manages school leader strategy and programs at Microsoft. Dina possesses a broad background in technology and its effective application to transform teaching and learning.   She led academic innovation at the French American International School in San Francisco and at Intel Corporation, she advised and supported schools and governments worldwide on transforming education using technology.  She spent the early part of her career at Intel developing expertise in business analysis, process improvement coaching, adult learning, requirements discovery, program management, change management, and software development.  Dina holds a Master’s in Education Technology from Columbia University, a Master’s in Computer Engineering from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor's of Science in Electrical and Communications Engineering from Cairo University. Frank Chiappone is a Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft with a focus on School Leaders and IT audiences. He loves to go deep on how institutions undertake digital transformation, the challenges they face in implementing and driving technology adoption in the classroom, and learning how Microsoft can best deliver innovation to help institutions around the world enable student success. This is his 14th year with Microsoft Education. Prior to joining Microsoft, Frank was an Emmy-award winning journalist with more than 22 years spent in television newsrooms around the country. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso. Outside of work he’s either spending time with his family, playing lot of pickleball, or cooking something in the kitchen.

This conversation is timely as the ongoing pandemic makes it increasingly challenging to keep students interested in learning and actively involved in the process.  Our guests share a strategy they call the Expert Effect, which we can combine with PBL, STEM, and virtually any subject to get and keep students excited about learning during this unusual school term. Follow on Twitter: @MrRondot  @Gmckinney2 @Rdene915 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd @Definedlearning Defined Learning 60 day Free Access. Zach Rondot is a passionate fourth-grade teacher in Troy, Michigan. His mission is to teach students the 21st-century skills, mindsets, and attributes that will help them succeed long after they leave his classroom. In 2019, Zach was named the Troy School District Elementary Teacher of the Year and the Oakland County Elementary Teacher of the Year. Zach is an instructor in the Master’s program of Learning, Design, and Technology at Central Michigan University. He utilizes technology to create learning opportunities that otherwise would not be possible Grayson McKinney is a fifth-grade teacher from Michigan and a leader in the area of innovative teaching and learning. He has worked with learners at all levels of school from K-6 as a teacher, technology facilitator, and as a program administrator. He is a student podcaster, educational writer, and speaker on the topic of 21st-century student learning and engagement. Zach and Grayson are the co-authors of the newly released book, The Expert Effect: A Three-Part System to Break Down the Walls of your Classroom and Connect your Students to the World which was recently released by Edumatch Publishing.

Many, maybe even most, students see school as a grade game. "What do I have to do to get an A?" Many of us have been driven to see teaching as a compliance game. "What do I have to do to get my students to meet the course requirements?"  In this episode, we talk about practical strategies we can use to change the game of school (at the classroom level) to cultivate more students who are passionate about learning in your class. Follow on Twitter: @DWettrick  @Rdene915 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd @Definedlearning Defined Learning 60 day Free Access Don Wettrick is the founder of The STARTedUP Foundation, which hosts Innovate WithIN- Indiana's innovation and entrepreneurship programming and competition. He is also the author of “Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation,” which aims to create innovation mindsets in our schools. Don is known for his award-winning work as a middle school and high school teacher; educational and innovation consultant; and educational speaker.

What are the easiest, simplest, and most effective ways to teach STEM subjects during the pandemic? Listen in as our guest shares practical PBL strategies we can use to reduce our workload while making instruction more meaningful and relevant to our students. Follow on Twitter: @DrJacieMaslyk @Rdene915 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd@Definedlearning An educator for the last 22 years, Dr. Jacie Maslyk, has served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, elementary principal, and assistant superintendent. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Leadership from Robert Morris University. Her doctorate was earned in curriculum and instruction, also from IUP. Jacie has published numerous articles on topics like principal leadership, designing effective interventions, and leading STEAM and Making in schools. She is the author of STEAM Makers: Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the Elementary Classroom, Connect to Lead: Power Up Your Learning Network to Move Your School Forward, Remake Literacy: Innovative Instructional Strategies for Maker Learning, Unlock Creativity: Opening a World of Imagination With Your Students, and All In: Taking a Gamble in Education. Jacie is a featured blogger with Demco, Defined STEM, and Education Closet, as well as maintaining her own blog, Creativity in the Making at www.jaciemaslyk.blogspot.com .

In this episode, we discuss why developing our social-emotional skills is ideally a team effort. Join us as we look at how PLCs can best be used to support our social-emotional growth. Follow on Twitter: @JorgeDoesPBL @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd Jen Perry joined Edmentum as the Learning Designer for Social-Emotional Learning after 30+ years of work with youth in educational and community settings. As a teacher, administrator, and trainer, her passion has been to help educators develop an understanding of the importance of social and emotional learning and build trauma-informed responses and systems. This work has included supporting youth, administrators, and schools in understanding behavior and implementing transformational change through strength-based approaches. Myla Lee with nearly 30 years in education, Myla Lee serves as a consultant for literacy, technology integration, and project-based learning. Much of the learning she shares with others at state and national conferences focus on various topics first field-tested in her classroom and explores inquiry in authentic classroom culture. Currently, Myla is an instructional coach for Novi Community School District (Michigan), where she facilitates professional learning districtwide and provides job-embedded professional learning to individuals and teams of teachers. Previously, Myla was the Project-based Learning Specialist with Technology Integration for her district. With her 23 years of classroom experience, she worked with administrators, teachers, and students to implement integrated PBL units grounded in technology and current best practice. As a teacher/researcher, and in collaboration with university educators, Myla has researched, presented, and co-published on multicultural reading and literacy practices.