School Is Out!

Putting it all together, Mike and Miles share their advice and encouragement on the planning, development, delivery, and assessment of great teaching practices.

Mike and Miles speak from the heart about creating wonder and the desire to learn in students. The why comes from teachers and is the essence of teaching- making learning real for students and creating a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Mike and Miles talk about the "what" portion of teaching, specifically as it pertains to the content charged to teachers and schools by agencies higher than the classroom. They speak passionately on how what we teach is meant for all learners, and how it is uniquely delivered by great classroom leaders.

Mike and Miles take an in-depth look at the human component of the teaching and learning experience. Listen as they emphasize the importance of designing the teacher persona your kids need within the learning space.

Goals are the key! Mike and Miles excitedly talk about setting and reaching goals. This podcast brings out the passion that Mike and Miles have for teaching and learning- specifically regarding goals for all learners. Skill-based objectives and clear assessments are the foundation of this booming episode!

Mike and Miles talk about designing lessons, units, and end of year goals with real measures of learning. They emphasize planning with alignment and setting goals that are clearly demonstrated by all students. Backward design, purposeful planning, and professional curiosity are highlighted in this powerful episode.

Have you ever thought that your class is out of control, that your students just won't do what is expected of them? Listen as Mike and Miles talk about real ways to take back the leadership role of your class. Re-enter your class with fresh enthusiasm and real strategies to get your focus on teaching and their focus on learning.

Mike and Miles discuss behavior from their points of view in a classroom. Find practical ways to connect to your students- have expectations, praise often, celebrate accomplishments, be vulnerable.

Mike and Miles dive deep into the meaning and importance of classroom culture. From the looks, sounds, feels, smells, and even tastes of a classroom, teachers shape their students' learning experiences. The classroom as a vessel is a model of the teacher's expectations, thus significantly impacting teaching and learning.

Who are you as a teacher? How does your persona including your strengths and culture play into leading a classroom? Explore the power of self-reflection as Mike and Miles discuss the importance of shaping your teaching persona to fit the needs of your students.

What do you do with/for a student who has no more interest in school? Mike and Miles discuss ways to connect with difficult students who seem impossible to motivate. They discuss possible reasons for student apathy and ways to give hope to struggling students.

Mike and Miles start and end with some humor about worksheets, but the depth of their conversation encourages originality and creativity. Ditch the worksheets and packets so you can engage students in original thought and collaborative learning.

Miles and Mike bring to light the amount of downtime in a typical school day. With only a limited exposure to meaningful learning, they dig into what teaching and learning may look like to students. Also, the concept of homework is discussed as it takes on a new look for our kids.

Mike and Miles dive into how to differentiate your classroom. Listen as they discuss real example and non-examples of what differentiation is. Mike and Miles welcome educators into a mindset of growth and mastery as they discuss the ideal educational setup.

Mike and Miles discuss the highly talked about business of reading. Reading is an essential life skill, therefore it is essential that students are excited to practice and hopefully love to read. What makes kids love (or hate to read)?

Mike and Miles discuss how while teaching, one should not sit down! For reasons of engagement, assessment, and planning, it is essential to up and around your students. Listen as Mike and Miles give classroom strategies to keep your kids engaged.

Miles and Mike embark on a series of podcasts designed to tackle real issues in classrooms and schools. The first episode focuses on word problems in math. Too often we see students with success in math fact fluency but lack the application of those skills. This episode gives insight and strategies to get it done!

Mike and Miles discuss the soft side of being a teacher and a role model. They remind educators that their whole selves are on display for their students. There is an essence and power of teaching that influences children for the rest of their lives.

Mike and Miles welcome their amazing guest, Wilma Dunkle, who discusses her journey within public education. Wilma was a passionate teacher who positively impacted many lives. She talks about the strengths and needs in our schools, her interesting background growing up with non-public schools, and her life experiences that guided her away from teaching.

Miles and Mike discuss the level of service involved in being a teacher or school worker. Success for students cannot be an option- it must be the only option. The two talk about how to remain optimistic when sometimes others are not. Being supportive for students and for one another is essential for all students because they deserve it.

Mike and Miles discuss how parents can communicate effectively with schools to best utilize all of the resources available to them. They talk about parent advocacy, positive two-way communication, things parents should expect from their schools.

In this different format, Miles asks Mike several questions based on his leadership style at the building level. Mike gets in depth with what he considers the essentials in leading a school community to success.

Mike and Miles look at the state of education in the U.S. They explore how there is little historical change in student outcomes across 50 years of teaching and learning. The great things that schools are doing with and for kids are often overshadowed by number or grade assigned by the results of a standardized test.

Mike and Miles give concrete strategies that give the how to on some of the ideas discussed in previous episodes. Planning for success is everything in great districts, schools, and classrooms.

Mike and Miles discuss their ideal school including how they would approach curriculum and instruction. Learning is geared toward the learners interests all the while addressing standards and academic growth. This episode touches upon the need to focus on the school's community vs. the successes of other schools.

Mike and Miles discuss the mindset of creating amazing lessons in classrooms. The discussion goes from personal examples to shaping a school systems tailored to the needs of students.

Miles and Mike discuss how helping students, staff, and parents is the best way to realize goals within school systems. The two discuss best practice in providing the best support for students despite the concepts of fair and equal.

Miles and Mike discuss the goal of public education (or what it should be). If the problem is that the goal has evolved from a community need to an output on standardized tests, then how should school systems approach a solution? A strong emphasis is applied to community input and interpersonal relationships within the layers of school systems from the classroom to the board.

Mike and Miles take a look at the effects of school lunches and snack times in public education. They look at the quality and quantity of food of food being provided in schools and give honest input on the food culture of public education.

Miles and Mike discuss how letter and number grades do not accurately represent learning, rather foster a desire to gain credit vs. academic growth. Problems and solutions are discussed in this pilot episode of the podcast.