Two Teachers Talking™

We’re ba-a-a-ck! And we just can’t seem to leave this topic alone. Something of a deep dive into ideas about how AI will change education and how we might prepare for what’s coming. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.com

David is the creator of many online tutorial videos, the Field Guide series, and the cohost of the MacPower Users podcast. Tony and Charles talk with David about his journey from engineer to lawyer to Mac nerd to educator. We discuss teaching tech, tech for teachers, and, of course, Stoicism and arete.

Much is being written about students, ethics, and AI. What about teachers? What are the ethical issues regarding teachers and their use of AI? We do our best to determine where some of the lines are. (Yes, AI was used in preparation for this podcast.) Mentioned: Stephen Fry https://youtu.be/-Cw37g39g00?si=SyqZw4RduQUqSJW- Are you conscious? A conversation between Dawkins and ChatGPT https://richar...

The teacher gets the desks turned on him. Tony talks about the challenges he faces in his efforts to learn Spanish, with a focus on his use of Duolingo. Links Duolingo Duolingo Guides Duolingo Languages Supplemental Resources Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

You’ve got a couple of students who have the hunger, the drive to learn. What tools can you recommend to help them up their game? Have a listen. Tools Mentioned Anki https://apps.ankiweb.net - free flashcard creation tool Citation Machine https://www.citationmachine.net - citation generator and more Claude AI https://claude.ai Duolingo https://www.duolingo.com Elicit https://elicit.com - Summarize...

Part two. The two old farts are in their rocking chairs on the front porch, watching the sun go down. Pull up a chair while they talk about the lessons they’ve learned and the wisdom they have accumulated over the years…and all the ways they’ve screwed up. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

The two old farts are in their rocking chairs on the front porch, watching the sun go down. Pull up a chair while they talk about the lessons they’ve learned and the wisdom they have accumulated over the years…and all the ways they’ve screwed up. They go so deep, it will be a two-parter. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

This month we wrestle with the smartphone controversy. What are the issues? What are the upsides? What is the most sensible way of dealing with this bit of tech in your classroom? Plus, a big announcement. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

We open the mailbag and field questions from listeners. Be sure to listen through to the end for the big reveal. Apologies for the audio not meeting our usual standards. 猿も木から落ちる! Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

Digital Surveillance: Who’s watching you and your students? We discuss some of the ways we are tracked daily, by both human and non-human agents. 👀 Better read those Terms of Service agreements. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

Charles again talks with his daughter, this time about university graduation, future plans, how it feels to set out on a new phase in life, and some of the things learned while studying to become a teacher. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

As a non-Japanese English teacher in Japan, there are a million ways to shoot oneself in the foot…or worse. We look at some of the pitfalls that lie in wait when dealing with administration, staff, colleagues, and students. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

It’s week three, and the course you so painstakingly crafted over the break is, well, tanking. We talk about what you can do to reboot. Never give up. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

We talk a little about last month’s podcast, and then it’s WELCOME TO RETIREMENT for Charles. Sayonara lectures, student workshops, expectations, predictions, adjustments - it’s a packed episode, even without an April Fool joke. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

Japan vs. Mexico. No, not the flop sport where players can’t use their hands. We talk with Prof. Alison Kitzman, now at Arkansas State University, Querétaro, about the differences and similarities in teaching English to students in Japan and in Mexico. There are surprises. And dogs. ASU - Queretaro https://astate.edu.mx/ Kindai University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindai\_University Full notes...

A discussion on traditional and new forms of cheating, motivations for cheating, how to deal with cheating (with or without institutional support), and a perhaps overly optimistic hope of prevention. Bonus links: - All the Times Students Thought They Got Away With Cheating but Were Very, Very Wrong https://www.weareteachers.com/bad-cheating-stories - 19 Stories From Teachers Who Caught Their Stude...

Instead of a look back at 2023, we examine how teaching English in Japan has changed since we stepped off a plane and into a classroom many years ago–and what hasn’t. Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます！ Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

In a pre-holiday frenzy, we tackle three not-so-mini-topics: - Syllabus preparation - Grading preparation - About that winter break Happy holidays, everyone! Full notes and past episodes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org

Charles talks with his former student Taishi Watanabe about teaching English, and what it's like returning to school after working. Mentioned: Hattie, J. (2003). Teachers make a difference: What is the research evidence?  Australian Council for Educational Research Melbourne. Lukianoff, G., & Haidt, J. (2015, August 11). The Coddling of the American Mind. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/...

We take a second look at AI and ChatGPT, how they’re changing our teaching worlds, and suggest some ways to ease adaptation. Be sure to take a look at the list of works we used to create the podcast (on website). Appearance on the list is no indication of endorsement, and quality of the items is all over the map. Some educators asked for their ideas exhibit little understanding of what AI and GPT...

Tony and Charles struggle with that question and discuss the best ways to reach our students. It’s not simple. Mentioned, previous episodes: - 154 Desirable Difficulties - November 2022 - 130 Learning Styles - November 2020 - 118 Great Expectations Revisited - January 2020 - 60 Great Expectations - March 2015

We discuss the value of mixing it up - using diverse deliveries, approaches, methods, activities, tasks, media, teachers. See also: 154 Desirable Difficulties and 130 Learning Styles.

Charles talks once more with an elementary education major at a university. They talk about her experiences working with a resource teacher, dealing with tech that doesn't work, and an upcoming summer school teaching gig.

While Charles recovers from his bout with COVID, Tony interviews one of his former Osaka University students, Rin Takahashi, in Querétaro, Mexico. What’s she doing there? Taking a year off and traveling around the world.

We can confirm that, yes, there are classes that are just BAD. For most of us those are few and far between, but we’ve all had one - or will. What can you do when it’s your turn? There are things you can do, and there are elements beyond your control. We hash it out.