Intersection Education

This is a bit of a different episode than normal. Usually, you would hear an interview or a round-table with someone who has something to teach us about education and schools. Today, instead, you will hear a collection of tips from our previous guests. I am calling this the anti-resolution episode. Why? Because the idea of New Year’s resolutions is not effective. According to US News, 80% of resol...

My conversation today is with Jennifer Waring, Instructional Coach at St. Peter the Apostle High School in Spruce Grove, AB. Instructional coaching has been booming in the past while for good reason, the impact on teacher learning is high. Of the people that I have heard speak on the role, Jen has a clear vision and passion for instructional coaching. In our talk she shares her perspective on the...

In this episode we speak with Ramona Big Head, an educator with over 22 years of experience who is currently in her second year as principal of the ground-breaking Kainai High School, where she and associate principal Charlton Weasel Head are using a combination of brain science and traditional ways of knowing to help Kainai youth find their identity and advance their education through innovative...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Phil McRae who is an Executive Staff Officer and Associate Coordinator, Government-Research with the Alberta Teachers’ Association and Adjunct Professor within the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta where he earned his Ph. D. He was the Director of the internationally recognized Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) at the University of...

This episode features Dr. David Tranter, Lori Carson, and Tom Boland, the authors of the book The Third Path: A Relationship-Based Approach to Student Well-being and Achievement. They all have different lived experience: David is an Associate Professor at Lakehead University in the department of Social Work, Lori started in social work, but moved to teaching special education, and Tom is Elementar...

This episode features John McGettigan, President of the Saskatoon Teachers Association. John works tirelessly in the service of teachers and of education. As you’ll hear, John is passionate about ensuring teachers are leaders of learning not only with their students but also amongst themselves. This learning is not limited to the traditional school subjects. He is also a leader in developing citiz...

In this episode, I have a round-table discussion with Bryn Spence about current issues for school leaders. Some feedback that we have received about the show is that people appreciate more dialogue between practising administrators. In the episode, Bryn and I try to speak about problems and solutions in our schools and hope that our conversation might help you to find solutions for issues you face...

My conversation in this episode is with Gordon Campbell. Gordon has worked in French Immersion for over 30 years. He taught at almost every level from the second grade to university. In 2011, he was the recipient of the Canadian Association of Immersion Professional’s or Association canadienne des professionnels en immersion’s (also know as ACPI) prestigious André Obadia Award recognizing excellen...

The conversation today is not with one outstanding educator but with two, Jesse McLean and Travis McNaughton.  Jesse currently works with Alberta Education in the Research research on a secondment. He has been a teacher and administrator at multiple schools. Travis is currently principal at 3 schools, Forest Green Elementary School, Connections for Learning and Brightbank Academy with Parkland Sch...

This episode features Dr. Jason Jay, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Director of the Sustainability Initiative at MIT Sloan. Jason’s research focuses on how people navigate the tensions inherent in the quest for sustainability, as they simultaneously pursue their own self-interest and the flourishing of human and other life. With Gabriel Grant, he is the author of Breakin...

In this episode we review our first 19 episodes and discuss the main themes that were put forward by our guests. We try and look for links between the ideas presented in our conversations. Thanks for listening and supporting us in our first 20 episodes, we look forward to many more. Connect with Intersection Education on our website and on Twitter. Music Information: Scandinavianz- Vacation (Vlog)...

This episode features Dr. Valin S. Jordan, Assistant Professor of Diversity Education at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Dr. Jordan believes in the strong commitments of teachers to understanding their narratives as raced, classed, gendered people in order to move the social justice needed. She has committed her areas of focus to curriculum theory, social justice education, and teacher ident...

This episode features Carolyn Cameron, who currently works as an instructor at the University of Calgary in the Werklund School of Education. Throughout her career she has been a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal, a district principal, responsible for leadership development and has worked for Alberta Education, helping to implement new Principal Quality Standards. She has far ranging ex...

Our guest in this episode is Dr. Suzanne Squires, who is a family physician in Edmonton Area of Alberta. She has spent over a decade in service of families and has taken a particular interest in Mental Health of both young people and adults. She has some great advice for anyone who is concerned about the mental health of a student or a colleague. This is an important topic that I hope helps others...

This episode features Dr. Nancy Wise, who is the Director of French Immersion Educational Consulting Inc. based in the Toronto Area. She has her Ph. D. in Second Language Education and a M.Ed. in Special Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto. I have seen her present at conferences including the Association canadienne des professionnels d’...

This episode features Dr. Dwayne Donald, Associate Professor in Secondary Education at the University of Alberta. Dr. Donald was born and raised in Edmonton and is a descendent of the Papaschase Cree. He taught both abroad and in Alberta before moving into academia. Dwayne’s primary research focus is on curriculum initiatives that require teacher and student engagement with Aboriginal concerns and...

In this edition of the Intersection Education Podcast we speak with Andrew Milne. Andrew started his teaching career in London, England before emigrating to America in 2008. He currently teaches at New Tree-er High School in Illinois. Andrew was awarded the SHAPE America Teacher of the Year for Health Education in 2017. Andrew has some great ideas about making health education meaningful. He talks...

This episode features Dr. Natalie Keefer. Dr. Keefer is an Assistant Professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She received her Ph. D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a cognate in anthropology from the University of South Florida. While earning her Ph. D., Dr. Keefer taught high school social studies for ten years in Tampa, Florida.  In her first year of teaching, Dr. Keefer was a...

In this episode we speak with Dr. Dean Kriellaars. Dr Dean Kriellaars is a world-renowned expert in the field of Physical Literacy. He is a faculty member of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Manitoba. He is also a scientist at the Children’s Health Research Institute. His Human Performance Laboratory has numerous students and staff directe...

In this episode with speak with Dr. Eric Anctil who is a professor of media and technology in the School of Education at the University of Portland. The focus of much of Dr. Anctil’s work is to search for humanity in a TechnoHuman world and to shed light on the hidden shadows of change beneath the surface as humans evolve side-by-side with their technological creations. Eric shares his thoughts on...

In this episode we speak with Felicia Ochs. Felicia is currently the Wellness Coordinator at Parkland School Division in Stony Plain, Alberta. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Saint Benedict and a Master’s degree in Education from Seattle University. She also holds certification in a number of other areas, including being a certified Yoga Instructor. Wellness is the main...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Joanne Blannin. She is currently the Digital Learning Leader at the Graduate School of Education at The University of Melbourne. She recently completed her Doctorate of Education – looking at teachers and schools using the Internet in their classrooms. She has taught in England, France and Michigan in the USA before settling down in Australia.  She has been a tea...

In this episode we hear from Shelagh Pyper. Shelagh is our first guest who is not a teacher. Rather, she is a scientist who works with schools to promote nature based play and learning. From 2007 – 2012, she was the Director of DiscoverE, a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outreach program of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering. In that time she initiated and impleme...

In this episode we speak with Bronwyn Ryrie Jones. Bronwyn is currently a Doctoral candidate in Education at the University of Melbourne, Graduate School of Education. Although currently on a maternity leave, she is still working with schools in the Melbourne area.  The area where I think Bronwyn has the most to share with other teachers is in the area of assessment. You’ll hear in our conversatio...

In this episode we hear from Dr. Amy Samuels. Dr. Amy Samuels earned her doctorate of Education from the University of South Florida. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Instructional and Teacher Leadership at the University of Montevallo in Alabama. Amy teaches courses in curriculum, social justice, and professional development. She has won teaching excellence awards at almost every level...