Best Practices in Education

Part 6- Putting it All Together with Writing!   In this series we have discussed all of the elements of learning to read and building comprehension through knowledge building.  We put all this together in our writing!  In this episode I am joined again by my team teacher, Rebekah Walker.  You will learn how we teach students to write as they learn.  Students start at the sentence level and end up...

Part 5- Project Based Learning and Knowledge Building We know that comprehension is built with knowledge building curriculum.  We love building knowledge!  One really fun way to build knowledge is through project based learning.  In this episode Master Teacher, Carly Penny talks about her experience with project based learning and how it builds knowledge!  Support the show

Part 4- Comprehension Through Knowledge Building Curriculum with Equity in Mind!  The science of reading has taught us that students build comprehension through knowledge building.  We went searching for a knowledge building curriculum that we wanted to use.  In our search, we made equity a high priority.  We strongly believe in decolonizing history.  We want to give our students a world view that...

Part 3- Phonics and Intervention with UFLI Every good science of reading program needs a strong phonics program that is explicit and systematic.  It also requires intervention work.  In this episode, we discuss how we use UFLI as a tool to teach phonics according to the science of reading and Orton-Gillingham methods.  We also talk about how we use small group interventions to help support struggl...

In the second episode in our series on the Science of Reading we discuss assessment.  Odyssey moved away from Fountas and Pinnell assessment and adopted Acadience this year!  The difference has been amazing!  Please enjoy listening to us explain why and how it works!  Use this link to learn more about Acadience Learning.  https://acadiencelearning.org/ Support the show

Odyssey Elementary Director Robin Skeen takes on a six part series of the science of reading and how it can be applied in the classroom and beyond. Part 1 is an introduction and overview of the program.  Support the show

We close out the third season of Best Practices in Education with special guests from AVL Rise, a peer-to-peer literacy and mentorship program based in Asheville, North Carolina, which is funded through OpenDoors Asheville. Program Director, David Kennedy, a Jamaican native, is a father, creative, music artist, writer, educator, and scholar. As an educator, he has over 7 years of experience at the...

Guest Host Elijah Allred is back to interview Intermediate teacher, Kylie Hulver. In this episode, Kylie talks about game design and how to create moments of  joy and movement in the classroom, while building gross motor skills and mental acuity for your students.  Support the show

Intermediate Director, Kalyan Volpe, returns to the podcast to talk about his "Spiritual Warrior" intermediate program. Volpe defines spiritual cultivation in his classroom as the individual's attunement to their inner landscape and translating the information and knowledge taken from that attunement out into the physical world. It includes mindfulness practices, meditation, and dev...

Kindergarten teacher Samantha Sole shares about her journey to integrate sign language into the kindergarten classroom. Supporting students in using movement to communicate opens up new pathways in the brain for communication and understanding, and builds empathy for difference. Support the show

Odyssey High math teacher, Grant Yost, reflects on why he prioritizes getting feedback from his students throughout the semester. He shares the strategies he uses to both elicit honest responses from students, as well as how to set clear boundaries about what feedback can and can't change about the classroom experience. Support the show

5th and 6th grade teacher, Kylie Hulver, talks about how to successfully settle and energize in the classroom. She uses silence and breath to support students in developing self-regulation.  She uses energizers to teach skills that are translatable to content. Plug in to listen to the conversation she and guest host Elijah Allread share. Support the show

Teachers often report feeling unsupported and financially challenged when seeking opportunities for their students. First and second grade teacher, Barbi Brittain, shares how cultivating community support can bring new opportunities to the classroom. An outside-the-box thinker, Barbi encourages teachers to make strategic partnerships that empower students and also make parents and community member...

What does it mean to act in the role of teacher as (loving) antagonist? Intermediate Language Arts teacher Elijah Allred answers random questions offered by students. We laugh a lot. And we get into a deep conversation about how when teachers challenge their students, when they play the mischievous trickster, the developmental process gets rich and rewarding for our students. Support the show

Kindergarten teacher, Shirley Rotolo, talks about strategies to increase reading comprehension in students. She explores research based method from a practical standpoint, integrating Orton-Gillingham inspired practices with other strategies to get the best outcomes for her students. Support the show

High School Science Teacher Andrew Rabin encourages science teachers of all ages to engage their students in bird watching. An experiential activity that brings core elements of science alive, birdwatching is fun, challenging, rewarding, and can be done without a significant cost to the classroom. Support the show

Elementary Program Director Robin Skeen talks to us about creating learning paths in the classroom. We'll get a quick how to and learn some resources to get started. A bonus: these paths provide teachers with the opportunity to move smoothly between remote and on site learning! Support the show

Teaching students to become systems thinkers is a priority for high school scienc teacher, Andrew Rabin.  In this episode, the last episode of Season Two, Andrew walks us through how to teach a life cycle analysis project in high school, what processes he uses, and what the value of this kind of project is. Support the show

Kindergarten teacher, Shirley Rotolo, uses cultural art to support her students in engaging their creativity and passion. She talks about ways to include cultural art during thematic units, creating pottery, visual art, and other 3-D sculptures to build curiosity about our diverse  world. Support the show

High School math teacher Grant Yost shares strategies for how to create a positive learning environment. He encourages fellow teachers to assess their own favorite learning spaces and make changes in the classroom with an eye toward calm, creativity, and connection. Support the show

Speech Language Pathologist and Emotional Intelligence Teacher,  Stacey Crowley, makes a case for harnessing the moment to rethink the role education plays in the mental fitness of students and educators. She ties the 21st century skills employers require to the SEL skills we teach students today. Support the show

Intermediate Program Director Kalyan Volpe shares how storytelling in the classroom builds relationship and promotes transformation. As a teacher who straddles the developmental divide between childhood and pre-teen and teen unfolding, Kalyan dives into the somewhat mystical process of supporting students through their individual journeys of becoming. Support the show

We ask teachers to do so much! In this episode, Intermediate teacher (5-8) and Director, Alex Eren, shares about the organizational systems that save time and energy. Learn to make your classroom more organized, and your processes sleek and sophisticated--in both the physical and electronic world! Support the show

Join us on the most recent episode of Best Practices in Education. Elementary Director Craig Deutsch returns to the podcast to share how he uses self-regulation as an energy management strategy in the elementary classroom. According to Craig, helping students do the work in metacognition and self-reflection can make your classroom happier and more well-regulated. Tune in to learn more! Support the...

Intermediate (5-7th) grade teacher, Kylie Hulver, shares her excitement in getting students to move their bodies and engage their spirits as part of the learning process. In Kylie's classroom, students jump, run, sing, or build lego creations to help them understand ratios and solve long division. We know learning engages a variety of intelligences. This episode can help you think about how t...