#EduCrush

I don’t remember learning writing strategies. Not that no one tried to teach it to me, it didn’t sink in. More than that though, I was and am still struggling to find my voice as a writer. Recently, I’ve learned that I’m not alone in this. Karri Johnson is a seasoned teacher who understands the nuances of literacy education. This week, she walks us through ways that we can build confident writers....

Nat is coming to you solo in this bonus episode because she quit her job last week... but it's not for the reasons you might think! Email the Podcast: hello@educrushpod.com Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Podcast Website: www.educrushpod .com 

This week’s project feature is about breaking down the barriers between the siloed subjects that we’ve all become comfortable with. Jessica Bates is a 17-year teaching veteran who has made her career about asking the questions “what are the things that unite our subjects?” During this episode, Jessica talks about the ins and outs of combining the entirety of Social and Science in her Grade 9 class...

Traditional curriculum does not situate Black youth in a positive light and Kaya Henderson is on a quest to do something about it. Kaya is perhaps best known for serving as Chancellor of DC Public Schools from 2010-2016 and as the co-host of “Pod Save the People” podcast. Now, she is the co-founder and CEO of Reconstruction, a technology company delivering a K-12 supplemental curriculum that situa...

Today’s controversial topics tend to center around truth. Discussions can become so heated that many simply choose not to engage. Meagan Heard is a teacher who seeks a world where students have the skills to navigate difficult topics. This week, Megan gives a crash course on digital literacy.  View full show notes  Meagan on Twitter: @meaganerd   Email the Podcast: hello@educrushpod.com   Podcast...

Why do so many teenagers hate reading? Renowned author and Literacy advocate Penny Kittle believes it has everything to do with a lack of “book love” and that teachers have the capacity to ignite it. On the episode, she connects with Natalie to discuss how to expose students to a wide variety of books, conference to unlock the reading life, and ultimately, grow student agency by allowing them to m...

We’ve all heard the adage “with age comes wisdom” but what does it mean to be wise? If we view our work as educators through the lens of sustainability and legacy, the wisest thing we might do is lift up those younger than us to continue our work long after we are gone, especially in schools. In part two of Natalie’s conversation with Cayla Brown and Kim Ondrik, we unpack these ideas further befor...

In the simplest of terms, decolonization means moving from a triangle to a circle. From a hierarchy to a community. In the episode, Natalie joins the Head Learner of the Mill Bay Nature School, Kim Ondrik, and the Smuqw’a’ (middle years) Clan Leader, Cayla Brown, to learn how they are building a decolonized school together through love and witnessing. Show Notes: Telling the story of how Kim and C...

This week we’re talking strategy. How we can we best help students who struggle with processing speed? When our students encounter difficulties, it can be heart breaking but how can we help students to reach their potential? Our guest Erin Ellis goes over strategies for our students to shine.  View full show notes here! Erin on LinkedIn Erin Ellis Email the Podcast: hello@educrushpod.com Podcast o...

Too often, self-assessment is treated as a capstone, rather than a catalyst, and portfolios as a scrapbook, rather than a learning tool. On this episode, we go beyond the mistakes we’ve made with self-assessment and portfolios to discover how they can help students tell the story of their learning. Katie White is a Canadian author, consultant, and leader, and she joins Natalie to discuss practical...

Going gradeless is one of those terms that generates excitement or dread, depending on your interpretation. It’s a scary notion as a teacher to just take a chance and dive in. Charlotte Nixon, a seasoned teacher and playwright, has done just that. On this episode Charlotte explores with us the lessons she learned going gradeless in her High School English class. Show Notes: Charlottes teaching sty...

Teaching has always been a profession that demands a lot from its practitioners. Between the global health crisis, political unrest and helping students navigate what the world is and is becoming, teachers need support from principals who are supportive and reliable. Tim Carlson is a School Principal and PhD candidate who embodies what it means to show teachers that they are supported. On this epi...

A misconception about inquiry-based learning is that it means leaving students to “discover” the curriculum on their own. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Trevor MacKenzie is a high school teacher, author, and speaker who is internationally recognized as a thought leader in inquiry-based education. In the episode, we talk about what inquiry is (and isn’t) to better understand how to partne...

Many of our institutional norms are causing “studenting” behavior that stifles thinking. Dr. Peter Liljedahl’s research aims to disrupt this behavior through “contrarian experimental methodology” and he has discovered 14 practices that liberate thinking in the classroom. Though his research took place in Mathematics, his findings are applicable for any educator that wants to tap into the emotional...

Assessment has many negative emotions attached to it due to the history of the word, yet it has so much potential to cultivate the equitable learning communities we all dream of. Adelee Penner has experienced the school system in a wide range of roles, from teacher to leader, public to private, and system-wide to independent. In the episode, we discuss how changing our approach to assessment can o...

Though we are learning more about the importance of human connections in schools and workplaces, which are the relationships that actually drive learning? In this solo episode, host Natalie Vardabasso explains how our relationships with a mentor, a champion, a coach, and ourselves create the optimal learning diamond.

We all have memories of Sex Ed that are filled with embarrassment and shame. How might we change our collective experience of this topic? How might we reimagine Sex Ed as relationship education? Alex Noel worked for many years as a Sexual Health educator before stepping into his own classroom as a high school Science and Math teacher. The contrast of these two educational experiences has given him...

Loni discovered a purpose-driven passion for PBL as a teacher at High Tech High in San Diego and has been on a quest to bring it to the world. She is currently the founding partner of “Imagine If” a Denmark-based organization that aims to reimagine education to be authentic, collaborative, student-owned, and equitable.

On the episode, we unpack how students were challenged to deepen and demonstrate their understanding of Ecosystems and Visual Literacy in a grade 7 interdisciplinary project. Teacher Jaclyn Demmers also shares her newfound insights about the potential of students with learning disabilities when given creative opportunities that spark their curiosity.

What is the truth about teacher leadership? Is it an exciting opportunity to become a change agent, or, is it just another managerial manifestation of the status quo? Randy Swift and Pedro Dones III are two teacher leaders from New York who have had very different experiences in the role. On the episode, we explore their perspectives and how they have each brought their unique purpose to life as t...

EduPodlooza is an all-day marathon, live-stream event featuring some of the dopest names in the education podcast space. The poetry slam segment was a collaboration between the following EduPodcasters who shared their own poems and responded to poems that had been submitted digitally: Mealey & Tudisco of Unprofessional Development (@unprocast) Gerardo Munoz of Too Dope Teachers and a Mic (@TooDope...

Despite our best intentions, collaboration in schools often looks more like cooperation (at best), or polite dysfunction (at worst). As an NCAA div 1 basketball coach and strategic business development professional, Tim Lewis has learned a lot that can help us build the schools we’ve always dreamed of, together. On the episode we discuss teaching like a coach, unleashing teams with collective acco...

In this project feature episode, we explore how drama teacher Leeanne McLim reimagined the classic “Haunted House” project in response to the pandemic. While students learned a myriad of life skills through planning, pitching, designing, and hosting the event, Leeanne discovered a deeper appreciation for interdisciplinary collaboration.

On the episode, we explore the relationship between social-emotional learning and lower-case "l" literacy. 

For too long, the purpose of assessment has been to collect points for a gradebook. As a high school English teacher, Sarah Zerwin decided to uphold a better purpose for assessment: learning. On the episode, Sarah discusses many “point-less” assessment practices such as emphasizing reflection, dialogue, and process. Listen to learn how to shift from a culture of compliance towards a culture of aut...