Overthrowing Education

Veteran educator Lacrecia Terrance co-produced and co-hosts with me our 3 part series with a prestigious panel of guest for what many may call tough conversations on racism. With all that is happening, as a global pandemic has further peeled back the cover on generations of systemic inequities rooted in racism, we feel these conversations are a crucial part of moving education forward for all.  In...

Ron Berger, my educational hero, joins me to talk about his new book, We Are Crew: A Teamwork Approach to School Culture and presents some important and beautiful ideas about what education should really be all about. I was so grateful to get this opportunity to speak with and learn from Ron and learn how we can all work together to "get everyone to the top of the mountain." My very special thanks...

Today's subject is all about making meaning with project-based learning . My guest today is the passionate and entertaining Ben Talsma from Blue Apple Teacher. Ben also co-wrote the fauxmercial "Empower-Mints" with me. This parody of the old Mento commercials features the very talented musician Robby Helperin of Spotlight Music , giving us his cheesy best, and Eli Schiff , who is one of my favorit...

We are tackling some big, possibly controversial ideas in this episode. It's all about calling into question everything we think about education. While I do that all the time on this show, we are going further this time. My two incredible guests are, TedX speaker and an educator with Alpha , Mike Yates and Naphtali Bryant, founder of Spark-Ed University . We have a great, sometimes radical, and to...

As school's are still debating, at least in most places, about whether to or how to safely open schools, and many have already committed to beginning the school year remotely, we know that there will be so many challenges ahead no matter what route a school takes.  One of the biggest challenges, that many are not even considering with everything else to think about, is how to connect with our stud...

I have a great discussion with Shoshanna Sumka of ISEEN about experiential learning with an added recent interview at the end that includes experiential learning in remote and online class situations. After our talk, Shoshanna bravely conquers a really hard The 5-Minute Game Show. Then, on In the Trenches , I talk about a way to provide experiential learning opportunities for your online students...

Host Batsheva Frankel recreates her presentation, "What Do We Mean by 21st Century Education When the 21st Century Changes Dramatically?" In this talk, given on June 10, 2020 for the site, Hopes, Dreams, Journey (connecting parents with information, tools, resources and providers of services to help their children succeed and thrive), Batsheva lays out some of  the skills, knowledge and systemic c...

This episode on why kids hate math and what we can do about it features a conversation with John Bianchette of Mathnasium from January 2020 with a recent additional talk to reflect the radical changes that have taken place since then. In the Trenches I trace my journey from hating math as a student and defining myself as "I'm not a math person" in adulthood to finally realizing that I actually enj...

My guests today, Shannon Green , Vickita Bhatt and Jim Hahn show how, now more than ever, we see the benefits of going gradeless. True educational equity, social justice, decreased anxiety, no cheating, eradication of bullying, and growth mentality are just some of the positive ramifications of providing meaningful feedback in place of the usual letters and numbers. Any school can do it, and my gu...

Two special guests join me in this inspiring episode - Marie Kueny of the Compassionate Educators podcast, and grief coach, Kaley Zeitouni .  They are here to help us deal with everything that is going on, and all the things that no longer are.  So If you are a parent, teacher or student feeling burnt-out, depressed or overwhelmed or if you are grieving over what we lost from the past and what won...

In this episode you will hear from educators around the world- in the United Kingdom, Japan, The Netherlands, Israel, Denmark, South Africa and Canada – telling us what's happening in their part of the world. These global educators share not only how they are coping, but also how they are growing, inspiring us with wisdom and hope.

Today I speak with Liz Vogel from Facing History and Ourselves who gives us a snapshot of how to use history to strengthen our students and help them become true up-standers. As this episode comes out on April 19th, 2020, most of us have been hunkered down in our homes, dealing with distance learning and lots of other issues right now.  One thing that is always a problem whenever troubling times a...

In this powerful episode, 12 educators in the trenches share their challenges, tips, tools and words of inspiration during this challenging time of a shut-down schools and distance learning. This is a double-sized episode that is filled with not-to-be-missed dispatches from all over the US (and one from Canada) representing all different communities and the difficulties they are facing along with...

In this incredibly challenging time of new realities every day, I have put together a special episode with Educational Tech expert Dr. Monica Burns and long-time awesome home school mom Kelila Sicilano who started OURSandYRS: Our Online Village They each bring lots of sage advice, tools, tips and strategies for helping educators and parents figure this out and try to make it work. Please share thi...

Two of my previous guests, Jesse Stommel and Sean Michael Morris and I discuss digital pedagogy, bettering education, and why teachers will not be replaced by robots.  However, In the Trenches, we have my 14-year old computer wiz son explaining why they just might be. Jesse and Sean play a super fun The 5-Minute Game Show after their interview. And I do want to give a shout out to all the great ed...

If you want a quick taste of what's in store for you on Overthrowing Education, here it is!

Author and Blended Learning specialist Catlin Tucker makes a second appearance on this episode discussing her new book , "Balance with Blended Learning" and great ways to engage students in their learning process while helping teachers bring balance to their lives.  Then we play a challenging and fun round of The 5-Minute Game Show.  In the Trenches, an Arete Preparatory Academy senior explains Sy...

Nick Covington and Chris McNutt are fun, passionate advocators for great education.  We discuss the importance of human centered learning and what they are doing with The Human Restoration Project, a fantastic free resource for educators.  Then they compete with each other in a nerdy throw-down during The 5-Minute Game Show.  And on In the Trenches today, we have a mystery guest! Our fauxmercial s...

Melissa Tomlinson a public education advocate leader in BATS –the Badass Teachers Association and I discuss the problems with standardized testing and other important issues. Then on In the Trenches, Christi Gambil tells how Arete Preparatory Academy found a great alternative to traditional standardized testing.  Lastly, Teacher2Teacher prompted a follow up to our previous "Be the Match" episode w...

Mark Taylor, host of the podcast Education on Fire, among others, discusses how all of us can make a positive impact on education. As Mark demonstrates, it only takes one match to light up a dark room, so today we are focusing on how to be that match.  Because Mark  is from the UK.  The 5-Minute Game Show is totally UK based.  Then on In the Trenches we hear from two parents and a student sharing...

Long time educator, attorney and judge, Karen Steinhauser and I discuss how to acknowledge and deal with implicit bias in ourselves, in our classrooms, and in the world around us. On In the Trenches, Dr. Shindale Seale , professor and diversity consultant, talks about the potential connections between implicit bias and microaggression and how to answer them.

Amazing educator and author Matt Miller ( Ditch That Textbook ) and host Batsheva Frankel discuss the whys and hows of student buy-in and engagement. After the interview, enjoy Matt's valiant efforts playing a very challenging The 5-Minute Game Show . Former 8th grade student, Naomi T. joins us In the Trenches for the first in a series of students describing their ideal school and education.

Today's episode examines the importance of differentiated learning and offers tips and tools with expert educators and authors, Angie Ridgeway and Nate Ridgeway, the dynamic mother and son duo who wrote, Don't Ditch That Tech: Differentiation in A Digital World with Matt Miller. The Five-Minute Game Show was quite a challenge this week, but they pulled off a win! I am the "guest" on In the Trenche...

On today's episode , I speak with artist, graphic designer and educator Hillel Smith about why we should and how we can integrate the arts into all subjects. After our interview, test your wits as Hillel slays The Five-Minute Game Show. And here's a bit of trivia that probably won't help win any bar trivia nights -Hillel designed the Overthrowing Education logo. On our In the Trenches segment, Are...

Engaging educator, author and speaker Antero Garcia discusses how cell phones and games can be used effectively in a class, as well as other important issues surrounding cell use, games and technology. And then Antero nails The 5-Minute Game Show! The fauxmerical parody, "TAC vs. Worksheet" starts us off and we finish with students from St. Mary's High School in Owen Sound, Ontario sharing the ide...