powerED Up

The start of an educator's true journey begins during student teaching.  This is a time where future educators learn their chops, build their confidence, and confirm this is the career for them. We had the chance to sit down and talk with Matt's brand new student teacher Anthony Wiggins.  Anthony has only spent a few weeks in the classroom and has already learned so much about himself. &...

Stephanie Noll shares her amazing journey in education and relocating for specific jobs and growth.  After starting in the K-12 system, Stephanie became a full-time college professor, and then went BACK!  It was amazing to hear the growth she made in those transitions. In This Episode We Cover: Value of working for Teach for America to launch your career. Putting students and values abov...

Ken and Matt recorded LIVE and in-person together for the first time at the Pennsylvania Education Technology Expo and Conference.  They had a blast together and focused the conversation on attending conferences.  These experiences are extremely valuable for teachers to learn, grow, network, and step outside their comfort zone.  This podcast focuses on connecting educators and empow...

Mike Kuczala came back to the powerED Up Podcast to be our first repeat guest.  We were thrilled to discuss his new book  The Peak Performing Teacher . We are teaching in the most challenging time in the history of public education. The demand for teachers to navigate the pandemic and just the expanding responsibilities of a classroom teacher is putting us on the edge.  Mike shares...

Our team sat down and had a great conversation with James Varlack.  He brought a really unique perspective coupling his experience and school district culture together.  Now working as a technology coach he shared insight into a framework to evaluate the technology.  He shared the lessons he learned throughout the years of teaching in the classroom.  We go through some heavy to...

When a teacher hits stride in the middle of the year, it can be one of the most challenging times of the year.  Instruction rises to the top of our radar, but we can't abandon the fundamentals. This is the most important time to re-establish routines, classroom management expectations, and have FUN!  Do not let the stress of the looming state tests create an environment that is rooted in...

The burden of being an educator is heavy.  Whether we are new to the profession or seasoned veterans, there is a demand put on teachers to do so much more outside of the daily responsibilities.  As new teachers, we feel the need to do everything so we are noticed and hired.  As we continue down the path, it is our job to support the many communities of a school.  Students need...

Dr. Matt Rhoads is an educator, coach, and leader well-grounded in the ed-tech space.  He supports teachers and leaders on a daily basis and has not lost a connection to what is realistic. The conversation covers many topics, but he dives deep into specific topics. When asked tough questions, he provides great answers.  No fluff.  Tune in and follow along with Matt's journey and lea...

Eric Combs is a middle school band teacher coming off one of the greatest experiences of his career, visiting the White House as the 2020 Illinois Teacher of the Year. He has created an experience in a beginner-level band that is so unique, it has become copied worldwide. He is focused on student growth, student achievement, and student motivation. He worked diligently to create this program to a...

Running a successful school district is a complete operation of multiple departments, some including adults who are not certified, educators. The role of IT is vital for teachers to run a successful classroom.  Teachers, students, and parents all depend on reliable and effective technology.  There is so much that goes into the infrastructure, applications, and devices we use day in and d...

Reaching Show 50 was a big milestone for us, and we wanted to take time to reflect on the experience.  We spent time saying thank you to our listeners and our guests. We reflected on some of the most impactful moments from the show and our favorite quotes from previous guests. We've had so much inspiration from amazing educators and we want to continue to make sure we bring those moments, sto...

Creating an atmosphere to inspire and foster student passion is a challenge every teacher faces.  Claire Clifford leads elementary through high school students in musical performances and class. Claire showcases her diverse expectations as a teacher transitioning from elementary music class, to high school vocal choir, to a community musical production, and preparing all of those students for...

Planning creative lessons is a skill every teacher can develop. We dive deep into a conversation specifically on how to plan creative lessons. It starts with knowing your why, what do you hope to accomplish and what are the learning targets? There will be failures, and that is okay! Our students are providing us feedback whether they intend to or not; we just have to look for it.  Planning cr...

The opportunity to spend an hour with Adam Welcome is a true inspiration! He makes you feel like it is okay to do what students deserve most.  As a former classroom teacher, principal, director of innovation, and now education influencer he provides details of the trenches and also a broad stroke view of how to approach instruction.  The positive energy is palpable through the microphone...

Charles Williams is an inspirational, grounded, and motivated leader to creates change for students and teachers.  We discuss the challenges teachers face to give it all to students.  Charles shares his strategies for supporting teachers to create engaging environments for students and how to take risks from day one.  He shares the importance of equity and the value of facing diffic...

Rebecca Richardson is a positive beam of light in the world of education.  She shares about her professional career prior to entering public education and how it impacted her teaching philosophies. She shares about her early journey and welcomes others into her room to help her grow as an educator.  She has taken that philosophy and built a model of community education in her building fo...

The journey of teaching a child and making a positive impact on their life involves much more than a teacher's effort.  It is a team approach and a team mission.  Parents/guardians are a key player in that team, and parent-teacher conferences are something we should always value as educators.  It can add extra stress, it can feel like one more thing, but it is a chance to align ever...

The use of data in a classroom is a powerful, necessary, and meaningful tool to utilize as a classroom teacher.  Samantha has a great deal of experience supporting students with dropout prevention and teachers to create meaningful programs for students. She shares her unique experiences and how that best impacts education today. It is a tough conversation and one that requires a great deal of...

The journey of an educator is a challenge.  It is a demanding position that requires all of our physical and emotional energy.  Matthew Strine provides us honest feedback about his journey and how it has shaped his positive mindset on teaching today. We discuss key strategies and examples for incorporating real-world tasks in the classroom. Matthew shares the opportunities he is creating...

After facilitating a lesson, the time to think, reflect, and set action steps for the next attempt is key for growing as a teacher.  Matt and Ken discuss what best practices for reflecting on lessons look like and how it applies to all K-12 educators.  The process for a self-contained elementary teacher is much different that a middle school social studies teacher.  Ken just wrapped...

Professor Christopher P. Brown brings a calm, level-headed, realistic approach to what teaching and learning should look like for our youngest learners. The standards we set, the expectations we create, need to align to what students need to develop as young people, not the content policymakers feel are important. Chris shares key strategies for taking advantage of learning moments, explaining why...

Events with parents and family members can be stressful, overwhelming, and a time that creates anxiety for teachers. Our host Matt Rogers just wrapped up his back-to-school night an hour before the recording.  We dove deep into the topic and heard honest, organic reflections from Matt coming right off of the event.  To quote Ken, "this is a crucial event" to help guide students towards s...

Here is a show with twice the excitement for the price of one! Mario and Alberto, known as the ETwinz are two outstanding educators creating learning experiences for students like non-other.  They relocated from Spain 6 years ago, and began teaching in the United States without knowing how to speak English.  Their life experience blends with a student-centered teaching experience to insp...

Dr. Erik Youngman is a dedicated educator bringing his professional and personal life experiences together to provide a well-rounded approach to his district.  As the father of three daughters and husband to a speech pathologist, he is able to wear multiple hats in addition to his experience as a teacher, principal, and curriculum director. He encourages a holistic approach to teaching and co...

Jorge Rodriguez is a physical education teacher from Saudi Arabia, relocated from Houston Texas.  His calm presence, open mind, and willingness to take risks in is inspirational.  After sharing the experience of moving his family across the globe, Jorge jumps into his key instructional strategies to run a democratic classroom.  He provides specific examples of how his lessons are st...