The Extraordinary Educators Podcast

Welcome back! Danielle and Sari are excited to bring you Season 3 of the Extraordinary Educators podcast.  In this first episode, they discuss why pronouncing student names correctly is so important. Learn an activity to do with your students to learn their names, too. They then remind you about important self-care tips. Blog post about pronouncing names correctly: https://www.curriculumassociates...

Danielle and Sari close out season 2 with this finale episode. They remind you to take care of yourself this summer and truly find time to relax.  Thank you for all of your support and for tuning in each week! We're excited to bring you season 3 this fall. Have a wonderful and relaxing summer! Self-care paper:www.curriculumassociates.com/-/media/mainsite/files/i-ready/iready-the-connection-cu...

Mindy Geer, third grade teacher at Glenwood Elementary School in Michigan joins this episode. Mindy discusses unfinished learning and her reflections from this unique school year. While there were definitely challenges this year, Mindy also talks about the silver linings and positive takeaways from this year. Mindy's Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeerMindy Mindy's Instagram: https://www.i...

Amanda Arevalo, teacher at Discovery Elementary School in Idaho, joins this episode to discuss engaging students. She talks about a schoolwide engagement systems. Amanda dives into how she plans these systems, how she creates different competitions for each month, and how she keeps her students updated on their progress.  Amanda's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sublimelittlescholars/ i-...

Sarah Zeller, Grade 5 Math and Science Teacher at Strong Foundations Charter School in NH, joins this episode! Sarah dives right into how she honors student choice in her classroom. She explains how she's supporting her students build executive functioning skills with choice and having them own their learning.  Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs.zeller19 Google classroom: h...

Elizabeth Neuendorff, Instructional Coach in Jacksonville, NC, and recipient of the 2021 Curriculum Associates Inspire Award, joins today's episode! Elizabeth shares what she's done to support her teachers, and how she's put her teacher's personal lives first to support their professional growth. By recognizing that this year is unlike any other and naming that for her teachers...

Candace Leigh Sanders, Grade 6 Math and Science Teacher at Halls Elementary School in TN joins today's episode. Candace taught Reading for 7 years, and when she moved to Halls she transitioned to Grade 6 Math. Hear about her journey and why teaching elementary literacy has prepared her for the middle school math world! Candace shares tips and best practices for infusing literacy strategies in...

Emily Cortes, teacher in Florida, joins today's episode. Emily talks about tech in her classroom and why it is important to keep it simple and engaging. For Emily, less is more when it comes to tech in the classroom. She also reiterates the importance of not only giving yourself grace during this time, but also having empathy and understanding for students.  Emily's Instagram: https://ww...

Welcome back to our Leadership Miniseries! In this fourth and final episode of the miniseries, Ken Tam, Senior Executive Director, Content & Implementation, at Curriculum Associates, joins the conversation.  Ken discusses the Council of Great City Schools' strategies for addressing unfinished learning: 1. Stick to grade-level content and instructional, 2. Focus on the depth of instruction...

Jamie Cooper, Reading teacher in Mississippi, joins today's episode. Jamie shares how this year is going, and how being in the classroom has changed due to the pandemic. He explains how he's remained positive during this unique time, and how he has instilled optimism in his students.  Jamie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamiecooper1222 How to make a house system in your sch...

Welcome back to our Leadership Miniseries! In this third episode, Megan Robinson, National Director at Curriculum Associates, joins the podcast. She dives right into what willful defiance is and how certain groups of students are  disproportionally disciplined for this. Megan explains how some students of color have enjoyed remote learning more than learning in their school buildings, and how we s...

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates, joins this episode. Rob discusses how his year is going and his takeaways from this school year, and why our country will have a better appreciation for teachers after the pandemic. He explains why he appreciates teachers, especially during this school year. Thank you, teachers, for all you do! We appreciate you.  Curricul...

Welcome back to our Leadership Miniseries and Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! In this second episode, Glendaliz Martinez, National Director of Content & Implementation at Curriculum Associates, joins the podcast again.  She talks about bias and what leaders can do to support teachers in their journey to becoming unbiased in the classroom.  Detracking: https://www.educationnext.org/the-detrack...

Paul Tarasevich, teacher in Rhode Island, joins today's episode. He discusses how this year is going, and how he has been juggling academic content with relationship building. Paul also talks about engaging his students during this unique school year, and how he is working to prepare them for high school. How Paul engages his students is a common dinner-table discussion with his family... lea...

Welcome to our Leadership Miniseries! In this first episode, Glendaliz Martinez, National Director of Content & Implementation at Curriculum Associates, joins the podcast. She provides a summary of Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy E. Muhammad, and how this book has helped shaped the work she does everyday.  Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy E. Muhammad: https://www.amazon.com/Cultivating-Genius...

Marine Freibrun, teacher in Idaho, joins this episode. Marine talks about how this year has been different for her, and at times felt like her first year of teaching. She shares best practices like gratitude journaling, to support her own mindset in order to best support her students. Marine also talks about how her district adapted to support teacher mental health this year.  Marine's Instag...

Morgan Polikoff, Associate Professor of Education at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, joins this episode for a bonus interview! Morgan studies standards, assessment, accountability policies, and the impact of the pandemic on American families and students' educational experiences. Morgan dives into the longitudinal effects of the pandemic such as the digita...

Frinzetta Boman joins Danielle and Sari for this episode. This is Frinzetta's thirty-eighth year of teaching, and she teaches first grade in Alabama. Frinzetta dives into engaging her first graders remotely, ensuring she could establish a classroom culture remotely, and enjoying this year even though it has been like no other. Hear Frinzetta discuss tips and best practices for engaging studen...

Jamilah Hud-Kirk, Principal in Clayton County, GA, joins this episode to talk about leading a school community during a pandemic. Jamilah shares tips, best practices, and practical advice about being a principal, mother, and wife during this time. Get inspired by her optimism, self-care, and helpful tools to ensure you fill your cup before filling others. She shares how she "leads with balanc...

Andrea L. Baney, Grade 4 Teacher at  Liberty Valley Intermediate School in PA, joins this episode to talk about social-emotional learning. Andrea shares a personal story that sheds light on to why she cares so much about SEL in her classroom. This topic is more important now than ever, and you'll be inspired by hearing Andrea's story. She also shares tips and ways she's incorporated...

Elizabeth Bassford, Associate Vice President of Content and Implementation at Curriculum Associates, joins this episode to talk about the launch of Curriculum Associates' newest reading program, Magnetic Reading . This new Grades 3–5 reading comprehension program builds knowledge, scaffolds instruction to support all learners, and uses actionable data to save teachers time. Elizabeth dives in...

Meagan Davis, teacher at Park Place Middle School in WA, joins the show to discuss middle school and how to stay connected with students during remote learning. Meagan shares how she ensures her classroom is equitable, and how students are responding.  She explains how to stay connected with students when they aren't in the physical classroom, and how to connect to her middle schoolers during...

Joe Flick, teacher in New York, joins Danielle and Sari to discuss math discourse. Joe talks about engaging students in the math classroom both remotely and in person during this school year. Learn best practices and tips for creating math discussion in your classroom, ranging from using think time to a karaoke machine!     Resources: Building community in a math classroom: https://readyclassroomc...

Anne Barbour joins this episode to discuss how to use data to drive instruction. Anne shares how she implemented school-wide and grade-wide systems and activities to get students talking about data and measurement, and then geometry. Anne discusses how she connects literacy to math, and engages her students remotely. Combing through grants, Anne was successful in getting additional resources for h...

Maria Vollrath, third grade teacher in Florida, joins the show to talk about how her year is going. In her fifteenth year of teaching, this year has been like no other. Maria dives into classroom organization strategies and systems that she had to rethink this year. She has so many ways she keeps families engaged, and discusses how she ensures the school/home link with her families. Maria shares b...