The Good Life EDU Podcast

In this episode, Dorann Avey, the Digitial Learning Director with NDE, and Shara Johnson, Digital Learning Coordinator at ESU 2, join us to share the history, current work, and vision for the future of the Canvas Consortium in Nebraska. Learn how Canvas is having a profound impact on learning in our state and how you can get your local school, district, or institution involved. Show Resources To l...

In this episode of The Good Life EDU podcast, we are joined by author and educator Rachelle Dene Poth for a conversation about her latest book, "Things I Wish ... Knew." On the pod, Rachelle shares the backstory of this project and advocates for the importance of being a connected educator with a growth mindset. If you are interested in more information about the book, you can find it on Amazon or...

This week, the great games-in-education guru, Dr. Paul Darvasi, is back on the show to discuss the topic of participatory culture and its impact on education today. The conversation delves into how educators might leverage engagement strategies and techniques found in social media and games to engage students and enhance the learning experience design for our Gen Z learners. Paul also shares about...

This week, Bill Pulte of ESU 3 makes his third appearance on The Good Life EDU and explains what Eduroam is and the potential benefits of their services for Nebraska schools and the learners that they serve. Eduroam's impact on cyber security is notable and will also enhance student internet access, which makes this conversation a valuable listen for any and all educators in our state.

In this episode of The Good Life EDU podcast, Andi McNair, Digital Innovation Specialist at ESC Region 12 in Texas and author of Genius Hour and A Meaningful Mess, joins us to discuss how we might apply what we know about PBL, passion-based learning, to our approach to professional development in education. Andi advocates for PBT, passion-based teaching, on the pod and outlines the steps teachers...

This episode captures the backstory and present collaborative efforts being made by our ESU colleagues across Nebraska to develop and share high-quality instructional materials for social studies, grades 4-8. The pod features Lori Broady, leader of the SDA Social Studies cadre, and Nick Ziegler, co-leader of the TLT affiliate, as they discuss the Why, How, and What regarding this work. The call to...

In this episode, we are joined by four different educators from across our ESU network as they share about the work they do on behalf of the students and school systems that they serve in our state. The pod opens with a conversation about paraprofessionals with ESU 9's Joe Haney. Part two of the pod takes us to the ESU 4 region where Sally Scheiner explains the unique partnership between ESU 4 and...

In this episode, Kellen Conroy of ESU 1, Marci Ostmeyer of ESU 7, and Alison Smith of ESU 16 share about the work being done by the ESU staff development affiliate in our state. The pod begins with Kellen explaining what SDA is and how it functions as an intermediary between the Nebraska Department of Education and the local districts. Marci Ostmeyer then joins us for part two of the episode to di...

In each episode of this series, we chat with educators from different ESUs across Nebraska to learn more about how they serve and support the school systems in their respective regions of the state. This conversation focuses on the topic of social-emotional learning and wellness and features Jen McNally of ESU 5, Theresa Ritta-Olson of ESU 10, and Lynne Herr of ESU 6. Each of these ESU colleagues...

This episode is the first in a series of pods dedicated to highlighting the local and collective efforts the Nebraska ESUs are making in service to education in Nebraska. Each week, we will focus on a topic and showcase the current conversations and work being done in that area. Episode 1 takes a look at ed-tech and the breadth of the ESUs statewide support, ranging from pairing tech integration w...

Laurie Smith, 4th-grade teacher at Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Elementary, was recently recognized by the National Rural Education Association as the National Rural Teacher of the Year. In this episode, Jack Moles, the executive director of NRCSA (the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association) joins Laurie for an insightful conversation about teaching, leading, and fostering relationships in the ru...

In this episode, Peg Coover of ESU 10 joins us to share the ESUPDO TLT Digital Citizenship work group's efforts to take what was once their in-person Digital Citizenship Symposium online. In the spring of 2021, their number of participants multiplied by nine times to involve 2,000+ Nebraska students on this important topic. In the pod, you will learn more about how students can access this year's...

In this episode, we are joined by Andi McNair, author of Genius Hour: Passion Projects that Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry -- and -- A Meaningful Mess: A Teacher's Guide to Student-Driven Classrooms, Authentic Learning, Student Empowerment, and Keeping it All Together without Losing Your Mind. Andi shares on the topic of interventions, looking specifically at the strategies, voice, and moti...

In this episode, CEO and co-founder of Peekapak, Ami Shah, shares her backstory and the formation of her ed-tech company. Peekapak provides CASEL-aligned stories, lessons, and learning games that help keep social-emotional learning (SEL) engaging wherever learning happens. For information on Peekapak, visit their website at peekapak.com to learn more about the work that they do in support of SEL f...

In this episode, Tisha Richmond, author of Make Learning Magical , joins us for a conversation on the M in her M.A.G.I.C.A.L. acronym, Meaningful Beginnings . Tisha shares about ideas for how to build culture and community at the start of the school year.   To connect with Tisha via her website at https://www.tisharichmond.com/

In this episode, professional learning specialists Amy Schultz and Kristen Slechta of ESU 9 join us for an energetic and practical conversation about supporting new-to-the-profession teachers. Join us to learn more about everything from relationship building strategies to routines and procedures, and we enjoy as we have some karaoke fun along the way!

In this episode, we take a close look at what it means for learners to earn the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy and how that distinction can be a future academic, career, and financial benefit to students. To explore this topic, we are joined by Chrystal Liu, World Language Specialist with the Nebraska Department of Education, and Nick Ziegler, World Language Coordinator and Tech Integrationist at ESU...

This week, Bill Pulte of ESU 3 joins the pod for a fascinating conversation on cyber security in education and the steps schools can take to keep their students and staff information safe.

This week we talk Special Ed and SRS with McKayla LaBorde, Director of Student Services at ESU #3, and Stuart Clark, Director of Special Education at ESU #1. In this episode, McKayla and Stuart share about the work being done to update the website and forms within SRS to improve the collaborative conversations taking place when educators and their learners create and modify IEPs. We also touch upo...

In this episode of The Good Life EDU podcast, we are joined by Christine Haeffner of Lincoln Public Schools and Sara Churchill of the University of Nebraska Omaha for an insightful look at the impact school librarians have on learning in the contemporary school setting. The role of the school librarian has expanded significantly over the past twenty years, and in this conversation, we discuss the...

In this episode, Tara Martin joins us once again for a conversation on how the very things that help us recharge during the summer can be the key ingredients to professional growth in the year to come. In a summer where many educators are burnt out and in need of a break, this episode considers how personal growth can be some of the best and most applicable PD an educator experiences in the summer...

This is the third pod in our three-part series previewing the Future Ready Nebraska Conference that will take place from 9am-1pmCT on June 14 and 15th. In this episode, we are joined by Melissa Pilakowski, ELA teacher from Valentine High School and Mike Mohammad, physics teacher from Brookfield Central High School in Wisconsin. In this chat, Melissa and Mike reflect on their experiences over the p...

Dr. Cory Epler of the Nebraska Department of Education joins us this week for a conversation on the work being done around High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIMs) in Nebraska. This episode is a Future Ready Conference preview of Dr. Epler's breakout session, #MaterialsMatter, which will be delivered at 11:35amCT on June 14th. Resources Referenced in the Pod The Future Ready Nebraska Registrat...

This week, Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook and Tech Like a Pirate , joins the pod as a Future Ready Nebraska Conference preview. Matt will be keynoting and leading a breakout session at that FREE virtual event on June 14. In this episode, our conversation focuses on how the pandemic era of learning has accelerated tech integration in education, and we discuss the promise this shift hold...

In this episode, Brooke Kavan (ESU 7) and I visit Millard West High School in Omaha, Nebraska to chat with Brooke's 17-year-old cousin, Camille O'Neill. Camille, a junior at MWHS, navigates her school day with significantly limited vision due to a condition called retinopathy of prematurity. In the pod, Camille shares about the challenges she faces on a daily basis and her ability to persevere, le...