The Growth Over Grades Podcast

In episode 9 of the Growth Over Grades podcast by SpacesEDU, we spoke with Thomas D'Amico, educator, leader, and Director of Education at Ottawa Catholic School Board. Tom has helped bring a “Deeper Learning” movement into his district. We are going to dive into what that means, what it looks like, and its impact on learning and teaching. Tom is a servant leader with a heart for his community...

In episode 8 of the Growth Over Grades podcast by SpacesEDU, we spoke with Coach William Jeffery, Director of Assistant Principals Leadership Academy in Houston ISD, author, podcaster, and speaker. Coach has visited our SpacesEDU booths at ISTE interviewing us for his own podcast, the award-winning FlipboardEDU Podcast . He has been a regular of our #CoffeePLNTalks and never ceased to amaze our ed...

In episode 7 of the Growth Over Grades podcast by SpacesEDU, we spoke with Starr Sackstein, Chief Operating Officer at Mastery Portfolio, LLC, Author, Speaker, Educator, and Assessment Reformer. Starr has written numerous books and articles about ways to help students and teachers learn or teach in a more natural way that respects the agency of both. She is an expert in the field of assessment and...

In episode 6 of the Growth Over Grades podcast by SpacesEDU, we spoke with Dr. James Neihof, Co-Director of Deeper Learning for the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC), Education Consultant, and former Superintendent. Dr. Neihof is on a mission to encourage public school educators and provide leadership coaching. In this episode, Dr. Neihof shares some of the work he's done i...

In Episode 5 of the Growth Over Grades Podcast, we hosted a conversation with Stefanie Crawford, who has served as classroom teacher, instructional coach, and has recently become the Executive Director for IDEA the IL ISTE affiliate, who also hosts an annual educator conference right outside of Chicago called IDEAcon. As part of her role, Stefanie stays on top of edtech trends and what teachers an...

In a rapidly evolving job landscape, equipping K-12 students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in their future careers has never been more crucial. Join Sierra Holtzheuser, VP of SpacesEDU, and three K-12 career readiness experts as they share strategies and best practices that district and school administrators can implement to ensure students are prepared to excel after graduation. Guests...

In Episode 4 of the Growth Over Grades Podcast, we hosted a conversation with Tara Desiderio, who has served her elementary school community as Principal for the past 14 years. Before this, she was also a kindergarten teacher and leader. Tara is dedicated to helping educators & students embrace a love of learning & happiness. She recently received the Paul Rinaldi Principal Award based on...

In Episode 3 of the Growth Over Grades Podcast, we hosted a conversation with Yaritza Villalba, who has served as a teacher and principal in public education. She is also a Keynote Speaker, author, and DEI Consultant. Yaritza Villalba has a passion for connecting globally with students and educators. She is known internationally and uses her creativity to design lessons that are rich in Diversity,...

In Episode 2 of the Growth Over Grades podcast we hosted a conversation with Dr. Henry Turner, an exceptional leader and co-author of "Change the Narrative: How to Foster an Antiracist Culture in Your School" with Kathy Lopes. Dr. Turner's passion for community, inclusion, and amplifying young voices defined his 12 years as a high school principal, rooted in his earlier days as a hi...

Join us for the Season 2 premiere of the Growth Over Grades Podcast, with an inspiring conversation with Danelle Almaraz, an educational trailblazer with decades of experience. Almaraz introduces the revolutionary concept of "Leading From the Middle," challenging traditional top-down education systems by fostering a culture of collaboration and shared innovation among teachers and stakeh...

Welcome to "Growth Over Grades," where we present an extraordinary panel of guests, all seasoned attendees of the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) conference. Host Melody McAllister, joins other esteemed educators and innovators who are tirelessly changing education on a larger scale. These personal friends of the show share their inspiring journeys of transformat...

In this episode of the Growth Over Grades Podcast, we explore the transformative power of formative assessment with Michele Jones, the Executive Director for the Alberta Assessment Consortium. Michele's insights emphasize the importance of confident assessment practices for teachers without overwhelming workloads. Discover various formative assessment routines and the 25% Rule for allocating...

Join us on the "Growth Over Grades" podcast as we sit down with Dr. Sampson, a dedicated education leader and author of "Welcome To The Grind: How Educators Achieve Exponential Results." Based in Columbus, OH, Dr. Sampson has a wealth of experience as an educator and administrator at all levels. Through his consulting business, Liberty Leadership Development, he amplifies the w...

This Growth Over Grades Podcast Guest is my friend and award-winning Principal Adam Mokelke. I’ve been wanting to have Adam as a guest for this past year. But that was when he was just part of my PLN. Now I have seen him in the role of principal to my two middle school children at Anchorage STrEaM Academy and he is now my administrator. Adam Mokelke is a lifelong, born and raised Alaskan. He was r...

In this episode, we delve into the topic of ChatGPT and its impact on education. Our guests, Katie McNamara and Dr. Alec Couros , share their insights on using this AI platform to help educators reclaim time, plan instruction, and even assess student learning. While some educators may be hesitant to use ChatGPT, our guests highlight its potential benefits and how it can be used as a tool to enhanc...

Welcome to the Growth Over Grades Podcast where we talk about education ideas and topics that matter most to our  SpacesEDU Educator Community .  Join Melody McAllister as she sits down with Jamilla Fort, Nicole Biscotti, and Barbara Bray to discuss all things education through each of their unique perspectives. Although each educator is in a different location, in different seasons of their lives...

Welcome to the Growth Over Grades Podcast where we talk about education ideas and topics that matter most to our SpacesEDU Educator Community .  Jed is an educator who has taught early child elementary and post-secondary education in training future educators. He models culturally responsive teaching while infusing his lessons with play and has co-authored two books focused on play, The Playful Cl...

In this episode, we meet and discuss assessment with Tom Schimmer. Tom Schimmer is a recognized voice when it comes to learning about assessment and grading. He’s an award-winning author and has at least 8 published books and I know more are coming. He’s been an educator for over 30 years. Schimmer advocates for change in both assessment and grading but he does it in a humane way. He is not out to...

In this episode, we meet and discuss assessment with Tom Schimmer. Tom Schimmer is a recognized voice when it comes to learning about assessment and grading. He’s an award-winning author and has at least 8 published books and I know more are coming. He’s been an educator for over 30 years. Schimmer advocates for change in both assessment and grading but he does it in a humane way. He is not out to...

Welcome to the Growth Over Grades Podcast where we talk about education ideas and topics that matter most to our SpacesEDU Educator Community . Another educator who regularly shares with his  PLN is Tim Cavey, our podcast guest today. Tim is the leader behind Teachers On Fire . He is someone who has inspired me and countless others to continue to grow and share in our learning and expertise in con...

Welcome to the Growth Over Grades Podcast where we talk about education ideas and topics that matter most to our SpacesEDU Educator Community . Another educator who regularly shares with his  PLN is Tim Cavey, our podcast guest today. Tim is the leader behind Teachers On Fire . He is someone who has inspired me and countless others to continue to grow and share in our learning and expertise in con...

Episode 8 involves a conversation with educator and leader Claire Romzek. I met her at the NVSide Silver State Technology Conference in Las Vegas this past September. We immediately clicked when she came into my session which was focused on teaching the whole child/student. It was just a few people so we ended up having an amazing conversation and sharing what we have learned and observed througho...

Episode 8 involves a conversation with educator and leader Claire Romzek. I met her at the NVSide Silver State Technology Conference in Las Vegas this past September. We immediately clicked when she came into my session which was focused on teaching the whole child/student. It was just a few people so we ended up having an amazing conversation and sharing what we have learned and observed througho...

Welcome to the Growth Over Grades Podcast where we talk about education ideas and topics that matter most to our Spaces Educator Community . Episode 7 involves a conversation with two global giants bringing people together: students, educators, and families in a way that empowers them when using digital citizenship to advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals, also known as SDGs.

Welcome to the Growth Over Grades Podcast where we talk about education ideas and topics that matter most to our Spaces Educator Community . Episode 7 involves a conversation with two global giants bringing people together: students, educators, and families in a way that empowers them when using digital citizenship to advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals, also known as SDGs.