The Teacher As...

In this episode, Melissa chats with garden photographer and podcaster, Elizabeth Wilson. Elizabeth shares her thoughts about helping students capture nature and important moments in their lives. Educators will be inspired. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration,...

In this special episode, Melissa pays tribute to her father, Lester Fleishman, who passed on 10/16. Two of his former students share their thoughts on how Lester Fleishman influenced them, not just in music, but in life. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, a...

In this episode, Melissa interviews educator Ashleigh Reade, assistant professor of theater at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Ashleigh teaches voice and speech for both the musical theater and contemporary theater programs, as well as the Actor's Toolkit for first-year students. She shares her focus on expressivity, intention, and context when helping anyone with vocals and speech. Teachers...

In this episode, Jamie Benning shares with educators his process for creating documentaries. He talks about interviewing, curating clips to use, and being flexible to allow the story to unfold.  Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, aiming to help students fin...

In this episode, Michael McLaughlin and Leeann Blais, educators at Austin Prep in Reading, MA collaborate to create a top ten list of tech tools for student collaboration. Michael is the head of middle school and Leeann is a 6th and 7th grade English teacher. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self...

In this episode I chat with Eva, a 15 year old high school sophomore who loves to write. Eva provides great insight for teachers about what students really hope for when learning how to be better writers. Eva shares what inspires her, as well as her writing process. She is able to publish her work, collaborate with other young authors and get feedback with a site called Wattpad.  Major Choice is a...

In this episode, I zoom in on research and the writing process with author and Washington Post writer, Geoff Edgers. Geoff's advice for teachers includes stressing the importance of in depth research and give students plenty of time to write and revise. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-...

In this third edition of the Top Ten episodes, school leaders Grant Hightower and Craig Murray collaborate to create one essential top ten list of movie quotes that are a metaphor for education. Grant and Craig are accomplished educational leaders and movie buffs. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship,...

In Episode 48, Melissa chats with investigative journalist Dave Malkoff about his work for the Weather Channel and beyond. Dave gives teachers his recommendations for improving students' interviewing skills and how they should focus on telling a story. This is a great follow up to my recent Podcasting with Students series.   Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and wi...

What equipment and technology do I need to podcast with students and how do I share our podcast with the most listeners? In this episode, I share some affordable, realistic answers to these questions and reflect on what worked for The Birch Meadow Way Podcast this past Spring 2021.      Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes p...

In the second episode in the Podcasting with Students series, Melissa shares tips on how to improve students' vocal performance including pace, emphasis, diction, tone, and volume.  Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, aiming to help students find fulfil...

What are the best content choices for podcasting with students? In this first episode in the Podcasting with Students series, I share clips from The Birch Meadow Way Podcast which my fourth grade colleagues and I started with our students this past Spring 2021. I reflect on the content choices for our first season of The Birch Meadow Way and what I believe our next steps should be. Major Choice is...

In this second edition of the Top Ten episodes, Dr. Nicki Newton and Ann Elise Record return with their own lists of top ten math manipulatives and collaborate to create one essential top ten list. Dr. Nicki and Ann Elise are so knowledgeable and share their favorite manipulatives and how they like to use them with students. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without...

In this episode, I interview educator Michael McLaughlin, Head of Middle School at Austin Prep in Reading, MA. Michael shares how he strives to raise the engagement of his middle school learners and how he is inspired by sharing ideas with other educators.  Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-e...

In this episode, Melissa shares a recording of her radio interview with Irish superstar Jen Zamparelli. They discuss Melissa's tweet of a student's sympathy card that went viral. Melissa shares how the grieving process is ongoing and how thankful she is for her support system. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes p...

In this episode, Melissa and some of her students share their thoughts about dads. Melissa also shares her interview with her Dad, a former music educator, from last August.  Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, aiming to help students find fulfilling careers...

In this episode, Melissa chats with Pamela Malkoff Hayes. Pamela is a licensed marriage/family therapist and a board certified art therapist.  Pamela shares the thoughtful questions that she poses to her clients about their artwork and how teachers and school counselors can use art therapy techniques in their work with students. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and wit...

In this episode of Adventures in Coteaching, Melissa and Tricia chat with their fourth grade teammates, Patti Beckman and Arielle Mucha. They look back at the past school year and talk about supporting each other, collaborating, and taking on a big project together. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorshi...

In this episode, Melissa talks to Tre Hadrick. Tre is an educator, TEDx Speaker, author, and school counselor who keeps a sharp focus on literacy in his work.  Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, aiming to help students find fulfilling careers. Educators and...

In this episode, Melissa talks to Kerry Tuttlebee, principal of 360 High School, a very innovative school in Providence, RI. Students, parents, teachers, and community members worked to create the school. They are a maker focused school and use design thinking with their students. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes persona...

In this episode Melissa and her mother, Linda Fleishman, celebrate Mother's Day by discussing Linda's teaching career, her years raising her two children, and her second career in Human Resources.  Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, aiming to help...

In this episode, Melissa talks to Carly Spina. Carly is an EL/Bilingual/Dual Language Instructional Coach who is passionate about her work with her colleagues. Carly talks about the power of the coteaching model and about her philosophy of coaching other educators. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship...

In this episode, Melissa talks to Dr. Bethany Milner about study habits and setting students up to succeed. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, aiming to help students find fulfilling careers. Educators and professionals are encouraged to become mentors or v...

In this episode, Melissa talks with friend and colleague Jan Rhein. Jan is a literacy coach/specialist who has the added perspective of having been a classroom teacher. Her lens on literacy can help all educators. Major Choice is a career mentorship program for students with and without disabilities. The program emphasizes personalized mentorship, self-exploration, and career exploration, aiming t...

In this episode, Melissa returns to the podcast after losing her husband, Josh Milner.  She talks to Dr. Paul Coleman about his book Finding Peace When Your Heart is in Pieces. Dr. Paul Coleman is a psychologist, author, and speaker who specializes in grief/trauma, intuition development, and rebuilding relationships. Melissa and Dr. Paul discuss the four paths of the "hero's journey&quot...