Unpacking Education & Tech Talk For Teachers

 At AVID Open Access, we are working hard to save teachers time by continuing to create and post free, open educational resources. This content can be used directly in classrooms, and it can also be used to learn about cutting edge topics and practices in education. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Michelle Magallanez to highlight the key resources you will find at AVID Open Access. We also p...

In this episode, we explore three tools and three strategies for establishing an effective classroom communication system. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

In this episode, we explore digital classroom timers and ways to use them in your classroom. Visit AVID Open Access  to learn more.

The world needs problem solvers, and providing students with intentional opportunities to engineer solutions to authentic problems in our classrooms is a powerful way to develop these skills in our learners. In many cases, young students are already naturally creative problem solvers. They engineer the world around them every day. If we can foster and encourage this practice in them at a young age...

When integrating technology successfully into your classroom, it’s important to identify your “why” first. Begin with an educational need or purpose that technology can help you achieve. What standards are you targeting? What goals do you want to achieve? Then ask yourself, are there technology tools that can better help me and my students achieve those goals? If the answer is yes, ask what instru...

Through new technology and a growing body of research, our collective understanding and knowledge base around neuroscience and the brain has exploded in the past 25 years. Researchers continue to have a better grasp on how educators can create conditions and experiences that improve student learning. Understanding and applying this knowledge is key to strengthening teaching and learning practices...

This episode is all about perspective. It’s about recognizing different perspectives, and it’s also about gaining new perspectives through our own experiences or the experiences of others. No matter how we achieve it, a broader perspective is valuable and can bring better understanding and empathy to the conversations we have with colleagues and community members. In this episode, we hear from Ena...

No matter the class or group of students in front of her, Amanda wants them to know her number one theme: “You belong here.” She believes that everyone should get a wonderful physical education experience. She also wants students to believe that they can pursue their dreams and be anything they want to be. She does not want her students defined by stereotypes or the way things have always been don...

Scratch is the largest children’s coding platform and online community in the world. This free block-based coding program was created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has become very popular in schools for introducing students to coding as well as for developing creativity, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Scratch’s philosophy revolves around the 4 Ps—projects, pa...

“Can you think of a better way to be a world-changer than to be working with students?” asks Carla Smith, the Teacher Academy Teacher-Coordinator for the Renton School District in Washington. She poses this question to both challenge and inspire her students to consider a career in education through a program called “Grow Your Own.” The goal of the program is to provide students with opportunities...

“Try to remember that this is the best job in the world. And no matter how down you feel, somebody in your classroom came to school today because you’re there.” These words from our guest, Dr. Teddi Beam-Conroy—Director of the Elementary Teacher Education Program at the University of Washington—hit on the essence of being a teacher. They reflect the difference we can make and the importance of sho...

Nearly everywhere, schools are facing staffing shortages, leaving them with open positions for teachers, support staff, custodial work, nursing, and more. These shortages have led to more work for everyone in the system. In this episode, we are joined by Anne Beitlers, Director of the Secondary Teacher Education Program at the University of Washington. Together, we discuss this ongoing challenge....

"We can make ripple effects, and often change occurs outside of what we’re able to see." These words from our guest, Nichola Fulmer—College and Career Readiness Program Facilitator for Renton School District—reverberate throughout this episode and reinforce the difference that we can make in the lives of our students. Each student comes to us at a different point in their journey, but if...

“Educators really are hope dealers. We deal in hope, and that’s what our students rely on us for. It has to start with ourselves.” These words from our guest, Jenn Nagle—Communications Manager at AVID Center—reverberate throughout our conversation about professional learning. During this episode, we explore how we can reignite hope for educators and students by empowering teachers through well-des...

As the costs of postsecondary education continue to rise, students and families often must seek funding opportunities to make college more affordable and accessible. Our guest, Tariq Habash from the U.S. Department of Education, provides valuable insights into accessing available funding. Most importantly, he reminds us that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is “the single best...

Technology and computer science are becoming foundational components of our modern world. We see them in nearly every aspect of our lives: shopping, communication, school, work, banking, and even applying for a job. Since tech is so important, we need to make sure our students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be innovators in this field. Computers, technology, and coding are no longer...

Students come to us in a wide variety of situations—many of which are out of their immediate control. They also come to us with often overlooked assets that we should leverage in the process of helping them grow. To provide the necessary support that students need to be successful, school systems need to work together and with families. This often starts with meeting basic needs, like reliable foo...

In this episode, we are joined by veteran science teacher Mark Peterson. Mark is committed to living a life in beta, always seeking to improve his craft as an educator. In our conversation today, we explore the crossroads of assessment, student choice, and grading. We ask the hard questions, look for solutions, and reflect on Mark’s experiences as a science teacher striving to empower his students...

Our students come to us from so many different places. They have different backgrounds, different lived experiences, different interests, and different talents. To provide personal meaning for each learner in such a diverse group, we need to provide our students with a wide variety of possibilities and experiences, so they can each find their own passion and path forward. Each one of them deserves...

The sudden exposure to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has simultaneously increased people’s awareness of online learning, given them some insights into what it is like to learn online, and led to misconceptions about what an intentional and well-planned online learning program can look like. In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Plaman—the Online and Digital Learning Specialist fo...

One of the ways to increase student ownership in learning is to provide students with meaningful and authentic “voice and choice.” But what does this really mean? How do we implement it in our lessons, and what does it look like in practice? In this episode, we dig into these questions, and we'll also focus on what it means to provide “authentic” options for our students. When done well, we c...

The world is changing at an accelerating rate. What once was science fiction—cell phones, videoconferencing, the Internet—is now reality. To prepare our students for a rapidly evolving world, we must continually question and rethink what education looks like. What structures do we have in place? What opportunities do we provide? How are we empowering students in the learning process? These questio...

While many in education are struggling with the challenges of teaching during a pandemic, they may be met with toxic positivity that feels out of place in the midst of these struggles. While dismissing negative emotions may not be intentional or ill-intended, it can add new levels of emotional burden to an already difficult situation. In this episode, the team explores the concept of toxic positiv...

As COVID surges move through communities or schools face storms and shutdowns, districts are often forced to consider unexpected or sudden changes in their educational delivery model. They might need to switch to fully remote or hybrid options. This uncertainty adds additional stress to the already difficult job of teaching. In this week's episode, we explore ways to mitigate these types of d...

When something matters to us and we care deeply about it, we put our all into it. This is certainly true for teaching and working in schools. Despite increased demands, daily stresses, and limited resources, educators continue to pour all of their energy and talent into the profession for the sake of their students and communities. This work matters, and it is also hard. Tune in to this week'...