The Wired Educator Podcast

In this episode of the Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews John D. Couch, the 54th person hired at Apple, the first VP of Education at Apple, friend of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and the author of a hot new book titled: Rewiring Education: How Technology Can Unlock Every Student's Potential.  You can order your copy of John's book here:Rewiring Education by John Couch. Apple’s iconic co-founder Steve Jobs had a powerful vision for education, employing technology to make an enormous positive effect on the lives of millions of students. The man Jobs tapped to realize this vision was John D. Couch, a trusted engineer and executive who had a passion for education. Couch believed learning needed to be personal and collaborative. He argued the real purpose of education was to help children discover their uniqueness and empower them to reach beyond their perceived potential. However, changing a system that has notoriously resisted change for the past century proved to be no small task, even for an Apple vi

In this episode of The Wired Educator Podcast, I interview Wes Molyneaux on how to successfully implement a 1:1 tech deployment, how a district might be able to improve upon an unsuccessful attempt, creating great professional development opportunities, Apple's Education Event in Chicago, and so much more. (Topics include but not limited to: 1:1 deployment, fixing a bad deployment, Great PD, instructional leaders, best practices, student engagement, Mar I know you are going to love this interview! Wes is the director of technology in the Elkhart Community School district, an Apple Distinguished Educator, on the ADE Advisory Board for the Americas, a Google Certified Teacher L1 and L2, a great friend and a brilliant educator. Wes shares so much. He is Brilliant! Follow Wes on Twitter! Wes Molyneaux is the director of technology integration in the Elkhart Community School District where he is accountable for the development of processes related to improved professional practice through technology initiatives an

In this episode of The Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews creator of Teachers' Tech Toolbox, and Technology Director, Keven Rinaman.   Keven Rinaman is the Director of Technology at Calvert Catholic Schools in Tiffin, OH.  A graduate of Heidelberg University (’07) and Western Governors University (’17), Keven aims to utilize his knowledge and skills to bring classroom technology tools to teachers all over the world.  Keven has been in education for the past ten years.  A man of many jobs, he has been a classroom teacher, coach (wrestling, golf, baseball), Dean of Students, Student Council Advisor, and as Director of Technology.  Keven comes from a background as an education major in college while also working as a computer repair technician.  This unique background gives Keven an approach to classroom technology integration focusing on how tools can be applied to various parts of lessons.    Keven's passion for education comes in the form of facilitating professional development.  While no longer havin

In this episode of the Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews Brian Kight, CEO of Focus 3 and international expert on on leadership and culture. Focus 3 is providing school districts across the country with the tools they need to make a difference in the lives of students by making transformational changes in the school's culture. It simply works. You are going to love this interview with Brian. Brian Kight is a multi-industry leader on the topics of leadership, culture, and behavior. He provides simple systems that produce exceptional results for organizations, teams, and people. Simple, clear, and immediately actionable. Brian applies the timeless “physics” of performance to the most important challenges in life and business. His clients across the globe include professional and collegiate sports teams, schools, banks, manufacturing, healthcare, accounting, insurance and many others. As the CEO at Focus 3, Brian has worked for over a decade directly with all levels of executives and associates. The trust

In this episode of the Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly Croy interviews Jerry Blumengarten, aka: Cybraryman. Jerry Blumengarten taught for 32 years in the New York City School System. Twenty in the classroom as a teacher in multiple subjects and multiple grades, and twelve as a teacher/librarian. Jerry developed and wrote curriculum for his school district, the NYC Board of Education and Open Doors a school-business partnership. He also created educational materials for the utility industry for over 30 years. He is the co-author of the book Connecting Your Students with The World. Jerry co-moderated numerous educational chats on Twitter, including #edchat for five years, and he created #engsschat. He has presented at numerous edcamps, #ISTE and #FETC, was a Featured Presenter at #METC and #GaETC, and the keynote speaker for Tomorrow's Classrooms Today. Jerry is also a very proud grandparent of five grandchildren ages 6-18. Follow Jerry on Twitter: @cybraryman1   Mentioned in this Podcast:    Book Creator: One

  In this episode of The Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly Croy interviews Dr. Bill Daggett, the Founder of The International Center for Leadership in Education and the creator of The Application Model and Rigor and Relevance Framework.  Bill Daggett is the Founder and Chairman of the International Center for Leadership in Education, is recognized worldwide for his proven ability to move preK-12 education systems towards more rigorous and relevant skills and knowledge for all students. He has assisted a number of states and hundreds of school districts with their school improvement initiatives. Dr. Daggett has also collaborated with education ministries in several countries and with the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Governors Association, and many other national organizations. He serves on several advisory boards, including: NASA Education Advisory Board - 2008 to present USA Today (national newspaper) Education Advisory Board Before founding the I

Thanks for listening to the Wired Educator Podcast where it really is all about becoming a better educator so you can make a greater impact and live a more dynamic life. I am so proud to have documented the amazing stories of so many talented educators! Over one hundred hours of tips, tricks, inspiration and more helping teachers in their classrooms to make a difference in the lives of students. One hundred episodes is a milestone, and I wanted to do something totally different, so... I did. Buckle-up buttercup, this episode has a few surprises for you! Still, I guarantee you will walk away inspired and with a few new tools to put to use. Thank you for being a listener. I hope you enjoy this episode. Please send me a message. Mentioned in this podcast: Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller Along Came a Leader by Kelly Croy The Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly Kelly's Moleskine Journal of choice. Kelly's favorite pen. The Google Teacher Tribe Podcast [smart_podcast_player social_twitter="true" social_facebook

In this 99th episode Kelly interviews superintendent Richard Baird about the roles of superintendent. Everyone in education will benefit from Rich's unique perspective in education and the amazing innovative initiatives he has led. This is a fantastic interview with an amazing educational leader.    Richard Baird is in his third year as superintendent of a rural district about 35 miles northwest of Columbus, Ohio.  District enrollment is just over 1500 students, and the district employs about 200.  Rich is in his 29th year as an educator serving as a superintendent, middle school principal and assistant principal, middle school and high school English teacher, and athletic coach in both rural and suburban school districts.  Rich is known by his colleagues for his compassionate student-centered approach, passion for student learning, and building teams based on trust.  Rich has served the profession as principal mentor, on state level legislative committees, on local family first and drug and alcohol preventio

In this episode of The Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews Dr. Jo Boaler about her amazing book Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages, and Innovative Teaching. Dr Jo Boaler is a Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University and co-founder of www.youcubed.org. Formerly the Marie Curie Professor of Mathematics Education for England, a mathematics teacher in London comprehensive schools and a researcher at King’s College, London. She is the author of eight books including What’s Math Got To Do With It? (2015) and Mathematical Mindsets (2016). She is the recipient of the NCSM award for equity, the author of the first MOOC on mathematics learning for teachers and parents, a White House presenter and an advisor to the PISA team at the OECD. Mentioned in this episode: Book Creator is one of my favorite apps for any device! www.BookCreator.com Jo Boaler's book: Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential Through Creative Math, Ins

In this 97th episode of The Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews Jake Miller. Jake is an authorized Google Apps for Education Trainer and is currently the Technology Integration Specialist for Brady Middle School in the Orange City School District in Ohio. At Brady, Jake helps manage the implementation of Google Apps, 1:1 Chromebooks and Schoology, while working with a team to envision the building’s future integration of STEM, Project Based Learning and the school's new Fab Lab. He previously taught STEM, math & science in the Stow-Munroe Falls School District. Prior to that he taught 9 years of math and science in various grades. In his free time, Jake is passionate about sharing ideas, tips and support for educators through his website, Twitter account and the #EduGIFs that he creates. Kelly and Jake talk about makerspaces, Fab Labs, Chromebooks, Google Apps for Education, Productivity Tips, Screencast, and so much more. Get your notebooks ready because your brain is about to get full of knowledge.

In this 96th episode of The Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews Julie Hasson, the co-author of the amazing book, Unmapped Potential: An Educator's Guide to Lasting Change. Julie has a unique perspective in education from multiple vantage points, she has been an educator, and administrator, and now trains future teachers as a college professor. Julie and Kelly have an incredible conversation about educational data and the best ways to use it. This is a great conversation with a brilliant educator and author, Juie Hasson. You are going to love this interview. Julie is a third generation educator and a former public school teacher and principal. She is currently a professor at her alma mater, Florida Southern College, where she teaches graduate courses in educational leadership. When Julie is not teaching, she is doing qualitative research in schools, delving into educator expectations and impact. Julie is also a speaker, trainer and author of Unmapped Potential. Julie Hasson, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Co

An Interview with Paul Solarz, author of Learn Like a Pirate: Empower Your Students to Collaborate, Lead, and Succeed. Paul Solarz has been teaching since 1999. He is a National Board Certified Educator and has been awarded numerous honors including: Top 50 Finalist for the Varkey GEMS Global Teacher Prize (like the Nobel Prize for Education), was named 2014 Educator of the Year by then Illinois Computing Educators. He earned his Master's Degree from Illinois State University in Curriculum and Instruction. His book, Learn Like a Pirate is about: Collaboration. Empowerment. Student Leadership. These buzz words get a lot of press, but what do they really mean for today's students? Can students really handle the responsibility of leading the class? Can they actually learn what they need to if they are working together so often? Won't all this freedom cause chaos in the classroom? Not if you're teaching them to learn like PIRATES! In Learn Like a PIRATE, teachers will discover practical strategies for creatin

In this episode, Kelly interviews Eric Curts, one of the leading experts in Google Education and Chromebooks in classrooms.   Kelly and Eric talk about the best uses of Chromebooks in classrooms, the importance of creation over consumption, the 5 Cs of using Chromebooks, Erics top 3 suggestions for doing more with Chromebooks, how to "Tech-ify" a lesson, and so much more. This podcast is a must-listen for all educator and educational leaders.    Eric has been in education for 26 years, and currently serves as a Technology Integration Specialist for SPARCC in Canton, Ohio where he oversees Google Apps for Education implementation, training, and support, as well as other technology integration initiatives. Eric is an authorized Google Education Trainer and Innovator, and provides Google Apps training to schools, organizations, and conferences throughout Ohio and across the country. He is a co-leader of the Ohio Google Educator Group at bit.ly/gegohio and runs the award-winning blog www.ControlAltAchieve.com whe

In this episode of the Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews Rich Czyz and educational leader and author making a positive impact for educators and learners. Rich is the author of The Four O'Clock Faculty: A Rogue Guide to Revolutionize Professional Development. Author Rich Czyz is on a mission to revolutionize professional learning for all educators. In The Four O’Clock Faculty, Rich identifies ways to make Professional Development meaningful, efficient, and, above all, personally relevant. Rich's book is a practical guide that reveals why some Professional Development is so awful and what you can do to change the model for the betterment of you and your colleagues. Mentioned in this podcast:  Purchase your copy of Rich's book The Four O'Clock Faculty here! One of Rich's favorite reads: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho One of the books that most impacted Rich's thoughts on education: Lead Like a Pirate! by Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess Sphero: The Affordable Robot for Every Classroom. Tools & Resou

In this episode, Kelly interviews Todd Whitaker the author of What Great Teachers Do Differently, What Great Principals Do Differently, and forty other titles that have made a profound impact in education, instruction, leadership and ultimately in the lives of countless educators and student around the world. Todd Whitaker is one of the nation's leading authorities on staff motivation, teadher leadership, and principal effectiveness. He has written over 40 books including the National Best Seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Mentioned in this podcast: (Click the title to learn more.) What Great Teachers Do Differently by Todd Whitaker What Great Principals Do Differently by Todd Whitaker Motivating and Inspiring Teachers by Todd Whitaker Dealing with Difficult Parents by Todd Whitaker Follow Kelly on Twitter @WiredEducator and @KellyCroy  Please visit the Wired Educator blog & website at: www.WiredEducator.com

In this episode, Kelly interviews Matt Miller about his new book Ditch That Homework, co-authored with Alice Keeler.  Kelly interviewed Matt way back on episode 6 when Matt publsihed Matt is the author of Ditch That Textbook, Ditch That Homework, a veteran teacher, a Google Certified Educator, speaker and blogger. He is also one of the most influential voices in education. You can follow Matt on Twitter at: @jmattmiller and visit his website www.DitchThatTextbook.com Matt is a super-cool educator that loves to help others.  You are going to love this interview.  Mentioned in this podcast:       Ditch That Homework by Matt Miller and Alice Keeler Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller Tribes by Seth Godin All Marketers are Liars by Seth Godin      

In this episode of the Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly interviews the authors of The Google Infused Classroom: A Guidebook to Making Thinking Visible and Amplifying Student Voice, Holly Clark and Tanya Avrith. This is fantastic interview with two amazing educators.   Holly Clark is an award-winning educator and speaker based in San Diego. She is both a National Board Certified Teacher and Google Certified Innovator. A long time teacher and administrator, Holly consults globally with schools to help them successfully and purposefully innovate instruction through the use of learning theory, technology integration and design thinking strategies. Holly holds an MA in Education from Columbia University, New York.   Tanya Avrith M.A. EdTech is a passionate educator; from Montreal Canada, now living in South Florida. She is a Google Certified Innovator and Apple Distinguished Educator. With deep roots as a teacher and pedagogue, Tanya consults with schools to help plan and execute large scale deployments and professi

In this episode, Kelly interviews Tim Kight, an expert in building culture within school districts.  Tim Kight is the founder and president of Focus 3, a firm whose mission is to help companies around the world align the power of leadership, culture, and behavior to achieve next level results. A dynamic communicator, Tim focuses on the critical factors that distinguish great organizations from average organizations. He delivers a powerful message on the mindset & skills at the heart of individual & organizational performance. Most recently, Tim has worked closely with Urban Meyer and the Ohio State football team as the Buckeyes’ leadership coach. His work with Ohio State has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN. Mr. Kight is the author of several high impact training programs: The R Factor, Lead Now, The Power of Culture, Winning, and Attitude Matters. Mentioned in this podcast:  Some of Tim's favorite books:  Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership & Life from a C

In this episdoe, Kelly interviews Jarrod Robinson, aka The PE Geek. While much of Jarrod's work began on the focus of the instruction of physical education, Jarrod has great insight and advice for every educator regardless of subject or grade level. This is a fantastic interview for all, and something special for those with that added entreprenuerial spirit. Jarrod is a Physical Education teacher from Victoria, Australia, with a passion and enthusiasm for the role emerging technologies play within teaching and learning. He is known throughout the online community as “The PE Geek”, and authors a blog of the same name at www.thepegeek.com which has proved to be a pioneer for teachers seeking effective use of 21st century tools in PE. He has presented Nationally and Internationally for over 8 years, running workshops in over 40 countries. Jarrod is also the founder of ConnectedPE an online membership community for Physical Educators that empowers them to participate in professional development from the comforts

Tony Vincent used to teach fifth grade in Omaha, Nebraska. Today he is self-employed and does what he can to help teachers be even more awesome. He’s proud to have lead workshops and made presentations in almost all 50 states and internationally. His website is at learninginhand.com. Using Google Classroom for professional learning Instagram for teachers Graphic design for teachers Tony's website... www.LearningInHand.com, is an educator's resource for mobile and digital learning. It was started in 2002 as part of Tony Vincent's classroom website. At first focusing on Palm handhelds, Learning in Hand now encompasses all kinds of digital and mobile learning. The only thing Tony Vincent likes better than teaching is learning. He currently resides in Council Bluffs, Iowa, but he used to teach fifth grade in Nebraska. Since 1998 he’s been a pioneer in digital learning, having a classroom website before many classrooms even had internet access. In 2001 he had a 1:1 classroom full of Palm Pilots, and in 2005 he s