Teacher Tunnel Podcast

In this episode, we talk with The Tech Rabbi: Michael Cohen. Michael is a designer and technologist turned educator. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator and Google Certified Trainer who advocates, speaks, writes, and facilitates workshops on creativity and innovation. He works with schools on a local and national level to help them develop a creative mindset to influence and empower individuals in becoming confident and passionate problem solvers. You can hear Michael’s story of creativity and innovation through social media, and conferences such as Apple Education Events, EdTechTeacher Summits, iPadpalooza, ISTE, and SXSWEdu. He holds a Master of Science Education (Educational Technology) from California State University-Fullerton and a Bachelors of Fine Art (Printmaking and Design) from California State University-Long Beach.  The Tech Rabbi is not just a brand, but a real thing. He is, in fact, a real Rabbi. Show Notes Michael did not like school  Did not enjoy school The moment Michael decided he want

"A year from now you may wish you started today." Karen Lamb Thanks for listening, and happy Monday!   

Show Notes jamesalansturtevant.com Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts ​ Music Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque)  Artist: Grapes  Album: ccMixter   Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our community, in turn, give more value to many.  ​ Click Here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher Click Here for the TuneIn Radio Click Here to subscribe to RSS FEED via Libsyn

We all have goals in one form or another, and some come to fruition and others die quickly. I’m talking about the big lofty goals because many times we want them to happen tomorrow, but what about the lightweight goals underneath the heavier ones. Are those most important? 

In this addition to Monday Meditations, and this quick audio essay is based on the quote by the Roman Poet: Horace "That destructive siren, sloth, is ever to be avoided." 

On today’s episode, we have an English Teacher of thirty-six years - Glenda Funk is an evolving teacher going into her thirty-seventh year as a teacher. She is nationally board certified, has a blog called Evolving English teacher, and created 113 lesson plans and 14 units on the Better Lesson Series website which gets 500 downloads a week. She graduated from SW Baptist University with a degree in Speech Education and a Masters in English from Idaho State University. In this episode we learn about the balance she’s adopted in her work and life, her blog, and the declining retention rate of teachers staying in the profession as well as entering it. Show Notes This or That Moment Glenda decided to be a teacher Failures in life and the classroom A classroom overwhelming moment Learning from divorce Evolving English Teacher Seth Godin Why start a blog Glenda's writing process "How important it is to be consistent" Keeping notes in phone with blog ideas Writing about what she reads Teacher retention Scaries

Weekly Challenge: I challenge you listening to reach out to a friend you haven’t seen in a while and ask them to join you in an activity. See if they want to go to a movie, bowling, out for drinks, a walk, hike, or maybe even a yoga class. Sometimes, our comfort zones keep us from reaching out and showing we care. This is a simple challenge that we can all accomplish. Who is your reach going to? Educator and Historian George Burton Adams is known for saying:    "There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success." Happy Monday! 

On today’s episode we have author, teacher, podcaster, and triathlete - and did I mention she has Cerebral Palsy-CP for short. She just turned thirty and the sky is the limit for this expert on everything CP. In this episode, we discuss self-publishing a book, the triathlon in Hawaii she attempted, and her podcast "Butterflies of Wisdom" which I was a guest on her show. We learn a lot about how a disability can't stop you from accomplishing your dreams.  Show Notes What is cerebral palsy?  How cerebral palsy limits daily tasks in her life.  Profpofol limited her ability to walk and is the drug that killed Michael Jackson Music Teacher and Transitions Butterflies of Wisdom Podcast Author of "I, Win: Hope and Life - My Journal of a Disables Woman Living in a Non-Disabled World"  'Win's Women of Wisdom' Podcast Habit that Win wishes she could bring down Two reasons Win wrote a book Win has written not one but eight books How to self-publish a book with createspace Kona Iron Man Team Hoyt http://www.teamhoyt.

If you are like me you love to collect journals with the hope of filling them up, and then months go by and nothing. I always have these grand ideas of "I'm going to journal today!" I get pumped and at night I write my thoughts - maybe even the next day I write something down and like any new skill, the excitement slowly fizzles and the journals start collecting dust. I have a nice collection of journals. There are numerous amounts of health benefits to journaling, and here are some blog posts I have found to be helpful plus this helps me to justify having so many blank journals.  https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling/ https://penzu.com/journaling-benefits https://confinedtosuccess.com/benefits-of-journaling-for-mental-health/ Last year I found a journal I can actually fill in. I fill in this journal every morning and most nights, but it's not the type of journaling you are thinking. It's called the Five-Minute Journal, it's a beautifully designed hard back journal that focuses o

On today’s episode, we have Sean Carney, and this episode is a little different from previous shows because Sean isn’t a teacher in the traditional sense. He will be teaching us some things today about his profession. so think of it as a guest speaker to the classroom. A few years back, I taught a 7th grade ELA class and I had a quiet student named Logan, but Logan had a talent. He had the deepest voice I've ever heard from a 7th grader. Lets just say I would have enjoyed listening to him read Apple's Terms & Conditions pages we all love to NOT read. Sean is a voice actor, who recently graduated from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY and received his degree in Integrated Marketing Communications,  with a Minor in Communication Studies focused on public speaking. He was looking to pay for expenses at college his freshman year in 2013 and heard about an online platform called Fiverr - and after about a year he committed to it full time. He is now the top rated voice-over actor on that site, and in the last four

Welcome to the first edition of Monday Meditations. I am your host Jon Belt,  and this is an addition to the Teacher Tunnel Podcast with just me and no guests as of right now, maybe in the future, we will have guests. and just to clarify what this is and what this is not. ​ What this is not:  This is not a meditation series  I will not have calm, relaxing music on to quiet the mind I will not start chanting or delivering instructions on chanting What this is:  A short audio essay to propel you into the week. We all, especially teachers look at Mondays as a struggle, and even on break, I find Mondays still give me a certain level of anxiety. So, this is to help in rendering Mondays as an exciting and happy time. Links discussed in the episode Voxer Group (Sign up and email your username and why you want to join, and I will add you to the group) My email Books mentioned in the episode "The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papsan Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please s

On today’s episode, we have Nick Mataish - Nick is a Ninth Grade Algebra teacher in Webster, New York at Webster Schroeder High School. He is an aspiring relationship coach, writer, and has developed a blog called movingpastmediocre.com - where his focus is Mindset, Marriage and Manifesting Greatness, and like me, he is a fan of alliteration. He received his bachelor's degree in Math Education and a Masters degree in Special Education from his hometown Niagara County, NY at Niagara University. He is all about self-improvement and self-development not only for himself but for his students and relationships he builds. We discuss many topics including a student teaching setback during his sophomore year in college, his foundational-five morning routines, the goals for his website and the math rap he made for his students.   Show Notes This or That Favorite Documentary  What are you an expert in? Growth Mindset  Tech in the Classroom - Google Chromebooks & Google Forms Why Nick became a teacher Difference be

On today’s episode we have the 2017 Michigan Teacher of the Year - Tracy Horodyski - Tracy is the the outgoing teacher that is always learning and growing with her students, colleagues and all others she gets the pleasure to meet. Tracy is a product of the Grand Rapids Public School system in which she went through from K-12. She graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in Group Science with and Masters in General Education. She is currently an Instructional Coach - teacher consultant with the Lake Michigan Writing Project and working towards National Board Certification. We discuss what occupies her time in the summers, the process of getting nationally board certified, and she shares a student success story of the method she used to get him to enjoy poetry and many other topics.  Show Notes   Summer Plans Teaching a writing camp at Grand Valley State University Lake Michigan Writing Project This or That Meditation Routine Random writings Michigan Teacher of the Year 2017-2018 Michigan T

The current New York Teacher of the Year, Amy Hysick drops back in to share her lesson that she loves! The main reason she loves it so much is because how funny it is. It's a urinalysis lab conducted by her students, and they just can't believe they use real urine - or is it?  Some links I've found about how to conduct your own Urinalysis Lab in the classroom S-O's Mad Scientist Creative Chemistry Summer Research Project for Science Teachers I just googlied Urinalysis Lab Lesson Plan and many great resources popped up!  Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts ​ Music Song: I dunno (ft. J Lang, Morusque)  Artist: Grapes  Album: ccMixter   Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Also, if you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick 5-Star review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. Reviewing the podcast gives us the opportunity to widen our com

On today’s episode, we have the 2017 Georgia Teacher of the Year - Casey Bethel. Casey is the teacher we all want, and his authentic voice and love for the profession is magnified throughout this episode. We learn about his path to the teaching profession, his love of science, his work vs effort rubric, and the book that changed his paradigm to elevate his love of reading. Casey currently teaches AP Biology, Biology, and Physics at New Manchester High School in Douglasville, Georgia. Before that, he taught at Martin Luther King High School in Lithonia, Georgia. He graduated from Fort Valley State University with a degree in Biology (Pre-Med) and he received his Masters in Agronomy which is (plant genetics) from the University of Georgia. So if you’re listening to this on your way to work, laying by the pool, or while you’re doing chores you’re about to be enlightened by another great leader in his field.    Show Notes   Icebreakers (This or That) Moment Casey decided to become a teacher Teacher influences on

On today's episode, we have Ruth Arseneault. Ruth is in her eighteenth year as a full-time teacher, although she has been teaching for thirty years - five years of that was as a substitute teacher which is kind of amazing. Ruth graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She earned a Master of Arts in Literature from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. She has been teaching English 11 and 12 for the past ten years at Riverview High School in New Brunswick, Canada. Before that, she taught Theatre Arts and has produced and directed numerous plays.  -Ruth’s journey in becoming a teacher -Amateur acting -Theater Arts Teacher -Thoughts on the introversion  -Stress at work and talking with a psychologist. -Hand Work & Creative Outlets -Getting students (especially boys)  life-long readers -The effect of a father reading -What successful looks like to Ruth   “There is no perfect administrator because people are human…” -Scariest thing

We have a first for the show. Not one but two guests are on today, and they are teachers I work with every day. Mandy Deason has been teaching for twelve years and previously graduated from Northern Michigan University with a degree in Elementary Education & Special Education, and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Education Leadership from Southern Nazarene University. She is also our Site Teacher of the Year for Mayfield Middle School. Kristen Cawthorne is in her fourth year as a teacher and previously graduated from Michigan State University and received her degree in Elementary Education and Special Education with an emphasis in Learning Disabilities plus she received her Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism Spectrum Disorders. You couldn’t have more sweet, caring, and knowledgeable advocates for their students. Show Notes “Wonder Years” Special Education statistic and their reactions What they hoped people knew about Special Education Co-Teaching Mandy shares a bad experie

Amy Hysick is the teacher we all wanted in High School. Amy isn't afraid to be goofy and fun in class. From the outrageous outfits, funny tees, and a collection of reptiles that hang out in her room. Amy makes the learning fun and unique every day. Amy Hysick the 2017 New York Teacher of the Year and lover of snakes, which totally gives me the heebee-jeebees - we dive into this in the beginning of the show. Amy graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Biology, and a Master in Education. She attended Cicero-North Syracuse High School AND now she teaches there! She is in her 13th year at Cicero and loving every minute of it.    Show Notes - Icebreakers Love and Fear of Snakes The switch that went off during her undergrad coursework "If you were a doctor you could use most of your talents if you were a teacher you could use all of your talents." Substituting "If you are in a different classroom every day, there' s no opportunity for you to build anything of permanence - there's no opportunity to b

Derek Voiles teaches English-Language Arts in the middle with his seventh-grade classroom located in East Tennessee, and he is the 2017 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Derek dresses the part every day in order to lead by example and show his students the high expectations for excellence he requires. Derek is only in his 7th year as a teacher but has the model classroom that other teachers observe in hopes to replicate for themselves. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English-Literature and a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) from Carson-Newman University; he also received his degree as an Education Specialist in Instructional Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University and wrapping up his Doctorate from East Tennessee State University. These are just a few of the accomplishments in Derek's busy life, and we will learn about others in this episode from another great leader in his field. SHOW NOTES Relaxing on Spring Break  Derek's schedule for this year How Derek relaxes Moment

In this episode, we get to know a Physical Education teacher, podcast co-host, and former ball boy for the Oklahoma City Thunder - Matt Shellenberger. He graduated from Southern Nazarene University with a degree in Sports Information and is currently working towards an M.Ed in Educational Leadership at his alma mater. I've taught and coached with Matt the last three years at my current school. Matt is a relationship builder with not only his students but also his coworkers. He has the positive demeanor and attitude most parents desire as a role model for their child. We learn about his background as a Sports Information major to what changed his path away from that career. He discusses some failures in the classroom and as a coach.  The ongoing theme from past episodes is 'building relationships with students' as THE factor to being an effective teacher. Matt gives some tips on how he builds those relationships and some simple rituals he has throughout the days.  SHOW NOTES Intro: Fun Fact  Changing paths