The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast

True silence is almost impossible to achieve in the classroom, and extraneous noises can be distracting. Adding background music creates a sanctuary where sustained concentration is more likely to happen. You can find full written versions of these tips at cultofpedagogy.com/edutips. ------------------- Thanks to Stash101 for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

This activity can be plugged into any lesson when you want students to go beyond surface traits and consider deeper connecting principles. My guest Sarah Levine shows us how it works.  ------------------- Thanks to Listenwise and Read&Write by Texthelp for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

When you see early signs of off-task behavior, you might think your only choices are to ignore it or address it directly. The antiseptic bounce gives you a third option. You can find full written versions of these tips at cultofpedagogy.com/edutips. ------------------- Thanks to Stash101 for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

Peer feedback can be an incredible tool for student growth IF students are trained in how to do it well. In this episode, English teacher Marcus Luther shares how he prepares students for gallery walks, where they give insightful, affirming feedback to each other's writing. With a heavy emphasis on modeling and seting clear norms, Luther's approach is one teachers can follow to help students give higher quality feedback in any class.  ------------------- Thanks to Fearless Schools and Read&Write by Texthelp or sponsoring this episode. -------------------

Even when they appear to be navigating school successfully, Arab-American students aren't thriving like they could. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Sawsan Jabar about how teachers can change that. ------------------- Thanks to Fearless Schools and Google's Applied Digital Skills for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

Our students can access information on any topic in seconds, so we need to build their media and news literacy. In this episode, I talk with Common Sense Education's Kelly Mendoza about their Digital Citizenship curriculum, with a special focus on the media and news literacy component, walking through three sample lessons you can try in your own classroom. ------------------- Thanks to Fearless Schools and Google's Applied Digital Skills for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

So many things don't go our way throughout the school day, and if we can learn how to take a step back, to depersonalize these situations, we'll be able to respond rather than react. You can find full written versions of these tips at cultofpedagogy.com/edutips. ------------------- Thanks to Floop for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

This year's picks include a video conferencing platform that feels more like a physical space, a database of books where the main characters are black girls, a career exploration platform, math lessons that students will actually care about, a device that combines tech with hands-on play, and a collection of art experiments.  ------------------- Learn more about the Teacher's Guide to Tech at teachersguidetotech.com. ------------------- Thanks to Fearless Schools and Google's Applied Digital Skills for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

Popcorn or "round-robin" reading has been around forever, even though it's not supported by research and can actually slow down students' reading progress. Learn more about why you should stop doing it and what strategies to put in its place. You can find full written versions of these tips at cultofpedagogy.com/edutips. ------------------- Thanks to Floop for sponsoring this episode. -------------------

Building a robust vocabulary is an essential part of any education. Students will learn new words in our classes no matter what, but if we're deliberate about giving them regular instructional opportunities to learn them, they'll learn so many more. In this episode, Dr. Angela Peery shares eight specific strategies you can use to build your students' vocabulary in any subject area and at any grade level.  ------------------- Thanks to fastIEP and Google's Applied Digital Skills for sponsoring this episode. -------------------