Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

Even young students can learn how to understand and combat misinformation, and it's a key information literacy skill in 2024. In this episode, I'm talking to Melanie Trecek-King of Thinking is Power, because I love how her approach to the topic of misinformation is characterized by compassion and empathy.  Melanie emphasizes that everyone is susceptible to misinformation, and falling for it doesn't indicate a lack of intelligence. This perspective humanizes those who believe in conspiracy theories or disinformation, so we can view them as people who--like ourselves--have unknowingly accepted false information. Melanie and I discuss 3 primary reasons we fall for misinformation: Confirmation Bias: Our tendency to interpret information in ways that confirm our existing beliefs. Once we believe something, we see evidence for it everywhere, reinforcing that belief. Skepticism is crucial for protecting oneself from misinformation, but it's most challenging when information confirms our biases. Appeals to Emotion: Emotions, particularly anger, outrage, and fear, can trigger the part of our brain that hinders critical thinking. Many forms of misinformation specifically appeal to our emotions to convince us without evidence. When we feel emotionally triggered, it's a good time to slow down and practice emotional skepticism. Reiteration Effect: Also known as the illusory truth effect, the reiteration effect means that the more we hear something repeated, the more likely we are to think it's true, even if it isn't. Our brain equates ease of processing with truth, so repeated exposure to false information can lead us to believe it. We also discuss the problem with "doing your own research," and why Melanie sees 2024 as a the post-trust era, not the post-truth era, and how we can respond. The remainder of our conversation is centered on how to teach information literacy to students. Melanie provides actionable tips and ready-to-use resources to help you: 1. Demonstrate to students that they can be fooled (e.g., through personality reading exercises). 2. Discuss how beliefs are formed using non-triggering examples (e.g., historical witch trials). 3. Include misinformation in lessons to help students recognize its characteristics. 4. Use tools like the FLOATER toolkit to help students evaluate claims systematically. 5. Have students create misinformation to understand its techniques better. While these concepts are typically taught at the college level, they can be introduced as early as middle school. Even elementary students can begin to understand concepts like author's purpose and recognizing persuasive techniques. Understanding misinformation is crucial in our daily lives, yet it's often absent from educational standards. Check out Melanie's site for lots of free resources to teach about misinformation using humor and non-triggering approaches to help students recognize it in the real world. Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Explore the importance of supporting neurodivergent educators and the unique strengths they bring to schools. Learn what accommodations are necessary and how schools can effectively implement them. Discover the legal rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the best practices for creating a supportive environment. From flexible schedules to designated quiet areas, hear how these strategies benefit all educators, not just those who are neurodivergent. It's a call to action for inclusivity and understanding in the teaching profession.

"Transformative change means feeling different, having different experiences every day, not just little changes that feel like a band-aid." These are the words of today’s guest, Elena Aguilar, an instructional coach whose latest book is called Arise: The Art of Transformation Coaching. (https://amzn.to/3Srseot) Through her book and our conversation today, you’re invited to teach in a “human-centered, compassionate, wildly optimistic way.” Listen in as we discuss: What “transformation” looks like and how it applies to the work of classroom teachers Why transformation results from addressing the Three Bs: beliefs, ways of being, and behavior… and why that order matters Which conditions allow for beliefs to change and how we can implement them in our classrooms How our “ways of being” as teachers tie to transformation As we look toward the start of a new school year, I hope that Elena’s thoughts will help you reimagine what’s possible in your classroom, and create conditions for both student transformations and your own. Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.  

Here’s an innovative way to get student buy-in for your cell phone policy, reduce distractions, and maximize class time. Today you’re going to hear from Ashly Hilst, a secondary teacher at North Clackamas Christian School in Oregon City, Oregon. Ashly has taught high school English for 7 years in both public and private schools.  For the 2024 Summit for the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek, Ashly unveiled her innovative approach to managing cell phone use in the classroom, and it was so impactful I wanted to make sure more teachers had a chance to hear about it. Her method focuses on conveying the message that "phones don't make good moments, people do," drawing from personal experiences to connect with students.  In this episode, you’ll learn from Ashly how to establish clear expectations and consequences for phone use while allowing flexibility and gentle reminders.  Discover for yourself how Ashly's approach reduces stress levels and enhances the teaching experience by promoting responsible phone habits in the classroom. Get the transcript + free copy of Ashly’s slideshow here:  https://truthforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers-podcast/how-to-get-true-student-buy-in-for-your-no-cellphone-policy/

It seems like every tech tool we use has now integrated generative artificial intelligence. Open a Google Doc, you’re prompted to use Gemini to help you write. Read a post on Facebook, Meta prompts you to “ask anything” via their AI. It’s powering our phones and our email, and the customer support chatbots on nearly every website when shopping online and even with utility companies. AI is everywhere, and it’s designed to help save everyone time. So, why not let it help you in your role as a teacher, too? I talked at length in episode 304 about the pros, cons, and drawbacks of AI, so if you’re worried about AI, please make sure you listen to that episode for the context.  In this episode, though, I want to show you possibilities. That’s my job. Your job is to decide what’s right for you and your classroom. So let’s talk about possibilities.  Listen in for 5 easy ways I see currently for AI as a tool to automate teachers’ workloads: Differentiation Assessment Writing Tedious tasks Creative expression And if you’d like to stay up-to-date on all the latest with artificial intelligence, check out the new 40 Hour AI membership. Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

We know there’s potential…but let’s talk about the larger implications for the profession. In this episode, I’m sharing how AI has already transformed the way many teachers work, and exploring the ethics, best practices, and future trends for AI in schools. Listen in to hear: What surprised me in a survey about schools' AI policies 3 principles that guide my approach to AI Why educators MUST shape the direction of AI (and not leave this to tech companies) My favorite ways to use AI to streamline teaching tasks, including differentiation and assessment When you might want to use ChatGPT in place of a search engine My recommendations for the best free AI tools for teachers 3 crucial mindsets to develop as you plan how to incorporate AI in your work Let's explore the big picture overview of AI’s impact, its strengths and weaknesses as a tool for teachers, and specific ways fellow educators have used it to reduce their workload responsibly. Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here. Learn about 40 Hour AI here.

Educator Pernille Ripp shares insights on Danish vs. US education systems and work-life balance. Topics include delayed reading instruction, shorter school days, and nurturing well-being in teaching. The podcast explores societal values, school structure, and the importance of fostering confidence in learning environments.

Discusses future education trends like AI, student safety, and rationalizing curriculum. Explores vocational training, microschools, and hybrid learning models. Emphasizes the need for teachers to shape the future of education.

Bored with your curriculum or instructional routines? I’m talking with Betsy Potash of the Spark Creativity Podcast about easy ways to make things feel fresh and interesting again. Often we switch things up in our teaching to keep ourselves from getting bored. But, too much change can create unnecessary work for us. It can also waste class time for students as they spend more energy on figuring out how to complete an assignment than on practicing the skills we want them to learn.  So, Betsy’s identified 5 open-ended activities that you can add to your rotation of go-to strategies, and incorporate them in unique ways throughout the year. We’re talking about how to use the following in gr. 2-12 classrooms: • podcasts • stations • hexagonal thinking • escape room design • one-pager Betsy will definitely spark your creativity as you listen to these easy-to-understand activities which you can plug into the lessons you’re least excited to teach. These ideas will get students actively engaged in learning and boost your energy and enthusiasm as a teacher.  Click here to read the transcript, see photos of the lesson ideas, and get links to Betsy's templates. Resources mentioned: Spark Creativity website and podcast Learn about student podcasting in a free PD series Free Digital Toolkit for Hexagonal Thinking Video: Using hexagons to build critical thinking skills Free escape room toolkit Guide to creating one-pagers Angela's Teachers Box of Tricks on TPT / Truth for Teachers shop

This topic is definitely new territory for my Truth for Teachers podcast, and I was initially hesitant to include it because I didn’t want to overshare. However, as I began to talk to other women about this, I realized how many of us really didn’t have a good grasp on the way hormones impact our daily function. The experience is so individualistic, and no two bodies are alike. I realized that the more folks talk about this, the better informed we'll be. So in this episode, I’m sharing my own journey with perimenopause and brain fog. It took me many months to recognize what was changing in my body and why, and I misdiagnosed the brain fog as simply pandemic-related stress. At age 43, menopause wasn't on my radar yet, and I didn't know pre-menopausal symptoms were a thing. Once I sought guidance from my OB-GYN, I was able to find relief from my symptoms, and I want to help other women understand their options, too. So, I’ve invited Dr. Jen Gunter to shed some light on this topic for us. Jen is an obstetrician, gynecologist, and author known for her advocacy work in women's health and her efforts to debunk health misinformation. She is a prominent voice on social media and shares evidence-based information about women's health issues and challenges pseudoscientific claims, and has authored several books, including "The Menopause Manifesto," in which she addresses common myths and provides accurate information about women's health. In this interview, Jen and I discuss the impact of hormonal changes on energy and focus, throughout different stages of life, emphasizing that hormones should be viewed as a symphony of factors rather than isolated elements. Jen also dispels negative stereotypes about hormonal changes and challenges patriarchal concepts around women's competence related to hormones and aging. She encourages women to embrace their capabilities, and make informed decisions about how and when to utilize medical experts for support. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion.