What happens when a veteran teacher working as a professional learning consultant during the last 4 years returns to the classroom? What’s happening in the classroom now that was different than a few years ago? Spoiler Alert: A lot. I share my journey back into classroom teaching, at a time when so many teachers can’t wait to get out (and who can blame them?). So, while I confess a bunch of stuff, I also rant (and who can blame me?). Also, in today’s fauxmercial – A film noir detective parody – I actually play both roles. Check it out! For transformative professional learning check out New Lens Ed.

Welcome to the 100th episode of Overthrowing Education!  On today’s episode, I have the awesome privilege of chatting with 5 inspiring high school students – Pauline, Drizzle, Ella, Fahmi, and Katie and their equally inspiring teacher, Stacie Oliver. We mostly talk undgrading. Obviously, this is a topic I am passionate about, and I noticed in the Edu Twittersphere a teacher, Stacie, who was posting about her journey with her students about ungrading. I was impressed not only by Stacie, but also with her students whose work and reflections she sometimes posted. I realized that with all of my episodes, and there are lots of good ones, about going gradeless and ungrading, they were mostly from the teacher’s point of view. So, I reached out to Stacie to see if I could have her and her students on to tell us about their adventures in ungrading. And also play The 5-Minute Game Show, of course! I’d love to do this for 100 more episodes, at least and continue bringing passionate, creative and inspiring voices of educators and students, so please subscribe if you haven’t yet, and tell friends and colleagues to as well. And if you find yourself wanting an OE mug, t-shirt or tote bag here’s the Swag Shop. Check out John Atkinson’s clever and funny cartoons including the ones that I used for The 5-Minute Game Show. I want to thank my special guests Katie, Fahmi, Ella, Drizzle, Pauline and Stacie Oliver. Also, I’d like to thank the wonderful Barbara Heller who sang all the songs on the UnGradist Hits fauxmercial.  

As I get ready for my 100th episode celebration, I thought it would be great to look back at my very first episode from August of 2019. I featured educator of excellence Jesse Stommel and we discussed Ungrading (of course!).  My show was so different in the beginning, and I've streamlined it quite a bit since my earlier episodes. I originally had a feature called In the Trenches, and my guest on this episode was Leora Smith.   I also had something I called Tirades, Tips and Tools. I don't think this 2-minute segment lasted more than 2-3 episodes. It was a good idea, but kind of redundant.   I initiated my first fauxmercial which is called Grades-Be-Gone and of course, Jesse and I played the first The 5-Minute Game Show based on Two Truths and a Lie. Even though the show has grown quite a bit 98 episodes after this one, I think that for the most part, it holds up. What do you think?

It is the 99th episode of Overthrowing Education and today’s topic is one I’ve haven’t addressed on the show yet, so I’ve brought on Sharon Duncan, who works extensively with gifted students and their families. And I also bring back innovative educator Jim Hahn, the founder of Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning and Arete Preparatory Academy before that. Last time Jim joined me with the co-founder of Qualia, Jon Cassie on episode 77. And of course, Qualia is also the sponsor of this show. When a school sponsors a podcast called Overthrowing Education that tells you a lot about how amazing that school is. In our conversation, Sharon defines the various kinds of gifted students, and she also helps us understand how to best help them in our classes and schools. Jim continues to share some amazing ways to engage not only gifted students, but also curious students. And actually, these are things we can do to awaken curiosity in all of our students.   And that’s about it. I’d like to thank my guests today, Sharon Duncan and Jim Hahn, and my fauxmercial helping family Yossie and Tuvia Frankel.

My guest today is Lindsay Lyons. We talk about what a culturally responsive sustaining classroom is, as well as why and how to make it happen, especially through PBL. She shares a lot of practical ideas and resources. Then Lindsay knocks it out of the park playing a literature focused The 5-Minute Game Show. I want to thank my guest today, Lindsay Lyons, and for help with the fauxmercial - Shane Lawrence, who is now on the podcast Unprofessional Development, and also Shane’s daughter.   Resources and links: Lindsay's  Website  YouTube Twitter  https://extras.lindsaybethlyons.com/overthrowsurvey https://extras.lindsaybethlyons.com/overthrowcircle https://extras.lindsaybethlyons.com/overthrowplanne  

My guest today is Adam Bellow the co-founder of the very cool Breakout EDU. We talk Game-based and play-based learning in general and a lot about the magic of escape rooms. It’s a fun episode with some practical ideas, as well. Also, in this episode I give a sort of overview of a game for humanities classes call Battle of the Big Ideas. For more information see below.   It’s not too early to be thinking about end of the year gifts for your colleagues or yourself for making it through this school year and Overthrowing Education swag is the perfect gift!   Resources and Links: Breakout Edu Find out more about Battle of the Big Ideas and how you can adapt and use it in curriculum: DM me @overthrowinged or @BatshevaFrankel or send an email to Batsheva@overthrowingeducation.com

Is it possible that Robots/AI will replace teachers someday? II first examined this question in an episode in early 2020. My guests said no, but my son, 14 at the time, predicted much of what we are seeing now with the explosion of growth in Artificial Intelligence. So, I brought my son, now almost 18,  back on the show to give his reflections on his past predictions and update us again. Is it inevitable that teachers will become obsolete? What can we do to make sure that we, as real live educators, are irreplaceable?    What do you think? What do your students think? Let me know on Twitter @overthrowinged.    I want to thank Tuvia for indulging me and coming back on with his updated reflections, and a special shout out to the amazing voice over artist Eli Schiff for playing the male teacher and Robo-Helper on the fauxmercial. I also want to thank all the teachers who originally let me know what tasks they dread that they would love to outsource to a robot which were reflected in Robo-Helper    Make someone’s day with cool Overthrowing Education swag!  

In this episode, I speak with Barbara Smith, a long-time forward-thinking educator and prolific writer. We talk about her upcoming book, The Gatekeepers: Why School Systems Should Rethink Resisting Change. We discuss who the gatekeepers are that keep us from moving education forward and creating a better system. Of course, that includes the U.S. and other countries' obsession with standardized tests, ranking schools and students, and a whole more. This conversation got me riled up, in a good way, to continue the work so many educators like you are doing to overthrow education. And bonus: we talked about the connection between a certain TV franchise and its connection to better education! Also, this episode’s fauxmercial was borrowed from Episode 60 with Zaynab Baalbaki about creating transformative schools, because this episode is really about overcoming the challenges to create transformative education. Once again, the awesome Jake Miller joined me in this fauxmercial flashback. I want to thank my special guest, Barbara Smith, and my fauxmercial helper, Jake Miller. I also want to remind you to please rate and review this podcast so others can find it. And of course, if you share it with your colleagues, friends, and some of those gatekeepers, we can help make some really positive changes in education. Of course, it couldn’t hurt to get some Overthrowing Education swag to really make your point!   Links and Resources: For all of Barbara’s books and resources: www.z-pd.ca Contact information: zpdschoolandcurriculumdesign@gmail.com or Barbaraj.smith@utoronto.ca

In the 4th episode in this series on AI in education, my guest, Matt Miller and I discuss the issues we need to consider as well as some very practical ideas for using ChatGPT and other cool AI in our classes. Matt has been digging deep into this subject and brings so much wisdom and insight into our conversation. Matt shares some great resources to explore in the links below. And he also plays a fun version of The 5-Minute Game Show called “ChatGPT, Google or Me?”   I’d like to thank my awesome guest Matt Miller and my fauxmercial helpers including my award-winning Voice Actor friend, Eli Schiff as the announcer and Jakey Schiff, Yossie and Tuvia Frankel. This is a great time to buy any burned-out or otherwise deserving teacher friend or colleague some Overthrowing Education Swag. Or buy some for yourself. You totally deserve it! Links and Resources: ChatGPT, Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence in Education Tons of great resources and classes: DitchThatTextbook.com Get on Matt’s email list to get all kinds of amazing resources: DitchThatTextbook.com/join Classroom videos to use in class TODAY:  Teachflix This project provides you with research-based teaching practices you can use in class tomorrow to save time AND teach better: EfficienTEACH.com  

This episode is important for parents and educators to listen to. In it, my special guest – a teenage boy - and I dig deep into the ever increasing problem of teens and pre-teens being influenced by toxic people and dangerous messages online. The most popular is Andrew Tate whose sexist and misogynistic views are couched between advice that many teen boys find empowering. How do we deal with his and other toxic influencers' bile as educators and/or parents? Special thanks to my very special guest, Tuvia, and my awesome fauxmercial voice actor, Jake Miller. Here are just some of the many articles to check out: BBC Andrew Tate: How schools are tackling his influence Andrew Tate: 'I fear online influencer radicalised my son' TES Magazine How to respond to boys inspired by Andrew Tate Education Week Misogynist Influencer Andrew Tate Has Captured Boys’ Attention. What Teachers Need to Know Votes for Schools MISOGYNY & ANDREW TATE Part of our Classroom Conversations Series The Guardian Vulnerable boys are drawn in’: schools fear spread of Andrew Tate’s misogyny ‘We see misogyny every day’: how Andrew Tate’s twisted ideology infiltrated British schools NY Post UK schools grappling with teens brainwashed by Andrew Tate: report Independent School holds Andrew Tate assemblies over fears of ‘toxic misogynist’s influence on children’ Edit CM Andrew Tate and His Boys: An Educators Guide