Teachers on Fire

Welcome to Saturday Morning Teacher Talk, airing LIVE on YouTube every Saturday morning at 8:30 Pacific and 11:30! Join the conversation and add your comments to the broadcast. MAKING NEWS on X THIS WEEK: Natalie Vardabasso calls out a series of oppressive assessment practices that she "has something to say about." Natalie is back with another challenge: "Stop grading everything students do." Monte Syrie reflects on his change of thinking about "his" students being called out of class to attend other extracurricular activities. Jason Kennedy reminds us that we ALWAYS make an impact on relationships and learning in the classroom, whether we want to or not. Josh Ogilvie shares how one of his students only sees the act of assessment as an opportunity for teachers to call out instances where they are incapable or missing the mark. Alice Keeler shares a screenshot from Quizizz that illustrates a game mode that requires students to achieve mastery of a set of content before advancing. John Sowash lets us know that Gmail users can offer email recipients in-email availability calendars (they can choose a time slot from your calendar). CONNECT with ME On X @TeachersOnFire (https://X.com/TeachersOnFire) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/.

Welcome to Saturday Morning Teacher Talk, airing LIVE on YouTube every Saturday morning at 8:30 Pacific and 11:30! Join the conversation and add your comments to the broadcast. MAKING NEWS on X THIS WEEK: California's Governor Newsom just signed a bill requiring cursive writing (handwriting) to be taught to all students in grades 1-6. Here's why I think that is a terrible decision. Prodigy Education is encouraging teachers to support student out-of-school performances (sports, competitions, recitals). Here's why I think this is a dangerous precedent. TCEA shows how we can use "I noticed" to build relationships with our students (credit to FreshFromTheFourth  Chey Cheney argues that we shouldn't discredit or discourage students from copying as a first strategy for finding a solution. Rolland (@RChids on X) shares suggestions for how we can reset our brains on the weekend before entering a new week. John Sowash shares some news from Google Slides: presenters can now draw and annotate directly on the Slides during presentations. CONNECT with ME On X @TeachersOnFire (https://X.com/TeachersOnFire) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Chef Brian by Latasha Dude by Patrick Patrikios New Year by Bad Snacks Positive Fuse by French Fuse Summer in the Neighborhood by Bad Snacks Tropic Fuse by French Fuse Sunny Travel by Nico Staf Coupe by The Grand Affair Fast and Run by Nico Staf Go! By Neffex *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

Welcome to Saturday Morning Teacher Talk, airing LIVE on YouTube every Saturday morning at 8:30 Pacific and 11:30! Join the conversation and add your comments to the broadcast. MAKING NEWS on X THIS WEEK: Scare a teacher in four words! Thanks to @TeacherGoals for this fun challenge.  Dr. Brad Johnson reminds us to show appreciation to our leaders during National Principals Month, and I shout out my principal, Andrea Wiebe. Empower your learning targets by using them, talking about them, reflecting on them with students. - Jason Kennedy  Natalie Vardabasso points to the importance of crafting compelling learning goals. I interpret this on the micro (classroom) level AND on the macro. Why are we doing school at all? What's the point?  Supporting the growth of the whole child looks like the core competencies, taught and reinforced at every grade level for students in British Columbia.  8 Ways to Scaffold Writing - created by @ValentinaESL and reshared by TCEA on X  "Tell me more." The coaching question that feels like a hug from Eleana Aguilar.  "Engagement isn't synonymous with fun. It's about stretching students' cognitive abilities." - @AliceKeeler on X  Educator Ashley Aoki shares a very cool image of a learning profile (created on Canva).  CONNECT with ME On X @TeachersOnFire (https://X.com/TeachersOnFire) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Chef Brian by Latasha Dude by Patrick Patrikios New Year by Bad Snacks Positive Fuse by French Fuse Summer in the Neighborhood by Bad Snacks Tropic Fuse by French Fuse Sunny Travel by Nico Staf Fast and Run by Nico Staf *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

This podcast covers topics such as giving zeros as assessment, standards-based grading controversy, powerful feedback, reducing test anxiety, review activities, self-reflection, supporting new initiatives in education, social emotional skills in learning, and the balance between SEL and academics.

Welcome to Saturday Morning Teacher Talk, airing LIVE on YouTube every Saturday morning at 8:30 Pacific and 11:30! Join the conversation and add your comments to the broadcast. MAKING NEWS on X THIS WEEK: Welcome to Saturday Morning Teacher Talk, going LIVE every Saturday morning. Join the conversation and see your comments featured live on the broadcast! In this edition: Chey Cheney observes Truth and Reconciliation Day - Canada's national holiday and annual invitation to reflection on our ongoing journeys of restoration and reconciliation. Ashley Aoki shares how her BC school marked Orange Shirt Day. Teacher2Teacher (via SELebrateYOU) shares a new take on TGIF: What did you TRUST in this week? What were you GRATEFUL for this week? What INSPIRED this week? What was FUN this week? What are some mental fitness activities that have a positive impact on your ability to manage challenging situations in your daily work? Is aiming for "a slow burn" a more realistic outcome than burnout, teachers? Is that a positive metaphor? Joy Kirr strengthens her mental fitness by collecting wins and 7th grader quotes from each week. Jarrett Lerner shares a picture of a public commitment wall: teachers write their promises and commitments to students for the year. From Jon Gordon: 7 small steps to take that will set every new day on a positive course. John Sowash laments Google's announcement that Google Jamboard will no longer be a thing, but he suggests three alternatives: Google Slides, FigJam, and Canva. CONNECT with ME On X @TeachersOnFire (https://X.com/TeachersOnFire) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Chef Brian by Latasha Dude by Patrick Patrikios New Year by Bad Snacks Positive Fuse by French Fuse Summer in the Neighborhood by Bad Snacks Fast and Run by Nico Staf *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

Welcome to Saturday Morning Teacher Talk, airing LIVE on YouTube every Saturday morning at 8:30 Pacific and 11:30! Join the conversation and add your comments to the broadcast. On X This Week: 0:45 - Where are YOU on the Teacher Hierarchy of Needs right now? (Dr. Brad Johnson) 3:33 - Tony Vincent shows off the new Quizizz AI feature that will automatically generate quizzes based on any selected YouTube video, URL, PDF, PPT, or text prompt. 6:24 - Tony Vincent also shares an exciting feature coming to Google Slides collaborations: live pointers! (Partners can see exactly where their partners are working on the slide.) 8:01 - Assessment expert Tom Schimmer makes the point that pre-assessment as an advanced version of what has yet to be taught is pointless. 10:39 - Adam Grant observes that schools tend to favor the fastest sprinters (thinking of timed tests), but life functions more like a marathon that rewards learners who ask the right questions. 11:51 - Do you run out of time to finish your lessons? Marcus Luther encourages us to take a deep breath and leave it for the next class - everything is going to be just fine. 13:41 - A fun test for teachers: How many of these student words do you recognize? CONNECT with ME On X @TeachersOnFire (https://X.com/TeachersOnFire) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Chef Brian by Latasha Dude by Patrick Patrikios New Year by Bad Snacks Positive Fuse by French Fuse Summer in the Neighborhood by Bad Snacks Fast and Run by Nico Staf *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

Join me LIVE for Saturday Morning Teacher Talk at 8:30 Pacific, 11:30 Eastern on YouTube! Here's what we discussed on this edition of the show: How many hours of school work are you putting in daily outside of contractual hours? (Fixing Education) My colleague dreads coming to work each day. What can I say to them? (Crappy Teacher) How are you building culture in your classroom and school using physical contact? (Zac Bauermaster) When teachers are policing student Crocs in schools, who wins? (Jay Wamsted) "I don't assign NEW work that MUST be completed at home." (Jay Wamsted) LEARN = Reflect, Solve, Create, Grow, and Think. (Bethany Hill) What makes a good apology? (Adam Grant) "It's okay that you didn't meet the standard." (Monte Syrie) Pawan Wander shares how she introduced creative constraints to her students using LEGO. Are you able to wind down and truly relax during your lunch hour? (Chey Cheney)

Dear New Teacher, Thank you for joining the teaching community. Thank you for your commitment to the learning and growth of our little people. Thank you for bringing your optimism, your ideas, your passions into our world. We love you. We need you. We’re glad you’re here. And it’s because we appreciate you that we want to help you make it. We want to see you grow, not go. We want this work to give you life, not take it from you. So with that in mind, here are some tips and strategies that will help you survive and thrive in your toughest years of teaching. Short monologue episodes like this one are based on my written reflections, which you can read any time at teachersonfire.net. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://teachersonfire.net/2023/07/24/the-magic-and-misery-of-student-video-submissions/ My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. If you’d like to engage further in education conversations, please connect with me @TeachersOnFire on any social media app. CONNECT with ME On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Distant Love by Causmic Flight to Tunisia by Causmic Memory Rain by Yung Logos Mirror Mirror by Audio Hertz Road Tripzzz by Ofshane How’s It Supposed to Feel (Instrumental) by NEFFEX *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

Here's the bitter truth about student video submissions. They take forever to fully review. FOREVER. Some of my dear students sincerely expect me to watch every second of everything they post. Bless their hearts, but I can’t meet that demand and stay sane at the same time. What are we to do? Should we just give up and avoid video submissions altogether? Welcome to SPARKS: mini-segments intended to spark your thinking and ignite your practice. These short episodes are based on my written reflections, which you can read any time at teachersonfire.net. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://teachersonfire.net/2023/07/24/the-magic-and-misery-of-student-video-submissions/ My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. If you’d like to engage further in education conversations, please connect with me @TeachersOnFire on any social media app. CONNECT with ME On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Chef Brian by Latasha Dude by Patrick Patrikios Tropic Fuse by French Fuse Tangled by Emmit Fenn Coupe by The Grand Affair *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

The next morning, my principal was his usual encouraging self. At first. “Great email, Tim. Your communication was professional as always. There’s just one small issue.” Uh oh. Welcome to SPARKS: mini-segments intended to spark your thinking and ignite your practice. These short episodes are based on my written reflections, which you can read any time at teachersonfire.net. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://teachersonfire.net/2023/07/17/how-i-learned-a-lesson-about-student-privacy/. My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. If you’d like to engage further in education conversations, please connect with me @TeachersOnFire on any social media app. CONNECT with ME On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Chef Brian by Latasha Dude by Patrick Patrikios Tropic Fuse by French Fuse How’s It Supposed to Feel (Instrumental) by NEFFEX *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.