

10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Vicki Davis
A teacher podcast for busy educators—about 10 minutes, every week. Stay current on artificial intelligence in education (plain English), edtech, and what matters in the classroom: culture, instruction, assessment, digital health and wellness, and more. Simple ideas you can use right away.
Hosted by AP Computer Science teacher Vicki Davis (Cool Cat Teacher)—author and longtime edtech blogger—this teaching podcast features best-selling teachers, researchers, and in-the-classroom administrators sharing practical strategies that connect with today’s students.
Follow the 10 Minute Teacher—the podcast for teachers and school leaders—for weekly, classroom-ready tips.
Show notes & resources: https://coolcatteacher.com/podcast
Hosted by AP Computer Science teacher Vicki Davis (Cool Cat Teacher)—author and longtime edtech blogger—this teaching podcast features best-selling teachers, researchers, and in-the-classroom administrators sharing practical strategies that connect with today’s students.
Follow the 10 Minute Teacher—the podcast for teachers and school leaders—for weekly, classroom-ready tips.
Show notes & resources: https://coolcatteacher.com/podcast
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 16, 2021 • 21min
6 Ways to Help Kids Learn Real-World Skills
With free financial literacy courses for high school and middle school, social-emotional learning, and digital literacy classes, today we highlight six ways you can help students learn real-world skills. Right now, many of us are looking for high-quality, easy-to-use materials that can reach students both at home and in the face-to-face classroom. Today’s show features six ideas for courses with this in mind and is sponsored by Everfi. We talked to educator Alyssa Lyons about how to bring real-world skills to your classroom with some powerful curriculum. Everfi sponsored this episode which contains advertorial content. All opinions are my own. A full transcript of this episode is available at www.coolcatteacher.com/e753 Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast advertorial episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Aug 15, 2021 • 17min
How I Use Evernote
Evernote has been my go-to tool for over 10 years. In this productivity episode, I talk through how I'm using Evernote, how I organize my files (across all platforms), and some information on the new tasks feature in Evernote. I'll share the screenshots from Evernote into the show notes for this episode. For me, Evernote is more about organization and not collaboration. This is a peek into how I have kept my files organized for over ten years with ten ways I use Evernote now. The show notes include screenshots and lots of links: www.coolcatteacher.com/e752

23 snips
Aug 14, 2021 • 55min
8 Ways to Engage Every Learner
The podcast shares eight strategies to engage every learner, including tips on social emotional learning, face-to-face interactions, and online learning tools. It discusses the importance of resilience, building personal learning networks, reflection, connecting with students through common interests, asking open-ended questions, engaging learners with digital tools, and teaching AI ethics.

Aug 2, 2021 • 24min
Getting the Brain Ready to Learn Math
When students come into your math class, are they ready to learn? Is their brain in a ready state? In today's show, Liesl McConchie shares how to help students get their brains ready to learn from the moment they walk into the classroom. https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e750 In this show, I also share some updates at the end of the show about what's next for this podcast. We're starting season 10 of the 10-minute teacher that I'm dedicating to my precious Mom. Learn more about what is going on with the show after you listen to Liesl McConchie talk about how the brain learns math. Liesl McConchie - Bio as Submitted Liesl McConchie is an international expert on how the brain learns, and co-author of best-selling book Brain-Based Learning with Dr. Eric Jensen. She has been published in ASCD's Educational Leadership journal. With over 20 years of experience in education, Liesl bridges her knowledge of how the brain best learns with her experience of teaching secondary math to create tangible strategies to support teachers and schools across the globe. She has a rich background in education that includes creating new schools, leading whole-school reforms, delivering workshops to educators, and speaking at conferences. Learn more about Liesl and her contributions to education at lieslmcconchie.com.

Jul 27, 2021 • 14min
How to Have Deeper Learning and Better Schools
Professor discusses the active role students play in extracurricular activities, differences in teaching approaches, barriers to deeper learning, relationship between testing and deeper learning, challenges of engaging students in deeper learning online, impact of the pandemic on students, and a virtual event for educators by Pear Deck.

Jul 27, 2021 • 43min
44 Years as a Kindergarten Teacher
Teaching kindergarten has never been easy, but could you imagine doing it for forty-four years? Mrs. Sharon Howard has done just that. She reflects on her teaching career, the kind of teaching she does that would cause a senior to name her as a STAR teacher, and how she taught in-person in 2020-2021 without missing a day of school. Mrs. Howard is a truly remarkable woman and I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I have. Congratulations on your retirement, Mrs. Howard and for all of the contributions you made to so many children and families over the years! This is a bonus, extended episode of the 10 Minute Teacher. Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e748 Read: Beloved Sherwood Kindergarten teacher retires at the Albany Herald to learn more about Mrs. Sharon Howard and her career.

Jun 30, 2021 • 18min
8 Great Ways Administrators Can Prepare for the Fall
An amazing fall starts now with the administrative preparation this summer. Dawn Stansbury discusses eight things administrators need to do this summer and we highlight differences in those items now after the pandemic. This show includes a transcript to use and discuss with beginning or veteran administrators as part of training and discussion. See the show notes and a full transcript at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e747 Advancement Courses sponsored this show. All opinions are my own. Dawn Stansbury - Bio As Submitted I am currently working as an Instructional Designer for Advancement Courses, A Wiley Brand. I hold a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education, earned at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. My Masters Degree was earned at University of South Dakota in the area of Educational Administration. During my years of working in elementary education, I spent time as a classroom teacher as well as a school leader, all with the Sioux City Community School District in Sioux City, Iowa. I enjoyed teaching for six years in grades 2-5 as well as working as a reading specialist. Although I loved teaching children, I spent the next thirteen years of my career as the elementary principal of a K-5 school. During my time as an elementary principal, I led my building of 700 students and 80 staff members to becoming one of the first elementary STEM schools in the state of Iowa, offering many specialized programs to our students. As a STEM school, we were proud to have the 2017 Northwest Iowa STEM Teacher of the Year, as well as a state of Iowa Teacher of the Year top five finalist. I am passionate about offering educational opportunities to students and educators alike, realizing that the stronger teachers are, the better the learning opportunities for students. When we offer current and impactful learning to teachers, our students, families, and communities’ benefit. As an educational leader, I recognize that it is impossible for administrators to be all-knowing on all aspects of education. Advancement Courses offers valuable resources to educational leaders so that they can best meet the needs of their teachers and allowing those teachers to best meet the needs of their students. I am proud to be a part of providing these resources to the world of education so that we can more efficiently and appropriately differentiate the ways in which our educators are learning.

Jun 28, 2021 • 10min
5 Steps to Fact Checking - Digital Literacy in Action
As we teach students how to discern the truth, Amanda Brace has five steps for fact-checking that she teaches her students. Digital literacy is an essential topic for all of us and this show will help teachers (and parents) understand a simple way to help their students work through topics to get to the truth. Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e746 Sponsor: Advancement Courses. Recently, I shared 21 Hot Topics for Teacher Professional Development for Summer 2021. If you have accreditation or learning requirements as I do, take the opportunity to look at this post. And join me as I take my courses this summer from Advancement Courses. Remember to use COOL20 to receive 20% off your course. Amanda Brace - Bio As Submitted My name is Amanda Brace and I am a grade 3 teacher, Masters student, and #EdTech educator in Regina, SK, Canada. I have been teaching for 6 years, but I have recently started a Masters journey in Educational Technology and Digital Media. I am currently researching and exploring the art of podcasting and I have even started my own called EdTech Endeavours. I am excited to see where this journey of learning takes me! Blog: https://edtechendeavours.wordpress.com Twitter: @amandajebrace

Jun 26, 2021 • 16min
What Really Happened in Hybrid Classrooms This Year
Today's episode focuses on the realities of hybrid teaching. Teacher Tennille Johnston reflects on the real struggles, challenges, and quality of education in the school year 2020-2021. Her words reflect the honesty of a hard year of teaching - what many of us would say is the hardest years of our careers. Take a listen to episode 745, "What Really Happened in Hybrid Classrooms During the pandemic." Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e745 Sponsor: Advancement Courses. Recently, I shared 21 Hot Topics for Teacher Professional Development for Summer 2021. If you have accreditation or learning requirements as I do, take the opportunity to look at this post. And join me as I take my courses this summer from Advancement Courses. Remember to use COOL20 to receive 20% off your course. Tennille Johnston's Bio As Submitted Tennille is a 10-year veteran Science teacher in the second-largest public school district in the state of Texas, transitioning to this career through an alternative certification program after working as a wildlife biologist for several years after graduating with a B.S. in Natural Resources/Wildlife Management from The Ohio State University. She is a member of the Science Teacher's Association of Texas, the Texas Computer Education Association, the National Wildlife Federation, and is a Level 1 Certified Google Educator. Formerly she served as a teacher mentor in the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching and has attended special training for inquiry-based, Maker-based, and project-based learning with the University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, and NASA's Johnson Space Center. She has coached teams of students participating in the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, SeaPerch Robotics competitions, and has given presentations on coaching robotics and inquiry-based learning at the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST) and at Dallas ISD's STEM Expo. You can support Ms. Johnston's classroom at http://www.donorschoose.org/Tennille.Johnston Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Jun 25, 2021 • 13min
A Simple Free Way to Turn Ideas into Action
The Educator Canvas is a free 1-page organizer that helps teachers take ideas into action whether it is self-care, classroom management, or anything- Darcy Bakkegard talks about the Educator Canvas and also shares some about the 30 day PD Challenge starting on June 1st. This is episode 744, "A Simple Free Way to Turn Ideas into Action" Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e744 Sponsor: Advancement Courses. Recently, I shared 21 Hot Topics for Teacher Professional Development for Summer 2021. If you have accreditation or learning requirements as I do, take the opportunity to look at this post. And join me as I take my courses this summer from Advancement Courses. Remember to use COOL20 to receive 20% off your course. Darcy Bakkegard - Bio as Submitted Darcy Bakkegard is an English/Theatre teacher and professional development coach who got tired of traditional sit-n-get PD and now creates the type of PD she always wanted. With 10 years of experience teaching English and Theatre, Darcy specializes in interactive strategies for the classroom, meaningful technology integration, and building relationships with students. She is an ISTE Certified Educator, an experienced international presenter, and a dedicated teacher-empowerer. Darcy hopes her book, The Startup Teacher Playbook helps teachers rekindle their joy and passion for teaching. She lives in Fargo, ND with her husband Jeff and their 15-month-old triplets, Kurtis, Benjamin, and Cordelia. You can reach her at darcy@educatorslab.io or @dbakkegard on Twitter.