10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher

High school junior Jameson Cohen was looking forward to Spring Baseball Season. When he found out he’d be spending it at home, he turned it into a season of giving back. Not only was he able to feed and connect with people in need, he created a special organization called “Circle of Friends” -- designed to encourage children of HealthCare workers right from his own home. This is one example of how students are giving back for National Volunteer Week April 20-25. How are you connecting? www.coolcatteacher.com/e655  Disclosure: Today's guest is also a guest on the Let's Volunteer now event from today's sponsor. All opinions are my own and that of the guest. Sponsor: The WE Schools Program, made possible by the Allstate Foundation, is kicking off National Volunteer Week with Let’s Volunteer Now! Join this free online event to help discover how virtual volunteering can help your students build SEL skills. It will be hosted on Friday, April 17 at 1pm EST on the @Wemovement Facebook channel with special guests SEL expert Dr. Amy Cranston and her brother award-winner actor Bryan Cranston, and joined by remarkable students and WE Volunteer Now campaign participants, Tyler and Jameson. Jameson Cohen - Bio As submitted Jameson is 17 years old from New York City. He is passionate about taking action in his community and wants to ensure he is doing everything he can to continue to spread light and positivity in the world. In light of what is happening in the world and the high demand and pressure on medical professionals, Jameson is focusing his efforts supporting health care professionals who bravely work everyday to ensure the rest of us are safe and feel protected in our homes. He has been supporting a local restaurant package and deliver meals to hospitals around New York City. As part of National Volunteer Week (April 20 - 25), Jameson is giving back thorough the WE Volunteer Now campaign (https://www.we.org/en-CA/our-work/we-schools/we-schools-campaigns-and-curriculum/service-learning-campaigns/take-action/we-volunteer-now) -- encouraging his peers to take action and volunteer in their communities . Jameson has started “Circle of Friends”, a volunteer program that provides virtual programming to medical professionals, educators and parents who need help keeping their children engaged and excited during this uneasy time. Circle of Friends pairs a family with a volunteer over the age of 16 and arranges a 30 minute session focusing on an array of activities. From helping with homework, partaking in a “private yoga lesson” or even having a fun conversation about sports. Jameson hopes this platform is a way to support parents whilst also instilling a sense of hope within young people to continue to pursue their passions and interests during this time.

Research says that when students are engaged in service-learning, their immune system, heart rate and sense of well-being improves dramatically. Children are happiest when they feel a sense of purpose. Here are ten tips to help kids experience these positive benefits -- even while stuck at home. www.coolcatteacher.com/e654  Disclosure: Note that today's guest is an advisor for today's sponsor. All content and opinions are my own and that of the author. Sponsor: The WE Schools Program, made possible by the Allstate Foundation, is kicking off National Volunteer Week with Let's Volunteer Now! Join this free online event to help discover how virtual volunteering can help your students build SEL skills. It will be hosted on Friday, April 17 at 1pm EST on the @Wemovement Facebook channel with special guests SEL expert Dr. Amy Cranston and her brother award-winner actor Bryan Cranston, and joined by remarkable students and WE Volunteer Now campaign participants, Tyler and Jameson. Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl  - Bio as Submitted Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl is an expert advisor for the WE organization’s WE Schools program, which is accessed by over 18,000 schools across North America – with a special emphasis on social and emotional learning and mental wellbeing. Dr. Kim is known as a world-renowned, American expert in the area of social and emotional learning (SEL) and sits on CASEL’s Board of Directors.   Within the realm of SEL, Dr. Kim’s studies have covered the following topic areas:  The correlation between social and emotional competence (SEC) and academic achievement in early adolescence (click here for 2018 research)  The identification of the processes and mechanisms that foster positive human qualities such as empathy, compassion, altruism and resiliency in children and adolescents  How volunteer action helps develop caring, altruistic behaviors and promotes emotional and physical well-being (click here for 2018 research)   The use of mindfulness in the classroom to foster a stress-free environment (click here for 2016 research)  Projects that examine the effectiveness of classroom-based universal SEL programs (i.e. Roots to Empathy, MindUp)  Dr. Kim has over 100 publications in scholarly journals, book chapters, and reports and has edited two books on mindfulness in education, including a co-edited book (with Dr. Robert W. Roeser) published by Springer Press in 2016 titled “Handbook of Mindfulness in Education: Integrating Theory and Research Into Practice.” She has presented her research at over 200 scholarly conferences and has given over 300 presentations on the topic of children’s social and emotional development and social emotional learning.   Dr. Kim’s research has been highlighted in several magazines and newspapers across the US, and internationally, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Le Monde, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Scientific American Mind, Neurology Now, The Huffington Post, The Telegraph, The Atlantic and many more. Her research on the Roots of Empathy was profiled on the PBS Newshour special, the American Graduate. 

Students can sense and even internalize the emotions their teachers are feeling, especially stress, depression and worry. Not only do we need to help kids stay physically healthy, we need to help them stay emotionally healthy. SEL expert Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl unpacks the concepts of stress contagion, the importance of routines, co-rumination and other SEL topics to help us better help today's students. Disclosure: Note that today's guest is an advisor for today's sponsor. All content and opinions are my own and that of the author. Sponsor: The WE Schools Program, made possible by the Allstate Foundation, is kicking off National Volunteer Week with Let's Volunteer Now! Join this free online event to help discover how virtual volunteering can help your students build SEL skills. It will be hosted on Friday, April 17 at 1pm EST on the @Wemovement Facebook channel with special guests SEL expert Dr. Amy Cranston and her brother award-winner actor Bryan Cranston, and joined by remarkable students and WE Volunteer Now campaign participants, Tyler and Jameson. Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl  - Bio as Submitted Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl is an expert advisor for the WE organization’s WE Schools program, which is accessed by over 18,000 schools across North America – with a special emphasis on social and emotional learning and mental wellbeing. Dr. Kim is known as a world-renowned, American expert in the area of social and emotional learning (SEL) and sits on CASEL’s Board of Directors.   Within the realm of SEL, Dr. Kim’s studies have covered the following topic areas:  The correlation between social and emotional competence (SEC) and academic achievement in early adolescence (click here for 2018 research)  The identification of the processes and mechanisms that foster positive human qualities such as empathy, compassion, altruism and resiliency in children and adolescents  How volunteer action helps develop caring, altruistic behaviors and promotes emotional and physical well-being (click here for 2018 research)   The use of mindfulness in the classroom to foster a stress-free environment (click here for 2016 research)  Projects that examine the effectiveness of classroom-based universal SEL programs (i.e. Roots to Empathy, MindUp)  Dr. Kim has over 100 publications in scholarly journals, book chapters, and reports and has edited two books on mindfulness in education, including a co-edited book (with Dr. Robert W. Roeser) published by Springer Press in 2016 titled “Handbook of Mindfulness in Education: Integrating Theory and Research Into Practice.” She has presented her research at over 200 scholarly conferences and has given over 300 presentations on the topic of children’s social and emotional development and social emotional learning.   Dr. Kim’s research has been highlighted in several magazines and newspapers across the US, and internationally, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Le Monde, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Scientific American Mind, Neurology Now, The Huffington Post, The Telegraph, The Atlantic and many more. Her research on the Roots of Empathy was profiled on the PBS Newshour special, the American Graduate. 

Social-emotional learning is a vital part of health and wellness. Today's guest has some free word of the day SEL workouts for students. As students stay home, learn some ideas to help students be healthier at home during this time with some videos you can share with the students. www.coolcatteacher.com/e652 Show Sponsor: Advancement Courses has a free micro-course  - Launching Online Learning. Register for this free micro-course. Now is the time we all need to educate ourselves on effective online teaching and I recommend this course as a great place to start. Thank you, Advancement Courses for sponsoring this show. Rupa Mehta - Bio As Submitted Rupa Mehta is a teacher, entrepreneur, and author who has helped thousands of adults and youth become healthier individuals. She is the founder of Nalini Method and NaliniKIDS, both based on Rupa’s wellness philosophy that true health is achieved by being both emotionally and physically connected. “There is an age-old question in education: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” We continue to place increasing value—and pressure—on paving a student’s path to professional success. But I think there is an important question that we have to ask first, and it’s a question that we should be asking people of all ages throughout their lifetime: “Who are you now, and what can you teach us?” I believe that in order for students to truly succeed when they grow up, we need to teach them the subject of self in schools.” ~ Rupa

Math can be taught online. In today's show, Noelle Pickering shares free ideas for teaching middle school math online. These ideas will help you teach math no matter where you or your students are online. www.coolcatteacher.com/e651  Show Sponsor: Advancement Courses has a free micro-course  - Launching Online Learning. Register for this free micro-course. Now is the time we all need to educate ourselves on effective online teaching and I recommend this course as a great place to start. Thank you, Advancement Courses for sponsoring this show. Noelle Pickering - Bio Noelle Pickering is a former middle school math teacher and instructional coach, and now can be found online at maneuveringthemiddle.com. Maneuvering the Middle seeks to support teachers through hands-on resources, standards-aligned curriculum, and practical teaching ideas. She has the joy of being called mom by two of the sweetest and busiest boys and has been married to her biggest supporter, Michael, for ten years.  

How do teachers share information quickly as they have had to move to distance learning amid coronavirus school closures? Brad Currie shares how teachers are sharing #remotelearning best practices as well as what is happening with him and his school in New Jersey. www.coolcatteacher.com/e650 Show Sponsor: Advancement Courses has a free micro-course  - Launching Online Learning. Register for this free micro-course. Now is the time we all need to educate ourselves on effective online teaching and I recommend this course as a great place to start. Thank you, Advancement Courses for sponsoring this show. Brad Currie - Bio as Submitted Brad is the Supervisor of Instruction and Dean of Students for the Chester School District in Chester, NJ. He is also the Founding Partner of Evolving Educators LLC. Brad was recently named the 2017 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year and the 2017 NJPSA Visionary Assistant Principal of the Year. He is also part of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2014. Brad is a Google Certified Trainer, author, presenter and adjunct professor at Drew University. Brad has written four books including 140 Twitter Tips for Educators and Hacking Google for Education.    

Montana State Teacher of the Year, Dylan Huisken talks about online distance education learning. He shares how he is connecting with students during the Coronavirus crisis as students and teachers stay home and work to connect for learning in Montana. www.coolcatteacher.com/e649 Sponsor: Advancement Courses has a free micro-course  - Launching Online Learning. Register here for this free micro-course. Now is the time we all need to educate ourselves on effective online teaching and I recommend this course as a great place to start. Thank you, Advancement Courses for sponsoring this show. About Dylan Huisken Dylan Huisken is the 2019 Montana Teacher of the Year and has been teaching social studies for more than a decade. His love for deep-dive history and student learning has led him to be an advocate for place-based education, especially when it comes to making sure all students are deeply educated about the tribes of their state and region.

What is happening at the US policy level with the coronavirus health crisis? Today, US policy influencer Tom Murray, shares what he's seeing from the national level and the conversations that are happening as policymakers wrestle with the issues that concern us all. www.coolcatteacher.com/e647 Sponsor: Advancement Courses has a free micro-course  – Launching Online Learning. Register for this free micro-course. Now is the time we all need to educate ourselves on effective online teaching and I recommend this course as a great place to start. Thank you, Advancement Courses for sponsoring this show. About Thomas C. Murray Tom serves as the Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools®, a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education, located in Washington, D.C. He has testified before the United States Congress and has worked alongside that body, the US Senate, the White House, the US Department of Education and state departments of education, corporations, and school districts throughout the country to implement student-centered learning while helping to lead Future Ready Schools® and Digital Learning Day. An ASCD best-selling author, Murray serves as a regular conference keynote, was named the "2018 National/Global EdTech Leader of the Year," by EdTech Digest, the "2017 Education Thought Leader of the Year," one of "20 to Watch" by NSBA in 2016, and the "Education Policy Person of the Year" by the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2015. His best-selling book, Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow’s Schools, Today, co-authored with Eric Sheninger and published by ASCD, was released in June 2017. His most recent book, Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime, was released in October of 2019. Prior to moving to his role in Washington, D.C., Murray served as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, middle school principal, elementary principal, and at the district level in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is most passionate about creating cultures of innovation where teachers are empowered to create the types of learning experiences today's modern learners need to thrive. In addition to his role at Future Ready Schools®, Murray works directly with school and district leaders for administrative retreats, opening convocations, and professional learning days. He’s the husband of a school counselor and dad of two children, all of which are far more important to him than anything shared above. As an author, Murray has released, or been a part of, five books: Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime (IMPress, 2019) 10 Perspectives on Innovation in Education (Routledge, 2018) Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow's Schools, Today (ASCD, 2017) Education Write Now (Volume 1, Routledge, 2017) Leading Professional Learning: Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers (Corwin, 2015) Murray is also one of the cofounders of #edtechchat, a weekly educational technology Twitter forum, where hundreds of educators from around the world discuss topics related to the effective use of educational technology. You can connect with Tom on social media.

Students experiencing the coronavirus crisis are experiencing trauma. So are teachers and parents. In today's show, learn the ten principles (and a bonus) to help us encourage and help others as we work through this crisis together. This is an important listen for those struggling to figure out how to help kids. Advancement Courses is the distance education PD opportunity that I recommend for teachers. Now is the time to learn online even as we’re teaching online. First, Advancement Courses and I are hosting a webinar on April 2 at 7 p.m. ET to talk about 10 Principles of Effective Distance Learning. Join me and the experts from Advancement Courses as we talk about 10 Essential Online Learning Best Practices for you right now. Go to coolcatteacher.com/onlinebest to register to join us. www.coolcatteacher.com/e646 Dr. Eric Rossen Dr. Eric Rossen is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, a licensed psychologist in Maryland, and a credentialed National Register Health Service psychologist. He currently serves as the director of professional development and standards for the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Dr. Rossen has worked in public schools and in independent practice and has served as a college instructor and adjunct faculty at the University of Missouri and Prince George’s Community College. He has presented across the US and internationally, and published dozens of articles and book chapters related to school psychology, school safety, and trauma. He is most recently the editor of Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students: A Guide for School-Based Professionals, 2nd Edition , and co-author of the forthcoming book Applying a Trauma-Informed Framework to The IEP Process: From Referral to Development being released April 2020. You can learn more about Dr. Rossen on his website: www.ericrossen.com; and follow him on Twitter: @E_Rossen

How I teach students to be effective learners in an online classroom. This episode is an audio version of my presentation to students about how to be effective learners in an online classroom. Check out the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-o4BE6Gkhw&t=3s www.coolcatteacher.com/e645