S5 E71: Dare to Lead with Ashley Gibbs Davis

In this episode, educators Erin, Fred, and Pete delve into the challenges faced by both educators and students during the notorious month of March. As March rolls around, maintaining focus and motivation becomes increasingly difficult with the anticipation of Spring Break followed by the impending testing season and the long stretch before summer vacation.

To shed light on strategies for navigating this challenging period, the hosts engage in a survival scenario game, drawing on insights from Mark Wanvig, a former instructor in survival training for the Reconnaissance School of the 101st Division of the U.S. Army. Currently conducting wilderness survival training programs in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wanvig's expertise lends a unique perspective to the discussion.

The survival simulation game, commonly utilized in military training classrooms, provides a framework for evaluating essential items for enduring challenging circumstances. By applying this framework to the context of education, the hosts offer practical insights into prioritizing tasks, managing stress, and fostering resilience during the demanding March period.

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on the first 3 Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

From a Galaxy (or School) Far, Far, Away....our friend, Dan Zehr, from Coffee With Kenobi joined us to talk about pedagogy and Star Wars. Two of our favorite topics.

Dan Zehr is an ELA teacher who also has designed a platform that built an amazing community and conversation about Star Wars. His ability to blend critical thinking and intellectual honesty with a sense of humor has served him well as the host and brand director of the popular podcast, Coffee With Kenobi. Dan Z is a longtime contributor to StarWars.com and is the co-author of three Star Wars books: The Star Wars Book, the Star Wars Character Encyclopedia (2021), & Star Wars I Am Your Father: Lessons For Parents, Protectors, and Mentors.

Our guest is not only a influencer of Star Wars fandom, but he his also a motivator to students for learning, We got a chance to talk to him about his curriculum and the unique ways that he builds discussions with his students around mythology, often using pop culture to make connections and analysis like Moana and The Mandalorian. 

We discuss the importance of continuous learning and professional development for educators, as Dan shares with us his current enrollment in getting his Masters in Creative Writing. 

This is the podcast episode you were looking for...

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on the first 3 Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

Our friend, Heidi von Marbod, from the Cheney School District came back to visit and share with us more tips and lifts for supporting student transitions into the community and vocational opportunities. Heidi is a leader in supporting special education students who typically have an IEP due to a developmental disability. Students ceremoniously walk across the graduation stage with their peers and then continue for another 2-3 years. 

Her particular transition program is unique in that it is a standalone program in her district which is within the bus line.

We discussed best practices which include: 

• Community Inclusion
• Vocational Experience
• Soft Skill Development
• Job Coaching
• Business Partnerships
• Resources for State Agencies

It was so nice to have Heidi come back. We are so excited to hear how her and her team continue to support all students in life "after the yellow bus".

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on the first 3 Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

We just wanted to have some fun with our good friend and fellow educator, Dave Tarnoff. Dave is a computer science professor who has created a library of educational videos to help students easily understand high level concepts inside or outside of a classroom. 

Join us as we explore how to create a learning environment that supports the goals and objectives of a course, as well as the needs and preferences of the students. We share our insights and experiences on topics such as:

• How to assess the physical and technological resources available in the classroom, and how to optimize them for effective teaching and learning.
• How to arrange the seating, furniture, lighting, and acoustics of the classroom to facilitate different modes of instruction, such as lecture, discussion, group work, and presentation.
• How to incorporate elements of color, texture, art, and nature into the classroom to enhance the aesthetic and emotional appeal of the space, and to stimulate creativity and curiosity among the students.
• How to adapt the classroom design to accommodate the diversity and inclusivity of the students, such as their cultural backgrounds, learning styles, abilities, and interests.
• How to solicit feedback from the students and evaluate the impact of the classroom design on their learning outcomes and satisfaction.

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on the first 3 Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

Come listen to our celebration and reflection on 100 episodes! Our friend and special guest, Ashley Gibbs Davis, took the reins and helped us to take a pause and think back to when we first hit record for the Teacher's Pep Rally. She was the perfect facilitator to give us an opportunity to think about the conversations that we have had since the beginning which was back in August 2020. 

Here are just a few topics we have covered so far...

• Special Education
• 1st Generation College Students
• School Nutrition
• Artificial Intelligence
• Global Citizenship: IB Programs
• Literacy
• Teacher Burnout
• Behavior and Student Management
• Cyber Security
• Suicide Prevention
• Gamification
• Leading Change
• Social Emotional Learning

Just to name a few!

If you are familiar or not so familiar with AI and ChatGPT, please join us for a genuine discussion on ways to use these resources for teaching and learning. We have special guests who have been discussing this topic on a global platform, Dr. Sean Nufer a Senior Director of Teaching & Learning at the Community Solution Education System and Dr. Veronica Estrada from the School of Human Development at Pacific Oaks College & an Adjunct Professor teaching Psychology at Pasadena City College. 

We talk about using AI and ChatGPT for:

• Being Creative
• Developing Fun Content
• Participating in the 4th Industrial Revolution
• Thinking Critically
• Organizing at Quantum Speed

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

How can we use our connections to learn new skills or grow to a new position or role? Coach and Consultant, Angie Robinson, sits down with us to discuss the ways we can change the way we think about acquiring new leadership skills and build a blueprint for our future self. 

Angie uses an inside out approach to help her clients discover their leadership strengths and scale new ways to change the outcomes we are seeking in our professional lives. We discuss the importance of recognizing our values and jump starting change. Be sure to check out the FREE resources Angie provides to begin this journey. 

Join this conversation, as we talk about the possibility of building the life we seek in our professional path. 

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

Dr. Jannot will be holding a webinar called "Parenting Reimagined" this week on November 14, 2023. For more details, please visit her website. This is a FREE event. 

Join this conversation, as we talk frankly about the anxiety we are seeing in both our families and students. 

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

We had the ultimate coach at our pep rally. Donnie Campbell became famous overnight when Jason Sudeikis said live on a late-night show that some of the wit and wisdom for the character Ted Lasso, in the Apple TV series, was losely based on his high school coach. He was talking about our very own Donnie Campbell. 

Leaning on his experience of over 36 years in education and as a dedicated basketball coach, Donnie shares with us the importance of teaching our students and players how to build character.  

Join this motivational and honest conversation about being role models and being authentic.

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel

Our friends from i-Tech came back to share with us the latest trends and challenges in educational technology. Join our conversation with Director of Educational Technology, Evelyn McCulloch and Educational Design & Strategy Lead, Mike Rinyu.

We spend a good bit of time talking about AI and how it is not going anywhere, so we need to find the best way to utilize it. Some examples that Evelyn and Mike shared with us were using tools like Eduaide for creating 504s, designing lesson plans and rubrics. If you are interested in learning more about AI in education, please visit the i-Tech Support webpage. Mike also shares with us, in this episode, some great programs to gain certification in leading AI in education.

Our guests remind us that although AI and educational technology are great tools to aid in learning, our real education is not the lesson learned but the people who care about you. Educators teach our students to be who they want to be in this world. This includes being a good digital citizen. We talk about ways we can encourage good cyber hygiene and ethics in this modern digital work.

What are some things you are doing this October for Cybersecurity Awareness Month?

Whether you watch us LIVE or watch a replay of the video, you, OUR COMMUNITY, will now have the capability to see our guests as they share their stories. 

Come join the conversations and play games LIVE every month on Wednesdays! 

_________________________

Teacherpeprally.com - Visit the site

The Teacher's Pep Rally Facebook - Join the community and share your thoughts and questions LIVE

Teacher's Pep Rally Podcast - Watch us LIVE or on replay at our Youtube Channel