ClassCast Podcast Ryan Tibbens

ClassCast Podcast Ep.085 features Sonny Thadani, CEO & Co-Founder of Robin, discussing social-emotional learning, mindfulness, the value of personal/life coaching, and how we can serve students' and teachers' emotional needs as we strive to improve education.  Sonny initially found success as a realtor and business consultant, but a series of important personal experiences compelled him to shift paths and seek opportunities to support students (and teachers).  Initially, after forging relationships with families from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, Sonny became interested in social-emotional learning and supporting mental health; he then became a father and had a transformational experience with a personal life coach and saw the potential for coaching in schools. Now, in his role as CEO of Robin, a cutting-edge social-emotional learning and coaching program, Sonny is doing everything he can to promote mindfulness, peace, and productivity in schools across the country. If you are interested in making SEL work for students, teachers, and communities around you, don't miss Sonny's coaching-based approach.

You can learn more about Robin at my-robin.com, on Twitter @robin_stories, on Instagram @robin_stories, or by contacting Sonny directly.

Table of Contents (*highlights)
0:00-7:12 -- Intro to Sonny Thadani, Robin, & Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)7:12-11:57 -- Making SEL Work for Students: Relationships & Voices *11:57-19:23 -- Making SEL Work for Teachers: Buy-In & Support ** 19:23-26:50 -- Flexible Curricula & Phasing-In Change26:50-35:50 -- Student & Faculty Input in SEL Implementation **35:50-41:31 -- Sonny as a Student & SEL as a Core Skill *41:31-54:07 -- The Purpose of School According to Sonny & Sonny's Ideal School54:07-58:19 -- Upcoming Goals for Robin58:19-1:03:44 -- SEL for Teachers **1:03:44-1:10:48 -- Final Wrap-Up & Sonny's Book Recs​
​​The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

Support the show (http://paypal.me/TibbensEST)! 
​Donations -- large and small -- help keep this podcast independent!
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ClassCast Podcast Ep.084 features Jeff Harris, President and Co-Founder of Xello, discussing college and career planning, supporting students' long-term goals, and the concept (and reality) of "future ready" students.  Jeff and host Ryan Tibbens discuss their own experiences with past versions of "career planning," why talking about and structuring long-term planning is more important than ever, and how services like Xello can serve students without over-burdening teachers and counselors. This discussion goes beyond shallow platitudes about being "future ready" and digs into how local communities and students' experiences shape their goals and options, how classical/liberal/traditional schools may need college and career planning services even more than public and STEM schools, and even how school divisions go about testing and adopting cutting edge edtech like Xello. If you are a counselor, special education transition teacher, career/technical education teacher, parent, or community member concerned about how we're preparing students for their lives beyond high school, this episode is a must-listen. You can learn more about Jeff Harris and Xello at Xello.world and through their social media accounts, including on Twitter and YouTube.

Table of Contents (*highlights)
0:00-8:33 -- Intro to Xello, Jeff Harris, & Helping Students Find Their Futures8:33-16:11 -- Purpose & Relevance: Student Engagement in Edtech & Career Planning *16:11-24:35 -- Who Is Involved in Most Edtech Adoptions? 24:35-26:50 -- How to Implement Xello26:50-34:57 -- The Role of College/Career Readiness in Private & Public Schools *34:57-39:30 -- The Purpose of School According to Jeff Harris39:30-45:07 -- The Dangers of College/Career Advising & Advice **45:07-55:04 -- Jeff Harris, the Student Who Needed & Created College/Career Planning **55:04-1:07:16 -- Jeff's Ideal School & the Meaning of "Future Ready" *1:07:16-1:19:24 -- Final Wrap-Up & Jeff's Book/Movie Recs​
​​The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

Support the show (http://paypal.me/TibbensEST)! 
​Donations -- large and small -- help keep this podcast independent!
Support the show

ClassCast Podcast Ep.083 features Jessica Kirkland, a high school English teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia (and Twitter superstar), talking shop and exchanging ideas about improving schools, building relationships, navigating the pandemic, and much more with host Ryan Tibbens. In this laidback, funny, yet insightful discussion, you'll hear Jess proclaim that she's "pro-nonsense," share her strategies for connecting with students, divulge her secret wish to indoctrinate students (with a love for trees), and much more. Part of what makes this discussion so refreshing is that Jess has nothing to promote, nothing to sell. She has amassed over 11,000 Twitter followers in around three years just by being honest, thoughtful, and likeable -- and it all shines through in this discussion. Whether you're looking for honest perspectives on the current state of schools, a funny conversation between coworkers, or ideas about how to scale your social media presence (Jess says, "All of my demons are in the drafts"), you will love this episode.

You can learn more about Jess and follow her on Twitter @JKirk___ (three underscores, LOL).


Table of Contents (*highlights)
0:00-5:00 -- Intro to Jessica Kirkland (& Her Twitter Fame)5:00-14:20 -- Relationships & the Purpose of School According to Jess **14:20-20:13 -- Finding Our Places during the Pandemic * 20:13-27:08 -- Are Schools Still in Panic Mode?27:08-34:57 -- Forging Relationships through Masks & Screens **34:57-41:15 -- Jess Kirkland's Experience as a Student41:15-46:44 -- Should Teachers Love Their Students?46:44-54:33 -- Does Teaching Diverse Students Require Diverse Personas? *54:33-1:07:59 -- Jess's Ideal School: Specialization & Interdisciplinary Studies **1:07:59-1:15:29 -- Is Change Impossible in Public Education? *1:15:29-1:22:16 -- Jess's Outlook for 20221:22:16-1:36:31 -- Jess's Final Thoughts, Book/Movie Recs, & Wrap-Up *​
​​The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

Support the show (http://paypal.me/TibbensEST)! 
​Donations -- large and small -- help keep this podcast independent!
Support the show

ClassCast Podcast Ep.082 features host Ryan Tibbens reflecting on his experiences in an all-new distance learning program, challenges teachers faced in 2021, and how educators can move forward into 2022 with optimism and determination.

In many ways, distance learning represents one of the most common forms of innovation in schools today. Teachers and students must leverage technology, plan and perform with increased precision, and traditional schooling must be reimagined to fit 21st century tools and incredibly diverse settings. Students enroll in distance learning because they prefer the online format, have physical or mental health concerns, desire greater flexibility in scheduling, or want to travel. Teachers face all the regular pressures of school, but now the technology is even more important, the students' environments and home lives are more diverse (and more important), and engagement becomes paramount to success. Nearly halfway through the first year of non-COVID caused distance learning, host Ryan Tibbens shares his experiences and goals for this great new opportunity.

​And, since early 2020, we've been talking about and fretting over the pandemic, delivering quality instruction through various formats, responding to diverse needs, ever-increasing administrative control, and even "culture wars," all of which have tested the creativity, ability, and determination of educators and students around the world. Shortly after returning to school for the 2021-2022 school year, unprecedented tales of teacher burnout, turnover, and anxiety surfaced that should concern all community stakeholders.  How can we do better (and feel better) this year and beyond?  How can we feel fulfillment in a job that is harder and more scrutinized than ever? 

The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

Support the show (http://paypal.me/TibbensEST)! 
​Donations -- large and small -- help keep this podcast independent!
Support the show

ClassCast Podcast Ep.081 features Mr. Tyler Rablin, an instructional technology coach, high school English teacher, and anti-grading crusader in Washington, sharing his perspectives and research on grading and assessment with host Ryan Tibbens.  This is among the all-time best episodes of the ClassCast Podcast because Tyler offers insights and ideas that challenge conventional wisdom, that put students first, and that show listeners a path to better formal education.  By reforming grading, we can increase learning, boost confidence, improve culture, and help teachers to handle the burden of feedback.

This is an instant-classic. Listen on the podcast service of your choice, and be sure to like, follow, subscribe, write a review, and share with friends! You can hear more from Tyler Rablin on  Twitter @Mr_Rablin, LinkedIn, and his website.

Table of Contents (*highlights)
0:00-11:31 -- Intro to Tyler Rablin & Crusading Against Grading *11:31-15:27 -- How Teachers & Parents React to Grading Innovation15:27-22:48 -- Ungrading: How It Works ** 22:48-29:38 -- Gender in Grading & Student Self-Assessment29:38-42:31 -- Grading's Impact on Confidence & Growth **42:31-55:59 -- Is Grading a Culture Problem? **55:59-1:10:12 -- The Purpose of School According to Tyler Rablin *1:10:12-1:17:32 -- Tyler's Ideal School1:17:32-1:28:14 -- Why Is 2021 So Hard? *1:28:14-1:38:29 -- Tyler's Book/Movie Recs & Final Wrap-Up​
​​The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

Support the show (http://paypal.me/TibbensEST)! 
​Donations -- large and small -- help keep this podcast independent!
Support the show

ClassCast Podcast Ep.080 features Doug Roberts, the founder and CEO of the Institute for Education Innovation (IEI), speaking with host Ryan Tibbens about empowering educators, supporting superintendents, and connecting innovative education entrepreneurs with the schools and students they want to serve. After starting his career as a history/social studies teacher, Doug filled a variety of roles before launching IEI, which is a unique organization designed to support superintendents. Doug has strong feelings about empowering educators; hiring, training, and trusting great teachers; and giving excellent educational vendors, large and small, a level playing field to compete for contracts in a variety of school settings. Doug's recent work with superintendents has led to the creation of the Supes' Choice Awards, a contest and award program that is the first of its kind. Listeners will find Doug's focus on high quality service, pragmatism, and supporting students to be honest and refreshing. If you've ever been curious about how superintendents network, connect, and learn, or if you've ever wanted to better understand the complexities and difficulties facing the top educators in districts across the country, you'll love this discussion.  You can find Doug on Twitter and LinkedIn; IEI is also on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.


Table of Contents (*highlights)
0:00-8:40 -- Intro to IEI & Doug Roberts/ Advice for Education Entrepreneurs8:40-10:44 -- The Value of Relationships w/ Students, Staff, & Vendors10:44-21:03 -- The Impact of Scale: Big vs Small Schools & Businesses * 21:03-29:26 -- 2021, Optics, & Scrutiny: The Impact of Politics in Schools **29:26-34:04 -- School Choice, Innovation, & Responsive Leadership34:04-45:05 -- Doug's Ideal School: Empowering Educators **45:05-50:44 -- The Purpose of School & Who Calls the Shots50:44-59:02 -- Supes' Choice Awards & Engaging with Superintendents *59:02-1:06:08 -- Wrap-Up &  Doug's Book/Movie Recs​
​​The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

Support the show (http://paypal.me/TibbensEST)! 
​Donations -- large and small -- help keep this podcast independent!
Support the show