Teachers on Fire

Tim Cavey
  • 4.8 (26)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Warming your heart, sparking your thinking, and igniting your professional practice. Reach out on any social media platform @TeachersOnFire. Hosted by Tim Cavey.

  1. Teach Internationally - with Greg Lemoine

    8H AGO

    Teach Internationally - with Greg Lemoine

    → What is the single most rewarding aspect of international teaching? → For educators considering an international leap in their teaching career, what are the most crucial factors to consider? → What is the most common mistake teachers make when interviewing for an international teaching contract? Welcome back to the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice. Today’s Teacher on Fire is Gregory Lemoine. Greg has been teaching overseas for the past 25 years in international schools. He is the author of Finding the Right Fit: Your Professional Guide for International Educator Recruiting Fairs and Amazing Stories of a Teacher Living Overseas. On The International Teacher Podcast, he enjoys spreading the best kept secret in education: international teaching. You can connect with Gregory On Facebook and LinkedIn, On Instagram @internationalteacherpodcast, and  At his website, itpexpat.com. Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - What to consider before teaching internationally 1:29 - Five years of the International Teacher Podcast 4:01 - Reverse culture shock 6:18 - The countries Greg has taught in 10:47 - The path to ed leadership in international schools 12:29 - International teaching recruitment fairs 15:59 - The life of a third culture kid (TCK) 19:59 - How AI is impacting international schools 24:04 - The most rewarding aspect of international teaching 25:57 - How and where to connect with Greg Lemoine online Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

    28 min
  2. Competency-Based Assessment with Danielle Paloposki

    MAY 2

    Competency-Based Assessment with Danielle Paloposki

    → How do traditional grading systems quietly undermine deep learning? → How can teachers shift assessment paradigms without burning out? → What steps can administrative teams take to genuinely support their staff? About Danielle Paloposki Danielle is an educator and former school administrator with extensive experience as a classroom teacher and middle level leader, specializing in standards aligned, competency based assessment. A contributing author to the British Columbia K–12 Reporting Policy, she has led system wide shifts from traditional grading to competency focused approaches grounded in feedback, professional judgment, and evidence of learning over time. Danielle now partners with the Canadian Assessment Centre to support schools in building coherent, humane, and sustainable assessment systems that cultivate transferable skills and self regulated learners. You can connect with Danielle On Facebook, LinkedIn,  On Instagram @dpalo_ed, and  On her website at https://danielle-paloposki.mykajabi.com/ Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - How traditional assessment undermines learning 4:15 - Why Danielle founded the Competency Code Collective 9:52 - How to support teachers in assessment transitions 16:10 - Are learning targets just for administrators? 18:59 - From evaluator to learning coach 23:39 - Ensuring our assessment language is consistent 31:08 - How to use AI to design better assessment 35:49 - Assessment resources from Danielle Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

    40 min
  3. Money and Financial Literacy in YOUR Classroom: Debra Kierstead

    APR 25

    Money and Financial Literacy in YOUR Classroom: Debra Kierstead

    → Which foundational money concepts do our students struggle with the most? → Why do states and districts continue to downplay the importance of financial literacy in our curricular standards? → What is one practical way for teachers to build financial literacy in their classrooms on Monday morning? Welcome back to the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice. Today’s Teacher on Fire is Debra Kierstead. Deb is an elementary teacher and financial literacy coach who helps educators bring real-world money skills into the classroom. Her hands-on approach makes budgeting, saving, and spending feel simple and fun - for students and teachers alike. You can connect with Debra On Facebook,  On Instagram @kierstead.deb, and At her website, liveskillsmoney.com. Take advantage of Deb's free starter class: www.liveskillsmoney.com/free-starter-class (not sponsored)

    24 min

  4. APR 22

    Bringing the Everglades to Your Literacy Classroom: Jennifer Diaz

    → How can we build literacy skills and environmental stewardship at the same time? → What is the Everglades Foundation Literacy Program, and what resources do they offer classroom teachers? → What is Everglades Ecoquest, and how can educators use this web-based platform to bring interactive, gamified learning to their students? Welcome back to the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice. Today’s Teacher on Fire is Jennifer Diaz. Jennifer Diaz is the Vice President of Education at The Everglades Foundation, where she has dedicated the past 12 years to building and leading Florida’s only comprehensive, statewide Everglades environmental education program. Since joining the Foundation in 2014, she has guided the growth of the Everglades Literacy Program into a national model for place-based environmental learning, now adopted by 31 school districts and reaching more than 300,000 students and families annually. You can connect with the Everglades Foundation … On X @EvergFoundation, On Instagram @evergladesfoundation, On Facebook and LinkedIn, and At their website, evergladesfoundation.org. Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - Welcome to Jennifer Diaz, VP of Education at the Everglades Foundation 0:16 - The mission and vision of the Everglades Foundation 1:07 - Everglades Foundation literacy resources are free to anyone 2:02 - Building environmental stewardship through literacy skills 4:13 - The Teacher Toolkit 41 lesson plans are curriculum-aligned 6:03 - Resources for Spanish and Haitian Creole learners 7:41 - What is Everglades Ecoquest and what does it offer students? 10:35 - Hands-on learning experiences related to the Everglades 12:59 - The Champion Schools program builds environmental leadership 15:54 - A first step to take to build environmental literacy 17:11 - How to connect with the Everglades Foundation Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

    19 min
  5. Differentiation for High-Ability Learners with Alicia Schroeder-Schock

    APR 11

    Differentiation for High-Ability Learners with Alicia Schroeder-Schock

    How can teachers challenge their gifted learners without burning out? How we spot high-ability learners who might be masking their abilities in the classroom? How can we make sure our choice boards don’t just become busywork? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice. Today’s Teacher on Fire is Dr. Alicia Schroeder-Schock (pronounced Shrader-Shook). Alicia is an educator, consultant, and founder of Elementary Elevated, where she helps teachers design engaging, rigorous learning experiences for advanced elementary learners. With an Ed.D. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership and a master’s in Educational Psychology, Alicia presents nationally on gifted curriculum and  differentiation and serves on the board of the North Dakota Association for Gifted Children. Connect with Alicia On her blog at elementaryelevated.com Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - Welcome to Dr. Alicia Schroeder-Schock 1:31 - What are high-ability learners? 2:16 - How can we spot them? 3:44 - What does elevating standards look like? 5:53 - How AI can help to elevate standards 6:53 - How to design choice boards 8:36 - From objectives to outcomes 10:51 - What is curriculum compacting? 14:57 - Elevating the student writing process 19:13 - How to differentiate for high-ability learners 20:41 - Social and emotional challenges 25:05 - What's keeping you on fire? 28:58 - How and where to connect with Dr. Alicia Schroeder-Schock online Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

    30 min
  6. Executive Functions in K-3 with Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle

    APR 8

    Executive Functions in K-3 with Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle

    → What are executive functions, and why do they matter? → What are the differences between core and higher order executive functions? → How can we tweak the physical and acoustic environment of our classrooms to support all learners? Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice. Today’s Teachers on Fire are Sarah Oberle and Mitch Weathers, authors of Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom: Promoting Self-Regulation for a Strong Start. Mitch Weathers is an educator, author, and nationally and internationally recognized expert on executive functioning in the classroom, known for translating brain science into practical strategies that work in real schools. His work centers on strengthening students’ skills in organization, task initiation, self-regulation, and follow-through through intentional systems that support learning without increasing teachers’ workloads. Through his writing, speaking, and consulting, he challenges educators to reconsider why students struggle and equips them with a shared language and concrete tools to unlock student potential. Sarah Oberle is an educator, writer, and professional learning designer with 18 years of experience as a primary classroom teacher. Her work centers on helping educators understand how learning happens and how that understanding shapes daily instructional decisions. Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle are veteran educators and authors 2:37 - What are executive functions? 4:29 - Why executive functions matter in primary grades 6:59 - Designing tier one environments that support all learners 10:10 - Confusing behaviors with executive functions 14:13 - Core vs higher order executive functions 16:45 - How to reduce cognitive load and improve working memory 20:51 - Two ways to reduce cognitive load in the primary classroom 25:22 - How to tweak the physical and acoustic learning environments 31:15 - Why starting the whole class together makes a difference 36:07 - How Sarah uses voice recorders in her first grade classroom 38:45 - A first step to take for the overwhelmed educator 45:38 - How and where to connect with Mitch and Sarah online Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

    50 min
  7. Retired but Podcasting: Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt from After the Bell

    MAR 29

    Retired but Podcasting: Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt from After the Bell

    → How can an education podcast impact personal growth and professional practice? → Is there still room for more education content creators today? → How do two veteran educators view today’s educational landscape? About These Guests Today’s Teachers on Fire are Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt, hosts of the After the Bell podcast. Martin Stuible is deep into his third chapter of life with his creative company, Creative Moments on 11th. Roy Hunt is a geologist, world traveller, master teacher, and podcaster. Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - Martin Stuible and Roy Hunt are the hosts of the After the Bell podcast 1:28 - How Martin and Roy connected 4:45 - How the After the Bell podcast was born 9:24 - How the podcast has impacted personal growth 13:46 - Is there still room for more education podcasts 20:21 - Practical habits of self-compassion for overwhelmed educators 24:26 - Thoughts on AI in education today 31:08 - Thoughts on the thesis of the Digital Delusion 40:20 - How to connect with the After the Bell podcast Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.

    43 min
  8. Brokers of Hope, Cultures of Joy - with DEAN SHARESKI

    MAR 18

    Brokers of Hope, Cultures of Joy - with DEAN SHARESKI

    → How can educators model healthy skepticism while also being brokers of hope regarding AI tools? → What practical boundaries can we set so our students don't outsource their critical thinking to algorithms? → With all that is going on in education and politics, how can we preserve cultures of joy in today's classrooms? About This Guest Dean Shareski is a Senior Partnership Consultant with Advanced Learning Partnerships, bringing decades of experience at the intersection of education, leadership, and innovation. He works closely with school systems to translate big ideas—especially around learning design, leadership development, and emerging technologies—into practical, scalable strategies. Known for his clear thinking and candid approach, Dean helps leaders move from aspiration to action. Connect with Dean Shareski On X @shareski, On Instagram @dshareski,  On his podcast at The Canadian_Ed Leadership Show, and On his blog at http://ideasandthoughts.org or http://shareski.ca. Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - Dean Shareski is an author, speaker, writer, and K-12 education consultant 1:50 - Educators as "brokers of hope" 4:53 - How to model healthy skepticism with AI tools 7:38 - Losing students' productive struggle to AI 13:38 - Leverage digital tools to amplify and transform student learning 17:26 - How to protect the wonder and joy of our classrooms 20:59 - Building school teams like the Blue Jays of 2025 24:42 - Sports gambling creeping into schools 28:31 - What gives Dean hope for the future 31:48 - What keeps Dean's fire for learning burning bright 34:33 - How and where to connect with Dean Shareski online Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

    36 min
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4.8
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Warming your heart, sparking your thinking, and igniting your professional practice. Reach out on any social media platform @TeachersOnFire. Hosted by Tim Cavey.

Information

  • Creator
    Tim Cavey
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    325
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tim Cavey
  • Show Website
    Teachers on Fire

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