Advertise on podcast: Best Practices in Education

Odyssey Elementary Director Robin Skeen takes on a six part series of the science of reading and how it can be applied in the classroom and beyond. Part 1 is an introduction and overview of the program.  Support the show

We close out the third season of Best Practices in Education with special guests from AVL Rise, a peer-to-peer literacy and mentorship program based in Asheville, North Carolina, which is funded through OpenDoors Asheville. Program Director, David Kennedy, a Jamaican native, is a father, creative, music artist, writer, educator, and scholar. As an educator, he has over 7 years of experience at the primary, secondary and tertiary level as a Special Education and Social Studies teacher, also an Adjunct Lecturer, and was a certified professional teacher in two states, Florida and Colorado. David is joined in the studio by Toni and Kei'Shawn, ages 16 and 8, a student pair who participated in the program for the '21-22 school year. AVL Rise uses youth culture pedagogy and hip hop elements to build cohesion and growth within its students and reimagine the classroom setting. Listen till the end to enjoy the original song, "Everyday We Rise," written and performed by David "Coppa Stone" Kennedy, Nex Millen, and Open Doors senior, Khalid Jean. Support the show

Guest Host Elijah Allred is back to interview Intermediate teacher, Kylie Hulver. In this episode, Kylie talks about game design and how to create moments of  joy and movement in the classroom, while building gross motor skills and mental acuity for your students.  Support the show

Intermediate Director, Kalyan Volpe, returns to the podcast to talk about his "Spiritual Warrior" intermediate program. Volpe defines spiritual cultivation in his classroom as the individual's attunement to their inner landscape and translating the information and knowledge taken from that attunement out into the physical world. It includes mindfulness practices, meditation, and developing inner attributes, such as focus and courage. Listen to learn more about how to inspire preteens and teens to engagement and leadership. Support the show

Kindergarten teacher Samantha Sole shares about her journey to integrate sign language into the kindergarten classroom. Supporting students in using movement to communicate opens up new pathways in the brain for communication and understanding, and builds empathy for difference. Support the show

Odyssey High math teacher, Grant Yost, reflects on why he prioritizes getting feedback from his students throughout the semester. He shares the strategies he uses to both elicit honest responses from students, as well as how to set clear boundaries about what feedback can and can't change about the classroom experience. Support the show

5th and 6th grade teacher, Kylie Hulver, talks about how to successfully settle and energize in the classroom. She uses silence and breath to support students in developing self-regulation.  She uses energizers to teach skills that are translatable to content. Plug in to listen to the conversation she and guest host Elijah Allread share. Support the show

Teachers often report feeling unsupported and financially challenged when seeking opportunities for their students. First and second grade teacher, Barbi Brittain, shares how cultivating community support can bring new opportunities to the classroom. An outside-the-box thinker, Barbi encourages teachers to make strategic partnerships that empower students and also make parents and community members feel a part of something bigger.  Support the show

What does it mean to act in the role of teacher as (loving) antagonist? Intermediate Language Arts teacher Elijah Allred answers random questions offered by students. We laugh a lot. And we get into a deep conversation about how when teachers challenge their students, when they play the mischievous trickster, the developmental process gets rich and rewarding for our students. Support the show

Kindergarten teacher, Shirley Rotolo, talks about strategies to increase reading comprehension in students. She explores research based method from a practical standpoint, integrating Orton-Gillingham inspired practices with other strategies to get the best outcomes for her students. Support the show

High School Science Teacher Andrew Rabin encourages science teachers of all ages to engage their students in bird watching. An experiential activity that brings core elements of science alive, birdwatching is fun, challenging, rewarding, and can be done without a significant cost to the classroom. Support the show

Elementary Program Director Robin Skeen talks to us about creating learning paths in the classroom. We'll get a quick how to and learn some resources to get started. A bonus: these paths provide teachers with the opportunity to move smoothly between remote and on site learning! Support the show