Episodes
Monday Nov 24, 2014
Episode 39: Financial Wisdom with Danny Kofke
Monday Nov 24, 2014
Monday Nov 24, 2014
Danny Kofke is a self-made millionaire. He started out as a kindergarten teacher, became a special education teacher and is married to a 2nd grade teacher. He and his wife took international teaching positions originally and actually taught in Poland, for a while.
He now teaches teachers how to manage money.
He is an author of three books: How to Survive (and Perhaps Thrive) on a Teacher’s Salary, A Simple Book of Financial Wisdom: Teach Yourself (and your kids) How to Live Wealthy with Little Money, and A Bright Financial Future: Teaching Kids about Money Pre-K through College for Lifelong Success! (Click here to go to his page on Amazon.com)
He has a 10 year old daughter who also is a published author!
She wrote…The Financial Angel: What all Kids Should Know About Money (ages 4-11)
This is a podcast for everyone…especially those with kids!
Great advice!
Information that we all needed when we were kids…now you can share with your children and with the kids of others.
I hope you will share this interview with your children, grandchildren, neighbors, and colleagues!
Catch up with Danny at http://dannykofke.blogspot.com/
Also, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SimpleFinancialWisdom
Contact Danny at kofketd@windstream.net
Enjoy!
Length: 40:04
Thursday Nov 13, 2014
Episode 38: Protecting the Performing Arts
Thursday Nov 13, 2014
Thursday Nov 13, 2014
Over the last 10 years, the performing arts have often been pushed to the side in the name of needing more math and science or simply cut to balance budgets.
It is unfortunate.
Students desire to study and perform in the arts often in addition to studying math and science or other academic content areas.
The Georgia Institute of Technology has one of the largest marching bands in all of the colleges and universities…and there are no music majors at GATech. Hmmm ... even future engineers like the arts...
In order to protect the arts in schools it takes commitment and a willingness to make cuts in other areas, instead of in these classes. It takes becoming good at creative scheduling and looking closely at what the students want over the classes they could do without.
What could you do to help protect the arts in your schools?
Length: 33:37
Wednesday Sep 17, 2014
Episode 33: Six Apps for the Classroom with David Lockhart
Wednesday Sep 17, 2014
Wednesday Sep 17, 2014
David is a high school teacher at North Atlanta High. This summer we met at the Georgia Virtual School Symposium in Athens, Georgia where I had the chance to attend his awesome class titled,
…30 Apps in 30 Minutes.
David has always had an interest in Tech… he says, “I found something that I was good at…”
In our interview we focus on four points…
1) His 6 favorite apps
2) The cost of apps (In a word…cheap!)
3) Engaging!
4) Ease of use…
David advises…in looking for apps, “Find what works in your classroom…and then find an app that will help you. If it doesn't work…then adjust.”
Most importantly…David comments, “Don’t be afraid!”
He has amazing advice for apps to use and why as well as how to find the best apps.
I know that you will find this episode brain food!
Here are the 6 Apps that we talk about and their websites.
1) TouchCast http://www.touchcast.com/
2)
Google Drive https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424384?hl=en
3) Symbaloo http://www.symbaloo.com/home/mix/13eOcK1fiV
4) Weebly https://education.weebly.com/
5) Tackk https://tackk.com
6) 81dash http://81dash.com/
Follow David on Twitter @ld112265
And read his blog at www.edtechspeeddating.com
Seasame Street Song, “There’s An App for That! Find it at www.sesamestreet.org or on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhkxDIr0y2U
Enjoy!
Length 30:37
Monday Sep 08, 2014
Episode 32: Planning-A Key to Better Teaching
Monday Sep 08, 2014
Monday Sep 08, 2014
Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
This is so true in every facet of our lives and especially in the world of teaching.
Too often colleagues will act as if no planning is necessary. They will fly by the seat of their pants…...doing whatever hits them at the moment. This is a terrible way to work with kids. The better teacher needs to take time to purposefully plan and the best plan is developed with the big idea in mind.
As Stephen Covey said, “Start with the end in mind.” What is it that you want the kids to know? To get to this takes time to develop unit plans that are used to guide the teacher in working with the kids. These plans should contain at least the following six elements:
1. Essential Question (What is the point/purpose of this unit?)
2. Content Vocabulary (What words are necessary for understanding the subject?)
3. Formative Assessment (How do you know that the kids understand or get it?)
4. Engagement (What activities will you use to engage the kids in the lessons?)
5. Connections (How will you connect the topic to the real world?)
6. Use of Time (Are there any special considerations?)
It takes time to create lessons that engage kids and move them to learn and grow academically. The better teacher understands that planning and preparing leads to success in the classroom.
Bear Bryant once said, “It’s not the will to win that matters-everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”
Some excellent resources for developing plans and understanding why you should plan with the end in mind have been developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe in Understanding By Design and Essential Questions.
(Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe)
Here is a link to an overview of UbD at grantwiggins.org
Here is a link to an overview of UbD at JayMctighe.com
Here are links to YouTube clips of Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe explaining Understanding By Design.
Here is a link to the excerpt from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Example of a Frayer Model for learning words...
Example of a Unit Plan
Time to start planning…
Enjoy!
Length 35:09