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Providing ideas and resources for K-12 teachers and school-based administrators.
Episodes
Thursday Nov 12, 2020
Thursday Nov 12, 2020
Raj Valli: Founder & CEO of Thinkster talks with me about Thinkster Math, Thinkster apps, test prep, and tutoring. This is episode 326 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.
Raj Valli founded - Thinkster.
He is a data and statistics guy at heart. As a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, he helped multi-billion dollar companies save money by making sure that their products and services were of the highest quality. Six Sigma means having less than 3.4 defects per 1 million pieces of anything you produce - engines, coffee cups, your shirt...tutoring….anything! That’s outstanding almost defect-free quality!
He has worked for major multi-billion dollar corporations leading functional areas in marketing, finance, operations, strategy, and M&A, across Aerospace, Automotive, Life Sciences, Chemicals, Materials, Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Controls, BioTech, Services, and Software.
He spent 20+ years volunteering his time to help provide basic education for underprivileged children.
Several years ago, his daughters were using a worksheet based math learning program (like Kumon, Mathnasium) to help accelerate their math learning.
He was frustrated by the lack of progress they were having in truly understanding math concepts. They were getting really good in the process of solving math problems in a very formulaic way without really understanding why they were doing what they were doing.
He looked everywhere for a math program that would let his daughter’s learn math for life and not just for a test or completing homework.
He wanted a guaranteed approach to learning math. Not hope. But GUARANTEED! Like, Six-Sigma defect-free!
He knew that if they had a real strong foundation in math, it would take them places. He found nothing other than a few books on the topic or needed to hire an excellent math tutor for $100/hour.
He took matters into his own hands and looked for efficient and fool-proof ways of getting students to learn not only math, but to develop a strong foundation in problem solving skills and to help them improve their critical thinking and logical reasoning skills.
He wanted them to develop the capacity to unpack and solve ANY problems in life - not just math problems.
His strategy worked so well, that it got his daughters to ace math in middle and high school and eventually it also helped them into a top Ivy League University.
This strategy became Thinkster….
Lots to learn today.
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to share & subscribe.
Enjoy!
Connect and Learn More:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYJdwYjaKLSYovlcW8x_GHw
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajvalli/
https://twitter.com/hellothinkster
https://www.facebook.com/ThinksterMath/?fref=ts
Length - 46:03
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Lee Matthew Goldberg talks with me about writing, character development, and his newest thriller - The Ancestor. This is episode 325 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.
Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels - The Desire Card, The Mentor, Slow Down and now - The Ancestor.
He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar.
He is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Fringe, dedicated to publishing fiction that's outside-of-the-box.
His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests.
After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Millions, Cagibi, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others.
He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.
Today, we are focused on Lee’s most recent thriller - The Ancestor…
Here is a little about The Ancestor:
A man wakes up in present-day Alaskan wilderness with no idea who he is, nothing on him save an empty journal with the date 1898 and a mirror.
He sees another man hunting nearby, astounded that they look exactly alike except for his own beard. After following this other man home, he witnesses a wife and child that brings forth a rush of memories of his own wife and child, except he's certain they do not exist in modern times—but from his life in the late 1800s.
After recalling his name is Wyatt, he worms his way into his doppelganger Travis Barlow's life. Memories become unearthed the more time he spends, making him believe that he'd been frozen after coming to Alaska during the Gold Rush and that Travis is his great-great grandson. Wyatt is certain gold still exists in the area and finding it with Travis will ingratiate himself to the family, especially with Travis's wife Callie, once Wyatt falls in love.
This turns into a dangerous obsession affecting the Barlows and everyone in their small town since Wyatt can't be tamed until he also discovers the meaning of why he was able to be preserved on ice for over a century.
Lots to learn today!
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to share and subscribe.
Enjoy!
Connect and Learn More:
http://www.leematthewgoldberg.com/
https://www.instagram.com/leematthewgoldberg/
https://www.facebook.com/LeeMatthewGoldberg
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-matthew-goldberg-558758178/
https://www.youtube.com/user/leemgol
Length - 42:57
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
Micki Boas talks with us about her book - One in Five: How We are Fighting for Our Dyslexic Kids in a System that is Failing Them. This is episode 324 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.
Micki Boas is a marketing consultant and entrepreneur who has worked with a range of iconic brands, including NIKE, Samsung, the ACLU, the United Nations, and Fusion, to find bold, provocative solutions for broken systems.
When Boas’ older son was diagnosed with dyslexia, it
took her four years of legal battles that drained her savings, battered her self-esteem, and pulled her family apart to find an education that fit his needs.
As a result, she created Invisible Red Tape, a thought leadership forum and online advising platform designed to expose the inequalities in education for children with dyslexia, and crowdsource an insider’s guide to practical solutions.
A little about … One in Five: How We are Fighting For Our Dyslexic Kids in a System that is Failing Them…
One mom determined to get the best education for her dyslexic son, offers practical tips and advice for other parents navigating the public-school system.
Both a rallying cry and an invaluable resource, One in Five details the national education crisis as it impacts the one in five children who have dyslexia. Micki Boas, mother to two dyslexic sons, wrote this book because too many parents feel isolated and defeated in their efforts to secure an equal chance for their children.
Lots to learn today.
Thanks for listening!
Don't forget to share & subscribe.
Enjoy!
Connect & Learn More:
https://www.invisibleredtape.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mboas22/
https://www.facebook.com/invisibleredtape/
Length - 34:01
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Howie Berman, the executive director of ACTFL, talks about the ACTFL and Supporting Language Educators & Learners. This is episode 323 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.
Howie Berman is an association executive with nearly 20 years of experience working with non-profit membership organizations. He currently serves as Executive Director for ACTFL, the largest organization in the U.S. serving the needs of language educators and learners.
As ACTFL’s chief staff executive, he is responsible for continuing to enhance ACTFL’s reputation and influence in the language education community while overseeing the implementation of all policies and actions approved by the ACTFL Board of Directors.
He is passionate about making ACTFL’s mission of providing vision, leadership, and
support for quality teaching and learning of languages a reality. Howie has also held the positions of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Director of Membership and
Administration at ACTFL. Prior to his work at ACTFL, Howie held positions at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) and the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT).
He received his BA in Political Science and Spanish from the University of Richmond and his MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Howie holds a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and serves on the Executive Committees of the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and the Trust for Insuring Educators (TIE). Howie is also a member of the AAAS America’s Languages Working Group. He is a frequent presenter and contributor on topics such as language advocacy and outreach, the Seal of Biliteracy, and teacher recruitment & retention.
Lots to learn today!
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to share & subscribe.
Enjoy!
Connect and Learn More:
https://www.youtube.com/user/actfl
https://www.instagram.com/actfl/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/actfl/
https://www.pinterest.com/actfl/
https://www.facebook.com/actfl
https://www.linkedin.com/in/howiebermancae/
Length - 55:07
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
David Miletto explains his book - Images of an Idea Lost. This is episode 322 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.
You may remember that over the last year I published a 4 part series with David Miletto - episodes 266, 271, 277, and 280. We talked about Italian heritage, life in and around Chicago, growing up in the late 50s, 60’s and early 1970s, he shared some family stories and we talked about his art work. Toward the end of the last part - episode 280...he was getting close to publishing his book.
David is an incredible cook, lover of life, artist and now an author. His book Images of an Idea Lost (available on Apple Books and KOBO)
Here is the description of Images of an Idea Lost:
The beautiful July morning,
when he first saw beauty descend the staircase,
had become a distant memory.
Then on a December evening,
as he began to write a letter to her,
the phone rang.
Images of an Idea Lost is the true story
of Lynda and David’s twenty-five year relationship.
The passion and the depth of their bond
was born in the threshold of a dream,
in the bright sunshine of that July day.
But it is a story that is veiled in a mystery,
for it would become a tragedy
that would have made the ancient Greeks cry.
You can learn more about David, his book and his artwork at www.davidmiletto.com .
Lots to learn today!
Thanks for listening!
Don't forget to share and subscribe.
Enjoy!
Connect with David:
847-867-1876
Length - 54:15