Season 1
Sept. 18, 2021
Episode 44 with Dr. Kara Davies and Allison. Using The BE Project to care for our people!
Allison Nelson is a Certified School Psychologist in Kentucky who is passionate about improving the holistic well-being of students and staff across the state. Allison utilizes her training and expertise in social-emotional d...
Sept. 11, 2021
Episode 43 with Daphyne Maddox. CASA volunteers change lives!
Daphyne Maddox has been a CASA staff member for 23 years. Currently, she is the Executive Director of CASA of Midwest Kentucky, Inc. that serves Crittenden, Henderson, Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Union and Webster Counties. Daphyn...
Sept. 3, 2021
Episode 42 with Dr. Mandi Tolen: Let's make Math NOT sucks!
Mandi Tolen is a high school math teacher, Google Certified Innovator, blogger, & author of Make Math Not Suck , a guide to create fun & memorable math experiences for students. Mandi has a passion for changing how we teach t...
Aug. 28, 2021
Episode 41 with Kyla Uribe: Our kids should be the curriculum!
Kyla Uribe is a kindergarten teacher, educational consultant, and a self-proclaimed defender of play in early childhood! She is a wife of almost 16 years and a mom to three fantastic kids ages 10, 8, and 4. When she’s not dre...
Aug. 21, 2021
Episode 40 with Dr. Heather Lyon: Engagement is NOT a Unicorn, its a Narwal!
Heather Lyon is the author of Engagement is not a Unicorn (It’s a Narwhal) and The BIG Book of Engagement Strategies . Heather is a former English teacher and has a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and an Ed.M. in Reading...
Aug. 14, 2021
Episode 39: Jennifer Abrams. Our staff need SEL too!
In her over two decades at Palo Alto Unified School District (Palo Alto, CA, USA), Jennifer was a high school English teacher, new teacher coach, and professional development facilitator. She left PAUSD in 2012 to start her f...
Aug. 8, 2021
Episode 38: Frederick Crawford and why ED must bring back honesty!
Frederick went to Ohio State University and received his Bachelor Degree in Chemical Engineering and received his Master's at New Mexico State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Though he started out NOT in ED world, he ...
Aug. 1, 2021
Episode 37 with Frederick Ballew: Using crowd-sourced resources to promote diversity within the classroom!
Frederick is an ISTE Certified Educator, Google for Education Certified Innovator (#NYC19 cohort), Trainer, Coach, the founder and leader of GEG Minnesota Metro Area, a GEG Mentor for US - Midwest, a Microsoft Innovative Edu...
July 25, 2021
Episode 36: Martin Silverman and why our ED system may be increasing, rather than decreasing, learned helplessness for our students/families...
Martin Silverman is a father, grandfather, husband, and long-time educator in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. He is committed to providing the best educational experience for the students and families at Salinas Elementary sch...
July 18, 2021
Episode 35 with David Frangiosa. We should get rid of traditional grading practices!
David Frangiosa is a HS science teacher from NJ with 15 years of classroom experience. He's been performing action research on grade reform since 2015, which led to co-authoring Going Gradeless published by Corwin Press. Davi...
July 11, 2021
Michael Earnshaw and why CULTURE, not test scores are the key to improving learning!
Michael Earnshaw is a father, husband, and elementary school principal. He is the author of The EduCulture Cookbook: Recipes and Dishes to Positively Transform School and Classroom Culture with EduMatch Publishing and co-host...
July 5, 2021
Episode 33: Maren Hanson. If a 7yr old could design their own school!
Maren is a 7-year-old first-grader with a lot of great ideas (ideas she likes to share with anyone she can). She loves to read and listen to stories. Her love is to be creative, through art or play! Listen to us as we discu...
June 21, 2021
Episode 32: Dene Gainey. Get off the script!
Dene Gainey is a twelve-year classroom educator, currently Grades 4-5 English Language Arts, Technology & Gifted. He received his undergraduate degree in Elementary Education K-6 from the University of Central Florida and his...
June 14, 2021
Episode 31: Tara Martin: Kids MUST be given chances to make risks!
Tara Martin is an enthusiastic educator, speaker, and author of Be REAL: Educate from the Heart and Cannonball In . Tara thrives on change and refuses to settle for the status quo! She has served as a classroom teacher, an in...
June 7, 2021
Episode 30: Iqra Shaikh. Collaboration is and SHOULD be a part of online learning!
Iqra Shaikh is a New Age Capitalist, Entrepreneur, and Geographer. She believes that the future of education will be interdisciplinary, problem-solving-oriented, and collaborative. She is the Founder & CEO of Tutoring in Team...
May 31, 2021
Episode 29: Kaitlin Kilby and why our classroom practices should ALWAYS be student-centered!!
Kaitlin Kilby is a first-year teacher and graduate student from St. Louis, Missouri. She is currently teaching 2nd grade. Kaitlin graduated in 2020 from Missouri State University with her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Ed...
May 24, 2021
Episode 28: Chris Stuchko. Our freshmen NEED our support!
Chris is in his 15th year as a special education teacher. He hosts the 9th Grade Experience , a weekly podcast that shares the stories of students and educators discussing the all-important transition year to high school. He ...
May 17, 2021
Episode 27: Chad Dumas Ed.D. We MUST build the school's COMMUNITY, if we want to improve our practice!
Chad Dumas is an international educational consultant, presenter, and award-winning researcher whose primary focus is collaborating to develop capacity for continuous improvement. With over two decades of successful leadershi...
May 10, 2021
Episode 26: Dr. Matt Rhoads. The on-demand PD platform!
Matthew Rhoads, Ed.D., is an Educational Specialist, university lecturer and teacher candidate supervisor, consultant, researcher, and author from San Diego, California, who specializes in educational technology instructional...
May 3, 2021
Episode 25!!! Laura Rizo and the power of SELF-LOVE!!
Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Laura Rizo’s life experiences relate to many, both youth and adults. She hopes to inspire others to build self-confidence and self-love with her messages and connections. She connects to youth ...
April 29, 2021
Episode 24: Josh Tovar and why leaders MUST connect with kids!
Join Josh and me as we discuss the need for leaders to use multiple methods to connect with their students. ---
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April 26, 2021
Episode 23: Raymond Porten and how changing the world happens 1 interaction at a time!
Ray is a husband, a father, a principal of an elementary school in northern Illinois, and a Golden Apple Scholar. He spends his free time traveling with family, cooking with his boys, and co-hosting 2 podcasts. Ray has been i...
April 19, 2021
Episode 22: Dr. Chris Hobbs. Leading others requires leading yourself first!
Dr. Chris Hobbs is an educational leader holding the role of Director of Athletics at The King's Academy, a national blue ribbon school in West Palm Beach Florida. Dr. Hobbs was named by Coach and AD magazine as one of the to...
April 15, 2021
Episode 21: Olivia Weidemann. School-based mentor programs can change lives!
Olivia Weidemann is the 2nd staff member from the Milton Hershey School to be on The bigEDidea Podcast! Olivia has worked at the Milton Hershey School, in Hershey, PA for four years as a high school math teacher. She is also ...