Teachers on Fire

Back to school has never looked like this. Teachers, students, parents, and districts across the globe face an uncertain future as they navigate the experience of learning through a pandemic. Thankfully, schools with a baseline of internet access and technology resources can turn to a growing host of apps and platforms that create new opportunities for learning. For schools, districts, and educators looking to improve their K-12 instructional programs, here are my top ten digital tool recommendations. Welcome to SPARKS: mini-segments intended to spark your thinking and ignite your practice. These short episodes are based on my written reflections, which you can find on the Teachers on Fire Magazine at Medium.com. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire/top-ten-learning-tools-for-the-digital-classroom-5b3fefc861b3?source=friends_link&sk=b8ae27283b4dc33f25a06aca03f1c252. My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. Make sure to connect with me @TeachersOnFire on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to catch more from me and hear from amazing educators who are bringing growth and transformation to K-12 education today. Connect with me … On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire) Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credits: Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz Other tracks I use frequently (although not in this episode): I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena True Messiah by DJ Freedem Anthem by The Grand Affair *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

GABRIEL CARRILLO is an Instructional Technology Specialist in San Antonio, TX. He currently supports teachers with all of their EdTech needs in the classroom including troubleshooting, planning lessons/units with teachers, modeling lessons for teachers, and providing professional development. He's presented at various AZTEA conferences in Arizona as well as FETC and TCEA. He is also the creator and host of the EdTech Bites Podcast where he has blended his two passions, Educational Technology and food. Follow Gabriel On Twitter @EdTechBites (https://twitter.com/EdTechBites) On Instagram @EdTechBites (https://www.instagram.com/edtechbites) On Facebook @EdTechBites (https://www.facebook.com/edtechbites) On his website at https://edtechbites.com/ On YouTube at Gabriel Carrillo (https://bit.ly/3j6Iebu) Visit https://teachersonfire.net/ for all the show notes and links from this episode! CONNECT with the Teachers on Fire podcast on social media: On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/TimWCavey On The Teachers on Fire Magazine: https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire Song Track Credits Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena True Messiah by DJ Freedem Flight to Tunisia by Causmic *all tracks courtesy of the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music

In a few days, for districts headed for F2F instruction, hundreds of students will fill our buildings. They’ll come with spanky new shoes and that first-day sense of nervous excitement. And they’ll look to their teachers for the same things they always have: a passion for teaching, care for their well-being, interest in who they are, and belief in their unlimited potential. Let’s welcome them with enthusiasm. With optimism. With smiles. Let’s let these children know that we’re thrilled to see them. That we could not be happier to be back to school. And let’s show our students what life in the shadow of a pandemic can look like: a life of faith, love, gratitude, and an abundance mindset. Not a mindset that ignores the challenges ahead. But one that says we will find a way through a challenging situation, and we will make the best of it together. It just might be the biggest lesson we teach all year. Welcome to SPARKS: mini-segments intended to spark your thinking and ignite your practice. These short episodes are based on my written reflections, which you can find on the Teachers on Fire Magazine at Medium.com. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire/were-about-to-teach-our-students-a-massive-lesson-on-mindset-56356f4423b9?source=friends_link&sk=419954df98f43f07fe54374ab28a9c45. My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. Make sure to connect with me @TeachersOnFire on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to catch more from me and hear from amazing educators who are bringing growth and transformation to K-12 education today. Connect with me … On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire) Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credits: Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz Other tracks I use frequently (although not in this episode): I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena Anthem by The Grand Affair *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

BRIAN ASPINALL is a globe-trekking educator on a mission to encourage everyone to take risks in their learning! Brian is a TED-X speaker and has authored several books, including Code Breaker, Block Breaker, and Risk Taker. Follow Brian: On Twitter @MrAspinall (https://twitter.com/mraspinall) On Instagram @MrAspinall (https://www.instagram.com/mr.aspinall/) On YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/brinall1 On his blog at http://brianaspinall.com/ Visit https://teachersonfire.net/ for all the show notes and links from this episode! CONNECT with the Teachers on Fire podcast on social media: On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/TimWCavey On The Teachers on Fire Magazine: https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire Song Track Credits Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena True Messiah by DJ Freedem *all tracks courtesy of the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music

My new position has me psyched to start new initiatives, explore the greatest pedagogies, and experiment with the latest learning tools. But a lot of that will have to wait. The reality is that we face chaotic circumstances. There is so much uncertainty. And again, so many questions. What will we do when staff members test positive for the virus this year? What will we do about substitute teachers? How can we effectively manage student supervision without burning out our staff? The list goes on and on. Students are anxious. Parents are anxious. Teachers are anxious. Administrators are anxious. For many, this is a time of fear. And learners of all ages don’t learn, they don’t grow, they don’t thrive in contexts of fear. Long ago, the apostle John wrote that “Perfect love casts out all fear.” A simple but profound thought, and perhaps never more timely. Welcome to SPARKS: mini-segments intended to spark your thinking and ignite your practice. These short episodes are based on my written reflections, which you can find on the Teachers on Fire Magazine at Medium.com. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire/its-about-the-people-next-to-us-165c62d8a49e?source=friends_link&sk=7433be654e1cb211306be5da4b2120d9. My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. Make sure to connect with me @TeachersOnFire on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to catch more from me and hear from amazing educators who are bringing growth and transformation to K-12 education today. Connect with me … On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire) Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credits: Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena Anthem by The Grand Affair *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

ANN KOZMA is the Educator Innovation Lead at Flipgrid and presents regularly at education conferences across the country including CUE, ISTE, and many others. Her heart beats for student voice, choice, agency, and inclusion for all. Her personal blog is titled Tech, Travel, Teach, and that sounds like a winning formula, too! Follow Ann: On Twitter @AnnKozma723 https://twitter.com/annkozma723 On Instagram @AnnKozma723 https://www.instagram.com/annkozma723/ On Facebook @AnnKozma723 https://www.facebook.com/annkozma723 On her website at http://www.techtravelteach.com/ On YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/babybirds4brainpower Visit https://teachersonfire.net/ for all the show notes and links from this episode! CONNECT with the Teachers on Fire podcast on social media: On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/TimWCavey On The Teachers on Fire Magazine: https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire Song Track Credits Sunrise Drive by South London Hifi Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena Flight to Tunisia by Causmic *all tracks courtesy of the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music

Doubt, discouragement, and disillusionment: as education professionals, most of us have experienced these emotions at one time or another. Deep in those periods of adversity, it can be tempting to only see the success stories. The victories. The stories of achievement and accomplishment. And we can forget that others have faced their demons, too. With that in mind, here are ten stories of adversity from great educators and guests of the Teachers on Fire podcast. They’ve faced burnout, depression, and everything in between, and they’ve found ways to survive, thrive, and overcome. You can, too. This piece features stories of adversity from these great educators: Kellie Bahri Julia Fliss Andrew Canle Marisa Thompson Dr. Christine Ho Younghusband Jonathan Alsheimer Juli Ross-Kleinmann Andrew Arevalo Tiffany Ott Dr. Will Deyamport Welcome to SPARKS: mini-segments intended to spark your thinking and ignite your practice. These short episodes are based on my written reflections, which you can find on the Teachers on Fire Magazine at Medium.com. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire/stories-of-adversity-and-triumph-how-educators-overcome-f04998577bf7?source=friends_link&sk=d57604ccd9daa69ffd421a68c19a5804. My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. Make sure to connect with me @TeachersOnFire on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to catch more from me and hear from amazing educators who are bringing growth and transformation to K-12 education today. Connect with me … On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire) Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credits: Sunrise Drive by South London Hifi I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena Roots of Legend by Density & Time Anthem by The Grand Affair *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

ERIKA SANDSTROM is where green screens meet social-emotional learning. She is a digital media teacher and instructional coach for 6-8th grades who loves nothing more than sharing her creative passions with students of all ages. Erika is the founder of @ClubMindful and #LogOff4Living. Her motto? "Cultivating CompassionThrough Creativity.” Follow Erika On Twitter @GreenScreenGal (https://twitter.com/GreenScreenGal) On Instagram @GreenScreenGal44 (https://www.instagram.com/greenscreengal44) On Facebook at Green Screen Gal (https://www.facebook.com/GreenScreenGal) On her website at https://www.greenscreengal.com/ On YouTube at Erika Sandstrom (https://bit.ly/2WIEaFh) Visit https://teachersonfire.net/ for all the show notes and links from this episode! CONNECT with the Teachers on Fire podcast on social media: On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/TimWCavey On The Teachers on Fire Magazine: https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire Song Track Credits Sunrise Drive by South London Hifi Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena Flight to Tunisia by Causmic *all tracks courtesy of the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music

In this turbulent season of education and with more demands on us than ever before, teachers and education leaders need to find efficiencies wherever possible. Our mental, physical, and social health depend on it. With that in mind, here are some of the productivity hacks, habits, and mindsets that former guests of the podcast rely on. This piece features thoughtful advice from these great educators: Wendy Turner Chanel Johnson Kristin Merrill Caitlin Krause Jenny Pieratt Daniel Bauer Dr. Douglas Fisher Vernon Wright Deanna Lough Trevor MacKenzie Welcome to SPARKS: mini-segments intended to spark your thinking and ignite your practice. These short episodes are based on my written reflections, which you can find on the Teachers on Fire Magazine at Medium.com. Read the blog post featured in this episode at https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire/10-productivity-hacks-habits-and-mindsets-for-teachers-c6fe8d12dffd?source=friends_link&sk=68dcf7d60c92f65374fbaecc479e269b. My name is Tim Cavey, and I’m proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. Make sure to connect with me @TeachersOnFire on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to catch more from me and hear from amazing educators who are bringing growth and transformation to K-12 education today. Connect with me … On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire) Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. Song Track Credits: Sunrise Drive by South London Hifi I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

REBECCA GIBBONEY is a curriculum specialist at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 in Williamsport, PA. She is also the author of The Tiebreaker: A Scouting Report on Building a Culture of Gamification in Professional Learning. Rebecca is passionate about two things in life: education and sports, and she combines both passions in ways that benefit educators. FOLLOW Rebecca On Twitter @GibboneyRebecca (https://twitter.com/GibboneyRebecca) On Instagram @GibboneyRebecca (https://www.instagram.com/gibboneyrebecca/) On her blog at https://rebeccagibboney.com At her book, The Tiebreaker: A Scouting Report on Building a Culture for Gamification in Professional Learning: https://amzn.to/3hnfEkY Visit https://teachersonfire.net/ for all the show notes and links from this episode! CONNECT with the Teachers on Fire podcast on social media: On Twitter @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/TimWCavey On The Teachers on Fire Magazine: https://medium.com/teachers-on-fire On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire Song Track Credits Sunrise Drive by South London Hifi Roots of Legend by Density & Time I Did That by Diamond Ortiz I Don’t Wanna Wait by Nana Kwabena *all tracks courtesy of the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music