David is the creator of many online tutorial videos, the Field Guide series, and the cohost of the MacPower Users podcast. Tony and Charles talk with David about his journey from engineer to lawyer to Mac nerd to educator. We discuss teaching tech, tech for teachers, and, of course Stoicism and arete. Macsparky: https://www.macsparky.com/ Stephen Fry on AI: https://youtu.be/-Cw37g39g00?si=4uHb006ynMa82UuP Last month, we announced that instead of abruptly shutting down the podcast, we would trans...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Much is being written about students, ethics, and AI. What about teachers? What are the ethical issues regarding teachers and their use of AI? We do our best to determine where some of the lines are. (Yes, AI was used in preparation for this podcast.) Mentioned: Stephen Fry https://youtu.be/-Cw37g39g00?si=SyqZw4RduQUqSJW- Are you conscious? A conversation between Dawkins and ChatGPT https://richarddawkins.substack.com/p/are-you-conscious-a-conversation Eliza https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELIZA h...
Mar 01, 2025•1 hr 15 min
The teacher gets the desks turned on him. Tony talks about the challenges he faces in his efforts to learn Spanish, with a focus on his use of Duolingo. Links Duolingo Duolingo Guides Duolingo Languages Supplemental Resources Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org...
Feb 01, 2025•1 hr 4 min
You’ve got a couple of students who have the hunger, the drive to learn. What tools can you recommend to help them up their game? Have a listen. Tools Mentioned Anki https://apps.ankiweb.net - free flashcard creation tool Citation Machine https://www.citationmachine.net - citation generator and more Claude AI https://claude.ai Duolingo https://www.duolingo.com Elicit https://elicit.com - Summarize research papers Einblick https://einblick.ai - chart generation ExplainPaper https://www.explainpap...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Part two. The two old farts are in their rocking chairs on the front porch, watching the sun go down. Pull up a chair while they talk about the lessons they’ve learned and the wisdom they have accumulated over the years…and all the ways they’ve screwed up. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Dec 01, 2024•1 hr 11 min
The two old farts are in their rocking chairs on the front porch, watching the sun go down. Pull up a chair while they talk about the lessons they’ve learned and the wisdom they have accumulated over the years…and all the ways they’ve screwed up. They go so deep, it will be a two-parter. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Nov 01, 2024•1 hr 6 min
This month we wrestle with the smartphone controversy. What are the issues? What are the upsides? What is the most sensible way of dealing with this bit of tech in your classroom? Plus, a big announcement. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 10 min
We open the mailbag and field questions from listeners. Be sure to listen through to the end for the big reveal. Apologies for the audio not meeting our usual standards. 猿も木から落ちる! Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Sep 01, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Digital Surveillance: Who’s watching you and your students? We discuss some of the ways we are tracked daily, by both human and non-human agents. 👀 Better read those Terms of Service agreements. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Charles again talks with his daughter, this time about university graduation, future plans, how it feels to set out on a new phase in life, and some of the things learned while studying to become a teacher. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Jul 01, 2024•59 min
As a non-Japanese English teacher in Japan, there are a million ways to shoot oneself in the foot…or worse. We look at some of the pitfalls that lie in wait when dealing with administration, staff, colleagues, and students. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Jun 01, 2024•1 hr 24 min
It’s week three, and the course you so painstakingly crafted over the break is, well, tanking. We talk about what you can do to reboot. Never give up. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
May 01, 2024•1 hr 11 min
We talk a little about last month’s podcast, and then it’s WELCOME TO RETIREMENT for Charles. Sayonara lectures, student workshops, expectations, predictions, adjustments - it’s a packed episode, even without an April Fool joke. Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Apr 01, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Japan vs. Mexico. No, not the flop sport where players can’t use their hands. We talk with Prof. Alison Kitzman, now at Arkansas State University, Querétaro, about the differences and similarities in teaching English to students in Japan and in Mexico. There are surprises. And dogs. ASU - Queretaro https://astate.edu.mx/ Kindai University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindai\_University Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr 8 min
A discussion on traditional and new forms of cheating, motivations for cheating, how to deal with cheating (with or without institutional support), and a perhaps overly optimistic hope of prevention. Bonus links: - All the Times Students Thought They Got Away With Cheating but Were Very, Very Wrong https://www.weareteachers.com/bad-cheating-stories - 19 Stories From Teachers Who Caught Their Students Cheating In Incredibly Extra Ways https://www.pupperish.com/students-caught-cheating Full notes ...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Instead of a look back at 2023, we examine how teaching English in Japan has changed since we stepped off a plane and into a classroom many years ago–and what hasn’t. Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます！ Full notes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Jan 01, 2024•1 hr 8 min
In a pre-holiday frenzy, we tackle three not-so-mini-topics: - Syllabus preparation - Grading preparation - About that winter break Happy holidays, everyone! Full notes and past episodes can be found here: Two Teachers Talking: twoteacherstalking.org
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Charles talks with his former student Taishi Watanabe about teaching English, and what it's like returning to school after working. Mentioned: Hattie, J. (2003). Teachers make a difference: What is the research evidence? Australian Council for Educational Research Melbourne. Lukianoff, G., & Haidt, J. (2015, August 11). The Coddling of the American Mind. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/ Haidt, J. & Lukianoff, G. ...
Nov 01, 2023•52 min
We take a second look at AI and ChatGPT, how they’re changing our teaching worlds, and suggest some ways to ease adaptation. Be sure to take a look at the list of works we used to create the podcast (on website). Appearance on the list is no indication of endorsement, and quality of the items is all over the map. Some educators asked for their ideas exhibit little understanding of what AI and GPT are. We can learn from that, too. My short list: Ferlazzo, Mills and Goodlad, Mollick, Qamar, Shippe...
Oct 01, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Tony and Charles struggle with that question and discuss the best ways to reach our students. It’s not simple. Mentioned, previous episodes: - 154 Desirable Difficulties - November 2022 - 130 Learning Styles - November 2020 - 118 Great Expectations Revisited - January 2020 - 60 Great Expectations - March 2015
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 5 min
We discuss the value of mixing it up - using diverse deliveries, approaches, methods, activities, tasks, media, teachers. See also: 154 Desirable Difficulties and 130 Learning Styles.
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Charles talks once more with an elementary education major at a university. They talk about her experiences working with a resource teacher, dealing with tech that doesn't work, and an upcoming summer school teaching gig.
Jul 01, 2023•57 min
While Charles recovers from his bout with COVID, Tony interviews one of his former Osaka University students, Rin Takahashi, in Querétaro, Mexico. What’s she doing there? Taking a year off and traveling around the world.
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 1 min
We can confirm that, yes, there are classes that are just BAD. For most of us those are few and far between, but we’ve all had one - or will.What can you do when it’s your turn? There are things you can do, and there are elements beyond your control. We hash it out.
May 01, 2023•1 hr 15 min
We look at another teacher movie: Stand and Deliver (Ramón Menendez, 1988). Based on a true story of success at an inner-city Los Angeles high school. Related: - Episode 60 Great Expectations, March 2015 - Episode 118, Great Expectations Revisited, January 2020 - Jaime Escalante Forever https://youtu.be/mX0jKFd0KEk
Apr 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min
158. Dead Poets Society This month we are going to make some folks angry. We look at one of the landmark teaching/teacher movies and conclude…well…have a listen. If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumbered here While these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend: If you pardon, we will mend: And, as I am an honest Puck, If we have unearned luck Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, We ...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Well, maybe it's the time of year Or maybe it's the time of man I don't know who l am But you know life is for learning Joni Mitchel, “Woodstock” The days are short, temps are cold, energy is low, tempers may be short…several icons to us older folk already have passed as the new year begins. And if you read the news… Oh, yeah, and that pandemic thing. Lots of us - teachers and students - are DOWN. Let’s just say the word. Depression. As a teacher, you’re more vulnerable than most. How does it hi...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 10 min
The sky is falling! Or, so you’d think from the reaction to Open AI’s public release of its ChatGPT "thing.” Tony and Charles try to make sense of what it is and what it isn’t and how it will and won’t change what we do in our teaching and in our students’ learning. It’s our goodbye to 2022 and our hello to 2023. Pedals down. Happy new year! あけましておめでとう！今年もよろしく！ Links: What is ChatGPT?: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-chatgpt/473664/ Lemme look: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/ Human ...
Jan 01, 2023•1 hr 10 min
It’s holiday time for lots of people, and for most of them/us, that means buying gifts…and hopefully receiving, some, as well. Here’s our brainstorm session of gifts for the teacher in your life. As for your favorite podcasters, cash will do nicely.
Dec 01, 2022•1 hr 2 min
“OK, let’s make this a little harder,” says Duo the Owl to us every day. We take a look at how some counter-intuitive practices can improve learning by tricking the brain to try harder. No, we’re not neurologists. But we have a podcast. Sans Forgetica - YouTube: https://youtu.be/CEXzSehu5HM Sans Forgetica - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sans\_forgetica Why Making Learning More Difficult Improves Your Skill Development - Erik Hamre: https://hamre-erik.medium.com/desirable-difficulty-wh...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 5 min
