How familiar are you with the kindness movement known as Ben’s Bells? In this week’s episode you will have a chance to learn more about the visible and emotional work of the Ben’s Bells movement in Tucson, AZ from the organization’s Director of Education, Laura Groenwald, PhD. Ben’s Bells was founded by Jeannette Maré as an incredible tribute to her son that has continued through moments of kindness. In this week’s podcast, we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to learn about micro ...
Mar 07, 2019•28 min
Stephanie Parra, a first-generation American citizen, who was born and raised in Yuma, AZ has cultivated her passion for student success in many ways throughout her career. From Stephanie’s experiences, we hope you will learn more about what contributes to post-secondary success and how we can all work together to prepare students for life after their PK-12 experiences. On this week’s podcast, you will learn what brought Parra to the Phoenix Union School Board, how she began her work with the Ar...
Feb 28, 2019•37 min
As our task lists lengthen and personal time seems less available than ever before, we often forget the importance of self-care. This week we are going back into the vault from the first season of 3Ps in a Pod for a powerful interview with Marian Mellen . Marian is a professional coach and speaker devoted to teaching others ways to bring self-love, personal care, and mindfulness to daily living. Donnie and Danielle start today’s conversation highlighting ways they have been consciously applying ...
Feb 21, 2019•28 min
This week’s episode is not only informative, but you will have an opportunity to get to know Chris Kotterman of the Arizona School Boards Association on a personal level. Listen in to find out about his hobbies like band and scuba diving! Donnie and Angelia have an in depth conversation with Mr. Kotterman about the impact of extra curricular activities in schools and how they are funded at local levels. This week we also explore what is currently happening at the Arizona State Legislature around...
Feb 14, 2019•26 min
Did you know that the concept of digital citizenship is evolving? LeeAnn Lindsey, from EdVolve , joins Danielle and Mary as they discuss the history of digital citizenship and where it is headed in relationship to student learning and access. Check out LeeAnn’s recent blog post on this topic titled, The Evolution of Digital Citizenship . LeeAnn also shares the connection between digital citizenship and the role it plays in creating equitable outcomes for all students in our school communities. L...
Feb 07, 2019•31 min
Elama Dzanic joins Angelia and Mary to continue the conversation around school safety. Elma champions the idea that the level of connectedness our students feel to our school communities, both emotionally and socially, is just as important as a student’s academic success. She emphasizes that it is the the authentic relationships created among and between students and adults in a school community that develops safety and security. Elma calls upon us to assess our own biases and to hold space for ...
Jan 31, 2019•25 min
Mary Field and guest host, Elma Dzanic, discuss the topic of school safety with Dr. Carl Hermanns. Dr. Hermanns has vast experience in and across education organizations serving as an educator, principal, assistant superintendent, and now professor at Mary Lou Fulton in the division of educational leadership and innovation. On this episode, we explore school safety data and a historical timeline of the federal government's response in an attempt to mitigate active school shooters post Columbine....
Jan 24, 2019•35 min
Welcome back to our Spring Semester! Today, we highlight a previous interview we had with Jaime Casap at the end of our third season. Danielle and Mary emphasize that the messages Casap provides are more timely than ever at this point in the school year. Casap, Chief Education Evangelist at Google, chats with Danielle and Mary about what it was like being raised as a first-generation American in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. The Arizona resident and father of three says education has the ability to ...
Jan 17, 2019•33 min
Season four concludes with an invigorating conversation featuring Columbia University lead staff developer, Cornelius Minor. The Brooklyn educator joins Mary and Danielle to talk about equity and his educational journey that includes hip hop, video games, and so much more. The self-proclaimed “warrior-nerd for the cause of beautiful learning” shares insights from his recent book, We Got This . We’re thrilled to announce Minor will join us at the Fourteenth Annual Teacher Leadership Institute (TL...
Nov 29, 2018•25 min
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s our privilege to reintroduce to you the 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year, Kareem Neal. The self-contained special education teacher from Maryvale High School in the Phoenix Union High School District is no stranger to #3PsinaPod; check out S4 Episode 8: Supporting Students with Special Needs Across Environments for a refresher. Today, Neal tells Danielle and Angelia about his journey as a teacher leader. Since receiving the title, the New Jersey native has been swarmed...
Nov 15, 2018•17 min
Do you have trouble sitting still for a two-hour training? Imagine how your students feel during the school day! Flexible seating doesn’t have to be complex, but it surely can impact classroom climate. By changing the physical space for students, we can prompt them to take ownership of their personal behavior and learning. This episode of #3PsinaPod showcases Yolanda Everett’s best practices and tips for success with flexible seating. The fourth-grade teacher from Sierra Vista Unified School Dis...
Nov 08, 2018•20 min
Math changes things! Today, Dr. Virginia Bastable, the former associate director of the Mathematics Leadership Programs at Mount Holyoke College, joins Donnie and Mary to discuss the importance of cultivating student curiosity. The #3PsinaPod hosts recall math challenges with their own students, which are further affirmed by Dr. Bastable’s point that when we ask kids to explain how they arrived at an answer, they think we want only words. The reality is that students need to be able to manipulat...
Nov 01, 2018•30 min
In education, what calls us to step up and speak out? As a teacher, how can you show up for the profession and your students? Today on #3PsinaPod, Nancy Flanagan shares what we need to do if we want policy leaders to hear us — it’s more than writing in our journals. The 45-year teaching veteran and published author chats with Donnie and Danielle about why blogging in today’s world can be so powerful.
Oct 25, 2018•26 min
Zaretta Hammond’s book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain , is shifting the way we think about classroom instruction. On today’s episode of #3PsinaPod, Mary and Danielle chat with the author to see why we must refrain from trying to drive our students’ learning, and in turn, allow them to take the wheel. Hammond encourages teachers to “interrupt inequity by design.” Don’t miss the chance to learn from the educator in-person in Phoenix on Nov. 8. Register now to reserve your seat. If y...
Oct 18, 2018•24 min
You’re listening to a bonus episode of #3PsinaPod. Today, we’re interviewing the Republican and Democratic candidates for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. Frank Riggs and Kathy Hoffman talk with National Board Certified Teachers Donnie Dicus and Beth Maloney about what motivated them to run for office. Individually, each candidate shares their hopes and plans for action, if elected on Nov. 6.
Oct 16, 2018•27 min
The scientific process can be daunting. How do you balance fun and content-based instruction? As 21st-century educators, we have to find a way to marry the two. This week on #3PsinaPod, Dr. John Almarode shares practical strategies and best practices for visible learning in the area of science . The author and distinguished teacher-researcher recommends modeling productive behavior for our students by deliberately weaving newly acquired knowledge into our daily lives. With that in mind, what ins...
Oct 11, 2018•35 min
Special education is a pivotal arm of our learning communities. As educators, are we truly aware of all that goes into individualized education programs (IEPs)? Whether we think about it daily or not, laws have been put in place for all students, including those with special needs. This week on #3PsinaPod, we talk pedagogy, policy, and best practices with two Arizona special education teachers, Hannah Jones and Kareem Neal. Mary and Donnie kick off the episode with a fun and inquisitive game. Li...
Oct 04, 2018•29 min
Although allies in education might seem few and far between, there are notable groups who rally for the cause. This week on #3PsinaPod, Angelia and Donnie speak with the CEO and President of Expect More Arizona, Christine Thompson. The longtime education and policy loyalist shares the organization’s mission and current commitments to making the state better for all. Thompson states the group is about “advocacy without the colors. We all want to do what’s right by our kids, strengthening our stat...
Sep 27, 2018•29 min
If you’re in need of a professional pep talk, we’ve got a dose for you. This week, Donnie and Angelia talk to three experienced teachers to hear what fuels their passion and practice. Beth Maloney, Sara Wyffels, and Anthony Perez discuss their paths toward education and the importance of having an enduring, positive professional disposition. The trio tells us how to boost peer and personal morale, even on the worst (and best) days. When challenges occur, together, we have to address negativity, ...
Sep 20, 2018•31 min
With elections around the corner, today’s #3PsinaPod guests share the importance of civic engagement. Angelia and Donnie discuss what it means to be an informed and active citizen with Nancie Lindblom, a teaching veteran from Mesa Public Schools, and Christie Megura, a National Board Certified Teacher from Arizona State University Preparatory Academy. All four share the importance of respectful discourse and agency to promote accountability. Don’t miss this week’s supplemental resource , which y...
Sep 13, 2018•31 min
Two words: teacher retention. If there was a fairy godmother or magic genie in the world of Arizona education, this might be the first wish we’d want granted. Today, Danielle and Angelia talk about the supports that have kept them in the profession. The #3PsinaPod hosts hear from Arizona State University’s Senior Policy Analyst at the Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Dan Hunting. The principal author of “Finding and Keeping Educators for Arizona’s Classrooms” explains the outcomes of the re...
Sep 06, 2018•19 min
Settle in because we have a very special guest on #3PsinaPod today. Angelia and Mary chat with professor, researcher, and expert Dr. John Hattie about the truths behind visible learning. Teachers’ own willingness to grow is pivotal to student success and professional disposition is crucial. Dr. Hattie recommends pondering what it means to be a learner in our contexts, so we can prompt students to become more than creatures of compliance. As educators, how can we get students to become their own ...
Aug 30, 2018•24 min
We’re settling into the school year, which means our classroom management skills must be sharper than ever. Today, the author of Real Talk about Classroom Management, Serena Pariser, joins us to talk about her favorite techniques for student engagement. She’s a wealth of knowledge and her advice is sound (and simple). Join in on the conversation with Danielle and Angelia to learn ways to captivate student attention all year long. You might be surprised to hear it’s as simple as the way you start...
Aug 23, 2018•30 min
School is back in session and so is “3Psin a Pod.” We kickstart our latest season with a show all about new teachers. Even if you’re not a novice educator, keep listening — our guests share what you can do to help those newest to the profession. Angelina Cook, a kindergarten teacher from the Paradise Valley Unified School District, and James King, a freshman English teacher from the Glendale Union High School District, talk about trials and triumphs from their first years in the classroom. We’re...
Aug 16, 2018•40 min
What better time to talk about the power of teachers than during Teacher Appreciation Week 2018? Today, Jaime Casap, the Chief Education Evangelist at Google, chats with Danielle and Mary about what it was like being raised as a first-generation American in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. The Arizona resident and father of three says education has the ability to disrupt poverty and change a family’s destiny. Casap preaches, “There is no more passionate workforce than teachers.” Thanks for joining us f...
May 10, 2018•30 min
In education, the words “testing, evaluations, and budgets” might cause you to shudder. Fortunately, Chris Kotterman schools us on what each looks like in the context of Arizona’s K-12 education system. Listen, as our hosts, Angelia and Donnie, reflect on their experiences with teacher evaluations and discuss current events at the Legislature. In his own words, the Director of Governmental Relations for the Arizona School Boards Association says, “K-12 education is full of unique and caring indi...
May 03, 2018•35 min
Arizona educators are organizing and mobilizing. The Grand Canyon state is now known for having the lowest teacher pay in the nation and questionable public-school funding. Save Our Schools (SOS) Arizona is an organization created to communicate the impact of education on the future of our state. Today, Angelia and Mary chat with “3Ps in a Pod” guest, Beth Lewis. The Tempe educator shares why she and a group of bold individuals banded together to create SOS. What first began as a movement to fig...
Apr 26, 2018•29 min
Are your students giving high fives and fist pumping after solving a word problem? They should be! As teachers, can we make math more engaging. Dr. Mike Flynn is with us on “3Ps in a Pod” to share how we can help students see a real-life situation and mathematize it. Also, he reminds us there’s an important balance to strike between making tasks fun and intentional. Let’s see if we can’t get our students to go home and brag about what they did in math class. Even better, let’s create memorable m...
Apr 19, 2018•28 min
School choice is hot topic, especially in Arizona. Today, Mary and Donnie talk about students’ diverse needs and learning styles, and how that relates to equity. Mary reminds us that individuals don’t need to travel to an entirely different school to receive a different learning experience — teachers can customize learning environments to mold the students they serve. Today, the co-host duo chats with Yolanda Wheelington, a Montessori teacher from the Phoenix Elementary School District. The firs...
Apr 12, 2018•27 min
Playful and dirty probably aren’t adjectives that come to mind when you say math out loud. However, today’s “3Ps in a Pod” guest, John San Giovanni, says we need to freshen up the way students approach the subject. Regardless of who you are and where you go, math principles don’t change, but the understanding, access, and application will. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to solve problems and even more ways to teach math. Listen, as Donnie and Danielle chat with the math guru about how we c...
Apr 05, 2018•23 min
