One year ago, the Arizona Department of Education and Northern Arizona University came together to announce the creation of the Arizona Teacher Residency. Housed within the Arizona K12 Center, the Arizona Teacher Residency now has its first cohort of residents working in the classrooms of supervising teachers in Osborn, Roosevelt, and Tempe Elementary school districts. Today, you’ll hear from one resident and supervising teacher pair about their experience with the program so far. 3Ps in a Pod h...
Nov 03, 2022•31 min
Just three days after being named the 2023 Arizona Teacher of the Year, chemistry teacher Ty White joined us for a conversation about what brought him into teaching, how he approaches his practice, and about receiving this exciting honor. 3Ps in a Pod host Josh Meibos welcomes Ty White to the podcast, who talks through the evening he was named the Arizona Educational Foundation ’s 2023 Arizona Teacher of the Year and shares about the significance of having two of his elementary school teachers j...
Oct 27, 2022•32 min
Arizona has been in a teacher shortage for years, and today we explore this issue with Dr. Richard Ingersoll , a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and expert on the K-12 teaching force, about what he sees as the foundational issues of this shortage and what steps may help us move forward. Ingersoll is recognized for his research in teacher turnover and workplace trends and the impact of beginning teacher induction and mentoring. In this episode, he shares with hosts Kathleen and Kathy ...
Oct 20, 2022•29 min
Today, we’re focusing in on special area teachers and classes by welcoming an art teacher, music teacher, and physical education teacher to the podcast to discuss the importance of these special areas and what they’d like other educators to know. Hosts Josh and Donnie welcome to the podcast Kyle Bragg, an elementary physical education in Scottsdale Unified School District, Rusty Carle-Ogren, a middle school band in Sahuarita Unified District, and Jen Pulbratek, a high school ceramics teacher in ...
Oct 13, 2022•37 min
Be inspired by the five teacher leaders on today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod. The five semifinalists from the Arizona Educational Foundation’s 2023 Teacher of the Year consideration join us to share about their teaching journeys, the affirmation they’ve received through this recognition, and what they hope to do with their platform. The 2023 Teacher of the Year semifinalists are Jaime Camero, who teaches at Douglas Elementary in Flowing Wells Unified School District; Zel Fowler, who teaches at Eme...
Oct 06, 2022•34 min
How do we turn behavior into a teachable moment? That’s a primary question that Dominique Smith, Doug Fisher, and Nancy Frey address in The Restorative Practices Playbook . In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, Dr. Dominique Smith joins hosts Paula and Kathy to talk about restorative practices and how he went from being a naysayer to an advocate for this work. Dr. Dominique Smith shares about how his own experiences as a student and as a teacher influenced his journey with restorative practice and wh...
Sep 29, 2022•29 min
What is drawing Arizona’s future teachers to education, and what are these aspiring teachers’ hopes and fears about teaching here? That’s what we’re talking about today with two Northern Arizona University education students and one of their education professors. Hosts Josh and Juliana welcome NAU College of Education students Alexa Negrete and Ainsley Brubaker and Associate Clinical Professor of Educational Studies Michelle Novelli to the podcast to talk about their excitement about the world o...
Sep 22, 2022•28 min
As educators, we strive to build a safe and supportive environment for all our students as well as our colleagues. In this extended episode, you’ll hear from a few Arizona educators who identify as gay or lesbian and a former teacher whose son came out as gay during his middle school years as we together discuss the LGBTQ+ experience within the world of education. Host Donnie welcomes Maria and Mike to the podcast to share about the bright moments and the challenges they’ve experienced because o...
Sep 15, 2022•1 hr 11 min
If you miss having a four-legged friend with you at school every day, you may love this episode. Today, we’re exploring the Pawsitive Peers Foundation school therapy dog program in Mesa Public Schools, which allows staff to adopt local shelter dogs and train them to be certified therapy dogs. Mesa Public Schools boasts one of the largest in-school dog therapy programs in the country, and hosts Daniela and Kathleen talk with dog lover and 2022 Arizona Teacher of the Year Nancy Parra-Quinlan about...
Sep 08, 2022•39 min
In recognition of National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools on September 30, we are discussing the history of American Indian boarding schools and the continued legacy of this part of our history. Hosts Daniela and Donnie welcome Marcus Monenerkit from the Heard Museum to the podcast to speak about the history of American Indian boarding schools and the Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories exhibit at the Heard Museum. Monenerkit shares about what students an...
Sep 01, 2022•34 min
You know how important it is to build strong relationships with students, and it’s just as important for mentors to build that trust and rapport with teachers. Today, hosts Kathleen and Paula talk with Treva Jenkins from Maricopa Unified School District about how to build those strong relationships with new teachers to best support their growth and confidence in the classroom. Jenkins, a beginning teacher mentor who also teaches a class of students, shares how she prioritizes relationship-buildi...
Aug 25, 2022•27 min
You may not know a “kickflip” from an “ollie,” but today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod may make you want to grab a board and start exploring how the skills you can learn skateboarding can apply to other parts of life. Extracurricular activities can be a crucial part of both students’ and teachers’ school experience, and today we’re going to be looking at how one particular program, Skate After School, has shaped students’ and staff’s experience in Balsz Elementary School District and beyond. Hosts K...
Aug 18, 2022•34 min•Season 12Ep. 2
The 22-23 school year has kicked off, so we’re back with another great season of 3Ps in a Pod! Today, we’re talking about how to develop those strong, caring relationships in your classroom with three fantastic Arizona teachers and providing you with ideas for how to start this school year off strong with a safe and successful classroom. Hosts Kathy Wiebke, NBCT, and Paula Watkins, NBCT, welcome Aminah Abdelhaq, NBCT, of Mesa Public Schools, Gabby Chai, NBCT, of Tucson Unified School District, a...
Aug 11, 2022•37 min
When you hear about using data in your teaching practice, you may think about test scores, but Shane Safir and Dr. Jamila Dugan are expanding our idea about data and how we can use it to support our students and our teaching. Safir and Dugan are the co-authors of Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation and will be speaking at this summer’s Teacher Leadership Institute. In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, they talk with co-hosts Paula, Marlys, and Kathlee...
May 05, 2022•47 min
Welcome a new school principal and a new co-host of 3Ps in a Pod to today’s episode! New co-host Paula joins Marlys to talk with first-year principal Biju Padmanabhan about his transition from the classroom to leading a school community and what he’s learned through the past year. Padmanabhan is the principal of Gililland Middle School in Tempe Elementary School District and has worked to uplift the others around him through his leadership style. He shares with Paula and Marlys about what it mea...
Apr 21, 2022•23 min
Tony Vincent is a familiar face at Arizona K12 Center’s technology events and will again be “the cruise director” at this summer’s Camp Plug and Play. In this episode, Vincent shares the history of Camp Plug and Play and gives an overview of the returning strands “campers” can explore in depth this summer – Get Google Certified, Making HyperDocs, and Making Media – and introduces this year’s two new strands, Gamify Learning and New and Notable Tech Destinations. He also talks about what to do wh...
Apr 07, 2022•26 min
Trevor MacKenzie is back on 3Ps on a Pod to talk with hosts Kathleen and Marlys about inquiry-based learning and what that truly looks like in the classroom. MacKenzie is a teacher, author, and speaker focused on the power of inquiry in learning. He will also be leading this summer’s 2nd Annual ATA Beginning Teacher Institute. MacKenzie talks with Kathleen and Marlys about what inquiry-based learning is and how it looks different than classes that aren’t inquiry-based. He speaks to the values th...
Mar 24, 2022•21 min
Inspired by Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s book The Power of Moments , Dr. Mike Flynn has focused his work on how to create meaningful experiences for learners. In this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, he talks with hosts Donnie and Danielle about his exploration into making memorable moments in the math class and how he’ll help others explore that this summer through the Arizona K12 Center. Flynn is the Director of Mathematics Leadership Programs at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and will be leadin...
Mar 10, 2022•31 min
Note: This episode of 3Ps in a Pod was recorded before the February 21, 2022, vote by the Arizona Senate on the Aggregate Expenditure Limit. As education policy is continually in flux, especially during the legislative session, check out the resources listed below or a local news source to be the most up-to-date on education legislation and policy. More than 230 bills related to K-12 education were introduced into the Arizona Legislature this session and, as of early February, 88 were still acti...
Feb 24, 2022•30 min
For more than 20 years, Julie Kasper, NBCT, has been teaching and supporting refugee students and families. In today’s episode, she talks with hosts Marlys and Donnie about the role Arizona schools and teachers can take in supporting refugee and other displaced students in our communities. Kasper is now a Refugee Educator Academy Program Manager for Childhood Education International but started as a classroom teacher. She shares about her own experiences as a teacher working with refugee student...
Feb 10, 2022•35 min
Sean Ross from the Arizona Department of Education joins co-hosts Danielle and Kathleen to talk about the state’s new reading endorsement for grades K-5 . Ross is Deputy Associate Superintendent of Academic Standards for the Arizona Department of Education and brings his deep passion for literacy and reading and supporting all of Arizona’s learners to today’s conversation. Ross shares about the impact of a strong reading background in his own life before reviewing Arizona’s literacy data and exp...
Jan 27, 2022•34 min
We are kicking off the new year and our 11th season of 3Ps in a Pod by welcoming Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Dr. Kathy Wiebke, NBCT. Kathy joins co-hosts Marlys and Kathleen to reflect on the highs and lows that made up 2021 and shares about what she is looking forward to in 2022. She mentions several accomplishments by the Arizona K12 Center in the past year, including expanding the Arizona New Teacher Support Program to 22 sites and introducing the Arizona Teacher Residency. Kathy al...
Jan 13, 2022•19 min
If you haven’t heard already, the Arizona K12 Center is the home of the brand new Arizona Teacher Residency! This is a first-of-its-kind graduate program in Arizona, modeled after medical residencies, to help recruit, prepare, support, and retain K-12 teachers. The two-year program aims to prepare aspiring teachers with a rigorous graduate education, a yearlong classroom apprenticeship, and ongoing professional learning through the Arizona K12 Center. In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Ma...
Dec 02, 2021•21 min
This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes of 3Ps in a Pod: Courageous Conversations with Glenn Singleton from April 2019. On this week’s podcast, Danielle and Angelia explore the work of Glenn Singleton and how Courageous Conversations about race can help bring about systemic change. During this conversation with Glenn, we explore the Four Agreements and the Six Conditions of Courageous Conversations as well as how these impact us in our lives and daily conversations. As you listen...
Nov 18, 2021•36 min
Prepare to be reminded of the power of education and joy of learning in this week’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod! Co-hosts Angelia and Donnie welcome on John Carlo Tulinao, known to his students as “Mr. T,” to this week’s podcast. Tulinao is a first-grade music and STEM teacher at Amberlea Elementary School in the Pendergast Elementary School District. He is also a 2022 Arizona Educational Foundation Ambassador for Excellence. Tulinao, originally from the Philippines, shares about how he became a tea...
Nov 11, 2021•31 min
Have you wanted to become more engaged in the decision-making in your school, your district, or at the state level? The Arizona K12 Center partnered with the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent to develop a toolkit of resources to equip and empower Arizona teachers with pertinent education information in order to engage and advocate for themselves, their students, and their profession. In this episode, co-hosts Angelia and Marlys talk about the importance of sharing about our pro...
Nov 04, 2021•33 min
Get to know Arizona Teacher of the Year Nancy Parra-Quinlan, NBCT, in this week’s 3Ps in a Pod! Hosts Angelia and Donnie welcome Nancy Parra-Quinlan to the podcast to share about her teacher career, her experience since being named Arizona Teacher of the Year, and what she envisions for the next year in that role. Parra-Quinlan works at Kino Junior High School in Mesa Public Schools. A career and technical education teacher at Kino, she began a STEM program that has become incredibly popular in ...
Oct 28, 2021•23 min
What do you know about teacher residency programs? These newer teacher training programs are growing in popularity across the country. Today, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Marlys and Donnie talk with Dr. Victoria Theisen-Homer about teacher residency programs and the potential for them in Arizona. Originally from Phoenix, Dr. Theisen-Homer began her career as a teacher in a large Title 1 high school in Los Angeles, where she was named Los Angeles Unified School District Teacher of the Year. She has spent t...
Oct 21, 2021•22 min
Think back on your first years in the classroom and how we can all support those newest to the profession in this episode all about the first year of teaching! 3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Kathleen start off sharing about their memories from their first years of teaching before welcoming Katee Hurst to the podcast. A first-year teacher, Hurst teaches second-grade at Faith Mathew Sossamon Elementary School in Queen Creek. As Angelia and Kathleen note, Hurst is the focus of a series of Arizona K...
Oct 14, 2021•25 min
Lloyd Hopkins is all about creating pathways of involvement for supporters of teachers. In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, he talks with hosts Danielle and Kathleen about his experience as a classroom aide and how he transitioned his professional focus to support and recognize the work of teachers. Hopkins is the CEO and founder of the Million Dollar Teacher Project. He began this organization in 2016 in an effort to provide teachers with more support, recognition, and compensation through cost...
Oct 07, 2021•28 min
