Crafting Disney's Stories: Lessons in Communication from Allen Babiarz-Lira In Season 9, Episode 18 of My Disney Class Podcast, Ryan Boeckman and Howie DiBlasi welcome special guest Allen Babiarz-Lira, a college professor of communication at Saint Xavier University. With over 10 years of teaching experience, Allen brings a wealth of knowledge to the discussion. He holds a bachelor's degree in media communication and a master's degree in communication and training from Governors State University ...
Apr 14, 2024•1 hr 3 min
In Season 9, Episode 17 of My Disney Class Podcast, co-hosts Ryan Boeckman and Howie DiBlasi embark on an intriguing exploration of the top ten urban legends about Disney and education. Delving into the realm of myth and mystery, Ryan and Howie uncover fascinating stories and rumors that have circulated within the Disney and educational communities. From supposed hidden messages in Disney films to legendary tales of innovative teaching methods inspired by Disney magic, the hosts dissect each urb...
Mar 31, 2024•1 hr•Season 9Ep. 17
In Episode 16 of Season 9, hosts Ryan Boeckman and Howie DiBlasi welcome special guest Professor Bob Abbott to My Disney Class podcast. Professor Abbott brings a wealth of experience as an instructor in Project Management, Visual Thinking, and Business Analysis at McGill University Centre for Continuing Education, with over 15 years of teaching under his belt. Additionally, he boasts over 30 years of Information and Technology expertise in the telecommunications industry, making him a seasoned e...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 9Ep. 16
AI Magic: From Disney to the Classroom In the latest installment of Season 9, airing on March 1st hosts Howie and Ryan embark on an intriguing exploration of the role of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Disney company and its potential applications in the field of education. They begin by delving into how Disney has effectively integrated AI technologies across various facets of its operations, leveraging them to enhance guest experiences and streamline processes. From interactive chatbot...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr•Season 9Ep. 15
Cody Havard, Being a Fan of Disney In this special interview episode, hosts Howie DiBlasi and Ryan Boeckman are joined by Dr. Cody Havard, a professor at The University of Memphis. Dr. Havard's diverse creative projects, ranging from comic books to podcasting, are explored, along with the launch of his latest endeavor, "Being a Fan of Disney: The Book," and "The Perspectives Files" on Kindle Vella. Listeners are encouraged to connect with Dr. Havard's work through various channels, including sub...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Can You Feel The Love Tonight In this special February episode of My Disney Class, co-hosted by Howie DiBlasi and Ryan Boeckman, the focus is on the captivating ways Walt Disney World cast members demonstrate care towards their guests and how we can apply this to our schools. The discussion unfolds with an exploration of various customer service techniques employed by Disney cast members, from warm greetings at the park gates to creating a welcoming atmosphere that makes guests feel at home. Tyi...
Feb 03, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Inspiring Magic, One Child at a Time with Emily Gathman. 0 Nov 15, 2021 In today’s Replay episode of My Disney Class Podcast, Ryan and Howie welcome Emily Gathman again. Emily is a 6th grade Science teacher at Bussey Middle School in Garland Texas. She loves to inspire her students to be creative problem-solvers as they tackle real-world Science and engineering problems in her classroom. Emily was recognized in 2021 as the Bussey Middle School's, Teacher of the year which as you will see in this...
Jan 15, 2024•59 min•Season 9Ep. 12
Welcome back, educators and Disney enthusiasts, to another exciting episode of My Disney Class! In this episode, hosts Ryan and Howie dive into the latest happenings at Walt Disney World for the new year. Join them as they explore the plusses and minuses of the various changes and share their perspectives. Additionally, the hosts discuss New Year's resolutions for education in 2024, providing insights and goals for the upcoming academic year. Howie and Ryan start by discussing the latest develop...
Dec 31, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 9Ep. 11
Welcome to another magical episode of My Disney Class! In this episode, co-host Howie DiBlasi's son, Mark DiBlasi, takes the stage to delve into the exciting gaming world in the classroom. Join us as Mark shares his insights on incorporating board games into educational settings and valuable tips on building a cost-effective game library for your students. Mark starts off the show with a brief introduction and gives us a quick background on himself which includes his connection to education and ...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 9Ep. 10
Wishes for Education Today, Howie and Ryan are looking at Disney’s newest film “Wish.” The movie unfolds in the kingdom of Rosas, where King Magnifico possesses the ability to grant wishes, collecting and protecting them until the time is right. As 17-year-old Asha aims to become Magnifico's apprentice, she discovers the king's deceptive practices and sets out to reclaim her family's wishes with the help of an anthropomorphic ball of light named Star. Howie and Ryan draw parallels between the fi...
Dec 01, 2023•57 min•Season 9Ep. 9
Today, Howie and Ryan are diving into the enchanting world of Disney as they celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company. Ryan and Howie spend the beginning of this episode reflecting on the journey of the Walt Disney Company over the past century. They discuss how Disney has evolved, innovated, and continued to captivate audiences worldwide. They also look at Disney’s notable moments, characters, and milestones that have defined the Disney legacy! In the second half of this episo...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 9Ep. 8
In today’s episode of My Disney Class Podcasts, Howie and Ryan welcome back a friend, a Disney expert, an author, and an all-around great guy, Mr. Jeff Dixon. Jeff is the author of the Key to the Kingdom series, which is a fictional series of four books that follows the adventures of Grayson Hawkes as he attempts to solve a complicated series of puzzles laid out by none other than the man himself, Walt Disney. If you want to know more about Jeff and hear the discussion about one of his other boo...
Oct 15, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 5Ep. 12
Destination D Announcements Today, Howie and Ryan discuss the recent announcements made by the Walt Disney Company at their Destination D event in Orlando. Ryan and Howie look to the future as some of these events that have been announced are currently happening, and some won’t happen for a few months to years. While looking at these announcements, Howie and Ryan ask themselves how these changes may enhance the opportunities for enriching our classrooms that Disney already provides. They talk ab...
Sep 29, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 9Ep. 5
Today, we have a very special guest who's making a difference in the world of education, Heidi von Marbod. She's a dedicated special education teacher in the CCPT program in the Cheney School District in Cheney, WA. Heidi works with students who have met all high school graduation requirements and are 18-21 years of age. Her students have or are working toward independence in transportation skills and may require independent living skills. Her students participate in vocational opportunities to ...
Sep 15, 2023•54 min•Season 9Ep. 4
In today’s episode of My Disney Class Podcast, Ryan and Howie continue where they left off looking back at all eight seasons of My Disney Class Podcast and picking some of their favorite episodes that they think would be a good listen at the start of the new school year. Listen as they share which episodes they picked and why listening to them may help you in the wonderful new school year you are approaching or maybe even already started! This episode we definitely also work in our excitement fo...
Aug 30, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 9Ep. 3
In this heartwarming episode of My Disney Class, Ryan and Howie dive into the world of special education and autism programs. Our guest, Taylor Norton, is a dedicated special education teacher at South Mesa Elementary School in Pueblo, CO. With her expertise and passion, she leads the autism program for students from kindergarten to 5th grade. Join us as we explore how Taylor incorporates the magic of Disney into her teaching methods and creates an inclusive and nurturing environment for her stu...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 9Ep. 2
In today’s episode of My Disney Class Podcast, Howie and Ryan start to prepare for the new school year. They went back and looked at all the My Disney Class Podcast episodes over the past eight seasons and thought, “Which of these episodes would best prepare teachers as they head back to school?” Listen as they share which episodes they picked and why listening to them may help you in the wonderful new school year you are approaching or maybe even already started! Ryan and Howie also look forwar...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 9Ep. 1
Get Me Coding With Fred Aebli In today’s My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie are excited to welcome Mr. Fred Aebli! Fred is an instructor and program co-coordinator of internships at Penn State University and is also the creator and owner of GetMeCoding.com. Fred also served as a Major in the United States Marine Corps for 11 years. Fred has taught in the higher education world for almost two decades where he has applied a lifetime of experiences as a software and database developer,...
Jul 19, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Season 8Ep. 24
Patriotic Disney In today’s My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie embark on an exciting discussion about the most patriotic attractions at Walt Disney World and how they can be utilized in the classroom. Join us as we dive into the magical world of Disney, where history, storytelling, and education come together to inspire students. Ryan and Howie begin by highlighting some of the most patriotic attractions at Walt Disney World, where the spirit of America shines through. Main Street, ...
Jun 28, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 8Ep. 23
Transitioning Magic To High School With Kevin Roughton. In today’s My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie are excited to welcome back, Kevin Roughton. Kevin is a history teacher at Patriot high school in Jurupa California. He also is an educational speaker, and author of the book Teach With Magic. Use Disney Imagineering Techniques To Make Your Classroom The Most Engaging Place On Earth! On the show today, Kevin talks to us about how he has been working to transition from the middle sch...
Jun 15, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 8Ep. 23
In today's My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie are again excited to explore Disney's magic through an educational lens. Howie and Ryan, delve into the educational opportunities provided by Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom Park which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Ryan and Howie begin by acknowledging the special milestone of Animal Kingdom Park and discuss the park's evolution since its opening in 1998. They also highlight the park's unique focus on conservation, environ...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 8Ep. 21
In today's My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie welcome back one of our favorite guests, the always-inspiring Jerry Johnson. Jerry is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Strategic Public Relations at Buena Vista University. Jerry has produced and directed various documentaries, short films, corporate videos, news specials, and promotions. Under his direction, the Digital Media students at Buena Vista have received many awards for their work in these areas. Many most importantl...
May 18, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 8Ep. 20
In today’s My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie celebrate that special holiday, May 4th. That’s right, May the fourth be with you! Star Wars fans across the globe celebrate May 4th as Star Wars Day and on today’s episode, Howie and Ryan wanted to celebrate too by sharing ways that you can bring Star Wars into your classroom. In a galaxy not too far away, Ryan and Howie have some ideas on how to bring some of that galactic magic that Lucus films, and now Disney does so well with ideas ...
May 01, 2023•58 min•Season 8Ep. 19
Design Academy-With Ryan
Apr 15, 2023•55 min•Season 8Ep. 18
Remembering Rolly Crump In today’s My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie reflect and remember the contributions of the legendary Rolly Crump. At the age of 93, Roland “Rolly” Crump passed away peacefully in his home in Carlsbad CA on March 12, 2023. Most of us Disney fans know Rolly through his contributions to famous classic Disney attractions like Small World, The Haunted Mansion, and The Enchanted Tiki Room but Rolly’s unique and whimsical style and art can be seen in a variety of w...
Apr 01, 2023•1 hr 56 min•Season 8Ep. 16
In today’s episode of My Disney Class Podcast, Ryan and Howie discuss how Walt motivated his Imagineers and other staff. Of course we all have some experience with either needing motivation, having to motivate, or wishing for believers in our work in education. In our discussion today, let’s look at some of the traits that has been reported about Walt Disney and see if we can make some connections and grabs some inspiration for our own schools and staff! In this episode, Howie and Ryan will shar...
Mar 16, 2023•58 min•Season 7Ep. 19
Celebrate Soulfully In today’s My Disney Class Podcast episode, Howie and Ryan discuss Black History Month. They look at how it’s celebrated at Walt Disney World and how and how it can be observed in schools. Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada and more recently has been observed in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It began a...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 8Ep. 15
Edmagineering Education Conference In today’s My Disney Class Podcast episode, Howie and Ryan welcome an old friend and a brand new friend to the show. Brian Collins is a former Imagineer who has worked with Ryan and Howie for almost eight years now and the three are uniting forces with an incredible educator named Erin King. Erin was on My Disney Class Podcast last year and she talked all about her passion for education and how she built a highly successful conference for teachers called The Ha...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 8Ep. 14
Best Educational Experiences At WDW In today's My Disney Class Podcast episode, Howie and Ryan discuss some of their favorite educational attractions at Walt Disney World. Most people when they think of Disney, think of a place that is just for fun but it also has many attractions and programs that are geared toward learning about other cultures, the arts, and the environment. Not to mention that a lot of parents wonder if taking their kids out of school for a Disney World vacation is a good ide...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr•Season 8Ep. 13
Walt's Pilgrimage with Christopher Tremblay In today's My Disney Class Podcast episode, Ryan and Howie welcome Dr. Christopher Tremblay to the show. Christopher currently serves as Director of Admissions & Recruiting for Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan. He earned his doctorate of education in educational leadership from the University of Michigan in 2014 and has a post-master's certificate in enrollment management from Capella University. Chri...
Jan 14, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 8Ep. 12
