Teach Starter resource producer and Chalkboard blogger Ali Smith joins me this week. We talk about how teachers can influence our students and help them to develop a positive self image. In the uncharted territory of today's social media-driven world, the messages being sent to our kids aren't always positive. As teachers we are trusted, real adults present in our students' lives, and we possess powerful influence to change the way they see themselves and to build their resilience to survive and...
Sep 21, 2019•28 min•Season 1Ep. 79
What happened when Mr D discovered an underground betting network (of students) operating right under his nose at school!? He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dishing the dirt on teaching, kids and life in general, Joe doesn't hold back. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where...
Sep 19, 2019•6 min•Season 1Ep. 78
World Space Week is October 4-10! Have you got anything planned yet? If not, we've got you! Teach Starter has a bunch of resources and activities for students aged 5-12 in our Space and Solar System Learning Area Collection. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Need a little motivation on a Monday? Jill and Bron are experienced primary school teachers; they get it! Join them for inspiration an...
Sep 15, 2019•11 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Taylor Donnely is a young teacher with a very bright future. With the support of encouraging school administrators, Taylor has carved out a unique space for herself in her school environment as the specialist digital technologies teacher, visiting every class in her huge (thousand student) school for thirty minutes a week. But not every school has a digital technologies specialist teacher. With budgeting a constant consideration, and many departments to resource and staff, often it falls upon cl...
Sep 14, 2019•24 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Incursions... we teachers just love them! No travel, basic risk assessments, repeat visitors = bliss right? You'd think so. But what happens when you get an inexperienced instructor and you have a student who gives her a run for her money? Spoiler alert: you end up running the incursion! Listen as Mr D tells the tale. He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilario...
Sep 12, 2019•7 min•Season 1Ep. 75
Jill has taken off! She's currently over in Austin, Texas, with her Teach Starter Co-Founder/husband Scott and their two young sons. What an adventure Jill and Scott are meeting lots of American teachers, supporting them with their back to school needs, attending education shows and enjoying a northern hemisphere Summer and Autumn. Jill's also been on the lookout for some Austin celebs. Listen to hear all about their travels. oin us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we ch...
Sep 08, 2019•12 min•Season 1Ep. 74
In the world of Insta-teachers many of us have found ourselves comparing. Comparing classrooms, desks, planning, resources, displays, even one another's Instagram feeds! Sarah Sainty, AKA TeacherIsHappy, feels comfortable in the online space she's created fer herself, and says you can, too. When she's not in her classroom, Sarah loves inspiring others in her Instagram feed, and keeps it totally real in her Insta stories. Music Credit: Something I Want, Bryce Sainty (Used with permission). Join u...
Sep 07, 2019•19 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Captain Ball. Under and Over. Tunnel Ball. They're the things our childhood memories are made of... Remember Friday afternoon ball games? THE best part of the week. But what about Dodgeball? Even with strict rules in place, there's always that kid who tests the boundaries. But Mr D's students weren't about to let him ruin their game, and their team work skills brought a tear of pride to Mr D's eye. He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D)...
Sep 05, 2019•6 min•Season 1Ep. 72
One of the biggest struggles teachers face is managing their time effectively and striking a healthy balance in their lives. We all know the sense of overwhelm we feel when the to-do list grows and regenerates faster than we can keep up. Time chunking may be a solution to help reduce the stress caused by a large number of tasks requiring attention. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Need a l...
Sep 01, 2019•11 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Early Childhood teacher, Megan then studied to become a teacher librarian and later attained her Masters of innovative teaching and learning. She’s currently the teacher librarian at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School in Brisbane, Queensland. Megan has just published her first book, Raising Readers, How to Nurture a Child’s Love of Books (She says sleep is overrated). I sat with Megan to discuss the invaluable job professional teacher-librarians do in our schools, and why they're a resource we nee...
Aug 31, 2019•25 min•Season 1Ep. 70
We know by now that Mr D's classroom management style is a little bit quirky. Find out what happened when Mr D's white lie backfired, the child called his bluff, and most importantly, who won the battle of the brains. He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dishing the dirt on teaching, kids and life in ge...
Aug 29, 2019•8 min•Season 1Ep. 69
In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, how do we protect ourselves and engage authentically as individuals and educators? What are some of the cautions teachers need to take when engaging in social media conversations? How can we support our students to grow safely in the digital space? Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Need a little motivation on a Monday? Jill and Bron are experi...
Aug 25, 2019•16 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Dr Samantha Fecich, author of Edumagic, a Guide for Preservice Teachers joins me once more to talk about all things digital. In this episode Sam speaks about creating a digital portfolio, how Google is the newresume, and the dos and don'ts of online professional conduct for teachers. Sam challenges beginning teachers to see their online profiles as professional references, not personal accounts of all aspects of their lives. Follow Sam on Twitter. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Face...
Aug 24, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Imagine if your whole class science project kit turned up ALIVE?!? He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dishing the dirt on teaching, kids and life in general, Joe doesn't hold back. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests,...
Aug 22, 2019•5 min•Season 1Ep. 66
The campaign #FutureLandfill takes Ooshies Lion King characters and recreates scenes from the iconic film. At first glance, the plastic toys appear to be situated in gorgeous, natural landscapes; but upon closer inspection, you'll notice they're actually depicted in their real natural habitat, landfill sites. The Future Landfill website provides thought-provoking, conversation-igniting material for teachers to use as teaching tools. Listen to co-creator Alex Wadelton talk about the inspiration b...
Aug 21, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Bron's been clearing out her own kids' book collection and in the process, noticed some distinct themed collections. Christmas books, Pamela Allen books, rude books! Which are the kids' favourites? What do teachers think of 'rude books'. Are they a tool for reluctant readers, a gateway to literacy for early readers, or a blight on our classrooms? Find out what Bron and Jill think in this week's episode! Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, ...
Aug 18, 2019•12 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Megan Daley is an incredible teacher. Originally qualified as an Early Childhood teacher, Megan then studied to become a teacher librarian and later attained her Masters of innovative teaching and learning. She’s currently the teacher librarian at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School in Brisbane, Queensland. Megan was recently awarded the Queensland Teacher Librarian of the Year by the School Library Association of Queensland and is a former national vice-president of the Children's Book Council of ...
Aug 17, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 63
There may be nothing more alarming as a teacher than realizing that some of your students have been gone from your room for longer that expected. In Mr D's case, there was definitely cause for concern! He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dishing the dirt on teaching, kids and life in general, Joe doesn...
Aug 15, 2019•5 min•Season 1Ep. 62
How do you celebrate your students' successes? Celebrating success is an important thing to do in life, whether you're a student or not. How do you congratulate your students on their awesome achievements? Join us for some ideas on how you can lift up your kids. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Need a little motivation on a Monday? Jill and Bron are experienced primary school teachers; the...
Aug 11, 2019•9 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Dr Samantha Fecich is a primary/elementary/additional needs teacher, a college professor and the author of Edumagic, a Guide for Preservice Teachers. On today's episode, Sam joined me to talk about the eight ways she empowers student teachers to become what she calls "educators of excellence". Follow Sam on Twitter. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Have you subscribed to For the Love of Te...
Aug 10, 2019•11 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Sounds like a fun one, right? As teachers, we all know how critical play is in early childhood development and learning. In this episode, Mr D shares about a time when his little students got extra creative with their imaginative play, and the drama that ensued. He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dish...
Aug 08, 2019•6 min•Season 1Ep. 59
...And by "Brace yourself", we mean "Get excited!". Book Week is almost here! Have you got your costume ready? If so, we want to see it so tag us in your social posts. If not, listen in, because we have ideas galore for you! Share your amazing costumes from Book Weeks past with us at podcast@teachstarter.com to share! Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Need a little motivation on a Monday? J...
Aug 04, 2019•12 min•Season 1Ep. 58
"I almost lost my love of teaching; I lost hope with the system." Jen Foster is an incredibly upbeat, bright, happy person. But as she recalled this moment, her voice showed immense frustration and disappointment at the state of education in the UK. This was a turning point in Jen's life. She and her husband, both teachers who were working in admin, knew they had to make a change. They moved to Malaysia, took classroom teaching jobs, and Jen's rekindled her immense love and passion for her profe...
Aug 03, 2019•28 min•Season 1Ep. 57
You know those moments when your heart melts because you're so proud of your students? When they just do the cutest, most empathetic, gorgeous stuff? On today's episode, Mr D shares about a time his little kids gave him all the warm fuzzies. He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dishing the dirt on teach...
Aug 01, 2019•7 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Join us as we chat about some practical ways you can help new students settle into your class once the school year is already in full swing! Have you got any great tips? Email us at podcast@teachstarter.com to share! Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Need a little motivation on a Monday? Jill and Bron are experienced primary school teachers; they get it! Join them for inspiration and encour...
Jul 28, 2019•13 min•Season 1Ep. 55
In part two of my interview with Cath Williams, she chats with me about digital technologies in the classroom and how the web has connected herself and her students with peers around the globe. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Have you subscribed to For the Love of Teaching? Don't forget! It means you'll be the first to know whenever a new episode is released. For the Love of Teaching is a...
Jul 27, 2019•17 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Every amazing teacher has had a moment or two when they wish they could hit the rewind button. Have you ever had a classroom fail? He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dishing the dirt on teaching, kids and life in general, Joe doesn't hold back. Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook grou...
Jul 25, 2019•6 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Today on the Buzz, Jill and I take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce about all of the disturbing, disgusting, gross things we've seen happen (and things that have happened to us!) in the classroom. If you can cough it, flick it or wipe it, we've probably worn it. Have you got any great tips? Email us at podcast@teachstarter.com to share! Join us in our new For the Love of Teaching Facebook group, where we chat about the podcast, feature live vids of guests, and talk teaching! Need a little...
Jul 21, 2019•10 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Cath Williams is a warm and friendly teacher, who has collected a wealth of knowledge over three decades in the classroom. In this episode, Cath shares how she balanced raising a young family with her professional responsibilities, talks about her return to work after maternity leave, and chats about the many changes she's seen in the teaching profession in her time. Cath's kindness and open personality shine through in this interview. Make sure you follow Cath on Twitter and Instagram! Join us ...
Jul 20, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 51
How on earth can a lesson on human reproductive biology turn into a discussion about bovine lactation? In Mr D's class, tangents are turned into teachable moments! He's a teacher. He's a comedian. He's officially one of Ellen Degeneres's "favourites". Joe (Mr D) Dombrowski is here to brighten up your week with his infectious laugh and hilarious stories. Brace yourself, because when it comes to dishing the dirt on teaching, kids and life in general, Joe doesn't hold back. Join us in our new For t...
Jul 18, 2019•8 min•Season 1Ep. 50
