How About Using Podcasts to FLIP Professional Development?

Over the past 6 months, it has been my great joy to appear on 10 podcasts. These wonderful conversations have afforded me the opportunity to thoroughly explain my ideas to a boundless audience. Podcasting has been a blast,and I’ve made so many cool friends in the process. I’ll be vacationing in Colorado with one of my hosts, Sung Lee of Inspiring Educators, in a few weeks. How’s that for the power of podcasting? I BELIEVE, however, podcasting has great potential to revitalize, transform, liberate, and elevate professional development.

I’m a veteran teacher who has endured 30 years of PD. The lion’s share of these experiences have been droning exercises in direct instruction. Ironically, many of these marathon lecturefests have promoted the opposite…”Differentiate your instruction. Teach to diverse learning styles. Consider flipping your classroom. Incorporate technology.” Has anyone else noticed the hypocrisy?

Since my book was published, I’ve conducted a lot of PD. I always get the audience doing, and interacting, early and often. That’s the way my message makes an impact. I’ve enjoyed these experiences. I love meeting people. Nothing can replace being there, shaking a hand, sharing a laugh, reading a nonverbal communication, and chatting in the hallway during a break.

But, contemporary professional development involves a lot of travel and expense. ENTER THE PODCAST! Jonah Weiner of Slate recently published an article promoting the amazing potential of this remarkable form of communication.

Today, my most recent podcast interview was published…Episode #72 of the Pivotal Podcast.

pivFullSizeRender

The Pivotal Podcast is out of the United Kingdom. A few months ago, I visited their website, and listened to an episode. I was hooked! I loved the way these British dudes interacted with guests. I contacted them, and was invited on the show. The ONLY cost involved in this endeavor was time. I sat in my classroom in Sunbury, Ohio USA and interacted with these fascinating guys via Skype. I’ve always loved British humor, and these two did not disappoint. They asked me about #cheekynandos. I was totally lost! Listen to the episode if you’d like to solve this hashtag mystery. Just a decade ago, this simple process of being interviewed by someone 5 time zones removed would’ve been SO expensive and complicated.

Central Office types in charge of professional development might be wondering…So, why do podcasts represent a unique opportunity? Well…how about utilizing podcasts to FLIP professional development? That’s right, have participants listen to an intriguing program before the PD session. Then, once you all congregate, engage in enriching and compelling activities based on the program. There are a few websites dedicated to flipping professional development. However, I’m promoting using podcasts to achieve this. Podcasts embody what the internet does best:

  • Eliminates distances
  • Connects people around the globe
  • Provides valuable resources at little, or no cost

I’ve been involved in professional development that involved a book study. This is the same idea without the expense of buying the book! I’ll wager many podcast interviewees (like me) would be so honored someone was utilizing their appearance, they’d be happy to join the discussion via Skype or Google Hangouts. I’d also be willing to share engaging activities that go along with the broadcast. I’ll bet I’m not alone.

Here’s a simple activity one can do with any podcast. I teach dual enrollment World Civilization. My favorite flipped lesson is the Socratic Circle. We do one such circle on the siege of Tenochtitlan (the Aztec capital). The students listen to the In Our Time Podcast, then come to class raring to discuss!

Using podcasts in professional development has great potential in terms of enlightenment and engagement. Additionally, because most podcasts are free, scarce financial resources are preserved!

My book “You’ve Gotta Connect” is all about how teachers can forge strong relationships with students. You can also listen to me dialogue about bonding with students on numerous podcasts.

I love doing professional development. If you’re interested, here’s my email: pjsturtevant@gmail.com

Teachers…We’re All Replaceable

line

We had our closing staff meeting last week. It’s always been a welcomed development. This year, however, I experienced some interesting emotions. This was year 30 for me. In October of 2016, I’ll have 31 years in STRS and can officially retire. I don’t think I will, I’m having too much fun! But nonetheless, it’s remarkable how life zooms by.

Completing 30 BIG ONES was reason enough to be reflective, but what really got me thinking was our school’s farewell to an amazing teacher. Mike Smith is in his early 60s. He retired, and we honored him at the closing meeting. This guy is a wonderful teacher. My kids had him and loved him. He taught Physics, which many students consider impossible. And yet, he empowered them, and gave them confidence. GREAT WORK MIKE!

Our principal did a good job honoring Mike. He spoke for about 5 minutes. His speech was sincere and congratulatory. Interestingly enough, after our principal spoke, I overheard a side conversation amongst a couple of colleagues. They were talking about a young teacher they knew who was applying for Mike’s position. They were raving about this young instructor’s potential.

How interesting, I thought. This great teacher was headed out, and this new young teacher was headed in. If this new young teacher is as good as advertised, Mike won’t be missed. If this new teacher doesn’t fill his shoes, Mike will be missed…BUT NOT FOR LONG! At most, retiring high school teachers have a 3 year shelf-life. By then, all the kids who were Freshman when they taught their final lesson, will have graduated.

Some might read this post and get depressed…DON’T! There’s something magically liberating about this perspective. You’re not just some independent contractor, you’re part of this grand, wonderful, complex organism. So, chill out and take a deep breath! Life is always better when you let go of your ego.

I left the closing faculty meeting feeling euphoric. IT’S ALL GOING TO BE OKAY! In a couple of years, it’ll be me up there getting The Golden Watch. My principal will go on about how the school will never be the same without me. That will be a lie! The school will be just fine without me. AND, THAT’S OKAY!

My book “You’ve Gotta Connect” is all about how teachers can forge strong relationships with students. You can also listen to me dialogue about bonding with students on numerous podcasts.

Connect With Students by EMBRACING America’s Changing Demographics

2015RLSpromo640x320

Although some Christians are harshly critical of the loaded term “POLITICAL CORRECTNESS,” it often works in favor of majority groups. Could you imagine an American politician being elected president if they promoted a different faith…or a lack of religious affiliation?

I teach in a small, conservative, largely homogeneous community. A decade ago, students would have been loathed to express views critical of Christianity. They’d of been even more reluctant to claim a different faith, and even less willing to proclaim no faith at all!

In my classroom, that’s changing. I’ve noticed a new willingness among young people to express minority viewpoints. I’ve noticed a recent boldness among students, both Christian and non-Christian, to be critical of America’s dominant religious tradition.

I don’t teach in a bubble. The Pew Research Center just published a fascinating report on America’s rapidly changing religious landscape. The implications for classrooms of the near future are profound.

I’ve seen these changes at work, and they frighten many. Whether America’s changing religious landscape will have a positive or negative impact on our society is a matter of intense debate. But successful educators of the future will recognize that these changes ARE occurring! You may wish for the students you had 10 years ago, but they aren’t coming back. Accept that these changes are happening. Embrace present and future students. Connect with them…bond with them! It’s not only humane, but it’s rational.

If you’d like to learn more about connecting with students, check out my book “You’ve Gotta Connect”

pic4

You can also listen to me talk about connecting with students on the following podcasts:

Inspiration 4 Teachers with Kelly Long #16 http:

Inspiration 4 Teachers with Kelly Long #16 http://bit.ly/1dGyaE7

Talks With Teachers with Brian Sztabnik #66 http://bit.ly/1DwrNMu

Inspiring Educators with Sung Lee #34 http://bit.ly/1yaBkpe

Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez #09 http://bit.ly/1sFSbBl

AJEd Episode with Adam Jones #07 http://bit.ly/1vNXBpZ

The Middle Way Society UK with Barry Daniel #54 http://bit.ly/1AQbmW

Principal Center Radio with Justin Baeder http://bit.ly/1yXcN89

All Sides on NPR’s WOSU 89.7 with Ann Fisher http://bit.ly/1wO2GDX

Middle School Matters #297 http://bit.ly/1uO0dUh

Please visit my website https://jamesalansturtevant.com/ and follow me on Twitter @jamessturtevant

When it comes to controversial issues…PLAY EM’ CLOSE TO THE VEST!

cards2

I was 24…a rookie teacher…full of testosterone and certainty, perhaps false certainty. But nonetheless, I had it all figured out. I was attempting to enlighten my class on some controversial topic ( I forget the topic…it was, after all, 30 years ago). Looking back, my exercise in enlightening my students seems more like indoctrination.

In retrospect, I believed I was engaging in a teachable moment. My beliefs were well founded. It was a teachable moment. What I didn’t realize, was that I wasn’t the teacher, but the student!

After class, a brilliant young lady informed me, “Mr. Sturtevant…you should be careful about promoting your views so passionately in class. I don’t agree with your views, and I’m not alone!”

This unsolicited student feedback pummeled me! It was, quite frankly, the most powerful teacher evaluation I ever experienced, far more powerful than any administrator’s directives. OF COURSE SHE WAS RIGHT! I was erecting barriers between my students and me. Certainly some of my students didn’t agree with me! Why in the world would I want to alienate those kids? My goal should’ve been to help students think, not to indoctrinate!

From that point forward, I played them close to the vest. My students don’t know where I come down politically, religiously, or socially. That’s the way I can form relationships with ALL my students, whether they agree with me or not!

If you’d like to learn more about connecting with students, check out my book “You’ve Gotta Connect”

pic4

You can also listen to me talk about connecting with students on the following podcasts:

Inspiration 4 Teachers with Kelly Long #16 http://bit.ly/1dGyaE7

Talks With Teachers with Brian Sztabnik #66 http://bit.ly/1DwrNMu

Inspiring Educators with Sung Lee #34 http://bit.ly/1yaBkpe

Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez #09 http://bit.ly/1sFSbBl

AJEd Episode with Adam Jones #07 http://bit.ly/1vNXBpZ

The Middle Way Society UK with Barry Daniel #54 http://bit.ly/1AQbmW6

Principal Center Radio with Justin Baeder http://bit.ly/1yXcN89

All Sides on NPR’s WOSU 89.7 with Ann Fisher http://bit.ly/1wO2GDX

Middle School Matters #297 http://bit.ly/1uO0dUh

Please visit my website https://jamesalansturtevant.com/ and follow me on Twitter @jamessturtevant

UK and USA Talk About Bonding With Kids!

1b

The lovely Kelly Long has a wonderful podcast aptly named…Inspiration 4 Teachers. I adore being on British programs. Many are unaware that STURTEVANT is a British name. Say what? Yup…may not sound British, but it is! I told Kelly this which intrigued her! She did some research and confirmed my assertion and informed me that our ancestors probably crossed paths.

I’m certain she’s right, because she made me feel right at home. Please listen to our spirited dialogue about bonding with young people.

And also…please check out my book “You’ve Gotta Connect”

ygcposterpuro

Contemporary Education = Manufacturing Process

mfp2light

Yes, we differentiate now more than ever! Yes, we work hard to make certain every kid gets it! But let’s not kid ourselves…contemporary education is obsessed with the manufacturing process of learning. This obsession includes:

  • pedagogy
  • content
  • data
  • technology
  • testing

We’ve somehow forgotten that education is a people business. When we do this, we get in trouble. How individualized was the last standardized test you proctored?

We’re fixated on the process. I started teaching in the late summer of 1985. Over the past few decades, I’ve endured  A LOT of professional development. I recently made a list of some PD topics…at least the ones I can remember!

  • differentiation
  • rubrics
  • summative assessments
  • formative assessments
  • think pair share
  • block scheduling
  • all-year calendars
  • self-directed learning
  • professional learning communities
  • creation of teacher websites
  • BYOT
  • flipped classrooms
  • essential questions
  • and the current rage…PBL (project based learning)

Now, don’t get me wrong! I’ve grown immensely as a result of these experiences. I’m a much better teacher because I’ve learned how to use these tools, BUT THEY’RE JUST TOOLS!

Technology is a wonderful tool. In my career, I’ve gone from the chalkboard to the SmartBoard, from the grade book to the laptop.  I love utilizing technology. It’s fun! It’s challenging! It’s contemporary! It adds so many resources, and virtually eliminates distances. But when it comes to technology, are we engaging in idolatry? Are we turning our Chrome Books into graven images? Are we forsaking all others in our fidelity to this tool?

graven1

Try searching “education blogs” in Google, or “k-12” in iTunes. The amount of resources advocating and directing the use of technology in the classroom is staggering. But again, please don’t get me wrong! This is not a bad thing. I love incorporating technology.

I believe, however, that if teachers have a positive paradigm towards student/teacher relationships, it’s potentially more powerful than any of the previously mentioned tools!

John Hattie in his landmark book “Visible Learning” crafted a list of 138 influences on students learning. Student/Teacher relationships secured 11th place, far ahead of things one might think more important. NEVER underestimate the power of healthy vibrant student/teacher relationships! If you do, you’ll be missing the central theme of every Hollywood movie on education! Regardless, and unfortunately, I can’t remember one example, from my 30-year-teaching-gig, when an administrator stood before my colleagues and me and said, “Okay staff, today we’re going to work on forging stronger bonds with students!”

So, why the radio silence? I have a couple of theories. When I promote my ideas on learning how to bond with students to an administrator, or fellow teacher, I’m sometimes treated to a blank expressions followed by the claim, “You can’t teach that. One is either born with the ability to connect with students…OR ONE IS NOT!” In other words, your genetics is your destiny…the cake is already baked. This outlook is sad! True, personality is incredibly important, but it certainly isn’t destiny! I’ve grown so much as a teacher. A lot of this growth came in the bonding with students realm. I learned how to do it…often the hard way by making mistakes. Which leads me to my next theory. There is a perception that bonding with students is so abstract and fuzzy that trying to teach another how to do it is pointless. Educators must indeed learn it the hard way…on their own. To do PD on connecting with students is a waste. Well, that’s just sad too! There are absolutely things teachers can do right and things they can do wrong. And certainly, our poor students shouldn’t be lab rats! Why subject them to avoidable mistakes till their instructors figure it out…if they ever do? We need to help teachers, particularly young ones, grow in this vital task of bonding with their kids.

So, to administrators in my audience…in planning your introduction of THE NEXT BIG THING IN EDUCATION at tomorrow’s staff meeting, ask yourself, “Am I including tools and strategies to help my staff bond with our students?” How about tackling this problem like every other issue in education? How about including strategies and tactics for forging strong relationships with students in your PD repertoire? Tomorrow could be one of your most interesting and lively staff meetings. If you do this, and teachers form stronger bonds with kids, THE NEXT BIG THING IN EDUCATION may indeed be significant!

If you’d like to learn more about connecting with students, check out my book “You’ve Gotta Connect”

pic4

You can also listen to me talk about connecting with students on the following podcasts:

Talks With Teachers with Brian Sztabnik #66 http://bit.ly/1DwrNMu

Inspiring Educators with Sung Lee #34 http://bit.ly/1yaBkpe

Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez #09 http://bit.ly/1sFSbBl

AJEd Episode with Adam Jones #07 http://bit.ly/1vNXBpZ

The Middle Way Society UK with Barry Daniel #54 http://bit.ly/1AQbmW6

Principal Center Radio with Justin Baeder http://bit.ly/1yXcN89

All Sides on NPR’s WOSU 89.7 with Ann Fisher http://bit.ly/1wO2GDX

Middle School Matters #297 http://bit.ly/1uO0dUh

Please visit my website https://jamesalansturtevant.com/ and follow me on Twitter @jamessturtevant

The Middle Way Society (UK) Podcast #54

I love podcasting! My favorite part is meeting, then discussing issues about connecting with students, with fascinating people. I’ve made a lot of friends through this process! I’m actually vacationing with Sung Lee of Inspiring Educators this summer.  Who’d of thought, my book about connecting with students would connect me to so many cool people? NICE DIVIDEND!

This program was SOOOOO much fun! The Middle Way Society is from the UK. It focusses mostly on making the best life choices…a favorite topic for this hyper guy!

mws

I really bonded with the host, Barry Daniel. Barry is a former teacher. Here’s how he described himself in one of our initial emails:

barry daniel

I’m an ex teacher, spending many years abroad teaching English as a Foreign Language, what you would call a TESOL teacher and I’ve a lot of experience teaching teenagers, so I’m sure we’ll have an interesting exchange of ideas.

It was CAPITAL yakking with Barry! We had a blast talking about the struggles bonding with students. Such struggles, it turns out, are remarkably universal!

Here’s the show Episode #54

Or, you can download it on iTunes.

If you’d like to learn more about connecting with students, check out my book “You’ve Gotta Connect”

pic4

You can also listen to me talk about connecting with students on the following podcasts:

Talks With Teachers with Brian Sztabnik #66 http://bit.ly/1DwrNMu

Inspiring Educators with Sung Lee #34 http://bit.ly/1yaBkpe

Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez #09 http://bit.ly/1sFSbBl

AJEd Episode with Adam Jones #07 http://bit.ly/1vNXBpZ

Principal Center Radio with Justin Baeder http://bit.ly/1yXcN89

All Sides on NPR’s WOSU 89.7 with Ann Fisher http://bit.ly/1wO2GDX

Middle School Matters #297 http://bit.ly/1uO0dUh

Please visit my website https://jamesalansturtevant.com/ and follow me on Twitter @jamessturtevant

Here’s a Subtle Way to Bond with Students…

FullSizeRender (1)

Use what you wear as a narrative. That’s right…let your daily ensemble tell a story. Ignite your imagination and promote whatever topic you’re currently studying. It may take some thinking! Often, I select what I’m going to wear, then think about how the color combo or style might be remotely related to my lesson plan. YES…IT OFTEN IS QUITE A STRETCH!

Its quite amazing how many students get sucked into this daily fashion puzzle:

  • How is Mr. Sturtevant’s outfit tied to our lesson?
  • I wonder what he’s calling today’s ensemble?

Today, we are creating colorful images in class. I thought I’d support this endeavor with my outfit, which celebrates complimentary colors on the color wheel!

If you’d like to learn more about connecting with students, check out my book “You’ve Gotta Connect”

pic4

You can also listen to me talk about connecting with students on the following podcasts:

Talks With Teachers with Brian Sztabnik http://bit.ly/1DwrNMu

Inspiring Educators with Sung Lee http://bit.ly/1yaBkpe

Cult of Pedagogy with Jennifer Gonzalez http://bit.ly/1sFSbBl

AJEd Episode #07 with Adam Jones http://bit.ly/1vNXBpZ

Principal Center Radio with Justin Baeder http://bit.ly/1yXcN89

All Sides on NPR’s WOSU 89.7 with Ann Fisher http://bit.ly/1wO2GDX

Middle School Matters http://bit.ly/1uO0dUh

Please visit my website https://jamesalansturtevant.com/ and follow me on Twitter @jamessturtevant