Teacher Talk with Mr. Teachwell

Paula and Dave discuss the challenges facing schools in the fall, try to get a new sponsor (USA Today), and reasons to take graduate classes. And Paula takes a quiz about ridiculous graduate class titles.

It was a strange year, and saying goodbye to your students is especially strange this time. As you might expect, Mr. Teachwell as some advice on the subject. Also, AP test crashes and Paula fails a crash test. Check us out at teachwellteachers.com

Dr. Didi calls in from her secret minivan lair to offer some advice on remote learning. We talk idling aircrafts, angry cats, and filthy kids, and read a chapter from Mr. Teachwell that Dave snuck in to get. Oh, and Paula quits a quiz!

Dr. Didi and Dave share their tips and failures teaching from home. Paula welcomes the apocalypse by doing well at a quiz and Dave gets a haircut! Stay at least six feet from this podcast.

Paula and Dave set out to learn the candidates' positions on education. Then they forget what they're doing. But, if you want to know what PREVIOUS candidates had to say about education, this is the quiz for you!

We talk to Quim Sabria from Edpuzzle, Dave's favorite Edtech tool! We find out the many ways to use Edpuzzle in the class, why the company's name makes no sense and why Quim's arms are so large!!! Then we take a quiz on Edpuzzle with shocking results!!

Dr. Didi and Dave interview Jackie Mader, who covers pre-K education for The Hechinger Report. She fills them in on the challenges teachers and students face in the rural south and they fill her in on Spindrift! And, Paula sees if she's as smart as a second grader.

We complete our set of tech-focused shows with a return to the cinema classroom. Dr. Paula and Dave check out the YouTube cult classic, Starfleet Academy, to see how teaching and learning takes place in the Star Trek universe and to give the teachers a little instructional advice about teaching in the future. Paula gets a little help from home..and still fails the quiz! We are brought to you this month by Illinois Digital Educators Alliance.

Dr. Didi and Dave talk about the many digital distractions students and teachers contend with and discuss the research and ways for teachers to leverage this big classroom culture shift with Kurt Schuett.  And while Mr. Teachwell didn't see cellphones coming, this week's chapter has plenty of complaints about the distraction of "chewing gum and cigarette-smoking Fonzies"!  Oh, and Paula fails, yet another, quiz!

Dr. Didi and Dave interview Bryan Weinert, director of technology, at Leyden High Schools where he instituted one of the country's first 1:1 all-school initiatives almost ten years ago. We talk about the difficulties of instituting big tech changes and if his ultimate goal is an all-robot school. Oh, and Paula fails another quiz!

Dr. Paula and Dave put down their fidget spinners, have the homework debate, read another chapter from Mr. Teachwell's Guide to Teaching...Better. Oh, and Paula fails another quiz!

Dr. Didi and Dave discuss how to engage students. Spoiler alert: the answer ISN'T candy! Paula messes up Dave's hair and Paula fails a quiz about prostitution! Now, you know you have to LIKE this!

Dr. Didi and Dave invite Jenn Blevins and John Steffan in to discuss ghosts and the strange experience of student teaching. Of course, they read a chapter from Mr. Teachwell's Guide to Teaching...Better, and Dave gets quizzed hard!

Do you have to grade everything? The Mr. Teachwell and Dr. Didi end up on similar (but not exactly the same) sides of the fence! And Puppet Paula vies for a little more air time. Oh, and a rough PBL quiz. Share this one and get a free feeling of goodwill!

Dr. Didi and Dave discuss meaningful strategies to make sure your students read the work you've assigned overnight. They also take on Betsy DeVos's "school freedom," rename the show "Three Ideas" and Paula has an mediocre quiz performance. Big deal!

Paula and Dave talk about the role of objectives and standards in the classroom. Dave dismisses the notion of learning styles, and then employs them to help Paula score a perfect 5 for 5 on her quiz! And of course, they find another chapter of Mr. Teachwell's Guide to Teaching...Better

Dr. Didi and and Dave discuss parental contact, open house, how attractive mirrors can be, Caterpillar Man, and read a chapter from Mr. Teachwell’s Guide to Teaching Better! Oh, and the quiz! Share it if you love it!

Dr. Paula and Dave welcome Superintendent, Nick Polyak, Ed.D., to talk about his book, "The Unlearning Leader" and he brings his own quiz! We find another chapter from Mr. Teachwell's Guide, and beg for endorsements from Coke and Jamba Juice! Follow us at @teachwellteachers on Instagram and @mrteachwell on Twitter.

Dr. Paula and Dave find a chapter from Mr. Teachwell's Guide about planning strategies while trying to survive the first week of school! Oh, and Paula is back to her failing ways! Jamba Juice, you know where to find us: tweet @mrteachwell and our website teachwellteachers.com Isn't it time your rated us?????? This week's threat: share us or we'll leave you!

Dr. Paula and Dave talk about setting classroom norms and trying to keep it positive, and they find another chapter from Mr. Teachwell’s Guide to Better Teaching. They also talk #clearthelist and beg Hallmark to sponsor them. Finally, Paula surprises everyone with her quiz performance!!!