In this first in a 3-episode series on professional development and supporting systemic educational change, we talk with Dr. Shelly LeDoux and Jacqueline LeJeune who join us from The University of Texas at Austin Charles A. Dana Center’s Leadership Team to discuss systemic change in mathematics and science education.

The University of Texas at Austin Charles A. Dana Center is a renowned research-based organization that has worked...

Katie Isaak Ginsberg is a parent and advocate for environmental literacy, which led her to found the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation(CELF), where she serves as the Executive Director and Chair Emeritus. She saw the need to educate students about the links between human health, poverty, consumption, conflict and the environment. After extensive research, she combined her background in design, management marketing, and b...

Dr. Tabitha Dell’Angelo is a professor, storyteller, playwright, mother, and potential school board member. She holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently a professor at The College of New Jersey, in addition to her work as an improvisational acting teacher at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA. 

Tabitha shares her arts-based research approach as a way of...

Patrick Vennebush is the Chief Learning Officer for The Math Learning Center, where he oversees the areas of Educator Support, Educator Resources, and Development. Patrick shares his expertise in mathematics and developing a high-quality education curriculum. He talks about how professors and education experiences framed his outlook and trajectory for teaching - including his methods, his approach to learning and how teaching SHOUL...

What are the advantages to digital content that is ‘evergreen’ and non-textbook specific? Who pays for this? Why is paid-for content more reliable and vetted compared to ‘free’ open-resource materials? What’s better - online, hybrid, or face-to-face? This and more in our jammed-packed episode with Dr. Stephen Sullivan, professor of anatomy and physiology at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Sullivan is also a digi...

Dr. Pamela Seda has been a math educator for over 30 years. She works as the K-12 Math Coordinator for Griffin/Spalding County Schools in Georgia. Dr. Seda is also the owner of Seda Educational Consulting.

Karen worked with Pam last summer on an Equity in Education Webinar, in partnership with Casio Education and TODOS Math for All, where Dr. Seda shared her “ICUCAREr” framework and talked about making mathematics a more equitable ...

Olga G. Torres has been a bilingual elementary educator for over 40 years and a mathematics educator for over 25 years. She works as a Mathematics Education Consultant with the Marilyn Burns Education Associates/Math Solutions. Olga has been the recipient of many awards, including the 1995 Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education. She is a teacher leader for CEMAL (Center for Mathematics Education of La...

Karen Cowe shares stories and examples of a systems-thinking approach to learning in history, math, and other subjects, and invites us to look at how the subjects we are already teaching can be seen through a local and environmental framework. What are the benefits of this approach, in both social and natural systems? Karen highlights the forgotten interdependency these systems have on one another and where these frameworks are set...

In this episode of 180 Days, Ken Shelton shares his expertise and experiences on creating culturally responsive learning experiences and really exploring prejudices and biases in the classroom.

Ken is an educator with over 20 years of experience, with a specialization in Educational Technology. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator and a Google Certified Innovator as well as the ISTE Digital Equity PLN 2018 Excellence Award winner....

Anne Marie has been an educator for 32 years (wow!!). She has taught at various elementary schools at the 5th and 6th-grade levels, not to mention a short stint as an Elementary Guidance Counselor. She shares with us her personal experiences with how teaching, learning, and ‘school’ in general have been impacted by the Covid19 pandemic.

Schools around the country have opened in various ways – remote, hybrid, face-to-face, asynchron...

In our first episode of our new season, we talk to Ismael Zamora, the Math and Science Department Chair for Bloom High School in Chicago, IL.  Ish has been an educator for over 20 years and in this episode talks about the challenges and successes of leading during this crazy time of Covid19 and remote teaching and learning.

Supporting teachers as they are struggling with moving from face-to-face teaching to online teaching is a hug...

Sexual harassment and gender bullying is in the public eye these days, particularly in politics and Hollywood. But it is prevalent in schools as well. 

In this episode we focus on sexual harassment, hearing a real student-on-student experience from a student, Ava, and her mother, Mia and how things were addressed connected to that incident. Karen also shares an experience she had as a teacher being sexually harassed by a student. L...

Students with disabilities, under  the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), have the right to a free and appropriate public education, which means they are ensured they will get the needed related services and special education accommodations.  But who are these students and what are these services? 

Episode 10 explores how students are identified as special education, what services are legally required to be provide...

We are back from our extended holiday break with a special episode. One of our hosts, Tim, as part of his work with Teachers2Teachers Global, traveled to Kenya this past summer to work with teachers and students and share educational and cultural experiences. Our guest in this episode, Mary Mooney, is a colleague and friend who works for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, was part of this adventure. During the episode,...

Tracking students in education has been around a long time. Grouping students into grades or courses by their perceived ability, based on some assessment or criteria, has long been the practice, with the idea that students will 'get what they need' if they are grouped together. But does this work? Can homogenous grouping be successful for all students? 

Episode 8 explores the history of tracking and some of the benefits and...

In this episode, we talk to Lizzie Hull Barnes, the Director of Mathematics for the San Francisco Unified School District, about how they created a curriculum to replace textbooks in order to best meet the needs of their students and teachers. Karen and Tim discuss the pros and cons of abandoning traditional textbooks while Tim falls over himself providing the disclaimer about how this discussion is now part of his job.

Lizzie talk...

What's the purpose of homework? Students hate it, parents often say it's too much or interferes with home life and students' free time, and teachers - who knows what they're thinking?! Is it punishment? Is it an assessment? Is it busy work? Is it necessary? The answer - it depends. 

This episode explores the origination of homework and discusses different ways to look at the purpose of homework. We ponder such quest...

Who do you call if you have concerns about your child's teacher, or you are not happy with the curriculum, or don't think the requirements for AP History are fair? The answer is - it depends. This episode explores the power structure of the education system, offering insight and suggestions on who to contact, depending on the issue.

Education "policy"" is often cited as a reason for many decisions that impact lo...

School choice is a hot-button topic these days with the Trump Administration and the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, being huge proponents of school choice.

This episode explores the different types of school choice, funding options behind school choice, and who decides who really controls the decision on what school your student can go to.

School choice is more than just picking a school and taking the public fund money and g...