The ranks of English language learners continue to expand rapidly. Some have no proficiency with the language, but many are intermediate English skills. In this episode, we explore strategies that are well suited for ELLs who have more developed English fluency. Follow our PLN on Twitter: @tchrlgonzalez @maestra_Gonzalez @bhuertas80 @cahnmann @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd Luisana González, serving Dual Language Students in Illinois in a fifth-grade classroom, started her teaching career with multilingual learners in 2005. She has previously taught K-5 MLs in a resource position, 2nd grade sheltered and 2nd grade DL before embarking on her teaching and learning journey with 5th graders in their DL program. Blanca Huertas has taught for 14 years between Puerto Rico and in Texas. She is married and has two beautiful daughters. She proudly served newcomer ELs for 6 years recently working with the general education population as an ELA teacher, but service long-term ELs through this format and is very passionate about helping our language learners succeed. Jane Hill has worked in second-language acquisition and special education for 40 years. As a managing consultant at McREL International, she trains and coaches classroom teachers and ELL specialists on best practices for helping students gain fluency in English. She is the co-author of Classroom Instruction That Works With ELLs and has published related articles in Language, The Journal of Staff Development, The School Administrator, Leadership Information, Phi Delta Kappan, Principal Leadership, and Educational Leadership. Kathleen Rose McGovern serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Southern Maine. Kathleen has worked as a language educator, teacher educator, and theatre artist for over a decade. She has taught ESL/EFL to children and adults in a variety of contexts in Morocco and the U.S., and serves as an English Language Teaching Specialist for the U.S. Department of State. She is co-author of, Enlivening Instruction with Drama and Improv: A Guide for Second Language and World Language Teachers. Melisa “Misha” Cahnmann-Taylor, Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia, is the author of five books in education, poetry, and the arts. Her most recent book is Enlivening Instruction with Drama & Improv: A guide for Second Language and World Language Teachers (2021). She is the author of a book of poems, Imperfect Tense (2016) and three other books on the arts of language and education: Teachers Act Up: Creating Multicultural Community Through Theatre (2010) & Arts-Based Research in Education: Foundations for Practice, first and second editions (2008; 2018).

The middle school classroom is so unpredictable. In this episode, our guests share what they’ve learned works when teaching middle school students and what doesn’t. Join us for a discussion about what middle schoolers need and what qualities make middle school teachers effective. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd @SerenaPariser @jeremybballer Serena Pariser has twelve years of experience teaching in public schools, including charter schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade. She was named Gompers Preparatory Academy Teacher of the Year. She served as Assistant Director of Field Experiences at the University of San Diego and also served as adjunct faculty. Serena is the bestselling author of Real Talk About Classroom Management: 50 Best Practices That Work And Show You Believe In Your Students and Real Talk About Time Management: 35 Best Practices for Educators. Jeremy Hyler was a middle school English teacher for almost 22 years. Currently, he works as a Manager of Educational Partnerships for the Center for the Collaborative Classroom. He is a teacher consultant for the Chippewa River Writing Project, and a Media Literacy Innovator for KQED. Jeremy has co-authored the best-selling book Create, Compose, Connect! Reading, Writing, and Learning with Digital Tools (Routledge/Eye on Education, 2014) with Dr. Troy Hicks, along with From Texting to Teaching: Grammar Instruction in a Digital Age (2017), and Ask, Explore, Write. Jeremy blogs at MiddleWeb

We all know that arts and crafts can just be enjoyable busy work or a tremendous way to activate student learning. In this episode, we explore practical ways to use arts and crafts more effectively. Follow on Twitter:  @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @Jonharper70bd @mikekaechele Jerilou J. Moore, Ph.D., Professor Emerita at the University of Mississippi School of Education, has taught art classes for teachers.  She enjoys showing preservice and in-service teachers how to integrate the arts to aid physical and social emotional development of children and enhance learning through creative thinking and problem-solving. Moore developed ideas for children’s art over the years during the time she was an elementary principal, administrator, teacher, art judge, and university professor. She has shared her ideas at numerous early childhood conferences. She was twice awarded Teacher of the Year by students and faculty at the University of Mississippi School of Education. Kerry P. Holmes, Ed.D., is a Professor Emerita of Elementary Education at the University of Mississippi.  Her research and publications are in early childhood education, vocabulary, and early reading. She was awarded The School of Education Outstanding Researcher and Outstanding Faculty researcher. She taught kindergarten and 1 st grade for five years in California, was a substitute teacher in special needs and K-12 classes in Virginia and taught 1st grade in a critical needs school in Mississippi.  She is co-author of The A in STEAM: Lesson Plans and Activities for Integrating Art, Ages 0-8. Mike Kaechele leads Project Based Learning and Social and Emotional Learning workshops around the country helping teachers make the shift to student-centered inquiry. His passion is inspiring educators to design SEL infused PBL curriculum for all content areas and age levels. During 20 years of PBL teaching, Mike has taught social studies, math, STEM, and STEAM classes.

New and veteran teachers generally agree that performance observations are just slightly more appealing than a root canal. In this episode, we invite a panel of teachers and administrators to explore ways to make the practice more productive and less distressing? Follow on Twitter: @elvisepps @huels_ryan @Jenschwanke @HarrisLeads @DrYemiS @jonHarper70bd@larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Dr. Elvis Epps serves as the Principal at Lake Worth Community High School in the School District of Palm Beach. He has been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal for more than 28 years. He is a veteran of the US Navy. Ryan Huels is an Assistant Principal at Oregon Elementary School in Oregon, Illinois in Northwest Illinois. Prior to venturing into administration, Ryan was a First-grade teacher and high school basketball coach. He has a passion for creating a student-centered learning environment in his building fostered on creating positive relationships with students, staff, and stakeholders. Jennifer Schwanke has been an educator for 20 years, teaching or leading at all levels. She is the author of You’re the Principal! Now What? Strategies and Solutions for New School Leaders. In addition to her blog, she publishes frequently on the Choice Literacy and Lead Literacy websites as well as Education Week Teacher, Principal, and Principal Navigator. Dr. Denita Harris is a Curriculum Coordinator for the MSD of Wayne Township, Indianapolis, Indiana. She has over 20 years of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and district-level administrator. She is the recipient of the 2019 INTESOL (Indiana Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Best of the Best in K-12 Education. Adeyemi Stembridge, PhD is an educational consultant specializing in equity-focused school-improvement. He is a coach and thought-partner to teachers and administrators with an interest in the design of culturally responsive systems and learning experiences for students.

We are still struggling to come to grips with American slavery and now the heightened dissonance around the topic has spilled into our classrooms. In this episode, we talk about the challenges of teaching about slavery and how to navigate them with integrity, transparency, and efficacy. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @sarahsoonling @kproctor1517 @alicemercer @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd Keturah Proctor has over 20 years of experience in education advocating for students through an Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist lens. Ms. Proctor is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and District Curriculum Coordinator in her district, Regional Equity Professional Development Facilitator, Education Ambassador for the National Public Education Support Fund and Community Activist. Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn is an educator, speaker and professional learning facilitator. She is currently the Professional Development Manager at Learning for Justice. Alice Mercer teaches fourth grade at an elementary school in Sacramento, CA. She started her career in Oakland, Ca, and moved to Sacramento in 2001. She is the parent of a now-adult son with ASD, and is a caregiver to her husband who is medically fragile. Alice is active in her union and on social media.

Art has the ability to be a powerful tool for engaging, differentiating, and humanizing virtually any subject. Join us as we cover several practical strategies for using art effectively in any classroom. Follow on Twitter: @klrembert @wendi322 @demacruz @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Keisha Rembert is a passionate learner and fierce equity advocate. She is an award-winning educator who taught middle school ELA and United States History teacher for many years and now instructs future educators. She hopes to change our world one student at a time. Delia M. Cruz-Fernández, EdD has been in education for over 20 years as a Mathematics and Spanish teacher, High School Assistant Principal and is currently working in the Multilingual Education Team as a Secondary ESL Specialist in a School District in Central Texas. She is an advocate for Multilingual Learners Education. She published in the English Leadership Quarterly the article When Live Gives You Lemons… Learning to Learn during a Pandemic. Wendi Pillars, NBCT, has been teaching for more than two decades and has yet to teach the same exact lesson twice. Fueled by curiosity, a desire to innovate, and a slight ability to rock a stick figure, she is on a perpetual quest to make information understandable and engaging for others. She is the author of Visual Impact and Visual Notetaking for Educators.

In this episode, we talk about the small ways we can adapt the way we teach that can have a big impact on students and their learning. We close by looking at the barriers to making these minute changes. Follow on Twitter: @ValentinaESL @fromrooma212 @HolSpinny @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Holly Spinelli is a students’ rights activist with specific focuses in alternative, strengths-based pedagogical approaches where students’ voices serve as the catalyst for their education. She is a New York public high school teacher, an adjunct instructor at SUNY Orange County Community College, and an active member of the NCTE’s Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English. Valentina Gonzalez is a Professional Development Specialist for ELLs in Katy, Texas and taught multiple grades as well as serving K-5 as an ESL specialty teacher and district program facilitator. Ann Stiltner is a high school special education teacher. She received a master’s degree in special education from the University of Hartford and a certificate of advanced studies in literacy from Sacred Heart University. She writes the blog from Room A212 (annstiltner.com/blog).

It’s hard to believe that we’re still talking about pandemic learning, but here we are. So how much of what we learned are we actually applying as we head back to school this year? Follow on Twitter: @helnvass @Dr_Kreisberg @therobsharvey @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork@Jonharper70bd Dr. Robert S. Harvey is an educator and writer, faith leader, community connector, child advocate, and public scholar. Drawing upon lived experiences, ethical thought, and a bold vision for the future of human wellbeing, his leadership and writing has a threefold focus—love, justice, and hope—with young people at the heart. He is the Superintendent of East Harlem Scholars Academies, a community-based network of public charter schools (PreK-12th) in New York City; and Chief Academic Officer of East Harlem Tutorial Program, managing a multisite out-of-school time and postsecondary access and success program, public engagement, and a teaching residency. He is also a Visiting Professor in the Practice of Public Leadership at Memphis Theological Seminary. Dr. Hilary Kreisberg is currently the director of the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University and the co-author of the books Partnering with Parents in Elementary Math: A Guide for Teachers and Leaders (2021) and Adding Parents to the Equation: Understanding Your Child’s Elementary School Math (2019), as well as the brand new K-5 curricular resource Let’s Talk Math: Engaging Students as Mathematical Thinkers (2021). Hilary has been featured on NPR Boston (WBUR) Radio, CBS Boston (WBZ) news, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Education Weekly, Boston Magazine, and the Lowell Sun. She is a frequent national, regional, and local speaker and has won over $2 million dollars in federal and private funding for mathematics education research. Helen Vassiliou is a teacher at Adena Elementary in the Lakota Loca School district in West Chester, Ohio serving English language learners.

Most of us have never faced a pandemic on this scale, so there was much to learn and we did.  Of course, there were mistakes made and some that seem so obvious in the rearview mirror. In this episode, we take a candid look at what we missed and why? Follow on Twitter: @delgadong94 @MCUSDSupe  @SelenaCarrion @mharvey607 @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork@Jonharper70bd Altagracia (Grace) H. Delgado has been in field education for 26 years. She has worked as a bilingual teacher, literacy coach, and school administrator. In addition, she has written curriculum for Spanish Language Arts and English Language Development and is currently the Executive Director of Multilingual Services at Aldine ISD. Selena A. Carrión (@SelenaCarrion) is an experienced classroom teacher, educator, writer, and activist working in NYC. She has worked with Teachers College, NYSED, NewSchools, and PBS. Her writing has been published in NCTE, Chalkbeat, and ACSD among other publications. Her work is grounded in critical pedagogies, anti-racist teaching, and the equitable transformation of our schools. PJ Caposey is a speaker, leader and educator. PJ began his career as an award-winning teacher in the inner-city of Chicago and has subsequently led significant change in every administrative post he has held. PJ became a principal at the age of 28 and within three years was able to lead a small-town/rural school historically achieving near the bottom of its county to multiple national recognitions. After four years, PJ became a superintendent at Meridian CUSD 223. He is a best-selling author and has written 8 books for various publishers. His work and commentary has been featured on sites such as the Washington Post, NPR, CBS This Morning, ASCD, Edutopia, and the Huffington Post. Marci Harvey teaches Integrated Science to 9th grade and Physics to upperclassmen at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts High School program in Winston Salem, NC.  She joined the faculty at UNCSA in 2017 after teaching at West Forsyth High School in the Winston Salem/Forsyth County district for 20 years. She currently chairs the faculty welfare committee at UNCSA and is a member of the NC Association of Educators and the NC Science Teachers Association.

As we gear up for another round of pandemic teaching and learning, we zero in on what will be needed to support students who learn differently. Follow on Twitter: @fromrooma212 @amygdalayo @ElizabethLStein @TStudentsupport @SHSUHIED @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd@bamradionetwork Dr. Ann H. Lê is a published author in a variety of educational journals and textbook chapters, as well as a guest speaker at statewide conferences, university forums, and radio show at Stanford University. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience at Baylor University, Masters of Education in Special Education and Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership at Sam Houston State University. She currently serves as the Behavioral & Mental Health Program Specialist at Tomball ISD, an External Evaluator for teacher candidates in Texas, and a consultant to Texas-wide school districts in the special education assessment of Vietnamese students. Amy Gaines is a Program Specialist with the William S. Hart Union High School District in sunny Santa Clarita, California. Amy has over 20 years of K-8 classroom teaching experience, primarily with students with special needs. She recently co-authored two book chapters, a supplemental chapter in What Really Works with Exceptional Learners (2017) by Corwin Press, and a chapter on HLP 1: Collaboration, in High-Leverage Practices in Special Education by Slack Publishing (slated for publication in 2022). Ann Stiltner is a high school special education teacher. She received a master's degree in special education from the University of Hartford and a certificate of advanced studies in literacy from Sacred Heart University. She writes the blog from Room A212 (annstiltner.com/blog). Elizabeth Stein is a special education and Universal Design for Learning instructional coach and consultant. She is the author of Two Teachers in the Room: Strategies for Co-Teaching Success (Routledge) and Elevating Co-Teaching through UDL (CAST).