After 100 episodes, it's time to take a pause and take stock of things. This episode, I'm joined by my friend and fellow podcaster Brad Shreffler as we look back on our experiences as podcasters and educators. While we take stock of the things we've learned, we also manage to wander quite a bit - regular listeners who have heard our collaborations before won't be the least bit surprised at the breadth of our discussion. Covering everything from the benefits of podcasting, to inequity in education, to the joys of wine and beer, it's a fitting celebration of the last 100 episodes.;

Thanks to all the listeners who have been with Ed on this journey, and here's to the next 100!

Links:

Brad on Twitter
BradShreffler.com
The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

Unit B Co-Working
Edmonton Public Library Summer Program
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network 

On Thursday June 13th, Leanne Hanson - a fantastic educator and a friend - lost her battle to cancer. Leanne lived her life passionately and thoughtfully. I had only a short time to know her from half a world away, but the impression she left on me, and so many others who knew her through the education world, was indelible. Smart, sharp, humourous, but also compassionate, thoughtful and caring, Leanne embodied so much of what an educator should be.

This episode is a rebroadcast of a conversation I had with her about a year ago. It's chock full of great ideas that are applicable in many classrooms; it's also a great opportunity to sit at the feet of a wonderful person, if only for a short while.

If this is your first time hearing this episode, enjoy. If not, it's a conversation well worth revisiting, if only to remember a dearly beloved and valuable member of the edu community.

You can help Leanne say thanks to the hospital staff who cared for her in her final days (and raise money for cancer research) by donating here.

Chris Cluff is an educator who's passionate about giving kids the best opportunities possible. We chat about what that looks like even when a student's situation isn't ideal. Chris explains how sometimes, the best way we can serve our students has nothing to do with curriculum. We also talk about how he made the transition from chef to teacher and the attraction he has towards teaching kids on the periphery of the bell curve.

Links:

Chris on Twitter
chrisjcluff.com
The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

Alberta Blue Cross Wellness Summit 
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network

Gavin Foster is a passionate musician, producer and teacher. After trying several things that weren't quite his jam, he discovered his perfect fit, teaching music for K-8 kids. We talk the challenges of teaching the recorder, producing hip-hop, running a successful student-led podcast, and the benefits of writing poetry about mental health. Gavin is an energetic and focused teacher who is always focused - through successes and failures - on what's best for his kids.

Links:

Gav on Twitter 
Gav's Website - gavsession.com
The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

The Well Endowed Podcast
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network

This month, for the first time, the ladies outnumber the gents. To that end, we're talking about perspectives - both for ourselves as teachers as well as for our students. It's a meaty discussion covering race, gender, indigenous peoples, social media, formation of self and a lot more. At the heart of it all, we discover the importance of telling stories and listening.

Links:

The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

Edmonton Public Library Summer Program
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network

Amber Grohs is a Spec Ed teacher who truly believes in creating a joyful environment for her students. We begin our conversation with something a little less joyful: IEP's. Amber shares her expertise on how to get them done and how to effectively implement individual learning plans in the classroom. We also chat about how she got into her spec ed role and how bringing joy and thankfulness into the classroom every day is a must. Finally, we wrap things up with her experiences learning to sketchnote and we talk about why it's such a great way for teachers (and students!) to record their learning and understanding.

Links:

The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

Alberta Blue Cross Wellness Summit
Alberta Health Services - ahs.ca/options
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network

Cathryn van Kessel is a teacher and researcher at the University of Alberta. Her particular passion is easing the difficulties teachers have when dealing with challenging subject matter in the classroom - think genocide, for example. Her approach is unique because her primary strategy involves researching evil. We dive into this and Cathryn explains how understanding the different modalities of evil can help us, as teachers, to have better, safer, more productive discussions with our students. It's all about equipping students with the tools they need to wrestle with challenging subject matter.

Links:

Cathryn on Twitter
The Grim Educator (website)
The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network

Dr. Sam Fecich is a tech coach and post-secondary instructor of pre-service teachers. Her passion for mentoring the future generation of teachers is central to her practice. In this episode, we talk about how she helps new teachers get prepared for the service; the importance of self-promotion; and the necessity for young educators to get plugged in to an online network of teaching professionals. We also talk about staying healthy via achieving work-life balance, which doesn't always mean 50/50. Finally, we chat about her book, EduMagic and its core messages of getting teachers motivated and connected.

Links:

Sam on Twitter
The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

Unit B Co-Working
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network

Sarah Thomas is a passionate educator, tech coach and adjunct faculty at Loyola University. We talk about her work with EduMatch and the importance of reaching out to others to help build community and a solid network that we can draw from as educators. We also dive into edtech and how to make it relevant in our current context.

Links:

Sarah on Twitter
Sarah's Website
The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

The Well Endowed Podcast
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network

This week, I'm joined by Aaron and Shaun to answer a question: what would teaching be like, if it were a videogame? We talk about format, goals, plus how a player would maintain health, both physical and mental. How do we earn points? What IS the point? It's a deep dive into a ridiculous question that drives at the deeper meaning of the teaching profession.

Links:

Shaun on Twitter
Aaron on Twitter
The Ed Podcast on Twitter

Sponsored Links:

NorthWestFest - enter code APN2019 at checkout
ATB Financial
The Alberta Podcast Network