SchoolWork Podcast
Welcome back to Season 2 of SchoolWork where we have a new season, a new year and a new vision for this podcast. Heather Blythe-Yaws will be joining us this year for our podcasts featuring insights on a variety of interesting topics with other guests joining us for each episode. We’ve launched Episode 1 of Season 2 in our podcast player below, so have a listen and stay tuned for more episodes!
SchoolWork is an effort to give insight, to inform and to hopefully show you the heart behind why all of us in AISD make our work about school.
Episode Summary and Show Notes are located below the podcast player.
Season 2, Episode 1 Summary
In this episode, we talk with Jeremy Spielman. He’s the Assistant Director at the National Paideia Center. Jeremy is an experienced teacher, principal, system administrator, and school-transformation agent. And, yes we do ask him to explain what in the world a ‘school-transformation agent’ is. We're also joined by Aryn Erwin, a 4th grade teacher at Wolflin Elementary, who is entering her fourth year of implementing Paideia in her classroom.
Episode 1 Notes
0:01 – Welcome and Overview of Episode.
01:30 – Update on Amtech Career Academy.
02:29 – Jeremy Spielman, Assistant Director at the National Paideia Center: Introduction and bio info.
07:20 – Jeremy discusses his Paideia Seminar involvement with Wolflin Elementary School
12:52 – The idea of failure, when things don’t work the way we want them to work but how that leads to an opportunity to shape and form growth: “Calculated risk is essential for growth.”
16:30 – Jeremy describes what Paedeia is and what it can lead to according to the research: “Teaching how to think, not what to think.”
20:23 – Aryn Erwin, 4th Grade teacher at Wolflin Elementary, shares her classroom Paideia experiences and observations: “They’re learning critical thinking skills.”
29:14 – “...microwave solutions to crock pot problems.”
35:26 – Round-table discussions of the ripple effects that occur.
40:17 – Closing thoughts.
Season 1, Episode 6 Summary
You have questions about our “July Jump Start” and our school-year alternative plan for the Texas Reading Academies. We have your answers in this episode of SchoolWork.
Season 1, Episode 5 Summary
In this episode, we talk with four of our District teachers on everything: the good, the bad, and the ugly. 2020 was a hard year. What did we learn and where do we go from here?
Episode 5 Notes
0:01 – Welcome and Overview of Episode
01:50 – Round-table discussion with AISD Elementary Teachers Erin Miller and Roxanne Jenkins.
25:00 – Round-table discussion with AISD Secondary Teachers David Price and Heather Blythe-Yaws.
Season 1, Episode 4 Summary
On this episode we want to address some of the most frequently asked questions we’re getting here at the District and provide some insight that will help us all be able to answer them.
Episode 4 Notes
0:07 – Welcome and Overview
1:40 – Chris Tatum on COVID testing at the District
6:37 – Personnel and substitutes in our Schools
15:50 – The most frequently asked questions with Doug Loomis
Season 1, Episode 3 Summary
From the latest updates on virtual learning to voting to self-care, this episode tries to keep up with the changing winds of 2020.
Episode 3 Notes
0:15 – Welcome and Overview
2:30 – Update on Virtual Learning
8:20 – Exercising Your Right to Vote
14:30 – Tracey Morman
16:15 – Taking Care of Others by Taking Care of Yourself
21:15 – Getting Through COVID-19
27:25 – Can't Let It Go
Season 1, Episode 2 Summary
We've implemented several years worth of change and technology into the first three weeks of school. It's been a lot. And, now it's time to come up for a breath of air. In this episode we talk about in-person and virtual learning, canvas, and district enrollment.
Episode 2 Notes
1:00 – Welcome
6:30 – In-Person Learning
11:00 – Doing both, In-Person and Virtual
18:00 – Canvas
36:35 – COVID-19 Update
39:40 – Adding Staff + District Enrollment
A roundtable discussion with Kevin Phillips, Susan Hoyl and Doug Loomis; talking back-to-school in the age of COVID-19 and how, despite its best efforts, the pandemic hasn't stopped important work.
0:00 - Introduction to SchoolWork.
0:51 - A Message from Doug Loomis.
2:10 - What is SchoolWork?
5:24 - Episode Overview.
6:28 - COVID-19 and the 20-21 school year.
24:48 - What happens when we get a positive COVID case?
33:23 - Staff safeguards if they were to test positive.
38:55 - Canvas; the new Learning Management System.
48:15 - Update on the Intercultural Development Research Association efforts & closing the learning gap.
1:01:15 - Wrap-up.