Value Adds Value!

If you listened to the podcast last week we started a conversation with our friend Ben Scoggan that we thought would be about how to set standards for yourself and have the discipline to follow through on them. It turned into a conversation on how we are preparing our teachers for the classroom.  Here are a few questions we tackled: Should teacher prep programs be specific to where you're going to get a job? Meaning do more to prepare teachers for rural and urban schools? Should aspiring teachers learn pedagogy before content or vice versa? Should content area classes be specific for teachers? Rather than taking history classes with history majors should teachers taking history classes designed to demonstrate how to teach the content.  We hope you enjoy this episode of Value Adds Value and we'd love to continue these conversations with you on social media! Find us on Facebook and Youtube as Value Adds Value! Instagram: @valueaddsvalue @itskylekrueger @its.wil.law.iii Twitter: @itskylekrueger @its_w

It seems the theme of this of Season 3 of Value Adds Value is each episode has left of us with more questions than answer, but isn't that the point of discussion. We continue our deep dive into standards which starter last week on this episode with someone who can give us an outside perspective. We asked our good friend Ben Scoggan to come back on the show to share his insights on what it means to have standards and share his experiences in the Marine Reserves.  We feel it is increasingly important to get out of our echo chamber to provide you with a variety of opinions and outlooks. On this episode we talk about: -What qualifies as a standard -What teacher preparedness programs should look like -How we can learn from military structure -Functioning together as a unit We hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast and tune in next week to listen to the second half of our conversation with Ben!! As always you can find us at theledproject.com! Twitter: @itskylekrueger @its_wil_law_iii Instagram and Tik Tok:

Attention all ELA teachers!! The ELA Success Summit is an online PD coming up this August focused on providing you with the digital tools you need to tackle the 2020-21 school year. We had the chance to talk with one of the cofounders of the event Kim Crouch on this bonus episode of Value Adds Value.  Kim is a teacher on Long Island with an incredible story. We had the chance to talk to her about what is was like to be a novice teacher on Long Island on September 11, 2001, the power of journaling, how to create advocacy and agency with your students, and what teachers can expect from the ELA Success Summit!  We hope you'll check it out! https://www.elasuccesssummit.com/ https://www.instagram.com/english_oh_my/?hl=en https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/English-Oh-My --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

How do you define the word standard? When talking about standards in education how are they most commonly referenced? What are high standards?  These are the questions we tackle on this episode of Value Adds Value! This conversation started as the two of us catching up about Wilkie's dissertation. We started talking about the correlation between Hip Hop and education. This conversation was born from that! We hope you enjoy it! Find us online at theledproject.com! Twitter: @itskylekrueger @its_wil_law_iii Instagram: @itskylekrueger @its.wil.law.iii @valueaddsvalue --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

What is up fam?! This episode is continuation on our conversation from last week on why relationships require discourse. On this episode we talk about things like bringing nuance back to conversations and how as teachers we can't trade on authority any more. The real question is how to do we make discourse more than just a one off we use it difficult times? How do we make discourse a day to day part of our classroom culture? Here's a couple ideas we discuss in the podcast: 1. What questions do we need to be asking? Generally to create discourse and specifically in our lessons? 2. How to we change our position from judge of conversation to participant? 3. How can we overcome our prejudice and increase our curiosity? 4. How do we focus the raw energy of our students? We hope you'll take the time to listen to this episode and while you're at we'd love for you to like and subscribe!!  To learn more about us head over to theledproject.com! Find us on social media: Twitter: @itskylekrueger @its_wil_law_iii Ins

Welcome to Season 3 of Value Adds Value! We are thrilled to introduce the newest season of the podcast in which we will be focusing exclusively on relationships. In this episode we discuss why discourse is required for relationships and how it seems to be more challenging than ever.  Lets define it.  Discourse- a formal discussion of a topic in speech or writing We focused on the word formal for our discussion and how formalities are lacking in the current political and social climate in our country. We hear a lot on TV and in social media that the "other side" isn't willing to listen or change their perspective." Or we hear in within our social circles that you just don't talk about race, politics, religion or finances. These are just excuses people use because they don't want to have their point of view challenged or feel uncomfortable.  This can't be us as teachers. We can not be people who shun discourse. We can't be afraid to be called out for our shortcomings or be unwilling to listen to

This is a candid conversation in which Wilkie talks about George Floyd and being a black man. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

We have learned a lot about distance learning and digital technology over the last few months. We had made incorrect assumptions about the crossover our digital native students would make when it comes to digital learning. We thought it would be seamless, but it wasn't. Then we looked back on our students struggles with digital learning in the classroom. We knew we had a lot to learn, so we asked our friend Jessica Reed to come on the podcast to talk about how to match the right digital learning platforms to our students needs and our curriculum needs.  Jess is familiar with a variety of platforms and has a lot of experience in using digital resources with our students who receive special education services. We hope  you find value in this episode and if you do please share it with the teachers in your life! Instagram and Twitter: @valueaddsvalue @itskylekrueger @its.wil.law.iii Visit our website! https://sites.google.com/view/spedtechteacher/home --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/value

We know there are challenges in the Co-Teaching setting.  Creating continuity across different areas of expertise and levels of experience can be a real challenge. It can often cause confusion on the role of the content teacher and the inclusion teacher for students and teachers alike. Our friend Jessica Reed has created a really cool document called the COLLABORATIVE PRE-NUP that is aimed to make the co-teaching setting more effective as teachers and more productive for kids. She explains it on this episode of VALUE ADDS VALUE!! And tune in next week to her Jess talk about how to more effectively use digital learning tools for our students that receive SPED services!! Click here to learn more about Jessica's work! Click here to learn more about Lighthouse Educator Development! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

We had the distinct pleasure of having our great friend Vanessa Torborda Cronin on the podcast again for a conversation that was supposed to be about how to control what you can, but as it happened we just talked about what we missed about teaching. Then we talked about our high school experiences and how we would have coped with this time. Then we talked about what we want to teach our kids if the fall brings distance learning and how we can do a better job of connecting with them. We hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast and while you're at it go subscribe to the EMPOWERED TEACHING PODCAST! To learn more about our projects visit our website! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

As teachers we know the importance of communication, meaningful feedback,  and consistent interactions. What do you do when all of those things cease?  In this time of crisis learning we all have struggle to connect with our kids and provide them meaningful feedback. One of the biggest challenges we have faced during this time of crisis learning has been lag time. We are sending out assignments that we won't get back for over a week and by then we've already had to move on to new stuff. Our kids don't respond to emails and don't engage in our online communities.  All of these have made our team feel like we haven't done enough to support our kids. We suspect you might be feeling the same way.  We hope you'll listen to this conversation our team had about what we have learned during this time and how we plan to be ready for whatever next year brings!  Above all we want you to know you're doing an amazing job and no matter where you are in the content you're right where you need to be!

We are so thrilled to share this episode of VALUE ADDS VALUE with y'all because we get to introduce you to our new team members!!! Lauren Roig (@therealtravelingteacher) Ace Schwarz (@teachingoutsidethebinary) Dailene Hendon (@cohortofcare) With these three amazing educators on our team we hope to bring additional perspectives to the podcast and to our professional developments. On this episode we talk about what engagement has looked like for us during this time of crisis/distance learning and how we would like to redefine it. We start out by talking about the assumptions we made in how this transition would go and how those assumptions have caused us problems.  Assumptions like students would be more engaged with content on digital platforms because they are ''digital natives." We also discussed the role of discourse in classrooms and how important it is to our students learning.  We finished up by discussing corrections we've tried to make during this time and changes we'd like to make for the fu

We want to start out by saying to all the teachers out there that are doing there very best in a difficult situation. We are honored to stand with you in this profession. We wrap up this series on what we are striving to do during this time of COVID-19 when we have found ourselves with more time and space to think and reflect. We hope that you'll use this time to find yourself again,  figure out how you can remove someone of the baggage you've been carrying, and come back in the fall as a new teacher! We are on this journey with you of becoming the teachers our kids deserve!  If you want to learn more about our projects please visit theledproject.com! Follow us on Instagram: @its.wil.law.iii @mr.k.inroom508 and @valueaddsvalue --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

In part two of this three part series we talk about how after we work to re-find ourselves we must shift over to refining ourselves. We pick up from last week's episode talking about why we seek out those and why the silence can be so unnerving. We have both been very candid about the challenges we've faced in our careers with facing the person in the mirror and giving ourselves tough love. In this episode we dive into why we fear letting our mistakes out of the dark, how to own our wrongs, and how kids are more forgiving than we think.  If you would like to learn more you listen to the previous episode, find us on social media, or visit our website theledproject.com! Social Media: @its.wil.law.iii @mr.k.inroom508 @valueaddsvalue --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

This is a strange time for us as people, but also as educators. Trying to figure out how to teach our kids during a crisis while prioritizing our own health and the health of those we love. As social distancing has stretched for more than a month now we have learned how to live with this new routine. Many of us as teachers have more time and space to work than we ever thought we'd have. Time to think about who we are and who we want to be. In this three part series we want to help you REFIND YOURSELF, so you can REFINE YOURSELF, and REINVENT YOURSELF this fall.  As teachers we can so often lose the forest for the trees, but now is the perfect time to find yourself and we hope you'll take this journey with us! In this episode we discuss:  The influence of Dr. Eric Thomas on us. How we can lose the forest for the trees. How much we appreciate the everything we love is truly in our homes. Finding authenticity in our home and school lives. Why we've become addicted to noise. To learn more about the work

Here's a conversation we had this week about what the new normal for teachers looks like and how it will change the way we approach our classrooms in the fall. This is one of the most incredible opportunities of our lifetime for us to be a part of the generation that changes what education looks like in America. If you need support you know where to find us! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

This is certainly unexpected. We didn't think we'd be in a situation that requires us to all leave our classrooms and so of us won't return at all this year. This is an incredible opportunity for us as educators to grow and sharpen our tools. We are with you on this journey for whatever you need. Please reach out and let us know how we can help! Our resources are below! Go to theledproject.com and download our 4 REASONS TO USE PODCASTS AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PDF! Or check out theledproject.com/hub to find a list of podcasts for educators! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support

We're about 2/3 of the way done with the 2019-20 school year and we all know this can be a very trying time as an educator. After spring break ends it will be a long road with no breaks to the end of the year. Most likely you'll be doing some kind of testing between right now and the end of the year. As the weather gets warmer the students and teachers get antsy. Yet, this is the most crucial time of the year. IT IS OUR LAST CHANCE TO MAKE THE JOB OF THE TEACHERS OUR STUDENTS HAVE THIS YEAR A LITTLE EASIER!  We have a chance in these last three months to pour into our students more of what they will need to be successful in the next grade and next phase of life. On this episode we share some of our tricks for reverse engineering the end of the year. It starts with thinking about how you want your kids and yourself to feel on that last day of school. Then work backwards to outline the steps you'll need to take to make that moment a reality. We hope this episode helps you make the most of the last part of

This is part 2 of our conversation with Stephanie Edmonds and on this episode we talked about the importance of co-curricular activities and why they can't always be tied to behavior and grades. Before you dismiss this conversation saying that kids need to earn field trips and other privileges listen to Steph's perspective on how to bring co-curricular activities into the classroom. She talks powerfully on how bringing the student's passions to the classroom can change the atmosphere and culture of the room. This is a challenge because to bring your the passions of your students to the classroom you have to build a relationship with them that allows them to open up to you about what is truly important to them. As is the usual for this podcasts everything centers around building relationships! We hope you'll listen to this episode and deploy some of Steph's strategies in your classroom!  Be sure to go follow Steph on Youtube!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFsqeatY7gJGYLPYc-AXslQ If you'd be willi

We had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Edmonds (@class.disruption) for this episode of the VALUE ADDS VALUE PODCAST! We learned from Steph, who is a high school social studies teacher in Brooklyn, what it means to stay foolish. In part 1 of this 2 part interview we talked with her about her journey to the classroom, why Social Studies teachers have it the best, and why student interest have to take center stage in our classrooms! Please take the time to check out Steph's work on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFsqeatY7gJGYLPYc-AXslQ To learn more about the work we do through our non-profit LIGHTHOUSE EDUCATOR DEVELOPMENT visit us at theledproject.com! If you'd like to support our work please head over to anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue and click the SUPPORT button or go to classy.org/valueaddsvalue! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valueaddsvalue/support