Bonjour, GLG listeners! It might seem “rather odd” to compare math to Disney’s iconic take on “Beauty and the Beast” but bear with us here - A bookish protagonist finds herself torn between two worlds - between the love she has grown into and those who have yet to see the value and beauty under what seems dark, confusing, and . . . requires attention to precision? Now you can see where we’re going with this…and we’ve found a qualified expert to “be our guest” on this enchanted mathematical adventure. Join us!

One thing that’s pretty clear about the GLG, especially if you’ve listened to our “Pop Culture Playground” mini episodes, is that we typically skew, as a guild, towards pop music. Much in the same way, in our journey as a podcast to capture what it’s like to teach, learn, team, and lead in school systems during the early-mid 2020s, we realize our discussions have been tuned closely into the “United States K-12 Education” station.Up next, we’re going to spin that dial…and consider the “Alternative” station. Where or how else can those with a curious mind, an empathetic heart, and a love for teaching and learning make a difference in education? “Stay Tuned” throughout this mini-series on “AlternativeEDU” with the GLG …starting with this very episode!

One thing that’s pretty clear about the GLG, especially if you’ve listened to our “Pop Culture Playground” mini episodes, is that we typically skew, as a guild, towards pop music. Much in the same way, in our journey as a podcast to capture what it’s like to teach, learn, team, and lead in school systems during the early-mid 2020s, we realize our discussions have been tuned closely into the “United States K-12 Education” station.Up next, we’re going to spin that dial…and consider the “Alternative” station.  Where or how else can those with a curious mind, an empathetic heart, and a love for teaching and learning make a difference in education? Stay tuned throughout this mini-series on “AlternativeEDU” with the GLG!

It’s not uncommon these days to see teachers clamoring for a hack that will change how student discussion plays out in the classroom. Our students still have a tremendous desire for interaction with each other, but it can feel like the second that topic of conversation aligns to a learning objective, the struggle for engagement is REAL. When the odds are against us like this, it seems as if we need to pull off something BIG to get student discussion where we want it to be…almost like pulling off some kind of heist! Yet, we're flipping the classic heist narrative here – it's about giving, not taking. And the GLG is just the right team to dive into the vast “ocean” of possibilities.

On a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate your ability to use AI in your classroom?Considering all we discussed in our last episode, it’s understandable if that number isn’t very high.  But there’s another side to AI, where it may not be out to defeat or even replace educators…but to be our companion in brainstorming, solution seeking, and creation for our students. Welcome to the GLG “nerd lab” where we’re going to consider how AI might have the potential to be “The Big Hero”, too.

“Come with us if you want to live.” Okay, it’s not THAT drastic, but at this moment in time, we are in dire need of quite a few conversations about the many facets of Artificial Intelligence when it comes to learning and teaching. Some educators see a post-apocalyptic world bearing down on us, while others just see a tool that can be incredibly useful, even …fun. Wherever your own personal programing has you on this continuum, there’s going to be a few bits and bytes here for you as the GLG explores AI in schools.

Photo from Unsplash From the very first episode of Abbott Elementary, you can immediately pick out Barbara Howard as a veteran teacher who makes a massive impact on her school. Her classroom routines are on point, her students feel safe and loved, and her colleagues view her with a range from hero worship to trusted collaborator.  With all that seasoned veteran teachers like this give back to a school environment - we have to flip the script and consider. What do OUR Barbaras need and deserve in the final phase of their careers as educators? We’re going there - stick around.

Quinta Brunson’s show “Abbott Elementary'' has struck a chord with folks everywhere.  No other show about education has managed to encapsulate the real struggles faced by urban educators like this one has. Even more impressive is how perfectly balanced the portrayal of real-world educational issues is …juxtaposed with laugh out loud hilarious lines and deftly witty characterization. As educational podcasters who LOVE a good comedy series, it’s time we talked about it.  That said, speaking in generalities is not our way, so stay tuned while we utilize our discussion of “Abbott Elementary” to dig deeper into an important idea in our newest series: the educator experience divide. Join us. Photo by Ellen Tanner on Unsplash

ey there smelly cats, how-YOU-doin? You’ll want to grab yourself a HUGE cup of coffee - because we are visiting the pop culture winter wonderland one more time, And this time we’re tuning into 90s classic “Friends”. Get ready for some education-adjacent connections to six highly-caffeinated friends and the hilarious ins and outs of their lives shared with us over 10 seasons. Let’s just hope this doesn’t turn into a Joey Tribbiani-level disaster faster than Ross can pivot into a pair of leather pants.

I’m sure when you hear the name “Britney Spears”, your thoughts might revolve around any number of danceable tracks or eras where she dominated the headlines, but I bet education and learning are far from the top of your mind. And yet, while we discussed Britney Spears in our Season 1 episode “The Apathy Zone”, we felt we hadn’t fully given this queen of pop her due. Britney's music isn't just about the many phases of relationships, iconic outfits, and amazing dance routines. That’s why this pop culture winter wonderland is for embracing all things catchy and chaotic alike and diving headfirst into the unexpected parallels between Britney's bops and the world of K-12 education.

We may be outnumbered, under-resourced, and emotionally drained at times, but we teachers, like Kevin McCallister in the holiday classic Home Alone are resourceful, resilient, and ultimately, victorious. Because even in the face of endless homework revisions and standardized test anxieties, educators are still working their hardest to make learning more fun for kids than, say, sledding down the stairs and out the front door. So buckle up, educators and learners, because in this episode, we're leaving the traps of the day-to-day grind behind and zip-lining into a proverbial tree house full of hilarious, surprisingly heartwarming connections to our classrooms and staff rooms. Welcome to the Pop Culture Winter Wonderland.

Not to give too big of a spoiler, but the film “Rogue One, A Star Wars Story” ends with a very important word: “Hope”. When we look at literacy instruction and learning, we find “hope” when our striving readers begin to master reading comprehension. This incredibly sought after skill unlocks so many others - reaching far beyond mere recall into analysis, creation, and synthesis. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading a social studies textbook chapter, “Rosie Revere Engineer” or….say…the schematics used to create the Death Star, perhaps?. Reading comprehension is about bringing together varied skills to transform information on a page into real power….and hope! Stick around while our “ragtag group of rebels” in the GLG discuss another such group -the crew of the “Rogue One” and tie their collaborative mission for crucial comprehension - to our own.

In a world where innovative, immersive, and authentic learning reign supreme, anything that could be described as “robotic” can be a little off-putting to say the least. It brings to mind the mentality of Disney’s “The Mandalorian” who, in early seasons, has good reason to mistrust droids - avoiding and even eliminating them at every turn! Yet, just like Din Djarin has to do some personal “reprogramming” to find a droid or two as tolerable, even useful entities …we are all working to come to a place where we can similarly embrace some of the practices detailed in the Science of Reading for the vocabulary instruction of older learners. How do we reconcile our own wishes to “avoid the droid” while still integrating research-based practices when called to? It starts with a healthy degree of questioning and consideration. This is the way.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a classic battle waged - led by a group of rebels who dared to think differently - engaging in disciplined practice that would ultimately yield them the power to transcend time, space, and physical limitations. As Yoda might say: “Talking about the Jedi we are?” But as is the GLG way, we have one foot firmly planted in the world of education which means, the answer is Yes - BUT we are also talking about a different kind of training: teaching new readers!

Coaches and middle instructional leaders often find themselves in uncharted territory - they are in their role because they are high skilled, and while many have the tools to inspire and lead others, many feel adrift trying to find their place. Well, according to Josh Gates, host of the Travel Channel’s show Expedition Unknown, “Seeing the world is a prerequisite to understanding one’s place in it.” Both travelers (and coaches) “have a responsibility to adapt” to the people and individuals around them. Otherwise, as Gates says, “ we miss the whole point: the opportunity to gain a new perspective. Every story has worth, since a person takes the time to tell it. The key is to listen.”

When Willy Wonka sang the line: ““A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest of men,” we doubt he had seen the same type of “nonsense”as, say, an 8th grade math teacher might encounter on the last day of school before winter break.  And yet, educators everywhere are perpetually working to understand and interpret student behavior. While it might be challenging to acknowledge in the moment, research tells us that more often than not, a child does not possess the skills needed to handle a situation or meet the expectations set FOR them. Join us and you never know - you might just find a “golden ticket” for responding to behavior you haven’t tried yet.

Whether it’s a report from a sub or a comment from a passing observer, the way people talk about educator’s students often boils down to one thing: student behavior. It runs the gamut from “That class is completely out of control,” to “what a polite and respectful group of young people!” Educators everywhere are trying to amend the former and replicate the latter, but it starts with a firm understanding of the science of behavior. And of course, to balance out all this research, we’re relating it by way of a pretty “sweet” metaphor that would make both Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp proud. . . “The suspense for GLG’s first episode of season 4 is terrible . . . we hope it will last!”

Season 4 premiers this Thursday!

We at GLG love a “fish out of water story.” Some of our favorite connections on the Pop Culture Playground have been about characters who leave their lives of comfort and familiarity who embark on a journey of self discovery. Today, we will once again revisit this classic trope, this time with a movie (and spinoff tv show) about a group of vampire roommates trying to make it in our modern world - and growing very little (but making us laugh a ton) in the process. “They say that vampires' hearts are cold and dead. Definitely dead. But we don't know. We think they still feel things inside” so long as we look closely at What (They) Do in the Shadows. Stay tuned.

Education, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Grounded Learners Guild. It's mission: to explore strange new ideas, to seek out new connections in new and old stories To boldly go where no leader or educator has gone before. Live long and prosper friends, but definitely stick around for our last Pop Culture Playground episode for the summer of 2023. Hit it, GLG, and remember to set phasers to stun!