#04: Simple Ways to Find Your Teaching Blindspots in the Classroom

02/02/17 • 10 min

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10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher

Dr. David Guerin, (@DavidGeurin) is the 2017 NASSP Digital Principal of the year. Davide believes that excellence is not the same as success. True excellence is a mindset, a desire to serve, a belief that helping others leads to the best outcomes.

SMART Learning Suite is today's sponsor. Register for my free Differentiating Instruction with Technology webinar sponsored by SMART Learning Suite next Thursday, February 9 at 4pm.One of the hardest things about teaching is not knowing where we're falling short.

It is easy for teachers to remain clueless about the things they are doing that are hurting learning in the classroom. In this episode, Dr. David Guerin shares several ways that teachers can seek out and find their blind spots so they can be better teachers. It may seem risky to find out our blind spots as teachers, but it will unlock better learning.

Previous Episode

#03: Science Kits with Love from Kansas to Haiti

Matt Clay is a science teacher in Ness City, Kansas and a doctoral student in education at the University of Northern Colorado researching environmental experiences. Matt is helping his science students create science kits for students in Haiti.

So many bored, unexcited students. Today’s students want to do meaningful work in all of their subjects. But it can be so hard for teachers to relate their content to real world problems. In today’s show, Matt Clay talks to Vicki Davis on 10MT about how he saw a need and is rallying his science classes to meet that need. Matt takes us from when he found a need on the streets of Haiti to how he got his students and parents excited about meeting that need. He also shares the problems and pitfalls with such a project and how any teacher can apply this type of project in their classroom.

Matt and his class have set up a funding page to help send their science kits to Haiti at https://www.gofundme.com/haitisciencekit.

A full transcript of this show and the show notes is available at www.coolcatteacher.com/podcast as well as details on this month’s giveaway contest to win a MakerBot mini replicator 3D! I use this printer in my classroom and love it!

Next Episode

#05: 5 Ideas for Using Game-Based Learning in Your Classroom Today

Michael Matera is a middle school teacher, author of Explore Like a Pirate and Speaker. As a gamification guru and moonshot thinker, Michael transforms the traditional classroom into a high-energy environment where active student engagement is paramount. Helping educators learn about the power of a gamified immersive learning environment is Michael’s passion. Learn more and connect with Michael to come to your school or event on Explorelikeapirate.com

In today's show, Michael gives us five simple ideas for implementing game-based learning in your classroom. Get started here.

Pick a theme
Adventure Paths
Mini Games
Use Game Mechanics
Build Challenges

A full transcript of this show and the show notes is available at www.coolcatteacher.com/podcast as well as details on entering this month’s giveaway contest to win Michael's Book and Michael's Mystery Box as well as a a MakerBot mini replicator 3D! I use this printer in my classroom and love it!