The Big E.D idea Podcast

Mandi Tolen is a high school math teacher, Google Certified Innovator, blogger, & author of Make Math Not Suck, a guide to create fun & memorable math experiences for students. Mandi has a passion for changing how we teach to create thinkers & learners.

You can find Mandi on Twitter @MandiTolenEDU

David Frangiosa is a HS science teacher from NJ with 15 years of classroom experience. He's been performing action research on grade reform since 2015, which led to co-authoring Going Gradeless published by Corwin Press. David is also a blogger and podcaster! When not doing the work of an EDdisruptor, David spends his time as a dad and husband.

You can find him on:

1. Twitter: @DavidFrangiosa
2. his website: www.reimaginedschools.com

Small, rural districts often don't have the resources available to offer the same number of academic/CTE programs as some of their neighboring districts do. Join Cameron and me as we discuss his idea, that students should be able to enroll in neighboring schools to chase their passions!

Cameron Brown is currently a senior at Western Kentucky University and a student teacher at Barren County High School. Initially attending WKU to obtain a degree in sports broadcasting and journalism, Brown quickly realized that this was not the career path for him. For four years, Brown—a 2017 graduate of Webster County High School—served as the sportswriter for the Journal-Enterprise in Webster County and also helped cover Trojan sports on the radio for his alma mater. During this time, Brown thoroughly enjoyed working with all of the student-athletes and realized that education was the correct career choice for him. He began working as a substitute teacher in Webster County in February 2019, and this only confirmed his passion for the profession. As Brown graduates from WKU in May of this year, his goal is to bring positive energy into the classroom every single day and push students to be the very best that they can be. His bigEDidea can potentially give students every opportunity to be fully prepared for life after high school—whether they are going to college or directly into the workforce.

Dr. Christopher Jochum is the chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. With an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students, his department offers virtual and on-campus degree programs in PK-12 teacher preparation. Chris began his career as a public school Spanish and ESL teacher and has been preparing future teachers for 15 years. His research focuses on leadership development in education and his recent book is titled, The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership.

Join us as we discuss being a #girldad, what we are currently reading and his idea that our leaders need supported as much as our teachers!

Matthew is a current Big with us at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana. As a retired military man, his brings a strong sense of purpose for improving the community in which he lives with his wife and children.

Join us as Matthew discusses why he chose to be a Big, what that typically looks like and why others should join our ranks as a defender of potential!