3ps In A Pod

Sean Ross from the Arizona Department of Education joins co-hosts Danielle and Kathleen to talk about the state’s new reading endorsement for grades K-5. Ross is Deputy Associate Superintendent of Academic Standards for the Arizona Department of Education and brings his deep passion for literacy and reading and supporting all of Arizona’s learners to today’s conversation. Ross shares about the impact of a strong reading background in his own life before reviewing Arizona’s literacy data and explaining the role this new reading endorsement can have in supporting students in becoming lifelong readers. Here are a few resources and webpages also referenced during today’s episode: Science of Reading, Arizona Department of Education Early Literacy Case Studies, Read On Arizona Move On When Reading, Arizona Department of Education Learn more about the Arizona Department of Education’s K-8 Reading Endorsement on azed.gov. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

We are kicking off the new year and our 11th season of 3Ps in a Pod by welcoming Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Dr. Kathy Wiebke, NBCT. Kathy joins co-hosts Marlys and Kathleen to reflect on the highs and lows that made up 2021 and shares about what she is looking forward to in 2022. She mentions several accomplishments by the Arizona K12 Center in the past year, including expanding the Arizona New Teacher Support Program to 22 sites and introducing the Arizona Teacher Residency. Kathy also talks about her vision for Arizona education and the Arizona 12 Center’s role in that work. Find out about the Beginning Teacher Institute and Teacher Leadership Institute mentioned in this episode and other upcoming events at azk12.org/events. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

If you haven’t heard already, the Arizona K12 Center is the home of the brand new Arizona Teacher Residency! This is a first-of-its-kind graduate program in Arizona, modeled after medical residencies, to help recruit, prepare, support, and retain K-12 teachers. The two-year program aims to prepare aspiring teachers with a rigorous graduate education, a yearlong classroom apprenticeship, and ongoing professional learning through the Arizona K12 Center. In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Marlys and Donnie talk with Dr. Victoria Theisen-Homer, the Arizona K12 Center’s Arizona Teacher Residency Director, about the program. Dr. Theisen-Homer shares about the opportunities the program holds for Arizona education, the reception since the program was announced, and how people can apply to be residents. She also talks about the breadth of support Arizona Teacher Residency participants will receive that will support them during the program and as they continue their teaching practice beyond the residency. Learn

This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes of 3Ps in a Pod: Courageous Conversations with Glenn Singleton from April 2019. On this week’s podcast, Danielle and Angelia explore the work of Glenn Singleton and how Courageous Conversations about race can help bring about systemic change. During this conversation with Glenn, we explore the Four Agreements and the Six Conditions of Courageous Conversations as well as how these impact us in our lives and daily conversations. As you listen this week, you will hear why Glenn “feels compelled to leave the world a far better place than he found it” and how he is living out that mission. To learn more about Courageous Conversations, Glenn Singleton, or Pacific Educational Group visit https://courageousconversation.com/about/. 

Prepare to be reminded of the power of education and joy of learning in this week’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod! Co-hosts Angelia and Donnie welcome on John Carlo Tulinao, known to his students as “Mr. T,” to this week’s podcast.  Tulinao is a first-grade music and STEM teacher at Amberlea Elementary School in the Pendergast Elementary School District. He is also a 2022 Arizona Educational Foundation Ambassador for Excellence. Tulinao, originally from the Philippines, shares about how he became a teacher and how he approaches his practice with passion and a vision for community. Tulinao brings an excitement for the power of education and especially for how music can support learning in any subject area. He talks with Angelia and Donnie about how he works to integrate community and fun into his students’ learning. You can watch the video he and Donnie reference in this podcast on the Arizona Educational Foundation’s YouTube page. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

Have you wanted to become more engaged in the decision-making in your school, your district, or at the state level?  The Arizona K12 Center partnered with the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent to develop a toolkit of resources to equip and empower Arizona teachers with pertinent education information in order to engage and advocate for themselves, their students, and their profession. In this episode, co-hosts Angelia and Marlys talk about the importance of sharing about our professional work before welcoming Darcy Moody and Brian Hoffner from the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent and Kristin Roberts, a teacher at Phoenix Union High School District, to talk about the creation of the Engagement Toolkit. The Engagement Toolkit grew out of feedback from Arizona teachers calling for access to information and resources to better engage and advocate on cornerstone topics in education. In response, the Arizona K12 Center and the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent

Get to know Arizona Teacher of the Year Nancy Parra-Quinlan, NBCT, in this week’s 3Ps in a Pod! Hosts Angelia and Donnie welcome Nancy Parra-Quinlan to the podcast to share about her teacher career, her experience since being named Arizona Teacher of the Year, and what she envisions for the next year in that role. Parra-Quinlan works at Kino Junior High School in Mesa Public Schools. A career and technical education teacher at Kino, she began a STEM program that has become incredibly popular in the school and revitalized an aerospace summer program that has also grown into a popular offering. She talks with Angelia and Donnie about both of those programs and about the power National Board Certification has had on her teaching. Parra-Quinlan also shares her advice for all teachers as they navigate the continuing complexities of teaching amidst an ongoing pandemic. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

What do you know about teacher residency programs? These newer teacher training programs are growing in popularity across the country. Today, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Marlys and Donnie talk with Dr. Victoria Theisen-Homer about teacher residency programs and the potential for them in Arizona. Originally from Phoenix, Dr. Theisen-Homer began her career as a teacher in a large Title 1 high school in Los Angeles, where she was named Los Angeles Unified School District Teacher of the Year. She has spent the last several years earning her doctorate in education from Harvard University, focusing on teacher residency programs and the impact they have on teacher recruitment and retention. Her book Learning to Connect: Relationships, Race, and Teacher Education looks at two teacher residency programs and compares their effects on how teachers build meaningful relationships with students, especially across racial and cultural differences. In this episode, Dr. Theisen-Homer shares about her teacher preparation journey and wh

Think back on your first years in the classroom and how we can all support those newest to the profession in this episode all about the first year of teaching! 3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Kathleen start off sharing about their memories from their first years of teaching before welcoming Katee Hurst to the podcast. A first-year teacher, Hurst teaches second-grade at Faith Mathew Sossamon Elementary School in Queen Creek. As Angelia and Kathleen note, Hurst is the focus of a series of Arizona K12 Center blog posts this year about her first year of teaching. You can find the first post of that series at this linkand last year’s series following then first-year teacher Brianna Winiesdorffer at this link. Hurst shares about how her year is going so far and the variety of ways different mentors are supporting her. She shares her insights about what she has learned so far in her first year of teaching full time and what advice she has for both pre-service teachers currently in undergraduate programs. She also r

Lloyd Hopkins is all about creating pathways of involvement for supporters of teachers. In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, he talks with hosts Danielle and Kathleen about his experience as a classroom aide and how he transitioned his professional focus to support and recognize the work of teachers. Hopkins is the CEO and founder of the Million Dollar Teacher Project. He began this organization in 2016 in an effort to provide teachers with more support, recognition, and compensation through cost effective, community driven, and easily accessed solutions. Hopkins shares about the variety of programs and support the Million Dollar Teacher Project offers, including catered lunches for teachers, donations of back-to-school supplies, and classroom volunteers. He also shares the variety of ways teachers and teacher fans can connect with the Million Dollar Teacher Project. Learn more about the Million Dollar Teacher Project at mdtproject.org and find the organization on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the han

Vince Bustamante, an author and educator who currently works for Edmonton Catholic Schools, joins hosts Angelia and Kathleen for today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod. Bustamante wrote Great Teaching by Design: From Intention to Implementation in the Visible Learning Classroom with John Hattie, John Almarode, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey.  Bustamante mentions that many resources provide great strategies to improve teaching and learning but that he wanted Great Teaching by Design to look at figuring out the best strategies. Rather than trial and error, Great Teaching by Design asks teachers to continually focus on their two non-negotiables, the students they have and the standards they need to address, and to systematically determine what interventions to use with what student when.  Learn more about Great Teaching by Design at corwin.com. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

What does it look like for teachers to create inclusive and supportive spaces for the LGBTQ students and teachers in our communities? Join 3Ps co-hosts Donnie and Angelia in this week’s episode to hear from Nat Duran, the youth project manager for the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance. Donnie and Angelia first talk with Duran about the work of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance and Duran’s recent work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine.  Duran shares both about the importance of teachers supporting LGBTQ students and what creating safe environments for LGBTQ students looks like. First and foremost, Duran encourages teachers to listen to the students themselves. As Duran notes, students are the experts in their lived experience. Duran also mentions particular tips and strategies for how to review how welcoming and inclusive your classroom is for students of all identities. Here are the linked resources Duran mentions in this episode: Learning for Justice (previously Teaching Tol

The books we chose to read to students and have in our classroom hold power. In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Mary and Marlys continue their focus on literacy from last week’s episode to this conversation with JoEllen McCarthy. McCarthy is an educator whose work centers on the power of books and how to use books as co-teachers. In this episode, she shares the importance of books that represent and tell the stories of people from a variety of identities, cultures, and lived experiences. Mary, Marlys, and McCarthy share several strategies for staying alert to these books, including: Cooperative Children’s Book Center from the University of Wisconsin-Madison  Kirkus Reviews A Default in Our Stars, an article by Linda Sue Park in School Library Journal Reading for Social Justice from Learning for Justice (previously Teaching for Tolerance) The Strong Classroom Assessment from The Educator Collaborative JoEllen McCarthy on Twitter and Instagram HeartprintBooks on Instagram Layers of Learning by JoEllen McC

Does your English language arts teaching center your students’ voices? In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Mary and Marlys talk with longtime educator Dr. Tracey T. Flores about how literacy efforts can help students feel “loved, honored, and celebrated in really important ways.” Flores is an assistant professor of language and literacy at the University of Texas at Austin where she teaches Language Arts Methods and Community Literacies in the K-5 teacher education program. Before moving to Austin, Flores worked in Phoenix-area schools including Creighton School District and Glendale Elementary School District. Flores shares about the importance of supporting students’ stories and voices through literacy efforts and how she does that through classroom teaching and also independent writing groups like Somos Escritoras, a creative space for Latinx girls. She also shares about her upcoming Virtual Literacy Connections series with the Arizona K12 Center. Join Flores for Amplifying Youth Stories and Voices:

Longtime-education advocate Stephanie Parra joins 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Angelia to discuss the necessity of supporting Latinx students across Arizona.  Parra is the Executive Director of All In Education, an education organization committed to equity for low-income families and communities of color in Arizona. Parra reviews the education landscape for Latinx students in Arizona, especially addressing the discrepancies in representation of Latinx education leaders. She points out that while the Latinx community makes up 46% of preK-12 student population, only 16% of the teaching workforce and less than 13% of school board leaders are Latinx. Parra shares how All In Education works to address these inequities and its emphasis on connecting with families and caretakers as well as education leaders and students. She also outlines how the COVID-19 pandemic have especially impacted Latinx communities and what education leaders can do to help support Latinx students moving forward. One of All In Education’

Join 3Ps in a Pod hosts Danielle and Kathleen in hearing from school psychologists and married couple Laura Anderson and Jon Bowen, who also wrote the book The Supportive Classroom: Trauma-Sensitive Strategies for Fostering Resilience and Creating a Safe, Compassionate Environment for All Students. Laura Anderson focuses her work on helping adults best support students. Jon Bowen has worked in a variety of roles in education, including currently working as a social-emotional learning specialist in Paradise Valley Unified School District. In this episode, Anderson and Bowen share a variety of strategies and reminders for how teachers can create a safe and passionate environment for learners and themselves. They especially focus on the care and compassion needed as we move forward in the midst of a pandemic and the trauma of the past year and a half. You can receive your own free copy of The Supportive Classroom through a 3Ps in a Pod giveaway opportunity. Email info@azk12.org with an insight or point of reflec

How do you use success criteria in your classroom, and how could understanding success criteria advance your students’ learning? That’s what we’re discussing in this episode of 3Ps in a Pod with Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey, two of the authors of The Success Criteria Playbook. 3Ps in a Pod hosts Angelia and Marlys welcome Fisher and Frey back to the podcast and talk about what has changed for them personally and professionally the past two years. Fisher and Frey then talk about what led to their writing The Success Criteria Playbook, one of Corwin’s newest publications. Fisher and Frey discuss what shifts teachers can make to embrace success criteria in their classrooms and the more equitable practices that can come from using success criteria. They also share with Angelia and Marlys about the overall power of success criteria, especially when co-created with students. Reflect on how you use success criteria on your own or with a learning community using the reflection guide linked here. You can also advance ho

It’s a new school year and a new season of 3Ps in a Pod! We’re kicking off this 10th season of the podcast by exploring opportunities and resources available to Arizona’s newest teachers. 3Ps hosts Kathleen and Danielle first talk about some of the ways that the Arizona K12 Center supports new teachers and review the events coming up in this year’s Beginning Teacher Series. They then welcome Michelle Doherty to the conversation. Doherty taught for 25 years and now teaches at Northern Arizona University and supports new teachers as an Arizona Teachers Academy mentor. Doherty reflects with Kathleen and Danielle on her first few years as a teacher and how that informs her mentorship now. She also shares some of her own advice for beginning teachers. New teachers can learn more Beginning Teacher Series events and new teacher mentors can find information about Mentor Institute at azk12.org/events. Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org. *Note: In an effort to move safely forward in the ongoing pandem

Join us in kicking off our 10th season of 3Ps in a Pod! Today, we're sharing some exciting things we're doing to make this upcoming season bigger and better than ever. Meet our newest hosts, hear about some of this fall's episodes, and more! Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/azk12.    

For our season finale, we welcome Jaime Casap, former Google Education Evangelist, to 3Ps in a Pod. Hosts Angelia and Danielle share about the impact that Casap has had on their work before inviting him on to the show. Casap reflects on the past year in education, especially the amount everyone has learned and how to use that learning to create a more equitable future for everyone. Looking to the future, Casap talks about the importance of supporting students in becoming the world’s problem solvers, moving from an emphasis on preparing students for college and career to developing students to be change agents and entrepreneurs.  Experience more with Jaime Casap at the 16th Annual Teacher Leadership Institute: Where Curiosity and Leadership Unite from June 21 to 23, 2021. Casap, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, and Trevor MacKenzie are this year’s general session facilitators, leading this dynamic event along with members of the Arizona TeacherSolutions Team and other outstanding Arizona teacher leaders. Learn more and re