Hack Learning

It's your turn. Let's hack your professional growth. You tell us what you need, and we'll give it to you. Visit http://hacklearning.org/survey. Answer three questions (it takes about 30 seconds). Ask and you shall receive.More episodes at http://hacklearning.orgRead us at http://hacklearningbooks.com

Justin Birckbichler is 25 years old. He teaches fourth graders in Virginia, and he recently learned that he has cancer.What is he doing about this horrendous news? He's not screaming, "Why me?" and "Life's not fair!" He's not crying. He's not feeling sorry for himself or blaming anyone. And he is definitely not hiding his illness from anyone.Justin Birckbichler is taking action. He's talking about his cancer. He's telling his family, friends, and thousands of people who follow him on Twitter. And, get this, he's even telling his students.In Episode 75, Justin explains how he told his students and other education stakeholders about his cancer and how he's chronicling his journey to being cancer free for the world.Learn more at http://hacklearning.org/cancerstoryFollow the journey at http://aballsysenseoftumor.com

It's time to bring a little passion into school and into professional growth, according to school leaders and Hack Learning authors Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis. Based on the strategies in Hacking Leadership, Mark Barnes explains how school leaders can implement Passion Projects with teachers, so they'll be more enthusiastic about their own professional development. Passion Projects were inspired by Genius Hour for students. Learn more about Genius Hour in the free webinar at http://GHmastercourse.com.Subscribe to the show at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.Download the app at http://hacklearningapp.com.

Whole child education is often missing from our classrooms. Schools and teachers work in isolation, sometimes overlooking the impact other stakeholders can have on improving learning environments and pedagogy.Educator/innovator Valerie Lewis explains how to nurture your whole child movement with a School Advocacy & Advisory Council (SAAC) -- partnerships with multiple stakeholders outside the school, so we can better meet the needs of all learners.Learn how to begin your own SAAC today.Check out more episodes at http://hacklearningpodcast.com

Well-known connected educator Connie Hamilton says the most critical component of kids becoming independent learners is to be clear about what they should be learning and how it’s connected to a broader purpose. In another edgy, unabridged, unedited edition of Hack Learning Uncut, Hamilton, co-author of Hacking Homework: 10 Strategies That Inspire Learning Outside the Classroom, discusses a much-needed shift in education away from kids learning at home “because my teacher said I need to.” to students choosing to work outside of school because the activities “help me solidify my learning.” In this brief Uncut interview, Hamilton makes clear connections between in-class lessons and real-world learning at home that students will always choose to do—not because they’re told to but because they want to learn more. Look inside Connie Hamilton’s new book at http://hackinghomework.com Search for Hacking Homework on Facebook and join he conversation there.Share the love: tell friends to check us out at http://hacklear

Many districts/schools are implementing technology programs that offer opportunities for 24/7 learning, but teachers need more support and ideas when it comes to implementing the technology in a way that redefines and transforms teaching and learning.Mark discusses using the SAMR model and the 4 Cs with Stephanie Smith Budhai and Laura McLaughlin Taddei, authors of Teaching the 4Cs with Technology: How do I use 21st century tools to teach 21st century skills?Learn more on the show notes page at http://hacklearningpodcast.com/4cDon't miss Hacking Homework: 10 Strategies That Inspire Learning Outside the Classroom at http://hackinghomework.com

Hack Learning Podcast host Mark Barnes is uncut, as he vilifies traditional homework and the idea that it has any real value to learners. Hack Learning Uncut is a special weekly episode, dedicated to subscribers. There are no formal show notes, although you can locate all episodes at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.To learn more about throwing out traditional homework and inspiring independent learning outside the classroom, look inside the book Hacking Homework at http://hackinghomework.comJoin the discussion on our Facebook Page and on Twitter at #HackingHomework.

A Teacher Disposition Assessment (TDA) measures bias. Student experts, who consume your presentations daily, generate critical information. The TDA is a set of teacher-created prompts based on potentially controversial subjects that may surface in the course content.Hacking Engagement author James Sturtevant created the TDA, so he could learn more about his own biases and how they impact teaching and learning in his class.In Episode 69, Mark Barnes explains Sturtevant's TDA and shares some What You Can Do Tomorrow steps to uncover your own biases.Learn more at http://hacklearning.org/biasVisit our sponsor Kiddom and grab the free Kiddom app at http://kiddom.co/hacklearning.Check out more at http://hacklearningpodcast.com

In this episode of Hack Learning "Uncut"--the unedited, unbridled, under-eight-minute edition of the Hack Learning Podcast--Mark Barnes explains how to do projects right. Using a model of an uninspiring old-school project, Mark shares some right-now solutions for bad projects and emphasizes how to do projects and project-based learning (PBL) right.Want to build a fascinating, engaging project-based learning event? This brief, Uncut podcast episode is the perfect starting point. Then, read the book at http://hackingPBL.com.Learn more at http://hacklearningpodcast.com and share your thoughts on the Hack Learning Facebook page and on Twitter at #HackLearning.Subscribe to the Hack Learning Podcast now and never miss an episode of Uncut.

When Kansas middle school teacher Casey Ewy realized that kids will become independent, enthusiastic learners if they are part of a non-threatening community, she threw out everything that most teachers consider to be classroom management and replaced those strategies with an emphasis on Classroom Core Values. Ewy and Mark discuss how to engage all students in a conversation about values and how to inspire students to create their own core values. Check out Ewy's 5 simple ways to integrate core values in Hack Learning Episode 67 and at http://hacklearningpodcast.com/corevalues. Check out our sponsor Kiddom and learn to give your students a voice with the free app at http://kiddom.co/hacklearning.

In this episode of Hack Learning "Uncut"--the unedited, occasionally-interrupted, under-eight-minute edition of the Hack Learning Podcast, Mark Barnes riffs on the word "rigor" and its use in education. Referencing a discussion on the Teachers Throwing Out Grades Facebook group page, Mark shares a few members' thoughts on the pros and cons of rigorous instruction.One member asks: Does anyone else shudder when they hear an admin use the word "rigor"?Some say the word is misunderstood, while others contend it's something all kids need.Learn more in this edition of Hack Learning Uncut.Learn more at http://hacklearningpodcast.com and http://nogradesclassroom.com

During a presidential debate, a citizen asked Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump if they are appropriate for kids. In this episode, Mark Barnes expands on the question while explaining how to discuss politics and other sensitive issues in school and in your classroom. Mark suggests that teachers stop telling kids that their views on politics are personal. Rather, he says to tell students what you really think, which helps educators hack the problem of seeming too distant and unreal to kids. Learn two simple things you can do tomorrow, in order to discuss politics and other sensitive issues in school, without igniting an argument or even chaos. It's time to open up with students.Learn more at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.Visit our sponsor Kiddom at http://kiddom.co/hacklearning.Please rate and review Hack Learning on iTunes.

James Alan Sturtevant calls student engagement the "whole ballgame", and who would know this better than the 32-year veteran teacher, rapidly becoming known around the education world as the student engagement guru.While most teachers are racing for the door when they've been in education for 30 years, Sturtevant, whom Hack Learning nicknamed Jamstur (learn why in the podcast episode above), calls teaching a privilege and continues to raise the bar for all education stakeholders when it comes to engaging students and making teaching and learning fun.Sturtevant explains the 3 keys to student engagement, which underpin all 50 of his tips and tools in his new book, Hacking Engagement. http://hackingengagement.comLearn more on Episode 64 at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.

Mark Barnes explains how one Baltimore school repurposed and rebranded its detention room, turning it into a Mindful Moment Room, dramatically impacting schoolwide student behavior and almost magically making suspensions disappear. In Episode 63 of the Hack Learning Podcast, Mark explains how meditation, specifically mindfulness, calms students and helps them focus less on chaos and more on learning. In the What You Can Do Tomorrow segment, Mark explains how to learn practical meditation techniques, recommends powerful resources, and shares his own experience with meditation, which reduced anxiety and helped this veteran educator better cope with his own student behavior issues.For more about mindfulness and meditation resources, visit Episode 63 at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.This is Hacking School Discipline.Check out our sponsor, Kiddom, and learn how to empower your students for free. Visit http://kiddom.co/hacklearning

Renowned author, presenter, and memory expert Brad Zupp rarely forgets things. Since 2009, Zupp has been dedicated to testing the limits of his own memory while helping others learn the benefits that come from memory improvement.Zupp shows both adults and children how to supercharge their memories to improve grades, relationships, productivity, and peace of mind while remembering more of what they see, hear and read. You might even call Brad Zupp a memory athlete; he's a two-time American record-setter at the World Memory Championships.In this episode of the Hack Learning Podcast, Zupp, author of Unlock Your Amazing Memory, shares 3 surprisingly easy ways to remember things and provides right-now solutions for improving memory at home and in school. Learn more at http://hacklearningpodcast.com, Episode 62.

Jon Harper admits that in more than a decade in education, he's made plenty of mistakes. Some might call Harper a mistakes guru. He interviews experienced education stakeholders about their mistakes on his popular Bam Radio podcast, My Bad.In Episode 61 of the Hack Learning Podcast, Harper shares his journey to becoming a mistakes expert and provides steps for leveraging the power of mistakes, so we can become better teachers and learners.Learn more about Harper, the My Bad podcast, and how to turn mistakes into life lessons on Episode 61 at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.

When Hack Learning creator Mark Barnes realized his daughter's school backpack weighed in at a portly 20.2 pounds, he decided to tell the world that it's time to reimagine traditional homework. In this episode, Mark tells the story of weighing his daughter's backpack and finding tons--okay, pounds--of workbooks, textbooks, notebooks, and many other unnecessary items that make up her nightly homework. Mark asks the questions that many educators and parents won't ask, and supplies easy right-now solutions for reimaginging homework, improving teaching and learning, and lightening the load for kids.

New York Times bestselling author Jessica Lahey explains the struggles that parents and teachers have with allowing kids to fail. Author of The Gift of Failure, Lahey had an amazing epiphany a few years ago: She had to allow her son to fail, so he could ultimately succeed. Lahey also shares 3 right now strategies to help you embrace failure and learn how to help kids channel it into success. Learn more about Jessica Lahey and her runaway hit, The Gift of Failure, by clicking into Episode 59 at hacklearningpodcast.com.

Why do students love some classes and hate others? What makes a certain teacher every kid's favorite? How do master teachers become so great? The answer is simple: Master teachers have daily habits that make them great teachers and learners. In Hack Learning Podcast Episode 58, Mark Barnes shares 3 powerful and simple things great teachers do. These 3 habits are part of the 10 Habits of Master Teachers presentation. Learn more at http://masterteacherhabits.com.

When learning is relevant, students become enthusiastic and engaged. Denis Sheeran, math teacher and author of Instant Relevance, explains how he uses real life experiences to bring relevance to not only math but to any subject or grade. Want to use a snow day, a slice of pizza, or a drive to the store to make learning relevant? Sheeran tells you how in Hack Learning Podcast Episode 57 -- Hacking Relevance. Learn more about Sheeran and his book on the show notes page at http://hacklearningpodcast.com.