Personalized Learning with Matt & Courtney

S7 Ep 17: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 18:14:35 +0000

Matt and Courtney wrap up seven seasons of podcasts with a remembrance of all the biggest do-do's they've dropped in the past few years. Wait....

S7 Ep16: How do we approach summer PD to keep momentum?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 18 May 2022 21:09:45 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about what to do when designing summer PD sessions for teachers.

S7 Ep15: What are the entry points into personalized learning?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Sun, 15 May 2022 23:22:52 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about some entry points into personalized learning - it's different for everyone!

S7 Ep14: Summer school!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 21:02:56 +0000

What could summer school be like? Here are some ideas from Matt and Courtney.

S7 Ep13: How do we end the year with motivation?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 17:50:36 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about the struggle of ending the year appropriately with motivation for our learners AND teachers.

S7 Ep12: Strategies for using Assessment for Learning

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 20:12:12 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with some strategies for using assessment for learning in the classroom - including some cool KISS faces!

S7 Ep11: Assessment FOR Learning

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 21:19:47 +0000

Matt and Courtney go full-on retro - bell-bottoms and everything! We talk about assessment for learning, and how it is needed more than ever coming out of (?) the pandemic.

S7 Ep10: How do we deal with scheduling issues?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 21:26:28 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back with a conundrum of sorts: what do we do with scheduling, and why is it so frustrating? We don't have all the answers this time (ask the kids!), but we do have some things to think about. Find our parking lot here. Thanks for listening!

S7 Ep9: What are 4's, anyway?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 23:11:22 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about one of their favorite topics they have a love/hate relationship with: 4's! Fortunately, they have a plan of what works and what doesn't;t when it comes to creating 4.0 level opportunities.

S7 Ep8: Why are scales better than standards?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 19:44:15 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about scales versus standards, and how they stack up against each other. Standards are great, and scales make them greater.

Oh, and Courtney might be Anna Delvey.

S7 Ep7: Project-based learning frameworks and how to use them

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 00:30:00 +0000

Matt and Courtney discuss what project-based learning is, and how to use some frameworks. As we told you last week, there is research out there to show PBL works!

We talked about PBLWorks.org and the High Quality Project Based Learning frameworks, and mentioned our favorite way to get questions form kids, the QFT model.

Let us know what you think at PLearnMC on Twitter, Facebook, and on our website!

S7 Ep6: Project-based learning - does it work?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:54:51 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about an overview of one of the studies in the Edutopia article we've been discussing - project-based learning!

Link: High Quality Project Based Learning

S7 Ep5: What SEL opportunities are out there?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 21:54:49 +0000

Matt and Courtney discuss their favorite ways to think about SEL in the classroom that you can do today!

S7 Ep4: Does intentionally teaching SEL lead to better outcomes for all? (Spoiler: YES!)

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 18:28:43 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with another study from Edutopia's 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2021. We talk about the role of intentionally teaching social and emotional skills, and show how it affects learners both during and after their school life.

Find us at all things PLearnMC!!

S7 Ep3: Strategies for pre-assessment

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 23:25:47 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with some strategies for pre-assessment opportunities.

S7 Ep2: Learning from your mistakes

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 22:45:55 +0000

Matt and Courtney dig into the first educational study from the Edutopia list of the top 10 of 2021. This study is named "Pretesting versus posttesting: the pedagogical benefits of ". Rolls right off the tongue.

Matt asks lots of questions, while Courtney talks it through with him. Next week, we'll be offering up some opportunities for pre-assessment, and what it could look like in the classroom.

Thanks for listening! Find us on all platforms at PLearnMC!

Triumphant Return of the PLearnMC pod!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 16:42:01 +0000

Well, we took a lot of time off. We have had many many things happen in the autumn of 2021, as the rest of the world happened to us. We have returned, and you won't be able to get rid of us.

We look at overviews of three recent education studies, and plan on getting deeper into them over the next few weeks. Find them here: https://www.edutopia.org/article/10-most-significant-education-studies-2021

Find us at PLearnMC on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Thanks for listening!

S7 Ep 1: Starting the school year! Tips to help find out where learners are.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 23:21:19 +0000

Matt and Courtney are BACK with some tips and ideas for how to address learning needs that may have arisen over the past year and a half. What formative assessment strategies can teachers use to help find out where learners are - in a systematic manner?

Music by ">Lesfm from " style="font-family: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Pixabay.

Crossover special with the Maine Education Matters pod!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 23:24:25 +0000

Matt and Courtney are here with a summer sendoff as they prepare for the new year. They are joined by their good friends at the Maine Education Matters podcast to talk about why they started a podcast and what keeps them going. Follow the MEM pod wherever you listen to this pod!

Interview! Human-Centered Learning Systems with Katherine Prince and Abbie Forbus Everett of KnowledgeWorks

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 17:29:05 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Katherine Prince, co-author of the publication Envisioning Human-Centered Learning Systems, and Abbie Forbus Everett of KnowledgeWorks. They discuss the vision for the future of learning, the key takeaways, and much more. Download it at the link above!

S6 Ep29: Summer interlude! What school supplies should a personalized classroom have?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 20:11:33 +0000

Hint: lots of sticky notes. Also, two other great ideas from Courtney, and Matt shows his age when talking about Trapper Keepers.

S6 Ep28: "Don't straw-man, dude."

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 21:24:11 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about reflections on the last year and a half of crazy times, and where we can go from here. It's our season finale, but we'll be around with some intermittent episodes during the summer before coming back in mid-August for the new school year. Thanks to some inspiration and callbacks to our child-pod, @MaineEdMatters. Courtney also has a great story from a 6th-grader at the end.

S6 Ep27: Courtney's Top 10 Engagement Strategies!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 23:14:15 +0000

Matt helps Courtney with her upcoming presentation about engagement strategies. Spoiler: this is how we did things when we worked together in-person. We both miss it, but thought it would be a good way for you listeners to get a glimpse of how we do things. Let us know what you think on our parking lot at plearnmc.com!

S6 Ep 26: Learner-centered interviewing questions

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 19 May 2021 20:31:49 +0000

It's that time of year! Whether you are interviewing for a new position or interviewing others for positions in your school, the question is how would I get the point across that I am a learner-centered person/school, and I am looking for the right fit? Fortunately, Matt and Courtney have some ideas and advice.

S6 Ep25: What is the best way to include instruction that addresses marginalized sectors of the world?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 05 May 2021 23:30:04 +0000

Do we address this in an interdisciplinary way, or as stand-alone dedicated units? Are these insulting discussions? Spoiler alert: we don't really know, but we think the discussion is a good one, and we will be following up on this topic in future episodes.

S6 Ep24: Matt and Courtney fight on the pod!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 21:22:50 +0000

Well, kind of. They discuss learning progressions without grades, and how you can show growth for learners while doing that - or can you? Let us know who won the fight on any social platform with #plearnmc

S6 Ep23: Listener question - how to help define competency?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 23:58:40 +0000

Matt and Courtney answer a listener question about defining competency. We offer ways to break down the existing framework into something more meaningful for both teachers and learners.

S6 Ep22: What. Is. Mastery? Is it achievable, or even possible?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:43:17 +0000

Matt and Courtney respond to some media about mastery of standards, and how some people reject mastery in favor of the older system. You know how we feel about this.

S6 Ep21: How to work with scoring scales in the classroom

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 21:22:12 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their "back to the beginning" talk with a good one - how do we use scoring scales appropriately in the classroom? And maybe even more importantly, how do we teach the teachers how to do this? We call back to the Yes/No game we did last year as a way to introduce this concept to teachers, and how we can build their skills while changing their mindset.

S6 Ep20: Back to the beginning - why standards? And how do we write good ones?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 22:32:27 +0000

Matt and Courtney go back to the beginning and talk what/how/WHY standards? Why are the three parts of a standard crucial to writing good ones? And how do we show that to teachers?

S6 Ep19: Involving learners... all the way!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 22:53:10 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about how we occasionally disconnect what we do upfront with culture building with learners and the follow-through, especially trying to break down the barriers of teachers being always "the boss". Courtney offers up some easy and quick techniques on how to help break down this dynamic.

S6 Ep18: Roving Bands of Assessment Minstrels

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 23:11:43 +0000

Matt and Courtney come up with Gary Chapin's next band name while discussing better ways to think about large-scale assessment systems.

S6 Ep17: How do we do professional learning so it sticks?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 00:07:06 +0000

Matt and Courtney tackle the big question - how do we make professional learning stick? We have some answers, suggestions, and opinions. As always. Find us everywhere at PLearnMC!

Some links we talked about: Committee of Ten; The Battle for Public Education (podcast series).

S6 Ep16: Are we over-explaining personalized learning? And a challenge to our sister pod!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:31:59 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about personalized learning, but only using the most used ten hundred words. We think it might explain a lot about what it is and what it isn't.

The inspiration came from the great xkcd, specifically this image: https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/up_goer_five.png

Maine Education Matters, you've been challenged.

S6 Ep15: What do assignments look like in a personalized learning model?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 21:50:34 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about the mind-shift from work completion to learning. It's harder than you think, but there are some ways to help think this through to make it useful for you.

S6 Ep14: Assessment and Learning is a Mobius Strip

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 02:54:53 +0000

Matt and Courtney ask what we need to know about what learners know. In that, we talk about how assessment and learning are a giant Mobius strip.

S6 Ep 13: Don't make learner choice a super buffet.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 02:59:41 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about engagement, and how it is really about two things: motivation and participation. Matt pushes back a bit on this, but we get to talking about voice and choice, and how to start using it with your learners TODAY! Oh, and super buffets. You'll hear.

S6 Ep12: How do we effectively incorporate the arts into our teaching and learning?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 02:22:19 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back with another episode, this time about how to effectively incorporate the arts into our teaching and learning. Watch out for insurrections while you're at it!

S6 Ep11: How do we frame the hard conversations on a larger level?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 02:52:36 +0000

Matt and Courtney are still processing the insurrection at the Capital last week, but they discuss how to frame those hard conversations we have to have with kids, and what it looks like at a school/district level. Let us know what you think on our parking lot at plearnmc.com or tweet at us @plearnmc.

S6 Ep10: Hard conversations with kids - now more than ever

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 02:44:52 +0000

After winter break, Matt & Courtney had a pod session planned today - then the riots broke out in DC. Insurrection and sedition didn't stop us from recording, however, and we talk about how we can talk to kids about the harder conversations, especially in the world we live in. Courtney has some great advice that is evergreen, of course, but it's worth saying again, especially now.

Warning - we do swear for the first time in this one (at least, the first time on air...), so listen for that (It's right in the first minute, and it's only the s-word, and we don't mean "standardized").

Stay safe, wear a mask, and we'll see you next week with another one.

S6 Ep9: A review of the first semester fo distance learning, and what's next

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 17:14:17 +0000

Matt and Courtney have been busy lately, but we are back! We review the first semester of 2020 and how it has gone in this time of distance/hybrid learning.

S6 Ep8: Profile of a Successful Distance Learner

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 22:12:23 +0000

Matt and Courtney return from their election-induced stress times with the introduction of the Profile of a Successful Distance Learner, developed this fall by the Maine Curriculum Leaders Association. They discuss how it is a document to be used to start conversations with teachers, learners, stakeholders, etc, and how it is NOT something to just hand out and call it good.

You can find the document at https://www.mainecla.org/blog/mcla-profile-of-a-successful-distance-learner. It is definitely something we could all use as we head into the winter months.

Election interlude

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 22:22:46 +0000

Matt and Courtney made it through election day, but it's obviously still going. Just a few minutes of therapy from us about what to do next..... Hang in there.

S6 Ep7: Attendance - how to go plaid.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 15:07:20 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with a conversation around student attendance, some things that have been happening since March and into the fall, and how to go plaid.

S6 Ep6: Parking lot questions answered!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 21:29:40 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back with a mailbag! Post your own questions in our parking lot at plearnmc.com. Today's question: How do we set a reasonable bar for competency work when trying to hold students accountable in a "new normal" world?

S6 Ep5: Use the damn moment!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 22:19:41 +0000

Matt and Courtney return after a week off with a plea - use the damn moment! Education is different these days, we all know that. So this is the perfect time for us to make the system do what we want it to do - encourage learner agency; be standards-based, proficiency-based, or even competency-based; project-based across content areas; etc, etc. This is the time!

Read Kelly Young's article here, and follow Education Reimagined on Twitter.

S6 Ep4: Portrait of a distance learner - what does this look like?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 18:40:49 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with some talk about what a portrait of a distance learner looks like in this time of COVID, and what about schools keeping the hybrid model after the pandemic ends?

S6 Ep3: Hard conversations in schools

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 21:01:20 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with a pod they've now done twice due to some amazing lack of recording skills by Matt. We talk about hard conversations in schools these days - especially about race. It's a good one - and we've done it twice.

S6 Ep2: School's open! What could go wrong?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 01:29:56 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with a start-of-school special unlike any other! At least unlike the ones we've done in the past.

S6 Ep1: Adults need help with dealing with COVID in schools too!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 21:13:31 +0000

Matt and Courtney return for season 6 with an episode about adults. We need help dealing with COVID, too. What are some ways to help support our colleagues in these After Times?

Courtney mentioned WellnessForEducators.com, and it's a great place to start.

Carisa Corrow and Gary Chapin of EducatingForGood.com

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 22:04:03 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back with an interview with Carisa Corrow, principal owner of educatingforgood.com, and Gary Chapin, consultant and writer for educatingforgood.com. They talk about a virtual conference happening August 10-12 - sign up now! There are some pretty cool events happening, and you hear all about them in this interview.

Do we need new norms in this time of remote learning?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 23:43:34 +0000

Matt and Courtney answer the question about norms in the pandemic remote learning world. We have some good ones, and rant about some bad ones, but we always have good intentions. Like, ummm... Hitler. Listen and find out how we did that.

What is best for learners, in the age of pandemics?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 21:15:15 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue to pod in the summer, as they discuss what is best for learners in the age of pandemics. They talk about organizing kids according to what they know, among other things. Courtney starts us off with a big "don't-do" before a corresponding "do-do".

S5 Ep21: Plans for reopening schools, part one

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 22:21:18 +0000

Matt and Courtney discuss how states/districts are planning to reopen for learning in the fall, and look at it from a personalized learning angle. How can we continue to make school engaging AND equitable in a blended environment of in-person and remote learning? And do it for ALL kids, not just what we did in the spring?

Covid-19 is making us think differently about how we do school, whether we like it or not. Let's make it work for all kids this time.

S5 Ep 20: 6 ways to bring students and staff back to schools

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 20:56:29 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with a review of an article in Education Week. They discuss the 6 ways to bring students and staff back, but what about the learning? Discuss with us everywhere at PLearnMC!

S5 Ep 19: Inequity, George Floyd, and our responsibility as educators

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 20:31:50 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back! Matt has moved to Southern California, but the pod goes on! This week, we discuss a common topic for us: inequity. This time, however, we talk in the context of George Floyd. What are our responsibilities as educators?

S5 Ep 18: What does the fall look like for our learners, and how do educators make it happen?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 18 May 2020 14:41:09 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about the near-future in a pandemic world of education. We get some tips from Allison Zmuda, along with some of our own ideas.

S5 Ep who knows: Grading in a pandemic

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 12 May 2020 14:25:44 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back talking about grading, now in a pandemic situation. How is it done during a remote/distance learning time, and how do we make it fair for our learners? If we have been preaching providing evidence anytime anywhere anyhow, then how do we make it fair for all? And Courtney's soul-rocking question: is anywhere anytime learning problematic from the angle of equity? WHOA.

And we got Zoombombed. It was nice. We cut it, but you hear the aftermath. Plus, a listener question!

S5 Ep19: Statistics and argument - critical thinking all the time!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:51:32 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with an in-person pod! We recorded this one just before the coronavirus closed school around the world, but the intentions still work for learners. Awhile back, we talked about the role of argument being the key for all critical thinking - now Matt brings in the role of statistics into critical thinking (and Courtney wins, as statistics seems to be a subset of argument). Anyways, take a listen from the Before Times. Let us know what you think at plearnmc.com!

S5 Ep18: Coronavirus catchup with teachers - Matt Lunt returns!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 23:01:33 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue to catch up with teachers we have talked to - Matt Lunt is back! He is an OG from season one, and he's back to talk about teaching during these strange times.

S5 Ep17: Coronavirus catchup with teachers - Shannon Heath returns!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:20:33 +0000

Matt and Courtney shift gears a bit, and start catching up with teachers we've talked with in the past, and figure out what they are doing in these remote learning times. We start this mini-series with Shannon Heath, an elementary teacher from Maine. What is happening in her multi-age classroom that she shares with other teachers, and how does it all work in these remote learning times?

S5 Ep16: Coronavirus special - How Much Learning?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:17:38 +0000

Matt and Courtney discuss how much learning in these times is appropriate. We talk through what it looks like 3 weeks in - what does managing distance learning look like, because it sure isn't about DOING distance learning.

S5 Ep15: Coronavirus Special! Time to reflect and see the big picture.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 20:38:37 +0000

Matt and Courtney return! Although we are homebound these days, as is everyone else, there are still lots of things to think about around personalized learning. We talk about a lot of big picture things, how this is a perfect time to think about those things, and lots more. We'll be back weekly to talk through issues that come up - give us your feedback and what you'd like us to discuss!

Interview with Dr. Cathy Vatterott, the Homework Lady!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 18:56:36 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back with an interview with Dr. Cathy Vatterott, author of Rethinking Homework, now in its second edition. They discuss why she got into research around homework, what the research says (and why it's sometimes inconsistent), and some ideas about what to do in your school. Like a bunch of do-do's for homework.

S5 Ep14: The Yes/No Game

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 07:18:12 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their Critical Thinking trimester with a discussion of concept attainment (or as we call it, the yes/no game). This is something you can do with your learners TODAY, be it young ones or adult ones. It's a short pod, but it's packed with goodness.....

Find the book Courtney talks about here at https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Deeper-Learning-Students-Meaning/dp/1416628622/ .

Interview with Michaela Loo and Tricia Pettis at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 10:18:26 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Michaela Loo and Tricia Pettis at the SouthEast Personalized Learning Conference 2019 in Atlanta. Michaela and Tricia are sisters who started job sharing in their positions awhile back, and have constantly pushed each other to grow and learn as teachers. Find out their story here, and follow them on Twitter at @michaelamloo and @triciapettis10.

Interview with Ryan Carlson of Edina Schools at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 10:24:23 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Ryan Carlson, an assistant principal at Edina Schools in Minnesota at the SouthEast Personalized Learning Conference in Atlanta. He talks about the value of getting the community involved in the school system, how they support the changes they are trying to make, and how new teachers are supported. Get in touch with Ryan at ryan.carlson@edinaschools.org.

Interview with Jerry Dryer, researcher, at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 11:13:18 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Jerry Dryer at the SouthEast Personalized Learning Conference 2019 in Atlanta. Jerry is a grad student at the University of Wisconsin researching systems that are "doing" personalized learning, mapping them on a continuum, and designing a roadmap for systems to figure out what to do next. It's a great discussion, and if you want to learn more about the project, email Jerry at gdryer@wisc.edu. The survey is free!

Interview with Janel Weiland at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 11:21:11 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Janel Weiland at the SouthEast Personalized Learning Conference 2019 in Atlanta. She is a 7th-grade science teacher in the Edina School District in Minnesota, and her thing is flexible pacing. She talks about how it works in her classroom, how she got the kids to buy-in, and what kids are like in this environment. Follow her on Twitter at @WeilandJanel.

Interview with Tom Murray of Future Ready Schools at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 10:51:48 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Tom Murray, Director of Innovation at Future Ready Schools, at the SouthEast Personalized Learning Conference 2019. Tom discusses his latest book, Personal and Authentic, and how it relates to what we are doing in schools today, and how we can make them better. It's a great discussion! Follow him on Twitter @thomascmurray.

Interview with Lauren Partma of Pasadena Schools about mentoring

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 10:45:48 +0000

This week, Matt interviews Lauren Partma, a middle school teacher at a K-8 school in Pasadena, CA. She talks about the importance of mentoring, how to teach teachers about the importance of mentoring, and what mentoring can do for teachers in the classroom. She also talks about her time before she "saw the light", as it were, and how she imparts her wisdom on her colleagues (it's easier than you think!). Follow her on Twitter at @PartmaPasadena.

Interview with Tim Anderson, principal of South View MS, at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 10:40:54 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Tim Anderson, principal at South View Middle School in Edina, Minnesota. He talks how to frame the work to the community in a way that makes sense to them, how teachers collaborate to foster deep knowledge of their learners, and how new teachers are supported. Setting the conditions is very important! Contact Tim at timothy.anderson@edinaschools.org

Interview with Beth Rabbitt, CEO of The Learning Accelerator, at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 10:24:49 +0000

Matt and Courtney speak with Beth Rabbitt, CEO of The Learning Accelerator, at the Southeast Personalized Learning Conference. She makes sense of the ways the field is learning, and what the trends across the country are. She identifies four big patterns that are emerging. Follow her at @learningaccel on Twitter!

Interview with Stacy Lovdahl at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 10:39:42 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Stacy Lovdahl at the SouthEast Personalized Learning Conference 2019 in Atlanta. Stacy is an educator on loan for Western North Carolina, so not that big of a deal (!). She talks about the trends she sees when she goes out to all kinds of different schools in NC, and asks them what they need to be successful - and then helps them do it! It's a great talk about how to help teachers along their journey, and she's a great follow on Twitter - find her at @braveneutrino!

Alfie Kohn interview

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 11:44:04 +0000

Matt and Courtney have pulled off a coup of some sort, interviewing Dr. Alfie Kohn, an education researcher and author. He answers a bunch of questions Matt and Courtney had, including why we might have to change our podcast name. Read the stuff on his website at alfiekohn.org and become more critical thinkers about what we are doing in our education system to our learners. Follow him on Twitter at @alfiekohn

Why is it imperative that we take time to critically examine our educational systems?
If we want our learners to be critical thinkers, what does that look like, what does that mean, what are some ways teachers can do that without creating a course or a class?
What are some ways that teachers can involve learners in their own personalization?

It’s not personalized learning anymore - “the bad guys have won!”
Interested in personal learning

How can we ensure that all learners are getting a “good” education?
How is a curriculum based on kids’ wonderings fit in with a system of learning targets?

Interview with Allison Rodman of the Learning Loop at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 11:33:51 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Allison Rodman, author of Personalized Professional Learning at the SouthEast Personalized Learning Conference. They discuss some tips that teachers can start with, being okay with finding what is actually working for learners, what accountability looks like, and asking ourselves "did I cover content, or cause learning?". It's a great listen! Follow her on Twitter @thelearningloop.

Interview with Dan Carroll of Yorktown High School at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 10:40:20 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Dan Carroll, a physics/astronomy teacher at Yorktown High School in Arlington VA. They discuss being an organizer for the personalized learning conferences, how tech isn't the answer if all it does is enhance what you did before, and much more! Follow Dan on Twitter at @EdTech2061 and @dcarrphys

Interview with Katie Willet of Williamsburg Middle School at SEPL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 10:46:57 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Katie Willet, a 7th-grade science teacher at Williamsburg Middle School in Arlington, VA. They talk about her jorney towards a personalized learning vision, how she started, strategies she used to realize her personalized learning goals, and how to get teachers started on their own journey. Follow her on Twitter at @WilletKatie.

Interview with Dr. Justin Aglio at SEPL19

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 13:58:09 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Dr. Justin Aglio, the Director of Academic Achievement and District Innovation at Montour School District and Visiting LearnLab Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute in the School of Computer Science. He talks about designing the future that we envision through personalized learning. It's a great conversation that talks about putting teachers in the footsteps of their learners, and how that changed the way they thought about what school looked like. Follow Justin on Twitter @JustinAglio.

Stay for the great background music!

Annie Taranto of TCRWP interview

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 10:47:04 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their critical thinking series with Annie Taranto, the Senior Lead Staff Developer for Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (aka Lucy Calkins project). Annie talks about why argument is so important, how to deal with controversial topics in the classroom, how teachers with limited resources can still bring a rich argument environment into the classroom, and much more. Thanks for listening, and don't forget to rate and review!

David Miyashiro and Ed Hidalgo of Cajon Valley School District: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 10:48:59 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with David Miyashiro, superintendent of Cajon Valley School District, and Ed Hidalgo, Chief of Innovation and Engagement Officer of Cajon Valley School District. They discuss the World Of Work initiative, and how it has been successful for such a diverse district. It is a fantastic discussion about what happens in K-12 education and how we prepare learners for what happens next.

S5 Ep13: Venn Diagrams can be better

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 10:42:38 +0000

Matt and Courtney return to talking amongst themselves. In this episode, they discuss Venn diagrams (sorry Mr. and Mrs. Venn!) and how teachers can do something similar yet much stronger for our learners - comparison matrixes! They are so much easier than they sound, and the rigor is through the roof. They also involve all kids by meeting the target, but perhaps not in the same way - take a listen to find out! You'll also hear Courtney's dogs in multiple places throughout the episode. Everyone wants to be on Personalized Learning with Matt and Courtney!

Kankakee School District and Building 21: Interviews at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 10:35:10 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Chip Linehan and Sandra Moumoutjis of Building 21, and Felice Hybert and Brent Johnston of Kankakee School District in Illinois at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. They talk about the value of partnerships and mentoring, how it moves them forward and make connections, and ultimately how it helps meet kids where they are in their education. Visit their websites at Building 21 and Kankakee School District, and on Twitter at @chiplinehan, @SMoumoutjis, and @Find8Fences.

Caitlyn Scales and Ashlee Greenwood: Interviews at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 10:18:23 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Caitlyn Scales (Strategy & Development) and Ashlee Greenwood (Chief of Staff and Chief Do-Gooder) of OneStone, a student-led and directed high school in Boise, Idaho. They discuss what OneStone is, how it is run (spoiler: it's the learners!), and the future of learner-centeredness. Find them at onestone.org and on Twitter @onestoneidaho.

Shawn Rubin: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 10:30:34 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Shawn Rubin, the Chief Education Officer of Highlander Institute in Rhode Island. He talks with us about their initiative with teacher prep programs, and what that looks like in a personalized environment. Follow Highlander at @HighlanderInst and Shawn @shawncrubin on Twitter!

Camille Farrington and Dr. Gisele Shorter : Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 10:38:48 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Camille Farrington and Dr. Gisele Shorter at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019 about their work and research with the Raikes Foundation and the Bele Network (find the library at https://equitablelearning.org/ !). They talk about building equitable learning networks across the country, where to find the FREE library of resources they have developed, and more!

Michael Lamb: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 10:31:48 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Michael Lamb, Vice President of Partner Impact at Turnaround for Children. He focuses on the Washington DC schools area, and talks about the science of learning, and how it translates into the schools.

Michael Lamb’s work is aimed at changing the odds for students in Washington, D.C. and across the country. He leads Turnaround for Children’s district, network and school partnerships, as well as all development and stakeholder engagement efforts in Washington, D.C. He also trains district, network and school leaders; teachers and social workers; and delivers professional development presentations and workshops to educators nationally.

Dan Meyer interview

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 16:53:55 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Dan Meyer of Desmos.com in our critical thinking series. Dan is the Chief Academic Officer at desmos, and has been blogging at https://blog.mrmeyer.com/ for a very long time. Dan talks about personalized learning, proficiency, elementary level math, and much much more. Follow him on Twitter at @ddmeyer.

Brian Kosena: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:09:55 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Brian Kosena, principal at John E. Flynn, a Marzano Academy in Westminster Public Schools in Colorado at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. He talks about the transition to a Marzano Academy, how he talks about it with his community, and much more!

Brian Stack and Jonathan Vander Els: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 13:12:16 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Brian Stack and Jonathan Vander Els at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. They discuss how to work with schools and districts about the "why" of personalized learning, how to sustain it when leadership changes, and the importance of culture.

New Hampshire Learning Initiative: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 10:50:05 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Kathy White of Souhegan High School, Ann Hadwen of Exeter Regional Cooperative School District, and Ellen Hume-Howard of the New Hampshire Learning Initiative about their research of work habits and how to assess and score them. The report is ongoing, so keep on the lookout for a follow-up soon! Find them at @nhlearningin and nhlearninginitiative.org.

Ken O'Connor: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 11:03:55 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Ken O'Connor at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. Ken is an independent consultant who specializes in issues related to the communication of student achievement, especially grading and reporting. Through books and articles, presentations and working with small groups, Ken helps individuals, schools, and school districts to improve communication about student achievement.

In 1995, Ken developed eight guidelines for grading, and he has continued to refine those guidelines. In 2007, the same ideas were organized into fifteen fixes for broken grades. He has also designed eleven guidelines for standards-based reporting. He is now generally acknowledges to be one of a small group of leading experts on how to grade and report effectively.

(Text from oconnorgrading.com.)

Jason Swanson: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 10:50:12 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Jason Swanson, Director of Strategic Foresight for KnowledgeWorks at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. He talks about the future, what a futurist does, and how it all works around forecasting the future of education. We learned so much about a topic we were a little skeptical about!

From his bio on knowledgeworks.org: Jason explores the future of learning, helping stakeholders translate future insights into forward-thinking visions for transforming education. Jason has explored how trends and developments such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, augmented and virtual reality might impact learning. He has authored dozens of articles and forecasts, ranging from the future of work and readiness, the future of credentials, the expansion and diversification of educator roles and the creation of learning ecosystems. An experienced speaker and facilitator, Jason has worked with a diverse array of education stakeholders to make sense of the future, including students, teachers, administrators, education innovators, policymakers and more.

George Couros interview

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 13:11:05 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their critical thinking trimester series with an interview of author and education consultant George Couros. George is the author of two books: The Innovator's Mindset and Innovate Inside the Box (with Katie Novak). We discuss the elements of his Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning, what he's learned along his journey (and some things he used to do, but no longer does), and how to innovate inside the current system - inside the box, as it were. Follow George on Twitter at @gcouros and sign up for his newsletter at https://georgecouros.ca/blog/

James Lane: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:40:41 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Dr. James Lane at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. He discusses what "Virginia is for Learners" is, how it was rolled out, and what the pillars of the initiative are. He also talks about how policies can be levered to keep personalized learning happening - the steps along the way that can't be skipped.

Dr. James F. Lane was appointed Virginia’s 25th superintendent of public instruction by Governor Ralph S. Northam, effective June 1, 2018.

As state superintendent, Dr. Lane serves as the executive officer of the Virginia Department of Education, which is the administrative agency for the commonwealth’s public schools. He also serves as secretary of the state Board of Education.

Prior to his appointment as the commonwealth’s chief school officer, Dr. Lane served as a division superintendent in Chesterfield County, Goochland County and Middlesex County. He was recognized as the 2017 Virginia Superintendent of the Year for his leadership in Goochland County.

Dr. Lane was one of 100 superintendents in the nation selected to attend the 2014 ConnectEd Superintendents Summit at the White House in recognition of his leadership in the use of instructional technology by his schools.

In 2015, the national Data Quality Campaign awarded its annual Flashlight award to Goochland County in recognition of the division’s achievements under Lane’s leadership in using data to empower educators and communicate with parents and the public.

Dr. Lane holds a doctorate in education from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in school administration from North Carolina State University, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Lane and his wife, Sarah, are the parents of two elementary school students in Chesterfield County.

Kirsten Baesler: Interview at Aurora Symposium Institute 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 10:57:18 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Kirsten Baesler, the state school superintendent of North Dakota. We interviewed her last year at the iNACOL Symposium, and this catches up what has happened in North Dakota over the past year or so. Once again, the focus on equity is apparent. Enjoy!

From https://www.nd.gov/dpi/state-superintendent: Kirsten Baesler is the state school superintendent of North Dakota. In her position, she oversees the education of more than 121,000 public and private school students. She was elected as state school superintendent in November 2012, and re-elected to her second term in 2016 with 75 percent of the vote.

Before taking office in January 2013, Superintendent Baesler had a 24-year career in the Bismarck public school system as a vice principal, library media specialist, classroom teacher and instructional assistant. She also worked for the North Dakota School Boards Association as the association’s assistant director.

She is one of the nine directors of the Council of Chief State School Officers, a national organization that represents state education organizations across the nation. CCSSO provides leadership, technical assistance and advocacy on major educational issues.

Superintendent Baesler is one of 25 women leaders chosen from across the country for the Governing Institute’s 2019 Women in Government Leadership Program, which provides training for participants to serve as mentors and advisers for other prospective female leaders.

She is a member of the advisory board of the Civics Education Initiative, an organization that advocates for a proposal to require high school students to pass a civics exam before they may graduate. Superintendent Baesler successfully backed this idea during the North Dakota Legislature in 2015.

Tony Monfiletto: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:23:32 +0000

Matt and Courtney have a discussion with Tony Monfiletto, the Director of Future Focused Education. They have a talk about what future-focused means, the students they can serve, and the models that communities can learn from to help their learners that need it the most.

Faced with challenges such as slow economic growth, high unemployment and tough realities for many communities, Future Focused Education is dedicated to remodeling education to meet the unique needs of communities. From founding and growing the Leadership Schools Network, to building the Future Focused Internship Program to connect the dots between promising students and forward-thinking employers, Future Focused Education is propelling evidence of innovative teaching and learning that will drive education and schools in new and important directions.

Tony Monfiletto is the Director of Future Focused Education. Over the past 20 years, Tony has been actively involved in creating a policy climate that welcomes innovative solutions to our most challenging public school challenges. He has served on many legislative and executive committees and he is passionate about re-thinking the metrics of success for the next generation of schools that can prepare young people for a dynamic future. Tony has been a public school teacher, charter school co-founder, and principal. He earned a BA from New Mexico State University and a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Finance from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and he is an Aspen-Pahara Institute and Sizer Fellow.

Dr. Brooke Stafford-Brizard: Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 14:11:44 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Dr. Brooke Stafford-Brizard, a keynote speaker at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. She talks about mental health and the future of whole child education.

From inacol.org: Dr. Brooke Stafford-Brizard is the Director of Whole Child Development at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, where she leads work to support a comprehensive, Whole Child approach to learning and development. Before joining CZI, Dr. Stafford-Brizard worked as an independent consultant supporting the integration of cognitive and social-emotional development into school districts and charter management organizations through a connection between research, policy, and practice. As a Senior Advisor with Turnaround for Children, Dr. Stafford-Brizard authored The Building Blocks for Learning, a nationally recognized developmental framework supporting comprehensive student development. She began her career as a teacher with Teach for America at an intermediate school in the Bronx and later co-founded the Young Women’s College Prep Charter School in Rochester, NY. Stafford-Brizard is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and a member of the Aspen Institute’s Global Leadership Network.

Barbara Bray and Rose Colby: interviews at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 21:29:09 +0000

Matt and Courtney have another double feature! First, Barbara Bray and Rose Colby discuss personalized learning, and some of the new things they have learned over the years. Then, Barbara talks to us about her upcoming book! All at the Aurora Institute 2019 in Palm Springs. Enjoy!

Juliana Finegan: interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 10:32:00 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Juliana Finegan, a Managing Partner at The Learning Accelerator. An expert in blended and personalized learning, she leads TLA's practitioner learning work to push forward innovation education by building and supporting a pipeline of blended educators and leaders, seeking to increase capacity at all levels and share best practices and resources at scale.

Over the past 15 years, Juliana has followed her passion for education both in the classroom, having worked for a decade as a Title 1 educator and Teach For America alumna and, more recently, by supporting teachers at the graduate level. As Director of Personalized Learning at Relay GSE, Juliana researched and developed tangible, practice-based content to support teachers and leaders in the blended space. She has observed best practices from across the country, identified effective strategies, and built a strong network of impact-oriented education professionals throughout the nation.

They discuss onboarding for teachers, and how districts partnering with each other is as important as anything we do in education.

Brandon Goon and Brandt Redd: interviews at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 11:05:00 +0000

Matt and Courtney have TWO interviews today! First up, Brandon Goon is the CEO and Founder of Beanything.co, a project management tool for learners and teachers. He talks about the tool and what it means for education. Second, we have Brandt Redd, the creator of edmatrix.org, a potential standardization of education tech tools to make it more efficient for school districts to coordinate their tech purchases and make them work together! He also blogs at ofthat.com. You can follow them both on Twitter at @brandonisagoon and @BrandtRedd. Follow us as always at everything PLearnMC wherever on social media.

Derek Wenmoth - Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 13:07:36 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Dr. Derek Wenmoth, a keynote speaker at the 2019 Aurora Institute Symposium (formerly known as iNACOL).

Derek is currently a Principal Consultant at CORE Education, a not-for-profit education research and development organization that he co-founded with two colleagues in 2013, based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

He has been a teacher, principal, teacher educator and policy advisor across all parts of the education system, from early childhood to tertiary. Derek is regarded as one of New Zealand education’s foremost future-focused thinkers, and is regularly asked to consult with school leaders, policymakers and government agencies regarding the future directions of New Zealand education.

Derek has been at the forefront of much of the system level innovation in New Zealand over the past few decades, including setting up the Virtual Learning Network for students in rural and remote schools around the country, assisting with the establishment of new schools and pioneering work in the area of modern learning environments, establishing new models of practice-based initial teacher education and more recently, in pioneering thinking about learning ecologies involving the whole community in the education of our young people.

Derek is regularly invited to speak at conferences both nationally and internationally, and maintains a blog on matters relating to e-learning and other aspects of interest to educators.

In recognition of his work in this area, Derek was designated one of the “Global Six” in 2008 by the George Lucas Educational Foundation that recognizes individuals making a difference in education.

You can find Dr. Wenmoth on Twitter @dwenmoth and his blog is at wenmoth.net.

Wendy Surr and Krissy Zeiser: interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 12:08:38 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk to Wendy Surr and Krissy Zeiser about a study exploring the relationship between collaboration, personalization, and equity.

They had three questions they wanted to answer:

What are the relationships among opportunities for collaboration, classroom experiences, and outcomes, particularly for students who identify as Black?
To what extent do students have opportunities to participate in high-quality collaborative learning experiences?
What contextual, school-level factors do teachers identify as helping or hindering their ability to provide opportunities for high-quality collaboration in diverse, student-centered classrooms?
You can read the study here.

Young Learners! Interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 12:08:40 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with five young learners at the Aurora Institute Symposium. There are lots of great lines in here from the learners about how they learn, how they want to learn, and what educators can do to help support them: mainly, let them take charge of their learning!

We talked with:

Aidyn Grice, Learner, Norris Academy (WI)

Alyssia Leach, Learner/Entrepreneur, GripTape and University of Louisville
Elias Hernandez, Learner, River Springs School (CA)
Landon Kreps, Learner, Alamosa High School
Victoria Borunda, Learner, ACE Leadership High School

Dr. Patrick Hardy: interview at Aurora Institute Symposium 2019

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 14:28:03 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Dr. Patrick Hardy at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2019. He talks about how buy-in is something we shouldn't be waiting for anymore, how we can inspire teachers and learners in little ways - not necessarily all at once, and how we can challenge each other to get better at what we do. This was one of our favorite interviews!

BONUS: iNACOL interviews preview!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 01:08:16 +0000

Matt and Courtney traveled to California to manage the VoicesHub at the annual iNACOL Symposium, and not only did they come away with a month's worth of episodes, they changed the name of the symposium while they were there! iNACOL is now the Aurora Institute, and the energy out of this gathering was evident in the amazing interviews Matt and Courtney wrangled from the attendees.

These interview episodes will be out every day Monday through Friday starting November 18. They are a collection of some of the leading minds in the personalized learning field, and we hope you will like listening to them as much as we had talking to them. Look for the pods in this feed, and check out the Aurora Institute Innovation Spotlight podcast, where Matt and Courtney host long-form interviews with the Aurora Institute's leaders.

S5 Ep10: What does critical thinking have to do with personalized learning?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 00:53:41 +0000

Matt and Courtney return from their travel break to start off trimester two - what does critical thinking have to do with personalized learning? We also talk about the Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye, and THEME!! (A++++++++++ for Matt)

Courtney mentions the criticalthinking.org site, check it out!

S5 Ep9: Mailbag!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:59:04 +0000

Matt and Courtney return from a small break attending the Aurora Institute Symposium in California (more on that soon) to do a mailbag in between our trimester formats! Four listener questions are answered, with a learner-centered focus.

S5 Ep8: Jenni Donohoo interview about Collective Efficacy

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:41:20 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Jenni Donohoo, the author of Collective Efficacy: How Educators' Beliefs Impact Student Learning. She discusses what collective efficacy is, how it helps learners, and what you can do to start today.

Follow Jenni on Twitter at @Jenni_Donohoo and engage with her! Follow us @plearnmc everywhere, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and our website plearnmc.com. Got a question or comment? Ask it on our Parking Lot!

S5 Ep7: Collective Efficacy series continues - Effective Systems of Intervention

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:45:06 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about the sixth and final enabling condition for collective efficacy - effective systems of intervention. What isn't it, what is it, how does it all work to make collective efficacy happen?

S5 Ep6: Collective Efficacy series continues - Responsive Leadership

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 16:38:34 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their series about Collective Efficacy's six enabling conditions with the fifth condition - Responsive Leadership! What isn't it, what is it - it's always more than what you think.

We will be at the SouthEastern Conference on Personalized Learning doing some podding, some interviewing, some sharing of stories - come see us! It's in Atlanta from November 18-20, and you can sign up here!

We'll also be at the iNACOL Symposium in Palm Springs from October 28-31, doing the same. Come and hang out - we also have a session on Learning Menus that we have talked about a lot here on the pod.

AND subscribe to our newest pod: Innovation Spotlight! We partner with iNACOL to bring you commentary and analysis at the leading edge of education systems change. We love talking with people bringing ideas to the larger education world.

S5 Ep5: Collective Efficacy series continues - Cohesive Staff

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 09:56:03 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their series about Collective Efficacy and the six enabling conditions by discussing the fourth condition - Cohesive Staff! What does this mean, what does this NOT mean?

S5 Ep4: Collective Efficacy series continues: Teacher Knowledge of One Another's Work

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 10:37:43 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their series digging into collective efficacy with the third enabling condition - teacher knowledge of one another's work! They begin with a listener question: what does collective efficacy have to do with personalized learning?

After they talk about this enabling condition, Courtney has a little bonus section, and presents a challenge to get into another's classroom.

Don't forget our sponsor: www.audibletrial.com/plearnmc

S5 Ep3: Collective Efficacy continues - Goal Consensus

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 10:51:44 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their series on Collective Efficacy with the second enabling influence: Goal Consensus. What's the difference between goal setting and goal consensus? Follow us at @plearnmc just about everywhere! In fact, we are now on Spotify!

S5 Ep2: Collective Efficacy series continues - Advanced Teacher Influence

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 09:58:04 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their series on Collective Efficacy with the first enabling influence: Advanced Teacher Influence. What is it, what ISN'T it, and how can we tell the difference? Follow us at @plearnmc just about everywhere!

S5 Ep1: Collective Efficacy Overview!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 11:17:06 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with a new series on Collective Efficacy. This will be part of our "trimester" series of pods, as we focus on one topic over the course of several weeks. We will continue to have tips for teachers and answer listener questions, but we are expanding into interviews and longer pods than usual for this series.

S4 Ep25: The end of the year, and summer slide reversal opportunities (?)

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 17:33:37 +0000

Matt and Courtney wrap up season four with a talk about what is in store for learners and adults during the summer, and what is next for PLearnMC! Rate and review us on iTunes and spread the word of what personalized learning can be!

S4 Ep24: Rejecting the national premise of what personalized learning is! Time to get vocal about what it is.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 18:57:36 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about what the heck personalized learning means to teachers and what it means to the rest of the world. Why don't these things match up? They discuss a few articles Matt has gotten in his inbox recently. Lots of strikethrough talk.

Here are the articles:

Knowledgeworks and Emily Smith: https://knowledgeworks.org/resources/personalized-professional-development-south-carolina/ @emily_a_smith

Elena Silla's post on EdSurge: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-06-05-one-step-at-a-time-a-traditional-school-s-journey-into-personalized-learning

The National Education Policy Center's report on "Personalized Learning and the Digital Privatization of Curriculum and Teaching": https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/personalized-learning

Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and follow us at all things @plearnmc!!

S4 Ep23: More data! Three ways to help yourselves using data starting TOMORROW!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 23 May 2019 11:57:05 +0000

Matt and Courtney give three options to start using data tomorrow in your classroom. Very short term, short term, and long term uses.

S4 Ep22: Data! Data! Data! How do we use it in schools, and How SHOULD we use it in schools?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 09 May 2019 18:11:05 +0000

Matt and Courtney discuss all kinds of data opportunities!

S4 Ep21: What does personalized learning look like in secondary school? Learners? Teachers?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 02 May 2019 20:45:22 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about what personalized learning looks like for kids in secondary schools. Then, they answer a listener question about what it looks like in secondary school for teachers, and traveling teachers.

"Don't get rid of the kids!"

S4 Ep20: Reflections and bigger pictures

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 17:20:08 +0000

Matt and Courtney discuss catalogs for teacher appreciation week, gas cards, how we think of school, school boards, "we can do better", what are we doing for learners, how do we shift the language of learning?

Review us on iTunes, follow us on Twitter and Facebook! @plearnmc everywhere! Thanks for listening - please give us feedback!

MACPL19 interview with Nithi Thomas of The Learning Accelerator

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 12:11:59 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk to Nithi Thomas of the Learning Accelerator at the Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personalized Learning, and ask her about professional development for educators, and how we can promote career readiness through personalized learning. #stilliterating The interview series continues!

MACPL19 interview with Beth Rabbitt, CEO of The Learning Accelerator

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 11:53:36 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Beth Rabbitt, CEO of The Learning Accelerator at the Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personalized Learning. What does personalizing for students look like, and how do we develop adult learners? Especially for people who already "get it" - how do we move them forward rather than convince people personalized learning is the way to go? It's hard to move forward since most adults have never been in the types of environments we want our learners to be in. Is personalized professional development the answer?

S4 Ep19: What kinds of things are coming out of your mouths?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 12:06:58 +0000

Matt and Courtney return! What's up with the language we talk with kids in classrooms? Are we intentional in how we talk with kids? How do we reflect and make changes to be more appropriate with what we ask of our learners?

Visit us at the Southeastern Conference on Personalized Learning, and check our twitter feed for details at @plearnmc!

MACPL19 interview with Kaylah Vera and Anastasia Alvarez of Governor Mifflin High School

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 17:17:38 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their interview series from the Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personalized Learning with Kaylah Vera and Anastasia Alvarez of Governor Mifflin HS in Pennsylvania. Do you want to hear some mic drop moments? These young learners are full of those moments! It's a must listen to see how school can be different - and this is their first year of change! We also talked (a little) with one of their teachers, Nick Morrissey, but you know and we know it's all about the learners. Follow Kaylah on Twitter @kaylahb9 and the school district at @GovMifflinSD.

S4 Ep18: Standardized Testing - is it good for anything? Perhaps, but it's not what you think....

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 16:46:16 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about standardized testing, and what it's good for, and what we as a country THINK it's good for. Spoiler: it's not the same thing.

MACPL19 interview with Dee Ambrose-Stahl

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 14:17:37 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Dee Ambrose-Stahl at the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personalized Learning. Dee is a teacher in Pennsylvania, and she discussed how she got into teaching, how she overcame the old ways of schooling, and what is happening in her classroom. No tests, no grades, no homework! Let it go, and stay for the cool disco music in the background!

S4 Ep17: A day in the life of a personalized elementary classroom

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 13:47:54 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about a day in the life of a personalized elementary classroom. What are the structures like? What are the learners doing? What is the teacher doing? Courtney talks about two different scenarios of what it looks like.

S4 Ep16: We are all math people!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 13:24:43 +0000

Matt and Courtney pod from a hallway in Atlantic City at #MACPL19. They talk about math, why people denigrate themselves as being "not a math person", and what you can do to change that mindset.

MACPL19 interview with Chris Stewart of Flipping the Focus

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:46:01 +0000

Matt and Courtney kick of their interview series at MACPL19 with Chris Stewart of Flipping the Focus. He comes prepared with his list of do-do's and don't-do's!

S4 Ep15: Needs Assessments - are they useful?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 21:45:45 +0000

Matt and Courtney discuss needs assessments, and what they are good for. Are they good for... anything? If not, then what are some alternatives for them?

S4 Ep14: What are scoring scales, and what are they used for?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 20:27:17 +0000

Matt and Courtney return from break and talk about scoring scales. What are they used for, what AREN'T they used for, and how do we make them better?

iNACOL18 interview: Lydia Dobyns, President and CEO of New Tech Network

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 15:24:07 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Lydia Dobyns, President and CEO of New Tech Network (newtechnetwork.org). What does the model of New Tech Network look like, who do they serve, and what is the future of school networks? Buy her book she co-wrote with Tom Vander Ark, "Better Together".

iNACOL18 interview: Anne Altman, an online educator

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:32:37 +0000

The interview series continues with Anne Altman, an online educator in Massachusetts. How does it work, how does it feel, how do we make those experiences better for learners along with their parents? Find out some great tips from Anne in this discussion!

iNACOL18 interview: Andrew Easton of the Westside Personalized podcast

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 18:25:19 +0000

The #inacol18 interview series continues with a short interview with Andrew Easton of the Westside Personalized podcast. It's a short trip down the rabbit hole of podcasting. And Courtney's brilliant idea at the end.

iNACOL18 interview: David Ruff and Christina Horner of Great Schools Partnership

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 18:15:04 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue the iNACOL18 interview series with David Ruff (@gspdavid) and Christina Horner of Great School Partnership. They talk about community partnerships, and the struggles of making it happen. How do the successes happen? Find out in this great interview!

S4 Ep13: Proficiency Breakdown! Grading series continues!!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 12:34:14 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about how proficiency breaks down: honesty in assessment of evidence, staying within the four corners of the page, preponderance of evidence, what evidence actually is. Let us know your thoughts at @plearnmc on Twitter!

S4 Ep12: "College does not admit by scantron!" Grading series continues!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 14:48:27 +0000

Matt and Courtney take on the language of grading scales, and take a position on what learners actually need in a grading scale.

iNACOL18 interview: Dr LeViis Haney, principal of the Joseph Sears School

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 14:54:32 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their interview series with Dr. LeViis Haney, principal of the Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth, Illinois. Dr. Haney talks about a bit of his history, why he came to the Joseph Sears School, why the school realized a personalized learning vision is necessary for a school that has been open since 1899. Follow the Joseph Sears School at @SearsSchool on Twitter, and visit their website at https://www.kenilworth38.org/. Dr. Haney gives us his biggest do-do at the end!

S4 Ep11: Grade Conversions (third in our series of grading practices)

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 20:37:19 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about grading conversions, and the nonsense of all possible conversions. Push back if you want. Paraphrasing Thor, all conversion scales are made up. Find out why in this third-in-a-series on grading practices.

iNACOL18 interview: Jason Vest, iNACOL's 2018 Teacher of the Year!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 13:10:44 +0000

Jason Vest, iNACOL's 2018 Teacher of the Year, talks with Matt and Courtney about what he and his school are doing for their young learners. He is at Hungary Creek Middle School in Henrico County, VA. The annual award honors a K-12 educator whose efforts as a personalized learning teacher exemplify a commitment to student success, knowledge, and skill as a professional educator and dedication to his or her students. How does he manage all the stuff he does? He also came prepared with do-do's and don't-do's! Follow him on Twitter at @MrVestRVA.

iNACOL18 interview: Lauren McCauley and Stephanie DiStasio of South Carolina Dept of Education

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 16:43:21 +0000

Another great interview with leaders of personalized learning at iNACOL18 in Nashville! Lauren McCauley and Stephanie DiStasio are the South Carolina Department of Education, and they have led the personalized learning movement in South Carolina. We interviewed them at iNACOL17, and this is a great follow-up for what they have done over the past year, and where they are going in the future.

Follow Lauren on Twitter @LSMcCauley, Stephanie @StephDiStasio, and the pod @plearnmc!

S4 Ep10: Preparing, not Planning, in a personalized learning environment

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 16:18:28 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk about what it means to be prepared, rather than "planned", in a personalized learning environment. "Planning" doesn't work, as kids are going to go off in different directions, but if you as a teacher are prepared for that, your kids will thrive!

S4 Ep9: Driving Questions

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 19:02:43 +0000

Matt and Courtney return from holiday break! This week, they talk about driving questions (cue sound effects) and how they are a great way to start personalizing learning by just tweaking some things!

Do you have a good driving question? Do you want feedback if it IS a good driving question? Let us know! Tweet at us @plearnmc, or on Facebook at PLearnMC!

iNACOL18 interview: Chuck Ambrose of KnowledgeWorks

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 17:27:57 +0000

Matt and Courtney interview Chuck Ambrose, the President and CEO of KnowledgeWorks at #iNACOL18 symposium in Nashville. It's a fascinating conversation with Chuck about the future of learning, how it looks across the nation, what higher ed can look like, and what we all can do to help support and further the movement of personalized learning. Find out more at www.knowledgeworks.org, and follow Matt and Courtney at @plearnmc on Twitter and Facebook (and occasionally Instagram!).

S4 Ep8: Why do we need grades at all? Second in a series about grading practices

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 18:18:15 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about why we need grades at all. Do we? What is more important: grades, or feedback? Both? Neither? Take a listen, and give us feedback! We are on Twitter @plearnmc, Facebook at plearnmc, and our website at plearnmc.com.

iNACOL18 interview: Diane Mankins, Ashley Thompson, and Heather MacLaughlin of Marysville Schools in Ohio!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:24:36 +0000

The #iNACOL18 interview series continues with Diane Mankins, Ashley Thompson, and Heather MacLaughlin of Marysville Schools in Ohio! What does mastery mean, how does it work in Marysville, how do the teachers take next steps? A fascinating conversation with school leaders about how it all works. Follow them @DianeMankins, @Ashrthompson, and @Hmaclaughlin on Twitter, and see our tweets for more Marysville schools! Follow us at @plearnmc, and visit our website at www.plearnmc.com .

S4 Ep7: How do we grade courses, and why? First of a series....

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 16:16:40 +0000

Matt and Courtney start a series about grading. We start with a conversation about how we grade courses. We know averaging scores together on particular targets is wrong, but what about averaging families of targets? What are the positives and negatives of this, and what are some do-do's and don't-do's?

iNACOL18 interview: Jason Berg and Lisa Edwards of Farmington Area Public Schools

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:33:35 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue the interview series at #iNACOL18 with Jason Berg, the Executive Director of Educational Services at Farmington Area Public Schools, and Lisa Edwards, the Director of Continuous Improvement at Farmington Area Public Schools in Minnesota. What are they doing to further the personalized learning movement in their school system? Jason and Lisa offer all kinds of ways to help their teachers learn and move ahead at their level of readiness. Follow them on Twitter at @bergjaso and @LisaEdwards192, and their schools at @district192.

iNACOL18 interview: Chris Sturgis of Competency Works

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 13:17:04 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their interview series with Chris Sturgis, co-founder of Competency Works and the winner of the Outstanding Individual Contribution to Personalized Learning Award at iNACOL18! Chris discusses her future, what personalized learning actually means, how to get people together to have discussions to figure this stuff out. What does the science of learning say, and why is this maybe not the best way to start those discussions. If we learn to ask open-ended questions, and slowly try to answer them, this might be the way to bring people together. Equity, deeper learning, and taking responsibility in becoming learners.

iNACOL18 interview: Debbie Treece of Chugach Schools in Alaska!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 21:24:12 +0000

Matt and Courtney kick off their interview series at iNACOL18 (inacol.org) with Debbie Treece, the Executive Director of Student Services at Chugach Schools in Alaska. Debbie has a list of do-do's and don't do's! It's a must listen.

S4 Ep6: Learning spaces with Lori Phillips and Robin Kanaan

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 16:57:07 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about learning spaces with Lori Phillips and Robin Kanaan of KnowledgeWorks. What does it mean to have a Pinterest-ed classroom, and what should we think about when designing classroom spaces?

S4 Ep5: Listener mailbag!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 11:56:01 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney go through their parking lot, which you can find at plearnmc.com. Keep the comments and questions coming! We love to hear from you!

S4 Ep4: Digging in to the research around homework

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:23:50 +0000

This week, Courtney and Matt dig into the research around homework, using Rethinking Homework by Cathy Vatterott as a main resource. Let us know what you think! Twitter, Facebook, plearnmc.com - all the usual places.

S4 Ep3: Homework... or Home Learning? Part 2 of a series

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 18:56:16 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about what some of the research says about homework. There are some common threads, but does homework have a place in a personalized learning world? Courtney shows us how much of a nerd she is, while Matt doesn't edit very well this week. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @plearnmc everywhere.

S4 Ep2: Homework! Part one of a series

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:30:20 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney tackle the issue of homework. How does it work, how do we make it better, more useful? How do we get kids to actually do their homework? Let's discuss... let us know on Twitter @plearnmc @belolanc @eatsleepstats and on Facebook @plearnmc. www.plearnmc.com Learning is not a worksheet! Check out Matt and Courtney's with Matt Lunt here: http://www.plearnmc.com/episode-information/archives/08-2016 Do you believe in the 10 minutes a grade level? Give us feedback!

S4 Ep1: Is the beginning of the year... really the beginning of the year?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 19:19:27 +0000

Matt and Courtney return with a new season that will make you think. They start this week with some thoughts about creating culture in the classroom/school/whatever. Give them feedback on Facebook or Twitter at @plearnmc! Also, you can follow Courtney at @belolanc or Matt at @eatsleepstats. Visit our parking lot at plearnmc.com.

S3 Ep29: Is the end of the year... really the end of the year?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 18:09:13 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney take on the end of the year. Why does the end of the yearâ€¦ have to be the end? Some tips to help make the learning and the summer feel seamless heading into the fall.

We are starting a book club! Over the summer, weâ€™ll be reading Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns by Clayton M. Christensen, Michael B. Horn, and Curtis W. Johnson. Get yours at https://amzn.to/2JybwRZ or at your favorite local bookstore, and listen for details of next steps!

Follow us on Twitter at @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats, or on Facebook at PLearnMC. Now on Instagram at @plearnmc (weâ€™ve been on it for awhile, we just donâ€™t do muchâ€¦.)

Read Courtneyâ€™s full blogpost at https://sites.google.com/kidsrsu.org/professionallearning/blog/6518?authuser=0

S3 Ep28: Reflecting at the end of the year... or is it?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 29 May 2018 19:24:32 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about reflection at the end of the year, and how it can be used to spur things on a bit quicker when moving to a personalized model of education.

S3 Ep27: "Everything's a test, and nothing's a test" - Matt's journey to Design39Campus in California

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 29 May 2018 19:09:47 +0000

This week, Matt reflects on his trip to the FutureNowEDU conference at Design39Campus in Poway, California. He talk with Courtney about his experiences, his discussion with kids, and an interview with Tanvi, a social-5th grade learner at D39.

Some links to mentioned topics: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=grant+lichtman https://futurenowedu.net/ @Design39Campus @GrantLichtman @fourfiveD39C

S3 Ep26: What does choice look like in primary classrooms?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 09:56:19 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about what choice looks like in a primary classroom. Odds are you are already doing MOST of what needs to happen. Here are some ideas on how to make your classroom complete. Follow us on Twitter @plearnmc and at our website www.plearnmc.com!

S3 Ep25: Can personalized learning happen in Pre-Kindergarten?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 14:55:44 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney talk about personalized learning in the PreK world. Short answer - yes, it can happen, and should.

s3 Ep24: What can I do to help further my learning around PL?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 18:42:11 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney answer questions about how to improve and learn things around personalized learning! There is a long list of courses, conferences, books, advice - all of which can be found at plearnmc.com or on Twitter/Facebook (also at plearnmc).

S3 Ep23: Can personalized learning happen in public schools?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 15:01:43 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about whether or not personalized learning can happen in schools. We talk about the bills in the Maine Legislature to delay and/or repeal the law requiring proficiency-based diplomas, and what that means for the movement. How do we respond to talk (by opponents of changing the way we do school) that test scores aren't improving like we said they would? Did we say that? What IS the point of changing to personalized learning? Here's one of many discussions to come.

S3 Ep22: What's standardized testing got to do with it?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 17:45:04 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney talk about what standardized testing has to do with personalized learning. So many reasons about why standardized testing isn't useful for personalized learning.

Check out the re-design of our website at plearnmc.com and follow us on Twitter at @plearnmc, @eatsleepstats, and @belolanc.

S3 Ep21: Being Explicit in the classroom (not in that way)...

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 14:27:38 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney talk about being explicit in the classroom. What are the skills learners need in order to be successful? How do we teach our learners those skills so they can be successful? Why can't adults get out of the way of the learners?

Give us feedback! We have a parking lot at www.plearnmc.com , and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @belolanc, @eatsleepstats, and @plearnmc.

S3 Ep20: Paying for personalized learning

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:49:37 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about paying for personalized learning. How much does it cost, what are the long-term costs, and are there other things we need to consider when starting a personalized learning system? The article we mention is here: https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/02/13/paying-for-personalized-learning.aspx?s=the_bc_140218&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTVRreE1qTXlPREEwWkRaayIsInQiOiJQWHI2UlpYYlwvd1ROY3dndmF1eWVJSVhlMkpoa2U3dkNMMElzcTk5VnF0RVhZUmtBM2EwSzVRUk0ySGFKQzJ0K3ZNV29WcVl0VXJEVU9cL1FoVFRabG9VQzZia3VqVkF5eVhQckh0M040TFBBNE1RSWVoU2hyMkMwXC83azRvS3UxSSJ9

S3 Ep19: You can't take the human out of the learning.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 20:01:45 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney discuss an article they found... interesting. It was on Education Week and we found it to be a very interesting take on personalized learning and where the movement may be going. Thanks to @rickhess99 and @LarryAmplify for the thought-provoking words. Find it at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2018/02/a_confession_and_a_question_on_personalized_learning.html

S3 Ep18: Engagement leads to empowerment. And tsunamis.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:54:42 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about a tweet from George Couros (@gcouros) that caught our eye. " If our focus is solely on 'engagement' in the classroom, we've created a culture where the student needs a teacher to learn. If we focus more on empowerment, the student gains ownership over their own learning, growth, and direction." Hell yes.

Find it at https://twitter.com/gcouros/status/962402189586063361 and thanks to Bradley Arnold (@leybradley), Steve Coote (@scoote27), and Conn McQuinn (@ConnMc) for some great replies we liked!

We also like George's full blogpost at https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/8007

s3 Ep17: What does Chicken Cordon Bleu have to do with personalized learning?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 18:51:24 +0000

This week: Matt and Courtney talk about cooking tips, the difference between meals and salads, and chicken cordon bleu. It all relates to personalized learning, believe it or not. We also had some slight editing issues, and by we, we mean Matt. You will hear us out of one earbud each this week, as we (again, Matt) are still learning how to use two microphones.

Comment and suggest at plearnmc.com and follow us on the Twitter @plearnmc, @belolanc, @eatsleepstats. Facebook and Instagram, too!

Interview with Jethro Jones of the Transformative Principal podcast

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 15:45:52 +0000

This week, Matt interviews Jethro Jones, principal of Tanana Middle School in Fairbanks Alaska and the host of the Transformative Principal podcast. We talk about culture in school buildings, the role of technology in todayâ€™s schools, and much much more.

Follow the pod on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at plearnmc, and the website is at plearnmc.com. Follow Jethro at @jethrojones and his podcast at @trnfrmprincipal and his website at transformativeprincipal.org.

s3 Ep16: Pacing v Readiness levels discussion

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 16:53:18 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about the differences between pace and readiness levels, and some of the struggles (and solution!) that occur when implementing personalized learning.

S3 Ep15: Teach the learner, not the learning! Going gradeless and more!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 15:25:16 +0000

This week Matt and Courtney talk about going gradeless, and why teaching in a proficiency-based system is actually more freeing rather than more difficult.

Inside the Black Box can be found here: (https://www.amazon.com/INSIDE-BLACK-BOX-Standards-Assessment/dp/B00GOHM5R4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1515766445&sr=1-1&keywords=9781941112151)

S3 Ep14: Making Pre-assessment engaging, not boring!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 19:34:28 +0000

Matt and Courtney begin 2018 with everyone's favorite topic - Pre-Assessment! Ok, maybe not everyone's favorite, but how do we make it engaging rather than boring, and thus, make it meaningful? We have some tips.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @plearnmc! One request of each of you listening: share it with a friend! If you know someone who might get something out of this nonsense we do every week, let them know about it!

Questions go to our website at plearnmc.com and post on the parking lot. Thanks for listening!

S3 Ep13: What 4s mean - how to apply it and do it!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:40:33 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their discussion about what 4's mean, and get into how teachers can actually implement level 4 opportunities. We even have holiday examples!

S3 Ep12: What do 4's mean in proficiency-based education?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 16:14:37 +0000

Matt and Courtney are back! After a brief hiatus, they talk about what 4s mean in a proficiency-based system, some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings, and a solution or two to help!

S3 Ep11: Learners talk about an applied learning project they have completed!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 17:58:12 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk with young learners from Marcia Buker Elementary School in Richmond, ME. They talk about a project they just completed, with the driving question "How do we/doctors know what is going on inside of us?" These two young men researched about pill cams and x-rays, built a model of the digestive system using clear tubes, water bottles, and foam board. They also talk about how they were setting goals, making reflections, asking for advice, etc. Seems like a lot of guiding principles in action!

S3 Ep10: Talking WITH learners, not AT them

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 15:39:36 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney talk about the importance of bringing learners into the conversation by talking WITH them, not AT them. This could mean anything from goal setting, to behavior charts, to codes of cooperation, to anything, really. This also means adult learners at every level, be it staff meetings, professional development opportunities, or community meetings. Talk WITH them, not AT them. What are you doing that the learners could be doing?

Find us at www.plearnmc.com and follow us on Twitter @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats, and on Facebook and Instagram at PLearnMC.

S3 Ep9: One great tip on how to start learner self-reflecting in class TOMORROW

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 00:43:32 +0000

Matt and Courtney are recovering from a massive power outage in Maine, just after getting back from iNACOL in Florida. Crazy week, crazy weather. We also talk about how learners can help themselves by self-reflecting on their learning.

iNACOL with Don Siviski, former Superintendent of RSU2 in Maine and former Deputy Superintendent of Education for Maine

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 00:27:29 +0000

Courtney talks with Don Siviski, former Superintendent of RSU2 in Maine and former Deputy Superintendent of Education for Maine. It's a very interesting discussion on how personalized learning began for Don, a pioneer in the field. How did he manage the transformation from the industrial age of schooling to learner-centeredness? Find out with this fascinating interview.

iNACOL with Doug Finn, reinventing schools manager for Marzano Research

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 23:56:21 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Doug Finn. Doug is the reinventing schools manager for the Reinventing Schools Division of Marzano Research. He helps mentor students and educators working with this model. He also wrote the Handbook for Personalized Competency-Based Education, along with Michelle Finn, Jennifer Norford, and Robert Marzano. This a fascinating conversation about how to move, REALLY move, to personalized learning strategies in schools.

https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Personalized-Competency-Based-Education-Implementing/dp/1943360138/

https://www.marzanoresearch.com/douglas-finn

iNACOL with Maria Worthen, Vice President for Federal and State Policy of iNACOL

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 23:35:23 +0000

Matt talks with Maria Worthen, Vice President for Federal and State Policy of iNACOL.

https://www.inacol.org/our-work/inacol-center-for-policy-advocacy/

iNACOL with Chris Liang-Vergara of Leap Innovations

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 23:20:30 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Chris Liang-Vergara, Chief of Learning Innovation at Leap Innovations.

http://www.leapinnovations.org/

iNACOL with Nik Namba of Lindsay Unified School District

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 23:13:13 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Nik Namba, Director of 21st Century Learning at Lindsay Unified School District in California, a leader in personalized learning.

http://www.lindsay.k12.ca.us/

https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Reform-Systemic-Personalized-Learning-ebook/dp/B01MT9W4B7/

iNACOL with Yvonne Armenta

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 23:03:12 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Yvonne Armenta, UCBerkeley graduate and keynote speaker at iNACOL 2017!

@yvonne_armenta

https://es-cat.org/

http://www.berkeley.edu/

iNACOL with Gary Chapin of the Center for Collaborative Education

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:48:04 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Gary Chapin of the Center for Collaborative Education. It gets very zen at the end....

http://cce.org/

iNACOL with Erin Surprise and Tony Skauge of Edmentum

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:39:24 +0000

Matt and Courtney continue their interview series with Erin Surprise, Vice President, Professional Services and Support at Edmentum, and Tony Skauge, Services Program Manager at Edmentum.

http://www.edmentum.com/

iNACOL with Sarah Rich of Squiggle Park

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:27:58 +0000

Matt speaks with Sarah Rich, Lead Teacher at Squiggle Park at the iNACOL symposium in Orlando.

http://squigglepark.com/

iNACOL with Julie Young and Amy McGrath of ASU Prep Digital

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 21:14:15 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Julie Young and Amy McGrath of ASU Prep Digital. ASU Prep Digital is an accredited online high school and college prep courses. It is available anywhere worldwide - listen for more!

http://www.asuprepdigital.org/

iNACOL with Laurie Gagnon of the Center for Collaborative Education

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 21:04:41 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Laurie Gagnon, Director of Quality Performance Assessment at the Center for Collaborative Education.

iNACOL wrapup pod!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 20:52:36 +0000

Matt and Courtney recover from travel woes, and power outages in the state of Maine to wrap up their time at iNACOL. What were the big themes we heard about all week? Find out here....

iNACOL with Richard Rutherford, senior at Urban Assembly Maker Academy in NYC

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 15:43:09 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Richard Rutherford, a senior at Urban Assembly Maker Academy in NYC. His experience during his high school years is a mind blower, and is exactly how we can think differently about the structure of schools now and in the future.

http://www.uamaker.nyc/

iNACOL with Carlos Beato of the International High School at Langley Park

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 02:04:57 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Carlos Beato, Principal of the International High School at Langley Park. This school is focused on ELL learners, and Carlos has many insights about the differences in personalized learning between ELL learners and non-ELL learners (spoiler: there aren't any).

http://www1.pgcps.org/ihslangleypark/

https://www.springpointschools.org/blog/2015/08/conception-launch-interview-carlos-beato/

iNACOL with Al Motley and Nithi Thomas

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 01:48:08 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Al Motley, Chief Technology Officer of MatchbookLearning, and Nithi Thomas, Executive Director of Techademics. It's a great discussion by two leaders in the confluence of technology and education.

http://www.matchbooklearning.com/

https://twitter.com/nithi_thomas

https://twitter.com/almotleyjr

https://www.boltlearning.com/what-we-offer/our-lms/

iNACOL with Carolyn Berenson

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 01:23:54 +0000

Matt talks with Carolyn Berenson about her experience as a first-time #iNACOL attendee, and her work in New Hampshire with special education students.

https://twitter.com/cberenson1

iNACOL Day 1 Wrap Up and Big Takeaways

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 00:49:16 +0000

Matt and Courtney share their big takeaways from a day of interviewing innovators in education! Also, a voices hub share! Thank you to all our interviewees and the people who added their voice to the larger conversation around personalized learning at iNACOL 2017

iNACOL with Kelly Young and Ulcca Joshi Hansen of Education Reimagined

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 00:05:42 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Kelly Young, Executive Director of Education Reimagined, and Ulcca Joshi Hansen, Associate Director of National Outreach and Community Building for Education Reimagined. We have a fascinating discussion about community outreach, the themes that run through the personalized movement, and visions being a key to the work.

https://twitter.com/EdReimagined

https://twitter.com/Ulcca

https://education-reimagined.org/

iNACOL with Rose Colby

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:58:00 +0000

Matt chats with Rose Colby, a competency-based learning and assessment specialist about the personalized learning movement

iNACOL with Mark Hennes

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:54:04 +0000

Mark Hennes, of Capitol Area Intermediate Unit explains what an intermediate unit is, and how they help schools and districts leverage resources for personalized learning

http://www.caiu.org/

http://www.caiu.org/news/the-edleader-notebook

iNACOL with John Washburn

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:46:16 +0000

We talk with Myrtle Beach High School principal John Washburn about their journey with personalized learning at the secondary level

iNCAOL with David Ruff and Katie Thompson

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:40:53 +0000

David Ruff and Katie Thompson of Great Schools Partnership share their perspectives on the personalized learning movement and talk through some ed policy

http://greatschoolspartnership.org/

iNACOL with Chris Minnich

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:36:07 +0000

Matt talks with Chris Minnich, Executive Director of CCSSO about personalize learning and the bigger picture

iNACOL with Antonia Rudenstein

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:31:19 +0000

Antonia Rudenstein of Redesign talks with us about working with schools to meet their needs along the personalized learning journey

http://www.redesignu.org/

iNACOL with Bryant Best

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 22:46:07 +0000

Matt and Courtney speak with Bryant Best, Program Associate at the Council of Chief State School Officers. It's a great discussion about equity and how it is so important in schools.

https://twitter.com/Educator_X

http://www.ccsso.org/

iNACOL with Daniela Fairchild and Stephen Osborn

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:46:09 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Daniela Fairchild, Director of Education at the Office of Innovation in Rhode Island, and Stephen Osborn, Chief of Innovation at Rhode Island Department of Education. How do these departments work well and complement each other? Find out in this discussion.

http://www.innovate.ri.gov/daniela

http://www.ride.ri.gov/

https://twitter.com/D_Fairchild

iNACOL with Barbara Treacy and Liz Glowa

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:33:40 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Barbara Treacy and Liz Glowa about leadership, training leaders, and the state of education.

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/faculty/barbara-treacy

https://twitter.com/barbaratreacy

iNACOL with Pat DeKlotz

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:28:18 +0000

We talk with Kettle Moraine's superintendent about their journey into personalize learning.

https://www.kmsd.edu/

iNACOL with Barbara Bray

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:10:48 +0000

We share a lovely conversation about personalized learning with author Barbara Bray! And guess what, she has a podcast too!

https://barbarabray.net/

iNACOL with Trixi Derosa-Davis

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:04:58 +0000

Trixie, the 2016 Blended and Online Learning Teacher of the year shared with us what it is like to work in a virtual learning environment and personalize learning

iNACOL with VPS

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 17:56:22 +0000

We talk with Zach Desjarlais Zach, James Gray, and Sally Kroon from Vancouver, WA Public Schools about their shift to make sure building leaders are future ready and have the capacity to support personalized learning.

iNACOL with Jim Rickabaugh of The Institute For Personalized Learning

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 17:38:15 +0000

We talk with Jim about how the conversations around personalized learning have changed

https://www.amazon.com/Tapping-Power-Personalized-Learning-Roadmap-ebook/dp/B01CIR1W7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508866625&sr=8-1&keywords=jim+rickabaugh

http://institute4pl.org/

iNACOL with Lauren McCauley and Stephanie DiStasio of the office of Personalized Learning in South Carolina

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 20:52:38 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Lauren McCauley, Lead Associate of Personalized Learning, and Stephanie DiStasio, Director of the Office of Personalized Learning in South Carolina. This office is a new venture for South Carolina, having been created in July of this year! Listen to what Lauren and Stephanie have to say about their experience in implementing personalized learning in South Carolina.

https://ed.sc.gov/instruction/personalized-learning/

iNACOL Day one reflection

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 18:05:20 +0000

Matt and Courtney take a short break and reflect on the first day of #iNACOL17.

iNACOL with Caroline Hill, Chief of School Creation and Transformation for CityBridge Education

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 17:22:12 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Caroline Hill about equity, owning the American story, radical inclusion, designing schools with and at the margins, and lots of other topics around the state of education.

http://citybridge.org/team/caroline-hill/

iNACOL with Bryan Setser, entrepreneur in residence at rpkGROUP

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:53:00 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Bryan Setser, entrepreneur in residence at rpkGROUP. It's a fascinating chat about how rpkGROUP can help districts become aware of their return on innovations - it's a great discussion on something we all need help with! http://rpkgroup.com/

iNACOL with Brian Stack, principal of Sanborn Regional HS in New Hampshire

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:44:37 +0000

Matt and Courtney talk with Brian Stack, principal of Sanborn Regional High School in New Hampshire.

Brian's book can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Tradition-Competency-Based-Learning-Student-Centered/dp/1943874891/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508764567&sr=8-1&keywords=breaking+with+tradition and Rose Colby's book can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Competency-Based-Education-Architecture-K-12-Schooling/dp/1682531007/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508764602&sr=8-1&keywords=rose+colby . The video can be watched on the school website at http://www.sau17.org/1/Home or on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21DqddVoelw&feature=youtu.be

S3 Ep8: Learning belongs to the learners!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 15:28:55 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about how learning belongs to the learners with some stories of brilliance and some stories of not so brilliance. Setting up conditions for success for learners is the key to becoming more personalized - as always, culture breeds success in learners. Oh, and we talk about Star Wars and The Odyssey.

#iNACOL17 is coming next week, so be prepared for loads of content, interviews, ramblings, etc. Follow us on Twitter @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats, and on Facebook AND Instagram with #plearnmc to start some engaging community discussions!

S3 Ep7: The target is the target is the target!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 15:14:00 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney talk about their travels in professional development, what came out of those sessions, and about how the targets for the learners have the SAME EXPECTATION for all of them, regardless of their perceived "ability". Also, we are headed to #iNACOL17 next week, and will have loads of content over the next few weeks. Here is the shoe-tying learning menu we talked about in the show. Follow us on Twitter @plearnmc , 2belolanc , @eatsleepstats and on Facebook and Instagram!

S3 Ep6: Am I doing this right?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 13:43:26 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney discuss our recent conversations with teachers, and what comes up a lot is them asking "am I doing this right?". Try things out, and adjust them if it isn't working! More tips as brilliant as that in the latest episode. Follow us @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats, and on Facebook at Personalized Learning with Matt & Courtney. Come visit us at iNACOL in Orlando October 23-25, and shoutout to @jessxbo in the middle of this episode!

S3 Ep5: Making content relevant part two

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 14:30:31 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney continue their series on making content relevant for learners. We talk about giving learners voice in the input and output, and how we could do that in the classroom starting NOW. Follow us on Twitter @plearnmc , @belolanc , and @eatsleepstats and on Instagram @PLearnMC, and on the Facebook and www.plearnmc.com . We are also headed to the iNACOL symposium in October, so come and meet us and get interviewed for the pod! www.inacol.org

S3 Ep4: Helping make content relevant for learners AND a MAJOR announcement!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 19:00:01 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about making those old familiar topics more relevant for your learners. Perhaps it's a topic you always do, or it's an important date in history (i.e. 9-11, Pearl Harbor Day, 11-22-63, etc), but learners don't have a context for it. Put it into context for them, make it real, using some of the tips we talk about today.

We are all wound up, as we have been invited by iNACOL to their annual Symposium ( www.inacol.org ) to be their podcaster! If you are attending, please come and see us and get on the podcast, and if you aren't going - well, why not? Register at their website - it's in Orlando in October, for gosh sake!

Also, we have a new(ish) website, at www.plearnmc.com and follow us on Twitter @plearnmc , and NOW ON INSTAGRAM @PLearnMC !

S3 Ep3: Engaging learners at all levels using QFT

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 20:44:44 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about how to engage learners at all levels using the QFT process. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter @plearnmc, @eatsleepstats, @belolanc and check out the website at plearnmc.weebly.com for the parking lot!

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Just-One-Change-Questions/dp/1612500994/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504816453&sr=8-1&keywords=right+question+institute

S3 Ep2: Do it from day one!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 21:47:40 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about the beginning of school and how we introduce things to kids. Follow us @plearnmc @belolanc and @eatsleepstats and on Facebook at Personalized Learning with Matt & Courtney.

S3Ep1: Back to school - set your culture now and get ready for the year!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 22:58:33 +0000

In the opener for Season 3, Matt & Courtney discuss how to start with culture in the first days of school. Also, we stress there needs to be real talk with our learners in these crazy times. It all ties to learning targets, but is perhaps a little controversial. Follow us @eatsleepstats @belolanc and @plearnmc #B2SChat and see the website plearnmc.weebly.com and post on the parking lot!!

The lowdown on reporting

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 15:04:20 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney give listeners the lowdown on reporting. Where do you start, and is that where you'll finish? Thanks to listeners for the parking lot feedback inspiring this episode - here's the link! https://www.hillsdaleschools.com/cms/lib/NJ01000198/Centricity/Domain/482/Grade%202%20Report%20Card.pdf

Reflections - and prom themes. Tis the season.

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 19:20:56 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney have a discussion about reflections and what this means for your learners. Don't be afraid to start, even if they aren't good at it! We also apologize for being lazy with our communication. Oh, and we have a discussion about prom themes, and the greatest Prom Theme ever.

Programs vs Resources

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 16:07:54 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about the difference between a program and a resource. Start with your beliefs!!

Modeling - it's not just for kids!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 26 May 2017 17:12:39 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney talk about how modeling instruction for learners is NOT just for young learners, it's for all learners - even adult learners! Find out why in this episode! Read the blogpost about distractions here.

Being student-centered is not plopping kids in front of computers!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 22 May 2017 14:04:03 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about being "less student-centered". WTF? Let's have a discussion about why this came up, and what it actually means. Read the articles at https://medium.com/pear-deck/should-we-be-more-teacher-centered-578f79e9dcef and https://medium.com/pear-deck/should-we-be-less-student-centered-b8500f431c9d.

SMATH. Say what?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 05 May 2017 14:27:12 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about SMATH. What is that? Basically, integrated/interdisciplinary units, and some tips on how to start. Follow us @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats and on Facebook at PLearnMC. Let us know what you are thinking, and thank you to all our new listeners!! Listen to the entire Neil DeGrasse Tyson interview at this link, and the inspiration for this week's episode at this link.

Who's Doing the Work?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 16:11:35 +0000

This week, Matt & Courtney talk about classrooms, and who is really doing the work? Follow us @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats. We are LIVE on May 15-16 in Auburn ME. Check out http://mainecla.org/2017/02/providing-opportunity-to-learn-may-15-16-2017/ for details!

Learners talk to us about Continuous Flexible Learning!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 16:46:04 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk to 4th and 5th graders about continuous flexible grouping. Our learners from Marcia Buker Elementary School in Richmond Maine, are Wyatt, Macaila, and Darby, and have some great thoughts on how CFG works in the schools. Listen to the kids! Also, Matt coughs while recess happens outside. It's a little quiet during the interviews, so you might want to turn it up!

Continuous Flexible Grouping, Part Three

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 17:15:47 +0000

This week Matt and Courtney continue a series about continuous flexible grouping. This week, pre-assessments! Follow us @eatsleepstats, @belolanc, and @plearnmc. Resources we used and talked about: http://www.byrdseed.com/six-traits-of-quality-pre-assessments/ and http://www.competencyworks.org/resources/pre-assessment-a-key-to-the-zpd/

Continuous Flexible Grouping, Part Two

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 17:54:45 +0000

This week Matt and Courtney continue a series about continuous flexible grouping. How do we start? It's about collecting and using appropriate data, especially multiple forms (we suggest at least triangulating data we collect, including behavioral data). Follow us @eatsleepstats, @belolanc, and @plearnmc.

Continuous Flexible Grouping, Part One

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 00:57:04 +0000

This week Matt and Courtney begin a series about continuous flexible grouping. It's something we all want to do to our learners in the best positions to succeed, but no one truly knows how to do it! We'll share some strategies, some stories, some horrible jokes that show our age - basically, it's another episode of Personalized Learning With Matt and Courtney. Happy St. Patricks Day - yes, we know it's late.

No More Little Boxes!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 20:40:15 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney talk about no more little boxes! Why do we insist on having "grade-level" targets, and what are some strategies to break that mold? Follow us on Twitter @plearnmc, Matt at @eatsleepstats, and Courtney at @belolanc. Also on Facebook at PLearnWithMC. This week's resource: Educational Leadership magazine and personalized learning! http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/current-issue.aspx

Extra Credit! Ummm... what?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 20:36:14 +0000

This week, Matt and Courtney tackle the thorny issue of extra credit: what is it good for, anyway? Follow us on Twitter @eatsleepstats, @belolanc, and @plearnmc and on Facebook at PLearnWithMC.

Culture is the key, more than ever

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 14:49:25 +0000

As we travel across the country, we see amazing things happening in schools, but there is one common thread: culture. Why is this the key to everything we do in classrooms, in schools, in life? Shout out to Courtney's dogs near the end.

Grouping is a strategy

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 00:19:56 +0000

Why is grouping important? We will tell you why, and offer some suggestions, and make you aware of a danger or two. Also, Resource Review Corner returns, along with the jingle! Read more about grouping with Courtney at http://teachthelearner.weebly.com/blog/grouping-is-a-strategy-not-the-goal-learner-centered-tip-131, buy Making Hope Happen at https://www.amazon.com/Making-Hope-Happen-Create-Yourself/dp/1451666233/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486167375&sr=8-1&keywords=making+hope+happen, and thanks to @KnowledgeWorks and @GettingSmart for the shout-outs! We definitely appreciate it!

Transparency - How does it relate?

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 20:36:37 +0000

Transparency in the classroom and beyond. Why does it matter? We're here to help. Follow us on Twitter at @plearnmc, @eatsleepstats, @belolanc. Follow on Facebook, and rate and review us on iTunes! Visit our website at plearnmc.weebly.com. The clip of Astronaut Mae Jemison is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgZD5T0RmqE and more information about the Commonwealth Club is at https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2016-12-13/astronaut-mae-jemison-launching-women-science-and-tech.

Bringing It Back To Culture and a Term/Phrase We Hate!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 20:54:16 +0000

What can we do when we realize that classroom culture isn't quite what it needs to be for personalized learning to fly? Plus, Courtney shares a term or phrase she hates Follow us on Twitter at @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats. Rate and review on iTunes - we want to grow the show! http://teachthelearner.weebly.com/blog/supporting-learners-with-common-language-learner-centered-tip-12017

Define, or distinguish? Plus, resource review corner!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 20:54:57 +0000

When talking about personalized learning, should we define it, or distinguish it? What does that even mean? Plus, an extended resource review corner! Follow us on Twitter at @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats. Rate and review on iTunes - we want to grow the show! Shout out to @edreimagined for the inspiration! Resource review corner: The End of Average by Todd Rose, Which One Doesn't Belong by Chris Danielson, The Art of Coaching Teams by Elena Aguilar.

It's not about "getting through"!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 17:53:58 +0000

Clarifying the philosophy: do we as teachers "get through the targets", or is there something more? Follow us at @plearnmc, @belolanc, and @eatsleepstats. Put something on the parking lot at plearnmc.weebly.com. Subscribe to us on iTunes, and please rate and review us! It helps us grow the show. Tell a friend while you are at it!

Grading!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 19:41:38 +0000

Ask questions on the parking lot at plearnmc.weebly.com

Formative Assessment and Standards-Based Grading Strategies by Marzano

(https://www.amazon.com/Formative-Assessment-Standards-Based-Grading-Strategies/dp/0982259220/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479820869&sr=8-1&keywords=standards-based+grading)

Classroom Assessment and Grading that Work by Marzano (https://www.amazon.com/Classroom-Assessment-Grading-That-Work/dp/1416604227/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=B0F0FVGQRF4XVHBXZYMZ)

Visible Learning by Hattie (https://www.amazon.com/Visible-Learning-Synthesis-Meta-Analyses-Achievement/dp/0415476186/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479820995&sr=8-2&keywords=visible+learning)

Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning by Guskey (https://www.amazon.com/Developing-Grading-Reporting-Learning-Assessment/dp/080396854X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1479821067&sr=8-9&keywords=guskey+grading)

Fair isnâ€™t Always Equal by Wormeli (https://www.amazon.com/Fair-Isnt-Always-Equal-Differentiated/dp/1571104240/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1479838746&sr=1-1&keywords=fair+is+not+always+equal)

How to Grade for Learning by Oâ€™Connor (https://www.amazon.com/How-Grade-Learning-K-12-OConnor/dp/1412953820/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1479838786&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+grade+for+learning)

Link to the Guskey article MDC talked about: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FA1AjmS5NZRO0BLeiwVURK96J6fSdqw9czaTRry3LXP0-HwpwexvmlnnK3yyuZQeVbCpz_xUd3QGbrad/view?usp=sharing

Episode 12 TEASER!!

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 17:04:51 +0000

Hey everyone! We'll be back next week with a full episode on standards-based grading (cue scary music). Look for it, give us feedback, subscribe! tell your friends!

iNACOL day two Debrief

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 21:22:20 +0000

Our thoughts on day two of iNACOL16.

iNACOL day one Debrief

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 22:43:42 +0000

Our thoughts on day one of iNACOL.

Space with guest Jessie Boyce

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 16:53:21 +0000

We did this one at an open house, so you may hear lots of kids in the background at times! Also, spread the word you may need to unsubscribe and subscribe again, as we changed our provider. Thanks! Introduction & Housekeeping (0:00 - 1:20) Parking Lot (1:20 - 8:30) Flex grouping, role of parents, classrooms with no desks? Focus Of The Week: Space (8:30 - 17:50) Guest (17:50 - 41:30) Jessie Boyce of Tyrone Middle School, in St. Petersburg FL. Follow her on Twitter at @jessXyo and her blog at https://whoneedsdesks.wordpress.com/ . Her recommendation for a book is Make Learning Personal. We edited the heck out of this conversation, as we had WAY too much fun talking to Jessie. Terms and Phrases We Hate: (41:30 - 44:00) Throw the baby out with the bathwater - what? Resource Review Corner (44:00 - end) The Third Teacher

First steps of the school year w/ guest Matt Lunt

Matthew Shea & Courtney Belolan — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 14:32:28 +0000

Introduction & Housekeeping (0:00 - 1:23) #PLearnMC Parking Lot (1:23 - 7:00) Summer Slump Professional Magazines Start Up Plan Focus Of The Week: First Steps After Setting Culture (7:00 - 20:00) Matt and Courtney talk through three first steps for personalizing the â€œcurriculumâ€ Lay out the topics for the year Lay out progressions for targets within topics Make the map visible to students Guest Interview: Matt Lunt (20:00 - 48:30) Matt is a sixth grade teacher at Memorial Middle School in South Portland, ME. In his second year of teaching in a mainstream class after being an alternative ed teacher for many years, he shares with us what he has learned about bringing personalized methods and practices to â€œregular ed.â€ Terms and Phrases We Hate: None! It is Summer! Resource Review Corner (48:30 - end) Courtney: Howâ€™s It Going: Carl Anderson Matt: Brandon Busteed on Youtube, specifically the Iowa presentation