Coffee With A Geek Podcast

Mary is an innovative and creative teacher. She will share her teaching insights as well as discuss her new book. Artificial Intelligence to Streamline Your Teacher Life HERE

https://www.coffeewithageek.org

Educator Nick Fargnoli and Administrator Margie Wright have been using their podcast and blog, Toasted to inspire people to challenge themselves to work through failure to achieve successful outcomes. Each episode takes a deep dive into using failure as a Superpower.

A Little about Margie:

Rochester, NY native who subscribes to astrology as a science, loves a great story, is a creative soul, proud mom, and diehard Buffalo Bills fan.  This is year 29 in public education, currently a district level administrator in Western, NY.

A Little about Nick:

A resident of Naples, NY, Nick is a professor of English at a local college. He is also a musician, an education consultant and father of 3 wonderful boys.

Twitter  @MargieWright_ , 

Toasted Instagram  Toasted FaceBook

Toasted YouTube  Toasted Spotify

www.toastedpodcast.com

toastedthepodcast@gmail.com

“Make Stuff and Love People - Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes Book III. It is the most comprehensive assistive technology makers book available with over 1500 images including QR codes to 500 “how-to“ videos and resources. https://www.amazon.com/Assistive-Technology-Solutions-Minutes-Book/dp/0989326217"

Also check out her amazing YouTube Channel:  HERE

Nef Dukes is an artist, teacher, and videographer!  I came across Nef's work virtually through her Screencastify job.  She creates fantastic, easy to understand, videos on how to use Screencastify for amazing education based projects.  She's a wealth of information and a fascinating person. A little about Nef in her own words:  "Nefertiti Dukes is a former humanities teacher. After leaving the classroom, she took her passion for technology to Screencastify where she helped other educators harness the power of technology. Now, you can find her espousing the benefits of technology to improve workflows, save time, and communicate more effectively".  Connect with Nef:  Twitter: @niftynef Website:  EdTech Heroes Podcast

Most times my guests come from my Twitter Feed. My guest this week is no different, however, I thought I would take a little different spin this time. Instead of an "in the trenches" educator, I thought it would be helpful to get some insight from someone within the Technology sphere. Lise Rasmussen is a Cloud Solution Architect with Microsoft. Also, she hosts the WITGirls Podcast. (Women in Technology). I really wanted to get LIse's perspective on Women in Technology, thoughts about the future of Technology, and her day to day work. Lise is an amazing example of how you can pursue new careers in technology with passion and focus.

A little about Lise in her own words: I work as a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft. My focus technology is the Power Platform in Microsoft 365

Ways to connect with Lise:

@sharepointbabe on Twitter and Instagram
Blog: https://sharepointbabe.com
Podcast: https://witgirlspodcast.podbean.com/

A little about Cristen in her own words: Cristen holds a B.A in Political Science with a minor in World Religions from Boston University, a M.A. from New York University in Secondary Social Studies Education, and dual certification in Social Studies and Exceptional Student Education. She was born and raised in New York and has been a full-time teacher since 2007. After teaching for eight years in the New York City public school system in the Bronx, she moved with her family to South Florida and where she teaches Social Science and Social Entrepreneurship courses at a private school in Palm Beach County. She has extensive training in curriculum design and instruction and has worked with many teachers in professional development throughout her career.

Ways to connect:
Twitter (@CrisMagaletti)

I’m an Adobe Education Leader (AEL) and an Adobe Master Teacher. As a part of this community, I have been a contributor to many lessons on their edex.adobe.com platform.

Blog contributor to GoGuardian:
​​https://www.goguardian.com/blog/how-out-of-the-box-thinking-fuels-student-creativity
https://www.goguardian.com/blog/5-tips-for-designing-a-student-centered-learning-environment

As many of you know, I've been fascinated with the potential of Virtual Worlds for educational purposes.  Once a proud member of ISTE's Virtual Environments Network PLN (PLN no longer exists!) I have been an advocate for virtual environment possibilities.  As of yet, there has been limited progress towards moving forward on a large scale.  Recently there has been renewed interest in virtual world education specifically in Second Life with the Virtual Worlds Education Consortium.  (VWEC) This group has been creating an Education Hub in this virtual world.

I thought it would be a great time to chat with Jennifer Vandiver who is doing research on virtual world education for her Doctoral Dissertation.  Here is our interview conducted in Second Life.  

A little bit about Jennifer in her own words.  "I currently live in Indiana and work as an adjunct psychology professor for Ivy Tech Community College where I teach mostly introduction to psychology courses. My degree background includes psychology, sociology, and philosophy. I am currently working on my doctorate in educational psychology. I have been a resident in Second Life for nearly 9 years and have been fascinated by all aspects of the virtual world. My dissertation is interested in the experiences of educators who teach in Second Life at the post-secondary level."

I had a fantastic interview with Math Teacher Melissa Dean.  I came across Melissa on Twitter, when one of her former students Tweeted about how much Melissa inspired her.  Twitter can still offer positive feedback so I thought it was worth checking out Melissa's Twitter Feed.  I wasn't disappointed.  Melissa is a powerhouse classroom teacher but also is a Podcaster, blogger, and author.  Her book, Unravel School: Reimagine Classrooms, Reinvent Assessment, & Revive Learning is now available on Amazon and other book sellers.  I really enjoyed chatting with Melissa about Math and More.

A little about Melissa in her own words:  Melissa is a grade 7 teacher in Southeastern Manitoba, Canada. She has been a classroom educator for 20 years, spanning grades 1 to 12. She is passionate about assessment and grading reform, and mathematics education. In her spare time, she enjoys drinking coffee, running, writing and baking sourdough bread.

To Connect with Melissa:

Twitter:  @dean_of_math

Instagram @dean_of_math

Website:  deanofmath.wordpress.com

Follow Silky:  Twitter @silkyjay

This month's guest comes from across the Atlantic Ocean! Al Kingsley (https://alkingsley.com/) offers some of his amazing insight into his 30 year journey of Edtech expertise.

In this episode, I ask Al about his vast experience, his recent presentation at the NYSCATE 21 Conference, and his new book, "My Secret #EdTech Diary". Al's insight carries across the miles and translates into almost any educational enterprise.

A little bit about Al in his own words:  Al Kingsley has spent the last 30 years in the EdTech space and 20 of those as a school trustee and governor. He is Group CEO of NetSupport Ltd, an internationally acclaimed EdTech vendor, and has lived and worked in both the UK and US. His latest book, My Secret #EdTech Diary, released in July under the imprint of John Catt Educational Publishers. He is an expert in digital strategy, security, and education technology."

Al's vast experience and kind hearted analysis is so refreshing in today's fast paced Edtech landscape.  What an honor to chat with him.

Jim was featured in the 2010 movie, The Lottery when he was a Principal for a Success Academy Charter school in NYC.  I'll ask him about his journey through education, his lessons learned over the years through his experiences and background, and we may even chat about "The good old days" of our youth!.

A little about Jim and his background:  Jim Manly serves as Superintendent of KIPP NYC, a network public charter schools (18 schools as of summer 2021) in New York City. Jim came to KIPP NYC in 2015 with 30 years of experience in K-12 education. He previously worked with the national KIPP Foundation as the Senior Director of Instructional Leadership with KIPP Co-Founder, Dave Levin. From 2007 to 2014, Jim was the Founding Principal of Success Academy Harlem 2 Elementary, which became the top performing school, public or private, in Harlem District 5. He has an additional ten years of leadership experience as Principal of Manhattan Charter School, Assistant Director of Teaneck Community Charter School, and Executive Director of Teach for America in Washington, DC. Before entering educational leadership, Jim was a New York City public school teacher, earning Teacher of the Year in 1998 at M.S. 321X. Jim earned his B.A. in English from Union College and his Masters of Public Policy from The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard"

Really enjoyed catching up with Jim and keeping track of his successes and vision for the future.

Bryna Moritz is a young and energetic Superintendent at Pine Valley Central School, in Western New York. A rural district, Bryna was a year into her superintendency when the Covid Pandemic hit. I ask Bryna about her vision of leadership during that trying time and her thoughts on moving forward into the future.

A little about Bryna's background: After starting her education in Law, she soon discovered a passion for teaching. She received her Bachelors degree at SUNY Fredonia. She then got her first teaching job as a 4th Grade Teacher at Sherman Central School. She went on to have several administrative positions at Sherman ending with the K12 Principal. She is now in her 3rd year as Superintendent at Pine Valley. She has completed a circle from Kindergarten student to Superintendent at Pine Valley.

Notable info:  Her Mother, Kim Moritz is also a superintendent and past guest on the Coffee with a Geek show. (She was my second interview!)


Connect with Bryna:


Twitter: HERE @brybooth

Twitter:  @StevieFrank23 

Youtube Version HERE

Rumble Version HERE

Twitter:  @JaVondaTucker

This Month  I was able to chat with another Tech Savvy History Teacher.  Jamie Ellman was recently showcased in Edtech Magazine discussing her favorite edtech tools for history.   I'm looking forward to chatting with her about a range of issues from her favorite tech tools and thoughts on education!

A little bit about Jamie in her own words:  "As a Level III instructor/leader, I started my career in education in 1993. I have taught for 17 years, and am currently teaching US and World History at Johnson High School in Buda.  Last year, I taught AP US History and World Geography History at the best high school in New Mexico - nationally ranked, La Cueva High School. Prior to teaching at La Cueva, I taught 8th grade US History for six years at Eisenhower Middle School-- another one of New Mexico’s best schools. My first teaching experience was at Longmont High School in Colorado where I taught 9th & 10th grade English, Police Academy, World Geography, and multiple senior English electives. It was in this first job of mine where I began my involvement in curriculum and instruction design. In addition, I also hold a Master’s of the Arts in Teaching."

Ways to Connect with Jamie

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/msjellman

Website:  https://msellman.com/

A little about Sam in her own words:   Professor of education at Grove City College.    She is the Author of Edumagic a Guide for Preservice Teachers  Co author of Edumagic Shine on a guide for new teachers Host of the Edumagic podcast And she is a Pumpkin spice latte fan !

 A little bit out Tim in his own words:   Tim Needles is an artist, educator and author of STEAM Power: Infusing Art Into Your STEM Curriculum. He teaches art/media at Smithtown School District, is a TEDx Talk speaker, and his work has been featured on NPR, in the New York Times, Columbus Museum of Art, Norman Rockwell Museum, Alexandria Museum of Art, Katonah Museum of Art, and Cape Cod Museum of Art. He’s the recipient of ISTE’s Technology in Action Award and Creativity Award, NAEA’s AET Outstanding Teaching Award, and The Rauschenberg Power of Art Award. He’s a National Geographic Certified Teacher, PBS Digital Innovator, an ISTE Arts & Technology and STEM PLN leader, NAEA ArtEdTech interest Group leader, and Adobe Creative Educator and Education Leader Emeritus.  He’s active on social media at @timneedles. @TimNeedles on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tiktok