Makin’ It Personal: A #PersonalizeSC Podcast

To celebrate our 50th episode of the Makin' It Personal Podcast, the SCDE Personalized Learning Team shares their favorite student-centered learning strategies, tools, and resources in the form of gifts! Tune in and check out the links below to access the "gifts" mentioned! Happy Holidays!

Are assessing and grading one in the same?

What is the role of assessing or grading in a student centered context?

What about grading and motivation?

How do I actually personalize learning for my students while still having to grade?

In this episode, brought to you by the SCDE Personalized Learning Team, host Keri Beach chats with fellow Personalized Learning Coaches Kristen Logan and Dr. Sarah Bowie about the complexities of assessing and grading in education. Hear frequently asked questions from the field and ways to take a more student-centered approach when it comes to these hot topics!

In this episode, host Keri Beach chats with Griggs Road Elementary School Teachers Dori Petriella & Samantha McCarter about their approaches to student-centered learning while navigating large class sizes and variation in the ability of their students. Get tips and strategies from their experiences that you can immediately take back to your classroom or school to help students own their learning!

In this episode, host Keri Beach chats with Tanner Slagle, Math Coach at Ebinport Elementary School in Rock Hill, SC. Listen in as he shares his journey to shifting his coaching practice to a more learner-centered model by cultivating trust, “modeling the model,” and giving teachers choice in their professional growth and feedback.

In this episode of the Flexibility Within Fences Series, host Keri Beach chats with Eric Gambrell, Assistant Principal at Batesburg Leesville High and Kristen Logan, Personalized Learning Coach about ways that educators can reimagine flexibility with time. Hear more about Batesburg Leesville's approach through their "Half-Time" initiative and other tips on leveraging time within student-centered learning!

Connect with Eric via email at egambrell@lex3.org and Kristen at klogan@ed.sc.gov.

We're kicking off a brand new series called Flexibility Within Fences! In this opening episode, host Keri Beach chats with Stephanie DiStasio, Director of the Office of Personalized Learning about how educators can begin to rethink and reimagine our system of education in order to better serve all students in our state. Listen in as we discuss the importance of mindsets, misconceptions regarding flexibility, and resources that can help educators continue progressing within the work of student-centered learning!

Connect with Stephanie via email at personalizedlearning@ed.sc.gov or sdistasio@ed.sc.gov.

In this episode, host Keri Beach chats with Bethany Elementary School teacher Tammy Crago about her simplistic approach to providing learning paths for her students. Hear more about her tips and techniques for creating a growth focused classroom and giving students opportunities to become more independent learners.

Contact Tammy via email (Tammy.Crago@clover.k12.sc.us) for more info!

In today’s episode, host Keri Beach chats with Audra Yesnach, Visual Arts Teacher at River Bluff High School about how her approaches to intergrating the PSCG Competenceis into her AP Art class. Hear more about the tool she created to merge the Competencies with AP guidelines to help students “play and experiment for play’s sake” and focus more on growth and their learning journey through art. 

In this episode, host Keri Beach chats with Sydney Schaef, Managing Director of reDesign about the Measuring PCBL Toolkit. This powerful resource is a one stop shop to help educators refine their practices and measure their impact on the journey towards making learning more personal for students. 

In this episode, host Keri Beach chats with 3rd grade teacher Lynette Vargo from Westminster Elementary School in Oconee County about her teaching journey and the shifts she’s making to make learning more personal for her students. Hear more about her approach to small group instruction, assessments, and data tracking to help her students own their learning!

In this episode, host Keri Beach chats with Griggs Road Elementary School principal Nicole Thompson and innovation coach Joy Dillon about their school's journey towards personalizing learning for students. Hear more about how they got started, what support looks like for teachers as they implementing personalized practices at varied paces, how they are helping parents understand the PCBL shifts happening in classrooms, and how students overall are take more ownership of their learning journeys!

In this episode, host Keri Beach chats with Sarah Gams, the SCDE Student Learning and Development Program Manager and the 2021 SC Teacher of the Year. Hear more about what it looks like to attend to the needs of learners at various levels and tips for establishing a culture of collaboration at the start of the year. 

Contact Sarah Gams (ssgams@ed.sc.gov) for additional supports.

As the new school year gets underway, gain insightful tips and strategies from SCDE Office of Personalized Learning Coaches Kristen Logan and Dr. Sarah Bowie on how to lead the work of PCBL well! In this episode, hear more about how to get buy-in and empower teacher leaders, how to ensure that other initiatives align with PCBL practices, how to structure learner-centered professional development to meet the diverse needs of teachers, and much more!

Contact Dr. Sarah Bowie (sbcatto@ed.sc.gov) and Kristen Logan (klogan@ed.sc.gov) via email for additional supports.

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Elizabeth Edwards, a resource teacher at Devon Forest Elementary School in Berkley County.  Hear how she got her personalized learning implementation journey started and how the small shifts she's making are impacting the students she serves!

Connect with Elizabeth via email: edwardse@bcsdschools.net

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Dr. John Spencer, educator and author of the books Empower, Vintage Innovation, and more. Hear his take on student-centered learning, what an empowered learner looks like, and getting buy in from parents, subtle shifts that make a big difference in giving both students and teachers more ownership in their learning journeys!

Ever wonder what makes personalized learning different from differentiation? Or if it's possible to personalize learning for students with a strict district curriculum? Get your questions answered and more in this episode as host Keri Fersner chats with fellow Office of Personalized Learning Coaches Kristen Logan and Dr. Sarah Bowie on a few myths and truths surrounding the work of Personalized Competency-Based Learning (PCBL)!

Contact Dr. Sarah Bowie (sbcatto@ed.sc.gov) and Kristen Logan (klogan@ed.sc.gov) via email for additional supports.

Ever wonder what flexibilities exist for SC schools and districts who are interested in innovative approaches to student-centered learning? In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Stephanie DiStasio, Director of the SCDE Office of Personalized Learning and Dr. Sarah Longshore, Director of the SCDE Office of Accountability about the recently released SC Education Flexibility Guide. Hear more about the creation of the guide and how the resource helps save educators time by making existing state level flexibilities more transparent and readily accessible!

Need an inspiring example of a SC school who is making strides and reimagining the learning experience for students? In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with the North Charleston High School of Innovation staff about how they are leveraging state waived requirements, including seat time to allow for more flexibility and creativity in their approaches to meet the needs of the students they serve. Hear more about their story, teamwork, and collective drive to truly think outside of the box! There are so many gems in this episode that will inspire you in your work!

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Jennifer Shea, a Kindergarten teacher at Westview Primary School about how she personalizes learning for her students. Learn more about how Jennifer began her journey towards personalizing learning and how she tends to the culture and the learning environment in a way that empowers the "little humans" she serves!

Is personalized learning only for certain populations? How can we leverage student strengths to help them take ownership and continue engaging in their learning? Find the answers to these questions and more as host Keri Fersner chats with Curriculum and Instruction Coaches Britani Magargle and Jim Cooke of Lexington County School District 1 about the connections between SPED and personalized learning, inclusion, and equity. In this episode, learn more about their journeys with personalizing learning and insights for making students feel valued and empowered in their learning experiences!

Welcome to the NEW YEAR! Join host Keri Fersner as she chats with coach Margaret Ellis and teacher Kim Lawson about their journeys in personalizing student learning and sustaining this work. In this episode, hear them speak to the power of vertical conversations regarding critical standards, building the capacity of teacher leaders, connecting the dots between resources and initiatives with personalized learning as the umbrella!

Want to start using the PSCG Competencies in your context, but don't know how to start? Join host Keri Fersner as she chats with Sydney Schaef, Managing Director of reDesign about the newly created tool, First Steps: A Teacher's Guide to Competency Implementation. In this episode, learn more about the benefits of engaging with this interactive tool and get a practical look at how you can leverage this tool to build efficacy for educators and learners around Competencies!

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with College Park Elementary educators Keri Martin and Lyndsie Baker about their own personalized learning journeys and the benefits student centered learning has had on students they serve.

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with SCDE Office of Personalized Learning Coaches Kristen Logan and Heather Bross regarding tips and best practices for leading the work of personalized, competency based learning at the start of this brand new school year. Hear more about the importance of intentionality, transparency, and being learner focused when it comes to vision setting and professional learning. Get inspired to start your year off with a fresh perspective!

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Carla Tantillo Philibert, a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and mindfulness expert and co-author of 'Everyday Self-Care for Educators.' Tune in to learn more about the importance of listening to educator voice when determining equitable entry points for well-being practices and tips on how attend to your own personal self-care. Get inspired to redefine how we talk about mental health in the education space and provide more access to all within the area of self-care.

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with River Bluff High School teacher Apryl Henry and Instructional Coach Britt Collins about their individual and collective journey towards infusing the PSCG Competencies into classroom practices. Get inspired by Apryl's approach to getting students to self-assess and demonstrate evidence of learning through competency rubrics and her methods for scaling and spreading this work across various organizations. 

There are so many awesome and authentic ways to get started with the PSCG Competencies! In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Becky Funderburk, Instructional Coach at Saluda Trail STEAM Middle School in Rock Hill, SC about their school's journey towards infusing the PSCG Competencies into their work with students through the use of Learner Profiles. Hear more about 6th grade's focus on skill building, 8th grade's focus on academic goal setting, and the "Commit To It" initiative created to give teachers re-entry points to try new things with the Competencies before the school year ends!

Connect with Becky Funderburk on Twitter (@BeckyFunderburk)

One competency, one skill, one month...what's the best that can happen? In this episode, host Keri Fersner sits down with Dr. Era Roberts, Assistant Principal for Instruction at Batesburg-Leesville High School in Lexington 3 and chats about how she introduced her teachers to the PSCG Competencies through the use of one-point rubrics. Learn more about her passion for student centered learning and her approaches to meeting teachers where they are with this work!

How can you actually begin using the PSCG Competencies? What are the possibilities? In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with River Bluff High math teachers Andrea Moore and Jennifer Gibbons on their honest first impressions of the PSCG Competencies and how they've started using this resource with students in their contexts! Tune in to hear more about their journey and tips for using the Competencies to help students own their learning!

What's a competency? Are they really relevant for the current times in SC education? Wait...South Carolina actually has competencies? Join host Keri Fersner in a candid conversation with fellow OPL Coach Kristen Logan and Sydney Schaef, Managing Director of reDesign on the Profile of the SC Graduate Competencies. In this episode, learn more about the SC Competencies, how they were created, entry level ways to use them, and why they are an important part of meeting EVERY child where they are and providing opportunity for true growth and learning!

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Britteny Drakeford, 8th grade ELA teacher at Saluda Trail Middle School in Rock Hill, SC. Hear about how she infuses student centered learning in her classroom and guides her students towards becoming self-regulated learners through the use of Workshop Model, goal setting, conferencing, eNotebooks and more!

Connect with Britteny on Twitter (@Ms_Bldrakeford)

Happy New Year to you! Let's jump into this new year with HOPE in focus! Join host Keri Fersner as she chats with Robin Kanaan & Brenda Neel of KnowledgeWorks regarding the cultivation of hope within ourselves, our classrooms, and our culture of education. Start your year off with this inspiring episode!

Connect with our guests via email: KanaanR@knowledgeworks.org & bneel1951@hotmail.com

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with teacher Suzanne Rogers from Oconee Academy, an alternative education program in Walhalla, SC. Hear about her student centered learning journey, the importance of educator community, and how she keeps the joys of teaching alive at a time like this!

Connect with our guest below via email: srogers@sdoc.org 

Ever ask yourself, "What does personalized learning actually look like in practice?" In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Anna, Megan, Macey, Kayla, and Jill, teachers from Riverside Elementary in Horry County, SC. Hear their take on building classroom culture, learning pathways, goal setting, mastery learning, and other student centered practices happening in their 2nd - 5th grade classrooms. If you're in need of some inspiration in the work, this episode is sure to do the trick! 

Connect with our guests below via email: Anna King (AKing001@horrycountyschools.net), Megan Doiley (MDoiley@horrycountyschools.net), Macey Bullard (MBullard@horrycountyschools.net), Kayla Whitehead (KWhitehead@horrycountyschools.net), Jill Entsminger (JEntsminger@horrycountyschools.net)

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Katie Allsbrook, high school math teacher and Blythewood High School’s 2020 Teacher of the Year about her journey towards personalizing learning with her students! (Recording was done in May 2020)

Connect with Katie @ kallsbrook@richland2.org

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with April Murphy of Cane Bay Elementary about her journey towards making learning personal for students through the use of transparency, learning pathways, and real world experiences for students!

What does equity really mean? How do educators move forward in a pandemic & climate of racial unrest? In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Dr. Latoya Dixon,  Director of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Gifted Education in York School District 1 about how race, inequity, and education collide and what educators today can do about it!

This episode may be a little longer than usual, but we promise, IT'S WORTH IT! Tune in as host Keri Fersner chats with author and educational leader, Elena Aguilar to discuss her views on educational equity, accessing courage to continue moving forward in student centered practices, and how to truly transform the educational system for ALL kids!

In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Brittany Terry, a 4th grade teacher from Clover, SC about how she's managing remote learning with her students, keeping the spirit of student ownership alive and well, and finding the balance between work and home life! 

As we're facing unprecedented times in the world today, it is imperative that we as educators unify to ensure that equitable learning still gets to happen for ALL students! In this episode, the Office of Personalized Learning introduces a new online network in collaboration with Knowledge Works called the PersonalizeSC Community!

In this episode, host Keri Fersner sits down with Office of Personalized Learning coaches Heather Bross and Dr. Sarah Catto to discuss strategies for coaching and spreading the work of personalized learning in SC schools and districts. Three key themes emerge from this interactive convo: building the vision, attending to culture, and cultivating trust are all important pieces of making the shift to student centered learning!

In this episode, host Keri Fersner talks with Lauren Vann and Jamee Childs of Red Bank Elementary to get the scoop on the school's journey towards personalized learning and competency based education.

When it comes to personalized learning, one of the number one questions we're asked by educators is "how do I get started?" If you’re in need of some practical, user friendly tips on how to shift current teacher best practices to a more personalized approach, you’ve come to the right place! In this episode, host Keri Fersner chats with Office of Personalized Learning Coaches Kristen Logan and Nadine Groh and get their take on how to make subtle, intentional shifts towards personalized learning for students. Hey, what's the best that can happen?

In this episode, featuring educators from Saluda Trail Middle School in Rock Hill, SC, hear more about how their unique start and continuing journey towards personalizing learning for their students!

What do a teacher, an instructional coach, and a college professor have in common? A strong passion for personalizing learning! In this episode, we'll hear from Brittany Terry, a teacher from Clover, SC, Kelly Stello, an instructional coach from Berkley County, SC, and Lindsay Yerta, an education professor from Winthrop University regarding their take on personalized learning.