Ignite Your Teaching

Send us a text Transform your teaching toolkit with the wisdom of Dr. Lori Friesen, the beacon for educators navigating today's classroom challenges. Unearth the secrets to lesson planning and assessment mastery, and let us guide you through shaping a classroom environment that's as organized as it is enriching. By the end of our discussion, the teacher planning binder and student data binders will become your new best friends, dramatically reducing your workload while amplifying the effectiv...

07-03

38:17

Send us a text We’re excited to have Dr. Lori, the author of "Dear New Teacher: Here's Exactly What To Do," join us for an insightful discussion on preparing for your first teaching job. This episode is filled with essential tips for new teachers, from classroom setup to managing classroom dynamics. Dr. Lori’s expert advice will help you start the school year strong. Discover the best practices for creating a welcoming and efficient classroom, establishing routines, and maintaining a positive...

06-10

30:37

Send us a text In this podcast episode, I introduce Simply Graded, a game-changer for teachers during report card season. Discover how this powerful tool simplifies and automates the report card comment process, saving you countless hours. Learn how Simply Graded uses advanced formulas in Google Sheets to streamline the workflow, making it easy to generate personalized, comprehensive comments for your students. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/4yItIZzjFqQ Key concepts covered include: repor...

05-28

14:19

Send us a text Imagine stepping into your teaching interview with the calm confidence of a seasoned educator, knowing you've got the inside scoop on everything from the school's ethos to the principal's pet projects. That's exactly what we're equipping you for in today's insightful session, as we dissect the preparation process, ensuring you're not just another face in the applicant crowd. With my own experiences of being both the interviewer and the interviewee, I'll guide you through the nu...

05-07

18:33

Send us a text Navigating the annual staffing shuffle can feel like a high-stakes chess game for educators, and we're here to coach you through it. Get ready to gain valuable insights into the decision-making process that can determine your next move in the world of teaching. Whether you've received an unexpected grade-level change or you're contemplating a transfer within a unionized system, this episode peels back the layers of complexity involved. We share stories from the trenches about t...

04-23

20:45

Send us a text As we transition into the second half of the school year, it's crucial to reassess our teaching strategies and classroom management techniques. In this video, we delve into the concept of Return on Investment (ROI) in education, examining how to balance innovative teaching methods with the practicalities of time management and mental health. We discuss the pitfalls of adopting every attractive idea seen on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest and the importance of setting bou...

02-20

14:26

Send us a text In this episode of the Ignite Your Teaching podcast, host Patti Firth discusses the upcoming changes in the Ontario curriculum for language instruction in 2023 and how they will impact teachers in grades three and beyond. The new curriculum strongly emphasizes student-centred learning, communication skills, digital literacy, and integrating Indigenous perspectives and cultural content. Teachers must adapt their teaching strategies to align with these changes and create a more e...

09-02

12:11

Send us a textAre you struggling to include inquiry-based learning in your classroom? Understanding how to implement it can be challenging, especially for teachers with a range of abilities in their classrooms.Inquiry is not just an open-ended free-for-all, but rather it is about empowering students to ask questions and guiding them through the process of discovering answers.In this episode, we discuss the following:· The four types of inquiry-based learning · How they're different ...

03-28

18:36

Send us a text Critical thinking skills are essential for students to succeed in the classroom and beyond. These skills involve analyzing information, evaluating arguments, and making informed decisions based on evidence. By building critical thinking skills in the classroom, teachers can help students become more engaged and independent learners who are better equipped to navigate the complexities of the world around them. In this video, you will learn: ● The gap in a student's ability to ...

03-06

30:54

Send us a text In this video, we dive into the crucial topic of creating a positive learning environment. As educators, we know that student motivation and engagement play a significant role in their academic success. A positive learning environment can make all the difference in fostering these qualities in our students. In this video, you will learn: The key components of a positive learning environment Strategies to encourage student motivation and engagement The impact of a positive lea...

02-14

30:46

Send us a text This podcast episode discusses the three primary assessment and evaluation types for teachers: diagnostic, formative, and summative. Diagnostic assessment is used to identify a student's strengths and weaknesses at the beginning of a school year or course to inform instruction. This can take many forms, such as diagnostic tests, skills assessments, and individualized learning plans.Formative assessment is used to monitor and improve student learning in real-time. It's an ongoin...

01-24

13:28

Send us a text Have you ever felt like there just aren't enough hours in the day, especially when it comes to teaching literacy? You're not alone. In our latest episode, we dive straight into the heart of this dilemma, revealing how to maintain a high-quality English program within the tight squeeze of a 60-minute frame. We're handing over the blueprint for educators to seamlessly weave together the essential threads of literacy instruction, even when they're teaching English to students in F...

03-05

28:08

Send us a text Discover the secrets to transforming your classroom with our latest deep dive into the world of early finishers. I'm Patty Furth, and in this episode, we dissect the challenges that swift completers present to elementary educators. You'll learn about the three distinct archetypes—the rushers, the workhorses, and the intellectually gifted—and how to tailor your teaching to each student's drive. We don't just examine why these students finish early; we explore how to elevate thei...

01-30

21:02

Send us a text Ready to unlock the secrets to teaching nonfiction writing? We are setting you up for success in this episode by deconstructing the process of nonfiction report writing. We tackle the vital role of spiraled instruction in literacy and nudge you to ignite your teaching by shifting the focus from disseminating information to engaging students actively in the writing process. We lay out the five-step strategy for writing nonfiction reports, underscoring the necessity of a well-cho...

12-05

20:13

Send us a text Hey there, teachers! Welcome to another episode of the "Ignited Your Teaching Video Podcast."In this episode, we're diving into mindset strategies that can transform our classrooms and our sense of fulfillment in this incredible profession. Teaching has changed, and the demands on us as teachers are growing. We're losing some of our power, and it's time to take it back. In this episode, I'll be sharing some mindset shifts that have helped me along the way. My priorities have c...