Podcasts by Mr. Gs Podcast

How Can We Integrate Technology to Transform Learning? from 2022-04-06T21:38:15

In education, we have had to adapt how we teach to incorporate more technology. While the pandemic expedited the process, it was inevitable. Things get interesting when we look at how technology...

Redefining the Problems We've Already Named from 2022-03-29T22:00

In this episode, I talk through some thoughts on how the education system needs to reevaluate its expectations of students and teachers.

Season Three is Starting Soon! from 2022-03-22T23:43:13

I'm looking forward to starting up season three and I'm excited to have you join me. Look for the first episode on March 29, 2022. 

Maintaining a Balance while Teaching from 2021-01-17T17:00

As it was for many people, 2020 was a challenging year for me. The year put into focus many aspects of my life that I hadn’t previously paid much attention to. I was so used to the routine of my...

2020 in Review - Unscripted from 2020-12-13T17:00

This week, I'm going unscripted. I've written down four questions that I'll ask myself and then answer. 2020 is a year that shan't soon be forgotten and I think that the most important thing we ...

Teaching Should Work for You, Too from 2020-12-06T17:27:50

If there was ever a year that I questioned my decision to become a teacher, this is the one. Within the first two months of this school year, I was thinking about an exit plan. I’ve been dreamin...

The Constant Chatter of Students from 2020-11-29T17:00

It seems to me that my students talk a lot. I don’t understand why. What have they got going on in their lives that is so interesting? How much can be happening in their lives that they need all...

The Practice of Teaching from 2020-11-22T17:00

This episode will consider the practice of teaching. That is, teaching is something that someone needs to continually repeat and analyze in an effort to improve. Teaching is not somethi...

Who Are You? from 2020-11-15T17:00

This week, I want to explore our personalities as teachers. I think that we are different people when we're standing in front of a class. We're different people in different situations. But, whe...

Cautious Creativity from 2020-11-08T17:00

This week, I want to explore some of my thoughts on being creative in your teaching practice. It's important to try new things and step out of your comfort zone, but how far should you go and ar...

Who's in Control of Students' Learning? from 2020-10-18T16:00

While driving to work the other morning, I started thinking about who is in control of a student's education. I figured it has to be either the students, teachers, or parents. When I posed the q...

Setting Your Objectives from 2020-10-11T16:00

A lot of teaching comes down to managing expectations - your own, your administration, your students', and the parents of your students. It's not about knowing what you're doing, but about being...

Embrace Uncertainty from 2020-09-10T21:00

As we start the new school year with so many things still unresolved, we have to become the spirit of freedom for our students by embracing this uncertainty. We have to focus our energies on the...

Students' Relationships from 2020-09-03T21:00

Our relationships with our students are the most powerful teaching tool that we have available to us. Like any tool, it's effectiveness is a result of how well we know how to use and maintain it...

Explore Technology in Your Teaching Practice from 2020-08-27T21:00

Using technology in your teaching practice is inevitable. In this episode, I share some thoughts on why we do and don't use technology in our classrooms. It's important that we explore technolog...

Simplifying Teaching and Learning from 2020-08-20T21:00

In the first episode of season two, I'm proposing changes to how we approach scheduling for teaching and learning. Currently, the system is too complex and impedes our ability to make good decis...

The Start of Season Two from 2020-08-14T03:33:07

The school year is almost here and that means there is going to be another season of this podcast. 

Today's questions: What is your definition of community within an educational cont...

Do Your Job Honestly from 2020-06-26T23:05:25

The best advice my dad ever gave me about my teaching career was to do my job honestly. It's important to teach what matters most to you because there isn't enough time to focus on anything else...

Incomplete Ideas from 2020-06-25T22:18:34

Throughout this podcast run, I've written down ideas and I didn't get to some of them. Today, I want to present those unexplored ideas to you. These ideas aren't fleshed out but I still think th...

Professional Development from 2020-06-25T01:26:18

The introduction of a new math curriculum in Ontario has sparked an interesting debate. Professional development is something that I meant to talk about back in April and I'm finally getting aro...

Your Impact as a Teacher from 2020-06-24T01:18:12

My students sent me a very heartwarming e-card today and it got me thinking about the impact that we have as teachers; we have more of an impact than we realize. For me, this is a lot of respons...

The Last Week of School from 2020-06-22T23:14:21

This is the last week of school and it's not about learning. This week is about solidifying our relationships with our students. I'm having a hard time staying focussed so I can only imagine how...

Seeing Students Again from 2020-06-20T00:00:09

The gifts I ordered for my students arrived this morning and I took the afternoon to deliver them. I saw a few of my students today and it was a trip. I'm curious to know what it's going to be l...

Distractions from 2020-06-19T03:49:51

I've been working on building a marble run for over a week. I've been trying different materials and learning about how they work. In this process, I'm using a lot of the skills that I teach. It...

What's in a Name? from 2020-06-18T01:23:54

Today I was thinking about the importance of names and what they mean to us and our students. Names carry meaning and they establish a presence. It's important to call our students by the names ...

Storytelling from 2020-06-16T23:13:35

I got tired of seeing students' avatars on the screen so I started creating imaginative stories about each other. It turned into an entire narrative that all of the students present enjoyed. I t...

Two Weeks Left from 2020-06-15T21:18

With only two weeks left in the school year, I think it's important that we turn our focus to the relationships that exist in the classroom: student-student and student-teacher. With engagement ...

Colander vs. Fishing Net: Perspectives on Your Teaching Practice from 2020-06-12T21:29:50

Today, after finishing report cards, I started reflecting on my teaching practice for Big Idea Friday. The perspective that you take on your teaching practice will impact how you reflect on it. ...

Taking it Outside from 2020-06-11T21:47:27

I went outside to do some work today and it was great. I felt a lot more refreshed after being outside, and the work I was doing seemed easier. It was a nice change from the regular routine and ...

Running Out of Steam from 2020-06-10T21:48:39

I'm running out of steam. This isn't a normal June and it doesn't feel right. After ordering some gifts for my students, I started thinking about how the pleasure of giving it to them is taking ...

An Afternoon Without Email from 2020-06-09T22:43:07

I haven't checked my email since one o'clock this afternoon and it's been fantastic. I feel more relaxed and less rushed than I normally would in the evening. While I didn't get much done, it wa...

Writing Report Cards from 2020-06-09T00:11:56

I sat down to start my report cards today. I didn't get very far. Writing report cards is always tricky but it feels even more so this year. It's been nearly four months since I last saw my stud...

Learning About Diversity from 2020-06-05T22:19:44

This is a conversation that I'm uncomfortable with because I don't know what my position within it is. I know that this is an important conversation to have and it's important for me to listen. ...

The Fragmentation of Online Learning from 2020-06-04T21:49:31

Online learning is creating an ever-growing separation between the students themselves and the students and teachers. Without the classroom to provide a context for learning, I'm not sure how mu...

Showcasing Student Talent from 2020-06-03T21:16:20

I was asked to help a committee plan a virtual talent showcase. I agreed but it reminded me of when I was in a talent show. What we often don't realize is how much work goes on behind the scenes...

Starting June Slowly from 2020-06-01T23:24:44

Coming into this June, I feel more tired than I remember ever having been. I feel very confused, uncertain, and disconnected. I've been questioning my teaching practice and its effectiveness. I ...

Don't Tell Students That They're Smart from 2020-05-29T21:45:17

In today's episode, I share a bit of my story and how being labelled "smart" had an impact on my life. Being smart isn't a bad thing but it shouldn't be the primary aspect of one's identity. As ...

But, You Didn't Teach This! from 2020-05-28T22:11:49

I've been thinking about what it means when students say, "But, you didn't teach this." There are so many ways to interpret this simple statement, but it always means that the student doesn't kn...

Putting Students Together from 2020-05-27T23:11:47

After some conversations about student placement, I started thinking about how we have an impact on students' learning environments and the people they interact with. Grouping students together,...

Diana Guerriero - Choice Boards from 2020-05-26T20:50:28

In today's episode, Diana Guerriero shares her experience with using choice boards to empower students. She shares a number of ideas for activities that can be easily implemented. She then share...

Marking from 2020-05-25T22:15:05

Today I've been thinking about marking and what are some of the best ways for me to approach it. I've never liked marking, as such, even though I understand how valuable it is. There are a few t...

Teaching is Not an Academic Exercise from 2020-05-22T21:31:04

Today, I try to make the case that teaching is not an academic exercise. It's too practical to be. In education, we are outcome-driven and that is reflected in how we engage and teach students. ...

Having Your Say from 2020-05-22T02:46:38

Today I've been thinking about how to increase opportunities for students to speak up, and about what we're missing when students don't say anything. I'm thinking about how the online environmen...

Teaching the Students in Front of You from 2020-05-20T20:57:12

I took some time to reassess the teaching I've been doing, based on the feedback that I've received in the last week. I came to realize that I probably haven't been capitalizing on the assets th...

Melanie Madray - Hey! Teacher! Don't Leave Them Kids Behind! from 2020-05-19T20:45:44

We have a special, contributors episode today. Melanie Madray, a grade three teacher in Scarborough, shares her thoughts on teaching equitably during remote learning. She shares some of the thin...

Providing Students with Structure from 2020-05-15T22:09:39

For today's Big Idea Fridays, I'm talking about providing students with structure and helping them develop executive function skills. Students need these skills in order to be successful, but ho...

Connecting with Colleagues from 2020-05-15T04:13

Tonight I was thinking about connecting with colleagues and how I don't know about what's going on with them. I have maintained connections with my professional learning community but not with t...

Conducting Experiments Remotely on Video from 2020-05-13T21:12:18

Experiments are an effective way to teach, but doing experiments remotely is hard work. It takes a long time. It's annoying to have to do. I spent a good five hours today putting together a vide...

Asking Students What Meaningful Work Is from 2020-05-12T21:23:17

I had interesting conversations with my students today. I asked them three questions:

1. What is meaningful work?
2. How meaningful has the work that we've done so far been? Listen

Connecting with the Arts Through a Photography Project from 2020-05-11T21:01:48

My students are working on a photography unit that a parent has volunteered to teach. I think it's especially important that students connect with arts now so that they can express themselves th...

Failure, Do It Well from 2020-05-08T22:11:21

In this episode, I'm going to try something new: Big Idea Fridays. I'd like to look at a topic in more depth and more theoretically. Today, I'm thinking about failure and the value of it. A lot ...

Asking Students How They're Feeling from 2020-05-08T02:01:40

I sent a survey to my students today, asking them to give me some insight into how they're feeling about things. I think it's important to ask students what they think and feel, but it's also im...

Physical Health - A Reminder from 2020-05-06T21:53:58

I've been thinking about physical health today. This new learning environment has challenged our minds but have we forgotten to take care of our bodies? I know I have.

Catch up with me on...

Online Read Alouds from 2020-05-05T22:25:53

I read aloud to my students for a little while today and it was a nice experience. It's something that I do in class, and it was nice to be able to bring that over into the online learning space...

Creating Content for Students from 2020-05-04T22:02:21

Today, I'm thinking about how to make engaging content for students. More than that, how do I have engaging conversations with students in this learning environment? In this episode, I'm asking ...

We Made it to One Month from 2020-05-01T22:26:26

It's the first day of May, the end of the first month of teaching, and the sun is shining. In today's episode, I spend some time reflecting on what the last month was like and what I'd like to d...

What Does Student Engagement Look Like Now? from 2020-05-01T01:20:53

Today being Thursday, we had the Zoom meetup, so today's episode is based on some reflections of that discussion. Today's theme was, "What does student engagement look like now?" I think it's a ...

Parents Opting Out of Distance Learning from 2020-04-29T22:57:02

I read an article in The Globe and Mail yesterday that went over a few of the reasons why some parents are choosing to opt out of distance learning for their children. It got me thinkin...

Having Lunch with My Students from 2020-04-29T01:11:07

I had lunch with my students today and it was great. We talked about what we were eating, our pets, and our stuffed animals. Students who would normally turn off their cameras during video confe...

Playing Minecraft with Students from 2020-04-27T22:46:41

I played Minecraft with a student for over an hour today. It got me thinking about how students really are in the best position to create their own learning opportunities, especially in this typ...

Getting Feedback from 2020-04-24T21:56:07

I asked some of my friends to give me some feedback on this podcast and they did. I like getting feedback because it helps me improve. When teaching, a lot of the feedback that we get is informa...

Vulnerability Resulting from Changing Reference Points for Self from 2020-04-24T02:07:10

Being Thursday, we had the meetup hosted by @callmemrmorris and @MstrJayWill. You should definitely...

Taking a Break from Teaching from 2020-04-22T23:19:35

I'm thinking about work-life balance again, this time I'm thinking that it's important to separate yourself as a person from yourself as a teacher. It's important to make time for yourself and d...

Screen Time from 2020-04-21T22:59:54

My left eye has developed a twitch, which led me to think about how much time we've been seated in front of our screens lately. I think that it's having an effect on how we teach and learn, espe...

Work-Life Balance from 2020-04-21T01:33:46

Adam Grant has a fantastic podcast called WorkLife by Adam Grant. In it, he shares interesting work cult...

Teaching Without Class-Room from 2020-04-18T01:56:38

Tonight, our home offices is on my mind. We should be rewarding the teachers who are creating teaching spaces out of address in their homes. They, like all teachers, need a space that is conducive ...

Collaboration and Mental Health from 2020-04-17T01:44:08

Today being Thursday, there was another meet up of educators. It was great to see more people joining in and hearing new voices. Mental health was the “theme” of today’s meet up but I took away som...

What are the Justifications We Need to Stay Motivated? from 2020-04-16T01:46:19

Tonight, I’m giving some thought to why I’m feeling less motivated lately. I’m struggling to make sense of the purpose of the work we’re doing right now. What changes can I make to help me, and my ...

Time Management for Ourselves and Our Students from 2020-04-15T01:32:30

Time management has never been my forte. Going forward, I’m going to try to put together a schedule for myself so that I have an idea about what will fill my day. It’s a challenge to program for st...

It Took a Pandemic to Bring Us Together from 2020-04-10T02:26:33

I attended a Zoom meeting tonight, hosted by a buddy who I used to work with quite closely. The premise of the meeting was to get educators together to talk about their experiences teaching in this...

We Have A Lot of Time from 2020-04-09T01:36:30

While out for my evening walk today, I gave some thought to how perceptions of time are changing, how the structures that were once in place no longer are. It can be a blessing but also disconcerti...

IT Support from 2020-04-07T23:51:52

I feel like I've gone back in time to when part of my job included level one IT support. Getting students up and running from a distance isn't easy. On my end, I need to stop worrying too much a...

The First Day of Remote Learning from 2020-04-06T23:19:33

Today was a bit of a rough one. That’s to be expected for most first days. It makes the day exciting. I’m enthusiastic about being back after today, despite the challenges that we faced as a class....

Transitioning to Remote Learning in Ontario from 2020-04-06T01:26:29

Students and teachers are going back to school tomorrow, albeit remotely. I don't feel ready. Even though I'm comfortable with technology and have been using it with my class all year, remote le...

The Value of Public Education is in the Diversity of Experiences it Affords from 2020-01-24T22:53:07

In this episode, I share some of my thoughts on the value of public education. For me, exposure to diversity is a critical advantage that public schools have over their private counterparts.

SMART Goals Soundtrack from 2020-01-20T21:17:04

To start off the new year, I asked my students to put together a soundtrack for their own SMART goals. In this episode, I read the blog post I wrote about the assignment I gave my students and m...