Episodes

We are rapidly approaching the end of our 3rd quarter and it looks like a pretty done deal that after spring break, we will be going back to school for real this time! So what does that really mean? We've been polling our students and so far it seems like most will be opting to stay right where they are, at home on Google Meet. So does that mean I'll have a class of three little people sitting at their desks staring at me through their plexiglass barriers and mumbling answers through their masks...

It should have been expected that the attack on the Capitol last month (has it been that long already?😳) would prompt controversial classroom discussions. Students want to explore their questions and find answers to their concerns. This puts teachers in an awkward space, where discussions must be guided without involving a teacher's implicit biases. But given the current political climate in this country and the seemingly growing divide between sides, educators often wonder if this discussion is...

So it's Winter Break and we've had a little time to collect ourselves and get refreshed for round two of Online Learning. I wish.... I don't know about other teachers but, Sharyn, Jen, and I are feeling a little burned around the edges. Actually, I think a lot of teachers are feeling like toast. Covid is raging on. Here in California, it doesn't look like the end is anywhere in sight, vaccine, or no vaccine. But, forget Covid. A viral teacher depression pandemic is killing us. Ok, maybe not l...

So the election is over (or is at least supposed to be over...) and Biden has a lot of work to do to help put the country back together. Of course, being teachers, we're rather focused on Mrs. DeVos's replacement. In this episode, we discuss a few of the possible people who are on the radar to replace her. Sharyn shares a little history lesson on the Department of Education and Biden's education platform. Biden has pledged to choose a public education teacher to fill the Secretary of Education ...

Hello Faithful Listeners! So, yeah, this episode is a bit late, (or a bit early if you want to pretend last week didn’t happen). Here’s why: The end of our first quarter of distance learning has just come to a close. If you’re a teacher you know that means it’s student desperation time. The students who never looked at their grades the entire quarter, decide to the night after everything is due. Then it’s the “Huh? How come you gave me a D (or F)?” reaction. (emphasis on the YOU GAVE like it’s m...

Our guest co-host, fellow co-worker and single parent, Angel, joins us today to share her unique (or not so unique, depending on your family dynamic) situation of juggling two elementary school aged children during distance learning, while also wearing the seventh grade science teacher hat. She discusses how she often must excuse herself from teaching her junior high students, to help her daughters as they stand just off camera, staring at her, while quietly mouthing the word " Mom...Mom...." an...

I think distance learning is finally getting to us. We're tired. We're punchy, We talk about alcohol more than usual. Today we get into how parents and students are coping with the situation from the teacher's point of view. We talk about how we are dealing with lesson planning and the myriad of emails and virtual meetings. The situation could be dire, but thankfully we still have a sense of humor. Ever been in that situation where you start laughing so hard that you almost end up crying? Yeah...

We are feeling swamped with back to school Covid Style. Planning lessons for 2 1/2 hour synchronous classes and 150 minutes of weekly asynchronous work is time consuming. So until we find our rhythm we are bringing you mini lunchroom conversations about topics that are on our minds now and updates on how teaching virtually is virtually killing us. Today we discussed what our first week back in front of our computer monitors was like. We talk about what is good, getting to interact with our stud...

There's no more waiting for it to arrive. It's here! School has started and teachers are in a frenzy to get on board the Distance Learning Train! In today’s episode, we try to stay optimistic as we talk about what we are thinking about as we get ready to start our own school year next week! What’s the latest with Covid? What are other teachers saying about returning to school? And what do parents wish we would consider when developing our protocols? Stay tuned as we finish this episode with an a...

Today we get into ways teachers can save money on travel (once travel is a "thing" again!) Never too soon to start planning! We discuss ideas for social distancing conscious travel and how to make your "safer at home" quarantine seem more vacation-like. You'll also get an update on the HEALS Act education funding, which is still being debated. (I want to know who the person is who stays up all night thinking of these "catchy" acronyms!) And Anne and Jen share their own news that's awesome but co...

(My sound engineering still sucks, as you'll hear in the beginning. I need a tutor! Any volunteers? See how transparent I am!) In today's episode, we start with some news about the current bill in the State which is geared toward protecting school districts from Covid related lawsuits, also the reversal of the student visa deportation issue. Special guest Heather, a middle school teacher from Orange County shares how she brought restorative practices to her school and why they work. --- This ...

We are a bit concerned about what August might entail as pediatricians and the president push to reopen schools, but at whose expense? We start the episode with a discussion of what the California state budget holds for education, plus a little history of how education is funded in our state. Then we get into the debate that surrounds what school might look like in the midst of the current rise in Covid cases. There are so many factors to consider that it seems impossible to be truly prepared. P...

In Episode 007 you'll hear: Discussion about what we think this next school year will be like Two new education laws that were passed having to do with prohibiting cell phones in schools and incorporating suicide prevention classes for K-6 students What are different states' requirements or lack thereof for becoming a substitute teacher The advantages and disadvantages of subbing Suggestions on how to make subbing better and Jen's sex education 🍆🍑and barforama 🤮 substitute teaching stories...

On today’s episode Sharyn and Anne Zoom with co-workers Jimese and Diedre, who bring their perspectives as black educators to the conversation about what we all need to be thinking about and doing differently in our classrooms to ensure equity for our students. As the dialog about race and racism in our country once again comes to the forefront, we felt it was important to have an honest discussion about what teachers need to be aware of when dealing with the diversity within our own classes. We...

Jen, Sharyn and I start the show by discussing the latest education news which in this case is what the proposed 10% budget cut might mean for schools (for me, it might mean retirement!) These could be the single biggest cuts to education in the history of California! Write your state representatives people and let them know we need to leave our schools out of this! I’ve included a letter template you can use.I feel a fight coming on. Teaching is a tough profession. I’m thinking now that many pa...

Hey Anne here, wanting to thank you again for taking time to give us a listen. We really do hope that you find these episodes informative and hopefully a little entertaining. Too. This week’s episode starts off with personal updates about what we’ve been doing with our Covid time. Then, in a new segment, we discuss some Education news. We hope to bring to light information about laws and regulations that are currently being discussed federally and at the state level. Today we talk about the 355 ...

SHOW NOTES: Hey, Anne here. Thanks for hitting the “Listen Now” button. I know there are sooooo many other things you could be doing with all your free time now. Glad you chose to spend some of it with us. In this episode Jen, Sharyn and I discuss how we’re keeping sane at home. Then we get into the good, the bad, and the crazy of Emergency Remote Teaching. Finally, I interview two “Teacher Mommies” who are navigating how to manage homeschooling their own small children while trying to teach ev...

In this episode we start with a little about the history, the how and the why, of grading. (Did you know that grades were originally A, B, C, D and E?? Where did F come in?). Then we get into grading practices used today and how they affect our students. We debate methods like percentage based, standards based, and narrative grading and how they might be implemented in real classrooms (How logical is narrative grading when many of us have 150+ students??). We talk about: the subjectivity of gra...

Anne, Jen and Sharyn discuss why they became teachers and why they think so many teachers leave the profession. They give their suggestions as to what needs to change and what new teachers should consider when applying for a job. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/transparencyinteaching/message

Anne, Jen and Sharyn share a little about what to expect in their off the wall new podcast that takes you into the "teacher's lounge" and lets you listen in to real conversations from real in the trenches teachers as they discuss the real stuff that happens in today's classrooms. Their "no holds barred" talk and frank uncensored opinions will have you laughing. while getting you to think about what your friendly, neighborhood teacher is really dealing with in the classroom. --- This episode is...