podcast Archives - THOM GIBSON

29 Aug 2019

Should You Start Your Own Teacher Podcast?

EPISODE SUMMARY Podcasting has served as an amazing avenue for reflection on my own educational practice, both from using classroom audio and sharing it as well as getting the opportunity to sit with master educators to talk with them about their craft. Teacher blogging started to boom about 10 years ago and it's been said that podcasting is the now the new blogging. So should you start your own teacher podcast? And if so, how do you do it? EPISODE NOTES Chris Nesi and Jeff Bradbury are two of the biggest names in educational podcasting. Chris is the creator of…

28 May 2019

Leveraging Social Media as Educators [Part 1]

EPISODE PREVIEW: https://youtu.be/Sj6R2Aidqlo Many educators are hesitant to use social media in their classrooms, and for good reasons; most of the stories you hear in the news show do not showcase it as something that's positive for the educator or their students. I sat with an educator who's is looking to flip the script in regards to how he is leveraging social media in his classroom for good. CJ Reynolds is a high-school teacher in West Philadelphia with an active YouTube and Instagram channel where he documents the meaningful learning experiences in his classroom with the goal to inspire, engage,…

26 Apr 2019

Esports in the Classroom

EPISODE PREVIEW: https://youtu.be/g3YlTB3hfNA Esports, or competitive video gaming, is a booming industry. It's no wonder Mark Cuban would buy esports stock and sell NFL stock if given the choice. With such a growing industry full of opportunity, what role does esports play in education? I spoke with several people that are on the front lines of where esports and education intersect. We discuss: ⚫What exactly are esports ⚫What types of esports scholarships and programs are available at the college level ⚫How an esports program is so much more than just playing video games ⚫Why educators need to consider starting an…

02 Mar 2019

‘The Thom Gibson Podcast’ Is Now ‘Stories from the Classroom’

In this short episode, I share a little bit of why I started this podcast, why I changed the name, and the vision going forward. Hope you like the new podcast art! https://youtu.be/teps34P5lm0

26 Dec 2018

Epic Rap Battles in the Classroom

The learning objective on Chalimar Chieza's Early American History classroom reads as follows: "The student will create sick rhymes that showcase their knowledge of the roots of government in the United States." Epic Rap Battles of History is one of my favorite YouTube channels. I knew that giving students opportunities to write songs about content was a good assessment, but I never thought of utilizing raps / slam poetry specifically. So much opportunity for students to show what they know in this creative assessment. Chalimar Chieza has been doing rap battles in her history classes for years. In this episode…

01 Oct 2018

What Would Make A Great 1st Day of School?

With the start of the school year upon us, I've been thinking a lot about the first day of school. Is it the most important day? How do you balance the need for rules & procedures with getting kids stoked about being in your class? How do you ensure students have a voice and feel seen & heard on the first day? How do you not only begin to develop a positive relationship with students but also help them begin to develop positive relationships with each other and with the content you're teaching? What do students think makes a great…

24 May 2018

Keeping Kids Curious In The Classroom

Welcome to episode 6 of The Thom Gibson Podcast! In Kindergarten, students are bursting with curiosity; why are doorknobs round, what is carpet made out of, why are my fingers little? Unfortunately, as students progress through their education, they tend to become less curious about the world around them and settle for just asking the questions that will get them the answers to pass the tests that determine their future. In todays episode, I chat with two-time Teacher-of-the-Year science teacher Kelley Janes who takes time out of every class to allow students to ask questions about the world around them;…

17 Apr 2018

What Jiu Jitsu Has Taught Me About Education

After a rough go as a kid in some of the schools I went to, I vowed to learn martial arts some day. A month after I turned 30, I joined a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school. I've been going strong now for a little over 5 months and I've begun to see a little bit of overlap between the mats and the classroom. How did becoming a learner at level 0 again impact me in the classroom? What insights did my coaches give me into teaching? What can educators learn from the world of martial arts? https://youtu.be/Q5geYmGnUSs Music by…

23 Jan 2018

How To Teach Robotics

In episode 2 of The Thom Gibson Podcast, I recorded the sounds of my robotics classroom for a couple of days while they worked on and presented their final projects. I reflect on some of the observations of going back and listening to the audio. You also hear students working to troubleshoot their creations which included an electric guitar, a whack a mole, an etch-a-sketch, and robotic arm controlled via sensors on a glove connected bluetooth... Music by Podington Bear www.soundofpicture.com https://youtu.be/-Iw3ocfWlc8

08 Dec 2017

Auctions, Marketing, & Loyalty Programs in Middle School Math | The Thom Gibson Podcast Ep 1

I wanted to start a podcast, so I did :) Got inspired by a prompt that said 'record 10 minutes of audio from your class and reflect on it.' Think of it as being a fly on the wall in my classroom. In this episode we go into the classroom economy auction that we have every month. Students bid on items, start their own businesses, create loyalty programs, and more. You can find more of how I run my classroom economy at www.thomgibson.com/classroomeconomy Hope you dig it :)