Beau Neal is an educator, an administrator, and an entrepreneur seeking to improve the state of education not just in his home state of Oregon, but across the country. In the last four years he has co-founded a revolutionary online charter school, Frontier Charter Academy, and a first-of-its-kind educational consulting company, SYS Education. Beau is an advocate for online education and a believer in giving power to teachers.&nbsp; &nbsp; Episode Summary: In this final episode of Season 1 we get to the heart of what it means to be an educator, and not just an online educator, in the 2020’s. Learn how you can value and incorporate complexity, not busywork, into your curriculum starting now.&nbsp; &nbsp; Timestamps: How Beau has been spending time during the pandemic [1:54] Natalie’s collection of mantras [4:10] Beau takes us into the way-back machine [4:57] The problem that birthed “complexity over busy work” [6:10] Respect for students and educators [7:34] Embedding complexity over busywork within teacher training [9:17] Complexity and backwards design [10:20] Complex lesson idea - Upon Closer Examination [14:06] What we can learn from Master P and Beau’s ‘easy A’ class [15:38] Why we should turn Bloom’s on its head [17:50] Complex lesson idea - Seven Themes of Geography Documentary [18:42] Promoting students as innovators is doable and engaging [20:27] When your lesson ideas don’t go according to plan [21:45] Creating is iterative, not linear [24:39] How do I get creative with my district’s curriculum? [27:35] How students may react to your shift to complexity [29:07] Sneaking in complexity in small ways [30:35] &nbsp; Resource Links: Planning  Open Education Resources   Books for Further Learning &nbsp; Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner Teaching in the Cracksby Brian D. Schultz &nbsp;

Complexity over Busywork

Natalie Conway wants to talk to you. Specifically, she wants to chat about online education, a subject she is well versed in. Natalie has worked in large, corporate-managed online schools; small independent online schools; and even worked as a consultant and instructional coach all while juggling the demands of raising a family and her own self-imposed reading regiment (list of recommendations below). 

Before we turn Natalie loose, interviewing experts in the field of online education we thought it would be good if you got to know Natalie a bit more…. Timestamps
Introduction: How I met Natalie [0:55] 
What is Adventures in Online Education all about? [2:40] 
What was Natalie like as a student? [4:22] 
When did Natalie know she wanted to be a teacher? [6:41] 
How Natalie discovered Special Education. [7:27] 
How Natalie discovered online education? [8:58] 
Natalie’s first impressions of online teaching. [13:16] 
Natalie’s most rewarding moments as an online educator. [15:53] 
Natalie’s idea of fun. [18:01]

Meet Natalie

Beau Neal is an educator, an administrator, and an entrepreneur seeking to improve the state of education not just in his home state of Oregon, but across the country. In the last four years he has co-founded a revolutionary online charter school, Frontier Charter Academy, and a first-of-its-kind educational consulting company, SYS Education. Beau is an advocate for online education and a believer in giving power to teachers. 



This episode is a unique opportunity to learn from a leader who is at the forefront of an online educational evolution, and you’re invited to join it. Can you really get to know students in an authentic way, online? Yes. Can you really teach physical education online? Yes. Find out how...

 

Timestamps 

Getting personal using Google Slides and discussions [2:50]
How Beau uses journals to connect with students. [4:26]
Does being online allow students to be their more authentic selves? [6:57]
How Beau celebrates students’ strengths and builds relationships. [7:39]
Beau’s recollection of one of his favorite teacher’s way of connecting [8:59]
What sorts of things does Beau share about himself with students? [10:33]
What does Bruce Lee have to do with online teaching?[15:07]
Can you really teach PE online?[15:37]
Not reinventing the wheel online [18:21]
Beau’s advice for newly-online educators [20:43]
The experiment that is online education. [21:11]
 

Selected Link from the Episode 

Beau’s Blog Post: Engaging Students while Teaching Online
https://rb.gy/aboh2t
Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee by Shannon Lee
https://rb.gy/pwtmcn

Challenges and Opportunities in Online Education feat. Beau Neal

Dr. Katie Schweitzer is an administrator and truth teller. She knows special education inside and out and is a true servant leader in her school. As Special Programs Director and Elementary Principal at Frontier Charter Academy, Katie steers a small but mighty special education program that is showing other online schools how to work collaboratively and positively with students and families who have unique needs. 

 

This episode is a resource for any online educator looking for ways to effectively reach students with special needs, from technology to building trust, we’ll explore what it means to truly engage an IEP team in creating meaningful educational opportunities for students that will benefit them in school and in life. 

 

Timestamps 

What accommodations easily translate from brick and mortar to online? [02:07]
Katie’s advice to teams looking to create accessibility. [03:50]
What advantages do students enjoy due to being online? [04:28]
Katie’s ideas about hours students spend online. [06:27]
Why you need to know your school’s framework and philosophy. [08:07]
The importance of clearly communicating advantages and disadvantages. [09:42]
What role do families play in supporting students? [13:48]
How does Katie’s staff communicate with families? [17:20]
Considering how families assist in progress monitoring. [19:02]
Is online school more flexible for faculty and students’ schedules? [21:11]
What can teachers do right now to assist students with special needs? [24:18]
Katie’s suggestions about use of “real life” accommodations. [26:28]
How do we honor the need for student engagement and connection? [27:52]
Why should general and special education teachers co-teach or co-plan? [30:51]
Selected Links from the Episode

Family Communication: Template for a Family Tech Survey
https://rb.gy/ulng7s
Sound Practices for Holding IEP Meetings Online 
https://rb.gy/fys6v5

Special Education Online feat. Dr. Katie Schweitzer

Bre North is a former online student and now attends Oregon State University, in pursuit of her teaching license. 

Bre and I talked for over an hour together - this is the condensed version of our conversation with the biggest highlights for all online educators: Bre will uncover for us the benefits of chat over email and reveal how important open communication between teachers and students is. We’ll learn about Socratic Seminars and using online discussions to engage even the most introverted students. Finally, we’ll discuss the power and benefit of shared control in online classes.

Timestamps 

Why did Bre turn to online school in the first place? [2:38]
 How do schools balance privacy and also allow students to meaningfully connect? [4:47]

How a literary magazine allowed Bre to make friends with peers online and forge a better relationship with her teacher [7:54]

What do students think of teachers using chat with them online? [7:54]

Why is a chat message easier for students than email? [9:49]

What is Socratic Seminar? [10:40]

How introverts can thrive in online discussions [11:42]

Knowing if your class is value-added to students or not [15:20]

According to Bre, what makes an effective online class? [16:26]

Bre’s advice to newly online educators [17:37]

The power of shared control in any classroom [20:15]

What was the biggest barrier Bre faced when learning online? [21:54]

Bre’s vision for online education of the future [26:18]

What Bre wants you to know about online schools [28:53]
Selected Links from the Episode

Socratic Seminar How To

https://rb.gy/mhlqzo

Student Moderator Guide

https://rb.gy/zxwjix

SYS Presents: Adventures in Online Education

A Student's Perspective

Maddy teaches us how to use Slides to see students’ writing, to engage in discussions, and to allow for real time practice. Natalie will share ideas for elementary teachers and math applications as well. Maddy will give us tips for teaching students and parents to use Slides and also tell us the all time most creative use of Slides she’s seen in an online classroom.

Timestamps 
Why does Maddy love online teaching? [1:57]
When does Maddy use Google Slides? [3:30]
Using Google Slides for writing and engaging in discussions [4:04]
Slides and visual learners, aka all learners [4:55]
Maddy on “real time” participation and practice opportunities for students [6:44]
The importance of rules and expectations being clear for students [7:00]
The benefits of edit history and tracking edits [7:58]
Free writing on Google Slides [9:23]
What is a silent discussion? [9:51]
Applying Maddy’s HS ideas to Primary grades [11:23] 
Using tables and graphic organizers within Slides 12:23] 
Using Slides to support verbal (mic) discussions [13:03]
Using videos within Slides 14:50] 
The most creative thing Maddy’s seen a teacher do with Google Slides [15:34] 
Elementary and Math uses for Slides [17:04]
Teaching students and parents to use Slides [17:47] 
How Harry Potter helps Maddy with Slides instruction [18:28] 
An element of choice for students [19:19] 
How does Maddy share student work done in Slides? [20:24]
Selected Links from the Episode (Cross-promote back catalog for more listens)

Slidesgo - https://slidesgo.com/

SlidesCarnival - https://www.slidescarnival.com/

Unsplash - https://unsplash.com/

Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/

Pexels - https://www.pexels.com/

Free Lesson Example(s) 

Writing Slides

Romanticism Slides

Sample Project Outline

Project Example (Model)

Silent Discussion

Using Tables Example

Full Lecture Example

AdventuresOnlineEd