505 Exploring NotebookLM for Productivity and Collaboration
Join hosts Katie Ritter and Matthaeus Huelse as they explore the highly-talked-about tool, Notebook LM, on this episode of Restart Recharge. Special guest Bryson Min-Ryan, Assistant Director of Learning and Development, shares his insights on how instructional coaches and adult learners can leverage Notebook LM to enhance productivity and collaboration. Discover its unique features, including customized AI-powered experiences, interactive AI-hosted podcasts, and collaborative tools that benefit educational settings. Perfect for instructional coaches, curriculum specialists, and administrators looking to boost their teams' efficiency with streamlined technology.
Find Bryson on LinkedIn!
Bryson Min-Ryan
Coaches Camp
Professional development designed specifically for instructional coaches, like you!
Join us in Cincinnati – July 28th – 29th
or Virtually – July 22nd – 24th
NEW! The Core of Coaching Framework
Want to drive lasting impact? Get your copy of the Core of Coaching framework and transform your coaching approach. Click the link to learn more!
http://www.forward-edge.net/coreofcoaching
Podcast Team
Hosts – Katie Ritter & Matthäus Huelse
Producer – Celine Thomas, Matthäus Huelse
Editing Team – Ben Glasure, Matthäus Huelse
Social Media Team – Grace Brown
504 Transitioning out of the Classroom
Join us as we discuss the transition from classroom teacher to instructional coach with our very own, Grace Brown. Grace, an instructional coach here at Forward Edge, shares her journey from teaching high school English to becoming a curriculum innovator and instructional design expert. This episode explores the challenges and adjustments teachers face when leaving the classroom, offering insights and tips for those considering a similar path. Grace discusses both the positive shifts and the unexpected difficulties of her new role, while offering valuable perspectives on maintaining professional autonomy, building a supportive network, and understanding the importance of perseverance and confidence. Whether you're an instructional coach, curriculum specialist, or someone eyeing an admin role, this episode provides a wealth of knowledge and community for educators at all stages of their career.
Find Grace on her Socials
Coaches Camp
Professional development designed specifically for instructional coaches, like you!
Join us in Cincinnati – July 28th – 29th
or Virtually – July 22nd – 24th
Edge•U Badges
Edge•U is an anytime, anywhere professional learning platform made for teachers by teachers!
Podcast Team
Hosts – Katie Ritter & Matthäus Huelse
Producer – Celine Thomas, Matthäus Huelse
Editing Team – Ben Glasure, Matthäus Huelse
Social Media Team – Grace Brown
503 The Core of Coaching Framework
In this episode of 'Restart Recharge,' Matthaeus Huelse and Katie Ritter introduce the Core of Coaching Framework. Special guest Brooke Conklin shares insights into developing this comprehensive framework that guides coaches through building relationships, implementing sustainable changes, and initiating organizational shifts. Learn how to measure impact, utilize data, and foster systemic change within school environments. Tune in to discover valuable tips and how you can implement the Core of Coaching Framework as an instructional leader, a single coach in a district, or anyone who want to systemically impact teaching practices.
Click here, to learn more about the Core of Coaching Framework and to get your own copy:
http://www.forward-edge.net/coreofcoaching
Follow Brooke on X/Twitter
@brookeconklin19
Coaches Camp
Professional development designed specifically for instructional coaches, like you!
Join us in Cincinnati – July 28th – 29th
or Virtually – July 22nd – 24th
Podcast Team
Hosts – Katie Ritter & Matthäus Huelse
Producer – Celine Thomas, Matthäus Huelse
Editing Team – Ben Glasure, Matthäus Huelse
Social Media Team – Grace Brown
502 Instructional Sync: Aligning Admin and Coaches for Success – Part 2
Join us as we jump back into part two of our discussion on aligning instructional coaches and administrators. In this episode, we explore specific activities and strategies from a recent collaborative workshop designed to enhance communication and clarity in roles. We discuss key activities such as establishing communication cadences and brainstorming ways coaches can support broader district goals. Hear firsthand insights from guests Tyler Erwin and Torie Mollett on the impact of these strategies and the subsequent steps to strengthen the coach-admin relationship. Tune in to learn valuable tips and recharge your coaching battery!
Follow Tyler and Torie on their Socials!
Twitter/X – @edtechtyler, @ TorieTeaches
Edge•U Badges
Edge•U is an anytime, anywhere professional learning platform made for teachers by teachers!
Coaching Network
We empower coaches with a holistic approach to implement practical skills and strategies that creates a wave of lasting change with the educators in their schools. We work to improve learning by being right there with you, on the ground, and in schools every day.
Podcast Team
Hosts – Katie Ritter & Matthäus Huelse
Producer – Celine Thomas, Matthäus Huelse
Editing Team – Ben Glasure, Matthäus Huelse
Social Media Team – Grace Brown
The Core of Coaching Framework
As instructional coaches, our main goal is to make a difference in the lives of teachers and students every day. But we want to have a lasting effect. When we work with a teacher, we don’t want them to make a small change for one lesson or one unit and then never use that skill or tool again. We want to create sustainable change that spreads across the department, the school, and the district. We want to build a culture of learning and coaching that helps every educator be the best they can be without losing the drive to constantly improve.
But how?
This is where the Core of Coaching framework comes in. Developed by Dr. Katie Ritter and Brooke Conklin, and based on years of coaching experience and research, the Core of Coaching provides an approach to driving systemic change in instructional practices across a school or district.
As a coach, the Core of Coaching can help you clarify and define your coaching role, provide a blueprint for your own professional growth, and can help you both improve your collaboration with teachers and administrators and assess your impact.
It also serves as an excellent companion to any coaching model you’re already using. Do you follow Jim Knight’s Impact Cycle? The Google 5-Step Coaching Cycle? Are you a tech coach who focuses on ISTE’s Standards for Coaches? Great! The Core of Coaching framework is not a new model or structure for how you do your job on a daily basis. It’s simply a new way of looking at the daily job of a coach and of expanding your impact and reach as a coach and is flexible enough to work with any existing model.
Again, how?
The Core of Coaching is built around three domains: building relationships, sustainable change, and organizational shifts. Each domain is described in detail with key skills, critical behaviors, and action steps for coaches. 
The true magic of this framework is that third domain: Organizational Shifts.
As Roxi Thompson, Lead Instructional Technology Coach for Peoria Unified District in Arizona, put it,
“When I got to domain three…I thought [it] really spoke to what is missing in some of the other things that are put out for coaches – that bigger organizational shift piece.”
Working within this third domain ensures that the change and growth the coach is fostering are more than just one time, small changes. Creating sustainable change means that the daily work of the coach is supporting a larger vision and building a culture of coaching and learning. This requires the coach to work closely with school leadership and to align coaching with school and district policies and initiatives.
Beyond the three domains that build the Core of Coaching, the framework also defines Key Performance Indicators to assess the effectiveness of coaching within each domain.
How can you measure the success of relationship building, sustainable change in teacher practice, or creating organizational shifts?
The framework gives you all of this, AND then tools for maintaining your success in each domain through a discussion of Feedback Loops.
In the end, the goal of the Core of Coaching is not to completely change the work that we as instructional coaches do, but to take what we’re already doing and help us embed that work into the fabric of the school culture. It’s to remind us that coaching is more than just providing feedback to teachers, but rather it’s about building and supporting a community that values continuous improvement, collaboration, and reflection. It’s about creating a space where everyone – coaches, teachers, administrators, and students – can learn, grow, and thrive.
501 Instructional Sync: Aligning Admin and Coaches for Success – Part 1
In this episode, join us as we explore the crucial dynamics between instructional coaches and administrators in education. Learn practical strategies for aligning their efforts to foster a supportive, goal-driven environment for teachers and students. Featuring Tori Mollett, an instructional design coach, and Tyler Erwin, Assistant Director of Curriculum and Integration, the discussion covers goal alignment activities, effective meeting structures, and the importance of clear communication. Whether you're an educator, coach, or administrator, this episode offers valuable insights into enhancing collaboration and achieving success in your school or district.
Edge•U Badges
Edge•U is an anytime, anywhere professional learning platform made for teachers by teachers!
Coaching Network
We empower coaches with a holistic approach to implement practical skills and strategies that creates a wave of lasting change with the educators in their schools. We work to improve learning by being right there with you, on the ground, and in schools every day.
Check Out Edge•U’s Learning Luminary
Edge•U’s Learning Luminary: Jeremy Booher
What is Edge•U Badges?
Edge•U Badges is an instructional learning system designed by former teachers, for teachers, aimed at providing meaningful resources to directly impact student success. Edge•U Badges directly impacts student learning through microcredentials (badges), each crafted to support educators in all areas of technology-based learning. With 300+ badges, the opportunities for expanding your PD are unlimited!
What are Learning Luminaries?
We are proud to highlight our valued partners of Edge•U Badges each month, celebrating their dedication and creativity in utilizing the badges they’ve earned within their instruction. Featured monthly, we are delighted to share the IMPACT of our badges, showcasing the positive outcomes for both educators and their students. By sharing their success stories, we aim to inspire others and foster a community where educators can find support, ideas, and JOY in their professional journey.
“When teachers come to me with questions or ideas, I have an easily navigable supply of resources to pass on the skills required to innovate our students’ learning experience.”
This month, Edge•U celebrates Jeremy Booher, an Innovative Learning Coach at Henrico County Public Schools, whose passion for professional learning is transforming classrooms across his district. Jeremy’s knack for connecting teachers with the right tools and strategies is powered by Edge•U’s comprehensive resource library.
A Treasure Trove of Innovation
Jeremy describes Edge•U as a game-changer for educators seeking practical solutions and creative ways to enhance learning. “The variety of things available to learn through Edge•U is mind-blowing,” he shares. “When teachers come to me with questions or ideas, I have an easily navigable supply of resources to pass on the skills required to innovate our students’ learning experience.” He appreciates how Edge•U’s microcredentials streamline the process, making it simple to find exactly what’s needed.
Bringing Literacy to Every Classroom
This year, Jeremy’s school is prioritizing literacy integration across all content areas. As a former Physics teacher, he understands the challenge of weaving reading into non-traditional subjects. Luckily, Edge•U introduced him to Diffit, a tool that allows educators to create, adapt, and level texts while also generating complementary activities. Jeremy’s training sessions have sparked enthusiasm among teachers, who are now eagerly applying what they’ve learned to engage students in new and exciting ways.
Advice for New Edge•U Participants
Jeremy encourages new users to explore the Curated Collections menu. “It’s incredibly useful for finding specific interests, but it also reveals solutions to problems you didn’t even know you had,” he advises.
A Fun Fact About Jeremy
Outside the classroom, Jeremy has a unique history. Before moving to Richmond, he competed in mounted archery—yes, that’s archery on horseback! After relocating, he traded horseback archery for fencing lessons. This combination inspired his online gaming handle, PastLifeKnight, a nod to his adventurous spirit.
Jeremy Booher is a true Learning Luminary, blending innovation and enthusiasm to empower educators and enhance student learning. His journey with Edge•U showcases the power of professional growth and creative problem-solving in education.
We at Edge•U Badges are incredibly grateful for educators like Jeremy who demonstrate the transformative power of technology in education.
To have access to anytime, anywhere PD with 300+ badges to choose from, sign up today for our Free Educator Account and Premium Educator Accounts at Edgeubadges.com!
420 Constructive and Valuable Feedback in an Online Setting
In this final episode of Season 4 of the Restart Recharge podcast, hosts Matthaeus Huelse and Katie Ritter revisit the importance of providing positive feedback to educators. They are joined by Jill Dubois, a professional learning specialist with Forward Edge, who shares her insights on how meaningful and uplifting feedback can drive growth and confidence among teachers. Jill discusses her experience with the EdgeU Badges Program, her strategies for building remote relationships, and the nuances of delivering constructive feedback. This episode is filled with practical advice for instructional coaches, curriculum specialists, and educators looking to enhance their feedback techniques. Tune in to learn how positive and purposeful feedback can transform teaching and foster a supportive educational community.
Find Jill On her Socials!
Edge•U Badges
Edge•U is an anytime, anywhere professional learning platform made for teachers by teachers!
Coaching Network
We empower coaches with a holistic approach to implement practical skills and strategies that creates a wave of lasting change with the educators in their schools. We work to improve learning by being right there with you, on the ground, and in schools every day.
419 – Pop-up PD to Pop into Classrooms
In this episode of Restart Recharge, hosts Matthaeus Huelse and Katie Ritter discuss innovative professional development strategies for instructional coaches, featuring guest Tracy Keough, an instructional design coach at Forward Edge. Tracy shares her experiences and successes with the 'October Pop Up PD' – a 30-minute classroom engagement initiative aimed at helping teachers overcome time constraints while integrating fun, theme-based learning activities. Tracy's fresh approach includes low-threat, practical tech-based activities that not only support teachers but also engage students. Tune in to discover how these strategies can rejuvenate your coaching practice, foster deeper connections, and enhance classroom impact.
Find Tracee on X
TKEducate
Edge•U Badges
Edge•U is an anytime, anywhere professional learning platform made for teachers by teachers!
Coaching Network
We empower coaches with a holistic approach to implement practical skills and strategies that creates a wave of lasting change with the educators in their schools. We work to improve learning by being right there with you, on the ground, and in schools every day.
Check Out Edge•U’s Learning Luminary
Haven Jackson’s Learning Luminary Inspires Innovation!
What is Edge•U Badges?
Edge•U Badges is an instructional learning system designed by former teachers, for teachers, aimed at providing meaningful resources to directly impact student success. Edge•U Badges directly impacts student learning through microcredentials (badges), each crafted to support educators in all areas of technology-based learning. With 300+ badges, the opportunities for expanding your PD are unlimited!
What are Learning Luminaries?
We are proud to highlight our valued partners of Edge•U Badges each month, celebrating their dedication and creativity in utilizing the badges they’ve earned within their instruction. Featured monthly, we are delighted to share the IMPACT of our badges, showcasing the positive outcomes for both educators and their students. By sharing their success stories, we aim to inspire others and foster a community where educators can find support, ideas, and JOY in their professional journey.
We’re thrilled to celebrate Haven Jackson, a first-grade teacher at Jonathan Jennings #109 in Indianapolis Public Schools, as our Edge•U Learning Luminary for October! Haven exemplifies what it means to be a champion of educational technology, constantly exploring new ways to engage students and enhance their learning journey.
Empowering Educators and Fostering Growth
Haven’s impact extends far beyond her own classroom. She actively shares her knowledge and expertise with colleagues, encouraging them to delve into the world of Edge•U Badges. By promoting these badges, she empowers other teachers to discover innovative tech resources and refine their digital teaching methods. This collaborative spirit fosters a culture of learning and growth within the school, where educators can continuously evolve and adapt their teaching strategies.
Creative Projects Spark Curiosity and Pride
Haven’s creativity shines through in her engaging classroom projects. One such example is the “About Me” project, which utilized the QR Qualified badge. This innovative approach allowed students to showcase their personalities and achievements by creating QR codes that shared information upon scanning. Not only did this project hone their digital literacy skills, but it also fostered a sense of pride and ownership in their learning.
Learning Comes Alive with Hands-On Exploration
Haven recently introduced the Apple Clips badge to her students. This badge encouraged them to create engaging video presentations about the human body. By leveraging the power of Apple Clips, students transformed complex anatomical concepts into easily digestible and visually appealing learning experiences. Sharing these videos with the school community fostered a sense of accomplishment and deepened understanding.
Haven’s Advice for New Edge•U Participants:
Embrace the fun! Technology can be a powerful tool for both educators and students, but it’s vital to approach it with excitement, curiosity, and a willingness to experiment. By actively participating in the learning process and staying open to new possibilities, educators can unlock the full potential of Edge•U Badges and create truly transformative learning experiences.
Thank you, Haven, for your dedication to innovation and inspiring your students and colleagues!
We at Edge•U Badges are incredibly grateful for educators like Haven who demonstrate the transformative power of technology in education. Haven’s enthusiasm and resourceful approach serve as an inspiration for educators everywhere to embrace Edge•U Badges and unlock a world of engaging and impactful learning experiences!
To have access to anytime, anywhere PD with 300+ badges to choose from, sign up today for our Free Educator Account and Premium Educator Accounts at Edgeubadges.com!