Discussing Transitions with Toni Rose and Zach Diamond
Welcome to the Modern Classrooms Project Podcast. Each week we bring you discussions with educators on how they use blended, self-paced, and mastery-based learning to better serve their learners. In this episode, co-hosts Toni Rose Deanon and Zach Diamond discuss Zach’s transition to teaching high school digital media production.
Zach shares how he's adapted his teaching style from teaching middle school music, incorporating more student-centered learning and utilizing technology effectively. He emphasizes the importance of creating engaging and relevant projects for students, such as producing podcasts and sound design for movie scenes.
Toni Rose emphasizes the challenges and benefits of teaching high schoolers compared to middle schoolers, noting the increased independence of high school students and the longer planning periods afforded by the high school schedule. Zach also discusses his co-teaching experience and the value of collaborative planning.
Here are three key takeaways from this podcast episode:
The importance of student engagement: "If the information is desirable to them, they'll want to find it. They'll desire it." Zach emphasizes the need to create projects that are meaningful and engaging for students to foster intrinsic motivation.
The value of flexibility and adaptation: Zach highlights the importance of adapting teaching methods and materials to meet the needs of different learners and learning styles. He emphasizes the importance of providing multiple options for learning, such as videos and interactive slides.
The power of collaborative planning: Zach discusses the benefits of co-teaching and collaborative planning with colleagues, noting that it provides valuable insights and support.
Discussion questions for PLC and PD:
How can you make learning more desirable for your students?
What strategies can you implement to effectively differentiate instruction and provide multiple pathways for learning within your classroom?
How can you leverage collaborative planning and co-teaching to enhance your instruction and support student learning?
Our Hosts
Toni Rose taught MS English for 10 years and will forever identify as a teacher. Toni Rose strives to be the teacher that they never had growing up, so they focus on anti-bias, anti-racist work and wants to create a brave space for everyone around them. As a queer Filipinx, they understand just how important it is to be represented, be valued, and belong. They especially love being a thought partner for and celebrating teachers.
Zach Diamond studied Music History and Theory at Oberlin College and received a Masters of Music in Music Education from Boston University. He taught music for five years in Lima, Peru, and is currently a Middle School music teacher at DC International School, a language-immersion school where he teaches in Spanish. He began implementing the Modern Classrooms Model in the 19-20 School Year and enthusiastically continues his work with the organization as a mentor and podcast producer.
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