ClassCast Podcast Ep.076 features Simon Tang, a former student of host Ryan Tibbens, sharing his thoughts on school improvement, student choice, dual enrollment programs, post-high school plans, Dick Wolf TV shows, and much, much more. Throughout his public school career, Simon distinguished himself from most students by serving as a technology support specialist/paraprofessional in the school, forming close bonds with faculty members, challenging the status quo, earning top grades and thousands of dollars in scholarships, and wearing a totally awesome pocket protector. Simon shares his student (and semi-staff) views on school improvement, joining the US Navy, and how COVID affected his education, post-high school plans, and personal outlook. If you're interested in serious student perspectives, challenges to tradition, or people with the quirks and confidence to change the world, don't miss Episode 076 and Mr. Simon Tang! 

Table of Contents (*highlights)

1. 0:00-11:03 -- Meet Simon Tang *
2. 11:03-17:00 -- Dual Enrollment, Rigorous Classes, & Scholarships **
3. 17:00-25:58 -- Simon'ns Start in the United States Navy
4. 25:58-30:02 -- The Purpose of School: Indoctrination or Self-Improvement? **
5. 30:02-35:13 -- I.T., Specialization, & Access to Education
6. 35:13-39:22 -- What's the Deal with Textbooks?
7. 39:22-53:50 -- The Importance of Student Choice & Engagement *
8. 53:50-58:01 -- The GED, Graduation, and Opportunity
9. 58:01-1:12:00 -- Simon's Ideal School: Choice & Specialization **
10. 1:12:00-1:17:00 -- Would You Send Your Kids to These Schools?
11. 1:17:00-1:27:24 -- Standardized Testing, Project-Based Learning, & Power Skills **
12. 1:27:24-1:32:00 -- Hot Topics, Hot Seat
13. 1:32:00-1:52:32 -- Simon's Book, Movie, & TV Recommendations; Final Thoughts; & Wrap-Up 

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​​The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

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ClassCast Podcast Ep.073 -- Host Ryan Tibbens ruminates on how efforts to standardize, scale, and reproduce great teaching ultimately lead to dummy-proofing, to treating teachers like dummies who need scripts and Choose-Your-Own-Adventure styled lesson plans. This solo talk was recorded in response to Ep.072, the #EduPodlooza Innovation Roundtable, in which participants addressed concerns with micromanagement, groupthink, mass appeal, and more. If you believe that great schooling requires great teaching, or if you believe that the key to improving education is to improve teacher quality, this talk is for you. National teacher shortage? The answer is here. Do teachers want more money? Yes. But would most good teachers be willing to accept a smaller raise if accompanied by greater autonomy? ALSO YES. Listen, then respond. Drop a comment below or email readthinkwritespeak@yahoo.com to get involved in the discussion.  The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, YouTube, and at ClassCastPodcast.com! 

Support the show (http://paypal.me/TibbensEST)! Your $2.22 donation keeps this discussion alive! 

WELCOME TO SEASON 3 OF THE CLASSCAST PODCAST! 

Since launching in July 2019, ClassCast Podcast episodes have been downloaded and streamed nearly 13,000 times! From discussions with former students to international authors and thought leaders, from local community organizers to acclaimed educators and experts around the globe, host Ryan Tibbens has worked tirelessly to record and share purposeful conversations about the philosophies, policies, pedagogies, and people that can make formal education great.  

Season 3 will include a few shake-ups and new elements, most notably VIDEO.  While all previous ClassCast episodes are available to stream on YouTube, they were just audio with an accompanying slideshow. From now on, nearly all episodes will be available with real video of participants engaging in discussion. Of course, audio-only streams will continue to be available on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and most other podcast services. 

Episode 072, the first of Season 3, features a great segment from the "Innovation Roundtable," the first group discussion from the 1st annual #Edupodlooza, an all-day education-podcast marathon in which teachers from around the world talked about improving schools, podcasting, and hot topics, with a few games and creative elements mixed in.  The guys over at the Unprofessional Development Podcast hosted the event and did amazing work all day.  The full innovation discussion will be available at 8pm on 7/25 at ClassCastPodcast.com and on YouTube so that you can hear what innovative ideas (and hilarious exchanges) preceded this wrap-up, but the final parts of this discussion are the perfect way to launch Season 3. Host Ryan Tibbens asks participants about a unifying theme from their previous comments -- making school less like school -- and how we can use that concept to make meaningful improvements.  You'll hear some great ideas from Mike Yates (Schoolish Podcast & Teach For America's Reinvention Lab), Gerardo Munoz (2021 Colorado Teacher of the Year & secondary social studies teacher), and other all-star teachers and podcasters on the panel, including Mealey & Tudisco (Unprofessional Development), Batsheva Frankel (Overthrowing Education), Toria Claire (Tiny Voice Talks), and Sandrine Hope (Step into Mondays).  After a deep, critical discussion of changing school, this episode ends with a light-hearted game and plenty of laughs. Watch for the full roundtable discussion soon, and let us know what you think about this talk and how to make school less like school (and better overall)! 

~~ YOUTUBE EXCLUSIVE ~~
Ep.072A -- This is the full length recording (with minor edits) that contains the segment originally released as Ep.072. This is the first roundtable discussion from the 1st annual #Edupodlooza, an all-day education-podcast marathon in which teachers from around the world talked about improving schools, podcasting, and hot topics, with a few games and creative elements mixed in. ​