Episode 025 of the ClassCast Podcast features host and teacher Ryan Tibbens discussing four topics in relation to COVID-19 and school closures: 1) the need for more substitute teachers and blended learning, 2) teacher pay and new responsibilities, 3) Teacher Appreciation Week 2020, and 4) Grading.  In each section, Tibbens identifies problems or concerns that all community stakeholders should consider and offers practical insights and solutions.  In Part 3, Teacher Appreciation Week 2020, he takes a more personal approach than most ClassCast clips by thanking many of his own teachers and explaining their impacts on his life.   

The full episode and all four clips are linked below; plus, as always, they are streaming on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and other major platforms. Write a comment below to let us know what you think and what you suggest.

(Note: The four clips cut from this episode contain some additional commentary and information that did not fit into the full episode upload. Most content is the same, but additional details, particularly related to Teacher Appreciation Week in Part 3, are available in the highlight clip.)

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​In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.025, host Ryan Tibbens addresses one of the most significant challenges facing schools as they make plans to reopen -- substitute teachers. Most school divisions across the country already struggle to hire enough substitutes, and COVID-19 will exacerbate that problem next fall. Most substitutes are older, making them at higher risk of infection and serious illness. How many people are willing to risk their health for a crummy part-time job that pays $11-$14 per hour? As we plan to reopen schools, most people are thinking about separating desks, staggering schedules, and disinfecting buildings.  Everyone seems to be overlooking the most obvious problem of all -- the teachers, not the students, are at greatest risk. What will we do when large numbers of teachers are out of work for two weeks or more (even if they are asymptomatic, a positive test will yield a required absence)?  

All our preparations and contingency plans must address the need for substitutes and increased blended learning.  Host Ryan Tibbens outlines those issues and a path forward in this clip. 

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​This clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.025 features host Ryan Tibbens addressing the current problems facing teachers' compensation, largely resulting from the COVID-19 social distancing and business closures which seem likely to set off a recession. Many plans for reopening schools next year call for staggered schedules, more teacher cleaning duties, increased technology dependence, blending learning, and more -- and that's not even considering the health risks many teachers will face. Teachers, school boards, and tax-payers should all be cognizant of the pressures on teacher compensation and how those changes may affect both the short and long-term strength of the profession.  With budget cuts coming, most teachers remember pay freezes, furloughs, and other problems from a decade ago; but the current changes in education may require different administrative and fiscal plans if teachers are going to be asked to do even more in the course of providing education and safety for the nation's youth.

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​In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.025, host and high school English teacher Ryan Tibbens offers some simple suggestions for this year's Teacher Appreciation Week and then reminisces about some of his most influential teachers, offering them thanks for their efforts along the way. If you want to hear more about how teachers impact future teachers, or if you ever attended school with Mr. Tibbens, this clip may have something special for you -- it is far more personal than most ClassCast Podcast discussions.  

THANK YOU to all the educators working hard to help others!

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​This clip from ClassCast Podcast features host Ryan Tibbens examining grading and arguing for a variation of pass/fail grading at all times. "Any argument you make against grading right now works just as well any other time." Grades distract from learning; promote external, rather than intrinsic, motivation; increase anxiety; and waste time. During COVID-19 closures, many school divisions across the nation have adopted some variety of pass/fail grading, and where the works is made optional, people act amazed at the changes in student motivation and behavior. We need to re-examine our grading systems to increase true learning, student motivation, and equity. 

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ClassCast Podcast Ep.023 features our first return guest, educator Jim Dunning, and an in-depth discussion of the complexity of COVID-19 closures on students' college plans, family finances, school solvency, scholarships, athletics, and more. Dunning and host Ryan Tibbens also go on to discuss the need for open, honest conversations with students; contingency plans; and common sense.  Listen and think carefully -- what should we do next? Enjoy this full episode and the highlight clips (below). Please share the links and ideas with family, friends, coworkers, and students affected by the closures. 

In this highlight clip from ClassCast Pocdcast Ep.023, educator Jim Dunning and host Ryan Tibbens discuss the uncertainty of returning to school, particularly to college, after Coronavirus closures. They raise concerns about college enrollment and attendance in Fall 2020 and what schedule changes might mean for graduates from the Class of 2020. These issues have been under-reported; we hope this episode will help students and their families to begin making contingency plans. ​

This highlight clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.023 features teacher Jim Dunning and host Ryan Tibbens discussing the financial burdens of Coronavirus closures and how those changes might affect students and their colleges. As more people lose their jobs, are furloughed, or work reduced hours, families' economic and education plans might change.  Students, parents, counselors, and college administrators must be cognizant of these issues and create contingency plans to make sure long-term goals aren't derailed. Financial concerns come up again multiple times later in the full episode, and a more detailed discussion of how closures are affecting athletes/athletics follows this clip (begin ~17:30 in the full episode). ​

This highlight clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.023 features educators Jim Dunning and Ryan Tibbens (host) discussing post-high school plans for the Class of 2020 and how public schools, college admissions offices, teachers, counselors, parents, and others should be helping students to assess their current Coronavirus-dictated situations and to create contingency plans for this summer, next fall, and beyond. Dunning generally believes that this is a weakness in our education system anyway, and while he may have a valid point, students' current needs should be forcing greater support and long-term planning assistance from trusted adults. ​

In this highlight clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.023, teacher and philosopher Jim Dunning talks with host Ryan Tibbens about the broader issues of Coronavirus closures and quarantines, the trade-offs, the possible public responses, and what is the right, most just response. They reference the famous Trolley Problem as a way to clarify humankind's situation and the decisions we must make -- how many (and whose) lives we should try to save in exchange for serious, long-term affects on economies and quality of life.  This focus on justice and well-being both provides broader perspective on the shutdown without fear-mongering or judgment; it could also serve as a good starting point for teachers interested in discussing shutdown issues with students.

In this highlight clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.023, educator Jim Dunning and host Ryan Tibbens address the need for (and concerns about) discussing COVID-19, including its impacts on health and daily life, with students in virtual classes. ​

​In this highlight clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.012, host Ryan Tibbens and world traveler Sierra Wharton discuss her experiences attending college abroad, how it can actually save money, and how credentials earned in foreign countries can (or can't) function in the United States.