Who drives learning in classrooms? At home? In this episode, we hear from three students who have found joy in pursuing their passions. Join us as we explore how their education has impacted their own feelings of empowerment.

This time of year, teachers are working hard to push to the season of standardized testing. It's the time we hear the mantra of "overworked and underpaid" the loudest. We want to start a conversation to help our teachers power-up their efficiency so they can devote their time and energy to the things that matter most. Listen now for tips and tricks to help teachers make their classrooms run more efficiently.

In this episode, listeners will be invited into the life of a passionate educator to learn how one family uses communication and understanding to balance the demands of the education field. Danessa and Joseph Barr bring energy and positivity into this uplifting conversation about TeacherLife balance.

In this episode, listeners will hear from the Anderson District 5 experts as we take a deep dive into exploring Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Brenda Kelley, Lisa Lipscomb, and Tiffany Osborne share how MTSS helps all students reach their potential. Join us to learn why MTSS could really stand for Multi-Tiered Success Systems.​

Are you looking for opportunities to engage learners in hands-on experiences driven by your standards? Did you know each A5 school is equipped with an Innovation Learning Lab to support these opportunities? Anna Baldwin, Director of eLearning & Integration, and Dr. Paige Mitchell, Learning Engagement Coach for the SC Department of Education, share the origin story of how these tools got to your schools.

In this episode, listeners will hear from Anderson 5's District STEM Teacher Leader/Coach Sandy Bradshaw who shares how she supports teachers and students with STEM learning. The conversation covers topics like the 4Cs, STEAM kits, Makerspaces, assessing STEM projects, and more! It's an episode you won't want to miss!

Are you faced with daily challenges? Have you identified a problem of practice that needs attention? Well, "Pass the EduDuctTape!" In this episode, Jake Miller shares his views on educational technology, the adjacent possible, and his own podcast journey.

What happens when a group of local educator leaders bond together during challenging times to support each other? BOLD Leadership happens. Listen to "Bold is a Choice" to hear their advice for supporting teachers and addressing cultural biases.

It's United Way donation season! Have you ever wondered about the impact of your contributions? Tune in for this episode of iTalks as Danae and Adam sit down with Carol Burdette to discuss the influence of United Way on our community.

Press play for a sneak peek of this season's episodes and hear an important welcome back message from the Superintendent of Anderson District 5.

When we meet as a team on Fridays, we have roundtable discussions resulting from teachers’ questions throughout the week. Many ideas and initiatives have evolved from these talks. We now invite you into the conversation. In an effort to support the learners we serve and help you connect better with us, we have aptly named this episode style DIS-connectED. In this episode, we will be answering questions submitted by our A5 teachers.

You'll remember David Kelly from our previous iTalks Episode called The Empowered Educator. He is a former Innovative Learning Coordinator and currently works as an administrator in Greenville County. In this episode David Kelly shares his personalized learning journey and the experience of working with a partner teacher to implement personalized learning strategies in the classroom. Check out this mini-episode for practical advice on starting with personalized learning in your classroom today!

Are you familiar with personalized learning? Did you know the SC Department of Education has an Office of Personalized Learning? This team of educators works to make the Profile of the SC Graduate actionable through the Personalized Learning Framework. In this episode, the DIS Team speaks with Dr. Sarah Catto, a personalized learning coach from the Office of Personalized Learning, to answer our questions about the impact personalized learning can have on our students and in our classrooms. We discuss what personalized learning is, how to began in S.C., and what resources are available for teachers interested in beginning their journey with personalized learning.

In this episode the DIS team talks about the whole educator; what does cultivating teacher wellness look like and what are some things you can do for self care? Danae Acker and Adam Cobb interview Dr. John Neel of Town Square Chiropractic on the strategies we can use to practice better self care in and out of the classroom.

When we meet as a team on Fridays, we have roundtable discussions resulting from teachers’ questions throughout the week. Many ideas and initiatives have evolved from these talks. We now invite you into the conversation. In an effort to support the learners we serve and help you connect better with us, we have aptly named this episode style DIS-connectED. In this episode we will be discussing the Rock Your School initiative from Get Your Teach On. With permission, we have even included a clip of Hope and Wade King from the Rock Your School 2021 Rally!

In episode four, we paid a visit to Berkeley County School District and met up with David Kelly, who was an Innovative Learning Coordinator at the time. We discussed his own empowerment and learned ways he empowers others.

In episode three, we sat down with Leonard Galloway, principal of Glenview Middle School in Anderson District 5, to tackle topics such as leadership, relationship building, the power of defining your WHY.

The conversations we have together are essential to reflect and grow as professionals. Sometimes these conversations go longer than our 30 minutes together. The statements, conversations, and enlightening moments shared in these originally unaired clips deserve to be heard, so welcome back to the conversation as we hear how administrators have had to rethink how to offer professional development in this new environment.

In this episode, we hear from our learners that are navigating this new COVID landscape in education as pioneers. They share how change has forced us to reexamine our lessons, our learning spaces, and our collaboration with each other. Change can be scary, but as George Couros, author of The Innovator’s Mindset says, “When we embrace new opportunities, even when they seem like obstacles, we can create something much better than what currently exists. It can seem easier to stay with a ‘known bad’ than take a chance on the possibility of a ‘great’ new opportunity. Fear can make us reluctant, but it doesn’t have to defeat us”. This is our opportunity to make positive changes in education, but what does that mean and what does that look like? Join us in the conversation as we discuss Navigating Uncharted Waters.

When we meet as a team on Fridays, we have roundtable discussions resulting from teachers’ questions throughout the week. Many ideas and initiatives have evolved from these talks. We now invite you into the conversation. In an effort to support the learners we serve and help you connect better with us, we have aptly named this episode style DIS-connectED. In this episode we will be answering questions submitted by our A5 teachers.