The iCivics EdNet Podcast

This podcast was first conceived in 2021 as an off-shoot of the monthly iCivics EdNet virtual meetings, where educators from all over the U.S. exchange experiences and ideas in a semi-structured format. Every 30-minute episode features an educator who first describes their school community, then answers a short "Lightning Round" of introductory questions. (See the hosts' responses in the bios below). Then we ask deeper questions and follow-ups to get more practical ideas and insights. In the last 2 or 3 minutes, Magdalena and Andrew talk about their main takeaways from the conversation.

We strive to invite guests of various backgrounds and experiences, living and working in all kinds of communities and schools, with diverse roles in education from special ed to administration to elementary / middle / high school classrooms. Every guest provides several links to their own assignments, photos of their classroom, and other interactive resources, which can be found on the Show Notes page for each episode.

Magdalena Mata is a National Board Certified Teacher and a Professional Learning Facilitator in Boerne, TX.

She has been in public education for 17 years, 15 teaching middle school social studies, 1 year as an Instructional Coach, and currently supporting teachers across Texas in their pursuit of National Board Certification as a Professional Learning Facilitator for the Texas National Board Coalition for Teaching.

Magdalena has presented at conferences for NCSS, TXCSS, TASA, and across Texas districts and service centers. She has a unique knack for building community and creating connections between educators. She is also a member of the Teacher Advisory Group for the National Council for History Education, Teacher Advisory Council for the National Constitution Center as well as an iCivics EdNet member since 2019.

Her favorite U.S. historical figures are John Adams and Ulysses S. Grant because she loves a good underdog story. If she could teach anything for a day it would be finding the social studies stories in YA novels, graphic novels, childrens' books, and Greek Mythology. Magdalena's favorite iCivics game is Branches of Power. Her fantasy field trip destination is all over Spain and Italy for art, architecture, and delicious food.

Andrew Swan has been teaching middle school since graduating college in 2000. He is currently an 8th grade civics teacher at a public school in Newton, Massachusetts.

Andrew has presented at conferences for NCSS, Massachusetts Council for Social Studies, the American Historical Association, New England League of Middle Schools, FlipTech East Coast, and the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition, and last year he was a Civics Fellow for the Massachusetts Department of Education.

He has also been a co-moderator of The SSChat Network, a member of the NCC Teacher Advisory Council, and the Civics 101 Cabinet, and also an iCivics EdNet member since 2018.

Andrew's favorite U.S. historical figure is Margaret Chase Smith from his home state of Maine (one of the first public critics of McCarthyism), if he could teach anything for a day it would probably be golfing-related, Andrew's favorite government-related game is People's Pie, if you walked in his classroom he hopes you would notice students asking questions and interacting like young adults (not his pathetic interior decoration "abilities"), and his fantasy field trip destination is London because that is Andrew's favorite city and he could most likely figure out some sort of civics-related connections.

Our Educator Guests Work Across the Country!

Through the iCivics Educator Network, the perspectives of teachers across the country contribute to the public conversation about civic education in the United States. Each contributor represents their own opinion and is not reflective of iCivics. We welcome this diversity of perspectives.