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Category: Podcast

SPS Digital Learning Hour Featuring Matt Flood

SPS Digital Learning Hour Featuring Matt Flood

Join us in this episode as we chat with Matt, a former 9th grade teacher from NYC who now works with us at SPS in Western Mass. Matt shares his journey from being a young teacher with computer skills to running and organizing technology for schools. He talks about his experience using Chromebooks and Google Classroom and how he encouraged his students to create podcasts to showcase their knowledge.  Since Matt has joined our department, his work has focused on…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Victoria Ellis

SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Victoria Ellis

In this podcast, Victoria Ellis shares her journey of 15 years in education, starting as a paraeducator. She is now working as a Middle School math teacher at the Springfield Virtual School for Springfield Public Schools. She talks about how she found her calling as a teacher and the challenges she has faced in her journey. Victoria emphasizes the importance of striking a balance between using physical and virtual tools to teach Middle School Math. She shares her experiences of…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring David Steinberg

SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring David Steinberg

At the SPS Digital Learning Hour, we take great pride in highlighting the diverse experiences of teachers at various stages of their careers. This week, we had the pleasure of interviewing David Steinberg from German Gerena Community School. David, who previously worked as a consultant in the private sector, made the decision to switch to a career in education after substitute teaching in his free time. He shared with us how he leverages the extensive professional development opportunities offered by…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Barbara Cheney

SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Barbara Cheney

For this week’s podcast we are going back to the summer and learning all about what Barbara Cheney from Indian Orchard.  Barbara’s experiences range from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. We discussed teaching early in her career through COVID to now. I have always loved teaching Summer School, and Barbara is part of a cool program during summer school through the Inventor’s Hall of Fame. I even got the chance to visit her class and we made a…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Karen Toro and Courtney Ciras

SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Karen Toro and Courtney Ciras

This week I am bringing you an incredibly special episode. Over the summer I met Karen Toro and Courtney Ciras from Alice B. Beal Elementary School. During the summer, as teachers, we can really develop new practices in a low-pressure environment. This also means that we get to try new things. With close to 25 years teaching experience combined and Karen coming up through the Springfield School system, these two were ready to try something new!  This is where Courtney…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Denise Cote

SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Denise Cote

This week’s podcast we interviewed Denise Cote, a Middle School English Teacher from Springfield’s Conservatory of the Arts. Mike and Denise talked all about the use of technology in the district for the last 17 years! During the interview you will learn how Denise first adopted technology in her classrooms and how that technology continues to enhance her teaching. Denise has also been a proponent of Professional Development and has taken on the 22 Tools Challenge head on. When the…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Sarah DeFeo

SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Sarah DeFeo

Welcome to the start of a new school year. For the first episode of the year we spoke with Sarah DeFeo. This interview was recorded near the end of last year and we thought it would be a great way to start this year. Sarah teaches at White Street Elementary School and has been there for the last eight years. Sarah came to teaching 2nd grade as a career change. Throughout the interview we discussed how technology has been used…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Desiree Robinson

SPS Digital Learning Hour featuring Desiree Robinson

We here at the SPS Digital Learning Hour love to spotlight teachers and this week’s episode is no different. I met Desiree Robinson from Glenwood Elementary. Desiree is a true homegrown teacher here in Springfield. You can hear her love for the city of Springfield in the way she talks about her job. She is a shining example of how you can go from being a para-educator to a teacher to a Math Instructional Leader. Her experience spans Kindergarten all…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour Episode 118 featuring Kathryn Runyan

SPS Digital Learning Hour Episode 118 featuring Kathryn Runyan

Here at the SPS Digital Learning Hour we are excited to bring you this week’s episode featuring Kathryn Runyan from White Street Elementary. Having taught various grade levels throughout the last 22 years, Kathryn has used a wide variety of technology tools that we get into in this episode. Back in 2002 schools were still using floppy discs!!!! Throughout this episode we learn about what technology was like back in 2002 in the classroom (hint: there wasn’t as much as…

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SPS Digital Learning Hour Episode 117: KatieAnne DeMars

SPS Digital Learning Hour Episode 117: KatieAnne DeMars

Here at the SPS Digital Learning Hour we are excited to bring you this week’s episode featuring KatieAnne DeMars from Springfield Virtual School. Having taught various grade levels throughout the last 22 years, which included time as a School Administrator KatieAnne brings a wealth of knowledge to Springfield’s Newest School.  Throughout this episode we learn about what technology was like back in 2000 in the classroom (hint: there wasn’t as much as you would think). You can also hear how,…

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