The ClasStars Podcast

By Moshe Fried, LCSW

Thoughts on education. Helping teachers have a strong positive impact on their children that will last a lifetime!

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155: What if Teachers Were Evaluated Like YouTube Creators?

The ClasStars PodcastSep 15, 2023

00:00

09:47

155: What if Teachers Were Evaluated Like YouTube Creators?

Social media platforms, like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, pay creators for creating engaging content. Imagine if teachers were evaluated, or paid, based on how they engage their students. Would that change the way you engaged your class? Learn more at www.ClasStars.com

Sep 15, 202309:47

154: Derrick Conley Part 2

Here is part two of my conversation with Derrick Conley, Excutive Principal at Birch and Pine Tree Elementary Schools in Longview, TX. Derrick has been in education for close to 30 years, and has helped transform the culture of both Title 1 elementary campuses to academic success through relationships and growth. In his experience, a special culture of achievement with TEA distinction recognition, UIL academic competition championships and extensive development of character education and learning opportunities are all attainable through sincere belief in the power of love and need for progress to instill hope. Learn more about ClasStars at www.ClasStars.com

Sep 14, 202354:11

153: Derrick Conley Part 1

Here is part one of my conversation with Derrick Conley, Excutive Principal at Birch and Pine Tree Elementary Schools in Longview, TX. Derrick has been in education for close to 30 years, and has helped transform the culture of both Title 1 elementary campuses to academic success through relationships and growth. In his experience, a special culture of achievement with TEA distinction recognition, UIL academic competition championships and extensive development of character education and learning opportunities are all attainable through sincere belief in the power of love and need for progress to instill hope. Learn more about ClasStars at www.ClasStars.com

Sep 13, 202320:21

152: Confidence

Confidence is a powerful tool that we can use to do a better job. More importantly, if we can inspire confidence in our students, they will remember us for the rest of their lives. Learn more how ClasStars helps teachers connect with their students land build confidence at www.ClasStars.com

Sep 12, 202320:23

151: Looking Forward to 2023!

We are living in exciting times, and if you're still a classroom teacher, there are amazing opportunities. Kids need more support than ever, and knowing how to navigate that effectively can make you the teacher that your students will remember for the rest of their lives! Learn more about how ClasStars helps teachers understand and connect with students at www.ClasStars.com

Sep 11, 202305:50

150: Education is Everybody's Business

It's amazing to reach the milestone of 150 episodes! I went back and listened to the very first episode, and realized a few things that this journey has taught me. Learn more about how ClasStars can help teachers notice every child and develop strong teacher-student relationships with each and every student at www.ClasStars.com

Sep 08, 202312:22

149: Connection

We all remember the one teacher who was able to connect with us in the most meaningful way. Imagine we had a way to connect that way with each and every student. ClasStars aims to provide teachers and support staff with the framework and tools to do just that. Learn more at www.ClasStars.com and download the app for free for your iPad, Android or Windows tablet!

Sep 07, 202310:41

148: Clarity

Teachers are more stressed out than ever. Why is that? Of course, there are many answers and many of them are very localized to teachers specific conditions. However, there are some universal concepts that apply to teachers everywhere. Let’s explore how the lack of clarity in the classroom can contribute to burnout and what can be done to increase clarity. Learn more about ClasStars at www.ClasStars.com

Sep 06, 202309:24

147: Super Summit 2022

This episode is the audio of a presentation that I recently gave at a conference called Super Summit. It’s for superintendents and school leaders. You can learn more about it at www.supersummit.net. To watch the full presentation, click here. youtu.be/M6Osw8wrTDE Also, there are a few videos that I showed at the event, here are the links. youtu.be/IGQmdoK_ZfY youtu.be/XgRlrBl-7Yg youtu.be/5aH2Ppjpcho. Of course you can always learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com

Sep 05, 202349:35

146: Equity Quotient

As teachers, it’s easy to spot inequity in the school system. Many of these inequities are out of our control. Ironically, the one area where inequities might in our control, inside our classroom, and making sure that every student is getting the right kind of attention every day, is the place where it’s most difficult to spot. Learn more on this episode and at classtars.com

Sep 04, 202309:11

145: Positivity Quotient

We live in a world where we measure everything! If you can’t measure it, what is it worth? However, everyone knows that some things just can’t be measured. Like how positive a classroom environment is, or just how positive was your favorite teacher? ClasStars is proud to introduce the “Positivity Quotient”! A way to measure positivity! By being mindful and keeping track of positive engagement, positive feedback, and positive interactions, we’re developing a positivity quotient score that teachers can use to self-reflect and support each other and their students. Learn more about this on this episode! Learn more about ClasStars and how it can increase your “Positivity Quotient”, at classtars.com/

Sep 01, 202311:22

144: Minimal Meaningful Engagement

There’s an inherent conflict of interest in every classroom! Every student is vying for your attention, and you need to figure out how to distribute it fairly and equitably, while also taking care of the rest of your responsibilities! By understanding how to establish minimal meaningful engagement, we can provide the attention and care to each student and still have enough “gas in the tank” to manage the rest of your responsibilities. Learn more about this at classtars.com/.

Aug 31, 202318:30

143: Sharpening the Saw

Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying.. What does that mean for classroom teachers? Listen to this episode to explore ways of cultivating an environment that is truly inclusive and conducive to learning. Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com

Aug 30, 202312:52

142: Let’s Bring the Joy Back to Teaching

The last couple of years have been rough. Teachers are burnt out and are leaving in droves. Imagine if we can bring the joy back to teaching! One way to do that is to focus on writing positive stories about every child. ClasStars is designed to capture those stories for every child in your class. Learn more about how ClasStars helps you capture positive stories about every child at classtars.com/

Aug 29, 202312:25

141: 3 Strikes?

Everyone knows that in baseball you get 3 strikes. That means 3 chances to hit the ball. What if players had 20 strikes? Probably, players would get more hits. How many “strikes” or chances do teachers get to help their students? Imagine if we could give teachers more chances to help their students? Probably, more students would succeed. How can we do that? Let’s explore this in this episode! Please let me know what you think! Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com

Aug 28, 202312:14

140: Sustainable Teaching Practices

As we gear up for another school year, let’s be mindful that we are practicing sustainable teaching practices. This will not only reduce our workload and minimize burnout, it will also help us enjoy our work more every day! Learn more about ClasStars and how ClasStars supports Sustainable Teaching Practices at classtars.com/

Aug 25, 202310:29

139: Beginning a New Journey

The beginning of a new school year allows us to be more intentional and mindful about the way we develop our relationships with our students. Recognize and take advantage of this opportunity and the year will be more productive and enjoyable for you and your students. Learn more about how ClasStars helps you connect better with all of your students at classtars.com

Aug 24, 202313:43

138: Who Decides Your Worth?

Everyone knows that a good teacher is invaluable! The problem is that often our own perception of our worth is underwhelming. By recognizing how we perceive our value, we can increase the value of our environment in a few simple steps. Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com/

Aug 23, 202312:25

137: Let’s Breathe

It has been quite a journey since the start of the pandemic. At the start of the school year, many of us were hopeful of a return to normal following a chaotic pandemic shutdown of our schools. Unfortunately, for most that was not the case. Nevertheless, many teachers stepped up with great dedication and effort and gave everything they could do that their students would have a productive year. Now is a time to breathe. Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com/

Aug 22, 202308:52

136: Balanced Engagement

I’ve recently come across a discussion about classroom engagement. While many teachers understand the need to engage every student, others argue that the focus on engagement takes away from actual learning and productivity. The obvious, but often elusive answer is that we need to find the proper balance between engagement and productivity. Perhaps a system that funnels engagement into productivity would be best! Listen to this episode to learn more about it! You can learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com/

Aug 21, 202315:51

135: Mixed Messages

Everyone knows that clear communication is key in maintaining a positive classroom environment. The tricky part is the unintentional mixed messages that we often give our students. A “non-reaction” can easily be misunderstood to be an approval. Telling a student one thing and then reacting a certain way when they do it, leaves kids confused and frustrated, and most importantly, leaves them feeling unsafe. Listen to this episode to learn more about it. You can also learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com/

Aug 18, 202316:25

134: End of Year Goals

It’s been a difficult year for teachers and students. Let’s set positive and reasonable goals for the last few weeks so we can send our kids off to the summer feeling inspired. Who knows, maybe that will ignite their spark in way that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives! Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com/

Aug 17, 202309:20

133: A Different Classroom Management Style

A common question that people ask is how ClasStars is different from other behavior apps. The simple difference is that ClasStars isn’t a token reward system. ClasStars helps teachers monitor engagement, simplify student prioritization, identify students at-risk, and much more! Learn more at classtars.com/

Aug 16, 202325:08

132: Sustainable Pygmalion Effect

While the research clearly shows that having high expectations helps students actually achieve at a higher level, the sustainability of this concept is challenging. Listen to this episode to hear how ClasStars can help you achieve a Sustainable Pygmalion Effect and help each of your students perform better! Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com/

Aug 15, 202309:25

131: Valuable Data Points

There are so many things that we want to measure in student performance. How do we decide what’s important and how do we gather that data? I recently had the opportunity to discuss this with a talented group of educators and here are some of the ideas that came up. Learn more about ClasStars at www.ClasStars.com

Aug 14, 202317:13

130: The Forest or the Trees?

One of the many challenges in classroom teaching is managing the performance and flow of the entire class, or the forest, and the performance and flow of each individual student, or the trees. ClasStars helps you manage both with innovative Class Wide Dashboards for monitoring the forest and Individual Dashboards for monitoring the trees! Learn more at ClasStars.com

Aug 11, 202311:30

129: Every Teacher’s #1 Goal

The more focused you are, the more productive you can be. It’s important to honestly assess your goals if you want to be truly happy and productive. Listen to this episode to learn more. Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com

Aug 10, 202311:56

128: Limitations: Weakness or Strength?

We very often think about our limitations as weakness. However, the true weakness is in not understanding our limitations. Only once we understand our limitations can we learn to compensate and overcome them. Listen to the podcast to learn more. Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com

Aug 09, 202307:29

127: What or Why (or both)?

Simon Sinek wrote a great book called Start with Why. He also gave a great Ted Talk on the same topic. Here’s the link for the talk. Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action . Of course you can always learn more about ClasStars and how it can revolutionize your classroom experience at classtars.com/

Aug 08, 202314:58

126: Dual Purpose Green Wheel

ClasStars’ Positive Feedback Wheel not only allows teachers to ensure that they are providing valuable positive feedback to each and every student, every day, it also allows teachers to be mindful and reinforce the values that are so important. Learn more at ClasStars.com

Aug 07, 202313:07

125: Blind Spots

If you aren’t aware of your blind spots, you’re at risk. In this episode, we discuss how ClasStars helps teachers eliminate blind spots. Learn more at ClasStars.com

Aug 04, 202310:42

124: Reinforcing Mindfulness

In addition to helping teachers see, acknowledge, and value each student, the “Green Wheel”, or Positive Engagement module can also help teachers reinforce the values they want to be mindful of. Learn more on this episode. Learn more about ClasStars at https://classtars.com and get the training at https://classtars.com/training-welcome/

Aug 03, 202310:16

123: Behavior Perspectives

Learn more about ClasStars at classtars.com/

Aug 02, 202310:17

122: Accuracy

The next release of ClasStars will allow teachers to edit records. Create sessions that we’re missed, insert events and the time that events were recorded. Get the complete free training at https://classtars.com/training-welcome/

Aug 01, 202313:36

121: Two Tiers

ClasStars helps teachers keep everyone in the loop with a 2 Tier system. The first tier makes sure everyone is included. The second tier identifies students at risk and ensures that the interventions are yielding positive outcomes. Take the FREE training at training.classtars.com/

Jul 31, 202310:24

120: Frustration

ClasStars helps teachers minimize frustration by providing a simple way to keep track of Positive Engagement, Invisible Progress, Academic Engagement, and Real-Time Attendance. Learn more at ClasStars.com

Jul 28, 202312:12

119: 5M5D Challenge

ClasStars makes it simple for teachers to engage every student in a positive way. Learn more at www.ClasStars.com

Jul 27, 202338:08

118: Simplify

ClasStars helps teachers connect better with students. Learn more at www.ClasStars.com

Jul 26, 202306:00

Episode 117: Exciting New Features for ClasStars!

We are working on a new look! New logo, website, training, and much more! Also, hear about the new sharing feature, and Secure Sharing! Now you can easily post screenshots from ClasStars to social media while protecting the privacy of your students! Learn more about ClasStars at www.ClasStars.com

Jul 25, 202308:35

Episode 116: Conversation with Deborah Osomo

As a Teacher Career Coach, Deborah Osomo works to help K - 12th-grade teachers find clarity, maximize productivity and upgrade professionally to boost their careers inside and outside of the classroom. Deborah is the founder of The Purposeful Educator (TPE) which is a teacher coaching platform that provides a wide range of teacher specific services and resources. TPE also focuses on helping teachers and edupreneurs develop wide ranges of progressive habits as well as build their professional profiles and businesses so they can remain versatile, relevant, and impactful.

The Purposeful Educator (TPE), exists to provide teacher coaching services using quality and appropriate teacher preparation content, professional development resources, and personalized systems. Deborah leverages online technology and inperson services to avail teachers anywhere to benefit from the resources offered. Her goal is to enable teachers to become effective catalysts in knowledge dissemination and equip them to independently build successful professional careers within the classroom and beyond.

Deborah's signature 1:1 coaching program, "The Purpose-Driven Academy" is now open for registration! Within this program, Deborah uses her detailed framework to help teachers build up solid structures that will guide their teaching career and equip them to be much more effective.

Check out her website/weblink to learn more.

Deborah is also launching the "The Purpose-Driven Edupreneur Membership." If you are an educator and you have been desiring to build up your own business/project, then this program is for you! Within this membership, you'll be guided through all the steps you need to structure, build, and launch a strong and rewarding venture.

Deborah Osomo

Coach - Motivate - Equip

Teacher Career Coach & Business Strategist

Founder/CEO of The Purposeful Educator

International Educator, Speaker & Learner