The Teacher Hotline

Bullying has been around since the beginning of time. No one's been able to crack the code on how to stop and prevent bullying from happening across schools in the country. In fact, bullying has now evolved with the introduction of social media in the past decade. So what can educators and schools do?!So today we bring in Alain Pelletier, a anti-bullying youth speaker. Alain has spoken to over 750 schools, and has spoken at over 1200 conferences on the subject of bullying. Today we talk aboutt:How do we properly define "bullying"? What role can teachers and school play in the prevention of bullying?What age does bullying start?Why do bullies bully other students at school?What role do parents play in all of this?Go check out Alain and book him in your schools! Check out his website below for more information on how to do so.Website: https://www.alainpelletier.ca/SPONSOR: VISUALPINGVisualping is the free web detection monitoring tool that watches and alerts you to changes on the sites that matter most to you. Forget clicking the refresh button over and over—Visualping instantly informs you about item restocks, price drops or promotions, and new opportunities at your dream workplace.Over 2.3M users stay in the know with Visualping. Create a free account today at visualping.io.Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

We're back baby! Season 3! Here we go. We are now going to go to a monthly format. Life is crazy, so we'll try this new format and see how it goes. We kick things off by revisiting my old stomping grounds at Western University. Have you ever thought about transitioning to teaching at the university/college level?! You should highly consider it! I highly recommend it! I had the best time of my life teaching at Western University back in the day. I even got my own office! Today, I bring in Emma Giroux, a Business 1220 Lecturer at Western University Main campus. She's been a Lecturer there for two years. Previous to this role, Emma graduated from the Ivey Business School at Western. In this episode we talk about: What qualifications do you need?How many students in a class? Whats marking like? Do you deal with parents?How do you deal with academic integrity issues?What's it like teaching in a large classroom?Check it out! I loved talking with Emma, and you'll love her too! Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Having tough conversations with students is all part of the job. Teachers can have conversations ranging from grades all the way to mental health. But what about the guidance counselors?! They face a lot of tough conversations behind closed doors that teachers don't see. So in todays episode we want to explore those conversations and how to have them! So today I bring in Sam Layton, a Guidance Counselor that’s works in the private School system. Before going into Guidance, Sam taught subjects ranging from English, Drama, Music, Phy-sed,  and ESL. She also has some teaching experience in New Zeland, and Korea before teaching full time in Canada. Sam received her teaching degree in New Zealand at the University of Canterbury.Click on this episode to check out what kind of challenges a guidance counselor faces and how to deal with them like a pro!Oh! And Sam is the host of her own podcast called Popcorn Cinema! Go check it out on all streaming platforms!Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Have you ever thought about teaching at a university? Have you ever thought about teaching in a teacher education program? We'll you'll want to tune in to this weeks episode! Today I bring in Liz Coulson, an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of The Education Studies program in the Department of Language Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). For over a decade, Dr. Coulson was an instructor and secondary practicum coordinator in the Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching Programs at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).In this episode we talk about:What qualifications do you need to teach at a university?Whats the difference between "Sessional Lecturer", "Contract jobs" "Tenure "Stream Faculty"? Whats the difference between being an Assistant Professor and a Professor role?What are the biggest difference between teaching adults versus high school or elementary?What should teachers do to begin the process of working at a university?and much more!Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Building off last weeks episode, we are going to dive deep into the jobs of our school leaders. This week we are taking a look at the High School Principals role.After all my years in education, I still have no idea what the heck these people do! Are they just shaking hands and kissing babies? Who knows! Today I bring in John Marinelli, Principal of St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in London, Ontario. John has been a Principal for 6  years. Previous to this role, he was a Vice Principal for 7 years and also taught Social Sciences, Business studies and even in Guidance for 15 years. John received his bachelors of education from Western University.In this episode we talk about:What are the responsibilities of a High School Principal?What are some soft and hard skills required to do the job?What are some of the hardest and most rewarding parts of the job?Are the working hours different than a teacher?What should listeners know if they want to become a High School Principal?and much more! Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Hey incoming teacher candidates! This episode is for you!If you are planning to apply to different teacher education programs and not sure which one you should go to,  you'll want to check out this episode. On today's episode, we check out University of Toronto - Ontario of Institute of Education (OISE) Master of Teaching program (not Masters of Education! There is a difference!) We bring in my current student teacher Ava Skuse. Ava is a first year student at OISE and gives us a bit of insight into the program. We talk about:What mandatory courses do they make you take at OISE? Her thoughts on the professors at the schoolHow much is tuition, textbooks  and other fees?How many practicum's does OISE offer in this program? What has been Ava's expierence? What is this research paper that OISE makes you do in this masters program?What's the difference between the Masters of Teaching and Masters of Education program?Hope this episode is useful! Good luck everyone!Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Have you ever thought about going into school leadership? Perhaps a High School Vice Principal is opening up and you have your eyes on it? Do you have any idea what the job entails?Well, look not further and listen to this episode! Today I bring in Candace House, Vice Principal at Waterloo Region District School.  Candace has been in this role for 5.5 years. Before this she was an English teacher and was department English Head in the TSDB for 7 years. Before this Candace had a long career in software development and consulting before making a career change in her 40s.  Candace decided to go back to school and get her B.Ed from OISE.In this episode, we talk about:Whats the big difference between the Vice Principal and Principals role?What are the most common challenges in the VP role?Is it possible for administrators to lose touch in the classroom?How does compensation work for a VP? Are they on a different grid?What should listeners know about the job before applying?and so much more!Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Ok folks, so this is a big one! If you got an Elementary LTO job interview coming up, you need to click this episode! Super juicy with all of the questions from the TDSB with a former VP panelist coaching you through some of the answers!Today we have Linda Taillefer, a Educational Consultant and retired elementary school Vice Principal in the Toronto District School Board. She has been a VP for nine years. Before going into a school leadership position, she was a French Immersion teacher for 19 years. Linda received her B.Ed from Laurentian University. On this episode, we talk about:What are some of the questions that the TDSB will ask applicants?What are the panelist looking for in your answers?Does gender, race, and identity impact your chances of landing a job?Wow! You definitely don't want to miss this! Share this episode and help out your fellow friends!Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

After all these years in education, I'm just finding out now what is a Montessori school! This entire time I thought it was some sort of Religious school. Wow, I was so wrong.If you're thinking about applying for a job at Montessori school or maybe even sending your kids to a Montessori school, you'll want to check out this episode!Today we bring on Carolyn Reid and Rachel Marks, both Academic Heads at Toronto Montessori School in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Rachel has been at TMS  for 25 years now and is the Head of their Elementary School and has been in the role for 5 years. Rachel also received her B.Ed from McGill M.Ed at Queens University. Carolyn has been at the school for 35 years and is the Head of their Toddler and Children House. She's been in this role for over 20 years. Carolyn received her degree in Early Childhood education from Ryerson, and her Primary Montessori Training from AMI.In this episode, we talk about:What is a Montessori School? How is it different than a traditional public school?How does a Montessori Toddler program differ from traditional day care?Is Montessori more "challenging" then your traditional schools?How much does Montessori cost?Should I send my child to a Montessori school?...and so much more! Click subscribe and give it a listen folks!Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Imagine living with students and then waking up the next day and teaching those same students. This happens everyday at all boarding schools and its the norm! I work at a boarding school, and its a different beast. I don't work directly in boarding, but I know a few people that do. Today I bring in Andrew McNiven, a Business Teacher from Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario. Andrew has worked at Ridley for 12 years and works with the student boarders at the school as Head of House on campus and has been in this role for five years and worked as an Assistant Housemaster for 5 years prior to this role. So 10 years in boarding!  In this episode, Andrew will try to answer all your questions regarding boarding, including:What are his responsibilities?What's the difference between being Head of House vs an Assistant role?Is privacy and maintaining your own life outside of school possible? What are the major challenges and perks of working in boarding?How do teachers get compensated?and much more! Check out this episode if you are interested in boarding schools. You'll hear all about it!SPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

As a kid growing up in an Asian household, the dream for my parents was for their children to become a doctor. My brother helped my parents achieve that dream. I failed miserably. I couldn't even make it out of grade 10 chemistry! So many students and parents want to become doctors, but in reality have no idea what the job entails! Are people just chasing the title of "doctor" for prestige? Are they misinformed by what television shows them? This episode dives into the realities of becoming a doctor and what the journey looks like. Today I bring in my good friend, Dr. Andrew Lim. Andrew is a Radiation Oncologist who specializes in treating cancer. Andrew did his undergraduate training at St Francis Xavier, in a degree in Physics. He went on to do his medical training at Western University. He then began his residency training in General Surgery in Alberta before deciding the speciality was not a fit for him. He transferred over to the Radiation Oncology and he is  now working at the University of Southern California  as a Radiation Oncologist and the Director of BrachytherapyOn this episode we discuss:What does medical school look like?When do you choose your speciality?What are the most popular/least popular fields? Differences between working in the U.S vs Canada?Something Andrew wished he knew about the job when he was youngerIf you're interested in medicine, you'll love this episode! SPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Ever think about making a career change as a teacher into the world of guidance? Look no further! So today I bring in Adrienne Tolton, a guidance counsellor from Garth Webb Secondary School in the Halton District School Board. Adrienne has been a guidance counsellor for four years. Before guidance, she was a teacher 18 years teaching Math and Science in Ontario and Internationally. She got her B.Ed from OISE at the University of Toronto.Today we talk about:What qualifications and training do you need to become a guidance counsellor?What are the general responsibilities of a guidance counsellor?What is the hardest part of the job?Is compensation different for a guidance counsellor versus a teacher?What type of person makes a great guidance counsellor?plus more! Check out this episode and don't forget to follow the podcast!SPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Ever wonder what the heck the folks in HR are looking for before submitting your resume? How can school boards possibly sift through all those resumes and pick the right candidate? Oh and once you get an interview, now you need to prep for that gauntlet! On todays episode, I hope to peek behind the curtain and help with the job application process. Today I chat with  Majella Hillsdon, our Chief People Officer at Appleby College. Majella has been at Appleby for 17 years. In this episode we talk about:Resume - What makes a strong resume? Do buzzwords matter? Does experience matter? Cover Letters - What are they? Are they a nice to have or need to have in an application?Interviews - What do interviewers look for in an applicant? What are common questions? How can candidates be successful in these interviews?Social Media - Is HR trolling our social media pages?!Check us out! You're going to want to hear what she has to say!Links:Appleby College - Career Opportunities SPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Today I'm introducing a new segment in the show called "I Wish I Knew in School". Unfortunately, we are forced to begin choosing career paths at an early age. Media, family and friends can also paint an inaccurate depiction of certain career paths. So on this segment, I want to bring in seasoned professionals to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly truths of their profession to educate teachers and students to better prepare them for the future that lies ahead. We'll also talk to these professionals about what real world skills student need to develop and focus on in the classroom to better prepare them for these jobs.Today I bring in an old friend Aaron Baer, Co-Founder of 4L Academy, an organization that provides modern training for lawyers and law students. Aaron has a wealth of industry experience. He spent almost 7 years working at Aird and Berlis Law firm corporate lawyer, before working his way up into becoming a partner at the firm. Aaron got his dual business and law degree from Western University and the Ivey Business School. On this episode we talk about:What are some of the exciting things that make the job exciting?What skills should teachers be focusing on in the classroom to help students enter this career path?What skills are modern day lawyers lacking?What is the current state of mental health in the field of law?Aaron: "I wish I knew in high school before entering law..."Check this episode out! Its a doozy! LinkedIn - Aaron BaerTwitter - @4lAcademySPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Episode 50 🎉I can't believe we are at the half century mark! It's wild this podcast is still going!To celebrate this milestone, I chat with Melody McAllister, Event & Community Marketing Specialist at none other....Spaces! Our proud sponsors! Melody worked as an elementary teacher for about 14 years in Garland Texas. She was recipient of the  Garland NAACP Educator of the Year Award and author of a book called I’m Sorry Story, a children's book about taking responsibility for mistakes and making sincere apologiesOn this episode, we take a deep dive into what it's like to teach in the United States. I ask her about:Differences in Canadian vs U.S Education (ie. Curriculum, Unionization, Training, Job Market etc)Safety in the Classroom - Is every teacher afraid of the gun laws in America?Compensation  - How much do teachers get paid?and so much more! This was an intense conversation and I loved it. You'll love Melody's energy.Go check it out!SPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Six years ago, I took a Stand Up Comedy class at Second City.Six years later, I somehow still have a job as a teacher! Hallelujah! 🙌To give back, I started a stand up comedy co-curricular for teenagers at our school. It's been running for four years, and we begin the course tomorrow! So what better way to have a teacher/comedian on the podcast this week?!This week I have Ronen Geisler, a teacher and comedian! Inside the classroom Ronen has been a teacher for 15 years and teaches high school English and ESL to adult newcomers and refugees.  Ronen received his B.Ed from Lakehead University. Outside the classroom, Ronen is a stand up comedian in Toronto and also host the popular Learn English Funcast podcast where he teaches English learners around the world how to learn English through jokes. Ronen is also the founder of the Jewish Comedy Festival and Cannabis Comedy Festival. He's an absolute killer comedian and I'm excited to have him on the show today.On todays episode, I ask Ronen:🎤 What are his goals and aspirations as a comedian? 🎤 Is it difficult being a teacher and a comedian? How do you balance live both lives?🎤 Are there any topics that are too taboo to talk about on stage as a teacher?🎤  Does he tell his students, colleagues, and administrator he's a comedian? This was a fun episode! Two comedians talking about teaching! It's an entertaining one!Links:Website - https://ronengeisler.com/Instagram - @ronen__SPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Happy Halloween! 🎃Teachers, have you ever considered writing your own book? A novel, or perhaps a children book? Have you ever had that desire, but just have no idea where to start? Well you came to the right place!Today, I bring in Rahel Tesfaledet, author of Kinza's World Magical Travel Adventures! Besides being a published author, Rahel is also an elementary school teacher and has been teaching for 10 years. Her passion for travelling has allowed her to teach in school boards in South Korea, Japan, Kuwait, and the U.S, and this year is teaching in York Region in Ontario.Today we talk about:What is the difference between going with a publisher company vs self publishing?What are the different steps to self publishing?How much does publishing your book cost?How much do retailers take from your book sales?What are the major road blocks to getting your book on shelves?Instead of taking your kids trick or treating, curl up with the kids and listen to this podcast!Links:Kinza World Website Amazon StoreSPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Today we have Steve Brown, CEO of Nelson Publishing in to chat with The Teacher Hotline. Steve has been in this role for almost 6 years. His career spans a diverse mix of industry and technology experience from multi-media entertainment, logistics services, automotive, and now to learning solutions. Since joining NELSON in September 2016, Steve has transformed the vision 107 year old company. He has reframed the organization's digital competency by instituting a technology department comprised of some the world's best and brightest talent based in Silicon Beach California.On this episode we chat about:Will physical textbooks eventually have no place in the classroom? Are tablets/laptops the future of classrooms?Is hybrid learning here to stay? What about hybrid work force?Does the Metaverse and VR learning have any practical use in the classroom?How can EDWIN assist in student learning?plus much more! Check us out, and don't forget to share this episode and give us a review and rating on Apple Podcast!Let the grind begin! 📚Social MediaTwitter - @NelsonSteveBSPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

We are back at school baby! And we got an awesome episode lined up for ya to kick off the school year!Today we have Kelley Pomis, Director of Teacher Coaching and Development at Atlas Prep in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Kelley has been a teacher since 2002. She has taught at all levels from  K-12 . As an expert in teacher development and leadership, she has shared her experience on the TedX stage. She is also the host of her own podcast called Teacher ReNewed. Kelley also recently launched her new book called "Taught: A Memoir and Educators Guide to Classroom Transformation and Student Liberation".On this episode, we talk about:What were her feelings leading up to the first class?How much preparation was involved in prepping her first year?When did she begin to feel burnt out? How did she recover?How did she handle classroom management as a new teacher?What would she do differently as a first year teacher?Welcome back to school folks! Let's begin the marathon!Social MediaInstagram - @teacher_renewedLinkedIn - Kelley PomisSPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae

Holy smokes! Inflation is killing us! Gas is costing us a kidney, buying a bag of milk costs an arm and a leg, and in 5 years, I'll probably be living on the streets with these outrageous bills!Learning how to manage your money is one of the most important life skills. It starts at a young age. In this episode, I talk to Aly Hirji, a business teacher from Agincourt Collegiate from the Toronto District School Board. Aly has been teaching for 14 years teaching in various business courses, career studies and mathematics and is one of the biggest advocate of financial literacy in the province of Ontario. Aly is also on the Teacher Advisory Board of CPA Ontario In this episode, we talk about:What are some amazing initiatives/assignments Aly does in his classroom?Is the province of Ontario doing a good job rolling out their financial literacy initiatives?How can the province get better at delivering financial literacy?Thoughts on an individual course that teaches financial literacy in OntarioWhat can parents do to help teach financial literacy at home?Check us out! Hope everyone is having a great summer so far!Social Media:Twitter - @FinanLiteracyLinkedIn - Aly Hirji Resources:CPA OntarioJunior Achievement Get Smarter About MoneySPONSOR: SPACESSpaces is a new platform backed by 15+ years of educator feedback, designed to document the process and progress behind Student learning in your classroom. Join the Spaces community to connect with educators across North America, gain access to free teacher-created resources, help educators who are just starting out in their journey and learn new things from teachers who have been there before. Visit community.spacesedu.com today to join."Instagram: @theteacherhotlineFacebook: @theteacherhotlineTwitter: @ronaldhae