Modern Classrooms Project Podcast

For this feed drop, here's an episode of The Exit Interview, with Dr. Asia Lyons. We hope you enjoy!

You can learn more about The Exit Interview and subscribe here

Listen to the full episode here

Toni Rose is joined by Emily Dia to talk about using a Unit Zero to introduce the model, and they go on to describe a day in the life of a Modern Classroom once students have internalized the routines.

Show Notes

Toni Rose's Unit 0 Calendar
Keeping up with the Modern Classrooms: Episode #1: Unit 0
Marissa’s Classroom
Johns Hopkins research data on MCP
Unit 0 One pager
Family intro email
Unit 0 Reflection
Unit 0, Lesson 1
Family Communication Toolkit
Icebreaker Ideas:

This week, Kareem is joined by one of his former students, Jayme Mims, to talk about the Modern Classrooms model from the student's perspective, how it facilitates learning and responsibility in school, and how it prepares students for success in college and beyond

Show Notes

Edutopia Video

Progress Trackers

The Warm Demander

Follow us online and learn more:

For our fourth feed drop episode, we're happy to share this episode of Steve Martinez' Under the Hat podcast. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

You can find more info on Under the Hat and subscribe here

Listen to the full episode here

Guest host Avery Balasbas is joined by a panel of his previous students who are now in college to discuss their MCP experience and how it prepared them for learning beyond high school

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Avery's previous MCP Podcast episodes:

Subway Surfers

Ochem Tutor

Blackpenredpen

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:

Listen to the full episode here

Toni Rose is joined by Sarahya College, a high school sophomore, who offers incredible insight into the student experience of learning in a modern classroom as well as advice for teachers who are implementing the model

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:

For our third feed drop episode, we're happy to share this episode of Catlin Tucker's The Balance podcast. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

You can find more info on The Balance podcast and subscribe here

Listen to the full episode here

Toni Rose is joined by two of her former 6th grade students, Lila and Tyler (currently 8th graders) to talk about their experience in Modern Classrooms throughout middle school - in person, in remote learning, and in general

Show Notes

Edpuzzle (and MCP Tutorial)

Kahoot

Quizlet

Follow us online and learn more:

Listen to the full episode here

Zach is joined by Marlene Tapia Garcia and three of her first grade students, Olivia, Arya, and Ethan, to talk about their experience in a Modern Classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

MCP Podcast episode 138: La Revisión y las Pruebas de Dominio (Marlene's previous episode, entirely in Spanish with an English blog recap)

Two-Way Language Programs

Spring Math

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:

For our second feed drop of the summer off-season, we'd love to share an episode of Jorge Valenzuela's Lifelong Learning Defined podcast. This episode is called "From Compton to the World: Building STEM Futures Through Project-Based Learning with Jose González"

You can find the Lifelong Learning Defined Podcast here

Toni Rose is joined by Drea Siford to talk about her approach to teaching 4th grade using the MCP model

Show Notes

Listen to the full version of this episode here

Zearn

Eureka Math

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers podcast, and the episode with Kareem:

Email Drea at amsiford@bcps.k12.md.us

Drea's game board

Announcements for the Upcoming Week

Want to start building your own Modern Classroom? Sign up for...

Listen to the full episode here

Toni Rose is joined by Sam Ortiz to talk about her experience implementing the model over four school years, addressing concerns from stakeholders, and engaging with the MCP community

Show Notes

Screencastify and Screencastify Submit

Quizziz

MCP Self-Paced Structures resources (including the tracker templates Sam mentioned)

MCP Free Course (also linked below in every episode!)

Connect with Sam on Instagram @thatteachermomma

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:<...

For our first feed drop of the summer, we'd love to share this episode of Teachers Talkin' with you! Teachers Talkin’ is a discussion-based podcast hosted by Dustin Tatroe and Ghazali Abdul-Wahab, focused on elevating conversations in education. Each episode features honest, reflective dialogue with educators from around the world on topics ranging from instructional practices and leadership to school culture and professional growth. The goal is to create a space for inspiration, challenge, and connection—where teachers and education leaders can explore what’s working, what’s not, and how we move forward together.

You can find the...

TR is joined by Megan Meachum to talk about how the MCP model benefited both herself and her students, and her plans for the coming school year.

Read a summary of the original episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Listen to the full version of this episode here

Remember, you can now listen to this episode (and all episodes) on Youtube!

Email Megan at megan.meachum@modernclassrooms.org

Learning Experiences for the Week of June 1st, 2025

Calling all school and district leaders...

TR is joined by Starr Sackstein to talk about how teachers can authentically innovate and disrupt in the realm of assessment.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Starr Sackstein

Starr's book, Hacking Assessment

Starr and Alexandra Laing's new book, Solving School Challenges: The Everything Guide to Transformative Change

Starr's TED Talk

Starr's podcast, Learner Centered Spaces

Connect with Starr on LinkedIn

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Calling all school and...

Guest host Aimee Yocom is joined by Dana Kravchick to talk about the Wavio Pulse tracker, developed specifically for MCP. They discuss how Wavio came to be, how it can be used in the classroom, and what the future holds for the platform.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Wavio and The Wavio Pulse Tracker

Khan Lab School

Zach's tracker

Connect with Dana:

Learning Experiences for the...

TR is joined by Jocelyn Hieatzman to talk about how high achieving students can learn from discomfort as they thrive in a Modern Classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

MCP Podcast Episode 56: Veteran Teachers (Jocelyn's first appearance on the podcast)

Canvas LMS

Jocelyn's Unit 2 Lesson 2 exemplar

Jocelyn's Canvas tutorial

Connect with Jocelyn by email at jocelyn_hieatzman@hcpss.org

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Calling all school and district leaders! We...

TR is joined by a fifth grade teaching team to talk about how they work together to use the MCP model in their different classes.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Calling all school and district leaders! We are hosting a virtual Summer Summit on June 24th for leaders supporting Modern Classrooms educators. Leaders...

TR is joined by Alex Clough to talk about gifted learners and how to help them thrive in a Modern Classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Differentiation Doesn't Work, by James Delisle

Differentiation Does, in Fact, Work, by Carol Tomlinson

NAGC and the NAGC Annual Convention

SENG: Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted and the SENG Annual Community Conference and Retreat

William and Mary Center for Gifted Education

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and...

TR is joined by Carlos Canela to talk about how educators can use AI responsibly and the importance of connection, even in an AI-forward classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Carlos' Padlet with AI resources for teachers

MCP's Instagram

Black Male Educators Convening (BMEC) conference

Knowlej

Padlet

Canva

Magic School

Diffit

TextFX

Large Language Models discussed in this episode:

...

Toni Rose is joined by Ernest Rodriguez to discuss learned helplessness and the importance of SEL and vulnerability in a student-centered classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Hot Yoga

On Purpose, with Jay Shetty

Gimkit

Connect with Ernest by email at mr.rod2425@gmail.com

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

TR is joined by Debbie Fry to talk about how she uses the MCP model in her Driver Education, P.E., and Health classes.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

MCP Podcast Episode 231: Physical Education

Connect with Debbie by email at deborah.fry@cpschools.com

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:

TR is joined by Sam Meisenburg, co-founder of Study Snacks, to talk about the importance of, and methodologies for, teaching cybersecurity and AI concepts to high schoolers.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Study Snacks

Transparent bird feeder

Brave Browser

Onion Router and the Tor Project

Duck Duck Go (alternative search engine, more private than Google)

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn. You can also email him at hello@studysnacks.net

Learning Experiences for...

TR is joined by Jake Bersin to talk about the unique considerations of teaching health and PE and the ways he thinks MCP may benefit health and PE teachers.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

TGFU Model of PE teaching

Jake's Padlet "Advocacy and Education Beyond the Classroom Walls"

MAHPERD (Massachusetts Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Inc.)

Insta~lesson, by Rob Barnett

Connect with Jake using his Padlet (linked above), on Bluesky, or at...

TR is joined by Amy Steele, Kara Cisco, Renee Swanson, and Sierra Burris to talk about their work incorporating MCP into the credit recovery program in St. Paul Public Schools.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Alternative Education in St. Paul

MCP University (link to come)

Canva, and Kara's video on using it

ChatGPT

Sierra's class layout

You can contact Amy, Kara, Renee, and Sierra by email:

TR is joined by Mauranda Comley to talk about using the MCP model in a middle school Family and Consumer Sciences classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Family and Consumer Science

Mauranda's article in NGLC, "Benefits of Self-Pacing in Skills-Based, Hands-On Classes"

Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development

Mauranda's Reflection Form and Exploring Career's Choice Board tes

Mauranda's business, "My Wholesome Table"

Connect with Mauranda on her website, or by email at mauranda.comley@modernclassrooms...

TR is joined by Teri McNulty to talk about how she uses MCP in conjunction with iReady to plan and teach units in her 5th grade class.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Disney Castle Lego set

iReady

Teri's pacing tracker

Connect with Teri in the MCP Facebook group here, and linked below the show notes for each episode (scroll down!), every week. Come join us!

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Join educators Carol...

Zach is joined by Carson Hickox to talk about how MCP transformed his middle school social studies classroom and his approach to teaching in general.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Captain Underpants

Proficiency-based grading

Cult of Pedagogy Podcast on Mastery Based Grading with MCP

Richard DuFour (The PLC at Work Process)

"Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning," by Mike Schmoker

"The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System...

TR is joined by Jamie Nutter to talk about her approach to using and sharing MCP as an instructional coach.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Join Arpan Choski, Katie Fatiga, and Lindsey Anderson, distinguished Modern Classroom Educators, for a live webinar on Tuesday, February 18 at 6pm ET, where they'll share their expertise in transforming your Social Studies classroom into a dynamic, personalized learning environment. 

TR is joined by Frank Hernandez to talk about his approach to teaching social studies using MCP.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Document-Based Questions (DBQs)

"Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two," by Joseph Bruchac

Quizziz

Eduphoria

Snorkl

Connect with Frank by email at frank.hernandez@modernclassrooms.org

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Looking for virtual connection? Join our implementer meetup on Wednesday, Feb, 12...

TR is joined by Saenovia Smith to talk about how she implements MCP in her kindergarten classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Elmo document cameras

Adam Grant

MCP's new progress tracker (in partner ship with Wavio)

Connect with Saenovia by email at the219teacher@gmail.com

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Do you ever wonder how to meet all of your learners’ needs at once? That’s natural! Every student needs different things, and...

Zach and TR catch up and chat about Zach's new role as a high school media production teacher, planning new courses, and transitioning into different teaching roles with MCP.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Soundtrap

Dragon TV Youtube Channel (DCI's student television program)

Zach's progress tracker

An example of Zach's lessons with animated gifs

CleanShot X (excellent screenshot and screen recording application) (also available on Setapp if you have a subscription)

Zach's MCP Email...

This episode is in Spanish. Zach is joined by Rossana Gotuzzo to talk about the basics of the MCP model and how she uses project based learning in her art classes

Show Notes

Edpuzzle

Zach's tracker (el rastreador que usa Zach en su clase)

MCP's Comprehensive Guide to Progress Trackers

Project Based Learning (aprendizaje basado en proyectos)

Connect with Rossana on (pueden conectarse con Rossana por) Instagram @rossanagotuzzoartista or by email at (o por email) rossanagotuzzo75@gmail.com

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Zach is joined by Rob Barnett, MCP Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder, to talk about his new book, "Meet Every Learner's Needs," which comes out on February 5th, 2025.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Rob's upcoming book, "Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction so ALL Students can Succeed" (and on Amazon)

Click here for a chance to win a copy of "Meet Every Learner's Needs"

MCP Podcast Episode 12 - Modern Classrooms Founder's Chat (Rob's first time on the podcast)

...

Zach is joined by Leslie Pittman to talk about her approach to using MCP as an elementary special education teacher.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:

Zach is joined by Marlene Tapia Garcia and three of her first grade students, Olivia, Arya, and Ethan, to talk about their experience in a Modern Classroom.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

MCP Podcast episode 138: La Revisión y las Pruebas de Dominio (Marlene's previous episode, entirely in Spanish with an English blog recap)

Two-Way Language Programs

Spring Math

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:

Zach is joined by Xian Lu to talk about culturally responsive teaching and the importance of prioritizing authentic relationships with students.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

MCP Podcast episode 114: World Language Acquisition (more of a focus on language learning, with Xiaomin Sun)

Building a Class Contract for Antiracist Learning (the Nearpod lesson Xian mentions)

Learning for Justice

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, by Zaretta Hammond

Why Are All the black Kids Sitting Together in the...

Toni Rose is joined by April Burton, who shares her perspective as both a school leader and the parent of a student in an MCP math class.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

ISTE

Connect with April on X (Twitter) @mmeburton and on LinkedIn

Contact us, follow us online, and learn more:

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We'll be back next Sunday

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week

Toni Rose is joined by Darius Brown to discuss his approach to teaching high school chemistry and using the model to build lifelong learners and scientific thinkers.

Read a summary of this episode on the Modern Classrooms Project blog.

Show Notes

Darius' Youtube Channel

Connect with Darius by email at darius.brown@modernclassrooms.org

Learning Experiences for the Upcoming Week