Best Models Workshop Production Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 110 All Things Kinder with Zeba McGibbon 39:56

9h ago39:56

39:56

Oh so many tips and insights were shared by the fabulous Zeba McGibbon of the Kindergarten Cafe! Listen in to hear about: -the importance of supporting students with SEL -including a variety of aspects for helping students with writing -Zeba's Caring Critters book series! You can find Zeba - On her Podcast-Kindergarten Cafe On Instagram @kindergart…

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464: Modelling the stars with Rémy Hannequin 42:59

3h ago42:59

42:59

Joël and Rémy draw inspiration from the stars as they discuss Rémy’s new open source Ruby gem, Astonoby. Rémy reveals the challenges he faced in taking on this project, the scientific translation work that went into making it accessible for everyone, as well as the key lessons he learnt from modelling the cosmos. — The Sponsor for this episode has …

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Episode 109 An Inside View: 3 Classrooms' Journey of Independent Writing Time 37:30

7d ago37:30

37:30

I am currently in the process of supporting three teachers with implementing an authentic independent writing time and wanted to give you an insider's look! In this episode you will hear about teachers and students from three different grade levels and how they are progressing with implementing student choice, multiple drafts and more. Our coaching…

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463: All about modals with Elaina Natario 36:42

6d ago36:42

36:42

Joël strikes up a dialogue with fellow thoughtboter Elaina Natario about the various use cases of modals. Together they discuss their pros and cons, the dos and don’ts, their functionality and accessibility to the end user as well as the subtle differences you'll notice when compared to dialogs. — The Sponsor for this episode has been Judoscale - A…

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Episode 108 Practical and Effective Tips for Supporting Multi-lingual Writers with Katherine Hamilton 38:54

14d ago38:54

38:54

I know that teachers are always looking for more ways to be able to provide effective support for their students who are multilingual learners. In this episode, Katherine Hamilton from Ensemble Learning discusses mindsets and strategies that are able to be implemented without lengthy preparation and will generalize across other areas of instruction…

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462: Decomposition as a key developer skill with Steve Polito 42:18

14d ago42:18

42:18

Joël and Steve sit down to discuss the ins and outs of decomposition within their respective workflows and how they use it to their advantage when working on certain projects. Together they look at working with vertical slices over other decomposition methods, when and how to break down code as efficiently as possible, and Joël lays out his three k…

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Episode 107 Thoughts on "Free Writing" and Journals 21:47

21d ago21:47

21:47

The term "free writing" is used often, and I have to say, I don't love it. To me, it signals that providing students "freedom" to choose their own topics, make mistakes, right without what is considered "proper structure", make mistakes or go at their own pace is something that is different from or outside of the writing that is typically done. Hea…

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461: Writing new vs existing code with Sara Jackson 42:20

21d ago42:20

42:20

Joël talks with fellow thoughtboter Sara about the different ways developers can help one another across the various stages of an app’s lifecycle. They highlight the importance of utilising notes early on to clarify your work for others who may need it later down the line, how tooling can aid with this at all stages of development, and what lessons…

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S16E16: Empathy: Know Thy Customer 15:30

28d ago15:30

15:30

In this episode, I read Chapter 15 of The Trust Premium, continuing Part III: Behaviors That Will Make Your Customers Trust You. This chapter is all about empathy—not just as a nice-to-have, but as a powerful tool to earn deeper trust, stronger loyalty, and ultimately, the Trust Premium. We explore how to genuinely understand your customers: their …

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Episode 106 Meaningful Grammar Instruction with Patty McGee 43:45

28d ago43:45

43:45

Students struggle with grammar. Teachers struggle with grammar. But...Patty McGee says it doesn't have to be that way! If you are looking for simple yet powerful ways to help your students to apply grammar skills, you will not want to miss this discussion! Patty shares a wealth of information on best practices in grammar instruction including high-…

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460: Programer Productivity with Valerie Burzynski 36:10

28d ago36:10

36:10

Start taking notes in this episode as Joël and Valerie discuss the different ways in which they structure their note taking systems to improve their workflows. Together they cover the best ways to get started with serious note taking, how to best map out your thoughts so they make the most sense when you come back round to them, as well as examinin…

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S16E15: Time, Intimacy, and First Impressions 13:43

1M ago13:43

13:43

This is a short chapter—and a short episode—but one that deserves to stand on its own. In this episode, I read Chapter 14 of The Trust Premium, continuing Part III: Behaviors That Will Make Your Customers Trust You. We look at how trust is shaped in the earliest moments of a professional interaction. From being on time and showing your face, to bei…

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Episode 105 Holding Space for Writers' Needs: One Teacher's Win! 12:50

1M ago12:50

12:50

When teaching writing, there are so many things on our mind-so many skills to worry about our students mastering. Most of these skills are what we can see on paper, and they can easily steal the majority of our focus. However, there are a multitude of skills, abilities, beliefs and characteristics of writers that need to be developed and addressed …

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459: Paper Data Structures with Sally Hall 42:20

1M ago42:20

42:20

Joël and thoughtbot colleague Sally Hall set out to find an answer to the question, what exactly are the differences between paper data structures and digitals ones? They compare the different ways humans store and access data, from rolodexs to the dewey decimal system, browsing a system vs searching it, and how the digital age has changed the way …

1
S16E14: The No-BS Approach to Building Trust 26:11

1M ago26:11

26:11

In this episode, I read Chapter 13 of The Trust Premium, continuing Part III: Behaviors That Will Make Your Customers Trust You. This chapter explores one of the most fundamental trust-building behaviors: being real. We all have a built-in BS detector—and your customers are no exception. In a world of hype, inflated claims, and performative profess…

1
Episode 104 Empowering the Writer Within with Author Sarah McDavis 37:19

1M ago37:19

37:19

This incredible conversation with author and speaker Sarah McDavis will have you feeling inspired! Sarah gives us a peek into her mind as a writer sharing: How she begins a new book Her process for drafting Her own version of planning Strategies for when you are "stuck" Using charts and graphs to revise her book She reminds us that each and every w…

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458: Learning Typescript with Aji Slater 42:31

1M ago42:31

42:31

Joël and fellow thoughtboter Aji Slater examine the unfamiliar world of Typescript and various ways of working within it’s system. They lay out the pros and cons of Typescript over other environments such as Ruby and Elm and discuss their experience of adopting LLM partners to assist in their workflows. Using ChatGPT and Claude to verify code and t…

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E66: Mentoring, Learning, and Growing: YouthBuild’s Transformative Model 21:11

2M ago21:11

21:11

In this episode, we revisit the powerful impact of the YouthBuild program, a community-based initiative designed to help young adults ages 16 to 24 earn their high school diploma or GED, gain job training, and develop leadership skills. Listeners will learn how YouthBuild empowers youth to build strong foundations for their futures through educatio…

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S16E13: The Customer is Not Always Right 19:06

2M ago19:06

19:06

In this episode, I read Chapter 12 of The Trust Premium, which marks the start of Part III: Behaviors That Will Make Your Customers Trust You. This chapter covers the first of five key trust-building behaviors—and it challenges the old mantra that “the customer is always right.” Instead of defaulting to agreement, trusted professionals know when to…

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Episode 103 Master Sentences before Writing? I Don't Think So 24:23

2M ago24:23

24:23

How can we expect perfection from our young writers when we don't expect it of ourselves? Does a young basketball player need to perfect his shot before he can play a game? Do professional authors publish their first draft? For some reason there are literacy professionals who are promoting having students "master sentences" before they are able to …

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S16E12: The Foundations of Trust and Trustworthiness 20:52

2M ago20:52

20:52

In this episode, I read Chapter 11 of The Trust Premium, which brings us to the conclusion of Part II of the book. This chapter steps back from the model and the laws to explore the deeper foundations of trust—the underlying principles that guide how trust is built, lost, and earned. We look at relativity, the idea that trust is not one-size-fits-a…

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Episode 102 Help! I Don't Know What to Teach Them! 18:41

2M ago18:41

18:41

When I first began using the workshop model, I felt very unequipped to help my writers. I wasn't a writer myself and certainly had not had any training in writing or how to teach writing. So, when I sat next to my little ones and read over their pieces, I felt like I didn't know how to help them. The truth was, I knew so many things about writing t…

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S16E11: The Three Components That Shape Customer Trust in Every Interaction 39:07

2M ago39:07

39:07

Trust isn’t just about who you are—it’s also about what you do in every interaction with a customer. In this episode, I continue reading Chapter 10 of The Trust Premium, focusing on the three key components that shape trust in the moment: Positivity, Time, and Intimacy. I discuss why radical honesty (No-BS) and empathy are essential for building tr…

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Episode 100 Elevating Writing Instruction with Carl Anderson and Matt Glover Pt 1 31:38

2M ago31:38

31:38

This is it!!! The 100th Episode! For my 100th am joined by two incredible writers themselves who have given so much to the field of education through their work on writing instruction: Matt Glover and Carl Anderson. In this first episode of the two-part series, we discuss ways to provide more student ownership in writing, which increases engagement…

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Episode 101 Elevating Writing Instruction with Carl Anderson and Matt Glover Pt 2 30:59

2M ago30:59

30:59

Get ready for the rest of this fantastic discussion with Carl Anderson and Matt Glover! You will hear more about the importance of student engagement in writing as well as helpful tips for navigating the various aspects of a writer-focused workshop model. Check out what the authors have to say about: Illustrations as an integral part of composition…

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457: Time Zones with Sally Hall 46:29

2M ago46:29

46:29

Joël enlists the help of thoughtbot colleague Sally Hall as they dive into the complex world of time zones, daylight savings, measurements and coding. Together they discuss their struggles with daylight savings throwing off their recent project reporting, the constant struggles of writing for different time zones and why writing your own code is ne…

1
S16E10: Do Your Customers Trust You? The Relative Trust Model (Part I) 32:18

2M ago32:18

32:18

Do your customers truly trust you, or do you just think they do? In this episode, I read Chapter 9 of The Book of TRUST, where we explore the surprising trust gap between businesses and their customers. Then, I dive into the first half of Chapter 10, introducing the Relative Trust Model and focusing on the first three components that shape trust be…

1
Ep 99 But We Don't Have Enough Time! 27:19

2M ago27:19

27:19

Time just does not seem to be on a teacher's side! There are so many things requiring or affecting your time-some you can control, some you cannot. Some you are invested in, some you are not. More often than not, writing is the part of literacy that gets pushed aside for other areas. But writing is an ESSENTIAL part of our students' day and life an…

1
S16E9: The 8 Laws of Trust: What is Trust and How it Really Behaves 35:33

3M ago35:33

35:33

Trust isn’t just about honesty or reliability—it follows specific patterns and behaviors that influence every interaction, especially in the customer-provider relationship. In this episode, I read Chapters 7 and 8 of The Trust Premium, where we transition from why trust is essential to what trust really is. I’ll introduce my definition of trust and…

1
Episode 98 Writers Struggling? Try a New Perspective! 14:33

3M ago14:33

14:33

We all get stuck in a rut with our teaching. Sometimes it just takes a different perspective to figure out what works! This episode shares a few examples of looking at parts of teaching writing in a new way and provides you with steps to try it out yourself! Listen in to this short episode for some helpful tips for improving your writing instructio…

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E65: From Draft to Direction: The Workforce Development Planning Process 20:10

3M ago20:10

20:10

Discover the comprehensive journey of creating a three-year strategic plan for regional workforce development. This episode explores how input from diverse stakeholders shapes a document that serves as both a federal requirement and an actionable roadmap. Learn about key strategic priorities including diversifying funding sources, developing talent…

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S16E8: The Bottom Line Impact of The Trust Premium 12:17

3M ago12:17

12:17

In this episode, I’ll be reading Chapter 6 of The Trust Premium—The Bottom-Line Impact of Trust Premium. So far, we’ve discussed how trust drives revenue through higher pricing and customer preference. But what about profitability? Today, we’ll break down how trust doesn’t just boost your top line—it multiplies your bottom line. From increasing gro…

1
Episode 97 Little Things Make a HUGE Difference! 14:01

3M ago14:01

14:01

Implementing effective writing instruction is a big task. There are many moving parts and lots of important young writers to take care of! I find it helpful to know and remember that often times the little details are what also make a huge impact on your student writers. This episode shares examples of those small practices and hopefully helps to s…

1
456: Typescript with Jimmy Thigpen 37:19

3M ago37:19

37:19

Joël turns to fellow thoughtboter Jimmy Thigpen as he looks to expand his knowledge about the wide world of Typescripts. Together they discuss the differences between Typescript and other common systems such as Elm and Javascript, how to best handle their edge cases and error flags, as well as the benefits of using Zod as your typescript library. —…

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S16E7: Who Values Trust the Most? Understanding Personal Context and the Trust Premium 17:19

3M ago17:19

17:19

In the final part of Chapter 5, we explore how personal factors—such as customer knowledge, risk tolerance, fear, and trustfulness—affect the Trust Premium. Understanding these differences helps you identify and focus on customers who value trust the most. Plus, we recap the entire chapter and set the stage for next week’s discussion on how the Tru…

1
Episode 96 Why Can't We Just Use the Oreo Planner? 13:02

3M ago13:02

13:02

Teaching is hard. Teaching writing is hard...and, it's not the only thing you have to teach! I get it. Trying new things can be time-consuming and a bit scary. But also...it can be so worth it! If you want your students to be engaged and successful in writing, it's time to take a risk! If you are frustrated with lack of student progress and even st…

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455: Noisy Animals Kata with Fritz Meissner 46:06

3M ago46:06

46:06

Joël talks with fellow thoughtboter Fritz Meissner about the thinking process behind his latest kata project and the vast world of coding problems. Fritz explains why he developed the noisy animals kata and how it helped to better understand and streamline his code, the best ways to break down conditionals and how to clean them up efficiently withi…

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S16E6: Industry Context: Why Different Industries Command Different Trust Premiums 43:03

3M ago43:03

43:03

Not all industries command the same Trust Premium. In this episode, I continue reading from The Trust Premium and explore why trust matters more in some industries than others. From painters to surgeons, financial advisors to insurance agents, I break down how factors like risk, complexity, and customer relationships shape the Trust Premium. Unders…

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Episode 95 Peer Feedback that Works with Michelle Ruhe Pt 2 22:03

3M ago22:03

22:03

Part 2 with Michelle Ruhe of Coach from the Couch continues with more actionable steps for implementing peer feedback with your writers. In this episode we discuss: the importance of slow, strategic implementation using checklists and rubrics providing quality, exemplar writing pieces and how to set goals while staying within a writer's ZPD This co…

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S16E5: The Trust Premium, Trust Preference, and No-Trust Discount 23:07

4M ago23:07

23:07

In this episode, I continue reading from my new book, The Trust Premium, sharing the first part of Chapter 5. This chapter explores how trust translates into both Trust Preference and Trust Premium, impacting customer decisions in different ways across industries. In this section, I define three key terms—Trust Preference, Trust Premium, and No-Tru…

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Episode 94 Peer Feedback that Works with Michelle Ruhe Pt 1 16:52

4M ago16:52

16:52

It can sound scary and impossible, but it's not! In this first episode with Mrs. Michelle Ruhe of Coach from the Couch, we share the power of peer feedback to: enhance writing quality engage students and distribute the feedback workload You will hear about the transformative potential of peer feedback in fostering student ownership and improving wr…

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454: Workshop design with Aji Slater 37:46

4M ago37:46

37:46

Joël is joined by fellow thoughtboter Aji Slater as they discuss their previous experiences in designing content for workshops. Learn how to best structure your workshop for an audience, the benefits of a workshop over a talk and vice versa, as well as how to tackle the different hurdles your audience might face when working through your presentati…

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S16E4: You Get What You Paid For, and Why Customers Are Willing to Pay for Trust (The Trust Premium Chapter 4) 13:53

4M ago13:53

13:53

In this episode, I’ll be reading Chapter 4 of The Trust Premium and diving into three deeply ingrained beliefs that shape our purchasing decisions: “You get what you paid for,” “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” and “If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.” Using real survey data, I’ll explore how these maxims influence our perce…

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Episode 93 Are You Over-Scaffolding your Writers? 19:34

4M ago19:34

19:34

Can't stand the mess? Then get out of the kitchen! I couldn't help but think of that saying when writing show notes for this episode! Just like I over-supported my children when baking cookies to avoid the "mess" of little hands, writing teachers often over-scaffold their writers. If you have ever said, "I taught you how to do that!" or "We've been…

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S16E3: How Trust Affects the Purchase Decision, Customer Loyalty, and Your Next Customer (The Trust Premium Chapter 3) 38:09

4M ago38:09

38:09

In this episode, I’m diving into Chapter 3 of The Trust Premium, exploring the purchase decision and what happens beyond it. Learn how perceived and actual price, value, and trust shape every transaction. From total cost of ownership to switching costs, I’ll unpack examples of how trust builds—or erodes—after the sale. We’ll also discuss the cycle …

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Episode 92 Writing Strategies Series: Volume 27:49

4M ago27:49

27:49

I recently had a teacher I am coaching say, "That's going to be hard for me," when we discussed allowing students to try multiple drafts on different topics for their informational books. I completely understand why this fabulous teacher was hesitant...and there are so many reasons! But the truth is, we all need repeated practice to improve our ski…

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S16E2: The Trust Premium, Chapters 1 and 2: The Nigerian Prince, Spam, Deception, and Scams 1:07:29

4M ago1:07:29

1:07:29

This week, I’m reading chapters 1 and 2 of The Trust Premium. We’ll explore the transformation of sales, from in-person trust-based interactions to today’s unethical practices, criminal activities, and misuse of technology. I’ll discuss the decline in intimacy, ethical sales techniques, and how these have driven skepticism and plummeting sales succ…

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Episode 91 Writing Conferring Series: Research-Decide-Teach 30:22

4M ago30:22

30:22

Melissa saved one of the best, but possibly "scariest" writing conference for last! The Research-Decide-Teach conference originates from Lucy Calkins and is a highly effective method for truly meeting your writers' needs and moving them forward as writers. In this final installment of the Writing Conference Series, Melissa discusses how to gather i…

1
S16E1: The Trust Premium Book: Introduction 37:55

4M ago37:55

37:55

In this episode, we dive into the introduction of The Trust Premium, exploring how trust influences buying decisions, loyalty, and pricing. Learn why customers are willing to pay nearly 40% more for trusted providers and how trust serves as the ultimate competitive advantage. Packed with anecdotes and research, this episode sets the stage for under…

1
Edited! Episode 90 Writing Strategies Series: Elaboration 20:40

4M ago20:40

20:40

Are you looking for more than "use describing words" and "tell me more" when it comes to helping students elaborate in their writing? In this episode, Melissa dives into strategies for improving writing elaboration for students by first considering a few overall understandings and techniques for opinion, narrative and informational writing and then…

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