Podcasts

The Pulse #79 - 05/09/08
This week Gail and Todd talk with MSTA Department of Education Director, Cindy Whitaker about mentoring and more specifically the lead mentor program in Willard, Missouri.

The Pulse #78 - 04/25/08
It is update time on the Pulse. Krista Meyer, Political Action Manager, talks about the past week at the Capitol, including floor debate on the MSTA collective bargaining bill. In addition, she talks about the early process of endorsing candidates for office. Cindy Whitaker, Director of Education, gives a preview for the Ruby Payne conference in Branson. Back by popular demand, Dr. Payne has new topics and practical advice for teachers. For more information on both topics go to www.msta.org.

The Pulse #77 - 04/15/08
Troops to Teachers takes the spotlight as Chad Schatz, Director of Veterans Education and Training Section for DESE, talks about the program as well as the newly created Spouses to Teachers. Chad talks about how military personnel get involved with the program, assistance they provide with meeting the certification requirements in MO and the relief the program provides for math, science and special education. You can read more about it at: www.ProudToServeAgain.com.

The Pulse #76 - 04/11/08
Todd and Gail welcome Mike Wood to the Pulse this week. Mike updates listeners on the latest happenings at the MO Capitol including the most recent developments on the salary bill.

The Pulse #75 - 04/04/08
On this episode of The Pulse Gail shares important information concerning 10 month salaries paid over a 12 month period. In addition Rachel joins the show to discuss website updates and email newsletters. Finally, Kim reviews a great piece of software called Crazy Talk 5. Don't miss this packed podcast.

The Pulse #74 - 03/25/08
On the March 25 episode of The Pulse, Todd is joined by MSTA IT Manager, Matt Walker, to discuss the process they use to produce and distribute podcasts for the association.

The Pulse #74 - 03/07/08
Mike Wood provides a legislative update including information on the Career Salary bill that was heard in the Senate Education Committee, retirement and budget issues. For video on the hearing and photos from Lobby Day, go to www.qualityschools.org.

The Pulse #73 - 02/29/08
A true road show this week, Todd and Gail travel to Jefferson City for Lobby Day. We have interviews with a select few of the over 400 participants including Speaker Rod Jetton and President Linda Schnakenberg.

The Pulse #72 - 02/15/08
Curt Fuchs, Director of the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, stops in to talk about the first year with Missouri’s new Virtual School and the changes for the second year. New course offerings, student population, enrollment information, summer school and middle school offerings are all topics. More information can be found at: http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/movip/

The Pulse #71 - 01/30/08
Thinking of retirement? Dearld Snider of PSRS/PEERS, offers tips and advice on how to get information about your retirement options. Check the website at: www.psrs-peers.org.

The Pulse #70 - 01/24/08
Gail and Todd are joined this week by Rachel and Krista to discuss several topics including this week’s legislative news as well as MSTA website and news updates. In addition, the hosts discuss the importance of school board elections and the various ways that teachers can get involved in the election process.

The Pulse #69 - 01/17/08
Eric Langhorst, MO Teacher of the Year, talks about his experience as Teacher of the Year and his favorite topic, technology in the classroom. Visit his blog at www.speakingofhistory.blogspot.com.

The Pulse #68 - 01/11/08
Catch up on the latest news with information about the Commit to Quality School Campaign, the start of the new legislative year and new developments on No Child Left Behind, all this week on The Pulse.

The Pulse #67 - 12/19/07
The Pulse closes 2007 with a look ahead to the new legislative session. Krista Meyer from the Government Relations staff reviews the legislative priorities and talks about the upcoming session.

The Pulse #66 - 11/28/07
Today on the Pulse Todd talks with Dr. Frank Fontana, VSP Vision Care State Professional Representative for Missouri about the importance of eye care and eye examinations for children.

The Pulse #65 - 11/20/07
Todd is joined this week by Charles Brooks to recap the 2007 MSTA Convention and give you the opportunity to hear Past-President, Valerie Moats final speech delivered at the General Session on Friday, November 16.

The Pulse #64 - 11/08/07
Rachel Webb, MSTA Assistant Editor, joins Todd in welcoming Gail back to the show. They discuss American Education Week activities, the MSTA website and magazine.

The Pulse #63 - 10/25/07
Join Mike and Todd for a Commit to Quality Schools Campaign update and some new information concerning the MSTA convention in November. For more information about the campaign head to qualityschools.org

The Pulse #62 - 10/19/07
This week on The Pulse Mike interviews Comissioner of Education, Dr. Kent King. Their discussion includes talk about No Child Left Behind, and Dr. King's history with MSTA. This is a great interview you won't want to miss.

The Pulse #61 - 10/04/07
This week on The Pulse Todd and Mike are joined by MSTA Director of Education, Cindy Whitaker. Their discussion covers updates on all MSTA departments. Get caught up on all your recent MSTA news in 30 quick minutes.

The Pulse #60 - 09/21/07
Mike is back this week on The Pulse and he joins Todd to discuss several topics including the Quality Schools campaign (www.qualityschools.org), MSTA open hearings, Missouri State Teachers Foundation and the annual MSTA Convention. A big show with lots of good information.

The Pulse #59 - 09/14/07
This week on The Pulse Todd talks with David Bond, Associate Executive Director of Membership Services and Kim Taube, Member Care Representative about our Member Care Services and our newest membership benefit, Identity Theft Restoration.

The Pulse #58 - 08/31/07
This week on The Pulse one of the newest MSTA staff members, Sarah Papineau and Todd talk to Dr Bobbi Kurshan, Executive Director of Curriki, The Global Education and Learning Community. The goal of Curriki, “is to make curricula and learning resources available to everyone.” They accomplish this using several web based tools including open source curriculum which allows for interaction and collaboration between educators from all over the world. The best way to understand how Curriki works is to listen to this weeks episode of The Pulse and then visit Curriki at: http://www.curriki.org where you can become a member of a very unique learning community. **Note: Since Dr. Kurshan is based in Washington D.C., we used a program called Skype to record this podcast. Skype is a great program however, sometimes net congestion can affect its sound quality. Regardless, we hope you enjoy the content of the interview.

The Pulse #57 - 08/24/07
This week on The Pulse we have a new guest for today and a new co-host for the next few months. Mike Wood joins Todd to talk with Steve Yoakum, Executive Director of The Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri. The discussion covers several topics including where the system is now fiscally, the affect recent stock market actions might have the system and issues that might affect the system in the future.

The Pulse #56 - 07/20/07
Are you a local leader looking to improve your leadership skills and get help with improving your CTA? David Bond from the MSTA Staff discusses Leader U on this edition of the Pulse. Leader U is a free leadership conference offered in early August for MSTA members.

The Pulse #55 - 06/29/07
MSTA is preparing to unveil the new on-line version of the Beginning Teacher Assistance Program, MSTA Director of Education Cindy Whitaker and Candy Lindsey from the MU College of Education talk about the new program and how it differs from a traditional in-person BTA. Keep checking at msta.org for enrollment information for the first session.

The Pulse #54 - 06/22/07
New MSTA staff members, Sarah Papineau and Krista Meyer, stop by to introduce themselves and talk about their new roles with the Association.

The Pulse #53 - 06/01/07
MSTA Executive Director Kent King is the guest for this week. He discusses with Gail and Todd the implications of the recent MO Supreme Court opinion related to public sector collective bargaining and explains where MSTA is headed for the future.

The Pulse #52 - 05/21/07
Hear an end of session round up as Mike Wood shares the highlights of the 2007 legislative session including changes to retirement, mentoring and inclement weather forgiveness.

The Pulse #51 - 05/11/07
It’s a big show this week with a legislative alert, media award winners and Letha Albright, Director of Communications, sharing the process for the creation of the book chronicling the first 150 years of MSTA.

The Pulse #50 - 05/04/07
Janese Heavin, Education reporter for the Columbia Tribune, talks with Todd and Gail about covering education stories for the local paper. She shares what kinds of stories she is looking for, how best for teachers to contact her and what it is like to cover education for a weekly and daily paper.

The Pulse #49 - 04/20/07
McClain Thompson, Columbia High School Senior, joins Gail and Todd to talk about his recent class project. Thompson created a “Day in the Life” project with video and written vignettes to examine how teachers’ lives compare to the book Teachers Have it Easy-The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America’s Teacher by Daniel Mouthrop, Ninive Clements Calegari and Dave Eggers. The completed video and report were shared with the Columbia School District, Board of Education. To see the video head to: http://www.msta.org/video/teachers.wmv

The Pulse #48 - 04/13/07
Former MSTA President and staffer, Audie Cline, stops by with new co-worker Meghan Maskery to talk about his new job with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Audie and Meghan share details about the Show-Me Scholars Initiative, a new program offered by the MO Chamber to better partner students, parents, schools and business to encourage students to take more challenging curriculum in high school.

The Pulse #47 - 04/05/07
Gail and Todd had the opportunity to talk to Executive Director, Kent King and newly elected Columbia School Board member (and former Columbia CTA President), Jan Mees about the process of running a local school board campaign. In addition, their discussion focuses on the importance of teacher involvement in local elections.

The Pulse #46 - 03/23/07
Migrant education and English Language Learners were the topic for the show as Shawn Cockrum stopped by The Pulse. Cockrum is the Director of MME/ELL and works with school districts and teachers to provide resources for migrant students as well as English Language Learners. You can read more about it at: www.mo-mell.org

The Pulse #45 - 03/09/07
Two guests for the price of one free show! Joe Bex joins the Pulse to talk about the upcoming Leader U Too event including how to register and what topics will be covered. Angie Hull stops by to discuss the recent defeat of HB808, an issue MSTA has been working against for several sessions.

The Pulse #44 - 02/23/07
Spring is here (almost) and that means it is time for the MSTA Spring Membership Drive and Rewards program. David Bond and Charles Brooks join The Pulse to discuss how the program works and how members can earn rewards for recruiting more members.

The Pulse #43 - 02/09/07
Dr. Angie Hull joins The Pulse to talk about the new MSTA Salary book, teacher salaries and benefits. You can view the book at www.msta.org/salary/.

The Pulse #42 - 02/02/07
On the February 2 edition of The Pulse Gail talks to Melissa Lorts, MSTA’s Salary Consultant Manager about upcoming salary workshops and what is needed to do an accurate workup for a school district. For more information on salary negotiation and research head to MSTA’s website at, http://www.msta.org/salary/.

The Pulse #41 - 01/26/07
On the January 26 edition of The Pulse Todd speaks with Lynn Ogden, a licensed Clinical Social Worker involved with the Boone Hospital Employee Assistance Program. Their discussion focuses on stress and burnout in the workplace and the benefits of employee assistance programs.

The Pulse #40 - 01/19/07
On the January 19, 2007 edition of The Pulse, Gail and Todd get the opportunity to talk to MSTA Executive Director Kent King about recent speaking engagements he has had in Southwest Missouri. In addition, Kent shares his insight on education reform and 5 years of No Child Left Behind.

The Pulse #39 - 01/12/07
This week on The Pulse Gail and Todd talk to Guest, Michelle Baumstark. Michelle is the School/Community Programs and Communication Coordinator for the Columbia Public School System. The discussion focuses on Bond and Levy campaigns, the difference between the two, how they’re run and what teachers and other interested parties can do to get involved. You can find more information on bond and levy legal issues at www.moethics.mo.gov.

The Pulse #38 - 01/01/07
For the first show of 2007, The Pulse provides updates on the latest education stories. Gail and Todd discuss the start of the funding lawsuit this week in Jefferson City as well as updates on the appointments to the State Board of Education and St. Louis Public Schools.

The Pulse #37 - 12/15/06
As the first semester of the school year closes, Field Coordinators Kim Wencewicz and Glenn Bussen join The Pulse to offer some tips on transitioning to next semester. Topics include testing procedures, the business of teaching and grades. Kim also talks about the new MSTA blog that can be found at: http://mostateteachers.typepad.com/.

The Pulse #36 - 11/30/06
Guests abound on this edition of The Pulse. Mike Wood stops by to discuss the MSTA Legislative Priorities for the upcoming session and from the Convention we have interviews with Past President Tami Pasley and President Valerie Moats.

The Pulse #35 Special Edition - 11/16/06
Special Convention Edition of The Pulse. Hot off the presses so to speak, Gail and Todd talk about what took place at the Assembly of Delegates. In addition, there are interviews with President Elect, Gary Rademacher and Vice President, Becky Ruth.

The Pulse #34 - 11/10/06
Todd and Gail share one last final word on the 2006 election. Hear how MSTA fared on the endorsements and what you can do to help this legislative session.

The Pulse #33 - 11/03/06
Bruce Moe, Deputy Executive Director, visits The Pulse to talk about a variety of association issues. The crew explains new charitable opportunities available with the Missouri State Teachers Foundation, activities at the MSTA Convention November 16 and 17 in Kansas City and reminds everyone to vote on Tuesday.

The Pulse #32 - 10/27/06
Jennifer Wright, Educational Outreach Coordinator for the University Concert Series, joined the Pulse to talk about opportunities for schools to get involved with their local Performing Arts Centers. Options include reduced prices for concert tickets as well as private performances in the local school. For more information on the University Concert Series you can e-mail outreach@concertseries.org or go to www.concertseries.org.

The Pulse #31 - 10/13/06
With the thought that education is a group effort, Brent Ghan from Missouri School Boards Association and Roger Kurtz from Missouri Association of School Administrators joined The Pulse to talk about a variety of issues facing education. The topics included school safety, upcoming legislative issues and how to have an impact on legislators' decision making. Websites mentioned this week include: www.esgn.tv and www.techortreat.blogspot.com.

The Pulse #30 - 10/06/06
The Executive Director and President of ATPE, the Texas independent association, join the Pulse. Doug Rogers and Cindy Chapman discuss how federal issues like NCLB impact Texas and talk about some of the unique challenges they address in the Lone Star State.

The Pulse #29 - 09/28/06
The Pulse travels to Jefferson City to talk to Rusty Rosenkoetter, Coordinator of Educator Certification at DESE, about the new mentoring website for MO teachers. You can see the site at http://www.successlink.org/mentor, you'll find tips for new teachers and mentors.

The Pulse #28 - 09/18/06
Hear it here first. Todd and Gail talk about the Impact Committee endorsements for the upcoming 2006 elections before the list is released anywhere else. Find out how candidates are selected and where to find the complete list.

The Pulse #27 - 09/08/06
Vera Campfield and David Bond join the Pulse to talk about an important member benefit, liability insurance. Vera and David hit the highlights of the coverage and tell you what you need to do if you have questions or an employment related problem at work.

The Pulse #26 - 09/01/06
Gail and Todd speak about the Physics First movement with Sara Torres, K-12 Science/Health Coordinator for Columbia 93. Several districts in Missouri are moving to a year of physics for freshmen with biology for juniors. Torres talks about the movement, its challenges and its advantages for students.

The Pulse #25 - 08/25/06
Have you heard MSTA on the radio? On the Pulse, Todd and Gail talk about MSTA advertising with a sneak peek of what you will be hearing and seeing throughout the school year.

The Pulse #24 - 08/18/06
The crew of The Pulse is joined by Deputy Executive Director Bruce Moe and discusses the recent news articles about Missouri's failing grade from the U.S. Department of Education.

The Pulse #23 - 08/11/06
This week on The Pulse Cindy Whitaker, Director of Education joins Todd to discuss teaching tips for new teachers. In addition, Cindy explains how we plan to use video we shot of several MSTA members sharing their ideas on everything from lesson plans to classroom management.

The Pulse #22 - 08/04/06
Eric Langhorst, 8th grade history teacher, joins the Pulse this week. Eric talks about his use of podcasting and blogging in his class and lets teachers know how to get more information if they are interested in technology in the classroom.

The Pulse #21 - 07/20/06
Todd and Gail are joined by the Mikes, Mike Watters and Mike Lising, Graphic Designers for MSTA. Mike and Mike talk about the MSTA “look” and where they get all of the great photos of kids and teachers for the publications.

The Pulse #20 - 07/07/06
Guest David Bond talks about the beginning of the school year and upcoming free leadership training through MSTA.

The Pulse #19 - 06/30/06
Bert Schulte, Deputy Commissioner of Education in Missouri, is the guest on this edition of The Pulse. Commissioner Schulte outlines plans for the new Missouri Virtual Public School to begin in July 2007. He explains how the school may work and a timeframe for implementation.

The Pulse #18 - 06/16/06
Letha Albright, Director of Communications, joins Gail and Todd on the Pulse to talk about summer at MSTA. Letha highlights some of the publications her department is working on for next school year as well as ways members can get involved by writing and submitting ideas for publication.

The Pulse #17 - 06/08/06
Vera Campfield, Legal Services Manager, makes a guest appearance on this week's episode of The Pulse. She talks with Todd and Gail about a lawsuit filed on behalf of teachers against the Riverview Gardens School District.

The Pulse #16 - 05/26/06
This week on The Pulse, Gail and Todd speak with MSTA Field Representatives, Audie Cline and Charles Brooks. The discussion focuses on preparing yourself and your classroom for the end of the school year. In addition, the group looks ahead to the next big MSTA event, Leader U.

The Pulse #15 - 05/17/06
In this edition of The Pulse, Todd and Gail talk about the upcoming 150th Anniversary of MSTA. They try to put the achievement into historical perspective as well as discuss upcoming celebrations of the milestone.

The Pulse #14 - 05/12/06
Today on The Pulse Gail and Todd host a round table discussion with Mike Wood and Angie Hull, both from MSTA Government Relations. As the 2006 legislative session comes to a close, the group gives some perspective on how the end of the session functions. In addition, they discuss key pieces of legislation that passed and what might be important issues in 2007.

The Pulse #13 - 05/05/06
On today's episode of The Pulse, Todd Fuller and Assistant Editor Rachel Webb discuss the so-called Taxpayers' Bill of Rights initiative taking place in Missouri. Education advocates worry the initiative, which would limit state spending, would reduce school funding. They also talk about the whirlwind of activity taking place at the Capitol as the legislative session winds down.

The Pulse #12 - 04/28/06
Today on The Pulse Gail and Todd talk to Angie Hull with the Government Relations Department concerning the April 25, Mathematics, Engineering, Technology, Science (METS) Conference. This math and science summit brought together education organizations and business leaders from institutions throughout Missouri to discuss math and science issues facing public schools, higher education and Missouri businesses.

The Pulse #11 - 04/13/06
Today Gail and Todd traveled to the offices of the Public School and Education Employee Retirement System in Jefferson City. We had the opportunity to meet with Dearld Snider, Director of Member Services and get some insight into how the retirement system works and what you can do to prepare if you are considering retirement in the near future. Website: www.psrs-peers.org

The Pulse #10 - 04/07/06
This week on The Pulse Gail McCray becomes a regular host and Cindy Whitaker, Director of Education, discusses the many Future Teachers of America chapters throughout Missouri and the Cadet Teaching Program.

The Pulse Special Edition - 03/24/06
This week is a special edition of The Pulse. Gail McCray and Mike Wood from the Governmental Relations Department discuss the tuition tax credit bill that is before the House of Representatives. In addition, we play the new radio spot opposing the bill. That spot will run for the next two weeks on radio stations throughout Missouri.

The Pulse #9 - 03/17/06
This week for the St. Patrick’s edition of The Pulse, David Bond, Associate Executive Director of Member Services stops by to discuss member services, the Member Care Center, and Spring membership renewal.

The Pulse #8 - 03/10/06
This week on The Pulse, Gail McCray and I discuss the legislative events that took place including our lobby day and our 150-year anniversary celebration that took place in the Governor’s Mansion. We also discuss the education issues that will be debated in the capitol building next week.

The Pulse #7 - 03/03/06
This week on The Pulse I speak with Attorneys, Vera Campfield and Jo Self, both in MSTA's legal department. We discuss teacher contracts and some of the differences between tenured and non-tenured teacher contracts in Missouri.

The Pulse #6 - 02/24/06
This week on The Pulse I talk to Angie Ricco, Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the School of Information Science and Learning Technologies at the University of Missouri. We discuss several topics including online masters degrees, scholarship opportunities for continuing education and a Town Hall Public Forum concerning No Child Left Behind that will be sponsored by the University of Missouri.

The Pulse #5 - 02/10/06
Episode #5 of The Pulse focuses on salary information. Deputy Executive Director, Bruce Moe discusses salary workups for school districts and salary workshops. In addition, Bruce talks about MSTA’s salary research and benefit guide that is currently in production.

The Pulse #4 - 02/03/06
This week MSTA Executive Director, Kent King discusses the Coalition of Independent Educators and their role as an education association alternative throughout the U.S.

The Pulse #3 - 01/27/06
Hear a discussion about communicating with members. This topic is one of the many workshops that will be presented at Leader U Too, March 31 and April 1. Also, hear an article teaser in the upcoming issue of School and Community.

The Pulse #2 - 01/20/06
A insightful discussion that focuses on defining virtual classrooms. In addition, MSTA staff discuss an pending legislation concerning virtual classrooms.

The Pulse #1 - 01/10/06
The first episode of MSTA’s The Pulse. Hear a discussion concerning salary work ups and the future of MAP testing.