Who are the Listenwise Advocates?
Listenwise Advocates are a community of educators of grades 2 -12 who are passionate about the power of podcasts, public radio, and listening resources as a way to expand student learning. They are power users of Listenwise PREMIUM and want to promote the use of Listenwise in the classroom and spread their love of instructional listening resources. They encourage and inspire fellow educators in the community to use Listenwise.
Learn More
Read about the the benefits and perks, along with the expectations of being a Listenwise Advocate.
Learn More and Apply
Meet the Listenwise Teacher Advocates
Katie Booth
Katie Booth is a middle school master teacher at Oxford Preparatory Academy in Mission Viejo, CA who is currently teaching all content areas. She has been teaching for 6 years after making a career change from the business world, and is loving every minute. She has a Master's Degree in STEAM education, and training in CAASPP and CA NGSS.
Listenwise Webinar - Listenwise Teacher Best Practices
Sebastian Byers
Sebastian Byers is a science teacher at Union Early College High School in North Carolina. He is a North Carolina PBS Digital Innovator 2017, panelist for PBS Climate Conversations webinar series, featured in this PBS blog, Instructor at Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, and Kappa Delta Pi educational honors society member. He is also a Fellow for the North Carolina Science Leadership Association.
Blog: Keeping Students Engaged in a Blended Science Classroom
Jim Bentley
Jim Bentley teaches 5th and 6th grade in the Elk Grove School District in California. Jim is a national trainer for the Center for Civic Education, National Faculty for the Buck Institute for Education, a National Geographic Fellow, and Newsela Certified Educator. He won the American Civic Education Teacher Award in 2011.
Listenwise Webinar - Envisioning Multimedia Text Sets
Scott Petri
Dr. Scott Petri is a High School History Teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Valencia, California. He is the 2021 California Council for the Social Studies recipient of Outstanding High School Teacher of the year. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Masters in Educational Administration. He is a board member of the California Council for the Social Studies and the past President of the Southern California Social Studies Association.
Listenwise Webinar - Listenwise Teacher Best Practices
Listenwise Webinar - How to Use Listenwise Quizzes
Listening is a 21st-Century Skill - Getting Smart Article
Erik Eve
Erik Eve is an 8th grade Social Studies Teacher in Lindenhurst, NY. He teaches honors classes using PBL, blended learning, and Google Classroom. He teaches PD to other districts on Long Island and is on the district Technology Committee.
Blogs:
Collaboration is Key in Erik Eve’s 8th Grade Classroom
Hurricane Podcasting Project
Andrew Garnett-Cook
Andrew Garnett-Cook is a social studies teacher in the Brookline Public Schools in Massachusetts. He teaches Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations and U.S. History.
Blog: Reflections on NCSS – Teaching History Through Current Events
Interpreting Evidence About The Past, Using Listenwise
Listenwise Webinar: Bringing History to Life with Public Radio
Mike Messner
Mike Messner is a social studies teacher at Los Altos High School in Los Altos, CA, and an adjunct instructor of California History at Skyline College in San Bruno, CA. He is a Google Certified Educator: Levels 1 & 2; an Advisor to Future Business Leaders of America; blogger and a lifelong audiophile.
Listenwise Webinar - Listenwise Teacher Best Practices
Rosemary Miketa
Rosemary Miketa is a full time ESL professor at Henry Ford College English Language Institute in Michigan. Teaching English to non-native speakers. She has worked extensively abroad and taught English in Australia, the UK, and Spain. Her passion is working with students and experimenting with hybrid technology delivery.
Laura Krenicki
Laura Krenicki is a 6th grade geography and world cultures teacher at William J. Johnston Middle School in Colchester, Connecticut. She works with students and teachers around the world in global collaborations and inquiry projects. She is the recipient of the Orion Award at Mystic Seaport Museum, the Excellence in Social Studies Education from the Connecticut Council of the Social Studies, and the Distinction in Geography Education from the National Council of Geographic Education. She is a certified Google Educator, National Geographic Educator & Trainer, and Flipgrid Ambassador.
Carolyn Brown
Carolyn is an 8th grade ELA teacher in Vista Heritage Global Academy in Santa Ana California. She grew up in an Army family, moving every couple years to exotic locations all over the U.S. and overseas. After muddling through life with a BA in Art History, she realized her true calling was education and went back to school for a BA in English Education. She has been in education for over 10 years and looks forward to many more decades.
Eric Page
Eric Page teaches English and World History at Orinda Intermediate School in Orinda, CA. A veteran educator with more than twenty years of experience, he has attended numerous training programs in literacy and project-based learning including Columbia's Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and the Buck Institute.
Sarah LeClair
Sarah LeClair is a full-time ELA teacher at Making Community Connections Charter School in Keene, NH.
Theresa Blanchard
Theresa Blanchard has worked in Sanger Unified School District in California as a teacher, Curriculum Support Provider, and District Instructional Specialist. She enjoys providing professional development and collaborating with other educators to improve instruction and services for all students, especially English learners. Theresa continues to share educational best practices, resources, & reflections on www.sangerlearns.com and Twitter @CarteBlanchard.
Lara Covey
Lara Covey is an ELL Teacher in Angola, IN for both the middle and high school and has been there for the last 7 years. She has also taught for 2 years ESL at Trine University. In addition, she has been teaching for another 12 years for both private and public in the state of California. Prior to teaching, she served 4 years in the United States Navy. She served on her first review team for AdvanceED in 2015. She also serves on the team at her institution and worked to prepare both the middle and high school for their past review in 2016. Mrs. Covey holds a Master's degree in Education TESOL, a Bachelor's Degree in International Studies, and a Teaching Credential in General Ed K-8, Social Sciences 6-8, and EL K-12.
Francesca Rivellini
Francesca Rivellini is a Middle School Special Educator in Closter, New Jersey. She is also the Founder of Riv’s Room, which strives to support teachers as they instruct students with special needs. Francesca believes that all students and teachers can succeed in accomplishing their dreams and goals. In 2017, Francesca was honored with the University of Hartford’s Alumni Giving Back Award for upholding the ideals of education in her teaching practice and the community she serves.
Bonnie Nieves
Bonnie is a high school life science teacher in Massachusetts. She is committed to helping students make meaningful connections to science concepts through authentic experiences. She is a Google Level 2 certified educator and PAEMST nominee.
Viviani Piekutowski
Viviani is a 6th grade teacher in Santa Maria, CA, teaching multiple subjects. She has been teaching 6th grade for 4 years now. Last year she used Listenwise for a few months and found it valuable for my students. The stories are engaging and students learned about a great variety of topics. This year she hopes to use it consistently throughout the whole school year.
Jennifer Reed
Jennifer Reed works at Sheridan High School in Sheridan, Wyoming as an ELA teacher and Reading Specialist. Having earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a Reading endorsement as well as additional graduate classes in Gifted and Talented education, She currently teaches American Literature, Accelerated English 10 and Accelerated English 11. Her school district, Sheridan County School District #2, has been recognized as a model PLC district. She is always looking for innovative ways to engage students with text, such as Listenwise.
John Sullivan
John Sullivan is the Director of Teacher and Student Development at MESA Charter School in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York. After 15 years as a science teacher in an extremely wide variety of educational settings, he is now focused on bringing authentic, student-driven, project based learning experiences to urban, public high schools. Podcasting, as both a listening and creative endeavor, plays a heavy role in the Senior capstone social action project as many students choose to seek out or in many instances create, audio in one form or another, to learn about, raise awareness of and communicate about their topics and proposed solutions. In addition to being a long-time, ravenous consumer of podcasts, John truly believes in their power to transform individual learners, whole classrooms, entire schools and society in general!
Janette Snyder
Janette Snyder is a dedicated and motivated educator. She received her Bachelor in English/Language Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2009 and received her Masters of Education in English as a Second Language in 2017 from Concordia University. She currently teaches English 11 and English Language Development. Furthermore she is a tech lead and also advised the Gay Straight Alliance Club. In her free time she likes to spend time with her husband and two children. She also likes to spend her time hiking, camping, and running. Her favorite events are overnight races with a team of runners.
Julie Waugh-Ritchie
Julie Waugh-Ritchie is a social studies, English, and HS English Language Development teacher at a K-12 creative arts academy, in Colorado. She has been teaching middle and high school for the past 21 years. She also coaches and evaluates the English department in her building and serves on the Instructional Services Advisory team to support English Language Learners. In addition, she helps to train new teacher leaders in her district. She believes that the Listenwise application has revolutionized the ability to teach students to listen critically, which is vital in working with non-native English speakers; and shares this and other resources with colleagues to promote quality instruction for all students.
Paul Hernandez
Paul Hernandez is an educator and football coach at Sanger High School in Sanger, California. He has been teaching U.S. History and Academic Language Development for six years. Paul has a passion for collaborating with other educators in order to support English learners as they develop language proficiency and listening comprehension skills.
Richard Winters
Richard is a Library Media Teacher at Wasco High School in Wasco, CA. Before entering the library he taught English 9-12 and ELD. His 17 years of experience has helped teach him the importance of students in practicing speaking and listening! Through this time he also has worked closely with the technology department to integrate new programs in the district.
Listenwise Advocate Benefits and Perks
- Membership in the Listenwise Advocate-only Learning Community
- First look at new product features and opportunity to share feedback directly with Listenwise Instructional Team
- An official Listenwise Advocate digital badge
- Listenwise swag
- Recognition on Listenwise website
- Certificates awarded for contributions
- Optional leadership opportunities, such as writing blog posts, presenting webinars, moderating Twitter chats, and invitations to speak at conferences
Listenwise Advocate Expectations
- Frequently and consistently use Listenwise PREMIUM features with students
- Grow the use of Listenwise in your school by sharing
- ways to integrate with curriculum
- your passion for using Listenwise
- tips for new users
- Share a Teacher Spotlight for the Listenwise Newsletter
- Write a blog post highlighting a strategy taught using a Listenwise story
- Lead the conversation about Listenwise through social media
- Present Listenwise to your school staff or grade-level teams.
- Opportunity to lead or co-present conference sessions
- Opportunity to lead or co-present webinars on integrating Listenwise into teaching, share best practices during webinars.
How to Apply
If you have any questions, please email marielle@listenwise.com.