The Big E.D idea Podcast

Sarah and Joyce were the first Spencer County match for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana back in 2000!

Join the 3 of us as we discuss how life was like when their match began, their favorite memories and how BBBS changed their lives.

Be prepared to get emotional!

Matthew is a current Big with us at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana. As a retired military man, his brings a strong sense of purpose for improving the community in which he lives with his wife and children.

Join us as Matthew discusses why he chose to be a Big, what that typically looks like and why others should join our ranks as a defender of potential!

DJ Quinn is a two-time Big Brother / Big Sisters volunteer, having been matched from 1980-1984 with a Little Brother in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He currently assists with mentor programs in the Pierce County Juvenile Court system. His honest and humorous writing style was developed in previous editing and writing jobs for airline labor unions, lifestyle magazines, and real estate advertising. Quinn retired in January 2023 from a 16-year career as a Real Estate Broker. Prior to his real estate career, he worked as a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines from 1979 to 2005, flying both domestic and international routes from the Minneapolis and Seattle crew bases. The second oldest of nine-children raised in Helena, Montana, he currently resides in Gig Harbor, Washington.

What if I told you there is a crisis right with our boys? What if I told you that our boys aren't doing well??

Join Hal and I as we discuss an issue that noone is talking about: the boy crisis!

After spending over 2 decades in the classroom, Hal Bowman has been crisscrossing the United States, helping tens of thousands of teachers and school leaders understand and shift classroom and campus culture. His work around school culture and its importance in creating the most effective environment for student success and teacher retention is unmatched.  Hal’s programs include Teach Like A Rock Star, Be The One, Change a Kid’s Life, and Culture Shock.

Due in part to Hal’s masterful delivery and the programs’ next-generation, envelope-pushing content, these research-based events for educators, administrators, and students have remained highly sought after by schools and districts across the country for over 15 years.

 Hal is also the founder of Men in Education - a private Facebook group that empowers men in education with support, personal growth, professional development, and community. Additionally, his books, Dear Teacher: 100 Days of Inspirational Quotes and Anecdotes and Thank You, Teacher are #1 best sellers and available everywhere books are sold. 

Connect with Hal online at HalBowman.com or on social media @HalBowman on all platforms.

Chip Baker is a fourth generation educator. He has been a teacher/coach for over twenty four years. He is a multiple time best-selling Author, Youtuber/Podcaster, Transformational Speaker and Life Coach. He is the Greater Houston Area Ambassador for Hartwell University. Chip Baker is the creator of the youtube channel/podcast Chip Baker - The Success Chronicles where he interviews people from all walks of life and shares their stories for positive inspiration and motivation.  Live. Learn. Serve. Inspire. Go get it!

Ginger Healy MSW, LCSW is a clinical social worker with experience as a non-profit case manager, child abuse investigator, hospital social worker, and school social worker. She spent 15 years as the social service supervisor at an international adoption agency and was able to travel to provide support for orphanages all over the world.

She is currently the director of programs for the Attachment & Trauma Network where she co-anchors the podcast “Regulated and Relational” and speaks nationwide on trauma-informed schools, therapeutic parenting, and community engagement.

Ginger is the author of Regulation and Co-Regulation: Accessible Neuroscience that Brings Calm into the Classroom and has a companion workbook set to release in February! Her greatest teachers about developmental trauma and neurodivergence are her four children.

Join Ginger and I as we discuss how Big Brothers Big Sisters focus on creating and supporting one to one mentoring can literally save the lives of kids!

In her two decades as a consultant on education and economic class, Ruby has published more than a dozen books and spoken extensively around the globe.

Ruby empowers educators and community leaders to address issues of poverty in classrooms, communities, businesses, hospitals, churches, and social services. Through aha! Process programs and conferences, Ruby has certified thousands of trainees in her Framework for Understanding Poverty and Bridges Out of Poverty models. Her book Emotional Poverty won an IPPY Award from the Independent Publishers organization, which named it one of the best educational resources of the year.

Over her distinguished career, Ruby has worked as a teacher and principal, written K–12 curriculum in all subject areas, and assisted in strategic planning and staff development programs for multiple organizations. Ruby’s work guides educators and community leaders through her extensive library of resources. She aims to equip everyone she meets with the tools to write a future story full of hope.

Dr. Lindsey Jensen was the 2018 Illinois Teacher of the Year, the 2020 NEA Foundation for Teaching Excellence Illinois Awardee, and Vice-President of the Illinois State Teachers of the Year.

Her work has been featured in IL-ASCD, Teach Plus, NEA Today, Education Post, and the book Flip the System US: How Teachers Can Transform Education and Save Democracy. Her career in education spans 19 years, and she currently serves as the state coordinator for Educators Rising Illinois & the Early Career Development and Aspiring Ed Director for the Illinois Education Association.

Lindsey is an educator by day and musician by night. Lover of hiking, dogs, eclectic music, delicious food, dry red wine, and all things public education.

Joe Brummer is a trauma survivor. Having lived through early exposure to violence, child abuse and neglect, and two violent anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, he turned his healing journey into a career in peacebuilding, restorative justice, and consulting in trauma-informed education.

He supports schools and youth justice institutions internationally using a trauma-informed restorative lens to create supportive human-centered environments. Joe is a member of the adjunct faculty at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, teaching the Peacebuilding Skills: Dialogue, Trauma & Restorative Justice course.

Joe has appeared on dozens of podcasts and webinars and presented at national and international conferences. He has also completed the certification course in Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model in Education and is a member of the Attachment and Trauma Network’s Training Collaborative. After years of working in the mental health training field, he was the associate director of a community mediation center, where he ran criminal mediation programs, community dialogue initiatives, and school-based peer mediation programs, training hundreds of people to become mediators. He served seven years on the board of directors for the National Association for Community Mediation.

Joe's book, Building a Trauma-informed Restorative School: Skills and Approaches for Improving Culture and Behavior (2020) is used by schools across the globe. His next book, Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator: Practical Skills to Change Culture and Behavior, co-authored with Margaret Thorsborne, will be released in mid-2024.

Ryan Scott is the Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana. He can be described as goal-driven, servant-led, and incredibly relentless in his pursuit to fight for ALL kids!

Prior to coming on board BBBS, Ryan spent 16 years in public education, where he worked tirelessly to preach the gospel of connection before content and that we had a connection, not entirely an academic gap. Ryan received his undergraduate degree from Murray State University and two master’s degrees from The University of the Cumberlands.

“Thousands of research studies have proven that positive, nurturing, supportive relationships are the lifeblood of a successful, happy life. Connecting children with role-models who can provide these critical elements has the ability to literally change the direction of a kids’ life,” says Ryan. “In a world where hope is often lacking among our most vulnerable youth, one positive role model can provide the essential support needed to persevere through life. Life is easily the hardest thing we ever have to do, but having someone walking beside you makes it 10x easier.”

In this episode, you will hear Ryan speak to the "why" behind the podcast and what you can expect to hear on future episodes!

Alex T. Valencic is an educator, former small business owner, Boy Scout leader, volunteer drug prevention specialist, and geek of all things. Currently the Professional Learning Coordinator for Freeport SD 145, home of the Pretzels! 🥨 Teach Better Ambassador with The Teach Better.com Crew! Hails from NW Illinois

Ginger Healy MSW, LCSW is a clinical social worker with almost 30 years of experience in the field. Ginger has worked as a child abuse investigator, hospital social worker, and school therapist. She spent 15 years as the social service supervisor at an international adoption agency and was able to travel to provide support for orphanages all over the world. This job continues to inform her work on attachment and trauma needs in children.

She is currently the director of programs for the Attachment & Trauma Network where she co-anchors the podcast “Regulated and Relational” and speaks across the nation on trauma-informed schools, therapeutic parenting, and community engagement.

Ginger is also the author of Regulation and Co-Regulation: Accessible Neuroscience that Brings Calm into the Classroom. Ginger is married and has four children who have been her greatest teachers about developmental trauma and special needs. She loves to travel and read.

Andrea Bitner is an educator, author, and speaker. She lives in Philadelphia, PA. She has worked with students in grades K-12 throughout her twenty-two years in public education from all around the world.

Her first book, “Take Me Home,” was published by Austin Macauley in July of 2021. "Take Me Home" is the true story of 11 of her former EL students who give a first-hand account of what it's really like to become bilingual in America. She is also a co-author of Chip Baker’s “The Impact of Influence-Volume 3 and Dr. Rick Jetter’s 100 No-Nonsense Things ALL School Leaders Shout STOP Doing.”

She currently teaches each day, and travels the country speaking and teaching educators how to teach and reach EL students, and effectively communicate with EL families!

ames is an elementary school principal who has created, implemented, and helped others create and implement trauma-informed practices in their schools. Throughout his career, he has taught various demographic groups, observing the differences and similarities in effective instructional and behavioral strategies. Ultimately, James realized what we all know, meaningful relationships enhance behavior and academic success.
James serves as principal at Faris Elementary in Hutchinson, KS, where he has already put his trauma-informed practices into place to better serve the needs of students. He continues to do trauma-informed consulting as well in order to help others reach all students to the best of their ability. 

You can connect with James on Twitter @JamesMoffettJr or find him on Facebook!

Meagan is a Bal-A-Vis-X practitioner/trainer, and an educator with about 22 years of experience in both general and special education. In her private Bal-A-Vis-X studio, she teaches Bal-A-Vis-X exercises to both children and adults with varying degrees of social and cognitive challenges. She is sanctioned by Bill Hubert, BAVX founder, to provide both on site trainings and virtual coaching. During the school year, she is the facilitator of the Reset and Return room, a space designed to promote regulation for students and staff, in an urban school in Wichita, KS. She is also the Equity Champion for my building, where she leads her building in looking at our practices through a lens of equity, inclusion and belonging. ​Her interest in Bal-A-Vis-X began many years ago as she navigated teaching general education students and parenting a child with a disability. Eventually she decided that her true calling was special education and spent the next 6 years implementing BAVX with her students!

Elijah is a teacher, like his mom, uncle, and grandparents before him. He has been teaching in the state of New Mexico since 2014, currently working in the Albuquerque Public School district. Elijah enjoys podcasting about all things educational and listening to podcasts created by his friends in education, some of which he has been honored to be a guest on. He is the host of The Shut Up and Teach Podcast and the author of the book A Place They Love: Creating a Healthy School Culture and Positively Impacting Students. Elijah strives to make school a place that students love to be at by creating fun, safe, and engaging experiences and environments for all students. By challenging the norms of what education should look, act, and feel like, Elijah has created exciting opportunities for authentic learning to take place. Outside of the classroom, he can be found running, listening to or creating music, reading, or relaxing with his cat, Nala.

You can connect with Elijah on Twitter @carbaeli

Joe Brummer is a trauma-survivor having lived through early exposure to violence, child abuse and neglect, and 2 separate violent anti-LGBTQ hate crimes a decade apart.  Joe has turned his healing journey into a career in peacebuilding, restorative justice, and consulting in trauma-informed education.  He has appeared on dozens of podcasts, webinars, and presented at national conferences. Most recently, Joe offered the closing Keynote at the 2022 Restorative Justice in Education Conference at Eastern Mennonite University. He serves as adjunct faculty at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace teaching the course,: Peacebuilding Skills: Dialogue, Trauma & Restorative Justice.  His book, Building in Trauma-informed Restorative School: Skills and Approaches for Improving Culture and Behavior (December 2020 Jessica Kingsley Publishers) is being used by schools across the globe and is available for purchase in 5 countries.

You might have heard about the program Chatgpt. It is quickly changing the landscape of English classes all around the country!  Join Eric and I as we discuss why AI isn't all bad. He gives us (10) tips for using Chatgpt within your classroom that doesn't involve plagiarism! 

Eric Sinclair is a ten-year teacher and three-year administrator, including two years working in curriculum and one year as a high school principal with Indianapolis Public Schools. He earned his National Board Certification in 2016 and his PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in 2017. He has published several articles and presented at conferences on a variety of topics including instructional best practices, the effects of peer mentoring, research in grit, and standards-based grading. He began recording podcasts episodes for his educational debate show called "Hot Takes in Education" in 2021, which are set to release in the coming months. Eric enjoys combat sports, weightlifting, running, and spending time with his wife, two daughters, and son, preferably out on the lake.

You can find Eric on Twitter @edhottakes. 

Erin Lewis joined the Center for Innovation & Change in June 2015 as a program director, became interim director in 2019, and was appointed executive director in 2021. Prior to joining the Center, she served as former United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's Director of Outreach at iCivics, directing its national field networks, communications and partnerships. She also served as a Research Assistant at the Indiana University Public Policy Institute, Indiana's Director of Civic Education for six years, and is a former United States Marine, having completed Officer Candidate School in Quantico. She obtained her Masters of Public Affairs in Policy Analysis with Honors from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI. While there, she helped create the Center for Civic Literacy, and completed IU's rigorous Oxford University comparative climate change summer program in England. In 2013, she was one of only three graduate students to receive the William M. Plater Civic Engagement Medallion for service to the community. She also serves as advisor to UE's Dance Company and the Alpha Phi Omega co-ed service fraternity, and is a proud UE alumna - having received her B.S. in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Evansville in 2001. In 2018-2019, she was named UE's Administrator of the Year.)

Jeff is currently an educator, author and speaker in Northern California. Having taught for ten years as an elementary school teacher in grades 4, 5, and 6, and am now serving in his 10th year as an administrator as an Elementary School VP, in Elk Grove.   Jeff has always looked at education from a different lens: from someone who hated school and struggled with the typical educational model. Early on, Jeff vowed to always do his best to help increase opportunities for all students to feel heard, noticed, celebrated, challenged and be safe. Serving the whole child is one of his most valued passions, as we often miss out on an important piece of a child’s puzzle.  

Jeff enjoys blogging, and writing. His first book, One Drop of Kindness hit the bookstores in summer, 2019 and his second book, It’s Me, released on 11/15/2020. Jeff's third book, Monsters have Manners will be out in late ‘22. 

Jeff has hit the top, at times: US Olympic Swim Team Alternate, Pan American Games Gold Medalist, Coach of 4 time Olympian, Jason Lezak. Amazing wife, and 2 lovely kids. He's also seen the bottom, almost losing it all, which has brought him to God’s path of sobriety since 1/28/2020.

Becky Schnekser is an elementary teacher, explorer, field scientist and author of Expedition Science: Empowering learners through exploration.

You can follow Becky on Twitter @schnekser.  

Jessica is the author of Leading with a Lens of Inquiry. 

With a professional teaching background in both the private and public international schools, Jessica Vance, brings a unique perspective to her role as author and school leader. Her passion for student centered learning, collaboration, and coaching stems from the students themselves, finding inspiration in their natural curiosity as they authentically engage in learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. As a former elementary classroom teacher, Jessica thoroughly enjoys providing support to other teachers and schools with innovative professional development opportunities and coaching sessions, collaborating with other educators both to reflect on best practices and, of course, supporting students through a variety of projects and inquiry based learning in the classroom.

You can find Jessica on instagam @jess_vanceedu or at her website, www.leadingwithinquiry.com . 

Dr. Christopher Jochum is the chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. With an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students, his department offers virtual and on-campus degree programs in PK-12 teacher preparation. Chris began his career as a public school Spanish and ESL teacher and has been preparing future teachers for 15 years. His research focuses on leadership development in education and his recent book is titled, The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership.

Join us as we discuss being a #girldad, what we are currently reading and his idea that our leaders need supported as much as our teachers! 

Brian LaDuca is the founding Executive Director of the Institute of Applied Creativity for Transformation (IACT) at the University of Dayton. His research is focused on the relationship between necessary 21st Century skills in the workforce and competency-based curriculum in post-secondary education.  

He has been with Dayton for ten years where he leads the ongoing evolution of all micro-credentials and badges for the University of Dayton students, faculty and staff and steers the ongoing city-wide collaboration of The GEM, Dayton’s emerging education incubator with a mission to maximize possibilities for city educators to be innovative change agents for developing new teaching and learning solutions to help Dayton's community and society progress. Since 2015 he has presented his research and work across the world including keynote presentations and workshops in Mexico, Switzerland, Peru, and China. He has degrees from the University of Illinois-Urbana, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Dayton (2023); and is lovingly supported by his wife Susie and his twin boys, Michelangelo and Joaquin and their sister, Giada.

Allyson Apsey is an educational leader focused on creating need-satisfying school environments for students and staff where they feel seen and valued. She has taught grades three through eight and has been a principal for all levels K-12. Recognizing the significant impact trauma has had on many of our students, staff and families, Allyson became a Certified Trauma Practitioner in Education. The support students affected by trauma need are beneficial to all students because they are grounded in a foundational core of strong, positive relationships based on trust.    Allyson writes on a blog called “Serendipity in Education” and is the best-selling author of several books, including her newest book called Leading the Whole Teacher and her first book, The Path to Serendipity. She has been published in Principal Magazine and was featured in a TedX Talk called “Serendipity is Everywhere”.

Nick Mann is a former Marine Captain, creator of the popular Advocate Daily Wellness Program and Student/Teacher Fit app.  He also runs a wilderness therapy program in Northern Georgia! 

He is convinced that schools must find ways to be proactive with the mental health of its students AND staff. 

https://studentfit.fit 

Melissa Wright is a passionate educator that is driven to help schools create a place where students belong and everyone feels like they matter.  By sharing ideas that work in her school, she helps educators and students see they can improve their culture and climate.   She is known for her passion and desire to see students succeed, and to help them find their inner leader. Melissa is the current president of the New Brunswick Student Leadership association and a 2022 Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame inductee.   She is also a mathematics teacher at Kennebecasis Valley High School, in Quispamsis, NB, Canada and is the Renaissance co-advisor at her school.

Dan Wolfe has served in Pasco County, Florida for more than 20 years. During this time, he has held roles as a teacher, instructional coach and administrator. He is currently an Assistant Principal at Sunray Elementary. He was selected as Pasco County’s District Teacher of the Year in 2011-2012 school year. He is a part of the district’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Committee that recently established Pre-K through Grade 12 SEL standards.  For the past two years Dan has written a blog called Becoming The Change (formerly Our Moral Compass) which focuses on a different quote each day and how we can best apply it towards becoming the change through our own moral compass and the five areas in SEL.

Reach out to Dan on Twitter @ServLeadInspire. 

Dr. Julie Schmidt Hasson is a researcher, author, and speaker who helps educators stay longer, grow stronger, and make a bigger impact. Julie is a professor in Leadership and Educational Studies at Appalachian State University. When she's not teaching graduate students, she is conducting research and working with school districts around the country. Julie is also the founder of the Chalk and Chances project, a vehicle for celebrating and elevating teachers. Her latest book, Safe, Seen, and Stretched in the Classroom: The Remarkable Ways Teachers Shape Students' Lives, chronicles her extensive research on teacher impact.

You SHOULD follow Julie on Twitter @julieshasson! 

Dr. Lindsey Jensen was the 2018 Illinois Teacher of the Year, the 2020 NEA Foundation for Teaching Excellence Illinois Awardee, a Teach Plus Policy Alum, and Vice-President of the Illinois Teachers of the Year. She recently made Brightbeam's list of Top 21 Rising Women in Education in 2021. She has delivered over 100 keynotes across the country, and her work has been featured in IL-ASCD, Teach Plus, NEA Today, and Education Post. She was recently published in Flip the System US: How Teachers Can Transform Education and Save Democracy. Her career in education spans 17 years, and she currently serves as the state coordinator for Educators Rising Illinois.

You can reach Lindsey on Twitter @ILTOY2018 or email her @ illinoisteacheroftheyear@gmail.com.  

Jamie is a champion of Social-Emotional care and Character Education. His passion for promoting student-driven leadership led to the development of the 1st District-Wide PEER Leadership program in NJ Public School education. Jamie earned a National Promising Practice from Character.org for ACCEPT University, a three-tiered SEL assembly series promoting inclusion, acceptance, empathy and citizenship in schools. Jamie’s career includes working at a State and National School and District of Character and a top 100 US News & World Report District. Jamie is a former Teacher of the Year, ASCD Emerging Leader Finalist and author for The Road to Awesome Publishing LLC. He is an author, speaker and coach.  As of recent, Jamie is now the proud Assistant Principal at Blufton High School in Bufort County, South Carolina. 

To book Jamie, connect on social by visiting www.JamieBrownLeadership.com

Dr. Toni Hull is currently the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instructional Innovation for Hatch Valley Public Schools in Hatch, New Mexico. She has 30 years of experience as an educator serving in NY and NM as a teacher, instructional coach, trainer, college instructor, district consultant, speaker, principal, state principal mentor, and now as a part of the district leadership team. She believes that when educators are empowered to think of alternative ways to engage and motivate students and staff, there is no limit to what they can accomplish. She and a team of out-of-the-box educators transformed the alternative middle school (a place where students HAD to be) to the Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy (a place where students CHOOSE to be) in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Dr. Hull has a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and is a 2012-13 Teacher Ambassador Fellow for the US Department of Education as well as a Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellow. She has served and led in Deming, Las Cruces, and Hatch districts in southern New Mexico for the last 15 years. Her passion is thinking of ways to reimagine school for kids, teachers, staff, and the community through a focus on gratitude, relationships, attitude, scholarship, and purpose.

Follow Dr. Hull on Twitter @enchantedleader and you are welcome to email her at tonihull@gmail.com. 

Darrin Peppard is a leadership expert focused on organizational culture and climate, and coaching growing emerging leaders. Darrin is the author of the book Road to Awesome: Empower, Lead, Change the Game. He is the host of the Leaning into Leadership podcast. As a ‘recovering high school principal’, Darrin shares strategies and lessons learned and effective from over 25 years in public education to help leaders to be more effective and positively impact the world around them.

You can reach Darrin at:

• Email: darrinmpeppard@roadtoawesome.net
• Twitter: @DarrinMPeppard

Twenty-three-year special education teacher. Co-founded KYREADS which provides PD on dyslexia, started Kentucky Teachers in The Know, a social-media group on Facebook and Twitter, to keep educators informed on resources, ideologies, and policies. Governor Beshear also appointed Allison the first active teacher to serve on the Kentucky Board of Education.

You can reach Allison:

• Twitter: @joallison_slone
• Facebook: Allison Slone or the FB group, Kentucky Teachers in the Know

Jennifer Haston-Maciejewski currently works at Greenfield-Central High School in Indiana as an alternative placement teacher and behavior specialist/coach. She is also a trained yoga, mindfulness, and meditation instructor; and is a contributing author in several books.

You can reach Jennifer on Twitter @mrs_haston or on Instagram @wanderinggypsy6.

Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years.  He has just finished his 14th year as a building administrator.  True to his "why" of improving the educational experience for as many people as possible, he is currently the Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Massachusetts.   Chris is passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process.  Chris is a teacher-centered Principal and his beliefs around the importance of a positive work environment, continuous growth, and a healthy family work-life integration can be seen in the presentations/workshops he has given at the State and National level and his participation in the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind group.

Connect with Chris on Twitter @drcsjones  or email him @ drchrissj@gmail.com