The Big E.D idea Podcast
By Ryan Scott, E.D of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana
The Big E.D idea PodcastNov 20, 2021
Rob O'Brian: Workplace Mentoring Connects Kids with their Future!
Rob knows a thing or two about the need for workplace mentoring involving our kids.
Listen as he and I discuss programs he has seen and why the need is greater than ever to connect our kids' present to their future!
Rob O’Brian, CEcD has nearly forty years in local and regional economic development. During his more than 20-year tenure as president of the Joplin (MO) Area Chamber of Commerce, he led the development of the largest business park in Southwest Missouri, created a small business innovation incubator, and collaborated
with the local community college and Workforce Investment Board to establish an advanced manufacturing training center. Rob also developed a seven-county
economic development partnership, including counties in the adjoining states of Kansas and Oklahoma. Rob was also instrumental in the effort to bring a new 600-student medical college to Joplin, the first new medical school in Missouri in more than fifty years!
Sarah and Joyce: I am who I am because of you!
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 Templeton: Mentoring builds YOUR sense of purpose!
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, author of Stick Figures: A Big Brother Remembers
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.
Hal Bowman: The Boy Crisis
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: Mentors made me who I am!
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: Connection saves lives!
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!
Ruby Payne, Ph.D: Poverty IS affecting our 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.
Lindsey Jensen: Mentoring New Teachers Is Critical!
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.
CJ Reynolds: Your ordinary could be some kid's EXTRAORDINARY!
CJ Reynolds has been a classroom educator for almost 20 years, teaching high school Literature and The History of Hip-Hop in West Philadelphia and Camden, NJ. He is also the author of Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching and the creator of the Real Rap with Reynolds YouTube channel. CJ speaks at schools, universities, and conferences all over the United States. Reynolds' work focuses on helping schools and their teachers become who they dream of being by creating relevant, engaging, meaningful learning experiences that infuse playfulness, wonder, and fun to create classes that students WANT to be in. Reynolds' mission is to guide teachers on how to lead their classes with respect, boundaries, and accountability so they can continually be who their students NEED them to be.
Joe Brummer: Mentoring involves being trauma-informed!
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.
The Rebrand w/ Ryan
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!
Episode 3.17 with Jeanne McCarty: Experiences make learning stick!
Jeanne McCarty joined Out Teach as the first CEO in 2007. Since then, she has spent her days setting strategy, securing resources, and mobilizing as many people as she can to help all children, no matter their resources, to have access to a transformative, hands-on education. Out Teach is a national nonprofit organization that inspires and prepares hundreds of thousands of students to be thinkers, dreamers, and doers. You can find her on Facebook and find Out Teach here
Episode 3.16 with Alex Valencic: One-size-fits-NONE PD does not work!
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
Episode 3.15 with Ginger Healy: We Gotta Regulate to Educate!
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.
Episode 3.14 with Andrea Bitner: Lack of Language NEVER Equals Lack of IQ!!!
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!
Episode 3.13 with James Moffett: Let's be Rigorous and Relevant with our Relationships!
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!
Episode 3.12 with CJ Reynolds: Teachers are the pros. Treat them like it!
CJ Reynolds' has taught ninth grade Literature and the History of Hip-Hop for nearly 20 years in Camden, NJ, and West Philadelphia. His mission is to help all educators become the change makers they're called to be. He seeks to transform educators' perspectives, enrich their visions, and empower their practices so that they can do the same for their students. CJ provides general support in the form of powerful YouTube videos, enlightening and motivational posts across social media platforms, a weekly livestreamed podcast, a monthly newsletter, and his book, Teach Your Class Off. You can find his Youtube channel, Real Rap with Reynolds, here.
Episode 3.11 with Meagan Baldwin: We need movement in order to learn!
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!
Episode 3.10 with Charle Peck: Our School Community MUST Thrive!
Charle Peck is the co-creator of Thriving School Community, a revolutionary program designed for schools to improve mental health. With over 20 years of education and mental health leadership experience, she has the unique lens of both a certified teacher and a licensed therapist. Charle holds an MS in Education and an MS in Social Work. Her role as a high school teacher coupled with her clinical work with children and families in crisis gives her incredible insight into solving youth mental health problems stemming from our schools. She is the co-author of Improving School Mental Health: The Thriving School Community Solution and a global keynote speaker delivering powerful messages of hope to educators.
Connect with Charle at: charle@thrivingschool.org and on Twitter at: @CharlePeck
Episode 3.9 with Elijah Carbajal: School should be a place we ALL love to be!
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
Episode 3.8 with Bradley Lands: Teach our kids to be knowledge-ABLE!!
Bradley Lands is the author of the book Knowledge-ABLE, owner of UpLearn LLC, the Director of Technology and Innovation at The Langley School, a Google Certified Innovator, a Google Certified Trainer, an Apple Distinguished Educator, and a National Board Certified Teacher.
You can reach Bradley on Twitter @mrlands or his website www.uplearnllc.com !
Episode 3.7 with Kim Strobel: Help Educators Claim Their Joy!
We all know our educators are struggling. With the demands/stresses of the world coming into our schools each day, the importance of our work couldn't be any more important! If want our kids to be successful, we must FIRST take care of our staff. We MUST find ways to help our educators claim their joy!
Join us as Kim gives us several concrete steps to improving our own happiness so that we can help our students be their best!
Kim Strobel is an internationally-known motivational speaker for educators, school leaders, and organizations and travels the globe sharing the impact of happiness on well-being and student achievement.
As a former teacher and curriculum director, her goal is to inspire you by providing thought-provoking research, heartwarming stories, and simple action steps that get you life-changing results.
She’s also an avid animal rescuer, having rescued 171 dogs, a fierce runner, and a lover of life.
Connect with Kim on Twitter @strobeled or find her website: strobeleducation.com.
Episode 3.6 with Joe Brummer: Stop Adultifying Children!
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.
Episode 3.5 with Don Berg: Engagement IS a solvable problem!
Don Berg is an author, researcher, alternative education practitioner, and leader. As the Executive Director of Deeper Learning Advocates he is on a mission to embed the psychology of learning in policy so policy stops undermining learning. He presents at conferences internationally. Peer-reviewed journals have published his research. He has over 20 years of experience leading children in self-directed educational settings. The Joyful Llama Ranch in West Linn, Oregon is his home.
His newest book, Schooling for Holistic Equity, aims to apply Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to increase the motivation and ultimately the engagement of our students!
You can find Don at his website, www.holisticequity.org.
Episode 3.4 with Eric Sinclair: We must find a place for AI in our classrooms!
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.
Episode 3.3 with Erin Lewis: Creative Problem Solving in Education
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.)
Episode 3.2 with Jeff Kubiak: Let's standardize mental health!
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.
Episode 3.1 with Dr. Lori Desautels: We are built to wobble, not break!
Dr. Lori Desautels, has been an Assistant Professor at Butler University since 2016 where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education. Lori founded the Educational Neuroscience Symposium which has now reached thousands of educators and is in its 10th year. Lori’s passion is engaging her students through the social and relational neurosciences as it applies to education by integrating the Applied Educational Neuroscience framework, and its learning principles and practices into her coursework at Butler.
Lori was also published in the Brain Research Journal for her work in the fifth-grade classrooms during a course release position with Washington Township Schools. Lori continues her work co-teaching in the K-12 schools integrating her applied research into classroom procedures and transitions preparing the nervous system for learning and felt safety. Lori is the author of 4 books. Her most recent book, Connections over Compliance: Rewiring our Perceptions of Discipline was released in late 2020. Her new book will be published in January, 2023 entitled, Intentional Neuroplasticity, Our Educational Journey Towards Post Traumatic Growth.
Lori has met with well over 100 school districts across the country, in Canada, Costa Rica, Australia, Scotland, England and Dubai equating to more than 100,000 educators with much more work to be done!
You can find more on Dr. Lori's website here!
Episode 2.29 with Becky Schnekser: ED should be an experience, NOT a lesson!
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.
Episode 2.28 with Jessica Vance: Inquiry thrives when all are involved!
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 .
Episode 2.27 with Dr. Christopher Jochum: We must support our leaders to support our schools!
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!
Episode 2.26 with Brian DeLuca: Make Learning Visible with Microcredentials!
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.
Episode 2.25 with Allyson Apsey: Leading the Whole Teacher
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”.
Episode 2.24 with Nick Mann: We MUST be proactive with mental health!
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
Episode 2.23 with Melissa Wright: Start small to build BIG relationships!
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.
Episode 2.22 with Dan Wolfe: Academics is the lock. SEL is the key!
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.
Episode 2.21 with Julie Schmidt-Hasson: Pause and just get curious!!
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!
Episode 2.20 with Dr. Lindsey Jensen: We must use our Ed Rockstars to market our profession!
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.
Episode 2.19 with Jamie Brown: Embrace the whole teacher to develop the whole student!
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
Episode 2.18 with Jillian DuBois: Communicating with Clarity
Jillian is a repurposed elementary educator from Clearwater, FL. She currently serves as a Professional Learning Guide and Social Media Culture Contact for Forward Edge/Edge•U in Ohio. Her distinct passion is to infuse joy in those in educational leadership by focusing efforts on listening, serving, and growing. She uses her voice to foster hope by celebrating equity and empathy.
She is a children’s book author and illustrator of Liv’s Seashells, Liv’s Messages, Road to Awesome: A Journey for Kids, Look at YOU, Piper Lou!, and Destiny’s Amazingly Different Dreams. She is the founder + Chief Optimistic Originator of Imparted Joy, LLC, which provides services and guidance to help others ‘spark their stories’ with heart and confidence.
Each day is a FRESH opportunity to listen, be slow to criticize and be quick to empathize. Keep dancing and dreaming with JOY.
Reach Jillian on:
Twitter: @JillDuBois22
Insta: jilliande
FB: jilliandee
TikTok: JillDuBois22
www.linkedin.com/in/jill-dubois
Web: www.impartedjoy.com
Episode 2.17 with Toni Hull: Let's Make Alt-Ed the New Norm!
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.
Episode 2.16 with Brian Miller: Educators CAN help prevent school violence!
An educator for 14 years, Brian has experience as an English teacher and principal of both secondary and elementary schools. Early on, Brian lived and taught for five years in China. Father of five kiddos, writer, and current principal of Chief Joseph Elementary School. Brian is also a successful blogger through his website www.millerbrian.com.
You can reach him on Twitter @Miller_brian_.
Episode 2.15 with Darrin Peppard: It's ALL about the relevance!
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
Episode 2.14 with Dr. Mike Gaskell: Celebrating small wins for our wounded students!
Dr. Michael Gaskell is the Principal at Hammarskjold Middle School in East Brunswick, NJ. He models the pursuit of lifelong learning as he serves to mentor new principals through the New Jersey Leaders to Leaders program. An NJPSA Stars recipient, he has been published in over 2 dozen articles in education journals and blogs, including Education Post, eSchoolNews, NASSP, Edtech, and ASCD Smartbrief. He has made the most-read section of ASCD Smartbrief numerous times. Mike presents at national conferences, including the Learning and the Brain conference, in November 2021; and FETC in January 2022.
He has been on numerous podcasts and started his own podcast in January 2022. He interviews successful adults like Diamond Dallas Page, and how he conquered his dyslexia and the anxiety associated with it. Mike has published two books: Leading Schools Through Trauma and Microstrategy Magic. Dr. Gaskell works tirelessly to support instructional excellence and student success, for his school community, and most importantly, for the wellness and equity of all children.
Handles:
Twitter: GaskellMGaskell
LinkedIn: michael-gaskell-922711100
Instagram: mgaskell0
Email: mgaskell0@gmail.com
Website: www.mikesmicrominute.com
Episode 2.13 with Andrew Marotta: Helping staff to survive and thrive!
Andrew Marotta is an energetic and enthusiastic leader who has put his positive imprint on his beloved Port Jervis HS, in Port Jervis, NY. With the release of his first book, The School Leader: Surviving and Thriving, Andrew is expanding his impact on the educational leadership community. His 2nd book, The Partnership, Surviving & Thriving, is a guide for parents to better assist their children in school by working closely together with schools. His 3rd book, Tales from the Hardwood, leadership lessons from his time on the court as a D1 Men’s basketball official, is set to release in spring 2022
In his personal life, Andrew is a loving husband to his wife, Jennifer, and a supportive father to their three young children. In his professional life, Andrew has been leading at Port Jervis HS for sixteen years, serving as Assistant Principal for seven years and Principal for the past nine. He has led the transformation of PJHS, helping to raise the graduation rate from a low 60s% to almost 90%. He accepted the Port Jervis Middle School Principal position in the summer of ‘21. Andrew is a former men’s division 1 college basketball official, taking many leadership lessons from that time in his life to his leadership in schools and with school leaders. He lives the words on his logo: Energy, Enthusiasm, Extra, Effort, & Excellence!
Learn more at www.andrewmarotta.com & through his #ELBlog & #ELB podcast: Education Leadership & Beyond found on facebook, linkedin, twitter @andrewmarotta21, and instagram. #ELB #ELBlog, #survivethrive #keeprolling
Episode 2.12 with Allison Slone: Building Compromise Among ALL Stakeholders!
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
Episode 2.11 with Garris Stroud: Give a voice to our Rural Educators!!
Garris L. Stroud is a teacher, consultant, and writer from Greenville, KY. Stroud was a semifinalist for Kentucky's 2020 Teacher of the Year and is an ambassador for National Geographic Education. He has been published in the Courier-Journal, Herald-Leader, and his work appears frequently with the Brightbeam Network platforms Rural Ed Voices and Education Post.
You can find Garris on
- Twitter-@garrisstroud
- His website- www.ruraledvoices.org
Episode 2.10 with Jennifer Haston-Maciejewski: Counteract the negativity within our profession!
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.
Episode 2.9 with Linda Detwiler: Adjust the challenge to support the student!
Linda Detwiler was a chemistry and physics teacher for ten years and now she is the Customer Success Manager at Pivot Interactives. She's a tireless advocate for how Pivot Interactives can improve teachers' lives. When she's not running professional development or writing a blog, you can find her in one of the many science teacher Facebook groups, helping teachers however they need it.
Twitter: @pivot_is
Facebook: www.facebook.com/linda.buys.79