Courtney McLeod, an award-winning speaker and professional life and leadership coach, shares her passion for the transformative power of play. She discusses how incorporating play into adult life can enhance relationships and foster personal and professional growth. Unexpectedly, she highlights board games as tools for community building and emphasizes play's role in boosting mental health. Listeners are encouraged to embrace fun and revisit joyful experiences to improve well-being, particularly through creative engagements and team-building initiatives.

Dr. Paul Davarsi, an expert in play and learning, discusses the importance of play for all ages, the impact of efficiency on play, and the benefits of incorporating games into education. He emphasizes breaking routines, embracing playfulness, and advocating for innovative teaching methods.

 💡 On our power of play series this week we talk with Dr. Peg Oliveira. Dr. Oliveira is a child development expert and an activist. Since receiving her doctorate in developmental psychology from Brandeis University, Dr. Oliveira has advocated for fair pay for early childhood educators, child care assistance for working parents and equitable access to high quality education.  Peg is currently the founding director of the Gesell Program in Early Childhood at the Yale Child Study Center. Peg navigated the transition of the historic Gesell Institute, a respected nonprofit child advocacy organization since 1950, into the Yale Child Study Center to honor Dr. Arnold Gesell, the founder of the Yale Child Study Center. Prior to her work with Gesell, Peg was a Senior Policy Fellow with CT Voices for Children as well as a consultant to the CT Office of Early Childhood and other child advocacy organizations.  Peg is a member the Board of Directors of the Becket Chimney Corners YMCA, and was the founding director of 108 Monkeys, a nonprofit yoga service organization.   🎙️Connect with our guest: https://www.gesell-yale.org/   Want to take this episode further and map out your personal plans for having a playful summer? 🏖️ Explore our six-part planner, download it free : https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/ 👏🏻Thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting this series: MackinVision: https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/ Lebra: https://www.lebrahq.com/ 📨Tell us about your thoughts on this episode:   info@shiftingschools.com  

💡 On our power of play series this week we talk with Acey Holmes.  Acey Holmes is the founder of BoredLess, this week she discusses the importance of play for adults and its impact on social connection, work culture, and personal well-being. She addresses the myth that play is only for children and emphasizes the benefits of play across the lifespan. Acey shares insights on playful work design, non-cringy icebreakers, and the concept of personal play identities. She provides practical advice for incorporating play into daily life and highlights the significance of unstructured free play for children.   🎙️Take this episode further and learn more about our guest and explore her non-cringey questions: https://playfulworkdesign.com/about https://playfulworkdesign.com/blog/non-cringey-questions-to-start-meetings   Want to map out your personal plans for having a more playful summer? 🏖️ Explore our six-part planner, download it free : https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/ 👏🏻Thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting this series: MackinVision: https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/ Lebra: https://www.lebrahq.com/ 📨Tell us about your thoughts on this episode: info@shiftingschools.com

💡 On our power of play series this week we talk with Sharon Lauricella, Ph.D. and T. Keith Edmunds about "Hard Fun," and Ludic pedagogy. 🎙️Take this episode further by exploring the book from this week's guests: https://niagarapencentre.com/shop/product/ludic-pedagogy-by-sharon-lauricella-hardcover-indigo-chapters-coles-80eb19 Want to map out your personal plans for having a more playful summer? 🏖️ Explore our six-part planner, download it free : https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/ 👏🏻Thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting this series: MackinVision: https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/ Lebra: https://www.lebrahq.com/ 📨Tell us about your thoughts on this episode: info@shiftingschools.com  

This week's conversation challenges the myth that play is only for young children and emphasizes its value for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults. Sandra Chow is here and she highlights the role of play in professional development and collaboration, sharing examples from her own experiences. She emphasizes the need for accessible play spaces and suggests incorporating play into different environments, such as classrooms and libraries.  Sandra Chow is the Director of Digital and Innovative Learning at Keystone Academy in Beijing. She is dedicated to preparing the next generation for their future. With over 20 years of experience as an educator in Canada and internationally, she strives to prepare students and train educators to be instructional creators in a global community.  She is an ISTE Certified Educator, Apple Distinguished Educator and Professional Learning Specialist, Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, and Google Certified Coach, Innovator, and Trainer, as well as a Global Competence and GCAA Certified Practitioner. Her experience as a professional accountant, educational consultant, and cross-cultural educator provides her with a unique perspective as a leader. She strives to prepare students and train educators to learn, teach, collaborate and create in a globally competitive society.   🎙️Connect with our guest and check our recommendation from her Classroom Dollop  Math and Science Investigations (M.S.I.) | The Curious Kindergarten IBreakout EDU - Educational Games  Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Rewriting Goldilocks - 1st Edition - Heat (routledge.com) Her team submission that won the National technology award - https://youtu.be/569g4D-AcnI?si=7i_lCYRwgMtQKx2Y  Want to take this episode further and map out your personal plans for having a playful summer? 🏖️ Explore our six-part planner, download it free : https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/ 👏🏻Thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting this series: MackinVision: https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/ Lebra: https://www.lebrahq.com/ 📨Tell us about your thoughts on this episode:   info@shiftingschools.com  

Liz Joy Moore discusses the power of play and how it can benefit both children and adults. She emphasizes that play is for everyone and that it is not impractical, even for adults. Liz believes that play is essential for connection, communication, and learning, and that it can be used to teach strategies for mental health and trauma. She suggests that professional development should incorporate play and that educators and parents should be role models for children by embracing playfulness. Liz also encourages individuals to find their own playful activities based on their curiosity.  Ready to connect with Liz? https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizjoymoore/ Liz is a trauma-informed, experiential education and 'play' advocate. Her mindful leadership and facilitation exude an air of joy that brings a fresh perspective to how leaders and teams can best work with each other and serve our developing youth. With a background in Anthropology and cultural Geography, training in coaching, MBCT, yoga and mindfulness, and love for travel and outdoor adventures, Liz's experiences offer a unique approach to the art of human connection, inclusion and understanding. Use special Promo Code 'SSPOD25' to take $25 off our 'Build A Bot' self paced course! https://www.shiftingschools.com/store-2/p/buildabot Thank you to our amazing sponsors for supporting the show! MackinVision https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/ Lebra https://www.lebrahq.com/  

Our summer-long 'Power of Play' series starts now with special guest Allie Ticktin. Allie’s mission is to empower children and their families through sensory play so that they can thrive through childhood and beyond. Allie is the author of the book, Play to Progress, where she provides parents with an overview of all 8 (yes, 8) senses and gives parents ways to enhance those senses at home. Allie uses the science of child development and the joy of play to boost childrens’ confidence and enhance development within all areas of their life, from social and emotional to physical and academic. Allie believes that the best way to support children is by arming their parents, from inception, with the knowledge and skills necessary to encourage their child’s development for success through childhood and beyond. Allie began her work in pediatric development at the University of Michigan, where she earned her B.S. in Movement Science, and continued her studies at USC, where she received her M.A. and Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Allie is certified in Sensory Integration and hopes that one day one day quality open ended play will be considered as important as learning the ABC’s. When not at work, you can find Allie at the beach engaging her own sensory system, outside enjoying nature or on her spin bike. Allie also loves to bake vegan treats, read and color in mindfulness coloring books, which are her own regulation tools. Connect with our guest: www.play2progress.com https://www.instagram.com/play2progress/ Want to take this episode further and map out your personal plans for having a playful summer? 🏖️ Explore our six-part planner, download it free 🏖️: https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/ Thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting this series: MackinVision: https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/ Lebra: https://www.lebrahq.com/    

Tricia and Jeff are so excited about the soon to start 'Power of Play' summer pod series, so they thought they would bring listeners a special free resource to pair with it. Would you like to be more intentional with play this summer? Grab our free template and get started today: https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/ Tune in Monday for the first episode in our Power of Play series. Reach out to Tricia and Jeff to share your thoughts on any of our resources:  info (at) shiftingschools (dot) (com)    

In this conversation, Dr. Kenny Rodrequez, a superintendent from Grandview, Missouri, discusses the use of AI, specifically our show sponsor Lebra, from a leadership perspective. He shares insights on leveraging AI to build relationships, improve communication, and streamline administrative tasks within the school district. Kenny emphasizes the importance of personal connections and the positive impact of using AI to enhance community engagement and support staff members. The conversation highlights the practical applications of AI in education and the potential for creating a more efficient and connected school environment. Ready to learn more about our guest? Dr. Kenny Rodrequez became Superintendent of the Grandview C-4 School District in July 2016. Before serving as Superintendent, Dr. Rodrequez served for two years as the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in the Grandview C-4 School District. Dr. Rodrequez has served in several capacities throughout his career. He was a music educator for 8 years in two different states, including being a band director, percussion instructor, and district music resource teacher. Dr. Rodrequez moved into school administration in 2003 and held site level positions of assistant principal and principal before moving into district-level positions of director and assistant superintendent. He was selected to create and implement the first Early College High School program in Tulsa through a partnership with Tulsa Community College. He directed the Tulsa Innovative School network, which served over 1,200 students in grades K-12, and served as a lead examiner for the Oklahoma Quality Award Foundation, based upon the Baldrige process. In both Oklahoma and Missouri, he has done extensive work on the implementation of new teacher evaluation systems in an effort to raise academic achievement and build collaborative relationships between teachers and administrators. In 2020, Dr. Rodrequez was the recipient of the Communication Technology Award from the National School Public Relations Association for leadership in implementing cutting-edge communication technology to improve and expand outreach and engagement with education stakeholders . In 2023, he was selected as the Missouri Superintendent of the Year for 2024 by the Missouri Association of School Administrators. Dr. Rodrequez has a Bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University in Music Education, a Master of Science degree from Oklahoma State University in School Leadership, and completed his Doctorate degree from Baker University in School Administration.   Connect with him: kenny.rodrequez(at)grandviewc4.net Ready to learn more about Lebra? https://www.lebrahq.com/