Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators

Give us ten minutes and let us tell you about the ways to lean way into media literacy for the upcoming Superbowl game! 🏈 Explore our special free guide that kicks off with our BRASS framework and then takes you through ideas for activities: https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/three-ways-to-leverage-the-big-game-for-big-learning/ 🗓️ Our three week AI cohort kicks off next week! We only have a few seats left. As a listener you can take 50% off and join us by entering coupon code "PLC3W50" at checkout. Learn more: https://camp.shiftingschools.com/c/plc-ai-playground/ Reach out to us to tell us about ways your community is amplifying media literacy 📧 info@shiftingschools.com

Dr. Lorea Martínez introduces the HEART model, which stands for Five Essential Social-Emotional Skills. The model aims to provide educators with a research-based framework for teaching and practicing these skills. Martinez emphasizes the importance of seeing social-emotional learning (SEL) as a paradigm shift and life skills rather than just a checklist of tasks. She also highlights the significance of intentionality in practicing SEL and reflects on the validation of children's feelings. Martinez discusses the role of body language in comforting and the diverse ways of validation. She concludes by advocating for involving students in decision-making processes. Takeaways Intentionality is crucial in practicing SEL and being aware of one's emotions, thought patterns, and behavior. 🤔 Validating children's feelings and creating a safe space for them to express their emotions is essential for their emotional well-being 😌. Involving students in decision-making processes can empower them and foster a sense of ownership and responsibility in their school community 🏫. Connect with this week's guest: Website: https://loreamartinez.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loreamartinez/ Book link: https://amzn.to/31q9aiI Tell us more about your thoughts on this episode: info@shiftingschools.com Learn about our amazing show Sponsor: Money Pickle! https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools  

Our special guest today: Dr. Tony Walker serves on the executive team of The Jed Foundation (“JED”) – a national nonprofit that serves as a thought leader on school mental health and youth suicide prevention. JED works within Higher Education Institutions and PK-12 schools and districts to help leaders build systems that promote more positive mental health outcomes for youth. In his role, Dr. Walker leads JED’s Academic Programs team, supporting the implementation of JED’s programs and best practices of comprehensive school mental health and suicide prevention programming across our nation’s education landscape. Previously, Dr. Walker worked in multiple roles in public education, including as a teacher, school counselor and most recently serving as an executive district leader over Student Support Services at Uplift Education, a high performing network of schools dedicated to providing excellent educational opportunities to more than 23,000 students in North Texas. Founding this work at Uplift in 2011, he established and supervised five large departments servicing 44 schools, including Counseling Services, Social Emotional Learning, Student Discipline and Restorative Practices, Prevention Programs, and Strategic Community Partnerships. Under his decade of leadership, Uplift developed and implemented one of the largest school-based mental health systems in Texas, allowing students and families direct access to licensed mental health clinicians in every school, robust SEL experiences, in-district family therapy services, and a full array of other wraparound programs and supports. Further this conversation with the following links: https://jedfoundation.org/ X (formerly Twitter) - https://twitter.com/jedfoundation  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JedFoundation  Instagram - https://instagram.com/jedfoundation/ This episode is sponsored by our partner at Money Pickle! Discover the key to unlocking your financial success by scheduling a complimentary call with one of Money Pickle's trusted, third-party financial advisors. With Money Pickle taking care of the matchmaking process and the advisor covering the cost of the call, all you need to do is share the topic of discussion and attend the meeting at a time that best suits you. In this invaluable video chat session, you'll have the chance to delve into your financial aspirations, investment strategies, and retirement plans, propelling you further towards attaining true financial independence. Now, here's even more good news for you: while there's no obligation, you have a unique opportunity to start an ongoing relationship with your matched advisor. They can offer you additional personalized services and the invaluable support you need throughout your investment journey. Connect with them this year: https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools  

Our special guest today: Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth (she/they), MD, MA, is the Chief Medical Officer for The Jed Foundation (JED), a national nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults. Laura has provided thousands of patients with crisis intervention and mental health support in over ten different emergency rooms in New York City. Much of her career has focused on LGBTQ mental health, and she continues to see clients at the Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQIA+ Youth.  We talk about the connection between media literacy and mental health. Further this conversation with the following links: https://jedfoundation.org/jed-storytelling/ https://mentalhealthmediaguide.com/  https://seizetheawkward.org/ This episode is sponsored by our partner at Money Pickle! Discover the key to unlocking your financial success by scheduling a complimentary call with one of Money Pickle's trusted, third-party financial advisors. With Money Pickle taking care of the matchmaking process and the advisor covering the cost of the call, all you need to do is share the topic of discussion and attend the meeting at a time that best suits you. In this invaluable video chat session, you'll have the chance to delve into your financial aspirations, investment strategies, and retirement plans, propelling you further towards attaining true financial independence. Now, here's even more good news for you: while there's no obligation, you have a unique opportunity to start an ongoing relationship with your matched advisor. They can offer you additional personalized services and the invaluable support you need throughout your investment journey. Connect with them this year: https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools?mc_cid=982e825316&mc_eid=a5d8879dfc  

Our mental health series continues with Dr. Rina Bajaj. This conversation brings us great ways to reframe our inner monologue and strategies to refresh our approach to caring for self and combatting burnout. This series is sponsored by Money Pickle, learn more about ways to connect with an advisor today: https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools Learn more about our guest: Dr Rina Bajaj is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist with over 17 years of experience within the field of mental health. In 2017, she founded her private consultancy, Rina Bajaj Ltd, which offers a specialist therapeutic service for adults and young people providing therapy, business consultation and coaching. She has worked with many international corporate companies providing workshops and training on areas including staff well-being, mental health awareness, mindfulness, creating a positive mindset, motivation, habit building and stress management.  Rina is a regular contributor to national and international media and her recent media contribitions can be viewed via: linkt.ree/drrinabajaj Rina has worked with many interesting clients over the years including celebrities, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, musicians and artists. Rina is trained in a range of therapeutic approaches and believes in matching the therapy to the client, rather than the other way around. Her areas of speciality include relationships, anxiety and trauma. In May 2023, she released an Amazon best-selling self-empowerment book called “The Magic in Me”. Broken down into three main sections; the relationship with the self, relationships with others and connecting with individuals’ own identity, wants and needs; the book offers readers daily exercises designed to help them strengthen their connection to their true authentic self. Spanning a recommended thirty days, with journaling space provided within the pages, readers will be encouraged to make time for reflection to boost their inner confidence, self-worth and purpose. www.RinaBajaj.com Instagram @DrRinaBajaj  tiktok @drrina8 recent media contribitions can be viewed via: linkt.ree/drrinabajaj   Want to tell us more about how your school will action ideas from this episode? Reach out to Jeff and Tricia at info@shiftingschools.com Learn more about our work and opportunities to learn with us at www.shiftingschools.com Thanks again to our series sponsor Money Pickle for supporting our entire series on mental health! https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools

Our first episode in our brand new mental health series kicks off with Dr. Deborah Offner. This series is sponsored by Money Pickle, learn more about ways to connect with an advisor today: https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools Our special guest Dr. Offner is here to help us think more specifically about ways to support the mental health of our school community. We also explore her brand new book: Educators as First Responders: A Teacher's Guide to Adolescent Development and Mental Health, Grades 6-12 Ready to learn more about Dr. Offner? Dr. Deborah Offner is an adolescent psychologist with twenty-five years of experience working in schools, colleges, and clinical practice. She is Consulting Psychologist at an innovative school in Boston that prepares students from communities with limited resources to attend competitive private high schools. She works with adolescents, young adults and their families in her private practice and consults to middle and secondary schools about student mental health.  https://www.deborahoffnerphd.com/ Want to tell us more about how your school will action ideas from this episode? Reach out to Jeff and Tricia at info@shiftingschools.com Learn more about our work and opportunities to learn with us at www.shiftingschools.com Thanks again to our series sponsor Money Pickle for supporting our entire series on mental health! https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools  

How is Minecraft a powerful tool for building community, fostering inclusion, and engaging learners? This week's amazing guest Mashfiq Ahmed has an answer for that question and tons of wisdom to share. Meet this week's special guest: ➡️ Mashfiq Ahmed (he/him) is a high school chemistry teacher at John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, New York. He has been playing video games ever since he was 4-years-old and they have positively shaped him into the person that he is today. As a teacher, Mashfiq utilizes classroom gamification tools in order to support all of his students and make science more engaging. When the 2020-2021 virtual school year started, Mashfiq created an after school Minecraft Club in order for students to have a place to relax and de-stress through gaming during the pandemic. Since then, the club has grown to become something so much bigger than he could have possibly imagined. For example, Mashfiq’s Minecraft Club participates in esports building competitions with designs that promote equity, accessibility, and sustainability in New York City. Mashfiq strives to create a safe space for all, especially neurodivergent, people of color, and LGBTQ+ students, to express themselves through Minecraft and gaming. His Minecraft Club members are also Minecraft Student Ambassadors who have provided Minecraft training for other teachers and have showcased their work globally, such as at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference. Mashfiq hopes that the future of gaming continues to be more inclusive and accessible for everyone. Additionally, he is also a certified Minecraft educator and a global Minecraft mentor. Due to Mashfiq’s efforts he was recently inducted into The Game Awards Future Class of 2022, which honors inspiring individuals who represent the bright, bold, and inclusive future of video games.  🔦 Ready to connect with Mashfiq? Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrAhmedGaming YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MrAhmedGaming Minecraft Club Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdhsminecraftclub/  Minecraft Club Linktree: https://linktr.ee/MinecraftClub Leave a review of our podcast a win a free seat to the February AI cohort! Learn more: www.shiftingschools.com email info@shiftingschools.com

In this episode, Jeff and Tricia discuss their favorite holiday food, introduce a new free guide on experimenting with AI for families, announce an upcoming series on mental health, promote an AI literacy cohort for PLCs and committees, highlight Jeff's work on Washington State guidelines and policies, mention upcoming conferences, discuss the link between AI literacy and DEIJ/media literacy, and tease the upcoming 2024 Protocols Free Guide. Takeaways Experimenting with AI can be a fun and educational activity for families, and a new free guide provides three ways to get started. The next series on the podcast will focus on mental health, covering topics such as the mental health of educators and students. An AI literacy cohort is available for PLCs and committees looking to develop AI literacy in their schools. Links: Get the Three AI Literacy Experiments for the Family: https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/three-ways-for-families-to-experiment-with-ai/ Learn more about our upcoming cohort: www.shiftingschools.com  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Holiday Food 04:38 New Free Guide: Three Ways for Families to Experiment with AI 13:49 Upcoming Series on Mental Health 17:11 AI Literacy Cohort for PLCs and Committees 20:27 Jeff's Work with Washington State Guidelines and Policies 22:35 Upcoming Conferences: NCCE, IDEO, CESA 24:32 Linking AI Literacy to DEIJ and Media Literacy 30:34 Upcoming 2024 Protocols Free Guide 33:14 Closing Remarks and Appreciation

Join us for this bonus episode where Tricia is a guest on the BFIS 'The Future is Now Podcast.' Ready to follow that show? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benjamin-franklin-international-school-podcast/id1714268067   Find all of the resources mentioned here. Listener Challenge: - Be the first to review from your state and win access to our AI course bundle. Leave a review on any podcast platform and email us at info@shiftingschools.com. How to Connect: - Follow us on everywhere: @shiftingschools and @shiftingschoolspod - Visit our website: https://www.shiftingschools.com - Email: info@shiftingschools.com

Episode Description: Join us for this bonus episode were host Jeff Utecht becomes the interviewee on the Have A Life Teaching Podcast. You can subscribe to the Have A Life Teaching Podcast here: https://pod.link/1702975996 Episode Highlights: 1. Shout-out to Listeners: A special thanks to our listeners in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and France for your wonderful ratings and reviews! Remember, the first reviewer from each state gets access to our exclusive AI course bundle. 2. Jeff Utecht - A Brief Introduction: Get to know our guest, Jeff Utecht, a leader in educational technology and innovation. 3. Key Discussion Points:    - The Role of Technology in Education: Insights into how technology is reshaping teaching and learning practices.    - Digital Tools in the Classroom: Strategies for integrating technology to enhance learning experiences.    - Preparing for a Tech-Forward Future: Discussion on future trends and preparing students for a changing world. Listener Challenge: - Be the first to review from your state and win access to our AI course bundle. Leave a review on any podcast platform and email us at info@shiftingschools.com. How to Connect: - Follow us on everywhere: @shiftingschools and @shiftingschoolspod - Visit our website: https://www.shiftingschools.com - Email: info@shiftingschools.com