Hello everyone! Today, we are going all out with PURE INSPIRATION for you with my friend Jonathan Alsheimer. Every bit of this episode is filled with ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and stories that are guaranteed to get you fired up to do the work you do. Jonathan is hands down one of the educators to pay attention to in 2020 (and beyond). He is the unorthodox, energetic, and entertaining middle school teacher who refuses to live a life of limitations and works with UFC Fighters, Celebrities, and Clothing Brands. Jonathan is the author of "NEXT LEVEL TEACHING" soon to be released.  You might also know Jonathan through his work and connection with the fantastic Hamish Brewer, and Fred Lynn Middle School.      This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Being the Change: Lessons and Strategies to Teach Social Comprehension by Sara K. Ahmed. Topics such as race, gender, politics, religion, and sexuality are part of students' lives, but sometimes it's hard to know how to respond as teachers when these subjects come up at school. You probably have stories of your own about situations or conversations that caught you off guard or made you feel uncomfortable. Being the Change is based on the idea that people can develop skills and habits to help them in the comprehension of social issues. Sara provides clear lessons to help teach about important social comprehension concepts. You can create a socially minded classroom where you explore identity and diversity, build listening skills, understand and address bias, become better informed, and more… first with yourself and your peers, and then with students. Being the Change is available as a book, ebook, and audiobook. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.