Every teacher has met someone like this: the colleague who somehow gets kids to behave, gets the whole staff on the same page, and makes it look effortless. In Part 3 of our Back to School Series, Dr. Ilana Nankin sits down with Beth Schreiber to name exactly what that "effortless" thing actually is, and to prove it's learnable. "It's not magic," Beth says of the skill that took her from a depleted classroom teacher to her district's Director of Curriculum. "I just happened to have a very big toolkit." This conversation hands that toolkit over.
Ilana and Beth spend the full episode inside one layer of the Human Intelligence Framework, relational intelligence, and its five competencies: interpersonal awareness, empathy, repair, belonging, and connection. Paired with each one are is a practices educators can use starting the first week of school: reading a room through Word Watcher, Cue Detective, and Vibe Tracker; building real empathy through mindful listening; resolving conflict without blame through the four-step Peace Process; and creating belonging through Community Agreements, the Name Game, and Equitable Sharing. Along the way, the two hosts turn the practices on each other, including an unscripted moment that catches them both off guard, and says as much about their friendship as it does about the practice itself.
In Part 3, Dr. Ilana Nankin and Beth Schreiber go deep on the layer that makes every other practice possible: relationships.
Best Moments:
Beth's "super spreader" story: from burned-out classroom teacher to her district's Director of Curriculum
The four-step Peace Process, modeled live: how Ilana and Beth actually repair conflict without blame
An unscripted, emotional moment between two hosts who clearly mean every word
Ilana's closing line: why relational intelligence is the one thing no machine can ever replace
Relational Intelligence Teaching Toolkit
1. Interpersonal Awareness
I attune to cues and dynamics in my interactions with others.
Word Watcher | Notice key words and meaning in what others say
Cue Detective | Read nonverbal signals to deepen understanding
Vibe Tracker | Notice shifts in relational dynamics
2. Empathy
I connect with others’ experiences while honoring my own boundaries.
Mindful Listening | Understand other’s experience through deep presence
Step Into Their Shoes | Feel into another person’s experience and express care
Stay Anchored | Remain grounded in yourself while relating to others
3. Repair
I communicate vulnerably, listen with care, and take responsibility for my impact.
Peace Process | Repair conflict through nonviolent communication
4. Belonging
I cultivate inclusive communities where people are valued, seen, and celebrated for who they are.
Community Agreements | Build shared sense of belonging in how we show up
All About Me | Celebrate self expression and authenticity
Equitable Sharing | Create space for all voices to be heard and valued
5. Connection
I create a world where people experience intimate human connection.
Accountabili-Buddies | Build accountability, motivation, and connection
Peer Cheer | Acknowledge and celebrate peers
Appreciation Circle | Foster an attitude of gratitude in community
Episode Highlights:
00:00:00 - Introduction & The Relational Intelligence Toolkit
00:01:26 - Back to School Series: The Power of Community Building
00:05:43 - Breathe for Change Human Intelligence Framework
00:07:07 - Competency 1: Interpersonal Awareness
00:16:29 - Competency 2: Empathy & Mindful Listening
00:24:17 - Competency 3: Repair & The Peace Process
00:35:13 - Competency 4: Cultivating Belonging
00:47:53 - Competency 5: Fostering Human Connection
00:58:46 - Appreciation Circles
01:03:17 - Summary of the Relational Intelligence Toolkit
01:06:58 - Final Thoughts: The Essence of Connection in Education
#Education #TeacherWellness #ClassroomManagement #RelationalIntelligence #BreatheForChange #ConflictResolution #Belonging
