Today, Shawnee Caruthers, the Director of Learner Experience at Getting Smart, is sitting down with Dr. Debbie Silver.

Dr. Silver is an award-winning educator with 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher, staff development instructor, and university professor. As a former Louisiana State Teacher of the Year, Debbie is one of the nation's most popular keynote speakers and professional development presenters, having given presentations around the world (including 49 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Africa, and Asia).

In this conversation today, Shawnee and Debbie speak about the second edition of her beloved 2012 bestseller, Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8, titled, Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8: Raising and Teaching Self-Motivated Learners, K-12, which was released this month (May 2021). They discuss student agency, self-efficacy, what parents should be telling their kids, the importance of failure, and some of the key highlights from her newest book.

Key Takeaways:

[:09] About today's episode with Dr. Debbie Silver.

[:41] Shawnee welcomes Debbie to the podcast!

[1:01] Debbie shares what inspired her to pursue a career in education.

[2:17] How education and humor collide.

[3:53] Debbie shares her thoughts on how we can better teach joy and live joyfully.

[10:02] Shawnee congratulates Debbie on her new book, Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8: Raising and Teaching Self-Motivated Learners, K-12, and Debbie shares what inspired her to write the original edition of the book in the first place.

[13:12] Why Debbie jumped on the opportunity to do the new edition of her book.

[16:45] How agency and equity both connect and differ.

[19:56] Why agency is so powerful and important for children.

[23:08] Why "failure isn't an option" is such a harmful thing for teachers to tell their students. And why, instead, they should be preaching the importance of failure.

[27:16] What Debbie wishes she knew earlier as a teacher.

[29:41] Shawnee thanks Debbie for joining the Getting Smart podcast!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Rashawn "Shawnee" Caruthers | Getting Smart

Debbie Silver

Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8: Raising and Teaching Self-Motivated Learners, K-12, by Debbie Thompson Silver

Brené Brown

Carol Dweck

"'I Wish You Bad Luck.' Read Supreme Court Justice John Roberts' Unconventional Speech to His Son's Graduating Class"

Corwin

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