Ed Soul

Ed Soul is celebrating it’s 100th episode with soulmate favorites Jacki Brickman, Dr. Nathan Elliott, and Lisa Worden. Each reflects on some of the most downloaded and impactful conversations from the past four years. Together, they revisit timeless themes like belonging, behavior, and mental health in schools—exploring what still resonates today and what we must continue to prioritize moving forward.

Help us celebrate with our “100 shares for 100 episodes” challenge and grow educator access to the show and impactful strategies for the classroom. What episode will you share with a friend?

Resources and Ed Soul favorites from this episode:

• Unlocking the Challenge of Disruptive Behavior with Dr. Nathan Elliott
• Understanding ADHD and other mental health challenges with Jacki Brickman and Lisa Worden
• Creating safety & belonging in your school & classroom
• Challenging our beliefs to better prioritize children's needs with Paul Gorski
• Examining Common School Practices with Seema Pothini
• Curriculum Revitalization Through an Equity Lens with Marceline DuBose,
• Understanding and Supporting our (Anxious) Youth with Dr. Kathryn Hecht
• CCR Series: Rigorous Learning Experiences with Administrative Leader Amie Westberg and Dr. Maggie Velasco
• CCR Series Part 2: Engaging Higher Education, Community & Industry Partners with Dr. Cheryl Norman & Kathy Cottew
• CCR Series Part 3: Academic and Career Planning with Mr. Randy Thompson and Students
• Keep tuning in for Regional Voices from Season 6: Ed Soul Season 6 Trailer

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

In this episode, we hear from a variety of perspectives connected to student events; a superintendent, student voice, and Sourcewell Student Events Specialist.

 Together, they explore how these opportunities give students voice, agency, leadership experience, and access to memorable learning moments that can shape their school experience. 

The conversation highlights why student events are worth the time and investment, how districts can find and support these opportunities, and the lasting impact they can have on students, educators, and communities.

Resources and ideas from this episode:
• Initiatives - Minnesota Service Cooperatives
• For your students | Sourcewell
• Which Book Do I Read First? - Brené Brown
• Spotify Podcasts | Crosby-Ironton Public Schools
• Watch I Am Joe Frazier (2025) - Free Movies | Tubi

Want to learn more about how Crosby-Ironton, Pine River Backus, and Sourcewell are leaning into Student Events? Email us at [email protected] to get in touch.

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

Guests: Pillager Staff members: Wendy Hall, Stacey Germundson, Wade Mortenson

Show Summary:
In this episode, Leaders from Pillager School District explore what it means to intentionally set students up for success during the transition from elementary to middle level. Together, they discuss the importance of connection and relationship building between grade levels, the role of mentorship and student support systems, and how data collection and diagnostics helps schools make informed decisions. The conversation also connects lessons learned and 
advice connected to mental health, sense of purpose and self-worth, commitment, and career exploration.

Resources and ideas from this episode:
▪ The Power of Beliefs by Shawn Achor
▪ The Art of Coaching Teams | Bright Morning
▪ FastBridge Data
▪ CAREI/MDE Curriculum Review Rubric - Google Sheets
▪ Toolbox | UF Literacy Institute

Want to learn more about how Pillager Schools implemented strategies heard on “Setting Students up for Success”?

Email us at [email protected] to get in touch.

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

What if the future of education isn't found in a program, a policy, or the latest educational trend?

What if it's found in the people we already know—and the connections between us?

This season on Ed Soul, we will continue to bring you practical, research-based strategies you can use in your classroom, just like we always have. And this year, we're expanding the conversation beyond the classroom walls.

Because supporting young people has never been the work of educators alone.

It's the work of counselors and coaches. Nonprofit leaders and mental health professionals. Law enforcement officers and local government leaders. Families, neighbors, and community advocates.

This season, you'll hear from real practitioners across our region—people who are doing the work, day after day, of cultivating the kind of communities we want to be, communities where every student can thrive.

We'll explore what happens when schools and communities stop working in silos and start coming together.

We’ll hear from educators supporting students across their educational journey, from communities that help shape pathways after high school. We’ll explore the role that safety, belonging, mental health, and local partnerships play helping students define and find success.

Together, we'll discover how the well-being of our schools is connected to the well-being of our communities. And we'll embrace a simple but powerful truth:

We need one another.

Our challenges are interconnected. Our successes are interconnected. And our futures are interconnected.

Join us for Season 6 of Ed Soul—intentionally designed to be an audio-based community of practice where educators and community partners come together to share stories, lessons, and possibilities for what's next.

Because when a community comes together around young people, everyone has a role to play. And everyone has something to learn.

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

This episode kicks off Season 6 of Ed Soul with a focus on setting adults up for success in school systems. 

Learn from school principals from Pierz and Walker Hackensack Akeley to explore practical, transferable strategies for supporting educators through intentional teacher onboarding, sustained instructional practices, and thoughtful adult-facing systems. 

Together, the conversation highlights why investing in healthy, supported adults strengthens school culture and ultimately benefits students and families. 

Resources and ideas from this episode:
▪ High Reliability Schools and The New Art and Science of Teaching
▪ Ted Lasso
▪ Tina Boogren Educator Wellness and podcast
▪ The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

In this episode, Christian Jackson, CEO of Edapt.com, joins Ed Soul to explore what it really takes to make AI work for every classroom. Together, we dig into the opportunities and inequities that come with emerging technology, from 
educator readiness and confidence to student access and responsible use.

Christian shares practical examples of how AI can support creativity and critical thinking without replacing student learning, while also encouraging listeners to 
consider the long-term impact of technology on people and the planet. 

Resources and ideas from this episode:
▪ AI Implementation & Compliance Automation for Education | Edapt
▪ Christian Jackson | AI Keynotes for Leaders
▪ THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development
▪ How to use Gemini Gems - Tutorial for Beginners
▪ Google Meet - Caption and Translation - Quick Tip # 88
▪ Digital Literacy and Internet Safety
▪ What Will It Take to Get A.I. Out of Schools? | The New Yorker
▪ AI In Context - YouTube
In the Sourcewell region? Register for our upcoming 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit: 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit | Sourcewell and ask Jack to “finish that story!”

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

Hey, Ed Soul listeners! Did you know your Ed Soul listening time can now count toward professional learning?

You can now earn continuing education credits (CEUs) by listening to select Ed Soul episodes. It’s flexible, honors your time, and gives you another meaningful way to grow in your practice while learning on the go.

Here’s how it works:
Visit the Ed Soul page on the Sourcewell website to find a list of eligible episodes and step-by-step instructions for claiming your credit. You can also find the direct website link in this episode’s show notes for easy access.

And there’s more for school leaders.

Principals, superintendents, and anyone collecting administrative license hours can now access 11 curated leadership packages aligned to Core Leadership Competency areas and connected to corresponding BOSA credits.

Each package includes guidance for submitting reflections to a live reviewer, helping you earn meaningful leadership hours while engaging with relevant, practical content.

Whether you’re in the classroom or leading a district, Ed Soul now offers a new way to make your listening count.

Visit the Ed Soul Podcast page on the Sourcewell website — or click the link in the show notes — to learn more and start turning your listening into credit.

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

In this episode of Ed Soul, we hear from educator, author, and speaker Jack Berckemeyer to explore the unique world of middle school learners and the realities of “managing the madness” in today’s classrooms. Jack shares insights from his work on young adolescence, classroom management, and the evolving characteristics of learners, offering practical encouragement for educators navigating the middle level and beyond. From creating safe and engaging learning environments to modeling social skills and ending the school year with intention, this conversation is packed with wisdom, humor, and tangible takeaways for educators. 

Resources and ideas from this episode: 

• Managing the Madness: A Practical Guide to Middle Grades Classrooms – Jack Berckemeyer Consulting Group 
• ManagingTheMadness_AGuideToClassroomManagement_2024.pdf 
• 8NewCharacteristicsOfMiddleSchoolKidsAMLE.pdf 
• Jack’s Watches: Shrinking and The Pit 

In the Sourcewell region? Register for our upcoming 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit: 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit | Sourcewell and ask Jack to “finish that story!” 

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

Show Summary: 

In this episode of Ed Soul, child and adolescent clinical psychologist, author, and professional bravery coach Dr. Kathryn Hecht shares about anxiety data in the classroom and what it means for educators and school leaders. Dr. Hecht discusses how adults can take the first step by creating brave, confidence-building opportunities for students and modeling calm, steady regulation that kids can “borrow.” Dr. Hecht also shares student-facing strategies that build bravery and confidence over time, reframing anxiety as something we can work with rather than simply eliminate.  

Resources and ideas from this episode: 

• Be Brave Activity Book — Kathryn F Hecht PhD, LP 
• The Be Brave Activity Book: 100 Exposure-Based Challenges That DARE Kids to Boss Back Their Worry and Anxiety Once and for All: Hecht, Kathryn F.: 9781683736905: Amazon.com: Books 
• TEDx Talk: Brave Parenting — Kathryn F Hecht PhD, LP 
• Kathryn F Hecht PhD, LP 
• Raising Good Humans - Podcast - Apple Podcasts 
• Anxiety In The Classroom | School Anxiety | Free Resources 

 In the Sourcewell region? Register for our upcoming 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit: 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit | Sourcewell 

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education

In this episode, we sit down with Sourcewell Educator Summit keynote speaker Thomas C. Murray to explore what it really means to keep learning personal, authentic, and rooted in strong relationships. Thomas shares practical ways to move from believing in student-centered learning to applying it through intentional design of experiences, spaces, and school culture. We also dig into what “Future Ready Schools” look like in practice—and how educators can create personalized learning at scale, even amid the realities of time, workload, and competing needs. 

Resources and ideas from this episode: 

• Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime — Thomas C Murray 
• Personal & Authentic Master Course | Thomas C. Murray 
• Thomas C Murray 
• Home | All4Ed 
• Creating Future Ready Schools and Classrooms — Thomas C Murray 
• Getting Started with Future Ready Pathways – All4Ed’s Future Ready Pathways 

In the Sourcewell region? Register for our upcoming 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit: 2026 Sourcewell Educator Summit | Sourcewell 

Ed Soul Podcast Credit | Sourcewell

Find more educational resources by topic at https://www.mn.sourcewell.org/education/podcast

Learn more about upcoming trainings and events for educators at www.mn.sourcewell.org/education