EDU Café

🎧 New Hot Off the Blog episode 🎶

This episode of EDU Café features Dr. Rebecca Itow's blog post called “Keep a Swing in Your Step and a Song in Your Heart: Music as Self-Care for Educators” which was originally posted on our partner NGLC's blog. Rebecca dives into how music can support educator wellness in practical, joyful ways:

• Using music to transition between classes, tasks, or roles as a reset button
• Simple, doable ways to weave music into busy routines
• The community-building magic of shared playlists in schools

Why it matters 🧵:
Educators give so much of themselves. Music can be more than background noise; it can be a tool for grounding, joy, and connection.

👉 Tune in and let Dr. Itow guide you through practices that may inspire your own soundtrack for teaching and leading.

📖  Read the full post: https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/music-as-self-care-for-educators

☕️ New EDU Café episode is live!

🎙️ Women in LeadHERship: The Bold Moves We Make

In this conversation, Jodie Buenning of Buenning Strategies talks with Amy Dujon of Community EDU about what it really means for women to lead boldly, and the risks, the resilience, and the relationships that carry us forward.

Grab your favorite cup of coffee or tea and tune in!

#EDUCafé #Podcast #WomenInLeadership #LeadHERship #Education

Grab your earbuds — the next episode in our HOT OFF THE BLOG series is ready to listen to on the EDU Café Podcast!

This episode features a post published on our partner -- Next Generation Learning Challenges -- blog by Dr. Carey Borkoski, Dr. Brianne Roos, Dr. Kenita Williams, MPP, EdD, and Taylor Ann Gonzalez, M.Ed, TI-RYT, CTIWL called "Learning from Discomfort in Education: Balancing Safety and Growth." 

For the blog post version, visit https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/intersection-of-discomfort-safety-peace

 Via our HOT OFF THE BLOG series, we’re bringing our blog posts to your favorite podcast app. 🎧

“Are You an Educator on Fire? AI Can Help You Chill Out” by Vickie Echols, originally published with NGLC at https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/are-you-an-educator-on-fire-ai-can-help-you-chill-out

Today, we’re diving into Policy & Pedagogy: The Educator’s Dilemma, exploring the tension between rules on paper and the real lives of students and educators.

In our latest episode, Dr. Katie Colina, Dr. Dominique Smith, and Sarika Simpson discuss how policy often lags behind what students actually need — and what it takes for educators and leaders to bridge that gap with compassion, creativity, and courage.

From wraparound supports that don’t end at graduation to pathways beyond college, this conversation asks:

➡️ How do we ensure policy truly serves students, not the other way around?

👉 Tune in here:  

#EDUCafé #PolicyAndPedagogy #StudentWellbeing #EducationPolicy #Podcast

In this EDU Café episode, Digital Promise's Dr. Quinn Burke, Dr. Sharin Jacob, and Keun-woo Lee discuss the integration of computational thinking and literacy in education, particularly for young learners. They explore the importance of these skills in today's technology-driven society, the role of educators in curriculum design, and the development of resources to support teachers. The conversation also touches on current initiatives in New York City schools, the Pathways program for K-12 education, and the future of AI in education, emphasizing the need for students to understand and create technology rather than just consume it.

This EDU Café podcast episode focuses on the importance of wellness for educators, emphasizing a framework that supports individual, collective, and systemic wellness in educational settings. The speakers discuss the significance of mindfulness, community building, and trauma-informed practices, highlighting the need for safety and healing as priorities in schools. They also explore strategies for managing trauma exposure and fostering a culture of curiosity and connection among educators.

In this EDU Café podcast episode, hosts Yaritza Villalba and Victor Hicks explore the transformative power of project-based learning (PBL) in STEM education. They discuss how PBL empowers students to become problem solvers and engage deeply with content, particularly in culturally responsive ways. The conversation highlights innovative project examples, the importance of building relationships with students, and practical tips for implementing PBL in the classroom. The hosts emphasize the need for transparency in teaching and the value of letting go of control to foster a collaborative learning environment. Ultimately, they advocate for a teaching approach that prioritizes skill acquisition and student engagement, preparing learners for real-world challenges.

In this episode of EDU Café, the speakers delve into the multifaceted nature of discomfort, exploring its definitions, implications, and the relationship between discomfort and safety. They discuss how discomfort can lead to personal growth and the importance of framing it as a necessary part of the learning process. The conversation also highlights the collective responsibility in creating safe spaces for discomfort to be navigated effectively, emphasizing the need for self-awareness, boundaries, and the pursuit of peace over mere comfort.

This EDU Café podcast episode features Peter Boyle from Center for the Future of Arizona and two students exploring personalized learning, highlighting their favorite classes, the impact of personalized learning on their education, and the importance of collaboration and goal-setting. The students discuss the challenges of traditional grading systems and offer insights on how schools can better support student learning and engagement. They emphasize the need for flexibility in learning methods and the importance of student voice in educational reform.