edu-Me

My heart is heavy with sadness and anger this week. I cannot get these mass shootings out of my mind. It's been all-consuming and inconceivable that we are unwilling to have a conversation to find a way to save people.

I'm all for your 2nd Amendment Rights. I'm not ok with these assault rifles being used to kill anyone, especially those elderly grocery shopping, Asian Americans worshipping, and young children, babies, in school. People engaging in their everyday activities. Shouldn't they feel safe doing so??

When does it stop? Why does it keep happening?

This short episode is sharing how I feel about these incidents and that we all have a responsibility to make better choices to protect ourselves. It's raw and emotional.

Click here for the transcript. https://otter.ai/u/Fey3J96oiemshyPGHGbcFhhq3OI

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Let's face it. Teachers are the most underappreciated group of professionals in our country. They are continuously scrutinized, overworked, and bombarded from all sides. Yet, they are the most resilient, caring, and empathetic people who deeply care about the future of our society.

So, as the mass exodus of teachers is occurring nationwide, how do we keep them motivated and in their classrooms?

Florida 2017 Teacher of the Year, Jessica Solano, joins us in the studio to discuss the innovative, exciting ways Polk County, Florida is retaining their teachers through their Ambassador program, listening to their teachers' needs, and how parents can also lend a hand in helping teachers.

Jessica was the very first guest on edu-Me back in October 2019. Since then, she has grown her Teacher Recruitment and Retention division into a model that is being sought after around the country.

Know of a school/district that could benefit from her expertise? Contact her here.

Also, check out my TEDx Talk, a parallel conversation from the parent's point of view. Click here. 

Time Stamps:

3:05 - Intro
5:20 - How teachers find value in their work
9:20 - Teacher Ambassador Program
18:55 - Teacher Input
20:25 - Consistency is a challenge
23:10 - Parent Responsibility 

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Parents have learned a lot about how to best meet their children's educational needs over the past few years. What is the best environment. What is the best time of day for maximizing comprehension. What are the resources that best equip their child.

Regardless of what type of school your child is in, there are more options today than ever.

Brent Goldman, CEO of Xceed Preparatory Academy, joins us this week to discuss a flexible personalized learning model that he created that addresses learning and student success in a way that is counter-intuitive to many of us but necessary for some students who need and crave a different model that focuses more on achieving the ultimate goal of learning through the child's best academic and personal schedule.

Brent's takeaway? "You don't have to be satisfied with the status quo."

Learn more about Xceed Preparatory Academy here.

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Intro
1:50 - Understanding Xceed Preparatory Academy
8:00 - Teachers as mentors, models, and motivators
10:05 - Diversity in student population
14:10 - Students included in academic planning
17:20 - How all students, regardless of finances or need, are able to attend such a program
20:25 - Meeting academic needs and resources for student success
27:30 - Parent engagement at Xceed
31:30 - Student socialization and program extracurriculars
36:00 - Contact Brent https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentgoldman1/
36:25  - Brent's golden nugget

Learn more about your host!

Have you watched Punam's TEDx Talk, The Key to Enhancing Student Success? Click here.
Have you ordered Punam's book, Parent Power: Navigate School and Beyond? Click here. 

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So often we look at a child who is misbehaving and immediately think, "Wow, they need some help, maybe even medication." Or, "Surely they know better."

It's an unfortunate part of how we make assumptions about people and their actions. 

Dr. Hokehe Eko, a Board Certified Pediatrician and Holistic ADHD Consultant, joins us this week to discuss how we need to do a deeper dive into a child's life, experiences, and trauma to determine whether the behavior is because of their environment or a chemical imbalance that needs to be addressed by medication.

She shares that, in order to understand the child, physicians need to inquire about their home life and any experiences that could have led to this behavior. Dr. Eko even shares that a mother's trauma prior to pregnancy can affect a child's behavior. Mind blown, right!?

This episode will enlighten you and give you pause the next time you see a child acting out. You'll now be asking, "I wonder what that child is missing in their life that they're asking for."

Time stamps:
3:23 - What do you want to be when you grow up?
6:35 - How the brain handles trauma
9:20 - Environmental causes of ADHD
11:45 - Nutrition can affect behavior
15:15 - Cayenne or onions for nosebleeds??
17:56 - Kits For Hope
25:00 - School Labels
29:37 - Golden Nugget: Specific Praise to children


   

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In light of the recent anti-LGBTQ bills in states throughout the country, it seems only appropriate to have an encore presentation of Indi's journey. 

My son, India, was always quiet, shy, but highly accomplished. He is kind. He is compassionate. He is a hard worker. He is a good friend to all. He is gay. His attributes make him a productive member of society.  His sexual orientation is only one part of who is personality. It does not, in any way, impact his professional goals or how he interacts with others.

These bills introduced throughout the US only create more division between people. I can understand that differences make people nervous. What I cannot understand is why someone would take their inhibitions and force them on those whom they don't want to learn about.

As my kids tell me, "It sounds like a YOU problem". 

Our episode this week is Indi's journey of his coming out. There is a lot of honesty and emotion in our conversation. If you're looking for direction or an ear, you'll want to talk with him!

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It sounds overwhelming to expect our children to thrive and excel in schools right now. Even though the world seems to be getting back to some normalcy, our children are still reeling from the aftermath of two years of uncertainty, hybrid classrooms, and the mental toll it has taken on them.

But parents have the opportunity to help them navigate these challenging times. In a recent article published in Authority Magazine, Punam shared her strategies to help parents guide their children in a kind, compassionate, and empathetic way.

After listening to the episode, check out the full article here.

Time Stamps
1:00 - Thrive and Excel
2:05 - Children need to know your expectations
3:44 - Speak with your child
5:44 - Communicate and build relationships
8:20 - Do vs. Does
8:34 - Support your child in public 
10:55 - Safe fails

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We all have an opinion on what we would like to change in our education system. Things that would simplify the process and increase student productivity and success. This episode focuses on Punam's strategies for improving the US education system. Excerpted from a recent article in Authority Magazine, she breaks out five (5) important areas that, if implemented, could change the trajectory of the education our children receive.

Time Stamps
1:32 - Overview of the US Education system
2:15 - What are we doing well?
2:26 - Our heroes
3:43  - Data
4:29 - Flexibility
5:09 - Technology (thank goodness!)
5:49 - Cultural needs
7:10 - Prioritizing where we are right now
9:10 - Changing of the tide
10:14 - Breaking point
11:29 - Children need a team
12:45 - Value our teachers (yes!!)
15:40 - Decision-makers
16:38 - Student-focused
17:46 - Business involvement
19:08 - Financial Support

Click here to read the full article. Be sure to like and share with your friends! 

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Teachers are our teammates. They go to school each day with the motivation to impart knowledge to our children. They work long hours teaching, grading, understanding
curricula, and helping guide our children.

Ryan Pelkey, teacher extraordinaire, joins us for this episode to share how he has created a team approach to education. As the Athletic Director at his school, he has reached out, held town halls, and personally walked his parents through the challenges parents have faced in schools.

Ryan is the author of The Boy Who Lost His Ears and has led several initiatives that have encouraged student outreach and community service. His Tie Drive and Gift Card Campaign are just two of his projects. Don't know what I'm talking about? Listen in and find out!

Support Ryan by purchasing his book, and be sure to reach out to your child's teacher to become a part of the team!

https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Lost-His-Ears/dp/B09FC895HY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YDJIXW9I9I7F&keywords=ryan+pelkey&qid=1645050357&sprefix=ryan+pelkey%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-3

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Trigger episode. The temperature is rising, again. The discussion of banning books is back in the spotlight and it seems the conversation is hitting its peak. 

This episode discusses the negative impact of banning books on our children's understanding of the world, the empathy they need to have to create relationships, and the importance of parent engagement and teaching their children about challenging issues.

My strong belief is that children learn about these sensitive topics early and the more we educate them from reputable sources, e.g, books, teachers, parents, the better equipped they are to manage their understanding of them. 

As far as music goes, think about the Beatles, Madonna, or Rick James and the language used in their songs. What do we do when if we think they are controversial? We change the station or, better yet, turn the radio off. 

We need to do the same for books. 

This is an emotional episode that will trigger some to feel uncomfortable. But, listen to the whole episode to gain a new perspective. It will be the start of a conversation that we desperately need!

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If you've never heard of tapping, then Dr. Nall is about to enlighten you. She holds degrees in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and math education but has found her passion in tapping and has been tapping for years. In our interview, she shares the impact this technique has on our body and mind. Tapping, also called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), helps you get rid of negative feelings and emotions through WAFFLES (Worries, Anxiety, Fear, Frustration, Lethargy, and Exhaustion). Our conversation led us through how parents can use tapping to diffuse stressful situations. It can even help our children learn to calm themselves when they are feeling overwhelmed and anxious. This was the first we at edu-Me had heard of this and were amazed at the benefits. And since it's non-invasive, it can be done anywhere! Dr. Nall is a TEDx Speaker, a Master Trainer, and Advanced Certified Practioner in trauma and quantum tapping.

Find out more about her at www.nalledgeco.com. You'll be glad you did!

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