In this episode, Em talks about the importance of reflecting on and processing the year we've had. It is very easy to look towards 2024 without spending time reflecting on the year you've had and feeling proud of all you've achieved.

Listen to this episode to give you prompts and suggestions about how you can reflect on the year just gone and look towards the year to come!

@thegradguide_ and @em.gentle on Instagram

www.thegradguide.com.au

Today's episode is a snippet of a Private Podcast that Em and Steph record every month for TGGM Members.

We explore interoception's role in emotional development, defining it as the understanding of internal body signals. We speak about the crucial link to emotional regulation and its significance in helping children recognise and manage their feelings.

Em and Steph share practical strategies for teachers to integrate interoception into classrooms, advocating for activities like body scans and discussing how bodily sensations link to emotions.

We emphasise the importance of extending these practices to upper primary and secondary students, creating a safe space for exploration.

Em and Steph highlight how prioritising well-being from early learning through university and workplaces positively impacts decision-making and self-trust, fostering lifelong emotional intelligence.

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide

LinkedIn: Emma Gentle

Find Steph: https://www.sgroccupationaltherapy.com

IG: sgroccupationaltherapy

Dr Kristy Goodwin is on a mission to promote employee wellbeing and bolster workplace productivity in an always-on digital world. She's the author of ‘Dear Digital: We Need to Talk’ , a book that shares realistic, research-based micro habits that people can apply to tame their digital habits and thrive in the digital world. As one of Australia’s digital wellbeing and productivity experts, she shares practical brain-based hacks to tame tech habits and the latest evidence-based strategies to decode the neurobiology of peak performance in the technological era.

What we discussed:

• Dr Kristy Goodwin’s background and expertise

• The focus of Kristy’s work in the field of technology and education

• Kristy’s transition from Classroom Teacher to her current role

• Common misconceptions about technology use

• Addressing students' attention spans in the context of technology use in the classroom

• Practical advice for educators on how to navigate the challenges of integrating technology into the classroom effectively

• Tips for teachers to manage digital consumption and prevent digital burnout

• Systemic changes and individual accountability needed to improve teacher well-being

• The role of leaders in schools when setting an example for healthy technology use and work-life balance

• The potential negative impact of technology on time and attention

• How technology is influencing mental and physical well-being

• The need for setting digital guardrails at both school and personal levels

• The importance of being good digital role models for children

• The role of teachers in integrating technology into education effectively

• The importance of knowing students, curriculum, and making informed decisions about technology use

• Tips for graduate teachers to monitor their own tech habits, including having a digital curfew, managing notifications, and creating VIP lists

Connect with Dr Kristy Goodwin on most social media platforms:

https://www.instagram.com/drkristy/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kristy-goodwin/ 

https://www.facebook.com/drkristygoodwin

Visit her website:  https://drkristygoodwin.com/

Order her book here: https://drkristygoodwin.com/deardigitalbook/ 

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide

LinkedIn: Emma Gentle

Chrissie Davies is a child behaviour specialist, trauma informed educator, consultant, author, keynote speaker, loving mama of two and passionate advocate for understanding neurodivergent children.  She is committed to empowering and supporting families to live their life with radical playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, and a bucket load of love.  She has a particular passion for supporting the ADHD Community and creating Inclusive Educational communities.  

What we discussed:

• Who is Chrissie Davies?

• What is a trauma informed lens?

• The challenges teachers face in classrooms when supporting neurodivergent students

• The importance of relationships between children, teachers and parents

• Chrissie's thoughts on teacher retention and recruitment

• Potential solutions to address the lack of support systems for teachers, especially in their first three years

• The role school leadership plays in shaping the education system

Connect with Chrissie Davies the IG https://www.instagram.com/chrissiechaostocalm and 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/chaostocalmconsultancy/  

Check her website at https://www.chaostocalmconsultancy.com/ 

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide

Aimee Parkinson is the founder of Well-Nest, a passionate advocate for holistic well-being in education. With a background of 12 years as a teacher and school leader, she brings a wealth of experience to her work. Amy's journey led her to a career shift towards health and wellness, driven by a realization that her heart wasn't fully in the classroom anymore. She is now supporting teachers and middle leaders with their wellbeing via her business 'Well-Nest'.

What we discussed:

• A bit about Aimee
• How do you define well-being?
• Wellbeing is the responsibility of the individual and the school
• Aimee's opinion about what she thinks is the hardest thing for teachers to implement or achieve around well-being
• Wellbeing success stories
• Advice for new teachers who want to establish healthy wellbeing practices

Connect with Aimee Parkinson on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-parkinson/  and check her website at https://www.well-nest.com.au/ or send her an email at [email protected]

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide

Ginny Lalieu has been teaching for 7 years and is currently on her way to becoming a Child Play Therapist. She is the founder of Courageous Cubs.

What we discussed:

• A little bit about Ginny

• Ginny's experience in the UK as a teacher

• Her desire to move out of teaching towards becoming a child play therapist

• The role of a Child Play Therapist within a school

• Why we need to embrace more opportunities for play in schools

• What play is and what it looks like in the classroom

• Tips and strategies for integrating more play into ALL classrooms, Kindergarten through to Secondary

• Ginny's 3 biggest tips for educators who are wanting to bring more play into their classrooms

• Ginny’s strategies for secondary teachers about how they can incorporate play or playfulness into their classrooms

Find Ginny Lalieu on https://www.instagram.com/courageous.cubs/ 

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide

I've been pondering the concept of balance in teaching. Often, it implies an equal distribution of time and energy between work and personal life. But let's face it, the demands of teaching can make this challenging. Prioritising fulfilment over perfect balance acknowledges the different seasons in teaching.

In today's episode, I discuss bringing awareness to aspects of your wellbeing so that you can work towards fulfilment. I speak about non-negotiables, marigolds vs walnut trees, switching off in the digital age and why radical responsibility is crucial when looking at our own wellbeing. 

If you're a new teacher and you want to join our Masterclass next Monday night (there will be a replay), JOIN US HERE

If you want to go into educational leadership or you're already there and you're struggling with self doubt, constantly questioning yourself at every corner THIS MASTERCLASS IS FOR YOU

If you would like to contact Em, you can find her here:

The Grad Guide Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Facebook

Elizabeth A. Sautter, MA, CCC- is a licensed speech and language pathologist and co-director and co-owner of Communication Works (CW), a practice providing speech, language, and social communication therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area.

After having her own children, Elizabeth followed her professional passion for supporting those with social, self-regulation, and executive functioning challenges and started CW as a private centre providing individual and group therapy. 

Currently, Elizabeth provides training, consultation, supervision, and program development in schools and organizations as well as presentations on social communication and regulation in the US and Canada. She works closely with Leah Kuypers, who developed the Zones of Regulation curriculum®, and she is a collaborative trainer on the Zones.

What we discussed:

• Who is Elizabeth?

• How Elizabeth’s personal perspective allows her to be more passionate and compassionate with people she’s working with

• Elizabeth explains how she moved to the role of Speech and Language Pathologist.

• The real goal of supporting children with big behaviours.  Elizabeth shares her experience with the son of her cousin.

• Revamping the traditional 'Whole Body Listening' strategy.

• What Elizabeth wishes teachers knew about The Zones of Regulation.

• The importance of interoception and teaching it every day.

• Elizabeth tells more about her book:  Make Social and Emotional Learning Stick: Practical Activities to Help your Child Manage Emotions, Navigate Social Situations and Reduce Anxiety.

• Elizabeth’s top tips for supporting neurodivergent learners in the classroom.

Find Elizabeth Sautter on INSTAGRAM and you can everything about her work here.

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide

LinkedIn: Emma Gentle

Today's episode is a podcast that I recorded with Em at Connected Kids.

If you’re someone who's always eager for the latest in teaching strategies, professional development, and lively debates on classroom management, today’s episode is a treat for you.

In this conversation, we delve into a topic that's gaining increasing attention: the shift towards whole-child education and emotional intelligence in the teaching landscape.

Em from The Grad Guide, a platform dedicated to mentoring and providing resources for both aspiring and current teachers and leaders, joins me for this enlightening discussion.

Em's advocacy for classroom innovation and her commitment to being a true ally to students offer a fresh perspective on education, challenging traditional paradigms. We explore the evolution from the dominance of behavioural approaches to a new era informed by child development and neuroscience.

Em emphasizes the importance of continuous, internally-driven professional development, moving beyond quick fixes to meaningful, actionable insights. She also highlights the delicate balance between structure and autonomy in teaching, recognising the diverse needs of different classrooms. Moreover, we address a critical issue: the departure of passionate, skilled teachers due to inadequate support.

Em underlines the vital role of leadership in nurturing and sustaining an empowered team of educators. And speaking of empowerment, Em's brainchild, The Grad Guide Mentorship (TGGM), is undergoing an exciting transformation this November. It's poised to offer support to new and pre-service teachers, teacher aides, and aspiring/current leaders, focusing on enhancing emotional intelligence and mastering holistic classroom management.

As Em and I only scratch the surface of this important conversation, I invite you to join us for a deep dive into the endless potential and possibilities for both teachers and learners.

Connect with Em at The Grad Guide or find her on Instagram at @thegradguide_.

Connect with Emma at Connected Kids on Instagram @connectedkids

Hayley is such a beautiful teacher who embodies and models emotional intelligence. She lives on the Gold Coast and has been teaching for almost 3 years in prep classrooms. I really wanted to speak with Hayley as she is a great role model for early career teachers and she has plenty of wisdom to share.

What we discussed:

• An introduction to Hayley

• Why Hayley became a teacher and her favourite part about teaching.

• Hayley’s first year experience.

• The most challenging part of teaching and Hayley’s funny stories. 

• How Hayley looks after herself.

• Hayley promotes the importance of doing an emotional intelligence course.

• The one thing Hayley would change about education.

• Hayley’s message to pre-service and beginning teachers.

• Hayley’s three top tips for new teachers.

Find Hayley on https://www.instagram.com/hey.misshay/   and you can find some of her work here:  www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Heymisshay 

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide