EMpowered

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]

Connect with Em

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.emmagentle.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@em_gentle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emma Gentle⁠⁠

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/ 

Connect with Em

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.emmagentle.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@em_gentle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emma Gentle⁠⁠

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

Connect with Em

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.emmagentle.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@em_gentle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emma Gentle⁠⁠

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:

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

FREE Whole Body Listening Poster Download

Connect with Em

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.emmagentle.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@em_gentle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.emmagentle.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@em_gentle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emma Gentle⁠⁠

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

Matt Eicheldinger wasn't always a writer. He spent most of his childhood playing soccer, reading comics, and trying his best to stay out of trouble. Little did he know those moments would ultimately help craft his first novel, Matt Sprouts and the Curse of Ten Broken Toes. 

Matt lives in Minnesota with his wife and two children and tries to create new adventures with them whenever possible. He has been teaching for 15 years. When he's not writing, you can find him telling students stories in his classroom, or trail running along the Minnesota River Bottoms.

What we discussed:

• About Matt - his teaching career and why he became known on IG

• Matt tells his story; how he started and what he set out to achieve by telling these stories.

• Matt talks about his teaching philosophy (hint: he recommends slowing down!)

• Why did Matt go into teaching? What led him down that path?

• Did Matt's why dictated how he approached teaching throughout his whole career?

• What is your funniest story that you've had with kids?

• Matt talks about how he was able to create a book in 30 days.

• Matt opinion on the most challenging part of teaching

• Matt's tips for new teachers.

Find Matt's book on https://matteicheldinger.com/  or more information about Matt here: https://linktr.ee/matt.eicheldinger 

Find Em:  www.thegradguide.com.au

IG: thegradguide_

FB: The Grad Guide

Every month Amy Green and Emma Gentle are going to drop a BONUS episode on their podcasts. 

They will be talking about all things education, teaching and leadership. They are particularly excited about touching on taboo topics as they believe it's time to have real discussions about education without the sugar coating!

Today's episode is an introduction to Amy and Em, where they started in education and where they are now. They also dive into some of those taboo topics in this episode and would love for you to get in touch with them and let them know what topics you'd like them to speak about.

Em apologises for the poor quality on her end. She forgot her podcasting microphone. Oops!

Enjoy! 

I've been pondering the difference between working in teaching and working on teaching, and it struck me how it parallels running a business. See, I used to be all about the classroom, but now, with my membership launched this year, I've had to learn the ropes of being a business owner. It's not just about the day-to-day grind, it's about strategy too.

Teaching hours might be 9 to 3, but we all know the real work doesn't stop there. To truly excel, you've got to put in the extra hours. It's like personal development, digging into who you are, why you do things, and reflecting on your methods. But there's a professional side too. Continuous learning and upskilling is a must. No one enters teaching thinking a degree is all they need, right?

Yet, not all professional development hits the mark. Sometimes, it feels like box-ticking. That's why the format and follow-up matter. It's about embedding change, not just a one-time event. And as education evolves, so must we. Sure, it can be a challenge, especially with shifts like the science of reading. But growth requires adaptability.

But here's the real game-changer: personal development and professional development aren't separate entities. They're partners. Understanding yourself spills into the classroom, making you a better educator. This is why my membership blends both. It's a commitment, sure, but it's the key to staying fresh and effective.

So, are you in the camp of growth or the one stuck in the cycle? Let's chat about it. DM me on Instagram, shoot me an email, or connect on my website. I'm all ears. See you next week!

Instagram: @thegradguide_

Facebook//TikTok: The Grad Guide

www.thegradguide.com.au/mentorship

Building a classroom culture will transform the way you look at your classroom management. Focus your energy here, rather than putting all your energy into 'behaviour management' strategies that don't work!

Here is what I cover:

Emphasis on Classroom Culture over Control

• Focus on setting the tone and building a community for effective classroom management.
• Shift from vertical (authoritarian) to horizontal (facilitative) relationships with students.

Creating a Safe and Inclusive Classroom

• Importance of physical, emotional, and mental safety for optimal learning.
• Tips for Creating Safety:

• • Organizing and tidying up the classroom.
  • Establishing clear routines and expectations.
  • Providing emotional safety through relational discipline.

Teaching Social and Emotional Skills

• Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into daily practice.
• The significance of educators embodying these skills.
• Strategies for Teaching SEL:

• • Sharing personal experiences.
  • Using mentor texts for discussions.
  • Normalising a range of emotions and self-processing.

Embracing a Growth Mindset

• Aligning personal mindset with expectations for students.
• Encouraging resilience, risk-taking, and seeing setbacks as learning opportunities.
• Benefits of a Growth Mindset:

• • Easier acceptance of constructive feedback.
  • Focus on continuous improvement and learning journey.

If you want out more, visit www.thegradguide.com.au

Instagram: @thegradguide_

Tik Tok and Facebook: The Grad Guide

LinkedIn: Emma Gentle