In today’s episode, we dive into the exciting world of AI in education with global futurist Graeme Codrington and the team at Future Smart Teacher. Graeme shares valuable insights on how AI tools, particularly ChatGPT, can serve as powerful assistants in teaching, helping educators enhance their workflow, engage students in new ways, and save valuable time—all while preparing for a tech-driven future.

Key Takeaways:

• AI as an Assistant, Not a Replacement: Learn why AI tools like ChatGPT are best used to support teachers rather than replace them, and how to integrate these tools thoughtfully.
• Navigating AI’s Limitations: Graeme provides practical tips for recognising where AI is most effective in the classroom, and where human insight remains crucial.
• 21st-Century Skills: Discover ways to equip students with essential skills for the future while empowering yourself to adapt to new technologies.

Why You Should Listen: If you're an educator looking to harness the benefits of AI in a balanced, practical way, this episode will equip you with actionable insights to navigate this ever-evolving landscape confidently.

Resources Mentioned:

• Future Smart Teacher Academy: A membership platform for educators that provides tutorials, weekly Q&A sessions, expert insights, and community support—all to help teachers integrate AI and 21st-century skills into their classrooms effectively.

Join Future Smart Teacher Academy and Get:

• Weekly tutorials and strategies to use AI in your classroom
• Practical tools for incorporating 21st-century skills into your lessons
• Access to a supportive community and subject-matter experts

For just R135 ($7.99) per teacher or R980 ($55) per month for schools, Future Smart Teacher Academy provides a resourceful platform where educators can grow professionally, reduce administrative tasks, and maintain a dynamic, future-ready learning environment.

Connect with Us:

• Website: futuresmartteacher.com
• Email: [email protected]

Tune in, empower your teaching, and join us on this journey into the future of education.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Jude chats with music therapist Graeme Sacks about what music therapy is, how it encourages growth, self-expression and healing through music and how this might impact parents and their kids today!

Graeme challenges the notion that music should be something we add competition to, especially because of how that pressure can often lead children away from music and singing. Instead he says, we should be encouraging children and teens to be making music and singing regardless of how “good” or “bad” they are, because of the joy that music brings and the way that we can process our emotions through music in so many ways.

“Where communication is physically or psychologically disrupted, where words are not available, or distrusted, or too personal, music can help… Musical meetings can be life-changing.” - Gary Ansdell - music therapist and researcher

If you’re interested in learning more about what music or other arts-based therapy is all about and how it can be transformational for our kids visit www.sanata.org (South African National Arts Therapies Association).

Connect with Graeme:
Website: Graeme Sacks Music Therapy
Social Media: Facebook

Thank you so much for listening! This episode is brought to you by Future Smart Parent Club. Please like and subscribe to our community. If you enjoyed the podcast, consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network.

Join the Future Smart Parent Community:
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Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Future Smart Parent Podcast, Jude chats to Vanessa Raphaely, co-author of "We Were Perfect Parents Until We Had Children" and founder of The Village, a community of diverse, imperfect parents in South Africa.

Vanessa and Jude talk about the principles of The Village - community support, kindness, respect and constructiveness and chat about the ways in which parents from diverse backgrounds can come together to support each other in raising the next generation to be engaged, kind, courageous citizens. It’s a practical and relatable conversation, especially if you’re a parent trying to raise your family in your own perfectly imperfect way in our chaotic world. None of us are perfect, but when we show up and support each other, we also gift our children with support, optimism and resilience.

Connect with Vanessa and The Village:

Join The Village on Facebook
Follow The Village on Instagram
Sign up to receive their newsletter here

Buy a copy of “We Were Perfect Parents Until We Had Children” now:  

• At Exclusive Books 
• On Takealot

Thank you so much for listening! This episode is sponsored by Future Smart Parent Club. We’d love to invite you to our community. If you enjoyed the podcast, consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network. And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any future episodes.

Join the Future Smart Parent Community:
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In this episode Jude chats with Dr. Michael Mol about the invisible labour that oftens lands on the shoulders of moms. The fact that women are typically taking on more of the labour of childcare, organising the home and housekeeping, often in addition to their ‘actual’ jobs is a sad reality. 

The burnout that so many moms experience should not be the norm. And so in this conversation Michael and Jude talk about practical things, backed by science, that we can do to care for ourselves. 

There really are four simple pillars that ground this approach to self-care: eat, sleep, move and connect. Listen to the full episode to hear more detail about all of these areas for self-care. 

And then you have to find your WHY? What is going to compel you to care for yourself? 

Connect with Guest:

• Website: www.drmichaelmol.com
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook

This episode is brought to you by Future Smart Parent Club. 

Please like and subscribe to our community. If you enjoyed the podcast, consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network. 

Join the Future Smart Parent Community here.

Helen Nicholson is the Founder and CEO of The Networking Company. She specialises in speaking and teaching people to develop powerful personal brands and networks all over the world. Her work in Mindful Resilience has helped thousands of individuals overcome burnout. She has also written a best selling book “Mindfulness: How to Stay Sane in an Insane World”.

In this episode, Helen and Jude discuss what mindfulness is and how parents can practice mindfulness in their every day lives. It’s not about waking up at 4am and meditating - it starts with becoming more present, more aware.

Helen shares some practical tips and tricks that she uses in her own life, which have helped her on her parenting journey.

Connect with Helen:
Website: helen-nicholson.com
Email: [email protected]
Social Media: @networkwithhelen 

Thank you so much for listening!

This episode was brought to you by/sponsored by Future Smart Teacher - a monthly membership that empowers educators with cutting-edge AI tools, tutorials, resources and a growing community that will revolutionize the way educators can teach, plan, and manage their classrooms.

For more information, visit www.futuresmartteacher.com

Please like and subscribe to our community. If you enjoyed the podcast, consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network.

Join the Future Smart Parent Community:
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In this episode of the Future Smart Parent podcast, Jude chats with Tarryn who is the creator of a life-changing ADHD system designed for overwhelmed and frustrated parents who want smoother days, less chaos and to see their ADHD kids thrive.

Tarryn is an Occupational Therapist and a mom to a daughter with ADHD so is able to help through both her professional and personal experiences. This was a very insightful conversation!

Resources mentioned:
The Anxious Generation book by Jonathan Haidt.

Connect with Tarryn:
Website: Nurture ADHD
Email: [email protected] 
Instagram: nurtureadhd

Get your free ADHD Routine Checklist here.

Read more about Quiet the Chaos program here.

Thank you so much for listening!

This episode was brought to you by the Future Smart Parent Club.

Get the Tools & Insights you need to Equip your Kids and Teens with the Essential Skills they need to Thrive both Now and in their Futures.

Join our community and get 21st Century Expert Parenting Advice, Practical tools to keep your kids Safer and Saner Online, Insights on the Future of Work, and Resources to help your kids & teens Develop 21st Century Skills & Community Support for just $7 (R135) a month.

For more information visit www.futuresmartparent.com/join-the-club.

Please like and subscribe to our community, and if you enjoyed the podcast, please consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network… because it takes a village.

Join the Future Smart Parent Community:
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In this episode, Jude speaks with parenting coach, Lelia Schott, about engaging with our teenagers - a time often accompanieed with many emotions (from both teens and parents), boundaries being pushed, connection sometimes being tested, but also a time where our teens need these deep connections with both their peers, and their families - the family being the safe harbour that it provides through holding boundaries, while maintaining and working on deeper connects and relationships. 

 Lelia reminds us that a lot of the time this also includes connecting with ourselves and being aware of what we’re experiencing as parents.. 

 
What is my child feeling?

What are they needing?

What are they believing?

 And then, what am I feeling?

What am I needing?

What am I believing?

 And how can we connect…? 

 Lelia is a parenting coach whose work is all about helping people to reclaim (inner) child and parent wellbeing. As an empathetic listener and dedicated therapist, she loves working with people seeking a deeper connection to themselves and others. 

Connect with Leila:
Website: Lelia Schott
Connect on Instagram: @leliaschott_synergyparenting

Thank you so much for listening!

 This episode was sponsored by Tweenology. The best skincare for tweens - natural, locally made, smells amazing and makes our tweens skin feel soft and healthy and that isn’t too expensive! I mean what’s not to love - and you haven't even smelt it yet!

The team at Tweenology have a wide range of products, from face washes and creams, howzit star pimple patches which are just so cool, a choklit face mask and the most amazing ‘No Stress Magnesium Soak' which this FSP Mom uses just as much, if not even more, than my teen girl and tween boy does.

So, if you are looking for a natural skin care range that’s kind to your tween’s skin,  effective in helping them keep their skin healthy and want the peace of mind knowing that there are no nasty ingredients being applied to your tweens gentle skin, go to www.tweenology.co.za/fsp to get 5% off your order...

Tweenology is 100% Future Smart Parent approved and recommended.

Please like and subscribe to our community. If you enjoyed the podcast, consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network.

Join the Future Smart Parent Community:
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In this episode Jude speaks with Natalie Meerholz, the headmistress of Holy Rosary Primary School, who started this campaign where many students pledged to go ‘phone-free’ for 40 days. 

The campaign was about calling for the delay of smartphone ownership in children "in a bid to restore a play-based childhood and to protect the mental health and well-being of its learners."

We know that with technology our children have more access to information than any generation before them. And while there are many wonderful benefits to technology, there is also a lot of inappropriate content and honestly, their brains are not able to cope with what they see, especially while they’re in primary school.

Natalie and Jude discuss the experience and what students went through during the 40 days. Some pupils volunteered to journal and anonymously share their experiences.

"Initial feedback shows that children found themselves bored, not knowing how to occupy their time. This isn't a bad thing because children who are allowed to experience boredom are more creative and innovative.

"They are forced to either learn a new skill, create something new, or think outside the box, and it was our hope that the campaign would push this to happen.”

At the end of the episode Jude also got to talk to some of the girls and hear their personal experiences of going without their phones for 40 days. 

Connect with Holy Rosary School for Girls:

https://www.facebook.com/HolyRosaryJHB/

https://www.instagram.com/holyrosaryjhb/

Resources mentioned: 

• The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt  

Feeling overwhelmed?
Join our Upcoming Bootcamp that starts on Tuesday 7th May : Transform Your Digital Parenting Journey - From Overwhelmed to Confident in 4 Weeks. 

In this week’s episode, Jude chats with Buhle Dlamini, author of Unleashing Your Greatness. They chat about how to raise greatness and nurturing potential in our kids.

Buhle Dlamini discusses his concept of unleashing your true potential, your greatness and specifically how this can impact our parenting. We all possess untapped potential, and this is your guide to help your kids harness their potential to the fullest.

Buhle breaks down the process of unleashing your greatness into five essential keys:

• Be Who You Be: This emphasizes finding what sets you apart, your unique qualities, and distinctions.
• Pursuing Excellence: Discover the importance of aiming for excellence in all your endeavours. 
• Living Your Values: Learn how values aren't just words on paper; they are the core of your behaviour and actions.
• Unleash That Winning Attitude: Your mindset and how you show up daily play a significant role in distinguishing you from others.
• Creating the Future: Understand that seizing opportunities when they arise is crucial to unlocking your greatness.

You can chat with Jude or Buhle for more information on his 'Unleashing his Greatness' keynote presentation. Buhle will be in South Africa in February and March 2024 for in person events, but is available to present globally, either in person or virtually.

Get in touch with Jude here: [email protected]

Connect with Guest:

Website: Buhle Dlamini
Email: [email protected]
Social Media: LinkedIn or Facebook

A reminder to celebrate what makes your kids come alive and 'always look for their magic’. Remembering this really helps us let our kids be their own unique, beautiful selves. We’ve created this free printable that you can access here.

Thank you so much for listening! This episode is brought to you by Future Smart Parent. Please like and subscribe to our community. If you enjoyed the podcast, consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network. 

Join the Future Smart Parent Community:
Instagram | Newsletter signup | Facebook Group 

Episode Summary:

Mandy is passionate about supporting parents, teachers and schools on their journey to develop safe, connected and problem solving environments for children to thrive.
Academics aren’t enough! We need to equip ourselves with tools to teach children missing skills through Social Emotional Learning.

In this episode, Mandy and Jude discuss what social emotional learning actually means, and how we need to shift our mentality, as parents and teachers, to connection over correction. Jude shares a real-life example and asks Mandy for her insights on how to prioritise connecting with a child, especially when there’s been a problem or incident where we might be inclined to punish, rather than connect. That’s not to say consequences don’t exist, but Mandy explains how connection and developing certain social emotional skills can really equip our kids and often the natural consequences teach them the lessons in any case.

A very interesting discussion - we’d love to hear your feedback and what you think about Social Emotional Learning.
 
If you want to connect with Mandy, her social links are here. And if you’d like to hear more of these discussions and engage with other parents, attempting to parent a little differently, but very much intentionally, in this changing world, we encourage you to join the Future Smart Parent Club today!

Connect with Mandy:
Website: www.mandyherold.com
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @the_connection_coach

Thank you so much for listening! This episode is brought to you by Future Smart Parent. Please like and subscribe to our community. If you enjoyed the podcast, consider leaving a review and sharing the episode with your network.

Join the Future Smart Parent Community:
Instagram | Newsletter signup | Facebook Group