Joy Over Happiness

"Anything worth doing comes from a lot of effort." We've all heard that before what we don't hear about is all that effort typically results in exhaustion and burnout. But it doesn't have to. 

Hannah Kapitaniuk is currently working towards her master's degree all while teaching in an area where most educators spend their entire careers avoiding. She works with eighth graders in a math intervention program. Today, she joins host Jon Eckert to discuss how she's able to find joy while working in such a challenging position without burning out. 

To learn more about how to find joy not exhaustion in a difficult teaching position, pre-order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.

The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.

Be encouraged.

Timestamps:

[2:00] - We're introduced to Hannah and hear about how she became an 8th grade math intervention teacher.

[4:46] - When a certain curriculum doesn't work for a single student, it's not the student that's broken, it's the system.

[7:00] - Hannah shares some funny quotes she's heard over the years from her students.

[10:30] - Creating a safe space in her classroom is important to Hannah for fostering relationships with her students.

[14:00] - Students don't need teachers to be their peers. They need them to be a stable, consistent presence. 

[16:00] - It's the little things about being a teacher that keeps Hannah motivated.

[17:30] - Hannah tells us about her most embarrassing moment as a teacher.

[19:30] - Her students' personal growth is just as important as their academic growth for Hannah.

[21:30] - Focusing on positive outcomes as much as focusing on negative outcomes helps Hannah find joy.

[22:45] - Finding a square squad is essential for your growth.

Books:

Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon Eckert

Connect on Social Media:

Baylor MA in School Leadership

Jon Eckert: @eckertjon

Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Being vulnerable isn't always easy, especially as an educator. But it's so important. Educators get to walk alongside students to help them become who they're becoming. Through their vulnerability educators can begin to put humans before outcomes and make connections with students as people.

In today's episode, Jonathan Pokluda joins host Jon Eckert. Jonathan is our first guest who isn't an educator but through his work as a pastor, author, and podcaster, he's grown a large network of educators. He gives advice on how vulnerability can be used to create connections with students.

To learn more about how to prioritize humans before outcomes, pre-order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.

The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.

Be encouraged.

Timestamps:

[1:40] - Jonathan tells us about what grievances he's hearing from teachers and administrators.

[4:11] - Educators need to huddle up with other educators to prevent burnout.

[7:00] - Recounting his past, Jonathan tells a story about a teacher that changed his life.

[9:40] - Work life balance is impossible. But how can all our elements of life feed into each other?

[14:30] - Know yourself, be yourself, like yourself.

[17:50] - It's important to see past the lesson plans, syllabus, and the program to make an individual investment in students.

Books:

Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon Eckert

Connect on Social Media:

Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Jon Eckert: @eckertjon

Jonathan Pokluda: @jpokluda

Schools have always been good at serving some students. Then as time passed -- through various federal programs -- they began to serve all students. But the most important thing to do -- to really teach for justice and create just schools -- is to serve each individual student. 

In today's episode Elisabeth joins host Jon Eckert. Over her career as a teacher, she's taught in four schools in three years and she discusses how she sees each student to build relationships and contribute to their success.

To learn more about how to start seeing each student as individuals, pre-order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.

The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.

Be encouraged.

Timestamps:

[1:20] - Jon remembers a discussion he had with a senior political official.

[3:00] - We're introduced to Elisabeth and she explains how she started seeing each student to build relationships. 

[4:50] - Elisabeth recalls a time when she didn't notice a detail about one of her students.

[7:20] - To relate to beginning teachers, Jon recounts the first time he recorded himself teaching.

[8:15] - Administrators need to see each teacher just like teachers need to see each student. Elisabeth explains how she's been treated by different administrators.

[12:15] - Working with other teachers is incredibly important, we hear about how Elisabeth uses collaboration for student success.

[17:00] - Great leaders listen to others and cultivate joy in the people around them.

Books:

Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon Eckert

Connect on Twitter:

Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Jon Eckert: @eckertjon

 Making connections, meeting students where they are and treating them as whole human beings. 

These are just some of the ways Cierra Nickerson, principal of Hall Success Academy, ensures she is running a just school.

In our first full episode of Just Schools, Cierra joins host Jon Eckert to discuss how she contributes to students' well-being – one of the F.E.W core elements – by making connections with them to help them grow and find success both in school and outside of school.

To learn more about the F.E.W core elements of teaching, pre-order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.

The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.

Be encouraged.

Timestamps:

[2:00] - Cierra tells us about Hall Success Academy.

[4:12] - Connection with students is so important. Cierra explains why.

[7:30] - Recognizing students' uniqueness helps cultivate relationships.

[8:30] - Having faculty that understands students' background contributes to their success.

[12:16] - Cierra explains how she uses her professional network to connect students with professionals and resources.

[14:15] - How are you? Is a loaded but necessary question.

[16:45] - School districts are stronger together. 

[18:00] - Slow down to go fast.

Resources:

Hall Success Academy

Books:

Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon Eckert

Connect on Twitter:

Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Jon Eckert: @eckertjon

Cierra Nickerson: @NickersonCierra

No more, "I am just a teacher."

We need just teachers - those who teach and lead for justice. After all, teaching is the profession that makes all others possible.

In this introductory episode of Just Schools, Jon Eckert and Erik Ellefsen highlight some of the key elements of how "Just Schools" are supported by "Just Teaching." And we unpack the importance of focusing on the F.E.W. core elements of teaching to simplify increasingly complex work. F.E.W stands for feedback, engagement, and well-being. When we begin to address these F.E.W elements for each student, we can truly begin to teach for justice.

For an in depth look at the F.E.W core elements of teaching, pre-order Jon's book, Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student.

The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.

Be encouraged.

Timestamps

[1:40] - Find out why teachers should stop introducing themselves as "just teachers."

[3:00] - Jon discusses why a teacher's well-being is so important.

[3:40] - How can teachers focus on individual students during this polarized time?

[4:20] - Jon and Erik explain why it's important for teachers to be both confident and humble.

[5:00] - Teaching on a human level will help teachers find joy.

[6:02] - When teachers value themselves and their colleagues then public policy makers will value teachers as well.

[7:00] - How the F.E.W core elements of teaching can create just schools.

[9:00] - Jon gives advice on how to keep passion while working in education.

[10:40] - Being in the classroom with students is where Jon finds his joy.

[13:05] - When teachers lead from the classroom they can have an impact upward.

[14:00] - Kids' attention spans are getting shorter. Jon discusses.

Resources:

The just teaching outcome model

Books:

Just teaching: Feedback, engagement, and well-being for each student by Jon Eckert

Connect on Twitter:

Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl

Jon Eckert: @eckertjon

Erik Ellefsen: @epellefsen