In this episode you will hear from participants at the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) Conference that took place at the ACTC last week.  You’ll hear from Abby Francis-Labor, the coordinator for CRSSA and deeper learning grants at KEDC, as she discusses the importance of structured literacy and the Orton-Gillingham approach in reading instruction. She emphasizes the need for high-quality instruction for all students and the role of administrators in supporting teachers. Abby highlights the value of IMSE training in providing teachers with practical and immediately applicable knowledge. She encourages ongoing conversations and collaboration among educators to ensure effective implementation of structured literacy practices.

You’ll hear from Allison Collins, a 1st grade teacher at Greenup County schools, as she explains her reflections on the IMSE content and training as a veteran teacher of reading.  

This episode wraps up with Stacy Kidwell, principal at Lewis County Central Elementary, about her reflections on the week-long training that she attended with her teachers.   Hear her reflections that include validations that she has found that her staff have been doing right.  

"We serve our purpose as educators by understanding we exist to build high quality, incredible relationships with others."

Deana Sexton and Dee Anna Albright join me, Brandy Breeze, to discuss social wellness and its importance for educators. We emphasize the need for positive relationships, trust, and purpose in social wellness. The book is called, Educator Wellness that guides these conversations. We highlight the significance of listening without judgment, practicing empathy, and showing gratitude in building and improving relationships. The conversation touches on the impact of social media on social wellness and the need for intentional and mindful communication. The episode concludes with a reminder of the purpose of educators: to build high-quality, incredible relationships with others.  Join us for inspiration and resources to improve this aspect of your health and wellness

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Social Wellness

03:07 The Book 'Educator Wellness'

05:08 The Importance of Positive Relationships

09:28 Vulnerability and Trust in Relationships

13:47 Practicing Active Listening and Empathy

23:51 Supporting New Teachers and Nourishing Professional Relationships

26:06 The Connection Between Social Wellness and Overall Health

Alex Kajitani, known as the Rappin Mathematician, is a former middle school math teacher who now inspires and supports teachers through his books, presentations, and resources. He started using rap songs to engage his students and found great success. He has written books for new teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators, providing practical and implementable solutions. His books cover topics such as running effective meetings, resolving conflicts, and navigating the media as a teacher. Alex emphasizes the importance of teacher leadership and encourages teachers to share their remarkable practices with others. He also highlights the need for connection with students and the challenges of recruiting and retaining teachers. In this conversation, Alex Kajitani shares strategies for connecting with students and building strong relationships. He emphasizes the importance of being interested and interesting, and encourages teachers to share stories from their own lives. He also discusses the role of trust in building relationships and offers a simple strategy for building trust: saying please, saying thank you, and doing what you say you're going to do. Alex also talks about his book, 'The Teacher of the Year Handbook,' which provides guidance on teacher leadership. He concludes by discussing the challenges of teaching math and the importance of making math relevant and engaging for students.

00:00    Introduction: The Rapid Mathematician's Journey

02:35   Creating Resources for Teachers of All Levels

09:08   Writing Practical Books for Teachers

15:37   The Importance of Teacher Leadership

23:06   Connecting with Students and Recruiting Teachers

25:02   Lessons from the Pandemic and Staying Hungry for Learning

26:11   Strategies for Connecting with Students

29:41   The Importance of Trust in Building Relationships

31:45   The Teacher of the Year Handbook: A Guide to Teacher Leadership

37:23   Making Math Relevant and Engaging for Students

https://alexkajitani.com/

In this episode you'll hear information about how the Kentucky Writing Project offers personalized support to districts and schools to improve their writing plans and instruction. You'll hear details about the KWP Summer Institute. This is a one-week training where teachers learn evidence-based strategies for teaching writing.

We hope listeners take away a deeper understanding of this service and resources that this group offer to teachers of writing...all teachers.

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Overview of Kentucky Writing Project

04:25

Personalized Support for Districts and Schools

08:25

The Impact of the Writing Project on Teachers

11:00

The Summer Institute: A Life-Changing Experience

17:41

Routine Writing Strategies for Student Success

22:39

Writing as a Deeper Learning Strategy

25:08

Developing Argument Writing Skills

28:23

Long-Term Planning and Support for Districts

28:53

Conclusion

Social Media & Online Resources

     X - @KentuckyWp

     Fb - Kentucky Writing Project

     Insta - Kentucky Writing Project

     LinkedIN - Shawn Justice

    KWP Webpage

    National Writing Project Website

   NWP Write Now Teacher Studio

In this episode we discuss the importance of emotional wellness for educators. We define emotional wellness as the ability to recognize and manage emotions, and emphasize the connection between emotional wellness, physical wellness, and mental wellness. Listeners will be provided strategies for improving emotional wellness, such as mindful breathing, meditation, and journaling.

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Importance of Educator Wellness

03:03

Overview of Resources and Pillars of Wellness

05:20

Deep Dive into Emotional Wellness

12:03

The Role of Mindfulness in Emotional Wellness

28:20

Seeking Additional Help and Support

30:57

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Resources and information will be in the show notes

Tina H. Boogren - Authors | Topic: Educator Wellness (solutiontree.com)

Webinars | Topic: Educator Wellness (solutiontree.com)

How SEL Can Reduce Educator Burnout | Learning Forward

https://www.bluezones.com/

Traysea Moresea, the superintendent of Greenup County School District, discusses her hands-on approach to leadership and the district's innovative initiatives to prepare students for post-secondary education and the workforce. She shares the district's journey from overcoming challenges to achieving remarkable success, emphasizing the importance of community involvement and student empowerment. Traysea Moresea discusses the educational initiatives and community partnerships at Greenup County, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning, dual credit programs, and community engagement. The conversation also delves into the impact of empathy, relationship-building, and self-awareness in education, as well as the significance of belief and hope in driving progress and success.

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Overcoming Challenges

03:14

Hands-On Leadership and Student Engagement

07:06

Innovative Initiatives for Post-Secondary Education and Workforce Preparation

12:28

Community Involvement and Student Success

30:25

The Power of Empathy and Relationship-Building in Education

41:19

Belief and Hope: Drivers of Progress and Success

Follow Greenup's progress and stories on FB, X, and Instagram @greenupschools and check out their website at https://www.greenup.k12.ky.us/.

You won't want to miss out on this dashboard!

GCSD Local Accountability Model Dashboard

Educator wellness is so important! We must take care of ourselves in order to be able to serve others. This is the first of a four part mini series to help educators with tips on how to prioritize their wellbeing.

Summer is a great time to listen to podcasts and begin making intentional tweaks to health habits to maintain during the school year. Listen to this episode where Deana Sexton and I discuss the pillar of physical health.  

Resources and information will be in the show notes

Tina H. Boogren - Authors | Topic: Educator Wellness (solutiontree.com)

Webinars | Topic: Educator Wellness (solutiontree.com)

How SEL Can Reduce Educator Burnout | Learning Forward

https://www.bluezones.com/

In this episode, Brandy Breeze interviews Jessica Sprick, an author and educational consultant, about chronic absenteeism and its impact on students. Jessica shares insights from her books and research, emphasizing the importance of a proactive, humanistic approach to attendance challenges. She discusses the correlation between poverty and absenteeism and the need for a multi-tiered system of support. The conversation also highlights the significance of data-driven evaluation in addressing attendance issues. The conversation delves into the multi-tiered systematic approach to addressing chronic absenteeism in schools. It covers the analysis of absenteeism trends, strategies for school-wide interventions, and the importance of building a culture of attendance. The discussion also explores the use of functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and the multi-tiered approach to addressing absenteeism. Additionally, it provides resources for practical and evidence-based solutions, focusing on mental health concerns and student engagement.

Titles

Understanding Chronic Absenteeism: Impact and Challenges 06:18

Proactive Approach to Attendance: A Humanistic Perspective 14:16

Multi-Tiered Support for Addressing Attendance Issues 23:43

Data-Driven Evaluation: Making Informed Decisions 24:59

Understanding Absenteeism Trends and School-Wide Interventions 29:22

Building a Culture of Attendance 35:12

Functional Behavior Assessments and the Multi-Tiered Approach 44:12

Practical and Evidence-Based Solutions

Links to books and other resources mentioned in episode:

Teacher Guide to Tackling Attendance Challenges

This is the link directly to the publisher: https://ancorapublishing.com/product/teacher-tackling-attendance/

School Leader’s Guide to Tackling Attendance Challenges

This is the link directly to the publisher: https://ancorapublishing.com/product/school-leaders-guide-to-tackling-attendance-challenges/

Other attendance resources:

Functional Behavior Assessment of Absenteeism & Truancy: https://ancorapublishing.com/product/functional-behavior-assessment-of-absenteeism-truancy/

Absenteeism & Truancy: Interventions and Universal Procedures: https://ancorapublishing.com/product/absenteeism-truancy-interventions-and-universal-procedures/

Other books Jessica is an author/co-author of:

Early-Stage Interventions: Behavior Strategies for Every Teacher: https://ancorapublishing.com/product/early-stage-interventions/

Kentucky Principal Network and EdCamp Registration

Share with your principal friends!

For all of your special education support questions and upcoming opportunities listen to this episode with Stephanie Little, Mandy Carter, Lori Dehart, and Jenny Hogge. Listen as this team describes a variety of supports offered with a personalized touch for each district that they serve.  

Registrations and information discussed in this episode:

https://secure.smore.com/n/am0n4-jul-sep-2024-upcoming-events?ref=email 

https://site.pheedloop.com/event/KYCCBDBehaviorInstitute2024/home/

Educator wellness is so important! We must take care of ourselves in order to be able to serve others. This is the first of a four part mini series to help educators with tips on how to prioritize their wellbeing.

Summer is a great time to listen to podcasts and begin making intentional tweaks to health habits to maintain during the school year. Listen to this episode where Deana Sexton and I discuss the pillar of physical health.  

Tune in on Fridays for three more episodes to follow for a total of four pillars of educator wellness.

Resources and information discussed in this episode:

Tina H. Boogren - Authors | Topic: Educator Wellness (solutiontree.com)

Webinars | Topic: Educator Wellness (solutiontree.com)

How SEL Can Reduce Educator Burnout | Learning Forward

https://www.bluezones.com/

REGISTER HERE! to join a community of educators growing in wellness together at KEDC on June 10, 2024.