Off the Assembly Line

If you ask health experts, schools leaders, and even students about the biggest problem students face today, you'll get the same answer: anxiety. Student anxiety levels have risen steadily over the last seven years, with recent national data suggesting that one-third of students will experience an anxiety disorder. Students themselves recognize the massive problem that anxiety presents. A 2019 Pew Research Center study found that 70% of teens surveyed felt anxiety and depression was the number one issue they faced, with another 26% indicating it was a minor problem.

The underlying causes of the rising trend are complex, and many fall outside the influence of schools. But there are significant and relatively simple strides that schools can take to reduce the anxiety students experience in school. One of the most effective is the intentional integration of mindfulness. In this week's episode, Lou Redmond, founder of One Mindful Education explains that mindfulness is about so much more than "just calming down", and shares a powerful framework that educators can use in classrooms, school-wide, and even personal practice. And because mindfulness can't really be understood outside of experience, Lou walks us through some simple exercises to get us started.

Connect with Lou and One Mindful Education:

Website: https://onemindfuleducation.com/

Email: [email protected]


If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

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Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/. 

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

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“What transforms the individual, transforms the collective”. Several weeks ago a colleague shared this quote with me, and ever since I heard it, I've been wondering, "Is this really true?" Are the same things that transform you and me the keys to transforming whole systems? If we looked at our own stories, could we find practices that might help us bring significant shifts to the education system? I think we can. As we close out the 2019 year and the 2010 decade, we'll take a closer look at the things that transform us, and how personal disruption and innovation can provide insight for collective change. On this episode I share how my own life completely transformed over the last calendar year, the 6 practices that led to personal innovation and accelerated growth, and what these practices can tell us about the education system as a whole.

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co.
Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/. 

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

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We're taking a break for a few weeks to rest and celebrate the holiday season. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 31st and the last Off the Assembly Line episode of the decade! As we set our intention for the new year, Rebecca will share the tools and practices that have helped her overcome internal barriers, clarify her vision, and experience personal innovation and disruption. Until then, happy holidays!

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As an educator, you pour your full energy into your craft. In addition to the daily practices of pedagogy, social-emotional learning, and classroom management, there's a dedication to professional development and ongoing learning. From conferences to workshops, and research to trainings, you're consistently seeking answers to the big questions. Questions like, "What do my students need now, that will enable them to thrive when they're out in the world?" As an educator, you play the ultimate long game and often don't get to see the long-term results of your work.

But what if we could flip our perspective, and go straight to the source? What would thriving graduates tell us went right? What would they identify as the greatest impact on post K-12 success? In episode 11 I'm joined by Andre Haykal Jr., an entrepreneur, podcast host, and author - who just happens to be 19 years old. Andre pulls back a curtain we rarely see behind and shares the classroom experiences that fast-tracked his entrepreneurial journey, the urgency of building creativity and failure into the learning process, and how educators can help students build the muscle of self-education.

Connect with Andre:

LinkedIn: Andre Haykal Jr.

Instagram: @andrehaykaljr

Get the Book: What They Won't Teach You

Podcast: Real Talk University

Website: https://www.innovateyouniversity.com/


If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/. 

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

Support the show

Is there any academic subject as universally polarizing or intimidating as math? Probably not. For students, educators, and parents alike, the subject can induce anxiety like no other - and we have the unfortunate data to prove it. But it doesn't have to be this way, and in this episode Dr. Georgie Hart, reveals an evidence-based path forward. Georgie is the Education Director and Co-Founder of Sparx, a UK based education company that's spent the last 8 years reimagining the way math is learned and taught in schools, and supports more than a million students and teachers in the UK. Georgie and I talk about what Sparx is doing differently, the very real phenomenon of math anxiety, and how educators and parents can help students develop confidence to thrive in math.

Connect with Georgie and Sparx:

Website: https://sparx.co.uk/

To book a demo of the Sparx Maths platform: https://sparx.co.uk/what-is-sparx/

Twitter: @sparxlearning


If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/. 

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

Support the show

It's no secret that the K12 education system has some major challenges. Visit any classroom, speak to any educator, or parent a school-aged child, and you'll bump into something that doesn't seem quite right. Scan the workforce horizon and you'll be puzzled by a growing gap between education and industry. Each of these constraints represent a world of possibility. But in order to move forward, we have to understand how we got here.

In this episode I share two brief, but essential stories that helped shape the eduction system that we know today, and the "why" behind the podcast. The first is the story of Horace Mann, known as the "father of the common school" (or what we know now as the U.S. public education system). The second is the story behind the creation of the first multiple choice test, and how it helped to establish the system for standardized assessment and standards based reform.

To many in the machine age, a uniform system that produced conformity seemed to be exactly what society and the workforce needed. Unfortunately, these systems remain intact in a world that needs creativity, adaptability, personalization, and the ability to deal in complexity. The need for change is daunting, but it's possible. Listen as I share the "why" behind the podcast, and my hope for disruptive innovation.

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/.

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

Support the show

It's no secret that today's workforce is experiencing a gap in the talent pipeline and in-demand skill development. A 2019 survey of 600 HR leaders showed that 64% perceive a skills gap in their company, a surprising increase from 52% in last year's survey. As companies scramble to address recruitment strategies and the upskilling and reskilling of employees, a growing body of educators and entrepreneurs are turning their attention to K12 students, well before they enter college or the workforce. One of these change-makers is Anne Jones, who, along with her husband Dan Gonzalez, founded District C, a non-profit that aims to build a "new kind of talent pipeline" by giving students the greatest lever to long-term success: the ability to leverage the talents of diverse teams to solve complex problems. District C works with local businesses to provide student teams with real challenges that they’re currently facing, and then empowers student teams to deliver an actionable solution to the business (which 94% of businesses actually use!). Anne and I talk about the mindsets and tools behind collective problem-solving, and how to get started no matter where you are.

Connect with Anne and District C:

Website: https://www.districtc.co/

Twitter: @AnneJ_NC and @DistrictC17

Instagram: @DistrictC17

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/district-c

Chapter Guide:
0.00 - Intro to the episode
1:52 - The Skills Gap and the need for collective problem-solving
4:07 - Under the hood of collective problem-solving: What successful teams do well
7:05 - The role of coaching in building problem-solving skills
8:51 - Building an ecosystem goes beyond schools
12:14 - The District C approach centers on the student experience
17:48 - Real-world metrics for success and the impact to students and businesses
20:22 - The role of the school system in preparing the talent pipeline
25:50 - Core mindsets and tools you can bring to students right now
29:31 - Where does District C go from here?
33:40 - How should entrepreneurial educators think about complex problems and momentum?
38:32 - Who are you giving an A to Anne?
40:50 - Get connected with Anne and District C

If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intr

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On this week's episode, we're digging into the entrepreneurial journey of Amanda DoAmaral, a former AP History teacher and recent recipient of Business Insider's 8 Women Under 30 Entrepreneurs & CEOs to Watch list. A few years ago Amanda left her high school classroom and created Fiveable, a social learning platform that connects students and teachers for in-depth group learning through livestreamed lessons, interactive discussions, and engaging communities. What started as a way to help her former students prepare for their AP exam exploded into a community of more than 35,000 students in a little over two years time. Amanda shares the unexpected pathway that "expanded the walls" of her classroom, and how Fiveable is creating new opportunities for students and for teachers.

Connect with Amanda and Fiveable:

Website: https://fiveable.me/

Twitter: @thinkfiveable

Instagram: @thinkfiveable

Facebook: @thinkfiveable


If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/. 

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

Support the show

For years the education system has worked to address disparity in outcomes for different student groups. We’ve known this disparity as the achievement gap, and more recently and accurately as the opportunity gap. But so far, significant national, state, and local efforts have done little to actually close the gap and increase equity for students across the board. In this episode, Julia Freeland Fisher, Director of Education at the Christensen Institute and author of the essential Who You Know, sheds light on the underlying reason that these efforts have fallen short. When it comes to student opportunity, the research shows what most of us have seen throughout our lives: "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Or, more accurately, it's both. Julia shares research-rich insights on the pivotal potential of student social networks and how schools can unlock innovations that can close the gap for good.

Connect with Julia and the Christensen Institute:

Website: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/

Twitter: @juliaffreeland and @ChristensenInst

Chapter Guide:
0.00 - Intro to the episode
1:42 - Julia's origin story: "We don't accomplish anything alone."
5:30 - Who You Know: Opportunity sits at the cross-section of what students know and who they know
8:31 - Powerful networks are built on high-quality relationships
12:36 - Julia's "why" behind the book
15:09 - What research tells us about the role of student relationships in the opportunity gap equation
20:50 - Why are we handcuffed to meritocracy?
24:38 - Inherited networks and the transformative power of weak ties
31:28 - Static exposure vs. relationship-based exposure
33:37 - 3 innovative strategies to get started in schools
40:44 - The central role of trust in a school's approach to relationship
44:52 - A future shift and the walled-garden
50:19 - Who are you giving an A to Julia?
51:48 - Get connected with Julia and the Christensen Institute

If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/. 

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

Support the show

Lifelong-learners. Problem-solvers. Global thinkers. This is what we want for students - and what we hope we are ourselves. But for all of the programs, language, and initiatives we use to cultivate these traits, we may be overlooking the most effective way to get there. In this episode I talk with Widad Luqman, STEAM education thought leader and founder of Coding Out of Poverty (C.O.O.P.), about the power of experiential learning. For nearly 20 years, Widad has worked with students, educators, schools, and districts across the U.S., using experiential learning methodologies to create deep and enduring learning opportunities for students - and new mental models for educators. Widad shares the moment that changed everything for her as an educator, how experience and global perspective lead to greater equity and inclusivity, and awesome ideas to get started.

Connect with Widad and Coding Out of Poverty:

Website: www.codingoutofpoverty.com

Instagram: @COOPSTEAM and @learnteachtravelrepeat

Twitter: @COOPSTEAM and @widadluqman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coding-Out-Of-Poverty and https://www.facebook.com/teachluqman

Chapter Guide:
0.00 - Intro to the episode
1:39 - What HAVEN'T you done Widad?
3:16 - Widad's journey as a STEAM education advocate
7:51 - How an experiential STEM conference changed everything
11:41 - The impact of experiential learning on retention
13:58 - The three-part disconnect between higher ed, K12 classrooms, and the workforce
17:36 - How K12 teachers can start to fill these gaps
20:42 - Opening a window to bring the outside world in
23:55 - How Coding Out of Poverty empowers students around the globe to grow and advance in any circumstance
26:20 - STEM/STEAM is a tool for equity
28:09 - How a global perspective creates inclusivity, lifelong learning, and more
33:04 - How can education leaders build a global mindset for students and districts?
39:00 - The urgency of systemic inequity and the willingness to learn
44:16 - Who are you giving an A to Widad?
45:46 - Get connected with Widad and Coding Out of Poverty

If you liked what you heard, rate and review Off the Assembly Line

You can find more show details and resources at offtheassemblyline.co and connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or at rebeccaareed.com.

Learn more about the Teacher Mastermind at http://teachermastermind.com

Follow Off the Assembly Line
twitter @offassemblyline
instagram @offtheassemblyline_podcast
facebook @offtheassemblylinepodcast.

Special thanks to Scott Holmes for our intro music. You can check out more from him at https://scottholmesmusic.com/. 

Thanks for listening to Off the Assembly Line. Share it with someone who needs to hear it and then go make a ruckus!

Support the show