Teacher Tales

In this episode, we have the great pleasure and honor of meeting Dr. Malik Boykin, the first Black professor in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Science at Brown University. Dr. Boykin studies discrimination and the psychological impact of it. He also teaches a popular course on stigma and prejudice. Through his research as a professor as well as his experiences as a Black man and hip-hop artist, he has discovered the power of words and stories. Once told by teachers and a guidance counselor in high school that he would not amount to much in life, Malik tells us that he learned that he had to look in the mirror and  “authorize” his worthiness in this world. He says that we need to walk away from labels, limitations and lies and become the authors of our own life stories. We cannot let others define us or write our story and plot the course of our life. He reminds us that, as teachers, we have the power of words to “authorize” our students in order to create connection points of meaningful impact. Influenced by the powerful words of Maya Angelou, Malik has authored two hip-hop songs, Dancing for Freedom, and Still I Rise that have gone viral on TikTok. Check them out here and connect with Malik through social media on Instagram @starxmalik and TikTok, FB @malikstarx   To learn more about Malik, go to https://www.malikstarx.com/   Be sure to check out Boykin Research Lab  https://www.boykinlab.com/  Shout out to Kizzy Parks and her podcast Essential Life Skills for You! for the nomination.

In this episode, you will find hope, inspiration, support and direction from Kim, the founder of Free the Mind Co.  Education Week released a study that shows that teachers are more vulnerable to anxiety and depression than any other profession. Another survey shows that over 50% of teachers are burned out and want to leave the profession. Through her experiences working with Steven Spielberg on Schindler’s List, with Holocaust Survivors, with Apartheid Activists in South Africa and with orphan and vulnerable children affected by HIV aids, Kim has garnered a wealth of knowledge, compassion, heart, vision and purpose to make the world a better place. To this end, she has partnered with her son, Brent, to create resources, support, trainings and curriculum that help teachers, students and parents navigate their way through anxiety and depression and to develop greater self-awareness and SEL skills. Kim and Brent discovered that anxiety and other emotional challenges stop potential and keep dreams from coming true, but that teachers have the power to create change by shifting the state of being of a child in any given moment and to help them weave together their potential and their dreams. This is a call and an invitation to all teachers to re-examine what is important in the classroom, to re-focus and to create, manifest and weave together a whole new world of potential and possibilities for all children. After, all, the children are watching us, as adults and role models, and we have a choice in every moment how we will show up for them. Success in school is not measured by tests, data, funding, titles or whatever “gizmos and gadgets galore” we own…it is about how we prepare students to answer life’s greatest questions and to learn how to W.I.N., by asking this essential question: What’s.Important.Now?

Check out the resources, courses, support and trainings (including one with Spirit of Teaching)  at freethemindco.com or you can reach out to spiritofteaching.org    

In this episode, we have the privilege and pleasure to travel halfway around the world to meet Maryam, an Indian heritage, British born teacher who is teaching in an International School in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Through her own struggles with anxiety and mental health challenges, losing loved ones during the pandemic, being isolated and suffering physical illness, Maryam was set on a personal learning journey that would not only help her grow, but that also led her to find the skills, strategies and resources to create a wellness toolkit that she could then share with her students for their mental health and well-being. Maryam is inspirational, positive and uplifting in all that she shares with us to create personal pathways of peace and well-being both in and out of the classroom. As teachers start their journey for a new school year, Maryam’s ideas and tips will become an invaluable resource to help maintain the course of mental wellness and overall well-being. Let’s listen, open our hearts, hold hands and help each other through the challenges of teaching that we will inevitably face every day so that we can all be well and do well in order to make a difference in the lives of children!

In this episode, we meet Jennifer, a Middle School English Language Arts teacher who was featured in a Reuters article about mental health in our schools. Jennifer teaches in the Parkland School District in Allentown, PA and speaks about all of the great initiatives that her school and her district are doing to help support the mental health and well-being of their teachers and students. As the mother of triplets, she reminds us that all children are different and have different needs. She says that we need to remember that we don’t teach a subject or a grade, but rather we teach students, and that it is our job to see them and to hear them and to support their needs. We must show them how to build resilience and manage their own learning. Every Monday, she gives each child a sticky note and asks them to “check-in” with a celebration or a struggle that they have experienced recently, and write it on the back of the note. If they want her to check in with them, personally, then they put a check mark on the front of the sticky. Just this one activity gave Jennifer tremendous connection and heartfelt communication with her students to then ask “what’s going on, and how can I support you?” What happens when our amygdala is firing, and where does mindfulness come in?

Jennifer shares so many great ideas and strategies of how we can support the mental health and well-being of both teachers and students and even parents. She has a deep, multi-directional perspective on what we all have been going through in schools. Check it out, but be ready to take lots of notes and also get curious about how you can start your own Take a Stand Rock Band!

In this episode, our guest, Tamara, takes us down technology memory lane and reminds us how teaching is more than a textbook and a chalkboard. This especially came to light during the pandemic as teachers struggled to find a way to reach and teach their students. She highlights how technology can empower or disempower teachers, depending on their mindset and willingness to try something new and different. Tamara touched on some key “P’s” in education: procedures, permission, practice and perspective and letting go of panic and perfection. These P’s” help us stay out of fear and help us see the possibilities and believe “YES! I CAN!” She also shares how teachers wear many hats and have many talents and super powers that enrich every students’ learning experience and journey. She adds that “teachers are like the conductor in an orchestra’ helping each and every student find their own section, instrument and tune to play in harmony with others.

In this episode, we cross oceans, continents, language barriers and stereotypes to gain wise, profound and personal insights from Alaa, a young man born in Palestine, and who taught English there for 11 years. But then, life carried him on a journey to the “land of opportunity” where he would work as a gas station attendant until he could get his teacher certification here and be hired to teach Arabic in, of all places, Georgia! Alaa shares stories of the culture shock he had to work through as well as the language barriers he had to cross in order to understand his students, but also to be understood by his students. He said that an agreement of mutual respect and compassion made it all possible as he and his students opened their hearts and their minds to create meaningful and caring relationships. He says that they taught him as much about life as he did them. Alaa explains how, as humans, we are learning from each other in every interaction and every communication. He added that teachers are like treasure hunters just trying to dig down deep into the heart of a child and find the hidden treasure, the real gem that is hidden there and that is unique to each child. Thank you, Alaa, as you are a treasure to your students, and you are “paying it forward” from that one teacher that made a big difference in your young life once!

In this episode, Adrienne, a black female educator in Georgia, takes us on a journey through the “seasons” of her teaching career…the ups, the downs, the ins, the outs. She explains how through the changing of these teaching seasons, she has had many personal and professional awakenings that have led her to have an intentional focus on self-help and self-care. She has learned to prioritize, to set boundaries, to join like-minded groups and to listen to podcasts for inspiration and guidance. Through this process, she has become acutely aware that we all, teachers, students, admin, etc., need to give ourselves more permission slips to be human. Adrienne no longer focuses solely on a single concept lesson, but rather develops lasting relationships and influences her students to find their identity through rich, deep, meaningful discussions and lessons that help them find their identity, their place in the community and their purpose and place of service in this world. As a black female educator in one of the most diverse schools in the country, Adrienne has become passionate about social justice, equity, diversity and culturally responsive teaching. Her greatest focus now is on the well-being of her students, the influence she has on their lives and being a caretaker and mentor to them all. That’s the BEST LESSON PLAN EVER!!!  Thank you, Adrienne!

In this episode, we meet Andrea, a teacher whose journey has taken her across the country from the sandy beaches of California to the space coast of Florida. Andrea has taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels as well as college. As her journey progressed, so did her learning as she pursued more degrees, certifications and experiences, eventually transitioning from a classroom teacher to a librarian position. Andrea’s journey is not much different from that of so many other teachers across the country…one of stretching, growing, learning, mentoring, sharing and giving from her heart in service to children. She tells us that “teaching is a force within us” and it helps us develop our skills, talents and use our voice to help educate children and inspire other teachers. Then, she ponders this: “when is our teacher voice quiet, and are we ever done being a true teacher in our hearts?” So many teacher voices are being quieted or just becoming mute because they feel they are being devalued and/or disempowered. Be sure to grab some tissues before listening because Andrea is going to reach in and touch the very spirit of your teacher heart! Don’t forget to share with other teachers to help them re-kindle the passion of teaching in their hearts. 

In this episode, we travel to many different places to learn the story of Cristin, a teacher who has taught in Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, Mexico, Colombia, Albania and India. Cristin shares with us how wanting to know and communicate better with “cute boys” from Mexico led her on a path to study Spanish here in the U.S. as well as abroad. She explains how she gained new perspectives on different systems of education and different ways of teaching. Cristin shares with us how she learned that it’s not about the latest “bells and whistles”, but rather about a teacher’s passion for who, what and why they are teaching. She lives by a philosophy that most teachers live by (no matter where you live in the world!): “you are planting seeds of a tree that you will probably never sit in the shade of.” It is a teacher’s purpose and motivation. Teachers help grow the minds and hearts of children…one seed at a time. The impact and impression a teacher has on a child will last a lifetime, and visa versa. That is the magic of school and the real growth that we should be measuring!

In this episode, we meet Lisa and gain a new perspective on what it is like to teach a subject that only four other teachers in your state teach. Lisa tells us how challenging it was to even become certified in a subject such as Chinese, but also how difficult it was to find professional development to meet her needs. She learned early on in her career that she needed to reach out, attend conferences, network and collaborate with others and find her “teacher tribe”. Lisa also reminds us that we need to ask for what we need and to take input and advice from others, like admin, colleagues and even our own students.  She says we need to become a “learned extrovert”, come out of our teaching silos and network with like-minded people in order to learn and grow into the best teachers for our students. Lisa also talks about how much effort she had to put into marketing and building her program, and how balancing work and home life became a priority. She explains how she had to learn and accept the fact she would need to “selectively abandon” some things that were not a priority in order to maintain balance and avoid burnout. Finally, Lisa gives some great advice and suggestions to admin, parents, colleagues, students and everyone else in our school community of how we can offer support to our teachers. It doesn’t have to just happen during Teacher Appreciation Week either! So, listen and take notes in order to take note of the teachers in your life that you love, value and appreciate every day, all year long!