The Adult Education Wellness Podcast-Balance & teaching tools for everyone

🎙️ Meet Amber Miller, the Staff Development Supervisor at ACC Adult Education. Amber is a state and national presenter with expertise in ESL, reading, writing, pronunciation, and technology. Her diverse teaching experiences span Venezuela, South Korea, Japan, and the U.S.

💡 Challenges and Innovations: Discussion on the challenges in adult education and the integration of technology in teaching.

📖 Personal Insights: Amber's favorite teaching moments and the influence of mentors on her career.

🗣️ Advice for Educators: Tips for educators interested in presenting at conferences and developing training programs.

📚 Personal Touch:Get to know Amber's personal interests, including her love for reading, cooking, and yoga.

Additionally Stacy & Betina dive into…

🧠 Understanding Imposter Syndrome:  a common feeling of self-doubt and inadequacy despite evident success. It's a challenge faced by many, including experienced professionals like Amber.

📝 Practical exercises are shared to help break through barriers, such as keeping an evidence journal.

🗣️ Finding Your Voice: The importance of expressing your unique voice, whether through speaking or writing, is emphasized. Techniques like stream of consciousness journaling and recording voice memos are suggested to strengthen self-expression.

💪 Building Confidence:  The episode highlights the significance of practice in building confidence. The more you engage in activities like public speaking or writing, the more natural and confident you become.

Link to Amber's favorite books: https://tinyurl.com/AmbersFavBooks

Follow us to stay updated on new episodes! If you enjoyed this one, please rate us and share it with a friend or colleague who might find it helpful.

Also, feel free to email us with questions, suggestions or if you'd like to be a guest on the ACC Adult Education World Podcast. [email protected] & [email protected]

The Adult Education World – Featuring Jean Friedman

🎙 Episode Title: Where Are You Wasting Your Energy? Decluttering with Jean Friedman

🔹 Guest: Jean Friedman – Coordinator of AE Assessment

🔹 Hosts: Stacy & Betina

🔹Theme: Energy management, decluttering (physical, mental, and emotional), and setting boundaries

🔹 Jean’s Advice: Educators often waste the most energy on "what-ifs"—focus on the present.

🔹 The Evolution of AE Assessment: How ACC became a model for the state in testing innovation.

🔹 Jean’s Passion for Service: Adult Ed is about lifting others—every role contributes to student success.

🔹 Overcommitting? Discover why teachers struggle to say no and how to set healthier boundaries.

🔹 Practical strategies for decluttering your space, mind, and workload without guilt.

🔹 A simple exercise to help you release what no longer serves you and reclaim your focus.

❓ What’s one boundary you can set this week to protect your time and energy?

🔹Jean's Favorite Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/JeanFavPodcasts

🔹Jean's Favorite Books:

https://tinyurl.com/Jeansfavbooks

📌 TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ONLINE STORE:

🛍️ Jean Friedman runs an Etsy shop specializing in vintage treasures. She loves researching and curating unique finds.

🛒 Explore JD Finds Treasures: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JDFindsTreasures.

💬 See something you like? Reach out to Jean directly for discounts and personal delivery.

❤️ Favorite the shop (follow) and visit often—new items are added almost daily!

📢 Keep in mind that the National Adult Education Honor Society will take place on Thursday, April 24th, go and support your students.

🎧 Listen now and take the first step toward a clutter-free life! #EnergyManagement #Decluttering #HealthyBoundaries

📢 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend or colleague! And if you have any questions or ideas for the show or would like to be a guest on our show please email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

🎙 Episode Highlights:

• Special guest: Mieca Johnson Peralta, HSE Supervisor at ACC Adult Education

• Insights on supporting HSE/GED students and instructors

• The importance of Black History Month in education and leadership

• Challenges and experiences as a Black woman in leadership

• Hypnosis & self-improvement: myths, benefits, and a guided exercise

🎯 Key Takeaways:

• A day in the life of an HSE/GED Program Supervisor

• Inspirational Black historical figures and their impact

• Books, self-care, and personal insights

🌀 Hypnosis Segment:

• What hypnosis really is (and isn’t!)

• How it helps with stress, confidence, and habit change

• Stacy’s experience using hypnosis to overcome fear of flying

• A simple self-hypnosis exercise for relaxation and focus

📅 Upcoming Event:

• Black History Month Closing Celebration – Feb 28, 2025, at ACC Eastview

🎧 Listen Now: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!

💙 Huge thanks to Mieca Johnson Peralta! Wishing her all the best as she prepares to welcome her baby!

Mieca's Favorite Songs link https://tinyurl.com/MiecaFavSongs
Mieca's Favorite Books link https://tinyurl.com/MiecaFavBooks

📢 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend or colleague! And if you have any questions or ideas for the show or would like to be a guest on our show please email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

In this Valentine’s season, love isn’t just about others—it’s about you, too! In today’s episode, Stacy and Betina explore the practice of self-love, emotional well-being, and feeling ‘enough’ even in challenging environments. They share personal stories, insights, and practical strategies—including breathing exercises, replace and reframe, and EFT tapping techniques—that you can use in your daily life and with your students.

What you'll learn from this episode:

✅ Why self-love is essential for emotional and mental health

✅ The power of allowing and accepting all emotions

✅ Identifying and dealing with your inner critic

✅ A simple EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping exercise to process emotions

✅ Practical tips to bring emotional well-being into your classroom

Key Takeaways:

📖Betina’s Personal Story: From Suppressed to ExpressedBetina shares her journey of overcoming suppressed anger and finding self-love through awareness, emotional validation, and safe expression.

🧠 The Inner Critic: Identifying & Reframing Negative Self-TalkRecognizing the different forms of self-doubt—the Perfectionist, the People-Pleaser, the Imposter, and more. Learn how to ‘Name It & Reframe It’ to build self-compassion.

https://tinyurl.com/TesttakingStudentsTapping 

February Events in ATX

💘Valentine’s Day Concert & Picnic in Austin📅 February 14, 2025 | 12:00 PM & 1:30 PM📍 209 East Monroe Street, Austin🎻 Live music, nature, and community!

https://tinyurl.com/Violinconcertpicnic⁠ 

😂Kydd Jones Comedy Jam – Family-Friendly Stand-Up Show📅 February 23, 2025 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM📍 Austin Public Library – Central Branch🎟 Free event with live music & comedy!

https://tinyurl.com/KyddJonesComedyAPL⁠ 

🖤Celebrate Black History Month at ACC!🏛 A month of engaging events honoring African American contributions to culture and society. 📌 Check out the full event list on the ACC website!

https://tinyurl.com/ACCBlackHistoryMonth

💡Remember: Self-love starts with small daily choices. Give yourself the same kindness you give to others!

🎙Follow us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to stay updated on future episodes!

📢 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend or colleague! And if you have any questions or ideas for the show or would like to be a guest on our show please email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

🎧See you next time!

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Adult Education World Podcast! 

Join hosts Betina and Stacy as they welcome special guest Rajani Ramachandran, a dedicated ESL instructor with a rich cultural background and a passion for wellness and stress management. 

Rajani shares her journey from New Delhi, India, to the U.S., her love for teaching, and her commitment to helping students advocate for themselves in English.

In this episode, you'll also experience a calming 4-7-8 breathing exercise led by Rajani-this is how she starts each class in case you didn’t know. 🙂

A highlight of the episode is the vision board lesson that Rajani and Betina teamed up to present to Level 4 ESL students last year. 

This engaging activity encouraged students to reflect on their English language learning journey and envision their future goals. The lesson was a great success, helping students articulate their aspirations and build confidence in their language skills.

Stay tuned for inspiring stories, insightful discussions, and exciting announcements from the ACC Adult Education World!

 Don't forget to follow us and leave a review!

Thank you! Until next time, stay warm and cozy!

Special bonuses from this episode:

Rajani’s favorite books:  https://tinyurl.com/Rajanisfavoritebooks  

Vision Board Template: https://tinyurl.com/AEPodcastVisionBoardGuide

Loving Kindness Meditations:  https://www.youtubeeducation.com/watch?v=v1HdSkAJsRc

https://youtu.be/e-TeW9CI0bc?si=7Yd3V0-IQQLIR2y2

📢 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend or colleague! And if you have any questions or ideas for the show or would like to be a guest on our show please email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Episode 1: Kathy's Insights & Three Steps to Overcoming Blocks to Your Goals

Welcome to the very first episode of our podcast! We’re kicking things off with an inspiring and motivational interview that’s both illustrative and fun. Memoirs happen to be one of my favorite genres, and while we didn’t quite get a full biography, we dug into some key moments that shaped the life and career of our guest, Kathy Dowdy, the Dean of Adult Education.

Scavenger Hunt: During Kathy’s interview, we uncovered fascinating connections between her life and these topics. Can you spot them all?

A theater

A record store

Counseling

Dyslexic people

Quantum

Gemini

The first declaration of independence

Freakonomics

Abraham Lincoln

The 4th of July

Visualization

Kathy's Favorite Books:
https://tinyurl.com/FavoriteBooksKathy

Kathy's Favorite Songs:

https://tinyurl.com/SongsKathyFavsKathy's Spotify Playlist:

https://tinyurl.com/KathyaPlaylistforAE

AE Updates:

Term 3: A Fresh Start As we explore overcoming challenges, we’re also gearing up for the start of Term 3—a time full of excitement and preparation." Let’s welcome our students by helping them with ACC eIDs, ACC email accounts, and more.

Winter is in full swing, so remember to take care of the Four Ps: People, Pets, Plants, and Pipes.

And don’t forget—this year we have Inauguration Day on January 20th, adding a little extra excitement to the season.

In This Episode: Here’s what you can look forward to:

Overcoming Blocks to Our Goals: Actionable insights to help you push past challenges.

Three Practical Steps: Simple strategies you can implement right away.

Getting Back on Track: An additional step to refocus and achieve your goals.

A Personal Story: Betina shares how she became aware of an obstacle in her life.

Visualization Practice: Stacy guides us through an exercise to help you stay focused and motivated.

📢 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend or colleague! And if you have any questions or ideas for the show or would like to be a guest on our show please email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Join hosts Betina & Stacy on "The ACC Adult Education World" podcast, where dedicated instructors and staff in Adult Education find support and inspiration.

Each episode is packed with updates, insights, and strategies—from stress management to innovative workplace ideas—designed to simplify your job and enrich your life.

As experienced teachers and wellness practitioners, Betina & Stacy are here to energize the Adult Education community, fostering health, joy, courage, and compassion.

Tune in biweekly starting January 13th, 2025, on Apple Podcast and Spotify, and be part of a healthier, happier Adult Ed journey.

📢 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend or colleague! And if you have any questions or ideas for the show or would like to be a guest on our show please email us at [email protected] and [email protected].