"The Bulldog Educator" with Kirsten Wilson and Matthew Caston

In this episode the hosts, Matthew and Kirsten, explored the challenges educators face in education, particularly regarding federal layoffs and the unrecognized labor in female-dominated professions, while sharing personal experiences that motivated them to remain focused on education's importance. They discussed strategies for nurturing their personal motivations in teaching, including creating safe spaces, connecting people and resources, and protecting one's "why" while being mindful of potential risks. The conversation concluded with an emphasis on the therapeutic power of humor and creativity in education, as well as the importance of sharing personal motivations with trusted individuals to avoid feelings of isolation.

Links mentioned during the cast:

Article from USA Today- Inside the Dismantling of the Education Department

Article from Edutopia- Using Literature to Teach SEL in Middle School | Edutopia

CBS "On the Road" with Steve Hartman- Kindness 101 program

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In this episode of The Bulldog Educator, Kirsten Wilson talks with futurist and design engineer Zak Morris about moving from AI overwhelm to AI orchestration in education. Zak shares how schools can integrate AI responsibly, empower students to build with technology, and embrace neurodivergent strengths as innovation assets. Together, they explore what a truly human-centered future of learning could look like.

To contact Zak:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zakmorris_art

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zakmorris/

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What if the path to stronger school communities started with fewer phones and more conversation? In this episode, Kirsten and Matthew sit down with Nicholas Bradford, founder of the National Center for Restorative Justice, to explore how connection, belonging, and accountability can transform learning spaces. Nicholas shares candid insights on the impact of cell phones in schools, why a bell-to-bell phone-free policy might matter more than we think, and how restorative practices help students—and adults—navigate conflict, responsibility, and growth. Together, they unpack what it means to slow down, listen, and build classrooms that reflect the compassionate, community-minded world we want our students to inherit.

To connect with Nicholas and the National Center for Restorative Justice:

LinkedIN- Nicholas Bradford https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfordnicholas/ National Center for Restorative Justice https://www.linkedin.com/company/nationalcenterforrestorativejustice/ 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/4RestorativeJustice https://www.nationalcenterforrestorativejustice.com/ 

Instagram @ncforrj

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In this episode podcast host, Kirsten, explores with co-author Viki Kelchner the book "High 5 to Thrive" which focuses on the impact of teachers and the importance of hope, trauma-informed care, and resilience, particularly in the context of education in places where students are impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). The conversation includes a discussion around strategies for building hope and resilience among educators, emphasizing the power of small personal changes and the integration of practical tools for managing stress and anxiety.

To contact Viki Kelchner:

Professor at James Madison University

LinkedIN

[email protected]

Best Questers

To Purchase book: High Five to Thrive: 5 Proven Practices to Unleash Your Passion for Teaching

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In this episode of The Bulldog Educator, Kirsten and Matthew sit down with Dr. Ann Ishimaru and Dr. Decoteau Irby, co-authors of Doing the Work of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change. Together they unpack the Equity Leadership Cycles Framework—mornings of awakening, middays of institutionalization, and evenings of resistance—showing how leadership is shaped by history, politics, and community resilience. From the courageous work of Black women leaders to strategies for LGBTQ inclusion and sustaining equity amid backlash, Ann and Decoteau share powerful lessons on collective leadership, creativity, and care. The conversation highlights the importance of building supportive networks, embedding equity into daily school practices, and keeping hope alive in challenging times.

To order your book: Doing the Work of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change on Amazon

Contact the authors:

a n n i s h i m a r u . c o m

Instagram: @ANNISHIMARU 

Bluesky: @PROF-ISHIMARU.BSKY.SOCIAL‬

LinkedIN: ANN M. ISHIMARU

d e c o t e a u i r b y . c o m 

Instagram: @DECOTEAUBLACK 

X: @DECOTEAUIRBY

LinkedIN: DECOTEAU J. IRBY

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In this episode Matt and Kirsten chat with Dacia Toll (co-founder and co-CEO of CourseMojo). They explore various aspects of Course Mojo, an AI-powered educational assistant designed to support teachers and diverse learners, including its features for providing real-time feedback and monitoring student engagement. The conversation with Dacia Toll, concluded with a focus on the importance of educator involvement in product development and the need for strategic use of educational tools, with Dacia providing information around the  Course Mojo platform and sharing their ongoing research and the incredible impact data Course Mojo has already had in schools that are using it.

Information on how to contact Dacia Toll and/or CoruseMojo:

Dacia Toll's LinkedIN- https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciatoll/ 

CourseMojo's LinkedIN- https://www.linkedin.com/company/coursemojo/ 

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@Coursemojo 
Website- https://coursemojo.com/

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Clement Townsend is the first guest of Season 8 of the Bulldog Educator podcast. Clement shares with us about his career transition from sports journalism to teaching and discusses his work on the video pro learning platform, which helps teachers integrate video assignments into core subject lessons. This episode focuses on the importance of teaching digital skills and creativity to students, particularly through video production, and explores how technology can enhance educational experiences while bridging the digital divide.

Website: https://videoprolearning.com/

email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctownsendtv

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ClementTownsendMedia

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clement-townsend/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clement.edtech

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You can also find us via our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thebulldogedu.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can also follow Matt on Instagram @Matthewccaston and BlueSky @MattCaston.bsky.social ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this powerful season finale, Kirsten and Matt welcome back recurring guests Dr. Jen Clifden and Dr. Nuhu Sims for a timely and soul-stirring conversation about surviving and thriving as educators in today’s turbulent K–12 environment. Together, they explore the need for intentional restoration, community reciprocity, and the boldness of being a “positive deviant.”

References mentioned:

• We Want to Do More Than Survive – Bettina Love

• Fugitive Pedagogy – Dr. Jarvis Givens (inspired by Carter G. Woodson)

• Emergent Strategy – adrienne maree brown

• Troublemaker – Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

  
  

  Connect with our guests-

  • Dr. Jen Clifden
    🌐 www.drjenclifden.com
    📘 The Light You Cast
    

  • Dr. Nuhu Sims (connect through Dr. Jen Clifden)

    
    

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    You can also find us via our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thebulldogedu.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    
    

    You can also follow Matt on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CastIron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatthewCaston⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MattCaston.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    and Kirsten on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or X @teachkiwi, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIN ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠as Kirsten Wilson or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teachkiwi.bsky.social

    
    

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In this powerful episode, Kirsten sits down with Carrie Rogers-Whitehead—author, advocate, and founder of Digital Respons-Ability—to explore the essential role of digital literacy in today’s society. Carrie unpacks the growing concern regarding public libraries, including proposed funding cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and what that means for rural communities, interlibrary loan systems, and equitable technology access.

The conversation shifts to young learners as Carrie introduces her newest book, Technology for Littles: Helping Young Children Navigate the Internet Responsibly. She shares practical ways to build digital literacy from an early age through songs, stories, and engaging activities, while stressing the critical role of parents in fostering safe tech habits at home.

The episode wraps as Carrie and Kirsten’s reiterate their shared commitment to digital responsibility and community advocacy.

References:

Quit Clicking Kids, Chris McCarty interview https://quitclickingkids.com/

Save Federal Funding for Public Libraries:

 https://action.everylibrary.org/saveimls2025

Carrie Rogers-Whitehead's new book "Technology for Littles: Helping Young Children Navigate the Internet Responsibly"

Contact and Resource Information:

Website: https://respons-ability.net/ 

Other SM?  

Instagram @digitalrespons_ability

linkedIN:https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-respons-ability/posts/

Carrie Rogers-Whitehead- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerswhitehead/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digitalresponsability 

X: https://x.com/Digital_Empower

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalrespons_ability/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalResponsAbility

Blog: https://respons-ability.net/blog/

Listeners please share your thoughts and ideas with us on our social media accounts on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @thebulldogedu or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebulldogedu.bsky.social

You can also find us via our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thebulldogedu.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can also follow Matt on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CastIron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatthewCaston⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠@MattCaston.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠

and Kirsten on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or X @teachkiwi, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIN ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠as Kirsten Wilson or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teachkiwi.bsky.social

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In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of The Bulldog Educator, Dr. Grant Chandler joins Kirsten and Matthew to discuss his book, Powerful Student Care, and what it truly means to honor every learner as distinctive and irreplaceable—especially students from marginalized and low-income backgrounds.

The conversation dives deep into:

• The challenges of teaching students from poverty

• The urgent need for student-centered learning

• Building true communities of difference in classrooms

• Practicing cultural humility, antiracism, and antibias in education

• Rethinking teacher preparation, evaluation, and professional learning

• Implementing radical care to prioritize student well-being and dignity

Dr. Chandler outlines five tenets of powerful student care that empower students to see their worth and the worth of others, offering a fresh, humanizing approach to education that reaches far beyond test scores.

Website: https://ourstudentsmatter.org

Other SM-

Bluesky: dr-grant-chandler.bsky.social

linkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-a-chandler/

Podcast: https://the-wheelhouse.captivate.fm/episodes

Newsletter: https://thewheelhouse.substack.com

Listeners please share your thoughts and ideas with us on our social media accounts on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @thebulldogedu or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebulldogedu.bsky.social

You can also find us via our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thebulldogedu.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can also follow Matt on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CastIron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatthewCaston⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠@MattCaston.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠

and Kirsten on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or X @teachkiwi, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIN ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠as Kirsten Wilson or on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠@teachkiwi.bsky.social

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