Where were you the last time you heard the names Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin? Binge watching the surprise mega hit “The Tiger King” during the pandemic? Maybe catching the sequel a few years after or Carole dancing to Eye of the Tiger on Dancing with the Stars ? Or maybe listening to a few first-year education podcasters having a little fun connecting with listeners during summer break? Whatever the case may be, welcome back   - we’re setting our sights on all the craziness of the Tiger King and the connections we made back in 2021 between the world of edu & learning and the world of tiger cub selfies and expired Walmart baloney.

We’re shifting gears in our reflection series and about to throw the spotlight on our mini episodes. Back in the summer of 2021, we were still wondering how we’d emotionally, mentally or physically recover from the chaos of that first year of “pandemic teaching”. Almost as much as we were wondering at the time if a one, Carole Baskin, actually fed her husband to a tiger. To get right into it  - and avoid lawsuits -  let’s jump into an episode full of connections and laughs that we really needed back in June of 2021.

In the 2008 pop anthem “Circus”, Britney sings “There's only two types of people in the world…5he ones that entertain, and the ones that observe”; however, in this season 1 throwback episode, we asserted that those in the observe camp likely are caught in the Apathy Zone. 

In this episode, we considered research about zones of optimal learning and also more Toxic zones that keep people’s heads slippin’ under with anxiety and yes, apathy. When it comes to learning, we all better work, not just sit back and watch. If you like your discussions of social psychology and learning theory balanced with song lyrics and red pleather jumpsuits, you’re in the right spot.

The episode slash dance party you are about to hear was released on May 27, 2021, and the Guild had just as much fun preparing for it as we did recording it. With solid evidence on anxiety and apathy from Harvard Business school and how this entangles with all things Britney Spears, we had hours of pop lyrics to study in order to flex our metaphorical moves. I knew we had to revisit this one, if for no other reason than so we can say “Oops We Did it, Again.” So let’s all hit this Baby, One more time.

Even if navigating change sometimes feels like trying to herd cats, it's important to remember as Leslie Knope says ,"every obstacle is an opportunity to prove how awesome you are.” Feeling part of a community, as we know, is so vital for student and educator success - and given the stresses, trials, and victories that come with being in the field of education and leadership, change is going to happen. So, how do we maintain those relationships and not fall into a metaphorical pit as when change or transitions come our way? The question is as prevalent now as it was nearly 3 years ago.

So before GLG takes a running leap and learns to fly towards what’s ahead” let’s reflect on “Network Connectivity Problems” - and what we can do to keep our connections “Leslie Knope & Ann Perkins” strong…

It’s fitting that we are returning back to our February 3rd, 2022 episode in this second set of our featured episodes on belonging and leadership. In this episode, entitled Network Connectivity issues, we shared with our listeners how we as a guild maintained our connection and commitment to creating as we went through the first of several major shifts. 

Because unlike Ron Swanson, we are always interested in caring about people…even if we haven’t worked with them for three years. 

Stay tuned!

Real talk: there are times when the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 feels like it might have just been yesterday, especially since many school systems are still dealing with its after effects. In other moments, those days of lockdowns, remote teaching, and having to PIVOT constantly feel like a fever dream. But some things have endured that trying time - including a silly little game we invented (or reinvented): Milk, Margarita, Malort. Five years ago, we used that game to consider and discuss instructional practices, procedures, and ideas in education that we hoped and didn’t want to stick around. Secondly, that game allowed us to forge a friendship with the incredibly talented Kim Darche. Join us as we invite her back to reflect on this episode and catch up. Stay tuned!

In this next set of episodes, we are revisiting and reflecting on another one of our favorite topics: leadership and belonging. 

In this episode we return back to our freshmen season. The episode, Love in the Time of Corona, originally aired on April 15, 2021. We welcomed our first guest, and we played a game in ”three parts”  with our own original, “beverage themed” twist. 

So grab yourself a glass of your favorite, and enjoy!

The Kumbaya-love-fest the GLG had on this past rerun of the Make it Work Mindset displays how the powers of a guild provide support and recognition during times of stress when performing at max capacity is a must– a common reality for all those in this education space. As we work our way towards our own “Auf wiedersehen” for our favorite education episodes, it’s a chance to revisit and reflect upon this episode that reminds us all that even if the situations that had us “making it work” during the pandemic have changed immensely, we are STILL designers -  and we are fierce.

Photo from Unsplash

The episode you’re about to listen to is one that I, Jenni, remember so fondly yet listen back to and lovingly cringe. It originally aired on February 4, 2021, in the heart of the pandemic, when all teachers were unvaccinated, masked up and hybrid teaching to sets of eyeballs and ceiling fans. If we hadn’t yet learned how to make it work, then, we’ve surely earned our designer stripes by now. Hope you enjoy this re-listen as much as we did and agree how the Make it Work Mindset still applies, maybe even more so, today.