Recess is often thought of as an “extra” activity in the school day. Sometimes it’s even taken away from students as a punishment. But some schools think about recess as an integral part of the school day, where students get the opportunity to connect, practice important social and problem-solving skills they’ll need for life. Others…
Category: Mental health
EP 256: Student Wellness Is a Design Decision, Not a Siloed Activity (with Lauren Porosoff)
When schools talk about improving engagement, student wellness, or school climate, it often turns into assemblies, themed weeks, or standalone initiatives. When schools talk about community engagement, student wellness, or school climate, they often turn into assemblies, themed weeks, or standalone initiatives. In this episode, I invited Lauren Porosoff from The Teacher Nerd to unpack…
EP 214: A Speech Pathologist’s Journey Through Brain Surgery and Recovery (with Ana Hernandez)
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Ana Hernandez, a speech pathologist who found herself on the other side of the therapy room after undergoing brain surgery. Ana shares her deeply personal journey through the road of recovery. As someone who has spent her career helping others communicate, Ana opens up about what it…
EP 202: Public perception of education, positive role models, and keeping good leaders in schools (featuring Dan Kelley, Dr. Joseph Williams, and Danny Bauer)
A good school leader knows how to protect their staff from initiatives and fires they may need to put out on a regular basis. In many cases if you’re unaware of everything your school administrator is dealing with, it means they’re doing their job well. This lack of awareness of what happens behind-the-scenes may mean…
EP 198: Empowering educators to support mental health at the Tier 1 level (with Dr. Hayley Watson)
Teachers and school leaders often feel like they have to be “everything to everyone”. Not only are educators expected to deliver high-quality instruction in traditional academic areas, they’re also expected to provide social-emotional support, vocational training, and everything in between. When it comes to supporting mental health, this can be a tricky ethical line to…
EP 172: Increasing attendance with student engagement and connectedness (with Jen Perry)
How can districts reverse chronic absenteeism and gain a deeper understanding of why students don’t come to school? Can we measure how “connected” students are to their schools? How do we impact the level of connection they feel with potential mentors in their lives? I invited Jen Perry to episode 172 of the De Facto…
EP 171: Social-emotional learning for adults (featuring Crissy Mombela, Lisa Navarra, and Dr. Theresa Melito-Conners)
Most discussions around social-emotional learning are about helping kids stay regulated, healthy, and adjusted, but we can’t forget about the adults. Being in any type of role that involves caring for others can be incredibly dysregulating; whether you’re a K-12 professional or a parent. That’s why in this episode, I’m highlighting past interview clips with…
EP 134: How to help teens get comfortable with discomfort and pursue meaningful work (with Joey Mascio)
Teen’s brains are wired to seek pleasure, avoid pain, and conserve energy. On top of that their prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed yet, which means they don’t always make decisions that are in their best interest. They’re learning so much about how to navigate relationships and manage their day-to-day lives. Things like: 👉Handling setbacks, like…
EP 124: Meditation for educators and the art of giving 85% (with Danny Bauer)
I have a love/hate relationship with meditation and mindfulness. I know I should do it. I even talk about why it’s beneficial. But I never want to do it…even though I feel better if I do. If that sounds familiar, you won’t want to miss episode 124 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast. That’s why…
EP 122: Executive functioning for college students: Beyond checklists and planners (with Jill Fahy)
What if young adults are still prompt-dependent when they go away to college? Or what if they and their parents aren’t aware of how much support they’re actually getting? On top of that, how can professionals navigate the complexity of supporting language and executive functioning (or knowing when to address which skills)? I invited Jill…