Social Emotional Us with Anna-Lisa Mackey, M.Ed.

Jump to these times to hear:

5:29 -  Your book is divided into 12 primary chapters, How did you decide upon those chapter concepts? 
18:20 - The impact for teachers utilizing this curriculum?
24:40 - The power of teachers believing in this!

Jump to these times to hear:

1:20 - An overview
5:47 - Social and emotional benefits as a result of an improvement of creativity? 
8:17 - What are good strategies when working with kids?
12:50 - How did military take this introduction to said strategies?
20:50 how can this can help teachers and educators?

Jump to these times to hear:

4:15 - Considerations of alternative pathways in education
6:35 - As high school seniors approach graduation, how can we help them prepare for the challenges ahead?
12:22 - How can parents and educators collaborate to support high school students in developing long lasting social emotional skills?
17:40 - How can social emotional learning help high school students develop the resilience and adaptability they need to flourish?
21:00 - Self reflection & growth
25:30 - Final parting words

Jump to these times to hear:

• 1:10 - Misinformation regarding SEL
• 4:04 - Helpful resources for SEL fact versus fiction
• 10:30 How to find like minded individuals and community
• 11:20 - The role of teachers and parents
• 15:17 - How to effectively advocate for SEL

Jump to these times to hear:

2:40 - Physical activity and cognition

3:50 - Link between movement and development of social emotional skills

5:50 - High levels of fitness impact with children

8:28 - Recess and behavior

14:50- Recommendation for teachers to get more physical activity into the classroom

21:43 - Takeaway points for physical activity within the classroom

Teacher and SEL coordinator, Emily Case works at an Indigenous school in Miramichi, New Brunswick. In this episode, Emily and Anna-Lisa discuss adapting curriculum and SEL strategies into Indigenous classrooms. Fast forward to these points to hear:

• 2:01 Anna-Lisa's experiences teaching in First Nations schools
• 6:06 Lessons to share with other school leaders
• 11:10 Emily's tips to add more Indigenous resources to your classroom

In this episode of Social Emotional Us, Julie Jones and Jed Deurybury, co-authors of The Playful Classroom, join us from their local coffee shop, which is their favorite place to play! Jed, Julie, and Anna-Lisa discuss the positive impacts of play in education and how play isn’t something that’s limited to early childhood. Fast forward to these points to hear:

• 4:20 Connections between play and SEL
• 5:20 Importance of recess during the school day
• 18:48 The eight different play personalities 

In this episode of Social Emotional Us, we are joined by Michael Horn, author of From Reopen to Reinvent: (Re)Creating School for Every Child. Michael and ALM discuss how to create education for every child. Fast forward to these points to hear:

• 7:10- Anna-Lisa's educational past
• 10:00- Michael's opinion on grading schemes
• 15:20- Aspects that undermine learning

In this episode of Social Emotional Us, Dr. Tehia Starker Glass & Dr. Lucritia Berry join Anna-Lisa to discuss how educators can teach against biases and help students thrive. Dr. Starker Glass and Dr. Berry co-wrote Teaching for Justice and Belonging: A Journey for Educators & Parents, publishing this summer. Fast forward to these points to hear: 

• 4:30- Dr. Glass & Dr. Berry’s recommendations for teachers
• 10:28- How teachers can support teaching for justice
• 23:30- Tips for our school districts can create more inclusive classrooms

In this episode of Social Emotional Us, Dr. Lorea Martinez Perez, author of HEART in Mind, talks with Anna-Lisa about overdue improvements to educator support systems and how adult SEL can help teachers overcome burnout. Fast forward to these points to hear: 

• 1:45- Teacher burnout
• 5:45- How to best support teachers
• 15:45- Teacher support and staff support
• 17:30- How teachers can bring these topics into their school

Season 2, Episode 1: In this episode of Social Emotional Us, Anna-Lisa Mackey and Keith Anderson discuss what makes an education space safe, healthy, and inclusive. Keith, the founder of Worth Living Co., also discusses the importance of destigmatizing mental health issues in the workplace. Fast forward to these points to hear: 

• 2:30 Keith’s Experience with Depression
• 6:10 Destigmatizing Mental Health Issues 
• 9:30 Mental Health and School Shootings

"A goal without a plan is just a wish." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. In the final episode of the season Anna-Lisa talks with Dr. Heather Cruz on how to set goals when we are lacking motivation. Dr. Heather Cruz is the Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services for the Cartwright School District. Located on the West side of the valley in Phoenix, Arizona, the district serves well over 15,000 pre-K-8 students and 900 teachers, and is a majority minority district with an SES approaching 90%. Dr. Cruz brings 30 years of education experience serving as teacher, administrator, assistant superintendent, deputy superintendent and associate superintendent at the state level. As a well-known contributor and expert in the area of teacher supervision, school law and policy, Dr. Cruz serves as an adjunct professor for Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. She is an active member of Arizona School Administrators where she has served as President, and currently serves as the Treasurer and Webmaster for the Best Public Education in Arizona Foundation. She is also the Chief Academic Officer and Co-Founder of Ribbit Learning Company. Cruz is an ongoing advocate for district public schools where she works passionately to ensure that all students achieve success.

Understanding other people's perspective is critical to developing positive interpersonal relationships and prosocial behavior. When we are able to see something from another's point of view, we are more likely to be empathetic, experience gratitude, and find common ground. Anna-Lisa chats with Natalie Rose Luna, mother to a middle school daughter, wife, and communications professional about how her perspective has changed over time and influenced her decision to run for the school board.

Besides the ABCs, teachers are also teaching younger students how to interact in positive social ways, make friends, share, sit during circle time, and more. In this episode Anna-Lisa talks with Head Start teacher Trena Paxton to learn how she creates engagement in the preschool/kindergarten classroom with students that have no classroom experience.

Relationships are hard for all of us right now as we spent most of last year isolated and learning from home. Whether you spent the lockdown by yourself, or with your family, or teaching/learning/working remotely, everyone's social skills are rusty. How are students adjusting to the classroom? What can we take away from this experience for future friendship building? Anna-Lisa chats with behavioral specialist Christina Wainwright about her experience helping students get back to in-person learning. 

As we’ve been navigating through the pandemic, people have experienced a lot of emotions. As teachers, we know that students act out their emotions differently than adults do. This is one reason that we talk about how generosity and kindness are related to gratitude in our curriculum. In this episode, Anna-Lisa chats with Oren Shahar, an elementary school teacher to learn how he's cultivating and fostering gratitude in his classroom and his life.