Who is the greatest lever for change in our education system? Teachers? Parents? Students? In this episode, Natalie connects with three former students and their mentor teacher from Prince George, Canada, to explore how students can become visionary catalysts who spark learning in an entire community. Video #1 - Stories and Experiences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=PyX81hRIVgA#dialog&ab_channel=SchoolDistrictNo.57 Video #2 - Impact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=deskto...
Jun 12, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 86
Description: This week on #Educrush we hear from Calgary’s Current and the first ever Black Poet Laureate of the city, Wakefield Brewster as he shares with us the importance of story and poetry and education. Wakefield on Twitter @LyricalPitpull Wakefield on Instagram @Wakefield_Brewster Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Links Mentioned: https://wakefieldbrewster.com/...
Jun 05, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 85
What is community? How do we build it, and break it? Who are we as a wider education community? Natalie connects with former teacher and current community engagement strategist, Melody McAllister, to unpack the complexities of both youth and adult communities in the age of social media. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empowermentecosystem Follow Natalie: Twitter | Instagram | Linkedin Follow the Podcast: Twitter | Instagram Follow Melody: Twitter | Instagram v | LinkedIn...
May 29, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 84
Description: This week Alex talks to Multimedia Specialist and Search and Rescue volunteer Nick Hughes. He share how his experiences with high school influenced his passions today. What does it look like for teachers to nurture the interests and passions of students and where might that start lead them in their lives? Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod...
May 22, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 83
Fresh off the first-ever Empowerment Ecosystem Summit in Vancouver, BC, Natalie sits down with co-hosts Katie White and Tom Schimmer to reflect on highlights, insights, and next steps for the innovative event. Show Notes: · What’s sticking with each of us immediately after the event. (10:25) · Rethinking the concept of the “middle” in education and how tension shows up in creative work. (19:45) · Tweaks to the event design to better meet the vision. (23:30) · Moments that will stick with us. (27...
May 15, 2023•40 min•Season 3Ep. 82
This week on #Educrush, our guest Alora Popow shares the importance of both the Physical and Education portion of Physical Education. As a PE teacher herself, Alora shares her Philosophy of education, how classroom outcomes intertwine with outcomes in the gym space and how we can better utilize physical education to aid our instruction of class outcomes. Don’t forget to sign up the Empowerment Ecosystem Summit! https://sites.google.com/view/empowermentecosystemsummit/home Alex on Twitter: @MrAle...
May 08, 2023•40 min•Season 3Ep. 81
Wellness is so much more than a pizza party or a coffee cart; it’s deep, personal excavation and ruthless time management. Jonathan Erickson is currently the principal of Parras Middle School in Redondo Beach, California, and he joins Natalie to share what he learned about the discipline of wellness when he studied it during his PhD, and how he’s bringing it to life in his school. Show Notes: · Jonathan’s journey through innovative teaching contexts and a PhD in mindfulness and workplace outcome...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 80
This week we further explore what we started in Ep 72, where Natalie and Alex talked about what it means to “craft a public narrative” in education. Welcome to part of Alex’s public Narrative. “Cross Curricular Conversations to energize your time.” Don’t forget to sign up the Empowerment Ecosystem Summit! https://sites.google.com/view/empowermentecosystemsummit/home Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Lin...
Apr 24, 2023•37 min•Season 3Ep. 79
This season, we have explored many stories of education here in the present, but what is the future of education? Join Natalie to play within two future simulations that will stretch your capacity to discover creative opportunities, today. Empowerment Ecosystem Summit website: https://sites.google.com/view/empowermentecosystemsummit/home Follow Natalie: Twitter | Instagram Follow the Podcast: Twitter | Instagram Email: hello@educrushpod.com Show Notes: · When does the future start? (4:45) · Jane...
Apr 17, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 78
This week on #Educrush we dive into how our expectations of students change the stories that they get to tell about themselves. Kelsey Brown talks a bit about a restorative justice program run out of the Calgary Youth Justice society. Don’t forget to sign up the Empowerment Ecosystem Summit! https://sites.google.com/view/empowermentecosystemsummit/home Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Show Notes: 10:45...
Apr 10, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 77
Breana Jacques and Shannon Finnegan are two “engagement guides” at the Collaborative Lab School in Minneapolis with a fascinating mission: to empower students to reinvent school. What principles do students think school should follow? What do they think should be assessed? How do they want to feel? They join Natalie to share the story of how they’ve shared power with students as co-designers of school and are rewriting the narrative of education. Show Notes: · Introduction to Breana and Shannon,...
Apr 03, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 76
Jill on Twitter: @engler_jill Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod
Mar 13, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 75
Throughout history, we have told the story of girls as precious eggs and boys as kept princes. However, as we begin to explore gender identity as a spectrum rather than a binary, it’s time to update this narrative and that begins with interrogating the scripts we perform when talking to students. Author, speaker and gender awareness coach, Jason Ablin, joins Natalie to unpack this gender equation in schools and uncover how it is impacting literacy and numeracy achievement. Follow Natalie: Twitte...
Mar 06, 2023•56 min•Season 3Ep. 74
Dave Conrad is the Community Engagement Program Director at a Non-Profit organization called the Mustard Seed. They are an organization that specializes in providing aid to people around Canada who are facing homelessness. On this episode, Dave and Alex explore what life could be like for students who could be experiencing homelessness and the importance of dignity and person first language. Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on I...
Feb 27, 2023•45 min•Season 3Ep. 73
A public narrative is a framework to help us craft a story that inspires others to take action. In this “coaching call” episode, Natalie walks Alex through the creation of his own public narrative for a cause he is passionate about. Follow Natalie: Twitter | Instagram Follow Alex: Twitter Follow the Podcast: Twitter | Instagram Email: hello@educrushpod.com Show Notes: Unpacking the “public narrative” framework as designed by Marshall Ganz. (3:30) Clarifying the story of now and a specific call t...
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 72
On this week’s episode, Alex explores his own thoughts and history around discrimination. Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Links Mentioned: https://twitter.com/lyricalpitbull...
Feb 13, 2023•28 min•Season 3Ep. 71
Stories are a powerful tool for liberation when we see ourselves in a character that demonstrates ingenuity and creativity on their quest for freedom. In particular, the stories of rebel Black communities can inspire our youth today when they are told alongside stories that describe historical violence and oppression. Dr. Crystal Menzies is a qualitative researcher and entrepreneur on a mission to uncover the hidden history of Black folks. She joins Natalie to tell the story of Maroon communitie...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 70
On this week’s episode we discuss speech pathology and the profound impact that it can have on students’ education and their future. Alex Henderson shares her insights, expertise, and optimism! Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Show Notes: Define speech pathology [04:05] Speech pathology in schools [09:19] Speech problems that interfere with learning [12:17] Supporting skill development [16:42] Spotting...
Jan 30, 2023•49 min•Season 3Ep. 69
Six months ago, Natalie quit her job to unleash her entrepreneurial spirit on a mission to reimagine education. Now, she’s back with an update about the Empowerment Ecosystem, an online program that provides the community, coaching, and tools for change agents to build an empowering assessment system. She’s joined by three founding members, Lynette Earle, Kyle Webb, and Danelle Almaraz, who share their experiences in the ecosystem. Ready to make REAL change? Book a 45-minute call with Natalie to...
Jan 23, 2023•56 min
On this episode of #Educrush, Alex talks to a Planner named Srimal Ranasinghe who believes whole heartedly that one of the keys to students thriving is looking at the spaces that we all spend time in. Listen while they discuss why it’s important and what it may look like to design spaces with health and engagement in mind. Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Show Notes: Intro [00:40] Today’s Guest [05:17]...
Jan 16, 2023•55 min•Season 3Ep. 67
What if qualitative evidence were amplified to the same status as quantitative data in our education system? How might our schools transform if we tapped into the rich insights that come from story, anecdotes, experience, and emotion? Shane Safir, author of “The Listening Leader” and recent co-author of “Street Data” with Jamila Dugan, joins Natalie to discuss why we need to amplify qualitative evidence to engage in equity transformation cycles, and how these cycles will radically transform our ...
Jan 09, 2023•52 min•Season 3Ep. 66
In this holiday special, Natalie explores the topic of grading through the lens of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. Get ready for a visit from the ghosts of grading past, present and a future yet to come! Show Notes: The ghost of grading past. (2:29) The ghost of grading present. (11:05) The ghost of grading yet to come. (21:03) Follow Natalie: Twitter | Instagram Follow the Podcast: Twitter | Instagram Email: hello@educrushpod.com...
Dec 19, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 65
On this PodSwap episode, Natalie connects with Peter Hostrawser, one of the co-hosts of the Disrupt Education podcast, to talk about edu-podcasting, the industrial story of school that needs disrupting, and how Spikeview empowers students to tell their story. Show Notes: Peter’s backstory; what called him into education and what he’s doing now. (2:00) Creating a podcast to stay grounded and connected as an educator in a siloed system that won’t ask the uncomfortable questions. (7:15) The industr...
Dec 12, 2022•47 min•Season 3Ep. 64
What does a Tarot card reading have to do with leadership? How is our current story of work depressing? What are we getting wrong about change in our schools and organizations? Natalie joins Meghan Donohoe who is a Principal Catalyst at the Southern Alberta Institute for Technology to answer these questions and more! Show Notes: Reliving the “answers” we discovered during a Tarot card reading. (8:15) What a Tarot card reading had to do with leadership. (16:45) The art of staying in a space of vi...
Dec 05, 2022•1 hr 2 min
This week on #Educrush I chat with Drama Teacher Arlene Orchard and Dance Instructor and Teacher Hayley Jonason as we continue our look into how electives and options courses lead students to build confidence and belonging in the classroom. Arlene on Instagram: @ArleneOrchard_Writer Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod...
Nov 28, 2022•41 min•Season 3Ep. 62
A story about the permission, vulnerability and challenge inherent in creating an interdisciplinary middle school program. Preston Hickert is a teacher from Kansas City and he joins Natalie to share his story of “playing the mud” to learn with his students. Show Notes: Despite originally pursuing journalism and film, Preston ended up bringing a passion for storytelling to the classroom as a teacher. (6:10) Exploring the magic of the middle years. (11:30) High Tech High was the inciting incident ...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 61
On this episode of #Educrush we talk with Adam Mailman, a teacher, conductor, and musician who sees the potential for the music classroom to allow student to explore their limits. We explore some of the experiences and strategies that students undergo in the band room and how that can potentially apply to other spaces in school. Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod Show Notes: Introduction 02:37 Music lend...
Nov 14, 2022•46 min•Season 3Ep. 60
The field of psychology offers important perspectives on topics integral to education, especially engagement, agency and learning. Teacher, author, and psychologist Don Berg joins Natalie to unpack the concept of agentic engagement and to explain what joy has to do with equity and deeper learning. Show Notes: Two things more people in education should take seriously from the field of psychology; unconscious processing and social engineering. (8:30) Unpacking the concept of “fauxchievement” and w...
Nov 07, 2022•57 min•Season 3Ep. 59
On this episode of #EduCrush we are talking through the idea of belonging. Particularly in music class through out my years of school. I think that belonging can be a key component in student success, and this is the start of a series where we explore where that can come from and how we can learn from what other teachers do in their classes.
Oct 31, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 58
Power is neutral, but how we use it determines whether it is positive or negative. The old story of power tells of dominance and control and sees it as a finite resource that must be hoarded. But, how might we rewrite the story of power to include more feminine values? Elizabeth Lesser is the author of several bestselling books, has given two popular TED talks, and is one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are elevating humanity. She joins Natalie to explore...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 57
