Helen shares some exciting professional news to start off this episode: being included in an upcoming book and leading a workshop at a writing symposium. Jordan shares about her next screening of the Can’t Look Away film and an opportunity to speak with a parent group about executive function skills. We then dive into some difficult topics, including what sextortion is, who the “Yahoo Boys” are, and how to help protect kids from this targeted, online harm. Jordan shares tips to have difficult, age-appropriate discussions about these sensitive topics with your kids and teens. One startling statistic we dicuss is that 1 in 5 teens have been the victim of sextortion. Jordan shares one tragic story of 17 year-old Jordan DeMay, featured in the Can’t Look Away film, who was the victim of sextortion and his devastating death. We then discuss our concerns with school staff, coaches, and church leaders communicating with teens on social media platforms and the problems that can arise.

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Jordan opens the episode with the great success of the Spooklemire Haunted House. Many attended (including Helen) and fun was had by all. Helen and Jordan then dive into their earliest childhood memories with reading and some of their favorite books. Helen discusses a literacy narrative assignment she often gives to students to reflect on their journeys with reading, and she notes how they often identify a moment in early elementary school their early love of reading changed into resentment . Helen shares six strategies to foster a love of literacy, and we talk about what strategies we do already and what ones we would like to do. And it seems Jordan has taken the sixth strategy of “filling your home with books” to the extreme because books are quite literally all over the house. We also talk about the impact that reading can have on imaginative play. And Helen is very excited to introduce the 25 books of Christmas tradition. More books, less screens.

Essay referenced: A Guide to Surviving the Age of Post-Literacy

In an effort to understand how we got here (here being our careers in education), we reflect back on all of the various job and volunteer experiences we have had along our journeys towards education. First, Jordan and Helen share about their latest Halloween activities as well as an accidental soup-in-the-pantry incident. Jordan then dives into listing off the many jobs she has had since high school, which involved working with animals, kids, teen moms, and retail; she was even a tattoo artist (don’t worry, they weren’t permanent!). Helen also shares her work history that included umpiring softball, selling tickets in multiple box offices, leading activities at a nursing home, facilitating events at a state park, and leading tastings and tours at a winery. Jordan and Helen ultimately consider how the little choices led to big changes in their personal and professional lives.