In this conversation, we speak with the leaders of three programs: Dr. Rashad Anderson from Call Me MiSTER, Dr. Trinity Davis from Teachers Like Me, and Keilani Goggins from The Black Educators Initiativeat the National Center for Teacher Residencies. All share the common mission of bringing more Black educators into school classrooms, with varied approaches and incentives, including an emphasis on staff well-being. We discuss what personally drew them to education, their strategies for recruitment, how they promote educator well-being and empowerment, and how they disrupt inequities.

0:20 - Introduction.
2:40 - Keilani from the Black Educator Initiative talks about her start in education.
4:15 - Trinity from Teacher’s Like Me discusses her early interest in learning.
6:36 - Rashad from Call Me MiSTER on his motivation to become a teacher.
9:47 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me’s efforts to recruit Black teachers.
11:19 - Kailani’s’ work with the Black Educator Initiative to recruit Black teachers.
13:29 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER’s specialized recruiting of Black male teachers.
16:32 - Keilani’s Black Educator Initiative’s work to support teacher well-being.
18:50 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER on being the only Black male teacher in a school.
20:40 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me on being the only Black person in a school.
22:31 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER on the importance of leadership.
23:45 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me on how to support and retain teachers.
25:00 - Keilani’s Black Educator Initiative on recognizing teachers as experts.
25:57 - Keilani’s Black Educator Initiative on fighting inequality.
28:05 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me on tackling the barriers Black teachers face.
30:37 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER on training teachers to be leaders.
31:48 - Trinity on Teacher’s Like Me’s plans for future expansion.
33:29 - Rashad on Call Me MiSTER’s proudest achievements.
34:49 - Keilani on the Black Educator Initiative’s goals and accomplishments.
36:55 - Key takeaways.
37:40 - Closing.

For all questions or feedback, you can email NCSSLE@air.org. Thanks for listening!

Please note, this podcast does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.

On this episode of Working Well, NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman speaks with Peter DeWitt ED.D. He was an elementary school teacher for 11 years, a principal for 8 years and the 2013 School Administrators Association of New York State's (SAANYS) Outstanding Educator of the Year. Today he runs workshops, coaches school leaders, and provides keynotes focusing on collaborative leadership, fostering inclusive school climates, and connected learning. He is also the author of several books and writes the Finding Common Ground blog published by Education Week. In this far-reaching conversation, Peter, who is gay, shares how he got hooked on teaching as a young man, how his desire to keep his gay identity separate from his professional identity evolved over time, that he sees himself first and foremost as a learner and a communicator, has inadvertently become a role model for other LGBTQI+ educators, and much more.

0:40 - Introduction.

1:50 - Personal academic challenges.

2:40 - Student teaching.

3:59 - Importance of mentors.

4:50 - Coming out as gay.

8:30 - Challenges of being an out teacher.

10:40 - Feeling comfortable with himself.

12:30 - Being a role model.

14:55 - Advocating for LGBTQ+ staff and students.

18:45 - Being hopeful.

21:01 - Social emotional learning.

22:55 - Importance of asking questions.

23:37 - Barriers in education.

25:01 - Inclusivity.

27:49 - Defining leadership.

29:40 - Importance of being a learner.

31:35 - Closing.

Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the US Department of Education. If you'd like to learn more about NCSSLE, visit safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.

Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the US Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the US Department of Education.

On this episode of Working Well, NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman speaks with Kathy Nimmer, who was a high school English teacher for 29 years at William Henry Harrison High School in Indiana, a public school of approximately 2200 students. Kathy was Indiana’s Teacher of the Year in 2015 and is now mentoring new teachers full-time. Kathy is also blind. She discusses the ups and downs of her own classroom experience, how she characterizes her disability, how a windy day led to her first guide dog, her reverence for teachers, and her unique approach to mentoring.

0:22 - Introduction.

1:30 - Discovering her disability.

3:55 - Living with blindness.

4:59 - Drive to succeed.

7:05 - Feeling called to teach.

8:56 - Teaching high school.

9:54 - Loves writing and teaching creative writing.

10:55 - The disability label.

13:59 - Discussing being blind with students.

16:21 - Early classroom challenges.

18:50 - Embracing being her whole self in school.

21:31 - Developing a teacher mentor program.

24:22 - What gives her hope.

28:42 - Today’s obstacles for teachers.

31:50 - Her inspiration for getting a guide dog.

34:12 - Being a role model for other blind teachers.

37:01 - Future plans.

38:18 - Closing.

Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the US Department of Education. If you'd like to learn more about NCSSLE, visit safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.

Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the US Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the US Department of Education.

On this episode of Working Well, we speak with Jermar Rountree, a Pre-K through 8th grade health and physical education teacher at Center City Public Charter School, Brightwood Campus, in the Washington D.C. area. Center City School is a Title I school in a densely populated, lower-income area and has a little over 250 students, with approximately 50% identifying as African-American and 50% as Hispanic. Many of its students and their families face cultural and language barriers, but the school has achieved Tier 1, high performing school scores over the past few years. Mr. Rountree has been teaching physical education for 16 years and serves as the district teacher lead for the physical education and health department. He creates programs focused on fitness, nutrition, social and emotional health, and more. In 2023 he was named the D.C. Teacher of the Year and was also a finalist for the 2023 National Teacher of the Year. He spoke with NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman about the social emotional learning activities he incorporates into his teaching, the importance of being vulnerable with students and sharing feelings, supporting his colleagues in their health and wellness journeys, having autonomy in the classroom, what sustains his passion for teaching, and more.

0:33 - Introduction.

1:22 - Importance of finding time to take care of yourself.

3:50 - New change brought on by the pandemic.

5:38 - Challenges at the system level.

6:33 - How to rebuild a trusting and safe community.

10:34 - Support from the school and administration.

12:28 - What keeps him in the field and sustains passion.

16:07 - Opportunities for professional development.

18:58 - Staff well-being starts with leadership.

21:55 - Final thoughts on this topic.

23:13 - Effective solutions.

24:34 - Final recommendations.

29:19 - Closing.

Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the US Department of Education. If you'd like to learn more about NCSSLE, visit safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.

Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the US Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the US Department of Education.

On this episode of Working Well we talk with Elvina Charley, Ed.S. She is a bi-lingual Diné (Navajo) school psychologist primarily supporting the Navajo Nation of Northeastern Arizona. Her school educates over 2,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students; a majority of students are bilingual and speak the language of the Navajo people. Ms. Charley has been practicing mindfulness since 2013 as a way to heal from historical trauma, and integrates mindfulness into her work with children, youth, and adults. She talks with NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman about her Navajo heritage, reducing stress through mindfulness practices, helping students and staff process their post-Covid trauma, the importance of self-healing, and more.

0:21 - Introduction

1:12 - Family and Cultural history

4:14 - Decisions and path to becoming a school psychologist

8:25 - School district support

10:24 - Navajo Reservation and school setting

11:32 - School psychologist role and approach to wellness

13:31 - Teacher stressors and supports

16:00 - Mindful schools and implementation

19:08 - Post-pandemic implications and innovations

21:40 - Advice for implementing mindfulness and whole school wellness

24:57 - Post- pandemic awareness and self-reflection

26:52 - Closing

Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the US Department of Education. If you'd like to learn more about NCSSLE, visit safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.

Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the US Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the US Department of Education.

On this episode of Working Well we speak with Dr. Ricki Gibbs. At the time of the recording, Dr. Gibbs was the principal at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School, in Nashville, TN, but recently transitioned to be the head of all elementary schools for LEAD Public Schools, also in Nashville. In 2020, Dr. Gibbs was named Elementary Principal of the Year for Metro Nashville Public Schools. Under Dr. Gibbs’ leadership, Warner transformed from one of the lowest performing schools in Metro Nashville Public Schools to being the first and only Metro Nashville Public School to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon Beacon School in 2021. He talks with NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman about the importance of self-care and setting boundaries, recognizing seen and unseen trauma, supporting families and the community, and how his staff uses mindfulness, movement, and breath work to help students develop emotional self-regulation strategies.

0:25 - Introduction

1:11 - Balancing the demands of the job and school leaders as decision makers

4:12 - Biggest challenges during and following the pandemic

6:22 - Post-pandemic innovations

10:41 - What other schools are doing post-pandemic

11:53 - Systematic approach to staff and workforce well-being

14:22 - Responsiveness to teacher autonomy within the system

16:41 - Success with teacher retention

17:30 - Supports for the workforce beyond teachers (i.e., paraeducators, support staff)

21:05 - Recommendations for supporting and stabilizing the workforce

24:16 - Closing

Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the US Department of Education. If you'd like to learn more about NCSSLE, visit safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.

Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the US Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the US Department of Education.

On this episode of Working Well we speak with Dr. Georgeanne Warnock, who has been the Superintendent of Terrell Independent School District, in Terrell, Texas since January 2020. There are approximately 5,000 students in the district. Dr. Warnock has twenty-five years of experience in public education as a teacher, high school principal, and Associate Superintendent. In 2022 she was named one of 19 National Superintendents to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association. She talks with NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman about managing stress, being an advocate for public schools, restructuring school hours to help with staff recruitment and retention, the social emotional health of students and staff, and more.

0:23 - Introduction

1:16 - Managing personal and professional stress

3:03 - Challenges of superintendency during the pandemic

4:21 - How leaders are handling the current stressors

7:18 - Promising innovations

11:48 - Impacts of shifting to a 4-day academic week

14:00 - Addressing school climate

17:39 - Intentionality of staff connections and well-being

19:40 - How to provide teachers with autonomy and empowerment

23:20 - Addressing the needs of paraeducators and support staff

27:46 - Closing

Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the US Department of Education. If you'd like to learn more about NCSSLE, visit safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.

Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the US Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the US Department of Education.

On this episode of Working Well we speak with Dr. Patricia Jennings, Professor of Education, from the University of Virginia, an internationally recognized researcher and leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness. Jennings spent more than 22 years as a teacher, school director, and teacher educator, and is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters and several books. She talks with NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman about improving the profession of teaching, and how implementing changes at a systems level can have a profound impact on the well-being of educators. They also discuss how teacher autonomy and self-determination connect to well-being–what we are learning, future directions, and thoughts on how systems might innovate and evolve to create conditions where students and educators can thrive.

0:44 - Introduction

1:27 - Teacher Burnout and Staff Well-being

3:24 - Current system interferences with the learning process

4:24 - How research contributes to this need

6:11 - Reasons teachers may be leaving profession

7:28 - What the research shows about giving more autonomy in learning environments

11:27 - Innovations continuing post-pandemic

13:02 - What school systems can do right now to continue these promising approaches

16:58 - Obstacles to these approaches

19:01 - Variables that school leaders can look to reform within the system

23:30 - Closing

Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the US Department of Education. If you'd like to learn more about NCSSLE, visit safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.

Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the US Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the US Department of Education.