Educator, Author, Speaker, NJ Teacher of the Year 2025, Stefanie Lachenauer

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You are listening to the Balancing Act podcast. Here's your hosts,

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Jamie Wancho and Joe Vitale.

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Okay. Hey, we are officially recording. Yes, we are.

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Hello and welcome to the Balancing Act podcast. Apparently we are.

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How are you, Mr. Vitale? I am good. So last night I decided I'm going to watch

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because you put me on to the Righteous Gemstones.

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I'm like, I'm going to do this i'm gonna watch a couple more episodes so i'm on

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it and then we all know um jamie um elizabeth wonko that i am a loud talker

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uh especially when i am on a meeting such as this one and my wife will always

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yell at me so my wife was on a meeting and i was like you know what she's talking

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a little loud she had her headphones in i'm gonna go watch this in the bedroom and i fell asleep at 7 45.

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Early early and that and that was the end of my night So, yeah,

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I mean, when you sleep, you sleep. That's what your body tells you.

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I am well rested. I have a lot of energy today.

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So, you know, let's do it. Well, calm down. Yeah.

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You know what? Calm down just long enough for me to tell you that season three,

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our season three here of the Balancing Act podcast is brought to you by our

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presenting sponsor, Teacher's Insurance Plan.

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Check out their website for more information and to get a quote.

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Teacher's Insurance Plan, auto insurance that brings exclusive educator savings

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and exceptional customer care to New Jersey and Pennsylvania educational employees.

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Well, that is just amazing.

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That is amazing. You, your sleep, the insurance company, our guests today.

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And our guests today, which I'm really excited about.

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Another friend that we met at the New Jersey Teachers Convention,

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which was really awesome.

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And if you didn't check that episode out, you definitely should,

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because I honestly think that might be one of the coolest things that we've

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done thus far. So let's bring her in.

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Hey, Stephanie Lockenauer. Lockenauer.

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Okay. I remember. I remember. Yeah. Yes, very much so. Welcome, Stephanie.

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Yes. Thank you. Thanks so much for having me. Yeah. We're so excited to have you on with us.

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And we also enjoyed talking before we started that I'm just happy to know that

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somebody else knows what a Blockbuster video is.

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Because Stephanie said like, and I went to Blockbuster with my mom and I got

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a video and I'm just like, yes, somebody knows what a Blockbuster video is. Yes. Yes.

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My age is showing We said on a previous episode That like if What was it?

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If Back to the Future Were re-recorded today They would go back to 1995 And

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I'm like, I want to go back to 1995 I love 1995 It was so great Where the music

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was better I will die on that hill,

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But yeah, we're really excited to have you Especially to talk about a number

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of things That you have going on Which I thought were absolutely awesome when

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we discussed at the teachers convention.

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So yeah, we want to hear about all things Stephanie today. So we're really excited

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to have you with us. Thanks for joining us. Hey, thank you. You're welcome.

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So you teach a very interesting class. And when we talked about it,

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I want to take that class. So I think you should offer that for adults. So get on that.

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And I really, really would love to hear about that journey and how your background

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in sociology led you into teaching. But not only that, about creating this global

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leadership class that you teach, because it really sounds awesome.

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Awesome. So I actually teach two different classes that are both very unique,

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but global leadership is probably

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the most exciting. I know it's the one that you want to be in, Joe.

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So that class is so cool because we actually get to study the United Nations

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Global Goals for Sustainability. So the kids learn those 17 goals.

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And we spend time not just learning about world issues, but then talking and

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thinking about how can we right now as seventh grade students,

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eighth grade students, create change in the world?

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How can we do something about this? So we do a lot of about thinking globally, but acting locally.

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So what can we do in our communities that are going to help with poverty?

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What can we do in our communities that it's going to help with hunger?

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What can we do about fair economics? Like, how can we make sure there's fair

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labor? We actually write letters to our favorite clothing companies.

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So students have different opportunities to participate in like real world activities.

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So that is a little bit about global leadership. And the second part of that

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class, they get to use the design thinking process, which many different companies

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use in their work and coming up with new ideas.

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And so we use that to come up with solutions to real world problems.

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So now instead of me telling them like, hey, we're going to do this or let's

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think about ideas, they get to choose any kind of issue they want,

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connect it to a goal and then come up with a solution.

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That sounds, again, sounds like fun, to be very honest, to be able to do that,

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especially I'm assuming that you bring your passion into the classroom, too, which is great.

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What department does that fall under?

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That is a great question. So it should probably fall underneath social studies.

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But because the way that our PLCs and everything works, I'm actually under related

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arts because I don't really I don't fit into a box.

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So, yep. So I work with people who are in CTE and related arts and art and music. What is CTE?

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Computer technology. Oh, yeah. Got it. Okay.

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So what are some of the, like, if you were to think about, you know,

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the students that have come through your classroom in this course so far,

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like what are some of the most memorable solutions that students maybe had for

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real world problems that have come across your desk during this time in this

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course? I'm looking on the spot,

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Some really funny ones, like one that just like comes to my mind now,

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this wasn't their final project, but what they started to do was they were trying

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to think of a way to make sure that we were always like we were going to be safe.

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Like they were looking at safety in different world and different places around the world.

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And I forget exactly what country they were working with, but they decided to

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create like a bubble that was just going to kind of enclose over the whole area.

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So that was their solution was just to like bubble themselves.

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So that was that was one of their innovations.

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It didn't end up being a final, but I remember being like, that's like,

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what kind of materials are you going to use? And they were like really thinking this through.

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And I was like, OK, what are some of the problems with the solution why this

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might not work? So the whole idea is to think outside the box. So I don't stop them.

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I let them do their thing. And then once we get a little bit further on,

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they have more and more options.

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I'm like, OK, now out of these, which one might be the more probable one?

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So that's one of the funny ones. A lot of times they do things with also trash

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and how to like get trash out of the ocean. And those are the really cool ones

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where they figure out things that are going to like eat the trash.

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Not all of it is exactly scientifically proven yet, but you know what?

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I like that they're thinking, so we're okay with it. Nice.

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We do a similar project, not a similar project. We do a community-based project,

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Junior Youth and Government Day, where students look at a community issue and

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they're trying to solve it.

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One of the misses, I think, that we have with this is that some of these projects

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could actually be put into practice.

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And we don't really put the time and the resources into them to be able to do that.

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So, I mean, you would hope that some of these students are then going to be

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motivated to want to take these projects on.

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You know, head first and really make them into something that's their own.

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Absolutely. That is one of the things that I want to grow in this program is

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pulling in other experts so that they're actually connected with nonprofits.

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It's a little bit harder at a middle school level with making those kinds of

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connections and having them do that stuff at high school level for sure.

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I think that would be an incredible thing.

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I think right now it's like at middle school, I'm like hoping to light the spark.

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I have some of the kids who are looking more into UN programs and have started

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to look at ways that they can intern with the UN and things like that.

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So that's been really cool. Actually, two of them introduced Malala at the convention.

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Oh, that's awesome. Okay. I remember that. We were there. That's great. Yeah. Yeah.

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So there's, I mean, they're getting excited about it, but I think it is in this.

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I think these kids have these brilliant ideas and how do we help connect them

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so that they're able to really share it.

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So has the bulk of your teaching experience been with middle schoolers?

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Yes. So I started off in fifth grade. I taught fifth and sixth grade.

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And then now I teach seventh and eighth. So five through eight.

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I am like right in the middle.

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Okay. Is your building a five through eight building or have you gone from place to place?

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We are a seven, eight building. So I was actually right across the street at

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our five, six building before.

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I was just speaking to one of my colleagues. He has a daughter.

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I have twins that are in eighth grade now. And he also has a daughter that's in eighth grade as well.

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And um and we were talking about um like

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the pros and cons of like the six eight model and his

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child is in a uh five six now seven eight

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building and um and we were saying gosh like how

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really like smart that is i mean it's a lot of movement for the kids and the

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parents who get used to things but it really is so fantastic for the for the

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kids because the sixth graders really have no business being anywhere so was

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and the building you were in was the five the fifth grade building was a 5-6 building?

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Yeah, it was a 5-6 building. Oh, so what was, I mean...

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I'd be interested to hear what are some of the positives and negatives of what

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you've experienced in a 5-6 building and a 7-8 building.

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And then we're kind of going off to a different path.

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But that's a unique thing that we used to be as a district when I was back in

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middle school, back when we used candles for light.

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We were in elementary school up until 6th grade, and then middle school was

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7th grade. It was like junior high, right?

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I can't remember when. I think I was in high school when they changed it to

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6, 7, 8. I think it was 1991 here.

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Yeah, it's literally been like that ever since.

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So what are some of the positives and negatives that you see with the 5, 6, 7, 8 building?

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So our district, we're a K to 2. Then we have a 3 and 4.

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Then we have a 5 and 6. Oh, wow. A 7 and 8. And then we have high school.

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So there's a lot of chunking. So some of the positives to that is that you have

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all of those five and six grade teachers, they're all together, right?

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So you have more teachers together who are teaching the same thing because it's

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not separated in different schools. So they're able to collaborate more easily.

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They're working together.

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So you have a little bit more consistency in that way instead of having separate schools.

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And I think the other piece is that it's really like developmentally,

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it's like everything for that particular age group.

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Some of the things you do see, though, is that, you know, there's always like the king of the hill.

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So you got the sixth graders who are like, I'm the boss. And then the eighth

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graders are like, I'm the boss. So you have that happening a lot more.

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And then there's also, of course, all those changes.

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So like as soon as you get used to school, like, boom, you're up and you're

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out and you're in the next one.

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Yeah. Right. Yeah. I actually did my student teaching in like a unicorn situation

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where the entire town bused their fifth graders to an all fifth grade school.

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Wow. Wow. Yeah. And it was and it's still I love my eighth graders now.

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I really do. But I there's always just something like to me that's like perfectly

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magical about fifth grade.

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And and it was yeah, it was I thought it was fantastic. And it was like kind

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of an experience, get them on the bus, get them to sort of, you know.

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Get used to leaving their neighborhood schools and, and anyway, but it was, I loved that.

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But it's very rare to, you know, to kind of have that type of setup.

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But yeah. I taught sixth grade one year and I was like, no.

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So I go to my, and I go to my boss every year. It's like a running joke between

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the two of us. And she's great. I have great relationship with her.

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And I say like, you know, when it's like, oh, what do you want to teach next

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year? And I always go in and I say, um, you know, I teach seventh grade civics, which I really enjoy.

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Um, but I do enjoy the eighth grade curriculum, which is world history.

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Um, I just, I just enjoy some of the activities that I do. I like the content.

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So I always talk about that. And our sixth grade is like a survey course for U.S.

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History, which I'm also passionate about. But I'm like, I will teach seventh

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grade if you need somebody to do an eighth grade. I'm more than happy to change

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it up and, you know, throw my

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hat in the ring. I said, but if you have me teach sixth grade, I'll quit.

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And which would not happen. But I'm like, I don't want to do it.

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They're like, no, I don't want to do it. The one thing I do love about sixth grade, though, is like.

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You could say to the sixth graders in our building, you could be like,

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hey, here's what I want you to do.

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I want you to take pitchforks and torches, and I want you to go to Ms.

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Lockenauer's class, and I want you to burn it to the ground.

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And they'll be like, oh, okay, I'll go do that.

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Yeah, they're impressionable, and they still listen, and they want to do things.

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Of course, we are not proponents of burning classrooms to the ground,

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but they're just still impressionable, and they're cute, but there is...

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Not that there's no place for them in the middle school, but like it's it's

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Jamie's nodding like it's completely different.

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I do wish that. And our district is large enough where they could make those

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changes if they wanted to.

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I think. Right. They could start like busing students to other schools and doing

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four, five, six, seven or five, six, seven, eight schools around the district.

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Because we have, my goodness, we have five middle schools, three high schools.

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And I don't know what the number is of elementary schools because some have

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reopened and some have closed. What are we at?

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Like 18, I think maybe a little bit more than that.

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Like we have like school 29, which we don't have 29 schools,

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but like we've closed certain numbers and open different ones.

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I know we do have, we do have an all kindergarten school.

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So if you are, if you are bused for kindergarten, you are bused to that school for that year.

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And there are a few times where we used to have a program called teacher in

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charge. And when I was doing like some administrative stuff,

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like I subbed as an administrator in that building.

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And it is madness to have like all kindergarten. I mean, you're talking like 300 kids.

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Three kindergartners that are all bussed in in

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one building yeah they also have like special education pre-k

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three and four in that building as well they do that's

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right that's right you're right yeah because i have a friend that teaches there

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yeah it's a lot it there's a lot of um lunchtime is fun it's a lot of uh capri

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sun opening and uh and ketchup packets it's a lot of fun but yeah that's that's

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that's a big one um so um so stephanie if we uh when we met you at the convention,

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you were, you know,

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sort of in and around all of the lemonade stands of all the Teachers of the

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Year, County Teachers of the Year.

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Can you tell us a little bit about your journey from County Teacher of the Year

00:14:50.947 --> 00:14:54.807
to the State Teacher of the Year? Ooh la la.

00:14:56.967 --> 00:15:01.347
That was like the most probably exciting and stressful time of my life.

00:15:01.967 --> 00:15:05.527
So when you get named County Teacher of the Year. You have this amazing opportunity

00:15:05.527 --> 00:15:08.407
to apply for State Teacher of the Year, which is really cool.

00:15:08.527 --> 00:15:13.047
It's a great time to think about what's important to you as an educator.

00:15:13.207 --> 00:15:16.927
Who am I as a teacher? What matters to me? And what message do I want to send?

00:15:17.747 --> 00:15:20.607
So from there, you get to video yourself teaching.

00:15:21.601 --> 00:15:25.041
It's five minutes uninterrupted. I teach middle school.

00:15:25.421 --> 00:15:29.901
Five minutes uninterrupted. God knows what's going to happen in those five.

00:15:29.981 --> 00:15:32.461
Like, are there five minutes when something crazy doesn't happen?

00:15:32.581 --> 00:15:36.101
So I was like, well, this is, they're going to see, they're going to see the truth.

00:15:37.261 --> 00:15:41.721
That's just going to have to be fine. So I guess it was okay because here I

00:15:41.721 --> 00:15:43.841
am. But so five minutes uninterrupted.

00:15:44.001 --> 00:15:46.281
And then you talk about that lesson, why it's important.

00:15:46.921 --> 00:15:50.181
And then the community piece of it. So like, how do you bring what you do out

00:15:50.181 --> 00:15:52.561
into the community? So I actually didn't do anything with global leadership

00:15:52.561 --> 00:15:55.141
for mine. I used my skills for success class for that.

00:15:55.761 --> 00:15:59.261
And then, you know, after that, they tell you if you become a finalist.

00:15:59.401 --> 00:16:02.401
And when you're a finalist, then you get to deliver a keynote speech.

00:16:02.541 --> 00:16:05.761
And then you're in front of a room full of people in various educational backgrounds

00:16:05.761 --> 00:16:07.081
who ask you lots of questions.

00:16:07.641 --> 00:16:11.721
And you're like in the hot seat for a little bit. So it was really exciting

00:16:11.721 --> 00:16:16.121
and fun, mostly after it was done. But it was a really fun experience.

00:16:16.321 --> 00:16:20.261
And then they surprised me at school. So I got an assembly.

00:16:21.061 --> 00:16:24.501
And thank God, my principal at the time was like, look, we're having this assembly

00:16:24.501 --> 00:16:27.141
thing. You're going to speak for five minutes. Just say something about being

00:16:27.141 --> 00:16:29.041
the county teacher of the year. It's not a big deal.

00:16:29.501 --> 00:16:33.821
So I at least had something in my mind. And Yoa was going to talk because I

00:16:33.821 --> 00:16:36.801
was so blown away. I think I would have just sat there and been like.

00:16:39.961 --> 00:16:44.461
So there's 20, there's 21 counties and then they, then there's finalists.

00:16:44.561 --> 00:16:47.621
How many finalists do they narrow it down to, to do that?

00:16:48.590 --> 00:16:51.770
There's four through six every year, and I can't even remember if there was

00:16:51.770 --> 00:16:55.330
five or six. I think there were six my year. Wow, wow. Yeah.

00:16:56.030 --> 00:16:58.970
And that's how you guys all, I mean, everybody seemed to really be like very

00:16:58.970 --> 00:17:03.070
connected to one another and really tight. So you must spend a lot of time together

00:17:03.070 --> 00:17:04.610
like throughout that process.

00:17:05.150 --> 00:17:09.370
Yeah, so the process and then all the county teachers, we all have like an organization

00:17:09.370 --> 00:17:14.570
together. So from our cohort and all the other cohorts, so we do different projects together.

00:17:14.870 --> 00:17:17.950
You know, we do things at convention together, other things through NJEA.

00:17:18.590 --> 00:17:23.430
So, yeah, we'd like to we like to be involved together. It's a lot of teacher

00:17:23.430 --> 00:17:25.750
leadership and also great camaraderie.

00:17:25.930 --> 00:17:31.610
Yeah. And you have like a new village of like a positive people who want to.

00:17:32.791 --> 00:17:36.991
Speak about and do great things on behalf of teaching, which is amazing,

00:17:36.991 --> 00:17:39.831
which is why I think Joe and I were so drawn to it, because,

00:17:40.131 --> 00:17:44.251
you know, our entire vision for this podcast is to,

00:17:44.991 --> 00:17:48.671
support teachers, show them, you know, all the positive sides.

00:17:48.711 --> 00:17:53.071
And I think a lot of, you know, the last few years, especially even here in

00:17:53.071 --> 00:17:56.251
New Jersey and throughout the country, it's been very difficult to be a teacher.

00:17:57.011 --> 00:18:01.331
You know, it's been an uphill battle. So we wanted to have this space of,

00:18:01.331 --> 00:18:06.831
you know positivity and light for other teachers um by teachers that are actually

00:18:06.831 --> 00:18:10.271
still in the classroom because that's the other issue that we always have is

00:18:10.271 --> 00:18:13.251
that there's people who come to speak to you and they tell you what it was like

00:18:13.251 --> 00:18:15.951
when they were a teacher 20 years ago.

00:18:16.951 --> 00:18:19.951
Except for you know except for

00:18:19.951 --> 00:18:22.931
our yearly episode where it is a airing

00:18:22.931 --> 00:18:25.871
of grievances which is uh you know

00:18:25.871 --> 00:18:30.011
what grinds my gears we do an episode episode and

00:18:30.011 --> 00:18:32.631
she surprised me last year because i was

00:18:32.631 --> 00:18:35.491
like we really gotta do that episode really gotta do that episode and we were planning

00:18:35.491 --> 00:18:38.911
on doing one episode and then she's like hey guess what it's about to be your

00:18:38.911 --> 00:18:42.631
birthday we're recording this today and it was like it was great it was all

00:18:42.631 --> 00:18:45.371
the things like people who don't say hello to you in the morning when you walk

00:18:45.371 --> 00:18:49.411
past them that really grinds my it was it's my favorite episode i mean we've

00:18:49.411 --> 00:18:52.651
done a lot of cool stuff but that one always it always makes me laugh Yeah.

00:18:52.791 --> 00:18:56.591
I love it. I love the positivity, but right, this is a balancing act,

00:18:56.691 --> 00:18:58.591
isn't it? We have to be able to air the grievances.

00:18:58.691 --> 00:19:01.331
We can't hold that stuff in. We got to let it out when it happens.

00:19:01.631 --> 00:19:05.051
So it's about both. Yeah. So you had the assembly.

00:19:06.011 --> 00:19:08.991
Oh, yeah. Sorry. And you show up. And you...

00:19:10.069 --> 00:19:16.029
Make your what you start talking or like then you walk into it and realize like they they gotcha,

00:19:16.769 --> 00:19:21.349
yeah so we're in the gym and um I'm like trying to get my my kids to like sit

00:19:21.349 --> 00:19:23.729
and it's like kind of awkward because like I don't know where I'm supposed to

00:19:23.729 --> 00:19:27.769
stand and there's like cameras and stuff and I'm like this is okay this is like

00:19:27.769 --> 00:19:33.529
a thing and um I'm like kind of leaning against the wall and I'm watching my

00:19:33.529 --> 00:19:36.529
some of my friends like starting to like kind of walk away from me And I'm like,

00:19:36.889 --> 00:19:38.909
oh, because the cameras like they don't want to be in camera.

00:19:39.049 --> 00:19:44.849
So like, OK, so they announce the commissioner is there and they announce that

00:19:44.849 --> 00:19:46.769
they, you know, the Somerset County Teacher of the Year.

00:19:46.949 --> 00:19:49.169
Can you come on up and we want to give you a gift?

00:19:49.509 --> 00:19:52.089
And I was like, oh, I'm getting a present. OK.

00:19:53.129 --> 00:19:57.469
Yay. So I get up there and of course, like, you know, you're a little bit nervous.

00:19:57.629 --> 00:20:00.069
And when you have to open a present and people are watching,

00:20:00.269 --> 00:20:01.789
all of a sudden your fingers can't work.

00:20:01.949 --> 00:20:05.369
Like something happens biologically. and I just like I

00:20:05.369 --> 00:20:08.389
was like oh I can't open anything and of

00:20:08.389 --> 00:20:12.049
course it's like two seconds but it feels like 20 hours have gone by so the

00:20:12.049 --> 00:20:15.429
commissioner is now like opening the package for me and I'm like looking down

00:20:15.429 --> 00:20:18.609
I'm like cool it's a plaque and then I'm like reading it I'm like oh my god

00:20:18.609 --> 00:20:27.309
the plaque has my name on it but it also says state teacher oh wait a minute but I thought But wait,

00:20:27.389 --> 00:20:30.389
I got it because I didn't think I got it.

00:20:30.629 --> 00:20:35.509
So I like I just stood there like there's actually a picture of me of my hand

00:20:35.509 --> 00:20:37.709
on my heart, like my jaw dropped.

00:20:37.789 --> 00:20:41.449
And I looked over and there was a banner that had my name on it.

00:20:41.609 --> 00:20:43.329
The previous state teachers were there.

00:20:43.589 --> 00:20:47.409
I was like, oh, oh, my gosh. That's awesome. So that was. Yeah.

00:20:47.569 --> 00:20:50.029
And then I was like, OK, I know I need to talk.

00:20:50.269 --> 00:20:53.489
But when do I guys, when do I talk? Like, I want to enjoy this moment.

00:20:53.609 --> 00:20:55.689
I know I'm supposed to do something like what's the order here?

00:20:55.749 --> 00:20:56.709
Like, I don't know the flow.

00:20:58.321 --> 00:21:02.261
That's great. I love that. I, in my younger days, I had a friend,

00:21:02.321 --> 00:21:06.981
um, and he and I would go, uh, like year after year to the, uh, Miss America.

00:21:06.981 --> 00:21:10.141
I was just thinking about, it's just, I was just going to say,

00:21:10.161 --> 00:21:14.341
Hey, did they give you a sash and a crown? No, I'm waiting for my tiara.

00:21:15.261 --> 00:21:18.701
We are like our favorite, our favorite part. He actually is a teacher.

00:21:18.761 --> 00:21:23.001
Um, and he works in, like one of the performing arts schools in, uh, in Hudson County.

00:21:23.241 --> 00:21:26.241
And, um, and so for, I mean, for years we would do this.

00:21:26.301 --> 00:21:30.521
And he actually helped for years with the Miss New Jersey pageant as well and

00:21:30.521 --> 00:21:31.801
did like musical direction, whatever.

00:21:32.001 --> 00:21:37.341
But our favorite part always was at the end when you knew that everybody was

00:21:37.341 --> 00:21:42.441
like pretty happy for the winner, but they also were trying to mess her up a little bit.

00:21:42.661 --> 00:21:45.781
Like they were trying to knock her crown off just a little and maybe get a little

00:21:45.781 --> 00:21:47.761
lipstick on her face or something like that.

00:21:48.121 --> 00:21:51.521
It's always my favorite part. But I was going to say like, so did they like

00:21:51.521 --> 00:21:54.441
come and did they hug you? Did they mess you up? Like what happened?

00:21:54.741 --> 00:21:57.121
Or it was just like, now you had to just make a speech.

00:21:57.581 --> 00:22:00.821
Do they name a second runner up in case you cannot fulfill your duties?

00:22:01.441 --> 00:22:03.561
In case somebody takes me out. Yeah.

00:22:04.961 --> 00:22:08.041
Nancy Kerrigan style. Like if that goes wrong. God forbid.

00:22:10.361 --> 00:22:14.581
No, no, there's not. I'm allowed to travel. I'm allowed to travel with whoever

00:22:14.581 --> 00:22:17.321
I wanted. There was no thing like that.

00:22:17.541 --> 00:22:21.461
But it was really cool because all the previous state teachers were there.

00:22:21.461 --> 00:22:24.961
And truly, it really is like, it's like family.

00:22:25.201 --> 00:22:29.581
So everyone, like ahead of time, we all knew each other. And then during and

00:22:29.581 --> 00:22:30.601
throughout the whole process.

00:22:31.381 --> 00:22:35.701
And the county teachers of the year that are in my cohort, like we're still very tight.

00:22:36.021 --> 00:22:38.761
We have a group chat. We were actually all messaging earlier today.

00:22:38.761 --> 00:22:43.441
So it's nice that you have people who also are really passionate and love their

00:22:43.441 --> 00:22:47.241
jobs and love what they do with kids every day and want to make a difference.

00:22:47.401 --> 00:22:50.501
And, you know, you always have that like positive light to go back to.

00:22:51.301 --> 00:22:54.121
And then did you get to do that for the new...

00:22:55.270 --> 00:22:59.410
Yes. Okay. I got to do it for Jillian. So I got to go to her classroom.

00:22:59.410 --> 00:23:02.470
So we did hers in her classroom. So that was also really cool because she was teaching.

00:23:03.290 --> 00:23:09.490
So I got to go in and like and be with them to do that. So that's so nice. That's awesome.

00:23:10.050 --> 00:23:16.150
And what about your year reign? What are some of the things that you did throughout your time?

00:23:16.970 --> 00:23:21.150
Yeah. So our sabbatical at the sabbatical from January to June.

00:23:21.410 --> 00:23:25.870
So during that sabbatical, I'm out of the classroom and I had a cubicle at the DOE.

00:23:26.010 --> 00:23:29.890
So I was there some between like two to three days a week in office.

00:23:30.090 --> 00:23:31.450
And then I also did some work from home.

00:23:31.990 --> 00:23:37.570
The big thing I did was I got mindfulness on the New Jersey Department of Education website.

00:23:37.910 --> 00:23:42.210
So part of what NJDOE, the SEL group that's there was already doing was working

00:23:42.210 --> 00:23:45.730
with mindfulness stuff. So I got to help with some of that, which was really exciting.

00:23:46.430 --> 00:23:49.370
So I can share those resources also in the notes.

00:23:49.710 --> 00:23:55.150
And then I got to visit a lot of schools. So my goal was to get to all 21 counties

00:23:55.150 --> 00:23:57.310
to make sure I was in at least one school in each county.

00:23:58.030 --> 00:24:01.350
And I got to see a lot of the county teachers of the year to visit their schools.

00:24:01.530 --> 00:24:05.310
I got to see tons of different classrooms. I taught lots of professional development.

00:24:06.330 --> 00:24:10.170
I actually made like a little infographic at the end because I wasn't like,

00:24:10.170 --> 00:24:13.130
I was like, how do I quantify what I did this year? So I put it in numbers.

00:24:13.410 --> 00:24:16.310
I can't, I don't remember any of those numbers, but I made a little infographic

00:24:16.310 --> 00:24:19.710
so I could show how many assemblies I did, how many professional developments

00:24:19.710 --> 00:24:22.910
I led, all the different things that happened. Podcasts, I was on.

00:24:24.650 --> 00:24:26.510
We'll link, you were mentioning about the...

00:24:28.785 --> 00:24:32.285
Oh, my goodness. I just forgot what she was going to say. You were going to

00:24:32.285 --> 00:24:35.245
send us some information for the mindfulness stuff. I'm sorry.

00:24:35.545 --> 00:24:38.345
We'll make sure that that goes. If you're looking for that, listeners,

00:24:38.505 --> 00:24:41.825
we're going to put that in the episode description. So you'll see that in there as well.

00:24:42.785 --> 00:24:47.265
Just make sure it's available to everybody. So like, I don't mean,

00:24:47.405 --> 00:24:49.905
I'm sure you love what you do and you love being in the classroom,

00:24:49.905 --> 00:24:53.885
but do you have like aspirations of something outside of the classroom,

00:24:53.885 --> 00:24:55.105
not to put you on the spot?

00:24:55.305 --> 00:25:00.325
Are you like, you know, wanting to do, I mean, you know, wanting to do something else, if you will.

00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:04.700
That is the question. I mean, that is the question. Like, what do I want to

00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:08.060
be when I grow up? Yes. So the answer is like everything.

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:12.720
Like, how do I do everything? Because I have a hard time thinking about myself

00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:16.040
not in the classroom. Like I identify as a teacher.

00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:21.880
So if I leave a classroom, then who am I? Like, you know, I also I love teaching PD.

00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:25.980
And if I left, I don't want to be that person who comes in to teach PD and has

00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:28.360
like no touch with the classroom again.

00:25:28.580 --> 00:25:33.480
So got it. So that is that's the draw right now. But a lot of the work that

00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:37.380
I do that I would, if I was to ever leave the classroom, but I really want to

00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:39.000
find a way to balance the two things.

00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:41.880
But teaching professional development is one of my favorite things.

00:25:42.060 --> 00:25:45.580
And I'm consulting with different organizations that are using mindfulness or

00:25:45.580 --> 00:25:49.100
have other SEL practices, different things that are related to mental health

00:25:49.100 --> 00:25:50.160
and mental health awareness.

00:25:50.840 --> 00:25:53.880
So that's a lot of the work that I'm doing now, especially trauma-informed practices.

00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:57.480
And I'm serving the board right now for ATN,

00:25:57.640 --> 00:26:00.620
the Attachment and Trauma a network so that's a lot of where

00:26:00.620 --> 00:26:03.580
my time is i feel like sel and

00:26:03.580 --> 00:26:06.200
mindfulness a lot of times is like i don't

00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:09.200
want to call it a throwaway but it's like it's like oh yeah

00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:12.680
and we should do that like oh yeah and i mentioned this before like they were

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:16.500
doing like sel lessons for kids in like they were doing them once a week in

00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:20.760
gym class they would sit and work out of this workbook in gym class and do like

00:26:20.760 --> 00:26:27.280
an sel lesson and i'm like uh worst idea ever because it's gym let them run around uh But also,

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:29.540
like, I just felt like it was like, well, we can't put it anywhere else.

00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:30.820
So let's just throw it there.

00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:37.160
I especially when we're talking post pandemic and we're talking about stressors

00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:42.260
and starting to realize how important it is to, you know, if a.

00:26:43.549 --> 00:26:46.569
How do I put this? If a student is not holistically whole, right,

00:26:46.609 --> 00:26:51.149
if they're not like cared for and feel safe and, you know, all the other things,

00:26:51.169 --> 00:26:53.909
how are they going to actually learn in the classroom?

00:26:54.149 --> 00:26:57.929
Like, it should be one of the things that comes first, not an afterthought,

00:26:58.329 --> 00:26:59.729
I guess is what I'm looking to say.

00:27:00.009 --> 00:27:03.369
Yes. And it doesn't need to be something that is a separate pull away thing,

00:27:03.549 --> 00:27:07.189
right? It's something that can be incorporated in all the different classes that we teach.

00:27:07.469 --> 00:27:10.149
That's where I love teaching those trauma informed practices,

00:27:10.149 --> 00:27:12.889
because a lot of it is just like really good teaching.

00:27:13.509 --> 00:27:17.229
So thinking about like, how do I make sure that my kids feel comfortable and

00:27:17.229 --> 00:27:19.669
safe so that their brains enter a place to learn? Yeah.

00:27:21.189 --> 00:27:25.489
So if you if you are the usual question, if you weren't going to be a teacher,

00:27:26.029 --> 00:27:29.729
right, like let's say that this wasn't your what else would you would have wanted to do?

00:27:29.889 --> 00:27:33.609
Right. Everybody has been asked that question. So what would it have been?

00:27:34.538 --> 00:27:37.578
Uh like a travel blogger okay good for

00:27:37.578 --> 00:27:40.358
you like I would just travel the world and talk about it um I've been

00:27:40.358 --> 00:27:43.398
to over 50 countries wow that now

00:27:43.398 --> 00:27:46.198
so I just like I love to travel I like to travel with

00:27:46.198 --> 00:27:49.078
a purpose I I take my students on on trips I

00:27:49.078 --> 00:27:53.638
have a travel club outside of school I also take adults on trips so if I wasn't

00:27:53.638 --> 00:27:56.698
going to be a teacher and I was going to do a totally different thing like I

00:27:56.698 --> 00:27:59.798
would just do that I would just keep traveling taking people around the world

00:27:59.798 --> 00:28:03.938
um helping them to see the world and learn about the world from different perspectives

00:28:03.938 --> 00:28:07.558
Did I see that you were just in, was it Tokyo?

00:28:07.958 --> 00:28:10.498
We were talking about this before you came on, Jane.

00:28:12.898 --> 00:28:16.098
Our children are going with the same tour company.

00:28:16.358 --> 00:28:21.218
Do you use, do you do that? Our children are seniors in high school and they're

00:28:21.218 --> 00:28:24.498
going to go to Ireland and England this summer with EF.

00:28:24.598 --> 00:28:27.598
Are you, is that the company that you do a lot of things with?

00:28:28.158 --> 00:28:31.838
Yes. I love that. That's going to be so awesome. Good for them. That's great.

00:28:32.118 --> 00:28:34.838
Yeah. they're really yeah it's really it's really really gonna be

00:28:34.838 --> 00:28:38.038
awesome i'm jealous because i've never been uh so

00:28:38.038 --> 00:28:40.738
they're gonna go to some place that i that i haven't been which i

00:28:40.738 --> 00:28:44.118
i do want to go i just haven't had the opportunity yet um but

00:28:44.118 --> 00:28:46.898
it was like maybe you need to get on the ef tours yeah maybe i

00:28:46.898 --> 00:28:49.718
do um well we can talk after i'm happy

00:28:49.718 --> 00:28:53.818
to help set you up i'm also going to tanzania in 2027 if you want to come with

00:28:53.818 --> 00:28:59.778
me i mean great idea for a guy that goes to bed at 7 45 uh you know i can't

00:28:59.778 --> 00:29:04.938
make it through an episode of Brighteous Gemstones but you know let's go on

00:29:04.938 --> 00:29:08.798
a tour in Europe no I honestly I would love to I often say like,

00:29:09.494 --> 00:29:13.814
Um, if, if you never see me again, there's a number of things that would happen.

00:29:13.954 --> 00:29:16.534
One of them would be, I'm going to have sold all my stuff and I'm just going

00:29:16.534 --> 00:29:20.374
to be living in Florence, walking around eating sandwiches because it is the

00:29:20.374 --> 00:29:21.454
most beautiful place ever.

00:29:21.914 --> 00:29:24.394
And I was only there for a short period of time because we were doing a cruise

00:29:24.394 --> 00:29:26.254
to different ports to like get a taste of everything.

00:29:26.714 --> 00:29:30.154
And it was just the most beautiful place I've ever been to ever.

00:29:30.314 --> 00:29:34.154
I don't know if you've ever been, but it's, it's, it's just amazing. I could, I could.

00:29:34.654 --> 00:29:39.694
She gave a head shake, but yes, she has been. I guess one of one of her 50.

00:29:40.934 --> 00:29:44.294
I know that's great. Have we ever talked about this? What would you what would

00:29:44.294 --> 00:29:45.374
you be? What do you want to be?

00:29:46.434 --> 00:29:51.854
If you weren't a teacher. Oh, if I wasn't a teacher, I would have liked to do

00:29:51.854 --> 00:29:59.414
something with either like a pastry chef or something like in that creative space.

00:29:59.614 --> 00:30:02.874
Or, you know, I would have liked to go to Hollywood and give it a shot.

00:30:03.508 --> 00:30:08.608
Yeah, absolutely. I could see that. I could see that. You know, it's never too late.

00:30:08.888 --> 00:30:11.768
I mean, you know. I would want to be a chef myself. I would want to be a chef.

00:30:11.908 --> 00:30:14.588
Yeah. I'm not, you know, I don't know, like, the fine dining stuff,

00:30:14.708 --> 00:30:16.168
but, like, it's definitely something I enjoy.

00:30:16.368 --> 00:30:19.408
Just chop it up and, you know, garnish. And just practice together.

00:30:19.828 --> 00:30:22.308
Like, you should have me over and you guys should just cook.

00:30:22.308 --> 00:30:24.888
And I'm really great at taste testing. Yes.

00:30:25.448 --> 00:30:29.548
So good at that. We're in. We're in. We'll do it. I'm often drawn to,

00:30:29.768 --> 00:30:34.268
and I clearly, it's, you know, my, I know my phone knows me better than I know myself.

00:30:34.548 --> 00:30:39.368
So it, it sends me often like the people who had success after 40,

00:30:39.788 --> 00:30:45.088
like, don't worry, like this person, you know, it's like you're away and,

00:30:45.188 --> 00:30:47.068
you know, and I get that a lot.

00:30:47.068 --> 00:30:49.608
And it's like, yes, you are right phone.

00:30:49.788 --> 00:30:52.428
But then I also go to bed at 745. So it's like, no. Yes.

00:30:52.768 --> 00:30:57.428
As part of the, as part of the New Jersey chapter of the We Do Not Care Club, as we know. Yes.

00:30:57.548 --> 00:31:04.368
Yeah. I think it's difficult in teaching because you are somewhat locked in

00:31:04.368 --> 00:31:08.908
in that way of you can't really, I'm going to, I'll be back in an hour.

00:31:09.188 --> 00:31:12.288
Like, I'm just going to, you know, there isn't any of that happening.

00:31:12.748 --> 00:31:18.388
And because it is just really just so exhausting by nature that,

00:31:18.388 --> 00:31:22.108
you know, it is hard sometimes to, that's what we've talked.

00:31:22.108 --> 00:31:26.208
Joe and I have talked about like the podcast being like such a great space for

00:31:26.208 --> 00:31:29.868
us because it really gives us something, you know, it's like that age old question

00:31:29.868 --> 00:31:31.568
of like, what will you give birth to?

00:31:31.768 --> 00:31:34.848
And I just think it is like, you know, you go through these phases where it's

00:31:34.848 --> 00:31:38.128
like, yeah, I do need to give something and put it out into the world.

00:31:38.728 --> 00:31:44.148
You know, it's just finding the time and the space to balance it all. Yeah. Yeah.

00:31:44.728 --> 00:31:50.488
Yes. And so how did you, Miss Author Lady, how did you have time?

00:31:50.488 --> 00:31:52.608
And that's a professional segue.

00:31:52.828 --> 00:31:55.188
That's one of the main things we want to talk to you about. Because.

00:31:55.508 --> 00:31:57.888
Is your book. Yeah, it's great. Yeah.

00:31:58.268 --> 00:32:00.888
Thank you. Tell us everything about your book.

00:32:01.708 --> 00:32:03.968
Okay. So first. Okay.

00:32:04.327 --> 00:32:08.427
Speaking of having time to do things, this book I've been working on for literally

00:32:08.427 --> 00:32:11.087
years, like many years, almost a decade.

00:32:11.287 --> 00:32:14.787
So I start in 2016. I knew I was going to write this book. So like I had the

00:32:14.787 --> 00:32:16.727
title, I like had it in my mind.

00:32:17.107 --> 00:32:19.247
It's Let the Glitter Settle, Mindfulness for Teens.

00:32:20.167 --> 00:32:23.667
And it wasn't until like 2021 that I joined a writing group because I was like,

00:32:23.727 --> 00:32:26.407
if I do not schedule this, like this is not going to happen.

00:32:26.547 --> 00:32:30.127
Like I'm not going to magically have like hours upon hours like randomly to

00:32:30.127 --> 00:32:33.667
start writing. So I had to start scheduling it. So I started doing this writing

00:32:33.667 --> 00:32:34.527
group and it was amazing.

00:32:34.707 --> 00:32:38.227
We would just get on Zoom, turn our cameras off, and for an hour I would write every Saturday.

00:32:38.487 --> 00:32:42.547
So I would at least have that part committed. And if I felt inspired after, extra bonus.

00:32:43.627 --> 00:32:44.907
So then it was 2024.

00:32:46.314 --> 00:32:51.954
The summer 2024, as I was applying for, it was all the Somerset County and Teacher

00:32:51.954 --> 00:32:53.134
of the Year stuff was happening.

00:32:53.314 --> 00:32:56.514
And I was like getting ready to like, it's almost done. It's almost done.

00:32:56.594 --> 00:32:57.634
Like I'm in the final editing.

00:32:57.774 --> 00:33:00.274
It's almost done. And as soon as I got named State Teacher, I was like,

00:33:00.834 --> 00:33:01.754
all right, back to the back burner.

00:33:01.974 --> 00:33:04.974
Like I can't, like there's too many other things happening right now.

00:33:05.554 --> 00:33:10.154
So then once my year was over, we had finished finalizing all of everything.

00:33:10.314 --> 00:33:11.774
And that's when it came out.

00:33:11.994 --> 00:33:15.954
That was the timeline of it. But the real goal, the heart behind this was I

00:33:15.954 --> 00:33:17.194
teach mindfulness in my class.

00:33:17.514 --> 00:33:19.834
I started bringing it to school in 2013.

00:33:20.514 --> 00:33:23.734
I started with, you know, getting permission. It was like a whole thing.

00:33:23.814 --> 00:33:27.134
You know, I had like a little after school club and I would do little practices

00:33:27.134 --> 00:33:28.654
in my class before a test.

00:33:29.134 --> 00:33:33.514
And I slowly brought it in more and more. And then now it's actually part of

00:33:33.514 --> 00:33:37.674
the curriculum in our Skills for Success class. So just about every seventh

00:33:37.674 --> 00:33:40.874
grader, I can't say every because there's a few kids who aren't in Skills for

00:33:40.874 --> 00:33:43.174
Success, but just about every seventh grader.

00:33:43.254 --> 00:33:47.094
Gets to take this amazing class where we talk about all different things like

00:33:47.094 --> 00:33:49.774
stress management and mindfulness is embedded in the curriculum.

00:33:50.234 --> 00:33:52.814
So now all my students.

00:33:53.774 --> 00:33:59.154
I'm nodding my head because I'm like, every school needs this. How do they fit it?

00:33:59.334 --> 00:34:02.254
Let me rephrase that. Every middle school needs this.

00:34:02.434 --> 00:34:04.934
Yes. How do they fit it?

00:34:05.474 --> 00:34:09.594
Tell us how they fit it in. Because if we want to go to our district and say,

00:34:09.734 --> 00:34:12.534
this is something that we should, how do they fit it in?

00:34:12.894 --> 00:34:15.934
So we have it as a cycle class. We used to have four cycles.

00:34:16.514 --> 00:34:20.034
So seventh graders get four cycles and then they would also have one elective

00:34:20.034 --> 00:34:23.434
they choose. But now, and a cycle for us was by marking grade.

00:34:23.674 --> 00:34:27.974
So now there's two cycles so that they still can choose another elective.

00:34:28.114 --> 00:34:31.334
So our cycles are skills for success and skills for the digital world.

00:34:31.901 --> 00:34:36.201
Um, so our class is, it's under all of the career and technological.

00:34:37.181 --> 00:34:39.301
Technological, technical education.

00:34:39.641 --> 00:34:42.901
I can speak. So it's the CTE stuff. So it's underneath that.

00:34:43.061 --> 00:34:46.421
And it's all of the SEL standards fit under there as well.

00:34:46.921 --> 00:34:51.061
Um, and it's, yeah, it's just, it's an incredible course to have them start

00:34:51.061 --> 00:34:54.561
thinking about who they are, but also like, where do I want to go in the future?

00:34:54.581 --> 00:34:56.921
And then what are some of the skills that I need to be able to do that?

00:34:56.921 --> 00:35:01.641
So every day they get a 20-minute mindfulness mini lesson as well as the rest

00:35:01.641 --> 00:35:02.721
of the curriculum that we have.

00:35:04.238 --> 00:35:09.758
So what does one of those 20-minute mindfulness lessons look like,

00:35:09.878 --> 00:35:10.638
if you don't mind me asking?

00:35:10.998 --> 00:35:16.058
Yeah. So we start with just a moment to breathe. So we bring our time together.

00:35:16.678 --> 00:35:19.478
And then we begin with reflecting on what we learned last time.

00:35:19.578 --> 00:35:22.758
So what's come up for you in your mindfulness practice? So they have an opportunity

00:35:22.758 --> 00:35:25.838
to really think about what they've experienced, to integrate it,

00:35:25.918 --> 00:35:26.958
to ask things that have come up.

00:35:27.298 --> 00:35:30.998
And then I do a little mini lesson with them. So one of them might be finding

00:35:30.998 --> 00:35:35.218
your anchor breath. So what does an anchor do in a boat? What is an anchor in mindfulness?

00:35:35.538 --> 00:35:37.378
What helps anchor us to the present moment?

00:35:38.058 --> 00:35:40.918
And then we have a little mini lesson where we try it out.

00:35:41.298 --> 00:35:45.638
They do the practice, then we talk about it, and then they have a little journal that we write in.

00:35:45.778 --> 00:35:49.578
This is all mindful schools curriculum that I actually use in the classroom.

00:35:50.238 --> 00:35:54.738
But what I really like about this is that the definition of mindfulness is paying

00:35:54.738 --> 00:36:01.118
attention on purpose in the present moment and with kindness and curiosity.

00:36:01.378 --> 00:36:03.538
And so it's all about paying attention.

00:36:04.138 --> 00:36:07.318
And the kids are totally bought into that because I'm like, has anyone ever

00:36:07.318 --> 00:36:10.198
told you to pay attention? And they're all like, yeah, like all the time.

00:36:10.578 --> 00:36:13.198
But has anyone ever taught you how to pay attention?

00:36:14.038 --> 00:36:17.058
And they're like, no, no one's ever taught me. But they tell me all the time.

00:36:17.178 --> 00:36:20.078
I'm like, well, guess what, guys? I'm going to teach you how to pay attention.

00:36:20.478 --> 00:36:23.778
And that's what the class is about. That's what mindfulness is.

00:36:23.898 --> 00:36:27.378
And the more that we practice that, the more that we're rewiring our brain,

00:36:27.478 --> 00:36:28.958
the more that we're building that skill.

00:36:29.538 --> 00:36:33.138
And it's amazing because When I first started teaching mindfulness,

00:36:33.338 --> 00:36:36.778
I couldn't really find it in. The kids were like, this is why are you making me do this?

00:36:36.978 --> 00:36:40.358
But when I taught it to them that way, I'm going to teach you this skill,

00:36:40.458 --> 00:36:41.898
and this is how it's going to help you.

00:36:41.998 --> 00:36:47.038
And now they're like, yes, yes, okay, I'm listening. Do you have kids that are like, ugh?

00:36:48.160 --> 00:36:51.780
I don't want to do this. Like, how do you break down that wall for kids that

00:36:51.780 --> 00:36:56.740
are like, not really, it's not, it's not in their, not in their wheelhouse,

00:36:56.840 --> 00:36:57.700
not something that they like.

00:36:58.600 --> 00:37:02.560
Yeah. So the eye roll is like universal in middle school.

00:37:02.640 --> 00:37:06.440
And I don't think there's anything you can ever do that is not going to,

00:37:06.640 --> 00:37:10.780
at some point, bring an eye roll from one student. It can be the coolest thing ever.

00:37:10.920 --> 00:37:14.400
I mean, guys, I got you ice cream. We're just going to eat ice cream the whole block.

00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:17.360
I will still, I guarantee you, I will get one eye roll.

00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:21.800
So what I like Italian ice. Yeah. Why are you getting me ice cream?

00:37:22.060 --> 00:37:24.740
Yeah, exactly. I'm lactose intolerant. Right. Yeah.

00:37:26.620 --> 00:37:31.040
This ice cream is too soft. I like ice cream that's firmer. Yeah. There's something.

00:37:33.140 --> 00:37:37.480
So I've already realized that no matter what I do, there's going to be an eye roll.

00:37:37.600 --> 00:37:41.840
So if I come to this and I know that what I'm doing is in their best interest,

00:37:42.160 --> 00:37:46.080
I listen to see what the real feedback is. Right. Because an eye roll is not real feedback.

00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:49.720
I listen for the real feedback. what is it that they need and how can I reach those needs?

00:37:50.160 --> 00:37:54.000
And what I've really learned at the end of the day is they're going to eye roll

00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:59.880
anyway, but I'm still planting seeds. And I never know when those seeds are

00:37:59.880 --> 00:38:01.180
going to flourish into something else.

00:38:01.280 --> 00:38:05.760
Because those same kids who eye roll me, I've had those same exact students

00:38:05.760 --> 00:38:10.140
who sometimes days later, sometimes months later, sometimes many years later,

00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:11.600
are the ones who thank me.

00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:16.560
And the ones who ask me for more practices or tell me how they've used it.

00:38:16.860 --> 00:38:20.180
So I don't know that you ever get complete buy-in, right?

00:38:20.280 --> 00:38:23.200
There's no 100% buy-in. You're going to get some kids who love it and you're

00:38:23.200 --> 00:38:25.260
going to get some kids who are going to be annoyed.

00:38:26.180 --> 00:38:30.640
But you just never know. So at least I know that I planted that seed and maybe

00:38:30.640 --> 00:38:32.500
years from down the road, they're going to be like, you know,

00:38:32.620 --> 00:38:35.360
I learned that thing and maybe I should try that thing now.

00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:38.460
Like maybe that mindfulness practice might help me. Maybe I should try,

00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:41.760
you know, doing a body scan, you know, to help me with my stress.

00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:45.520
So hopefully at some point that comes back to them.

00:38:46.009 --> 00:38:49.409
What are some of the things that are in the book specifically that,

00:38:49.629 --> 00:38:55.369
so is the book itself geared for the teenager to read or is it for like the

00:38:55.369 --> 00:38:58.869
teenager parent to read and help implement strategies or both?

00:38:59.809 --> 00:39:04.089
So both. It's really written like for teenagers, but it's written in such a

00:39:04.089 --> 00:39:07.669
way that it's, that an adult, you know, any, of course, an adult can pick it

00:39:07.669 --> 00:39:09.889
up and read it, but that they can read it and they can connect to it.

00:39:10.009 --> 00:39:13.389
Like the examples and the stories, they make sense. They're kind of universal.

00:39:14.089 --> 00:39:18.989
So it has different mindfulness practices in it. And then there are reflection areas.

00:39:19.249 --> 00:39:24.309
So kids have an opportunity to reflect on it because we don't learn just from experience.

00:39:24.509 --> 00:39:28.409
We learn from reflecting on that experience. So I don't want them just to do it.

00:39:28.489 --> 00:39:31.589
I want them to do that experience, to have that mindfulness moment,

00:39:31.589 --> 00:39:34.929
and then really think about how did this land with me? How did it feel?

00:39:35.229 --> 00:39:38.269
How does my body feel? So they're really more in touch with themselves.

00:39:38.709 --> 00:39:43.429
Is there a beginning age for you with the book? would you say like 10,

00:39:43.689 --> 00:39:47.729
11, or just depending on, yeah. I would say 10.

00:39:48.149 --> 00:39:51.829
Yeah. I would say 10. Yeah. But mindfulness is great for all ages,

00:39:51.829 --> 00:39:55.929
but just in terms of the reading and all of that, I think 10 is a great age for you. Okay.

00:39:56.289 --> 00:40:00.529
Yeah. That's great. It's really, you know, two things. Number one,

00:40:00.649 --> 00:40:01.589
it's awesome that you do that.

00:40:02.169 --> 00:40:06.589
Number two, I think I'll give your district a little pat on the back because

00:40:06.589 --> 00:40:07.869
I think they're doing it right.

00:40:08.149 --> 00:40:11.629
I mean, I'm not saying that our district is doing it wrong. I'm just like it's

00:40:11.629 --> 00:40:14.109
forward thinking to be like, OK, we're going to make this a class and we're

00:40:14.109 --> 00:40:15.089
going to give it to seventh graders,

00:40:15.289 --> 00:40:17.729
which, by the way, that's the perfect time to give it to them,

00:40:17.749 --> 00:40:23.749
because I say often you y'all are a hot mess because they're it's a hormonal imbalance.

00:40:23.969 --> 00:40:27.429
Their prefrontal cortex is developing there. They have you know,

00:40:27.529 --> 00:40:31.389
they're figuring out, you know, their bodies are changing. It is they're a mess.

00:40:32.235 --> 00:40:36.155
They're a mess. And then they've watched Inside Out, too. And they know their panel's being rewired.

00:40:36.435 --> 00:40:41.035
Yeah. And then something happens in that summer between the seventh and eighth

00:40:41.035 --> 00:40:43.235
grade year where everything just kind of levels off.

00:40:43.915 --> 00:40:49.915
And not that every kid miraculously turns around, but there's just something

00:40:49.915 --> 00:40:52.015
biologically that happens during that time period.

00:40:52.195 --> 00:40:54.895
So seventh grade is like, it's the worst.

00:40:55.675 --> 00:40:59.195
It's the worst. And I tell the parents on parent-teacher night,

00:40:59.375 --> 00:41:02.175
I'm like, it's the worst. It's just, there's a lot going on,

00:41:02.275 --> 00:41:04.635
but like, and it's a white knuckle ride to the end of the year,

00:41:04.675 --> 00:41:08.235
but you know, the roller coaster does tend to slow down afterwards.

00:41:08.455 --> 00:41:11.295
There'll always be issues, you know, little kids, little problems,

00:41:11.375 --> 00:41:12.515
big kids, big problems. Right.

00:41:13.155 --> 00:41:19.575
Um, but teaching them those strategies at that age when they're very unmindful

00:41:19.575 --> 00:41:25.695
is, is definitely a, a step in the right direction. I think it's awesome. I really do. Yeah.

00:41:26.095 --> 00:41:30.615
Thank you. And I can't stop thinking about, because we had done a program at

00:41:30.615 --> 00:41:34.955
my last school, we had been identified by the state as a, like a school in need.

00:41:35.135 --> 00:41:40.315
So we had to implement a lot of different programs and one of them was social emotional learning.

00:41:40.495 --> 00:41:43.895
And so as a grade level through our PLC, we would do, we would do this with

00:41:43.895 --> 00:41:48.235
the kids at a particular period of the day, same day of the week.

00:41:48.335 --> 00:41:51.495
And then we all took a different pillar and wrote different lessons and everyone

00:41:51.495 --> 00:41:52.395
would do the same lesson.

00:41:52.395 --> 00:41:58.535
It was great. What I've never heard before in all of my reading and talking

00:41:58.535 --> 00:42:03.675
and exploring about mindfulness was something that will genuinely stay with

00:42:03.675 --> 00:42:05.955
me is the curiosity and kindness.

00:42:06.759 --> 00:42:12.359
Because that is such a, I mean, that is so important.

00:42:12.539 --> 00:42:15.139
And I've never heard the way that you said that definition.

00:42:15.359 --> 00:42:17.899
It's my gosh, with kindness and curiosity.

00:42:18.579 --> 00:42:21.979
Yes. Yes, yes, yes. So thank you for that. That's amazing.

00:42:23.559 --> 00:42:26.719
Kindness, of course, being a key concept, right? We're trying to.

00:42:27.059 --> 00:42:30.719
They just have to be reminded of that sometimes. You know, they had it when

00:42:30.719 --> 00:42:33.739
they were five and they ran in and gave the teacher a hug, you know,

00:42:33.859 --> 00:42:37.279
so and they were so excited to get to school. They just forgot.

00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:42.299
So that reminder is such an important thing. I think it's, yeah.

00:42:42.579 --> 00:42:45.879
And so is the book currently available wherever books are sold?

00:42:46.079 --> 00:42:49.479
Are we released yet or are we, is it?

00:42:49.899 --> 00:42:53.079
It's out. Yep. So it's on Amazon. You can get it from Amazon.

00:42:53.739 --> 00:42:56.639
We are currently working on other bookstores and things right now,

00:42:56.759 --> 00:43:01.059
but it's on Amazon and I believe Star Commonwealth is also selling it on their website too.

00:43:01.319 --> 00:43:04.919
Cool. We're going to make sure that that is linked below. If you're looking

00:43:04.919 --> 00:43:09.679
for something for your anxious teenager or, you know, maybe something to look

00:43:09.679 --> 00:43:11.019
at for your students in the classroom,

00:43:11.319 --> 00:43:16.059
please, please, please definitely give that a look because I haven't read it

00:43:16.059 --> 00:43:17.239
yet, but I definitely want to.

00:43:17.399 --> 00:43:21.859
Yes. For anyone who might need, you know, a little practice and kindness and curiosity.

00:43:22.459 --> 00:43:26.519
Yeah. Like the whole planet pretty much right now. Okay. Anyway,

00:43:26.719 --> 00:43:28.219
not to be topical or to be.

00:43:29.759 --> 00:43:33.879
Stephanie, you know, thank you very, very much for joining us today.

00:43:34.419 --> 00:43:39.859
Hey, before you go out and drive to go and buy that book, you need to make sure

00:43:39.859 --> 00:43:43.159
that your auto insurance is up to date.

00:43:43.359 --> 00:43:48.339
So season three, professional segue, season three is brought to you by our presenting

00:43:48.339 --> 00:43:49.699
sponsor, Teacher's Insurance Plan.

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Make sure you check out their website, which we have linked in our episode description.

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Teacher's Insurance Plan Auto Insurance brings exclusive educator savings and

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exceptional customer care to New Jersey and Pennsylvania educational employees.

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Stephanie, I appreciate you being here so much. Joe, I appreciate you too.

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Yes, Stephanie, I appreciate you as well. Yeah. I appreciate you guys.

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This is so much fun. I love hanging out with you.

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Yeah. It was awesome to get you on the show.

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And I knew when we met at the teacher's convention, I was like,

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yep, we got to have her on. She's got too much going on here.

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I almost couldn't speak to you at the convention. I was like, I was starstruck.

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I was in awe. Your pants suit, like the books, all the things.

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And um so i had to like prepare myself today like get it together jamie and i thought stephanie.

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Special shout a special shout out i just want to give to you because because

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she made me laugh for a variety of different reasons was your i think it's your

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friend who was like your i don't know,

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i don't know if she was your strong man or your security or your assistant i

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don't know what she was but i tried to get her on camera and she's like nope

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i didn't know that hold on that didn't happen not she was not having it no she

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i was like next year we'll get you next year uh she cracked me up. She was great.

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But no, it also goes to show you surround yourself with great people.

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Yes. You can really get some positive messages out. So we love it.

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Thank you very much for joining us today, Stephanie. And we'll see everybody next time on Backstage.