The Balanced Educator Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Mindfulness for Academic Success: SEL Strategies with K-4 Resource Teacher Jen Kreitz Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

Want to know how mindfulness can enhance academic success? In this episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast, we chat with Jen Kreitz, a K-4 resource teacher and Educalme ambassador, about how to prioritize social-emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom.

Jen shares her journey from a Master’s in Education to specializing in Special Education and how focusing on SEL before literacy and numeracy creates a solid foundation for academic success. Learn how mindfulness tools can help your students thrive, how to respond when students are in the red zone, and how Jen integrates mindfulness into her work as a resource teacher.

Shifting Limiting Beliefs: How to Recognize and Change Unhelpful Beliefs Feb 18, 2019

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Are your beliefs holding you back? In this episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast, Kailey dives into how our childhood beliefs shape us as adults and how to change them for the better.

Learn how beliefs are formed, how they influence our thoughts and actions, and how to identify when a belief is no longer serving you. Kailey also shares her top four powerful methods for shifting limiting beliefs into ones that empower your life.

Mindful Parenting: Strategies for Reducing Anxiety with Melissa Russell Feb 11, 2019

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Looking to bring more peace and intention to family life? In this episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast, we welcome back Melissa Russell from Simple Lionheart Life to dive into mindful parenting.

Melissa shares how minimalism and mindfulness have transformed her life, giving her more time, freedom, and joy with her family. Discover her insights on:

- Practicing mindfulness and breathing techniques with young kids

- Supporting her daughter through anxiety and OCD with simple strategies

- The power of humor and positivity in navigating family challenges

- Tips for creating a clutter-free, intentional home

5 Quick Anxiety-Calming Techniques for Teachers and Students Feb 04, 2019

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Struggling with stress or anxiety? In this episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast, we’re sharing five easy, proven techniques to quickly shift from anxious to calm.

Discover simple strategies like:

Belly breathing to regulate your body with deep breaths

Using calming essential oils like lavender to ease tension

Practicing legs-up-the-wall for instant relaxation

Repeating positive affirmations to center your mind

Focusing on gratitude to redirect to the positive

These quick and effective mindfulness techniques are perfect for teachers and students alike!

Top Strategies for Motivating Students, Managing Negativity, and Boosting Teacher Wellness Jan 28, 2019

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Curious about creating a positive, motivated classroom environment? In this special Q&A episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast, we dive into your top questions on social-emotional learning, student motivation, and mindfulness in education!

Join us as we explore powerful strategies for:

- Motivating students to be excited about learning and building intrinsic motivation

- Effectively using classroom reward systems to boost engagement

- Navigating negativity—how to handle challenging relationships at work and shift the atmosphere

- Simple, actionable steps to improve mood and get out of a funk

- Staying motivated to incorporate physical activity into our daily routines for overall wellness

Mindful Learning: Inspiring Calm & Self-Compassion in Kids Through Creative Children's Books with Tamara Hackett Jan 22, 2019

Show notes

Discover how to bring mindfulness to children with author-illustrator Tamara Hackett of Mindful ABCs and Mindful 1, 2, 3 in this episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast.

Tamara shares her journey into mindfulness and her experiences creating purposeful, awareness-centered books for kids. Learn how teachers use her books in the classroom, explore the process of self-publishing, and hear her tips for cultivating presence and self-compassion.

Teaching Mindfulness and Heartfulness with Finnigan’s Bliss Author Charlotte Jackson Jan 08, 2019

Show notes

Discover how mindfulness and heartfulness can transform lives in this special episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast.

We sit down with Charlotte Jackson, a special education teacher and author of Finnigan’s Bliss, a heartfelt children’s book on mindfulness. Charlotte shares her journey into writing, the inspiration behind her book, and how her student Helen Yang brought the story to life with beautiful illustrations. She also opens up about her personal mindfulness practice, how she integrates heartfulness in her teaching, and the positive impact it has had on her and her students. Charlotte’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of self-regulation, resilience, and compassion in the classroom.

Transforming Education with Mindfulness with Amanda Warren Dec 17, 2018

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In this episode of The Balanced Educator podcast, we chat with Amanda Warren, an Educalm Teacher alumni and Educalm program user, about her unique teaching approach at Bridge School, a small independent elementary school in Vermont. Amanda shares how the school's values of community, creativity, exploration, and communication shape their student-led learning environment. She also discusses how looping with students allows for deep connections and how they tackle challenges, like fidget spinners, through creative learning.

Amanda, a trained yoga and mindfulness teacher, explains why she chose Educalm Teacher and the Educalm program for her own classroom, and how these resources are helping her students transfer mindfulness practices into their daily lives. She also shares her biggest takeaways from the Educalm Teacher course and who would benefit from it.

Prioritizing Self-Care and Building Community with Carolina Smith Dec 10, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast, we’re interviewing Carolina Smith, a Grade 1 teacher, Educalm Teacher alumni, and Educalm ambassador from Calgary, Alberta. This is Carolina's second appearance on the podcast, and she’s back to share exciting updates about her new venture, the LIA project—a community empowering women to connect with themselves and others.

Carolina discusses how she’s implemented her morning routine and self-care practices since taking the Educalm Teacher course, incorporating affirmations into her day to start with intention. She talks about how she sprinkles mindful moments throughout her school day and shares how this has impacted her overall well-being.

This year, Carolina has faced new challenges, and she opens up about how she’s managing them with a focus on self-care and balance. She also shares how she’s created a seamless transition from work to home in the evenings and her strategies for overcoming feelings of guilt.

Carolina's journey emphasizes the importance of mental health and self-care for teachers, and her perspective on sick days offers valuable insight into taking care of yourself as a teacher.

How a First-Year Teacher Found Balance and Success with Educalm Dec 03, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of The Balanced Educator Podcast, we’re interviewing Renée Lapointe, a first-year grade 1 teacher and Educalme ambassador. Renée shares her journey of starting her teaching career on the right foot by taking the Educalm Teacher course before her first day in the classroom. She reveals how the course helped her establish healthy self-care habits and mindfulness routines, setting her up for success in both her personal and professional life.

Renée explains how she applies the practical, real-life strategies from the Educalm program in her grade 1 classroom, teaching mindfulness to her students and creating a calm, focused learning environment. She emphasizes the importance of taking care of her mental and physical health, so she can be the best version of herself as a teacher.

Renée also shares her biggest takeaways from the teacher course, including how holding herself accountable for a month helped her build sustainable routines that fit into her busy day.