Middle school is the perfect time to introduce career exploration opportunities to kids. They're developmentally tuned to think about their future and investigate their interests. But, too often, kids start to self-select based on what they perceive they’re good at or what they’ve already been exposed to. Jean Eddy, author of Crisis-Proofing Today’s Learners, is on a mission to help reimagine career education to prepare kids for tomorrow's world. She stopped by the podcast to dispel the myths we tell children about what success looks like, how to prepare them to compete in a changing world, and the false dichotomy of “college or no college.” 

Believe it or not…schools have a leg up on mighty social media when it comes to engaging kids, especially tweens. While so much of the affirmation kids receive online is artificial and fake, schools can create true belonging and spaces where they can become their best selves. Laurie Barron, superintendent and author of Middle School: A Place to Belong and Become, joins co-hosts Phyllis and Jessica to talk about the foundational concepts of belonging, how to help students feel affirmed and welcomed at school, and the most brilliant use of 60 seconds she’s ever observed in a classroom. 

From riding roller coasters to rafting down the Colorado River, AMLE Educator of the Year Autumn Rivera is always finding ways to integrate the community as a source of learning for her 6th grade science students. She stopped by the Walk & Talk Podcast to talk about her approach to engaging middle schoolers, tackling the challenges of rural education, and why now is the time for teachers to take risks and try new things. 

Too often, the middle grades get lumped in with elementary or high school instead of being recognized as its own, unique entity. Even worse, middle grades leadership can be seen as just a stepping stone to high school leadership, instead of requiring a unique and equivalent skill set as well as a deep knowledge of young adolescent development. Kevin Armstrong, president-elect of the National Association of Elementary School Principals and middle school principal, joins Phyllis and Jessica to talk about the importance of differentiating for the middle level and his hopes and aspirations for his presidential term. 

Leveraging their diverse backgrounds in speech pathology, bilingual education, elementary and secondary teaching, and more, Persida and Bill Himmele are on a mission to empower educators to engage every student. They join co-hosts Phyllis and Jessica to talk about barriers and solutions to middle school disengagement and how to build trust between teacher and student – and administrator and teacher. 

Just by the very nature of young adolescents, middle school should be a fun place! But it seems we’ve lost some of that joy in our schools. Dr. Daryl Williams, former Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools and current Professor of Practice at Morgan State University, sits down with Phyllis and Jessica to talk about how school leaders can help bring that professional satisfaction back into our buildings. 

Co-hosts Phyllis and Jessica are joined by some very special guests, the authors of the highly anticipated book, This is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained.  And boy do we dig into puberty in this exciting episode!The most jaw-dropping fact about modern-day growing up is how much earlier it begins. Today’s kids enter puberty an average of two years younger than their parents did. In fact, it’s not uncommon to hear about kids riding their first wave of hormonal surges three, four, or even five years sooner than the people raising them.The second most stunning fact is how much longer this whole process lasts. Thanks to its mood swings and painfully awkward physical shifts, puberty as a stage of life tends to be equal parts feared and dreaded by educators and parents. At least, reason would dictate, by starting earlier it must progress faster, expediting everyone through this phase. Right? Actually, no. Rather than speeding up, the time line of puberty has stretched like taffy. So what can educators do with this information? How can they support kids and parents through this challenging time? Vanessa and Cara share some practical tips that will leave you feeling less cringy about this pivotal time in students lives. 

In this first episode of the new season, Phyllis Fagell and her new co-host, Principal Jessica McGuire, talk 2023 back to school trends. Electric scooters, sleep schedules, and anxious tweens, oh my! 

News flash! Kids make mistakes.  So how do we adequately address the behavior while creating space for learning and growing? Phyllis and Joe are joined by Jen Cort, author of Help Us Begin: HUB strategies and mindsets for meaningful conversations with kids, especially when you are challenged by the topic. Jen offers some practical tips on how to effectively communicate with adolescents in ways that lead to more productive outcomes. She also shares advice on how to make the most of middle school advisory time. 

How is empathy related to kids’ likelihood to engage in cyberbullying? How can we teach kids resiliency when they face mean behaviors online and in real life? What skills can we teach kids to help them have more positive online experiences? Phyllis and Joe talk with celebrated author and cyberbullying expert Dr. Sameer Hinduja about how to equip kids with an action plan for their online lives.