A Dash of SaLT Podcast: Fresh discussions on Society and Learning Today

In this episode, I speak with educator and author, Kiran Gaind.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Kiran is a former high school history teacher at Mission High School in San Francisco who decided to write a novel commemorating the life of one of her black students who was killed by gang violence. We talk about the background and inspiration for her book ‘Finding My Song in the Fillmore' as well as the redevelopment era and issues in the education sector, today. Come #ListenAndLearn Instagram: @kirangaindauthor  LinkedIn: KiranGaind    

In this episode of A Dash of SaLT, I speak with Dr Carline Crevecoeur. Dr Crevecoeur is a Haitian American,board-certified obstetrician and gynaecologist raised in Brooklyn, NY. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript After 20 years of medical service in New York and Pennsylvania, Carline gave up her career to raise and homeschool her five African American children.  We talk about the rise of homeschooling options since the pandemic, her memoir ‘Pressure Makes Diamonds: From Homeschool to the Ivy League', why she decided to leave her profession to homeschool her children, and her experiences with learning along the way. Email: crevey@msn.com Website: www.carlinecrevecoeur.com Book: Pressure Makes Diamonds

In this episode I speak with Shenandoah Chefalo, national advocate for ‘the missing youth in foster care' who have been institutionalised, trafficked, mislabeled and lost.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Shenandoah, a survivor of the national foster care system, is also author of her memoir The Garbage Bag Suitcase.  Our discussion covers her own experiences of abuse as a child, child welfare systems, adverse childhood experiences, trauma informed/implemented science, advocating for the lost children in the foster care system, and how we learn from our life journey to find those aha moments that become teach-points for others. May is foster care awareness month.  As a community, we have an important role to play in supporting children, youth, and families. Come #ListenAndLearn #FosterCareAwareness Website: https://www.garbagebagsuitcase.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/shenandoah.chefalo/ Twitter: @ShenChefalo @ChildWelfareGov LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hesnandoahchefalo/ Email: shen@garbagebagsuitcase.com Link to Book: Garbage Bag Suitcase: A Memoir

The content of this discussion is sensitive and may have a trigger effect for you.  We discuss: rape sexual assault and abuse victim blaming historical societal interactions related to domestic and sexual abuse and assault, sex trafficking and victim blaming. Please take a moment to consider opting out if you think this topic may negatively affect you.  Please reach out to SilentNoLonger.com if you need to talk to someone about your own experiences. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript In this episode I speak with Greta McClain, a former police officer and survivor of  rape, about her own experiences, what she learned from it, and how it has impacted the way she now advocates and interact with others.  A very necessary discussion to have in light of the #MeToo movement, the rampant problem with sex trafficking around the world, and the overall degradation of a paternalistic society where safety and body autonomy is at an all-time low. Come #ListenAndLearn Website: www.silentnolongertn.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silentnolongertn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silentnolongertn1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/silent_no_longe  

In this episode, I speak with Pamela M Covington. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Pamela is a speaker, author, and an anti-poverty advocate from Atlanta, GA.  Pamela experienced first hand, deep poverty, navigating the welfare system, triumphing over adversity, and finding a way to passionately advocate for anti-poverty programs.  We talk about society, stigma, and the power of getting a hand up, not a hand out. Pamela is a wonderful and compelling storyteller who wisely says ‘stories are sticky stuff' and she is spot on! Come #ListenAndLearn. Website: http://www.pamelamcovington.com Email: pamela@pamelamcovington.com Twitter: @PMCovington Get her book: A Day at the Fare: One Woman's Welfare Passage LinkedIn: Pamela M Covington

In this episode I speak with Dr Joe Sherman, a board-certified pediatrician and master physician development coach about professional identity, burnout, misplacement, and the journey healthcare professionals have had on the front lines during COVID. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Embracing post traumatic growth, promoting the ethos of being valued and having a common mission and forging the future ‘new normal' in healthcare moving forward. We are ALL in this together! Contact Dr Joe Sherman joe@joeshermanmd.com

In this episode, I talk with Lois Letchford, a mum who became a reading specialist and literacy problem-solver after her young son was labeled ‘the worst child ever' and was told by teachers and specialists not to expect much from him as a learner. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Lois has a unique perspective on learning and what it takes to believe in the success of every individual through active and creative learning approaches. Come #ListenAndLearn  Contact Lois Letchford: lois@loisletchford.com   Twitter: @LetchfordLois   Her book: Reversed: A Memoir  

In this two-part episode, I speak with Dr. Christopher Scott Wyatt, an autistic self-advocate and father of two neurodiverse daughters.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript A fascinating and revealing conversation about the complexities of neurodiversity, natural inclusion, and natural accommodation for diverse learning needs from an expert in neurodiversity as an autistic scholar, educator, advocate and father of two neurodiverse daughters. Dr Wyatt's candid perspective transcends cultural, national and international teaching boundaries. A must listen if you are in any way involved in education, teaching, and learning for all ages and stages of life. Christopher Wyatt at: autisticme@tameri.com https://www.tameri.com/autisticme    

In this two-part episode, I speak with Dr. Christopher Scott Wyatt, an autistic self-advocate and father of two neurodiverse daughters.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript A fascinating and revealing conversation about the complexities of neurodiversity, natural inclusion, and natural accommodation for diverse learning needs from an expert in neurodiversity as an autistic scholar, educator, advocate and father of two neurodiverse daughters. Dr Wyatt's candid perspective transcends cultural, national and international teaching boundaries. A must listen if you are in any way involved in education, teaching, and learning for all ages and stages of life. Christopher Wyatt at: autisticme@tameri.com https://www.tameri.com/autisticme

In this episode, I chat with Karen Knight, a volunteer consultant and volunteer leadership expert, about her experiences as a volunteer coordinator, the value of formal and informal learning through volunteering, volunteer leadership, and the overall impact on local communities. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Karen shares the importance of volunteering for a broader worldview, learning new things and changing mindsets.  We also engage in a lively and informative discussion regarding my own Active Volunteer Dispositions, The Guide, The Idealist, The Champion and The Executive for volunteer leadership, and tips and tools for avoiding volunteer burnout. Come #ListenAndLearn From the Top Down – by Susan Ellis Online Journal:  https://engagejournal.org www.KarenKnight.ca https://www.facebook.com/KarenKnightConsulting https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-knight-consulting/

In this episode I speak with Dr Kimya Nuru Dennis about unconscious bias, critical representation, power majority, white privilege and control, and the oppression of voice in education and wider society. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Dr Kimya Nuru Dennis is a community advocate, sociologist and criminologist, educator, and researcher. As founder of 365 Diversity, Dr Dennis helps change policies and practises, curriculum and courses, and evaluations and assessments for K-12 schools, colleges and universities, businesses, organisations, and cities.  An incredibly powerful and authentic conversation about bias, modern-day oppression, and silencing the marginalised.  Come #ListenAndLearn.  Kimya's website: www.365diversity.com  

In this episode, I speak with Canadian author, educator and social media strategist, Garth von Buchholz, about why continuous and connective learning, and digital literacy is so important for online learning today. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Garth brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation and shares powerful insights on opportunities for teaching critical thinking skills through digital literacy, e-learning, social media and social change, systemic white privilege, micro-learning, and so much more! Social hub: garthvb.com Web-blog:  www.globalisland.ca Twitter: @Garth_vB

In this episode I speak with Dr Danny Brassell.  A former inner-city teacher, internationally renowned speaker, trainer, author, and leadership coach.  He is co-founder of TheReadingHabit.com, the world's top reading engagement program.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Danny is on a mission to bring joy back into education and the workplace by transforming struggling and reluctant readers into more passionate and proficient readers through habit-stacking. Danny believes that if you're not reading, you're not advancing and provides a plethora of tips for creative reading for success at all ages… that includes reading biographies in the children's literature section, listening to books on audible, and turning on closed captions on your television set. He says ‘You are what you read, so read good stuff'. Danny encourages everyone that he speaks with how to make reading a lifelong habit and trains successful leaders how to communicate their messages through effective and inspirational storytelling. Danny has so many nuggets of wisdom, stories of inspiration, and motivational mantras that you absolutely don't want to miss!  Come, #ListenAndLearn Twitter:  @DannyBrassell Website:  www.thereadinghabit.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannybrassell/

Happy New Year and welcome to the first episode of Season Two - 2022!  In this episode, I speak with Jerry Fu, a conflict resolution coach who helps Asian-American leaders advance in their career and life journeys. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Jerry and I discuss his experiences growing up as a first generation child of Tawainese immigrant parents in America and how he used these experiences for conflict resolution in his professional work.  Jerry provides insight on leadership, resolving conflicts, and embracing your own experiences to better yourself and to better others around you. While Jerry experienced many instances of cultural and racial aggression, and stereotyping as an Asian American, he maintains a positive attitude and a desire to encourage awareness and understanding in those who would contribute to the marginalisation of diverse people groups.  He explains that ignorance is unacceptable, because we are too connected, and adheres to an ethos of teaching and learning to do things differently, and that conflict resolution can be a powerful mirror to being seen, heard and respected on both sides of conflict. He says uncomfortable conversations are important because if you don't have them, change cannot happen.  Jerry shares three of his many powerful life hacks including 1. Don't waste time on people who aren't willing to change their minds on things.  2. Whatever you decide is your decision and you need to live with the consequences. If you don't like the outcome, you have the power to change it.  3.  Go global.  Open yourself up to a wider worldview.  Jerry has a gentle yet effective approach to conflict resolution and believes that using our own struggles with conflict is a very important aspect of successfully mediating conflict.  He shares several mistakes that he has made in the past as wise words of advice for us all that include: avoidance, charging ahead, over compensating, interrupting and insisting on taking sides.  He also suggests enacting the five C's in conflict mediation encouraging Compassion, Courage, Curiosity, Collaboration, and Closure.  Jerry says that success doesn't always mean restoring relationships to 100% but going forward in a positive manner.  In conflict, we must listen to listen, not listen to respond. Jerry shares stories and anecdotes that are so useful in tense situations within our workplace, schoolplace, or within our community.  He is a fount of positivity, gentle and wise.  Come, #ListenAndLearn

In this episode, I am joined by Shellee Howard, Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Shellee is founder and CEO of College Ready and CR Tutoring and Test Strategies. She is a Certified Independent College Strategist and  best-selling author of the book ‘How to Send Your Student to College Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money'. Shellee talks about the inspiration behind her organization, College Ready.  As a single mother of four children, she knew that college would be expensive and sought to put them through school without going broke or in deep debt.  It all starts with the unique approach of creating a profile and a stand-out strategy for students that gets them into top tier schools without going into debt.  Shellee says that the optimum planning for college is when the student is ready to have the conversation and the understanding of the effort that needs to be enacted to stand out.  She explains that the level of student maturity matters, as well.  Students don't need to know exactly what they want to ‘be' when they grow up, just a desire for higher education.  It is all about finding out their expectations for their grown up life and talking through individual motivation for success. Shellee talks about why she wrote the book 'How to Send Your Student to College Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money'. It grew out of a desire to just give, and to help parents and students navigate the important decisions that come along with the journey to higher education.  Shellee says that today, students can't just have a good gpa in order to be a strong candidate to access grants, scholarships, and funding for their dream school.  They need test scores, community service, and extra curricular activities.  It is a multi-tiered scenario. Shellee started Passion with a Purpose to help students see volunteering and community service as something they would love to do for the rest of their lives.  Not just sign up, show up, check the volunteering box, but something they can appreciate and look forward to as they grow, mature and go through life.  Giving back and giving to others is a passion and mission of College Ready. The College Ready website https://collegereadyplan.com/ can be navigated easily and Shellee encourages visitors to explore the options and opportunities. In 2021 alone, College Ready helped students earn over $10.7 million in scholarships!  College Ready provides several options for financial planning and advice for families which helps you to see the return on investment. From $495 to $4,000 depending on family need and desire for support.  But… Shellee also says that she gives away tons and tons of free advice on their Facebook page.  All you have to do is visit and follow for free advice for your family and students. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeReadyPlan/  Shellee also provides her own funding opportunities and scholarships to students through an annual essay writing submission.  She also says that if you reach out to her on her website, and request a copy of her book, she will provide it for  you free of charge.  College Ready is a US based organization, but is available for students who want to attend college abroad AND for international students and families who want to send their students to the US for their college education.  Shellee is offering all of my listeners a 30 minute call with her to see if you and/or your student is on the right track for third level education.  Just schedule on her website. Shellee's final words of wisdom?  The time you  have with your children passes so fast.  If you can help them realise that it's not just getting ‘to' college as the goal, but it is more about who they are and why it matters in the long term.  Your children really do want your support, so invest in them because they are our future. Come #ListenAndLearn #Podbean #PodcastInterview  

In this episode, I talk with Kate Chandler @heritage_kate about something that we are both passionate about - #volunteering!  Kate is a heritage professional from the UK, living in Dublin. She has worked and volunteered for the National Trust and English Heritage, and has held roles in volunteer coordination and management. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript @heritage_kate talks about her own experiences as a young girl, visiting historical places and being captivated by the stories she'd hear and the rich history surrounding these spaces that were so magical for her.  Kate has always had a passion for heritage conservation and volunteering was a wonderful opportunity for her to surround herself with historical spaces that she loved so much. @heritage_kate credits her volunteer experiences during her school years for directing her higher education and career path working in the heritage sector.  Volunteering offered her the opportunity to try out different things to see where her interests might lie.  She was able to connect with place and space in such a deep and meaningful way that were so special and impactful for her freely, with no strings attached.  @heritage_kate shares that she has learned important life-skills from her volunteer experiences, such as facing fears and how to talk and interact with other people, which was something that never came easy for her. She says that volunteering has impressed upon her that everyone is equally important and that volunteers are invaluable to organizations (something that can often be overlooked). Volunteers have a wealth of knowledge and experience. @heritage_kate believes that volunteering is a force for social good by allowing people and communities to come in and to contribute to a shared purpose and goal with no strings attached.  There is a possibility for a kind of democracy about volunteering, but there isn't always.  Volunteering has the power to really bring people together, particularly in local communities. When you choose to do something for somebody else - to work towards something outside of your 'self' - it can contribute to your own happiness. We discuss, in depth, the concept of ethical volunteering and issues that many volunteer managers and organizations face. @heritage_kate feels that volunteers are integral to the heritage sector, but are often relied on too heavily. She feels that there are two thorny areas in volunteering – privilege and vulnerability to exploitation. Kate recognizes her position of privilege in being able to pursue volunteering which has impacted how she looks at volunteer coordination and management. Volunteering is a luxury, as unpaid work, enjoyed by some, and voluntary work should never replace paid work.   @heritage_kate call to action for anyone interested in volunteering?  Just go and talk to people in the place that you are interested in volunteering with.  Meet them and see where what you want out of volunteering might meet with what they are looking for and how you might meet in the middle. @heritage_kate words of wisdom to listeners, especially those in a position of power and managing volunteers… make sure that you are reflecting on that and using your position of power to  improve the ethics of volunteering in your area. There is always room for reflection.  Everyone has different reasons for volunteering so make sure you're checking in with them! Come #ListenAndLearn #Volunteering #Road2Volunesia. Kate's Resources and References: Ten Percent Happier podcast by Dan Harris - the episode is 183 'Fighting Depression with Social Connection' with Johann Hari. The study he refers to is 'Culture Shapes Whether the Pursuit of Happiness Predicts Higher or Lower Well-Being' by a team of social scientists led by Dr. Brett Q. Ford of Berkeley - the 2015 article of the study can be found here: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/xge-0000108.pdf   And the organisationmentioned is Fair Museum Jobs, who aim to "establish a better standard (“The Manifesto”) for museum job recruitment that is based on the principles of fairness, transparency, equity and inclusivity." Their website is here https://fairmuseumjobs.org/ and they can be found on Twitter at @fair_jobs  

In this episode, I talk with Donna Price.  Donna, a mother of four children, founded the Irish Road Victims' Association (IRVA) in 2012 following the sudden death of her 18 year old son Darren in a crash in March 2006.  Donna was frustrated and felt unsupported and alone while navigating the inquest into her son's road collision, which took far too long, and left her family without answers, statute barred for civil action, and lacking closure.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Donna felt that there was no support for her family during the six years that they waited for the Coroner's inquest… six years!  She committed to making sure that families of road crash victims who find themselves in the same position as herself, would have a source of support, advocacy, and comfort, and that they never have to experience the pain and suffering her family experienced.  This is why awareness of IRVA is absolutely vital. The Road Victims' Association in addition to being a listening ear, and peer support, they provide (and cover the cost for) bereavement counseling.  They also provide free legal advice for families navigating the inquiry process and hold monthly support meetings on the first Wednesday of every month (currently online due to COVID).  Additionally, the IRVA comes together every year on the 3rd Sunday in November, with over 300 families, to mark the World Day of Remembrance for road collision victims. Over 1.36 million people all over the world are killed in road traffic collisions and another 50 million are seriously injured and left with life altering injuries. While they are primarily a victim support organization, the IRVA advocates for change in legislation when needed. For example, after her son's fatal crash, the lorry driver was not tested for drugs or alcohol, although her son was tested at autopsy and had zero alcohol or drugs in his system.  Donna, and other bereaved families, campaigned to make sure that legislation was changed to ensure that there was mandatory testing when there was a death or serious bodily injury following a road traffic collision. IRVA also has international significance and impact in strengthening the voice of victims' and their families on a global level, as an NGO through a wide-reaching network  of road victims' association IRVP (International Road Victims' Partnership).  Did you know that 154 people are killed every hour on the roads of the world – that's 3,700 people every single day that we hear very little about. Why?  Because these are small, individual tragedies where families alone are left to pick up the pieces and deal with the horrific consequences in the aftermath. With this global network, wherever in the world the traffic collision takes place, this organization can get much needed information and support to victim's families. While it may seem that IRVA might have an adversarial relationship with law enforcement and governing bodies, that couldn't be further from the truth.  They work closely with the authorities to make sure that the families of road crash victims are well supported and that they understand the role and process of investigations and inquiries. In fact, IRVA has worked hard to make sure that law enforcement authorities provide the families of road crash victims' with contact information and literature connecting them to IRVA's representatives and services. IRVA relies on volunteers and many are people who have been personally impacted by loss from road crashes.  Volunteers help to raise much needed funds for the organization as well provide free legal advice and lobby the government for changes in laws and statutes. The organization has developed several guides that assist not only families, but also prepare NGOs around the world, in working with victims' families and navigating the processes when tragedy occurs. Donna encourages any person or family who has been affected by a serious road collision, no matter where in the world you are, to reach out to any one of the 150 organizations within the International Road Victims' Partnership.  All services are provided free of charge. If you would like to support or help with IRVA or IRVP, please get in contact.  She says ‘all it takes is one'.  One person at a time can save lives and greatly reduce serious road collisions. Come #ListenAndLearn   Websites: IRVA      www.irva.ie                   IRVP      www.irvp.org   Email:  IRVA      irva@eircom.net                            donnapriceirva@gmail.com               IRVP     info@IRVP.org                           donnapriceirvp@gmail.com   Helpline: IRVA & IRVP   00353 868634194   Twitter: IRVA.       @IRVAroadsafety               IRVP.       @RoadVictimsNGO   Facebook: IRVA https://www.facebook.com/IrishRoadVictims/                   IRVP https://www.facebook.com/RoadVictimsNGOs/  

In this episode, I talk with Dr Maria Gallo about the role university alumni can play in enhancing formal and informal learning.  She has over 20 years' experience in higher education leadership and advancement roles in Ireland and Canada.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript She has a brand new book entitled The Alumni Way: Building Lifelong Value from your University Investment that will be published on 30th September 2021. Dr Gallo is also the Founder of KITE – Keep in Touch Education, which is an alumni research services company that focuses on the transformative potential of alumni connection. Maria starts the conversation off demystifying the concept of the ‘alumni grinch' when we think that our alumni associations and organizations only want monetary contributions from us after graduation.  We evaluate our identity of ‘alumni-ness', and the importance of shared connections and ties that makes networking through alumni relationships vital. Maria shares how giving back of yourself helps students to see a clearer vision of that relatable role-model in professional and business practice. Maria talks about the impact that her own father's experiences as a first generation university graduate had on her, and the positive influence that being an engaged alumni had on him personally and professionally, as an educator.  This fueled her passion for researching alumni lived experiences on all sides of the spectrum. She looked deeper into the policies and practices of alumni organizations to learn from the challenges that many face in maintaining successful and sustained engagement, and has developed best practices for implementing positive alumni relationships for universities worldwide.   Maria has a new book coming out very soon that has been a long labour of love for her.  The book, The Alumni Way: Building Lifelong Value from your University Investment, which is incredibly warm and engaging.  She believes that the ‘way' is this idea of a journey that we spend so much time and energy in education before we ever step foot onto a university campus.  Her book reads like an intimate and passionate conversation between Maria, the author, and the reader, as a college graduate that begins to think ‘what now'?  This book is about helping others to discover the ‘alumni self'  and the four key traits of an informed and savvy alum, and working through the process of Reflection first, then Curiosity, Passion and Generosity before jumping in to give back and engage.  It's a book that should be read by anyone who has graduated from college or university. Maria talks about the impact that the ‘extraordinary ordinary' alumni can have on student experiences in university.  Alumni associations need to reconsider who they highlight in their alumni connection newsletters and magazines because more graduates identify with the ‘extraordinary ordinary' alumni stories than they do with reading about the CEOs, VIPs, and uber rich/successful alumni that are often interviewed and highlighted as people of note.  Every alumni has an interesting story and important contribution to university development and student learning experiences.  Maria shares some great links and recommendations for inspiring your vision to get involved, connect or reconnect with your alma mater nationally or internationally.  Her parting words of wisdom for listeners?  ‘It isn't just who you know… but who knows you!' Develop your alumni relationships.  Get involved, stay engaged, and tap into the potential of your alumni network to achieve the life you want through those important connections.  It's never too late. Come #ListenAndLearn Link to purchase Maria Gallo's book The Alumni Way: Building Lifelong Value from your University Investment  https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-alumni-way  Tedx link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppr6ptfM4_s Website: https://www.keepintoucheducation.com Engaging International Alumni as Strategic Partners (Rincon & Dobson 2021) https://shop.nafsa.org/detail.aspx?id=1620 Who You Know: Unlocking Innovations that Expand Students. (Freeland Fisher, 2018) https://www.christenseninstitute.org/books/who-you-know/  Nexus: A network of Alumni Social Impact Networks http://www.inhiveglobal.org/nexus/  

In this episode, I am joined by Ciara O'Siorain to talk about the exploration of what it means to be ‘childlike' through curated stories and narratives. Ciara is currently a Masters in Philosophy student at Trinity College Dublin studying Children's Literature. She is also the executive editor of ‘Childlike': A Journal of Childhood. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Ciara begins by explaining her passion for children's literature and how certain childhoods are excluded, or made abnormal in literature texts.  She interrogates the more commonplace ideals of the ‘real child' in literature and texts alongside the messier bits of childhood. We talk about the horror lens through which children's stories and folk tales are often depicted and how children are exposed to negative tropes and stigmas such as trauma, mental illness, depression and schizophrenia, through these stories in some sort of effort to instil a sense of morality and good in children, rather than deal with the realities of life many children experience in a more positive and healthy way.  The ends of the text are often disconnected and rarely provide a positive outcome as to how to get out of these situations. Ciara was very inspired by the theories that she was studying and the concept of what really is ‘childhood'?  She discusses the differences between the negative connotation of ‘childish' and the positive and creative connotation of being ‘childlike'.  What do we think of children and the concepts of childhood?  Ciara explains the themes for contributions to the journal through concepts that she is reading and questioning about childhood, herself.  She asks contributors to consider their relationships with childhood.  What do they hold dear and what do they hope will come from their submissions?  The themes center around relationships, normalities and abnormalities, and responses from open surveys and interviews that she conducts. She talks about her favorite survey responses and the deep questions that were generated from the conversation.  The short stories and reflections present very moving and intimate depictions of childhood and memories of childhood.  Ciara believes that the way the writing moves the authors and the reader is the whole point.  Rather than reading something in static form, these stories could be anyone's history, anyone's story.  They are meant to provoke thought and relate to some element of the stories. She talks about her hope for the themes and the ‘state of childhood' in the next issue, as well. We discuss the call and process for those interested in contributing to the journal.  Whether it is art, poetry, short stories or any other medium, she wants to see it!  She is open to international perspectives, as well.  Ciara recommends some incredible books and childhood literature that anyone interested in children's literature should check out. Cameron Garrett, Oliver Jeffers, Alison Bechtel, GD Baker, and several more. Ciara's words of wisdom?  When it comes to writing, 'if you've outgrown the pond (of experience and expertise) that you've been living in, and you find yourself in a bigger pond which is terrifying and scary… you're there for a reason!"  Growth is meant to be embraced. Come, listen and learn!  You can reach Ciara O'Siorain or check out Childlike, the journal here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/childlikejournal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childlikejournal/ Email: childlikejournal@gmail.com Childlike Issue 1: https://issuu.com/childlikejournal/docs/18_november_2020_ Childlike Issue 2: https://issuu.com/childlikejournal/docs/_childlike_issue_2_

In this episode I am joined by Michaela Booth, a passionate researcher and advocate for equity and inclusion, social justice, and the synthesis of lived experiences of women in prison, power, and the use and mis-use of trauma narratives in the broader societal context. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Micheala talks openly about her trauma growing up with parents fully immersed in drug abuse, addiction, mental illness and the criminal system and her experiences in the education system as a young child living with trauma.  Michaela has been deeply impacted by discrimination and stigma.  She explains how labeling is really used to mock the bodies of what society deems as ‘bad people'. Her first memory of an education provision that was failing in it's duty to look after children, was during primary school when teachers would exclude Michaela and her sisters from afterschool activities that other children participated in as a form of punishment, specifically because her parents were addicts and chronically late to collect them.  They were made to sit in the corridor to wait for their parents while the other children were ushered into a hall to engage in arts and crafts and playtime. Michaela and her sisters were often given detention for not getting their homework done, and embarrassed in front of others for not having the right uniform or for being hungry and asking for food.  Today, Michaela practices viewing this kind of behavior as a systemic issue rather than individual people who were less than what they should be during her time of need. Michaela believes that her story in a broader social narrative, sheds light on the reality that many people who face social inequalities as a result of mental illness, drug misuse, and incarceration, have lived experiences that never really go away and the impact of social stigmas and its consequences are lifelong. Not just in the immediate, but for children and families who face trauma and trauma triggers on a daily basis, even if they are no longer directly in that trauma anymore. Michaela avoids using a narrative that places her in a victimhood identity.  She is the picture of positivity. After being expelled permanently from post-primary school, having a baby at 17, and doing time in prison, Michaela was hungry for learning and was encouraged to apply for university.  She talks about an interaction with a university course coordinator that absolutely transformed her life and ideals for her future.  This woman's enagement with Michaela, and her belief in Michaela's potential was the first time anyone invested time in understanding who she was and how she hoped to use her past trauma for the greater good.  Michaela felt completely supported and valued for the first time in her life and to this day she shares a very special relationship and bond with the woman who believed her when no one else would.  Michaela talks about reintegration into society after a prison sentence and the stigma attached to that and all the barriers that are faced which starts you off on a track for failure rather than success.  How can this be integration? Many people can't get past go.  We live in environments with systems and services that have failed us massively.  We talk about trauma being a ‘transferrable skill' and whether traumatic experiences can be positively cultivated.  Michaela explains that one of her survival mechanisms has been to invest in the study and full understanding of systems and structures of oppression, trauma, social inequality and stigma, and the consequences of that oppression on groups of people. It is important to understand that these structures of oppression are not done by accident.  Through our conversation, it is very clear that Michaela embodies the ability to survive in any environment and to be successful at it. We discuss Michaela's research and the distinct lack of understanding by those in academia to the realities happening outside the proverbial institutional walls. She explains that academia perpetuates the invisibility of the oppressed and marginalised in society and rendering the participants voiceless in trauma research through overly strict, unreasonable ethics restrictions, and language that excluding people from participation. It's time to invest in people who have experienced trauma to tap into what their strengths and aspirations are as individuals with their own unique stories.  Michaela doesn't want to be the voice for criminalised women, what she wants to do is work to put those mechanisms in systemically to draw out those voices.  She doesn't want to be the ‘prisoner voice' rather she wants to make the methods and models for hearing everybody's voice.  Michaela's words of wisdom?  We need to think differently about the quote ‘everything you do in the dark always come to light'.  It isn't about something that you've done wrong, rather finding the light at the end of the trauma tunnel.  Don't miss this conversation.  You will surely come away with a renewed sense of purpose, position, and passion for equity, inclusion, and transformative thinking. Come #ListenAndLearn Michaela's Blog: https://michaelamovement.com/2021/04/10/the-shift-of-the-penal-gaze-from-sites-to-bodies/    Book recommendation: The Body Keeps the Score - written by: Bessel A van der Kolk  

In this episode, I talk with Dr Patricia McCarthy, a visiting research fellow from Trinity College Dublin and passionate advocate for disability and inclusion rights in education. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Patricia shares her own experiences of being educated as a blind/physically impaired student from the 1970s and the barriers she overcame to achieve her PhD.  She talks about being perceived as an oddity of being doubly disabled and feeling less able than her peers because she couldn't walk as well as them.  Patricia struggled with masking her disability through adulthood and reflecting on the stigma of the ‘white cane' as if something was wrong with having a disability. It wasn't until her experiences in higher education and the maturity that comes along with being an adult, that she realised the importance of disclosure.  Patricia is passionate about trying to improve awareness around the low incidence of people who are blind/vision impaired in education and specifically the very low percentage of those who go on to postgraduate study.  When there is significant amounts of reading that is required in higher level education, access to readable texts and resources, as well as support, is a major challenge and hindrance for many students.  She says that it is frustrating to be constantly on the backfoot waiting for someone to put resources and reading materials in a format that you can read, and students with disabilities are constantly trying to play catch up.  Patricia explains that often the voice of those with disabilities is often diminished by experts that are supporting them. Considerations and decisions for the students are often made very early on in their education and they have little support or voice in the decisions that are made for them.  The findings from her research centered around themes of identity, access and transition. The education system as it is now, isn't always designed to include the disabled person and to engage them in a positive and authentic manner. It seems that blind and disabled students in higher education are more the exception rather than the rule.   Focus must always be on ability rather than focusing on disability. She says that there needs to be more awareness around how community, society and educators can support all students and not limit them during their formative years based on their disability.  Just because they have a disability, it is only part and parcel of who they are as a person and education should look at the individual and the whole person. Currently, the education system isn't designed in a way to enable disabled people to engage meaningfully.   We won't always get it right, but we are so much better for actively and authentically trying! Ensuring that everyone is included means thinking beyond only people with disabilities. We are all unique and have different needs for living and learning. We need to move from a position that a ‘someone' is the designated person to look after the issues around inclusion or around disability, or whatever it might be and genuinely move to a position where actually inclusion is everybody's business. It is a mindset shift that would move away from the dichotomy of ability and disability. Inclusion is never an end point, rather more like a wheel where people are getting on and off.   There is a deep appreciation for the person who authentically tries.  When you are genuinely aware and thinking about inclusion in everyday settings rather than just practicing it only in certain settings. We need to work within the diversity of our system and not exclude others.  In many ways it is an attitudinal shift, we all do things differently and learn differently regardless of disability or not.  We finish up the conversation with a discussion around Patricia's guide dog, Gaston, and the twitter account she created using Gaston as the author to help create awareness about inclusion and disability issues in society and community.  It is a good way to educate people about the work of a guide dog, and certain aspects of what they do and some of the barriers that society places illegally on guide dogs due to ignorance of policies and legislation.   Patricia's passion and enthusiasm for educating others on inclusion for everyone is certainly ignited through this conversation.  Come #ListenAndLearn Twitter: @mccartpm @gaston_mccarthy UDL Document resource: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340233497_  

In this episode, I talk with Dr Eoin Ó Donnchadha.  Eoin is a teacher of history, economics and business,who has taught in a post-primary context in both Ireland and England. He is also an occasional lecturer in economics at the UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.  We spend about an hour discussing human capital, the contribution of doctoral education in post-primary teaching, the importance of lifelong learning, continuous research and so much more. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Eoin, a passionate educator and supporter of continuous learning, explains that his research explored the impact and experiences of post-primary teachers in Ireland that hold a doctoral degree through human capital theory and the idea that education and worker skill level can impact productivity.  His largely qualitative study provides so much rich data through teacher's lived experiences and dialogue. We talk about his desire to teach at the post-primary level, and the Irish requirement that even someone with an earned PhD must undertake a recognized programme in education to receive the teaching certification necessary to teach post-primary students.  He discusses the benefits that his PhD qualification had on his own learning during the PME programme, as well as the expertise and advice that he could provide to fellow peers because of his prior qualifications. Eoin talks about the very distinct differences between teaching in the UK and in Ireland and the way the teachers communicate with their students and their families.  Increased teaching autonomy, teacher-to-student ratios, variation in paperwork and procedures, and employment interview requirements are all discussed. The stories that Eoin shares from his participants as well as his own experiences as a teacher with a doctoral degree are so relevant and interesting. His participants reported benefits and challenges that a doctoral education provides for teachers.  There is greater confidence, subject knowledge, and skills demonstrated that are needed to really inspire their students to embrace higher order thinking skills and processes. Teachers are able to support students with questioning sources and resources, critical evaluation and problem solving.  They also report that there is increased effectiveness of their communication with fellow staff and parents.  Some challenging experiences that teachers with doctoral degrees face are needless worry from administrative staff and others in the field around ‘stop-gap', impacts on job acquisition, pay inequality, and the perception that teachers with a PhD are ‘too big for their boots'.  Eoin's latest publication speaks about social media as a great way to share knowledge in the profession and varying professional associations in education. These online platforms are helpful for encouraging the sharing of high quality subject knowledge and for disseminating creative resources from teaching professionals at varying levels.  High quality and accessible education resources are critically needed when there is so much rubbish out there and online, to sift through.  There is an important element of relationships and community working together to improve the system for those that are at ground zero – teachers teaching, practicing, and researching in the classroom. Eoin shares some final words of wisdom in true historian form. A medieval Irish maxim – ‘knowledge is the better for enquiry'.  Come, #ListenAndLearn

In this episode, I talk with Danni Reches and Ido Rosenzweig, host and producer of ‘What are you going to do with that?' podcast about their experiences hosting and producing an educational podcast series. Danni and Ido are both based in the Minerva Center for the Rule of Law under Extreme Conditions at the University of Haifa in Israel.  Their podcast highlights the work of PhD students and early career researchers about the varying aspects of their research and academic journey. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Ido and Danni share the inspiration behind the podcast and their desire to share widely not only the success, challenges and struggles that early career researchers face, but also their desire to convey these stories in a way that others can relate to.  Since the launch of their podcast, they have interviewed early career researchers from all over the world and discuss important research that encompasses everything from the study of bananas to baseball and transnational migration.  Most don't realize the work that goes into the production of a podcast from start to finish.  Both Danni and Ido make sure that their guests are in a comfortable space and place to talk about their journey and share their stories.  As the producer, Ido spends time with their guests ahead of the recording, listening to their stories, finding out exactly what they hope to get out of the conversation together, the message they want to convey, and taking detailed notes for Danni, the host.  Danni has a keen interest in mental health awareness in academia, so she always has a glass of amaretto and encourages their guests to bring along their beverage of choice to calm nerves, break the ice, and help make the interview space feel warm and inviting.  As if two friends are sharing a cuppa and a chat together.  Danni and Ido share funny experiences in past interviews and talk about how they handle sensitive issues that sometimes come up in conversations.  They discuss what they have learned as podcasters along the way, and learning that is constantly transforming.  Everything from developing new technical skills, mastering new social media platforms for promotion and networking, to improving listening and speaking skills, and unique perspectives gained from the research of their guests. Ido explains that podcasts are important for conveying a message, for putting new and innovative research in the spotlight, and making learning and knowledge widely accessible.  There is something for everyone and the topics are endless.  We agree that independent podcasters are so incredibly supportive of one another, and collaborations like this one expand your reach as a podcast and make for interesting discussions from varying perspectives.  There is a sense of community among podcasters and you can find a sense of belonging through social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube.   As we conclude our conversation, Danni and Ido have some tips, tricks and advice for anyone who might be interested in starting their own podcast.  Ido wisely advises that podcasting is a commitment, have a clear understanding of the message you want to convey before you start, and don't get discouraged.  ‘Remember, no one becomes a hit show overnight and don't get caught up in the numbers'.  Be patient with yourself and learn as you go.  A really fun and fascinating conversation from one podcaster to another.  Come, #ListenAndLearn Google podcast link: What are you Going to Do with THAT? Website link: what2dowiththat.com Twitter: @What2doWithTHAT @PhD_Genie References to Twitter accounts we've mentioned today. Fernando - @Ferchucky Sophie - @InfraRedRum HaPhDsupervisor Shelley Turner Tahira Talita PapaPhD Vikram - Planthropology

In this episode, I talk with Dr Evgenia Likhovtseva-Quinn about her research on World Class Universities, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations, the geopolitics of higher education, and international student recruitment amidst the COVID_19 pandemic. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Evgenia has lived and studied all over the world, so it is perfectly natural that her passion for internationalization in higher education and global higher education administration would be cultivated by her own personal experiences as well as her formal education in philosophy and public policy and management. Evgenia's PhD research centered around higher education policy and the status of World Class Universities in BRICS nations as well as her work in Trinity College Global Relations Office has continued to fuel her desire to engage in further research on the experiences of international students studying abroad. We talk about our own personal experiences as international students, and how being an international student makes you look at the world through a different lens as you learn about the culture that you are immersed in. We talk about the things you learn about yourself, and about contributing positively to those other countries in some way, as well. We are all different but there are so many similarities and finding common ground is essential.  Being an international student changes your personality as you try to connect and get to know other people and adjust to your new culture and environment. The global growth that is achieved through international learning experiences are transformational for the student and highly beneficial for the universities who embrace them. Evgenia talks about the prestige of World Class Universities and flaws within the world university ranking system that affect non-traditional colleges and universities (like BRICS).  She explains the concept of geopolitics of education and how it impacts the way in which international student recruitment is approached.  The cold war came up and the way that Russia reached out to other countries to recruit international students to come learn and return to their own countries post-cold war.  She says that building relationships, trust and partnerships with other countries is key to diversifying your student body. We talk about processes of learning for international students and the stigma of the ‘validity' of an education from fully online colleges and universities. She shares her experiences teaching and researching in China and how censorship in communist countries can be very challenging for international researchers because participants are monitored, not open to talking, or just repeat information that is already available on open source.  We discuss the challenges that international students faced when the pandemic hit and many were forced to leave their studies behind and return to their home country with their education and life on hold.  Some institutions handled it very well while others contributed to incredible heartache for international students and their families.  This brings up the importance of regional colleges and universities and their place in society and delivering high quality education regardless of whether they are listed as a World Class University or not. A brilliant and fascinating conversation you don't want to miss!  Come #ListenAndLearn

In this episode, Victoria Procunier, a successful business woman from Toronto, Canada, and I discuss the subject of unlearning.  Unlearning can challenge assumptions that we have long held and trying to understand why something is the way it is. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Our discussion focuses on how people value terms, skills, and mindsets in four specific areas, personal, societal, business, and education.  Unlearning can be very useful for resetting, rethinking, and re-evaluating, the way we think about the world, and that there are different truths to the same situation depending on perspective.  Unlearning challenges what we know to be true and can be useful in moving forward when you feel stuck or desire to understand something from a new perspective. Victoria talks about the constant process of learning and re-learning through her experiences as a lifelong volunteer and the space volunteering provides for not only changing perspectives and personal growth, but for doing something good, giving of yourself, and encouraging others to find value in themselves.    We discuss the varying reasons why so many are hesitant to let go of old ways that include understanding privilege, the impact of the #MeToo movement and uncomfortable conversations that need to be had. There is further discussion on controversies amidst the Covid pandemic with differing mindsets on taking the vaccine and wearing masks and being open to understand and respect people's positions.  We also talk about fear being a factor that inhibits unlearning, and whether it is wrong to think through what it means to be privileged and whether you are deserving or not, and reconciling our past. Additionally, as a single woman of 40 with no children, Victoria discusses identity as a factor in unlearning and this kind of ‘box checking' when it comes to assumptions and expectations about what it means to be a woman and what success and happiness is supposed to look like. As a VP in sales and marketing, Victoria explains why she thinks it is vital for unlearning to happen in the workplace. She discusses how important it is to understand the other person's perspective and the people behind the decision. The value that comes from meaningful relationships and reputation and integrity in leadership means a lot.  In leading a team, she practices unlearning regularly using the ‘start up culture', to make sure that her team can be the best that they can be and that she is supporting them behind the scenes to create an environment where they can be most successful. We talk about what you can learn from surviving toxic work environments. We conclude our conversation with an eye-opening discussion on how unlearning from an educational perspective can be life changing.  I ask Victoria her thoughts on ungrading and radical assessment, and was very surprised by her response.  Victoria, an avid lifelong learner, felt that grades were dangled as a carrot, but her experiences in ‘unstructured' educational settings provided her with deeper, more meaningful learning.   We have a jolly laugh at the end with a quick discussion about how unlearning applies to the dating world and running a three-legged race.  Come, #ListenAndLearn!  

In this episode, I am joined by Olatunji Solola, to talk about his experiences of living, learning, and growing up black in Ireland.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Tunji is a 21 year old 3rd year student at Maynooth University in the Biotechnology programme. He and his family moved to Ireland when he was just five years old and he remembers everything feeling so new and different.  Getting used to his surroundings and starting school that was culturally very different from his birth home in Nigeria, was difficult for him but he adjusted very quickly.  Tunji identifies himself as black, Nigerian first and then Irish. We talk about microaggressions, the concept of othering, racism and his earliest experiences of these in school, community, and society.  He tells a story of his family home being raided by the Gardai when he was just nine years old, and the confusion they felt because of the way it had been handled and the mess they left in their wake.  It didn't make sense to him that a single mother and two young sons, being the only black family in this neighborhood, must be drug dealers just because.  Tunji talks about his school days and how conscious he was of being a ‘minority' and the sense of tokenism.  He describes three responses that students had to him as being one of only two black kids in school.  1.  Kids who wanted to be your friend.  2. Kids that treated you differently because of the color of your skin.  3.  Kids who wanted to be your friend just to say ‘I have a black friend'.   While his teachers and schools tried their best to make sure minorities felt included, Tunji believes that Irish people don't really don't understand how to deal with other ethnicities in general.  While teachers try really hard to make sure ALL students are treated equally, they don't account for differences when it comes to policies.  He tells a story about how he was penalized for not conforming to the hairstyle policy which was written for ‘white hair' and did not account for black hair.  Cultural integration, tolerance, and other lessons from other cultures and perspectives are not well taught in schools.  There is no such thing as ‘I don't see color'.  Color and difference should be inclusive and embraced. We talk about his role models growing up and how important education was to his parents, who arrived in Ireland as highly educated immigrants but whose credentials were not recognized and their treatment as ‘unskilled' workers.  Quality education and working hard was instilled in him from a very young age by his parents.  Growing up, he wished he had someone in the schools who looked like him, that truly understood diversity and what it means to be black.  He wished he had someone that would advocate for him and make sure that his voice was heard and that he was seen as an individual. In society, being heard is the biggest challenge that immigrants face in Ireland.  Going forward, Tunji will pursue his master's and wants to continue advocating for the rights of people of colour.  He is even considering going into politics to fight for these rights and the voice of the unheard minority.  I hope you'll join us.  Come, #ListenAndLearn

In this episode, I talk with Dr Amy Kavanaugh, Dr Andrea Kitomary, and Dr Lindsay Stoetzel from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA about their work preparing rural teacher candidates to work with diverse student populations. Accessible Transcript is available HERE This is very much an international conversation that will benefit teacher educators, those currently in teacher training and education, as well as parents, families and community members concerned with implicit bias training for fair, inclusive, and diverse practices in the classroom.  This trio, keen social justice advocates, takes their teacher candidates through a series of professional conversations and workshops that require them to interrogate their own implicit (unconscious) biases and to think deeply about how their words and actions impact the teacher student relationship. This project was born out of a need identified by their accrediting body to strengthen the teacher candidates' awareness and ability to work with diverse populations. This is no easy task when the university itself, and the schools that teacher candidates will be teaching in, are largely rural.  Traditionally, the teaching body in Michigan is predominately white, middle class, and female, so the problem of practice was how to teach these teacher candidates to become culturally responsive teachers. We discussed the difficulties they faced designing and implementing a programme that would be transformative and impactful for the teacher candidates in such a homogenous environment. They recruited Ferris alumni, teaching in several different states, to come together with their teacher candidates in a series of professional conversation workshops. They felt that practicing educators who have been where their teacher candidates are, and are now in the field experiencing the reality of teaching first hand, would reinforce and enhance what the professors are currently instructing, providing a richer learning experience for the teacher candidates. They specifically chose early career (newly qualified teachers) because they wanted their teacher candidates to see that you don't have to have 20 years of expertise to be ready… and that this is a learning journey that all educators are on together. We talk about immigration, the black lives matter movement, the recent election, and other hot-button issues across the country that push educators and their choices of what they bring into their lessons in the classroom.  We discuss the similarities and crossovers in teacher education, in the US context, the Irish context and other countries as well.  They discuss bias through the lens of racism which is historical and prevalent in the US, whereas in the Irish context bias is more likely to be discussed from a class or socio-economic lens.  There is a discussion on how implicit bias is very damaging to children through microaggressions and actions in the classroom, often without realizing we are even doing it. We share stories, nationally and internationally, about cultural norms and biases, and practicing awareness of difference in diverse classrooms.  Research supports that the biggest indicator for future student success is the classroom teacher.  Teacher educators have a responsibility to help teacher candidates see that you have the power to make a significant difference in every student's life and their success. It is more important than how much money the school has or the student's family has. Rather, finding an awareness of the power the classroom teacher has and the expectation for success of ALL their students. Teachers make more of a difference than they know, and words and actions matter. Interrogating our own implicit bias and embedding collaborative and reflective bias training in teacher education programmes is essential. Author: Catherine Compton-Lilly Website: Learning For Justice Book: Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

In this episode, I talk with Dr Vivian Rath.  Vivian is a teaching fellow in Trinity College Dublin and recently completed his PhD on the “social engagement experiences of disabled students in higher education in Ireland”. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript We talk about his personal journey accessing higher education as a disabled person himself.  The barriers that he faced, and how his own social experiences in higher education influenced his desire to research this important issue for disabled students.  He explains how the use of the Transformative Paradigm and the Bioecological Model put his participants at the centre of his research and at the same time working alongside them for transformational change by using a social justice approach and human rights. Vivian explains how the presence of disabled students in higher education is a relatively new phenomenon and their presence is surprisingly low… but dramatically increasing.  We discuss the lack of agency and a sense of disempowerment when disabled students feel unseen and unheard.  It is critical to listen to the voices of ALL students and to be aware of the barriers that many different students face. He shares the endearing voices of his participants, their sense of belonging, their desire to be seen and heard, and the impact a lack of awareness by higher education institutions has on them. While he does see changes being made, it is largely sporadic across university settings and much more needs to be done. University leaders and stakeholders need to realize that social engagement is important for ALL students.  If disabled students can't access a coffee with a fellow student because the campus canteen's lift isn't working, and their request to have it repaired goes unheard, they are left feeling like their needs don't matter. Disabled students just want to be able to access facilities, events, or opportunities to volunteer and engage.  They want to have meaningful connections and relationships with others as part of their social engagement experience, and to be heard and valued, just like every other student on campus.   Come, listen and learn! Website: AHEAD.ie Twitter: @RathVivian @aheadireland @UDLChatIE  

In this episode I talk with Mags Amond, a retired post-primary school teacher and PhD candidate, about her research on a form of informal continuous professional development among teachers all over the world.  It is called TEACHMEET where teaching professionals come together to encourage, edify and ‘teach' each other through their own lived experiences.  #TeachMeet is a phenomenon that is completely organized and facilitated on a voluntary basis. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Mags reflects on the influence of her parents and their lifelong commitment to volunteering and supporting her educational pursuits.  Mags talks about life in ‘the slow lane' as a part-time PhD, her relationships with fellow research colleagues, the back channels of communication on the journey, and the unexpected twists along the way that have significantly impacted her understanding of research as a scaffolded process. Mags explains that a newfound awareness of herself as a ‘pracademic' has transformed her way of thinking about research and practice. Mags likens the beginning of TeachMeets to that of a love child of the unconference world and the growing social media presence in 2006. We talk about how pivoting online due to Covid_19, has had a positive effect on #TeachMeets because educators are hungry for connection, community, belonging and ownership of professional conversations and learning outside of the school environment. Mags shares her philosophy on the importance of attending #TeachMeets to find ‘something for a Monday' that you can use for personal or professional enrichment or your classroom teaching practice. She provides a mental visual of ‘desire lines' that are worn into the ground through a desire to take oneself from where they are to where they want to be – as part of the #TeachMeet process that just becomes a natural path for informal authentic professional learning. Come, listen and learn! Website: magsamond.com Twitter:  #TeachMeet @magsamond  

In this episode, I chat with Hayley Myerscough, who is currently studying to be a primary school teacher.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript We talk about her volunteer and learning experiences growing up and what fueled her passion to become a teacher.  How her experiences volunteering in Girl Guides really solidified her determination to become a teacher.  She says ‘volunteering allows you to see a different side of yourself that you don't normally see and the difference you make for others' that is motivated by voluntary rewards and not paid rewards.  Hayley explains how volunteer work can help you find out what you are passionate about and what you want to do as a career. Girl Guides helped her to see what it is like to lead and to inspire and to help.  We talk about how relying on the Leaving Cert is really a form of tracking that can be detrimental for young people when you don't get the ‘points' to go into a career path that you really want.  We talk about how getting into the professional master's in education programme wasn't easy for Hayley because of the Irish requirement for primary school teachers.  Hayley inspires and encourages others to practice relentless perseverance and determination to pursue your dreams no matter what.  We talk about starting the initial teacher education programme right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic and the weirdness of going through a master's level teaching programme without being able to meet and see your cohort.  We chat about Hayley being an up and coming educational ‘influencer' on Instagram as @TheTeacherStudent, and balancing her own learning experiences with teaching and encouraging others. She explains why she believes that being raw and real and giving first-hand insight on the barriers that she faced on her journey to becoming a teacher is both helpful and therapeutic.  She tries to make sure that her content isn't too wordy or complicated, but is delivered in a way that is meaningful to her followers and to provide a sense of community and belonging in a digital/online world.   Hayley is an absolute joy.  Come, listen and learn. Instagram @TheTeacherStudent  

TRIGGER WARNING: The content of this discussion is sensitive and may have a trigger effect for you.  Topics discussed: pregnancy loss miscarriage abortion grief rape post-traumatic stress forced medical and community interventions historical societal interactions around sex education and baby loss Please take a moment to consider opting out if you think this topic may negatively affect you. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript In this episode, Caroline Lloyd, a PhD candidate in her final year at Trinity College Dublin, joins me to discuss her research on adolescent development and the impact that baby loss has on young women across their lifespan.  Her previous employment background was in corporate business environments, counseling,and she has significant experience as a volunteer, particularly with cancer and bereavement charities.  As a bereavement counsellor and facilitator of bereavement support groups, Caroline saw a real dearth of information on baby losses, miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal losses and the level of affect it has on women across their life span which is what inspired her research. We talk about how her research evolved from just looking at the emotional response to baby loss and grief, to the socio-historical and cultural factors of how others interacted with women after their loss.  Retrospectively, how were they treated by their parents, medical professionals, other students, and teachers. The blaming, shaming and the lack of agency and voice adolescent girls have. Caroline also discusses the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of sex education as formal part of learning in school and the lack of counseling or mental health care available for these young women.   We discuss post-traumatic growth after experiences such as this, why sensitivity matters in these situations, the way someone is treated, and how words spoken can impact how girls think about themselves throughout their life.  Caroline discusses productive equality, how boys and girls are socialized, and the way that society treats boys and girls differently when it comes to sex and reproductive education.  We discuss the importance of continued research and how crucial it is to get findings like hers out to educate wider society because knowledge is power.  While great strides have been made in sex education, proper education is important for educators, medical doctors, political figures and governmental bodies on enacting proper sex education that is not shame based or ambiguous.  We question who is teaching sex education and consent, how are they teaching it, and what messages are going out to children? Sex education should not come from friends and porn.  Sex and reproductive education needs to be presented with competence, frankness, honesty, and without shame or sex shaming. You can find Caroline's book on Amazon and all booksellers online. Grief Demystified: An Introduction by Caroline Lloyd https://www.amazon.co.uk/Demystified-Caroline-Lloyd-Foreword-Jennifer/dp/1785923137/ref=nodl_ Her book has a whole section at the end signposting to reputable organisations globally. Caroline's Website: www.carolinelloyd.co.uk Caroline's Twitter: @CLloydTCD 

In this episode, I chat with Cormac Lynch, a Mountain Leader who has been hiking, rock climbing and mountaineering for over 25 years.  He is a highly skilled member of the Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and owner of Fia Mountaineering. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript We discuss his experiences growing up in Wicklow Town with a sense of adventure through reading and exploring his childhood playground that consisted of the Wicklow Mountains and the Irish Sea.  We talk about the book he is writing around his personal odyssey '32 Summits with 32 Friends' about his experiences climbing the highest mountain in every county in Ireland, each one with a different friend.  He tells us that early on in the project, while standing in a 4,000 year old passage grave listening to whispers of history echoing down through time, he came to realise that this project wasn't about him, but about commemorating those who have gone before us, relationships with those in our lives today, and connections with the landscape in which we live and how we engage with one another. He talks about bringing your ‘A' game… and how the quality of informal learning is just as important as the quality of formal learning and translating informal learning experiences into valuable life skills is vital.  He reminds us that when people give you well-meaning advice, you need to remember that it isn't instruction and you can't necessarily take the advice of strangers at face value. He also explains that a teacher just being good at their subject is not enough, they have to be good at teaching as well, and why curriculum and instruction is so important, because you have an incredible responsibility to NOT get it wrong. We discuss how variety, and pursuing something with a little more bite in your professional worklife is not a bad thing at all. He attests from his own experience that valuable lifelong learning is gained through what he calls a ‘module' career and how important volunteering is in not only a personal capacity but in a professional one as well.  I encourage you to listen and learn. You can find out more about Fia Mountaineering here: http://fiamountaineering.ie https://www.instagram.com/fiamountaineering/

Are  you a PhD student?  Do you support one, work with one, love one? Do you know someone who has finished a PhD or is thinking about starting one?  This episode is for you!  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript They say that the PhD journey can feel very isolating and lonely.  It often feels like you're battling a contagious illness all alone.  Don't fear!  You're not alone, and the cure is found through the process of making the invisible visible.  My conversation with Maeve O'Regan, occupational psychologist and part-time PhD herself, covers everything from symptoms to cure for today's PhD candidate.  Through her research on the lived experience of surviving the PhD, we unpack:   The symptoms… Feeling like the Invisible learner Fumbling in the darkness Fighting a Disconnected Culture Suffering with Unconscious Incompetence Keeping your PhD a secret Battling Imposter syndrome The cure… Practice Personal Agency Visualize Resilience Gather Support Embrace Human Centrered Design Adopt Dynamic Interaction Promote Linking in and Listening Find your network Encouraged by Shared Experiences We talk about how Covid has leveled the playing field and laid bare the ‘gap' in supports for PhD candidates that must be addressed and how we can bridge that gap between what she calls ‘zoom and room'. We discuss the importance of space and place, as a physical connection that provides a sense of belonging for a PhD who's world is really quite isolated, and if you can't find an ‘in' within a physical space as a part-time PhD, you can become very lost - missing that ‘in' to navigate the Phd journey. We explore the biggest barrier that many part-time PhD's face -  those important informal connections within the institutions through face to face contact.  Just by the nature of being there, full-time PhDs benefit more highly from informal community and ‘coffee culture'.  Maeve shares so many nuggets of wisdom and implications for policy, practice and support.  Including the difference between cultures where PhDs are valued, not just in the ‘academic community' but in the business community and wider society.  Everyone has a responsibility, to support our learners, and promote the ethos of continued learning by creating a feeling of belonging for part-time and full-time PhDs alike.  

In this episode, I am joined by Dr Courtney Marsh, a senior researcher at Ghent University.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript Our discussion covers a wide range of themes around Engaged Learning in the European context and forming mutual partnerships between university and community through the Interdisciplinary Consortia (IDC) at Ghent University and the Community and Students Together (CaST) Erasmus+ Initiative. Dr Marsh talks about the importance of doing community and social research, making real world connections and societal impact through international partnerships. She says that the IDC helps to facilitate and even stimulate new collaboration and then deepen what's already there. We talk about her own learning background, how she wishes she had been given an opportunity to participate in engaged learning in her own community, and finding a passion for teaching through her research projects.  We also discuss the impacts of Covid_19 on the adaptability, design and efficacy of CaST initiative, nationally and internationally, and so much more! Near the end of our discussion, we engage in a jolly mini-rant on the importance of of rethinking ‘pretentious academic writing' and why disseminating research to the community in plain language, that is easily understood and relatable is being inclusive rather than being so exclusive. *Warning* A single expletive is casually dropped in the last 5 minutes of the episode Here are some links you may be interested in.  Twitter: @Crime_UGent https://www.ugent.be/crime/en https://www.cast-euproject.eu/

This is a conversation about all things Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with Dr Margaret Flood.  She is an expert in inclusive learning, teaching, teacher professional learning design and delivery, policy development and curriculum design.  It is safe to say, Mags knows her stuff!  Dr Flood is also a passionate, vocal advocate for the use of Universal Design for Learning for inclusive learning and teaching.   Click HERE for Accessible Transcript In this episode, we talk about Universal Design for Learning, what it is and how it can be enacted in education, learning, and society.  We discuss how UDL more fully embraces the UN guidelines for inclusion and inclusive learning, how planning lessons 'up or down' have negative connotations and requires more time for retrofitting which means less time for meaningfully engaging with learners and their depth of learning.   We pick apart cultural biases that are built within the current curriculum and talk about how vital it is to incorporate lessons focused on wider cultural perspectives, global consciousness, and equity (not equality), for every learner across all levels of education and life development.  Mags is a wealth of knowledge and wants to share it openly in UDL fashion.  She shares an open source link for finding and engaging with resources about Universal Design for Learning.   The link to her open source toolkit is provided for you here: https://tinyurl.com/MFlood2020    

Have you thought about reflective writing for personal, academic or professional growth and development and you're not sure how to get started?  Maybe you have been journaling for a long time and need renewed inspiration.   Join my conversation with Simone Cameron-Coen, Civic and Community Engagement Officer at Trinity College Dublin as we discuss the importance of reflection and reflective writing for personal, academic, and professional learning.  We explore Bloom's and Gibb's reflective models for writing and the significance our perspective and the perspectives of others have on our learning and enrichment.  Simone shares significant experiences in her life that inspired writing and how she uses different journals and writing styles depending on what she needs in the moment.   Whether it is for volunteer experiences, academically working through concepts in learning, keeping on task in your daily work goals, or just a way of coping with the stresses of everyday life... Reflection and reflective writing can deepen your understanding of experiences, anxieties, stresses and help you cope with the rapidly changing pace of living in today's society.   Click HERE for Accessible Transcript

This is Part Two of and interview with Dr Andrew Gibson on the lived experiences of Irish Defence Forces personnel in civilian higher education since the 1960s.  Click HERE for Accessible Transcript In this episode we discuss the various courses of study that Irish officers can an cannot take.  We discuss James C Scott's notion of Infrapolitics, politics and power in society, agency and the challenges of making Infrapolitics relevant in 21st Century higher education.  The discussion goes deeper into the concept of hidden curriculum, hidden transcripts and what people actively hide rather than what is unconsciously hidden and enacted. We conclude our discussion with a brief conversation on what Andrew is working on now and what he is hoping to achieve in the near future as well as reading and resource suggestions for anyone interested in finding out more about the higher education in the IDF, Infrapolitics and hidden transcripts.  

This is Part One of a two part interview with Dr Andrew Gibson on the lived experiences of Irish Defence Forces personnel in civilian higher education since the 1960s. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript In this episode we discuss his experiences with the IDF growing up, what motivated him to do a PhD, his love hate relationship with his original topic and why he made a massive change midway through his research.   We also discuss the unofficial forms of socialisation, the not so fashionable concept of role theory, uniforms, recognition (and often obscurity) of servicemen in Irish society, and the integration of officers in institutes of higher education. Be sure to listen to Part Two after you've finished this episode.   

A brief welcome, introduction, and background to A Dash of SaLT. I am Dr Shelli Ann Garland.  SaLT is an acronym for Society and Learning Today (or Sociology and Learning Theories).  I am passionate about all things related to formal and informal learning, social and educational stratification, equity and social justice. teaching and learning, and engaging your sociological imagination to embrace a more positive cultural and world view of community and society today.  This podcast was created as an outlet for inviting fresh discussions on sociology and learning theories that impact our world.    In each episode, I am joined by a variety of educational experts, friends and colleagues, to have frank discussions about societal issues that affect learning across the life course. Subscribe and listen in to find out what's on the agenda for each new episode of A Dash of SaLT. Click HERE for Accessible Transcript