Reach. Teach. Talk. With Nat Damon

Reach Teach Talk focuses its 42nd  podcast episode on the upcoming film, “A Case for Love”, and explores how it brings school and family communities together. What is "unselfish love"?  During the darkest days of the Global Pandemic, filmmaker Brian Ide (President, Grace-Based Films) set off on a nationwide quest for the answer to that question. The result is the brilliant documentary film, "A Case for Love"; a collection of 14 stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and with a throughline focused on the teachings of Bishop Michael Curry. Nat talks with Brian about how this is a perfect film to screen for middle school and high school students, parent groups, and communities of all types. Because the world needs more unselfish love...and "A Case for Love" is a perfect place to find it. www.acaseforlovemovie.com Director Brian Ide has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years, initially as a paid actor, then producer, and eventually journeyed in to the world of directing. “A Case for Love” is his fifth film, and premier feature-length documentary.   After producing and directing the feature film “This Day Forward,” Brian traveled the U.S. presenting the film in churches, theaters, and community centers while discussing the film's message and experiencing its impact on audiences. Following that tour, the Lutheran Church of Australia called him to their communities to do the same. 50 pages of responses to that tour are available on the film's website. Prior to founding Grace-Based Films, Brian directed “Clear Lake, WI” and the recent faith-based short film, “Reconcile”, which has been viewed and used in 47 different countries. A three-time national judge for the Polly Bond Awards, he has spoken to colleges, faith centers, and film programs nationwide about the intersection of film and faith. Brian is the son of an ELCA Lutheran pastor-father and devout Catholic mother. He is the husband to a lifelong Episcopalian who is drawn to stories that focus on what unites us rather than what divides. The mission of Grace-Based Films is to tell compelling stories, through film, that meet 21st Century audiences exactly where they are in the messiness of life, emboldening them and reminding them that none of us are alone.

Three years after the great pivot into remote teaching due to the Pandemic, teachers are now facing a technology revolution in the classroom once more. ChatGPT is changing the way students write, research, study and think. The AI technology impacts the way teachers are designing, assigning, and grading assessments. Yet the advent of ChatGPT has created in many situations a cat and mouse game that no one wants to play - particularly as we still struggle to form trusting bonds in the classroom. Join us for a deep look into the impact of AI in the classroom as it stands today, and learn strategies to help integrate ChatGPT smoothly into you classroom.

We are thrilled to celebrate our 40th episode by hosting Father Gregory Boyle, Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries, based in Los Angeles and influential around the world. In this teaching and mentor-focused conversation, Father Greg speaks with Nat about the transcendent power of relational wholeness at Homeboy and in our classrooms. Belief, Hope and Love are its mainstays.

France did this back in 2019…why can't we? Buxton School, a co-ed boarding school in Williamstown, MA, introduced the 2022-23 academic year with a new smartphone policy: No smartphones allowed. After the Wall Street Journal spotlighted the impact of this policy on campus life, Nat sat down with Associate Head of School John Kalapos, to speak about the relational impact on all members of the Buxton community. What resulted is an instructive case study on the decision to eliminate the influence of smartphones in the classroom and on campus — 24/7 — at a boarding school.

Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic and co-author of the book, “The Art of Possibility”, and an infamous TED Talk speaks about the essentialness of positivity in the classroom (and the classroom of life). Music is in all our hearts. Mr. Zander makes a beautiful case for it in this immersive conversation.

Join Nat and South African author, speaker and social entrepreneur Craig Wilkinson (www.fatheranation.co.za) as they discuss the crucial role men play in the lives of their youth and society. For anyone working with or raising boys in this day and age, their conversation will provide exploration and strategies on how to cultivate positive masculinity in today's world.

What happens to boys as they become young men in today's culture? How has the pandemic impacted the way boys perceive the world, and their place in it? How can we best guide our boys to become the young men they truly wish to be? Find the answers to these questions and many more in this timely conversation with Dr. Judy Chu, renowned lecturer on boys' psychosocial behavior and author of the book, “When Boys become Boys”.

Nat's conversation is with Mr. Mike Erwin, co-founder of The Positivity Project, a nationwide program designed to empower our youngest generation through hope and possibility. Drawing from his experience from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mr. Erwin applies themes of collaboration, community, and teamwork into his organization. We conclude with a focus on the status of young men today.

How does our relationship to the environment help or hinder our ability to flourish in school and in life? Finland-based author, journalist, and Helsinki's greatest ambassador, Katja Pantzar, joins us for a fascinating (and ice-cold!) deep-dive into the Finnish concept of Sisu (pronounced “See-Sue”), which centers around self-reliance, determination, and harmony with one's outside world.

Season Two launches with this central question: What is relational trust? Why is it so important now, as we return to a Now Normal in K-12 schools? Join education thought-leader, author, and mentor Parker Palmer as he guides us down the path of trust, authenticity, and hope.

This one-hour episode dives deep into the elements of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) by understanding what CRT is…and is not. Esteemed writer and teacher-researcher Zaretta Hammond (Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain) defines the obstacles that prevent classroom belongingness for non-white students, and why there are reasons for hope even during these deeply divided times.

How do we ensure that our children receive the relational attention they need while remote? Join renowned Early Childhood Expert Dr. Nancy Carlsson-Paige as she navigates the world of learning through play…even while remote. This podcast is directly aimed at parents and educators and anyone seeking hopeful wisdom regarding how best to raise our children during these unprecedented times.

How do we create a remote classroom experience where emotions are the shared currency? Join Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and Dr. Rebecca Gotlieb as we explore the connections between emotions and cognitions in learning…and create strategies on how to incorporate them in the remote classroom.

Over the past two decades, Finland has been regarded with praise and envy when it comes to PISA scores and student/teacher wellbeing. But why is this the case? In what ways is Finland a positive model for other countries to aspire to? Dr. Pasi Sahlberg explains the Finnish Miracle and shares his wisdom regarding the centrality of relationships in the classroom.

Learning is stifled when a student feels not listened to. How can we use listening in order to hold inclusive conversations about race, identity and equity so that our students can optimally learn in the relational classroom? Educator, filmmaker, and thought-leader André Lee shares what matters most when building group cohesion: Listening.

There's a lot of hearing in schools. Echoing hallways, lockers slamming, teachers talking, students playing. Yet there’s not enough listening going on. Erahm Christopher’s film, “LISTEN”, stimulates deeply proactive conversation thanks to the strength of its message about the need to be listened to, and what happens when we don't listen to our children.

Join writer and education expert Brittany Collins as she shares her hope-filled wisdom about the opportunities that come with relational teaching in the remote classroom. During our conversation, we explore topics such as the need for trauma-informed teaching, the power of writing in teacher/student wellness, and the centrality of maintaining a strong SEL remote classroom during this unprecedented time.

This episode highlights the importance of a growth mindset - for both teachers and students - when making the transition toward remote learning.

This episode articulates three primary components toward building a strong and stable distance learning environment while understanding that perfection is not the main goal.

They say if you can build trust with a 5 year old, you can build trust with anyone. 45-year kindergarten/1st grade teacher Judy Mansfield gives truth to this. Listen and learn as she shares her wisdom, candor and insights in her uniquely humorous and loving way. I guarantee you will wish you had Judy as your teacher!

Eric and Nat talk about the importance of connection in the classroom and the key role identity plays in it. Join us as Eric shares his story of being a male elementary school teacher, and the importance of being authentic as the only adult in the room.Enjoy what you heard? Please spread the word to your network.Interested in being a guest or referring someone who would make a fantastic guest on the topic of relationships in the classroom or workplace? Submit the name and a brief summary of the referral to: nat@reachacademics.comSign up to receive newsletters from www.reachacademics.com.