Podcasts about ever forward club

I recently attended RestorED: A Healing Experience for Educators - a collaboration between our nonprofit, the Ever Forward Club, and The Find Design, a nonprofit based in Nashville, Tennessee. During this experience, I made profound connections with great teachers, like Ms. Kayla. She's been a rock for her students after the school shooting at Antioch H.S., in Nashville. Listen to hear what I took from this experience.This episode was inspired by my conversation with Justin Haas. Check it out here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/branch-speaks/episodes/22--For-White-Folks-Who-Teach-in-the-Hood---w-Justin-Haas--Organizer--Educator--Anti-Oppressor-Community-Cultivator-e30vuhr ---(0:00) Class in session(1:00) Educator rejuvenation/restoration in Nashville, TN(4:30) A teacher who lived through a school shooting - Antioch High School(10:15) Modeling the behavior you desire for your students(13:00) Math, art, and using talents to cover weaknesses(19:45) Diary of Confused Educator announcement---Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

Here's an excellent way to build culture and create buy-in at your school/classroom: rites of passage. What rites of passage are appropriate for your students? What are some values to hone in on as you create rites of passage experiences for your students? What are some outside resources you can point families toward? Listen to find out!This episode was inspired by my conversation with Jordan Bowman. Check it out here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/branch-speaks/episodes/14--School-Community-Partnerships-How-Male-Volunteers-and-Mentors-Completely-Change-the-Dynamic-of-a-School---w-Jordan-Bowman--Community-Leader--Executive-Director--Journeymen-e2uecj4 ---(0:00) Class in session(1:20) What is a rite of passage?(6:20) Western Adolescence and how it plays out in school(8:00) Rites of Passage for teachers(15:00) How these rites of passage are subjective and vary culture to culture(20:00) Recollecting a beautiful Journeymen Rites of Passage weekend(23:00) Rites of Passage resources---Resources:Warrior Films: https://warriorfilms.org/rites-of-passage/press-kit/Mentoring: https://www.mentoring.org/take-action/find-a-mentor/Youth Passageways: https://www.youthpassageways.org/ ---Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

It's all over the news. It's everywhere in our art. Young boys are a lightning rod in our national conversation. And that puts a lot of pressure on you as an educator. So how do you deal? What kinds of behaviors are you observing in your classroom? And what conversations do you need to be having around your school community?(0:00) Class in session(2:00) Young boys are in the news. What's going on?(3:00) Should “Adolescence” be screened in schools?(5:00) The White Lotus, Tim Ratliff(8:50) Kyren Lacy and his father(11:00) Frisco, TX and Karmelo Anthony(14:00) Lessons from my mentor(17:30) What can adults do about this?(18:55) Emoji's in Adolescence, and learning from young people(20:55) Action items for educators---Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

“Nothing personal, it's just business.” What teachers need to understand is the “business” of school is social capital. So when teachers have a student challenging them, disrespecting them, putting on a show in their classroom… it's nothing personal. It's not even about you.Our guest, Dr. Matt Englar-Carlson, a veteran in the public school system, knows a thing or two about navigating these types of interactions. Today, we discuss:How to “advocate” for students, instead of “fix them”How anti-social behaviors are never “personal” and always “interpersonal”How education was fundamentally changed in the year 2012The one prosocial behavior you can adopt as an educator… to help you better connect with male students(0:00) Class in session(2:00) Matt introduces himself(7:30) “Fixing” vs. “advocating for” kids(10:00) School staff shortages and all the issues that come with it(17:00) When boys act out, it's not about you(21:00) How do men in education help boys? (28:00) A student office referral story(36:10) The motivation of future teachers to smash the system(39:00) Netflix's Adolescence and the influence of smartphones(47:00) Matt's work and conferenceConnect with Matt-Englar Carlson:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmattec/ Website: https://experts.fullerton.edu/expert?SubjectID=44&ExpertID=588 Website: https://www.getmental.com/ ---Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

There's a poster that should be in every classroom in America. It's called "The Learning Pit" by James Nottingham. The "adult" version of this concept is called the "Dunning- Kruger" effect. Look them up!In this episode, we break down what it all means and how you can implement it in your classroom. It seriously should be in every classroom.This episode was inspired by my conversation with Roni Habib. Check it out here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/branch-speaks/episodes/16--Foster-the-Joy-of-Learning-in-Your-School---w-Roni-Habib--Founder--EQ-Schools--Speaker-e2v2lfd (0:00) Class in session(1:05) Reflecting on my conversation with Roni Habib, and taking high school classes as a middle schooler(5:50) Teaching students who “don't like school”(8:38) The Dunning-Kruger Effect for educators and students, and growth mindset(14:55) I was not a good teacher(15:55) My slope of enlightenment was…(18:10) An inspiring school in Mexico(21:30) The Learning Pit poster should be in all schools(23:40) Netflix's Adolescence(25:50) Final thoughts on EQ - emotional intelligenceContribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

“The kids are watching. The kids see everything. If you can act and model what type of person you want them to be, that's going to be way better than teaching them about a person you want them to be. If you can be the one who's vulnerable first, if you can show other emotions, if you can meet them half way emotionally, that may be an opportunity for them to let their guard down, for them to see connection, and then be able to attend to the work that you want them to do.”Easier said than done? Well, spend some time with Justin Haas - Organizer, Educator, Reproductive Rights Advocate, Anti-Oppressor Community Cultivator. Take in his energy, and maybe it'll all start to make sense. It's not about how you “act” as a teacher; rather, it's about how you “be.”In this conversation, Justin masterfully articulates what it takes to be a great teacher. Today, we discuss:How to see through the performative behaviors that take place in school (By the way, this applies to both students and teachers)What it means (as a teacher) to love before you listenImportant considerations for those “white folks teaching in the hood”(0:00) Class in session(2:10) Justin introduces himself(11:00) Justin and Ashanti's teacher personas(19:00) Being a member of the “White folks who teach in the hood” trope(23:15) Love before you listen(26:00) Tested by students in Sacramento(32:00) Teachers need to have short-term memory loss(46:00) Teaching during the Trump Administration(53:00) Defunding the Department of Education and “States' Rights”(1:06:00) Justin's message for male educators---Connect with Justin Haas:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-haas-231491229/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cannotbeneutral/ ---Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345---Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThonEmail us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

What do Andrew Tate's return, Netflix's “Adolescence”, the film “Manodrome”, and the Department of Education shutdown all have in common? I break it down here - why it's harder than ever to combat bullying in our school communities - and I provide a fundamental approach that I take. Hopefully all educators can apply this at their school site once they listen to this.This episode was inspired by my conversation with Trevor Slater. Check it out here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/episodes/18--The-Solution-to-the-Manosphere-Male-Educators---with-Trevor-Slater--Alternative-Education-Teacher-e2vn32p---(0:00) Class in session(1:25) Andrew Tate returns to the US, and what that teaches our young boys(5:55) A middle school Andrew Tate fan, and what I learned(11:30) Netflix's Adolescence and the movie Manodrome(13:10) Eliminating the Department of Education will make the “manosphere” stronger and more prevalent in schools(16:00) My prediction was worse than correct - Department of Education layoffs and some stats about that(20:45) Parker Palmer's tragic gap(25:00) “I didn't know what they were watching.”(27:00) Information about our Dance-a-thonContribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon ---Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

It still breaks my heart to think about him, which is why I've never talked about him on this channel. But it's time for you to learn about Arturo. He represents everything about why I became a teacher and the lengths we have to go to be a great educator.This episode was inspired by Carlos Moreno and his Leadership Journeys. Check out my conversation with Carlos Moreno, episode 17.---(1:20) A beautiful leadership story prompts me to look back on my teaching career(5:20) A supernatural experience while mourning the loss of one of my students(13:45) What it's like starting a community for boys in high school, while still being a full-time teacher(17:45) Healing father wounds and abandonment issues with teenage boys(22:10) Convincing school administration to do a major community service event(26:25) Find your leadership soul, and other updates---Episode 17 with Carlos Moreno: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/episodes/17--Why-We-Need-More-Black-Male-Educators---with-Carlos-Moreno--Educator--Co-Executive-Director--Big-Picture-Learning-e2vck3p ---Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

Staff at the Department of Education were told this: “Don't come in tomorrow.” There's a lot of rumors that Donald Trump is make major cuts to the Department of Education in his next round of Executive Orders. Most people don't know what the Department of Education does, so what's the big deal? Listen and learn about all the things the department does - that you've been taking for granted.I talked about this two months ago with Jason Biehl.(0:00) The Department of Education is not allowing employees to come into the office on March 12, 2025(4:10) 4 ways that students' and educators' lives will be affected if the Department of Education is dissolved(9:30) What DOGE and the conservative movement is not telling you, and how they are not listening to teachers(12:30) Is anyone really fighting for what's right for our children and their learning?(13:25) Censuring Representative Al Green, and how evil does not take breaks(17:50) Schools are falling apart and sometimes you need to break the rules to get things done, like Al Green(22:55) Final thoughts on what the Department of Education provides - and why it makes no sense to take it away---The NEA Article I am reading from: https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/how-dismantling-department-education-would-harm-students The letter sent out to Department of Education staff: https://x.com/saraecook/status/1899527022088515913?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet Episode 11 with Jason Biehl: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/episodes/11--Project-2025--Donald-Trumps-next-term--and-how-it-will-affect-your-life-as-an-educator---w-Jason-Biehl-e2tgk6g ---Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

Donald Trump, Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson. Truth be told, these are the men that are winning the eyes and ears of young men right now. So what's it' like being a male teacher in this atmosphere, and what are some things you can do to combat these antisocial forces? Trevor Slater, a master teacher of 17 years, has some answers to this question. And when Trevor speaks, he's always taken the time before hand to consider the issues with incredible depth.“If you look out at America and how young men are doing right now, and you want to make a difference in that, become a teacher. Get in front of young men.” We cover:Single-gender education, and removing the performative pressure on boys and young menWhen and where is the right place for experimental and progressive educationTeaching young men during the Trump phenomenonThe cultural effects of boys being educated directly by YouTube and TikTok(0:00) Class in session(2:35) Trevor introduces himself(6:00) Trevor and Ashanti share their teacher personas(17:35) The benefits of single gender education(25:15) What is “progressive” or “experimental” education? How is it changing?(30:45) Teaching during the Trump Administration, when boys have the wrong leaders to look up to, such as Andrew Tate(44:45) Trevor's message for male educators(52:25) How to reach out to Trevor---Connect with Trevor Slater:Email: slater.trevor@gmail.com---Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

The most important thing about being a teacher is... Something ethereal... Something you can't quite put your finger on. “What is it?” you may ask… Carlos calls it leadership soul. Leadership soul is all about “the important functions love, care and vulnerability play in education leadership and how our society tends to shun these characteristics in leaders.”So how do we tap into this in an artful way that authentically reaches your students? And what does this have to do with Black male educators? Tune in to find out…We cover: Is it even possible to separate work and life as an educator? The importance of diversity in schools - specifically Black male educators What it means to replace the idea of a “classroom” with the idea of a “community of learning” How leaders need to model behaviors and attitudes for their staff(0:00) Class in session(2:20) Carlos introduces himself.(8:45) Carlos and Ashanti share their masks(23:00) Maintaining wellness as educators so that we can help others(30:55) Why we need more Black male teachers(36:15) Creating a community of learning - a culture of openness and empathy in your classroom(40:30) Modeling from school leaders, and Carlos's Leadership Journeys(45:35) How to connect with Carlos---Connect with Carlos Moreno:Instagram: @ColossalEducatorLinkedIn: Carlos R. MorenoX: @Carlos_Moreno06Website: https://www.bigpicture.org/ Book: https://www.leadershipsoul.org/ ---Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

If you're looking for teaching practices you can implement in your classroom TOMORROW, this is your episode. In fact, just read this passage from our guest's bio, and see if this sounds familiar:“Early in his career, Roni struggled with the high stresses and demands of teaching, even losing touch with why he wanted to be a teacher in the first place. It was so painful that he finally discovered the power of integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and positive psychology in his own life as well as in his classroom. He feels called to share this new approach with the world.”I know I experienced that same struggle, and you might've too. So sit back, relax, and enjoy learning about Roni's “new approach” to teaching that changed his life and career.We cover: How to show your students your humanity Why professional development should actually be personal development How to break through a student's walls with TRUE curiosity How to normalize mistakes and failures in your classroom and school Roni's techniques for creating joy in a classroom(0:00) Class in session(2:20) Remembering Roni's brother, David(14:40) Showing students your humanity(16:00) Roni's daily classroom routine that increases instructional minutes and builds community(19:20) Professional development (boring) vs. personal development (joyful, inspiring)(23:10) The Department of Education is under attack/destroying itself?; what can educators do in these times?(28:40) A story of a student stuck in his narrative (continues at 33:00)(31:15) Showing students TRUE curiosity; teaching media literacy(34:20) Normalizing mistakes in your classroom culture; using improv games to do so(37:20) Creating more joyful classrooms(43:20) Speed kills empathy in the classroom(45:20) Ashanti and Roni share their teacher personas(51:40) Being a male in education(55:35) How to find Roni---Connect with Roni Habib:Roni's Book: https://eqschools.com/ (link to Amazon on homepage)Website: https://eqschools.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronihabib---Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

“Idealistic.” “Pie in the sky.” “Unrealistic.” “Chaotic.” Project-based learning can actually be done pragmatically and effectively. Listen to these stories and guidance from my 20-year career in education, so that you don't make the same mistakes I did.Check out the conversation that sparked these reflections,episode 12 with Justin Wells.(0:00) Class in session(1:00) Overview of project-based learning(6:00) Project-based learning in India(12:00) Introducing word problems to a math class in India(16:00) And why it didn't work/broke the norm too abruptly (SCAFFOLDING!)(17:50) Mark Day School and a project about cell phone plans(20:00) Overachieving students and project-based learning(26:00) Our project-based learning curriculum: Masks, Emotions, and Math(33:00) A call to action for our schools to evolve---PBL Resources:https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-project-designPBL Resources:https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-teaching-practices Michael Gurian:https://www.michaelgurian.com/ Join our Skool Community:https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.comCreate your own mask anonymously athttps://millionmask.org/ ---Connect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksTwitter:https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website:https://www.branchspeaks.com/---Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support ---Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubTwitter:https://twitter.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

Educators, do you ever notice how a volunteer or a community leader can completely change how students behave in your classroom? What if these community volunteers could be an entire ecosystem of support for your young people? That's what Jordan Bowman and his organization, Journeymen, represent when he and a group of male volunteers enter the school space. Please enjoy Jordan's insights in this week's episode.  Getting involved with people like Jordan Bowman means it all doesn't have to rest on your shoulders - and we know teachers are already dealing with far too much. We cover: How community mentors can support educators in supporting our youth How rites of passage can change a young person's life The “bio, psycho, social, spiritual” framework, and how to use it to meet the needs of our young people (0:00) Class in session (2:00) Jordan introduces himself (12:00) How can mentors, community leaders/volunteers, and afterschool program leaders better support teachers? (14:00) Forging independence, resiliency, and emotional maturity (16:00) The red tape of mentoring (18:00) Asking, “Where else can we show up? Where else can we support?” (19:00) What happens when a bunch of male volunteers show up at a school? (22:30) Rites of passage - or rituals of maturity - can make young people rise to the occassion (27:50) Youth are stuck in a state of dependence (30:00) Rites of passage success stories (34:00) Bio, psycho, social, spiritual (40:00) More unstructured play and Jonathan Haidt's “The Anxious Generation” (42:00) Educators need to practice their own presence (46:00) How to connect with Jordan --- Connect with Jordan Bownman: Website: journeymentriangle.org Website: https://www.jbowman.org/ Social: @Jordan7Bowman; @Journeymen_NC Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

I recently read an article and the numbers are appalling. The quotes are heartbreaking. And I can't get them out of my head. The article is “Why Teachers Quit + What You Can Do Instead” by Devlin Peck. So for today's episode, I'm going to read some of my favorite excerpts from the article and share my thoughts. Behavior challenges, staffing, the COVID pandemic, discipline, parent relationships, achievement gaps, class sizes, specialized supports, differentiation, school safety, salaries, school shootings… It's all in there. Here are the sections I cover: (0:00) General premise and welcome (3:35) Burnout (10:20) Heavy workloads and staff shortages (17:40) School safety --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

What if learning was just about creating beautiful things? This is the essence of project-based learning. It's not easy, but we believe that this ethos is essential in order to reach the 21st-century learner. So, what does it take to run a PBL classroom? How do you get students to buy into PBL projects? It's not easy, and it requires you to view the teaching profession as an art form and expression of creativity in and of itself. Listen to our guest, Justin Wells, and you'll be convinced. We cover: How APB learning gets students to buy-in and prepares them for society How girls are outperforming boys in all school-based metrics Why we need to stop using the term “toxic masculinity” How teachers can be the coach on the side rather than the judge (0:00) Class in session (2:00) Justin introduces himself and how he became a teacher (10:00) Teaching personas, or teacher masks, and code-switching (20:50) Portfolio defense for high school students, and creating real-world learning experiences (27:00) The default school design is failing young male students (29:40) The data on males vs. females in school (31:00) Stop using the phrase “toxic masculinity” (40:20) Examples of project-based learning and how it can lead to student buy-in (44:30) How to reach out to Justin --- Connect with Justin Wells: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jusowells/  Website: envisionschools.org Website: envisionlearning.org --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

Will the Department of Education really be dissolved with Donald Trump set to take office? It's been a whirlwind of emotions and struggle for educators these past few years, between distance learning, deteriorating attention spans, Chat GPT, inflation, the politicization of every piece of curriculum… - am I missing anything? This episode is a reflection on the past election and upcoming presidency, with Jason Biehl - history teacher and antiracist educator. What is it all going to mean for your school? Your classroom? Your standing as a teacher/educator in America? We cover: Why embracing discomfort is vital to the education of our students and the effectiveness of our teachers How is Project 2025 going to affect your life as a teacher? And how education is the practice of freedom. Acts of kindness, belonging, and activism we're seeing from students that can provide teachers with hope in these difficult times (0:00) Class in session (2:00) Some unfiltered grappling with the upcoming Trump presidency - in particular the censoring of education (11:00) Jason introduces himself (17:00) Reflecting on our “teaching personas” or “teacher masks” (21:00) “Being present” with students is more difficult and more complicated than it sounds (25:00) The financial challenges of being a teacher (29:30) Project 2025, the Department of Education, and the censorship of curriculum (34:00) Anything to keep you optimistic about public schools? And helping students feel seen - through a sense of belonging or a sense of purpose via social justice organizing (43:00) Building a bigger coalition across differences to fight the elite and put the interests of educators and students first --- Connect with Jason Biehl: changethenarrative.me www.educatorsforracialjustice.com Look out for his upcoming book, “Unicorns: A Graphic Memoir for Young White Men” Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

There are countless times as an educator where you have to communicate your vision to an outsider. What comes to mind when you read this? Are you a teacher communicating with a parent? A principal making your case to district leaders? A literacy coach presenting to major stakeholders in your school community? I recently went to Exchange 24, a conference in DC with all the movers and shakers, hosted by the XQ Institute and the Carnegie Foundation. What stuck out to me the most from this conference was a presentation by Dr. Frank Luntz, about the “words to use” and “words to lose” when talking about education. Here's what you're going to learn today: (0:00) Class in session (4:35) The differences between Democrats and Republicans when describing education issues (12:40) “Words to use” and “words to lose” as as an educator/principal/education advocate/advocate for your school community (16:00) The middle school matriculation problem in America --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

In this first episode of the new year, Shaun and Chris talk with Ashanti Branch, founder of the Ever Forward Club, an Oakland based nonprofit with a mission to address the underlying causes of drop out rates, youth violence, and the growing achievement gap through mentoring and social emotional development. The guys talk about vulnerability, happy hour, the desire to get rich, change of plans, having a calling, masks, the power of phones, the struggles and joys of teaching and entrepreneurship and more.Learn more about Ashanti and the Ever Forward Club hereThis episode is brought to you by Judson & Moore, Family Legacy American Whiskey. Born from Boundless Curiosity. Learn more about Judson & Moore here.

The secret to teaching is… There is no secret? That's a common cliche these days that I disagree with. Secrets are real. But I think the main idea of this cliche is that secrets often don't unlock the superpower you think they will. Sometimes the secret is that teaching is a lot harder than you think it will be going into it. It's harder, more complicated, and it thrives in the gray areas of life. This episode believes that in looking back, we can go forward. In understanding our origins, our humanity more than we can possibly conceive, it will help us understand the art of teaching. Check the conversation that sparked these reflections, episode 4 with Vladimir Puvača. (0:00) Class in session (3:00) The things I wish someone told me earlier as an educator (12:40) My origin story as an educator. How did I get into this? (19:30) Something you should know about your students' winter break --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

What percentage of your student body claims they are in a good place, but deep down, they feel like they can't share their true feelings? My TED Talk answers this question - using data from the school site where I began my teaching career - and talks about a time when I went to get a gun. If I had pulled the trigger, I would have thrown my entire life away... (0:00) Class in session; my history with the TED organization (3:00) Videos about masks, masculinity, teaching, and education that I never post online (6:50) TED Talk at TEDx Marin --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

We've all had that amazing lesson plan that we were so excited to teach. And when we finally got to teach it, it fell apart within the first 30 seconds. So what went wrong? I'm riding solo today, with my individual takeaways from a conversation with educator, administrator, headmaster, director… Dr. Ray Swann. Check out my conversation with this veteran educator in episode 3. In this episode, you'll learn: Why safety is more important than your most amazing lesson plan How teachers make the weather in obvious and subtle ways I'm going to answer this question - Where do I find the soul of teaching? And I'm curious to hear your answers to this question as well… (0:00) Class in session (2:10) Takeaway 1 - a story about letting students know you have their back, even when it means disagreeing with another educator (12:10) Takeaway 2 - how teachers make metaphorical waves as they move about the classroom (14:55) Takeaway 3 - reconnecting to the soul of teaching before you start your winter break --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Teachers, tell me if this sounds familiar: When you first start teaching, it's survival mode. Next thing you know you're barking orders, becoming the disciplinarian. It's natural, instinctual, understandable. But in order to avoid the trap we all fall for, especially with this new generation of students, we need to do what's counterintuitive - what some would call “wasting units and falling behind on the curriculum.” In this episode, you'll learn: How taking a mindful minute with your class every day goes a long way Why building academic stamina is key to a safe and rigorous school environment What it means to integrate community into the curriculum and why it leads to high achieving students Check out episode 2 (0:00) Class in session (2:55) Learning meditation practices in India and bringing Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to high schoolers in Oakland, CA - and how to get successful buy-in (9:20) Building academic stamina as a math teacher (14:20) Getting interdisciplinary with social-emotional learning and math, and bringing the community into the curriculum The Masks, Emotions, and Math Program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXtA5Pg6wUc  Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Attend our Young Men's Conference: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdw6tfn3lZrkBxZRqSqHjTTeygRNIgwk0KKgHRcwlclaS1xag/viewform  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

All it took was three months… I haven't been able to shake the story of freshman Jose Zamora, of Santa Clara High School. What happened to him is exactly what this podcast seeks to prevent. In this episode, you'll learn: What do statistics about bullying and suicide say about our male students Specific routines and systems you can implement to make students feel more welcome at school and in your classroom Personal stories from me (Ashanti Branch) about bullying (0:00) Class in session. (2:50) Some background on Jose Zamora and statistics on bullying and suicide. (11:00) Ashanti's perspective on bullying as an educator (11:30) Important things to ask yourself as a teacher in order to prevent bullying (15:30) Teachers need to demonstrate to students that they are aware of the undercurrent of behaviors so that students know they can trust a teacher to have their back (22:30) What the statistics about bullying and suicide say about our male students (25:00) Bullying is strictly about power Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

This is the story of a man who sacrificed two-thirds of his annual salary to become a teacher… You might be the ONLY male educator at your school site, quite an isolating experience. So in order to keep the classroom as invigorating as you imagined it would be when you first answered the call to teach, we need to share stories and reconnect with our why. We present to you, Vladimir Puvača. Listen to Vladimir's story and apply these takeaways to your class tomorrow: The things I wish someone had told me earlier as a teacher, and the things you CAN achieve that first-year teachers would call IMPOSSIBLE How to have empathy but still set boundaries as an educator The age-old question that never goes away: “Why'd I become a teacher again?” A story about a teacher getting caught waiting tables after school  (0:00) Class in session (4:00) Vladimir introduces himself and what he learned about setting boundaries as a first-year high school teacher and how to get buy-in from students as a leader (11:00) Closing your classroom door between periods (15:00) Ashanti reflects on all the mistakes he's made as an educator (17:20) Ashanti and Vladimir share their “teacher persona” masks (20:00) Waiting tables at Chili's after teaching all day, and what happens when your faculty shows up (23:00) Why Vladimir became a teacher, what he left behind at his corporate job, and why psychology and therapy are very important to him (31:00) Vladimir fired himself instead of following his CEO's mandate to fire 100 workers. This moment led him to teaching. (34:00) Vladimir's salary in his corporate job was 3 times more than his new job as an educator. He's still an educator today :) How did he not go back? (37:45) Finding time to do more for students and the community outside of the classroom, and being motivated by and gifted with empathy and the ability to understand student's pain (41:55) Vladimir's message to youth on uprising, revolution, defiance, and finding oneself Connect with Vladimir Puvača:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vladimirpuvaca/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladimir-puvaca/  Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

This is essential listening, especially for first-year educators. To be honest, the first year will have you questioning your career choices. So this episode is packed with advice and tips to keep you connected with your male students in ways that make teaching sustainable. In Ray's words, BEFORE you do anything, tend to the soil, the garden that is your classroom. AND tend to your own personal garden - your personal well-being. Build trust and safety through gameplay. In this episode, we cover Fun and easy things outside of school that will make you a better teacher How good teaching starts and ends with a five-letter word that starts with T (not “teach”!) What is the soul of teaching? (0:00) Class in session (2:45) Get to know Ray and his teacher mask (11:00) Being liked as a teacher is the wrong pursuit (13:00) Early teacher milestones we all hit, and the teacher persona - how students read you (15:00) Providing self-love as educators (18:00) Year one burnout; safety is more important than entertainment. Paolo Freire's power over vs. power with (21:00) Culture, climate, and belonging - setting the weather in the classroom and how personal wellness/self-care affects this (29:00) Safety and trust through games, before any curriculum (33:00) The soul of teaching (36:00) Smartphones in schools, kids forgetting how to read, and practicing curiosity and getting intel from students --- Connect with Ray Swann: Website: http://www.positivemasculinity.org.au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrayswann/  Theater Company: www.identitytheatre.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-swann-6673531b/?originalSubdomain=au --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Here's a dirty little secret: Every educator, even the master teachers, are struggling to keep their students attentive and engaged. And research shows our male students are paying the heaviest price for it. In the era of the smartphone, how do we combat decreased attention spans? Design. In this episode, we cover How to redesign schools to keep pace with a rapidly changing world How teachers can create enough excitement to match the dopamine hits students are getting from their phones Some restorative justice practices you can implement in your school What helicopter parents and phones in schools have in common Techniques Jerome uses with Black and brown male students that can be applied to all students - now that students are carrying more anxiety than ever before (0:00) Class in session (1:50) Get to know Jerome's teacher mask (13:40) Phone addiction and dopamine (17:25) Relationships, and restorative justice/restorative practices in schools (25:30) Design, architecture, spaces, and reimagining classrooms (34:00) Academic Stamina/Should we ban phone usage in schools and classrooms? (46:15) Helicopter parents (50:30) Techniques Jerome uses with Black and brown male students in the classroom that can be applied to all students --- Connect with Jerome Hunter: https://www.jeromeleehunter.com/ https://www.instagram.com/seatownstorycollective/ --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Attend our Young Men's Conference: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdw6tfn3lZrkBxZRqSqHjTTeygRNIgwk0KKgHRcwlclaS1xag/viewform  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Only 23% of K-12 educators in America are male. As a male at your school site, it gets lonely. And just think about the ramifications of this gender gap for your male students - walking the halls daily, acting out, and experiencing disproportionate levels of discipline - male students who just want to feel understood. Sound familiar? This is a show for male educators - male educators who want to be more understood by their community and want to create emotionally safe classrooms and schools for the next generation of male students. Listeners leave this show equipped with tangible, actionable lesson plans and techniques to engage their male students; nourished by stories and experiences from male teachers and educators at their school sites; and fired up to improve students' learning and well-being with the sense that, as a male educator, they are not alone. As US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy noted, the mental health of our young people is the “crisis of our time.” As more and more of our young boys fill this void with extreme thoughts and ideas - ideas from the likes of Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, etc. - we, as male educators, are uniquely positioned to stop this dangerous trajectory our students are on. Because real men teach. Join our community of listeners. Join our community, Advocates for Young Men: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 Attend our Young Men's Conference: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdw6tfn3lZrkBxZRqSqHjTTeygRNIgwk0KKgHRcwlclaS1xag/viewform  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Have you ever felt ISOLATED at your school? Whether it be socially? Over a particular issue? Approach? In your own classroom? Any honest individual will answer YES to this question. It's human! Once we acknowledge our shared humanity as teachers, staff, and students, the faster we can build a safe culture and climate at our school site. In this episode, we cover The gender demographics for educators, as we move through elementary, middle, and high school A story about being the only Black educator at my school site, and how empathy toward others' identities can create a culture of belonging in your school community (0:00) Welcome and intro (4:00) Storytime (13:15) Closing --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Attend our Young Men's Conference: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdw6tfn3lZrkBxZRqSqHjTTeygRNIgwk0KKgHRcwlclaS1xag/viewform  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Episode 034 | I had the good fortune of meeting and befriending the delightful and remarkable Niroj Bhandari, MBBS when he was a Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences medical student doing his clinical training at Dhulikhel Hospital in Dhulikhel, Nepal. Jai Nepal!

The new chapter of the podcast, TALKING TO TEACHERS, begins on November 5th, 2024. Meanwhile, we'll be IN THE LAB creating it! Plus, learn more about our upcoming Young Men's Conference, on November 16th, 2024. Topics include: getting in fights at school, self-talk, negative self-talk, our Young Men's conference (0:00) Welcome (1:00) Getting in fights, and me being “the best (or worst) of the bad students” (4:40) Esparto High School - what happens when people laugh at someone saying “I hate myself.” (11:00) Learn about our Young Men's Conference --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Attend our Young Men's Conference: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdw6tfn3lZrkBxZRqSqHjTTeygRNIgwk0KKgHRcwlclaS1xag/viewform  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

*APOLOGIES FOR SOME OF THE AUDIO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES In this episode, Ashanti is joined by Camren Stepter, a college student from Kentucky State University with aspirations of becoming an educator and eventually a principal. Camren's journey is deeply rooted in community service, volunteering, and mentoring youth, driven by his passion for making a positive impact on future generations. Topics include: being the class clown, turning your life around, self-improvement, community service, mentoring, leadership, college campuses, aspiring to be an educator and principal, breaking out of cycles, getting unstuck (03:34) Front of Ashanti's Mask (05:56) Front of Camren's Mask (07:54) Ashanti, Camren, and Camren's DAD's origin story (09:19) Back of Ashanti's Mask (11:25) Back of Camren's Mask, and Camren's upbringing (16:00) Tech Difficulties (22:00) Camren's on campus community, Brothers Redefining the Odds --- Connect with Camren Stepter: Camren's Instagram/full inspirational story: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_IyxAqxIrW/ --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Expressing sadness over the events that took place at Apalachee High School last week. Topics include: Apalachee High School, school shootings, Colt Gray, Colin Gray, Ricky Pearsall, Union Square San Francisco, parents being charged for children's actions during school shootings, bodycam footage of Colin Gray, school shooting data, the Second Amendment (0:00) Welcome (2:00) Honoring the victims of a senseless act, and two more shootings have occurred since (5:30) Making trauma-informed and student-centered decisions (8:20) Parker Palmer's books, specifically The Courage to Teach (11:20) The US Surgeon General's Advisory about parents (15:30) Bodycam footage of the police visiting Colt Gray a year before the shooting (24:50) Final thoughts --- Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

In this episode, Ashanti sits down with Matt Melvin, the author of "Bullied Behind Bars: A Gay Christian Trump Supporter Goes to Prison." In this book, Matt shares his unique and deeply personal journey and delves into how his identity as a gay Christian and his political beliefs shaped his experiences while incarcerated. (0:00) Welcome (8:55) Matt introduces himself (10:00) Front of Ashanti's mask (12:30) Front of Matt's mask (17:00) Back of Ashanti's mask (19:50) Back of Matt's mask Connect with Matt Melvin: Website, Book, and Social Media: https://www.bulliedbehindbars.com/connect  --- Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

On our 4-year anniversary, we make some big announcements on where the podcast is headed. We're taking off the mask of education! Topics include: Project 2025, Department of Education, Dr. Seuss, smartphones, phone addiction, educator-focused podcasts, healthy masculinity in schools, finding our podcast niche, AI, artificial intelligence, dial-up internet, and more (0:00) Welcome (2:40) Focusing more on education, while still discussing men's health (2:45) Project 2025 and the Department of Education (9:00) Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss; read aloud (16:50) Phone addiction and schools (23:20) Final thoughts Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

This episode originally aired on November 28, 2023. “As much as people think I'm in my dad's shadow, in many ways I live my life to NOT be like him. And even though my dad was a psychologist, I always felt like he wasn't terribly emotional.” - Matt Englar-Carlson Ever Forward Club's Ashanti Branch is joined by Dr. Matt Englar-Carlson. Matt is a professor of counseling and the director of the Center for Boys and Men at California State University, Fullerton. His work focuses on healthy/prosocial forms of masculinities, social justice, diversity issues in psychological training and practice, and theories of psychotherapy. In many ways, Matt is an originator in the psychology space when it comes to encouraging healthy and positive masculinity in school settings, and Matt also is the lead men's health clinical researcher for the first men's mental health app, Mental. Please enjoy this conversation! Like Matt, it's equal parts informative, entertaining, and emotional :) --- (5:30) Matt introduces himself, his passions, and how he helps boys and men seek help more effectively. (10:00) Matt shares the front of his mask - engaged, carefree, together - and how his words have changed from age 30 to age 50. (11:30) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - serious, caring, passionate - and provides some thoughts on Senator Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters President Sean O'Brien. (17:10) Matt shares the back of his mask - the weight of responsibility, grief, shame. (19:30) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - the weight of responsibility, worry, self-doubt. (22:15) Matt looks back on his childhood and how he had a proclivity for psychology and gender studies. (30:40) Matt shares what he has noticed in his college students and “how men have been changing.” (37:30) Ashanti and Matt reflect on how students emote and ask for help differently. (42:00) Ashanti and Matt take time to consider the alarming rates of death by suicide amongst men. Then, Matt shares how he is involved with the app, Mental. (48:30) Matt shares some final thoughts and how you can get in touch with him. --- Connect with Matt Englar-Carlson: Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/drmattec⁠ The Mental App: ⁠instagram.com/thementalapp⁠ Website: ⁠hhd.fullerton.edu/counsel/faculty/MattEnglarCarlson.php⁠ --- Create your own mask anonymously at ⁠millionmask.org⁠ Email us questions and comments at ⁠totmpod100@gmail.com⁠  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/branchspeaks⁠ Facebook: ⁠facebook.com/BranchSpeaks⁠ Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/BranchSpeaks⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch⁠ Website: ⁠branchspeaks.com⁠ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support⁠  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

This episode originally aired on June 25, 2024. Donofriend, or Donovan Taylor Hall, joins Ashanti Branch, a master educator with 20+ years of experience in schools, to talk about what they are reflecting on as educators and what they're seeing in the halls of modern-day schools. Donovan is an experienced teacher and positive youth development expert who travels around the country speaking at schools and pushing into classrooms. Learn more about him in ⁠episode 152⁠. Topics include: an ⁠Edutopia video⁠ reaction, self-determination theory, participation trophies, teen mental health, building a sense of independence and resilience in students and teens, self-reliance, autonomy, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Miyazaki, Halloween, grit, stick-to-itiveness, Do Hard Things by Steve Magness, helicopter parents, and stranger danger --- (0:00) Welcome and Edutopia video (4:00) Donovan and Ashanti introduce themselves. (6:00) Self-determination theory, helicopter parents, losing ability to build community, and Halloween (15:00) The participation trophy origin story, and valuing “productive struggle” (19:30) Miyazaki and Avatar, and what we can learn about youth wellness/mentorship from these films (25:00) Mentoring with curiosity instead of mentoring to “fix and solve” immediately (26:00) Allowing students to sit with silence and discomfort (29:00) Offering children advice instead of telling them what to do (32:30) Emotional language and articulating feelings/needs clearly - for both young people and adults (45:30) Final thoughts on providing room to explore and being transparent, vulnerable, and curious as an educator/parent/mentor Connect with Donovon Taylor Hall: Website: ⁠www.donovantaylorhall.com⁠ Instagram, TikTok, Youtube: @donofriend Join our 5k Challenge: ⁠https://charity.pledgeit.org/20thAnnualEF5KChallenge⁠  Create your own mask anonymously at ⁠https://millionmask.org/⁠  Email us questions and comments at ⁠totmpod100@gmail.com⁠  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/⁠ Website: ⁠https://www.branchspeaks.com/⁠ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support⁠  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/everforwardclub⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Boys continue to be socialized to cover their true emotions, despite moves to shift away from this status quo. One of the strongest forces working to make change is Ashanti Branch, a pioneer in education reform and founder of the Ever Forward Club. Ashanti shares the necessary tools and support necessary to further rewrite this narrative.Show Notes:Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returnsGet $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARDGo to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you.Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout!Ashanti's Instagram/Twitter: @branchspeaksEver Forward Club Instagram/Twitter: @everforwardclubOrder our book This Is So AwkwardCheck out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.comTo bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.comTo submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.comWatch the full episode on Youtube!Produced by Peoples Media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I can't light a fire under young people. But I can help them find their fire, and then I can feed it. That's my goal as a mentor.” - Jordan Bowman Jordan Bowman is the Executive Director of Journeymen, a nonprofit mentoring teenage boys to become men of integrity. Jordan is passionate about fostering connection and compassion, focusing on self-awareness and emotional intelligence. He designs and facilitates transformative experiences for diverse groups, guiding them in leadership development, team-building, and strategy. Join us to hear Jordan's insights on building resilient young men and cultivating conscious masculinity. --- (0:00) Welcome (1:10) Jordan introduces himself (4:15) Jordan and Ashanti make their masks (7:05) Front of Jordan's Mask (9:00) Front of Ashanti's Mask (10:45) Work-life balance and service-minded people (12:49) Back of Jordan's Mask (16:20) Back of Ashanti's Mask (21:52) Mentoring, compromising with mentees, and the tension of stretching someone's development (30:30) Addressing conflict in the classroom; building a restorative classroom (35:04) How to evolve while working with men and boys; next steps for our society (37:40) How to get in touch with Jordan --- Topics include: sonder, work-life balance, mentoring, teaching, working with young boys and men, healthy masculinity vs. toxic masculinity, mentoring vs. teaching, building restorative culture with young people, conflict resolution, classroom culture --- Connect with Jordan Bowman: Website: https://journeymentriangle.org/  Website: https://www.jbowman.org/  Social Media: @Jordan7Bowman Social Media: @Journeymen_NC --- Join our 5k Challenge: https://charity.pledgeit.org/20thAnnualEF5KChallenge  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

“There was a point where I woke up on my birthday and I could not breathe. And every time I took a breath, it felt like I was having a heart attack. I went to the hospital, and they could not figure out what it was…” - Ryan Rigoli In this episode, Ashanti welcomes Ryan Rigoli, a Spiritual Coach & Teacher, Musician, and Monk with Celebrating Life Ministries. Ryan shares his journey of profound healing through forgiveness, self-understanding, and grace, and he now supports others in awakening their hearts and accessing inner wisdom. A Stanford University graduate, Ryan has spoken at prestigious venues including, Stanford Business School and Wisdom 2.0. He also composes and produces meditative piano albums, including his latest, 'Harmony', a collaboration with his father aimed at helping people experience inner peace. (0:00) Welcome  (1:20) Ryan introduces himself (6:26) Front of Ryan's Mask (9:28) Front of Ashanti's Mask (10:10) Bullying, and when a student curses at you (17:28) Back of Ryan's Mask (22:58) Back of Ashanti's Mask (24:15) Bullying, and when a student curses at you, cont'd (29:55) “Being a lion allows you to be a lamb” (36:49) Ryan on working with clients (40:25) Ryan's experience with bullying (47:02) How music helped cure Ryan's physical and emotional ailments(49:51) Closing --- Connect with Ryan Rigoli: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan.rigoli  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.rigoli  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanrigoli  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3eWHsgpUZAGt3AKevu49FH  Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ryan-rigoli/1311115109  Website: http://www.ryanrigoli.com --- Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

“Medical students are seen through a lens that a lot of people in our society are not. And it is unfortunate. You take the most neurotic people you could possibly imagine. You stick them all in one room and you've got future physicians.” - John Feldkamp John Feldkamp, a medical student and co-president of his class at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, is passionate about pediatrics, emergency medicine, and men's health. His research focuses on gender disparities in healthcare utilization and the chronic health burden of men. As the Director of Men's Health Initiatives at Hey Brother Co., John leads workshops and writes articles on various topics related to masculinity, including gym culture and men's mental health. He enjoys powerlifting, climbing, and writing poetry and prose. Join Ashanti and John as they discuss the intersections of medicine, masculinity, and community building. Topics include: med school, medical school culture, medical school's attitude towards men's health initiatives, Murph workouts, health insurance, teacher retention/burnout, men's health, doctor visits, how American masculinity affects our healthcare habits, the Surgeon General's Loneliness Epidemic (0:00 Welcome (3:24 John's introduction and his work as a medical student/men's advocate (5:20 Front of John's Mask - strength, joy, confidence (7:40 Front of Ashanti's Mask - funny, serious, hard-working, strength (13:00 Back of John's Mask - anxiety/fear, pain, inadequate (14:41 What is a Murph? (15:25 Celebrating a friend's achievement instead of envying it (17:46 Back of Ashanti's Mask - worried, self-doubt, inadequate - and how he neglects himself (20:15 The faults in our American healthcare system (30:38 Teacher burnout (32:45 The nitty gritty of men's health in America (49:30 Closing and how to connect with John --- Connect with John Feldkamp John's Writing: www.heybrotherco.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feldyj/ --- Our BetterHelp Promo: https://www.betterhelp.com/everforwardclub/ --- Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

In this episode of "Face to Face," Wenceslao welcomes Demarco, an 8th grader, star athlete, and member of the Ever Forward Club. Demarco is a bit nervous but ready to take on the world of high school in the Bay Area. Listen in as they discuss friendship, boundaries, sports, bullying, and how to balance life as a teen in 2024. Topics include: baseball, setting boundaries, understanding/empathizing with bullies, advice/what to expect in high school, athletics, balancing school and extracurriculars authentic friendships, deciding where to go for high school --- (0:00) Welcome (3:00) Demarco introduces himself (4:30) Front of Wenceslao's Mask (4:55) Front of Demarco's Mask (5:15) Back of Wenceslao's Mask(5:55) Back of Demarco's Mask (6:40) The Ever Forward Club's Adventure Card Game: boundaries, trust, and bad days (13:50) The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran; reading and analysis (17:30) Bullying, authentic friendship, empathy, brotherhood, balancing commitments, and what Demarco has learned from the Ever Forward Club (29:55) One more poem by Kahlil Gibran; high school advice from Wenceslao to Demarco Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

In this special 200th Episode, host Ashanti Branch beams in from the Ever Forward Club's new office and revisits some of the most powerful moments from the past year. This includes some parts work (internal family systems) with Jamin Heppell (ep. 159), discussion on self-love with Gael Aitor (ep. 160), and an analogy between life and repotting plants with Trevor Taylor (ep. 177). Topics include: parts work, internal family systems, IFS, self-love, self-hate, self-talk, positive self-talk, negative self-talk, mentoring, holding space, repotting plants, personal growth, changing environments (0:00) Introducing the new office and welcome (2:45) Jamin Heppell (21:45) Gael Aitor (31:00) Trevor Taylor (34:45) Final thoughts and reflections --- Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Donofriend, or Donovan Taylor Hall, joins Ashanti Branch, a master educator with 20+ years of experience in schools, to talk about what they are reflecting on as educators and what they're seeing in the halls of modern-day schools. Donovan is an experienced teacher and positive youth development expert who travels around the country speaking at schools and pushing into classrooms. Learn more about him in episode 152. Topics include: an Edutopia video reaction, self-determination theory, participation trophies, teen mental health, building a sense of independence and resilience in students and teens, self-reliance, autonomy, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Miyazaki, Halloween, grit, stick-to-itiveness, Do Hard Things by Steve Magness, helicopter parents, and stranger danger --- (0:00) Welcome and Edutopia video (4:00) Donovan and Ashanti introduce themselves. (6:00) Self-determination theory, helicopter parents, losing ability to build community, and Halloween (15:00) The participation trophy origin story, and valuing “productive struggle” (19:30) Miyazaki and Avatar, and what we can learn about youth wellness/mentorship from these films (25:00) Mentoring with curiosity instead of mentoring to “fix and solve” immediately (26:00) Allowing students to sit with silence and discomfort (29:00) Offering children advice instead of telling them what to do (32:30) Emotional language and articulating feelings/needs clearly - for both young people and adults (45:30) Final thoughts on providing room to explore and being transparent, vulnerable, and curious as an educator/parent/mentor Connect with Donovon Taylor Hall: Website: www.donovantaylorhall.com Instagram, TikTok, Youtube: @donofriend Join our 5k Challenge: https://charity.pledgeit.org/20thAnnualEF5KChallenge  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

This week we welcome David Reese, a high school English teacher with an unparalleled zest for life, to the show. David, the youngest of ten children, has been surrounded by strong women and extraordinary men throughout his life. With 7 sisters, 2 brothers, and a large extended family, David has always been inspired by the compassion, hard work, and humor of those around him. Topics include: father figures, football, high school sports, men's work and boys' work in high school, transformative activities that teach students compassion and empathy, changing a school's culture, modeling and encouraging vulnerability in the classroom(0:00) Welcome (2:55) David introduces himself (5:30) Ashanti's sister is recovering from health problems (7:27) Front of David's Mask - Sense of humor, Passion, Fascination (9:21) Front of Ashanti's Mask - Funny, Serious, Travel (14:36) Back of David's Mask - Disappointment, Despair, Shades of Inner Turmoil (21:02) Back of Ashanti's Mask - Anger, Worry, Shades of Inner Turmoil (23:38) Exhausted teachers, and the Oberlin High School Men's Work Project (36:05) David and his father (42:28) A transformative activity re: physical touch (51:30) Closing --- Connect with Oberlin High School: Website: https://www.oberlinschools.net/our-schools/oberlin-high-school --- Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

In this episode, host Ashanti Branch welcomes Antwone "Diirt Da Dreamsaver" Johnson, a motivational speaker and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to helping individuals understand the importance of continuous learning and education. Through his organization, Growing with DiiRT, he inspires others to take charge of their own destinies, emphasizing that education is key to achieving one's dreams. Topics include: survivor's guilt, perfectionism, grieving, college tours, the public school system, leadership, stages of grief, history, African American history, oppression, and depression (0:00) Welcome (4:00) Antwone introduces himself. (8:28) Front of Ashanti's Mask - serious, passionate, driven(12:25) How the vision might overwhelm people (16:27) Front of Antwone's Mask - gratefulness/gratitude, work ethic, mannerisms (21:13) 4 years to life - preparing young people for life after high school (25:33) Back of Ashanti's Mask - worry, fear of failure, grief (29:10) Antwone's childhood (31:05) Back of Antwone's Mask - perfectionism, survivor's guilt, grieving stages, self-discovery (37:03) Antwone's collaboration with the Village Method (40:08) Why college tours for underserved young people are important (41:38) The public school system has failed (45:18) Closing thoughts from Antwone and how to get in touch --- Connect with Antwone Johnson: Website: https://thevillagemethod.org/  Website: www.growingwithdiirt.com  Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/diirtdadreamsaver/ --- Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

In this episode of "Face to Face," Wenceslao, a high school sophomore, welcomes Lucian, a 7th grader who has been part of the Ever Forward Club since the 4th grade. Lucian shares his experiences and personal growth through the club, emphasizing the importance of expressing feelings and building trust within the group. “When you don't speak or speak up, the thought is like a bird in a cage; you have it in there, but you're just not willing to let it fly. Let it out.” --- (0:00) Welcome (14:00) Lucian introduces himself (15:26) Lucian's Mask (15:40) Wenceslao's Mask (17:07) Playing the Adventure Card Game (20:26) A poem from the Prophet (23:06) QnA about Lucian's experience with the Black Boys Circle (30:54) Closing --- Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

We just celebrated our 20th Anniversary! At the anniversary, Bilal, who you can get to know better in episode 161, went around and asked guests a series of rapid-fire questions. Listen to the questions in quick succession. And as they get deeper, the answers lengthen. Before Bilal's section, please enjoy host Ashanti Branch's thoughts on teacher burnout, social-emotional learning in schools, Mental Health Awareness Month, and what his experience as a private school educator made him see in his former public school. Topics include: favorite teacher, getting things off your chest, little-known facts, brotherhood, challenges of being a man, teacher burnout, school culture and climate, teacher morale, classroom budgets, Skyline High School shooting --- (0:00) Welcome! (0:10) Ashanti's introduction. Getting things off his chest when it comes to education. (17:40) Getting deep with Bilal (26:00) Going even deeper - what challenges are you facing as a man? (37:00) Closing --- Join our 5k Challenge: https://charity.pledgeit.org/20thAnnualEF5KChallenge  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Ashanti Branch is joined by Blair Daly, a dedicated advocate for boys and men in Washington state. As the founder of the Washington Initiative for Boys and Men, Blair leads efforts in advocacy journalism and grassroots political advocacy to enhance the well-being of boys, male youth, and men in the state. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Washington and earned his bachelor's degree from Whitworth University.  After college, he spent four years living in Malaysia and later drummed in a rock band in Seattle for three years. Outside of his professional life, Blair enjoys baseball, basketball, pickleball, and ping-pong. Topics include: special interest groups, lobbying for men, getting male perspective and advocacy into government, depression, divorce, confronting grief, & family --- (0:00) Intro (7:20) Blair introduces himself (11:07) Front of Blair's mask, his athleticism, and his older brother (14:56) Front of Ashanti's mask and the boundaries he's working on (22:14) Back of Blair's mask, his history with depression, and being a child of divorce (26:15) When is it appropriate to share difficult things with others(28:17) Back of Ashanti's mask and an emergency with his sister (34:30) What are you thinking vs. what are you feeling (37:07) Grief, and the different ways we handle it - healthy and unhealthy (43:22) Special interest groups for men (46:00) A State Commission on Boys and Men (49:21) Closing (51:00) Final words from Blair --- Connect with Blair Daly: Website: https://waboysandmen.org/ Website: https://wibm.us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waboysmen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WABoysMen/ --- Join our 5k Challenge: https://charity.pledgeit.org/20thAnnualEF5KChallenge  Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/  Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com  --- Connect with Ashanti Branch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/ Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/ --- Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support  --- Connect with Ever Forward Club: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

Ashanti Branch is the Founder and Executive Director of the Ever Forward Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the dropout rate through youth mentorship. He has created the award-winning #MillionMaskMovement with 75,000 participants worldwide. He is a recipient of the 2023 US Surgeon General's Medallion, 4x Tedx speaker, podcaster, and a Fulbright Fellow. His work with youth as an ‘emotional locksmith' has been featured on CNN with Lisa Ling, and on the Kelly Clarkson Show. Contact Ashanti Branch: LinkedIn.  Instagram.  Facebook. http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club Follow 365 Brothers on IG @365brothers or visit us at 365brothers.com for more info.  Host Rahbin Shyne - IG @365shyne