In this episode of The Optimalist, we discuss teaching kids resilience and embracing discomfort with Charle Peck, co-creator of Thriving School Community. Charle highlights the need for adaptability and the struggles adults face in modeling it for children. Her work focuses on improving mental health in schools and equipping the entire community. As part of that, Sara and Charle explore the flaws in the education system and the power individuals have to make a difference. And how important are breaks, routines, and addressing the crisis in student behavior? Charle offers advice for school leaders and teachers and encourages you to share you thoughts on mental health skills with students and be as open as possible.
Key reflection: It’s important to model the behaviors we expect from students and work on ourselves before expecting to make an impact on the school as a whole.
Chapters
(0:01:29) The Need for Adaptability and Modeling in Education
(0:03:07) Improving School Mental Health and Equipping the School Community
(0:04:55) The Power of Adults to Make an Impact on Students' Mental Health
(0:08:41) The need for a different approach in education
(0:10:58) The positive response and craving for support from adults
(0:12:41) Creating routines and recharging activities for adaptability and well-being
(0:15:48) Rewiring our Brain Response and the Importance of Recharging
(0:19:42) The Impact of Social Shifts on Education and Parenting
(0:22:42) Creating Spaces for Discomfort and Tackling Harder Topics
(0:31:25) The importance of playfulness and laughter in the classroom
(0:33:10) Advice for school leaders on supporting staff and student well-being
(0:35:20) Setting and respecting personal limits for self-care and advocating for needs
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Links Mentioned:
Charle on Twitter: @CharlePeck
Charle on the Web: Thriving Educator
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The Optimalist Podcast is brought to you by Swivl. At Swivl, we understand that the biggest challenge in education is the rate of change. Policy revisions, technological advancements (accelerated by AI), evolving job markets, and ongoing research constantly identifying new best practices are only some of the factors affecting the rate of change in education. To learn how Swivl can help you be more reflective, engaged, and adaptable, visit swivl.com. You can also follow us on Twitter.
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Credits:
Music: “Goodnight, Shapeshifter” by MusicForNothing, used under Creative Commons BY-ND 3.0.
Audio Editing & Production: Tim Belmont (@tbelmontedu)
Discomfort, Student Resilience, & Rewiring our Brains w/ Charle Peck