Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators Jeff Utecht & Tricia Friedman

Liz Joy Moore discusses the power of play and how it can benefit both children and adults. She emphasizes that play is for everyone and that it is not impractical, even for adults. Liz believes that play is essential for connection, communication, and learning, and that it can be used to teach strategies for mental health and trauma. She suggests that professional development should incorporate play and that educators and parents should be role models for children by embracing playfulness. Liz also encourages individuals to find their own playful activities based on their curiosity. 
Ready to connect with Liz?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizjoymoore/
Liz is a trauma-informed, experiential education and 'play' advocate. Her mindful leadership and facilitation exude an air of joy that brings a fresh perspective to how leaders and teams can best work with each other and serve our developing youth. With a background in Anthropology and cultural Geography, training in coaching, MBCT, yoga and mindfulness, and love for travel and outdoor adventures, Liz's experiences offer a unique approach to the art of human connection, inclusion and understanding.
Use special Promo Code 'SSPOD25' to take $25 off our 'Build A Bot' self paced course!
https://www.shiftingschools.com/store-2/p/buildabot
Thank you to our amazing sponsors for supporting the show!
MackinVision
https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/
Lebra
https://www.lebrahq.com/
 

Our summer-long 'Power of Play' series starts now with special guest Allie Ticktin.
Allie’s mission is to empower children and their families through sensory play so that they can thrive through childhood and beyond. Allie is the author of the book, Play to Progress, where she provides parents with an overview of all 8 (yes, 8) senses and gives parents ways to enhance those senses at home. Allie uses the science of child development and the joy of play to boost childrens’ confidence and enhance development within all areas of their life, from social and emotional to physical and academic.
Allie believes that the best way to support children is by arming their parents, from inception, with the knowledge and skills necessary to encourage their child’s development for success through childhood and beyond. Allie began her work in pediatric development at the University of Michigan, where she earned her B.S. in Movement Science, and continued her studies at USC, where she received her M.A. and Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Allie is certified in Sensory Integration and hopes that one day one day quality open ended play will be considered as important as learning the ABC’s. When not at work, you can find Allie at the beach engaging her own sensory system, outside enjoying nature or on her spin bike. Allie also loves to bake vegan treats, read and color in mindfulness coloring books, which are her own regulation tools.
Connect with our guest:
www.play2progress.com
https://www.instagram.com/play2progress/
Want to take this episode further and map out your personal plans for having a playful summer?
🏖️ Explore our six-part planner, download it free 🏖️:
https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/
Thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting this series:
MackinVision:
https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/
Lebra:
https://www.lebrahq.com/
 
 

Tricia and Jeff are so excited about the soon to start 'Power of Play' summer pod series, so they thought they would bring listeners a special free resource to pair with it.
Would you like to be more intentional with play this summer?
Grab our free template and get started today:
https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/
Tune in Monday for the first episode in our Power of Play series.
Reach out to Tricia and Jeff to share your thoughts on any of our resources: 
info (at) shiftingschools (dot) (com)
 
 

In this conversation, Dr. Kenny Rodrequez, a superintendent from Grandview, Missouri, discusses the use of AI, specifically our show sponsor Lebra, from a leadership perspective. He shares insights on leveraging AI to build relationships, improve communication, and streamline administrative tasks within the school district. Kenny emphasizes the importance of personal connections and the positive impact of using AI to enhance community engagement and support staff members. The conversation highlights the practical applications of AI in education and the potential for creating a more efficient and connected school environment.
Ready to learn more about our guest?
Dr. Kenny Rodrequez became Superintendent of the Grandview C-4 School District in July 2016. Before serving as Superintendent, Dr. Rodrequez served for two years as the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in the Grandview C-4 School District. Dr. Rodrequez has served in several capacities throughout his career. He was a music educator for 8 years in two different states, including being a band director, percussion instructor, and district music resource teacher. Dr. Rodrequez moved into school administration in 2003 and held site level positions of assistant principal and principal before moving into district-level positions of director and assistant superintendent. He was selected to create and implement the first Early College High School program in Tulsa through a partnership with Tulsa Community College. He directed the Tulsa Innovative School network, which served over 1,200 students in grades K-12, and served as a lead examiner for the Oklahoma Quality Award Foundation, based upon the Baldrige process.
In both Oklahoma and Missouri, he has done extensive work on the implementation of new teacher evaluation systems in an effort to raise academic achievement and build collaborative relationships between teachers and administrators. In 2020, Dr. Rodrequez was the recipient of the Communication Technology Award from the National School Public Relations Association for leadership in implementing cutting-edge communication technology to improve and expand outreach and engagement with education stakeholders . In 2023, he was selected as the Missouri Superintendent of the Year for 2024 by the Missouri Association of School Administrators. Dr. Rodrequez has a Bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University in Music Education, a Master of Science degree from Oklahoma State University in School Leadership, and completed his Doctorate degree from Baker University in School Administration.
 
Connect with him: kenny.rodrequez(at)grandviewc4.net
Ready to learn more about Lebra?
https://www.lebrahq.com/
 

Tricia and Jeff discuss the final week of their May Micro Menu Prompt Challenge, focusing on AI and executive function. They highlight the importance of executive function skills in enacting learning and provide three mega prompts to support the development of these skills. Tricia shares her experience using generative AI for gardening and landscaping, while Jeff explores the use of AI for project management. They also announce their upcoming summer mini-series on the power of play.  

 
Takeaways Executive function skills are crucial for organizing and enacting learning. Generative AI can be used for gardening and landscaping, providing information on plant identification and growth predictions. AI can support project management by generating frameworks and motivational phrases. The May Micro Menu Prompt Challenge offers a variety of prompts to explore different AI applications. The upcoming summer mini-series will focus on the power of play and its impact on learning and well-being.
Ready to get the free guide they discuss today?
https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/micro-menu-part-3-and-4/
Explore our new course Foundational AI Literacy
https://www.shiftingschools.com/store-2/p/ai-foundation
Huge thanks to our amazing sponsor Lebra!
https://www.lebrahq.com/
Take $25 off with special promo code 'SSPOD25'
Tell us more about your thoughts on our guide:
info@shiftingschools.com
 

Jeff Utecht and Tricia discuss the importance of AI literacy and introduce their AI literacy course. They also talk about the recent updates from OpenAI and Google in the field of AI. They highlight the significance of AI in social-emotional learning. They also explore the power of play and share prompts for creating interactive stories using AI. They emphasize the importance of involving parents in AI conversations and providing them with prompts to engage their children in learning over the summer.
Ready to get the free guide they discuss today?
https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/micro-menu-part-3-and-4/
Explore our new course Foundational AI Literacy
https://www.shiftingschools.com/store-2/p/ai-foundation
Huge thanks to our amazing sponsor Lebra!
https://www.lebrahq.com/
Take $25 off with special promo code 'SSPOD25'
Tell us more about your thoughts on our guide:
info@shiftingschools.com
What are some of the big ideas inside this conversation?
AI literacy is important for educators and students to navigate the rapidly evolving field of AI.

Updates from OpenAI and Google highlight the potential of AI in various domains.

AI can support social-emotional learning and provide companionship for students.

Creating interactive stories using AI prompts can engage students and foster creativity.

Involving parents in AI conversations and providing prompts can promote learning over the summer.