Rockstar Teachers Podcast

Brian Williams

Tips, Tactics and Strategies from the nations most inspiring, creative and innovative educators & industry professionals to create positive, kind and empathetic school cultures. Each episode will leave you walking away with actionable steps you can take to immediately improve your school or classroom culture, decrease bullying and create a positive atmosphere.

  1. EP. 12 | Mastering Difficult Conversations in Education with Brenda Neckvatal

    Feb 10

    EP. 12 | Mastering Difficult Conversations in Education with Brenda Neckvatal

    POWERED BY: Think Kindness / SchoolCulture.org In this powerful episode of the Rockstar Teacher Podcast, host Brian Williams sits down with leadership expert and three-time bestselling author Brenda Neckvatal to tackle one of the most challenging aspects of education: dealing with difficult people. Whether it's challenging students, demanding parents, or complicated coworker dynamics, Brenda delivers battle-tested strategies that educators can implement immediately. Brenda shares real-world stories from her 30+ years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and over 1,000 leaders, revealing the difference between treating symptoms versus addressing root causes of conflict. From her famous "Help me understand" technique to the empowering "I'm the prize" mindset shift, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom that will transform how you approach difficult conversations and challenging personalities in your school environment. Learn why being "nice" might be sabotaging your boundaries, discover the power of commanding under pressure without wielding a heavy hand, and understand why you need to stop owning other people's baggage. This isn't just another inspirational talk—it's a practical toolkit for reclaiming control when difficult people threaten your success and well-being. Connect with Brenda: Website: https://brendaneckvatal.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neckvatal/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendaneckvatal/Books available at: https://brendaneckvatal.com (also on Amazon) Music Mentioned "Holy Ghost" by Sons of Sundays  A high-energy Christian worship song with raw, authentic sound that Brenda credits as her current motivational anthem. The song features an old-fashioned feel recorded with a live, wooden ballroom aesthetic. Listen on major streaming platforms or download at: https://open.spotify.com/track/6iz66XKAS4xVSDAHRa77Bj?si=79a81142376446ba

    41 min
  2. EP. 10 | Social Media and Tactics To Be Pro-Active

    02/04/2022

    EP. 10 | Social Media and Tactics To Be Pro-Active

    Let me guess - you've had more referrals to the office centered around 'Social Media' than anything else? Am I Right? Well today we get to interview Kim Karr - she started #ICANHELP in 2011 after seeing the destructive power of online negativity firsthand. An anonymous user created a simple, yet destructive Facebook page targeting a teacher at her school. Over the next two weeks, one thousand students followed the page, with many commenting and fueling the fire. One student finally stepped up and reported the page, ending the school-wide drama.  Kim took action to ensure nothing like that would ever happen at her school again. She developed an online safety and positivity program and trained students to become Digital First Responders. A year later, a similar page popped up and targeted the same teacher, only this time, the students were ready.  Not only did no one follow the page, but over thirty students took action and left positive comments supporting the teacher. The page was taken down within 24 hours, a positive ending made possible through student education and empowerment. Since Kim and her Co-Founder Matt Soeth officially launched the nonprofit in 2013, #ICANHELP has trained thousands of students to be Digital First Responders. We’re on a mission to empower students from around the world to use digital for good. CONNECT WITH KIM: Website Instagram Facebook CONNECT WITH THINK KINDNESS Website Instagram Facebook

    38 min
  3. EP. 07 How to inspire resilient students during covid-19

    08/28/2020

    EP. 07 How to inspire resilient students during covid-19

    Many people are nervous about the uncertainty and adversity Covid-19 brings to the classroom. However, after interviewing JC Pohl of Teen Truth, you quickly realize that this pandemic also creates a "once in a life-time opportunity to teach resiliency amongst students" as JC put it.  JC is has worked with over 1,200 schools across the United States. He is an award winning documentary producer, renown speaker, coach and author. He has worked with students, administrations and entire districts develop strategies to create positive school culture from the inside out. On today's episode we get to peak inside JC's mind for a dose of inspiration, reality check and motivation.  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE FREE E-BOOK | Culture By Design School culture is the collective manifestation of the attitudes, outlooks, and behaviors of the entire student, administrative, and faculty body. It’s what gives a school its own unique feeling as you walk through the halls. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE SELF-DRIVEN CHILD A few years ago, Bill Stixrud and Ned Johnson started noticing the same problem from different angles: Even high-performing kids were coming to them acutely stressed and lacking motivation. Many complained they had no control over their lives. Some stumbled in high school or hit college and unraveled. Bill is a clinical neuropsychologist who helps kids gripped by anxiety or struggling to learn. Ned is a motivational coach who runs an elite tutoring service. Together they discovered that the best antidote to stress is to give kids more of a sense of control over their lives. But this doesn't mean giving up your authority as a parent. In this groundbreaking book they reveal how you can actively help your child to sculpt a brain that is resilient, and ready to take on new challenges. CLICK HERE MADE TO STICK In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideas stickier, such as applying the human scale principle, using the Velcro Theory of Memory, and creating curiosity gaps. Along the way, we discover that sticky messages of all kinds—from the infamous “kidney theft ring” hoax to a coach’s lessons on sportsmanship to a vision for a new product at Sony—draw their power from the same six traits. CLICK HERE

    39 min

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Tips, Tactics and Strategies from the nations most inspiring, creative and innovative educators & industry professionals to create positive, kind and empathetic school cultures. Each episode will leave you walking away with actionable steps you can take to immediately improve your school or classroom culture, decrease bullying and create a positive atmosphere.