145 episodes
Upgrade My Classroom Kevin Mecchella
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- Education
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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Thank you for listening to the Upgrade My Classroom Podcast! Kevin Mecchella, youth speaker and behavior change specialist uncovers the social and emotional strategies that help teenage students make great decisions and mitigate bad ones. On this show, you’ll learn from experts in the field of education, youth leadership and behavioral psychology how to create positive, lasting change for your teens. Our kids are faced with so many challenges and we have a responsibility to guide through the choices they have in front of them. Whether it's bullying, drugs or their own mental health, students need our help.
So whether you’re a teacher, school administrator or youth group organizer, this podcast is a fantastic resource to help your teens succeed. You’ll hear a mix of expert interviews, training from Kevin and coaching calls. Subscribe to the show and let’s help make an impact in our schools and communities!
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Beyond the Surface: How To Invest Time in Students Who Appear Self-Reliant
I recently had a student come up to me after a talk and said "I want to be like you"...
I assumed that he meant he wanted to be a speaker. I was wrong.
He continued to say "I want to speak and I want people to finally hear me". I realized that this student has so much to say and so much to share but he doesn't have an outlet to do so.
I then thought about my experiences working with students either in the classroom or from the stage and I realized that there are so many students who go unnoticed. Not because it's anyone's fault but we need to use so much time and attention on the students who obviously need our help both academically and socially. So how do we create opportunities to truly get to know all our students...?
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If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
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Picking The Right Major To Avoid The Rat Race And Find Purpose
When I was in high school I KNEW that I was going to be a high school band director....
Clearly I was mistaken.
When 16 and 17 year old children are asked what they want to do with the rest of their lives (AKA picking a major), there are a lot of variables and situations to think about.
Whether your teen is having trouble picking their major or is on the opposite end of that spectrum and is completely sold, there are a few questions that are crucial to ask in this process.
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
Follow Kevin on social!
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Ep: 143 - The Student Loan Decision And The Monthly Breakdown Students Need
When a student is thinking of taking a student loan, what does $50,000 really mean to them. Well if they're anything like me, nothing! I had no personal finance education and the number seemed so vague. Plus you've probably also heard things like...
Everyone has to take them I won't have to pay them back for a long time I'll just get a decent job that makes enough money to pay them back quickly We know the issues with the above statements but our kids don't. That's why we need to break down what these big numbers actually mean every month. Even more so, we need to show them what real adult monthly expenses actually look like so they have context. We can't expect students to make the best decision possible unless they have the context and understanding.
Amidst Presient Biden's 2nd attempt to roll out a student debt relief plan called SAVE, I thought this would be a good time to talk about this. The reality is I'm 36 and I'm STILL paying off my loans!
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
Follow Kevin on social!
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Help Change A Teen's Subconscious Beliefs Using The Story Cycle
If we tell ourselves a certain story, we're going to make certain decision. If we change that story, our decisions will change as well.
Today we're going to break down the Story Cycle. This simple yet extremely powerful concept has been taught by many personal development and productivity gurus. Ultimately our story influences our actions, our actions influence our results, and our results reinforce our story. This is how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer!
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
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Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
Follow Kevin on social!
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Preventing Teen Substance Abuse: The Power of Setting Clear Boundaries
Today I start with a story. It's actually one of the earliest memories I have. It was a contract that my mother and my teacher made me sign...
As someone who is NOT an expert on addiction, drugs and alcohol or substance abuse, this is simply one man's experience with early prevention. Take a listen to today's episode as I discuss a few ways we can instill a strong identity and help set personal boundaries for teens as they navigate the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
Follow Kevin on social!
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Twitter
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Confronting Regret: Empowering Teens to Make Better Decisions in Life
Today we're going to try a slightly different format. I will be playing a short clip from one of my recent talks at Dobbs Ferry High School in Westchester, NY. This clip highlights some of the selfish choices a teen can make when they tell themselves a limiting story.
Today I'll discuss 3 effective strategies for educators to help students navigate regret, urging them to consider the limited time they have and how their actions will shape their lives. From visualizing a 90-year life calendar to encouraging empathy and respectful conversations, I feel like this is a short, yet powerful episode if implemented. Enjoy!
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Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
If you'd be so kind as to leave a rating and review, that would help tremendously!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Book Kevin to speak at your school or event!
Learn more about Kevin's speaking programs here!
Follow Kevin on social!
Facebook
Instagram
Linked In
Tiktok
Twitter
Customer Reviews
Great podcast host!
I love how Kevin discusses ways to help our students in our classrooms each week. His solo episodes are insightful and he brings on expert guests to enrich the conversation to help even more educators. I was privileged to be one of Kevin’s guests and absolutely loved our conversation. Kevin’s questions were insightful and allowed us to dig deeper into topics to help not only educators, but also parents (from an educator’s perspective). From his episodes, you can tell that Kevin is passionate about this work and in helping our teens. —Khristen Massic, CTE Teaching Strategies and Planning