The Brian Mendler Show: Recent Episodes
Brian Mendler
Brian Mendler, behavior and classroom management expert, and his guests discuss school discipline, SEL, behavior and classroom management strategies, relationship building tips and more. This year will feature dynamic interviews with Educators from across all parts of the profession. From Para-Professionals to Superintendents, everyone has a story. He will also answer your “challenging kid” questions.
On this episode I sit down with Lisa Toebben, a Special Ed. Teacher, Coach, & one of my all around favorite people to discuss her two most important classroom expectations, allow others to learn and no trash talking of self or others!
Lisa explains how “going on kid time” and letting go of perfection have helped her reduce stress and anxiety allowing greater success with students. “In the special education world, you have to move at the pace of your students rather than the pace of the curriculum, which is set by someone else outside of your classroom.”
Her anxiety got the better of her in 2017 to the point she thought about quitting. She decided to do a reset and now follows these rules that helped her feel better physically and mentally.
No dairy
No gluten
No alcohol
No sugar
Healthy caffeine intake
Daily exercise
We discuss our shared passion for working with difficult kids and fitness. Enjoy!
I sat down with Dr. Shaun Woodly, award-winning educator and University professor, to discuss his mantra, Teach, Hustle, Inspire. We take a deep dive into what really motivates our students. The feeling of being connected to their work, connected to each other and connected to the teacher is the difference maker. Furthermore, when our students feel that they are seen, valued and heard we have provided them with an environment where intrinsic motivation can persevere. So often as educators we use bribes/rewards or punishments to force motivation because we don’t know what else to do, but these strategies often work against us. Unless you are handing out red Starbursts, then Dr. Woodly is all in!
This week I sat down with Josh Stamper, a Training and Development Specialist at Teach Better Team, Podcaster, & Author of Aspire to Lead! Josh and I talk about how school wasn’t always a great place for him and how a counselor told him he wouldn’t amount to anything. This lit a fire in him to do what he needed to do to get into college. He eventually found his way back to education through his love of sports and art.
As a young administrator, he used his experiences and training from being a foster parent, to create action relationship teams designed to help change the school’s culture. As a leader he tried to always say “Yes” first to his teachers to encourage them to try new things. He wasn’t afraid of failure, he encouraged it, because we learn way more from failure than success! Josh and his wife have now adopted 4 amazing children that they were fostering.
This week I sit down with Rae Hughart, the CXO for the Teach Better Team, Former Executive Director of the Association of Illinois Middle-Grade Schools, TEDx Speaker, and Educator. Rae explains that as a new teacher she was struggling to find the time to develop those crucial relationships with her students. She was looking for a way to change from a content delivery teacher to more of a facilitator. Once she made this change, she had time to build those relationships. In turn, her students were able to see the purpose and relevance of the assignments and therefore, had more investment in their own learning.
After being inducted into The Illinois State University Hall of Fame in 2017, Rae was awarded the 2018 First Place Henry Ford Teacher Innovator Award for her innovative educational impact through the Teach Further Model. Rae is also the author of “Teachers Deserve It” and “Teach Better” books.
Limits, Love & High Expectations This is one I looked forward to for a long time. Kim Bearden is the cofounder and executive director of the...
I am joined by CJ Reynolds, former teacher, author of Teach Your Class Off, and YouTube creator of Real Rap with Reynolds. This is a master...
Happy to be back with you all after taking the Summer months off! My first guest is School Climate Specialist, Rob Johnson who brings with him...
Brian sits down with Rebecca Rolland, speech pathologist and author of The Art of Talking to Children to discuss the ABC’s (Adaptive, Back-and-forth, Child-driven) of speaking...
Josh Ruse, Behavior Specialist from Texas, joins the podcast to discuss the challenges and strategies when working with challenging youth. Brian reminds teachers to avoid burnout,...
My guest, Coach DJ Davis, discusses how his upbringing presented challenges that he could have very easily used as excuses for not accomplishing his goals. Instead,...
Kindergarten teacher Gina Venancio discusses her journey from a new teacher who found herself crying in a closet thinking about quitting to learning how to change...
I interview my friend, Stephanie Levy, whose infectious personality helps to make her a great teacher. She discusses how relationships are the key to her and...
A fascinating discussion about the growth of Esports with educator Phil Harrington. He discusses how and why he set up his school’s first esports team and...
I visit with Kinder teacher, author and educational consultant, Kayla Dornfeld, as she discusses her and her husband’s two year journey to become pregnant. After 5...
A few days ago I posted that my son’s 4th grade teacher was leaving the profession. He loves her and was devastated when he heard. I...
Kindergarten teacher, teacher coach & entrepreneur Andriana Zarovska joins me for this super fun episode. We talk about Heart Centered Discipline, all things connection & relationships....
Imagine building relationships so strong that your students visit your sick father in the hospital. In this episode my friend, Sara Soehlke, joins me to talk...
In this episode Black History Teacher & Tik Tok star Ernest Crim joins me. This man is super inspirational & has a ton of awesome ideas...
This week I am joined by Shane Saeed. She is the author of the brand new #edu release, Be the Flame. She gives awesome ideas for...
The Brian Mendler Show is back in your life! New episodes will drop Monday or every other Monday. In the first episode I fly solo, talking about our move to Florida and the first five weeks of school for my own children.
This year will feature dynamic interviews with Educators from across all parts of the profession. From para professionals to Superintendents, everyone has a story. I will also answer your “challenging kid” questions.
Be sure to rate, review, subscribe and download every episode. I appreciate all of you
See you soon until then I say “Peace, I’m outta here.”
In episode 5 of “Beyond the Behavior,” Brian & Ms. Chyna dive into a multitude of topics: high standards for students, expectations, communication skills, self-reflection for teachers, and the power of modeling real life situations in front of students.
One of the most important take-aways for teachers and/or parents is to know that it is ok to not have it all figured out. It’s ok to have tough days and to feel sad sometimes. Ms. Chyna and Brian talk about how it’s important to use those days as learning experiences for students and children and to model how you cope during those times. It’s important for children to know that everyone has things that they have to deal with and that it’s how we deal with them that matters.
Ms. Chyna and Brian talk about the importance of holding students to a high standard while also being realistic with what they can and cannot do. Students need to know that teachers are rooting for them and holding them to a high standard. Together, they also discuss the importance of helping students develop respect. While this is important, Brian and Ms. Chyna talk about how it’s a gradual process and how it’s important to first start with clear expectations and limitations.
This episode is not only jam packed with various strategies & teacher tips to help you better manage your classroom and work with students, but it will also provide you with new strategies that you can begin implementing right away: start where the kid is at and grow from there, create teacher evaluations that can be completed by students, and model real life situations and emotions in front of your students to help develop social skills.
In episode 4 of “Beyond the Behavior,” Brian & Ms. Chyna dive into the idea of “rules” and consequences. Together, they share strategies and ideas that will help you effectively manage your classroom by setting clear and kid friendly expectations.
One of the most important take-aways for teachers and/or parents from this episode is to remember that consequences don’t have to look like a “punishment” for them to work. Brian Mendler dives into the idea and process of having constructive consequences in schools and the overall impact that has had on students.
Lastly, Ms. Chyna and Brian talk about the importance of including students in tough conversations. Students need to be involved in the problem-solving process. Allowing students the opportunity to brainstorm with an adult to come up with ideas to “repair” a relationship or solve a problem can be highly effective.
This episode is not only jam packed with various strategies & teacher tips to help you better manage your classroom, but it will also provide you with new strategies you can begin implementing right away: On-A-Roll Certificates, Wow Wall, Reward one in honor of all, etc. As always, we’re rooting for you! Keep doing what’s right for kids. You’ve got this!!
In episode 3 of “Beyond the Behavior,” Brian & Ms. Chyna go over power statements and “power questions” that will help set you up for success. Together, they share strategies and ideas that will help you effectively communicate with students, parents, and administration regardless of the situation (escalated parents/students, students with anxiety, parents that want to feel heard, etc.).
One of the most important take-aways for teachers and/or parents from this episode, is to take time to listen. Brian Mendler discusses the acronym L.A.A.D, in which he reminds us to Listen, Agree, Acknowledge, and Defer. Ms. Chyna and Brian talk about the importance of being upfront and “real” with students – diving into conversations that they have with students about state testing and other challenges students might encounter.
This episode is not only jam packed with various strategies & teacher tips to help you communicate effectively as a teacher, but it will also provide you with new language ideas that you can start using right away. As always, we’re rooting for you! Keep doing what’s right for kids. You’ve got this!!