Education for Love and Wisdom: Recent Episodes
Dr. Jeff Hittenberger
This podcast tells the stories of people who are participating in education with love and wisdom. It also offers a vision that equips those called to teach and those who are otherwise engaged in education and civic life to participate with love and wisdom and overcome the temptations of fear, anger, and incivility. The episodes explore how education for love and wisdom looks, why it matters, and the difference it makes in the lives of students, families, and communities. Season One is a five-episode mini-series that explores the state of love and wisdom in education. The first episode, Love and Wisdom During the Time of COVID, drops September 29 and a new episode will follow each week through October 27. And watch for a Bonus Episode!
You can reach us with your questions, thoughts, and suggestions at loveandwisdom@vanguard.edu. We’ll talk soon!
This second part of the interview features Joni Eereckson Tada, our 2nd Annual Disability Symposium lunchtime keynote. She broke her neck and was paralyzed when she was just 17 years old. In the years that followed, she became an artist, author, minister, and one of the world's most effective advocates for people with disabilities. In this two-part episode of the Education for Love and Wisdom Podcast, Jeff Hittenberger and Joanne Van Boxtel interview Joni and learn about the extraordinary work of Joni and Friends, an international disability ministry that is equipping churches and schools to become communities of welcome and belonging for people with disabilities. You'll be inspired! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Joni Eereckson Tada broke her neck and was paralyzed when she was just 17 years old. In the years that followed, she became an artist, author, minister, and one of the world's most effective advocates for people with disabilities. In this two-part episode of the Education for Love and Wisdom Podcast, Jeff Hittenberger and Joanne Van Boxtel interview Joni and learn about the extraordinary work of Joni and Friends, an international disability ministry that is equipping churches and schools to become communities of welcome and belonging for people with disabilities. You'll be inspired! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
In this episode, Dr. Ludmila Praslova, author of the award-winning book The Canary Code, joins us to explore the vital role of neurodiversity in workplaces and faith communities. Dr. Praslova shares her personal origin story and professional expertise in defining the nuances of neurodivergent experiences and intersectional belonging. The discussion offers practical strategies for designing inclusive environments where diverse minds can thrive with dignity. Listen in to discover a vision for empowerment and discover more about the resources needed to foster more supportive educational and spiritual spaces. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Dr. Stefan Bean, Orange County Superintendent sits down with Dr. Jeff Hittenberger to discuss how educators and leaders can make a difference in the lives of those with disabilities. Hear Dr. Bean's incredible story and how it has impacted his work as an educational leader. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Listen in to Part 1 of an excellent talk about how schools and church organizations can meet the needs of families and individuals with disabilities. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Listen in to the plenary session featuring a panel of educational leaders and church community leaders from our recent Disability Symposium event. This is Part 1 of the panel discussion. Stay tuned next week for Part 2! Please also save the date for Wednesday, June 24th -- our 2nd Annual Disability Symposium is coming soon! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Welcome to the Education for Love and Wisdom podcast, Season 5! This first episode of the new season asks the question: "How does God see disability?" Our host, Dr. Jeff Hittenberger, Dean of Vanguard University's School of Education, interviews Dr. Rodney Hume-Dawson, professor at Cal Poly Pomona, and Dr. Joanne Van Boxtel, faculty director of the Special Education program at Vanguard. Together, they explore theology and disability and describe ways in which schools and faith communities can embrace and empower children, youth, and adults with disabilities. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Dr. Jeff Kim serves in many diverse roles from teacher, to coach, to school board member. His extensive experience provides a unique perspective on leadership at all levels. Dr. Kim shows that you be an effective leader in any job and in any context through the power of love and wisdom. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
How do you build a world-class team grounded in love and wisdom? Dr. Ryan Hartwig serves as Vanguard University's Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. He's a seasoned leader and expert in team dynamics. Dr. Hartwig's book, Teams That Thrive, offers valuable insights into healthy team leadership, which we'll explore in this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Superintendent Michael Matsuda is a nationally recognized leader in 21st-century education. He's transformed Anaheim Union High School District with innovations like the 5Cs, the 'Career Preparedness Systems Framework,' and fostering student voice and purpose. Hear how a leader can combine innovation with love and wisdom to bring transformative change to schools and communities. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
How do ethics and integrity shape your leadership? And how do love and wisdom create a strong foundation for long-term contribution in leadership? This week’s guest is Dr. Renea Brathwaite, who serves as Dean of Vanguard University's School of Theology and Ministry and Chief Community Care Officer. His journey has taken him from Barbados to a Ph.D. in Theology. Join us in a deep and life-changing conversation! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Norma E. Martinez is Superintendent of Centralia Elementary School District. With 30 years in education, she's risen from bilingual instructional assistant to superintendent. Under her leadership, Centralia schools have garnered numerous accolades, but her message is that the superintendency is never about the superintendent. Instead, leadership is about empowering ALL students! Find out how on this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Dr. Wesley Smith, Superintendent of Newport-Mesa Unified, is a respected leader with over 25 years experience in California public education. He’s well-known for narrowing achievement gaps and fostering strong family engagement. His extensive experience spans site, district, state, and federal levels. Recently, he inspired Vanguard University's Teacher Education Advisory Council with his impactful insights. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Let’s talk about leadership! This season, we’ll hear stories from educational leaders who share about how to become a leader and not lose your soul in the process. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Educators are tired. The demands of life weigh heavy as we seek to meet the needs of and create opportunities for all our students, many of whom are experiencing distress. How can we care for ourselves and stay healthy and well in the midst of it all? On this episode, Dr. Rebecca Spady and Dr. Joanne Van Boxtel on “Love, Wisdom, and Self-Care.” Join us and feel better! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Much of the basic wiring of a human brain happens in the first five years of a child’s life, as a child’s brain grows from 25% of the size of an adult brain at birth to 90% of an adult brain at age five. The foundational architecture of the brain is dependent on positive interaction with parents and other adults in the earliest years of life, opportunities to interact, learn, and grow, care and nurture and love. Too many children in our society lack that kind of support and opportunity in their earliest years, thus increasing attention to the importance of early childhood education. In this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom, Dr. Seon Chun-Burbank talks about “Love, Wisdom, and Early Childhood Education.” Join us! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
In my house, teachers are heroes. Teachers have been irreplaceable partners in the education of our children. And yet, we often hear stories of how that partnership breaks down. In this episode, I’m joined by my wife Christine Corbin Hittenberger for a discussion of how teachers can and do partner with families to ensure that students maximize their learning and growth. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Do you thrill to the possibilities represented by new technologies that offer students access to the vast library of all human learning to help them build new understandings and new creations? Or do you flashback to awkward lectures on zoom with blank screens? And are our technology tools opening doors to a bright future for our students, or are our technologies rewiring our children’s brains and making them depressed? All of this and Artificial Intelligence on this week’s episode of Education for Love and Wisdom, featuring Orange County Teacher of the Year Glen Warren and Professor Joanne Van Boxtel. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
We’re not meant to do teaching alone. We need friends and colleagues who share the work and the sense of mission. Renee Rose and Becky Spady, our guests on this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom, exemplify that kind of friendship. And so do their topics, which depend on each other like friends do. Instructional strategies and assessments, if they support each other, can bring learning to life. Join us! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Celebration! Do you remember a classroom where learning was celebrated? Not so much because you got an A, but because you tried something really hard, because you took on a challenge and made progress, because you learned something even though your experiment “failed.” There’s always something to celebrate. And celebration is one of the keys to creating a classroom environment that helps students to flourish. In this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom, author Renee Rose shares celebration and lots of other ideas for creating positive learning environments. Join us! The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
What if the people we consider most vulnerable are the strongest among us? What if the people who historically have been considered least likely to contribute actually have the most to contribute? What if the highest calling is not to be rich or famous or powerful, but rather to serve with love and wisdom even when no one is looking? This week on Education for Love and Wisdom, Dr. Joanne Van Boxtel on love, wisdom, and students with disabilities. The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
How can we make sure that each one of our children and young people gets the support and opportunities he or she needs to flourish in their learning? This is the focus of this week’s episode based on the chapter entitled “Love, Wisdom, and Support Strategies for Students.” Author Pam Tupy is an outstanding educator, a consultant with Katie Novak, and was my colleague at the Orange County Department of Education. She makes sense of multiple initiatives intended to create truly and powerfully inclusive classrooms, schools, and communities.The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Jeff recently asked his students which Olympic sport they enjoyed most this summer. What was yours? His students chose women's gymnastics--especially because of their impressive success during the games. One striking thing about the US Olympic team, exemplified by the women’s gymnastics team, was its extraordinary diversity and unity: “E pluribus unum.” On this week’s episode we explore the chapter entitled “Love, Wisdom, and Cultural Diversity” with Dr. Jeff Kim and Dr. Alex Lin!The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
This episode features audio that was produced by the Orange County Department of Education. View further information and hear more about this extraodrinary story here: https://newsroom.ocde.us/the-deeper-learning-podcast/
For more information about the Mendez v. Westminster court case, visit this site: https://newsroom.ocde.us/the-final-ruling-in-mendez-v-westminster-which-ended-sanctioned-school-segregation-came-75-years-ago-today/
The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by Vanguard University of Southern California. For more information about the Vanguard School of Education or this podcast, please email loveandwisdom@vanguard.edu
Thanks for listening!
How does our brain work? How do we create the optimum conditions for learning? What do love and wisdom have to do with learning theories and brain science? These are the questions we explore in this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom!The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Why education for love and wisdom? Love is a big word with lots of different meanings. What do we mean by “love” in this context? How about wisdom? In this episode, hear Jeff Hittenberger interviewed by Nathan Brais as they unpack Chapter 1 in the new book Education for Love & Wisdom: Effective Teachers for Challenging Times. This season features conversations with the authors of the book as they address this question: How can love and wisdom impact every aspect of our teaching and learning?The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Season 3 - New Trailer - August 2024Announcing our new season and looking forward to connecting with our audience this year!The Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Trailer for Season 3 of the Education for Love & Wisdom PodcastThe Education for Love & Wisdom Podcast is sponsored by VanguardUniversity of Southern California. For more information about theVanguard School of Education or this podcast, please emailloveandwisdom@vanguard.edu Thanks for listening!
Bodie Kuljian came to national attention as runner-up on The Voice in 2022. What most people don’t know is that Bodie is a music educator at Vanguard University. What started Bodie on this journey and what is his vision for his future as a musician and a music educator? Find out on this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom.
During a dark time in his youth, a teacher encouraged Kevin Lopez to be a light in the darkness. Now Kevin seeks to share that same encouragement with his students during a very hard first year teaching assignment. Learn from Kevin how he is keeping the light shining even when the circumstances feel overwhelming.
Mikayla Singleterry is part of a generation of teachers forged in the time of COVID. In this episode, you’ll hear how that experience, and other experiences of challenge and uncertainty, have shaped Mikayla’s calling and courage to teach.
Skateboarding. Gamification. Music. Anime. How do you connect with this rising generation of students? And how do you connect them to things they need to learn in order to thrive? In this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom, Michael Robles shares ways he is connecting with his students.
Can a new science teacher make a difference in the lives of students who are experiencing stress and anxiety, or even trauma? In this episode, you’ll hear from Kailey Christensen about what it is like to be a new AP Biology teacher in a California public school and how love and wisdom show up in her classroom.
Each of us has a history and that history intersects with the histories of our community and our nation(s). Parents, Grandparents, Great-grandparents and others in our circle of relationships can all contribute to our understanding of these vital histories. Dustin Cornejo is the kind of teacher who helps his students connect to their histories, partly by connecting to his own! Hear Dustin’s story in this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom.
In recent years, California and many other states have recognized the vital importance of empowering the learning of young children beginning in their earliest years. Dani Yracheta is one of the new teachers who feels called to serve and equip those young children. Hear her inspiring vision in this episode of Education for Love and Wisdom!
Matthew Kenslow is a remarkable person. He earned a degree in Biochemistry. He is a published author, a juggler, and a public speaker. He has over 80,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. He recently completed his teaching credential in Math at Vanguard. And Matthew is Autistic. Hear Matthew’s story on this Episode of Education for Love and Wisdom!
There has never been a better time to become a teacher.What? Really? The news stories don’t make it sound like that! Why would someone choose to be a teacher when American education is in crisis, students are struggling to learn because of trauma, and teachers are leaving the profession because of stress?In Season 2, you’ll hear from new teachers and teacher candidates about their calling to teach and why they're excited about becoming a teacher now. Join us!
Dr. Al Mijares serves as Orange County Superintendent of Schools, the top education position in a county with almost 500,000 students. Dr. Mijares has spent his career promoting kindness in education to ensure that every student feels welcomed and valued at school. In this episode, you’ll hear about Dr. Mijares’s journey from a child of an immigrant farmworker to a Ph.D. at USC to leadership in some of the most influential educational organizations in the nation. You’ll also hear from the next generation. Rebekah Robeck started a movement called “Let’s Be Kind” when she was just an 8th grader!
How can we see people through eyes of love and wisdom? In this episode, parents and teachers reflect on how we learn from our children and students when we take the time to enter their world and receive their gifts.
How do we learn and teach about history in ways that expand our understanding and deepen our capacity to act with love and wisdom? Achachemen Native Californian community leaders Jerry Nieblas and Domingo Belardes share their insights and the impact of the Acjachemen Education Initiative.
How does love show up in classrooms, schools, and districts? Orange County Teacher of the Year Glen Warren, now serving as Director of LOL for the Encinitas Union School District, shares his vision, which starts with this affirmation to students, educators, families, and community members: “What matters to you matters.”
Website for The Kindness of Color:
https://www.thekindnessofcolor.com/about
Website for the Graduate Program in Education:
https://www.vanguard.edu/loveandwisdom
How did people respond when American education experienced the disruption of COVID? Interviews with Dr. Jeff Kim and Pastor Jorge Molina demonstrate how responses rooted in love and wisdom flourished even in the midst of reactions based on fear and anger.