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A Social Reintegration Podcast Series

with Joe Erpelding
Senior Vice President, Education at Thrively

Who Is Joe Erpelding?

"A Learner Just Like You

I’m a family man who learned about learning by being curios. Growing up in a large family (one of 10 kids - yep you read correctly) with brothers and sisters who finished college in two years, a Navy Officer, Engineers, full ride scholarships, and valedictorians, I had to fight to find my own way. I recall a family conversation where family friends were wondering if I was going to go to college. I realized at that moment that I am motivated by challenge. You can imagine, I was not much into doing "school" or being schooled in the typical manner. School for me was impersonal, routine and disconnected from reality. I would run home after school and spend hours in my backyard canyon creating forts, designing go karts and taking things apart. Learning . . . I would come to realize - It's Personal!

Being part of ten different educational spaces - with rolls from Instructional Assistant to Campus Principal - I have developed a deep passion for changing the way we "Do School" and ultimately Learning.

Like you, I have seen school and the world of education reform defined in numerous ways over the years - from 1:1 technology - PBL - The four C's - College and Career Readiness. They all have their shelf life as the pendulum swings. I wondered - there must be a different story?

With over two decades of real-life, in-the-trenches learning experience, my view is radically different. Transformation is about people and not about programs, fads or experts. State Departments, Districts and Schools buy programs because you can't buy culture. Transformation happens in learning organizations that fail forward, are audacious, and provide proof. It's how we should live our lives."

(Click Here for the Audio-Only Version)

For more than the past year, we've told kids that being close to each other is dangerous- literally.
Now, it's time to start reintegrating back to school, sports, and other activities, but it's not as smooth or as seamless as you might think.
There's a lot going on.
On top of that, kids today are growing up in a world of ubiquitous cellphone usage and screens- face to face socialization has been on a decline for years.

There's a lot for concern.

The primary way teenagers grow is through healthy peer relationships. They learn about themselves and how the world works and what's most important in life as they journey together, shoulder to shoulder, face to face.

But when a lot of kids are carrying heightened anxiety about being together, and fewer kids in general have adept social skills, it's time to rethink how we support kids in building relationships.

So welcome to our limited podcast series on Social Reintegration, where we interview educators and practitioners to discover best practices and common sense tools for anyone who has a kid in their life.

Welcome to the YouSchool.


 

Also, we have a simple, interactive mini-course you can share with your kids, no matter how old they are. Oh, and, it's free.