Soledad O'Brien is an award winning journalist with a reputation for being tough, fair, and factual. So it was no surprise when she candidly talked about politics, truthful reporting, the changing culture of "truth," and why some of this "political correctness" has been helpful in changing the tide of inappropriate behavior. We also get into what role educators play in this divided media landscape. *This is a re-release from 5 years ago. Thus some of the news references are dated.

Episode 5: Empowering and Developing Team Members In this episode Jamal and guest host Dr. Zac Shutler discuss how leaders empower and develop team members, the role of coaching and mentorship, and strategies to support the growth of team members.

This is a four part series led by Jamal Crook and three of Florida's finest principals! In this episode Jamal and his guest hosts, Dr Nate Francis, Jaclyn Rowehl, and Corey Jackson discuss practical ways to avoid burnout as a principal and the importance of self-care. Follow these Principals on LinkedIn: Jamal Crook https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamal-crook-146252a1/ Jaclyn Rowehl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyn-rowehl-132072227/ Nate Francis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-francis-277472259/ Corey Jackson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-cj-jackson-6861878a/

Recruit well, treat them well... wish them well. How school admins recruit and build a great model.

Today we have a guest. Matthew Woods is currently the Director of Student Support Services in Virginia. We go into his "sandbox" mentality and what it means to lead. His professional experience includes being a high school teacher, middle and high school assistant principal, middle school principal, adjunct professor, and field instructor at the collegiate level for student-teachers. Additionally, Matthew hosts a K-12 podcast, Leading Out The Woods, and is the author of the children’s book series, I Wanna Be… , starring his son imagining different occupations he would like to grow up to be. Visit Matt’s website for more information: https://www.leadingoutthewoods.com Twitter: @woodsfromawoods

Jamal and I talk about Thanksgiving and COVID, being safe, and trying to keep family traditions in tact. Also... what is Jamal driving? Tweet us @DonWettrick @JamalCrook,

Jamal and I discuss the difference between travel vs vacation. Then Jamal goes into the importance of presence within the time off.

Jamal and Zach go deep into transformational leadership- and what it can do for your school.

Today Jamal and guest host Zach Shutler discuss the opportunities that can exist within the COVID crisis.

2% of teachers are black males. Jamal goes into how he might change that- and what incentives are out there.

Today Jamal and I discuss the recruiting more black male's into the education space. Pt 1 we discuss creating the right environment.

Today Jamal and I discuss the need for more teachers of color- especially male teachers. Also presenting "opportunities" and why some schools have a hard time changing culture.

What happens when 1 marriage partner is healthy and the other isn't? Today Jamal and I talk about healthy relationships, losing weight, and the key to staying healthy- together.

"It's not what you know- it's WHO you know" is a cliche that most people think might be a criticism. But who are we building relationships of collaboration & mutual value? Jamal & I discuss this any why teachers are well suited for building a great network.

Jamal and I discuss "character building days."

Jamal and I discuss the election, potential riots, and why things are (probably)going to be ok.

"Motivation" can come and go. Process is a different story.

Jamal and I have a special announcement. Plus, we wonder "if 2020 was an animal... what animal would it be?"

"When you are younger, you look ahead to see when your big break will come. When you are older, you look back to see when you were broken."

Jamal and I discuss classroom management: Good control or good cooperation?

In talking to my daughter tonight, I was reminded why I love the advice from Kung Fu Panda.

Tonight Jamal and I go deep on leadership.

Sometimes I suck. Sometimes I get too excited and cut off my guests. Sometimes I don't plan the way I should. But I'm trying to get better.

Jamal & I discuss the present moment, Kung Fu Panda, and why Joshua Medcalf's book "Chop Wood, Carry Water" resonates. Also, Jamal decides to start a book study.

Today Jamal & try out the new Open A tool "Chat GPT." What we found kind of scares us, and we try to unpack the implications.

After watching "The Social Dilemma," I decided to delete social media off of my phone.

I'm NOT having a good day- so is Jamal making the situation worse by trying to keep me positive?

I just watched "The Social Dilemma" and I have to say- I'm not surprised, but I AM bothered. I'm bothered by "well the other side said..." type of arguments. I am also bothered by the concern that we might "be headed to civil war," from one of the subjects on the film. Either way, let me know what you think. I'm always up for a perspective. dwettrick@startedupfoundation.org

Jamal and I talk about a "system" change in education, especially for the students that are overlooked academically. Jamal also sheds some light on his experience as a student, and what he wants to see changed at school that serve students of color- and beyond.

I noticed I changed the algorithm by taking a few weeks off. That got me thinking...

Jamal & I are back from a break... because we were tired & weary. The start of school year has been hard on parents, students, teachers, and admins. Jamal breaks down how he has gotten out of his rut- and why his positivity breads more energy in himself and others.

Ryan Long is a comedian that has recently trended for his viral videos on his YouTube channel. His portrayal of "woke culture" and "Fox fans" is a mirror on the polarization of people and identities. In this episode Ryan explains why comedy is alive and well AND why "being offensive" can make people think. You can find more of his work on his YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/user/phatbredrens and his website at: https://www.ryanlongcomedy.com/

Best of luck Class of 2021!

Jamal and I discuss (ok- mostly Jamal has the good insights) how the college football season will affect student athletes.

Mike Teng is the CEO of Swing Education, which normally places quality substitute teachers w/ schools. Now Swing has launched Swing Bubbles, which is matching educators with parents and schools that want small "pod" schools. https://www.pods.swingeducation.com We also talked a lot about equity and access for the students that are in situations that might not allow them the advantages of being in a pod. Swing Education provided the link for people interested in helping to sponsor low-income students and increase access: https://www.pods.swingeducation.com/sponsor

Today Jamal and I discuss the importance of building communities of leaders and leadership opportunities. Have a suggestion for Jamal and I to cover? Want to be a guest on the show? Email Jamal at: crookjamal@gmail.com

A friend of mine Tweeted about an idea of making more time for passion projects, Genius Hour- as we start the COVID pt 2 school year. I gave this a lot of thought. Risks like this require a lot of thought. Thanks for the thought-provoking question Ron!

"Learning pods" and "Micro Schools" are being talked about, especially around the areas of equity. Today, Jamal and I look into the equity issues, and also why parents want the best for their children.

Stephen Tobolowsky is a master storyteller. He has been in hundreds of movies, plays on Broadway, and is constantly appearing on network television shows. However, I wanted to talk to him about his podcast, "The Tobolowsky Files," which to be fair, is more of story time narrative than traditional interview podcast. I cannot explain how much impact and meaning I've gotten from this show. We talk in particular about these two episodes. I HIGHLY recommend you listen to them all, but especially these episodes: https://tobolowskyfiles.com/episodes/the-tobolowsky-files-ep-60-another-second-chance https://tobolowskyfiles.com/episodes/the-tobolowsky-files-ep-22-the-dangerous-animals-club From his website: "Stephen Tobolowsky is one of the leading character actors in film today. USA Today listed Stephen as the 9th most frequently seen actor in movies; he has appeared over 200 movies and television shows."

Due to COVID, I've seen several teachers post that they are leaving teaching. I think there will be an emotional fallout. Mostly because the gut-wrenching choice between staying healthy and serving students they truly care for. In this episode, I share some of my experiences and insight when I made the choice to leave the classroom.

Jamal is back with some insights on how we (might) start the school year in the COVID 2nd wave. Reflecting on how to balance "policy" with empathy.

I'm a big fan of Soledad O'Brien, mostly because she is willing to have the conversations. This episode is proof of that- she questioned and clarified several points, and (my favorite part) wanted to have a conversation around viewpoints. I especially loved the "political correct" and comedy part of the episode. *This is a re-release from 3 years ago. Thus some of the news references are a dated.

I've been a little busy, but I have a request...

The 3-2-1 Video is simple and powerful. It is something I use not only to reflect and be more productive, but also a way to archive my journey.

We need friends to take time for our mind, body, and spirit. Today Jamal and I talk about our efforts to keep our spirits high, despite the chaos.

Blake Boles is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures and the author of Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?, The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. He hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast and has delivered over 75 presentations for education conferences, alternative schools, and parent groups. Blake and his work have appeared on The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, Fox Business, TEDx, The Huffington Post, USA Today, NPR affiliate radio, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. https://blakeboles.com https://www.facebook.com/blake.boles

What does "self care" mean to you? How and why should you set boundaries? Do the holiday's make things worse?

Elanor Rosevelt had a quote: "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." We need to amplify those who are discussing solutions and ideas to make the world a better place. I hear far to many small minds.

Jamal & I discuss the current events around the George Floyd murder, Black Lives Matter, being an Anti-Racist, and how the media portrays the narratives.

Azia is a decisive and assertive photographer and videographer focusing on helping small businesses put their best foot forward. She's determined to make sure everyone understands a headshot does not equal a brand. Since entering into the videography world at a young age, she's always understood the nervousness of being in front of a camera. Over the years, she's honed her skills to be able to create natural interactions when shooting. Her experience allows people to not only feel comfortable but valued. Azia spends her time speaking up for womxn's empowerment, mentoring small businesses on topics ranging from diversity to video marketing, and photographing some of the coolest people in the world. In this episode she talks about her webinar's and training for entrepreneurs learning how to be anti racist. She also discusses her database of black owned businesses in Indianapolis, which can be found at: indyblackowned.com For more information on her training, go to: https://themomentsbetweenus.com/being-anti-racist-in-business