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Empower Students Now
Finding Calm Amongst the Chaos of Life Part II: The Body as Your Anchor
In this episode, part two of an eight-part series, Amanda discusses her journey through the Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP) and the profound lessons she learned. She emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, especially for women,...
The Art of Empowering Students: An Interview with Jen Chieco
In this episode, Amanda welcomes Jen Chieco, a former teacher who transitioned into becoming a life coach who specializes in empowering teens. They discuss Jen's teaching background, her reasons for leaving public education, and how she found her true calling through...
Finding Calm Amongst the Chaos of Life Part I: The Breath as Your Anchor
Amanda returns after a long hiatus, excited to start a new season focused on mindfulness, neurodiversity, equity, and student engagement. In this special episode, Amanda shares a recording of her first mindfulness class from her practicum, which is part of her...
A Mother’s Day Meditation
Close your eyes, dear mother, and allow the world to soften around you. Breathe in deeply, inviting calm into your space, and exhale slowly, releasing the weight of your many roles. With each breath, feel lighter, as if a gentle breeze is lifting the burdens from your...
Navigating Adult ADHD: A Personal and Professional Journey
Show Notes In this episode of "Empower Students Now," host Amanda interviews Vanessa Jones, an English teacher, writer, and voice actor who has recently authored a guidebook on adult ADHD. Vanessa discusses her personal experience with an adult ADHD diagnosis, the...
The Revealing Reality Struggling Readers Face within the U.S. Education System
In this episode of Empower Students Now, host Amanda interviews her sister Shelly Gonsalves, who opens up about her lifelong struggle with reading and learning difficulties. Shelly recounts her early educational challenges, the lack of support she faced, and the...
I Found Out I Have ADHD at Age 40
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner shares her personal journey of discovering that she has ADHD and the importance of teachers understanding this condition. Amanda explains that many students in classrooms may be undiagnosed with...
Essential Takeaways from Reading Reconsidered by Doug Lemov
Do you want to teach your students how to read more effectively and prepare them for college and life? In this podcast episode, Amanda discusses the book "Reading Reconsidered" by Doug Lemov, which provides a wealth of information on how to improve students' reading...
Essential Takeaways from The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop by Felicia Rose Chavez
Are you an English teacher looking to create an anti-racist writing workshop that prioritizes student voices and celebrates diversity? Look no further than "The Antiracist Writing Workshop" by Felicia Rose Chavez. In this episode, Amanda provides a detailed review and...
Essential Takeaways from Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda shares her summer plans and introduces a series of episodes where she provides overviews of eight books on educational equity and social justice that she read in 2021. She also offers a toolkit for...
How to Increase Student Engagement with Equitable Teaching Practices
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, Amanda introduces her new course, The Empowered English Classroom, which aims to increase student engagement through equitable teaching practices. Amanda discusses the Empowered English Classroom Framework, which...
We Need to Stop Shaming Kids (and Ourselves) for Screen Use, Here’s Why…
In this podcast episode, Amanda discusses the negative impact of shaming kids and ourselves for screen use. She argues that screens can have benefits for neurodivergent individuals and others seeking community, and emphasizes the importance of cultivating a...