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Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

SEL and EQ are fundamental to learning readiness. They enable students and teachers to better understand themselves and to connect with each other, which is critically important in creating the space that allows academic learning to occur.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

SEL/EQ has enabled me to understand myself and my students more deeply, to make connections, and to establish healthy boundaries that allow me to do my best, most authentic work.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Teacher burnout is a huge challenge that is as symptom of several other challenges in education: large class sizes, lack of respect, low pay. The current cultural climate of shutting down (banning books, for instance) rather than opening up conversation is also a challenge.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

The openness of many teachers, schools and school districts to developing SEL/EQ programming is exciting.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

The mind is the key to realizing one’s purpose and potential. The mind is like an engine that must be consistently provided with fuel that will enable and empower one to become the person created to be. What you feed your mind is what you will believe and be the source that will help you to become.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

I have realized that the power of thinking is the source of my strength. It enables me to keep moving forward consistently in the pursuit of my purpose. It empowers me to become better, not settling for what life dishes out but instead making my life what I want and desire it to be. Struggles and storms will occur because this is a part of life. I must make the decision on how I will respond and the actions that I will take. My response will impact my direction and my path. I am the author of my story.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Incorporating creating and building habits to support health and the mind. Habits are formed based on values and beliefs. Forming and developing healthy habits early will provide a basis for helping a child to be successful.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

Explaining and exercising the power of independent thought. Thoughts leads to developing their own ideas so they can identify their purpose and not be fearful of expressing their thoughts. Their thoughts are their power.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

Every problem we face in our society is a result of not properly managing our emotions. From political divide, crime, addiction, conflict, to misbehavior, teacher stress, and the inability to overcome setbacks, the inability to regulate our emotions takes a toll on us and on society. Emotions impact everything in our lives from our decision-making ability, relationships, memory, learning, creativity, performance, and physical and mental health. The ability to manage our emotions begins with self-awareness, knowing who we truly are and being able to manage our thoughts and interactions with others effectively.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

I suffered from depression for most of my life. My depression ended when I read Tony Robbins’ book, Awaken the Giant Within. The notion that I could control my emotions with my thoughts was an empowering idea that changed my life. I was no longer a slave to circumstance, other people’s actions, and my own thoughts and emotions. I could just change them and transform my state. I read other books and attended many seminars and realized that SEL instruction needed to be brought into classrooms, especially to teachers who are operating in a high stress environment.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

1. Adult SEL has not been addressed effectively yet. We focus on curriculum and SEL implementation but educators create the culture for learning and thriving with SEL. Adult SEL has been so focused on stress management techniques and self-care, but doesn’t address the thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs that cause us to pile the stress on ourselves in the first place.
2. SEL instruction is difficult for teachers to implement. They don’t have enough time, aren’t trained, don’t have enough staff PD to plan or debrief SEL instruction, and they don’t see how it can improve student academics directly. This leads to many teachers ditching SEL instruction altogether in favor of teaching their content since that is what they are held accountable for.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

1. Adult SEL that can be integrated in staff meetings.
2. SEL instruction that is seamlessly integrated into academic instruction.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

They help educators manage their learners emotional state

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

It enabled me to adjust as per the demand of the situation and helped me in achieving different targets as an educator, innovator and speaker.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Sustaining the teaching workforce
Accessibility in underserved community

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

The place of technology in bridging the gap.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

Emotional intelligence is extremely important because we can use it to enhance how we connect, communicate, and collaborate. EQ holds all the skills that demonstrate how well we take in, understand, show, reason with, and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

During my years as a head football coach, my coaching staff understood how to value and trust our players. Many playcalls were actually theirs and not ours. This awareness of their strengths, and the trust we had in each other, led to multiple state championships.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Right now, educators are exhausted from the pandemic. With proper EQ, however, we can learn how to help ourselves and each other work through this challenge.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

A large opportunity today is to use these current challenges as a learning experience. How we work through theses tough times can be a map of how people can flourish during difficulties in the future.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

Brain researchers use the term neuro associations to refer to how humans connect thoughts to feelings. To put it simply, if a student wakes up in the morning and says, “I hate going to school” then their brain will associate the idea of going to school with pain instead of pleasure. That is the story they are telling their brain. Your stories create your feelings. Educators need to understand the stories of all of the students they see on a daily basis. LEARN TO UNDERSTAND THEIR STORIES AND YOU WILL DISCOVER THE SWEET SPOT. SEL and EQ are the gateways to unlocking unlimited potential in all whom we serve.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

YES! The Power of Positive Affirmations Many of these stories are in my Book Overcoming a Life/Death situation as a High School Student

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

It took a pandemic for Education in America to realize the importance of SEL and mental health education in our schools. Student Agency is declining as we are more concerned with everyone “being on the same page” so we lose great teachers who want to innovate.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

COVID has offered us opportunities to be better connected with our families. IF students can endure COVID-19 Pandemic then they can change the future ahead of education making it a place that brings about curiosity and promotes innovation.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

SEL and EQ is the basis of how a person becomes aware of who they want to be, how they respond to life experiences, how they connect with other and make the best decisions for themselves. When one struggles with these skills it often hard to navigate daily lives and reach one’s full potential.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

My dissertation was on students’ perspective of social emotional learning in a school setting. I wrote on this topic because it was through SEL skills that I have been able to progress in my personal, professional, and educational journeys, as well as manage my response to trauma.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

The lack of equitable resources and on-going skills building for professionals and parents on the importance of SEL and EQ in the school, home, and community environments. Gaining a better understanding of the needs of a community and implementing the most effectives services and supports.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

There is great opportunity for collaboration with parents, student and community-based organizations to address the needs of a school community and the use of data to drive informed decisions.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

We all have a Mind-Body connection. SEL teaches us tools to connect the two by using awareness, relationships, decision-making and regulation to better our personal and society’s wellbeing.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

Self-awareness, mindfulness, breath, and movement helped me through breast cancer. It can lessen stress and control fear. through hope and faith.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Retaining and recruiting teachers. We face losing half of our teachers at the end of this year. Allowing time for reflection, relaxation, and relationships is vital for our school staff.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

Creating a holistic wellness school culture.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

Social Emotional Learning and Emotional Intelligence are so important in this extremely emotional world. Being a creature of emotion myself, I remember my struggles as a student. I strive to provide a better relational experience in order to help empower student learning.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

Always “keep it real” when dialoguing with students, especially in the middle level school grades. Students can spot an insincere person from a mile away. And truly, all you need is love (plus content, of course).

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

There are several challenges in this day-and-age, but two stand out to me. I believe with economical challenges come parents, like myself, struggling to make a living for their families, affecting the balance at home. I also believe that our children suffer from overstimulation in today’s electronic age. Navigating through instant gratification can prove difficult.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

I believe we have a real ability to affect future generations positively by interpersonal communication, high standards, differentiation, and love.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

SEL and EQ are the core of what makes us function as humans, and they are essential to navigating our lives in a healthy way. They help us cope with the inevitable obstacles that challenge and skew our life path and teach us to attune to others along the way. We all need to belong, and therefore, we need to understand our own shortcomings and limitations while learning to empathize so we can build deep connections and become strong advocates. The more we master SEL skills and develop our EQ, the greater the chance we have in making this world a better place to exist.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

Over time, I noticed people seeking me out to discuss personal and professional problems, especially those involving challenging people in their lives. They often expressed appreciation of the time I spent listening to them while offering some guidance, and many of my colleagues told me to go into leadership. Having gained confidence as being the sort of “SEL guru”, I am able to have conversations with just about any person in any role, which can be daunting to some. In my personal life, this led me to meeting my dream celebrity (Jon Bon Jovi) and professionally, it allowed me to reach out to people as a podcaster. Rather than being intimidated by people with a distinguished title or status, I am eager to learn from them. Having strong SEL/EQ knowledge and skills has definitely helped me grow, and overall, the connections I have with others ultimately open the doors for opportunity.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

The two main challenges in education are: 1) a lack of training in trauma-informed teaching and, 2) avoiding difficult topics and situations with staff and students because we are driven by fear of causing further harm, offending someone or getting something wrong, so we do nothing. Investing in SEL early in human development will lead to an advanced EQ in later life, especially in early adolescence when the brain is uniquely developing. Schools are the second most significant agent of socialization and often have a powerful influence over the life path of our children. The earlier we learn to effectively teach self-advocacy, boundary-setting, decision-making, self-regulation (or naming/recognizing/feeling our emotions), self-awareness, etc. the better chance our youth will have in polishing these skills when they are emerging adults. Learning this in the early years also normalizes the conversations and allows adults to confidently model behaviors and foster important discussions that can keep our children safe and in healthier life circumstances. Had teen students learned the essential SEL/EQ in their homes and reinforced by schools (or visa versa), they may have avoided unhealthy/abusive dating relationships, or perhaps they would have set boundaries with friends, activities or (gasp) parents/adults. With all of the evidence-based data we have these days, SEL should be mandated in school curriculum globally to address these pressing issues.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

There is excellent leadership right now in education with some awesome training opportunities that exist in SEL. Insightful administrators are leaning on their compassionate staff who understand the value of this kind of programming, so innovation is definitely occurring. Training in trauma-informed teaching and mental health awareness is readily available, and conversations about suicide prevention is emerging more now than ever before. Some schools infuse SEL curriculum into daily practice, especially in middle schools, and others are stepping into it; there is forward movement. I also see administrators investing more into whole school SEL programming while keeping their staff’s mental health in mind. Parent groups are receiving training and students are attending workshops (internally or externally) too, and language around emotional regulation and self-awareness is being normalized. This is a fantastic way for whole school communities to unite. I am really excited about the future of education!

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

Many of us learn functional and technical skills in school, college and traditional training programs. But we often don’t learn how to improve collaborative action, how to create mutually-beneficially emotional connections with others, or how to have the purposeful, effective (and sometimes difficult) conversations that actually drive our most important results.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

As an Executive Coach, I experience the power of EQ every day, both personally and through the experiences of my clients. Here’s an antidote that I share in my book, The Coaching Companion: For twenty years, Sharon was a highly accomplished human resources executive. In recent years, she found herself exhausted and overwhelmed by her position. One day, Sharon’s coach asked her about her social life. Initially, Sharon resisted this topic, seeing it as irrelevant to her sense of feeling overwhelmed. However, as soon as Sharon was willing to open up to her coach about her life outside of work, she realized that her career had so dominated her life that her friendships had become nonexistent. Sharon soon realized that she could handle the stress of management more effectively when she invested time in friendships outside of work. Although it was painful to shine a light in this dark corner of her life, Sharon was thankful for the doors it opened to a more fulfilling lifestyle.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

In today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambitious) environment, our children face more stress than ever before. As parents and educators, we need to elevate our own capacity to handle complexity while concurrently finding effective ways to teach our children how to thrive alongside us.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

As the world moves to a more integrated and global perspective, we have the opportunity to teach our children SEL/EQ in the context of nearly everything they do. Perhaps more so than ever before, there is a push toward integrated and connected education, where children can learn about SEL/EQ through history, science, and literature.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

People will have many jobs in their lifetime and SEL and EQ can help us adapt and be flexible throughout our working years.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

I’m an entrepreneur which means lots of ups and downs. Having skills like resilience and self-regulation can help me weather the storms of uncertainty in my career.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Time and money—those are two of the main challenges for many things in education!

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

Hybrid learning can offer more opportunities for some students. All students are different and there are those self-motivated learners that can really thrive in a virtual environment.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

SEL and EQ are integral to development, and applying knowledge and wisdom for the intelligent heart.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

SEL/EQ helped me become more self-aware, build relationships, make better decisions and become an effective advocate for myself and others.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Adapting to change (e.g. online learning modalities) and developing neurodiverse talent.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

Adapting to change and effectively developing and advocating for twice-exceptional students and particularly, gifted African American girls in STEM.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

They are important be cause they are the root of all other subject and how the student learns, engages and retains the educational process.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

Will save for the presentation.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

Leadership that truly understands the student environment and home life outside of the classroom.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

The biggest opportunity is allowing students to use their negative experiences as a guide of what not to do.

Why do you believe SEL and EQ are important?

I believe SEL and EQ are important because an emotional imbalance can wreck your life. Many students are classified as having behavior issues because they do not know how to manage their emotions, and I believe teaching about SEL and EQ could help diffuse this.

Do you have any personal anecdotes about how SEL/EQ has brought you success in your
personal life/career?

I teach self-regulation techniques to my students regularly to help them clear their minds and manage behavior and have experienced students gain awareness and begin to use the techniques without being prompted to regulate their behavior.

What do you believe to be one or two of the main challenges in education (K-8) today?

One of the main challenges is that teachers do not always feel supported by administration and parents, making it sometimes difficult to set parameters for what is and is not acceptable in the classroom.

Conversely, what do you believe to be one or two of the biggest opportunities in education (K-8) today?

One of the biggest opportunities in education is the opportunity to show a child that they matter!