The daunting reality of feeling down and out --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/betterkids/message

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There are 5 very human needs we are all seeking to satisfy -- both our young people and the adults who guide them. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

Is school a game that is rigged from the start... for some of us? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

The beginning of a discussion on the sometimes insatiable human need for control or power. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

What if we helped people identify the needs they share with 99.99% of humanity? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

42 days ago my kids were taken... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

How do we weigh the bad in good people and the good in bad people? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

What if we treated math the same way we treated mental, social and emotional health in school? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

Question:  Why would we ever ask teachers and school administrators to deliver the mental & emotional development our young people need? Video version available here. enjoy.... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

"How does one child, born into many, turn out bad?" see video version here enjoy... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/betterkids/message

Justin welcomes Paul Goren, Director for Northwestern University's Center for Education Efficacy, Effectiveness and Equity. Paul is a life-long educator who has worked at the intersection of education practice, policy and research. Most recently he was superintendent of schools for Evanston/Skokie District 65. He currently directs a center focused on producing usable knowledge at the Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy. Justin's favorite antectode from the...

Guest:  Dr. Michael Allen As a school principal at Oakton Elementary School near Chicago, Dr. Allen recognized the huge need for reading materials that depict young Black boys in a manner that is authentic and relatable as well as positive and life-affirming. Named the 2020 Elementary Principal of the Year (North Cook Region) by the Illinois Principals Association, Dr. Allen tirelessly advocates to end policies that hold students of color down and replace them with trauma-informed practices,...

Guest:  Alisha Bacchus As a first year teacher who joined the profession in the midst of the pandemic, Alisha had to hit the ground running. Certified in English as a Second/Other Language she has instructed students in kindergarten through 4th grade, in addition to working as an executive assistant. Alisha shares how difficult it has been for her students to learn both english and the core curriculum during the pandemic. As a second generation immigrant (Guyana), Alisha can empathize with...

My son was a straight A student for 3 straight quarters this school year.  Then I got a 4th quarter progress report with four F's on it. I responded by sending my son 3 classic "Dad" texts:  "Hey what's going on in science?"  screenshot of F grades circled in red  "Please call me when you are free." The reply was unexpected and jarring. I hope you find this short episode valuable and thought provoking. You can reach me at:  [email protected]  --- Send in a voice message:...

In this special episode, the debut of a brand new podcast is shared.  The M&M Charity Podcast, hosted by Miles & Marley, highlights 1 new charity each episode.   In this episode, M&M discuss Wine to Water, a global organization that empowers communities with sustainable clean water technology & education.   Towards the end of each episode, M&M try to convince 1 adult to donate $100 to the charity they are discussing.   In this episode, they try to persuade their Dad to...

Justin welcome his oldest brother, Jason Lyons, to the podcast.   Jason is a proud father of 3 girls, as well as a graduate of the University of Notre Dame & Northwestern's Kellogg MBA program. For the past several years, Jason and his wife have chosen to home school and/or alternative school their children.  Jason discusses why he chose this learning path and how it still has a long way to go to be within mainstream reach.  While reflecting on getting in trouble as kids,  Jason shares...

How many kids get left behind?   How many beautifully talented & multidimensional kids are we apathetically shoving through uniformly designed square holes. With so many islands and chiefs in education, is surprise so many kids struggle with their Identity? The most valuable asset a child has is a healthy, strong & balanced sense of self. This identity is the story they form of themselves, each hour of each day. This podcast explores the struggle to secure identity in American...

Justin asks what skills our kids will need to adapt and thrive in a future of unprecedented change and transformation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blaze-app/message

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Blaze founder, Justin Lyons, discusses the need for critical thinking in the context of mainstream positivity and faith movements. [email protected] --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blaze-app/message

In the super short podcast, listen to a reflection on what love is and why it fades... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blaze-app/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blaze-app/support

Justin welcomes Brooke Murphy-Roothaan, an Evanston, IL mother of 2 children - one in middle school and another in high school. Brooke's life has been turned upside down and inside out this past several months due to an unexpected, and still pending, divorce.   Instead of letting sadness and anger define her, Brooke has chosen to discover what an authentic life means to her and how she can positively contribute to the world around her.   One passion Brooke cares deeply about is mental...

Justin chats with Jerry Marshall, a lifelong Evanston, IL resident.  Jerry is a coach, ordained deacon, community volunteer and devoted father of 4 children, including two middle school kids.  Diagnosed over 20 years ago with a rare disease that primarily impacts African Americans, Jerry lost sight in one eye in his 20's and is currently in need of a kidney transplant.    With a blood type of "b positive",  Jerry faces a waiting list of over 7 years.    Despite a lifetime of adversity,...