Empower Students Now

Access Editable Slides to Teach Self-Knowledge In this new series about preparing students for an unknown future, Amanda Werner delves into the essential skill of self-knowledge. The episode explores how self-knowledge can help students navigate an uncertain future influenced by AI advancements. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, Amanda explains how biases and labels from adults can shape...

In this final episode in a four part series, Amanda Werner talks with Adrian Martinca about the critical pivot period we are in because of AI technology. The conversation outlines three phases: the enchantment phase of initial technological magic, the pivot phase where AI threatens existing dreams, and the potential future of the "Purpose Economy" or "Dream Economy". Adrian emp...

Host, Amanda Werner, continues her interview with Adrian Martinca in this episode. Adrian is a technologist and activist working tirelessly on behalf of  children. Adrian invites us to imagine a future where AI has replaced the workforce and the power and efficiency of AI tools has advanced so far that academic learning can be distilled into 20% of the school day, the other 80% of the time? Well,...

In this episode, Amanda Werner and Adrian Martinca discuss the fundamental contradictions faced by educators and parents in preparing children for a future dominated by AI. They delve into the disparities between current educational goals and real future job prospects, emphasizing the potential obsolescence of many professions due to automation. The conversation stresses the importance of focusing...

Part 1 of a 5-Part Series: Your Guide to Navigating AI's Impact on Kids, Education, and the Future Host Amanda Werner and guest Adrian Martinca dive into the challenges and opportunities of technology and AI in education. Adrian shares his personal journey from overcoming the digital divide to founding a nonprofit that empowers kids through access to technology. Together, they explore the imp...

In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, the host Amanda Werner, delves into the heavy topics of suicide and self-harm in relation to AI chatbots. This is part three of a series reflecting on the concerning impact of AI on students, parents, and teachers, especially focusing on the host's personal experiences as a parent. The episode discusses various incidents where AI chatbots h...

Amanda Werner on AI in Teaching and Teacherpreneurship: Part 2In this episode, Amanda Werner, former teacher and current teacherpreneur, dives into her evolving perspective on AI, specifically chatbots like ChatGPT. After initially embracing AI for classroom use and her online business, Amanda shares why she has grown skeptical about the ethical implications of AI, particularly concerning content...

In this episode Amanda reflects on her journey with AI chatbots since the release of ChatGPT in 2022. She shares her mixed feelings about the impact of AI in education, discussing initial excitement and later deep concerns. The episode covers her efforts to integrate ChatGPT into her classroom last school year and how she handled the pervasive cheating issues she encountered in her English classro...

In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, Amanda addresses a common issue faced by teachers: students who are disengaged. Drawing from personal experiences as a teacher and a parent of a neurodivergent child, the Amanda discusses the importance of moving away from the traditional way of approaching these kinds of unwanted behaviors and instead focusing on a different approach. Amanda de...

In the final episode of this eight-part mindfulness and meditation series, Amanda Werner brings it all together—sharing how to weave mindfulness, self-compassion, and simple rituals into your daily life. From experimenting with small, accessible practices to cultivating deep calm and balance (equanimity) amidst stressful lives, this episode offers practical wisdom and heartfelt reflection for teac...

In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, Amanda explores the complexities of working with physical, mental, and emotional pain, drawing from the teachings of mindfulness expert Christiane Wolf MD. The discussion covers the prevalence of chronic pain, differentiates between pain and suffering, and introduces techniques for managing pain using mindfulness and meditation. The episode incl...

Cultivating Loving Kindness: Exploring Metta MeditationIn this episode of the Empower Students Now Podcast, your host, Amanda Werner, delves into the practice of Metta or Loving Kindness Meditation. As part of an eight-part series on meditation and mindfulness for teachers and students, Amanda shares insights from her extensive teaching career and her training as a meditation teacher. She explains...

In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, Amanda shares a deeply emotional talk on the importance of compassion, particularly self-compassion, for educators. Through a recounting of her own personal journey and learnings from the MMTCP program, she introduces the RAIN technique—Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture—created by Tara Brach, as a tool for addressing negative self-talk and...

In this fourth episode of an eight-part series on meditation and mindfulness, the discussion focuses on being mindful of thoughts. Amanda recently received her certification to teach meditation. She explains how thoughts are mental processes influenced by various factors like environment, culture, and emotions. The episode debunks the myth that meditation aims to stop thoughts, highlighting instea...

https://amandawritenow.com/navigating-the-complexities-of-our-emotional-lives-with-mindfulness-meditation/In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, the third installment of an eight-part mindfulness series, the focus is on emotions. Drawing on insights from the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP), Amanda, the host of the podcast, addresses how emotions manifest...

https://amandawritenow.com/finding-calm-amongst-the-chaos-of-life-part-ii-the-body-as-your-anchor/Contact Me: https://amandawritenow.com/contact-form/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, espec...

In this episode, Amanda welcomes Jen Chieco, a former teacher who transitioned into becoming a life purpose 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 life coaching and breath work. Jen shares insights on the challenges of teaching in public schools, the importance of s...

https://amandawritenow.com/finding-calm-amongst-the-chaos-of-life/Contact Me: https://amandawritenow.com/contact-form/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 Mindfulness and Medit...

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Check out the episode show notes and Vanessa's book here: https://amandawritenow.com/navigating-adult-adhd-a-personal-and-professional-journey/In this episode, 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 unnoticed symptoms in wo...

Check out the show notes, transcript, and more here: https://amandawritenow.com/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 suppor...

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 ADHD, and that girls are often not diagnosed due to societal expectations of girls. She emphasizes the importance of understanding th...

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 abilities. The book emphasizes the importance of equity in education and student engagement. It is organized around fo...

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 valuable insights on how to transform the traditional writing workshop model. From creating a safe and inclusive environm...

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 teachers that includes editable planning tools, charts, posters, mentor texts, assessment tools, and conferencing tools. Amanda then disc...