The Better Mindset Podcast
Mark Herring & Bex Rose
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Conversations about Leadership, Learning and Educational Technologies hosted by Mark Herring & Bex Rose. www.usingtechnologybetter.com and team@usingtechnologybetter.com
Available episodes
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May 22, 2023
Better students results through empowering your Teacher Aides
We work with schools every week that tell us about the growing challenges and numbers of students with learning needs in their classrooms. nd most of us know about the incredible digital tools and strategies that aree out there now, BUT we often miss passing this training and upskilling onto our Teacher Aides and Learning Assistants. Mark and Bex chat with Nic Ward, an LA at an Auckland primary school who knows firsthand the benefits of regular and timely digital training and professional learning and the impact this has on her students.
*Show Notes:*
1. Using Technology Better – upcoming events
https://usingtechnologybetter.com/events/
2. Certified Digital Teacher Aide Course 2023
https://utb.fyi/cert-digital-aide
3. Mote
https://www.mote.com/
4. Text Help
https://www.texthelp.com/en-au/products/read-and-write-education/
5. Bear IOS and Mac App
https://bear.app/
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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May 16, 2023
Building more engaged students through the magic of STEAM Learning
Engaging our students has become a real challenge in a post-COVID, media-filled world. We talk to Jo Mclntyre-Brown about her passion for Steam learning and sustainable enterprise programs. If you’re looking for a way to enrich your classrooms with authentic real-world problem-solving or want to help your teaching team get started with some simple design thinking challenges, here are some ideas to get you started.
*Show Notes:*
1. Manurewa Intermediate School – Youtube Channel
2. Using Technology Better – upcoming events
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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May 5, 2023
What’s making waves in the world of AI, Watch and Phone and Flip in schools?
How do we keep up with the developments of AI and all the new tools coming our way? Mark and Bex dive into the latest trends and also some concerns we all need to be across as leaders in schools, they explore how our wearable tech can keep us saner, fitter and better in general and they also share a small but meaningful update for the Flip tool that will help facilitate better conversations with your students.
*Show Notes:*
1. Canva
2. Opus Clip
3. Unesco ChatGPT User Guide for Higher Ed
4. AI detector tools - article AI and ChatGPT cheating allegations at Cambridge and Pukekohe High outrage parents of top students
5. AI Dilemma presentation Tristan Harris, Aza Raskin
6. Kidnapping story in Phoenix US
7. Well Being tools - the role that smart watches can play in our overall health
8. Flip has comments and now threaded comments https://twitter.com/MicrosoftFlip/status/1653493634581385216
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Apr 12, 2023
How to design better ways to communicate with your teams at school
When was the last time you had a refresh of the tools, processes and culture of your school’s communication plan? There are so many ways we can be more efficient and build a better team culture. This week Mark and Bex give you a process and some practical tips to overhaul your internal communication practices.
*Show Notes:*
Future Now Leadership Summit NZ 2023
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Apr 3, 2023
Growing better leaders and teachers through coaching and mentoring
In this episode, we explore the differences between coaching and mentorship. While both are powerful tools for personal and professional growth, they have distinct approaches and outcomes. We dive into the characteristics of each, including the level of structure, guidance, and relationship-building involved. Our guest speakers share their experiences and insights on when coaching or mentorship may be more appropriate and how to best utilise each to achieve your goals. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this episode will provide valuable insights on which approach may be right for you.
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Mar 29, 2023
Switch up your school meetings from Bore-fest to Brilliant
Schools are bombarded with an increasingly complex set of needs and responsibilities. As leaders, our response, far too often, is to overload our teams with another meeting. This week Mark and Bex unpack 5 ways to organize your meeting structure and content in ways that optimize efficiency while building a great culture at the same time. In the ‘Making Waves’ segment, Bex shares the challenges of our modern world that can lead to the fear of silence or ‘Sedataphobia.’ She explains how this habit is doing more harm than good and some ways we can lean into the habit of creating mental space.
Check out these resources:
Apps for Collaborative Docs
1. Notion
2. Google Docs
3. Microsoft Word
Apps for surveys and engagement
1. Mentimeter
2. Slido
3. Poll Everywhere
Apps for Mind Mapping
1. Mindmeister
2. Jamboard
3. Miro
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Mar 21, 2023
How to build better communities through developing your school as a community hub
It’s never been more important than ever for school leaders to take an active part in connecting their families and wider community together. Schools are often the main point of contact for people now and Mark and Bex unpack some practical ways we can bring people together. Mark also shares a digital tool he’s started using that can help leaders and teachers get some organisation out of the chaos of their professional and personal lives.
Check out the resources mentioned in this episode:
1. Notion link
2. The Better Mindset Podcast Episode 8
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Mar 14, 2023
What’s all the fuss about AR and why should educators care?
Have you heard or read about Augmented Reality? If you have, are an educator and don’t really care, this is the episode for you! Paul Hamilton, UTB’s resident AR expert tells us why AR is becoming such an engaging and relevant tool for students and the impact it’s having in so many industries around the world. Bex also shares some practical tips for how she’s overcoming imposter syndrome and the team also share some ideas for how schools can build a closer community through the use of social media.
*Check out these resources that we've mentioned in this episode:*
- Future Now Leadership Summit NZ 2023
- Twitter Account – Paul Hamilton
- Manurewa Intermediate – Youtube Account example
- Blog Post – Effective Social Media Policies
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Mar 7, 2023
How do you facilitate a real life, community changing, multi-award winning STEAM Learning project? Hear about an inspiring teacher's journey that is 5 years long and counting.
STEAM Learning can be challenging for teachers when they’re over a single lesson, a week or even a term. How does a teacher continue an authentic, engaging and multi-award winning STEAM project for 5 years? We talk to Myles Webb, a teacher and DP in New Zealand who has some practical advice for schools wanting to make a meaningful impact on their students and community. Mark and Bex dig into ways we can approach teacher burnout with a fresh perspective and Rachel shares some new features inside Canva, the graphics, multi-media tool that teachers can access with a free premium account! Listen to find out how.
*Show Notes:*
- utb.fyi/steamleader
- https://soundluresnz.blogspot.com/
- Twitter Account – Myles Webb
- Canva – Education Accounts
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Feb 27, 2023
How Negative Nancy’s at your school can be a blessing and not a curse
Every leader, whether you are leading a school or your classroom, has faced those people on your team who cause disruption and lower the overall temperature. We can get trapped in a spiral of avoiding and judging them. Mark and Bex dive into some effective and practical steps for identifying and overcoming, even enhancing your team through the help of these kinds of people and mindset. Richard, one of the UTB trainers, also has his best attempt at convincing severe spreadsheet avoiders why these tools can be an asset in your classroom and schools.
Here are some of the resources we've mentioned in this episode:
1. Good to Great – Jim Collins
2. UTB Online Excel Courses
3. UTB Online Sheets Courses
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @usingtechnologybetter or on youtube.com/@utb
We’d love to hear from you! See you next week.
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Feb 20, 2023
Tired of just managing? How effective leaders drive transformative change
In todays fast actioned, whirlwind of modern life it’s so easy to focus solely on the day to day management of a school. On this episode, we have some insights from a school principal who worked with his leadership team, teachers and school community to not only successfully manage the challenges of the last three years but also create an environment of inspirational change. The team also discuss how your work love languages can make a huge difference to the effectiveness and overall well-being of your, and Jeremy shares some application ideas for teachers using the Google Arts and Culture resource.
Check out the resources we've mentioned today:
1. Google Arts and Culture
2. The 5 Languages of Appreciation
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can als…
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Feb 13, 2023
Can ESports be the engagement spark your school is looking for?
Are you struggling with a lack of student engagement or want a new project to reinvigorate your classroom? On this week’s episode Mark and Bex chat with Conor McHoull from Microsoft NZ about the potential for ESports to act as a powerful engagement tool for your students.
We also discuss about the importance of ‘your why’ and how, in many ways, it is more important that your school’s vision, and Adrian joins us to explore the learning and productivity opportunities AI and tools like ChatGPT can give teachers and leaders in every school and organisation.
Check out the resources we've mentioned in this episode:
ChatGPT Link
Conor McHoull Linkedin
Microsoft Educator Centre – Minecraft Modules
Simon Sinek – Start with WHY
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnol…
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Feb 6, 2023
Wellbeing in Leadership and Teaching - Practical Ways to Keep Your Cup Full So You Can Give to Others
There’s nothing more important for schools in this season than looking after the well-being of their teachers and students. Beth Reading, from ‘My Pilates Time,’ joins us in this episode to chat about her journey as a teacher to wellness. Rachel tells us about Nearpod, an online teaching tool that opens new worlds and opportunities for guided or independent learning, and Mark shares a new reading method he’s discovered that helps us store and treasure the things we learn in what we read.
Here are the links or resources that we’ve mentioned today:
1. Alex and Books
2. Tiago Forte
3. My Pilates Time - Access to hundreds of 'On Demand' Pilates classes you can do from home, healthy recipes and access to live online classes each week. Use the coupon code for the discounted price of $12usd per month (no lock in contracts, cancel anytime) *Coupon code: **specialpricem*
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from thes…
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Jan 30, 2023
What Makes Galvanising a Critical Skill for Getting Things Done?
How do you get your team on the same page, positioned with the right roles and responsibilities and enthusiatic about making things happen? This is what make a great galvaniser and we talk this week with Julia, one of the best at this on our team. We also explore what we can do to connect ourselves with the right people and form our own ‘tribe, ‘ and Paul shows us the teaching potential for Apple’s new ‘Freeform’ app that has been released with the latest IOS and MacOS updates.
Here are the links or resources that we’ve mentioned today:
1. Working Genius
2. Freeform App Download
3. Freeform App News - Apple
Sidenote: Paul does a great demo on what you can do with the new Freeform app and we know that it’s great to SEE it in action. Check out the youtube link to the podcast here to see that demo in action and share it with people you know who would get value from that.
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get valu…
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Jan 22, 2023
What is ‘A Better Mindset’ and how you can have one, too.
This week we unpack just what ‘A Better Mindset’ is; why the title and how it can add value to us and the people we work and live with. Mark and Bex explore the way our world view, perspectives and approach to live can be hard-wired but also a learned behaviour. Kelly gives us some updates to some google tools you’re going to want to check out and the Making Waves segment explores the value of goal setting through a word or theme for the year!
Here are the links or resources that we’ve mentioned today:
1. The Working Genius - Patrick Lencioni
2. Google Tools for In-Person Learning
3. Start with Why - Simon Sinek
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your…
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Jan 17, 2023
ChatGPT is Freaking Me Out: Teacher Edition
ChatGPT is one of the biggest technology revelations we have seen in recent times, and we are all wondering how this will impact us. From students and school teachers to businesses and writers, everyone is finding a good use for ChatGPT.
Our UTB team love new and exciting tech, and we are using ChatGPT in many different ways - and along with this, we have found specific questions that need to be answered for our educators. We’ve put together some of the most pressing questions and answers you might have about ChatGPT - because you NEED to know about this new technology!
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechnologybetter.com to find out how you can get free PD in your schools (NZ) or follow us on Instagram at @using…
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Jan 9, 2023
How to Set Goals and Actually Make Them Happen
So many of us are thinking about the school year ahead and what we’d like to achieve across the school and in our classrooms. Mike Reading, our founding director and the goal-setting maestro has some great ideas and process tips for getting what you want to achieve to start out on the right footing. We also chat about the best way to start the year with some life-changing habits and James shares a statistics tool that we know you’ll want to be having play with these holidays and weekends.
If you’re after the links or resources that we’ve mentioned today, have a look here:
1. Tiny Habits – B.J. Fogg
2. Atomic Habits – James Clear
3. The 12 Week Year
4. Gapminder.org
We post every week and would love to have you keep up with us. If you know someone who would get value from these episodes, hit the share button and let them know. Lastly, if you have questions or anything to share with us, email us at team@usingtechnologybetter.com. You can also contact Bex at bex@usingtechno…
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