Nicholas Ditto
Oxygen for Educators
SUMMARY In this episode of Oxygen for Educators, Michelle Kinder sits down with Nicholas Ditto, founder and CEO of Fort Worth STEAM Academy, for an honest conversation about the unseen weight educators carry every day. Nicholas shares his journey into education, the thousands of decisions teachers make daily, and how leadership, culture, and community directly shape student outcomes. After the conversation, Michelle and Chris Kent Phelps return to break down the moments that mattered most, reflecting on what educators can take with them as they lead, teach, and serve their communities. ...
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Oxygen Replay - PART 2 Alex Vesely-Frankl, Viktor Frankl's Grandson
Oxygen for Educators
Opt in for your gifted copy of the Oxygen for Educators magazine! ( ) SUMMARY In part two of our conversation with filmmaker and logotherapist Alex Vesely, grandson of Viktor Frankl, we explore what it really means to live a life of meaning as an educator. Alex unpacks burnout through a logotherapy lens, shares powerful stories about suicide and hope, and invites us to ask a different question, not “What is in it for me?” but “Who am I still here for?” This one is a North Star episode for anyone feeling overwhelmed, misaligned, or called to pick up the “right...
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Oxygen Replay - PART 1 Alex Vesely-Frankl, Viktor Frankl's Grandson
Oxygen for Educators
Don't forget to opt in for your gifted copy of the Oxygen for Educators magazine! ( ) SUMMARY We’re re-releasing this conversation with Alex Vesely because it has never felt more needed. In a moment when so many educators are exhausted and searching for steadiness, Alex brings a rare clarity about meaning, purpose, and why our inner life matters. This is Part 1 of a powerful two-part conversation. Part 2 drops next Friday. LINKS: Man Search For Meaning: https://a.co/d/iS2XrjX Logotherapy-online.com Logotherapy Institute of America Courses:...
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Jose Villasenor
Oxygen for Educators
SUMMARY Jose “Joe” Villaseñor has one of the most unexpected paths into education you’ll ever hear: TV production, seminary, bail bonds, school counseling, and now leading Employee Wellness at Irving ISD. In this conversation, he shares how those turns shaped his deep empathy for people in hard places and how that shows up in real, practical supports for educators today, from yoga and fitness classes to laughter workshops and campus wellness champions. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when a district truly cares for the adults in the building, this episode will give...
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Maurine Molak
Oxygen for Educators
Educators, we’re gifting you the Oxygen for Educators keepsake magazine. Opt in here: SUMMARY After losing her 16-year-old son David to suicide following relentless cyberbullying, Maurine Molak turned her grief into advocacy. She has led the passage of groundbreaking laws protecting children from online harm and now champions federal reform through the Kids Online Safety Act. Her story is one of heartbreak, courage, and a mother’s determination to protect every child. CONTACT CONGRESS TO HELP PASS THE KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT ( ) ( ) ...
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Radical Hope Update
Oxygen for Educators
Educators, we’re gifting you the Oxygen for Educators keepsake magazine. Opt in here: Before Radical Hope resumes in the new year, Michelle offers a moment of reflection and gratitude. Drawing from The Small Work in the Great Work by Victoria Safford, she honors educators who keep showing up with heart and humanity, even when things are uncertain, and reminds us that the smallest acts often become the great work. ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky...
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Oxygen Replay - Dr. Maricela Helm
Oxygen for Educators
Coming early 2026: Get your FREE copy of Oxygen for Educators magazine — radical hope delivered straight to your home, no strings attached. Opt in . SUMMARY What if the secret to transforming a school isn’t a new program, but a new perspective? In this re-released conversation, Dr. Maricela Helm—now Executive Director of Student Services at Whitehouse ISD—shares how shifting from discipline to relationship, and from pressure to presence, changes everything. She and host Michelle Kinder explore how mindset becomes freedom, joy becomes evidence of...
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Radical Hope: How to Stay Steady When Everything is Shifting
Oxygen for Educators
Coming early 2026: Get your FREE copy of Oxygen for Educators magazine — radical hope delivered straight to your home, no strings attached. Opt in . SUMMARY We’re zooming out for a big-picture view of the Radical Hope series so far, what patterns are emerging, what ideas keep echoing, and what it all adds up to. Michelle Kinder walks us through five simple but powerful themes: safety, awareness, compassion, flexibility, and attention. This isn’t just reflection for reflection’s sake, it’s a roadmap for staying steady, even when everything around us is...
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Oxygen Replay-Dr.Shanon Zais
Oxygen for Educators
SUMMARY We are re-releasing this conversation with Rockwall ISD leader Dr. Shanon Zais because late October can feel like a grind for educators. This is the moment when stamina dips, the calendar is packed, and a reset matters. Shanon offers embodied, practical wisdom on rest, boundaries, and community care that lands differently right now. On re-listen, we also reflect on why this message is urgent, including Chris’s honest update about navigating breast cancer and the reminder that you do not have to, and cannot, do this work alone. Educators, we’re gifting you the Oxygen for Educators...
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Radical Hope: Attention Management for Mental Health PART 2
Oxygen for Educators
Coming early 2026: Get your FREE copy of Oxygen for Educators magazine — radical hope delivered straight to your home, no strings attached. SUMMARY What would it look like for your calendar to reflect your deepest values, not just your obligations? In this powerful follow-up to Part 1, Michelle Kinder shares 10 practical attention management practices that support mental health and nervous system regulation. From reframing to-do lists to breaking up with notifications, each practice offers a small shift that can spark real change. Whether you’re overwhelmed, overstretched, or...
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In this episode, we sit down with the thoughtful and deeply grounded Rob Kowalski, an eighth-grade humanities teacher at Parish Middle School in Dallas, Texas. Rob shares his journey through education—from growing up in New Jersey and being shaped by powerful mentors to becoming the kind of teacher who helps students feel seen, safe, and inspired, even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rob talks about why relationships—not just academics—are at the center of his teaching philosophy. He opens up about the importance of vulnerability, the role of curiosity in learning, and why he believes education should evolve to better reflect the needs of today’s students. His reflections are honest, practical, and full of heart.
Whether you're an educator, a parent, or someone who cares about how kids grow and thrive, this conversation offers meaningful insights into what it looks like to lead with connection and purpose.
💥 Impactful Takeaways:
- Relationships come first—students learn best when they feel seen, safe, and valued.
- Vulnerability is a strength—modeling it invites students to do the same.
- Curiosity is a nervous system tool—it calms, connects, and fuels learning.
- Education needs a redesign—shorter days, real-world skills, and more joy.
- Middle schoolers are navigating high-stakes emotions—teachers must meet them there.
- Don’t coast—students deserve educators who keep evolving and asking, “How can we do better?”
CHAPTERS
00:00 “Let’s Keep Asking Questions” – Opening Quote
00:45 Welcome to Oxygen for Educators
01:09 Introducing Rob Kowalski
02:35 Rob’s Impact on Sophia During COVID
04:00 Rob’s First Year at Parish and Teaching in a Pandemic
06:00 Building Connection Through a Screen
07:45 Why Rob Became a Teacher
10:19 The Petty School Experience and Early Influences
13:15 Career Journey: From Boston to Dallas
14:50 Teaching, Coaching, and Being a Stay-at-Home Dad
17:06 Returning to the Classroom with Purpose
19:29 Why Content Isn’t the Point—Relationships Are
20:55 Teaching Relevance in a TikTok World
22:55 Vulnerability and the Courage to Evolve
23:55 The Challenge of Making History Feel Real
25:57 Understanding the Stakes for Middle Schoolers
28:03 Using AI and Tech to Stay Relevant
29:47 Designing a Better School Model
31:03 What School Could Look Like in 2025
33:01 Real-World Skills, Curiosity, and Joy
35:04 Rethinking Curriculum and Student Fit
38:15 Cherishing Childhood and Slowing Down
40:59 Practical Shifts Educators Can Make
42:23 Taking Pressure Off Students
44:09 Fit Over Prestige in School Choices
46:06 Creating Space for Wonder and Balance
48:23 The Many Hats of a Teacher
50:11 Empathy for the Middle School Experience
52:30 Grace, Humor, and the Joy of Teaching
56:13 Reflections on Mistakes and Growth
58:01 COVID, Connection, and What We Learned
59:24 The Return to Normal and What We Missed
01:00:07 Advice for New Educators: Build Relationships
01:01:34 Finding Your Tribe and Belonging
01:03:03 What Students Remember Most
01:04:04 Rob’s Family and the Empty Nest Ahead
01:04:51 Final Reflections and Gratitude
01:05:35 Hosts Reflect on Rob’s Wisdom and Joy
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Oxygen for Educators is produced by Ripplemaker Project and proudly sponsored by Tacky Box.
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