Maja Watkins: Improv for Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom
Release Date: 12/08/2022
Plot Twist: We're Still Alive (And Here's What We've Been Up To!!)
Regenerative Ed
Hey everyone-- it's been a little bit! We're so happy to be back here with you in this format again. This podcast covers what's been up (babies? homeschooling? natural dyes? Edshed projects?), where we are with education work/the podcast/grounded teaching work, and how we want to continue to plug into this community-- and we hope you'll join us! Show notes: (You can directly register on or apply for scholarships !) Use code EARLYBIRD for $20 off until June 1! Have more questions? Reach out or You can also connect with us on or or
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AIR ELEMENT Deep Dive: What Can Air Teach Us About Reimagining & Remembering A Thriving Education System?
Regenerative Ed
Today we get into our about deep-dive workshop-in-a-podcast-series! We're tackling the first element in this deep dive series on what Air, Fire, Earth, and Water, and we're asking: What can air teach us about reimagining and remembering the ed system? 00:00 - Introduction - Why We're Doing This 07:30 - Part 1- Respect, Appreciation, Embodiment 17:53 - Part 2- The Invisible Source of Life (Definitions and Foundations) 35:37 - Part 3- Making Space and Knowing Not Everything is For Us Part 4 (Feeling Deflated or Winded), Part 5 (Taking Shape and Elasticity) and Part 6 (A Catalyst...
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Intro to the ELEMENTS series: What Air, Fire, Earth, and Water Can Teach Us about Re-Modeling the Education System
Regenerative Ed
Today is an introduction to a 4-part deep dive (well, 5 if you count this intro). It’s a workshop-in-a-podcast learning series on the the four elements of air, fire, earth, water, what we can learn from them about creating new systems and structures around education. The goal of digging into the elements here is to view ourselves and our work in education as part of a LIVING SYSTEM. Not part of an industry or a factory, which is no secret that’s how we operate! We know this. We see it. We dwell on the problems! What we’re talking about here is a way of connecting to paradigms outside of...
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Teaching Black History All Year + Joy, Picture Books, Teaching Teachers, Kindergarteners, and more.
Regenerative Ed
Today I'm joined by Dawnavyn James whose main message for us as an audience today is TEACH BLACK HISTORY!!! :) Dawnavyn is an early childhood, elementary, and Black History educator. She is a PhD student at the University at Buffalo and a fellow for the Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education. Her research interests include elementary Black history education, instruction, and curriculum development. We talk about creating a safe container for race and identity conversations in the classroom especially for little ones and using picture books (at all levels) to help inspire...
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Rebecca Harrison and Mending for a More Regenerative Future
Regenerative Ed
What does mending have to do with reimagining education? Check out this conversation I had with Rebecca Harrison of Rebecca is the person you'd turn to when you rip your absolute most favorite pair of jeans that fit you like a glove and you're having an internal dilemma as you hover them above the trash can. Off recording, Rebecca and I were chatting a lot about her team which she describes like a dream team full of some of the most talented sewists in Pittsburgh, and I was struck by the power of community. You’ll hear us chat about some of the logistics of mending– where to start...
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Episode 52: Twins Talking About Teaching, Trains, Poisons, Place-Based Education, SAT Tests & more
Regenerative Ed
Today is a special podcast because I’m chatting with Jess, my twin. She’s here and well with a new baby in tow, and I for one am so very very very grateful that she is here and well and that we can continue our chats like we have since the womb (I assume?!). This morning we were chatting about the Norfolk Southern Train Derailment that is so close to our houses and talking about what it has to do with extraction and systems like education– you know, a normal conversation for us–and I was like, maybe let's record this? So, we hopped on Zoom. And what you'll find (after my framing and...
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Place-Embedded Learning with School Leader and Teacher Rachel Balkcom
Regenerative Ed
I felt really privileged to have this conversation with such a light! Rachel is so clearly passionate about her work, and it's contagious. Our conversation discusses the model of place-based--nay, a place-embedded micro-school, La Luz, and the ripple effects that happen when you embed students in the community. And, true to form as folks who care about questioning the whole system, we get into a lot of other territory: a respectful process for listening for what the community needs then designing curriculum from there, working with partners and being open to wherever they are right now,...
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Maja Watkins: Improv for Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom
Regenerative Ed
I was thrilled to get the chance to interview classroom teacher, author, founder (and so much more!) Maja Watkins recently! When a colleague said I needed to connect with her, I Googled her up, and there I saw-- for the first time-- "Improv Curriculum" related to social emotional needs. IMPROV CURRICULUM?! Sounds pretty not-mechanical: not perfect, not scripted, not standardized, rooted in connection and joy and humor. Maja is so passionate about students, and she draws on her creative improv background when it comes to their social and emotional needs. She's created literally...
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A Buffet of Failures (and Feedback)
Regenerative Ed
FAIL. We all fail. What's it mean? What can we do with it? In a non-toxic-positivity sort of way, there's a lot failure can teach us about...teaching. And in a living-systems sort of view (which is what we do on the podcast and at Grounded Teaching), there's a lot we can learn about feedback systems to prevent or learn from perceived failures. That's what November is actually all about. Each month, aligned to our monthly programming in We Are Verbs, we are digging into a theme, and with our new re-organization with sliding scale tiers including a free section I record a podcast for each...
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The Industrial Education Complex & Clinging to Rot
Regenerative Ed
This week it's just me, talking about some things I hold dear: applying principles and themes of living systems to heal ourselves, our relationships to ourselves as "educators", and to make possible change for our learners by breaking down the barriers of modern western culture (that we might not even be aware have been towering over us), opening up a new way for ourselves and our students to learn to be in this world. That, and my black walnut hulling experience last weekend. If you love this podcast, please share it with a friend! Rating and reviewing is also helpful. Thank you!...
info_outlineI was thrilled to get the chance to interview classroom teacher, author, founder (and so much more!) Maja Watkins recently! When a colleague said I needed to connect with her, I Googled her up, and there I saw-- for the first time-- "Improv Curriculum" related to social emotional needs. IMPROV CURRICULUM?! Sounds pretty not-mechanical: not perfect, not scripted, not standardized, rooted in connection and joy and humor.
Maja is so passionate about students, and she draws on her creative improv background when it comes to their social and emotional needs. She's created literally hundreds of games to play with students to help them connect to each other, to class content, to themselves.
This is one of those episodes that was not only enjoyable, but really helpful. I took away some concrete games that I've already played with my own kid. :)
Definitely check out Maja's resources below to see her books and services!
About Maja:
Maja is a mother, author, teacher, and founder living in Los Angeles, Ca. Through her work with children in various settings, and her experience growing up with a brother on the autism spectrum, Maja has developed an understanding of how powerful communication is for all people. Maja is the author of The Brain's Playground: Using Improv Games To Teach Social and Emotional Learning as well as the author of a parenting guidebook titled: 10 Minutes of Play for 10 Days. The Brain’s Playground includes her valuable research, data, and curriculum. Maja holds a degree in Child Development and is also a graduate of The Second City in Hollywood where she studied improvisation and sketch comedy. Maja works as a Social and Emotional Learning Specialist and creates inclusive opportunities where the curriculum is designed to allow children and young adults to reach their highest potential in whichever way they feel most comfortable.
Show Links:
- Maja Watkins Website
- Maja Watkins books and services
- We Are Verbs
- More about the workbook and workshops this month related to scarcity
- Regenerative Ed Patreon