337: Fostering "Mattering" to Counter the Toxic Achievement Culture in Today's Schools
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Release Date: 11/19/2024
359: Teaching the Unthinkable: A Classroom Approach to Holocaust Education
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guest Matt Ence is a teacher at Bountiful High School in Bountiful, UT. Matt retired from the military in 2017, when he began his teaching career. He teaches a course on the Holocaust, as well as courses in AP World History and US History. Matt became a Museum Teacher Fellow at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2023. Summary Matt discusses teaching a dedicated Holocaust course. He covers the chronology of events from Hitler's rise to post-liberation challenges using survivor testimonies, primary sources, and interactive activities. Matt emphasizes personalizing the Holocaust beyond...
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358: Rewriting the Peopling of the Americas: A Genetic Journey Through Time
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guest Jennifer Raff is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Kansas. She works with Indigenous communities and tribes across North America who wish to use DNA as a tool for investigating questions of recent and more distant histories. Her first book, “Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas,” is a New York Times bestseller and has won multiple awards, including the Phi Beta Kappa book award in science. In 2024 she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship (General Nonfiction) to support work on her second book. Why This Episode Matters Professor Raff discusses how...
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356: Find Your Niche and Your Secret—The Power of Differentiation
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guest Reuben Swartz is the founder of , the fun, anti-CRM for independent consultants. He founded Mimiran out of his experience as a sales and marketing consultant for the Fortune 500 who struggled with his own business development efforts. He's also the host and chief nerd on the . Summary – Why this discussion matters This episode explores how solopreneurs can effectively differentiate themselves, refine their niche, and build meaningful relationships. Reuben shares insights on the importance of defining a unique "secret" that sets a business apart, the power of genuine conversations in...
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355: Unlocking the World of Recipes and Cooking Through Technology
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guests Jane Kelly founded Eat Your Books in 2009 with her sister Fiona Nugent because she wanted to easily find recipes in her extensive cookbook collection, and reasoned there are other cooks with the same need. She has spent the past 15 years building the site into a search engine for 2.6 million recipes found in cookbooks, food magazines, and online. Previously, she held senior roles in television and music for the Virgin Group in the UK. Katie Thacher leads CookShelf, which now manages Eat Your Books and is building the next iteration of the product. A lifelong cook and cookbook...
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354: So, You Want to Be a Writer
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guest Deborah Sosin, MSW, is a writer, editor, psychotherapist, and an instructor at GrubStreet, the Center for Creative Writing. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Salon, Cognoscenti, Brevity Blog, and several literary magazines. She wrote the award-winning picture book Charlotte and the Quiet Place; and a workbook, Sober Starting Today. Debbie just completed This Is 70, a linked set of 70 micro-memoirs of 70 words each, written to mark her 70th birthday. She lives outside of Boston. Summary This episode explores...
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353: The Power of Objects—Sharing Stories and Creating Connections
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guest Sarah Elkins is your guide to uncovering the right personal stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and effectively demonstrate their character, values, and vision. She is a storyteller, communication coach, author, and professional musician. As a Gallup-certified StrengthsFinder coach, Sarah uses that tool and story-sharing strategies as the foundation of her work with teams, improving communication to reduce tension and stress in the workplace. Why this episode matters This co-produced episode of “Getting...
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352: Navigating the Challenges Facing U.S. Public Education
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guest Julie A. Vitale, Ph.D. is the Superintendent of the Oceanside Unified School District. Her educational journey includes a Ph.D. in Urban Educational Administration from Claremont Graduate University, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration, and a Masters and Bachelor of Arts from the University of LaVerne. Dr. Vitale has been a faculty member at Concordia University since 2007, contributing to the development of their Ed.D. Program. Her dedication to education has earned her prestigious recognitions, including the Western Riverside County Association of School Managers...
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351: Looking Differently at Cattle Grazing, Soil Health, and Climate Change
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Peter Byck is an award-winning documentary film director helping to lead a $10 million research project comparing Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing with conventional grazing. He is the director of the docuseries , which is all about inventive farmers and maverick scientists building a path to solving climate change with hooves, hearts, and soil. Byck is a professor at Arizona State University, where he teaches students to make short documentary films about sustainability solutions. Summary Peter Byck discusses the potential of regenerative agriculture, specifically...
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350: Repurposing Video and Podcast Content to Build Business Relationships
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Guest Paul Banks is an ADHD father and husband who broke out of corporate life and spent 5 years in complex SaaS sales, understanding how to create meaningful connections through the power of video content. The former retail manager and volunteer police officer now spends his days combining technology, AI, and expertise to help his clients attract and convert premium clients. His ‘Why’ is to help people make better decisions so they can live their most fulfilling lives. Summary In this episode, Jeff and Paul discuss curiosity, relationship-building, and ethical sales and...
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349: Perspectives—The U.S. Home Front During WWII and the Lessons of History
Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity
Allan M. Winkler is the University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Miami University of Ohio. He has also taught at Yale University and the University of Oregon and, for one year each, at the University of Helsinki in Finland, the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and the University of Nairobi in Kenya. In addition to his own books, he co-authored a college textbook and a high school textbook on American History. Summary In this episode, Jeff speaks with historian and author Alan Winkler about the importance of critical thinking in history education. They discuss how history...
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Dr. Sarah Bennison is an adjunct professor at New York University and founder of Trinity School (NYC) Office of Public Service, a thought-leading service learning initiative engaging students, faculty, families, and alumni in ongoing, meaningful community engagement work and social impact curriculum.
She started her career in New York City public schools in the South Bronx and has thirty years of teaching and leadership experience. Sarah is also the founder of a children's sleepwear company for social good, BennisonGives, LLC, which emerged from her work to support infant and maternal health in Burundi, East Africa.
Summary
In this episode, Sarah and I discuss the concept of "mattering"—feeling valued and adding value—and its potential to counteract the toxic achievement culture prevalent in many high-achieving schools. Sarah shares insights from her work with students, particularly around connecting academic learning to real-world issues through community service. She highlights how fostering a sense of mattering helps students manage stress, develop confidence, and experience mental health benefits. We explore ways for teachers, parents, and schools to support students' mental well-being through small, consistent actions to reinforce students’ intrinsic value. Sarah also discusses how the Mattering Movement’s curriculum integrates into academic subjects, providing a framework to build connection, belonging, and resilience among students.
Three Takeaways
The Power of Mattering: Students benefit when they feel valued and are encouraged to add value, which helps counter the pressures of an achievement-focused culture.
Curriculum Integration: The Mattering Movement’s curriculum is flexible, allowing integration into any academic subject and making social-emotional learning part of the regular school day.
Support for Parents and Educators: Parents and educators can foster a sense of mattering in small, meaningful ways to help students develop resilience and manage stress