Social Reintegration Series with Joe Erpelding

For more than the past year, we've told kids that being close to each other is dangerous- literally.
Now, it's time to start reintegrating back to school, sports, and other activities, but it's not as smooth or as seamless as you might think. 
There's a lot going on.
On top of that, kids today are growing up in a world of ubiquitous cellphone usage and screens- face to face socialization has been on a decline for years.

There's a lot for concern. 

The primary way teenagers grow is through healthy peer relationships. They learn about themselves and how the world works and what's most important in life as they journey together, shoulder to shoulder, face to face. 

But when a lot of kids are carrying heightened anxiety about being together, and fewer kids in general have adept social skills, it's time to rethink how we support kids in building relationships.

So welcome to our limited podcast series on Social Reintegration, where we interview educators and practitioners to discover best practices and common sense tools for anyone who has a kid in their life. 

Welcome to the YouSchool.

Who Is Joe Erpelding?

"A Learner Just Like You

I’m a family man who learned about learning by being curios. Growing up in a large family (one of 10 kids - yep you read correctly) with brothers and sisters who finished college in two years, a Navy Officer, Engineers, full ride scholarships, and valedictorians, I had to fight to find my own way. I recall a family conversation where family friends were wondering if I was going to go to college. I realized at that moment that I am motivated by challenge. You can imagine, I was not much into doing "school" or being schooled in the typical manner. School for me was impersonal, routine and disconnected from reality. I would run home after school and spend hours in my backyard canyon creating forts, designing go karts and taking things apart. Learning . . . I would come to realize - It's Personal!

Being part of ten different educational spaces - with rolls from Instructional Assistant to Campus Principal - I have developed a deep passion for changing the way we "Do School" and ultimately Learning.

Like you, I have seen school and the world of education reform defined in numerous ways over the years - from 1:1 technology - PBL - The four C's - College and Career Readiness. They all have their shelf life as the pendulum swings. I wondered - there must be a different story?

With over two decades of real-life, in-the-trenches learning experience, my view is radically different. Transformation is about people and not about programs, fads or experts. State Departments, Districts and Schools buy programs because you can't buy culture. Transformation happens in learning organizations that fail forward, are audacious, and provide proof. It's how we should live our lives."
Learn more about Joe at Erpelding.info or Learningitspersonal.com 

There are a series of questions that are crucial for every young person to answer in order for them to be fully prepared to make the best decisions for their future- but they rarely get the chance to even think about them. One of the most frequent questions we ask kids is about their professional goals- what do you want to be when you grow up. It's an interesting question, for sure, but rarely is it actually helpful. Typically, it just creates anxiety and more confusion- not clarity and confidence like we hope. So what's a better way to help them?

We put together a free mini-course for students called When you Get Older. It's a few simple reflection exercises that guides them to consider Who they want to be someday, not just what they want to do for work. It's a much, much more helpful starting point, and a conversation that can be started in the course but continue for years to come. 

It's super simple to get started-- and free, did I mention that? Just click the link in the bio, share it with your kid, and we'll take it from there. 

https://www.theyouschool.com/offers/qs8oqgf4