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Oxygen for Educators

Oxygen for Educators

By: Michelle Kinder M.Ed. LPC & Chris Kent Phelps | Produced By: Katie Worden
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 Oxygen for Educators explores the overwhelming demands placed on today's educators, often leading to burnout and emotional exhaustion. As anxiety, depression, and behavior incidents rise among students, kids need more, and the adults in the building are overextended and under-resourced. This podcast features inspiring interviews with educators, administrators and counselors making a difference in the lives of countless students. In each hopeful conversation, we acknowledge hard truths and real challenges while simultaneously mining for light-lift, high-impact ideas, practices, and solutions. *Oxygen for Educators is produced by Ripplemaker Project and proudly sponsored by Tacky Box®. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/ X: https://x.com/thetackybox Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/2024 Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Radical Hope, PART 2

    Radical Hope, PART 2
    Jul 25 2025

    SUMMARY

    Join host Michelle Kinder in this episode of Radical Hope as she explores the transformative practice of befriending your nervous system. Discover how understanding and nurturing your inner state can lead to steadiness, interrupt shame spirals, and reconnect you with your truest self. Drawing from the insights of polyvagal theory, Michelle shares practical ways to move from survival mode into a state of clarity, compassion, and connection. Tune in to learn how this daily practice can unlock your potential and help you deliver your unique gifts to the world.

    KEY TAKEAWAYS

    • “Befriending your nervous system changes everything.”
    • “You can’t give what you don’t have, and you don’t have what you’re disconnected from.”
    • Burnout is not a personal failure—it's a sign that something deeper needs care.
    • Rest, presence, and boundaries aren’t luxuries—they’re lifelines.

    CHAPTERS

    00:00 – Regulated Leadership and Nervous System Wisdom
    03:18 – The Science of Safety and Belonging
    07:12 – The Inner Work of Showing Up
    11:44 – Recognizing Burnout and Shame
    15:06 – You Don’t Have to Abandon Yourself
    18:39 – Discomfort vs. Danger
    22:03 – Practical Tools for Reconnection
    26:55 – Slowing Down the Urgency
    30:41 – Boundaries, Compassion, and Capacity
    34:17 – Regulation as Contagious Leadership
    38:26 – Final Reflections on Hope and Healing

    ************************************************************************************************

    Oxygen for Educators is produced by Ripplemaker Project and proudly sponsored by Tacky Box.

    Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846

    Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c

    Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

    Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs

    Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast

    Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box!

    Website: https://tackybox.com/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/

    X: https://x.com/thetackybox

    Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/
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    10 mins
  • Dr. Shanon Zais

    Dr. Shanon Zais
    Jul 18 2025
    SUMMARY In this episode, we sit down with the wise, wholehearted, and purpose-driven Dr. Shanon Zais, principal of Rockwall High School’s ninth-grade campus and a woman who leads with both conviction and care. With a deep belief that educators deserve the same level of support as students, Dr. Zais shares how she has built a school culture where rest is honored, community is cultivated, and core values aren’t just slogans—they’re the heartbeat of the building. She opens up about her unexpected journey into education, the pivotal influence of teachers in her own life, and how a singular focus on intentional, relational leadership has created what some call “the Disneyland of campuses.” With humor, humility, and fierce clarity, Dr. Zais reminds us that real school transformation starts with how we treat one another—moment to moment, marble by marble. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to lead a school where no one dreads Mondays, where substitutes ask to come back, and where fun is foundational—this conversation will leave you inspired, challenged, and more hopeful than ever. 💥 Impactful Takeaways: Rest is essential for productivity, clarity, and showing up well. Creating a positive school culture starts with authentic, lived values. Small, consistent actions drive deep, sustainable change. Professional learning communities thrive when rooted in trust and care. Educators must prioritize their well-being to support students better. Time with students is finite—make every marble, every moment count. Leadership is about modeling, not just messaging. Community, fun, and connection are not extras—they’re the foundation. CHAPTERS 00:00The Importance of Rest 03:11Introducing Shannon Zeiss 05:56Shannon's Journey in Education 08:51Core Values at Rock Nine 11:55Creating a Positive School Culture 14:41The Role of Professional Learning Communities 17:51The Power of Intentional Leadership 20:45The Impact of Rest on Educators 24:03Building Community and Connection 26:52Quotes from Colleagues 29:57Small Actions, Big Impact 32:55Challenges in Leadership 35:41Advice for Educators 38:39Moments of Impact 41:32The Value of Time with Students 44:46Final Thoughts on Leadership ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is produced by Ripplemaker Project and proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/ X: https://x.com/thetackybox Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Radical Hope, PART 1

    Radical Hope, PART 1
    Jul 11 2025

    SUMMARY

    In this special mini-sode, host Michelle Kinder launches Radical Hope: Inner Work with a Ripple Effect—a new short-form series from Oxygen for Educators. These shorter episodes are designed to offer grounded, actionable insights for educators navigating complex realities with courage and heart.

    Michelle opens this first installment with a powerful question:
    How do we hold the truthiest truth about what is—without abandoning what could be?

    With clarity and compassion, she explores what it means to practice radical hope, not as a feeling, but as a decision and a daily practice. Drawing on the work of Charles Snyder, David Emerald, Donna Zajonc, and bell hooks, Michelle shares a roadmap for how to hold space for both realism and possibility—while remaining tethered to community, creativity, and purpose.

    This episode is a breath of fresh air for anyone feeling the weight of uncertainty, burnout, or disillusionment. It reminds us that radical hope is not naive—it’s a bold and strategic act of leadership.

    💥 Impactful Takeaways:

    • Hope is not fluffy—it’s a teachable, research-based strategy grounded in goals, pathways, and agency.

    • The discomfort of dynamic tension is actually creative fuel—it means you care.

    • Community is essential—radical hope thrives in connection, not isolation.

    • Leadership begins with presence, truth-telling, and a commitment to what’s possible.

    • None of us were meant to carry hope alone.

    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Introduction to Radical Hope
    02:46 Balancing Realism and Possibility
    05:48 Hope Theory: A Cognitive Process
    08:59 Dynamic Tension Fuels Change
    11:51 The Power of Community in Hope

    ************************************************************************************************

    Oxygen for Educators is produced by Ripplemaker Project and proudly sponsored by Tacky Box.

    Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846

    Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c

    Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

    Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs

    Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast

    Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box!

    Website: https://tackybox.com/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/

    X: https://x.com/thetackybox

    Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
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