205. Education Monthly #5: New Theories on Teen Mental Health, Self-Determination, and Lessons from Miyazaki Films (Re-Release)

This episode originally aired on June 25, 2024.

Donofriend, or Donovan Taylor Hall, joins Ashanti Branch, a master educator with 20+ years of experience in schools, to talk about what they are reflecting on as educators and what they’re seeing in the halls of modern-day schools. Donovan is an experienced teacher and positive youth development expert who travels around the country speaking at schools and pushing into classrooms. Learn more about him in ⁠episode 152⁠.

Topics include: an ⁠Edutopia video⁠ reaction, self-determination theory, participation trophies, teen mental health, building a sense of independence and resilience in students and teens, self-reliance, autonomy, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Miyazaki, Halloween, grit, stick-to-itiveness, Do Hard Things by Steve Magness, helicopter parents, and stranger danger

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(0:00) Welcome and Edutopia video

(4:00) Donovan and Ashanti introduce themselves.

(6:00) Self-determination theory, helicopter parents, losing ability to build community, and Halloween

(15:00) The participation trophy origin story, and valuing “productive struggle”

(19:30) Miyazaki and Avatar, and what we can learn about youth wellness/mentorship from these films

(25:00) Mentoring with curiosity instead of mentoring to “fix and solve” immediately

(26:00) Allowing students to sit with silence and discomfort

(29:00) Offering children advice instead of telling them what to do

(32:30) Emotional language and articulating feelings/needs clearly - for both young people and adults

(45:30) Final thoughts on providing room to explore and being transparent, vulnerable, and curious as an educator/parent/mentor

Connect with Donovon Taylor Hall:

Website: ⁠www.donovantaylorhall.com⁠

Instagram, TikTok, Youtube: @donofriend

Join our 5k Challenge: ⁠https://charity.pledgeit.org/20thAnnualEF5KChallenge⁠ 

Create your own mask anonymously at ⁠https://millionmask.org/⁠ 

Email us questions and comments at ⁠[email protected]⁠ 

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Connect with Ashanti Branch:

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

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

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.branchspeaks.com/⁠

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Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support⁠ 

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Connect with Ever Forward Club:

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

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

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/everforwardclub⁠

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