1. EachPod

#36 | The Intersection of Video Games, Neurodivergence, and Good Teaching - w/ Russell Nadel, Music and Movement Educator, Composer

Author
Ashanti Branch - Taking Off The Mask
Published
Wed 20 Aug 2025
Episode Link
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/episodes/36--The-Intersection-of-Video-Games--Neurodivergence--and-Good-Teaching---w-Russell-Nadel--Music-and-Movement-Educator--Composer-e373gsk

Russell is a middle school music and movement educator, now entering his 20th year in the profession! And with so many years of experience in the field, he has a wealth of experience with teaching frameworks, student motivation, neurodivergent thinking, and mindfulness. I really hope that you can integrate what he says today into how you approach the start of the 25/26 school year.

Today, we discuss:

  1. How Russell implements mindfulness practices to help himself and his students transition between school periods

  2. What it’s like to be a teacher with ADHD, Inattentive Type, and how being transparent about this with his students creates a warm and productive classroom community

  3. How Russell uses the Orff Schulwerk framework to teach music, and how it can be applied to all different school subjects

  4. How “leveling up” in video games can be applied in baby steps, especially in school

  5. Russell’s words of encouragement for male teachers starting the upcoming school year

  6. The importance of having someone in the building, at your school site, to share with vulnerably

(0:00) Class in session

(2:40) Russell introduces himself

(6:30) Russell and Ashanti share their teacher personas/masks


Connect with Russell Nadel:

Website: http://www.russellnadel.com

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Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025 

Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345 

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Email us questions and comments at [email protected] 

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

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

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

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/

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#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement  #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator

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