Leading New College of Florida in Challenging Times with Dr. Patricia Okker

01/23/23 • 31 min

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Dr. Patricia Okker is the President of New College of Florida, the innovative honor’s college in the Florida system. She joins host and New College alum Mike Palmer to talk about what makes a New College education unique and how a liberal arts education can prepare you for the world of work and community engagement. Note: this episode was recorded in December prior to the recent appointments to the Board of Trustees.

We hear Pat’s origin story, beginning in New Jersey before spending many years at the University of Missouri where she was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences before joining New College as President a year and a half ago. We learn how folks are reimagining New College through The Challenge before digging in on career pathways and entrepreneurship among other topics.

It’s a thought-provoking conversation about the future of higher education that you don’t want to miss. Look for more from us on the New College story as it develops.

Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

It’s a thought-provoking conversation about the future of higher education that you don’t want to miss. Look for more from us on the New College story as it develops.

Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

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Building an Umbrella of Coping Skills with Dr. Jen Forristal

Dr. Jennifer Forristal is a Naturopathic Doctor and school wellness specialist who is focused on pediatric well-being. Founder of the Umbrella Project and author of The Umbrella Effect, she is creating a profound paradigm shift in the understanding of our personal well-being and that of our children. Jen joins host Mike Palmer in a discussion of developing coping skills in children, parents, and schools so that we're better equipped to endure trauma and ideally grow in the process.

Beginning with the premise that all kids will encounter rain in their lives, how do we help them develop the skills they need to cope? We explore how parents and educators can help kids recognize and appreciate umbrella skills like cognitive flexibility, empathy, and grit as we aim to be sensitive to trauma while also open to opportunities for growth through it. It's a thought-provoking conversation about developing practical SEL skills that you won't want to miss.

Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more enlightening takes on the future of education.

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Understanding Multilingual Learners with Dana Gastich French

Dana Gastich French is the founder and lead consultant for UpRiver Education, a company focused on multilingual learners and the educators who teach them. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how an asset-based, inclusive understanding of English language learning is the key to overcoming the challenges that ESL continues to face in the US and beyond.

We hear Dana’s origin story which begins with studying abroad in Chile where she learned how it felt to not be comfortable with the language of record. From there, she connects her experiences as an ESL and bilingual teacher, instructional coach and school and district-level administrator to what’s emerging in the field today. We conclude with Dana’s thoughts on the role of technology and the importance of building trust through culturally sensitive practices. It’s a free-wheeling survey of what’s new in the English Language Learning ecosystem you don’t want to miss

Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp perspective on what's emerging in learning.