Welcome to the Time for Teachership Podcast!

In this inspiring episode, Iuri Melo, therapist, educator, and founder of School Pulse, joins Lindsay to explore how schools, families, and students can proactively cultivate joy, positive relationships, and mental wellness.

Iuri shares his 20+ years of experience in therapy and his work with thousands of students, highlighting the importance of shifting from reactive crisis management to proactive, positive engagement. From live text-based support to fun, evidence-based student success activities, School Pulse provides tools that are inclusive, practical, and grounded in research.

• Why schools often focus on crisis intervention—and how early, proactive support can prevent many challenges.

• The power of positive psychology, growth mindset, and cognitive strategies in creating student wellbeing and academic success.

• How to implement benign, inclusive mental wellness content that works for diverse student populations without controversy.

• Practical ideas for starting and ending the day with positive momentum—for students, families, and teachers alike.

• How live text-based support, proactive emails, and short videos can engage students in building relationships, managing emotions, and developing life skills.

• Fun examples of student success activities, including acronyms like CASH (Compliment, Ask questions, Smile, Help) and SWIFT for relationship building.

• Mental wellness can be taught proactively, not just reactively.

• Inclusive, evidence-based strategies improve academic performance, relationships, and school culture.

• Small actions—like greeting students warmly or sending positive messages—can create momentum that impacts daily experiences.

• Families and schools can partner to reinforce positive habits and student growth.

Get Your Episode Freebie & More Resources On My Website: https://www.lindsaybethlyons.com/blog/251

Connect With Guest Iuri Melo:

• Email: iuri@schoolpulse.org
• Website: www.schoolpulse.org

Welcome to Episode 250 of the Time for Teachership podcast! 🎉

In this milestone episode, Lindsay explores how stories and civic imagination can help educators, leaders, families, and students co-construct shared values — and ultimately build meaningful community agreements for how we want to be together.

Inspired by the powerful book Practicing Futures: A Civic Imagination Handbook by Peter László and Srdja Popovic (and their incredible free online resources), this episode shares:

• Key insights from the book

• Reflections on civic imagination as a collective practice

• A practical, adaptable 60-minute workshop you can facilitate in classrooms, staff meetings, conferences, advisory blocks, PTA gatherings, or even at home

If you've ever struggled to move from "values on the wall" to lived, shared agreements — this episode offers a creative and hopeful pathway forward.

1. Civic imagination builds community — focus on shared values and trust, not just power struggles.

2. Stories reveal values — personal experiences or pop culture characters help groups identify what they care about.

3. Collective imagination drives action — envision futures, create stories, then connect them to real-world classroom or community practices.

4. Creativity + realism — fantastical thinking opens possibilities while addressing real problems.

Get Your Episode Freebie & More Resources On My Website: https://www.lindsaybethlyons.com/blog/250

What does it take to build a classroom culture where students truly believe:

• I belong here.

• I can master rigorous challenges.

• My ideas make an impact.

In this energizing conversation, Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab Learning, joins Lindsay on the Time for Teachership podcast to explore how educators can intentionally cultivate what she calls STEM identity — not just in STEM classrooms, but across all learning spaces.

Together, we unpack how belonging, productive struggle, and agency are foundational not only for academic success, but for thriving in future careers and contributing meaningfully to the world.

This episode is about more than tools or technology. It's about designing an ecosystem that helps students develop the self-belief to lead.

• STEM identity starts with belief. Students thrive when they believe: I belong here, I can master challenge, and my ideas matter.

• Productive struggle builds confidence. Pause before stepping in. Calibrated support — not immediate rescue — strengthens learning power.

• Belonging requires intentional design. Environment, curriculum, facilitation, and real-world connection must work together as an ecosystem.

• Avoid "random acts of STEM." Tools and technology should be tied to authentic problems and industry relevance.

• Education must be future-focused. In an AI-driven world, students need agency, adaptability, and the confidence to lead the tools they use.

Get Your Episode Freebie & More Resources On My Website: https://www.lindsaybethlyons.com/blog/249

Connect With Guest Dr. Jennifer Berry:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jennifer-berry-9a05113/