Episode Details

Most people agree that the “online learning” that happened during COVID was a challenge for many students; especially those with disabilities.

However, what happened during the pandemic wasn’t a true version of what “distance learning” or “telehealth” should be. 

There’s a difference between leveraging technology to enhance in-person experiences vs. using it as a temporary solution in an emergency situation.

There’s also a difference between using technology to provide opportunities that wouldn’t be possible in-person vs. having an unhealthy relationship with social media.

That’s why I invited Seth Fleischauer to De Facto Leaders to discuss distance learning best practices, social media, and how to use technology responsibly in education.

Seth Fleischauer is the President of Banyan Global Learning, which he founded in 2008 after teaching elementary school with NYC Teaching Fellows. Banyan pioneered daily international EFL distance learning and has since expanded to train teachers and educate K-12 students across three continents. His programs focus on teaching digital and cultural competencies through a global lens and have delivered over 40,000 live teaching sessions. Seth has also hosted nearly 100 podcast episodes, including Make It Mindful and Why Distance Learning?

In this conversation, we discuss:

✅Why “COVID online learning” wasn’t an accurate representation of true distance learning. 

✅Opportunities, access, and equity: Using distance learning experiences when IRL isn’t possible.

✅How do we know when kids are ready for social media?

✅Defining the “digital footprint” and how to talk to kids about safe online practices.

You can learn more about Seth’s company, Banyan Global Learning at: https://banyangloballearning.com/

Listen to the Make it Mindful Podcast at: https://feeds.transistor.fm/make-it-mindful-an-education-podcast

Listen to the Why Distance Learning Podcast at: https://whydistancelearning.transistor.fm/

Learn more about the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration here: https://www.cilc.org/

In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.