Advertise on podcast: Rooted in Relationships

There’s no question the Covid-19 Pandemic had a negative impact on young people and their relationships, but Karen Pittman, Partner at KP Catalysts, also sees it as an opportunity to prioritize relationships and the positive impact they have on learning and education. In this edition of Rooted in Relationships, Karen Pittman discusses how scaling relationship building among students and educators can lead to increased learning and student success.

Schools and educational institutions rely on big data for information about the students they serve, but what does that data truly tell us about student wellness? More importantly, how can you use data to effectively prioritize wellness and the role educators can play in student wellness to directly influence student success? On this episode of Rooted in Relationships, we talk with Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade about the innovative way he is measuring wellness among young people.

In this episode of Rooted in Relationships we discuss the importance of human relationships and how the fundamental need for connection exists across all cultures, but may look different depending on cultural norms and expectations. We are joined by Dr. Junlei Li Co-Chair of the Human Development and Education program and Saul Zaentz Senior Lecturer in early childhood education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Li discusses how regardless of the culture or context, meaningful relationships and positive development can occur through simple interactions.

In the first episode of season two of Rooted in Relationships, Search Institute CEO Ben Houltberg introduces Kent Pekel, education leader and former CEO of Search Institute. Season two of the Rooted in Relationships podcast will feature interviews conducted by Kent with a focus on how social capital – family, class, culture and other factors – influence relationship-building. In this episode, Kent talks with Richard Reeves, a senior fellow in economic studies with the Brookings Institute and director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative. His research is focused on social mobility, inequality and the middle class.

I am so excited to end our series on character with this powerful episode with renowned scholar, Dr. Valerie Purdie-Greenaway. In this episode, Dr. Purdie-Greenaway breaks down her research on culture and intergroup relations in society into practical insights for cultivating contexts that create psychological safety and a sense of belonging for young people to thrive. There are so many powerful insights in this episode that you will not want to miss.

Today is a special episode for Search Institute as we talk with Dr. Peter Samuelson and Karen Kingsley about their amazing work with opportunity youth right here in Minnesota, where Search Institute is based. In this episode, we talk about the importance of shifting the narrative from a deficit-based approach to a strength-based approach that sees the potential in young people that are disconnected from the system, such as those who have dropped out of college, are unemployed, in foster care or are disconnected from societal support in some way. . We hear incredible stories of resilience and transformation from a program that focuses on gratitude, generosity and hope.

In this episode, we talk to Harvard Business School professor Dr. Ashley Whillans about becoming more time smart in order to prioritize those things that bring us life and joy. Dr. Whillans insights could not come at a better time for parents, youth workers and teachers that are balancing so much right now in these difficult times. We also discuss the power of generosity and an innovative project with Canadian youth sports to build generosity.

In this episode, Dr. Krista Mehari talks about the importance of authentically engaging communities around the shared purpose of helping young people thrive. She provides powerful examples of what happens when young people define character within their own community. Dr. Mehari is a licensed psychologist and applied researcher with extensive experience creating research-informed approaches to identifying and leveraging community strengths for systemic change. This is a powerful episode you don't want to miss!

In this episode, we will be talking to Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang who is an expert on the impact and implications of social and emotional development on learning. We will be diving into the neuroscience of relationships, how deep learning is fostered and the transformative impact when young people have a sense of meaning beyond themselves.

Grit is critical to achievement and performance but does not necessarily lead to youth thriving in life. Young people must also feel that they are cared for and be given the opportunity to internalize character strengths into their own sense of identity. In this episode, Dr. Angela Duckworth provides practical tips for creating caring communities that bring out the best in all young people.