Pushing The Edge With Greg Curran

In this episode, how do we go about changing the culture within sporting clubs - opening them up to the rich diversity within our communities? How do we deal with sexism, the ableism, the racism, the homophobia and transphobia that puts off so many of us? And what about all the emphasis on the 'economics' and 'market share' - as reasons for change. Isn't there a 'social justice' case for change? Well our guest has plenty of insights into these areas - having studied sporting clubs up close as a researcher and participant. Ryan Storr is a PhD researcher and co-founder of Proud2Play, an Aussie organisation designed for anyone who ever thought there was no place for them in sporting environments. For full show-notes go to: http://pushingtheedge.org/sports Episode 36 - Quick Guide ▪ Ryan introduces himself ▪ Why inclusion in sport matters ▪ Does having skills = acceptance in sport? ▪ Why did Ryan hide his sexuality - when playing sport? ▪ Why does being open about who you are matter? ▪ What might inclusion in a s

In this episode, how can sport clubs open up opportunities for culturally diverse youth? How can they help them bridge the gap between their communities and mainstream sporting teams? And why should sports clubs reach out, beyond their traditional supporter base? What's in it for them and their communities? Plus, we've also got the Lightning Round where we're pushing the edges of participation, assumptions, leadership and community. Our guest is Sue McGill, Regional Manager of 'The Huddle' at North Melbourne Football Club, Australia. For full show-notes go to: http://pushingtheedge.org/sports/ Episode 35 Run-down ▪ Introduction to Sue and the North Melbourne Huddle ▪ The power of sport for social connections ▪ How The Huddle fosters connections for culturally diverse youth ▪ The importance of listening and the process of building trust with young people ▪ Why sporting clubs should build links to their multicultural communities ▪ What can Phys Ed teachers and Sports Coaches do to engage young people ▪ How do T

In this episode, we meet dancer, multi-sport athlete and wheelchair user - Sam De Leve. We explore the power of sport and sporting communities to change how disabled people see themselves, their bodies, and their possibilities in life. Also why do access, equipment, and language matter? And what makes a good sports coach? Plus you've probably heard people describing their identities as intersectional. We unpack what that means in the context of Sam's life. And in the Lightning Round we're pushing the edges of labels, intersections in identity, visibility, disruption, disability, and bodies. For full show-notes go to: http://pushingtheedge.org/sports Episode 34 - Quick Guide ▪ Sam introduces themself ▪ What is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? ▪ How Sam's disability impacts on the sports they play and the protection needed ▪ The drawcard of sport for Sam ▪ The importance of being around disabled people ▪ Mistaken perceptions about people with disabilities ▪ Sam as a disabled and trans non-binary Jew ▪ What does non-bina

In this episode, how do we make Physical Education more safe and welcoming for our diverse mix of students? We tackle labels and the limitations of gender specific sports, as well as being closeted as an athlete. Also how we can help young people have a more positive view of their bodies - and what you can do right now - to make your Physical Education classes more inclusive. Then there's the Lightning Round where we're pushing the edges of language , lifelong participation, mental health, self-acceptance and inclusion. For full show-notes go to: http://pushingtheedge.org/sports Show Guests Grant O Sullivan and Loretta Konjarski - from Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia Episode 33 Run-down ▪ Introduction ▪ Grant introduces himself ▪ The impact of being a closeted athlete ▪ Loretta introduces herself ▪ The impact of labels and why we should challenge them ▪ The impact of homophobia and transphobia on young people's participation in sport ▪ How Physical Education teachers can make their classrooms more

In this episode, an Australian organisation that's transforming LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex) people's attitudes towards sports participation - bringing them back to the games they love. Why do so many LGBTI young people stop playing sports between 16 and 20? And what teaching strategies can we use to turn this situation around - to make physical education and sports environments more inclusive? Plus, what can you do - if you're in an unsafe, unwelcoming sports environment? There's also the Lightning Round where we're pushing the edges of participation, body image, pronouns and feeling welcome in sport. For full show-notes go to: http://pushingtheedge.org/sports Show Guest James Lolicato, Co-founder of Proud 2 Play Inc Episode 32 Run-down ▪ Introduction ▪ What do we know about LGBTI people and participation in sport? ▪ Why do pronouns matter - in sport? ▪ Why do LGBTI people feel unsafe in Physical Education (Phys Ed) classes or sports? ▪ Inclusive teaching strategies for Phys Ed ▪ Pra

I have a confession to make. I love footy shows. I cannot get enough of them, as they dissect seemingly every move of each game in the AFL, the Australian Football League. And yet I've always found the straight, white blokiness of most of these footy shows, problematic. Whilst there's occasional nods to diversity or diversity-related issues, they're never central to these shows. Then I discovered 'The Outer Sanctum' podcast. I took it out with me on my Friday morning walk around the neighborhood, and it's been a regular companion since then. It's a show that's defied my expectations, giving space to voices rarely heard in the mainstream sports media and consistently tackling issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia within the AFL. The Outer Sanctum Podcast fires me up. It intrigues me and draws me in. It makes me laugh. In a time, where hate-related speech dominates the landscape, it makes me happy and fills me with hope. So I was pretty stoked when I had the chance to chat to two of the hosts from the Oute

Just imagine, you're a newly arrived refugee or migrant in an unfamiliar country: your new home. How do you build your self-confidence? How do you make new friends outside your community? And how do you start to feel more like a local? For the Refugee Council of Australia, SPORT is key. It's an important bridge to the new culture But what about the language barriers and dress codes for sports? And what about the opposition or resistance, both within and outside your community? Aren't these significant hurdles to overcome? Our guest Michelle Hage, from the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, has practical insights and strategies in all these areas. Plus there's a few challenges to our presumptions along the way. We also chat about the importance of role models, and the link between diversity and growth for sports clubs. There's also the Lightning Round where we're pushing the edges of belonging, traditional sports, language and sport, participation, and mindset. And one last thing, Michelle's organisation T

It's what we want for all our students - safe schools. For some students though - school is the most unsafe place for them to be. And increasingly they're saying, 'enough is enough if our school leaders & teachers won't take action to make school safe for us we will.' In this episode of Pushing The Edge, young people taking the lead -to make their schools safer and more inclusive for same sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students and their families. Plus, how 1 organisation, The Safe Schools Coalition of Australia is supporting these students and their teachers. We've got a swag of tips and insights so that you can join us and drive change in your school. We're also pushing the edges of normalcy, safety, voice and being an ally in another fast and furious Lightning Round. Our special guest is Roz Ward, Manager of the Safe Schools Coalition in Victoria, Australia. For full Show-Notes, go to: http://PushingTheEdge.org/29 Episode Run-Down: ▪ Why Roz pushes the edge for gender and sexual diversity i

  Transformative moments: The moments where you come face to face with a stark realization, that changes how you see yourself, your life and the world around you. And life from hereon - is different - if you choose to make it so. That's what happened to our guest, Justin Schleider, who comes to realize his privilege as a White, Straight, Middle Class Educator. But that's not all, we're also talking Fear: Fear of The Other. In this case, refugees seeking asylum in our countries. It's a fear that has Justin facing his own family history. And of course, we've also got the Lightning Round where we're pushing the edges of Money, Discomfort, Growth Mindset, and being a white educator. Plus we ponder - can we ever stop being educators? For full Show-Notes, go to: http://PushingTheEdge.org/28 Episode Run-Down: ▪ How Justin Pushes the Edge (2:09) ▪ How Justin came to branch out beyond what's normal for him (2:51) ▪ How Justin came to realize his privilege & began stepping out beyond it (6:30) ▪ Learning to keep ou

This is a special edition of Pushing The Edge. Bill Ivey and Christina Torres return to discuss: How to be ally for social justice in education. It can be quite a learning curve, filled with many questions and uncertainties. What if we want to speak up but don’t fully understand the issues, or the correct language to use? What if we slip up and say the wrong thing? Our guests have been there, believe me, and they’ve got some especially useful tips and insights to share. But that’s not all. There’s a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for quite a while but I’ve been too scared to raise it publicly. Well finally I let it out into the world and it leads to an especially interesting discussion. For full Show-Notes, go to: http://PushingTheEdge.org/27 Episode Run-Down: ▪ Do you know what you just said? How Bill's navigates being challenged(1:41) ▪ The importance of decentering ourselves (2:23) ▪ How might we get more people on board with social justice issues (2:43) ▪ Bill's tips about participating in diverse spa

In this episode, speaking up as White Educators and challenging the silence on issues of social justice - online - and in our schools. We’re also chatting about truly seeing our students & teaching a #BlackLivesMatter curriculum. And in the Lightning Round, we’re pushing the edges of visibility, democratic ideals, bias and indoctrination. Our guest is Greg Michie, a year 7 and 8 public school teacher of Social Studies in Chicago, USA. For full Show-Notes, go to: http://PushingTheEdge.org/26 Episode Run-Down: ▪ How Greg pushes the edge for social justice (1:21) ▪ How we can keep social justice at the forefront of our teaching? (1:41) ▪ Why step outside what's familiar and comfortable to us as teachers (3:54) ▪ Why step outside the norm of silence about race, gender and sexuality in education (5:29) ▪ Challenging the silence - Centering issues of social justice in schools and online (9:09) ▪ How we can step up for social justice on Twitter? (12:26) ▪ Talking about access and equity in Tech Twitter Chats (16

When we explore identity with our students, we often focus on single dimensions like race or ethnicity. But if we consider race, how does your gender, belief systems, or socio-economic status impact on your experiences and opportunities in life? The intersections of identity, that's the focus of this episode. And in the Lightning Round, we're Pushing The Edges of conversations about gender and race, privilege, social justice, democracy, and co-existence. Our guest is Bill Ivey. Bill is a middle-school Dean at Stoneleigh Burnham Girls' School in Western Massachussetts, USA. Bill's passionate about teaching for social justice, and the concept of intersectionality is central to much of his teaching in this area. For complete Show-Notes go to: http://PushingTheEdge.org/25 Episode Run-Down: ▪ The origin of this episode (1:07) ▪ What got Bill interested in Social Justice? (1:45) ▪ How Bill Pushes The Edge in education (4:41) ▪ What is intersectionality, why teach about it, and what got Bill interested in it? (5:17

How can we support and empower students to make change happen? How can we empower them to be change-makers who challenge and transform unjust systems? Well, we've gotta dislodge and disrupt the stories of oppression and victim-hood that are so prevalent. We've gotta review and re-frame the ways we talk about ourselves and our communities. We've gotta tell stories of persistence, positivity, hope, joy and achievement. It all starts with re-thinking our business as usual in schools. And on that count we've got quite a few tips and insights to share. For complete show-notes go to: http://PushingTheEdge.org/24 Episode Run-Down: ▪ How Christina Torres Pushes The Edge (1:36) ▪ How to center social justice around students and their worlds (2:14) ▪ How Christina's students pushed back & resisted (3:38) ▪ Race: Seeing ourselves in power, in diverse roles (7:26) ▪ How to teach for student agency (10:34 & 12:27) ▪ Re-thinking how we view and talk about particular communities (11:26 & 14:47) ▪ Re-thinking h

Student voice is often spoken of within education circles. Often though it's voice with limitations or prescriptions, with adults ultimately making the decisions or limiting the amount of influence that students actually have. In this episode, we take a different route. We examine how one school in New Zealand moved from student voice to student agency. Here Maori students (for example) play an active and influential role in the life of the school. They lead training workshops with parents and carers, as well as general community consultations. They also participate as Student Ambassadors on interview panels for new teaching staff. We've also got the Lightning Round. Here Steph and I are challenged to Push The Edge on education issues in a quick and speedy manner. For complete Show-Notes go to: PushingTheEdge.org/23 Episode Run-Down ▪ How Stephanie pushes the edge in education (2:07) ▪ Tapping into our students' experiences of school (3:14) ▪ Is what we're doing making a difference? (4:15) ▪ How do we get com

In this episode, we explore student activism in a K to 8 elementary school. Here students are critically exploring and unpacking the issues that affect their lives and the people they care about. But that's not all - they're also coming up with Action Plans to make a difference on these issues. Issues such as street litter, gun violence, homelessness, and police violence towards their communities.   We've also got the Lightning Round where we're pushing the edges of teacher objectivity, standardization, achievement gaps, and being Young, strong and proud. For full show-notes, go to: PushingTheEdge.org/22 Episode Run-Down ▪ How Village Leadership Academy push the edge ▪ Exploring personal and community identity - from Kinder Grade onward (2:13) ▪ The importance of transformation in students' lives (3:03) ▪ Getting beyond feeling 'less than' (3:50) | Understanding ourselves and our worlds ▪ GLBTI students - The importance of connection (5:14) ▪ Getting beyond under-estimating young people - Exploring gender w

In This Episode: finding and understanding ourselves through our stories; the links between language and autonomy; re-framing assessment in ways that work for our students; and playing the game - or at least critically playing it.   My guest is Silvia Gonzalez, a teacher-artist who works primarily with black and Latino young people in Chicago, USA.  Episode Run-Down How Silvia pushes the edge Empowerment and identity Centering our students' stories | Finding a place to be who you are Visibility and Invisibility | Toning down in the classroom Sharing our stories Critical interrogation and diverse perspectives Continual learning and researching as a teacher Actively engaging with our students and their communities Negotiating the pull towards standards whilst meaningfully engaging with the real issues in students' lives The power of language and systems of power Comfort, discomfort and accountability Transparency and critically 'playing the game' The Lightning Round Being open to our students' stories: 2 exa

In this episode, getting our students excited about science: tapping into and growing their sense of wonder and awe about the world around them, and supporting them to collaborate on the topics and issues they care about. Plus, how to get others on board with your ‘out -there’ ideas. And in the Lightning Round, we're Pushing The Edge of risk, mindset, innovation and the status quo. Our guest, Jasper Fox Senior, a middle years Earth Sciences teacher. EPISODE RUN-DOWN Jasper introduces himself (1:00 minute mark) What is Earth Sciences and how is it being taught differently nowadays? (2:38) Connecting what's outside to inside the classroom - what it demands of us as teachers (3:47) Shifting to a collaborative and real-time feedback model with students (5:43) Jasper's model of teaching Earth Sciences (7:06) Using video to teach and engage students (7:42) How Jasper sets up his classroom (8:59) Where it all started - How Jasper transformed his teaching of Earth Sciences (10:28) What Jasper's student

In this episode, getting authentic with our reading and writing, plus giving ourselves permission to branch out beyond our comfort zones, doing what's best for students.   But that's not all - We've also got the Lightning Round where we're pushing the edges of mindset, branching out, resistance and the collective.   And to bring us home, Michelle Snyder and Victoria Curtis have advice to their younger selves. EPISODE RUN-DOWN Getting permission to take risks Personalizing student learning (3:00 min mark); Common Core vs Romeo and Juliet vs Science Fiction (4:19) Personalizing when you have so many students to teach (6:57); It's about mindset (8:52) Breaking away from Comfy and Safe (11:56); Creating the conditions for permission (14:20) Creating trust with leaders (17:25); Transformation District-wise (18:58); From control to 'take risks' (22:09) Giving Permission to ourselves to take risks (23:11) Getting clear about what's best for our students (24:40) The battle with our mindset (26:25) Pushing

In this episode, listening to that 'call from within', and responding to 'turning points' in our lives - with Andy Vasily. What do you do when faced with potentially life changing moments? Do you continue with what's safe and familiar? Or do you dare to step off that conveyor belt? Plus, you've got ideas for change - your colleagues are all on board - until it comes time to speak up at a staff meeting. Then they're no-where to be found. So what do you do? And in the Lightning Round we're Pushing The Edge of boundaries, Mindset, and Making a Difference. SHOW-NOTES For complete Show-Links and Resources go to PUSHING THE EDGE - EPISODE 18. SUPPORT If you're living with anxiety or depression, you're not alone. Reach out and connect. Beyond Blue - Australia Mental Health Support - USA RELATED PUSHING THE EDGE PODCASTS & POSTS Click the links below to start listening or reading: Make a Difference By Not Playing It Safe with Greg Curran Break Through and Transform your Teaching Get Out of Your Own

In Part 2 of my chat with Rachael Lehr - We're Standing Up for Student Voice, Identifying the Key Challenges facing School Leaders, and Changing the World at a Local Level.   There's also the Lightning Round where we're Pushing The Edge of Home, Relationships, Discomfort and Making a Difference.    There's also my Not To Be Missed Books. This time a couple of books that have been influential in my teaching career. LISTEN TO PART 1 In Part 1 of my chat with Rachael Lehr we talk about motivations and inspirations for Pushing The Edge, Social Justice, How to Stay True to Yourself, and How to Navigate Self-Doubts. Listen to Part 1 (Episode 16) on ITunes or on my website. SHOW-NOTES For complete Show-Links and Resources go to PUSHING THE EDGE - EPISODE 17. LISTEN TO RELATED EPISODES OF PUSHING THE EDGE Click the links below to start listening to each episode: Pust Past Your Comfort Zone with Rachael Lehr Pushing The Edge of Whole School Change with Ray Boyd - Ray is the Principal of the School that Rachael