Educator Mental Health and the Power of Being a Connected Educator: a Conversation with Nick Provenzano

This week, Elana sits down with Nick Provenzano, an educator of over 15 years, technology integrator, makerspace director, speaker, and author. During the chat, Nick emphasizes the value of connections between educators, opens up about the importance of normalizing conversations about depression and anxiety in education, and provides tips for educators on how to collaborate with EdTech brands.

2:30: Nick’s journey in Education5:32: Nick speaks to keeping it real as an educator, and not presenting his perfect self, and toxic positivity12:12: The value of becoming a mentor16:33 The weirdness of seeing yourself become a mentor19:10: How do we begin normalizing conversations around mental health?25:05: “The only way you normalize something is by normalizing it.”25:51: Depression is chemicals in your brain; learning your body.26:03: “People put teachers up on pedestals just to tear them back down.”29:40: Take a few things off your plate.32:38: “Teachers wanna have fun because things suck sometimes.” It's okay to be silly sometimes.35:30: “What is it you’re asking these teachers to do, and if they weren’t teachers, would you be paying them in sweatshirts?”38:15: Teacher time is valuable. 39:57: It is awkward to ask for your compensation. 43:29: I didn’t know that this is what my career would become. “It's strange, it's weird, I don’t know.”47:17: Know who you are and what that is worth.47:38: “I just kept saying a higher number until people stopped calling. And then I knew what I was worth.”51:04: The cultural knowledge of being a connected educator.55:35: What inspires Nick? His wife, and his students.56:13: And also Ted Lasso