When Does Passion Turn Into Burnout? with Destiny and Kris

In this episode of the Play Ed 3 podcast, hosts Rick and Tisha celebrate Tisha's birthday and discuss the importance of self-care and taking time off. They reflect on teaching experiences, emphasizing the need for student interaction and the role of technology in education. The conversation shifts to the challenges of teacher burnout, the significance of setting boundaries, and the impact of educational technology on privacy. Destiny shares her journey from teaching to tech coaching, highlighting the importance of recognizing one's worth and the need for educators to be heard. In this engaging conversation, the speakers discuss the challenges and changes in the education sector, particularly focusing on the importance of work-life balance, the generational shift in attitudes towards work, and the myths surrounding educational technology. They emphasize the need for teachers to recognize their personal values, the limitations of technology in solving educational problems, and the role of AI in the classroom. The discussion also touches on the importance of understanding and communication between educators and tech professionals, as well as the need to overcome the fear of failure in the classroom. The episode concludes with light-hearted confessions and personal anecdotes, creating a relatable and insightful experience for listeners.


00:00 Celebrating Birthdays and Personal Growth
02:56 The Importance of Taking Time Off
05:57 Reflecting on Teaching Practices
08:38 The Role of Technology in Education
11:33 Understanding Privacy in EdTech
14:38 Navigating Teacher Burnout
17:53 Finding Balance in Education and Technology
26:15 Setting Boundaries in Education
34:38 Navigating Burnout and Career Transitions
40:30 The Role of Technology in Education
50:24 Understanding the Human Element in EdTech
54:22 The Evolution of Podcasting Lengths
55:30 Juice Box Confessionals: Fun and Silly Questions
56:49 Tech Tips Gone Wrong: Hilarious Confessions
59:25 The Most Victimized Platforms: A Tech Rant
01:02:47 Petty Tech Decisions: Spiteful Choices in EdTech
01:03:49 Protecting Energy: Unhinged Self-Care Strategies
01:05:05 Role Reversal: Empathy in Tech Support

About Destiny Wagner
Destiny Wagner is a respected education veteran with over 20 years of experience. She's a seasoned classroom physics teacher and a certified instructional technology coach, who has ignited a love of learning in countless students.
Destiny is a sought-after presenter at national conferences, where she shares her expertise in creating engaging professional development programs, equipping educators with the tools and techniques they need to thrive in the classroom. She is a champion for teacher wellbeing, focusing on strategies to combat burnout and cultivate a healthy work-life balance.
A Google Certified Educator (Levels 1 & 2), Destiny is also a Campus Technology Specialist and TCEA course creator. When she's not geeking out about education technology, you might find her channeling her inner Harry Potter as a Slytherin Prefect. She's also a certified instructor in reality-based self-defense and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500), bringing a unique perspective on mindfulness and stress management to the education community.

About Kristofer Thurston
Kris Thurston has worked at the intersection of education and technology since 1999, serving on the technical side of EdTech in both public and private schools. He currently serves as Director of Technology at John Paul II High School in Plano, Texas and Chief Technology Nerd at EdTech Nerds, where he helps build teacher first professional learning that blends mindfulness, efficiency, and creativity.

Across more than twenty five years of rollouts, reboots, and rapid change, Kris has held to one core belief, change is the soul of the game. Guided by a Leaders Eat Last philosophy, he believes that because students spend the vast majority of their school experience in classrooms with teachers or on fields with coaches, leaders have a responsibility to put teachers first so teachers can put students first. His work focuses on making technology feel reliable, humane, and sustainable, so educators can spend less time fighting systems and more time focusing on the students in front of them.

Follow Destiny Wagner on:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@edtechnerds?l...
Instagram:   / edtechdestiny  
Facebook: personal -   / destiny.wagner.9   and business- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
LinkedIn:   / destiny-wagner-69064646  
X:   / edtechdestiny  
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/edtechdestin...
Other: www.edtechnerds.com

Follow Kristofer Thurston on:
Instagram:   / kristoferthurston  
LinkedIn:   / kthurston  
X:   / kristhurston  
Other: www.edtechnerds.com

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