The Well-being Classroom

#33 How Can AI Scale Personalised Student Mentoring? With George Greskovits

This episode kicks off a special limited series exploring the role of AI in education—specifically how these emerging technologies can be harnessed to drive positive school cultures and support student well-being across the entire school community.   How can we move beyond traditional industrial models of schooling to equip students with the agency they need to navigate a rapidly changing world?   Today, I’m joined by George Greskovitz, the CEO of Laikan and a dedicated educational innovator with over 15 years of experience. George co-founded the Milestone Institute in Budapest, where he pioneered mentoring and curriculum models that foster true student agency. He is currently developing Laikan, an AI-powered navigation application designed to make high-quality career orientation and academic advising accessible and impactful for students in every school, regardless of their background.   We’ll dive into the intersection of technology and holistic student support, exploring the shift from static "matching" models to what George calls "lifelong navigation." We discuss how Laikan can prompt deep student reflection, the importance of keeping a "human in the loop" to ensure psychological safety, how schools can use interactive dashboards to adapt their offerings to student aspirations, and much more!   Welcome to The Well-being Classroom. Links to learn more... - www.laikan.app [http://www.laikan.app] - https://www.linkedin.com/company/laikan [https://www.linkedin.com/company/laikan/]/ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-greskovits [https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-greskovits]

#32 The Power of Therapy with Xavier Woods

How do we bridge the gap between deep, personal healing and the fast-paced environment of the modern classroom?   Today, I’m joined by Xavier Woods, a primary school teacher with over two decades of professional experience across the U.S. and the Middle East, including time spent as a leader and educator in Abu Dhabi. A two-time Teacher of the Year in Metro Atlanta, Xavier is also an established author with a brand-new book, Keep God 1st and Go to Therapy, coming very soon. He is incredibly passionate about building positive relationships and is always ready to face the challenges of education with a sense of positivity and growth.   That’s what we’re exploring today with Xavier Woods—how the journey of therapy isn't just a personal one, but a tool that can transform how we lead, teach, and connect with our students every single day.   Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.

#31 How can Leaders Maintain an Intentional Calm? With Patrick Cozier

How can we move beyond the constant cycle of "fighting fires" and instead lead with a sense of intentional, focused calm? Today, I’m joined by Patrick Cozier, a Headteacher at a secondary school in London. With nearly 20 years of experience in headship and a career spanning roles from classroom teaching to senior leadership, Patrick is a respected mentor, speaker, and the author of the highly acclaimed book, Calm Leadership. In this episode, we dive deep into the core principles of leading with calm. We explore the "affirmative rationale" for building self-belief, the importance of dismantling the "success pedestal", and why radical honesty—choosing the "worst truth" over the "best lie"—is a leader’s most powerful tool for building trust. We also discuss practical strategies for managing overwhelm and much more! Link to buy book: https://www.amazon.com/Calm-Leadership-Staying-grounded-staying/dp/178583746X [https://www.amazon.com/Calm-Leadership-Staying-grounded-staying/dp/178583746X] Welcome to The Well-being Classroom....

#30 How Does Formative Assessment Fuel Adaptive Teaching? With Rajaa Laghrissi

How could we move beyond planning lessons for the "middle" and instead use assessment as a dynamic tool to meet every learner's needs in real-time? Today, I’m joined by Rajaa Laghrissi, an experienced English language teacher originally from Morocco and currently based in the UAE. With over 20 years of experience in secondary education, Rajaa is an innovative educator and a PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics. She is deeply passionate about adaptive teaching, student engagement, and developing students’ critical thinking and communication skills. This episode concludes our special mini-series on adaptive teaching by focusing on what Rajaa describes as the "fuel" of the entire process: Formative Assessment. We dive deep into the Assessment for Learning (AfL) mindset, exploring how it acts as a continuous cycle of checking for understanding that allows teachers to "pivot" instruction the moment a gap is identified—and much more!

#29 Is Discomfort the Missing Piece in Education? With Alejandro Zepeda

How can we move beyond "sanitizing" the student experience and instead build the genuine resilience required to navigate a complex and often isolating digital world? Today, I’m joined by Alejandro Zepeda, a distinguished educational leader with a global career spanning more than 25 years. Alejandro has served in senior leadership and principal roles across Mexico, Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Kazakhstan, bringing a deep international perspective to school culture and student development. For over two decades, he has also been a prominent consultant and leader for the International Baccalaureate, specializing in program evaluation and systemic teacher training. In this episode, we explore the evolving definition of school well-being and the critical "resilience gap" facing students today. We dive into the shift from physical to emotional safety, the impact of technology as a tool for social avoidance, the vital importance of being a "safest referent" for every learner, and much more.