Brenda McKinney

We are facing an epidemic-a life threatening, brain-paralyzing, heart-destroying disease known as the ‘doing disease,’ as described by Bec Heinrich. This relentless drive to keep moving, achieving, and fearing stillness is taking a toll on our well-being. In this course, Toxic Productivity Mindset, you will explore brain science and data-driven studies, along with personal anecdotes, to uncover the reasons behind why doing enough is never enough. If you find yourself overcommitted, compulsively overachieving, and constantly exhausted, join me to delve into why pursuing productivity at the expense of your physical, emotional, and mental health is detrimental. This course will help you identify deep-seated beliefs about overwork and provide actionable strategies for both your personal life and classroom.

Are you looking for a course that will inspire you with powerful scientific proof that gratefulness can change your life? Groundbreaking research on gratefulness has shown that people are better able to deal with everyday stress while building their resilience and satisfaction with life, improving relationships, and creating more powerful connections. This course is a perfect choice for all teachers experiencing stress while working to balance career and family life and for struggling students experiencing loneliness, social anxiety, and lack of motivation.  

The pressure to keep up with global events leads to feeling defeated and anxious. Over 77% of people experience stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Our minds begin to spin while coping with underlying anxiety and tension. This course will teach gratitude, mindfulness, stress reduction, and visualization strategies. You will be invited to leave behind your overthinking mind as you explore the reason behind the incessant chatter of our overcharged brain. 

Students see right through us when we are not being ourselves. Standing in our authentic self is the personal foundation of good K-12 teaching, no matter what grade level, subject or personality type. In this course, you will draw upon the work of noted educator and writer, Parker Palmer, and researcher-author, Brene Brown, to help explore what may be getting in the way of being fully yourself. You will learn the steps you can take to reclaim your personal power.

The great wisdom traditions well as our own life stories point to the virtue of adversity. The obstacles and difficulties in our lives test us and can bring forth our greatest potential, leading to self-knowledge, character, courage and great achievement. You will view two movies, several TED Talks, and read two books about overcoming adversity from an Amazon and/or Goodreads list. The material reflects on the trials and successes of each life, and explores K-12 application of these themes.

Do you find yourself searching for happiness and never quite reaching it? Have you come to the realization that your health is not what it should be: extra pounds, fast food, and health implications? Healthy living is being offered to help you unleash your own power to recover and harness your energy for full health benefits. Uncover the surprising way in which your body is connected to the afflictions of civilization. Investigate the power of living in a more healthful way through your diet exercise, sleep, reactions to stress, mindfulness, and more. If your goal is to live a long and healthy life to the fullest, then you don’t want to miss this course. This course will highlight how the current pressure and stress in modern life have removed us from our biological needs and are making us ill. It is also about how to avoid this distress and find a way to happiness. This course is practical, disarming, loaded with research, and will ignite and inspire you to change and Go Wild. If you are looking to manage your stress levels, find more energy, improve your sleep, and sharpen your mental skills, join me for an experience that will help you secure a healthier, happier future. Healthy Living NOW! This course is appropriate for grades K-12 instructors, administrators, and parents.

Emerging neuroscience and nutrition research show that a healthy diet improves mental and emotional well-being. Learn how to make better food choices, how so many unhappy meals are reaching us, what foods are really good and review research to not only change your body but your brain. For K-12 teachers, coaches, and parents. Our text "The Happiness Diet" clearly links food and mood.

Today's students differ greatly from each other and their learning needs vary more dramatically than ever! These differences are wide ranging and are being identified earlier. Such classroom disparities require all educators to think differently about teaching and learning; educators have been differentiating for ages. This class is intended to move you from where you are now (beginner, proficient, advanced) in the process of differentiation, to the next level essential for success.

Scientists now know so much more about how our students learn than thirty years ago and it is time to upgrade your learning. Did you know that our brains are not really designed for thinking? Did you know that most of what we learn is forgotten immediately?