Real Talk for Real Teachers with Dr. Becky Bailey, Julie Ruffo and special guest Chazz “Mr. Chazz” Lewis

Episode Summary

In this episode, Dr. Bailey is joined by Chazz “Mr. Chazz” Lewis, a former Montessori teacher turned educational specialist with a fast-growing presence on social media. Mr. Chazz applies his brand of charisma, humor and insight to important topics in both education and parenting. His philosophy closely align with Conscious Discipline, which led him to attend and present a keynote at a 2021 Conscious Discipline Institute. He also recently attended the 2021 Elevate SEL Conference in Orlando.

Dr. Bailey and Mr. Chazz discuss their similar viewpoints on parenting and education, including his vision to help adults “See, Guide, and Trust” children. He also shares the motivation behind his work, including a truly impactful educator in his life. Plus, he offers inspirational takeaways like, “Don’t be a perfectionist; be an ‘improvenist.’”

Essential Takeaways

• Mr. Chazz’s career in education began as a Montessori teacher. As his skills grew, other teachers began asking him for suggestions, ideas, and advice. He realized that he could make an even greater impact by supporting teachers, so he became an educational specialist.
• During the pandemic, he saw the challenges families and parents were facing, so he turned to social media to offer his support. Today, he has more than 150,000 followers on multiple platforms.
• Mr. Chazz describes his vision for the world in three words: “See, Guide, and Trust.” He wants to empower adults to truly see children, more effectively guide them, and trust that children are doing the best they can with the skills they have in the moment.
• “Don’t be a perfectionist; be an ‘improvenist’,” is Mr. Chazz’s most important piece of advice. Perfectionism often becomes the anchor of our progress. Focus instead on improving each day, living authentically, and embracing mistakes as opportunities to learn. When we become improvenists, we teach children the same mindset through modeling and direct interactions.

Important Links

• ConsciousDiscipline.com
• Conscious Discipline Events
• Mr. Chazz’s Leadership, Parenting and Teaching Podcast 
• Mr. Chazz on TikTok
• Mr. Chazz on Instagram
• Mr. Chazz on Facebook 

Product Mentions

• Powers of Resilience: SEL for Adults E-Course
• Seven Skills Poster Set
• I Love You Rituals Deluxe Pack

Show Outline

• :34 What is Conscious Discipline?
• 1:11 Introduction of special guest Mr. Chazz
• 2:07 Join Dr. Becky Bailey in conversation with Mr. Chazz
• 2:59 Mr. Chazz’s background in education
• 6:15 Alignment of Conscious Discipline and Mr. Chazz’s philosophy
• 7:13 See, Guide, and Trust
• 9:24 Next steps for Mr. Chazz
• 11:00 Inspiration behind Mr. Chazz’s work
• 13:08 Story of an impactful teacher
• 18:20 “Don’t be a perfectionist; be an ‘improvenist’”
• 22:36 How to follow Mr. Chazz’s podcast and social media
• 23:30 Recap
• 24:33 What’s Becky up to?

Thank You for Listening

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On behalf of our Conscious Discipline family, we wish you well.