Middle School Mary Poppins
Middle School Mary Poppins
www.msmarypoppins.com
Host: Suzanne M. Swain, EDS LMSW
Imagine Mary Poppins 2.0 or Mr. Rogers for the 2025 middle school set, with a splash of retro flair and a dash of divergent thinking for kids struggling with adolescence. What if our host, Suzanne is the Real Deal with degrees and the creds to bring receipts? I live near rural & upcoming Cookeville, Tennessee.
Middle School is the best emotionally-creative place to be! . "Middle School Mary Poppins" is an educational podcast that's here to shake up the way we approach tween and teen development. Divergence focuses equally on creativity, mental health, and broad thinking. Grab your quarters and hit the pizza place for a multiverse ride through gamifying Middle School.
Led by the enthusiastic veteran teacher, child therapist, & Mary Poppins 2.0, Suzanne M. Swain EDS LMSW, this show dives into the exciting world of divergent teens and tweens, celebrating their unique perspectives and untapped potential. Through a vibrant mix of pop culture references, boundless imagination, and a healthy dose of 80s and 90s nostalgia, we're on a mission to supercharge creativity and pave the way for success. Howard Gardner, Carol Dweck, Jean Piaget, and Erik Erikson are a few influences that give us clues on how to fix school violence once and for all. It ALL starts in the Middle. Let's rev up K12 again and fuel middle schools to be arts-based for mental health coping skills. We CAN do this; we're Goonies after all!
Key Features:
- Explores the positive aspects of Autism, ADD, ADHD, and other behavioral and mental health conditions
- Empowers families and educators with strategies to nurture divergent thinking
- Utilizes metaverses and imaginative scenarios to engage and educate
- Packed with fun, humorous, relatable content that speaks to both kids and adults
"Middle School Mary Poppins" is your guide to flipping the script on traditional approaches to neurodiversity. We're here to show that what some see as challenges are actually superpowers in disguise. Join us as we embark on a fun-filled journey, transforming the middle school experience one episode at a time.
It's time for a retro remix of middle school. Let's rock y'all Ready Player One!
Middle School Mary Poppins
S2 EP 9 Learning Empathy: Right Here Waiting
In this thoughtful and essential episode of Middle School Mary Poppins, Suzanne M. Swain, EDS, LMSW—Education Master & Specialist as well as working school-based Child Therapist introduces a new concept she believes every family, teacher, and community needs right now: Elementary Empathy-Based Learning (EEBL).
Suzanne dives into why today’s youngest learners—especially those who experienced early childhood during the pandemic—need intentional support in developing empathy, emotional awareness, and social connection. Through relatable stories, pop-culture references like Inside Out, and decades of school counseling experience, she shares how empathy builds safety, strengthens families, and helps kids understand themselves and others.
She explains how EEBL & empathy shows up in body language, storytelling, imagination, and even anxiety—and offers simple ways adults can nurture it through conversations, routines, respect, and everyday social skills. Suzanne also explores how middle schoolers can channel big emotions through creativity and art, turning anxious energy into meaningful self-expression.
This episode is a must-listen for parents, teachers, counselors, and anyone working with kids today. You’ll gain practical tools, deeper insight into child development, and a renewed appreciation for how empathy creates confident, connected, and capable kids.
Tune in to learn how empathy grows, why it matters, and how you can bring more of it into your home, classroom, or community—one intentional moment at a time!
Check out our website for more content & playlists. Steve pics too! Pass Suzanne a note in her locker - would love to hear from you! http://www.msmarypoppins.com
Contact Suzanne M. Swain, EDS LMSW
Email: suzanneswain@gmail.com
Facebook: Suzanne Swain
Produced By: StellaMix Podcast Production
