When Punam Saxena’s family relocated to a small town in Georgia, her neighbors asked what tribe they belonged to. They mistakenly thought her family was Native American, not Indians from India. Growing up ostracized, she knows the impact of social isolation and vowed to do something about it. In this episode, Punam shares her process for coaching parents to become active partners with their children’s teachers through open communication that leverages the latest technologies.
144: Diversity, Digital Transformation & Coaching Parents with Punam Saxena
Special Guest: Punam Saxena, Founder & CEO – edu-Me
Location: Metro Atlanta, GA USA
Air Date: April 11, 2021
Resources
- edu-Me: Punam’s podcast, dedicated to bridging the gap between parents and schools.
- edu-nars: Punam’s weekly FB Live sessions with parents discussing challenges they’re facing. Each week they tackle a new topic that relates to their daily lives to provide ideas, tips, and calm.
- Parent Power: Navigate School and Beyond: Punam’s book, set for release soon! Her book offers insights, ideas, and methods to navigate the exhilarating and exhausting task of raising productive, compassionate, thoughtful young people. It tackles relevant topics that parents face, including how to approach: social media, sports, discrimination, and many more parent-child topics.
- Psychology Today: a website based on the magazine by the same name; topics range from “behavioral research to practical guidance on relationships, mental health, and addiction.”
- GreatSchools.org: a website for America’s leading non-profit organization that empowers parents to unlock educational opportunities for their children. They provide school information and parenting resources to help families choose the right school, support learning at home, and guide their children to great futures.
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) – Adolescent & School Health: a website featuring articles, downloadable fact sheets, and other helpful information to foster transparent and constructive communication among parents, school staff, and teachers.
- Edutopia.org: a website from the George Lucas Foundation dedicated to “…transforming K-12 education so that all students can acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives.”
- Harvard College – Parent & Family Engagement: a website from the Dean of Students Office that provides “…resources and opportunities for parents and families to learn about the College and share in the milestones your student will experience during their time at Harvard.”
- Zoom: a web-based tool that offers audio and video recording of webinars, conference calls, presentations, meetings, and more. Also includes screen sharing for enhanced collaboration.
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Credits
Producer & Host: Alicia Butler Pierre
Podcast Editor: Olanrewaju Adeyemo
Video Editor: Gladys Jimenez
Transcription: Jodie Maquiran
Sponsor: HubSpot
Bios
More About Guest, Punam V. Saxena:
Punam V. Saxena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Education. Throughout her 30 years of experience between teaching and volunteering in her children’s schools, she implemented several procedures that have benefited the students and administrators within the school district.
Punam is a Parent Impact Coach, podcast host of edu-Me, author, and speaker. Her work focuses on bridging the gap and fostering a stronger relationship between parents and schools by empowering parents to become partners in their child’s education. She has been recognized as Volunteer of the Year at Harrison School for the Arts and has received a Key to the City both in Lakeland, Florida. She has been featured in the magazine podcast Movement and Shoutout Atlanta and spoken at several mainstage events including the Passionistas Project’s I’mSpeaking and Podcast Movement’s Virtual Summit. She enjoys running, cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.
More About Host, Alicia Butler Pierre:
Alicia Butler Pierre is the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc. Her career in operations began over 20 years ago while working as an engineer in various chemical plants and oil refineries. She invented the Kasennu™ framework for business infrastructure and authored, Behind the Façade: How to Structure Company Operations for Sustainable Success. It is the world’s first published book on business infrastructure for small businesses. Alicia hosts the weekly Business Infrastructure podcast with a global audience across 53 countries.