Digital Social Hour: The Shocking Truth About Modern Education Gaps | Renee Vardouniotis DSH #890

Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Renee Vardouniotis, Founder of Mighty Minds Academy
Release Date: November 15, 2024

1. Introduction to Renee Vardouniotis and Mighty Minds Academy

Sean Kelly (Host): Welcomes Renee Vardouniotis, the founder of Mighty Minds Academy, to the show. Renee introduces her platform as an online educational resource designed for children, teens, and even adults who wish to participate. She emphasizes that Mighty Minds is inspired by principles from the book Thinking Real Rich and the Thinking to Results program with Bob Proctor.

Renee Vardouniotis (Guest):
"Mighty Minds Academy is an online platform for children and teens and young adults and adults if they really want to participate. And it's loosely based on the concepts that were in the book Thinking Real Rich, as well as the Thinking to Results program that I was in with Bob Proctor." [00:40]

2. Purpose and Role of Mighty Minds Academy

Renee explains that Mighty Minds aims to bridge the gap between traditional school curricula and essential real-life skills. She believes that by teaching powerful mindset concepts, the platform can help reduce anxiety, depression, and confusion among youth.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"We could probably diminish a lot of the anxiety and depression and confusion that our kids are having. So I develop these programs that they're online, and I work with children and teens on their mindset." [01:27]

Sean probes whether Mighty Minds serves as a supplement or a replacement to traditional schooling. Renee clarifies that while she would prefer it to replace traditional education, currently it functions as a supplement, enhancing what children learn in school with vital personal development skills.

3. Critique of the Current Education System

The conversation delves into Renee’s critique of the existing education system. She highlights the drawbacks of large class sizes, standardized testing, and a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn't cater to individual learning styles.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"A lot of schools are now diversifying a little bit with different learning styles, but it's not enough. It's not enough." [03:36]

Sean shares personal experiences of feeling disconnected from the school curriculum, emphasizing the lack of passion and purpose in traditional subjects.

4. Mental Health and Education Gaps

Renee connects the gaps in modern education to the rising mental health issues among students. She argues that the failure to teach self-awareness and personal growth contributes significantly to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"I feel like the reason why there’s been spikes in the mental health world and with mental illness, depression, anxiety, suicide, is all correlated with the fact that people aren't thinking the right thoughts 100%." [02:23]

Sean relates to this sentiment, mentioning how alternative learning platforms like Shark Tank and YouTube University provided him with purpose that traditional schooling lacked.

5. The Role of Technology and AI in Education

Renee discusses the stagnant nature of educational institutions in comparison to the rapid evolution of technology. She points out that classrooms have not significantly changed in the past century, despite advancements in technology and society.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"If you look at a classroom from 100 years ago and you look at a classroom now, they look very much the same... it should be used for something in different ways." [08:17]

The conversation touches on the integration of technology in classrooms, such as the use of laptops and iPads, but Renee argues that technology should be leveraged more effectively to teach skills like coding and real-world applications.

Sean Kelly:
"I would just tell her to ask Siri or Alexa, because why not?" [10:43]

Both guests agree on the potential of AI to revolutionize education, though concerns about its current restrictions in schools are voiced.

6. Speech Pathology and Mindset Training

Renee shares her professional background as a speech-language pathologist, explaining how she integrates mindset training into her practice. She recounts working with students who have a range of communication disorders, from severe disabilities to high-functioning autism.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"When I started working with him, I said, you know, Ethan, let's talk about how you're feeling. What are you thinking? Because our thoughts affect our feelings affect our actions, which affect our results." [16:05]

She emphasizes the importance of addressing the mental and emotional aspects of speech disorders, leading to significant improvements in her students.

7. Autism and Modern Interventions

The discussion delves into autism, with Renee highlighting the spectrum nature of the disorder and the importance of early and appropriate interventions. She explains how modern therapies can help individuals with autism develop essential life skills.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"Intensive occupational therapy, sometimes physical therapy, social skills or social groups where they're practicing their conversational skills, understanding how to follow directions..." [21:07]

Sean shares a personal connection, mentioning his father’s severe autism and the challenges faced due to late diagnosis and lack of proper interventions.

8. Emotional Intelligence and Life Skills

Renee underscores the lack of emphasis on emotional intelligence and other life skills in traditional education. She advocates for personalized learning that fosters self-love, goal setting, and emotional resilience.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"Emotional intelligence is something that's not taught in schools. We are, schools are very IQ based." [22:28]

She believes that teaching these skills early can lead to more fulfilled and mentally healthy individuals.

9. School Facilities: Gym and Nutrition

The conversation shifts to the state of physical education and school nutrition. Renee and Sean lament the outdated gym programs and poor quality of school lunches, advocating for a revamp to promote better physical health and nutrition among students.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"I had great memories living there and being a student because my friends were working, so I had no money... We have the cushions that you can sit on that you can kind of like wiggle. Wiggle. They have rocking chairs." [29:06]

Sean reminisces about the lackluster gym experiences and emphasizes the need for more engaging and health-conscious physical education programs.

10. Future Directions and Closing Thoughts

Renee elaborates on her vision for Mighty Minds Academy, aiming to create a comprehensive resource that addresses various aspects of personal development. She emphasizes the importance of parents modeling positive behaviors and investing in self-growth to effectively support their children.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"If we could avoid learning complicated math problems that probably won't serve us when we leave school, instead, why don't we plug it into something to find the answer? That's how I feel." [11:24]

Sean expresses strong support for Renee’s mission, highlighting the necessity of such initiatives in complementing the existing education system.

Renee Vardouniotis:
"It's our responsibility, really, to pass on the best version of us that we can to our kids. It's really important." [33:19]

The episode concludes with both hosts encouraging listeners to engage with Mighty Minds Academy to foster a healthier, more effective educational landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• "We are not going to tackle the education curriculum. It's too big of a mountain to move right now. But we can supplement it." — Renee Vardouniotis [32:30]

• "Our kids are watching us. They're not listening to us. They're watching us. So if they're watching our every move and we're not showing them that we love ourselves, not showing them that we set goals and we take incremental steps to reaching them, not showing them that we're intentional about our thought process, that we respond, not react, that's what they're going to model." — Renee Vardouniotis [32:30]

• "Belief, thoughts, planting positivity and direction into someone's mind can change everything. And it's with everything, really." — Renee Vardouniotis [15:15]

Resources:

• Mighty Minds Academy: [Link to be provided in the podcast description]

This episode of Digital Social Hour offers a compelling critique of the current education system and presents Mighty Minds Academy as a transformative platform addressing critical gaps. Renee Vardouniotis shares insightful perspectives on integrating mindset training with traditional education, the pivotal role of technology, and the necessity of emotional and personal development in fostering a healthier, more resilient generation.