298. The 5 Values of Learning Through Play: Featuring Vanessa Castañeda Gill

Join us in this educational and inspiring episode of Aspire to Lead as Vanessa Castañeda Gill, co-founder of Social Cipher and a champion for neurodivergent students, dives into the transformative power of play and fandom culture. Episode Highlights: Importance of Play and Fandom Culture: Discover why play and fandom culture are crucial for neurodivergent students and how they create inclusive and engaging learning environments. Benefits of Play: Learn how play promotes social-emotional skills, self-regulation, and helps keep kids engaged and present in the classroom. Play Beyond Early Childhood: Explore the significance of incorporating play in secondary education, proving that learning through play isn’t just for young kids but is equally valuable for middle and high school students. Exciting Projects: Social Cipher's Partnership with The LEGO Foundation: Hear about the innovative collaboration between Social Cipher and The LEGO Foundation aimed at supporting students through play. Blog Series: Vanessa shares insights from their blog series on how to support students through the power of play. Tune in to this episode for an in-depth discussion on the five key values of learning through play and how it can revolutionize education for all students. This conversation is packed with valuable strategies to foster a playful and effective learning environment, making it essential listening for anyone passionate about innovative education. About Vanessa Castañeda Gill:  It's Vanessa Castañeda Gill's mission to unite her passions for art and stories in innovative ways that help people. Vanessa is the Co-Founder + CEO of Social Cipher, a game-based social-emotional learning platform for neurodiverse youth and the professionals who work with them, based on her own experiences as an autistic/ADHD individual. Her 50% neurodivergent team is working on the latest episode of their game series, Ava: a space-pirate adventure that explores social challenges through the eyes of an autistic protagonist. Vanessa and her team have earned recognition as Forbes 30 Under 30s, Facebook Global Gaming Citizens, and most recently LEGO Foundation Partners. Follow Vanessa Castañeda Gill: Website: www.socialcipher.com  Twitter (X): https://x.com/SocialCiphe  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialcipher/?hl=en  Facebook: @socialciphergame Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/social-cipher/  YouTube: Social Cipher --- Magic Mind If you are a long time listener, an ASPIRE Leader, You know I only work with brands that I believe in myself and I integrate in my everyday life, so I’m super happy to talk to you guys about Magic Mind! I started drinking Magic Mind a while back as I was looking for several things, specifically in the afternoon. 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Contact Joshua Stamper  for presentations on Leadership Capacity, Mental Health Strategies, Alternative Behavior Practices, Leadership Development, and Innovative campus systems. [caption id="attachment_5118" align="alignnone" width="700"] The Language of Behavior Book, Charle Peck, Joshua Stamper, ConnectEDD Publishing[/caption] Follow the Host, Joshua Stamper: Contact: https://joshstamper.com/contact/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/Joshua__Stamper Instagram: www.instagram.com/joshua__stamper Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AspirePodcast Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aspire-the-leadership-development-podcast/id1384210762?mt=2   Aspire to Lead Won the FireBird Award! I’m happy to announce that my book, “Aspire to Lead”, won the 2022 Leadership Book Award from Speak Up Talk Radio!  It is a great honor to get this kind of recognition and I really appreciate all your support! The book is available for purchase on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1953852386/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1953852386&linkCode=as2&tag=aspirewebsite-20&linkId=0d9c336e3db6ab16cbb08421ef3e4175 Review the Podcast I want to give a huge shout out to those who have taken the time to provide a review on Apple, Spotify or any other podcast platform. It truly means the world to me that you would take the 30- 90 seconds to share how the podcast has positively impacted you or why other educators should check out the show. [caption id="attachment_3022" align="alignnone" width="735"] Teach Better Podcast Network, Aspire: The Leadership Development Podcast[/caption] This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through these links, The Aspire Podcast gets a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.