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Can we befriend the dark? episode artwork

Oct 29, 2025 27 min

Can we befriend the dark?

from Be a Better Ally: Critical Conversations for K12 Educators Hosted by Tricia Friedman

A conversation that reminds us how curiosity, art, and iteration can reshape are necessary and may even be assets for our school leadership and the ways we nurture creative courage in young learners.... In this episode, Tricia Friedman sits down with author-illustrator Christy Mandin to explore what school leaders can learn from the creative process behind children's literature. Together they unpack how curiosity fuels empathy, how messy iteration sparks innovation, and how embracing the dark and uncertain moments of creativity can make us more compassionate educators. What You'll Learn Why boredom and unstructured time are essential ingredients for student creativity. How to help students (and ourselves) become friends with the dark—embracing uncertainty as a path to growth. Why modeling curiosity, reflection, and open-mindedness is one of the most powerful leadership moves. Christy Mandin is the author and illustrator of multiple picture books. She's grown many interesting plants in her garden over the years but, so far, none with teeth or tentacles. She currently lives in Georgia with her husband and four children. Visit Christy online at christymandin.com or Instagram @christymandin Learn more about our amazing show sponsor: Poll Everywhere Keep learning with Shifting Schools.

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This episode was published on October 29, 2025.

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