4 Jan 2025
₿HS034: WOW Factory with Bridgette Johnson
SHOW TOPICS:
Bridgette brings the receipts. It’s passion, not a teaching degree, that unlocks education. She creatively meets kids where they are, e.g., dealing with developmentally delayed, non-verbal, traumatized, beaten, autistic, et al. She is a grandmother entrepreneur! She is starting her own preschool based on how kids really learn, not based on fiat curriculums.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:
Mother of five decided to go back into the workforce
Went back to college at 45
Using a keyboard to make jingles was one of her early creative ways to reach children
The “five senses” is one of the favorites with the kids
She became DJ BJ the rapping school teacher
She was encouraged to record her songs in a studio after which she wrote a book to go along with each
She started a business, Creatively Invented, which produces catchy, hip hop educational products for home and school
Bridgette calls this “edutainment”
The principal began sending her all the problem kids
Another popular book was her “Use Your Manners” which features two kids as superheroes, “Suprepreneurs”
She picked things the kids like but is not in the curriculum, e.g., microphones, robots, marble trees, pencils with themes like Ninja Turtles, shaving cream, marsh mellows, giant rain sticks, magnets,
In one particular challenge case, she let the kid lead the class
In another case a kid went from nonverbal to talking
There’s not just one way to teach kids
Large rooms help a lot
She also would get dressed up in different costumes
For some, teaching is a paycheck. For some like Bridgette, teaching is a passion.
Bridgette strongly recommends getting involved with the community, do research, talk to people, learn what extra curriculum activities are available
Social emotional piece is critical to reaching kids
She is launching a preschool, WOW Factory Academy, Inc. WOW stands for “wonders of the world”. No time limits, edutainment, invention-education, manners, performing arts, creative art, financial literacy, engineering, other “wow” experiences.
Superpreneur Project is for pre-school to 3rd grade, teaches money principles and how to start their own business, includes a journal and flashcards
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:
Bridgette’s resources on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01JDV02KE (https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01JDV02KE)
Bridgette’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgette-johnson-bb143656/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgette-johnson-bb143656/)
Bridgette’s website https://creativelyinvented.com (https://creativelyinvented.com/)
Second Step https://www.secondstep.org (https://www.secondstep.org/)
Conscious Discipline https://consciousdiscipline.com (https://consciousdiscipline.com/)
School of Tomorrow https://www.aceschooloftomorrow.com (https://www.aceschooloftomorrow.com/)
HAPPY TO HELP:
Tali's Twitter @OrangeHatterPod
Scott's Twitter @ScottLindberg93
Scott's nostr npub19jkuyl0wgrj8kccqzh2vnseeql9v98ptrx407ca9qjsrr4x5j9tsnxx0q6
Free Market Kids' Twitter @FreeMarketKids
Free Market Kids' games including HODL UP at <a href="https://www.freemarketkids.com/"...
