Sun flowers, drawing competitions, and science experiments!
Join us for our first episode where Grace shares with us her inspiration for becoming a teacher, how she got involved in Friends of Simon, and what has left a lasting impact on her work. 
Credits for Ep1:
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Guest: Grace Han
Sound Editing: Rea Chatterjee

Episode 1: Grace H. on Her Journey of Becoming an Emerging Educator and FOS Tutor

Technical difficulties, relationship building, human connection, and backpack flinging. How can the format of our program shape the support we can offer to our students? Two of our FOS tutors, Jaden and Mohammad, discuss the challenges and areas of growth that come with tutoring online and in-person for both tutors and students from their experiences.

Credits
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Guests: Jaden D. and Mohammad Z.
Sound Editing: Rea Chatterjee and Mohammad Z.

Uppbeat

Episode 2: Jaden and Mohammad Discuss Online vs In-Person Tutoring

Self-doubt, communicating our struggles, and building trust. Does the perfect educator exist? How can we deal with the paradox of giving our best to students while showing them it is okay not to be perfect? Join us as Samantha, one of our tutors, and I dive into a conversation about helping our students thrive through vulnerability.

Credits
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Guest: Samantha C.
Sound Editing: Mohammad Z.

Episode 3: Exploring Vulnerability in Education with Sam

Even when Anna, one of our tutors, was in elementary school, her and her friends could identify which teachers cared about them and which did not. Today, as an aspiring educator, she recognizes the importance of educators who are wholeheartedly committed to both the academic and personal growth of their students. Furthermore, she recognizes the power of creative problem solving, and finding ways to meaningfully include children from different cultures in the classroom.

Credits:
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Guest: Anna Jang 
Sound Editor: Mohammad Ziaei

Episode 4: Anna Talks Passionate Educators, Creative Problem-Solving, and Multiculturalism

Inspiring co-workers, a supportive community, and the collaborative nature of our tutoring approach. As a tutoring program, we focus on how our K-12 students grow - but how do our employees (university students) grow in the process? Listen as Amber, one of our veteran tutors, shares how her experience as a Friends of Simon Tutor in University helped her blossom as an educator with a special passion for teaching.

Credits
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Guest: Amber Carrales 
Sound Editor: Mohammad Ziaei

Episode 5: How Amber’s Interest for Education Grew Into a Passion Through Friends of Simon

Why is it important to consider the social, emotional, and psychological well-being of our students when we teach them? Eleni fuses her teacher training background and personal experience as a child in school to approach the topic of mental health in the education system. Also, we discuss different strategies and considerations to keep in mind when incorporating mental health in the classroom. Get ready to learn!

Please note: Neither Eleni or Brianna are certified mental health professionals. They are approaching this topic from their backgrounds and experiences in the field of Education.

Credits:
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Guest: Eleni Papadoulis 
Sound Editor: Mohammad Ziaei

Episode 6: Eleni Speaks on Mental Health in the Education System

What is the value of empathy, human connection and role models in the art of teaching? How does training to be a teacher relate to a career in politics? Former SFU Dean of Education and Friends of Simon Founder, Paul Shaker takes us on a journey through California and North Carolina to share the story of how Friends of Simon came to be. We take a historical, psychological, political, and career-minded dive into how education impacts our society, and what role Friends of Simon tutors play in the equation.

Paul Shaker is the founder of Friends of Simon, a Professor Emeritus, and a former SFU Dean of Education. 
Learn more about Paul Shaker here:
https://www.paulshaker.com/
Your Education Matters Channel on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@educmatters

Credits:
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Guest: Paul Shaker
Sound Editor: Mohammad Ziaei

Episode 8: The Value of Education and the Story of Friends of Simon with Our Founder, Paul Shaker

Simon’s Stories is a podcasting platform for the various individuals within our thriving community of tutors, education professionals, settlement workers, administrators, students, families, and more to share their insights, struggles, experiences and support on the topics of education, diversity, academic practices, kindness, and children’s well-being and development. We strongly believe that these topics are a matter that is best addressed through the hearts of our community united in strength. Join us as our host, Brianna Condilenios, engages in a variety of different engaging and insightful conversations.

Simon’s Stories is brought to you by the Friends of Simon Tutoring Program [https://www.sfu.ca/fostutor.html] that is run out of Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Education. We are a group-based tutoring program that provides literacy and numeracy support to newcomer and struggling students in the Burnaby, Surrey, and Tri-Cities School Districts in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada by employing university students as tutors. All tutors go through professional training provided by SFU Faculty of Education Associates. Friends of Simon is a non-profit organization that is funded by generous individual, corporate, and community donors. If you are interested in supporting our work, you can go to https://www.sfu.ca/fostutor/donor_info.html

General Credits
Host: Brianna Condilenios
Cover Art and Friends of Simon 
Website and Social Media Manager: Rea Chatterjee

Episode 8: The Value of Education and the Story of Friends of Simon with Our Founder, Paul Shaker

fosimon

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