ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What happens in the brain before a child truly learns?
Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Erwin Bryan Utchanah to the podcast. Dr. Utchanah is an international educator, Art Teacher, and a practicing artist with over four decades of teaching experience, including more than 25 years in international education. He holds a Doctorate in Education with a focus on Affective Neuroscience and Education, an MFA, and an MA in Educational Leadership.
His experience spans IB Visual Arts and Art & Design. His practice in the classroom is heavily inspired by the work of Professor Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, guided by the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) framework: “I FEEL • I THINK • I LEARN”.
In this episode, we explore how emotions, curiosity, creativity, and meaningful reflections help young people become thoughtful, balanced, and lifelong learners. We also dive into how to use provocations—like unfamiliar objects or a change in seating—to stimulate curiosity, the delicate balance of combining emotional well-being with academic rigor to create a space for intellectual risk, and how to cultivate "transcendent thinking" to help students look beyond the immediate and become responsible global citizens—and much more!
Welcome to The Well-being Classroom.
