(upbeat music) - Hi, I am Jacqui Tricarico, on location at the NJEA Convention here in Atlantic City.

And so pleased to be joined now by Stefanie Lachenauer, who was our previous New Jersey State Teacher of the Year from last year.

You're also a bestselling author now on Amazon, with your new book, "Let The Glitter Settle."

I love it.

It's beautiful.

So great to have you with us.

- Thank you.

- We're meeting for the first time.

- Yeah, in person, yeah.

- We've talked, yeah, we've talked previously.

You can check out our previous interview with Stefanie on our website, talking about just going on this year of a sabbatical, as the State Teacher of the Year.

Bring us back to this past year, because I know you said... I saw this recently that you said, "This past year has stretched me in every direction, and grew me in someone I'm still getting to know."

Tell us what you mean by that.

- Oh, wow.

So stepping into the State Teacher of the Year role is... it's huge.

It really feels like you're stepping into something just greater than what I've ever known myself to be.

And so this past year I got to speak in schools all over.

I got to do really cool interviews with like you, and on Pix 11.

So that was really big and outta my comfort zone.

And then just representing all these incredible teachers in New Jersey.

Like when you meet other teachers across the country, and then you recognize what we have in New Jersey, it's breathtaking, it's awe-inspiring.

And being able to help represent the incredible things that we do in our state is, gosh, it's just the truest honor.

- Give us an example of that.

Who's really inspired you along this journey so far this past year?

- So I think knowing all the county teachers has been super inspiring.

We have a lot of honored educator networks.

And then actually Jillian Ober, our new State Teacher- - New Jersey, yep.

This year, State Teacher of the Year.

- Is so inspiring, and I'm so grateful that I get to partner with her, and I'm one of her mentors this year.

And I know that it's always a two-way street, right?

Mentorship, like you always learn from each other.

So I'm grateful for that.

- So something that you've really just been a true proponent of is this mindfulness, social emotional learning.

You've brought it into your school district, it's something that you've been really putting out there throughout the state.

Talk about that and how you've really seen those skills impact students firsthand.

- Yeah, it's so interesting.

Things always feel so much more challenging and then all of a sudden it's like the new normal.

So bringing mindfulness in, like no one at the time knew what that even meant.

It was like this... - It's kind of this buzzword that people hear.

Yeah, but what does it really mean?

- Mindfulness, really it's present moment awareness, right?

So being present right here and now and it's paying attention to what's happening right here and now.

And so when we explain it that way and talk about it that way, I think kids get more of a buy-in because people tell them to pay attention all the time.

But I always ask them, has anyone ever taught you how to pay attention?

What does that mean?

So that's where it gets a little bit more, I think, interesting.

And it means something to them 'cause they're like, "Oh, that's how I... that's how I can use it."

- It's hard for us adults to do that, to be in the moment.

Do you think it's easier to teach the kids that when they're more impressionable to really just take that time to be in the moment?

- Absolutely.

And I think like younger kids you'll see are... they're naturally better at that.

They're naturally more present.

And I think middle school, which is the area of the grade level I work with, I think that's when you start to see that transition start to happen where their attention gets pulled and they have a harder time just being fully present with what is.

And so I get to teach all the skills that I wish that I had in middle school.

- And you're bring that, you worked with the Department of Ed specifically this past year.

Talk about that relationship and what you were able to build together.

- So part of being Teacher of the Year is getting that sabbatical.

So you have six months at the DOE, and I was really fortunate that I got to partner on a couple of really cool projects.

But the coolest one was working with social emotional learning group.

And we have some really great things on our website.

And now mindfulness is on our website.

So there are handouts from resources for teachers to use, there's videos.

And it was just really exciting to be a part of that process and helping to create those materials and being a full part of it.

Just the timing was perfect.

- And the tools are accessible for teachers across the state to use and implement in their classrooms.

What is your advice for teachers though, starting to implement those, the mindfulness, the, you know, social emotional learning?

What's the easiest way to get started with that with your students?

- That's a great question.

I think the best thing that we can do for ourselves is to use those tools for ourselves first, to practice ourselves, because we are wired to be together.

Our neurology, it's connected.

And so when teachers are regulated and they're feeling good and they're healthy and well, that impacts our students.

So if they pick one strategy that they wanna use, even the things that are on the DOE website or there's even things on my website that are free.

Try those strategies and then later on if you wanna implement it with your students, great.

If not, it doesn't matter.

Because when you are taking care of yourself, the students are feeling that.

- How important is that now than ever before?

Because we're seeing a teacher shortage, we're seeing teacher burnout.

It's talked about all the time.

Often teachers are working way outside those classroom hours, right?

Because so many of them are just so passionate about the work.

How important is it now, more than ever?

- Absolutely.

Definitely now more than ever.

And I think it's something for me, I have to practice too, like, you know, making sure that I take time for myself to let my own glitter settle.

But the truth is, if I know for myself, when I push myself past my limit, I'm not good to anyone.

So if I can really take care of myself, then I know that I'm supporting my students.

- Let the glitter settle.

So tell us, what does that mean?

What does it mean to let the glitter settle?

- So do you know glitter jars?

- Yes, I've heard but explain.

I've heard the glitter jars.

I have two young kids.

- And if you haven't heard about glitter jars and you're listening, I'm about to change your life.

So glitter jars are jars that have glitter in them and some water and you shake 'em up and then that glitter falls and you just watch it.

But it's a great analogy because a jar is like our mind, and then that glitter, it's like our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and stuff happens that shakes our jar, right?

It can be bad stuff like traffic.

It can be running late, spilling your coffee, not getting coffee in the morning, right?

Your jar's shaking.

It can be good things like you're excited before a holiday, right?

And it's hard to stay focused.

The jar is shaking, but when we stop and we pause, we can let that glitter settle and the glitter's still there.

Those feelings, thoughts are still there, but we can see clearly.

And that really is kind of like how our minds work.

When we name it, we tame it.

- Yeah, I love that.

I love that.

Tell us the process of writing this book, because obviously you've been very busy, you've been traveling, now back to teaching, it was a process for you, but this was a passion project for you.

Talk about it.

- Yeah, I started writing it in 2016, so this has been a very long process.

And right when I was like, you know what, I think I'm finally ready to like put this out there 'cause it's hard to feel like you're ever finished, right?

So I was ready to put it out there, and that's right when I got named, and I was like, all right, we're just gonna have to slow down a little.

We're just gonna... I've edited that book for like years.

- You had to let the glitter settle and see clearly had to get to the finish line.

(both laughing) - And I had to let it be okay.

Like, this is enough and this is okay.

Like nothing's ever gonna feel perfect.

And it's about progress over that perfection.

And this book has taught me that.

- I love that because we have perfectionism in our family.

I understand that very much.

Lastly, what is your advice for, we talked about her before, Jillian Ober, our new State Teacher of the Year.

Piece of advice for her.

- Jillian's amazing.

I know she's gonna do an incredible job and I'm lucky that I get to walk alongside her and part of her journey.

And so my advice to her is to just keep being her amazing self and to continue to be a voice for the students that she works with and the teachers in New Jersey.

- Love that.

- And the rest is all her.

- Yeah, love that.

Well, we can't wait to see what you do next.

You're always getting to the next project and doing amazing things, so we can't wait to see what you do next.

- [Narrator] One-On-One with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by The New Jersey Education Association.

Hackensack Meridian Health.

NJ Best, New Jersey’s five-two-nine college savings plan.

Kean University.

PSE&G.

EJI, Excellence in Medicine Awards.

A New Jersey health foundation program.

The Fund for New Jersey.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

And by The Fidelco Group.

Promotional support provided by NJ.Com.

And by BestofNJ.com.

- (Narrator) A cancer diagnosis changes everything.

- So does where you go for treatment.

- (Narrator) Where other cancer centers offer radiation, at Hackensack Meridian, John Theurer Cancer Center, We’re utilizing the world's most advanced precision radiotherapy... - That can pinpoint and destroy your cancer.

- (Narrator) Some performed clinical trials, but we have one of the nation's most rapidly growing drug discovery programs... - Providing hope with the medicine of tomorrow.

New Jersey's best cancer center.

Know the difference.