Shownotes:
In this episode, we'll dive deep into Fonz's recent trip to Mexico and explore the lessons he has learned about happiness, fulfillment, and the never-ending quest for more. It's a thought-provoking conversation that's sure to leave you with a new perspective on life. So grab your headphones and get ready to join us on this educational journey with Alfonso Mendoza Jr.!
About Our Guest:
Alfonso Mendoza Jr., a passionate educator with over a decade of experience, holds a Masters in Educational Technology and is in his third year of doctoral studies. With the aim of providing engaging and effective learning experiences, Mr. Mendoza has served as the district Instructional Technologist for six years now, equipping teachers with tech tools to enhance student learning. His commitment to education does not end there; for the last six years, he actively participates on many social media platforms sharing his expertise through podcasts, blogs, and other education-related posts.
Website: www.myedtech.life
Twitter: @MyEdTechLife
Instagram: @MyEdTechLife
About Lainie:
Lainie Rowell is an educator, international consultant, podcaster, and TEDx speaker. She is the lead author of Evolving Learner and a contributing author of Because of a Teacher. Her latest book, Evolving with Gratitude, was just released. An experienced teacher and district leader, her expertise includes learner-driven design, community building, online/blended learning, and professional learning. Learn more at linktr.ee/lainierowell.
Twitter - @LainieRowell
Instagram - @LainieRowell
Evolving with Gratitude, the book, is now available! Purchase here!
You can also get bulk orders for your staff (10 copies or more) at a discounted price! Just fill out the form linked below and someone will get back to you ASAP! bit.ly/ewgbulkdiscount
Transcript:
Lainie Rowell: [00:00:00] Hello my friends, and welcome to another edition of Evolving with Gratitude. I don't think I've ever done it that way . I'm trying to figure out new ways to start this podcast. So I have
Alfonso Mendoza, Jr.
with us and I am so grateful for him. Hi, Fonz.
How are you?
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: I am doing great. I am very excited, and thank you so much for the invitation. For me, this is a big thing. You know, I know I'm rambling a little bit, but usually as a podcaster I'm never on the other side or on the receiving end of questions, so it's always exciting to be on this side.
Lainie Rowell: It's fun, isn't it? And I feel like when there's podcasters, you're on each other's shows and it's a way of kind of turning the tables. I always feel like I talk too much no matter what, but I always love being a podcast host cuz that's when I get to ask the questions and hear about other people and all the great things they're doing.
And speaking of which, I'm gonna do a very short introduction and then Fonz... I'm allowed to call you Fonz, right? Are we good enough friends?
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Absolutely, yes!.
Lainie Rowell: And then Fonz, I'm gonna ask you to fill in the blanks and tell him all the other amazing things you wanna share. Alfonso Mendoza, Jr. Is a passionate educator.
And I mean, y'all, he is all over the place. If you are on the socials, I think you probably have seen Fonz. My Ed Tech Life is how you might know him. He is all about providing energizing and effective learning experiences. He is energetic himself, he brings the energy himself.
And so I'm super excited for that energy to be here today. That was an insufficient, I'm terrible introductions. Just everyone knows this if they listen to the show. But Fonz, please tell us more about all the greatness that you bring to us.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yes, absolutely. Thank you again for having me. And like I said, I am a huge fan of the show, but a little bit more about myself.
This is my 16th year in education. I am so excited about the route. It was a little fork in the road moment where education was not my first choice, but I fell into it and have absolutely fallen in love with it, where 16 years later I am still here and even working on my doctoral studies to give back to this profession that has given so much to me.
And so that's where the passion comes from for doing my podcast called My Ed Tech Life. That is where the passion comes from for helping educators create amazing learning experiences, bringing that energy to the classroom and also being able to impact students at a bigger level at the district level.
That's really the mission and vision of really myself. And, and I know I put that for the show as My Ed Tech Life, but really it's just connecting educators and creators one show at a time and just moving the education needle forward and always trying to be I guess very active in seeing what is new great practices what can be improved.
And obviously for myself too, always learning from other amazing educators. And podcasters and education thought -leaders like yourself and many of the others that are in the education space. So that's pretty much me in a nutshell, and definitely real passionate about ed tech and of course just being on all socials and sharing stuff out.
Lainie Rowell: Oh, see, there's that energy. I'm gonna go run a marathon now. That's perfect. Well, I mean, we're gonna finish here and then I'll go run the marathon . Okay. Everyone who knows me knows, I'm kidding. I'm not gonna run a marathon, but I do feel amped and I'm so happy. Thank you for sharing all that Fonz.
And now I'm going to ask you the most important first question, which is, what does Gratitude mean to you.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Ooh, gratitude. You know, Lainie for myself, gratitude is something that is very important to me in my daily life and for my wife and I we are a family of faith. We go to church, we believe in Jesus Christ.
And for myself and my wife is just really meditating and God's word and really being grateful for what we have, knowing where it comes from. And that really fills our hearts with joy, fills our hearts with gratitude and really helps us see that in any situation, to always be thankful for what we have.
And I know it sounds very, kind of like, oh my gosh. In any situation, it's been a learning experience for us both being a married couple, but the fact that I have a wonderful support like my wife to be able to be by my side as we kind of go through life together, it has been just an amazing experience.
So for myself being grateful is number one in placing everything our faith in God. Knowing that again, everything that we do have comes from God and recognizing and helping others also as well that may need help because that's the, the pureness of our heart is always to help lift others. And if you know me or even get to know me, I am one of those that will do anything just to help in any situation.
I will go out of my way. To help to answer any questions and sometimes, you know, I will definitely put everything aside to focus on what it is that I need to help with. And you know, a lot of people say, well, you give too much of yourself. But I was like, I don't know any better. You know, for me it's just that gratitude that I love helping people in any situation, whether they're good or bad, and lifting them up, seeing them succeed. To me, that's just the most important and above all, it's not even about me many times. Like sometimes it's like, well, don't you want credit or anything? You know what? I'm okay.
Like if there's something that I may be able to do to help somebody else out and help them have that moment where they shine because they're doing most of the work and I'm just kind of here to help support, that's really all that matters to me. So really it's just being thankful for what I have for our blessings.
Just wanted to throw this in there too. Living in the area that I live, I live so close to the border here in Mexico, and actually we have a home in Mexico. So living here in the US and then going into Mexico, it's two different worlds. And sometimes your heart gets in check when you may be kind of like, oh man, I wish things were different here and I wish my job this and my job that.
But then when we go visit our family and visit our home over there and you see people that are working and they're working long hours Lainie, because over there it's not like here, you know, eight to five, you know, and then your shift is done. You're talking about like seven to seven or seven to nine, and they're doing that six days a week.
But because they have that need, and I think to myself they cherish their job so much because it's what they have. And that kind of puts me in check too, to say, you know what? No matter how hard my day was over here, whether it was just, you know, for whatever reason, let me be grateful for what I have, because things could be very, very different and it could be a very different situation.
So I know that was a little long-winded, but that was really what was in my heart, to share.
Lainie Rowell: Oh, I'm so glad. Yeah. Speak from your heart. That was wonderful. There was so many thoughts I was having as you were sharing that, which was lovely. I always go back to brother David Steindal-Rast has a quote, "Happiness is not what makes us grateful. It's gratefulness that makes us happy". I think that's important because what I hear you talking about when you're talking about having gratitude, even in the difficult times, having gratitude people who don't have a lot and being grateful for a job that they have so that they can work to provide.
We tend to think that the more we have, the happier we'll be, then we can be grateful for it. But it's really not so. You're kind of always chasing them more, more, more. So to have that appreciation for what you have and also seeing that appreciation in other people. I do find that there are times where I'm in a situation and I'm not grateful for the situation in the moment, but as I've become a more grateful person, I'm able to shift out of those unpleasant feelings or disappointment or whatever's going on quicker, and then I'm also able to be reflective and look back and go, you know what, I didn't like that when it was happening, but now I know why it needed to happen and I can learn from it.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah. And that's one thing that recently over spring break, we have our honey-do list and so we had to do a little bit of upkeep on our house.
And when I say going into Mexico, it's about 45 minutes away from where I live here in, in Texas. And so we just cross over and it's a border town. But you know, for those couple days that we were going over there, it just really dawned on me that sometimes, like you said, were always chasing that more and more.
Yet when I was observing and I was just watching everybody, cuz sometimes like I just kind of people watch and observe... the way they work and they work so hard and they're dedicated to their jobs, and then the simple lifestyle that they live, I'm like, wow.
You know, and, and they're happy with that, I mean, it's enough for them because they're like, you know, I have a job. I'm able to provide. And although it may not be a whole lot, they just seem to make the most with the least. And here it's almost like we can't even make the most with the most that we have sometimes because we're chasing that next big thing and that next big thing.
And it never ends because it's always like, I want more and more. It was a real check for my heart, and I talked to my wife and I said, honey, I'm sorry if at any time I had ever seemed ungrateful or, or maybe sometimes when I come home and I may feel like, you know, it's time for me to look for something else or anything else. I'm sorry.
I said, this has been a great lesson in appreciating what we have and realizing that it's not as bad as one thinks, and it was just a really big check in my heart this week. And so coming back to work, I just feel so refreshed and I just feel like I have a new outlook on things and it's just kind of taking that one day at a time, that experience.
So it, it was something very interesting this week for sure.
Lainie Rowell: Yeah. It's funny, as you were talking, I recently listened to... are you familiar with Jay Shetty?
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yes.
Lainie Rowell: Yeah, the former monk turned storyteller. He's a New York Times bestselling author. He's got a new book out. But I was thinking about him because, former Monk, he did live in a monastery.
I don't know the language properly, but he lived as a monk for three years and he was on Dax Shepherd's Armchair Expert podcast. That's what I was listening to recently. He has his own podcast On Purpose, but I was listening to him on Dax being interviewed and Dax is like, gosh, what was that like being in a monastery?
You don't have a lot, you sleep on the floor. And Jay is like, you also don't worry a lot. The way he talked about just coming to some peace. He did such a beautiful job of talking about the way that you can be really present in life when you're not distracted by all of these things.
So it was really lovely. Just kind of made me think of it as, as you were talking about you go and you see people having you know, these disadvantages, but it's also a simpler life and that can bring some advantages.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah, and I think what you said, that really resonates with me. You said, being present and that's something that's kind of been coming up a lot in a lot of other podcasts that I've been hearing and even some of the guests that I've had is just be present.
And right now I'm like maybe I need to take a little mental note of that too, as this week was a lot about being present and being present in myself and of course being present and checking myself in my heart and then of course being present with my wife. And those things are, are very important that sometimes you just need to take a step back.
I know we get so caught up with the excitement of what we do and of course, you know, wanting to bring our best to people on social media and helping them, because that's what we're all about. And sometimes we just kind of forget to just be present for ourselves and be present for those immediately around us.
So thank you for sharing that.
Lainie Rowell: It's like a constant struggle for me. Yeah. And I mean, maybe you could relate to this, is that when you are in education, we have this profound role to help the future generations and I love what I do so much, I look forward to Mondays and I know not everyone does and there's a lot of stress and I, I totally get that, but I have to stop myself from working on weekends cause I love what I do so much, but I have to make sure I'm not taking that passion for that and ignoring what I really need to be focusing on, my family. I only get so much time with them during the week. I get more time with them on the weekends.
I need to really appreciate, like, oh, this is my family time. I'm gonna lean into this. It's a constant reminder for myself. That's all I'm saying. It's one of the many lessons I need to learn over and over again.
Be present. Don't be thinking about what you'll do tomorrow or next week.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah.
Lainie Rowell: I appreciate you sharing your faith. That's come up here on this show. I don't think there's been any religion identified where gratitude isn't a fundamental principle.
How else would you say you are experiencing and expressing gratitude? It can definitely be tied to your faith. It can be tied to work, family.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah, well actually, I work with some amazing people that I get to day in and day out, go into schools and you know, we work with parents.
We're doing a lot of parent sessions. During these last couple of weeks and so it's just been great to get to know my colleagues a little bit better now that we're working continually for the last month we've been doing parent sessions and now it's just so tight. Now we get to know each other.
We get to converse a little bit more about our families and just really help each other out in situations where sometimes it's like, Hey, can you help me with this? And you know, things that are unexpected, but you're building those real relationships and even just friendships. So that I'm really thankful for.
But also just in my personal life, like I said, just really thankful for my parents. I've learned so much from them being an only child. I know we had Zanrda Joe who is on here, and I know she's the youngest. But I guess being the youngest too, but the only child too, I can kind of relate.
I was probably that one kid that was a little extra just because mom and dad really did their best. But just really reflecting a, a lot this week with them and visiting with them. My dad's gonna be 87 this year, so thank goodness for that. And he still Lainie, he still goes to work. He works half a day, but he still goes to work and that's, I think what's helped, helped him.
Just keep going and keep him like his mental capacity. I mean, he is just bight. And my mom too, just being able to visit with them and just reminisce a little bit about my childhood. And I think that also brings me back to that point of being very grateful because growing up here, my parents coming up finding the American dream, you know, really for them, I think that's such a great example that they've given me and the work ethic.
And so this whole last week has been just great in that reflection piece and point, but also giving back. As far as the podcast is concerned, it's really bringing people on that I can share the amazing things that they're doing to inspire other educators or educators that are coming into the scene.
Future educators, anybody, just to get 'em excited about the amazing things that are coming into education. And so for me it's just like I said, giving back to this community because it's given me so much, it's provided so much for me. So how can I not wanna give back?
And again, that's really my way of practicing gratitude each and every day. It's how can I get better to help others get better? How can I get better at helping others be better? And just providing, even if it's just an ear, if it's a shoulder, if it's just to help lift you up the what can I do for you this day to make your day change?
And sometimes it's just that one small little gesture that can go a long way. And that's, to me the amazing part that, you know, I've learned real quick as an educator. These little seeds that you plant, sometimes you don't see the fruit of it till many years later on. And so I'm hoping that what I've been able to do and contribute in any which way, shape, or form that fruit someday will be ripe.
And one day I'll just get to see like, hey, wow, look at the little impact that I was able to make in helping somebody, you know, just have a better day. Have a better week or just something along in the future that's they say like, Hey, if it wasn't for you doing this, you know, this would've never happened.
So always looking out for those opportunities to just help people out. .
Lainie Rowell: Well, and you definitely do that. I love that you have these experiences that are happening in your district, but you're also having these experiences outside of your district, for educators who are in the social spaces, whatever ones they are, whether it be Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, whatever it is, but to make those connections.
I often say that one of my ways to combat the comparison hangover, which is not to say that I never suffer from comparison hangover, but I minimize it by really focusing my social media use on going to learn, going to share, and going to show gratitude. And I really feel like you and I might be kindred spirits on that because I feel like when I look at your social media, that's a lot of what I see is that you're there to learn to share and to lift others up.
That's a form of gratitude to me.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Absolutely. And like I said, I think that's been the biggest thing for me, Lainie, since starting the podcast. I, it, I mean, honestly, I mean, it's called My Ed Tech L ife, but sometimes we don't even talk tech lately we have just because of course we know AI Chat GPT all that good stuff.
But a lot of times, I'll even bring guests on that sometimes they're a little unexpected or people may not know of. And you know, I've had a wonderful guest friend, Darius, Johnson. He was on the show and he was talking about the work that he does you know, to help the youth. And there was no tech involved at all, but he was just sharing his story.
And I, I think that for myself being able to have a platform where somebody might be able to share their story, where they might not have an opportunity or maybe somebody it doesn't seek quite maybe that, that one little thing that they do have that can make a difference. I think for me, I, that's my way too, of also just showing that gratitude of, you know what, one day somebody took a chance on me.
Yeah. Like, I'm definitely gonna take a chance on you and I wanna give that back also.
Lainie Rowell: Hundred percent. I did not mean to not include the podcast in that. To me it's my gateway to get into your podcast is through the socials, but absolutely, you are amplifying those voices, sharing those stories.
I am a fan and a listener of your podcast, and I do appreciate that it's whatever needs to be talked about. Mm-hmm. and if it's ed tech, that's a great. We've all been focused on Chat GPT. You and I were even talking about it before, cause it was down today and I was suffering withdrawal because there was a moment where creativity block was hitting me and I knew that Chat GPT could help me out of it.
I do appreciate that you have that very full picture of how do we give the best in education and that's what you're bringing.
I do want to make sure and give you an opportunity to give a shout out and then I would like this to be a drinking game where we say My Ed Tech Life enough times that they know exactly what your podcast is. So we're gonna say it a few more times before we sign off and then you can give them your social handles and all that.
Turn this into My Ed Tech Life drinking game. No, I'm just kidding. If you don't drink, that's fine. I was talking about lemonade anyways. Alright, fonz, who would you, you've already given some shoutouts cuz this is just your nature, but is there anyone else you'd like to give a shout out to?
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah. Well actually I, again, I'm gonna repeat the shout out because again, it was just reflecting on this and, and I was on another podcast with my friend Elijah also, and, and at the end we kind of reflected a little bit and I said, you know what? I would love to do a show with maybe like our spouses on there too, as well as educators, because I wanna shout out probably, my number one supporter, which is my wife, Angelica, who from day one has always been there behind everything that I've been able to do. I mean, she's sacrificed I wanna say so much because going from my master's and now working on my doctoral studies, a lot of times we don't have Saturdays or Sundays cuz I'm working on all of those and she has been such a trooper. You know, sometimes when I say, Hey, I would love to do this, she's like, no, no, no, you can better.
So sometimes I'll think 10 x and she's like, no, no, no, no. You need to take it to the next level. And she's there. So I definitely wanna give her a shout out on Angelica Mendoza, thank you so much for all of your support, all of the love that you give me, and the fact that you're there side by side in everything that we do.
And every accomplishment that I have been able to do is just as much hers as it is mine because she's there by my side supporting. So I wanna give her this special shout out today.
Lainie Rowell: You are good about this. Let me just say cuz I listened to your podcast. I was listening to the episode with Melissa Summerford and she was giving a lot of shout outs to her spouse, and then you were like, let's take a moment and really give the shout out to the spouses because we know as educators that spouses are there to support us and they know we don't work from eight to three...
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yes.
Lainie Rowell: Monday through Friday, and have summer's off. They know that's not actually the deal. And that we give a lot of time because we love what we do and so that shout out to your wife and to all the spouses, all the partners, all the loved ones, all the people, everybody who support for sure, for sure.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yes. Yes. And like you said, it, all the loved ones because, you know, it really takes a lot, you know, sometimes because we're consumed with our work, and obviously, you know, if you're doing additional studies and all of that stuff, it really takes some time.
But yeah, I don't any loved one out there to ever feel that, that what you do is not helping. It really does. Oh, it does. So I just, I wanna give everybody a shout out there.
Lainie Rowell: Yeah. That's a great message. We all have to remember to give them the thank yous too. Now you are working full-time.
Yes. Weekly podcast. It's weekly, right?
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah. I actually, I moved from once every two weeks. To once every week, and now I'm doing about three shows a week now.
Lainie Rowell: Okay. Now I cannot keep up with that. I cannot keep up with that. My queue of podcasts is bananas. I have so many podcasts that I listen to, so please forgive me.
I do listen, I'm not always good at knowing the frequency of releasing, but geez, three times a week and you're doing your doctoral program.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yes. Yes, exactly. So, like I said, my wife is a trooper, but I've been able to find that work life podcast balance and we still get to do what we need to do.
But yeah, like I told you, it's like my wife, she's like, you know, if you've got the time to do it, and she has seen, you know, the, the good that has come from it. I always tell her and I always feel this. I tell her, honey, I, I'm just one show away from something big, just one show away.
And even though that hasn't happened yet, the great things that have happened, most importantly to me, Lainie, have been the connections. Just the fact that I get to connect with somebody like you and I'm just so excited and fanboying that I get to be here on your show because I have seen the list of guests that you have, and I'm just, the fact that you invited me really.
Like, I was like, okay, yes, thankful. And then you get to be on my podcast too, and then we get to chat it up like this and take it to a whole different level too, as well. And so I'm just excited for that and you know, so she's been great and, but yeah, I now, I'm doing Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturday mornings, and so we'll see where that goes. But again, to me the most important thing has been the connections and most the content. Yeah. Bringing it out to educators teachers, administrators, anybody that needs to hear just a little knowledge nugget from all our guests. I mean, I'm just excited that they can sprinkle that on to what they already do.
Great. And, you know, help them in one way, shape, or form.
Lainie Rowell: Well, you are doing great big things already and I'm super excited for you in your doctoral program and amping up the podcast. I mean, my goodness, I cannot keep up, but keep it coming cuz it's all great stuff and I imagine, I'm just gonna throw a thought out there that these things feed each other.
Like we were talking earlier and I said something about being more present and you're like, oh, I've been hearing that a lot. And so I kind of feel like when we do this work where, you know, you're podcasting, you're writing, you're on the socials, we start to see things rise to the top and that helps us go to the next level realizing what's really important.
So that's for me. I'm not trying to put that on you. But I was just wondered if maybe that that was kinda something you were feeling too.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah, no, exactly. Like with everything that I, I do with all the guests and even right now being able to reflect with some of the things that you've said, it's like, Oh wow.
Okay. I need to go back and I, I keep that in my little think bank here, and then I'll do some notes and then just kind of reflect on those things. And I think that's so important that we need to do and find some time to do though, is also is just that self-reflection and reflecting on the week things that were said, done, things that you heard and just kind of, you know, write it down and, see okay, where was this coming from? What is the root of this? Can this be fixed? Or, Hey, you know what? I need to give a shout out to somebody. Or, Hey, I need to give a thanks to somebody. And it's very important that we do that for sure. And like you said, as we talk, I'm picking up so many things too, and, and obviously with all our guests, I know this goes for you too.
I mean, but we reflect on those things and it's like, oh my gosh, okay. You're just digesting those things slowly and then meditating on what was said, and then it's like, Okay. Yeah. Let's, let's, let's, let's grow with this.
Lainie Rowell: And I'm as present as I can be. Hopefully I'm doing a good job.
I'm always like, as a podcaster, you're always also trying to make sure like, oh, I don't take five hours of their time cuz I could talk to this person forever and all those things. But I love to go back and listen to episode. I cringe when I talk, but I love hearing what the guests say because I get to hear it in a different way than when we were live in the conversation.
And I'm wanting to be fully there with them and like, how can I help amplify their story?
Fonz you are just a joy to talk to. I'm super excited I get to be on your podcast. This is gonna be super fun. I wanna make sure you go ahead and let people know how they can connect with you. I will put it all in the show notes, but go ahead and give it out loud too.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Yeah, absolutely everybody, you can go ahead and find me on all socials. @MyEdTechLife on all socials, and then you can visit our website, which is myedtech.life, where you can check out all our 185 episodes as of today. This is 185 episodes that we have. And like I always say, go back and listen to those episodes.
Find some amazing educators and teachers that you definitely glean some knowledge nuggets from. Sprinkle 'em onto what you already doing great. And that's what we're here for, just to try and help and push education forward and just build that excitement and really talks just topics that need to be talked about that may not be something that's talked about a lot, but you know, that's what we're here for we're here for all of this.
Lainie Rowell: You do a great job with the show. I gotta go double check and make sure. Sometimes I forget to do reviews and then I talk to the person. I'm like, I don't know if I've done the five star review yet. I'm gonna go do it right now. If I haven't, I think I might have, but I'm just gonna double check.
So I'm gonna put all that in the show notes, but thank you for making it super easy. It's basically My Ed Tech Life across the web and the website. MyEdTech.Life, well played. Like that's that's amazing. I think I'll put in the notes, but I think people can remember this. That's awesome. Alright, my friend.
I appreciate you being here. I appreciate everyone listening. Thank you all and have a great day, night, whatever you're at.
Thanks everyone.
Alfonso Mendoza Jr.: Thank you.