Welcome to the Knowledge Exchange Network

An online resource for educators, parents, and caregivers

Learn the backstory behind this blog, what you can expect, and why you should be part of this community.

What Is This Blog About?

If you've explored any other parts of this website (or viewed the URL), you've noticed that much of this site functions as an online resume of sorts for Dr. Kristen Nguyen. That's me. While the idea for this site started as a way for me to connect and collaborate with other educators, it's evolved to be much more than that.

Here's the deal. I have been an educator since 2007, working in various roles and contexts (see my professional experience page for more info). I am passionate about what I do and take great pride in contributing to thought leadership in my field. I also recently became a parent (16 months ago, to be precise). This new identity rocked my world and gave me a new perspective on just about everything, including the work I do.

As I navigate parenthood, I am realizing just how much overlap there is with the instincts, knowledge, and skills I tapped into as a teacher. I think of how I might have done things differently in my classroom, or in working with other educators, knowing what I now know. On the flip side, I have drawn upon experiences and lessons I learned from middle schoolers when interacting with my newly-minted toddler.

As a teacher, I frequently found myself pitted against the parents and caregivers of my students. We were provided with trainings on how to handle challenging parents. The primary goal of teacher conferences was simply to get through them, rather than to establish significant connections or encourage cooperation. Judgment-laden labels were used to caution future teachers about the types of parents they might encounter: "helicopter," "bulldozer," "indulgent," "absent."

Looking back, the default view of caregivers as adversaries was not only unfair and unhelpful, but also a missed opportunity. I believe there is much to be learned about a variety of topics related to the well-being of young people by exploring the points of convergence and divergence between educator and caregiver perspectives. That is where this blog comes in.

What To Expect

In each post, I will tackle a topic I feel is relevant to both educators and caregivers, alternating between wearing both hats. Recognizing that I represent only one educator perspective and only one parent perspective, I will try my best to reference research and include links to other resources. And of course, I encourage dialogue to continue the discussion in the comment section of the post or on social media. Later on, I hope to host other writers as contributors to the blog, especially for topics where my own experience and expertise falls short.

I have two goals I'm committed to for each post:

1. Make it digestible. We're all busy. I will focus on short, accessible takes on topics that matter. Ideally something you can read or skim in 5 minutes or less.

2. Make it actionable. I don't know about you, but when I learn something new, I want to know what I can do with that information. Each post will include ideas for what to do next, how to apply what you learned, or where to learn more.

So What's Up Next?

In my first series of posts, I'll be diving into the importance of Collective Care, Wellbeing, and Healing for both educators and caregivers. Subscribe at the bottom of this page to be notified when new content is published.

In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment, connect with me elsewhere online, or browse the rest of the site.