The Parent/Teacher Conference

State Testing Season is Upon, but did No Child Left Behind Act (Bush #2) and Every Student Succeeds Act (Obama) emphasis on high stake testing really improve anything other than the bottom line for testing corporations?
Coach shares the changes he has seen education since there implementation, the tension they create for students and educators, and the lack of real value these tests offer him about the strengths and weaknesses of his own children.

Using the experience of two brothers who were both top athletes and scholars at his high school, and graduating with the late NFL defensive lineman Tony Siragusa, Coach shares his perspective that the "Dumb Jock" trope was something he never saw; no one was excused from school work for their athletic skills. Playing sports teaches skills that will help athletes not only be successful on the field, but in life.

One of the influences of my wife is the enjoyment of one her favorite TV shows of all time, Wings. Coach shares the overarching story of Joe and Brian Hackett needing to know the value of brotherhood (which we laughed at the many lessons they had of that over 8 years). Coach then turns to the classroom and the home and explains how we need to have a holistic view of both in order to build true safe spaces for our students and children.

The episode ends with how parents can best deal with the a defiant child using an example of a woman named Monica with her son Angie..

Second in a series on Old School Teaching Tools That Shouldn't Be Tossed.

Do you give deductions for late work? Have you been told it's wrong to give deductions for late work? Coach shares some of the faulty arguments that teachers use to convince other teachers to give up consequences for late assignments. The requirement of a project often goes beyond the actual content being assessed. Punctuality is a requirement just as writing three paragraphs for a three paragraph essay is a requirement. He also shares his approach and concerns what is really being reinforced by not holding students accountable for handing assignments in on time.

First in a series on Old School Teaching Tools That Shouldn't Be Tossed.

Have you ever heard the legend of the rock band Van Halen and their request that no brown M&M's could be backstage? It's not a legend and was for a valid reason. From that story, we discuss:

Should a teacher freely give a student a pencil if they forgot one for class?

It seems like such a minor point, but Coach uses it to expand upon the many lessons a student learns in not receiving one, how minor frustration is better than just handing one out.

Coach also refutes typical arguments educators have used to shame teachers into handing out pencils like Halloween candy, such as the "Worst Case Scenario" and "Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right"

Coach throws a curve in this episode by discussing one of his favorite movies of all time, Hoosiers. He reveals some little known facts of the movie (Did you know Gene Hackman thought it would sink his career?) and then discusses the theme that penetrates the soul of all who watch it, REDEMPTION. With the Lent/Easter season upon us, it seems to be a great time to talk about such a great word.

The day before St. Patrick's Day, I taught a lesson about Irish discrimination in the U.S. Students had never learned that before. Is it because some in our culture have widened the net of what is racism. And widening the net of these definitions places people who do not agree with these expansive new definitions as unjustly complicit and guilty of those terms. 

Coach denounces all forms of racism and shares why he has personal "skin in the game", reviews the changes in American culture, first looking at the changes when people of different ethnic backgrounds marry each other to the future as more people of different racial backgrounds will be getting married as well (including Coach's own daughters) only to further strengthen the continued use of the word "colorblind", and offering black voices (Sowell, McWhorter, Steele) that are just as concerned of these progressive ideas that seek division by their labeling others rather than finding common ground on what unifies us as American

What games did you play as a kid? Spud, Manhunt, Red Light, Green Light? What were they providing you in a low risk environment?

What board games did you play? On this episode, Coach gives specific board games that can be used in the classroom or at home to teach different topics, get kids off social media & their devices for a bit, and just to have some fun.

Games mentioned include: Chutes & Ladders, Blookus, Yahtzee, One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Timeline, Scrabble, Password, Pit, Gamestormer, Clue, and more!

Final of 5 episodes from the Disconnect from Tech Series

Coach will be conducting a session on Non Digital Games in the the Classroom for the NJAMLE (New Jersey Association of Middle Level Educators) Conference in mid March 2024. The next few podcasts will be expansions of some of the ideas he will be sharing.

What games did you play outside with your friends growing up? What did you learn? On this episode, Coach shares his thoughts on the reason why we decrease play (the increase of professional youth sport programs and how it decreases play and local community cohesiveness) and how we believe play takes away from academics.

He ends the episode with quotes that support the need for play in young people's lives; a safe way for them to learn important skills as well as a hedge against future mental health issues.

Episode Four in the Disconnect from Tech Series

Coach will be conducting a session on Non Digital Games in the the Classroom for the NJAMLE (New Jersey Association of Middle Level Educators) Conference in mid March 2024. The next few podcasts will be expansions of some of the ideas he will be sharing.

Recent studies reveal worsening mental health outcomes for teens today with many pointing to sharp rises in issues such as anxiety, depression, self harm, and loneliness in American youth coinciding with the introduction of smartphones and social media in society.

What can schools do to help & what are they doing that may be fanning he flames of the rise? Coach shares his opinions on how a nothing is right in society, a social justice approach, expansion of the words such as "trauma" when we mean "discomfort" seeing students as data points, and lack of recess are contributing to the problem.

He also has statistic based advice for parents to help improve mental health outcomes for their children...go to church.

Episode Three in the Disconnect from Tech Series

Coach will be conducting a session on Non Digital Games in the the Classroom for the NJAMLE (New Jersey Association of Middle Level Educators) Conference in mid March 2024. The next few podcasts will be expansions of some of the ideas he will be sharing.

Episode One in the Disconnect from Tech Series

Coach will be conducting a session on Non Digital Games in the the Classroom for the NJAMLE (New Jersey Association of Middle Level Educators) Conference in mid March 2024. The next few podcasts will be expansions of some of the ideas he will be sharing.

In the first of this series, Coach shares how being a recreation/camp director of a small church camp shaped his views of how to develop community in the classroom in order to engage learners.

How fun and games help break down differences of the diverse experiences of kids from various racial and socio-economic communities as well as to "pick the lock" of barriers kids build out of fear of rejection by others to form a cohesive camping experience for all the teens and allow them to engage with the messages being presented.

And how these camp lessons can be adapted to the classroom setting.

Coach celebrates the start of his 3rd year of the Parent Teacher Conference podcasts by doing a retrospective of his teaching career in order to discover the reason he remains in the classroom while other teachers are quitting the profession.

Restorative Justice is a modern buzzword in education, and although some of its practices can be chalked up to what is already considered good classroom management & relationship building, many teachers are questioning its move to remove consequences from the equation (and some are even quitting the profession due to this issue). Where is the justice for the teacher and the majority of the students in the class who want to learn?

After a month break, Coach discusses his struggles with the winter months, and shares his approach to students who have missing assignments. He questions if we are teaching them to narcissistic by never deducting points or giving out zeros. He ends by praising the parents who have been supportive when he approaches them for their assistance.

What does a near perfect game in baseball have to do with the classroom and the family?

In this episode, Coach discusses how an official on the athletic field demonstrates the necessity for the need of a power imbalance in the classroom by the teacher and by the parents in order to satisfy the purpose of the game, class, and family and to keep kids safe.

My father living the quote "I'm not your friend, I'm your father" was the most loving gift he ever gave me. He kept me from dangerous falls and helped me be the man I am today.

From a Harvard President, to President's Biden and Trump, to AI use among students in the Classroom, Coach offers his opinions on plagiarism and what we really should be teaching our students, character development, the one thing each individual can control.

In this year in review episode (the 80th of 2023), Coach revisits several topics that seemed to span several episodes:

How the Disney Way can influence the classroom positively

The classroom behavior crisis, the impact of digital devices on kids, and the teacher shortages.

Why Coach is proud of his daughters for choosing a colorblind approach in their relationships rather than an Anti-Racist one.

Along the way, you will hear the 80's teen comedy Better Off Dead mentioned along with Super Bowl Champion football player educating the president of an esteemed school on race relations.

Online grades books sound great in theory, but can lead to anxiety in students as their parents are checking 24/7 for grades. Growth and learning are replaced by the necessity of the A and figuring out "the game" to get the A. In this episode, Coach talks from his experience as a teacher who uses online grading apps, how they assist teachers, but also can create more headaches, even declaring that at times the Internet has made us more stupider. As a parent, he shares how it is best used to help parents, teachers, and most importantly, the child.

"Give 'em the positives!"

Politicians of both major parties love to tell their citizens that a law will provide relief but never share or address the consequences. Coach discusses 2 decisions in New Jersey, one new and the effects of one old one. Recently, NJ's Governor Murphy signed a law ending the Basic Skills test as a requirement for NJ teachers and how it will not address the teacher shortage issue is the first.

The other is how a 2% school budget cap per year implemented during Governor Christie's administration can lead to wasteful spending for unnecessary projects by a Board of Education, asks of the taxpayers for greater amounts of interest bearing bonds to cover what they actually need, and will never address the issue of what the 2% cap was even passed to do; a reduction or even a maintaining of the current property tax amount.

On this episode, a parent, teacher, and tax payer looks at a school referendum. What need does a referendum address? Why should I be inspired to sacrifice money from my household budget and vote "yes"? Coach looks at the problem with the 2% cap imposed on NJ school boards and towns (with an explanation of what that means), the importance of school architects in speaking to teachers in the trenches rather than just the board and admins, repair or replace, and the need to be forward thinking.

On this episode, Coach shares the important information that he provides for his daughters every day in order to be successful in school. Information he shares in a prayer and a blessing. Information that will help your child start and build friendships, show kindness in a small way that may help another child in need, be safe from harm, doing their best, and most importantly, knowing Mom and Dad are there when things go wrong.

Here is the prayer/blessing

Dear Lord,

Please be with my child today.

Protect them from all physical and emotional harm.

Help (him/her) show the love of Jesus to all her friends and teachers/

Help (him/her) do what is right according to the Bible.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Always smile

Always say "Hello"

Always be kind to everyone

And always do your best

Daddy (or/and Mommy) loves you very much

And so does Jesus.

A recent educational meme asks educators to share unpopular educational positions. Coach uses the episode to share some of the ones he believes would have a room full of teacher to pull out their knives (figuratively of course) if he stated them. Find out how Coach uses a comedian (Bill Maher) and journalist (Bari Weiss) to prove his points and explains why we as teachers shouldn't be surprised the other side of a political spectrum pushes back if we buy into the view from Paulo Freire, that all teaching is a political act.

Please listen and email you figurative knife out or let Coach know if you are putting it away at ptcpodcast411@gmail.com

Coach's Knives Out Comments:

The Progressive View of Teaching Has Hurt Teachers

I Don't Give Kids a Pencil If They Forgot One

I Take Off Points For Late Assignments

Educators With Doctorates Don't Impress Me

Should Thanksgiving be used as a time to criticize the many ways European colonists & the U.S. have mistreated Native Americans throughout the centuries (and they did) or as an inner look of the many blessings of good we have in her lives. Coach discusses how our the current trend of Critical Theory can influence us to practice "Critical Life Theory" where we only look on the bad and see ourselves as perpetual victims, and how this approach to life is not good for our mental health.

Instead we should see the positives of the 1st Thanksgiving; the lessons the Pilgrims and Wampanoag can teach us about tolerance. Coach shares some of the stories that are rarely mentioned of that first encounter and how the peace lasted between the two different people groups of a half century.

The episodes end with Coach thanking his family, and how even what some may see as negatives can be great positives (such as the word "NO" sometimes being the most loving word you can hear).

So this Thanksgiving, take stock of the good in your life, and reach out to those who have provided you with good and say "Thanks". It won't just be a salve for their mental health, but yours as well.

Teachers want to quit, parents are struggling, and children need help. Coach brings up times where a small act of kindness has gone a long way, even recently as he needed "a win" to remind him people do care. And if you need that win, so do others.

Most of the episode he tells his favorite story heard from a pulpit, the Teddy Stoddard story. He first heard it in 1988, and still has a powerful influence on him today. And even though it's a work of fiction, it can still express the truth that the simplest act of kindness can go a long way.

As teachers, we shouldn't assume that students who are struggling, those refusing to do work or behave, come from parents who refuse to parent. Sometimes, those parents are struggling in silence, they see their friends post the successes of their children, they watch the school honor every kid, but see little in the way of help when their fight with their child isn't for A's but just t do their to do homework.

And if they come to teachers for help, do we shame them or have compassion for them. In this episode, Coach speaks out against teachers who are quick to dismiss a student, praises those who champion their student, and most importantly, encourages parents in this situation, offering some advice, and letting them know, they are not alone.

Why are teachers quitting in record numbers? Considering discussions with peers, his own frustrations with education, and a whole bunch of Youtube videos, Coach offers his views on why teachers are quitting. The discussion will go from the philosophical to the practical. Listen until the end where he offers what may be a controversial reason for the burden many teachers are feeling and causing an increasing number than usual to say, "I've had enough". You may be able to replace a teacher, but it is far more difficult to replace a great one.

Coach shares his experience with his championship boys soccer team. What he looks for in making a team, the need for camaraderie along with skills, and the key ingredient, perseverance. He shares antidotes of the season, from the goalie who earned his team's respect to the 8th graders who taught the underclassmen how to be a team.

The episode ends with the championship game; one of the most exciting games Coach ever was a part of as a player or coach, one where his team taught those in attendance the truth of "It's never over until its over"

The South Orange Maplewood School District (NJ) has made news by removing Halloween from the school, using arguments such as cultural/religious values of the community, cost for those less fortunate, and equity as reasons. Coach discusses why the administration's argument are weak & continue to create a divide between home and school. Also mentioned are solutions to some of the arguments presented, the sex ed curriculum and so called book banning, and even how renaming the celebration of Halloween is still a "pig with lipstick"

What happens when a teacher podcaster asks ChatGPT to create the transcript for a podcast episode? Listen to this brief episode where AI tells us how we can use it in the social studies, history, English Language Arts, Art, Foreign Language, Science, and Math classroom as well as the challenges that AI creates with cheating in the classroom.

Let me know how AI at ptcpodcast411@gmail.com.

Collaboration is an important skill for kids to develop but group work can be the bane of a student's experience (as well as parents). Coach shares the value of group work, the approach he has in grading group work (and a way to have groups maintain a high level of production without grades) and also the age old question for teachers, should you choose groups or allow your students to choose groups. Although the focus is on the cooperative learning/project groups in a middle school setting, with some tweaking the situations discussed could be used in the elementary and high school classes as well.

Time to elect members of your local school Board of Education. Coach interviews Mark Werner who served for 18 years on the Mount Olive School Board (NJ). Mark shares insight on running for your local board of education, misconceptions of the power of the board, relations with the superintendent, principals, & teachers, creative funding for school programs especially the arts and humanities, tough decisions that need to be made, and the mind set new board members should have to make the student experience the best it can be.

More importantly, the interview becomes an observation of a man who personifies the quote from Ronald Reagan, "There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit." & the lasting impact that had for the Mount Olive school community.

Starting with the reasons he offers students for a history education, Coach uses it to discuss his views on Columbus Day vs Indigenous People Day, the argument that arose on TED talks when they at first were not going to post Coleman Hughes TED Talk on Colorblindness b/c TED staffers were upset that it went against anti-racist dogmas, and the issue of teachers providing Howard Zinn materials in the classroom that promote his socialist ideology but refusing to provide anything by PragerU due to its conservative ideology and why that is not the approach a public school history classroom should be taking.

It's election season and other than local town elections, in many areas, the vote for your school district's Board of Education will be both the most impactful to your everyday life and least researched. Coach shares his thoughts on where one can turn for information in the candidates running for your Board of Education, what he believes is the most important power delegated to the board, and using his teacher lens, what he looks for in board candidates and which ones will get him to pull a lever in a voting booth and which ones he will avoid like the plague. (Plus a quote from The Godfather finds its way into the episode)

Coach completes his discussion of 5 questions that will define classrooms as posed from an article in the NJ's Star Ledger newspaper. He shares his thoughts about school safety, the impact COVID lockdowns had academically & in regards to students' mental health, the importance of recess, and ends with words about the cultural wars (there are two sides to a battle). He ends the episode sharing the best winning move by teacher in these "wars" by quoting from the classic 1983 movie "War Games"

Picked up my state's newspaper of record the other day due to an article on the front page that asked 5 questions facing teachers as the school year begins. The episode begins with the importance of local newspapers to give us information when deciding who to vote for in town elections such as mayor, council, and board of education, and the rising importance of checking out candidate's pages on social media platforms such as Facebook.

After that, we look at one of the questions presented in the article., teacher retention. Coach shares the factors for the concern such as administration, COVID retirements, Salary, Life/Work Balance, and the Culture Wars as progressive activists and parental rights groups pull teachers in opposite directions when all we want to do is teach.

With the writers & actors strike continuing, Coach offers YouTube as a smorgasbord of short videos to help keep you occupied. YouTube channels from rock music to sports, history, and even some kid friendly faire.

Most teachers complain about the opening day professional development that their school districts. And its amazing how quickly administrators, superintendents, principals, etc. quickly turn to the same tired practices as if they have amnesia of how much they dreaded the structure.

In this episode Coach uses baseball analogies about warming up and the Mendoza line to share what he thinks is wrong about the opening day PD and offers solutions to the worst day of the year for teachers.

Your child did not make the team or didn't make the cast of the school play. Getting cut isn't the best feeling in the world, but in this episode Coach shares how his perspective of tryouts and formulating a team through the mind of a coach, but also how he talks with his own daughters when they are cut or do not make a team; the reality that this will not be the last time they will meet with disappointment & how a negative experience can be help mature them into confident teens.

An addition to Coach's last episode, he shares how playing HR Derby on the 1st day of school isn't just fun for your students, but hopefully demonstrates his classroom is safe to share thoughts & ideas, encourages students to go home & share what is happening in class, and builds anticipation for future lessons.

The 1st day of school after summer break is here! For parents some words of advice to share with your child of the new beginning they have to help them grow to be the best and do their best without regrets of wishing they did more.

And the question for teachers, does your 1st day lesson resemble a party or a wake?

From classroom supplies, what to do if youre taking your child out of school for vacation ,to gaining information on your child's assignments in the digital age, to advice on smartphones and social media, and encouraging parents as the experts on their child, Coach shares information from a parent and teacher's perspective, that you may or may not agree with, but hopefully will help develop in your mind what is best for YOUR child.

Being a first year teacher can be intimidating, even scary. On this episode, Coach shares from his experience as well as from the experience of his buddy who is also a teacher to help new teachers with issues that may not have been addressed in college education classes. Topics include dealing with teachers who are both have toxic positivity & toxic negativity, the importance of watching veteran teachers but at the same time allowing you to be you, and how to deal with parents who are twice your age and advice for parents why it is a benefit for their child to encourage new teachers. Even Huey Lewis and the News provides some encouragement at the end as well.

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A bit of a departure from the typical topics talked about on the podcast, in this episode talks about his recent trip to Cooperstown, shares a bit about what they town and Baseball Hall of Fame is like, and why, after 20 years of visiting at least once a year, it continues to inspire.

A Cornell professor offers 6 reasons why the advocacy group "Moms for Liberty" are extremists. Since his speciality is popular culture, you would think the better question he would answer is how did a grassroots movement of 3 moms from Florida grow to over 100,000 members in 45 states in less than 3 years? Coach looks at what the concerns of the professor are valid, which are garbage, and attempts to strip away the rhetorical devices to slander and promote the group to get at the heart of the issue so parents and teachers can better work together for the sake of kids.