We speak with the 2019 Teacher of the Year, Rodney Robinson. He doesn’t have a typical teaching assignment. The 19-year veteran of Richmond Public Schools works at a school inside the Richmond Juvenile Justice Center.

We speak with the 2019 Teacher of the Year, Rodney Robinson. He doesn’t have a typical teaching assignment. The 19-year veteran of Richmond Public Schools works at a school inside the Richmond Juvenile Justice Center.

Teacher mindset is a buzzword in education right now. But what does it really mean to have the right or wrong mindset in class?

A teenager gets put on blast on social media for peppering her speech with the word “like”. Why our teachers think using verbal fillers is and isn’t a big deal.

Can the adversity that students face be boiled down to a number? The makers of the SAT are going to try. Our teachers say that's both a good and bad idea.

Teaching abroad can have its perks…but are they enough to pull teachers away from America?

After San Francisco’s plan to tackle school segregation actually made it worse, our teachers discuss how our conversation around this issue needs to change.

A high school newspaper’s story about a student sex worker causes a national stir. Now the district is threatening to fire the newspaper’s teacher adviser. We get that teacher’s side of the story.

Schools statistically are safer than they’ve been in years…so why doesn’t it feel like it?

Some say Fortnite, the video game, should be banned. Our teachers say that’s a bad idea. Instead, schools should be learning how to take advantage of kid’s gaming passion.

Teacher shortages have been around for decades, but new research shows it’s getting worse. What impact does that have on kids and classrooms?

WARNING: This episode contains conversations about teen suicide. The number for the National Suicide Helpline is 1-800-273-8255.

The specter of teen suicide is again in the news. Do you feel comfortable broaching that topic with your students? Our teachers have advice.

The achievement gap between rich and poor students has hardly budged in 50 years. Our teachers say maybe we need to redefine what “gap” even means. Plus, bathroom access is always a hot topic at schools, but are we hurting student’s health by restricting when they can go?

A college admissions cheating scandal has shocked America. Our teachers say…you think that’s bad…how about all the legal ways the admissions process is unequal. Plus, “grit”…our teachers say there’s a lot wrong with how it’s being used in the classroom.

Dr. Seuss is one of the most beloved children authors of all time, but his place in the literary canon is being challenged. The reason has to do with history and race. Plus, Chicago public schools has a big problem with gangs…but our teachers say what they did to fix the situation only made it worse.

The Denver teacher strike was focused mostly on complaints about incentive pay. Our teachers break down that idea. Plus, standardized testing…what is it good for?

THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE YOU HAVE OR HAVE HAD A STUDENT WITH A LOVED ONE IN PRISON. BUT WE RARELY TALK ABOUT HOW TO HELP KIDS DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF MASS INCARCERATION. WE FIX THAT ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE.

Many city schools struggle with the g-word. Gentrification. But there are actual steps schools can take to get involved. Plus, norms about manhood are changing but our teachers seeing a difference in their male students? Three female teachers give us their take.

Class size was a big sticking point in the recent LA teachers strike. But how do you know when a class really is too big? And the Covington Catholic mess, some say it’s a teachable moment. If so, who’s getting taught and what are they learning?

If reading is fundamental, why do so many American kids struggle with it? Emily Hanford from American Public Media explains. Plus, we know about the achievement gap, but what about the homework gap.

The national teacher of the year calls the detention of migrant children at the border “abuse” and an “atrocity”. But she says teachers can do something about it. Plus, as American cities are becoming less segregated…are schools following suit?

A Kansas teenager is set to graduate from his high school, and Harvard University this spring…at the same time. We have a whole lot of questions. Plus, is your school a happy place? Does it need to be in order to be successful? Our teacher’s answers might surprise you.

Discipline. Our teachers say their schools are starting to get it right. Now, Betsy DeVos is getting involved. Plus, the old tensions between charter schools and district schools is back in the headlines after a charter school strike in Chicago. And, how what month your child is born in affects whether they’re diagnosed with ADHD.

Can civics class save American democracy? Our teachers say the perennial debate has a new look after Trump’s election. Plus, schools are inequitable but, it turns out, so are PTAs. How this inequality changes the dynamic in schools. Finally, the epidemic of absenteeism.

Retirement. If you’re a young teacher you might not be thinking about it much, but our veteran teachers say you should start right now. Plus, tis the season for snow days. Students and teachers love them, right? Why snow days can be so disruptive. And, homework in kindergarten…is that too young?

There is a growing schism among education reformers. One side says schools should be held account for their performance…even to the point of closing them down. The other believes we should give them more resources and funding to see what happens. This conflict has come to a dramatic point in New York City with an initiative called Renewal. New York Times reporter Eliza Shapiro talks with us about what this all means for education reform efforts across the country.

Now that there are artificial intelligence news anchors…are A.I. teachers on the horizon? Plus, a group nazi salute in a prom photo is the latest subject of internet outrage. But what should educator’s reactions be when their students do dumb offensive things?

The teaching profession notoriously has trouble recruiting and retaining teachers of color. We discuss why that is and what can be done about it. Plus, a new digital divide…it’s not about having too little technology, but having too much.

It’s one of the most difficult topics to discuss in schools: white fragility. And yet, it has major seen and unseen effects on faculty and students. This week, we talk with Robin DiAngelo—the woman who coined the term “white fragility”—about what educators can do to address it in school.

The Trump administration wants to redefine gender. Young trans people and their teachers are ready to fight back. Plus, should teachers stay neutral about controversial topics in class? Is that even possible? One Chicago teacher thought her district’s directive about the Laquan Mcdonald killing wasn’t right. And, teacher effectiveness…it’s not longer just about the test scores. What’s the best way to evaluate a teacher’s work?

Holding back students a grade level is seen by many as a way to uphold rigorous academic standards…but it can also backfire. Plus, we thought after this spring’s rallies that teens were going to be a voting force in the year’s midterms…does that still hold true?

America is argumentative right now…are schools partly to blame? Plus, everyone knows play is beneficial for students, but kids are doing it less and less. Also, acne…it’s still a big deal for teenagers, but maybe not for the reasons you think.

On this episode: what’s the difference between a 0 and a 50 percent…our teacher’s say it could mean everything. Plus, when does your school start…whatever time it is, experts say it’s likely too early.

The sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh feel very familiar to our teachers. They say too many of their kids have similar stories to tell. Plus, should school end their football programs? Those topics and “Kids These Days” on this episode!

America’s students are getting more diverse…but our teaching force is going in the opposite direction. Plus, you know that phrase those who can’t do, teach…well a new piece turns that idea on it’s head. And, as always “Kids These Days”.

Should schools monitor student’s social media to help prevent school shootings and suicides, or is that an invasion of privacy? Also, we like to think schools are making progress when it comes to being inclusive. But the tragic story of a nine year old who came out as gay reminds us we may not have come as far as we want. Those stories plus “Kids These Days”.

As more states require students to take the ACT/SAT, we ask...is that actually a good idea? Plus, kids are not reading for fun as much as they once did, but we're not ready to give up on books just yet. All that and "Kids These Days".

A new study shows that the fight against hate in American schools could be most intense in the suburbs...but are suburban teachers ready for it? Plus, LeBron James opens a public school in his home town. Our teachers say the important word there is "public".

A classroom debate over the confederate flag goes viral, and we sit down with the teacher and student at the center of the conversation.

Gifted and talented education...is it ultimately good? Some advocates are going so far as to say such programs should be eliminated entirely.

Above photo from Quim Gil

Are the migrant children separated from their families at the U.S. border receiving any sort of education, and if so...is it adequate? We speak with a New York Times reporter to get some answers. 

American kids don’t have a constitutional right to a good education. A recent court case in Michigan underscored that fact. It’s a problem says our teachers, but maybe not for the reasons you think. Plus, the Trump Administration is rolling back Obama era guidance in affirmative action in college admissions. That has us asking…who is college for anyway.

We're still in the middle of a brief summer break, but we taped a special episode in response to the US Supreme Court's recent decision which promises to have a major impact on teachers unions. How will the "Janus" case affect our teachers, school and unions. We talk with the experts on this episode.

There's #DrivingWhileBlack, #SittingAtStarbucksWhileBlack, #BBQingWhileBlack...but what about #TeachingWhileBlack?

As Puerto Rico continues to struggle in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, we check in with a school on the island about the challenges that lay ahead for next school year. Plus, Betsy DeVos says a school safety commission formed after the Parkland school shooting won't be talking about guns. Finally, are your students vaping? We talk about how to deal with this new phenomenon in schools.

The 2018 national teacher of the year gave President Trump a stack of letter from her refugee and immigrant students...then the online hate started. Plus, a clash over free speech in schools. Our teachers say a student who wears a pro border wall t-shirt shouldn't have to take it off, but other students should be allowed to debate and criticize it. Also, the surprising trend of students bullying themselves online.

"Thirteen Reasons Why" is back and with it comes fears and handwringing about students dealing with suicidal thoughts. Plus, some people are calling for a nation wide boycott of schools to force legislative change on gun control. Finally, a landmark legal decision regarding which bathrooms trans students can use has our teachers asking if we can finally be done with this debate.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes and Cases To Rest by Blue Dot Session

From state funding cuts to school shootings, teachers have a lot of reasons to be angry. But how can they use that anger constructively in schools? Plus, a new book argues Googles' search algorithms are racist, and that should give teachers pause about how they use it in their classes.

Is school choice working in your district? That's the question we asked at a live community forum in Kansas City, MO last week. What we learned reveals a lot about the issue of school choice across the country.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes,

Recent research claims that learning styles are actually totally fake...our teachers say not so fast. Plus, students in America are politically fired up, but does that mean they'll vote in the fall? One school already has a statistically proven impact on student voting rates and we talk with them. All that and "Kids These Days" on this week's episode!

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes, and Balti by Blue Dot Sessions

How should schools be teaching America's history with lynching in classrooms? The opening of a new lynching memorial has our teachers reckoning with how to bring this topic to students.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes, and Sad Marimba Planet by Lee Rosevere

When more than public-schools-conditions.html?emc=edit_ne_20180416&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=5413969520180416&te=1">4,200 teachers responded to The New York Times’ recent callout for images showing their working conditions, it gave readers an insight into the often-frustrating experiences of educators. Plus, one of our teachers pens a powerful op-ed about our current school shooting debate.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes, and Sad Marimba Planet by Lee Rosevere

Teacher protests continue across the country...will teachers be a political force in the 2018 elections? Plus, everyone is worried about Facebook, but our teachers say kids aren't using it anyway. And the latest scores for the National Assessment For Educational Progress are out, cue the hand-wringing and eye-rolling.

We discuss a new report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office that shows students of color, boys and students with disabilities are disproportionately disciplined in American K-12 public schools.

Students, teachers and parents are asking what their schools can do to keep kids safe following last month’s school shooting in Florida. So we hosted a public forum to discuss what people in our area are thinking and feeling in the midst of this unique moment.

The national student walk out has us asking: is it really a protest if you have to get a permission slip to do it? Our teachers say their students are demanding more agency and planning more political activism. 

No Wrong Answer will be taking a two week break as our teachers head off to a much deserved Spring Break themselves.

A teacher gets outed as a closet white supremacist. What does it say about schools that she was able to get a teaching job in the first place? Plus, the DACA program has not ended but students receiving the special protective status are still anxious about their futures. We talk with three DACA recipients about what life is like under a cloud of uncertainty. And, what did our teachers learn from the success of the West Virginia teacher's strike? 

A teacher strike in West Virginia captures the education world's attention. We talk with a leader on the front picket lines of Charleston. Plus—sexting—more kids are doing it, and our teachers say they feel unprepared to talk about it. And, we start a new segment, Teacher To Teacher, where educators talk with the teachers who had an impact on them as students.

Teachers are great storytellers. We aim to elevate teacher voice by giving them the mic, literally, and we got a special chance to do that at a recent event sponsored by one of our funders, The Kaufman Foundation. We recorded two teachers telling real stories about using their voice to help students find their own.

On this episode: we talk with black high school students about their feelings on “Black Panther”. They think it’s as important as everyone is saying. Plus, as talk of arming teachers picks up steam, our educators and a special student guest say…are you kidding? And, have charter schools hit a wall? Our charter school teachers say maybe they have.

Students are angry and frustrated in the wake of another school shooting, and our teachers say they hope things might change this time. Plus, a scandal over inflated graduation rates in Washington DC has teachers asking: could it be happening in my district? Then, a special Black Panther edition of Kids These Days.

Most kids in America still can't name slavery as the primary cause of the Civil War. Our teachers say the problems with the way we teach slavery go even deeper than that. It's time to get uncomfortable. Plus, school councilors have caseloads approaching 500 students. One councilor says there's not enough time in the day.

In this #MeToo moment, what are we saying to boys to help them understand things like sexual harassment and consent? Also, we get the behind the scenes scope of an infamous “blacklist” of former employees an Arizona school district secretly kept for decades. And, should students be forced to pass the US citizenship test?

Indianapolis is offering cheap housing in order to entice teachers to stay. Hear why our teachers think that's not such a good idea. Also, The Betsy Breakdown is back: our Secretary of Education has been laying low, but we have a lot to talk about in this new year. Those topics plus, how are our teachers staying healthy during this flu season? Those answers and more on this edition of the podcast. 

2017 was by all accounts a crazy year in the news, and by the way 2018 has started it doesn't seem like we're in for much of a break. Earlier this month, NPR Education Reporter Claudio Sanchez made four education predictions for this year, you can find his full article here. We talked to Sanchez about what he's expecting for education in 2018.

We talk with staff members and students from a school in Puerto Rico that recently went viral after a video of their power coming back on spread across the internet. We talk with them about what the last few months have been like literally learning in the dark. Plus, a new report shows American schools are still profoundly unequal. Our teachers discuss the infuriating reasons why.

The President says another offensive thing, but our teachers say this time is incredibly different. Plus, a lot of states are dealing with the same education issues such as teacher shortages and school funding. We get a preview of 2018 from an education reporter who covers statehouses across the country. Then, turns out stress actually changes your student's brains. Our teachers discuss what you can do about that.

What do children of color think about America a year into Donald Trump's Presidency? Their responses paint a bleak picture for our country's future. Plus, outrage over a youtube star's video showing the body of a suicide victim has us thinking: what exactly are kids watching online? And, a conservative political action group goes after a teacher's union in Michigan. The union representative on our show says, bring it on.

As 2017 comes to a close, we look back on the moments in education that get As and the moments that get Fs. Also, what we're worried about and excited for going into 2018.

A new poll reveals the political beliefs of teachers. The real question is, how should whether a teacher is Democrat or Republican affect their work in class? Also, we've marked a sad anniversary: five years since the Sandy Hook school shooting. We ask our teachers what the legacy of that tragedy is still today. Finally, are teachers as worried as the rest of the internet about Net Neutrality?

Washington D.C. is crazy right now, but we draw your attention to an emerging problem that could affect your kids: federal CHIP funding. Plus, the Senate passes its version of a massive tax overhaul, and they not only keep the teacher classroom supplies deduction but double it. Our teachers say, nice try. Also, a new study from Stanford gives us a school evaluation tool that our teaches say is better than test scores.

Sexual harassment allegations have rocked America from Washington D.C. to Hollywood. But has the conversation trickled down into schools? Are schools going through their own #MeToo reckoning? Plus, a high school's inflated graduation rate shocks many, but not our teachers. They say that kind of fakery happens all the time.

The GOP tax plan has one provision that could have a big impact on teachers. We discuss what it would mean to lose the yearly deduction for materials. Plus, what are the pay structures to determine teacher salaries? Our team says schools should ditch the traditional salary schedule. Then, an educational game asks students to role-play a slave girl trying to escape to freedom. Our teachers say—what the hell?

Students these days are skeptical of authority, so why are they so bad at being skeptical of what they read online? Plus, our teachers say in-school suspensions are generally ineffective, so why do we keep giving them? And, is saying the F word acceptable in class? You may be surprised what our teachers think.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; Modes by Primary Color Music

On this Extra Credit, we bring you an episode recorded live in Wichita at the Kansas Association of Teachers of English. We discuss how english educators specifically are adapting to teaching under the Trump administration. Have they changed what books they read and what writing assignments they give to students? Listen and subscribe!

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes

As #MeToo is still prominent in the news, we ask our teachers how the ongoing conversation about sexual harassment and assault is affecting how they interact with their students. Also, what do you do when a white student says something racist in class? Our teacher's answers aren't as simple as you might think. Plus, another edition of the Betsy Breakdown. 

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes and All Hot Lights by Poddington Bear

A Mississippi school district's decision to take To Kill A Mockingbird out of its curriculum sparked an internet uproar after it went viral. Our teachers have opinions about how this historic book should be taught in classrooms. Plus, we discuss another internet outrage after a New Jersey teacher told students to "speak American". Finally, we end with a slightly unnerving conversation about the increase in time students spend with screens. 

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; and Back Stairs by Podington Bear; all have been edited.

One state chooses to cut it's United States history tests. Bad idea, right? Not so fast say our teachers. Plus, should schools be held accountable for when their students miss school? And, as always we end with "kids these days".

This is a heavy episode. First, we discuss how to talk to students in the wake of tragedy following the Las Vegas massacre. Then, we take on white supremacy in schools. Sure, giving kids an assignment in which they pretend to be a KKK member is bad, but our teachers say that's not the worst part.

It was inevitable that our country's national anthem protest controversy would come to the schoolhouse. How should teachers react when students refuse to stand for the anthem or the pledge of allegiance?

Students at a high school hold a sit-in demanding action against other students who wrote transphobic things in a group chat. How should teachers respond to both students? Plus, a look at per-pupil spending in the United States compared to other countries. What can we learn from international education spending?

Virtual reality isn't just for gamers anymore. Some people think it could be the next big innovation in teacher training, but our teachers have questions. Plus, in the latest Betsy Breakdown, our teachers get heated over the idea of whether a school should host the Secretary.

When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, many people had more existential problems than sending their kids to school. But in the immediate aftermath, some educators volunteered to continue teaching classes at shelters around Huston. This is a story from one of those teachers.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes;  all have been edited.

Trump's DACA decision is a big one for students and schools. You may have questions as teachers, we have some answers. Plus, we talk about Chance The Rappers new award show for teachers, and another edition of the Betsy Breakdown.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; Back Stairs by Podington Bear; and The Big Ten by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited.

A video of high school cheerleaders being forced to do the splits goes viral. Our teachers ask, how do you know when you're truly pushing kids and when you're going to far? Plus, research shows that kids with a few close friends may do better later in life than popular kids. And another round of Ask A Teacher. 

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes also Tiny Putty and The Big Ten by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited.

Some are saying Charlottesville was a turning point. Do our teachers feel the same way? Plus, new research suggests grade inflation is the newest form of the achievement gap. And, a new segment: Ask A Teacher.

Please join the conversation about this episode and the education landscape on our Community Forum page! And, help us shape this show into what you want it to be:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DO8OEJszFtsV2Nohe0W7Rg_xbH9RkjTxjfT0wLuVwOw/edit

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes also Sunday Lights and The Big Ten by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited.

On this episode: our teachers discuss strategies for addressing Charlottesville with teachers and students in school. Plus, how much say should parents have over the classroom, and it's back...The Betsy Breakdown.

Please join the conversation about this episode and the education landscape on our Community Forum page! And, help us shape this show into what you want it to be:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DO8OEJszFtsV2Nohe0W7Rg_xbH9RkjTxjfT0wLuVwOw/edit

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes also Waterbourne by Blue Dot Sessions and All Hot Lights by Poddington Bear

Many schools include hair in their dress codes, and that's gotten some black students in trouble. Our teachers discuss whether dress codes can be racist. And confidence in police is up overall in America, but dropping among young people. What's it like to teach about law enforcement in this age of police shootings and protests?

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes also all have been edited.

The Trump Administration has its definition of close family, but how do our teachers define who their student's close family are. And new research says that smart phones are distracting even when we're not using them...should schools ban them altogether? 

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Some say computer coding is as crucial to kids education these days as math and reading. Our teachers are skeptical. And, in this current social justice moment, should educators be teaching their students to be woke? One teacher says, "hell yes".

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Above photo by Alejandro Forero Cuervo

What makes a city a good place to live for teachers?

Data analytics firm GoodCall has its answers. It recently created a list of best cities for teachers--689 cities total--rating some obvious factors like job availability, cost of living, average teacher pay relative to other salaries in the area. It also gathers data on things like local amenities, number of restaurants per capita, and violent crime rates.

A clear pattern emerges in GoodCall’s study. All cities in its top ten are small to mid-size suburbs or exurbs, most of them in the Midwest. Five of them are suburbs of Chicago. But the top city to live in if you’re a teacher in 2017, according to GoodCall, is Bentonville, Arkansas.

Bentonville is a town of roughly 50,000 in northwest Arkansas, just south of the Missouri border. It’s most well-known for being the birthplace and now global headquarters of the Wal Mart Corporation.

Though you may be surprised at it’s place as ‘Best City for Teachers 2017’, Jayna Moffit isn’t. She’s a standout math teacher at Lincoln Junior High in Bentonville. She’s not a Bentonville native, she moved there only after completing a stint as a Teach For America teacher in the Mississippi Delta in the early 2000s. (No Wrong Answers, incidentally, is sponsored by Teach For America Kansas City, which has no association with Jayna.)

She’s lived in Bentonville now more than 15 years. Her husband is a police officer in the town, and her daughter just graduated from Bentonville High. Who better than to get an insight into what’s apparently the best city for teachers than Jayna Moffit? Here’s our conversation.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Teachers: LuAnn Fox (high school Advanced Placement Literature); Elaine Jardon (middle school math); David Muhammad (high school international relations.

Two stories of social media pitfalls--one involving teenagers, the other involving a teacher--caught our eye this week. First, a much-discussed story about Harvard rescinding admission for at least 10 incoming freshmen because of offensive memes they posted in a private Facebook group. Our teachers are saddened but not surprised at that kind of behavior. They’re a bit more surprised at our second social media story: a middle school teacher who posted a picture to Facebook of himself flipping off the White House. Should he be punished in some way?

Also, what makes a “good” or “bad” teacher? Reddit users have their ideas. A new study compiles them into an interesting (if incomplete) picture. Our teachers respond and also ask: is labeling “good” and “bad” teaching even helpful?

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Teachers: Maddie Burkemper (who now teaches 5th grade); Maria Kennedy (high school humanities); David Muhammad (high school government).

Secession is back and not just in American History class. Our teachers this week tackle the story of mostly white Alabama city seeking to secede from a largely black county-run school district. Our teachers have a problem with the district’s stated reasons for seceding and a problem with what they say it means for public education writ large.

Plus, should character traits like “responsibility” and “optimism” on students’ grade reports? Our teachers talk about the uses and abuses of such so-called “soft skills” assessments.

Finally, there’s no Kids These Days this week because our teachers our out of school. (They haven’t been around kids.) But we’re trying something new: a pop culture roundup. This week: a fat-shaming movie poster, Wonder Woman storms America, and “covfefe.”

Links

• School secession is actually more common than you might think (U.S. News)

• your-child-showing-grit-school-report.html">Assessments of “soft skills” are growing in popularity. (Education Week)

• A movie poster critics saidwhite-body-shaming.html?module=WatchingPortal®ion=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=3&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F06%2F01%2Fmovies%2Fsnow-white-body-shaming.html&eventName=Watching-article-click"> fat-shamed kids caused a stir. (New York Times)

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Few education writers (with the possible exception of Jonathan Kozol) are more widely respected and more widely read than Mike Rose. In a career that’s spanned more than 35 years, Rose has produced eleven books on education and learning, ranging in topic from effective literacy strategies to the cognitive complexity of blue-collar work.

His most well-known book may be the semi-autobiographical Lives On the Boundary. It’s now generally considered a classic of the field, often read in education schools and teacher-prep programs. The book details different ways to reach so-called “problem” students, while at the same time mining the deep vein of Rose’s own personal experiences growing up in a working class household that often felt shut out of the educational establishment.

Mike Rose was born in Pennsylvania, the son of Italian immigrants and grew up in Los Angeles. He’s said one of the most impactful things to happen to him growing up was being moved out of his high school’s vocational track into its college prep track. In the college prep track, he had a teacher who advised him on applying to college.

Rose, who now teaches at UCLA, has tended to focus his writing on class divisions he experienced as a student and that still often plague our education system. He’s vocational-education-and-new.html">written passionately about vocational education--what’s now termed Career and Technical Education--and how it can and should be integrated into a more well-rounded education that also includes STEM learning and instruction in subjects like classic literature. He says votech subjects like auto mechanics and shop class are often looked at with snobbery and elitism and are undervalued by the education system as a whole.

Rose has been revisiting these themes on his blog in the wake of the election of Donald Trump as president. He’s not a fan of the president. He makes no bones about his disappointment in Trump’s election, swept to the White House with the support of millions of white, working class voters like people he says he grew up around. We wanted to speak to Rose about how his career’s focus--his lifelong passion for looking at issues of class in education--now may seem more relevant than ever.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Teachers: Greg Brenner (high school government); Jaime Meyers (middle school English); Jason Steliga (high school science).

Summer is here for our teachers! Well, almost here. (Sorry Greg.) And they are in a reflective mood.

First up: what does the alleged assault of a journalist by a politician in Montana say about our societal norms? Does it change, at all, how teachers feel about counseling kids to not use violence to solve their problems? Plus, we tackle teen pregnancy. The story of one girl who was barred from walking at her school’s graduation went viral. What do schools do well (and not so well) about dealing with the challenge of teen pregnancy? Finally, our teachers look back on the students--that for better and worse--made an impact on them this year.

• One conservative commentator called the case of Greg Gianforte a “moral test” for the Republican Party.

• The pregnancy-religious-values-christian-school.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Feducation&action=click&contentCollection=education®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=11&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0">case of Maddi Runkles in Maryland drew national attention to how her school punished her for her pregnancy.

• The Atlantic’s new audio project “What My Students Taught Me” inspired our teachers to think of students who have impacted them.

Kids These Days:

• Jaime: Fidget spinners are still in and getting ever-more sophisticated.

• Greg: His students are all about getting summer jobs. The most popular places to land? The farmer’s market and a local amusement park.

• Jason: He’s soaking in the graduation parties thrown by his students’ families. He’s now been around long enough that it will be the third child from that family he’s gone to a graduation party for.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Teachers: Maddie Burkemper (4th grade … all of it); Princeston Grayson (middle school gifted and talented); and Rebeka McIntosh (elementary alternative education)

This week, we can’t not talk about the crazy week that was in Washington. (Here’s a recap. Believe us: you need it.) Our teachers say they used to read the news to decompress from school. No longer. Then, we tackle President Donald Trump’s proposed federal education budget, which would completely eliminate funding for a variety of programs, from gifted and talented education to civics education. Finally, has your school gone “full Google?” Our teachers’ schools have all gone one-to-one or are in the process of going one-to-one with Google Chromebooks. Is this a good thing?

Read:

•  The Washington Post’s break down of Trump’s proposed education budget.

• The New York Times haseducation-chromebooks-schools.html?_r=0"> a fascinating story about the “Googlification of education.”

Kids These Days:

• Maddie: She says her kids are still talking about the chant their class came up with for their school’s Field Day. (Maddie demonstrates during the episode.)

• Princeston: Signed any student yearbooks lately? Princeston has. A lot.

• Rebeka: It’s that time of the year. The final days of the school year are a time for time-killing games and activities. You know what we’re talking about.

A big trend in public education currently is something called “Maker education” or “Maker learning.” There isn’t one universally settled upon definition though its proponents generally use terms like “hands on” and “learner-focused” to describe it.

Benjamin Herold writing in Ed Week said “maker learning” refers to a “wide variety of activities (from computer programming to sewing) that support the development of a mindset that values playfulness and experimentation, growth and iteration, and collaboration and community.

Maker education is part of the broader, loosely organized ‘Maker Movement’ of tinkerers, DIYers, computer programmers, and hackers who put a lot of stock in the act of creation itself and the experimentation and failure that often goes into that.

As you may be able to tell, there’s a lot of buzzwords to sift through when talking about “Maker education.” But what does this look like in schools?

We wanted to try and answer that question. And in the Kansas City metro area where No Wrong Answers tapes there are few schools to get that answer more clearly than Lewis and Clark Elementary in Liberty, Missouri. The school has undergone a revolution of sorts in how teachers their teach and how students learn. And that’s due in large part to the school’s implementation of Maker strategies.

We went there and did something we’ve never done: a live taping of our podcast in front of a small audience of teachers, parents, and students. We wanted to ask people in Lewis and Clark’s community what “Maker education” has meant to them.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Teachers: LuAnn Fox (high school English); Elaine Jardon (middle school math); Jason Steliga (high school science)

This week, Besty DeVos is back. The Secretary of Education gave the commencement address recently at Bethune-Cookman University and boy, did it get ugly. Then, we talk chronic absenteeism, what federal DOE officials have called a “hidden crisis” in American education. But it’s not just the stereotypical trouble-making skippers that miss a lot of class. Finally, we tackle a new Pediatrics study that says bullying is down...way down. So why doesn’t it feel like it to our teachers?

• Watch excruciating video of Betsy DeVos’s Bethune-Cookman commencement address.

• Read some eyebrow-raising federal stats about chronic absences.=

• This Pediatrics study says bullying in American schools is dropping precipitously.

Kids These Days:

• Luann: Students taking Advanced Placement tests aren’t supposed to talk, text, or tweet about the exams on test day. But they do.

• Jason: Chance the Rapper was in town. His students’ heads exploded.

• Elaine: Even though she’s still on maternity leave, her students are grade-grubbing at the end of the semester. Ah, the satisfaction of being able to delete on their emails...

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

Everyone’s talking about the new Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” and our teachers are no exception. Some praise its frank portrayal of serious adolescent issues like suicide, sexual assault, and drug abuse. Others say it glamorizes suicide and could be a trigger for kids struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. Good or bad, our teachers say it’s definitely sparked discussion, and not always the ones they were anticipating.

Plus, new research from Johns Hopkins University quantifies further the positive effect black teachers can have on black students. Having at least one black teacher in elementary school enhances the likelihood a black student will graduate high school. But while some say the obvious answer is, teachers-matter-school-integration-doesnt.html">“Hire more black teachers!” our teachers say we also need to better train the white teachers who still make up the majority of our nation’s teacher workforce.

Finally, if your school had a room for teachers go to smash things in order to relieve stress, would you use it? One elementary school principal in Maryland got in hot water with parents for creating a “smash space” for her teachers. Our teachers say, “What’s the big deal?”

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.

We just completed National Poetry Month in April and we recently asked some of our teachers…for a little bit of show-and-tell to celebrate that. We wanted them to pick examples of a poem, or an excerpt of a poem they have found personally or professionally inspirational as teachers. Or maybe a poem that has been used to particularly good effect in their classroom, that resonated with students.

Maddie Burkemper, Jaime Meyers and David Muhammad brought us their poems. And David started us off. If you didn’t know, he’s a rapper in his spare time outside the classroom.

Music used in this episode is Inspiring Corporate and Scottish Indie by Scott Holmes; all have been edited.