Downright Mindful

In Episode 65, Paul and Matt sit down with Richard Jackson and Katie DelBonis , two educators whose work often happens quietly but makes a lasting impact. Richard, a former school counselor turned career coach for Bradley County Schools , shares how he now helps students explore career paths as early as middle school and even fifth grade. His work opens doors to CTE opportunities, workforce traini...

In Episode 64 of Downright Mindful , Paul and Matt sit down with Valanna White, a teacher at Walker Valley High School, for a fun, lighthearted conversation. Paul leads the episode with a series of “Would You Rather” questions that spark laughter, stories, and a few unexpected moments—including Valanna sharing her beautiful singing voice. The conversation offers a relaxed preview of Valanna as a f...

In Episode 63, Paul and Matt compare notes from two recent conferences. Paul shares highlights from a social studies conference in Washington, D.C. , while Matt reflects on his time at the ACTE conference in Nashville . They talk about what stood out, what felt familiar, and what’s clearly changing in education right now. AI comes up — not because it’s the only topic, but because it’s hard to avoi...

In Episode 62, Paul and Matt are back with Christian Mann , but this time he brings along two fellow members of his band, Monday Night Social . The conversation centers on creativity, collaboration, and what it looks like for three highly capable adults to navigate artistry with intention and professionalism. They talk openly about their creative process , how decisions are made as both individual...

In Episode 61 of Downright Mindful , Matt sits down with Josh Morris —innovation specialist for Bradley County Schools, co-creator and former producer of Downright Mindful , and host of the EdTech podcast The Tech Flush . They open with a look back at the early days of Downright Mindful : how a simple idea turned into a growing creative outlet, the lessons learned in the first recordings, and how...

In Episode 60, Paul and Matt bounce through a series of questions that turn out to be more connected than they first appear. Paul starts by asking ChatGPT the same question about Thanksgiving —but to two different accounts. The answers? Surprisingly different, raising a fresh conversation about AI, interpretation, and bias . Then he shares the results of a survey of high-level college athletes , w...

In this episode of Downright Mindful , Matt and Paul break down a single word they’re hearing everywhere — tired . Not just “I didn’t sleep well.” But tired in the physical , mental , and emotional sense. They dig into recent data showing how burnout has become one of the biggest issues in America in 2025, including stats from the U.S. Surgeon General and mental-health surveys in Tennessee. Matt s...

In Episode 58, Matt and Paul dive into the fast-changing world of AI in the classroom . Matt walks Paul through a few of the tools he’s already using with students, and together they ask a bigger question: Are there parallels between the rise of AI and the other technology shifts we’ve already lived through? As the conversation unfolds, Paul sits down for a surprisingly honest back-and-forth with...

In this episode, Paul and Matt talk about longevity ... what really makes people live longer, or at least what they think might. Neither of them are experts, just two guys tossing around thoughts about exercise, food, and genetics and laughing their way through it. It’s one of those talks that starts light but gets you thinking about your own habits and how short life can feel when you’re not payi...

In Episode 56, Paul recounts a field trip with his history and sociology students — a walking tour through Downtown Cleveland, Tennessee , exploring the heart of the city’s past. From the College Hill Recreation Center and the story of the high school that once stood there, to stops at the Five Points Museum , Tipton-Fillauer House , Broad Street UMC , and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church , this journe...

In Episode 55, Matt and Paul sit down with Dr. Jeremy Jones , Principal of Walker Valley High School , for a conversation that’s equal parts reflection, gratitude, and humor. They trace Jeremy’s journey in reverse: from leading one of East Tennessee’s most dynamic high schools all the way back to his days as an elementary principal, a middle school math teacher, and even a college student masterin...

In Episode 54, Matt and Paul sit down with Derrick Kinsey , Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Ocoee Region — a man whose vision has sparked remarkable growth in the organization and beyond. The conversation takes place at The Farm , a 65-acre property gifted by the Cody family of Bradley County, TN. Soon, this place will bloom into an event center, archery range, driving range, fishing...

In Episode 53, Matt and Paul talk collections — and the memories tucked inside them. From baseball cards bent at the corners to coins that once told time by the year, every piece has a story. Paul shares what he’s been chasing lately: books, cards, and childhood summers in Cape Cod. Matt follows with a story of his own — a wedding ring he made from a silver quarter, and a trip that stretched from...

In Episode 52 of Downright Mindful , Paul opens with a plan…and Matt never sees it coming. For nearly eight minutes, Paul “mirrors” him, repeating words and phrases, steering the conversation just to see how far he can go. His goal? To get Matt to reveal his salary without asking a single question. Once the trick is up, things take a reflective turn. With 52 episodes under their belt and almost a...

In Episode 51 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I sit down with Rob Alderman …owner of The Alderman Group and the mind behind one of the largest Facebook communities in Cleveland, TN, with nearly 40,000 members . Rob shares his story: moving from Gary, Indiana to Cleveland to attend Lee University in the 90s, dorm room antics with Chris Doan, and even being present during the Ellis Hall Dorm Fire ....

For Episode 50 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I returned to where my law enforcement career began—the Bradley County Jail . We toured the facility, then sat down with Sheriff Steve Lawson , whose family has deep roots in Bradley County law enforcement...his father, Lamar Lawson , and Uncle Robert also once held the badge of Sheriff. Steve shares his story...from starting in law enforcement in the...

In Episode 49 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I sit down with our friend and colleague Christian Mann... world history teacher, musician, and now marathoner. Christian recently completed a marathon in Iceland at 50 years old , a challenge inspired in part by the memory of his mother, who passed away at 46. Reaching her age made him reflect deeply on life, aging, and purpose...so he started trainin...

In Episode 48 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I sit down with Frank Walker , a Clevelander and the local missions pastor at First Baptist Cleveland. Frank’s role is historic—he is the first Black pastoral staff member in the church’s 165-year history. Our conversation moves from life and fatherhood to marriage and ministry. Frank and Paul reminisce about their college basketball days at Lee Univer...

In Episode 47 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I talk about our friend Christian, who recently ran a marathon in Iceland. To honor him, we walked a half marathon on the very same day. That story becomes the starting point for a bigger conversation. Paul asks me about the people who’ve shaped me — beginning with the teachers who left a mark. I share about my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Ownby, and the le...

Episode 46 of Downright Mindful has all the makings of a blues song. Paul kicks things off talking about the blues and puts Matt on the spot, handing him a guitar and asking for a few raw blues notes (rusty strings and all). From there, the conversation winds its way through a comparison of blues and bluegrass , a nod to Folsom Prison Blues , and finally into a deeper discussion as Paul interviews...

In episode 45...The first week of school is here, and Paul and I dive into the chaos that comes with it. I share an update on our school’s new cell phone restrictions and admit that—like many adults—I’m probably too attached to mine. From there, Paul takes us into the story of President John F. Kennedy reviving a Marine Corps challenge from 1908: walking 50 miles in three days. We talk about Rober...

 In Episode 44 of Downright Mindful , Paul asks me a big question: "What topics should every high school student be able to discuss?" My answer takes us through the story of America —from the Revolutionary War to COVID-19 , touching on: The Civil War and its lasting impact World War I & World War II Vietnam and the culture shifts of the era The Civil Rights Movement 9/11 and the war...

In Episode 43 of Downright Mindful , Paul kicks things off by sharing highlights from his recent father-son road trip, golfing their way across Canada. From there, we dive into a Joe Rogan episode featuring James Talarico that sparks a bigger question: Can we still talk to each other when we disagree? We explore what it means to have real dialogue in a divided world , navigate differing stances wi...

In Episode 42 of Downright Mindful , I sit down with Derrick Frazier—former Tennessee State Trooper, Sheriff's Deputy, and now Criminal Justice teacher at Hardin County High School. We met at Hermitage Park after a long day of training with the Tennessee Highway Patrol at the Department of Safety Training Center in Donelson, TN. Derrick shares his journey through law enforcement, his passion f...

In Episode 41 of Downright Mindful , Matt and Paul go from basketball courts to real-world burdens. We kick things off with a snake draft of our all-time NBA starting five , followed by our picks for MLB’s greatest 9 and NFL all-time squads . It's fun, opinionated, and personal. But then, Paul turns the conversation toward mental wellness and trauma , introducing the TIPP method (Temperature,...