Insights Into Education

Ed and Dan believe the American education system can recover from the destructive work of privatizers, profiteers, and those who claim they can force solutions without identifying the problems. There is no more potent group than the PTA (PTSA) as they know what is happening to our children and how to support our public schools. We are very fortunate to have Beth Simek, the State President of the A...

Ed and Dan have a special guest, Jennifer Hernandez, Community Engagement Manager for Expect More Arizona, one of the increasingly effective groups educating citizens about what it will take to regain support for public schools. Citizen's groups like Expect More Arizona are working to help communities organize to fight for quality education. Among the tools that Jennifer talks about is the Educati...

Dan and Ed welcome Vickey La Motte, an accomplished educator, visionary, developer, and the first director of the Family Enrichment Center (FEC), a lab school model for Early Care and Education Programs. The Center is located on the Prescott campus of Yavapai Community College. Through her work, and the contributions of those she has attracted, the most critical needs of child rearing parents, and...

In this podcast Ed and Dan answer a listener's question: Who are you guys and what are some of the most important things you have done? Ed shares adventures as a high school teacher in a frank discussion of the why and how of his approaches to meeting the needs of approximately 150 kids a day  in 42 minute  classes. Dan shares the help he had from mentors and his experiences as a beginning element...

Dan and I have striven to learn about the insights of graduates of American K-12 schools and American universities who have gone on to study in other countries.  Our guest for this Podcast graduated from Prescott High School and the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. He did his graduate work in Denmark at the University of Copenhagen. He has lived in Denmark for six and a half yea...

Activism In Education: Dan and Ed expose their deepest concerns about teacher apathy and lack of professional responsibility. The discussion is vibrant and opinionated. As they discuss their insights into the damage done to public education they share the concerns of many highly competent professionals. Some of the questions that drive this podcast: The information is out there, why has it been ig...

This episode concludes the 5-part series about Screen Addiction.  In these episodes, Holli Kenley provides parents and educators with resources and information about what screen use and abuse is doing to our children. This final episode focuses on what parents need to know, and need to do, to keep their children healthy and free of an addiction that is compared to opium addiction by many brain dev...

In episode 21, Screen Kids Part IV, Dan and Ed continue our interviews with Holli Kenley, a lady who is reaching thousands of people of all ages through her books, presentations, school assemblies, and radio talks.  Her messages are clear and very helpful. She has been a teacher, marriage counselor, and leader in helping us all understand human needs and human development. This is the fourth part...

In episode 20, Screen Kids Part III, Dan and Ed continue our interviews with Holli Kenley, a lady who is reaching thousands of people of all ages through her books, presentations, school assemblies, and radio talks.  Her messages are clear and very helpful. She has been a teacher, marriage counselor, and leader in helping us all understand human needs and human development. This is the third part...

In episode 19, Screen Kids Part II, Dan and Ed continue our interviews with Holli Kenley, a lady who is reaching thousands of people of all ages through her books, presentations, school assemblies, and radio talks.  Her messages are clear and very helpful. She has been a teacher, marriage counselor, and leader in helping us all understand human needs and human development. This is the first part o...

In episode 18, Screen Kids, Dan and Ed continue our interviews with Holli Kenley, a lady who is reaching thousands of people of all ages through her books, presentations, school assemblies, and radio talks.  Her messages are clear and very helpful. She has been a teacher, marriage counselor, and leader in helping us all understand human needs and human development. This is the first part of a thre...

Dan and Ed invite Wendy Watson, an early childhood education expert, to share her views and experiences.  Wendy dispels any ideas that early – even pre-natal – experiences are not major, critical factors in human development. She presents factual information about the benefits of early childhood education.  She explains why brain development before the age of 8 is critical to human success and wel...

In this episode, Public Support For The Public Good, Dan and Ed spend time with Peter Pierson, a talented and active citizen who ran in 2016 for a seat in the AZ House representing Legislative District 1, which is a gerrymandered, sprawling district which includes Prescott.     As Ed notes, "Peter lost the election, but won the respect of our communities."  Peter explains the effects of the dynami...

This 19 minute episode introduces parents to the essentials of brain development in children who are allowed to play and develop naturally, without technology. No tablets. No smart phones. No electronic programs should be introduced at home or at school which are falsely touted as educational until major brain development can overrule their limited educational value and their addictive qualities....

Cashing In On Kids.  Dan and I attempt to look at education from the reformer's point of view. What is their thinking?  Why destroy public schools? Are their approaches good for your child? For our communities?  For our country?  In our minds, we do not accept the argument that individuals can take profits from the tax dollars citizens pay for education.  We reject education scams that build Real...

This episode is a continuation of Episode 12 with Holli Kenley .  Dan and Ed ask Holli to give us more detail about her work on bullying, and particularly on methods schools, organizations, families and all of us can use to create empathy. She enlightens us of the dangerous practices of institutional bullying often used to stop bullies from hurting others. Holli  gives us specific information abou...

In this episode, Dan and Ed have a great visit with Holli Kenley, a lady who is reaching thousands of people of all ages through her books, presentations, school assemblies, and radio talks.  Her messages are clear and very helpful. She has been a teacher, marriage counselor, and leader in helping us all understand human needs.  Dan and Ed focus on Holli's book, Another Way, which is a proven aid...

This is the second time we have been fortunate to have Rosemary Agneessens, an experienced community organizer and facilitator, as a guest. Rosemary shares insights into empowering local community groups to identify and organize to save the best parts of our communities. If we lose the power to lead, as many communities have, then the last best hopes for positive change in our country will be gone...

The beating hearts of America are its communities and at their core are our schools.  Our  special guest for this episode, which is focused on building community effectiveness, is Rosemary Agneessens, an experienced and accomplished educator, community development leader, and a powerhouse when it comes to vitalizing and strengthening communities. Dan and Ed define what they see as a major weakness...

In this episode Dan and Ed examine the dynamics behind teaching  and learning . They rely on first-hand experiences to explain how the structure of our schools often places the teacher in a Sage-On-The-Stage role rather than as an education facilitator and mentor. They share examples of programs that work and issues faced by teachers working in the system.  Both share observations of how learning...

In this episode Ed and Dan feature Judy Querry, a recently retired elementary school teacher from Colorado. Judy shares how experiential, hands-on education experiences gave her insights into learning that helped her reach children and become super-effective. 40 years ago, Judy worked with Ed and Jo Berger in a program that accelerated learning through motivation and involvement. At Crow Canyon, i...

Dan and Ed share their personal experiences as educators searching for ways to improve our public schools. They share examples, such as creating a variety of experiential programs both within the public school system and outside of it, like the immersive programs Ed developed which later became Crow Canyon. They touch on many of the key insights common among teachers and educators about what needs...

In this episode, Dan and Ed discuss the re-segregation of America's schools through the use of the school choice movement. Charter schools and vouchers-type programs are being used to separate white middle class students who achieve from students of color and, what is perceived to be lower achievement. Dan and Ed discuss the "cherry picking" (siphoning off students who achieve and make the school...

In this episode Dan and Ed explore the origins of public education and the original intent of those who worked to create "One Nation" out of myriads of different cultures. They explore the concept of "Americanization" which, through the 1940s, was a large part of what schools focused on.  By the mid-1990s forces began to rise out of other philosophies that worked to divide American by ripping apar...

Our education programs are damaged by external forces that have by-passed professional teachers, and the needs of children, to force standardization and forms of inculcation on education.  Luckily, most teachers are doing what is right for kids.  Most teachers are protecting children from the guaranteed failure and humiliation which is part of the education reform movement. This episode gives pare...