Interventions and Detentions

We’re closing out Season 2 of Interventions and Detentions with a conversation that every educator, school leader, and parent should hear. In this episode, I sit down with Ben Kaplan, President of Books Are Fun, to discuss the Book Blast program and how it’s helping schools across the country build excitement around reading while putting more books into the hands of students. We explore: * What ma...

After more than a year apart behind the microphone, Kylie returns to Interventions and Detentions for a special reunion episode. In Episode 2:37, Brad and Kylie catch up on everything that’s happened since their last episode together. From career changes and personal growth to lessons learned along the way, this conversation is filled with laughter, reflection, and the kind of authentic dialogue t...

What if one of the most effective staff retention strategies in your school doesn’t require a new initiative, a larger budget, or another professional development session? What if it’s appreciation? In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we explore why staff celebration is much more than a feel-good activity. It’s a leadership practice that directly impacts morale, engagement,...

As another school year comes to a close, educators everywhere are packing classrooms, submitting final grades, and looking ahead to a well-deserved summer break. But before we rush into the next season, what can we learn from the one we’re leaving behind? In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we explore the power of reflective practice for both teachers and school leaders. Ref...

In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we dive into “The 10-Minute Fix: Small Moves That Change Classrooms.” Education doesn’t always need massive overhauls to create meaningful change. Sometimes the biggest impact comes from the smallest strategies.\n\nBrad shares practical, research-based ideas educators can implement immediately to improve behavior, increase engagement, stre...

Episode 2:33 – What Should Actually Come to the Office? Office referrals can be one of the most inconsistent systems in a school. What one teacher handles in the classroom, another sends to the office. What feels like a classroom-managed behavior one day suddenly becomes an office referral the next. Over time, that inconsistency impacts teachers, administrators, students, and overall school cultur...

If things feel a little harder right now in your classroom or school… you’re not imagining it. Late April and May bring a shift. Energy changes, routines get disrupted, and even strong systems can start to feel less effective. It’s not about losing control—it’s about navigating a different phase of the school year. In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, we break down: • Why behavior tend...

Social media has changed education—and not just for students, but for teachers and administrators too. There are more voices than ever sharing what leadership should look like. Some of it is helpful. Some of it is inspiring. But some of it… might be oversimplifying a job that’s anything but simple. In this episode, I take an honest, balanced look at the rise of education influencers and how leader...

In Episode 2:30 of Interventions and Detentions, we ease back in from Spring Break with a micro episode focused on one of education’s most familiar and debated traditions… the report card. Where did report cards come from? What were they originally designed to do? Do they truly communicate student learning, or have they become more about labels than growth? In this episode, we explore the history...

Something shifts in schools every spring—and it’s not just academic. In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, we take a real look at what educators are experiencing right now: shorter attention spans, increased behavior challenges, lower motivation, and overall fatigue from both students and staff. This isn’t about the “summer slide.” It’s about the very real spring slide in behavior, ener...

In Episode 2:28 of Interventions and Detentions, we take a deep dive into one of the most overlooked—but most impactful—factors in student success: attendance. While it may seem like a simple daily routine, consistent attendance is directly tied to academic achievement, social development, and long-term outcomes for students. Missing just a few days each month can create gaps that are difficult to...

Remember the excitement of field trip day? The permission slip. The yellow bus. The snacks packed in your backpack. But field trips today look a lot different than they did when most of us were in school. In the newest episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we take a deep dive into the evolution of the school field trip. We talk about: • Where field trips originally came from • Why sch...

Episode 2:26 – Why Some Classrooms Run Smoothly… and Others Don’t Why can two classrooms in the same school, with the same students, feel completely different? One classroom runs smoothly. Expectations are clear, students stay engaged, and learning happens. Just down the hallway, another classroom can feel like a constant struggle to keep things on track. In this episode of Interventions and Deten...

From paddles labeled “The Board of Education” to restorative circles and progressive discipline systems, school consequences have changed dramatically over the last 100–150 years. But have we truly evolved… or simply swung the pendulum? In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, Brad takes a deep dive into the history of school discipline — from one-room schoolhouses and zero tolerance polic...

rushed to put a screen in every child’s hands. It made sense in 2020. But in 2026… does it still? In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, Brad asks the uncomfortable question many educators are thinking but not saying out loud: Have we gone too far with devices in elementary classrooms? Students in some grades are spending close to two hours a day on school-issued screens. Research shows...

Episode 2:23 – Recess Matters More Than You Think When was the last time we really stopped to think about recess? In this episode of Interventions & Detentions, Brad takes a deep dive into the history of recess in American schools, how it has evolved over time, and why it may be one of the most misunderstood parts of the school day. From the impact of high-stakes testing to the debate over rec...

Making Learning Visible — A Conversation on Visible Grading with Dave Nagel What if grading didn’t signal the end of learning, but instead helped students see where they are, where they’re going, and how to get there? In this episode, Brad is joined by Dave Nagel, educational consultant, coach, and co-author of Grading Visible Learners: Learning With Fluidity, Not Finality, for a thoughtful conver...

Season 2, Episode 21 The Code We Don’t Talk About: Ethics, Teaching, & the Lines We Cross We see posts about teacher ethics all the time. We like them. We share them. We agree with them. But we rarely slow down and talk about what ethics actually look like on our hardest days. In this episode, Brad takes a post he came across while scrolling Facebook on The Teachers Community and turns it into...

Classroom management hasn’t changed — but the culture around it has. In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, we examine how enforcing expectations now happens in a climate where authority is questioned, limits are challenged, and support for educators is inconsistent. This isn’t about better strategies or stricter rules. It’s about what happens when the shared understanding that adults de...

In Episode 2:19 of Interventions and Detentions, Brad sits down with Stuart Smith, a veteran educator who recently made the jump from the 5th grade classroom to the assistant principal’s office. With over 27 years in education, Stuart shares honest insights on leading former peers, navigating the realities of administration, and keeping a teacher’s heart while stepping into leadership. This episod...

In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we take a realistic look at when peer mediation works, when it doesn’t, and why power dynamics matter. We also clarify how peer-led programs like Sources of Strength support school culture without replacing mediation. Grounded in real middle school leadership experience, this conversation focuses on student safety, appropriate intervention...

2025 was a year that asked a lot of educators. In this reflective solo episode of Interventions and Detentions, I pause to look back on the wins, the wounds, and the work that defined the year in schools. I unpack the major themes that surfaced across classrooms and leadership offices—instruction coming back to the center, behavior as a signal rather than a problem, leadership fatigue, and the gro...

In this episode of Interventions & Detentions, Brad sits down with Andrew Barrand, first-year principal at Lakeland Intermediate School, to explore the powerful connection between high-quality instruction and student behavior. Together, they discuss how engaging teaching practices, proactive classroom strategies, and Conscious Discipline can reduce behavior issues before they begin. Andrew als...

In this episode, Brad digs into The Parent Divide—the growing gap between what some parents expect from schools and what educators can realistically provide. From communication challenges to shifting responsibilities, Brad breaks down the tensions, the misunderstandings, and the real stories happening inside today’s classrooms. Listen as he offers honest reflections, practical insights, and a grou...

In this Thanksgiving mini-episode, Brad shares two simple but meaningful ways he practiced gratitude and generosity in his school this week—from writing personalized notes to every staff member to teaming up with the counselor to give teachers an extra thirty minutes of breathing room. With real stories from kindergarten and first grade life, this quick episode is a reminder that small, intentiona...