The Balancing Act

In this episode of the BalancingAct podcast, our hosts speak with Dr. Allison Hitchens, a doctoral graduate specializing in teacher burnout and mentoring novice educators. We discuss the challenges faced by teachers, particularly during the pandemic and in rural areas, and the systemic issues contributing to high attrition rates. Dr. Hitchens advocates for redefined mentorship that focuses on emot...

In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Jamie Wanko and Joe Vitale engage in a candid discussion that merges personal anecdotes with educational reflections. They kick off by celebrating Joe's milestone birthday, sharing humorous insights on aging and societal perceptions shaped by social media.  As seasoned educators, they delve into frustrations surrounding classroom management and the cha...

Jamie Ruffner breaks down the reasons she has decided to step away from the classroom, all while keeping her mind on education and how to make things better for all classroom teachers and students. Executive functioning tips for parents and teachers come through during each and every segment of this week's chat. Follow Jamie Ruffner's hysterical take on teaching, and empathize with her real world...

Our hosts are siding with other teachers on the issues that seem to be shared with teachers across America. Teachers have collectively been scratching their heads with students' lack of common developmental norms. Kids are not coming to school on time, not able to complete basic tasks like cutting, coloring or following multi step directions, and everyone wants to know why. Check out the posts we...

Meeting Morgan and Nicole at the NJEA convention in the fall meant that our hosts just widened their New Jersey teacher friend group, and in the meantime basked in the glow of that newer teacher energy they so desperately seek. “The Math Girls” as they have affectionately come to be called, are giving our hosts a refresher course on how to tackle middle school teaching and why teacher- friends mak...

Having a high school senior can be an overwhelming process, and our hosts have three of them between them. How do you pay for college? How do you apply to college? How do you choose a college? How can we balance the stress of parenting senior students through this process? Questions parents ask themselves all the time. Listen as they navigate the mid year college update for their own kids in real...

As a classroom teacher for nearly 30 years, Melissa Antinoff has experience and boots on the ground with every type of student, and she has a brilliant point of view on education and learned helplessness. Questioning her experience and background was thrilling and beyond eye opening for the hosts and the listener needs to hear more of her perfect brand of wisdom and practical applications in the p...

Jamie and Joe discuss their personal experience with S.A.D or seasonal affective disorder and mental health issues that arise in the winter months and how to combat them. Both long time teachers try to rely on their humorous levity to get through some tough times together. Join them to celebrate Joe’s big win in his 2025 fantasy  football league and look to the future for some sweet action.  Seaso...

Stand up and clap for the amazing New Jersey educator, Stefanie Lachenauer. Winner of the 2025 NJ State Teacher of the Year award, mindfulness expert, passionate published author of Let the Glitter Settle, and current middle school teacher Lachenauer joins the pod to share her wisdom, experience, and positive energy setting the bar way up high for the second half of season 3 guests. Season 3 is br...

For the first episode of 2026, our hosts will explore their podcasting year in review as they look back on all the highlights from the past year, like interviews with Nick Ferroni, Tyler Tarver, Noelle Santorelli, Mo Lapus, Courtney Varner and Courtney White. Listen for their 2026 words of the year and how choosing intention can set up the year for success.  Season 3 is brought to you by our princ...

Join our hosts as the talk all things executive functioning with Dr. Lethco, an expert in the field of research and daily applications of researched tools that can improve executive functioning for those individuals that are  neurodivergent and really so many of those that are just trying to make their way through the daily chore of existing. Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Te...

Joe and Jamie talk about the current holiday season and all the trimmings to boot! Listen as they talk about what it means to teach during this hyper- busy season and how much stress can come your way in and out of the classroom. These two veteran educators discuss their tips on successfully making it through as a teacher in December.  Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers'...

Hosts Joe and Jamie hit the road all the way to Atlantic City, New Jersey to the 2025 New Jersey Educators Association Conference. Speakers, teachers, leaders, companies and the one and only Malala Yousafzai were highlights of this year's convention and Joe and Jamie were there to cover all of it. Listen as they speak to County Teachers of the Year winners, former NJ Teachers of the Year and so ma...

Leaning into the gratitude of the season, our hosts play a fun game of Thanksgiving: Would you Rather.  The hilarity of that is just  a twist and turn onto the street of the newest learning challenge for teachers everywhere: learned helplessness.  Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check out their website below for more information and to get a quote. ht...

Listen as our hosts speak to four day work week teacher Courtney White. Straight from the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas, teacher sensation Courtney White shares all the benefits and positive outcomes she has encountered in her four day work week school district as a teacher and as a parent.  Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check out their website be...

Join Joe and Jamie as they talk about parenting their three high school seniors through the steps of visiting, applying, waiting and stressing. When our hosts went to college way back in the 1900’s paper and pen was the only option, but now there are codes and apps and portals too.  Listen as they update their collective journeys to graduation, 2026.  Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sp...

Joe and Jamie talk to NJ Teacher of the Year, Joe Nappi. Between these three teachers they have nearly 70 years of collective teaching experience. Tune in to their “shop talk” about the changes in education and their up to the minute response to those changes. Mr. Nappi has an incredible back story that will inspire all with his impact and influence on the students and colleagues that have the ple...

Let’s celebrate this very special time of year, especially one for all of the teachers, Halloween. We are posing the question to the teacher, what is your Teacher Haunted House? Kids bring the extra energy, the trick and the treats and all the excitement that comes along with Halloween season.  Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check out their website b...

Sit down and listen to Kristen, aka social media influencer @teacherpaywithK as she informs  and updates hosts Joseph and Jamie about hot education topics like pension reform, the NJ Gubernatorial Race, and more pressing issues facing teachers across the country.  Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check out their website below for more information and t...

Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check out their website below for more information and to get a quote. http://bit.ly/4mQC27G Teachers' Insurance Plan: auto insurance that brings exclusive educator savings and exceptional customer care to New Jersey and Pennsylvania educational employees. We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthe...

Life coach,  author, app creator, Club Creator, Kelsey Sorenson is flooding the conversation with hope, tools, smiles, stickers and all the brilliant things each teacher needs to not only be able to educate, but also remember to rejuvenate. Her monthly themes and teacher tips are brilliant as community builders for teachers new and seasoned alike.  Check out our episode with Kelsey Sorensen from E...

Our hosts Jamie and Joe have a real hot take on the latest news out of their neighboring state of Pennsylvania, with the announcement that student teachers will be paid, leading to incentivizing teaching in the great state of PA. Practicing in this career for over two decades, Jamie and Joe are all over this hot topic and the future of tomorrow’s teachers.  — We want to hear from you! Shoot over a...

Our hosts Joe and Jamie both have Class of 2026 seniors this year, so they are all ears for any pieces of information on how to aid in the process of college acceptance and decision making, and Jen Foldvary has so much to share.  Jen Foldvary and other great tutors are available for college counseling, subject matter, and executive function at www.ectutoring.com.  If you are interested in college...

Opening the school year can be a challenge even for the most seasoned teachers. Join our hosts as they discuss handling daily schedule changes, classroom decorating, and interacting with their students each day.  — We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.com Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment!    Follow  Facebook - podbalact JoeandJamie Instagr...

Professor, comedian, mom and friend of the pod Educator Andrea is here to give us some top secret information into her new book, her comedy tour, and what it is like for her to balance her many professional responsibilities, as well as being a wife and a mom. No one can make us laugh quite like @educatorandrea and you will too.  Come and see Educator_Andrea on tour at a city near you!  Check out h...