The Parent/Teacher Conference

Middle School math teachers have shared with me the struggle there is in moving their students to higher levels as math because they do not have the their times tables memorized.  Rote memorization has become a dirty word in education circles because its seen as boring and monotonous, but it is exactly what kids need to be the best they can be. What can be learned from coaching baseball, wher...

Debate in educational circles include giving a zero for missing assignments, deductions for late work, and even questioning if due dates should be given at all.  Coach discusses his view on the topic (full disclosure: he gives out zeroes, deductions for late work, and due dates) and suggest a philosophical reason for the difference approaches.  In the end, he shares that as a parent and...

The Oscar buzz this year wasn't about the wrong name being announced for best picture, or wardrobe malfunction, but a slap.  Coach uses this episode as a reminder of the importance of remembering that his children and his students say things because they are kids, and that responding with anger can make you miss a teachable moment.

Well its spring break!  Coach's give his thoughts on teachers who complain about them, parents who complain about them, and how a teacher thinks about you pulling your child for a great vacation in the middle of the school year.

State Testing.  Could it be a contributing factor to mental health issues as well as student loan debt?  What really is the reason and is there a solution to make school a wonderland for the mind and a time for exploring a child's strengths, weaknesses, and aptitudes rather than an assembly line that attempts to create the ideal student mocking the calls for diversity.

My state was one of the last to make masks optional at school.  My thoughts about the effectiveness of masks and my observations about the first days of seeing my students' faces again. (It was a beautiful thing)

What if Do Nows Do Less than a teacher thinks?  In an attempt not to lose any second of learning, many teachers have an activity for students to work on as they monitor the halls or transition from the last class to the new class.  The activity is typically called a "Do Now".  In this podcast, Coach promotes the idea that a better option for our student's mental health and class man...

As a teacher, some lessons I learned during the COVID Lockdowns and the Hybrid Classroom were not to be stupid, not to outsource, and reinforcing the importance of communication.  As a parent, one very important reminder...express thankfulness.

One podcast, two parts. First...Teaching middle school for over 25 years, events such as Russia's attack on the Ukraine can bring about fears of escalation that may never happen.  How can a teacher reduce student's anxiety in these times? Second...What is the historical background of Russian actions and how they got the people of the Ukraine wrong. If you have any questions or comments, pleas...

A big buzz in education today is allowing students to see events from different perspectives.  As parents and teachers are we putting that into practice especially as we considered what each of us dealing with COVID restrictions and how that effected our homes, our jobs, and/or our classrooms.  Coach shares his experiences and thoughts from both his perspectives as a parent and teacher....