The Broken Copier

As another first day of school approaches, Marcus puts Jim on the spot with a new game: Wise or Unwise. Marcus shares some common advice that we’ve all heard about starting a new school year, and Jim shares his hot takes about them. They circle back to the omnipresent jeans debate, and Jim talks a little bit about his penchant for conspiracy theories.Thanks to Courtney Milavec for graphic design, Casey Roberts for writing and recording original intro music, and Tom Csatari for allowing us to use his band’s song, “Woodstock,” from his 2020 album, Garden, available now on Spotify.Check out Tom’s work at uncivilizedtom.comEmail thoughts, ideas, and feedback to thebrokencopier@substack.com.Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

Jim is able to sit down with one of his old friends from the St. Lawrence University admissions office, Mx. Sam Gradess. Sam has worked in education all over the world, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Afghanistan. Currently, they are a school leader at South Bronx Classical Charter School, serving students in grades K-8. Sam talks about how their experience abroad has shaped their work in New York, and reflects on their experience as a non-binary principal. Jim and Sam hash it out over the oft-debated jeans debacle, and put it to rest once and for all.  Thanks to Courtney Milavec for graphic design, Casey Roberts for writing and recording original intro music, and Tom Csatari for allowing us to use his band’s song, “Woodstock,” from his 2020 album, Garden, available now on Spotify.Check out Tom’s work here.Email thoughts, ideas, and feedback to thebrokencopier@substack.com We hope to hear from you soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

It seems like every summer, teachers have to go through the same song and dance routine around standardized testing, what the numbers actually mean, and whether they made any impact whatsoever that year. Fun, right? Marcus & Jim sit down and talk through how they process getting test scores back every year, and offer up what they hope are some healthy ways to process the scores without feeling like a failure.Episode links in bio.Thanks to @courtney.milavec for graphic design, @bowieroberts for writing and recording original intro music, and @uncivilizedtom for allowing us to use his band’s song, “Woodstock,” from his 2020 album, Garden, available now on Spotify.See Tom’s work here.Email thoughts, ideas, and feedback to thebrokencopier@substack.com We hope to hear from you soon!#podcasts #podcastshow #teaching #education #hobby #edtech #audio This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

Welcome to The Broken Copier, a conversation about teaching.Marcus and Jim are excited to get back into recording after taking some time to redesign a bunch of aspects about the podcast. We think we’ve got some good systems up and running, and we’re excited to learn and grow as the show evolves. In this episode, we took some time to discuss the new law in Arizona, which allows people to teach even without a bachelor’s degree. We discuss our personal reactions to this, as well as what it might take to create strong, sustainable pathways into the classroom that don’t play games with the only chance students have at their public education.Thanks to @courtney.milavec for graphic design, @bowieroberts for writing and recording original intro music, and @uncivilizedtom for allowing us to use his band’s original song, “Woodstock,” from his 2020 album, Garden, available now on @spotify. Recorded with @Riverside.fm. Email thoughts, ideas, and feedback to thebrokencopier@substack.com We hope to hear from you soon!#podcasts #podcastshow #teaching #education #hobby #edtech #audioGarden link:  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

During teacher appreciation week, Jim published this essay called "Build the Compound." Marcus points out that compounds aren't exactly where young, idealistic, fresh new teachers want to spend their time, and for an essay in which the central thesis is that you should quit your job to be a classroom teacher, might not have been the smartest title choice. Jim agrees, and would like to take some time here to distance himself from the Marxist design aesthetics associated with compounds and other sorts of over-regulated government architecture. Still, they talk about this essay in this episode, and hopefully you like both!   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

After a long hiatus from recording, Marcus and Jim are finally able to sit down and check in about how the school year is starting to wind down. They focus on some of the big picture reflections they've had coming out of this year, especially in regards to how students feel ownership and agency in the classroom decisions that impact their learning. Marcus attacks Jim for being too autocratic in his classroom, and not valuing what students think, say, or feel. They're still friends, though.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

Mr. P is back! After strenuous negotiation with our record label, Brandon was granted paternity leave from the pod to help care for his new baby girl! On behalf of the entire @realPDpod family, we'd like to say congratulations to the entire Piasecki family - especially to the newest big brother in our fanbase, Langston. In the midst of balancing teacher life with dad life, Jim and Brandon are finally able to sit down and talk a little shop. Brandon shares some insight into how he approaches all the fun 5th grade science questions he gets on a daily basis with the long term goals of his curriculum (you know, why not stop a lesson to talk about how you could walk on water?), and shares a little insight into a well-known struggle for many teachers: how to balance the demands of being both a parent and a full time teacher. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

Marcus & Jim sit down to talk about The Great Education Resignation. Teachers are quitting mid year, creating viral social media content about how to transition out of the classroom, and we're just getting the sense that after this school year is over, a lot of teachers are going to leave their jobs. We talk through how that's impacting our classrooms right now, what we think some of the causes are, and what - if anything - we can do looking ahead.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

After a short brush with viral Twitter fame, Jim heard from all kinds of different people. One of them was Joseph Maffey, who didn't email about the infamous bus tweet, but rather to let Jim know that not only had he listened to the podcast, but that he actually liked it! The two teachers are finally able to connect and talk about their classrooms, what's been going on in Joseph's district around mask policy, when and how to teach fiction, and the age old question of how you can hold a teenager's attention long enough for them to read an entire book. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com

As many state legislatures are drafting and passing legislation aimed at requiring teachers to be more transparent about their curriculum, especially out of fears of indoctrination and the idea that teachers are "teaching Critical Race Theory," Marcus & Jim dive head on into a conversation about how they approach politics in the classroom. Should teachers talk about politics with students? When is it appropriate? What's the line between being authentic with yourself and allowing students to think for themselves? As always, feel free to reach out with feedback & follow us on TikTok & IG @realPDpod. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebrokencopier.substack.com