What Have We Learned? Over the years of experience we share, we both believe we—nor anyone else—who teaches are never truly experts in the teaching arts. For anyone to be honest and forthright in this vocation (used rather than occupation—there is a HUGE difference), they must admit there is always more to learn, even if it is more nuanced than ove…

Dr. Lincoln Stoller: Are Schools Relevant? A PhD in Quantum Physics, a Teacher, Mountaineer, Hypnotherapist, and EEG Neurofeedback Therapist - Lincoln Stoller has an incredible background. He has a Ph.D. in quantum physics, is a teacher, mountaineer, hypnotherapist, and EEG neurofeedback therapist, and was mentored by the late John Taylor Gatto, wh…

The Growing Problem of Absenteeism in Schools Understanding the reasons behind the growing issue of school absenteeism is crucial. It's a problem causing concern in schools, states, and communities. Chronic absenteeism rates are increasing, and it's essential to know why. According to the New York Times, there are various reasons—from family vacati…

Coach Gloria Peek What does boxing have to do with education, let alone alternative education? Fundamentally, they have a great deal in common. Boxers, like all athletes and students, need to be disciplined. They also need feedback. Boxers need to set and execute their goals, like students. They also need to think quickly on their feet and learn ho…

Falling Math & Reading Scores - Are Schools Really to Blame? Beginning more than two decades ago, fingers have been pointed at our learning institutions, accusing them of ineffective teaching practices and not teaching our children reading, writing, and math effectively. Parents have thrown their hands up in surrender, trying to fathom the new math…

Changing Graduation Requirements When our students proudly cross the stage, diploma in hand, what have they accomplished? Is it a mere testament to their 12-year attendance, or have they truly absorbed knowledge? Will they thrive beyond academia, or will they seek further enlightenment elsewhere? What, indeed, have they learned? And how can we be c…

Is Education a Cesspool of Hypocrisy? Certain aspects of education can be quite unsettling, whether you're a teacher, parent, or student. Could it be that we're all just victims of a pervasive form of gaslighting—a term that seems to apply to almost everything these days? This week, Philip and Tony examine the situation in which Education states it…

Before the Application with Geary Woolfolk This week, we meet with Geary Woolfolk, the founder and passionate leader of Woolfolk Works in Atlanta, Georgia. Geary is a full-time IT Engineer at Travel Port, but he sets aside time outside the workplace to mentor and support youth and families pursuing post-secondary education. Geary knows how expensiv…

Is Education Killing the American Dream? There are so many thoughts about this topic. Defining the American Dream became the tipping point. How does the current system of academics help/deny the dream to those involved both in the instructional and learning sectors? This week, we explored, but we found more hills on top of the mountain in this adve…

Buses and Alternative Education People have discussed the apparent link between school buses and school schedules for years. Why are the schools beginning at a particular time? Why do they end at that time? Questions parents, students, teachers, and other folks in the community pose quite often. Well, there is a link. Students need transportation t…

Sports and Alternative Education Contrary to popular belief, students in Alternative Education programs/schools have the potential to excel in school sports. However, this potential often goes untapped due to the lack of sports facilities and coaching staff unless they are part of a school or district that values their participation. Whether or not…

Are Teachers the New Therapists? Even before the pandemic, teachers were asked to check on students’ mental health, which was a realistic request. However, since then, schools, districts, and communities have demanded that more be done in the classroom under the guidance of the classroom teachers to ensure the students are “doing well mentally.” Te…

Peer Pressure What is Peer Pressure, and how does it work? What’s interesting about this topic is that we are all privy to its guiles and effects, but few truly understand it and how it works. The biggest question of the week is: How Can We Use Peer Pressure in Teaching? Or can we? We discuss the implications of peer pressure, studies demonstrating…

Lessons in Langauge Learning with Alexis Buschert This week, we have the luxury of hosting Alexis Buschert, a World Languages Trainer, who indulges us with insights on language learning - both from the perspectives of teachers who work with students struggling to learn English in their classrooms and as students of another World Language. What prev…

The Parent Dilemma Every day, there are posts about entitlements coming from parents and students. Absurd requests or demands, and apparently, these are backed by the administrators. What is a teacher to do? OR are these the exceptions to the rule? What do parents genuinely want - the vast majority and not those snarky few? This week, we delve into…

Who Is Generation Alpha This week, we undergo an examination of Generation Alpha - those who were born in 2010 and beyond (thus far). These students are entering the hallowed hallways of the secondary schools, but they’ve already impacted the elementary and middle schools. What makes them different from other generations? Well, they are the first g…

Blurred Lines Part Two: Teaching Critical Thinking v To the Test In this week's episode, we dive into this meaty topic. Are our children being taught to excel on a test without the necessary tools of Critical Thinking? What are the differences? What are the consequences? While rote learning may be beneficial as a foundation, why are students being …

Blurred Lines: What is Going On in Education? This week, we delve into where many boundaries and lines have been blurred in education. Let’s look at some facts. Who Are Paraprofessionals Digest of Education Statistics We talk about hiring practices, qualifications, expectations, administration, learning, red flags, and othering of students. Take yo…

The Intertwining of VocEd, Career & Technical Ed, and Project-Based Learning During our discussions of Project-Based Learning (PBL), Career and Technical Learning (CTE), and Vocational Education (VocEd), it became pretty evident that one cannot honestly exist without the others - or the allusion to the others. This week, we discuss using our brains…

Bias in Grading and Assessment This week, Philip and Tony delve into biases affecting grading and assessment outcomes. Are there any assessments or grading systems that are without fault? Are there any of us who are without our own prejudgements when we score work? How do we begin to mend those systems, and ourselves? Can we? Should we? #ReducingBi…

Assessment & Grading This week, Philip Summers takes us through the labyrinth that holds types of assessments and grading processes - those we use too much and many we underuse. We attempt to address the questions: “What are the most effective means to assess in various situations?” and “What methods fail to accomplish what we’re after?” To be hone…

This week, we begin to explore Project-Based Learning. We look at the reasons to pursue this learning mode and the pitfalls. We learn more about what it isn't, as well. Why should you consider PBL? What are the benefits? What are the expectations? How much work do you need to put in before the first lesson? These and many more questions are posed a…

We talk a great deal about how students can/cannot read or do math, and we continue to focus on the skills. But are we focused on what makes a student successful outside of school? Remember, according to the SAS report of 2014 schools account for only 1-14% of academic outcomes. Maybe you don't like that number, but it's a bitter pill we need to sw…

Happy New Years! A quick, yet simple challenge for all this new year. Consider yourself already working on resolutions - but are you modifying and adjusting? How are you taking care of yourself? Tweak your #ConfirmationBias to your win!By educationaltriage

The differences between alternative education and mainstream education are beginning to become wider. More students are falling behind in Maths, Reading, Writing, and Sciences. The system demands that teachers do better, but then they add more layers to the equation - they demand teachers also include lessons in Social Emotional Learning and demons…

The differences between alternative education and mainstream education are beginning to become wider. More students are falling behind in Maths, Reading, Writing, and Sciences. The system demands that teachers do better, but then they add more layers to the equation - they demand teachers also include lessons in Social Emotional Learning and demons…

Why hasn’t Education Evolved for the 21st Century? Let’s examine what the present looks like in education and ask the question, given the furious pace of advancements in technology, why does it look like it did in the 1950’s? Maybe a better question would be why is the same model used since the early 1800’s still in use and considered effective? Su…

Why Do You Think That? Common Misperceptions of Alternative Education “The only issue with Alternative Education is that those in the mainstream tend to dismiss it as an [illegitimate] mode of education. That is what Alt Ed really needs to work on, itself. Most have fantastic programs that tailor to the needs of the students, and they work with the…

The world of standardized testing is not objective. Comparing students under uniform conditions to get an “accurate” measure of similar status in inherently subjective. Equal treatment of unequal’s is inequality. Standardized tests discount, and even overlook, a person as an individual unto themselves with unique abilities by placing artificial cri…

How does the educational system impact the culture and the ecosystem of the community? Does it enhance the economy? Does it provide more opportunities for growth and participation? What does it do, exactly? If the system dictates the same rules/factors for everyone then where is equity for those communities that find it difficult to apply or even e…

Dunbar’s Number This week Philip takes us through Robin Dunbar’s anthropological proposition that humans can maintain effective and deep relationships with only a finite number of people. Is his number reliable? What are the implications? How feasible would it be to reset education using this number? We discuss these issues in education as well as …

This episode was originally published on August 7, 2022. We hope you enjoy it while we are on hiatus - planning for even better content for all of you! Teaching Growth Mindset in the Alternative Schools We … need to remember that effort is a means to an end to the goal of learning and improving. Too often nowadays, praise is given to students who a…

This episode was originally published on March 20, 2022. We hope you enjoy it while we are on hiatus - planning for even better content for all of you! Credit Recovery is popular these days after the pandemic. Districts and schools are working hard to help students recover their credits lost during that time. The question is how should we have cred…

Becoming the Mentor/Guide/Facilitator Teacher This week we delve into changing the landscape that many teachers and community members believe is the “proper way” to teach. The field has been changing for years, but some still proffer the information in the same manner and expect great results, despite having a completely different audience. What wo…

Student-Centered Learning and Why It Is Vital in Education A Student-Centered Classroom is an educational environment where the learning experiences and activities are primarily designed to cater to the student's individual needs, interests, and abilities. In a student-centered classroom, the teacher is a facilitator or guide rather than a sole dis…

Juvenile incarceration is problematic; especially when the prisons are teeming with one demographic. So, this week we turn to an expert - Dr. Rosemarie Allen from the Metropolitan University of Denver. Dr. Allen teaches Early Childhood Education and addresses issues of equity. We are led on a journey where she teaches us about post-Civil War era pr…

Several weeks ago Tara Garcia Mathewson said something about having a national board of education. It made sense concerning the circumstances we were discussing, but then we dove deeper into the issue. What would it entail? How would it really benefit the students? The community? The teachers? The schools? Or is it about dominion? Nationalizing the…

Equity and Online Learning - oh the irony! More and more districts, programs, and communities are turning to online learning platforms, such as Odysseyware, GradPoint, Edgenuity, and others to fill a need. The need is for teachers who are qualified in whatever area since retention seems to be an issue of late. But are these platforms viable and goo…

This week I have the opportunity to meet Curt Richards (curtrichards202@gmail.com), the author of 30 Insights for New Teachers to Thrive. The book is available on GoodReads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. It’s available in e-book, hardback, and paperback. This is a wonderful discussion because it rejuvenates what I had allowed to co…

Integrating Alternative Education Principles and Practices into Teacher Training Programs Fresh-faced, idealistic, eager, and gung-ho, fresh bodies enter into the #schoolyear as #teachers - some for the first time, and others making the transition. What have they brought with them that will help them long-term in their quest to educate the young mi…

The Role of Institutions, Policymakers, and Educational Systems in Alternative Education Teacher Preparation This week, we examine the role of educational institutions, policymakers, and educational systems in preparing teachers for working in Alternative Education. This would include looking at: Curriculum Development Accreditation and Recognition…

Strategies and Resources to Prep Teachers in Alt Ed We continue our series for those teachers in Alternative Education who crave some form of training, insight, or structure to help them succeed and thrive in this faction of the Educational World. While much of what we say may seem common sense it is also those ideas we put to the side and give not…

One could, I suppose, just jump into an alternative setting and begin teaching in a similar style as they did in a traditional setting. After all - it's worked for THEM in the past. But this isn't about the teacher - it's about the students. You know. The students who are left behind. The students who may not have caught on because they had another…

Alternative Education Teacher Training - Part One - Foundations of Alternative Education This week we undertake the beginning of a journey that will, we hope, inspire and help people who aren’t quite sure of what they are doing in their alternative classrooms/programs/schools. In fact, most of those working in Alt Ed have minimal idea of what they’…

Digital Dementia - Are We Encouraging It? What is this thing being called, DIGITAL DEMENTIA? Is it truly something real? Can it be reversed? What are the symptoms? What are the traits? What should you be worried about? Believe it or not, Gen Z and Millenials are most at risk with projections of dementia cases growing four to six-fold by 2050. Think…

Learning Behind Bars How odd to find there is so little information from 2019 on - about incarcerated students. Whether they be in boot camps, residential treatment, maximum security, minimum security or whatever type of facility they are given over to for their offenses. What is also interesting is there is not much information about how they’re t…

Why Does Mainstream Ed, Inc Disrespect Alt Ed? We’ve all felt it and seen it. The looks, sneers, the general snort of unrest when Alternative Educators enter the room with the mainstream. Is there some reason they see the tenets, the students, the curriculum as less than what they believe the students should be working on? What’s the deal? OR, are …

To Be a Phoenix in Education Year after year teachers finish up and then walk out the doors - sometimes not long after the last student has left, and sometimes a week or even a month after the students leave. Teachers, nonetheless, are exhausted and ready for the rejuvenator splendors of what vacation they can muster - lest they need to return for …

Calming Young Minds Show notes This week we meet up with Joe McQueen, an administrator from Galesburg, Illinois, who has over 25 years of experience working with students. He is currently the director of alternative programming for the regional office of Education in Galesburg, where he oversees two campuses of alternative education students who at…

Equity and School Discipline with Tara Garcia Mathewson Music by Joseph Dade McDowell - “Sundown” This week we are honored to have Tara Garcia Mathewson, Investigative Reporter for the Hechinger (Heck-in-jur) Report, which covers so many issues in Education. Tara has been investigating student discipline and shares her knowledge with us! Topics thi…