April 14, 2026

100th Episode Special: Lessons in Teaching, Podcasting, and Building an Education Community

100th Episode Special: Lessons in Teaching, Podcasting, and Building an Education Community
The Balancing Act
100th Episode Special: Lessons in Teaching, Podcasting, and Building an Education Community

In this special 100th episode of The Balancing Act, we celebrate in style from the New Jersey Hall of Fame—and yes, it feels just as cool as it sounds. We take a trip down memory lane, from recording in a kitchen with one microphone to building a podcast shaped by incredible guests and a supportive education community. Along the way, we share some laughs, reflect on how far we’ve come, and highlight ideas that have inspired us in and out of the classroom. We also tease what’s ahead, including exciting conversations about technology in education. Most of all, this episode is a big thank you to our listeners for being part of the journey—and we’re just getting started.

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In this special 100th episode of The Balancing Act, we celebrate in style from the New Jersey Hall of Fame—and yes, it feels just as cool as it sounds. We take a trip down memory lane, from recording in a kitchen with one microphone to building a podcast shaped by incredible guests and a supportive education community. Along the way, we share some laughs, reflect on how far we’ve come, and highlight ideas that have inspired us in and out of the classroom. We also tease what’s ahead, including exciting conversations about technology in education. Most of all, this episode is a big thank you to our listeners for being part of the journey—and we’re just getting started.

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!

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Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor Teachers Insurance Plan. Check out their website below for info and quotes for your auto insurance needs.

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Select Season 3 episodes are also sponsored by NJSchoolJobs.com.

Looking for a job in education? Teacher, principal, school support or coaching opportunities? Check out their website below for up-to-date job postings.

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00:00:13.524 --> 00:00:16.964
I would say we are officially recording, but Isaac is officially recording,

00:00:17.524 --> 00:00:18.364
the man behind the camera.

00:00:18.504 --> 00:00:23.504
Hey, we are at a special place today because this is our 100th episode.

00:00:23.884 --> 00:00:29.084
Yes, we have made it to 100, which is not as old as I am, even though you like

00:00:29.084 --> 00:00:31.024
to give me birthday cards that say I'm 80.

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So yeah, we are super excited to be here today.

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We're doing something special, and hopefully this is the beginning of a great

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partnership for us with the New Jersey Hall of Fame. If you have not come to

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the New Jersey Hall of Fame, we highly recommend it.

00:00:45.584 --> 00:00:47.664
It's a wonderful spot for field trips.

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And of course, our principal sponsor, New Jersey Teachers Insurance Plan.

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That's right. Teachers Insurance Plan.

00:00:55.264 --> 00:00:58.424
You could check out their website, which is linked in our episode,

00:00:58.644 --> 00:01:01.384
to get a quarter for more information. Teachers Insurance Plan.

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Exceptional auto insurance and exceptional customer care for New Jersey and

00:01:06.164 --> 00:01:09.564
Pennsylvania educational employees. Tried to do it from the dome.

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I normally have my... Yeah, that's pretty good. Yeah, not bad.

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Not bad. I struggle, but we're hanging in there.

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And we were actually here for Educator Preview Day, the teacher's insurance

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plan, and they really put out a wonderful spread for all sorts of teachers that

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came to encourage field trips for their students.

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And we went right back to school and told our journalism teacher how perfect

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it would be to take his middle school students, as well as any students really

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that are interested in learning about the history of New Jersey.

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We are very happy and excited.

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We are not getting inducted, but we are here to record. Hashtag yet.

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Hashtag yet. That's right. Famous podcaster display. We'll get that up there eventually.

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But no, we're really appreciative of Allie and everybody else here at the New

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Jersey Hall of Fame for helping us out and offering to let us use the space.

00:01:59.544 --> 00:02:03.244
So why don't we head on inside and we'll get into our episode. Woo-hoo. All right.

00:02:06.178 --> 00:02:11.038
We officially got the thumbs up. So I guess we're now officially recording inside

00:02:11.038 --> 00:02:14.378
this amazing space in the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Hey, friend.

00:02:14.598 --> 00:02:18.518
What's going on? Hey, Mr. Right Sally. This is incredibly intimidating. It is.

00:02:18.898 --> 00:02:25.258
Amazing. Really exciting to be here inside this amazing studio.

00:02:25.538 --> 00:02:27.778
Yes. At the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

00:02:28.318 --> 00:02:33.998
Yes. This is normally used as a space, if I'm not wrong, where you're able to interview.

00:02:35.378 --> 00:02:40.498
You pick a Hall of Fame member and you can do like a virtual interview and ask

00:02:40.498 --> 00:02:44.998
them questions and then they respond to you, which is pretty awesome. Yeah, it's really cool.

00:02:45.378 --> 00:02:48.878
I really want to interview Danny DeVito like really, really badly.

00:02:49.098 --> 00:02:51.218
My kids love Danny DeVito. Me too. Yeah.

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Me too. If it ain't Jersey Mike. Yeah. If it ain't freshly sliced.

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It's good stuff. Jersey Mike sponsor us. We like sandwiches.

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So I am Jamie Wonko here with Mr. Joseph Vitale. Hey, friend.

00:03:03.018 --> 00:03:09.258
Hi. And we are really happy to be able to use this gorgeous space. Yeah, awesome.

00:03:09.558 --> 00:03:12.318
The New Jersey Hall of Fame is inside.

00:03:12.858 --> 00:03:17.818
Yeah, inside the American Dream Mall. Right. Which is an experience just to

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walk through, even if you don't stop. Do you remember malls?

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You know, back in the day, we used to go to a mall on a Friday night.

00:03:25.857 --> 00:03:28.857
Like, that doesn't happen anymore. I mean, Fast Times at Regmont High. Yeah.

00:03:29.017 --> 00:03:32.597
You know. Exactly. Yes. I mean, if you're over 18 and you want to watch that

00:03:32.597 --> 00:03:36.917
movie, you can see what life was like at the peak mall culture.

00:03:37.197 --> 00:03:40.037
Yes. However, they have an ice rink here.

00:03:40.237 --> 00:03:42.537
There's just. Yeah, there's so many things. There's so many things.

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We are across from a Nickelodeon theme park. There's a roller coaster.

00:03:47.317 --> 00:03:48.157
There's a roller coaster.

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This is an experience. There's like a whole thing here. Yes.

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But they have this amazing space where they recognize, my goodness,

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hundreds of different, you know, influential people in New Jersey history,

00:04:02.417 --> 00:04:06.977
popular culture, music, politics, space exploration.

00:04:07.397 --> 00:04:10.937
I mean, you name it, there's somebody here that probably represents it. No podcasters.

00:04:11.417 --> 00:04:15.197
It's still a new, you know, that's still a new genre, I guess.

00:04:15.357 --> 00:04:19.757
So we're getting there. Um, and again, a special shout out to our friend,

00:04:20.017 --> 00:04:23.657
uh, Nick Ferroni, who, you know, is such an advocate, advocate,

00:04:23.877 --> 00:04:25.837
you know, an advocate for teachers.

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Um, and when we started our podcast, he was a, an important guest for us,

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but he also like, you know, introduced us to Ali and Isaac and the team that,

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that works here for them to, you know, help us with these multiple cameras and

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these amazing, you know,

00:04:39.957 --> 00:04:44.697
setups and lighting and green screens and, you know, things we don't have.

00:04:44.697 --> 00:04:49.577
So I like to explain I have like a peanut butter and jelly ability to like edit things.

00:04:49.817 --> 00:04:52.877
I'm not a five star chef, but thankfully we have some people that are going

00:04:52.877 --> 00:04:56.157
to help us put together some cool content and put together an amazing episode

00:04:56.157 --> 00:04:58.377
for you guys on our hundredth episode.

00:04:58.577 --> 00:05:00.677
And this is our 100th episode.

00:05:00.877 --> 00:05:05.517
So we started our episode today outside of the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

00:05:05.697 --> 00:05:09.037
And you can see some of the cool exhibits. And of course, we'll be filming some

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other content so that you can see the inside. And we had been here a couple

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of months ago for teachers.

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Educator preview day hosted by a

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teacher's insurance plan uh who you know is our uh

00:05:22.138 --> 00:05:25.278
as our sponsor for this season and we

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you know really of course always want to say thank you to chris

00:05:29.098 --> 00:05:33.338
and emma and the whole team at teacher's insurance plan who just have really

00:05:33.338 --> 00:05:37.498
opened up a lot of doors for us and if you are an educator you get to come here

00:05:37.498 --> 00:05:42.158
for free thanks to teacher's insurance plan they're sponsoring the entry for

00:05:42.158 --> 00:05:45.918
educators i guess you bring your your id and you know,

00:05:46.018 --> 00:05:49.758
they are able to get you a pass for the day to come and check out the space.

00:05:49.958 --> 00:05:52.858
So you can get some. And there's a karaoke studio. Yeah, you can get some,

00:05:52.858 --> 00:05:56.478
you can get some Wetzel's pretzels and you can walk around like it's the,

00:05:56.598 --> 00:05:58.238
uh, what did I see online the other day?

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There was a picture of like girls with the eighties hair, you know,

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like the big eighties hair.

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He's saying that as if, oh, wait, let me just say. Yeah.

00:06:06.598 --> 00:06:12.158
So recently my daughters made their confirmation and they said to me,

00:06:12.238 --> 00:06:19.298
mom, what was your confirmation like? And I said, oh, my goodness, it was pretty crazy.

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Back in 1993, I had the biggest big hair. I looked like a lioness.

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Oh, nice. Okay. It was gorgeous.

00:06:26.798 --> 00:06:31.438
My sister did it for me upside down. And then I put on my cream-colored suit

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that my mother bought at a flea market, new in the wrapping.

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I don't know what truck that fell off of. But, okay, you look great in this, she said.

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The shoulder pads were from, like, 1988.

00:06:44.058 --> 00:06:48.298
My sister gave me a name ring that said Jamie in person. Oh,

00:06:48.298 --> 00:06:51.958
adorable. With, like, a little swoop at the bottom that had little diamonds.

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She was my sponsor. Wow.

00:06:55.058 --> 00:07:01.978
And I remember being very upset with the bishop because when you're 13 and you

00:07:01.978 --> 00:07:07.258
already have forehead acne, putting some holy oil on top of it really...

00:07:09.159 --> 00:07:16.519
Plus the listen the the whole reason there is no ozone layer is because of women like you,

00:07:17.179 --> 00:07:22.419
nothing hits like a rave hairspray yeah oh my god aquanet it was just rave our

00:07:22.419 --> 00:07:27.159
house was rave and my dad used to say i'm gonna come to your house one day and

00:07:27.159 --> 00:07:30.639
spray the back of all of your doors with rave hairspray because he was like

00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:34.739
yeah like a big war on hairspray but they their reply to me was,

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Mom, how much of that story is true?

00:07:37.419 --> 00:07:40.939
About 100% of that story is true. I was like, the entire story is true.

00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:46.079
Yeah. The entire story. So, I mean, you know, what can you say when you're trying

00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:51.039
to capture 100 years ago to them? Because this is our 100th episode. Yeah.

00:07:51.259 --> 00:07:53.699
We have been, this is our third season.

00:07:54.159 --> 00:07:56.939
But when we're describing some of the things that have happened for

00:07:56.939 --> 00:08:00.179
us personally in the last three years yeah

00:08:00.179 --> 00:08:03.479
it has um it's been a crazy fun

00:08:03.479 --> 00:08:06.079
learning and there's also been a lot of you know

00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:08.879
personal changes behind the scenes right we've we went on a journey

00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.599
together with our children we've tried to bring you on it

00:08:11.599 --> 00:08:17.499
as well um and you know it's really fun to be able to do this especially you

00:08:17.499 --> 00:08:21.599
know now that we're branching out into spaces like this it's awesome um my confirmation

00:08:21.599 --> 00:08:27.479
our way my confirmation was actually uh i was confirmed by jesus because i was

00:08:27.479 --> 00:08:29.599
old enough for him to do it for.

00:08:29.679 --> 00:08:32.059
I do have a pinky. Of course you do. I absolutely do.

00:08:32.339 --> 00:08:37.059
Um, but no, when we were originally talking about this, uh, I saw a thing online.

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It was like, if you were, if you, um, were a woman in this picture and it was

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like three girls leaning over the mall railing, gigantic hair with like the slurpy icy cup. Okay.

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And it was like, and if this is you,

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you need to schedule your colonoscopy because yes, we are of that age.

00:08:54.319 --> 00:08:58.559
Uh, where we need to I've had two actually, so I'm good.

00:08:58.839 --> 00:09:01.019
Yes. Thank you. Do have a pinky ring.

00:09:01.839 --> 00:09:05.879
It does still exist. It wasn't a pinky ring at first, but because I've got bigger

00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:08.559
now, it's a cross pinky ring. Who was your sponsor?

00:09:08.739 --> 00:09:11.159
My aunt Flora was my sponsor.

00:09:12.526 --> 00:09:17.526
What's your confirmation name? Joseph Joseph Vitali. I think it might be.

00:09:17.646 --> 00:09:19.966
Who knows? Joseph Flora Vitali.

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I think I took Richard as mine. What do you mean you think? No, I didn't.

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I honestly don't remember. I don't. You're putting me on the spot.

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Speaking of confirmations, I proudly was Joe and Tracy's son's sponsor for his confirmation.

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Yes, they were. So his name is now Joseph Jamie Vitali. It is.

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And my daughter was. Yes, my husband was Sophia's sponsor. And we were so proud to do that.

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And so that is, it's wild to think about. That was four years ago already. Yeah.

00:09:53.486 --> 00:09:58.406
Yes. Yeah. But again, we're here and we're, you know, doing something amazing.

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Our goal is to help as many teachers and parents as possible.

00:10:00.806 --> 00:10:03.806
So I know we're kind of waxing poetic on the things that we do.

00:10:04.926 --> 00:10:08.526
But, you know, that's kind of what this show has been for us.

00:10:08.606 --> 00:10:12.206
It's our third space, right? It's a place for us to be not only creative,

00:10:12.206 --> 00:10:16.366
but to have an outlet to talk about the things that we're passionate about, the things that.

00:10:17.081 --> 00:10:22.541
Grind our gears and also be a little bit cathartic for, you know,

00:10:22.601 --> 00:10:25.601
the many things that we have going on in our lives with our parents,

00:10:25.741 --> 00:10:27.441
our family members and stuff like that.

00:10:28.341 --> 00:10:33.401
And did you know, Mr. Vitale, that this space that we're in right now is brought

00:10:33.401 --> 00:10:36.581
to you by Hackensack Meridian Health? I did not know.

00:10:37.841 --> 00:10:42.841
Which is amazing because I have spent more time in Hackensack Meridian Health

00:10:42.841 --> 00:10:47.421
hospitals recently than in malls. Yeah. So, you know.

00:10:47.721 --> 00:10:51.301
Yeah, there's been a lot going on. When you start to parent your parents and

00:10:51.301 --> 00:10:54.961
your husband's parents and all the parents, you spend a lot of time at Hackensack

00:10:54.961 --> 00:10:56.361
Meridian Health Centers.

00:10:56.581 --> 00:11:00.301
And so thank you for building this beautiful space. I noticed it on the door

00:11:00.301 --> 00:11:03.681
while we were getting ready and doing some things and prepping with Isaac.

00:11:03.841 --> 00:11:10.541
And I thought, wow, that really just stuck out to me because what a great thing for them to sponsor.

00:11:13.141 --> 00:11:17.061
Does it give you a little percentage off on the hospital bills maybe? Probably not. Perhaps.

00:11:17.361 --> 00:11:22.241
No, definitely not. But, I mean, good use of the funds. Yeah. Hackensack Meridian.

00:11:22.641 --> 00:11:27.421
Absolutely. Yeah. Do you remember on Z100, or I'm sure, I'm pretty sure it was

00:11:27.421 --> 00:11:32.021
Z100, for those of you that are local to New York, the tri-state area, like we are,

00:11:32.541 --> 00:11:37.001
they used to have this game, I'm sure they still play it, and it was,

00:11:37.001 --> 00:11:38.201
like, Dead or Alive. Yeah.

00:11:39.020 --> 00:11:43.960
And they would ask people, like, is this person dead or alive? Oh, okay.

00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:50.620
And I immediately walk into the New Jersey Hall of Fame and I start doing the

00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:53.560
not dead or alive, but the, like, Jersey, not Jersey.

00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:57.320
Like, are you guys joking me? You know, because how would you know?

00:11:57.460 --> 00:12:01.060
So even though this is our second time here and I did, you know,

00:12:01.100 --> 00:12:05.620
pay attention and look, there's so many things to see when you walk around. Yes.

00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:10.000
And you just, like, wow. Oh, New Jersey?

00:12:10.260 --> 00:12:13.000
Not New. I mean, really? Yeah. Are they from New Jersey?

00:12:13.340 --> 00:12:16.940
You know, there's a few. I know there's some professional athletes like I know

00:12:16.940 --> 00:12:21.360
recently Martin Brodeur was inducted.

00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:26.020
He's a famous Hall of Fame goaltender from the New Jersey Devils who led the

00:12:26.020 --> 00:12:31.240
team to three Stanley Cups, you know, won multiple Vezina trophies, you know, sports.

00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:34.760
No, I was like, oh, Martha Stewart. Yeah. You know, it's like,

00:12:34.880 --> 00:12:38.080
you know that, you know, but then you see them. Oh, yeah.

00:12:38.660 --> 00:12:42.960
Yes. Yeah, it's really eye-opening. And Joe Piscopo, fun fact about Joe Piscopo

00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:47.900
and me, I saw Joe Piscopo once at a Walmart. Did you really?

00:12:48.640 --> 00:12:51.740
Buying some bananas. Okay. And it was like, hey, Joe Piscopo,

00:12:51.820 --> 00:12:55.900
what are you doing here? He was actually outside on the screen when we walked in. Okay.

00:12:56.040 --> 00:12:59.060
Doing a little intro, and that's what I thought of immediately. Yeah.

00:12:59.940 --> 00:13:01.920
Anyone told you that story about Joe Piscopo? No, you never told me that story.

00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:04.120
I did not know. Yeah, in Manahawken by our parents. Oh.

00:13:04.340 --> 00:13:07.920
Yeah. No way. Maybe he was heading to AC and he just needed a little potassium

00:13:07.920 --> 00:13:09.060
on the way. It's possible.

00:13:10.220 --> 00:13:14.720
Very possible. Monkeys never cramp. So that's how it works.

00:13:15.940 --> 00:13:20.440
But yeah, so if you could think back on the 100 episodes that we've had,

00:13:20.560 --> 00:13:23.620
what do you think is one that sticks out to you?

00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:28.020
So is it an episode? Is it a guest? Is it a revelation?

00:13:28.520 --> 00:13:31.500
What specifically? It could be anything. We can jump off in any direction you

00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:35.460
want. So I'm cool with it. It could be an episode to start off with. For sure.

00:13:36.697 --> 00:13:39.597
I, hmm, how far back do I want to go?

00:13:39.757 --> 00:13:45.057
I really remember when we very first started, we were in your kitchen.

00:13:45.817 --> 00:13:50.897
Okay. And we shared a microphone. We did. That we borrowed from a colleague.

00:13:51.237 --> 00:13:54.657
Which I still have and need to give back to him. Uh-oh, never getting it.

00:13:54.957 --> 00:13:56.457
Sorry, Scott. He doesn't care.

00:13:57.197 --> 00:14:00.637
I have, I mean, he's such a, talk about generosity of spirit.

00:14:01.117 --> 00:14:06.217
So I do think back to, are we doing this? Are we really doing this? Oh my goodness.

00:14:06.437 --> 00:14:10.477
Yeah. you know what let's just do it right um and sitting at the kitchen counter

00:14:10.477 --> 00:14:17.637
uh or your kitchen table rather and sharing that microphone and doing some introductions and what happened.

00:14:19.657 --> 00:14:26.197
Like your your neighbor started mowing their lawn it was like the loudest we're

00:14:26.197 --> 00:14:29.697
like uh yeah is this gonna get picked up by the microphone and yes yeah the

00:14:29.697 --> 00:14:32.877
answer is yes so if you listen to our earlier episodes there are definitely

00:14:32.877 --> 00:14:37.957
some uh some growing pains that we had before we had invested in some of our own equipment.

00:14:38.237 --> 00:14:40.597
Yes, and having our headphones and microphones and all the things.

00:14:40.717 --> 00:14:44.057
But I do think back to like, what a great adventure.

00:14:44.417 --> 00:14:49.497
And so if I had to pick something that was my favorite before I started getting

00:14:49.497 --> 00:14:53.297
into maybe some of the people that have influenced me that we've spoken to or

00:14:53.297 --> 00:14:57.177
some of the revelations that we've come to with our own, you know, podcast therapy.

00:14:57.717 --> 00:15:02.777
I definitely think back to those first few episodes that we recorded on the beach.

00:15:03.277 --> 00:15:06.657
Yeah, we did a few of those. Yeah, and you could do the seagulls in the background.

00:15:06.917 --> 00:15:13.117
We recorded at your kitchen table and just said— We did one in your classroom,

00:15:13.117 --> 00:15:17.057
I think, because we were pressed for time and we did an episode on a day after

00:15:17.057 --> 00:15:19.297
school. We did. I love my classroom.

00:15:19.457 --> 00:15:25.017
But it's not the best place for sound. No, no. Huge room, high ceilings. It used to be the—.

00:15:26.075 --> 00:15:32.355
Wood shop so it's very high wide and yeah it's not a but a lot of hard surfaces

00:15:32.355 --> 00:15:37.795
yes um but that those are the those things stick out to me if i'm you know if we're going down like a,

00:15:38.515 --> 00:15:41.275
like a little wayne's world i remember i remember having

00:15:41.275 --> 00:15:44.375
a meeting with um a gentleman named chris nezzy

00:15:44.375 --> 00:15:47.755
uh yeah so we talked to chris um

00:15:47.755 --> 00:15:53.435
i don't remember how we got connected um but the one thing i i a revelation

00:15:53.435 --> 00:16:01.155
for me would be like the podcasting community itself is so helpful and like

00:16:01.155 --> 00:16:05.455
when you ask like hey could you help me with or do you have or do you have a or could you maybe,

00:16:06.255 --> 00:16:11.735
everyone's just like yes it really has been a very um like embracing environment

00:16:11.735 --> 00:16:17.215
which is really cool because like we're you know novices on all of this and

00:16:17.215 --> 00:16:20.995
we're trying to figure out what we're doing And I remember him saying something about, like.

00:16:21.875 --> 00:16:28.375
If you have, like, seven episodes, you're more content than most podcasts because

00:16:28.375 --> 00:16:31.175
they don't last past seven episodes because people give up.

00:16:31.275 --> 00:16:35.255
And we, I mean, look, we had a following of no one.

00:16:35.555 --> 00:16:38.395
Chugga-chugga. Chugga-chugga. I mean, right. Yeah. We literally had a following.

00:16:38.495 --> 00:16:40.695
We were like, we're just going to do this. We're going to send it out to people.

00:16:40.755 --> 00:16:42.475
We're going to start something. We're going to see what happens.

00:16:42.615 --> 00:16:46.235
So when you say, like, build up from the ground floor, like,

00:16:46.295 --> 00:16:47.615
that's literally what this was.

00:16:47.615 --> 00:16:50.615
Like it was literally something Where we said We have no idea What's going to

00:16:50.615 --> 00:16:54.635
happen But we had these Great conversations That we would Would have And we

00:16:54.635 --> 00:17:01.075
would laugh And we would Cry and be upset And curse Which we don't do On these episodes Right But.

00:17:02.075 --> 00:17:06.675
That to me was something I always could think back to that as like we would text back and forth.

00:17:06.935 --> 00:17:10.155
Chris and I was like, hey, congratulations. You have a podcast after we like

00:17:10.155 --> 00:17:13.215
released our first episode. It was probably like a tongue in cheek,

00:17:13.355 --> 00:17:14.475
like, yeah, you got a podcast.

00:17:14.635 --> 00:17:19.175
But like, right. You know, and then another episode and another episode and

00:17:19.175 --> 00:17:21.955
another episode. And then we started like, oh, OK, let's try to do some guests.

00:17:22.115 --> 00:17:25.775
And then we went to, you know, from every other week to, you know,

00:17:25.875 --> 00:17:29.935
every week. I mean, all of those journeys that we took along the way to me were,

00:17:29.935 --> 00:17:36.135
you know, were monumental because there are things that we didn't expect any of this.

00:17:36.215 --> 00:17:38.915
We didn't expect to be on a network with a group of people that are supportive

00:17:38.915 --> 00:17:41.075
and human content. We didn't expect to have sponsors.

00:17:41.295 --> 00:17:46.215
We didn't expect to have like a small social media following and have people

00:17:46.215 --> 00:17:48.515
now reach out to us to want to be on our show.

00:17:48.915 --> 00:17:53.375
Like, that's the craziest thing to us is like, and sometimes it's the wrong

00:17:53.375 --> 00:17:57.575
fit. Like, but, and so, you know, and we've asked some people to be on that

00:17:57.575 --> 00:18:01.995
have said, no, we're too busy or no, that's not the right avenue or we don't

00:18:01.995 --> 00:18:03.595
have a big enough following, which we understand.

00:18:03.775 --> 00:18:08.115
Like, that makes sense for certain people. But like that, that too,

00:18:08.215 --> 00:18:13.775
to me has been like, you know, really cool. Like when we started getting different guests on.

00:18:13.975 --> 00:18:18.235
Yes. And what do you, you know, it really does answer, you know,

00:18:18.335 --> 00:18:22.035
what happens when you just try.

00:18:22.315 --> 00:18:27.975
Yeah. Put yourself out there, take a risk, ask a question, you know, feel people out.

00:18:28.095 --> 00:18:32.255
And I think that that's so cool because especially as teachers,

00:18:32.255 --> 00:18:35.535
that's something that we tell our students all of the time.

00:18:35.815 --> 00:18:41.215
Yeah. And I don't know, as adults, you kind of get sometimes into patterns of

00:18:41.215 --> 00:18:43.215
comfortability and you don't always...

00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:49.859
Find yourself really kind of like pushing or getting out of like what has been a comfortable space.

00:18:50.199 --> 00:18:55.739
So this, I think, is such a fun adventure because it's always something new

00:18:55.739 --> 00:19:00.539
and different and learning and just trying. Like what happens when you try?

00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:05.739
Yeah. And my wife always has said, and it said it to my kids when they were

00:19:05.739 --> 00:19:08.899
young, like if you don't ask the question, then you always know the answer.

00:19:09.219 --> 00:19:12.239
So yeah, I've slid into some people's

00:19:12.239 --> 00:19:15.719
DMs to ask them to be on our show um and

00:19:15.719 --> 00:19:19.039
some people have never responded and some people have um and

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:21.919
it's really you know eye-opening to see when people are like

00:19:21.919 --> 00:19:24.959
passionate about it and then they come on and we have these amazing talks

00:19:24.959 --> 00:19:27.979
about things that are happening in their classroom or

00:19:27.979 --> 00:19:30.639
the funny content that they make or you know

00:19:30.639 --> 00:19:33.959
we've had themes about executive function and college applications

00:19:33.959 --> 00:19:37.239
and all the things yeah um which

00:19:37.239 --> 00:19:40.039
are continued themes for us that are going to be talked about throughout the

00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:42.959
rest of our season and even thinking about like we

00:19:42.959 --> 00:19:45.679
talk about revelations right like i looked at our

00:19:45.679 --> 00:19:48.839
slate for this year and this is coming out in in april

00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:51.559
and i look at you know what we release and how

00:19:51.559 --> 00:19:54.439
we do like us and then a guest and we go back and forth like we

00:19:54.439 --> 00:19:57.139
are full have you ever thought i work in

00:19:57.139 --> 00:20:00.279
education why is finding a job so weirdly hard yeah

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:03.379
scrolling through random job boards where half the listings don't

00:20:03.379 --> 00:20:08.619
even make sense is not the vibe that's why njschooljobs.com actually makes sense

00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:13.299
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00:20:13.299 --> 00:20:17.739
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00:20:38.729 --> 00:20:42.789
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00:20:48.365 --> 00:20:49.605
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00:21:29.065 --> 00:21:32.665
Fall. Like, I'm already thinking about who's going to be on in Season 4.

00:21:32.825 --> 00:21:37.345
Like, who's going to be our guest? Did someone say Nick Ferroni? Yeah, I know, right?

00:21:37.405 --> 00:21:41.505
We have people that, you know, are already reaching out to us.

00:21:41.625 --> 00:21:44.345
And I'm like, hey, I'm sorry. Did you see Nick Ferroni as Teacher of the Year

00:21:44.345 --> 00:21:46.585
for him? I did. Congratulations, Nick Ferroni.

00:21:47.985 --> 00:21:52.045
I'm really surprised that, I mean, is that, you know, that that would be the first time for him.

00:21:52.165 --> 00:21:56.145
Yes, I am the Susan Lucci of Teacher of the Year. Poor Joe, I won twice.

00:21:57.885 --> 00:22:01.965
Sorry. Joe's not everyone's favorite cup of tea. Let's just put it that way.

00:22:02.225 --> 00:22:07.305
No, it doesn't matter neither here nor there. But congratulations to Nick Ferroni.

00:22:07.745 --> 00:22:10.185
But no, we're already at like. The Susan Lucci. Yeah, right.

00:22:10.645 --> 00:22:13.245
I appreciate the reference. I don't know. Is she from New Jersey?

00:22:13.565 --> 00:22:15.765
Dead or alive? She's alive. I don't know. She is alive. Yeah.

00:22:15.845 --> 00:22:16.885
New Jersey or not New Jersey?

00:22:17.605 --> 00:22:20.845
I feel like we need to Google this. Oh, my gosh. So, thankfully.

00:22:21.165 --> 00:22:26.525
This is a fun game. Yeah, this is a fun game. Jersey or not Jersey. So, Susan Lucci.

00:22:27.045 --> 00:22:30.365
Go ahead. New Jersey. I hope I spelled it right. Oh. She's so tiny.

00:22:30.405 --> 00:22:33.065
I'm connecting to the internet, everybody. So, you'll have to bear with me.

00:22:33.365 --> 00:22:36.965
She's like a tiny little teeny tiny drop of a lady. No, no, no.

00:22:37.105 --> 00:22:41.085
Where's she from? I don't know. Let me see. Hold on. Susan Lucci.

00:22:45.421 --> 00:22:49.061
Okay, I'm getting there. He's typing everybody. I'm typing everybody. Okay.

00:22:49.661 --> 00:22:52.641
Scarsdale, New York. Born in Scarsdale, New York. So close. Right.

00:22:52.821 --> 00:22:55.841
Very close. She had an East Coast vibe to her that I was, you know,

00:22:56.121 --> 00:22:56.361
feeling. She did. Absolutely.

00:22:56.841 --> 00:22:59.881
Okay, so there you go. On the first round of Jersey, not Jersey.

00:23:00.261 --> 00:23:06.641
Not Jersey. Not Jersey. Okay. Okay, it's okay. I was doing a little salsa dance to Celia Cruz recently.

00:23:07.801 --> 00:23:10.701
Shout out to the Celia Cruz rest stop. I just went there.

00:23:11.301 --> 00:23:17.381
Really? Yes. Oh, God. So every time I pass the Celia Cruz rest area, I yell, Azucar.

00:23:18.281 --> 00:23:23.001
And everyone in the car has to respond with, Azucar. Or you're getting put out.

00:23:23.061 --> 00:23:24.441
You get put out on the highway. That's true.

00:23:25.061 --> 00:23:28.681
So if you ever see two cute blonde girls hitchhiking their way home on the parkway,

00:23:28.801 --> 00:23:30.761
pick them up. Give them a ride home.

00:23:30.901 --> 00:23:33.301
No, they're not that stupid. They know. They'll say Azucar.

00:23:33.701 --> 00:23:36.241
And so we went in. There's no way Drew does. He does. Oh.

00:23:37.001 --> 00:23:40.921
Oh, he does. He's like, Azucar. I'm kind of, you know, I can be scary, too.

00:23:41.041 --> 00:23:45.881
So you're doing it. and no, we went in and what's so cool is that they have

00:23:45.881 --> 00:23:49.401
this beautiful display and they have like some of her wigs and her clothing

00:23:49.401 --> 00:23:51.301
and this is your Sunday wig as

00:23:51.301 --> 00:23:55.301
you talked about before it's not as good as Celia Cruz but we try yes no,

00:23:55.401 --> 00:24:00.541
it's really it's beautiful I guess now so far I've been to the Bon Jovi rest area okay,

00:24:01.221 --> 00:24:05.461
and the Celia Cruz recently I can't tell you the last time I've stopped at a

00:24:05.461 --> 00:24:09.381
rest area because we're always driving I wonder if Judy Blume I'm going to I'm

00:24:09.381 --> 00:24:11.881
going to hit up Judy Blume and see how that's doing and then the Whitney Houston

00:24:11.881 --> 00:24:14.401
is also near us. That's in Union. Yes. That's right.

00:24:14.901 --> 00:24:17.801
I know. I mean, how often do you have to stop at a rest area?

00:24:17.981 --> 00:24:21.441
But Celia Cruz is worth a stop. Yeah, exactly. Yes. Absolutely. Yeah.

00:24:21.841 --> 00:24:25.341
So what would you say do you think.

00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:30.300
Is a guest. Let's hone in on guests, right? Okay. Because last year we did,

00:24:30.300 --> 00:24:33.000
like, Monumental Moments from Season 2. Yeah.

00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:36.200
So we definitely can hit up Monumental Moments for Season 3.

00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:43.180
But what do you think... And you're not allowed to say the Teachers' Convention.

00:24:43.820 --> 00:24:46.660
Okay. Because there's too many people. Because that's just so many people.

00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:52.240
And we've... The avenues that have opened up from the New Jersey Teachers' Convention

00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:55.900
episode have been amazing. Well, that was another thing, too. Like, we decided...

00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:59.800
Let's go to the convention and just do Man on the Street. Let's just go down

00:24:59.800 --> 00:25:03.620
there and put questions in a sand bucket.

00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:05.880
Because it's Atlantic City down by the Jersey Shore.

00:25:06.060 --> 00:25:10.300
And, like, let's just meet with the people, you know, at their little lemonade stands.

00:25:10.580 --> 00:25:13.020
Yeah. Which was something that...

00:25:14.652 --> 00:25:18.232
Joe Nappy had suggested, a former teacher of the year in New Jersey,

00:25:18.472 --> 00:25:21.972
we had on our show and he was like, hey, let's let's let's chat,

00:25:22.132 --> 00:25:24.872
you know, maybe come down and ask those people questions. Sure, let's do it.

00:25:24.992 --> 00:25:28.112
And I think that's going to be something we're going to do, you know,

00:25:28.212 --> 00:25:30.152
often. We're going to do another. You ever want to do that again?

00:25:30.392 --> 00:25:36.832
So anyway, you were saying. So who would you say is a guest that you feel you

00:25:36.832 --> 00:25:38.912
take with you in your classroom?

00:25:39.152 --> 00:25:43.352
Things that maybe they've said that you that have influenced some of your,

00:25:43.512 --> 00:25:48.512
if not daily practices, but things that have influenced you in your in your classroom.

00:25:49.892 --> 00:25:53.112
I'll definitely say right now, just because and I've done it before,

00:25:53.112 --> 00:25:56.832
but just because we had Stephanie Lockenauer on.

00:25:57.932 --> 00:26:03.992
Hey, Stephanie. Hey, Stephanie. Sometimes you meet people and you're just like, wow.

00:26:04.232 --> 00:26:06.992
You know what I mean? Like, she's just an amazing person.

00:26:07.332 --> 00:26:10.832
Just, you know, we talked about her. She's so impressive. And when you talk

00:26:10.832 --> 00:26:16.972
about someone's energy and the like aura that is around them,

00:26:16.972 --> 00:26:20.272
she immediately is magnetic.

00:26:20.572 --> 00:26:25.392
Yeah. You just want to be near her and spend time with her and just sort of

00:26:25.392 --> 00:26:27.012
soak up everything she has to offer.

00:26:27.012 --> 00:26:30.132
Yeah, so we had talked, we had her on the show, we've texted a couple times,

00:26:30.192 --> 00:26:31.612
and I've always done, like,

00:26:31.992 --> 00:26:34.532
we had Movement Monday in our school, where we were doing, like,

00:26:34.592 --> 00:26:37.012
different movement things, and I switched it to Mindfulness Monday,

00:26:37.152 --> 00:26:40.392
which I've done before, but I really took more time into, like,

00:26:40.712 --> 00:26:43.552
because she has a book, Let the Glitter Settle,

00:26:44.092 --> 00:26:46.652
which is Mindfulness Tips and Tricks for Teens.

00:26:47.092 --> 00:26:50.712
It's an excellent book. But anyone can read it. Available on Amazon. Yes.

00:26:51.872 --> 00:26:55.532
I do want to read it with my students eventually. I don't think that's going

00:26:55.532 --> 00:26:58.032
to happen this year, but I definitely it's definitely something I want to do

00:26:58.032 --> 00:27:01.332
in the future. But I think that's something like the class set.

00:27:02.432 --> 00:27:06.272
No, I did not. We were we were talking about that. It's just budgeting wise.

00:27:06.272 --> 00:27:08.072
It didn't work out, but I definitely want to. Yes.

00:27:09.012 --> 00:27:13.252
But I do have I've been doing mindfulness Mondays to try and give some tools

00:27:13.252 --> 00:27:16.532
in the toolbox for for our students who. Yeah.

00:27:17.803 --> 00:27:21.883
You know, it's seventh grade. Right. So so biologically, they're a mess emotionally,

00:27:22.223 --> 00:27:23.603
hormonally, all those things. Sorry.

00:27:25.083 --> 00:27:28.223
So we try to, you know, give them different strategies of box breathing,

00:27:28.943 --> 00:27:30.363
you know, body awareness.

00:27:31.803 --> 00:27:35.303
So it's little things like that that I've started to do. And then I said,

00:27:35.363 --> 00:27:37.403
like, OK, how can I take this one step further? Right.

00:27:38.103 --> 00:27:41.103
And you know it's not anything specific that stephanie talked about

00:27:41.103 --> 00:27:43.823
and i was like what can i do to help shift like some

00:27:43.823 --> 00:27:46.763
of the mindset of behaviors that i'm seeing or

00:27:46.763 --> 00:27:50.383
the way students are acting so i've been doing like these um there's

00:27:50.383 --> 00:27:53.563
a curriculum online it's on the road with steve hartman there's these

00:27:53.563 --> 00:27:57.343
little episodes that get put out by um by

00:27:57.343 --> 00:28:00.663
cbs news and they're always at like the end of like a news broadcast you

00:28:00.663 --> 00:28:03.843
know after all the doom and gloom and everything that's awful there's like

00:28:03.843 --> 00:28:07.323
this heartwarming story of friendship or kindness or

00:28:07.323 --> 00:28:10.303
being neighborly and i'm like there's these teachers across the country

00:28:10.303 --> 00:28:13.183
that have been doing these lessons in their class

00:28:13.183 --> 00:28:15.963
and there's a facebook group and now there's a curriculum that goes along

00:28:15.963 --> 00:28:18.803
with it and i explained to the kids you know i i kind of was following this

00:28:18.803 --> 00:28:21.723
facebook group and i'm like you know facebook old people internet like where

00:28:21.723 --> 00:28:24.463
people go and complain for your mom and people go

00:28:24.463 --> 00:28:27.523
and complain about things um so i started

00:28:27.523 --> 00:28:30.323
implementing like a kindness lesson on

00:28:30.323 --> 00:28:34.043
mondays as well so we're not talking about civics we're not talking about the

00:28:34.043 --> 00:28:38.443
government we're not talking about content we're literally doing an an exercise

00:28:38.443 --> 00:28:42.603
where they watch a video i put some discussion prompts on the board i let them

00:28:42.603 --> 00:28:46.083
talk on their own for a few minutes we come back as a class and discuss things

00:28:46.083 --> 00:28:49.823
sometimes we do a warm-up activity with it so i've been trying to.

00:28:52.572 --> 00:28:56.012
And you feel like that's very Stephanie-coded. Yeah, it is.

00:28:56.132 --> 00:28:59.932
And it's not that I got it from her, but I'm like, okay, how can I take this

00:28:59.932 --> 00:29:04.232
mindfulness idea one step further to do some additional... But her magnetic

00:29:04.232 --> 00:29:08.272
energy pushed you towards doing that. I think our students need it.

00:29:09.912 --> 00:29:13.612
I think everybody needs it. I mean, I don't want to get political,

00:29:13.772 --> 00:29:16.732
but the world's a mess right now, and it's going to be up to our...

00:29:16.732 --> 00:29:20.432
I often joke with my students like when we talk about current events and things

00:29:20.432 --> 00:29:22.712
that are going on and I'm like, here you go.

00:29:22.912 --> 00:29:26.832
This is going to be your problem to fix because these adults can't necessarily

00:29:26.832 --> 00:29:29.572
find a way to agree on how to fix these problems.

00:29:29.772 --> 00:29:33.392
So it's going to be your job to fix it. Yeah. And they kind of look at me and

00:29:33.392 --> 00:29:36.712
I'm like, yeah, so we're going to talk about kindness and empathy and and being

00:29:36.712 --> 00:29:40.092
neighborly and doing things for others and not expecting anything in return.

00:29:40.192 --> 00:29:43.032
And that is a theme that I'm carrying for the rest of the school year.

00:29:43.152 --> 00:29:44.872
I'm going to do those on every Monday. Yeah. Yeah.

00:29:45.566 --> 00:29:49.206
And we're just going to, you know, we're going to power through and do them.

00:29:49.306 --> 00:29:50.786
And, you know, not every kid is into it.

00:29:50.886 --> 00:29:55.906
But if it if it if a little bell goes off for every kid at some point with one

00:29:55.906 --> 00:29:57.746
of those lessons, it's going to make a difference for me.

00:29:57.946 --> 00:30:03.406
So I would say that is something recently that's kind of come from from having our guests on.

00:30:04.506 --> 00:30:08.626
And honestly, I would say secondary, like any of the executive function guests we've had.

00:30:08.746 --> 00:30:12.886
I try to pull something that they're doing to help with executive function skills

00:30:12.886 --> 00:30:15.846
with with our students that are in the class. Yes. Yeah.

00:30:16.386 --> 00:30:22.346
I know. I don't know. With technology, I think that there's been a lot of things

00:30:22.346 --> 00:30:26.426
that have been happening with tech specifically and tech in schools.

00:30:26.806 --> 00:30:32.246
And, you know, some of that, you know, the idea of that being pulled back,

00:30:32.426 --> 00:30:37.246
which I find very interesting. and, you know, talking to people and what side they're on.

00:30:37.406 --> 00:30:43.846
Also, teacher retention and, you know, how we're getting teachers in the classroom,

00:30:43.846 --> 00:30:47.606
how we're getting them to stay in the classroom. Yeah.

00:30:47.866 --> 00:30:54.426
And so there's been like a lot of, to me, you know, the idea of things that

00:30:54.426 --> 00:31:00.086
are really affecting teachers and students.

00:31:00.386 --> 00:31:02.566
And I find all of that.

00:31:03.301 --> 00:31:06.981
Endlessly fascinating. Yeah, I agree. Yes. And so to hear different people's

00:31:06.981 --> 00:31:13.461
perspectives on that, to hear, you know, what people do to balance it. Yes.

00:31:13.621 --> 00:31:19.021
Because, you know, part of the idea of executive functioning is how do you organize your life?

00:31:19.041 --> 00:31:23.081
How do you organize your thoughts, your responsibilities?

00:31:23.701 --> 00:31:27.321
And what that comes down to is like the balancing act of it all.

00:31:27.541 --> 00:31:31.721
Yeah. And how people do or do not. Right.

00:31:32.021 --> 00:31:36.201
And so there's been some terms and some things I think that have been so so helpful to me.

00:31:36.341 --> 00:31:42.361
And I really find myself as someone who is like highly organized and capable

00:31:42.361 --> 00:31:47.241
of of handling handling a lot of things at one time. You think?

00:31:50.181 --> 00:31:57.501
But what I've noticed recently, and I think is probably really such a helpful

00:31:57.501 --> 00:32:03.081
thing that has been so good for me, is, you know, we talk to the kids about,

00:32:03.301 --> 00:32:05.441
you know, what happens if something happens?

00:32:05.741 --> 00:32:10.981
And how do you respond, right? So, you know, are you a fight or flight?

00:32:10.981 --> 00:32:13.981
And you know recently we've added

00:32:13.981 --> 00:32:16.781
like this idea of like wow there's also fight flight

00:32:16.781 --> 00:32:25.541
or freeze yes and how you know oftentimes people just freeze um and so i you

00:32:25.541 --> 00:32:30.701
know in talking to so many of these doctors and experts in their respective

00:32:30.701 --> 00:32:36.061
fields about um teaching or parenting or how that overlaps sometimes,

00:32:36.701 --> 00:32:42.441
I have understood the idea of a functional freeze and,

00:32:43.091 --> 00:32:47.411
more so than I ever really understood or appreciated before.

00:32:47.891 --> 00:32:54.791
And, you know, I realized that is something that I do as a defense or really

00:32:54.791 --> 00:32:58.571
like a self-saving practice.

00:32:58.791 --> 00:33:02.831
So when people say, like, how do you have a podcast and you're a mom of three

00:33:02.831 --> 00:33:06.851
and you're a full-time teacher and you're taking care of your dying mom,

00:33:07.051 --> 00:33:09.591
you know, how do you do all of these things?

00:33:10.311 --> 00:33:13.931
You and i realized wow like i'm a

00:33:13.931 --> 00:33:17.811
very affectionate partner to

00:33:17.811 --> 00:33:22.631
functional freeze and i didn't really know that how much of a like definition

00:33:22.631 --> 00:33:26.491
of that or how important that was to me um or and i didn't realize how common

00:33:26.491 --> 00:33:31.911
of a term it has become um which i appreciate very much because it's something

00:33:31.911 --> 00:33:36.891
that i've even said to people like recently we had to make some plans And I'm very social.

00:33:37.071 --> 00:33:39.351
I like, you know, I like to go out. I like to do things.

00:33:39.651 --> 00:33:45.051
And I am a planner. But what has become like an area of my life that has been

00:33:45.051 --> 00:33:47.651
very difficult for me is like making the plans.

00:33:47.651 --> 00:33:50.651
You you we we had a conversation before coming

00:33:50.651 --> 00:33:53.691
here and i know you've had a lot going on in in your personal life

00:33:53.691 --> 00:33:56.831
outside of uh outside of all of

00:33:56.831 --> 00:33:59.731
this um and i know you she texted me last

00:33:59.731 --> 00:34:03.011
night and was like what am i doing tomorrow just

00:34:03.011 --> 00:34:05.991
tell me i don't want to make any decisions so yes and

00:34:05.991 --> 00:34:09.851
i live my life by two rules which are do what women tell you and don't tell

00:34:09.851 --> 00:34:15.231
women what to do so you made me break one of my rules um which is okay because

00:34:15.231 --> 00:34:22.411
i know that you kind of needed that in that moment um and i also am at a point

00:34:22.411 --> 00:34:24.611
for a variety of reasons uh.

00:34:26.212 --> 00:34:29.952
And you're part of it. Like, my nervous system is shot right now.

00:34:30.532 --> 00:34:33.192
I'm very, like, I'm in a fight or flight mode myself.

00:34:34.012 --> 00:34:37.232
And part of it is I'm worried about you, friend, with some of the things that

00:34:37.232 --> 00:34:41.872
you're going through. As well as, you know, life in general.

00:34:43.592 --> 00:34:47.352
So there's some of that, too. Where, like, this allows me that space to,

00:34:47.472 --> 00:34:49.072
like, kind of, oh, you're dancing.

00:34:49.212 --> 00:34:52.412
There's music in the background here. Someone's like, is this Mace?

00:34:53.612 --> 00:34:56.472
Mace is the place, you know? That's right. Back in the day. It's like my maiden

00:34:56.472 --> 00:35:00.192
name was Mesia. That's the ADHD is coming through.

00:35:01.652 --> 00:35:05.332
So no, but this is, you know, definitely. So how do you balance it?

00:35:05.452 --> 00:35:07.672
It's like lately my answer is functional freeze.

00:35:07.892 --> 00:35:14.152
Yeah. So I get everything done that I need to get done. And then I say, I can do no more.

00:35:14.792 --> 00:35:17.572
And whatever that might mean for. I'm sorry.

00:35:17.792 --> 00:35:21.152
Yeah, I interrupted you when you were. No, like whatever that might mean for

00:35:21.152 --> 00:35:26.572
me is not the same thing that it might mean for you or for Isaac, shout out Isaac. Yeah.

00:35:27.032 --> 00:35:31.852
You know, whomever it is that is dealing with a lot because we all are dealing with a lot.

00:35:32.052 --> 00:35:35.752
Yeah. All of the time. And you've allowed me, you know...

00:35:36.754 --> 00:35:42.974
I think who I've learned and what I've taken from the most in this podcast is honestly you. Oh.

00:35:43.754 --> 00:35:47.194
No, because I think you're a fantastic educator, but your perspective on a lot

00:35:47.194 --> 00:35:51.054
of things I appreciate because it allows me to, like,

00:35:51.514 --> 00:35:56.654
sometimes it corroborates what I'm thinking, but sometimes it questions what

00:35:56.654 --> 00:36:00.194
I'm thinking or doing and allows me to look at things through a different lens,

00:36:00.214 --> 00:36:04.754
which helps me, like, realize.

00:36:05.374 --> 00:36:08.694
Ditto, buddy. That I might, yeah, that I might be either A, going in the right

00:36:08.694 --> 00:36:12.494
direction or B, I need to not do this and go in a different direction because,

00:36:12.794 --> 00:36:16.614
you know, for a variety of reasons, I'm a high, strong individual.

00:36:17.754 --> 00:36:23.194
You know, we have, I really strongly believe that we have a genetic code that

00:36:23.194 --> 00:36:26.374
we bring with us in so many situations.

00:36:27.454 --> 00:36:34.894
And sometimes there is just nothing that we can do about that.

00:36:34.894 --> 00:36:38.194
And sometimes there's a ton that we can do about it, you know,

00:36:38.494 --> 00:36:45.314
but the idea of having the podcast to be able to question, wonder, I mean,

00:36:46.034 --> 00:36:51.354
think, talk, run through it, question back and forth, I think has been really.

00:36:51.354 --> 00:36:53.834
And we get to talk to a lot of great educators.

00:36:54.114 --> 00:36:58.054
Like that's, that's the cool thing about it. And from all over the country,

00:36:58.074 --> 00:37:00.534
I mean, there's some people that we're talking with that I'm excited to,

00:37:00.674 --> 00:37:02.414
you know, possibly have on next season.

00:37:02.554 --> 00:37:05.634
There's some people that have, have released some, some funny content recently,

00:37:05.634 --> 00:37:09.374
um, that I've been reaching out to and trying to get on the show just because,

00:37:09.474 --> 00:37:11.634
and a lot of people are like, well, I've never been on a podcast before.

00:37:12.014 --> 00:37:17.394
It's so funny that we're like, we're like a lot of people's first podcast, which is really cool.

00:37:17.794 --> 00:37:22.614
Yeah, we are. We're gentle. We're kind. We are. We take it easy on you.

00:37:22.714 --> 00:37:25.354
We're not going to push you so much.

00:37:25.794 --> 00:37:28.994
Yes. How many people we would have to definitely have to go back and look.

00:37:29.154 --> 00:37:35.074
It is remarkable how many people say like, oh, this is my first podcast.

00:37:35.394 --> 00:37:37.374
Recently, someone had a rash.

00:37:38.842 --> 00:37:42.062
Broke out in a rash really joe being joe

00:37:42.062 --> 00:37:44.962
oh joe was like oh you're right there what's happening

00:37:44.962 --> 00:37:48.182
with your neck what what was

00:37:48.182 --> 00:37:51.782
this is that you me what okay

00:37:51.782 --> 00:37:54.702
i seriously have zero i know you do i know it's so

00:37:54.702 --> 00:37:57.362
great i don't think we've talked about this and he was like what's going on

00:37:57.362 --> 00:38:02.882
here and she's like i don't i don't and i was like oh my goodness she is so

00:38:02.882 --> 00:38:08.062
nervous okay you know we have that effect on people okay well we're gonna have

00:38:08.062 --> 00:38:11.602
to talk okay so now i have the complex again and she really she did she got

00:38:11.602 --> 00:38:15.082
a red but it was hives it was like nerve hives oh my goodness,

00:38:15.702 --> 00:38:19.462
yeah i pointed it out like look at that thing it was like joe you are the focus

00:38:19.462 --> 00:38:26.582
of the episode maybe don't say that yeah uh yeah so i can't talk about someone's

00:38:26.582 --> 00:38:29.342
cats or i can't point out your Rache. I got it.

00:38:30.522 --> 00:38:34.842
So what's so really, really quick. What's next for us?

00:38:35.442 --> 00:38:39.382
You know, we don't know, but we are, you know, already planning on a season four.

00:38:40.502 --> 00:38:45.402
Are you in it? Joe always says to me, you still doing it? Yeah. Are you still in?

00:38:45.742 --> 00:38:49.142
Well, I'm not making any decisions because I do what women tell me.

00:38:49.142 --> 00:38:51.022
She's like, duh. Yeah. That's her response.

00:38:51.362 --> 00:38:54.202
Yes, we're still in. Yeah. So we're definitely planning some stuff.

00:38:54.202 --> 00:38:57.242
But over the next three weeks,

00:38:57.242 --> 00:38:59.902
things will be a little different um with the

00:38:59.902 --> 00:39:02.982
balancing act podcast because we're going to be focusing on

00:39:02.982 --> 00:39:05.642
um we're calling it it's themed it's called

00:39:05.642 --> 00:39:09.222
a tech reset right so we're going to be talking with three different guests

00:39:09.222 --> 00:39:14.222
uh for the next three weeks uh some returning guests and some new ones um about

00:39:14.222 --> 00:39:18.782
technology in the classroom and how it's changing how it's changed education

00:39:18.782 --> 00:39:23.182
what are some trends that are happening why are people like you said earlier

00:39:23.182 --> 00:39:25.462
pulling back um you know,

00:39:26.022 --> 00:39:29.842
looking at maybe talking about what Australia is doing with social media and

00:39:29.842 --> 00:39:33.082
their teens to make sure that anyone under the age of 16 is not able to access

00:39:33.082 --> 00:39:37.102
it, which I'm sure the smart kids have already found a way to get around it. So...

00:39:37.628 --> 00:39:40.388
I'm really excited about that that's a different format for us

00:39:40.388 --> 00:39:43.348
so we're going to have like three different episodes all themed around uh

00:39:43.348 --> 00:39:48.128
technology and it's change in the classroom so that's coming up for us um and

00:39:48.128 --> 00:39:52.708
we we have some returning guests coming on this season we're going to be re-reviewing

00:39:52.708 --> 00:39:58.028
um and going through the the college selection process for our kids because

00:39:58.028 --> 00:40:02.028
we're we're landing on that now yeah the big reveal for everybody which you

00:40:02.028 --> 00:40:03.148
know everyone's excited about.

00:40:04.288 --> 00:40:07.268
So yeah I mean that's something that's definitely coming up for us

00:40:07.268 --> 00:40:10.748
what do you think Joe do you think for our 100th episode we

00:40:10.748 --> 00:40:13.628
should do our ad read together we should

00:40:13.628 --> 00:40:16.228
we're gonna try and do our ad read together is that

00:40:16.228 --> 00:40:20.748
we're gonna do I think we'll do great okay what do you think I mean you know

00:40:20.748 --> 00:40:26.288
okay sure we're really like like together together like at the same time in

00:40:26.288 --> 00:40:30.828
unison okay ready this makes me nervous sure are you counting us down like one

00:40:30.828 --> 00:40:35.408
two three go or like Are we going on one or after one? What are we doing here?

00:40:36.528 --> 00:40:41.988
Season three is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Teacher's Insurance Plan.

00:40:42.428 --> 00:40:46.508
Check out their website for more information and to get a quote.

00:40:47.248 --> 00:40:52.148
Teacher's Insurance Plan, auto insurance that brings exclusive educator savings

00:40:52.148 --> 00:40:57.448
and exceptional customer care to New Jersey and Pennsylvania educational employees.

00:40:58.128 --> 00:41:00.528
That was a little cringe. I'm not going to lie. I loved it.

00:41:02.048 --> 00:41:05.268
Together wherever we go. Oh, good Lord.

00:41:05.468 --> 00:41:09.768
Okay, so we invite you definitely, if you are in New Jersey,

00:41:09.948 --> 00:41:13.328
to take the trip and come and see the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

00:41:13.708 --> 00:41:15.388
You could definitely spend a day here.

00:41:16.428 --> 00:41:19.448
Visit the various, you know, displays that they have. Get your karaoke on.

00:41:19.448 --> 00:41:22.548
Get your karaoke on. There's really cool stuff. There is really cool stuff here.

00:41:22.828 --> 00:41:27.248
Whether you're a history buff or someone who's just interested in all things

00:41:27.248 --> 00:41:30.828
New Jersey, it's definitely a cool place to come and see. And the American Dream Mall is nothing to...

00:41:31.497 --> 00:41:34.857
Shake a stick at, I guess. It's pretty cool to come and walk around.

00:41:35.057 --> 00:41:37.797
I think it's been a few weeks here. You could. Yeah. A lot of cool stuff. Yeah, absolutely.

00:41:38.097 --> 00:41:41.857
Yeah, for sure. So as always, I appreciate you, friend.

00:41:42.057 --> 00:41:47.217
Mr. Vitale, I appreciate you. I appreciate these 100 episodes. Yes.

00:41:47.537 --> 00:41:53.037
And we hope that you have all enjoyed taking this journey with us and stay along

00:41:53.037 --> 00:41:57.277
for the ride for what's to come. A hundred more. Why not? Let's give it a try.

00:41:58.057 --> 00:42:01.417
All right. Cheers, everybody. We'll see you all next time on The Balancing Act Podcast. Bye.

00:42:02.997 --> 00:42:07.757
Look for the balancing act podcast every week on your favorite podcast platform

00:42:07.757 --> 00:42:09.797
new episodes drop every team.