Talking with @Balancedmindsedu Jamie Ruffner, your sarcastic teaching bestie

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You are listening to the Balancing Act podcast. Here's your hosts,

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Jamie Wonko and Joe Vitale.

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All right, and we are officially recording. Hello, and welcome to the Balancing Act podcast.

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I am here with Mr. Joseph Vitale. I am Jamie Wonko. Welcome.

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Hello, Mr. Vitale. How are you? I'm good. How are you?

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I'm hanging in there. uh aces my good friend aces

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i love when you say aces it makes me so happy oh i'm

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so glad yeah for sure um you know

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one of the hottest uh christmas gifts around these parts that

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we are you know we've been using for weeks and weeks at this point um

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are some playing cards with our

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dog on them that i had made yes you

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know we have like a 25 year game of gin

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rummy that's never ending and uh you know

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so i thought oh let me get and it's just you know

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jingle after jingle after jingle on those cards and endless amounts

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of joy aces that's awesome um we have a game we haven't played yet which was

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explain a movie badly and i saw it on online when i was sitting at a like barnes

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and noble and it on the side of the box it's it like explained the game and

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then it had like a sample And it was like,

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father loses his son and finds him at the orthodontist's office. What movie is that?

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Putting you on the spot. I don't know. Finding Nemo.

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Oh, Nemo. I know. It's so, I just read it and I was like, this is so fun.

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We have to play this game. We haven't played it yet.

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But definitely during family game night, that's definitely going to come on.

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That sounds fun. I like that. Yeah, it does. Yeah.

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Hey, you know what doesn't play games? How? Our season three sponsor.

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That's right. They don't.

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Okay. Our season three sponsor. Season three is brought to you by our presenting

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sponsor, Teacher's Insurance Plan. Make sure you check out their website,

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which we've tagged in our episode.

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Teacher's insurance plan, auto insurance that brings exclusive educator savings

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and exceptional customer care to New Jersey and Pennsylvania educational employees.

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Well, there you go. There you go. Thank you so much, presenting sponsor. Yeah, we have a guest.

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I don't know if you're ready for the situation that you've set yourself up for

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today. Well, it's going to be interesting.

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To Jamie's at a microphone.

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All right, let's bring her in. Hello, Jamie Ruffner. How are you?

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Good. How are you guys doing? Yeah, I feel like for this episode only that I should switch it.

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So this way I could be like in the middle. double Jamie sandwich the

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Jamie sandwich I think I need to be I that

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would be weird if I said it so I'm not going to say it um so yeah

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it's very exciting to have you um I follow you

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on social media and reached out to you and I just I think a lot of your comment

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content is so relatable and fun and also funny and poignant for a lot of the

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things that are going on in education today and I was like yeah that happens

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to us yeah that happens to us yeah that happens to us I was like I gotta talk

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to this other Jamie, no offense,

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and see if we can discuss, you know, some of the things that are going on and

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the hot button issues in education today.

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So it's really great to have you. Thanks for joining us, Jamie.

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Oh, thanks for having me.

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So tell us a little bit about you and your journey. I know you're no longer

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in the classroom. We'd love to hear a little bit about it.

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And what I love about that is you're still doing things to help teachers,

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you know, in the classroom in the day-to-day. So I'd love to hear about that a little bit from you.

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Oh, well, thank you. I appreciate that. I am very still passionate about education,

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even though leaving the classroom, I kind of felt like a, it's been about a

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year now, but you know, when you feel pushed to do something, it was really no choice.

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So I can get into that later, but my husband is still in the classroom.

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He's a seventh grade science teacher.

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Okay. So, um, just some content already this week, made a funny one about the

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biggest loser. Do you guys do that at your school?

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Oh, we do. Oh, they used to do that at our school. Uh, and...

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I never did it. I did. And then they once lost all the data of everybody's play-ins

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for so many weeks. And I was like, I'm out, guys. It was heartbreaking.

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I was like, are you kidding me?

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Look at Jamie's, the other Jamie.

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Jamie Ruffner was, her look on her face like, oh my God, they lost all the data?

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I know. I'm thinking, how would that go over if it was student data?

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Yeah. Yeah, it was worse because it was us. now

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yeah that was

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a heartbreaker someone was looking at it yeah right i'm sure

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that this episode will be out you know probably after that

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content is so what is what did you make in regards to the biggest loser video

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if you don't mind me asking what'd you put together just the two points of view

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the person who's you know all about let's do it it's a new here new us teamwork

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and the other person who's like i'm not going to be publicly shamed on a scale

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in front of all of you i got bigger problems so there you go just that kind

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of thing so i could see that um yeah i remember that,

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But one of the last times they did it, I think one of the guys who did it was like an ex-wrestler.

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So he knew it was coming and he bulked up.

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He was like, I'm going to the electric chair. I'm just going to eat my way through the holidays.

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So he got really prepared so he could really tip the scales,

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no pun intended, in his favor.

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So, yeah, it's interesting. Yeah, I think my husband did the same thing,

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except not intentionally.

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That's great oh that's awesome yeah anyway

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a little bit about me i guess um so

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i became a teacher kind of later in life it was my second career i actually

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went to school for journalism broadcast news so it's kind of funny that now

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i'm making videos and enjoying making content because i guess i always kind

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of liked that um but i did get my master's in elementary education and started

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my career in North Carolina.

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Um with my husband we were down there and so it was interesting in some of my

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content i talk about like working in a suit in a state that didn't have a union

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versus one that did i'm in ohio now,

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um and spent the bulk of my career

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in a middle school in fifth grade a four

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through eight building i always said i would never work in

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a middle school that was my one thing going into education i would never do

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it middle school teachers are crazy the kids are crazy everybody's crazy but

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I landed there and I loved it and realized I was crazy too and I was right where

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I belonged so actually left my career in second grade.

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Yeah, you don't go backwards. Everyone told me, you can't go younger once you've

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taught older kids. Don't do it.

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Yeah. And they were right about that.

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So after the pandemic is when I really got passionate kind of about emotional

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regulation, social emotional learning.

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I have been a yogi, an avid yogi for a long time, over a decade,

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and did a program called Breathe for Change.

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Have you guys heard of it? I have not. No. Okay.

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So it's a yoga certification, but it's also an SEL facilitator certification.

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So I did that with a couple other teachers in my middle school after the pandemic

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and started doing a yoga club. I hosted a mental health challenge through Google Classroom.

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I got like the whole school involved and it was really great.

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But really ran into some red tape as time went on, and I was trying to kind

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of grow the program and things like that, eventually reaching my burnout.

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Not saying that was the reason. I also have two boys that are 8 and 10,

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and when I moved to second grade, my son was also in second grade,

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and I was just very unprepared for what happened in that classroom.

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So, yeah, a lot of the content that I make is things that have happened to me. Yeah.

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And it has been a really wild ride putting myself out there because,

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you know, I have commenters that are like, oh, you were probably that fussy

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teacher who always complained and like not at all, like never.

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I mean, I found that to be disrespectful. I always, you know,

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it's like very professional in meetings.

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And so a lot of this content that I'm making has been just like pent up,

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like how I feel like it's so ridiculous. And, of course, before this,

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I didn't even have my real name anywhere on my social media, period.

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I used my middle name because, you know, like just trying to be professional.

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So that's been a big part of my mission is saying things that teachers can't

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say because they are in the classroom and they do have to worry about it.

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I mean, I've talked about this, that we want we want to not in the same way,

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but we want to do an episode. It's like, yeah, you just can't say that.

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You can't say it. Uh, it really, it's, it's more geared towards some younger

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teachers who we've, we, you know, there's, there's some.

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Brashness, if you will, that maybe they shouldn't have just yet.

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You know, you just can't say it.

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We kind of, I like the fact that you're using this as an avenue to say like,

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yeah, these are probably things and discussions that are happening in the hallways,

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in the faculty room that teachers really want to say, but nobody really wants to say it.

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I think it's great that you're doing that.

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You know, one of the, actually, I think I might've texted you your own video

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because I was like, Like, oh, my God, say this louder for the people in the back.

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And you talked about the fact that what we are asking children,

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and Jamie, you've mentioned this before, too.

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What we're asking children to do by grade level is the things that we're asking

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them to do in second grade, we used to ask them to do in fourth grade.

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And it's so detrimental to the young learning mind that it's causing stress

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and anxiety in the classroom.

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And I'd love to speak with you a little bit about that, especially because I

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thought that if you haven't found that video, I'll try to tag it in our episode because it was great.

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It was like one of those things that I was sitting on the couch and I watched it.

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I was like, yep, we got to talk about this because I really feel that it's probably

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something that you saw and dealt with while you were in the classroom.

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Absolutely. When I became a teacher, it was right after Common Core came out.

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So it was a big discussion in the elementary building I was in,

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and I started in third grade.

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And also, I would like to mention, I don't know, I haven't looked specifically

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if New Jersey has a reading law for third graders, but North Carolina and Ohio do.

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The third grade reading guarantee is what it's called here in Ohio.

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And I've done content about Mississippi, just put a similar law in place that

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basically you can't advance a student if they're not proficiently reading by third grade.

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And anyway, all that to be said is when I started my career,

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I started, you know, doing observations as you do when you're doing your internships

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and moving around and going into kindergarten classrooms and speaking to those

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teachers who had been in it for over 20 years are just like,

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this is terrible. It used to be half day.

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They used to have naps. They used to play all the time. And I'm like,

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yeah, we're really asking a lot more of these kids than we used to.

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And as I've gotten older and I've learned more about the brain and I've had

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my interests in neuroscience and child development,

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and especially since I've left the classroom and I've had time to actually really

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dig into these things that I have been interested in and seeing my own child struggle too.

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I'm just like, yeah, we just basically said, okay, what do you need to be college and career ready?

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And we're going to push all the standards down and completely ignore the fact

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that child development doesn't work like that.

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We can't just say we're going to make everybody college ready and we're going

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to push everything down before they're supposed to be learning these things. Yep.

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It's so frustrating because it's as middle school teachers, and maybe you two

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can relate, but so many kids can't read.

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And then what do we do? We have to make sure that as a science teacher,

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which I was science and math, but a lot of the content, you know,

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you'd have to make sure they have a read aloud.

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And I'm like, we're just putting a band-aid on a problem. This kid is 11,

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12 years old, and we're not helping them learn how to read.

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We're just ignoring that they

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didn't, they weren't able to read basically by the end of second grade.

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So now we're going to make accommodations for them. the whole way up. It's silly.

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So I have a son who's 17, and he was having so much difficulty learning how

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to read as a younger kid in first grade.

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And I had a colleague who had a master's in reading specialization.

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It was like, can you please?

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There's no reason that he should be behind. And they keep telling me he's behind and he's behind.

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And it was one of those things like you have two parents that are both teachers,

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and you've been read to since basically you were you know, birthed.

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And, and so she went into quite a lot of the science behind like brain development,

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not just in females, but particularly in males of that age and how you're really not ready to even.

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Really learn to read until like seven, eight years old.

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So like to have these, you know, restrictions in place or these ideas,

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you know, this cookie cutter model of like, everyone should be this and if not, you can't.

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And, you know, and it's so limiting and so frustrating.

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And, you know, now he's like on his way and getting ready to go to college with like a 3.8.

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You know, it's like all the things, but it's very, it's easy for me now to look

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back and, you know, and say, yeah,

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But I, all the things and all that pressure that you feel to,

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you know, to keep up and to do and to give them and, and especially for the

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teachers that are teaching whole classes of kids that,

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you know, they're like, oh, maybe they should all write a three paragraph essay. And it's like, what?

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No. You know, we were C spot, run, go spot, go.

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You know, and it is those important building blocks, though,

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because you cannot, you know, have Z if you haven't figured out A.

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You know, it just doesn't work that way. Both literally and figuratively.

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Yes, absolutely. Yeah, I mean, yeah.

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And I really felt like so unprepared when I went into second grade teaching these kids how to read.

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And I'm like, oh my gosh, I've been a teacher over a decade and I am trained

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in this and I am prepared to do this.

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But just so many deficits and lots of executive function issues,

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which at the time I didn't even know what those words meant.

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I had never learned about it. ADHD, I thought if they're hyper,

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you know, then they should have a 504 plan.

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And that's just where I was at in my career. So looking back,

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I'm just like, I really hope that some teacher training can also change because

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I also didn't know that like 20% of our population has dyslexia.

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And I think my husband probably does and he does too.

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And, you know, we just weren't aware of that and how it does affect your reading

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and your ability to read.

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Have you guys listened to the podcast? You are a podcaster, Sold a Story.

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I have not, no. What is, it's called Sold a Story? Sold a Story.

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Emily Hansford. I feel like I'm bored of that, okay. I'm writing it down, okay. Yeah.

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You have probably heard of it because she's actually, she's a journalist and

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she revealed a lot of things in reading that has changed actual laws.

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And it's all about the science of reading and how, you know,

00:15:57.791 --> 00:16:01.611
that got ignored for the whole language and the three cueing methods. kids.

00:16:02.291 --> 00:16:05.851
So I had already been out of the classroom and I started learning all of this.

00:16:05.991 --> 00:16:10.551
And I'm like, oh my gosh, like children with executive function struggles and

00:16:10.551 --> 00:16:15.971
ADHD are typically one to three years behind their peers academically and socially.

00:16:16.551 --> 00:16:21.391
So, you know, to expect so many of these kids and then you're sitting there

00:16:21.391 --> 00:16:23.811
in second grade and I'm getting my class roster and I'm like,

00:16:23.971 --> 00:16:27.151
I don't have, well, actually I had one kid that was identified.

00:16:27.151 --> 00:16:30.511
So I'm thinking like, oh, it's going to be easier well

00:16:30.511 --> 00:16:33.431
none of them are identified yet and these are

00:16:33.431 --> 00:16:36.291
the critical years they're learning how to read you know

00:16:36.291 --> 00:16:41.231
and you can just see and my husband would joke and be like oh we'll have to

00:16:41.231 --> 00:16:44.871
go back and look at my list by the time they get to seventh grade and see how

00:16:44.871 --> 00:16:48.991
many of them are and it's like yeah but we're just going to watch them struggle

00:16:48.991 --> 00:16:54.051
until they get to third grade caught in that net and until there's somebody

00:16:54.051 --> 00:16:56.011
available and in the meantime we're going to put them off.

00:16:56.171 --> 00:17:00.191
It just, the whole thing is a mess. It was really just, I felt like.

00:17:01.130 --> 00:17:07.090
Crushed by the system. We have a, we're in a building that, actually our whole

00:17:07.090 --> 00:17:10.270
district pretty much, there's a good amount of ELL students in the district.

00:17:10.530 --> 00:17:15.930
And a lot of times that their inability to read is sometimes attributed to the

00:17:15.930 --> 00:17:18.350
fact that, of course, they don't know the language all that well.

00:17:18.450 --> 00:17:26.690
But we're finding that a number of students are unable to read in their,

00:17:26.690 --> 00:17:28.690
They're below grade level in their native language.

00:17:29.010 --> 00:17:33.430
So they're already behind the eight ball, and now we're expecting them to be

00:17:33.430 --> 00:17:38.930
up to snuff at grade level of a language that they do not speak regularly.

00:17:39.830 --> 00:17:45.970
So we have that problem as well, as well as, you know, the class sizes and stuff

00:17:45.970 --> 00:17:49.750
like that that we're, I don't want to say we're fighting, but we just have to

00:17:49.750 --> 00:17:51.970
deal with it. You know, it's just something that we have to deal with.

00:17:52.690 --> 00:17:58.330
What are some tips that you have for parents with executive functioning and

00:17:58.330 --> 00:18:03.870
trying to help their children? So maybe not looking at it as much from a teaching

00:18:03.870 --> 00:18:06.210
point of view, but from a parenting point of view.

00:18:06.910 --> 00:18:10.490
Yeah, I'm so glad you brought that up, Jamie, because that has been like,

00:18:10.690 --> 00:18:15.170
obviously, I love my students and you guys probably feel the same.

00:18:15.830 --> 00:18:20.350
You want to leave an impression on your students that help them in life,

00:18:20.510 --> 00:18:22.830
not just one specific thing in your content area.

00:18:22.830 --> 00:18:28.050
So that has been a passion for me, but I actually right before we jumped on

00:18:28.050 --> 00:18:31.430
here was helping my son with his reading homework and he's in third grade.

00:18:33.130 --> 00:18:37.670
And he hates doing homework. He hates starting anything. His task initiation

00:18:37.670 --> 00:18:40.090
is just, it needs a lot of help.

00:18:40.510 --> 00:18:45.970
So one thing I would recommend if your kid is struggling with task initiation, like,

00:18:46.987 --> 00:18:50.807
He has popcorn when he does some work. It helps him. It's just such a silly

00:18:50.807 --> 00:18:56.007
thing, but it's like his dopamine hit to be able to have a little snack while he's working.

00:18:56.387 --> 00:19:01.527
And then I set a timer and I say, let's just do this for one minute.

00:19:02.207 --> 00:19:06.307
And then once he gets rolling, he's fine. And then I'll reset it and I'll say,

00:19:06.387 --> 00:19:08.867
I bet this won't even take us 10 minutes. Do you want to see if it does?

00:19:09.607 --> 00:19:12.567
And we finished three pages of his reading packet.

00:19:14.027 --> 00:19:17.867
It. It's far too much, but he stayed pretty focused for him.

00:19:18.127 --> 00:19:22.467
So a lot of the tips that I've been learning about are really helping me.

00:19:22.627 --> 00:19:28.347
So I mean, using a timer, I got both of my boys magnetic calendars for Christmas.

00:19:28.407 --> 00:19:29.607
Yeah, that's really good.

00:19:29.767 --> 00:19:33.027
Yeah, that's a big. So they can see their week. You know, when do they have

00:19:33.027 --> 00:19:34.967
basketball practice? When do they have musical?

00:19:35.307 --> 00:19:39.367
And what do they have to do? They have their AM and PM routine.

00:19:39.467 --> 00:19:43.947
And I'm like, oh my gosh, all the years that I've spent being like, now go get your shoes.

00:19:44.447 --> 00:19:48.147
And I thought I was doing a good job because I would say one thing and then

00:19:48.147 --> 00:19:50.387
wait for them to do it. But that was so much on me.

00:19:50.747 --> 00:19:55.087
Yeah. Remembering everything they needed to do and the steps and make sure it's all done every morning.

00:19:55.107 --> 00:19:59.167
And all it took was now like giving them this list that they follow and they

00:19:59.167 --> 00:20:01.727
love having that kind of like agency.

00:20:02.127 --> 00:20:06.727
Yeah. The responsibility too. And that kind of becomes your anchor chart,

00:20:06.887 --> 00:20:08.827
right? Where you can be like, Hey, do you have all your stuff?

00:20:08.987 --> 00:20:13.727
Did you look at your list? you have everything you need um and it's good lessons

00:20:13.727 --> 00:20:16.867
for them to learn especially at the ages that they are right eight and ten i

00:20:16.867 --> 00:20:20.827
mean you're you're creating um you know kids that are self reliant that are

00:20:20.827 --> 00:20:24.187
able to do that stuff on their own um and that that's one of the challenges

00:20:24.187 --> 00:20:28.247
with executive function for sure uh the timer thing is a great idea um.

00:20:28.911 --> 00:20:31.871
Um to use with your students like let's do

00:20:31.871 --> 00:20:34.531
this for five minutes and like wow let's see how much we got done in

00:20:34.531 --> 00:20:37.451
five minutes that went by like a look of an eye and just using

00:20:37.451 --> 00:20:40.491
things like that i think those are great strategies um my

00:20:40.491 --> 00:20:43.971
son during the pandemic used to i just

00:20:43.971 --> 00:20:46.751
thought about it just made me laugh and he used

00:20:46.751 --> 00:20:49.731
to come out like in between classes they would get like their break they

00:20:49.731 --> 00:20:52.351
would get like a 10 minute break from one class to another before they had to

00:20:52.351 --> 00:20:55.031
be on one meeting to the next and he would come out and i'd still

00:20:55.031 --> 00:20:58.331
be teaching and he'd be like well time for my 10 o'clock and

00:20:58.331 --> 00:21:01.051
he was in seventh grade and he would walk to the cabinet he'd get his

00:21:01.051 --> 00:21:03.911
little bowl of goldfish or like two oreos on

00:21:03.911 --> 00:21:06.611
top and that was his 10 o'clock where he would have his

00:21:06.611 --> 00:21:09.331
snack um but you know like you said with the

00:21:09.331 --> 00:21:12.211
popcorn right it's just something to be said where like you got

00:21:12.211 --> 00:21:16.691
that little thing that keeps you focused intentional and organized i think that's

00:21:16.691 --> 00:21:22.911
right yeah i used to cook from mcdonald's you know yo i told me see jamie i'm

00:21:22.911 --> 00:21:27.211
telling you I have many a thread with former guests of ours where it's like

00:21:27.211 --> 00:21:29.331
Diet Coke videos. People love it.

00:21:29.591 --> 00:21:32.731
Shout out to Dr. Santorelli.

00:21:33.031 --> 00:21:36.351
Shout out to Courtney White.

00:21:36.691 --> 00:21:39.731
Yeah, there's Diet Coke merch now.

00:21:39.931 --> 00:21:44.151
I mean, there's so many things. I'm really just jealous because I had an ulcer

00:21:44.151 --> 00:21:47.211
some years ago, and I'm not allowed to drink anything that's carbonated.

00:21:47.211 --> 00:21:52.271
So when I like joke with him and about his dessert soda fascination and things

00:21:52.271 --> 00:21:54.711
like that, it's because I can't drink it. She thinks soda is dessert.

00:21:55.471 --> 00:21:58.671
It's a treat. Well, because to me, it's like, I mean, I may have one like one

00:21:58.671 --> 00:22:00.311
a year because I'm not supposed to drink it.

00:22:00.431 --> 00:22:04.591
But he's just chugging it and burping and chugging it and going for it. Stop it.

00:22:04.851 --> 00:22:08.631
I love, I loves me. I loves me some Fountain Diet Coke. I mean,

00:22:08.831 --> 00:22:12.371
McDonald's Diet Coke just hits at another level. It just totally does.

00:22:12.771 --> 00:22:16.611
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00:23:45.574 --> 00:23:48.474
We had a doctor on a few weeks ago, Dr.

00:23:48.554 --> 00:23:52.394
Lefkoe, and so she had given us some tips for executive functioning.

00:23:52.394 --> 00:23:55.314
And um and it actually is the reason that my

00:23:55.314 --> 00:23:58.514
christmas gifts got wrapped because she said

00:23:58.514 --> 00:24:01.254
you know like call from the dopamine menu and here are the sides and

00:24:01.254 --> 00:24:04.614
here's the main and um and so you know you saying like oh well just having a

00:24:04.614 --> 00:24:09.234
snack as part of the dopamine menu you know it it is so true i was like you

00:24:09.234 --> 00:24:13.014
know what i'm gonna just she had recommended like you know if you're gonna walk

00:24:13.014 --> 00:24:16.534
maybe pick a favorite show and you're only allowed to watch that show while

00:24:16.534 --> 00:24:19.094
you're doing the activity that you don't want to do.

00:24:19.214 --> 00:24:23.894
So that's exactly what I did and finished wrapping all of my Christmas gifts,

00:24:23.994 --> 00:24:25.674
you know, because of that tip.

00:24:25.734 --> 00:24:31.514
I think it's so important what you're doing because we have these little things

00:24:31.514 --> 00:24:35.174
that we do or don't do as parents, especially, and as teachers,

00:24:35.374 --> 00:24:36.794
sometimes with different groups of kids,

00:24:37.194 --> 00:24:41.074
that you're not sure, does this make sense?

00:24:41.314 --> 00:24:44.614
Should I be doing this? Should I not? Is this sort of, you know,

00:24:44.754 --> 00:24:45.974
am I giving them too much?

00:24:45.974 --> 00:24:50.154
Is it not enough? And I think that that like sort of second guessing ourselves,

00:24:50.514 --> 00:24:53.594
you know, I know for me as a mom, it was always like, oh, I mean,

00:24:53.654 --> 00:24:56.914
I was to the point with three little kids getting out of the house in the morning,

00:24:57.074 --> 00:25:01.414
taking everyone to drop off, getting myself to work where I think like my son,

00:25:01.654 --> 00:25:04.434
I swear he was like six years old and starting the car.

00:25:04.854 --> 00:25:09.794
And it was like, oh, gosh, there's ice here, dude. Like you got us tall enough

00:25:09.794 --> 00:25:12.194
to like reach the break. You know, so it's it is true, though.

00:25:12.294 --> 00:25:12.954
It's like those morning.

00:25:13.752 --> 00:25:17.972
Activities, those routines get overwhelming, especially if you're the parent

00:25:17.972 --> 00:25:22.592
that, you know, sometimes is alone in charge of getting more humans out of the

00:25:22.592 --> 00:25:24.552
house that, you know, I'm like, you guys outnumber me.

00:25:24.752 --> 00:25:28.512
I just brushed three people's teeth and, oh wait, and my own, you know?

00:25:28.692 --> 00:25:35.152
So I think what you are saying, it sometimes might sound like this is a small thing. It's huge.

00:25:35.512 --> 00:25:40.692
It is huge. So those calendars and those different executive functioning tips

00:25:40.692 --> 00:25:45.592
are so important because some of us maybe try them and if they don't work like

00:25:45.592 --> 00:25:47.712
in the first minute, you're like, oh, forget it. I'm not going to do it.

00:25:47.932 --> 00:25:52.572
You know, so to hear those things laid out and how good that can be to establishing

00:25:52.572 --> 00:25:55.652
those routines is, it's so important. Yeah.

00:25:56.252 --> 00:26:00.372
Yeah. I'd love to hear. Sorry, go ahead. Sorry. Oh, I was just going to say,

00:26:00.672 --> 00:26:06.412
just even doing, going through the executive function coaching academy is where

00:26:06.412 --> 00:26:07.552
I got my certification through.

00:26:07.752 --> 00:26:11.552
But the first thing I did was go through as a student. And when I was done,

00:26:11.552 --> 00:26:15.972
And I was like, I didn't even know, like I use Google for everything and Google

00:26:15.972 --> 00:26:18.412
Calendar. I didn't know. Have you guys used Google Tasks?

00:26:19.472 --> 00:26:23.632
Yeah, I have in the past. I haven't used it in a while, but yeah, that's like a...

00:26:23.632 --> 00:26:28.452
I mean, I just, I write lists everywhere and then I would write lists in my

00:26:28.452 --> 00:26:31.432
notes on my phone, but I love that on Google Tasks,

00:26:31.472 --> 00:26:34.372
I can have it on my phone and on my computer and it can pop out and you can

00:26:34.372 --> 00:26:38.172
make long-term goals and you can make regular tasks and then you can press the

00:26:38.172 --> 00:26:39.212
little button when it's done.

00:26:39.212 --> 00:26:44.412
And it's like that change from, like, I need that. I need to be. Yes.

00:26:44.772 --> 00:26:49.152
But it's been game changing. I mean, a lot of the things I learned in that course

00:26:49.152 --> 00:26:51.692
to be able to then use with students was like.

00:26:52.912 --> 00:26:55.652
At setting a timer for myself now that i'm working for

00:26:55.652 --> 00:26:58.612
myself as a business owner is completely different in a classroom it

00:26:58.612 --> 00:27:02.372
was like you didn't have time to like try to plan your day it was just like

00:27:02.372 --> 00:27:06.952
let's go like the day is happening to you when you say set a timer for yourself

00:27:06.952 --> 00:27:09.892
how does that work for you like how because that's an executive function tip

00:27:09.892 --> 00:27:13.752
for people that might be are not good starters right like what how does that

00:27:13.752 --> 00:27:17.792
look for you so i'll probably say this wrong is

00:27:17.922 --> 00:27:20.842
Pomodoro technique is what it's technically called.

00:27:22.082 --> 00:27:28.402
Yeah, 45 minute timer of deep work that I'm not allowed to get on my social

00:27:28.402 --> 00:27:30.662
media or check my email even.

00:27:30.822 --> 00:27:33.942
Those things distract me. I'll obsessively check these things.

00:27:34.902 --> 00:27:38.122
And then I will let myself have a 15 minute break. And for me,

00:27:38.242 --> 00:27:41.682
usually that's switching the laundry or getting a snack or letting the dog out,

00:27:41.842 --> 00:27:45.082
but just giving that break from that focus work.

00:27:45.242 --> 00:27:49.362
And I just noticed my productivity has really improved by using that method.

00:27:49.722 --> 00:27:54.182
Yeah. And I will, I will also say my famous line, uh, you will never be lonely

00:27:54.182 --> 00:27:55.982
because laundry will always be there for you.

00:27:56.542 --> 00:28:00.262
Um, as, as the person that does the laundry in the house, I get it.

00:28:00.402 --> 00:28:03.622
Um, but yeah, it's, uh, oh yeah, I know.

00:28:03.722 --> 00:28:07.562
I, I, I joke all the time that my wife hit the power ball of the husband lottery,

00:28:07.742 --> 00:28:09.722
but, uh, she doesn't like that joke when I say it.

00:28:11.122 --> 00:28:14.382
So I'll Or she might murder me. Right, Jane?

00:28:16.482 --> 00:28:20.002
As she cackles. That was part of an episode we recorded.

00:28:20.202 --> 00:28:23.682
Like, Tracy would be very good at murdering you. It's like, that's an episode

00:28:23.682 --> 00:28:25.302
that she's not going to listen to.

00:28:26.022 --> 00:28:29.762
So I'd love to hear about, you know, balanced minds and what that,

00:28:29.762 --> 00:28:32.002
you know, looked like. What's the impetus behind it?

00:28:32.922 --> 00:28:35.842
You know, I know it was recognizing a need, but I also know,

00:28:35.982 --> 00:28:40.842
like, it's something that you quote unquote offer. So I'd love to hear about that.

00:28:41.662 --> 00:28:46.702
Oh, well, thank you. Yes, Balanced Mind has evolved since last year quite a bit.

00:28:46.922 --> 00:28:50.822
I actually, my husband and I both always knew we wanted to kind of start an

00:28:50.822 --> 00:28:55.382
educational business, mostly aimed at emotional regulation.

00:28:56.762 --> 00:28:57.342
And,

00:28:58.583 --> 00:29:03.283
When I left second grade, what I was really focused on between my son and those

00:29:03.283 --> 00:29:10.183
second graders that I had was like, oh, yeah, like I knew what these kids needed, like kind of.

00:29:10.383 --> 00:29:14.623
I felt like I did have some background knowledge to see that they need to like

00:29:14.623 --> 00:29:19.883
slow down and get some regulation and social skills before they can jump into

00:29:19.883 --> 00:29:22.443
this curriculum on ancient China.

00:29:22.443 --> 00:29:30.043
Um but but then i was like you know what would be really great is if i created

00:29:30.043 --> 00:29:35.083
a curriculum that incorporated reading with these social emotional learning

00:29:35.083 --> 00:29:37.283
skills and then i realized that was like.

00:29:38.403 --> 00:29:44.923
Something i absolutely hated doing so that had to go um and i mean teaching

00:29:44.923 --> 00:29:49.323
children how to read thankfully everett's progressing and i'm helping him but

00:29:49.323 --> 00:29:56.183
that is just not where my heart is And so the more that I learned about ADHD,

00:29:56.643 --> 00:30:02.823
he went through testing for dyslexia and ADHD testing and seeing the systems

00:30:02.823 --> 00:30:05.783
and what parents actually go through from the other side, finally,

00:30:06.143 --> 00:30:11.783
kind of led me into executive function and learning more about that.

00:30:11.783 --> 00:30:15.843
And I was like, oh, this is like, this is what needs to be taught.

00:30:15.983 --> 00:30:20.683
This is where kids and adults need help because as a society,

00:30:20.683 --> 00:30:24.903
we're so quick to be like, well, let's get the diagnosis. We need to get the

00:30:24.903 --> 00:30:28.003
meds on board. We need to get the IEP at school.

00:30:28.223 --> 00:30:32.423
And it's like, ah, like it's just, that's.

00:30:33.837 --> 00:30:36.997
It's completely necessary for some people and it needs to be there.

00:30:37.117 --> 00:30:42.157
But I think too many parents are jumping to that because they just don't know

00:30:42.157 --> 00:30:43.657
what to do and they don't know how to help.

00:30:43.857 --> 00:30:48.657
And like we had just talked about, a lot of this is just developmental.

00:30:49.377 --> 00:30:54.597
I feel like as a parent who was panicking this time a year ago with my child

00:30:54.597 --> 00:30:59.117
and him not being able to read I feel so much calmer and that co-regulation

00:30:59.117 --> 00:31:03.057
is so important I can see such a difference in my kids just by me being different

00:31:03.057 --> 00:31:06.297
and being able to regulate so um,

00:31:07.657 --> 00:31:11.997
so luckily I picked kind of a vague name for my company as it shifted it still

00:31:11.997 --> 00:31:15.617
has the the little book, because that's how it started.

00:31:20.675 --> 00:31:27.835
So, yeah, I do have two kind of goals. It's not just helping kids and teachers

00:31:27.835 --> 00:31:30.975
and parents with their kids' executive function struggles.

00:31:31.295 --> 00:31:37.875
That's a big part of it. But also being an advocate for systemic change and education reform.

00:31:38.415 --> 00:31:42.995
I love public education. I mean, I am a product of public education.

00:31:43.235 --> 00:31:47.255
My kids are – Jamie, you said you're also married to a teacher.

00:31:47.655 --> 00:31:52.655
I heard you mention that. Yes, yeah. My wife is a college professor,

00:31:52.835 --> 00:31:54.615
so we got that too. Oh, okay. So you as well.

00:31:54.835 --> 00:31:58.735
Okay. So yeah, we all understand. I mean, very passionate about education.

00:31:59.075 --> 00:32:06.695
And just like, I guess how I would put it is you have all these people come

00:32:06.695 --> 00:32:08.035
in, you guys know, for PDs, right?

00:32:08.455 --> 00:32:11.895
And somebody might come in and talk at a PD about executive function.

00:32:12.195 --> 00:32:16.275
And these PDs would happen and I'd be like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:32:16.615 --> 00:32:21.095
It doesn't really matter what you say. you can't come in here and show me how to do it effectively.

00:32:21.535 --> 00:32:25.895
You won't come in here and show me because it's impossible. There's too much on our plate.

00:32:26.775 --> 00:32:30.095
You can't just say, here's what you got to do and here's the why,

00:32:30.095 --> 00:32:32.175
and then put another thing on me.

00:32:32.515 --> 00:32:39.475
So I do feel like it wouldn't be fair for me to be putting out advice for teachers

00:32:39.475 --> 00:32:44.615
when I left the classroom because I was completely burnt pal. I mean, yeah.

00:32:46.008 --> 00:32:49.868
It's just the job has gotten so ridiculous.

00:32:50.268 --> 00:32:53.508
The plate just gets fuller and fuller and fuller. And nobody comes and ever

00:32:53.508 --> 00:32:55.408
says, well, let's scoop this off of here.

00:32:55.728 --> 00:32:57.028
You know, there are people right

00:32:57.028 --> 00:33:01.128
now that had to pull their cars over listening to this to clap for you.

00:33:02.068 --> 00:33:07.188
Just so you know. Because this is what we hear in so much of the feedback from

00:33:07.188 --> 00:33:09.408
so many people that it is just.

00:33:10.648 --> 00:33:14.388
It's like you just keep adding and adding and adding and adding.

00:33:14.388 --> 00:33:18.948
And you had said before, somebody said to you about if your plate's too full,

00:33:19.088 --> 00:33:21.588
get a tray. Get a bigger plate. Yeah. Get a bigger tray.

00:33:22.288 --> 00:33:26.548
That wasn't to me dry. It was to a colleague of mine. And we both had just kept,

00:33:26.708 --> 00:33:28.228
and it was, and more and more.

00:33:28.348 --> 00:33:34.488
I mean, for me, it took leaving a school to go to another school to be able to clean my slate.

00:33:35.248 --> 00:33:41.188
Yeah. Because I was able to actually go to a new place where nobody really knew

00:33:41.188 --> 00:33:43.668
me or expected a whole lot of me.

00:33:43.668 --> 00:33:47.068
And it was just like, oh, you're, oh, you're the new, I was the new person with

00:33:47.068 --> 00:33:51.208
20, you know, plus years experience teaching, but I was able to,

00:33:52.028 --> 00:33:53.788
otherwise, it's really very difficult.

00:33:53.848 --> 00:33:57.068
And even now, as someone who doesn't have like a lot of extra,

00:33:57.068 --> 00:34:01.848
you know, and I'm on a few committees and, you know, I dabble,

00:34:02.008 --> 00:34:04.408
but, you know, I'm like, I'm a helper.

00:34:04.528 --> 00:34:06.968
Like, what do you need? One of those people, like, what do you need?

00:34:07.568 --> 00:34:11.928
But the, you know, the pamphlets that we get and then the new lessons that we

00:34:11.928 --> 00:34:16.128
get and the new lesson plan managers that we get and then you have to do a cyber training.

00:34:16.388 --> 00:34:20.248
And, you know, it's just there's always something that has to be done.

00:34:20.728 --> 00:34:26.528
And it is like endlessly overwhelming for new teachers, seasoned teacher. It just doesn't matter.

00:34:26.728 --> 00:34:32.788
Everybody in between, you know, it is. And so what you're speaking about is just so...

00:34:33.801 --> 00:34:37.081
It's so prevalent to the teaching community. Yeah.

00:34:37.221 --> 00:34:41.801
And we often say to, you know, to a number of people, like, you know,

00:34:41.881 --> 00:34:45.281
if your building isn't the right environment, maybe going to another building

00:34:45.281 --> 00:34:46.301
is going to be good for you.

00:34:46.521 --> 00:34:49.001
And sometimes, like, even that's not enough.

00:34:49.401 --> 00:34:54.181
And, you know, Jamie, you, you, Jamie, this one.

00:34:54.541 --> 00:34:57.921
So I'm pointing to my left. Jamie White headphones.

00:34:58.741 --> 00:35:02.601
Yeah. That'll work. Yeah. I should have been smarter and realized that.

00:35:02.601 --> 00:35:06.641
Um, so, you know, Jamie, you realize like, I, I gotta go.

00:35:06.821 --> 00:35:09.741
And sometimes like you're making the best decision for yourself.

00:35:09.801 --> 00:35:13.241
And I know that you, you are not the only person.

00:35:13.621 --> 00:35:16.041
And even some of the people that are listening to this right now,

00:35:16.101 --> 00:35:19.981
they might be on the fence. Like, yeah, I don't know how much longer I can do this, you know?

00:35:20.381 --> 00:35:24.201
And what a great decision to be able to say, you know, I, just because I did

00:35:24.201 --> 00:35:29.961
something doesn't mean I have to keep doing it, you know, or if it's not serving me.

00:35:30.121 --> 00:35:36.421
And also, at the same time, it doesn't mean that you may never go back to it in a different form.

00:35:36.621 --> 00:35:40.281
You know, it's just not the right thing for that time.

00:35:40.341 --> 00:35:43.441
And I think that that's probably one of the things in a lot of our interviews

00:35:43.441 --> 00:35:49.001
with some younger teachers, it's something that we have found very fascinating

00:35:49.001 --> 00:35:54.481
of their ability to change faster than,

00:35:54.661 --> 00:35:57.821
you know, it's a lot more difficult the older that you get.

00:35:57.941 --> 00:36:00.681
That is very true. It's harder to learn and it's harder to change.

00:36:01.101 --> 00:36:04.841
But it is something, you know, we've noticed as a trend with the younger teachers

00:36:04.841 --> 00:36:07.961
is, well, you know what, this isn't really the right spot for me.

00:36:08.001 --> 00:36:09.721
I'm just going to go here. And then I'll go here.

00:36:09.881 --> 00:36:14.921
Or I'll try, you know, I'll try something different. And it requires a lot of

00:36:14.921 --> 00:36:17.081
bravery and sacrifice, you know.

00:36:17.181 --> 00:36:21.301
So we think it's really cool that you chose that for yourself and for your family, too.

00:36:22.071 --> 00:36:27.531
Yeah. Well, I do want to just add, you know, so many teachers talk about burnout

00:36:27.531 --> 00:36:31.051
and I will like wholeheartedly admit when teachers used to say that,

00:36:31.111 --> 00:36:32.411
I'm like, yeah, like who isn't burnout?

00:36:32.451 --> 00:36:36.251
I mean, you guys are parents, you know, it's like you're a working parent.

00:36:36.591 --> 00:36:39.711
Everyone's like, oh, get a real job. You're just a teacher, you know,

00:36:39.811 --> 00:36:44.331
and they don't understand the demands and also the like empathy fatigue that

00:36:44.331 --> 00:36:49.011
we carry with us and keeps us up at night and all of the things.

00:36:49.011 --> 00:36:54.631
So it wasn't all of that and yoga and self-care and all of that was really helpful for me.

00:36:54.791 --> 00:36:58.831
But I had, look, I'm all like irritated by something. Sorry.

00:37:00.571 --> 00:37:08.271
That's all right. I had a child who just screamed all day and I had gone into

00:37:08.271 --> 00:37:11.971
second grade. So I was used to being in middle school and I had four periods of 60 minutes.

00:37:12.191 --> 00:37:19.611
So, and I mean, I knew some of this child's story. Like I understood that he

00:37:19.611 --> 00:37:23.131
was highly traumatized and what was maybe going on.

00:37:23.431 --> 00:37:27.991
But at the same time, the effect that it had on the 20-something of the rest

00:37:27.991 --> 00:37:34.631
of us and myself all day, he was told I would let him go have breaks in the

00:37:34.631 --> 00:37:38.271
hallway. And the break was really truly for the rest of us and him.

00:37:38.671 --> 00:37:42.931
He came back and said, I'm not allowed to take breaks outside anymore because

00:37:42.931 --> 00:37:45.811
it's bothering other teachers. I'm like, okay.

00:37:46.571 --> 00:37:54.351
Can they imagine being in here for eight hours you know what I mean like and that on top of,

00:37:55.011 --> 00:37:59.371
everything else going on in my life and really just starting to feel like this

00:37:59.371 --> 00:38:03.031
is like I mean there's so many things like I said that I've made content about

00:38:03.031 --> 00:38:04.131
that I was like this is like,

00:38:04.731 --> 00:38:09.591
really messed up like yeah yeah like all the way up like you can follow it and

00:38:09.591 --> 00:38:15.691
it's not you know it's not teachers making these decisions but it I started to get like almost to,

00:38:16.445 --> 00:38:19.585
like dissociating. Like by the afternoon, I felt really dizzy.

00:38:19.585 --> 00:38:22.445
So I actually did think something was wrong with me.

00:38:22.605 --> 00:38:25.705
I had MRIs. I was seeing doctors.

00:38:26.525 --> 00:38:33.465
And when I went to my admin and team, they were like, and new because I was

00:38:33.465 --> 00:38:36.805
new in the building. So you spoke on that, that sometimes the change helps.

00:38:36.965 --> 00:38:41.105
But for me, I felt really isolated because I went from.

00:38:42.445 --> 00:38:46.165
Over 10 years in a building and having some really, really close friendships,

00:38:46.165 --> 00:38:49.125
being in each other's you know being in someone's

00:38:49.125 --> 00:38:52.045
wedding and then being there when my children were born and

00:38:52.045 --> 00:38:54.725
my husband was also in the building so I really had a good

00:38:54.725 --> 00:39:01.965
support network at my previous building and being told repeatedly like you need

00:39:01.965 --> 00:39:09.705
to get on anxiety meds and just that really frustrated my husband and me because

00:39:09.705 --> 00:39:13.585
I'm like well you know I've never needed him to do this job before.

00:39:14.085 --> 00:39:18.785
I don't think I should have to do. And I think it's completely fine if people

00:39:18.785 --> 00:39:22.905
choose that route or need that. I don't think anything's wrong with it.

00:39:23.305 --> 00:39:26.325
I just felt like, is that what we're asking of teachers now?

00:39:26.525 --> 00:39:29.845
Instead of supporting them when they're in a bad situation, we're going to say,

00:39:29.905 --> 00:39:33.205
no, you just really need to care less.

00:39:33.225 --> 00:39:36.965
And if you have to take medicine to do that, then that's what you need to do.

00:39:37.085 --> 00:39:43.265
And that really was disheartening for me. So, yeah, I'm so sorry that that happened

00:39:43.265 --> 00:39:45.145
to you. That's just awful.

00:39:46.288 --> 00:39:49.728
Oh, thank you. I think it'll be for good.

00:39:49.928 --> 00:39:55.048
I already feel that way. I mean, I feel like I said, that's a great perspective.

00:39:55.388 --> 00:40:00.788
Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Yeah. I mean, I had been chosen for our district's teacher

00:40:00.788 --> 00:40:04.368
of the year just three years before I left the classroom.

00:40:04.568 --> 00:40:07.508
So, you know, to a lot of people, they were like, what?

00:40:07.908 --> 00:40:09.848
You were like, you know, all in.

00:40:10.728 --> 00:40:13.748
And that's where I am.

00:40:13.888 --> 00:40:19.208
I have so much passion still left in me, but I do feel like kind of broken by the system.

00:40:19.208 --> 00:40:25.368
And I don't know exactly how to make things change, but I do plan on,

00:40:25.388 --> 00:40:29.688
like, fighting to make that happen and continuing to learn.

00:40:30.228 --> 00:40:35.528
Yeah. And we're all lucky to have you trying to do that on our behalf because

00:40:35.528 --> 00:40:39.788
there's lots of people who have experiences very similar to yours that,

00:40:39.788 --> 00:40:43.308
you know, in New Jersey we had a, you know, 25 and 55.

00:40:43.308 --> 00:40:46.768
So you had to work 25 years, be 55 years old, and they changed all these things.

00:40:46.768 --> 00:40:50.868
And I can't tell you how many people that I know, you know, if you leave so

00:40:50.868 --> 00:40:54.068
many each year that you leave before 55, it's a 3%.

00:40:54.068 --> 00:40:58.308
I mean, people walk around constantly trying to calculate how much money they

00:40:58.308 --> 00:41:02.488
would lose just to be able to leave earlier than, you know. I talk to,

00:41:02.888 --> 00:41:05.148
yeah, a lot, a lot, a lot, yeah.

00:41:05.488 --> 00:41:08.728
You know, some of my colleagues, and we're talking about good teachers.

00:41:09.048 --> 00:41:11.488
Yes. Okay. We're talking about people that care about their jobs,

00:41:11.608 --> 00:41:12.628
that are good at what they do.

00:41:12.868 --> 00:41:15.928
And they're like, I can't do this until I'm 60. Like, I can't.

00:41:15.928 --> 00:41:18.328
I can't. And now it's 65 here.

00:41:19.328 --> 00:41:22.368
Do you have something like that in Ohio? Absolutely.

00:41:22.748 --> 00:41:26.808
I was sparing 24 more years when I left. And that was a big part of it.

00:41:26.908 --> 00:41:31.388
It's like, if I'm going to get to my full retirement age, how will I do this that long?

00:41:33.348 --> 00:41:36.908
And not that I'm trying to age you, but how old would you have been if you would

00:41:36.908 --> 00:41:39.748
have went to this full 24 years? Yeah.

00:41:43.044 --> 00:41:45.804
65. Christ. I mean, I'm sorry.

00:41:46.364 --> 00:41:50.684
Yeah. There's a re there's a reason why 65 year olds don't teach second grade.

00:41:50.904 --> 00:41:55.124
Like it's, you know, I, and again, if you're 65 and you're teaching seventh

00:41:55.124 --> 00:41:58.384
grade, I don't, I mean, no disrespect whatsoever, but you are a unicorn.

00:41:58.784 --> 00:42:02.904
Okay. Because there's a reason like that energy that's needed to,

00:42:02.904 --> 00:42:06.144
to deal with those kids on the daily. Like that's a lot. Yes.

00:42:06.484 --> 00:42:10.284
And yeah, that's, uh, you know, I think that's pushing.

00:42:10.444 --> 00:42:14.964
And you also look at like our board minutes and anyone who's 55, who has,

00:42:15.144 --> 00:42:19.184
you know, 25 year service, when you see, oh, they're retiring 25 year services,

00:42:19.324 --> 00:42:22.384
much service, you know, they're going like anybody who's got the ability,

00:42:22.384 --> 00:42:26.904
who's on the, the early tier tier one and the pension in New Jersey is, is going.

00:42:27.124 --> 00:42:31.964
I would hope, I would hope that the fact that your, your district,

00:42:32.104 --> 00:42:34.984
hopefully as, as like, you know maybe there's a

00:42:34.984 --> 00:42:38.584
positive spin on this maybe they like wow if that

00:42:38.584 --> 00:42:41.384
person who's the former teacher of the year left because they

00:42:41.384 --> 00:42:44.944
were burned out maybe we're not doing something right like hopefully

00:42:44.944 --> 00:42:47.924
they looked at something i doubt it

00:42:47.924 --> 00:42:50.764
but like you know i'm hopeful i'm trying to look for

00:42:50.764 --> 00:42:53.484
a silver lining like hopefully somebody looked at it and said

00:42:53.484 --> 00:42:56.944
like well if we have people that are you know that we are giving

00:42:56.944 --> 00:42:59.824
awards to and they're like yeah i'm out i can't i

00:42:59.824 --> 00:43:02.924
can't do this like what is the rank and file no

00:43:02.924 --> 00:43:06.564
offense teacher doing to sustain themselves

00:43:06.564 --> 00:43:12.084
in the classroom and how burned out are they um yeah that's heavy conversation

00:43:12.084 --> 00:43:19.624
today but one day yeah yeah but and i you know i it's admin i know they have

00:43:19.624 --> 00:43:25.624
their own crushers and now yeah everyone is facing all of these budget cuts and i mean it's it's just.

00:43:26.933 --> 00:43:31.953
It's a mess. It's a lot. It is. We love your content on Balanced Minds Education,

00:43:31.953 --> 00:43:37.333
and we encourage all of our listeners to go and watch your many wig video.

00:43:37.513 --> 00:43:40.313
That's just for the wigs. You like watching me talk to myself?

00:43:41.253 --> 00:43:47.093
Listen, I love me a, I once did a video for like a technology academy where

00:43:47.093 --> 00:43:51.173
like I interviewed myself as a character where like I wore a wig and I was interviewed.

00:43:51.293 --> 00:43:53.693
It was great. I loved everything about it. Oh, you're fine.

00:43:54.473 --> 00:43:58.513
So I love, I'm looking at your page right now And every single one of your little

00:43:58.513 --> 00:44:01.673
thumbnails Is like you in a different wig I just love everything Yeah,

00:44:01.673 --> 00:44:08.513
so it's at Balanced Minds EDU We'll definitely tag her account in the episode description.

00:44:09.733 --> 00:44:12.893
Please, please, please Give Jamie a follow Especially if you're looking for

00:44:12.893 --> 00:44:18.633
relatable, fun content About, you know, the things that Maybe you want to say, but you just can't say it,

00:44:19.093 --> 00:44:22.713
I think it's great stuff And we really appreciate you taking the time,

00:44:22.813 --> 00:44:25.333
Jamie Jamie, I appreciate both Jamie's double Jamie.

00:44:25.673 --> 00:44:29.393
I appreciate you. And I appreciate our sponsor. Season three is brought to you

00:44:29.393 --> 00:44:31.513
by our presenting sponsor, teacher's insurance plan.

00:44:31.633 --> 00:44:36.593
Check out their website below for more information.

00:44:36.933 --> 00:44:39.513
And to get a quote, teacher's insurance plan, auto insurance,

00:44:39.613 --> 00:44:43.193
that brings exclusive educator savings and exceptional customer care to New

00:44:43.193 --> 00:44:45.033
Jersey and Pennsylvania educational employees.

00:44:46.173 --> 00:44:51.113
Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, Joe. I appreciate you both. Thank you so much for

00:44:51.113 --> 00:44:53.613
being here today on the Balancing Act podcast.

00:44:54.053 --> 00:44:58.013
I appreciate you too, Jamie. Thank you very much. We will see everybody next

00:44:58.013 --> 00:44:59.213
time on the Balancing Act podcast.