Shows
2024-09-1702 minThe Middle Men53. RigorousBrian and Derrick talk about academic rigor, students feeling challenged, and why there are not multiple pathways for students to part of the real world.
2024-09-1030 minThe Middle Men52. One Year Anti-RetrospectiveBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss what we didn't discuss...and probably shouldn't discuss.
2024-09-0343 minThe Middle Men51. A Little Bit of Nah NahBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss Gavin Newsom's directive to schools: You should ban phones before legislation happens. That's a little bit of nah nah...
2024-08-2734 minThe Middle Men50. Schools and Communities: Square pegs and Round holes?Brad, Brian, and Derrick talk about the role of a school in a community. Are they to be the hub of communal activity or should the be focused on their academic mission?
2024-08-2031 minThe Middle Men49. A Hard BargainBrad and Brian talk to Diane Blardoney and Mikey Amaro, co-chairs of Brentwood Teachers Association's bargaining team, about the last year of negotiations.
2024-08-1443 minThe Middle Men48. Why ask whyBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss their whys, and how they feel about being in a PD that asks them to find their why, and how they wished it were different.
2024-08-0636 minThe Middle Men47. Los BanosBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about schools and bathrooms. The good, the bad, and not too much of the ugly.
2024-07-3025 minThe Middle Men46. Gearing UpBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about the start of a new school year, how we transition from summer to school and what we look forward too.
2024-07-2344 minThe Middle Men45. What is appropriate media anymore?Brad, Brian, and Derrick discuss media use in our classrooms. What we think, what we do, and where we are with our kids.
2024-07-1640 minThe Middle Men44. Guest Amelia BullingtonBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk to Amelia; Derrick's daughter, Brian's former student, current college, student, and future teacher about what's happening in teacher preparation nowadays.
2024-07-0937 minThe Middle Men43. Old Time ReligionBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss the recent law in Louisiana which requires the 10 Commandments be posted in every classroom, as well as the mandate in Oklahoma requiring the Bible to be taught in class.
2024-07-0244 minThe Middle Men42. Craft BrewingBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about improving as a teacher through formal and informal professional development.
2024-06-2544 minThe Middle Men41. Summer Lovin'Brad, Brian, and Derrick talk truth about the summer for teachers as well as our summer plans.
2024-06-1838 minThe Middle Men40. End Of YearBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about closing out the school year, both academically and emotionally.
2024-06-1135 minThe Middle Men39. 8th Grade PromotionBrad, Brian and Derrick discuss the merits of the 8th Grade Promotion ceremony as well as other ways to give students a proper send off.
2024-06-0439 minThe Middle Men38. Guest Danny McKnightBrian and Derrick talk to Danny, a fellow teacher of science, technology liaison for our school, and one of the best in the world at the Star Wars Unlimited card game.
2024-05-2840 minThe Middle Men37. Strange NegotiationsBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk district and union negotiation dynamics.
2024-05-2145 minThe Middle Men36. AI and DeepfakesBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about the use of AI and Deepfakes in education. The dangers of being a public figure.
Resources:
Deepfakes Expose Public School Employees to New Threats
The Rise of Deepfakes in School
2024-05-1438 minThe Middle Men35. BurnoutBrad, Brian and Derrick talk about burnout. It's the end of the year, kids are squirrely, and there is a mix of motivation.
2024-05-0743 minThe Middle Men34. Missing BradBrian and Derrick try to hold down the fort since Brad is sick. We talk quotes, technology, and allergies.
2024-04-3042 minThe Middle Men33. Guest Bart SchneiderBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk to Bart Schneider, middle school electives teacher. Bart is well known in our community for a drama program he began that started with 36 and now involves more than 140 students in every performance.
2024-04-2345 minThe Middle Men32. State TestingBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about state testing. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
2024-04-1645 minThe Middle Men31. Ebb and Flow of the School YearBrad, Brian and Derrick talk about the joys, struggles, and uniqueness of each quarter.
2024-04-0947 minThe Middle Men30. Evolution of TechnologyBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss how technology has changed over our years of teaching.
2024-04-0248 minThe Middle Men29. Alternative EducationBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss non-traditional public school routes students take to learn.
2024-03-2645 minThe Middle Men28. Guest Mark MorelloBrian and Brad interview Mark Morello, music teacher of 29 years of one of the largest middle school music programs in California.
2024-03-2050 minThe Middle Men27. History of Male TeachersBrad, Brian, and Derrick discusses the history of male teachers and how we got here.
Links to our research:
1. PBS: Only a Teacher
2. MIT: The Feminization of Teaching in America
3. Center for Evaluation and Education Policy: The Status of Male Teachers in Public Education Today
4. The Atlantic: The U.S. Teaching Population is Getting Bigger, and More Female
2024-03-1245 minThe Middle MenFishbowlBrad, Brian, and Derrick enter the fishbowl. They answer a series of both teacher related and unrelated questions.
2024-03-0548 minThe Middle MenOn Politics and SchoolBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss the proxy war that schools and educators have become.
2024-02-2746 minThe Middle MenGuest Eddie SmithBrad, Brian, and Derrick interview Eddie Smith. Former football player at Oregon University, former school counselor, and current first year vice principal at the school Brian and Derrick work.
2024-02-2052 minThe Middle MenOn 15 Years of ChangeBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss some history of teaching, but focus more on the changes to education in the last 15 years.
We highly recommend The Teacher Wars by Dana Goldstein (we get nothing from this link. It's just a great book).
Some of the sources we used for the discussion:
1. 25 Ways American Education has changed in the last decade
2. 120 Years of American Education: A Statistical Portrait
3. History of Education
2024-02-1345 minThe Middle MenSPED ConundrumBrad, Brian, and Derrick follow up last weeks interview with a discussion on the practicality of special education.
2024-02-0641 minThe Middle MenSpecial Guest on Special EducationBrian and Brad talk with Eric Hulstrum, a special education teacher who served at both our sites, to pick his brain about the services to a small population of our students.
2024-01-3042 minThe Middle MenOn Sports and SchoolBrad, Brian, and Derrick have an amazingly average philosophical discussion on the relationship between sports and schools.
2024-01-2337 minThe Middle MenOn School DisciplineBrad, Brian, and Derrick do some research, look at the history of school discipline and, in particular corporal punishment, and discuss.
Articles used for this podcast discussion:
School Discipline History
How School Disciplinary Policies Have Changed Over The Years
A Brief (And Tortuous) History Of Corporal Punishment In Our Public Schools
Is Corporal Punishment Making A Comeback?
2024-01-1650 minThe Middle MenOn New 2024 LawsBrad, Brian, and Derrick actually do some research and talk about a few new laws in education from California, Texas, and Florida.
2024-01-0953 minThe Middle MenOn Where We Go From HereBrad, Brian, and Derrick have a meta conversation about the podcast. We've been winging it up to this point, but what do we want to do moving forward? We also discuss holidays with family and teaching in a tragedy. For some, these could be considered the same thing.
2024-01-0246 minThe Middle MenOn Our Then in Our NowBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about how our experience as students informs our approach to teaching.
2023-12-2649 minThe Middle MenOn the MoviesBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss how teachers are depicted in film and it's relation to real life.
2023-12-1938 minThe Middle MenOn the First Half of the YearBrad, Brian, Derrick and Mikey discuss the new Fortnite update before diving into how this year has been going.
2023-12-1245 minThe Middle MenOn Lesson PlanningBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about the work that goes into making a lesson both in the beginning of our careers and now.
2023-12-0542 minThe Middle MenOn ParentsBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss difficult interactions with parents and how parents can best reach out to teachers.
2023-11-2845 minThe Middle MenOn School ViolenceBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about school violence. A timely discussion because of a recent issue in our community.
2023-11-2243 minThe Middle MenOn What We Think Should Be TaughtBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss possible classes that should be added for this current generation.
2023-11-2237 minThe Middle MenOn 50%Brad, Brian, Derrick, and Mikey talk about grading. Do you give 50% for missing work? What does this do to students grades and to their psychology?
2023-11-2239 minThe Middle MenOn Our FearsBrad, Brian, Derrick and Mikey with a Halloween special. What are our fears as teachers? What might keep us up at night or causes serious concern?
2023-10-3135 minThe Middle MenOn Our Personal LivesBrad, Brian, and Derrick talk about how our personal lives and beliefs can affect our careers, either real or imagined.
2023-10-2435 minThe Middle MenOn Teaching MoralsBrad, Brian, and Derrick discuss the moral aspect of teaching. In such a diverse world, with diverse views, how does a teacher address issues of right and wrong?
2023-10-2043 minThe Middle MenOn Advice To New TeachersThanks to a listener suggestion, Brad, Brian, Derrick, and Mikey offer advice to new teachers who have probably been on the job for a few weeks.
2023-10-2031 minThe Middle MenOn Living Where You WorkBrad, Brian, Derrick, and Mikey discuss the pro's and con's of living in the same, used to be small, town as we teach.
2023-10-2039 minThe Middle MenOn The ChallengesBrian, Brad, Derrick, and Mikey discuss some of the challenges of teaching without being whiny and ungrateful.
2023-10-2038 minThe Middle MenOn the Two Sides of the Previous CoinBrad, Brian, Derrick and Mikey talk about those things in teaching that are both challenging and enjoyable. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
We also get to know Mikey a little bit.
2023-10-2041 minThe Middle MenOn Why We TeachBrian, Brad, and Derrick discuss the unexpected joys of teaching after so many years. And we get to learn a little more about why Derrick is a teacher.
2023-10-2029 min