Middle School Maniacs with Courtney Varner

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You are listening to the balancing act podcast here's your hosts jamie wanko and joe vitale.

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Music.

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And we are officially recording we are

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starting with a thumbs up thumbs up seven up thumbs up

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these damn macs with their little like i can do this there's like

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so many different fireworks the fire do you

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remember the first time that happened and how i freaked out what is happening

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right now the excitement the excitement it was very good how

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we doing friend this is uh hey this is

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joe vitale uh and that's jamie wonko and

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we are the balancing act podcast on human content and we are so

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happy that you are joining us again for yet another episode

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um so what's new friend how we doing we're

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doing great we are doing great we are in the depths of winter um i often yes

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we were just talking uh just talking about like why do i live in a place where

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the air hurts my face um i need to live in a warmer place where the sun is shining

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and the birds are chirping.

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And it's like my body's not made for cold it's made for margaritaville Oh, my goodness.

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You know, this Cinderella style of life where you just open the windows in the

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morning and everybody's just, you know, tweeting around you.

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Yes, the birds are chirping. Got you.

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We got a fun one today. I am very excited for our guest that is waiting in the

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wings, who also is apparently, you know, freezing in Midwest cold.

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So we're very happy to bring her in. Hello.

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Let me hit the right button. Hello, Courtney Varner. How are you?

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I'm good. How are you guys? Welcome, Courtney. thank you very much for joining

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welcome thank you for coming to join us tonight we were like up and down and

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inside out and what time in that time and i misread my text messages you know

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because i'm doing 17 things at the same time so it was like oh now now yes oh no yeah now.

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Yes and uh we of course are in new jersey and courtney you are in uh missouri,

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as they say isn't that how they say it do they say missouri is

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that certain parts certain parts certain parts i i

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have been to missouri or missouri depending on uh where you are and who you're

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talking to you might have been to missouri i might i might i might have been

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um and we were also talking before we popped on about how midwest cold and northeast

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cold are two completely different things like it is bone chilling wind through

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your body cold in the Midwest.

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So God bless you for dealing with this weather. And you, on one of your recent

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posts, you little social media star, is you were talking about how,

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like, you hadn't been in school for a little while because of the weather and all that stuff.

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So how is it going out by you these days? Yeah, well, this,

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I'd say this has probably been, in more recent years, one of our worst winters.

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My district has three built-in snow days, and we burned through all of those

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right after winter break with our winter break 2.0.

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And so now we are doing the virtual learning days, and we've already had a couple,

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and it's snowing right now.

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So I have a feeling we might have another one tomorrow.

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That is interesting that you have virtual learning days. We do.

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I think the state, I forget how many the state allots. It's like five or six.

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So once we burn through those, I guess we tack on to the end of the school year, which sounds awful.

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But hopefully, I'm hoping this is our last one because I'm done. I'm done. Yeah.

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My sister recently moved to South Carolina and they've had a lot.

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They had a storm in August that kept them from school. And then they had a little

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bit of ice, which just, you know, they don't do there. So it threw everyone.

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And they did reach the limit of their virtual learning days.

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So that was really my first understanding that states have an allowance for that now.

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And then also they have a cap on how many days they'll allow you to do that.

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So it's interesting from place to place.

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We have three days built in and thus far haven't used any.

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And but we like every week it's like there's a storm and it's 17 inches.

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And then it's like and it blew out to sea.

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You know, one nice big, you know, I think Joe and I don't agree on that.

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I i would like one big wallop but yeah i

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none right i i'd rather none uh that's

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that's just me because my favorite part of winter is when it's over so um

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that's uh that that's my usual line um

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so yeah it definitely is uh is we

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haven't had anything um no about like a couple

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it looks like it's always going your

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way so yeah it it was this most recently i

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was like we're gonna get snowpocalypse and then nothing so

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um it's also interesting that you mentioned about the

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virtual learning days because we we don't allow for

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that uh at all in in new jersey we

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don't have that so we have three built-in snow days and then after that they

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take away from like spring break and things like that i know um has it happened

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does they take have they taken it has happened yeah not recently i can't say

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i mean i again i've been teaching a district for 26 years So maybe...

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I mean, and maybe it's a day, maybe two at the most, because they don't extend our school year.

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We go all the way until, I don't know, June 57th. At least that's what it feels like.

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But yeah, we go to pretty much the end of June. I don't know what you guys do.

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Oh, wow. We're usually out. It used to be before Memorial Day.

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Recent years, it's been like we go the week after Memorial Day for the, you know, the fun week.

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But gotcha. Yeah. And then you go back in August. Yeah. We're back at the end of August.

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Yeah. So one of the reasons we're having you on is because I have seen your

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content, by the way, if you can give our guest a follow, hi underscore,

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it's underscore, me underscore, Mrs.

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With a period underscore V. We will link it in the description below. That is quite all right.

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But I first have to ask you, because I saw your content probably was before

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Christmas and you had this like what middle school students would say at my funeral.

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And I sent it to everyone I know who teaches middle school.

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I was like, oh, my God, this is exactly what it's like. And I'm also going to

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link to that in our in our description.

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And, you know, maybe I'll even try and cut it into our broadcast here.

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So, so, so if we cut right now, we're going to that clip.

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Um, but it was just fantastic to be like, it was just the camera facing up at

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you and you had the hooded sweatshirt on with the, with the, the pimple patches.

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I mean, and it was just you leaning over and be like, uh, I need to charge my Chromebook.

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And it was just, people just don't understand that that's a hundred percent

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what it's like on a daily basis. That was the funny part was it made me realize

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that kids are universal.

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Like it doesn't matter where middle schoolers are that apparently they're all exactly the same.

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So uh yeah and and it's a series if

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i'm not mistaken you had a couple of those right i did yeah i

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kept people kept sending like like other

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things that would you know kids would say and i'm like oh man i gotta do a part

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two oh man i gotta do part three so yeah i had seen someone else do something

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similar and i'm like but middle schoolers are so specific and yes sometimes

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fun to make fun of but in the best way i mean i absolutely love my job and i

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love the people i work with so So I,

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but the, you know, they're just, they do the goofiest things and it's fun to

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call them out sometimes.

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Very true. And you know, we didn't ask what do you teach and for how long and all that fun stuff.

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Um, this is year sweet 16 for me.

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All right. I can drive. Um, and, um, and I teach currently I'm teaching sixth,

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seventh and eighth grade ELA. So I did seventh grade ELA for the longest time

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and did eighth grade for a year.

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And then now I'm in a personalized learning model, which has been really a big

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undertaking, but a lot of fun.

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And so I have sixth graders and then I have two classes of seventh and eighth

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graders mixed together.

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Oh, wow. Yeah, interesting. It's cool.

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What is a personalized learning model?

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So there's different academies within our school, the way it's set up.

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And so the parents and the kids choose which way of learning they would like to do.

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And there's the traditional way that works really well for kids,

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how we've always done middle school.

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There are some that are more flexible pacing. There's one that's more,

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you know, design based where they're choosing classes more frequently.

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And then ours is kind of built on this gradual release of responsibility that

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hopefully by eighth grade, they're kind of coming up with their own ideas of

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what they want to learn, presenting their own learning experiences to us.

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And then we, we okay it or, or, you know, say maybe we could do it this way

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and just give them more opportunities for project-based learning and working

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together and kind of doing some of the things that, you know, you feel like.

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Sometimes kids, you know, they want to learn about something,

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but they don't have the time in the school day to to fit it somewhere. So we try to offer that.

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That's really interesting, especially at the middle, especially at the middle

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school level, because we're, you know, we're we're dealing with a very diverse

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group of students emotionally, behaviorally for a variety of different reasons.

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I mean, Jamie and I've taught middle school on entire me my entire career.

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I think, Jamie, you had what, one year at elementary, I think.

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Yeah, but it was upper. So it wasn't. Oh, OK.

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Yeah, it was great. So it wasn't like, I mean, different school environment

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and pacing, but not like a huge difference of age.

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But yeah, it's so interesting that some of the things you said,

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like, oh, middle school kids are the same, like across the country and the things

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and that they say and that they do.

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And that really is so true from the different people we've had on the podcast

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about what they say about the students in their class.

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There's, you know, there's a lot of skibbity toilet, Ohio Rizzler.

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Yeah i know it's amazing uh and there's a lot of like

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brain rot stuff and you know things that they're all

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watching the same videos like they're all they are the

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same tiktok accounts and it's you know yes um

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they are watching all those things but i i got it at like again that that series

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where like i think the one that got me the most was when you leaned in you were

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like do you have any takis and i i lost it like i was literally my wife's like

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what are you laughing at i was like You have no idea how my wife, of course, she got it.

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But she was like, oh, OK, but like didn't get it because of how.

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Relevant it was i know sometimes i'll show my my husband like a draft of something he's like okay,

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but and like he doesn't get it and then i get all like oh should i post it sort

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of thing and then i do and then of course teachers are like yes so yeah i mean

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i guess it is kind of a specific,

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genre but oh it fits um recently you also put one uh uh one of your recent posts

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was hysterical It was like you in the gym and you were like,

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you're holding up a piece of paper, like moving it over.

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And it's like, oh, I'm preparing for the things to do in my job.

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And it's like, whose name is this?

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Or jumping over the stuff in the gym, like the cones.

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And then it's preparing you to jump over the various Chromebook charger wires

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because they're like akimbo all over the room.

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Yeah. I just I have to ask, like, how do you come up with.

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Like a bit or a sketch, like how like how does that process work for you? you?

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Like there's something just to happen in class and it pops into your brain.

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Like, yep, that's what I'm doing later.

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Just like, yes, a conversation with a kid or, you know, a conversation with a coworker.

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Um, and you know, it, in my brain, it turns into a little skit.

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Um, sometimes even just content when I'm scrolling through, if there's an audio

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or something that I'm like, Hmm, how can I make that teacher or,

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you know, something like even the gym one, like I saw a mom version of it and

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I was like, Oh, that's funny.

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But I'm like, Oh, but there's some very specific exercises I could do in my

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middle school classroom.

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So, um, yeah, it's like, you know, you can get ideas and make it middle school.

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What is it? What is the thing about flattery? Like flattery is the sincerest

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form of. Yeah. Imitation.

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Imitation. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Right.

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Yeah. So like especially if something that you see might work and adapt in your classroom.

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I mean, the content, if you're a teacher and you're not following Courtney,

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there's there is something wrong with you and you must now do it.

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Yes. Well, it's hysterical. And a lot of the stuff you post makes me laugh.

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And I found myself like sharing it with other people. I was like, this is what it's like.

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This is exactly what it's like. It's like this. It's like this.

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This is what it's like each day. Yeah, it's great.

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So Courtney, your school is just sixth, seventh and eighth grade and the kids

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have lockers? They do. Okay.

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And then so some of them travel around and some of them don't depending on what

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part of the school they're in. Is that right?

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Yeah, they still travel around. They still go to electives.

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Obviously, launch PE, those classes. And most of them now, like post-COVID,

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most of them just use backpacks.

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But it is nice to have the lockers, especially this time of year for the coats

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and all the other things.

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But yeah, most of them just carry backpacks around for the most part.

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Okay. Yeah, our kids would never be allowed to carry their backpacks around.

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Um they would that right that would be a safety

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issue i think like what might be in there or i

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mean that's my understanding that it would be yeah that's kind of

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how they that's kind of how they started around it yeah so i think they weren't

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allowed but once we came back and it was like they couldn't gather at their

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lockers they became the thing and it just never really went back to it yeah

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yeah now we're hybrid hybrid lockers and backpacks oh yeah um so you've taught sixth,

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seventh, and eighth grade, do you have one that you prefer? I was going to ask that too.

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That's hard. Last year and this year is the first time I've taught sixth grade

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in a long time. I taught sixth grade my very first year of teaching.

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I didn't know what I was doing in any way, shape, or form.

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So that was hard to gauge there.

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But this is like when my kids ask me, who's your favorite kid at home?

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I'm like, are you kidding me?

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I can't choose which child is my favorite, but they all have like different

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things that I love about them.

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So I did seventh grade for the longest time.

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And so I think that has kind of a big, big place in my heart because they're

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like the awkward middle child.

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Like they're not totally innocent babies, like the sweet little sixth graders.

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And then the eighth grade, I taught eighth grade for the first time two years

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ago. And I was like, well, this is cool too.

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Like these people can, you know, they're like young adults that can reason and

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you can have really great conversations with so yeah it's hard to choose such a

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Such a politician answer, but you went with seventh grade. I know,

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I know. It's because I'm indecisive. I can't decide anything. And I hate conflict.

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It seems like seventh grade got the secret vote, but we won't tell anybody.

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Well, and I don't know if that's just by default because I really,

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I did spend like 13 years, you know, doing seventh grade.

00:15:28.444 --> 00:15:31.444
I have some, I have some difficult classes from time to time.

00:15:31.584 --> 00:15:35.524
And like this year, they'll be like, oh, are we your favorite class? And I'm like, yup.

00:15:35.984 --> 00:15:37.964
I'm like, where's your favorite class? They're like, period one.

00:15:38.304 --> 00:15:40.964
It's period one. just so you know, like period one, period one's a favorite

00:15:40.964 --> 00:15:42.284
class. You want to be your winners.

00:15:42.684 --> 00:15:45.644
Yep. They're the winners. They're leaders in the clubhouse. They are by far,

00:15:46.084 --> 00:15:47.964
they're my favorite this year. Normally

00:15:47.964 --> 00:15:50.504
it's like, oh, but they're all my favorites this year. Period one.

00:15:50.844 --> 00:15:55.964
Do you guys have block scheduling or do you do, do you see like eight periods a day or you?

00:15:56.044 --> 00:16:00.444
We had, we had block scheduling for, geez.

00:16:01.004 --> 00:16:02.264
Oh boy. Forever.

00:16:02.904 --> 00:16:06.524
20 years? Yeah. Well, I had taught reading writing workshop and that was pure.

00:16:06.684 --> 00:16:09.204
So we were on a period schedule. So in the early two thousands,

00:16:09.264 --> 00:16:12.924
we were periods and they, they blocked reading writing workshop first.

00:16:13.044 --> 00:16:16.344
So it would be like period one and two, you would keep the same kids.

00:16:16.964 --> 00:16:22.604
And then it sort of morphed into this like around probably like 07, 08,

00:16:22.804 --> 00:16:26.844
it morphed into the entire school going into a block schedule,

00:16:26.844 --> 00:16:30.764
but the kids had full year math, full year language arts, and then half your

00:16:30.764 --> 00:16:34.364
science, half year social studies, and then, of course, like the cycle classes.

00:16:34.364 --> 00:16:39.164
Some of that got a little bit out of control, but we had about an hour and a

00:16:39.164 --> 00:16:41.564
half per block, so four blocks a day.

00:16:41.704 --> 00:16:45.664
Our high school's block went to block, so it was a, you know, it was a good.

00:16:46.584 --> 00:16:54.924
And then two years ago, they changed it and went to, so this is our second year with periods.

00:16:55.024 --> 00:17:00.944
We have six periods, and they're one hour each, and the kids have language arts

00:17:00.944 --> 00:17:04.084
and math and social studies, science all full year for one hour.

00:17:04.224 --> 00:17:09.064
I think the biggest loser in this setup is language arts.

00:17:09.644 --> 00:17:15.684
Really? I agree. Just an hour is not enough time to do reading and writing. It's just not.

00:17:15.984 --> 00:17:21.124
I also think that the, I mean, I don't want to be making any controversial statements,

00:17:21.344 --> 00:17:23.524
but I think one of the bigger losers in this are the kids.

00:17:23.644 --> 00:17:26.884
Because I think that in our district, and I'm not, you know,

00:17:26.964 --> 00:17:30.844
you're doing something for the first time, and there's bound to be speed bumps along the way.

00:17:31.204 --> 00:17:33.924
A lot of the electives that they added, because like, oh, they wanted more electives.

00:17:34.044 --> 00:17:35.984
They wanted the kid to have more choices. Well, a lot of the electives that

00:17:35.984 --> 00:17:37.624
they added are academic. It's journalism.

00:17:38.264 --> 00:17:40.904
It's creative writing. And there's nothing wrong with those electives.

00:17:41.524 --> 00:17:45.544
But we now went from a period where they had block scheduling,

00:17:45.544 --> 00:17:50.764
where they had like three main classes, and then their workload was a little bit less.

00:17:50.844 --> 00:17:53.944
And now they have their four core subjects plus an elective.

00:17:53.944 --> 00:17:58.804
And some kids have a lot more to do at home in regards to homework than.

00:17:59.482 --> 00:18:03.882
Than they did in years previous. And I don't think anyone is really looking

00:18:03.882 --> 00:18:07.942
at that or tracking that data in our district to see what's happening.

00:18:08.202 --> 00:18:11.482
Or like, you know, we just don't have the teachers that have the certification

00:18:11.482 --> 00:18:13.942
to teach other fun electives.

00:18:14.102 --> 00:18:16.242
Like I would love for them to have woodshop or cooking.

00:18:16.462 --> 00:18:18.502
And we also don't have the facilities for that either.

00:18:19.362 --> 00:18:23.382
Which the high schools don't have it, but they added like dance and theater arts.

00:18:23.622 --> 00:18:29.242
And that's great. But some kids aren't dancey or theater artsy.

00:18:30.522 --> 00:18:33.682
Okay um like if you put me in dance class like

00:18:33.682 --> 00:18:36.622
when i was in middle school i would i would have been in the guidance office like

00:18:36.622 --> 00:18:39.402
nope no i know i need i need to go do they get to choose though

00:18:39.402 --> 00:18:44.782
nobody's getting shoved in oh they don't some see the thing is like some kids

00:18:44.782 --> 00:18:49.402
like some kids like if they're in band they can take band because they kind

00:18:49.402 --> 00:18:53.122
of not that they have to but they should because they're in band and then like

00:18:53.122 --> 00:18:57.322
so like some kids choices get watered down a little bit or like what language

00:18:57.322 --> 00:18:58.962
they have and stuff like that.

00:18:59.062 --> 00:19:02.642
But like a lot of times they get choices and sometimes those choices get blocked

00:19:02.642 --> 00:19:06.282
out because they have like an English teacher that might teach like two sections

00:19:06.282 --> 00:19:07.862
of the graphic novel class.

00:19:08.142 --> 00:19:12.782
But then if it doesn't work in their schedule because of their IEP or their

00:19:12.782 --> 00:19:16.342
classification or they're in honors or not in honors, like then it doesn't work.

00:19:16.482 --> 00:19:19.322
And then they get stuck in classes that they might not. I mean, yeah, great.

00:19:19.482 --> 00:19:22.842
It's granted, it's awesome to be exposed to other things that you might enjoy,

00:19:22.842 --> 00:19:26.162
but like, I don't want to dance. I know.

00:19:26.282 --> 00:19:30.422
I've been rallying for a new elective called Trampoline, where they just jump

00:19:30.422 --> 00:19:34.262
on mini trampolines, because I think there's a lot of kids that could just,

00:19:34.262 --> 00:19:36.882
you know, just rebound for a little while. It's just bounce.

00:19:37.362 --> 00:19:39.002
Can I write the syllabus for that?

00:19:40.542 --> 00:19:46.762
I mean, bounce, the bouncing, I mean. So unit one. Bounce, bounce, bounce, right? I mean.

00:19:48.222 --> 00:19:52.882
I mean, you might be a bit now. New electives. New electives for next year.

00:19:53.182 --> 00:19:55.842
Trampolining. Oh, man. The kids would love it, though. I don't know how many

00:19:55.842 --> 00:19:59.522
times I've been asked this year. Are we going to take, can we take a field trip to Sky Zone?

00:19:59.802 --> 00:20:02.022
Like, they just want to go. Just love jumping.

00:20:02.502 --> 00:20:06.522
So I think we're on to something. I wouldn't. There's some jumping. Stop that dream.

00:20:07.302 --> 00:20:11.622
I'd love for them. I mean, for certain kids, like, like, you know,

00:20:11.842 --> 00:20:16.542
like having a nutrition class might be a good idea or coupling that with like,

00:20:16.662 --> 00:20:21.002
OK, it's a gym type elective where you're doing nutrition and like weight room

00:20:21.002 --> 00:20:24.022
where they're starting to learn how to exercise because some kids are interested in that.

00:20:24.262 --> 00:20:28.242
And we do something in our school called Discovery Day, where I think it's like

00:20:28.242 --> 00:20:31.622
two times a year, maybe three, depending on if we can fit it.

00:20:31.622 --> 00:20:34.382
Um and it's where like we do a whole

00:20:34.382 --> 00:20:38.462
day more like half a day um of

00:20:38.462 --> 00:20:41.202
like things that we teach them

00:20:41.202 --> 00:20:43.942
something that they wouldn't learn during the school

00:20:43.942 --> 00:20:46.922
day like how to change a tire how to uh

00:20:46.922 --> 00:20:49.642
jamie did one that's so basic and she taught kids how

00:20:49.642 --> 00:20:52.562
to sew um i i have uh

00:20:52.562 --> 00:20:55.262
two therapy dogs and my wife will come in with one of the dogs and she'll

00:20:55.262 --> 00:20:58.042
talk about what it means to have a therapy

00:20:58.042 --> 00:21:00.682
dog what do they do and they get to learn some of the commands and do

00:21:00.682 --> 00:21:03.402
stuff like that um so that's fun to be able to do

00:21:03.402 --> 00:21:06.262
that but like you can't do that every day but i

00:21:06.262 --> 00:21:08.942
wish only we could yeah i wish there were more

00:21:08.942 --> 00:21:12.822
electives for these kids to like blow off

00:21:12.822 --> 00:21:17.442
some steam like you know what you know what i mean i i mean i hopefully i'm

00:21:17.442 --> 00:21:20.182
coming across the right way but i would just want them to be able to like be

00:21:20.182 --> 00:21:23.482
able to relax a little bit and and have that and i don't know what it looks

00:21:23.482 --> 00:21:26.382
and what does your school district do about do they have blocks they have periods

00:21:26.382 --> 00:21:31.282
we have blocks We used to have ELA, our language arts was always blocked.

00:21:31.462 --> 00:21:34.822
So ever since I've been teaching in the district, I've always had my beautiful

00:21:34.822 --> 00:21:38.302
little 90 minutes of reading and writing. And that's why they have blocked it.

00:21:38.722 --> 00:21:43.822
And now everything is, which is to kind of match the high school schedules as well.

00:21:44.462 --> 00:21:48.002
And so I think across the board, people are liking that.

00:21:48.122 --> 00:21:51.442
I think the kids like it to kind of streamlines their day a little bit.

00:21:51.442 --> 00:21:54.082
Um and in terms of electives i feel like our

00:21:54.082 --> 00:21:56.902
kids i mean it's this is always cool to like hear people from

00:21:56.902 --> 00:21:59.702
different parts of the country even talk about what

00:21:59.702 --> 00:22:02.402
what's available um i feel like

00:22:02.402 --> 00:22:05.602
our kids get quite a bit of choice and what they i don't

00:22:05.602 --> 00:22:08.442
think anybody we don't have a dance class but nobody's being like

00:22:08.442 --> 00:22:11.302
forced into electives for the most part unless there's just

00:22:11.302 --> 00:22:14.962
you know major scheduling issues i think i think it's rare cases that kids get

00:22:14.962 --> 00:22:17.842
forced but there are okay good you know what i mean i that's what i think anyway

00:22:17.842 --> 00:22:20.342
i mean and i don't do the scheduling but i think there's a couple kids that

00:22:20.342 --> 00:22:23.542
like well we couldn't really fit you anywhere else so we gotta get you this

00:22:23.542 --> 00:22:28.622
one um you also you just said i'm sorry i interrupted but you also just said um.

00:22:29.541 --> 00:22:32.521
About oh to align with how long have you guys been blocked

00:22:32.521 --> 00:22:35.961
now that you guys oh that's a

00:22:35.961 --> 00:22:39.081
good question i think since covid okay

00:22:39.081 --> 00:22:42.361
those years yeah i'm pretty sure that was when they decided

00:22:42.361 --> 00:22:45.441
to i think oh i know

00:22:45.441 --> 00:22:49.001
it just all blends together doesn't it out um a

00:22:49.001 --> 00:22:52.181
little bit i know we were trying to figure out when our

00:22:52.181 --> 00:22:54.981
district went one-to-one recently and it was like

00:22:54.981 --> 00:22:57.861
i was like oh yeah 2008 i'm

00:22:57.861 --> 00:23:00.661
like james like what no it wasn't it was it was like no yes

00:23:00.661 --> 00:23:03.401
it was like our kids were born into that meanwhile like i did

00:23:03.401 --> 00:23:06.241
technology i did technology stuff in a district like i

00:23:06.241 --> 00:23:09.841
helped them choose like we we looked at different chromebooks i'm like oh this

00:23:09.841 --> 00:23:12.841
one's good like like there was a small group of us that did like some technology

00:23:12.841 --> 00:23:17.041
trainings in the district and they asked us for our opinion and then um you

00:23:17.041 --> 00:23:20.161
know and then i don't even remember when that was because all the time just

00:23:20.161 --> 00:23:25.001
kind of blends itself together how much of the day do your students spend on a device?

00:23:25.901 --> 00:23:30.481
Oh, good question. Oh, that is a good question. I think it depends on the class.

00:23:32.621 --> 00:23:37.241
And really just what they're doing. You know, I'm just trying to think,

00:23:37.421 --> 00:23:42.501
I mean, in my own ELA class, I've been doing more of the writing instruction.

00:23:42.501 --> 00:23:46.461
I have a teaching partner that, because there's always two ELA teachers on a

00:23:46.461 --> 00:23:51.621
team because it was the split reading and, you know, you're teaching both both

00:23:51.621 --> 00:23:56.501
subjects um and so we've kind of divided and conquered a couple things,

00:23:57.421 --> 00:24:00.141
so it's when they're i mean when they're writing and they're

00:24:00.141 --> 00:24:05.581
typing like i feel a lot they're on there a whole bunch but you know or research

00:24:05.581 --> 00:24:10.801
they're on there a lot um but we try to be mindful especially even with sixth

00:24:10.801 --> 00:24:15.541
grade like try to how much can we pull them off of it a little bit to teach

00:24:15.541 --> 00:24:20.021
the basics of like how to function with this device in your hands, you know,

00:24:20.201 --> 00:24:24.701
and at your, at your will at all times, because that's part of it too, is just learning how to,

00:24:25.131 --> 00:24:28.151
have the self-control to, to utilize it properly.

00:24:28.451 --> 00:24:33.331
Yeah. We just took a, we just took a journey in our school where we were challenged

00:24:33.331 --> 00:24:36.211
to have no technology with the children.

00:24:36.931 --> 00:24:42.391
And, and so we went about two and a half weeks and then we're given the option.

00:24:42.571 --> 00:24:45.131
Well, originally it was supposed to be the entire month of January and then

00:24:45.131 --> 00:24:47.551
it went two and a half. We should kind of shorten it a little bit.

00:24:48.051 --> 00:24:53.271
And so I teach a sixth grade ELA class. Just, I'm just covering right now because

00:24:53.371 --> 00:24:54.691
my original roots were ELA.

00:24:55.011 --> 00:24:59.651
And then my other degree was in history. And I was like, I'm out of here,

00:24:59.751 --> 00:25:01.591
like when the test got really crazy.

00:25:02.351 --> 00:25:07.811
So I like was like, oh, social studies, you know, where you really like enjoy

00:25:07.811 --> 00:25:11.991
teaching, and you don't have quite as much of the same stress and pressure.

00:25:12.211 --> 00:25:16.331
And yeah, so this year, I'm teaching an ELA class for the first time in 10 years.

00:25:16.391 --> 00:25:18.631
And I'm teaching a sixth grade class.

00:25:18.991 --> 00:25:23.711
And in comparison to my eighth graders, the I'm We're still,

00:25:23.951 --> 00:25:29.191
today was like one of the first times since before Christmas break that we use the computer.

00:25:29.851 --> 00:25:34.331
And I wanted to do something for Black History Month, like very specifically,

00:25:34.411 --> 00:25:38.131
I have a YouTube channel and I've made like a lot of videos,

00:25:38.131 --> 00:25:42.211
like specifically for kids on my school YouTube channel.

00:25:42.371 --> 00:25:45.831
And I was like, oh, I really like, oh, do I, can I not? And it was like,

00:25:45.891 --> 00:25:47.431
no, we're doing it. We're going for it. Sorry.

00:25:47.611 --> 00:25:52.691
And they were like, what happened? Like I just couldn't believe it. It's been so long.

00:25:53.011 --> 00:25:58.451
But there is a very distinct difference in the impulsivity and behavior in my

00:25:58.451 --> 00:26:03.111
sixth grade with the device that's not the same with my eighth graders.

00:26:03.671 --> 00:26:07.971
They're like much more likely to understand like when they're using it.

00:26:08.171 --> 00:26:12.031
It's not like open shut, open shut, open shut. Where the sixth graders are just

00:26:12.031 --> 00:26:14.051
like, look, and it's like it's not even on.

00:26:14.151 --> 00:26:19.031
What are you looking like? Why are you doing that? So it was different.

00:26:19.651 --> 00:26:26.611
The two years of an age difference is wild. How did your students respond to the no device?

00:26:27.381 --> 00:26:32.161
Challenge. I don't think it really, see, this is something we've talked about.

00:26:32.681 --> 00:26:38.321
I asked, so I teach four sections of eighth grade and there's about like 23 to 25 kids.

00:26:38.401 --> 00:26:43.101
I would say overwhelming majority in all of our conversations were like,

00:26:43.281 --> 00:26:44.981
please don't bring them back. Yeah.

00:26:45.661 --> 00:26:49.401
They were like, we don't care. It doesn't really, it doesn't really make it.

00:26:49.701 --> 00:26:52.741
There, there are a lot of things that we've, we've talked about on our episodes

00:26:52.741 --> 00:26:55.461
where like, you know, we've talked about gamification in the classroom,

00:26:55.481 --> 00:27:00.281
which like, and I, and, and I don't mean this since we are just meeting and talking,

00:27:00.801 --> 00:27:04.241
Courtney, like I've done a lot of work with educational technology and I worked

00:27:04.241 --> 00:27:07.761
within district to help train people and, and do a whole bunch of stuff.

00:27:07.841 --> 00:27:12.501
But like, I have walked back a lot of technology use for these reasons,

00:27:12.501 --> 00:27:17.121
because they're not able to have conversations. The devices are overused.

00:27:17.281 --> 00:27:21.121
A lot of teachers are doing GibKit and Blicket and Edpuzzle and which are all

00:27:21.121 --> 00:27:23.801
great platforms, but when you're doing one after the other, after the other,

00:27:23.801 --> 00:27:27.221
after the other, and it's just headphones staring at a device and you're not

00:27:27.221 --> 00:27:31.901
interacting, talking, discussing, doing anything with them that's engaging at all.

00:27:32.281 --> 00:27:37.201
Like how would you expect them to, to behave in that moment?

00:27:37.341 --> 00:27:40.221
Like, uh, I wouldn't want to sit there for an hour and just be taught by a computer.

00:27:40.801 --> 00:27:45.361
So I want to do things that are more engaging and, and thought-provoking and,

00:27:45.361 --> 00:27:51.281
you know, interesting to them, which I, you know, we try to do.

00:27:51.461 --> 00:27:55.141
In contrast to that, though, like, I absolutely love, like, when you said one

00:27:55.141 --> 00:27:57.841
of the things that you do is project-based learning, I, like,

00:27:57.861 --> 00:28:02.721
I am all in on every aspect of that, and, and so one of my, there's three of

00:28:02.721 --> 00:28:03.741
us that teach eighth grade,

00:28:04.021 --> 00:28:08.221
and, and one of the, like, younger, I love when someone is young and shiny,

00:28:08.541 --> 00:28:11.361
I want to be blinded by your youth.

00:28:11.541 --> 00:28:13.801
I want to be like, absolutely.

00:28:14.201 --> 00:28:18.061
Like that is what I'm always like seeking. Like what can we do and what can we try?

00:28:18.381 --> 00:28:21.161
And after a while, like I was like, I'm getting old. I'm tired.

00:28:21.321 --> 00:28:23.221
Like I I'm running out of ideas. Right.

00:28:23.241 --> 00:28:27.961
So I was kept looking and looking like, come on, blind me with your shininess.

00:28:28.241 --> 00:28:31.721
And so I have this colleague and he is, you know, I always joke.

00:28:31.801 --> 00:28:33.821
I'm like, I could be your mom. He's like, you'd have a very a different life.

00:28:33.961 --> 00:28:36.441
And it's like, well, yeah, but I could, you know?

00:28:36.641 --> 00:28:40.261
And so he was like, you know, I think we should do. So we right now are in like,

00:28:40.381 --> 00:28:45.561
like in the midst of this mega project where we decided we were taking every

00:28:45.561 --> 00:28:51.001
one of the eighth grade classes that we each teach the same periods and we combine

00:28:51.001 --> 00:28:54.181
them and they could choose who they wanted to work with.

00:28:54.341 --> 00:29:00.001
And they're all the same over like broad topic and everyone has to create something

00:29:00.001 --> 00:29:01.861
and then present it to everybody else.

00:29:02.571 --> 00:29:05.631
That's pretty cool it's really neat and we're like mega project

00:29:05.631 --> 00:29:08.451
and today we did we actually just

00:29:08.451 --> 00:29:11.491
started it and it's so exciting and the converse

00:29:11.491 --> 00:29:17.491
it was like but you know they did have devices but there was so much converse

00:29:17.491 --> 00:29:24.711
there was just so much healthy talk going on like amongst all of these kids

00:29:24.711 --> 00:29:29.971
who just now were mashed among three different classes it was really cool i i Awesome.

00:29:30.271 --> 00:29:33.391
Yeah, they do. They do a great job with that. Their creations projects,

00:29:33.591 --> 00:29:37.011
which which is an awesome thing to do. And you can do that in the eighth grade.

00:29:37.371 --> 00:29:41.971
And you can't do that with seventh graders because when when you have seventh graders,

00:29:42.211 --> 00:29:47.591
we're more focused on like I don't like it's just routine, making sure that

00:29:47.591 --> 00:29:50.651
we're setting norms for like who's supposed to do what while we're doing group

00:29:50.651 --> 00:29:52.851
work, like setting up what those roles are.

00:29:52.851 --> 00:29:57.091
So then hopefully when they get to the eighth grade, they have that set up and

00:29:57.091 --> 00:30:00.491
they're able to, you know, to work in that thriving environment,

00:30:00.491 --> 00:30:02.351
which is great. They put together some really cool stuff.

00:30:02.471 --> 00:30:05.651
And the kids that don't put in the effort don't put together some really cool stuff.

00:30:05.811 --> 00:30:09.871
But, you know, Jane, there's there's there's good projects and bad ones.

00:30:11.171 --> 00:30:13.791
So I think when you give them the opportunity to share it, though,

00:30:13.871 --> 00:30:20.571
like because we did something similar on our team where they created an invention,

00:30:20.571 --> 00:30:23.391
like they had to solve a problem, create an invention and it's,

00:30:23.471 --> 00:30:25.951
you know, you have the wide range of,

00:30:26.111 --> 00:30:29.791
you know, the ones that are like actually going to solve a world problem and

00:30:29.791 --> 00:30:33.971
some that, you know, are going to do something very simple, but when they have

00:30:33.971 --> 00:30:37.291
to take the ownership and not just share to adults, I don't think they really

00:30:37.291 --> 00:30:39.591
care what we think, but, but to each other,

00:30:39.871 --> 00:30:43.151
that was, it was a lot of fun just to watch them.

00:30:43.151 --> 00:30:49.431
And then also, um, just to get either like, you know, that pride of these kids

00:30:49.431 --> 00:30:51.511
thought this was cool, this thing that I made.

00:30:52.251 --> 00:30:57.031
So, yeah, it's. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, peer to peer validation is that's where

00:30:57.031 --> 00:30:58.631
it's more important. Let's be real.

00:30:59.291 --> 00:31:04.811
Oh, 100 percent. Yeah. Because like they when like when when I hear a student

00:31:04.811 --> 00:31:08.051
say, well, that was actually really like, oh, that was interesting. Like, oh, oh, OK.

00:31:08.171 --> 00:31:13.011
So like you thought is someone some something that someone did in your class was interesting today.

00:31:13.171 --> 00:31:15.511
That's great. That's a win. It's a win for everybody. Absolutely.

00:31:16.351 --> 00:31:21.071
So you act not to change gears, but in one of your And we talked about how middle

00:31:21.071 --> 00:31:22.931
school is the same all around.

00:31:23.131 --> 00:31:26.071
Right. But not the same, same, same, different, different. Yeah.

00:31:27.051 --> 00:31:30.911
You have an interesting thing that's coming up that Jamie, I have already lived

00:31:30.911 --> 00:31:33.851
through and Jamie is in the process of living through,

00:31:34.011 --> 00:31:39.431
which would be you teach middle school all day and then you go home to middle

00:31:39.431 --> 00:31:42.671
school all night and it's middle school all day, all night.

00:31:43.511 --> 00:31:47.531
And um because on one of your recent posts you were like oh at your daughter's

00:31:47.531 --> 00:31:49.591
school and you're like wait a minute she's going to be in the sixth grade i

00:31:49.591 --> 00:31:52.371
teach sixth grade it's going to be like this all the time um.

00:31:53.290 --> 00:31:57.230
We hopefully will be able to provide you in this next segment of our meeting.

00:31:57.670 --> 00:32:00.090
We'll hopefully be able to provide you a little bit of advice,

00:32:00.570 --> 00:32:02.470
which is. Give me the advice. I'm going to write it down. Sure.

00:32:02.930 --> 00:32:06.570
Do you have a shed? Because I would move into it. Yeah, I do.

00:32:06.910 --> 00:32:11.370
But there are mice in there. I'm not moving. And we're done here. Okay. No. So.

00:32:12.170 --> 00:32:14.730
You know, it depends on the kid, right? Yeah, it really does.

00:32:14.910 --> 00:32:19.970
Yeah, like Joe's children and my older child are the same age.

00:32:20.090 --> 00:32:21.310
So they're all juniors in high school.

00:32:21.950 --> 00:32:26.610
And their COVID year was like the March of sixth grade and then they missed

00:32:26.610 --> 00:32:29.090
seventh grade. I got very, I got very lucky.

00:32:29.330 --> 00:32:32.010
I feel very lucky. We were like, yes.

00:32:32.550 --> 00:32:36.870
And I, and I can remember like saying like, you guys don't understand like how

00:32:36.870 --> 00:32:41.410
this was like, this is the best year to, if you have, right.

00:32:41.490 --> 00:32:46.030
It's like, if we did a poll, like a year of school, you need to miss seventh grade.

00:32:46.570 --> 00:32:49.810
And so there was, you know, there was a lot coming back from that,

00:32:49.950 --> 00:32:50.950
obviously from eighth grade.

00:32:51.090 --> 00:32:54.590
And we could kind of see even like socially they're like, they lost like that

00:32:54.590 --> 00:32:57.790
interaction time of like where you work some of those things out and whatever.

00:32:58.230 --> 00:33:02.910
So it shook out, thank goodness. And then last year I have twin girls and they

00:33:02.910 --> 00:33:04.690
went to middle school last year.

00:33:04.990 --> 00:33:08.930
And I was like, oh, I don't know what's happening in this house.

00:33:09.490 --> 00:33:14.570
And part of it was also the difficulty of every single teacher that they had,

00:33:14.790 --> 00:33:18.790
whether the person had been teaching for 30 years or 30 minutes, had a new schedule.

00:33:19.610 --> 00:33:24.170
Oh, it was new for everyone. It was new for everybody.

00:33:24.690 --> 00:33:28.910
And, you know, so you know how difficult that transition to sixth grade is to begin with.

00:33:28.950 --> 00:33:33.550
And now we have, you know, six different teachers. And if you had a journalism

00:33:33.550 --> 00:33:37.590
class, and then you also had your, you know, Spanish class, you just had work

00:33:37.590 --> 00:33:40.450
and work and work and work and work. And it was just so many things.

00:33:40.910 --> 00:33:45.150
But I have mentioned this before. So if you I'll just tell you this little piece

00:33:45.150 --> 00:33:47.650
of advice because it's been working so much better this year.

00:33:47.790 --> 00:33:50.790
And part of it could just be like their own maturity and they've acclimated also.

00:33:50.990 --> 00:33:55.510
But what I realized was they, it was so overwhelming for them to go from like

00:33:55.510 --> 00:33:58.850
the traditional classroom with one teacher, you know, maybe they,

00:33:58.950 --> 00:34:00.750
you know, popped into music or gym or whatever.

00:34:00.850 --> 00:34:05.170
And then all of a sudden now you have this barrage of like various adults with

00:34:05.170 --> 00:34:08.270
kids who, you know, sometimes they follow rules in one class and then they don't

00:34:08.270 --> 00:34:10.150
and you're mixing and lockers and all that.

00:34:10.490 --> 00:34:13.350
So they would come out of school or out of their club or whatever

00:34:13.350 --> 00:34:16.630
activity and just like of like

00:34:16.630 --> 00:34:19.490
eat like just dump Courtney this is

00:34:19.490 --> 00:34:22.350
the greatest advice I'm serious and I'm

00:34:22.350 --> 00:34:25.310
like oh my god I don't know what's happening and maybe that and then it's like

00:34:25.310 --> 00:34:29.210
you know in part they still listen like oh my mom knows stuff and then also

00:34:29.210 --> 00:34:33.110
part it's like my mom is so dumb so there was right like she doesn't know anything

00:34:33.110 --> 00:34:37.810
I don't know anything either and um and so this year I started um like over

00:34:37.810 --> 00:34:40.830
the summer I I made a decision and I was like, this is what we're going to be doing.

00:34:42.050 --> 00:34:47.050
You can not complain about anything that happened in school until 6 p.m.

00:34:48.775 --> 00:34:52.255
You're going to come home from school and you are going to like walk on the

00:34:52.255 --> 00:34:54.855
treadmill. You're going to read a book. You're going to take the dog for a walk

00:34:54.855 --> 00:34:56.395
or just make out with her on the couch. I don't know.

00:34:56.655 --> 00:35:01.275
You are going to do whatever you could possibly do to like decompress from your day.

00:35:01.795 --> 00:35:06.175
Um, and then if you're, if it's still something that's really like you've,

00:35:06.295 --> 00:35:10.115
you know, it's grinding your gears and we'll, we'll really sit and we'll talk about it.

00:35:10.215 --> 00:35:13.935
Um, nine times out of 10, like no one, it's like not a thing.

00:35:14.375 --> 00:35:17.615
They've forgotten all about it. Not usually. It wasn't that big of a deal.

00:35:17.675 --> 00:35:18.895
It wasn't that big of a deal.

00:35:18.995 --> 00:35:23.755
They just needed like perspective at like a moment to step away from it and

00:35:23.755 --> 00:35:25.615
just sort of unwind and be in the house.

00:35:25.735 --> 00:35:28.055
And I would be like, oh, my God, like all worked up.

00:35:28.215 --> 00:35:31.495
And then I'd be like, and that and they'd be like, what? Oh, yeah, no.

00:35:32.635 --> 00:35:36.515
Over it. So, yeah, I think the greatest thing there, too, is like,

00:35:36.635 --> 00:35:42.975
is like, you know, knowing knowing Jamie's husband, I know that he's he will

00:35:42.975 --> 00:35:44.675
listen, but he'll be like, OK. Okay.

00:35:44.955 --> 00:35:50.595
But like you, of course, become the lightning rod for all of the angst and anxiety

00:35:50.595 --> 00:35:52.775
where everyone wants to talk to mom. They want to talk to you.

00:35:52.895 --> 00:35:53.675
They want to talk it through.

00:35:53.815 --> 00:35:58.075
They want to have the. So like you come home from your day and it's three forty

00:35:58.075 --> 00:36:00.155
and it did it, did it, did it, did it.

00:36:00.215 --> 00:36:03.075
And you're like, you're like, ah, I've already I have decision fatigue already.

00:36:03.195 --> 00:36:05.415
Like I can't make any more decisions.

00:36:05.615 --> 00:36:11.035
So that also gives her a little bit of space while her kids are also learning

00:36:11.035 --> 00:36:15.455
how to deal with those things internally. that are,

00:36:16.193 --> 00:36:19.453
you know, challenging for kids at that age. And it's a lot. We have gone,

00:36:19.633 --> 00:36:21.733
there have been a couple of instances.

00:36:21.973 --> 00:36:24.353
I mean, and we're already, you know, more than halfway through the year.

00:36:24.473 --> 00:36:28.293
There have been a couple of instances where like it really was an immediate,

00:36:28.553 --> 00:36:30.893
like right in the car, I have to tell you something.

00:36:31.153 --> 00:36:35.573
And I felt, I also felt like that was a huge win because you are now realizing

00:36:35.993 --> 00:36:42.573
like what are true defining issues and what is just like, you know,

00:36:42.653 --> 00:36:44.633
and recently one of them said to me, you know,

00:36:45.093 --> 00:36:48.313
85% of all adult conversation is just complaining.

00:36:49.053 --> 00:36:52.433
And she said it with like such authority. And I was like, is that,

00:36:52.473 --> 00:36:55.513
is that true? But also it sounds right.

00:36:56.793 --> 00:37:01.373
Now that I think about it. Yeah. I was like, huh, how interesting.

00:37:01.533 --> 00:37:03.193
Well, not in this house until 6 PM.

00:37:04.333 --> 00:37:08.653
Yeah. Well, no, I, we, and we really did get lucky, uh, having that seventh

00:37:08.653 --> 00:37:12.213
grade year, but like, there is such a difference and you, and you've probably,

00:37:12.353 --> 00:37:14.913
I hope that you've seen it, Courtney, Like there's such a difference between

00:37:14.913 --> 00:37:16.173
a seventh grader and an eighth grader.

00:37:16.333 --> 00:37:19.633
And there was a number of, there was a number of years earlier in my career

00:37:19.633 --> 00:37:22.073
that I was teaching seventh and eighth grade. I was a split team.

00:37:22.233 --> 00:37:24.973
So I would teach seventh grade. And then some kids I would have again in the

00:37:24.973 --> 00:37:27.693
eighth grade. And you'd be like, Ooh, I would have this kid again.

00:37:28.233 --> 00:37:32.913
And then like, they're a different, completely different kid because there's,

00:37:33.033 --> 00:37:37.993
there's, you know, they are, they are hormonal because their bodies are going through changes.

00:37:37.993 --> 00:37:43.473
Their prefrontal cortex is still developing because they are little balls of

00:37:43.473 --> 00:37:48.793
emotion um they're they're you know realizing that they like boys or girls or

00:37:48.793 --> 00:37:54.213
both or whatever you know whatever you do all the things all the things loving all the things um,

00:37:55.047 --> 00:38:00.707
It's like, it's, it's just, it's a very difficult time, but a lot of times like

00:38:00.707 --> 00:38:03.227
that summer between the seventh grade and then eighth grade year,

00:38:03.367 --> 00:38:06.387
it's just like that switch goes off, their bodies start to level off and they

00:38:06.387 --> 00:38:08.647
start to learn things about themselves in regards to,

00:38:08.827 --> 00:38:13.087
and even like the immature eighth graders just haven't reached that point yet.

00:38:13.647 --> 00:38:16.627
So that's, that is one thing I'm loving about what we're doing currently.

00:38:17.007 --> 00:38:20.947
And two or three years ago, I was able, when I moved up from seventh to eighth

00:38:20.947 --> 00:38:24.607
grade, I was able to loop with some of my kids.

00:38:24.727 --> 00:38:27.767
So yeah, some of those, you know, boys that were this tall, you know,

00:38:27.927 --> 00:38:30.887
at the beginning of seventh grade and then at the end of eighth grade,

00:38:31.087 --> 00:38:32.707
you know, they're a foot taller than me.

00:38:33.607 --> 00:38:38.007
But just to see them grow like as, as people was, I was like,

00:38:38.067 --> 00:38:43.327
this is awesome. And so, you know, the model we're in currently is set up for us to loop with them.

00:38:43.487 --> 00:38:46.607
So this is our second year. So, yes, we are seeing, you know,

00:38:46.647 --> 00:38:53.047
our current eighth graders we had last year as seventh graders and our current

00:38:53.047 --> 00:38:56.287
seventh graders, you know, next year, we will have had them all three years.

00:38:56.287 --> 00:38:58.827
And it's it is it's really, really cool.

00:38:58.967 --> 00:39:04.947
That's been probably my favorite part because the growth and just maturity that,

00:39:05.087 --> 00:39:08.367
you know, some of the kids you wouldn't expect to, like, mature so much.

00:39:08.707 --> 00:39:12.207
Six months or eight months. It's like, Oh, look at you.

00:39:12.327 --> 00:39:14.687
And then I know like some of them, um, you know, you're just,

00:39:14.767 --> 00:39:19.207
we're planting seeds and hopefully, you know, when they're sophomores or juniors

00:39:19.207 --> 00:39:24.567
or whatever, they, they, they might figure it out, but at least now we can love

00:39:24.567 --> 00:39:25.867
the heck out of them while they're there.

00:39:26.587 --> 00:39:30.507
Are your kids also, do you work in the same district where your kids go to school?

00:39:30.707 --> 00:39:33.087
Same district, but they won't go to the same school.

00:39:33.587 --> 00:39:37.627
Yep. Same. It was the same for me i i did work in the school that they wound

00:39:37.627 --> 00:39:40.967
up going to so i didn't know a lot of the so i wound up going to a different

00:39:40.967 --> 00:39:46.487
middle school um which which i kind of was like i kind of was not that i was

00:39:46.487 --> 00:39:49.007
hoping would happen but i'm happy that it happened because i didn't want to

00:39:49.007 --> 00:39:53.427
be in the same building as them yeah i've been on the fence i didn't want to be i i didn't want to.

00:39:54.187 --> 00:39:57.787
Bring your kids to our school and i'm like well and can i like them being on

00:39:57.787 --> 00:40:01.787
their own like forging their own yeah you know are there can i ask how old your

00:40:01.787 --> 00:40:03.567
kids are if you don't mind how many no Oh, not at all.

00:40:03.687 --> 00:40:06.207
There's 10, 8, and 3.

00:40:06.627 --> 00:40:10.747
So almost, they're all spring babies. I did the typical teacher thing where

00:40:10.747 --> 00:40:14.107
it was like, let's have all of them in the spring so I can have a really long maternity leave.

00:40:15.187 --> 00:40:19.467
But then not realizing that we would have birthday season from like March.

00:40:19.807 --> 00:40:21.407
I mean, it's boom, boom, but we just have.

00:40:21.767 --> 00:40:26.127
So anyway, yeah, they're almost 11, almost 9, almost 4. Courtney,

00:40:26.407 --> 00:40:30.847
in the beginning of our chat today, you said, I love my job,

00:40:31.087 --> 00:40:35.167
which is not something that you said, I love my job. I love the people I work with.

00:40:35.367 --> 00:40:40.587
That's not something that we hear that often, unfortunately, from teachers.

00:40:41.067 --> 00:40:45.587
What do you think it is that is keeping you 16 years in loving your job?

00:40:46.225 --> 00:40:50.725
Oh, um, I mean, I love, I think I love the age group.

00:40:50.985 --> 00:40:54.665
Like I knew even in college when I declared my, well, I changed my major,

00:40:54.725 --> 00:40:58.125
but then when I declared it, I was like, I'm going to do middle school.

00:40:58.305 --> 00:41:02.345
And my, you know, people around me were like, that's very specific and strange

00:41:02.345 --> 00:41:03.305
that you would choose that.

00:41:03.465 --> 00:41:07.805
But I just feel like it's such a fun, impressionable age.

00:41:08.005 --> 00:41:11.385
So I think first of all, it's finding your fit, you know, whether it's elementary

00:41:11.385 --> 00:41:15.025
or high school or reading specialists, like figuring out where,

00:41:15.025 --> 00:41:19.625
you know, your gifts and talents are best, you know, served.

00:41:20.765 --> 00:41:25.445
So finding your place. And I know, I feel really fortunate. I've only worked

00:41:25.445 --> 00:41:28.705
in two school buildings, and both of them have been wonderful.

00:41:28.965 --> 00:41:32.025
You know, I've had great co-workers, I've had a supportive admin.

00:41:32.145 --> 00:41:35.485
So I feel like I can't, I don't have a lot to complain about.

00:41:35.585 --> 00:41:37.645
I know for a lot of people, that's not the case.

00:41:37.765 --> 00:41:41.885
And they, you know, have to struggle through the system of their own building,

00:41:41.885 --> 00:41:43.785
not just the day-to-day stuff.

00:41:44.165 --> 00:41:49.405
But I also find, like, if I'm not laughing, like if I cannot laugh with every

00:41:49.405 --> 00:41:53.345
single class every single day, then I have to pause and figure out what the heck's going on.

00:41:53.385 --> 00:41:57.785
Because if it's the curriculum's too serious or, you know, like I'm too set

00:41:57.785 --> 00:42:01.445
on goals that really, you know, sometimes you just have to stop and realize

00:42:01.445 --> 00:42:03.605
these are people, they're fun people.

00:42:03.785 --> 00:42:05.825
They're in the weirdest stage of their life.

00:42:06.265 --> 00:42:09.565
And you just have to find fun.

00:42:10.165 --> 00:42:13.825
Um even if that means you know you have to put curriculum on the back burner

00:42:13.825 --> 00:42:16.665
for five minutes okay like if it's

00:42:16.665 --> 00:42:20.545
going to bring some joy into your classroom you just you have to do it.

00:42:21.705 --> 00:42:24.745
That is it that i love that that's awesome

00:42:24.745 --> 00:42:27.565
um and so my last piece of advice for

00:42:27.565 --> 00:42:30.365
you which you're going to have a lot of middle school coming through with a 10 year old a

00:42:30.365 --> 00:42:33.085
nine year old and then a three-year-old yes we'll be in it for

00:42:33.085 --> 00:42:36.565
a while by the time that third one gets there you're gonna be like yeah i

00:42:36.565 --> 00:42:39.465
know you do you buddy um but what you

00:42:39.465 --> 00:42:42.365
can do is you can say when your children are

00:42:42.365 --> 00:42:45.225
being outlandish or ridiculous or messing around with

00:42:45.225 --> 00:42:47.925
you or not behaving just be like hey you know what i can make that into a

00:42:47.925 --> 00:42:51.105
bit and just put that on my channel and you know

00:42:51.105 --> 00:42:54.145
i mean i don't have to name names but i'm sure everyone's going

00:42:54.145 --> 00:42:57.385
to be able to figure it out because that is a huge trump card

00:42:57.385 --> 00:43:00.545
to be able to pull be like hey here's my couple thousand followers

00:43:00.545 --> 00:43:04.245
that are going to know everything about you and oh by the way i know

00:43:04.245 --> 00:43:07.325
i'm super weird about my not weird but um

00:43:07.325 --> 00:43:10.545
like having my own kids you know my they they're

00:43:10.545 --> 00:43:13.585
asked like can we be in one of your videos and i'm just i'm just

00:43:13.585 --> 00:43:18.425
saying i'm just saying acting like them it's like oh oh yeah oh yeah 100 um

00:43:18.425 --> 00:43:22.965
but no that that was a very point also i mean on that note i don't know if this

00:43:22.965 --> 00:43:27.045
matters um but i also just with my instagram account that was the one thing

00:43:27.045 --> 00:43:31.245
that i i didn't want my own students who, yes, they like find me and.

00:43:31.902 --> 00:43:37.062
Follow me, whatever. That's fine. Um, I didn't want it to become a way to call

00:43:37.062 --> 00:43:39.202
out kids either. Yeah. Yeah.

00:43:39.542 --> 00:43:43.762
For specific things, you know, like if, you know, if something obnoxious happens,

00:43:44.262 --> 00:43:47.762
to make a bit about it and then everybody knows, you know, like,

00:43:47.882 --> 00:43:49.862
cause I feel like kids have enough to deal with.

00:43:50.002 --> 00:43:53.602
They don't need their like teacher acting out their own, you know?

00:43:53.742 --> 00:43:55.982
So usually my stuff is like very universal.

00:43:56.642 --> 00:44:01.302
If it's a specific middle schooler, it just means that it's all middle schoolers. Exactly.

00:44:01.662 --> 00:44:04.062
Which is. Especially that kid that leaned in and was like, do you have any,

00:44:04.062 --> 00:44:06.242
do you have any talkies? You know, kids are in the cafeteria.

00:44:06.402 --> 00:44:08.162
Like, ah, that's totally you. That's you.

00:44:09.102 --> 00:44:12.842
All the time. It's everybody. But it is, it's a good point that you make because

00:44:12.842 --> 00:44:20.142
there are a lot of accounts where it is just really like digging into like how

00:44:20.142 --> 00:44:24.462
it's terrible and awful and like why I quit or like, and that's not your vibe.

00:44:24.462 --> 00:44:29.162
And that's, that's where we come from also. So it is like, it's a really nice

00:44:29.162 --> 00:44:33.342
thing to say. Like, yeah, it's funny and it's ridiculous, but it comes from

00:44:33.342 --> 00:44:37.102
a place of like of love for them and for what you do.

00:44:37.302 --> 00:44:40.622
Not, you know, that I want to tell everybody how awful it is all the time.

00:44:40.882 --> 00:44:43.002
Of course, there's moments.

00:44:43.282 --> 00:44:46.722
And for like, I mean, I'm sure you guys, you've been doing this 20 some years.

00:44:46.902 --> 00:44:49.742
Like you've probably had those years where you're like.

00:44:50.285 --> 00:44:53.885
Is this what I'm going, can I do this for the next however many?

00:44:54.245 --> 00:44:57.305
And then the next year comes around and you're like, okay, I can do this.

00:44:57.445 --> 00:45:01.565
So, I mean, I get it. Like I get that sometimes there's just really rough,

00:45:01.765 --> 00:45:05.825
rough patches, but like, I refuse to believe that that's forever.

00:45:05.985 --> 00:45:09.205
If it is forever, then obviously I need to find a different path.

00:45:09.325 --> 00:45:13.145
But, um, so far it has not been, and you just, you gotta find the joy.

00:45:13.965 --> 00:45:19.065
Yeah. Well, as, uh, I want to thank you again for, uh, joining us.

00:45:19.165 --> 00:45:21.985
We had you scheduled and then the schedule changed and then it was

00:45:21.985 --> 00:45:24.805
like hey join us and then like i am an idiot and don't

00:45:24.805 --> 00:45:27.525
know time zones and then we had to like hop on and do everything it worked

00:45:27.525 --> 00:45:30.265
out because it snowed and then everything got canceled for me tonight so it

00:45:30.265 --> 00:45:33.625
worked out yeah look at you uh but no uh jamie

00:45:33.625 --> 00:45:37.005
courtney i appreciate you this is like our thing that's what we do so i appreciate

00:45:37.005 --> 00:45:41.425
you we appreciate you so much for being here joey i appreciate you yeah buddy

00:45:41.425 --> 00:45:46.525
yeah being flexible and going for it and everybody that enjoys a laugh needs

00:45:46.525 --> 00:45:51.645
to check out Courtney Varner's very complicated Instagram that has been scrolling.

00:45:52.525 --> 00:45:56.085
Hi, it's me. This is me under, under, under, under, underscore.

00:45:56.365 --> 00:45:57.965
Yeah. Yes. It'll be linked.

00:45:58.305 --> 00:46:02.965
It'll be linked in our, in our episode description below on all the usual channels.

00:46:03.105 --> 00:46:04.705
So thank you very much for joining us today, everybody.

00:46:04.845 --> 00:46:07.705
We'll see you next time on the Balancing Act podcast. Thank you.

00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:22.640
Music.

00:46:22.245 --> 00:46:26.925
Look for the balancing act podcast every week on your favorite podcast platform

00:46:26.925 --> 00:46:32.485
new episodes drop every tuesday thank you for being a part of our audience we appreciate you.

00:46:32.560 --> 00:46:46.035
Music.