Latest / The Wholehearted Enneagram Podcast / The Questions Your Child's Teacher Wants You To Ask | An Interview with Annaliese Higgins and Mallory Rancudo

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The Questions Your Child's Teacher Wants You To Ask | An Interview with Annaliese Higgins and Mallory Rancudo · The Wholehearted Enneagram Podcast

0:00
SPEAKER_02: This episode is sponsored by Super Summer Challenge.
0:03
SPEAKER_02: Whether you have one hour a week, one day a week, or twelve full weeks with your kids this summer, Super Summer Challenge is here to help you make the most of every minute.
0:12
SPEAKER_02: Our book, templates, online workshop, and personalized coaching will help you create more unplugged, purposeful, and intentional moments this summer.
0:21
SPEAKER_02: Instead of fighting against boredom, electronics all day long, or the crazy busy swirl of activities, Supersummer Challenge will help your kids learn new skills, build confidence, and strengthen family relationships.
0:34
SPEAKER_02: Find more at SupersummerCallenge.com.
0:39
SPEAKER_02: Hi friends, welcome to the Simply Wholehearted Podcast.
0:43
SPEAKER_02: Today I'm in the studio with both Ashley Pittman, my lovely co-host, my sister Annalise Higgins, a teacher in Colorado Springs at a fifth grade class at a charter school out there, and then my other friend, our other friend Mallory Rancuto, who is a junior high math teacher here in the Kansas City area at a private school.
1:04
SPEAKER_02: We thought it would be really fun to sit down with them and ask them kind of all the questions that bounce around in our mind as parents.
1:12
SPEAKER_02: How we negotiate the homework issue, if it's too much, if it's too little, what's the best way to communicate and partner with the teachers?
1:20
SPEAKER_02: Because let's be honest, most of us are sending our kids away to maybe even just one teacher in particular for seven or eight hours of a day.
1:28
SPEAKER_02: And our our kids as teachers sometimes interact with them more in a day than we're able to, that we have time for.
1:34
SPEAKER_02: So who better to partner with in this journey of raising kids who uh survive not just survive but thrive in not only just school but in the social skills and um in the interaction with their peers and and so much more, all the things that you learn going to a school.
1:54
SPEAKER_02: Uh so we have um we just had an awesome time getting to pick their brains, so to speak, and and again ask them all the important homework questions, but uh also I think what's also on our minds is what do we buy teachers for gifts?
2:09
SPEAKER_02: What is it that they appreciate and they enjoy?
2:11
SPEAKER_02: So I hope you enjoy this interview as we find out how we can better partner with teachers.
2:22
SPEAKER_02: Well, I am excited because this is our first all in studio recording, no Skyping in and everything like that because this just is fun.
2:31
SPEAKER_02: It's fun to sit here and not worry about technology and earbuds and the ears, and we can look at each other's eyeballs.
2:36
SPEAKER_02: What do you think, Ashley?
2:38
SPEAKER_00: I'm super excited to do it this way.
2:39
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
2:39
SPEAKER_00: I like to see your faces.
2:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it's I mean up close.
2:42
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
2:42
SPEAKER_00: I can see the Skype people's faces, so it's not the same.
2:45
SPEAKER_00: It's not the same.
2:45
SPEAKER_00: There's a screen betwixt us betwixt.
2:49
SPEAKER_00: It's the coffee some coffee.
2:52
SPEAKER_02: Yes, there's no screen, there's no technology, there's no hiccups, there's no like, you know.
2:57
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
2:57
SPEAKER_02: So far, every single interview has gone pretty flawlessly, but there's always those little moments where you're like, ah, is it gonna word out?
3:04
SPEAKER_02: So anyway, yeah.
3:05
SPEAKER_02: So Annalise Higgins has flown in, actually drove in from Colorado for this interview.
3:10
SPEAKER_02: That's true.
3:11
SPEAKER_02: And the lovely Mallory Rancudo drove a little bit down the street for this one.
3:16
SPEAKER_02: It's love.
3:18
SPEAKER_02: So um is Ashley Pittman and Amy Wicks here again, um, having some great whole-hearted, simply wholehearted conversations with two wonderful women who I I think we all can appre we all have those teachers that we look back in our lives and go, oh man, if it wasn't for that teacher.
3:38
SPEAKER_02: And we also have those teachers who we go, oh boy, man, that was a rough year for me.
3:43
SPEAKER_02: But I know you both um give your students a really wonderful year and wonderful experience.
3:48
SPEAKER_02: So that is why we wanted you here because we wanted to talk about, I think um, parents want to get um just inside the classroom a little bit more sometimes, and it's hard.
3:58
SPEAKER_02: I mean, we you know, a lot of us try to volunteer when we can, but we can't, you know, we don't always have the time.
4:03
SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, and maybe some of us have only ever homeschooled, and when we're looking at different schooling options, this is you know some of the questions that we're asking ourselves.
4:13
SPEAKER_02: So um, Ashley, we know Mallory because of our church.
4:19
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
4:19
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
4:20
SPEAKER_02: We do.
4:21
SPEAKER_00: I don't know her very well, so I'm just getting to know Mallory.
4:24
SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes.
4:24
SPEAKER_02: Well, we we go to this awesome church in Kansas City called Radiant.
4:28
SPEAKER_02: So if you're ever in Kansas City, be sure to check it out.
4:30
SPEAKER_02: Um, Mallory and her husband moved here uh just uh like less than a year ago, almost a year ago now.
4:36
SPEAKER_04: Yep, June 1st.
4:37
SPEAKER_02: June 1st, your anniversary.
4:40
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
4:41
SPEAKER_04: It's coming up.
4:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and you're coming up on a year wedding anniversary too.
4:44
SPEAKER_04: Right, May 21st.
4:46
SPEAKER_00: A lot of stuff to do in a year.
4:47
SPEAKER_00: Yep, yeah.
4:48
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, they have.
4:48
SPEAKER_00: They really have.
4:49
SPEAKER_04: And they graduated college last year.
4:51
SPEAKER_00: Oh my word.
4:52
SPEAKER_00: Three major life changes.
4:53
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, huge.
4:54
SPEAKER_01: Like we just get them all done when it's great.
4:58
SPEAKER_02: And not only did they do that, but the Mallory is a real instrumental piece of the kids' department at Radiant Church, which we have a phenomenal kids' ministry from eight weeks on up.
5:10
SPEAKER_02: We have even youth group and everything.
5:12
SPEAKER_02: But Mallory's been really um a part of building the eight-week old to five-year-old kindergarten age group.
5:20
SPEAKER_02: So we get to work with each other, we get to push the bye-bye buggy, she blows the bubbles, I run the crying kids down the hallway until they don't cry anymore.
5:28
SPEAKER_02: Teamwork makes the dream work.
5:30
unknown: Yeah.
5:31
SPEAKER_02: This last Sunday, Mallory had a little front pack with one of our sweet little baby girls.
5:36
SPEAKER_02: You did?
5:36
SPEAKER_00: You got to wear a baby.
5:38
SPEAKER_04: Yes, and push the stroller at the same time.
5:40
SPEAKER_00: She was.
5:40
SPEAKER_00: I missed that.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: I might have to come back there and see if I can wear a baby one day.
5:44
SPEAKER_01: I volunteer in the nursery now so I can get my baby fix.
5:46
SPEAKER_00: Yep, kids team best team.
5:47
SPEAKER_00: I'm at that point now.
5:48
SPEAKER_00: My kids are old enough now that I can go, oh, I want a baby fix.
5:51
SPEAKER_00: Used to be I need a little bit of a break, but now I'm kind of ready for a fix.
5:56
SPEAKER_02: It's kind of fun.
5:56
SPEAKER_02: I like it.
5:57
SPEAKER_02: And you get to know a lot of the the families and parents, so anyway.
6:01
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, a little plug in there.
6:02
SPEAKER_02: Okay, and I know Annalise Higgins because I'm by default.
6:06
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, by default.
6:07
SPEAKER_02: She was my little sister.
6:08
SPEAKER_01: You've known me for 29 years.
6:10
SPEAKER_02: That's true.
6:11
SPEAKER_02: I have.
6:11
SPEAKER_02: I have since the moment.
6:13
unknown: Yeah.
6:13
SPEAKER_02: She was born, well, almost practically the moment.
6:15
SPEAKER_02: I re I can remember seeing her in the hospital for the first time.
6:19
SPEAKER_02: Oh shit.
6:20
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
6:21
SPEAKER_02: So she's my little sister.
6:22
SPEAKER_02: So um she came all the way here so we could talk about just teachers in the classroom and all of that.
6:28
SPEAKER_02: Um, so so now that you kind of know how we know each other, um, I wanted to have Ashley talk about her some of her experiences with schools in the classroom and just kind of go from there.
6:41
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
6:41
SPEAKER_00: First of all, though, I'm curious because I don't know what grade levels do you two teach?
6:47
SPEAKER_01: Well, I teach fifth grade.
6:49
SPEAKER_01: I've worked with um I've worked in preschool settings.
6:51
SPEAKER_01: I've done nanny, done lots of babysitting, worked as a preschool teacher for two to three-year-olds.
6:56
SPEAKER_01: So I was basically teaching potty training.
6:59
SPEAKER_01: It's great.
7:00
SPEAKER_01: It was good.
7:00
SPEAKER_01: Hey, that's a bad skin.
7:02
SPEAKER_01: That's always good.
7:03
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, I was giving tips to sisters about their kids and potty.
7:06
SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say, those are some good skills to have.
7:09
SPEAKER_00: It is.
7:09
SPEAKER_01: I feel well on me.
7:12
SPEAKER_01: Um, and then I started working in the elementary school system about five years ago.
7:15
SPEAKER_01: I subbed, and so I've worked, I worked K through 12 and subbed in many different classrooms.
7:20
SPEAKER_01: Then I got a job as a tutor, uh basically a teacher's aide for fourth full fourth was my primary grade, but then I also hopped up to sixth grade.
7:29
SPEAKER_01: And then I've been teaching, this will be the end of my fourth year teaching in fifth grade.
7:33
SPEAKER_00: Okay, wow.
7:34
SPEAKER_00: Seventh grade class.
7:35
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
7:35
SPEAKER_01: So a variety of ages.
7:37
SPEAKER_01: Right on.
7:38
SPEAKER_00: So fifth grade now, that's your focus.
7:40
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
7:40
SPEAKER_04: And what about you?
7:41
SPEAKER_04: Um, I this is my first year teaching.
7:43
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
7:44
SPEAKER_04: And I'm teaching seventh and eighth grade math at a just at a Christian school, private Christian school in town.
7:51
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
7:52
SPEAKER_02: Well, junior high.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: I think junior high is its own.
7:55
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I just went my eyes just kind of you couldn't see me, but my eyes kind of bugged out when she said first year teaching seventh and eighth grade.
8:00
SPEAKER_00: I was like, oh, wow.
8:01
SPEAKER_02: I didn't just jump right in.
8:03
SPEAKER_02: Do you do you are you naturally really good with that age group?
8:06
SPEAKER_02: Is that something that you thought, oh yeah, I could I love that age group, I could work with it?
8:11
SPEAKER_04: Um, I probably didn't know what I was getting myself into um because I hadn't really worked with that age group a whole lot.
8:20
SPEAKER_04: Okay, besides just in school.
8:22
SPEAKER_04: And so I'm try I I love them and I think they're hilarious.
8:28
SPEAKER_04: They say funny things and they do things like in the middle of class when it's quiet and yell out things like have nothing to do with what we're talking about, and it's hilarious.
8:36
SPEAKER_04: But um I I don't I wouldn't say I just naturally work with them, but I am I'm learning to work with them.
8:45
SPEAKER_04: I love it.
8:46
SPEAKER_02: That's good.
8:47
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think I've just been able to see too, just you know, we have those conversations on Sunday and see how that's really grown and how you've grown in that role and that love for that age group and for your class and for your kids this year, which I think as a teacher that would be a little bit hard.
9:02
SPEAKER_02: You fall in, you know, you create this relationship with these kiddos, you fall in love with them, you get to know them, and then you have to say goodbye.
9:07
SPEAKER_02: And and I I know sometimes with the schools the way you know you still get to have those connection points in the following years, but it you know, it looks completely different.
9:16
SPEAKER_02: So I always hated the last day of school for that reason.
9:19
SPEAKER_00: I I liked my teachers most of the time, and I always hated the end.
9:23
SPEAKER_00: I hate the end of anything anyway.
9:24
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but the last day of school, I was always like, don't cry, don't cry.
9:28
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I cried.
9:28
SPEAKER_00: And even when I was older, I was like, I just don't want it to stop.
9:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
9:32
SPEAKER_01: I basically have to turn out my lights in my classroom, close my blinds, and like I I like let loose.
9:38
SPEAKER_01: It's horrible.
9:38
SPEAKER_01: I have hysterical Belvin.
9:41
SPEAKER_02: I do see her, I do see her more ahead of time where you know we're kind of ramping up to the end of the school.
9:46
SPEAKER_01: And it's just like a weepy mess.
9:48
SPEAKER_01: Like at least one day after like the I was counting as like 36 days left with my students, and I'm like, okay, at least one time per those 36 days I'm gonna cry.
9:57
SPEAKER_01: I know that you that you love them that much and actually miss them.
10:01
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, she tell it us.
10:03
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
10:04
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so I do have a question, but I mean, I've had, like I said, mostly good experiences with teachers personally.
10:11
SPEAKER_00: There was maybe one or two that I would say left a really bad impression just because of the way they handled some situations, and I still remember a second grade situation that just shamed the fire out of me.
10:21
SPEAKER_00: And um, I think I still even react out of it sometimes.
10:24
SPEAKER_00: Um, but mostly I had good attachments to to my teachers, and um, and I have my oldest child's 19, and so we've had, you know, a lot of years of teacher interactions, and most of those have been really good as well.
10:36
SPEAKER_00: And I know that um and different kinds of schools too for you.
10:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, lots of different experiences.
10:41
SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, yeah, we did school most of her, the oldest.
10:45
SPEAKER_00: Um we're from Alabama originally, so we did have a transition a few years ago, midway through a school year, which really threw our the youngest at the time, the the one that was in kindergarten at the time for a loop.
10:57
SPEAKER_00: And um, I'll get to that in a minute.
10:58
SPEAKER_00: But um so totally different teaching styles and expectations and stuff.
11:03
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I mean we've done public school, we've done one year of homeschooling out of just a a need, which was horrendous educationally.
11:11
SPEAKER_00: It was great for our relationship, but no, it's it was just not a good year um educationally.
11:16
SPEAKER_00: So that was just for a year, and then we did she went to a private school, and the other kids have been in public school, so we've done a lot of kind of different things, but um one of the things I have two kids that one is officially diagnosed ADHD and the other one probably is, and we just haven't bothered to do the diagnosis because it's unnecessary right now.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: We're not gonna medicate the kids, we're just working with it.
11:37
SPEAKER_00: And so that has been really one of the things I've been most impressed with is the way the teachers we've had have gone above and beyond to create individualized programs to help.
11:47
SPEAKER_00: And like the like I said, the one that we uh moved midway through the school year, she was way behind in reading from where they wanted her to be.
11:53
SPEAKER_00: And um which that was hard on me as a mom because I thought this is my fault.
11:58
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I've totally lost because I was kind of in survival mode because I had two younger kids and just getting into the homework at the end of the day and making sure everybody was reading and doing their thing.
12:06
SPEAKER_00: I was just kind of honestly kind of dropped the ball just because it's of where we were or where I was just with the small children.
12:12
SPEAKER_00: And so I was trying to figure out how to balance how much was I supposed to be doing at home versus what's happening at school, which brings me around to the big um homework question that I think most parents want to know about, and it's a source of frustration often for younger kids.
12:28
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
12:29
SPEAKER_00: Um, because we know when they get older, that's kind of you do your homework.
12:32
SPEAKER_00: But when they're, you know, kindergarten, first, second, and third grade, there's just a lot of uh need for parent interaction and prodding as well.
12:40
SPEAKER_00: And um the the the one child would come home from school, you know, they've been at school for seven or eight hours, and the last thing they want to do is sit back down and do some more homework.
12:51
SPEAKER_00: But you know, they've got these little packets, they've got a math sheet or whatever, and they've got to get it done.
12:54
SPEAKER_00: But one of them, I won't name names, but would get angry and start running laps around the house just screaming.
13:02
SPEAKER_00: No, I mean the homework was not happening, and I would just go, What what do I do?
13:06
SPEAKER_00: You know, what do I do?
13:07
SPEAKER_00: And this was a daily thing, and I thought, you know what, I can't, this is not worth it, this homework situation.
13:12
SPEAKER_01: Right.
13:12
SPEAKER_00: So when you have something like that or a child that's really struggling, really frustrated, what's the expectation at home for parents and how important is that that one math sheet that goes home at the end of the day?
13:24
SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
13:24
SPEAKER_00: Like what's happening, you know, it's a and I think parents would like to know like how important is that math sheet at home?
13:29
SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
13:30
SPEAKER_00: And um, and not even to mention that when I try to help with math, um my method is not the same as their method because Comic Core.
13:40
SPEAKER_00: Come on, and my method, she's like, that's not how we do it.
13:43
SPEAKER_00: That's not how we do it.
13:44
SPEAKER_00: I'm like, well, but I got the right answer, but that's not how we do it.
13:47
SPEAKER_00: And so, anyway, so and you know, I know there's all kinds of opinions on that, and you know, what Comic Core is risen, and it's not the point of this conversation.
13:54
SPEAKER_02: So you can edit that if you wish to.
13:56
SPEAKER_00: But anyway.
13:57
SPEAKER_02: But the whole point is, is as we as we were taught and as we learned as kids, it looks different now.
14:03
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, every generation has that same problem.
14:05
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
14:06
SPEAKER_02: How do we overcome it?
14:08
SPEAKER_00: And you know, at what point do you just say, go talk to your teacher because she can help you?
14:12
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
14:13
SPEAKER_00: So what what do you feel is the expectation of her parents at homework and all that kind of a thing?
14:18
SPEAKER_01: You know how to start off with an easy question.
14:20
SPEAKER_01: I know.
14:20
SPEAKER_01: We just jumped in and besides anyone as a teacher guest, we'll we'll you know, make sure we cover that.
14:29
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I guess I could speak a little bit more towards the elementary side in I think you um uh you did you did student teaching in elementary little.
14:38
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, but I I was at a school that didn't require we didn't we weren't allowed to give homework.
14:42
SPEAKER_01: So wow.
14:43
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
14:44
SPEAKER_01: Um I guess speaking from my my realm, um um at the school that I I am blessed to get to work with, it's a charter school, it's a classical academy.
14:56
SPEAKER_01: Um so a lot of just classically based um interaction, dialogue, conversation, um try to really reach out to all different levels of learners.
15:08
SPEAKER_01: So um, and we've definitely been in that journey of um that lovely common core word uh curriculum, um, and and how to maneuver with that and whatnot.
15:20
SPEAKER_01: Um I would say with homework, um sometimes it is a student by student trial by error.
15:29
SPEAKER_01: And you like I keep telling my students, and I love my school because we are definitely a parent partnership um program where we we really believe it is, you know, trying to bring it in alongside of the parents.
15:41
SPEAKER_01: It is hard because um we're getting definitely more of that pull and a broader um attendance where parents aren't and can't be as involved.
15:51
SPEAKER_01: And so, what does that look like also with the teacher and how to help students because they're not necessarily able to get the support at home?
15:57
SPEAKER_01: Um, not necessarily out of neglect or anything, it's just because of you know lifestyles in our society.
16:03
SPEAKER_01: Um, so I would say as a teacher, each year I've always encountered different students with different needs, whether it's you know, ADHD, I know you mentioned that, or you know, just different levels of ability or capability.
16:18
SPEAKER_01: And I think that I've had to learn to be flexible, and you just really have to learn the heart of your student and the parent learn the heart of their child.
16:26
SPEAKER_01: And I think that's the really important is if you learn their heart and knowing what is the struggle, what is are are they are they understanding the material?
16:36
SPEAKER_01: Are they understanding the concept?
16:37
SPEAKER_01: If they are, then is that homework really then just busy work and just a check mark?
16:42
SPEAKER_01: Um, and is it causing that angst and um lack of peace in the house?
16:46
SPEAKER_01: Then I tell my parents by all means, let's let's look at the heart of it.
16:50
SPEAKER_02: Um I mean, each school and each teacher probably puts a weight on homework.
16:56
SPEAKER_01: It's just different.
16:58
SPEAKER_02: I mean in some of the situations that we were in, the homework was the majority of the grade.
17:02
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
17:02
SPEAKER_01: And thankfully at my school, like um say with homework uh for math, um, it that's like the primary primary homework, 15 to 20 minutes.
17:12
SPEAKER_01: We are allowed to give up to 45 minutes to an hour worth of homework from any of the subjects kind of combined.
17:18
SPEAKER_01: I try to max at most 45 minutes, and that includes, you know, you're we're trying to encourage them to read for 20 minutes, whether that's reading aloud to mom and dad while you're cooking, um, dinner or in the car, going off to soccer practice or studying for spelling or for the 50 states and capitals test that's coming up or or whatnot.
17:36
SPEAKER_01: Um, I think that um it it just varies.
17:40
SPEAKER_01: So with the homework, it's usually definitely participation grade.
17:45
SPEAKER_01: Um I don't know.
17:47
SPEAKER_01: I I think that um to me I've always told the parents, like set a timer.
17:52
SPEAKER_01: Set the timer for 20 minutes for that math homework, and if they get it done and they understand it, great.
17:57
SPEAKER_01: Um if you set that timer and they don't finish it because they were goofing off or just not able to practice, you know, focus, then then let me know and I can approach it accordingly.
18:05
SPEAKER_01: Or if they work for 20 minutes and don't get it done because they're really struggling, then let me know so I can you know approach it accordingly.
18:11
SPEAKER_01: So I think um that's been definitely something, a guiding rule for me.
18:15
SPEAKER_01: Um because I really I want you I I recognize the kids are tired and they need to go play and have family time and go off to ballet or whatever extracurricular activity is going on.
18:26
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
18:27
SPEAKER_01: So I say homework is worthwhile, it does have its place because it's also a helpful gauge for like say math, where okay, they got it in the classroom, but did it stick with them seven hours later for it to transfer so that way, and then please, mom and dad, do not do the homework for them because that defeats the purpose too.
18:46
SPEAKER_01: Um, and it and it's hard.
18:48
SPEAKER_01: But that's kind of another subject about struggle and failure and whatnot.
18:51
SPEAKER_01: But in terms of homework, I feel like it does have its place, but it really comes down to it's a heart-to-heart conversation with teacher to student, parent to student, and parent to teacher.
19:02
SPEAKER_01: So that way we can be really in open communication and know of like what what's gonna be worthwhile, what's gonna help them in their student journey.
19:08
SPEAKER_02: So really it's up to parents if this is a continuing struggle as they're finishing out this year, but then as they look towards next year, yeah, that they you know, look at themselves and the amount of time that they're really putting to be realistic, but then go and talk to the teacher and yeah.
19:24
SPEAKER_01: Like I had a parent finally come to me.
19:26
SPEAKER_01: It was like three months into school and she said, I just don't know what to can you help me.
19:30
SPEAKER_01: It's uh math has been taking like two hours at home.
19:32
SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, what?
19:34
SPEAKER_01: I was like, no, stop.
19:36
SPEAKER_01: And so that's when I was like, you know, first of all, get them home, have them change their clothes, get a snack, run around actually the house a couple times, you know, go blow up some steam, then sit down, set that timer, you know, and and get that done.
19:48
SPEAKER_01: And if they get it done within that timer time, great.
19:51
SPEAKER_01: If not, you know, you just move onward.
19:53
SPEAKER_01: It's not worth, you know, beating it to death.
19:55
SPEAKER_01: That's freedom right there.
19:57
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's not like that.
19:58
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
19:59
SPEAKER_01: And there's been some students, I'm like, um, just get them straight down, keep them in their uniform, just get the timer going, and while they're eating their snack, then just get it done, and then the rest is like free, home, and fancy.
20:09
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
20:10
SPEAKER_01: So again, it's just student-to-student journey.
20:13
SPEAKER_00: Well, since we're on the topic of math, Mallory, what do you say?
20:16
SPEAKER_00: Because math is usually the stickler.
20:18
SPEAKER_00: It is math, so you know, when the parents, speaking of parent involvement with math and not doing their homework, how do you handle?
20:25
SPEAKER_00: Let's just say you're trying to maybe, because they didn't get it from seven hours later, they have forgotten whatever they learned.
20:32
SPEAKER_00: And so you're trying to maybe reteach and how do you manage, like, what do you want the parents to do?
20:37
SPEAKER_00: Do are we correcting homework?
20:39
SPEAKER_00: Or are we just gonna let them fill out and you're seeing wrong answers, but that's okay because the teacher's gonna now see, oh, they didn't get it?
20:47
SPEAKER_00: How what's the what do you think is a a really good approach?
20:50
SPEAKER_04: I would say never correct your students' homework unless you can explain to them what they're doing wrong.
20:56
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
20:57
SPEAKER_04: Um, because if you can't do that and then you correct it for 'em, it you're really hurting them because um then they can't bring it in and they can't come talk to me about it.
21:09
SPEAKER_02: And um And then you don't have an honest gauge of really where they're at with learning.
21:14
SPEAKER_04: Right.
21:14
SPEAKER_04: And so the whole purpose of the homework is for them to go home and practice what they've learned and then well, just depending on the math class, but in mine we always go over it at the beginning of class and be they can ask questions.
21:26
SPEAKER_04: And um I guess it really depends upon the student and the teacher and the school and the resources and the time that uh that student has.
21:35
SPEAKER_04: Um, but for example, at our school we have after school tutoring um for an hour, three days a week, and so I always always recommend students who have a hard time or need help or need me to go through their homework to come see me.
21:49
SPEAKER_04: Um, and I have quite a bit of f students who will bring their homework in and I can look at what exactly they're doing wrong.
21:56
SPEAKER_04: Um so never do a child's Math homework.
22:01
SPEAKER_04: Um bec unless unless you you know what they're doing wrong and you can help them in teaching through that.
22:06
SPEAKER_02: Um but it's hard as a parent.
22:10
SPEAKER_02: Uh it's kind of that idea I think uh Annalise, you're reading that book too, The Gift of Failure.
22:15
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
22:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
22:17
SPEAKER_02: And uh I had also really kind of you know dove into that and I appreciated her viewpoint from psychologist and parent and teacher, and and it is as a parent, it's difficult when you see your child you know getting something wrong and you you can fix it, you know, quote unquote.
22:35
SPEAKER_02: And I mean even talks about bribing them for good grades, and so there's that's a whole nother subject.
22:39
SPEAKER_02: But I think as a parent it's really hard to let them fall, but at the same time going, wow, if I hadn't learned from my mistakes, I would have never learned.
22:48
SPEAKER_02: And this is part of being able to learn from their mistakes to be able to learn how to do it well and right and better next time.
22:55
SPEAKER_01: Well, and you had mentioned, Ashley, I think about that you did it a you learned it a different way.
23:00
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
23:00
SPEAKER_01: And I really want to speak to that because I've had parents come to me, or even grandparents of kids come to me, like, well, we didn't we didn't learn it that way.
23:08
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, well, as I tell I try to tell my students, because people think math is more rigid, and maybe of a different opinion, but I I view math as very creative.
23:16
SPEAKER_01: There is one solution, yeah, but there's sometimes multiple ways ways and roads to get to that final destination.
23:23
SPEAKER_01: And it and there's I try to show multiple ways because some kids' brains will be able to catch one method over another.
23:29
SPEAKER_01: And so if you can find that, if a parent has a method that's gonna help them get to the point, then by all means, but it's comes down to don't get them the final answer, you know, even if they get it wrong, sometimes it's um math facts or computation error.
23:44
SPEAKER_01: Um and if they're showing the work, as I tell me to show your work, um, then we can help and figure out what that is.
23:48
SPEAKER_01: But there are multiple ways to that final destination.
23:52
SPEAKER_00: And I do appreciate that.
23:52
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
23:53
SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes you would I can remember in school I've taken my other test and I might get to an answer, but then I would miss it because I didn't use the method that they wanted.
24:00
SPEAKER_00: I would say, but I got the right answer.
24:02
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
24:02
SPEAKER_00: And so that's frustrating.
24:04
SPEAKER_00: And I understand the multiple method thing.
24:05
SPEAKER_00: It's just when I don't know what those other methods are, you know, when they're saying do it this way, and I don't know, I'm like, what?
24:11
SPEAKER_00: I mean it's just a terminology I've never heard before.
24:13
SPEAKER_00: So it's just like a teacher.
24:15
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and in those lines, okay, so we can't necessarily uh maybe show them the same way, but how do we reinforce the teachers' expectations and also back you up as positive authority in their lives?
24:30
SPEAKER_02: Maybe even if we disagree or we're coming bad, or maybe we're frustrated about the curriculum choice that our kids are in the middle of.
24:37
SPEAKER_02: You know, how to use how do we best support as parents the teacher role question.
24:45
SPEAKER_04: I don't teach common core.
24:47
SPEAKER_04: Um I'm not required to, and nor I don't know a lot about Common Core.
24:53
SPEAKER_04: I honestly um I don't know what it would look like make my teaching look different.
25:01
SPEAKER_04: I don't feel like it would really, the way that I teach math.
25:04
SPEAKER_04: Um it is a little bit different from maybe we learned it growing up and I learned it growing up.
25:10
SPEAKER_04: So I really haven't had pushback from parents who feel like I'm teaching it poorly.
25:16
SPEAKER_04: And so I'm not I don't I don't know uh you know, I'm not sure.
25:24
SPEAKER_04: Um, but I do know um that when I do have parents approach me maybe about like they don't understand why something's not happening or something like that, and they'll come across kind of harsh, and and so uh when parents come to me like that, I always want to remind them like I'm on your side, I want to help you.
25:45
SPEAKER_04: I want I want your child to succeed.
25:48
SPEAKER_04: Uh it's not like they're in my class and I and I want them to fail, I don't.
25:52
SPEAKER_04: Um and so are you asking like how you would approach respectfully a teacher?
26:00
SPEAKER_00: Um Do you appreciate it?
26:02
SPEAKER_00: When I would I would think I think communic it sounds like what I'm hearing is communication is a big deal.
26:07
SPEAKER_00: Yes, you're welcoming parental communication as long as it's respectful and yes, yes, for sure.
26:13
SPEAKER_04: And you know, um some of the best parent communication I've had have not been have been, you know, hey, what can we do to team up?
26:23
SPEAKER_04: Kind of like what can we do to team up to help my kids succeed.
26:27
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
26:27
SPEAKER_04: And uh this is taking a little bit different direction, but um I've had a parent email and say, how can we team up to make sure that my child is doing his homework well and paying attention in class and getting good grades?
26:41
SPEAKER_04: So teaming up with me asking how can we do this?
26:44
SPEAKER_04: That's great.
26:45
SPEAKER_04: And it's great because I've seen great success in that.
26:48
SPEAKER_04: I've seen a kid go from failing to be B kid, or maybe even A, he was borderline A, because of this system that we set in place because she knew her kid and she knew what would motivate him.
27:00
SPEAKER_02: That's great.
27:01
SPEAKER_04: So I always I I hope that parents would know that we want your kid to succeed and we want to help you.
27:08
SPEAKER_04: And we are not I don't I can't speak for all teachers, but I know for sure it's it's not my way or the highway um for math.
27:17
SPEAKER_04: It's not um, it's not like I'm going to be offended if you come and ask me about something.
27:24
SPEAKER_04: I I would hope that parents would do that it respectfully though.
27:29
SPEAKER_04: Respectfully.
27:29
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
27:30
SPEAKER_04: Because you can walk a line of not being respectful.
27:32
SPEAKER_04: Sure.
27:33
SPEAKER_04: For sure.
27:34
SPEAKER_01: It I always think of there was this cartoon comic strip where it's I think it said 1950s, and you saw this teacher um like at their desk, and then you saw a parent with this the child's school assignment, and you saw the child, and it I think it said like a C or an F or something on it, and the parent is like scolding the child.
27:54
SPEAKER_01: And then you see like I think it was like 2000s or whatever, and it it was kind of the reversal where you saw the child with his hands behind its glass back gleefully looking on as the parent is holding that paper of the child and yelling at the teacher.
28:14
SPEAKER_01: And I think that I mean it all lies down to we can't speak for all teachers, but I would say nine-tenths of it would be how you approach the communication with the teacher because you know, teachers don't go into teaching for the money.
28:30
SPEAKER_01: No, they obviously are um wanting to be in this field, so there's a heart for children and the heart for their subject.
28:40
SPEAKER_01: And um I I tell my parents constantly, you know, I love being your child's fifth grade teacher.
28:47
SPEAKER_01: My door's open to you.
28:48
SPEAKER_01: Our school has a great possible like open door policy of you can come in anytime, sit on any lesson.
28:54
SPEAKER_01: Um, I've had parents sometimes ask me, can you teach me how, like what that cool method or that different method that I didn't know, you know, for that math lesson.
29:03
SPEAKER_01: Sure.
29:03
SPEAKER_02: Because maybe they could suddenly understand something like that.
29:05
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, like I would love to.
29:08
SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm constantly trying to find ways, and I've had parents come and teach me stuff of just knowing that, and I love something that you had said of just like that your that parent knew their child and knew what worked for them, and that's important.
29:20
SPEAKER_01: Of sometimes the teacher has insight into the child because the child that student behaves a little differently within that classroom setting, but you know, that parent has known that child longer than you have as a teacher, so they can have a a different level of insight on how to reach their child, and so um I think that that is key to helping with that, um, to help them succeed.
29:44
SPEAKER_01: And I try to tell my parents all the time, I was like, and even my students are like, hey, if you got a C and you tried your darndest, I'm proud of that.
29:52
SPEAKER_01: I am so proud because that you gave that effort.
29:54
SPEAKER_01: Now, if you got a C and you didn't try and you were lazy, then shame on you.
30:00
SPEAKER_01: But to me, it's not about it's not about A's and B's necessarily as much as the effort and trying and failing and trying again, yeah, and and building up that tenacity muscle learning.
30:10
SPEAKER_01: Right.
30:11
SPEAKER_01: Learning the love of it, that it's not about necessarily the end result as much as the journey of that to that result.
30:17
SPEAKER_00: And I think that's one of the benefits and the importance of positive interactions and communications and partnership between a teacher and a parent, especially in the early years when they're forming you know their basic views of school and what and what that's gonna be like for them and how they view education in general.
30:31
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
30:31
SPEAKER_00: So we've just been blessed with great experiences with just everything you said.
30:34
SPEAKER_00: But yeah.
30:35
SPEAKER_01: And I'd rather face to face, like, don't blast me in an email.
30:38
SPEAKER_01: Like that makes me dread my work email.
30:41
SPEAKER_01: Just tell me, like, keep that list short.
30:42
SPEAKER_01: If I've somehow like caused angst in the household because of something I've encouraged your child to do, or tell them to uh uh uh you just come talk to me.
30:53
SPEAKER_01: Please.
30:53
SPEAKER_02: Right, right, or keep the list short, yeah, for sure.
30:56
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, I love it.
30:57
SPEAKER_02: Okay, so um we've hit some of the big, big ones the homework issue, being team, communication, all of that.
31:05
SPEAKER_02: Uh one of the things that I've brought up in Simply Summer, my other passion in talking about uh preparing, well, preparing and dealing with summer branching because that's a real term, it's a coin term.
31:18
SPEAKER_02: I don't know who came up with it, but it's real because over those, depending on the school year of how it works for you, you know, there's a potential of up to three months where they're not doing school.
31:30
SPEAKER_02: So I have I've been a big proponent of partnering with teachers, your child's teacher in particular, to see what areas some schools have gotten, you know, to where they have our summer uh reading list that's required.
31:43
SPEAKER_02: I know I went to a school where they really encouraged us to buy these workbooks that transition them from the grade they were at into the next grade.
31:50
SPEAKER_02: And those were really helpful and that's something we incorporated into our super summer challenge that um Ashley and I have talked about before.
31:58
SPEAKER_02: So, how um talk to us a little bit about summer brain drain.
32:02
SPEAKER_02: Um, Mallory, you maybe haven't you know seen as many transitions and stuff like that, but certainly for you as teachers, knowing how the beginning of the year you kind of have to do a a refresher, how can parents or what is it, you know, some of the key things that parents could do?
32:17
SPEAKER_02: Obviously, they're not gonna homeschool their kids.
32:19
SPEAKER_02: Not everyone's gonna homeschool their kids, but what are things that the average parent could just make sure that they're intentional with over those summer months?
32:28
SPEAKER_01: Um do you have a thought?
32:30
SPEAKER_04: Um well I probably will have a different thought coming next August, but um after I have experienced my children after a summer.
32:38
SPEAKER_04: Yes, because I actually will have the opportunity to have some of them again most likely.
32:42
SPEAKER_04: So be able to see what that looks like.
32:45
SPEAKER_04: Um but I know with math, um, especially, especially um that if you're they're probably just different level, um, depending on if what your child's interest is in math.
32:59
SPEAKER_04: You know, if they really don't like math, they probably don't want to go to an engineering camp or something like that.
33:04
SPEAKER_04: Right.
33:04
SPEAKER_04: But if they're something were they're interested in math somehow, or they're interested in science, or maybe picking a camp that would really make them love uh doing that outside of school, like engineering or robotics.
33:20
SPEAKER_04: I don't know what kind of camps they offer here.
33:23
SPEAKER_04: I believe they offer robotics in uh math camp.
33:26
SPEAKER_04: I think they have math camps.
33:27
SPEAKER_04: Um I think that would be great for kids who enjoy it.
33:31
SPEAKER_04: And then the ones who don't don't enjoy math so much.
33:34
SPEAKER_04: Um I just see a huge gap in students' basic math skills and adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing.
33:44
SPEAKER_04: And if they could just work on those.
33:46
SPEAKER_02: At least I'm slightly passionate about those.
33:49
SPEAKER_04: I mean, even in even in my you know, algebra one honors class, it's like missing problems because four times twelve is thirty-six.
33:59
SPEAKER_04: It's not it's not thirty-six, and it's like you had a calculator too, what happened?
34:04
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and so just working on basic math skills, adding and subtracting integers.
34:09
SPEAKER_04: I mean, I don't I it's just it wait, what?
34:13
SPEAKER_04: Like adding and subtracting Yeah, it's just basic math skills.
34:20
SPEAKER_03: Yes.
34:20
SPEAKER_04: I mean I don't know if that would be helpful.
34:22
SPEAKER_04: I don't know if they sell those anymore.
34:24
SPEAKER_04: But I feel like b the basic fr like adding subtracting fractions, multiple you know, things like that would just be so helpful because they're learning things so much more complex than that in middle school.
34:36
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but it's all the foundation.
34:38
SPEAKER_02: I mean, even my fourth grader who's well into long division and everything, her problem isn't the long division, it's the the adding and the subtracting in between that throws her off and and just one small misstep and amount of problems.
34:51
SPEAKER_02: Right.
34:51
SPEAKER_00: Like you put that in the wrong.
34:53
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's it.
34:54
SPEAKER_01: Is it really actually encouraging to hear that?
34:56
SPEAKER_01: I uh that's sad to it's encouraging to hear that that's the struggle.
35:00
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I would say that's the main thing.
35:03
SPEAKER_01: If you don't have time, I know their summer is packed full.
35:06
SPEAKER_01: I love that idea of cans.
35:08
SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't I had not have thought of that.
35:09
SPEAKER_01: That's great.
35:10
SPEAKER_01: Um but to me, I'm always, especially with the elementary level, that main thing is literacy.
35:16
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, keeping up the reading.
35:17
SPEAKER_01: So I say, you know, even if it's just 10 minutes, you know, we try to encourage 20 minutes throughout the school year, but um to me, if it's 10 minutes, read out loud in the car to, you know, either a younger sibling or to you as you're driving.
35:29
SPEAKER_01: Because actually reading out loud that's a separate skill than just reading to yourself.
35:33
SPEAKER_02: So you're not just talking audiobooks, things like that.
35:35
SPEAKER_01: You want them then physically reading words off the page.
35:38
SPEAKER_02: Out loud.
35:38
SPEAKER_02: Out loud.
35:39
SPEAKER_00: Tell me the benefit of out loud reading.
35:41
SPEAKER_01: Um, you can actually catch the errors of certain sight words, like you as a parent, like so you're not zoning out while Yeah, you can't zone out.
35:48
SPEAKER_01: Sorry, you're not off the head.
35:49
SPEAKER_01: You're on duty.
35:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you're on duty.
35:51
SPEAKER_01: But you can also because usually when they do literacy testing for elementary level, they have to read if they have a minute to read a passage out loud.
35:59
SPEAKER_01: Oh, okay.
36:00
SPEAKER_01: And then they have to tell back.
36:01
SPEAKER_01: So that's another thing, is that sometimes I have students that are awesome with um fluency, but their comprehension isn't great.
36:11
SPEAKER_00: He has no clue what he read.
36:12
SPEAKER_01: Right.
36:12
SPEAKER_01: But then I have other students who their fluency is not great.
36:15
SPEAKER_01: They can't, they don't, they're not necessarily at say the grade level supposedly that we've been told to have it marked at, but their comprehension is beautiful.
36:23
SPEAKER_01: And to me, at that at that higher elementary, I'm like, hey, if they can understand what they've read, that's that's where we've got.
36:28
SPEAKER_01: We're good.
36:29
SPEAKER_01: But to kind of keep that, because sometimes when you read out loud, kids will they're able to get the words out beautifully, but they're not retaining.
36:37
SPEAKER_01: So I think there's a skill of being able to read out loud and track and ingest what you're reading.
36:43
SPEAKER_00: So if you're reading out loud, that helps you track what you're reading.
36:45
SPEAKER_00: Do you think it can?
36:47
SPEAKER_01: There's definitely some kids that do better.
36:49
SPEAKER_01: So trying to see that skill and then ask them questions to help.
36:53
SPEAKER_01: Do just do a small portion and then ask them, like, hey, tell me about what that passage was.
36:57
SPEAKER_01: And then sometimes model for them.
36:59
SPEAKER_01: Hey, this is what I heard you just read.
37:01
SPEAKER_01: And being able to kind of mirror that for them of like, this is what I'm asking you to find.
37:04
SPEAKER_01: And it's amazing.
37:05
SPEAKER_01: Kids is not a good thing.
37:06
SPEAKER_00: Just to build a habit of paying attention to it.
37:08
SPEAKER_01: Or have them take notes in a sermon.
37:10
SPEAKER_01: Have them sit in big Sunday school, you know, big church and try to have them take notes if they're older, just to see, you know, every other couple words.
37:16
SPEAKER_01: But anyway, but say um with the math portion, I tell their play, even if it's on their iPad, if you allow the electronics, like use electronics for at least that of getting flashcards, download those apps for math fact games.
37:30
SPEAKER_01: There's fun math games out there to get them involved and it kind of pulls them in and they don't even realize.
37:36
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, because from uh addition to subtraction, multiplication division facts to the fraction.
37:43
SPEAKER_01: Fraction world.
37:44
SPEAKER_01: As I tell my fifth graders, we entered in whole full throttle.
37:47
SPEAKER_01: And it is.
37:48
SPEAKER_01: If they don't have that, those basic math computation, multiplication, finding common denominators and then reducing is a little bit measurable for everyone involved.
37:58
SPEAKER_01: Parents, teachers, student.
38:00
SPEAKER_01: And we want it to be fun.
38:01
SPEAKER_01: Math is fun.
38:02
SPEAKER_01: So um, yeah, I don't know.
38:04
SPEAKER_01: That's for summer, if anything, take 20 minutes out of your day, do 10 minutes of reading, 10 minutes of math facts, your golden.
38:10
unknown: Yeah.
38:10
SPEAKER_01: And have your older student help with the younger.
38:12
SPEAKER_01: And it's really in charge of the ball.
38:15
SPEAKER_01: They could be the popular boss.
38:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
38:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's a good idea.
38:19
SPEAKER_02: Well, I just looked at the clock.
38:21
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, oh man, we're running out of time.
38:24
SPEAKER_02: But I really wanted to make sure, because there's a couple more things that I know I would I wanted to touch on, but the fun thing, and also it genuinely has always been an important question in my life, is teacher gifts.
38:37
SPEAKER_02: You know, we've got several opportunities in here.
38:39
SPEAKER_02: There's teacher appreciation day, there's Thanksgiving, there's Christmas, and then if nothing else, end of the year teacher gifts.
38:46
SPEAKER_02: That's a great question.
38:48
SPEAKER_02: What's you know, what do you want?
38:50
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, what do you want to go?
38:52
SPEAKER_02: And I you don't you don't have to say what you don't want.
38:54
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think I've worked on things like homemade baked goods.
38:58
SPEAKER_02: That's a little tricky sometimes, depending on the person, and that feels a little weird.
39:02
SPEAKER_02: But maybe a cookie in a jar makes, you know, is different.
39:06
SPEAKER_02: Uh but what's some of the things that have blessed you as a teacher when you're like, oh, that meant so much to me?
39:13
SPEAKER_02: Mallory, you go first.
39:14
SPEAKER_04: Um I have I'm in middle school.
39:18
SPEAKER_04: I don't receive as many gifts.
39:19
SPEAKER_04: And so uh but the gifts that I have received.
39:23
SPEAKER_04: I mean, some of my students, but they have, you know, six teachers, so it's for kids.
39:29
SPEAKER_02: Well, anyway, bye.
39:32
SPEAKER_04: I did get some gifts.
39:33
SPEAKER_04: Um, and I know this you I maybe parents don't like to buy this, but gift cards are amazing.
39:39
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
39:39
SPEAKER_04: Um, coffee gift cards um for on the way to school.
39:43
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
39:44
SPEAKER_04: Great.
39:45
SPEAKER_04: Um I got a gift card to a teacher resource store.
39:51
SPEAKER_04: Oh, fun.
39:51
SPEAKER_04: Mardell's that's in here in Kin City.
39:54
SPEAKER_04: And I don't know if it's other places too, but um that was the that was the best because I could buy something for myself or for my classroom, and it was like make makes it both.
40:06
SPEAKER_04: I also got some of the jar um things, and I know other good gifts might be you can get uh red box like one night movie gift card.
40:16
SPEAKER_04: That would be nice if you want something cheaper.
40:18
SPEAKER_04: It's like only two dollars probably for that uh coupon for a free.
40:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, if you have six teachers, that is kind of the perfect thing.
40:25
SPEAKER_04: Um and like you get them like a bag of popcorn or something.
40:28
SPEAKER_04: I don't know.
40:29
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
40:29
SPEAKER_02: Like a little goodie movie basket.
40:31
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
40:31
SPEAKER_04: That's cute.
40:32
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that idea.
40:33
SPEAKER_04: That would be good.
40:34
SPEAKER_02: Really fun.
40:34
SPEAKER_01: I know, yeah.
40:35
SPEAKER_01: If you have a lot of kids or like a lot of teachers, I you know, I mean, we've had that expensive.
40:40
SPEAKER_01: If it's five dollars at Starbucks, that is it's like making my day right there.
40:46
SPEAKER_01: It is, it's really nice.
40:47
SPEAKER_01: It's just the small little things.
40:48
SPEAKER_01: I um yeah, because sometimes some teachers have dietary problems.
40:53
SPEAKER_01: So having or you know, issues or needs, so having um that baked good is sometimes hard because you feel wasteful.
41:00
SPEAKER_01: But like there was like a mom at our school, she'll like go buy tons of Panera and she'll go door to door to each of the classrooms and be like, hey, what do you want?
41:08
SPEAKER_01: And like she just it's some teachers can't have it, but it's the thought that really ministered to them.
41:12
SPEAKER_01: It was really sweet.
41:14
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, I agree.
41:14
SPEAKER_01: Red box, that's that's a great one.
41:16
SPEAKER_01: It's simple, it's still thoughtful.
41:18
SPEAKER_01: Even though you as a teacher know, hey, that was like$1.50, but hey, that was just a thoughtful gesture of like, hey, we know you need a break, and you know, go treat, you know, treat yourself.
41:27
SPEAKER_01: So treat yourself.
41:30
SPEAKER_01: So but yeah, so I don't know.
41:32
SPEAKER_01: There's I think it's a thought.
41:35
SPEAKER_02: And and if nothing else, notes.
41:37
SPEAKER_02: A note.
41:38
SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah.
41:38
SPEAKER_01: I mean, with me words of affirmation, yes, my jam.
41:42
SPEAKER_04: So notes, notes from parents, but notes from students.
41:45
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
41:46
SPEAKER_04: Because it's so many times we as teachers hear the bad, yes, things that parents are angry about, and rarely do we hear things that they're ha happy about.
41:55
SPEAKER_04: And so maybe you find out at the end of the year that this whole year they've been so impressed, and you're like, really?
42:03
SPEAKER_01: That was all things.
42:05
SPEAKER_03: Good to know.
42:06
SPEAKER_02: Now I know.
42:07
SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
42:08
SPEAKER_03: That's great.
42:09
SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you, ladies.
42:10
SPEAKER_02: I your job is a selfless one, and I know that it's you know, we talk about there are a few jobs out there in our communities um that are underpaid and undervalued, and teachers are certainly within that category.
42:24
SPEAKER_02: And so we thank you.
42:26
SPEAKER_02: We thank you for what you're doing and and ministering to our kids in that way, and just all the lives that you're able to touch, and uh thank you for doing your job diligently.
42:35
SPEAKER_02: Appreciate it.
42:35
SPEAKER_02: Thanks.
42:36
SPEAKER_02: Thanks for answering all the questions.
42:37
SPEAKER_02: That's fun.
42:38
SPEAKER_02: Great, that's fun.
42:39
unknown: Right.
42:41
SPEAKER_02: Well, friends, I hope you enjoyed that conversation as much as I did.
42:45
SPEAKER_02: I felt I learned a ton uh from how to better partner with the teachers when it came to homework and communication, but also what I can be intentionally doing with my kids during the summer to help prevent summer brain drain, but also encourage their love of learning.
43:01
SPEAKER_02: We sure appreciate their time and their effort, and I encourage you that today would you sit down and write a thank you note to your teacher or write a quick email, or if you happen to see your kids' teacher in the hallway or before you drop them off at school, will you just thank them, thank them for all their work and their hard efforts that they're doing to serve the community and your family?
43:22
SPEAKER_02: Now you may have noticed that with each episode podcast, we've been offering a free printable to go along with that week's conversation.
43:30
SPEAKER_02: Our 21-day challenge was it had a free printable that you could print off all the 21 days of challenges, or you could follow along on our Instagram or our website to find out each day what the challenge was.
43:43
SPEAKER_02: Well, today's conversation, I've decided to take about an eight-minute clip from a conversation with Annalise Higgins about literacy, how to navigate the summer reading list that maybe you get from your teachers, or just speaking to the level that your kids are at and what it is that you desire for them to read, just how to navigate some of that from a teacher's perspective.
44:08
SPEAKER_02: I personally found it really helpful as I am just appreciative that my kids read, and sometimes the reading lists don't always match up with their current ability.
44:18
SPEAKER_02: So be sure and go to simply wholehearted.com to get that extra um bit of the interview and our free printable for this week's podcast.
44:28
SPEAKER_02: So, in the meantime, I hope you find more ways to live simply wholehearted, finding ways to live more unplugged, purposeful, and intentional.
44:37
SPEAKER_02: Until next time,