3 pieces of advice for a first year teacher / Episode 73 / Conversation with Kevin Holloway Harris

PART 01

Hey there everyone,

In this episode of the pod, I am so excited to have Kevin Holloway Harris back again. 

Kevin is a former colleague of mine who’s been working the last 3.5 years as a full-time sub and has now transitioned as a full time teacher.  He comes from a family of teachers and grew up in a realm of education himself, like working at summer camps. One of the main reasons that I’m so excited about this interview is that Kevin has the unique experience of working as a sub mostly through pandemic and “post-pandemic” (if we can even call it that) times. 

I really appreciate how Kevin is actively looking to better himself and the  art of teaching.

I offer some advice and strategies that have worked for me and may work for him and perhaps you.

This interview is so dope and you don’t want to miss it!

Catch the full interview on YouTube, search for “TheChroniclesofMister”

Here at the Chronicles of Mister I appreciate the engagement on all our socials!

👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

I would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had, so please drop a comment.

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

Thank you for the support! 🙏🏿

Finally if you you'd like to buy me a coffee you can do so here-->  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chroniclesp

Hey there everyone,

Please welcome the one, the only, Ms. Kaya Arnoux back to the pod!! Kaya is a former colleague of mine who has transitioned from teaching middle school kiddos to highschool kiddos. Like others in her situation she explains how this transition isn’t better or worse, just different.

In this convo we get into the nitty gritty of the age-old debate: Is the current education system properly equipping our high school students to live the adult lives they want to live??! Or are we funneling them into the big ole “everyone must go to college” machine to make our numbers look good?

Why don’t we properly prepare those students who know EXACTLY what they want to do, and that they DO NOT want to go to college/university? Do they get proper guidance into certificate programs or training to be taken while in high school?

We also get into how minorities need to be able to decide for themselves whether or not they are safe (mentally and physically) in PWI spaces, or if they need to remove themselves. One option isn’t better than the other, and we need to give people autonomy to make their own life choices.

Check out Kaya on IG where she shares her thoughts and art with the world:

@kayatalkingsense

This is such a dope convo, and y’all don’t want to miss it!!

Catch the full interview on YouTube, search for “TheChroniclesofMister”

Here at the Chronicles of Mister we appreciate the engagement on all our socials! 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

We would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had, so please drop a comment.

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

Thank you for the support! 🙏🏿

Hey there everyone,

Please welcome the one, the only, Ms. Kaya Arnoux back to the pod!! Kaya is a former colleague of mine who has transitioned from teaching middle school kiddos to highschool kiddos. Like others in her situation she explains how this transition isn’t better or worse, just different.

In this convo we get into the nitty gritty of the age-old debate: Is the current education system properly equipping our high school students to live the adult lives they want to live??! Or are we funneling them into the big ole “everyone must go to college” machine to make our numbers look good?

Why don’t we properly prepare those students who know EXACTLY what they want to do, and that they DO NOT want to go to college/university? Do they get proper guidance into certificate programs or training to be taken while in high school?

We also get into how minorities need to be able to decide for themselves whether or not they are safe (mentally and physically) in PWI spaces, or if they need to remove themselves. One option isn’t better than the other, and we need to give people autonomy to make their own life choices.

Check out Kaya on IG where she shares her thoughts and art with the world:

@kayatalkingsense

This is such a dope convo, and y’all don’t want to miss it!!

Catch the full interview on YouTube, search for “TheChroniclesofMister”

Here at the Chronicles of Mister we appreciate the engagement on all our socials! 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

We would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had, so please drop a comment.

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

Thank you for the support! 🙏🏿

Hey There Everyone

This is part three of my conversation with Akeem Oguande.

Find the time and make the time to take care of your self. Also have you been able to  learn from someone who you don't care for too much? Let me ask you the question a little bit differently. Could you have learned more if it was someone who took an interest in you and made the content they were teaching come alive and made it applicable to what you were going through at the moment in time?

As educators we have the opportunity to keep a flame alive or snuff it.

We can and should look to connect with the kiddos in front of us. It's not easy but it is not impossible.

In this episode we talk about some things that have worked for us.

Thanks for listening

Check out the website

www.ChroniclesOfMister.com

Here at the Chronicles of Mister I appreciate the engagement over on

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

I'd would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had.

Feedback is a gift and I appreciate you dropping a voice message here --> Voice Message

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

I appreciate the support

Hey There Everyone

This is part two of my conversation with Akeem Oguande.

Find the time and make the time to take care of your self. Also have you been able to  learn from someone who you don't care for too much? Let me ask you the question a little bit differently. Could you have learned more if it was someone who took an interest in you and made the content they were teaching come alive and made it applicable to what you were going through at the moment in time?

As educators we have the opportunity to keep a flame alive or snuff it.

We can and should look to connect with the kiddos in front of us. It's not easy but it is not impossible. 

In this episode we talk about some things that have worked for us.

Thanks for listening

Check out the website

www.ChroniclesOfMister.com

Here at the Chronicles of Mister I appreciate the engagement over on

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

I'd would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had.

Feedback is a gift and I appreciate you dropping a voice message here --> Voice Message

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

I appreciate the support

Hey There Everyone,

In this episode I get to chop it up with an amazing educator, Akeem Oguande. Akeem and I worked at a middle school where we both taught math. He was with the 8th grade kiddos and myself with the 6th graders. Akeem is the second Black male educator I have had the honor of working with and in the conversation we touch on WHY and HOW to take care of one's SELF.

We talk alot about SELF care however in this episode we explicit touch on what works for us in the hopes that it may benefit you as well if you're listening.

We touch on that you shouldn't wait until a mandated holiday such as Thxgiving break or Winter break  to administer that care, doit now. Today. This afternoon. This weekend. 

A great educator and even better individual. So glad we were able to work together.

Check out the website

www.ChroniclesOfMister.com

Here at the Chronicles of Mister I appreciate the engagement over on

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

I'd would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had.

Feedback is a gift and I appreciate you dropping a voice message here --> Voice Message

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

I appreciate the support

Hey There Everyone,

I wanted to drop a PSA your way as we come to a close of this month of October; or as I now come to refer to it: SHOCKTOBER.

I first heard the word "Shocktober" when I was a new teacher. I remember that in September, I loved teaching, my students, and my school. I couldn't believe that I was coming to school every day and have the most amazing interactions and experiences working with middle school kiddos. That was September, and then the calendar changed to October. 

It appeared to me that overnight, my kiddos became apathetic and talkative. My paperwork demands doubled. Student learning declined, and I had more meetings to attend that I could have ever thought possible. 

It was October, and I thought to myself: "What in the what what is going on!?!  And, What. The. Heck?" I remember talking to my mentor at the time, and I told her that I was overwhelmed, and I just didn't understand how everything that was once golden, all of the sudden turned so bad. She smiled and told me that I had the Shocktober blues! 

October is the month when the "honeymoon" phase of school is over. Usually, the first six weeks is over, and students and teachers begin the real work of learning. Concepts become more difficult, days become longer, literally less daylight and the excitement of starting a new year has waned. So, we are in Shocktober at my current school, and it is very typical of every October that I have experienced since the beginning of my career.  Our days are busier, and the curriculum is getting harder. Students are consumed with extra curricular activities and hanging out with friends. 

So, as i send this PSA your way, it is important to me that my kiddos parents and fellow teachers understand and remember that although there may be a few  tears this month (and you may want to pull your hair out,) October doesn't last forever. 

It truly is only 31 days long! 

Once Shocktober is over, the best part of the school year happens--> Thanksgiving break, Winter break, and then the New Year.

Hang in there. The Shocktober blues are almost through.

As always thanks for listening to another episode.

Peace out

~Mr. Pierre

Hey There Everyone,

In this week's episode I get to chat with Meekerley Sanon. 

Meekerley is an experienced charter school leader, passionate educator and charismatic leader. She is first-generation Haitian-American with roots, growing up in Lawrence, MA. Meekerley has led several local charter public schools, including Excel Academy East Boston, where she was the Head of School. Before that role, Meekerley served as a school principal, science teacher and instructional coach at Roxbury Prep Charter Public School and was the Senior Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Lawrence Community Day Charter Public School. Meekerley is currently an Ed.D in School Leadership candidate at Boston College in addition to holding a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Science in Brain & Cognitive Sciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

In this episode she talks about the choices she has made that's led to her current role and how one goes about finding their tribe, their people and how to go about widen that circle.

It was a great conversation to have and I know you will appreciate the gems dropped.

As always thanks for tuning in 

Check out the website

www.ChroniclesOfMister.com

Here at the Chronicles of Mister I appreciate the engagement over on

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

I'd would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had.

Feedback is a gift and I appreciate you dropping a voice message here --> Voice Message

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

I appreciate the support

Hey there everyone,

I hope that as October rolls in you are doing well. It's usually at this time of the academic year that kiddos start to experience ShockTober (or maybe it's you who is experiencing it) its that feeling of the  summer malaise being definitely all the way gone now and kiddos are showing all of their wonderful facets of themselves and you, well you are already thinking about the next break and how it can not come soon enough.

I hope you're taking care of yourself.

This podcast has been therapeutic because it's allowed me to chat with folks and see that within this teacher community we're not only in what we are experiencing and it's great to be able to glean some tips and encouragement from others. 

In this episode I chat with Kuiana Blackwell who has transitioned out of the class and into a leadership role at a new school.

She talks about what it's like stepping into a new role, what it's like to have to not be stressed and how good she's feeling.

It's a refreshing conversation that I hope lifts you up as we roll into October.

Check out the website

www.ChroniclesOfMister.com

Here at the Chronicles of Mister I appreciate the engagement over on

IG (@Chronicles.of.Mister)

TikTok (@theChroniclesofMister)

Twitter (@ChroniclesofMr)

I'd would love to hear what you think of the conversations we've had.

Feedback is a gift and I appreciate you dropping a voice message here --> Voice Message

Or drop an email over at [email protected]

If you appreciate the pod please take a moment and leave a 5 star rating on Spotify and/or a 5 star rating and review on Apple podcast.

I appreciate the support