In this episode, we sit down with Principal Jon Arens, a special education teacher and dad to 3 little ones in the learning to read stages! We dive into the realities of education, parenting, and navigating the school system. This is part 1 of 2.

We cover a wide range of topics, including:

• Why Bluey beats Daniel Tiger as a favorite and how that choice says a lot about what we value in children's content.
• How failing in front of your kids (like taking them to a restaurant where you can't read the menu) is actually the best thing for their growth.
• The role language plays in learning to read and why "don’t be an expert" is actually great advice for parenting.
• The importance of representation in schools and why behavior charts should be banned—Jon would be shocked to see them in public schools today and didn't believe that teachers and parents reported their school uses them!
• What’s really happening in classrooms: Class Dojo, EBD, and even padded walls (as investigated by the Chicago Tribune).
• The big question: Is it more valuable to train teachers or invest in new curriculum? Spoiler: Curriculum often sits in a box.
• Why teachers might be too nice to speak up and how school boards may not fully understand what's happening in schools.
• Practical advice on how to support your kids at home, from asking the right questions to staying informed on curriculum decisions.

We also tackle red flag/green flag questions for schools, check-in check-out forms, equity audits, and how creating a safe environment for children enables them to take more risks and learn. Plus, why you should always watch school board meetings and who you should really email when you need answers.

Visit  bigcityreaders.com for more on these topics!

If you have more questions after this episode, stay tuned for part 2 where we dig even deeper!