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In Episode 13 of Playing Teacher, we pull back the curtain on one of the most absurd realities of working in education: calling out sick. From planning sub folders while mid-fever to writing emergency plans in a NyQuil haze, we explore the ridiculous, guilt-ridden, and occasionally hilarious world of teacher absences.

We talk about:

• The unspoken Olympics-level effort required just to stay home
• Why "mental health day" is code for “I’ve snapped but still care enough to write 6 pages of sub plans”
• The emotional toll of guilt vs. the physical toll of working sick
• The secret strategy game of “Should I call out tomorrow?”
• Top 10 funniest reasons students have given for their absences (spoiler: they’re amazing)

Whether you're a teacher, parent, or student, this episode will make you laugh, nod in agreement, and maybe… finally take that day off you’ve earned 17 times over.

🎧 Listen now, and don't forget to like, subscribe, and call out tomorrow. You deserve it.

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📘 Episode Description:

In this episode of the Playing Teacher Podcast, we debut a brand-new segment: 🎤 Teacher Headlines with Janine Brugge, where we explore what’s really going on in the world of education—both the serious and the absurd.

This week, we take a hard look at the NYC Department of Education’s failed initiative known as “Inquiry” or the “50-minute” plan—an attempt to create time for professional development and student support that went sideways due to a critical failure: not involving teachers in the process.

We unpack:

• Why top-down educational mandates often backfire
• What actually helps teachers help students
• The importance of autonomy, voice, and classroom-informed planning

💡 Key Message: If you want authentic student support and better PD, trust the teachers.

Plus, we lighten things up with some funny classroom moments and analogies from our week—because if you’re not laughing, you’re probably crying into a stack of ungraded papers.

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In this episode of the Playing Teacher Podcast, we delve into the vibrant world of education, sharing personal anecdotes and professional insights that resonate with educators, students, and lifelong learners alike.

🎯 Episode Highlights:

• Field Day Reflections: We reminisce about their own Field Day experiences, discussing the joys and challenges of organizing such events, and the lasting impact they have on students.
• Minecraft in Education: Explore how Brugge's team navigated a citywide Minecraft competition, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, creativity, and resilience in educational gaming environments.
• Understanding Upstanders: A heartfelt discussion on the roles of upstanders and bystanders in bullying scenarios, featuring personal stories and media examples that highlight the significance of standing up for others.
• Personal Narratives: Rob shares a poignant story from his childhood, reflecting on his battle with leukemia and the support he received from friends, drawing parallels to the importance of empathy and support in educational settings.

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🎙️ Playing Teacher Ep. 10 – Pacing, Pop Culture, and the 30-Second Reprimand

Description:

In this episode of Playing Teacher, Matt recounts a jaw-dropping moment when he was called out in front of students for returning to class 30 seconds late after using the bathroom—yes, 30 seconds. Jeannine and Robert reflect on how often teachers are denied even the most basic human grace. This leads into a dynamic, often hilarious discussion on classroom pacing, student rapport, and when to stick to the script—or throw it out.

💡 Robert dives into differentiated pacing styles in teaching and media (yes, including a failed Rocky III clip attempt), drawing sharp parallels between instructional flow and burnout. Jeannine shares her perspective as a counselor working with IEP students, emphasizing structure, routine, and emotional awareness.

🔬 We also go deep on:

• How pacing affects testing outcomes and engagement
• Teaching in urban schools and DIY curriculum hacks
• Being observed under the Danielson Framework and its impact on authenticity
• What teachers can learn from Disney's “plusing” philosophy of continuous improvement
• Why student mindset matters more than any calendar

Oh—and in a twist no one saw coming, Jeannine finds out her glowing podcast review was written by... an AI.

🎧 Perfect for educators, ed leaders, and anyone who's ever wondered what really goes on behind the classroom door. This one blends laughs, real talk, and pedagogical gold.

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In this episode of Playing Teacher, we talk about the moments that stick—the scenes from our lives as educators that play in our minds like movies. You know the ones: the hallway showdown, the field trip fiasco, the spontaneous dance party, the kid who said something so profound you wrote it on a post-it and never threw it away.

We reflect on how these memorable teaching moments—big or small, funny or moving—aren’t just one-off stories. They’re what give the work meaning. And much like scenes from iconic films, they become part of our shared consciousness, shaping how we connect, how we teach, and how we remember.

From epic fails to unexpected victories, we draw parallels between the classroom and the big screen. Because whether you’re quoting Dead Poets Society, The Goonies, or Ferris Bueller, there’s something powerful about how movies and memories intertwine. They help us build language, build relationships, and build meaning—especially with kids who need more than just content; they need connection.

This one’s for the teachers who carry a mental highlight reel—and who know that sometimes, the best way to reach a student is through a well-timed movie quote or a shared laugh that becomes legend.

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In this episode of Playing Teacher, we rewind to one of the most surreal, exhausting, and defining chapters in modern education: COVID in New York City. Teaching during the pandemic wasn’t just about pivoting to Zoom—it was about surviving, adapting, and finding humanity in the chaos.

We talk candidly about what it meant to be an educator when the world shut down: the scrambled emails, the lost students, the tech failures, the eerie silence of empty classrooms. But we also talk about the grit, the creativity, and the small, quiet victories—like the student who turned on their camera for the first time, or the day a class full of muted icons finally laughed in unison.

We explore how the pandemic didn’t just test our ability to teach—it forced us to reimagine what learning could look like, and what school even meant. From digital access disparities to the emotional weight of teaching through trauma, this episode captures both the cracks in the system and the light that somehow got through.

This one’s for the teachers who taught through tears, through masks, through screen fatigue—and who found new ways to connect, inspire, and hold space when the world felt like it was falling apart.

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In this episode of Playing Teacher, we talk about something every educator feels at some point—what it means to be yourself in a school system that often prefers you to color inside the lines. Whether it’s pushing against outdated norms, teaching in ways that aren’t “in the handbook,” or simply showing up as your full, weird, passionate self, going against the grain can make you stand out… and not always in the way people like.

We unpack the moments when being authentic can make you unpopular—with administrators, with coworkers, or with the “system.” And we reflect on the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up as yourself, even when the easier route would be to conform.

From hallway politics to unconventional lesson plans, from dress code subversions to the subtle art of staying out of faculty cliques, we explore how hard—and how vital—it is to do it your way. As Frank Sinatra said, regrets, I’ve had a few… but then again, too few to mention.

This one’s for the teachers who’d rather be real than be liked. Who show up, speak up, and shake things up. And who know that sometimes, doing it your way is the only way to stay sane, stay passionate, and stay in the game.

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Teaching, Sanity, and the Fine Line Between Passion and Burnout

In this episode of Playing Teacher, we ask the question that lingers behind every empty coffee cup, every hallway meltdown, and every wildly creative bulletin board at 2AM: Are we okay?

Spoiler alert: probably not.

We take a lighthearted but honest look at the emotional rollercoaster that is life in the classroom. We talk about the toll teaching can take on your mental health—not in a clinical, diagnostic way, but in the way teachers actually talk about it: the “I think I laughed and cried at the same time today” kind of way.

We also get real about the culture of self-sacrifice in education, how humor becomes a survival skill, and the fine line between being dedicated and being depleted. Along the way, we unpack whether teaching draws in people who are a little offbeat to begin with—or whether the system itself slowly erodes your sanity.

It’s funny, it’s therapeutic, and it’s a reminder that taking care of yourself is not a luxury—it’s a requirement if we’re going to keep showing up for kids and for each other.

This one’s for the teachers who’ve ever looked in the mirror during their prep and whispered, “Am I okay?”—and for anyone who’s ever answered, “Not really… but I’m still here.”

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In this episode of Playing Teacher, we pull back the curtain on a not-so-secret weapon in our teaching toolbox: cinema. Whether we were screening something in our makeshift movie theater during lunch or showing a film to an entire class, movies weren’t just a break—they were world-builders.

But this episode isn’t about the obvious curriculum tie-ins (you won’t hear us talking about “let’s watch October Sky during the space unit”). Instead, we explore how film can plant vivid experiences in kids’ minds—scenes, emotions, and stories that become internal reference points. These are the seeds that later bloom into understanding when we reach for analogies, metaphors, or that elusive “aha” moment in science class.

Movies, when used well, help create a shared cultural language in the classroom. They give us shortcuts to explain complex ideas (“remember how The Matrix slows time?”), and more importantly, they give our students memories that feel real—even if they happened on screen.

This episode is a love letter to the big screen and a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful teaching tool is the one that dims the lights and starts with a flicker.

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