Schurtz and Ties: A podcast about education and culture

Schurtz and Ties: A podcast about education and culture

By Schurtz&TiesEducation
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Schurtz and Ties: A podcast about education and culture episodes

  • Ep. 36: Favorite fictional teachers and what they teach us about being human.

    From Mr. Feeny to Mr. Holland and Mrs Johnson, Kasey and Brian discuss a variety of fictional (and nonfictional) teachers who have inspired them to be better teachers, educators, and people.


    Let us know who we missed and what you think of our list!


    Teachers Mentioned:

    Mr. Feeny (Boy Meets World)

    Mr Rogers (The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers)

    Mr Keeting (Dead Poets Society)

    Mr Holland (Mr Holland's Opus)

    Mrs Johnson (Dangerous Minds)

    Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)


    References:

    Why Mr. Keeting is Responsible for Neil's Death

    Gladwell owes Atticus an apology: An Open Letter to Mr. Gladwell

    Show Sponsors:

    Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out ⁠PeerDrivenPD.com⁠ for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


    Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

    Twitter: SchurtzandTies


    #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


    Thank you, also, Matt Hard for the outro music (it⁠ was generated from our Chat GPT Episode⁠) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

    52 min
  • Ep. 35: Chatbot, the psychology of free, and the discomfort of leadership. A barstool conversation

    Continuing our summer theme of lighter and quicker topics, in this episode, Brian and Kasey cover a range of "under cooked topics" from an update on ChatGPT, should public education be free?, whether teachers be held accountable for posting grievances on TikTok, and more.


    Episodes Referenced:

    Ep. 15: ChatGPT is going to disrupt education. Here's how we can (and should) embrace it.

    Ep 31: Education is a Wicked Problem, which means it is impossible to solve. We tried anyway.


    References:

    The Psychology of Free

    "We want to do things that are big enough to make a difference, but small enough to get things done." - 17 Rooms Podcast

    What we learned from Justine Sacco's Tweet

    "You can't lead if you're not uncomfortable." - Karamo Brown

    14 Ridiculous Dress Code Rules for Teachers You Won’t Believe Are Real

    Show Sponsors:

    Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out ⁠PeerDrivenPD.com⁠ for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


    Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

    Twitter: SchurtzandTies


    #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


    Thank you, also, Matt Hard for the outro music (it⁠ was generated from our Chat GPT Episode⁠) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

    36 min
  • Ep. 34: Summer Soundtrack (APPLE PODCAST RELEASE w/o music)

    As educators, summer is an important time for us to refresh, renew, and regroup. This summer playlist can help!

    Whether you're on a road trip, hanging out by the pool, or enjoying an evening with family and friends, check out these songs and allow them to inspire your summer, relax your mind, and renew your spirit.


    Happy Summer! Enjoy.

    And happy birthday to Kasey! He turns 45 today.


    Songs:

    I Love It, by Icona Pop

    Vices, by Sarah and the Sundays

    Sunroof, by Nicky Youre and Daisy

    Step Out, by Jose Gonzalez

    Dancing in the Street, by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas

    Ame Cherie, by Jr. Walker & the All Stars

    Sitting on the Dock of the Bay, Ottis Redding

    Windows are Rolled Down, by Amos Lee

    Boom, by X Ambassadors


    If you have any song recommendations, send us a quick note and we'll make sure to add them in!

    Show Sponsors:

    Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out PeerDrivenPD.com for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


    Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

    Twitter: SchurtzandTies


    #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


    Thank you, also, Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

    22 min
  • Ep. 33: #KeepKnocking : The Art of Never Giving Up on People

    It's okay to give up on systems - even healthy. It's never okay to give up on people - keep knocking!

    In this episode, Brian and Kasey discuss the complexity of being persistent, why it matters, and how it plays out in difficult situations.

    Sadly, Kasey doesn't have an acronym.


    What Persistence Looks Like:

    - Be visible and available

    - Be friendly - it can't always feel like you need something

    - Engage in the work with them

    - Know what's worth being persistent for - avoid fads!


    Things Worth Knocking for:

    - Maintaining connections and community

    - Making people feel heard and seen

    - Core values

    - Maintaining communication and allowing people to continually move forward


    References:

    - Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

    - Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away 

    - Resolution, by Ruby Archer

    The waves oppose the cliffs with daily force,
    And fall resisted back along their course.
    My soul opposes fate with daily will,
    And falls resisted back, defeated still,
    With gathered strength returning, like the waves,
    To wrest complete dominion that it craves.
    The cliffs are stone, and stone will wear away.
    Spirit shall rule, and fate itself obey.

    Show Sponsors:

    Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out PeerDrivenPD.com for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


    Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

    Twitter: SchurtzandTies


    #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


    Thank you, also, Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

    46 min
  • Ep 32: Educational Leadershi* : It's messy, and fully worth it.

    *Warning, there are curse words that are unbleeped in this episode


    Remove ants and bees from the planet and the whole system will collapse. Remove humans and the world improves. Why is that? And how does it relate to leadership?

    In this episode, Brian and Kasey work through the unique difficulties of educational leadershi* and why - at times - it is the most difficult form of leadership. From frustrated parents, unengaged students, combative staff members, and all the pressures of a demanding society, being an educational leader is seemingly impossible.

    So why do it?

    Answer: Because of hope.


    The Complexity of Educational Leadershi*

    • Only profession where EVERYONE has experience
    • We have no teeth, but are filled with bite marks
    • Are charged with the “Wicked Task” of fixing ALL problems for ALL students (and parents, and teachers) in a timely manner.


      • Solutions:

      • Be Courageous: “Why not us?”

        • Interpersonal: Willingness to confront yourself about what's true, even when it’s difficult to face.

        • Intrapersonal: Ability to have a difficult conversation with one or small groups of people - confronting a difficult topic

        • Public Courage: Stand up and be the face - make a stand (history books)


          • References:

          At the Table Podcast

          - Four Letter Word

          - The Three Types of Courage


          No graduation: 8th graders turned away from ceremony; parents furious


          George Washington's First Annual Address to Congress


          If, Rudyard Kipling


          Leading with a Limp: Take Full Advantage of Your Most Powerful Weakness


          A Trickle Of Thought, Rose Marie Juan-Austin

          Allow a dark soul to enter

          Its kingdom.

          A tinge of darkness,

          Could create a spell

          And wrap the Kingdom

          With nightmares,

          Leading to its death.

          Show Sponsors:

          Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out PeerDrivenPD.com for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


          Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

          Twitter: SchurtzandTies


          #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


          Thank you, also, Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

          59 min
        • Ep 31: Education is a Wicked Problem, which means it is impossible to solve. We tried anyway.

          In 1973, design theorists Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber introduced the term "wicked problem" in order to draw attention to the complexities and challenges of addressing planning and social policy problems.

          Education is such a problem.

          In this episode, Brian and Kasey work through the complexities of education as a Wicked Problem. They provide potential solutions for both teachers and school leaders on how to not only engage this unique complexity but also how to move towards purposeful and effective solutions.


          Wicked Problem Distinctions:

          1. No clear formula or solution
          2. No clear ending or stopping point
          3. It is filled with contradictions
          4. It is a process of trying to solve the problem while simultaneously engaging in the problem
          5. The problem can be defined in a variety of ways, impacting the potential solutions

            6. Wicked Problem Solutions:

            1. Choose pillars of norms, rather than ending solutions, and pursue them
            2. Invite and collaborate with all stakeholders, of those who will suffer the consequences
            3. Embrace the iterative process


              4. References:

              Tackling Wicked Problems and Catalyzing Creativity

              Solving for Pattern, by Wendell Berry

              A Psalm of Life, BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

              Everything Sad is Untrue, by Daniel Nayeri:

              “Does writing poetry make you brave? It is a good question to ask. I think making anything is a brave thing to do. Not like fighting brave, obviously. But a kind that looks at a horrible situation and doesn’t crumble. Making anything assumes there’s a world worth making it for.”


              Show Sponsors:

              Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out PeerDrivenPD.com for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


              Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

              Twitter: SchurtzandTies


              #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


              Thank you, also, Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

              43 min
            4. Ep. 30: Bridging the Recognition Gap and Strengthening Your School Culture

              "More than 80 percent of supervisors claim they frequently express appreciation to their subordinates," The Power of Moments claims, "while less than 20 percent of the employees report that their supervisors express appreciation more than occasionally. Call it the recognition gap."

              In this episode, Brian and Kasey discover WHY this gap exists and wrestle through ways in which leaders can support their people and intentionally close the gap of recognition.


              Big Picture: Why does this gap exist?

              1. Five Steps of Dependency

                1. Give it once, they appreciate it

                2. Give the same thing again, they will anticipate a third time

                3. Give a third time, they will have an expectation for a forth

                4. Give it a fourth time, they will feel entitled to it

                5. Give it a fifth time, they will be dependent on it

                  1. Loss Aversion and The Power of missed opportunities

                    1. Loss aversion “is a cognitive bias that describes why the pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining

                      1. Lose $20 is more powerful than finding $20

                      2. Lose prep time is more powerful than gaining extra time

                        1. Love languages - 

                          1. Words of Affirmation

                          2. Physical Tough

                          3. Receiving Gifts

                          4. Quality Time

                          5. Acts of Service


                            6. Mudd on the Boots: What can we do about it?

                            1. Nothing:

                              2. Givers and Takers: “Givers and takers differ in their attitudes and actions toward other people. If you’re a giver, you help whenever the benefits to others exceed the personal cost - you simply share your time, energy, knowledge, skills, ideas, and connections with other people who can benefit. If you’re a taker, you help others strategically, when the benefits to you outweigh the personal costs. You give your time, energy, knowledge, skills, ideas, and connections to other people who can benefit only when it benefits you."


                            2. Remember Who You Are 

                              3. Strengths - embrace them, use them, grow them

                              Weaknesses - acknowledge them, then put in safeguards


                              3.    Be the hero, not the villain

                              1. Have the same backstory - pain - but respond differently

                                1. Villains say "The world has hurt me, I’m gonna hurt it back"

                                2. Heroes say "The world hurt me, I’m not gonna let this happen to anybody else"

                                3. If you acknowledge that you are not being thanked enough, make sure it does not happen to anybody else - step up and offer ways to support your staff/colleagues.

                                  4. References:

                                  ⁠⁠Sound Relationship House, from the Gottman Institute⁠⁠

                                  “The green forest flutters in our land and mountains, and I didn’t plant even one tree” - ⁠⁠⁠In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom, by Yeonmi Park⁠⁠


                                  "Do you take pride in your hurt? Does it make you seem large and tragic? ...Well, think about it. Maybe you're playing a part on a great stage with only yourself as audience.” - ⁠John Steinbeck, East of Eden


                                  Show Sponsors:

                                  Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out PeerDrivenPD.com for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


                                  Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

                                  Twitter: SchurtzandTies


                                  #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


                                  Thank you to Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!


                                  50 min
                                4. Ep. 29: Finish Strong! Be Mr. May.

                                  Reggie Jackson was nicknamed "Mr. October" because of his clutch hitting in the postseason. He finished the year strong! And so should we.

                                  In this episode, Brian and Kasey discuss ways teachers and administrators can finish the year with clarity and purpose. From roundtable discussions, award ceremonies, and renewing educational vows, how we end the year not only impacts how we remember the entire year, it prepares and excites us for what comes next.

                                  Finish strong! And earn the nickname Mr. (or Mrs.) May.


                                  Providing Clarity Reduces Anxiety

                                  Reduce anxieties about this year:

                                  • Clarify end-of-the-year procedures (final grades, end-of-the-year activities, schedule changes, etc…
                                  • Remind yourself and others that we are where we are - don’t cram solutions to the year’s mistakes into the last few weeks.


                                    • Reduce the anxieties about next year:

                                    • Give teachers their teaching assignments as early as possible, clarifying any major changes
                                    • Allow teachers the opportunity to rest over the summer - remove the worry and ambiguity of next year
                                    • Start something new - test it out! - so next year is more prepared

                                      • Provide a playbook for the start of the next school year:

                                      • Have a plan on how you are going to integrate new staff members
                                      • Identify a goal or three (with tangible actions and quantifiable objectives) for the year - what is our focus, and why does it matter?


                                        • Staff Building Activities:

                                        • Staff-Driven Award: Allow staff an opportunity to celebrate and recognize their colleagues in a very real, very personal way.
                                        • Objectify Staff: Provide a very purposeful picture of each staff member that objectifies them and their importance and impact on the school.
                                        • Renewing Educational Vows: Provide an opportunity for staff members to walk through their educational journey and that brings them back to their "Why" of education.

                                          • Show Sponsors:

                                          Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out PeerDrivenPD.com for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


                                          Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

                                          Twitter: SchurtzandTies


                                          #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


                                          Thank you to Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

                                          52 min
                                        • Ep. 28: "What about the boring kids?"

                                          Does education have a problem with ignoring the "boring child?" And is being "boring" even bad - as a student or as a teacher?

                                          In this episode, Brian and Kasey discuss the idea of education focusing too much on the fringe, why it's important to "grow the boring group," and why we should work hard to always separate the person from the idea.


                                          Solutions:

                                          - Autonomy Week (If you would like more information on how to implement this, please reach out!)

                                          - Names in Jars

                                          - Utilize their Otherness


                                          Sources Referenced:

                                          - The National’s Matt Berninger: "I have a healthy marriage because I write about looking into the abyss"

                                          - Can We Touch Your Hair, by Skye Jackson

                                          - When did being an average student become a bad thing?

                                          - The power, calm and happiness in being an average student


                                          Show Sponsors:

                                          Schurtz and Ties is sponsored by PeerDrivenPD, a teacher training platform that brings "candid conversations from some of the best classroom educators in the country." You can "get your training directly from the teachers in the trenches as current classroom teachers guide your professional learning with authentic insights and practical strategies you can try immediately." Check out PeerDrivenPD.com for more information and mention Schurtz and Ties and get 10% off any purchase for one year!


                                          Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

                                          Twitter: SchurtzandTies


                                          #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


                                          Thank you to Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!

                                          58 min
                                        • Ep. 27: Ted Lasso is flawed. And that's why we love him! And it's why we can learn from him.

                                          Even if you've never seen the show, Ted Lasso, this episode is still relatable to anyone interested in leadership or building culture in the workplace.


                                          Brian and Kasey both love Ted Lasso, but not because he is perfect. In fact, he is far from it! In this episode, Brian and Kasey acknowledge the faults and weaknesses of Ted, draw out their impacts on building culture, and highlight his many gifts and talents as a leader.


                                          Favorite Ted Quotes:

                                          "If you care about someone, and you got a little love in your heart, there ain't nothing we can't get through together."


                                          "If that's a joke, I love it. If not, I can't wait to unpack that with you."


                                          "Be curious, not judgmental."


                                          "I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that's being alone and being sad. Ain't nobody in this room alone."


                                          Culture Takeaways:

                                          Culture does not end with relationships. It starts with relationships, but it does not end there. Culture is what happens when the leader leaves the room. It's what happens when we are not in the building.


                                          Norms are what happens when leaders are in the building.

                                          Culture is what happens when leaders are out of the building.


                                          Belief alone isn't enough. Work has to be done.

                                          Please reach out and let us know your thoughts, share a topic, and let us know what you think!

                                          Twitter: SchurtzandTies


                                          #DoGreatThings and #KeepKnocking


                                          Thank you to Matt Hard for the outro music (it was generated from our Chat GPT Episode) and Karl DeCock for creating the cover art!


                                          47 min

                                        About Schurtz and Ties: A podcast about education and culture

                                        From the publisher's feed

                                        Inspired by the classroom, Kasey Schurtz and Brian T. Miller wrestle with how to become better teachers, leaders, and people.