The Center of Things

By Seth Pietsek and Kyle Martin: Teachers and Education Nerds

Seth Pietsek and Kyle Martin are friends and former coworkers who like to sit around and make each other laugh over a couple of drinks. While they're at it they try to tackle actual subjects like, whi... more

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FAQs about The Center of Things:

How many episodes does The Center of Things have?

The podcast currently has 31 episodes available.

The Center of Things episodes:

June 08, 2020 Black Lives Matter
We continue our conversation from last week with Remel Derrick and Chris Daughtery, two African American men who provide their perspective on the subject of white privilege and the black experience in light of the protests that are taking place all around the world.
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1h 23min
June 01, 2020 Pandemic/George Floyd Protests Part 1
In our first podcast recorded since we entered the world of the COVID 19 pandemic, we address the changes that the world has gone through in the last several months and especially in the last week. This is part 1 of 2 where we are discussing the recent protests over the killing of George Floyd as well as the other murders of black men and women. We talk about our own understanding of the black experience and white privilege.
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1h 3min
May 18, 2020 Julie Schniers/Difficult Conversations
In, yet another conversation recorded many moons ago, before the COVID 19 Pandemic hit us, we sit down with Nationally renowned high school speech and debate coach Julie Schniers about tough conversations that each of us have had to have on occasion and what our various styles of conflict management say about us.
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1h
May 11, 2020 Speaking Of...Time Passing
After an extended hiatus from Podcasting, Kyle and and Seth return to form with a brand new episode...that was recorded in September of 2019. Think of it like the long awaited next season of your favorite HBO or Netflix series. They always make you wait forever for the next season.

Except, we've also changed the name! Speaking Of...

From here on we'll be expanding our topics beyond education toward whatever is on our minds or in the world.
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1h 1min
May 21, 2019 Undocumented Band Director Brittany Tawater
Brittany Tawater is more than just a band director, she is a Middle School Band director AND a high school color guard director AND she rocks the clarinet AND she is able to hold her own on an episode of TFAOT where Seth is at his most mischievous. The rails come off of this episode at times but Brittany keeps it focused and regales us with stories from the Middle School trenches as well as some fun ideas of how to use giant sized Teddy Bears and Taylor Swift music.
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57min
May 06, 2019 The Minor Art of Teaching
Blake Minor is a theatre teacher in Fort Bend ISD in the Houston area and joins Seth and Kyle to talk about competition in the arts and how educators can use the form to better serve our students while keeping the awkward nature of arts contests in perspective. Blake has spoken about this extensively on his own podcast Minor Wisdom where he interviews movers and shakers in the world of high school theatre in the state. Check out Minor Wisdom at the link below:
https://minorwisdom.podbean.com/
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49min
April 22, 2019 Seth and Kyle (Together Again)
Seth and Kyle have had a tough time finding time to record episode this year, but here they are, still at it and tackling the big topics. Like, competition in the arts, are the students in charge of schools? Should we fear them? Why is time moving so fast? Should Seth have to wear clothes?
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1h 6min
April 08, 2019 Special Education Teacher Vance Campbell
Vance Campbell is a special education teacher living and working in the Los Angeles, California area, after having taught in both Texas and Colorado previously. Vance fills Kyle and Seth in on the misconceptions and challenges of teaching in the special education field and the differences between working with in a state with strong unions and Texas, a "right to work" state.
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54min
January 28, 2019 New Teacher Kevin Wright
First year teacher Kevin Wright doesn't come off as the stereotypical first grade teacher. Regardless, through setbacks and detours he now finds himself teaching 6 year olds. This good ole boy from a small town with a West Texas twang tells Kyle and Seth the story that brought him to elementary school and a few unexpected challenges he's experienced thus far.
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47min
January 07, 2019 Uncle Baba
Kyle's two daughters call our guest Uncle Baba, because he happens to be his brother-in-law. But, Brandon Carr is more than just a family member and friend. He happens to be the third member of The Finer Art of Teaching team, working the gears and buttons and tubes that allow us to have sound on each recording. Carr is also instructional technologist for the school district where Kyle and Seth teach, but spent about 3 years in the classroom before moving into the world of teacher support.
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1h 5min

FAQs about The Center of Things:

How many episodes does The Center of Things have?

The podcast currently has 31 episodes available.