A Blonde A Brunette and a Mic
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A Blonde A Brunette and a Mic
Episode 111: The Changing Landscape of Education
What happens when you bring together two veteran educators with a combined 85 years of classroom experience? You get a masterclass in how American education has evolved—and what remains fundamentally unchanged.
Barb Houschel (entering her 49th year of teaching) and Angie share their journey from Catholic school classrooms with limited resources to navigating the complex landscape of modern public education. Their candid conversation reveals how teachers have become much more than instructors—they're advocates, counselors, and sometimes second parents to their students.
The discussion takes us through pivotal shifts in educational priorities, from the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to the chronic underfunding that leaves teachers constantly fighting for adequate resources. These educators don't hold back when addressing how "gentle parenting" trends and technology have transformed classroom dynamics, often creating new challenges in social skill development that became glaringly apparent after pandemic disruptions.
Perhaps most enlightening is their perspective on sex education curriculum—dispelling widespread misinformation with their firsthand experience implementing age-appropriate, systematic instruction with strong parent communication. Their thoughtful approach reveals how effective teachers build trust with both students and families when handling sensitive topics.
Despite the growing demands and diminishing support for educators, both teachers share the profound rewards that have sustained their lengthy careers: seeing former students grow into incredible adults, knowing they played some small part in that journey. As Barb beautifully states, "When I lay my head on the pillow at night, I know that I've spent my life in an endeavor that is worth doing."
Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply someone who cares about the future of education, this conversation offers valuable perspective from those who've dedicated their lives to shaping generations of young minds. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation on our social channels @BlondeBrunetteandaMic.
no-transcript.
Speaker 2:We're going to get schooled. We're going to get old schooled. Before we get started, can I just give a little shout out to our community of listeners? I just want to thank everybody for joining us out on all the socials, of course Facebook, instagram, tiktok you will find us a Blonde Brunette and a Mike. And, better yet, go on over to YouTube, subscribe and follow, share it, download all the things, because we are just continuing to grow and we are super appreciative and we love that you all are listening, so thank you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, we're thrilled to have you guys on today. So we have two wonderful educators that we just determined have 85 years of experience between the two of them, even though they're each only 29 years old. So one of them I am, I am very proud and honored to say is my sister, angie, and then, of course, barb Houshull, who was our teacher, and she just reminded us that we're only 10 years apart. So there is that. So, with that in mind, barb, can you give us a little bit of a little bit of intro on your experience and you know how you started in teaching?
Speaker 3:Well, this is year 49. And so I'm going to try to make it in a nutshell. I started my career teaching in Catholic schools in the Seattle area. The first part of my career was largely what we would call middle school now seven and eight. But I also taught for two years at a Catholic girls' high school and then my last job in the Archdiocese. I had the opportunity I'd gotten more and more into working with students with special needs and that grew out of a lot of years of being frustrated when I would think at the end of the year, you know, was there anything that I did for that kid? I mean it would just prey on my mind that I did for that kid? I mean it would just prey on my mind. And I was at one school we were able to connect with a doctoral student and she had written, co-wrote, a book called what Works, and it was my first introduction to how making simple accommodations for students that address some of their learning differences was a huge factor in increasing their learning and their performance and then, of course, their you know just their happiness in school. So then I went to my last position in the Archdiocese and an opportunity came up. I continued to work in that area, just as a middle school teacher, and a position came up to be head of their kind of learning resource program. They were the only school in the Archdiocese at that point that had that kind of a program, so that prompted me to go back to school. I went to Seattle U where I graduated from, and I got my master's in special ed over the next you know kind of five years.
Speaker 3:Then, in 2020, after we had been shut down in that March because of the pandemic, I had already decided that I was going to retire. But that kind of sealed the deal and partly it was. I was retiring not really so much from education but from that particular job. Being a special ed teacher during the pandemic was a nightmare. But even before that there were changes in students that I was trying to work with not enough support. I mean it was crazy and it wasn't ever the work I did with kids. I just could not continue to constantly feel like it was a battle every day, and not with my students but with administrators, with the district, with everybody.
Speaker 3:So I made that decision and so I found a new niche and I worked for the last five years doing mostly long-term sub-positions for moms, you know, on maternity leave, and some of them were quite lengthy. So, and then now there is a now? I recently just accepted a position through Western Washington University that's in a partnership with the Everett School District and I am teaching teachers. I am teaching teachers in there in a two year residency program and it's a paid residency for the final year. So it's been, um, that was sort of always, uh, a dream of mine and I've mentored people all along in my career. But this is a really exciting opportunity and I'm really happy nice transition to To the next generation of educators.
Speaker 1:So we were saying your last role was teaching other teachers, and so are you still doing that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I just started in December.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:But it sounds like it's the very precise into the career that you were wanting. It's kind of, like you said, bringing things full circle like teaching in Catholic school. Again, things like that Give us some insight into your history.
Speaker 1:So I was a product of Catholic schools too. So I started my student teaching in Catholic schools and then it seemed like just natural progression to move to a full time when I got my certificate. So I started. I actually replaced a teacher who was on a leave, so they just wanted someone young, someone fun, who would do a lot of art, go on field trips, just work on more of the personal side of the kids rather than the academics. They were a very strong class. I had probably four staff member kids in my class. I spent most of my career in third grade but I spent the first 10 years in the Catholic schools and then realized that I needed to look out for benefits. I needed to have a little bit more challenge in my career. So I moved to the Catholic or the public schools. Then right around pandemic time I looped with my third graders and moved up to fourth. So I've spent about 10 years in Catholic school and I've been about I guess what 12 years in the public schools.
Speaker 2:Can I ask you, Angie, having just said that, what are the differences as far as resources, student needs, that kind of a thing that you've noticed between public and private school?
Speaker 1:I didn't know any different when I was teaching the Catholic school. You know you make do with what you have and so you know businesses would go out of business and they would donate their letterhead and we would turn it over and use that to send notes home or to use for copy paper, and you may do. You did more group work, you. There just aren't as many resources available and at the time the tuition, I think, was on the lower side, so there wasn't a lot of extra money for finding teachers, specifically reading teachers or specific intervention type teachers. You know, when I went to the public school it was great because they had people that were specifically designated to work with any type of child who has some learning difficulty, not just ones that are on IEP, not our special ed students, because that's more federally based where they have to have the specially designed instruction. But it was. You know even now you find those resources available, so take some of the pressure off.
Speaker 1:So you never had to improvise a lot with you when you were teaching in Catholic school, because it's always been that the kids in Catholic school or in Catholic school, because it's always been that the kids in Catholic school or in private school at least what my experience was. They're more going to be cut out of middle of the road.
Speaker 2:They're not going to need the same types of resources. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think when I was in there I found that to be pretty true. There weren't a lot of kids with special needs because we didn't have resources for them, and if we accept them, you have to provide those. So, um, yeah, so we, they were more middle of the road or the um.
Speaker 1:The continuum wasn't as long when I was there, I think my kids were in catholic school or K through eight that they had kids that needed more attention in different ways, and I don't recall specifics, but it really drew away from the learning experience, I think, from other kids because they weren't necessarily equipped to handle you know, those specific types of learning situations.
Speaker 3:It was more kind of like middle of the road so to speak.
Speaker 1:So you feel like you've had more resources available than in public school. Oh yeah, but it sounds like your job had changed based on, maybe, the budget, like you were moved from different places. Sounds like that was the case with Barb. Maybe too.
Speaker 3:Like a levy, didn't pass or something like that happened. The law originally that students who have that. You know our educational system is different than most in the world in that every single child is entitled to a free and appropriate public education, and so a law was passed in 1972, I believe it was that required. You know. It basically is the first. It was the first version of what is IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and that has been reauthorized numerous times. But originally it was the idea that the federal government was going to fully pay for those services because they're expensive. When you're dealing with this, what we call, as Angie mentioned, the continuum of services. But what's happening now is that the federal government has never paid more than 10% of the cost of that. That falls to the states. And so in the state of Washington there was a huge case a couple years ago called the McCleary decision, and that reinforced the notion that the state of Washington's primary commitment within the budgeting process is to education. At least 51% of the state's budget is supposed to be directed towards education. Well, that has fallen away again and you're going to see more stuff legally come about, but given that we're now in a situation where things are being cut at the federal level without a lot of surgical precision. I think we all know that there's waste everywhere and it's good to root it out, but that's not what's happening. So class sizes are going to increase, students are definitely not going to get the level of service that they need to make progress, and the thing that really makes it difficult for teachers is that what's changed in the 50 years or Angie's you know how, 35 or whatever it is is that the demand for what is taught is increasing exponentially. I mean, I remember learning about a Venn diagram when I was in college. Okay, well, I can tell you, first graders know what a Venn diagram is now. So there's this acceleration of curriculum and you know, just in order to keep up with the pace of how technology and that revolution has put demands.
Speaker 3:I remember I was on a citizen advisory council in special education and they came in and did a budget thing and it was presented and the person was not in any way intending to sound this way, but there were numbers of people that sat on this board who had students with significant issues, and so the notion in presenting it was well, we have to take this money from the general fund and so we have to put it over here to pay for those students and so the rest of the kids get less. That's the way it was presented and when you think about it, that's not a good look. And when you think about it, that's not a good look, all right. And the thing that's, you know, kind of is so concerning to me is that in the society that I've lived in from all of my life, the thing that's critical is you have to have an educated electorate to have a democratic nation. And they knew that back in the colonial times there was something they called Republican small r motherhood, because most kids were educated by their mothers and yet they knew that the ability to read and write and do some you know basic math, that was critical and that hasn't changed. And that's one of the reasons why I feel so committed to what I'm doing now is that you know we're coming out of a pandemic and, quite frankly, what they're finding is that people are going into education and they don't last. They're in there for maybe, maybe three years and they're like I'm out of here.
Speaker 3:And part of it is that there's also been other changes. You know like there's changes in the way kids are parented. You know, I would say that probably all of us grew up in. We had warm demand, their parents too. It's just that's part of the reason why I want to do this is that, you know, people often say to me well, how have you done this for 49 years? I said, well, either I'm sick or I must really love it. And I do really love it. It's defined a purpose in my life, you know. For me it, you know, kind of fills the bucket, and I want to make sure that there's another generation of teachers that are resilient, that are you know, that are going to fight for kids, because the biggest thing we are is an advocate. Do not, do not poke that with me, because that's when Barbara Hauschel that you all talk about, that's when she emerges. You know, I'm very flexible, I am a team player, but you know, do not not respect my students and the needs of their families.
Speaker 1:So Well, and that's the thing I've noticed, like with Angie, just conversations and things that we've had are just me watching what's been happening over the last five years, let's just say with the pandemic kind of starting. A lot of that is kids seem like with through no fault of their own, they're behind you know they're socially maybe a little bit behind because they didn't have that interaction with their other students.
Speaker 1:I know you have a lot of students or at least I know Angie had in the past that have English as a second language. So there's that barrier in the classrooms as well. But a lot of the things that you guys deal with have nothing to do with your class plans. They have to do with the interaction with parents or trying to navigate the classroom and the children. So there is a good learning environment.
Speaker 1:Do you feel like that, with technology has changed and become more difficult, or do you feel like technology has made that easier? Well, definitely, I think it's made it harder. As much as you know, cell phones and everything else have made lives easier. I would just as soon, I think, go back to how it was before. I think there was more interaction with parents and kids. I think that there was more respect for the process, the profession, the people in the profession. I think it's been really easy with technology to like any form, any social platform. It's a lot easier to, you know, send something to someone rather than talk to their face, be it good or bad.
Speaker 1:The kids that we teach obviously grew up in this generation, but a lot of their parents did too. So they haven't known life without technology where we have. So I think that they don't necessarily, and there's no one necessarily to mentor them. I think that's where our role we see. Our role is that we've become, you know, we're their advocate, but we're their parent to a certain degree because we're with them for so long.
Speaker 1:And we're also their. What did I write down here? I mean, we become everything their're counselor, they're comforter, they're which not complaining it just that's. It goes with the demands that Barb was talking about. There are so many more things that we're teaching that right now you know you fit something in, like the social, emotional piece and what you need to do daily and how you need to greet the kids that it's all important that it takes away from the academics of what we're really truly supposed to be teaching them to do well, to learn, yeah.
Speaker 3:I think one of the things that happened during the pandemic, though, is that particularly and I've noticed it, you know, being in the classroom the last couple of years is an area that I worked in in special education very deeply, and that is the language of social thinking. And so the things you're talking about, julie, um, kids did not go to preschool, they did not, uh, have a good kindergarten experience, and the things that are foundational. We're all having thoughts and um, and that's good, uh, and those thoughts can be different. You'll see, you'll hear kids say, no, he stole my thought. You know they, they, they're missing. You know just some foundational things.
Speaker 3:Uh, a common one that I, I just have to deal with in the classroom and I get get it done right away is, in every group, they, they don't understand the dynamic of a group, they don't understand the levels of social awareness. You know like, people see what you're doing and they're having thoughts about that. So when you're in kindergarten and you're laying on the floor kicking your feet and screaming because your pencil broke or something, you know, kids are like, ah, whatever, okay. But as you move up, kids then are at a point where they notice that and they're they're having a thought. They're having a wondering thought why are you doing that? Okay. Then they quickly move from the wondering thought to I'm annoyed now. And then you move on to now I'm mad, all right. And then I say level five is do not ever, ever, ever do that again. Okay, because the social cost to you is too high.
Speaker 3:So one of the things that they learn is that you know when you're in a group, there's a plan and and the plan has one person in charge, and in the case of a family, it's one parent, both parents, you know the grandpa, whoever it is, but it's not you. You're not in charge of the plan. So in the classroom, I'm in charge of the plan and we all need to be thinking about the same plan. And you know so kids simple things like unless they're told about this, you'll be teaching your pants off. And in the middle of it, somebody sees a speck of paper on the floor and that's their opportunity to get it, walk in front of you and throw it in the garbage. Well, that doesn't fly in Houshal Lane and I just will look at them and I'll say it gets the point. I just have to look at them. Sometimes I don't even have to, like they'll have a thought that they're going to do something like that and they'll kind of get up and then I'll watch them and then they'll go. Nope, I'm not going to do that now and it's, but I'll just say group plan or individual plan, you know, so that they have to figure that out and I mean, think about it.
Speaker 3:That happens in board rooms. You know what I mean, if you do. I mean it's a critical, critical piece that. And so now I've noticed, because I've been doing these observations, like in a couple of fifth grade classrooms and they would have been second graders the critical time for that learning is preschool, through about grade two, grade three, and that's the group that was, you know, and so that is part of that social, emotional learning and, you know, learning how to control your emotions. You know, maybe when you were on doing you know lessons virtually, you could turn your mic off and you could just walk away. You know, I had numerous kids do that, you know, or they turn their screen off, which is, which is the equivalent of FU. You know what I mean, I know.
Speaker 1:And so they're doing this in their house. They're like, yeah, fourth grade, yeah, maybe, maybe.
Speaker 3:I had some second. I had this one little girl and then she'd go tell her mom. So she'd walk away from the thing. She'd go tell her mom, oh yeah, it's snack time, see, and I don't let those things go, even when you know I would be calling the parent and saying your child was supposed to be with me, you know, and she left and mom, oh well, she said it was snack time. I go no, it was not snack time.
Speaker 3:And so sometimes and I think another thing we're dealing with is this new thing, this gentle parenting, this you never want to. You know, everything is negotiable, everything is going to be reasoned out, everything isable, everything is going to be reasoned out. Everything is this and sometimes, damn it, you're going to do this because, number one, I would say to kids all the time is it okay if I be the teacher now? I would say, because I paid a lot of money to get the very fine education that I have and I've been doing this for a very long time. So is it okay with you if I could be the teacher right now? And they would get the point.
Speaker 3:You know, and really one of the things that people don't understand is the most important skill that any teacher has in an elementary school. You must be able to successfully move people through a building with the least amount of uproar as possible and get them air on time. There is no schedule in the world. I would put any airport on top of this. That is more to the minute than an elementary schedule. And so this gentle parenting no, I'm not going to have a discussion with you, honey, about why you can't finish that right now. I told you we'll finish it, you know, just get in line.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's those things, maybe how they're learning things at home.
Speaker 3:Yes, because at home, you know, yeah, it's optional. Or I want 10 more minutes online. I want, you know, it's the I want that. I say I want to go to Starbucks right now and get a coffee. I say I want to go to Starbucks right now and get a coffee. Am I doing it? But I would say this with the right education and the right teachers, they are learning it, you know, and that's a really good thing. And I mean, sometimes it's annoying, but I just see it as it's mission critical and that's only one of the missions that's critical, but you know gentle parenting.
Speaker 3:I have a question for you guys.
Speaker 2:This is a.
Speaker 1:Washington question. I don't know if this is happening in other parts of the country but, there have been, in the last couple of years, laws and things that have been put in place regarding sex education and what is being recommended or provided for schools, and especially starting in the grade school level.
Speaker 1:All the way up to high school. Have you guys had any exposure to that and how did you? How have you managed it? Yeah, actually I've been part of the um, the, the Instructional Materials Committee, for ever, for a long, long time so they don't really call it sexual education necessarily, but we really took a look at it because we knew that there was a need for a little more consistency and upgrading of what we didn't have, and so they spent a lot of time and we actually adopted a new curriculum, which I think is really great, and they provide training for teachers what you can and can't say and how best to go about keeping it very neutral and not imposing your own opinions on it. I think it's very great, appropriate. I think that there was in the news a while back. There was something that came up about how they were teaching kindergartners very inappropriate things, I think.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I'm not sure about that, not in Washington. I don't find that. I think that we're very systematic about how we go about teaching it, in terms of allowing parents to preview the materials every year. Parents are allowed to opt their children out of it. Technically, the parents are supposed to watch a video beforehand so that they're familiar. I think that parents have really been misinformed and told that, oh, they're teaching kindergartners about intercourse and it's like no, not happening.
Speaker 3:It's a lot, a lot of misinformation, a lot of misinformation.
Speaker 1:That's why I wanted to bring this up because I think that there's a real preconceived notion that there are a lot of very graphic topics that are taught at an early level. And I don't know. I haven't seen the curriculum, so that's why I wanted to ask how you felt about it.
Speaker 1:No, at least I can only speak for our district and for our district. I'm really proud of the way they've implemented the program. I think you really need to be. You have to go through the training in order to actually teach the class and there's always someone available to help you if you haven't had the class or if you need clarification. They really try to talk about keeping it strictly by the book, because it's fairly scripted and there are videos that go along with it, kind of cartoon-like.
Speaker 1:And then there's a lot of conversation and for me I know for me and my coworkers there's a lot of parent communication. There are papers that go home after each lesson. I really am a big proponent of parent communication. Anyway, I feel that that knowledge is power and I really think it holds them somewhat accountable and it builds the relationship between parent and teacher and student. When you start talking about those types of personal issues, you build the right community within your classroom and it can be a very powerful part of your school year. We tend to do it toward the beginning, because fourth grade there's a lot of prepubescent kids and you just have a lot of need for personal hygiene. It's not just talking about sex.
Speaker 1:It's talking about anything your personal care talks about online safety you know, and when I have, yeah well, yeah, not even really.
Speaker 3:That's in a different grade level, I think. But um talks about online safety, you know, and when I have parents Inappropriate touching things like that.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, not even really. That's in a different grade level, I think. But I think, like anything, when parents opt their students out, normally it's because of religious reasons or because there might be one component of the program that they don't like and there may be a little bit more fundamental there. They want to teach it, which I just have the conversation when they talk about opting out. I just have the conversation at first and then I bring out the materials and show them and also talk about you know, if you're not going to have them be part of it in school, please, please, talk to them about it at home. They have the questions, they're ready for some answers how you want to give it, but it shouldn't be put off, and I think sometimes those parents do put it off.
Speaker 1:This year I had no one opt out, oh nice. Last year I think I had five kids and it was all more religious reasons. So, yeah, I think they ask a lot of questions that I tell the parents. These are the questions you're asking. All right, message the parents and tell them. You know this has come up several times. It's clear your child has curiosities, they have older siblings and you know. You know it's to your advantage to address these things in the way that you or your religion or your family feels comfortable, but simply ignoring them or telling them you know we'll talk to you about that next year or the year after. That's not a good way to handle it for me.
Speaker 1:Honestly that seems like that's kind of how a lot of things have been handled over the years. I mean, we didn't have great conversations about those things. Michelle, we were just talking about the conversations we'd even had with our own children. You know, you think that they assume a lot, they learn a lot from their peers, you know, as they're growing older and such, which I think, regardless of what you teach them, they're going to definitely get feedback from people that are their own age. But yeah, we had talked about that too and kind of normalizing the subject enough, where we talk about how, when we talk in the class, that's where it should be. You know, we don't go talk about this stuff on the playground because it's not really playground conversation. But you know, when you go to the doctor, you don't say my hurts, you say my elbow hurts right.
Speaker 1:You don't say it like Ooh, I got an owie on my, you know I used to my head, so we got to normalize words penis and vagina and all those things so that when they have problems or things aren't the way they're typical for those children they can address their parents and the parents get comfortable talking about it as well Building relationships. It's almost like the kids are going to teach the parents in some respect. Well, they force the parents to talk about it a little bit more.
Speaker 3:I think it reinforced for doing what we said was good for protecting them and their safety At and you know, knowing that, yeah, knowing that the kids have trusted we call them trusted adults.
Speaker 1:it might not be your mom or dad, not that that they're not trusted, but that's not who they're comfortable with. Their trusted adult might be their older cousin, like older, older cousin, it might be an aunt or uncle, it might be a good friend of the family. But allowing parents to know that, just because you're not their specific go to they have someone that they're comfortable with and that there are lots of trusted adults around school, some you might want to share with, some you might not want to, but, um, I think it just um, there's a certain comfort in knowing that, um, the kids have trusted adults all around them. Yeah, that's pretty critical, I think, when it comes to any kind of situation involving their personal well-being, whether it be sexual abuse or whatever so.
Speaker 1:So Michelle has been kind of quiet because she's worried she's echoing. So I've been asking the questions Just to kind of wrap. We're going to wrap up. But if you could kind of share the most rewarding aspects of your career teaching kids, what has it been?
Speaker 3:I'm heartened by the fact that I am still in touch with so many of my former students, and some of them, you know, have really had some significant lows, you know, in their lives. And, and you know I've just been reminded, when I was teaching high school, at the girls Catholic high school, I wrote one thing on someone's paper and because she just it was in a history class, she exhibited a level of insight that nobody else had and in that young woman's life I think it was the first person that had ever really acknowledged her in that way. And over the course of the many years she has kept track of me. Now it's easier now because of social media, but she always would find some way. Amazing human beings, and to think that you had any part in that, however small, is just really gratifying. When I lay my head on the pillow at night, I know that I've spent my life in an endeavor that is worth doing, and not everybody can say that, so that would be the most gratifying.
Speaker 1:A lot of responsibility. Yeah, how about you, ange? You know I was thinking about that. I mean, really, I would echo really what Barb says.
Speaker 1:I think you know the building independence in kids, when you see them grow and be independent thinkers, independent doers, that's really rewarding, sparking that curiosity, challenging them, and I think the same. You know, over my 36 years I've kept touch with many, many of my students and just so proud of them, you know. I mean it's nice to know that I must have said something or done something or played some role that made them who they are. And so when I see college acceptance letters from former students that they send me, or parents who are able to get touch, or the students who are able to get in touch with me to let me know what they've done and how they're doing, seeing them get married, have babies, you know the whole thing Just be very, just, great people, caring individuals, and so many of them want to go into teaching as well. You know they see what, what you can do, what's possible, um and I'm pushing that narrative all the time.
Speaker 3:Um, this is the kind of thing that sucked me and I would say that just sucked me in for another five years, okay, when I was working with a student that had autism. One day I was in eating my lunch and the office manager came and whenever she came in and I was eating my lunch, I knew this is not a good bar. And so she came in and she told me this student was. She said I cleaned him up, but basically he just went nuts in the cafeteria. He was eating his lunch with his face in the plate and I'm like holy camoly. So I went out to get him because we were going to go have, as we call in our house, a discussion, anyway. So I was walking with him and he was because he was on the autism spectrum. He frequently had trouble especially if his emotions were really high getting out what he wanted to say. So I'm asking him I said honey. I said what was that? What was so upsetting? What was so upsetting to you? You know, because I said when you're eating your food like that, it was scaring people. You know they just didn't understand. You know they were having a wondering thought anyway, they were having a wondering thought, anyway. So all he could get out is he said my burrito broke and I said so. I suddenly this is how you know, you've been a SPED teacher for this long, I knew instantly, okay, what this was. So we go. And I said so you wanted and I know this kid loved burrito day. Okay, it was like his favorite lunch. I said so, let me see it. Do you tell me if I'm right? You got your burrito and you went to eat it and it fell apart and it made you so mad that you just started eating it like you were eating. And he said yes. So I had to talk to him. I said well, honey. I said did you get a napkin, you know, when you were going through the line. No, I said well, you know they have forks, honey. I said you know, this is what Mrs Housel knows. Whenever I have a taco or burrito, it always falls apart. And I'm with you, buddy, I get it. It's really maddening when it falls apart. I said but honey, you've got to have a plan B, the plan B, you know, because you can't do that. So we worked on that and we used to do this coaching club thing and we worked a lot on plan B. I left that school but one of the parents was still there. He was still at the school.
Speaker 3:One day she writes me a thing and she says Barb, I'm going to send you a video Today. This student, he was in the office after school and she said you know, honey, what's what's up? He goes. Well, my, my family didn't come and pick me up and she said oh, you know, do you want me to call him? And he said no, I have a plan B. Oh, it worked. And she sent me a video of him. She said, well, and it was to walk home. And she said well, would it, would it make you feel better if I just followed along while you're walking home? So she sent me a video of him walking and her, you know, following him. And so it's those moments and there are many, but it's like you know, I mean having a plan B. Don't we all need to know that? That's a critical learning. I feel like I need plan B, c, d, e and F in these days.
Speaker 3:But anyway yeah, but okay. But just to have a plan B, oh my god. So that I would say to people that just sucked me in for another five years.
Speaker 1:Well, I know you can't seem to get away from it. And here's the thing You're talking about the seeds that you've planted. Angie is a seed, yeah.
Speaker 3:I am the seed you planted.
Speaker 1:I had her two years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I only had her when she let me go backwards.
Speaker 3:She couldn't get enough of me. No, angie, did you not have me as your confirmation coordinator too? Yeah, yeah, that was another time, yeah.
Speaker 1:I couldn't say she couldn't get enough of me or I just needed a lot of work with her. I needed more hauchelisms. Yeah, I needed more houseisms. I needed more, more of you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, that houseisms is a word. And teachers at schools, they still say to me that kid needs to be housealized. And I even have a mug that says that one of my, one of the parents gave it to me. And this is the kind of student Angie was okay in sixth grade. This is getting back to our kind of you know what's taught Angie? She was always very grown up okay.
Speaker 3:So she came up to me one day and, mind you, I'm all of 22. And she says, mrs Houshull, I've been reading this book it was Deanie by Judy Blume. And she comes up to me and she says, mrs Houshla, I've been reading this book and I just think it's really too grown up for me, so I'm going to stop reading it. And I said, oh, okay, great. So then I thought, barbara, you better get your hands on that book and find out what it's about. Well, as Judy Blume was wont to do, this one dealt with masturbation. And so she came up to me and just said very grown up, mrs Houshaw, I just think this book is too grown up, give it to me in another couple years.
Speaker 3:And then one time your parents came, but we were in Catholic school. I know you weren't talking about that, but I remember your parents came to see me when you were in eighth grade and they were really upset because Angie was kind of, you know, acting up a bit and yes, and so she. So this is what I said to them. I said, well, I said I really don't see that I see some age appropriate. You know behaviors. And I said you know, when you have an older child that's had significant issues, I said, and you have this other child that really has not, all of a sudden, when she just starts exhibiting what we would consider some age-appropriate things, it can seem really bad.
Speaker 1:I go, she's fine, don't worry about it, she's fine, it's the other one you need to worry about. I never said that.
Speaker 3:Are you kidding? You were the kind of kid I love because you were feisty. Both of you are. Both of you are Feisty, feisty. Do I not live that every day?
Speaker 1:Say out the feist. Well we appreciate your feistiness and you've obviously raised a really good teacher. I talk about angie when I'm dealing with clients you know who are looking at school districts and you know the school that she has been in in the past wasn't maybe rated as high and I was like I don't think that's a real good testimony to what's happening, because my teacher, my sister, teaches fourth grade and I would not mess with her. I would do exactly what she wanted in her classroom.
Speaker 1:And you know, I mean and I know Barb will say this too I work with just all the teachers I work with Just they're professional, they care. I mean I just really as a whole it just you bring a lot of it home with you at night, yeah, and you worry about the kids, oh, my God, I call it my, I call it my 3 am prayer list.
Speaker 3:Okay, because you know, I mean you're just constantly worrying about them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And so I think, like anything, you know, we just we have to remember everyone's doing their best. And you have to remember too that even with pandemic, you know, as the kids came back with difficulties and gaps and that sort of thing, their best to learn and do all that stuff, everyone's just trying their best. And you know, we just need grace. You know we just need to talk to people, teachers, we need to talk to our teachers kindly. Yes, because that's really when did we?
Speaker 3:this is my sad, saddest thing. When did teachers become the enemy? When?
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, I, I had a root canal recently. What I've kind of noticed is that people kind of behaved in the way that they feel teachers are doing. They're doing the teacher a favor, whereas I feel like the teachers are giving guidance on how to help raise your kid. They're seeing your child in a whole different realm. Yeah, so yeah, and that's a whole nother podcast. But yes it is.
Speaker 1:I'm saying, you know, I just I work with so many great people and I think the profession, I think you know if there's any, any, anything I just just think it's rare that you really find teachers who aren't committed.
Speaker 2:We're not in it for the June, July and August, because it's no longer June, July and August. Oh my gosh, you work so many hours beyond that, Are you kidding?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think everyone does, it's not just me. We all have challenges within our job, whether it's who we have in our class that last year or this year, or what resources have been cut, or certain kids who don't have the help they need at home, or you know. There's so many things that go on from classroom to classroom and I think the teachers handle it the best they can, the best they know how, with the resources they have and using their own resources. I think it just um. There's so many great, great teachers out there.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you both for your time today. I think we're going to wrap up now and, uh, this has been enlightening. It's been so weird having Michelle be quiet. I'm the one that hears it. She's never quiet, she's like, but she's trying to keep the echo from happening in the background.
Speaker 3:It's really an honor to be associated with both of you for so many years, and it's nice to meet you, michelle, for the first time. Yeah, I was happy to do it.
Speaker 1:All right, well, thank you, ladies, and we will be out there and see you next week. Sounds good, bye, bye.