I can't tell you what a cool time it was talking to Teacher Michael. I literally can't think of a better person to talk to about ENGAGEMENT. He's funny, he's honest, and...he went to clown school!
If you listen all the way to the end of the episode (those are my favorite parts of each episode!!), I wonder aloud what would happen if all elementary teachers went to clown school. "That would be awesome!" he exclaimed. What I meant was, what if ALL teachers went to clown school, because as I said in the episode, High schoolers like playing games too. Underneath that cool exterior, there's a competitive kid ready to yell, "Game on!"
I think we could all use at the very least a lesson in PROPTS. Puppets, quick-and-easy positive reinforcements... I need this. You need this. So please. Check this guy out on his YouTube site.
I think the most helpful part of the podcast to me was the realization that positive reinforcement online can be as simple as keeping a points system for easy things like holding up cards doing a timeout to try to say "flibberty-gibbet." The goal, of course, is for them to leave that lesson being able to lean over to mom or dad on the other side of the room and say, "I learned _________ today." Let's hear it for 2021 wins! Start small. Win big.
