Writing the Wrongs of My First Podcast

I tried. I failed. I reflected. I rebranded. And I am ready to try again.

Last December, after many conversations and a lot of encouragement from friends, I decided to launch a podcast. I researched, planned a little, contacted two potential guests, and bought the needed equipment. I was ready… or so I thought. Ten episodes later, I realized that I had enjoyed my guests, I had learned many things, and I had failed.

On January 14, 2017, I published my first episode: Episode 1 – Educational Larceny. I was proud of it. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had achieved my goal to start a podcast. I began a journey that would teach me many valuable lessons over the next six months. I am grateful for the experience and grateful for those who helped me. Appropriate to my endeavor, one of the podcast episodes addressed the value of failure: Episode 3 – I Failed. I Learned. I failed. But more importantly, would I do it again? Absolutely. Just wait for Round 2. My second attempt at a podcast will begin in the new year. Continue reading Writing the Wrongs of My First Podcast

Synapses of My Mistake – Episode 9

Episode 9 welcomes guest host, Jake Fernandez. He is an aspiring broadcaster. Hear Jake’s story. Learn about My Mistake. Learn about an awesome course that you could offer at your school. Learn more from students about the importance of sports in schools. Be RADD Leaders.

Show Notes: “My Bad” Podcast hosted by Jon Harper (@Jonharper70bd)

Positive Psychology – Interview with Dr. Paoletti – Episode 6

Episode 6 features an interview of Dr. Gabe Paoletti, a Primary Instructor for the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, an Assistant Instructor in the Masters of Applied Positive Psychology Program, and the Director and Creator of a positive education program titled the Leadership Academy at a high school in New Jersey. Our R.A.D.D. letter that guides our conversation is A for Attitudes. The topic is Positive Psychology’s Value in Learning Communities. You can connect with Dr. Paoletti on Twitter via @GabePPRC.

Show Notes and Additional Resources: Connect with Dr. Paoletti via Email – Gabepaoletti@gmail.com or Twitter @GabePPRC

Peterson, C. – A Primer in Positive Psychology; Seligman, M. E. P.- Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being; Seligman, M. E. P. – Learned Optimism; Seligman, M. E. P. – Authentic Happiness; Reivich, K., & Shatté, A. – The Resilience Factor: 7 Essential Skills for Overcoming Life’s Inevitable Obstacles; Zagano, P., & Gillespie, C. K. – Ignatian Spirituality and Positive Psychology

#RAttitudeDD #RADDleaders

Be R.A.D.D. School Leaders!​​

Interview with Fr. Donald Reilly O.S.A. – Episode 4

Episode 4 features an interview of Fr. Donald Reilly O.S.A., D.Min., newly appointed Head of School at Malvern Preparatory School. Our R.A.D.D. letter that guides our conversation is A for Attitudes. The topics are “Building a Culture of Leadership,” “Designing a School Leadership Structure,” and “The Importance of Values in a School’s Mission.” You can connect with Fr. Donald Reilly on Twitter via @FrReilly.

#RAttitudeDD #RADDleaders

Be R.A.D.D. School Leaders!​​

Chronological Snobbery: A reminder of the importance of a Liberal Arts Education

This is a guest blog post from a talented educator, Mr. Brendan D. Towell. I hope you enjoy his insights and perspectives as much as I did. We are lucky to have him on our faculty. 

By: Brendan D. Towell (Theology Department)

At the end of each academic year, the student body of St. Augustine Prep has an opportunity to anonymously review their teachers. I am not so sure if the Administration ever gets reviewed by the students… but that’s a question for another day! Regardless, our reviews can be quite illuminating. I will spare you the minutia of how the process works, yet I will say that the comment section is by far the most revealing and helpful for me as an educator. I have found that affording a teenaged boy the opportunity to anonymously comment on one of his teachers results in a brutal form of honesty more helpful than any peer evaluation.  Through this unfiltered honesty, I have come to find that one recurring point was how genuinely surprised the boys were to find that Theology class could actually be relevant in their lives today. Continue reading Chronological Snobbery: A reminder of the importance of a Liberal Arts Education