Finding Common Ground in Education
A REALISTIC GUIDE TO FINDING COMMON GROUND IN EDUCATION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS In today’s world, it is becoming difficult to make any significant change at the national and state levels. We are constantly facing experts whose job it is to hijack agendas and movements of change. Therefore, the only way to make real and actual change is in our school communities. This progressive format shares a down-to-earth approach that both authors feel is being sidestepped in communities all over the country. It is our hope that this podcast will help facilitate tough conversations and bring the focus back to what is most important for both sides to understand in order for public education-The students. This content is a collection of conversations, research, debates, and discussions between two childhood friends who grew up together in Youngstown, Ohio. As graduates of the class of 1989 from Austintown Fitch High School, they parted ways with the goal to meet again soon to teach and coach together in the same school district. Even though life prevented them from working in the same brick and mortar building for the last 25 years, technology made them successful long-distance colleagues. As their career paths pushed them in different directions, they found themselves on opposite sides of the current educational model. One a school district superintendent in California and the other a Union president in Ohio. Not only would their positions put them on opposite sides of the education debates, so would the politics of the states they resided in over the last two decades as California primarily falling on the left side of the political spectrum and Ohio standing firmly on the right side of the aisle.
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Episodes
Monday May 19, 2025
Monday May 19, 2025
In the final episode with Dr. David Mullane, we discuss current controversial topics in education and some possible solutions to overcome them.
Wednesday May 07, 2025
Wednesday May 07, 2025
In this episode, Dave and Dean continue their discussion about why people are leaving education and the constant uphill battles fought in the trenches.
Wednesday May 07, 2025
Wednesday May 07, 2025
In this episode, we welcome our first guest, Dr. David Mullane. A former teacher and administrator who left education after two decades. We are excited to start bringing in guests who can help us bring teachers and administrators closer together to help our students.
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
In this episode, Dave and Dean respond to emails that they’ve received over the last few months. This is a fun way to interact with listeners and we are thankful for your emails. Please keep them coming at FCGineducation@gmail.com
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
In this episode, Dave and Dean review the next checkpoint in the yearly planning process which typically falls in February. This discussion reflects on the months of November, December, and January and helps us prepare for the next three months of February, March, and April including testing season.
Monday Mar 17, 2025
Monday Mar 17, 2025
In this episode, Dave and Dean complete the two-part series by giving us takeaways on how to handle those people in education who try to derail agendas and programs by threatening to escalate decisions when they are not happy with the outcomes. This episode concludes with the unique scenarios of how to navigate a crisis when sides are targeting each other from within.
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
In this episode Dave and Dean discuss their experiences from both sides of the aisle where adults resort to popular, yet damaging tactics in order to get what they want. These tactics make it nearly impossible to build a strong school culture rooted in mutual respect and trust. This is the first of a two-part series on how to identify and navigate these challenging situations.
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
In this episode Dave and Dean start with their experiences of dealing with specific crises and discuss the importance of building district protocols and how cooperation during the planning and training are critical. They end this podcast with some suggestions of what to keep in mind and the importance of debriefing and revising.
Monday Jan 27, 2025
Monday Jan 27, 2025
In this episode Dave and Dean discuss why finding common ground between administration and teachers is critical. They also talk about specific examples from their careers where they’ve been corrected for making mistakes and how those examples have stayed with them throughout their careers.
Monday Dec 02, 2024
Monday Dec 02, 2024
In this episode Dave and Dean talk about the importance of how both sides must be diligent in checking in on their people throughout the school year. This podcast talks about Checkpoint #1 (November) as we lead districts into the holiday season.