BustED Pencils

Today as Dr. Tim Slekar has come down with the sniffles, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci and some producer talk about an interesting article they found online. High school chemistry teacher Marcie Samayoa is having her students put away their laptops and start working with pencil and paper again like it's the 1400s. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? How can educators decide what technologies they should integrate into their classrooms? And most importantly of all, how do we decide when and where tech adds to education rather than detracting from it? Let's get to the bottom of this on today's BustED Pencils! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

Ryan Walters is the superintendent of public schools in Oklahoma. Ryan is worried that there are too many people from New York and Los Angeles who are itching to move to Oklahoma and start spreading WOKE. In order to combat this, Ryan has mandated that teachers applying for jobs in Oklahoma from New York and California will now have to take a special test to make sure that they aren't liberals. That's how you create diversity of thought. This is dumb. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Today on BustED Pencils Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci welcome journalist Jeffrey Young onto the show! Jeffrey has long covered the intersection between technology and education, but he's finally taking a great leap forward into the future by starting his own podcast about AI and education. That's why Tim asked him to be here today and be his new best friend (Tim loves A.I.). Why did Jeff get into this line of work? What's so fascinating about technology in the first place? And why should YOU check out his new podcast HERE?! You'll find out on today's episode of BustED Pencils as Tim makes a new A.I. friend! Check out Jeff's new podcast Learning Curve. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jeffrey Young

Producer Jakob has had enough. This week he's sending Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar back to school, whether they like it or not. But that's got his noggin' joggin'. What's it like to be a teacher when it's time to go back to school? Your host Producer Jakob asks Tim and Johnny to share some back to school stories, their thoughts on the move from teaching secondary school to teaching at university, and their go-to icebreaking activities for the first day of class on THIS exciting episode of the Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Dr. Tim Slekar and Producer Jakob are on the bleeding edge of technology; literally for Jakob and metaphorically for Tim. While Jakob's nose keeps gushing blood throughout the episode, Tim talks about a boring anti-AI professional development session that he recently had to sit through. Is AI all it's cracked up to be, or is it all smoke and mirrors? Should schools close their eyes to AI or take part in shaping the way it's implemented? Are we all just machines that mimic the behaviors we're taught are appropriate? It's a philosophical episode of BustED Pencils! Speaking of boring meetings, Johnny was stuck in one this week so he couldn't be here. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

Homeroom has been a staple of BustED Pencils for years and years. It's a name that invokes those precious memories we all hold in our brains of the times that we had homerooms of our own to attend back in our school days. But are all homerooms the same? Do students today still go to them? Was homeroom in the 1980s different from homeroom in the 2010s? Today Dr. Tim Slekar and his caretaker Producer Jakob compare their respective homeroom experiences to see what changed and what stayed the same over the decades. And how about you, dear listener? Do you remember your homeroom? Happy late birthday to Johnny's daughter! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

This week Dr. Johnny Lupinacci interviews his friend Dr. Tim Slekar about Tim's recent high honor. Tim was called upon to serve the great state of Pennsylvania by participating in a panel on higher education in the beautiful city of Harrisburg. What did Tim talk about? What plans does he have to improve education? Will BustED Pencils do a live show in Pennsylvania called BustED Pencilsvania? Find out this week on BustED Pencils! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

It's the second ever BustED Pencils Go To Hollywood today as Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci guest on the Producer's Choice Show to list their top 3 teachers from television. Host Producer Jakob breaks protocol and actually brings a list of his own, adding to the tension and setting the stage for a competition for the ages! Who is your favorite TV teacher of all time? Contact us to let us know after listening to THIS exciting episode of the Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Tonight on Busted Pencils, we're talking about what it really takes to rebuild public education for the future—especially in rural America. Our guest, Cory Kulig, is the superintendent of the Eleva-Strum School District in Western Wisconsin and one of the visionary co-founders of LIFToFFS, a groundbreaking initiative that's uniting educators, communities, and service agencies to reimagine what's possible for students, teachers, and entire hometowns. From bold experimentation to AI-powered learning tools, LIFToFFS is proving that rural schools can lead the way in preparing future-ready learners. Cory, welcome to the show. Tim couldn't be here for this episode but he still wanted to participate in some small way. So Producer Jakob (me) allowed him to send in that description. Usually Jakob (me) likes to write these himself, but he (me) figured he (I) could make an exception in this case for Tim's sake. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Cory Kulig

It's that time of year once again. The leaves are changing colors, the pumpkins are plopping out of the ground, and Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci are about to head back to school. Post your classroom decorations, prepare your lesson plans, and get ready to see those smiling faces head back on into schools all across this great country of ours, because school's (almost) back in session! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci might be doctors, sure, but it turns out that they aren't experts in everything. In fact, when it comes to science, they're only tied for the 2nd most knowledgeable people on this show. This week they're joined by top science expert Ethan Siegel to discuss those burning science-based questions that have been wafting around the show for the last few months. How do we confront a troubling trend of doubt in science among the public? What impact do our increasingly energy consuming lifestyles have on the environment? Find out on this episode chock-full of weird science with Ethan Siegel! Click here to check out Ethan's book; The Grand Cosmic Story: An Illustrated Timeline 13.8 Billion Years and Beyond. Click here to read Ethan's article on what he calls "vibe physics". BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Ethan Siegel

Today on the Producer's Choice Show host Producer Jakob sits down with two very special guests to talk about those formative experiences as educators that made them the celebrity teachers they are today. Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci will partially listen to questions about their early teaching experiences, both good and bad, and reflect on the lessons they took with them on their teaching journeys. It's another blast from the past as we visit Tim and Johnny; young teachers on THIS exciting episode of the Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Today Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci take a look at a inflammatory sounding news headline. Want your student loans forgiven? Just join ICE! That's just ridiculous, but is it really that simple? Not exactly. Tim and Johnny have a bit more information about this subject and can't help but find the headline a bit misleading. Get ready to dig a little deeper beyond the surface and into the core of the issue on THIS Class in Session as we travel down the misinformation super highway! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

It's a sad day when even Mr. Rogers has fallen victim to cancel culture. Who canceled him? Was it the woke mob? The lefties? Joe Biden? Surely it was Obama, right? No, none of those guys. Mr. Rogers is getting canceled by the most sensitive snowflakes of all; MAGA. Today Dr. Tim Slekar and his young ward Producer Jakob talk about Mr. Rogers and the value that public programming for kids brings to America and what stands to be lost. Watch the full clip we played here. "Neighbors are people who are close to us And friends are people who are close to our hearts I like to think of you as my neighbor and my friend." BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

We all know Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci the educated educators, they're beloved teachers and frequent panel guests on the Producer's Choice Show, but fewer knew Tim and Johnny the STUDENTS. Today on The Producer's Choice Show Producer Jakob is taking his guests back in time to the 1900s to explore their own experiences as students and how those events shaped the educators they grew up to be. Let's explore the adventures of young Tim and Johnny on THIS exciting edition of the Producer's Choice Show! It's gonna be tons of fun! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has released a new Dear Colleague letter with some guidelines for bringing artificial intelligence into the world of education. But wait a second... didn't Linda say she was boarding up that whole Department of Education thing? Are they back? Is this a genuine new direction for AI? Or what? Linda McMahon to the rescue? This is trippy, man. Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci are here to discuss. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Columbia University has agreed to a $200 million settlement with the Trump administration after facing allegations of failing to curtail antisemitism on their campus. This raises an important question; how should college administrators balance protecting students' rights to speak and be exposed to the widest possible range of ideas without allowing those ideas and expressions to spill over into something ugly? When does expression become dangerous? It's a fine line that must be walked. Is the Trump administration trying to make the situation better? Or does he see this as an opportunity to humble academia and exert his will upon it? Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci discuss how to keep balance in the struggle of campus freedom vs. campus safety. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Do you like showing people how to do things? Are you the helpful sort? Do you get along well with people that are younger than you? Perhaps, then, you would be a good teacher! But where do you start? Today on the Producer's Choice Show your host Producer Jakob has brought in two experts to answer those questions and more as we start at square one and show how any of us can take our first steps to becoming teachers. How can I become a teacher? Well Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar are here to point you in the right direction on THIS episode of The Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Today Dr. Tim Slekar has come to the show with an article showing that folks are feeling a bit anxious about AI. Does this mean that A.I. is making us anxious, or are people anxious about societal expectations and biases around A.I.? Dr. Johnny Lupinacci has a deeper concern; does A.I. further erode trust in the concept of truth? When an A.I. can generate anything, how do we know what is real and what is fake or misleading? In A.I. we trust? Tough questions call for tough educators, and that's exactly who we have leading the way today on THIS episode of BustED Pencils. Producer Jakob is largely absent in this episode because he was playing with the A.I. on his phone. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

A dastardly cabal of right-wing activists have come up with a new pitch for President Trump to create sweeping changes to higher education. Their goal? Well, their stated aim is to fight the woke mind virus on university campuses. The real plot? Seems to us like they see potential censorship, closemindedness, and politicization and say "Hey, we want that!" It's a rough time to be a thinking-American as Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci discuss this new right-wing contract on education. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

It's a exciting day on BustED Pencils as friend of the show Teacher Joanna joins us once again! But she's not just here as Teacher Joanna, no no no. Now she has become Doctor Joanna! *fanfare* But does that mean Doctor Joanna is leaving teaching behind? Not a chance! So stick with us and enjoy this episode of BustED Pencils as Teacher-Doctor Joanna gets Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci to stop, regulate and listen because she's back with a brand new invention; emphasizing engagement in classrooms rather than compliance. Producer Jakob is, notably, not a doctor. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Teacher Joanna

Have you ever wondered how exactly public schools are funded? Where does the money come from, and why? Today on the Producer's Choice Show your host Producer Jakob has brought in two experts to answer his questions on this important subject. Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar bring decades of experience as educators to the table, and boy do they have thoughts on our education system! So grab your textbooks, open to page one, and prepare to find out how school funding works on this episode of the Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Yo Pencil Busters, let's kick it. While Dr. Tim Slekar is out on assignment studying the teaching practices of the uncontacted tribes of the Amazon (or he just couldn't make it to the show today), Dr. Johnny Lupinacci and Producer Jakob are running the show. Do you think that teaching is all about rules and enforcement? Alright, stop. It's about collaborating and listening. Dr. Johnny is back with a Class is in Session, because this concept has grabbed a hold of him tightly. He's thinking about improving our schools daily and nightly. Will it ever stop? The answers no. Let him talk math and he'll glow. Light up his students' eyes like a candle and wax outdated practices like a vandal. Because education is about to change. Love it or leave it, you better gangway. Because when it comes to helping kids, Johnny don't play. Dope rhymes provided by Producer Jakob (care of Vanilla Ice.... care of Queen). BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

Dread it, run from it, the school year arrives all the same. Dr. Johnny Lupinacci has already spotted school supplies making their return to stores near him! Is it time to go back to school already??? Not quite, but the clock is ticking! Johnny and Dr. Tim Slekar discuss those latter days of summer when teachers start to sniff the return to class a'percolatin' just beyond the horizon in THIS episode of BustED Pencils! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Today on BustED Pencils, Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci are joined by a very special guest. Rural Superintendent Mike Beighley of Whitehall School District in western Wisconsin has come to tell us about some exciting changes happening in rural schools. Mike and his organization, Liftoffs Learning, are taking a step back from the business-as-usual approach to education and embarking on a bold journey to reshape how schools approach learning. Mike may not represent the largest school district in the country, but he and his team are proving that small schools and big ideas can make a difference. Producer Jakob has brought back the show's old intro voice over in an exciting and unexpected move that Tim and Johnny welcome with open arms. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Mike Beighley

Last week on the Producer's Choice Show we had two incredible guests battle to see who could answer the most questions about the 4th of July. Much fun was had. BUT today Producer Jakob is having the tables turned on him as HE is put to the test. Who asks better interview questions? Will it be Producer Jakob and the human team? Or will the AI generated questions prove to be too much to handle? Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar will field both sets of questions and decide once and for all who wins in the battle of MAN vs MACHINES on this episode of the Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Today Drs. Timothy Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci discuss a recent article by Tim's favorite A.I. commentator Ethan Mollick. The article dredges up a recent MIT study which found that writing performance appeared to dip in users of A.I. assistants like Chat GPT. What's that all about? Do A.I. robot helpers hurt our ability to think on our own? Yes. But what do we think about that? Find out today on this exciting episode of BustED Pencils and DARE to stay off Chat GPT! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci are joined by Producer Jakob to phone in a quick episode of BustED Pencils as they all recover from a wild 4th of July weekend. Now imagine if you will; a simpler time, a time before the modern world brought us down with fancy things. Those were the days. But they could come back! Because Tim Slekar is on the bleeding edge of a revolution in single-room-schooling! What's that? Tim explains here for all to see! So please join us for an expedited journey into an exciting blast from the educational past! Producer Jakob messed up the Moment of Zinn today. He will be disciplined accordingly. But hey, buttons, how do they work? Nobody knows. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Happy 4th of July weekend, guys and gals! We hope that each and every one of you has had a chance to spend time with family, friends, see some fireworks, or just get a few moments of rest and relaxation. On a downer note, Donald Trump's fiscally and ethically irresponsible new budget bill has passed both houses of congress. It's a tough time in America, but thankfully Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar are here to get through it with you as we deal with the big bill bummer. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Today on our 4th of July Spectacular episode of the Producer's Choice Show we're honoring America by having guests Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar battle to the death in the ultimate American trivia contest. After spending weeks plumbing the depths of the Library of Congress, our host, Producer Jakob, has come up with the GREATEST AMERICAN TRIVIA QUESTIONS OF ALL TIME! So sit back, fire up the colortini, and enjoy an especially American-y episode of the Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Wisconsin is well known for leading the world in several important categories; cheese, milk, leather hides, mooing. But what many don't know is that we also lead the world in using technology to advance the field of milling lumber. Because right here in Antigo, Wisconsin, we've unveiled a cutting (ha) edge high tech training sawmill. Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar are excited to see this news because they love localized education, investment in the trades, and the use of fancy tech to make education the best it can be. So join us as we learn about the new system turning students into lumberjacks of all trades! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

When Dr. Johnny Lupinacci was young the future looked so bright. The whole neighborhood was so alive, and every kid on the gosh darn street was gonna make it big and not be beat. But now, however, a recent article by K12 Dive is painting a picture of great uncertainty on behalf of the nation's youth. With a recent survey revealing that a majority of high school students do NOT feel prepared for life after graduation, Johnny and Producer Jakob are called into action to solve the crisis. Why do our talented youngsters feel this way? How can we better prepare kids and parents alike for life after high school? And should we make kids pick up litter in Colorado? But one thing is for sure, the kids aren't alright and something needs to change. We discuss all of this and more on THIS exciting episode of BustED Pencils. The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

Good news / bad news. The good news is that the ongoing military confrontation with Iran has not yet spilled over into a full-blown war. The bad news is that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is taking his ball and going home, starting his own parallel, anti-woke, university accrediting agency. Is it a good thing for there to be separate education systems for liberals and conservatives? Should we ever meet or interact with people who don't agree with us? Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci certainly have their thoughts on the matter. So join us as BustED Pencils takes on the Confederacy of Accreditation. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

The red carpet has been unrolled, the stars are out, and everyone who's anyone is in attendance as the BustED Pencils go to Hollywood in this glamorous episode of the Producer's Choice Show! Today your fabulous host Producer Jakob is joined by two of the hottest stars in education; Dr. Tim Slekar (Borat, Die Hard 2- With a Vengeance) and Dr. Johnny Lupinacci (Kindergarten Cop, There's Something About Mary). Our topic is a fun one; what are our favorite films about education? What do these movies get right about going to school, being a teacher, or our system in general? During the show sit back, grab your popcorn, and enjoy this cinematic journey through Hollywood on today's Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Today Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci discuss an article Tim found in the New York Times about a law student at the University of Florida. This student wrote an academic paper which made controversial arguments suggesting that the United States constitution only applies to white people. What happens when an academic work doesn't just approach the line of decency but breaks right through it? What obligations do educators and administrators have as they weigh their competing duties to protect both academic freedom and safe and diverse campuses? The Drs. discuss. Producer Jakob is a free speech supporter, and he thinks that this guy seems like a jerk to him. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

With Dr. Johnny on assignment scouting hockey players in Siberia, Dr. Tim Slekar and Producer Jakob have a quiet, contemplative conversation. Jakob thinks that AI is rotting Tim's brain out of it's socket and Tim thinks that Jakob should drop out of college to become a plumber (thus proving Jakob's point). It's a wild episode of BustED Pencils as Tim's brainrot brings him down to Jakob's level! So sit back, fire up the colortini, and enjoy! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

The Democratic Party has a problem, and Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar are ready to step up to the plate and take a swing at fixing it. With friend of the show Randi Weingarten and activist wunderkind David Hogg departing from the DNC leadership this week, the left-of-center option in American politics is going through an identity crisis. How can Democrats reconnect with average, hardworking Americans? Does the party need to be more welcoming and less judgmental of diverse viewpoints? Where do we go from here? Find out today on a special Saturday edition of BustED Pencils as a couple of blue collar scholars try to bring democracy to the Democrats! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Welcome back to the Producer's Choice Show with your host, Producer Jakob! Today Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar are heading down to the mall and visiting their favorite store, Build-A-Department. What should the Department of Education look like? How should it work? What role should it play? Tim and Johnny get to decide it all as Producer Jakob appoints the both of them to run their own Department of Education. So join us in fielding some softball questions on today's Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

If you visit a college campus today you'll likely have one question in mind; where all the students? Now, right now there aren't students there because it's summer break, BUT there's also less students going to college in general. Today Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci dig into an article exposing new trends in views on attending university among youngsters. Why don't young people want to go to college? Let's dive on in. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Today Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci talk about Linda McMahon's push for diversity of thought in higher education. What does she mean by that? Well, apparently it has to do with reeducation camps that would make the Viet Cong blush. Look, we all appreciate being able to express our views in a educational setting, that's part of learning, but what Trumpism wants is not a free and open exchange of ideas. Trumpists want a cultural revolution, but this time they want to be the ones calling the shots. Long story short; what does Trump want? It's like DEI, but for Republicans. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Today on BustED Pencils, elderly Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci discuss an interesting development related to the youngins using their phones too much. A pair of new laws in Virginia have banned children from using cellular telephones while in school and made it illegal for kids under 16 to use social media for more than one hour per day. Is this a good thing? Tim thinks kids should put their d*mn phones down, but Johnny isn't so sure. Who will win? You decide! It's BustED Pencils! Producer Jakob thinks that social media and cellphones are bad for kids, and that anything gained by the advent of the internet has ultimately been dwarfed by the downsides. It's the new opium, but heck I ain't gonna stop smokin' it anytime soon. Shoot, I love these little videos. They're better than having friends. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Welcome back to the Producer's Choice Show with your host, Producer Jakob! Today we're boarding the USS Education and traveling overseas to find lessons that we can import back to America. We'll see what aspects of foreign education systems, methods, and educators Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci are most inspired by, and how THEY intend to bring those lessons home in their daily lives. So join us in learnin' round the world on today's Producer's Choice Show! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

As the government handles its response to protests in Los Angeles in high controversial fashion, Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci come together to discuss how educators should relate challenging moments to their students. Stick with us as we tackle how to teach in tough times. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Today Dr. Tim Slekar comes to the show with a very moving email from a listener who shared a local school district superintendent's open letter to the Trump administration. In the letter they said that they would stand up for the children in their district against cold political decisions being made in Washington. Dr. Johnny Lupinacci and Producer Jakob talk about the importance of our local democracy. Whether it's on school boards or in the classroom, we love to see locals standing up for kids. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Everybody's workin' for the weekend, are we right? Well, that's not all we're working for this Saturday. We're also working to stand up for international students against an administration that seems to think America's paramount interest is in dividing every segment of our population. Should we be banning international students? Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci (as well as Producer Jakob) believe that overseas students expose American students to other cultures, enrich our communities, bring the world's most talented minds to work in and for this country, and expose millions of people to American values. It's a win-win. We all benefit. So butt out, Donny, foreign students are our domestic strength. Also, Jakob is driving a Tesla this weekend. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

Welcome back to the Producer's Choice Show with your host, Producer Jakob! Do you ever tune into a podcast and ask yourself, "Jeez, who are you people?" Well you won't have to ask that about BustED Pencils ever again! This week I'm joined by Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci, hosts of BustED Pencils, to talk about their journeys from construction worker and 2nd grader respectively to becoming teaching icons. How did these fellas decide to become teachers? When and how did BustED Pencils come about in the first place? And is Jakob the Travis Barker of the show? It's a backstory heavy episode! Enjoy! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Dr. Johnny Lupinacci and Producer Jakob are extremely fortunate this Wednesday as they're briefly able to establish a ham radio connection with Dr. Tim Slekar. Tim takes a brief break from his long march through the countryside to discuss Marxism, Communism, and how you don't necessarily have to be a dirty pinko to think that the government should care about its people. Also featured; discussions of roleplaying as leftist intellectuals (Jakob calls dibs on Trotsky), discussion of the obligations of citizens in a democratic society, and a few crickets. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

The Biden administration gave Wisconsin a $10 million grant for school-based mental health services for K-12 education programs. Yay! Oh, Donald Trump just canceled the checks. Why? He's kind of a jerk. Today Dr. Johnny Lupinacci and special guest Producer Jakob (notably not a doctor) discuss the impact these cuts will have on young people in our state as well as the importance of investing in our young people. It's not socialism, it's just common sense. Young people that have bellies full of food, brains full of knowledge, and minds full of peace grow up to be productive members of society. So join us as we discuss these bloody mental cuts being targeted at kids that are having a hard time. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Jakob

There's so much going on this week, there's hardly time to talk about it all! How was Memorial Day? We talk about it. Can you sue someone if your child isn't being taught how to read? Covered. And is Claude AI really trying to blackmail people, or is ChatGPT just a gossip who needs to shut his lying mouth? This is bound to be a Saturday you'll never forget as well tackle all of this and more on BustED Pencils! So, for the record, can you sue an A.I. for blackmailing you? Asking for a friend... BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!

LIVE from beautiful sunny Racine, Wisconsin, it's THE PRODUCER'S CHOICE SHOW with your host, Producer Jakob! *fanfare*. Thank you all for tuning in to my show today as I, Producer Jakob, seize the means of production and speak truth to power (my bosses Tim and Johnny). This week we look at Donald Trump's attempt to coerce Harvard University by denying them the right to enroll foreign students. Is this just a shameless power grab by the government? Or is there something more to it? Find out as my guests Dr. Tim Slekar (BustED Pencils, Teaching) and Dr. Johnny Lupinacci (BustED Pencils, Beard) face a gauntlet of tough questions on THIS episode of The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob! The Producer's Choice Show with Producer Jakob is part of BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk which is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guests: Dr. Tim Slekar, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

Today Drs. Tim Slekar and Johnny Lupinacci join Producer Jakob to discuss an interesting social media post. Where did they find it? Why, on Civic Media's Instagram account, of course! On Mornings with Pat Kreitlow, Wisconsin Rep. Christian Phelps pointed out all the ways that Wisconsin's Republican dominated Joint Finance Committee is hurting education in Wisconsin, and the Drs. have some thoughts. Local schools are darn important. They educate our kids, they bring us together, they employee our people. In many ways, schools are our communities. So don't miss this episode of BustED Pencils! BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message!