BustED Pencils

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BustED Pencils; Fully Leaded Education Talk is a half-hour talk show dedicated to public education. It is the only talk on the radio about education by educators. BustED Pencils is known for its commitment to the hard facts with a humorous twist. Host Tim Slekar covers the “real” issues in educat…

Tim Slekar


    • Nov 3, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 40m AVG DURATION
    • 26 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from BustED Pencils

    11-3-20 – BustED Pencils

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2020 44:05


    Reimagining EVERYTHING in education and hope for a “freedom from harm.” Guest: Maika Yeigh

    Episode 91: “Justified Anger”

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2020 32:39


    Trending News: Trump says NO to forgiveness. “Freedom Schools” vs “Government Schools” Buttocks Beware: Discipline Texas Style. Feature Interview: The Reverend Dr. Alex Gee is the featured guest on BustED Pencils. Dr. Gee has nudged his local community to rethink racial disparities in Madison, WI, by launching an incredible citywide movement called Justified Anger, named... Read more »

    Episode 90: Slaying Goliath with Diane Ravitch

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2020 31:07


    Trending News: Confederate Flag still Flying in Virginia School. But why? Kids and their darn questions. The “Disruptors” are losing. Feature Interview: Diane Ravitch has a new book out. Slaying Goliath.  She joins BustEDPencils to talk about the inspiration behind the book–the RESISTANCE! How is possible that teachers, parents, school children, and activists with little... Read more »

    Episode 89: A Thurgood Marshall Plan for Public Education: Feelin the Bern!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2020 31:31


    Trending News Censoring Librarians in Missouri. Jailing Librarians in Missouri. Wal-Mart Moms on the Astroturf. Feature Interview Eric Blanc is the Author of the book Red State Revolt: The Teachers’ Strike Wave and Working-Class Politics . He is Senator Bernie Sanders national surrogate. Eric takes us inside Bernie’s USA Today piece that blasts NCLB and... Read more »

    Episode 88: Online Preschool: EVERYTHING you need to know!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2020 35:37


    Trending News: 2020 Education Trends to Watch Civic Engagement 1 Day of the Year Only. Online Connections or Human Connections? Feature Interview: Dr. Dipesh Navsaria is a pediatrician in Madison, WI.  He blends the roles of physician, occasional children’s librarian, educator, public health professional and child health advocate. Recently a Wisconsin legislator proposed spending 1.5 million... Read more »

    Episode 87: Climate Warriors

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2019 31:51


    Teachers have their own children too.  A Room for Teachers to DESTRESS. Old School Kindergarten: Play. Feature Interview: Moé Yonamine and Tim Swinehart of Rethinking Schools and the Zinn Education Project join us.  They talk about how they are helping students become “Climate Warriors” fully engaged in fighting the climate crisis.  We talk about A... Read more »

    Episode 86: Teaching A People’s History of Abolition and the Civil War

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2019 47:34


    Trending News: In God We Trust Testing Craze getting less Crazy? Don’t Just Shut Up and Teach. Feature Interview: Adam Sanchez from Rethinking Schools joins us to explain the thinking that went into developing the new book—Teaching a People’s History of Abolition and the Civil War. We then break down the book by the ten... Read more »

    Episode 85: Charter School Scandal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2019 25:17


    Trending News: No Teachers across the Pond. Koch Attack Why ya gotta pick on Charter Schools? Feature Interview: The Network for Public Education’s Executive Director Carol Burris talks about the lack of “accountability” at the Federal Department of Education regarding charter school funding.  After publishing Asleep at the Wheel the charter school industry felt dissed.  So they complained.  So Carol... Read more »

    Episode 84:  Rethinking Schools: The New Teacher Book

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2019 33:59


    Trending News: From Custodian to Principal What if I don’t shoot a school shooter? Feature Interview: We talk to Stan Karp (editor at Rethinking Schools) and Ikechukwu Onyema (author at Rethinking Schools) about the third edition of THE NEW TEACHER BOOK: FINDING PURPOSE, BALANCE, AND HOPE DURING YOUR FIRST YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM. Stan and Ike take... Read more »

    Episode 83: Rethinking Schools: Origins and Future

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2019 32:19


    Trending News: Classrooms in Crisis.  Bad Behavior of Bad System? Just say No to the Teacher Shortage. Standing your ground so you can shoot your kids. Feature Interview: Rethinking Schools Founder Bob Peterson. In the 1980s Bob Peterson and his teaching colleagues were looking for social justice teaching materials.  There weren’t many out there in... Read more »

    Episode 82: After School Shootings: #mourninginamerika

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2019 47:48


    Trending News: Surviving School Shootings. After School Shootings: PTSD and Suicide. It took New Zealand 6 days to ban assault rifles. Feature Interview: Parkland, FL mother Rosemarie Jensen.  Rosemarie’s son survived the Stoneman Douglas school shooting and talked to us last year about that day.  In this interview Rosemarie talks about the aftermath of living... Read more »

    Episode 81: Rethinking School’s Bob Peterson for Milwaukee School Board

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2019 41:10


    Trending News: Sandy Hook parents get the go ahead on lawsuit. How much would you pay for a teacher? Skipping school for the climate. Feature Interview:  Bob Peterson—founding editor of Rethinking Schools and 30+ year veteran teacher—is running for the city wide seat on Milwaukee Public Schools School Board.  Why and what are his plans... Read more »

    Episode 80: Teaching for Black Lives National Week of Action.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2019 46:19


    Trending News Bible Literacy? Teachers who protest should lose their license. Just say no to abstinence. Special Episode: Educators in Madison, Wisconsin gathered on a cold Sunday at Edgewood College to kick off the National Teaching for Black Lives week of Action. Jesse Hagapioan (one of the editors of Teaching for Black Lives) was the... Read more »

    Episode 79: Rethinking Ethnic Studies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 48:15


    Trending News: Teacher Testing Fails Teachers. Mrs. Pence teaches art to straight, god fearing students.  Why? How much do you pay for voucher schools? Someone Has To Say It:  More Money for Schools?  Maybe! Feature Interview: Rethinking Schools has a new book.  Rethinking Ethnic Studies.  We talk to one of the editors—Wayne Au.  Wayne takes... Read more »

    Episode 78: Teaching Politics: Gagged in AZ and Sued in RI

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2019 46:39


    Trending News: Time for the Sensory Hallway. Where are all of the teachers going? Teachers talking about politics better be careful. Feature Interview: The Curmudgucater—Peter Greene—found out that a political “gag order” on teachers in Arizona has a unique origin.  Enter David Horowitz.  Lesson?  Just teach “both sides.” Special Kohn’s Zone:  Seems that students in... Read more »

    Episode 77: Howard Zinn and Hockey Pucks

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2018 43:41


    Trending News: Floating shoes not allowed. Teacher Dress Codes. Is it a constitutional right to be taught about the constitution? School Gun Control?  No! Hockey Pucks? Hell Yeah! Feature Interview:  Ursula Wolfe-Rocca of the Zinn Education Project talks about the important work being done in classrooms using Howard Zinn materials and the motivation pushing a... Read more »

    Episode 76: SUPER Episode!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2018 42:58


    Trending News: Nazi Salute in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Reading books is so yesterday. Germany doesn’t need bake sales to fund public schools. Huh? Feature Interview: Dr. Joe Gothard.  Superintendent. Saint Paul Public Schools. What’s it take to lead 38,000 students, 6,500 teachers in 67 schools? A SUPERintendent! What Would Matt Damon’s Mom Say about “playing” superheroes?... Read more »

    Episode 75: The Nobel prize for Physics: 100 years of Gender Discrimination

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2018 44:53


    Trending News: Ubers and Teachers: What’s the difference? Rich Teachers shows off Metal Chalk Holder ACT scores drop. Should we care? Feature Interview: BustED Pencil’s own Astrophysicist—Ethan Siegel—stops by to give us a history lesson.  100 years of gender discrimination and the Nobel Prize for physics.  Implications for classroom instruction? Stop the bias! Tim from... Read more »

    Episode 74: Teacher Education as Resistance to Public School Privatization

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2018 42:39


    Trending News: Betsy declares the rise of socialism and the death of civics. Need a pay raise? Move to Europe if you’re a Teacher. High Stakes tests for Teachers but Not for Students in Pennsylvania. Feature Interview: Professor Margaret Smith Crocco from Michigan State University. What are teacher educators doing to resist the privatization of public education and... Read more »

    Episode 73: We’re (Teachers) Not Worthy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2018 45:01


    Trending News: Teacher’s books stolen by her Principal. Learning to write? Avoid the Common Core. So you want to be a Superintendent but you lack the qualifications? No problem. Primary Interview: Mitchell Robinson. He’s back.  My brother from another mother—Dr. Mitchell Robinson.  It seems that education reformer Kate Walsh has a new idea and she... Read more »

    Episode 72: Billionaires, Behaviorism and Black Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2018 42:47


    Trending News: Don’t Mess With Texas Hillary. NRAtv goes after Thomas the Train. Billionaire Bezos creating preschool consumers. What Would Matt Damon’s Mom Say about the billionaire assault on public education. Can you say “Hijacked?” Kohn’s Zone: It’s been 25 years since Alfie published Punished by Rewards (A dismantling of behaviorist learning theory).  Progressive education... Read more »

    Episode 71: Teachers Handling Guns and Kaepernick in “the best way possible.”

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2018 45:11


    Trending News:  In Oklahoma BIG money fights teacher candidates, In Oklahoma BIG money lost to teacher candidates. Wisconsin Attorney General wants teachers to handle guns in “the best way possible.” Feature Interview:  Analiese Eicher and Joanna Beilman-Dulin of One Wisconsin Now join Tim to discuss Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel’s desire to get guns in the hands of... Read more »

    Episode 70: Back to School Year in Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2018 44:37


    In this special episode we revisit classic interviews and segments that we thought deserved another round.  Awesome stuff here. What Would Matt Damon’s Mom Say? Kohn’s Zone Tim from Rise Against Betsy DeVos Breakdown Double E Ethan Siegel Trending News And much more. One things is for sure.  It’s Time to get back to school... Read more »

    Episode 69: Tim’s Brother from another Mother

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2018 43:06


    Trending News: School Shootings: Stop the Bleeding. Thank GOD! No sexual harassment in this Charter School Someone Has To Say It: Demoralized in Wisconsin. Feature Interview: Dr. Mitchell Robinson from Michigan State University might just be the smartest person in the world.  He agrees with me on everything—especially the “heart warming stories” of teachers doing stuff for free. ... Read more »

    Episode 68: Teaching for Black Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2018 44:48


    Trending News: Substitute news guy—Stick—breaks down the the “fake news” of conservative influenced propaganda. Michigan conservatives want their own history taught. How fair is it to diss Trump in an AP History book? In Texas history books not all slaves were unhappy. Feature Interview: “Teaching for Black Lives” with Jesse Hagopian.  Jesse joins Tim to... Read more »

    Episode 67: Charter Schools and Progressive Values: A Lesson for Democrats

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 44:32


    Trending News: Charter School’s first Black Valedictorian stopped from speaking at graduation. Wisconsin State Journal’s charter school definition fails the smell check. 5 Reasons Charter Schools are B. A. D. Someone Has To Say It: A lesson for “edu” journalists on charter schools. Special Interview:  The Network for Public Education’s Carol Burris: Charter Schools 101.... Read more »

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