112: My son hates school but you can help

112: My son hates school but you can help

Author: Mark Barnes February 7, 2018 Duration: 10:47
Mark shared this on social channels, and something amazing happened:

"A model student his whole life, my son, a freshman, suddenly hates school. He says the teachers are boring and most of the subject matter he will never use in real life. This is heartbreaking. He has three and a half years left, and I don't know what to do."

Listen to how people reacted and how Mark disseminates their reactions into some powerful, What-You-Can-Do-Tomorrow strategies to make school an engaging, fun place for all kids.

Learn more at http://hacklearning.org/kidhatesschool

Browse the library at http://hacklearningbooks.com

More episodes at http://hacklearningpodcast.com

Mark Barnes hosts Hack Learning, a podcast built on the idea that the most impactful changes in education often come from simple, actionable shifts. This isn't about theoretical debates; it's a toolbox of practical strategies for educators, school leaders, and parents who are ready to rethink the status quo. Each episode tackles a specific, real-world challenge, breaking down complex ideas into manageable steps you can apply immediately. You'll hear concrete methods for revitalizing classroom engagement, transforming assessment to truly measure learning, and cutting through the administrative noise to focus on what matters. The conversations explore how to leverage technology meaningfully, not just for its own sake, and how to create environments where even the most hesitant student finds a path forward. From reimagining homework and fostering a genuine love of reading to streamlining leadership and crafting effective communication, this podcast delivers concise, proven hacks. It’s for anyone who believes that better practices lead to better outcomes and wants to translate that belief into daily action. Tune in for straightforward, no-jargon insights that make improvement feel not only possible but achievable.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Hack Learning
Podcast Episodes
116: The Stupidest School Policy Ever - Hack Learning Uncut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:44
Mark Barnes says he used to penalize kids for insignificant things like using a pencil or putting their names in the wrong spot (a bad practice he now admits). But failing a kid for not printing a Google Doc? Mark argues…
114: The Power of Unanswerable Questions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:00
EduHacker Mark Barnes admits that math has always eluded him, until he stumbled upon the Unanswerable Questions hack in Hacking Mathematics, by Denis Sheeran. Mark shares Sheeran's reasoning behind Unanswerable Questions…
113: No, Mr. President, We Will NOT Arm our Teachers! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:11
Mark Barnes is angry and Uncut, as he unabashedly says No to the president's plan to arm teachers, in an attempt to stop school shootings. Not only does Mark say educators must say no to guns, he provides a few more ways…
110: Why grading and evaluating are not parts of effective assessment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:20
A reader pushed back hard against Mark Barnes' article about going gradeless in Education Week's 10 Big Ideas Special Report. As you may have expected, Mark pushes back against the pushback in this episode, sharing excer…
109: Stop making the principal the bad guy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:30
Mark discusses changing the narrative about school leaders. With a little help from principals Dan McCabe and Tracy R. Taylor, Mark says, it’s time to stop making the principal the bad guy. Visit the Show’s archive at ht…
108: How to be the teacher they make movies about, with Mike Roberts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:07
Mark interviews Utah English Teacher of the Year Mike Roberts, author of Hacking Classroom Management: 10 Ideas To Help You Become the Type of Teacher They Make Movies About. Learn more about Roberts and the Movie Teache…
107: Why Google hates the GPA and the SAT - Hack Learning Uncut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:52
Mark cites a Psychology Today Blog post, in which the author references an interview with a Google executive who says the search engine giant does not use GPAs and SAT scores to assess potential new hires. Mark Barnes de…
106: That's the Way We've Always Done it! -- Hack Learning Uncut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:06
Mark posted this on social channels: "No, I won’t lecture, assign homework, punish, or grade my students, just because that’s the way we’ve always done it." And people reacted. He talks about it in classic Hack Learning…