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Playing Teacher
🎙️ What is a teacher, really?
And what’s it actually like inside a New York City school?
Welcome to Playing Teacher, where veteran educators Matt and Rob—with over 40 years of combined experience teaching in NYC—pull back the curtain on the myths, realities, and moments that make education unforgettable (for better or worse). From the mysterious teacher’s lounge to the myth of “summer off,” they explore what really happens when the classroom door closes.
This isn’t a shiny brochure version of school. It’s the real deal:
🧠Learning vs. schooling.
❤️ What kids actually carry with them.
🔥 How teachers and counselors survive systems built to burn them out.
And when we’re lucky enough to have her, we’re joined by Beanie—school counselor, educator, and recurring co-host—who brings powerful insight, grounded compassion, and the kind of perspective only someone who's worked both inside and around the classroom can offer.
đź‘Ą Guests range from teachers, students, and administrators to learning scientists, former kids (yes, really), and other unexpected voices from the world of education.
Whether you're in the classroom, supporting from the sidelines, or just trying to make sense of how we learn and why it matters—this is your hallway pass to the inside.
Playing Teacher
Latest Episodes
Episode 29: Caps, Gowns, and Grown-Up Drama: Graduation Behind the Curtain
Graduation is supposed to be about the students—but anyone who has worked in a school knows the ceremony often comes with a backstage show of adult politics, bruised egos, seating drama, award rivalries, and exhausted teachers trying to hold it...
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Episode 28: The Best Bagel in Town: A talk with veteran teacher, Michelle Henriquez.
In Episode 28, we catch up with Ms. Henriquez, though longtime listeners will understand why she will forever be known to us as Slagle — which, yes, rhymes with Bagel.The episode begins with a 20-year-old grudge involving Rob, Matt, and ...
Episode 27: The Hidden Job Description: School Safety, Student Chaos, and Teacher Survival
In this episode, Matt, Rob, and Brugge pull back the curtain on one of the least-discussed realities of working in schools: teachers are not only instructors, they are also emergency managers, crowd-control specialists, traffic directors, socia...
Epsiode 26: From the Classroom to the Central Office: A Conversation with Dr. Neill Alleva
In this episode, the Playing Teacher team sits down with Dr. Neil for a wide-ranging conversation about education, leadership, and the relationships that shape a career in schools. The discussion moves from the early days of teaching and school...
Episode 25: Stats, Laughs, and Staff Bathroom Scandals
In this milestone 25th episode of Playin’ Teacher, the crew looks back at the podcast’s growth, biggest episodes, and where listeners are tuning in from around the world. What starts as a stats check quickly turns into something bigger...
